First Setup (Stratocaster or S Style). Part III

[3bolt79]

Now that you have the guitar strung and tuned to pitch, it’s time to check the neck relief.

Put the Capo on at the first fret, and hold the Low E string down where the neck joins the body. This will typically be from the 17th to 19th fret.

While holding the fret down at the 17th to 19th fret, with the Capo on at the first fret, slide the business card between the string and the 6th fret. If it slides in easily, making contact with the fret and the bottom of the string, you’re good. If it doesn’t, you will need to put a little more relief in the neck.

Looking at the headstock, down the neck toward the bridge, insert the Allen Wrench and turn it no more that 1/4 turn to the left (Conter Clockwise). Recheck the relief as before with the Business card. If it slides in and touches the top of the fret and bottom of the string, you’re done with this step.

If when you check the relief, the business card has visible space between the business card and the top of the string, you may need to remove some relief from the neck. Do this by turning the truss rod nut 1/8 to 1/4 turn to the right (Clockwise).

The business card should touch the 6th fret and the bottom of the string when you insert it at the 6th fret.

Adjusting the bridge plate

The bridge plate on a two point Fender trem should be raised a bit from the body, and level with the body or just slightly raised at the back. See pic below.


You can tilt the bridge plate using the Claw screws in the trem cavity. See pic.



Adjusting the action

Adjust the string heights to 4/64 on the High E, B, G and D strings to 4/64 at the 17th fret, and the A and Low E strings to 5 /64 at the 17th fret.

Adjusting the intonation

With the tuner on at the headstock and the guitar tuned to pitch, check the open, tuned string to the same note at the 12th fret.

If the note reads flat (needle to the left on the display) move the saddle toward the nut by turning the screw to the left (Counterclockwise) and tune the string back up to pitch and recheck at the 12th fret, rinse and repeat until the open note and 12th fret note are the same with the needle in the tuner’s display in the middle.




If the 12th fret note reads sharp (needle to the right). Lengthen the string by moving the saddle toward the back of the bridge plate by turning the intonation screw to the right (Clockwise) and retune the string and check the 12th fret note to the open string again.



Once you’ve done this on all six strings, your’re done.

This is a basic set up. We aren’t discussing the nut because you would need special files that are expensive, and experience. The total cash outlay for the tools I’ve shown is about 30 dollars, depending on where you get the tools.

TEMU is a great source for most of these tools, and they are really inexpensive. From wire cutters to headstock tuners, the average cost per tool that I've shown is 3 to 5 dollars each.

We also haven't discussed a Fender Style six screw tremolo either. This can be a little tricky to adjust properly if you have no experience. I would refer you to videos by a guy named Frudua on YouTube on this subject or you can send me a private message if you have questions.

 

[BGood]

If you'll permit, here's a setup for dummies on a Gibson style guitar. Most of it could apply to Fender style too. Difference will be in adjusting strings height, whereas on a Gibson bridge, you raise or lower the whole bridge, but on a Fender it's saddle by saddle.

This method comes from a departed friend, Biddlin.

This is the opposite order of most setup directions. It is based on performance and not measurements; hence, I don't take any. It works because the neck is immobile between frets 16 and 22. The truss rod only affects lower frets. By setting the upper end first, you know any buzzes are coming from too little relief. This method works for most guitars, with truss rods.

First, get the neck straight. You turn the truss rod ¼ turn at a time, then check relief. If the neck is too concave, turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove excess relief. If the neck is too convex, turn the truss rod nut counter-clockwise.

Begin by tuning to your normal pitch, i.e. if you normally play in drop D, tune to drop D. Retune between each adjustment. Start by setting the bridge height for frets 16 to 22, so that the strings play buzz free at the lowest possible height.

Start with low E. Plucking normally play fret 16. Lower the bass side of the bridge until it buzzes, raise until clear. Now play it from fret 16 to fret 22. Raise slightly if needed. Check A and D and raise slightly if needed to get clean notes. Remember to retune between steps. Then do the treble side. If you bend notes up here, try a few typical bends, to make sure they don't buzz out.

When all strings play clean go to the lower frets and neck relief. Play the high E string from fret 1 to fret 15, increasing relief (loosening truss rod counter clockwise) to relieve buzz or decreasing relief (tightening truss rod clockwise) to lower the string height. So tighten, by fractional turns (1/4 of a turn), until it buzzes and back off until it doesn't. If you bend strings, do your typical bends to insure they don't buzz out. Once satisfied, check the other strings and make small adjustments as needed, loosening by the slightest amount (1/8th of a turn) to relieve buzzing.

