Setup Your Guitar Like a PRO! (Complete DIY guide to Acoustic guitar setups)

[@ralfhedstrom]

Excellent demonstration, Dan. This is so helpful for people who are unsure of the steps and the levels. The basics. Once you master that it's easier to find ones subjektive preferences and also experience and handle how different strings can/will totally chance everything. Just one thing (and it always have to be one thing, at least 😂) and it's a reminder for everyone that is brave enough to take on a fret leveling. Always start with a straight neck. And a pro tip on top of that...on an electric guitar one can angle the frets a little bit more from the 12th to the 21/24th fret for super low strings. Especially on a guitar with the adjustment of the neck up at the head. Great videos, Dan 😀

[@MashaT22]

Very good timing! I was just changing my strings, cleaning, and checking my guitar like I do each time I swap strings. This video is super clear and well explained. I have been playing a guitar that was gifted to me in 2018 since March 2020 (aka Pandemic Guitarist lol). I have had to learn to fix and maintain as much as possible on a major budget because I don’t have any cash income due to long term illness since 2018, as well as disabilities and complex health issues from a 2003 summer job accident. I have been trying to diagnose a problem with my guitar, but I can’t seem to put my finger on the cause. Interestingly, the same problem happened last year too. I was lucky enough to have the guitar manufacturer help me out with a setup and the minor repairs that were needed. I never really thought to ask them what the problem was caused by in the end. Essentially, it seems that the string action is quite low near the nut and gets way to high as you go up the neck towards the bridge. This means the first 4-5 frets are tough to fret because they feel too low/tight while the other side of the neck feels like they’re the nosebleed seats lol. I should mention that the guitar in question is a 2018 KLOS Guitars Acoustic-Electric Hybrid Deluxe. The body on my model is bidirectional carbon fiber material, while the neck is wood (including the fretboard - these days, they top the wood necks with a composite fretboard) with two CF stiffening rods on either side of the truss rod. That being said, I find it interesting that the same exact thing happened with the string action about a year after the company worked on my guitar. I doubt that’s a coincidence. I know they used my original nut and bridge - both are TUSQ. I don’t know if they filed or adjusted either, but I know there aren’t any shims in place. That makes me suppose that maybe they just turned the truss rod a bit. (Any other work they did on the guitar was fixing a few minor divots on the top few frets and some minor cosmetic things). I have a humidifier in my bedroom, but it tends to be dry most of the year regardless. It IS possible that the neck may need a truss rod tweak, but I’ve never done it before. I’m worried I won’t get it back to the way it is if I screw up. I also don’t know if I should try that first before doing anything else. Based on my limited knowledge about truss rods, I also don’t see how just turning my guitar’s truss rod would raise the action in the top 4-5 frets and lower the action for the higher register - especially when the neck looks pretty dead straight by my eye (though I will check for neck relief like you described in this video). That being said, lol . . . I don’t expect you to reply to such a long spiel without even seeing what I’m talking about. However, I’d like to suggest an idea for your channel being that you really post clear instructional videos. Would you consider doing occasional videos where subscribers can submit questions/issues using video and/or photos, so you can help diagnose and guide the person to resolve the issue? Even with your very clear videos, it definitely would help others to see some concrete real world examples. I’m sure I’m not the only person who has encountered the above issue, after all. Many people (especially visual learners) will be more likely to fix a problem properly if they have seen someone’s submitted footage and your approach using a real world example. Anyway, it’s just a thought. I’ve learned very valuable info from you. Your content is high quality. Thanks for your dedication!

[@andrewlittlefield3425]

This video could not have came at a better time , I am doing a facelift to an 80”s Alvarez regent acoustic and this was very helpful! Thanks Dan and Godbless 😊

[@andrewlittlefield3425]

Check out this guy Doyle dykes channel

[@chumdinger_official]

Upgrading an early 2000’s model Alvarez myself. It’s worth more sentimentally, but never hurts to keep one playing. Good luck.

[@likerollinstone]

This is amazing man. Thank you so much. Now I can finally setup my acoustic properly

[@letsridehard]

There needs to be a correction. To raise or lower the saddle correctly, you need to double the number measured at your 12th fret…. for example; if you want to lower your action by .25mm you would shave off .50mm from the saddle (always double at the saddle)

[@kerryfromaj9032]

👍🏻

[@AurelienCarnoy]

Yes

[@bobgeorges]

This guy actually believes that he knows what he is doing.

[@RobertPalomoMusic]

Best basics video I've found. I learned banjo setup and now want to be able to do guitars.

[@mca56rpa]

Then listen to someone who is competent. Don’t shim your nut or your saddle! That is the wrong thing to do!

