SET UP LIKE A STAR

STEVE HENDERSON TEACHES US HOW TO TURN A STOCK-STANDARD AXE SETUP INTO A KIT WORTH THE BIG LEAGUES.

So, you’ve bought your dream guitar and it’s perfect in every way. The guy at the shop said it’s ready to go and, in no time at all, you know you’ll be playing the big gig s. But as soon as that first rush of excitement wears off, you’ll start to find some tiny details that you didn’t notice in the store. You wish it played a little easier up the neck , or maybe the strings are too low and they rattle a little, or some chords are perfectly in tune and other s have a slight dissonance.

When you buy a guitar, it most often has a generic f eel. This is a result of the factory setup – a balance of the instrument’s component variables. These variables include string gauge and tension, string height and angle over the saddle and nut , neck straightness (“relief”), neck angle (for bolt-on necks, mostly), intonation, etcetera.

Even details like the height of the nut, the pickup height (for an electric), string anchor points and the machine heads, will have an impact. The setup is critical for an instrument to play just right for you and is best done by an experienced professional. Your guitar tech will ask how you’d like it and do it that way every time. And when all the variables are in balance, the guitar will play and sound just right. String gauge is the fir st decision, and this can depend on what f eels right to you. If an electric guitar is factory fitted with 9- 42s, changing to 10s will af fect the tension, how easily they bend, the neck straightness, the intonation, and the sonic balance.

For example, I like 9- 46s on 25.5-inch scale guitars (like Fenders) and 10- 52s on 24.75-inch scale (Gibsons). I like the tighter, bigger bass notes that these gauges deliver, as opposed to the factory 9- 42s and 10- 46s (respectively), and I’m happy to fiddle with the intonation and truss rod until the neck settles in again.

But that’s just me. Someone else might prefer 9- 42s on everything, and that’s fine too. It’s part of what makes the guitar so per sonal, so discovering what suits you is important and it takes time. But, a great setup can be done immediately, making the guitar play and sound amazing.

A SIMPLE SETUP MIGHT INVOLVE JUST A FEW STEPS:

1. Changing strings to your preferred gauge – an impor tant part of the immediate f eel and contributes to the tension and the tone.

2. Checking neck relief (straightness) so that there’s no undue curve in the neck .

3. Adjusting string radius ( curve) and action (height) – the radius is the curve across the strings (referencing the fretboard radius), the action is the distance to the frets (in most cases, as lo w as possible without fret buzz).

4. Setting intonation – the length of the string (acoustics are usually pre-set but some adjustment is still possible).

Amore complicated setup might involve adjusting nut slot depth and width, checking machine head tension, leveling and re-crowning errant frets, re-spacing the strings at the bridge, etcetera. There are many factors involved in making a guitar play well but they all have a role to play, each dependent on the others.

Sometimes, just lowering the action a little can make a huge difference to the instrument’s playability, but it leads to a number of other adjustments, such as the intonation. Another factor will be your technique – if you’re accustomed to a high ac tion you may now over-play, so you’ll need to ease up. The immediate benefits will be less fatigue and more control.

Do you use drop D a lot? Usin g a heavier bass string will tighten up those bass notes. Do y ou need less tension on your acoustic but don’t want to change the string gauge? Reducing the number of winds around the machine head posts will reduce the angle over the nut, changing the tension. Do you want a more consistent tone? Change the strings more often.

Strings are a critical factor, so buy good ones. You can’t intonate a guitar with old strings, you can’t even play in tune. Strings stretch and change shape, altering the mass along their length. And be aware that even long-life strings do this – they may stay brighter for longer, but the coating doesn’t stop them from changing their shape and mass. They do that just like uncoated strings.

Remember, too, that it’s a wooden instrument and, therefore, subject to climatic conditions. Some setup parameters should be checked as the seasons chan ge (for example, rosewood is much more porous than maple – a r osewood fingerboard might buzz during those humid summer months) so a six-monthly setup is a good maintenance routine.

Having a regular setup done is like a regular service on your car; it will last longer, play better, sound sweeter, and serve your art more completely.