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High action vs. Low

#81
Rocky McDougall said:
Where are you measuring your string clearance? How much relief?
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FWIW, I don't measure relief. It doesn't strike me as a reliable metric when you consider variables in fret size and shape as well as other neck construction factors that can affect the consistency of the measurement. It has worked for me; your mileage may vary.

I sight down the edges of the fretboard and make it as straight as it can be while under string tension. Then, I add relief only to the point where any fret buzz goes away, about 1/8 of a truss rod turn at a time. It can be a laborious process with new components; I don't ever fool with the truss rod while the strings are at full tension. Once you bring it into line, there's not much more truss tweaking to do. To add to the inconvenience of it all, all of my basses require neck removal to adjust the truss rod.
 
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#82
Some of you mention that the "clanking and fretbuzz" are part of your sound and as such desirable. How does that work for you in the studio? Any complaints from sound engineers?
I play with a pretty solid attack, have good technique and play with what you would probably call medium action.
I would love to get my action lower, but when recording, the extra noise from having super low action seems to be too noticeable.It affects the way I play.It makes me self conscious about my dynamics and hesitant to really play with conviction if you know what I mean.Lightening the attack will help somewhat of course but proper muting becomes critical to the point where for me I loose the connection to the song and impact because I'm thinking more about keeping my lines clean than the music itself. Longer notes seem to be harder to keep from buzzing.Short staccato riffs are not as problematic.
I experiment around with shims to adjust the neck angle on my basses and then adjust the relief,trying to get the strings as close to the high frets as possible and then dial in the right amount of relief so that I don't buzz in the lower ranges. There seems to be a sweet spot balancing the two out. One without the other has never worked for me. In the end that seems to give me the ability to put some meat behind my notes without too much extra noise. Not having to worry about buzzing helps me play better parts, my tone projects more and it seems to keep the engineers happier too.
I'm always tweaking with my settings a little bit but I have not found a way to get super low action and no buzz with the way I play.
 
#83
gimmeagig said:
Some of you mention that the "clanking and fretbuzz" are part of your sound and as such desirable.
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Fret buzz is 100% unacceptable. When I refer to clank, I mean almost a slap-like sound - a la Steve Harris. It sounds like it belongs there, as opposed to something that is unintentional. I play with nickel rounds, my tone wide open, and control my tweeter from my bi-amp. If I don't want that tone, I can change my attack and/or roll back the tone pot an my bass.

I set up my basses, polish them, and oil my unfinished fretboards twice a year. Been doing it that way for more than 20 years. Including changing strings, it takes me about 15-20 minutes per bass. They're all very consistent. As far as the right hand goes, they all play the same. My necks vary, so that's simply not the case with the left hand.
 
#86
gimmeagig said:
Some of you mention that the "clanking and fretbuzz" are part of your sound and as such desirable. How does that work for you in the studio? Any complaints from sound engineers?
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I like it generally because i can add another element to my sound. I like having the clank and buzz because it sounds aggressive. I cant say any engineers have complained because ive never worked with one. That being said, whenever I record I usually just automatically play with a lighter touch, and any unwanted clanks or buzzes really go unheard in a mix.

The low action also allows me to have that "digging in" sound without actually digging in so much and fatiguing my fingers.
 
#87
You`re bassists! Not guitarists! Stop complaining, start playin`!
Or, try an upright bass! Your fingers will be TIRED!
PS Action on my Jazz is about 2,5 mm from 12 fret to E string and about 1.2-1.5 mm to G string! Because of slim neck, it still plays very comfortable, without no fret buzzing. Neck is almost straight and nut height adjusted right! I`m using Elixir nano`s in 105-45 gauge.
 
#88
The sound of metal strings snapping against the frets has become absolutely integral to the tone of thousands of famous bassists. Low action helps achieve that. You can get the snap without fret buzz, depending on how your bass is set up. I play with a pick a lot and have managed to get the stings to snap against the frets ALL the time when I'm playing with my normal aggressiveness (hard), but very very rarely do I get the resonating " fretbuzz" when a note rings out.

It's entirely personal preference.
 
#89
I am from the camp wher a little noise only helps me get where I want to go. When I ask the guitar tech at teh local shop to set up my bass with lower action he always comes back with "it will buzz". I like it like that. I like low action and play hard. You can always lighten up when you need it cleaner.

