Electric Guitars E-Book

James Collins

• Herausgeber: The Crowood Press
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 354

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

This practical guide considers everything you need to know, from the instrument's initial set up through to maintenance and repairs. An invaluable resource for beginners who want to learn to set up and look after their guitars, to aspiring and professional touring techs who want to work on other people's guitars.

Leseprobe

Contents

Introduction

PART 1:

GUITAR SETUP

CHAPTER 1:

Assessment and Understanding the Numbers

CHAPTER 2:

Neck Relief and How to Adjust

CHAPTER 3:

String Height Action

CHAPTER 4:

Bridge Saddle Radius

CHAPTER 5:

Floating the Bridge

CHAPTER 6:

Intonation

PART 2:

GUITAR MAINTENANCE

CHAPTER 7:

Fretboards

CHAPTER 8:

Fret Polishing

CHAPTER 9:

Electrics

CHAPTER 10:

General Cleaning

CHAPTER 11:

Re-Stringing

CHAPTER 12:

Pickup Heights

Full Setup, Start to Finish: Gibson Les Paul Standard

Full Setup, Start to Finish: Fender Stratocaster

PART 3:

GUITAR REPAIR

CHAPTER 13:

Basics

CHAPTER 14:

Nuts

CHAPTER 15:

Machine Heads

CHAPTER 16:

Electrics

CHAPTER 17:

Fret Dressing

CHAPTER 18:

Re-Fretting

CHAPTER 19:

Broken Headstocks

CHAPTER 20:

Finishing

Index

Introduction

My background

The early days of my lutherie journey began with me basically taking apart all my guitars, ‘cleaning’ them and then trying to put them back together. It was a great initial learning experience. After suffering a headstock break on my first Les Paul and having it ‘repaired’ badly three times – it would keep opening up again, because the wrong glue had been used – a good friend suggested that I should go and study guitar repair and fix the break myself. (I have now carried out that particular repair hundreds of times without it reopening.) I had worked in the music industry for many years after leaving college, but somewhere along the way I had fallen out of love with it. After consulting with a few knowledgeable friends, I decided to head out to Michigan to attend the Galloup School of Lutherie, run by Bryan Galloup. The school already had a very good reputation, but it was not quite as big as it is now. I found myself in a small class with six other students, all eager to learn guitar building and repair. From the very early days, we were taught the philosophy that a good guitar builder is a great repairer.

Having completed my studies in 2007, I returned to the UK. I had been impressed with the professionalism that had been taught at Galloup and I wanted to emulate this approach, and establish a guitar service and repair centre of the type that seemed to me to be lacking in the UK. At that time, most setup work, for example, was done in the back room of the shop that sold the guitars. My company 12th Fret Guitar Setup and Repair came into being at the start of 2008 and I certainly hit the ground running! Looking back, I feel now that the first couple of years of 12th Fret were my real apprenticeship. It was a steep learning curve, but I had been well schooled in the fundamentals at Galloup. Within two years 12th Fret became one of four Gibson service centres, undertaking Gibson warranty work. The association helped the business to expand and during those first three years the repair benches and racks were always full.

After a while I was asked by a guitar school to share my knowledge about guitar setup and maintenance by giving some lectures to their students. They had realised that of the few hundred students of all ages who attended the school, hardly any knew how to look after their instruments properly. Only a handful knew how to change strings, let alone anything else. Generally, they were leaving it to the local shop to do, which was fine, but it did not happen regularly enough. As a result, many of the students were not playing the guitar as often as they should or, sadly, were not enjoying it when they did. Dirty old strings do not feel great under the hand and do not intonate as well as newer, cleaner ones. The inevitable knock-on effect is that the guitar does not get played as much.

Setup tools.

