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I'm just wondering what you all think about string tension and how it affects action? Is there a difference in action say between light gauge/light tension, and heavy tension strings? I'm very familiar with the sound characteristics,volume/buzzing tradeoff for playing style, but I never really noticed if the action was indeed higher for high tension strings. What have you all noticed? Also, I mainly play classical, but if there is a difference, is it more pronounced in SS vs. CL?

Cheers!

John John Elshaw38625.7916782407

John,

I don't understand the question.

To me, "action" refers to the distance between the top of the frets and the bottom of the strings (usually measured at the 12th fret). The action is whatever you set it to be.

As between two guitars with different gauge strings, they will have the same action if you set the string height the same, and they won't if you don't.

Do you see my confusion?

Now, with all this said, if you pick up two guitars with the same action, but one has lighter gauge strings and one has heavier gauge strings, the one with the lighter strings will take considerably less force (and less fingertip discomfort) to fret. But that is a different concept than action to me.

With heavier strings, you can get the action lower with less buzz. It is a good trade-off. The playability can be almost as nice with a set of mediums at a lower height, with less buzz perhaps, and better tone, compared to a set of light gauge strings.

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Actually, I think I wasn't very clear in my question. What I'm trying to figure is how the tension of the strings affects the action (the height of the string above the frets). If you ever noticed the neck on a guitar with no strings, the neck angle is different than after you have it strung up and in tune. The increase in tension from the strings affect the action, which is why some builders use weights to simulate string tension when measuring and setting up saddle height.

It's easy to see the difference in action from no strings to fully strung up, but my question is whether anybody has noticed a difference from low tension to high tension strings? Does that make sense? There may be no noticable difference for all I know, I've just never tested between two string tensions.

John

to some extent the answer depends a bit upon the characteristics of the neck itself. stiffer neck, the less reaction to change in string guage.

if you put mediums on a guitar which was set up for lights, the action might rise a thou or two at the 1st and a 64th at the 12th. so if you want to maintain the the same action the truss rod may get tweaked an 1/8 of a turn or less to reduce relief and nut files get a short workout and the saddle pulled and lowered.

going the other way, from mediums to lights, the lower tension may require that the truss rod be backed of an 1/8 or so, the nut slots filled, and a shim or new saddle put in, or a new saddle made.

with classicals, because the string tensions are much lower and the actions much higher the differences are not so noticable, but still may be measurable.