How to measure distance between frets and strings?

[justygold]

May be a „cheap trick“ but helps checking the distance between frets and strings:

Of course you can use an old ruler left from school. But however the zero is not where it should. Additionally this is no an exact method, especially after heavy gigs :?

My proposal is to use on of those tools regularly used for the control of the valves of your engine in cars. This tool consists of severeal metal sheets with different thickness (from .05mm to about .5 mm). A combination of different sheets allows to realize almost all gauges you need. And for a few dollars it is yours .

The method is very easy: just push the blades gently between frets and strings. The printed figure on the thickest blade which fits will give you the distance.

Example: The distance between the first fret and string should be approx. .5 mm or so, pressing down the string in the 3rd fret. This is a good example for the use of the tool ‘cause I wonder how to check the distance some other way.

Cheers

Justygold

 

[Casey]

Also a sparkplug gap checker should work...

 

[justygold]

Hi thumbin,

that's it, yeah, you're right!

Give you another idea, coming from sparkplugs:

do you remember the contacts for the ignition? .4 mm was needed, and tell you, get your thumbnail checked: .4 mm ! There you are

But don't give high voltage to the strings! Not good for sound and may act as drug :-(

Justygold

 

[T3]

I use a credit card. (Mine are useless for anything else.)

 

[justygold]

Hi T3, sure?

May be you can use your card to open the door of your house. Might be faster then using a key?!

Besides, I started with carburetors of my Alfa Romeos, adjusting them for best performance with vacuummeters and ignition strobelamps and so.

Later I checked my engines and those of my friends by hearing and feeling. The results were the same. But I felt somewhat more familiar with the second method. So I do with my music instruments, with just teh same results (bass, guitar, banjo).

And: repairing tube amps, credit cards would act as perfect insulators...


Regards
Justygold

 

[Stefan-FNAJazz]

Use these things to check the distance...works great

 

[Florin]

I use allen keys.