Struggling to lower string height on Gibson EB-4L

[newportlandia]

Hiya! This 70'a Gibson EB-4L found it's way to me after years of living unstrung and missing its hardware in someone's basement. I installed the new hardware and strung it up and it's now a fully functional bass. But I am struggling to get the action lowered to where I'd like. The neck is dead straight right now, any additional turns on the truss rod will put it in a backbow. And the low E saddle is as low as it can go. I'd really like to see the low E string height a couple clicks lower. The other strings aren't too bad. Any thoughts on where I'm going wrong? Thanks!

 

[Turnaround]

For a start, those frets look like they're almost non-existent. And they're flat on top. You need new frets. That will eat up some of the space between string and fret top. Check to see the condition of the string over the saddle - have you set the witness point there?

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Pics of the bridge?

 

[lark_z]

It has a set neck?

 

[s_wood]

Are you using a hipshot replacement bridge?

 

[newportlandia]

Are you using a hipshot replacement bridge?

Yes, it is a hipshot bridge

 

[s_wood]

I had the exact same problem on my EB-3L with a Hipshot 2 pointer. I posted about it here SG & EB Bass Club

Apparently it's a common problem with Hipshots, although when I called Hipshot they weren't aware of it. My tech is world-class, and his theory is that Gibson tweaked the neck angle at some point and the Hipshots fit one iteration of the production neck angle but not the other. There are 2 solutions: find an original Gibson bridge or find a machine shop to grind your the base of Hipshot down to size. My Hipshot was nearly nearly 1/8" too high,btw. I ultimately went the Gibson bridge route. Is yours a 2 point or a 3 point bridge?

 

[bobyoung53]

Yes, it is a hipshot bridge

I have one too and the hipshot didn't work, couldn't get the action low enough, I put the original two point back on it, had the frets filed and polished and it plays great now. Some of those came with 3 point bridges and some with two, mine's an early one.

 

[bobyoung53]

It has a set neck?

Yes.