Today we will deal with the advantages and the disadvantages of having high/low fretboard action. Whether it is high or low, guitar action will affect how a guitar feels to play, big time. So, let’s start with high action, first:
Having high action on the guitar gives you a better overall sound. The strings have more room to vibrate, the sustain is better, and the guitar generally has a fuller, more “meaty” sound.
On the other hand, the main disadvantage of high action is that it makes the guitar physically harder to play. Generally, we don’t really want that happening, since it will be more tiring, there will be a higher chance of hand injury and it will also potentially limit the range of playing techniques we can going to use with this specific setup.
Having a low action makes the guitar easier and less tiring to play! On the other hand, the sound becomes a bit thinner, more brittle, and often has less sustain. Basically, it’s a trade-off between having low or high action. It’s a win some — lose some situation. You need to figure out which one works for you best — and also for which specific circ*mstances!
Here is what I suggest:
I often advocate having 2 guitars, one practice guitar, and one “performance” guitar. The main characteristic of the “practice” guitar should be very comfortable and easy to play. The main characteristic of the “performance” guitar should be to sound good on stage/studio and also to look cool on stage!
When you practice your guitar techniques, use low action or always have low action on your “practice” guitar. The most important reason for that is that you need a guitar setup that will not be too difficult to play so that you can practice longer but with less chance of injury.
When it comes to your “performance” guitar, it really depends. Ideally, you should manage to strike a balance, where the guitar is playable with the actual sound you want, without being TOO difficult to play.
Keep a balance between 80% practicing on your “practice” guitar with the low action and 20% playing with your “performance” guitar, which might have higher action. This way, you will be attuned to both setup situations, hopefully preventing unwanted injuries.
You can watch this video, where I explain this topic in more detail. If you’re interested in developing your guitar skills and reaching your music goals please check the different packages of Elite Guitar Coaching Academy and how you can get private coaching from me.
