How to Measure Brace Height - Luthier Tips du Jour Mailbag
In this episode, luthier Robbie O’Brien shows how to accurately measure brace height using a string height gauge.
Video Transcription
[on-screen text reads: Luthier Tips du Jour Mailbag]
Mailbag question: Is there an easy way to measure the brace height when carving the braces?
Robert O'Brien: Today's Tips du Jour Mailbag question comes to us from Illinois. "Robert, I find myself having trouble accurately measuring the brace height. Is there an easy way to measure the brace height when carving the braces?" Carlo, in Oak Park, Illinois.
Yeah, I sympathize where you're coming from, Carlo. For years I used just a ruler, but placing it next to the brace and trying to read those very small lines, especially the older the eyes get, is pretty difficult. Another way to do that is just to use a set of calipers and drop the tail out the end, put it on top of the brace and measure. However, it's rocking around a little bit and you're not getting an accurate measurement.
How I measure brace height
There is a tool from LMI called the string height gauge. Now, don't let the name fool you, it is used to measure the action of the 12th fret and dial in the action at the nut, thus the name, the string height gauge. However, I've also found it works very well for measuring the height of a brace, especially on those narrow classical guitar bracing. Let me show you how I do it.
So Carlo, here's how I use the LMI string height gauge to determine the height of the brace. First of all, turn it on and zero it out. Then place it over your brace and it gives you the exact height of that brace. Now as you're carving your braces, you can take them down and check, and you'll know exactly the height of each brace. Now I graduate the height of my classical guitar braces, so it's very important to know what that height is. And this little tool here from LMI really helps me get it accurate.
So, Carlo in Illinois, thank you very much for your question, and I hope you found this information useful.
[on-screen text reads: More Luthier Tips and online courses available at www.obrienguitars.com. Private and small group guitar building and finishing instruction available.]
