Setup/Adjustments - Revision history

Meambobbo: /* String Gauge */

2015-12-24T19:43:34Z

‎String Gauge

Meambobbo: /* New Strings */

2015-12-24T19:42:53Z

‎New Strings

Meambobbo at 03:22, 13 April 2015

2015-04-13T03:22:43Z

Meambobbo: /* Special Considerations */

2014-09-24T14:41:11Z

‎Special Considerations

Meambobbo: /* Body/Fretboard/Tuners/Neck-through */

2014-04-08T16:11:25Z

‎Body/Fretboard/Tuners/Neck-through

Meambobbo: /* Nut */

2014-04-08T15:58:42Z

‎Nut

Meambobbo: /* Pickup Height */

2014-04-08T15:55:36Z

‎Pickup Height

Meambobbo: /* Intonation */

2014-04-08T15:52:23Z

‎Intonation

Meambobbo: /* Fret Buzz */

2014-04-08T15:49:03Z

‎Fret Buzz

Meambobbo at 15:41, 8 April 2014

2014-04-08T15:41:15Z

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 == Strings and String Gauge ==
 See [[Strings]].
 == Action ==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 This page contains enough information for intermediate setup tweaks to your guitar.  Any advanced setup alluded to here should be more thoroughly researched before being attempted.
-== New Strings ==
+== Strings and String Gauge ==
-'''You should be changing your strings every 2-3 months at the very least''', more often if you play them a lot. Generally, it's a good idea to change them ''once a month''. Many popular artists with dedicated guitar techs will put a new set of strings on after every show! New strings will ''stay in tune'' better, have longer ''sustain'', produce a ''richer and brighter tone'', and be ''easier to play''. If you want to get more life from your strings, '''wash your hands before playing''' and wipe the strings down with some rubbing alcohol every now and then. You don’t want them to get covered in dirt and corrosive materials.
+See [[Strings]].
 == String Gauge ==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 This page contains enough information for intermediate setup tweaks to your guitar.  Any advanced setup alluded to here should be more thoroughly researched before being attempted.
@@ Line 132: / Line 136: @@
 * If your instrument is old and valuable, you may want to leave it to the pros - Simply slipping with a screwdriver and scratching the guitar could be a costly error.
 * If you live in the middle of nowhere, and there is no guy; you can look to ship it to notable luthiers or you will have to buy tools and do things yourself.
 [[Category:Guitar]]
 [[Category:Gear]]
 [[Category:Setup]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:41, 24 September 2014
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	* If your instrument is old and valuable, you may want to leave it to the pros - Simply slipping with a screwdriver and scratching the guitar could be a costly error.		* If your instrument is old and valuable, you may want to leave it to the pros - Simply slipping with a screwdriver and scratching the guitar could be a costly error.
	* If you live in the middle of nowhere, and there is no guy; you can look to ship it to notable luthiers or you will have to buy tools and do things yourself.		* If you live in the middle of nowhere, and there is no guy; you can look to ship it to notable luthiers or you will have to buy tools and do things yourself.
		+
		+	[[Category:Guitar]]
		+	[[Category:Gear]]
		+	[[Category:Setup]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:11, 8 April 2014
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	Of course, this has limitations. If you're thinking about buying a guitar that sounds really dull, you won't achieve great results by getting really bright pickups. You can't EQ in frequencies that never existed to begin with. My main point here is don't sweat the small stuff. You'll likely get relatively larger tonal improvements by properly setting up your guitar and using good pickups than by spending a fortune building a 100% custom guitar. And your guitar will only get you so far. Even a great guitar still sounds like crap going straight to the board. You need the compression, EQ, and distortion that only post-guitar processing/amplifiers can give you.		Of course, this has limitations. If you're thinking about buying a guitar that sounds really dull, you won't achieve great results by getting really bright pickups. You can't EQ in frequencies that never existed to begin with. My main point here is don't sweat the small stuff. You'll likely get relatively larger tonal improvements by properly setting up your guitar and using good pickups than by spending a fortune building a 100% custom guitar. And your guitar will only get you so far. Even a great guitar still sounds like crap going straight to the board. You need the compression, EQ, and distortion that only post-guitar processing/amplifiers can give you.
		+
		+	== My Advice on DIY vs. Pay a Pro ==
		+	===DIY===
		+	* Raise or Lower Bridge Posts
		+	* Raise or Lower Bridge Saddles
		+	* Adjust Truss Rod
		+	* Tighten the Bear Claw Springs
		+	* Change to Different String Gauges/Tuning
		+	* Raise/Lower Pickups
		+	* Move the bridge saddles towards/away from the nut - for intonation
		+	===Call the Guy===
		+	* Level and Crown the Frets
		+	* File the Nut
		+	* Anything I Don't Feel I Fully Understand
		+	* Anything that Requires a Tool I Don't Have to be Done Correctly
		+	===Special Considerations===
		+	* If you have a floating bridge, changing string gauges or tunings can be a pain to do all the adjustments - if you are impatient, pay a pro
		+	* Some bridges have a 3rd or more screws/posts connecting the bridge to the guitar body. Make sure you know how these operate before adjusting. Raising or lowering the main posts may put extreme tension on these, causing them to rip out of the body or break the bridge, etc.
		+	* If you have a floating bridge, you may also have a double-locking metal nut, which cannot be filed down like a normal nut. You actually have to remove the nut and sand down the part of the neck it connects to. Definitely call the guy.
		+	* If your instrument is old and valuable, you may want to leave it to the pros - Simply slipping with a screwdriver and scratching the guitar could be a costly error.
		+	* If you live in the middle of nowhere, and there is no guy; you can look to ship it to notable luthiers or you will have to buy tools and do things yourself.

