How to PROPERLY set up

i am only 18, my guitar/playing owning has only spanned a few years so i want to know how to properly set up, maintain and 'fiddle' with my guitars. i have electronical knowledge and replacing pickups and rewiring pots etc is easy, its the practical things like intonation, adjusting action, dressing frets, crowning and cleaning. plus anything else ive missed.

I respect you old pro's out there and want to know what you do :razz:

Oh boy........... well here are a few good references (among hundreds):

http://www.fender.com/support/telecaster_setup_guide.php

http://users.powernet.co.uk/guitars/setuptut.htm

http://www.guitarnotes.com/notes/noteget.cgi?basic_guitar_setup

Just keep in mind that there are different ways to do things so one guide my very from another on some things but by doing it yourself ( which is the BEST way to learn) you will find what methods work for you.


and by the way, you picked a GREAT hobby, I've been at it for over 35 yrs!

Christmas is coming. Ask for this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guitar-Player-Repair-Dan-Erlewine/dp/0879309210/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291491226&sr=1-1)...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51lWgXPDTzL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg

The Fender set up guide is a great starting point. If you are just learning the basics of set up I would master the basic set up procedures before you tackle dressing frets and crowning. Mess up a basic set up and it is easy to correct but making a mistake on frets is not very forgiving. That being said there are lots of great threads here on fret leveling and crowning. The forum search engine is your friend. :grin:

Ron Kirn sells an inexpensive pamphlet that will walk you through the whole process, including some inexpensive "shade tree" improvisations to get around spending a lot of money on expensive specialized tools. Contact him through his web site.

Here's a TDPRI thread that Ron put up for fret leveling. It actually is as easy as he makes it sound if you are already a tool user.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-technical/201556-fret-leveling-yer-tele-101-a.html