String Action Height and Sustain.

[UTGrad]

I’ve increased my string action height a tad to get a little more meat on the string when I bend. It seems the sustain has increased a tad as well.

Anyone found an increase in sustain when raising the action?


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[PFDarkside]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

If you were getting any buzzing, even if it wasn’t really audible, it was damping your sustain.

 

[Thundermtn]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

It puts a little more force on the bridge as well, some guitars won't notice and some will respond like crazy. Bridge style and lumber will make a good bit of difference in the amount of change.

 

[6stringerguy]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Yep

 

[Clint 55]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Yap x2. Sometimes I try to use medium or low action and I can't do it. I need that springy, powerful feel and sound.

 

[Mincer]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

I went the opposite way. I use a scalloped fingerboard.

 

[6stringerguy]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Yap x2. Sometimes I try to use medium or low action and I can't do it. I need that springy, powerful feel and sound.

Feel you man I can’t go lower than 2mm or otherwise my brain screams

 

[Clint 55]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Ye

 

[Ayrton]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Welcome to guitars 101

 

[AlexR]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Especially if you hit strings hard, you will find that raising action most likely stops them 'dulling out' on the frets.

 

[Sirion]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

I went the opposite way. I use a scalloped fingerboard.

This was my approach too, when I have the choice. Huge frets will do, too, but I don't like playing instruments where there isn't significant room to correct the intonation by applying finger pressure.

 

[dave74]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

I learned basic setups from an Ibanez manual way back.
1st-string 1.5mm at 14th fret
6th-string 2.0mm
relief around .5mm +- a point or two depending on setup

That's for E with 9-42 of course, and is only a good starting-point.
It even said something about bumping-up a point or-so for each jump in string gauge.

 

[6stringerguy]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Yeah I’ve found that the time I played 8-38 it had action of like 1.5mm but it felt fine, not my preference for riffs (primarily death and black metal) but for solos it felt pretty cool.
I like the guitar to fight back a little,
High tension on the bass sides so you can hit them hard and fast without them freaking out.
Medium tension on the treble side so you can still do 1 1/2 step bends if necessary but you’ve got to put a bit of elbow grease into.
I sometimes over bend with 9s.
10s just stop me being over enthusiastic with my bends

 

[Diego]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

In the end, it all boils down to preference. Some of my guitars have very low action and I don't mind a hint of buzz in them, because I'll play them mostly heavily distorted.

But for example with my 339 and my Tele, I want every note to ring out clearly and clean since I'll rarely distort them as much as my Ibanez guitars, so I'll keep the action a bit higher on them and it works nicely.

Also, if you do a lot of bends and vibrato in the style of Marty Friedman, Brian May, Ritchie Blackmore, Gary Moore, Peter Green, David Gilmour, etc, you'll find that too low an action will make those big bends a bit more difficult. So you'll probably want it at least "low-medium" and not uber-shreddy low.

 

[greekdude]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

IMO if the fretwork is perfect, anything more than 1.5mm on the 24th fret won't achieve anything sustain-wise while it will make playing harder. For those fast legato runs on the higher frets I think low action is a must have.

 

[AlexR]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

^ You don't know how hard others hit strings or their style. So for you that might be ok. For me I can hear straight away that low action (and 1.5mm is SUPER low) will choke all over the place.

 

[JMP/HBE]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Its always usually a trade off, low action, lower sustain, higher action, better sustain.

But if you want something that will truly blow your mind get a Pro fret level & setup from a qualified Tech.

You will have low action & sustain & resonance that will utilize all of your guitars potential.

Ive done my own action for 40 years but after one Pro fret level & setup by a local guy here who's really good i had all 8 guitars done.

 

[Diego]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

Yeah. Just bought a used guitar that was refretted by a pro 3 months ago and it's ruined all my other guitars at the moment.

That's really a key element, but even with perfect fretwork low action isn't for everyone. My Ibanez with Invaders I keep a bit higher since I play lots of rhythm on it and I want it to sound clear and powerful.

 

[UTGrad]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

With low action when I bend my finger tips roll over the string.


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[greekdude]

Re: String Action Height and Sustain.

^ You don't know how hard others hit strings or their style. So for you that might be ok. For me I can hear straight away that low action (and 1.5mm is SUPER low) will choke all over the place.

two keywords I used (and you ignored) :
1) IMO
2) Legato