I think what he/she meant was that the heli is supposed to hover at approximately 5 degrees pitch. For learning, I'd suggest -2 degrees when the stick is all the way back, and +9 degrees at full forward stick. This is what I used to learn to hover, and I think it was ok. Not too sensitive.

The best way to set the correct pitch angles is probably by using a pitch meter. If there is a heli club near you, you might be able to borrow one - or even better - get someone with experience to help you. If you have a tachometer, a good starting point is 1500 rpm (main rotor) for hovering.

I found a lot of good info here: http://www.littlerotors.com/setup/
...but nothing is better than the experienced pilots in your club.