banner

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

    Wondering what you guys generally prefer??
    (people who've tried both preferably)

    I'm used to slightly lower action but hearing Yngwie using 8s for the plain strings with higher action has got me curious because even with low action, those high E string Bends are still a bit of an effort with gauge 10s...

    Wondering if anyone has tried using a super light gauge strings but raise the action to avoid the slop?
    -RG Air Norton/Megadrive
    -Hard Ash Strat Amdusias set
    -JPM100 x2 PAF pro/Super D + Breed/Transition
    -Vigier Shawn Lane Aph1-n/Norton
    -Suhr SSS Strat V60/V60/ML Bridge (SSCII)
    -RG7 BKP Brutes

  • #2
    Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

    I use high strings on all my guitars. 11s are my go to set, and I run them about 1.3 to 1.5 times as high as factory settings. I go even higher with lighter strings. My Page Mirror Tele, which is my only guitar that I keep 9s on, is approaching twice the factory string height settings. Plays great to me, and it's the only way I can tolerate 9s.

    Higher strings will make bends easier, not harder. They make fretting harder, but bends get significantly easier IME.
    Originally posted by LesStrat
    Yogi Berra was correct.
    Originally posted by JOLLY
    I do a few chord things, some crappy lead stuff, and then some rhythm stuff.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

      I like medium guage 11-48s or 10-52s on all my guitars. My action is set as low as I can get it so that there is no buzzing at all when I pick hard. Usually about 3-3.5 mm at the low E and 2-2.5 mm at the high e. Agree with itsabass, slightly higher action is easier to bend with than slightly lower action . . . but harder to fret.
      Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

      Originally posted by Douglas Adams
      This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

        My stuff is all over the place, height and gauge wise. I used to advocate that heavier strings and higher action was best. Anymore, I have all my instruments strung and setup differently, whatever sounds and plays best.
        “I can play the hell out of a riff. The rest of it’s all bulls**t anyway,” Gary Holt

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

          There was a test done recently on string gauge and tone by Rick Beato. It seemed to indicate lighter strings gave more of a focussed mid tone rather than being thicker in the low end. The 11's-10's was the bigger change in gauge/tone than 10's - 9's.

          Personally I tend to set the guitar up to what it wants. Some guitars just seem to like certain strings better than others, and often some like different tunings better too.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

            lower+lower for me.
            Administrator of the SDUGF

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

              Originally posted by TMD
              Why is that?
              I think he's talking higher action, not higher gauge. I too find bends more difficult with very low action; there isn't enough downward pressure to keep the strings secure under my fingers.
              .
              "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
              .

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

                I've been considering a switch to lighter gauge strings. But not lower action.

                Low action deprives me of nearly half my dynamic range. And it's distracting; I have to concentrate on picking very gently just to keep the strings from splatting out.
                .
                "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
                .

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

                  Something to think about.... With heavier strings, you don't have to bend the string as far to raise the pitch.
                  aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

                    Originally posted by TMD
                    Why is that?
                    More of the meat of your finger gets into the string. You don't have to press as hard to keep the string from slipping, or attempt to get "under" the string as much. The middle of your finger tip lands on the string. Faster to seat your finger, more sure grip once you do, not as much finger pressure needed to keep the string from slipping (less joint strain, less fret wear).

                    High action + high frets + skinny frets make the best bending guitars. High action = as described above. High frets = finger doesn't drag on the fretboard as much. Narrow frets = you're dragging less string across less fret, i.e. less friction.

                    Scalloping simulates very high frets. And the higher your frets, the less of a benefit higher action becomes, because the higher frets also make it easier to get "under" the string.
                    Last edited by ItsaBass; 06-06-2020, 10:50 PM.
                    Originally posted by LesStrat
                    Yogi Berra was correct.
                    Originally posted by JOLLY
                    I do a few chord things, some crappy lead stuff, and then some rhythm stuff.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

                      I use 9s and low action on everything
                      why try so hard
                      EHD
                      Just here surfing Guitar Pron
                      RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
                      SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
                      Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
                      Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
                      Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
                      Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
                      GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

                        Originally posted by ICTGoober View Post
                        Something to think about.... With heavier strings, you don't have to bend the string as far to raise the pitch.
                        True, and that might make avoiding noise from other strings when bending easier. However, you still have to use a fair bit more force with thicker strings; the underbenders almost always use relatively thick strings.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

                          Originally posted by Sirion View Post
                          the underbenders almost always use relatively thick strings.
                          I just went to the show last weekend and they said all their guitars had 9's.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

                            To my ears, thicker strings never really sound right. There is a certain muddiness and lack of detail to them that I don't care for for my purposes. I try not to raise the action too much on the guitars I use when playing with other people (I have one set up with higher action for practice), but given the choice I would go for thinner strings and higher action for tonal reasons.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Lower Gauge + Higher Action vs Higher Gauge + Lower Action

                              Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
                              My action is set as low as I can get it so that there is no buzzing at all when I pick hard.
                              This is the rule !
                              (and also used by EVH.)
                              Smartphone Zombies won't shred

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X