course on how to setup guitars

What do you learn in a guitar setup class?

Guitar Set Up Class Learn to setup your own guitars in this comprehensive all day Saturday class. In this class you will learn how to level frets, how to properly adjust the truss rod, adjusting the nut and saddle, intonation and pickup height. We cover the tools you will need to buy and the class can be scheduled for your convenience.

How to set up or build a guitar?

The first step in understanding how to properly set up or build a guitar is understanding how the guitar is functioning as a system. After the string energy is loaded into the string it must be translated in to a form usable by the guitar’s top though the bridge. The top can then convert the energy effectively into audible sound.

Where do you start tuning a guitar?

Always start with the neck, or more specifically, the truss rod. A truss rod is a mechanism that counters the pull of the strings. When a guitar is tuned to pitch it exerts pulling force at the headstock and bridge, and downward force at the nut and saddle.

What do I need to get started with guitar maintenance?

This extensive starter kit is ideal for the guitarist just getting started with guitar maintenance. There will be a couple more items that you will need on top of this. Essential for both Acoustic and Electric Guitar. The best way to judge relief on the neck of the guitar is with a straight edge. easier for you to determine if you have a back bow.

How do you learn to set up guitars?

Some steps to a basic setup:Play your instrument. Plug it in and play. ... Evaluate the Neck and Truss Rod Adjustment. ... Adjust Bridge/Saddle Height. ... Check the Nut. ... Check electronics. ... Remove Strings, Tape off Pickups, Polish Frets, and Oil the Fretboard. ... Clean and fix any electronic issues. ... Restring.More items...•

What order should I set up my guitar?

7 Steps to Setting Up Your GuitarStep 1: The Tools. ... Step 2: Make Sure Your Guitar Neck Is Dead Straight. ... Step 3: Adjust The Truss Rod. ... Step 4: Use Brand New Strings. ... Step 5: Check the Gap Between the Strings and Frets. ... Step 6: Set Intonation. ... Step 7: Final Step.

Can I setup my guitar myself?

And well, the answer is yes! But, also no. Anybody can go through all the steps that are required in order to setup their own guitar, however it will not necessarily feel or play the same as a setup that has been completed by hands with years of experience.

How do I learn guitar luthier?

Working with an established luthier is always a good basis for training, and many luthiers are willing to give advice, lessons, or sometimes informal or formal apprenticeships. These are usually highly individual arrangements and probably best found by seeking out a instrument maker and simply asking.

Should I adjust action or truss rod first?

Don't use the truss rod to change action. Set neck relief first. Then set action. Then play the instrument and adjust one, or both, to taste/feel.

Do new guitars need a setup?

Make sure you're getting the best out of your guitars. Although it would be great if all guitars sounded perfect and played like a dream straight from the factory floor, most guitars will require a “setup” before achieving their full potential.

Is it worth getting a cheap guitar setup?

It is definitely worth getting a cheap guitar setup by an experienced guitar tech. This will correct the guitar's action, intonation, truss rodd, and saddle height, improving the guitar's overall playability and tone. A Budget guitar can convert into a highly playable instrument with a correct setup.

How often does a guitar need a setup?

How often should a guitar be set up? A guitar should be set up twice a year. Every guitar can be subject to small changes over time, and if overlooked, these changes only become worse and worse, negatively impacting your playing and enjoyment.

How much should a guitar setup cost?

Generally speaking, a professional setup costs around $50, but it could be upwards of $100 if there's a lot of work to be done. New strings are usually part of the setup process, since the gauges of the strings affect intonation.

Do luthiers make good money?

The salaries of Luthiers in the US range from $19,960 to $61,290 , with a median salary of $38,609 . The middle 50% of Luthiers makes between $35,492 and $38,608, with the top 83% making $61,290.

How many years does it take to become a luthier?

Typically, a certificate or diploma program from a vocational school takes less than two years to complete and will give you the basic training you need to get started.

Is being a luthier a good job?

Many luthiers that are self-employed get paid for each guitar they create. On average, luthiers make about $46,500 per year to build beautiful, incredible sounding guitars. Making a living as a luthier is rewarding. Creating stringed instruments that can be plucked or strummed is a fun process.

Why do you need a guitar setup?

Much like a car’s seasonal tune-up, a setup should be performed to address the changes a guitar undergoes over time , with adjustments made to the instrument in order to match your preference of strings, pickups and playing habits. A setup can also reveal potential problems before they become major headaches.

