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For classical guitars, I know that the "recommended range" for clearance between the stings & the top at the bridge is 10-12 mm. Some build a mm or so out of this range, so it's clearly not sacred. For flamencos, clearances are smaller than this. Are there any similar guidelines for steel-string guitars? Does the clearance vary with scale length? Guitar size? Playing style? Of course, there is no single number or narrow range; but folks must build with some specific number or range in mind.

Your thoughts?

-Steve

I think you mean, above the top of the guitar, not the top of the bridge.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Confusing sentence structure: I meant: Clearance between strings and soundboard, when measured right in front of the bridge (or at the saddle location with no bridge attached.) Basically, I'm looking for the moment arm that torques the bridge.

12mm-13mm

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I prefer 7/16" to 1/2".

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

At the treble side or the bass?

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Steve : I aim for .500 plus or minus about .030. Establishing a standard is important. This height can have an impact on tone and too high a number can choke the guitar and too low a number can cause a guitar to not reach it's potential. This depends on your bracing,size of guitar,string gauge etc.I'm not saying my height is correct but it is what works for me. This is all IMHO of course, good luck.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

the range will be mostly 1/2 inch . If I am using light gauge strings I may go as high a 9/16 but nor more than that . Too much stress on the top will lock it up. There is a sweet spot . I don't want to set the neck at 7/16 as 3/8 is reset territory. This is why neck setting can be so difficult the first few times.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I shoot for 1/2" for the center 2 strings. The bass and treble strings are usually a bit lower, even with a compound radius board. I have made lightly braced guitars with the height closer to .4 and they sounded great.

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

+1 on the .5 inch under big E, a little less under small e...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

For me it does. On a long scale (25.5"ish) with Medium gauge strings I like for mine to be .450". On shorter scales (24.562"ish) and lights I'll got as high as .600". IMHO matching all these little things can add up to the difference between a great sounding guitar, and a stick with strings.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I've seen guitars with the distance between the bottom of the low e and the top measured at the face of the bridge split the bridge because this measurement was too high... It's a critical measurement and very much a function of other things too such as proper neck angle. I shoot for about .5" from the bottom of the low e to the top measured at the face of the bridge.

I need to add to my earlier post. I use a thicker bridge when I use a higher string distance from the top.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/