High Strung: What's a Set-up?
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Guitar Set-Ups: The Facts
A set-up can be likened to a tune-up for your car. All stringed instruments need a
set-up at least once a year to make them play and sound their best.
A guitar set-up consists of four specific checks: Neck, nut, action & intonation.
The Neck
We check the neck to make sure it’s sitting correctly in the joint, and also for warps,
high frets and appropriate “relief” (the tiny amount of curve that allows clearance of
the strings above the frets during play). Relief will be adjusted during the set-up.
Anything else will be noted and brought to your attention.
The Nut
We check the nut for wear and tear. The strings should sit in the nut so that they
nestle in the slots but don’t sink into them. Over time, strings can wear too deeply
and that’s when you hear the distinctive sitar sound of a string trapped in the nut.
We also check to make sure there’s no crumbling at the corners, especially on the
bass E side. If we see problems, again we will make a note and bring it to your
attention.
The Action
How high off the fret do those strings lie? We measure your string height at the
start of the set-up to find out. There are specific heights we aim for at High Strung.
(2/32nd” on the treble E, and 3/32nd” on the bass E at the 12th fret). Adjusting
action will be done in a variety of ways, depending on other elements. Sometimes
the trussrod will be adjusted, other times we might work with the saddle or nut to
raise or lower the action. On electrics, we usually set the saddles themselves.
The Intonation
In other words, does your guitar play in tune at each fret as you move up the neck?
This is examined after new strings have been put on and the action and relief
double-checked. On electrics, the intonation is adjusted at the saddles. On
acoustics, which are much harder to intonate exactly because of their set saddles,
we check and might recommend a different string gauge to help correct a
problem. If the tuning is hopeless, we will recommend a new, compensated saddle
be made specific to your guitar.
At High Strung we care about every instrument that crosses our bench, so we also
take the time to examine the internal bracing, clean and polish your guitar, check
your frets for excessive wear, clean and buff the frets and oil the fingerboard to help
prevent fret sprout.
What a Set-Up Is Not:
It is not an automatic repair of everything that might be wrong. A new nut will cost
about $40, and take awhile because it must be made for your particular guitar.
High frets will probably need at least a partial fret dress (level, bevel and polish).
We will do everything we can to trouble-shoot your instrument and give you an
estimate on any needed repairs, but those repairs will be additional. Again, think
of that car tune-up. They’ll fill your tires and top off the fluids, but don’t expect them
to replace the transmission as part of the job.
- Lee Raymond, Luthier
A set-up can be likened to a tune-up for your car. All stringed instruments need a
set-up at least once a year to make them play and sound their best.
A guitar set-up consists of four specific checks: Neck, nut, action & intonation.
The Neck
We check the neck to make sure it’s sitting correctly in the joint, and also for warps,
high frets and appropriate “relief” (the tiny amount of curve that allows clearance of
the strings above the frets during play). Relief will be adjusted during the set-up.
Anything else will be noted and brought to your attention.
The Nut
We check the nut for wear and tear. The strings should sit in the nut so that they
nestle in the slots but don’t sink into them. Over time, strings can wear too deeply
and that’s when you hear the distinctive sitar sound of a string trapped in the nut.
We also check to make sure there’s no crumbling at the corners, especially on the
bass E side. If we see problems, again we will make a note and bring it to your
attention.
The Action
How high off the fret do those strings lie? We measure your string height at the
start of the set-up to find out. There are specific heights we aim for at High Strung.
(2/32nd” on the treble E, and 3/32nd” on the bass E at the 12th fret). Adjusting
action will be done in a variety of ways, depending on other elements. Sometimes
the trussrod will be adjusted, other times we might work with the saddle or nut to
raise or lower the action. On electrics, we usually set the saddles themselves.
The Intonation
In other words, does your guitar play in tune at each fret as you move up the neck?
This is examined after new strings have been put on and the action and relief
double-checked. On electrics, the intonation is adjusted at the saddles. On
acoustics, which are much harder to intonate exactly because of their set saddles,
we check and might recommend a different string gauge to help correct a
problem. If the tuning is hopeless, we will recommend a new, compensated saddle
be made specific to your guitar.
At High Strung we care about every instrument that crosses our bench, so we also
take the time to examine the internal bracing, clean and polish your guitar, check
your frets for excessive wear, clean and buff the frets and oil the fingerboard to help
prevent fret sprout.
What a Set-Up Is Not:
It is not an automatic repair of everything that might be wrong. A new nut will cost
about $40, and take awhile because it must be made for your particular guitar.
High frets will probably need at least a partial fret dress (level, bevel and polish).
We will do everything we can to trouble-shoot your instrument and give you an
estimate on any needed repairs, but those repairs will be additional. Again, think
of that car tune-up. They’ll fill your tires and top off the fluids, but don’t expect them
to replace the transmission as part of the job.
- Lee Raymond, Luthier
| High Strung Violins & Guitars 1116 Broad Street Durham NC 27705 (919) 286-3801 |