LearnGospelMusic.com Community

Gospel Instruments => Bass Guitar => Topic started by: rebuked on December 01, 2006, 05:09:27 PM

Title: Action on your bass
Post by: rebuked on December 01, 2006, 05:09:27 PM
My fellow bassists, the question I would like to know is how do yall like the strings on your bass.  Do you like them high off the neck, or close and low to the neck?  Normally my strings are low, but I just got a Ken Smith Black Tiger bass and the strings are high, and it negatively affects my playing.  I want to get the strings lowered, but Ken Smith himself said that if I do that, i would have to lower the pickups as well.  Should I go through all of that or just suck it up and keep my strings high. 
Title: Re: Action on your bass
Post by: ddwilkins on December 01, 2006, 09:08:15 PM
get the action set to how you like it.  That's what I do and would do in your case.
Title: Re: Action on your bass
Post by: mike234 on December 01, 2006, 11:01:44 PM
You should lower it if that is how you like it.

I played a ken smith 6 string mw with low action, nicest thing ever.

But defieintely dont settle for what you get because after all it is a ken smith
Title: Re: Action on your bass
Post by: Andrzej on December 02, 2006, 09:29:55 AM
My action is set pretty high because my plucking technique is very aggressive.
Title: Re: Action on your bass
Post by: malthumb on December 02, 2006, 11:23:31 PM
Get your action set to where it feels comfortable for you.  Lowering pickups is no big deal on most basses.  On a few, you have to be careful what direction and how much you turn the postioning screws, but it really isn't that difficult.

Peace,

James
Title: Re: Action on your bass
Post by: Groovesmith on December 04, 2006, 01:19:08 PM
Personally I would lower the action it takes alot of strain off your fingers and that how your use to playing.  I had the action so high on one of my basses that this other player was playing it and his hand cramped and had him in tears the pain was sjooting all up and down his forearm.  And he was no beginner,  I didnt even realize that the action was so high cause thats how I had it from the get go.

Niow I lowered the action and its som much easier to play shout runs and anything else thrown my way i would get cramps and sore hands and assumed that was the price for playing like how wome drummers might get blisters but maybe that is also bad technique but now I am living in the truth and the light.
Title: Re: Action on your bass
Post by: B3Wannabe on December 04, 2006, 04:58:09 PM
Get your action set to where it feels comfortable for you.  Lowering pickups is no big deal on most basses.  On a few, you have to be careful what direction and how much you turn the postioning screws, but it really isn't that difficult.

Peace,

James

I'm with him. There's no big deal to lowering your pickups. I did that on my 8, and my strings are maybe just over 1/2" high at the base of my neck, pickup side.