Redd...how do you set up your teles ?!

[CLAZ]

does anyone know or maybe even the Man himself could shed some light on this question.

action- pickup height-neck relief etc etc

all that good stuff ya know !!

 

[odiemann]

Seen that

somewhere, do a search. He even listed pick type, I think.

 

[zane]

I know he uses 11-52 LaBella strings ;^)

 

[Redd Volkaert]

Uhm

I just finished all this stuff on my new GlenDale!!

I'd post a picture, but I'm to dumb with my camera, let alone trying to put one up here.

I like a straight neck, very little relief, with the pickups close to the strings as long as they balance in volume.
The action, about a 1/4" maybe a little more, off the end of the fretboard so I don't get rattles or fizzing out on a bend, common with the old style small radius fingerboards.
I cut the nut low enough not to rattle.
Strings- 011-052 LaBella, Heavy regular old shape picks.

Some say my guitars play like Dobro's to them, but I like em'
Thanks for asking,
Redd Volkaert

 

[dimenjj]

Is this site the best or what? How cool is this, Redd tells us about his setup. I love it ! ! !

 

[Twangbanger]

Hey Redd, that old tele that you built is still setup that same way from the day I got it from ya.
Just needs a refret.
That's about the way I "used" to play my strats back when I was a a teenager. Now I play tele's with that action....more tone and builds your strength.

 

[Curly]

wow!
high action and 11s

 

[stinkymommasboy]

wow!
high action and 11s

and he bends the crap out of 'em

 

[Twangbanger]

with them small Vienna Sausage like fingers at that!

 

[bowlfreshener]

wow!
high action and 11s

H*lls Yeah! Now I don't feel weird for having my guitars set up like that too...

 

[MandyMarie]

Watching Redd live you'd swear he was using fishin' line for strings - he bends those 11's like a mad man! ...and it makes us happy. We love ya Redd!

 

[tdowns]

The action, about a 1/4" maybe a little more, off the end of the fretboard so I don't get rattles or fizzing out on a bend, common with the old style small radius fingerboards.

Hey Redd,
Thanks for the response. You are a gem. I've had the wondrous opportunity to feel your guitars, see your shop, and get spanked in a pickin' session with you. Can you expand on the string height thing? A Fender procedure is to measure the distance between the top of the 17th fret and the string. Fender specs is 4/64" or 1/16". When you say 1/4" off the end of the fretboard, are you measuring from end the fretboard to the string OR the top of the last fret to the string? I know you action is very high, but 1/4" from fret top strikes me as more than I remember.

Redd's got more licks than Carter's got liver pills. I'm wondering how old you have to be to remember Carter's Liver Pills???? At least he is jealous that I'm better looking than him.

 

[Pete Galati]

I read that as meaning approx, 1/4" off the end of the fretboard, not the fret.

Seems a bit high. If we're measuring off the fretboard itself, I'm more like about 1/8" off the end of the fretboard. Eyeball measurement. I never actually measure anything when I'm adjusting a guitar.

 

[Grin'n'pick]

Some say my guitars play like Dobro's to them, but I like em'

Redd Volkaert

Sure don't sound like dobros! They sound like tele heaven.

 

[mellecaster]

Redd Knows !....I've been Beatin my Head against a wall for years, tryin to convince folks that a Fat Neck....011s.....and High Action....is a Major Factor in Classic Tele Tone (To my ears at least)....Maybe now at least a few will listen ?.........

 

[Durtdog]

Redd Knows !....I've been Beatin my Head against a wall for years, tryin to convince folks that a Fat Neck....011s.....and High Action....is a Major Factor in Classic Tele Tone (To my ears at least)....Maybe now at least a few will listen ?.........

Nobody but Arthur tells me how heavy and how high.

 

[CLAZ]

hmmm

Thank you Redd for the answer!.... this tele board is quite amazing huh.. Simple setup for a simple man, who would have thought

1/4" off the end of the fretboard seems pretty damn high to me too!! Could be right though.... BB king plays his action 7/64 on all 6 strings measuring at the 12th fret(according to the Dan guys geetar set up book)....thats pretty damn high! All the great ones play that way!

I use 5/64 myself raising the low E a couple of notches higher...

Redd if you could confirm that measurement (ha)

 

[Redd Volkaert]

I LYED!

Claz & Terry

I set em' up by (not so good anymore obviously) eyeball & feel.
So to prove meself wrong, I got my ruler out.

On the last fret #21 if I put the ruler standing up beside the string and touching the end of the wood fingerboard, not the last fret wire,
it measures 14/64ths
and with the ruler standing on the last fret, to the bottom of the G string measures 8/64ths
Do I need new frets already? Sorry for lyin'
Redd

 

[Pete Galati]

8/64" to the fret for the G string, is 1/8", which is higher than I set my action, but I was picturing something a lot higher.

 

[tdowns]

Claz & Terry

I set em' up by (not so good anymore obviously) eyeball & feel.
So to prove meself wrong, I got my ruler out.

On the last fret #21 if I put the ruler standing up beside the string and touching the end of the wood fingerboard, not the last fret wire,
it measures 14/64ths
and with the ruler standing on the last fret, to the bottom of the G string measures 8/64ths
Do I need new frets already? Sorry for lyin'
Redd

Ahh...8/64" sounds more like it. But... , if your fretboard to string distance is 14/64 and your fret to string distance is 8/64, that means your fret height is (14/64" - 8/64" = 6/64") or 0.094". Most vintage fret height is 0.035" to 0.040". Did you mean 10/64" instead of 14/64", or I'm I confused?

See what kind of trouble you get into when you give out your info to the masses?