Pro Guitar Tech's Most Hated Things (and how to fix them)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ส.ค. 2023
- When it comes to setting up your guitar, theres many different methods and practices. In today's video, my friend Ben Calhoun at Big House Guitars in Atlanta Ga, shows us some of his biggest pet peeves when setting up and maintaining your acoustic guitar. Some of these things I've even done and showed on this channel in the past!
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Been playing guitar for over 20 years, building guitars for around 10, and the "just pull it back one fret" trick just changed my life.
right???
Amen , great advice.
I've always used the old pinky on the body, string on the index and spread the gap more the smaller the string. I'm gonna have to try this.
Dude… same and same.
Same. I learned the trick he used to wind the string but I could never get the amount of winds right.
This guy = no BS and doesn't over complicate things. Awesome.
Yep. Best vid ever on these topics.
😢😢
You sir, are a mind reader.
This vid was nice, usually he chats so long I can’t be bothered, but this is good info
BALONEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love that pull it back one fret trick. It's so simple, effective, and consistent. I wish I knew that 25 years ago.
I have learned more here in ten minutes than I have during the last 40 years of playing, stringing, and fooling around with guitars. Thank you!
Me too! Great info!!
Same for me except 20 years instead of 40.
Man, why can't all setup vids be like this? Straight to the point, plain English, nothing superfluous. Bravo. Keeping this.
Because there’s people that speak other languages
@@Zach-ls1if clearly! 😅 I just meant it's simple and clear. I've nothing against other languages, I promise you.
@@johndinsdale4454 I know, I’m just being a dork and trolling, cheers and thanks
@@Zach-ls1if ha ha! Got me. Have an awesome day chap 😎
Weeell Gibson did do a great job with their video
Fretter and inlayer for a professional acoustic guitar company here! Looking down the neck helps great to see if your frets are all in line and level. When light catches a high fret it will shine before the rest of the frets as you bring the guitar up and down with your hand. That’s what it should be used for, not so much using it to spot the neck itself!
I’ve always sighted down the neck like that to see if the neck is twisting.
Also when buying a guitar it'll give you a quick easy way to quickly see if you're buying a turd. I'm mainly looking to see it's the same side to side, that the neck isn't twisted.
It will certainly tell you if there are big problems, but as far as fine tuning you need a good straightedge or use the string as a straightedge for relief.
Thank you! Very helpful!
anyone putting in frets knows that there is no such thing as "sighting down the tops" they ALWAYS check their work with a fret rocker guage. I wouldn't trust anyone's "eye sight method"
does your mechanic align your wheels with eye sight method 😂😂😂
Been playing guitar for 44 years. Like most everybody here, this little 15 minute video has succinctly shown me where I've been making an arse of myself all this time.
Hands down one of the most useful guitar setup videos I've ever seen! Thank you
This is gold ... please feature Ben as often as he is willing!
Yes he’s great to watch
Agreed
I'm out here like, when's Ben making his own channel? I'd be patreon sub for this quality of content.
Having seen Ben in many videos over the years, he seems like a really cool and knowledgeable guy. Always glad to see him here.
Ben is the man!
@@1LouderSoundit's the "Gibson wrap" supposedly because guys started doing it trying to fight de-tuning. Which works. Which is why almost everyone does it. Like almost everyone. Just not Ben. I guess it's just personal preference. It does look a little better, and it's easier to get the string off. That's the only benefit. If Gibson, fender, Martin and countless people swear by the correct way to do it, I would suggest listening to them, not the guy slanging consignment guitars.
I think he was criticizing the Gibson knot technique from the perspective of a luthier. He doesn’t like having to undo the knot to remove the string. You know, because it takes sooooo long to do.
@@jordanbrown7192isn’t the Gibson wrap where you wrap towards the top of the post? Like the opposite of the standard wrap but not necessarily the locking knot?
