Getting a guitar serviced.

[bruno]

So - despite playing for years, I've never had a guitar serviced or set up! I've always done stuff myself. Johnny (I think) mentioned in one of his posts that you should have the guitar setup when you get a new one. The Lemon Drop sounds and plays really well, but there is a very slight amount of buzzing on the a string around fret 3 - nothing much, but should be easy to sort out. Was going to reduce the relief on the neck slightly but then again, a proper set up by someone who does it for a living would make the guitar perfect. Plus I feel guilty by buying on the internet, and saving a sh&t load of money :-). I should support the local music store!

Any experience, hints, tips or guides for this - what I should ask for, what I should avoid.
Cheers all.
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[Johnny Robbo]

The best advice I'd give sounds obvious, really... just find someone with a good reputation. Most repair/set-up guys in this area either work out of a guitar shop or do work on a freelance basis for a particular shop. I'd ask your local guitar retailer who they recommend or if they have someone in-house. A good test is always to pick a reasonably expensive used guitar off the rack in the shop & see what it plays like - if it's a mid-high end guitar (USA Fender or a Gibson etc.) it will probably have been given a quick "once-over" by whoever does their set-ups for them & you'll get an idea of what kind of standard he/she works to.

Fortunately, the local musicians' grapevine is pretty good at weeding out anyone who makes a bad job of a guitar. Word gets round and they soon find themselves having to seek an alternative income. In short... just ask around your local area & see what names crop up as being the "go to" guys for the job.

Also... don't forget to describe what you want - some folks prefer the tone of a guitar with a slightly higher action, for example. And if there is a problem (like the fret buzz you mention at one particular area of the neck), point it out as it may get missed otherwise.

Richie Blackmore, in an interview once, described playing one of Eric Clapton's strats back in the '70s. He said it was a nightmare to play... fret buzz pretty much everywhere and an action from hell. Eric, on the other hand loved the way the guitar played and couldn't see what Richie's problem was... so there's always a degree of getting the guitar set up FOR YOU as opposed to just having a set-up "done".

[Blooby]

there's always a degree of getting the guitar set up FOR YOU as opposed to just having a set-up "done".

This is huge to me. I remember being lectured by a guy in a shop with regard to how my guitar should be set up as opposed to how I wanted it (I wanted the action a bit higher). I remember going back to the shop, and a different guy was saying the guy who did the previous job was an &sshole. I informed him it was his son.

Johnny's advice is spot-on.

Blooby

[bruno]

Great advise guys - I will leave the guitar for a few weeks (to settle in), make some notes on what I want done and then get it sorted. This guitar is a bit of a speed guitar for some reason, and bending is a dream on it, so I think I'll go for low action and lightish strings - I think. But I'll change my mind in a day or two :-)
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