For those who prefer low action on an electric…

[Colo Springs E]

….do you also go with pretty low on acoustic?

I frikking HATE high action, even on an acoustic. While I can live with a minimal amount of buzzing on an electric guitar, I don’t want it at all on an acoustic. So it’s really hard for me to get action like I like it on an acoustic guitar.

How bout you?

 

[Freeman Keller]

I have exactly the same specifications for all of my guitars with the exception of the resonators and the classical.

I call this "medium low" and it works for fingerstyle on all my instruments

- Stable guitar, properly hydrated
- Perfect frets, deal with any issues at the neck to body
- Relief 0.004 to 0.006
- First fret clearane high E 0.014, low E 0.018 (rising from high E to low E)
- Twelfth fret clearance high E 0.060 to 0.065, low E 0.090 to 0.095 (rising from high E to low E)
- intonation within 5 cents

I normally run 12's on acoustics and 10's on electrics. I down tune acoustic all the time and some times run 13's if I'm going to.

If I'm working one someone else's guitar I measure it before I start, ask them what they think about it, watch them play. I'll use the same target values but might change them slightly.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I learned how to play on an acoustic back in 1975 on actually, a pretty decent MIJ Martin D28 copy ( I didn't know that then; it was $145!)

Learned how to play rhythm, in the context of a church folk/rock group that practiced twice a week...fun!

2 years later my 1st electric- and pretty much since it's been 50/50 between electric and acoustic playing/practicing/ gigs.

I guess my point is I've dealt with moderate action on acoustics and low ( not too...) on electrics and it's never been an issue

Don't like buzzing on anything,
and IMO good, pro setups ( not me!) make the playing easier and you can sound great.

 

[KokoTele]

Freeman's setup is basically factory specs, though most mfrs allow a hair more relief and call for lower action at the nut. I set up my guitars about like that if I'm playing slide on it.

For a setup for standard playing on an acoustic (i.e. not slide, not slack tunings) here's my formula:

Frets level
First fret clearance is about .005" (a little higher on the wound E and A)
Relief ~.005"
12th fret action 4/64" to 5/64"

If it rattles or buzzes with that setup, it's due to technique and you'll have to raise the action awfully high to defeat that.

FWIW, my regular electric setup is the same except the action is about 1/64" lower. Big benders will either want lighter strings, taller frets, or higher action.

 

[LOSTVENTURE]

Looking at how the string vibration is transferred to the body, and how that translates to the instruments overall tone, the action on an acoustic is going to be a little higher on the acoustic. My T5z has action higher than any of my solid bodies, but is still very comfortable to play.

 

[rze99]

I like a low action and 10-46 strings on my Guild acoustic I have a similarly low action but 11-56.

 

[kuch]

YES! I like low action on my electrics and acoustics.
I have 3 Martins now, and I've bought one for my daughter and a couple for 2 of my grandsons. I lowered the action on all of them. I never measure anything so I can't give you specifics.

Make sure that the frets are leveled, you have on the gauge of strings that you're going to be using, and adjust the neck relief.
Next I loosen the strings and take off the saddle and nut. I mark 1/16 of an inch from the bottom of each and file them down to the mark. It really makes it easier if you have a vice to do the work.
Reinstall both, tune and play the guitar. When you get close, you might want to file down 1/32 or 1/64th at a time.
Repeat as necessary until you get it where you want it and there's no buzzing.

It takes time and patience but I love the way my acoustics play.... and the grandkids and daughter love it too.

good luck

 

[uriah1]

Yep. Especially as I age.
With new acoustics I always sand saddle
and or nut..or have someone do it for max
playability.

If I were a slide player, all bets are off.

 

[ChicknPickn]

If it rattles or buzzes with that setup, it's due to technique and you'll have to raise the action awfully high to defeat that.

Ain't that the truth.

 

[Tarkus60]

My buddy and I have my D18 pretty darn low!
We worked her pretty good. So much easier to play.
I use 12's

 

[Boreas]

Much of the issue revolves around HOW we play each instrument. An electric is AMPLIFIED, so it doesn't require much of an attack. Attack nuances are often more for tone as opposed to volume dynamics.

An acoustic instrument requires attack changes as part of its dynamic range. So if you play an acoustic LOUD, you are typically going to need higher action to allow for the string travel. Light fingerpicking, not so much.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

Acoustic : a very lively/loud Gibson LG-2 copy , the expected short 24 3/4” scale length, strung with phosphor 13’s* (that are rarely changed) and set with low action.

Not rattly fret noise low action, but just slightly higher than that .

* I had this guitars for three years before I finally got up the nerve to put 13s on it and that transformed it into one of the finest acoustics I’ve ever played including many, many vintage flattops.

 

[bottlenecker]

Really low action on an acoustic is like a potato in the tailpipe. I don't like it on electric, but I despise it on an acoustic. It cuts off half it's dynamic range.

 

[schmee]

….do you also go with pretty low on acoustic?

I frikking HATE high action, even on an acoustic. While I can live with a minimal amount of buzzing on an electric guitar, I don’t want it at all on an acoustic. So it’s really hard for me to get action like I like it on an acoustic guitar.

How bout you?

I had a very old Martin R-18 acoustic arch top that had the lowest action and truest ring of all my guitars.... acoustic or electric. So I guess it's possible. Like .060" on the high E.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Low. I like twelves.

 

[Colo Springs E]

Low low action is where it’s at!

 

[Kingpin]

I definitely prefer action on the low side. Acoustic guitar, by nature, isn't ever going to be quite as low as electric. I set it to the point where I can still "dig in" a bit without noticeable buzzing or fret slap.

 

[KelvinS1965]

Low low action is where it’s at!

I like mine low and use 11s. I mostly play with it plugged in though as it's just for occasional open mic use, where they typically put it through the PA. I've cut the nut to my ideal level, tweaked the saddle(s) as they are individual and I found some packing pieces under them. Can't remember the measurements, but it's just above buzzing when I play as hard as I can.

At home I might occasionally play it acoustically, but if I'm recording I put it through an acoustic guitar sim pedal to give me more choices with the sound. I'm sure the acoustic die hards will recoil in horror at that thought though.

PS. It's a cheap, but quite old Washburn. I tried some newer and more expensive models at Andertons but couldn't see the benefit for my use/needs. I'm pretty much 99% an electric player.