Action, fret buzz, etc.

[JimmyM]

I know you like to use big heavy manly strings. Don't know how you do it after having bouts of CTS, but your tracks are always the epitome of manly, so I guess it's worth it. But what kind of action do you like? Are your basses what a lot of people would consider hard to play? Is it because of fret buzz? Most of what I've heard you do in studio, you don't sound like you have much fret buzz, but it's hard to tell in a mix. Some of the NIN stuff sounds like you have some going on, but it's hard to tell with all the grindy sounds you go for with them.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

My strings aren't that heavy. Medium actually - 50-105. Action? I think I don't really care anymore. I used to want all my basses to feel the same, kind of medium low. But I realize more and more that different basses want different setups. So I have a white P-Bass that likes strings pretty high, a T-bird that likes medium low, a Ricky that likes VERY high, a Jazz that likes pretty low, etc. I like setting up more to the instruments proper feel & tone, I guess.

 

[JimmyM]

My strings aren't that heavy. Medium actually - 50-105. Action? I think I don't really care anymore. I used to want all my basses to feel the same, kind of medium low. But I realize more and more that different basses want different setups. So I have a white P-Bass that likes strings pretty high, a T-bird that likes medium low, a Ricky that likes VERY high, a Jazz that likes pretty low, etc. I like setting up more to the instruments proper feel & tone, I guess.

Makes sense. OK, thanks Justin.

 

[morehorn]

great advice for people going set-up crazy --- myself included. i've found that each bass kind of wants to go where it wants to go and there's no point in trying to apply one's set-up sweetspot to the other.

is there any particular reason you do the 105-50? habit? sonic balance?.. they never felt right to me

 

[ubado]

i've found that each bass kind of wants to go where it wants to go and there's no point in trying to apply one's set-up sweetspot to the other.

+1

Personally, I try to set each bass up close to each other, in terms of neck relief and string height ... just for an overall consistant feel. However, even with the "close" set-ups ... they (the basses) will still want, or seem to want, to be set differently.

All in all ... set-ups are a bit of give and take. I might want low/medium action, but the bass might respond/sound better with a straight medium setup. So I set them to what sounds the best and plays the best for that particular bass.



** Justin,
Do you find yourself getting a bit "tripped up" when switching from bass to bass with extremely different set-ups?
(such as going from your Jazz to your "P" ... especially in your heavy bass rotation with Beck)

 

[jmjbassplayer]

** Justin,
Do you find yourself getting a bit "tripped up" when switching from bass to bass with extremely different set-ups?
(such as going from your Jazz to your "P" ... especially in your heavy bass rotation with Beck)

No I do not, it's never really been an issue.

 

[cjac9]

How anal do the producers and engineers get about hearing fret buzz, string squeak, etc. When I'm practicing, I notice some noise - to me it just sounds like a bass. Should I be really working on trying to get this to disappear if I'm ever going to hope to record in professional situations?

 

[jmjbassplayer]

How anal do the producers and engineers get about hearing fret buzz, string squeak, etc. When I'm practicing, I notice some noise - to me it just sounds like a bass. Should I be really working on trying to get this to disappear if I'm ever going to hope to record in professional situations?

I'd say so, yes. I keep things pretty high up in the studio, so it's relatively clean. But I also find that it improves my tone overall if I keep it that way anyway, so it's a win-win.