Musicians
either hate them or worship them. They can be just a block of
wood and a bunch of wires if you don't take care.
Mine
is a 1952. Varnished wood. Its fukking beautiful. You can see
my Tele with the black pearl pick guard. My cousin got on for
her Tele and I loved it so i ordered and got one from
Fender and put it on my Telecaster. (They take forever to
arrive and cost about $50 Euros)
I
must warn you. To set up your Tele yourself (You should!)
you need to be a bit of a guitar technician. Learn, ok. Also
be stubborn and stay with it. You may adjust things many
tmes. Get tech help from your service people where you bought
the guitar if you bought it new. Or just go to a Fender
dealer's tech. Have them look it over and give you advice and
reccomendations.
I
have never really had a guitar tech set up a guitar exactly
how I need it on the first try. Not even myself. :o)
Note:
These settings below are minimum specifications that are meant
as a guide; they should not to be construed as hard and fast
rules. Every
player's subjective requirements often differ.
TOOLS NEEDED
Set of automotive feeler gauges
(.002-.025) (0.05 1 mm)
6" (150 mm) ruler (with 1/32"
and 1/64" increments) (0.5 mm
increments)
Light machine oil (3-in-1, toy locomotive
or gun oil)
Phillips screwdriver
Electronic tuner
Wire cutters
Peg winder
Polish and cloth
STRINGS
For strings to stay in tune, they should be changed
regularly. Strings that have
lost their integrity (worn where pressed against the fret) or
have become
oxidised, rusty and dirty will not return to pitch properly.
To check if your
strings need changing, run a finger underneath the string and
feel for dirt,
rust or flat spots. If you find any of these, you should
change your strings.
No matter what gauge of strings you use, for the best tuning
stability we
recommend using Fender strings, which are designed to provide
superior
performance. Make sure to stretch your strings properly. After
you've installed
and tuned a new set, hold the strings at the first fret and
hook your fingers
under each string, one at a time, and tug lightly, moving your
hand from the
bridge to the neck. Re-tune and repeat several times.
TUNING KEYS
How you wind the strings onto the pegs is very important,
whether you're using
locking, standard or vintage tuning keys. Start by loading all
the strings
through the bridge and then loading them onto the keys as
follows:
Locking
tuning keys. Picture the headcap of the neck as the
face of a clock, with the top being 12:00 and the nut being
6:00. Line the six
tuning machines so that the first string keyhole is set at
1:00, the second at
2:00, the third and fourth at 3:00, the fifth at 4:00, and the
sixth at 5:00.
Pull the strings through tautly and tighten the thumb wheel,
locking the string in. Now tune to pitch.
Standard
keys. To reduce string slippage at the tuning key,
we recommend using a tie technique. This is done by pulling
the string through
the keyhole and then pulling it clockwise underneath and back
over itself;
creating a knot. You'll need to leave a bit of slack for the
first string so you
have at least two or three winds around the post. As you
progress to the sixth
string, you'll reduce the amount of slack and the number of
winds around the
keys.
Vintage
keys. For these, you'll want to pre-cut the strings
to achieve the proper length and desired amount of winds. Pull
the sixth string
(tautly, remember) to the fourth key and cut it. Pull the
fifth string to the
third key and cut it. Pull the fourth string between the
second and first keys
and cut it. Pull the third string nearly to the top of the
headcap and cut it.
Pull the second string about a 1/2" (13 mm) past the
headcap and cut it.
Finally, pull the first string 1 1/2" (38 mm) past the
top of the headcap
and cut it. Insert into the center hole in the tuning key,
bend and crimp to a
90-degree angle, and wind neatly in a downward pattern, being
carefull to
prevent overlapping of the strings.
If
your tuning keys have a screw on the end of the button, check
the
tightness of the screw. This controls the tension of the gears
inside the tuning
keys. Do not
over-tighten these screws.
They should be "finger-tight." This is very
important, especially on
locking tuners.
BRIDGE
Telecasters
can have two distinctive types of bridges. The most well-known
type is the vintage-style three-section bridge. The other is
the modern-day
six-section bridge, such as the American Standard Telecaster
bridge. Check your
tuning before proceeding with intonation.
INTONATION (ROUGHING IT OUT)
You
can preset the basic intonation of your guitar by taking a
tape measure
and measuring from the inside of the nut to the center of the
12th fret (the
fret wire itself; not the fingerboard). Double that
measurement to find
the scale length of your guitar.
For
a vintage three-section bridge, a series of adjustments must
be made to
compensate for the lack of individual string intonation.
