How To Fix The Action On An Electric Guitar

How To Set Electric Guitar String Height Yourself!

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Hello everyone, and welcome to the blog! Justin here, and today I'll be going over one of the most important parts of any guitar setup. In this beginner-friendly article, you'll learn the basics of how to set the string/action height on your electric guitar!

Guitar maintenance, especially guitar setups, is something that many guitarists of all skill levels shy away from. Many players are afraid they're somehow going to damage their beloved instruments!

This is a shame because most adjustments to electric guitars and basses, including string/action height, are something that all players are capable of doing themselves. All they need are a few basic tools, along with a little time and patience.

Just think of all the time and money you'll save not having to take your guitar to the shop every time the action has to be adjusted!

So are you ready to be your own guitar tech?? If so, then read on, and let's get to it!

What Is String Height and How To measure It?

So what is guitar string height anyway??

Simply put, string height or action height is the distance between the strings and the tops of the guitar's frets. It's that simple!

You can measure action height in a few different ways. But the most common is to measure it off the 12 ^th fret.

Hold the guitar in playing position and place an accurate ruler on top of the 12 ^th fret. Measure the distance between the bottom of each string and the very top of the fret. This is your action height. Don't measure from the string to the fingerboard itself!

Write down the measurements of each string for future reference.

Please Note: Only use a high-quality machinists ruler or guitar string height gauge when measuring action height. Good quality rulers will be much more accurate and usually have much smaller divisions marked on them. Please don't use a wooden or plastic ruler; they're not really accurate enough.

You can get machinists rulers from most machinist and woodworking supply houses. Guitar string height gauges are available at most guitar supply houses and music shops.

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When To Adjust Guitar String Height?

So now that you've measured the string height on your guitar, how do you know if an adjustment is necessary??

Proper string/action height depends on many factors, both with the guitar and the player themselves. Each guitar is different, and each player is different, so it's really tough to give a one-size-fits-all answer here.

Action height plays a huge part in the comfort, sound, and overall performance of your guitar. Each player is going to have their own preferences.

The pros and cons of high vs low action include……

High Guitar String Height :

The most common complaint from most players is that the action of their guitar is too high.

A high action will require more force to press the strings down to the frets. A higher action is harder on your fingertips and will cause more fatigue in your fretting hand. This also gives the guitar a "springy" or "bouncy" feel that many players don't like.

A too-high action can also affect your guitar's intonation as well. With too high action, you will have to push the strings down really far before they touch the frets. This can actually bend the fretted notes of your guitar slightly sharp.

For more detailed info on guitar intonation, be sure to check out my other post, "Guitar Intonation Explained," linked below!

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Guitar Intonation Explained

Low Guitar String Height:

Most players prefer an action height as low as possible.

This makes the guitar strings much easier to fret and gets rid of a lot of the "springy" feel of higher action. This is one of the reasons that a lot of shredders prefer a lower action. A low action also has a much smaller effect on your guitar's intonation than a high action would.

There is a downside to a super-low action, though…….

The lower the action of a guitar is, the more likely the guitar will have fret buzz. Fret buzz is caused when the strings are too close to the frets. As the string vibrates and moves side-to-side, it can hit and rattle on the tops of the frets.

Fret buzz can range from being a little annoying to being so bad that it chokes out the notes you're trying to play. Notes can also choke out when bending strings on a guitar with an action set too low.

Fret buzz also has a lot to do with the player as well. Players with a heavy-picking hand will probably need a higher action to avoid fret buzz than a player with a lighter touch. You may also need a slightly higher action if you bend strings a lot.

Most players want the lowest action possible without getting a lot of fret buzz. Many factors affect how low you can take a guitar's action before you get that dreaded buzz.

Things such as your playing style, the condition of your guitar's frets, and the rest of your guitar's setup are all part of the equation here. There is always a balance between function and playability.

A good, average action height for most electric guitars is about 1/16" on the high E string and 3/32" on the low E string.

The decimal equivalent of these would be .062" and .093."

The metric equivalent of these would be 1.6mm and 2.4mm

Remember that these measurements are just a starting point! Some guitars can have a lower action than this, and others will have to be higher. Like I said earlier, each setup is going to be a little different!

How To Adjust Guitar String Height

So far, you've learned how to measure guitar action height. We also talked about the pros and cons of a low vs high action. Now we'll go over how to actually set the action height on your guitar!

There are a few things you're going to need before we get started.

These include…..

A small screwdriver set
Allen/hex wrenches. It's a good idea to have both standard and metric sizes.
A guitar tuner
An amp to plug into and test everything out.

Also, make sure that the rest of the guitar is set up properly before you start setting action height. Things such as the truss rod, the break angle of the neck, the condition of the frets, and the nut height can all affect how low you can take the action of any guitar.

Please Note: I won't be covering general guitar set up here to keep this post at a reasonable length. You could write an entire book on just guitar setups if you wanted to!

If you want to learn more about the other aspects of guitar setup, be sure to check out some of my other posts linked below!! These include…..

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Setting A Floyd Rose's Locking Nut Height

How To Change Strings On A Floyd Rose Tremolo

Setting Up A Floyd Rose Tremolo

Also, be sure to grab the FREE Guitar Setup Guide at the bottom of this page!!

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Setting Guitar String Height Step-By-Step

So now we'll go over how to set action height step-by-step! The following method is good for getting the action as low as possible without any fret buzz!

