CamdenRob Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 (edited) I often see 'low action' mentioned on BC as a positive point to a particular bass or other. I was wondering if this is universally accepted to be a good thing? I recently acquired a excellent 50th anniversary jazz bass via the BC marketplace with the lowest action I have ever seen on a bass. However you had to play the damn thing so gently it was like shaking hands with a cat... I couldn't really dig in and get the tone I wanted without the strings slapping against the fretboard. I've since adjusted the action to sit a bit higher and now I'm very happy with the feel of the bass, in fact it probably feels the best to play of all the basses I've had. Do people really struggle with holding the frets down with a sightly higher action or something? I guess its each to their own but I definitely prefer my basses set up a bit higher. Rob Edited August 29, 2013 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Well, I always thought that my basses had a medium action at best. Turns out it's really quite low. As I use flats, I don't mind a bit of clank from the frets, so digging in isn't too big a deal. And they're lovely and easy to noodle on. I would find it unpleasant if the action was too much higher, but it's what you get used to, I suppose. Certainly surprised our Beedster when he got my Frankenjazz. He mentioned the action wasn't right for him when he got it, and my immediate thought was that it was too high. But in fact, it was much, much too low for his playing style. Not a problem to correct, of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkin Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 An instrument with a quality of construction, fretwork etc that'll allow a low action has got to be good. Whether a player likes a low (whatever that is...) action is another matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Personally I prefer a comparitively high action, but I do hit the strings fairly hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 I screw the saddles down until the strings buzz when I'm playing at last fret minus one, then raise 'em again until they stop. I couldn't tell you in millimetres what my action is, it just works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benthos Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 [quote name='barkin' timestamp='1377762035' post='2191354'] An instrument with a quality of construction, fretwork etc that'll allow a low action has got to be good. Whether a player likes a low (whatever that is...) action is another matter. [/quote] This. Much easier to raise the action to your taste on a great bass than lower it on a nasty one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 I have always tried to be very clean.... so I can actually stand to be solo'd on a track. Low actions suit me as I have a very light touch... I can dig in as much as I like as still the left hand sounds ok.. I have a pretty light gauge 40-118 over 5st... and if I tilt the bass beyond a certain angle..like slumped in a chair.. then the strings can choke. The downside is that any neck shift due to temps becomes more critical, but I am pretty attentive to nuances like that. Not a problem, IMO. People say that tone can suffer with a low action, but I haven't found that to be true or relevant. There are plenty iof other variables that affect it more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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