How is your main bass setup?

[Twincam]

Because im nosy and genuinely curious. Would like to know how your main bass is set up or what is your go to setup and why?.
I know there loads of variables for this such as string type/tension, fret level and wear and even pickup configuration and so on. But in general whats your preferred setup?. I really do want to know why you like that set up to.

mine is
0.12 relief
Height at twelfth fret 3mm to 2.5mm bass to treble.
pickup height will vary for different basses but in general anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 mm

I like a clean sound and I find this setup is the right combination for me to play most things and feel comfortable, it's not too high and not to low.
Low action i feel like im holding back, too high and it feels awkward to play.
Also my fretting technique is very heavy so a slightly higher action seems to suit me better there's less noise when fretting for some reason, and i like a bit of bounce in the string.
And the pickup height isn't for tone its so my attack can stay constant so i can feel how much im digging in.

In a ideal world i would have multiply models of the same bass with varying setups with various strings.

[Raymondo]

Well I bought mine 24 years ago and played it "straight out of the box" never had it looked at ,don't know anything about "setting up a bass" and I have managed fine.I have pretty much always used Rotosound strings 45-105....tried Elites a few years back,didn't like them.

Not much help I am afraid ...but you did ask

[allighatt0r]

My main bass is set-up exactly how I got it from Paul_S back in January. No help from me either I'm afraid!

[Paul S]

... and my main set up is to lower the action until it buzzes, then raise it a bit - never desperately low as I hit the strings quite hard. If it is still high I look down the neck and see if the relief needs adjusting then do that. Once I'm happy I'll look at the intonation. But nothing is done empirically with measuring tools or anything.

[FinnDave]

I set mine up according to the instructions from Fender that came with it, I've tried varying it but find that suits me best.

[Lord Sausage]

Don't know! Since discovering Steve @ ManchesterGuitarTech I just let him do it. I've done my own in the past and took it to shops etc. But this guy is a genius. May sound stupid to some who can do it but the first time i played a bass that he had set up i though " Wow, so that's how basses are supposed to play. I'd been playing 20 yrs and using this bass for 17. It was like a completely different instrument.

[JTUK]

Both basses are clean and lively which means the action is very low and I play light.
If I am in a very comfortable position on the couch noodling, the strings will more likely choke.
The pickup height and all EQ is set so the G string hi fills speak well over the band.
The string are clean and clear as articulation is important to me... so no clunk or thunk.
Strings are Newtone 42-118 custom tapered.

This is the way I play and this will enable to put my style..for good or bad.. on any gig.
I don't change anything for anything.

The difference between both basses is the woods and sound they make...and that is my variation.
The rest I tweak out of the basses.. but if it isn't there, that is because I don't want that sound.

just my 2p..

[Marc S]

Couldn't tell you what the actual dimensions are, re distance it 12th fret etc
But I don't like the action too high
That feels more difficult to play

Don't like the action too low either
I like to be able to get my fingers underneath the strings, when playing finger style
and I play fairly hard, when I use a pick

It also varies a bit, from bass to bass
I've got an electro-acoustic bass, which oddly enough - I prefer a higher action
On my fretless (which I really only use to muck around) I like it fairly low

On double bass, I also prefer a low-ish action

Strings on Bass guitar, I like a slightly heavier gauge
110 - 50, round wounds
and Flat wounds (Steve Harris sigs) on the fretless

[chris_b]

My Lull is set up low. That's the way I got it. No interest in what the numbers are.

I've just had the Lakland fret stoned and set up low by the Gallery. I'm sure both basses could go lower but they are easy to play and sound fine just as they are.

If the action is high I'll play harder which I'd rather not do, so, to save my hands and wrists, I play a low action as lightly as I can.

This style seems to improve the quality of the tone with the rig I'm using these days.

[neepheid]

What is this "main" bass you speak of?

All mine are set up the same way - intonation set right, a smidgen of relief and the action set by winding it down until it buzzes then raising it a tad until it stops for the way I play. No numbers for you, never measured, sorry. I set them up by feel/sight.

