The Art Of Shreddin'

Menu

Sign Up

Bass Setup - Action, Inotation & Neck Relief

This site contains affiliate links, which we receive a commission from any sale or purchase, and are of no cost to you. As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate links will redirect you to Amazon.com and its affiliate sites. Please read our DISCLAIMER for more information

How high or low the strings are above the fretboard is called action. You may hear someone say, “My action is too high.”

String height, or action, can be adjusted in two places — at the nut, and at the bridge.

Hopefully the nut came cut correctly from the factory. I say hopefully because it can be tricky to make any modifications to it. Unless you really know what you’re doing, you should leave any nut adjustments or repairs to a guitar repair shop.

At the bridge end you can raise or lower the string height of each string using the height screws on the saddle.

String Action Gauge Ruler
buy now
Bass Straight Edge
buy now
Guitar & Bass Multi-Tool
buy now

Fretboard Radius

The shape of your fretboard has a slight arc to it. This arc, or curve, is called fretboard radius. (see last picture) Think of it as a small segment of a large circle. The radius of that large circle is measured in inches.

The height of the saddles should form an arc to match the curvature of the fretboard, or fretboard radius. When you set the string height, you can use a radius gauge (radius gauge PDF), or you can eyeball it. The radius gauge has a bunch of common radii used on basses and guitars.

Intonation

Intonation is how in-tune something is. That is, how accurately something hits the correct pitch. This can be said of singers, “Her intonation is spectacular. She nailed every note!”

Notes occur at exact points up and down the string. Setting your intonation means matching, or lining up, where the notes occur on the string to where the frets are on the fretboard. If they are not lined up correctly, your bass guitar will play out of tune. To adjust your bass intonation you will move the saddle forward or backward. By moving the saddle, you change the length of the string from the bridge to the nut. Changing the string's length shifts where the notes fall on the string.

Dunlop Bass String Tool Kit
buy now
Fret Rocker
buy now
Luthier Tools for Bass Setup
buy now

Pickup Height

The higher your bass pickups are set, the louder the output of your bass. You want to adjust your pickup height so that the strings don’t clack against them and that the output isn’t too hot (loud). Also, the magnets may pull on your strings if the pickups get too close.

Don’t set the pickups too low or else you won’t get enough volume out of your bass. Now that you understand what a bass setup involves, let's look at how to adjust everything

Adjusting Bass Guitar Neck Relief

First, choose the gauge of bass strings you plan to use. Different string gauges have different amounts of tension. When you change gauges, you may have to readjust your bass guitar. So find a gauge you like and stick with it. Make sure you’ve installed your strings correctly.

Tune your bass strings accurately to your preferred tuning. You want the string tension to be the same as when you play. You’ll want to get your bass neck as straight as possible before the point where the strings start buzzing. This will depend on how hard you play the strings. There’s not one right answer. Find the truss rod nut. Typically, it will be a hexagonal nut on one end of your bass neck. It may be covered by a plate on the headstock. Or, it may be hidden by your pickguard. On some basses you may be required to remove the neck, adjust it, put it back on and then tune the strings up again. If it’s not right, you’ll have to do it all over again. (What a pain!) Using a , make a mark on the truss rod nut so you know where you started and as a general reference point.

It doesn’t take much turning of the truss rod to adjust the neck. Never force anything! Expect to maybe do a quarter-turn or a half-turn. Use the correct size hex key so you don’t strip the truss rod nut. Your bass may have come with the hex key you need. To avoid breaking the truss rod, first loosen it by turning it to the left (lefty-loosey). Now, start tightening the truss rod by turning it to the right (righty-tighty). You may find the strings to be in the way of turning the truss rod. If they are, detune/loosen them and move them out of the way while you turn the truss rod. Tune the string(s) back to pitch to check the straightness of the neck.

You can check the straightness with a straight edge of some sort. Or, you can use your bass strings as a straight edge. Fret the 1st fret and the 15th fret of your lowest string. You should be able to see how much relief is in your neck by checking the space between the bottom of the string and the tops of the frets. You’ll probably need just a tiny bit of relief. Don’t be surprised if it takes several days for your adjustments to settle in. You may have it perfect one day only to find it has moved the next day!

Guitar & Gear Articles

Bass Guitars

Electric Guitars

Shredd Shop Home