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Location: Southern California | Can I ask how much I should expect to pay for a neck setup? I asked today how much it would cost to check the action on my guitar & they replied that a "neck setup for an ovation runs about $35". I have no clue how much it should cost, is this decent or not? |
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Location: Scotland | Depends on the definition of a neck setup. A competent tech should be able to restring a guitar, adjust the action at the saddle and tweak a neck-rod in about 30 minutes or less. Recutting a nut and dressing frets may take at least an hour or more. What do you think is a reasonable hourly rate for highly skilled specialised labour? |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Fischchick,is it about the Celeb.CC68 ..was n`t it purchased new..is the action too High..?..if so,there are shims under the saddle (strips of plastic),..on my son`s Celeb. there were 3 pcs.,I removed 2,and that lowered the action considerabely,now it plays smooth..all you have to do is ,:
1) Detune ,so that strings can be pushed aside(or take strings off)
2) Lift saddle out,..Carefull !! ..there is an electric wire connected to it,do NOT break that wire ..(the saddle is the pick-Up)it`s easy enough,..just avoid "yankin`it out"
3) Lift out shims (hold guitar upside down,and they`ll fall out) put 1 shim back..guard the remaining 2 with your life..!..( Oh..btw..1 shim is flat,2 shims are tapered ,put in a tapered shim,place the thick side under the Bass string)
4)Put saddle and strings back,..and Tune..
See,..that did n`t hurt ,did it now.. :)
Vic
..a Good excuse to use that new nifty TU-80.. [code] [/code] |
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Location: PDX | As Paul said, "depends on the definition". If you just want the truss rod adjusted they should do it for free imo. If you need the frets dressed -- $50-$150. If you need the neck reset -- $2-400. If you need the action lowered at the saddle -- $50-$75. If you need the nut filed -- $50-$100. Throw in a set of new strings $5-15.
Portland Oregon prices.
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gh1 |
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Location: SoCal | First of all, what's not right with it?
Just meet-up with Fred and me at Guitar Center one day. The first thing Fred does when he picks up your guitar is lower the action and tweek the neck :D |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by gh1:
As Paul said, "depends on the definition". If you just want the truss rod adjusted they should do it for free imo. If you need the frets dressed -- $50-$150. If you need the neck reset -- $2-400. If you need the action lowered at the saddle -- $50-$75. If you need the nut filed -- $50-$100. Throw in a set of new strings $5-15.
Portland Oregon prices.
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gh1 :mad: Which is why I just sent mine to CT!
Cheaper/BETTER in the long run! :cool:
[plus I don't trust people who snicker at O's working on mine!] |
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Location: Tennessee | $35 bucks to have your action adjusted is not a bad deal, if the tech is competent and gets it so it's easier for you to play. A relatively small price to pay for something that you probably can't do yourself. It's the price of a decent haircut and it'll last a whole lot longer. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | 35 bucks for a haircut!?!
(I guess there was a time... long ago.) |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | He lives in California and has hair, Jeff. Some people live in a different world. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Let's see...
35 bucks for a haircut - what? Every 1-2 months... call it 8 a year.
That's $280 a year- over three years that's $840.00 or a really nice used guitar....
Not so bad being bald, eh? |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Did you ask what the set-up includes? Without knowing more, I guess $35 is about right. |
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Location: Colorado | I'd guess $75-$80 per hour for labor. So $35 for someone who knows what they're doing is probably pretty fair.
Just last December I had 9 frets replaced, the rest were dressed, the fret board was cleaned up and oiled, neck adjusted and oiled, and set up for light guage strings. Scott and John Baxendale at Colfax Guitar in Denver did this for me for $150. I got much more than my money's worth because I was quoted $150 over the phone to replace only 5 frets and set it up for lights. Great guys--I think stephent28 referred me because he trusts these guys.
I think it might depend on where you are and if the person who's going to work on it really wants to work on it. Then there's the Mother Ship--you know they would love to work on it for you. And you know you can't go wrong there. |
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Posts: 71
Location: Southern California | Thanks everyone.
The guitar was not bought new, I got it used in 1994 & have no idea how old it was at that point.
