the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
- Thread starter astrozombie
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Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
ive never actually measured the height of my strings, nut height or neck relief. Its always been fine tuned by adjust, play, listen repeat in the different areas of the neck. So the action, relief and nut end up being as low as possible to accommodate my playing style.
ive never actually measured the height of my strings, nut height or neck relief. Its always been fine tuned by adjust, play, listen repeat in the different areas of the neck. So the action, relief and nut end up being as low as possible to accommodate my playing style.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
+1. Low actions clearly are for girly men. It's been proven in laboratory tests with mice. :14: I couldn't begin to play a sissy guitar with an action like that. What, are you afraid of the strings? Afraid you'll chip your nail polish? Don't tell me, you're the kind of guy that cries when he's happy. :laugh2:
Besides better tone and sustain, you can bend with much more control with a higher action. So you low action 'fancy boys', how about getting a shot of testosterone, raising the action, and taking control of your strings?
+1. Low actions clearly are for girly men. It's been proven in laboratory tests with mice. :14: I couldn't begin to play a sissy guitar with an action like that. What, are you afraid of the strings? Afraid you'll chip your nail polish? Don't tell me, you're the kind of guy that cries when he's happy. :laugh2:
Besides better tone and sustain, you can bend with much more control with a higher action. So you low action 'fancy boys', how about getting a shot of testosterone, raising the action, and taking control of your strings?
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
If you don't have a 10-16 radius, then your action is higher than a kite... If you want to deep bend.Shredders really don't bend, but they still need compound radius fretboards 10-16" to get action"as low as it will go".
If you don't have a 10-16 radius, then your action is higher than a kite... If you want to deep bend.Shredders really don't bend, but they still need compound radius fretboards 10-16" to get action"as low as it will go".
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ItsaBass
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
I was curious, so I measured my Esquire the same way you described, which is the way Fender says to measure. I got 3/32 (6/64) on both the high E and the low E. I consider this guitar to be one of the ones with moderate action; most of my other guitars are probably the same or higher. In other words, that is the limit of "lowness" that I use...and it buzzes when I dig in. I can't imagine that your guitar sounds its best or plays its best with sting height like that. Maybe if you want a gypsy jazz-like tone. Also, is it a Jaguar? If so, that short scale would make the string buzz even worse.
P.S. Just measured my '05 MIM Strat too. 1/8 (8/64) on the high E and low E. Strings are EB 11-48 with a .020 wound G.
I was curious, so I measured my Esquire the same way you described, which is the way Fender says to measure. I got 3/32 (6/64) on both the high E and the low E. I consider this guitar to be one of the ones with moderate action; most of my other guitars are probably the same or higher. In other words, that is the limit of "lowness" that I use...and it buzzes when I dig in. I can't imagine that your guitar sounds its best or plays its best with sting height like that. Maybe if you want a gypsy jazz-like tone. Also, is it a Jaguar? If so, that short scale would make the string buzz even worse.
P.S. Just measured my '05 MIM Strat too. 1/8 (8/64) on the high E and low E. Strings are EB 11-48 with a .020 wound G.
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voggin
Well-known member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
I think the "lower action = better guitar" thing comes from the era of really crappy cheap guitars. The easiest way in the seventies/early eighties to differentiate between quality and crap guitars was the action, which was unplayable versus playable.
These days, even the cheapest guitars have pretty good action and fretwork. But there is still a lingering fallacy that the best guitars should have the lowest action.
I actually think that with modern jumbo frets, guitars play nicer with action a little on the higher side, whereas lower fretwire works better with lower action.
I think the "lower action = better guitar" thing comes from the era of really crappy cheap guitars. The easiest way in the seventies/early eighties to differentiate between quality and crap guitars was the action, which was unplayable versus playable.
These days, even the cheapest guitars have pretty good action and fretwork. But there is still a lingering fallacy that the best guitars should have the lowest action.
I actually think that with modern jumbo frets, guitars play nicer with action a little on the higher side, whereas lower fretwire works better with lower action.
Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
I dont see what action has to do with guitar quality. If your frets are level and the neck isnt twisted a 12 inch radius on a 59 Les Paul and the 12 inch radius on a 200 dollar guitar are still 12 inch radiuses. Give it to someone that can do a good fret work and you will get the same action.
