Low-action fans: how much fret buzz can you stand?

[JxBass]

I lower my action until I get fret buzz, then back it off slightly.

[MNAirHead]

I have 1mm up and down the neck... light touch... right strings... right setup & tension... zero buzz (unless I want to clank)

[meatwad]

Originally Posted by JxBass

I lower my action until I get fret buzz, then back it off slightly.

+1

This way, if I want a little grit, I can just hit the strings slightly harder than normal. Otherwise, things are nice and clean.

[Sparkdog]

None for me, thanks!

I can't stand fret buzz at all so I set the action high enough that I don't get any even when plucking right at the base of the fingerboard.

More importantly though, the bass simply doesn't sound right to me unless I set it up this way. I want each note to have "weight" behind it and a pure fundamental and the higher action lets me achieve that.

[TheEmptyCell]

My round wound wearing basses have a 'musical' amount of buzz... That is, it comes through the amp, but the notes are cut off.

[ppal]

I think there is a "window" of perfect height with perfect tension and feel. I feel if its too low, you don't get the proper fundamental, tone, vibration, and added fret noise. If its too high you get reduced playability and potential for injury. I think if you can find that "window", and that may be just tiny micro-adjustments on the bridge height, nut and truss rod adjustment you can make any bass feel great.

[Jim Nazium]

I don't want to hear any fret buzz. I set my bridge saddles low, but not super-low, and use a slight amount of neck releif. I play fingerstyle with a moderate attack. If I really dug in hard there would be some buzz, but I make sure I don't play that hard.

That's just what works for me; YMMV.

[India_Sierra]

It can sound good, and in the right situation I don't mind it. It can add a nice bit of John Entwistle style 'clang' to the right song!

A bigger issue, I often find, is keeping basses on that 'razor's edge' of pleasantly buzzing when you dig in, and being unplayable low and choking out in certain positions. On some basses (wooden necks in particular), a slight temperature or humidity change can set off the neck and require adjustment. And I couldn't live with that, day in and day out!

[KingRazor]

The lowest action I can get without buzz.

I probably wouldn't even notice buzz in a band setting but practicing alone I can't stand it.

[chef wong]

You can drop the action down as low as you want with a fret level job and adjustable nut...without any buzz whatsoever.

[mjac28]

I want zero buzz almost obsessive about it .

[Lowactnsatsfctn]

You know your action is set low enough when your the only musician that can play it cleanly.

Low action, bright strings and keeping the volume knob on the Bass wide open, forced me to work on dynamics and cleaned up my playing tremendously.

[Hobobob]

I like a little bit of buzzy grind on the top when I dig in, as long as the fundamental stays full and intact. What I can't stand is when the buzz takes a second to get going. If I wanna hear buzz, I wanna hear buzz for the whole note dammit!

[bootsox]

it used to be make or break to me, now I prefer a little bit of buzz

[Josh Thatguy]

Geddy and Lemmy both romanticized fret buzz for me decades ago, and that is the aural tatoo inked within the folds of my brain.

Therefore, I have one bass tuned EADG (Geddy), and one tuned DGCF (Lemmy).

Then there's one tuned BEAD (Peter Steele) which has almost zero buzz at all, ironically.

[superdick2112]

Originally Posted by Josh Thatguy

Geddy and Lemmy both romanticized fret buzz for me decades ago, and that is the aural tatoo inked within the folds of my brain.

+1
For me it was Geddy Lee & Eddie Jackson.
I tried for ages to cop their tones, and wondered why I couldn't get my Ric & Spector basses to sound exactly like them. I finally nailed it once I dialed in the right combination of lighter gauge stainless steel strings, healthy attack & plucking by the neck pickup, low action with some fret buzz and the right EQ settings on my amp.
My Spectors, Rics, Jazz Bass and Stingray are set up on purpose with some fret buzz, while my ABG and Hamer 12-string have slightly higher action with little or no fret buzz.

[superdick2112]

BTW Josh, I see this was your first post - welcome to the Talk Bass forums!

I'm just guessing from your gear and music preferences that you aren't really 99 years old though...

[pacojas]

fret buzzz

[bass_lord_mutha]

All my Cirrus basses are set up with super-low action with no buzzing when playing with normal intensity and a bit of buzz when digging in, but it's unnoticeable when playing a live show, or as I found out recently, only barely noticeable and a non-issue on studio recordings. I dig it.

[gunlak]

as low as it can be without the notes choking.
the shorter 'sharper' attack fits well with my punk band.