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Best Tip: remember FFF for intonation, if Fretted note is Flat, move saddle Forward!

Nothing new here, I can make any $1000 guitar sound like a $85 one.

Making an $85 guitar sound like a $1000 guitar: plug into a really nice amp.

I enjoy talking guitars all the time. At 75 yrs of age, I have learned over the decades that the amp and the guitar player are as important as the guitar itself.

"I'm going to play the same riff on both guitars" -proceeds to play fancier on the more expensive guitar-

I bought a used Starcaster years ago, did everything you mentioned here with the addition of swapping out the wiring for lower gauge (thicker) wire. It had a loud buzz if stood within 6-8 feet of the amp, but increasing the thickness of the wiring eliminated it completely!

0:46 "so i worked at a G--, one of the largest.."

It’s 2020 and I’m feeling nostalgic watching this dude just walk up in a stranger’s house without a face mask

Cheap guitars so much better than they were decades ago. I am almost reluctant to admit that a $90 Squire P-Bass I bought to travel with sounds almost as good and plays as well as my Rick 4001. The quality of fretwork and finishing is leaps ahead of a cheap guitar I bought 20 years ago for similar reasons, where the neck was not capable of proper adjustment and the frets were sharp on the sides. I also got a $99 Fender acoustic guitar on a trip (for something in the hotel room) and was stunned to find the intonation and string height was exactly what I wanted with no adjustment - also, traditionally, a weak spot of cheap guitars. So computer-aided manufacturing is showing its benefits in consistent quality, I guess.

Setting Intonation: "Always" set intonation with the guitar in the playing position. Hold it like you are playing it . Many guitars, especially bass guitars are "position sensitive". So if you set the intonation with the guitar flat on a table the intonation may read quite different in the playing position. Also....the most overlooked adjustment on setting up a fender style "screw on neck" is before you do anything else to the guitar you have to check those 4 neck screws. Even right from the factory they are usually loose. Tighten them. All the other set-up steps are useless if the neck screws are loose. I've been a Guitar Repairman in the Boston area (since 1974)

The taking a buddy or two on a craigslist run is good advice... I always take my bros, smith and Weston...

Should be called "Putting new strings and doing a basic setup on an $85 guitar"

I’ll save you some time. They just clean it and change the strings. A basic setup. Didn’t change a thing.

why buy a nice guitar? JuSt TiGHteN tHe sCrEwS

Just adjusted the intonation of my cheap guitar. It was HORRIBLE! Almost 1 full note off. Now it sounds so much better

One thing that everyone seems to forget is to check the action at the nut... On many if not most cheap instruments, the string slots are not cut deep enough. Sometimes this can be corrected by removing the nut and sanding the bottom to remove some overall height (if the radius between all the slots is correct), sometimes it will require the deepening of one or more slots (if the radius isn't ideal). I usually take it to a local guitar shop to have it done properly; any good tech will easily be able to do this properly. This step probably has contributed most to improving playability on almost every cheap instrument I've ever owned. Of course it should be followed by a proper set-up.

Thank you so much, guys! A friend just gave me a cheap old guitar and I love the feel of the bodystyle and the tone of the pickups. It just came with all the little issues you showed me how to fix. This info is valuable (local shop wanted to charge 85 to do that stuff, but I love to tinker, just didn't know how). P.S. I'm a happy guitareo paid subscriber. Thanks for making your free content high quality too.

Thank you, Guys! I've learned a few different Intonational techniques but your method has been the quickest, simple and effective.

I've had guitars in my life for decades. I think you guys just taught me more then I've ever learned in just a few fun minutes! Thank You both.

A short wouldn't make it crackle. A short is when the positive wire comes into contact with ground. In something that is using high voltage, well beyond the millivolts the guitars pickups generate, it can cause an electrical fire. On a guitar this would cause it to go silent. But it shouldn't make a crackling sound. That would be caused by an open. An open circuit is when there is a tear in the positive or negative wire, and if it's an intermittent signal it can cause a crackle sound. In either case the wiring should be replaced. This is much more common that an actual short. Good luck!

