Learning to do my own set ups

[Nick84]

I've decided to start doing my own set ups. The amount of times I have had work done and then had to ask for more adjustments etc I'd rather just do it myself, save money and know it's exactly how I want it.

I'm after help compiling a list of things I'll need. I want to do the full works. Set action, level and polish frets etc. What will I need?

[Bingoccc]

One of my lessons was getting something used and dirt cheap to practice on. After you do something once or twice you're amazingly better at it the third time around.

Of course http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/pagelist.html

and http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Resources/

Are invaluable.

[Riverwolf]

Don't forget your eyeballs.
I found my up close vision to be lacking and I am still looking for a combination light and magnifier.
Maybe like the jewelery makers use.

[Basque]

I've been referring to this site for the basics:

http://thbecker.net/guitar_playing/g...p_page_01.html

Things like re-fretting or neck resets are beyond my pay grade so I leave that stuff to the pros. But relief, saddles, and nuts are easy enough and satisfying to do.

[kydave]

Originally Posted by Basque

I've been referring to this site for the basics:

http://thbecker.net/guitar_playing/g...p_page_01.html

Things like re-fretting or neck resets are beyond my pay grade so I leave that stuff to the pros. But relief, saddles, and nuts are easy enough and satisfying to do.

I would not rely on the linked site.

In my opinion, setting the saddle height should be the last thing you adjust, generally speaking.

Relief
Nut
Saddle

[fishstick_kitty]

I just got my Bourgeois back from a setup...60 clams. I sometimes toy with the idea of doing my own setups but then I look at the prices of nut files and neck-relief rulers and the fret files, etc and then I'm like "ug forget it" .

[Nick84]

To be honest the levelling of frets is one of my biggest issues. I was hoping the cost of the equipment would eventually pay for itself

[bbarkow]

Originally Posted by Nick84

To be honest the levelling of frets is one of my biggest issues. I was hoping the cost of the equipment would eventually pay for itself

That's something I've never tried, or even read about. This may be just dumb, but it seems you'd have to adjust the fingerboard to dead straight before leveling with a straight edge?

[SFCRetired]

Well good luck, I understand wanting to learn to do your own. But as inexpensive as they are around here I'll stick to my guy.

[Yeah]

Good luck with that, i would like to learn also

[motojunky]

Originally Posted by Nick84

I've decided to start doing my own set ups. The amount of times I have had work done and then had to ask for more adjustments etc I'd rather just do it myself, save money and know it's exactly how I want it.

I'm after help compiling a list of things I'll need. I want to do the full works. Set action, level and polish frets etc. What will I need?

I have a good setup guy, and it is fairly inexpensive. That said, I'm a tinkerer and I like to know how to do things. I've been fiddling with a couple of cheap junker guitars to learn how to do setup stuff. It's been fun and may pay off at some point in terms of convenience.

Cheap nut files: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=393998

[SFCRetired]

To those wanting to learn. My guy learned by going to pawn shops and the like and buying old guitars for cheap and taking them apart and putting them back together, and setting them up. Then he resold them to recoup his money. Some he made money on because people had a guitar that needed set up and they didn't realize it was that simple, so they just got rid of it.

[Judson]

+1 ... for the same reasons I don't work on my own cars even though I could probably invest in the proper tools and take a class or two at the local tech school.

Originally Posted by SFCRetired

Well good luck, I understand wanting to learn to do your own. But as inexpensive as they are around here I'll stick to my guy.

Originally Posted by kydave

I would not rely on the linked site.

In my opinion, setting the saddle height should be the last thing you adjust, generally speaking.

Relief
Nut
Saddle

That is odd. He references Bryan Kimsey, then goes in the wrong order and recommends sanding the bottom of the saddle. All contrary to Bryan's work.

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by Nick84

To be honest the levelling of frets is one of my biggest issues. I was hoping the cost of the equipment would eventually pay for itself

The tools add up pretty quickly. Nut files alone are a pretty penny. I would not do this to save money, but as another extension of your knowledge and enjoyment of the guitar experience. I had my Martin's frets leveled recently. It was $150. It needed doing after 15 years of wear. That is $10 a year.

That said, I do all my minor setup work. A good machinist's straight edge will set you back a few bucks, but is really worth it. That and feeler gauges will get you doing truss rod adjustments. Add a few nut files and you can do a lot. If you go too far you can fill the nut slots with bone dust and superglue.

I did level the frets on a tele with decent results. I agree you should work on a beater. I've been intrigued by the work luthiers are doing converting set neck to bolt on joints thus salvaging old Yammis and Taks from the boneyard.