A purple LTD EC-1000 came in to go from 11s down to 10s. Lighter strings still mean a setup: truss rod, bridge height and intonation reset, the uneven nut filed and the pickups set to the new string height. 50 minutes.
- Instrument
- LTD EC-1000, purple
- Tech
- Dave Eastwood
- Customer complaint
- Setup and change from 11s to 10s
- String gauge
- 11s to 10s
- Diagnosis
- Truss rod, bridge height and intonation needed adjusting for the lighter strings; nut uneven; pickup height wrong
- Work performed
- Truss rod set; nut filed; bridge height and intonation set; pickups set to the new string height
- Parts
- None
- Bench time
- 50 minutes
- Outcome
- Set up on 10s; 'people prefer purple perfect playing guitars and this is one of them'
What Came In
A purple LTD EC-1000. The owner wanted to move from 11s to 10s and have the guitar set up for the lighter set.
What We Found
Dropping to 10s meant the truss rod, bridge height and intonation all needed adjusting. The nut was uneven and the pickup height was off.
What We Did
Set the truss rod for the lower tension and filed the nut. Set the bridge height and intonation, then set the pickups to the new string height. About 50 minutes on the bench.
Result
Set up and playing on 10s. In the tech's words: people prefer purple perfect playing guitars, and this is one of them.
Do lighter strings need a setup too?
Yes. Going down a gauge drops the tension, so the neck relaxes, the action and intonation shift, and the guitar needs the same full pass as going up. Lighter strings feel easier right away, which hides the fact that the guitar is no longer set for them.
Related
- The Repair Vault
- Guitar Setups at Paul's Guitar Hideout
- When to Change Your Guitar Strings, and How to Know
- LTD EC-1000 (Burl): Uneven Nut and Low Pickups
- Godin: Scratchy Electronics and a Setup for 10s
Bring It In
Changing gauge in either direction? Have the setup done with the strings. 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