I don't get it, you've cleaned it and set it up as it would come out of the shop if it were new. How's that make it play like a $1000 guitar? The title should be "how to setup a guitar"

One tip: I use scotch brite on my frets to prevent the steel filings from the steel wool getting on the pickups. I saw you taped them off to avoid this, but each way works. I'd also mention fingerboard height at the body joint. Not a common adjustment, but its another way to get the action dialed in. Pretty good video I must say; supports my argument that setup is everything!

Ahh, my guitar's intonation was off. Now I fixed it! Thanks!

I wish I could play an $85 guitar. I have a $2000 guitar and it sounds just as bad when I play it.

Please note that raising a bridge saddle while the string is tuned up can (won't always, but can) give enough resistance to strip the Allen screw. If you're fighting them or the wrench is getting stuck, you probably should slack off a string before you attempt to raise its saddle. Also, feeler gauges are pretty cheap and eliminate a lot of guesswork. You can do without, but it will go faster and you'll be more confident about your setup being ideal if you have them. _Don't_ get a cheap business card sized printed gauge from some random source. If the printing is a bit askew (and it often is) then the gauge will be worse than useless because it will lead you in entirely the wrong direction. Cheap feeler gauges just rust and have to be replaced, which isn't going to induce bad setups. If you're being super cheap, picks can be used as feeler gauges, but you should confirm their thickness with calipers ($10 at Harbor Freight) rather than assuming they are exactly as marked, if they are marked at all. When doing the first/last fret check for neck relief (I actually use the 16th fret which marks the beginning of the neck pocket rather than the 20th or 21st fret), a feeler gauge is much better than guessing. At .010" of relief on my kit build, I get fret buzzes, particularly on the low E string. At .012", I don't. Those are rather difficult to tell apart without a gauge. If you don't have a capo handy and are wondering how one person can hold both ends of the string _and_ work a feeler gauge, (1) put the guitar safely on the floor (use a rug or blanket if you think you should), and (2) take off one of your shoes and use your big toe to hold the string at the first fret. You don't need a whole lot of dexterity, just a third hand. Of course you can ask someone to help you, but what's the fun in that? ;)

always adjust your gutar on play position and not on the table!

I'd say you achieved your goal. Honestly, I like the $85 better and the sound is smooth as butter. Good job guys.

How to make a 85$ dollar guitar play like a 1000$ guitar= Be good at playing the guitar Simple as that

Plug an electric broomstick into a really nice amp and itll sound like a $1000 guitar

Great video thanks. I just bought a Jackson Soloist SLX, where I thought I had a great guitar with a great price. Was pretty disappointed when I realized it sounded like crap. Thought I should have spent 2k more and get a USA Select. I did try to set it up, without really knowing how. So I've watched quite a few videos, including yours, I was on the right track. I like things simple, and you made it quite simple and easy to understand for everyone. My SLX (from Indonesia) now sounds just as great as a USA Select (almost). No buzz, in tune all the way, perfect string height and pick-up height. It was a guitar on the floor at the store, therefore I took those strings out, cleaned my fret board, put new strings, and it honestly feels great. Thanks for taking the time to make that video. Cheers!!!

I'm not sure this is really a fair title. This isn't an $85 guitar. It's a guitar for which you paid $85. There's a subtle, but significant difference. You buy $85 guitars in the quasi-music section at Best Buy, and they don't have a Fender logo (even Squier) on them.

Well done guys although the title of the video seems to be a bit misleading for some viewers. But I get your point. Pretty much exactly the same procedure I have used to set up and tweak a used guitar for nearly 40 years! And it just so happens the "Peavey Classic 30" is my current amp of choice after owning dozens of all brands and models over my 45 years of playing guitar. It's lightweight, powerful, decent tone...win, win for me.

