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PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 1:18 pm 
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Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:17 pm
Posts: 128
First name: Dave
Last Name: Baley
City: Goleta
State: California
Zip/Postal Code: 93117
Country: USA
Focus: Repair
I have a bunch of experience with repair and setup on acoustics but hardly any on electrics.
I'm looking for recommendations for a good reference book for setup and repair on electrics of various types.
Thanks
Dave


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 5:45 pm 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 12971
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
The "Guitar Player Repair Guide" by our friend Dan Erlewine is the best that I've seen and read but no one to my knowledge has a step-by-step guide to setting up electrics.

The theory is the same as acoustics since beyond the electronics the physics are the same for the most part. Speaking length, nut slots, intonation, action, relief are all the same as an acoustic in theory and mostly in practice too.

Where things get into their own rite with electrics are the electronics, set-up specs for action can be a bit different too and of course with electrics you will have to deal with the folks who tune to low C..... and answer their questions why the saddle travel cannot intonate this tuning in some cases with some instruments.

Other common issues are poor break angle on Fender style necks for the G string with no trees, ski ramps on the fret board extension, weird one-offs such as Rik 12 and how it's strung differently than the rest of the guitar world (and ugly as sin too...), etc.

The fret work is also the same except for the Fenders where the frets were installed sideways and also Fenders with maple, finished boards. Beyond this though fretting, fret dressing, etc. is the same.

If you plan on working on electrics learning to clean electronics, pots, input jacks, etc. is a good idea and getting Frank Ford's Jack the gripper is a must because every input jack that comes into our shop is loose unless we've seen it before.

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PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:09 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:46 pm
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Another recommendation for Dan's book. Somewhere in the information section at the StewMac website is a lot of setup specs from the guitars of the stars. Some of them you might not want to emulate (like SRV's) but they are interesting to read.


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:20 am 
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Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:17 pm
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First name: Dave
Last Name: Baley
City: Goleta
State: California
Zip/Postal Code: 93117
Country: USA
Focus: Repair
Thanks guys. I'll check into that book. I know about the similarities since I did work on a couple electrics as part of my training but want some more specifics on different bridges, tremolos, that sort of thing.
The electronics don't worry me, been working with stuff all my life. I actually had a mil spec soldering cert at some point in my career.
Dave


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 5:59 am 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 12971
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Dave Baley wrote:
Thanks guys. I'll check into that book. I know about the similarities since I did work on a couple electrics as part of my training but want some more specifics on different bridges, tremolos, that sort of thing.
The electronics don't worry me, been working with stuff all my life. I actually had a mil spec soldering cert at some point in my career.
Dave


At one time in my life I supervised several techs with both Mil certifications and NASA as well. When you start poking around in more f*ctory guitars be prepared to be appalled at the solder joints.... that you see..... Not good.... It's not uncommon for us when chasing a possible broken connection to dislike what we see so very much that most of it gets redone.

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 2:25 pm 
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Mahogany
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Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2014 3:57 pm
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First name: Michael
Last Name: Lee
City: Albany Creek
State: QLD
Zip/Postal Code: 4035
Country: Australia
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I agree with Hesh, the Dan Erlewine book is very good. He covers several bridge setups.

Most of the electric guitar repair work I do is electrical issues. I see less factory original soldering, because usually they have had owner and a few friend attempts before I get them. Loose knobs rotating and breaking or shorting wires, pick up swaps done incorrectly, earthing disconnects. A few demagnetized magnets
A multimeter with cap tester, magnet polarity indicator, home built gauss meter and strong magnet and screwdrivers. And a high quality soldering iron, not one of those trigger gun things


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:53 pm 
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Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:21 am
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Location: Philadelphia
First name: Michael
Last Name: Shaw
City: Philadelphia
State: PA
Zip/Postal Code: 19125
Country: USA
Focus: Repair
Status: Semi-pro
The stew mac videos on electric guitar and bass setup are very good too. They also have Vids on guitar wiring.

Sent from my HTC Desire 626s using Tapatalk

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:23 pm 
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Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:17 pm
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First name: Dave
Last Name: Baley
City: Goleta
State: California
Zip/Postal Code: 93117
Country: USA
Focus: Repair
Thanks everyone for all the helpful info.
Dave


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