Why aren't new guitars set up properly?

[BrunoBlack]

Every new guitar I've purchased has been set up properly. A few needed to be tweaked for my personal preference, but could have been left alone for many players.

[TBman]

Martins seem to come set up for flatpicking, but high so it can be adjusted down if need be. You can shave a saddle down, but if it's too low you have to start over with a new saddle.

[Monsoon1]

Originally Posted by Jambi

Aren't Martin's known for 'higher' action for more volume, and let's be real... their reputation as traditional guitars? I thought that was part of the Taylor appeal when they hit the market, their reputation for great playability.

I would imagine the only plus really is the increase of volume with higher action.

I don't understand why higher strings would be louder.

[gadgetfreak]

I just bought a HD28 and setup out of the Martin box with stock 13's was great 6/64ths Low E and 4/64th's High E. Ironically I'm dropping it off for my luthier to check out which I started another thread about but straight from the factory I think Martin has been doing really good. It's when they sit on the wall at a store forever that things tend to go south.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Monsoon1

I don't understand why higher strings would be louder.

They are not louder .... they are perceived as being louder because it requires more effort to fret them with the left hand, and subconsciously this makes the player strum or pick harder with the right hand.

Higher strings also mean that you can play harder without buzzing , which again creates the illusion that higher strings are louder per se.

[AndrewG]

I remember the days, long ago, when I didn't even know guitars could be set up, and I just got on with torturing myself! But the fact remains that there is no one-size-fits-all. Like buying a suit off the peg; the trousers might be too long, or the jacket waist could do with taking in a bit (those were the days!). Factory-made guitars are really no different in that respect, so you get an average set up to be tweaked to your taste. I don't think I ever came across an acoustic guitar that didn't need sorting out before I felt comfortable with it.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Monsoon1

lower action doesn't prevent one from whaling away.

Tony Rice comes to mind; he played that Martin with an action so low most folk would find it impossible to play without horrendous buzzing. Yet he made that D-28 sing.

[HodgdonExtreme]

Thanks for all the great replies!

I guess "correct setup" is as subjective as "correct tone"...

... I've much to learn!

[slianto]

IMO,

i think SOME of it have something to do with climate change (humidity/temp) during shipping..so the neck tension could change. (maybe).

but i also heard that some factory set the action higher so can be lowered as buyer's liking, rather than set it too low and if the buyer like low action then they have a hard time to make it higher (rather than lower it)..especially if the neck set is good and need to setup the bridge/saddle.

just my 2cents

[redir]

Originally Posted by Lovcom

Sorry for sounding cynical, but could it be that guitar manufacturers are shipping non-set up guitars to retailers as an inducement to retailers to make a bit more profit by selling set ups?

We never charged a customer who bought a new guitar for a setup. So I don't think so. I think it's a bit of laziness on manufactures and or just easier and cheaper to do average setups. In a factory you don't want to cut that nut slot to such perfection that one stoke of the file means you blew the nut and have to redo it.

Originally Posted by murrmac123

They are not louder .... they are perceived as being louder because it requires more effort to fret them with the left hand, and subconsciously this makes the player strum or pick harder with the right hand.

Higher strings also mean that you can play harder without buzzing , which again creates the illusion that higher strings are louder per se.

But buzz, even acceptable levels of buzz, does sap energy out of the string and energy is volume isn't it? So is it an illusion or is it real?

[golfnut]

I bought my D-28 Authentic from MFG and it came almost perfect. I like my action really low. I took it to Folkway and they tweeked it a bit but not much really needed to be done. I also bought a D-18 GE from MFG and it was perfect.
When I first bought my HD28V from Long&Mcquade about 9 years ago the action was high but I put up with it for about 3 years before finally bringing it in for a setup.
I have no idea if MFG did anything as far as setup. I know when I go in to Folkway music every guitar on the wall is set up perfectly as they set up all their guitars.

[roylor4]

I was just commenting on this last night to my wife. I bought her a Seagull Grand for her birthday. Not a dirt-cheap guitar but relatively inexpensive in the scheme of things. The setup is perfect.

I understand guitars having higher saddles so you can customize your setup. Guitars that have super high nut slots - That, I don't get. Sloppy and lazy cost-cutting measure from manufacturers IMO. If Seagull can get it right with a $400 guitar, there's no reason other makers can't and don't (except for greed).

[Mr. Jelly]

Santa Cruz guitars are built in a climate controlled environment that is an average. So when they go to either a dry climate or a humid climate they will be okay.
Both my SC guitars were and are perfect as received.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Lovcom

Sorry for sounding cynical, but could it be that guitar manufacturers are shipping non-set up guitars to retailers as an inducement to retailers to make a bit more profit by selling set ups?

Wrong. Most dealers include an initial setup for the purchaser. Is it so hard to understand that what YOU like as a setup may not be what I like?

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by HodgdonExtreme

Are there folks that prefer a high action and/or fret buzz???

Players who mostly strum open chords, for example singer-songwriters will get a volume/tone benefit from the action being just a little higher... Players who do a lot of flat-pick lead will benefit from it being just a little lower than normal or as one tech put it to me "as low as possible without buzz".

Two of the three techs I've talked with in Houston about guitar setup hold to the simple mentality "as low as possible without buzz". That's their standard setup, which sort of makes sense as most players willing to pay for setup want the action very low so they can play faster with ease.

But one thing AGF has taught me is that a good setup tailored to the players play style or at minimum a return to the baseline factory spec which the guitar drifted away from in transport from factory to warehouse to retailer