A polite seasonal request for all "action" discussions
 

It would be really, really great, when contributing to discussions about action, if you could actually specify, in terms of thousandths of an inch, what the action is , rather than vaguely saying "low" ...."high"...." medium" .

Words, in this case, are meaningless .... numbers ..., measurements ... that's what matters.

All you need to do to obtain these measurements is to buy a set of feeler gauges (preferably imperial ... we don't need no steenking metric gauges) .... these gauges are really really cheap, and will enhance your ability to talk meaningfully about action ... like tenfold.

Action
 

I have one of these and think it's a great tool to have.


http://www.elmerguitar.com/media/wys...truction-1.jpg

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...SABEgLf3fD_BwE

So none of your 'high quality precision set-up tools for professionals' are metric?

8 bizness cards high on the treble side at the 12th fret, 6 on the bass. One biz card is approximately .015". Adjust to suit.

0.015 X 8 = 0.12, X 32 = 3.84 32nds (Treble)
0.015 X 6 = 0.09, X 32 = 2.88 32nds (Bass)

This, of course, is common core bizness math.

The tools I sell, by themselves, are neither metric., nor imperial, Bruce.

Basically, I supply highly accurate straight edges in varying conformations.

OK, but why alienate those of us who use the metric system with that comment?

BTW, I'm 61 and started my school life with Imperial measurements and pounds, shillings and pence.
That all changed to metric in the mid 1960's, so I've lived with both.
I won't tell you which one is easier to use.

I was told upon joining this forum, there’d be no math.

and you kids get off my lawn! Lighten up folks.

Sorry, it's a great thread and very valid.
I just don't see why the OP needed to include his comment against the metric system. I don't find it 'steenking'.
I'll butt out - have a safe and happy Christmas everyone.

I'm metric/imperial too. Any measurement less than an inch is is done by me in metric... can't be doing with the fractions. :)

I'm so old that I started off playing lute, and studied engineering in Imperial because we still had an Empire , but my guitar tech is a generation younger than me so he works in millipedes.

Whilst he's still old enough to know about Imperial and can convert very quickly, I ask him for my set ups in millimeters just to be helpful.

My Stewmac gauge shows imps only but there is a conversion table on the back, but my "Baroque" brand gauge shows both.

My preferred 12 fret height on all my guitars is .105" bass and .080" treble with a relief of .006-.008".

I also see people talking about fractions like 4/64" or 8/64" without reducing them - which would have been a caning at my school.

I recommend that all guitarists get their own action gauge and feeler gauges and learn what suits you. It can make things must easier when asking your tech to do stuff for you.

Action
 

Hi Bricebubs. There are metric versions available. Do a web search on string gauge metric and you'll find them.

But you'll still have to deal with us pesky Americans asking you to convert your posts to inches. :D

Don’t have any measuring tools at age 62 and not about to go buy any. So, low, medium, and high for me.

Funny you say that. I was schooled in us version of imperial units. We had two schools in engineering and drafting: Decimal for engineers and fractions for architects.

I live in the decimal world but my machinist's gauge is a nice 64th scale - super convenient. Funny though - I measure relief in thou's but action in 64ths.

'polite' in one sentence and 'no stinking[sp] metric' in the next?
get ye to open mic.