c0d3h4x0r
Member
I've seen many threads here discussing action on Bongo basses, but none of them are too helpful. Either people fail to give physical measurements (talking about "high" or "low" action isn't helpful), or they give measurements in a variety of different units (millimeters, thirty-seconds of an inch, tenths of an inch, etc). I would like to use this thread to gather some precise sets of action measurements from Bongo owners.
I would like this thread to assume that the neck relief is already set properly, and that there is no other weird stuff going on with the neck (such as shimming). If you have shimmed the neck, set an unusual amount of relief, or had your Bongo set up by a professional, please note those details along with your posted set of measurements.
First off, we need to define how to measure action in a standard way. For purposes of this thread, action is measured as the distance between the bottom of a string and the top of the 12th fret. Please provide all measurements as thirty-seconds of an inch (if you can only measure in other units, use an online units conversion site to convert your measurements to thirty-seconds before posting them here). The action is typically different for each string on the instrument, so when you post your measurements, please specify which string you're talking about. It's usually adequate to provide one measurement for your lowest-pitch string and one measurement for your highest-pitch string.
A couple of factors that can really alter your action (or determine how low you can go with it) are the type and gauge of strings you use, and the tuning of your instrument. So along with each set of measurements, please specify which brand, type, and gauge of strings you are using, and how you have your instrument tuned.
Also, we need a consistent way to define "fret buzz". When you're playing medium to medium-hard, without excessive digging-in, you should be able to play a note on any fret along the fingerboard and let it ring out completely without hearing any fret buzz coming off the instrument itself (with it not plugged into an amp). Additionally, you should be able to slap any string, at any note fretted anywhere along the fretboard, and let it ring out completely without getting any fret buzz off the instrument itself.
Now then... why am I doing this? Because I have a Bongo 5-string, and I've been struggling to get the action as low as I would like without fret buzz. I would like to get the action down to 3/32" or less on all strings. So far this has proven impossible; I have to have the action as high as 5/32" or 6/32" on the low B-string to avoid buzz and rattle, and even then it still buzzes if I don't use a moderately light touch. I am using DR stainless steel round-core roundwound strings, with a .130 gauge for the low B-string. I know that it should be possible to get the action this low without fret buzz on a 5-string bass, because I've played on some super-cheap 5-strings at Guitar Center (OLP MM3 5-string, Ibanez SoundGear 5-string) that had the action set at 3/32" without fret buzz (yes, I took my metal machinists' ruler with me to the store and measured it). If these crappy Korean-made basses can get the action that low, surely a Bongo should be able to as well.
I would like this thread to assume that the neck relief is already set properly, and that there is no other weird stuff going on with the neck (such as shimming). If you have shimmed the neck, set an unusual amount of relief, or had your Bongo set up by a professional, please note those details along with your posted set of measurements.
First off, we need to define how to measure action in a standard way. For purposes of this thread, action is measured as the distance between the bottom of a string and the top of the 12th fret. Please provide all measurements as thirty-seconds of an inch (if you can only measure in other units, use an online units conversion site to convert your measurements to thirty-seconds before posting them here). The action is typically different for each string on the instrument, so when you post your measurements, please specify which string you're talking about. It's usually adequate to provide one measurement for your lowest-pitch string and one measurement for your highest-pitch string.
A couple of factors that can really alter your action (or determine how low you can go with it) are the type and gauge of strings you use, and the tuning of your instrument. So along with each set of measurements, please specify which brand, type, and gauge of strings you are using, and how you have your instrument tuned.
Also, we need a consistent way to define "fret buzz". When you're playing medium to medium-hard, without excessive digging-in, you should be able to play a note on any fret along the fingerboard and let it ring out completely without hearing any fret buzz coming off the instrument itself (with it not plugged into an amp). Additionally, you should be able to slap any string, at any note fretted anywhere along the fretboard, and let it ring out completely without getting any fret buzz off the instrument itself.
Now then... why am I doing this? Because I have a Bongo 5-string, and I've been struggling to get the action as low as I would like without fret buzz. I would like to get the action down to 3/32" or less on all strings. So far this has proven impossible; I have to have the action as high as 5/32" or 6/32" on the low B-string to avoid buzz and rattle, and even then it still buzzes if I don't use a moderately light touch. I am using DR stainless steel round-core roundwound strings, with a .130 gauge for the low B-string. I know that it should be possible to get the action this low without fret buzz on a 5-string bass, because I've played on some super-cheap 5-strings at Guitar Center (OLP MM3 5-string, Ibanez SoundGear 5-string) that had the action set at 3/32" without fret buzz (yes, I took my metal machinists' ruler with me to the store and measured it). If these crappy Korean-made basses can get the action that low, surely a Bongo should be able to as well.
