What is the correct action for a classical guitar? Learn here how to measure it easily

How to measure the guitar action? As a classical guitarist, it is essential to know this measurement of your guitar. It is crucial to see if you are playing a comfortable guitar or not. Learn everything related to it here.
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[@user-qm7nw7vd5s]

I got a very good deal on a used Spanish made Flamenco guitar, which had a high string action. Difficult to play. Took it to a reputable guitar shop, because I didn’t want to risk damaging such a nice guitar attempting to adjust the action myself. When I picked it up, there was hardly any difference. The technician explained he set it lower, but thought it was as low as it should go. He returned my money, and after watching a few KZbin videos, I learned to file down the bridge nut to reach the optimal figures you show here (before I knew these figures). Actually, even a little better: 2.75mm on the 1st and 3.25 on the 6th. That was a year ago. Play everyday since, big difference. Sometimes you have to do it yourself!

[@HotZTrain]

Your guitar, no doubt, has a neck angle issue. Many Spanish instruments suffer from this problem. Sometimes you can convert the bridge to a 12 hole tie block, re shave the bridge and recut the saddle grove. Next time, buy and American or Japanese flamenco guitar. The Spanish makers still use a neck joint that's been around for 150 years. It works okay, if done properly. They don't do it properly and end up with a neck angle problem...even Ramirez is guilty of this.

[@michaelricw7212]

thank you so much for this video it help me a lot.

[@gokulchandran5586]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@lakeb9941]

This video was extremely helpful. I’ve been played by steel string acoustic and electrics for a long time and just started getting into the world of classical guitar. I’m loving it but have a lot to learn about the style.

[@AlbertoCuellar]

Very happy you found the video helpful. Thanks and enjoy a lot this wonderful instrument.

[@zoemeow7677]

blessed are best instructor gracias

[@Chrisgreece55]

perfect! thank you ! wish you have a happy new year!

[@maderaguitarras]

you are very welcome. Happy new year too!!

[@felipe-jz9zm]

3.5mm for E1 and 4mm for E6 is not the maximum action for certain classical concertists. Some are playing with a really higher action to get more projection, even if they have already a Lattice or a double top guitar, like Thibault Cauvin for exmple, among others. If you play a normal gauge strings on a six holes bridge with 3/3,5 of action, then try one day heavy gauge strings, mounted with strings ties (12 holes bridge like, regarding the tension applied an the top), with an action at least at 4/5mm. It helps for volume and projection! mainly when you're playing in a chapelle, church.. without any mics and amp.

[@JazzyJunior]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@maderaguitarras]

You're welcome!!

[@Neshek023]

I am used to fast Ibanez Wizzard 2 necks(Electric guitar) So when I got hold of a nice used classical guitar, I felt like I could cut eggs with the strings.. for me a height of 3,5 mm is already an abomination. So, I not only sanded down the Bridge bone, but also the top nut. Most people forget about the top nut. Now it is playing fine with an occasional buzz in the 6th string, but only with powerplay, what sometimes adds dynamic to the playing. Thanks for the video.

[@ignajara]

I just bought a guitar, its really nicely built, its my first guitar, but inmediately i noticed that the strings were uncomfortably high, which made playing very painful, especially being a beginner. Turns out my guitar is 5mm-6.3mm action, very informative video! Hace dos dias compré mi primer guitarra, una Fonseca 41, muy bonita, muy lindas terminaciones, y con un lindo sonido para el precio, pero muy rapido me di cuenta que las cuerdas estaban demasiado altas, y es super doloroso tocar así (Sobre todo porque todavia estoy aprendiendo la tecnica). Resulta que la acción de las cuerdas de mi guitarra es de 5mm - 6.3mm. Gracias por tu video! Por suerte un amigo mio es luthier, le voy a llevar mi guitarra para que le reduzca la acción.

[@maderaguitarras]

Great it was helpful for you! Thanks. Hope at the end you completely solve your problem. Regards from Granada.

[@MarkEWallace]

I have seen several reactions to sand the saddle from the bottom, but you recommend from the top. Why is that? Thank you!

[@charliehalbery5978]

Thanks for this information been looking for advice about string height as i suspect my admira is a bit high. 👍👍

[@maderaguitarras]

You're welcome Charlie. Glad you found it useful.

[@dario_the_viking5472]

I was wondering why it was so hard for me to play i am a begginer i bought a guitar 2 3 years ago and i barely played my fingers hurt that much my string action on the 12th fret first string is 7mm

[@danstune]

This was very helpful. Thank you much!

[@maderaguitarras]

Happy it was useful for you. Regards from Granada.

