SJ 200 Set Up

[izston]

Hi,

In 2012 I bought a new SJ200 Standard.

 

I have been unable to confirm through internet research if my guitar would have been set up during production using 'Plek' technology.

I would appreciate any thoughts or knowledge on the subject.

 

Over the years I have read various thoughts on getting a new acoustic guitar set up professionally after purchase.

I am not unhappy with the factory set up of the SJ 200 but compared to an old hummingbird I have the action on the 200 does feel a little high (the playability on the hummingbird does feel more effortless). I am a bit cautious about getting the action lowered on the 200 as I believe this guitar gets some of its volume from the 'potentially' high action.

 

I would be willing to get the guitar set up professionally if I thought the benefit would be noticed in it's playability.

 

Any opinions from players would be appreciated from a purely amateur lounge room guitar player.

 

thank you

izston

[Versatile]

Hi and welcome to the forums....

 

A question frequently asked by owners of top range expensive guitars

 

The guitar in question is 4 years old....so it would be reasonable to have a 'once over' check by a professional technician...

 

String action can be a real concern....particularly with acoustic guitars that do not have adjustable bridges like a typical electric guitar

 

Suggest talking to the original supplier....or researching for a reputable technician...(a Gibson retailer will have access to an experienced tech)

 

V

 

[fortyearspickn]

I don't think you'll get (m)any here telling you NOT to get a set-up. Playability is right up there in importance with tone. But, 'volume' is over-rated, especially on an SJ200. They have a full, deep tone - some mistake for 'volume' - but it is a richness in tone. Consider lighter strings, or just experimenting with different types to get a little easier play. Another option, tune down a half step or a whole step. But, before you get thee to a lutherie, I'd suggest you measure the clearance you've got now - say at the 12th fret, and compare it to your H'bird. Then lay a straight edge down the middle to make sure there's not some kind of a bow or bump in the middle. If the neck is nice and straight, but a tad high, you can take out the saddle and carefully, evenly, with sandpaper - remove a smidgen off the bottom. No more than 1/32 at a time. G'Luck.

[Buc McMaster]

To most folks, the 200 is not a particularly loud guitar, powerful yes, but not what's considered loud. Wouldn't worry too much about giving up volume behind a lowered action. Your Hummingbird is short scale and should at least feel a little easier to play than the long scale 200. Only you can be the judge about the setup of either guitar, but as V suggested it never hurts to have a professional eye evaluate the condition of a used guitar.........likely money well spent.

 

Plek? Don't get me started...............

[sbpark]

It probably wouldn't hurt to take the guitar to a shop and have it looked over and have a proper set up done. If you can afford an SJ200 (new or used, and even if it was given to you), you most likely can afford to shell out for, and do the guitar justice by springing for a set up. The guitar is almost 5 years old, and let's say it was Plek'd when it was new (not assuming it was, just saying it was for argument's sake). Things can still happen over 5 years that will require little tweaks and adjustments that can make a good guitar play great after a setup my someone who knows what they are doing. It's like buying a really expensive sports car but being to cheap to shell out for a tune up or new tires when it might need it.

[Hall]

You could buy a bone saddle or two, some paper and experiment with the action a bit yourself; keeping the original saddle safe for re-install should you not have success. Pretty simple and inexpensive undertaking..

[mz-s]

How's the intonation? Action at nut and 12th fret? Neck relief? Are the frets all level?

 

If you can't answer these questions, take the guitar to a qualified technician. Plek only levels frets and sets the action at the nut - both of which can change over the course of 5 years.

 

No shame in hiring a pro. I did the setup on my J-15, but when an outlet in my house stopped working I did basic troubleshooting but after that called in an electrician. We all have things we're good at, and things we rely on others for.

[Buc McMaster]

Plek only levels frets and sets the action at the nut.......

 

And not very accurately. My 2016 Dove had a 4th string rattle when capo-ed at the first.........no other string and nowhere else on the fretboard.......just the 4th at the first. This would indicate a low first fret or a high second, yes? It took a manual fret level/dress to solve the problem. The 5th and 6th were also high in the nut.....nothing a well-applied file couldn't correct.

 

I'll never be convinced that Plek is anything more than a marketing tool with little real benefit.

[mz-s]

And not very accurately. My 2016 Dove had a 4th string rattle when capo-ed at the first.........no other string and nowhere else on the fretboard.......just the 4th at the first. This would indicate a low first fret or a high second, yes? It took a manual fret level/dress to solve the problem. The 5th and 6th were also high in the nut.....nothing a well-applied file couldn't correct.

 

I'll never be convinced that Plek is anything more than a marketing tool with little real benefit.

 

A computer is only as good as the person that programmed it. My J-15's nut action was OK, and the frets are level so I suppose the Plek did it's job - or more accurately, the person that programmed it did their job.

