Your guitar restrung for £10 plus the cost of a new set of guitar strings (or if you have your own new guitar strings to put on just £10).

Why put up with old lifeless guitar strings when you can look at my YouTube video “Change Electric Guitar Strings” about how to change guitar strings and change them yourself. Or if you don’t feel confident about changing them yourself then I will come to your house and restring your guitar for you if you live near the centre of Chesterfield (see map below).

Just email me or give me a call on 07964 732961.

Check the map below to see if you live in the area I cover.

Post by PB Guitars

In this video I demonstrate a full setup of a strat style guitar.

pbguitars.co.uk

In this video I demonstrate how to adjust the neck on an Strat style electric guitar.

pbguitars.co.uk

In this video I demonstrate how to remove the scratch plate from a stratocaster style electric guitar.

pbguitars.co.uk

In this video I demonstrate how to adjust the string height on your strat style electric guitar.  Setting the correct string height is only one of the variables involved in getting the ‘action’ your looking for on your guitar. Remember the correct action for you will depend on your playing style. Check out my other videos to see how to change some of the other variables in achieving the perfect setup for you.

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Pickup height adjustment is essential to get the best out of your guitar. If the pickup height is not adjusted correctly the balance in volume between the treble and bass notes can be off and/or the balance between different pickups.

Also if the pickup is too far away from the guitar string the sound can be thin and weak and lack volume.

If the pickup is too close to the guitar strings then the magnets in the pickup can pull on the string putting it out of tune or generating unpleasant wolf tones.

There is no one correct height which will automatically give you the correct adjustments. Use the measurements in my video as a guide and then use your ears for the final adjustment.

In this video I demonstrate electric guitar pickup height adjustment.

pbguitars.co.uk

Setting the intonation on your guitar is really important if you want your guitar to play in tune wherever you are playing on the guitar neck.

However setting the intonation  is always a compromise and it’s about trying to get the best overall solution for your guitar.

Basically for each string we tune the open string to the correct pitch and then fret the same note but at the 12th fret and compare the two notes.

If the Fretted note is Flat move the saddle for that string Forwards (towards the neck).

If the fretted note is sharp move the saddle backwards (away from the neck).

Remember FRET FLAT FORWARD.

In this video I demonstrate how to set the intonation on a strat style electric guitar.

pbguitars.co.uk

In the video below I show you how to completely take apart a strat style guitar and give it a really good clean. Most guitars will not need to be taken apart in this way but I thought I would use this as an example to show you how it’s done.

This guitar was bought second hand on ebay it was in working order  but was a bit grubby so I thought I would give it the full treatment to make it as good as new for a new guitarist setting out with their first electric guitar.
pbguitars.co.uk

As the two big guitar manufactures (Fender & Gibson) are based in America most guitar setup measurements are given in inches rather than in millimeters.

Initial Assessment

• Clean Guitar
• String to pitch
• Check electronics

Block The Tremolo

Remove the tremolo cover on the back of the guitar. Push a wedge shaped piece of wood between the tremolo block and the routed cavity of the guitar. Adjust the wedge in and out until the back of the tremolo is 3/32″ above the surface of the front of the guitar, for vintage style trems (or 1/8″ for American Standard Trems). The pressure of the tremolo block should hold it firmly in place, if not unscrew the tremolo spring claw a little to increase the pressure of the tremolo block on the wood.

This holds the tremolo in the perfect position while all other adjustments are carried out.

Neck Relief

All guitars need a slight forward bow (this is called neck relief) to allow for the natural pattern of vibration of a plucked guitar string.

The neck relief is adjusted by tightening or loosening the truss rod nut. Tightening it adds less relief and loosening ads more. These adjustments only require small changes in truss rod nut position 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn. These adjustments should be carried out using the correctly sized and shaped tool (either a truss rod wrench or allen key).

WARNING – please get a good guitar tech to do this for you if you are not confident or if the truss rod nut doesn’t adjust easily and freely, you do not want to break the truss rod or strip the threads.

Gibson, Strat & Tele Style Electric Guitars

Put a capo on the first fret and fret the string at the 17th fret, there should be a small gap between the bottom of the string (which is acting as a straight edge) and the top of the 7th fret.

Electric Guitars; between 0.005″ and 0.012″

String Height

With capo still on the first fret, the distance between the bottom of the guitars strings and the top of the 17th fret.

Between 3/32″ and 1/8″

Set the height for the 1st and 6th string and then use a radius gauge which matches the radius of your fret board to set the other strings.

Gibson Style Electric Guitars

With capo still on the first fret, the distance between the bottom of the guitars strings and the top of the 12th fret.

Bass string approx. 5/64″

Treble strings approx. 3/64″

Nut Height

Use a set of feeler gauges to check the nut height. Measure the distance between the bottom of the string and the top of the first fret

If the nut is too low it will need replacing or shimming (beyond the scope of this guide).

If the nut is too high you will need specialist files and a careful hand to file the nut slots to the correct depth and keep the correct shape.

