#1
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Any reason for a professional setup?
If you know how to adjust the truss rod/relief yourself and know how to
sand a saddle (if needed), is there any other reason to pay to have a professional do a setup on a new guitar? I don't do any nut filing, so if the nut height is fine, what else could they do that I can't? This is assuming the neck is straight and the frets are good.
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Gear: PRS Hollowbody II Piezo, Martin HPL 000, PRS Angelus A60E, Martin 000-15M |
#2
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If you have those skills, then the only thing I could think of would be paying for a professional's experience if something didn't go right or if a different tool were necessary.
I'm pretty good at learning from reading and know a decent amount about electricity. The few times I opened up any type of fixture, never looked like it 'should have'. I 'nope' my way out of anything electric nowadays. The other thing I personally look at is things that have a 'one time cost'. Purchasing an item I am not bothered with the 'buy it for life' mentality for many things. My cable bill and cell phone bill for the family drives me completely insane. Aside from the Twin Peaks revival, yes I'm one of those, I don't watch TV and no one ever calls me on my cell just to say, "Hi". I get the call when there's a problem. That's me. I'm weird.
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-- Patience is a strength, not a weakness; and if by practicing patience we stop retaliating to harm and criticism, people will gradually come to understand that our real nature is very special. |
#3
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It depends.
If you know how to change your car’s oil and air filter, is there any reason to take your car to a professional mechanic for a tune-up? If your car doesn’t need a tune-up, no you don’t. The question hinges, in part, on whether you’re able to correctly determine if it needs more than an oil and filter change. Ditto for taking your guitar in for a professional setup. A skilled professional repair person does more in a stup than simply adjusting the truss rod s sanding the bottom of the saddle. Can you correctly determine what needs to be done to optimize playability? If so, you probably don’t need the services of a professional. |
#4
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I can't tell you how many times people have been shocked at how much better their guitars played when they took it to me for a set up. I don't mean to brag, I'm saying a pro set up in general by a qualified tech can make a difference. You don't know what you don't know till you know it. That kind of thing.. I'd say often times it's probably 75% of the times the nut. Most nuts even on nice factory guitars can be tuned up better.
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#5
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Gear: PRS Hollowbody II Piezo, Martin HPL 000, PRS Angelus A60E, Martin 000-15M |
#6
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belittle any luthiers out there, I am just trying to determine if it's realistic to expect them to do anything I couldn't myself. Normally what I do myself is this: 1- check the relief, adjust as needed 2- check nut height 3- check neck angle 4- remover the old strings 5- polish the frets with steel wool 6- clean the fretboard and oil it 7 - install new strings 8 - check relief again 9 - check action height, if needed sand saddle to fine tune 8 - final check of relief and maybe tweak it a little more
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Gear: PRS Hollowbody II Piezo, Martin HPL 000, PRS Angelus A60E, Martin 000-15M |
#7
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I last had a "professional" set up in the 90s. The guy broke the nut then charged me for a new one. And this guy was a luminary among repairmen at the time. Unless the neck has fallen off, I now do my own work.
Last edited by Nymuso; 06-13-2018 at 03:37 PM. |
#8
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If a person knows what they are looking at then why would you need another person to tell you what you know? Allot of these people are not that good.
It can be costly but these skills can be learned easily. It doesn't have to cost you but there is a learning curve. If a person has a guitar that is in good shape and isn't in need of work then chances are it won't need everything. You can easily learn to measure if the nut needs work or the neck relief is okay and if the string height needs lowered or raised. Google it. None of these measurements is going to damage a guitar. Once learned you know you can trust yourself to do the job correctly. It's a teach a man to fish type of thing. Most guitar players learn how to do some things them self over time. But there is only so much a person can do to the playability of a guitar. You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
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Waterloo WL-S, K & K mini Waterloo WL-S Deluxe, K & K mini Iris OG, 12 fret, slot head, K & K mini Follow The Yellow Brick Road |
#9
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I couldn’t agree more. Yes I can complete a good setup but there are times that my guitars go to a pro. A pro setup vs my setup may be close but the difference of using a pro can be the difference between liking a guitar and loving a guitar.
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Taylor V-Class 814ce, 717e BE WHB, 520ce, 454ce, 420 Cedar\Maple, T5z Classic Martin D18E Retro Cordoba C10 Crossover Emerald X20 Rainsong H-OM1000N2 Voyage-Air VAD-04 Custom Les Paul Hot Rod Deville 410, Fishman Loudbox Performer |
#10
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I used to believe that anyone who wanted to could make a guitar. Three apprentices later, I've learned that that isn't true. More than three decades of fixing the repairs that people have done for themselves has taught me otherwise. Some can, some can't: know thyself. Quote:
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#11
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I take my guitars to a (my) pro for a setup for two reasons:
He has more experience and can probably do a better job than me. I like building a relationship both to support the luthier community and so there’s a pre-established relationship for when I need more serious work. (And he’s a great guy) |
#12
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That's great! I would also if I could. But there aren't any to speak of in this part of the country. Shipping a guitar around the country for every little tweak a person wants is not reasonable. At least to me.
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Waterloo WL-S, K & K mini Waterloo WL-S Deluxe, K & K mini Iris OG, 12 fret, slot head, K & K mini Follow The Yellow Brick Road |
#13
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But a comparison if I may. I can cook barbeque ribs and chips for tea tonight, I know how, I can buy the ingredients, I have been cooking for 40 yrs, so why would I go out for tea and pay someone to make me barbeque ribs and chips. Whilst I know my food is good, it still does not taste as good as the one I purchase at the local pub. Reason A person does not know what they do not know. You assume the neck is straight, you assume the tolerances you work to are good, you assume your hand skills are more than adequate, you assume frets are good, you assume neck joint is good, you assume lots. Now you may be correct you may not, but unless you have a reputable person set your guitar up for you, you do not know what you are missing. Back to my comparison, I assume I know how to make barbeque ribs and chips, but man, those ribs and chips at the local pub taste so good, so I know by comparison, some of my assumptions when cooking are wrong. Steve
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Cole Clark Fat Lady Gretsch Electromatic Martin CEO7 Maton Messiah Taylor 814CE |
#14
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The quality of a setup depends on the quality of the fretwork and nut. If the fretwork and nut are good, a setup is pretty easy to do. If the frets or nut need work, that has to be done before a good setup is possible.
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Rodger Knox, PE 1917 Martin 0-28 1956 Gibson J-50 et al |
#15
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There are other things a pro will do as well: quite often the frets aren't as level as they might be, even if the guitar has been Plek'd, due to temperature/humidity changes since the guitar was at the factory. There may be fret sprout from the same source. A good tech or luthier can spot those issues and correct them. i wrote up an article about what all my luthier does when I take a new guitar in to him and it is HERE.
Bob
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"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |