A Gretsch Tim Armstrong came in for a setup, with an output jack that had worked loose and was close to dropping into the body.
What Came In
A Gretsch Tim Armstrong signature. It needed a setup, and the output jack had gone loose to the point it was almost falling into the guitar.
What We Found
The jack was very loose and at risk of being pushed inside the body. The saddles were filed unevenly, so the bridge radius was off. The truss rod, bridge height, pickup height, and intonation all needed setting.
What We Did
Tightened the jack and confirmed it worked. Set the truss rod and bridge height. Filed the saddles to get the radius right. Set the intonation and brought the pickups to the correct height. About an hour and ten minutes on the bench.
Result
Caught the jack before it dropped inside, and the guitar felt much better after the setup.
Worth Knowing
A loose output jack is worth dealing with early, because once it drops into a hollowbody it turns a two minute fix into fishing it back out through the f-hole. Tightening it at the first sign of play saves a much bigger job.
On a guitar with individually filed saddles, matching them to the fretboard radius is what keeps the action even from string to string. Get one saddle wrong and that string fights the rest.
Bring It In
Got a jack going loose or a setup overdue? 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
- When to Take Your Guitar to a Tech vs. Fix It Yourself
- 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