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Post subject: String height
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 10:21 am
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Aspiring Musician
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I'm really don't have the talent to say I can play the guitar, but I love to collect and enjoy admiring them and setting them up. I have been satisfied setting the string height at the 12th fret low E using a nickel, and the high E using a penny instead of a feeler gauge. This method is pretty accurate for a norman string height allowing the coins to just barely slide under w/o touching the string. At least it is a good way to check if your in the ballpark.


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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 11:44 pm
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Location: Canada
Sounds like a plan. I only hope you’re not using an Old English penny and a wooden nickel.

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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 12:28 am
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We who live in the EU/Euro area get
a little lower action on the lowE (10c),
but a little higher on the highE (2c), but that's OK since there's less choking with round radii and big bends.
8)


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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 1:08 am
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jmattis wrote:
We who live in the EU/Euro area get
a little lower action on the lowE (10c),
but a little higher on the highE (2c), but that's OK since there's less choking with round radii and big bends.
8)
:lol:
You should try it with Canadian money. The setup could be more or less. Usually less. :roll:
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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 8:15 am
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funny currency jokes but hmmm? I like the coin approach, like measuring the tire tread thickness quickly.

I agree with the open string measurement height too.
Holding down the strings and standing with the right leg in the air and then measuring with a feeler gauge taped to your tongue and a capo you can never find when needed, seems like one way to measure string height.....

but by now, 60+ yrs later, a correlated quick way to check is welcome.
low action=strum with a feather or a dime.....heavy handed bashing= I'll raise you a Quarter


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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2018 11:38 am
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ccb51 wrote:
funny currency jokes but hmmm? I like the coin approach, like measuring the tire tread thickness quickly.

I agree with the open string measurement height too.
Holding down the strings and standing with the right leg in the air and then measuring with a feeler gauge taped to your tongue and a capo you can never find when needed, seems like one way to measure string height.....

but by now, 60+ yrs later, a correlated quick way to check is welcome.
low action=strum with a feather or a dime.....heavy handed bashing= I'll raise you a Quarter
:lol: I actually agree with your money reference and I too have used both bills and coins occasionally for measurement.

As for raising me a quarter. . . you’re on. If I lose my Canadian quarter it won’t be worth much to you, but if I win I’ll increase my winnings by 125% because I only accept American money (although, a few years ago it would have been a bad investment and may be again. I probably won’t be around long enough to see the overseas loan collectors at the gate knocking on the door collecting those quarters). :roll:
FSB

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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 12:16 am
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ccb51 wrote:
I agree with the open string measurement height too.

I'll get serious for a second, and bring up one measuring aspect.
Often here (& other forums), people who need advice with action are new at setups (& maybe new with guitar playing, too).
In such situations, the way action is measured plays a role - free string @12th fret vs. free string @17th fret (= Fender instructed "official" way) vs. all measures with a capo.
I sorta hinted to this in my previous post; the nickel/penny measure is only accurate in the dollars zone.
I admit that "accurate enough" can be achieved with other currencies, but I'm talking about learning "the proper ways". (And yes, I've heard the OCD remark before...)

And since you, too, were drawn to the dark side (jokes...):
The coin method doesn't work for bass players - they get paid in beer.


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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:06 am
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I picked up a cheap set of feeler gauges from AutoZone. I like low action. 8)


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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 6:44 am
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That would nickel and dime me to death.


(an expression my dad used to use)
(RIP pop)

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Post subject: Re: String height
Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 3:08 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I certainly find the Fender specs to be pretty right on for my MIA Standard Strat (1/16"/1.6mm, all strings, 17th fret, open string). This allows for strumming and picking (nothing crazy). I tend to play hard because I usually play acoustic 12 string. Relief is set at less than the recommended .010". Sometimes I test the height with a US penny and it's about right. A quarter or nickel seems high, but not unreasonable.


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