general set-up

[Jaxxon]

hello.

i'm about to get my first tapper in the mail (a 10 string):D, and i'm wondering about setting it up when it gets here. it's the middle of winter and it's COLD out there! anyone have some basic tips for truss adjustments? how to tell if everything is good? it'll come with a "dual adjustable" truss rod. thanks in advance!

[rjgoos]

I guess how I do it is to:

1. Make sure the fretboard is flat
2. Adjust string height

1. To make sure the neck is straight, I put a guitar capo between frets 2 and 3, to hold the string against fret 3. Then I look at the gap between the strings and fret 12 or 13 as I press individual strings to touch the highest fret on the fretboard (say, fret 22). If the fretboard is flat, the string should just touch fret 12 or 13 as it touches fret 22. Adjust the neck as needed. Traktor has a good video on how to adjust the neck, but I don't know what the URL is.

2. Take the capo off, and take some US currency to check the height of the action. On a home-made instrument, you should be able to get the gap down to the thickness of a U.S. dime (1.35 mm) with no fret buzz when you play the instrument, meaning, with the center of the dime on fret 12, the string should be touching both outer edges of the dime. For an expensive instrument ($2000+), you should be able to get the action lower than a dime without fret buzz.

I don't know if that made any sense, but that's how I do it.

[Jaxxon]

thanks! some good tips there! anyone know anything about adjusting dual action truss rods?