It was recommended to me by a few people (online, no one who has seen or played the guitar) to have the action checked out, so I asked that at the shop & they said $35 to check out the whole neck/action, etc. They said they call it a "neck setup" |
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Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | You should link up with some of the other SoCal Ovation Fans. You can check the action yourself and should learn how, by going to the Ovation site and looking through the online owners manuals. You should also figure out how to check for a bow or warp in the neck. I know you can pay to have someone check for you, but there are some things you should learn to do, like check the air in your tires and oil if you drive a car. |
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Posts: 71
Location: Southern California | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
You should link up with some of the other SoCal Ovation Fans. You can check the action yourself and should learn how, by going to the Ovation site and looking through the online owners manuals. You should also figure out how to check for a bow or warp in the neck. I know you can pay to have someone check for you, but there are some things you should learn to do, like check the air in your tires and oil if you drive a car. yeah, I should & would love to, but don't know anyone in my area with ovations & am afraid of making my guitar worse. |
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Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | You can't screw this up. It's easy.
Just PM me, Noah, Tim Chapman, Paul Moody, Callimachus(Tony), PlayAdamas, or any of us in SoCal.
We'd be glad to help. Right Guys?! |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub |
You can't screw this up. It's easy.
-Donald Rumsfeld, March 2003 |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | The "I don't know how and I'm afraid to learn" excuse. I tend toward the take it apart and see if I can put it back together approach. I screwed up my daughter's guitar taking out the shims, but got it fixed with some help from this board. You have the good fortune of being close to a bunch of Ovation fans who could show you, rather than try to explain it on this site or having to rely on some "luthier" that may not know anything. Besides, all the people Fred mentioned have some really cool guitars. |
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Location: SoCal | Once someone walks you through it, you'll be fine on your own.
If there is something that requires a pro, we'll be able to tell you. Heck, after learning how, you'll know when to bring it to a pro.
What area are you in? We have SoCal pretty much covered.
Maybe it's time for a small get together... haven't seen Tony in a while! |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
35 bucks for a haircut!?!
I said decent haircut. There's places you can go and for 15 bucks they'll put the bowl on your head and haul out the pruning shears and weed whacker. Not sure how much of that $15 is for the privilege of viewing the face jewelry and tattoos.
I spend a fair bit of time in SoCal. If anyone is up for a mid-week fest, I'm there. |
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Location: SoCal | Bobbo, I've seen your kids. The "bowl on the head" cuts seem to work for them... even the girls!
I'm heading up to Chavez Ravine tomorrow nite so I'm out.... |
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Posts: 1673
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
I said decent haircut. 35 bucks... are you talking men's hairstylist?
Or a very large tip on an $18 wash and cut? |
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March 2007
Posts: 841
Location: CA | Get this. It's fantastic:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Setup-Your-New-Ovation-Guitar-Download_W0QQitem... |
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August 2007
Posts: 71
Location: Southern California | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
The "I don't know how and I'm afraid to learn" excuse. I tend toward the take it apart and see if I can put it back together approach. I screwed up my daughter's guitar taking out the shims, but got it fixed with some help from this board. You have the good fortune of being close to a bunch of Ovation fans who could show you, rather than try to explain it on this site or having to rely on some "luthier" that may not know anything. Besides, all the people Fred mentioned have some really cool guitars. I have to say that I find this post rather offensive. Not everyone is like YOU, just because you are good at taking things apart & putting them back together does not mean that EVERYONE is. And as for meeting up with people in person from this forum as a female that is a scary thing for me. There are truly crazy people in the world, on the internet especially. I'm sure for men it's a little different & not so scary, but for me it is. I have had bad experiences in the past. I'm sure you'll just say I'm making more excuses, so be it. I see absolutely nothing wrong with taking the guitar to a person in a shop who knows how to do this & have them do it &/or show me how. That's what those people are there for............ |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Easy now...
If you read close, Mark sez, he screwed-up his daughter's guitar... so, one might infer he's only good at taking things apart...
And you are right, there are truly crazy people in the world (as evidenced by those who choose to become lawyers). I understand your hesitancy to meet with people on this board... hell, I've actually met all the people that Mark mentioned and I'm still hesitant....
One thing that distinguishes this board from many others is that, many of us actually know each other and have met many times in person. This is much more than an on-line community... so, chill a bit... no need to get offended....
Mark was only suggesting that you might find help from friends... scary as that maybe. |
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Neck setup cost?
