Setting up a Luke

[Ali]

This one's for Tristan, slukather, Keith etc.

What kind of string height do you guys have around the 12th and 22nd fret? I had the Luke setup by our stores tech and he's totally elimenated the fret buzz but I can't help thinking the action after the 12 fret is a little high. Not uncomfortably so by any means but figured that one of you guys must a own a ruler and could measure yours.....pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease

 

[kbaim]

Hey Ali,

I've never measured but I wanna say Jon says it's 2/32's on all strings when shipped.

He just lowered my Blue dawn to somewhere between 1 and 2/32's. And no buzz. But there is a trade off and it's worth experimenting to find your personal preference.

My blue dawn now can be played virtually forever with no hand fatigue. The tone is slightly more compressed due to strings being closer to pups. And closer action makes string bending a bit more challenging as you know.

If you feel the action is too high up past 12, would a shim help to compensate? I'm lame when it comes to repair and set up (other than intonating).

KEITH

 

[Ali]

Well, I've been at the setup for 2 and 1/2 hours now but I've finally nailed it

Also think I've gained a whole world of respect for the Wilkinson trem, it would have been 2 and 1/2 days on the Ibanez Edge Pro

Just couldn't get the strings as low as yours Keith. When I did I get too much buzz around the 8th-15th at 1/32. Most of the strings are on 2/32 comfortably and the low E is more like 2 1/2! The intonation is perfect, not an ounce of buzz even when bending and the action is back to silky smooth all the way up. Remind me why I bothered with a pro setup? OK, so Jon is a genius at this stuff but the shipping costs would be a tiny bit high.

Remind me when the Axis arrives to do it myself again...only 9 more months to wait

 

[jongitarz]

If you still feel up to messing around with it, when it buzzes in the upper part of the neck, turn the truss rod wheel clockwise to take out some relief, then raise the saddles a bit.

 

[Ali]

Thanks Jon

The trussrod is something I've always been reluctant to touch on previous guitars but that little wheel is genius, as is everything on the guitar!!! You guys deserve some kind of award for making it so easy