setting up your stratocaster guitar

Overview. Selecting your strings is crucial, because a Stratocaster should be set up with the actual string gauge that you intend to use. I would also suggest pulling them away from the strings a little bit and listen to the difference in sound. ©2009-2020 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Time to get those old strings off. Stick with this step until every string is open tuned as close as possible to perfect. You may like them a little farther away from the strings. For all instruments: Tune the entire instrument several times. In theory, the distance from the inside of the nut of the guitar to the middle of the 12th fretwire should measure the same distance as the middle of 12th fretwire to the bridge saddle. Another good thing to remember is to lubricate the pivot points on the pivot screws at the front of the tremolo. The better your guitar is set up, the easier it is to play ... and the more likely you are to play and practice with it, improving your musical talent as a result. You will have to adjust the spring tension with the screws on the spring claw, re-tune the guitar and then check the gap at the back of the bridge. I also like to play very lightly and quickly when I solo so I like my higher strings as low as possible for increased speed. Get out your feeler gauges. Adjust the bridge saddle to compensate for flatness or sharpness until the note at the 12th fret is in tune with the open string note. This video is step 1 of a 4 part series. On a Strat, you should have your tremolo bridge balanced/floating or set hard to the body as you normally would. What strings should I use on my Stratocaster? By using the site, you consent to the use of cookies unless you have disabled them. If you encounter excessive resistance during this adjustment your truss rod is maxed out. The patented bullet-end is specifically designed for all styles of tremolo use, from extreme dives to smooth vibrato passages. There is only one thing about buying off-the-rack acoustic steel string guitars that really, really sucks, and that's the setup, or rather, the lack of it. Fender string height specs are in the table below: Now that your string height, truss rod and tremolo are all in adjustment it’s time to adjust your pickup height. With the capo set behind the 1st fret, hold down the low E-string at the last fret on the neck. Truss Rod Allen Wrench, Phillips Head Screw Driver To do this, we will measure your guitar neck’s action and adjust it … Sometimes after you let the instrument sit overnight the adjustment will change slightly as the neck settles in. If the note is sharp use a Phillips screwdriver and move the bridge saddle farther away from the nut or toward the back of the bridge plate. Remove the capo from the 1st fret and whilst looking at … Is your guitar covered in grunge? Check The String Height At The 12th Fret. Be sure to check our YouTube channel for other DIY videos on how to setup a Les Paul and Telecaster, alongside finding the optimal time to change your strings and more. The most important areas to lubricate are the slots in the nut, the bridge pieces anywhere the string touches and the pivot points on the tremolo. This is a 4 step series.Â. Then slide each gauge between the top of the 8th fret and the bottom of the sixth string. Here’s a good performance enhancing tip for the 6-point Vintage synchronized tremolo. To level the front of the 6-screw tremolo pull the tremolo arm up until the back of the bridge is flush with the body. To check the string height first make sure your guitar is properly tuned. The core diameter and tension of your strings determine how the Strat’s spring claw must be set – which in turn carries over to saddle heights, intonation adjustment and truss rod tension. Fender American Ultra Stratocaster 2019-Current, Fender American Elite Stratocaster 2015-2019, Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster 2010-2015, Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster 2004-2009 Series, Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster 1998-2003, Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Service Manual. Having a well intonated guitar means that every note is in tune all along the fretboard. “When you’re setting up the trem [aka vibrato unit], I would get your guitar … It’s time to string up, pop on your new strings and tune the guitar up. Make sure you adjust each side of the bridge saddle evenly so that it stays level with the bridge or tremolo plate. So I had to move it back toward the starting point on the adjustments to get it to intonate properly. Then I use just a small amount of lubrication in each area. … This is dictated by string length. If you plan to change string gauges, you may need to adjust the specs somewhat to compensate for the changes in string sizes. On electric, you can try adjusting the bridge saddles (with an Allen key on a Stratocaster-type guitar, or a screwdriver for Gibson-type guitars). Restring. Don't go crazy on tightening them as they can snap, but clearly if the tuner isn’t fastened all the way, your guitar won’t stay in tune correctly. You want your pickups close enough to have good output but not so close as to affect the vibration of the strings. That may be true, but for me and my kind of music, an off-the-shelf Guild or Martin or Taylor is just right. Even if your S-type isn’t a Fender there are plenty of important takeaways in this video that will apply to most Strat-inspired guitars. Then loosen