@@ Line 101: / Line 101: @@
 == Nut ==
-The nut is an often overlooked area of the guitar. It needs to be positioned properly for the guitar to intonate correctly. It has a strong affect on the action. An improperly filed nut can cause tuning and sustain issues or cause buzzing/ringing on open strings. I recommend having a professional adjust your nut. To file it correctly it is best done with specialized filing tools, which are too costly to justify a one-time use. I like my nut to be like the 0th fret - providing a similar clearance over the 1st fret for open strings as they have over the 2nd fret when fretting the 1st fret. Any lower and they'll buzz. Any higher and intonation is off and action is unnecessarily high. The strings should make firm contact with the nut right where they leave the nut and travel over the fretboard. The grooves should point directly towards the tuning pegs. They should be wide enough to fit the string in easily and so that it doesn't pinch when tuning or bending. It also has to be smooth so the string slides easily over it and doesn't break. But it can't be so wide as to allow the string to rattle in the groove. They have to be deep enough so the strings don't pop out, but shallow enough so the strings can easily fit into and out of the nut.
+The nut is an often overlooked area of the guitar. It needs to be '''positioned properly''' for the guitar to '''intonate correctly'''. It has a strong affect on the action. '''An improperly filed nut can cause tuning and sustain issues or cause buzzing/ringing on open strings.''' I recommend having a professional adjust your nut. To file it correctly it is best done with specialized filing tools, which are too costly to justify a one-time use. I like my nut to be like the 0th fret - providing a similar clearance over the 1st fret for open strings as they have over the 2nd fret when fretting the 1st fret. Any lower and they'll buzz. Any higher and intonation is off and action is unnecessarily high. The strings should make firm contact with the nut right where they leave the nut and travel over the fretboard. The grooves should point directly towards the tuning pegs. They should be wide enough to fit the string in easily and so that it doesn't pinch when tuning or bending. It also has to be smooth so the string slides easily over it and doesn't break. But it can't be so wide as to allow the string to '''rattle in the groove'''. They have to be deep enough so the strings don't pop out, but shallow enough so the strings can easily fit into and out of the nut.
-The simplest and easiest tweak to help fix a nut is to ''draw in the grooves'' with a pencil.  The graphite will lubricate the string's movement in the groove, so it doesn't pinch.  This helps keep your strings in tune better.
+The simplest and easiest tweak to help fix a nut is to '''draw in the grooves with a pencil'''.  The graphite will lubricate the string's movement in the groove, so it doesn't pinch.  This helps keep your strings in tune better.
 == Body/Fretboard/Tuners/Neck-through ==

