tele string height?

[fritferret]

i'm still kind of new to teles. i tend to like high actual on other guitars. what counts as high action on a tele? i'll measure my current height and post once i find my ruler. i've noticed that higher action costs you some twang. i guess that good or bad depending on what you want. thanks in advance for the help!

[Rob DiStefano]

all that matters with any string instrument is how the action (string height off the fingerboard) matters with regards to "playability", for you, and no one else - the opinions of others are totally meaningless and completely useless. yer on yer own, and that's a very good thing.

[String Tree]

Originally Posted by fritferret

i'm still kind of new to teles. i tend to like high actual on other guitars. what counts as high action on a tele? i'll measure my current height and post once i find my ruler. i've noticed that higher action costs you some twang. i guess that good or bad depending on what you want. thanks in advance for the help!

It never hurts to experiment and try new things, but at the end of the day, the only opinion that matters is yours.

Talking this over face-to-face with a GOOD Luthier could net you some very Musical results.

For me, #1, it has to stay in tune!
I play .011's and like the strings high enough so they don't Buzz on the frets.

[fritferret]

i agree, and thanks for the input........but what do you think of 4/32nds at the 17th fret, measured from the top of the fret to the bottom of the low e (wound) string?

[Scrapperz]

Originally Posted by fritferret

i agree, and thanks for the input........but what do you think of 4/32nds at the 17th fret, measured from the top of the fret to the bottom of the low e (wound) string?

Try it if doesn't buzz your golden.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by fritferret

i agree, and thanks for the input........but what do you think of 4/32nds at the 17th fret, measured from the top of the fret to the bottom of the low e (wound) string?

once again, my strong recommendation is NOT to get caught up in a numbers measurement game. that is a waste of time and proves nothing. let yer fingers and ears be the judge and jury for each of yer guitar's playability, for ... you. and no one else.

[MT Tele]

I agree with the posts re: don't get caught up in numbers, however you need to start somewhere.

My MIM is set up as follows - .020 clearance 1st fret to 6th string, and 2/32 @17th fret 6th string. No buzz.

If you have to go to 4/32 to get rid of buzz I'd look at your neck relief and consider a truss rod adjustment.

Just make small adjustments to everything and let the guitar settle in before you judge the results.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by CVTele

I agree with the posts re: don't get caught up in numbers, however you need to start somewhere.

My MIM is set up as follows - .020 clearance 1st fret to 6th string, and 2/32 @17th fret 6th string. No buzz.

If you have to go to 4/32 to get rid of buzz I'd look at your neck relief and consider a truss rod adjustment.

Just make small adjustments to everything and let the guitar settle in before you judge the results.

see, here's the problem - those numbers are for you and your instrument, both of which are unique.

sincerely to all guitarists - learn how to set up your guitars to suit your playing needs. you don't need measuring devices other than yer eyes and ears. promise.

[mg426]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

see, here's the problem - those numbers are for you and your instrument, both of which are unique.

sincerely to all guitarists - learn how to set up your guitars to suit your playing needs. you don't need measuring devices other than yer eyes and ears. promise.

This is very sound advice....!!!!!!!

[krisls]

Hmm, I was curious so I just measured with a caliper, 12th fret, bass E string top of fret to string is 1.96mm or .077 inch. Mine is considered to be a pinch on the high side. I use 11's to keep it similar to acoustic in feel and dabble in a bit of slide. Works for me.

Kristina

[trev333]

a match is a tight fit under the string at low E fr12 on my Tele... ;)

or about 1.8mm... in hi-tech lingo...;)

first time I've ever measured it...

[cjstcustom]

I personally like this set up, the 3 highs from top of 12 to bottom of string, 2/32 and the 3 lows 3/32. Intonate (if thats a word) after you get your action right.

[Tonetele]

I agree with Rob DiStefano- it's totally individual. I like my Teles set low 1.5mm - on the bottom E string and really low @ 1.25 on the top E. Makes for easy playing. Just like guys like a light guitar for all night playing, same as the action. Higher action- supposedly more sustain but may affect your ability to rip.JMHO.

[63dot]

Originally Posted by CVTele

I agree with the posts re: don't get caught up in numbers, however you need to start somewhere.

My MIM is set up as follows - .020 clearance 1st fret to 6th string, and 2/32 @17th fret 6th string. No buzz.

If you have to go to 4/32 to get rid of buzz I'd look at your neck relief and consider a truss rod adjustment.

Just make small adjustments to everything and let the guitar settle in before you judge the results.

I used to love action that low and I preferred a slight backbow on the neck. It made for some very fast playing but there was some buzz. It's a great way to sell guitars in a music store with light strings, such as Fender Bullet 9-38s with a super low action. Kids and adults who are usually beginners will plug in, play loud and not notice buzz but how "fast" the guitar plays and those fast guitars sell of the shelves quickly, even with considerable buzz.

What I like about one local mom and pop store is that they put strings on the guitars which seem to make more sense to an experienced player, such as 9-42 or 10-46 for Fenders rather than the super light 9-38s they all come with at GC and big outlets. The jazz guitars there have the 9-42s/10-46s taken off and get set up with 11s or 12s. I played a nice Heritage ES-175 type guitar with 12s they set up and though it didn't play like the slinky rockabilly Gretsch at GC, the store set it up as a jazz guitar as it's most likely to be used for at three grand. Sure, there are those who will use it as a hollowbody shredder and throw 9s on them, but that usually won't get the best woody tone from the spruce top on that gorgeous guitar. That being said, some players would rather have the sheer speed and rely only on a powerful amp to make 9s on an archtop have power and tone. To each his own.

These days I avoid buzz and I do it by having a clearance at least as much as 4/32 on 17th fret with at least some neck relief. A perfectly straight neck is still somewhat buzzy, too and since I like to bend at times, the relief and medium action helps me manipulate the note better and use vibrato. Some players don't need vibrato in their style and don't bend that much but hit notes very quickly and want super low action facilitating the least pressure possible.

It's all individual but I have seen metal guys with 11s and jazzers with 8s so there is no hard and fast rule. If really low action suits you and you like the way you sound, keep it. There are those tele gurus who can play extremely well with super high action and heavy strings (and read all music, sing, record, gig and make great money) and they like to criticize those with low action and smaller 9s or 10s, but that is just bragging and it doesn't help music in any way.

[Bartholomew3]

Don't know what the measurement is and don't care. I adjust the string height low enough to buzz then raise slightly if required.

It doesn't come through the amp anyways. I used to keep them high for more bite and better feel for playing Blues but lately have started to go as low as possible.