Guitar & Bass Setup in Caldas da Rainha

From 45 € / instrument

Discount from the 2nd instrument

Most of the time the problem isn't the instrument. It's the setup. High frets, high action or a bridge out of place make a good instrument feel hard to play.

A setup is not a restring

A restring means taking the old strings off, putting new ones on and tuning up. It takes a few minutes and nothing else is touched. A setup is a complete adjustment of the instrument: neck, frets, nut, bridge, pickups and electronics are checked and set to work together, so the instrument plays comfortably, without fret buzz and in tune all the way up the neck — not just on the open strings.

New strings are part of a setup, but only the starting point: every gauge pulls on the neck with a different tension, so the setup is always done for the strings you are going to use.

What I check and adjust, step by step

1. Initial assessment. I play the instrument and talk to you: what bothers you, how you play (pick, fingers, slap, lower tunings) and which strings you like. I inspect the neck (bow or twist), the body, the bridge and the frets. If I find something that needs more than a setup, I tell you before going any further.
2. Cleaning. With the strings off, I clean the fretboard and frets. Rosewood and ebony boards are conditioned; finished maple is only cleaned.
3. Frets. I check fret by fret for high or loose frets — the most common cause of buzz in one area of the neck. Frets are polished, and sharp fret ends along the edge of the neck are smoothed.
4. Hardware. Tuners, nuts, strap buttons, output jack and loose screws are tightened. Many rattles and buzzes come from here.
5. New strings. Fitted with the right number of wraps on the tuners and stretched in, so the tuning settles quickly.
6. Neck relief (truss rod). A neck shouldn't be perfectly straight: it needs a slight bow so the strings can vibrate freely. I measure it and set it with the truss rod.
7. Nut. I check the string height at the first frets — a high nut makes open chords hard to play and sharp — and whether the strings bind in the slots, which causes the "ping" and the tuning jumping after bends or using the tremolo. The slots are lubricated.
8. String height (action). Set string by string, following the fretboard radius, as low as possible without buzzing for the way you play.
9. Intonation. With a precision tuner, I set each string's length at the bridge until the note at the 12th fret matches the open string. This is what makes chords sound in tune higher up the neck.
10. Pickups. Each pickup's height is set to balance the volume across strings and between pickups, without the magnets pulling on the strings (which kills sustain and makes notes warble).
11. Electronics. Pots and switch are cleaned, the jack is checked and I look for noise and dropouts. Anything that needs repairing is quoted separately.
12. Final test. I tune, play across the whole neck and record the measurements on your job card — next time we know exactly how it was left. If the setup doesn't hold within 90 days, it is revised at no cost.

What changes for each instrument

Electric guitar

• Bridge type. Fixed bridges (hardtail, Tune-o-matic) are adjusted directly. Strat-style tremolos (vintage 6-screw or modern 2-point) need the springs balanced against the strings. Floating double-locking bridges (Floyd Rose) take the longest: spring balance, bridge angle and the locking nut all have to be right for the tuning to stay put.
• Fretboard radius. From 7.25" (vintage, more rounded) to 16" or flat (modern). String height follows the radius; on small radii, bending with very low action makes notes "choke".
• Pickups. Single coil, humbucker or active — each has its own ideal height; on active pickups I also check the 9 V battery.
• 7 and 8 strings and multiscale (fanned frets): more strings to balance and low strings that need extra clearance.

Acoustic and classical guitar

• Action is lowered at the saddle (the bone or plastic piece on the bridge), by sanding it from underneath. It is a permanent adjustment, so it is done gradually and always measured. If the saddle is already at its limit, a new one may be needed (quoted separately).
• Bridge and top. I check whether the bridge is lifting and whether the top is bulging behind the bridge — signs of humidity or too much tension that are best caught early.
• Humidity. Solid wood moves with the seasons: acoustics change more than any other instrument between summer and winter.
• Under-saddle piezo pickups: the saddle must sit evenly, otherwise one string will sound louder than the others.
• Classical (nylon strings): many have no truss rod, so the adjustment is done at the saddle and nut. Strings are tied at the bridge and take longer to settle.

Bass

• More tension and a longer neck (34", 35" or 30" short scale): neck relief is slightly greater than on a guitar and the truss rod reacts more slowly, so it is adjusted in stages.
• Height and intonation string by string, according to your style: fingers, pick or slap (which likes low strings and a bit of fret contact).
• 5 and 6-string basses: the low B string needs its own attention — tension, height and intonation — so it doesn't feel floppy or buzz.
• Pickups and active electronics: height balanced across strings (bass magnets pull harder), preamp and battery checked.
• Acoustic bass: follows the acoustic guitar rules — saddle, bridge, top and piezo.

What is not included

A setup adjusts what the instrument has. When the assessment shows more is needed, I give you a separate quote and only go ahead with your approval:

• Fret levelling, recrowning or refretting.
• A new nut or saddle.
• Electronics repairs, pickup or pot replacement.
• Bridge regluing, cracks and other wood repairs.
• Strings: gauge and brand are chosen with you and their cost is added to the service.

When to get a setup

• Once or twice a year, ideally when the seasons change.
• When you change string gauge or type, or tuning (for example drop D or half a step down).
• When you buy an instrument, new or used — they rarely leave the factory properly set up.
• When you notice fret buzz, high strings, tuning that won't hold or chords out of tune in the middle of the neck.

String change

String changes are also available on their own, without a full setup. If the instrument needs more than new strings, I'll tell you before doing any work.

How long does it take?

It depends on the workload, the state of the instrument and the make and model. The deadline is agreed when the service order is opened.

Where

RR Guitar Shop · Rua Almirante Cândido dos Reis, n.º 64, Loja I (Centro Comercial Rua das Montras) · 2500-125 Caldas da Rainha. Phone: +351 928 210 502 · Opening hours and contacts

Other lutherie services

• Fretwork and refretting
• Electronics, pickups and shielding
• Guitar and bass repairs