Bless your heart. I've met some luthiers who don't wanna share their knowledge and actually discourage people from pursuing luthery for understandable reasons (such as competition amongst luthiers, etc.), but you're willing to share your stuff online and actually encourage people to do it.
I worked for Gibson guitars in Nashville, doing final setup on electric guitars. We used a pretty cool way to mark the nut as a guide to how deep to cut the string slots. Cut a pencil in half, then lay it it on the frets, with the lead touching the nut. Slide it across the frets to make a line across the nut. Then cut your string slots, down to where the line is. It gets the action very close to where it needs to be. Hope that makes sense!
This works. Around the start of COVID I took guitar work seriously after not understanding a Floyd system. I did as much as I could on my own and my buddy at a local shop called me needing some help. He was paying me around $20 an hour which I was grateful for as I was just learning. He eventually went out of town and let me run the shop for a month. I worked there a bit longer when he got back, but eventually we both had to part ways for money reasons. I used what I made there to invest in proper tools and did some solo stuff for awhile (and still do) but got picked up by a local used guitar store billing $60 an hour. While I'm not pocketing the full $60, the workload is incredible and the customer base I'll have in a few years is more than worth it. I'm so thankful for other professionals for sharing their knowledge in person and online otherwise I'd still be miserable as a stage hand.
I've been passionate about guitars for so long but this type of stuff was always so daunting. I finally have the guts to just get into it. Do you happen to have any way I could contact you in the future?
I learned setup and repair because I could not afford to pay anyone. Over the years I gained a solid understanding of how they are put together and work, and that morphed into guitar building. Excellent video. Thanks.
Good for you. I love working on guitars. I bought two cheapy guitars to have something to practice on. I have a real nice "lawsuit" Takamine that is a copy of a Martin 000-28 that needs a neck reset. I'm still trying to decide on how to proceed with loosening glued in necks!!!
Same here and for the most part I've just gone by feel, only measuring instrument I have is a notched straight edge. Started off as a player but now morphed into a tinkerer but, even if I do say so myself, I can set up a mean guitar. Took a little bit of money, learning and fuckups along the way but now I can handle pretty much anything up to really serious stuff like a bust truss rod or neck break. Done resprays, finish repairs, fret levels etc and do feel really good when I do my own work
It's kind of a scam, because if you really care about your instrument and music, then it just makes sense to learn as much as possible about it. people who try to play and never even figure out how to tune up by ear and to the set intonation. should not even be trying to be a musician 😆. If your giging and have multiple guitars, it makes more sense to have a guy to maintain your guitars.
@@dickrichard626 not really. I have a friend who loves to play. And is very very good. But he is not very good with tools. And doesn’t trust himself to work on them. So he takes them to an expert
In my opinion if you’re working on a customer’s guitar and you take the nut action too low you should never use superglue/baking soda. Its not a permanent fix. Ideally you should make a new nut. You can use it in a pinch or on your personal guitar
Had to pause for a second. I know the math for the saddle height from another luthier channel. It's super simple. Measure the height at the 12th fret, substract the height you want (so you have the excess height) and just double it up. That's what you need to take off of the saddle. E. g. the action at the 12th is 110 and you want 80, you need to take off 60 (30 x 2) at the saddle. Great video(s)! Cheers from Germany! :) Edit: HA!!! Just continued the video and you said, you take off 60. That prooved me right! ;-P
Hello Germany! My Daughter lives over there in Germany, near Darmstadt, with her husband, and son. She moved back there about 12 years ago, and ended up getting married. Germany is a great country! I love it when I go there to visit. I have a lot of family, and friends there.
God does unspeakable horrors like rip the corner of my lips at the exact moment i tense them. God lies and promises to betray us. Did you know the bible said that jobe was perfect and even he was betrayed by god? God said to me that he wants me to commit suicide and laughs and i saw jesus sticking his tongue out calling me a n word lover…now can you believe that?
Being a carpenter and mechanic by trade early in life has enable me to have acquired many of the specialized tools you have that are used in other trades. I use the depth side of a set of calipers to measure string height and a two foot level with a machined surface to within .0005" to gauge fret height. The look on someones face after you have magically transformed an instrument to play like never before is priceless. They just look at you like holy crap I didn't know their was that much difference when you can play songs just like the original recordings. Just love guitars and music in general for this wanna be master 😁
Great video, guys! On the ‘complex’ math for how much to take off the saddle, it’s as easy as multiply by 2. You wanted to lower the action .030, so times 2 is .060 - the amount to take off the saddle. Your estimate (impressed by your eye and feel for this, by the way) was 1.5mm or about .050. If you’d done .060, perhaps you’d be where you wanted to be. Just times 2!
Amazing. You guys are great. I admire your transparency and the information you provide so freely. I am a guitar player, not a maker or repair person, but just watching your videos teaches me so much and enables me to appreciate my instruments more: including a couple of Taylors and a handmade Propsom.
This seems like a great idea. I retired last year, and this is just the thing I can do to keep me busy, and make a few bucks, while finally doing something I love doing. In my free time, I have been working on guitars for over 7 years, doing setups, mods, and upgrades. Mainly for family, friends, and my own. Now seems like a perfect time to give it a shot. I have the tools, though some will need upgrading, but who doesn't like new tools! Thanks guys! This video has really inspired me.
My first setup was on my electric bass. I watched 5-6 YT videos so i would know what to do each step of the way. My bass played much better afterwards. Next, I did a setup on my least expensive acoustic. I've now set up a couple of my friends guitars, and I do all of my own guitars. The scariest thing I've ever done is drilling/enlarging a hole in my brand new Martin 000-15M and installing a K&K Pure Mini. At that point, it was the most expensive guitar that I owned, so I was really happy that everything went ass planned. I enjoy working on guitars and I trust myself more than I trust the unknown techs at the big box music store. For years I believed that only highly trained professionals should ever touch a truss rod nut LOL.
