well, I've been doing alot of research and I think it's time we join forces and write down what are the best elements of a full professional setup that makes a good guitar, play great
both for new and old guitars. let me give some examples
whenever i get a new guitar I set it up this way.
1. tune to pitch
2. Truss Rod
3. Bridge height and playability (if a tune-o-matic, then tailpiece + tune-o-matic, if a floyd, i set to whatever i want, 1 tone up, 1.5 tone up, flush to body etc)
4. Action adjustment
5. Pickup height
6. Nut action height
7. oil the fingerboard using Fretdoctor (http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm)
8. Intonaion
the best "guide I've found for setuping a guitar was at the fender site:
http://www.fender.com/support/stratocaster.php
also:
for tune-o-matic, a great guide is
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Bridges/Repair/i-4557.html
Now, there are some things that make a new guitar play great and those are things i learned here on the forum:
1. beveling fret edges
2. Rolling fret edges
Here is an example from gene baker:
http://www.musicianshotline.com/archive/monthly/mean_gene/02_05.htm
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=1062.0 (from our very own)
some faq:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=1062.0
Rolling fret edges is a huge factor imo, and adds that missing 1% where you love a guitar but don't LOVE it or think it's missing something in it's playability.
whenever I get an "old" or used guitar I set it up this way.
1. tune to pitch
2. Truss Rod
3. Bridge height and playability (difference between the previous step, is now that now i check for corrosion and how it works, i usually take the bridge off, put some vaseline in it, if it's a floyd i take all mechanical parts and let them sit in machine oil for 24 hours so they can move properly again, and then i clean them up)
4. Action adjustment
5. Pickup height
6. Nut action height
7. Fret Polish ( http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/fret2.htm )
8. oil the fingerboard using Fretdoctor ( http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm )
9. Intonaion
This is the biggest added thing I think that makes the biggest difference (again, that missing 1%) :
1. Fret polishing
2. Making finished necks play smoother ( http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=5440.0 )
PLEASE NOTE: USING FRET POLISH ON MAPLE NECKS REQUIRES DIFFERENT METHODS AND IS DANGEROUS AND WILL PROBABLY DAMAGE YOUR NECK USING THIS METHOD.
If you want to polish frets on a maple neck, you must protect your frets, use this, also, this is highly recommended for any polishing (rosewood, ebony etc):
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Polishing_and_abrasives/Fingerboard_Guards.html
If you guys have anymore tips please chime in, I'm all about making them guitars play like the god's guitars.
more good links:
this is how the stars set up their guitars, I believe it's taken from dan erlewine's book, which i went over so many times
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Neck_relief,_building_and_repair/a-famoussetups.html
this is how i set my Warmoth guitars:
(both are les paul type guitars with 24.75" necks)
(things i learned from my two projects)
(compound radius necks)
Tune-o-matic:
Radius needed at the bridge is either a 16", or optimal being 18.5"
Nut:
I usually bring my strings to 0.15" and then file down from there, please note that i ruined at least one nut before doing this method the way it should, so be careful
on a les paul type guitar (10" radius at the nut) , from e to E
E: 0.08"
A: 0.10"
D: 0.12"
G: 0.12"
B: 0.10"
E: 0.08"
the guitar plays perfectly and intonates perfectly, feels butter smooth at the first fret and i don't get "blocked" by the nut (tone speaking)
Relief:
usually anywhere between 0.02" and 0.10", whatever feels right.
Action:
Pretty low, i'm a metal player, I usually do 2mm low e and 1.5mm high E (measured at the 12th fret)
note: I don't take it down more, beacuse I have to have more relief and i hate playing necks that aren't almost dead straight.
(even this way relief is 0.10")
I've actually learned alot from this forum, this is my little contribution, you will always find me tweaking my guitars, it's fun
one method I know of but haven't tried, but soon will :
http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/hardware.html
I'd like to thank SkuttleFunk for all his great answers and great tips, it was most of his answers that gave me the nerve to start tinkering, which i was really afraid to do, but techs in my area suck, so you have to do what you have to.
