Height of your strings!!!

[metalmaniac93]

About 2/32 to 3/32" at 12th fret with 10s.

 

[Valtyr]

Never measured it but I have multiple guitars ranging from very low action to med.

I usually play bass so from that perspective most guitars have low action.

 

[Chubtone]

I play with higher action than most people like. I can set it lower and not get any string buzz but I think that guitars sound "choked" if the action is too low. I have a really good set up guy here at the store and I'll have him dial in one of my guitars to low action to where most people would like it. Then I will do one full revolution on the Floyd Trem posts raising it up. It's pretty noticeable how the resonance increases when you raise it.

YMMV

 

[bulletproof_funk]

I play with higher action than most people like. I can set it lower and not get any string buzz but I think that guitars sound "choked" if the action is too low. I have a really good set up guy here at the store and I'll have him dial in one of my guitars to low action to where most people would like it. Then I will do one full revolution on the Floyd Trem posts raising it up. It's pretty noticeable how the resonance increases when you raise it.

YMMV

+1 on the slightly higher strings.

I had a guitar for years with super low action and relief and it just didn't feel right. Nowadays I have my strings higher towards the bridge with a touch of relief so that it feels low towards the nut (I like easy chording down there), I need to feel the strings lift off the fretboard somewhat, but not so high that the pitch changes when I press down. Having the strings higher towards the bridge seems counter-intuitive, but I find it helps the higher notes come out easier when playing fast so that I'm not "forcing" the notes out.

I also find that my fret wear is pretty uneven throughout the entire fretboard and across guitars so I don't bother measuring string height (and I'm also too lazy to get the right tools) so I just go by feel and experimentation. Also, does anyone actually have their highest fret wear more than the others?... I should get some fret leveling done to fix this as it might be causing my strings to buzz out sooner (meaning I could probably lower the action still).

Is it standard to measure string height above the fretboard or the fret itself?

 

[dstroud]

mine are at 1/8 inch at the 12th fret on the low and high E. That's my Epiphone LP with the Floyd - current main axe.

 

[sandman]

I actually have never measured. I just know if it feels right or not for whatever guitar it is. All slightly different for me.

 

[roryoi543]

I like low string action
therefore my Ibanez J custom I've tried very hard only can lower down to low E- 2.0mm, high E-1.5mm,
under this height it must get string buzz somewhere on frets no matter how hard I try

Low E - 3/64''
High e - 1/32''

Really? 1/32''=0.79mm is extreme low string action I wish I could adjust my guitar that low and without any buzz...
Is it really no get any string buzz for that low action?
BTW what is your guitar?

 

[Filter500]

1mm

 

[duesentrieb]

It's not the height that matters, it's how you use it.

Thanks Bob. That made my day.

 

[Code001]

I like low string action
therefore my Ibanez J custom I've tried very hard only can lower down to low E- 2.0mm, high E-1.5mm,
under this height it must get string buzz somewhere on frets no matter how hard I try

Low E - 3/64''
High e - 1/32''

Really? 1/32''=0.79mm is extreme low string action I wish I could adjust my guitar that low and without any buzz...
Is it really no get any string buzz for that low action?
BTW what is your guitar?

I run that action on all my guitars (Suhr, Anderson, Caparison, Ibanez, Gibsons [got lucky there]... My Fender couldn't do it without reworking the entire neck). You gotta have impeccable fretwork, a radius of 12''+ so the bends don't choke, very straight neck, and a light touch. Don't forget, Petrucci ran 1/32'' on both E strings for the better part of 20 years.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

I never thought to measure but I hate super low action. First thing I always do when I get a new guitar is raise up the bridge. You tone will be much better because of it so that is the primary reason I do it. The other reason is bending so you can bend up underneath the adjacent string(s).

 

[rcm78]

2.0mm from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the low E
1.5mm from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the high E
It's a good compromise for playability and good sustain.

The relief is pretty straight. .008 - .010"

 

[mo_metalhead]

Low as I can get them with 9's, use a light pick,and easy on the picking.Works for me, And for the record I am a string bending fool, just use the flat board necks

 

[AndyK]

I find with higher action, you can really make the guitar talk more! Anything less than 1/16th, and it just sounds flat to me.

It really does depend on individual style, how hard you hit the strings, etc. There is no "right" way.

 

[xzyryabx]

9-46 gauge strings measured @ 12th fret
12" radius
relief is approximately 0.015"=1/64"=0.4mm
0.060"=1/16"=1.5mm low E
0.050"=3/64"=1.2mm high E


zero buzz

 

[roryoi543]

I run that action on all my guitars (Suhr, Anderson, Caparison, Ibanez, Gibsons [got lucky there]... My Fender couldn't do it without reworking the entire neck). You gotta have impeccable fretwork, a radius of 12''+ so the bends don't choke, very straight neck, and a light touch. Don't forget, Petrucci ran 1/32'' on both E strings for the better part of 20 years.

I've already sent my guitar to fret redressing, want to try lower down the string action again, can you let me know how is your neck relief? My guitar neck relief now is 0.025mm at 8th fret (pressed string both side)
Btw does the Plek system help to lower down string action without fret buzz? Thanks

 

[Code001]

I go by feel these days, but it's around 0.003'' to 0.005'' around the 7th to 9th frets. I measure the G string these days, too. A Plek machine is not needed for lower action, either. Just like everything else, it's simply a tool. Anderson does it by hand, Suhr uses a Plek machine. Both methods work great.

 

[syncrodude007]

5/64 on my les pauls on both sides

4/64 on my ibby's

Boom...

 

[Bato]

I set them up that my fingertips can bend the other strings. I don't like it when they slip under or above my fingers.

 

[Badronald]

Never measured.
I like action pretty high. Never liked real low action. I used scalloped necks and they always felt high to me just by design.
I also play slide so I can't have it too low.