# Tune Up?



## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Hey all, Bagpipes thread about setup got me thinking. When DO you take your babies in for a tune up? I regularly clean mine when I change the strings and I try to take very good care of them (as I should).


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## xuthal (May 15, 2007)

I personally dont take my guitars in.Where i live the nearest music store is a 2 hour ride.Usually when i come across a problem i go to the guitars tech section and ask there.Besides,theres a wealth of knowledge at my finger tips and with a little carefulness most problems can be fixed.OTOH if its something serious like a lifting neck i would take it to an experienced luthier rather than potentially ruin an expensive guitar.I installed a pickup in my guitar myself saving some serious $ that i didnt have.If its handled with care and patience anything is possible.If you google some simple things like a truss rod adjustment and follow the instructions carefully you shouldn't run into too many problems.That being said my guitars are under $200 a piece(I miss ebay:frownBut the one i did the pickup install on was originally priced at $1200 that i paid $125 for and fixed up.Money is good when u have it but doing your own tweaking here and there is much more rewarding knowing you did it your self.
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenMaint/LooseBits/loosebit01.html
A site like frets.com will give you an idea about the job that needs to be done.Some problems like in the link are easy to fix and dont really need to be addressed by a luthier/guitar tech.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

my guitars get tweaked to some degree at each string change- and i clean them then just as you do. thats after about 8 hours playing time. but the only major setup changes are done when i first start using a guitar. after that its a truss rod turn here or there, a different saddle, what have you. i think i would be an even more poverty stricken fella if i had to take it to someone every time lol- 
but im funny that way- for yourself, id find somebody you trust, and who only charges you for actual work done, if possible, and have it looked at and any need to adjust assessed every 6 months, as the seasons change- say late july, early january-
might be hard these days to find someone like this- its turned into bigger business. i do it for a handful of folks, and always have, so i have to assume there are others like that out there.


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## rbbambino (Oct 10, 2007)

I agree with you XUTHAL and fraser. I'm perhaps not as obsessive as fraser about changing strings, but that really depends on the oils and chemicals in your hands. For instance Richard Smith (a great guitarist) has said that he can kill a set of steel strings in less than one set (of playing time, NOT set of strings). Also there is the coated vs non-coated issues with strings.
Anyway, in addition to the frets.com site mentioned by XUTHAL I would add the stewmac.com site as a good resource. The newsletters from stewmac are quite informative.
If you are a well informed guitarist, you will know when and where to take your guitars for setup, repairs or major work. Knowledge empowers you. Old cliche :smile:


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Mine get a once over at every string change and whenever I notice something. I do virtually all my own maintenance. For me, it's most convenient when I change strings, but usually once or twice a year I will have a tune up day where I do several or all of my instruments at once as a preventative and precautionary measure. I don't like a poorly performing instrument.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

rbbambino said:


> If you are a well informed guitarist, you will know when and where to take your guitars for setup, repairs or major work. Knowledge empowers you. Old cliche :smile:


Well I'm certainly trying to be, I am capable of minor trussrod adjustments. However, I feel that my GS's action is a bit high lately and don't want to tackle that myself, nor do I wish to give it up for a week or two waiting for a setup. It's properly humidified and cased at all times (cept for when I play it) I've had it for 2 years now and it was never set up when I bought it. Maybe it's time.


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## rbbambino (Oct 10, 2007)

Starbuck said:


> It's properly humidified and cased at all times (cept for when I play it) I've had it for 2 years now and it was never set up when I bought it. Maybe it's time.


Its time :smile: Get a loner, but you may have a closet full to choose from :smilie_flagge17:


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Fret dressing, saddle burr removal are a couple routine maintenance things that needs to be performed. When really depends on how, how much and how hard you play your baby.


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## Guest (Nov 6, 2008)

I do all my own setups and maintenance including things like fret dressing. Stew-Mac sells the tools required for just about any task you can think of.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

rbbambino said:


> I agree with you XUTHAL and fraser. I'm perhaps not as obsessive as fraser about changing strings, but that really depends on the oils and chemicals in your hands. For instance Richard Smith (a great guitarist) has said that he can kill a set of steel strings in less than one set (of playing time, NOT set of strings). Also there is the coated vs non-coated issues with strings.
> Anyway, in addition to the frets.com site mentioned by XUTHAL I would add the stewmac.com site as a good resource. The newsletters from stewmac are quite informative.
> If you are a well informed guitarist, you will know when and where to take your guitars for setup, repairs or major work. Knowledge empowers you. Old cliche :smile:


im a mechanic- my hands are never truly clean. and if using a pick, its a penny. combined with the way i flail at the strings, and the fact i use regular non- coated types, they dont last long :smile: spread over a number of guitars- (im currently rotating thru 6 or so) its not that noticeable. i play everyday but change strings on about 2 guitars a week.
and i never bother with wiping guitars down after use, just at string changes.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

rbbambino said:


