String height / action

tomatsu · Mar 14, 2012

Hi, I just finished my first uke, its a tenor with a fourteen fret connection. Set the string height at 5/32 at the twelvth fret, but it looks really high. also string height is about 3/64 at first fret and its quite hard to play, compared to my concert that i have. Was wondering what height most of you like to have yours at? Any info would be appreciated.

BashfulPuppet · Mar 14, 2012

I just built my first uke, a tenor as well, and found that it was easier to use metric dimensions rather than fractions of inches ( I don,t have rulers that measure in small enough fractions). I found a thread here in the forum that recommended 1 mm at the 1st fret and 3 mm at the 12th fret.

I decided to work toward that gradually and started with 1.5 mm at the 1st fret and 3.5 at the 12th. I found this action too high so I took the nut down to just over 1mm at the 1st fret and the saddle down to just under 3mm at the 12th. This gives me satisfactory action.

Action is a personal thing so work into it gradually till you get it the way you like it. Take it slow and give your self time to get used to each set up before you decide it needs to be closer and you should get it right.

Jon

ksquine · Mar 14, 2012

That's pretty high for my taste. Really depends on your playing style though.
I set my 1st fret action to 0.020" (about half of yours) and 12th fret to 0.09". I would work on the nut action first and then drop the saddle until you're happy

tomatsu · Mar 14, 2012

BashfulPuppet said:
I just built my first uke, a tenor as well, and found that it was easier to use metric dimensions rather than fractions of inches ( I don,t have rulers that measure in small enough fractions). I found a thread here in the forum that recommended 1 mm at the 1st fret and 3 mm at the 12th fret.

I decided to work toward that gradually and started with 1.5 mm at the 1st fret and 3.5 at the 12th. I found this action too high so I took the nut down to just over 1mm at the 1st fret and the saddle down to just under 3mm at the 12th. This gives me satisfactory action.

Action is a personal thing so work into it gradually till you get it the way you like it. Take it slow and give your self time to get used to each set up before you decide it needs to be closer and you should get it right.

Jon

Thanks Jon, i'll try that

Kekani · Mar 14, 2012

Frank Ford.

Liam Ryan · Mar 15, 2012

A link to frank ford's site should be no.1 sticky in the luthiers lounge.

String height / action

tomatsu

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BashfulPuppet

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ksquine

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tomatsu

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Kekani

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Liam Ryan

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