I've got to set up my Guitar

[silverfox]

The Frets are worn but perhaps not that badly. I've gotten several differing opinions. In any event, any pointers on setting up the action and harmonics on my guitar?

It's started sounding dead and then I adjusted the bridge and it just doesn't sound the same now...

I play nearly every day,

Silverfox.

[Paleo Pete]

1st thing to do is put on new strings. Then check intonation. Old strings are the most common cause of dead sounding guitars, I change mine every night if I'm playing every night onstage. Just doodling around the house I can let them go a couple of months.

Never set intonation with old strings.

As far as action goes, it depends on the player. I set mine a bit on the high side so I can play slide, I usually have them about 1/8 inch off the octave fret. Use that as a starting point, try it and see if you want your action higher or lower. Try to follow the radius of the neck, you don't want flat strings over a neck with a radius on it. Some guitar techs cut out plastic templates to match the neck and adjust to that, keeping the strings at even heights off the frets. With Fender style floating bridges, Fender factory specs call for the bridge to be slightly above the guitar body and parallel to it. With Gibson style "Tune O Matic" bridges just set the string height where you want it then check intonation. Always check intonation last.

Never touch the truss rod unless it needs to be adjusted, it had absolutely nothing to do with intonation and extremely little to do with action. To check it, capo the 1st fret and fret the small E string at the octave. You should have just enough clearance at the 8th fret to slip a credit card in there. This is not critical, a little less is no problem. That creates backbow, which gives the strings a little clearance in the middle where they have a wider vibrational pattern. When played the strings look a bit like a jump rope, but on a much smaller scale, that's why it needs clearance in the middle. If you don't have fret buzz it's probably OK.

If the truss rod does need adjustment, tighten it (clockwise) to increase backbow, loosen it to reduce backbow. NEVER more than 1/4 turn and let it sit overnight. It does not drop into place immediately, it takes time.

There is no adjustment for harmonics, they fall into place once intonation is set. Harmonics will work whether intonation is right or not, but you'll get the nice sounding harmonics you want once intonation is right.

Always use new strings. Adjusting anything with old dead strings is wasting your time, you'll have to redo it once you put on new strings, especially intonation.

Check your first couple of frets, if they have serious fret grooves from a lot of playing it might be a good idea to have them filed. Usually if you can feel it "click" out of the grooves when you bend a note, you need fret dress. If you don't know how to do it, take it to a shop or look it up online. Do not attempt it if you don't know how. It's not hard to ruin the frets.

Also if you have a bolt on neck, check the screws on back to be sure they are tight. Do not over tighten. Stripping one is a bad thing.

I can't think of anything else, if I do I'll check in later on.

[silverfox]

Thanks Paleo,

That pretty much follows what I've begun this morning. I put new strings on a couple days ago and they only have about an hour or two on them. It was probably okay before I put the new strings on but I cut them all off at the same time and the bridge must have shifted a little. Then I adjusted it and that was the start. Now I'm getting at it methodically and reviewed your instructions.

This is an Ibanez so the neck is likely just fine.

Thanks again,

Silverfox.

[Paleo Pete]

OK I don't know what we're dealing with, this link shows a number of Gibson style "Tune O Matic" bridges.

STEWMAC.COM : Gotoh Tune-o-matic Bridge with Studs/Bushings

If it's this type, it shouldn't shift, or not enough to affect intonation or action. The thumbscrews on each end adjust height, the saddles have screws to adjust intonation, the 6 in the middle. The way it mounts, it shouldn't move. Once the strings are removed it can slide up and down, and if it gets cocked on one end it can cause problems, so check to be sure it is seated on both ends. If not, loosen the strings and reseat it. No need to remove them completely, just loose enough you can reseat it. I have an old Harmony with a moveable bridge, but those are very uncommon, most have the two posts on each end attached to the guitar body and the only movement will be if it gets slightly cocked on either end.

This link is to a style used on archtop hollow bodies.

STEWMAC.COM : Tune-o-matic Bridge For Archtop Guitar

If it's that one, it might be possible to move it, that would depend on whether it's glued or not. If that's the case you'll have to check intonation, then loosen the strings and move it slightly, then recheck. Sharp is too short. Move it very slightly, it doesn't take much.

This is a typical Strat style floating bridge.

STEWMAC.COM : Gotoh Traditional Tremolo for Strat

That one shouldn't move either, if you remove all the strings it will take 15 minutes to tune it because they counteract the tension on the springs on back, but the bridge shouldn't move otherwise. Once you get it back in tune it should still keep its intonation unless you change string gauges.

[Steve A.]

The Frets are worn but perhaps not that badly. I've gotten several differing opinions.

With fret jobs going for $200 to $300 I figure that it is better to alternate between different guitars and add new ones to my collection which don't cost that much more than a fret job.

However even on a new guitar you may need to have your frets leveled and dressed which costs maybe $100, but I do try to buy cheap guitars that don't need that.

I never tried to adjust truss rods for the first 30 years that I was playing guitar because I figured that I might screw something up. However I've been doing it for almost 20 years now using a method that works for me (I don't like the action so low that I can't bend strings across the fretboard):

I will put a capo on the 1st fret and put my finger on the highest fret and then pluck the string with my other hand. If it sounds a note very clearly then the neck has too much bow and the truss rod needs to be tightened. If there isn't much of a note at all because the string is being choked out by the middle frets then the neck needs more bow and the truss rod needs to be loosened.

One of the rules of thumb is to not turn the truss rod nut more than 1/6th of a turn at a time (60 degrees) however if the neck is way out of whack I will adjust it more than that. However for the upper frets it might take a day or two before the adjustment takes effect so if you are trying to get rid of a buzz on a higher fret don't expect immediate results.

As already suggested try new strings first and before doing anything with the truss rod trying raising or lowering the bridge to see if that is all that is needed.

Steve Ahola

P.S. My advice is strictly for guitarists playing in a blues/rock style; shredders usually like their action very low in which case you would look for a tighter response to my fret test with the string choking out a bit on the middle frets.

P.P.S. I didn't read all of the posts here and see that Paleo Pete already addressed the issue of truss rod adjustment. My bad! It sounds like the problem is mainly intonation with a floating bridge that slipped. One trick when changing strings is to use easy-release masking tape to hold the bridge in place, or use it to mark the exact position if you want to remove the bridge for cleaning or whatever.

[silverfox]

Well it done with no major problems encountered. I will say this is the guitar I took to Guitar Center and the tech there told me I needed a Fret job and that would be $300.

So I bought a cheap guitar to keep playing and in the mean time tried to find a good tech to do the Frets. I found an exceptional one and he advised me for free that I didn't need anything done on the guitar. Changed strings and it sound just fine.

Keep on Rockin in the Free World, (well, for now it is anyways.. Kinda...)

Thanks again for all the assistance. I am looking for another backup guitar as I can see in the future the Frets will be shot. Got grooves in them currently.

Silverfox.