@@1LouderSoundDon’t hate the player, hate the game. That’s how you get tons of followers and views- make a provocative statement like how to “properly” do something. I bet if you made a video claiming the opposite and introduced yourself with your credentials you’d get good traffic too and people would learn the benefits of doing things as you’ve experienced. For example the great Rene Martinez shows how he winds strings. He does the locking wrap and aims for as few wraps as possible because the extra string length leads to more detuning as the string stretches over time. 👌🏻
What a game-changing video. I've been terrified to do anything to my acoustic guitar and BOOM you and Ben just simplified things so much. I like to do some of the work on my electric guitars but never felt comfortable on the acoustic for some reason. You also made my day with a couple of things you showed that I have been doing correctly (I guess I watched the right videos... HAH HAH) on my electric guitars like how I have measured the relief and also with my rosewood fretboards NOT saturating them with a ton of oil and leaving it on there but instead wiping it off right away. One funny thing was when Ben said not to sight along the neck I really enjoyed the way you handled being shown something different than what you've done in the past. I have always respected you greatly, Rhett, and you increased my respect for you by showing a willingness to learn. Good on you, sir!!! And now I have to make a trip down to Big House Guitars since I live in the suburbs of Atlanta.
Hands down, this is the best, most informative, and clearest summary/demonstration of basic acoustic guitar maintenance I have ever seen. Wish I was closer to Atlanta-thanks guys, for this video.
I’ve always struggled to get the right amount of wraps for a string and the 1 fret trick is the best thing I’ve seen!
I use the length to the next peg and pull back, then the first wrap over the tail and the rest under. About 2 1/2 wraps on the low strings and 3 on the highs.
@@jamesgardner2101same here except my dad taught me to just cut each string at the next peg and then string it up...the D and G just eyeball as though there was another peg past them.
Thank you, Ben and Rhett, for the clearest explanations of these set-up issues!
Thanks for posting this video. This is probably the best "how to" basic advice on Proper Guitar Set-up that I have ever viewed (and I have seen plenty) Your concepts are logical, simple, and easy to follow and remember. The part that really sold me was the "nothing straighter than a string" when trying to measure action height. You are absolutely correct sir. As a land surveyor technician most of my life, I can attest to that. We used a string as a tool and unit of measurement to measure vertical plumb. In other words, you can tell if something is straight simply by hanging a string with a washer or a nut and compare using the ole "eyeball method". When you said that, I knew that you knew what you were talking about and that your information was trustworthy. Everything here makes a lot of sense. I will share this video with my friends. Thanks again.
Mike V.
Albuquerque, NM
I had a whole discussion with a friend about how string saddles on electric guitars look like two "stair step" patterns. This is the first time I have ever heard anyone besides me talk about this relationship. Thanks for the validation! Keep up the good work, Rhett!
Wow. One of the most helpful guitar videos I’ve ever seen! I learn so much every time Ben is featured on here.
Agreed.
Yeah Ben much respect and a truly nice guy
Seriously. I want a TH-cam channel where he explains everything
Ben is one of the most knowledgeable people on gear you will ever meet. He has done work on a number of my electrics. All play and sound incredible.
When i discovered using a feeler gauge for neck relief about 8 yrs ago after counless times of having my guitars and Bass guitars setup wrong by 4 different guitar techs from 4 different stores in my area! I learned too set up my Instruments myself with no headaches or dissapointments letalone $250 in setups while there guessing looking down the neck 😢 ! Benchmark with no guessing 😁
Best 'set up' video I've seen after 3 years of watching guitar videos on TH-cam. Would happily watch a full video on each of these points with you learning, along with us viewers, from Ben. Great stuff lads! 👍
What a fabulous guitar tech Ben is! Great video. Super-informative, clear, and easy to like.
This is why I watch your channel. There are so many trends, breakthroughs, magic and bro science over the years that we need to take a fresh look at what we do every now and again. Great video.
Some pretty brilliant tips right there. I absolutely love how you're supposed to string to get the ideal number of winding. Even after almost 30 years, it was at times a bit of a guess, but that 'one-fret-back'-thing is super handy. Thanks guys!
Got my first guitar 4 months ago and this video provides so much information on the maintenance and care. I might not do it on my own yet, but at least I understand a lot more of what I'm looking at.
I have been an acoustic guitar player for over 20 years And I just learned more in the last few minutes Then in 20 years combined. Great video, thank you.
This is seriously one of the greatest videos ever. As a working musician for many many years I can’t tell you how useful this has been.
Ive been restringing my own guitars for decades and Ive never seen the back up one fret technique before. I’ve overthought this to death and its been this simple the whole time 😂
I've always held my hand perpendicular to the 12th fret with the string going over my hand to get the length. But now that I think about it, that would be a different total length for different sized hands. Will try this one-fret method next time.
