Action Chart L/M/H in mm, dec.", and fraction"

[PSmill]

Thought I would share this, if it's useful to anyone else. I pulled together an action chart to capture low, medium, high ranges in all three units of measure. The numbers don't always line up precisely as I gathered from a variety of sources, some have 3 steps L/M/H and some have 5 steps L/L-M/M/M-H/H and I keep fiddling with it, but it's all pretty close. Open to suggestions to improve this, and can email a word version if anyone wants it. Tnx.

[TEETERFAN]

Very helpful, thanks!

[JLT]

I usually set my first fret clearance a tad lower than that, but otherwise it looks close to what I've been achieving. I figure that if the first fret and the 12th fret are right, and the curve of the neck is right, then the clearance at the 1/3 mark will be right, too. But it's significant to see the difference that string gauges call for.

[Diane Kauffmds]

Nice chart. Thank you.

I maintain guitars for several semi and full-time professional guitarists; one plays at the Grand Ol' Opry. Many are fingerstyle players. Most use picks. I'd say I have 50/50 split between rock and country genre players.

Anyway, here is how I setup the action on steel string acoustic guitars. I setup slightly lower. But, I've found this action height works for virtually everyone. My bluegrass players are very surprised at the low action, because they're used to high actions.

This height works for light or medium strings. The Action height is also dependent on how well the fretboard is made. If the board and frets are properly flattened, you can go lower. I've set my personal Action at .008" on fret 1.

I've found that setting up the Action on fret #1 will dictate playability. Fret 1 is the hardest to fret, so I go as low as I can without fretting out. You setup fret 1 Action at the nut by filing the depth of nut slot. After you get it close, check and correct the Action on 12 by adjusting the saddle height.

I've found these heights to be beautiful for the majority of players.

Action on fret 1. :

String 1:  0.11-0.012"              


String 2:   0.11-0.012"            


String 3:  0.013-0.014"             


String 4.  0.015-0.017"             


String 5.  0.016-0.018"             


String 6.  0.016-0.018"


Action on fret 12:

String 1. 2/32"

String 2. 2/32"

String 3. 5/64"

String 4. 5/64"

String 5. 5/64"

String 6. 5/64"

I use a digital String height gauge that I got from LMI on fret 1, then a ruler on fret 12. I guess using the ruler on 12 is just ingrained habit.

[PSmill]

Those are pretty low specs! Perhaps I haven't been bold enough in trying to obtain that low action, I am pretty leery of going to low and having to redo the nut or saddle. Maybe I'll try some experiments and see how low I can get it, thanks for the inspiration.

[krrtlr1]

Fantastic Information. Thank you for the shares.

[PSmill]

Is there such a thing.....thinking about working towards lower action and tighter tolerances.......a test nut seems like an intriguing concept. Like a set a stacked feeler gauges, sized to fit a nut slot, with an angled top piece to get the break point, graduated in 0.002" increments. Determine the lowest possible action for each individual setup, the cut the actual nut to that spec., rather than hoping for the best while trying to remove that last 0.003" without going 0.001 too low :)