by Gregor Arkady

Created on: May 06, 2008

So, you've got yourself a guitar eh? Congratulations! Oh, wait... you say the factory set up sucks? You say that either the strings are lying on the frets, preventing any notes being sounded, or they're so far off the neck only Andre the Giant could actually play it? Well settle down my friend, you've found the right article. In this article, I hope to give you the beginning basics you will need to set up your guitar or bass.

Right off the bat, let me give you this as a caution: if you're not careful, you can really damage your guitar. If you're at all concerned, even a little bit, stop what you're doing and take your guitar to a respected guitar tech. DO NOT take your prized piece to Joe down the street who's worked on a guitar for someone you know. This guide is NOT meant to make you an expert, it is meant to help you trouble shoot when time is of the essence. If you're really interested in guitar tech, I recommend you pick up a copy of Dan Erlewine's "Guitar Player's Repair Guide".

Ok, now that that's taken care of, on to the tweaking. The first thing I check on a guitar is the action. I'm not sure if this is the official way to, but here's what I do. I either capo or fret each string at the first fret, and place the pinky of my right finger around the 14th fret (18th on a bass). Then, using either my index finger or my thumb (or, if you're using a capo, a finger from your left hand) I tap the strings one at a time at the 7th fret (9th on a bass). I can't tell you exactly how much distance I like to have, but generally I like to have just a little bit of movement. Enough that when you tap the string it makes a noise as it hits the fret, but not too much. From there, lower or raise the saddles (the things the strings pass over on the bridge) to get each string feeling right to you. If you have a Gibson-style guitar with a Tune-o-matic style bridge, you cannot raise the saddles individually. Instead, you much turn the screws located on the sides of the bridge. These will raise or lower the entire bridge. If you have a Fender-style bridge, or any kind of bridge with individual saddles, you should be able to raise or lower each string. Generally this is done by turning a hexagonal screw with an Allen key, so be sure to invest in a good set of keys.

Ok, so now you've got the strings at a good height. But oh no, while raising those strings far enough off the fretboard, you've suddenly got the strings so high you can slide your whole hand under the strings! Yes,

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