Haywire Custom Shop
8 Point Tune Up For Your Guitar
Has your guitar become a little difficult to play sometimes? Strings too tight? Strings high off the fret board in the middle? Does it sound, "out of tune"? Are the strings too high off the neck everywhere? Is the neck warped, humped or bowed? Are the tuning gears difficult to turn due to rusty moving parts? Are the frets scratchy and rough when you try and bend notes? Are the fret ends sharp? Maybe, your guitar needs an 8-Point tune up!
A hard to play guitar could be a roadblock to your success as a musician, so if you want your guitar to play better and faster, let Haywire prep your guitar with our " 8 Point Gig Ready Process".
Every guitar we sell goes through our exclusive 8 point gig ready process setup. It isn't just a quick visual inspection. It's a full bench service performed by a seasoned tech who plays gigging-level gear professionally.
It's like getting it ready for the best gig you've ever played! You want to look good and play well. Your guitar is your tool to get your musical point across. You want it sharp! Tune the whole guitar up! We're musicians working for musicians-Let us tune it up for you! This is the same process that we perform on all of our new instruments, and it will put your "baby" back in shape and allow you to play fast, smoothly, comfortably, effortlessly and in tune up and down the fret board like never before!
Bring your guitar back from the dead with a well-
When is it necessary to "set up" a guitar?
When a guitar is set up properly you'll notice: The guitar will feel and sound its best all the strings will sound with exactly the notes they are supposed to. All notes will sound correct when played at each fret up and down the neck. The guitar will be easy to play. Strings will break less frequently. If a guitar plays easily and sounds its best then it's easy for the player to feel the music and play well.
What difference does a guitar set up make?
When a guitar is not set up properly you'll notice: The guitar may not feel or sound quite right. Some notes may sound correct while some others may sound sharp or flat. The guitar may be difficult to play. Strings will break more often.
How is a set up accomplished?
Adjusting action at the bridge: for easier play makes a difference. The bridge saddles should be lowered if the string action is too high, that is, the strings are too far up off the fret board. In some cases it may be desirable to raise the saddles for a higher string action. Adjusting the neck, string margins, lube friction points, lower string action, take out the neck bow, add new strings, test, play and re-check.
We dial the bridge and saddle heights into the sweet spot, low enough for effortless speed, but clean enough to let the notes bloom without buzzing out. No need to wrestle with your neck to hold a chord.
Lower the saddles too much and the strings might rattle against certain frets (this may or may not be inconsequential on an electric guitar; listen through an amplifier). In more extreme cases, pressing a string against one fret might actually fret the string against a different fret, usually the one under the intended one. In both cases, filing the frets might alleviate the problem if the saddle really should be that low. Otherwise, simply raising the saddle a small amount on the side with the problem should be fine.
Filing frets
We inspect the fretwork for any rough edges or "fret sprout" that is not addressed in the factory. We polish the frets until they feel glass-like and smooth and we condition the fret-board so it feels broken-in the moment you play it.
Filing frets should only be done by a qualified repair person and only to correct problems with frets buzzing or strings being pressed at the wrong fret (see "adjusting action at the bridge" above).
Filing the nut
Filing the nut should only be done by a qualified repair person and is used to reduce pressure at the nut to allow a heavier gauge of strings to be used.
Neck/truss rod adjustment
This particular adjustment has been known to ruin guitars when performed incorrectly, so here referral to a professional repair person is highly recommended. A guitar will need a truss rod adjustment if the neck is not straight. One way to check the straightness of the neck is to play 12th and 19th harmonics on the low and high strings. After sounding each harmonic, fret the note there and play it again: it should be exactly the same pitch. If it is not, the neck may be in need of adjustment. However, this may be indicative of an intonation problem as well, give the guitar to a repair person.
Adjusting intonation
A guitar that plays in tune at the nut but goes sharp or flat at the 12th fret is neither good for recording or performing. We strobe-tune the intonation so your chords sound clean and sweet all the way up the neck.
