# Who likes high action



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Just wondering who here likes the action high on their acoustic. Please respond with style of music, body style (dreadnought, OOO, etc) and whether you play strictly rhythm or also lead.


----------



## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

High action on an old OM in need of neck reset does great for Blues slide guitar...


----------



## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Not sure what qualifies as high action as it is all relative. I have my action set up for my acoustics around 6/64" at the Low E 12th fret between bottom of the string and top of the fret. I consider that medium action.


----------



## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

HD28V and D18 are 4/32 low E at the 12th with 13s. Those two are on stands right now but the HD35 is the same as are the other acoustics although resonator is a couple of snot blobs higher because I haven’t set it up yet resos being tricky to work on an all.

I play rhythm and bluegrass sorta fast flat pickin. Also play up the neck pretty far for an acoustic.

Been playing mostly electric for the last 4 months with 9.5s. Really noticed my hand being weaker when I started back into acoustic a few days ago. No physical problems with my hands yet but I used to play acoustic guitar for like eight hours sometimes and more which can’t be good for all the little washers and grommets inside the hands as ya get older.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Wardo said:


> ....all the little washers and grommets inside the hands


You might want to consider getting a different anatomy text. Specifically, one that was not written by a mechanic or plumber. (j/k, my friend)


----------



## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

greco said:


> You might want to consider getting a different anatomy text. Specifically, one that was not written by a mechanic or plumber. (j/k, my friend)


A lot of the insurance industry doctors that I deal with might as well have gone to trade school although some of them could have taken a run at art college if their SOAP notes are anything to go by look like something out Picasso’s nightmare.. lol


----------



## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

This world, this theatre of pride and wrong, is badly in need of another Greco Breakfast and another Riff Wrath Jam. .. lol


----------



## Roots-Picker (Dec 29, 2017)

Since I’m mostly an ‘all around’ sort of player, I try to set my acoustics with a consistent medium action, usually around 6/64” for the high E and 4/64” for the low E. That said, I tend to play different styles depending on the guitar. My Collings OM2H is my go-to for fingerstyle, while my CJ35 is used for singer-songwriter and flatpicking; I string that one with D’Addario light top/medium bottoms which seem to suit it well. My Martin CEO7 is my all-purpose acoustic, and my ‘53 0-15 is the designated blues box.

And +1 for what @Wardo says about switching back to acoustic after an extended stretch playing mostly electric! I practiced hard for two electric gigs I had within the last four weekends, and when I went back to my OM2H, holy sh*t! It was like learning to play all over again!


----------



## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I tend to like higher action than most people, but I still don't like it high
I'd actually have to measure it though.

I like being able to dig my finger in under the string for bending.


----------



## BMW-KTM (Apr 7, 2015)

My acoustic action is a bit higher than on my electrics but I don't know if I would call it high. I like the feel of low action but I think my acoustics sound better up just a bit higher.


----------



## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

5/64 bass, 4/64 treble- not high at all. I don't hit the strings very hard though. I also don't use a pick. Sort of depends on the guitar. My D28 that I just sold had the action at Martin spec and responded really well like that.


----------



## champster29 (Jul 26, 2013)

Me. Reasonably high action on both my acoustics and electrics and I wish I could provide measurements but I can’t. I like it to be a bit of a struggle and feel that high action rather than low action on acoustics gets you better tone out of the box.


----------



## butterscotchmusic (11 mo ago)

guitarman2 said:


> Just wondering who here likes the action high on their acoustic. Please respond with style of music, body style (dreadnought, OOO, etc) and whether you play strictly rhythm or also lead.


I like action to be at factory height, whatever that is. I rarely touch it. I'm a strummer so lower is sometimes better but not at the expense of tone.


----------

