I like my action high!

[Juniorkimbrough]

After always trying to get the lowest possible action with no fret buzz I've finally realized that I like my action high. I always noticed on one of my Fenders that I had a hard time getting low action on that I really loved the way it played and sounded even though the action was a bit higher than the rest of my basses. I could really dig in when I felt like it and it didn't effect the tone in a bad way like low action would. On my fretting hand I also felt like I could play with a bit more soul and feeling than with the lower action....i know that doesn't make much sense.

I noticed this while learning a new song for my band last night. The E string on my Lakland just sounded a tad weak or something, I just felt like I couldn't really play it like I wanted, I decided to raise the action and there it was.....the E string sounded full and punchy regardless of how hard or soft I played.

Just thought I"d share my findings and wondered if anyone else here prefers their action somewhat higher than normal.

 

[00Funk]

i like mine high on fretless, especially

 

[Asa Samuel]

i have quite a high action on my jazz but i've never really had a bass with low action to compare it too but for the moment i quite like what i have.

 

[PilbaraBass]

After always trying to get the lowest possible action with no fret buzz I've finally realized that I like my action high. I always noticed on one of my Fenders that I had a hard time getting low action on that I really loved the way it played and sounded even though the action was a bit higher than the rest of my basses. I could really dig in when I felt like it and it didn't effect the tone in a bad way like low action would. On my fretting hand I also felt like I could play with a bit more soul and feeling than with the lower action....i know that doesn't make much sense.

I noticed this while learning a new song for my band last night. The E string on my Lakland just sounded a tad weak or something, I just felt like I couldn't really play it like I wanted, I decided to raise the action and there it was.....the E string sounded full and punchy regardless of how hard or soft I played.

Just thought I"d share my findings and wondered if anyone else here prefers their action somewhat higher than normal.

I can understand how you can dig in with high action...but I can't buy that a bass will sound better played softly when it has high action vs. low...

The single most important factor IMO to a good sounding E (or B) string is a clean witness point at the bridge...IMO, it makes ALL the difference between a dull, muddy tone to a clean, succint tone..

raising the action "may" help clean up the witness point and therefore give you a better tone when played softly, but the best way to achieve this is to press down on the string HARD just in front of the bridge saddle (pickup side, not anchor side)...

everyone try this and then tell me if I'm not right...

1) play your open E (or B, or any string for that matter)...listen carefully through your rig
2) set your witness point (as described above)
3) play the open note again...

does it sound better?

 

[keyboardguy]

My action is 3/16ths @ the 20th fret. Is that considered high?

I like to dig in too.


Mike

 

[stingray69]

I can understand how you can dig in with high action...but I can't buy that a bass will sound better played softly when it has high action vs. low...

The single most important factor IMO to a good sounding E (or B) string is a clean witness point at the bridge...IMO, it makes ALL the difference between a dull, muddy tone to a clean, succint tone..

raising the action "may" help clean up the witness point and therefore give you a better tone when played softly, but the best way to achieve this is to press down on the string HARD just in front of the bridge saddle (pickup side, not anchor side)...

everyone try this and then tell me if I'm not right...

1) play your open E (or B, or any string for that matter)...listen carefully through your rig
2) set your witness point (as described above)
3) play the open note again...

does it sound better?

For years I've always done this when changing strings - can't say I've honestly tried to listen in an A/B scenario. I do it mostly because it makes sense logically that you want a good solid contact point where the string breaks over the saddle. I suppose it is also along the same concept of the string tree.

 

[20db pad]

After always trying to get the lowest possible action with no fret buzz I've finally realized that I like my action high. I always noticed on one of my Fenders that I had a hard time getting low action on that I really loved the way it played and sounded even though the action was a bit higher than the rest of my basses. I could really dig in when I felt like it and it didn't effect the tone in a bad way like low action would. On my fretting hand I also felt like I could play with a bit more soul and feeling than with the lower action....i know that doesn't make much sense.

