Acoustic guitar setup for beginners – 3 tips
Does your steel-string acoustic guitar no longer play the way you’re used to? Are you suffering from fret buzz, does the action feel uncomfortably high or too low, or do chords sound off even though your guitar is in tune? Then chances are your guitar is in need of a fresh setup. Don’t worry – you can tackle a lot of these things yourself, as long as you know what to look out for. In this blog we’ll help you set up your steel-string guitar in three clear steps, so it sounds, plays and looks like new again.
Step 1. Adjusting the truss rod
We’ll start with the heart of the setup: the neck. A neck with too much or too little relief almost always causes fret buzz. The most accurate way to check your instrument’s neck is with a special truss rod ruler – a ruler that lets you measure the bow of the neck precisely. Don’t have one? Hold the guitar in playing position, tune it to your preferred tuning and then press down the first and twelfth frets at the same time. The easiest way to do this is with a capo at the first fret. Then look at the gap at the seventh fret. The ideal distance between the fret and the string is about the thickness of a business card (roughly 0,25 mm).
If the gap is too big, the neck is in a forward bow (“U-shaped bow”) and the truss rod needs to be tightened clockwise. If there’s no gap at all, the neck is in a back bow (“N-shaped bow”) and the tension needs to be reduced slightly anticlockwise. The truss rod of an acoustic guitar is usually located at the body end of the neck. Make sure you always make adjustments in small steps – a quarter turn, for example.
Step 2. Adjusting the string action – the height of the strings
Have you set the neck up correctly? Then it’s time to look at the action – the height of the strings relative to the frets. Does it take a lot of effort to fret a note? Then the action is probably too high. Does it play too lightly? Then the bridge saddle needs raising slightly, for example with a small wooden shim underneath. Acoustic guitars have more string movement and often thicker strings compared with electric guitars. A commonly used guideline for the string action is therefore around 2,0 mm (5/64 inch) on the low E side and 1,6 mm (4/64 inch) on the high E side, measured at the twelfth fret.
In practice, the action usually needs to be lowered. On classical guitars this is done by sanding a tiny bit off the bottom of the bridge saddle. Working accurately is important here. First remove the strings and carefully take the bridge saddle out of the saddle slot. Use a pencil to mark how much material you want to remove. An adjustment of just 0,5 mm already makes a big difference. Then sand the bottom of the saddle on a flat surface, such as a piece of fine sandpaper on a flat workbench.
Make sure you sand perfectly straight. If the bottom of the saddle is sanded at an angle, on an electro-acoustic guitar this can lead to uneven contact with the piezo element underneath. This results in a loss of pickup volume and/or an uneven balance between the strings. After sanding, put the saddle back in place, after which it’s time to give the guitar a thorough clean.
Please note: in some cases fret buzz occurs when an open string is played. This points to a problem with the nut, which is difficult to fix yourself without specialised tools. In that case, book an appointment with one of our luthiers near you via the contact form – we’ll be happy to help you further.
Step 3. Cleaning the guitar
Now it’s time to give your guitar a thorough clean. Most western-style acoustic guitars have a rosewood fretboard, which is best cleaned with extra-fine (0000) steel wool. Once all the grime has been removed from the fretboard, you can polish the frets. In our workshop we use special polishing cloths and sanding blocks. Be sure to protect the wood of the fretboard properly to prevent damage. Finally, you can condition the fretboard using our Fretboard Care Wax, a completely natural beeswax that keeps the wood in good condition. Don’t have any? No worries, you can order it via Wheel of Fifths.
While the beeswax soaks in, you can clean the rest of the guitar. With the strings off, it’s easy to reach the spots where dust likes to gather. Use a slightly damp microfibre cloth to clean the body. Once everything is clean and dry, you can install new strings and tune the guitar to your preferred tuning.
That’s all!
Congratulations, your acoustic guitar is now fully set up! If you’ve worked through all the steps carefully, you’ll notice your guitar immediately plays more comfortably and sounds much more in tune. Some problems, however, can persist. For instance, when frets aren’t completely level, the nut isn’t quite at the right height or the bridge or neck needs extra attention. That sort of work often calls for a professional.
Want to get your guitar in truly top condition? Our luthiers are ready to help you further. We’re specialised in all types of maintenance – whether it’s repairing a broken output jack, fitting an acoustic pickup, an extensive fret job or something else entirely. Via the contact form you can easily book an appointment at one of our nine locations. You’ll find us in Amsterdam, Boxtel, Ewijk, Groningen, Heerenveen, Heino, Leeuwarden, Rotterdam and Utrecht. With every setup you’ll receive a maintenance booklet that details exactly how we’ve set up your guitar. In most cases you can pick your instrument up again within two working days. See you soon!
