Electric Guitar Bridge Setup

Setting up a guitar involves working with the bridge nut and neck adjustments to dial in the playing action to suit the player.

Electric guitar bridge setup.

Adjusting your guitar action and bridge height is one of the most common guitar setup tips that you will learn with this easy and simple guitar setup guide for gibson fender and floyd rose style guitar bridges. A gibson style bridge has two bridge posts that allow you to adjust only the bass and treble side of the bridge. For more information about how to set up a floating or floyd rose bridge please go to the floating or floyd rose bridge page. On an electric guitar this is a matter of twisting the appropriate screws.

Look down the profile of the fretboard on both the bass and treble sides of the neck is the neck straight or is there a curve. Below you will find all the information you need to setup your guitar the right way. Sight a guitar neck. First sight the neck just to see what condition it s in.

A playable guitar that sounds amazing requires a setting up process only then will your guitar play well. The other three are the american series bridge which is a modern day two pivot bridge. Strum the top string next to the tuner and adjust the tuning knobs until it s an e. The non tremolo hardtail bridge.

And a locking tremolo such as the american deluxe or floyd rose locking tremolos. Most guitars have either a fender or gibson style bridge. A guitar s action can also be adjust at the bridge. Tune your guitar with an electric tuner.

When adjusting these it s up to you to maintain or adjust them to the proper radius. Turn the guitar on its side close one eye and look down the neck from the headstock towards the bridge left. Remove the truss rod cover. Tune the guitar to pitch.

Put the rest of the guitar in standard e a d g b e tuning. On an acoustic guitar you may have to shim or sand the bridge saddle. Tune the guitar to desired pitch. Stratocaster guitars can have four distinctive types of bridges.

If it s not adjusted correctly notes down the neck of the guitar will be flat or sharp. With the guitar on its side look down the fingerboard edge for overall straightness back bow relief forward bow and humps as well as high or uneven frets. Sight the neck please read the beginning of this article for thorough instruction on sighting your guitar s neck. The most well known bridge is the vintage style synchronized tremolo.

Please visit the individual guitar bridge pages for more detailed information about the anatomy of the bridges themselves. I ve been blown away by the improvements in playability and sound clarity that come from minor adjustments to the guitar s setup. Set the relief capo the first fret and press the 15th fret with your finger then use your feeler gauge on the 8th fret to measure the height. Because the truss rod will affect the middle of the neck most be sure to pay.

Use a straightedge for added assurance pictured. This guide serves only if you want a quick action adjustment and presumes your truss rod and nut are set up correctly. The bridge elongates or shortens the length of your strings.