What is a setup? |
A setup is the process of adjusting a guitar into proper playing condition. |
What is involved in a setup? |
A setup involves adjusting the three main areas dealing with string height, "Action", and then final intonnation in order for the guitar to play in tune. Straightness of the neck, height of the saddle or saddles, and height inside the nut relative to the first fret. |
Does my guitar need a setup? |
New guitars typically need a setup because the manufacture purposefully leaves the string height, "Action", high. Also when changing the string gauge to a lighter or heavier set your guitar will need a setup due to the change in tension of the new strings relative to your truss rod pulling opposite the strings. |
Why wasn't my guitar setup when I purchased it? |
Not all music stores have In-house technicians, but here at Davids' Broken Note, we setup every guitar we own before you buy it. I cannot speak for any manufacturer but I would argue that guitar makers do setup their guitars; just higher than what players want. Guitar makers are working with an imperfect material, wood, that moves based on moisture and temperature. In a climate controlled area, like a factory, wood can stabilize. Leave the factory however, and wood will begin to adjust to its environment. Its the lesser of two evils for a guitar manufacturer to have higher string height compared to lower. With higher string height a guitar is far more likely to play without having any buzzing issues after the guitar adjusts to its new non-factory controlled climate. With lower string height the possibility of string buzz is greater after the guitar adjusts to its new environment. After the guitar has acclimated to its new environment, then it should be setup for optimum playability. |