If you're asking the question, there's a good chance the answer is yes. Most guitars benefit from a setup at least once a year, and many players are living with problems they've gotten used to without realizing it can be better.

A guitar setup is a set of adjustments that change how the guitar plays, feels, and stays in tune. At our shop in Glens Falls, we see guitars in every condition, and the ones that haven't been set up are obvious the moment you pick them up.

Here's how to tell.

Your guitar is hard to press down.

If fretting notes takes more effort than it should, especially up the neck, the action is too high. When it's too high, the guitar is harder to play and more physically demanding. A setup brings it down to where it should be.

Your guitar buzzes on certain frets.

Fret buzz means the action is too low, a fret is uneven, or the neck relief is off. It doesn't fix itself. A setup identifies the cause and fixes it.

Your guitar won't stay in tune.

If you're constantly retuning, the nut slots, saddle, or intonation are the cause. A setup addresses all three. There's more detail on the Why Won't My Guitar Stay in Tune? page.

Intonation problems.

If your guitar is in tune at the open string but goes sharp or flat as you play up the neck, that's an intonation issue — not a tuning stability issue. A guitar setup will address it.

You just bought a used guitar.

Used guitars rarely come set up for the next player. String height, neck relief, and intonation are all personal, and they drift over time. A setup after buying used is standard practice.

If you haven't bought yet, the Used Guitar Buying Checklist covers what to look for before you commit.

You haven't had one done in over a year.

Necks move with humidity and temperature changes, especially in the Capital Region and the Adirondacks — Glens Falls, Queensbury, Lake George, Saratoga Springs — where the swing between summer humidity and winter dry heat is significant. A guitar that played fine last summer may need adjustment by winter. Annual setups keep it consistent.

You just don't enjoy playing it.

This one matters. If you pick up the guitar and put it back down, the instrument is working against you. Nine times out of ten, a guitar that "just doesn't play right" has never been set up — not since it left the factory. Players assume that's how guitars feel. It's not. If you're just starting out, a setup alongside guitar lessons makes a real difference.

A note from Jared:
"When picking a guitar, make sure you love it — how it looks and feels in your hands. This will motivate you to play just about more than anything, and it's often overlooked."

What a setup includes

At Paul's Guitar Hideout, a setup covers action adjustment, neck relief, nut slot cleaning and lubrication, intonation, and a full check of the instrument. A standard setup is $79. Floyd Rose, 12-string, classical (tie-end strings), and extra cleaning setups are $99. If something else needs attention, like a repair, we'll tell you before touching it.

If you're not sure what your guitar needs, bring it in and we'll look at it with you — no diagnosis fee, no work started without your say-so.

Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If you need assistance, give us a call and we'll come down.

The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday–Sunday, 12–5pm
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com