JP action

[shreder75]

I measure my action at the 12th fret, open string in millimeters. I have gotten my JP down to 1mm at the 12th fret on the high E and about 1.5mm on the low E.

Getting further down than that is a challenge for the untalented tech on this guitar without lowering the bridge saddles so low that the edge of your hand gets caught on the plate that hangs over the trem just behind the saddles (the handrest). I know, because I've tried it. I wish that thing wasn't there.

I was able to adjust the saddles down just a tad and adjust neck relief and get my 1mm action, which is pretty much exactly the way I like it, no more no less. If you like Petrucci action (less than a mm), you're going to need to do some serious things to the guitar like a fret level. Just ask Jon.

One other thing to remember... you can't just crank the tremolo down on the trem posts like you can on a Floyd. This can cause the tremolo to go out of tune regularly. The height needs to be just slightly above flush with the body. That makes it even more challenging to get the action super low.

But I think 1mm is pretty low, and if I can do it anyone can!

Ryan

tha'ts how my bridge sits now..just a hair over being flush with the body =)

anywho, I did some stuff to it yesterday..at first I was using the truss rod to adjust it...but I find that even though they suggest it, that's not the best way to adjust action...bows the neck, it's no longer flat, you get buzzing some places and not others...

so I readjusted it till it was flat with no buzz again..then I went to the saddles (I love adjustable saddles!!!!) and put them about as low as they would go without buzzing..

now it RAWKS!!!!! and not only is it slippery smooth (along the lines of my ESP..just with a thinner neck so I can cruise even quicker on it) it did somethign to the tone...I was originally gonna slap a new pup in the bridge..not anymore! I don't know if it's because the strings are closer to the pole peices or the neck or what, but it's super crunchy now....so I'm returning the pup I got offa musician's friend in a few days..I have 45 days to to it...I'm just gonna test it out at practice on friday...but if it sounds like it did last night, the pup goes back

 

[rrhea]

Awesome! I just went and tinkered with mine again... the neck had moved some, and I straightened it out and got the action back to where I like it.

I like the tone better with low action, too... I am with you. Physically speaking, the strings sound more natural and fatter when higher off the board (you get more of the fundamental harmonic that way), but I like the sound of the low low action. I also prefer the sound of light gauge strings over heavy, they just seem to scream more. I use .009s on just about all of my guitars, and I prefer this sound.

Do you have any buzzing? I get a little on the high E pretty much all over, but I only hear it acoustically (like on most all of my guitars)... plugged in it ins't a factor.

Glad you to hear you're bonding with your new baby! I have been playing mine exlcusively for the past several weeks. Breaking that sucker in and bonding with it. My wife thinks it's "cute". That's like driving up in a Ferrari and having some chick say "cute car". Sort of emasculating.

Ryan

 

[shreder75]

hahah! how dare she say your axe handleing is cute! blasphemy! =d

I like lighter gauge strings as well...and I think the lower action, as you said, just makes it scream and crunch all the more!

I get maybe a little buzzing on the low E around the 2nd and 3rd fret..you can hardly tell it's there..and as you also said, it's an acoustical thing....my lynch is exactly the same way...very similar setup...same situation on the same string on the same fret..lol

Awesome! I just went and tinkered with mine again... the neck had moved some, and I straightened it out and got the action back to where I like it.

I like the tone better with low action, too... I am with you. Physically speaking, the strings sound more natural and fatter when higher off the board (you get more of the fundamental harmonic that way), but I like the sound of the low low action. I also prefer the sound of light gauge strings over heavy, they just seem to scream more. I use .009s on just about all of my guitars, and I prefer this sound.

Do you have any buzzing? I get a little on the high E pretty much all over, but I only hear it acoustically (like on most all of my guitars)... plugged in it ins't a factor.

Glad you to hear you're bonding with your new baby! I have been playing mine exlcusively for the past several weeks. Breaking that sucker in and bonding with it. My wife thinks it's "cute". That's like driving up in a Ferrari and having some chick say "cute car". Sort of emasculating.

Ryan