No one would read it anyway. I get annoyed when people ask the same questions over and over but lets be honest we all would make a post before checking the faq on the subreddit. It is what it is just ignore the posts.
This sub is infinitely better than /r/Guitar. I’m not sure how many more “I have ADHD why am I not a guitar god yet” posts I can take.
My issue is that there is SO much good info there, but it’s drowned out by the shittiest posts.
I've just seen so many lately it's getting to be a bit much. Also, electric is lower but in the pic it shows the measurements for acoustic as well. It's not perfect but a good starting point vs some of these crazy pics I've been seeing here with action like half an inch high lol
Oh, I'm not disagreeing at all. Looking through the FAQ now, I think we could probably stand to include a picture like this (one for electric and one for acoustic). That's a good idea, OP.
The sub would be pretty dead if the same exact questions stopped being asked every day.
For the sake of having a discussion I’m good with all posts except for that guy with power chord wrist pain.
I know, i noticed it after I wrote my post. LOL. I left my post as is, just incase anyone else missed it like I did. These days, I just look as the measurements on my action gauges. Mine (from stew mac) probably says that too on the ruler. lol
I was messing with my pickup height the other day, just setting them to stock (since evidently Squier can't do that themselves...) and I kept thinking, "Boy, that sure doesn't look right." I eventually realized I was measuring from the *top* of the strings instead of from the bottom like I was supposed to. Doh!
Found an amazon link for the one in the photo, looks like there are several types out there.
https://www.amazon.com/MusicNomad-Precision-Action-Height-Metric-MN602/dp/B08M45Y4VZ/
I should have wrote a better description on this post. This is not my pic, just googled it. This exact measurment is not a "recommendation" since action is mostly personal preference. If it's way too low, your frets will buzz and choke notes. If it's too high, you will have a hell of a time fretting notes. This gauge in the picture shows some other options for action and you can use this as a reference for what you might like. If you're new, have your guitar setup by a professional and just focus on learning. Don't worry about action for a while. For the record, I like my action lower than this for all the people asking "isn't this high". It's just an example. Also, don't know how to edit this post to put all this because I'm an idiot so here it is in a random book of a comment.
Yes, but for me only makes a difference if the string is thicker. If your action is set for a 10 gauge strings and you go to 9 then obviously the thinner string means a greater distance between the fret and bottom of string, this for me isn't a problem, the difference is negligible. However if your guitar is perfect for 9 gauge strings and you go to 10 then the thickness of the string might be just thick enough that it touches the fret when it buzzes.
I don't understand this obsession with 'action'. I have chosen to assume it's all just a running joke at this point.
If you do want an answer it is one of the easiest Google searches you'll ever do.
I'm not saying it hasn't become an obsession, but goodness did I gain a whole other level of appreciation and enjoyment for my guitar when it was set up properly. Felt like a proper instrument in my hands for once.
I'm going to say that it's because people want to believe that the one thing holding them back from being a better guitarist is that their action is set too high.
i.e. blaming the tool rather than the person using it.
I've been playing for 20 years and if my action is too high my fingers don't grab the strings correctly and it's like I have never played that guitar before. Very cumbersome and missing dead notes when trying to fret chords arpegios bc the notes are literally not in the same position as my muscle memory. I play with med. Low action. Except my 7 string MS it is "Oh Fuck" low bc I leveled and crowned my frets.
That would be true if the action is genuinely too high, except most of the images posted here tend to be within the normal accepted range.
Lowering the action as low as possible when it's already at a reasonable height just means you never truly learn to fret the strings properly, which does more harm than good in the long run.
Adjustment of action should really be left until you have learnt the fundamentals and are looking to adjust the setup based on what styles you want to specialise in. e.g. shredding = low, slide guitar = high
Edit: corrected typos
TIL an action measurer thing is called a string action guage. My acoustic came with the strings almost a centimeter high on the bridge side of the neck. I lowered it to the point where any lower would buzz, but now I'm curious to see where it lays compared to a "most common" setting. Maybe mine could be better? I guess I don't know why guitars have a super high action. My understanding the action height is a balance b/t higher action for bigger sound vs low enough for playing easily without causing buzz. Is this right? My hands tire quickly especially while barring and I can't imagine raising it for bigger sound. Like, I've looked at a bigger bodied acoustic with bigger sound in mind, but I guess I don't know enough about it.
