What Determines String Height/Action?

[newpatch]

Hi,

From my experience, I know the nut, floyd rose height, and truss rod have a part in action.

My guitar has a bolt on neck, standard nut (meaning I haven't messed with it) and floyd rose. I lowered the bridge till I had fret buzz, then tried to adjust the truss rod to eliminate it. I tried to go as low as possible but in the end I wound up with 3mm (5/64") at the 12th fret on the bass side and about 1.5mm (1/16") on the treble side after raising the bridge.

I don't often play other guitars so I don't know, but is this considered low action? I remember seeing an EVH guitar which to me seemed to have action lower than that.

If my setup is considered low action, than I'm satisfied.

What kind of action/string height is everyone playing with?

newpatch

 

[Steve_Karl]

My warmoth strat is currently set at 6/64 on the low E and 7/64 on the high E at the 12th fret but these strings are ready to be changed.
It will measure slightly higher with a new set and it will also play better with a new set.
It will go lower with no problems on both sides, but I always set it up a day or 2 after new strings go on and I set it to get it somewhat balanced between pullofs and hammer ons and with this guitar it wants to go right about where it is. I set up all of my guitars by how they feel.
Today is the first time I ever seriously measured the heights ... and I've been playing since 1969.

My Les Paul is set almost exactly the same, but could also go lower if I wanted.

My G&L is at 6/64th on the low E and 4/64ths on the high E and also could go lower if I wanted ... but I don't want any of them lower than they are.

Too low will make me struggle to get the sound and also will make it much harder ( if not impossible ) to get an articulate and expressive performance.
It will also slow me down if the action is too low, but of course, if it's too high that would be a problem also.

I like a tiny bit of relief in my necks. Too straight will make any of my guitars "feel" ( any play ) cold.  I've never measured it.

I make these any adjustments based on how the guitar feels, as in I play and fell what's happening, and try to get the instrument to
be as expressive as possible. Too low of an action will confine my energy to too low in my body.

Ideally I want them to be able to move, emotionally, the way I move emotionally, for the music.
The way I find that setup is by playing them from different perspectives as I'm setting them up.

I suspect I have a comfort zone that works for me and that's what I always go for.
Of course this is just my subjective way of doing things. I'm sure it's different for everyone.

Here's something I wrote a long time ago right after I discovered the amazing versatility of having 2 screws per saddle.
It's meant to be a bit humorous and silly but I think it still gets the point across.
http://sightsea.com/nous/wri/bridge.html

 

[lidesnowi]

I set my action to 1,2mm on the bass side and about 0,8mm on the treble side at the 12th fret and the neck is strait as an arrow.

 

[NovasScootYa]

Hi,

From my experience, I know the nut, floyd rose height, and truss rod have a part in action.

My guitar has a bolt on neck, standard nut (meaning I haven't messed with it) and floyd rose. I lowered the bridge till I had fret buzz, then tried to adjust the truss rod to eliminate it. I tried to go as low as possible but in the end I wound up with 3mm (5/64") at the 12th fret on the bass side and about 1.5mm (1/16") on the treble side after raising the bridge.

I don't often play other guitars so I don't know, but is this considered low action? I remember seeing an EVH guitar which to me seemed to have action lower than that.

If my setup is considered low action, than I'm satisfied.

What kind of action/string height is everyone playing with?

newpatch

The string height at the nut and the trussrod adjustment can make or break how an instrument feels. Check the nut with an automotive feeler guage. Hold a string down on the second fret and check the clearance between the bottom of the string and the top of the first fret. It should be .008 clearance for the low E, A, D, G and .006 for the B and .005 for the high E.  Once the nut is adjusted set the string height where you had it at 5/64" above the 12th fret to the bottom of the low E and 4/64" for the high E. The trussrod should have about .010" clearance at the 7th fret while holding the string down on the 1st and 17th frets. All adjustments can and should be fine tuned over time. You're action is not high, it's what I use. SRV clearance at the 12th fret was 7/64" low E, 5/64" high E. 

 

[-CB-]

There's a whole lot "out there" about action, or string elevation.

Keep some things in mind.  You say the nut is "standard".  No such thing.  They vary all over the place.  If too high they will have a great effect on the "feel" of the strings at the low numbered frets, and some effect on the feel at the higher numbered frets.

Try and keep the nut so that there is just a tiny bit of space under fret #1, when the string is pressed at fret #3.  I mean a tiny bit... maybe the thickness of a high E string or even just a tad less.  That is about optimal.

Next, adjust the truss rod.  Capo lightly at fret #1, depress the low E at fret 21, 22 whatever... highest fret.  At around fret 8 or so, there should be some space between fret tops and bottom of the string.  That space, the amount of it... will vary for different feel, but try something like .010 (with a feeler gauge) to about .015 (with a feeler gauge).

Then you can adjust the bridge for string elevation.  The "lowest" string elevation without buzzing depends on the playing style, the fretboard radius, fret crowns, and the amount of bending you will be doing.  Small radius fretboards will tend to choke with bending, or "fret out".  Flatter fretboards can stand lower elevation and not fret out when strings are bent.  If you go for about 4/64th of an inch on the low E and about 3.5/64s of an inch on the high E, you're about optimal for a fair amount of bending.  Much under that you're going to get some issues with bending, even with a light playing style.  If you have a vintage radius neck... you might need to raise the strings just a touch.  On a very flat radius neck - say 16 inches or so - you can maybe go a touch lower.

The harder you play, the more you're going to get buzzing, so style has a huge factor in it as well.

Check out www.frets.com for all the action setting tips... with pictures... Frank has done a great job there.

 

[pabloman]

If my setup is considered low action, than I'm satisfied.

What kind of action/string height is everyone playing with?

newpatch

So if somebody puts a label on your action you will be satisfied? You should set it up to how it feels. Specs are a good starting point but it's about feel. My action is always dictated by the guitar. Low as absolutely possible even with just a bit of a buzz on my floyd guitar though.