Action Gauge (Stew Mac)
Motif
Every player should have a tool such as the Stew Mac 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
- Premium-quality tool
- Laser etched markings for durability, readability
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.
Why buy the Stew Mac gauge?
The Stew Mac gauge is the best quality action gauge on the market. Because it is laser-etched, it is highly accurate. It would be appropriate for a guitar builder, repair person, teacher, or anyone else using the tool regularly.
What happens when strings are too low?
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.
What if strings are too high?
High action can make it unbearable to play your guitar.
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:
Stew Mac Action Ruler[?]Affiliate Link
Disclosures
Hub Guitar receives a small commission for items purchased via affiliate links. We sometimes also receive discounts or free products for which we offer our honest review. Hub Guitar only features highly-recommended products that would earn four stars or above.
As the creator of Hub Guitar, Grey has compiled hundreds of guitar lessons, written several books, and filmed hundreds of video lessons. He teaches private lessons in his Boston studio, as well as via video chat through TakeLessons.