Action a little high for me?

[2thAche]

Some basses will need nothing season to season. Some need major truss adjustments. I have one like yours that goes high in the winter. The saddle height doesn't change, but the neck front-bows which significantly changes the action (high). You probably need to check relief and adjust each season.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Would you agree that singnificant temperature change has a more direct and immediate effect on the metal parts than humidity does on the wooden parts? That's certainly what my physics brain would expect and what my anecdotal experience bears out.

I mean, I imagine, and you will know most if not all of what there is to know on this, that wood takes extended exposure to actually absorb or lose moisture, whereas metals parts, especially small or thin ones, tend to respond almost instantly to temperature change.

My strings respond very quickly to temp changes. Basses always come out of the case sharp but after running hands along strings for 30 seconds or so they come back to proper pitch.

 

[Turnaround]

Would you agree that singnificant temperature change has a more direct and immediate effect on the metal parts than humidity does on the wooden parts? That's certainly what my physics brain would expect and what my anecdotal experience bears out.

I mean, I imagine, and you will know most if not all of what there is to know on this, that wood takes extended exposure to actually absorb or lose moisture, whereas metals parts, especially small or thin ones, tend to respond almost instantly to temperature change.

I agree completely. But the dimensional changes in a steel truss rod as afffected by normal indoor temperature changes is far less than the dimensional changes of wood as affected by relative humidity changes in a living environment.

 

[Cory rich40]

I will add that my BTB is supposed to have graphite rods to help with neck stability

 

[SteveCS]

I agree completely. But the dimensional changes in a steel truss rod as afffected by normal indoor temperature changes is far less than the dimensional changes of wood as affected by relative humidity changes in a living environment.

As well as being far more predictable, and therefore manageable, right?

 

[Yahboy]

I got the Ibanez BTB 866 ms back in February and fell in love with it. My wife and I don’t have a storage room at the house because the rooms are bedrooms for us and the kids, so I keep my gear at my parents house. Dad is a diabetic and that means it can be 100 degrees outside and he will have the heater on inside. We live in NC, so our summers are fairly hot and muggy. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating about them and the summer, but it’s nothing for their house to be hot in the spring. Either way it’s usually way warmer than I prefer. Recently when we have practiced, it seems like the action on that bass is higher than what I remembered it being in February when I got the bass. We have been practicing 1 time a week for around 2 hours doing 2 run throughs of the 12 songs we play for our church’s special homecoming service. Yesterday we did a semi run through of all the songs before we played. 2 hours of playing. I don’t have calluses on my fingers but they are sore. They were sore Wednesday night after we practiced. I’ve been playing for 30 years and thought I was beyond the stage of sore fingers. I noticed yesterday it was very tiring. Is it normal for high action to be exhausting while you are playing? Or should we have just warmed up with one song before we actually played? It does seem like I’m having to press the fretboard harder with the higher action. Don’t throw stones at me for what I’m getting ready to say. I’m sure the bass needs a proper set up. I’ve always took my instruments to shops when they needed setting up. I know proper set up is a useful skill I need. Hopefully I can take the time and learn it. I will also add that the action got higher on my Music man Bongo once, but not to the extent of being difficult to play. Forgive me if maybe this thread should have been done on the Luthier section.

I found that my SRMS725 when meet just slight tiny bow on neck , I can feel both B and E string action become slightly higher and less comfort on my fretting hand but still acceptableby myself Those ADG just fine

Alll my 34 scale bass never has this issue , except the neck relief change from .010 to .016.

I think it may cause by scale length difference,.Longer scale side along with higher action with both B and E string ( 1.65mm B, 1.55mm E. ) became notable the action change compare to ADG string( 1.45mm- 1.25mm ) when neck get bow.

 

[sissy kathy]

You probably need a truss rod adjustment. As the truss rod warms up, it gets longer which puts less compression on the neck, often causing excessive relief and higher action. A quick seasonal adjustment should have you back where you want to be.

The strings must not change temperature along with the truss rod or the string tension wouldn't change enough to talk about.

