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Frustrated with bass action.

Which Bass has the lowest action, even tone, and playability?

  • Total voters
    101
  • Poll closed .
E

ericmknight1906

Nov 22, 2006
231
14
daytona beach, florida
#1
I'm still searching for a bass with extremely low action , no fret buzz and even sounding tone all the way up the neck. I currently have a Tobias Growler B 5 string but the more I play it the more I hate it. It's okay, but the action is still too high and I don't like the sound of the Bartolini's (too woody) There are a couple other possibilites that I have my eye on but I'd like to get opinions from past/current owners or people who have played either of these.



For low action and ease of playability, and even tone, which would you prefer?

If you can recommend one that's not on the my very limited pole, then please chime up. And they have to be 5 strings.:bassist:
 
#2
Maybe the bass just needs a setup - take it to a tech.

I used to hate Fenders cause they always had "high action" to me (at least everyone I ever played).

Then I discovered u can just take your bass to a tech and have them do a setup - it costs about $50. It'll feel like a new bass. Absolute magic!
 
#3
Well, right off the bat I'd say it probably had to do with setup, as well as fretboard radius. (I find a flatter radius makes it easier to set up for low action - though in theory, it shouldn't matter...)

That said, my Brubaker Brute (import model, about $600) has extremely low action all the way up/down the fretboard, and no buzz through the amp. (low action does take a light tough) They make a 5 string version as well. Killer bass.

My 5 string Yamaha RBX-765A has very low action as well. Very nice to play, surprising for the low amount of $$ I paid for it.

But again, it's in the setup - well, that's half of it. Some basses/neck won't do low action nicely, but I routinely take a bass with average action, level & recrown the frets, straighten the neck and can set it up for relatively low action.
 
#4
carvin's can get stupid low action...had one. modern sounding, amazing playing bass. It was too hi-fi for me and my tastes.

My 55-02 can go stupid low too. Fender 5s typically not as low as I like due to the neck raduis and bridge. The G strings in particular never get low enough, even with the saddles maxed. Had to shim my last Fender 5 to get the action down.

Warrior basses are known for ridiculously low action. Smiths, MTDs, LowEnd Jazzes, Benavente...all great candidates for silly low action.

I recently have started pulling my action back up a little bit more to allow for more digging in and better expression. Especially in the studio. A slightly higher action than what I used to set everything at gives me a much fuller, rounder tone. Trade off is, I can't fly on the fingerboard when I'm noodling at home. Not like I did it live or in the studio anyways. Most of my gigs this summer are straight pumping eighth notes anyways. =)
 
#9
I have a Bongo HH 5er, and I'm tryuing to get that stupid low action, but I just can't seem to get it. My Schecter has great low action, and I set it up my self, but I feel I may have to let a pro do my Bongo.
 
#10
All the basses mentioned above can get action so low that notes will fret if you sneeze hard. So, for that matter, will your Tobias, or any bass...

...if you get a setup done. Either learn to do it yourself (it's not that difficult) or take it to your friendly neighborhood luthier.
 
#12
Hit the Hardware, Setup, & Repair forum here.

I can surely agree with the above comments about getting a pro to set it up, but doing it yourself (EASY) will let you fine tune it to your own taste. And a pro setup is what inspired me to do my own (despite a request for low action, the action came back halfway to Upright Bass settings).
 
#13
ashtray said:
Well, right off the bat I'd say it probably had to do with setup, as well as fretboard radius. (I find a flatter radius makes it easier to set up for low action - though in theory, it shouldn't matter...)

That said, my Brubaker Brute (import model, about $600) has extremely low action all the way up/down the fretboard, and no buzz through the amp. (low action does take a light tough) They make a 5 string version as well. Killer bass.

My 5 string Yamaha RBX-765A has very low action as well. Very nice to play, surprising for the low amount of $$ I paid for it.

But again, it's in the setup - well, that's half of it. Some basses/neck won't do low action nicely, but I routinely take a bass with average action, level & recrown the frets, straighten the neck and can set it up for relatively low action.
Click to expand...

Um, I wish you didn't mention that Brubaker. Now, I've got really bad GAS!:)

To the OP, the next progression to even lower action would be ------- Fretless! Then you'd get even response all the way up and down the board and no clickety clack.
 
#16
ericmknight1906 said:
I'm still searching for a bass with extremely low action , no fret buzz and even sounding tone all the way up the neck. I currently have a Tobias Growler B 5 string but the more I play it the more I hate it. It's okay, but the action is still too high and I don't like the sound of the Bartolini's (too woody) There are a couple other possibilites that I have my eye on but I'd like to get opinions from past/current owners or people who have played either of these.



For low action and ease of playability, and even tone, which would you prefer?

If you can recommend one that's not on the my very limited pole, then please chime up. And they have to be 5 strings.:bassist:
Click to expand...

It is not a question of whether a Fender or a Lakland will do it... a bass that's built properly will play just how YOU want it. You want low action and no buzz? Any of a million basses can do it... if set up accordingly. Find a bass that you like the sound of, balances well, and has a neck that you like... then take it to be set up to YOUR specifications. And enjoy your bass :-)
 
#19
try mandolin frets (smaller frets).. its quite a different feel and can get you very low action,.. of course it will affect the sound too, and smaller frets will get used up quicker.. however it was quite a revelation for me..
 

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