Do you set up your own guitars?

[XTRXTR]

I always do my own. I paid for it once when I first started 44yrs ago, too expensive for me and it didn't feel right, couldn't communicate the right information I guess. I am a tinkerer, model builder from childhood. I call around for help and of course shop techs were stingy about providing information, also good at scaring you. I get it now, its their living. Back then there were no books or internet to find a recommendation.

One guy said truss rod needs to be done carefully and do small turns and then leave it for a day, play on it, push and pull on it a bit make sure the adjustment finds its place. I did that and I found what he said very useful over the years. I rotate my acoustics sitting in stands all the time from front facing to back facing. I really should be hanging them but too many guitars.

I do all the intonation, setup for higher or lower string tensions, fixed Nut issues.

I bought a signature model back when they first came out, I'm not say who's, but it was terrible, had dead frets, sent it back. In return they screwed with me. String height was too high and the bridge was not able to adjust it to where I wanted. I took off the neck and added a shim to get the neck angle back. Now it plays awesome, my favorite.

Had another brand give me a whammy system, came with the guitar, that couldn't clear the spring pocket. The springs were sliding across the wood spring pocket edge. I just filed/scooped out the area needed for them to clear.

These aren't cheap bottom of the line either, top line $2700 range

My brother bought me really nice high output guitar with the adjustable pickup electronics. All titanium frets and bridge. The neck is too heavy, way out of balance. If I let it alone the neck starts pointing to the stage. I haven't done it yet but I was thinking of adding some weight to hang on the strap lock at the bottom end. You think that might work?

I'm glad I know how to do the work; these days the manufacturing is pathetic for what you pay. The exception being custom shop. I'm leaving brand names out intentionally. The point of the thread is do you own work you'll save thousands over time.

 

[nkd]

Set up my own guitars.

 

[Alter]

I do. Sometimes my guitars end up to a tech for other reasons, and I always set them up again after, usually because the action they return with is way too low for decent sound and playing..

 

[Pepino]

I have Larry Cragg, Neil Young’s guitar tech, set up my Strat and Tele. He just lives the next town over and two of my good friends are pretty good friends with him and introduced me to him. He is a nice guy with some cool stories besides being a great guitar tech.

 

[Headache]

I do everything my own. I have learned a lot over the years.

The only thing I wouldn't feel comfortable is a whole fret job.

 

[El Gringo]

Nope , I have a tech that does it all for me .

 

[FutureProf88]

I do my own setups for the most part because I'm cheap haha. One a year or so I take them to techs I trust and have a professional cleaning and setup done on them. I consider myself "competent" but not an expert.

 

[David Tubens]

General maintenance, setups etc is good to know & yes I do things myself along with pots, pickups, wiring/soldering & even gutting a chinese built to US specs etc. I like to tinker & same goes for amps lol.

 

[Micky]

Of course I do.
I wouldn't own guitars if I couldn't.
Also setup others, even banjos, violins, cellos, just about anything with strings and a bridge.

 

[masher_uk]

I'm fortunate to have an excellent luthier nearby so for anything more than a string change I drop it round and pick it up in the next day or so. He's an absolute perfectionist so will make a far better job of it and in a fraction of the time. A setup is only about £30 so it'd be rude not to!

 

[Antti Heikkinen]

Yes, everything myself. Although for really demanding stuff, like installing ss frets on an expensive guitar, I'd use a luthier.

But I've changed frets on half a dozen guitars, and I do fret levels and recrowns etc.regularly to my own guitars, as well as basic intonation etc. It's fun to tinker. I'm just in the process of redoing a Dean V, it includes changing pickups and electronics, new tuners, re-positioning strap buttons, fixing scratches, fret level and polish and a partial refinish (painting the top and lacquering it anew).

I love doing this stuff, tinkering with guitars and changing them is basically more fun than playing. Also am extending into amps, already did some mods to a JVM and now about to retube etc.my plexi.

I also do most of my car maintenance and repair myself as well as home renovations.

Never had any training for anything like that, I'm a language teacher by profession, but I like to learn by doing, whatever the thing is, it's always fun to take stuff apart and find out how they work and how to improve them and put back together.

