#1
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How in the world do you use feeler gauges properly?
Can anyone give tips or point me to a place on tips for using feeler gauges to determine relief? I got a set of gauges yesterday and it is frustrating to say the least.
Sorry for the dumb question, I seem to be having trouble telling if it should be actually lifting the string, barely touching; several gauges seem to do the same thing. I’m aiming for .005 relief, and what I think is “right” seems terribly high. |
#2
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It's a "feel" thing.
It's easier to use them between two surfaces that are rigid... But if you are slipping the feelers between fret and string - the string can bend away from the fretboard so easily, it's hard to get the correct measurement without proper feel. If you place a straightedge along the frets, it is much easier to measure, because the straightedge is so much more rigid than a string. A typical slip of paper is 0.0045" thick - it may be easier for you to use a narrow slip of flimsy paper, and see if you can slide it between your string and #7 fret (fretting at #1 and #14 frets). If the paper drags AT ALL, then you know the relief is less than 0.0045" |
#3
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Copy paper can range from .005 to .01, so use cheaper paper for this. An easy test is, the paper should move easily but not fall out. If it's pinched and dragging, it's too tight. If it just falls out when you turn it sideways, too loose.
It takes practice with feeler gauges, but after a bit you'll get a feel (pun intended) for how much drag is about right, and when you're deflecting the string too much. My eye's not really good enough to see the string deflect, I'm using friction as a guide. I learned it on motorcycle valves, but same general principle. |
#4
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Quote:
I think using a straight edge may be the ticket, I’m having much trouble finding exactly where I’m at. |
#5
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Single Leaf
It can be a pain in the arse, but your "feel' can be greatly enhanced by removing the appropriate thickness 'leaves' from the pivot bolt holding the feeler set together. Use them singly, removed from the mass of the whole set. Paper thickness wanders all over the place, and can be very inconsistent, necessitating measuring the paper before you start using that for a gauge. Just be careful not to lose leaves from the set. Cheers, Joel
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#6
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I gave up trying to use them for all the reasons you mention years ago. For guitar work I don't think the +/- error in feeler gauges is any better then doing it by eye or with a steel ruler.
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#7
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#8
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To measure relief, instead of a feeler gauge I use a piece of 0.010" guitar string - a typical diameter for the first string.
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#9
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Most of the time, I use a single 0.006" feeler gauge along with a 12" steel ruler.
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#10
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You'll find one, if you use it, where you can feel it touching. Then you will find one, the next size smaller, where you can't feel anything. You get to chose which one to say what the measurement is.
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Waterloo WL-S, K & K mini Waterloo WL-S Deluxe, K & K mini Iris OG, 12 fret, slot head, K & K mini Follow The Yellow Brick Road |
#11
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Just learn you to eye sight it,, use the string as your straight edge and "feel" to know when it's right. it's not as complicated as it can be made to seem
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#12
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I use a steel ruler, the feeler gauge at the correct thickness will drag
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Cole Clark Fat Lady Gretsch Electromatic Martin CEO7 Maton Messiah Taylor 814CE |
#13
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I use a cheap notched straightedge and use the feeler gauge under the straightedge at the 7th fret or so, to get the relief measurement.
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#14
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Straight edge makes it much easier...
I too struggle to reliably sight or feel the relief gap using feeler gauges, with the string capoed at the first fret and fretted at the body join.
A straightedge makes life much simpler, the standard straight edge lengths aren’t ideal to span the 1st or body join fret on most instruments. A 13” (330mm) long straightedge will sit across those frets without the frets above the body join interfering. With the right tools you can get an 18” straightedge and cut it down to this length. Saves me lots of time when doing setups as it’s very obvious when the gauge will just pass under; you can feel it dragging. |
#15
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There's an easier way. Capo the first fret, fret the string at the 14th fret, and tap the string at the 7th fret. The string should make a little ping. No ping and it's too close, big ping and it's too much. It is also a feel type measurement, but it's not too difficult to "measure" distances you can barely see. Try it on a guitar that has the correct relief to hear how much ping is correct.
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Rodger Knox, PE 1917 Martin 0-28 1956 Gibson J-50 et al |