After that first day of three lectures to groups of 20, when I showed them how to re-string and clean up their fretboards, clean out the pots, and so on, the feedback from the school was very positive. Many more students were playing the guitar more often, and fulfilling the requirements of their study, after finally changing their strings. A welcome side effect was the number who came to visit the workshop, to ask me to do a complete setup on their guitar. My work at the guitar school was not only enjoyable and satisfying, it was also good for business!

That first foray into teaching led to the establishment of guitar tech courses based on the same philosophy as those at the Galloup School: if you can build it, you can repair it. The three-day build course covered many tech skills as well as everything to do with getting the guitar set up well. Initially, attendees would learn how to assemble a Strat from quality parts, but more recently I have offered courses on building a Stratocaster, Telecaster or Jazzmaster, explaining in the process how to fit machine heads, how to understand scale length and bridge positioning, the fitting and soldering of all the electrics, fret dressing, making a bone nut and how to get the setup right. The result at the end of the course is a terrific guitar! There are many independent repairs and modifications within the build, all of which are covered in the book. Many techs have taken part, as well as students of all ages, learning how to assemble their guitars and understanding each part of the build as a repair. Teaching all aspects of the course has really helped cement my own understanding and passion for all the processes that make up guitar setup, maintenance and repair.

After the first year of guitar-building courses, I introduced a Pro Guitar Setup course, which teaches guitar setup through theory and practice over one day. After more than a decade, this is still very well attended by all levels and ages of guitarist, as well as some great roadies/techs seeking to broaden or freshen up their skills. The other students always enjoy having a touring tech alongside them, especially when they share their insights and stories of touring musicians during lunch! It is a great day of delving into how to get the best out of both your own guitar and the guitars of others. This is what I hope this book will bring to you.

The business now also incorporates the hand-building of boutique electric guitars under my own name, putting all my years of setup and repair into making the best guitars I can. My experience with setting up and repair, and with delivering the building courses, has led me to discover and use hardware materials and electrical components of the best quality. I am a frequent visitor to the excellent specialist wood yard that is close to my workshops, and I take real pleasure in working with their woods to create guitars for customers old and new.

Mapping out the setup points.

Overview of the book

The purpose of the book is to show you how to get the best out of your own guitars and those of others. It will look closely at all aspects of electric guitar setup, the setup points for all four- and five-string basses and six-string electrics, as well as twelve-string, multiple-scale lengths too. The whole process and application will be explained, for beginners, intermediate and professional techs. Having taught guitar setup in the UK for many years, I have come to the conclusion that the one aspect missing most from people’s knowledge is the ability to assess the guitar’s current setup in the correct order. Chapter 1 will cover in detail the order of assessment and explain how to understand the numbers.

James Collins guitar showroom.

Learning how to get the best out of the setup on your guitar will really help with your playing and learning, and encourage your passion for the guitar. In assessing your own guitar, a consideration of your playing style is important if you are to get the best out of it. You may be lucky enough to have a few guitars that can be set up for different genres – or you may decide to buy some more! It is possible, however, to get the setup right so that it suits a range of genres.

When setting up a guitar for someone else, your aim should be to understand and translate what they want from the guitar and its setup. This requires a good understanding of where the current numbers are on the guitar and an ability to interpret that in order to achieve the optimum setup for both guitar and player. Good assessment is always key.

With each part to the setup points laid out in the following chapters, the theory will show you the reasons why you should adopt a particular approach, rather than just telling you how to do the setup work. I have felt through teaching that people have often been told how to do something without a proper explanation. Simply copying a process without having any deeper understanding can be confusing, especially in the area of neck relief adjustment. The theory is important, and practice and experience certainly account for a lot, but a deeper understanding will complete the picture.

As well as guitar setup and maintenance, the book will also cover many aspects of repair. These are bread and butter for any tech and valuable for any touring tech, but they are also very beneficial for the individual guitar owner/ player. Learning how to repair your own guitar will not only save you some money but can also be very rewarding. A good knowledge of how to repair an instrument also opens up the world of modification and customising, which all guitarists and guitar owners seem to like to do. This area of work has certainly kept my business very busy for years.

