Is It Really All Set Up?

[J.acoustic]

I often stop by guitar stores just to mess around with different guitars and never understand why some guitars feel like they play so much easier than my own acoustic.

Now, if my acoustic were of a similar scale length and string tension, I'd be less shocked. However, I play short scale (~23") and medium (13s) gauge (~150 lbs tension) strings. This is the equivalent to, I believe custom lights (11s) on standard scale (~25") guitars.

I doubt they are stringing up $3,000-5,000+ Martins with custom lights. I suspect most have lights or mediums. Yet, aside from the difficulty in stretching for certain chords, they play MUCH better/easier than my own short scale acoustic. There was just far less pressure needed to fret the notes.

Is this all set up? Or is there something else at work that I'm missing? Now, regardless, I understand set up is crucial, so I will be getting my acoustic set up once I get my electric back (don't want to have no guitar to play!). But curious if there could be anything else to it or if a good set up really makes a drastic difference.

[CrkrJim]

My higher end medium scale length 00 plays easier than my lower end short scale 00 with similar strings. The better guitar is using the factory setup and the other has had a setup done by local tech. The slightly longer scale length with factory set up plays easier.......not sure why but it's noticable.

[J.acoustic]

Originally Posted by CrkrJim

My higher end medium scale length 00 plays easier than my lower end short scale 00 with similar strings. The better guitar is using the factory setup and the other has had a setup done by local tech. The slightly longer scale length with factory set up plays easier.......not sure why but it's noticable.

It's stuff like this that I don't understand! lol

[mc1]

neck profile, body size and shape, scale length, number of frets to the body, string spacing, string size/tension, fret size, etc, all make a difference.

[Bowie]

Yes and no. A higher end guitar usually has tighter tolerances in terms of build and all the things that the set up is based on, making a great set up easier. Tension is affected by several things. But, a really great set up can do wonders. I always do it myself because the $50 set up you get from a tech does not cover everything as thoroughly as it could.

[fishstick_kitty]

One factor that people overlook in the "ease of playability" department is nut slot adjustments. If you are playing alot of open chords or stuff near the nut, and the slots are too high, then that GREATLY affects how the guitar feels (e.g. it takes much more downward pressure from your left hand to play the chords clean).

Also...obviously...action height at the 12th fret.

[billgennaro]

I bought a used guitar from one of the higher end luthiers around. After I purchased it I got in touch with the builder to see if he had any notes or information of interest on this particular guitar. He wrote back that his notes said: "Super low string tension."

This was his most popular model and with his standard scale length. So it would seem that even guitars with the exact same specs and the exact same set-up can feel different as far as string tension goes.

I know not why.

And, of course, a good set-up matters!

[Von Beerhofen]

I don't feel much difference in string tension in any of my guitars but there's definately a difference in ease of play with the difference in string action on these guitars.
For instance, although my Taylor 810 comes stock equiped with .013 I've put on .012 because that's what all my other guitars use too. Because of this the string action is the lowest of all my guitars. My OM Jeff Daniels came equiped with .011 and changing to .012 didn't really improve it's string action, which was already high to start with. Still the tension doesn't feel any different from the other guitars I own but it makes it more tiring to play this guitar because of having to lift my fingers much more and having to span a larger distance to have the string touch the frets.
It's quite obvious that low string action just makes it easier to fret notes and a slight difference can be pretty noticable in ease of play.
I think this is were a proper setup can help improve things if you feel things aren't optimal, but there are also guitarists who prefer a slightly higher action to get the least amount of string buzz and a possible increase in volume, preference is a bit subjective.
I'd also like to note that neck shape and thickness have a great deal of influence on playabillaty too as does the size/strength of your hands, i.e. a thin neck with low action may not feel very comfortable to someone with big strong hands, or vice versa.

Ludwig

[rmyAddison]

After whatever nut width(s) and neck profile(s) suit you, then playability is all about a proper set.

I use 13's on my OM/000's and they all play like butter; I do tune down 1/2 step and they all have a proper setup.

Setup absolutely counts.............

[Beachrunner]

My inexpensive Bedell HGD-18-G ($169.00 at the recent Sam Ash on-line Bedell blowout) arrived perfectly set up - and I mean perfectly set up.

I couldn't have had it set up any better... The action came just the way I like it, as well.

Now, the great set up may have just been a fluke with this one - I don't know how other Bedells arrived to some of the other members here who got in on this blowout, but as I say, this particular one was just perfect out of the box.

Holds tune great, as well.

(Can you tell I really like this guitar?... )

[Bunny64]

I have a mixture of 11s and 12s on my guitars. The guitars with 11s have higher action which I like to use for heavier strumming and my recent foray into flatpicking. The guitars with 12s are just as easy to play because of lower action but won't take a heavy hand.

My LJ6ARE fitted with 12s and a very low action is now posing a dilemma. Its a fabulous sounding guitar and would make a great all rounder so I might upgrade the nut and saddle to bone and at the same time have the action set higher or try a set of 13s to bring the action up a tad. What say ye? Finally working out what is the best action for my playing comfort and style of play but no doubt, set-up is crucial.

[Tony Burns]

Sometimes you just get lucky when you buy a guitar , and you like the action and set up .
Typically with most guitars they need some adjustment . A basic set up can be done by yourself with a few simple tools . When i bought my used 1979 Guild D-25CH ( with Brazilian rosewood bridge ) a few years ago , i did the work myself - but then again i wasnt scared of it becasue it wasn't an exspensive guitar . Besides a set up , i also threw out the plastic saddle ( replaced with bone and set the tonation and action ) and I replaced the crummy worn out tuners with a basic set of Gotohs . The heavier tuners also made the instrument sound a bit better .
Im a bit squimish when it comes to the higher end stuff -
that's when i rely on a luthier -

[DenverSteve]

I think the better question is whether you've been playing your guitar - not playing as easy as other's you've found - without having it set up for you. Have you? If not, get thee to thine luthier and have him/her set up your guitar to play better. Go now.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Bunny64

I have a mixture of 11s and 12s on my guitars. The guitars with 11s have higher action which I like to use for heavier strumming and my recent foray into flatpicking. The guitars with 12s are just as easy to play because of lower action but won't take a heavy hand.

My LJ6ARE fitted with 12s and a very low action is now posing a dilemma. Its a fabulous sounding guitar and would make a great all rounder so I might upgrade the nut and saddle to bone and at the same time have the action set higher or try a set of 13s to bring the action up a tad. What say ye? Finally working out what is the best action for my playing comfort and style of play but no doubt, set-up is crucial.

Before you pay for the new nut, you might try knocking the old one out first and shim it with a bit of cardboard from a business card first, to see if you like the difference. Then have the new nut cut to fit what you like.

[Mycroft]

One of the things that seems to get overlooked the most is fret height. Action can only be set relative to the highest (or tallest) fret. Factory guitars are notorious for erratic fret height, but even some higher-end instruments can need an adjustment after the guitar has settled in because a fret may wind up taller.

You want the best setup possible, have someone who knows what they are doing crown and level your frets.

TW