Double Bass How High is To Low

[Roonz]

How low can you go with the action on your set up before you get a buzz? My strings are 10 mm measured from the bottom of the strings to the fingerboard (at the end). I read somewhere about 7mm, and that may be a limit. (?) I would like to lower the action a little more, but I don't want to go so low that I buzz in arco play.

I know all the caveats and conditions that can apply about the nut and fingerboard ---generalities are OK.

Roonz

 

[JoeyNaeger]

FWIW, I've gone as low as 4 mm under the G without buzzing with the bow arco. I've heard of people going lower, but at 4 mm, you hardly work at all to stop the string. I only get buzzing at that action if I push really hard on the string, but if you used higher tension strigs, I bet it would be a non issue.

 

[Roonz]

I haven't yet answered my own question, but I have come closer. My new Engelhardt came with a bridge that set the action at the end of the fingerboard to a 15 mm. In three stages, I sanded the top of the bridge down, keeping the same contour until the action is now 7 mm. What a difference! No string buzz, and I think the bass sound better now and it is much easier to play all the way down to at least 10th position.

I could probably shave off more of the brigde, but sanding by hand is a lot of hard work. I took me an hour to sand down about 4 mm this morning.

 

[clothsnake]

have you considered getting an adjustable bridge fitted..? i know this might sound extreme, but it is a great addition... and at least will preventing you shaving off that fraction too much..?
once its off... you can't put it back