A great way to learn setups is to buy the cheapest guitars you can find, set them up so they play better, and try to sell them for a slight profit. I can now set up strats because of this. It's amazing how poorly people care for their guitars. A fret polish (not level, just polish), serious cleaning, some light fret-end dress, and a good setup can go miles for playability. Even if you break even on your purchase and sale of the guitar, you have already won through the knowledge you gain by fixing it up.
maybe not the "Cheapest" guitar, but inexpensive so you don't have to worry about it. like a squire for your first strat setup, for example, rather than USA fender.
Can I ask what you use to polish frets? And clean finger boards? Ive been taught to use zippo fluid. For fretts just a fine polishing sponge on a palm polisher. Thanks in advance if you see this. It's been some time since you commented.
@@HR91360 have used a few things 0000 guage steel wool and the music nomad fret polishing kit. Stew mac makes great micromesh pads, which i'd recommend. The compounds/liquid stuff does a "better" job but it's a lot more messy and difficult. Cleaning the frets - a scraper is your best bet, and a damp cloth of course! I have used steel wool but I think it shows scratches.
Thanks much Driftwood for posting this excellent how-to video. After doing repairs as a sideline for a few decades I'm nearing retirement and plan to put this information to work!
Loved this video! I've been playing for many years and recently retired and have time on my hands. I've done some basic set ups on friends guitars and I"ve been encouraged to start doing it for $$. Your video has given me the motivation and final push I needed to make it happen! THANK YOU!!!
I just leveled and crowned frets one a couple guitars and I did pretty good, and I kinda enjoyed it. I think this just inspired me to try this out professionally.
I took a look at the Nut and Saddle “race car” at the link. It appears Stewmac doesn’t sell it anymore. And they don’t seem to have an alternative on their web site. Interesting.
That’s a great estimation. Lowering 0.030” @12th fret means lowering 0.060” at the bridge because 1/2 of the string length (hypotenuse of the triangle) will be 1/2 the height of the short side of the right triangle. (Edited for spelling)
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This video was so easy to understand. The three major areas. Nut, relief, and saddle. The adjustments to each. Now can you do FRET SPROUT on bound or unbound fretboard? Here in Northern Los Ángeles humidity is down to 5%. I have some deep fret sprout on my acoustics. Great video! Thank you!
I made a bone saddle for my guitar once all I had was a caliper and a needle file set. it took me 3 1/2 hrs all by hand. After I got it done I brought it down to the guitar shop. The shop owner was impressed. He let me know that I left the edges a little sharp under the string wich i corrected. I have to say it was pretty gratifying to do that myself.
Man, this is great. Im planning to learn how to set up guitar, and thinking to give it a try for a full time job. This video really helps me to start on how to properly start checking the guitar, this great. already subscribed and Godbless Man. Chiggy here from Philippines.
Greetings from Montréal, Québec, Canada !!! just came accross your website, love your videos and surely will be helpful to start 'Reparing/fixing guitar...starting with my own !!! I did buy some tools a few years ago, but not too sure about myself yet sooo going at it with baby steps !!! Looking forward to watching ALL your videos and shall keep you posted on my succes adventures !!! Stay Healthy, Cheers !!!
Here is a trick you "might appreciate" for acoustics/classical guitars. You can take a hard cover book and slide it under the strings between the sound hole and the bridge. Slide it all the way down to the bridge, (which will lift the strings) and pull out the saddle to work on it. This is the ultimate time saver on classical guitars
I have learned a great deal from watching your videos. Your tools are first rate, being a Tool + Die Maker, I know how quality tools can speed up your tasks. The video that you produced, where you used a wooden model to show the effects the various adjustments have on a guitar, was done well.
Sorry if I'm clueless about searching, but I can't find the Breakdown video for this Breedlove . . . Weren't you going to do a review, saw it in half, and give it a final score relative to the others in that series?
A quick reckoning for the nut height is to measure the height at the 12th, then take away what you want it to be, and then take double that of the bottom of the nut, i.e. if it's at say 0.110, and you want say 0.095, 0.110-0.095 = 0.015, 0.015*2 = 0.030, hope that makes sense,
Really great video! Your brother Mike is a good friend and turned me on your channel a while back. I really appreciate the different perspectives you offer. While I've done a few minimal electric setups, this is the first time I've been inspired to get a little more into setting up my own guitars.
Great post. Thanks for taking the time. I find this inspiring. This is my dream job. Honestly. I’d love to work on guitars and become a tech/luthier. I am currently taking steps to move into the field. To get started I’ve been renting guitars from a local shop and doing set-ups on them. Much love from Canada! Cheers!
Best action setup video I've seen. Maybe you can do one on fret level and re-crown? Question: when you lowered the nut slots, is there sometimes(?) a need to lower the top surface of the nut as well so that part of the string protrudes above the nut?
I bought the nut rescue powder set from StewMac when I converted a 35" scale bass to BEAD tuning because the nut was cut too low for 3 of the four strings when I bought the bass. I wanted to get the height right after I widened the nut slots for the bigger strings and it worked really well up to the .130-gauge low B string and it has held up really well. I find I like tweaking my setups very much. I know the nut power set is not on your list but with some superglue it makes it nice to match the nut color since it comes with different tinted powders. I love your videos and thank you to both of you. I still wish I could afford one of your guitars...wow.
I’ve been flipping online auction guitars and the saddle shaver would have saved me tons and I mean TONS of time. All self taught. Maybe the book would be a plus too. Great video!
Get the Dan Erlewine dvd on fretting and setup. He shows you way cheaper ways to get started. A 2’ aluminum level trued up with sandpaper on table saw table will level it up and work for leveling fretboards and frets. Also a plastic drafting T-square for a straight edge with some tape along the side for better sighting works just fine and you can file slots in the opposite side to check fretboard after it’s fretted. Get Dan’s dvd and the tips will pay in the end.
Well done, I've been tinkering with this sort of thing for a while for free sometimes. But if someone asks " Hey I have this vintage acoustic guitar" I would probably decline. Best to be upfront with my abilities. Don't jump without a parachute. Thanks for the video.
another great one... EVERYone else glides over these points because they think we've all seen this too many time..!! ...hello - not me. So - thank you.
I really enjoyed this video, and I learned some stuff, too. Thanks! I have owned some Breedlove guitars and never saw one that poorly set up. Yikes! I recently bought a Music Nomad kit that I am pleasantly surprised with. I have done my own simple setups for a while. Now I have friends and guitar students all asking for me to do their guitars. I called around town. Here in Tucson, basic setups are $80-100.
