How often do you get your guitar set-up?

[uOpt]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

Constantly. It's more like a race car for me.

 

[Bludave]

How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I do my own setups so whenever I change strings I do a basic setup which includes checking intonation, truss rod, action and I give the frets a polish with steel wool. I always lemon oil the fingerboard on RW or ebony too. It may take an extra 20 minutes but my guitars are always playing well. If they need fretwork well then they go to the luthier for a fret dress

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

How often do you get your guitar set-up?

Mostly minor tweaks. The truss rod might need a 1/4 turn with the seasonal changes (like CTN I've got extreme seasons here). I'll give the intonation a check once in a while.

Only time a full setup is warranted is if I notice the guitar isn't enjoyable to play and no amount of my tweaking seems to fix it.

Also as I've gotten older and better at playing the darn thing I've found I don't care for razor low action. I've got a fairly percussive rhythm style and I hate string rattle.

 

[Kramer Guy]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I do my own setups and once my guitars are set, I occasionally check the intonation , especially during the summer. That's about it.

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

Professionally done, maybe once evey 5 or 6 years. I'm really making an effort to do this kind of thing myself though, but as a young man I was afraid to even use the phrase "truss rod", let alone adjust the thing. Also, I've not had amazing results from my tech lately. The high E is choking out on bends between 10th-15th fret. He knows I like my action quite low, and when I take it from the shop it's fine, but after a week or two it will start doing it again.

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

Mostly minor tweaks. The truss rod might need a 1/4 turn with the seasonal changes (like CTN I've got extreme seasons here). I'll give the intonation a check once in a while.

Only time a full setup is warranted is if I notice the guitar isn't enjoyable to play and no amount of my tweaking seems to fix it.

Also as I've gotten older and better at playing the darn thing I've found I don't care for razor low action. I've got a fairly percussive rhythm style and I hate string rattle.

Although I'm not as old as you, word.
I used to like super low action for a while, but I can't stand it now. After I raised the saddles a good amount, I noticed after a while you could play just as fast anyway, but everything sounded better (VERY prounounced difference on pure clean sounds especially), better sustain, no more string rattle/buzz and you don't have to dick around trying to get this ultra super precise precise string height setup happening.
All my guitars have a slightly different string height setup simply because I've never been the type to actual measure it out, but pretty much as long as it looks to be about 'medium' height and most importantly, feels the way I want it too, I'm more than happy with it.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

i do it myself only when needed, not on a time schedule. usually a setup will hold just fine for me unless i change string gauges, or sometimes string brands.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I bought a humidifier. Haven't done a set up since the initial adjustment. Keeps my piano in tune too.

 

[Bludave]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I bought a humidifier. Haven't done a set up since the initial adjustment. Keeps my piano in tune too.

I did this as well, but I did it maybe 10 to 15 years ago. I need to replace my current machine as its old and needs some TLC. i will wait until the end of the Winter & se if I can pick up a machine on sale. I also humidify my acoustics in the cases(I have 11). Moisture is so important to keeping a guitar playing well.

 

[rumblebox]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

since elixirs last for a completely retarded amount of time, i check the setup every time i change strings due to seasonal changes.

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I set-up and do all of my guitar work my own so, whenever I feel that it needs it.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

Do every set up on my guitars, and it is VERY rare.

Look at Brian May's Red Special. Want to know how many setups he's had since he first completed it? None. Never had the truss rod adjusted, never had a re-fret, and he says it plays just as good as it did way back when. Kinda interested in making a thick oak neck now, thinking it might be as stable as his guitar's neck (also made out of oak, has a thicker neck than the '59 roundback shape).

 

[rumblebox]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

Do every set up on my guitars, and it is VERY rare.

Look at Brian May's Red Special. Want to know how many setups he's had since he first completed it? None. Never had the truss rod adjusted, never had a re-fret, and he says it plays just as good as it did way back when. Kinda interested in making a thick oak neck now, thinking it might be as stable as his guitar's neck (also made out of oak, has a thicker neck than the '59 roundback shape).

Ummm. He had it completely restored in 1998.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I just set up my guitar again yesterday but only because I was going into a professional recording studio and wanted everything to be as precise as possible. I raised my string height a lil more and reset the intonation and changed strings. Only problem I've noticed about my floyd is my G string is as far back as the base plate will allow but seem in tune for now so I hope I don't have to move the saddle back no further same for my low E as well.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

Ummm. He had it completely restored in 1998.

Wrong. That was just slight refinishing for certain spots.



- October 3, 2011

 

[rumblebox]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I read an interview a few years ago saying it needed significant repairs from 35 years of wear and tear.

 

[blueman335]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I read an interview a few years ago saying it needed significant repairs from 35 years of wear and tear.

You would think...

Most guys on the road are placing headstocks every few years.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I read an interview a few years ago saying it needed significant repairs from 35 years of wear and tear.

Don't mean to sound like a ******, but I trust video evidence of May over this interview that with a quick search resulted with nothing.

http://www.redspecial-library.co.uk/info.htm

It just needed a refinish, a new veneer on the back, new binding, fresh wiring job, dents repaired, and a new zero fret. Nothing too drastic really. Sure it could have been set up after nearly 40 years (so ignore/forget where I said there hasn't been a single setup; that was incorrect) but the main point is it has had very very very very very few setups in the guitar's lifetime. His Red Special really should be the 8th wonder of the world haha.

Arguing over something we've never seen up-close is awesome. Thanks internet!

 

[rumblebox]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

I guess you missed the huge "J/K" at the end. Settle down.

 

[kilphody]

Re: How often do you get your guitar set-up?

You would think...

Most guys on the road are placing headstocks every few years.

With all due respect I have too disagree...