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3 64ths? Are you kiddin?

Ray Matthews

Ray Matthews

Nov 14, 2014
149
77
Marston Green, Birmingham, England
#1
Anyone else out there got brain-melt over all those minute, atom-sized string action measurements?
The action on my Jazz is
2 1/2 mill E
2 1/2 mill A
2 1/4 mill. D
2 1/4 mill. G
I dig in when I play, but I can go this low as I pluck with my fingers over the neck and the string vibration doesn't kick into the frets. If I play over the pickup my strings will buzz unless I use the silliest of light touches!
Dispensing with all those 9 448th type measurements, what's everyone's favourite string action In millimeters?
 
#4
I always set it by feel- depends on the string type, how it's to be played, etc.
BTW- the diff between 2 1/2 mm and 2 1/4 mm is (how many 64ths/ 128ths?) sort-of minute.
 
Last edited:
#5
There's not much to it, you're over thinking it. Get a little steel rule at any hardware store that measures in 64ths and measure from top of fret to bottom of string at the 12th or 17th fret (I use 12th), easy. Fender standard setup recommends 5/64 measured at the 17th fret. I like my setup real low, I set my instruments between 3/64(g) and 5/64(e) measured at the 12th fret. My jazz was plek'd so it can get way down there, 3-4/64 across all the strings with very little buzz. My precision on the other hand will buzz set that low. Also I highly recommend a book by Dan Erlewine called "how to make your electric guitar play great" (covers basses too), best $15 I ever spent as I never have to pay for a setup ever again:hyper:
 
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#7
Yeah a guage is a good idea.
It's surprising actually how many guitar shops have no idea how much action their basses have on their strings.
I've asked a few times in the past and they look at you as though you've got three eyes!
One place that is a respectable guitar chain in England had no way of measuring it either. Slack, I thought!
 
#9
Ray Matthews said:
Yeah a guage is a good idea.
It's surprising actually how many guitar shops have no idea how much action their basses have on their strings.
I've asked a few times in the past and they look at you as though you've got three eyes!
One place that is a respectable guitar chain in England had no way of measuring it either. Slack, I thought!
Click to expand...

The truth is, you don't know how much action your basses have either. You can set them up with a micrometer if you want to, but as soon as the humidity changes 2 degrees and the relief changes, your action is going to change.
 
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#18
Ray Matthews said:
Anyone else out there got brain-melt over all those minute, atom-sized string action measurements?
The action on my Jazz is
2 1/2 mill E
2 1/2 mill A
2 1/4 mill. D
2 1/4 mill. G
I dig in when I play, but I can go this low as I pluck with my fingers over the neck and the string vibration doesn't kick into the frets. If I play over the pickup my strings will buzz unless I use the silliest of light touches!
Dispensing with all those 9 448th type measurements, what's everyone's favourite string action In millimeters?
Click to expand...
Hey bub, that's "mm" not "mill"

There's your brain melt.

:eyebrow: :D

I have very similar action preference to you, plus or minus
.00007844678%
 

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