Call Us Today! 843-347-5742|haywire@sccoast.net

Low Guitar Action

Did you know? Action is a one-way street where it can be raised, but not lowered without significant obstacles to overcome. Most guitarists don’t have the proper set-up tools to adjust for low guitar action. They don’t understand that some frets may be higher thus causing buzzing problems when lowering action. However, it can be raised without any issues.
The neck has to be dead straight for low action. Many players for the most part don’t recognize how to radius the strings or set a proper neck angle so the frets way up on the neck don’t hit the strings first. We know about setting low action on guitars and try to set it lower than necessary so the player can compensate by raising slightly. That is the best scenario.

image Haywire Custom Guitars striking a wooden stick match. At Haywire Custom Guitars We're firing up new ideas for you about low guitar action!
At Haywire Custom Guitars We’re firing up new ideas for you about low guitar action!

When you raise the action, no issues come into play. Raise it and see.
It’s easy when it’s time to raise it. Action can be raised, but not lowered without problems. Not sure? Try it.
Do you feel lucky? Go ahead and lower your action all the way down without getting a “BUZZ”.


It’s hard to do, right? Well, don’t feel bad. If it was easy everyone would do it and techs and luthiers wouldn’t have jobs, would we?
We study guitars and know them like the back of our hands. We try and get it right because we do it every day. Basically, I know every problem that is going to occur when I lower action on a players’ guitar. It’s simply not as easy as just lowering the strings. There are many impediments and obstacles to getting low guitar action. There are however none, when raising. Think on that for a sec.

Lowering Guitar Action can be difficult

Please for your interests, when you think about saying, “The action is too low” can you fix it? Then also think about how really easy it is. You can have an expert help you. I’m trying to help you here guys. I want to teach you a bit about your guitar. Sure, it may cost us some work if we tell you how to do it. That’s fine if it helps empower you to save a trip to the guitar shop. If you can adjust a couple of things on your guitar it’s much more helpful to you. As luthiers and guitar techs, our job is to help you.

Try it!


Helping you to learn more about your guitar is a win-win situation. We’ll do that for you. From now on, if your action is too low, you have permission to raise it before coming to have it worked on. Please try raising it first before asking us. Believe me, I certainly don’t mind helping, but you’ll feel really good if you can make a few adjustments and save time and money. You’ll be surprised at how much you can do by yourself. Try it.

Photo: At Haywire Custom Guitars High Guitar Action Can Be fixed
At Haywire Custom Guitars High or low Guitar Action Can Be fixed

About the Author:

Mr. Rick Mariner Owner and Founder and CEO of Haywire Custom Guitars Inc. He is a member of The Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans (A.S.I.A.) as well as a guitar player. Rick holds a bachelors degree from University of Md. and a Masters degree from George Washington University. Rick developed his exclusive 8 – Point “Gig- Ready” guitar process that allows for Custom Guitars that are “GIG-READY”. With Rick’s many years of development and guitar set-up experience, Haywire Guitar shop “Builds satisfied players… one Haywire guitar at a time”.

Leave A Comment