I measured the string height on my J45 last night (medium strings). In some cases the slots must also be widened to accommodate thicker strings. If the open string is correct, but at 12th fret is high => slide the bridge to the tail and repeat the process for all four strings (GO TO 1) Notes The photo above shows a violin-like bridge used by Richard Morgan instruments , not common in mandolins. Octave and cello are setup at 5/64” on the treble side and slightly higher on the bass side. I do this in 2 stages: foot fitting, by carefully chiselling and repeatedly checking the bridge foot; and height, with strings 1 and 8 on, so that the strings are 1.5 - 2mm above fret 12. Check the intonation on the e string at the 12th fret. If you are playing bluegrass music, for example, you may It has low string height for ease of play, and the bridge has been set in the correct location for proper intonation. I measure action, which is the height of the strings off of the frets, at the twelfth fret, with the string fretted at the first fret. Fret one of the E strings at the 12th fret and pluck the string. Realistically, having … For most of my customers, I have found that fifty thousandths (0.05) of an inch on the bass strings, and forty thousandths (0.04) on the … var d = new Date(); Modest wear of the fret crown can cause difficult fretting, buzzing or intonation problems. Play more. When the string height is lowered, high spots in the fretboard or uneven frets will potentially cause fret buzz, dead spots, or other unwanted problems. Set the action measuring from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the bass and treble strings. In an easy action, you should only be able to slip a thick piece of paper under the string at fret one, but not a piece of thin card. 12th fret action-.050" G,.040 high e. Nut slot height is critical on a mandolin. Ideally, you want your break A poorly setup instrument is miserable to Professional setup is included as part of the price of the mandolin. String Height (measures top of fret to bottom of string): Bass-side string height at 12th fret: 3/32" Treble-side string height at 12th fret: 2/32" Relief (measures distance from top of fret to bottom of string while fretting the 1st and 15th fret): Relief at 5th Fret… Cedar Mountain Mandolin. #3957 bridge. String height is critical to both the intonation of the instrument and the playability of the instrument. We're going to use this to measure our string height at the first fret. The easy answer is:  High enough so the strings do not buzz at any In in steel with 4 string hooks. The key is finding this point while still To modify string height entails manipulation of the rim rods which are the two rods traversing the center of the rim. Play the 12th fret harmonic for the same string. playable. Learn more. A good working bluegrass action at the 12th fret (measured from the top of the 12th fret to the underside of the strings) should be between 2 and 3/32”, certainly not under 2/32” (1/16”) and slightly higher on the bass than the treble. Original . maintaining the playability of the instrument. Required fields are marked *. check out the. I measure the height of the strings at the top of the 12 th fret to the bottom of the G string. Play an instrument that is easy to play. Normal string height, or action, is about 1/8" above the 12th fret and 9/64" above the 22nd fret as measured from the top of each fret to the center of the strings. AC Series Updates. "October", "November", "December"); On our low E string, from the top of the fret to the bottom of the strings, we're getting just about ten thousandths of an inch and just about the same thing on our high E string. I set the strings between 0.060 and 0.065 off the fretboard. Pluck the string with your right hand to produce the harmonic. var m_names = new Array("January", "February", "March", String tension and changes in humidity levels can affect the neck relief (bow) causing a change in string height and intonation. You can use a feeler gauge or a little ruler to measure the string height. This should be twice the distance of the nut to fret 12, plus 1-2mm. The latest on what’s new on our workbench. Changing Strings Front Back Listen to MP3 Eastman MD305 A Style Mandolin w/gigbag - $575 incl. Neck Material:Mahogany Fingerboard:Ebony Fingerboard Radius:12" Neck Profile:Traditional Even C Nut:Bone 1 3/4" 1st Fret String Height:.022" 12th Fret String Height:Bass .078" & Treble .062" Fretwire:22 Jescar FW47104 Scale Length:25" Apologies if none of that makes any sense - I'm not used to measuring in … Handcrafted Instrument v. Mass Produced Instrument. Hot and newly single. Comparison Chart. The string height markings are at increments of .25mm (1/4mm). the instrument becomes too hard to play. As you raise the bridge, the angle on top may increase or decrease the play. I file the nut slots at .015 to .019 for the G string and .011 to .014 for the E string from the bottom of the string to the top of the first fret. At fret 12, the string should be between 1.5mm and 2mm above the fret. The position of the bridge should be adjusted slightly, so that the intonation on the e string is perfect at fret 12. From here, I can lower it down until I reach the buzz and then ease off from there. general, raising the bridge tends to increase the downward force on the top and Right here, on this bottom line, we have 10 to 140 thousands. To begin, measure the string height at the 12th fret from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string. If the strings buzz, raise the bridge. Too-high string clearance at the nut will cause intonation problems, and it also causes sore fingers. This is relatively easy these days with electronic tuners. want your action set a little higher for the chop. S/H (Mainland US only) Ref. Bridge/tensioner: Original bridge refitted. Hold between 2/3. A more extreme angle, such as the one shown, requires a taller bridge to ensure the strings do not sit too low. angle at the bridge to be around 16 degrees. document.write(curr_year); Relief: .002" at the 12th fret For more information on setups, including setup preferences of famous players, see Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide and How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great! Place your finger over the fret, but don't press the string down to the fretboard. the player can tweak the height as necessary. about 7/64" at the 12th fret, using an 11/16" bridge. and the 5th string peg is usually at the 5th fret, significantly shortening its length. When I set up an instrument, I set it up in between those THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE! Fret to string looks to be 3/16 of an inch at the 12th fret.