Same here . 12 fret bend string. Then tighten
Learned that one early on. Not sure where I picked that up
@@HowieStephens Same! pulling back one fret is so much more simpler!
Imagine me using the pull the string up from the fretboard a fingers length...with four inch fingers. 😂
I’ve been playing guitar for 20 years. This is one of the most informative guitar set up videos I have seen. Learned a lot. Nice work! Thanks!
I've been playing acoustic guitar since 1964. This is the best information on set up I've even seen. I feel like I want to change all my strings now. Amazing information. Thank you!
I agree, he did a great job. If you want to see another very informative video on setup, go find the setup video from Rosa String Works (RSW). No, I"m not related to him!
Same here. I bookmarked this. Fantastic information! I'm changing the strings tomorrow, and putting oil on the fretboard.
WoW!! I'm 67, been playing since I was 13. I sure wish I'd learned from a master like this decades ago.
Thanks so much, both of you.
I will pass this on to my son.
😂
It is always good to have friends and colleagues who are not afraid to tell you the truth and back it up with common sense and logic. Great content as usual.
It's one of the major criteria I base my selection of actual, real friendship on. ; ) Rock on, everybody!
Amazing tutorial, I learned a LOT. Plus - I have NEVER seen these things explained so simply and plainly in 30 years of playing. A+
Great video and advice. Having played and worked on guitars for over 40 years, everything he said and showed is exactly the way I maintain every guitar I've ever owned or worked on.
I love this kind of stuff - I know a bit about setup and maintenance but always learn something every time I watch these kinds of shows. If I was a young man again I would go to lutherie school and make a career of guitar and amp repair/building.Just didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life back then. Ever wish you could go back and do it all over again with the wisdom you have now?
I love his fret trick, I'm gonna use that from now on.
Another trick I learned from my mentor in my recording studio days was after you restring, tune the guitar, then pull every string at every fret and tune again.
This is especially helpful for the studio or right before a show when you need to stay in tune
You should only need to stretch your string open, 5th, 12th, 17th (approx); more if you like, and a couple times up and down. Doing every fret is overkill. Try it next time, you'll be surprised.
Once the string is stretched that's it, you shouldn't need to do it before a gig or anything either.
A good trick to stay in tune is to always tune from flat up to the correct pitch, never down - it keeps the tention behind the nut. That drastically reduced how often tuned during a set.
@@MattMeNotYou I just pinch the string by the bridge and slide up to the nut while pulling up and down. This method is faster and better results IMO.
About 35 years playing guitar and I just learned a few things from Ben. That's so awesome - thanks guys!
This video packed in a lot of knowledge in a short amount of time. Very much appreciated.
This Tech is a master - excellent advice - straightforward and useful! I am going to have to watch it again and take notes.
These tips are invaluable. Ben is awesome! Always love seeing him in your videos.
Ben really knows his stuff. I’ve been using his methods for the last six years. 👍
the string wrap trick for tuning... MIND BLOWN. I love it.
Useful and no BS video. Love it!
Ben is a properly knowledgeable dude, have to say mind was blown a little learning about why the saddles are arranged as they are for intonation to be spot on.
Fascinating! I learned a lot, and unlearned a lot as well! The oil on the fretboard was priceless. No wonder I've had some frets rise off the board! Would like to see more of this.
This is a great video, like a refresher, even if you think you knew it all. Very clear step by step explanations every guitar player should know about their instrument. 😊
Interesting. I've never sighted down the neck to set relief, only to check if the neck was twisted. It's nice to have your habits affirmed by a pro. Ben's a cool dude and a good teacher!
It seemed like Rhett was talking about checking for a twist and the tech was thinking people who sight a neck do it to check relief, as I never ever heard of anyone sighting a neck for relief - only sighting for a twist.
@@ev25zvsame here
I took a chance and restrung my guitar as suggested here. I played a gig yesterday outdoors near the ocean, and my guitar has NEVER stayed in tune so well. I mean, this has really changed the game. I'm shocked and delighted to have finally found a better method. PS ... I've been doing it wrong for 40 years.
Wrong how?
Remember, good technician never work in a store. He is just a storyteller.
@@ourjob6629Yes, of course THAT makes sense.
NOT!
