acoustic guitar action?

Drewdrew

can i lower the action of my acoustic guitar without adjusting the truss rod?
im afraid to mess with tross rod of my guitar.. using sand paper on saddle is super easy.
is it really necessary to touch the truss rod to set up my guitar?
im a fingerstyle player and i want my guitar to set to lowest as posible without buzzing.
what about the nut to i need to touch it too? thanks guys!

Answer
NEVER NEVER NEVER
do you adjust the action of a guitar with the truss rod.
PERIOD.

Truss rods are only adjusted if the neck itself is warped or bent by too much string tension. Most modern guitars will not have that issue. I've never had to adjust a truss rod in 44 years of playing.

I wouldn't touch the nut either unless it's really high.

Sanding down the bridge is usually the only way to do it. But be careful. You should remove the saddle and make sure you sand the bottom level and don't get slanted.
If you have a vise around, clamp it bottom up and use a sanding block to evenly and slowly sand it down.
if you do too much..OOPS.... BUZZZ

But you can put thin shim material to raise it back up in the cavity if you screw it up.

This may take you a few tries. And it will be a pain. You will have to take it down just a tad, retune and test. then re-do. Don't overdo it, though.
Done't sand the top of the saddle, since it is designed on a slant to compensate for string thicknesses.
So only sand the flat level bottom.

Be careful....


Look at this video;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjXMH7Uw8G4

This guy is a little funky, but demonstrates a good way to do it.

Can you recommend a good acoustic guitar with low action ?

lidybeff

My hands are weak and swollen and I'm having trouble with bar chords, so need low action, sound quality must be good.


Price should be under $1,500.

Thanking you in advance
What about Maton ?
I used to play one in the 70's, and they were considered pretty good, are they over-rated ?

Answer
Taylor! They also make a child-sized guitar as sell as some in between that and full-sized, so you would be able to find something suitable.

I like the idea abuot playing with a capo on the 1st or 2nd fret. If you don't want to be transposing all of your music, just detune by half a step and the capo will bring you back into pitch while lowering the action for you.

Any luthier or even guitar tech should be able to set the neck and bridge up to your liking. It costs $100-200, but if you have a guitar that you like now, you might spend this and end up with a guitar that you love and would never part with.

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Cutaway action compared to regular action on acoustic guitar?

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Eddie B

I have been playing the electric guitar and decided I wanted to start playing the acoustic, and I am looking for one with a really low action. Are cutaway acoustic guitars known to have a lower action compared to the regular? I am specifically looking at the Washburn d10s or d10sc, and I want one with great playability and low action with no buzzing. Are the cutaways known to have a lower action, or is it just because of the wood cut away?

Answer
You need to understand that the price you pay for low action is buzzing when you strum or pick too hard. There's really an optimum action that represents a compromise between low (ease of play) and high (lots of room for the strings to vibrate freely). If you veer from that optimum too far in either direction you're going to pay a price.

The first two responses were correct; this has nothing to do with cutaway versus non-cutaway.

What kind of guitar should I buy?

mrsix12346

I currently have a Fender Starcaster acoustic guitar. I've had it for about a year now and I realized that the action on it is much to high for my liking. So I want a guitar with low action and that is decent quality, but I don't want to spend anymore than $300-$350 on it. I've been playing for about 3 years now and I want a decent guitar that sounds and plays well.

Answer
Well, if you like your Fender, then don't think about buying another one unless you want another one. Take your guitar to a professional and see if he can lower the action any. Most acoustic guitars have higher actions. It's really up to you.

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How do you lower the action on an acoustic guitar?

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Soupboy

I want to make the strings closer to fret board since my dads friend has given me one of ihs acoustic guitars and the strings are quite far away from the fret board.

Answer
First thing, maybe the gauge is too big. Put on loight gauge strings first and then, look down the neck to make sure that the neck is straight.

Their should be about 1/8" between fingerboard and strings. Hold the first fret on the 6th string, and with the other hand, put it on the 15th fret. That is a straight line. Now look at the 7th fret and see how much spacing there is.

If it is more than 1/8", you need to adjust the truss rod by turning it 1/4 turn clockwise. Not more than that.

You can also lower it by the bridge but that is more delicate. you need to file the plastic saddle (long white piece) by removing it and filing it from the underside.

Good Luck !!

What is the best type of acoustic guitar to buy?

Kait

I want to teach myself to play the guitar. I don't exactly know how to read music but I can teach myself. What is the best brand of acoustic guitar to buy? (Low cost is a plus) Thanks.

Answer
Well I wouldn't worry so much about brand in the beginning. A good second hand guitar is probably best. There are a lot of good inexpensive brands out there. Keep in mind you may not stick with it and it may not be your thing. Don't invest a lot of money. You want something that you can play. How big are you hands? That's the first question. If you have little hands I really recommend Daisy Rock guitars. They are designed for women (and guys with small hands). If the neck is too thick you'll have trouble with things like barre chords later. Next is a good set up. Here you will need someone that knows a little bit about guitars to help you. Is the neck straight? If it is bowed anywhere its not going to be playable. Are there any dead spots (frets that don't produce a note. Some guitars do have places for whatever reason where you sound the note and you literally get a "thunk"). How is the action set up? Are the strings too high or low on the neck for you? Finally, does the guitar hold tune further up the neck. This is called intonation. It is usually adjustable. Many times a lot of the problems I'm talking about are correctable by a reputable guitar shop. Just beware of dead spots in the neck. If there is a fret where a note won't sound that usually indicates a life-long defect and may not be correctable. If you have someone familiar with guitars that can go with you and knows what to ask you might try looking for a good used one at a pawn shop or off of craigslist.org. If not, buy from a reputable dealer like Guitar Center or a local music store where someone can help you pick out the right instrument for you. Keep in mind, it may not be to your advantage to buy the cheapest thing you can find. At the same time, you don't want to buy an expensive pro-level instrument when you are only beginning. Good luck to you!

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