Action Gauge (Generic)
Motif
Every player should have some kind of tool, such as this Baroque Action Ruler[?]Affiliate Link for measuring the height of the strings; that way you will know when it’s time to have your guitar set up.
Highlights
- Affordable
- Convenient
Who needs an action gauge?
Most guitar players would benefit from an action gauge. Using this credit card-sized gauge, you can quickly measure the action or height of the strings above fret XII.
What kind of problems might an action gauge diagnose?
If the strings are too low, you may already know because they could be buzzing. This could mean the guitar is dehydrated, or sometimes it just needs a quick adjustment to the tross rod in the neck. Hydrating the guitar may improve this, but it takes a lot of hydration over the course of one to two weeks to see a difference. This can be addressed by placing a small shim underneath the bridge to lift the strings up again.
If the strings are too high, you may have noticed that your guitar is getting harder to play. This most often happens when the guitar expands due to humidity.
How to fix string height issues
A luthier will examine the guitar to understand the cause of the issue. Then make sure the neck truss rod is adjusted properly so that the neck is not excessively curved. If there is no obvious cause to the issue, then the luthier will adjust the bridge height either by shimming it up or sanding it down.
How to Buy
Click here to buy the action ruler:
Baroque Action Ruler[?]Affiliate Link
Disclosures
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