measuring action?

B

BloodRose

Professional Scapegoat
Im having a brain fart, so pls excuse the noob type questions. When measuring a guitar's action, I believe you measure from the top of the frets, correct? The issue Im having right now is the ruler I have doesnt start measurement from the end. There is a "dummy" space from the end to where the measurement lines actually start. Looks like it is about the size of my large frets, so with this ruler, I found that if I put it on the board between frets, the starting line of measure is right at the top of the fret.

Next, is there a rule of thumb as to what fret you take the measure from? 12 I think. right?
Im just trying to get some measurements on my fav players and want to measure my explorer since I made some adjustments. My white charvel is at about 1/16th of an inch all down the board.
Thanks!
 
Re: measuring action?

Yes. Measeure from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string. BUT you need a new ruler. I have a bunch of guitars and some play better with higher action then others. The key is to find each guitars sweet spot.
 
Re: measuring action?

BloodRose said:
When measuring a guitar's action, I believe you measure from the top of the frets, correct?
Click to expand...
Yeah, unless it is fretless ;)

BloodRose said:
Next, is there a rule of thumb as to what fret you take the measure from? 12 I think. right?
Click to expand...
Fender factory specs list string height over the 17th fret, I think. Personally, I use the 12th fret as a reference point.

Here's a tip for you:
If you have an assortment of picks in various known thicknesses, you can use them like feeler gauges.
 
Re: measuring action?

If you don't want to spring for a fancy action gauge from stew mac any 6" metal ruler like this one for a bit under $2 from harbor freight will work just fine. You want 64ths and 32nds to measure action.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-stainless-steel-pocket-ruler-93684.html

Measure from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string. It's also best to measure it in the playing position since action actually changes a hair (gravity) when a guitar is on it's back compared to on its side in the playing position.
 
Re: measuring action?

That's the one I bought Mike. :)

(By the way, how do you setup the action on your guitars?)
 
Re: measuring action?

Archer250 said:
You set up the action at the bridge, mostly. It depends on what kind of bridge you have.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I know how to adjust action. :) I was wondering what measurements Mike likes (as I own two of his guitars ;))
 
Re: measuring action?

Magnification helps greatly. In addition to a knockoff of the stewmac tool CoA describes, I have used a nut action gage (got to be careful with it)
 
Re: measuring action?

LOL, Default setup on a Suhr is 1/16" (4/64) at the last fret. I've set up that low on others.
 
Re: measuring action?

I never measure with a ruler, I use my ears. The following is how I do it, I'm not saying its the best way it's just the one I use:

1- I put the neck perfectley flat
2- lower the strings just a hair above the frets, so they buzz like mad.
3- start hightening them, one by one, while playing the frets from the 12th up. All frets. I make the action higher untill it stops buzzing. Zero buzz.
4- I make sure that making a bend does not choke out the note. I make 2 whole tone bend (4 frets) on all frets from 12 up, all strings. Raise the action if necesarry.
5- Check intonation, I had already "I balled it".
6- I now check the lower frets. I plat from the first to the 12th, to eliminate the buzz I loosen the truss rod. Before doing any of this I have leveled the frets, and on some ocations the neck can be left flat. No buzz!
7- I re-do the intonation, and re-check.
8- I let the neck sit for a couple of days (some requier a couple of weeks) and re-check everything.

That is just my method, as for the action? As low as possible with no buzzing! I have never taken a ruler to measure it, but it's pretty damn low.
This will work on necks with perfectly leveled frets, so I always level first. If any heavy leveling was done then re-crowning is a must.
 
Re: measuring action?

and relief is with the string depressed, where the neck meets the body at the mid point - which may vary.

And I agree - this is less about precise measure than feel and sound. I have always said that to do this right, you need to be willing to spend way more time d!cking with truss/action/intonation than any tech will spend. They can ball park it to factory - but after that, it's all you and quality time with a screwdriver and wrench.
 
Re: measuring action?

PFDarkside said:
That's the one I bought Mike. :)

(By the way, how do you setup the action on your guitars?)
Click to expand...

Measured in the playing position all my guitars (My Les Paul, Charvels, D'Avanzos and the Clones used to be the same too) have the action at between .050"-.060" at the 12th (I use the stew mac action gauge just because I'm a tool junkie, not that it's better than a ruler haha).

.050" and .060" are a bit obscure measurements to translate to a regular ruler since both decimals fall between 3/64"(.0468") and 1/16"(.0625"). So with a regular ruler I shoot for action under 1/16" yet above 3/64" by a hair. I got so picky with this I can feel when my action drifts .010" when seasons change and a neck may move a touch.

Relief I do by feel which is just a hair more than perfectly flat. Perfectly flat never works for me since the strings need room to oscillate when struck and I've never worked on or played a guitar by anyone that I personally could play buzz free with zero relief based on the way I play.
 
Re: measuring action?

Archer250 said:
Holy hell, that's low! How do you bend with that action? :9: It's pretty much the opposite of what I use
View attachment 53349
Click to expand...

Bends are just fine. only use one finger for bending.

LReese said:
LOL, Default setup on a Suhr is 1/16" (4/64) at the last fret. I've set up that low on others.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think Carvins are like 1/16 too.

Ive checked both my white and red charvels and they are both about 1/16 all the way up and down the board. (The Red measures slightly less in some spots) Also, I measured my Explorer last night since Ive made adjustments and its quite a bit less than 1/16. Its unreal..
 
Re: measuring action?

XSSIVE said:
If you don't want to spring for a fancy action gauge from stew mac any 6" metal ruler like this one for a bit under $2 from harbor freight will work just fine. You want 64ths and 32nds to measure action.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-stainless-steel-pocket-ruler-93684.html

Measure from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string. It's also best to measure it in the playing position since action actually changes a hair (gravity) when a guitar is on it's back compared to on its side in the playing position.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info on the ruler! Ive actually been planning a trip over to Harbor freight after I get paid, so Ill grab one while im there!!!
 
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