Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

[Bludave]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

Most playersd are just that. Players. If you take the time to learn how a guitar works and understand the principals of a proper setup you can do most things yourself. I do all my own setups now, not that a luthier can't do what needs to be done, but I have a wish list on how a guitar should be setup that is quite different to what the "typical" setup is. I like high action and heavy strings.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

Yes, thy do. And I´m thankful for it, because it makes it easier for me to get great guitars for an even better price

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

:eyecrazy: :32: :eyecrazy: :32: :eyecrazy: :32:


Well Helloooo! :naughty:

:beerchug:

That's my 4th! :alcoholic

Gotta let go of my double fat strat! :smash:

B

 

[rspst14]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

No setup tasks phase me, I've even done my own refret. I've never bought a used guitar that was set up properly when I got it. I think we ("we" meaning the people on this board) represent a very small part of the guitar playing community, and we're not representative of the whole. Just about everyone on this board sets up their own guitars, changes pickups, does wiring work, etc. We focus on things like long tenons, one piece bodies, locking tuners, Tonepros bridges...sometimes it's easy to forget that the vast majority of guitar players just buy a guitar and play it without ever changing or adjusting anything. If they are somewhat competent, maybe they have it set up once when they first get it. The last time I bought a guitar, the seller told me "it plays like butter man, the action is super low with no buzzing." When I got it, I was able to get the action twice as low as he had it with no buzzing. The intonation was also way off, and it needed a refret. Even some of the so-called "techs" I took my guitars to when I was a beginner couldn't do a simple setup without screwing it up. So yes, I think it's very common for people to sell a guitar because of a poor setup. If you pay $50 to have a guitar set up and it comes back playing no better than when you took it in, it's easy to understand why some people think the guitar is a dud.

Ryan

 

[Lu_B]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

It's a good job some folks don't know about setups and guitar techs and sell their guitars, otherwise how would we get those bargains!

I recently bought an 80's Japanese strat of an alleged player the usual description "super low action, no buzzing, plays like a dream, you'll not be disappointed etc" The thing had never been setup in its life - the trem was so far forward the saddles had to be set as low as possible to get the strings anywhere near the finger board.

Must admit I don't do my own setups, I just pay the cash and have Magical Trevor my local guitar tech do it for me.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

I agree. I've done a nice set up on a guitar I sold with 10's to have the person whine that they wanted 9's, though they didn't say so.
They frankly got too good of a deal to complain, but you know there are some types who have to whine about ANY deal.

he was a lawyer - go figure!

(no offense!)

Reverse punchline...

When I bought my 73' Les Paul Deluxe from an indy seller off of another web board one of the first things he said to me was "I just set it up with 8's and brought the action down as far as it can go without too much buzzing."

All I could say was "Uh....gee...thanks."

Within a few hours it had 11's on it and I had the action ratcheted up so that when I bend there would be no way it could buzz.

We all have our preferences. And very rarely was a guitar set up in a manner where I didn't feel that I needed to tweak it ever so slightly, een if just to make sure that screws weren't stripped out.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

I'm still trippin on the fact that Dr. Barlo stole that LP like candy from a baby!!!!
That thing is worth at least $1600 used, if not more.

For anyone wondering how to do setups, go to Rainmaker's thread in the Vault. I did a long post on intonation and setup. You usually only need a tuner, a couple allen wrenches, and a screwdriver.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

For anyone wondering how to do setups, go to Rainmaker's thread in the Vault. I did a long post on intonation and setup. You usually only need a tuner, a couple allen wrenches, and a screwdriver.

This is correct, and GJ uses the key word usually ... guitar wear is as unique as the person playing the guitar ... using what's noted above will at least get you far enough to know where you stand if it's going to be an easy fix.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

I'm still trippin on the fact that Dr. Barlo stole that LP like candy from a baby!!!!
That thing is worth at least $1600 used, if not more.

It happens and I know you understand it. It was because I know a lot of folks here and there, and the guy (a friend of a friend of a friend) contacted me for advice for pickups and such. He got a set of Pearly Gates, but still did not work for that dude.

Following my advice he bought it from wildwood for 1850. But he was not happy, he wanted to sell it right away. I told him it really would go fast, and the "fair" used price was like 1500-1650. He asked me "would you buy it?" I said hell no, I already have 3 you know. Then he asked what if he asked $1000 for it. I said ok, lets go to the bank!

