Blues Creek Guitars - Initial Guitar Set-up

Another feature video from Blues Creek Guitars. This time, how to do an initial set-up on your guitar.

[@TruegrassBoy]

Just amazing to watch you work!

[@bluescreekguitars3346]

+TruegrassBoy thank you. I was helped by so many and I want to share what I learned to pay it forward . Enjoy and I am happy you find this helpful

[@bluegrasslives]

Enjoyed watching you work,,, I learned a lot!!!!

[@slowhand500]

Thanks John!!! Great video. Mister Shakey!

[@stephenquail3168]

another goodie .thanks

[@samohtdivad]

john this thebest video yet good job..

[@LaSalle.ToneWorks]

+thomas dave So glad you liked it.

[@MayWarren]

John's videos are great! If you haven't bought some of his products, you should. He's got some great prices and awesome quality stuff!

[@LaSalle.ToneWorks]

+MayWarren thanks for the kind words.

[@RobMonty248]

Classic... make a good sounding guitar isnt hard, making a good looking, good sounding guitar is.... =)

[@biggestclaptonfan]

Hi John, another great video!. Im not familiar with that particular method of sanding and polishing the frets. Is that a cork block you have used to wrap the sandpaper around? Would anything work that is firm and has some give to conform to the fret? Thanks, Paul

[@jiefuster]

Excellent guide that builds on what I have learned. Thank you very much!! What height are you setting at the first fret? You said top of frets is bottom of slot but that would be zero over the first fret???

[@bluescreekguitars3346]

+jiefuster I like to start at about .010 clearance of the string over the 1sr fret. I have a piece of shim stock that has a .007 notch in it. This can ride the first 2 frets and I want the bottom of the slot about this height off the fret. You have to remember that the neck will have a curve to it. Once you get the slots cut you can take the end piece off the #1 E string and when you pluck the string you can keep coming down with the nut slit till you touch the moving string with the cut off piece. That way you know that you have about .012 clearance for the working string. Be careful that you don't over slot and allow the working string to hit the fret.

[@mickkennedy1344]

John, I don't believe you meant to say "..the top of the fret plane should be the bottom of the nut slot." -- for surely you cut it so that the low 'E' clears the top of the 1st fret by .5mm, tapering down to .25mm clearance of the high 'E' over the top of the 1st fret (that's the way I always do mine - and I'm a musician of over 40yrs). I play my guitar, an archtop, 'vigorously' (as I think you said your son does), and I find I need an action of at least 2.5mm of the low 'E' at the 12th fret -- then again, the action on an archtop is iimmediately adjustable by its thumbwheels - raising the saddle height allowing for more acoustic volume - as it was originally designed to do by Lloyd Loar, inventor and designer of the archtop.

[@bluescreekguitars3346]

in a flat state yes you want the top of the fret plane to be the bottom of the slot or at least within .005 to .007 . In a well set up neck the fret plane will be pretty close to the nut bottom, as far as steel strings are concerned. That will give about a .019in string height of the 1st fret in a natural position. You may be confusing this with the string line. That would meet the .5 mm and that is .0196 in. Fret plane is the top of the fret and the string line is from the nut slot to the saddle. Does that make sense to you? I use a .010 feeler gauge to know just how much I can go. When the string is played in open and I can pass a .010 gauge on top of the 1st fret I am about .005 high off the fret plane. thanks again for your participation.

[@bluescreekguitars3346]

you can skype me tippie53

[@JohnHall-mf1td]

HI Yes I should have mentioned that. I use the cork block or a white eraser. This will flex a bit and help to polish up the crowns. I also use 800 1000 grit papers on the frets . I am glad you like these videos , Glenn and I try hard to get you the best info we can .

[@bluescreekguitars3346]

Hi Gary if you made the top flat , you will not have the correct geometry at the bridge. Then your bridge and saddle height would be too low and you would loose a lot of tone and volume. In a good set up the strings should be about 1/2 off the top at the bridge and if you made a dead flat top you will be at 3/8 in. That is why martin and gibson all have a neck angle of about 1 1/2 degree so the bridge and saddle give you that 1/2 in height. It is all about the transfer of energy of the strings to the top.

[@davidthebiker2955]

This may be a long shot but...what was the first guitar in the video? That looks like one that I need to have

[@bluegrasslives]

Sir can the mortise be deepened a little!!!?

[@5MA5H3R]

So, when can I start work? =] Thanks for the great video. Enjoyed it and learned a lot.

[@bluescreekguitars3346]

E James glad we could help . That is why Glenn and I do these.

