Q: How do I set up my John Petrucci guitar?

A: When restringing, turn the tuner's holes toward the corresponding
nut slots. This will keep the strings as short as possible for more
stable tuning.

The next step is to check the relief in the neck by holding the lowest
string down on the second fret with your fretting hand; then hold it
down on the 12th fret with your right thumb and tap on the string on
the middle of these two points to show how straight the neck is. It
should be no more than the thickness of a thick business card, no more
than that, though it can be less. If there is no relief a little
pressure in the middle of the neck should take care of it. If it does
not, feel free to contact us.

With the guitar tuned to pitch in the playing position and looking
down the body, the top of the body, the top of the bridge should be
parallel (both front to back, bass to treble side) to or slightly
higher than the body with the bottom still recessed. The saddles
should not come in contact with the cover and the intonation
screws. If this occurs, lower the saddles and raise the bridge. After
every adjustment, it is necessary to re-tune the guitar.

Factory string setting for standard tuning starts at the bass side
2/32" (0.0254m) to 5/64" (0.127m) and the treble side is 3/64"
(0.0762m) to 2/32" (.254m) measured from the 12th fret to the bottom
of the strings. The top of the strings should have the radius of the
fretboard when you are looking at the strings in the playing position
and by rotating the instrument while at the same time bringing strings
into view one at a time. Remember, string height is ultimately
determined by your preference and playing style, as well as the string
gauge and tuning (if you you use an alternate tuning). Again, after
every adjustment it is necessary to re-tune the guitar, to give you a
starting reference.

Now, you are ready to play your guitar. If a string buzzes on an open
string to the 5th fret and no higher, more relief is needed. If there
is more buzz from the 5th to the 12th fret, the neck needs to be
straighter. You should check the string height after every
adjustment. If the buzzing happens throughout the neck, the string
height needs to be increased.

When setting up, always consider all of the other changes that will
occur with every adjustment, starting with step one, tuning up after
each step you take.

For intonation, check the harmonics to the fretted note on the twelfth
fret If the fretted note is sharp, you need to make the string longer
by turning the intonation screw for that string (located on the tail
end of the bridge) clockwise, counter-clockwise if the fretted note is
flat.If you turn the screw counter-clockwise, always turn the screw
clockwise afterwards. (If you don't play much above that fret, you can
skip the next step). Also check the harmonics at the 19th fret after
the twelfth fret is set, repeating the procedure above. Make sure that
the string is coming off of the saddle straight and not at an arch.

Q: How do I maintain the neck on my new Music Man guitar?

A: Since the neck is unfinished, it is more susceptible to humidity
changes. An occasional dose of gunstock oil will help to keep the neck
maintained; we use and recommend Birchwood-Casey Tru-oil, but any good
quality gunstock oil will work.Clean the neck first. Use a small
amount of Tru-oil, leave it on for 5 minutes, then wipe it off with a
paper towel. After that, apply Birchwood-Casey Tru-Wax. Be sure to
douse the paper towel with water before disposing of it! Read the wax
and oil manufacturer's instructions regarding disposal of these used
paper towels.

Birchwood-Casey products are available at most sporting goods or gun
stores. Their web address is http://www.birchwoodcasey.com.

Rosewood fingerboards should not be treated with the gunstock oil;
instead they should be treated with a high grade of lemon oil.

For cleaning, try using the same high grade of lemon oil to clean the
entire neck, both maple and rosewood fretboards. If the neck is very
dirty, you can use a small amount of Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 3:1 to
clean it. Keep in mind that if the dirt has gotten into the wood, it
cannot be removed except by sanding it down, which we do not
recommend. It is better to keep it clean in the first place. Washing
your hands first helps!

On an unfinished neck, some discoloration after many hours of playing
is normal.

Q: How do I remove the knobs on the John Petrucci guitar? There is a
grommet over the knob that is difficult to remove.

A: Push the grommet down towards the body (be careful not to scratch
the finish). The set screw for the knob will be exposed. Loosen the
set screw, remove the knob, then remove the grommet.