Fender Precision Bass – Setup

A great looking guitar, just not playing at all well.  I didn’t really need to measure the action, more like a step-ladder to reach it! Yeh, that’s possibly the highest action I’ve ever seen, even on a Bass. The bridge saddles were quite low though, and those pickups are rather close to the strings. While […]

PRS Pickups

Wiring not really your thing?  Just getting inside some of these things can be a bit of a pain.  Once you get it all out it’s quite simple. This one had just a few minor problems, easily sorted. Getting the parts back together is the hardest part….

Gretsch Double Jet – Setup

Nothing much wrong with this one realy, I think this range of guitars are excellent value for money, it just needs a little tweek here and there to optimise its setup. While the strings are off (It’s always worth fitting new strings before completing a setup) I gave the fretboard a clean and oil. The […]

Fender Telecaster – Intonation problems

Everyone loves a Telecaster, a cassic guitar, no-one should be without one!  There is, however, one fundamental problem with the original design.  The strings are paired up on the bridge saddles and so the intonation is always a compromise, perticulrly on the D and G strings. There is a simple solution though, compensated saddles.  I’ve […]

Jackson – Fret dress

Never been a meal fan, and this one needs quite a bit of work doing to get it playing properly.. The frets are a little worn, not too bad…. the trouble is there are some low spots… To sort out those 2 problems I’m going to level everything.  First then, off with the nut.. and make sure […]

Gibson ES335 – Fret Dress and Setup

Wow, what a beautiful guitar.  Reminds me of the first brand new guitar I ever bought, except mine was an Epiphone, I could never have afforded the Gibson when I was about 16. This one has been well loved but well used so is in need of a little TLC.  I’m sure I can get […]

Gibson ES335 – Bone Nut

Back to that 335 again, still not playing right.  I thought it might need a little more TLC.  I’ve worked out where the problem is at least. The G-string is sticking in the nut! Should be an easy fix, put in a bone .onet… Here’s the old on still in placeSoon tap that out and […]

Italia Setup

I’ve not actually had one of these on the bench before, but I think they’re great looking guitars, a cross between a Duesenberg and a Rickenbacker. It could do with a little more work, the frets are rather worn.. They’re a little uneven as well, but for now it’s just going to have clean-up and […]

Epiphone Machine Heads

These are very reasonable alternatives to their more expensive Gibson cousins. Someone’s fitted some really cheap machine heads though, so it needs tidying up and some new heads fitting. The old ones…With them all off it looks like it’s had a dose of woodworm!Before fitting the new heads I drilled out some of the old […]

Bone Nut

This one rather sits at the bottom end of the market, but even so, it should play OK.  This one had a very strange “buzzing” sound.  It’s all down to the cheap plastic nut with its overly slack slots. The only way to cure that is to fit a decent nut.The blank was just a […]