 

[Cory rich40]

What impact would being a 6 string have on the whole issue?

 

[sissy kathy]

I don't think it is throwing stones, but it sounds like all it needs is a truss rod tweak. A hot truss rod is a long truss rod compared to a cold one, so it will let go of some tension which leads to more relief, which translates to a higher action. Time to break out the Allen keys... My SR4 is very sensitive to temperature changes - tweaking the neck a smidge either way is routine throughout the year (or even at certain venues) and should be nothing to be afraid of. Putting the cost of a workshop visit aside, I would think there is little point getting the thing set up in a place other than where it is being kept and played, only to get home and find it has moved.

Are you saying the strings won't heat at the same time and rate, also reducing tension and negating the truss rod changes? How's that work?

 

[SteveCS]

Are you saying the strings won't heat at the same time and rate, also reducing tension and negating the truss rod changes? How's that work?

Of course the strings will expand a little, but it's the balance that gets upset - think how much tension is in the truss compared to the total of the string set.

 

[Dominoes]

Do this, in order. (Each step affects the later ones)

- Using your fingers or a capo, press down on the first fret, and the fret where the neck roughly touches the body. Eyeball how far the lowest or highest string is off the ~7th fret. If there's no gap, slightly loosen the truss rod. if there's more than a tiny gap (Yea, this is vague), tighten it. Only small amounts, e.g. 1/4 turn at a time. Here's the hard part: it may take a few hours or longer before this adjustment settles, so don't get into an oscillation. Warning: Do not force the truss rod if it's resistant to tightening, or adjust it too much without waiting, or you may damage the neck.

- Set the string action lower. Try to keep each saddle roughly level, and consistent action across the strings. How low is to taste; balance the action desired for comfort with how much fret noise etc you get when playing. If you can't get it low enough (Generally on the end strings), and the truss rod is already correct, you will need to do advanced things (i.e. neck shimming), which is out of context for this post.

- Set the intonation: Get all open strings in tune. Measure pitch (tuning) at the 12th fret. If it's high pitch, shorten the string. If it's too low pitch, lengthen. (This is a bit trickier on fretless)

Both the truss rod and action can be checked trivially; you will notice the action immediately, and the truss rod can be visually checked in seconds using the above approach.

 

[Chris Wilke]

I know proper set up is a useful skill I need. Hopefully I can take the time and learn it.

Google the Roger Sadowsky Bass set up video on YouTube. Very easy to understand and follow.

Also while it's possible to piece together the tools, and use stuff you may already have, the Fender Custom Shop guitar tool kit is a fantastic thing to have. I think they are $74 right now - I paid a lot less just a couple years ago, but we know how that goes. If I lost mine I'd buy another one right away. You can keep you tools handy or even in your gig bag. It really only takes a few minutes to set up a bass, especially when you get comfortable with it.

All this said -once your bass is set up the main thing you'd be adjusting for seasonal changes is the truss rod. The saddle height and intonation should not be moving, though I have seen it happen - ands I replaced that bridge!

 

[Dominoes]

Btw: The nut is also an important thing which affects action and general setup. I left it off the list not because it isn't important, but because adjusting it is more involved, and not reversible. I would categorize that and neck shimming as advanced setup, while truss rod, and saddle adjustments are something everyone can do quickly.

That was a great Sadowsky vid! I just learned a bunch. (E.g.: Check the neck screws, that a flat neck from truss rod settings can be preferred)

 

[Cory rich40]

Btw: The nut is also an important thing which affects action and general setup. I left it off the list not because it isn't important, but because adjusting it is more involved, and not reversible. I would categorize that and neck shimming as advanced setup, while truss rod, and saddle adjustments are something everyone can do quickly.

That was a great Sadowsky vid! I just learned a bunch. (E.g.: Check the neck screws, that a flat neck from truss rod settings can be preferred)

It’s neck thru

 

[Dominoes]

*Reverse my intonation direction above. And, the saddles being level only applies to each saddle; the pattern of saddles will curve to match the board.