Professional Setup question

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ian Miller on June 2, 2012 at 3:51pm

Hi Rex,

I took my Maritime MJ to the local luthier when I bought it new just have the action tweaked and to see if anything else needed looking at, and again about a year later. I live on Vancouver Island, BC, and conditions here are quite humid most of the year. They don't call it the "Wet Coast" for nothing! I run a dehumidifier in the room I keep my guitars in and confirmation from the luthier that  my "environment" was not adversely affecting my instruments was reasuring.

Permalink Reply by John Robinson on June 4, 2012 at 3:08pm

I have the same guitar.  I lowered the string height a little at both the nut and the saddle and it made the guitar noticeably easier to play. 

You can always take a couple of quick measurements yourself.  Spend $4 on a set of feeler gauges at your local auto parts store.  There's a ton of information online about what action is high or low.  If your measurements are on the high side, it's probably worth taking it in to have some work done.  I did the work myself, but the nut files I needed cost more than one setup would have.  If you only have one guitar and not much guitar DIY experience, a professional setup is probably the lowest cost option.

That SWS MJ is an excellent guitar.  I love mine.

Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on June 2, 2012 at 3:54pm

If you're having zero problems then I can't see paying for a set-up.  But, there is always the possiblility after a year that some form of adjustment might be beneficial.    You may find that having an honest guitar tech just take a look might be worthwhile   An honest tech is not going to charge you for a whole set-up if you need nothing more than a slight tweak to the truss rod.  Ask around and find someone that is both trustworthy and knows what they're doing.  And rest assured that there are plenty out there who qualify on neither account.

Permalink Reply by Ron Khoo on June 2, 2012 at 8:34pm

I second that no setup if no problem.  I once had a bad setup where the guy changed the saddle and nut, left a mark on the wood around the nut and made the playability worse.  It went from light buzzing to a too high action.  A second setup many years later where a different person reduced the nut solved the problem.

Permalink Reply by Richard Rambler on June 3, 2012 at 9:22am

If it ain"t broke, don't fix it. Proper maintenance/ playing habits = a guitar that stays "set up" Every time you re-string, use lemon oil on the finger board & bridge, clean the frets with steel wool, & string it properly. Those windings at the ball end of the strings become a saw if they're not inserted into the holes on the bridge properly. De-tune it if you take it on vacation or store it for any length of time. If your house is not air conditioned, put a packet of silica gel in the case to control excess humidity, in the winter, use a humidifier. If you treat your guitar like an heirloom, it will be around long enough to become one!

Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on June 3, 2012 at 12:14pm

Indeed!

Permalink Reply by Rex Edmonds on June 3, 2012 at 2:46pm

Thanks for the advice. Thats kinda what I was thinking. I want to take it in to get a strap button and a strap. While there I was going to ask if I needed adjustments. Now if he pushes or leans heavily to having it done he may be suspect in the honesty department.

Permalink Reply by Craig MC on June 3, 2012 at 3:43pm

We're all still learning, Rex. I'd say have a real tech look at it and make a suggestion. The action is a fairly subjective affair, though. When I started playing, I bought a used S&P Pro Rosewood, and I played it and loved it for a year before I decided to get it looked at. The tech said he thought the strings were a bit high, so he adjusted the neck and saddle. I was amazed at how much easier it was to play it.

By the way, here's a link to a cat near me who does a serious, full-blown setup, just to give you an idea of what can/should be involved. The Guitar Guild

 

Permalink Reply by Ron Khoo on June 4, 2012 at 7:00am

The Guitar Guild seems to have reasonable prices and the luthier knows what he is doing.  If I live nearer to Buffalo, I would go and visit the shop.

But unless the luthier is good and honest, I would avoid a setup unless it is needed.  

Permalink Reply by DJ on June 4, 2012 at 9:35am

Richard has it right in my mind. If it ain't broke don't fix it.!!!!!!

If you play a lot you know when something is not right.

Permalink Reply by Craig MC on June 4, 2012 at 2:50pm

Not necessarily, and again, I'm speaking from my own experience. I just didn't know the playability of my instrument could be improved. As my playing has progressed, how I hear the guitar and how it feels in my hands has changed and become more fine-tuned. I'm starting to be able to recognize when a guitar feels and sounds "right". That last bit will be different for everyone. Rex will eventually figure it out, too, and maybe he already has. Letting a good guitar tech/luthier give it a spin to optimize it for him is a good idea.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it... ;-)

Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on June 4, 2012 at 5:17pm

I have to agree, that we don't always know "what we don't know" ... I played a poorly set-up Silvertone for 4-5 years as a youngster before basically putting it away and sticking with my electric, giving up on acoustics for a long, long time.  Only buying a wonderful, easy to play Seagull S-6 not too long back got me interested again.  In my ignorance, I thought acoustics were just too hard to play for years and years.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page