the action on my guitar is as low as it goes

[ErikH]

He is measuring as Fender says to measure.

I've never heard of doing it your way. But I can't imagine that height measurements at the 9th fret are very useful.



Measuring at the 17th fret, the measurement is taken 3-3/16 inches from the center of the string. Measuring at the 9th fret while fretted at the first, the measurement is taken 3-1/8 inched from the center of the string.

Both methods are weird to me, but Fender's sounds far more useful.

I've done it Fender's way too. I can't remember exactly who showed me the way I do it but it was a long time ago. The benefit of doing it that way is I can also check the relief measurements at the same time, which is also done with a capo on the first fret and measuring at the 7th-9th fret but with the string pressed on the last fret. I usually double-check the action at the 12th fret.