How low is low action?

[Flyin' Brian]

Apropos of nothing other than reference: On the opposite end of the scale, it is said that Freddie Green had his action as high as 10mm at the 12th fret!!

[Jabberwocky]

Oldane is sneaking us into the very advanced (in my opinion) parts of this question.

In my view, I understand the buzz to which OD refers, but I have never had a practical problem with it. But in other news,...

1. The vast majority of nuts are so silly high, that a blanket, "Get the nuts down." seems best.

2. But yeah, there is more to it. But get the nuts DOWN.

3. There is some danger for an inexperienced, or unobservant, or hurried, tech/luthier setting up the slot with brand new strings that are not settled into a bend over the nut. I was going to say "nut horizon" but then it sounds as dreary as that awful Stephen Hawking book.

If the strings are not settled in, you can accidentally make the slots lower than the frets, which is the only thing worse (but not by much) than high slots.

But get the nuts DOWN.

4. Strings are not infinitely or perfectly flexible. This is not new info. But it does have an effect on how the vibration arc is shaped at the ends. You might think this would help first fret clearance, but a sort of node develops in stiffer strings and this can make for an odd transient vibration on open strings. So, if a player has:

a. a very strong attack
b. plays downward on the strings vs. very perpendicular to them
c. wants virtually no relief (and .002" is virtually none)

then yeah, you might want to sneak the low E and A higher by almost less than you can see.

But get the nuts DOWN.

In my opinion.

Chris

You are a fount of wisdom and knowledge. Hmm, do you have a blog somewhere where all your knowledge is collated? I would be the first to say that I read it on the web and yes, over at PTChristopher's blog so you know the info is golden.

OK, OK, a little bit of brown-nosing there but you know, credit where credit is due and all that.

[oldane]

Apropos of nothing other than reference: On the opposite end of the scale, it is said that Freddie Green had his action as high as 10mm at the 12th fret!!

He kept raising the action through his life. Someone measured it after he had died. It was ½" = 12mm. Green was quoted saying that "It took a while getting used to it".

I have posted this link more than once before, but anyway:

Travlin Light-Diane Schuur&Freddie Green - ???????????

[PTChristopher]

[Jabberwocky] >>> do you have a blog somewhere

********* Please consider bypassing this slightly extended answer; it counts as off-topic I think. **************

I have no practical online presence whatsoever. Up to now this has been intentional. I have spoken at some length with luthier/techs with a clear online presence and the experience is somewhat mixed. Not bad, but something I would want to have 100% planned and under control rather than just 'thrown out there'.

I would also have to be more responsible, have predictable and regular input, deal very carefully and well with seemingly odd politics or whatever creeps in - and so on. I'd also have to be more careful about the sloppy use of words like "node" to describe something.

I'd need to understand blogs better, especially any commercial aspects. There seems to be staggeringly little income for writing about guitars. The "broad market" has sensibilities that require some care if you want to talk details of any sort at all. I interpret much of the Stewmac writing as working to somehow keep the appeal broad, drive sales of their fine products, and maintain their credentials as a source of info as well as the real money-maker, widgets. (But in truth I have no info on their margin on a set of Grover tuners vs. a Stewmac-brand tool.)

I would not want to drive a large and expanding business of basic guitar tech work. This would mean employees and bound up capital that does not make sense for me now.

Anyway yes, easy to throw out a blog somewhere - considerably harder to have it be worth the effort and make some sense to do.

Chris

[Jabberwocky]

I understand where you're coming from. Kudos to you for your willingness to share, all the same.

Very Respectfully,

J