Guitar Set Up Question

[JerEvil]

So I am going to attempt my first set up tonight. My Carvin all of a sudden is "fretting out" on open strings. If I play past the 3rd fret it is ok, still a bit of fretting but the notes at least ring out. Here's what I THINK I know about set ups:

1, Neck Adjustment - in this instance I need to remove tension, so about 1/4 turn clockwise (to the right)
2. I lower the action with the screws on the bridge if need be (non-trem)
3. I tune the guitar to pitch with open strings, then check with 12th fret harmonic. If it is flat, I adjust the saddle backwards, if it is sharp I adjust it forward

Is that basically it?

Also, as far as "sighting the neck" this makes no sense to me, I can't tell what I am looking for. All I know is that it's fretting out between open and 4ht fret somehow. When sighting, what should I see? I never understand how thes guys are like, "Oh that's bowed on the bass side ..."

 

[Deleted member 8761]

First get a straightedge and some feeler gauges (I like to measure, but it is not necessary). I have bad eyesight and take out the guessing that way. Remember this for truss rod adjustments: righty-tighty, lefty-loosey (this may sound stupid but it works for me, got it from a Dan Erlewine book).
1. If you want more relief, you need to adjust to the left. 2 is ok. 3 compare the fretted note to the harmonic.

 

[JerEvil]

First get a straightedge and some feeler gauges (I like to measure, but it is not necessary). I have bad eyesight and take out the guessing that way. Remember this for truss rod adjustments: righty-tighty, lefty-loosey (this may sound stupid but it works for me, got it from a Dan Erlewine book).
1. If you want more relief, you need to adjust to the left. 2 and 3 are ok.

Gotcha. It's too tight, therefor it is greeting by the nut so I need to loosen. Glad I asked. Where's you get your straight edge and gauges? Stew mac?

 

[Deleted member 8761]

Any hard ware store/auto shop has them. Stew mac is a good place, look there first but they can be pricey.

ALso, check the nut if the problem persists. I added a comment to 3, but you beat me to it.

 

[marshallmel]

I think your saddle adjustments are backwards in step 3.

 

[Code001]

You don't need a straight edge to measure relief. Simply fret the first fret and last fret. The string itself will become a straight edge. Measure relief at the 9th fret with a feeler gauge, although it's not really necessary because you can do it by sight or feel. You want about a business card's thickness +/- between the string and the 9th fret. If you lower the action when you're experiencing a backbow situation, you'll just make it worse. I personally prefer fretting instead of harmonics when doing intonation, too. If it's flat, move the saddle forward. Opposite for sharp, obviously.

 

[Deleted member 8761]

I think your saddle adjustments are backwards in step 3.

Yes, flat = forward, sharp = backward

 

[glassjaw7]

Yeah, as Code said definitely fret the 12th and don't use a harmonic. The harmonic pitch is going to be almost the same or possibly identical to the open string pitch.

 

[JerEvil]

Still can't stop the buzz on my open Low E string

 

[Anonymous]

I think your saddle adjustments are backwards in step 3.

Yes, flat = forward, sharp = backward

an easy way to remember:

if the note is sharp = away from nut

flat = toward nut

 

[shgshg]

Intonating the guitar won't fix a neck angle or neck bow problem.

First things first though: change strings.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I have the same thing on my B string of a guitar on open note/string. Bit of buzz..i wonder does this have anything to do with the way the nut was slotted? I'd like to solve my issue as well.

 

[JerEvil]

Intonating the guitar won't fix a neck angle or neck bow problem.

First things first though: change strings.

Yup. Got the first part.

I have the same thing on my B string of a guitar on open note/string. Bit of buzz..i wonder does this have anything to do with the way the nut was slotted? I'd like to solve my issue as well.

Guessing the nut gets worse over time. Guitar played amazingly well a week ago.

 

[AndyK]

If the guitar was fine a week ago, it HAS to be a minor neck adjustment. A nut will not wear that fast! Adding a tiny bit of relief changes a lot, and should correct your problem.

 

[JerEvil]

If the guitar was fine a week ago, it HAS to be a minor neck adjustment. A nut will not wear that fast! Adding a tiny bit of relief changes a lot, and should correct your problem.

My AC was out for about 3 days and house was at 95 degrees. Got the AC fixed but was also really humid for the following few days. I added some relief but the low E still buzzes. Going to start over tonight. I know this is something I am smart enough to master. Just going to try until I get it. .

 

[chunktone]

Tuned to what ever pitch you play in, fret the High E at the first fret, and the last with your right hand pinky. Use your right hand index finger to check for relief at the 12th fret. I prefer very little to no relief. If there is no relief or space between the string and the 12th fret, adjust the truss rod counter clockwise gradually until you have a very small amount of relief. If this does not correct the problem, it's nut issue. Intonation is another issue and there's plenty of tutorials online, once the other is corrected.

 

[JerEvil]

Tuned to what ever pitch you play in, fret the High E at the first fret, and the last with your right hand pinky. Use your right hand index finger to check for relief at the 12th fret. I prefer very little to no relief. If there is no relief or space between the string and the 12th fret, adjust the truss rod counter clockwise gradually until you have a very small amount of relief. If this does not correct the problem, it's nut issue. Intonation is another issue and there's plenty of tutorials online, once the other is corrected.

Yeah man, I got the intonation thing down. Got all my guitars humming along now, just the Carvin still giving me the fidgets LOL! I saw some folks capo the first fret. Going to try that and then see about getting a business card sized amount of space between string and fret. That seems to be a popular relief height.

Thanks for the input you all.

 

[shgshg]

If you live in a "hostile environment" - extremes of temperature and humidity from day to night and from summer to winter - your guitar might just not be well-designed for where you live. A thin shreddy unfinished neck is far more prone to movement than a thick chunky neck with a gloss finish. I had an Ibanez RG with a sanded neck that twisted if I so much as looked at it, while I can practically submerge my gloss-finish Strats in water and they won't budge.

 

[JerEvil]

If you live in a "hostile environment" - extremes of temperature and humidity from day to night and from summer to winter - your guitar might just not be well-designed for where you live. A thin shreddy unfinished neck is far more prone to movement than a thick chunky neck with a gloss finish. I had an Ibanez RG with a sanded neck that twisted if I so much as looked at it, while I can practically submerge my gloss-finish Strats in water and they won't budge.

I'm in the desert, Las Vegas. Temp changes are brutal.

 

[AndyK]

A trick I do is when my guitar is set up perfectly, I measure the action height at the 12th fret (usuall 1/16 and a little higher on the bass side). That way, if the neck moves due to the weather, temp changes, etc, all I have to do is turn the truss rod until my action is back to 1/16th. Then I know it's back to where it's supposed to be.