 

[Ivan H]

(One more time, with feeling!)Assuming no twisted neck or proud frets and a properly cut nut, with the guitar tuned to playing pitch (i.e. if you play in drop B, setup in drop B), begin by setting the saddle height for frets 17-21(2) so that the strings play buzz free at the lowest possible height. (Lower the saddle until it buzzes, raise until clear.) I adjust strings 6 and 1, then I approximate the radius with the other saddles, then test the other four strings making minute adjustments as/if needed. When all strings are clean go to the lower frets and neck relief. Play the strings from fret 1 to fret 16, increasing relief (loosening trussrod) to relieve buzz or decreasing relief(tightening trussrod) to lower the string height, so tighten, by fractional turns, until it buzzes and back off until it doesn't. Once you have acceptable relief, i.e. no buzz and easy action, set your intonation and you're done.
This is the opposite order of Fender's setup directions. It is based on performance and not measurements, hence, I don't take any. It works because the neck is immobile between frets 17 and 22. The trussrod only affects lower frets. By setting the upper end first, you know any buzzes are coming from too little relief. This method works for most guitars, with trussrods.

This, with mucho gusto, this.
I first read Mr Biddlin's method several years ago now. Upon trying it I had one of those classic "man, why have I never thought of this" moments. It is so easy it's foolproof & better yet, it sets the guitar up perfectly to suit YOUR playing style.
One thing, as you do the truss adjustment/neck relief after doing the string height, if a largish tweak of the truss was required you may want to go back & check the string height again. If only a small tweak of the truss was needed you won't need to though. Cheers

 

[Sparky2]

I have done my own basic setups on my guitars for almost 50 years! I leave major machining issues to professionals. First step is to look from the bridge to the nut down the string length for neck bow. If there is high string clearance at the 12th fret, then put the guitar between your knees, bend the neck backwards a bit, use a flat blade screwdriver or Allen Hex wrench to twist the truss rod in the high tension direction, let off your knee tension and see if the clearance at he 12th fret is less. Do the opposite if there is little or no clearance at the 12 th fret. When you have the 12th fret clearance where you want it, then move on to bridge saddle piece adjustment for octave intonation. If there are high frets which buzz, you can use a small fine file to file down the high fret, or take the guitar to a good guitar tech. For octave intonation adjustment, touch the string at the 12th fret and pick it. Then, press down on the 12th fret and pick the string. If that pitch is higher than the touch pitch, then adjust the saddle screw counterclockwise to move the saddle away from the neck. Repeat the process until the touch pitch and pressed pitch sound the same. Do the opposite if the pressed pitch is lower than the touch pitch. These steps will get you in the ballpark of a properly set-up guitar. If There are other problems, take the guitar to a professional guitar tech.

 

[Sparky2]

I should have said, twist the Saddle adjustment screw clockwise to reduce the pressed 12th fret pitch to match the touch pitch, not counterclockwise. My apologies. QUOTE="Sparky2, post: 2121305, member: 61692"]I have done my own basic setups on my guitars for almost 50 years! I leave major machining issues to professionals. First step is to look from the bridge to the nut down the string length for neck bow. If there is high string clearance at the 12th fret, then put the guitar between your knees, bend the neck backwards a bit, use a flat blade screwdriver or Allen Hex wrench to twist the truss rod in the high tension direction, let off your knee tension and see if the clearance at he 12th fret is less. Do the opposite if there is little or no clearance at the 12 th fret. When you have the 12th fret clearance where you want it, then move on to bridge saddle piece adjustment for octave intonation. If there are high frets which buzz, you can use a small fine file to file down the high fret, or take the guitar to a good guitar tech. For octave intonation adjustment, touch the string at the 12th fret and pick it. Then, press down on the 12th fret and pick the string. If that pitch is higher than the touch pitch, then adjust the saddle screw counterclockwise to move the saddle away from the neck. Repeat the process until the touch pitch and pressed pitch sound the same. Do the opposite if the pressed pitch is lower than the touch pitch. These steps will get you in the ballpark of a properly set-up guitar. If There are other problems, take the guitar to a professional guitar tech.[/QUOTE]

 

[SkyMonkey]

I'm a bit late to this thread, but yes.

I spent two years at a music college in the 90's learning guitar repair and manufacture, and came away with two bespoke guitars.
Afterwards I never followed it into a career.

Still got the bass and 6-string I made (SMW's in sig.), and have done mine and any mates setups ever since.

 

[Marshall4Metal]

Yes it's not rocket science . I've had guitars setup and they played fine but it wasn't anything i couldn't do myself. I leveled the frets on my M-1000 plays perfect . Once you understand how the truss rod works there's really no reason to take it to a tech just for a setup. Now having a neck refretted that's another matter. If that needed done i would probably take it to a tech. Same with wiring that's not something i can do.