Guitar & Musician Forums

I'm not one for a neck that has a high action on it. I'm lucky that the guitar I bought stock came with a low action neck setting. My acoustic isn't low, but it really isn't too high either.

What is the difference between low and high action? Are there any examples of each?

Are you referring to the height of the bridge? Defining how high the strings are off of the fretboard?

Olly wrote:Are you referring to the height of the bridge? Defining how high the strings are off of the fretboard?

yes, that is what I meant

I certainly prefer a low action myself suits my style of playing.

Are there actually any advantages to a high action?

Olly wrote:I certainly prefer a low action myself suits my style of playing.

Are there actually any advantages to a high action?

I think maybe if someone is using the guitar mainly for slide playing

Yeah, because the slide tends to hit the frets. To really set a neck up needs not just the truss rod agjusted, but in many cases the back of the nut and the bridge saddle filed down.

if you want to check your action ...there should be a gap of 2mm between the 6th string and 12th fret
and a gap of 1.6mm between the first string and the 12th fret...this is a general setting assuming the relief of the neck is correct ( slightly concave from 1st fret to end of fingerboard )also make sure the clearance of the string from the nut over the first fret is the same as the clearance over the second fret when stopping the string at the first fret...sometimes its a mile too high esp with accoustics...( a credit card is about .8mm
thick)

Excellent advice. Thanks!

theres loads of info on youtube about setting up your guitar ...might be worth a look..view as many as poss
to get a general idea