Today I came across this on youtube:

It is an isolated bass track of Roundabout by Yes. I never realized how much noise was going on in this. This exactly how the low action gets the grind I am looking for.
 
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#91
Since I'm new to basses and a complete noob, please tell me if my string action of 3mm on a E and ~2.8mm on G string is too much (measured on 17th fret) ? Also neck relief is set to 0.30mm when fretted at 1st and 17th frets (~0.35mm w/ fretted at 1st and last fret)

Are these values considered a high (bad) action or acceptable (average)?

I cannot get the action lower w/o string buzz, because fret level from 12th fret to last is poor (Squire VM 70's Jazz Bass). Also I have a pretty hard finger style so anything below 3mm produces buz on E string.

Sorry for necroing an old thread. :)
 
#92
KingT said:
Since I'm new to basses and a complete noob, please tell me if my string action of 3mm on a E and ~2.8mm on G string is too much (measured on 17th fret) ? Also neck relief is set to 0.30mm when fretted at 1st and 17th frets (~0.35mm w/ fretted at 1st and last fret)

Are these values considered a high (bad) action or acceptable (average)?

I cannot get the action lower w/o string buzz, because fret level from 12th fret to last is poor (Squire VM 70's Jazz Bass). Also I have a pretty hard finger style so anything below 3mm produces buz on E string.

Sorry for necroing an old thread. :)
Click to expand...
That sounds ok to me.
 
#94
I don't like low or high action--so medium I guess.
I can dig in & bend & articulate things that way.

Same on guitar--probably more so.
I do a lot of bending on guitar--and a medium action helps that.
Too low and the strings doesn't like to go with my finger--to high and the feel is off.

Bu even for bass I don't like it too low--it feel weird.
 
#95
I like my string height as low as I can get it with little/no string buzz - mainly 'cause I'm lazy and old. I don't know what the actual measurements are; varies from bass to bass, anyway, depending on string gauge, type, etc. Some of my basses have some relief; some - like my Ricks, and Kramer lumies - have little/none. But, IMO, a little buzz is necessary for a good Rick sound; and with the lumies, string height is all you can adjust, anyway. But, I'm not an "aggressive" player at all; like I said, I'm lazy; and what I like to play doesn't call for it, anyhow. As for string height and tone? IME, tone is more a matter of string/pickup clearance than simple string height. I have some basses (like a Gretsch Broadkaster, for instance) where pickup height is crucial. 1/16" too low results in very little output at all. 1/16" too close? Believe me, that's a tone you don't want...:)
 
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#96
after three years of me trying to set up my vintage L2000 with low low action, my new luthier put in some more relief in and raised the bridge saddles slightly and filed the nut down very slightly, now the action is higher, but the bass has zero buzz and it's a hell of a lot easier to play, too bad i spent so much time wrestling with the bass in an attempt to get the fantasy low action people describe on tb
 
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#97
Low action and light strings for slap and high action and heavy gauge strings form alomost everything else.After almost 30 years of playing I find out that higher action give you more dynamic and sound of a bass is more alive, I think ti is all related to a string tension. If you have a higher string aciton when you press a fret you have higher tension and thats all.Higher action and the notes sound more fundamental and rich and full IMHO
 
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#98
I like my action medium high. I'm a big dude with heavy hands and I tend to get too many unwanted buzzes/rattles when the action is too low. I suppose I could work on my technique and lighten up my touch but I just love to sound of a passive bass played hard.
 
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#99
I like a low action where possible, but I am having issues getting my 79 Ibanez RS900 to obey, so the action seems like it wants to stay high, very high, so much so my B string (B F# B F# tuning to follow the guitar in open) goes from B at the open string to C# on the first fret, completely missing C. I think my nut might be waay too high for it, but I am certain it is the original one. I should have to press so hard the string stretches out of tune...
 
#100
My action is higher now because of the rock band I’m in. I play a ‘98 Fender American Deluxe Precision allows for any tone in any style, and my action is usually lower to accommodate different styles. That simply doesn’t work with this band. I’m considering getting a different, cheaper bass just for the rock band because my Fender is too nice and versatile to leave in this high-action state all the time.
 
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