How high or low setup

  • Thread starter Thread starter MKibanez
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MKibanez

MKibanez

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Hey guys, I am curious to know how high or low do you setup your guitar? On my Jem I am at 1.4 mm at 12 th fret under the string.
 
Each axe is different. I setup to where there's no buzz. I start at 4/64 and 3.5/64th High side and tweak from there
 
4/64 under each string at the 12th fret. The 3 plain strings right on the 4/64s line.
 
I don't do it by mm, I do by feel. First I set the neck pretty flat (no bow), then adjust the string height so they're low enough to easily play, but high enough to not flub out or make it difficult to get my fingers under them for bends.

Year ago I decided that fret noise while I play wasn't important (couldn't be heard through the amp) as long as the strings ring out long enough.
 
1 mm on the high E, 1.75 mm on the low E on my Les Pauls.

I play very differently on the high strings compared to the low strings, so I like medium action on the low strings and low action on the high strings. I used to have 1.5 on the low E, but I've been playing harder lately, so I felt like raising it up a bit. Still not sure if I like it though. I wish I could get it all-around lower, but then again, these are Les Pauls, not Ibanez RG's.

I do dislike the feel of high action. But moreso, I hate the notion of it, especially on nicer guitars. I mean, if the guitar has to have mile-high action to sound its best, I might as well be playing a Glarry. JMO.
 
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I usually start at about 1.6mm high E and 2.1mm Low E. And there is a tiny, tiny jump from the unwound strings to the wounds and another between the 5th and 6th strings. Then go from there but that's always pretty close. I like a little extra room for it to ring out really loud.
 
glpg80 said:
It’s a feel thing for me. I don’t target a number. I hate bow in a neck and set my necks up to be straight.
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This is a great point and probably should be included in any numbers for string height. Change the relief and the string height changes. I just now setup a new Tele neck and will probably be doing that relief/action dance for the neck day+ while it settles in.
 
The thing about going by feel, for me, is the problem of reproductibility. If for some reason your setup moves (neck relief changes, for some reason the bridge moves while changing strings, etc.), it's hard to get it feeling the same as it did before. Personally, I'm very OCD about that.

Plus I like to keep a sense of consistency around all my guitars. I don't like grabbing one of my guitars and suddenly feeling super alien.

But that's just me.
 
Right around 1/32" at last (22 or 24) and 12th frets- usually just above it on low E and right at or just below with the high E
 
8len8 said:
I don't do it by mm, I do by feel. First I set the neck pretty flat (no bow), then adjust the string height so they're low enough to easily play, but high enough to not flub out or make it difficult to get my fingers under them for bends.

Year ago I decided that fret noise while I play wasn't important (couldn't be heard through the amp) as long as the strings ring out long enough.
Click to expand...

This is where I'm at too - but I probably have a lot to learn still. As a matter of fact, I know I have a lot to learn as it relates to setups.
 
glpg80 said:
It’s a feel thing for me. I don’t target a number. I hate bow in a neck and set my necks up to be straight.
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I agree about the straight setup. And Dan Erlewine agrees with us.

I shoot for 1 mm between the bottom of the string and the 12th fret. That's quite low but can be achieved even on a 7 1/4 radius neck if the frets are leveled "perfectly".
 
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