What do you consider low action?

[Rex_Rocker]

Right now, I've got my Gibson at 1mm on the 12th fret on the highest string and 1.25 on the low C. I'm not sure, but I think that's low-ish for Drop C. But I've played friends' guitars with lower action. Wonder what do you guys consider low action? What do you guys set your guitars to?

 

[beaubrummels]

For me, low action is when the string just clears the frets while vibrating. That varies by string gauge and guitar setup, so I can't give a specific number. I start with the Gibson factory spec and move from there.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

For me, low action is when the string just clears the frets while vibrating. That varies by string gauge and guitar setup, so I can't give a specific number. I start with the Gibson factory spec and move from there.

Looking at the specs, Gibson factory action is 2mm more or less for the low string and 1.25 for the high string off the 12th fret. More or less. They give it in inches.

For me, that's medium for the high string, and borderline high for the low string. Especially in E standard. I know PRS has a similar factory setup.

Each to his own, though. I'd consider that pretty high for an expensive guitar with good fretwork.

 

[GuitarStv]

I consider Gibson factory action to be pretty low. It's what I aim for and I'll often adjust it upwards from there because I like to be able to hit the strings hard without any fret rattle.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Wow... I would've never considered 2mm action low by any means. Medium at best, and I'd say so because it's "factory spec". I guess we all indeed see things differently.

Personally, for me, I kinda hate the idea of having an expensive guitar with high action. I played too many cheapie guitars that needed fret jobs bad where the strings had to be super high up, or else I'd get dead spots and buzzing like crazy. So in my mind, feeling a guitar with high action immediately goes my brain go "this feels cheap". JMO.

Luckily, Gibsons are plek'd nowadays, so they tend to be easy to set up with the low(ish?) action that I like with minimal buzz. I still think 2mm is way too much for E Standard, personally. I didn't realized people actually kept factory setups. Many of my friends set their guitars up with lower action than I do. Then again, I do play in Drop C and I play hard.

 

[Securb]

I consider Gibson factory action to be pretty low. It's what I aim for and I'll often adjust it upwards from there because I like to be able to hit the strings hard without any fret rattle.

Nope, all of my Gibsons came from the factory and had to be dropped.

 

[ehdwuld]

I don't play with a heavy right hand
so I set mine really low
Dead straight neck

 

[Chistopher]

I just lower the strings until I can't thwack em without the things buzzing and then raise em up a little bit from there.

 

[ehdwuld]

I just lower the strings until I can't thwack em without the things buzzing and then raise em up a little bit from there.

Thwackeray

 

[Securb]

I don't play with a heavy right hand
so I set mine really low
Dead straight neck

I have a very heavy right hand and still have my action slammed to the fretboard.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

I just lower them as low as they will go w/ zero buzz..no idea how low that is, cuz catch me fiddling around a ruler or w/e to try & measure things :laugh2:

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah, I'm OCD in that sense. I like to measure my action because I like to keep my guitars along the same lines. Otherwise, I'd just play the guitar with the lowest action and that's it and would never play the other.

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Looking at the specs, Gibson factory action is 2mm more or less for the low string and 1.25 for the high string off the 12th fret. More or less.

This is kinda my preference for guitars with smaller than railroad track frets, fairly straight neck. I use 9s and bend a lot, so if it's too low, it's less comfortable grabbing the string. My SG has medium frets, and this ballpark is just right - still a quick feel but, like Yingyang Milkshake says, can still grab the note by the b@lls.

With bigger frets, like Ibanez style, can go lower, since there is by default more clearance between the string and fretboard.

 

[ehdwuld]

I played one of Jerry's guitars
335 with mystery frets
And low action

It was effortless
Loved that thing

 

[GuitarStv]

Nope, all of my Gibsons came from the factory and had to be dropped.

I've never had a Gibson from the factory . . . but the 2 mm at the low E described above sounds pretty decent for me.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Lots of different points of view here. I honestly wasn't expecting people to consider Gibson factory spec to be low. I wasn't even expecting my 1-1.25mm action to be all that low as I'm sure I've gotten lower action before from LTD's and Ibanez. It's an interesting thread!

 

[Securb]

I've never had a Gibson from the factory . . . but the 2 mm at the low E described above sounds pretty decent for me.

I would say they come from the factory with a moderately low action and are set up with .10s. However, I play with .09s and like an extremely low action, so there is a minor setup to be done when I buy a Gibson. That being said, it is usually a couple of weeks to a month. I play the guitar with the .10s and factory setup, and I have gotten along with all of them just fine.

 

[solspirit]

Anything below Calle Seis. . .





Seriously, as close to 1mm as I can get with 9's.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah, I don't consider 2 mm on the low strings unplayable... but I'd rather not have my guitars like that. At that point, to me, it's startring to get uncofortable.

 

[solspirit]

Low action is normal to me, anything above 1.75 is uncomfortable and anything 2 or above is unplayable.