String height Warwick Rockbass Alien Deluxe 6

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MrWalker

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Hi!
I just received my new Alien 6 yesterday, and I like the bass a lot. However, the string action is on the high side. I have tightened the truss rod a bit and the neck now has the relief I prefer (around the specs that were stated in hte manual).

However, the strings are still a little high. I'm wondering what the suggested string height from Warwick is, and how to measure that properly.

Second, I was thinking that if I'm going to lower the action further, I would have to start sanding off the bridge. Is it possible to get hold of a replacement saddle if I do something wrong with the one Ihave? And also, I realize that dropping the strings too low will impact the volume of the bass. What is the "lowest" you recommend?
 
Just measured the stringh height on the 12th fret, and it seems the measure is between 4.5 and 5 for the B and E strings, whereas the QC-card that accompanied the bass said it was checked to be 3mm at this spot... how can this be the case? The neck has the perfect relief now, if I overtighten the neck, it will be backbowed. And the saddle is in place... so I can only assume the measurement was off, or I measured it wrong, or something has happened in storage.
 
I am not sure... You measure it between the fret and the string, right ( sorry, just checking) 5 mm is too high... I will ask and come back to you!
 
Yes, I measured it from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string, and it comes out with approximately 4.5 mm on the E-string. It's a tad high, and I feel like I'm playing something else than a 6-string bass :-)
Would like to get advice on how to proceed :-) The bass was bought from Thomann in Germany, since there were no basses available in Norwegian shops :-)
 
It is fairly easy, if time consuming to sand down the saddle of an acoustic. Just remove the saddle and put some fine sandpaper flat on a benchtop and slowly push and pull the bottom of the saddle over it, ensuring it stays flat. then put it back, put the strings back up to tension and check. the trick is baby steps, but it means many removals, sandings and putting it back together. And you are right the lower the saddle the less projection and less warm tone you will get. This is a real prob with guitarists, who go to techs and want their acoustics set up low like an electric, then complain that they have lost tone when we set them up super low!
 
Same on electric, best tone is with higher action IMHO.
 
I do feel the action is on the high side, but at the same time I love the sound it's producing. I will take it with me and discuss it with a luthier in town. I manage to play what I want, and with good sound, so that's important enough. Wouldn't want to drop the setup and lose the sound... But I guess that as with everything, there is a balance. I'm sure there is a "sweet spot" where the sound is great and playability is as good as can be. And I have no idea where that sweet spot is. So rather have an expert look into it so. I don't render the bass unplayable and have to go visit the luthier anyway :-)
 
Augie said:
It is fairly easy, if time consuming to sand down the saddle of an acoustic. Just remove the saddle and put some fine sandpaper flat on a benchtop and slowly push and pull the bottom of the saddle over it, ensuring it stays flat. then put it back, put the strings back up to tension and check. the trick is baby steps, but it means many removals, sandings and putting it back together. And you are right the lower the saddle the less projection and less warm tone you will get. This is a real prob with guitarists, who go to techs and want their acoustics set up low like an electric, then complain that they have lost tone when we set them up super low!
Click to expand...

Thanks!
Excellent explanation, thanks a lot!

I'm not sure I dare, though :-) I don't want to lose my tone, either. And if I go too low then I'm lost and must seek help anyway. May be best to go to someone who know what they're doing in the first place :-)
 
See how you go with it, they thing i always used to tell electric players who bought an acoustic (usually guitarist types) is that its a different beast. It will not play the same, it will not feel the same and you will have to play it differently to get the tone and dynamics you want. But its can have a whole new palate of tones and sounds that an electric will never have.
 
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