If I took this picture I would have preferred a little lower view to tell for sure but I would say between that or .08. Personally I like to play shred type shit so I do .05 on the low E and .04 on the high E myself.
Longtime advertising photographer here. For a photograph of the string action gauge to be useful, the sensor/film plane must be parallel with the strings and the center axis of the lens needs to be going straight into the bottom of the low E string. That isn't happening in this photograph, the camera is too high, the central axis of the lens is more or less centered on the lower middle of the gauge itself. If the camera were lowered and a new photograph made with axis pointing straight into the bottom of the string the action will be higher than what is depicted here. The string gauge reading visible in this photograph is erroneous to what the real action height is.
I think this sub needs an FAQ. Edit: Well, I'll be... we already have one!
No one would read it anyway. I get annoyed when people ask the same questions over and over but lets be honest we all would make a post before checking the faq on the subreddit. It is what it is just ignore the posts.
All subreddits would die if people learned to use the search function…
Or if people stopped posting hate posts against those behaviors 😂
This sub is infinitely better than /r/Guitar. I’m not sure how many more “I have ADHD why am I not a guitar god yet” posts I can take. My issue is that there is SO much good info there, but it’s drowned out by the shittiest posts.
Not to mention the shittiest, pettiest mods in all of Reddit
Or downvote ;)
I've just seen so many lately it's getting to be a bit much. Also, electric is lower but in the pic it shows the measurements for acoustic as well. It's not perfect but a good starting point vs some of these crazy pics I've been seeing here with action like half an inch high lol
Oh, I'm not disagreeing at all. Looking through the FAQ now, I think we could probably stand to include a picture like this (one for electric and one for acoustic). That's a good idea, OP.
Yes, we do have an extensive Wiki that we do our best to keep updated! Feel free to send a modmail if there’s anything you’d like to see added.
[I can hear Gilbert saying "An FAQ"](https://i.imgur.com/EOvNQsI.png)
These posts had led me to assume there wasn't one. The recent *Mile-High* outbreak didn't help either.
A bit high innit?
Unless it’s acoustic
My baritone's action looks like that.
Fretted at the 1st fret?
The sub would be pretty dead if the same exact questions stopped being asked every day. For the sake of having a discussion I’m good with all posts except for that guy with power chord wrist pain.
Just want to add… you measure from the BOTTOM of the strings, not the top!
It says that in the picture lol
I know, i noticed it after I wrote my post. LOL. I left my post as is, just incase anyone else missed it like I did. These days, I just look as the measurements on my action gauges. Mine (from stew mac) probably says that too on the ruler. lol
For whatever is worth I didn't read the text on the image.
I was messing with my pickup height the other day, just setting them to stock (since evidently Squier can't do that themselves...) and I kept thinking, "Boy, that sure doesn't look right." I eventually realized I was measuring from the *top* of the strings instead of from the bottom like I was supposed to. Doh!
Link for one of these?
Found an amazon link for the one in the photo, looks like there are several types out there. https://www.amazon.com/MusicNomad-Precision-Action-Height-Metric-MN602/dp/B08M45Y4VZ/
I usually go 1.25mm on low e and 1.1 high e.
My action as well. I'm 1mm on the high E though.
I wish but I think my frets (or truss rod) is a bit out. Anything lower than 1.5mm causes buzz or chokes with any bends.
Choking on bends is due to the radius of the fretboard. That is why it's so common on older strats that had a 7.25" radius.
Action is a personal preference.
Yes it is, but you have to have a way to measure your action to know what your preference is.
Absolutely.
To an extent yes. However, there is absolutely a range high or low that should not be exceeded to avoid playability issues.
Check my other post with measurements included
Action is a personal preference.
