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If you have ever questioned the best way to setup your guitar, or your four, five or six string bass guitar yourself, you have arrived to the right place. Read on. It is recommended to change your strings before you begin, and install them properly though this is not completely vital. *In all the illistrations below, the head-stock is pointing to your left. In case your guitar has a Floyd Rose or a tremolo bridge, you will want to dam it before proceeding. One of the most sensible way if you don't have lots of tools at your disposal is: remove the plastic cover behind your guitar; next place thin coins or picks between the part of the bridge that protrudes downward and the body till the distance between the flat part of the bridge system (just under the bridge pickup) and the body is 3/32". Loosen the springs and tune to standard ‘A’ 440. If your guitar has a Floyd Rose, add coins or picks till the bridge is parallel to the body, then take off the springs and tune to standard 'A' 440. Electric guitar Setup Step 1: Adjust the truss rod We do this to prevent the strings from hitting the frets- and buzzing- as they vibrate. Put a capo on the 1st fret, and press the fifth string on the 17th fret with your finger (I use the middle) while lifting the sixth string so it presses against your finger-nail. Use a spark-plug calibrator to gauge the distance between the top of the twelfth fret and the bottom of the fifth string. Fender Telecaster: 0.012 Fender American standard, vintage 0.012 Gibson: 0.004 - 0.006 Floyd Rose: 0.012 Bass guitars: 0.014 Adjust the truss rod with an Allen wrench. Turn clockwise (toward the first string) to loosen and counterclockwise (toward the sixth string) to make tighter. Note: in case you have access to the truss-rod just under the last fret instead of by the nut, invert directions. Set action: This means adjusting the height of the strings. With the capo still on the 1st fret, measure the space between the bottom of the strings and the top of the seventeenth fret utilizing a 6-inch ruler in 64ths. Use the table below only as a general guideline: explore different possibilities till you discover the height that suits you best. Fender Telecaster 4/64" Fender American standard, vintage 4/64" Gibson 3/64" or 4/64th-inch Floyd Rose4/64" Bass guitars 3/32" Remove the capo and tune to standard ‘A’ 440 Electric guitar Set-up Step 2:Setting the height of the pickups Determine the space between the top of your pickups and the bottom of your strings (1st and 6th) when pressing on the last fret. Adjust as needed. Fender Telecaster- 6th: 3/32nd-inch, 1st: 5/64th-inch Fender American standard, vintage 6th: 1/8th-inch, 1st: 3/32nd-inch Gibson- 3/64" or 4/64nd-inch Floyd Rose tremolo system- 6th: 1/8", 1st: 3/32nd-inch. If it has humbuckers 3/32" on either side Ultra, Plus- 1/16th-inch on either side four string bass guitars- 4th: 1/8", 1st 3/32". Or, 1/16th-inch on each sides. 5 and 6 string bass guitars- 6th/5th: 7/64th-inch, 1st: 5/64" The overall idea is that pickups should provide the same signal depth regardless of pickup or string. Check to determine if the strings buzz and adjust as needed. Eliminating fret buzz entirely is not possible nor necessary. Set so that your guitar is comfortable to play, and the buzz cannot be heard through the amp. Guitar Set-up Step three: Setting the intonation Tune your guitar with an electronic tuner, utilizing the natural harmonics at the 12th fret. When pressing the string on the twelfth fret, you should notice the same pitch. If the tuner says the guitar is too flat, then lower the vibrating part of the string by tweaking the saddle. If it is too sharp, elongate the vibrating portion. After elongating or shortening, tune to the natural harmonic again and repeat till you get it the way that you like. However, if your electric guitar has a tremolo bridge or a Floyd Rose tremolo system, place the springs back in place and tighten them slowly until the picks or coins tumble out. Place the plastic covering back in its location, and you're done!
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Todd Masters is a guitar tech for a local music store. Here are some tips on how to guitar setup tips and tun your guitar by hear. Hope this helps you!
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