Q&A for How to Lower the Action on an Acoustic Guitar

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Why not sand the back of the nut like you would do with the saddle?

Community Answer

The nut is often difficult to remove and is usually glued in place. Replacing the nut can be done by an amateur, however I would leave this job to a guitar tech.

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Question

Isn't the distance of 0.3 inches/7.5 mm a high distance for between the string and the first fret?

Community Answer

Yes. You couldn't fret a string with this much height at the first fret, and if you did it would be out of tune! On my electrics and most of my acoustics, a 0.60 mm pick (.024 inches) fits snugly held in place between the high E string and the first fret. You can go lower, but do it very carefully a bit at a time - once you cut the nut slot down too far, it's too late.

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Question

Does lowering the saddle change the intonation of the acoustic guitar?

Community Answer

The intonation depends on the distance of the string from the saddle to the nut and its tension, so if everything else is set up well enough, lowing the saddle shouldn't cause any problem with intonation.

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Question

Where can I find a feeler gauge?

SgtPotato

Community Answer

You can find a feeler gauge at most hardware stores, some music stores, and several places online.

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Question

Do I need to do the adjustment both at the nut and at the bridge, or can I just make the adjustment at the bridge? Will it ruin the tuning somehow?

Community Answer

You usually only need to adjust it at the bridge. It will change the tuning, but you can always retune.

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