How high should the strings be on a Les Paul?
Rachel Newton
Updated on May 17, 2026
How high should the strings be on a Les Paul?
ACTION: fret low E at first fret and measure the distance from the bottom of the to the top of the 15th fret. It should be 5/64″.
What is the correct height of guitar strings?
For electric guitars, in our opinion, a good default string height at the 12th fret is typically about 6/64th of an inch (2.38mm) on the bass side and 4/64th of an inch (1.59mm) on the treble side.
What height should the strings be away from the first fret?
Measuring the nut slot heights As a starting point, shoot for . 02” in between the top of the first fret and the bottom of the string at the first fret on the wound strings (low E, A and D), and . 018” for the plain strings (high G, B, and E). On acoustic guitars with a wound G, you will also shoot for .
Should guitar strings be the same height?
Most guitarists who play purely, or mostly, bottleneck keep their strings much higher than is comfortable for standard playing, and that height makes slide work a breeze. If your style blends slide and standard fretting on the same guitar, experiment to find a happy medium.
How high should the action be at the 12th fret?
Measuring at the 12th fret (as in the photo), the action height should be 2.6 mm for Steel String Acoustic guitar, 1.8 for electric, 2.0mm for bass and 3mm for a Classical.
How do you measure the height of a string?
Measure string action (the height of the string above the fret) at any point by placing the gauge behind the string. The string height markings are at increments of . 010″ (ten thousandths of an inch). When the bottom of a mark aligns with the bottom of the string, that measurement is the string height at that point.
How do I know if my pickups are too high?
Setting your pickup height too high will cause your magnets to push and pull your strings out of tune. Here’s a quick way to tell if this is happening to you: play the Low E string at a high fret (15th fret is a good one to start at). You might hear a “warbling” sound. That sound is your magnet fighting your string.
What is the ideal action height on an acoustic guitar?
A typical action on an acoustic guitar is at around 5/64″ (2.0mm) on the high E string and 7/64″ (2.8mm) on the low E string. The slight increase in action height gives an acoustic guitar’s strings more room to vibrate. This gives you a clearer tone and allows you to strum chords without ending up in a buzzing mess.
How do you tell if your guitar strings are too high?
If the intonation is off, the action is too high, the guitar buzzes when you fret a note, strings stop vibrating and buzz as you bend them, frets feel sharp, or neck appears warped, then your guitar definitely needs a set-up.
Is the action too high on my guitar?
There are several telltale signs that a guitar is in need of a set-up. If the intonation is off, the action is too high, the guitar buzzes when you fret a note, strings stop vibrating and buzz as you bend them, frets feel sharp, or neck appears warped, then your guitar definitely needs a set-up.
What is the best height string for a classical guitar?
The Ideal Classical Guitar String Height. The ideal string height according to most guitar makers and players is about 3mm for the high E string (plus or minus about .5mm) and about 4mm for the low E string (plus or minus about .5mm). As a rule, the higher the action, the greater the clarity, sustain and dynamic range.
What is Gibson Les Paul scale length?
Gibson uses a scale length of 24.75 in (628 mm) on many of its electric guitars, including the Les Paul, Flying V, Explorer, SG, and ES-335. Gibson has used other scale lengths on various models through the years.
What is the thickness of a guitar string?
1st and thickest string at .053 inches in diameter came in at -9db. 2nd string down tuned to E4 at .042 inches in diameter came in at -15db 4th string down-tuned to E4 at .024 inches in diameter came in at -21db
Who makes Les Paul guitars?
The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The Les Paul was designed by Gibson president Ted McCarty , factory manager John Huis and their team, along with guitarist/inventor Les Paul.