String Action

[GrimRiffer]

I was thinking about this the other day. I love Charvel guitars and have many friends that do as well. It seems as though they all have them all set up really low to the fret board with smaller gauged strings. I hate this. I set all of my Charvels with 11's and a higher action off the fret board. I LOVE my guitars like this. I guess I do this because I have really big hands with a strong grip. I can still play all the shreddy/thrashy stuff I love without problem.

Every used Charvel I buy comes with super low action and 9 gauge strings or some shit. haha. I don't think I have ever bought a guitar and not sent it straight to my tech for a set up. Luckily I have recently mastered doing a set up on a Floyd equipped axe.


Am I the only one that feels this way? There has to be more of us!!! haha

[leftykingv2]

I have some guitars set with bigger gauge strings and higher action...I.E. My vintage strats and Tele's. I don't use my Strats and Tele's for shredding though. That's what my Jackson's, Kramers and Ibanez Guitars are for. That being said most guys don't like high action and big strings for shredding. You probably are in the minority on that one bro.

[GrimRiffer]

I dunno man.....I love some meat and tension to my strings.

[leftykingv2]

I dunno man.....I love some meat and tension to my strings.

While being harder to play for most people I do agree that higher action and a bigger string does sound better. But to each their own.

[leftykingv2]

My Tele's and Strats have 13's on them.

[GrimRiffer]

Yeah all of my Gibsons and Fenders have 13's!

All of my Charvel/Jacksons have 11's. I tried 12's on a floyd and did not like it. I stand by the idea that bigger strings and higher action sound better. I also understand everyone is different.

[pianoguyy]

I am a 9-guy. That's just my preference.

But if i was a 0 action guy, i would have kept my Carvin guitars. They had a 1/16" action across all frets.
Obviously, i don't want it set too high, but they just didn't feel right.

[Brandenburg]

I am a 9-guy. That's just my preference.

But if i was a 0 action guy, i would have kept my Carvin guitars. They had a 1/16" action across all frets.
Obviously, i don't want it set too high, but they just didn't feel right.

I just googled about action an 1/16 is what stew mac website recommends.. well.. approx.. 1/16 is like .065 and there site recommends .078 on the 6th string.. IMO.. thats too low


my jackson has 10's and to me.. thats the perfect gauge.. my action is set a tad on the high side I guess.. I dont have the right type of straight edge to get a very accurate reading but my action on the 6th string is ~.125.. I might lower it a tad .. maby..dunno.. it feels right even if it looks a tad high

[Mudlark]

If I can snuggly fit a .25 cent coin between the high and low stings at the 12th fret, unfretted, I'm good.

[leftykingv2]

Jackson factory spec is fine for me and it's 1.5 millimeter. I am pretty sure that's 1/16th of an inch. This is the setup I like for shredding but my strats and tele's have much higher action. I also use .009's on my Jacksons.

[toejam]

I am a 9-guy. That's just my preference.

But if i was a 0 action guy, i would have kept my Carvin guitars. They had a 1/16" action across all frets.
Obviously, i don't want it set too high, but they just didn't feel right.

So you didn't keep your Carvins because you couldn't raise the action yourself?
Lol

[leftykingv2]

So you didn't keep your Carvins because you couldn't raise the action yourself?
Lol

I thought that statement was funny as well.

[warlok]

I always liked D'Addario 9-42. Tried some DR 10-46 on one of my Ibanez RGT42's (fixed bridge) and loved the tone but didn't like the extra tension. So tried hybrid D-Addario 9-46 sets. Didn't like the thin sound of the treble strings.. Gonna swap to 10-46's over time and just deal with the tension. I don't shred anyway. But I do like action as low as I can get it without tons of buzz. I have lots of guitars and everytime I buy strings, I get a 10 pack. Getting pricey buying sets I'm not using.. Have about 30 sets right now I don't know if I'll ever use.. lol

[Scooter]

I use 9's and 10's. I like low action. Don't know what the actual measurement is, but mine are set lower than factory. I can fit a green tortex pick (.88mm) under the strings at 24, and it stays in place from friction. Don't have anything thinner.

[Brandenburg]

I just tweaked my action a bit as I thought it was a tad on the high side.. action at the 12th fret is from ~2.5mm to ~2mm...minimal buzzing if any so its all good..