PART ONE

Guitar Setup

CHAPTER 1

Assessment and Understanding the Numbers

Understanding the numbers

As you get started with setting up, maintaining and repairing your own guitars or the guitars of others, you will first need to understand ‘the numbers’. These are the measurements – often imperial – that accompany the manufacturers’ setup points and tech setup points. Perhaps surprisingly, many of the students who attend our pro setup course do not know that the numbers on packs of strings (‘nines’, ‘tens’, and so on) refer to imperial measurements. Buying strings as a kid and even as an adult, before I began my lutherie course, I was unaware of this too. On the other hand, when the students are asked whether they know the difference between a set of ‘nines’ and a set of ‘tens’ by feel and by the tension in the strings, they all have an opinion – indeed, they are sometimes quite vocal about it! This is remarkable, since the difference can be as small as one-thousandth of an inch (0.001in) on the High E string – the High E string of a set of ‘tens’ is 0.010in while a set of ‘nines’ has a High E string of 0.009in.

Gibson Les Paul 57 reissue, flat polished and set up – a favourite guitar.

Measuring the gauge of string with dial calipers. Guitar strings are in imperial measurements.

Accuracy with the numbers is important. For example, when the optimum for the neck relief is 0.008in measured at the 7th fret on a 24.75in scale length, the difference will be significant if the neck relief is actually at 0.012in. It will certainly be noticed by the player; whether or not they have a grasp on the specific numbers, they will certainly feel it in the fingers. Although the numbers might be new to you as a builder or repairer, as a player you may already be aware of even very small changes having quite a significant impact on how you enjoy the guitar and its playability.

Style and genre

A player’s playing style, in terms of the attack, phrasing and even tone, all come from the setup and this book should help you to reason with this, at least from the point of view of the numbers! An understanding of the numbers and setup points will help you to dial in to what you feel and what you like, how the guitar is in your hands, and how the setup resonates with the guitar. Although the numbers are subjective, as is the feel, assessing and mapping them out makes everything clearer, and will enable you to achieve a setup that gets the best out of the guitar. Often, when we send around the table of six to eight students on our setup course a Gibson Les Paul after messing about with the setup, there will be six to eight different opinions of how it plays and feels. There are also always differences in the descriptions or terminology that the students use. It is the job of a good tech to translate, transpose or interpret the words that are used by a player whose guitar is not quite set up to perfection.

The player’s style is certainly relevant when it comes to getting the best setup on the guitar. Setting up a guitar to suit a certain genre can also be an interesting process. It is quite common for guitarists to play in many different styles, so the majority of setups are designed to suit a broad cross-section of music. However, when setting up for jazz, for example, for a player who is really getting into that genre, the setup can be approached a little differently. For this style of play, the guitar does not need much relief in the neck to accommodate a heavy open attack, or much height in the strings to get behind, in order to make big bends, as a heavy blues player might wish to do. A jazz player will be playing more notes and will therefore need the setup to be as quick and easy to play around the open-chord position as much as the higher register. This requires a straighter neck and lower string height.

A blues player tends to attack the open strings a little more than a jazz player, which requires a touch more relief. They may also need to get under the strings a little more for some tone bends and beyond. Sometimes, if the action height is too low, the player will not be able to experience the feel of getting under the string. Playing country with some nice twangy open-chord runs also requires more relief in the neck, to allow for some bends around the 2nd and 4th fret areas, as well as a fairly low action for some chicken picking.

Measuring neck relief using a notched straight edge.

Having said all that, I have done work for casual jazz players who love a straight neck with a low action height across the whole fretboard, as well as extremely seasoned jazz players who need a bit of a ‘fight’ with the guitar, otherwise they find the playing too easy and get lazy! Each to their own, as they say. What is clear is that taking your own style into consideration when playing with your setup is very worthwhile. Similarly, when working on a guitar for another person, having an understanding of their style of play, and making an effort to interpret their needs and wishes, is paramount in getting the setup right. Sometimes, your depth of understanding will lead to a guitar playing better than its owner ever thought possible.

