Generic setup info

[JD01]

Hey, Mutt

Can you find me a link that you think is sensible for guidance on generic setup stuff? I'm going to be spending some time this evening adjusting the trussrod and saddles on my tele. I just wanted to have something I know I can trust to hand 'cos there's so much disinformation about out there!

[muttley]

TBH, I never watch any of them because I dont have to. Dan Erlewine at Stew Macs site are always spot on but I dont know if he has any on truss rod adjustment or saddle height etc...

This guy looks like he is doing pretty much what you want to but I havent watched right through them just skipped through a few of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0z_l5rxKjc

If you have any specific questions just ask here and I will walk you through it. Bubba txted me yesterday with a similar thing you can do the same if you are on the bench and need a quick reply. I'm out most of the day looking for new wheels which is my priority right now. My mobile no is on the muttpup or archtopguitars site...

It isnt hard to do if you approach it methodically. Neck relief first then nut/saddles and action a bit at a time... Finally pup height and electrics if they need attention. Make a list of what you want to work on and approach each seperately...

[JD01]

Thanks Mate, I'll check through that video and get started - If I run into any serious problems I'll give you a shout.

After I've got it set up as best I can I will check the fret heights and stuff - if its really bad and I'm not up to the job myself, can I send it to you for a fret levelling and polish?

[muttley]

Sure no problem. Depending on timescale on I will be traveling down to Cornwall at some point in the near future so maybe able to swing by and take a look or pick it up/drop it off/sort any minor issues on site... See how you get on. The only major problems you would be able to cause would be with the truss rod so take that one carefully. I assume its a body end adjustment? Depending on type of hex or bullet you maybe able to adjust without removing the neck. You will know when you get the scratchplate off...

[JD01]

Sure no problem. Depending on timescale on I will be traveling down to Cornwall at some point in the near future so maybe able to swing by and take a look or pick it up/drop it off/sort any minor issues on site... See how you get on. The only major problems you would be able to cause would be with the truss rod so take that one carefully. I assume its a body end adjustment? Depending on type of hex or bullet you maybe able to adjust without removing the neck. You will know when you get the scratchplate off...

Nah, the trust rod adjustment is up at the headstock so no problems there. I'll just take the tension out of the strings and do no more than a quarter turn at a time.

If you are travelling to Cornwall you've gotta kind of come via Bristol haven't you so that would be excellent.

[Greg_L]

Nah, the trust rod adjustment is up at the headstock so no problems there. I'll just take the tension out of the strings and do no more than a quarter turn at a time.

1/4 turn is a pretty big adjustment on a truss rod.

[JD01]

Cheers. Hopefully I'll be able to get this thing playing nice this evening.
I didn't bring my Crimson to Bristol with me this week so I have nothing else to play on other than the tele.

[Greg_L]

Cheers. Hopefully I'll be able to get this thing playing nice this evening.
I didn't bring my Crimson to Bristol with me this week so I have nothing else to play on other than the tele.

One issue you might have and not even know about is uneven frets. You really need a fret rocker or some kind of straight edge that can span only three frets at a time. Even on a new guitar the frets can be uneven. And if they are, trying to fine tune truss rod and saddle adjustments can be nearly impossible. One or two offending frets can undermine everything you're trying to do.

[JD01]

Cheers. Hopefully I'll be able to get this thing playing nice this evening.
I didn't bring my Crimson to Bristol with me this week so I have nothing else to play on other than the tele.

One issue you might have and not even know about is uneven frets. You really need a fret rocker or some kind of straight edge that can span only three frets at a time. Even on a new guitar the frets can be uneven. And if they are, trying to fine tune truss rod and saddle adjustments can be nearly impossible. One or two offending frets can undermine everything you're trying to do.

Yeah. I know how to use a fret rocker. I'll get it set up as best I can first - if the frets are a mess I'll need extra help with this.

[Greg_L]

Yeah. I know how to use a fret rocker. I'll get it set up as best I can first - if the frets are a mess I'll need extra help with this.

I think the frets need to be checked and level first. There's not much point in tweaking truss rods and saddles with uneven frets. See what Mutt thinks about this, but I think you're putting the cart before the horse. If you're frets are perfect, then go on with the truss rod and saddles.

[JD01]

Yeah. I know how to use a fret rocker. I'll get it set up as best I can first - if the frets are a mess I'll need extra help with this.

I think the frets need to be checked and level first. There's not much point in tweaking truss rods and saddles with uneven frets. See what Mutt thinks about this, but I think you're putting the cart before the horse. If you're frets are perfect, then go on with the truss rod and saddles.

Yeah, in an ideal world I'm sure you're right. But I have allen keys and a tuner so with some crib notes I can fudge my way through a basic set up. I can check whether I need fret work, but won't be able to do anything about it myself.

[Greg_L]

Yeah, in an ideal world I'm sure you're right. But I have allen keys and a tuner so with some crib notes I can fudge my way through a basic set up. I can check whether I need fret work, but won't be able to do anything about it myself.

What I'm saying is you can't really "set it up" if you have uneven frets. Don't bother with the rest if it needs fret work. That's "if". It might not need it at all. If you have uneven frets, all the truss rod and saddle adjustments in the world won't fix anything. You might get yourself way out in left field.

[muttley]

Yeah. I know how to use a fret rocker. I'll get it set up as best I can first - if the frets are a mess I'll need extra help with this.

I think the frets need to be checked and level first. There's not much point in tweaking truss rods and saddles with uneven frets. See what Mutt thinks about this, but I think you're putting the cart before the horse. If you're frets are perfect, then go on with the truss rod and saddles.

First thing you have to do is get the neck dead straight with the truss rod and no strings. Only then can you really level and crown all the frets. If its just one or two frets you can do a bit of spot leveling but oddly that can be more problematic. People end up chasing the problem if they dont know what to look for. When a fret buzzes people often think its the next fret up when often it is the second or third fret up. A good level fret rocker should be able to identify it. We aint there yet though...

First.

Without worrying about fret leveling for now. Get the neck straight with the strings to tension then set the radius on the saddles to what you want and do a rough intonation set. Finally back off the rod just enough to be able to play with out choking with a standard action. From that point you start isolating individual fret problems.......... Once you have the correct set on the nut that is..

[JD01]

First.

Without worrying about fret leveling for now. Get the neck straight with the strings to tension then set the radius on the saddles to what you want and do a rough intonation set. Finally back off the rod just enough to be able to play with out choking with a standard action. From that point you start isolating individual fret problems.......... Once you have the correct set on the nut that is..

Cheers, that should be easy enough.

[Greg_L]

There ya go. Do you have a straight edge?

[JD01]

There ya go. Do you have a straight edge?

Not a proper one designed as a fret rocker like Crimson manufacture, but I do have straight things of various lengths that will work just as well. A designed fret-rocker might be nice if you're building and setting up loads of guitars I don't think I need one though.

[Greg_L]

No, a straight edge. Something machined straight long enough to span the neck. A fret rocker is small. You could use a credit card for a fret rocker. A straight edge is long.

[muttley]

18" steel rule is pretty much what I use. I know its level and thats all you need. To test its level join two dots 18 inch apart then flip the thing over both length and faces and it should draw the same line. It doesnt need to be machine toleranced like a plane or some such.

[JD01]

Oh, yeah. haha, yes - I have a access to a straight edge in Bristol.

[JD01]

Nut is a touch high
Neck is too flat
Saddles are too high
Frets are pretty good
Can't adjust the nut right now
Need a touch more relief then I can lower the saddles