On this weeks all about sound we cover basic setup tips for your guitar and provide the following shownotes as reference back for later.. because you going to probably need it:
Do-It-Yourself Setup Tips Standard Thin pick: .018 Standard Medium pick: .027 Standard Heavy pick: .037
Neck relief: .010 – .015 @ 7th fret (Capo’d on top of 1st fret)
Open position String height settings High E String height @ the 12th fret: 1/16”. (For Bass G string: 5/64) Low E String height @ the 12th fret: 5/64” (1/16”+). (For Bass: 7/64) (Heavy pick fits under the Low E string @ the 3rd fret, and fits under the High E string @ the 4th fret). Note: If a quarter fits under the Low E string, and a penny fits under the High E string (Both @ the 5th fret), that is considered the highest recommended action. Anything higher than that will be difficult to play on.
High E String height @ 1st fret: .010 – .015 (Thin pick clearance?). (For Bass G string: .020)Low E String height @ 1st fret: .020 – .025 (Medium pick clearance?). (For Bass: .026)
Nut-Slotting tips Get a professional to do it.
Setting intonation With a strobe tuner (You MUST use a strobe tuner, standard chromatic tuners are not accurate enough): Adjust ALL bridge saddles ⅛” or so back toward the bridge, so they will all start out FLAT in their intonation settings. Very important! Tune each string to pitch in open position, then adjust bridge saddles until the string is perfectly in tune @ both the open position AND the 12th fret.
By ear (Using distortion and NO other effects): Adjust ALL bridge saddles ⅛” or so back toward the bridge, so they will all start out FLAT in their intonation settings. Very important! Once the guitar is tuned, start with the high E string. Note the high E string @ the 7th fret, and tune it to PERFECTLY match the B string (While simultaneously playing the B string in the open position). Then note the high E string @ the 19th fret (While simultaneously playing the B string in the open position), then CAREFULLY adjust the High E bridge saddle & re-tune high E string until it is PERFECTLY in tune @ BOTH the 7th & 19th frets (with the open B string). Next, Note the B string at the 5th fret, tune to PERFECTLY match the High E string in the open position. Then note the B string @ the 17th fret (While simultaneously playing the High E string string in the open position). Then CAREFULLY adjust the B string bridge saddle & re-tune the B string until it is PERFECTLY in tune (@ BOTH the 5th & 17th frets) with the High E string in the open position). Repeat this with all six strings until guitar matches perfectly @ both the 5th & 17th frets, while playing the adjacent string in the open position. NOTE: On guitar, the G string must be noted @ the 4th & 16th frets, instead of the 5th & 17th frets, when matching it to the open B string. On Basses, it’s all @ the 5th & 17th frets for ALL four strings, since there is no High B string.
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Theme song by Danny Lewis
Artwork by Jordan Robinson http://jackfreakingnapier.deviantart.com/
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