Why do I need a setup?

When you buy a new car, you don't normally expect to take it straight to you mechanic to have it fine tuned for you.
Unfortunately, for many reasons, new guitars aren't like this.

Although many shops promise a "set up" when you buy a new guitar, most (with some honourable exceptions) don't really do it.

What this means is that your brand new guitar (particularly more inexpensive models)  might be more difficult to play than you might expect when you unbox it.

If you've had your instrument for a while, just like a car it functions best with regular maintenance.

In nearly all cases, the instrument can be improved by a series of minor but precise adjustments, making the "action" (the distance between the frets and strings) lower, and improving the tone and intonation (how well the guitar stays in tune over the whole fretboard). For older instruments, regular maintenance will prolong the playing life as well..

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