Newbie setup questions

[Howard Klepper]

Originally Posted by Piercast

I agree, and that's why I adjust the nut last of all. I know it's contrary to what some colleagues are doing, but it works better for me as I'n the habit of keeping action at the nut as low as I possibly can.

Sorry, but since you are saying you agree with me, I feel I must say that I think--more like I know--that to make a guitar play its best you must adjust the nut before the saddle. The saddle and the action height are completely out of the equation when you are adjusting the nut slots. You should not adjust the nut to get an action height at the first fret; you should adjust it to be at or a couple of thousandths of an inch higher than the plane of the first 2-3 frets. If you adjust the saddle first, you cannot optimize the saddle height, because lowering the nut will then bring the action down so your previously optimized saddle will then be too low.

[Piercast]

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

Sorry, but since you are saying you agree with me, I feel I must say that I think--more like I know--that to make a guitar play its best you must adjust the nut before the saddle. The saddle and the action height are completely out of the equation when you are adjusting the nut slots. You should not adjust the nut to get an action height at the first fret; you should adjust it to be at or a couple of thousandths of an inch higher than the plane of the first 2-3 frets. If you adjust the saddle first, you cannot optimize the saddle height, because lowering the nut will then bring the action down so your previously optimized saddle will then be too low.

Well I'm sorry Howard, I misunderstood part of your post. I mostly do repairs so I often get guitars with saddles that are way too high, so I have to lower them first because I'd end up with the same problem you are describing but in reverse. As I always adjust the saddle with a capo on at the first fret, I'm taking the nut out of the equation then, and I like to end my setups by fine-tuning at the nut because that's where smaller increments matter the most. Like many things in our trade it’s a balancing thing, and we all have our habits. This process works for me.

Have a nice day.