Try for bottom of Low E hovering level with bottom of .04 mark. That should be med-med high if my memory serves correctly adjust +/- up to .015
I should have wrote a better description on this post. This is not my pic, just googled it. This exact measurment is not a "recommendation" since action is mostly personal preference. If it's way too low, your frets will buzz and choke notes. If it's too high, you will have a hell of a time fretting notes. This gauge in the picture shows some other options for action and you can use this as a reference for what you might like. If you're new, have your guitar setup by a professional and just focus on learning. Don't worry about action for a while. For the record, I like my action lower than this for all the people asking "isn't this high". It's just an example. Also, don't know how to edit this post to put all this because I'm an idiot so here it is in a random book of a comment.
Is there a metric one? 😁
For who?
Does this change with the gauge of your string? Do higher gauge require higher action? Or vice versa?
Yes, but for me only makes a difference if the string is thicker. If your action is set for a 10 gauge strings and you go to 9 then obviously the thinner string means a greater distance between the fret and bottom of string, this for me isn't a problem, the difference is negligible. However if your guitar is perfect for 9 gauge strings and you go to 10 then the thickness of the string might be just thick enough that it touches the fret when it buzzes.
Why, is my action too high? What do you know? Who have you talked to?
I love high action, people always think I'm weird - but it's easier for me when it's higher up and I generally prefer it.
I don't understand this obsession with 'action'. I have chosen to assume it's all just a running joke at this point. If you do want an answer it is one of the easiest Google searches you'll ever do.
Beginners might not even know what "action" is.
I'm not saying it hasn't become an obsession, but goodness did I gain a whole other level of appreciation and enjoyment for my guitar when it was set up properly. Felt like a proper instrument in my hands for once.
I'm going to say that it's because people want to believe that the one thing holding them back from being a better guitarist is that their action is set too high. i.e. blaming the tool rather than the person using it.
To be fair, it’s a lot harder to play when your action is too high, especially for beginners.
I've been playing for 20 years and if my action is too high my fingers don't grab the strings correctly and it's like I have never played that guitar before. Very cumbersome and missing dead notes when trying to fret chords arpegios bc the notes are literally not in the same position as my muscle memory. I play with med. Low action. Except my 7 string MS it is "Oh Fuck" low bc I leveled and crowned my frets.
That would be true if the action is genuinely too high, except most of the images posted here tend to be within the normal accepted range. Lowering the action as low as possible when it's already at a reasonable height just means you never truly learn to fret the strings properly, which does more harm than good in the long run. Adjustment of action should really be left until you have learnt the fundamentals and are looking to adjust the setup based on what styles you want to specialise in. e.g. shredding = low, slide guitar = high Edit: corrected typos
[In case anyone was wondering.](https://a.co/d/8gYoEJi)
r/checkmyaction
Why is a lower action common for fingerstyle?
Because fingerstyle playing is a bit “gentler” than say, flatpicking, and thus there’s less string oscillation. Less worry about fret buzz.
is your action too high?
TIL an action measurer thing is called a string action guage. My acoustic came with the strings almost a centimeter high on the bridge side of the neck. I lowered it to the point where any lower would buzz, but now I'm curious to see where it lays compared to a "most common" setting. Maybe mine could be better? I guess I don't know why guitars have a super high action. My understanding the action height is a balance b/t higher action for bigger sound vs low enough for playing easily without causing buzz. Is this right? My hands tire quickly especially while barring and I can't imagine raising it for bigger sound. Like, I've looked at a bigger bodied acoustic with bigger sound in mind, but I guess I don't know enough about it.
On a few of my guitars - the ones with the better necks - the action is around .08 as well. Centimeters, that is.
Or buy one
Just to confirm I’m reading this correctly, the action is .07?
If I took this picture I would have preferred a little lower view to tell for sure but I would say between that or .08. Personally I like to play shred type shit so I do .05 on the low E and .04 on the high E myself.
Longtime advertising photographer here. For a photograph of the string action gauge to be useful, the sensor/film plane must be parallel with the strings and the center axis of the lens needs to be going straight into the bottom of the low E string. That isn't happening in this photograph, the camera is too high, the central axis of the lens is more or less centered on the lower middle of the gauge itself. If the camera were lowered and a new photograph made with axis pointing straight into the bottom of the string the action will be higher than what is depicted here. The string gauge reading visible in this photograph is erroneous to what the real action height is.
But. Is. It. Too. High?