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 == Pickup Height ==
 ===Passives===
-Too low and you lose SNR and your dynamic response gets messed up, too high and you get input clipping on your device, as well as "pole pull", which can screw up your intonation and kill sustain. I recommend allowing them to have a safe distance. Also, don't confuse output level with SNR. Raising your pickups will increase their output level, but it is probably not improving their SNR unless they were very low (or extremely weak) to start.
+'''Too low''' and you lose SNR and your dynamic response gets messed up, '''too high''' and you get input clipping on your device, as well as "pole pull", which can screw up your intonation and kill sustain. I recommend allowing them to have a safe distance. Also, don't confuse output level with SNR. Raising your pickups will increase their output level, but it is probably not improving their SNR unless they were very low (or extremely weak) to start.
 ===Actives===
-EMG recommends you to put them as close as possible. I followed this advice when I had these pickups and never noticed any problems with doing so. For the Blackouts, this is where things get a little interesting. The pickups seem to have some kind of buffer, so they will not output above a certain level. So it's like a limiter effect. If you raise them close, you will actually reduce the dynamics to your attack. I prefer to keep a medium distance on these pickups. They work pretty well at a distance. I actually have them as low as possible on my custom Jem (which actually isn’t THAT low). Even with some distance, they still have a higher-than-normal output. But if you go too low, you’ll notice you can’t get good artificial harmonics or softer notes to sound good.
+'''This depends on the type of active pickup'''.  Some have weaker magnets and need to be placed closer to the strings.  Others will suffer similar problems as above, or introduce new issues.
 == Bridge ==

@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 == Intonation ==
-Intonation is basically how in tune the guitar is at different frets and strings. If a guitar is intonated poorly, it will sound out of tune when playing notes higher on the fretboard. Chords will be notably dissonant when they shouldn't be.
+Intonation is basically how in tune the guitar is at different frets and strings. If a guitar is intonated poorly, it will '''sound out of tune''' when playing notes higher on the fretboard. Chords will be notably dissonant when they shouldn't be.
-Most people don't pay much attention to intonation, yet it is absolutely crucial to sound good, especially in a band or recording environment. It's also a fairly simple and risk-free adjustment, although it may take a little time.
+Most people don't pay much attention to intonation, yet it is ''absolutely crucial'' to sound good, especially in a band or recording environment. It's also a fairly simple and risk-free adjustment, although it may take a little time.
-The easiest way to intonate the guitar is by comparing the pitch of the 12th fret harmonic vs. the fretted note. If the fretted note is sharper than the harmonic, the string must be lengthened, which usually involves moving the individual bridge saddle away from the nut. If it is flatter, then the string must be shortened by moving the saddle closer to the nut. Once all your strings are intonated, tune up your guitar. You'll notice it will sound much better across the fretboard, especially for chords.
+The easiest way to intonate the guitar is by '''comparing the pitch of the 12th fret harmonic vs. the fretted note'''. If the fretted note is sharper than the harmonic, the string must be lengthened, which usually involves moving the individual bridge saddle away from the nut. If it is flatter, then the string must be shortened by moving the saddle closer to the nut.  Be sure to re-tune the guitar after each adjustment - this is ''especially'' important with a floating bridge, where string tension affects action.  Once all your strings are intonated, you'll notice it will sound much better across the fretboard, especially for chords.
-Note that intonation is also dependent on the rest of your setup, particularly your action. If you have a high action, you have to press the string down a significant distance to fret it, which is adding tension (and possibly length) to the string. This is why it is difficult to intonate a guitar with high action. You can match the 12th harmonic to the 12th fretted note, but other spots on the fretboard may not be consistently in tune. The same principle applies to a guitar with a high nut height. You have to exert more tension on the frets close to the nut to properly fret them, causing them to be sharper than other areas of the neck.
+Note that '''intonation is also dependent on the rest of your setup''', particularly your action. If you have a high action, you have to press the string down a significant distance to fret it, which is adding tension (and possibly length) to the string. This is why it is difficult to intonate a guitar with high action. You can match the 12th harmonic to the 12th fretted note, but other spots on the fretboard may not be consistently in tune. The same principle applies to a guitar with a high nut height. You have to exert more tension on the frets close to the nut to properly fret them, causing them to be sharper than other areas of the neck.
-Thus, I like to intonate using at least 2-3 comparisons. I'll start with the 12th harmonic vs 12th fret, then I'll try the 7th fret vs. 19th fret. If that's off, maybe I need to lower my action a little. Then I'll try the 2nd fret vs. 14th. If there's a discrepancy there, it tells me how much impact my nut height is having on getting a proper intonation. If I can't get all of these 3 tests perfect, I'll compromise and get all 3 as close as possible rather than have one perfect and the other 2 way off.
+Thus, I like to '''intonate using at least 2-3 comparisons'''. I'll start with the 12th harmonic vs 12th fret, then I'll try the 7th fret vs. 19th fret. If that's off, maybe I need to lower my action a little. Then I'll try the 2nd fret vs. 14th. If there's a discrepancy there, it tells me how much impact my nut height is having on getting a proper intonation. If I can't get all of these 3 tests perfect, I'll '''compromise''' and get all 3 as close as possible rather than have one perfect and the other 2 way off.
 Keep in mind that lower quality instruments might have issues with the nut or possibly even with the fret spacing. Unlevel frets can also throw off intonation, making it impossible to intonate. Technically, perfect intonation is impossible - the best you can do is a compromise to get all the notes as close to in-tune as possible.
 == Pickup Height ==

