A Gibson Flying V came in for a cleaning and a setup, with a string gauge change from 9s to 10s.
What Came In
A Gibson Flying V. The owner wanted strings moved from 9s to 10s and the guitar cleaned and set up to match.
What We Found
The guitar needed a good cleaning. The nut and the saddles were both cut unevenly. Going up to 10s pushed everything out of spec, so the truss rod, bridge height, intonation, tailpiece height, and pickup height all needed work.
What We Did
Cleaned the guitar and put on a fresh set of 10s. Filed the nut and the saddles even. Set the truss rod and bridge height, dialed in the intonation, and set the tailpiece height for a proper break angle over the bridge. Finished by setting the pickups. About an hour and a half on the bench.
Result
A clean Flying V playing well on the 10s.
Worth Knowing
On a Tune-o-matic guitar like a V, tailpiece height sets the break angle of the strings over the bridge, which affects sustain and how solid the guitar feels under your hand. Too high and you lose downforce, too low and the strings can catch on the back edge of the bridge.
A gauge jump is a setup, not just a string change, so relief, intonation, and bridge height all shift under the heavier strings and need to be reset.
Bring It In
Got a Gibson that needs cleaning up and dialing in? Bring it in. Standard setup is $79 and we'll get it back in your hands as soon as possible.
Related
- What a Guitar Setup Includes and Why It Matters
- PRS S2 Studio Limited Edition Setup and Switch from 9s to 10s
- Why Won't My Guitar Stay in Tune
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 you need assistance, give us a call and we'll come down.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday to Sunday, 12 to 5pm
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com