How Low is Too Low?

[jgcable]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

What advantages do you guys find with low action? I started off with the lowest possible action and 8's. Thru the years my action got higher and my strings got heavier. Currently I like my action high and I use custom gauge light tops heavy bottom 10's on the short scales and light top heavy bottom 9's on the 25.5. I believe that the speed comes from the hand with the pick in it. I prefer heavy strings because the strings are more stable under extreme pickage. I prefer high action because I like to get "under" the strings with my fret hand. Besides less finger pressure and easier legato playing, what are the advantages of low action?

[Black Mariah]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

If you have properly developed finger strength there are no advantages at all to having low action or light strings.

[sully]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

eh, i just like things to be as easy as possible.

sully

[Krash]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

For me it's not really about the playability, it's just that the better a guitar plays the easier it is to sell.

[jgcable]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

Originally posted by Krash D Party:
For me it's not really about the playability, it's just that the better a guitar plays the easier it is to sell.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Do you mean better or do you mean easier?

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

At this point in my life, any Action is good Action. I don’t care if it’s High or Low. When she’s willing, you got to take the shot. This rule may not apply to guitars though. I think it depends on the type of guitar. IE: telecaster (blues) = high, super strats (metal) = low. I guess my bolt ons are set higher that my neck thrus now that I think about it.

[Newc]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

I've always had high action on my guitars up til I got a Jackson - it came set up really low and I liked it enough to reset my Les Paul like that. I also dropped from 10s to 9s on the LP.

Properly developed finger strength is nice if you had someone around to teach you how to play that way, or if you've got that natural ability (and a naturally strong hand), but since my 'poorly developed technique' gives me severe cramps with high/heavy action, I stick with low/easy action so that I won't end up like Mark St John and never be able to play again [img]graemlins/evilimages/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

And yes, "better" means "easier" - the easier it is to fret a string, the better it plays. While the TONE may be different with higher action, if you put a hamfist special up against a sweeper's delight and tell a beginner to pick the one he likes best, he'll say the sweeper plays better because it's less work. Hard work discourages fun - if it's work, it ain't fun.

Another point for low action, I have long skinny fingers, not sausages sticking off my hands, so when I bend strings on high action, my nails slide under the other strings, which sucks.

Newc

[Ace]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

I measure action at the 12th fret, without a capo, and always in 64th's of an inch. I set my action at 4/64th's of an inch accross the strings(yes I know that it's 1/16th of an inch, but stating the measurement in 64th's I give a more accurate reading). I can definitely tell the difference between 4/64th's and 5/64th's.

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

I'm another one who doesn't really care for super low action. I think they sound better tone wise with a slightly higer action. You also get more gripping action and easier pinch type harmonics. Most of my guitars are mid to low action, never bother measuring them, if no fret buzz and good tone I'm happy [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[Chuckracer]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

My GMW's action is at 1/16 treble and 1/8 bass right now. It's been coming down as I get older and wimpier.
I was doing the manly "high action heavy strings" thing for a few years, then got this guitar with tens and low action and before I could set it up, played it for a while and found I could FLY on it!

[1trussell]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

I am also a supporter of the heavy guage/high action. I play with 11's and the action I alter between medium and high. I am not fortunate enough to have those long, skinny fingers that so many of the players have. My fingers are short and stubby and my hands are really strong. For me, it is just a matter of tone. My guitars seem to sound better with higher action and heavy strings. It is most likely because I play better with that particular set up. After all, tone is in the fingers. Different fingers produce different tones with different set-ups. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Ninja Guitar]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

What's generally considered high and low action measurement wise? Some people think 4/64" is low and some think it's high. Well, which is it?

I generally like my action set so there is no fret buzz, wherever that may be. I don't really mind having to work a little harder with higher action, since I tend to play pretty agressive.

[Sunbane]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

I want mine as low as possible. As long as I can get away with it without any string buzz, it's fine. I used to prefer 009s, but I've moved up to 010s for my Floyded one in standard tuning.

'bane

[quiksilver]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

Originally posted by Krash D Party:
I was wondering if I'm the only freak out here who strives for ultra low action?
For me and my personal guitars I always measure the action by placing the sharp end of the pick between the high E string and the 12th - 15th fret and if it wont stay put, then it still needs work. I use Extra Heavy pics that measure .050 with dial calipers.
If I can't get it set up like this so it does not buzz, I keep working on it until I'm happy. If it just won't get there, I sell it.
What about you guys???

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Too low? How is that possible? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Man, I wish I had access to a tech that thought like you do. I LOVE extremely low actions, but I don't think any of mine are as low as yours. Unfortunately, I don't know how to adjust necks, and the techs I have been to always inform me that higher actions are actually better as they hand back the guitar they failed to drop the action on. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

I think there can be advantages to a higher action if, e.g., you play slide on and off, have very strong hands, or have an aggressive, physical playing style which might make lower set strings buzz against the frets. I have noticed that some Van Halen songs seem to require a more aggressive approach to make it sound right, and of course, SRV got great tone with his heavy strings, high action, etc.

On the other hand, light strings and low action invite a more finessed approach which is equally cool. Yngwie plays .008s.

Everyone is different, and you haven't failed to "properly develop" your skills if you prefer light strings and/or low actions. Just different playing styles.

How'd you learn to set up guitars like that, anyway? Any good books, tools, etc., you could recommend to assist with this? I have several guitars handy to experiment on. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: How Low is Too Low?

Too low is when you loose sustain because your string vibrations hit frets farther down the neck in their eliptical pattern. Strings vibrate, and if the frets are too close, when you play hard you'll buzz out. That being said, I set up a guitar today with the action at 3/64ths across the radius. Pretty damn low. No buzzing, but I don't really like the way it feels.