Very surprised that you didn’t include fret levelling, shaping and crowning files in your ‘essentials’ tool kit. The nut racer can be sorted with two pieces of wood and four wingnut and bolt combinations. Plus maybe some wheels or roller skate bearings. The money saved will buy a decent levelling beam, triangular fret file with smooth edges and a file to round over the fret ends.
@@jamquijano4402 first stuff I looked at many years ago - with good reasons! It IS an essential for repair/setup work though. Can you imagine trying to start a biz and admitting you can’t sort frets? Reputation shot before you start!
@@paulneeds Absolutely agree. Fretwork is really where the rubber meets the road. Proper contact between accurate frets and the vibrating strings is where it all begins.
Thank you for the links and the book suggestion. I just picked up the book and a few tools I need. And plan to buy the nice expensive tools later. But I can at least get started.
I’ve been picking for 53 years and damaging guitars for about as long. I’ve also been learning steadily over the years, and have learned a whole lot from you guys. I hate measurements, but finally bit the bullet and bought most of the tools/books) you reference here and/or a prior “giveaway“ video …cork neck rest 🤣! Not ready for fretwork yet, but I’ll get there. Re Breedlove: right around the time you did that factory tour reaction I was researching them… and bought one of their handmade Premier models. Love the tone but I can’t give you any “data“ on factory set ups because it’s a used 2017. I sure hope The one in this video was an oddball because I love to tone & playability and the company is doing some really interesting things… enough snow to get me to buy my first bolt-on acoustic neck after decades of being a (now-former) D-28 owner bullying friends who play Taylors. How ironic that I know on [ < typo = “now own] a guitar with a bridge doctor, stock!
I just got a new Breedlove Oregon. On every one that I tried, the factory setup was crazy high. Way too much relief, nut needed filing, and the saddle needed to be lowered. Love the tone of my Breedlove, but they need to do a better job on factory setups. All of the Taylor guitars I've played had perfect setups.
@@jlr3802 cool, sounds like you know your stuff. Question: did you buy the guitar from the factory or from, say, a Guitar Center store, where almost no guitar is set up properly (if at all playable, like literally most of the higher-end guitars at my local store when winter hits)? [Edited to fix my flagrant typos]
an alternative for the bridge pin puller could be a capo with one build in so if you need to change strings on the road youre able to just to have it handy otherwise id keep the good pin puller
There is a Luthier that films his repairs and setups. He has a machined straight edge he uses. He also uses a plastic level. It all depends on what he is trying to accomplish.
Only question I’m left with now is what made you decide on 7 thousandths of an inch of neck relief on this guitar if you normally set it to 4? My assumption is that you had already had to adjust it so much to get it to that 7, and didn’t feel comfortable torquing the truss rod any further?
Hello Chris and Matt! Great video. Is that pretty much always the order you follow? Neck relief first, nut adjustment second, and then saddle adjustment last? Thanks!
Excellent video, I learned a lot… I am retired and have just moved to southern Indiana from Colorado, huge humidity difference… I believe that I have that under control, but I believe that my nearest credible luthier is 40 miles away… Therefore I have started educating myself through UA-cam videos such as yours… In my quest for knowledge I ran across an online luthier school that offers a guitar technician course… Sounded interesting to me as it is certificate program that teaches not only the technical side but the business side as well, so I could use it as a side hustle… Question to you all, have you guys ever heard of “Southeast Guitar Academy ” out of Buford, GA? They are the ones offering this course… Thanks…
Just figured I'd mention a small piece of solid surface would also work for a perfectly flat surface, idk how you could source a small piece of what you'd need but it's a hell of a lot lighter than that granite
Great video! I might be late to the party, but I wanted to ask - should you be ready to do a fret level as well? If the fretwork is poor, bringing the action to a proper height might lead to buzzing. Would you check the frets first to figure out how low you can bring the action? Thanks!
Starting out as a guitar tech/repairman, does it make sense to work for paying customers with limited range of services? Like setups, fret work and electronics for instance, but no crack repairs, broken headstocks, loose braces, broken truss rods.
LOVE the videos and look forward to them. Small point about the truss rod? Do you recommend loosening the strings before tightening the truss rod? Thanks again for all the great videos.
You probably won’t see this but you could you explain how to adjust a trust rod wheel? There are a few videos online but they’re not all that explanatory.
Man I’m really thinking of going balls deep into this field, gonna start scouring my area for a job as some apprentice, shit anything that’ll teach me to turn a block a wood to a shred machine
So I have a question. I do a lot of guitar setups for friends and family etc. but now my dad gave me his 40 year old classical guitar for setup. It has no truss rod but the string action and the frontbow is even worse than on your example in this video. The only thing I could do is pull the absolutely worn down frets out and sand the neck flat, adjust the sattle and nut but he doesn't want that. Is there any way to get the neck flat without pulling the frets out? I thought about carefully fixating the guitar to a table and then hanging some weights on the neck to give it some counterweights for a few days. I'm just worried I'll warp the neck in a bad way.
So, plastic nuts & saddles get the job done. What is preferable on high end stringed instruments? Bone, metal, wood, composite??? What is the raw size dimension of a neck blank? Thx! Tim A
Don't forget nut slot files for basses. They also need to be set up and fixed and you can get paid for putting in a super-special-magic-tone nut (brass or whatever) by the tone nuts :)
Learning to do a proper setup lead me to modifying guitars, which lead me to building guitars. It's a great place to start, and a good setup can transform a guitar.
Is it correct to adjust the bow out of the neck with the truss rod with the strings on the guitar and in tune? One would think you'd try to take bow out with no string tension.
Great video as usual .. Couple of questions (1) how do you know when to stop? (2) and as a non real player, but as someone who has built and fixed dozens of instruments, I always struggle to know the “ah this is perfect, stop now” moment ..