Setup points

The setup points show the parameters of neck relief, where you would try to dial in the setup according to the player’s style. A lower amount of neck relief would suit a lighter, more balanced attack; the highest amount of relief on the setup points would be more suitable to a player with a heavier attack. When neither the customer nor the tech knows where the setup works best, and where it may need to cover a number of different styles of play, the tried and tested pro-bench setup is right in the middle of the lowest and highest amount of relief. This enables you to get the guitar feeling good and can be dialed in a little more with a minimal neck relief adjustment of tightening or loosening. Often, being in the middle of those numbers feels great and is well received.

Below are some easily sourced references from Gibson and Fender, covering many of their guitars. Your guitar will not necessarily come to you from the manufacturer with these setup points, as it is likely to have been through a few distribution channels as well as a shop, and the points may have been tweaked or may have changed in transit. The factory specs are simply a guide as to where the manufacturer sees the setup. They differ slightly from the bench setup points, as they are more a range of parameters to be referenced with consideration of the player’s styles as well as experience.

Gibson Electrics Factory Specs

Neck relief0.012in at 7th fretAction height bass side5/64inAction height treble side3/64inAction height 1st fret0.030in–0.015inPickup height neck pickup3/32in bass and treblePickup height bridge pickup1/16in bass and treble

Fender Electrics Factory Specs

Neck relief0.012in at 7th fretAction height bass side3/32inAction height treble side2/32inAction height 1st fret0.020in (+/- 0.002in)Bridge height (lift)1/32in–4/32inPickup heights*4/32in bass and 3/32in treble

*String fretted at the 21st fret

Bench specs

Fixed Bridge Relief at 7th fret0.004in–0.012inAction height at 12th bass5/64inAction height at 12th treble2/32inAction height nut to 1st fret0.016in–0.020in

Floating bridge

Relief at 7th fret0.006in–0.012inAction height at 12th bass5/64inAction height at 12th treble2/32inAction height nut to 1st fret0.016in–0.020inSaddle radius7.25in 9.5in 10in 12inFloating bridge lift1/32in–4/32in

Bass

Relief at 7th fret0.008in–0.016inAction height at 12th bass4/32in +/-Action height at 12th treble3/32in +/-Action height nut to 1st fret0.020in +/-

Setup points assessment and order of adjustment

Assessing the current setup of a guitar and mapping out the numbers is a great place to start. The process will often highlight a potential issue with the current setup and give you a reference point from which to begin. Many people who try to do their own setup omit to record the setup points and often try to head straight to the issue they are experiencing. A good way to avoid this is to follow the six points of setup assessment and adjustment (see below), which lead on to the six points of maintenance. Following these steps really helps keep things in order. Measuring all the points and then adjusting them in the same order every time enables you to see the knock-on effects of any changes, which can be negative if approached in the wrong order.

1. Tune up. This has to be at the pitch of the player. If their guitar needs to be set up at E flat, then the assessment and adjustments all need to be done at that pitch. If you set the guitar up at standard pitch and then the customer plays a semi-tone down, the neck relief and tension in the guitar will change and the setup will be a little wasted, plus the knock-on effects will be significant.

2. Measure the neck relief. It is always good practice to record the exact amount of neck relief once at pitch. There are a couple of ways to do this, but it is highly recommended that you use a notched straight edge and feeler gauges (see Chapter 2).

3. Measure the action heights, nut to 1st fret and 12th fret. Use a 6in steel rule with 32nds and 64ths marked on it; most have millimetres marked on the other side too. Feeler gauges for the nut to 1st fret.

4. Measure the saddle radius (for six individual saddle bridges and three saddles on Teles). Assessing this can highlight where the individual string height is a little low. The saddles must mirror the radius of the fretboard (see Chapter 4).

