Place a capo at the first fret or hold the string down with your finger, and fret again around the body joint where the neck starts to thicken, this is usually around the 12th to14th fret.
Then note the gap between the string and the top of the fret in the middle of these two points. Moving the string up and down over this fret will make it a little clearer, and this is easier if you are using a capo at the first fret instead of tying up both hands. You will need to check both E strings as the amount of curve can vary from one side of the neck to the other.
The best way to judge relief is with a straight edge, and a straight edge will make it easier for you to determine if you have a back bow. You can find inexpensive edges on Amazon but I find the ones available from Stewmac to be of excellent quality and worth the money. When using a straight edge I also check between the D and G strings to get an average between the two extremes. If the first fret is high or low it can throw off the reading and this is will verify what you saw.
The reading at the first fret and second should look about the same. If the gap is smaller, your first fret may be high. TIP: As stated earlier, do all this checking in the playing position, and placing a light below you will help to illuminate the gap for clearer reading.
Even if the neck already has relief, it is a good idea to loosen the rod a little first to see how tight the nut is and to verify it is working properly. I also prefer to straighten a bowed neck rather than bow an overly straight one. If this happens, bow the neck and then bring it back to straight. Keep in mind you may not be able to get the neck straight, or perfectly straight, everywhere. In this case, just go with as close as you can get with no back bow anywhere.
Remember…we are getting the neck as straight as possible in this step, we may add some relief later on. This will be an interim step and we will come back to actually adjusting the nut slots later. For now, we are essentially going to eliminate the nut and set it to zero. You will need a capo, and for repair purposes, I prefer the Kyser click here to check price on Amazon. With an electric, you will be able to make your adjustments simply with a wrench, but when dealing with an acoustic saddle you will need to add or remove material.
TIP: Doing this step properly requires some tools. These are included individually or in the StewMac setup kit, and also easily available on Amazon. I will break this step into two sections to make it easier to follow and better illustrate what tools you will need.
There are many different types of bridges all with different saddle adjustments. You will need to determine what yours is, and if you have a Gibson style Tune-o-Matic bridge you will need a set of nut files to match each string. A tremolo will also make this step trickier because you might need to deal with balancing the bridge by adjusting the tremolo claw that anchors the springs to the guitar.
It is important to understand that as you tune the guitar the amount of tension on the bridge changes and will cause it to move, and conversely, as you adjust the tremolo your tuning will change. When tuning a guitar with a tremolo, I always tune back and forth to bring up the tension on the tremolo evenly: E to E, A to B, D to G. Because the tremolo is rising as you tune-up in pitch, you will likely find you are flat when you are done.
So you will have to repeat that process until you are in tune and the bridge finds its balance. You will need to adjust the screws of the claw in to pull the bridge back or let them out to allow the bridge to rise. Do not move the claw the full amount all in one adjustment. Remember that as you change the position of the claw you are also changing the tuning of the guitar and will need to re-tune, which in turn will change where your bridge sits.
TIP: You are trying to achieve equilibrium. So make small adjustments to the claw, re-tune and check again until you find the point that the trem levels when you are in tune. Check the radius of your fretboard. This applies to both electric and acoustic. You need to know what the fretboard radius is so that you can set the underside of your strings with the saddles to match.
Now set the height of the two E strings, and just like the truss rod adjustment, check these measurements in the playing position. These measurements are approximate and we will likely go back and readjust them later based on how the guitar feels.
Once the E strings are set, use the under-string radius gauge to set the saddles to the fretboard measurement you took.
It is easiest to raise the 4 middle strings up high until the gauge is only touching the E strings and then lower them down to the gauge. If you have a tune-o-matic bridge you will need to use nut files for this, and if the middle strings sit below the radius you will need to use the thumbwheels to raise the E strings up higher and then lower them to the 3 and 2 measurements with the files in order to set the radius of the middle strings.
Angle the file with the approach of the string from the tailpiece, and use a file of the same gauge as each string. Remove small amounts at a time until you get where you need to be. Use some fine sandpaper to remove any sharp edges in the saddle when you are done. The best saddle material is bone. If yours is plastic or some type of synthetic material and you want the best tone possible, have it replaced with bone. If your saddle is significantly off and this is all new to you, then you should also make a trip to the repair shop.
I could take up an entirely new article with the techniques necessary to make a good saddle, and reshaping the top of one to match a radius crosses into that territory too much for our purposes here. Other things to look out for are cracks, major chips, and significant string wear. These can all be signs of a saddle that needs replacing. Once you have verified your fretboard radius and checked the saddle to make sure it matches, take string height measurements with a straight neck and a capo at the first fret in the same manner as described previously.
The only difference here is that you will want to start a little higher than an electric. To get down to these measurements requires you to remove the saddle and take material from the bottom. You will need a hard flat surface and some self adhesive sandpaper. I like to use thick tempered glass, and I prefer the 3M brand sandpaper, but there are a variety of options here. I use grit unless I have a lot to remove.
Just make sure whatever surface you choose is hard, smooth, and flat. If you have steady hands you can even use a belt sander. Remove the saddle and mark a line on both sides of the saddle with a sharp pencil that represents the amount of material you were above your measurements at the 14th fret.
Using the sandpaper and the flat surface, drag the saddle towards you being careful to keep it 90 degrees to the sandpaper. TIP: Do not sand back and forth, I find that pulling the saddle in one direction only towards myself is the best way to keep control and ensure the base of the saddle stays flat.
Once you get close to your pencil line, make sure the bottom of the saddle is square. Replace the saddle, tune the guitar and check your measurements again.