The Best thing I did was Learn to do my own guitar & bass Set-ups. All of my instruments play (like a custom-shop) with no-buzz, low-action, no fret-sprout. It's a little Scary in the beginning . . . but worth it. I hit like. Great job - really informative. oNe LoVe from NYC
On the nut and saddle, is the string groove best if shaped square (90 degrees) or rounded like the shape of the string? How about using the files used for welding torch cleaning? What causes the tich tich sound when adjusting the tuning? I’m working on a garage sale guitar with a bent neck because of steel strings on an untrussed neck. Trying to straighten the neck, so neck relief is an interesting concept. Does the neck have the relief even with no tension on the strings?
I just love your humor ( Don's my name I use my own iPad but it's registered under my Wife's name. Your very easy to listen to and yes I've done a few guitar setups plus all my own guitars first of course. But I repeat it's good to get the order of jobs from the start to the finish ( I'm pleased to note I wasn't to far away from your pattern) but well done team,, I love watching you. Take care
Totally enjoyed this video, I got a bag full of guitar tools in a kit for my birthday. Some of them I had to look up what they were. I've got a couple old acoustic guitars, that have super high strings. I'm going to try these tools out. Thanks for the instruction...peace...
I took the backward route; I built two acoustic guitars only understanding how to set the neck angle. Now I will use them to practice setups. These tools are not cheap though; that action gauge alone costs over $200. Fortunately I already have a few cheaper tools like these. That nut race car is out of stock though.
When a guy who builds astonishingly beautiful guitars suggests a book...go buy that book. Didn't make it past 7:05 without pausing it and going and ordering that book.
The Heart Sound Ball Bearing Guitar Nut and Saddle Sander is no longer available and I see others looking like it priced from 38 and 62 to 87 bucks. Any recommendations ?
Hello I bought a Takamine tt400 SC (sounds great) I had someone from Phoenix az. Do the set up and he also did something else they call tamper tuning? Or temper tuning, i don't know, but the guitar is soft as butter the strings are so best the fretboard and I just love how it plays, do you happen to know what is the process is ?
You mentioned needing nut gauge files. Does that mean that as a guitar player I need to have my nut adjusted if I want to go to different gauged string than what came on the guitar?
The short answer is.... Maybe. The long answer is that it depends on the slot sizes in your existing nut. If the nut slots in your guitar are very close to your existing string diameters, you may experience binding of the strings in the nut slots if you go to heavier gauge strings, especially with the wound strings. You may have tight nut slots if you now have any "pinging" or catching of strings in the nut when you tune your guitar. It could also be a rough finish in the nut slots catching the strings (or a soft plastic nut), and an experienced tech or luthier can check any of these conditions for you. If you go to a lighter gauge of strings with closely fitted existing nut slots, you will probably be ok. If the existing nut slots are "generous" in size, related to your string gauge, then heavier gauge strings will probably fit and function all right with the nut you have now, but if you are going to a lighter gauge set, the strings will have the ability to work side to side in the looser fitting slots. You can check for this if you detune or loosen your strings, and if you are able to move the strings at the nut from side to side any noticeable amount, you are more likely to have looser slots. It is a matter of a very small degree, just how tight the fit is of the strings to the nut slots, and is something that you may or may not be able to sense for yourself depending on your level of experience working with tools and materials, but a skilled tech or luthier can check this for you if you are new to this. The correct fitting of the slot size to string gauge, as well as a properly and smoothly finished nut slot and the right nut material is a very important step in a well done setup, and any tech or luthier worth their salt will recognize this. Many new guitars, especially some of the more affordable ones (less than about $700-800) come with plastic nuts that are too soft for the purpose. A replacement nut can make a world of difference. Quality bone, Tusq, micarta, Corian, or 'graphite' type nuts are generally considered the most popular and effective. I hope this helps answer your question. If not, hit me up again and I will try to get you some more information. Good luck.
In a pinch, a fork can be used as a pin puller 😂😂😂😂 (Slide the fork so one prong goes on each side of pin and slowly lift) Or a spoon. 😂😂😂😂 (Place over your thumb and press up on pins from inside guitar cavity)
Have you done a Ovation set up? I've got a 1778T and this last year played about 300 90 minutes sets. A few weeks ago I started getting dead strings on the G B high E from around the 10 fret to the 16 fret. It cared on each string where. Sometimes with bends and some times just fretting note or chords. The guy that worked on this guitar is now out of business... so I'm looking for some help with this.
Also, be sure to check out the selection of high quality tonewoods on our website under the "Tonewood" tab. driftwoodguitars.com/tonewood
Bless your heart. I've met some luthiers who don't wanna share their knowledge and actually discourage people from pursuing luthery for understandable reasons (such as competition amongst luthiers, etc.), but you're willing to share your stuff online and actually encourage people to do it.
How anti capitalist !
@@MrDream-zm1pw do you mean the luthiers I've met?
I have to admit I've been one of those people. I've also discouraged people learning to do automotive work. 😅
Then when they're all to old to do the job who is going to take their place?
Well this is UA-cam
He’ll only benefit by sharing his knowledge!
I worked for Gibson guitars in Nashville, doing final setup on electric guitars. We used a pretty cool way to mark the nut as a guide to how deep to cut the string slots.
Cut a pencil in half, then lay it it on the frets, with the lead touching the nut. Slide it across the frets to make a line across the nut.
Then cut your string slots, down to where the line is. It gets the action very close to where it needs to be.
Hope that makes sense!
Interesting
How much they pay
This works. Around the start of COVID I took guitar work seriously after not understanding a Floyd system. I did as much as I could on my own and my buddy at a local shop called me needing some help. He was paying me around $20 an hour which I was grateful for as I was just learning. He eventually went out of town and let me run the shop for a month. I worked there a bit longer when he got back, but eventually we both had to part ways for money reasons. I used what I made there to invest in proper tools and did some solo stuff for awhile (and still do) but got picked up by a local used guitar store billing $60 an hour. While I'm not pocketing the full $60, the workload is incredible and the customer base I'll have in a few years is more than worth it. I'm so thankful for other professionals for sharing their knowledge in person and online otherwise I'd still be miserable as a stage hand.
I've been passionate about guitars for so long but this type of stuff was always so daunting. I finally have the guts to just get into it. Do you happen to have any way I could contact you in the future?
