I have to take umbrage at one thing said early on in the video….truss rods are for adjusting neck relief, not action. Yes, it does do that as a secondary adjustment, but action should primarily be adjusted at the saddle(s) AFTER the neck is set to correct amount of relief.
I've been doing my own setups for decades, and more recently have been doing my own fret work. Doing it yourself teaches you what your preferences are, and helps you learn to assess new guitars so you know whether an issue is a problem or something easily resolved with an adjustment.
100% on shake the guitars neck after a truss rod adjust. If you don't want to do though, come back the next day (possible readjust) after the wood balances to tension.
Imo, all five of these tips fall into the first one, which is a proper setup. So, this is my list: 1- A proper setup. 2- Practice 3- Practice 4- Practice 5- Practice P.S. Do your own setups.
Finding a good local guitar tech is often harder than it should be. I had a string buzzing issue that it took until I went to the 3rd tech to resolve. I have used this tech a couple other times and found a tech that is good and wants you to be satisfied. Good service is out there but might take some effort.
often a used guitar that has not much recent play will feel stiff, on these i tighten the truss to fully straighten and play for half hour then loosen for the bow and play again, then fully set it up, and they really come to life, gets that mojo going,
@TSB-pg6yo I'm wondering why you have gone through this video's comments trolling. With childish comments like 'How to Wipe When You Are Done on The Potty!'. Or, infantile argumentative comments like 'No you can't', 'Also when you aren't using a light, be sure to turn it off- you can save money on your power bill.', 'Turning a bolt is a terrifying thing'.
Prices for car maintenance is insane! To change the oil and rotate tires takes me about 45 minutes so is not worth it to me to pay $50 to $100 after buying the oil and filter for someone else to do it while I wait an uncomfortably long time in a boring wait room And guitars, I don’t understand why so many guitarists don’t know how to do a basic setup on a guitar! I wonder if that might be a good business model: oil and string changes
Actually on string gauge you want to use heavier gauge strings on the Les Paul, the shorter the scale the heavier you want to go, pretty much 11s on a Les Paul is the same tension as 10s on a fender.
The "only move turn the truss rod 1/4 turn at a time because doing more will f@#$ up your neck" is a myth. It's not going to hurt the neck or the rod, they can handle it. Giving it more of a turn, or turns, isn't going to hurt it. However, most people only need to do slight adjustments but many people will just start reefing down on the truss rod and over correct.There are lots of videos out there from techs (like Phil McKnight) and luthiers who all show that you can safely do large adjustments without issue with more than a minuscule turn. If the truss rod doesn't budge, like on an old guitar you just picked up, when you want to turn it that's when it needs to go in because it could be frozen up and you don't want to strip the truss rod's nut end or break things.
For acoustics keep them at a reasonable temperature and humidified, doing so will avoid so many problems and thus keep your guitar more consistently playable.
I never understand people who say they have used the same crusty strings for 30 years. They get stop resonating, they are harder and more painful to fret, and they just sound bad. I just think those people are being cheap and/or don’t know how to change them. You’d be much better off playing a $1 set of new cheap import strings than 30 year old set that could give you tetanus! 🤣🤣🤣 D’addario XT is best for acoustic and XS is best for electric, IMHO. Best tone, customer service, longevity, and saved time/money in the long run. Well worth it.
Err...action is the distance from the bottom of the string to the top of the frets - not the fretboard. And if you're watching this video you shouldn't be messing with the nut.
