Haywire Custom Guitars emphasizes a detailed 8-point tune-up process that focuses on optimizing a guitar’s playability and sound. This includes aligning the neck, inspecting and lubricating tuning gears, potting pickups, preparing the body, leveling and polishing frets, adjusting string radius and action, and setting intonation. They also highlight the importance of a proper setup for fine-tuning your guitar. If these steps are completed then guitar tuning will be easy.
Here’s a breakdown of the Haywire Custom Guitars tune-up process:
4-Axis Alignment of the Guitar Neck: Ensuring the neck is straight and aligned on all four axes (right, left, back, forward) for optimal action and playability.
Inspection and Lubrication of Tuning Gears: Ensuring the tuning mechanism is functioning smoothly and efficiently.
Potting the Pickups: Potting pickups is a process where a special resin or compound is applied to the pickups to reduce noise and improve sustain.
Preparing the Guitar Body: Cleaning and preparing the body to ensure it is in optimal condition.
Leveling and Polishing Frets: Ensuring all frets are level and polished to eliminate fret buzz and improve playability.
Radius the Guitar Strings: Adjusting the string radius to match the neck’s contour.
Adjusting Overall String Height and Action: Setting the ideal string height from the frets for the player’s preferred play style.
Setting Intonation: Adjusting the bridge saddles to ensure accurate intonation across the entire fretboard.
Haywire Custom Guitars also emphasizes the importance of a proper setup for fine-tuning your guitar, with different players preferring different levels of action. They also offer other services like fretboard cleaning, hardware tightening, and ensuring proper jack washers.
Guitar Maintenance & Repair
A proper guitar maintenance setup and a string change is all about doing things in the right order. Start with a fresh set of strings, set the neck relief with the truss rod, dial in the string height (action), and finish by setting the intonation. Take your time and make small, deliberate adjustments. Re-tune as you go, check your work often, and use the right tools for the job. A good setup isn’t about chasing numbers—it’s about getting the neck, action, and intonation working together so the guitar plays and sounds the way it should. Work in a clean, well-lit space, use the correct hex keys and screwdrivers, and don’t force anything. Small adjustments make a big difference.
