[pawnand1/2]

Hey everyone:

I'm setting up my first guitar, and although I've read through the posts about intonation and truss rod adjustment, I want to ask some questions to clarify my understanding of these techniques and the order in which I should apply them. First off, I didn't know the guitar had to be set up for a specific string gauge. So, the first thing I need to do is pick the string gauge I want to set the guitar for and buy some new strings. Ok here we go...

Question1: I have used a stringing method that works well enough for a guitar hobbiest, but I've notice my strings go out of tune easily (not as I go down the neck). I need a better method since I'm selling this one. Can anyone recommend a method for an electric with capstans in the linear posistion along the headstock. Does the capstan posistion matter when choosing method?

Question2: Assuming I have new strings and they have stretched... do I (A) Adjust truss rod if needed, (B) adjust horizontal saddle position to setup intonation, or (C) adjust height of saddles. I would guess A, C, B so that each adjustment has no effect on the other.

Question3: Where's the saddle height adjustment guide? Or, if one hasn't been posted, how does one adjust the saddle height?

Question: Aside from soaking the fretboard with lemon oil (no I'm going to dip it in a tub ) and cleaning the guitar body itself, what else can I do to make this guitar better?

Thanks guys!

[munky]

If your strings have stretched, just retune them back to proper pitch.

What type of guitar is it? Does it have a tremolo?

[pawnand1/2]

Opps, I mean that my strings have stopped stretching (in tune and not changing pitch every 2 minutes). Its a Bently with no tremolo and three single coil pickups.

[munky]

Maybe this link will help you out.

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial1.htm

Personally, I never even entertain the idea of adjusting my truss rod. If I can't set the intonation with bridge adjustments, I'll take it to a qualified guitar tech and let him figure it out.

[pawnand1/2]

Just from looking at it, this website looks sweet. Many thanks!

[allthumbs]

This is the way I would do it. First check the string hight with the capo business card trick to see if the trussrod needs to be adjusted or not. Then do the intonation. Then fine tune with the saddle hight.
If the guitar is really out of wack, then you might have to change the order between trussrod and intonation and go back and forth between the 2 since adjusting the truss rod is going to change th intonation.
You follow the radius of the neck for adjusting string hight. All this is coverd by UGB in the tech forum.

[Ultimate Garage Band]

I'm not ignoring this thread; I just don't have anything to add to it at this point.

[allthumbs]

Originally Posted by Ultimate Garage Band

I'm not ignoring this thread; I just don't have anything to add to it at this point.

We'll take that as a pat on the back UGB.

[pawnand1/2]

Thanks everyone!