Paul_59 Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Learning to play on new ES 335. Is it worth the cost of a professional guitar set up on a non budget new Gibson, or would the benefits be more for an accomplished player (certainly not where I am currently) Your views sought please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 It's my opinion that a minimal setup is required on every new guitar after it's delivered to it's end user. This would include (at least) new strings, truss rod, intonation, string height, nut check/lube, and maybe even a fret "polish". The reason for this is NOT lack of QC at the factory, but the fact that many things on a guitar change with the variance of temperature and humidity. You're really having your guitar setup for your "climate" conditions. For (extreme) example, a guitar built and setup at the factory in Tennessee in the summer, and shipped to Montana in the winter, will be completely whacked out. The benefits of a properly setup guitar are even greater for the beginner, as a guitar that plays easily, plays/stays in tune, and sounds good will help in the learning curve, by if nothing else, making you want to play it MORE. The more you play, the better you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 ^-- what he said.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_59 Posted January 6, 2017 Author Share Posted January 6, 2017 Thanks to both for your advice. Setup it will be! Now all I have to decide is where in Manchester UK us reputable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 post something in this LP forum with just that (eg: Luthier in Manchester UK Area sought)... there are a number of regulars on this board that live around those parts and probably have some advice. there's also the place you bought from if it's a brick&mortar store, they may have someone in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dReit1 Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Welcome to the board. Not sure about Manchester but Vic Christian of Fret Friend/Christian Guitars is in Nottingham and is reportedly very good. ngoneseven@gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyA Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 You should be able to find your closest Gibson Service Center also there and you can have it set up there. Just go to Gibson website and look for Service Center locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Try Dawsons and PMT.....both have Manchester stores.....each will have in-house technicians familiar with Gibsons..... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Matt Ryan Luthier Services 13 Westward Ho, Milnrow, Rochdale OL16 3JX Phone:01706 711829 Eddie Green 16 Ribblesdale Close Kirkham Preston PR4 2HT 01772 673744 edwardgreen246@btinternet.com Tito Dalmedo Dalmedo Custom Guitars and repairs Deborah Avenue Preston PR2 9HU 07989 168597 dalmedoguitars.co.uk All come highly recommended. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayyj Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 I'm based in Manchester and work in the guitar trade so I can give you a few contacts. Glen, who works out of the shop I work for in Manchester - Forsyths on Deansgate - is a great tech. Since I have a business link with Glen, in the interests of objectivity I can also recommend a couple of others I have first hand experience of. Steve Robinson who has the www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk website: he's based in Sale and is a fantastic repairer and a lovely guy to deal with. He's always been my go to guy for lacquer touch ups and he usually had something interesting on his bench when I call in. Matt Ryan is out Rochdale way and has done a fair bit of work for me over the years, he's great. He used to be the house repairer for Sounds Great. I've always heard good things about the guy who has a shop in the PMT store in Salford although I've never used him myself. Hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_59 Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Thanks to all of you who took the time to help me with advice. I finally decided on Steve Robinson (Manchester guitar tech) Who as Jayyj rightly says is a lovely guy. Phoned yesterday afternoon, invited me to go around same day, told me it could be ready next day (today) Called me back late morning to say ready to collect. Looks to be a really great setup, has transformed playability (original bone nut cut too shallow) Really pleased with the results, just rather sad that Gibson Memphis couldn't have supplied it in this state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Thanks to all of you who took the time to help me with advice. I finally decided on Steve Robinson (Manchester guitar tech) Who as Jayyj rightly says is a lovely guy. Phoned yesterday afternoon, invited me to go around same day, told me it could be ready next day (today) Called me back late morning to say ready to collect. Looks to be a really great setup, has transformed playability (original bone nut cut too shallow) Really pleased with the results, just rather sad that Gibson Memphis couldn't have supplied it in this state. IMO it is often not fair to put pressure on Gibson to supply the 'perfect' guitar to all climates in the world....:blink: Guitars can sometimes play perfectly 'out of the box' Guitars will often need a 'tweak' from time to time.....including £10000+ top of the range models V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_59 Posted January 11, 2017 Author Share Posted January 11, 2017 IMO it is often not fair to put pressure on Gibson to supply the 'perfect' guitar to all climates in the world....:blink: Guitars can sometimes play perfectly 'out of the box' Guitars will often need a 'tweak' from time to time.....including £10000+ top of the range models V Thanks for your reply, I am not sufficiently experienced or knowledgeable to disagree personally, however whilst I have read similar advice no doubt genuinely given I recently watched a YouTube video rant about Gibson (modern, post 1997) guitars, the gist of the guy's opinion was he had loads of guitars, at least 6 to 10 visible hanging on his wall, He went on to describe having lived in a cold state Michigan for years then moving to very different climate in Florida, claimed not to have noticed temperature and humidity difference leading to setup problems. Critique on quality control He went on to cite examples of Ibanez guitars made in Malaysia and exported to US that played great straight out of crate. I am not certain what to believe, humidity and temperature changes would seem to logically be capable of effecting some changes, but why more so in some manufacturer's products. In the short time since revitalising my interest in guitars I can't help noticing how modern Gibson guitars don't seem to be held in high esteem as widely as I remember from late 1970s,or is that a trick of memory? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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