Damn, I just looked at the pic and yes, that action looks insanely low.
With my now heavy right handed playing I'd buzz all over that neck, not just a couple of frets. And I'm sure bending strings on that thing has some choking, even if it has perfectly level frets.
I used to like crazy-low action like that, because of the problems with my left arm but got away from it when I was very young to playing. Once I started working on guitars for a "real" musician and heard how much better a properly set up guitar sounds I lived with the pain and never looked back.
Recently I've even raised my action even farther, not as high as Steve's action, but not as low as a lot of guys here have theirs set up.
As Rich pointed out he's already written about it, and there's plenty in the "Tech" section here on Jemsite as well, but I'll give you some measurements here as a starting point if you're too lazy to look for it yourself. ;-)
Most of us don't really measure any more, just use our ears and feel, but here it is anyway.
This is, from my understanding, what Ibanez suggests for proper set up. Most go a little lower on the action, but YMMV.
First off, check the neck relief, fret the low E string at the first and last frets (use a clamp or capo for the first fret) and using a feeler gage check the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the ninth fret.
You should have a gap of about .4 to .5 mm (.015 to .2 inches)
Take the capo (or clamp) OFF at this point. :-)
The action at the 12th fret should be 1.5 mm (1/16th inch) for the high E and 2.0 mm (5/64th inch) on the low E, measured from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string.
Most of us feel that measuring at the 12th is kind of wrong, since this assumes that all necks are the same, but that's the way most luthiers have done it for God only knows how many centuries. :-) But I digress . . .
Next you can check the nut height. Most
Ibanez guitars come with the nut just a little too high, but usually it's an easy fix as they use shims under the nut to raise it.
The nut can go as low as possible, as long as the open strings don't buzz on the first fret. I usually eye-ball this, fret at the first fret, see how much clearance there is. Now look at the open string from the nut over the first fret. Is it about the same? Good, you're done, if it's too high GO TO RICH'S SITE and read his instructions there.
I'm not typing all that. LOL :P
Personally I go with a fairly high (compared to other’s) action these days.
.4 mm on the relief (neck bow), about 2 mm on the high E (12th fret, about 2.1 at the 24th) and 2.5 mm on the low E (12th fret, about 2.7 at the 24th)
While still not VERY high, I could go lower but I love the tone, and the feel is much better. I feel like I’m playing something instead of sticking my fingers in jelly.
Now I just have to get used to soaking this damned arm after playing a couple of hours every day. (If you’re interested in why, find the topic that asks how you got started
playing guitar. If not, who cares? LOL JUST KIDDING!)
Mic