Snap your neck from moving the truss rod? That's ridiculous. You could go multiple full turns before you run into an issue.not recomended, but A guitar is wood. It isn't a little baby,no need to be a weirdo like Baxter being like "I can't even look at it" while the truss rod is being adjusted . You can put a guitar neck between two bricks and sit on it and it's not just gunna snap Shlt wood is shlt wood and if it ur neck just breaks, just by being a guitar, something's wrong. you used to hear ppl say "your necks gunna warp like a pretzel" I've never seen it.... I have one guitar with a two piece neck, right down the center and it is slightly warped. I also got a squier strat, with a neck that had so much relief, and the truss rod was all the way turned. I managed to give it probably 4.more turns, almost to the point that it could snap, it's sooo tight, but I got the relief out and now there's just a little bit. The only way to fix it, with the truss rob backed out, would be to soak the whole neck, and put it upside down and have like a couple hundreds lbs of force on it going in the opposite direction. Cuz the space at the 12th fret was probably a half inch. It's from 09 I have no clue how or where it was stored or what it endured,but I turned it into a machine despite knowing the truss rod is maxxxxxed TF out. I just play the damn thing and don't act like a little baby about it. It's wood, it's a guitar,just play the fin thing
I have to take umbrage at one thing said early on in the video….truss rods are for adjusting neck relief, not action. Yes, it does do that as a secondary adjustment, but action should primarily be adjusted at the saddle(s) AFTER the neck is set to correct amount of relief.
@TSB-pg6yowhat a useless comment.
From a guitar tech and repair for 25 years, Sean speaks the truth. Very refreshing to see young people with a clue.
Many thanks - yep we always learn something new, everyday!
I've been doing my own setups for decades, and more recently have been doing my own fret work. Doing it yourself teaches you what your preferences are, and helps you learn to assess new guitars so you know whether an issue is a problem or something easily resolved with an adjustment.
100% on shake the guitars neck after a truss rod adjust. If you don't want to do though, come back the next day (possible readjust) after the wood balances to tension.
Imo, all five of these tips fall into the first one, which is a proper setup. So, this is my list:
1- A proper setup.
2- Practice
3- Practice
4- Practice
5- Practice
P.S. Do your own setups.
Finding a good local guitar tech is often harder than it should be. I had a string buzzing issue that it took until I went to the 3rd tech to resolve. I have used this tech a couple other times and found a tech that is good and wants you to be satisfied. Good service is out there but might take some effort.
Every string change clean the fretboard, oil twice a year, and polish frets when needed. You can tell when it’s needed.
Great content every day. Thanks
Thanks guys, love the tips. Learned some new ones, always good
Good show guys! Good information and presentation. Thanks for the well done video.
often a used guitar that has not much recent play will feel stiff, on these i tighten the truss to fully straighten and play for half hour then loosen for the bow and play again, then fully set it up, and they really come to life, gets that mojo going,
Great, informative stuff, Master Po and Grasshopper! Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge.
you guys could absolutely make this into a mini series about practical maintenance
Absolutely, was a really good video. But, it felt like it could be the overview view introducing a long course in maintenance.
@TSB-pg6yo I'm wondering why you have gone through this video's comments trolling. With childish comments like 'How to Wipe When You Are Done on The Potty!'. Or, infantile argumentative comments like 'No you can't', 'Also when you aren't using a light, be sure to turn it off- you can save money on your power bill.', 'Turning a bolt is a terrifying thing'.
Very informative, thank you!
Great tips, thanks guys!
Good stuff. Thanks!
How do I make my guitars sound better? I take them to CG and let those guys play them. Works like a charm!
😂😂😂😂😂
Great advice there boys
Basics on our guitars....basics on our vehicles. I'm curious how many do both. I cannot be alone. Where are my other poors at 😆😆😆??
Prices for car maintenance is insane! To change the oil and rotate tires takes me about 45 minutes so is not worth it to me to pay $50 to $100 after buying the oil and filter for someone else to do it while I wait an uncomfortably long time in a boring wait room
And guitars, I don’t understand why so many guitarists don’t know how to do a basic setup on a guitar!
I wonder if that might be a good business model: oil and string changes
Damnit, I knew you was gonna throw "practice" in there!
Actually on string gauge you want to use heavier gauge strings on the Les Paul, the shorter the scale the heavier you want to go, pretty much 11s on a Les Paul is the same tension as 10s on a fender.
You want to use what you’re comfortable with,you don’t need a heavier gauge on a shorter scale.that’s misinformation big time
I’ve always been nervous about doing truss rod adjustments myself.
Tech time with ya boys at CG 🤙🏻
When did you guys hire Edward Furlong’s son. 😂 great info as usual guys.
