How much do you pay for a setup?

[TRBboy]

Hey fellas, i knowa lot of us do it ourselves but just interested to know how much people pay for a pro setup? Suppose it includes a restring (without the cost of the strings), fret polish, fretboard oil, truss rod adjustment, action adjustment, intonation adjustment, etc.

So what's the going rate?

Cheers.

[Turk]

I think it's about £40 around here.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Turk

[JTUK]

I was going to say £70...maybe with a stone as well.

[icastle]

Nothing.

I'm a real picky b*st*rd so I always do my own.

[molan]

About £45

[TRBboy]

Interesting.... So a setup as above for about £25-£30 would be quite cheap then!

[Lozz196]

The luthier I use has 2 rates, £35 for a basic set-up, and £55 for a full job. The full set-up includes:

Level, dress and polish the frets
• Clean and oil the fretboard
• Check, clean and lubricate electronics
• Re-cut nut to suit (if necessary)
• Set pickup heights
• Set intonation, action and truss rod
• Clean and lubricate bridge screws
• Set Tremolo (if applicable)
• Check all hardware
• Fit new strings (at extra cost)
• Full clean and polish

[LukeFRC]

Learn to do it yourself - apart from needing work on the frets it's not hard.

[EssentialTension]

Last time I paid someone it was £25 but I didn't like the result and so i re-did it myself.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1374791008' post='2153416']
Learn to do it yourself - apart from needing work on the frets it's not hard.
[/quote]

Oh I always do it myself, it was kind of a hypothetical question following a conversation I had earlier. I've been setting up and repairing guitars since I was about 16 (15 years ago), and I used to do it for customers in the music shops I worked in.

[Roland Rock]

So my £90 at the Bass Centre was a rip off? London weighting perhaps


Edit: I've dug out the ten year old receipt for the 'service'

£95 for a full service including a set of Elites. It was Chris Ward at the Bass Centre who did it

Edited July 27, 2013 by Roland Rock

[Grangur]

I've seen the Bass Gallery charge someone £30. So it's not "London Weighting" all over London.


Playsomething in Bishops Stortford do it for a bargain sum of £100 with strings thrown in! Bargain!

By the way, their guy is crap too.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Grangur

[Prime_BASS]

Things like pickup hight while have to be balanced to me are still a personal thing. I have mine sky high, a luthier will no doubt lower them.

I think I heard some one in notts pay £60, I'd told them I'd do it for a tenner. He replied suing but he changed the strings aswell, as if tha ts the hardest part.

[Donnyboy]

Id say £40 ,that was the standard charge for my man,but he's now left the country. I've now found someone who charges £25 and is better. I don't like just leaving a bass without meeting so it's good to meet before and after to have a chat about any issues .

[AntLockyer]

I just paid £50 which included some fret work (new bass)

[tayste_2000]

£35 here for a string change, neck adjustment, intonation set and the frets leveled (assuming they are fairly level already)

[stu_g]

the last time i had my bass set up i got it back and there was a bit of fret buzz so i learnt to do it myself
everyone has personal preferences regarding setup, so i found its easier for me to do it to my own liking

[EssentialTension]

I used to find that getting a setup was risky because whatever you ask for you get what the guy himself considers to be a good setup.

A bit like a barber who gives everybody the same haircur whatever they ask for.

[barkin]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1374790376' post='2153403']
The luthier I use has 2 rates, £35 for a basic set-up, and £55 for a full job. The full set-up includes:

Level, dress and polish the frets
• Clean and oil the fretboard
• Check, clean and lubricate electronics
• Re-cut nut to suit (if necessary)
• Set pickup heights
• Set intonation, action and truss rod
• Clean and lubricate bridge screws
• Set Tremolo (if applicable)
• Check all hardware
• Fit new strings (at extra cost)
• Full clean and polish
[/quote]

Is that Terry in Stevenage? I've not used him myself, but a mate uses him for his guitars and can't say enough good words about him.

[6v6]

If you're expecting any fretwork (fret-dress/polish etc) I'd be very wary of anything under about £50, as it probably means it'll be a rush-job and not very good.

I've always paid about £50 for a full setup and fret-dress, and if the frets are OK I just do it myself, as others have said it's really not that hard other than fretwork.

[chrismuzz]

I've never paid more than £30 for a full setup including fret dressing. I normally do it myself but wouldn't trust myself if the frets need doing because i have a habit of needing a bit of trial and error!

[Hobbayne]

I use Stuart from Peter Cooks in Hanwell. He looks after all my guitars, acoustic, electric and basses. I had to have the nut re cut and the frets stoned on my old P bass recently, otherwise I do it myself. I think he charges 40 quid for a setup.

[Musicman20]

Never had to do it, in over 16 years. I've made minor adjustments myself.

[Fat Rich]

Blimey, playing bass must cost some people a fortune!

10 minutes, a set of screwdrivers, allen keys and a tuner is all you need unless you've got a bass with a neck or fret problem.

[barkin]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1374860595' post='2154227']
Blimey, playing bass must cost some people a fortune!

10 minutes, a set of screwdrivers, allen keys and a tuner is all you need unless you've got a bass with a neck or fret problem.
[/quote]

Lol! Know what you mean.

I do my own setups, but I've a well used 30 year old bass that needs some fret work doing...