What is the standard distance for a guitar?

Question

I'm having trouble keeping all the strings of my acoustic down.Even when I look at it from sideways,the gap between the fret and the actual strings looks very big.Is there any standard distance? should I get my knut and bridge lowered?

Answer 1

What everyone seems to have neglected is the string tension. Yes, you could have a cheap guitar with too much clearance between strings and fretboard due to bad manufacturing, or high nut/bridge. Or you may have a damaged instrument due to warped neck.

OR, you may simply be using strings that are too high in tension for your preference. Check the string package and see if they say "high tension". If so, look into medium or low (my preference) tension strings.

BTW take your guitar in to a guitar or music instrument store and see if someone can take a look for a warped neck, too high nut or bridge.

Good luck.

Answer 2

no there is no standard of distance every guitar is different

Answer 3

You are talking about the "action" of the guitar that often (but not always) can be adjusted by the tech at your local guitar store.

The cost should not be prohibitive (here in SF-Bay Area).

You could pay around $50.-$60. to have it adjusted.

However if you have one of the many guitar in the market that sell new  for less than the price of the "adjustment", in my opinion is not worth the extra expense.That guitar will seldom keep in tune.

Your best bet is to "charge it" to a lesson-learn about selecting a guitar that is "playable" and get you another guitar.

Answer 4

There is no standard distance, I don't think. But if you're having trouble keeping the strings down or if your fingers are hurting, then I recommend you lower the action.

So yeah, you could get your nut and bridge filed down a bit. If you have no experience in lowering the action then I suggest you go to a guitar store or somewhere like that.

Answer 5

It sounds like you have a cheapo learner's guitar and those can have as much as 1/4 inch clearance between string and fret.  If it's a cheapo guitar, it will cost you more to get it setup by a lutier than what you paid for it.

About all you can do is buy a decently priced guitar.  OR... you can mess with it to try to lower the action, but if you get it wrong, then you are screwed.  There is a real trick to setting up a guitar to the proper clearance and cheapo guitars are nealy impossible to set up at times.

Flamenco guitars have the least clearance between strings and frets and are also the fastest guitars to play.