5. Measure the float (lift) of the bridge. It is vital to take this measurement before any work is done, as it will certainly change significantly when other areas are adjusted.

6. Assess the intonation. This can be assessed prior to any setup work but it is a little pointless if any of the above setup points are not right, as any change will affect the intonation. This will always be the last thing that will be adjusted and in the playing position.

Tuning up to the correct pitch of the player is vital.

The setup points should be assessed and mapped out throughout the process.

Order of maintenance points

With all the setup points assessed and recorded on a setup points sheet (see below), the adjustments can begin. However, if the strings on the guitar are old and dirty it is advisable to remove them and do the maintenance side of the setup first. Once the strings are back on and to pitch, the setup adjustments can begin. With the same gauge string going back on the guitar the setup points should be exactly the same. Taking a little time to stretch in the strings will help get the tension right more quickly and make it easier to get to the final setup.

1. Fretboard cleaning. Unfinished boards of rosewood, ebony, and so on, can be cleaned up very well by gently using 0000-grade wire wool and some wood oil soap. Finished fretboards can be cleaned using a clean cloth and a pump polish.

2. Fret polishing. The frets can be polished to a nice shine using a fretboard guard, removing any tarnishing with 0000-grade wire wool or some micromesh papers.

3. Cleaning the electrics. Cleaning the pots well removes and reduces the build-up of dirt in the post and switch, which can cause crackling.

4. Other areas. With the strings off, it is a good opportunity to clean all the areas that are not usually accessible. A clean cloth or disposable fine towels are best.

5. Re-stringing. Once the setup and clean-up have been done, a new set of strings is called for. Stringing back up is another key point in the maintenance regime.

6. Check the pickup heights. Checking the pickup heights is the last item on the list. For manufacturers’ specs and ways to measure them, see Chapter 12.

Having a starting point and an end goal

Mapping out the setup points helps in numerous ways. If you are a beginner, it will give you confidence in understanding the numbers. They will often indicate that something is not quite right with the setup, and they also give you a good marker for reference. Continuing to map out the numbers and increments as they change will also help if you need to go back a few steps, if the guitar does not feel quite right. I have found that students on our setup course who are already setting up their guitars rarely map out where their starting point is. Often, they are not clear about their end goal either. They know something is not right with the guitar and they are just going to fix it! Following all the steps of assessment and maintenance will be much more productive and having a good written record can really help with this.

Mapping out the numbers as well as recording the final setup points, including the steps taken to get there, is particularly important when working on guitars that belong to other people. When I first started the repair business I offered a courier service via the website – the owner could book their guitar in and a courier would collect it and deliver it to me. Once the setup was complete, the guitar would be packed up and shipped back. Occasionally – usually when the weather was bad – the customer would call and say the guitar was buzzing and that the neck looked too straight. As I had a written record of how the guitar had been when it left me, I could reassure them that the relief (which had probably changed in transit) had been a particular number, and that the guitar would most likely settle down once it had reacclimatised. I remember a very nice Telecaster having this exact issue. I reassured the customer that the relief had been exactly 0.008in when it left the workshop, suggested leaving the guitar overnight and checking it after 24 hours. Sure enough, he called the next day to tell me it was playing like a dream!

CHAPTER 2

Neck Relief and How to Adjust

Neck relief and truss rods

The term ‘neck relief’ refers to the bow in the neck of the guitar, which is controlled by the truss rod. The elliptical pattern of the vibrating strings is accommodated by this slight curve in the neck. Positive relief is the pulling up of the neck, and this is more common than negative relief, where the neck is bowing back. Negative relief usually causes some ‘fret buzz’, as the strings around the open-chord position and up to the 5th fret are closest to the frets. With the strings at tension there is a natural pull on the neck. The truss rod fitted inside a channel in the neck is there to control this.

A great guitar: a Fender custom shop '52 reissue.

