Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGITM
There are some different schools of thought on setup steps... here's mine:
1a. Check neck relief AND geometry to bridge/saddle
---Capo on 1st fret, push down on 14th fret, measure string gap at 8th fret
---Should be in the range of .005" to .012" (1mm-3mm), depending on preference
1b. Straight edge check from fingerboard to bridge
---If straight edge is noticeably below the top of the bridge there is a geometry problem that may require a neck reset
2. Assuming step 1a and 1b are good - check nut
---Measure string gap on 1st fret for each string by holding down each string at the 3rd fret and tapping on the top of the 1st fret
---String should just clear the fret so a little 'tap' should be a barely noticeable 'click'
---Adjust nut, as necessary
---NOTE: if frets are noticeably worn down significantly, you may want to stop here and address the frets
3. Once relief is set and the nut is set, now you can look at the string gap at the 12th fret to determine what saddle adjustments might be needed
---If the action is high at the 12th fret and you want to lower it, you will need to take 2x that amount off at the saddle
---So, if you want to drop the action at the 12th fret by 1mm, you would need to shave 2mm off of the saddle
---If the action is low at the 12th fret and you want to raise it, you would need to add 2x that amount to get to your desired action
---You can either shim the saddle, or replace it -note: if you shim the saddle, I recommend using a shim made from the same wood as the bridge, if possible
That's my basic checklist of steps. I should add, though, the very first thing you should do if you're looking at a guitar for the first time, is sight down the neck from above looking at the nut, frets, and saddle to make sure everything looks parallel. Before doing anything, you want to be sure there is not a twist in the neck. If there is, you really don't want to do anything else... except cuss and pray it's under warranty.
Edit to add: The other potential issue is more related to any residual fret buzz that might be present after setting the action - you may need to check for/correct any unlevel frets.
Edit to the edit: I would take care of all of the potential setup issues first, then address any remaining intonation issues.
|
0.005” to 0.0012” is not 1 to 3 mm. Closer to 0.1 to 0.3 mm. Those pesky decimal points! In my experience 0.010” is as much relief as anyone needs and a little less can often make for a nicer playing instrument.
A high action will nearly always cause notes to fret sharp as you move up the fingerboard which is why you need to set relief, nut slot height, and then saddle height in that order. Once that’s done any intonation issues can be tweaked by moving the string contact point on the saddle, providing there’s sufficient width. The angled saddle slot used with nearly all steel-string instruments offers ball-park compensation, but to get things just right needs fine adjustment.