@@TheDiaboliq666the biggest problem people have restringing is too much or too little wrap and getting wraps on top of each other rather than orderly under each other
Same hear bro i would wrap it manually bottom up same results but waste time th 1 fret w winder cant go wrong ....
Pulling the string back one fret is a great idea. It makes it so easy and allows for the proper amount of post windings to keep the string locked in place...!
The new trick here, for me, was "wiggle" the neck by its' head after turning the truss rod. Very cool. I've been setting up my own guitars for 15 years, but it was great to see that I do things the same way as this expert.
I learned more in fifteen minutes with this video than in ten years of playing guitar with teachers. Thank you!
This was a very informative video. I've been playing guitar for 40 years (non-professional just for fun) and I learned a lot such as his simple stringing method, how to clean the frets and fretboard properly, and his simple explanation of how intonation works. Good stuff.
My guitar teacher taught me to string guitars that way on my first lesson. That was thirty years ago and I still string my guitars the same way today. Great video!!
Excellent walkthrough and explanations by Ben. Wish he was at my local guitar store.
Really good tips on acoustic guitar care and setup. Caveat: I do sight the neck when evaluating a guitar but I am not looking for relief, I am looking for twist or other significant neck problems. Those (I think) do show up when sighting down the neck.
And fret sprouts, too
I've changed strings hundreds of times over the past 40 years and it's nice to see that a professional agrees with the way I've changed them. I've had arguments about it over the years with other players that do all kinds of weird knots and there is just no reason for it.
most succinct discussion I have ever heard for setting up a guitar.
Such a great video! You can tell when someone loves their job and is good at it! Could have listened to Ben for ages more! Get Ben to do one of your electric guitars next...?!
Such an informative and entertaining channel!
Always enjoy your videos. I've been playing 47 years and am totally guilty of the Gibson wrap! Gonna try his suggestion, looks a lot easier. Not a big fan of steel wool on electric frets because of fear of shards getting into the pickups. I just use the Music Nomad stuff and it works well for me. Thanks for the tips!
Nicely done! Grateful for the masters sharing some of the wisdom with us mortals.
Great video. I really like Ben's approach to the topics. He is really a down to earth guy and is nice to listen to.
Good to see Ben back on the channel. He really knows guitars.
A luthier friend taught me this trick to help with intonation: Fretted Flat Forward, meaning if the fretted note at the 12th fret is flat compared to the harmonic, move the saddle forward (towards the neck).
"Sharper is shorter", is how I've always remembered it.
@@doctorjones278 Correct ; )
The way I remember is turn in the smae direction the tuner is showing when you check the intonation. So if the note is sharp then turn the screw to the right, if it's flat then turn it to the left like it shows on the display.
@@joegriffithsmusic that makes sense!
@@tomgorycki7176 haha it's just cause I always forget which direction makes the string shorter or longer lol
This guy does a great job explaining his opinions on this. I love his keep it simple approach
You can see his demeanor change after their disagreement about looking straight down the neck of the guitar. He suddenly was less expressive and seemed offended.
Super helpful info! Ben is awesome!!! I'd love to watch him work!!
Ok I like that pull back to the first fret thing. It's consistent and easier than what I learned. I used to stand the string up on my middle fingers at the 12th fret.
I don't know why, but Ben seems happier than some of the previous videos he featured in. Much more loose and easy going. Good on him 🙌🏼
Some fine info. Quick, easy, to the point, no nonsense. Really quite simple. Great vid.
Ben is the man! So informative and packed full of guitar maintenance. Great video Rhett
Thanks to Ben for sharing his knowledge and doing it a way that simple folk like myself can understand. legend !
been playing for 14 years and I've learned about half of these early on, but man I love watching videos where the tech is clear in his descriptions and paints a a good image of what you want, I'll bee sure to use more of these next Time I build a body and do a set-up, or restring any of my guitars.
I've been working on guitars for 35+ years and I used to work at Washburn as a setup tech then an inspector.
I am so glad to see someone else do things the way I have done ESPECIALLY the stringing and the lack of the Gibson knot.
Nice, simple and easy to follow tips for most players. Unfortunately there's a lot of videos that can over complicate what is essentially very simple.
