Do you prefer high action?

I'm in the middle of the road camp. I don't like it super high, but I also tend to play pretty heavy handed, so super low action tends to buzz a lot for me. The frets on my guitars are also pretty worn, and low action is definitely less tolerant of unlevel frets. About 1.5 to 2 mm range at the 12th is pretty good for me.
 
On my clean to crunch guitars I like it high. I pick hard at times and like the dynamic range possible with higher action. With my hardest picking the string should just hit the fret for added harmonics. That’s my philosophy. No measuring. All adjustments by feel.
 
Most people don’t like playing my guitars, 10's and it’s set too high for them. But it’s the only way that I can dig in, pitch harmonics etc. During the pandemic, I bought an Ibanez premium that was shipped from the US to Costa Rica. All I can say, terribly setup. Impossible to return so I finally learned to be a guitar tech. I am so very close with the weather changes here, just a slight adjustment Is needed.
I have 3 guitars soon 4 to compare setups.
 
My nearest tech is the same guy that does Tekrø's guitars, and mine lol.
Here's from when he refretted one of his in 2017. I like my action a tad lower :smiley:
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mr_fender said:
I'm in the middle of the road camp. I don't like it super high, but I also tend to play pretty heavy handed, so super low action tends to buzz a lot for me. The frets on my guitars are also pretty worn, and low action is definitely less tolerant of unlevel frets. About 1.5 to 2 mm range at the 12th is pretty good for me.
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I am in this camp as well. I lower the action until I start to get buzz, then back it up a smidge until buzz is gone on all but the ridiculously hard string plucks. Haven't measured it, but probably around 1.5mm to 2mm. I also set relief by ear, pressing the strings down at the 1st fret and the fret where the neck and body meet, and tapping the low E in the middle to listen for the correct sound. It usually works out to relief in the 0.009" range....
 
Blix said:
My nearest tech is the same guy that does Tekrø's guitars, and mine lol.
Here's from when he refretted one of his in 2017. I like my action a tad lower :smiley:
xwf06y0.jpg
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That's terrible work!!! Look at the fret tangs on fret 20 and 21. And why has he strung it before he has even rough cut the fret end .RUN A MILE.
 
Andy Eagle said:
Room to grab your strings comes mostly from fret hight.
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Everyone has their own way of looking at things. I prefer a medium to low fret wire height. If it’s too low , my fingers drag on the fretboard. If they’re too high , my fingers drag across them.
With that said , I like a moderately low fret height , and a fair amount of distance between the strings and frets , so as to not deaden the sound of a chord or string that has been strummed or picked HARD. As a benefit of the “action height” ; as you will , it allows me the room I need to - grab my strings - for bends and such.
It’s a pretty great thing that there are so many small variations of both the guitars and amps that we play. We all get “used to” , or learn on , or acquire a preference for all of these things as individuals. I love it.
 
No it doesn't, the fret hight is the grip on the string. A flat (or close to it) will give you more next fret clearance during a bend than a 3mm action.
I've modelled it in CAD . Example;1.5mm acton on a flat fingerboard bent three semitones (high E 12th fret) has more next fret clearance then the same bend on a 10 inch radius with a 3mm action. If your guitar is set up properly with level frets and a correct truss rod. High action (2mm +) is not needed for your guitar to work and sound it's best. Granted most guitars are a lot less than perfect and then high (to a point) helps tone also too a point . The one thing we will agree on (I think) is that too low action (1mm) is detrimental to tone unless you have a feather light hand (right and left.) There are plenty of examples of great players with crazy light strings and low action with great tone ,also the opposite.
 
Andy Eagle said:
No it doesn't, the fret hight is the grip on the string. A flat (or close to it) will give you more next fret clearance during a bend than a 3mm action.
I've modelled it in CAD . Example;1.5mm acton on a flat fingerboard bent three semitones (high E 12th fret) has more next fret clearance then the same bend on a 10 inch radius with a 3mm action. If your guitar is set up properly with level frets and a correct truss rod. High action (2mm +) is not needed for your guitar to work and sound it's best. Granted most guitars are a lot less than perfect and then high (to a point) helps tone also too a point . The one thing we will agree on (I think) is that too low action (1mm) is detrimental to tone unless you have a feather light hand (right and left.) There are plenty of examples of great players with crazy light strings and low action with great tone ,also the opposite.
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Logically, it seems like a completely flat fretboard would be optimal, since you shouldn't be hitting anything when you're bending that you don't hit when you're not.

If the idea is that flat makes bar chords too hard, classical players seem to be ok, and it also seems that there's a historical trend towards flatter over time.
 
It's a fine balance. Higher action you can chunk harder on heavy riffs. Really low action, it doesn't let the string ring as well.

I love they brought up TNT, you could throw a cat under his action lol.
 
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