FretGuru METRIC+ 8-in-1 String Action Gauge Guitar Fret Ruler Precision Fret Rocker - Precise CNC Machined, Diamond Honed, Polished Edge Guitar String Height Gauge - Luthier Tool with Leather Case

Top quality, as represented. Leather case is a nice addition. Good tools last a lifetime (at least one!) and give a sense of satisfaction when in use. This is no exception. Makes everything during setup easier, and provides accurate, repeatable measurements.

This is a set-up tool that is easy to read, understand, and use. If you have any trouble playing a fretted string instrument, this tool is well worth the price. The main problem players have is having to push harder than they should to fret a string. This leads to finger, and hand pain, or frustration that leads to not playing as much as needed to play well. The distance between the frets, and the strings is a big part of making an instrument playable. If it is too high, it makes it harder to play accurately, or for very long. If it is too low, it can make the strings buzz on the frets, making a good instrument sound, and play like a badly made instrument. If you have even a cheap $25 Ukulele that is properly set-up with proper Action Height, it will play, and sound better than a more expensive, but not set-up properly Ukulele. Same goes for any fretted stringed instrument.There are several set-up tool makers, most of them cost less, but the FretGuru gauge is well made with polished edges, so you can slide it along the frets without worrying about marking, or scratching the frets. The measurement markings are very readable, and don't wear off, making this a long lasting tool, even for the professional Luthier, that uses it every day.I am no Luthier, but I have worked on several Ukuleles to set the Action Heights, and all of them play easier, and the feel is much nicer.You may never want to try and set the Action Height yourself, but this tool will let you know where the action is set at, and help you understand what, and how your set-up is, and if you need to take it to a shop that can adjust your action height.

Below I’m going to review the product but also shed some light on the creator of this product. The overall score is a reflection of the product itself and not the creator because these are product reviews, not seller reviews, but it’s worth talking about both.About the product itself:This tool is fantastic for everyone from weekend warrior string instrument players to luthiers. Primarily this is a string height measurement tool, everything is kinda plays second fiddle, however, I imagine these secondary gauges will be really useful when the time is right. It’s nice that the creator maximized its usefulness.As far as accuracy is concerned it’s dead-on from what I can tell, I tested with a very high precision caliper.In the past for set up I used this same caliper but I found it annoying because getting precise measurements is an exercise in patience. For maximum accuracy I would use my very expensive caliper to measure the string width, then I would measure from the top of a fret to the top of the string using the depth gauge and then subtract the string width, I would do this three times and then average the results. I didn’t like measuring from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string because it’s hard (for me anyway) to do this precisely. We’re talking thousandths of an inch and it was difficult for me to tell if I was too low or too high using this method. I have also used feeler gauges in the past, but these are very one-dimensional and there was never a feeler gauge that was quite right, so I would stack them together, but I never felt confident.I do like that all markings are laser etched and not printed. I work on bicycles as well and I have some tools with printed markings which have faded over time, I’m confident that this tool will last me a very long period without rubbing or fading.There are only a couple notable (though minor) nitpicks. First, it really is expensive for what it is. You can find very similar tools for less than $10. I’m a big supporter in local economies and I trust that the FretGuru is near 100% accurate, so I went with this tool over saving cash and buying something made in China. In the end I knew what I was buying and paying for, so I can’t knock it down.Second, the tool is very busy with markings. “FretGuru 2” is etched in a large font and and there are five arrows with descriptions etched as well. These arrows/descriptions are only useful once, after which they don’t have any use and only clutter things up. I would prefer a small instruction pamphlet describing each tool because knowing what the gauges are for is easy after learn it the first time. I really like cleanliness and minimalism, but in the grand scheme this is pretty much a non-issue.Finally, I really wish I could choose an option that had markings measured in metric. There is a handy conversion chart on the back, but I would prefer metric markings over flipping it back and forth for conversions, that being said this is another small nitpick.About the creator:It really rubbed me the wrong way when I learned that Bernie basically bribed people for positive reviews. Apparently he offered the leather case if the customer gave a positive review. The product should speak for itself. Thankfully this seems to be an issue from the past because a leather case was included with mine and my tool didn’t come with a piece of paper trying to bribe me into leaving positive feedback. I learned about this issue after ordering and I was prepared to return this item if I received it along with a piece of paper trying to persuade me into leaving a positive review because that goes against my morals. Thankfully this is no longer an issue.Also, Bernie comes across as a bit too impassioned in his responses to low rated reviews. He tends to respond verbosely with heaps of sarcasm when paying customers have complaints. I like his passion for this product, but you have to take these complaints in stride, not yell at your customers telling them that they are wrong. This will only put potential future customers off, had I read these reviews and responses before purchasing this product then I probably would have looked elsewhere.Finally, this product is a bit oversold by Bernie. I get that he is impassioned but he acts like this tool is the second coming. Yes it’s accurate, yes it’s useful, but he treats this as the be-all and end-all of gauges for guitar/bass setup. Yes this tool will help you achieve good results, but so will many other tools. We have been setting up guitars/basses successfully long before this existed, so it’s not as revolutionary as Bernie might lead you to believe. That being said, he is trying to run a business and make money (aren’t we all?) so overselling your product(s) is to be expected, Bernie just goes a bit too far.Conclusion:There are many great features here and it’s a fantastic tool. It’s not perfect in every way possible (what is?) but it will help amateurs and pros alike achieve optimal results. The creator can come across as overbearing, but he is passionate about his product which I suppose is a good thing overall. I do highly recommend this product, especially if you are like myself and want to support local economies, but like everything else in this world it’s not completely without flaws. Thank you Bernie for creating this! I wish you continued success!

A affordable high quality measuring tool that no guitar player or tech should be without! It’s easy to read and provides multiple measurements of your guitar or bass. More Importantly it gives the player a sense of how their instrument is setup. whether they perform the adjustments or have a professional do it for them.