Help! Setting up a JP15 7 String for the first time

[jamiefox]

Hello everyone
I recently bought a JP15 7 string guitar from someone on ebay. This guitar came with a string gauge of 10- 56 and is in Standard B. However:
1. I want to tune to Drop A
2. I would like to use a gauge of 10-62

I would bring the guitar to a guitar technician, however there aren't many around here experienced with MusicMan guitars, let alone 7 string guitars so I decided to give it a try myself.

There's a description on how to setup your guitar in the FAQ section on the official MusicMan website: FAQ | Ernie Ball Music Man. I'm pretty sure I can follow this description, even if it takes a couple tries.

So, I know I will have to restring first, tune up the 5 middle strings, adjust the bridge and then tune accordingly. However, I know that I will also have to adjust the truss rod if I use a heavier gauge for the lowest string. Would I do this step after I tuned up all the strings? Or do you usually do minor adjustments between tuning up?

Any tips are appreciated
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[LordRiffenstein]

If you're just changing the lowest string to a heavier gauge, the tweaks will be relatively minor, may or may not require a neck adjustment. General order of operations for setting up the guitar is TRAIN.

Tune. Relief. Action. Intonation. Noodling.

With the heavier string you will have to tighten the spring claw to get the bridge to be parallel to the body. When tightening the spring claw, I will typically loosen string tension and pull up on the bar to slack the springs.

 

[jamiefox]

If you're just changing the lowest string to a heavier gauge, the tweaks will be relatively minor, may or may not require a neck adjustment. General order of operations for setting up the guitar is TRAIN.

Tune. Relief. Action. Intonation. Noodling.

With the heavier string you will have to tighten the spring claw to get the bridge to be parallel to the body. When tightening the spring claw, I will typically loosen string tension and pull up on the bar to slack the springs.

Cool thank you I suppose my biggest problem will be that I'm unaware of when I need to adjust the neck and if I need add or release tension.. when the strings have a bow in the direction of the fretboard I need to add tension and if they are heading the opposite way I need to loosen it, is that correct?

 

[LordRiffenstein]

The strings are not going to bow. When checking relief, the strings serve as a straight edge to compare relief of the neck against. Ernie Ball has a video showing how at

 

[elhueso]

Cool thank you I suppose my biggest problem will be that I'm unaware of when I need to adjust the neck and if I need add or release tension.. when the strings have a bow in the direction of the fretboard I need to add tension and if they are heading the opposite way I need to loosen it, is that correct?

Think of it this way, the truss rod pulls against the strings. If the strings are pulling too much you'll have a bow on the neck so you need to add tension to the truss rod. If the strings are touching the fretboard, that means the neck is too convex so you need to loosen the truss rod.

 

[beej]

When you hear buzzing on the lower frets, you'll be annoyed, and it's time to loosen the truss rod and provide a little more relief in the neck.

When the guitar feels harder to play, you'll be annoyed, and it's likely time to tighten the truss rod to remove some of the relief.