@@ Line 61: / Line 61: @@
 Fret buzz is ''not'' the same thing as '''fretting out or choking'''. Fretting out is completely unacceptable - it means the string doesn't even have enough clearance above one or more frets higher than the one you're fretting to make a sustainable vibration. This can be caused by having your action too low, too much truss rod tension (making the fretboard side of the neck convex), or unlevel frets. A bit of fret buzz, on the other hand, is acceptable; as long as it isn't having a strong impact on your tone.
-You should gauge the amount of fret buzz you are getting by playing through an amp using a clean tone, not simply listening to the guitar when it's not plugged in. All electric guitars tend to have a little buzz, but that won't necessarily be heard by the pickups. Some people may try to completely eliminate all acoustic buzzing, making their instrument near unplayable for ABSOLUTELY NO tonal benefit.
+You should gauge the amount of fret buzz you are getting by playing through an amp using a clean tone, not simply listening to the guitar when it's not plugged in. All electric guitars tend to have a little buzz, but that won't necessarily be heard by the pickups. Some people may try to completely eliminate all acoustic buzzing, making their instrument near unplayable for ''absolutely no'' tonal benefit.
-Eliminating (reducing) fret buzz uses multiple points of attack. First, I want to make sure I'm using tight enough string gauges for the tuning I'm using (and the playability I desire). See above. The more tension on the strings, the smaller their vibration distance for a given volume, and the less fret buzz they'll produce. If I can accept a little more buzz for ease of play, I use a guitar with lighter strings. And when I say a desirable amount of buzz, I mean just a touch of it on the very initial part of my attack. I don't want it to occur through (and kill) my attack, and I DEFINITELY don't want it continue as I sustain. And again, I don't use that guitar for metal.
+Eliminating ''(reducing)'' fret buzz uses multiple points of attack. First, I want to make sure I'm using '''thick-enough string gauges''' for the tuning I'm using (and the playability I desire). See above. The more tension on the strings, the smaller their vibrational amplitude for a given volume, and the less fret buzz they'll produce. If I can accept a little more buzz for ease of play, I use a guitar with lighter strings. And when I say a desirable amount of buzz, I mean just a touch of it on the very initial part of my attack. I don't want it to occur through (and kill) my attack, and I ''definitely'' don't want it continue as I sustain. And again, I don't use that guitar for metal.
-Next, make sure your neck is virtually flat. You need to adjust your truss rod to counter-balance the tension the strings exert on one side of the neck, but you still want the neck to have a little bow to it for the frets closest to the nut to avoid fret buzz. Again, [http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/action.htm Ibanez Rules action setup page] is a good reference. Be careful when doing a truss rod adjustment - you don't want to turn more than a quarter turn without giving the neck time to adjust to the new tension. Make sure you're turning the right direction too. If this is your first time, have an experienced friend or commercial technician demonstrate the process for you. Or do lots of internet research. Also, be sure to re-tune to ensure the neck is receiving the right amount of tension after adjustments.
