pat macaluso wrote:
I got two Electrics in for setups and the guy tunes to E flat with the 6th also dropped to C sharp. can I get the same action numbers as with standard tuning? Or will everything needs to be higher? Numbers? Thanks!
The simple answer is maybe and it depends.
It depends on two primary things the condition of the fret plane and if it is a limiting factor in any way, uneven frets, loose frets, body hump, ski-ramp, S-curve, etc. If the fret plane is decent or decent enough the other primary variable is the player. If the fret plane sucks address that first, fret dress, etc.
Are they capable of playing low tension, low action as they desire with a touch conducive to not getting fret rattle or fret rattle that is annoying to them and comes though the amp. Some rattle may not bother everyone, to each their own.
What I do with alternate tuning set-ups is set the truss rod for the exact, slacked tuning AND desired strings and I tune the ax that way to start. I'm not going to agree with my pals above that a different gauge of strings is required, I've never had to do that and that's going to be counter to the desires of the players. On a dedicated ax maybe but many players want to do different tunings with the same instrument.
Once The rod is adjusted for proper relief in the alternate tuning I cut the nut slots. It's possible to cut the slots too low if you don't adjust the truss rod first regardless of alternate tunings or not.
One of the things that we teach in our classes is that the nut slots are one of the first addressed variables in a set-up after the rod is set to eliminate them as variables AND because proper nut slot height should never be a function of action height. Both action and nut slots should be set perfectly with out being limited by the other. For me nut slots come first.
After that is done I want to play every note with moderate attack and if none of them rattle that's an action setting that works for this level of tension and the alternate tuning.
There are specs for this too: Low action, electric standard tuning 4/64th" and 5/64th" measured at the 12 high e first. You can go lower if the fret plane is in great shape AND if the player has the technique to do it.
Shredders and slacked tunings folks especially the low C tuning heavy metal vomit dude and dudettes like even lower action and that's possible too. By the way I have 50,000 of these folks returning to campus a few blocks from my shop this week.... Can't wait for the joys of having drunk students crapping in your back yard or on your neighbor's porch when the bars let out again...
![[headinwall]](./images/smilies/headbangwalluf8.gif "Mad")
Sorry I digress.....
The ultimate goal for my shredder set-ups is as low an action as can be played with a light touch.... buzz free AND the ability to bend whole steps without fretting out. You have to test the bends too. If there is a Floyd in the picture charge them more.
We see a lot of imports and even 7 strings from the shredder crowd and some of these instruments can have better necks than what we see from US major electric guitar manufacturers. Ibanez is an example, inexpensive, have a loyal heavy metal vomit following and excellent fret planes for it too.
It's also appropriate for our player clients to want what they want but perhaps not be advised of the issues that may be associated with alternate tunings. Some of these issues are not only action settings but intonation. It's possible for some of these settings to be outside of the range of the adjustment for some bridge and saddle configurations. We often might turn a saddle around if that's an opportunity for us and it's not notched off center requiring a new saddle (G*bsonesque brides).
If it comes to pass that the instrument and or the player can't exactly do everything that they want to do in the physics sense... you do the best you can, advise the client honestly and completely, see if they agree on the projected outcome and if you concur as well and then go from there.
Although it seems at times like a pain in the arse some of these alternate set-ups we are dealing with are for creative sorts who want to push the envelope and if we can help them make it so for them it's a good day. It's also usually the case that these folks play with so very much distortion that our levels of precision far exceed their requirements.
With all of this said even though as the Luthier we may be aware that there is not enough travel to properly intonate a string that's 8 cents off and the client is not a prospect for us jumping through hoops to compensate differently it's good enough for them and they will be thrilled. I find most of the folks to be very appreciative too when they are not stoned and even at times when they are.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.....
Some set-ups these days will be compromises for sure but we also usually have the ability to get things WAY closer than any f*ctory set-up regardless of the ax not being engineered for that tuning.
Have fun. I personally love doing set-ups and find it to be one of the most relaxing things that I do especially when the students are not crapping in my back yard....
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