Adjusting the action on your instrument is important in order to set the strings at the height at which you’re most comfortable playing. Whether or not you like high or low action is completely personal and there is no “correct” height. The only thing to keep in mind is that generally the lower you go, the more fret buzz there will be, and less sustain. That being said, just because you can hear some level of fret buzz from your guitar/ bass when unplugged, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it can be heard through an amp. So you can get away with fairly low action (if that’s what you like) before it really starts to affect your tone. Here is a great video to watch on the topic if you’re interested in learning more.
Let’s get started!
A set of hex keys should be included with your headless instrument. To adjust the action, we’ll be using the smallest hex key shown above.
1. Slightly loosen the tension of the string by turning the thumbscrew counter-clockwise. You want there to be a little bit, but not too much tension to push down on the saddle as you make adjustments.
2. Loosen the screw on the front of the bridge as shown by rotating counter-clockwise. Note: Not all saddles are fastened by a screw, in which case you can proceed to the next step.
3. Insert hex key into the screw as shown. Rotate clockwise to raise the saddle height and counter-clockwise to lower it. Make the same adjustments on both screws on each saddle to keep the saddle parallel to the body.
4. Fasten the saddle after adjusting it to the desired height by rotating the screw in front clockwise. Tune up the string.
5. Repeat steps 1 -4 for each saddle until they’re at the desired height, and as much as possible, try to follow the curve of the fretboard (radius) as shown below. And you are done!
Tip: To make the job easier and more accurate, it is helpful to invest in a string action gauge like the one shown below.
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