Whether it is dual-action or single-action, the truss rod is there to control neck relief. This Gibson has a single-action rod.

The neck relief is measured at the 7th fret, the position in the neck that is most important in accommodating the elliptical pattern of the strings. Imagine playing a G note off the 3rd fret of the Bass E; the position where the string is moving the most will be around the 7th to 9th fret.

Measuring the neck relief at the 7th fret, using feeler gauges and a notched straight edge.

A guitar needs relief in the neck not only to accommodate the movement of the string but also to reduce the tension over the guitar and add feel and playability. A very straight neck, with a bow of less than 0.004in, will feel tighter than one with, say, 0.012in with the same gauge strings on. That tension with the same gauge strings on the guitar will also differ with different scale lengths – a 24.75in and a 25.5in will feel different with the same gauge – and adjusting the neck relief can even that out. An obvious choice of two guitars to demonstrate this difference in tension would be a Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Stratocaster, the former being a 24.75in scale and the latter a 25.5in scale. This is why neck relief amounts may differ for the two guitars even if they are strung up with strings of the same gauge.

Gibson with a scale length of 24.75in.

Gibson 5/16in truss rod at the 10 o’clock position.

Gibson 5/16in truss rod at the 2 o’clock position.

The spec sheet shows that the parameters of neck relief for the shorter of the two scales are between 0.004in and 0.012in (factory spec), whereas the parameters for the longer scale, 25.5in, are between 0.006in and 0.012in. This is just a little reminder of the fact that the scale is longer, and the tension will be higher in the string naturally, so reducing the neck relief below the start point might result in too high a tension in the string and therefore less feel. However, it is certainly possible and can sometimes suit a player to have that high a tension and the relief to fall below the lower parameter of 0.006in.

The truss rod is placed inside a channel routed in the neck and usually the fretboard is glued on after. The truss rod nut is accessed at the headstock, just past the nut in almost all cases, although on vintage-style Fenders and some derivatives it is located at the heel end of the neck where it joins the body. There are two types of truss rod: single-action and dual-action. The single-action rod can be tightened to reduce the relief and, when it is slackened off, the strings will naturally pull the neck back into relief. With a dual-action truss rod there is tension in the rod. Tightening it will reduce relief and then loosening it will put more relief in the neck by putting pressure on it.

Many people are overly cautious about adjusting the neck relief, for fairly good reasons. However, adjusting the truss rod and the neck relief is more important than anything else in guitar setup, the rest is really just maintenance!

Guitarists and owners often say that they can adjust everything on their guitar except the neck relief and then the truss rod adjustment. Sadly, these are the two actions that are vital for getting the best out of a guitar. The neck relief and adjustment of the truss rod will in turn have a knock-on effect on pretty much all the setup points. A straighter neck will reduce the action height – the string height from the top of the fret to the underside of the string. A reduction in the neck relief will also alter the nut to 1st fret height as well as the intonation either over the nut to 1st fret, as well as at the 12th fret, where the octave is measured and intonated. With a floating tremolo guitar, a significant reduction in neck relief could also change the float of the bridge with the increase in tension over the string.

Because of all this, it makes no sense when owners tell me that they have set their guitar up really well, but have not yet adjusted the truss rod, and ask me to adjust the neck for them. If I were to do this, it would put out all the setup points they have painstakingly worked on! This is a good reminder of the importance of the order of assessment and adjustment, which is often misunderstood or ignored. Although many players and owners feel they know what is wrong with the guitar and its setup, and will pass this on to the repairer or tech, the worst thing for the repairer or tech to do is to go straight to the problem the owner has suggested and make that one adjustment without checking all the setup points in order and then adjusting them in that order. The first action should always be to make a note of the setup numbers and create a record of the starting point.

