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Many 'Hawkists complain of the poor setup of their guitars bought new. It seems likely that unless your dealer has carried out their own setup you will have to adjust -
 | the truss-rod |
| individual bridge-pieces for height |
| the intonation |
This is not as difficult or hazardous as it sounds... but you must have the right tools, otherwise you can do permanent damage to the finish or the adjusting screws and nuts of your 'Hawk.
These are the tools you'll need -
| Nut driver, 1/4" or 5/16". You'll probably need one specially made for guitar truss rods. |
| Small ruler with mm or 1/16" increments that come right to the end of the rule |
| a ##mm Allen/Hex key for the bridge-pieces |
| a no.# cross-head screwdriver for adjusting the intonation |
Step 1 - Put on new strings
String action (height), fret buzz and intonation will vary with different string gauges and from old to new strings. You want to do your setup under actual playing conditions, so string your guitar with the gauge of strings that you're going to play.
Step 2 - Tune up
Again, your guitar needs to be in playing condition, so tune up to standard pitch (or whatever tuning you'll be using).
Step 3 - Check how straight the neck is -
Use the string to determine if a truss rod adjustment is needed. If the neck is bowed, there will be a space under the middle of the straight edge where the neck does not touch the straight edge. If the neck is "back-bowed," the frets will touch in the middle of the straight edge. NOTE: A slightly bowed neck is ideal for most playing styles. A perfectly straight neck generally requires higher string action than a slightly bowed neck in order to minimize string buzz at the higher frets. Repairmen describe this as giving the neck some "relief" to allow for string vibration. The amount of relief necessary varies with playing styles, however. A perfectly straight neck may be fine for a very light picking style. If your neck has only a slight bow, you may not want to make any adjustments to the truss rod.
It's best to start with a perfectly straight neck. If I can't get the neck straight, then that indicates other possible problems, such as high frets (frets being pushed out of their slots), low or worn frets, or variations in the fretboard itself. All of these problems are fixable, but require an advanced level of repair experience.
Adjust the truss rod
First remove the truss rod cover. If the neck has too much of a bow, then the truss rod should be tightened with a clockwise turn of the nut. For a clockwise turn, the arm of the nut driver should start on the treble side of the fingerboard and move toward the bass side. Don't turn the nut more than a quarter of a turn at a time. For a back-bowed neck, the truss rod should be loosened with a counter-clockwise turn of the nut. When the neck is as straight as you can get it, then back off about a quarter of a turn for "relief."
Check string height
With the small ruler on top of the fret, measure the distance to the bottom of the string. (You can also use a feeler gauge for these measurements.) The string height at the 1st fret will determine if the nut slots have been cut to the proper depth. If the nut slots need to be deepened or filled in, that's a job for a pro with the proper tools.
The string height at the 12th fret will determine whether the saddle should be raised or lowered.
Gibson electric specifications are:
1st fret- treble side - 1/64"
1st fret- bass side - 2/64"
12th fret- treble side - 3/64"
12th fret - bass side - 5/64"
Adjust saddle height
You may have to loosen the strings a bit to get the individual bridge-pieces to adjust easily.
To lower the nut slots
special nut files are required that are available from guitar shop supply sources. We get ours from Stewart-McDonald. Set nut slot depths to specs listed above for first fret.
Check for fret buzz
Using a medium pick or light finger touch, check all fretted notes for string buzz. If correct, move up the next step. If not, some fret levelling may be required. This is another procedure for a pro with the right tools.
Check intonation
Directly above the 12th fret, play a harmonic by touching the string without pressing it to the fret. Release your finger from the string as you pluck it. You should hear the octave overtone. Now press the string to the 12th fret and play. If the pitches match, then the intonation is correct. Notice that the 12th fret tone may vary according to how hard you press the string down.
Adjust intonation
On the BluesHawk the length of each individual string is adjustable. If the 12th fret tone is higher than the string's natural octave overtone, then lengthen the string by moving the saddle toward the tailpiece of the guitar. If the 12th fret tone is lower than the octave overtone, then move the saddle toward the neck.
