Hard Luck Setup

[Cajun]

I can’t catch a break with luthiers. I’ve brought guitars to them twice in my life and both times were terrible experiences. The first, my Martin D-18 came back from supposedly the best luthier around with a dent in the sound hole and a buzzy string. The second is what’s currently happening with my new Jazzmaster. I brought it in for a setup at my local shop. When I went to pick it up, I noticed that the trem plate was scratched. They agreed to replace it, but complained about it. Sorry, but I’m not paying you to scratch my guitar. Anyway, I got it back today after all this commotion and it buzzes like crazy. Like really crazy. It’s almost like they made it worse on purpose because they were pissed about the trem. Or maybe they’re just horrible at what they do. I don’t know. So I’m back to the drawing board minus $65 and plus an unnecessary headache. Unbelievable.

My plan now is to do it myself. I loosened the truss rod and that seemed to help a bit. Next, I’m going to get an American Pro bridge and see how that works. I also know that the nut needs filing, so I’ll probably invest in a set of files and some feeler gauges. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for the setup tips so far. I appreciate the advice I get on here. Hope everyone is well.

[adamrobertt]

IMO the "setup" is one of the biggest scams in the guitar world. It's incredibly easy and most people can and should absolutely do it themselves.

My suggestion would be to use your tools - feeler gauges, a ruler, etc. to bring your guitar to Fender specs, which they have published on their website, and go from there.

[jorri]

IMO the "setup" is one of the biggest scams in the guitar world. It's incredibly easy and most people can and should absolutely do it themselves.

My suggestion would be to use your tools - feeler gauges, a ruler, etc. to bring your guitar to Fender specs, which they have published on their website, and go from there.

Ditto.

Fender guide (call it a starting point...
Feeler guages (which are simple to use as either a string will sound or it will stop)
Allum key for truss and bridge
Screwdriver
Capo for truss rod
And from there an ability to paint by numbers or listen for buzzes for small minor changes. Turn a screw until measurement is reached.

I avoid nuts only because proper tools are expensive, but I can do it with improper tools in a pinch.
And same with fretwork, it's probably not mystical, it's more difficult, but requires proper tools.

[Larry Mal]

I don't do nuts or frets, yet, because there's the chance of ruining something that would be somewhat costly to replace.

Everything else I do myself for the reasons listed above.

[mackerelmint]

I've had a luthier straight up run off with my guitar never to be seen again.

That got me doing my own setups and mods and builds.

[JVG]

IMO the "setup" is one of the biggest scams in the guitar world.

Agree. 90% of self-proclaimed guitar techs are somewhere between moderately and completely hopeless.

J.

[Cajun]

I agree. All setups will be done by myself from now on.

It’s gets worse. When I initially brought the guitar in and we were discussing the rattly saddle screws, I mentioned that I heard that people use blue Locktite or Teflon tape to stop the rattle. The tech looked at me like I was crazy and said he’d never use Locktite. He said he was going to use lacquer. Well, I just tried to loosen a saddle screw and they won’t move. The Allen wrench spins on one of them, showing it stripped. They can’t be backed out. Unbelievable. I’m getting a new bridge, but I’m pissed.

[adamrobertt]

I agree. All setups will be done by myself from now on.

It’s gets worse. When I initially brought the guitar in and we were discussing the rattly saddle screws, I mentioned that I heard that people use blue Locktite or Teflon tape to stop the rattle. The tech looked at me like I was crazy and said he’d never use Locktite. He said he was going to use lacquer. Well, I just tried to loosen a saddle screw and they won’t move. The Allen wrench spins on one of them, showing it stripped. They can’t be backed out. Unbelievable. I’m getting a new bridge, but I’m pissed.

Lacquer is a viable solution but I'm not sure why he'd be totally put off of Loctite. Sounds like he used too much though...

I personally hate saddles with height adjustment screws... I prefer them locked to the radius. No way to knock it out of spec, no screws to rattle. The only exception is my Mastery bridge, but I have Loctite in all the screws...

