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Double Bass Super low action, like butter, setup

bass81800

bass81800

Supporting Member
Dec 7, 2011
542
297
Pittsburgh, PA
#1
I have been curious, so I am asking, as I have been going around and around with trying to get a nice, low setup on one of my basses, and the shop just cannot seem to get it right.

So far: the adjustable bridge has been shaved off a little (now at its lowest possible adjustment), work was done on the neck to make it a jazz neck, I believe the nut was reduced, and I am using Spiro Weich's, that are relatively low tension.

Could there be something inherently wrong this the bass that makes a low action set up not possible? It is a smaller, more 5/8, bass with a 41 1/2" length.

Would a new, smaller bridge help? Would trying even lower tension strings, such as Corelli 370F be worth it?

This is really my favorite bass, but the action on it has never been right and my hands, recently, are cramping from playing this. I am going to call my luthier again on this, but just wanted to get some opinions from you.
 
#2
Curious, why hasn't anyone addressed your neck pocket?....seems to me when I work on my basses to customize them I have needed a little TLC in that area. NOT saying that is the issue, I am just asking....Good luck
 
#3
Start from fret 1 and work down. Where does the action start to go wrong?

Is the action at the first fret super low? IME unless the nut is perfect you'll never get that 'you don't even have to press it down' kind of action.

I've got the best results sanding the nut deliberately too low and then shimming it up until it's just right. Then from that point, I consider truss rod and finally saddle height.

I could be wrong... certainly no expert!
 
#4
topo morto said:
Start from fret 1 and work down. Where does the action start to go wrong?

Is the action at the first fret super low? IME unless the nut is perfect you'll never get that 'you don't even have to press it down' kind of action.

I've got the best results sanding the nut deliberately too low and then shimming it up until it's just right. Then from that point, I consider truss rod and finally saddle height.
Click to expand...

That's a mighty funny DB there.
 
#6
topo morto said:
Is the action at the first fret super low? IME unless the nut is perfect you'll never get that 'you don't even have to press it down' kind of action.
Click to expand...

No, not looking for action so low you barely press it down. I estimate the action at E string near end of neck is around 10cm, around the same for the G string.
At the first position on both the E and G string, probably 1cm at most.
 
#7
Is it just me, or do Spiro weichs sound like too light of a string to get this kind of playability out of? IME you can get lower with higher tension strings, everything else being equal. Have you tried a set of mittels on there?
 
#8
I'm assuming you mean 1 mm at the nut and 10 mm at the end of the finger board. That's a little high for the E string and a lot high for the G. Even guys who play with firmness can have the strings set at 5/6/7/8mm.

Weichs play very well at low string heights but the shape of the board is very important. What do you see when you hold a string down at half position and at the end of the board?
 
#12
1mm at the nut? Way high... try 0.6 or so. End of the fingerboard at 10? Way high too, try 8 for super low. And you want somewhat higher tension strings, so Weichs are about right. I have mine at about 0.6 at the nut, less than that on the G, and a 6-9 spread on the end of the fingerboard, using Evahs. I'd have to take it up a mm or so for orchestra, but for jazz or solo classical that's perfectly fine.
 
#14
Thanks guys, it is clear to me that the strings really are a little too high, and it sounds like the Spiro Weichs are the the right string. Going to get this looked at.

I am not hearing anything about anything being wrong with the bridge, as mentioned, the adjustment on it is as low as possible.

Sorry, 360, not in Michigan.
 
#15
Well, the bridge might be fine... something isn't quite right with the geometry, but is it the bridge itself (and if so, feet adjusters or top), where it is placed, the neck, the fingerboard, or some combination of all of those? Can't tell without a good measure of where everything is on the bass, including the soundpost.
 

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