Ease of play or less noise?.

[Twincam]

Ive been playing fender flats very recently and love them!, there the medium set and the extra tension allows me to set the bass up with a much lower action then i use normally, all without fret buzz which i hate!.

It seems with a lower action im getting more of other noise, a little more fretting noise on the E and A, mainly the E. And im getting clanking again mainly on the E. It's not coming through the amp too badly but its there a little more than i care for.

Is this a case of persevering, and i will adapt. As my left fretting hand is enjoying the low action. Or should i maybe try find more of a balance as my right hand hates this setup.

Steve Harris thinks my setup sounds great... haha

[Lozz196]

I noticed this when I put a set of flats on one of my Precisions. I found it`s just a case of adapting as I don`t notice it now - so it`s either not happening or I`m controlling it better. Stick with it for a while, see how it goes.

[JTUK]

Your technique sounds like it is too hard hitting to cope with an low action...
You'll have to adjust one or the other...

A low action needs you to be cleaner.... and the pay-off may well be faster and more precision...
but digging in HARD with a low action is not compatible, IMO.

You could try and sell it to yourself as saving your hands for the future....??

[HowieBass]

I can't see that your fretting hand is going to notice much difference (in terms of how much pressure you need) if you raise the action a little with the E string. I reckon you'll be raising it much less than a 1/64" (by the way I've got my action the same with both rounds and flats on my basses where I adopt Fender's recommendations, 6/64" for the E and 5/64" for the G at the 17th fret).

[icastle]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1416082322' post='2606771']
Your technique sounds like it is too hard hitting to cope with an low action...
You'll have to adjust one or the other...

A low action needs you to be cleaner.... and the pay-off may well be faster and more precision...
but digging in HARD with a low action is not compatible, IMO.
[/quote]

This ^

You can have one or the other, but you'll have to compromise if you want both.

[Twincam]

I shall stick with it. Maybe raise it a touch.

My head and ears want beautiful clean gentle tone, to nurture the strings. Alas my hands want to play the heaviest rock, dirtiest punk. Rip the strings off then smash the bass lol.

[deepbass5]

I have been trying some different strings lately and come up against a few set up issues mainly due to the difference in tension, black nylons to half wounds and nickle to stainless. I like a low action and finding i am get fret buzz on basses that didnt previously. adjusting trus rods to suit is a fag and can take many days to settle in. So i think i am heading back to the GHS nickles on two main basses and back to nylons on the Status.