High Action

[spaz21387]

I like high action but not as high in the paul mcartney pics... Id say medium high is perfect. I dig in hard If I have low action I get that really clanky sound and with fuzz its bad.

[soulman969]

So much of it depends on the particular bass and the strings. With rounds or the PWounds I use now on my Jazz my action is fairly low and the tension medium. With flats I like a higher tension strings and I'll leave the action a little higher to accommodate a heavier gauge string and create a bigger sound.

Every bass seems different to me and they all seem to have a "sweet spot" where they settle in and feel and intonate well. The highest action I ever played with was on a Modulus 5 string with rounds. It seemed to settle much higher than I usually played but the neck was so flat that it was a pretty effortless bass to play.

Just depends but ordinarily on my Jazz Bass the action is fairly low.

[kevteop]

I like medium-high action with flats, because I want a thumpy sound with no noise, but I set up lower with rounds.

[FrednBass]

lol, i was going to post the same pics i've already posted.
My memory is so bad...

[DrSpunkwater]

Originally Posted by FrednBass

Bowed neck and high action. That's the McCartney way

Now *that's* a set-up!

[jerry]

Originally Posted by Tupac

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh man, this is worth the half year bump just to point that out.


And I'll never understand how people can like high action. Why would you make it more difficult to play?

I like the action a little higher on my basses, I buy pretty nice basses that can and do come with very low action, I always raise them up a bit, I like the tone better that way.
To each, their own.

[MrPierre]

I prefer high action bass, especially when I play with a pick.

Low-action basses will always buzz when I hit the string really hard.

[C.Linton]

Originally Posted by JimiLL

I cant believe he can be intonated like that

I remember hearing on quite a few (mostly old stuff) where it sounded to me like his bass was not properly tuned. Perhaps that's what I was hearing.

[Shakin-Slim]

Originally Posted by Tupac

And I'll never understand how people can like high action. Why would you make it more difficult to play?

It's harder to dig in with low action. Personally, I like the feel of medium high action. I like to feel like I'm fighting with the instrument a little. Particularly with blues, rock n roll etc.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by JimiLL

I cant believe he can be intonated like that

He didn't. Took him until the late 80's to be able to get his Hofners to play in tune.

I like low action and light strings. Used to like higher action but I'm done torturing myself.

[C.Linton]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

He didn't. Took him until the late 80's to be able to get his Hofners to play in tune.

I like low action and light strings. Used to like higher action but I'm done torturing myself.

That's what I thought. Then I wasn't just hearing things, his bass WAS out of tune.