Ernie Ball 2221
Regular Slinky Strings
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Electric Guitar Set-ups & Action Adjustment
Adjust Action (Set-up)- Action is a term used to describe the general feel or comfort of an instrument as well as it's ability to play cleanly. If an instrument is said to have "high action" then most often one is referring to the height of the strings from the frets and fingerboard. The higher the strings are from the frets, the more force is required to fret the string and that of course can be a source of great discomfort. Different instruments and different playing styles will dictate different set-ups.
Things that may directly affect action are:
 | Weather / Environment Changes in the instruments wood due to humidity or lack thereof (swelling and shrinking) most often show their effects on the neck of a solid body electric guitar.
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| Wear and Tear Wear in the grooves of the nut and/or bridge saddles can cause the strings to be closer to the frets and if low enough, create a buzz.
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| String Gauge A change in string gauge/tension will affect the relief of the neck and the height of the strings from the frets. Changing string gauge will also greatly affect tremolo settings.
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| Playing Style I used to play thrash metal, now I'm playing jazz....haha. Ok, it could happen. Some players may find what use to suit their playing style is no longer adequate or complementary.
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Depending the abilities of the instrument and the needs of the player adjustments can be made to improve the instruments action.
Typical adjustments that improve action are:
| Precise slotting of the nut corrects string height from the frets to prevent buzzing and string angle over the nut, which affects sustain and clarity. Appropriate slot width allows the string to slide thru smoothly without binding and causing tuning problems. More about the nut.
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| Correct height and spacing of the saddles also affects overall string height and picking coordination.
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| Correct relief in the neck provides ample room for the strings to vibrate without contacting the frets and buzzing.
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| Level and well dressed frets contribute greatly to the overall playability of any instrument. Level frets allow for lower action, corrects the 'high fret' buzz, removes sharp edges and small grooves caused by string wear. Badly worn frets can also affect intonation.
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| Correct intonation keeps you in tune all the way up the neck.
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| Correct tremolo settings may help to relieve some of the headaches of intonation and tuning.
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Different playing styles benefit from different set-up's. It's always my goal to make your instrument play the best it can for you.
When setting up an instrument I will usually ask you to play for me. Questions and observations on my part can help me determine the best set up for you and your instrument, this is why I shy away from requests from customers wishing to ship their instrument via mail for nothing more than a set up.
In my opinion, there is no such thing as "one size fits all" when setting up instruments. That's why those who base set ups solely on "numbers" may fall short of achieving the best possible adjustments. If you are a do it yourselfer and want to get your feet wet "number guides" will certainly help put you in the ballpark but experience will teach you what is possible. |
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