Setup technique (Full Version)

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a_arnold -> Setup technique (Jul. 29 2012 22:16:54)

In setting up a guitar to have the most comfortable possible action, I was told by a local luthier that he just tunes the guitar (or any other fretted instrument) a half-step or two low, then lowers the action until he begins to get slight buzz, at which point he knows he is pushing it, then tuning it back up to 440 standard makes the buzz go away. And voila.

He says that this way, he avoids taking too much off the nut or bone when lowering it.

I guess this approach means you have to know whether your customer wants to use high or low tension strings.

Is this a reasonable way to proceed -- assuming you want the lowest possible action?



estebanana -> RE: Setup technique (Jul. 29 2012 23:26:37)

Or you can get a tighter tolerance by simply leaving it tuned at 440 and doing the same thing.

If you tune a guitar to pitch at A-440 and then press the string at the first fret it gives you a string height at the 12th fret. That is the data you use to set the saddle height. It tells you how much to lower the saddle because you know lowering however many mm's or 64ths at the saddle with have half that effect at the 12th fret. If you do the same thing and the string as not to pitch then that system is not reliable. So any accuracy in your reasonable calculation for saddle height goes out the window and with it any speed at which you can make decisions.

For string above the frets tolerance at the nut you want the full string tension to be able to judge the playability at full pitch. If the strings are below standard pitch the player uses then it's more guess work and tuning and de tuning to get it correct.

If you are not up to pitch you're playing guessing games and wasting time.



Jeff Highland -> RE: Setup technique (Jul. 30 2012 1:50:04)

I agree with Steven, that is a very arbitrary and time consuming method
I set relief first if the neck has a truss rod, nut slot height, then saddle height (using measurement at the 12th to make decisions), then intonation.
This way you are not just doing trial and error and having to go back and readjust.



a_arnold -> RE: Setup technique (Jul. 31 2012 15:15:55)

I think the reasoning went like this:
"If I lower the saddle until it buzzes sightly with it tuned at 440, then I have taken too much off and have to start over with a new saddle.

"But if I lower the saddle until it buzzes slightly when tuned below standard, then tuning back up will eliminate the buzz -- barely."

I'm reminded of Seinfeld's take on painkillers: "I want the maximum pain relief possible. Figure out what dose will kill me, and then back off a little."



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