[Larry Mal]

I personally hate saddles with height adjustment screws... I prefer them locked to the radius. No way to knock it out of spec, no screws to rattle. The only exception is my Mastery bridge, but I have Loctite in all the screws...

Yep. Every screw is a point of failure.

[jorri]

Dunno, but but Loctite is a commonly known as their superglue product in a very blue packet, with transparent liquid, that would make saddles be impossible to turn. Sold in supermarkets.
As opposed to their threadlocker product. Mine is in a Red bottle, but the actual liquid is blue,it dries like rubbery stuff and not even near adhesion of craft/wood glue. I had to look much harder to find it, not even in most DIY shops.

[Cajun]

Well, I’ve been fooling with it without measuring tools, don’t have any yet, and I finally got the low E and A to stop buzzing. I had to loosen the truss rod and raise the bridge a good bit. Strings are way too high now, but that’s the only way I could stop the buzz. Very frustrating. I really want to enjoy my new guitar, but haven’t been able to yet... No idea how I’m going to get a low action on this guitar without buzz. I guess I’ll order some gauges and follow Fender specs and see how it goes.

[Larry Mal]

Don't get too worked up about feeler gauges and shit. Here's what you need:

A neck relief gauge.

A string action gauge.

Neck radius gauges.

1) Make sure your neck is straight with the first one. You can eyeball a little relief if you care about it, I don't. I make them be straight.

2) Set your action with the string action gauge. It'll even say what some common measurements are for the high and low E strings. Use that, see how it goes.

3) Make sure your radius is accurate with the radius gauges.

4) Double check your intonation.

5) Set your pickup height.

You've saved a lot of money and didn't have to deal with a crazy person who would not be able to hold any kind of "job" other than pretending to work on people's guitars.

[Cajun]

Don't get too worked up about feeler gauges and shit. Here's what you need:

A neck relief gauge.

A string action gauge.

Neck radius gauges.

1) Make sure your neck is straight with the first one. You can eyeball a little relief if you care about it, I don't. I make them be straight.

2) Set your action with the string action gauge. It'll even say what some common measurements are for the high and low E strings. Use that, see how it goes.

3) Make sure your radius is accurate with the radius gauges.

4) Double check your intonation.

5) Set your pickup height.

You've saved a lot of money and didn't have to deal with a crazy person who would not be able to hold any kind of "job" other than pretending to work on people's guitars.

Thanks, man!

[Larry Mal]

Oh, I also forgot a Fret Rocker.

I don't work on my own frets, not yet, but this will at least tell me when it genuinely is time to get to a real technician. Also my little setup steps above didn't account for the nut, either, which I also don't work on. My setups start with the idea that the nut is cut properly at some point and that the frets are capable of giving me a good setup. There's no point chasing down low action like I prefer if the frets aren't capable of doing that, you know?

So usually I figure on at least one pro set up, or if it seems to come together without one then I go with that. I buy most guitars used and usually at some point the nut has been worked on and if it seems good I go with it. If I buy a new guitar then yeah, it'll need some nut work.

[DeathJag]

Oh, I also forgot a Fret Rocker.

I don't work on my own frets, not yet, but this will at least tell me when it genuinely is time to get to a real technician. Also my little setup steps above didn't account for the nut, either, which I also don't work on. My setups start with the idea that the nut is cut properly at some point and that the frets are capable of giving me a good setup. There's no point chasing down low action like I prefer if the frets aren't capable of doing that, you know?

So usually I figure on at least one pro set up, or if it seems to come together without one then I go with that. I buy most guitars used and usually at some point the nut has been worked on and if it seems good I go with it. If I buy a new guitar then yeah, it'll need some nut work.

Did you notice the neck heel on that neck the dude’s leveling?

I’m also curious how fret leveling works if the strings are not providing tension. Does the string tension change the fret levels? I realize this is a dumb question.