Action question...

[Wrighty]

Hi all

I am trying to find the optimum action for my new guitar and to make the decision whether to lower it or not.

It is currently at 2.6mm (3.5/32”) low E and 2mm high E - as it is higher than my last regular player, it “feels” a little on the high side, although playable.

I am playing more and more fingerstyle and dropped tunings now and am looking for a tone similar to that of players like Dufour and McKee - ringing and resonant with piano like sounds.

Does anybody have any insight into how players like these two have their guitars setup? (There seems to be a real lack of info out there on their set up)

If any of you play this style, then can you share your set up measurements?

Guitar is an Furch OM 24 with light strings (Spectrum mostly)

Thanks

[Tony Done]

I'm a fingerpicker, and I have found that the "typical" setting of 4/64" treble, 6/64" (1.6 and 2.4 mm) suits me, using 13-56 strings. This is reasonably comfortable, and I only get fret rattle in the bass strings if I lay on really hard. It should be OK with light strings if you aren't too heavy-handed.

[Wrighty]

Thanks Tony - I re-measured just now and reckon I am close to this at 3.5/32 or so..

Originally Posted by Tony Done

I'm a fingerpicker, and I have found that the "typical" setting of 4/64" treble, 6/64" (1.6 and 2.4 mm) suits me, using 13-56 strings. This is reasonably comfortable, and I only get fret rattle in the bass strings if I lay on really hard. It should be OK with light strings if you aren't too heavy-handed.

[ChalkLitIScream]

3mm is far too much imo, but that's because I'm a soft fingerpicker.
I'm also currently experimenting, but am using this set up:
12th fret: 1.15mm (0.045") high e and 1.78mm (0.070") on the low E.
It's been this way for 3-4 months now and it's beautiful to play.

I think the limiting factor here is actually action near the nut. Currently, it's 0.13mm (0.005") high e and 0.28mm (0.11") at the low E. When I strike the low E hard, I may get a bit of buzz. I'm really surprised my high strings are so low with no problems at all. They really do glide easy!


For you, I'd recommend to sand down your nut and saddle and just see how low you can go, if you can spare to get a new nut and saddle set up after. If not, go slow!

I don't like action as high as you have it: 7/64th is just a bit much IMO. I put my guitars at 6/64 E and 4~4.5/64th e these days. I used to go lower, but what I gained in playability I gave up in tone, although that varied by guitar. Everyone likes it their own way of course and most guitars come off the rack with what you have, some even higher.

[Silly Moustache]

I play mostly Collings guitars whose standardset up is :

Bass : 3/32" = .09375" = 2.38" m/m

Treble : 1/16" = .0625" = 1.58 m/m

Relief - .005"

I find these slightly low and prefer :

bass: 7/64 = .109" = 2.77 m/m

treble 3/32 = .093" = 2.38 m/m

Relief - .006-.008"

That is for all guitars, short and std scale and with ight (ej16) and medium(EJ17)

NOTE: - if any of my guitars change (as they do) then I feel it immediately.

I am mostly a flat-picker, but same applies when fingerpicking.

Hope that helps.

[Mr. Jelly]

My two Santa Cruz guitars play very well finger picked.

12th fret is .08"

1st fret is .018"

Relief .006"

[The Bard Rocks]

I feel this is a personal preference. Higher action = greater volume - and more effort. I also think it makes for slower playing, though some might argue. I have seen some Bluegrass pickers whip through the notes pretty fast. Classical guitars have much higher action and those players are certainly not slow either. I am not sure about Flamenco, but assume it is similar. Still for me, I play slower and less cleanly if the action is too high. If you are playing in dropped tunings, you will need a bit more height as the string are slacker and will have greater vibrations. Ditto if you play hard.

So in addition to your own preference, it also depends upon the music you play and how you play it. The other factor is weather, humidity levels. I had one set up real low and when the weather changed, it buzzed on one string. So much for that.

[Wrighty]

Thanks all. Does anybody have any insight into setups used by players such as Dufour, McKee etc?

[AndrewG]

Just get your guitar set up so YOU feel comfortable playing it. It isn't helpful asking for suggestions for other players' action setups when we are all made differently, our guitars are different, and we all play differently.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Just get your guitar set up so YOU feel comfortable playing it. It isn't helpful asking for suggestions for other players' action setups when we are all made differently, our guitars are different, and we all play differently.

That's the facts Jack

[PerryE]

One thing I am wondering over is if crappy technique can cause fret buzz even if the guitar is set up really well? I was thinking of parameters like how you use your pick (attach angle etc) for example.

Then the question is if you should have a guitar set up so it plays well for someone with at least intermediate leven and good picking habits or if you have it set up so you can use your less-than-optimum technique without getting fret buzz?

I am thinking that it would be good to get feedback from the guitar that you need to work on something - i.e. the fret buzz tells you to improve picking

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by Wrighty

Thanks all. Does anybody have any insight into setups used by players such as Dufour, McKee etc?

Other players' setups are absolutely irrelevant with regard to yours. Different instruments, different hands. Get your guitar(s) set up the way that works best for you. Nothing else matters.

[Wrighty]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Other players' setups are absolutely irrelevant with regard to yours. Different instruments, different hands. Get your guitar(s) set up the way that works best for you. Nothing else matters.

I get this - but given that my natural preference is for a low action, I would hate to go this way only to find out it is not congruent with the style I aspire to play. This is why I am trying to find out if there is a type of setup that is used by players of this type of music.

[Wrighty]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Just get your guitar set up so YOU feel comfortable playing it. It isn't helpful asking for suggestions for other players' action setups when we are all made differently, our guitars are different, and we all play differently.

I’m sorry but I don’t agree. Of course there are individual variations between players and guitars but there are also general guidelines for certain styles (flatpickers = higher / fingerstyle = lower)

What I was asking for was advice on a more specific type of fingerstyle playing that uses a more percussive technique along with frequent use of dropped tunings.