Guitar spacing setting

[Jazz1984]

I want to ask you whether the spacing of jazz guitars is less adjusted? Mine is currently 1.5mm in the twelfth square of the sixth string and 1.25mm in the twelfth square of the first string

[Runepune]

I'm guessing you mean string height/action? Completely dependent on string gauge, and scale lenght. I used to be on 13's with low action, but starting to prefer thinner ones with higher action. Currently on a 25,5" with 11's at about 2 and 1,5 mm. Could probably raise them a bit.

[sgosnell]

Action depends on nut slot heights, neck relief, bridge height, and level frets (or not). In order to get the lowest possible action, you need all these adjusted perfectly. It's a fiddly process, at least for me.

[AllanAllen]

I took my guitar to a guy and asked him to make it low, but not buzzy. I have no idea what it's measured at, if the strings get high I can usually get back to the ballpark with a tweak of the truss rod.

[deacon Mark]

The truss rod is only for relief and while it can affect the action it is not the most important part of the equation. Getting a guitar dialed in can take sometimes a bit of time and much work. Playing with a setting then changing things as we go. I go through periods where I decide to lower the action a bit mostly on treble side. I go till I almost get buzz or some noise. Then I think I like it but a few days later I can then decide I want better tone, so I move it back up where it was or close. I find I do this on some guitars much more than others, some never. I cannot figure out why but seems to be the case.

The key before anything else is to have the strings at the first fret and the height at the nut to be as low as possible with no buzzing on 1st fret with open strings. From this point you set the relief you like and personally I don't like too much almost flat but not flat. At this point then it all depends on the bridge, and you go to the bridge and dial things in. Given you have the neck set, then everything is really out of the equation except the bridge, and you tweak as needed. If you get your guitar set up professionally this is way it should come because the player, then can adjust the action at the bridge depending.

Once in great while I have done a Strolling gig in the past where I play totally acoustic moving around to various places at the venue, usually tables. I always move the action up just a bit for something like this to get more volume. I remember the great Howard Roberts explaining how he moved the action all the time as depending on the day and the way his hands were working. To me this make perfect sense. Some days I go out to ride my road bike and I look for hills to climb and other days it is a flat course.

[sgosnell]

I agree the truss rod is for relief, but relief is part of the setup process. I think that to get the lowest possible action, the neck has to be completely straight with no relief. With relief, the action is inevitably higher in the center of the neck, because of the bow. I completely understand that some players prefer some relief, and how much is a grey area at best. On my guitars I put just enough relief to be able to fret the string(s) at the first and (usually) 14th frets (that's where the neck meets the body) and when I tap on the string between all the frets, I get just barely a sound, meaning there is just a hair of relief, probably not enough to actually measure. Others like more relief, and that's entirely up to them. Someone being paid to do setups won't do it the way I do, because mine requires frequent adjustment to keep it at peak playability, and having guitars returned for buzzes is unprofitable. I also agree that having the lowest possible action without getting fret buzz when the strings are lightly plucked is fine for amplified playing, but for acoustic the strings have to be hit harder, and higher action is needed. That's easy enough through turning the adjustment wheels on the bridge. Heavy strumming might also benefit from just a tiny bit more relief, but I don't usually go there. I'm another that adjusts action pretty often. Temperature, humidity, and my ears change regularly.

[John A.]

I want to ask you whether the spacing of jazz guitars is less adjusted? Mine is currently 1.5mm in the twelfth square of the sixth string and 1.25mm in the twelfth square of the first string

It is normal for the bass strings to be a little higher than the treble strings. Those measurements are fairly low action (which most people prefer). If it feels comfortable to you and the strings are not buzzing, leave it alone. If it feels too easy to play and/or the strings are buzzing against the frets, you could raise it by about .25 mm.