I noticed this while learning a new song for my band last night. The E string on my Lakland just sounded a tad weak or something, I just felt like I couldn't really play it like I wanted, I decided to raise the action and there it was.....the E string sounded full and punchy regardless of how hard or soft I played.

Just thought I"d share my findings and wondered if anyone else here prefers their action somewhat higher than normal.

I'm with ya on this 100%. I used to try to get as low an action as possible back in the day. I've since have come to grow out of it in my own search for how I want to sound.

There's a lot of "guitar voodoo" connected to the notion of string height in regards to overall tone quality. It exists more in the world of acoustic instruments for obvious reasons. I have nothing to offer in terms of pure science, but I like the way my basses feel and sound with higher action. I also like to fight the bass a little, and I've been at this for a long time so I don't mind that.

For me, my preferences are likely tied into the fact that I've met a few of the noted players who inspired me to play in the first place, and the action on their basses would scare the vast majority of players I know. I also don't want to sound like the cliche low-action fret buzz and choking out tone that's so in vogue nowadays.

 

[CapnSev]

Major props to you man!

I wish I could say the same thing. I like the control I get out of a little higher action, but I suffer from action a** hole syndrome because I like to be lazy when I play.

Maybe I should start an action-nazi anonymous thread

 

[PilbaraBass]

My action is 3/16ths @ the 20th fret. Is that considered high?

I like to dig in too.


Mike

the 20th fret isn't a common reference point for action...by convention, the E-string 12th fret is...

however, I have a bass that's 2mm at the 12th fret and 3mm at the 20th, and I consider it fairly low...3/16ths is 4.75mm that would probably translate back to about 3.2mm at the 12th (that's medium to medium-high, IMO)...

my #1 bass is 1.5mm at the 12th fret and 2mm at the 24th fret...I consider this to be QUITE low...by the way, I can dig in pretty hard and it doesn't buzz a BIT.


my action scale: (12th fret E-string)

<1mm = SICK LOW
1.5mm = LOW
2.0mm = MEDIUM LOW
2.5mm = MEDIUM
3.0mm = MEDIUM HIGH
3.5mm = HIGH
4.0mm = VERY HIGH
4.5mm = SCARY HIGH (grab a parachute)

 

[BellBottomBlues]

I purposely use high tension (well they don't seem it to me but I got strong fingers I guess) strings like LaBella Jamerson Sigs and Rotosound Jazz Flats (LE) with an under compensated truss rod so my neck actually bends forward quite a bit. I also have all the saddles maxed out in height almost as well.

What does this do? This allows me to stick my sausage fingers between the string and fretboard and not touch either of them.

Why? Its what Im used to. My first bass that I owned was a Zimgar (MIJ bass from the 60s) which had a terribly bowed neck. I grew up playing before my dad gave me one of his old basses, a 58 p-bass. Last time that p-bass got set up with in the late 60s so the action was pretty high on that also. I've tried every possible lower action and I was never happy. I also kept clanking the string onto the fretboard and since I wasn't trying to be Steve Harris, this didn't help me much.

I also tend to break a lot of strings (not just the occasional G or D but even the E and A) during shows and practice so I always have 3 sets extra that were rubbed in butter and wiped down again so they sound dead. And no I don't wrap my strings wrong, I just play really hard.

 

[PilbaraBass]

I purposely use high tension (well they don't seem it to me but I got strong fingers I guess) strings like LaBella Jamerson Sigs and Rotosound Jazz Flats (LE) with an under compensated truss rod so my neck actually bends forward quite a bit. I also have all the saddles maxed out in height almost as well.

What does this do? This allows me to stick my sausage fingers between the string and fretboard and not touch either of them.

Why? Its what Im used to. My first bass that I owned was a Zimgar (MIJ bass from the 60s) which had a terribly bowed neck. I grew up playing before my dad gave me one of his old basses, a 58 p-bass. Last time that p-bass got set up with in the late 60s so the action was pretty high on that also. I've tried every possible lower action and I was never happy. I also kept clanking the string onto the fretboard and since I wasn't trying to be Steve Harris, this didn't help me much.

