Set Up

[metallica_eti]

I see people talking about after buying a new guitar they get it "Set Up", what are they talking about, what goes into seting a guitar up.

[rjohnstone]

Set Up = new strings, adjust truss rod (if needed), adjust trem/bridge height (if needed), adjust pickup height (if needed)... things like that.
All these things are done to get the right "action" or overall feel, to the way you like it.

[metallica_eti]

I know what all that mean except about adjusting the pickup height, how do you do this and what do you do it for????

[skorb]

pup height can be varied to get different levels of response out of the pup. closer to strings = more response, etc.

setups also include the most important aspect, that being setting all the strings at proper intonation so they will sound right all the way up and down the neck in relation to the other strings. this is what most people can't do at home.

[Postal]

Pickups have a very small window of height range that gives the best sound without being too close to the strings. Active pickups have small magnets, but passives with much stronger magnets affect the string vibration in a bad way if they are too close. If they are too far, they sound thin, and low output volume. Some people like pickups farther away because they pick too deep above the pup, and hit it too.

Normal install of humbuckers uses a ring with 2 screws that adjust height- There are 4 screws each at the corners of the ring- that hold the ring to the guitar, the *other* 2 screws adjust the height.

If you have an EVH charvel, the humbucker is mounted different, and you need to place something under the pup to raise it higher- but I bet those come from the factory with the height adjusted right.

The really important aspect of guitar setup is the truss rod adj, and setting string height. This is naturally the part that many shops are notoriously bad at as well.

[Postal]

setups also include the most important aspect, that being setting all the strings at proper intonation so they will sound right all the way up and down the neck in relation to the other strings. this is what most people can't do at home.

Really? Most players dunno how to do that? Serious- I'm not joking- I thought this was common knowledge-

all you need is the right screwdriver or allen wrench (depending on the bridge) and a tuner.

[rjohnstone]

Ahh yes... I almost forgot the all important intonation.
You would be surprised how many brand new guitars need this done.
I know how to do it myself, but sometimes I don't feel like screwing with it.
Floyd's are my least favorite to adjust... v-trems are a piece of cake.

[metallica_eti]

thanx for all the info, still deciding whether I should try and screw with the pickup height....
How exactly would you adjust the height on my guitar, it has 7 screws total an each pickup, 4 holding it to the guitar and 1 on one side and 2 on the other, by the way it is an B.C. Rich Ironbird Platinum Series.
Also how would you check to see if the intonation on this guitar is right and if it isnt gow would you fix it.

[straycat]

If your guitar has a floyd go to the QandA and do a search on floyd set ups.

[metallica_eti]

ok ill do that

[straycat]

There is a lot of helpful info up there.