1. Loosen all the strings

2. Raise the action of all the strings. The point here is to raise the action too high on purpose, to begin with, then gradually lower it down to where we need it.

3. Re-tune the guitar to whatever tuning you usually use.

4. Check the guitar for fret buzz. Hold the guitar in playing position and play each string up and down the neck. Play every fret on every string to see if the guitar buzzes anywhere. Be sure to pick the strings with about the same force you would if you were playing the guitar.

5. If there are no buzzes (which there shouldn't be at this point), then turn the adjustment screws on the bridge by about one turn to lower the strings slightly.

6. Re-tune the guitar and check for buzzing again.

7. Repeat this process for each string until you start to get some fret buzz. Now turn the adjustment screw on the bridge or saddle to raise the string just enough for the buzz to go away.

8. Repeat this on all the remaining strings.

And you're done!

Setting the action height this way lets you know that you have taken the action as low as possible without getting any buzz. This method is also a lot easier because there's no additional measuring involved. Keep it simple!

Remember that you can still go a little lower if you want a super low action, and you can put up with a little bit of fret buzz.

This is usually how I set up most of my own guitars.

You see, fret buzz is usually very noticeable when the guitar is unplugged. But once you plug the guitar in, most of the fret buzz will not be noticeable through the amp. This is especially true if you play with any kind of distortion. You should be just fine as long as the buzz isn't so bad that the notes are getting choked out and not sustaining as they should.

On the flip side of the coin, maybe you don't like an action that low. That's fine too! Just raise the action back up gradually to whatever is the most comfortable for you!

Also, don't be surprised if the treble strings have a slightly lower action than the bass strings. The thicker bass strings move side-to-side more as they vibrate than the thinner treble strings do. Because of this, the bass strings will need a little extra clearance.

Different Guitar Bridge Types

The basic step-by-step process above should work on any type of electric guitar or bass. However, how you actually raise or lower the strings can vary depending on what type of bridge your guitar has.

Below we'll go over how to adjust action height on the main types of bridges you'll find on most electric guitars and basses.

Fender Style Bridges

Fender Style Guitar Bridge

Fender Style Hardtail Bridge

The first bridge-type we'll talk about is the Fender style bridge. Fender first used this style of bridge on their Stratocaster and Telecaster models starting in the early 1950s.

This is a very popular bridge type that has been used in both tremolo and hard-tail versions. And for a good reason! These bridges are very simple yet versatile.

They consist of a metal base plate with individual string saddles sitting on top of it. Each of the string saddles is individually adjustable for both string height and intonation.

Adjusting string height is super simple on these bridges! There are two small adjustment screws on each saddle for raising or lowering the string.

Be sure to adjust the screws evenly on each saddle side as you raise or lower it. You want to keep the saddle even with the guitar top, not leaning to one side or the other. It's also a good idea to loosen the string before raising or lowering it to prevent wear on the tiny screw threads in the saddle.

Because the saddles are individually adjustable, you also have to be careful that you maintain the proper radius of the strings to the radius of the fingerboard. In other words, the strings should still follow the curve of the fretboard radius.

Gibson, or Tune-a- Matic Style Bridges

Tune-a-Matic Guitar Bridge Height

Gibson Style Bridge and Tailpiece

Next up is the Gibson or "Tune-a-Matic" style bridge. Gibson has used this style of the bridge on many of its guitars since the 1950s. This style of bridge is one of the most popular out there behind Fender's.

It consists of the bridge and a separate tailpiece behind it. The tailpiece holds the tension of the strings, while the bridge piece controls the string height and intonation. The string saddles on these bridges are not individually adjustable for height.

The overall string height of these bridges is adjusted by raising or lowering the mounting studs that the bridge sits on. There is usually a slotted screw head or thumbwheel on each mounting stud for raising or lowering either side of the bridge.

Wraparound bridges are like a Tune-a-Matic bridge without the tailpiece. Height adjustment is the same as with a Tune-a-Matic.

Floyd Rose Locking Tremolos

Floyd Rose Tremolo Height

Last up on this list is the Floyd Rose-style locking tremolo. Many different guitar manufacturers have used these bridges since the late 1970s.

The bridge is basically a Fender-style tremolo on steroids. The two bridges look very similar, but the Floyds don't have individually adjustable saddles for height. You have to adjust the overall string height with the mounting studs on either side of the bridge, similar to a Tune-a-matic.

Conclusion

Setting the string/action height of any electric guitar or bass is probably the most important part of any good guitar setup. In fact, proper action height is the goal of most setups!

Setting action height is something that any guitarist can do once they know-how. All it will take is a little time, patience, and basic tools!

By following the step-by-step method above, you should be able to set the action height of your guitar quickly, easily, and without any additional measuring! We also went over how to adjust the string height on different types of electric guitar bridges.

Please Note: I've tried to break down the process as much as I can here. However, if you still have questions or are uncomfortable doing the work yourself, you can take the guitar to a repair shop in your area and have them take care of it for you.

Have you ever adjusted action height yourself?? Let me know in the comments!!

That's a Wrap!

Well, I guess that's it for now folks! I hope you found the article useful and let me know in the comments what you think. Also, let me know if there are any other topics that you would like me to cover in future posts. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you on the next one!

P.S. If you liked the article, be sure to share it with the social icons below!! Also, be sure to pick up your FREE Guitar Setup Guide below!!

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