Remember if you go too far you may need to replace the nut. The special nut files available from Allparts or Stewart-McDonald are expensive so maybe you could get a good guitar tech to do this.

The measurement should be approx. 0.020″

Gibson Style Electric Guitars

Measure the distance between the bottom of the strings and the top of the 1st fret.

Bass string approx. 0.030″

Treble strings approx. 0.015″

Action

• Neck Relief
• Nut Height
• String Height

Use the above advice as guidance but if you change one of the above you may need to change the others to achieve the action and feel for the guitar that you want.

Some fret buzz is acceptable because metal strings on metal frets do make noises.

Action is a personal thing. Players who play with a lot of distortion (gain) a nd want speed may settle for a lower string height and a little more buzz. Plays with a clean sound and lots of bluesy bends may settle for a higher action and less buzz to achieve the tone they are looking for, it’s a personal thing.

Pickup Height

Fret the last note and measure between the bottom of the strings and the top of the pole pieces of the pickup

Fret the strings at the last fret and use the pickup height adjustment screws to set the pickup height.

Set the pickups too far away and tone will be thin and weak, set them too close and the magnetic pull of the magnets on the strings may affect tuning.

Again trust your ears to produce a good tone and a balanced volume between each pickup.

Bass string approx. 1/8″

Treble strings approx. 3/32″

Set Intonation.

Use a digital guitar tuner and play the open string, then fret the string at the 12th fret and make sure the two notes are in tune with each other. If the fretted note is flat move the saddle forward, if the fretted note is sharp move it back.

Make small adjustments to each string to produce two notes which are in tune with each other.

Un-Block The Tremolo

Setup finished, enjoy!

www.pbguitars.co.uk

As the two big guitar manufactures (Fender & Gibson) are based in America most guitar setup measurements are given in inches rather than in millimeters.

Initial Assessment

• Clean Guitar
• String to pitch
• Check electronics

Neck Relief

All guitars need a slight forward bow (this is called neck relief) to allow for the natural pattern of vibration of a plucked guitar string.

The neck relief is adjusted by tightening or loosening the truss rod nut. Tightening it adds less relief and loosening ads more. These adjustments only require small changes in truss rod nut position 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn. These adjustments should be carried out using the correctly sized and shaped tool (either a truss rod wrench or allen key).

WARNING – please get a good guitar tech to do this for you if you are not confident or if the truss rod nut doesn’t adjust easily and freely, you do not want to break the truss rod or strip the threads.

Gibson, Strat & Tele Style Electric Guitars

Put a capo on the first fret and fret the string at the 17th fret, there should be a small gap between the bottom of the string (which is acting as a straight edge) and the top of the 7th fret.

Electric Guitars; between 0.005″ and 0.012″

String Height

With capo still on the first fret, the distance between the bottom of the guitars strings and the top of the 17th fret.

Between 3/32″ and 1/8″

Set the height for the 1st and 6th string and then use a radius gauge which matches the radius of your fret board to set the other strings.

Gibson Style Electric Guitars

With capo still on the first fret, the distance between the bottom of the guitars strings and the top of the 12th fret.

Bass string approx. 5/64″

Treble strings approx. 3/64″

Nut Height

Use a set of feeler gauges to check the nut height. Measure the distance between the bottom of the string and the top of the first fret

If the nut is too low it will need replacing or shimming (beyond the scope of this guide).

If the nut is too high you will need specialist files and a careful hand to file the nut slots to the correct depth and keep the correct shape.

Remember if you go too far you may need to replace the nut. The special nut files available from Allparts or Stewart-McDonald are expensive so maybe you could get a good guitar tech to do this.

The measurement should be approx. 0.020″

Gibson Style Electric Guitars

Measure the distance between the bottom of the strings and the top of the 1st fret.

Bass string approx. 0.030″

Treble strings approx. 0.015″

Action

• Neck Relief
• Nut Height
• String Height

Use the above advice as guidance but if you change one of the above you may need to change the others to achieve the action and feel for the guitar that you want.

Some fret buzz is acceptable because metal strings on metal frets do make noises.

Action is a personal thing. Players who play with a lot of distortion (gain) a nd want speed may settle for a lower string height and a little more buzz. Plays with a clean sound and lots of bluesy bends may settle for a higher action and less buzz to achieve the tone they are looking for, it’s a personal thing.

Pickup Height

Fret the last note and measure between the bottom of the strings and the top of the pole pieces of the pickup

Fret the strings at the last fret and use the pickup height adjustment screws to set the pickup height.

Set the pickups too far away and tone will be thin and weak, set them too close and the magnetic pull of the magnets on the strings may affect tuning.

Again trust your ears to produce a good tone and a balanced volume between each pickup.

Bass string approx. 1/8″

Treble strings approx. 3/32″

Set Intonation.

Use a digital guitar tuner and play the open string, then fret the string at the 12th fret and make sure the two notes are in tune with each other. If the fretted note is flat move the saddle forward, if the fretted note is sharp move it back.

Make small adjustments to each string to produce two notes which are in tune with each other.

Setup finished, enjoy!

www.pbguitars.co.uk