OK, I know that some instruments have a fret right up next to the nut. That's the one we call the zero fret. I'm going to ignore that style of nut because it is only found in a tiny minority of instruments. Maybe in a future article. . .
If the nut is too low, the string will bump into the first fret when it is played and it will buzz, even if the rest of the instrument is properly set up and working well
If the nut is too high, playing at the first fret will be seriously impaired. I frequently see guitar on which it is impossible to bar a first position F chord because the nut is way too high. This is extremely common because most new instruments only receive a cursory set up at the factory. We hope (sometimes in vain) that the more expensive instruments won't have this problem.
How To Adjust Acoustic Guitar Action
Is there an ideal height? In theory, yes. The ideal height would be just about the same as a fret's height in the same position as the nut. In practice, I've found that there are some musicians whose playing attack is so vigorous that they require the nut to be higher to avoid the open string buzz.
Pretend your thumb is a capo, and just squeeze down. Don't give it the King Kong grip, though. The idea is to avoid having the string elevated artificially, as it is when first put on. A string that has never been fretted strongly at the first fret tends to stand just a little high. I'm only talking about the stiffer bass strings because they seem to have minds of their own.
The string is at full tension and it strikes a straight line from the nut to the second fret. There's no need for a straightedge here, the string is straight!
How Do I Know What A Good Action Or String Height Is For My Guitar?
Get down and look CLOSELY under the string above the first fret. It pays to be nearsighted. For the unfortunate non-myopic, magnifying reading glasses may be necessary.
If the nut is at its ideal height, you should see a very tiny space between the string and the first fret:
How much space? Well, it varies with need, but generally, I like to see just enough space to tell there is any at all. I'm talking the thickness of a hair! Notice the string in this picture, IT IS CLOSE. This guitar plays well for the average musician.
Steps To A Better Guitar Setup
If the string actually touches the first fret when tested this way, it is definitely too low. How much too low is impossible to tell because the string is being held up by the fret and is no longer straight.
If you're having difficulty seeing the tiny gap under the string, try this: With the string pressed down between the second and third , tap on the string very close to, but not right over, the first fret.
If there IS a gap that's too small to see, you'll hear a little click as the string hits the . Cute trick, eh?
Buzz Off: How To Deal With Fret Buzz
Bear in mind that nothing is absolute when it comes to instrument set up. It is, after all, a matter of adjusting instruments to the player's needs. Action at the nut is one of the more easily described and yet more overlooked aspects of set up.While there’s no substitute for the work of a good luthier, it’s a good idea to understand the basics of guitar setup. That will help you understand how to care for your guitar, what problems you can address at home, and when you need the help of a guitar repairperson.
You can probably recognize excessive curvature in your guitar neck just by looking at it. If you hold the guitar from the body, without touching the neck, and sight down the neck with one eye, you will see if it is straight or not. If the neck has some relief, the middle string height will start low in the open position, be a bit higher along the middle frets and then get low again by the XII
When all six strings are tuned to concert pitch, their combined force can easily exceed 100 pounds of tension. This force would naturally bend the neck into a very large forward bow, much like a hunting bow. To prevent this, a metal rod is installed inside of the guitar neck. This is called a truss rodA truss rod is a metal rod inside the neck of the guitar that provides backwards tension to counteract the forwards tension created by the strings. . The truss rodA truss rod is a metal rod inside the neck of the guitar that provides backwards tension to counteract the forwards tension created by the strings. is not set to a fixed amount of tension, but the tension can be adjusted by tightening a hex key at either the head or base of the neck. It is adjustable because the needed amount of tension may change over time, due to moisture content of the wood or what kind of strings are used.
Is My Guitar Getting Harder To Play
The neck should be totally straight, or have a slight amount of forward bow. This forward bow is called reliefRelief refers to a small amount of allowable forward bow in a guitar neck, which improves playability for some guitars under some circumstances. , because we relieve the counter-acting tension of the truss rodA truss rod is a metal rod inside the neck of the guitar that provides backwards tension to counteract the forwards tension created by the strings. and allow the strings to pull the neck forward—but only a tiny bit.
The truss rod is not meant to be set once and forgotten, and nor is it considered a job only for experts. Most guitars ship with a truss rod key, and the player is supposed to be able to make adjustments as needed.
If there is too much relief in your guitar neck, the string height along the middle frets V-XII will be very high. You can try to adjust the truss rod yourself. However, if you’ve never done this before, it’s great to try it on a cheap guitar first. If you adjust the truss rod too much, you might cause it to break. You should not adjust the trust rod by more than one or two full turns at a time. If the problem you are experiencing is not fixed after two or more full turns, then you should probably stop and ask an expert, or at least wait a day and try again.
Classical Guitar Action Too High? Fix It.
You should also not tighten the truss rod very tight. It should not have the same resistance as the nut on a car tire. It should turn fairly easily. If the resistance is a lot and it is becoming difficult to turn, you should probably stop. Do not add more torque.
It is also best not to make too many sudden adjustments. You can try a quarter or half turn of the trust rod and then stop, wait and observe. You can repeat this process until you’ve found the right setting.
Because they affect the shape of the wood, truss rod adjustments need a bit of time to sink in. Try doing a quarter or half-turn, and checking again the next day.
Capo On 1st Fret
Sometimes if a truss rod has been overtightened, or heavy strings are replaced with lighter strings, the neck will begin to have a slight backbow. This is
The solution is to adjust the truss rod and add a bit more reliefRelief refers to a small amount of allowable forward bow in a guitar neck, which improves playability for some guitars under some circumstances. to the neck.
Guitars fresh from the factory rarely get this right. The strings of the guitar rest in slots or grooves that are carved into the nut, which is the small (often white-colored) piece by the guitar’s head, where the strings rest before branching off to the tuning machines.
A Classical And Acoustic Guitar Setup Guide.
Because guitars are mass-manufactured, and because getting the correct depth for the nut slot is very difficult and exacting work, most guitars do not ship from the factory with perfect nut slot depth.
If the nut slot is too deep, you will notice immediately because when you play that string open, it will rattle against the first fret. There will be a tinny metallic buzz whenever you play the string open. But if you play any other fretted note on such a string, there is no buzz. This is the tell-tale sign of a nut slot that has been carved too deep.
The string should barely clear over the first fret, with very minimal clearance. Only enough to prevent buzzing. This one is a little bit too high.
Common Setup Problems Affecting Beginners
If, on the other hand, the nut slot is not deep enough—a much more common situation—it will not be immediately obvious to you. The consequence of this is that the strings are much higher than they need to be over the first fret, which means it will take more force than necessary to depress them in the open position. In other words, because most manufacturers do not
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