Guitar Nut/String Height Gauge

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This is a fully parametric guitar string height/nut gauge (or for any stringed instrument). It is a necessary tool in any luthier's or serious guitarist's toolbox. This is used to measure and setup a stringed instrument's action height. The included STL file is configured for a 1" stroke dial indicator which is available from Harbor Freight and many other places for less than $20. However you can adjust the overall height in the included OpenSCAD file to suite whatever dial indicator you may have available. In fact, the OpenSCAD file will allow you to adjust this gauge to suite the distance between strings for any instrument. The default and included STL file should be suitable for most electric guitars. Adjustment most likely will be required for bass guitars and other instruments. The default "tip" of the dial indicator may be pointed. You will have to remove this tip or optionally install a "flat" tip. The gauge is used as follows: 1) Look online a find what the optimal string height is recommended for you particular instrument. This will get you in the ballpark, but the final distance is subject to the musician! 2) The gauge is placed to straddle over the first fret as shown in the accompanying photos. 3) The dial indicator reading is recorded at the string's natural height. 4) You now press down on the string between the nut and the first fret. The new reading on the indicator is recorded. 5) The action height is the difference between the two recorded readings. 6) If the action is too high then filing of the nut slot for each string may be required. If the action is too low a new nut may have to be installed and filed to fit. FWIW - I built the "double f hole telecaster" shown in the photos - everything from scratch. I would like to thank Ed Hawley and the knowledge at https://www.tdpri.com for inspiration in this project.