sbpark Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Last year I told myself I was going to stop doing my own work on my guitars because I wanted to spend more time playing and less time working on them myself and have a "professional" do it. I tried a few local guys and was never really that impressed and kept telling myself, "I can easily do this, and do it exactly how I want it done instead of trying to explain to someone else how I like it." I've been doing my own "basic" setup for years. I basically do all my own setups on my electrics (Teles are the easiest guitar to work on in my opinion), and some easy stuff on the acoustics as far as adjusting action (have sanded both drop in saddles and slotted saddles which need to be sanded from the top), comfortable with performing truss rod adjustments, etc., have done a fret level, crown and polish on a Telecaster I used to own (and the guy who bought it couldn't stop commenting on how well it played), have basic soldering skills and have replaced pots, rewired hollow body guitars (that sucks and would rather pay someone to do that!), but there is one thing I've always avoided...filing nut slots. Well, after a disappointing experience with a local guy who I had to take my AJ to three times to get it set up properly, and then got my SJ200 back and the nut slots are still high, resulting in sub-optimal first position chords and notes pulling sharp in the first position, I decided to take the plunge and order Dan Earlwine's Guitar Player Repair Guide and a StewMac Essential Nut Making Tool Set. Little pricey upfront, but since I haven't been satisfied with the few local guys I've tried (and the $95 the one guy charges for a basic set up, which I think is a little steep, even here in the Bay area where everything is more expensive than anywhere else. If you can't file nut slots properly, you shouldn't be charging that much!) I'll still use one particular guy in town who is a builder of great acoustics and bouzoukis for anything more involved than a basic setup or simple fix. But for the basic set ups I think I'm totally done with spending my hard-earned money on something I can do myself, and not have to wait at least a week turnaround time, and then have to take it back, or leave it again after playing it an not be satisfied, only to have to wait another week for it to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 Congratulations. You are doing what I would do if I didn't have one of the very best luthiers/ guitar techs in the business not far from me, and if he decides to retire to the tropical islands or something. Before meeting him, the rest of his type were fully avoidable, and the most famous other guy here has a factory with an office and a receptionist who writes what you want on an order form! Chinese whispers to the techs out back and no discussion. And when you pick up whatever it was and it is wrong, then you speak to someone - fully stupid, I thought. I have learned so much just going to my luthier's workshop and discussing stuff! And the beautiful thing, he is on of the rare people that can keep working on what he is doing while talking to you. Bizarre but I have seen all kinds of things while hanging about! He was giving lessons and courses on guitar building, and if I hadn't been busy pumping the computer here full of junk, sorry, working on the computer, I would have loved to have joined a course. But I have four thumbs, so better off with no ideas. I mention it because there might be something like that near you. Just an idea. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 That's a good tool to have. The nut is often overlooked as the reason a guitar isn't comfortably playable at the lower end. My nut slots have to let strings hug the top of that first fret for me to get to play for long stretches, and my luthier gets it. But those adjustments are few and far between so I don't mind letting him take care of it. I think if you find a shop that has a vintage geek at the bench he or she will be tuned in to those finer points of the good set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 When filing nut slots it is imperative to get the take off angle correct for proper string vibrations and tonality. I make the angle in between the angle of the fretboard and the angle of the strings as they go over the nut. It is the only way I get them right every time. If the angle is the same as the fretboard the string can choke. if the angle is the same as the strings over the nut it will be too steep and intonation can suffer, also the nut can wear fast at that sharp take off point. Good luck with your venture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 Good info. I think if you approximate that same 'take off' angle at the saddle from the bridge pin you get the best chance of hitting the sweet spot. I like to bevel my saddle to adjust that contact point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 A few years ago I made my own nut saws from a feeler gage and purchased this gage. I set all my guitars to where the quality inspection reports that come with a guitar say they're at because very few will match those numbers I target .012-.014-.016-.018-.020-.022. That seems to work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 A few years ago I made my own nut saws from a feeler gage and purchased this gage. I set all my guitars to where the quality inspection reports that come with a guitar say they're at because very few will match those numbers I target .012-.014-.016-.018-.020-.022. That seems to work for me. I also added the string height gauge. I know some will scoff at using it given the cost and the fact that people have been using feel gauges, but with that tool it's a no brainer, and no guessing or wondering if it's right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mz-s Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 