How low (or high) is your action at 12th fret?

[loinmute]

I have been in a battle. I like low action and I prefer a bit of clank.
Trying to get to the lowest point without buzz coming out the amp at lower, lower-mid freq.

I believe I have found it: 1.8millimeter at the 12th fret. I measured from contact point to very bottom of the string. This has come after getting just the right amount of relief in the neck and getting some shoddy Hartke rounds off and going D'addario .45 105.

What is the measurement of some of ya'lls action? What are some of you guys prefering for relief?

 

[5string5fingers]

1.8 millimeters is pretty dang low for me. I usually have mine around 3, but I've got a heavy right hand and I like a little fight in my basses.

 

[fishtx]

personally I don't like super low action...IMO it has a negative effect on the overall tone when set to low...but that's purely subject I supose...I'll have to check and see where mine is set...

 

[JimiLL]

not low enough!!!

 

[CBRXJ]

mines about 2.5mm on my vm jazz with dr fat beams .045-.105

 

[madmatt]

Low action makes it a little harder to dig in without getting some fret buzz.

At the 17th fret I keep mine at 7/64ths on the E-string side and 6/64ths on the G-string side. Usually works fine.

Oh, usually you want to measure it at the 17th fret, although you can measure it where ever the heck you want.

 

[BD Bass]

2.7 mils.............SR500 Axe, so for me its where it has the tone I want. La Bella Deep Talkin, or Super Steps, 105's / 45's

 

[loinmute]

not low enough!!!

Right! I want it so low lucifer will trip on em'

Edit: My relief is set pretty darn straight too. There is a little bit; they say two playing cards: I can barely fit one card at the 8th fret (with capo on 1st and finger on 24th)

 

[darkstorm]

Mines at right about 1.6mm. I like low action, bit of clank and all. Roundwound strings of course. Lol.

 

[FretlessMainly]

Generally about 5.5-6 mm. On my FL 5-stringer, I can't get the action high enough, so I really need to shim the nut and/or possibly get a spacer plate for the tailpiece.

 

[electracoyote]

I'm doing good to get my action around 4/64ths to 5/64ths inch at the 12th fret. I have very little relief, and this generally allows access to all frets with no buzz if the frets are level.

 

[SurferJoe46]

All my basses are @ .079"/2mm - two with 90/105 Elixir Nanos, one with ROTO77s and the other two with MiI 7250NPS Fender strings (Indonesian-made Fender strings) -

OH, and my AEB10 with Mapes Sintered Bronze Rounds at .090"/2.3mm.

I tend to keep my scoop at zero to about .003" or so.

 

[DTF]

3mm@12th

 

[Evil Undead]

2mm @ 12th

 

[willsellout]

I keep my action at .060 using the Stewmac string action gauge.

 

[Paulo P]

1.5mm on 17Th fret... I do not have measure on 12th yet...

 

[fourstringdrums]

I could only measure with some allen wrenches sitting near me but on my Lakland Bob Glaub P with Labella Jamerson 52-110 flats it's about 3mm at the 12th.

With my Lakland Decade it's about 2.5mm at the 12th with Labella 49-109 flats.

 

[John Wentzien]

2mm..I use the corner of a dollar-bill for a feeler guage for neck-bow.(very straight)
Standard Rotos for strings.

 

[arsie]

Using the above-mentioned allen wrench test, mine is slightly below 1.5mm with Chromes.

 

[seanm]

Generally about 5.5-6 mm. On my FL 5-stringer, I can't get the action high enough, so I really need to shim the nut and/or possibly get a spacer plate for the tailpiece.

That's almost 1/4"! That is definitely the highest action I have heard of.

Anyway, I measured the rock bass and it is 6/64" (I know, I know, but I always measure action in 64ths). So that is about 2.4mm. I quite often go up to 7/64" = 2.8mm.

How do people measure in tenths of a mm? Do you have rulers that have that? That would seem too small to actually read.