[@normbarrows]

Wow! Big difference in action with classical guitars. As a player for 40+ years I never really notice it - it's expected. Now I build experimental electrics as a hobby. On a 25.5" (648mm) scale length running .008's, I typically run 0.9mm action at the 24th fret with no relief in the neck whatsoever. Action at the 12th fret is probably in the 0.45mm to 0.5mm range. I set the nut slots just a hair above the fret plane, set the neck flat (happiness is a dual action truss rod), then just set the action at the 24th fret. Action gauges work similar to a good ruler, and are typically marked in quarters of a millimeter - but may not go up to 3.5mm. I personally use feeler gauges to measure action.

[@javierlopez-ig5fj]

hola gran explicacion, por fin me encuentro leyendo algo verdaderamente util , me queda una duda , con la presion de las cuerdas , el mastil tiende a doblarse ( relief) como en las guitarras electricas y acusticas , de cuanto sera un relief adecuado en el centro del mastil de una guitarra clasica ? mil gracias !

[@maderaguitarras]

Hola Javier. Muchas gracias. El relief del mango, esa acción de ceder que hace el mango hacia la tapa, no es para nada mucho, ni muy obvio cuando se tensan las cuerdas. Algunas veces justo al tensar la guitarra inapreciable o casi inapreciable. Ya con la guitarra tensada durante un tiempo estamos hablando de décimas de milímetro midiendo en el traste 12. Pero lo suficiente para que al querer saber con gran precisión la altura de cuerda para la acción de nuestra guitarra es conveniente que la guitarra lleve tensada en la correcta afinación yo aconsejaría al menos unas cuantas horas. Un saludo desde Granada.

[@virgomonkey68]

What about heights 2 thru to 5?

[@antoniohillario9770]

For Flamenco guitar, what "standard" height do you recommend on the 1st and 6th strings?

[@maderaguitarras]

I would say for me 1st 2mm 6th 2.9 is good. But anyway depends on everyone and every guitar.

[@IainHC1]

Just a quick question..... What height should the 1st and 6th strings be between the top of the first fret and the bottom of the strings?

[@newgunguy4176]

The depth of the string slots on the nut should be the same as the height of frets. This is how a guitar with a zero fret would be. Check out Thu Le's Alma guitar which has a zero fret.

[@PainkillerDCXVI]

I have a question, what if the treble strings are carbon? Since they are thinner but have higher tension would lowering the action a little bit be ok? Thanks.

[@maderaguitarras]

Hello Painkiller. A very good question. I think that the more or less tenth of a millimetre that a type of string, and its different thickness, is going to give you for a higher or lower action of the guitar should not be relevant nor will you notice it in your playing. It is too small variation to notice it. So I wouldn't take it into consideration. Another thing is if the string is really much thinner or thicker than most of the strings in the market today. But looking at most of the strings used today, no matter nylon or carbon, I wouldn't give it any importance. Regarding the tension, that choice is something very important that will affect your playing. But this is a choice of each one and related to the kind of playing you have and you can get according to your skills. But for example, to lower the action of the guitar because a higher tension is used to make it easier to play I wouldn't particularly consider it. I prefer to simply use strings of a different tension that make my playing comfortable. But I understand that there are guitarists who might consider this variation in the action depending on the string's tension and can give them a good result.

[@PainkillerDCXVI]

​@@maderaguitarras It makes sense that even if the tension is higher and the gauge is lower this would hardly affect buzzing because it's on a very small scale. I'll try carbon eventually and if is uncomfortable I can always drop it. Thanks.

[@Chanpanpapi]

Wow!! You should do a video of the scale lengths!! 645-650-655-660-664-670!!!

[@maderaguitarras]

that's a good idea!! I write it down :)

[@Chanpanpapi]

@@maderaguitarras you should do it! Actually I haven’t found any good info on classical and flamenco on this!! I’m sure it’s gonna be good, can also add the string tension on this, that would be even better, also tone woods, that’s another big topic!!! I love this channel btw, pure gold for the aficionados

[@jurisbenaitis]

Hi, thanks for the video and information. Can you tell me what the exact nut height should be for strings 1 - 6 of a classical guitar? Thanks for the reply

[@maderaguitarras]

Hi. don't understand quite well your question. You mean from the fretboard to the top of the nut head? that a normal one can be 2.8mm

[@jurisbenaitis]

@@maderaguitarras I apologize for not being clear. I mean the space between the string and the first fret. I want to deepen the nut slots without going too far. For example, for an electric guitar, I measure 0.4 mm for the first string, and 0.5 mm for the sixth. But the classical guitar probably has different measurements.

[@maderaguitarras]

I see now. I have here a 2013 Marín Montero is 0.5 and 0.55 I hope it helps for you. thanks.

[@jurisbenaitis]

@@maderaguitarras Thank you very much!

[@thatdudefromthefuture3346]

I was about to adjust my classical guitar and noticed it is very different from an acoustic guitar. I may need to buy some dummy saddle and nut for test adjustments..

[@grande3649]

I tuned the guitar well, but somehow when I play I have the feeling that the strings are too loose, and why? Can you help me, please?