[@tylergreene1573]

Great video, love watching your content, thinking of getting one of these to help with my own setups (but I can always use the one at my shop for now). Only thing is, if you want to raise or lower the action as measured at the 12th fret, you need to adjust the bridge by twice that amount (i.e., to raise the 6th string 0.25mm, raise the bridge on that side 0.5mm).

[@60degreelobwedge82]

Great video. You can adjust the intonation on an acoustic a bit by raising or lowering the action and adjusting the truss rod. I have a beat up 50 year old acoustic with a slightly bowed top and 14th fret hump that I picked up second hand really cheap a couple years ago. I got it playing really nice with a low action but anything past 5th fret was noticeably flat. By shimming up the bridge and tightening the truss rod, I was able to get the intonation acceptable at the 12th fret and still a playable action. Its definitely a balancing act and required a lot of messing around with it over a few weeks but its a cool instrument now and I probably play it more than any of my other guitars.

[@peterquailman2460]

I've been messing around with my newly acquired tele, that I've forgotten about my acoustic for a while. Guess I'll be messing with it now. . .thanks, Dan

[@timothysanders1587]

This is an awesome video Dan, great information. I need to get one of those to set up the guitars I have and the one I got for my oldest. Great stuff Dan!

[@kdtrimble]

Waaay too inside baseball for me, but I still love watching. Thank you sir.

[@MrDaveKC]

That's a super helpful demonstration... Looks like I need to get busy! And I've got both tools and they're super helpful.

[@movingfloors]

you're a beast for putting this all together. gave me the confidence to do my own setup!

[@csharp57]

Very helpful video. I’m going to venture into setting up my guitars once I have the proper tools. Thanks for the information on how to and that very useful tool

[@widmarkeloo6812]

I just came across you video and wanted to share a little something about string Buzz. I bought a fret dressing kit form stewmac and did a pretty good job for my first time. I strung up a brand new set of Elixir 80/20 bronze custom light 11's and there was a Buzz from the D string. I tried everything to fix it but no luck. Since Elixir's are good and pricey strings at $18 a pop I played my guitar at my gigs with the D string Buzz which I work four days a week. One or two month's later it was time for a new set. Guess what the string BUZZ was gone!!! In my 24 years of playing music as a full time musican I've never had this problem. I've been using Elixir strings for twenty something years now, Don't get me wrong they are the best string I've ever used!! I contact Elixir and they told me something about some kind of electrical thing going on with the string. Who ever the dude was told me I needed to ground the string somehow. WHAT!!! sounds like a lame excuse to me haha

[@danpost4755]

Hey, Dan! Nice demo on a basic set-up. I am a gun and guitar addict myself. Lol. I enjoy your channel.

[@rstevenhanson]

I recommend checking neck relief with the guitar on its side, like playing position. And I would never shim on a nice guitar, but seems appropriate for this one.

[@DakPunk31]

Two if the best things together haha guns and guitars lol

[@rickgledura3194]

To lower your string height, you do not remove the bridge, you remove the saddle.

[@scottreeves1226]

Good advice and tools. I use bone shim-stock for raising the saddle and eliminating saddle wobble. I don't know what difference that makes, but it makes sense to me! Thanks for the videos.

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Great video. I thought you adjusted the truss rod as straight as possible first. Then check the nut. Then the bridge, etc. ? Thanks Dan, as always. Great stuff and much appreciated. I'm speaking of electric guitar by the way. Love that baroque gauge. Very cool. I will have to look into their tools sir. ❤🤘

[@scottfeldstein7264]

Neck relief, string heights, first fret action (nut).

[@BlainScholin]

I remember intonation saddle direction by, “Flathead”, like a screw driver? Technically, a flat string is too long, so you have to shorten it.

[@ibew1951]

Is the process any different on a 12 fret guitar? Great video !! Thank u

[@mrfatbobrider1969]

Ride on Dan always a smooth experience with your footage,thanks for sharing...✌😎👍

[@TheDiaboliq666]

What is the reasoning behind checking neck relief by pressin behind the last fret and measuring at the 12th fret? Asking beacause most, if not all, acoustics, the truss rod ends up where the neck meets the body. So, the peak of the neck relief would be halfway between the neck joint and 1st fret (usuall 7th or 8th fret). That's where the truss rod exerts most effect, but also where the neck would most bow (certainly not near the heel where it is most thick). Also, should remind folks that it takes some time for the changes in truss rod tension to take effect, so: turn, wait at least 20-30min, then measure and correct again.

[@1005010J]

Great video. Very helpful and clear. I like your style.👍😎

[@rondelio8562]

Awesome video, Dan! I know how to do all this on electrics, but didn't have the specs for an acoustic. Great info! Do you happen to have one of those gauges, or should I order off Amazon?

