bass guitar setup

[portorikan2]

Does anyone know how to obtain or have a set up for their bass that has
good low action without a lot of buzzing from the frets. I'd like to
know everything- string brand, gauge, whatever...

My bass is an Ibanez ergodyne EDB350 (four strings)
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[Bob Gollihur]

portorikan2 wrote in message ...

>Does anyone know how to obtain or have a set up for their bass that has
>good low action without a lot of buzzing from the frets. I'd like to
>know everything- string brand, gauge, whatever...
>
>My bass is an Ibanez ergodyne EDB350 (four strings)

Unless the strings or bass are really odd ducks, strings and their gauges
should not matter.

There is a brief article accessible from harmony central at
http://www.harmony-central.com/Bass/setups.txt that may help you get a grasp
on the process, and you may not need to go as far as some of the steps
mentioned, as he says. Take your time and don't make big adjustments in
either direction, and observe and understand what each adjustment is doing
to the relationship between your strings and each fret. You'll find the
right combination or neck relief spot and bridge adjustments if you are
patient.

--
Bob
eclectic bass - http://www.gollihur.com/bass.html
UPRIGHT BASS LINKS - http://www.gollihur.com/kkbass/basslink.html
(remove DELETE from email address to reply)

[Brian E Running]

I think the single most important item in proper set-up is neck relief.
Unless the relief is correct, all of your other adjustments will be futile.
First decide the gauge of strings you will use. If you've thought of
changing gauges, do it before setting up, as different gauges require
differing tensions, affecting neck relief. Then, tune the bass and set the
intonation. Tune again. Then check relief by pressing down a string at
the first fret and the twentieth fret. While holding them down, look at
the gap between the string and frets at the point halfway between the first
and twentieth fret. There should be a gap, but only a very, very small
one, just barely visible. Fender specs a ten-thousandths of an inch gap,
so get out your feeler gauge if you have one. Adjust the truss rod,
retune, check again, and keep working until you get it. Then adjust your
saddles for action height, retune again, and check relief again, and repeat
all this until it all works.

It took me a long time to realize that simply adding more relief will not
cure buzzing, it will make it worse. If you can't get your action low
enough no matter how low you set your saddles, then you have too much
relief! Remember, you can raise the action from the head end of the neck,
too, by increasing relief. I recently set up a bass on which I could not
get the action low enough no matter how low I set the saddles. The top and
bottom saddles were actually bottomed out against the bridge and couldn't
go any lower, yet the action at the twelfth fret was way too high. The
reason was too much relief -- the neck was bowed so high that there was no
way the saddle heights could compensate. I think it was caused by a string
switch to a heavier gauge, which requires more tension and thus bowed the
neck more. By straightening out the neck some, the action was lowered, and
the saddles were actually raised in the process.

Sorry to go on so long, but the point is, without correct relief, your
action will always be out of whack. A pro can do this for you easily, and
if you're the least unsure of yourself, then take the bass in to your local
shop. You'll probably save yourself some time and avoid the fear that
you're doing something wrong.