[@5MA5H3R]

blues creek guitars I surely appreciate it. I am a beginner with hardly any tools to work with and watching someone knowledgeable explain everything really helps a lot more than a book. I had a friend pass away and I got his guitar, so I want to make it good. I have watched countless videos on youtube and half of these people just have no clue what they are doing. I have watched most of your videos, (but haven't finished them yet) and I can tell I finally found a good resource to build upon. I got some guitars from Goodwill and have been practicing on them. One is called a "Drifter" another is "Orlando" and another is an "Espana". They seem very old and fragile, but I think it is a decent place to start. How would someone like me, find a job where I could practice and learn more of this stuff? I really enjoy it, but I don't even know what it would be called to look for any openings. I wouldn't mind just taking out the trash as long as I could learn. How did you and Glenn get started? If you don't mind me asking. Thank you again for your time and these videos. Hopefully one day soon I can donate to you guys and help out a little so you can continue making these videos.

[@bluescreekguitars3346]

E James I started like you finding old guitars and fixing them and building. I did 14 my first year and gave many away. When you can take a guitar apart and put it back together and it doesn't look like it was apart that is when you know your ready. Hope you can find a mentor in your area. Learn simple stuff like fixing cracks , loose braces and taking bridges off then work to neck reset. understand the body geometry and learn as many different techniques as you can. It takes time. It took me about 8 yrs to make it.

[@5MA5H3R]

​ ​blues creek guitars Awesome, Thank you. As far as tools go....Where would you recommend I find most of my supplies at a better price than Stewmac? I simply can not afford a 100$ file. I went to a fishing store and got a crowning file (Fishing hook sharpener) and used some stuff at Hobby lobby for a guard. Calipers seem to be expensive everywhere, and files for re-slotting the nuts seem to be impossible to find anywhere else but stewmac. Also, I would like to show you this classic guitar I have. It is in bad shape, I am humidifying it because it has started to crack and the entire top is starting to pull away from the sides. It looks like it might be from the 1960's and since then, someone added a bridge. The bridge is pulling up, and I thought I would need to it, but I noticed on the backside there are marks that look like an alternative bridge was before...I was thinking it could have been a different style bridge and the reason the top was pulling away was because it was originally made for a different bridge....is that a possibility? I can't submit picture on youtube, but I will upload some pictures online of what I am talking about so you can see. :: @8tinypic.com/view.php?pic=33op4b9&s=8#.VVKz4b5FAoAtinypic.com/view.php?pic=1zph81z&s=8#.VVK0pL5FAoAtinypic.com/view.php?pic=2agki1i&s=8#.VVK0q75FAoA

[@5MA5H3R]

E James The links kind of got messed up there.. @8 tinypic.com/view.php?pic=33op4b9&s=8#.VVKz4b5FAoA tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1zph81z&s=8#.VVK0pL5FAoA tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2agki1i&s=8#.VVK0q75FAoA

[@warriorsforjesus2308]

🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@JohnHall-mf1td]

If you notice I lean the gauge so I can use the line at the edge for the most accuracy.

[@johnraphaellopez8239]

Hey i have a question For you professional luthiers,What is better a Tusq or a Bone??

[@johnraphaellopez8239]

Hey i have a question For you professional luthiers,What is better a Tusq or a Bone??

[@tippie53]

they both have their used. I like bone for the most part but use tusq on under saddle pick ups.

[@petermorello1051]

In my experience, you should not dress your frets without the neck supported. If you do not support the neck you may end up with an unintended back bow as you are putting weight on the neck as you file it.

[@tippie53]

I can get a very flat neck and agree you have to be careful. You bring up a good point that you want to do this without adding weight let the weight of the block to the work . As an old machinist I can indeed get a true neck with this technique and agree if your new , use a support. Often in the shoot we may to things for visual clarity. A well trued fret board will allow a very low action that won't buzz.

[@johnb5519]

Can a truss rod spinning a little in it's slot cause the neck to twist a little bit?

[@tippie53]

I don't think so If you have a spinning truss rod you most likely have a compression fret rod these are common on gibson. If you have a flexible truss rod or a 2 way that may but often these rods set in a channel that fits them tightly. What kind of guitar do you have? Often a twist develops from the grain in the neck of sitting in an attic

[@johnb5519]

@@tippie53 Thanks for the reply. I had my guitar under the bed in the case for 5 years or so, and didn't realize the neck support in the case wasn't holding the tuners up off the case bottom if the tuner key was in a vertical position. Could this have caused it?