How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
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Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
Rid's got it completely right IMO.
It's all about control, and what you're comfortable with. I got hand pains a few months ago, and they've cleared up now I've lowered my action a little. It's still far from being shredder low but I soon realised my old action was far too stiff when I really started to work on my vibrato.
There's no point using Mt Everest action + Cable strings if you can't play properly on them, and if you hurt yourself, whats the point? You won't get any medals for it.. :burnout:
I do think my tone sounds better with a slightly higher action though, the strings ring out much nicer. I hate very low action, I don't like the feel of it, I still want some resistance, just not too much
Rid said:
Rid's got it completely right IMO.
It's all about control, and what you're comfortable with. I got hand pains a few months ago, and they've cleared up now I've lowered my action a little. It's still far from being shredder low but I soon realised my old action was far too stiff when I really started to work on my vibrato.
There's no point using Mt Everest action + Cable strings if you can't play properly on them, and if you hurt yourself, whats the point? You won't get any medals for it.. :burnout:
I do think my tone sounds better with a slightly higher action though, the strings ring out much nicer. I hate very low action, I don't like the feel of it, I still want some resistance, just not too much
Quencho092
New member
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
Ditto. I need higher action to pull off big bends on blues licks and that kind of stuff, so i dropped from 12's to 11's, and my next set will be 10's. The hype about thicker strings sounding better is bull-in my case they sounded duller and way too dark, there's a reason why e strings are thin-because the thinner the string, the better it reproduces a certain frequency at a given tension.
My philosophy is that if you can get accustomed to higher action and it doesn't hurt your hands, it has its benefits.
nuntius said:
Ditto. I need higher action to pull off big bends on blues licks and that kind of stuff, so i dropped from 12's to 11's, and my next set will be 10's. The hype about thicker strings sounding better is bull-in my case they sounded duller and way too dark, there's a reason why e strings are thin-because the thinner the string, the better it reproduces a certain frequency at a given tension.
My philosophy is that if you can get accustomed to higher action and it doesn't hurt your hands, it has its benefits.
bungalowbill
Luckybastidologist
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
I like my action a little high so I can bend strings a little easier and also because I play bottleneck slide. I would imagine shredders would prefer lower action/ lighter string gauge and blues or rythymn players would prefer higher action/heavier strings at least on average.....Joe
I like my action a little high so I can bend strings a little easier and also because I play bottleneck slide. I would imagine shredders would prefer lower action/ lighter string gauge and blues or rythymn players would prefer higher action/heavier strings at least on average.....Joe
YJM_Rocks
New member
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
I use 9s and set my action pretty low. I think 8s would be too small, but i haven't tried em. On my Dean i use 10s because of the scale though.
I don't think i saw this theory anywhere...Maybe it sounds better because your strings are farther from the pickups? Put you action back to normal and lower your pickups, you may get the same effect
I use 9s and set my action pretty low. I think 8s would be too small, but i haven't tried em. On my Dean i use 10s because of the scale though.
I don't think i saw this theory anywhere...Maybe it sounds better because your strings are farther from the pickups? Put you action back to normal and lower your pickups, you may get the same effect
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
I use 11's on Gibson scale and 10's on Fender scale. I'm with Marin....70tone/30action.
I set my action right at the point where the fret buzz starts to disappear. It's probably a bit higher than some would like it, but there's nothing worse than thin tone due to low action. Finding that perfect middlepoint is the key.
I use 11's on Gibson scale and 10's on Fender scale. I'm with Marin....70tone/30action.
I set my action right at the point where the fret buzz starts to disappear. It's probably a bit higher than some would like it, but there's nothing worse than thin tone due to low action. Finding that perfect middlepoint is the key.
Frantic_Rock
FragleRockologist
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
You were Stevie's friend and jammed with him ?!?!
Man that's amazing!! You should make a thread and describe what kind of person he was, and what things he said. I'm very curious. Did you guys play the same things that he played during his career or older blues things?
brianwenz said:
You were Stevie's friend and jammed with him ?!?!
Man that's amazing!! You should make a thread and describe what kind of person he was, and what things he said. I'm very curious. Did you guys play the same things that he played during his career or older blues things?
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
Action vs. tone, well that is a dilemma isn't it? Depending on the type music you play, you probably want to shoot for a.l.a.p.w.o.b. that's the acronym for as low as possible without buzzing. If you are using distortion, you can get away with some fret buzz and wil never hear it through your amp. However, when playing clean it will be quite noticeable. the dudes that almst always play w/ distotion usually set the action way low.
Having said that, I recommend the following: play the heaviest gauge strings you are comfortable with, and set your action at a point you aren't irritated by extreme buzzing when playing clean. Of course the harder you play the more likely you will get buzz. Other than that, the type pf string can make a big difference (stainless steel-very bright) to all nickel(very vintage sounding and warm, but subject to needing replacement more often.) Also bear in mind that the steel strings are all the same regarless of brand or type, the steel strings arejust that-steel- (G,B,E strings). unless of course you use a wound third, which would be whatever material the other heavy strings are made from as well.
I hope that helps.......
peace,
kurtster
Action vs. tone, well that is a dilemma isn't it? Depending on the type music you play, you probably want to shoot for a.l.a.p.w.o.b. that's the acronym for as low as possible without buzzing. If you are using distortion, you can get away with some fret buzz and wil never hear it through your amp. However, when playing clean it will be quite noticeable. the dudes that almst always play w/ distotion usually set the action way low.
