Do you prefer high action or low action more?

[LeDave]

Do you prefer high action or low action more?

[Rinaz]

Originally Posted by LeDave

Do you prefer high action or low action more?

Medium action with medium height saddle. I tried lowest action once and it killed sustain and volume of the guitar. I would go for low action if Im practicing though

[Wellington]

Never understand how people prefer high action, i'd rather just not play guitar than play a high action, maybe it's why I'm always unimpressed with every Martin I have played in the stores, their factory high action is unbearable, not a good selling feature to some people, haha, luckily that can be lowered, though some guitars are not built for a low action, ie, the break angle at the saddle etc

[Rev Roy]

I consider mine as medium - 5/64” low E, 4/64 high e with relief around .008”

[SpruceTop]

I had to choose "high action" in your poll although it doesn't describe what I really like: I prefer a medium to slightly higher than medium action height to accommodate my flatpicking style. When fingerpicking I use the same guitars as when I flatpick.

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by d.loseth

Never understand how people prefer high action, i'd rather just not play guitar than play a high action, maybe it's why I'm always unimpressed with every Martin I have played in the stores, their factory high action is unbearable, not a good selling feature to some people, haha, luckily that can be lowered, though some guitars are not built for a low action, ie, the break angle at the saddle etc

If you’re a Bluegrasser with a heavy attack and wanting maximum volume then high action works. That why Martins come that way. Also, it’s aways easier to lower action than raise it...so starting high gives maximum flexibility for a player to have a guitar dialed in right for them.

[EnsgnOfIndustry]

Fluid guitar plays talk about economy of motion. Little movement in right hand. Not a lot of wasted movement in the left. I can't seem to make that work with high action.

[Ed66]

Originally Posted by Rev Roy

Also, it’s aways easier to lower action than raise it...so starting high gives maximum flexibility for a player to have a guitar dialed in right for them.

Agreed. As a 100% fingerstyle player, while I always prefer low action (just on the clean side of buzzy as JT has said), I don't fault a guitar off the rack coming with high action. I consider it fortuitous when I get one that doesn't need some setup work to bring the action down. I just picked up a Breedlove the other week that "reset" my baseline for the ideal setup - out of the box. I'm a happy camper.

[Tuch]

FACTORY gtrs are sold with a factory set up=Med/Hi action.This is deliberate.It allows the gtr to now be Tailored to suit the players 'musical preferences'.It is too labor intensive to set up a gtr etc & every player is/will be UNIQUE etc hence so will the desired set up be also that thus suits etc.A med/high action can also hide..fret errors[UNEVEN fret height].Lowering the Action now can 'magnify' unseen/unknown before fret errors.Uneven fret height by a few THOU'' can/WILL cause fret buzz regardless of string height preference!ALL newly installed frets require Leveling & Crowning without error[Hence why many factories don't L & C gtrs or do so with accuracy paramount etc]=It is a learned skill.No errors allowed otherwise it will buzz etc etc.but practise of..makes perfect.
a med/hi action can ''MASK' fret errors.Once lowered with deliberation ...UNMASKED!
There are no rules gtr x must be !..every player is/will be unique=So will the desired action preference be also!The factory gtr is delivered with allowances deliberately made=A med/hi action.Allowing the gtr to now be 'Tailored to suit the players specific musical preferences'
Many RELY upon another to set up their gtr.Many learn to DIY it with 100% success..a PROS RESULT.the choice is optional.UNEVEN FRET HEIGHT will cause fret buzz..regardless of gtr price $xxxx etc.[FACT].Every gtr requires a set up+the frets assessed[1st] to be perfect.If traced to be not so= any set up can/will be negatively compromised=FRET BUZZ. eradicate the cause of the fret buzz &[ any ] set up can now proceed.No one size suits all=Every player is/will be unique=so will be the set up preference desired!A few THOU'' can transform any 'mediocre gtr!' regardless of its price.a few THOU'' separates a low/med/high action etc.it is/Will be felt..by the fret fingers.They steer/guide the set up preferences etc etc.

[Yale C]

I prefer a low medium action for my style, too low of actions kills sustain, volume, and tone, and too high of action makes it difficult to play up the the neck as I do often.

I don’t have the “no money is to be made above the fifth fret” mentality or approach of playing style, but I appreciate guitars set up that way as a higher action, mostly rhythm and open scale run power house.

[Tico]

As low as possible, but with no buzz when strumming moderately loudly.

[AZLiberty]

Your perfect may be my too low. Someone else's may be too high.

Question cannot be answered as asked.

I like it as low as possible without getting fret rattle.

[mercy]

I have wrist problems and play fingerstyle so I require low action.

[GGSanders]

Years ago I felt that action as low as possible would be best. When I learned how to adjust the saddle to achieve that, I was unhappy with the tone and loss of volume that resulted. I also played around with lighter gauge strings, and experimented with those marketed as having lower tension.

I was not satisfied with playability or tone, and have come full circle to preferring action height that I've read is standard medium,
6/64 low E to 4.5 to 5/64 high E. I've also found that if action is too low, I just can't get a hammer-on or pull-off to sound clear and clean.

[DukeX]

I like low-medium for most guitars.