This is the second of a three part series on how to set up your electric guitar. Part one is located here.

Every time I go to set up my guitar I have to go look up the details because my memory does not retain these kinds of details for some reason.   I have gone through my owners manuals and other guitar books and compiled the following tutorial that is generic enough to cover most guitars.  I hope this is helpful for you.

Having the correct setup on your guitar is key to improving its playability, tone and your enjoyment.  These instructions should apply to most guitars, however some adjustments might be required to suit your personal preferences and your guitar might be slightly different than the examples given in this document.

This installment of how to setup your electric guitar goes over basic intonation adjustments to help you make sure you are in tune all up and down the neck.  If your intonation is not set correctly you will find that even though you have tuned the instrument so that the open strings are at the correct pitch, you will find that the higher you play in pitches along a given string the notes will either be flat or sharp from what they should be at a given fret location.  There is a certain amount of compromise inherent in the tuning of an even tempered instrument, but proper intonation adjustment can make it a lot less noticeable.

Basic Intonation Adjustment:

1. Using a tape measure, measure the distance from the inside of the nut to the center of the 12th fret wire.
2. Multiply that measurement by two (2) for the scale length of the guitar.
3. Adjust the bridge saddle of the 1st string to the scale length you calculated in step # 2.  This is done by measuring from the inside of the nut to the center of the bridge saddle.
4. Adjust the distance of the 2nd saddle back from the 1st saddle, by the diameter of the 2nd string as a measurement (For Example: If the 2nd string is .011″ (0.3 mm) you would move the 2nd string back .011″ (0.3 mm) from the 1st saddle).
5. Repeat this procedure with the remaining strings.

Truss-Rod Adjustment

1. Tune the guitar.
2. Install a capo at the 1st fret.
3. Push down the 6th string at the last fret.
4. Check the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the 8th fret using a feeler gauge. – Refer to the Table below for the recommended gaps
5. Look down the edge of the fingerboard from behind the headstock, looking toward the body.
6. If neck is too concave (action too high), turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove excess relief.   (The truss rod nut can be found either on the headstock or neck/body joint.)
7. If the neck is too convex (strings too close to the fingerboard), turn the truss rod nut counter-clockwise to allow the string tension to pull more relief into the neck.
8. Check your tuning, then check the string gap with the feeler gauge and adjust again as needed.

Caution: Because of the amount of string tension placed on the neck, it is best to loosen the strings prior to making any actual adjustment.  After the adjustment is made retune the strings to pitch and check the gap a second time with the feeler gauge.

Note: Minor modifications of the specifications may also be made to allow for your individual style (i.e., how hard you pick or fret the guitar).  These are minimum specifications, meant to guide you, and are not unwavering rules, since each player’s subjective requirements may differ somewhat.

Note: If find a lot of resistance when adjusting the truss rod, if your instrument needs constant adjustment, if adjusting the truss rod has no effect on the neck, or if you are not comfortable making this type of adjustment yourself, take your instrument to a professional guitar technician.

Typical Relief Specifications

The How to Setup Your Electric Guitar – Part 2 by Hartzog Chris, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.