Action determines how much pressure and distance is required for the string to make full contact with each fret. Higher string settings will allow for more forceful strumming while maintaining a high degree of clarity and crispness of the notes, while lower settings will tend to quickly generate severe fret buzz when fortissimo passages are called for. Updated on Jan 14, 2021 at 5:03 PM. The average string action of the guitars I set up is 3/32 inches on the bass side and 1/16 inches on the treble side. A third contributing factor is the guitar’s nut, which plays a slightly less prominent role in the height of the strings. Because of all these factors, electric guitar action can be set far lower than that on acoustic guitars, typically anywhere from .15″ to .05″ lower, on average. The string height is usually measured at the12 th fret, from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string, in millimeters. Action determines how much pressure and distance is required for the string to make full contact with each fret. Just as with a 6-string guitar, bass, banjo, or mandolin, 12-string setup can be divided into playability and intonation.On the playability side, there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and through experience, guitarists need to discover their personal comfort zones. Broadly speaking, electric guitars tend to either have a “Fender-style” or a “Gibson-style” bridge/saddle system. So typically when it comes to regular action adjustments, players can leave the nut as-is. A guitar’s action can also be adjust at the bridge. When it comes to instruments—especially stringed instruments—one of the most important considerations for the musician is how the instrument plays. Learn More. String height or action describes the distance between the top of your frets to the bottom of your strings. Since an acoustic guitar is made of wood, variances in temperature and humidity and years of string tension can affect the setup as can changing to lighter or heavier string gauges. The height at which the strings sit above the fingerboard is also a critical factor in how aggressively the guitar can be played. There are significant differences between the way that most acoustic and electric guitars are played. fulfillment is delayed due to weather    //    see current lead times     //    free shipping on orders $20+ details. To learn more about our cookie policy, please visit our Privacy Policy. Most of the guitar brands on my list are well known for high quality guitars. Those who play more forcefully or aggressively may want to raise their strings by a  64th or two whereas those who are able to get away with much lower string heights without producing unwanted fret buzz may find that the lower settings are more comfortable for them. , The action of an acoustic guitar refers to the height of its strings above the fretboard, which is the area the fingers are placed to alter the pitch that the strings produce. Most guitars have incorporated truss rods since at least the middle of the 20th century. For an acoustic guitar to work properly, it is very important that the gap String height at the nut should be as low as possible without causing open string buzz. This is on the high side. Generally speaking, the action refers to the size of the gaps between the strings and the frets. Everything you love about Sweetwater in the palm of your hand. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, 12-String Guitar: From the Street to the Stage, Hollow and Semi-Hollow Body Guitars: The Complete Guide. Then, measuring with the String Action Gauge, adjust the string height to the player's preference. All rights reserved. Today, we’ll be talking all about guitar action—what action is, how to know the right string height for your instrument, and the three ways to adjust the action on your guitar. Learn how your comment data is processed. These are not the only acceptable string heights, but they are a starting point, as the happy medium all comes down to your own personal preference. Inspecting and cleaning keeps your guitar looking great and can uncover hidden or potential problems. Setting Up An Instrument String Height At 12th Fret. These are metal rods that run through the neck of the guitar and attach to the body. Depending on the guitar, it can be incredibly easy to adjust, or a royal P.I.T.A…. When you pull out the pins the strings will try to … Ideally, the truss rod should be tight enough so that the neck of the guitar is ever so slightly bowed concavely. Particularly high-set strings are generally considered by players to be cumbersome and uncomfortable to deal with. Saddle height directly affects how high the strings sit above the frets. Regardless, it’s best to have access to the right tools, and if you end up with multiple guitars, or you want to do setup work for others, you’ll need a multi-bit screwdriver. At Stringjoy, we tend to look at the action at the 12th fret, but if you’re more comfortable using a different reference point, that’s fine too. On the other hand, setting strings too low results in the dreaded “fret buzz,” where the strings vibrate against unplayed frets, resulting in the typical buzzy sound that so many older or poorly maintained guitars are known for. 99 The following setup procedures and specifications are for your Fender guitar as equipped with the strings that come on the instrument as standard equipment from the factory. It is important to note that to change your action height at the 12th fret a certain distance, you must multiply that number by two to find the height to raise it at the saddle. For electric guitars, in our opinion, a good default string height at the 12th fret is typically about 6/64th of an inch (2.38mm) on the bass side and 4/64th of an inch (1.59mm) on the treble side. Required fields are marked *. For guitar players, the term action can similarly be used to describe the general feel of the instrument when played, but it also has a much more precise definition—the height of the individual strings. The higher the strings, the more tension they have, and the harder it will be to fret the notes. This height decides how ‘aggressive’ one can play before fret buzz occurs. That said, nuts can wear out over longer periods of time, and this will eventually affect your action after many years. For