Getting my bass 'luthiered' - what should I pay?

[Chrisbassboy5]

Hi Folks, Just got my Ibanez SR655 and love it bit just to be sure it's right want it properly set up.  

What do you normally pay for this? Any ideas.. hoping to go to One Way Music, Wolverhampton...

Any reviews, suggestions and prices appreciated. 

 

Cheers Chris

[lownote]

It will hugely increase your sense of ownership if you set it up yourself. Just about the only thing you can't do without special tools is fiddle with the nut slots and you likely won't have to do that. And provided you're not ridiculously cavalier with the truss rod nothing's dangerous to try. 

I used to take my bass to a tech (charges variable) but he looked at me one day and said ' you know you could do everything I'm doing.' 

So I do. 

Edited July 22, 2019 by lownote12

[Shaggy]

11 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

It will hugely increase your sense of ownership if you set it up yourself. Just about the only thing you can't do without special tools is fiddle with the nut slots and you likely won't have to do that. And provided you're not ridiculously cavalier with the truss rod nothing's dangerous to try. 

I used to take my bass to a tech (charges variable) but he looked at me one day and said ' you know you could do everything I'm doing.' 

So I do. 

This.   I've never taken a bass to a luthier in 40 years except to have a fretless fingerboard fitted, and doing it yourself you can get it exactly how you want it.

All the guidance needed is on this forum / Talkbass etc

[DoubleOhStephan]

This is what the Bass Gallery charge - 

SET UP - £35

Full Gallery setup including: truss rod adjustment, intonation, action, nut height, fingerboard cleaning and pickup alignment

 

https://thebassgallery.com/pages/workshop

[Reggaebass]

My local PMT have a tech who charges between £30 and £40 a set up which I used to use , but I always ended up doing further adjustments to the action,  so I setup all my basses myself now 🙂

[Chrisbassboy5]

Great folks. Will look at all the options. Appreciate the support and guidance to a setup newbie lol... Cheers Bassists!

 

Any good links to share? Ta

[Reggaebass]

Nice looking bass Chris 👍

[Dood]

Funnily enough, I offer to teach my students how to do everything that is "reversible". I love the thought that my students can take care of their instruments themselves as much as possible; Lowdown, I agree. With a bit of experience, you can then start to understand what makes a bass feel good to play to you.

[Chrisbassboy5]

22 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Nice looking bass Chris 👍

Ta m8. Was 8 months old, the owner put flats on (which I prefer) and cost me £440 posted. Happy with that and it's 'as new'..

Edited July 22, 2019 by Chrisbassboy5
Typo

[Chrisbassboy5]

17 minutes ago, Dood said:

Funnily enough, I offer to teach my students how to do everything that is "reversible". I love the thought that my students can take care of their instruments themselves as much as possible; Lowdown, I agree. With a bit of experience, you can then start to understand what makes a bass feel good to play to you.

Great Dood. Just need some tasty 'links' to get learning. Seen the Over water guy on SBL. God, great knowledge but would send a glass eye to sleep!

[Dood]

8 minutes ago, Chrisbassboy5 said:

Great Dood. Just need some tasty 'links' to get learning. Seen the Over water guy on SBL. God, great knowledge but would send a glass eye to sleep!

I think that would make a great topic as a sticky on BassChat! Some really good detailed explanations share in one thread. 

[Dood]

10 minutes ago, Chrisbassboy5 said:

Great Dood. Just need some tasty 'links' to get learning. Seen the Over water guy on SBL. God, great knowledge but would send a glass eye to sleep!

And here's my good friend  @Sheldon Dingwall from Dingwall Designer Guitars to answer those questions!

Playlist:

 

[Dood]

I've just created this post: 

 

 

And have asked if we can make it a sticky  

[Frank Blank]

You aren’t far from Guitar Technical Services in Warwick. His Pro Setup is the best imho. I drive up from Southend to get my guitars set up and serviced. Sure it’s more expensive than most but in my experience you get what you pay for.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Frank Blank

[Chrisbassboy5]

6 minutes ago, Dood said:

I've just created this post: 

 

 

And have asked if we can make it a sticky  

Ta m8. Will look...