God has entered into my body like a body my same size like me floating into you or you floating into me
I learned setup and repair because I could not afford to pay anyone. Over the years I gained a solid understanding of how they are put together and work, and that morphed into guitar building.
Excellent video. Thanks.
Well said and well done.
Good for you. I love working on guitars. I bought two cheapy guitars to have something to practice on. I have a real nice "lawsuit" Takamine that is a copy of a Martin 000-28 that needs a neck reset. I'm still trying to decide on how to proceed with loosening glued in necks!!!
Same here and for the most part I've just gone by feel, only measuring instrument I have is a notched straight edge. Started off as a player but now morphed into a tinkerer but, even if I do say so myself, I can set up a mean guitar. Took a little bit of money, learning and fuckups along the way but now I can handle pretty much anything up to really serious stuff like a bust truss rod or neck break. Done resprays, finish repairs, fret levels etc and do feel really good when I do my own work
It's kind of a scam, because if you really care about your instrument and music, then it just makes sense to learn as much as possible about it. people who try to play and never even figure out how to tune up by ear and to the set intonation. should not even be trying to be a musician 😆. If your giging and have multiple guitars, it makes more sense to have a guy to maintain your guitars.
@@dickrichard626 not really. I have a friend who loves to play. And is very very good. But he is not very good with tools. And doesn’t trust himself to work on them. So he takes them to an expert
In my opinion if you’re working on a customer’s guitar and you take the nut action too low you should never use superglue/baking soda. Its not a permanent fix. Ideally you should make a new nut. You can use it in a pinch or on your personal guitar
yea that's called being a hack. I'd be pissed if that was my guitar
Had to pause for a second. I know the math for the saddle height from another luthier channel. It's super simple. Measure the height at the 12th fret, substract the height you want (so you have the excess height) and just double it up. That's what you need to take off of the saddle. E. g. the action at the 12th is 110 and you want 80, you need to take off 60 (30 x 2) at the saddle. Great video(s)! Cheers from Germany! :) Edit: HA!!! Just continued the video and you said, you take off 60. That prooved me right! ;-P
Yeah, I was actually coming on to say that. It’s pretty easy to double the distance you want to move off the saddle. It doesn’t get any easier.
Serious maths that, eh? ;)
Hello Germany! My Daughter lives over there in Germany, near Darmstadt, with her husband, and son. She moved back there about 12 years ago, and ended up getting married. Germany is a great country! I love it when I go there to visit. I have a lot of family, and friends there.
God does unspeakable horrors like rip the corner of my lips at the exact moment i tense them. God lies and promises to betray us. Did you know the bible said that jobe was perfect and even he was betrayed by god?
God said to me that he wants me to commit suicide and laughs and i saw jesus sticking his tongue out calling me a n word lover…now can you believe that?
👏
This is the BEST. Top to bottom - it’s real, hilarious, fun and incredibly informative. Love this!! 😂💯
Being a carpenter and mechanic by trade early in life has enable me to have acquired many of the specialized tools you have that are used in other trades. I use the depth side of a set of calipers to measure string height and a two foot level with a machined surface to within .0005" to gauge fret height. The look on someones face after you have magically transformed an instrument to play like never before is priceless. They just look at you like holy crap I didn't know their was that much difference when you can play songs just like the original recordings. Just love guitars and music in general for this wanna be master 😁
Great video, guys! On the ‘complex’ math for how much to take off the saddle, it’s as easy as multiply by 2. You wanted to lower the action .030, so times 2 is .060 - the amount to take off the saddle. Your estimate (impressed by your eye and feel for this, by the way) was 1.5mm or about .050. If you’d done .060, perhaps you’d be where you wanted to be. Just times 2!
Amazing. You guys are great. I admire your transparency and the information you provide so freely. I am a guitar player, not a maker or repair person, but just watching your videos teaches me so much and enables me to appreciate my instruments more: including a couple of Taylors and a handmade Propsom.
This seems like a great idea. I retired last year, and this is just the thing I can do to keep me busy, and make a few bucks, while finally doing something I love doing. In my free time, I have been working on guitars for over 7 years, doing setups, mods, and upgrades. Mainly for family, friends, and my own. Now seems like a perfect time to give it a shot. I have the tools, though some will need upgrading, but who doesn't like new tools! Thanks guys! This video has really inspired me.
I love how much fun you both are having, this is so refreshing to see
My first setup was on my electric bass. I watched 5-6 YT videos so i would know what to do each step of the way. My bass played much better afterwards. Next, I did a setup on my least expensive acoustic. I've now set up a couple of my friends guitars, and I do all of my own guitars. The scariest thing I've ever done is drilling/enlarging a hole in my brand new Martin 000-15M and installing a K&K Pure Mini. At that point, it was the most expensive guitar that I owned, so I was really happy that everything went ass planned. I enjoy working on guitars and I trust myself more than I trust the unknown techs at the big box music store. For years I believed that only highly trained professionals should ever touch a truss rod nut LOL.
A great way to learn setups is to buy the cheapest guitars you can find, set them up so they play better, and try to sell them for a slight profit. I can now set up strats because of this. It's amazing how poorly people care for their guitars. A fret polish (not level, just polish), serious cleaning, some light fret-end dress, and a good setup can go miles for playability.
Even if you break even on your purchase and sale of the guitar, you have already won through the knowledge you gain by fixing it up.
maybe not the "Cheapest" guitar, but inexpensive so you don't have to worry about it. like a squire for your first strat setup, for example, rather than USA fender.
Can I ask what you use to polish frets? And clean finger boards?
Ive been taught to use zippo fluid.
For fretts just a fine polishing sponge on a palm polisher.
Thanks in advance if you see this. It's been some time since you commented.
@@HR91360 have used a few things 0000 guage steel wool and the music nomad fret polishing kit. Stew mac makes great micromesh pads, which i'd recommend. The compounds/liquid stuff does a "better" job but it's a lot more messy and difficult.
Cleaning the frets - a scraper is your best bet, and a damp cloth of course! I have used steel wool but I think it shows scratches.
Thanks much Driftwood for posting this excellent how-to video. After doing repairs as a sideline for a few decades I'm nearing retirement and plan to put this information to work!