acoustic guitars, our recommendation bumps up to 7/64th of an inch (2.78mm) on the bass side and 5/64th of an inch (1.98mm) on the treble side. Now is the perfect time to get the gear you want with simple, promotional financing. Fender saddles allow the height of each string to be adjusted individually. The term is also used to describe the overall playability and feel of a guitar. As seasons change, so do guitars. If you need electric guitar repair you should ... fret buzz, fret out, rough fret ends, incorrect string height and pickup height. Two questions: 1) I have an old acoustic guitar and it is set up even lower – .050″ at fret 12 on high E and .070″ for low E. Adjust the Bridge Height. String Height At The Nut. The high ‘e’ treble string should measure between 1.59 mm (1/16″) and 1.98 mm (5/64″) at the maximum. Our knowledge base contains over 28,000 expertly written tech articles that will give you answers and help you get the most out of your gear. © 2014-2020 Stringjoy, LLC. A guitar setup is adjusting the guitar to play and sound its best. As with almost everything else guitar related, there are significant differences between how the action on electric and acoustic guitars should be set. First fret string height is high with a feeler gage but looks fine with the 3rd fret check method. There is only one thing about buying off-the-rack acoustic steel string guitars that really, really sucks, and that's the setup, or rather, the lack of it. Best of all, it’s totally FREE, and it’s just another reason that you get more at Sweetwater.com. A guitar set up balances the numerous settings that affect tuning, tone, and playability. Height of nut above FB: .075-.085 .075-.085 .075-.085 .085-.095 .085-.095 Conversion Key Inch (thousandths) Inch Millimeter Height of string above 12th fret: Note: Adjust saddle height to raise bass by 1/64 compared to standard acoustic models. In practical terms, it should appear as if the neck is effectively straight. If you plan to change string gauges, you may need to adjust the specs somewhat to compensate for the changes in string sizes. That would be with medium gauges strings. Well, because this is one of the most principal factors in defining both how the guitar feels and how it sounds. This height is adjusted lower by filing the string slots deeper with a special file. Guitar Setup Part 1: Adjusting the Truss Rod. Guitar Setup: How do I measure the action on my electric guitar? Guitar Setup: How do I use a radius gauge? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In technical parlance, this is commonly referred to as an instrument’s action. No Special Tools Required basic action adjust on acoustic guitar with simple tools .. very easy... Do it yourself Action adjustment for acoustic guitar. Adjust the truss rod to add relief to the neck, if that's what the player prefers. Your email address will not be published. Raising or lowering the saddle on acoustic guitars requires careful, precision craftsmanship and, while many players may be able to complete this job themselves, taking your guitar into a shop and having a professional handle the saddle height adjustment will almost always be worth the usually nominal cost, especially where high-end vintage guitars are concerned. If not, nut raiser. This gives the player a great deal of control, but it also means that you will have to pay special attention to maintaining the correct radius so that the action is even across each string. If the action is adjusted too low, then volume, sustain, and clarity of sound are reduced. The mechanism by which the truss rod affects the string height above the fingerboard is quite simple: loosening the truss rod allows the strings to exert more force, causing a forward-bowing effect, while tightening the truss rod counteracts the strings’ tension, straightening the neck (and of course if over-tightened the truss rod can also cause back-bend in the neck). These are the adjustment of the truss rod and the bridge saddles. When this is the case, a simple truss-rod adjustment (often no more than a quarter turn either way) is all that’s required to get everything back into perfect playing shape. Compensations may need to be made, if you plan to change string gauges. There is a considerable amount of leeway in choosing the right action height, depending on your instrument and playing style. These are just rules of thumb, of course. These are just rules of thumb, of course. On an electric guitar, this … As we’ll talk about below, string height plays a critical role not just in the feel of the strings but also in the way that the guitar actually sounds. A guitar’s action is defined principally in terms of the height at which the strings sit above a given fret. On electric guitars, none of these means of string-height adjustment are beyond the capabilities of a dedicated do-it-yourselfer who possesses just a couple of tools. Parts of the guitar: body, bridge, bridge pins, strings, fretboard, headstock, tuners. So if action has a more broad definition when referring to other instruments, why is a guitar’s action defined in terms of the height that the strings rest above the fretboard? String height or action describes the distance between the top of your frets to the bottom of your strings. For acoustic guitars, we’ll want to go just a bit higher than this: For acoustic guitars, our recommendation bumps up to 7/64th of an inch (2.78mm) on the bass side and 5/64th of an inch (1.98mm) on the treble side. If you can’t get a clear tone over your guitar’s first three or so frets, get a nut raiser … A Gibson-style (Tune-O-Matic) bridge only allows for adjusting either the whole treble side or the whole bass side, which gives you less control, but also makes basic adjustments a bit easier to perform. It’s not uncommon to wake up one day in the spring or fall and find that your guitar has either too high of action or is buzzing due to lower action. Generally speaking, electric guitars require a less-forceful approach (though depending on the player, this may or may not be the case). Because every guitar player has their own unique style, and players’ use profiles differ considerably from one to the other, there are no hard and fast rules about string height, just some general rules of thumb. Get Directions | If you own a Martin guitar manufactured before 1985 and want the neck adjusted, consult a professional technician. Remove the capo from the 1st fret and whilst looking at … Check The String Height At The 12th Fret. The lower the string height (or action) the easier the guitar is to play. Finding the right action for you and your instrument is the key to getting your guitar or bass sounding, playing, and feeling the way you want. Finding the right action for you and your instrument is the key to getting your guitar or bass sounding, playing, and feeling the way you want. In order to measure the height of your guitar’s strings, you should have either a ruler, a feeler gauge, or a specialized string action gauge. 