Setting up you're guitars
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TheLivingDead
Dawn Of The Shred
Re: Setting up you're guitars
This book has pretty much everything you could wanna know.
Definitely educated me. And if I can understand it, ANYONE can.
This book has pretty much everything you could wanna know.
Definitely educated me. And if I can understand it, ANYONE can.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Setting up you're guitars
+1. Dan Erlewine's book is how I learned to do set-ups. Every guitarist should own it. Far too many players are totally helpless when it comes to doing even basic work or maintenance on their guitars. There's no excuse for that. Guitars are very simple and low tech. Kids can do this stuff.
This book has pretty much everything you could wanna know.
Definitely educated me. And if I can understand it, ANYONE can.
+1. Dan Erlewine's book is how I learned to do set-ups. Every guitarist should own it. Far too many players are totally helpless when it comes to doing even basic work or maintenance on their guitars. There's no excuse for that. Guitars are very simple and low tech. Kids can do this stuff.
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
Re: Setting up you're guitars
Dan's the man.
Dan's the man.
thespricket
New member
Re: Setting up you're guitars
Trial and error. Literally anything you want to know you can learn from YouTube. However, sighting a neck can be difficult if you've never seen what a backbowed, bowed, or perfectly straight neck looks and feels like. Some guitars are easier than others. Personally I feel strats and Teles are easier than gibsons. Also, if you foul it up and get stuck don't be afraid to take it to a tech. What you decide to tell the tech to explain how the guitar got in that condition is up to you, haha.
Guitar->pedals->amp
Trial and error. Literally anything you want to know you can learn from YouTube. However, sighting a neck can be difficult if you've never seen what a backbowed, bowed, or perfectly straight neck looks and feels like. Some guitars are easier than others. Personally I feel strats and Teles are easier than gibsons. Also, if you foul it up and get stuck don't be afraid to take it to a tech. What you decide to tell the tech to explain how the guitar got in that condition is up to you, haha.
Guitar->pedals->amp
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Setting up you're guitars
The biggest give-away with a back-bowed neck is fret buzz. That's my first indication a truss rod adjustment may be in order, provided the action is at a reasonable height. With an in-bowed neck, the action will seem pretty high on the upper frets, but be fine on the lower ones. Since all my guitars have angled, set necks, I look at neck straightness from the body, not the headstock.
As far as what to tell a tech when you bring in a guitar you goofed up working on: "I bought it this way. I got a deal on it because the guy who sold it had messed it up." I've found that a good policy as you go thru life is to never hesitate to let someone else take the rap for your screw ups. How do you think most people get into management?
The biggest give-away with a back-bowed neck is fret buzz. That's my first indication a truss rod adjustment may be in order, provided the action is at a reasonable height. With an in-bowed neck, the action will seem pretty high on the upper frets, but be fine on the lower ones. Since all my guitars have angled, set necks, I look at neck straightness from the body, not the headstock.
As far as what to tell a tech when you bring in a guitar you goofed up working on: "I bought it this way. I got a deal on it because the guy who sold it had messed it up." I've found that a good policy as you go thru life is to never hesitate to let someone else take the rap for your screw ups. How do you think most people get into management?
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Setting up you're guitars
One of my friend's dad had that book and gave it to me when I first started. I've been setting up my guitars ever since.
One of my friend's dad had that book and gave it to me when I first started. I've been setting up my guitars ever since.
AudioWonderland
New member
Re: Setting up you're guitars
I learned through a lot of trial and error long before this book existed but i own and still occasionally reference it. Highly recommendedThis book has pretty much everything you could wanna know.
Definitely educated me. And if I can understand it, ANYONE can.
Bludave
New member
Re: Setting up you're guitars
Any book by Dan Erlwine will get you in the ball park. Just keep in mind that all guitars have a sweet spot and that's where they want to be played. Some guitars play really well with low action others don't. Some need more neck relief the others. The key is to keep working with it until you find it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Any book by Dan Erlwine will get you in the ball park. Just keep in mind that all guitars have a sweet spot and that's where they want to be played. Some guitars play really well with low action others don't. Some need more neck relief the others. The key is to keep working with it until you find it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: Setting up you're guitars
Trial and error and LOTS of advice from Forum Bros!!!! I can do most things, except nut work, Frets, and still skittish with neck adjustments. And Im a pretty sloppy solderer, but I do it. Ive heard MANY praises for Erlewines, book over the years. I need to get one..
Trial and error and LOTS of advice from Forum Bros!!!! I can do most things, except nut work, Frets, and still skittish with neck adjustments. And Im a pretty sloppy solderer, but I do it. Ive heard MANY praises for Erlewines, book over the years. I need to get one..
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: Setting up you're guitars
for me, youtube and trial and error. Buying Dan's book has been on my "to do" list for a long time now though haha
for me, youtube and trial and error. Buying Dan's book has been on my "to do" list for a long time now though haha
Chocklit_Thunda
New member
Re: Setting up you're guitars
google.com
The best teacher in the world
and you learn things from forums...
google.com
The best teacher in the world
and you learn things from forums...
aleclee
Major General GAS
Re: Setting up you're guitars
I learned how to adjust string height & intonation when I was about 16 (30 years ago?!?) through trial and error. It took me much longer to work up the nerve to adjust the truss rod.
Nowadays YouTube is a great resource but YouTube's founders were just learning to read when I started playing guitar.
I learned how to adjust string height & intonation when I was about 16 (30 years ago?!?) through trial and error. It took me much longer to work up the nerve to adjust the truss rod.
Nowadays YouTube is a great resource but YouTube's founders were just learning to read when I started playing guitar.
stringbender11
New member
Re: Setting up you're guitars
I learned on Youtube/websites too. My skills are pretty limited but I can set the intonation, adjust the action, even the truss rod if it isnt some really odd situation. I've changed nuts too, using precut graphtechs. It's definitely good to be able to do some of the basics yourself, or it'll get expensive if you go through a fair amount of guitars like I have in the past.
And hey if you do mess something up, just take it to your tech. I've had to do that a few times. I just tell him 'hey i tried to do this but it doesnt sound/feel right, can you take a look?'. Techs dont care, they see stuff like that all the time.
I learned on Youtube/websites too. My skills are pretty limited but I can set the intonation, adjust the action, even the truss rod if it isnt some really odd situation. I've changed nuts too, using precut graphtechs. It's definitely good to be able to do some of the basics yourself, or it'll get expensive if you go through a fair amount of guitars like I have in the past.
And hey if you do mess something up, just take it to your tech. I've had to do that a few times. I just tell him 'hey i tried to do this but it doesnt sound/feel right, can you take a look?'. Techs dont care, they see stuff like that all the time.