As most owners are reluctant to go anywhere near neck relief and truss rod adjustment, there is a tendency to adjust as much of the rest of the setup as possible, to try to get around the problem. In doing this, they are avoiding the area they need to adjust the most. A good example of this, which will also demonstrate the impact of the neck relief, is when an owner says the nut is cut too high. The result is that the distance from the 1st fret to the underside of the string is high, causing intonation issues over the nut, with the string having to travel further to reach the 1st fret. The angle at which it leads off that fret creates a note that is sharper than it should be (and than it would be, were that angle shallower). It would be extremely unwise to file or sand the nut height down to a desired or correct measurement from factory specs, or otherwise, without first checking the neck relief. With a natural tendency for the neck relief to increase over time, due to the constant tension in the area, it is quite likely that the relief has become more positive since the guitar’s most recent setup, string change, and so on. If a more positive neck relief is creating a higher nut to 1st fret height, the string has to travel further down to the 1st fret, which essentially lengthens the scale length to the 1st fret. This will create a sharper note across all the strings.

A simple tightening of the truss rod will reduce the neck relief, straightening the neck and in turn bringing the nut to 1st fret height down. If that falls below 0.020in, then the intonation of the notes will be in a much better position, creating a more in-tune fretted 1st-fret note as well as improving tuning across the open-chord positions.

As well as making an accurate note of the starting point – not by guessing or eyeballing it – it is important to map out the increments of any adjustments. Recording the increments as you go will enable you to head back to a point of neck relief if the final amount does not quite feel right. It can also give the inexperienced person confidence in making adjustments, as they can clearly see the progress and the way back if required.

It might be possible to see what needs to be done by sighting down the neck. If you can see the neck pulling up a little as you focus up and towards the nut area, and can identify a slight curve, the relief is positive. The opposite, negative relief, is usually even easier to see, with the neck bowing down. The more obvious indication of negative relief, though, is the strings being very close to the fretboard around the 3rd to 5th fret area as you look down the neck. They are often buzzing too.

Methods of measuring

The best place to start is to measure the neck relief accurately, which must always be done at the correct pitch of the player. There are a few methods, but the best one uses a notched straight edge that sits on the fretboard, with the notches between the frets. A feeler gauge is then placed between the fretboard and the notched edge. The neck relief is measured at the 7th fret, which is approximately halfway between the nut and the body join and the area that is referred to as the ‘tongue’ of the fretboard, which is usually flat and without relief. This area is also where the neck relief needs to accommodate the most movement in the strings.

To take the measurement, hold the neck of the guitar in your hand and use the notched straight edge on the fretboard between the D and G strings, held by thumb and forefinger at the end of the rule. The guitar should be off the neck support or bench, particularly if it is heavy, as a guitar at rest on the bench might indicate more relief due to the weight. Slide different feeler gauges between the gap where you can see light at the 7th fret. When the feeler gauge is touching both the fretboard and the underside of the notched straight edge, the amount of relief in the neck can be measured. If the notched straight edge makes a knocking sound as you remove the feeler gauge, the feeler gauge is too large and therefore the relief is less. Keep going until the contact is good between feeler gauge, fretboard and rule, and when there is no light visible at the fret.

Another way to assess a guitar’s neck relief is to use a capo on the 1st fret and then fret the last fret with your right hand making the string the straight edge. Carefully placing a feeler gauge under the string and over the fret at the 7th fret will give you the same neck relief reading. It does require a steady hand and can be a bit awkward, but it is a useful method for a tech who is on the go at a gig without all their tools. There is usually a capo close to hand.

‘Sighting’ the neck is another way to gauge neck relief. Having shown and taught this over the years, however, I have come to the conclusion that everyone’s eyes are different – and that they change over time! Sighting the neck is therefore recommended only as a way of deciding simply whether the neck is in relief or not. Ascertaining a measurement by eye is very tricky and even after years of experience an educated guess would be the best you could expect to achieve.

