"Setting-up" my guitar...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Obstacle1
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Obstacle1

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Hey, I was wondering if anyone can tell me how to 'set-up' my guitar. I've heard people talking of setting it to there required settings but don't understand what this actually involves? Adjusting the bridge? The pickups? And if so how do u know when it's right?

Any help appreciated...
 
A setup usually includes fresh strings + checking/adjusting neck relief, intonation, pickup height, action, and nut. You could do all this yourself but setting the intonation requires the accuracy of a (expensive) strobe tuner........although peterson does have strobe tuner software now. You probably should'nt mess around with the nut either. If you think it's something that you want to try, don't use a guitar that you play much. Chances are you won't get it right the first time. Also, adjusting the trussrod requires some care. If you get it too tight, you could damage it. There are instructions about setting up guitars on the net and you should do some reading to make sure you understand what you're doing before making any adjustments.
 
Go to Stewart-MacDonald, buy Dan Erlewine's book on guitar setups, read it, and go from there.

For what it is worth, I strongly advise that you get your guitar setup by a good repair person. They have more experience, they will do it faster, and better than you can. And all the people who tell you that they can do their own setups better than a pro because they "know what they want better," are full of shit. They have no clue what a real pro does, and once they get it done right, they never go back.

But if you want to do it right, start with Dan's book. (Not that most professionals do it his way, but his stuff is very good for an amateur, and no, I am not saying Dan is an amateur).


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
even though light is right about having your setup done by a pro what do people like me have to do : i have 14 guitars and i use them all!!! due to weather/climate they each need adjustments at least twice a year. not being rich i have no choise but to do it myself.
 
As mentioned, a good set up requires both know how and the right tools, as well as a good place to do it. Normally the tools are fairly simple, hex wrenches, screw drivers, gap guages, needle files and of course a very accurate tuner (strobe recomended.) Tools you can't buy are a good eye for detail, a good ear which can recognize the smallest variation in pitch, and a lot of patience. Some guitars are simply a lot harder to get "just right" than others.
If you really want to learn how to do it for yourself I suggest you take a couple of your favorite guitars to a pro and have them set up. Watch carefully to see what is done, and in what order. Ask questions about each step including what can happen if this is done wrong. Start with your least favorite guitar (you wont hate yourself as much if you don't get it right) and try to do what you saw the pro do. Don't get discouraged if your first attempt dosen't go as smoothly as the pro and it still sounds a little off, by the time you mess up a couple of hundred you will get the hang of what you are doing.
I'm not trying to discourage you, in fact with as many guitars as you have I would strongly encourage you to learn to do set ups for yourself. There are several of us on here who could "walk you through it, step by step" but to set down with a pro and have them tell and show you will give you a better understanding of what needs done and how to do it.
If you want to try it, and learn from some of us.... go ahead and put on a fresh set of strings and stretch them and let us know, then we will go on to step two.
 
And all the people who tell you that they can do their own setups better than a pro because they "know what they want better," are full of shit. They have no clue what a real pro does, and once they get it done right, they never go back.
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Not true. I am not a pro, but I know how to set-up my own guitar. It takes me about 1/2 hr from start to finish. I use a Peterson Tuner that ran me about $200 and my guitars are all set-up perfectly. There is no reason to pay someone to do this if you just take some time and learn. Each one of my guitars are set-up differently because the sizes of the neck vary and certain guitars are more for lead playing and other for rhythm. Lead guitars have low action and my rhythm guitars have a higher action. Doing this is very simple, and will ensure that your guitar is set-up to your liking. Saying that those of us who do this are "full of shit" and "have no clue" is garbage.
 
ok so uhh, wheres a good place to get your guitar "set up" and how would you ask for it? just like "hey bitch, set up my guitar?" :confused:
 
Nilman13 said:
ok so uhh, wheres a good place to get your guitar "set up" and how would you ask for it? just like "hey bitch, set up my guitar?" :confused:
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A reputable music store would be a good start. But as far as asking for it, it's more like "Set up my guitar................................BITCH!!!!
 
