I do all the minor stuff, like replacing the strings, eg. I haven't had any major problems with em, as they are well cared for.

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riley

I do just about everything myself.

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RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

Hoey

What most tech's fail to realize is that a guitar has to be set up for the player. I spend a little time watching the player, just to assess how they hit and hold the strings. Guitar setup is not a drop it off - pick it up later affair. You'll always set your own guitar up for yourself better than any tech will, when you know what your doing. You get to know how you fret notes and hit the strings and over time learn what you need, where. With experience you can base your findings on someone elses circumstance. Lets face it, anyone can work a screwdriver and a couple of allenkeys. It's putting the thought into what needs to be where that is time consuming. Unfortunately shop based tech's are usually unaware of that fact. Or their time constraints are too rigid to be able to implement it fully. Hence Fender setup spec's. A set of measurements that get the things playing right for a majority of players. Their a great starting point to think about what you'd prefer and are a easy 'zero' point to return to.

One thing I've always done is make a note of how I like certain guitars to be set. I use different guitars for different things, consequently their set differently.

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No no and no

I'm rebuilding my 93 Korean strat myself. The last of the essential parts should be arriving today. Hopefully it will turn out nice enough to post a pic for you folks. I did a truss rod adjustment and string height and intonation and was quite pleased with my results. Since i work as a tech in a post facility i'm handy with a soldering iron so i thought I'd try my luck with the wiring parts. Keeping my fingers crossed. I am now a big believer in learning to do your own set ups because as was mentioned above, you know how you like your action better than the local tech would.

I do pretty much everything except the nut shaping (don't have the tools yet). That is the only time I took it to the tech and guess what? The tech f'ed up my setup.

Electronics, setup and tweaking I learned pretty much on this forum and with Dan Elewine's book.

Painting/finishing is where my skills are below the standard. I will probably have to send my squier CV 50's strat (nowdays is as far as it gets from 50's vibe and I call it the DX "Dan Experimental") to the auto body shop for finishing.

That is why I never bothered to show pics here (heck maybe I'll do it). Some wise folks on this forum warned me about the hard work that needs to go in the finishing to find out at the end that dust can break your project in a wink.

Ce est la vie, will try again.

+1

But I'll leave the fret jobs to others.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

The excellent techs at Third Coast Guitar in Chicago are artists beyond anything this duffer can do.

They get the work, writer does the post-setup smiling.

'Do not personally do big home electric or plumbing, either.

set-ups, pick-ups, replaced nut. would like to learn to replace frets.

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2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

I do finishes, designs , rebuilds, etc, I have a friend who does auto paint for me on the bodies.
I would like to learn more for the fret work.

Basic maintenance, which includes neck tweaks and set-ups.

Also any basic electric repairs. If you are out on the road, a soldering iron is indispensable.