Higher action = better tone ?

[Scotland]

I was tinkering last night and decided to raise the action on my 5 and 6 strings to let it ring clearer. The difference in tone was incredible so I thought I'd try it on all 6 strings. Now I have to learn to play with a relatively high action because the increase in pure tone is beyond description. Rings sings and sustains for days !!

[Nick Fanis]

how high... :)
a VERY high action will result in loss of sustain in my experience.
A higher action will be better suited to LIGHT strings,I have always a low/med action with HEAVY strings and I have not noticed a better sound by raising my action.
The reason why a higher action sounds better w/ light strings is because you loose the buzzing that light strings and low action result in.
Heavier strings don't buzz w/ a low action as much light strings do.
Than there is a matter of touch,fret leveling ,neck straightness etc.
A very LOW action isn't my cup of tea either but I have played a few guitars with very low action and a great set up and they rang and sustained for days.

So to sum it all up I think it is more a matter of bad/good/great SET UP than action... 8)

YMMV

[TwinReverb]

....(really) high action gives more sharp notes?

I don't like strings buzzing on my fretboard. I had the strings really high for a long time (I love to bend and play with heavy strings). I have been lowering them a little the last couple of months though. Makes playing more comfortable and faster...

[Scotland]

Mine is set up to perfection and I use 10-46 strings. I have not raised it way too high, just a bit higher than the "usual" set up settings. There really is a marked improvement in tone, I tried it on my Strat a few minutes ago....same result there....BIG difference. Maybe it's the vintage frets, I don't know, but it's easier to bend the strings now and easier to get vibrato both with side movements and bending moves.

[zeb358]

Yup I agree Mr Scotland!

I love playing the blues and if you want those bends to come off nice you gotta raise your strings. Not too much though, so as not to compromise on the funky bar chords - becasue they can be a pain when the strings up way up in the air!

[Nick Fanis]

ooops!!Scotland you did not mention that you had vintage :evil: frets.
High action is the only way to have decent sound w/ these things!
That's why I always go JUMBO!!

[Raymond]

I like bending strings a lot and I found out that the Fender factory specs, strings 9s and 4/64" string height, was not the best string-bending set up.

I changed to 10s and raised the strings to 5/64" with a 0.010" relief. Even though it was harder to play at the beggining, after a couple of weeks I got used to the new set up and I can't be happier.

[Oster]

Higher action seems to keep the guitar in tune longer too!
I've read that Jimi Hendrix preferred a higher action with his set-up. The sad thing about high action is that although it makes guitars sound better (especially acoustics), it also makes your fingers sore and you tire much quicker (again, especially with acoustics). The ol' Catch 22.

[Bill Hullett]

I run my action on my vintage style necks (small frets) as high as I can handle it.....(which is pretty darn high....But I'll even go you another one...

I use a flat pole piece bridge pup..so I get the "D" and "G" strings up equally high and then set the bridge totally flat to match the magnets on the pup...this makes the outside strings even higher....Joe Glaser cusses me telling me I'm crazy...BUT....everyone that picks up my tele always comments on how great it plays....

Bill Hullett

[Geo]

JMO but....
I don't see how it could make much difference
as long as strings are not "pinging" on the high
frets too much when other notes are fretted.
Look at it this way, when you fret notes they end
up same on the fretboard not matter how your action
is set. If string clearance is enough to eliminate pinging
more isn't going to do anything more.
Keep in mind also the more that string has to travel to
the fret board the more the pitch changes.

I can see where it can help get leverage for bending.

