Set Up, General, Neck Adjustment, Tools Needed Qty

SECTION 5: SET UP

General

Guitar set up is an art that requires skill, patience and experience. If you have the patience, you can acquire the skill and experience. If you don't have the patience, you may want to have your guitar set up by a qualified guitar technician.

This section on set up is a general overview of set up practices. We highly recommend that you research more in-depth methods. Books on set- ting up electric guitars can be ordered through Grizzly Industrial, luthier supply catalogs, or may be available through your local library.

Neck Adjustment

Tools Needed	Qty
Metal Straightedge 18"	1
Hex Wrench 5mm	1
Feeler Gauge Set	1
Phillips Head Screwdriver	1

The guitar neck was adjusted perfectly straight before it was packaged; however, the moisture content of wood acclimates to the humidity of the surrounding environment. This characteristic results in movement of the wood components with regards to alignment. It is not uncommon for the neck to require adjustment several times each year, especially in regions where the sea- sonal climate changes are more drastic.

To adjust the bow of the guitar neck:

1.Tighten the strings to playing tension.

2.Place a straightedge from the 1st fret to the 17th. Measure any gaps between the straightedge and the frets with the feeler gauge.

—If the neck is flat, or bowed up .012" or less, the neck is set up correctly.

Model H7582 Junior Electric Guitar Kit

—If the gap is greater than .012", or if the neck bows away from the straightedge, continue to Step 3.

3.Remove the strings from the neck and the neck from the guitar body.

4.Turn the truss rod nut in the base of the neck (Figure 26) counterclockwise with a 5mm hex wrench to release tension on the neck. Retighten until the nut begins to grab.

Figure 26. Truss rod nut location.

5.To flatten a back bow, turn the truss rod nut a 1⁄4 turn clockwise. To correct an up bow, turn the nut a 1⁄4 turn counterclockwise.

6.Restring the guitar and recheck the neck with the straightedge. Use wire cutters to cut off excess string.

—If the neck is correctly adjusted, go to the next section.

—Return to Step 3 for further adjustment.

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