Setting the action on my orion guitar.

[jazzyvee]

Looks like I'm gonna be doing some guitar gigs this year so I've started giving my guitars a bit of a service. I have an orion guitar and want to get the action low. So I've started with the nut right down and the truss rod slack.  Even in that setting there is hardly any relief in the neck.  
 
With the guitar tuned up, the strings are buzzing on playing open strings but all other frets ring clear with no buzzing. Does this mean I need to adjust the nut or lift the bridge?
If I barre across the first fret all there is no buzzing.

[StephenR]

Sounds like the nut is too low if the buzzing is only on the open strings...

[lbpesq]

I agree with Stephen.  Try the nut first.  And double check to see if all strings are buzzing when open.  You may only have to raise one side of the nut.  As for lack of relief when the truss rod is completely loose, I had the same issue with my Custom Further.  It went back to the mothership for a heat bend which did the trick.  I assume you should be able to find a luthier on your side of the pond who can do this - perhaps Mica could even recommend someone.
 
Bill, tgo

[jazzyvee]

Thanks guys, yeah all the strings were buzzing with the open strings. I vaguely recall lifting the nut years back when I was on tour somewhere warm and never needed to return it back to where it was.  As for the lack of relief, I had the same thing with my Elan 4 bass a few years back and on the recommendation of FC, using higher tension strings seemed to fix the problem. Maybe I will try 10's on this one instead of 9's when it's due for re-string and see if that makes any difference.
 
I've had another go at setting it up again and raised the nut on both sides and found the middle two strings that were buzzing the most. I will check it later today as I'd like to see if I can get the action a bit lower.

[tncaveman]

This year, at least in Tennessee, the weather was very cold which leads to very low humidity.  Two of my guitars went flat on me.  My homemade cherry caster would not bow forward, even with the truss rod completely loose.  And my Elan need a big adjustment (first time ever).   The humidity returned and back to normal.
 
And as to .009 e strings - I switched to .010 and it is so much better in all aspects.  Since you play bass, should not be a problem.  I might move up to .011 one day.  A friend of mine uses .013 and can bend like crazy.
 
Stephen