do you adjust the action on your tele?

[robrecht]

okay i'm buying a tele.
i think the action is smooth (not very low, not too high).
but i'm playing a les paul mostly, which has pretty low action.
in my band i play the chords and a little bit of solos between the chords. (style: smooth rock (strokes, supergrass but no covers) to somewhat heavier rock (millionaire kinda music)), so i'm thinking of lowering the action. (neck on the affinity tele is quiet fat)

so how about you, do you adjust the action on your tele?

[Raymond]

I set up my Tele for strings 10 gage with 0.010” relief and 4/64” of string height (action). This is the standard Fender factory set up but with heavier strings. I like it because I can bend strings, and I mostly play acoustic so I tend to fret very hard.

Remember that before lowering the action in your guitar the frets need to be dressed and the nut cut properly. Otherwise, you will get string buzzing.

Good luck.

[tschommer]

Where are measuring the neck relief and action (which fret)? I think that I remember reading one of your posts in the past that said to put a capo on at the first fret then press down a string at the 20th fret and measure neck relief at the 8th fret. So are you measuring action there as well? 4/64" seems almost too low.

P.S. Is there a reason you are saying the action should be 4/64"? I apologize in advance for being so picky but isn't 4/64" the same as 1/16". Do you just always default to using the 64th fraction for the sake of accuracy?

Thanks in advance

[Mike D.]

Just follow the directions. If you've never done your own set ups, just take your time and follow the directions. I would also recommend Dan Erlewine's book "Guitar Player Repair Guide". This has very detailed instructions about guitar set up and maintanence. I have as much fun working on and upgrading my guitars as I do playing them. Good luck with yours.
http://www.mrgearhead.com/

[Sidney Vicious]

I recommend the MrGearhead site for info - I used it as a good guide in changing the set up on my three-saddle Telecasters. I simply lowered the saddles, retuned, re-intonated, until I got it where I wanted it - couldn't be easier.

Nothing wrong with measuring, but for me if it plays and sounds like I want it, the measurement is not needed.

[Kevin]

But I set my teles up to 4/64" on the treble E and taper up to 5/64" on the low E. The reason that I use 1/64" measurements is that's how my ruler is marked off. It just makes more sense to use the same scale for all measurements, rather than saying 1/16" on the high E and 5/64" on the low E.

I measure action at the 14th fret, with a capo at the first fret. Other people measure at the 12th, 17th, or other frets. Some people use a capo at the 1st; others don't.

Unless you know specifically how someone is taking their measurements, it's hard to make comparisions.

[bluesy]

Originally Posted by Sidney Vicious

Nothing wrong with measuring, but for me if it plays and sounds like I want it, the measurement is not needed.

I like to measure so the setup will be consistant when I change a measurement then decide to go back to the original measurement.

[photoweborama]

64th ruler is sort of a defacto standard for measuring guitars. A 64th difference can mean a lot on a guitar.

I set mine a 5/64ths all the way across. I can't get to 4/64ths. I get too much buzz. I don't need it that low anyway.

As far as adjusting by feel. I can't do that. I have problems with my left hand, and depending on how swollen it is, the strings feel different.

If I set it by feel, I'd drive myself crazy re-adjusting it all the time because of how different it would feel each time I pick the guitar up. This way I know for sure where it is.

I can be pretty neurotic about those types of things.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by tschommer

Where are measuring the neck relief and action (which fret)? I think that I remember reading one of your posts in the past that said to put a capo on at the first fret then press down a string at the 20th fret and measure neck relief at the 8th fret. So are you measuring action there as well? 4/64" seems almost too low.

P.S. Is there a reason you are saying the action should be 4/64"? I apologize in advance for being so picky but isn't 4/64" the same as 1/16". Do you just always default to using the 64th fraction for the sake of accuracy?

Thanks in advance

Tschommer, you must be an engineer!!!! The first time I set up a guitar by myself I said exactly the same: isn’t 4/64” the same as 1/16”?...
As Kevin said, since we usually use a machinist ruler, which 64 of inch divisions, it makes more sense scaling everything to 64 of an inch.
I use the Fender procedure: Put a capo in the 1st fret. Relief is measured at the 8th fret while fretting the last fret. Action is measured at the 17th.

Follow Mike’s advice. Dan’s books are great and so is the mrgearhead website, which contains the Fender procedure for setting up Fender guitars. Check those out. I can find all Erlewine’s books in my public library, so check yours first.

