I took my guitar to the shop today for a pro setup. The guy checked it out, played around with the frets, gave it a quick look, and said, “It doesn’t really need a setup, and the strings have a few months left on them.”
So I joked, “Maybe the string is buzzing because I’m just bad at playing.” He quickly replied, “Yeah, maybe you are.”
Thanks to his honesty, I didn’t end up wasting any money today. That was a refreshing moment!
I would try to find an independent guy who does setups. They usually do a better job than the stores. I got tired of store setups, so I learned how to do them myself. I’ve probably done hundreds by now for friends and myself.
@Kasey
Damn, I wish I was one of your friends!
@Jo
Between those two, I’ve learned SO much. I like that Phil is honest about which tools are worth spending money on and which ones you can go with generic versions. Also, I have a StewMac membership and get it for free every time thanks to their sales. It makes things much more affordable, especially for shipping.
I took my guitar for a setup recently, and the guy quickly adjusted the truss rod but then said, “This isn’t the type of guitar you spend money on” and sent me away. I’m just getting started and have an old guitar my dad gave me before he passed. I know it’s not fancy, but I thought a setup would help, like getting a thrift shop suit tailored. It was pretty embarrassing to hear my guitar was so bad they wouldn’t work on it.
@Sage
Take the time to learn how to set it up yourself. Start small, step by step. Put your time into your dad’s guitar. It’s priceless, not crappy. Use it to learn music and guitar skills. Maybe one day you’ll get a more expensive guitar, but that one will always have been a special gift from your dad.
@Sage
I hung on to my entry-level guitar for way too long. It really slowed my progress and enjoyment. Some guitars are just bad, no matter how much sentimental value you attach to them. There are some great entry-level guitars that are night and day better than old, low-quality ones. If it’s acoustic, check out some used Yamaha guitars. For electric, maybe consider some Squier models.
@Sage
I can’t say without holding the guitar myself, but I’ll agree with the others—it might be kind of junky. Cheap guitars from before 2012 can be pretty bad. My 2009 Squier was awful. I didn’t get too attached and ended up smashing it a long time ago. Maybe look into getting a new entry-level guitar and hang your dad’s old one on the wall as a memory.
@Sage
Yeah, that definitely looks like a beginner guitar. It’s good for learning to work on guitars, but probably not worth spending a lot to make it feel like new again. But it’s still a sweet gift from your dad. Keep it clean, play it if it’s still playable, and find ways to enjoy it. Learning to do things yourself is a gift from your father.
@Sage
There’s nothing wrong with that guitar. The tech was right not to do any expensive fret work. You could get a used neck on eBay instead. You could still work on truss rod adjustment, nut slots, action, and intonation. Nut work could also be pricey though.
@Sage
They just didn’t want to charge you more than the guitar is worth. It’s not about it being crappy, just that it’s not expensive.
I’m not sure if your experience was positive or negative because sarcasm online is hard to read. But I do recommend learning to do setups yourself. It’s not as hard as you think.
If the guitar really wasn’t buzzing and he confirmed that and told you not to buy anything unnecessary, that’s a win, and you should go back. But if he was just being rude, at least now you know what needs adjusting and can do it yourself instead of paying for setups every time.
@Wylie
Definitely a positive experience. I appreciate authentic people. He was pretty young, around 18-19, so it makes sense.
Penn said:
@Wylie
Definitely a positive experience. I appreciate authentic people. He was pretty young, around 18-19, so it makes sense.
He might be authentic, but it’s hard to say if he actually had the skill to make that assessment.
The guy was almost too honest. Most people would have just taken your money and done minimal work.
We need more honest people like him. He was probably right about the setup.
I’ve never heard anyone say “strings” and “months” in the same sentence before.
Honestly, I’d prefer that over what they used to do to me—just change the strings and charge you for a setup.
I thought I was on a different forum! That dude was rude. Everyone starts somewhere.
