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Permalink Reply by Bernie Mango on February 26, 2014 at 12:55pm

Hi Craig,

Here is the rule on "optimum" string height.

1. Strings don't buzz

          AND

2. Your hands/fingers are comfortable while playing

That's it!!!!

It's the same "rule" we apply to any other type of guitar.  As long as there's no buzzing and we can play comfortably--the string height is optimum.

Some players like their strings a little higher than others.  We "shredders" like our strings ultra-low for super fast playing.

Hope that helps.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Howard on February 26, 2014 at 3:05pm

Thank you for that.

I guess that if one is intending to try a bit of slide as well as a bit of fretting...one would set the height a bit  higher than I have on my Strats.  eg twice as high.

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Permalink Reply by Bernie Mango on February 26, 2014 at 4:51pm

You're very welcome!
Remember, give as much detail as posdible when asking--if playing mostly slide...I would have recommended a higher setting. But, you can still rip some slide on lower action, too. It's just "player's preference."

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Permalink Reply by Bruce Myers on February 26, 2014 at 4:18pm

Craig,

The general rule of thumb is about the thickness of a dime at the first fret and about a quarter's thickness at the 12th fret.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Howard on February 26, 2014 at 4:40pm

 Wow... closer to Stratocaster factory spec. 4/64in (1.58 mm) than I would have thought

A dime is 1mm and a quarter is 1.75mm evidently !

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