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My actions too high but if I go any lower I Buzz. I can't seem to visualize what direction the truss needs to go in order to lower my strings more. Seems like it needs to bow out more in order to drop the action. Does that sound right?
Wait, wait, wait. You don't think you change the action by adjusting the truss rod do you?
You raise and lower string height by raising or lowering the saddles on your bridge. The truss rod is used to straighten the neck.
Quote:
You raise or lower string height by raising or lowering the saddles on your bridge. The truss rod is used to straighten the neck.
DO NOT TOUCH THE TRUSS ROD UNLESS YOU HAVE TO. Now that that's out of the way, not all basses have saddles, if you've got a 2 or 3 point bridge you use the screws on the outsides of the bridge
no, i dont think i can change my action using my truss rod.
You typed in bold like the truss rod can destroy a bass. How do you know when you have to? I thought when you are having buzzing issues you can move it a quarter turn and fix the issue? is there ever too bowed?
Yes just turn the neck a 1/4 but don't do anything more unless you think you actually have to. Play it a couple days then look again. And yeah there is too bowed, you want the neck level
Hi Tnaigneerg,
You appear new to Bass Guitar, I would highly suggest you read up on any “bass guitar setup” manuals that the internet has to offer. Familiarize yourself with your instrument before you attempt to tinker around with Truss Rod. These Setup manuals or a good YouTube Tutorial will answer any of your questions that you have about your Bass.
If you feel uncomfortable or unsure of making adjustments to your guitar, do yourself a favor and visit your local guitar store. If someone has the time that very moment to take care of your instrument needs - watch, and ask questions if need to be. That way, the next time you need a setup on your bass, you'll have the confidence and know how to do it yourself.
Some Music Stores will not charge you a setup fee (which is minimal), if you buy new strings from them and have them put them on. Take this route if in fact your bass is fairly new and has original strings on them.
Blackie333 and Linkinpark232 are in theory right, and wrong.
Technically, adjusting string height is done at the Bridge with the saddles, and on some occasions at the Nut, if it is adjustable or needs shimming or filing.
There is absolutely no true origin of where or how a Truss Rod should be for a guitar to work properly. Adjusting a Truss Rod properly can and will help lower your string settings closer to the fret board - It's a nifty trick and should only be performed by a person who has the experience of adjusting and setting up a guitar or bass.
On one of my bass's, at the first fret of the E string. Top of string to fretboard distance is 1/8 or 0.1250mm. Measurement at 19th fret E string. Top of string to fretboard distance is 1/4 or 0.2500mm. In Standard Tuning, this level of playing is comfortable to me. I can get the action lower if I needed to, but at times I de-tune this guitar to C# and it is the lowest I can get it without fret buzz and still having the proper intonation.
Like many questions that get asked on this Forum - they are very vague and incomplete.
Leaves a person like me in bewilderment and for the most part I do not engage in these conversations because of it.
People with questions need to be precise as possible, if they are seeking positive feedback. I'm not a mind reader and I'm sure nobody else here is either.
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you want the neck level
The above quote is not completely true. Neck relief theory is just that - A Theory.
All depends on how a person plays their instrument and what type of sound they are seeking.
A straight neck simply means - No Neck Relief At All
Which means, the only tension you have is what your strings are making from the Headstock to the Bridge. Usually results in stiff playing, very little resistance in strings, and a sound that appears dead or dull, may as well drop the bass, grab a bow and play a violin.
It doesn't happen a lot, but it has been known for guitar's or bass's to leave the factory without the Truss Rod being set. If your bass does not feel like you're playing piano strings, then you have a relief of some sort whether your naked eye sees it or not. The neck should be bowed inward or downward, depending on how your instrument behaves.
The truss rod is there to counter the effect the string tension has on the neck. The strings exert around 80lb of tension on the neck, which would bend forwards without a truss rod. So far no one has explained how the truss rod works so here we go. Imagine your bass laid on its back and you looking at it from the side, if you could see the rod you would notice that it was slightly bent, dipping in the middle and pointing upwards at either end, a fillet of hardwood with the same curve is glued over the top of the rod so the rod sits tight in the slot. Now, when the rod is tightened it tries to straighten itself out and therefore bending the neck backwards against the string tension. Careful truss rod/ bridge saddle fiddling will result in a low action. The rod I described was invented by a Gibson employee and is still used in all of their guitars today, Fender also use this type of rod, Rickenbacker use a dual acting rod which has two flat bars, one longer than the other, which does the same job but doesn't require a curved slot.
Finally, ultra low action on a bass isn't really necessary, and low action impedes slap and pop playing
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