Setting your action on the Classical Guitar (with luthier Gary Lee)

Classical Guitar Corner is an online school for classical guitar and features some of the best educators in the world.

In this lesson you will learn how to measure your guitar's action, determine the best way to adjust and optimize the action, and gain a solid understanding of the underlying mechanics involved.

Gary Lee is a luthier based in Wayne, New Jersey (USA). His guitars are played by Ben Verdery and Fred Hand.

[VanCamelCat]

The technical detail and manner of explanation in this video was phenomenal. Thank you.

[guidodezwaan]

I like the 4mm string height, gives more tension and sound. When i was a beginner i struggled, but after a few years I find most of the struggling was just due to technique.

[AntoneLostInAsia]

Basically sand the saddle down 1mm to achieve .5 mm at the 12th fret. Not that big of a deal, its pretty simple just take your time. I find doing yourself may cost you now and then, but when you have the knowledge its one more thing you can do that you don't have to pay someone else to do.

[comfindens]

wow, we did the same thing independently. I also played Lagrima in minor just because it sounded a bit strange, but became quite beautiful when not comparing to the original.

[bauchinjochim]

i like this guy, more videos with him please.

[harishreddy]

That's a really good explanation. My el cheapo classical has a truss rod, so weird have been nice to have discussed that. But I know it's not usual to have it in a classical guitar.

[martinjohnson]

9:10 Hi, great content here; I'm just curious how manipulating this "triangle" affects the intonation?

[Deernest]

My Nylon acoustic wich I started with has 6mm height on the 12th fret. That's wild.

[richardmendonca]

I finished fixing a broken neck join on a classical guitar I set the action for 3.5 mm at 6th and 1st string. I thought i was too high still but now it looks like I am in the right ballpark.

[jamesfink]

I inherited a Cordoba Solista CD and took it to my guitar tech for a tune up, who does excellent work on my electric guitars and Taylor steel string acoustics. He said everything out there about a 3-4 mm range of string height on a classical guitar at the E strings on the 12th fret is nonsense, and it should be more like 1.5-2 mm. Something about the higher height is because of underbow and with a quality guitar like I have he can easily make it 1.5-2 mm with no buzzing. I am new to nylon string guitar playing and his advice seems to contradict everything out there, but like I said, he has never failed me when it comes to my other guitars. Any thoughts about what he is telling me?

[rxxn]

how do i lowen the action and also create a steeper angel behind the sabal. because if i lowen my action by shaving down the sadal the angel will become more flat and if i heighten to sadal to create more of an angle the action be become higher. what do i dooo ?

[DerekRaven]

Thank you for this video. I'm going to give doing my own setup a try.

[evenseb]

Interesting. BUT 4 mm (6.str) and more is too high to myntaste. It makes it hard to play up on the neck, and the intonation is often getting too sharp because of high action. I myself prefer about 2 -2.5 mm, having much more fun of playing! And the sound is also good. Before discover this, my wrist was acheing a lot.
Btw: I wonder why Alhambra guitars have such a high action.. They also often have a slightly bowed neck - maybe a context? The higher action (string height), the bigger risk for getting a bowed neck after some time. A tip here for preventing a neck to bow: Put a capo at 9.th fret when you not use the guitar! Or slack the strings a lot, if guitar is stored away for a periode

[yogidemis]

I've always liked low action, easier for me to press the strings down. But I got a classic guitar that was given to me and I tried to play it but the action is too high. I tried to adapt for years but I'm just stuck with my ways. I just thought I would see if I could lower the Action down so that I could be easier for me to play.

[sc]

Excellent video, excellent explanation, thanks a lot.

[joefagan]

Great video and great information. The table of heights was really good. Also the discussion on string tension and loudness and style of attacking the string horizontally versus vertically.

It should be titled "Understanding action on the Classical Guitar" since there's nothing on how to set the action. Also, the course on triangles is not necessary. Only need to say that since 12th fret is half way along the string, any change in height required there will require twice as much change at the saddle. Would also be nice to have measurements at 1st Fret (for nut adjustment).

Thanks for a very informative video.

[diimuziku]

Can you achieve 1.60 mm on low E at 12 fret ? On a flamenco guitar

[lasse]

Great video. Understand more how it works now.

[r.t.]

So besides of "going to your local lutiere" how it"s done in practice :) there is no no rod on classical guitar :)

[mpeltz]

Great video!! Thank you. I recently purchased a Cordoba Orchestra Fusion. It is a 1 7/8" nut width classical guitar with a 16" diameter neck. I have a Cordoba C7-CE 2" nut flat Classical neck. I love the feel of my C7. It was set up perfectly and for me plays very well with little tension on my left hand. I tried twice to get my new guitar set up with no success. It is a beautiful sounding instrument but I could not get it to feel (action) as well as my C7. Was I expecting too much from a different type of neck? It was set up by a different person than my C7! The action was low but so low that bar cords up the neck were giving me muddy base strings. Very frustrating.