psw Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 OK...I come from the old school blues and classic rock type school, what with being born in the sixties... As a result, most of my guitars have been of what would probably be seen as a high action with pretty heavy strings (10-46)...you do have to fight with them a little So, what are peoples general take on action, and I guess string guage...you can certainly play faster with a lower action...but it does tend to change the way I play (which may be a good thing) as well... Anyone got any opinions...? Changed their action from high to low or visa versa...? p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 I lowered my action fairly recently. Although I can't say for sure, I'm of the opinion that it plays in tune better now. That might just be placebo effect, though, because I know that in theory it should be playing more in tune and I'm projecting that knowledge onto what I hear. Either way, I'm preferring the action. I still don't have it way down as low as it goes, because I don't like the way it feels when I bend. I like the strings that are "in the way" to contact my fingernails rather than my fingertips, ya know? Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mledbetter Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 just depends on your style.. a blues player often likes heavy strings and high action as you get more tone out of the string.. a speed player likes lower gauge and lower action to facilitate faster articulation. I'm a blues player so i tend to prefer high action. Low action doesn't communicate the blues tone as well for me, and it's also hard to dig in on bends when the string just slides under your finger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 I play alot of different stuff from Blues to Metal. All my guitars are setup a little strangely. I like my Bass strings high and the Treble strings low. Mainly because when I'm chuggin' out a nice chunky rhythm I don't like hearing the low E hitting the 22nd fret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlGeeEater Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 I play blues, but I love my action low All of my guitars are set up to low action actually. Even though I am mainly a blues guy, and study blues I do play some metal and classic rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorecki Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 (edited) I use a modified 9-42 set and prefer lower action on ~12 radius but use 10-46 most often for jazz fat clean tones. Been tempted to bump up to 11's for jazz use because they do produce a fatter clean tone but is too stiff for me. Edited July 11, 2005 by Gorecki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooten2 Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Low action for me; string guage 9 to 42. I raise the strings just enough to clear the buzz and not fret out when bending. The "slinkier" the string the better. I play what they now call "classic" rock, and blues rock. I was born in 1963, and started on a Framus guitar from a pawn shop that played pretty rough. My next guitar was a 69 gold top Les Paul Deluxe with low action, and my playing improved 100% overnight when I got that guitar. I've been playing with low action ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 (edited) I make the action as low as I can get it without buzzing. Edited May 17, 2009 by Daniel Sorbera Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggardguy Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 (edited) Right now I'm playing a floyd with heavy bass strings and thin treble ones 9-46(i think,the bass ones might be a little heavier) and I like the tone I get but I think I'm gonna switch back to 9-42s because i have my spring claw all the way to the back of the cavity but i still can't get it to sit parallel to the body . I think I'll throw the heavier ones on non trem guitars though just because I like them . Anyways,I keep my action pretty low,especially on the treble side but the bass sides nice and short too but It'll be lower as soon as I change strings again. Edited July 11, 2005 by haggardguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Personal fave was my old teacher's ES-135... tight and low. It wasn't the greatest for bends, but other than that, it handled better than any setup I've played on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtommyb Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 as low as i can get it with D'addario 9s. (but recently 8s as i bought the wrong strings doh!) but anyway its still not as low as i would like it but i cant get it any lower without it cutting out notes on the high frets. i mainly play rock/shred guitar, but for blues and slower styles i use my lespaul with slightly higher action and 10s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I use .45-.105 (roundwound) or .45-.110 (taperwound) and as low as I can get the action without buzzing. Oh yeah, those would be bass strings for those of you going I play mostly blues and bluesy rock (Allman Bro's, Marshall Tucker, Skynyrd, etc) and my own style of stuff which resembles a mix jazz and pop and blues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlGeeEater Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I use .45-.105 (roundwound) or .45-.110 (taperwound)← Whoa! Then I realized you meant bass strings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggardguy Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I did the same thing Im dumb somedays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlGeeEater Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Im dumb somedays ← Somedays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggardguy Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Im dumb somedays ← Somedays? ← Everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3Va1L Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Back on topic I decided to change to 10s recently, and i can't even stand hearing 9s anymore sounds so tiny! Anyways, I really like my action as low as i can, and i actually tolerate some buzz cause of that (too lasy to raise it.) But the frets on my guitar are so great... part of it 'cause they're worn but anyways. They're the lowest frets I ever seen (except those fretless wonders ) and i just hate the damn jumbo frets. They need to make low-wide SS frets!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePlague Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 i like heavy strings and medium action. on my seven string i use an .011-.070 set and on my six strings i think it's .010-.056. standard tuning on everything (well drop d once in a while on the sixes). the reason i don't like my action super low is you can't really dig into bends when it's that low. i always felt like the string was about to slip under my finger. doesn't happen with my action raised a bit and heavier strings. i play a lot of stuff, but mainly it's rock and metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemleggat Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 I string my tele with 11,14,18,36,52,70 tuned to standard tuning! It sets up with a nice low action and sounds awesome. DO NOT put this gauge on your SG or Les Paul you will pull the neck off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3Va1L Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 lol yeah... but on an SG i think it's the body that would get destroyed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Come on guys. 11s are hardly a heavy guage. Don't get me wrong-- I don't use 11s on my electrics anymore (though I once did-- I use light-top-heavy-bottom which is what... .10 to .52? now) but 11s are what string manufacturers consider a "light" string. Even though WE call .9 and .10 "light" and .11 "heavy", that's our own personal reference point compared to our own personal experience. Anything but the crappiest of guitars can still handle .11s. When I decided to switch to .12s on my acoustic instead of .13s, that's when I made the switch down on my electric, too. I have to admit, these days I'm only willing to sacrifice "so" much for tone. I can't bend .12s properly for extended periods of time. Sure, the occasional bend is fine and I never have problems on my acoustic; however, on the electric I bend a lot more and I like having moved to the .10. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePlague Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Anything but the crappiest of guitars can still handle .11s. Greg ← i think he was talking more about the lower strings. particuarly tuning a .070 to E. but you're right. calling .011's heavy guage is exaggerating. i get into the habit of calling them heavy because they're heavier than the .009's just about everyone i know plays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TenderSurrender Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 (edited) On my guitar i like to use 9 Hybrids I like the simple ease of movnig between fast powerchords on the smaller strings whilst going up to 10s for my shred moments..not sure why but i love em For those who dont kno what hybrid strings are, its the bass strings are from 9's and the trebble strings are 10s 9, 11, 16, 26, 36, 46 ~~ Slain Angel ~~ Edited July 14, 2005 by SlainAngel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemleggat Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Yea its not the 11's that are heavy greg, its the low strings! 11 are normal for anything with a gibson scale length IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.