+Next, make sure your '''neck is virtually flat'''. You need to adjust your ''truss rod'' to counter-balance the tension the strings exert on one side of the neck, but you still want the neck to have a little bow to it for the frets closest to the nut to avoid fret buzz. Again, [http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/action.htm Ibanez Rules action setup page] is a good reference. '''Be careful when doing a truss rod adjustment''' - you don't want to turn more than a quarter turn without giving the neck time to adjust to the new tension. Make sure you're turning the right direction too. If this is your first time, have an experienced friend or commercial technician demonstrate the process for you. Or do lots of internet research. Also, be sure to re-tune to ensure the neck is receiving the right amount of tension after adjustments.
-Finally, I want to raise my bridge (either adjusting the saddles or the entire bridge depending on the type of bridge). I'll raise it a bit at a time, retune at least one string to test, and see how much buzz I get playing a medium amount of pick strength across at a couple frets from 1-12. Make sure you retune after any bridge adjustment. If you raise the bridge, you may be tightening the string(s), resulting in less buzz...until you actually tune to the proper note. Or vice versa. If you are adjusting via individual saddles, be sure to keep the saddles at the same relative heights as the fretboard radius. If you already have the saddles fit to the fretboard radius, it's usually best to adjust the two bridge posts when possible. Also, watch out for how floating trem bridges make contact with the posts. You generally want the knife edges to hit at a perfect 90 degrees. This will vary with the bear claw tension in the back cavity of the guitar as well as the string gauge, tuning, bridge height, saddle heights. You basically have to adjust everything at once, slowly moving closer and closer to the ideal setup.
+Finally, I want to '''raise my bridge''' (either adjusting the saddles or the entire bridge depending on the type of bridge). I'll raise it a bit at a time, retune at least one string to test, and see how much buzz I get playing a medium amount of pick strength across at a couple frets from 1-12. Make sure you retune after any bridge adjustment. If you raise the bridge, you may be tightening the string(s), resulting in less buzz...until you actually tune to the proper note. Or vice versa. If you are adjusting via individual saddles, be sure to ''keep the saddles at the same relative heights as the fretboard radius''. If you already have the saddles fit to the fretboard radius, it's usually best to adjust the two bridge posts when possible. Also, watch out for how floating trem bridges make contact with the posts. You generally want the knife edges to hit at a perfect 90 degrees. This will vary with the bear claw tension in the back cavity of the guitar as well as the string gauge, tuning, bridge height, saddle heights. You basically have to adjust ''everything'' at once, slowly moving closer and closer to the ideal setup.
-Beyond those adjustments, the only way to get your action lower with the same amount of buzz is to have the frets re-leveled or the nut filed down. I would get a professional to do such modifications, although there are plenty of tutorials on the web that can help you. I'd try to find several of them, as some may make them sound way easier than they are. Filing and/or replacing your nut is the far simpler of the two, but you'll need precise tools to do it at a professional level.
+Beyond those adjustments, the only way to get your action lower with the same amount of buzz is to have the '''frets re-leveled''' or the '''nut filed down'''. I would get a professional to do such modifications, although there are plenty of tutorials on the web that can help you. I'd try to find several of them, as some may make them sound way easier than they are. Filing and/or replacing your nut is the far simpler of the two, but you'll need precise tools to do it at a professional level.
 == Intonation ==