[lownote]

Nice vid, but why's he faff about with picks for string height?  Just buy some feeler gauges from a motor factors.

[Dood]

6 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

Nice vid, but why's he faff about with picks for string height?  Just buy some feeler gauges from a motor factors.

Because you're more likely to have a plectrum laying around? He did clearly say that the videos were about getting things done with the least amount of extra tools!

[Chrisbassboy5]

38 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

Nice vid, but why's he faff about with picks for string height?  Just buy some feeler gauges from a motor factors.

What heights are you looking for if you use feeler guages? Starting to get involved here lol

[lownote]

Depends what suits you.  I use the 0.30mm feeler for the relief.   For string heights at the 12th fret I follow Scott Devine's suggestion and sandwich together the following total thicknesses:   2.6mm B, 2.4mm E, 2.00 A, 1.8 D, 1.6 G and unless your fretboard is super clean, about 1.6mm at the C string.  

Edited July 23, 2019 by lownote12

[lownote]

14 hours ago, Dood said:

Because you're more likely to have a plectrum laying around? He did clearly say that the videos were about getting things done with the least amount of extra tools!

I've never owned a pick in my life 

[Dood]

4 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

I've never owned a pick in my life 

lol, I've not owned any feeler gauges since I used to do the points on my car's non-electronic ignition  - When I was 18!

[bazzbass]

here is an idea, take it to a tech for a setup, but stay around to watch what he does, offer to buy him a six pack or something extra. Pay attention coz next time you will be doing it yourself, with help from youtube

[Monkey Steve]

17 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

You aren’t far from Guitar Technical Services in Warwick. His Pro Setup is the best imho. I drive up from Southend to get my guitars set up and serviced. Sure it’s more expensive than most but in my experience you get what you pay for.

To the OP - take notice of any recommendation of good service like this one.  I've been to good luthiers, and I've been to a few bad ones, and I now only use one that I completely trust.  The price isn't necessarily a very good indication of the quality of the work, so it's more about getting a good job done within your budget, not assuming that it's a one size fits all service and that you should pick based on price.

Like a lot of the others on the thread I do most stuff myself and wouldn't use my guy just for a set up, but in fact he throws in a set up for free whenever he does any work on my instruments (on the basis that his professional pride won't let him send an instrument out out of his workshop with a bad set up) and the first thing I usually have to do is put the action back up to the height I had it previously (only on basses - his "lowest action possible" mantra is excellent for guitars).  Not an issue for me, but it does highlight that when you pick a luthier it is worth having a good chat with them before handing over the bass to make sure that you are clear on what they are going to do, and that they are going to set the bass up to your tastes, not to theirs.

[Chrisbassboy5]

5 hours ago, bazzbass said:

here is an idea, take it to a tech for a setup, but stay around to watch what he does, offer to buy him a six pack or something extra. Pay attention coz next time you will be doing it yourself, with help from youtube

Awesome m8! Good advice!

[Chrisbassboy5]

5 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

To the OP - take notice of any recommendation of good service like this one.  I've been to good luthiers, and I've been to a few bad ones, and I now only use one that I completely trust.  The price isn't necessarily a very good indication of the quality of the work, so it's more about getting a good job done within your budget, not assuming that it's a one size fits all service and that you should pick based on price.

Like a lot of the others on the thread I do most stuff myself and wouldn't use my guy just for a set up, but in fact he throws in a set up for free whenever he does any work on my instruments (on the basis that his professional pride won't let him send an instrument out out of his workshop with a bad set up) and the first thing I usually have to do is put the action back up to the height I had it previously (only on basses - his "lowest action possible" mantra is excellent for guitars).  Not an issue for me, but it does highlight that when you pick a luthier it is worth having a good chat with them before handing over the bass to make sure that you are clear on what they are going to do, and that they are going to set the bass up to your tastes, not to theirs.

Great advice..