[@Wodawic]

Love your stuff Dan. Keep it up!

[@joebodynobody764]

I've found that 2 layers of cellophane tape on the bottom of the saddle will help the piezo .are better contact and soften up some of the harshness piezos are known fkr.

[@roadrunnerplaying]

That's a great setup video!

[@keideez]

love the "how to" vids you are uploading really helps begginers nowadays on self maintenance still exited on the acoustic lasercut.. v2/upgrades soon? edit: been a fan since the superstrat 😊

[@markochomba8755]

Good morning bro I liked your video you give good tips on how to calibrate the guitar, but take me out of a doubt, I have read in some forums that say that a good calibration of the instrument (acoustic guitar) is not the one that is done in 30 minutes or 1 hour, but it is necessary to do the job at least 2 days for the wood to rest and get used to the tension that is being given if you must file either the capo as the bone of the bridge. What do you think about this?

[@bradwilliams7145]

Great job, good video. Thanks.

[@nadiapaiva8170]

Awesome video as always , Dan! Thanks, mate 💪

[@HyphenatedReality]

I got a pretty cheap Rogue guitar (because I liked the finish and just wanted something cheap to carry around), but after a few months it sounded roughly as much as it costed. I do have a handful of better quality guitars (a Fender and a Mitchell), but I might try some of this setup stuff on the Rogue so I'd be more confident if I ever have to self-service a guitar I care much more about

[@Fatal_Error_Gaming]

Great video, but which way did you turn the truss rod for adjustment?

[@esmeraldo7887]

I like the idea of measuring the relief and the action all at once at the 12th (.020") , but I'm skeptical that the math checks out. The usual check for .010" at the 7th/8th wasn't mentioned here. Haven't heard other folks do it this way, but I'm intrigued. Anyone else heard that before?

[@scott2688]

Outstanding dude!

[@peterchamplin8767]

Great video as always

[@SlyPuma]

Much appreciated, thanks dude!

[@Olek283]

5:27 - Ovation's Truss Rod has left the chat

[@albert30300]

Haha - flat forward sharp shackward is now embedded in my brain

[@hansyboy.]

Wouldn't using cardstock under the saddle result in diminished energy transfer into the top of the guitar? Meaning lower volume and deadened tone?

[@williamshafer1996]

Very cool! Thank you so much!

[@bobdillon1138]

String height is not that important but imho you should be able to bend a note 4 whole frets with out it choking whatever height that is.

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

Quite well done, thank you.

[@freesk8]

Thanks, Dan! :)

[@kerryfromaj9032]

Thanks for the KZbin video it’s a good one 👍🏻

[@Jimmyd_Rocktalk]

Thanks for sharing!

[@CB-68-westcreations]

Good video for showing how the tools work and how to make proper measurements, but I do see one conflict. Your techniques would be fine with fixed bridge electric guitars, using traditional electric pick ups. However, using shims on a saddle, can seriously impact your sound. if the saddle is too small, the proper way to solve the problem is to make a new one. And adjust it to the correct height. The other point of concern is that plastic wrapping on your pick up, that muffles the sound. You don't want soft plastic anywhere near a nut or saddle in acoustic guitar. You might get away with it if you're playing pure electric and always amplified, but you're acoustic sound will suffer.

[@dylanbradbury8255]

Awesome video!

[@timhamlett5042]

When you are measuring the string height are you measuring the bottom of the string or the top of the string? I would think the bottom but it appeared you were measuring the top after your truss rod adjustment.

[@RogerioDuarte]

Bottom

[@AvinashTamangedb]

Are measurements taken with strings at standard scale?

[@jesterraj]

What measurement would u use for a strat??

[@keithsmith9889]

👋.. sounds so much better. And thank you!

[@hiteshchand]

Great video

[@gmcenroe]

I tried your method of checking the nut by pressing down at the 3rd fret and checking for height by pressing on the first fret. Most of the strings on my guitar still had some movement. Today I did this test on numerous guitars at Guitar Center and all but one guitar (A Martin) failed this test with strings making contact at the first fret. Why not just measure the height with the string height gauge at the first fret? I haven't seen anyone else perform this test.

[@GunsandGuitars]

You’d be surprised how many factory guitars fail all of these tests. The reason you don’t just check the string height on the first fret with a gauge is because different neck angles and neck relief will change that measurement. If you follow the steps I lay out in this video, you will get a perfect playing guitar guaranteed.

[@gmcenroe]

@@GunsandGuitars And also there are a multitude of setup methods that are recommended, some are on average specific to the manufacturer and the player. I've seen some good ones to some awful ones where no attempt to take any measurements are done. To each their own I guess.

