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Can i get my action lower?

Cheekychuck
Posts: 440
10 years ago
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I have installed a Gotoh bridge on my Fender Precision. The bridge string guides are almost bottomed out, and neck is straight, so truss rod seems fine, but i would like to go a little lower action on strings. I have heard of shimming something but don't see how shimming the bridge would help. Any help would be appreciated
Cheekychuck
Posts: 440
Oh, i should mention I'm at 1.9 mm top of 12th fret to bottom of string.
Sidsquishus
Posts: 1499
Marko will have some thoughts for you probably.

I would say check your neck to make sure you have it adjusted correctly for bow. Here's a video of John Carruthers showing how to do it:



If you're still too high with the neck bow set correctly and your saddles about bottomed out, I think you need to look at a different bridge.
Sidsquishus
Posts: 1499
1.9 mm on which string? E?

I've been working on this for a while now. What is working for me are clearances between the bottom of the E and G string and the top of fret 12 of 2 to 2.5 mm for the E string and 1.75 to 2.25 for the G string - varies a bit between different basses.
I wouldn't shim the bridge. You can try putting a shim under the neck at the rear of the pocket. A lot of people that set up basses suggest a business card to cut as your shim.

I have an Ibanez BTB that a previous owner de-fretted to make a fretless bass. Due to the super high action and the monorails being set all the way down I had to get some veneer sheets and build the whole pocket up to gain an acceptable action.
Good Luck
Cheekychuck
Posts: 440
Thanks Sid. Turns out a quarter turn on the truss rod worked it out. Sitting at 2mm on E and 1.75 on G. Straight as an arrow and just above buzzing. Thanks
Marko1960
Posts: 3143
So all has worked out fine, it's back to the Tech Guy Cave for me. It sound like the bridge swap was a bit close for comfort, when considering changing your bridge, always check the dimensions of the new against the old, saddle mim and max height, string spacing etc. the shim that was mentioned goes into the neck socket, start with a piece of paper 10mmx60mm at the pick up end of the socket and keep building up the paper after a lot of trial and error. Another solution could be to file down the grooves in the saddles, I've done this on a Fender Jazzmaster, ( like hundreds of other people ). I don't get too concerned about low action, but that's easy to say when my Stingray can barely fit a cigarette paper under the string with no buzzing, it's amazing
Cheekychuck
Posts: 440
Thanks for the input guys. I noticed the base on the bridge was a little thicker than the stock one. Marko, i can't wait till i get a musicman. Hopefully a stingray. Better save my pennies.

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