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

[phavriluk]

I suspect the buyer responded to the bone nut! bone saddle! chorus who makes a lot of these noises and the buyer didn't consider that their own alterations to the guitar just killed any complementary setup the seller offered. The seller seems to have offered some tweaking and adjusting, and perhaps won't be willing - and maybe not able - to do work on a modified instrument.

[tinnitus]

Whether or not OP's guitar is still eligible for complimentary work, I notice something missing from 99% of these threads I see about set-ups.

What strings will you end up using?

If possible (most likely if you've played for years), preferred string gauge is important to know before paying someone to do a precise set-up on a new/new-used instrument.

I played guitars in two big shops yesterday (8-10 in each place). Given my quirky string preferences (for decades), I knew I'd have to switch gauges on anything I might buy for gigging.

With that in mind, set-up is a skill-set worth learning if you buy/trade a lot. Scary? Maybe start with a garage sale beater first.

[Br1ck]

I would not expect a complimentary setup to include any fret work. And altering your guitar might not be looked on as a good thing either. You may have doubled the work needed. A setup on a new guitar is pretty basic stuff.

[movehome]

Well I dropped the guitar off today and asked them to lower the action at the nut, adjust the relief, and lower the overall action. They seemed happy to do that.

I don't think swapping the nut and saddle would create any more work. The replacement parts fit well and the stock parts weren't exactly set up well from the factory as its a very cheap guitar.

The guy said he would get the action low with no fret buzz. I had also paid them for an extra year of "performance warranty" on top of the original year which just means they're willing to set up the guitar again for me if it needs it. If swapping out a nut and saddle voided this they could have mentioned that when I bought and paid for it.

Edit - I just checked their description of the performance warranty on their site and it doesn't say anything about modifying the guitar voiding the warranty, although funny thing is it says buying additional years doesn't get you additional free setups lol the guy who sold me the guitar literally said it's a good deal because I can get another setup after a year.

[movehome]

Update - Received the guitar back and I'm happy with the setup. They did more work than I expected!

Here are the notes:

Dressed sharp fret ends
Measured nut and lowered to factory spec
Measured neck relief and adjusted truss rod
Measured saddle height and set string height to .060" treble side, .070" bass side (measured at 12th fret)
Check intonation
Polish and clean


When I gave him the guitar he said he would get the action as low as possible without buzzing. It could definitely be lower than it is now as I have other guitars with lower action that don't give me any fret buzz issues. It's still good though. Seems more like how a "well setup" guitar would come from the factory.

We also talked about the sharp fret ends and he said he "knows for sure" that they're caused by changes happening to the wood as it's shipped from China. I'm skeptical because if this was true you'd find higher-end Chinese made guitars with brutal fret ends... but I've never seen one as bad as this guitar I just had setup.

[phavriluk]

What a positive comment on the benefits of a dealer finishing up a factory guitar. And a tale of the good that comes from thoughtfully paying attention to that factory guitar and how much more playable and enjoyable the instrument will be after getting fettled into shape.

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by movehome

When I gave him the guitar he said he would get the action as low as possible without buzzing. It could definitely be lower than it is now as I have other guitars with lower action that don't give me any fret buzz issues.

Honestly, "as low as possible without buzzing" is a pretty meaningless statement. I can make pretty much any guitar buzz.

It's massively dependent on playing style, technique, and attack.

Perfect action without buzzing for a fingerstyle player is different than for a bluegrasser.

[Br1ck]

You should remember, a good shop will take more care making sure a $2000 import plays really well before it hits the showroom than they will with a $500 guitar. It's just economics. I'd also assume they know a whole lot more than you, as they see hundreds of guitars.

[Steve DeRosa]

[phavriluk]

A little encouragement can go a long way...

[Charlie Bernstein]

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.

No. Just tell them how you want it and ask them to go through their usual drill. It's like having a garage do a bumper-to-bumper go-over. They have a things-to-do list and, if they're reputable, will do them.

[tinnitus]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

What is that Steve, a cat-o-eight tails? Inflation seems to be taking its toll everywhere!

[rmp]

What was the reasons behind replacing the nut and saddle?

Both of those parts you have swapped out have quite a bit to do, well just about everything actually, with action on an acoustic.

Nut slot depts, saddle height, even if they seemed "close" as replacement parts, a very small amount of change makes a significant difference in how something plays.

regarding your question, getting the most out of the tech it really has everything to do with the person you hire to do the work.

Not all techs are created equal. Get some references and some idea on how others view their work.

A good tech will file those fret ends. If they are REALLY good, you wont even have to ask.

For now, try putting the original saddle and nut back and see if it plays any better. The replacements may need some adjustments to get you where you want to be action wise.

best of luck!