Guild standard setup action

Heath

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I read that the standard Guild setup was 5 or 6/64ths on the bass side and 4-5/64ths on the treble side at the 12th fret but it didn’t say if that was with the first fret pressed or not, which will affect the action at the 12th.

does anyone know? This might seem like a minor question, but I’m having a neck reset done and and want to get it right!

thanks!
 

fronobulax

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Good question. It never occurred to me that spec measurements would be made with a fret pressed. I'm going to say don't fret when measuring but I expect to learn something if I am wrong.

My thinking is that people know that fretting the instrument effects what happens at the 12th fret and it doesn't matter in this context. For an instrument that is otherwise "correct" - no high frets, no warped neck, etc. the quoted specs should allow for no buzzing no matter what frets are being used.

If, for some reason, you don't like the action, then you change things but understand that you are explicitly saying that you don't like the "standard" setup.
 

SFIV1967

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but it didn’t say if that was with the first fret pressed or not, which will affect the action at the 12th.
Checking the string height at the 12th fret is always done without capo on the first fret.

You might be confused because when checking and adjusting the neck for straightness (means adjusting the truss rod) you attach a capo to the first fret and press down the 6th string at the 14th fret and with a feeler gauge, you would measure the distance between the top of the 5th fret and the bottom of the 6th string. There should be a small gap (.006"+/- .002"); remember this gap will be one-half the thickness of the 1st string (.012"). This will determine the "neck relief" necessary to prevent string "buzz" caused by the normal vibration pattern (string excursion) of the strings.

Ralf
 

Velvet Phelts

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It's all subjective to player, string gauge, feel, style. I set up for me. You may not like it. ( but I bet you would ) Numbers are a good starting point. But I much prefer decimal over fractions. 5/64=.078 which to me is a mile. But hey, to each his own. I have no problem doing a truss rod tweak now and then, to keep things sweet. I will set action on acoustic one string at a time. By cutting slots in the saddle. Once I get slots to the right height. I'll file front or back to set intonation. Then clamp saddle in a vise and remove the rest of the top, to create a smooth feel. And leaving just a small dent for the string to sit in.
 

fronobulax

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But I much prefer decimal over fractions. 5/64=.078

You, of course, are entitled to your opinion but 5/64 strongly suggests a measurement in inches. If you tell me .078 or 1.98 I going to ask you what your unit of measurement is. If you tell me (decimal) inches I'm going to convert back to fractions because none of my measuring tools are easy to use for anything other than "power of two" fractions of an inch. Now tell me 2 mm and I'm ok. But I'd rather do the job with my ruler and not my ruler and a calculator.
 

Br1ck

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Anyone I would trust with a neck reset would set it so a wide variety of action preferences can be achieved, from bluegrass high to ultra low with light strings. All you need is to tell them how you like your action. A factory action is their take on what most people want in a guitar. A company like Taylor knows they can sell guitars if they are easy to play. Martin sends guitars out into the world with the action a bit high, trusting the dealer will do a setup according to the individual's needs.
 

SFIV1967

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Ok my #6 string at the 12th fret is 13/250 or 52/1000 or .052"
13/250 or 52/1000 ??? Sorry, I don't think that answer is funny if you thought so...
Most little rulers are either in 32 or 64th inch. So you usually only use fractions in 32th or 64th and that is an almost general rule if you talk string height or saddle height of a guitar. Guild was/is using 64th when giving the string height.

1593423656289.png


Now there are also such tools in decimals like the StewMac one. I never got used to those .xxx inches units. Tell me 6/64" and I know what it is. But everybody can use what he likes. In Europe we would use millimeters but that is a coarse unit when talking string height...

1593423823295.png


Ralf
 

SFIV1967

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Feeler gauge
O.k., agreed, didn't think about them, I also use them with guitars, especially when adjusting the truss rod to measure the small gap and for other purposes. After all the thickness of the strings is given in such units.

OEM25025-600.jpg


Ralf
 
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