String height measurement ?

[dmccombe7]

Simple quickie question but where do you measure your string height  ?

I measure at 12th fret but i've heard of different opinions.

Just curious to see if there's a common agreement.

Dave

 

[Dad3353]

One measures string height..? 

[pfretrock]

15 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

One measures string height..? 

Gave up after a while, now adjust for playability. Suggested figures don't seem to be ideal.

Measure relief at fret 7.

[Ralf1e]

I measure at the 12 fret as well 2-2.50mm on the 4th or 5th string 1.5-2mm on the 1st string.

If I can't get that lower figure I investigate until I do.

One point, I don't play hard.

Others might find that too low

Edited January 2, 2023 by Ralf1e

[SH73]

I don't measure string heights, ever. I even have string height adjustment tool. Inset it at a comfortable level whilst keeping the buzzing low if none is not an option.

[Bassfinger]

Might as well get in there quickly...

 

You're all wrong, completely wrong, never heard such dangerous drivel. My way is right and you won't see any professional players doing it any way but mine, except for the professional players that don't but I conveniently won't mention them. You'll all suffer repetitive strain injuries, and Leo Fender will rise from the grave and haunt you. Anyone who doesn't do it my way is clearly impotent and cheats at monopoly.

 

I think that covered most points.

[chris_b]

On the rare occasions I do anything to my basses: I take the bridge saddles down until the strings buzz, then raise the saddles until the strings stop buzzing.  I seem to remember doing this when I switched over from rounds to flats about 10 years ago.

 

For anything else, I get the Bass Gallery to do it.

Edited January 2, 2023 by chris_b

[Bassfinger]

And on a serious note, when I can be bothered to measure at all I do it at the 17th as I read somewhere that is where one does so, but I have no ethical or moral affinity to that position. I guess it matters not where you do so as long as you're consistent between instruments when trying to set them up in a similar manner.

[rushbo]

1 hour ago, Bassfinger said:

Might as well get in there quickly...

 

You're all wrong, completely wrong, never heard such dangerous drivel. My way is right and you won't see any professional players doing it any way but mine, except for the professional players that don't but I conveniently won't mention them. You'll all suffer repetitive strain injuries, and Leo Fender will rise from the grave and haunt you. Anyone who doesn't do it my way is clearly impotent and cheats at monopoly.

 

I think that covered most points.

Well, obviously this is the best advice that anyone is going to give in this thread. I once "went rogue" and ignored this sage proclamation and my Fender P bass turned into a two headed viper which ate my entire family.

 

Or...

 

There is some good advice on the Fender site: https://support.fender.com/en-us/knowledgebase/article/KA-01903  

 

If I'm setting up a bass for someone else, this is what I use as it's a good, basic starting point. When I set up my own instruments, I drop the string height until it starts to rattle under normal playing conditions, then pull it back in tiny increments until it stops. Your mileage may vary, as they say on The Interweb.

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by rushbo

[dmccombe7]

12 minutes ago, rushbo said:

 

 

If I'm setting up a bass for someone else, this is what I use as it's a good, basic starting point. When I set up my own instruments, I drop the string height until it starts to rattle under normal playing conditrions, then pull it back in tiny increments until it stops. Your mileage may vary, as they say on The Interweb.

 

 

This is usually how i work but being an engineer i tend to measure things just for peace of mind.

That;s why my own basses range from approx 1.8mm up to approx 2.5mm on my 4 string basses. 

If i get a bass that's far too high i'll drop the string height to 2mm and work from there based on string buzz or not. If i dont have any buzz at 2mm i'm happy leaving it there.

2mm is my preferred target figure.

Dave

[Ralf1e]

30 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

Might as well get in there quickly...

 

You're all wrong, completely wrong, never heard such dangerous drivel. My way is right and you won't see any professional players doing it any way but mine, except for the professional players that don't but I conveniently won't mention them. You'll all suffer repetitive strain injuries, and Leo Fender will rise from the grave and haunt you. Anyone who doesn't do it my way is clearly impotent and cheats at monopoly.

 

I think that covered most points.

So you admit you secretly Frank Sinatra 😂

[Eric.C.Lapton]

23 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

This is usually how i work but being an engineer i tend to measure things just for peace of mind.

Have read “The metrology of string height” by M. D Phillips? 

