How is the action?

[scott sinner]

Yes, how hard one plays is subjective. There is a range of soft to hard playing that makes sense in different contexts or just for personal taste.

But no, action is not subjective because all of that could be measured. Our vocabulary about action just lacks the terms and we don't have a ready way to measure velocity.

We know how to measure relief. And we can measure the distance from the string bottom to the fret.

So what I would tell a buyer is, 'capod at the first fret, relief x, action at 12th fret is x.' Then you can best describe how heavily you tend to play (if you know, which is part of the problem, lots of new people start out with underpowered amps and are plucking like madmen to try to hear themselves) and where in usual ppp to mf or fff of that range if it buzzes at all.

 

[Jack Butler]

It is very subjective what each person likes. I have to say though, if other boxes are checked, a low action is a HUGE selling point for me. The reason is there is no doubt the action can be adjusted low(which is my preference.) If the action is high, I don't know if it's player preference, or there is something wrong. One of my biggest regrets was passing on a MIJ P-bass some years back. It was slightly overpriced, at the time really clean ones were going for ~$700. There was one at my local music store they wanted $850 and wouldn't budge. It was not abused at all but had definitely been gigged a lot. Lots of little dings/scratches etc...so I thought it was more of a $600 bass at the time. The thing is though, I've never played a bass with lower BUZZ FREE action. It felt like the strings were ON the frets almost, but there was no buzz. I've had some good basses since but never one that played like that. Honestly now I would pay the premium for a bass that I knew could do that ultra low action setup.

 

[Gregc57]

1: grab a ruler and tell them where it's set, maybe at the 12th fret or where the neck meets the body.
2: tell them if there is adjustment left to move it in either direction.
3: you could be nice and let them know if the bass has any issues that limits action, such as poor fretwork or an uneven fingerboard plane; maybe a twist in the neck.
If you are not qualified to go past 1 & 2, just say so, and let it be. You're done~

 

[SteveCS]

...
...
But no, action is not subjective because all of that could be measured.
...

Yes it could be measured, but I think the point was that preferences are subjective - there is no universal right or wrong setting, only - as you pointed out - that which is optimal for the playing style of the individual.

Another part of the problem is that a lot of inexperienced players don't yet understand how action, relief, fingerboard radius, neck profile, fret height and shape, string tension, string construction and the afterlengths (saddle-to-tail and nut-to-post) all contribute to the overall feel of an instrument in the hands.

 

[ole Jason]

People ask because buyers will hide very real neck problems behind "I like my action on the high side." Favoring high action is one thing but if your bass can't achieve a low action setup due to a physical reason then that's going to be a problem for a lot of buyers.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Let's assume a normal fretted bass. I know you use a pro and he may provide you with the measurements. Since describing the action of a bass is like describing how a cup of coffee tastes, send prospective buyers the number, like you would the weight. You need to know the gap for the truss rod setting and the gap between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string. You might consider adding the distance from the top of the pickup to the bottom of the strings, but that is more sound than action.
This link if for Fender basses, but are relevant for almost all basses. They do provide a standard, but, as you said, different people like different setups.
[This invalid link has been removed]

 

[truand85]

Thank you Sir for your objective input, but I tend to listen more to members that have been around more than 3 months. I am completely confused as how to go forward at this time. I have posted the bass as “no longer available “ as I just don’t know how to make everyone happy. After 47 positive feedback scores, and 14 years as a member, I think I will quit selling for a while. Be safe!

Well, I'm not sure how time spent on the forum correlates to expertise on buying a bass guitar, but if that is your reply to my taking time to answer you honestly and objectively I now regret wasting my time.

 

[BarfanyShart]

Just tell him it's 2mm on the low string at the 12th fret and that it plays like butter. I don't know if that's true, or even good if it was true, but that's what he wants to hear.

Seriously, though, you can measure it easily enough. If you paid for a good guitar shop setup, then I am guessing it is ~2.4mm at the low string, and ~1.8mm at the high string - because that's what they do to satisfy the vast majority of people who like "medium-low" action. And that's a good setup, it could probably go lower, but then you may need to adjust technique to avoid fret noise.

I like to set my own bass up as low and flat as is playable at first, and then dial it in by adding relief and string height over time, eliminating whatever little bits of fret noise bother me. I figure that's the way to get the lowest setup that works for ME, the way I play the instrument.