 

It's good to mention this, because it drives home the fact that just because your new guitar was Plek'ed doesn't mean that you can forego a setup.

[EuroAussie]

Unlike Buckaroo I would be a rather worried by the possible loss of volume AND projection with lowring the action. I was shocked how much volume and projection I lost with my SJ when i lowered the action years ago, still remember it clearly. It CAN have a major impact, be warned.

 

To most folks, the 200 is not a particularly loud guitar, powerful yes, but not what's considered loud. Wouldn't worry too much about giving up volume behind a lowered action. Your Hummingbird is short scale and should at least feel a little easier to play than the long scale 200. Only you can be the judge about the setup of either guitar, but as V suggested it never hurts to have a professional eye evaluate the condition of a used guitar.........likely money well spent.

 

Plek? Don't get me started...............

[fretplay]

Every guitar needs a professional set up to suit you the player, your style of playing,do you use fingers or pick,do you play with a heavy or light hand

 

Factory set ups are based on an average player. So find a good luthier, go and see him and he will ask you to play a little then he will set it up for you and you will be delighted.

[drathbun]

Most guitar makers send their acoustic guitars out of the factory with an intentionally high action at both the nut and the saddle because it is easier to lower action than it is to raise it. Lowering action removes material from the saddle and from the nut slots. To raise the action, you either have to add a shim or replace the nut or saddle and start again.

 

Since the company has no idea whether the user of the guitar will be heavy handed or have a light touch, they leave it high (with some relief) and leave it up to the individual who buys the guitar to make the adjustments.

 

I have done hundreds of setups and adjustments. I've made new bone saddles and cut new nuts from blocks of bone and re-slotted them myself. However, I still took my 2012 SJ200 Golden Age to my favourite luthier for adjustment because he is a professional. And he made the guitar play like butter compared to what I could do myself.

 

Absolutely you should find a good guitar tech or luthier to do a pro setup on the guitar. You will NOT regret it.

[kidblast]

Do it..

 

Because they all need "Something" to adjust for the proper playablity for each unique set of hands that will own that guitar.

[GtrPknMama]

I have the action set pretty low on my RW SJ200. I like to use the whole neck.

I take care of my own maintenance and truss adjustments, but definitely take Sweet Thang to the luthier for bigger issues.

So far nothing major😎👍🎸🎶

[E-minor7]

I have the action set pretty low on my RW SJ200.

A lady with a J-200 on board ▲ low action high spirit

You are so very welcome

[MissouriPicker]

For 45-65 bucks, depending on where you're at, I'd get a professional setup. Chances are all you'll need is a routine setup. Just got my J100 back yesterday. It had gone through the plek system, etc., but I finally gave-in and got it set-up. Even though it was "okay" as it was, it was no where near as playable as it is now. Really glad I did it. Definitely worth the $65. Took my Southern Jumbo in this afternoon and it will be ready tomorrow evening. I can't wait. Lots of guys know exactly what they're doing and can setup a guitar near-perfect themselves, but I'm not one of them. Never again will I have a great guitar with "good" playability. From now on my great guitars will have "great" playability.. As some others, I initially had high hopes that the plek system was kind of like a setup. It's not.........Just my 2 cents worth.

[Victory Pete]

I have a new Western Classic and a new 1938 SJ-200. They came from the factory pretty good with somewhat high action. About .110" at 12th Fret for low E and .060" for high E. For me the low is too high and the high is too low. What is important is to maintain a 1/2" distance from the D or G string to the top of the soundboard. This is what gives the saddle and bridge leverage to drive the top for maximum volume. I changed my string height to .100" and .080" and still had the 1/2". I also changed the factory bone saddles to unbleached bone and added bone pins with a slight mod to the pin holes described in another thread. Both guitars are like canons right now. These guitars are very loud, but you have to drive them a bit hard to get it. The tops on these are braced a bit stiff. I have a small shop myself and have been doing my own set ups for 30 years, good luck finding a good guitar tech.

[Jinder]

I've done my own guitar setups and maintenance for many years and have been working (aside from my work as a performer) as a touring tech for UK singer/songwriter Billy Bragg for the last three years.

 

I don't believe in Plek. I've seen plenty of Plek'd guitars that I wouldn't consider set up at all. Nothing beats a setup by a human being who understands the needs, preferences and playing style of the owner.

 

For example, Billy is a strident rhythm player who uses a 2014 black nut J45 Std. He mainly plays first position chords and strings it with 13s tuned down to D, hit with a heavy pick...as you can imagine, string rattle and buzz are a major concern. On that basis I set his guitars up with a high saddle and relatively little relief, so frets 1-5 have low action but the guitar never chokes out even when tuned down.

 

Try explaining that to a Plek machine!

 

I'd say take it to a tech who has a good set of ears and show/tell him how you play, if he's good he'll set it up accordingly.