initial setup ?

snoopdoug1 · Unread post by **snoopdoug1** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 5:04 pm

Ok, so I've never had my guitar officially setup by a shop or anything. I just started playing this out of the box(Washburn DS-10). I'm assuming I should get it setup(or whatever the official word is) because i think the strings are too far from the fretboard.

How much should this cost? I don't want to go to the guitar store and have the guy try to rip me off

And what all should I have done? This guitar I've been using for about a year(off and on) and I've never had it in a shop... bought it at music123.com.

Thanks a million.

PlayLikeDave · Unread post by **PlayLikeDave** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 8:37 pm

Hey, way to go on the Washburn...I had my 1976 Madeira A 30 R stolen over the summer, and I replaced it with a Washburn G 30. I hope yours sounds as good as mine.

About the maintenance. I have just played mine how I got it too, although I did notice a couple of things. First, the neck needs to be adjusted slightly because it is somewhat curved. That is just a quick adjustment on the truss rod, which is usually done for free or at a really low cost. Since mine was factory, and yours probably is too, you might wanna check that out (to see if the neck is straight).

The next thing that I noticed is that the chrome tuners that I have suck. Yeah, I have used the Gold tuners on Taylors and Washburns in no way compare to that. Getting tuners changed is way expensive, but I don't have a price quote on that.

Other than that, the action on the strings is really good, but the frets a kinda bulky. There is not much you can do beyond getting used to it if your frets are hi like mine. The cost of adjusting the action of the strings tends to be costly if your action needs to be adjusted. But it is important to get that fixed for easier play.

That is all that I have to offer, and I am way sure that I have said too much.

peace

thejoe · Unread post by **thejoe** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 8:59 pm

you need not a shop, you can adjust the neck with a hex key
you can adjust the action with sandpaper, or abrasive paper whateverthehell, just take the nut out and sand the bottom down (only on non acousti-lectrics)
its very easy and imo its a waste of 30-50 bucks bringing it to a shop, especially when i probably know more about guitars than the idiot at my local shop

PlayLikeDave · Unread post by **PlayLikeDave** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 9:09 pm

Touché...good point about the person who works at the guitar store. There are exceptions but rarely.

About adjusting the truss rod...what are the rules on that?

peace

thejoe · Unread post by **thejoe** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 9:39 pm

PlayLikeDave wrote:Touché...good point about the person who works at the guitar store. There are exceptions but rarely.

About adjusting the truss rod...what are the rules on that?

peace

tighten if it goes down in the middle, loosen if theres a 'hump'

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT SIZE HEX KEY!!

or you could ruin the rod

taylordb · Unread post by **taylordb** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:14 am

Just my $0.02, but properly setting up a neck...i.e. action and bow, if done correctly, is not as easy as one would think. It takes skill to adjust action to be consistant along the entire neck form fret to fret and from string to string.

I used to think it was a "do it yourself" project until I had my Washburn D21S set up by a technician well respected in the industry (he has done work for both Carlos Santana and Dave Matthews). He changed what was then just an ordianry guitar into one that is a joy to play.

One of the things he talked me into was to change to heavier gage fretwire which has made a big difference. He also checks the actual fingerboard along the entire length and planes it down where necessary to obtain true flatness.

I think it is well worth the $30 to $50 to have your neck set up (it cost me more to set mine up). Again...just my $.02

P.S Since I have been asked this before, the technician's name is Kenny Marshal at AL&M in Norfolk, VA (for those of you that live near here)...a very unassuming and humble guy that works on guitars from around the world. I highly recommend him. And no, he has never met Dave personally....his management would just send the guitars for him to work on.

snoopdoug1 · Unread post by **snoopdoug1** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:45 am

Wow, thanks everyone. So it sounds like I need to get the action/neck setup

It's a onetime thing to do that right?

taylordb · Unread post by **taylordb** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 7:12 am

The action, yes is usually a one-time thing. The neck however periodically may need to be adjusted (I usually look at it about every year or year and a half), but this should cost you no more than $10 tops if you have a relationship with a guitar tech.

snoopdoug1 · Unread post by **snoopdoug1** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 7:38 am

Thanks for the quick reply... I should be looking about about 30-40 for the neck/action?

taylordb · Unread post by **taylordb** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:06 am

That sounds about right.

snoopdoug1 · Unread post by **snoopdoug1** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:39 am

sweet. Thanks

snoopdoug1 · Unread post by **snoopdoug1** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:03 am

So I just called the guy and he was bashing my Washburn pretty badly. He said that they have a notorious problem with having the neck set wrong, and that means that the action can't be lowered?

Does that make any sense to anyone else? Or is that even true? I thought the Washburn DS-10S had good reviews when i bought it.

anyway, on a positive note, he said that the 'setup' of a acoustic is only like 17.50

He was kinda an ass... i'm thinking i should try to find some other place to go.

Speenis · Unread post by **Speenis** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:05 am

yeah i wouldn't go to a place that makes fun of its customers.... it might be bullshit though cuz he is just tryin to scam u

snoopdoug1 · Unread post by **snoopdoug1** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:10 am

BigSpeen3436 wrote:yeah i wouldn't go to a place that makes fun of its customers.... it might be bullshit though cuz he is just tryin to scam u

17.50 is really cheap. Almost seems too cheap?

taylordb · Unread post by **taylordb** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:37 am

Find another place.

DMBTabs.com

initial setup ?

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