How to set up an acoustic guitar - adjusting the action and the truss rod

How to set up (setup) an acoustic guitar and adjust the truss rod and action on your guitar. Part 1

In this video you will learn how to inspect the neck of your acoustic guitar and then adjust the curve of your guitar neck or the neck relief using the truss rod. Only when you have the correct setting on your truss rod can you then get the lowest action possible for your guitar. You will need some basic tools like a straight edge, or a ruler and a pair of pliers and an allen key to adjust the truss rod with, will also need something you can use to measure very small gaps. A good setup/set up will allow you to get the most out of your guitar because it will feel far more comfortable to play and you can get the height of the strings (or action) down nice and low.

If you have never removed or replaced the strings on your guitar you may need to see this video

If you want to change both the saddle and the nut on your guitar you may need to see this video

See a review of this guitar, the Glarry GT502

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[duprod]

Nice instruction video, but I just want to add a little note. If you do this and want to use the original strings (because you may have to retry a couple of times to get the correct saddle height), just loosen the strings and put a capo about halfway on the neck to keep them in place. Saves a lot of work and reduces the risk of breaking strings. Also, to remove the pins, you can push the loosened sting down into the hole. This wil remove the pressure on the pin and make it easier to take out.

[mystice]

Clear, simple understandable video with no special tools needed. I thought my guitar action was too high but after watching this I realised it was actually correct apart from a very small truss rod adjustment. Lesson... If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Thanks for this excellent video.

[mcsnickerman]

This is easily the best guide on the internet due to the camera angles and explanations! Great job!

[mt]

Hell yes dude.This video is the truth.

Not only demonstrating string height but how to calculate how much to sand off was a lifesaver. I was prepared to eyeball it and detune, remove the saddle, sand the bottom, restring, and then tune -- a few times -- till it was right. But instead, I followed your method and nailed it in only two cycles (I stopped sanding about half a millimetre before the line just in case because I knew I gave myself a little too much room with the line and didn't want to have to fight with shims later on). I had to remove almost half the material and was kinda sketched out, but the math is on point and everything came out okay.

Thanks for this. This is the kind of material I wish more people were making. Long form, substantive, & pleasantly (but not tediously) detailed in both instruction & imagery. Please keep this up.

[dannydarko]

Hands down the clearest and most technically accurate guitar set up Video I’ve seen. Great stuff!

[marcelopdumayajr]

I'M HAVING A HARD TIME ADJUSTING MY GUITAR'S ACTION BUT NOW I'M GOING TO TRY AGAIN AFTER WATCHING THIS. THANK YOU.

[boutique]

This video was very nicely done, with the process being clearly explained. I've always taken my acoustics to a tech for setup in the past. As a steel string acoustic fingerstyle player, I prefer my action on the low side. After watching this video (and taking notes) I now have the confidence to do my own setups. There are some tools to buy, but in the long run doing my own setups will no doubt save me money. Plus I can make sure the guitars are set up exactly where I want them. Thanks!

[paulomartins]

I would agree with others, this is the best guide I've seen so far!

[kelvinsudirman]

This is the fourth video I visited explaining the truss rod and how to adjust the action, and this is the best one by far... so good that I wouldn't look for a fifth video to watch!

[billyrubin]

Thank you for the simple yet thorough explanations on setting up acoustic guitars. I look forward to setting up my recently purchased acoustic guitar myself.

[olgreybear]

This video was exceptionally well made, and taught this old man several things that I didn’t even know that I didn’t know!

I’ve been seriously thinking about sending my personal guitar to a guitar luthier to get a professional guitar setup done on the high string height. I build blues guitars called cigar box guitars and have done for around seven years now. I’ve always steered well clear of fretting them and just used pre-built guitar necks, mostly because I didn’t feel confident about full setups in this minute detail to the enth degree.

After watching this video, I am now confident about looking at the guitar to find out what needs doing and I feel comfortable doing what needs to be done following your very detailed and informative video.

Thank you very much and all the very best to you and your family.

Bear.

[johnkelly]

Thank you, a very thorough tutorial. I don't think I am game enough to tackle this myself, but I just wanted to know how to do it, and you have explained it beautifully.

[alanchng]

Great video with crystal clear instructions. Thank you so much. Another video by Gibson recommends taping the sand paper on a piece of glass and sanding the saddle against a block to ensure that it is perfectly perpendicular.

[fabfab]

Wonderful! I have been playing guitar for 20 years, mainly to accompany my singing and with this video, I fully understand every minor detail of the simple basics of the guitar such as the action, the radius, etc!!! Magnificent work ! Love your videos!

[K.e.a.r.a.]

I remember getting my first guitar and never knowing why I got an Allen key, there’s so much stuff people don’t think about when just buying a guitar. This video is great for beginners

[michelrobi]

Thank you so much for such a good video, I was wondering why my guitar was so difficult to play, and as a beginner, didn’t know the importance of the action, that was way too high. So ones again, thanks. 😃

[dnl]

Just followed these instructions to lower the action on one of my acoustics. First time I've ever messed with a bridge saddle, and I'm really happy that I did! - guitar plays much better, and the intonation has improved too.

[ifreemantoo]

🙂 This is the best presentation to understanding adjusting the action and truss rod on an acoustic guitar.

[wishbone]

Love the guitar solo over the sanding bit, almost made the sanding interesting haha - great video, thanks for posting.

[trevonhatfield]

I'm a drummer who plays "with the Guitar" I don't necessarily play guitar. This was so helpful because I had a slight buzz on my g string, which was driving me crazy, short drive btw, ;). It is now gone. THANK YOU so much !!