Members Noise... Posted February 23, 2007 Members Posted February 23, 2007 Ok, my acoustic needs a few things done to it. -I want to get a full setup done on it including new strings and possibly a bone bridge. -The rear strap button needs fixed, as it's continually falling out. I'd also be looking at possibly having it replaced with a metal strap button. -I want a second strap button installed where the neck connects to the body. How much should all of this cost me to have everything done by a professional?
Members Freeman Keller Posted February 23, 2007 Members Posted February 23, 2007 A typical setup runs $35-50 plus parts. This will include checking the nut (and filing slots if they need to be deeper), checking and adjusting relief, and lowering your present saddle (or shimming it if it's too low). Fret work, if needed is a little more. A new bone saddle blank runs about $20 and may be correctly curved (and even compensated) or may require some labor to fit it. Strings run anywhere from $5 to 15 a set and you probably should be replacing them yourself at regular intervals. Reaming and fitting a new end pin shouldn't be too much and the pin is probably $5 for plastic to $20 for bone (I bought a set of Martin plastic pins and endpin the other day for $15). Adding a strap button at the heel is just a matter of drilling the hole - $5 or 10 including the button (unless you want one of Colosi's ivory ones for 50). All in all pretty reasonable upgrades. Before you take it in for a setup make sure it is stable with respect to humidity.
Members Hamhand Posted February 24, 2007 Members Posted February 24, 2007 With proper respects to Freeman, I just paid $65 each for three gits to be set up. Added 7.00 apiece for strings. I followed a link he (Freeman) had provided and found a quality shop to do my work. It's nice to know when you leave it that it's going to be right when it comes back to ya.
Members GrandStation76 Posted February 24, 2007 Members Posted February 24, 2007 Yeah you gotta beware of scam artists to. I had an old Harmony h165 set up once, it was missing a nut and had a very shallow plastic saddle. I had the guy set up the nut, and came back for the saddle. When he did the saddle he tried to charge me for redoing the nut again, I asked why, and he told me the nut wasn't seated properly, and he needed cut some off the fretboard to make it perfectly flat(not adjusted to match the saddle,that was another fee), when he was the one that set the nut in the first place! (needless to say he didn't get extra cash out of me) And he put chips around the nut where he tried to trim the edges of a shim AFTER gluing everything in place. I have been slowly learning to be competent on raising,lowering height,shimming,and truss rod adjustment on my own since then.(have even learned to cut my own saddles and make a 99% perfect copy(much better than his work, thats fun for me) Not saying others will be as dumb as this guy, but it makes me nervous when others touch my things that have value to me, but maybe not others. You want to find a guy you trust if you can't do it yourself, and stick with him. The things you need done,shouldn't be such an issue,and I would guess not more than $60(if more then call around a bit) good luck
Members EastCoastPlayah Posted February 24, 2007 Members Posted February 24, 2007 My last set up was 1 hour labour ($50), $7 for the bone blank. I usually buy ebony end pins for the guitars, $3. I've never priced a metal one....
Members Noise... Posted February 24, 2007 Author Members Posted February 24, 2007 Thanks for the replies. I called up my local shop earlier and he basically gave me a quote of $50 over the phone for the setup, new strings, and getting a strap button put in. Basically, I'll be paying 1/4 of the total cost of the guitar to make it *possibly* play how I want. After the setup I may still not like how it plays...
Members mahoganycentral Posted February 24, 2007 Members Posted February 24, 2007 sounds like a fair price (slightly cheap maybe?), the key is to really talk to the guy who'll be doing the work. maybe write a list ( the more specific you can be - the easier it is for him) of exactly what you want. off topic - Freeman Keller - is that a home build (you avatar pic)? could i see more pics anywhere? looks beautiful.
Members Noise... Posted February 25, 2007 Author Members Posted February 25, 2007 Well, I took the guitar into the another shop today where the guys know me pretty well.Right off the bat, the guy working there today mentioned how high the action was. He said he could fix it and make it play a lot better in just a few minutes. He took the guitar and quickly adjusted the truss rod a little, then loosened all the strings. He popped the bridge out and sanded it WAY down. He put it back on and tightened the strings right back up and tuned the guitar. He handed it to me, and the thing plays like butter now. The tone is also a lot crisper now that it's all properly adjusted.I turned and asked him how much I owed him. He said "nothing." He gave me basically a whole setup for free!Needless to say, this place is going to be getting more buisiness from me.
Members d28andm1911a1 Posted February 25, 2007 Members Posted February 25, 2007 That's a minor setup and should cost between $35-50. I'd go back to that shop.
Members GrandStation76 Posted February 25, 2007 Members Posted February 25, 2007 I turned and asked him how much I owed him. He said "nothing." He gave me basically a whole setup for free! Needless to say, this place is going to be getting more buisiness from me. Thats a cool story:thu: They must be good folks there, and deserve your business IMO, whenever fitting.
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