How High Should the Action Be on an Acoustic Guitar?
Wondering how high your acostic guitar action should be? For many steel-string acoustic guitars and players, a twelfth fret action height of 6/64” at the bass E and 4/64” will work well. Such a height works well as a balance between comfort and good tone. However, depending on your picking hand technique and other aspects, you may wish to adjust your height.
Light, Consistent Attack
If you have a light, consistent attack, then you’re unlikely to encounter fret buzz with a slightly lower action. However, note that lower action may result in poor tone, particularly with bends and hammers. Yet, if you wish to improve the playability of your guitar, and have already smoothed your nut slots and adjusted your neck relief, then lowering your twelfth fret action by a small amount might assist. For many guitars, you can get the bass E string to around 5/64” at the twelfth fret without buzzing with a light, consistent attack. However, going below 4/64” at the treble E will typically result in fret buzz. Also, keep in mind that lowering your saddle could result in insufficient break angle.
Medium, Consistent Attack
For a medium, consistent attack, a height of 6/64″ at the bass E and 4/64″ at the treble E should work well as a good balance between tone and comfort.
Heavy or Dynamic Attack
If you have a heavy, consistent attack, or a dynamic one, consider a slightly higher twelfth fret action. A height of around 7/64″ at the bass E and 5/64″ at the treble E should work well. This height allows for a more aggressive playing style without string buzz and also produce good tone.
Slide Playing
If you play with a slide, then we suggest two things. First, have a consistent action height across all strings. This will make moving the slider easier. Second, consider a minimum action height of 6/64″ at the twelfth fret for all strings. This will provide a good balance between being able to fret notes with your fingers, but not result in regularly hitting the frets when using the slide. If you only use a slide and don’t fret notes, consider an action height of 7/64″.
Still Getting a Buzz?
If you have adjusted your twelfth fret action yet still hear a buzz, the culprit may not be the frets. Visit our article on Why Your Acoustic Guitar Has a Buzz and our article on Odd Buzz? Tighten Your Tuning Machines.