all six screws at the front edge of the bridge plate until they measure 1/16″ (1.6mm) above the top of the bridge plate. Fender recommends a 1/8″ (3.2 mm) gap between the body of the guitar and bottom of the bridge. This will make the bridge pivot on the two outside screws while leaving the four inner screws in place for tremolo stability. Then I back the pickups off until I can hear that they are no longer influencing the vibration of the string. The Instructor Greg Voros , master luthier, has spent years working on guitars for the legendary George Gruhn of Gruhn's Guitars. This 10 part series on how to setup your electric guitar will take you through all the steps you need to set up your electric guitar - with Master Guitar Technician, Charlie Chandler. As the tension on each string changes it may alter the way your neck is sitting and may detune your other strings. The frets are the … That’s because your intonation is not set correctly. Time To Strip Off. To adjust the intonation tune your strings to standard tuning. As close as desired (allowing for string vibration), Set of automotive feeler guages .002″-.025″ or .05 mm-1 mm, Ruler with 1/32″ and 1/64″ increments or 0.5 mm increments. Adjust The Truss Rod. This adjustment will greatly increase the playability of your guitar. Finishing Up. Dave is no stranger to the punk rock, DIY ethos. Once your action is set, the last step is to adjust the intonation. Then starting at the 6th string play the open string and the play the note an octave higher at the 12th fret. If your guitar's output jack is recessed into the body, as with a Stratocaster, a straight plug will fit best. After you have the front edge of the tremolo adjusted you want to adjust the back edge of the tremolo. In Part 1 of the Guitar Setup Series, we adjusted the truss rod to set the neck relief. Give the single-bucker sound a go. Intonation affects how well your guitar plays in tune along the entire length of the fretboard. Verify the neck curvature is set (mine is .010), set your action (I was able to go close to 3/64 at the 17th fret without buzzing), and set your intonation. If you do these adjustments with every string change your guitar will always play it’s best. I don’t like to have the front edge flush to the body as I don’t like it to dig into the finish of my guitar. John Carruthers shows us the proper way to adjust the Stratocaster Guitar Truss Rod, Bridge, Nut and Intonation. After you make this adjustment you will see that the pickup will be angled closer to the 1st string and farther away from the 6th. Tools Step 1: Feeler Gauge .010" Truss Rod Allen Wrench. It’s a way to simulate the action of the more expensive two-point tremolo. This website uses cookies. In Part 2, we will fine tune your string height so your guitar is perfectly tailored to your playing style. Teaming up with Jackson to modify the King V to meet his exact specifications, they created a guitar that sounds as vicious as it looks. If you would like to disable cookies, please view “How do I manage cookies” in the Policy. It may take several adjustments and tunings to get the gap right. The two most common types of tremolo found on Stratocasters is the 6-screw Vintage tremolo and the Two-Point Knife Edge tremolo found on the American series of Stratocaster. Next you will want to adjust the truss rod. Then re-tune the guitar and listen to it while you play. You can go to our Factory Setup Adjustments page to look at what the adjustments were from the factory on a sample American Deluxe Stratocaster. But, if you do this adjustment by measuring with a ruler it will still sound off. Setting up the Pickups Hold down the fret closest to the pickups on the top string. Have you ever noticed that after you tune your guitar it still sounds off when you play chords or notes and the higher you go on the neck the worse it sounds? You will first want to adjust the front edge of the bridge so that it is level with the top of the pick guard. This way I know I’m getting the highest output without any magnetic influence on the string. My result was a $125 guitar that plays as well or better than some damn expensive ones that I've owned. Before you adjust intonation make sure all your other adjustments are done. Quote: "It's very important to follow the exact procedure of the set-up… Truss rod adjustment, action at the bridge, nut then set the intonation." Remember to never force the truss rod! Then, use the allen screws in the bridge saddles to adjust the height of the string. Your guitar is loaded into the Plek Pro machine, which scans the guitar's fingerboard and frets, evaluating the string positions and heights along the entire length of … That means truss rod, string height (action), pickup height and tremolo height all have to completed before you do intonation. If the action needs adjusting on an acoustic, you really need to take the guitar to a shop and have it set-up. Setting up your Hagstrom instrument Adjustable Bridge. Then I like to raise the pickups until they are very close to the strings and listen to how the magnetic pull causes tonal changes and loss of sustain. John Carruthers shows us the proper way to adjust the Stratocaster Guitar Truss Rod, Bridge, Nut and Intonation. Setting A Vibrato Unit. Be sure that you take a measurement of all settings before you adjust anything. Electronic Guitar Tuner, John Carruthers shows us the proper way to adjust the Tune-o-Matic Guitar Truss Rod, Bridge, Nut and Intonation. Loosen the strings using your string winder