Once you have acceptable relief, (i.e. no buzz) and easy action, set your intonation and you're done.

 

[3bolt79]

If you'll permit, here's a setup for dummies on a Gibson style guitar. Most of it could apply to Fender style too. Difference will be in adjusting strings height, whereas on a Gibson bridge, you raise or lower the whole bridge, but on a Fender it's saddle by saddle.

This method comes from a departed friend, Biddlin.

This is the opposite order of most setup directions. It is based on performance and not measurements; hence, I don't take any. It works because the neck is immobile between frets 16 and 22. The truss rod only affects lower frets. By setting the upper end first, you know any buzzes are coming from too little relief. This method works for most guitars, with truss rods.

First, get the neck straight. You turn the truss rod ¼ turn at a time, then check relief. If the neck is too concave, turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove excess relief. If the neck is too convex, turn the truss rod nut counter-clockwise.

Begin by tuning to your normal pitch, i.e. if you normally play in drop D, tune to drop D. Retune between each adjustment. Start by setting the bridge height for frets 16 to 22, so that the strings play buzz free at the lowest possible height.

Start with low E. Plucking normally play fret 16. Lower the bass side of the bridge until it buzzes, raise until clear. Now play it from fret 16 to fret 22. Raise slightly if needed. Check A and D and raise slightly if needed to get clean notes. Remember to retune between steps. Then do the treble side. If you bend notes up here, try a few typical bends, to make sure they don't buzz out.

When all strings play clean go to the lower frets and neck relief. Play the high E string from fret 1 to fret 15, increasing relief (loosening truss rod counter clockwise) to relieve buzz or decreasing relief (tightening truss rod clockwise) to lower the string height. So tighten, by fractional turns (1/4 of a turn), until it buzzes and back off until it doesn't. If you bend strings, do your typical bends to insure they don't buzz out. Once satisfied, check the other strings and make small adjustments as needed, loosening by the slightest amount (1/8th of a turn) to relieve buzzing.

Once you have acceptable relief, (i.e. no buzz) and easy action, set your intonation and you're done.

Yes, I think this is basically from Biddlin's Foolproof Setup Method on one of the other forums. Damn it. We've lost so many people in the last few years. Thanks for sharing this.

Luckily the fret work is usually so good from the factory, at least these days that you don't really even need to check for high frets, as they are Plek'd from the factory.

I just got a new SG a couple of months ago, and the 21st fret was a little proud, but as it didn't negatively affect playing, I just let it be. Slight, slight wobble with the rocker.

The nuts on the last three Gibson's I've bought in the last three years have all been cut properly. I've got my eye on a couple more Gibsons, but it won't be this year though.

 

[BGood]

Luckily the fret work is usually so good from the factory, at least these days that you don't really even need to check for high frets, as they are Plek'd from the factory.

I mentioned Gibson like, which includes Epiphone and others, and those aren't usually Plek'd. On many Epiphone, some frets, one or two at the most, are a tad high because they're not fully seated. A little tap from Maxwell's Silver Hammer usually cures it for good

 

[3bolt79]

I mentioned Gibson like, which includes Epiphone and others, and those aren't usually Plek'd. On many Epiphone, some frets, one or two at the most, are a tad high because they're not fully seated. A little tap from Maxwell's Silver Hammer usually cures it for good

Every Epiphone I've ever bought has had two or more that aren't fully seated. Except my Greeny Les Paul and my 12 String Hummingbird. Pokey frets too sometimes.

 

[GrandmaShreds]

Every Epiphone I've ever bought has had two or more that aren't fully seated. Except my Greeny Les Paul and my 12 String Hummingbird. Pokey frets too sometimes.

The frets on my Epi SG Pro we're actually really good, no high frets. My LP on the other hand, not so good. I had to spend time levelling and crowning a few of them and file the fret ends. It's a 2021 production model vs. the SG which is a 2019 production model. I don't know what happened in a few years. Maybe my LP was a dud and got overlooked although I have seen multiple accounts about the newer EPI models having QC issues in the fret department.

 

[Ant]

 

[3bolt79]

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