What is considered "high" or "low" action?

[FoxHound4690]

Originally Posted by thisisbrianly

Hi guys,

Just wondering what you guys consider "high" or "low" action? On my 414, I've set it at about 3/32 at 12th fret on the bass E string. This is comfy, but I played a few guitars over the weekend that seemed to be closer to 2/32 and they played pretty darn quick.

Just wondering what you guys think of as comfy to play and where yours is set!

If it's anything to you, Stevie Ray Vaughan used to have his action so high on his strats that he could fit his entire finger under the string on the 12th fret.... not to mention he used to use .13 gauge strings =P so thats a great definition of HIGH action.

[jimmyjoe]

This discussion makes me think of how ridiculous these fractions and units are 3/32 of 83/100 of a foot

[jimmyjoe]

Originally Posted by cmac

I think they must be inches. 0.105 inches is 2.6mm, which seems like a valid figure for action.

Also, he refers to an action of .005" near the end.

That seems very low for his "high" setup for hard strummers.

[keith.rogers]

Originally Posted by cmac

I think they must be inches. 0.105 inches is 2.6mm, which seems like a valid figure for action.

Also, he refers to an action of .005" near the end.

They are all inches - you can see he's using a "feeler" gauge to measure - something a lot of us old timers might have around from when we were setting points and plug gaps a long time ago. (Actually still do set plug gaps.) You can convert to mm as you are accustomed or what your gauges read.

3/32" = ~.094 in.
2/32" = ~.063 in. (note, this low is not something he ever uses!)

That .005" is either a typo or (IMO) he means it to be read that as even lower by .005", e.g., a range from .088" to .075" in that list of measurements where that number appears.

I'm trying out a guitar that is clearly high. I'm actually going to go measure my guitar and compare later today (need lots of coffee).

P.S. (Edit) Interestingly enough, BK just released a video about setup where he uses some of these measurements.

[mr. beaumont]

All I know is MAN do I prefer millimeters.

And the teacher in me is screaming at those non-reduced fractions...4/64!

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by thisisbrianly

What is considered "high" or "low" action?

That will vary from person to person. Don't worry about what is high or low for someone else. The setup should fit YOUR needs, not the needs of anyone else.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

All I know is MAN do I prefer millimeters.

And the teacher in me is screaming at those non-reduced fractions...4/64!

I prefer the millimeters too but it is easier to compare 4/64 to 3/64 than to compare 1/16 to 3/64 in my math-addled brain. I have no clue what my action is and leave it to the luthiers and my tech. If left up to me to adjust, who knows what it would end up being.

Best,
Jayne

[619TF]

I'm guessing nobody noticed this thread was started 10 years ago?

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

I prefer the millimeters too but it is easier to compare 4/64 to 3/64 than to compare 1/16 to 3/64 in my math-addled brain. I have no clue what my action is and leave it to the luthiers and my tech. If left up to me to adjust, who knows what it would end up being.

Best,
Jayne

Truthfully, I set my action with pick widths and loose change so I should talk.

[Photojeep]

Originally Posted by 619TF

I'm guessing nobody noticed this thread was started 10 years ago?

I certainly didn't!!!!

I guess it shows this is a never-ending and never-settled topic.

And no, I'm not really sure what my action is. I just know I like it!

Best,
PJ

[RalphH]

Originally Posted by 619TF

I'm guessing nobody noticed this thread was started 10 years ago?

I did not! Oops!

Perhaps we need a set of stickies about action, humidity, bridge pins, causes of a strange buzz and any other long-term relevant threads that keep cropping up!

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by 619TF

I'm guessing nobody noticed this thread was started 10 years ago?

Well, there's progress here, at least in that it seems more guitarists are thinking in metric terms toward this end of the thread than at the beginning.

I set the low E at 2.25mm on the 12th fret, by the way. That puts me just past the point of buzz.

[Silly Moustache]

Collings set up their guitars to 3/32" (.0938")bass and 2/32" (.0625!) treble (or what we in the UK would call 1/16" because we were taught fractions at school), with a relief of .005"

I usually have mine a little higher at .105/.110" bass and .080/.090" treble, a I tend to have a tad more relief.

I use a Stewmac action gauge and some old imperial feeler gauges (y'know fior spark plugs) as my guides.
I have EVERY guitar set up the same , oven my National; on which I use a bottleneck (but not my Dobro squareneck or Weissenborn!)

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by 619TF

I'm guessing nobody noticed this thread was started 10 years ago?

I did not. Dang newbies.
I wish the forum had an archives section where threads go after some defined period of inactivity.