If you've ever wondered how you can set-up your guitar, or your 4, five or 6 string bass guitar yourself, you have come to the best place. Read on.
It's advisable to change your strings before you begin, and install them correctly although this is not absolutely crucial.
*In all the illistrations below, the headstock is pointing to your left.
Whether your guitar has a Floyd Rose or a tremolo bridge, you will want to block it before continuing . One of the most sensible technique if you do not have lots of tools at your disposal is: detach the plastic covering at the back of your guitar; then place skinny coins or picks between the part of the bridge system that expands downward and the body till the space between the flat part of the bridge system (slightly below the bridge pickup) and the body is 3/32". Loosen the springs and tune to standard ‘A’ 440.
In case your guitar has a Floyd Rose, add picks or coins till the bridge system is level to the body, then take off the springs and tune to standard 'A' 440.
Electric guitar Setup Step 1: Adjust the truss rod
We do this to prevent the strings from touching the frets- and buzzing- as they vibrate. Put a capo on the first fret, and press the fifth string at the seventeenth fret with your finger (I use the middle finger) while lifting the sixth string so it presses against your finger-nail.
Use a spark plug calibrator to measure the gap between the top of the 12th fret and the bottom of the fifth string.
Fender Telecaster: 0.012
Fender American standard, vintage 0.012
Gibson: 0.004 - 0.006
Floyd Rose tremolo system: 0.012
Bass guitars: 0.014
Adjust the truss rod with an Allen wrench. Turn clockwise (toward the first string) to loosen and counterclockwise (towards the sixth string) to make tighter.
Note: in case you have access to the truss rod just under the last fret instead of by the nut, invert directions.
Set action:
This means adjusting the height of the strings.
With the capo still on the 1st fret, measure the distance between the bottom of the strings and the top of the seventeenth fret using a 6-inch ruler in 64ths. Use the bench below merely as a basic guideline: explore different possibilities until you find the height that suits you best.
Fender Telecaster 4/64"
Fender American standard, vintage 4/64"
Gibson 3/64th-inch or 4/64th-inch
Floyd Rose4/64"
Bass guitars 3/32nd-inch
Eliminate the capo and tune to standard ‘A’ 440
Electric guitar Set-up Step 2:Setting the height of the pickups
Calculate the space between the top of your pickups and the bottom of your strings (1st and 6th) while pressing on the last fret. Adjust as desired.
Fender Telecaster- sixth: 3/32", 1st: 5/64"
Fender American standard, vintage sixth: 1/8th-inch, 1st: 3/32"
Gibson- 3/64nd-inch or 4/64"
Floyd Rose tremolo system- 6th: 1/8th-inch, 1st: 3/32". If it has humbuckers 3/32nd-inch on both sides
Ultra, Plus- 1/16th-inch on both sides
4 string bass guitars- 4th: 1/8", 1st 3/32". Or, 1/16" on both sides.
5 and 6 string bass guitars- 6th/5th: 7/64th-inch, 1st: 5/64"
The general idea is that pickups should provide the same signal intensity no matter pickup or string.
Check to determine if the strings buzz and tweak as desired. Removing fret buzz completely is neither possible nor crucial. Set so that your electric guitar is comfortable to play, and the buzz can't be heard through the amp.
Guitar Setup Step 3: Setting the intonation
Tune your electric guitar with an electronic tuner, using the pure harmonics at the 12th fret. When pressing the string at the 12th fret, you will notice the same pitch.
If the tuner says it is too flat, then shorten the vibrating part of the string by tweaking the saddle. If it is too sharp, extend the vibrating portion.
After elongating or shortening, tune to the pure harmonic again and repeat till you get it the way that you like.
However, if your electric guitar has a whammy bridge or a Floyd Rose tremolo system, place the springs back in position and tighten them slowly till the picks or coins tumble out. Put the plastic covering back-plate in its location, and you're done!
Author Resource:
Todd Masters is a guitar tech for a local music store. Here are some tips on how to guitar setup tips and tun your guitar by hear . Hope this helps you!
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")