I got to hold one of vivian Campbell's guitars on the most recent Def Leppard tour. He is running 13-52 strings with super low action, he is a pretty aggressive player and doesnt buzz all over the place and had an absolutely huge tone. Satriani uses a super low action as does Neal Schon and other guys that use light strings. They get nice tone that isnt thin or whispy
Action, like most other elements of playing are about how the player likes things and how the player's style works with their gear.
I dont see what action has to do with guitar quality. If your frets are level and the neck isnt twisted a 12 inch radius on a 59 Les Paul and the 12 inch radius on a 200 dollar guitar are still 12 inch radiuses. Give it to someone that can do a good fret work and you will get the same action.
I got to hold one of vivian Campbell's guitars on the most recent Def Leppard tour. He is running 13-52 strings with super low action, he is a pretty aggressive player and doesnt buzz all over the place and had an absolutely huge tone. Satriani uses a super low action as does Neal Schon and other guys that use light strings. They get nice tone that isnt thin or whispy
Action, like most other elements of playing are about how the player likes things and how the player's style works with their gear.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
He is measuring as Fender says to measure.
I've never heard of doing it your way. But I can't imagine that height measurements at the 9th fret are very useful.
Measuring at the 17th fret, the measurement is taken 3-3/16 inches from the center of the string. Measuring at the 9th fret while fretted at the first, the measurement is taken 3-1/8 inched from the center of the string.
Both methods are weird to me, but Fender's sounds far more useful.
He is measuring as Fender says to measure.
I've never heard of doing it your way. But I can't imagine that height measurements at the 9th fret are very useful.
Measuring at the 17th fret, the measurement is taken 3-3/16 inches from the center of the string. Measuring at the 9th fret while fretted at the first, the measurement is taken 3-1/8 inched from the center of the string.
Both methods are weird to me, but Fender's sounds far more useful.
TheTranslator
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
I concur. Usually it's the higher-end guitars than can be set to super-low action with minimal fret buzz, but there are exceptions to the rule.
I have a $700 Faded SG special which I've set the high E at 1mm from the 12th fret, and 2mm on the low E, with hardly any noticeable buzz. However, I raised it back up to 1.5mm, and 3.5mm on the low E., which ALL my guitars are set to. To me, anything lower than 1.5 mm might work for legato players, but when you alternate-pick, the pick doesn't seem to make solid contact with the strings when they're TOO low, I've noticed.
I concur. Usually it's the higher-end guitars than can be set to super-low action with minimal fret buzz, but there are exceptions to the rule.
I have a $700 Faded SG special which I've set the high E at 1mm from the 12th fret, and 2mm on the low E, with hardly any noticeable buzz. However, I raised it back up to 1.5mm, and 3.5mm on the low E., which ALL my guitars are set to. To me, anything lower than 1.5 mm might work for legato players, but when you alternate-pick, the pick doesn't seem to make solid contact with the strings when they're TOO low, I've noticed.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
Am i still a girly man if my two main axes have 15 and 13 guage top strings respectively?
I do plead guilty to the nail polish thing tho...i have acrylics on my right hand. If anyone needs a good nail tech....go see Zena at lovely nails salon. Shes kinda hot and you can look down her top while your manhood is being taken from you as she works on your nails.
Am i still a girly man if my two main axes have 15 and 13 guage top strings respectively?
I do plead guilty to the nail polish thing tho...i have acrylics on my right hand. If anyone needs a good nail tech....go see Zena at lovely nails salon. Shes kinda hot and you can look down her top while your manhood is being taken from you as she works on your nails.
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Petrovsk Mizinski
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
All my guitars currently are 'superstrats', varying between 356 and 430mm fretboard radiuses but most 'shredders' would probably pick up my guitars and say "What the hell is going on here?" :laugh2:
At the 12th fret on the low E on my only 6 string guitar (the rest are 7 strings), it's close to 3mm (about 8/64) I think.
It doesn't slow down my playing at all, yet bending is more enjoyable and I can hit the strings a lot harder if I want too.
All my guitars currently are 'superstrats', varying between 356 and 430mm fretboard radiuses but most 'shredders' would probably pick up my guitars and say "What the hell is going on here?" :laugh2:
At the 12th fret on the low E on my only 6 string guitar (the rest are 7 strings), it's close to 3mm (about 8/64) I think.
