Saddle height above top

[Dolds]

Hi All- hopefully a simple question, where do you measure the saddle height for a classical guitar from; the highest point of the saddle, or middle of the saddle. I know my saddle should be 10-11mm above the top, but not sure where I am measuring this from. Cheers, Paul

[Mark McLean]

Hi Paul. I build steel-string guitars, not classicals - but the principles of saddle height are much the same. The height of the saddle is something that can be varied to achieve a desired string action. Therefore you shouldn't feel that there is a strict target for this measurement - but there is an operating range that is desirable. For a steel-string the saddle is usually radiused, to match the radius of the fingerboard. This leads to the question that you have raised - where to measure? I usually record it at two points; the 1st and 6th string (with the 6th being about half a mm higher than the 1st). If I measure at the middle of the saddle it would be about 1mm higher than at the 6th.
But if you are building a classical with a non-radiused fingerboard you probably have a flat top to the saddle. I would suggest you measure at the 1st and 6th string, and assume that the saddle is a straight line between those.

[Dolds]

Thanks Mark-much appreciated