What's yer action?

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BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
edited August 2017 in Bass
Been musing on string action on a number of my basses. They all seem to like something slightly different. 

My 64 Precision (1.75 nut width, 7.25 FB radius, vintage frets, D'addario Chromes) seems to have 4/64 (1.6mm) as the sweet spot for all strings
The 74 Precision (1.65 nut width, 9.25 FB radius, vintage frets, D'addario Chromes) likes it a little smidge higher at about 1.8mm-2mm across the board

What do your basses seem best with, and what do you prefer?
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Comments

  • What's the measuring point? 12th fret? And relief too would be a useful figure I guess.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    What's the measuring point? 12th fret? And relief too would be a useful figure I guess.
    As per fender specs I've measured at the 17th!

    Relief on both is ironing board :) - at .005 (0.13mm) !
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  • My Jazz is 2mm low B, 1.5 ish on the high E (slightly more)... tuned B F# B E with D'Addario Pro Steels.  Can't measure the relief until I hunt out where my feeler gauge is, but it's about as close to 0 as you can get, holding down first fret and where the neck meets the body you barely need to brush the string to make it buzz.  Without my glasses I can't really see a gap, but there is one because it can be heard when tapping the string, and I do kind of need glasses.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    My Jazz is 2mm low B, 1.5 ish on the high E (slightly more)... tuned B F# B E with D'Addario Pro Steels.  Can't measure the relief until I hunt out where my feeler gauge is, but it's about as close to 0 as you can get, holding down first fret and where the neck meets the body you barely need to brush the string to make it buzz.  Without my glasses I can't really see a gap, but there is one because it can be heard when tapping the string, and I do kind of need glasses.
    Sounds about the same as mine - I reckon your relief is about .005"
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  • guitarfishbayguitarfishbay Frets: 7953
    edited August 2017
    I set it up by feel, including the use of a business card shim to get it to play a bit tighter.

    Set it so it's easy to play, but if I dig in hard with a pick it gets really grindy but doesn't fart out and have no low end like if there wasn't enough tension or clearance. It's got a tight low B (.130 through body) and is probably the loudest solid body bass I've played acoustically. It is also marginally sub 9lb IIRC. Man I wish I could find a guitar this good!
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    I set it up by feel, including the use of a business card shim to get it to play a bit tighter.

    Set it so it's easy to play, but if I dig in hard with a pick it gets really grindy but doesn't fart out and have no low end like if there wasn't enough tension or clearance. It's got a tight low B (.130 through body) and is probably the loudest solid body bass I've played acoustically. It is also marginally sub 9lb IIRC. Man I wish I could find a guitar this good!
    I've had similar feelings with some of my basses - particularly the two vintage Precisions - I really wish I could find guitars that good too. The CS Strat I have is close..
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Rickenbacker 4001… neck dead straight or Rizla paper thickness relief, fairly high action. I've never measured it.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • slackerslacker Frets: 2216
    Musicman-neck shim and as low as it can go

    NS NXT EUB about half an inch 
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23954
    Been musing on string action on a number of my basses. They all seem to like something slightly different. 

    My 64 Precision (1.75 nut width, 7.25 FB radius, vintage frets, D'addario Chromes) seems to have 4/64 (1.6mm) as the sweet spot for all strings
    The MiM Precision (1.65 nut width, 9.25 FB radius, vintage frets, D'addario Chromes) likes it a little smidge higher at about 1.8mm-2mm across the board

    What do your basses seem best with, and what do you prefer?
    Isn't your MiM a classic 50 Lacquer?

    The necks on those are supposed to be the same as the 64 I thought?
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Been musing on string action on a number of my basses. They all seem to like something slightly different. 

    My 64 Precision (1.75 nut width, 7.25 FB radius, vintage frets, D'addario Chromes) seems to have 4/64 (1.6mm) as the sweet spot for all strings
    The MiM Precision (1.65 nut width, 9.25 FB radius, vintage frets, D'addario Chromes) likes it a little smidge higher at about 1.8mm-2mm across the board

    What do your basses seem best with, and what do you prefer?
    Isn't your MiM a classic 50 Lacquer?

    The necks on those are supposed to be the same as the 64 I thought?
    You know what, I read my original post and thought "wtf was I smoking??"

    It wasn't the MIM - it was the 74 P I measured :D 

    What a twat
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    I have now edited my post to hide my stupidity
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23954
    I'm still mighty tempted by one of the classic 50s.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    I'm still mighty tempted by one of the classic 50s.
    You need to try one.. they are very good....
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23954
    I do. The neck seems very wide in the specs. Actually .45mm wider than my 5 string Stingray 
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    I do. The neck seems very wide in the specs. Actually .45mm wider than my 5 string Stingray 
    They are different. 

    The classic neck is slim front to back but very wide. It's weird, as a 7.5" radius it feels pretty flat due to the width.

    Once I got used to it, I just find narrower necks too cramped.
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23954
    Do you know the thickness measurement at the first fret?
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Do you know the thickness measurement at the first fret?
    A touch over 20mm - 20.3 ish
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23954
    Thank you. I can compare that with my herd now.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Thank you. I can compare that with my herd now.
    You sure you don't want to try the 64? ;)
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Meant to say @fretmeister - the neck I'm just spraying now in my build thread is the same width and profile as my 64...
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