https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:38:37 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251825 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 06:22:03 +0000
That difficulty you encountered removing them is not uncommon, and occasionally results in a broken pin.
They are very inexpensive (unless you buy the ones made from some exotic material, which for an entry-level guitar is a wast of money)]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance kent_eh https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251825 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251611 Mon, 02 Jul 2007 00:46:27 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251611 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251499 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 15:42:15 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance kaelby https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251499 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251364 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:28:24 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance kaelby https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251364 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251173 Sat, 30 Jun 2007 02:51:37 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251173 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251136 Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:08:13 +0000 this web page to your dad, paying attention to the 4th photo from the bottom, and associated text.
In the picture, he is sanding the side of his new saddle, while you will be sanding the bottom of yours, but the method is the same.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance kent_eh https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251136 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251123 Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:54:24 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance kaelby https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251123 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251084 Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:11:28 +0000
The easiest (and least expensive to un-do) change would the to lower the saddle (the white bit that the strings actually sit on) by filing (or sanding) a small amount off the bottom of it.
This is of course not reversible, however a replacement saddle is not very expensive if you go too far.

If you take off too much, you'll have a new problem - the strings will start to buzz, or vibrate against the top of the frets.

*I've only done this once, and had good success. Perhaps someone with more experience can jump in here....]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance kent_eh https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251084 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251002 Fri, 29 Jun 2007 13:26:40 +0000 http://www.jhs.co.uk/falcon.html). The action slowly decreases going up to the nut and at the first fret the low E is just under 2/32", at the twelfth was the 5/32" (just tried it again to double check and its about 4.5/32”) and at the 20th fret it's about 5.5/32".

Images-
http://picasaweb.google.com/kaelby/GuitarBridge/photo#5081414156800834082
http://picasaweb.google.com/kaelby/GuitarBridge/photo#5081414118146128402]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance kaelby https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-251002 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-250872 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 23:27:32 +0000
Electric or acoustic?
Are the strings the same height over the entire length of the fretboard?
How high are the strings at the first fret? the 12th? the 22nd?
What type of bridge does it have?

If you could show us a picture (if not your guitar, then the same model from a dealers' web site would do nicely)

That said, 5/32 is a bit high, but I've seen worse.
There are some adjustments that can be made, and depending on the guitar these might be trivial (and reversible) or not.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance kent_eh https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/strings-too-high-from-fretboard/#post-250872