just bought a new guitar

[italiandomino]

its been awhile since I bought a guitar, and a friend suggested to get it professionally set up, can someone explain to me what that means ? he couldnt. what is the benifits of it? where can I get it done?

[OU812]

not 100% sure . i know when i get a new bass i like to slam the action down to just above a buzz and set the intonation and most importantly.....do it with the strings you will be using. i wouldn't attempt a neck adjustment if you are new to wrenching on guitars . google intonation and setting action. not much to it. congrats on the new axe!

[Dillio]

Every new guitar I get I do the same thing to it, even though wherever I bought it from tells me "It's all setup perfectly!"

1) Bridge/Saddle height adjustment - To get my strings close as possible without buzzing out. Lower action means "it plays like butter". (Real Easy) (This is done differently on tremolo types and "stop-tail" type bridges.)
2) Truss Rod Adjustment - I give most my guitars almost a 1/4 turn (tightened) which lifts the higher frets of the fretboard to be closer to the strings. It's a more comfortable feel for me with that (up to) quarter turn. Most people end up having to do this if lowering the saddles doesn't work. Don't fear the truss-rod!
3) Bridge/Saddle Length adjustment - Once you move your neck and saddle heights you will probably need to adjust your intonation slightly. (so it's in tune at various places on the neck). Bad intonation will result in some chords sounding in tune and others sounding out of tune.
4) Fret/Fretboard Cleaning and Conditioning - It may have just come from the factory but you'd be surprised the crap that will come off the neck of a brand new guitar. Even ones $2000+
5) Once the frets were conditioned (and you've also adjusted the truss rod), "ideally", you should let the guitar sit for up to two days so the neck will set and the frets dry out from the oil. (Don't soak the neck ... wipe it down with a clean cloth and the oils.)

Beyond that, if it's not performing the way you want then maybe the guitar needs to have the frets leveled, shims added (if bolt on neck) etc.

So when he's telling you to get it setup he probably means: "Dude, your action sucks ... get it fixed." (Number 1 or 2 alone might handle that)

You can take it any where like "Music Depot" or something to get it fixed, I haven't let anyone touch my guitars for several years now but I'm sure one of the guys there could do a half-decent job. Most people I see who have to bring in their guitars to get it setup don't "usually" get it back the way they wanted; it's setup the way the guy who set it up would want to play it. That's not always the same, if you aren't seasoned enough to prefer your own setups then taking it in to someone is no big deal; you'll learn what you prefer through the years.

[acetourer19]

I've had all mine set up by Steve Mackay and he 's one of the best around and the cheapest.
759-3359

[Soundbear]

Gotta tell this one.
had a lead guitar player who bought a nw electric and bragged about it non-stop for two months, this is great, awesome, got to be really anoying.
Then one day his tuned changed completely. What a piece of crap, this thing is aweful, sounds horrible, blah, blah, blah.
So we asked him, Did you change the battery, and he says....




What battery???

[Dillio]

lol

Damn those active electronics!

[NewCasa]

2) Truss Rod Adjustment - I give most my guitars almost a 1/4 turn (tightened) which lifts the higher frets of the fretboard to be closer to the strings. It's a more comfortable feel for me with that (up to) quarter turn. Most people end up having to do this if lowering the saddles doesn't work. Don't fear the truss-rod!

Hey I've got a TON of truss-rod baggage. When I was a kid I got my first guitar (still got it, too). I had no clue what a truss rod was, so when I found it I got an allen wrench and checked it, thinking is should be nice and tight. Well, I cranked that thing 4-5 times till it just wouldn't turn any more.

That guitar now has about 5-6 flat picks under the end of the neck and still has a curve like a hockey stick. Don't tell me about truss rods!

[Blunt]

Hey I've got a TON of truss-rod baggage. When I was a kid I got my first guitar (still got it, too). I had no clue what a truss rod was, so when I found it I got an allen wrench and checked it, thinking is should be nice and tight. Well, I cranked that thing 4-5 times till it just wouldn't turn any more.

That guitar now has about 5-6 flat picks under the end of the neck and still has a curve like a hockey stick. Don't tell me about truss rods!

Ewww, quarter turn every half hour, max.

[NewCasa]

Ewww, quarter turn every half hour, max.

Yeah no kidding, but tell that to a 12 year old.

Oh, and by the way - don't call me 'max.'

[Soundbear]

Want it straightened out???

[NewCasa]

Want it straightened out???

Actually I'd like that - it's a nice little guitar.