Sg custom VOS setup

[Gordan]

hi!

 

new guy here, also a happy owner of a 2013 custom shop SG standard vos.

unfortunately, for some reason, the owner's manual wasn't included with my guitar,

so i was wondering if someone could give me some advice regarding the guitar setup.

 

The guitar came set up for standard tuning with .10-.46, which is what i use too,

but i'm gonna need to tune it down a half step, so Eb Bb Gb Db Ab Eb. since it's a very fine and detailed guitar,

does that kind of detuning demand any truss rod adjustments?

 

Also, i'm looking to lower the action a little bit, and it says in the warranty that there is some kind of

"standard action" which is defined in the owner's manual which i didn't get. so if someone could shed some light

on that, i would be very grateful :)

 

I know it's kind of a newb topic but this is my first expensive and fine instrument, and i wanna do things according to the book.

 

thanks in advance

[capmaster]

Hello Gordan,

 

basically the neck adjustment should be correct when the guitar is correctly tuned, i. e. one half tone flat in your case. The normal setting is next to straight. Any adjustment should be performed in steps which are considerably small fractions of a turn. The effect should show relatively soon and be stable after a few hours on your specific SG (depending on neck and fretboard materials, there are guitars where it takes several days, i. e. the SG Supra).

 

As for string action, this basically has to meet one's personal desire. On the other hand, fret buzz is not only annoying but will wear down the fret wire, too. Refretting a guitar with binding nibs at the fret wire ends is rather expensive.

 

Since string tension will decrease about 12% when tuning one half tone flat, this maybe requires a higher string action. After tuning, adjusting the neck properly and tuning again, string action should be set so that notes you pick as hard as you want maximum don't buzz after the fraction of a second it takes for the tone to build up. For convenient bridge adjustment and minimum wear of the bridge and thumscrew surfaces, it is useful to tune strings down and retune them for checking the result.

 

Hope this helps,

capmaster

[Gordan]

Hello Gordan,

 

basically the neck adjustment should be correct when the guitar is correctly tuned, i. e. one half tone flat in your case. The normal setting is next to straight. Any adjustment should be performed in steps which are considerably small fractions of a turn. The effect should show relatively soon and be stable after a few hours on your specific SG (depending on neck and fretboard materials, there are guitars where it takes several days, i. e. the SG Supra).

 

As for string action, this basically has to meet one's personal desire. On the other hand, fret buzz is not only annoying but will wear down the fret wire, too. Refretting a guitar with binding nibs at the fret wire ends is rather expensive.

 

Since string tension will decrease about 12% percent when tuning one half tone flat, this maybe requires a higher string action. After tuning, adjusting the neck properly and tuning again, string action should be set so that notes you pick as hard as you want maximum don't buzz after the fraction of a second it takes for the tone to build up. For convenient bridge adjustment and minimum wear of the bridge and thumscrew surfaces, it is useful to tune strings down and retune them for checking the result.

 

Hope this helps,

capmaster

 

thanks a lot for the answer capmaster!

 

got any info on how should i adjust the truss rod according to the half tone flat tuning?

gotta admit it's something i've never done before.

[charlie brown]

You could start, here:

 

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/String_action_and_setup/i-3910.html

 

Also, depending on your "touch," with tuning down a 1/2 step, you might

consider going up, one size, in strings. Say, to 11's? I did that,

and didn't have to adjust anything, except (of course) the tuning.

 

 

CB

[sgplayers]

Hey i was just wondering when you say next to straight would that be close to .012 neck relief? i always thought Gibson spec was .012 or twelve thousands neck relief. mine are mostly around eight. because i don't play hard.so its just comfortable for me.

[Gordan]

You could start, here:

 

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/String_action_and_setup/i-3910.html

 

Also, depending on your "touch," with tuning down a 1/2 step, you might

consider going up, one size, in strings. Say, to 11's? I did that,

and didn't have to adjust anything, except (of course) the tuning.

 

 

CB

 

thanks for the link and the advice!

still didn't quite get though, is the truss rod adjustment neccessary with minimum string detuning such as half step detune?

[cjsinla]

thanks for the link and the advice!

still didn't quite get though, is the truss rod adjustment neccessary with minimum string detuning such as half step detune?

 

Maybe not. do all of your string changes and check the neck relief when you are done tuning. I doubt it'll make much difference.

[cjsinla]

One of the Gibson support guys posted this link about neck adjustments:

 

Neck adjustment

 

[charlie brown]

thanks for the link and the advice!

still didn't quite get though, is the truss rod adjustment neccessary with minimum string detuning such as half step detune?

 

Re: TR adjustment...Probably not. I changed string guages, because with 10's, detuned 1/2 step,

the string tension got kind of "loose/floppy" for me, and 11's cured that...especially on the lower strings.

 

CB

[Gordan]

cool, thanks a lot guys!

much appreciated :)

[badbluesplayer]

It's not likely that tuning down a half step will require a trussrod adjustment. The amount of relief in the neck should be very small. When you depress a string at the first and fifteenth frets, there should be a small space, about the thickness of a piece of paper, underneath the string halfway between those frets. You should be just able to perceive the space under the string as you push the string up and down at the halfway point.

[capmaster]

... When you depress a string at the first and fifteenth frets, there should be a small space, about the thickness of a piece of paper, underneath the string halfway between those frets. You should be just able to perceive the space under the string as you push the string up and down at the halfway point.

In case I'm alone, I always accomplish it with my nose