6th String: 2.6mm /.10236 inches (6/64th) 2) Check string height at the nut by using a feeler gauge between the bottom of the string and the top of the first fret, it should be.022 +/-.002 for acoustic guitars as a starting point. As with all things guitar, what makes your guitar play the way you want it to is the only thing that matters. Thanks to the invention of the magnetic pickup, a player is able to transmit virtually unlimited sound to an audience with a minimum of physical exertion upon the strings themselves. On electric guitars, adjusting the saddle height is usually a simple matter of carefully measuring the height and then using a screwdriver or allen wrench (depending on the bridge) to raise the strings appropriately. Adjusting your guitar action and bridge height is one of the most common guitar setup tips that you will learn with this easy and simple guitar setup guide for Gibson, Fender, and Floyd Rose style guitar bridges. I have not measured one myself, but I would expect these guitars to come in the middle range, near 2.45 for the low E bass string and 1.86 or so for the high e treble string. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I am happy with how it plays. Put a capo over the nut of the guitar and de-string it. Your email address will not be published. Correct Neck Relief. Taylor Academy Series. Experts differ in their opinions about which fret is best to measure string height from, with most saying that measuring from between the 8th and the 12th fret, is the best. I don’t want to file the nut. Happy customers, one piece of gear at a time! The saddle height is the other important factor in determining action height. Please Note: This guide serves only if you want a quick action adjustment and presumes your truss rod and nut are set up correctly. Martin acoustic guitars made after 1985 have an adjustable neck tension rod located at either the headstock or body end of the guitar. This distance plays a key role in your setup because it determines the ease in which your guitar can be played. TC-Helicon Go Guitar Pro Quickstart Guide. This distance plays a key role in your setup because it determines the ease in which your guitar can be played. There is a considerable amount of leeway in choosing the right action height, depending on your instrument and playing style. Sweetwater Sound If neither of the above techniques get your action where you want it and it seems like a replacement nut may be required, you can get one that comes pre-cut for not much money, or you can cut one yourself for your preferred gauge of strings. 5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W, Fort Wayne, IN 46818 … Another consideration with electric guitars is that the amount of perceived fret buzz when the instrument is not plugged into an amplifier can be significant compared to what you will hear under amplification. For the piano and other keyboard-based instruments, action simply refers to the feel of the keys under the fingers. Our pro musicians and gear experts update content daily to keep you informed and on your way. Exclusive deals, delivered straight to your inbox. Store Hours, If you have any questions, please call us at (800) 222-4700. In order to raise or lower the saddle on an acoustic guitar, it is necessary to remove the strings, take out the saddle and then either sand it or glue on a shim. This is also how so many players can make downright massive sounds with super light guitar strings. The factors that cause action to shift over time (wear and tear, saddle height shifting, expansion and contraction of wood) tend not to have as substantial of effects on the nut than they do on the bridge or neck. Unfortunately, acoustic guitars present a far more challenging situation. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the considerations you should keep in mind when setting the action on your guitar and how best to go about it. If you’re adjusting the string height on an acoustic guitar, then you won’t be using a screwdriver at all. Acoustic and Electric Guitar and Bass Guitar Set-up Specifications All of the following specifications are for guitars/basses with the standard gauges of Gretsch strings that the guitar or bass is equipped with from the factory. Measure the distance from top of fret to bottom of string while depressing the string at the 1st and last fret: Relief should measure .005 - .010" at the 8th fret. By guitar setup, I mean what many people refer to as the action of the guitar. massive sounds with super light guitar strings. CJMM Set of 4 Guitar Luthier Tools - Guitar Neck Straight Edge Notched Tool, String Action Ruler and Guitar Fret Rocker String Height Gauge, with Free Velvet Bag 5.0 out of 5 stars 3 £13.99 £ 13 . Phone Hours | There are two main ways that the action on a guitar is typically adjusted. Use the setup suggestions included with the String Action Gauge as your starting point. The height at which the strings sit above the fingerboard is a critical factor in how aggressively the guitar can be played. The most commonly used string heights are 3/64” and 4/64”. The truss rod can be loosened or tightened, usually with a simple Allen wrench (if you purchased your guitar new it’s likely that it come with one in the case). String action is subjective, so experiment to find the action that works for your playing style. Once the relief has been set, measurements for string height should be as follows: (measures top of fret to bottom of string): Bass side string height … Below are some target numbers that will give you a starting point for determining where you prefer to set your action.

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