Do you do your own setups?

alligatorbling

alligatorbling

Well-Known Member
Do you do your own setups or do you take your guitar to a tech?

Years ago I learned a tremendous amount of information from the book "Guitar player repair guide" by Dan Erlewine

The first setup I ever did was on the Gibson Les Paul Classic i used to own. I tinkered with that guitar for two days straight.

I have learned a lot just by doing setups. I currently own 10 guitars and have done a setup on all of them minus my new SG, which came setup great from the factory.

Its something very gratifying about setting up your guitar yourself, plus you save a lot of money!

I tweaked the truss rod on my strat last night. Took a little bit of relief out of the neck. I always wait at least 12 hours before tweaking it again so it can settle and i can see how much it changed. This morning the neck relief was just where I wanted it.
 
I mostly do my own setups. The exception is when I come across a truly great guitar that I think will be a long time companion. Those go to a local luthier who can wring that last little bit of performance out of any stringed instrument. Once he's done his magic I can easily keep it that way.
 
do my own-- have for some time-- and getting better with age---however I am blessed to be in a region with a "collective" of skilled friends who -- if I TOTALLY "F" IT UP-- Drummoid or Hackmaster can usually take pity on me and fix it :)
ANd then I learn sumthin ;)
 
Back in the 1980'S I would buy around 65 guitars per year Guitar trader was my porn
I had a factory authorized repair man Gibson Fender Martin do all my work.
Later I had to do all the work on my guitars still do.
 
alligatorbling said:
ears ago I learned a tremendous amount of information from the book "Guitar player repair guide" by Dan Erlewine
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I have this same book, too. And also with the knowledge I've been able to absorb from this forum and ETSG, I'm very comfortable doing my own setups. A lack of commitment in investing in proper tools is keeping me from attempting fret leveling or fret redressing. However, fret polishing and smoothing out sharp fret ends is not a problem for me.
 
gball said:
I do my own. Have never had a guitar come back from a shop satisfactory so I got the tools I need and learned to do it. A setup is all about feel and no two are alike, so doing a setup “by the book” and measuring stuff just doesn’t work.
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agreed. tweak a little bit, feel it out, tweak some more, feel it out.
 
I do my own setups, and have for as long as I can remember. The only guitars that I’m at all leery about are acoustics. The only failures I’ve had have been necks that need to be refretted. One very recently, and one a little under 19 years ago.
 
Thatbastarddon said:
I do my own setups, and have for as long as I can remember. The only guitars that I’m at all leery about are acoustics. The only failures I’ve had have been necks that need to be refretted. One very recently, and one a little under 19 years ago.
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i have a really cheap ibanez acoustic that cost probably 150 dollars. its the only acoustic i have. i got it to play so much better than the stock setup (and it does play great now. a friend who owns martins complimented the feel of the guitar)

I sanded down the saddle, bit by bit until was near perfect, i shimmed it on one side with a folded piece of paper. i got the truss rod just right. it play great now.
 
gball said:
I do my own. Have never had a guitar come back from a shop satisfactory so I got the tools I need and learned to do it. A setup is all about feel and no two are alike, so doing a setup “by the book” and measuring stuff just doesn’t work.
Click to expand...
Then you are going to the wrong shop. The guy I use when I have a really special guitar spends some time talking to you to find out what you like and what you don’t like about the guitar he is going to work on. He wants to know where you play, live or at home, what type of music, etc. etc. Out of a hundred or so guitars I’ve owned he has worked on three of mine. All three came back better than I could have done. I watched him finish off a setup on one of my guitars. He was doing the final intonation. It was worth the price of the setup to watch him. That is still the best intonated guitar I own and he worked on at it least five or six string changes ago.
 
alligatorbling said:
Do you do your own setups or do you take your guitar to a tech?

Years ago I learned a tremendous amount of information from the book "Guitar player repair guide" by Dan Erlewine

The first setup I ever did was on the Gibson Les Paul Classic i used to own. I tinkered with that guitar for two days straight.

I have learned a lot just by doing setups. I currently own 10 guitars and have done a setup on all of them minus my new SG, which came setup great from the factory.

Its something very gratifying about setting up your guitar yourself, plus you save a lot of money!

I tweaked the truss rod on my strat last night. Took a little bit of relief out of the neck. I always wait at least 12 hours before tweaking it again so it can settle and i can see how much it changed. This morning the neck relief was just where I wanted it.
Click to expand...


Are you sure your name isn't Col Mustard?
 
,I change my own strings that's it, setups and cleanings done once a year from a Luthier. My guitars were bought new. And the guy I take them to, knows what I want and he makes em play like butter. Its finding that person who listens to what you want and is knowledgeable at setting up guitars properly. There are always some who claim they are Masters at doing all things, those are the one's I stay away from. I have learned from experience over the years.
 
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