Seemed like my action was still way high on my MIM Strat even after a setup, so I went into Guitar Center to play some MIA ones and they were all much lower. So I found a well-recommended luthier and he said the problem was my vibrato was set too high and that he'd lower it and fine tune everything.

This is probably one of those things that you can do yourself but I'm new to the guitar and am kind of easing my way into it (been singing and playing piano forever), though I'd eventually like to gain the confidence to work on it myself...

He asked how long I'd had the guitar and he said about a year so he said he'd take a look at the frets to see if they need any work and that after about a year, that was a good thing to do.

Sound about right?

I tend to agree.

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You dig?

Setting up your guitar is something you need to learn how to do. It's not difficult with a few simple tools.

Thanks guys and Merry Christmas!

Your luthier is right.

You're welcome and Merry Christmas to you too!

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You dig?

Yah its not too bad at all. Especially learning to intonate the guitar as well, which is good to do every once and a while to keep your guitar in check... And its super easy with a strat too.

On a side note, Do you know what surprised me the most when I worked at a music store? There were people who brought in guitars with popped strings, just because they didn't know how to put strings on them... and we would charge them like five bucks for the "labor."

I guess it made sense to charge... we couldn't have a bunch of guitars cluttering up the back just because they needed new strings. But I was surprised that people would dedicate themselves to an instrument and not learn how to replace strings.

then again... I'm one of those guys who goes through sets of strings about every two weeks.

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Kid: "Hey Smokey! Where did you get your name?"
Smokey the Bear: "Well..."
(former user jimbo612)

Makes sense, Smokey.

Can't wait to get it back. Hopefully I won't have to mess with it for a while, though!