Complete Guitar Setup: Easy Step-By-Step Guide

Comments · 487

• CO

  @ConorRocks · 3 years ago (edited) · pinned

  Here&apos;s everything I use in this video (affiliate link, not sponsored!): <a href="https://amzn.to/48e1Q6Q">https://amzn.to/48e1Q6Q</a><br><br>Chapters:<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44">00:00</a> Intro<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44&amp;t=29">00:29</a> How often to set up your guitar<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44&amp;t=59">00:59</a> Tools required<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44&amp;t=111">01:51</a> Step 1: Change your strings<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44&amp;t=153">02:33</a> Step 2: Neck relief<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44&amp;t=317">05:17</a> Step 3: String height<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44&amp;t=436">07:16</a> Step 4: Pickup height<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44&amp;t=525">08:45</a> Step 5: Intonation<br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOn193eG44&amp;t=641">10:41</a> Final thoughts<br><br><b>Update</b><br>I&apos;ve misplaced the decimal point in the neck relief tables! They should read:<br><br>7.25&quot;: 0.012&quot;<br>9.5&quot; to 12&quot;: 0.010&quot;<br>15&quot; to 17&quot;: 0.008&quot;

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• WA

  @waterblightbuttface6820 · 1 year ago

  Thanks for not stretching this out for 45min like some mfs on YouTube

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• SE

  @seananderson4248 · 2 years ago

  I bought a new fender strat in 1987 -- played in bands and clubs for a long time -- finally someone offered to set it up for me - in 2015! &nbsp;I had never had it set up - things were different back then if you did not know someone or no one told you (the shop I bought it at should have said something) you did not know.....I was amazed when the action was lowered how much better it played!

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• JL

  @jlambert12013 · 2 years ago

  The only thing I don’t agree with in this video is when he said “ f you want it to be perfect take it to your local guitar store”

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• LU

  @luciusseneca9162 · 2 years ago

  As a self taught casual player and the only person in my family or friend circle who plays, this was incredibly helpful. Thank you!

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• TA

  @Tarantula_Fangs · 1 year ago

  I’m going to be honest here, I have NEVER done a setup on my guitars; and I’ve been playing since I was 16! 🤣 I’m going to work on them now.

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• KR

  @kritiko · 2 years ago

  One of the best quick in details explanation on the entire youtube library 👍

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• LO

  @LornaCabins · 3 years ago

  I&apos;ve literally never set up my guitar... Oops! Thank you, this was helpful!

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• DO

  @donald-parker · 2 years ago

  I check set up every time I change strings (and check it again a couple of days later after playing on them) and every seasonal change and every time I take a guitar travelling with me when I get to a new location. I definitely agree with the order you recommend (relief, action, intonation). And good tip about keeping fender style saddles level - so many people think tilting the saddles is part of matching the fretboard radius, and that is just wrong. A titled saddle can rob you of tone, sustain, and tuning stability. I never bothered with feeler gauges for adjusting relief - I just hold a string down at the 1st fret and where the neck joins the body and tap at about the 7th fret to see how much movement there is. IMO there is no &quot;right or wrong&quot; - it depends on how hard you play, the string gauges you use and the type of music you play (a little fret buzz will never be noticed with high gain playing but might be bothersome for a rich clean tone). I adjust PU height for sound. Some folks might prefer balanced volume when changing from neck to bridge - some may prefer more output. As long as they are not too close to the strings, I feel it is a matter of taste and sound (for example, on strat style guitars I tend to keep the middle PU a lot lower - I just prefer the sound I get in positions 4 and 2 that way). I would suggest never to adjust the truss rod more than 1/4 turn without checking, and if it is not good enough after two adjustments, wait a day or two before going further. I agree completely that anyone serious about guitar should learn to do this. And I would add that, a lot of nubes seem to think getting a &quot;pro set up&quot; is good for life. Wrong. Guitars change. And setting up to &quot;factory specs&quot; is a compromise. Playable by anyone but optimal for no one. The only person who can dial in the perfect set up for your style, sound, and choice of string is you.

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• ST

  @stuartlauchlan7061 · 2 years ago

  I&apos;ve always been a bit nervous of playing with the setup of my guitars, but your guide is really user-friendly and easy to follow, so it&apos;s time to give it a try. Thanks for sharing.

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• AL

  @alecaventura · 1 year ago (edited)

  I just solved the fret buzz problem by increasing the height of the saddles as you explained, it&apos;s a Squier C.V. Tele 40th Anniversary Edition, brand new, in case anyone is having the same problems with this same model.<br>Thank you very much for the tip, congratulations on the video, the first time I did this, you encouraged me, it&apos;s amazing how it works. :)

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• MA

  @markcbh · 1 month ago

  After months of putting it off, I finally got round to following your setup steps on my new Tele, first time I&apos;ve ever done this. It feels SO different to play! Thanks for the clear advice, realistic instructions and helpful context.