On another note, as far as setting up your own guitar vs, taking it to a "pro", yes there are pros and cons to both situations, but keep in mind that even the pros had to start out as amatures, so someone who is ambitious and and has some commons sense oh yeah and patience, can pretty easily learn how to set up their own guitars. Now I'm not talking about building your own guitar, I'm talkin setups. Sure it might be easier for some folk to pick it up or understand better than others, but it isn't terribly difficult. And with enough practice and experience you might even become a pro yourself.
 
I agree getting Dans book and learning to set up your guitar is a good idea. For the most part electric guitars, in particular bolt on neck electric guitars, are not Stradivarius violins and rarely need re-gluing which means if you can turn a screw driver you can adjust what needs to be adjusted. After 2 years of playing I got Dans book and started doing my own set ups and have been for 9 years since, never once regreted it. Understanding and being able to maintain your own instrument is a skill I think is usefull and rewarding.

After enough set-ups I took an old epi bolt on neck and carved a mahogany SG body for it, you never know where expeanding your skill set can take you.
 
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I recommend "setting it up" yourself as well, or at least learn by watching someone. It will make you a way better guitarist! Read as much as you can, and gain as much info as you can, but you need to know WHY? and HOW? you should make these adjustments to you instrument! This is the beauty of "intamacy" with your guitar. It's a love affair! And you don't want...you know! Know that, on any guitar, when you change tunings, say from E to D, a whole step down, or just changing gauge thickness of your strings, you will have to adjust everything on your guitar, too make it perform correctly. Avoid lower priced (beginner) guitars, as well, they tend to be almost "unplayable". Tuning keys make all the difference! Good luck!
 
I recommend "setting it up" yourself as well, or at least learn by watching someone. It will make you a way better guitarist! Read as much as you can, and gain as much info as you can, but you need to know WHY? and HOW? you should make these adjustments to you instrument! This is the beauty of "intamacy" with your guitar. It's a love affair! And you don't want...you know! Know that, on any guitar, when you change tunings, say from E to D, a whole step down, or just changing gauge thickness of your strings, you will have to adjust everything on your guitar, too make it perform correctly. Avoid lower priced (beginner) guitars, as well, they tend to be almost "unplayable". Tuning keys make all the difference! Good luck!
 
If you have to ask what a set-up is, you probably should NOT be trying it yourself just yet. Read a book and experiment, but the main thing is to make buddies with the local guitar tech and see if he will let you watch him set it up. There's also a pretty decent REH video out there about setting up and minor repairs. I have a copy myself.
 
I probably should have also mentioned that it would be smart to get a cheap-o guitar and practice on it. If you can get it to sound good, then you're on your way.
 
I'm no "pro" by any means, but I've been messing with guitars for over 25 years, and I do all of my own set ups (As well as most of all my buddies.....for what ever that's worth...:rolleyes: )

What I used to do is pay a local guy who is very, VERY good to set up my guitar.........after that you will only need to do minor adjustments over time..........Let them do the "Hard" work, and then you just have to learn how to spot check it so to speak :)

Some times new guitars are SOOOooooooo jacked up from the factory it's not even funny.......So learning how to do your own "Set ups" is a good thing.......even if it's just the basics (Neck, bridge, intonation....)

Good luck!!

Rick
 
TravisinFlorida said:
... setting the intonation requires the accuracy of a (expensive) strobe tuner..........
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Allow me to gloat a little - I scored a perfectly working Conn Strobotuner on ebay for $12 (yes, that's twelve dollars). It's the older design in the brown clamshell case, but it works fine. I have no idea why I was the only bidder; maybe the fact that it was an antique store that was selling it scared everyone off. I use it nearly every day.
 
ggunn said:
Allow me to gloat a little - I scored a perfectly working Conn Strobotuner on ebay for $12 (yes, that's twelve dollars). It's the older design in the brown clamshell case, but it works fine. I have no idea why I was the only bidder; maybe the fact that it was an antique store that was selling it scared everyone off. I use it nearly every day.
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that is a score. i'll give you $13 for it. :D
 
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