For those of you that do your own setups

[Orange Jackson]

Amazing score for $50.

 

if your notes are bottoming out from 8 up to 24 then the floyd is too low. Mine is about a 16th of an inch above the body surface, and my action is low. I also have about a business cards (or two) width between my low e string and the top of the 12th fret when I fret 1 and 24 at the same time.

The is the relief that I like on just about all my guitars.

 

don't adjust the floyd hight with out taking the tension off of it first. (take the springs off and remove the floyd, then adjust to posts.)

 

Check this page out for everything you need to know about setting your guitar up,

http://www.ibanezrules.com/tech/setup/index.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

....oh and pedo bear for your avatar? you sick bastard.

[the_gunslinger]

can you post a side shot of your body/floyd? I wanna see how it's sitting. You don't need a shim. Basic rule on Jacksons: American made is set neck. Otherwise it's a bolt on. At least that's how it was explained to me when I got my first Jackson (a bolt on). By the way, unbelievable score on that Jackson. Very nice. And I hope you blocked the Floyd so it at least bends down. Floyds are fun and easy to work with. -Mc

 

 

American made Jackson are neck thru instruments. Big difference.

[mercutioburns]

It's a bolt-on Jackson. I just wanna get her in playing condition already!

Amazing score for $50. ....oh and pedo bear for your avatar? you sick bastard.

HE'S THE MAN! My older sis has no idea who he is but says he looks cute:lol:

[McHale]

Floyd looks too low (especially compared to my Jackson). Raise the Floyd with the 2 posts that it hinges on. The bottom of my Floyd is just a hair over my guitar body. I could probably just slide a medium pick under it and it's parallel completely across. Yours looks like it's recessed into the body.

[McHale]

American made Jackson are neck thru instruments. Big difference.

woops. You're right. Mine's bolt on so I wouldn't know from experience.

-Mc

[mercutioburns]

I was never really sure where the correct height was for a floyd, I'll try that out. I'll raise it just above the body and then mess with the truss rod from there.

[One-armed Alec]

This how I'd usually set up a Strat-type guitar (assuming you've done all your cleaning, fret polishing, nut lubricating, string fitting, etc):

1) Move the pickups down real low so that their magnetic pull doesn't affect anything else.

2) Set the trem action to how you want it.

3) Adjust string height at the saddles. Concentrate mainly on frets above 12, as this is the area that is least affected by neck relief (which you haven't adjusted yet). Hit the strings as hard as you would ever tend to when playing - bend them a good bit too. Too much buzz, raise the string. Otherwise, lower the string until buzz just starts to appear and then back up a little.

4) Adjust neck relief, using an appropriate tool that fits the truss rod end snugly. Concentrate mainly on the first five frets, open chords and the like, but also check the middle of the neck for playing comfort. Too much buzz, turn the trussrod anti-clockwise to loosen it and add relief, otherwise turn it clockwise to straighten the neck, removing relief until buzz starts to appear. Try adjusting 1/4 turn at a time. Remember, the guitar will be much easier to play with a straighter neck, so aim for as straight as you can go until buzz becomes a nuisance. If you encounter a lot of resistance turning the rod nut in either direction, try loosening the strings so that they're 'floppy' and then make your adjustment (you'll have to retune each time to check the results). If there's still a lot of resistance even with the strings loosened, consider taking the guitar to a tech. Also, if you're concerned about making the right adjustment, you can get an idea of how much relief is in the neck before you start by clamping the strings at the first fret with a capo and holding the low E at the other end with your right hand. Use a set of automotive feeler gauges to measure the gap between the top of 7th/8th fret and the bottom of the low E. Anything less than 0.1mm probably means that you have too little relief, anything more than 0.4mm probably means that you have too much relief.

Now, depending on how far 'out' the guitar was to begin with, you may or may not have to repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have an 'even' level of buzz up and down the neck (the strings will always buzz to some degree, given enough picking force). If everything's going OK, then you should be making finer adjustments on each iteration.

