Action

How far the strings sit above the frets, usually measured at the twelfth fret and adjusted at the bridge and nut.

Action is set once relief, nut slots and frets are already correct, because it is the last variable in the chain. Lower action makes bends, barre chords and speed easier, but it leaves less room for the string to move before it hits a fret, so buzz and choked bends appear. Higher action gives more volume and a cleaner sound from a hard right hand at the cost of effort. Setup is really the business of trading those two against each other until the instrument matches the way its owner plays.

Example: a blues player who digs in hard will usually want noticeably higher action than a legato shredder on the same model of guitar.

Action

See also