Most important is height of string in the nut. Not even a mention.

sounds great! thanks for all the great info!

Thank you for posting this video. I'm a Strat player, and my wife found a Squire Affinity, in mint condition, exactly the same color as the one you scored, in a Goodwill store for $75. I love how it feels and sounds. And I'm looking forward to getting it set up.

The $85 Squier Affinity Strat sounded louder to me than the $1,000 Fender Strat. Nice and brash! A little TLC on a "cheap" guitar, good strings and amplifier and a good musician, no one could tell the difference nowadays.

That's a great instructional video. Thankfully Squiers are very well constructed and assembled nowadays, so we can get a pretty decent guitar for a few bucks, specially if it's used. Cheers!

Nicely done guys! Good info and an easy style delivery!! Kudos to you!

Great Video - very informative. Can't wait to try these adjustments out. Thanks very much!

The intonation tip was awesome thanks

what about fret leveling? change pickups? tuners?

Great watch for me. I never knew how to set the intonation in my guitar, I never even really knew that was a thing. It makes perfect sense now

You guys rock! Thank you! Liked and subscribed

Awesome thank you for the step by step, I think it's super important no matter what you spend on a guitar, to be able to make it sound as good as possible. Well done gental men.

I mean... they could have at least talked about replacing pickups and machine heads...

Thanks for this video. These are some really easy fixes that anyone can perform. I especially like the section on setting up string height and intonation.

Excellent vid guys! Learned a lot!! I’m building my first guitar and this will go a long way!

Never, i say NEVER use steelwool. Tiny steelwool particles WILL come of, and the magnets in your pickups will catch them. From there they WILL distribute themselves all into your electronics, and you definately don't want them in your pots and switches... Also they will scratch up your paint.

In summary: You won't get a $1000 squier. Basically, clean, setup and a fret dress and you will have a properly working guitar, like all guitars should.

That's so awesome.. i appreciate this.. thanks for sharing.. great instruction ..

Awesome video, very clear and easy to remember, helped a lot regards pickup height and intonation. Thanks again

Great vid, gents. Thanks very much for sharing it with us. Now, the next video should be the same guitars going through various overdrive & just 'muddied up' a bit. Even increasing the preamp/gain would, perhaps, show how much of a difference there is between the pickups in those two. The Squier sounds great CLEAN, but would probably feedback & scream when the signal they put out gets pushed. I’d love to be wrong, (& I’m aware that it’s possible to clean up the cheap pups by turning the guitar's Volume down), but it’s super if all you want to play is CLEAN...& there’s nothing 'wrong' with whatever style a guitarist plays.

Thanks for the video. I have often found that using a capo at the first fret, depressing the last fret and measuring at the 8th fret with a feeler gauge (Should be between .010 and .012) is much more accurate than your finger depressing technique.

I actually watched the video and appreciate the nuance instruction on the saddle and on the bridge. This is something that beginners don't get to know. Also kudos on the neck adjustment; stressing the point of going slowly...quarter turns and then re-check. It builds a sense of 'being one with your guitar. Good Job guys!

This is awesome!! Very helpful guys!! Thank you

I bought a 'Strat" from Monoprice . I mean. 69.99, why not. Took it home, Did basically the same stuff you did, with the exception that I added a metal face plate that killed every bit of 60Hz hum. The damn thing sounds at least as good as my old '63 I got when I was a kid from a pawn store for about the same price. Spending money does not always equal better sound. That's just being psyched by hype, if you pick wisely.

Love that dark blue color

Great Vid with outstanding info!!! Thanks

Thanks for the video! Very informative!

String gauges are personal taste. Not a rule.

A couple spring loaded capos make setting the neck flat easy

Great job guys! Thanks for the simplicity and straightforwardness. The Rosewood neck does and will sound more mellow and fuller than the maple as they are known for their brightness and twangy sound.

