Some nice comments from a guitar tech on set up / tune up

[Dr B]

So, my USA Legacy has been with me for nearly 4 weeks now. I felt it should have adjusted to the climate by now and settled down a bit with me playing it for a while - so time for some new strings and a set up.

I took it to a guitar guy recommended to me by my guitar teacher and left it with him in his shop for a couple of hours. I explained what i wanted checking and because its been shipped etc, check neck alignment, relief and so on.

When I returned - turns out he loves the guitar. Only very small adjustments needed - the biggest one being action height which is very personal anyway. So after all else had been done, I played it, he adjusted it, i played it, he adjusted it some more until i was happy (a really nice, unrushed service with attention to detail).

Frets needed cleaning, and the nut was a bit tight he said, but everything else - very minor. So, I'm all set now.

Turns out he loves G&L and even went to the factor a few years back and had a look around. So I am double-chuffed to have found a nice guy, lots of knowledge, not into ripping off musicians (he is one himself), and a G&L enthusiast.

All in all, a good day.

One thing that struck me (and something we have talked about elsewhere here) is when he set the action quite low (in the first instance) - i could hardly play the guitar. I dont know if my hands have accommodated to the action over the last few weeks or what - but it needed to be increased a bit before i felt comfortable with it. It really is a 'feel' thing and there are no rules - in addition, i think my hands are changing as i become a better player - so i have more technique down now with which to explore different actions. It really is a learning curve....

[sirmyghin]

It all comes down to training your hand no? We all start off pretty new, clumsy, whining about heavy strings, some trying lighter strings then proceded to have absolutely awful intonation as you bend them all unintentionally... Fun times those. Can't really decide what is comfortable until your hands are under control as it is. Playing style will dictate a lot of your setup preferences though, for example I can play a bass with WAY too much action going on, and never notice... Until I start playing touch style. So I keep my bass flying pretty low to facilitate that style alone.

[Dr B]

Yes indeed, but i think its a bigger issue as well. I suppose what i am also saying is my hands may well be better suited to an action i have never played and never considered. I just think that now i have more skills and control - i now need to explore these at different actions and bascially open my mind to new possibilities.

[sirmyghin]

Good luck, I am not really sure how long you have been playing but the more you learn, the more things change. It is an interesting experience, how you like settings, musical taste, etc will likely all end up being augmented while you grow as a player.

[THE G]

Off topic ,but that is one helluva great lookin guitar Dr. B
And, A good set up is worth it's weight in gold....

[Boogie Bill]

I find that my action heights have changed over the years, partly due to varying job requirements. When I was playig strickly rhythm, it was higher, with heavier strings. Now that I' the only guitarist in the band, I'm using strings that are just slightly lighter, but the action is a lot lower.

Bill