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Is this low or high action?

#22
There isn’t anything odd about that action. If you’re using light gauge, low tension strings, it is probably for the better. If you’re heavy handed, it’s probably for the better. If you have a strong attack, it’s probably for the better. If you play heavy pick, it may be for the better.

I never measure anymore. Going by feel alone is best, imo. Learn to do your own setups, it’ll be to your benefit. My guess is the luthier set your neck,truss up properly. Just begin experimenting with the saddles to your taste.
 
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#23
tlite said:
You can go by eyeballs or feel, but a quick trip to Harbor Freight and about $10 and you can get a set of feeler gauges and a small ruler. That's pretty much all you need to get it set up outside of the right size hex wrenches. It isn't hard to do, though if you have to file the nut I might leave that to a luthier. Everything else is pretty easy.

Watch all of this series for setting up a bass. Super helpful.

Click to expand...

Getting a capo will be a big help also. Using one will give you a much more accurate measurement (according to the manufacturer’s “suggested” optimum playing action). As suggested previously, watch those videos regarding bass setup. Those vids gave me some tremendous understanding and insight and were very helpful.
 
#24
Looks high, but hard to judge from the pictures, maybe a couple of millimeters too high (1 mm is about 0,039"), which actually means quite a lot feel wise, and if that is correct it would be about double as high as recommended by the Fender standard setup guide.

Get something to measure it with, the standard action that Fender recommends is about 2mm (0,079") at 17th fret, measured from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string, and that is what's considered standard medium action, depending a bit on what radius your fretboard has, the bigger radius and the flatter board the lower action they recommend.

Here is Fender's guide to setting up a bass guitar, with all the measurements you need for a standard setup, though what really matters is that it fits you personally, some do prefer relatively high action, while others will want it really low, there's not one correct and best action, this should give you some general guidelines though: Invalid Link Removed

Edit: Was just made aware that my numbers are slightly wrong, the correct number for Fender's setup guide for basses is 2,4 mm (0.094") at 17th fret on the low E string, not 2 mm, that's how high G string action is set according to the guide.

Still doesn't change the fact that your action seems too high though.

Personally I guess I have a relatively low action then, just slightly below 2 mm at 17th fret low E string.
 
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#29
JohnArnson said:
Looks high, but hard to judge from the pictures, maybe a couple of millimeters too high (1 mm is about 0,039"), which actually means quite a lot feel wise, and if that is correct it would be about double as high as recommended by the Fender standard setup guide.

Get something to measure it with, the standard action that Fender recommends is about 2mm (0,079") at 17th fret, measured from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string, and that is what's considered standard medium action, depending a bit on what radius your fretboard has, the bigger radius and the flatter board the lower action they recommend.

Here is Fender's guide to setting up a bass guitar, with all the measurements you need for a standard setup, though what really matters is that it fits you personally, some do prefer relatively high action, while others will want it really low, there's not one correct and best action, this should give you some general guidelines though: Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...
Not meaning to argue but when I looked it seems to suggest 2.4 at 17th for the E and 2.0 for the G , 2.00 at 17th for the E would be relatively low action
 
#32
guitar-with-a-forward-bow-example_orig.jpg
 
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#33
shoulderpet said:
Not meaning to argue but when I looked it seems to suggest 2.4 at 17th for the E and 2.0 for the G , 2.00 at 17th for the E would be relatively low action
Click to expand...

Look again, you are kind of right, though I guess you could say I am still even more right than you, the 2,4 mm is for basses with a vintage Fender fretboard radius of 7,25", every other fretboard radius over that, which is by far most bases, it is 2 mm for the deep E string at the 17th fret, and slightly less for the high G string.

Edit: Oh, sorry, looked again myself, and you are indeed right, and I am actually wrong.

Yeah, I guess I must have looked at the treble side and got the idea from how I set up my own bass which is slightly below 2 mm at 17th fret on the low E string.

Thanks for correcting my mistake.

Will edit my original post with the correct numbers.
 
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#35
To me it looks low at the 7th fret and high at the 12th. If you play a lot at 7th fret and lower that may be ok. If you play higher up the neck, i.e. solos you may want a little more relief and lower at the bridge. It’s a bit of a balancing act between the two to get the best feel across the playing range.
 
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#38
adamerom said:
i'm now starting playing jazz, but normaly metal and rock
Click to expand...
Cool! That setup for me would work for rock and blues where I play lower notes, for jazz you may want to consider lower action at the bridge but a little more relief so you get it more consistent in height from the 7th fret up. If you have one bass try and set it up sort of half way between the two. You will have to adjust your plucking hand to accommodate the new action. All that said, it really has to work for you.
 
#40
A properly cut nut combined with proper relief will have a greater effect to playability over the length of the neck. Very few address the nut slot height, but if it's too high, you will never get an optimal action in the open-12 fret area. Just don't go too low.

And it looks like the strings aren't set to the radius, which will help. Looks medium/high to me in the E. The rest seem about a medium. Fender spec is a bit higher than I like on my personal basses. 1.5mm at the 12th with about 0.2mm relief over the neck is my ideal
 
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