What is a Sommatone Setup for Guitar or Bass?

At Sommatone, we consider a setup complete once we’ve cleaned, conditioned and adjusted the guitar or bass to optimum playability based on a specific customer’s taste. Your instrument will leave our shop playing better then ever. We’re all professional players at Sommatone, and so we know how guitars are supposed to sound and feel because we actually play them!

What is included in a Sommatone Setup?

First, we assess the guitar or bass, checking to make sure everything is in working order (pickups, controls, tuners, etc.). If we find any problems, we alert you before performing any repairs – we’ll never fix anything without your consent.

Once the strings are removed, all noisy switches and pots are cleaned with the appropriate contact cleaner. The body is cleaned and polished thoroughly (or oiled if there’s no finish), the neck is cleaned, the frets are polished and for unfinished fret boards, we apply oil. The neck is then adjusted for proper straightness or relief. Unlike some other shops, we pay special attention to the action (string height at the nut and bridge) by measuring each string’s distance from the fret to your exact specifications. Next we tweak the pickup height (if applicable) so the volume is balanced from string to string and pickup to pickup. Finally, we set the intonation with an accurate strobe tuner.

Neglecting to include any of these checkpoints may prevent you from getting the tone and feel you’re looking for; we believe this type of maintenance makes your guitar or bass sound, play and feel the best it can.

Why is a Sommatone Setup different?

Some shops define a setup as string replacement and intonation adjustment. We have customers that bring their guitar or bass to us because they’re dissatisfied with how another shop has performed the setup. We hear a common complaint, “My guitar has the same problem it had before I brought it to Guitar Sam - I don’t think they did anything.” Most players will experience a significant difference in the instrument’s playability after a setup. If you are not feeling and hearing a difference, it is time to bring your guitar or bass to us – we’ll show you the difference a Sommatone Setup can make in how your instrument plays.

When do you need to get a setup?

You know it is time for a setup when your guitar or bass doesn’t play “in tune” with itself, you hear a lot of string buzz or the string height feels too low or too high. Climate changes can throw things out of whack as the wood expands and contracts with temperature and humidity changes. Changing to a lighter or heavier string gauge from what you typically use can also throw off the neck, action and intonation. Generally, if you’re a fairly regular player, you should get a setup at least twice a year, more often if you experience any of the above issues.