Introduction:
I know there is a lot to read here, but since so many people believe or hope that a setup is a cure all, I felt it necessary to explain setups in more detail, so you know why other work may be needed before a setup is attempted.
Changes in climate can effect the neck wood, and vibrations can do a job on the mechanics of the bridge and saddles, all making setups necessary. A setup is also needed when switching to different string gauges, because of the difference in tension on the neck. I highly recommend heavier string gauges, as they are the best way to add guts to the sound of your guitar, and improve playability, as they stay put better than light gauge strings, and widen the range of achievable dynamics in your playing.
There are three major adjustments involved: Action, intonation and fingerboard bow (AKA Neck bow), and contrary to a myth that just won't die, the fingerboard is not flat, but bowed concave to accommodate the helices of the waves of the resonating strings. Fingerboard bow is the most critical adjustment and also the one associated with the most problems, since it can only work right if the fingerboard geometry is correct, which all to often is not the case. You can read more about that in the string path section.
Do not be surprised if I tell you that in order to setup your instrument properly, fret work is needed first. Many instruments will need fret work when they are two to four years old because they settle and the neck warps a little bit, some warp a lot, and only very few are made really well, and don't warp at all, thanks to carbon fiber reinforcements or laminate construction. After that, fret work should only be needed to correct for fret wear, as long as the instrument is always kept strung, tuned and not stored in extreme temperatures or humidity.
Once a setup is started unseen problems may reveal them selves, such as truss rods already adjusted so far that they can not be turned any further, truss rods with stripped threads, and adjustment screws that are seized, cross threaded or stripped.
My approach to setups:
Having your guitar setup is one of those necessary evils you just have to deal with once in a while, and because of something called personal preference, it does not surprise me if it rarely turns out to your satisfaction, as it is common practice to setup guitars in a standard way.
Unless you are just a beginner and should start with standard adjustments, you may have preferences that are non standard, or don't know yet that instruments can be setup for different styles of playing. My approach to setups differs slightly, as I want to know your preferences first, do the setup accordingly, and then like to tweak it if necessary in your presence when you pick it up. Being present gives you the chance to get closer to the results you are looking for, and it gives me the chance to bring you down to earth if you are expecting physically impossible miracles.
When I set up your guitar, I clean it, check all hardware and electronics, tighten down anything that is loose and even set the tension of the tuning knobs. Next I oil the fingerboard (unless lacquered) if needed, and set the bow in the neck. I adjust the bridge and/or saddles for your desired action and set the intonation. I inspect the saddles for sharp edges and burrs, remove any burrs and polish the string grooves to prevent string breakage and binding. For any hardware that is warn to the point that components can easily loosen up and go out of adjustment, or rattle, I have a solution for that too.
For instruments equipped with tremolos especially Floyd Rose types, every adjustment throws every other adjustment out of whack, so a few readjustments are made in increments until all is right. The same holds true for down tuners and string benders.
I am also well aware of alternate tunings, and since there are many tuning styles, and variations thereof, I may not know exactly what you mean by "Open G" or "Drop C", so be prepared to give me details. Since major changes in pitch of a string, from what it is designed for, may have undesirable effects, it is a good Idea to look for strings made for specific tunings, and as there are limited choices of strings for alternate tunings, you may even have to buy some individual strings in suitable gauges to achieve desired results. I can help with figuring out the right string gauges, as well as any modifications to the instrument needed, to accommodate for even the most bizarre tunings.
Major considerations:
All to often guitar players want the lowest possible action, but don't realize that there is the version as established by physics, which assumes perfect conditions, and the version dictated by the actual instrument being setup itself. Since most instruments are far from perfect, a really low action is often only possible with fret leveling work, and the lower the action, the lighter the touch of the player must be to avoid fret buzz.
Lowest possible action also corresponds to the gauge of string and what pitch it is tuned to, so theoretically each string may have a different action, although a happy medium is more desirable for the overall feel when playing. As a general rule, the thinner the string and the higher its pitch, the lower the possible action, it is directly related to tension. For those who use lower tunings, heavier gauge strings are recommended.
Another thing that must be considered in setting up an instrument is: how well the radius of the saddles on the bridge correspond to the radius of the fingerboard. Where ever the saddles are adjustable it is merely a matter of adjustment, but for bridges like tun-o-matic's (Les Paul) and a few others there is no saddle height adjustment, so adjusting the bridge height as a whole may only achieve an overall satisfying action. In order to adjust for individual strings, filing of the individual saddles may be necessary, but is well within the scope of my abilities.
A major consideration for good overall intonation is the height of the strings over the 1st. fret at the nut, which you can read about in the string path section. Because of this, the intonation with open strings, and on the 12th And 24th fret will be accurate after setup, but the intonation in between which is already inaccurate by nature, may be more noticeable unless the height of the nut is addressed.
Pricing:
Since there are so many things that can influence the time it takes to do a setup, I can only give you a general idea of what to expect, nothing personal, just the nature of the beast.
Four string Basses take under an hour. For six string instruments with static bridges, most setups take around an hour. Instruments with tremolos, one to two hours, where Kahler's are easy and Floyd Rose types are a bitch. If your guitar has additional hardware like string benders and down tuners, add another ten minutes for each, and add ten minutes for each additional string to the standard for the instrument.
So in general, Prices for setups range from $45.00 to $90.00 on average, which is not only competitive, but also includes details often overlooked, or just not included in setups by others.
Guarantee:
Because setups are adjustments to components that go out of adjustment due to climate, vibration and wear n' tear, it is guaranteed by nature to go back out of adjustment sooner or later, and since I use methods to aim for the latter, my guarantee on setups is as follows:
This guarantee only applies with the use of the same brand and gauges of strings used during setup, changing either brand or gauges is subject to have undesirable effects.
I guaranty that the bridge and other hardware will not go out of adjustment for six months. I can not guaranty the fingerboard bow because I can not control the weather, the oiling will help, and keeping your instrument away from heat sources and high humidity is the best way to prevent any problems. Should the neck need adjustment within the guarantee period, I will adjust it for $10.00 as part of the guarantee.
According to a great many of my customers, they are surprised to go so long without more than a slight neck adjustment once in a great while, and they appreciate the fact that I make sure that I took care of other issues normally ignored in setups.