String Action, How do you like it? Options

[AK Rich]

So yeah how do you like it? I would imagine most people have it pretty low but I remember hearing before from a player that he liked his a little higher. Also, Is there a such thing as too low? I mean aside from the obvious fret buzz and notes dying out when you bend them is there a con or disadvantage to having an extremely low string action?

On both of my guitars the action is pretty close to the same,It graduates from just slightly higher than the thickness of a buisiness card at the first fret to just slightly higher than the thickness of a credit/debit card at the last fret, A Jim Dunlop jazz III pick wont quite fit between the string and fret at the last fret. (sorry I dont have a micrometer )

Thanks! Rich.....

[Sinisa Cekic]

I'm trying to set it as low as possible when playing alive, but when it comes to recording I have to raise action a bit, damn Sonar marks each fret buzz !!

[Ivan Milenkovic]

Action is set depending on the way a player plays. If a player likes to bang the strings and has increased dynamic range, it would be best to raise it a bit. If the player is playing fast legato, or AP, and uses light touch, action should be low. It depends on the instrument as well, some axes have better construction, so it's possible to have relatively low action without too much buzzing, somewhere isn't so much possible, specially on some vintage and low quality designs..

This post has been edited by Ivan Milenkovic: Nov 27 2011, 12:47 AM

[Azzaboi]

Pick thickness height strings from neck to bridge, with a very slight slope. Aka - low, for light touch / speed. Basically as low as they can go without making a buzz or hitting the frets.

Need a good quality axe as mentioned, but did you know if you have your string perfectly straight they also buzz, so I've heard a small slope or arch is required?

[Todd Simpson]

Ivan nailed it. As I play pretty fast, lots of AP and Legato, I have my action set so low that the strings barely clear the frets when played open. As low as I can get it in other words. But thats just me. Some folks, who really put tons of pressure behind their picking (Stevie Ray Vaughn for example) like it way high. So a lot depends on the player.

So about like you like it is how I like The only real drawback is that you can't hit the strings to hard or they buzz like crazy. But it all boils down to what your playing. If you need to be able to play funk/clean and have your action set crazy low, it might be a bit odd when you do a full strum and your strings bottom out and buzz. But if it's lots of metal, gain, fast licks, keep it low.


Todd

So yeah how do you like it? I would imagine most people have it pretty low but I remember hearing before from a player that he liked his a little higher. Also, Is there a such thing as too low? I mean aside from the obvious fret buzz and notes dying out when you bend them is there a con or disadvantage to having an extremely low string action?

On both of my guitars the action is pretty close to the same,It graduates from just slightly higher than the thickness of a buisiness card at the first fret to just slightly higher than the thickness of a credit/debit card at the last fret, A Jim Dunlop jazz III pick wont quite fit between the string and fret at the last fret. (sorry I dont have a micrometer )

Thanks! Rich.....

[Fran]

I like it as low as possible, as long as the string buzz doesn't go through the amp

[s1m0n]

I like it as low as possible, as long as the string buzz doesn't go through the amp

Ditto! That's what I do on my Ibanez.

[Ivan Milenkovic]

I like it as low as possible, as long as the string buzz doesn't go through the amp

Pretty much how it's done!

[PosterBoy]

I've got a pretty heavy picking hand so mine is a fair bit higher than most here, I'm sure it's making my progress in getting speed and decent legato slower, but it gives me the tone I want and I would be buzzing like crazy if I lowered it!

[Ben Higgins]

I would say mine is quite medium.. higher than most shred/metal guys would like it I'm sure

If it's too low I just don't get the control on string bending and vibrato that I want.

[JaxN4]

I would say mine is quite medium.. higher than most shred/metal guys would like it I'm sure

If it's too low I just don't get the control on string bending and vibrato that I want.

I think mine is the same mate, I have 3 guitars and i have tried different height on all.....but if its too low, you just cant get into those bending and smooth vibrato licks..... I love to alternate pick, love the sound and similiar with legato t5oo, love it, but, personally, I can't setup the string height too low to "help" with legato or AP as earlier suggested.....Cause I just Lurve to bend and vibrato!

[Ben Higgins]

I think mine is the same mate, I have 3 guitars and i have tried different height on all.....but if its too low, you just cant get into those bending and smooth vibrato licks..... I love to alternate pick, love the sound and similiar with legato t5oo, love it, but, personally, I can't setup the string height too low to "help" with legato or AP as earlier suggested.....Cause I just Lurve to bend and vibrato!

Yeah that's just it You gotta set your guitar up to be able to do the things that are most important to you (whatever that may be, it doesn't mean it's just bending etc, it could be picking etc), and you'll be able to work around the rest and make it work.

[JaxN4]

, and you'll be able to work around the rest and make it work.

Totally agree!

[thefireball]

Yup. Low as possible.

[Cosmin Lupu]

Mine is pretty high! On both drop tuned guitars I'm keeping high action and on the JEM and Custom 24 as low as possible so I can avoid string buzz.

It's pretty darn nasty when the strings are heavy gauged but the tone is nice and I kinda play violently when performing with Voodoo for instance so high action is a good option

[Ivan Milenkovic]

It doesn't mean there is need for very low action for playing fast, it's a misconception. Medium action should be just about enough, this is what works very good for me. For exampe, Muris is one top notch player, but the action on his signature MK was pretty medium. He can handle it for sure.

[AK Rich]

Coolness Thanks for all the feeback guys! It went pretty much as I expected and that is most people but definately not everyone likes thier string action as low as they can get it. So I had a follow up question. How many of you do your own setup on your instruments? You know, intonation, string action , truss rod adjustment, pickup height, Trem setup, Fret filing or nut adjustments, shim the neck, install your own electronics such as pickups and POT's, You guys do any of these things or things I didnt mention?

Thanks! Rich....

This post has been edited by AK Rich: Nov 28 2011, 08:21 PM

[Ivan Milenkovic]

I'm doing most of these things, but don't know how to work with frets and nut, I leave that to the guitar tech. For the setups, I'm in charge. When you go to do a setup with guitar tech, he makes the setup, and guitar goes out of specs when I play it, so some fine tuning is always needed. this is why I prefer to do this job myself. Through trial & error I learned. It's not so hard to do a proper setup but only if you have proper tools, otherwise you risk damaging the instrument and making errors.

[JaxN4]

I do everything on all 3 of my guitars....except pickup changes....havent done that yet

[Alex Feather]

Low enough, but not too low that it buzzes.