Adjust the first bridge
saddle to the scale length, measuring from the inside of the
nut to the center
of the bridge saddle.
Now adjust the distance of the second saddle back from the
first saddle, using the combination of the gauges of the
second and third strings as a measurement. For example,
if the second string is
.011" (0.3 mm) and the third is .013" (0.35 mm), you
would move the
second saddle back .024" (0.65 mm) from the first saddle.
Move the third
saddle back from the second saddle, using the gauge of the
fifth and sixth
strings as a measurement.
For
the six-section bridge, you will make adjustments for each
individual
string. Adjust the first-string bridge saddle to the scale
length, measuring
from the inside of the nut to the center of the bridge saddle.
Now adjust the distance of the second-string saddle back from
the first saddle, using the gauge of the second string as a
measurement. For example, If the second string is .011"
(0.3 mm), you would move the second-string saddle back
.011" (0.3 mm) from the first saddle. Move the third
saddle back from the second saddle using the gauge of the
third string as a measurement. The fourth-string
saddle should be set parallel with the second-string saddle.
Proceed with the
fifth and sixth saddles with the same method used for strings
two and three.
LUBRICATION
AND STRING BREAKAGE
Lubricating
all of the contact points of a string's travel may be one of
the
most important elements in ensuring tuning stability and in
reducing string
breakage.
The main cause of string breakage is moisture collection at
the point of contact
on the bridge saddle. This can be attributed to the moisture
and acidity that
transfers from your hands, or it can be a direct effect of
humidity in the air.
Another factor is metal-to-metal friction and fatigue. Metal
components react to
each other over time because of their differences and help
break down string
integrity. A stronger metal will always attack a softer metal
(this is why a
stainless-steel string will wear a groove or burr in a
vintage-style saddle).
You'll also find that different string brands break at
different points of
tension because of the metal makeup and string manufacturing
techniques.
Since Fender manufactures its own strings, they are designed
to perform well for
all playing techniques.
One of the best ways to reduce string breakage is to lubricate
the string/saddle
contact pointwith a light machine
oil (we prefer
3-in-1 oil because it contains anti-rust and anti-corrosive
properties) every
time you change strings. The oil insulates against moisture
and reduces friction
and metal fatigue. String trees are another point of contact
and should also be lubricated; a small amount of lip balm
applied with a toothpick works well.
TRUSS ROD
There are two different styles of truss rod found on Fender
instruments "standard" and "bi-flex" truss
rods.
Most Fender guitars and basses are equipped with a standard
truss rod (of which
there are in turn two types: one that adjusts at the neck heel
and one that
adjusts at the headstock; both operate on the same principle).
The
standard truss rod can counteract concave curvature in a neck
that has too much
relief, for example, by generating a force in the neck
opposite to that caused
by excessive string tension.
Fender
also uses a unique bi-flex truss rod system on some
instruments.
Unlike standard truss rods, which can only correct a neck that
is too concave
(under-bowed), the bi-flex truss rod can compensate concave or
convex
(over-bowed) curvature by generating a correcting force in
either direction as
needed.
First,
check your tuning. Affix a capo at the first fret and depress
the
sixth string at the last fret. With a feeler gauge, check the
gap between the
bottom of the string and the top of the 8th frets see the spec
chart below for
the proper gap.
Adjustment
at headstock (Allen wrench): Sight down the edge
of the fingerboard from behind the headstock, looking toward
the body of the instrument. If the neck is too concave (action
too high), turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove excess
relief. If the neck is too convex (strings too close to the
fingerboard), turn the truss rod nut counter-clockwise to
allow the string tension to pull more relief into the neck.
Check your tuning, then re-check the gap with the feeler gauge
and re-adjust as needed.
Adjustment
at neck joint (Phillips screwdriver): Sight down
the edge of the fingerboard from behind the body, looking up
toward the
headstock of the instrument. If the neck is too concave
(action too high), turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove
excess relief. If the neck is too convex (strings too close to
the fingerboard), turn the truss rod nut counter-clockwise to
allow the string tension to pull more relief into the neck.
Check your tuning, then re-check the gap with the feeler gauge
and re-adjust as needed.
Note:
In either case, if you meet
excessive resistance when adjusting the truss rod, if your
instrument needs
constant adjustment, if adjusting the truss rod has no effect
on the neck, or if
you're simply not comfortable making this type of adjustment
yourself, take your instrument to your local Fender Authorized
Dealer.