Great video, guys! Thanks for the tips. I can never remember all these steps when I'm giving my guitars the once over. I think this video will be my checklist from here out.

I enjoy playing my Ibanez gio. That's all I have to say besides thank you for some new info.

As someone who puts their own guitars together and winds their own pickups, my vote goes to buying cheaper guitars and fixing them up the way you want. My vote also goes to buying more expensive guitars and fixing them up the way you want ;) One of the most important factors is a well-cut bone nut: one that maximizes the string spacing while, at the same time, not remotely risking the strings slipping off the edge of the frets; that has a perfectly equal distance between each string, and has the lowest possible first-fret action without any hint of buzzing or rattling when the strings are picked hard. The improvement in playability with a well-cut nut is staggering. And I scarcely see any stock guitars that would not benefit from a better-cut nut, whether they're $100 or $1,000. Whatever route you go, you gotta pay somehow. Time and money...just pick which one you can spare more of. You gotta either get the skills (and tools) yourself, or get the money to get the guy with the skills (and tools) to do it for you. It all depends on how far you want to take it. Bone nut, setup, fretwork...that's par for the course for playability, and done right, there should be no difference (playability-wise) between a cheap and expensive guitar. So yes. $85 guitars can *play* like $1,000 guitars. With a solid set of pickups and electronics, they can sound like $1,000 guitars too. And in my experience, it takes the same amount of work to get either one of them playing at full capacity, which you're not going to find them doing off the shelf. But branding/status is very real. No shame in that. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors with the guitar business, as there is everywhere else....no need to hide behind it. People want an American Fender because it's an American Fender. And it looks like an American Fender. That's all there is to it. And there's nothing wrong with that. I like bringing guitars I put together to gigs, and I like telling people I put it together myself when they ask me what kind of guitar it is. Not really any different from people liking to show off gear they bought. We just like different brands. Brian May's Red Special is a 100% homemade guitar, and that's been his thing from the beginning. Then you have guys like Jimi Hendrix who were just fans of a straight up, stock, classic Fender Stratocaster. And that was his thing. Whether it's DIY or a big name, brands are the name of the game. Everyone's got their signature. A pink and white handgun with Hello Kitty on it would shoot just the same as a handgun in traditional black. How many people would honestly say they wouldn't care what other people thought about their gun, because they knew it functioned just the same as any other gun? I did a lot of work on a Batman guitar that my friend won at some booth at Six Flags. It played as well as any other guitar I've played in my life when I was done with it, and it sounded good too. It was still a Batman guitar from Six Flags. Not good or bad, just what it is. I wouldn't take it to any serious jams or gigs unless I was trying to get a laugh out of people, even though I know it's the same as any other guitar as far as playability goes. Squiers and the like are not jokes like the Batman guitar, but it just goes to make a point. Looks and branding do matter. And that's OK. It's all good.

Many thanks for this vid guys. I have actually binned quite a few cheap guitars over the yrs for fret buz etc...I wish I had known how easy this was ages ago. Good vid. - Makes me want to race out to the music store and buy one of those squiers...

Great video! Straight forward and easy to follow. Thank you!

0000 steel wool is typically referred to as "four ought", like shotgun shells.

“Hey mom! i gotta buy some of Big Bens Nut Sauce!”

So much knowledge to be soak up from this video. Thank you I feel more comfortable picking up a used guitar now

Great info. Thanks for sharing!

This video was very helpful because I just recently got a $100 guitar!

There's nothing wrong using 10s on a 25,5" scale, it's a matter of taste

Thanks for the tips, guys. I usually get someone to adjust my guitar, but now i can do it myself.

