I HATE fret buzz, so I used to have my action very high. I had a heavy right hand and so needed the clearance. Over the last decade, though, I have developed a much lighter right hand style and so I have lowered my action a lot to compensate. It's still higher than some basses I have tried, but it's plenty low.
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How high or low is your action set/preference?
- Thread starter brian579
- Start date
If I can fit my little finger under the strings at the 12th fret it's too high for me! 
I never was very technical about the specs on my string height. After 50 years of playing I know what I like. I used to like very low but now I'm low-medium. I got tired of the clack-clack of the strings. My action is low at the string nut for easy playability but it goes up ever so slightly at the 12th. I also don't want to be pushing and fighting the string at the 12th fret. I just eyeball all the settings--intonation, string height, and truss rod. A lot I've learned here on TB.
I never was very technical about the specs on my string height. After 50 years of playing I know what I like. I used to like very low but now I'm low-medium. I got tired of the clack-clack of the strings. My action is low at the string nut for easy playability but it goes up ever so slightly at the 12th. I also don't want to be pushing and fighting the string at the 12th fret. I just eyeball all the settings--intonation, string height, and truss rod. A lot I've learned here on TB.
It varies bass to bass for me. Basically as low as I can get them to go without fret buzz. A bass I'm playing live will be a bit higher because I play with a pick and in a ska/punk/hardcore band and I tend to get a but.... enthusiastic on stage from time to time.
I like my strings so low they’re on the other side of the neck 
. I don’t measure anything. I’ll lower the strings gradually until fret buzz becomes a problem.
. I don’t measure anything. I’ll lower the strings gradually until fret buzz becomes a problem.
Medium low. Basically, I play with a heavy touch, but I like lower action, so as low as I can go without buzzing.
It’s interesting that people mention hand strength here and no one freaks out.
On a guitar forum, everyone was talking about how .009 strings and low-ish action was the stuff. When I said I used .010 or .011 strings with medium-high, and that maybe my hands were stronger, a few guys said I was being macho.
On a guitar forum, everyone was talking about how .009 strings and low-ish action was the stuff. When I said I used .010 or .011 strings with medium-high, and that maybe my hands were stronger, a few guys said I was being macho.
Just high enough that my heavyish right hand doesn't cause fret racket every note.
Yep. It depends on the bass and the strings as my basses are different and so are the strings. But op, a general rule of thumb for me is around 5/64 also.
My action's as low as I can get it without too much fret buzz cuz I pick really hard. Not too high, not too low.
I can get it lower on these new 9.5 inch radius Fenders as opposed to when I had a 7.25 radius P-Bass. I'm happy.
I can get it lower on these new 9.5 inch radius Fenders as opposed to when I had a 7.25 radius P-Bass. I'm happy.
I keep mine similar to yours maybe a bit higher but thats evolved over the years. I used to be a hard hitter and kept my strings pretty high but time and physical issues have taught me, lower with a lighter touch, is what's best for me. I do my own setups so I don't have a tech, so nobody to judge me and my setup choices 
I like it really low on the guitar. I have a 1987 Charvel Model 1, MIJ, 12-16 inch radius. The action's so low it could almost play itself! Haha! I recently got one of those American Performer Strats with the 9.5 radius and it's nice. You can get the action really low. Almost as low as the Charvel. So, as a consequence of learning guitar before Bass, on a Charvel, I like my action low on a Bass, too. You can get the action pretty low on the American Performer Basses with the 9.5 radius. The Jazz one has a really fast neck! It's so easy to play, a baby could play it.
Low action, light touch.
I like a little fret buzz. Just a little.
I like a little fret buzz. Just a little.
My MIA Jazz is 2.8mm ( or .113 in. ) at the last fret and it feels like I’m fighting the bass to play it. I don’t play with a hard hand which is good because if I dig in at all it buzz’s. The neck is messed up so a new neck is in my future as a pro fret level only helped so much. My backup bass which I haven’t measured but feels at least half that of the jazz. When the weather breaks and I can do some finishing i have Parts for a short scale P bass project. It’s an edan neck with a modified Warmoth body, I don’t have any expectations for low action As it’s a cheap neck but looks pretty well made. It should be a fun build.
I get the point you are making bud. You picked up on hand/finger strength. I need to go as low and light as I can go as I damaged my left hand and mashed two fingers in a motorcycle accident amongst other bones when I was in my twenties. From then on my bass was a no-no as the ligaments are shot on my first finger and pinky. Switched to a Les Paul copy six string using Ernie Ball ultra lights building strength and movement slowly through the years. Still kept my bass, but was woefully inadequate on it still. However, the guitar playing slowly got better as I learned short cuts and alternative chord arrangements...even played in a few bands. Now I thrash hell out of them. Can't stretch my fingers too far, but you wouldn't notice. January last I saw an add for a Hofner Beatles violin bass, short-scale....I wondered maybe I could handle that with my limited finger span. Ordered it, dumped the strings and replaced them with medium scale flat chromes. Figured that medium scale strings would be less tight. My gamble paid off. £ucking brilliant!!! I am a bassman again. Short-scale zeros out my handicap (no pun intended). Hand strength is still a slight issue, but if I could overcome it on guitar, I will do the same on this little Hofner.
When your action gets as high as my jazz it’s impossible to intonate at the 12th as extremely high action throws everything off. But one should have their bass setup either by a tech or themselves. Fretless players have it easier as they can just use their left hand to stay in tune, that is if one can play fretless in tune ( not easy if you don’t strictly play fretless or double bass).
I get my action as low as possible without fret buzz at the nut or choking the strings out in the upper register of the neck. From there I set the radius with my eye balls.
