Low Action

[Fingers!]

Any tips on low-action setups?  Like how to adjust truss rod, neck-to-body shim, bridge adjustments, how to prevent or minimize string buzz, etc. 

[floaded27]

when raising or lowering the strings on the bridge, be careful to check your intonation. depending on how much you've adjusted the saddle height, this may require you moving the saddle either forward or back (you may also have to do this when switching to different gauge strings, or going from tapered to non-tapered and vice-versa). i dont mess with the truss rod on any of my basses, and i never needed a shim for any of them.

[6stringapprentice]

With low action you need to have some relief(forward bow) in your neck, unless you play with a feather light touch. Strings vibrate in an elliptical pattern so if you have low action and an arrow straight neck you will likely get buzz on your lower frets and open notes. You bass doesn't need to look like a bow and arrow but just a very slight forward bow almost unnoticeable to the eye will let you get reasonably low action. Tapered and exposed core strings can also help with lower action but they may not be needed.

The way I usually set up a bass is:

-First I decide what strings I want.
-Then I check the neck relief to be sure the neck isn't back bowed or too straight.(You have to do this with the strings on and up to tune.)
-Adjust the truss rod if needed
-Next I take the bridge and drop the strings all the way down until they are nothing but buzz.
-Then starting with the lowest string I slowly raise the bridge until I can play an open note without buzzing.
-Repeat the above on the rest of the strings.
-Next I start back on the lowest string fretting downward and raising the string until I can fret the entire string with little or no buzz.
-Repeat the above on the rest of the strings(usually you will find you strings will follow the radius of the fret board)
-Then I fine tune the heights of the strings so they are more or less even(no strings too low or high relative to each other)
-After that get a good tuner(I use a vst plugin) and intonate.
-Then you are done and unless you change string brands or gauges often you shouldn't have to do it again in a while.

[lowlife350]

In addition to what has already been mentioned, I picked up a feeler gauge, similar to http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM5793235702P?sid=IDx20070921x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=00999007000 from a local hardware store.  Also, as a place to start, I always begin with these settings http://www.mtdkingston.com/thezone/setup.htm and adjust accordingly while keeping track so I can replicate.

Generally, I go just a little flatter than .015 to about .013 and I find that I lower the strings just a bit lower than is suggested in the latter link.

[lowlife350]

Oh yeah, if you don't have the buzz feiten tuning system, disregard the second half of the last link.  I still use the set up for my other basses though, minus the intonation offsets.

[SavnBass]

These two things might help..

Bass setup 1

Bass setup 2

[stix_clgi]

With low action you need to have some relief(forward bow) in your neck, unless you play with a feather light touch. Strings vibrate in an elliptical pattern so if you have low action and an arrow straight neck you will likely get buzz on your lower frets and open notes. You bass doesn't need to look like a bow and arrow but just a very slight forward bow almost unnoticeable to the eye will let you get reasonably low action. Tapered and exposed core strings can also help with lower action but they may not be needed.

The way I usually set up a bass is:

-First I decide what strings I want.
-Then I check the neck relief to be sure the neck isn't back bowed or too straight.(You have to do this with the strings on and up to tune.)
-Adjust the truss rod if needed
-Next I take the bridge and drop the strings all the way down until they are nothing but buzz.
-Then starting with the lowest string I slowly raise the bridge until I can play an open note without buzzing.
-Repeat the above on the rest of the strings.
-Next I start back on the lowest string fretting downward and raising the string until I can fret the entire string with little or no buzz.
-Repeat the above on the rest of the strings(usually you will find you strings will follow the radius of the fret board)
-Then I fine tune the heights of the strings so they are more or less even(no strings too low or high relative to each other)
-After that get a good tuner(I use a vst plugin) and intonate.
-Then you are done and unless you change string brands or gauges often you shouldn't have to do it again in a while.

 :oI never thought to do that, I pretty much don't mess with my setup once I let the tech do it, but I should learn how to do it myself at some point right lol.

[Mysteryman]

:oI never thought to do that, I pretty much don't mess with my setup once I let the tech do it, but I should learn how to do it myself at some point right lol.

I saw some guy tuning a guitar on youtube with a straight edge piece of metal. If I do that again I would buy something like that.

[lowlife350]

These two things might help..

Bass setup 2

When I first starting setting up, both links listed by Savn were tremendously helpful.  Just a month or so ago though, I read over in the Luthier Lounge on talkbass that there may be some questionable techniques in Gary Willis' approach.  I can't recall what they suggested might be a problem, nor did I check out Gary's link again.

I am sure most of what he says is fine.  My personal opinion is that as long as you 1) take your time 2)proceed slow (esp. with truss rod) 3) pay attention to how the bass responds to your tweaks and 4) never use too much force on anything (again, esp. truss rod) it is difficult to cause irreversible damage.

(disclaimer - I am not a luthier and this is certainly not advice!!  It's just how I do things)

[Fingers!]

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I will apply them and see how I do.

[phbrown]

hmm ... i've got nothing else to do tonight

[phbrown]

#fail ... i ended up watching youtube videos playing my bass LOL