Lowering the action on an EBMM bass?

[RandomEvent]

I've just recently started to do setup stuff and whatnot. I'm wondering if anyone can give me any pointers so that I can adjust my Sterling's action so that it's really low. From what I understand, you can only adjust your action so much before the lower frets start to buzz, because you cannot adjust an EBMM nut. Basically I want as low action as possible, and I'm hoping that it'll be easier to fret. I've been getting super sharp and random pains in my fretting wrist lately.

I'm hoping someone can guide me through lowering my action so that I will hopefully be able to fret easier. Thus saving my wrist. Thank you very much in advance.

 

[oli@bass]

Pain in wrist:
Not good! See a doctor! And check the angle at which you hold your fretting hand. There should be at little twist at the wrist as possible.

Lowering the action:
Some say it's an art (me included), and the interdependecies of saddle height, nut height, neck angle (needs a shim?) and neck relief are very complex.

Other's state that with an EBMM it's quite easily solved by a eight or quarter turn of the trussrod wheel to give a bit less relief. But that depends on how low the action at the topmost frets is from the start.

As I posted on some other forum, the quickest approach is probably described as follows:

1.) Give the neck little relief (e.g. 1-2mm at the 12th fret)

2.) Lower the strings until you get fretbuzz at the hights frets (over the neck pocket, where the neck can't have any relief)

3.) Rise them again just a tad until the buzz is minimal (if you never play up there anyway) or gone (if you really use them).

4.) Adjust the trussrod to find the proper balance between where the lower frets produce buzz (too little relief) and where the middle frets produce buzz (too much relief).


The official set up specs can be found here http://www.ernieball.com/faq_content.php?subjectcode=mm_basses

 

[SharonG]

As a doctor with wrist pain while playing - see a doctor!

Taking your action down is a good idea, but you need to find out what the problem is, too!

 

[strummer]

Ouch, go see a doctor.