Martin Bone Saddle and Nut upgrade. Part 3 Setting Action at the Nut String height at the nut should be as low as possible without causing open string buzz. 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. https://www.wikihow.com/Lower-the-Action-on-an-Acoustic-Guitar String Height At The Nut. Tag: Acoustic Guitar Action Height. If it doesn’t, you need to file down the nut. The ‘standard’ height of the action at the nut is 0.030 inches (0.76mm) for the low E string. Another great thing is to check your pickup heights, too. … These are just rules of thumb, of course. The measurements we're going to be doing are within 1/8 of an inch so we're going to need a really accurate ruler. Mottola's Cyclopedic Dictionary of Lutherie Terms is now available here. For acoustic guitars, the default action is typically 7⁄64 in (0.28 cm) on the bass side and 5⁄64 in (0.20 cm) on the treble side. A step-by-step guide to DIYing your bridge saddle height to get a better action . Steel String Acoustic guitar The low E action at 1st fret .023″ | The high E action 1st fret .013″ Low E action at 12th fret .090″ | high E action at 12th fret .070″ Relief: .002″ at the 8th fret Nylon String acoustic guitar The low E action at the 1st fret .030″|The high E action on 1st fret .024″ String height or action describes the distance between the top of your frets to the bottom of your strings. Action determines how much pressure and distance is required for the string to make full contact with each fret. 7th November 2018 9th February 2019 George. To lower the action on an acoustic guitar, you have to physically sand a bit of height off the bridge saddle. If your string reaches the feeler gauge (.018 inches is the best gauge to use for optimal nut action height) you are all set. A guitar’s string height is … The top of your saddle has been shaped a specific way at the factory and needs to stay that way. High action on an acoustic guitar not only affects the intonation, it can make the instrument difficult, if not painful, to play. When I am certain of the condition of the frets I set action at the nut as low as possible. Select a file that best fits the fret, and file the fret down a small amount. For electric guitars, the default action is typically 6⁄64 in (0.24 cm) on the bass side and 4⁄64 in (0.16 cm) on the treble side. Start by loosening the string, not taking it off. The slight increase in action height gives an acoustic guitar’s strings more room to vibrate. We set our guitars to 6/64" on the 6th string and 4/64" on the 1st string—a good all-around starting place for action height—but we’ll vary this by 25 percent or so in either direction if we know the player involved or for consideration of other factors like scale length. Though there are definitely those that have different preferences but if you want a starting point then 0.030 inches is generally considered the standard. A simple upgrade for any acoustic is to replace the Nut and Saddle with bone ones. Sometimes, if you pull the saddle out, you might find little wooden shims under it. Acoustic Bass Guitar: low action: medium action: high action: E: G: E: G: E: G: 0.140" 0.110" 0.170" 0.140" 0.205" 0.170" Electric Bass Guitar: low action: medium action: high action : E: G: E: G: E: G: 0.125" 0.095" 0.155" 0.125" 0.190" 0.155" Check Out My Latest Book! With setup, we're talking about action or how high the strings are over the frets, the straightness of the neck, and whether your saddles follow the radius of your fingerboard. The term is also used to describe the overall playability and feel of a guitar. There’s nothing really wrong with Martin Guitars, but pretty well any guitar can be improved. Shares. The distance between the string and the 1st fret would nearly always be below.020 (.5 mm). String Height At The Nut String height at the nut should be as low as possible without causing open string buzz. There is a considerable amount of leeway in choosing the right action height, depending on your instrument and playing style. We set our guitars to 6/64" on the 6th string and 4/64" on the 1st string—a good all-around starting place for action height—but we’ll vary this by 25 percent or so in either direction if we know the player involved or for consideration of other factors like scale length. How to set acoustic guitar saddle height. By Jack Ellis (Total Guitar) 25 May 2018. 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. This Guitar seems to have some intonation problems. However, a lot of players prefer to go lower than this. The distance between the string and the 1st fret would nearly always be below .020 (.5 mm). Acoustics are not as friendly as electrics when it comes to setting saddle height. High action on an acoustic guitar not only affects the intonation, it can make the instrument difficult, if not painful, to play. This gives you a clearer tone and allows you to strum … This distance plays a key role in your setup because it determines the ease in which your guitar can be played. A typical action on an acoustic guitar is at around 5/64″ (2.0mm) on the high E string and 7/64″ (2.8mm) on the low E string. You do this by shaving the underside of the saddle (which is already flat), NOT the top. As a consequence a lot of acoustic guitars are left with the wrong action. Those who play more forcefully or …