How do I set up a guitar after switching to flatwounds?

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After fitting flatwounds, check relief, intonation and nut slots. Flatwound sets are usually heavier and feel firmer than roundwounds, so the neck may need a small truss rod adjustment. Most flatwound sets also have a wound 3rd string, which needs a different saddle position than a plain 3rd. Pickup height may need a touch up too. Flatwounds change the feel and the tone. A short setup check makes sure the guitar plays as well as it sounds.Steps after switching:Install the set and let it settle, retuning several times over a day.Check relief. If the action rose in the middle of the neck, tighten the truss rod slightly, or have a tech do it.Check the nut. Heavier flats may sit high or bind in slots cut for a lighter set.Set intonation. The wound 3rd usually needs its saddle moved further back than a plain 3rd.Balance the pickups. Flatwounds have fewer high overtones, so adjust height by ear if the balance changed.Choosing a gauge: flatwound sets run heavier than roundwounds, so a .011 flatwound feels familiar if you normally play .010 roundwounds. Our Power Flat sets are F1150 Light (.011–.050) and F1252 Medium (.012–.052).If you want less finger noise but more brightness than a true flatwound, our Semi-Flat Silencers, such as SL1046, sit between roundwound and flatwound and need less setup change.

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