lights.....camera.....ACTION!!

[CHRISDABASS]

Hey

Ive been playing around with the setup on my basses!

Now everybody wants their bass to play as effortlessly as possible right??

Trouble is lately ive found that with a low action the dynamics of my playing can be somewhat limited, i have to restrict my self too much and if i dig in too hard it just sounds bad!!

So i gave the truss rod a small tweak anti clockwise then raised the action a bit and although at first its harder to play, i think it will make me a better player in the end and everything will sound much cleaner.


Has anyone else found that higher action can improve your sound?


Any thoughts or comments either way on this would be interesting


cheers

[OutToPlayJazz]

Super low actions are really easy on my Status basses, as the graphite necks are so stable & flat, but I've found over the years that if you use super thin strings (30-90 or 30-115 in my case) you do need the action a little higher to compensate for the inevitable 'clank' that occurs when you dig in.

On my jazz I use a good compromise, DR FatBeams 40-100, which being a comparitively softer string, allows me to get the action lower.

I recently set up a Crafter Cruiser JB-450 (jazz copy for a student) with a set of Fender 45-105's & true to form, with thicker strings you really can get the action super low with barely any 'clank' at all.

Edited May 4, 2009 by OutToPlayJazz

[The Bass Doc]

It all depends on your playing 'weight' - if as in my case you are fairly heavy-handed, too low an action will cause notes to choke if you set the action low whereas you will get a 'cleaner, bigger' note if you stay high. I sometimes wish I could cope with a lower action but when you have learned waaaay back on poorly set-up basses with high tension old strings it's very hard to change to having a light touch - try asking an experienced drummer to hit softer - his technique would go to pot. You simply have to have the action that suits your playing style.

[Mr. Foxen]

I set my action high and use heavy strings, this means if I need to get louder I can dig in more, guess that means I have more control over the dynamics just by the way I play. I also play crappy basses because I am too tight to buy a nice one and do all the funny stuff I do to my basses to it.

[Kongo]

ONe of my warm up basses, a Yamaha RBX375 has the action set...quite high...I used to use high action all the time when I didn't need as much speed and didn't tap and when you come down your fingers are too strong so you will build STRONG digits.
It's close to half to 3/4 inch off the last fret (24th) and I use it to warm up on because everything else feels so easy afterwards.
I Still only use medium-low though...I cannot play if it's too low as like yourself I dig in to hard.

I also find for slapping if the action is too low the string doesn;t build up enough velocity before hitting the last fret and doesn't sound as big.

So I'm kinda in between.
Think my P-bass has the lowest action so far but that's a given and even that's higher than most do.
Can still play Billy Sheehan stuff on it fine.

[maxrossell]

Tim Commerford from RATM says that he sets his basses up with a seriously high action because he plays so energetically and he doesn't want the strings rattling around all over the place.

[henry norton]

I used to use a very high action on my fretless Precision - most bass players found it quite difficult to play - with 40-65-85-110 roundwounds. It sounded really nice, with the rather double bassy sound complemented by a more double bassy feel from the high action I'm certain it made me a better player. You can get more tonal variation from your playing style with a higher action as you don't have to approach it with such a light touch; you can be light and delicate but you can also really dig in and thrash it without the dreaded buzz. It definitely has advantages.

[YouMa]

I dont think i would be able to play intricate 16th note patterns with a cello action,so i like it low.

[The Bass Doc]

A friend of mine used to describe my action as one whereby a person with a top hat on could limbo dance underneath the strings - slight exageration perhaps?

[Kongo]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='479331' date='May 4 2009, 08:04 PM']A friend of mine used to describe my action as one whereby a person with a top hat on could limbo dance underneath the strings - slight exageration perhaps?[/quote]

I'll never look at the distance in height between last fret and string the same way again!

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='479331' date='May 4 2009, 08:04 PM']A friend of mine used to describe my action as one whereby a person with a top hat on could limbo dance underneath the strings - slight exageration perhaps?[/quote]

Come on now Howie, we both know that you don't mix with the aristocracy; I'd possibly accept a flat capped, whippet walker but top hat...!

[The Bass Doc]

Actually I meant to edit that earlier post - it wasn't an ordinary person in a top hat - for 'person' substitute 'basketball player'

(you can stop worrying now funkyhobbit, OK?)

[Dubs]

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='479210' date='May 4 2009, 06:42 PM']Hey

Ive been playing around with the setup on my basses!

Now everybody wants their bass to play as effortlessly as possible right??

Trouble is lately ive found that with a low action the dynamics of my playing can be somewhat limited, i have to restrict my self too much and if i dig in too hard it just sounds bad!!

So i gave the truss rod a small tweak anti clockwise then raised the action a bit and although at first its harder to play, i think it will make me a better player in the end and everything will sound much cleaner.


Has anyone else found that higher action can improve your sound?


Any thoughts or comments either way on this would be interesting


cheers

[/quote]

I find that I can dig in and get nicer tones from a medium(ish) action and it seems more fun to play when it’s not too low, but I can generally play faster and more accurately when the action is as low as is physically possible for my bass, so it’s generally a toss up between tone and playability for me. I understand exactly what you mean though.

[CHRISDABASS]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='480164' date='May 5 2009, 05:44 PM']I find that I can dig in and get nicer tones from a medium(ish) action and it seems more fun to play when it’s not too low, but I can generally play faster and more accurately when the action is as low as is physically possible for my bass, so it’s generally a toss up between tone and playability for me. I understand exactly what you mean though.[/quote]


So i lasted a whole day with my action set higher than normal (medium) i just cant get used to it!!

It seems im probably just gonna have to try not to play too hard! or just put up with the few small rattles here n there! lol

haha

i think i'll have another go at my setup after this weekend's gig!