PAUL REED SMITH (PRS) - How to Setup your Electric Guitar, Step-by-Step

Check out MusicNomad's setup hub for lots of how to videos, setup tools and info on the KEEP IT SIMPLE, SETUP (KISS)™.

0:00 Introduction
1:00 Pre-Setup Steps
4:23 Truss Rod
10:00 Radius of Strings
17:20 Action of Strings
22:56 Nut Height
35:00 Intonation
41:33 Pickup Height

[MusicNomadCare]

You can fast forward to the specific task below:
1:00 Pre-Setup Steps
4:23 Truss Rod
10:00 Radius of Strings
17:20 Action of Strings
22:56 Nut Height
35:00 Intonation
41:33 Pickup Height

[arthurwilson]

This is the best guitar setup video I've watched bar none and I've lost count of how many I've seen. Everything explained clearly in a way that really communicates the whole process and for once makes me feel confident about tackling things myself. Also, the Music Nomad tools look very impressive.

[stevekirkby]

Now this was great - probably the most complete and pure depiction of how to set-up your PRS. Or indeed give you the techniques for any guitar... with the manufacturers figures. Bookmarked for furure reference, for sure. Thanks for sharing.

[NSRider]

Greatest set-up video I have ever watched. 10/10.

[riverrail]

This is the most informative video of setting up a guitar I've watched. Thanks. I had a Dunlop gauge for set up guitars. it was really hard to see it was at. I picked up a Music Nomad set up gauge a couple days after and that is the best to use. Thanks.

[kenwhite]

Best set up I have seen on youtube, and I have checked out heaps.

[Cajundaddydave]

Really great step by step setup video covering all of the necessary points to get a guitar playing its best. I just picked up a lightly used PRS SE DGT and it looks like the previous owner did a really goofy setup attempt. I ordered your gauges and will get her dialed in when it shows up at my door. Cheers!

[johnchance]

Outstanding presentation! PRS has videos here on youtube with an employee who is difficult to follow or understand. Thank you for providing this video. It is excellent.

[RobertoGonzalez-hkms]

Thank you for the video…it’ll be great to have a PRS guitar setup with a tremolo bridge, just a suggestion.

[digitalninjatools]

You guys rock and your products rock - this is how you build brand loyalty :) :)

[DavidFeilyMusic]

Do you notice PRS nuts being generally cut too high? Especially the low string side?

[GiyHill]

I would like instructions on setup for PRS SE Standard 24.
This guitar has tremolo.
Thank you, sir

[jasonmccann]

Thanks Geoff & Rand for these amazing videos, and the time you guy's take to make them🤘🤘🤘
I just want to chime to the people asking about the measurements that PRS has on their website.
If you really want PRS pickup height, adjust the pickups to the specs Geoff mentions in the video. Then on the bridge pup low E, lower the height to "3/32"'s, as for the high E string bridge pup once you are at the "1/16" lower the pickup a 1/4 or 1/2 turn with your screwdriver. As far as the neck pickup goes, just drop both sides of the pickup flush with the pickup ring, and adjust to taste. Be forewarned, I own 11 PRS Core guitars, 9 times out of 10, when you try to adjust to the PRS specs, your pickup will come off of the screws b/c PRS uses short pickup screws b/c their routes are shallow.

[kingfisher]

So glad you did these as a PRS varies just slightly to be setup correctly. I own 7.

[TheUnforgettableBuzz]

Thanks so much for this!! As others have said, this is THE best instructional set-up video I've seen on YouTube. I own your gauges already. Awesome stuff, and so helpful. Gives you confidence to get your guitar playing like you want it to. And in the case of new instruments with somewhat shocking factory set ups (the nut height on my PRS Paul's SE made this one look like a piker!), like you hoped that it would.

[Erebus]

Just bought a new Gibson and was planning on changing string gauge. May have a try at full set up now I've watched your excellent video. Definitely the most informative one that I've watched so far, thank you.

[DavidFeilyMusic]

If you set string action height with first fret pressed down and it changes drastically after removing, does that mean nut is too high/low?

[fabriziodutto]

You can tell he's a hard working man by his nails: some are mostly black! It happens to me once, on my right thumb, it hurted me very much. Great video and great guitar!

[synonyx]

Geoff, this was VERY good and easy to understand. One suggestion I'd make is to add some footage on to this video with a PRS custom 24 since that has PRS's trem system that has to be set a certain way. PRS does have a video about it though.

[ksjohnson]

I'm in total agreement. This is the best setup video I've seen. Thanks much!!! Also have some of the Music Nomad products. Big fan.