Loved this video! I've been playing for many years and recently retired and have time on my hands. I've done some basic set ups on friends guitars and I"ve been encouraged to start doing it for $$. Your video has given me the motivation and final push I needed to make it happen! THANK YOU!!!
Chris, you make this look so easy. Thanks for all your content. Love your videos
I just leveled and crowned frets one a couple guitars and I did pretty good, and I kinda enjoyed it. I think this just inspired me to try this out professionally.
Its worth watching Chris's videos just for the entertainment value alone! Great stuff.
This is been one of the best videos I've seen on the internet about guitar setup
I'm in the South Suburbs of Chicago, and I charge $50.00,plus strings for a setup. Keep up the great work!
I took a look at the Nut and Saddle “race car” at the link. It appears Stewmac doesn’t sell it anymore. And they don’t seem to have an alternative on their web site. Interesting.
That’s a great estimation. Lowering 0.030” @12th fret means lowering 0.060” at the bridge because 1/2 of the string length (hypotenuse of the triangle) will be 1/2 the height of the short side of the right triangle. (Edited for spelling)
This video was so easy to understand. The three major areas. Nut, relief, and saddle. The adjustments to each. Now can you do FRET SPROUT on bound or unbound fretboard? Here in Northern Los Ángeles humidity is down to 5%. I have some deep fret sprout on my acoustics. Great video! Thank you!
I made a bone saddle for my guitar once all I had was a caliper and a needle file set. it took me 3 1/2 hrs all by hand. After I got it done I brought it down to the guitar shop. The shop owner was impressed. He let me know that I left the edges a little sharp under the string wich i corrected. I have to say it was pretty gratifying to do that myself.
Man, this is great. Im planning to learn how to set up guitar, and thinking to give it a try for a full time job. This video really helps me to start on how to properly start checking the guitar, this great. already subscribed and Godbless Man. Chiggy here from Philippines.
Greetings from Montréal, Québec, Canada !!! just came accross your website, love your videos and surely will be helpful to start 'Reparing/fixing guitar...starting with my own !!! I did buy some tools a few years ago, but not too sure about myself yet sooo going at it with baby steps !!! Looking forward to watching ALL your videos and shall keep you posted on my succes adventures !!! Stay Healthy, Cheers !!!
Here is a trick you "might appreciate" for acoustics/classical guitars. You can take a hard cover book and slide it under the strings between the sound hole and the bridge. Slide it all the way down to the bridge, (which will lift the strings) and pull out the saddle to work on it. This is the ultimate time saver on classical guitars
I have learned a great deal from watching your videos. Your tools are first rate, being a Tool + Die Maker, I know how quality tools can speed up your tasks. The video that you produced, where you used a wooden model to show the effects the various adjustments have on a guitar, was done well.
Gooood evening from central Florida! Hope everyone has a great night!
Sorry if I'm clueless about searching, but I can't find the Breakdown video for this Breedlove . . .
Weren't you going to do a review, saw it in half, and give it a final score relative to the others in that series?
A quick reckoning for the nut height is to measure the height at the 12th, then take away what you want it to be, and then take double that of the bottom of the nut, i.e. if it's at say 0.110, and you want say 0.095, 0.110-0.095 = 0.015, 0.015*2 = 0.030, hope that makes sense,
Chris, thank you for sharing! I bought a kit guitar to get started and your information is very , very helpful.
Really great video! Your brother Mike is a good friend and turned me on your channel a while back. I really appreciate the different perspectives you offer. While I've done a few minimal electric setups, this is the first time I've been inspired to get a little more into setting up my own guitars.
Great post. Thanks for taking the time. I find this inspiring. This is my dream job. Honestly. I’d love to work on guitars and become a tech/luthier. I am currently taking steps to move into the field.
To get started I’ve been renting guitars from a local shop and doing set-ups on them.
Much love from Canada!
Cheers!
Best action setup video I've seen. Maybe you can do one on fret level and re-crown? Question: when you lowered the nut slots, is there sometimes(?) a need to lower the top surface of the nut as well so that part of the string protrudes above the nut?
Yes.
Did we ever get a breakdown video of this guitar?
Just ran across this channel. Excellent information and entertaining!
So I'm starting an online guitar repair course next week and this has got me so eager to start
Thx Guys, I am going to start doing setups on my own guitars , I just ordered the GP Repair guide , keep the instructions Vids coming !!!
I bought the nut rescue powder set from StewMac when I converted a 35" scale bass to BEAD tuning because the nut was cut too low for 3 of the four strings when I bought the bass. I wanted to get the height right after I widened the nut slots for the bigger strings and it worked really well up to the .130-gauge low B string and it has held up really well. I find I like tweaking my setups very much. I know the nut power set is not on your list but with some superglue it makes it nice to match the nut color since it comes with different tinted powders.
I love your videos and thank you to both of you. I still wish I could afford one of your guitars...wow.
I’ve been flipping online auction guitars and the saddle shaver would have saved me tons and I mean TONS of time. All self taught. Maybe the book would be a plus too.
Great video!
Get the Dan Erlewine dvd on fretting and setup. He shows you way cheaper ways to get started. A 2’ aluminum level trued up with sandpaper on table saw table will level it up and work for leveling fretboards and frets. Also a plastic drafting T-square for a straight edge with some tape along the side for better sighting works just fine and you can file slots in the opposite side to check fretboard after it’s fretted. Get Dan’s dvd and the tips will pay in the end.
Well done, I've been tinkering with this sort of thing for a while for free sometimes. But if someone asks " Hey I have this vintage acoustic guitar" I would probably decline. Best to be upfront with my abilities. Don't jump without a parachute. Thanks for the video.
Wow I’m actually understanding what you’re saying. Your teaching is great thank you for making this
another great one... EVERYone else glides over these points because they think we've all seen this too many time..!! ...hello - not me. So - thank you.
I really enjoyed this video, and I learned some stuff, too. Thanks! I have owned some Breedlove guitars and never saw one that poorly set up. Yikes! I recently bought a Music Nomad kit that I am pleasantly surprised with. I have done my own simple setups for a while. Now I have friends and guitar students all asking for me to do their guitars. I called around town. Here in Tucson, basic setups are $80-100.
