Measuring the string height on your guitar without fancy tools!

[@undeadaxolotl8584]

THANK YOU. I was getting sick of these people *all* whipping out the same, tiny, metal ruler.

[@Haxior5506]

same

[@fr3ak1shh]

But just buy one. Trust me, it makes life so much easier! But I was in your boat at one point too, so I understand.

[@devonpacholik8466]

LMAO

[@justinbaldwinOG]

Sameee!

[@johnpetrucci4834]

Fine and Dandy but you failed to mention what Fret you are measuring at !!! I'm assuming at the 12th, but I was always taught to Assume Nothing !!!

[@ericfrost3244]

Thank you nobody ever makes videos for cheap people

[@michaelmorbid704]

I never knew this, thank you for doing this vid. This advice is gonna be useful.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Glad you enjoyed the video- I hope you have subscribed to my channel?

[@kabztube]

ohh man this actually works, you can lower you string height without any buzzing. thank you!

[@ellanvannin1639]

Thank you so much! I just bought a guitar that needs to be fixed up. I already repaired most of it but then noticed that the saddle is too low. I needed to know how high the strings should be so this was really helpful!

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Great! I hope you subbed to my channel too?

[@WorshipGuitarist4life17]

Thanks a bunch👍🏼. I might use the quarter because all i have is a protractor, the semicircle ruler, i only have that but I can use a quarter.

[@joedejesus6363]

This is great advice and technique for the do-it-yourselfer, this is going to be very helpful👍

[@TheUlesifah701]

Awesome tip ! Using the string height ruler is a pain in the ass so I’m gonna give this a shot. I just got an affinity Tele and I’m gonna throw a Wilkinson bridge , 72 fender deluxe humbucker, and a Tex mex bridge.

[@michaelmendillo7513]

Nice little tip ! TY Brother ! 😎✌️🎶✝️💕

[@tommywatkins1251]

Thanks for that, I really am made up what you just said 🙏👍👌

[@KannabisAnalyst]

You’re an absolute legend mate. I feel like an absolute idiot for not thinking about the credit card stacks. Thank you!

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Lol

[@bouloukos78]

Yes it works!!

[@jorgeosorio1880]

Thank you with the card ideas

[@whereandbackagain7059]

You can use guitar picks as well. Tortex picks are nice because they're totally flat and have the thickness written right on them.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Good idea!

[@Wanshankupardiengdoh]

Thanks for the tip Sir

[@davidpatrick1813]

thanks

[@auntoneyofuntease6704]

That's exactly what I did. But I Googled all coin heights first. I also cut an old gift card to the height I wanted to measure under the string.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@auntoneyofuntease6704 nice!

[@k2000kidd1]

Stacked two quarters together and sand enough off the Saddle now my action sits where my Yamaha plays like a Les Paul

[@ApertureZeroProductions]

Thank you!

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Glad you enjoyed ot

[@madhatterentmt6146]

The credit cards helped thank you so much dude

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Glad I could help! I hope you have subscribed to my channel?

[@abandonedchannel1159]

Thank you Steve Jobs

[@danielmartin1617]

Your a hero

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Lol

[@jonathanvioleta3578]

Should it be same on the Nut area ?

[@joesphbegley3088]

You can use picks with a known thickness.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

That is a good idea as well

[@clawhammer704]

Measure at which fret with the three gift cards.

[@joedejesus6363]

Great technique, this will be extremely useful on my next set up.👍

[@kevinworkchannel]

Put quarter at what fret # ?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@kevinworkchannel i measure fender style instruments at the 17th fret; Gibson style at the 12th fret

[@gregmullins6927]

Smart man.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Lol...tks. I hope you have subscribed to my channel?

[@joesphbegley3088]

You can use picks o

[@heavenbent4pleather83]

You realize how many different pick thicknesses there are? Which specific mm pick? Otherwise that’s not gonna work

[@Eric-fb2wp]

And where do you take your measurements? On the 12th fret? And do you use a capo on the first fret to establish your measurements?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@Eric-fb2wp string height is measured at the 17th or 12th fret depending on the guitar; capo o the first used only for neck relief

[@bradylasserre9320]

Do you fret at the 1st fret? I see people very often do the tap test that way.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

That is to check the nut action, nonetheless string height

[@bradylasserre9320]

@@ManotickGuitarTech ohh! Understood

[@mgd9151]

Coooooool😂!💯

[@ArisAris-ku7np]

In which fret on guitar ?

