The Gretsch Pages: Discussions: Other Players: Setzer's action?

Setzer's action?

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- Rated: 28 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 12:11 p.m. Danman:

Ah at last someone who will respond normally.

So you mean that the most important part of raising the action is the tighter tension caused by more of a string break over the bridge? I understand that that has something to do with it but only a slight higher action already can have quite a result. And that doesn't cause that much of a change in break angle. I can imagine that it all works together. My 59 Annie has virtually no break angle and no tension on the bridge but has great tone because of the high action. How could that happen then?

I agree with you that increase in sustain is not a result from more tension but I thought higher action does cause the strings to move more freely and thus let them sustain longer.
- Rated: 15 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 12:12 p.m. jameslynch:

I've never actually measured my action. I'm CERTAINLY a student of Setzer and play in a style heavily influenced by him, but I rarely think about his action. Looking at most of my Gretsches (and comparing them to past guitars in my life i.e. teles, strats, casinos,) I would say my action is on the high side. On my country gent, may be higher than I'd even like come to think of it..

Seems to me I readjusted to a slightly higher action after becoming a Gretsch fanatic. I never expected my "Eddie Cochran" guitar to play just the same as my "James Burton" guitar... I don't know... I think I'll go measure it...
- Rated: 66 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 12:14 p.m. Walter Broes:

danman said: My 59 Annie has virtually no break angle and no tension on the bridge but has great tone because of the high action. How could that happen then?
Higher break angle off the fret!
- Rated: 47 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 12:16 p.m. dmanlow:

I'd be interested to see the action of members Gretsches here. Not sure it means anything but I'm curious to know the height of the E strings at the 12th fret. Anybody else care?
- Rated: 28 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 12:17 p.m. Danman:

Sorry, don't understand.
You mean because you have to push the string further down it tightends up and creates a better tone? Guitars with high action sound better with open strings too. Or am I misunderstanding you.
- Rated: 66 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 12:34 p.m. Walter Broes:

Dan, no, higher action makes for more tension, doesn't matter where the break action occurs really. And higher tension results in more resonance, and that's what you're hearing.
- Rated: 0 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 5:26 p.m. Tbird:

Hello Walter Broes, I don't understand "higher tension results in more resonance and thats what you are hearing". I understand greater tension will increase the resonant frequency of a vibrating string but that doesn't seem to explain the apparent change in response at different positions that Danman describes. It seems like the argument that higher string position reduced the interaction with the fingerboard may be plausible. Could it be that as you lower the string you first get only minimal contact between the strings and the frets which damp some string response at the extremes of the audible range? As you continue to lower them you get more interaction between the strings and the frets and the longer interval of that interaction becomes more audible, as in "string buzz".
- Rated: 83 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 6:03 p.m. Synchro:

Higher action equates to more downforce on the bridge. The tension of the speaking length of the string is a product of string length and gauge period but there is tension operating in a different vector which pushes the bridge towards the top. The higher the bridge the greater the tension in that vector and greater downforce on the bridge transmits more string energy into the top which translates into resonance.
- Rated: 66 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 6:07 p.m. Walter Broes:

And Synchro states quite clearly how it really works. Thank you!
- Rated: 18 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 6:42 p.m. Robert:

There's high action and then there's HIGH ACTION.
- Rated: 3 ↑
Sep 29, 2008 7:11 p.m. ladyscaglyc:

At first I thought that was camera angle! He must have started playing uprights early on.