[SamIAm]

For setting up my first time I followed the approach in these videos by Elixir, which are really clear (sadly in imperial measurements).  Having said that, I have tweaked things a bit in string height to allow for my playing style.

 

 

After all of this I then fiddle with my pickup heights to get a nice even sound/volume across the strings.  I've found that a sort of warbling/throbbing sound means the pickup is to close to the strings (I think the magnet in the pickup starts to pull too strongly on the string)

 

 

S'manth x

 

[Ed_S]

If it's not specified I'd generally assume any measurements being discussed are taken at the 12th, but personally I eye things to look right and then tweak them to feel right, rather than checking measurements.

 

Out of curiosity I've just taken a ruler to the ones on my stand, though, and it seems I consistently arrive at about 3.5mm for the thicker side and 3mm for the thinner, give or take 0.5mm depending on whether it's a 4 or 5 and whether the strings are a generally heavier or lighter set.

 

Going by that Fender guide, I also like more neck relief and lower pickups than they'd recommend. It's why I tell shops that try to offer a setup as some sort of value-added not to bother wasting their time; they'll inevitably drop it to the deck, and then I'll have to put it back plus a bit.

[Paddy515]

5/64ths at the 17th fret. 12 thou neck relief at 7th fret, capo on 1st fret, hold down last fret.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Paddy515

[tauzero]

1 hour ago, Smanth said:

For setting up my first time I followed the approach in these videos by Elixir, which are really clear (sadly in imperial measurements).  Having said that, I have tweaked things a bit in string height to allow for my playing style.

 

The fret one uses depends on which Imperial unit you measure in. For furlongs, it's fret 8, for feet it's fret 12, for pounds it's fret 14, and for ounces fret 16. I would advise avoiding fathoms at fret 6 and shillings at fret 20.

 

Personally, I also use the drop 'em till they buzz then go back up a little bit, after having set up the relief.

[Waddo Soqable]

I'm another who just lowers them til they rattle like old windows, but I leave 'em there and play the b'stard like that.... 

[PaulThePlug]

Strings... not Underpants...

[Bassfinger]

Although my Y fronts are so tired and worn they look like they're made from bass strings.

[pfretrock]

23 hours ago, Smanth said:

For setting up my first time I followed the approach in these videos by Elixir, which are really clear (sadly in imperial measurements).  Having said that, I have tweaked things a bit in string height to allow for my playing style.

 

Imperial measurements? Now't wrong with those. I heard Jacob Ree-Smogg is a real hot player, he has a 1847 Fender Nanny. You would not believe the road wear on it.

[BigRedX]

For me the correct string height is the point at which I no longer get any audible fret buzz through the amp when I really "dig in". The numerical value itself is irrelevant.

[dmccombe7]

Agree but some of us do like to know what the string height is. Its an engineering thing i guess. I just like numbers against things as a point of reference. 

 

Out of curiosity for those that dont measure their string height. Do you measure your neck relief or just do a visual down the neck edge. ?

Dave

Edited January 3, 2023 by dmccombe7

[miles'tone]

22 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said:

I'm another who just lowers them til they rattle like old windows, but I leave 'em there and play the b'stard like that.... 

Don't forget to measure your nut height while you're at it. Too high and it will cause all sorts of fatigue when you're wanging around the beef end.

[lowdown]

On 02/01/2023 at 13:32, chris_b said:

 I take the bridge saddles down until the strings buzz, then raise the saddles until the strings stop buzzing.  

 

How many times a day do you do this, Chris? Is it an OCD thing or is it some kind of stress reliever? 

 

 

[BigRedX]

14 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Agree but some of us do like to know what the string height is. Its an engineering thing i guess. I just like numbers against things as a point of reference.

 

But the optimum string height will also be dependant upon both the relief of the neck (and where the lowest point is in relation to the neck length) and the gauge/tension/compliance of the strings, and to a certain extent the scale length. Unless all your basses have EXACTLY the same amount of relief with the lowest point in EXACTLY the same place on the neck and you use EXACTLY the same make/type/gauge of strings on all your basses the right string height on one bass may not be the right string height on another.

 

My system is to raise the action until I get no fret buzz on any string at any fret I am likely to play. If that result in an uncomfortably high action then I'll look at the neck relief, but otherwise that it is.