Hi everyone!

I just ordered some specialist guitar tools from the US for my own use. Since they will only be used occassionally on my own instruments, I would like to cover my initial costs by offering a guitar setup service to Musicians Forum members.

For those of you unfamiliar with setting up a guitar, it essentially involves tweaking certain aspects of the instrument's geometry (nut, saddle and neck in particular) so that it is most suited to your playing style. Most factory guitars (even expensive ones) are shipped with a "generic" setup. This is done for three main reasons: (1)to avoid buzzing, (2)to reduce costs and (3)to allow players to tweak the guitar to their own individual needs. So, if your guitar has not been set up before, it is very likely that it is not playing at its best.

I just bought an RM2900 solid-body guitar which sounds great, but even at this price, the action was not satisfactory. It was too high at both the nut and the 12th fret. I've been playing a long time, so when I say "high" I *really* mean high. Can I play it? Of course! It's simply a matter of finger strength and proper technique. Do I *want* to play it? No, because I play for hours every week, and I would like to have the best sound for the *least* effort.

So the main purpose of this post is to find out if there are people interested in having their acoustic guitars properly set up. My rates are RM10-50, depending on how much work is involved. My services include nut/saddle/neck relief adjustment, fretboard cleaning/conditioning, bridge ramping and string changes (additional cost based on string brand). If it's just a small adjustment, I'll even do it for FREE!

Heck, I'll even give you some free lessons if you think I'm qualified

Contact me via this forum, or email to mmmaak@gmail.com for more information.

***EDIT: I forgot to add that I have not started my services because I'm busy with my *real* job. Would just like to know what the demand is like for guitar setup. In the meantime, feel free to contact me or bring your guitars over for a free consultation! I'll let you know as soon as my schedule is free.

ABOUT ME
I am an engineer in Cyberjaya but I teach acoustic guitar part-time at Spruce Guitar Professionals. I have been playing acoustic fingerstyle for about 15 years. I enjoy learning about various aspects of guitar setup and construction.


IMPORTANT
1. I am not doing this for profit. I only want to cover my tool purchases and playing costs. I am not familiar with the local rates for guitar setup, but I assume they can't be cheaper than what I'm offering since a setup in the US costs between USD30-80.
2. If your guitar geometry is very "off" in the first place, I cannot be responsible for any playability problems you may encounter after setup. The most I can do is offer a refund or a replacement part.
3. Most importantly, I am NOT a professional guitar tech. I am simply a guy with a lot of playing experience who loves acoustic guitars. I do not have an office/workshop and I do not have the time to provide other services such as polishing and pickup installation. I can provide advise, but not the service.

This post has been edited by mmmaak: Feb 18 2008, 03:30 PM

Wrong part of the forum.


Btw,do you service electric guitars?

ohh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize!
Which subforum should I be in? I didn't notice any on instrument repairs. Then again, I am not a businessman and my post contains some general guitar information, so maybe it belongs here? I'll leave it to the mods to decide. Please move my thread if necessary.

To answer your question, no. I am almost exclusively an acoustic fingerstyle player, so that's my expertise. I'm sure there are many guitar techs around the Klang Valley that can service your electric guitar. It's just that I don't trust any of them with my own instrument

Please post it here: http://forum.lowyat.net/ServicesNoticeboard

We'll also mention your name in case anyone wants to get their acoustic guitars setup too.

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