Guitar setup improves sound...

[Bowtomecha]

I setup my seven string last night, truss rod, action, and revised pickup height. It definitely made my sentient and Pegasus sound better. I still wish to experiment with magnets but I can hear the qualities of the Pegasus better now. Have you noticed when you’ve completed a good setup, that average pickups end up sounding more as they should? I’m wondering if it’s a placebo effect of just having a more comfortable guitar to play on.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

I think a good setup not only can make you sound better, but it can make you feel better about playing.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

Just listen acoustically to the same guitar before and after, and you'll find out why the sound from the pickups has changed.

 

[Blille]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

Gotta say, IMHO new strings are the unsung hero of setups and pickup swaps.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

Yes. That's why a guitar needs to be properly set up

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

 

[Discharged]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

A proper setup is everything in an instrument.

I just can't understand how's that still to this day is so overlooked by so many players. It's disheartning, to say the least.

/Peter

 

[Iron1]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

A proper setup is everything in an instrument.

I just can't understand how's that still to this day is so overlooked by so many players. It's disheartning, to say the least.

/Peter

I don't get how someone can sell a $1000+ guitar without setting it up properly before the sale. I see guys on the guitar boards and FB groups all the time who just bought a $1500 (insert name brand here) or a $3000 (insert name brand there) guitar that they have to set up. If the person making it can't do that for you, they shouldn't be making guitars.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

Discount shops or closed box online stores are the main culprits here.

Due to transport and associated handling aspects it is nigh on impossible to get guitars shipped to all over be in the same microscopic degree of setup perfection they left the manufacturer in.

And so you get some stores merely sending them out in that condition.....either because they are never opened or they are discount online based stores that chose not to (or cannot) go down the 'perfect instrument out of the store' business model.

Of course other less price obsessed stores get squeezed on price to compete, so may do just the bare minimum to try and close match on price.
The truly great stores charge more, but you do get what you pay for from them with almost hassle free instruments for every customer.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

Modern rule of thumb may be to set acion comfortably low, but old strat players know, that for best tone you want high action.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Guitar setup improves sound...

Discount shops or closed box online stores are the main culprits here.

Due to transport and associated handling aspects it is nigh on impossible to get guitars shipped to all over be in the same microscopic degree of setup perfection they left the manufacturer in.

And so you get some stores merely sending them out in that condition.....either because they are never opened or they are discount online based stores that chose not to (or cannot) go down the 'perfect instrument out of the store' business model.

Of course other less price obsessed stores get squeezed on price to compete, so may do just the bare minimum to try and close match on price.
The truly great stores charge more, but you do get what you pay for from them with almost hassle free instruments for every customer.

Not talking about $1k guitars but it seems like companies have stopped even trying to deliver instruments at retail that are set up *at all.* The last three new guitars I bought had the truss rods backed all the way out. One had all the intonation screws lined up; zero attempt made at actually intonating the thing out of the factory box (this at the $300 - $400 level.)

Both observed at Guitar Center and from online retail. Honestly I don't care, I just do it my own way in a few minutes anyway.