bass setup with multiple basses

[73 P Bass]

I've got my '73 setup with higher action that is better (for me) for pick playing and slapping. My '00 is set up lower, which is great for finger-style, but not so good with the pick.

Do you favor a universal setting, or have more specific settings for certain styles (that you will play on specific basses)?

[ClarkW]

I play fretted and fretless Peavey Cirrus basses. Since I do very little slap, I keep them both as low as I can because most of my work is fingerstyle, and some of it pretty fast. I do keep handy an old Yamaha Attitude 4-string with pretty high action for when I play quick and dirty bar gigs or need to play a lot of slap.

[Dave Martin]

Mine vary, but the action is medium to highish on all of them (Except the Pedulla fretless - that's pretty low to get that 'buzz' sound).

[Jode]

Let the bass tell you how it likes to be set up. It has a 'zone' where it likes to be played.

[getz out]

I don't really play with a pick unless I'm fooling around at rehearsal or practicing or writing.

 

However, I do slap a bit in addition to fingerstyle. I have relatively low action, but I have a light touch. I feel I sound better slapping with this low action, though. Better SNAP, but it could just be me; I never equated high-action to slap setup.

 

Am I odd?

[bassplayer5217]

Jode's got it set. The bass determines the set-up. Take for instance, the Jackson C20 (my bass of choice).

 

http://www.stevesmusiccenter.com/JacksonC20TBBig.jpg

 

If could you see that blonde piece at the end of the fretboard, you would note that it is sloped up from the bass of the body. Thus, the frets are elevated maybe 1/4 of an inch higher off the body than on a typical P or J bass. With this bass, I set my pickups high and close to the strings and with a medium action.

 

On a p bass, I like the pickups low and the strings really low, too.

 

It all is based on the bass, yo.

 

- Germain

[JBFLA]

My fretted basses ('78 Ray/G&L SB2/Schecter 5) are set up identical - low-mid action - because I flip-flop between them. It's nice to be familiar with the feel no matter which bass I pack, and they all play similar at that action.

 

My fretless is stoopid-low action with TI Jazz Rounds - it nearly plays itself...but the Moses composite neck is so constant (even in S.FLA weather) that it's no big deal.

 

Jim

[73 P Bass]

Originally posted by getz76:

I don't really play with a pick unless I'm fooling around at rehearsal or practicing or writing.

 

However, I do slap a bit in addition to fingerstyle. I have relatively low action, but I have a light touch. I feel I sound better slapping with this low action, though. Better SNAP, but it could just be me; I never equated high-action to slap setup.

 

Am I odd?

Your choice of setup isn't odd, but that's as far as I'm going with the whole odd thing...

 

You are right about the slap thing, both work fine.

The thing is, I was messing around with the setup on my '00 Am Std P, and got the action wicked low, and then I began to shread. Like dodedododedo-dobwedabwedabeeeeeedaba and so on.

But with my band I probably play 2/3 of the songs with a pick.

So I can go with a universal setting that lets me play all styles the way I play them, but be, perhaps, a slight compromise in some. Or I can be a ROCK STAR and switch instruments for certain songs.

[Nicklab]

I don't think switching instruments for individual songs is "rock star-ish". I've done it for some time. I've got some instruments that I just use for certain sounds or certain techniques. In my last regular gig, I would usually bring about 4 instruments. 2 5-string fretted basses (one main, one backup), a fretless 5, and my EUB. Sometimes I would definitely switch between the 2 fretted 5's for certain songs. Sometimes it's the best thing for the song, and if you're concious of having to do that from time to time, you can suit your set to doing that.