Having said that, I recommend the following: play the heaviest gauge strings you are comfortable with, and set your action at a point you aren't irritated by extreme buzzing when playing clean. Of course the harder you play the more likely you will get buzz. Other than that, the type pf string can make a big difference (stainless steel-very bright) to all nickel(very vintage sounding and warm, but subject to needing replacement more often.) Also bear in mind that the steel strings are all the same regarless of brand or type, the steel strings arejust that-steel- (G,B,E strings). unless of course you use a wound third, which would be whatever material the other heavy strings are made from as well.
I hope that helps.......
peace,
kurtster
Guitarist
Mesa-ologist
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
Also, you should always adjust the pickups when you mess with the height of the strings.
Not true. It has to do with the strings' height from the frets. A higher level allows a steeper angle to the bridge, which allows smooth vibration (w/o the higher frets getting in the way).YJM_Rocks said:
Also, you should always adjust the pickups when you mess with the height of the strings.
Last edited:
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
Hello Hello--
Frantic Rock- It was mostly just sit-down-in-the-hotel [or studio] and mess- around -with -two guitars for awhile type of jams.
One thing that alot of people don't know is that he was well on his way to being able to play everything LEFT HANDED [like Albert King]! He sat down one day shortly before the copter crash and said "Look what I've been learning how to do..." Then he flips the guitar over and begins playing a bunch of licks left-handed [and then he KEPT playing left handed....] We finished our little jam with him playing everything like Albert King!
He was one of the nicest, helpful people I know, always ready to listen to someone.
Brian.
Hello Hello--
Frantic Rock- It was mostly just sit-down-in-the-hotel [or studio] and mess- around -with -two guitars for awhile type of jams.
One thing that alot of people don't know is that he was well on his way to being able to play everything LEFT HANDED [like Albert King]! He sat down one day shortly before the copter crash and said "Look what I've been learning how to do..." Then he flips the guitar over and begins playing a bunch of licks left-handed [and then he KEPT playing left handed....] We finished our little jam with him playing everything like Albert King!
He was one of the nicest, helpful people I know, always ready to listen to someone.
Brian.
adrian
New member
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
I have 9s and low action, even if I play jazz fusion, which "should" be played with thick flatwound strings. Don´t care so much for that. I just play soft and controlled when I want a jazzier sound, and pick and bend harder for rock. Don´t want to use the cliche "it´s all in your hands", but "control" is important when it comes to action and string gauge.
I have 9s and low action, even if I play jazz fusion, which "should" be played with thick flatwound strings. Don´t care so much for that. I just play soft and controlled when I want a jazzier sound, and pick and bend harder for rock. Don´t want to use the cliche "it´s all in your hands", but "control" is important when it comes to action and string gauge.
Bludave
New member
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
Tone...... The most important part of a guitar players sound is tone. So I will always go for what sounds good. I maust say that when I first buy a guitar it takes a little time to find the setup that "IT" likes...... What I mean by that is some guitars will play and sound incredible with low action, where others seem to sound and play better with higher actions. Some guitar will play better with more relief in the neck, yet some play better with the neck set as straight as an arrow. Without going thru a lot of expense to get the frets all leveled the same way it is essential to "listen" to what your guitar likes. Anything else is just an opinion on the proper way to set up a guitar. Some people feel very comfortable with low action, where others prefer the action High.... Thats what makes us individualS
Tone...... The most important part of a guitar players sound is tone. So I will always go for what sounds good. I maust say that when I first buy a guitar it takes a little time to find the setup that "IT" likes...... What I mean by that is some guitars will play and sound incredible with low action, where others seem to sound and play better with higher actions. Some guitar will play better with more relief in the neck, yet some play better with the neck set as straight as an arrow. Without going thru a lot of expense to get the frets all leveled the same way it is essential to "listen" to what your guitar likes. Anything else is just an opinion on the proper way to set up a guitar. Some people feel very comfortable with low action, where others prefer the action High.... Thats what makes us individualS
Pandemonium
New member
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
I do a lot of big bends and like mine set med high.
I do a lot of big bends and like mine set med high.
ex-250
Riffologist Extraordinaire
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
i dont really compromise, everything is set up just the way i like it. low/medium action feels a ton better than high, and 11s both feel and sound a ton better than lighter gauges. ive tried high action, and it doesnt hurt to play or anything like that, it just doesnt feel right.....unnatural i guess you can say. and the change in sound wasnt significant enough to make me stop doing things the way i do.
i dont really compromise, everything is set up just the way i like it. low/medium action feels a ton better than high, and 11s both feel and sound a ton better than lighter gauges. ive tried high action, and it doesnt hurt to play or anything like that, it just doesnt feel right.....unnatural i guess you can say. and the change in sound wasnt significant enough to make me stop doing things the way i do.
Quencho092
New member
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
how are the hands going to get the job done if the action is too low to dig your finger into for a good bend, or if the strings fret out on bends? Sure i like low action, but i can't play comfortably on a low action guitar when it comes to playing blues, and many others will testify to that.
Mincer said:
how are the hands going to get the job done if the action is too low to dig your finger into for a good bend, or if the strings fret out on bends? Sure i like low action, but i can't play comfortably on a low action guitar when it comes to playing blues, and many others will testify to that.
Rotten Guitar String
New member
Re: How Do You Personally Compromise Action and Tone?
10's, medium action and reasonable string tension for me. I seem to play better that way, and I think it gives a better tone than spider web strings that are 0.1mm off the fretboard
10's, medium action and reasonable string tension for me. I seem to play better that way, and I think it gives a better tone than spider web strings that are 0.1mm off the fretboard
