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Fretless - String height at the nut?


spiltmilk_2000
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You can go pretty low on a fretless, as you don't have frets further up to get in the way. Close to level with the board is good, but I always try to file at a slight angle down away from the board (toward the tuners) so you don't get a 'hump' on the string.

It depends how hard you play though, and how the neck is set up, you might want to start with a bit of a step up from the board (.5mm - 1mm).

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"Rule of thumb" on a double bass is about the thickness of a standard business card. I would think that might work on a fretless as well. Another thing to do is, on a good fretted bass that does not buzz, measure the distance between the top of the first fret and the bottom of the string. That should be a similar measurement to help determine what is close to the fingerboard for good action without buzzing.

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If your neck relief is right, you ought to be able to get it to zero, or almost zero. Bear in mind that the "amplitude" of the open string's vibration is zero at the nut, and very very small close to it, so if you've got the relief right, that should do it. That's what the relief is there for, after all!

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