It doesn't slow down my playing at all, yet bending is more enjoyable and I can hit the strings a lot harder if I want too.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
A couple of my guitars that play amazingly have a littel bit higher action that kind of "fights back" a littel, and and those guitar it works, but usually when the action gets thast high on other guitars, it sucks. Chalk that down to the quality of the instrument.
I do also enjoy extremely low action, but only a couple /few of my guitars have that.
High action is for SRV, and the birds.
A couple of my guitars that play amazingly have a littel bit higher action that kind of "fights back" a littel, and and those guitar it works, but usually when the action gets thast high on other guitars, it sucks. Chalk that down to the quality of the instrument.
I do also enjoy extremely low action, but only a couple /few of my guitars have that.
High action is for SRV, and the birds.
TheTranslator
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
Almost all my guitars are 'superstrats' as well, with a couple SG's in the mix. Just curious; I didn't know 3mm on the low E at the 12th fret was considered high - even by "shredder" standards?!? :boggled: Anything lower than that, would strictly cater to modern day legato players, and old school Rockers who do a lot of hammer-ons and pull-offs, IMO
Almost all my guitars are 'superstrats' as well, with a couple SG's in the mix. Just curious; I didn't know 3mm on the low E at the 12th fret was considered high - even by "shredder" standards?!? :boggled: Anything lower than that, would strictly cater to modern day legato players, and old school Rockers who do a lot of hammer-ons and pull-offs, IMO
Petrovsk Mizinski
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
Wat.
There are plenty of guys out there rocking less than 0.9 mm at the 24th fret on their Ibanez and EBMM John Petrucci axes (and all manner of other 'shred' guitars)
3mm at the 24th fret, let alone the 12th, would be considered pretty damn high by their standards.
Wat.
There are plenty of guys out there rocking less than 0.9 mm at the 24th fret on their Ibanez and EBMM John Petrucci axes (and all manner of other 'shred' guitars)
3mm at the 24th fret, let alone the 12th, would be considered pretty damn high by their standards.
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
thats me too.
the fret work determines how low your action is, some quality guitars have great fret work but if you take a pos $100 squier bullet and get a great fret job youll be able to get the action as low as just about anything else.
thats me too.
the fret work determines how low your action is, some quality guitars have great fret work but if you take a pos $100 squier bullet and get a great fret job youll be able to get the action as low as just about anything else.
Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
Same here, though I am not sure if my action is low or not....as I mentioned before I measure at the 12th Fret and go with anywhere between 1.5 and 2mm.
I want the guitar to react to me, I dont want it to resist what comes into my head from reaching the speaker.
Same here, though I am not sure if my action is low or not....as I mentioned before I measure at the 12th Fret and go with anywhere between 1.5 and 2mm.
I want the guitar to react to me, I dont want it to resist what comes into my head from reaching the speaker.
Vengeance
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
I always thought action was a preference.
I strum pretty hard and most super low action guitars would do nothing but buzz. So I keep mine as low as I can but higher than most.
As for action making for a faster guitar... Yngwie has about the highest action I have ever seen on the worst pawn shop guitar. Dude has no issues with playing fast.
Boils down to what you prefer.
I always thought action was a preference.
I strum pretty hard and most super low action guitars would do nothing but buzz. So I keep mine as low as I can but higher than most.
As for action making for a faster guitar... Yngwie has about the highest action I have ever seen on the worst pawn shop guitar. Dude has no issues with playing fast.
Boils down to what you prefer.
TheTranslator
New member
Re: the action on my guitar is as low as it goes
I used to set my Gibson SGs and Ibanez RG's at those ultra-low heights as well, that wasn't the point. When the strings are below 1.5mm, it may be easier to do legato or tapping, but it's hard to solidly alternate-pick ala Di Meola and McLaughlin. I'm willing to bet Metal guys like Paul Gilbert, John (Dr Hot Licks) Taylor and "John Petrucci" - all of whom are great alternate-pickers, use slightly higher action than 1mm at ANY fret.
I used to set my Gibson SGs and Ibanez RG's at those ultra-low heights as well, that wasn't the point. When the strings are below 1.5mm, it may be easier to do legato or tapping, but it's hard to solidly alternate-pick ala Di Meola and McLaughlin. I'm willing to bet Metal guys like Paul Gilbert, John (Dr Hot Licks) Taylor and "John Petrucci" - all of whom are great alternate-pickers, use slightly higher action than 1mm at ANY fret.
