A light blue Fender American Jaguar came in for a setup with notes fretting out, the intonation off and the bridge pickup barely putting out. The micro-tilt had been set wrong and the bridge dropped too far. Neck angle and truss rod reset, bridge and intonation set, pickup raised. An hour.
- Instrument
- Fender American Jaguar, light blue
- Tech
- Dave Eastwood
- Customer complaint
- Setup
- Diagnosis
- Intonation off; bridge too low, notes fretting out; bridge pickup very low with little output; micro-tilt adjusted incorrectly
- Work performed
- Micro-tilt and truss rod adjusted; bridge height and intonation set; bridge pickup raised
- Parts
- None
- Bench time
- 1 hour
- Outcome
- No more buzzing; proper output from the bridge pickup
What Came In
A light blue Fender American Jaguar, in for a setup.
What We Found
The intonation was off and the bridge was set so low that notes were fretting out. The bridge pickup sat very low and gave little output. The micro-tilt at the neck had been adjusted incorrectly.
What We Did
Adjusted the micro-tilt and the truss rod. Set the bridge height and the intonation, then lifted the bridge pickup. About an hour on the bench.
Result
No more buzzing, and the bridge pickup has proper output again.
What does the micro-tilt do, and why set it first?
It changes the angle of the neck in the pocket without shims. Set wrong, every measurement after it is off, and the bridge tends to end up somewhere it should not be as someone compensates. Neck angle first, then the bridge. A bridge dropped too far does not just buzz; notes choke against a higher fret instead of ringing.
Related
- The Repair Vault
- Guitar Setups at Paul's Guitar Hideout
- What Is Fret Buzz and How Do I Fix It
- Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster: Tuning Instability and Swapped Saddles
- Ibanez 7-String: Bridge Pickup Back to the Factory DiMarzio
Bring It In
Jaguar or Jazzmaster that chokes out up the neck? The neck angle and bridge are where it starts. Setups at the Hideout.
Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If stairs are difficult or you're bringing in something you don't want to carry up, call or text us and we'll arrange access.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday–Sunday, 12–5 PM
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com