Question re flat-wound string gauge v. action height

[Turnaround]

No, I think I get it. Capo first fret, measure string height above second fret. Move capo to between second and third frets, adjust nut so the string clearance above first fret is the same as the previous measurement.

No. You don’t move the capo to the second fret. Remove the capo and use the first measurement as the clearance on the open string at the first fret.

 

[Zooberwerx]

No. You don’t move the capo to the second fret. Remove the capo and use the first measurement as the clearance on the open string at the first fret.

I just did the same on one of mine and it measured-out at .008" / 0.2 mm.

Riis

 

[58kites]

You make sense. But I remain unconvinced.
With the relief and bridge/saddle height set to some not outrageous amount, capo third fret, go for about .010" (maybe even a little less — I don't think I've ever actually measured any setup parameters on my instruments in over 40 years of playing) between string and first fret, and you're good to go.

Whenever I hear this, I cannot understand why set up a bass without measuring tools. What is "some not outrageous amount" ?
Measuring tools are the way to know what you have in front of you when you start and exactly how much change there is to each part of the set up...and then it's repeatable.
After the first time I read how to set up a bass, I was able to do it easily and correctly because of measuring tools.

 

[Abner]

No. You don’t move the capo to the second fret. Remove the capo and use the first measurement as the clearance on the open string at the first fret.

Doh! Of course, that does make a lot more sense. That's what I get for cutting back to one cup of coffee a day.

Whenever I hear this, I cannot understand why set up a bass without measuring tools. What is "some not outrageous amount" ?
Measuring tools are the way to know what you have in front of you when you start and exactly how much change there is to each part of the set up...and then it's repeatable.
After the first time I read how to set up a bass, I was able to do it easily and correctly because of measuring tools.

If you like precise measurements, by all means use a ruler, micrometer, feeler gauges, LIDAR, whatever floats your boat. I am not telling you nor anybody else not to. But I've been playing and setting up my own basses for nearly 50 years now. I know what I like and how to get there. I can get it in the ballpark by eye, and then fine tune by feel. Every instrument is going to be different anyway, even if the same brand and model. I'd rather get on with the business of playing the damn thing rather than constant tweaking every time the weather changes.

 

[58kites]

If you like precise measurements, by all means use a ruler, micrometer, feeler gauges, LIDAR, whatever floats your boat. I am not telling you nor anybody else not to. But I've been playing and setting up my own basses for nearly 50 years now. I know what I like and how to get there. I can get it in the ballpark by eye, and then fine tune by feel. Every instrument is going to be different anyway, even if the same brand and model. I'd rather get on with the business of playing the damn thing rather than constant tweaking every time the weather changes.

The fact that every instrument is going to be different is the reason I use measuring tools, so they all end up close to the same standard.
It's the reason that a company uses measurement tools while manufacturing thousands of the same model.
I recently took a bass to a luthier to find and fix a high fret, gave him a set of strings and asked that he set it up to the relief and string height measurements I like when he was done with the frets.
He told me that he doesn't use measurements when he does set ups.
This means that he sets up basses to however he feels they should play, which makes zero sense, he doesn't know how every customer plays or what they prefer.
What exactly is high or low string height?...what exactly is hard or soft plucking?

 

[Abner]

The fact that every instrument is going to be different is the reason I use measuring tools, so they all end up at the same standard.

And if every instrument is different, what is this standard? One bass may play well with a 2 mm action, another might not be able to get lower than 3 mm.

 

[58kites]

And if every instrument is different, what is this standard? One bass may play well with a 2 mm action, another might not be able to get lower than 3 mm.

The starting standard I used is what Fender has published for years, then adjusted that to my taste and wrote those numbers down.
If Fender thinks it's a good idea to publish measurements, that indicates to me that it's a good idea for me to also measure
....but I measure when I build things too, you should see how super square my shed and my garage are!
Now I have my standard set up and can quickly reproduce it when I acquire a new to me bass.
All my basses are set to the same standard and they all play comfortably with different string types, brands and gauges.
The set up that some people like play with is high enough to be out of tune/intonation when they play.