String action

[NeglectedField]

What sort of string action do you guys find ideal? What is the accepted standard for an Ibanez guitar? I can't help thinking I should go lower but I was wondering what clearance from the 12th fret is sensible and how much buzz you guys put up with before you think it gets too low?

[Dino]

Neck almost straight, just a little relief, and action as low as I can get it before the buzz gets excessive or i get fret out. It takes a little time to get it right.

[brothersnowgone]

I set my action to the about the thickness of a jazz 3 at the 24. A little less in fact, my strings should be able to just hold the pick under the strings without it sliding out, I find that to be the perfect action. Neck almost straight, maybe a half a millimeter in relief at the 7-9 if you fret the first and 24th

[NeglectedField]

I have about 2mm relief at the 12th fret, that's without fretting anything. Is that normal?

[Takin' a Ride]

That is fairly high action for the 12th. I run 0.3mm releif at the 9th and 1.9mm on the low side at the 24th and 1.7mm on the high side. Of course, the releif at the 24th is measured open spring while the releif at the 9th is measured with a capo at the first fret and me fretting the 24th with my finger.

[NeglectedField]

I see. Well according to Ibanez' instruction manual, 2.0mm at bass end and 1.5mm at treble end (or something like that) is the normal way.

I'm on 9, 11, 16, 28, 38, 48, which is what I'm most comfortable with at standard E on a 25.5 scale guitar.

I find action on a hardtail is more tedious than it is on a locking trem. Not that I've actually owned a guitar which had a locking tremolo (my old S270 had one of those single-locking systems and I never changed from 9-42).

[Dee]

What do you mean by "I find action on a hardtail is more tedious than it is on a locking trem."?

[GuitarEvan07]

Like to set the auction on a hardtail takes much more time because you have each saddle to lower rather than two pole pieces.

[NeglectedField]

Exactly.

Basically with a locking trem or tune-o-matic or Gibraltar you've got the two posts. And with locking trems you just make sure to set it spirit level 90 degrees with the body.

[Jason Stone]

*edited*

Nevermind. It's been a long day.

[Doink]

I've found that every guitar is slightly different in it's action. Some require more bow in the truss rod than others, some require a shim (or removal of) at the nut, some require a shim in the neck pocket....

I don't think it has much to do with the brand name on the headstock. Most any guitar of decent quality can be set for low action. It takes time and patience, especially with a Floyd.

Right now, out of all my guitars, my Charvel 650 XL probably has the lowest string height.

[GTR-MAN]

Originally Posted by GuitarEvan07

Like to set the auction on a hardtail takes much more time because you have each saddle to lower rather than two pole pieces.

Not always the case. I had a SZ520QM and I only had to adjust two screws/poles. The saddles only went back & forth for intonation .

[NeglectedField]

I was referring to 6-saddle hardtails as seen on the RG321 for example.

Two polepieces like tune-o-matic/gibraltar are relatively easy.

Now I've adjusted my action to something nicer but those grub screws don't feel nice against the palm.

[Takin' a Ride]

The floating trem only requires extra setup time the first time you do it. It's basicaly one extra adjustment. You simply adjust the claw as you work.