tartanbeastie Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 so.. your looking round the store or just ordered on line and before you know it you have a shiny new guitar, your new pride and joy. you start playing it at home and then start to notice little things that annoy you about and decide you need to have it set up by a pro.. I have noticed a lot of posts and comments referring to this. I've been lucky that most of the guitars i own, other than string changes have never needed anything done to them, but i do spend a lot of time in the store before purchase. It must be annoying for those who buy then have to go to the expense of a set up, surely each guitar should be in good, playable condition before selling it to a customer or the store could look it over and do any adjustments as part of the sale. I appreciate factories churn out thousands of guitars a year and there will be some that dont hit the quality stakes but on the whole should it really be up to the customer to have a guitar set up properly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Beach Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 It's pretty universal now a days that factories aren't taking the time to do a real set up on the guitars. Even when they do all the traveling and climate changes the guitar goes through before it gets to you is pretty much going to guarantee that it will need to be set up before you get down into playing it. But I believe set ups should be something EVERY guitar player should be able to do. But when I get a new guitar even if it's set up pretty good I still change it to my preferences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 The factory don't know how each individual will want their guitar set up. They don't know what gauge strings you prefer, or whether you want a super low action etc. So they just set it up to be "playable" by most people. So it's not just a matter of them not caring, it's really providing the new owner with a blank canvas that they can then get adjusted to their personal preference. Of course some factories do put a little bit more care and attention into the basic set up than others. When I get a factory new guitar I play it as it is for a few weeks and then get a pro set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 When you buy a Car you have to adjust the Seat, mirrors, and Steering Wheel angle, right? It's not up to the manufacturer to adjust these things for you. As long as the necks is straight and the adjustments are adjustable, the manufacturer has done it's job, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Part of my company's business is to properly set up DLP, Plasma. LCD,CRT and LED displays. We find it amazing what some people find acceptable for their personal/corporate viewing. Most people open the box and turn it on, some may adjust the contrast or color saturation, but the true adjustments come in the service menu. Thats why I bring all my new guitars to a professional for an initial set up. I really don't have a problem spending $45-$65 to get it done correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Every guitar I've purchase has went to my Luthier for a complete set-up..... fretboard micro-buffed, fret dressing. neck adjustment and intonation. The only guitar that was very close to the way I liked it was my 2009 Gibby JJ MM..... One of the best necks I have ever felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 The store where I buy from will set up a new guitar you bought from the for free if you ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Cat Nip ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 The store where I buy from will set up a new guitar you bought from the for free if you ask. A lot of stores will do this and if they have a good luthier it's handy. The problem I find is that they don't alwways have a decent luthier. This happened to me with a telecaster I once bought. When the "luthier" did the set up he must have been very over enthusiastic with his nut file and made 6 big ugly grooves in my nice new headstock. I did not accept the guitar and had them get me another. I learned that lesson the hard way!!!! (I do still have the replacement tele they got me though, had it since 1995, it a good one!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I've done my own for decades. I'm gonna tinker with it even if it was set up by a dozen "luthiers".... I'm the one playing it, and it ain't rocket science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 If the nut needs shaping and better slots it goes to a tech, other than that I can handle it. Also on the long run fret work, I just had a fret leveling and polishing on a Squier 51 and it is much better. I would have not done that myslef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 When I bought my LP Classic in 2001, the sales guy said they would set it up however I liked. Just bring it in in a week or so. I did, the usual "luthier" wasn't there that day. Well, I guess I'll come back another day. Oh, no, you made the trip so we'll take care of you. I saw one of the kids (I thought was a customer) carrying it to a back room, soon joined by another. I heard plenty of general laughter and screwing around coming from the room.... Oh well, the kids must know what they were doing or they wouldn't allow them to touch customers' guitars. After an hour of waiting (they apologized for being "busy") I simply took it and left. After a week of work, I finally got it out of the case one night and plugged it in. It was all but unplayable. New strings, but it was some kinda f-ed up. I made what intonation adjustments I had time for, but never got it right. When I moved to Phoenix a couple months later, I had no idea who to take it to so I called Gibson. Told them about my experience in Houston, and some of the dirt I had learned on that store. They suggested a repair station, not a dealer, paid for Precision Guitar to restring it and set it up properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Cat Nip ? Yeah' date=' I didn't see it coming'; he usually scratches me first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwness Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 The store where I buy from will set up a new guitar you bought from the for free if you ask. That is a plus and you would think more stores would do it to keep their customers happy. I have every guitar I get set up with level and crowning no matter if I think I need it or not. Funny it's always better when it comes back even if I thought it didn't need it. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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