New Tele Action question...

[kbbauman]

Hello!

After saving, I gifted myself a nice tele. I took it to a guy that sets up guitars how I like and he said "Why? This is fine." We both noted that the string height was a little uneven, but the relief was fine. So, I finally got around to it...found my tiny screwdriver, and 45 mins later, the action was really really nice. I measured 5/64" behind the string at the 12th fret. The weather/humidity has been crazy lately, and now the action is even a hair lower. I'm not sure I've ever had a guitar that set up this low without buzzing.

I guess my question is this...when is action too low with regard to playing? I'm sure that's everyone's choice, but I'm kind of wondering if this is something you get used to, or if there are reasons that action this low just isn't my cup of tea? I don't play hard. I suppose the guitar feels delicate now in a way? I'm wondering if some kinds of playing rely on the guitar "playing back" a little? Do folks find that there's more unanticipated noise because it's easier to make contact with the fretboard? I think I read somewhere that people like the action high enough to get the bent string under the string above it for some reason.

Just looking for experiences from people that tried playing low and for some reason went back to either normal, or higher action I guess.

Anyway, thanks for listening!

 

[DrBeezus]

What?

 

[kbbauman]

Sorry if that sounds like complete nonsense, maybe it is!

 

[oatsoda]

Yes, when the action is way low, you can expect more fret slap, release harmonics, etc.

 

[DrBeezus]

Sorry if that sounds like complete nonsense, maybe it is!

It doesn't but your post was missing for a bit.

 

[Gary in Boston]

Rare is the guitar, if at all that has really low action and no fret buzz, fret slap etc.

 

[Wallaby]

If it's too low bending strings can get weird, the fingertip rolls over the adjacent string instead of either pushing it or pushing under it. Other reasons might be if there are uneven frets, playing bottleneck, pulloffs could be harder, etc.

I like about 4/64 on both E strings and low nut action, and not much relief. I'm a fingerpicker and that suits the way I play. Sometimes I can get the action lower with level frets, but then it's so sensitive to humidity changes in my house I'm constantly adjusting things.

 

[boris bubbanov]

I like to establish that the action can be really low (good way to spot a twisting neck or some trouble fretwork).

But then I raise the action back up to actually play the guitar. I think the sound is bigger, when the action is not overly low.

 

[kbbauman]

It doesn't but your post was missing for a bit.

Sorry about that!

 

[kbbauman]

Interesting, and thanks to all. I don't like messing with it all the time, and I could absolutely see how humidity could get annoying if it's always on the edge. I think I'll raise it back up a hair. And maybe I'd have gotten use to it, but at 4/64", the action feels delicate to me now and I'm not playing the way I normally do. Thanks again!

 

[giogolf]

If properly setup with level frets and a straight neck I have achieved a noiseless 3/64th low E @12th Fret and 2/64th on high E without issue for some of my clients..

I however do not like such low action for the bending reasons above..

My Tele and Strats are right around 4-5/64ths..

 

[Sea Devil]

I have measurements I typically use these days, but I always just used to do hammer-ons and pull-offs to see whether the action might be too low. If the notes aren't approximately the same volume, it's too low. (That assumes that everything else is OK.)

My measurements are just above 4/64" for the low E, just below for the high, with minimal relief (typically around .006", but never more than .008" and sometimes as little as .002").

 

[ponycar]

I just saw an interview with Albert Lee. He is candid about his dislike for too low of an action. He knows some stuff...

 

[AAT65]

My measurements are just above 4/64" for the low E, just below for the high, with minimal relief (typically around .006", but never more than .008" and sometimes as little as .002").

Off by one there in the decimals… 4/64” (= 1/16”) = 0.0625” — 6 hundredths, not 6 thousandths…

 

[Sea Devil]

No, I'm not. Action may be at .0625", but relief is .006". Someone with over six thousand posts should know the difference, and I'm sure you do!

 

[ahiddentableau]

You're overthinking this. If you are happy with the way the guitar sounds then you're good. If you're unhappy, then change it. There's no iron law you can apply to setting your action. The lower you go the more likely you are to get buzz and have notes choke out. You also lose a bit of resonance, although that doesn't matter nearly as much on an electric as it does on an acoustic. It's entirely a matter of preference. And feel. Low action definitely changes the feel. But it's a really easy thing to change and experiment with. If you think you're missing out or you dislike the way the guitar feels with really low action, by all means, raise your saddles. Worst case scenerio you don't like it and lower it back down again. No biggie.

 

[kuch]

I've been setting up guitars for over 20 years. I never measure anything.

It all depends on your playing style and "feel".

What I like to do, and it's my preference only: Set the relief, lower the action low to where it buzzes, raise slowly maybe 1/4 turn on the saddle screws at a time, play until it stops buzzing all the way up the fretboard. While adjusting, I play with a varied "attack" that includes the hardest strumming I use for songs I play. All that matters is your "feel".

Don't forget to intonate after making changes to your string height. Remember, intonation slightly changes the "feel" of your guitar also.

Good luck

 

[Sea Devil]

Even my measurements are just a starting point. What feels right is right. But I do know what I like.

 

[Brent Hutto]

The nice thing about Telecasters and other guitars with similar bridges, if the humidity changes or whatever you can tweak the action height up or down in like a minute flat and see if it plays better. So there's no real guesswork needed. If it feels off try it a little lower or higher and if that doesn't help, put it back where it was.

Just out of curiosity, I just went and checked my Tele with my little StewMac gauge. It's at around .075" to .080" on all six strings at the moment. That means it's moved a bit since I last checked it a couple months ago (at that time it was about .064" on the 1st string up to .078" on the 6th) but it feels great so I'm not going to change it.

I played one used Telecaster in Guitar Center that had some other "issues" but the action was the lowest I'd played without feeling like the strings were getting muffled or outright buzzing. I think the top strings were in the neighborhood of .052" or .055" and even the low E string was around .060". Pretty slick, felt great.

 

[Matthias]

Low action, presuming a decent fret job, is a trade off with both playing style and string gauge. It’s like a fret buzz triangle. I have settled on a low-but-not-decked action (somewhere around 0.06”/1.5mm) but 10s and dialling back pick my attack a little. It surprised me how clean bends can be achieved on a vintage radius with the right technique. I’ve found the same on a low action.