How to Adjust the Action on an Acoustic Guitar

Understanding Action on an Acoustic Guitar 00:04

"When we're talking about action or string action, we're talking about the distance between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string."

• Action greatly influences how a guitar plays, feels, and sounds, and is largely a matter of personal preference.

• Players might prefer higher action for styles that require heavy attack, like bluegrass, or lower action for fingerstyle playing.

• It's essential to check the action if you're experiencing issues like fret buzz or difficulty fretting notes.

Assessing the Guitar Setup 02:08

"Make sure it's in the tuning you plan and has your preferred set of strings on it."

• Before measuring action or making adjustments, ensure your guitar is in tune and strung with your preferred gauge of strings, as this will affect setup outcomes.

• You should consider how the guitar plays and feels, noting any stiffness or ease during play.

• Evaluating the neck for straightness is crucial; a neck can have a back bow or up bow that may contribute to playability issues.

Adjusting the Neck for Action 03:45

"If you need to make changes to your action, there are three places to adjust it: the nut, the saddle, and the truss rod."

• The truss rod is typically the first point of adjustment. Most necks have this feature to provide reinforcement and can be adjusted from the peghead or through the sound hole.

• There are two types of truss rods—single action and double action—each serving different purposes for neck adjustments.

• Before any adjustment, it's important to measure the action at the first and twelfth frets to establish a reference point.

Saddle Adjustment for Action 07:16

"You need to compare the radius of the saddle with the radius of the fingerboard and the frets."

• It's crucial to match the saddle radius with that of the fingerboard to ensure optimal playability. If they do not match, it can result in uneven action across the strings.

• Adjusting the saddle involves sanding down its height, and if raising the saddle is necessary, one can use a shim or replace it entirely.

• Following the right measurements will guide how much material to remove from the saddle to achieve the desired action height on both bass and treble sides.

Final Measurements and Considerations 08:23

"Remeasure all six strings at the first fret; the measurement will likely have changed after the saddle adjustments."

• After making adjustments to the truss rod and saddle, it is crucial to remeasure the action to see how the changes affected each string.

• Adjustments made to the saddle will impact the overall action, so checking those new measurements will ensure a comfortable and playable setup.

• If the wound strings still appear high, further adjustments may be necessary to achieve optimal action for playing.

Adjusting Nut Slot Depth for String Height 08:37

"You want to avoid having more than half to three-quarters of the diameter of the string buried in the nut."

• Reducing the string height on an acoustic guitar begins with adjusting the nut slots. Each fret slot must be carefully shaped using nut files to accommodate the string gauge you're using.

• The process involves lowering the E and A strings to a specific height, typically around 20 thousandths of an inch, while ensuring the ideal measurement is maintained at about 15 thousandths above the first fret.

• It’s important to note that personal preference plays a significant role in string height; different players might prefer slightly higher or lower action on their guitars.

• After filing the slots, it's often necessary to trim the nut itself to prevent the strings from sitting too deep within their slots, which could negatively affect playability.

Finalizing the Setup and Testing Playability 09:12

"With the guitar strung back to pitch, check your measurements and play the guitar."

• Once the adjustments have been made, it’s crucial to restring the guitar and bring it back to pitch. This allows you to accurately check the new measurements and ensures that the intended action has been achieved.

• Testing the playability of the guitar is essential—if you are satisfied with how it feels, you can proceed to polish the nut area to complete the setup.

• The process of setting the action on an acoustic guitar tends to be more intricate compared to electric guitars, but with patience and precision, it can be successfully accomplished.