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Could anyone tell me what the average string hight is from 12th fret to string bottom, 1st and 6th string, also anyone know what kind of action the stars use, either low or high action. Cheers dave
I wouldn't want to go above 3mm as you're getting into the realms of a classical guitar action (ie relatively high for flamenco), and probably not below 2mm as its difficult not to get a lot of buzzing. Obviously though this depends on the guitar, strings used and how good the fret profile is too.
My Tak and my Sanchis are both around 2.7mm at 12th/6th (top of fret to underside of string), though if I was keeping the Sanchis I'd get my guitar tech to take a gnats whisker off it to make it slightly lower.
Bear in mind that if you are tweaking the action, its important that the nut is looked at as well as the saddle. The nut height nearly always needs attention on cheaper guitars.
Cheers Jim and Jon, I have a sanches, when you say you would take a Midges dick off the bridge, would that leave it 2.5mm? 1st string and how much on the 6th, also Jim, do you mean 8mm from the sound board to the underside of the 6th string, I realise this has been talked about before, thanks, I thought for one minute I was being black balled for my drunken racist views, as the lack of replies. Cheers Dave
In reality, the stringheight ove the soundboard near the bridge is a guide that helps, but what is interesting and important is the height above SB near the soundhole. Why? because thats where your thumb is placed in rasgueados and picado, and that´s where you do your capirote. Many guitars have a way to high accion there because of the SB and strings do not run parallel. 8 mm above SB near bridge can sometimes mean 10mm near soundhole, which in my opinion is way to much, because your thumb tends to glide underneath the 6th string, and the capirote tends to be violent, and it hurts doing it.
The setup on my favorite guitar is:
1st above 12th fret: 2,5mm 6th above 12th fret: 2,8mm. Above SB near soundhole: 7,5mm. Above SB near bridge: 7mm.
It´s difficult to adjust so fine, but it really makes a difference.
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