String Action Gauge – StewMac

String Action Gauge

Fast, accurate measurements for setups.
Our String Action Gauge is a “Swiss Army Ruler” for setup adjustments on any stringed instrument.

This pocket-size stainless steel rule has become a luthier’s favorite in busy shops. It’s the best way yet to get vital measurements on acoustic and electric instruments.
• String height
• Bridge saddle height
• Saddle slot depth
• Fret slot depth (unbound fingerboards)
• Nut height
• Pickup polepiece height

No more “three-and-a-half-64ths or 3/32″ plus one of those little lines.” This gauge measures in ways that regular rulers can’t.
—Dan Erlewine

Developed here at Stewart-MacDonald by Dan Erlewine and Don MacRostie, the gauge features a progressive string height scale: simply slide it across the frets and read the measurement under the string. It’s faster to use than any ruler, and stays parallel to the fingerboard—much easier than trying to hold a ruler perpendicular to a rounded fret.

StewMac’s String Action Gauge has two models (sold separately) for measuring in inches or millimeters. The string height markers are graduated from .010″ to .140″ on the inch model, and from 0.25mm to 3.50mm on the metric version.

The back of the gauge has a time-saving fractional/decimal/metric conversion chart.

The String Action Gauge is made of durable stainless steel with precision-etched markings, and fits right in your pocket.

Tip: You can use the gauge to set router depth, instead of a shop ruler. It sits solidly on your router base, with the scale right where you need it.