Who plays with a really low action? Pics please?

[Eidolon0274]

I play warwicks with almost flat radius fretboards, which will make it a bit easier to drop the action.

No pics, but my standard is a near flat truss rod ( .3mm relief at 7 fret) and 1mm between the g string 12th fret or 1.2 for the low E/B

I use a 1mm pick, the g string can hold the pick against the fret. I play with relatively light touch and loud amp, and use a tiny bit of fret noise controlled by left or right hand muting.

This is what i would consider low. I've seen lower and MUCH higher.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

How I set up my bass (and the “rasp” secret)

Lol....nice to know I'm in good company

The “rasp” secret sounds like farts. Low or high action. A technique I don't care for.

 

[Vinny_G]

Ibanez sr800 bridge height adjustment help??

So, according to the other thread, the action was too high before and you had it adjusted and now it's too high and you want to lower it? May have to adjust the nut as well as the bridge to get it where you want it (but be careful if you file down the nut slots).

To lower the bridge, turn all three of the little hex screws anti-clockwise. That will lower the plate that all the bridge pieces are resting on. (Can think of it like a stool or chair with three legs. Shorten the appropriate legs to get it the height and angle you want)

Here's a pic of the action on my early 2000's SR506 (with B string pulled out the way). Just under 2mm at 17th fret with TI jazz flat strings. Easy to fret, no buzz unless I really dig in, then can get a nice buzzy "growl".

I set the neck relief to be very slight (0.3mm or so I guess), then adjust the bridge height to get the desired action (nut is already good). The order is important! Neck relief (truss rod), then nut, then bridge. Otherwise you can end up going in circles, continually adjusting and never quite getting it where you want it.

View attachment 3566058

In my experience, when you raise the string as high, you pull on the neck and it curves, making the reading of the action higher.

 

[smtp4me]

I would recommend either a string action gauge, or automotive feeler gauges - or both. They are a very worthwhile investment if you own guitars/basses and are comfortable doing your own setup.

Rather than share pics of my setup, I will tell you the exact numbers: neck relief is at 10/1000 of an inch, and string height is at 5/64 of an inch. I setup all my basses this way so that they have the same feel. With this, the strings are just barely high enough that a soft touch will not produce any buzz, and a heavier touch will - you can have that "grind" or "growl" and just as easily shut it off, simply by adjusting your finger attack.

 

[Vinny_G]

When people tell their values, maybe they should specify which method they use. Because with relief for example, the Carruthers method and the Fender method give a little more than 1/1000 of an inch of difference. Same for the action, a 2mm at the 12th fret equals about 2.20mm at the 17th fret.

 

[Oobly]

In my experience, when you raise the string as high, you pull on the neck and it curves, making the reading of the action higher.

I see where you're coming from, but with the low tension B, the dual truss rod and 5 other higher tension strings on there, the little added tension of pulling the B like that really doesn't affect it much at all. In fact, looking from "under" the B string without pulling, it's essentially the same at just a hair under 2mm (at 17th fret).

 

[Glenn Johnson]

I use allen wrenches to measure string height at the 12th fret. Highly accurate.

 

[Rib 13]

How I set up my bass (and the “rasp” secret)



The “rasp” secret sounds like farts. Low or high action. A technique I don't care for.

for the record, Ive never heard of it called a "rasp secret" or anything like that....to me, its not a technique...its just something a player does over the years from playing with low action....This is the first Ive seen of Scott's video and Im not really crazy about his use of it either: to me, it needs to be more subtle than he does and act like just the barest use of distortion or mimic slight speaker breakup (writing this, I realize this is probably why I dont use distortion; interesting self-Revelation).......Heres one of my originals: Bass recorded direct; Fender American Deluxe Jazz V...I muted vocals and guitar to hear the bass more clear

 

[SC Bassboy]

In my opinion, the magic of low action is having some small degree of buzz tamed and integrated into your technique that adds a nice growl when properly controlled

AMEN. It took me a long time to realize this. IMO part of the beautiful growl of great bass tone is the subtle grind of the strings. This is especially true of fretless.

 

[BigDrew]

AMEN. It took me a long time to realize this. IMO part of the beautiful growl of great bass tone is the subtle grind of the strings. This is especially true of fretless.

Would you guys mind posting some examples of this? I'm asking because I have two Jazz basses and I love the sound of what I think is string rattle, and I can't find a way to enhance it.

 

[Vinny_G]

Would you guys mind posting some examples of this? I'm asking because I have two Jazz basses and I love the sound of what I think is string rattle, and I can't find a way to enhance it.

 

[SC Bassboy]

Would you guys mind posting some examples of this? I'm asking because I have two Jazz basses and I love the sound of what I think is string rattle, and I can't find a way to enhance it.

Pretty much any live RUSH album. Here's a personal favorite. You can clearly hear the low action starting around 6:10


Now, to be fair, Geddy's tone is not for everyone and he runs a lot of overdrive with a Sansamp. If I get a chance in the next day or two I'll do a quick recording at home with one of my basses.

 

[Rib 13]

Would you guys mind posting some examples of this? I'm asking because I have two Jazz basses and I love the sound of what I think is string rattle, and I can't find a way to enhance it.

Listen to my post a few above this....it's very subtle but you can hear it more when I play on the D string and in the bridge of the song

 

[SteveCS]

Can someone post me pics of their low action bass , so I can see how close the strings are to the fretboard?
Im having trouble lowering the strings o my ibanez sr800 ( yes, I know I should take it to someone who knows.. not possible at the moment, I opened a thread about it, but nothing seam to help.... ) I just wanna see with my own eyes
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO
(Without a buzz and a bow)
Thanks

Does this fit your expectations... This is after being PLEKked and polished last year. The relief is probably about 0.25mm end to end. Here is a degree of clank if I dig in, but that's a deliberate part of the setup. With a sufficiently light tough it's very clean...

 

[steelin4u]

after being PLEKked and polished

That looks fantastic...well-adjusted bass there. The PLEK system is really, really good IME as well.

As always, action depends on the player and the style. The pic above matches my style. There are several genres/players who couldn't use this setup at all for what they do/enjoy. This pic is a good example of 'how low you can go'.

 

[Chrisk-K]

“Fret sizzle (or buzz)” to me is an integral part of a good electric bass tone. I don’t try to avoid buzz. My action is less than 2mm measured at the 17th fret.

 

[THany]

I use allen wrenches to measure string height at the 12th fret. Highly accurate.

What size?

 

[THany]

for the record, Ive never heard of it called a "rasp secret" or anything like that....to me, its not a technique...its just something a player does over the years from playing with low action....This is the first Ive seen of Scott's video and Im not really crazy about his use of it either: to me, it needs to be more subtle than he does and act like just the barest use of distortion or mimic slight speaker breakup (writing this, I realize this is probably why I dont use distortion; interesting self-Revelation).......Heres one of my originals: Bass recorded direct; Fender American Deluxe Jazz V...I muted vocals and guitar to hear the bass more clear

Very Nice bass sound!

 

[THany]

Does this fit your expectations... This is after being PLEKked and polished last year. The relief is probably about 0.25mm end to end. Here is a degree of clank if I dig in, but that's a deliberate part of the setup. With a sufficiently light tough it's very clean...
View attachment 3566214

Tbh, I asked because I thought maybe I was too spoiled and had to work harder with my fingers, I understand and experience different sounds at different heights, but I just wanted to confirmsure my action is way too high for me.
Thank you!

 

[Rib 13]

Very Nice bass sound!

thanks