Members Les Paul Lover Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Interesting and well reasoned article. Seemingly havin a higher action maximises the string vibration potential and therefore increases/fattens the overall tone of a guitar. http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/tone-tips-901/ Have you ever tried it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Monk Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I always thought that bigger strings meant you had to raise the action to prevent buzzing, that guitars with big strings have a fatter sound and just tend to have higher action. I dunno. Seems like something Eric Johnson would notice, but certainly not me. The distance between the pickups and the strings makes a huge difference, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I didn't think there was any question about it. Hammer on and pull off are much more distinct among other things. Monk, better sound from fat strings, however, the opposite is true: fatter strings allow lower action because of the higher string tension needed to bring them up to pitch. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willyguitar Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 However, this is of course bearing in mind the pickups move up with the string height... since in my experience, you don't get a fatter sound with the pickups further away from the strings... but usually a clearer one with more sustain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members humbuckerstrat Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I like a higher action, it makes bending a lot easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tiltsta Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I keep the action on my guitars as low as I can. I prefer the feel over any possible improvement in tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members superdistortion Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Sure. But too high and you're fighting the guitar. And it can slow you down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jjblacksheep Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I've had em set up differently on the same guitar many times. I'll take low action every day---set right above fret buzz level. If there was a tonal difference it was close to unnoticeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kevman Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Higher action = more tone? Sounds hokey to me.The sound made from a string meeting fretwire has nothing to do with action unless the action is so low that the string cant vibrate fully because of contact with another fret (fretbuzz). The length of the string from the bridge saddle to the fretted note should be the same regardless of action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted October 19, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I have to say that I do like my action to be reasonnably low. Not necessrialy just above fret buzz, but not too far off either. I'm wondering if one would get used to have it a little higher still. But playing comfort has to come 1st, hasn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I favour action set to the low end of 'medium', but since I don't (CAN'T!) play fast, I don't need to worry about a higher action slowing me down, unless it's high enough to be TOTALLY ridiculous. A slightly-higher-than-low action not only facilitates bending, but also suits the biggish (10-52) string gauge I prefer ... and the combination of higher-than-low action and biggish strings DEFINITELY pays off tonewise -- especially for those of us who'll cheerfully trade speed for tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willyguitar Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I think they do resonate differently when the action is higher. I've just raised the action slightly on my Junior and it rings more than before and not just because of the changed relative pickup heigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Higher action = more tone? Sounds hokey to me. The sound made from a string meeting fretwire has nothing to do with action unless the action is so low that the string cant vibrate fully because of contact with another fret (fretbuzz). The length of the string from the bridge saddle to the fretted note should be the same regardless of action. Higher action increases dynamic range for sure. If a guitar has low action, you can't attack the strings as hard. The harder your attack, the further the string vibrates. if the action is too low, the strings vibrate against the higher frets and take energy away. I can see how that energy is tone/amplitude/sustain. So, with high action, you can play very lightly up to very strongly. With low action, you can play very lightly to slightly strongly. So, this goes with my philosophy that gently attacking your strings and having low action is total girlie man guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuck1016 Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Stevie Ray said in an interview I read once, "big strings, big action, big sound". He probably knew what he was talking about. I'd give a serious answer, but so many people have beaten me to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roygbiv Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 It's true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 So, this goes with my philosophy that gently attacking your strings and having low action is total girlie man guitar. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ΨWindingΨ Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 It is a hellovalot more than just a high action. Stings, Pups, Effects, Amp and technique = Fatter Tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted October 19, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 ^^^ Considering strictly one factor here, which is the action alone. Otherwise, of course, you are right, a lot comes into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Strings don't have to be buzzing to lose their "liveliness". A tad over what you're used to would take little time to get used to and might pay off tonewise. I know this from my own ears (and I believe my ears are working pretty good). I set my actions voluntarily at the medium-low point (5/64th at 12th fret) even though at least two of my electrics allow WAY lower action. I tested one of them, the SA2200, for low action and it allowed me to lower the action to 2.5/64th without buzzing! That's ridiculously low and feels very strange. Gotta feel those strings... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ΨWindingΨ Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 ^^^ Considering strictly one factor here, which is the action alone.Otherwise, of course, you are right, a lot comes into it. I do play somewhat high on my LP, but that's because I don't want the feel to be too drastically different from my Strat. I like the guitar to have some tension in the strings. I play nothing less than 10 - 46 so they are stout enough for me. I would say the most recent addition to my tone which made for a FAT tone was replacing my rather thin sounding OD with a Lovepedal Burst Eternity. I am floored how fat that OD sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members squinty Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I dunno about this one...Whether you had a high or low action the distance of the pick up from the string would seem to be the major variable here.If the pick up was too close, the sound may be fat, but the magnetic effect of the pick up will pull the guitar out of tune.If the pick up was too far away from the strings then the definition of the mids and lows suffers.Like singing into a mic... if your right on it it can be boofy and muddy... too far away and it sounds thin and whispy... String buzz would be the likely result of a too low action = crap tone.Crap playability would be the result of a high action = crap tone.I'd be going for a lower action (for playability) with the pick ups set at the right height for the individual guitar... I've never needed to beat hell out of the strings for tone... but I've done it plenty of times for fun... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ΨWindingΨ Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Oh, and the bridge can make a difference too. I changed out my rather yucky ARB1 Gibson with a TonePro AVR1 which have stouter saddles and locks onto the posts. It was noticeable in tone overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Crap playability would be the result of a high action = crap tone. I don't get this. High action always sounds better. The law of diminshing returns is with regard to intonation. If the action is too high, then you deflect it too far from it's at-rest line and it won't play in tune. It's not really going to sound bad tonewise. I have a gallagher acoustic that is set up for bluegrass. that is hella high action and big strings. It is very loud compared to other acoustics. These same physical properties apply to an electric. everyone knows that even an electric guitar has to sound good acoustically if it is every going to sound great through an amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bro Blue Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 A lot of people simply have their pickups set too high thinking the closer the pickup is to the strings the more sound they will get, and more must be better. A higher action does put space between string and pickup, which helps if the pickup isn't moved. This does not mean a higher action is better, it's just a back door fix for poor pickup adjustment. Having said that, I do play on a fairly high action. Bends are much easier, it allows for a larger range of dynamics, and I have an aggressive pick attack which means buzz city if the action is low. It also helps with slide playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Promit Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 I'd like to point out that higher action means a heavier tendency for the string to pull sharp when fretted. Not necessarily a problem, but something to be aware of. (I set them up medium-high I think.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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