Up until a few years ago I'd always used that Gibson knot when restringing guitars. It's almost guaranteed the string will never slip - but it does look a bit ugly. Then I started using that luthiers wind where one wind goes over the top and all the others under and it locks the string in place. Looks very neat as well.
One thing he didn't show was you need to stretch strings as well.
This is the way I've always put strings on. I've never seen the need for the crazy loop and wrap method.
Love the setup videos with Ben! Please make more if possible!!
The last trick regarding 3-3 and 2-4 saddle adjustment was very informative, thanks.
I could listen to him talk about guitars all day. He has that same easygoing demeanor that all of our favorite teachers had back in school, all the while dropping truth bombs.
I agree, it's a real pleasure hearing someone talk about something they love and are super knowledgeable about. Those crappy teachers lacked either the love or the internalized knowledge.
I absolutely love the Gibson knot! When I got my first gig at a music store here in Seattle that was called Guitarville, on my very first day I restrung and tuned over 25 guitars as part of my hazing! I remember at the end of the day they brought me a 12-string Martin with the slotted headstock and I was like hell no that's not happening! Lol I think I earned some measure of respect from the guys for refusing to restring that martin! Other than that it was a wonderful job and I got to see everything from blackguard Tele's to legit 58, 59 and 60 Sunburst Les paul's! So I can actually say I played the Stradivarius of vintage guitars! I miss those days!🎸🔊🎵😜🌈🎸💯💖
I've no issues with the Gibson knot, either. But I do like the 'fret' measurement better than the 'tuner to tuner' measurement.
I am also a big fan of the Gibson knot. The string never slips. I am not going to change just because some tech dislikes it. Otherwise, he has some good tips.
Very good info. I've been a pro guitar tech and luthier for a little over 10 years and I can attest to everything that was said.
I could watch this guy all day. Such great information!!
I love the Gibson knot. I am not a guitar tech though, so I am not dealing with unwinding them every day. But nobody can convince me that its not better with less slippage, not even a guitar tech who doesnt like it. He didnt say it wasnt good, he said he didnt like it. The only reason given is, unstringing them.
Completely agreed. And surprised there are many comments braving that they do it “right” like this tech. And no comment that he didn’t even said why he hates it (maybe just more work for him to restring) I used this exact way of stringing without knot for decades, but it’s not holding tune well. But after TH-cam was invented, I learned about knotting, and it changed a lot. It’s used by many pro techs who work with top bands, and who need to restring in few hours before the show or in a mid of the show (in 5 mins to replace a single string until the next song). And they use it for reason, less time for a string to “stretch”.
I think with knot it’s more complicated to achieve and easier to fail or create a terrible overall wraps.
Btw, there is no right or wrong in music, if you do something and it works for you - then it’s cool. But if you want, you can experiment and try different things, and decide what works better for you.
I'm with you! I met magic guitar man who worked on Lucille. Not your average fellow as far as whose guitars he's worked on and I used the knot ever since.. you don't need as long for your strings to stretch and set in. Which he prestetches strings after stringing also... But that long wind bit makes smore stretch over longer time happen in the windings and it will take time for those to hold tune more then the knot.. it's pinched right their. A working blues man musicians knot
I noticed after he said he didn't like knotting, he then said he doesn't cut the string until it's tuned because it might slip. Yeah, okay?. No question the knot holds better but is therefore slightly more difficult to remove. But I can understand for a tech doing many guitars a day, it could be a little annoying. But I'll keep knotting mine.
@@bobrojapistole4426 Thats how I see it also. You only stretch from peg to tuner knot, instead of from peg to three or four turns around the tuner knob.
Thats why it feels so good and consistent.
He Shows / hates it when undoing it and he's not acting like a Professional guy doing it either and he doesn't seem to know that less winds are Better ...that's why I have used it for 50 years it works flawlessly and 1 1/2 -2 wraps on the lower strings I don't use it on the non wound strings they're wraps don't add that much bulk and don't affect the sound as much. Yes I think you'll hear more Resonance using the Knot because more wraps is definitely not better JMO. and it's on wind on top 1-1/2 under .. doing it like Martin has since their beginning. It is the BEST WAY JMO again
Ben killing guitar setup myths while laughing in the process, is as sweet as a g-string in tune. 🎸
This. Is. Amazing!! I tried watching others and couldn’t follow along because of how tedious and drawn out they were. Plus this is absolutely the best way…man am I glad I found your video!
