Members Angelojf Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 Some background: I have a MIM Strat and a MIA Strat. I just got the MIA strat set up, and the guy who set it up tried his best to suit my needs... Some questions:1) Why can't the MIA Strat seem to get as close action as the MIM? Is it due to string choice? If its not due to string choice, is it a sign that something is wrong with the MIA? It seems that if we try to get closer action on the MIA, then we gut a goofy deaded type of sound on the G string.2) A friend said its always kind a situation of give and take.......less buzz = higher action......lower action = more buzz potential....Do you guys have similar experiences with your strat? 3) The MIA's action is ok, I guess, but perhaps not as ideal as the MIM...Are my expectations perhaps too high? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 Maybe a fret level? I'm assuming this is a good tech. I mention this because I've seen geetars come into my shop set up by "pros" that are absolute {censored}. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueSky1963 Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 Some background: I have a MIM Strat and a MIA Strat. I just got the MIA strat set up, and the guy who set it up tried his best to suit my needs...Some questions:1) Why can't the MIA Strat seem to get as close action as the MIM? Is it due to string choice? If its not due to string choice, is it a sign that something is wrong with the MIA? It seems that if we try to get closer action on the MIA, then we gut a goofy deaded type of sound on the G string.2) A friend said its always kind a situation of give and take.......less buzz = higher action......lower action = more buzz potential....Do you guys have similar experiences with your strat? 3) The MIA's action is ok, I guess, but perhaps not as ideal as the MIM...Are my expectations perhaps too high?Thanks! Have you measured the action on both and compared? I find it hard to believe that the MIA cannot be set up on par with the MIM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoneNut Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 A Strat can be setup any way you like. Although for what looks like a very uncomplicated guitar, it turns out its very setup sensitive. It takes someone with experience to set it up well. There should be no difference between how you can setup your MIM and MIA. Some will need fret work like so many other guitars but before you do that, search Goggle to learn about neck shims... and perhaps find a better tech. Nick shims are a great option for bolt ons and will let you get the neck -body angle perfect. I'm not saying that's what your guitar needs since I can't see and play it and it may be possible it might need fret work but I always think that should be the last option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angelojf Posted March 19, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 Thanks guys...Looks like I'm not too picky after all....seems like such a pain..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 We'd be able to help better if you could hold your guitar up to the computer so we can see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoneNut Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 These may help you out a bit. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stratocaster+setup&aq=f Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 Have you tried lowering the pickups on the MIA. The magnetic field of the pickups can deaded the string vibration if they are too close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tedmich Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 low action is GREATLY overrated IMHO (unless you need to sweep pick a burble of notes like Dimeola or Yngwie!) Most guitarists get good hand strength and deal with decent action on a well set up neck. Tiny and/or weak hands? Run ultra light strings on a carefully set up neck, PLEKd even, and action high enough to give clear tones. MIA Eklundh sets his Caparison with "action that would scare a slide player" but Guthrie could still play it quite well when they swapped. Ultra low action (like huge effects chains!) are a crutch....IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LesPaulFetish Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 Depends on how hard you dig with your pick. I pick pretty light but like to pick it up sometimes for added effects. Medium action shouldn't hurt you too bad. But the neck pickup might be a bit close like someone above said, nut could be cut low etc. Don't sweat it if it doesn't bug you, if it does... Don't sweat it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted March 19, 2011 Members Share Posted March 19, 2011 This is the way I have gotten my MIA strat stet up with low action and no buzz. I don't care for it that low though. To start I back the micro tilt off and tighten the neck down. Then get the neck relief as straight as I can.Then I set the saddles so I'm within a couple of 64th of what I want and tune it up. Then back off the neck screws a turn on the top screws and a couple on the bottom screws. Then use the micro tilt and bring the neck out just a touch to where I want it then snug the neck screw down. Then if it needs any reliel I'll give it a quarter turn or so.The action down the neck was low all the way down the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted March 20, 2011 Members Share Posted March 20, 2011 yeap, low actiom is a matter of give and take. IMO, you cannot have it very low without a residual fret buzz. If you encounter a deadening of the g string, i'd investigate if that occurs all neck long. Might be pick up, as mentioned, truss rod tweak, might be nut cut too low, or nut cut too high with saddles set too low, or uneven frets. Finding out exactly where that string doesn'g sound right will help narrow the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RUExp? Posted March 20, 2011 Members Share Posted March 20, 2011 Low action is good for shredding or chicken pickin' but for anything else you're better off with the action higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted March 20, 2011 Members Share Posted March 20, 2011 Strats sound like {censored} with low action. If you don't care what it sounds like, then go for it. I want it to sound good first and I can adapt to the way it plays. Over the years I have moved to 11s on all of them with a lot of room for them to vibrate. I have no idea what low action would buy me. I can do whatever I want now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted March 20, 2011 Members Share Posted March 20, 2011 Strat necks vary quite a bit from my experience. Some dial in fabulously and some just don't. A neck shim can get you closer but it's not the end all, be all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bro Blue Posted March 20, 2011 Members Share Posted March 20, 2011 Good advice on the whole, but could it be you are just more comfortable with the MIM since you are used to playing it? Guitars are like women - they are all different. Even if the look alike they are different. I do tend to agree that the low actions people search for cause more problems than they solve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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