So please you guys, chime in, and let's make the biggest thread on the net for setuping guitars the way they are should.
both for new and old guitars. let me give some examples
whenever i get a new guitar I set it up this way.
1. tune to pitch
2. Truss Rod
3. Bridge height and playability (if a tune-o-matic, then tailpiece + tune-o-matic, if a floyd, i set to whatever i want, 1 tone up, 1.5 tone up, flush to body etc)
4. Action adjustment
5. Pickup height
6. Nut action height
7. oil the fingerboard using Fretdoctor (http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm)
8. Intonaion
the best "guide I've found for setuping a guitar was at the fender site:
http://www.fender.com/support/stratocaster.php
also:
for tune-o-matic, a great guide is
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Bridges/Repair/i-4557.html
Now, there are some things that make a new guitar play great and those are things i learned here on the forum:
1. beveling fret edges
2. Rolling fret edges
Here is an example from gene baker:
http://www.musicianshotline.com/archive/monthly/mean_gene/02_05.htm
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=1062.0 (from our very own)
some faq:
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=1062.0
Rolling fret edges is a huge factor imo, and adds that missing 1% where you love a guitar but don't LOVE it or think it's missing something in it's playability.
whenever I get an "old" or used guitar I set it up this way.
1. tune to pitch
2. Truss Rod
3. Bridge height and playability (difference between the previous step, is now that now i check for corrosion and how it works, i usually take the bridge off, put some vaseline in it, if it's a floyd i take all mechanical parts and let them sit in machine oil for 24 hours so they can move properly again, and then i clean them up)
4. Action adjustment
5. Pickup height
6. Nut action height
7. Fret Polish ( http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/fret2.htm )
8. oil the fingerboard using Fretdoctor ( http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm )
9. Intonaion
This is the biggest added thing I think that makes the biggest difference (again, that missing 1%) :
1. Fret polishing
2. Making finished necks play smoother ( http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=5440.0 )
PLEASE NOTE: USING FRET POLISH ON MAPLE NECKS REQUIRES DIFFERENT METHODS AND IS DANGEROUS AND WILL PROBABLY DAMAGE YOUR NECK USING THIS METHOD.
If you want to polish frets on a maple neck, you must protect your frets, use this, also, this is highly recommended for any polishing (rosewood, ebony etc):
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Polishing_and_abrasives/Fingerboard_Guards.html
If you guys have anymore tips please chime in, I'm all about making them guitars play like the god's guitars.
more good links:
this is how the stars set up their guitars, I believe it's taken from dan erlewine's book, which i went over so many times
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Neck_relief,_building_and_repair/a-famoussetups.html
this is how i set my Warmoth guitars:
(both are les paul type guitars with 24.75" necks)
(things i learned from my two projects)
(compound radius necks)
Tune-o-matic:
Radius needed at the bridge is either a 16", or optimal being 18.5"
Nut:
I usually bring my strings to 0.15" and then file down from there, please note that i ruined at least one nut before doing this method the way it should, so be careful
on a les paul type guitar (10" radius at the nut) , from e to E
E: 0.08"
A: 0.10"
D: 0.12"
G: 0.12"
B: 0.10"
E: 0.08"
the guitar plays perfectly and intonates perfectly, feels butter smooth at the first fret and i don't get "blocked" by the nut (tone speaking)
Relief:
usually anywhere between 0.02" and 0.10", whatever feels right.
Action:
Pretty low, i'm a metal player, I usually do 2mm low e and 1.5mm high E (measured at the 12th fret)
note: I don't take it down more, beacuse I have to have more relief and i hate playing necks that aren't almost dead straight.
(even this way relief is 0.10")
I've actually learned alot from this forum, this is my little contribution, you will always find me tweaking my guitars, it's fun
one method I know of but haven't tried, but soon will :
http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/hardware.html
I'd like to thank SkuttleFunk for all his great answers and great tips, it was most of his answers that gave me the nerve to start tinkering, which i was really afraid to do, but techs in my area suck, so you have to do what you have to.
So please you guys, chime in, and let's make the biggest thread on the net for setuping guitars the way they are should.