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 == New Strings ==
-You should be changing your strings every 2-3 months at the very least, more often if you play them a lot. Generally, it's a good idea to change them once a month. Many popular artists with dedicated guitar techs will put a new set of strings on after every show! New strings will stay in tune better, have longer sustain, produce a richer and brighter tone, and be easier to play. If you want to get more life from your strings, wash your hands before playing and wipe the strings down with some rubbing alcohol every now and then. You don’t want them to get covered in dirt and corrosive materials.
+'''You should be changing your strings every 2-3 months at the very least''', more often if you play them a lot. Generally, it's a good idea to change them ''once a month''. Many popular artists with dedicated guitar techs will put a new set of strings on after every show! New strings will ''stay in tune'' better, have longer ''sustain'', produce a ''richer and brighter tone'', and be ''easier to play''. If you want to get more life from your strings, '''wash your hands before playing''' and wipe the strings down with some rubbing alcohol every now and then. You don’t want them to get covered in dirt and corrosive materials.
 == String Gauge ==
-Most stock guitars come in standard E tuning with 9's (.009-.042). These are easy to bend and are good for lead work, but I find them a bit lacking if you want a heavy rhythm sound. Because they are relatively loose, you'll get a strong attack on them that quickly fades to a whimper. In my mind, that sounds kind of vintage, not modern and heavy. For standard E tuning, I prefer 10's (.010-.046). If you like to play in drop D, you may prefer strings with a heavy bottom (.010-.052). The heavy bottom is nice, even if you don't play in a drop tuning - you generally don't need to make as strong bends on your thicker strings as you do on the thinner ones. Given that I'm a Petrucci nut, I basically use the [http://www.johnpetrucci.com/gear.htm exact same string gauges] (Scroll down a little and there's a chart for all his tunings with the gauges used).
+Most stock guitars come in standard E tuning with 9's (.009-.042). These are easy to bend and are good for lead work, but I find them a bit lacking if you want a heavy rhythm sound. Because they are relatively loose, you'll get a strong attack on them that quickly fades to a whimper. In my mind, that sounds kind of vintage, not modern and heavy. For standard E tuning, '''I prefer 10's''' (.010-.046). If you like to play in drop D, you may prefer strings with a heavy bottom (.010-.052). The heavy bottom is nice, even if you don't play in a drop tuning - you generally don't need to make as strong bends on your thicker strings as you do on the thinner ones. Given that I'm a Petrucci nut, I basically use the [http://www.johnpetrucci.com/gear.htm exact same string gauges] (Scroll down a little and there's a chart for all his tunings with the gauges used).
-Also, thinner strings are easier to mute. This is mostly why I like them for lead work - you are less likely to have an unwanted string ring out. I find I sometimes like the sharper attack too, but not always. You will also have an easier time playing legato (hammer-ons and pull-offs) with thinner strings. I have two guitars tuned to standard E. One has 9's, the other 10's.
+Also, '''thinner strings are easier to mute'''. This is mostly why I like them for lead work - you are less likely to have an unwanted string ring out. I find I sometimes like the sharper attack too, but not always. You will also have an '''easier time playing legato''' (hammer-ons and pull-offs) with thinner strings. I have two guitars tuned to standard E. One has 9's, the other 10's.
-If you are tuning all your guitar strings down, you don't want 9's, or even 10's. I find I need at least 11's to play in standard D, at least 12's to play in standard C, and at least 13's to play in standard B. If you are additionally going to drop the 6th string a full step, I highly recommend getting a set of heavy bottoms. Again, see the chart on the Petrucci site linked above, or [http://www.surveyor.com/guitar/stringtension.html visit this website], which has a Java Applet to calculate string tension using gauges and tunings. Here are the values I use for most of my guitars: notice you can specify the scale length, tuning, and type of strings. The first is D'Addario EXL120's, then D'Addario EXL110's, then D'Addario EXL110-7's with an additional .080 nickel wound string (for my Ibanez RGA8 8 string). Notice the 8 string has a longer scale length, but I tune it down a half step, acheiving roughly the same string tension.