You may notice each string on the bridge sits in a "saddle". Depending on your setup, you might notice the saddles may be in different positions: some might be pushed forward and others might be pushed back, sometimes slightly. The positioning of the saddle effectively changes the length of the vibrating string. Tune the guitar to concert pitch with the aid of an electronic tuner, making sure the open strings are perfectly in tune. Play the 9th and 12th fret harmonics, then play the fretted notes. If the fretted notes are sharp, the string is too short and the saddle needs to be pushed back toward the base of the bridge. If the note is flat, the string is too long and the saddle needs to be pushed up toward the nut. Repeat this procedure for each string. Adjusting the intonation should be done every few months or at least twice a year.
We test every switch, pot, and jack. We tighten the tuners. We make sure the guitar is road-ready, not just pretty.
There's a big difference between a guitar that's "in the box" and a guitar that's ready to Gig with.
Most online retailers are simply warehouses. They receive the box from the factory, label it, and re-ship it to you. They never look at it or play it. It really needs to be inspected.
Why? wood moves, humidity changes and temperature affects guitars too. High-end brands like Gibson, Fender, Martin, and PRS and many others ship guitars with high action that disappoint when you play.
Haywire Guitar tune up Gig-
Turn the guitar you have into the guitar you play. “We’re musicians working for musicians.” Let us work for you!
Haywire Custom Guitars guitar truss rod action setups
What Really Happens During a Professional Guitar Setup?
A guitar setup is often described as if it’s a simple matter of adjusting the truss rod, lowering the strings and setting the intonation.
That’s not how we see it at Haywire Custom Guitars.
A properly set-up guitar is an instrument in which the neck, frets, nut, bridge, strings, electronics and hardware are all working together—and working the way you need them to work.
Every guitar is different. Every player is different. Some players like higher action. Others want their strings as low as possible. Some play aggressively and need more room. Others have a lighter touch and want an exceptionally fast, low-playing instrument.
Our job is to find that balance.
At Haywire, we approach a guitar setup as a complete inspection and adjustment of the instrument—not simply a few quick turns of a screwdriver.
Here are the eight major areas we concentrate on when setting up a guitar.
1. Four-Axis Alignment of the Guitar Neck
Everything starts with the neck.
Before adjusting string height or intonation, we check the neck carefully for proper alignment and straightness.
We look at the neck in four directions—right, left, back and forward—and then make sure it is properly centered in relation to the guitar.
Why does that matter?
Because the neck is the foundation on which everything else is built.
A neck that isn’t properly aligned can contribute to poor playability, inconsistent action and unnecessary fret buzz. It can also make it difficult to achieve the playing characteristics the player wants.
We want the neck properly aligned before we start chasing the smaller adjustments.
2. Tuning Machines: Tight, Smooth and Working Properly
A guitar can’t stay in tune if the hardware responsible for holding the strings isn’t doing its job.
We inspect the tuning machines, check for looseness or excessive play, and make sure each mechanism is operating properly.
Where appropriate, the tuning gears are lubricated for smooth, consistent operation.
We also look at the other places where the strings encounter friction.
Why?
Because tuning stability isn’t just about the tuning machines.
The entire string path matters.
A string that binds at the nut or another contact point can make accurate tuning frustrating, even when the tuning machine itself is perfectly good.
3. Pickup Inspection, Potting and Pole-Piece Adjustment
Your pickups aren’t simply something we ignore while working on the mechanical parts of the guitar.
If the pickups have not already been properly potted, we can wax-pot them to help reduce unwanted microphonic squeal and feedback.
We also adjust the pickup pole pieces to follow the curvature of the neck and strings.
The goal is a balanced relationship between the pickup and the strings so the instrument responds properly across the fret board.
It’s another example of why we look at the guitar as a complete system rather than a collection of unrelated parts.
4. Preparing and Inspecting the Guitar’s Electronics
When working on the guitar’s electronics, we pay attention to the details that can make the difference between an instrument that works properly and one that develops problems later.
