cwpainter wrote:
If you haven't learned enough about your instrument to set it up yourself you probably aren't going to notice the difference if you pay someone else to do it.


MrJinx said: Great advice. Anyone live in the Detroit metro area willing to teach me this? (setting up & maintaining guitar) I've looked at books on it but I'm too chicken to fiddle with it on my own.

Trauma said:
MrJinx......get the book and fiddle.....A LITTLE....I was a little nervous as well but these things were built for you to tinker with. Now I have a GENERAL idea on what to do. I can adjust my pups but I have not touched the tremolo springs in the back or messed with the bridge VERY curious BUT with that being said I am still going to a tech to restring my strat I want my wife to look and feel great but that does not mean I am going to do her hair or give her a manicure/pedicure and I would not change my own transmission either.....some things are better left for professionals...

_________________
Your Fender HSS Standard Stratocaster in Electron Blue was made at the Fender Ensenada Plant in Mexico in the Year: 2008.
Final Assembly Date: July 30th, 2008
Model Number: 013 4700 587
Serial # MZ8031252

I have gotten most of my tech experience on inexpensive guitars. Nice MIA Strats don't need a whole lot of set up to feel nice, but cheap guitars do. Strat clones are cheap, easy to find, and easy to work on. Practice on the pawn shop specials and garage sale finds to hone your set up skills. There are plenty of $50-100 guitars waiting to be bought and fixed up.

Traum, get the book "Guitar Player Repair Guide" , it is a really great source and one of those books you will have for years and and still resort back to. Also - don't underestimate youtube. There are tons of people posting how to videos.

Thanks..I looked at youtube for stuff b4 and did not even check for bridge setup....got it....thanks for the reminder

_________________
Your Fender HSS Standard Stratocaster in Electron Blue was made at the Fender Ensenada Plant in Mexico in the Year: 2008.
Final Assembly Date: July 30th, 2008
Model Number: 013 4700 587
Serial # MZ8031252

I would suggest "How to make Your electric Guitar Play great" also by Dan Erlewine, who authored the book in the post above. The book I mention is focused solely on setting up your guitar. the repair guide is great ( i have both, had the repair guide way before,) but on the topic of set-ups, the 'play great' book goes into way more depth.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I'd suggest watching a pro tech like Jim Mouradian and asking questions as he does some wonderful things when he works on guitars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBe_YAWO4go

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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!

i've always done my own stuff. I've been taking apart guitars and fixing them since I was 10 years old. Then I went and got trained as a luthier, and learned how to fix them the right way.

I highly suggest anything written by Dan Erlewine. He really knows his stuff, and he does wonderful work.

There are so many people that are talking about whether to take guitars to tech's these days. But honestly, you should at least try to fix something yourself. If you fail, you can always bring it to a tech to get it repaired.

But there are some times when a tech is really necessary. Like on tour. The first time my band went on a long tour, I opted to maintain and fix the instruments myself. Ever since then, we bring a tech on tour with us (he also doubles as a driver). There is just too much stuff to worry about on tour, without having the added stress of worrying about getting your instrument ready for the next show.

You know I think all this tech talk is getting to me and has made me open my eyes.When I think of how long I have been playing I should know how to do set a bridge height correctly or to adjust a truss rod and so forth.Well I have an old banged up electric that I dont use at all in the basement that I am going to experiment with and start learning on.The good part is I have a good friend who owns a shop and can help me out big time.Thanx for bringing this subject up.

Yeah, I am good at tweaking a setup, but doing an entire set up? I am taking the plunge, too. I am putting together a Strat project guitar, and will do the entire setup from scratch.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

It depends on what I need and the specific guitar....

- intonation
- neck adjustment
- fret polish

... I do myself. For my "other" guitars and back up guitars, I'll do some basic wiring and swap pickups myself. For my main guitars, I'll leave the wiring to a tech, since I'm not the greatest at it and I can't afford to have my guitar crap out on me during a show.

I think many people are terrified of basic neck adjustments. Some thing they'll turn that truss rod just a little and it will just snap in tow or something. Others will crank it hard 10 times around and wonder why the neck looks like a pretzel. It just takes a little common sense and this advice: Don't turn more than a quarter turn at a time, then wait for a half hour or so. If you're not sure, follow this.

I agree, but I still bring it to my tech once a year or so, just so he can check to see if I need the frets dressed.

I'm a staunch supporter of Do-it-Yourself guitar setup. I've never had a book, never watched a video -- I just sat down when I got my first guitar twelve or so years ago and taught myself how to play it and how to set it up. Worked great for me. I just went carefully, slowly, and wrote down what I did.

I posted this under the "you set it up" thread, but it belongs here.
I love my guitar tech like my wife loves her hair dresser. The guy has done everything from set ups to pup swaps and re fretting for me over the last 10+ years. He knows exactly how I like my gits set up, and I know he will set them up perfectly. If he doesn't set it up perfectly to my specs, he fixes it. When I need service, I take it to pro because I know I will get exactly what I want. Yeah, I can and have done truss rod/ intonation adjustments myself, but I swear by my tech.

Tech. Period. Third Coast Guitars in Chicago. Freaking setup-geniuses. Andon Davis and the others, oh, man....farking Navy SEALS of setup...

...personally, 'got other life talents and skills, but those guys blow most people's afs right out of the water with their setup slickness.