The feeler gauges turned saws is a brilliant idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 The feeler gauges turned saws is a brilliant idea. Only if you have a machine shop. Otherwise, it's easier and cheaper to buy them from Stewmac, even though they aren't cheap. If you enjoy making jigs, fixtures, and tools (as I do), knock yourself out. Otherwise, Stemac has a tool for every guitar construction, repair, and set-up task you can imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 sorry double post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzafrank Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 I couldn't agree more on the not so great guitar techs out there. I was told by local music stores that a certain guy was the only tech to use on upper end instruments, so I had him set up 2 mandos and a banjo. The 7th string at the nut on both mandos buzzed because he went too far cutting, and he just went too far on most all strings on the banjo. Wouldn't it make more sense to use a string stop knowing that you tend to go too fast in order to make more money? No pride in a job well done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 I couldn't agree more on the not so great guitar techs out there. I was told by local music stores that a certain guy was the only tech to use on upper end instruments, so I had him set up 2 mandos and a banjo. The 7th string at the nut on both mandos buzzed because he went too far cutting, and he just went too far on most all strings on the banjo. Wouldn't it make more sense to use a string stop knowing that you tend to go too fast in order to make more money? No pride in a job well done? And in regards to banjos, you don't want low action. I took a banjo to a shop once and it came back set up like an electric guitar. Super low action. Was pissed and had them raise it back up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 And in regards to banjos, you don't want low action. I took a banjo to a shop once and it came back set up like an electric guitar. Super low action. Was pissed and had them raise it back up again. They were probably guitar players who were tired of being drowned out by banjo players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Good info. I think if you approximate that same 'take off' angle at the saddle from the bridge pin you get the best chance of hitting the sweet spot. I like to bevel my saddle to adjust that contact point. I see no correlation between break angle at a saddle and the take off angle at the nut. My guitars all have different break angles at the saddle but the ideal take off angle at the nut is fairly consistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victory Pete Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 A few years ago I made my own nut saws from a feeler gage and purchased this gage. I set all my guitars to where the quality inspection reports that come with a guitar say they're at because very few will match those numbers I target .012-.014-.016-.018-.020-.022. That seems to work for me. Nice job, I need some saws like that, and that gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted March 6, 2017 Author Share Posted March 6, 2017 Update: Got some of the tools I ordered in, in particular the nut slot files. Spent some time today correcting the crap setup job a local shop did on my SJ200. Basically the guy lowered the saddle and pt some new strings in the guitar and charged me for a full set up. On my AJ it took 3 tries and it's still not right so I just took it home and told him I'd never come back. The AJ's nut slots are too low, and get open-string buzz (he filed them). Lucky for me I have a few bone blanks around and hope to take delivery on a nut making vice and file set this week. I lowered the nut slots on the SJ200 and it plays like a dream now, and took care of a sticky g-string nut slot on my HD-28. On one hand I'm happy I can do this stuff myself and don't have to reply on a shop for most things, but part of me is also pissed that that guy charged so much for a half-arsed set-up. Live and learn I guess. I did spend a small fortune of tools in the last week, but over time I'm hoping they end up paying for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 I did spend a small fortune of tools in the last week, but over time I'm hoping they end up paying for themselves. There's no such thing as too many good tools, and they last forever. I still have a number of hand tools I acquired in the early 1970's, and a few that came from my father. I love tools, maybe a little too much given the small amount of space I have for them today. No room in the garage for a car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 People put cars in those? 😧 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Once you're confident in doing your own setups you'll never look back. There's no dark art to it, it's just a skill set that you develop the more you work on it. My trusted luthier has retired now, and I frankly don't feel confident in taking my guitars to someone new and unknown (see my previous thread about the guitar I bought that had been recently set up and had cardboard and sandpaper shims under the saddle!), so I've been setting my guitars up for a few years. I enjoy the tinkering too! I wouldn't do a refret or reset (yet) but will happily do any other work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Good on you. As Jinder said no dark art. The tools make the job. I am a born tinkerer, once I could change strings with proficiency, I started looking around like what's next? There is something immensely satisfying to be able to set up your own guitar, carve a nut, make a saddle or level frets. Be careful it leads to other endeavors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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