Very surprised that you didn’t include fret levelling, shaping and crowning files in your ‘essentials’ tool kit. The nut racer can be sorted with two pieces of wood and four wingnut and bolt combinations. Plus maybe some wheels or roller skate bearings. The money saved will buy a decent levelling beam, triangular fret file with smooth edges and a file to round over the fret ends.
I'm guessing it's not in the realm of beginning luthier work?
I don't know, I kinda do my own setups but fretwork scares me lol
@@jamquijano4402 first stuff I looked at many years ago - with good reasons! It IS an essential for repair/setup work though. Can you imagine trying to start a biz and admitting you can’t sort frets? Reputation shot before you start!
@@paulneeds Absolutely agree. Fretwork is really where the rubber meets the road. Proper contact between accurate frets and the vibrating strings is where it all begins.
My local Guitar Center in New Jersey charges $65.00 for basic set up
waiting for the breakdown video of this guitar.. i have one and would like to know more about the construction.
Thank you for the links and the book suggestion. I just picked up the book and a few tools I need. And plan to buy the nice expensive tools later. But I can at least get started.
I have always been nervous to try my own set ups but you made it so simple to understand ! Thanks guys for your great videos:) keep up the good work.
I’ve been picking for 53 years and damaging guitars for about as long. I’ve also been learning steadily over the years, and have learned a whole lot from you guys. I hate measurements, but finally bit the bullet and bought most of the tools/books) you reference here and/or a prior “giveaway“ video …cork neck rest 🤣! Not ready for fretwork yet, but I’ll get there. Re Breedlove: right around the time you did that factory tour reaction I was researching them… and bought one of their handmade Premier models. Love the tone but I can’t give you any “data“ on factory set ups because it’s a used 2017. I sure hope The one in this video was an oddball because I love to tone & playability and the company is doing some really interesting things… enough snow to get me to buy my first bolt-on acoustic neck after decades of being a (now-former) D-28 owner bullying friends who play Taylors. How ironic that I know on [ < typo = “now own] a guitar with a bridge doctor, stock!
I just got a new Breedlove Oregon. On every one that I tried, the factory setup was crazy high. Way too much relief, nut needed filing, and the saddle needed to be lowered. Love the tone of my Breedlove, but they need to do a better job on factory setups. All of the Taylor guitars I've played had perfect setups.
@@jlr3802 cool, sounds like you know your stuff. Question: did you buy the guitar from the factory or from, say, a Guitar Center store, where almost no guitar is set up properly (if at all playable, like literally most of the higher-end guitars at my local store when winter hits)? [Edited to fix my flagrant typos]
I use a golf tee puller to remove bridge pins. Easy and cheap to purchase.
Chris should this be in the playing position when getting a setup? What’s your thoughts?
an alternative for the bridge pin puller could be a capo with one build in so if you need to change strings on the road youre able to just to have it handy otherwise id keep the good pin puller
There is a Luthier that films his repairs and setups. He has a machined straight edge he uses. He also uses a plastic level. It all depends on what he is trying to accomplish.
So why feeler guages at the 1st fret and the measuring tool at the 12th fret? Why not just use the measuring tool at the 1st fret too? Thanks.
Only question I’m left with now is what made you decide on 7 thousandths of an inch of neck relief on this guitar if you normally set it to 4? My assumption is that you had already had to adjust it so much to get it to that 7, and didn’t feel comfortable torquing the truss rod any further?
Hello Chris and Matt! Great video. Is that pretty much always the order you follow? Neck relief first, nut adjustment second, and then saddle adjustment last? Thanks!
Correct
Excellent video, I learned a lot… I am retired and have just moved to southern Indiana from Colorado, huge humidity difference… I believe that I have that under control, but I believe that my nearest credible luthier is 40 miles away… Therefore I have started educating myself through UA-cam videos such as yours… In my quest for knowledge I ran across an online luthier school that offers a guitar technician course… Sounded interesting to me as it is certificate program that teaches not only the technical side but the business side as well, so I could use it as a side hustle… Question to you all, have you guys ever heard of “Southeast Guitar Academy ” out of Buford, GA? They are the ones offering this course… Thanks…
I charge $65 plus the cost of strings. $75 for Floyd rose and 12 strings. The price of strings is not included in the price. South GA
Just figured I'd mention a small piece of solid surface would also work for a perfectly flat surface, idk how you could source a small piece of what you'd need but it's a hell of a lot lighter than that granite
Great video! I might be late to the party, but I wanted to ask - should you be ready to do a fret level as well? If the fretwork is poor, bringing the action to a proper height might lead to buzzing. Would you check the frets first to figure out how low you can bring the action? Thanks!
Is it possible to adjust intonation on an acoustic?
Starting out as a guitar tech/repairman, does it make sense to work for paying customers with limited range of services? Like setups, fret work and electronics for instance, but no crack repairs, broken headstocks, loose braces, broken truss rods.
Just what the doctor ordered! Thanks a lot, guys! 🤓
LOVE the videos and look forward to them. Small point about the truss rod? Do you recommend loosening the strings before tightening the truss rod? Thanks again for all the great videos.
You generally only loosen the strings when adjusting the intonation. Just loosen a little to make the intonation adjustment easier.
@@kbar3612 lol
You probably won’t see this but you could you explain how to adjust a trust rod wheel?
There are a few videos online but they’re not all that explanatory.
Man I’m really thinking of going balls deep into this field, gonna start scouring my area for a job as some apprentice, shit anything that’ll teach me to turn a block a wood to a shred machine
What tools needed to loosen up a glued in acoustic guitar neck for a neck reset??? Thank you!!!
So I have a question. I do a lot of guitar setups for friends and family etc. but now my dad gave me his 40 year old classical guitar for setup. It has no truss rod but the string action and the frontbow is even worse than on your example in this video. The only thing I could do is pull the absolutely worn down frets out and sand the neck flat, adjust the sattle and nut but he doesn't want that. Is there any way to get the neck flat without pulling the frets out? I thought about carefully fixating the guitar to a table and then hanging some weights on the neck to give it some counterweights for a few days. I'm just worried I'll warp the neck in a bad way.
