Setting Action On A Guitar Options

[ragefist]

I think I'm gonna try to set the action on my squier jagmaster a little lower. What's the procedure for this? it just has a normal strat style bridge. do I just lower it as low as I can without getting any fret buzz? any info is appreciated. thanks guys

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[Ivan Milenkovic]

It's a trial&error process. Don't expect to do it in one day, you need time for a neck to settle between adjustments.

The main thing here is go in very very small increments. First set the action low by a very little. Then check the fret buzz ,then do it again until the fret buzz becomes audible. Then get it up a little. All the time leave the guitar for a while for wood in the neck to settle. In the end if you hear the frets buzzing, the guitar is not properly balanced, and may be needing some fretwork.

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[Dejan Farkas]

I agree with Ivan, it's trial and error

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[ragefist]

thanks guys yeah I messed with it a little bit and freaked out at first because it messed with my tuning and thught I was adjusting intonation but I figured it out. This is the first time I've messed with the setup on my guitar so yeah trial and error is the only way I guess. My A string was buzzing on the 1st fret even though I didn't even have it set low at all but hey I guess thats what you get with a squier.

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[kaznie_NL]

I've been in the same situation a week ago... I got the action even higher then before, and still it was buzzing .

Now it's still not very good, but it's not realy anoying or anything so I'm probably gonna keep it like this or keep tweeking little bits. Also watch out with the high E string, mine broke during action settings.

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[USAMAN]

I've been in the same situation a week ago... I got the action even higher then before, and still it was buzzing .

Now it's still not very good, but it's not realy anoying or anything so I'm probably gonna keep it like this or keep tweeking little bits. Also watch out with the high E string, mine broke during action settings.

Truss rod adjustment.....Be careful not to over tighten it...in extreme circumstances it can break ...you would have to really crank on it though. Dont be afraid to make small adjustments. There is nothing magical about it. What I do is place my finger on the first fret (left hand) and my finger on the 14th fret (right hand). This will provide you with a straight line (the string) across the frets. Check the distance between the frets and the string. I perfer it a little bowed (very slightly) in the middle of the neck (about a fingernails thickness). Let it settle for a few minutes.
now adjust string height. i usually try to get it as low as i can with very little buzz. You will not hear a small amount of buzz when plugged in. I walk up the frets checking for buzz. raise it if its to bad. Truss rod adjustments can make a big difference in where and when you get a buzz.
Intonation can be set using a tuner. Make sure the tuning is spot on an open string and at the 12th fret (an octave up). If they are not the same adjust the bridge saddle to make them the same.
recheck adjustments and buzz.....rock out.

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This post has been edited by USAMAN: Mar 15 2008, 06:04 PM