Guitar Center Setup Cost and Different Services Offered

Once you have purchased a guitar, you need to set it up correctly before you can start using it. Usually, you will need to book an appointment or drop in at a guitar center to have a technician set up your guitar. 

Start by finding Guitar Center in your city or ask your guitar friends for referrals.

Once you have settled on Guitar Center, you should find out how much it costs to set up a guitar. This will help you budget and know how much to set aside for a full setup as well as routine guitar maintenance.

Guitar Center Setup Cost

When you make an appointment at Guitar Center for a setup, you should have at least $50 for a basic setup.

The cost might be higher depending on the level of setup you want, the type of guitar you have, and if you purchase new hardware for the setup. The cost might go as high as $80 or even $100.

What Guitar Set Up Services Do They Have at the Guitar Center?

Guitar setup may be grouped into different levels, each with different costs depending on the amount of work involved.

The guitar center offers the following services:

Basic Guitar Setup

This involves standard restringing. If you want a simple restringing, it can set you back about $25. Some of the basic services may include:

• Removal of old guitar strings
• Cleaning the guitar
• Installation of new guitar strings

The Signature Set Up

If you had done a standard restring, the Signature Setup is an ideal package for your guitar. This service is more detailed and more expensive than the basic one.

It costs at least $60 to do a signature setup for your guitar. The setup includes these services for the guitar:

• 22-point checklist inspection
• Cleaning the guitar
• Polishing
• Restringing
• Also includes a new set of strings

See also: Acoustic guitars amp under 200 dollars

Platinum Set Up

This is the most detailed service offered at the guitar center for guitar setup. It is also more costly than the basic and standard setup. The platinum setup costs at least $100 for the service. The fee could go up depending on the time and resources spent doing the setup.

The platinum setup includes:

• Guitar hardware repair including neck and body
• Guitar cleaning
• Guitar polishing
• Waxing
• Includes all services in the standard setup
• This package gives your guitar a fresh touch and makes it feel and look as good as new.

See also: Hollow body guitars under $500

What to Expect From a Full Guitar Set Up at the Guitar Center

If it’s your first time visiting Guitar Center for a guitar setup, you should know beforehand what to expect. This is what you should expect:

Visual examination

The guitar setup specialist will fully examine the guitar visually and check for any issues. They should examine the fretboard, screws, scratches, and general guitar condition in appearance.

Strings Removal

It is one of the initial things a guitar specialist does. The old guitar strings are removed to enhance the other guitar setup routines. It is hard to do other guitar setups when the strings are attached to the guitar.

See also: Acoustic guitar string gauge for beginners

Guitar adjustments

There are a few important guitar adjustments done to ensure that the guitar is in perfect shape these are:

Truss Rod adjustment – this is done to ensure the guitar neck is straight. The guitar neck should be straight to avoid fret buzz and ensure that it prevents cracks on the guitar neck due to tension.

Bridge adjustment – a bridge adjustment is done to ensure that your guitar bridge is parallel to its body. 

Guitar Cleaning

This is done after making the needed adjustments. A guitar setup is not complete without a good cleaning. The guitar specialist should clean the fretboard and apply oil to it to maintain a clean guitar look.

Restringing

We removed the strings to get out of the way of the guitar setup. The last thing to expect from a guitar setup is restringing. The guitar needs a fresh set of strings which you can buy separately or at the guitar center.

See also: Best budget bass guitars

Conclusion

It costs $50 to get a guitar set up at Guitar Center. However, this depends on the level of service you need, and the type of guitar. There are 3 standards of guitar setup services offered at the guitar center for different budgets.

When going to Guitar Center, especially if it’s your first time, you need to know what to expect from the setup to avoid confusion.