For someone who is planning to open a repair shop and set up guitars professionally, there are tools such as neck jigs, which can give even more accurate measurements and help with emulating neck relief. They are quite expensive, however, and a notched straight edge and some feeler gauges will work very well for most people. The notched straight edge I bought in 2007, for six-string electric scales and bass scales, is still in service daily. Buy the best-quality tools you can afford, and you should only need to buy them once.

Having and knowing parameters is a good place to start. These can be referenced either from manufacturers’ specifications or from the bench specs given here (see Chapter 1). These are generally quite similar, with subtle differences that reflect differing scales. They are only a guide and once you are more familiar with accurately measuring and adjusting neck relief you will be able to work out a more tailored set of parameters that suit both you and the guitar, as well as the owner’s playing style. By continually improving your understanding of this area, you will be better able to individually dial in the best setup. Working to the bench or manufacturers’ specs is a great place to start and will serve you well for some time, or indeed throughout your ownership. However, with a more informed and more confident approach you can achieve a more fulfilled setup experience. One tip to get closer to your ideal neck relief setup is to measure one of your guitars that has always felt great to play – maybe it came from the shop like this or it has recently been set up by a great tech. Measure the neck relief and see how it sits within the parameters. This could indicate a personal preference for having the neck at that amount on that specific scale length with that gauge of string. It might also show you that there could be room for improvement.

Becoming familiar with this area of adjustment and setup is totally key to getting the best out of your guitar. With practice, some guidelines, parameters to work to and confidence, you will be able to get a guitar to play extremely well.

Natural changes

Neck relief is the main area in the electric guitar that can change of its own accord. This can happen due to alterations in temperature or humidity, a change of string gauge and even a change to the pitch of the guitar. A higher gauge and higher pitch both lead to more tension, which will increase the relief in the neck.

This natural change in the neck relief is another reason why it is important to record the amount that the guitar has when the setup has been completed, especially if the guitar is heading back out on tour or being couriered back to its owner. Sometimes, perhaps in transit or between the bench and the stage, there can be differences in temperature and/or humidity that may be sufficient to alter the neck relief. An accurate record of the setup that existed at the point at which the guitar left the bench will be helpful in the event of any environmental change or movement. The tech will be able to reassure the owner that the setup was right when it left the workshop, and that the neck should settle back to where it was as soon as it has acclimatised.

The truss rod: access and adjustment

Accessing the truss rod:

On most guitars, the truss rod is located at the headstock end of the neck. On most Fender-style guitars there is a small opening that shows the truss rod end just under the nut. This type of rod is often adjusted using a small Allen key, in metric or imperial, depending on where the guitar was made. The majority of Fender-style guitars have the truss rod at the headstock end, but vintage Fenders and their re-issues have it located in the butt of the neck. For more on this, see ‘Alternative Applications’, below.

Gibson truss rods are located under a truss rod cover; Gibson guitars have two screws, while Epiphone instruments have three. The Gibson-style truss rod requires a nut wrench (5/16in), as do PRS and Rickenbacker guitars.

Some manufacturers have developed the truss rod further. Ernie Ball MusicMan guitars' rods are most commonly located at the end of the fretboard. This allows the holed wheel-style end to be very easily turned, tightened or loosened to get the optimum relief.

The relevant Allen keys (metric) or nut wrenches (imperial) are as follows:

• Gibson 5/16in

• Epiphone 5mm or 7mm

• Fender USA 1/8in

• Fender Mexico 3/16in

• PRS 5/16in

• PRS SE 8mm

• Rickenbacker 1/4in

• Ibanez 7mm (RG/JEM) or 8mm

• Gretsch USA and Japan 5/16in

• Gretsch Electromatic 4mm

When starting out I purchased two full sets of Allen keys in metric and imperial from Machine Mart and those covered pretty much all the Allen key slotted truss rods. There are a few UK and US suppliers for the nut wrenches, including WD Music, All Parts and StewMac. Most guitar manufacturers now supply the relevant wrenches and Allen keys, but there was a time when you were lucky if you got anything extra in the case.

Adjusting the truss rod