How can I get the most out of a guitar tech setting up my guitar?

[movehome]

I bought a new guitar from a large chain store the other day. They offer complimentary setups, but before asking them to do that I took the guitar home and to play for a few days first and to replace the nut and saddle with bone ones. I did that today and it worked out well.. I didn't seem to mess anything up and the new parts fit.

However, the guitar really needs a setup now. The action is too high at the nut and too high overall. Apart from asking the store to work on those two things, is there anything else I should ask them to check? It's a cheap guitar and the fret edges are all really sharp but I'm not sure if they'd work on that as part of a complimentary setup.

[rick-slo]

Ideally play the guitar a bit with them there to get an idea of how you play. Point out the setup issues you may have. Have them work on it and then
check it out while in the store to see if all is good.

[movehome]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Ideally play the guitar a bit with them there to get an idea of how you play. Point out the setup issues you may have. Have them work on it and then
check it out while in the store to see if all is good.

Thanks I'll do that.

[sinistral]

As rick-slo said, it’s helpful to play the guitar a bit and discuss preferences with the tech. You will likely want to have the tech file the nut slots in the new nut, adjust the relief in a moderate range and then set the action to a preferred height if you have one. On most of my guitars, the action at the 12th of the 6th string is a little over 2mm (~2.3mm) and the action at the 12th fret of the 1st string is around 2mm. If you have a guitar that you like the feel of, measure it to get an idea.

While filing sharp fret ends would typically not be part of the basic set up, if you trust the tech to do it, I would have the tech dress the fret ends. It will make playing the guitar much more enjoyable. Make sure that the guitar is properly humidified when you have all of the adjustments made.

[phavriluk]

And see about leveling the frets before setting the relief - - - on a level fretboard. No idea if this is the right venue for the job, but it sure would be a good thing to do.

[Birdbrain]

I don't know the whole story, but I don't think I'd buy a new guitar that had sharp fret ends. On an old guitar, you might have to work with that, but this sounds like a manufacturing defect.

[Zissou Intern]

If you have a guitar at home that you like, taking it and the new guitar to your tech can be helpful. Measurements can be made, and your tech can understand how you want the new guitar to feel. That feel is often not quantifiable.

[Guitars44me]

Sinestral is right! You want to have the guitar (and case too) at proper humidity when the work is done.

Lots of info here if you search…. Usually 45% RH. And it may take a while to get there if your RH at home is much different.

Good luck with getting it just where you want!!

Paul

[phavriluk]

Those sharp fret ends are standard features on inexpensive guitars; it's one step to shave off the cost of manufacture. Something's gotta give when the price is low. A jeweler's flat file and some masking tape and some wet-or-dry sandpaper and owners can safely do a good job of that by themselves. Ten bucks and a couple of hours to bond with the instrument....

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Birdbrain

I don't know the whole story, but I don't think I'd buy a new guitar that had sharp fret ends. On an old guitar, you might have to work with that, but this sounds like a manufacturing defect.

This could indicate a dry guitar….

Or not.

Paul

[Monty Christo]

Originally Posted by movehome

the fret edges are all really sharp but I'm not sure if they'd work on that as part of a complimentary setup.

Can't hurt to ask. However, guitars can get dry during shipping and storage, so try humidifying the guitar properly for a few days and see if the sharp frets improve. If they don't, a good tech can file them smooth.

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by movehome

I bought a new guitar from a large chain store the other day. They offer complimentary setups, but before asking them to do that I took the guitar home and to play for a few days first and to replace the nut and saddle with bone ones. I did that today and it worked out well.. I didn't seem to mess anything up and the new parts fit.

However, the guitar really needs a setup now. The action is too high at the nut and too high overall. Apart from asking the store to work on those two things, is there anything else I should ask them to check? It's a cheap guitar and the fret edges are all really sharp but I'm not sure if they'd work on that as part of a complimentary setup.

A couple of things.

First, they may still be willing to do it, but it seems that asking them to perform a setup on it after you've swapped out two the two primary components adjusted during a setup, seems a bit much. You've likely created more work for them... I mean, is the action higher now than it was before you did that work?

Second, if you're competent enough to replace the nut, and fit it well, then doing a setup should be easy peasy for you. If not, you probably shouldn't have taken on that work yourself.

The sharp frets are possibly (though not necessarily) the result of the guitar not being properly humidified, and as such might be the the result of a certain lack of proper care on their part, and that might encourage them to do the work. But it depends on HOW they're sharp

But, realistically, in my opinion, now that you've altered the guitar you can't really expect that much from them.

[stokes1971]

You changed the nut and bridge saddle, no shop is going to give you a "complimentary set up" on a guitar you have already modified. Generally a "complimentary set up" is merely a truss adj and maybe adj of the bridge saddle. In fact, I wouldnt trust a chain store tech to do much more that that.

[phavriluk]

I associated sharp fret ends with inexpensive guitar cost control, frets being lopped off and minimally dressed. Comments have drifted toward fret sprouting from dryness, the neck drying and shrinking which I discounted figuring that a large proportion of inexpensive guitars will have rough-cut fret ends, fewer with drying necks.

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by phavriluk

I associated sharp fret ends with inexpensive guitar cost control, frets being lopped off and minimally dressed. Comments have drifted toward fret sprouting from dryness, the neck drying and shrinking which I discounted figuring that a large proportion of inexpensive guitars will have rough-cut fret ends, fewer with drying necks.

Right... it could be either one (and possibly both), and without pics we have no way of knowing. Pretty sure everybody that mentioned humidity said that it was a possibility, not a certainty.