High or low action.

[Jimmijames]

So, I'm still kind of new to mandolin set up. I come from an electric guitar background. I'm used to the string action being as low as possible. I took my mando to the local mando repair guy (I'm guessing he's good, since everyone in town uses his services) and asked him if he could check out the action and see if it could go any lower. He took a look at it and said the action was way too low.

Mike Marshall says you should have the action low in his instructional DVD.

My question is, which do you prefer? High or low action? and why? and what do you consider high/low?

Cheers,
Jim

[NickAlberty]

I like a relatively high to medium action......if that makes sense. I definitely do not use a low action. I think it depends on the mandolin as well. Some mandolins seem to work better with different actions.

I like high because there's no buzzing on any frets and it also seems that the tone is better (more full) and the volume seems a little louder. (we're always going for more volume right?)

That's my preferences.

I have heard it said that low action benefits you in that it's easier to finger and fret. You also seem to get some more tone off of hammer ons and pull offs with a low action.

[Chris Keth]

It can be pretty low but you don't want to hear any buzzing. On an electric guitar, you can have a pretty good amount of fretbuzz before you can actually hear it through the amp so you can set the strings lower. On a mandolin, what you hear is what you get. You also want to be able to really play it hard without buzz for some things. If you can't give it a good hard chop without hearing buzz, then it's too low.

[Tim2723]

Hi Jim and welcome!

Well, it's all a matter of personal preference. I kind of like a medium high action. It depends on your style and the charateristics of the individual instrument. I have friends that keep their actions so low I can't play their instruments, and vice versa.

[barry k]

I have been playing mandolin for a long time, been building for 16 years, and have just recently re-thought my position on low action. My mind was changed 4 months ago when an older professional told me about his preferance of low , low action and then I had played his 1933 Gibson. Outstanding mandolin, ( one of the best I have ever had my hands on)and he is an oustanding bluegrass player. I made the mandolin buzz, he did not. I play(ed) hard , he does not. He explained to me that I should get the action low as possible , and if the instrument buzzes, I Needed to change my style of playing. At first I was offended, but soon realized he was correct. I have been playing too heavy ( right)handed, and as a result had the action of my mandolins too high. So I have lowered the action and lightened up considerably on my right hand, it has made a big difference.

[Mike Snyder]

You nailed it, Barry. I like a really low action due to issues with my left hand, but have decades of bad habits from years playing junk mandolins. I'm learning how to lighten up with my right hand, and hearing things I wanted to pull out of a mandolin for years. I have problems with buzz. With the fret hand issues, I probably always will, to some extent. A moderate degree of hearing loss doesn't help, either. But a strong mandolin was what it took for me to realize what a banger I was (am) and what to do about it. My luthier guy has really dialed it in for me, and I'm a happy man. The buzz is my problem, not the mandolins'.

[sbarnes]

jethro advocated a low action....said not only is it easier to play but it is just as loud.....gave examples as proof....
i like mine low

[fredhicks]

Low, but I also play fairly lightly.

[GTG]

I like low action, but only in a perfectly set-up mandolin. Otherwise I like medium action, because I'd rather get good tone and no buzzing whatsoever than easier playability.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Jim - you come from an instrument playing background,so,as far as action for 'ease of fingering' goes,just set it to suit yourself as you did on your Guitar. If then,it's not 'sounding' the way you think it should ie.it's tonally a bit dead or doesn't have the volume that you'd like,then that would indicate that you need to raise the strings until you get the tone & volume that suits you. Unless you have a superlative Mandolin capable of great tone & good volume with a low action,then a slightly high action is needed - not all Mandolins are like Chris Thile's Dudenbostel,
Ivan

[Hans]

Set it up so you like it. Volume is not that much of a factor...any good mandolin will have plenty of volume at any action height. Action should be just high enough to not buzz at the "heavyhandedness" of your playing.

[Jimmijames]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

[Rick Schmidlin]

Set it up so you like it. Volume is not that much of a factor...any good mandolin will have plenty of volume at any action height. Action should be just high enough to not buzz at the "heavyhandedness" of your playing.

.....and this comes from a great voice.

[Pete Martin]

I like it as low as possible to get good tone. But as I have left side tendenitous, I need it this low to not aggravate this.

[Lefty Luthier]

I generally set the action at 0.020 string/fret clearance all the way down the board with the bridge set as low as possible. Most customers prefer the action a bit higher but it is really not necessary but the customer can crank up the support nuts a bit as desired. I don't think action height has much effect on output amplitude since the string force on the bridge is basically the same when the strings are tuned to pitch.