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What do you consider low action?

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  • What do you consider low action?

    Setting up my guitar and i would like to get your opinion on what you consider low action, medium action and high action. If you could also say which fret your measuring from and put it in mm's it would be handy. I use 9-42's but if you want to put down results for other string gauges thats fine as well.

    cheers

  • #2
    Low Action-Neck straight, little or no relief, minimal string buzz on frets 12-24.
    Medium Action-Neck relief at .010-012", 7th fret (bottom of string to top of fret). No buzzing at frets 12-24.
    High Action - What's that, something you use for slide playing?

    I do mine mostly by feel these days. You can use a feeler gauge to set the action.
    Tone is like Art: Your opinion is valid. Listen, learn, have fun, draw your own conclusions.

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    • #3
      For me, low action is around 1.4 - 1.5mm (about.0550" - .0590", approximately the thickness of a penny) at the 12th fret on the high E, and as low as possible without buzzing on the low E, usually around 1.7 - 1.8mm.

      I usually use 10 - 46 on most of my guitars, but have an SL1 with 9 -42's that has the action set low as well.
      Very little to no buzzing anywhere, but my pick attack isn't as heavy as some, and the pick angle also makes a difference for reducing some buzz.

      Medium action would be .3 -.4mm higher, and high action would be for someone other than me, although bends are killer with high action! Tone also seems fuller, but at least for me it's not worth the extra finger exercises.

      Set your action to where you are comfortable with it. There are trade offs regardless of which way you go.

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      • #4
        Low action - Just above the point that full-step 1st string bends at the 15th+ frets don't wring out on the following frets.

        Medium action - No string buzz anywhere.

        High action - slide
        I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

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        • #5
          it can never be low enough for me

          i'm going to have a 20" radius done on the next guitar that needs a fret-job and slam it!

          aside from that, usually 1mm at the 12th fret on the high e is preferred. it would be nice if the action could be even all the way down the neck. i still don't understand why it's lower on the first, and gradually increases.

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