[CamdenRob]

Another one for the tried and tested "lower it till it buzzes then raise it till it doesn't" method of setting the action here...

[Cameronj279]

I only have one bass at the moment but always have my basses set up so there's no serious buzzing when I play. I don't set up my basses -partially laziness but more because I don't trust myself not to balls it up-.

[Matt P]

i just hand it to the Bass Doc and ask him to set it as low as he feels sensible, they always come back perfect.

[bertbass]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1413975583' post='2584209']
Another one for the tried and tested "lower it till it buzzes then raise it till it doesn't" method of setting the action here...
[/quote]

This, but as I play hard and with a pick the action is quite high and the P and J pickup are set to balance each other for the sound I like.

[Twincam]

I appreciate not everyone looks at exact figures, and go on feel. Im fine with that and im still interested to hear in general how your playing style affects what action you have.

Just released my own measurements are wrong anyhow. There measurements for low tension tapewounds i was using.
For roundwounds i normally use, my go to action measurments are at the 17th fret and its 3mm to just about 2mm bass to treble at the 12th these read a little lower.

For flats i can go a little lower.

I dont have a problem playing low as such and i have no problem playing softly most of the time, but i do find i get alot of clank during fast parts..
And the reason i have different measurements written down is just for constancy and some sort of ocd problem haha. If i felt i had a bass that was better lower or higher then would tweak it. But in general i now know what im looking for when i set a bass up.

[ubit]

I always used to try to get the action as low as possible, but nowadays , I like it a little bit higher to avoid clicks. I still try to get it as low as I can before the clicking appears. I play with my fingers mainly and am quite aggressive ,so clicking was a problem.

[HowieBass]

I pretty much use the Fender guidelines - I've found it suits all of my basses and for me there's little advantage in taking the action much lower than recommended.

[visog]

Jon Shuker set-up my GB like John Entwistle liked his basses... 'strings under the frets'!

[Telebass]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1413975583' post='2584209']
Another one for the tried and tested "lower it till it buzzes then raise it till it doesn't" method of setting the action here...
[/quote]
Yup, me too!
Pretty low, with flats, TIs on the 4s, Chromes on the 5er. Kingman acoustic a bit higher with 50-105 Fenders.

[Adrenochrome]

Normal tuning is Eb with a lot of drop C# songs so 45-110 strings. If I was in standard I'd usually use a 40-100 set. Medium-high action for rock/metal, about 50% of songs played with pick even though I'm fingerstyle by inclination. I'm fairly heavy handed and generally raise my bridge pickup and lower my neck pickup. No great science involved - it's worked for me for many years.

[Cat Burrito]

I don't know about measurements but I don't like it too low so it rattles & buzzes; and I'm happy to dig in a little. I always whip off the stock strings and put flats on. And my main bass is my only bass guitar I gig with these days. I too opt for a fairly clean sound & I find I sound like me no matter what rig I go through.

[blue]

I rotate several basses I gig with, so ,I really don't know as long as the action and intonation is good I'm good. I used the Jameson P Bass clean sound for about 35 plus years. Now I play with a pick and use more processing then ever. I decided it was time to have some fun.

Blue

Edited October 23, 2014 by blue

[Twincam]

It really fascinates. How people vary in what they go for. An extreme would be James Jamersons high action and clean tone and say flea's very low action fret buzz style. Both work very well.

I seem to be on the clean tone, higher action side. But i really admire low action players who can really make it work and get the fret buzz to really work for them. Or even low action players who can play clean.

[blue]

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1414089268' post='2585780']
It really fascinates. How people vary in what they go for. An extreme would be James Jamersons high action and clean tone and say flea's very low action fret buzz style. Both work very well.

I seem to be on the clean tone, higher action side. But i really admire low action players who can really make it work and get the fret buzz to really work for them. Or even low action players who can play clean.
[/quote]

Very true, I am going through a sustain/overdrive/chorus stage. I only execute it in specific songs and in most cases specific movements in songs.

Blue

[Evil Undead]

Mine are set up with light gauge nickel wounds, about 0.3mm relief, action about 2mm on bass side and about 1.75mm on treble side.