[@maderaguitarras]

it's strange the problem you have. What tension are your strings? high - medium - low? See if there is a guitar maker in your area who can take a look. You also have the option of buying a set of high-tension strings to see if you feel better about it.

[@grande3649]

@@maderaguitarras thank you

[@TPITEOTG]

Higher tension strings will allow to lower the action, but it will be harder to play (with lower action) because of string tension; and it all depends on personal taste too; am I correct? BTW I recently bought two cheap (about $200) solid-top guitars, made in China, with 2.7mm for high-E, and 3mm for low-E. Only one ("Flamenco", with even lower action) has some buzz at 7th fret area which I need to file a bit; I am going to setup it properly: remove strings, adjust to "plain neck", make it very "plain" (using professional leveler), mirror-polish frets, put strings back, adjust neck relief. I am not going to file bridge; maybe only few nut slots, a bit.

[@maderaguitarras]

If you use a lower action that will make it easier to play, even if the strings are high tension, but you also have to take into account that you will lose sound projection on the guitar. However, you also have to take into account always the possibility of buzzing notes when you lower the action. it is always difficult to see what is the right set up for each guitar. Each guitar is different too. And yes, it depends on your playing style and level for each guitarist.

[@oinkooink]

I just got a new Yamaha CG182s with 4mm on the bass string at the 12th. Think I'm going to take it down to just above 3mm.

[@maderaguitarras]

I think maybe it is too much. Be careful cause you can have buzzing noise problems if it goes too low.

[@stevep2430]

One thing you didn't mention was the dreaded neck reset if all else fails.

[@maderaguitarras]

Sorry for my English. But what is exactly a dreaded neck reset option? I don't understand "dreaded".

[@stevep2430]

@@maderaguitarras It is where the neck of the guitar is removed from the body of guitar and the necessary adjustments made to the dovetail joint and then the neck is reset to the body in the correct alignment to bridge of guitar. There are youtube videos on the procedure.

[@maderaguitarras]

I understand now what you mean. thanks.

[@disqusrubbish5467]

Classical guitars built in the Spanish tradition don't have dovetails, and a neck reset is impractical...

[@AnkurKumar-fi7cj]

Sir can u help me ple

[@johnmurray3346]

Yeah sure ………

[@AnkurKumar-fi7cj]

@@johnmurray3346 can u check my guitar action is it perfect or not

[@neaituppi7306]

I know it, but don't know how to do it.

[@jamesfink9658]

I inherited a Cordoba Solista and took it to my guitar tech for a tune up, who does excellent work on my electric guitars and Taylor steel string acoustics. He said everything out there about 3-4 mm height on a classical guitar is nonsense and it should be more like 1.5-2 mm. Something about the higher height is because of underbow and with a quality guitar like I have he can easily make it 1.5-2 mm with no buzzing. I am new to nylon string guitar playing and his advice seems to contradict everything out there, but like I said, he has never failed me when it comes to my other guitars.

[@maderaguitarras]

1.5-2mm is extremely low James. But if it works for you go ahead! Thanks for your comment.

[@jamesfink9658]

@@maderaguitarras Thanks for your response. Out of all the videos on KZbin discussing this issue, yours is the best.

[@jamesearlsumagang4440]

Don't disregard string bridge height, 10-13 cm for classical. I once disregard these and broke a 50 year old guitar. But now I can further abuse it with steel strings, just for curiosity. But why would it be lower than 11 cm or something if it's classical. You may have to stick your right shoulder out more and it's painful.

[@jamesearlsumagang4440]

Omg, MM(mm) or something, I don't want to be confused anymore whether I have or not have enough saddle sticking out. I have 2 very similar instrument, tried same saddle height.. the other one swallows it whole and the other one gets to stick out.. I broke the other one because I was confused and disregarded the bridge string to body height, it's not like I can mathematically convert inches to something else in my head.. I'll be more careful and do guitar exercises since I can't really play guitar well.. but even with just the exercises I feel I deserve and paper specs instrument and not something that's confusing..

[@HotZTrain]

Firstly...there is NO standard height. Most people I know play with a 3mm to 3.5mm at he 12th fret, 6th string.

[@HotZTrain]

As a foot note; the late Howard Heitmeyer was 75 years old and had his Kohno lowered to 3mm. After several weeks of playing he told several of us..."I should have do this 30 years ago."

[@evilduck1581]

Ikr there shouldn’t be a standard! I like my action 3 CM high with the travel it remind me of my trip to Switzerland and back

[@HotZTrain]

@@evilduck1581 I'm sure you meant, 3 mm not cementers

[@imchungyanger]

@@HotZTrainhe meant the double bass😅

[@matthewjdouglas6471]

Mine was like 8mm at the 12th and got worse the higher it went. It was not that bad when it came out the box. I sent it to a guy who was supposedly a guitar tech. It was unplayable