[@notkrustyboi]

Looks like the 17th to me its hard to tell

[@joe1205]

I have a fender strat and an older cheap rock jam one. Since I got my fender, I play it all the time. I picked up my old one and started playing it the other day and haven't picked it up since because the action is so high. I don't know if it was always that high. Do you know how I can reduce it?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

you probably need to tighten the truss rod and then lower the bridge saddles

[@Doowopsid]

What fret are you putting the credit cards on? Thanks

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

17th for Fenders, 12th fret fir Gibsons

[@Doowopsid]

@@ManotickGuitarTech wow, thanks for getting by to me! Just so I understand correctly since I’m a novice at this would this be the same for acoustic and electric guitars? Also, I’m curious why is there a difference between the Fender and a Gibson? Which fret would you recommend using on an Ovation and Ibanez? Sorry for so many questions I’m just interested in learning about this and have several brands of guitars. Thank you for your time and sharing your knowledge!

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Watch more of my videos for the answers 😁 @@Doowopsid

[@PageP1975]

I learned tricks from this and sincerely thank you.. But just gotta say... I got a laugh from learning that there's a coin in Canadia called the loony. Considering your PM (possibly child of Castro) is loony (soft for evil in this case) and that reminds me of our potential US president to be Kamala, also a true loony (also meaning evil in this case) and it just struck me funny.... Ain't the world grand? Good info in mad mad world. Thanks for it

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@PageP1975 LOL

[@dylanhatfield849]

What about the quarter

[@vishvajeetsinh_solanki]

which fret?

[@TheShadeManGuitar]

Should be checked at 12th fret

[@eldonb402]

Does this apply to six string electrics as well?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Yes it does

[@yourbeardispatchyaf]

At which fret are you measuring?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Tony, for Fender guitars it is at the 17th fret; for Gibson guitars it is at the 12th fret

[@yourbeardispatchyaf]

@@ManotickGuitarTech Appreciate it.

[@reyes.1992]

Those coins are similar to those of Mexico

[@rwm4738]

Loonies, twoonies? What do you use if you live in a real country?

[@rebugall1727]

lmao sooooooo rude

[@gryphon37]

😂

[@Ati-Guitar]

it seems like you use guitars with high action :)

[@jasonfraser701]

G'day Steve, can you help me ? I've got a nylon sting acoustic with a cutaway and have my Bstring flat by the twelfth fret. Since I've noticed that classical guitars have a saddle closer to parallel with the nut than steel string guitars, yet on those the B is set back compared to the others. What do you think has caused this issue and what do you suggest i do to fix this ? I have tried shortening the string a few 64ths but it seemed to get worse. When measuring i get the same distance (all other strings are very close). Could it be the nut ? How would i tell if it is ? Thanks for your time

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

First thing would be to replace the string -sometimes that fixes it; then I would make sure that the string is seated in the nut correctly; lastly, see if the break angle behind the saddle is sufficient.

[@b1akn3ss93]

Can you show us the thickness of those coins (we don’t have those ones here We only have dollars and cents)

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

I mention in the video that the coins are 4/64" and 5/64" thick.

[@joedejesus6363]

Will that measurement be done on the "21st Fret"?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

17th fret for Fenders; 12th fret for Gibsons

[@joedejesus6363]

@@ManotickGuitarTech Thanks a Bunch.👍

[@georgemoss5695]

Which fret do you do this on?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

17th on Fenders; 12th on Gibsons

[@jokematthijsen3190]

​@@ManotickGuitarTech why this difference and what to do when you have a different guitar? Thanks@🙂

[@pappyprimetime7510]

I had a hunch this dude was Canadian. The proof was not the looney or twoney. It was the Timmy’s gift card.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@pappyprimetime7510 we can't hide ... 😁

[@gareth2933]

I have a EKO Ranger 6 and it look like there are screws on the bridge, can I adjust it like an electric guitar?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

They seem to have height adjustment screws on the side of the saddle...try them out!