So, plastic nuts & saddles get the job done. What is preferable on high end stringed instruments? Bone, metal, wood, composite??? What is the raw size dimension of a neck blank? Thx! Tim A
Don't forget nut slot files for basses. They also need to be set up and fixed and you can get paid for putting in a super-special-magic-tone nut (brass or whatever) by the tone nuts :)
Learning to do a proper setup lead me to modifying guitars, which lead me to building guitars. It's a great place to start, and a good setup can transform a guitar.
Is it correct to adjust the bow out of the neck with the truss rod with the strings on the guitar and in tune? One would think you'd try to take bow out with no string tension.
Great video as usual .. Couple of questions (1) how do you know when to stop? (2) and as a non real player, but as someone who has built and fixed dozens of instruments, I always struggle to know the “ah this is perfect, stop now” moment ..
Please make video on soundboard bulge. My guitar is slightly bulging behind the bridge and am unsure what the problem is.
High humidity. Get some dehumidifier, put it in it's case (hardcase), if it doesn't came with hardcase, try plastic bag, leave it for a week or two.
The Best thing I did was Learn to do my own guitar & bass Set-ups. All of my instruments play (like a custom-shop) with no-buzz, low-action, no fret-sprout. It's a little Scary in the beginning . . . but worth it. I hit like. Great job - really informative. oNe LoVe from NYC
Awesome video gentlemen. quick question, if I have the relief gauge and nut gauge would the straight edge be necessary?
Did you use a different nut file for each slot?
I didn't catch any mention.
Measuring off of the frets might be off if you have a high fret. Shouldn't you check the frets first?
On the nut and saddle, is the string groove best if shaped square (90 degrees) or rounded like the shape of the string?
How about using the files used for welding torch cleaning?
What causes the tich tich sound when adjusting the tuning?
I’m working on a garage sale guitar with a bent neck because of steel strings on an untrussed neck. Trying to straighten the neck, so neck relief is an interesting concept. Does the neck have the relief even with no tension on the strings?
I just love your humor ( Don's my name I use my own iPad but it's registered under my Wife's name. Your very easy to listen to and yes I've done a few guitar setups plus all my own guitars first of course. But I repeat it's good to get the order of jobs from the start to the finish ( I'm pleased to note I wasn't to far away from your pattern) but well done team,, I love watching you. Take care
Totally enjoyed this video, I got a bag full of guitar tools in a kit for my birthday. Some of them I had to look up what they were. I've got a couple old acoustic guitars, that have super high strings. I'm going to try these tools out. Thanks for the instruction...peace...
I was wondering can i just buy a square for the straight edge
I took the backward route; I built two acoustic guitars only understanding how to set the neck angle. Now I will use them to practice setups. These tools are not cheap though; that action gauge alone costs over $200. Fortunately I already have a few cheaper tools like these. That nut race car is out of stock though.
When a guy who builds astonishingly beautiful guitars suggests a book...go buy that book. Didn't make it past 7:05 without pausing it and going and ordering that book.
Yea we could hang for sure. You guys are like the guys I grew up with.
What is the difference between height and heigth? Is it just an analogy of width?
The Heart Sound Ball Bearing Guitar Nut and Saddle Sander is no longer available and I see others looking like it priced from 38 and 62 to 87 bucks. Any recommendations ?
Hello I bought a Takamine tt400 SC (sounds great)
I had someone from Phoenix az. Do the set up and he also did something else they call tamper tuning? Or temper tuning, i don't know, but the guitar is soft as butter the strings are so best the fretboard and I just love how it plays, do you happen to know what is the process is ?
Where do you get the string puller!?! I can’t find it anywhere!
You mentioned needing nut gauge files. Does that mean that as a guitar player I need to have my nut adjusted if I want to go to different gauged string than what came on the guitar?
The short answer is.... Maybe. The long answer is that it depends on the slot sizes in your existing nut. If the nut slots in your guitar are very close to your existing string diameters, you may experience binding of the strings in the nut slots if you go to heavier gauge strings, especially with the wound strings. You may have tight nut slots if you now have any "pinging" or catching of strings in the nut when you tune your guitar. It could also be a rough finish in the nut slots catching the strings (or a soft plastic nut), and an experienced tech or luthier can check any of these conditions for you. If you go to a lighter gauge of strings with closely fitted existing nut slots, you will probably be ok. If the existing nut slots are "generous" in size, related to your string gauge, then heavier gauge strings will probably fit and function all right with the nut you have now, but if you are going to a lighter gauge set, the strings will have the ability to work side to side in the looser fitting slots. You can check for this if you detune or loosen your strings, and if you are able to move the strings at the nut from side to side any noticeable amount, you are more likely to have looser slots. It is a matter of a very small degree, just how tight the fit is of the strings to the nut slots, and is something that you may or may not be able to sense for yourself depending on your level of experience working with tools and materials, but a skilled tech or luthier can check this for you if you are new to this. The correct fitting of the slot size to string gauge, as well as a properly and smoothly finished nut slot and the right nut material is a very important step in a well done setup, and any tech or luthier worth their salt will recognize this. Many new guitars, especially some of the more affordable ones (less than about $700-800) come with plastic nuts that are too soft for the purpose. A replacement nut can make a world of difference. Quality bone, Tusq, micarta, Corian, or 'graphite' type nuts are generally considered the most popular and effective. I hope this helps answer your question. If not, hit me up again and I will try to get you some more information. Good luck.
thank you Matt and Chris
If you paint flames on your nut/saddle sanding car would it go faster?
In a pinch,
a fork can be used as a pin puller
😂😂😂😂
(Slide the fork so one prong goes on each side of pin and slowly lift)
Or a spoon.
😂😂😂😂
(Place over your thumb and press up on pins from inside guitar cavity)
Outstanding video gentlemen. Very much appreciated
Have you done a Ovation set up? I've got a 1778T and this last year played about 300 90 minutes sets. A few weeks ago I started getting dead strings on the G B high E from around the 10 fret to the 16 fret. It cared on each string where. Sometimes with bends and some times just fretting note or chords. The guy that worked on this guitar is now out of business... so I'm looking for some help with this.