Again, a good set up is highly dependent on the frets and the nut. If the frets need to be dressed or the nut needs to be adjusted, do that first. Otherwise the set up won’t work.

Good luck.

[benderking]

ok, i know theres got to be a simple way to dress up my old frets that are getting flat spots. Is there a tool that can be had or made that can reshape my frets and then whats the best method to attempt?


twang' on,
jerry

[0le FUZZY]

With a simple mind I don't dew no measurin.

I first dress my frets with a block sander and some 1000 grit sand paper. Up and down the frets untill smooth and brite.

I then set my strings at or near the level of the bridge edges (standard old style) and shim the neck if needed (usually duz fer my set).

I then string up tew tune and on each string. I tonate the saddles then I check fer rattle as I check each fret up the neck on each string. I adjust the bridge until I'm as close tew the fret board without fret buzz on each string.

Neck P/U at fret board level and lead with a slight tilt so as the liddo E is almost touching the strings whilst holdin the 12 fret position down. The big E issa liddo lower.

As with Peds neck torque, its a feel thang not a science . A musical piece fer the ears not an engine block onna Chebby.


---0.F.---

[Chrismeyer]

Nothing wrong with measuring, but for me if it plays and sounds like I want it, the measurement is not needed.[/quote]
Ditto ! I've never touched any measuring divice while setting my guitars,and they all sound/feel/play great.Maybe it's a little luck,and a little persistance,but my last project was my best player ever.
My '53 Gibson acoustic was almost literaly in pieces,and I took it apart,re-glued it,put a new bridge and nut on,shimmed a little here and there.
Next thing you know,my friends are dying for me to make theirs play that well!all this without ever measuring anything!

[robrecht]

i don't understand a word what your all saying, pretty new in the world of guitar terms. and i also don't speak a lot of english, so pretty hard to find out what MIM and MIJ and all that stuff means. even measuring and things...
i originally ment: lowering the action (getting the strings close to the neck), if it is really necessary to play well on a tele.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by robrecht

i don't understand a word what your all saying, pretty new in the world of guitar terms. and i also don't speak a lot of english, so pretty hard to find out what MIM and MIJ and all that stuff means. even measuring and things...
i originally ment: lowering the action (getting the strings close to the neck), if it is really necessary to play well on a tele.

Sorry about all all the lingo Rob!!!

Some of the words we use around here:
MIM - Refers to guitars made in Mexico
MIA - Made in America
MIJ - Made in Japan
CIJ - Crafted in Japan
CIN - Crafted in Norway
MIK - Made in Korea
etc...

You're the only one who knows whether you need to lower the action or not. For example, 4/64", which is the Fender factory spec, is good enough for me. Some people, especially blues players, like higher action because of all the string bending that’s going on. If you want to play fast, like a 1980s shredder, you’ll probably need a lower action.
Therefore, keep playing you Tele and see by yourself. If you need to fret the strings to hard, you probably need a lower action. Or, if you’d like, or you usually, play faster in other guitar and in the Tele you can’t, probably the action is too high as well…
The overall feel of a guitar is known as “set up”, and you, and only you, know what kind of set you need.

Remember though that changing the gage of the strings will affect the overall set up.

If you’re just starting out with a Tele, why don’t you set up the guitar with Fender factory specs first? Mr gearhead will teach you how to do it. It has the list of materials, explains how to make the measurements, etc. Here’s the link for Telecasters.

http://www.mrgearhead.com/faq/telesetup.html

Also, read the book Mike’s recommending. I don’t know if you can get a hold on the book in Belgium, but you can order it at amazon.com, or the like.

Good luck, and don’t hesitate to come back here anytime you need help. It doesn’t matter if you’re new or if you don’t speak english too well, we’ll find a way to help you out. There are no stupid questions in this board. These guys know that I’ve asked tons of those myself!!!!

[chrome red]

I have a MIA tele since May -03. After I changed string set from 0.009 to 0.010, there were too much fret rattle => raised the saddles and got more or less used to higher action... Yesterday I raised the neck angle with that micro tilt screw system and some saddle settings. Gone far from the mill settings. I have not so much experience with the latest settings; that influenza (Fujitan? or whatever virus seemed to hit me last night). Among other nice features all joints are sore at the moment, so some break from tele operations.

Before I ended up micro tilt adjustment I searched this site regarding subject. Some have reported that the whole micro tilt system is bad for sound or sustain, should be disassembled. I don't know about that yet while I have new set of strings on and they still sound with that metallic clang as they do.