+If you are '''tuning all your guitar strings down''', you don't want 9's, or even 10's. I find I need at least 11's to play in standard D, at least 12's to play in standard C, and at least 13's to play in standard B. If you are additionally going to drop the 6th string a full step, I highly recommend getting a set of heavy bottoms. Again, see the chart on the Petrucci site linked above, or [http://www.surveyor.com/guitar/stringtension.html visit this website], which has a Java Applet to calculate string tension using gauges and tunings. Here are the values I use for most of my guitars: notice you can specify the scale length, tuning, and type of strings. The first is ''D'Addario EXL120's'', then ''D'Addario EXL110's'', then ''D'Addario EXL110-7's'' with an additional .080 nickel wound string (for my Ibanez RGA8 8 string). Notice the 8 string has a longer scale length, but I tune it down a half step, acheiving roughly the same string tension.
   len 25.5"
@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
   total == 136.49#
-Another point on string gauge - the thinner your strings, the less tension they'll have which means the more you'll stretch them when you pick them. This will cause them to go sharp initially and gradually lower their pitch until they find their natural sustaining volume. The harder you pick them, the sharper they'll go. For metal, where you often have to play fast and aggressively, picking hard will cause the initial attack to be sharper than the note you desire. This is another reason to use thicker strings for aggressive music like metal - otherwise, you can sound out of tune, even when you aren’t.
+Another point on string gauge - the thinner your strings, the less tension they'll have which means the more you'll stretch them when you pick them. This will cause them to '''go sharp initially and gradually lower their pitch''' until they find their natural sustaining volume. The harder you pick them, the sharper they'll go. For metal, where you often have to play fast and aggressively, picking hard will cause the initial attack to be sharper than the note you desire. This is another reason to '''use thicker strings for aggressive music''' like metal - otherwise, you can sound out of tune, even when you aren’t.
-Lately much ado has been made about balanced tension between the strings - basically each string having near identical tension when tuned up. There's nothing wrong with unbalanced tension. Of course, a wide imbalance is going to feel awkward. I consider balanced tension a good ideal, but I find most commercial sets are close enough not to nitpick. D'Addario actually took notice and makes true balanced tension sets now, but the price is a bit too high right now for me to switch to them. Keep in mind also that the link above to the tension calculator is not perfect and should only be used as a rough estimate.
+Lately much ado has been made about '''balanced tension''' between the strings - basically each string having near identical tension when tuned up. ''There's nothing wrong with unbalanced tension''. Of course, a wide imbalance is going to feel awkward. I consider balanced tension a good ''ideal'', but I find most commercial sets are close enough not to nitpick. D'Addario actually took notice and makes true balanced tension sets now, but the price is a bit too high right now for me to switch to them. Keep in mind also that the link above to the tension calculator is not perfect and should only be used as a rough estimate.
-And a final point - thin strings are more likely to have fret buzz with the attack. As I just mentioned, they will stretch more and thus be more likely to slap against frets above the one you are fretting. This can sound kind of nice for blues work, where you aren't always picking aggressively - it really emphasizes when you do. For metal, where you are constantly picking quickly and aggressively, it will make your playing sound like noise; it will be near impossible to hear the desired note pitch. This also depends on your...
+And a final point - thin strings are '''more likely to have fret buzz''' with the attack. As I just mentioned, they will stretch more and thus be more likely to slap against frets above the one you are fretting. This can sound kind of nice for blues work, where you aren't always picking aggressively - it really emphasizes when you do. For metal, where you are constantly picking quickly and aggressively, it will make your playing sound like noise; it will be near impossible to hear the desired note pitch. This also depends on your...
 == Action ==
-Action can generally be described as the distance between your strings and your frets when you are not fretting them, usually measured as the distance between any string and the top of the 12th (or sometimes 24th) fret. This depends on your nut height, your bridge height, and your truss rod tension. Properly setting up your action is way beyond the scope of this guide; we are only focusing on how action affects your tone, assuming whether you can set up your guitar correctly for your desired action.
+Action can generally be described as the ''distance between your strings and your frets'' when you are not fretting them, usually measured as the distance between any string and the top of the 12th (or sometimes 24th) fret. This depends on your ''nut height'', your ''bridge height'', and your ''truss rod tension'' (balanced against your string tension, which depends on string gauge and tuning). Properly setting up your action is way beyond the scope of this guide; we are only focusing on how action affects your tone, assuming whether you can set up your guitar correctly for your desired action.
