New Tele Action question...

[mfguitar]

This year is crazy, I have never had to adjust my guitars more. I don't care for the lowest possible action but I know players that do. I do all of my own setups as well and I just know when it is right for me.

 

[Beachbum]

You listed the correct answers to your question and you're right about all of them.

 

[dspellman1]

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

I've played with low action almost all the time I've been playing (several decades) and I have no intentions or inclination toward swapping for higher action. My original guitar teacher told me that, with reference to electric guitars at least: "The pickups are there for a reason. Let them do the work!" The next part of learning to play with low action is to discover how to get a wider dynamic range coming out of the amp. It's easier with higher action, but eminently doable with low.

 

[Killing Floor]

I was doing some research and came across the theory that everyone likes their setup a little different.

 

[Chicago Matt]

Don't know if this experience helps, but...
With a 7 1/4" radius and very little relief, in order to get good ringing tone with no choking on big bends up high, I end up with around 5/64" at the 17th fret.

 

[schmee]

I need a bit more feel for playing gigs in a group, so action too low is not for me. I hate even minor buzzing also. .062 is too low for me. At .070-.080 at the 12th fret on the high E it's easier stretching etc and I play slide a little but not enough for a separate guitar to be carried around.
My low E is more like .090-.100 at 12th fret.

 

[Mr Ridesglide]

I tend to go with a higher action than most folks I know. I like a little more fight from guitars than is the norm. But to test out the height, I typically do string bends in a few different spots to make sure I'm clearing the strings above the bended ones.

 

[Ricky D.]

OP, this is a situation where you only have to please yourself. Absolutely personal preference.

I set my action as low as possible with no string buzz/rattle unplugged. I do it by ear and measure after I’m done. High E 4/64”, low E 5-6/64”. All four of my guitars end up the same.

 

[Brent Hutto]

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.

Darn this thread!

I was perfectly happy with my Telecaster until I got curious and went and measured to find the action had "migrated" a little higher (plus the neck relief was slightly increased) compared to late summer when the humidity wasn't so low.

I swear once I did those measurements, it became impossible NOT to notice that yes the strings really did have to be pressed down farther. Waaaht?

Fortunately, it took like three minutes with a hex driver to nudge everything back down to my .063" comfort zone (plus a few thousandths extra under the 5th and 6th strings) and to back off the truss rod about 1/10 of a turn. Ahhhhh, that feels so much better now

 

[AndrewG]

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!

A too low action makes string bends and vibrato feel 'stiffer', especially with low, vintage-style frets. I like my setup low enough for comfort, but just high enough so I can grab the string for bends without slipping off it. It usually takes me a couple of weeks' trial and error to get the action just right while a guitar settles into its new environment. I never measure anything; if it feels right, it is right. Curiously I found a slightly higher action seems to loosen up the feel too. I tried this with my Noventa Tele.

 

[Wrighty]

I’ve long since given up measuring action or even trying to define what feels right. Every guitar I own probably has a different action height. I just start with the top and bottom Es, getting them to the right place by feel. Then I’ll do whatever it takes to make them buzz-free. From there on I do each string against the next, starting with getting the B to feel right under my fingers against the top E. If I set it and find it frets out anywhere or dies when I bend it, I do everything I can to cure it but keep the relationship between it and the top E the same. Probably sounds complicated but I’ve found that whatever the neck radius or string gauge, it works for me.

 

[68Kustom68]

A too low action makes string bends and vibrato feel 'stiffer', especially with low, vintage-style frets. I like my setup low enough for comfort, but just high enough so I can grab the string for bends without slipping off it. It usually takes me a couple of weeks' trial and error to get the action just right while a guitar settles into its new environment. I never measure anything; if it feels right, it is right. Curiously I found a slightly higher action seems to loosen up the feel too. I tried this with my Noventa Tele.

I'm looking now at break angles. A tall nut means tall bridge means greater break angles means higher string tension means more neck bow. Dealing with a Tele right now where the nut slot height seems almost double what it should be.

Not sure why the nut was cut to this (lack of) depth, but looking now to lower and loosen the action by filing down these slots a bit and then dropping the overal height of the nut so that strings aren't buried.

 

[Wrighty]

I was doing some research and came across the theory that everyone likes their setup a little different.

Yep, few like it right but most like it wrong……………..

 

[Thebluesman]

Yep, few like it right but most like it wrong……………..

There is no right nor wrong.it either suits or does not.the action(string height preference) is to personal taste since every player ,his musical preferences is and will be unique=thus the resulting set up that now suits will be unique.a few thou'' difference can be felt via the fret fingers etc.that is what steers the end result that pleases.

 

[Thebluesman]

I'm looking now at break angles. A tall nut means tall bridge means greater break angles means higher string tension means more neck bow. Dealing with a Tele right now where the nut slot height seems almost double what it should be.

Not sure why the nut was cut to this (lack of) depth, but looking now to lower and loosen the action by filing down these slots a bit and then dropping the overal height of the nut so that strings aren't buried.

Lower the action at the nut-Affects from fret 1-fret 5 approx..remaining frets unaffected.,...But now lower the saddle height(s) too affects all the frets=Lowers the action overall.

 

[Wrighty]

There is no right nor wrong.it either suits or does not.the action(string height preference) is to personal taste since every player ,his musical preferences is and will be unique=thus the resulting set up that now suits will be unique.a few thou'' difference can be felt via the fret fingers etc.that is what steers the end result that pleases.

In my own daft way, that was what I was getting at

 

[Thebluesman]

In my own daft way, that was what I was getting at

exactly=you gave a different interpretation and still nailed it 100%

 

[Thebluesman]

there are no ''must be'' measurements or rules applied.''they'' are only suggestions/guidelines/to attain a result.

 

[Thebluesman]

I'm looking now at break angles. A tall nut means tall bridge means greater break angles means higher string tension means more neck bow. Dealing with a Tele right now where the nut slot height seems almost double what it should be.

Not sure why the nut was cut to this (lack of) depth, but looking now to lower and loosen the action by filing down these slots a bit and then dropping the overal height of the nut so that strings aren't buried.

1 ]At the bridge the lower the saddle the lesser the brake angle will be[but not so much the string tension.]
2]the factory installed nut-the string slots may have been left medium/high=still functional though it now has enough height to now make lower[to taste]=lowers the string height etc.

 

[nielDa]

Been following this thread. For all posts, I’m curious about string gauges, which would make a difference. For adjustments (I’m probably not the only one doing this) I use the height adjustment screw pitch as an approximation. Turning a 6/32 screw 360 degrees for instance raises the height at the 12th fret 1/64”.