The Numbers Game: The Importance Of Not Getting Hung-Up On Measurements

One of the first things that many customers mention earlier in their inquiries to my setup services is that they have their specs they like their guitars adjusted to. “I like my action 3/64 on the bass and 1/32 on the treble”, or “I like my strings [insert measurements here] from the fingerboard”.

A lot of my customers spit out numbers they reference from online forums or YouTube videos. Here’s the deal: these arbitrary numbers are only part of a much more complicated set of conditions. Knowing the numbers for general string height (aka action) is one thing, but knowing how those numbers were derived is another.

Numbers and measurements are nice - especially when trying to achieve consistency from instrument to instrument in one’s collection. But, I’m here today to tell you that numbers are not the only truth in a well-playing instrument.

I do appreciate a well educated and informative customer. Knowing and being able to convey what one desires from any work done to their instruments is a big help in my ability to achieve a positive outcome. But nothing irks me more than a piece of paper included with a setup that has a bunch of random measurements listed on it.

Before anyone includes a “spec sheet”, there are a few things that are key to understanding that will make the “I want [blank] setup to [blank]” a possibility as well as a reality for both the luthier and the player.

First: Measurements can be derived from various methods. The most basic fact is that not all tools are made the same way. I’ve seen plenty of steel rulers that do not start at true zero. I’ve also seen many people take false measurements based on improper angles of view and registering shadows as lines of truth. So my first tip is to make sure your tools of measurements are accurate, and make sure you know how to read them!

Second: Learn exactly which points of reference are important to read. The most common fame of reference that should be used is the distance from the apex of the 12th fret to the bottom edge of the string above it while fretting the 1st fret (fretting the first fret while taking this measurement helps remove an improperly cut nut from the equation as this can cloud judgment as well as hinder proper numbers from being derived).

Third: The perception and feel of what is “right” for one player is different from instrument to instrument as well as from player to player. Playing styles, physical conditions of hands and materials, and other general differences make each situation very unique. Numbers don’t always feel the same (consider a vintage Fender with a very round, narrow fingerboard and small frets as compared to a modern Ibanez with a very flat, wide fingerboard and large frets). The key to understanding the limits of a setup a deeply rooted in the understanding and acceptance of each instrument’s individual properties.

I stopped issuing spec sheets that list numbers and measurements to customers long ago since no one seems to be able to adhere to one consistent method of measurement once home. Besides, my methods are not the methods of other shops. Also, relief measurements are not always a constant, and while a neck should be set to a certain degree of forward bow there are exceptions to this rule (not the mention that climate conditions and fluctuations therein attribute to about 90% of the setup issues many people experience over the course of a normal year).

The absolute most important aspect to a proper setup is always going to come down to something that cannot be measured: feel. I’ve made slight adjustments to truss rods that have made instruments feel completely more lively than from a 1/8th turn in an opposite direction did. There is no number or perfect measurement for that (unless you find a mojo-meter somewhere, but these have long since been lost in the musical ether - I blame amp modelers!), and the best tool for achieving this “right” feel is finding the “right” luthier or tech for you.

Don’t be afraid to ask for tweaks or request to play test anything being picked up from a shop fresh from the bench. Also remember that setups do not last forever, and like the seasons change so can a setup. Know how to read and understand what your guitar might be saying to you. If the strings are buzzing all of a sudden and the action is too low, consider how the environment may have altered the setup conditions. If your action is high and the guitar is difficult to play, look into what may have changed to make this happen.

Even the best built guitars need some help every once in a while - and that’s where luthiers like myself come in. As a player, try not to concern yourself with numbers too much. While information like that can help you understand what your instrument is capable of, it can ultimately hinder the player’s creative process by creating an obsessive internal dialogue. Avoid the pitfalls of numbers and just play. When it feels right, it is right - no matter what the measurements may be.