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sickindian

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Jul 24, 2006
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Can somebody tell me whats the lowest action allowed in John Petrucci 6 string without any buzz?Because right now its low although my friend that been playin' Axis said that the string heights are bit to high...maybe there is problem with the neck relief?Oh and BTW which string gauges are better 9's or 10's im really confused i gave my guitar to guitar tech and i still dont like string action and its playability thats why :( i thought that maybe 9's do the softiness because ive used these to play on my ibanez tht was far more softier that MMJP6 is.
 

candid_x

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Jun 26, 2006
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The lowest action allowed is when all six strings are laying flat against all the frets, cuz then it's not playable, and that's not allowed. Anything higher than that is a matter of personal taste.

A guitar tech should be able to set it how you want it, but some will want to set it how they would have it. Just tell him specifically how low you want the action to be, even if you get slight string buzz. It's also easy to make these adjustments yourself on an EBMM. That way you don't have to go running back and forth to and from your tech.

String gauge too is a matter of personal preference. There's no rules except what works best for you.
 
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sickindian

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Brechin, Scotland
The lowest action allowed is when all six strings are laying flat against all the frets, cuz then it's not playable, and that's not allowed. Anything higher than that is a matter of personal taste.

A guitar tech should be able to set it how you want it, but some will want to set it how they would have it. Just tell him specifically how low you want the action to be, even if you get slight string buzz. It's also easy to make these adjustments yourself on an EBMM. That way you don't have to go running back and forth to and from your tech.

String gauge too is a matter of personal preference. There's no rules except what works best for you.

You still dont get my point how can i set up neck relief and know thats right if i never did that before? or what's the point set these string height by my self if relief is wrong? :(
 

jazzbo jim

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candid_x makes a good point-even if a tech sets it up, you may well need to tweak it yourself.
Check the FAQs on the EBMM websight-it's pretty comprehensive and I'm sure you can figure it out. After all, who knows your setup preferences better than you?
 

CudBucket

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Aug 3, 2004
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Keep in mind there is no super low action without a little buzz. Even JP's guitars, which are about 1/32" at the 12th fret, have some buzz. As long as it doesn't come out the speaker, it's OK.

From the factory, a JP will be 1/16th or so at the 12th fret. Give or take due to climate changes between SLO and it's final resting place.
 

SteveB

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The FAQ will tell you how to set the action.

Only you can determine when it is 'right', by adjusting the action and playing the guitar to see if it feels comfortable for you. Of course, you have to ensure that the neck bow isn't set to a point where notes are 'fretting out'.

(That's a term I use when you fret a note but it doesn't make the correct sound because the string touches some fret wire on another fret higher up the neck. It's a bad buzz with very little to no sustain.)
 

guitardude67

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Dec 1, 2006
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Florida
What seems to work the best for me is lower your strings to you get a buzz on each one and than just barely back off till the buzz is gone.Thats what my tech does,seems to make the most sense cause you get the lowest action without no buzz..:cool:
 

sickindian

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What seems to work the best for me is lower your strings to you get a buzz on each one and than just barely back off till the buzz is gone.Thats what my tech does,seems to make the most sense cause you get the lowest action without no buzz..:cool:

That's make sense to me ThX for help Guys
 

tristan

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Feb 16, 2004
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france
I set the strings as low as possible.

then I set it EVEN LOWER.

then I scream.

then I sell this f*-** stratocaster and I just buy a music man ...;)
 

uvacom

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Nov 25, 2006
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That's make sense to me ThX for help Guys

There is a little more to it than that - if you adjust the string height, it will affect the intonation, and you will probably have to re-intonate (by adjusting each saddle). You may also have to adjust the pickup height (since the pickups will now be closer to the strings, if they are too close the sound will be kind of muddy and the magnetic field can affect the string vibrations, too). Do you know how to do those things?

This is a good basic overview on how to setup any guitar - it's not ebmm-specific, but just about everything should apply. To do a really good job you'll probably want to get a set of gauge feelers and maybe even a caliper. But you can fudge it if you don't want to spend the money on good tools (although I think in the long term they are a really good investment), just follow the instructions and if you're just making minor changes you'll be okay.

There is a lot to giving a guitar a really good setup, that's why people get paid good money to do it (actually they don't get paid much relative to the skill of the work, but that's another story). That doesn't mean you can't do it yourself, but it does mean you shouldn't have such a cavalier attitude about just making changes - it's all about balance, and if you single-mindedly try to get your action as low as possible without considering what else will be affected, you'll have a very unbalanced guitar that is not as playable as it was before you started.
 

Progdude

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Nov 21, 2005
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IL.
I used to love low action! Now Im a medium action-high action guy. The tone is better and its not that much harder to play. I actually feel I have more control with higher action and bigger strings. ( I use 9s & 10s now. I used to use either 7s 8s or 9s) With low action.
 

threeminutesboy

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May 11, 2003
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I used to love low action! Now Im a medium action-high action guy. The tone is better and its not that much harder to play. I actually feel I have more control with higher action and bigger strings. ( I use 9s & 10s now. I used to use either 7s 8s or 9s) With low action.

7s :eek: ?
 

Lefty_SS

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Nov 23, 2006
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Toronto Ontario
7's? dude you have lost it. im pretty sure they would melt if you played them for to long. who even makes a 7 gauge string?. like 8's push it, and 9's are cool. but dude how do those things even give you a tone you like? if anything put higher guage strings on it and work your way down to a 10 or 9. you wont build any muscels in your hands with 7's.

but thats my 2cents. each to there own man.
 
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