The $100 Pro Set-up. Worth it?

[XtraLongScale]

$100? I'm glad my tech & I went to school together.. He usually charges $75, but I pay alot less I honestly don't have the time to devote to much that's tech related, so it's worth it, but $100? Wow. Maybe I should learn. That would increase my discretionary funds some

 

[Ste_m3]

to be honest, you cant really go far wrong doing it yourself, im 16 and very comfortable doing my own setups, and im no wizard with tools or anything. everything you need to know/pay special attention too is noted on these forums anyway!

I seriously recomend trying it yourself, looking at these people paying 200$ plus a year, think what upgrades you could have with that!

 

[Zooberwerx]

Unless fret work is required, do it yourself. My set-up constantly changes in response to the season, string gauge / brand, etc.

Riis

 

[xshawnxearthx]

i'f pay that if it was a complete overhaul.

intonation
action/trussrod
string heights
cleaning fretboard
fretwork
including strings

i generally do my own set ups but every now and again i will bring it to a pro if i have a problem i cannot figure out.

 

[GM60466]

The guy who does all my major tech work has a $50 an hour bench time. I believe that $50 an hour is fair. Why be cheap when it comes to your instruments?
Remember what Momma Leoni says. "In the long run, free always cost too much."

GM

 

[MobileHolmes]

I could never see spending 100$ on a set up.. not unless it included major fret work..

+1. My guy, who is very well regarded is either 30 or 35 bucks plus strings. Unless there is major fretwork or some, er, favors included, 100 bucks seems high.

 

[Dincrest]

Figured that out, of course, but I still leave the truss rod tweaking to the pros. Too afraid that I'm going to break the truss rod.

Same here. I'm always afraid I'll do something bad to the neck, so once a year I have a pro setup done. My guy only charges $35 for a setup and he does an amazing job. Setup includes tightening the pots, cleaning everything out, plus the neck adjustments (I provide him the strings.)

My neck's pretty stiff, so I'd normally only need an annual setup, even though I live in New Jersey where the weather is mucho unpredictable; for example, this past week, the weather's gone from snowy and below freezing one day to 50 degrees and sunny the next.

 

[georgestrings]

Unless fret work is required, do it yourself. My set-up constantly changes in response to the season, string gauge / brand, etc.

Riis

That's how I see it, too - although I pretty much stick to the same strings...




- georgestrings

 

[Kenji Haro]

What's your time worth? If you only gig at night then you have all day to sleep, eat and work on your rig. If you are one of the dreaded 'day job' musicians (like me) spending $100 with a good luthier is really minimal, compared to the time I'd take. I've also got grade-school aged kids, so I'm pressed.

I barely have time to get my old Pilot-5 over to him, much less take the few hours to do it myself.

 

[loendmaestro]

i'f pay that if it was a complete overhaul.

intonation
action/trussrod
string heights
cleaning fretboard
fretwork
including strings

i generally do my own set ups but every now and again i will bring it to a pro if i have a problem i cannot figure out.

Don't know what y'alls definition of a "set up" is, but mine includes all that & more.
Hence my decision to pay it.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

What's your time worth? If you only gig at night then you have all day to sleep, eat and work on your rig. If you are one of the dreaded 'day job' musicians (like me) spending $100 with a good luthier is really minimal, compared to the time I'd take. I've also got grade-school aged kids, so I'm pressed.

I barely have time to get my old Pilot-5 over to him, much less take the few hours to do it myself.

A few hours? Setting the intonation is the longest part of a standard setup and, unless you're using a fretless, even that takes a very short amount of time.

 

[jsbass]

IMO, I see set-up's as a waste. Because there are certain adjustments that need to be done on a regular basis that will change from that set-up you paid for, it's best just to get to know how to do it yourself.

 

[Juniorkimbrough]

at times I've wondering if a pro setup would be any better than mine, but i find it hard to believe than can do a setup that will please everyone. different players have lighter/harder touch and prefer different action.....therefore I think I'll stick to doing my own setup.

i use flats so I really don't have to do setups that often at all since I rarely change strings.

 

[SGT. Pepper]

Unless fretwork is needed, I do it all myself and have never asked for a refund.

+1

 

[Superpang]

I have never leveled the frets, but I have done the ends. The secret for me is not to try to do it all at once. I will roughly do the first 12, call it a night. Then later get them a bit better. Then do the upper frets. Then get everything perfect.

I have done this on three basses and am currently working on my fourth.

And I did ask myself for a refund once, but I gave myself the brush off with something about the "fine print" :scowl: So I just fixed it myself

Which store was it and whats the fine print ?

 

[Giraffe]

The answer to this question depends on the bass.

Most new basses, and many old basses that have never been hand-finished, have a poorly prepared nut. It is not rocket science to correct, but it is almost impossible to get it perfect without specialized files.

High frets, protruding fret ends, and burrs or rough spots on bridge saddles are little jobs that can be done with home-dentistry tools, but that require a little know-how to do very well. For most players, the full-timer can do it better.

These jobs can usually be done once, and forgotten about for years. This guy is charging about $60-70 bucks to handle all of that and do a pro quality intonation job as well? There is nothing wrong with that deal.

Once you get these "tool-and-metal-intensive" jobs taken care of the first time, your need for a pro set-up in the future are greatly reduced. Educate yourself so you can adjust the truss rod, bridge saddles, and intonation and you are good to go for quite some time.

It is a good idea to get a pro job once in your life (especially if you have a new bass) so you will know the difference between "I did it myself and it is perfect" and a pro job.

 

[smadder]

IMO it's great to have a pro-setup. You know how sandwiches always taste better if someone else makes them for you? A pro setup can be the same thing.

However, I can't stress how important and ultimately satisfying it is to do your own setup. It isn't hard, and if you really want it "pro" level, call Stewart-MacDondald (www.stewmac.com) and for way UNDER $100, you can buy the tools and the guide for doing your own pro setup. You end up saving a ton of money, and it is awesome to be able to dial in your own feel and your own preferences on your basses.

 

[morf]

Around here I can get a pro setup done in a music shop for 30 euros. And I dont because IMHO its too expensive. I setup my own basses and it usually doesnt take over 15 minutes. My action is super low, no fret buzz, everything works real well, and quite frankly, I'd be afraid a "pro" would screw up my own setup. Noone touches my setup.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Which store was it and whats the fine print ?

*sound of joke whizzing over Superpang's head*

 

[Ostinato]

$100 with strings is ok....I would only do it on a bass with a "problem neck"...and even then only so I could sell it to get something more playable.

Really I agree though...once you get the right tools--uhh let me see, a cutter, a 6" steel rule that reads in 64ths, a couple of allen keys, and a tuner...you're good to go.