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How much should a bass setup cost?

#21
Seriously, ladies and germs...

It is impossible to compare pricing unless you know what a "set up" includes. Apples to apples. Price also varies by region. It is different in the city than in the sticks.

Thirty miles out of town, it's $60.00USD in 2018. Hourly rate is $95.00USD*

What does that include?

  1. Light cleaning and polishing including the fingerboard (Really filthy gets charged by the hour.)
  2. Polishing the frets and oiling the fingerboard if the client specifies
  3. Clean the pots and check circuits
  4. Every screw will have a screw driver inserted (nut with wrench) and an adjustment made if necessary
  5. Every adjustment point (Relief, bridge/saddle heights, intonation, pickup height and tilt, etc.) is measured
  6. Every measurement logged as before
  7. Regulate the relief, adjust the string heights at the saddles, set the intonation
  8. Adjust pickup heights to balance output
  9. Log finish data, print sheet
  10. Place guitar and data sheet in case
Number seven is what most people think of as a "set up."

*In 1991 the price was $30.00. Hourly was $50.00. If you adjust for inflation you'll see that it's gone up 10%. Expect a rise this year.

So what about little things like fret ends, popped frets, etc? The answer is, "It depends." Respectful, repeat customers and those that recommend get a few things thrown in. Sometimes they're permitted to hang out while we're working as long as were not too busy.

Those who are demanding, disrespectful, or think that attitude is an acceptable trait when dealing with an "artist" can expect to pay ala carte.
 
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#28
Gluvhand said:
Don't some of you get tired of saying "do it yourself"? If he wanted to know how to do it himself that would've been the question. Yeah, we get it. You do it yourself and whoever doesn't is missing out on something special. Woohoo.
Click to expand...

The OP was concerned as to why the cost of a set up quoted to him was so high. In my comparison (see earlier in thread) I gave him the list of tools and expertise he would need to do it himself, and the cost/playability benefits of taking his bass to a professional. If he thinks $50 is too high a price for a set up, he can gather the tools and ability.
If not, he can pay a local tradesman the going rate.
 
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#29
Turnaround said:
$85 in my shop. But you really need to ask what is being done. Some concepts of a setup only include a truss rod and string height adjustment. Most often it also includes intonation. Are the tuners being serviced? The electronics? Minor fret issues? Pickup height? Fret end dressing? Nut height? Anything else?
Click to expand...

Moreover, if all of those things aren't being done it's really not much of a setup, is it? :)
 
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#30
35 not including strings where I'm from. Does not include electronic work but it's easy to talk out deals so over all I consider this cheap.


Of course I fan do basic things myself at this point anyway though. I did however used one professional setup as a template of what to do because it happened me and the tech has simular taste.
 
#31
For a basic setup: truss rod, saddles, intonation.. my guy used to charge me $35.

I've since learned how to do all that myself, and now I save myself a couple hundred bucks every year. If I need the frets or nut worked on, I still take my basses to a guy.

Not to sound like a jerk, but if it's something you don't want to pay the money for, learn how to do it yourself. It's good knowledge to have.
 
#33
202dy said:
This guy walks into a lawyer's office. He's being sued for $50,000. He talks it over with the lawyer. The lawyer says he'll send them a letter. The following week the other side drops the suit.

At the end of the month the guy gets his bill from the lawyer.

It reads:

One letter-$525.00

The guy is outraged. He calls the lawyer who promptly asks him how much he thought it should be. The guy tells him twenty five bucks. The lawyer agrees and sends him a new bill.

It reads:

One letter-$25.00
Knowing what to say-$500.00
Total-$525.00
Click to expand...

I’m a lawyer and I appreciate this. I have no patience for people who don’t value what I do, and I’ve faced it too often. I once had a criminal client who was acquitted at trial and then asked for a refund because, according to him, the jury said he didn’t do anything wrong. Aside from a complete misunderstanding of the meaning of a not guilty verdict, he had no appreciation for the value of the service i provided. All of this is to say that we need to appreciate and respect those who provide skilled services. $50 sounds more than fair for quality set-up.
 
#34
Henry Luera said:
So the other day I called up my local guitar store. I asked what the cost of a setup is. They informed me that it was $50 USD for just a basic setup. I was blown away! I never thought that it would be so expensive! How much do you think a setup should cost?
Click to expand...
I believe your local thrift shop will ask $6.99 for all the tools necessary. It isn't exactly a tough job.
 
#35
202dy said:
What does that include?

  1. Light cleaning and polishing including the fingerboard (Really filthy gets charged by the hour.)
  2. Polishing the frets and oiling the fingerboard if the client specifies
  3. Clean the pots and check circuits
  4. Every screw will have a screw driver inserted (nut with wrench) and an adjustment made if necessary
  5. Every adjustment point (Relief, bridge/saddle heights, intonation, pickup height and tilt, etc.) is measured
  6. Every measurement logged as before
  7. Regulate the relief, adjust the string heights at the saddles, set the intonation
  8. Adjust pickup heights to balance output
  9. Log finish data, print sheet
  10. Place guitar and data sheet in case
Number seven is what most people think of as a "set up."
Click to expand...

I cannot comment on the rates for a setup in the US as i do not live there BUT when we say "basic setup" everything in your list is included. Except (maybe) the second part of 3 and printing the log for the client. Anything less is not a basic setup but part of a setup or an ameteur job. This "part of a setup"(especially 7) here it is provided sometimes for free if you are a regular client or you just bought new strings(which are not the 20 euro kind.) or very cheaply.

The setup which includes all 10 points varies form 20-25 euros to max 40-50 euros for the best luthier in Athens. This is about $50-60
 
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#37
Got2SadowskyNYC said:
Free, because you LEARNED HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF!!!!!!! It's not hard people. This is basic stuff EVERY PLAYER needs to know. I can set up a bass that really needs it in about 45 min., while sitting on my bed watching TV.
Click to expand...
Truth is that this is relatively easy and most people do it. But if you need professional level setup where everything is tightly measured and the results repeatable every timeyou need more than that.
 
#39
Conkal said:
Truth is that this is relatively easy and most people do it. But if you need professional level setup where everything is tightly measured and the results repeatable every timeyou need more than that.
Click to expand...

I feel that going by eye and feel (like Roscoe does), as opposed to going by numbers (since wood is always changing inside), gets it how you want it. I don't see how someone else can get the exact feel you want...doing it yourself can achieve that every time, so you'll have it set up just how you like it. A luthier's heavenly interpretation of a client's setup may be "meh" when that client plays it. No matter how good the luthier, I always end up setting up the bass again when I get home.
 
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#40
setups around here cost anywhere from $40-100.


it really is a very easy thing to learn how to do. i highly reccomend the $30 "musicians tool kit" ernie ball sells. i've had to add many specialty tools to that collection over the years, but honestly 95% of the set ups i do use only a few of those tools.
 
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