Thank you for the info, NEEDED the part about setting intonation

7:40 didn't know that they had on-the -counter nut sauce. That legal? *!¡*

Cover your pickups when using steel wool otherwise you can short your windings

Good info, great fro a noob to electrics! thanks guys

The headline is accurate, but inadequate. This video is a really clear, complete, and comprehensible introduction to guitar troubleshooting and setup. I wish I had seen this when I was in high school with my first guitar. For those of us who are more experienced, its obvious stuff, but for someone starting out who really wants to understand the setup process (especially, what order to do the adjustments in), this video is a great reference for knowing how to set up or clean up a guitar - and IMHO every player should strive for at least the level of expertise shown in these steps. There is also strong evidence presented of significant 'vanity pricing' in guitars. ;)

Since you were basically doing a setup, I think you should have shown how to “stretch the strings”, or pull on them until they are well seated on the tuners and bridge. It’s one of the most important things beginners don’t know about doing... and in turn makes them say things like, “this guitar won’t stay in tune”. Ha ha🧐😳🤦🏻‍♂️

"...use something like this, which they call nut sauce..." okay, I'm out

Awesome video for beginners fellas. Much appreciated and keep up the great work.

Great explanation on each step!!!!

Great demo for showing how uncomplicated it is to set up a guitar and save yourself some money

First time I've seen a video from you guys and I've got to say very well explained and demoed.. I've found others over complicate things.. This video is great..

That little jam at the end was really nice, the info in this video is invaluable!

such great material. thank you so much

Its an aweful idea to use steel wool anywhere near your pickups. The little pieces will stick to the magnets, PITA.

When I adjust my intonation, I tune the 12th fret natural harmonic, then I pluck with my finger on the 12th fret. It’s easier to hear when the fret is flat/sharp relative to the harmonic.

Amazing video.. it's really helps!

Thank you :) I'm new and now I will be more confident when bringing my guitar to play with other musicians

I’m a drummer(really bad) and a singer(worse) And i thought this video was cool

I have that Squier Strat same color and everything Mine was also used but the one in the video was a lot nicer than mine

Good info, well explained. Thanks

Thank you, very helpful. Well done

Good video - couple of small points. I don't like steel wool - little bits break off stick in the fretboard and then in humid conditions they will rust - ugly mess - you can use a green nylon pot scourer instead - works just as well. The Linseed oil thing - dispose of the oily rag carefully - these are infamous for catching fire spontaneously - either put it in a ziploc bag (exclude the oxygen) or throw it on the barbie and burn it under control.

With respect, this information is a little misleading IMO. Yes it's set up well but at the end of the day, the hardware & electrical components are of a lesser quality than what you'd see on a £1000 instrument and it could still struggle to stay in tune and isn't going to sound great.....but if you address that, yes you can easily end up with a guitar at least as good as a £1000 one. You can easily replace the tuners, plastic nut, trem block & bridge assembly for around £60 and get good stable tuners, a bone nut, and a full sized steel block because the cheap trem blocks are usually a crappy toneless zinc alloy and half the size of what you'll get in a £1000 guitar and they rob you of tone. Then, research as to which pots, caps, pickup selector switch, and wire the expensive guitars have inside them and replace the cheaper components with those, it'll cost around £40-£50. Those electrical parts will make more of an improvement in sound than anything else. Buy a new set of alnico magnet pickups and chuck away the usual stock harsh ceramic magnet ones. You don't have to overspend, you can buy a set of perfectly good pickups for £50 max from places like guitar fetish for example. Lastly level, crown, & dress the frets, sort out the neck relief, install all the new parts, set up the nut because nut sauce etc is more of a remedy than a cure and a well slotted nut means you won't need the lube, and adjust the intonation...... THEN after all that , you will have a guitar that plays and sounds like a high end guitar, and the improved parts will cost around £160. The cheap guitars are perfect for improving upon because mostly the body & neck materials are the same as expensive ones, and you can buy cheap guitars for much less than £85, and even under £50 so all in all you can make a high quality guitar for a little over £200 with some time & effort. 👍

That was a really useful video. Thank you.

Thank you gentlemen: this was very helpful.