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H8068 Telecaster
®
Style Kit
-21-
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 recommended that
you research more in-depth methods. Books on
setting up electric guitars can be ordered through
Grizzly Industrial, luthier supply catalogs, or may
be available through your local library.
General
SECTION 5: SETUP
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.
Components and Hardware Needed: Qty
Guitar with Strings Installed ..............................
1
Tools Needed
Metal Straightedge 18" .......................................
1
Hex Wrench 4mm ...............................................
1
Feeler Gauge Set ...............................................
1
Phillips Head Screwdriver ...................................
1
Neck Adjustment
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 straight
-
edge and the frets with the feeler gauge.
—If the neck is flat, or bowed up 0.012" or
less, the neck is set up correctly. Continue
to the next subsection.
—If the gap is greater than 0.012", or if the
neck bows away from the straightedge,
continue to
Step 3.
3. Loosen the strings and turn the truss rod nut
in the base of the neck (
Figure 31) coun-
terclockwise with a 4mm wrench to release
tension on the neck. Retighten until the nut
begins to grab.
Figure 31. Truss rod nut.
4. To flatten a down bow, turn the truss rod nut
a
1
/4 turn clockwise. To correct an up bow,
turn the nut a
1
/4 turn counterclockwise.
5. Tighten the strings and recheck the neck with
the straightedge.
—If the neck is correctly adjusted, go to the
next section.
—If the neck is still out of adjustment return
to Step 3.