How do I adjust the action on my Telecaster?
Daniel Martin
Updated on March 12, 2026
Players with a light touch can get away with lower action; others need higher action to avoid rattles. First, check tuning. Using a 6" (150 mm) ruler, measure the distance between bottom of strings and top of the 17th fret. Adjust bridge saddles to the height according to the chart, then re-tune.
Similarly, how do I lower the action on my guitar?
To lower the action on your acoustic guitar, find the truss rod screw, then use an allen wrench or nut driver to adjust the action. Alternatively, loosen the strings and take off the lower 3 strings to remove the saddle from the bridge.
Subsequently, question is, how do I adjust the bridge on my Telecaster? Adjusting a Telecaster bridge pickup. In addition to setting its overall height, the three adjustment screws let you control the pickup's fore and aft tilt. For maximum sustain and power, make sure the top of the bridge pickup's pole pieces sit parallel to the strings.
Hereof, how do you tell if your pickups are too high?
Setting your pickup height too high will cause your magnets to push and pull your strings out of tune. Here's a quick way to tell if this is happening to you: play the Low E string at a high fret (15th fret is a good one to start at). You might hear a “warbling” sound. That sound is your magnet fighting your string.
How does pickup height affect tone?
Why Pickup Height Matters: Set to the correct height, your pickup's magnets create a strong magnetic field that gives your guitar the tone that you love. Set too high, and your strings can push and pull your strings out of tune. The Magnetic Field is not optimized when the pickup is set too low.
Related Question Answers
How high should your pickups be?
Today Gibson recommends 1/16" (1.6 mm) for the bridge pickup and 3/32" (2.4 mm) for the neck. My own preference is to start with 3/32" (2.4 mm) on the bass side and 1/16" (1.6 mm) on the treble side for both bridge and neck humbuckers.Does lowering action affect intonation?
Yes; changing the action will affect intonation -- how much depends on how much you alter it. Setting a guitar up is a back-and-forth proposition.Does string height affect intonation?
Assuming a vertical saddle slot, changing action height does have some small effect on intonation. Now if the saddle slot is angled back 8° to 10°, the intonation is adjusted as the action is changed.Which way do you turn truss rod to lower action?
Loosening a truss rod (turning counter-clockwise) adds relief to (decreases tension on) the neck which results in increased (higher) string action height. Tightening a truss rod (turning clockwise) increases compression, thereby pushing the center of the neck away from the strings.How do you get low action without fret buzz?
Otherwise there's really 2 ways of adjusting the action without breaking out the fret files, raise and lower the bridge, or adjust the truss rod. if you want your action really low then the bridge must be low and the neck should have a bit more relief (upward bow).What is the action on a guitar?
Acoustic guitar action refers to the height of the strings above the fretboard. It is also used to describe the general feel and playability of a guitar. Generally a guitar's string height is measured at the 12th fret.What is considered high action on a guitar?
Steel string acoustic guitars tend to require slightly higher action than electric guitars, so you'll see higher measurements here.String Height at the 1st Fret.
| Low Action | “Normal” Action |
|---|---|
| Low E: 0.51mm (0.020”) High E: 0.30mm (0.012”) | Low E: 0.76mm (0.030”) High E: 0.41mm (0.016”) |
Should I loosen strings before adjusting truss rod?
i recommend loosening the nut before tightening. some people prefer taking off/loosening the strings before adjusting. However, if you're adjusting your basses truss rod, then i recommend loosening the strings, or if the guitar requires you to loosen them to access the truss, go right ahead. SLOWLY turn the truss.How do I know if my truss rod needs adjusting?
If you hear buzzing, or if the fret fails to sound a note, then your guitar neck has bowed upward toward the strings. This means that you need to loosen the truss rod. Grab yourself the appropriate Allen key and give it a turn to the left.Should a guitar neck have a slight bow?
Relief is usually not a good thing is a guitar neck. A slight amount of relief is fine and with some playing techniques it is advantageous; however, the general rule of thumb is that we want the neck/fretboard to be flat–no back-bow and no relief. Tightening the truss rod too much can cause back-bow.How do I know if my guitar neck needs adjusting?
If the tuning isn't right, it can affect the neck. If the slots on the nut appear too low—you're getting the buzzes and rattles when you play open strings, etc. —it could be that the neck needs to be adjusted. If the guitar is tuned too low, the neck won't have enough tension on it and could be over-bent.How long does it take for truss rod to adjust?
They are usually high and big change may take a couple days to settle fully in and playing it helps that process. If it's a big change like that, I usually go say 75% the first time and play it for two weeks.How high should the action be at the 12th fret?
Action on a guitar is usually measured at the 12th fret. Typically preferred action on an electric guitar is around 1/16" (1.6mm) on the high E string and 3/32" (2.4mm) on the low E string when in standard tuning using standard gauge strings.How much does it cost to adjust action on guitar?
$50-80 for the basic setup (you supply the strings). $80-120 would include minor fretwork if needed. $50-75 USD in Denver, depending on what's included. Typically truss adjustment, action/saddle adjustment, cleaning and maybe fret dressing if they're generous.What does it mean to lower the action on a guitar?
Acoustic guitar action refers to the height of the strings above the fretboard. Action is also measured at the first fret. I'm sure you have heard people comment on guitars with “high action.” This just means that the strings are too high off the fretboard. Obviously, “low action” would mean the opposite.How do I check the action on my electric guitar?
Measure your Guitar's Action- Tune the guitar to pitch and ensure that your neck relief has been properly adjusted.
- Place the ruler on the 12th fret, making sure the ruler ticks are parallel to the string.
- Raise, lower, or leave the action.