[Jakedog]

Part of the reason you get better tone is because the strings are further from the frets, and don't buzz or get dampened. The other part of the reason you get more tone and sustain when you raise your action a hair, is because the strings are further away from the pick-ups. A pick-up is a magnet, and your strings are made of metal. the reason you get sound out of a guitar, is because a vibrating string disturbs a pick-ups magnetic field. However, that magnetic field does have an effect on how freely, and how long that string is allowed to vibrate. By moving the string a little further from the pick-up, you allow it to vibrate longer, and more freely, resulting in more sustain. Another effect of being further out toward the edge of the magnetic field, is that you get a more open, airy sound, which is usually percieved as a more natural, and smoother tone. Now as with anything else of course, you can over do it, and if you get the string too far from the pick-up, the result is a thin, weak tone, because the magnetic field isn't being disturbed enough.

Now that I've butted in sufficiently where I'm not really needed, I'll shut up. :D



Jake

[riffman]

Thicker string gauge gives more tone, and higher action (up to a point) lets notes ring clearer and allows for more effective bending and vibrato. Sometimes people adjust their pickups closer to the strings to get more output, but the magnetic pull on the strings can interfere with the natural vibration of the strings. I have found that the height of the neck pickup can have an effect on sustain when I am using my bridge pickup. When you raised the action, you may have reduced the effect of the magnets (in the pickups) on the strings.

Just my humble insight.

riffman

[riffman]

Originally Posted by Bill Hullett

I run my action on my vintage style necks (small frets) as high as I can handle it.....(which is pretty darn high....But I'll even go you another one...

I use a flat pole piece bridge pup..so I get the "D" and "G" strings up equally high and then set the bridge totally flat to match the magnets on the pup...this makes the outside strings even higher....Joe Glaser cusses me telling me I'm crazy...BUT....everyone that picks up my tele always comments on how great it plays....

Bill Hullett

That does sound crazy! But if it works for you, that's what counts. I initially set my action, by eye, to match the radius of the fretboard, then tweak for comfort, clarity, and playability.

riffman

[riffman]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I like bending strings a lot and I found out that the Fender factory specs, strings 9s and 4/64" string height, was not the best string-bending set up.

I changed to 10s and raised the strings to 5/64" with a 0.010" relief. Even though it was harder to play at the beggining, after a couple of weeks I got used to the new set up and I can't be happier.

That sounds about right for me, as well. I've never actually taken measurements, but 9-42s are too wimpy, and I take the action up about 1/32" from typical factory setups, and may add some relief to the neck. It has taken some getting used to, but the effort is well worth it. Notes ring clear as a bell, sustain is excellent, and riffs are still feeling funky, and open chords sound "open."

I played with a band that played everything tuned a half-step down, and I put 11-52s on my Tele, and the tone was incredible! Generally I just stick with 10-42s, but set up my action so they feel like 11-42s (I don't raise the low E and A strings any more than necessary to accomodate the action of the other strings).

[Dacious]

Vintage radius necks need more relief, which helps get the tone and bends without choking. The other thing is nice, level frets, for which the neck must be flat - all relief backed off or you're cutting the frets at either end more with the flatfile.

Small changes can make much difference - 1/8 turn or less on the trussrod. I also find slightly higher strings easier to intonate - don't know why.

[kendog]

Just tried the straight across string height and it worked great. I had always tried to match the radius of the fretboard before. It seems the bass volume is more even with the treble, intonation is easier, and no low string buzz. By the way Bill, I'm still using the ponytail ties for cord wraps too. Here's a little tip that's probably obvious to everyone already...If your old tele case is starting to have stubborn latches like mine, always carry it with the lid toward you so if it falls open your tele hits your leg instead of tumbling out.

[Colo Springs E]

......to where they even rattle a slight bit if I play aggressively. I cannot play with high action, therefore my tone is far worse when it's high.

-Eric

[selectortone]

I like heavy strings and a high action. I can't bend strings when they're too close to the fretboard. But then I grew up with a Framus and a Hofner....

[CountryShawn]

While I am not a fan of REALLY high action, I do like some clearance from the frets to minimize any buzzing.

REALLY high action causes intonation issues because of the extra tension on the fretted notes.

Somewhere in the middle is just right.

Shawn