5 Indicators Your Guitar Needs A Set Up

Intro

When someone purchases a guitar (especially used) a lot of the time their guitar will need a set up from a guitar luthier. A guitar setup is when your guitar needs some adjustments, so the guitar will stay in tune and be optimized for easy playing. Here at Music Scene Lane Turgeon is our guitar luthier, and in these steps below I have given some hints and tips on how to know if your guitar does in fact need a set up.

1 – If you hear fret buzz

Fret buzz is when you hear a rattling sound caused by the string buzzing against a fret wire. This can happen for a few different reasons. A common reason is because you are not pressing down hard enough on the strings. If this is not the case, then your guitar most likely will need a set up.

2 – If it is difficult to push down the strings on the guitar

The saddles may be set too high causing the strings to be difficult to push down. The neck also might have too much curvature causing high action. Also, Over time frets can wear down and get too close to the fret board. If any of these are the case, then your guitar indeed most likely will need a set up.

3 – Out of tune above the 10th fret

In most cases a guitar should not go out of tune past the 10th fret, if this is the case it may be your guitar needs the intonation reset, which a luthier will do when they set up the guitar.

4- Guitar Neck is too concave

If you push down the 20th fret and then the 1st fret, and you notice a large gap (any more than about a centimeter) between the string and the fretboard, then your guitar most likely needs a set up.

5 – Nut on your guitar is set too high

This is a common issue with guitars. If your nut is too high on your guitar your action will feel too high, especially close to the nut. Many low budget guitars have the nut slots cut too high. If this is the case your guitar may need a set up.

If you have any questions about guitars or any string instrument for that matter please give us a call here at Music Scene, and our professionial staff will assist you. We have a guitar luthier here who has 8 years of experience fixing all string instruments.

Music Scene phone - (316)-440-8684

Music Scene Address - 546 N Andover Rd