Rhett, this is an outstanding video on acoustic guitar set up and maintenance. Thank you.
I have always been totally anal about how the strings look around the pegs. I learned this method years and years ago from Taylor’s website after I got my Taylor acoustic. Always very consistent and clean looking.
Also glad to see an experienced guitar tech say that sighting down the neck is BS. I have never been able to discern neck relief that way, and always wondered what I was missing or doing wrong. I’ve always done the capo at the first fret and holding the string down at the 12th and measuring relief at the sixth. That leaves no room for interpretation. You know exactly what you’ve got every time.
Nice video. I always like this guy’s content
As a furniture makers, going to let you in a secret. You are not going to risk your frets falling out from too much oil on the fretboard. You will however risk them becoming loose if you never oil your fretboard due to shrinkage of the wood from lack of moisture allowing the slots to open up. But like he said, you don't need to leave it on there for a long time. Just be sure to use a quality finish like Howards Butcher Block Conditioner and use it often. I pretty much do my guitars ever time I change strings. I just wipe it on, massage it with my fingers into the fretboard, then wipe it off.
GOOD on you, Sir! We used Watco back in the early '70s at my brother's music store and I still have the can. However, I have advanced to other things. I will try that Butcher Block Conditioner and see how it do!
As a guitar builder/repair man, you are wrong. Wood reaches an equalibrium, once it's dry it fluctuates slightly, but doesn't completely dry out. I have seen plenty of damaged fretboards from over oiling, I have never seen damage from not oiling it
@paulhopkins1905 Ok, I guess all the fine woodworkers are wrong and wood does not shrink when it looses moisture.
Moisture in wood is relative to time and environment.
@@Reign_In_Blood_963 Yes, in this case you are 100% wrong. Secondly, you are no more of a "fine woodworker" than a luthier. I have seen loose and high frets caused by over oiling, several times. I have worked on pre WWII guitars, that had never seen a drop of oil in their lives with no issues at all. The FACT is that a properly dried piece of wood, especially a tight grained, oily wood like rosewood or ebony, which are what most fret boards are made of do not need to be oiled.
@@paulhopkins1905 So glad you know so much about me and so little about wood. You do you. Don't belittle others that don't agree with you.
Thank you Rhett! That was amazing information. The back one fret thing is rocking my world! Dude, bro, man, that was good stuff. Thanks again. Love this channel! You are appreciated!
This video was great. Have this guy back on regularly!
Excellent video! An example of someone who’s so good at what they do that they can easily explain. Also making precision type work “seem” easy.
Ben Calhoun… sounds like a real Cowboy name that John Wayne would have played😂. Learned more in 15 minutes than I have in 40 years of playing guitar. We need more content like this!! ❤❤
best set up video i have ever seen, quick and to the point
I've been playing for almost 30 years and I still learned a lot. Thanks!
Ben is absolutely great, these video's are awesome and i think Ben should start his own channel if he doesn't have one yet. The only thing i missed here is how to actualy change the intonation on an acoustic guitar. I don't have any issues with mine but now i'm wondering how to do it if ever needed.
Just dropping in a comment, in case someone explains how to set the intonation on an acoustic. 😅
I believe you actually need to reshape the bridge with a file, probably best done by a professional, but unless your acoustic is pretty old or subject to wild changes in humidity, it shouldn't be intonated poorly.
@@ShinMadero Ah! I believe due to humidity, my acoustic guitar has a bump around (besides?) the bridge part. Is there any way to fix that?
Exactly. He gets to the bit I really want to see and reaches for an electric guitar which mostly have adjustable saddles. If you file the saddle of an acoustic incorrectly there is no undoing as he suggests. New saddle. Gently gently is the rule. Yep it is a pain having to slacken string, file, tighten string, check intonation...repeat, repeat until it is correct, but is there another way? Don't think so.
I certainly feel better about how I do adjustments and re-stringing on my guitars now. Everything that Ben has shown here is exactly what I have been doing for years, mostly out of intuition and common sense.
And, the truss rod IS your friend. Do not be afraid of it.
Hi can you help me find this "truss rod" he is using is it a brand? When I go to Amazon they give me little rulers. His looks like an L hex lock key unless that's not what it is. Thanks
@@PaulReveres No, the truss rod is in the neck. It's the thing he's adjusting with the tool, and the tool he's using is a basic hex-shaped allen key.