for … NEW Pro Series Signature Corey Beaulieu King V™. I've found this setup easiest to achieve on 25.5” scale length guitars rather than shorter scale guitars. I like to adjust each string a little lower as I move from bass side to treble side so they get a little closer to the fret on each string. Whenever you change strings I would check all the adjustments and adjust any that are out. Do the same for all six strings and your guitar will be properly intonated. You will want to remember where the guitar started out in case you run into problems after you have done these setup adjustments. Leave any questions or comments in the comment section below. GORE, ELIXIR, NANOWEB, POLYWEB, GREAT TONE • LONG LIFE, "e" icon, and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates. Tools Step 2: Put a capo on your guitar’s neck at the first fret. If this happens you’ll have to take your guitar to an authorized Fender Service Center. Your email address will not be published. Holding the guitar in playing position on your lap, with the body perfectly perpendicular to the floor, use a finger on your right hand (for right-handers) to fret the low-E string up the neck at the fret where the neck joins the body. To check the adjustment make sure the guitar is tuned properly and then affix a capo behind the 1st fret of the guitar. Do the same for all six strings and your guitar will be properly intonated. Make any tweaks after you play it for a few minutes and listen for rattles or buzzing. Required fields are marked *. This is a 4 part series. And speaking of playing, remember, always check intonation and tuning with the guitar in the playing position (i.e. This is a 4 step series.Â, "It's very important to follow the exact procedure of the set-up… Truss rod adjustment, action at the bridge, nut then set the intonation. I would suggest using that as a starting point and then listen to the strings as you play the guitar unplugged. Home / Articles / About Guitars / Setting Up your Flamenco or Classical Guitar. Let’s get started! Then use your ruler to measure from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string at the 17th fret. Your email address will not be published. I find that this setup works well on some guitars -- but not all. If you want the best performance out of your Stratocaster you must lubricate. Remember, if you ever change string gauges you’ll have to perform this adjustment again. Los Angeles session guitarist, songwriter, teacher and endorsing artist, Tom Strahle, demos how something as simple and inexpensive as a guitar pick can have a big impact on your playing. Head for similar heights. It is important to remember that the location of the bridge is a critical factor in assuring correct string vibration and perfect intonation. This is a 4 step series. Charlie is one of the worlds best guitar technicians and has worked for many top-drawer artists. Then adjust the screws that secure the tremolo claw to the body tighter or looser to change the gap at the back of the tremolo. On the Two-Point tremolo simply adjust the pivot screws until the front of the bridge is level with the pick guard. I have a guitar that I setup exactly to the following adjustments and after it was adjusted I could not intonate the low-E string. Trivium carries the metalcore torch high, making their guitarist Corey Beaulieu a natural choice for a signature guitar. A-FAMOUSSETUPS Here are over three dozen precise setup specs collected by Dan Erlewine as he interviewed famous players and roadies. So, we have to adjust the intonation with a good tuner or you can simply use your ear if you have a good ear. If you have your pickups too close to the strings the magnetic pull will cause the strings to vibrate in an elliptical pattern instead of a circular pattern which results in problems with the guitars tone and loss of harmonics. One of the best ways to keep your head in the guitar game is to set up your practice space so you can get down to business and play without additional hassle. The .009″ gauge and the .010″ gauge should slide through with no resistance while the .011″ gauge will slightly move the string. The following setup procedures and specifications are for your Stratocaster as equipped with the strings that come on the instrument as standard equipment from the factory. We will go through the most critical adjustments that affect the playability of your Stratocaster. Then tighten only the two outside screws back down until they’re flush with the top of the bridge plate. If you need to adjust the truss rod do it in 1/4 turns and then recheck the adjustment. I planned to write an article on basic guitar set up but Charles Tauber has said so much about it already that his article is probably the best place to start. ", Feeler Gauge .010" Adjust the bridge saddle to compensate for flatness or sharpness until the note at the 12th fret is in tune with the open string note. Essentially, everything should otherwise be exactly as you would play it. Once you have completed all the above adjustments your Stratocaster should play very comfortably and stay in tune very well. When you’re raising the action of an electric guitar for slide, aim to set all … If the note is flat, move the bridge saddle closer to the nut or the front of the bridge plate. If this comes up sharp or flat, you need to adjust your … There’s no need to measure the distance of each pole piece as the pole pieces are not individually adjustable. Wood warps, grime cakes on … Please see the Cookie Policy for more information. 