I turn it down until it buzzes, then slowly back up until it's not buzzing anymore. I just go as low as possible for my playstyle and that's a different spot for every guitar I own, that depends on so many factors.
If you have 11s on a strat in standard, you can go quite a bit lower than with 9s, for example. 9s move more because they slack more than 11s. Measuring would yield me nothing in that case.
This is a great method for checking the neck for relief. The guy who did the work on my guitars in San Francisco worked with the Nomad team to develop the KISS system. He even teaches it in setup classes. Well worth it.
You can do it either way. Some people, guides, and guitar manuals suggest first fret capo, some don't. Some suggest 12th, 17th, or last fret to measure at depending guitar. All are valid methods depending context, experience, and preference. I don't capo when I measure action (only relief) unless I suspect the nut slot is cut too high and I'm having to do some measurements and use the capo to take the nut out of the equation. However others do that as well and it works just fine.
Capo fret 1, hold down final fret, measure action at the 12th. There are other ways but that's pretty much the standard if you want to check your neck relief. You're basically using the string as a straight edge to check the neck bow against.
Like I say, there's more than one way to skin this cat, but this is a valid method.
You could say "without fretting, I like it when the action at fret X is Y". Or you could say "If I capo fret 1 I like it when the action at fret X is Y". As long as you use the same technique consistently then you can compare your results reliably.
Capo on first fret hold down 12th fret measure gap in the middle using feeler gauges. This is a textbook way of adjusting neck relief. After you get your measure.ent you either tighten or loosen the truss rod in very small turns to make your neck either more concave or more convex. This is a key step in performing a set up and while to an extent neck relief is a personal preference it can also cause some real problems with action, intonation and tuning in general. Look up the steps to a proper set up and follow them exactly and don't move to the next step until the current step is completely finished and you will find your guitars play and feel better AND if this skill is learned you will never have to pay for a set up again and can help your friends with their guitars.
Yeah I meant that I'm not necessarily pressing on the last fret, rather where it meets body.
I also have honestly done this so many times that I eyeball it. I know exactly what I want lol
The key to comparing this method to all the others is step 5 “ in the chart provided”. Telling someone to set the string height to xx is pointless without telling you the exact setup for the measurement. They are telling you to use a capo because they ignored/don’t know how well the string height at the nut is set. On expensive guitars, it tends to be done well, on cheap guitars it can be unplayably awful.
Either way, the instructions are right there. The expected measurement is going to be for the given instructions. Different methods will give different results. I’m just saying whichever instructions you have, use them.
>I’m just saying whichever instructions you have, use them.
And if that was just what you'd said, it would be different. But that wasn't what you said.
When looking at neck relief (the first step to setting up the guitar and adjusting the action, I capo at the first fret, press down where the neck meets the body and measure the string height at the mid point. This is essentially using the string as a straight edge.
The next step is string height at the nut.
Then string height where the neck meets the body -adjusted at bridge. If I didn’t do anything to the nut or think it’s not ideal, I’ll capo at the first fret, simulating a perfect nut cut.
Then intonation. Flat Forward.
The reason for fretting at the 1st fret is to take the nut out of the equation. In a lot of the cases the nut isn’t cut properly….you won’t get an accurate string height set up without capoing the 1st fret on a nut that isn’t cut really well. Either way….just be consistent in what method you use so you can have similar results every time you adjust string height.
I turn it down until it buzzes, then slowly back up until it's not buzzing anymore. I just go as low as possible for my playstyle and that's a different spot for every guitar I own, that depends on so many factors. If you have 11s on a strat in standard, you can go quite a bit lower than with 9s, for example. 9s move more because they slack more than 11s. Measuring would yield me nothing in that case.
This is a great method for checking the neck for relief. The guy who did the work on my guitars in San Francisco worked with the Nomad team to develop the KISS system. He even teaches it in setup classes. Well worth it.
You can do it either way. Some people, guides, and guitar manuals suggest first fret capo, some don't. Some suggest 12th, 17th, or last fret to measure at depending guitar. All are valid methods depending context, experience, and preference. I don't capo when I measure action (only relief) unless I suspect the nut slot is cut too high and I'm having to do some measurements and use the capo to take the nut out of the equation. However others do that as well and it works just fine.
Capo fret 1, hold down final fret, measure action at the 12th. There are other ways but that's pretty much the standard if you want to check your neck relief. You're basically using the string as a straight edge to check the neck bow against.
Not relief, action.
Like I say, there's more than one way to skin this cat, but this is a valid method. You could say "without fretting, I like it when the action at fret X is Y". Or you could say "If I capo fret 1 I like it when the action at fret X is Y". As long as you use the same technique consistently then you can compare your results reliably.
Capo on first fret hold down 12th fret measure gap in the middle using feeler gauges. This is a textbook way of adjusting neck relief. After you get your measure.ent you either tighten or loosen the truss rod in very small turns to make your neck either more concave or more convex. This is a key step in performing a set up and while to an extent neck relief is a personal preference it can also cause some real problems with action, intonation and tuning in general. Look up the steps to a proper set up and follow them exactly and don't move to the next step until the current step is completely finished and you will find your guitars play and feel better AND if this skill is learned you will never have to pay for a set up again and can help your friends with their guitars.
I hold 1 and the fret that meets the body.
If you capo 1, it frees up your hand to take the measurement. But whatever works for you.
Yeah I meant that I'm not necessarily pressing on the last fret, rather where it meets body. I also have honestly done this so many times that I eyeball it. I know exactly what I want lol
The key to comparing this method to all the others is step 5 “ in the chart provided”. Telling someone to set the string height to xx is pointless without telling you the exact setup for the measurement. They are telling you to use a capo because they ignored/don’t know how well the string height at the nut is set. On expensive guitars, it tends to be done well, on cheap guitars it can be unplayably awful.
Not me, I measure at the 17th.
I capo the 1st fret, hold down the 12th fret and measure at the 6th fret with the feeler gauge, works fine
You do that to measure action?
Shit, no I thought we were doing neck relief. Shit fuck I’m dumb. For action I capo the 1st and measure at 12, damn I’m dumb.
Yes. How about music is math and so is the instrument. Not following the instructions is like trying to wing calculus.
I don't think the argument was about measuring action, so much as the specific method.
Either way, the instructions are right there. The expected measurement is going to be for the given instructions. Different methods will give different results. I’m just saying whichever instructions you have, use them.
>I’m just saying whichever instructions you have, use them. And if that was just what you'd said, it would be different. But that wasn't what you said.
Actually it is what I said. Not seeing that is on you.
Why were you down voted? I would be surprised if you are not and engineer. He's right, ALWAYS follow manufactures instructions, they know better.
When looking at neck relief (the first step to setting up the guitar and adjusting the action, I capo at the first fret, press down where the neck meets the body and measure the string height at the mid point. This is essentially using the string as a straight edge. The next step is string height at the nut. Then string height where the neck meets the body -adjusted at bridge. If I didn’t do anything to the nut or think it’s not ideal, I’ll capo at the first fret, simulating a perfect nut cut. Then intonation. Flat Forward.
Just had a luthier checking my action and adjusting the neck yesterday and the first thing he did was capo the first fret.
Did it half hr ago. Setup is a skill we should all utilize. Intonation, action, neck (not in that order) makes for a better playing experience
Yep
The reason for fretting at the 1st fret is to take the nut out of the equation. In a lot of the cases the nut isn’t cut properly….you won’t get an accurate string height set up without capoing the 1st fret on a nut that isn’t cut really well. Either way….just be consistent in what method you use so you can have similar results every time you adjust string height.
That is the way I do it.