ILF, help a poor, senseless dude set up his new guitar

[Wes Mantooth]

Long story short, the action on my telecaster sucks, it's much too high for me and as you go down the fretboard it only gets higher. I can get pics if necessary... too.

I've tried adjusting the truss rod on the string saddles and nothing seems to solve my problem, what am I doing wrong?

[Bellyheart]

Well...the truss rod is not the string saddles....it's usually on top the neck behind the nut, so for starters you may not have been doing what you thought. Also, your saddles may need to be lowered and moved closer or further from the neck. What kind of saddles?

[blahquaker]

a lot of times the truss rod adjustment is at the base of the neck on a telecaster.

it's mostly talking, but this guy has a lot of videos on setting up a telecaster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0lXEhRj ... 16&index=1

[Wes Mantooth]

Well...the truss rod is not the string saddles....it's usually on top the neck behind the nut, so for starters you may not have been doing what you thought. Also, your saddles may need to be lowered and moved closer or further from the neck. What kind of saddles?

I meant and the saddles sorry!

Yet another

[bubstance]

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[Wes Mantooth]

Sounds like you need a shim, my friend. That is if you have tweaked the truss rod the slightest bit.

It all depends on what action you want and what strings you plan to use. I'd start with true stock Fender, not what you get when you buy a guitar (notice the difference). If you're going with the usual .046-.010 set, you'll want a touch of relief in your neck while getting as close to straight as possible. Slap a capo on the first fret and have someone help by pressing an outer string at the 17th fret, then using a nice ruler, measure from the top of the fretboard to the underside of the string at the 7th fret. It should be right around .012" for stock relief. If it's not, adjust the truss rod in QUARTER TURNS. No more. Let it sit for at least a day and let the guitar adjust. Don't overdo it. Then, after around 24 hours check the relief again.

Now set the string height at the bridge. Measure at the 17th fret (with the capo still on the first fret) from the fretboard to the bottom of the string. Set the height of the strings so that the distance is around 4/64".

Now, if the action is all fucked up (too low at one end, just right at the other) you may need a shim. Use any thin piece of material (I like wood veneer) and slip it under your neck near the edge of the pocket and bolt everything up.

This information is all just the most basic explanations; there are a whole bunch of factors in play. Can you give some information on what you're looking for, exactly?

This is a good place for me to start, thank you

I'm just looking to get lower action all across the fretboard because it's great on the first few frets then gradually gets higher and higher. My cheap Schecter plays amazingly with low action and little fret rattle, I just can't seem to get my tele to play the same way. If I set the action as low as it is on my Schecter theres buzz and rattle on almost every fret on every string.

[bubstance]

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[Wes Mantooth]

Yeah, that definitely sounds like you need a shim, then.

Will do

I'm going to take this as a sign to get a baritone neck for this thing, since it needs modification anyways

[mathias]

Or take it into a guitar shop, tell them you want lower action with given string size, and see what they offer to do to set it up. If it is cheap enough, have them do it.. otherwise just take it home and do it yourself?

[bubstance]

.

[MEC]

Or don't be a lazy bitch and just learn how to do it yourself.

BOOM, ROASTED!

[Wes Mantooth]

I somehow set up my Schecter to play well, this one is just giving me problems, I like the simplicity of TOM bridges but the tele bridge sounds great.

Since I can't do any recording now that my laptop died on me, I'll be devoting my work to this guitar, we'll see how it goes.