How to Give Your Guitar a Proper "Setup" to Optimize Its Action
Ensuring that your guitar is setup properly so that its action is optimized is important because poor playability can hinder your progress and even cause you to put the guitar down for good from frustration. The main objective when optimizing the action on your guitar is this-- get the strings as close to the fretboard as you can without getting fret buzz. While you can bring your guitar to a professional guitar tech to get an official "setup", it really is not necessary. Not only will it take time and cost money, but there are some easy adjustments you can make yourself to improve your guitar's playability. The following are some adjustments you can make to optimize your guitar's action:
Adjusting the Saddle(s): The bridge is the component on the body of your guitar from which the strings are suspended. Depending on the guitar, you can adjust the height with which the strings are raised from the body. On an acoustic guitar, the plastic piece or "saddle" on which the strings rest can be removed and filed down (from the bottom) to the desired height. Of course, it is important not to file it down too much, for the strings will be suspended too low to the fretboard and you will have to buy a new saddle.
On an electric guitar such as a Stratocaster or Telecaster, each string rests on its own individual saddle and you can adjust the heights of each saddle using a small Allen key. This is an easier adjustment than on an acoustic guitar because it does not require the strings to be removed.
On a model such as a Les Paul or SG, the bridge can be adjusted by turning the rings on each end of the main saddle. This may be too difficult to do using your fingers, so you may want to use a pair of pliers.
Adjusting the Truss Rod or Neck of the Guitar: This is probably the only adjustment that can be made that is not intuitively obvious. Since the strings exert an extreme amount of tension on the neck of the guitar, the neck can become bowed or warped over time. Here's how to check to see if your neck is bowed: Look straight down the neck of your guitar from the head. If the middle of the neck dips down, this is called an up-bow. A slight up-bow is normal and even recommended, but too much of an up-bow can cause fret buzz. If the neck is bowed in the opposite direction, this is called a down-bow.
First, find the truss rod adjustment screw. This is embedded in the headstock and you may have to remove a plate cover to access it.. Once you have located the truss rod adjustment screw, find out what kind of tool you will need to adjust the truss rod. Some guitars come with a tool when purchased, but you should be able to obtain the proper tool since most truss rods require a common tool found in a hardware store. For Fenders, this is usually a hex key. For Gibsons, a socket wrench.
Before attempting to adjust your truss rod take note: TIGHTENING THE TRUSS ROD TOO MUCH WILL BREAK IT, RESULTING IN A EXPENSIVE REPAIR JOB. Now take your guitar in standard tuning, and insert your repair tool into the screw and slowly and carefully turn the screw clockwise by about a quarter of an inch. The opposite will loosen the rod allowing you to fix a down-bow. After each small adjustment of the rod, be sure to check the neck to see if the desired neck straightness has been achieved before adjusting further.
Filing the Nut: The nut is the grooved plastic piece on which each of the strings rest. To allow the strings to sit lower to the neck, you can take a knife and file the grooves down. Of course, use caution when doing this because if you file a groove down too much, you will cause the strings to sit too close to the neck. Filing too much is irreversible (you can't put more plastic in the grooves), so make sure you are not filing too much. Also keep in mind that the nut is not flat and the grooves descend in height from highest (the low-E string) to lowest (the high E-string).
Tighten Screws Behind the Neck: (only on certain models)
On some guitars such as stratocasters, the neck is a separate part which is secured to the body of the guitar by about four screws. Making sure these screws are as tight as they can be will prevent the neck from being pulled by the headstock.
Sax Mouthpiece - How to Give Your Guitar a Proper "Setup" to Optimize Its Action
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