9.5" to 12"
15" to 17"
.010" (0.25 mm)
.008" (0.2 mm)
..>..>
ACTION
Players with a light touch can get away with lower
action; others need higher action to avoid rattles.
First, check tuning. Using a 6" (150 mm) ruler,
measure the distance between bottom of strings and top
of the 17th fret. Adjust bridge saddles to the height
according to the chart, then re-tune. Experiment with
the height until the desired sound and feel is
achieved.
9.5" to 12"
15" to 17"
4/64" (1.6 mm)
4/64" (1.6 mm)
4/64" (1.6 mm)
3/64" (1.2 mm)
..>..>
SHIMMING/MICRO-TILT ADJUSTMENT
Shimming
is a procedure used to adjust the pitch of the
neck in relation to
the body. A shim is placed in the neck pocket,
underneath the butt end of the
neck. On many American series guitars, a
Micro-Tilt adjustment is offered. It
replaces the need for a shim by using a hex
screw against a plate installed in
the butt end of the neck. The need to adjust
the pitch (raising the butt end of
the neck in the pocket, thereby pitching the
neck back) of the neck occurs in
situations where the string height is high and
the action adjustment is as low
as the adjustment will allow.
To
properly shim a neck, the neck must be removed
from the neck pocket of the
body. A shim approximately 1/4" (6.4 mm)
wide by 1 3/4" (44.5 mm) long
by .010" (0.25 mm) thick will allow you
to raise the action approximately
1/32" (0.8 mm). For guitars with the
Micro-Tilt adjustment, loosen the two
neck screws on both sides of the adjustment
access hole on the neckplate by at
least four full turns. Tightening the hex
adjustment screw with an 1/8" hex
wrench approximately 1/4 turn will allow you
to raise the action approximately
1/32". Retighten the neck screws when the
adjustment is complete. The pitch
of the neck on your guitar has been preset at
the factory and in most cases will
not need to be adjusted.
Note:
If you feel that this adjustment
needs to be made and you're not comfortable
doing it yourself, take your guitar
to your local Fender Authorized Dealer.
PICKUPS Set too high, pickups
can cause myriad inexplicable phenomena.
Depress all
the strings at the last fret. Using a 6"
(150 mm) ruler, measure the
distance from the bottom of the first and
sixth strings to the top of the pole
piece. A good rule of thumb is that the
distance should be greatest at the
sixth-string neck pickup position, and closest
at the first-string bridge pickup
position. Follow the measurement guidelines in
the chart below as starting
points. The distance will vary according to
the amount of magnetic pull from the
pickup
Bass
Side
Treble
Side
Texas
Specials
8/64"
(3.6 mm)
6/64"
(2.4 mm)
Vintage
style
6/64"
(2.4 mm)
5/64"
(2 mm)
Noiseless
Series
8/64"
(3.6 mm)
6/64"
(2.4 mm)
Standard
Single-Coil
5/64"
(2 mm)
4/64"
(1.6 mm)
Humbuckers
4/64"
(1.6 mm)
4/64"
(1.6 mm)
Lace
Sensors
As
close as desired (allowing for
string vibration)
..>..>
INTONATION (FINE TUNING)
Adjustments
should be made after all of the above
have been accomplished. Set the
pickup selector switch in the middle
position, and turn the volume and tone
controls to their maximum settings.
Check tuning. Check each string at the
12th fret, harmonic to fretted note
(make sure you are depressing the
string evenly to the fret, not the
fingerboard). If sharp, lengthen the
string by adjusting the saddle back.
If flat, shorten the string by moving
the saddle forward. Remember,
guitars are tempered instruments!
Re-tune, play and make further
adjustments as needed.
Note:
If you have a three-section-style bridge,
compensate between the strings to
minimize the percentage that any one
string that may be sharp or flat.
Listen for an aurally pleasing
intonation.
ADDITIONAL HINTS
There
are a few other things that you can do
to optimize your tuning stability
that have more to do with playing and
tuning habits.
Each
time you play your guitar, before you
do your final tuning, play for a few
minutes to allow the strings to warm
up. Metal expands when warm and
contracts when cool. After you've
played a few riffs, you can then do
your final tuning. Remember
with most tuning keys, it's preferable
to tune up to pitch. However, with
locking tuners, go past the note and
tune down to pitch. Finally, wipe the
strings, neck and bridge with a
lint-free cloth after playing. When
transporting or storing your guitar,
even for short periods, avoid leaving
it anyplace you wouldn't feel
comfortable yourself.