Taking a Guitar in to be "set up"

?ing my education

I hear this term a lot and I was wondering what all is done when you take a guitar into a shop to have it "set-up".

Can anyone elaborate?

Thanks!

JofZ

?ing my education wrote:

I hear this term a lot and I was wondering what all is done when you take a guitar into a shop to have it "set-up".

Can anyone elaborate?

Thanks!

Set up includes truss rod adjustment, saddle adjustment, proper inotation. It can inlcude electrical stuff as well. A set up usually means having the guitar set up to your prefference in regards to string wieght and height. Many things have to be adjusted properly if you want a buzz free guitar.

moemoe6434

JofZ wrote:

Set up includes truss rod adjustment, saddle adjustment, proper inotation. It can inlcude electrical stuff as well. A set up usually means having the guitar set up to your prefference in regards to string wieght and height. Many things have to be adjusted properly if you want a buzz free guitar.

JofZ pretty much nailed it, they can do a few other things too.

sometimes they will dress, level, and refile your frets for you, repair the nut if it needs cut deeper or replace it. if you have a strat with a vibrato, maybe replace the springs..... replace intermittant or bad pots/caps/switches.... really anything you want.... look at it as a tune up for your car, it is essentially equivelant to getting your oil changed, fluids topped off, and your tires rotated.

?ing my education

Thanks for the info. What about an acoustic guitar? Would they do the same kind of things to it? Could this include lowering the string action on the guitar?

Reason, I am asking is, I have an old acoustic that I would like to give my brother for Christmas and it is not a "top quality" guitar but I want to make sure it is in good working order before I give it to him and I know one of the problems is the strings are really high off the fret board.

Thanks again.

moemoe6434

?ing my education wrote:

Thanks for the info. What about an acoustic guitar? Would they do the same kind of things to it? Could this include lowering the string action on the guitar?

Reason, I am asking is, I have an old acoustic that I would like to give my brother for Christmas and it is not a "top quality" guitar but I want to make sure it is in good working order before I give it to him and I know one of the problems is the strings are really high off the fret board.

Thanks again.

Yep, a GOOD tech can do that with ease. Acoustics are a bit trickier as they will probably have to file the bridge to lower the action. Make sure the adjust the intonation then too... any adjustment like that screws up the intonation.

?ing my education

moemoe6434 wrote:

Yep, a GOOD tech can do that with ease. Acoustics are a bit trickier as they will probably have to file the bridge to lower the action. Make sure the adjust the intonation then too... any adjustment like that screws up the intonation.

Cool, thanks for the info.

Dirty_Frank

Also, I find that with a set-up you get what you pay for. I used to take it to a guy who did it for 20 bucks, and I probably could have done it myself. Every once and awhile I take it to a pro tech and luthier and it costs about 65 for a Les Paul and 50 for a Strat. He does amazing work though!