Whats the best action setup for slap bass?

[MR_Reitz]

I have been learning a lot of slap style songs and was looking for the ideal action to make playing in this style more effortless. I know the action should be as low as possible, but it's hard to find any measurements for the action. Does anyone have a setup that they have found that is good for playing victor wooten/marcus miller/les claypool style bass? My current bass i'm using is a Ray34 Sterling by MusicMan. The action on the D and G seem fine but the heavier strings E and A still seem a little high when i get up past the 12th fret.

 

[thtbassloser]

Make sure your truss rod is straigh to !! if the action is getting high it could be due to bridge or truss rod, also you slap up to the twelth fret?

Personally i prefer about 7/32ths of an inch, although sugguested is 3/32nds, i gotta stingray, to so i prefer the action a little higher. although im thinking of lowering my action a tad just to see how my playing improves. (this was measured at the 17th fret)

 

[billgwx]

From "Bass Setups of the Rich & Famous" at [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] : "In the early '80s, Marcus had an amazingly low action of 1/16" (G) to 3/32" (E) (measured at the 12th fret), but he realized the bass didn't 'speak' very well that way. Going to a slightly higher setup has given him a wider range of articulation."

 

[PlungerModerno]

Super low seems to work well. Light strings too, and a fairly straight neck. my 2 centavos

 

[FunkRenegade]

Should be noted that Sadowsky measures action on 12th fret with the strings fretted at first position. I set my action this way with 2mm at 12th, and it works out to ~2.5mm at 17th fret with open string.

From "Bass Setups of the Rich & Famous" at [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] : "In the early '80s, Marcus had an amazingly low action of 1/16" (G) to 3/32" (E) (measured at the 12th fret), but he realized the bass didn't 'speak' very well that way. Going to a slightly higher setup has given him a wider range of articulation."