Email or text me for an appointment - I’m in Sutton, SW London.
Let me know when would suit you best, I’m open from 1 pm to 7 pm.
Bring your guitar for an free assessment. If I don’t think I can make a real difference, I’ll say so and not waste your time or mine.
I’ll give you a maximum price and proposed completion date. If any new parts look like they’re required, we’ll agree a price on those.
Normal turnaround is 2 to 3 days; sometimes I can do next day.
When the guitar’s ready for collection I’ll send you an invoice and we’ll agree a collection time.
You can pay me by cash, PayPal or direct bank transfer.
These prices are indicative - I can give you a more accurate price once I’ve seen the guitar. A set up on a brand new guitar (absolutely recommended BTW) is going to cost less. So bring it in for a free, no obligation assessment.
I recommend D’Addario strings but I’ll fit whatever you want
➣ Basic Set Up - Overall clean and adjust the neck relief, bridge height and intonation - £50
➣ Deluxe Set Up - As Basic plus fret level, crown and polish, the ultimate in playability - £100
➣ Tremolo Set Up when fitted - £20 extra
➣ Re-string - £15 plus strings at cost; basic set-up not required but recommended
➣ Wiring repairs or customisation - from £25 plus parts
➣ Replacement parts - from £35 plus parts (nut, tuners, pickups, bridge…) contact for quote
➣ Partscaster builds - £250 minimum plus parts. Come and discuss.
I’m Ron; I’ve been tinkering with guitars since I was a teenager. In my 20’s I ran my own custom guitar business, then worked for the UK’s biggest guitar manufacturer - Watkins - before settling down to a life writing computer software. At home though, I never stopped messing with guitars, buying, selling, customising and re-working them and building several Partscasters. Now retired, I’ve trimmed back the collection and gone back to my roots. With a life-time of collecting tools and watching the industry, I can bring my experience as a guitar tech to help you get the most out of the guitars you already have.
I’m on a mission to improve the nation’s guitars - one 🎸 at a time!
The best guitar is the one you just can’t put down, the one that you don’t ever want to stop playing. Finding that guitar is easier than you think.
Three things make a guitar great to play: a comfortable neck with level frets, a decent set of strings, and a proper setup.
🎸 What a “Good Setup” Means
Electric guitars (and most acoustics) include adjustable features that let you dial playability to suit your style and compensate for temperature and humidity changes in the wood. Key adjustments:
Neck relief: truss rod adjustment to correct neck curvature.
Action height: bridge and nut slot adjustments to set string height above the fretboard.
Intonation: saddle position adjustments so notes play in tune across the neck.
Pickup height: distance between pickups and strings for balanced output.
Tremolo/vibrato: spring tension adjustments so the system operates as desired.
🎸 Why a Setup is Necessary
New guitars often leave the factory with a conservative “safe” setup to avoid immediate problems like fret buzz. That usually means higher action, extra neck relief, and shallow nut slots. Older guitars may have been set for a different player or string gauge, or they may drift out of adjustment with age and environmental changes. A proper setup tailors the guitar to you and restores optimal playability.
🎸 When to Change Strings
Factory strings are often inexpensive. Unless the spec lists a known brand (D’Addario, Ernie Ball, etc.), plan to replace them. Strings lose tone, corrode, and become more likely to break. Change them at least once a year, more often if you play frequently; many professionals change strings before every performance.
🎸 Why Frets Aren’t Always Level
Perfectly level frets require a fret level, re-crown, and polish after installation. Because that process adds time and cost, few factory guitars—except custom-shop instruments—receive it. Quality control helps, but variability in fretwire and installation means you may get a guitar that needs work. Vintage guitars often play well because a skilled tech has had time to level and dress the frets. A basic setup improves playability a lot, but the “deluxe” route (fret leveling, re-crown, polish) gives the ultimate result.
🎸 Can You Do a Setup Yourself?
Yes. With the right tools, patience, and practice you can learn to set up your guitar. If you’re uncomfortable or unsure, a professional tech has the specialized tools and experience to diagnose and fix issues correctly.
🎸 Summary
Modern manufacturing has raised baseline quality, so the difference between instruments often comes down to the setup. A great setup can make an inexpensive guitar play far beyond its price. Find the killer axe hiding inside your everyday guitar!
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