A regular set up is important
An electric guitar is a precision instrument. To get the best from your guitar and from yourself as a player it is important that your guitar is set up to suit your playing style and your preferences.
You often hear people talk about a guitar's "action". Action is not just about string height, it's about the whole way a guitar feels when you play it. Factors that affect the action include the amount of neck relief and the way the nut is cut as well as the string height. I'll make your guitar play as well, and often better than it's ever done!
What I will do
A normal set up consists of:
- full evaluation of guitar
- check and fix any loose frets
- polish frets
- adjust neck relief
- check and adjust nut slots - lubricate with graphite
- clean and lubricate the bridge
- adjust tremolo action to owner's preferences
- check and adjust bridge saddles
- set bridge height
- set intonation
- adjust pickup height
- check and tighten all screws
- lemon-oil rosewood fretboard if necessary
- clean and polish
- fit new strings
if a fret dress is required this will be performed for an additional charge after consultation with the owner.
Case Study 1
Most manufacturers (including the major ones) expect their guitars to be set up by the shop to the customers' requirements. In my experience, Gibson nuts are nearly always cut too high. Not only does this make the guitar less easy to play near the nut, but it can also cause intonation problems. The Les Paul below is having its nut sorted out.
Case Study 2
The Fender Telecaster below had been played so hard the bottom frets had grooves worn in them which made getting a low action increasingly difficult. The solution was a light fret dress.
Before any work starts on the neck, it is protected thoroughly with low-tack masking tape.
Once the neck is straight and true, the frets are levelled...
...and then crowned using a special file to restore the rounded profile of each fret.
Finally the frets are buffed to a high shine.