Tunomatic bridge tent to bend do to tension... verify whit a ruler iff there light coming true.
The "only move turn the truss rod 1/4 turn at a time because doing more will f@#$ up your neck" is a myth. It's not going to hurt the neck or the rod, they can handle it. Giving it more of a turn, or turns, isn't going to hurt it. However, most people only need to do slight adjustments but many people will just start reefing down on the truss rod and over correct.There are lots of videos out there from techs (like Phil McKnight) and luthiers who all show that you can safely do large adjustments without issue with more than a minuscule turn.
If the truss rod doesn't budge, like on an old guitar you just picked up, when you want to turn it that's when it needs to go in because it could be frozen up and you don't want to strip the truss rod's nut end or break things.
For acoustics keep them at a reasonable temperature and humidified, doing so will avoid so many problems and thus keep your guitar more consistently playable.
It helped!
You forget taking untested drugs to grow extra sixth finger. 😂
Shout out from Asheville ❤
I like a video or set a videos that Joe Walsh did with Gibson. He takes a few minutes and completely sets up a guitar just by ear and feel.
I change string and set up but have never done a nut file set up just wouldnt want to go that to that level.
Add an Evertune! Sorry retro lovers but they’re awesome ask Gojira, Steve Stevens, and Devin Townsend
I hate to change strings. I buy a new guitar.
I never understand people who say they have used the same crusty strings for 30 years. They get stop resonating, they are harder and more painful to fret, and they just sound bad. I just think those people are being cheap and/or don’t know how to change them. You’d be much better off playing a $1 set of new cheap import strings than 30 year old set that could give you tetanus! 🤣🤣🤣 D’addario XT is best for acoustic and XS is best for electric, IMHO. Best tone, customer service, longevity, and saved time/money in the long run. Well worth it.
New strings? But they're not even broken yet!!
Exactly! I just bought a new acoustic. After about 10 days it sounds a bit better, but in a couple of months...
@@johnwashburn3793All that delicious finger chum gets in there
Of course, there's always this thing called practice.
Don’t be sorry be better
Err...action is the distance from the bottom of the string to the top of the frets - not the fretboard. And if you're watching this video you shouldn't be messing with the nut.
One more thing, if you play rock like me and set your action razor thin and occasionally experience buzzing, GAIN!!!!
The easiest way for me to make my guitar play better is to have a better player play my guitar.😂
Did we ever get an answer as to why Sean doesn't have a last name?
My truss rod goes to eleven
Snap your neck from moving the truss rod? That's ridiculous. You could go multiple full turns before you run into an issue.not recomended, but A guitar is wood. It isn't a little baby,no need to be a weirdo like Baxter being like "I can't even look at it" while the truss rod is being adjusted . You can put a guitar neck between two bricks and sit on it and it's not just gunna snap
Shlt wood is shlt wood and if it ur neck just breaks, just by being a guitar, something's wrong. you used to hear ppl say "your necks gunna warp like a pretzel" I've never seen it.... I have one guitar with a two piece neck, right down the center and it is slightly warped. I also got a squier strat, with a neck that had so much relief, and the truss rod was all the way turned. I managed to give it probably 4.more turns, almost to the point that it could snap, it's sooo tight, but I got the relief out and now there's just a little bit. The only way to fix it, with the truss rob backed out, would be to soak the whole neck, and put it upside down and have like a couple hundreds lbs of force on it going in the opposite direction. Cuz the space at the 12th fret was probably a half inch. It's from 09 I have no clue how or where it was stored or what it endured,but I turned it into a machine despite knowing the truss rod is maxxxxxed TF out. I just play the damn thing and don't act like a little baby about it. It's wood, it's a guitar,just play the fin thing
#1 way, hand it to someone that really knows how to play.😅
The Number One Way To Make Your Guitar Play Better: hand it to someone who knows how to play.
I'm very surprised that number one on this list isn't "let an actual guitar player play it." LOL
The only way to make your guitar play better is to play it
#1 keep your guitar for at least a month 😂
no one addresses the tuners !!!