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Location: Buffalo,NY | ..what gauge(& make) of strings do you use ? I just got the Standard Balladeer last week and the action was too high for my likeing and I thought the strings might be too heavy a gauge. After removing the top shim , I'm very happy with the playability and may even leave the heavier strings on. I think they might be 12's. I usually buy Martin Phosphor Bronze.
Regards,
Tom |
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Posts: 1900
| Doc,
I tune my Legend down to C standard and use D'Addario heavy guage. It plays just as easy as mediums at standard tuning... |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | Steve,
Forgive my ignorance but why the open C tuning ? I have my Strat tuned to an open G so that we can play a number of Stones songs just the Keith did.
Regards,
Tom |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | (I may be wrong), but I don't think he means "open" C. I think he may be tuning down four steps to C.
I've got "heavy's" on my LongNeck as well, and tune it down to B . . . |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | cliff
posted May 12, 2007 03:30 PM
(I may be wrong), but I don't think he means "open" C. I think he may be tuning down four steps to C.
I've got "heavy's" on my LongNeck as well, and tune it down to B . . Got it ! I've heard of some people tuning down a half step to E flat so that the vocals aren't quite as demanding.
Regards,
Tom |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | The factory uses light strings, the 12 to 52 set. The action setting is 7/64 bass and 5/64 treble, from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string. Usually we talk in 32nds so it's a 3 1/2 and 2 1/2 setting. Some people like 3 and 2. The Bluegrass guys like 4 and 3. I set my electrics up 2 1/2 and 2.
hope this helps.
I think they were refering to open C as down 4 steps. That way all the fingerings are the same. |
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Posts: 665
Location: Tychy, Poland | hmm.it amazes me that you guys in US use much heavier string gauges.
in poland most people use extra light (10-46 or 10-50 - i prefer them actually), and the heaviest you can find in music store are medium gauge strings (12-54). and there is opinion that strings heavier than 11-50 are producing too much pressure on guitar and they're not recommended. |
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Location: South of most, North of few | I used to use the extra light strings (10's or even 9's) but lately I have gone to the Elixr light medium which run 12-56. They have a nice bright upper end and deep bass, and don't take a long time to get used to over the lighter guage. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I use 12s. My Balladeer doesn't have any shims and plays very well. The 87 has a buzz on the high E string with no shims because it has a high 16th fret, but otherwise plays great. The 1537 has a little higher action, but still plays very easy. I mostly fingerpick, so the action can be low. The bridge on the 30th CL, however, sits so low that I had to put 2 shims in or the high E string hits the saddle. There's something wrong there. |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Mark, I think you still need a few more guitars...you know, something to take up your spare time. :D BTW LOVE the 1537!! |
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Location: ranson,wva | here as of latly ive been learning some things that require more fingerpicking and a bit of bending so i went to lights on my adamas and folklore..i couldnt bend a string on that 12 fret neck to save my life...all of mine are setup low and fast. i havnt had to touch the action on my adamas once yet. it was low and fast when i bought it(thanks al) the folklore has what i would call medium height on it...but it plays fast too....all my electrics are as low as you can go except on that is setup med for playing slide on....jason |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | Little Boy Jefferson
posted May 12, 2007 06:28 PM hmm.it amazes me that you guys in US use much heavier string gauges.
in poland most people use extra light (10-46 or 10-50 - i prefer them actually), and the heaviest you can find in music store are medium gauge strings (12-54). and there is opinion that strings heavier than 11-50 are producing too much pressure on guitar and they're not recommended. Little Boy Jefferson,
I think the general idea here is that the heavier the gauge of string the better the tone will be(of course all generalities have exceptions) and certainly it will help the bottom end.
Many manufacturers of acoustic guitars send new guitars out with 12's(or 11's) on them. I have to believe that if the manufacturer sends them out with 12's that the guitar can with stand the forces associated with those strings. That being said, a friend just bought a Gibson Songwriter and the string tension pulled up the bridge within weeks of him buying it. He eventually got a new guitar strung with the same strings and now has no problems. It was a defective guitar.
I like the action on my acoustics and electrics low and I also will go to lighter gauge strings if I have to in order to get better playability. But I know I'm trading off some tone in order to do this.
Regards,
Tom |
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Location: Reno, NV | I go with 3/32 on the 6th string. Wherever the 1st string ends up is up to the saddle, Im not really into using a shaped shim. However, it ends up being a shade uder 2-1/2.
I have my electric set up the same at 3 and 2-1/2. I like a little extra height because going back and forth from acoustic to electric, I tend to over-strum the electric. Higher action allows less buzz and easier bends.
I go with lights on the acoustic 12-53 or 54
and 9's on the electric. Usually 9-42. |
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Location: ranson,wva | i cant tell you the measurment on mine because i set mine up by feel and sound not a ruler...jason |
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Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by jpcannon:
Mark, I think you still need a few more guitars...you know, something to take up your spare time. :D BTW LOVE the 1537!! I'll let my wife know. She seems to have recovered from the one I bought yesterday. She just said her ring just got that much bigger. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | I use D'addario light gauge, set the action at 3/32" at the 12th fret. First thing is to check the neck relief, then if it's okay, I take out all the shims (I usually let a pro do neck relief, unless it's just a tweak. Nothing will screw up a guitar faster than overcranking the tension rod!).
If it's lower than 3/32" (which, from my experience is about as low as you can normally go without buzzing -- unless you're Neil Young and don't care :D ), I add shims til I get there.
If it's still too high after the shims are out, I gradually sand down the bottom of the saddle until I hit 3/32" (if I go too far, I can always put a shim back).
At 3/32", most acoustics play like butter. |
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Location: Buffalo,NY | rick endres
May 14, 2007 05:09 PM
I use D'addario light gauge, set the action at 3/32" at the 12th fret. First thing is to check the neck relief, then if it's okay, I take out all the shims (I usually let a pro do neck relief, unless it's just a tweak. Nothing will screw up a guitar faster than overcranking the tension rod!).
If it's lower than 3/32" (which, from my experience is about as low as you can normally go without buzzing -- unless you're Neil Young and don't care [Big Grin] ), I add shims til I get there.
If it's still too high after the shims are out, I gradually sand down the bottom of the saddle until I hit 3/32" (if I go too far, I can always put a shim back).
At 3/32", most acoustics play like butter. rick,
Thank you very much for that . It sounds like a good system .
Regards,
Tom |
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Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Tom (and everbody, actually) -- check out this site at http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Guitar/Setup/LowerAction/l... for some really great set-up tips with easy to follow instructions and great photos. |
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Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | I sand the saddle down with a rattail file til I get close, then finish with fine sandpaper. I'm not as patient as Frank Ford! :D |
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Where do you set the action for acoustics and...