I also tend to break a lot of strings (not just the occasional G or D but even the E and A) during shows and practice so I always have 3 sets extra that were rubbed in butter and wiped down again so they sound dead. And no I don't wrap my strings wrong, I just play really hard.

James Jamerson would kiss you...

Flea would kick you

 

[Rattman]

... hehehe! I love 'bucking trends' on most TB threads.. and this one will be no differant! I can't get my action low enough on any of my intruments.. I'm always striving to get them even lower thru truss rod and bridge saddle tweaking. I have no idea what "guitar voodoo" is, but it definitely sounded like a snub to me. There sure seems to be a bunch of insecure bass players that post here on TB. You know the ones I mean.. they'll use every opportunity to belittle guitar players, or 'geetards' as they call them. I know that not 'politically correct' here to post anything other than scorn-filled comments about guitar players, but I could really care less about that kinda back-stabbing.

Low action on everything is how I set up mine and anyone else's instrument I'm presented to work on. A light touch sounds better than digging in too much.. besides that, the lightly-played notes ring and decay a lot smoother. I also notice the preamp 'clip' LED comes on less frequently as well.

 

[JimmyM]

I used to like it high, but I'm getting old.

 

[sensible68]

I still have the fear about high actions from my first POS basses and guitars... I like it loooow

 

[Juniorkimbrough]

I totally understand why some want super low action but I've just never been able to play like that. When I'm at a gig playing and grooving to the music I have a hard time playing with a soft touch while moving around and really getting into the music.

I don't know if there is any truth to what some say about higher action having better tone but I'd like to think it was true. Also for me it's interesting to hear that a lot of well known players prefer higher action.....i.e. Will Lee, Jamerson.....just two that immediately came to mind.

 

[Rattman]

I totally understand why some want super low action but I've just never been able to play like that. When I'm at a gig playing and grooving to the music I have a hard time playing with a soft touch while moving around and really getting into the music.

I don't know if there is any truth to what some say about higher action having better tone but I'd like to think it was true. Also for me it's interesting to hear that a lot of well known players prefer higher action.....i.e. Will Lee, Jamerson.....just two that immediately came to mind.

Yaaah. Of course it (high action) is valid and necessary for stronger hands and differant emotions that manifest while playing. I've also heard several players 'swear' a "better, cleaner tone" can be had with higher action. I personally do not subscribe to that truth.. finding that having lower action on both bass and electric guitar is less likely to induce tendonitus in my hands and forearms. The 'high action' crowd is not wrong.. its just wrong for certain damage-prone hands. Just as a side note: my recorded tones do not seem undefined IMHO.

 

[Lorenzini]

I play with an action Pilbarabass would call Medium-Low. Around 2mm. Surely not high action, surely not really low action.

I play keyboards in a group where the bass player has a 6 string, and what I would call high action. He gets around really well and doesn't think it's high at all. He also plays an upright bass with high action - even other upright players think it's high. Said bass player is about 6'2, and very strong.

So I can see that this really depends on:
1) the player, and his own physique, or playing style
2) tone
3) if the player learned on a high action bass

 

[hoosierdad]

I do like my action on the medium to high side. I usually just set the action where all or most of the notes sound solid.

 

[WarofAges]

I can understand how you can dig in with high action...but I can't buy that a bass will sound better played softly when it has high action vs. low...

The single most important factor IMO to a good sounding E (or B) string is a clean witness point at the bridge...IMO, it makes ALL the difference between a dull, muddy tone to a clean, succint tone..

raising the action "may" help clean up the witness point and therefore give you a better tone when played softly, but the best way to achieve this is to press down on the string HARD just in front of the bridge saddle (pickup side, not anchor side)...

everyone try this and then tell me if I'm not right...

1) play your open E (or B, or any string for that matter)...listen carefully through your rig
2) set your witness point (as described above)
3) play the open note again...

does it sound better?

what exactly is a witness point?

 

[69nites]

high action = bad intonation.

I can't stand it.

I can dig in pretty hard with what most would consider very low action.