KH2 Neck Thru - Custom Shop - action height and neck bow
KH2 Neck Thru - Custom Shop - action height and neck bow
I'm not sure why, but I have gravitated towards having slightly higher action on trem equipped guitars vs fixed bridge guitars. This could be because when you dip the trem and the strings slack (and drop) it's a little more resistant to buzz.
Do you have a rule to measure action? I'd be curious to know what you have your Edwards set at.
i don't think people should ever use a first fret capo for the action setting; however, it is used for the truss adjustment. I capo the first fret, with one hand fret the 15th or so fret, and use a steel rule to measure the fret to string bottom at the 8th fret. My Jackson is out the factory at 1/50 of an inch and I keep it that low of a gap (USA Jacksons may have some issues sometimes with rushed guitars, like with mine, but the neck action is still as low as it gets). ESPs I think are usualy 4/64th i think. I haven't done any of mine in a while.
i don't think people should ever use a first fret capo for the action setting
As mentioned, I don't capo the first fret either when measuring action, but I think the theory is that if the nut is not cut properly it could lead to improper bridge height/action settings....because it does affect the measurement.
With Floyd Rose guitars I generally shoot for:
.008" to .012" relief: I measure this with a straightedge placed between the D & A strings and spanning from the 1st to 17th fret. Then I measure the largest gap with feeler gauges between the 5th to 9th frets.
Low E Action: 4/64"
High E Action: 3.5/64"
I measure action with a rule placed between the 12th fret and the bottom of each string. When measuring I do not capo the first fret like some people, so the nut height is factoring into my measurements.
Some guitars can be adjusted lower than this and still play clean, but for my playing style/attack this is generally what I like.
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With all that said, heavier gauge strings have a wider vibration pattern, so you could need a little more relief with the 10s as compared to the 9s. Also, keep in mind that truss rod adjustments affect action height and vice versa. You have to find a balance between the adjustments.