Repeat the process if you are still too high. If you are too low, you have two choices: replace the saddle, or shim it. In general, I prefer to replace, but sometimes a shim is warranted.
I prefer to use wood as a shim and you can find thin purfling at StewMac or wood veneer available online or in hobby stores. Fret dressing is essentially leveling and reshaping the frets to restore them.
Over time, as you press down your metal strings against your metal frets, the frets will wear out. This eventually leads to dented frets, rough fret edges and uneven frets.
This process is usually only necessary for guitars that are much older. And in some cases, if the frets are unrepairable, or have been dressed in the past too many times to the point that they are too small, you can have a luthier completely remove them and re-fret your guitar entirely. Different guitar manufacturers produce guitars with a different fretboard radius.
For example, Fender guitars usually have a more rounded fretboard radius, whereas Gibson guitars usually feature a much flatter fretboard radius. Most electric guitars have bridges that are built with string radius adjustment screws. If not, it could result in fret buzz and awkward string action with some strings being too high and others too low.
New guitars are almost never set up to play optimally right out of the box. Due to the fact that most guitars are manufactured and shipped overseas before they end up in a guitar store or warehouse, there are almost always some deficiencies during transit. More often than not, when you get a new guitar, the action will be very high and there will be some fret buzz. Having a professional setup will ensure that your guitar feels comfortable to you and sounds the way it should, allowing you to get the most out of your instrument.
Even if your guitar is not brand new, it will still require some maintenance every once in a while. Over time, your guitar will suffer from wear and tear including, warping of the neck, wearing down of the frets, dried out fretboard, fret buzz, etc.
This is completely normal, even if you properly maintain your guitar. This will include the basics, such as setting the action, intonation and neck relief. If you have a guitar with a Floyd Rose floating tremolo that needs setting up or you have worn out frets and need a fret dressing, then they will typically charge extra depending on how much work needs to be done.
Keep in mind that costs can vary greatly depending on where you go local guitar shop vs corporate chain, like Guitar Center.
On average, you should look to take your guitar in for a full setup twice a year. Throughout the year you can also make some of the minor adjustments on your guitar more regularly. This could include adjusting the action and intonation as you see fit. If you take your guitar in for a professional setup twice a year, then it will require very minimal adjustments throughout the rest of the year.
I usually make it a point to get my guitar setup between the cold and warm seasons, so Winter and Summer. This is usually the best time to have your guitar set up because the drastic change is the weather is when the wood in your guitar is going to react the most substantially. Your guitar will undoubtedly require maintenance just like you service your car to run smoothly. If you play your guitar four times a week you may not have to wait a year long to get it set up.
On the other hand, if you have not played your guitar for almost 6 months, you may need to take it for a professional set up to restore some functions. On some guitars, you might have to poke beneath the pick guard to get to the guts, but with a gentle touch you should be able to access the offending component. The can of contact cleaner should have a nozzle extension that allows you to spritz any point where dirt or oxidation is causing a noisy connection.
Also, spray into the volume and tone pots at their openings, next to the solder lugs and directly onto all switches. Rapidly flick each switch—or twist each knob—back and forth, and then play for a while, listening for persistent noises. Repeat as needed. Nine-volt batteries can be tested with the old tongue test: if its terminals tingle on your tongue, the battery is fine.
All of the adjustments discussed so far should be done prior to changing strings. The only time you would adjust the truss rod, bridge height and nut slots with new strings on your guitar would be when changing to a different gauge. Otherwise, use two sets—one for adjustments and one for playing.
TOOLS Heavy-duty wire cutters to trim excess string length; otherwise, use your fingers to wind excessive string length into coils. HOW TO DO IT On most electric guitars and some acoustics, the strings simply slip through the bridge or tailpiece and are held in place with string tension on the ball end of the string.
Nylon-string guitars require that the string be brought through the bridge, back around, and then woven in an under-and-over knot, as shown in PHOTO 8. Now bring the string up to pitch.
Finally, clip your strings with a wire cutter, or coil them neatly. Once your guitar is tuned close to pitch, give each string a gentle tug along its entire length, including the section between the tuners and the nuts and between the bridge saddle and tailpiece. Give each string a series of whole- and half-step bends along its entire length as well. Steel-string acoustics and electrics will settle to within 20 cents of their correct pitch using this method, and nylon-string guitars will require only one or two more tunings over a two-hour period before settling into pitch.
When tuners are under tension, they can feel firm. Most tuners have a nut on the face of the headstock and a small screw on the back. Gently tighten these screws with the appropriate size screwdriver. Also, look for a small screw on the crown of the tuning button not every tuner will have one. Tighten or loosen it to adjust the tension of the tuner.
If your guitar has open-gear turners—that is, if you can see the gears—add a drop of light oil to each mechanism. These small, fine-threaded parts damage easily under excessive wrist or arm pressure torque. If your fret wire exhibits major gunk, read ahead to step 8 for tips on removing it. Rub across each fret and watch the dullness disappear. Wipe up any excess with a paper towel or rag. Use a guitar pick or a sharpened Popsicle stick to dislodge the grime that cakes against the frets and directly beneath each string.
Then apply a light coat of lemon oil and wipe away any excess with a paper towel. If your acoustic guitar has an unfinished wood bridge, as most do, apply a little oil there from time to time too. Just as string tension can hide loose tuning gears, it can hide loose joints and cracks. Bolt-neck electrics occasionally suffer from lose neck-joint screws, and braces within an acoustic guitar sometimes break or come unglued. If it wiggles, tighten the bolts at the neck-body joint.
0コメント