Help! Setting up JP7 - high frets seem hardly playable

[B0rn_ch1ll4]

Hello dear EB/MM folks,

I'm a lurker for a while now but since I got my MM JP7 I need to ask you how to set up this beast.

First of all, I already searched the web and this forum a lot but I'm out of ideas...

How do I set up this thing? What I got right now is this short list I made:

1. set up the truss rod by checking the distances of the strings to the frets while tapping some frets (eg. 1 and 12 on low b)
2. set up the bridge (how?)
3. set up the intonation/correct tuning
4. set up the pickup height
5. or x.: do other things I missed out right now

Setting up the truss rod was no problem at all. The neck seems to be fine concerning its angle. But my bridge seems to be too steep and the frets 20-24 on the high strings are nearly unplayable. They just seem ... odd I am using 10-56 EB Slinky Cobalt.

Any help would be appreciated

B0rn_ch1ll4

 

[QuietSpike]

Post some pics so we can see what "too steep" is...

These are pretty straightforward requests... We will get you set up and comfortable in no time.

 

[jzeijen]

Bridge too steep > as in tilted forward? That is an easy adjustment. But a picture would indeed clarify things, now where only guessing..

 

[Lou]

Yeah sounds like you may have gone from 009 to 010 strings. This will cause the trem block to get pulled towards the neck due to increased string tension. Pic would be awesome

 

[B0rn_ch1ll4]

Hello again,

thank you for your rapid answers. The guitar itself was bought used from ebay (in terrific condition), but you may be right - might be played with 009ers.



Do you think this angle is right?

Anythink I could add to the high fretting problem? The action itself seems not too high, but I want it to be as low as possible. Would require a lowering of the saddles, but the flattening of the bridge could also do that ...

Thx to all

 

[QuietSpike]

Yep... Very easy to fix.

Take the largest back plate cover off... The two screws that are holding the springs to the body need to be tightened.... My guess would be about a turn and a half to two turns in total... BUT!!! In order to "do it right", I suggest nothing more than a half-turn in each screw (to the right), then re-tune your guitar (make sure you are holding it in playing position), re-check level and repeat.

Once the bridge is level, you may need a slight truss adjustment (my JPs are set so precisely that I adjust my truss about once a month). Do not fear this adjustment like a lot do.... Again, I wouldn't do more than a quarter turn at a time, and wouldn't do more than 1/2 to 3/4 turn in total per day... Set it and wait a day for it to settle.

The individual saddles look a little high to me, but tough to say in that pic. I try and get my action as low as possible with the bridge level, then adjust truss, then fine-tune individual strings with the saddle heights. With these, a tiny adjustment goes a LONG way, so go very slight at a time.

People will tell you the saddles should match the arc of the radius of the neck. I agree it "should" be this way, but the beauty of the JPs is the necks are so flat that it is difficult to tell if your on the proper arc or not... which is ok by me.

Great guitar. Welcome to the forum.

 

[tekwerk]

Slightly De-Tune the guitar first before making tension adjustments to the springs. It will save you time and a lot of retuning. For Cobalt strings I would say one full turn of each screw into the body should put the bridge level with the top of the body, or at least really close. Fine adjust from there. The saddles in the picture look to be set pretty well. You will also need to check and possible adjust intonation.
This is all basic stuff that every guitar player should be able to do.
Have fun!
Maddi

 

[B0rn_ch1ll4]

First of all, thank you for your patience and your answers. They really help(ed) a lot!

I now adjusted my bridge and it is now parallel to the body:


So far, so good. I saw many advices concerning the tapping/fretting to adjust the truss rod. Which do you prefer? (e.g. 1 and 12 fret tapped down on lowest string - nearly the distance of a credit card thickness between fret 5, 6, 7 and bottom of the string).

After this is set up, I will carefully adjust the saddle height and check intonations. Anything left from there?

Again - many, many thanks! This forum is just great.

 

[QuietSpike]

This will help you...

 

[Jeong]

I agree, ive noticed that the bridge angle on the jp guitars seems to greatly affect the action. Its a very easy fix!

 

[B0rn_ch1ll4]

Hello again,

I took some hours and set up the whole guitar. Trem, Truss rod, saddles, intonation - everything seems perfect and it's now very enjoyable to play her

Thank you again for your patience, I really appreciate this whole thread!

 

[QuietSpike]

Glad you got it more to your liking. I knew you would!

 

[B0rn_ch1ll4]

After some time now I really got "into" my guitar and enjoy playing it very much, just like I wrote earlier.

But one things is a bit weird ... the low B string action is very high (can't raise it up anymore) but there is some minor string buzz. All other strings are fine and got some nice low action. Is this a common problem with 7 string guitars?

Also, I can't get it to intonate 100% properly, seems to me like I can't do much ab out this ... any ideas?

Thank you for your answers