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Question About Action and String Height

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(@jcjxxl)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 44
Topic starter  

My question is more about the string height. Should the distance from the fretboard to the string be the same from the nut to the body?

For example, I noticed that at fret 1 my strings are pretty low to the fretboard but as you move up the neck toward the body the gap between the fretboard and string is quite a bit larger. Shouldn't it be the same amount of gap from the nut all the way to the body?


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

Nope. It needs to increase as you go down toward the body, as the strings flex more easily as you move away from the nut and they vibrate farther around the middle of the strings.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@jcjxxl)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 44
Topic starter  

Thanks for the answer. I can now go back to playing :)


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
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Have fun!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@trguitar)
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Joined: 17 years ago
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By all means keep playing! :twisted:

"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --


   
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 klim
(@klim)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 269
 

Try this site for an explanation:

http://frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Guitar/Setup/LowerAction/loweraction01.html


   
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(@violet-s)
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Joined: 21 years ago
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I recently read an interesting note in a guitar magazine which said that the greater the action the better the tone the guitar produces, on an acoustic anyway, but it hampers speed, thats why Tommy Emmanuel has his action as low as possible so that his speed isn't hindered.


   
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(@rahul)
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Joined: 18 years ago
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I recently read an interesting note in a guitar magazine which said that the greater the action the better the tone the guitar produces, on an acoustic anyway, but it hampers speed, thats why Tommy Emmanuel has his action as low as possible so that his speed isn't hindered.

I think one metre of action on my acoustic guitar (at the 12th fret - bass side) will make my guitar sound like Martin D-100.


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
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Set the action too high and your intonation goes all to pot.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@rahul)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2736
 

Set the action too high and your intonation goes all to pot.

And if you flush it down accidently, then 'intonation' almost becomes irrecoverable, unless you plan to take a dip at the city drains.


   
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(@anonymous)
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Joined: 17 years ago
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huh?


   
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(@nicktorres)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 5381
 

It isn't the action that changes the tone, it's the break angle over the bridge. Guitars with higher action usually have a greater break angle, but it isn't always so. You aren't really changing tone so much as increasing the amount of energy transfered from the strings to the top.

Also better tone is in the ear of the beholder. Most high end guitars don't have high action.


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

It's also quite possible that someone invented that to help him unload cheap guitars with high action. :lol:

(Kind of like the "Class A watts are louder than Class AB watts" myth invented by some seller of low powered Class A amps.)

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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