Wiring is inspected and routed carefully.
Connections and grounds are checked.
Controls and potentiometers are tested to make sure they operate properly.
We don’t want you discovering a wiring problem halfway through a gig.
A good setup should leave you with confidence in the instrument—not another problem to worry about.
5. Leveling and Polishing the Frets
Now we get to one of the most important parts of guitar play-ability:
the frets.
Even a very good guitar can develop uneven frets through normal playing, wear, manufacturing variations or previous work.
Uneven frets can create buzzing, dead spots and limitations when trying to achieve low action.
We inspect the fretwork and, when necessary, level and polish the frets so they provide a more consistent playing surface.
If a player wants extremely low action, this becomes particularly important.
You can’t simply keep lowering the strings and expect good results if the frets underneath them aren’t properly level.
6. Matching the Strings to the Neck Radius
Look closely at your guitar neck and you’ll notice that it isn’t perfectly flat across its width.
It has a contour called the neck radius.
The strings need to follow that same general contour.
We adjust the individual string heights so that the strings properly follow the radius of the fretboard.
This is one of those adjustments that may seem small—but it has a significant effect on how the guitar feels underneath your fingers.
The objective is to create a consistent playing surface across all six strings.
7. Setting the Action—and Adjusting the Nut and Bridge
Now we get to the adjustment most guitar players notice immediately:
string height, or action.
But there isn’t one “correct” action for every guitar player.
Your ideal action depends on how you play.
A player who attacks the strings hard may need more clearance. A player with a lighter touch may prefer very low action.
That’s why we don’t simply set every guitar to the same measurement.
We adjust the instrument to the player’s needs.
During this stage, we also inspect and adjust the nut and bridge when necessary.
The objective is simple:
Make the guitar comfortable to play while maintaining the performance characteristics the player needs.
8. Setting the Guitar’s Intonation
Finally, we set the intonation.
This is what helps the guitar play in tune as you move up the fretboard.
But at Haywire, we’re not satisfied with simply making an adjustment and immediately handing the guitar back.
We set the intonation twice.
After the first setup, we allow approximately 24 hours for the guitar to settle into its new adjustments. We then recheck and reset the intonation.
Why?
Because a guitar is under considerable tension from the strings. When significant adjustments are made, the instrument can move and settle as it finds its new balance.
Giving the guitar time to seat in allows us to come back and make the final corrections.
That’s an important part of our approach.
The Result: A Guitar That Feels Like Your Guitar
When all eight areas have been addressed, the goal isn’t simply to have a guitar that measures correctly on a workbench.
The goal is to have a guitar that feels right in your hands.
It should be comfortable.
It should stay in tune.
It should play cleanly.
It should respond properly.
It should be capable of the action you want.
And most importantly, it should work for the way you play.
That’s what we mean when we say Gig-Ready.
A properly set-up guitar shouldn’t feel like a different instrument.
It should feel like your instrument—only better.
Why We Don’t Call This a “Quick Setup”
There’s a reason our approach involves considerably more than adjusting a truss rod and lowering the bridge.
A guitar is a chain of interconnected components.
Change one thing and it can affect something else.
Lower the action and the fretwork becomes more important.
Change the neck relief and the action changes.
Change the action and intonation may need attention.
Change strings and the instrument can respond differently.
That’s why we work through the guitar systematically.
We aren’t simply adjusting parts. We’re bringing the entire instrument into balance.
And that’s ultimately what a professional guitar setup should accomplish.
How Much Does a Haywire Guitar Setup Cost?
Complete Haywire Guitar Setup: $85
For that investment, our goal is to give you much more than a guitar that is simply “adjusted.”
We want you to leave with an instrument that is comfortable, properly adjusted, playing cleanly and ready to go to work.
Whether you’re playing at home, rehearsing with your band, recording in the studio or heading out for a gig, your guitar should be something you can depend on.
Musicians working for musicians.
Haywire Custom Guitars Inc.
Conway, South Carolina
843-347-5742
Thanks for letting us work for you.
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