:burnout:

Decided to keep it after setting it up. Still it has not that great BBpros, and them 300Kvol 500K tone pots, that I am gonna change soon.

B

 

[Davey]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

well... you could fit a truck on the 12th fret of my guitar and it still wouldnt touch the strings at the moment.

it's begging for a setup. the whole shebang, from fret dressing, intonation, nut, action, neck adjustment.. EVERYTHING! it needs a refin a stoptail (or string through mod) and a tonepros bridge so you could MAYBE intonate it (but that i prolly screwed up myself cos i played with the truss rod before i even knew what it was used for =/

*sigh*

i dont want any skilled luthier to see it though.. i butchered it up when i was 16

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

I've got this Fender sitting in my closet. Beatiful axe, doesn't belong to me, and it needs a setup bad. I've tried everything and can't get it right. I can usually dial in my Jacksons ok.9

GJ, next time you're in town you need to set this thing up. I would fork over some $$'s to a tech, but this axe doesn't belong to me, so I don't feel like investing in it.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

Set ups are something you really ought to learn how to do if you're a registered Gear Ho, like several of us here. I'm very limited by the fact that there are no decent luthiers within 100 mi radius of my house. So, i learned myself. I even started messing with the nut on that 98 56RI Les Paul I bought.

I got that guitar and I honestly don't think the guy had done a thing to it in 6 years. I was so in need of a set up, it was scary. Here's a guitar that normally goes for 2K or more and the set up was crap.

I really try hard to make sure that guitars I sell are darn near perfect when the new owner opens the box. Now, in winter, weather can sometimes affect the neck a bit. A great set up guitar in TX might not be as nicely set up when it gets to a cold weather state. But, before it leaves, it gets a new set of stringss, an oiled fretboard, a cleaned finish, everything. I want that thing to be excellent right out of the box.

 

[B2D]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

Jesus H Christ... the saddles on that strat look like the NYC Skyline!

I usually do not take setup into consideration when I buy a guitar because I know if it's got halfway decent hardware on it I'll be able to set up up just fine and I can shim if need be too. My Strats are set up perfectly and it amazes people when they pick up my MIM and ask me what year my MIA is from... then i point out the serial # on the headstock... :laugh2:

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

You know at first I thought this applied to music stores! (Well where I live it's true.)

 

[Brett Valentine]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

I've gotten to the point now that when I do setups for friends, I do it with them present and show them what they need to do and how easy really it is with a bit of patience and common sense.

To me, that's half the fun.

Brett

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

Set ups are something you really ought to learn how to do if you're a registered Gear Ho, like several of us here. I'm very limited by the fact that there are no decent luthiers within 100 mi radius of my house. So, i learned myself. I even started messing with the nut on that 98 56RI Les Paul I bought.

A good Luthier is a great resource to know and have in case of emergency.

But as time has gone on and players have more resources available to them I think they're nowhere near as important as they used to be.

Conversely I'm seeing Luthiers more beseiged with work and long waits to get anything done. The refret on my 73' Strat took 5 months and I badgered him constantly. I think he got the point when I called him from the hospital after surgery and told him that a great "get well" present/birthday gift (the next day was my birthday) was for him to actually start working on it.

I'll pay someone to work on my guitars though. It isn't because I don't know how to do something but more along the lines of not wanting to deal with it. My time was worth more than the $35 it cost me to have entirely new electronics installed in my Tele and the guy did a bang-up job on it too!

 

[Grandor]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

I just hope that im around when someone breaks a string.
I'll be there to buy their broken instrument.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

You know at first I thought this applied to music stores! (Well where I live it's true.)

Yeah, even though I knew what the title was really asking, I would answer:

No. People sell guitars because they can't play well enough to make a living, and work at GC until they get their big break. The fact that they can't set them up properly is a tragic secondary issue.

 

[GandLMan]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

My general rule of thumb, although im a guitar player, Im illiterate when it comes to setups, thats why I'll foot the bill for the 20$ and get it done by a pro . . . not sell the guitar

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Do People Sell Guitars because they Can't Set Them Up Properly?

My general rule of thumb, although im a guitar player, Im illiterate when it comes to setups, thats why I'll foot the bill for the 20$ and get it done by a pro . . . not sell the guitar

If you bring your eyes, memory and a can of some good beer to the guitar tech and ask innocent questions about the key phases and reasons you'll never have to go to a tech again