How to Measure Guitar Setups

Measuring Guitars and Guitar Parts

Specific Project Areas Needed Now

Task: Measuring Guitar String Height, Bridge Height, and Pickup Height

Objective: Measure the parts of the guitar (as supplied by the Instructor) related to its current setup: 1) string height 2) the pickup height as shown here File:String_distance.jpg (and described below). Fill that information into the Data Sheet below.

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How to Measure String Height

Measure string height for each instrument the 1st fret and 12th fret in metric and enter that data into the Data Sheet below.

• Tune the guitar to standard tuning
• Read this guide: File:Measure_String_Height.pdf
• Measure string height for the low E (bass side) and high E (treble side) strings in mm from top of fret to bottom of string
• Update the Data Sheet below

How to Measure Pickup Height

Measure the height of each pickup on the guitar in the manner described below and enter that data into the Data Sheet below.

• Tune the guitar to standard tuning
• Press the 1st string onto the last fret and hold it down or use a capo to hold down this fret
• Using the 6” machinist ruler, measure the distance from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the 1st string (if the pickup has no pole piece, measure to the top height of the pickup directly underneath the string).
• Write down the measurement in metric.
• Repeat this process with the 6th string, again holding it against the last fret and writing down the measurement.
• Now repeat the process with the remaining pickup(s).
• At this point you’ll have measurements for both the treble and bass sides of each pickup.
• Update the Data Sheet below with the date you did this measurement
• Once you have the two outer pickup height measurements, go back and repeat this process for the remaining pole pieces of the pickups and add those to the measurement sheet; note that the outer pickup measurements may automatically populate some cells on the sheet

How to Measure Bridge Height

Measure the height of the highest points of the rightmost and leftmost parts of the bridge and enter that data into the Data Sheet below.

• Tune the guitar to standard tuning
• Using the 6” machinist ruler, measure the distance from the body of the guitar near the bass side of the bridge to the highest point of the bridge.
• Write down the measurement in metric.
• Repeat this process for the treble side of the bridge.
• Update the Data Sheet below with the date you did this measurement

Project Files & Resources

String and Pickup Height Data Sheet

Instructions: Request access to this data sheet below; right click the Template sheet, duplicate it, and rename it with the current year (and season if a sheet for the current year already exists; check first to see if that sheet is incomplete). Enter data into the sheet that you just created; do not modify sheets from previous years.

• Guitar Measurements Data Sheet

Note: Please do not share these files or server credential with others without permission. Thanks.

Rulers

Our lab contains a variety of rulers. Take your time and measure things carefully and accurately. Be mindful of "measurement lines" on rulers like the Stew Mac string height ruler; the lines on this gauge are 1 millimeter thick, so you should measure to the bottom of the line on these rulers so as not to add thickness to your measurements.

lab rulers