5) Set intonation using as accurate a tuner as you can lay your hands on. Some folks like to use the 'twelfth fret harmonic' method, but I have had better results comparing the open string with the twelfth-fretted note. Use a very light touch when you're setting intonation (on both hands ).

6) Adjust your pickup height to where it sounds good to you, then re-check for string buzz and re-check intonation. If any problems have re-appeared, lower the pickups until the problems disappear again.

7) Enjoy your beautifully custom set up guitar

[mercutioburns]

This how I'd usually set up a Strat-type guitar (assuming you've done all your cleaning, fret polishing, nut lubricating, string fitting, etc): 1) Move the pickups down real low so that their magnetic pull doesn't affect anything else. 2) Set the trem action to how you want it. 3) Adjust string height at the saddles. Concentrate mainly on frets above 12, as this is the area that is least affected by neck relief (which you haven't adjusted yet). Hit the strings as hard as you would ever tend to when playing - bend them a good bit too. Too much buzz, raise the string. Otherwise, lower the string until buzz just starts to appear and then back up a little. 4) Adjust neck relief, using an appropriate tool that fits the truss rod end snugly. Concentrate mainly on the first five frets, open chords and the like, but also check the middle of the neck for playing comfort. Too much buzz, turn the trussrod anti-clockwise to loosen it and add relief, otherwise turn it clockwise to straighten the neck, removing relief until buzz starts to appear. Try adjusting 1/4 turn at a time. Remember, the guitar will be much easier to play with a straighter neck, so aim for as straight as you can go until buzz becomes a nuisance. If you encounter a lot of resistance turning the rod nut in either direction, try loosening the strings so that they're 'floppy' and then make your adjustment (you'll have to retune each time to check the results). If there's still a lot of resistance even with the strings loosened, consider taking the guitar to a tech. Also, if you're concerned about making the right adjustment, you can get an idea of how much relief is in the neck before you start by clamping the strings at the first fret with a capo and holding the low E at the other end with your right hand. Use a set of automotive feeler gauges to measure the gap between the top of 7th/8th fret and the bottom of the low E. Anything less than 0.1mm probably means that you have too little relief, anything more than 0.4mm probably means that you have too much relief. Now, depending on how far 'out' the guitar was to begin with, you may or may not have to repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have an 'even' level of buzz up and down the neck (the strings will always buzz to some degree, given enough picking force). If everything's going OK, then you should be making finer adjustments on each iteration. 5) Set intonation using as accurate a tuner as you can lay your hands on. Some folks like to use the 'twelfth fret harmonic' method, but I have had better results comparing the open string with the twelfth-fretted note. Use a very light touch when you're setting intonation (on both hands ). 6) Adjust your pickup height to where it sounds good to you, then re-check for string buzz and re-check intonation. If any problems have re-appeared, lower the pickups until the problems disappear again. 7) Enjoy your beautifully custom set up guitar

This sucks. So I tried this and it still has high action. I raised the trem height to being barely over the body. No buzz on the first 4 frets but the action's high. It's even higher at 12 and up. Tried tightening the truss rod some more but it's getting really tight. I'm loosening the strings and then tightening but it's still hard to turn. Looking at the side I can see visible bow yet it won't let me tighten it. Doing the 1st and 24th fret test I can slip a credit card underneath and it'll barely keep it in place. I don't know, I think I might need to bring this in to a tech.

[One-armed Alec]

Doing the 1st and 24th fret test I can slip a credit card underneath and it'll barely keep it in place. I don't know, I think I might need to bring this in to a tech.

If, as you say, the rod is as tight as it wants to go and you're still seeing so much of a bow then it sounds like there may well be a problem with the neck (or the rod).

 

Yes, taking it to a tech at this stage would be a very good idea. He shouldn't charge much to at least assess the situation.

 

Good luck.