-
Security notice: Ernie Ball staff will never send you a direct message about a prize or giveaway, and will never ask you to click a link to "claim" anything.
If you receive a message like that - even from an account whose name looks official - do not click the link. Please report it using the Report link on the message so the moderators can act. A scam campaign impersonating admin accounts was blocked on 29 July 2026; those accounts are banned and their messages have been deleted.
bass action
- Thread starter jubjub721
- Start date
On the EB website, there's a FAQ for setting up your bass. Rod also gave some useful info.
Here's my paraphrase of Rod's words:
Hold down the first fret with your fretting hand and then the 12th fret with your picking hand's thumb. Check the space between the top of the frets around the 6-8 positions and tap down on those areas with your picking hand's index. That space should be about business card thin.
If it isn't, adjust your truss rod so that it is. On MM basses, insert a small screwdriver into the truss wheel and turn it to towards the G to raise the neck and towards the E to lower the neck.
Once this is done, like Jon said, adjust your saddles.
Hope that helps. Look around in this forum to find Rod's actual post. If he is graceful enough, maybe he'll reiterate himself more properly for you.
Here's my paraphrase of Rod's words:
Hold down the first fret with your fretting hand and then the 12th fret with your picking hand's thumb. Check the space between the top of the frets around the 6-8 positions and tap down on those areas with your picking hand's index. That space should be about business card thin.
If it isn't, adjust your truss rod so that it is. On MM basses, insert a small screwdriver into the truss wheel and turn it to towards the G to raise the neck and towards the E to lower the neck.
Once this is done, like Jon said, adjust your saddles.
Hope that helps. Look around in this forum to find Rod's actual post. If he is graceful enough, maybe he'll reiterate himself more properly for you.
Rod Trussbroken
Moderator
jubjub....
what Jon and midopa said....and also here:
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2174
what Jon and midopa said....and also here:
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2174
Rod Trussbroken
Moderator
>>>>I'm curious as to how your procedure will apply to the Bongo. It's 24 frets so I'm wondering if you can still check the relief with the 1st and 12th fret.
From what I understand, the truss rod has it's major effect on relief at around the 5th or 6th fret and has no effect on the neck past the point of where the neck joins the body.
The 12th fret was suggested to me by a luthier...a convenient starting point. I suppose you could use a capo at the first fret and depress at the body-joint fret. I'd probably go that way, and use a feeler gauge, if wanted a certain measured relief. In fact, I used to do that but found it pointless because wood moves around all the time.
In the end, what I'm doing is to getting the neck straight as I can, initially, and then adding relief to the point of eliminating any fret buzz at the top frets. IMO that's how the truss is to be set up. I'm not relying on measurements to do that. By using the 1st and 12th, I'm just evaluating neck relief.
Everyone goes about it in a different way:
#depress 3rd and 15th and check relief at the mid point.
#depress 1st and last fret and check at 8th.
etc etc...
So, if I had a Bongo, I'd still go that way.
From what I understand, the truss rod has it's major effect on relief at around the 5th or 6th fret and has no effect on the neck past the point of where the neck joins the body.
The 12th fret was suggested to me by a luthier...a convenient starting point. I suppose you could use a capo at the first fret and depress at the body-joint fret. I'd probably go that way, and use a feeler gauge, if wanted a certain measured relief. In fact, I used to do that but found it pointless because wood moves around all the time.
In the end, what I'm doing is to getting the neck straight as I can, initially, and then adding relief to the point of eliminating any fret buzz at the top frets. IMO that's how the truss is to be set up. I'm not relying on measurements to do that. By using the 1st and 12th, I'm just evaluating neck relief.
Everyone goes about it in a different way:
#depress 3rd and 15th and check relief at the mid point.
#depress 1st and last fret and check at 8th.
etc etc...
So, if I had a Bongo, I'd still go that way.
Thanks for the tips and info, Jon and Rod. I always saw truss rods as a way to solve problems with the action. Rod's tips and an article I read today about truss rods in acoustic guitars has shown me otherwise. 
Well, I'm glad to know so much. When I get my hands on my next MM bass, I'll give it a good and nice midopa-oriented setup!
Well, I'm glad to know so much. When I get my hands on my next MM bass, I'll give it a good and nice midopa-oriented setup!
Hey Jon,
I do have a question, but regarding EB bass strings. I left a message in the Strings board, but haven't recieved a reply. I'm sorry for being hasty, but I'm pressed for time on this one.
I got a custom gauge .045 bass g string and really like it. I want to know what's the equivalent of the custom gauge series to the EB Slinky packs, so I can try to buy one set tomorrow. That is, is the custom gauge like the Regular Slinkies, Power, Hybrid, etc.?
Thanks A Lot,
Sam
Edit: Oh yeah, Rod. I've got yet another question. Do you adjust your truss rod with the strings still on tight?
I do have a question, but regarding EB bass strings. I left a message in the Strings board, but haven't recieved a reply. I'm sorry for being hasty, but I'm pressed for time on this one.
I got a custom gauge .045 bass g string and really like it. I want to know what's the equivalent of the custom gauge series to the EB Slinky packs, so I can try to buy one set tomorrow. That is, is the custom gauge like the Regular Slinkies, Power, Hybrid, etc.?
Thanks A Lot,
Sam
Edit: Oh yeah, Rod. I've got yet another question.
Do you adjust your truss rod with the strings still on tight?
Rod Trussbroken
Moderator
>>>>Do you adjust your truss rod with the strings still on tight?
Yeah...for small adjustments. That's the beauty of the EBs....adjustments can be made within a matter of seconds.
Yeah...for small adjustments. That's the beauty of the EBs....adjustments can be made within a matter of seconds.
bovinehost
Administrator
Ah, my work here is done.
