Section 5
– Setting Up Your Guitar
SG Section 5- 3 -
2.
string trees should also be lubricated; a small amount of lip balm applied with a toothpick works
well.
5.3
Adjusting the Action
5.3.1
The Nut
Setting the string action that is right for you
starts at the nut. The slots should already be
close, but you might want to make some adjustments.
1.
Push the sixth string down between the second and third fret. The space between the first fret
and the bottom of the string should be about .006 or just about the thickness of two sheets of
paper. If the gap i
s wider than .006” you should deepen the slot with a small needle file.
DO
NOT FILE TOO DEEP!
Make sure
when you file, the file is angled down
toward the headstock. This will
ensure the string sits on the edge of
the nut closest to the fretboard.
2.
Repeat the procedure for the
remaining 5 strings.
5.3.2
Bridge Saddle Adjustment
This will adjust the height of the strings over the 12
th
fret. Minor adjustments are made by raising or
lowering the bridge. This adjustment is a matter of personal preference. There should be a gradual
increase in height from the first string to the sixth string.
The question here is how high to
make the bridge. This is personal
choice.
Adjusting saddle height is very easy on
the Explorer guitar. Since the bridge can only be adjusted at each end, there is no need to adjust each
saddle individually.
1.
Check and, if necessary, adjust the low (thick) E string height. Do this by adjusting the height of
the bridge at the thick E string end. This is done by rotating the Bridge insert adjustment
counter-clockwise to raise the bridge or clockwise to lower it. Adjust the height until string
doesn’t buzz on any fret fro
m being too low, but low enough that you can play up and down the
neck easily. There’s usually a sweet spot where you can just start to detect some buzzing and
you can leave it just a tiny bit higher than that. Be careful if you use a tool as it is easy to slip and
damage the finish on your guitar.
2.
Now do the exact same procedure for the high (thin) E string end of the bridge.
reference
…
check out the following
references for adjusting the “Nut Action”:
✓
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz9UKX2lcxw
TIP
…check out the following
references for adjusting the “Bridge Action Height”:
✓
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWpnW8ICn-U
TIP…
most factories set action at 3/32" to
7/64" on the bass E string at the 12th fret and 2/32" to
5/64" on the treble E.
