.012" is about the thickness of 3 sheets of paper...a banana?
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To achieve perfect low action do I need to...
- Thread starter ilovemysr505
- Start date
.012" is about the thickness of 3 sheets of paper...a banana?
Benjamin Strange
Commercial User
- Dec 25, 2002
- 9,737
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- Disclosures
- Owner / Tech: Strange Guitarworks
Fender recommends 0.012" for basses with 9.5" to 12" radius fretboards; 0.010" for 7.25" radius. 0.012" is measured at the eighth fret, between the fret top and the bottom of the E string (for 4-strings). I use an automotive feeler gauge to measure it.
I set my basses up to Fender specs and they play very nicely.
Roger
Yes, a banana. My shop considers a .012" relief pretty extreme - we shoot for around .004"-.008", in most cases.
My bass is an EB Musicman Bongo 6 String. I forgot to site that one on my first post. And....my SR505 was stolen
And now, we all have a very important piece of information!
After nearly a year, it's just about setup time again, or at the very least, a trussrod adjustment.
After nearly a year, it's just about setup time again, or at the very least, a trussrod adjustment.
Some brands of basses and guitars do extra low action better then other brands. Useing light gauge (9's) on guitar has never interferred with getting ultra low action for me, same for useing 40 and 45 gauage bass strings. Some brands can get lower action via shimming the neck. If these brands cut the neck pocket floor better like some other brands do, the shim would not be needed. Haveing a near dead flat neck helps so long as the fretwork is excellent. And so long as neck has a bit of rearward tilt to the body due to properly cut neck pocket floor or adding of a shim. But again some brands where never designed for very low action.
Benjamin Strange
Commercial User
- Dec 25, 2002
- 9,737
- 310
- 49
- Disclosures
- Owner / Tech: Strange Guitarworks
ALL brands of guitars and basses can be made to play with super low action provided the frets are perfect and there's nothing seriously wrong with the design (which is rare). Shimming the neck is only necessary if the bridge saddles won't allow enough movement to get the action where it's needed.
I love to tinker with things and have a knack for figuring out how stuff works (I know, but you'll have to trust me on that).
I have bought two pawnshop bass specials (plus a cheap guitar for screwing around with). I have had excellent results just using the truss rod to make the neck perfectly flat then adjusting action at the bridge. In the case of the guitar I pulled the nut and put a very thin metal shim under it because it was the only way I could get clearance that felt right the whole length of the neck (it kept buzzing on the frets closest to the neck).
I realize that the actual approved method is probably more involved than that, but it is a simple approach that works for me.
I think I would only shim a neck if when adjusted flat it wouldn't allow what felt like the right clearance the full length of the neck no matter what I did at the bridge and nut. I cannot imagine deliberately putting any kind of bend in the neck. No matter how I envision that, it results in inconsistent clearance (or inconsistent rate of change in clearance) from one end to the other.
I don't pretend to have the knowledge or experience of a luthier, by the way. I have learned that quite often what makes logical sense is not the correct way to do things, usually due to some bit of information that is missing when forming those conclusions. I won't be the slightest bit surprised if someone points out why I'm wrong.
I have bought two pawnshop bass specials (plus a cheap guitar for screwing around with). I have had excellent results just using the truss rod to make the neck perfectly flat then adjusting action at the bridge. In the case of the guitar I pulled the nut and put a very thin metal shim under it because it was the only way I could get clearance that felt right the whole length of the neck (it kept buzzing on the frets closest to the neck).
I realize that the actual approved method is probably more involved than that, but it is a simple approach that works for me.
I think I would only shim a neck if when adjusted flat it wouldn't allow what felt like the right clearance the full length of the neck no matter what I did at the bridge and nut. I cannot imagine deliberately putting any kind of bend in the neck. No matter how I envision that, it results in inconsistent clearance (or inconsistent rate of change in clearance) from one end to the other.
I don't pretend to have the knowledge or experience of a luthier, by the way. I have learned that quite often what makes logical sense is not the correct way to do things, usually due to some bit of information that is missing when forming those conclusions. I won't be the slightest bit surprised if someone points out why I'm wrong.
My bass is an EB Musicman Bongo 6 String. I forgot to site that one on my first post. And....my SR505 was stolen
My Stingray has always had slightly higher action than my G&L or the Fender I used to own... Not sure why, it's just always been the case.
Read the set-up stickies above and research the informative links within this thread. For the most part, they provide step-by-step instructions with accompanying rationale(s) as to why things work.
Experimentation can be fun but, please, don't touch any of my instruments.
Riis
TB users in "we all like different string heights" shock horror.
I play too roughly to be able to use a really low action without a wall of handling noise.
In theory higher action gives more room for the string to vibrate in all directions thus giving a truer sound without the clank, or with less clank. Some bass tones are just very very nice clank!
I play too roughly to be able to use a really low action without a wall of handling noise.
In theory higher action gives more room for the string to vibrate in all directions thus giving a truer sound without the clank, or with less clank. Some bass tones are just very very nice clank!
Turnaround
Commercial User
Seems rather thin to me as well, even on a bass with perfect frets. But if you play with a feather touch I suppose it's possible. I have a client who plays with such a light touch no one else can play his bass once it is set to his liking. He can play it quite cleanly (he is a monster player by the way with an international reputation), but if I even breathe on it, it buzzes. Some kinda magic he got down at the crossroads I think. So for him, almost no relief and seriously low action!
One of the things most critical to having a low action has not been mentioned here. Playing style. If you hit the strings realy hard, or hit them in the wrong way, you're never going to be able to achieve a super low action. Even the way you fret the string will make a difference. I don't care how much work you do to the neck, the frets, etc. There are people who will never be able to have a low action unless they adjust their playing style to allow it.
Beg to differ on that one....the higher the action the more the intonation goes out as you approach the bridge...increasing angle of string to saddle and increasing tension on string !
I have a Shecter Elite5 fitted with TI jazz flats, my action is very low..1.5mm Bstring 12th fret, 1mm Gstring, my neck is almost flat..around 0.2mm - 0.3mm 8th fret, I do have a light touch for two reasons...dont want to break a string hahah but really because if you play lightly you still have a lot in reserve for dinamics....if you play hard....nothing left. Also...light touch= less tiring, less fret wear.....but I guess if you like playing bass like a percussion instrument ..take the high road !
Get the neck almost straight (better intonation) then lower the strings and finally intonate ...but of course how hard you play affects how low you can go.
I find I start with the Fender specs and then tweak as necessary. For example, on my MIA w/ rounds, I pretty use the Fender specs and I'm very happy with the feel and sound. On my MIA P Deluxe w/flats i go a little lower.
A big +1 here. Dynamics all the way, I very rarely have to change volume levels at the amp, set it and forget it. Your attack/right hand position is a huge factor in tonal results, IMO. IME, the lighter the touch, the more possibilities. I've broken maybe one string in all my years of playing, but it isn't for lack of trying.
I have to agree about level frets. Like lots of others, I do my own setups, but no fret leveling. You need a good starting point and frets that aren't level or having a twisted neck won't get you there. I'll also say all the different adjustments are interrelated, so don't be surprised if you have to go through the whole process more than once, especially if the setup is far out to start with.