Finally, the video i've been looking for. It's surprisingly hard to a video with these no-BS, straight forward facts.
This guy knows his business, always a pleasure to learn from a master.
For me the reason to sight down the neck is to check for neck twist. It something I always do when I’m considering purchasing a new guitar. I would never even think to do it in order to assess neck relief… I don’t see how that could ever be an accurate or meaningful way of doing that, so well said Ben 👍🏻
same ^^
Looking down the neck for relief is near damn impossible.. and if you wear glasses, forget it, it'll be either distorted or blurry lol
that being said, sighting down the neck to 'check for twist' is about equally useless.
@@Emhartain and why exactly is that? You can definitely see if the nut and lower frets are out of parallel with the upper frets and bridge (and then consider how the bridge is set with respect to the body on its bass and treble sides) by sighting down the neck in that way. The human eye is very good at detecting when things are out of parallel in that way. I’ve spoken to a number of guitar techs who have spoken about similar checks. But I’m sure you’ve got a thorough explanation of why it doesn’t make sense and wouldn’t just be making a superficial and unexplained comment just to be contrary, right? 🤔😉
@Emhartain it will be obvious if it's very twisted. If it's out a tiny bit. Sure.
Look at it from the side for relief. If it's decked flat or bowed even slightly in either direction you'll notice.
I can't help but hear Billy Bob Thorton when he talks.
Fantastic walk through of important topics. Love how the discussion ends with an appeal to physics. Which it is.
Love hearing from Ben, he should have his own channel. If I lived in the area I would absolutely immediately switch to him for all my guitar work.
Those "fret guards" can REALLY mess up your fretboard if you don't pay attention, also. Cheap ones have a bur on the edge so as soon as you lay it on that nice wood and start grinding it into your fretboard while you polish away, it leave a huge line thats dug into your nice fretboard parallel to the fret, from the burr on the edge.
I know because it happened to me. I was SICK. All because I bought the $5 set of protectors instead of good ones from Music Nomad or somewhere.
I think that's going to depend on the set. It's easy enough to feel if there's a bur on them, and if there is, you don't use it or you file away the bur. I can't imagine the steel is very hard.
1 Lay a piece of sandpaper down on a table. 2 Pless fretguard flat onto paper. 3 vigorously move guard left and right a few times. 4. Grab a drink, job done
@@castleanthrax1833 it felt fine to me. But it still screwed it up. It may not have even been a burr but just a hard corner. Whatever the case, it did. Nobody warned me about that so I assumed they were fine to use since they felt fine. Boy was I wrong. Compared to the Music Nomad set I got later, there's a night and day difference but you don't notice that unless you have both sets in-hand. I didn't until I got the better set later.
@@feddomeijerwiersma6955 as I just posted, they felt fine. I wouldn't have just laid a burr down and ground it into my guitar. Since they felt fine to my fingers, I used them and it was only once I got some done that I realized what they were doing.
Years ago I used to just wipe the guitar down with all the strings off. No lemon oil/asses milk conditioner, no fret polishing, no fret guards from Stewmac etc.....just look at the f/board and give it a bit of a rub. Buying, setting up was just a matter of sighting along the neck from the nut end and in the vanished guitar stores, all the guitars had clean f/boards and frets etc, no crud or bogeys but no one ever thought about polishing the frets................
and nothing in this has changed. Most of us wash our hands and................that's enough. The tool box full of gizmos like radius checkers, sprays and lotions are just a load of gay stuff that no one needs.
It's got to be said. This world of "flipping" guitars looking for the "keeper", huge guitar collections, makers bringing out "annual ranges" like Paris frocks and guys constantly "swapping out" p/ups is for the birds.
One of the most hated things by actual pro guitar techs: Calling it a setup and all he did was clean the fretboard and restring. Didn’t check to see if the frets needed leveling.
I brought a guitar to a local shop for a fret level and all they did was polish the frets and asked me “well does it sound good” only half the frets were cabaple of producing sound. After that I started learning how to work on all my own guitars and will never bring one of my guitars to shop again fret levels arent even that hard to begin with, just need a straight something with some sand paper and a crowning file if you want, u can also just use a normal file to crown them if your only doing it on one guitar