> Its time :smile: Get a loner, but you may have a closet full to choose from :smilie_flagge17:


i agree, that guitar is just now settling in, lots of changes have, and are still, taking place- if you suspect it needs tweaking, it does:smile:
if youre comfortable with a truss rod adjustment, why not try that yourself- if the saddle needs lowered, thats easy too- but try tweaking the truss rod, tightening it a quarter turn- then maybe we can walk you through further adjustments-


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## rbbambino (Oct 10, 2007)

I played guitar on and off for 40 years. Mostly off, because I didn't know a darn thing about setups. I sold a 57 Les Paul a few years ago that had never been setup. At least the truss rod had never been adjusted. I hated that guitar, because it never had good intonation. Now I'm at least aware of nut, saddle and truss rod adjustments. If you get your guitars properly setup, you will enjoy them. Otherwise they collect dust and/or go on Ebay. IMHO.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

fraser said:


> i agree, that guitar is just now settling in, lots of changes have, and are still, taking place- if you suspect it needs tweaking, it does:smile:
> if youre comfortable with a truss rod adjustment, why not try that yourself- if the saddle needs lowered, thats easy too- but try tweaking the truss rod, tightening it a quarter turn- then maybe we can walk you through further adjustments-


ALRIGHT ALREADY! I'll take it in for service. I have 3 more to choose from after all. Fraser, I would do the truss rod myself if it were on my less expensive one, but I think this one should go to the shop. Thanks guys! You're the best!


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## fretlords (Nov 8, 2008)

Starbuck said:


> Hey all, Bagpipes thread about setup got me thinking. When DO you take your babies in for a tune up? I regularly clean mine when I change the strings and I try to take very good care of them (as I should).


I tune mine all myself...its an invaluable skill.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Starbuck said:


> Hey all, Bagpipes thread about setup got me thinking. When DO you take your babies in for a tune up? I regularly clean mine when I change the strings and I try to take very good care of them (as I should).





fretlords said:


> I tune mine all myself...its an invaluable skill.


I'm trying to decide if this is sarcasm or not ?


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

bagpipe said:


> I'm trying to decide if this is sarcasm or not ?


yeah lol- imagine that was meant to be interpreted literally- 
then


> its an invaluable skill


 would be the biggest understatement i ever saw on this forum.
the way its stated it hard to tell


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## rbbambino (Oct 10, 2007)

Since this thread originally started talking about tuneup. I thought I would just add this little gem from the "other" guitar forum.. It's just a reminder not to over tighten your truss rod. I think this guy tightened his just a tad too much!!








He certainly doesn't have a problem with too much relief!! What do you think?


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## Tony Burns (Dec 20, 2007)

IMO I wouldnt do what some of you folks do to your truss rods, their not designed to tweak constantly ( that can give you real problems down the road- like broken truss rods )- Mine are usually only adjusted once or twice and they stay that way - in the 27 years ive owned my Greven its truss rod was only tweaked once . its neck is as straight as an arrow. unless you really know what your doing Id take it easy on them.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

rbbambino said:


> Since this thread originally started talking about tuneup. I thought I would just add this little gem from the "other" guitar forum.. It's just a reminder not to over tighten your truss rod. I think this guy tightened his just a tad too much!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is that the Picasso or the Escher signature model?


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## Mogwaii (Feb 16, 2007)

devnulljp said:


> Is that the Picasso or the Escher signature model?


I thought the Pikasso was the most rediculous guitar ever until I saw videos of it in action... It was pretty awesome.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

Tony Burns said:


> IMO I wouldnt do what some of you folks do to your truss rods, their not designed to tweak constantly ( that can give you real problems down the road- like broken truss rods )- Mine are usually only adjusted once or twice and they stay that way - in the 27 years ive owned my Greven its truss rod was only tweaked once . its neck is as straight as an arrow. unless you really know what your doing Id take it easy on them.


for folks who dont really know what theyre doing, remember that you cant break a truss rod or harm it in any way by loosening it, so long as you dont remove the nut completely and then crossthread it while re-installing it.
damage only happens when tightening.
ive never broken one yet, and i like a straight neck with pretty fat strings. and i like cheap guitars lol. a truss rod is something to respect, and to be very careful with, but its nothing to fear. no special skill or training needed- just restraint


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