All set up

Written by Dermot on Sunday, 14 February 2010

You sweat on it, bash it around and develop a level of relationship with it that’s normally reserved for the mother (or father) of your children. Yet though you say you love it, you frequently show it no respect whatsoever. I am, of course, talking about your guitar. Sometimes, just like the rest of us, it needs a little love and attention.

I had my first professional guitar set up many years ago. I had inflicted every kind of abuse on this guitar, ranging from spilling beer on it to once dragging it across a stage by its lead. If someone had done this to you, wouldn’t you like a check-up too?

The results were astounding (I was lucky to live near a good guitar tech). All the little niggly details were sorted: it stayed in tune all the way up the neck and just ‘sang’ more, because everything was balanced.

The set-up, however, is frequently overlooked. Despite only costing 20 or 30 quid, it can transform your guitar from a plank into your best friend.

I now take my guitars (and most of my gear) to Graham at Badlands Guitars in Brighton, one of the friendliest music shops I know. Amongst other jobs, he has invigorated my B-bender Tele and given my Breedlove OM a whole new lease of life. I managed to drag Graham away from his workshop to give us his take on the mysterious world of the set-up.  

In terms of the general wear and tear guitars go through, what is the first thing that usually needs attention?
Some of the first issues that crop up are loose control pots and input jacks and, more worrying, loose strap buttons. If the loose electrics are not addressed early, they escalate into broken wiring through continual twisting inside the guitar. Good strap locks are also a good investment early on, if you value your guitar.
 
Do you advise people to take in their instrument only when they feel something is wrong, or do you think it’s a good idea for a guitar to have a routine check-up every so often?
Most definitely [every so often]! I have not known a guitar to self heal yet. From experience, situations will only get worse over time. Every guitar should have a full set-up at least once a year, if not more often. There are many aspects to a guitar; it is a very well-engineered instrument and simple things like temperature and humidity all affect it.

Do you think that every guitar deserves a set-up, or would you not bother with inexpensive instruments?
Every guitar should be set up when bought - especially a less expensive model, as these are manufactured and shipped, then in turn distributed to retail outlets without being set up at all. These are often near-unplayable in this condition, but perfectly playable with an accurate set-up. We ensure every guitar, be it new or used, is set up before we let it out of our shop. After all, we strive to encourage players, not put them off from day one. It is a great pity where parents buying a first guitar(for their offspring) are guided solely by cost. They resort to a catalogue outlet and buy a guitar which an experienced player would struggle with. Obviously, being a learner the would-be player knows no difference, thinks this is ‘normal’ and will soon give up, and who can blame them? Learning takes patience - and a playable instrument.

What’s the worst home repair job or set-up that you’ve had to put right?
We saw a brand new limited-edition Fender Strat, which had a high fret. The retailer ‘repaired’ it and after the repair the customer couldn't play it. So they did it again...then again. Eventually he brought it into us and wondered if it could be saved. We had to stone, then profile and polish all the frets, reducing their life by at least half.

I also once restored a Jagstang which had a black aerosol emptied on the guitar in an attempt to change its look. But the customer did not remove any hardware...so pickups, switches, pots, chrome, etc. were all coated. It took about a week working off and on until it was returned to its original sonic blue with chrome hardware. It worked just fine after cleaning all the electrics inside as well as out.

It is quite amazing how filthy some players allow guitars to get. We have seen necks where the rosewood is not visible at all where they are covered in finger skin and ‘gak’.

Correcting and repairing wiring is also very common as are, surprisingly, correcting jobs that have been taken to supposed repairers who lack experience. It is important to ask around and look at reviews. Your guitar is a valuable instrument and deserves the correct treatment.

In terms of restoring an old instrument, what’s the most challenging (or rewarding) job you’ve worked on?
The Jagstang was very rewarding as it looked like a writeoff when we took it on. I also once brought a 1960 P-Bass over from Africa. It had a fret missing, a radio pot replacing the tone pot and a hand-carved wooden nut as the player lived nowhere near a shop. It was one of the best real relics I have seen. It was very rewarding bringing it back to a playable bass. I keep a photo of this one in the shop. There have been many more, and in general, the worst-looking cases present a big challenge. These are highly satisfying when completed to a good level.

How much variation do different players look for (in terms of elements like action)?
There is a huge variation in set-up requirements. With electrics we can be asked for actions lower than a snake’s belly for the ‘widdlers’ and then high enough to drive a bus under for the slide players. It will depend on the style played and we can advise on a height or string gauge to suit a player.  Players often struggle to achieve their goals, simply because the action and string gauge are wrong.

Basses are often a compromise between low action and fret buzz, as obviously a long, thick string will need space to vibrate. Lowering this to what a player feels is a ‘great’ action results in fret buzz.

These individual requirements often require the guitar having the set-up adjusted as altering string gauges has a knock-on effect on the neck and intonation.
 
What’s your own current main guitar, and what do you like about it?
Hmmmmm, that’s a toughy! I tend to work with four main electrics and love them for similar reasons. Number one is they deliver the sound I am looking for and they are built to a quality that allows a good accurate set-up. But don't be fooled in thinking I use £1500 Les Pauls and Strats. The main four are a 1974 Greco Les Paul, an '84 Tokai Breezysound (Tele), an '84 Fernandes revival series (Strat) and an early Japanese Fender '57 re-issue.  This last one is much-modified, whereas the others are near-originals. I feel you can buy a fabulous guitar between £400 and £700 that will last you a lifetime, without being a name snob.

Visit Badlands Guitars online.