Action / string height

TTony

How high, or low, do you go?

I've been playing a few different guitars over the last couple of weeks, and some are immediately "easier" to play as soon as I pick them up.

Some of that is due to scale length or the size/profile of the neck, sometimes the overall weight of the guitar or how it balances on the knee, but action height is also a factor in how easy it feels to play.

So, assuming that you've got a good straight neck, and the nut slots are cut correctly (I aim for the string to touch the first fret when holding the string down at the third fret), what sort of string height do you set-up to, say at the 12th & final frets?

stickyfiddle

I have no idea on numbers but I like to get everything setup as low as it'll go without buzzes and then raise the action just the tiniest amount. Having played a bunch of other guys' gear at the last couple of SE Gearfests that leaves my action a smidge higher than most but that's fine with me.

grungebob

As low as it'll go without buzzing on most but I like a higher action on a Tele for some reason?

[Deleted User]

A bit like the fret size thread, there is no answer to this. If you have a flat-ish fingerboard radius, the frets are in fine fettle and you play lightly, you can usually go VERY low and the guitar will still 'work'. Whether it will sound any good is a different matter.

My starting point when setting up an electric is to adjust the top E to a height where it can be bent a full tone (right along the neck) without it choking, the B one and a half tones and the G two full tones (the only reason I do this is because this is how far I will be bending them when I play). I then set the D slightly higher than the G, the A slightly higher than the D and bottom E slightly higher still.

These heights (whatever they may be) are the lowest settings I can get away with given how I play. They may not be for you...

In my experience, there is a 'sweet spot' where the tone and the sustain of a guitar opens up. This point is invariably above the lowest settings which allow choke-free playing. This is the point I try to find when doing a set up.

Incidentally, when fretted at the third fret, the nut should be sufficiently high as to allow the string to be 'tapped' onto the 1st fret. In other words, there should be a very slight gap.

Hope this helps...

ICBM

Exactly the same as richardhomer.

First, as low as it will go with absolutely no choking on a full-tone bend above the 12th fret on the E, minor 3rd on the B, major third on the G, played hard, with the nut set to microscopically above 1st fret height and the relief set to as close to dead straight as possible without rattling in the low positions, also played hard... and then raised a bit, to find the 'sweet spot'.

Occasionally you need a little bit more relief than that as well to let it really ring out, usually if the fret tops are slightly worn but not to the point it's worth dressing them.

mike_l

As low as I can reasonably get it. Mine are all slightly different but still pretty low.

A friend of mine got a brand new LP, with a marvellous set-up done on it, and it was still higher than any of mine....

 

Still, what works for one guitar/player doesn't always work for another

Paul_C

with customers guitars (and assuming no specific instructions) I wouldn't go so low with the nut slots as to touch the first fret - I leave a small gap under the high E and progressively larger gaps as the strings get thicker (don't know the exact gaps any more as I do it by eye.

small amount of relief in the neck next, and then 2/32" gap under the high E at the 12th fret, 2.5/32" under the low E and the rest set using a radius gauge to match the frets

ICBM

Paul_C said:

with customers guitars (and assuming no specific instructions) I wouldn't go so low with the nut slots as to touch the first fret - I leave a small gap under the high E and progressively larger gaps as the strings get thicker (don't know the exact gaps any more as I do it by eye.

Not to touch the fret, no - just as close as possible without actually doing. I'd guess .001" on the top E if I was measuring it. Then about .001" extra for each string going up to the low E. I also do it by eye so that's just a guess, but it sounds about right.

TTony

ICBM said:

Not to touch the fret, no - just as close as possible without actually doing. I'd guess .001" on the top E if I was measuring it. Then about .001" extra for each string going up to the low E. I also do it by eye so that's just a guess, but it sounds about right.

I was using lazy language in my first post - I have the strings as near to the first fret as they can be when fretting at the third, without actually touching the top of the first fret.

I'm going to get my fancy string height measuring rule thingy out tomorrow to do some actually measurements.

Lew

Yep, I'm the same as a few others here.I take it as low as it can go without buzz and then lift 'em up a teeny bit. 11-66 in Eb/Dstd depending on what I'm doing. Really dislike a high or even medium action, it's gotta be low but not so low that it jingle jangles.

EdGrip

I'm a strummer. I like to hit, twang, brang, get under the strings with the pick and let them go, really dig in like I'm strumming an acoustic. So, my action seems to end up being comparatively high. I'm fine with that. I've got more dynamic range available than you low-stringers, so ner!  

dindude

Slightly different on each guitar, Strat and la cab have a slightly higher action than the midtown and the Charvel, but still pretty much the same as others have said, low as can go, then raise a tad.