so... what sort of setup do you use... (vintage spec instruments only) ?

[moozak]

i have a 60's relic... a great guitar by the way... and i set it up exactly to the fender setup specs and it plays great (4/64 at 17th fret 1st string to 5/64 on the low end... with a .012 gap at the 8th fret first string when string depressed at both ends).

yet... i still hear of people referring to low action (i'm only talking about vintage style 7.25 radius... i KNOW you can get lower action on the 9.5 radius).

so, i was just wondering how everyone else sets up their guitars. do you just go by feel?... or do you guys have a specific setup? do most of you just use the standard fender specs?

[Black Bear]

I tend to set mine up a tad higher than specs... FWIW.

[ShawnRT]

I tend to set mine a little below factory specs. I think I'm running a .009 or .008 gap at the 7th on the A string. This is on a 60RI as well. I don't get a lot of buzzing and I dont really ever fret out, but then again I tend to play very lightly.

This is odd because I just setup my guitar until it was perfect for me and then recorded all of the measurments last night. I have them at home and I'll post them all later tonight if anyone is interested.

[Marcondo]

I always set my neck relief at .012 also that seems perfect.

I set my string height by lowering the saddles all the way down so the strings touch the frets then raise them up 1 turn at a time till they dont buzz. Then I do some fine adjustments and its all set. You can also use a 7.25 radius gauge to set the bridge properly. I usually end up with around 5-6/64 on the big E and 3-4/64 on the small e. I like to hit the big strings hard to give them a little extra room.

I've had several Strats with 7.25 radius that didnt fret out at all its all in the fret height being equal and a good setup.

[ShawnRT]

Marcondo,
Did you do the Dan E thing and make the inverse 7.25 radius gauge like I did? I traced one out and cut it into a crescent shape so that it fits underneath the strings by the bridge. This gives a little bit more accurate way of setting the bridge radius. It's a neat trick I got out of his Guitar Player Repair Guide book. I just basically set the two E's and then adjust the others to fit the radius. Works like a charm!

[Gazza]

I set mine up by feel, I love high action.

[Marcondo]

Hi Shawn yes I made a radius gauge did it okie style made a 7.25 and a 9.5 and 12 out of thick cardboard. Used them a few times but decided to just use the neck itself as my reference point saves a little time.

Strats do seem to play a little better if the D-G strings are set the highest and the rest stairstepped down as compared to a completly flat setup.

[Dave Paetow]

I set my neck pretty flat, and adjust the high E string so I can do big assed bends without choking, and adjust the others accordingly. That means fairly stout action on a 7.25" radius. I usually run my lower strings with higher action on all my guitars anyways.

[Guildx700~]

Strictly feel, measurements mean nothing to me. I have some of my guitars set for very, very low action, zero relief and 2/64" @12th fret both sides and other as high as 5/64". depends on the guitar and what style playing I plan on using it for.

[moozak]

it's pretty cool to see that i'm pretty much in the same ball park with everyone else.

some are a little lower than standard and some a little higher (black bear... stevie ray liked his a little higher too... so you're in good company)... but we all seem to be generally in the same ball park.

[ShawnRT]

Well here are the measurements I took after I set my strat up just like I wanted it:

Neck Relief: .009" at 7th Fret
String Height: Just under 4/64" @ 17th Fret
Pickup Heights:
Bass: 3/32"
Treble: 2/32"
Nut height: .020"


That's about how I like it :tw59

[LefthandBastard]

Originally posted by Marcondo
I always set my neck relief at .012 also that seems perfect.

I set my string height by lowering the saddles all the way down so the strings touch the frets then raise them up 1 turn at a time till they dont buzz. Then I do some fine adjustments and its all set. You can also use a 7.25 radius gauge to set the bridge properly. I usually end up with around 5-6/64 on the big E and 3-4/64 on the small e. I like to hit the big strings hard to give them a little extra room.

I've had several Strats with 7.25 radius that didnt fret out at all its all in the fret height being equal and a good setup.

That's pretty much how mt Fenders are set up..just high enough to cease the buzzing but I still fret out high up the neck, but I doesn't worry me (I hardly play past the 14th fret on my Fenders anyway)

BTW I apologize for the Tele avatar in a Strat room....I dont have any pics of my Strat scanned yet.....I'll get there.

[Drumbeater]

I like my '57 RIs action set low, but high enough so there's no buzz. No idea what the measurements are, I go by feel as well.
As the '57 has a 7.25 radius, it will fret out on bends at the 15th fret or higher. For that reason, when I order my CS '56, I'm intending on getting it with a flatter radius (likely 9.5) and med/jumbo frets.

[Steve Shannahan]

I set mine up mostly by feel. My only requirement: The high E can't fret out on any point on the neck when I bend it. I don't care about buzzes as long as they can't be heard through an amp. My low E is also usually higher than normal for a 7 1/2 " radius.