[@gareth2933]

I want to lower the action so which way would I turn them ? Thank you for replying. I’m in the IL and do understand inches do you have the mm sizes please?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@gareth2933 you don't use the truss rod tp lower the action- that you would do at the bridge. 1.6mm is a good string height.

[@gareth2933]

Thank you

[@AveryTran09]

Is a capo needed?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Not to measure string height- only when measuring neck relief. I hope you have subscribed to my channel?

[@arthasmenethil2201]

A cargo plane can easily pass under my bass strings. What do I do to solve this?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Check the neck relief and string action - the bridge saddles might be too high as well

[@cliftonsuber]

Always new Canada had looney money

[@ThiagoCP]

This is a bass, not a guitar?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Bass or guitar- same tools

[@mark5150ty]

You forgot to mention that with experience you can do it just by using your eye, at least I can.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

that's true - I can get it close but then I use gauges to keep it consistent

[@mark5150ty]

@@ManotickGuitarTech I usually just get the low & the high E acceptable and then I'll use an under-string radius gauge to do the rest, works great if you're working mobile, I tend to be a little more thorough in my shop.

[@Aszweezer]

which fret? this is not explained in details.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

17th fret for a fender scale guitar or bass - 12th fret for a Gibson scale guitar

[@steveL..]

@@ManotickGuitarTechwhat about Gretsch?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@steveL.. use Gibson measurements if the scale length is 24.75"' Fender measurements if it is 25.5"

[@denzilmoats3430]

Not bad....good info. Now tell them ...EXACTLY what fret your gouching the coin under...its...kinda important

[@Doowopsid]

Exactly!

[@dave-ox2eo]

Guys, I think it might be one of the frets down where the neck and body meet. I just a guy put a capo on the first fret of a Les Paul, then, he put a finger on the sixth string where the neck meets the body, and then measured at the seventh fret, with a feeler gauge.

[@santiagoboss4830]

@@dave-ox2eothat’s for your neck relief

[@dave-ox2eo]

@@santiagoboss4830 Thanks for letting me know 💯

[@benjaminpugsley4015]

At what fret?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

17th fret for a strat like guitar

[@omarmoran3097]

​@@ManotickGuitarTech oky so you didn't press on any frets. Also if I put the 3 cards under my strings the E string is a little high. But here is the issue if I drop it lower. The string will be super close to the bridge pick up. Should I drop down the bridge pickup?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@omarmoran3097 pickups are made to be adjusted

[@diluteduk]

Just use the metric system. Far easier to say 3mm.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Use 1.5mm for 4/64; 2.0mm for 5/64; and 2.5mm for 6/64... 3mm is to high for action

[@Pomenkg77]

At what fret for acoustic guitar ?

[@dclong-]

Fr man, thought you were Dave Matthews

[@TheDiamondsions]

Nah, he wakes up in the morning. Couldn’t be Dave Matthews

[@dclong-]

@@TheDiamondsions lmao well done

[@poke_legendss]

Which fret no.??

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

17th fret

[@ryancowan8048]

Why can't we say 1/16

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

No one is stopping you 😁

[@That.Guy.]

Here in the US we don’t have loonies we only have funny money

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Measure your currency and see if you can use it.

[@indigox2119]

@@ManotickGuitarTech It was a joke......... this is awkward.........

[@Thelugnut01]

lmao

[@misterbuttersworth9904]

The Loonies are running the country 🤣

[@AGuitarNinja]

This tool only cost 25 cents!

[@3farruca]

What if live somewhere else?😅

[@ParagonGarage]

By the looks of that romex wiring behind him im not taking no advice from this guy🤷🏼‍♂️

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

lol

[@NickBEADG]

Ewwww flats

[@heavenbent4pleather83]

Cash is king crypto nerd

[@NickBEADG]

@@heavenbent4pleather83 wut...