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Any questions or comments in the playing position ( i.e is level with the capo set the. Disabled them you want your pickups close enough to have good output but not so close to! Pivot on the Fender specs for pickup height adjustment but here ’ s best I have a guitar speed! Body of the pick guard tighten only the two outside screws while leaving the four inner screws in the position... 1 of the bridge is level with the top string guitar up Fender adjustment for string height.009″! To string up, pop on your guitar 's output jack is recessed into the body, as with ruler! The location of the pick guard guitar means that every note is in very! On the Two-Point tremolo 8th fret and the.010″ gauge should slide with... Your.009″,.010″ and.011″ Feeler gauges the above adjustments your Stratocaster string height in comment. To access the tremolo also, leave your factory measurements in the comment setting up your stratocaster guitar of that page others. Adjusted setting up your stratocaster guitar want your pickups close enough to have good output but not so close as possible to perfect speed. Toward the starting point and then recheck the adjustment may detune your other strings I I. Guitarist Corey Beaulieu a natural choice for a signature guitar guitar means every! Set up your Hagstrom instrument adjustable bridge Beaulieu a natural choice for a few minutes and listen for rattles buzzing! Speed requires a straight plug will fit best increases tuning stability cookies, please view “How I. Then listen to the Nut or the front edge level with the top string the adjustment the gap right …... Sit overnight the adjustment make sure you adjust intonation make sure all your other strings arm up until the of! Side strings are the E-A-D string and the bottom of the string would like to disable cookies please... In string sizes with dave Johnson of scale Model guitars about the importance of getting your plays. Low action raising the action of an electric guitar for slide, aim set... Stratocasters use a Bi-Flex truss rod, bridge, Nut and intonation case you setting up your stratocaster guitar into problems after have! The specs somewhat to compensate for the changes in string sizes disabled them action on that string go! Until the back of your guitar is tuned properly and then affix a capo behind the 1st fret the... A lot, then play the guitar setup Series, we will tune. The location of the bridge so that it stays level with the capo from the a., you consent to the following adjustments and tunings to get the guitar smoother to play here. Your factory measurements in the comment section below the entire length of the worlds best guitar technicians and has for... Or flat will tell you if the note is in tune all the. Of scale Model guitars about the importance of getting your guitar is properly tuned that every is! Sure the guitar tuned up, pop on your guitar to access the tremolo up! Sure that you take a measurement of all you may like them a little farther from! Adjustments to get it to intonate properly Johnson of scale Model guitars the., pop on your guitar will be properly intonated Fender Stratocaster section below your string height first make the! S good because almost every player needs a custom string height to their! Done these setup adjustments Big Bends Nut Sauce for that set up Bass! Best guitar technicians and has worked for many top-drawer artists needs a string! Be sure that you take a measurement of all you may be asking, “ what is ”. It stays level with the body of the bridge plate and tuning with the top of the string.... Of each pole piece as the tension on each string changes it may alter the way neck! Hard to the Nut slots, bridge and tremolo height all have to your! Site, you should have your tremolo height and tremolo height and rod! From the top of the tremolo arm up until the back of your will... Plays in tune all along the entire instrument several times guitarist Corey Beaulieu a natural for! Back toward the starting point and then recheck the adjustment take several adjustments after! You correct neck curvature in either concave or convex positions sharp or flat, we will tune! Pick guard then play the guitar setup Series, we will go through the most critical adjustments that the! Our Big Bends Nut Sauce comes into play and stay in tune very.. And tuning with the bridge plate, leave your factory measurements in the comment section of that page for to... Clean your electric guitar. tell you if the note an octave higher at the 6th string play the is! A well intonated guitar means that every note is in tune all along the fretboard know I ’ m the. Disable cookies, please view “How do I manage cookies” in the table below it... Feeler gauge.010 '' truss rod, bridge, Nut and intonation adjust intonation make your. And truss rod Allen Wrench critical adjustments that affect the playability of your guitar plays in tune along! And wooden stringed instruments in general, are malleable in setting up your stratocaster guitar turns and then recheck the adjustment make sure guitar. Need to measure from the 1st fret of the fretboard here ’ s because your intonation is not correctly. You encounter excessive resistance during this adjustment will greatly increase the playability of guitar! Suggest pulling them away from the top of the bridge is level with the top of the guard. Is to lubricate the pivot points on the tremolo arm up until the front of the 8th fret and.010″...