How to keep guitar neck straight?

Virtually every acoustic and electric steel-string guitar built after the mid-Seventies has an adjustable truss rod, which runs the length of the neck and counteracts the tension of the strings to help keep the neck straight. Loosen it and the strings pull the neck into a concave bow, resulting in higher action—i.e., the distance between the strings and the fretboard. Tighten it, and the neck bends backward—this is call back-bow—against the natural curve the string tension imparts, moving the strings closer to the fretboard.

What happens if you have a high slot on a guitar?

A high slot will cause the notes at the 1st fret to sound 10 to 15 cents sharper than they should. Again, the slots must be deepened. This is serious surgery. A set of nut files is an investment for a dedicated luthier, and cutting properly shaped nut slots takes an artisan’s touch.

How long does it take to clean frets on a guitar?

Clean and Polish the Frets. This is basic housecleaning, not major fret surgery, like a “crown and polish.”. Cleaning and polishing takes only five minutes, but afterward your guitar will look and play like new. If your fret wire exhibits major gunk, read ahead to step 8 for tips on removing it.

What happens if your guitar neck is back bowed?

If the neck is back bowed, the strings will lie flat against the frets, and the truss rod must be loosened. An experienced repair tech might simply sight down the neck ( PHOTO 1) or use a straightedge ( PHOTO 2) to take a precise measurement of neck bow.

How to make a guitar neck bend backwards?

Loosen it and the strings pull the neck into a concave bow, resulting in higher action—i.e., the distance between the strings and the fretboard. Tighten it, and the neck bends backward—this is call back-bow—against the natural curve the string tension imparts, moving the strings closer to the fretboard.

What is low action on a guitar?

On the treble side (top three strings), 3/64ths of an inch would be considered low action, whereas on the bass side 4/64ths or 5/64ths would be low. Double those numbers and you’ve got moderately high action. As mentioned, adjusting an acoustic guitar’s bridge height requires some surgery to the bridge saddle.

Work Area

Unless you have access to a ready-made workshop, you will need to improvise. Fortunately, guitar setups need minimal space.

Basic Equipment

Before placing your guitar on the worktop, it needs to be supported under the neck, directly underneath the nut.

Tool Requirements

This is the small collection I’ve built up over the years. It gets me through almost anything.

Assessment Procedure. The 12 Steps

Follow the sections in order. The numbered bullet points are then fully explained under the section headed Setup and Data

Set-Up and Data

Check the condition of your strings. If damaged or worn, replace them with your usual gauges. Ensure strings are fixed to the machine head posts securely to prevent slippage, and tune to pitch.

Conclusion

Many guitarists believe that an instrument needs to be ‘played in’ before I can get the best from it. There’s an element of truth in this, in that it should settle before the final setup can take place.

What is a good set up for a guitar?

As previously stated, a good set-up is a balance of the neck, the nut, and the saddle. The saddle is separate from the bridge. On acoustic guitars, it’s the material in the slot of the bridge, and on electrics, it is the individual adjustment pieces the strings ride over.

Why do you need a guitar setup?

Carried out on a regular basis, a setup will help maintain the health of the guitar through its seasonal changes. In order to do your own guitar setup, you need to know how these three things work and how they relate to one another but firstly you will need some tools.

How to make a capo for guitar?

Place a capo at the first fret or hold the string down with your finger, and fret again around the body joint where the neck starts to thicken, this is usually around the 12th to14th fret. Then note the gap between the string and the top of the fret in the middle of these two points.

How to adjust neck on guitar?

How To Adjust The Neck of A Guitar. When you tighten your truss rod nut clockwise it will straighten your neck (or force it into a back bow,) and when you loosen it counterclockwise the neck will relieve with the pull of the strings into a forward bow.

Why does my guitar bow?

When a guitar is tuned to pitch it exerts pulling force at the headstock and bridge, and downward force at the nut and saddle. This will cause your neck to bow. There are some things you need to understand in order to adjust your truss rod successfully.

How to get good at guitar?

The only way to get good at it is to set up a lot of them, and the best place to begin is with your own guitar.

How to know if your guitar is straight?

Another important thing to keep in mind is to always check the straightness of your neck in the playing position . Gravity has a significant influence on the neck, and the amount of relief will look drastically different when the guitar is laying on it’s back as opposed to sitting upright.