KVR Audio

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:23 pm

While I have no problems setting the action, adjusting the relief and intonation I'm curious what the current market is.

The last time I had work which required a tech.. I had nicked a fret. The tech took a few minutes. Popped the fret out, worked his magic on it, Put it back in and it was right as rain. Cost me all of $15 and a set of strings. This was so many years ago I've forgotten when.

How much would you expect to pay (If you had to)?
If you have had tech work done....what was done and how much did you pay?

BERFAB · Post by **BERFAB** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:56 pm

tapper mike wrote:While I have no problems setting the action, adjusting the relief and intonation I'm curious what the current market is.

The last time I had work which required a tech.. I had nicked a fret. The tech took a few minutes. Popped the fret out, worked his magic on it, Put it back in and it was right as rain. Cost me all of $15 and a set of strings. This was so many years ago I've forgotten when.

How much would you expect to pay (If you had to)?
If you have had tech work done....what was done and how much did you pay?

I vaguely recall getting my Alvarez acoustic setup for about $100 a number of years ago. I've got some buzzing going on again, so I suspect I'll probably have to pay twice that now.

Deep Purple · Post by **Deep Purple** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 3:23 pm

I think it depends on a lot of things, including where you are in the country, as different cities seems to have widely different prices.

There are a couple of guys near me who will do a basic setup for around $50 and likely do it while you wait.

MachineClaw · Post by **MachineClaw** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 3:25 pm

I bought an acoustic from Guitar Center recently and they told me that if I needed to they would do a free setup on this guitar and save me $50. it had to be within 14 days of purchase for free after that they would charge me $50.00 for a setup.

guess it just depends on acoustic or electric and how much work you want them to do.

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 4:17 pm

From my limited experience with acoustic guitars...Usually with new acoustic guitars they need seasonal neck adjustment after the first three months.

If you have an acoustic guitar it's best to store the guitar in its case with a guitar humidifier when not in use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVmwVDPJ_g0

Mister Natural · Post by **Mister Natural** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:16 am

around here - pro set-up runs $60 to 75 plus strings

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 1:51 pm

That's seems reasonable. Thanks

polaris20 · Post by **polaris20** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:35 pm

My shop charges $40+strings, however if a fret file/level is required, it's $20 extra.

Deep Purple · Post by **Deep Purple** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:07 pm

I'm also assuming when I say $50 or so where I am that you're not including the hacks at Guitar Center or other big chain stores. As far as I know they're salaried and to be honest (at least in the nearest GC to me) ignorant assholes. A friend took a cheap Squier there with buzzing on one fret and they told him they couldn't work on it as the neck was warped and the guitar was useless. Raising the bridge, giving the truss rod a tweak, fixing the intonation and cleaning the nut for him made it into a pretty decent guitar for a beginner.

There's a guy near me that works out of a room in his house who just does it for the love of it and will spend as much time on helping out a beginner as he does working on expensive guitars, and another has a small unit in a business park and will take on any work as he just loves what he does.

There are more expensive guys too, and they seem to stay in business, so I guess it's really just down to how much do you trust someone and if they're cheap does that reflect in their work or not.

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 8:31 pm

Well I've had guitars with warped necks and if it's bad warping on an inexpensive guitar sometimes it's just cheaper to get another cheap guitar, sometimes with bolt on necks it's cheaper to replace the neck.

Indonesian guitars necks have a greater propensity for warping due to the climate they are made in.

Mister Natural · Post by **Mister Natural** » Sat Apr 11, 2015 9:28 pm

the other thing I hear all the time is how simple it is to learn to "roll your own" set-up

I think that that invites some real problems(can you say,"broken truss-rod"?) and requires valuable time that I'd rather spend PLAYING a properly set-up instrument

The best $70 investment I've ever made, imo

peace

Deep Purple · Post by **Deep Purple** » Sat Apr 11, 2015 9:55 pm

tapper mike wrote:Well I've had guitars with warped necks and if it's bad warping on an inexpensive guitar sometimes it's just cheaper to get another cheap guitar

Sometimes, but in this case it was just BS on their part and an easy fix

Vaylos · Post by **Vaylos** » Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:56 am

I recently popped a string on my guitar while tuning down, and didn't have any backups, so I took it in to Danny's shop in Narberth, PA. I bought the guitar used a couple years ago, and decided it probably needed a good checkup, so I asked them to check it over from stem to stern for me, and to put on some elixir 11's. Total cost including the strings and tax was around $106.

But yeah, it probably varies from area to area, or where you are in the country, or in the world for that matter.

Guitar Setup Costs these days?