Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guitar

[Christopher Caruana]

Fresh set of 10's, made a little adjustment to the truss rod, raised action, and messed with the pickup height on the old lester, and I am reminded on why I fell in love with this guitar in the first place. Feels and sounds a million times better.

Never underestimate the power of a good set up :notworthy:banana:

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

I went through the same thing last night. I didn't change strings but I adjusted the action on my bridge and it feels so much better when I chord and I don't have to squeeze as much to grip chords.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

My problem is that raising the action makes for better tone and more sustain, but due to the fact that I have short fingers, it makes it a little harder for me to solo up high on the neck. It not a big deal thought

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

So fresh and so clean

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

My problem is that raising the action makes for better tone and more sustain, but due to the fact that I have short fingers, it makes it a little harder for me to solo up high on the neck. It not a big deal thought

Thats why I went with a 10"-16" radius board when I built my guitar although I think I might of been happy with either a straight 10" or 12" radius since I have a OFR for my bridge. My action isn't stupidly low but it's not super high neither and I can get under a string to bend it just fine. Although I did have to put some shims under a couple of the saddles. I can chord and solo up and down the neck comfortably it's almost as comfy as a PRS.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

Thats why I went with a 10"-16" radius board when I built my guitar although I think I might of been happy with either a straight 10" or 12" radius since I have a OFR for my bridge. My action isn't stupidly low but it's not super high neither and I can get under a string to bend it just fine. Although I did have to put some shims under a couple of the saddles. I can chord and solo up and down the neck comfortably it's almost as comfy as a PRS.

The neck is pretty straight (0.010 relief). High E is 3.5/64 @12th, Low E is 5/64 @12th. So medium action I guess

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

I've taught after school guitar lesson at the high school for years. Students bring me dozens of guitars every year that have horrible action setups, rusted strings, ground in dirt etc. There is nothing I enjoy better that handing it back to them the next day with a full setup/intonation, a good cleaning, and a new set of strings and watching the look on their face when they play it. Most of the lower end guitars have REALLY bad setups from the factory, and new players think strings are supposed to last the lifetime of the guitar.

It is also surprising how much a setup can change over time on my own guitars. I spend one evening at least once every 3 months just checking intonation, string height, neck relief, pickup height, String radius, etc and putting new strings on all the guitars I have been playing.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

I bought a little string action gauge from stew mac about a year ago. Its nice because it fits in my pocket and takes 2 seconds to pull out and give my guitar a quick check over. Its good for my OCD too because now I know the exact measurements haha instead of just going by feel alone

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

Must be in the air,cause I just did a bunch of setup work on one of my strats...Took me awhile,but got it playing great..Will use it at tonight's gig also.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

Yep. I HATE it when people set up their guitars badly. My action is sky high (2.5mm & 2.3mm @ 12th fret), but no one finds it an impediment when they play my guitar. In fact, my guitar's setup is far more playable than many.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

Yep. I HATE it when people set up their guitars badly. My action is sky high (2.5mm & 2.3mm @ 12th fret), but no one finds it an impediment when they play my guitar. In fact, my guitar's setup is far more playable than many.

good lord that is high! mine is:
3.5/64 --> 1.39mm
5/64 --> 1.98

 

[Archer250]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

But very playable with barely less than 0.5mm relief (9th fret when first and last frets are fretted)

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Its amazing what a fresh set of strings and a little set up can do for your guita

The neck is pretty straight (0.010 relief). High E is 3.5/64 @12th, Low E is 5/64 @12th. So medium action I guess

The neck on my firebird has about .001 relief with action at around 3/64s at the 15th. you should be able to get the same specs...