NDBD

[lowlandtrees]

Just got myself a new old bass. The seller reckoned it was a 60s Hungarian. It is very light and the sound is really loud and rich and resonant.....the seller is a classical/jazzer ....now the bad bit.....it has mile high action (strung with high tension steel). My plan is to put Innovation Silver Slaps on it and drop the action as low as possible. I have contacted my luthier (Bill Kelday) and waiting for a reply.
Wondering if I will substantially lose sound quality by carrying out the above. I amplify through a K&K Bass Max into a EA doubler and Wizzy 12 M line.
At the moment I play rockabilly but do not want to limit the instrument to this as I occasionally play pizz jazz/latin stuff. I have attached a couple of pics but not sure if the files will view.

[TPJ]

Can't see any pics, therefore it doesn't exist

Maybe try a photo hosting sight and copy the img links into your post.

My cheap hybrid bass is louder and richer sounding with low tension strings (Velvet Anima) than with the steel strings I've tried on it. Of course, you'll never know how you bass sounds until you get it set up, but hopefully you'll get a great result.

Edited June 24, 2016 by TPJ

[Beer of the Bass]

Pics aren't showing at the moment, congratulations on the new bass though. I feel like low tension synthetic strings plus low action might be a recipe for a quiet bass, but you could always have Bill install bridge adjusters so that you can find your own sweet spot.

[Guest Jecklin]

When you say mile how, what are we talking?

That loud and resonant sound "may" come from the pressure driving the top, but it would be worth experimenting anyway.

As a (very) rough rule of thumb is the E string has action around 10mm and the G around 7mm at the end of the fingerboard you're in reasonable action territory forna good acoustic sound (bass and fingerboard relief dependant) but if the tension is too high then get some low tension strings in and get that bass thumping


Have fun

[lowlandtrees]

Jecklin
The E is 14mm to the centre of the string at the end of the fretboard and the G 9mm maybe 10mm. The action is high at the nut end also. I did wonder if the high tension strings would be producing the volume and resonance. That is why I posted. I expect to get some loss of volume with lower tensioned strings but hoping that good amplification can adjust that. Hopefully the quality will not suffer.

[Guest Jecklin]

[quote name='lowlandtrees' timestamp='1466784441' post='3078836']
Jecklin
The E is 14mm to the centre of the string at the end of the fretboard and the G 9mm maybe 10mm. The action is high at the nut end also. I did wonder if the high tension strings would be producing the volume and resonance. That is why I posted. I expect to get some loss of volume with lower tensioned strings but hoping that good amplification can adjust that. Hopefully the quality will not suffer.
[/quote]

Hi lowlandtrees,

You could definitely have a few milimetres off the bride, but getting the strings lower at the nut will have a profound effect on the playability in half to second positions so that is something to address asap.

Do you own needles files?
If so it is something you can do yourself. The classic is "business card height" at the nut. I have no idea how thick a business card is (ie every business card I have ever seen is of a different thickness). My bass and my teachers were set up with the strings almost touching he fingerboard at the nut junction.

If you do attempt to lower the nut slots, do it one string at a time and no need to file too much out too quickly although you can always fill the nut slot with superglue if you found you did go too low.

Use plenty of soft pencil graphite in the nut slot after filing it.

Cheers
Thomas

Edited June 25, 2016 by Jecklin

[lowlandtrees]

http://s649.photobucket.com/user/JimmyH1/media/20160624_100142.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4
http://s649.photobucket.com/user/JimmyH1/media/20160624_100217
http://s649.photobucket.com/user/JimmyH1/media/20160624_100327.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

Hi
These are the links to my new old bass. As you can see the action is pretty high

[TheRev]

Oohhh - that's a challenging action at the nut.....

Lowering the action may well reduce the volume but at least you'll be able to actually play the bugger.