[@thegrandpencil4374]

Would .25mm also be for electrics?

[@relaxandwatch1012]

Do i need to set up again my guitar once i changed my strings with a new set?

[@XxPackerManxX]

Are you measuring from the top or bottom of the string?

[@杉山清隆-w7v]

My saddle and nut height action are normal but still the string action is high What should I do?

[@lanphanh]

Hi guys, I think my strings are too high from the frets, but I don't know what is the correct measurement. What is the correct high from the 12th fret, so I could lower or higher my saddle? Thanks, and kind regards,

[@jeffreyeagen4896]

Very helpful!

[@guitarado]

Tommy Emmanuel uses lower action 1,2 mm for high e and 1,6 mm for low E... I tried all but still there is some buzzing

[@chrisbaddeley5766]

Another correction is needed because he measures the 2mm height at the 11th fret, not the 12th

[@TheArcGuitar]

Nut height changes based on the other settings it’s not the first step

[@BodieHammer]

This is a pump piece for the Baroque gauge. Of course the Baroque gauge is the industry standard, but to call this video a "How To" would be a joke.

[@4bigwheels09]

Calm down. Go somewhere else if you really have a big deal with sponsored videos

[@hyomaaiiroofficial]

I wanna a bass version

[@GunsandGuitars]

I have a video, search for “setup your bass like a pro” it should be one of the top results

[@hyomaaiiroofficial]

@@GunsandGuitars not the video, but the tool

[@anthonyb5279]

You need to measure the bow in the neck at the 7th fret not the 12th fret.

[@GunsandGuitars]

The string vibrates in a conical motion with the widest part at the center of the length of the string. For an open string, that’s the 12th fret, that’s why neck relief is measured there.

[@anthonyb5279]

@@GunsandGuitars Thats not actually the reason for bow. It is to optimize intonation so the string does not have to bend much to press down to the higher frets. The center of the bow is at the 7th fret for this reason. If it was to optimize for amplitude the truss rod would go all the way to the bridge to move the bow to the 12 fret. The hight of the bridge is to deal with amplitude. I wish I could post pics and things I could show you a diagram why it is optimal to have the bow at the 7th fret. You can if the bow is set up right measure the relief for amplitude at the 12 fret but don't measure the relief for the bow there. to check the amplitude at the 12 fret just pluck it open no need to hold the string down that is for measuring the bow. I think you are just mixing the two things up.

[@DJBuglip]

I dunno man. I don't think I'd shim the bridge. That's where all your strings transfer energy to the body of the guitar. With an electric, its not as big a deal, but with an acoustic that's all your volume. I'd probably order a new saddle and then cut it to fit properly.

[@DJBuglip]

I mean, with a piezo, there are different considerations. But with my 64 Framus, your amplification is a mic.

[@DJBuglip]

But awesome vid, as usual. Thanks, Dan!

[@GunsandGuitars]

You’re right. Replacing the saddle would be ideal. But if you’re just tracking down string buzz, a shim will work to get you by, especially so you don’t replace a part unnecessarily only to find out the issue was something else.

[@DJBuglip]

@@GunsandGuitars Excellent point.

[@smokNmiras]

0.01” above fret height when barred at the 2nd fret? Drive a bloody truck through that..

[@JohnDoe-ht5vq]

Praising this "amazing guitar" that he is advertising.--- There's an issue with the piezo not making contact with the e string. lol...

[@hastenbrucke]

Saddle not bridge removal...

[@Joe-m6p6b]

Shims? Why? Never ever. You should make a new in piece saddle. No Pfusch!

[@realjumper]

"Saddle"...not 'bridge'!!

[@jimjam671]

It's metric and imperial, not metric and standard.

[@0oniichan0]

If imperial is the standard in his country… then he’s right.

[@thomasabe77]

it's a saddle ... God forbid you ever have to remove the 'bridge'

[@bighes100]

Please don't remove the bridge, just the saddle

[@hargisP2]

I have put cardstock on top of the transducer and it works fine. No difference whatsoever. Your string gauge doesn't list for Classical guitar.

[@d-Arek]

Używanie papieru jako podkładki pod mostek? Fatalny błąd!

[@givichkhutiashvili]

This guy mismatches the 12th fret with 11th and made measurements looking on the wrong fret

[@mca56rpa]

This guy advocates shimming your nut and saddle instead of fixing it correctly. That is terrible and I would be really ticked if anyone did that on my guitars. On a really cheap guitar just to get it to play a little maybe that is adequate for HiS purposes but I don’t do that lousy work.

[@S255fjrbr]

"Metric on one side and standard on the other" - That hurts my European ears

[@HarperTaylor-i9u]

To lower your string height, you do not remove the bridge, you remove the saddle.