How much for a setup?

[wilkinsi]

I'm having to take my DX10DFS in for a setup because the sound cuts out at certain frets, there's what looks like a drool mark (?!) on one section of the fingerboard, frets buzz here and there, trem's lob-sided. BUT, I've been quoted 2 prices: £40 all inclusive by the shop where I bought the guitar, and £25+strings by a small family owned shop. All the techies look like young students.. What would you pay for a setup and is there a general rule of thumb for picking which retailer to do the job? Turnaround time is 2 days from either retailer.

[StukaJU87]

Don't know about the UK, but here I pay like $50 or so for a set up. I haven't taken a guitar in for a long time though. I use Bill Baker at Dave's Sound Repair in E.Hanover for any of you local NJ guys.

[markD]

i pay between 50-60 US dollars for a set up depending on what needs to be done with the floyd.

[Nuclear Vampire]

Most shops here (big chains like Long & McQuade and small shops too) generally charge $50.00 Canadian plus strings. If they have to do any pot replacement, major fretwork, or something intrusive and out of the ordinary, they have fees for that too.

[wilkinsi]

Trem and action at the mo. I saw the guy adjusting the truss rod in the small shop. I'm told it needs time to settle after adjustment, hence two day quote. Is this true?

[Emthrax]

Whoah... $50?! I've never paid over $25 for a set-up.
Wow.
Course, I don't have all those jangly trems on my axes. LOL!

Edit: btw... yeah. My tech usually keeps my guitars for a couple days, once I get them back they've settled into their adjustments/strings and are spot-on.

[JRTME]

Like everyone said $40-$50 is the average price.

[Inazone]

I've seen a couple of extremes here. For the full-featured setup with Floyd tweaking, shop-supplied strings and all the major TLC, I pay around $45-50. A small local shop advertises a $15 setup, but that's with customer-supplied strings and no Floyd. The more expensive guy is a luthier and is manufacturer authorized (incl. Jackson), while the other shop is just a little Mom n' Pop type place.

[Top Jimmy B]

There's a dude in the Bay Area charging, like, $3000 for a set up.

I usually pay $40.

[rhoads56]

I charge $65 Aussie ($45-50US equivalent) for a full setup, inc fret clean and buff, oil board, truss rod, action, intonation, clean nut slots and recut, clean saddle blocks, etc etc etc (around 45 minutes to an hour and a quarter, per guitar).... and then i do some of the store "setups" in my local area, which they charge out at $35-45 but you only get a ROUGH intonation (use a template), maybe a truss rod adjustment, and definately no fret buffing (30 guitars per 6 hour session).

One is a true setup, one is simply CALLED a setup (and is actually a rort, should be called a 'string change'). Despite my protests, the stores will not change their policies (and ive since dropped the worst ones)

Its amazing how different a guitar can feel with a set of new strings and a spray of lemon oil on the board. Most people walk out of the local stores thinking they actually got value for money

I would suggest you take it to a PROPER luthier/repairer, or a store with a VERY GOOD reputation for their repair section. The local store with a part timer doing the "setups" doesnt put the effort in (from my experience). Go to the guy who relies on his work and reputation, and is busy because of his workmanship.

[toejam]

Between $30 and $60.

[Model1VH2]

i do some of the store "setups" in my local area, which they charge out at $35-45 but you only get a ROUGH intonation (use a template), maybe a truss rod adjustment, and definately no fret buffing (30 guitars per 6 hour session).

The local store with a part timer doing the "setups" doesnt put the effort in (from my experience). Go to the guy who relies on his work and reputation, and is busy because of his workmanship.

Perry, you claim to set up 30 guitars per 6 hour session using "templates" for intonation, then say that part timers " don't put the effort in?

I do this part time, and though I may not pump out 30 guitars a day, I do take pride in my work and provide quality service.
Any guitar that comes into my shop for a setup recieves individual attention, not a cookie cutter "template" setup.

"Effort" in this case should be defined by quality and not the amount of guitars you can pump out the door.

[fett]

Why can't you do it yourself? This isn't rocket science.

[texasfury]

Truss rod adjustment is one thing that can stop a beginner in their tracks.

[RR05xx]

Also thinkgs like floyd saddle shims and nut shims, which make all the difference sometimes to get rid of certain things which a neck tweek cant (short of a full on fret level), are usually not something a beginner would even think of.......