-High action is often regarded to have "better" tone (see below), but can be more difficult to play. This is mainly due to poor setup in other areas, which causes a lower area to have too much fret buzz. It can also be more difficult to get a good intonation (making you sound out of tune). Low action runs the risk of fret buzz, especially when other aspects of your setup are bad or you pick aggressively and use a thick pick. For metal, fret buzz is a no-no (too noisy). I like a medium to low action across the board - high enough so that I don't get a strong buzz when I pick the strings at a low to medium stength.
+High action is often regarded to have "better" tone (see below), but can be '''more difficult to play'''.  I disagree - I think this is mainly due to poor setup in other areas, which causes a lower action to have too much ''fret buzz''. It can also be more difficult to get a good ''intonation'' (making you sound out of tune). Low action runs the risk of ''fret buzz'', especially when other aspects of your setup are bad or you pick aggressively and use a thick pick. For metal, fret buzz is a no-no (too noisy). I like a medium to low action across the board - high enough so that I don't get a strong buzz when I pick the strings at a low to medium stength.
-A lot of people think action has little impact on tone, other than the amount of fret buzz. That might be true on a low-quality instrument or one that hasn't been set up properly because by the time you get the action low enough so that it affects tone, it's already getting quite a bit of sustaining buzz. With a great instrument well set up to allow a really low action with virtually no sustaining fret buzz, action has a strong impact on tone. At higher action, the strings don't have as much twang or pop to their attack and sustain a strong bass response. As you lower the action, the strings will occasionally hit the frets. This pop during attack can be regarded as good or bad. It tends to add a little brightness to the tone.
+A lot of people think action has little impact on tone, other than the amount of fret buzz. That might be true on a low-quality instrument or one that hasn't been set up properly because by the time you get the action low enough so that it affects tone, it's already getting quite a bit of sustaining buzz. With a great instrument well set up to allow a really low action with virtually no sustaining fret buzz, ''action has an impact on tone''. At higher action, the strings don't have as much twang or pop to their attack and sustain a strong bass response. As you lower the action, the strings will occasionally hit the frets. This pop during attack can be regarded as good or bad. It tends to add a little brightness to the tone, and '''emphasizes pick attack strength'''.
 My advice here is not to try to basically EQ your guitar tone through the action. And if you have a strong bass response, you can always EQ it out later, whereas you can't EQ it in if it wasn't there to begin with. A boost pedal does a much better job of filtering out too much mud than a low action.
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 Fret buzz is the bane of most guitarists' existence. As such, there is so much stigma and strong language around it, that more novice players can be misled about what to expect from their instrument. This section is simply designed to clarify a few things.
-Fret buzz is not the same thing as fretting out or choking. Fretting out is completely unacceptable - it means the string doesn't even have enough clearance above the frets higher than the one you're fretting to make a sustainable vibration. This can be caused by having your action too low, too much truss rod tension (making the fretboard side of the neck convex), or unlevel frets. A bit of fret buzz, on the other hand, is acceptable; as long as it isn't having a strong impact on your tone.
+Fret buzz is ''not'' the same thing as '''fretting out or choking'''. Fretting out is completely unacceptable - it means the string doesn't even have enough clearance above one or more frets higher than the one you're fretting to make a sustainable vibration. This can be caused by having your action too low, too much truss rod tension (making the fretboard side of the neck convex), or unlevel frets. A bit of fret buzz, on the other hand, is acceptable; as long as it isn't having a strong impact on your tone.
 You should gauge the amount of fret buzz you are getting by playing through an amp using a clean tone, not simply listening to the guitar when it's not plugged in. All electric guitars tend to have a little buzz, but that won't necessarily be heard by the pickups. Some people may try to completely eliminate all acoustic buzzing, making their instrument near unplayable for ABSOLUTELY NO tonal benefit.