bass action

slay · Post by **slay** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:34 pm

i have it tuned 1/2 step down. In order to have no fret buzz the action is considerably high. Is this normal for a bass when using lower tunings?

im using 50-70-85-105-135, Roundwound strings.

maybe a bass is supposed to have alittle fretbuzz and maybe im just picking to hard?

here are the best pics of my action that i could get with my shitty webcam

it sucks having the action so high because it slows down my playing alot.

Any tips?

if i loosen the neck anymore i will get fret buzz on the first 3 frets.

do i have it set right? I play with my fingers and i guess i pick alittle on the hard side.

Pfl?yd · Post by **Pfl?yd** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:51 pm

Holy shit, that's high.

Try bringing the neck back but raising the bridge saddles at all? Are the frets in good condition? You should be able to lower the action enough that if you fret the 12th fret, there should be just enough space to slide a business card under the 9th fret or so. If you can't, it's too low and if you can see lots of light in there the neck relief is wrong.

Dawdy · Post by **Dawdy** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:52 pm

where do you get the fret buzzing? is it all over? one end of the neck? middle?

if adjusting the neck wont fix it, it could be the nut

slay · Post by **slay** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:03 pm

ok thanks guys gonna do what floyd said.

getting the fretbuzz at 12-15 frets

im not getting any buzz now but as you can see my action is to damn high

slay · Post by **slay** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:04 pm

Pfl?yd wrote:Holy shit, that's high.

Try bringing the neck back but raising the bridge saddles at all? Are the frets in good condition? You should be able to lower the action enough that if you fret the 12th fret, there should be just enough space to slide a business card under the 9th fret or so. If you can't, it's too low and if you can see lots of light in there the neck relief is wrong.

i have been loosening the neck and raising the bridge up

im gonna try your card trick

frets are good

slay · Post by **slay** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:26 pm

this bass is bloody well hexed

Pfl?yd · Post by **Pfl?yd** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:20 am

Does the fret buzz come through the amp?

croninburg · Post by **croninburg** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:36 pm

It's hard to tell from those pictures, but the neck might be bowed.

slay · Post by **slay** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:36 pm

Pfl?yd wrote:Does the fret buzz come through the amp?

no which is probably an indicator it is ok.

I play at real low volume so you can hear alot of the string slap/buzz.

ah well guess i either leave with some buzz and have decent action or have really high action and no buzz.

slay · Post by **slay** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:37 pm

croninburg wrote:It's hard to tell from those pictures, but the neck might be bowed.

you mean permanetly bowed?

it does have a slight underbow and if i get it straight (to the eye atleast) it buzz's on the first three frets.

Dawdy · Post by **Dawdy** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:53 pm

slay wrote:
croninburg wrote:It's hard to tell from those pictures, but the neck might be bowed.
you mean permanetly bowed?

it does have a slight underbow and if i get it straight (to the eye atleast) it buzz's on the first three frets.

worn out nut!

slay · Post by **slay** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:34 pm

Dawdy wrote:
slay wrote:
croninburg wrote:It's hard to tell from those pictures, but the neck might be bowed.
you mean permanetly bowed?

it does have a slight underbow and if i get it straight (to the eye atleast) it buzz's on the first three frets.
worn out nut!

so the nut on the top of the truss rod is wore out?

its a peavey truss rod so the adjuster is at the bridge and not at the neck.

never changed a nut before

Dawdy · Post by **Dawdy** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:02 pm

when the grooves get worn down, the strings are too low which would cause them to buzz on the first couple frets.

slay · Post by **slay** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:22 pm

i think the grooves are okay

i think what floyd said was right.. buzz not being picked up through the amp is ok.