Electric guitar setup

Novice

Hi. A newbie question. After 7 months of learning on an acoustic, i got a Benson retro electric for Xmas. My question is do i need to set anything up or is it just tune up and play? There is a screw in the scratch plate and a triangular shaped piecec of plastic with 3 screws above the fretboard. The guitar came with no documentation. Thank you

drwiddly

Just tune it up to begin with. If it's ok then just go ahead and play it. If the action (distance of the strings from the fretboard) is really high then it will need a set up.

the triangular cover behind the nut is the truss rod cover. Don't touch the truss rod unless you know what you're doing. As a completely newbie you should probably take the guitar to a tech, if it needs work or get a knowledgeable friend to help. Lots of info here and on YouTube if you want to learn to do it yourself.

ESBlonde

There are a number of vids on yootoob that detail how to set up an electric guitar. If you are a competent DIYer then watch several and decide a) if you need any kind of setup. b) If you fancy having a go yourself.

Whilst not difficult, some tools are required and an understanding and appreciation of what action results in a particular improvement and also in which order it's best to tackle those actions.

If you plan to buy several guitars in your playing career then the knowledge can serve you well, there is a lot to be said for having a professional give it the once over.

Novice

Thankyou very much for your advice