Decent tech needed

rlw

Edited to say that I wasn't impressed either by his work or his premises.

rlw

Sorry about the wow....

prlgmnr

I've gone all the way to Nigel in Knaresborough and he did a good job but it was only very basic stuff I needed that time (intonation, jack/switch replacement/repair etc).

Tried a couple of people closer to York and the OP's lament "might, just might, listen to what I'm saying and act accordingly, rather than doing what they think is best" seems to apply.

poopot

rlw said:

Incredibly untidy workshop absolutely covered in dust.  Bits and pieces all over the work bench waiting to do damage to anything on it.

The guy is a guitar builder!!!!!! His workshop will be a bit dusty and there will be tools kicking about... I don’t know him from the next person, I’m going by my own workshop...

you build guitars it gets messy...

I’m sure he would have cleared away his “bits and pieces” before putting your guitar on the bench!!!!

rlw said:

Setup a Revstar for me which had poor intonation which was still poor but different after the setup and the D and the G stings both slipped when tuning so it never stayed in tune.

Did you check with a strobe tuner, one of those clip on things or your ears?

also, strings slipping sounds like your machine heads have issues not the guy who set the guitar up!!!!!

but hey, “the customer is always right”.... ill informed, knows best and opinionated but always right!!!!!


edit... just to add, rubbishing someone’s business on a forum just because you are not happy with what you got sort of breaks forum rule number 1... not just on the forum but in life as well!!!!!

rlw

poopot said:

rlw said:

Incredibly untidy workshop absolutely covered in dust.  Bits and pieces all over the work bench waiting to do damage to anything on it.

The guy is a guitar builder!!!!!! His workshop will be a bit dusty and there will be tools kicking about... I don’t know him from the next person, I’m going by my own workshop...

you build guitars it gets messy...

I’m sure he would have cleared away his “bits and pieces” before putting your guitar on the bench!!!!

rlw said:

Setup a Revstar for me which had poor intonation which was still poor but different after the setup and the D and the G stings both slipped when tuning so it never stayed in tune.

Did you check with a strobe tuner, one of those clip on things or your ears?

also, strings slipping sounds like your machine heads have issues not the guy who set the guitar up!!!!!

but hey, “the customer is always right”.... ill informed, knows best and opinionated but always right!!!!!

Wrong on every point.  I’m not the idiot you clearly think I am.

poopot

rlw said:

Wrong on every point.  I’m not the idiot you clearly think I am.

Ok... let’s play “wrong on every point”

1) incredibly untidy workshop absolutely covered in dust!

when you build guitars you have a need to shape, carve, saw, machine wood... you also have a need to make templates, normally out of MDF... machining wood creates dust, machining MDF creates a lot of dust... even with the best extraction in the world you will still get dust... and it gets everywhere... he may have been knocking up a template just before you walked in...

2) bits and pieces all over the workbench waiting to do damage.

fairly certain a space would have been cleared for your guitar... in fact, did your guitar come away with any damage? You don’t mention any so I assume that the bits and pieces waiting to attack your guitar didn’t do their job properly!...

3) intonation that was still poor but different.

I asked what method you used to check the intonation afterwards... you haven’t responded to that one... however you have said it was “different” so obviously something was changed... again, what have you checked it with? Do you have perfect pitch? Maybe it’s bob on and your ears are out?

4) the D and G strings slipped when tuning...

unless the guy has cut the strings really short the slippage will probably be down to wear on the cheap machine heads on the Yamaha...

so... how exactly is that wrong on every point?

also, never said I thought you were an idiot... never mentioned you being an idiot... you assuming that I “clearly think you’re an idiot” say more about you than me pal...

and to answer your original question... there are loads of “techs” that are more than capable of setting up your guitars in your neck of the woods but I wouldn’t recommend any of them to you... it really wouldn’t be fair to them!...

Again, it’s not quite right to come on here and rubbish someone’s business just because in your opinion he’s done a bad job... Rule 1 fella... which I’m now at risk of breaking thanks to allowing myself to be suckered into this thread!!!!

poopot

One quick question.

did you take the guitar back to him, voice your concerns and give him the opportunity to put it right for you? 

rlw

poopot said:

rlw said:

Wrong on every point.  I’m not the idiot you clearly think I am.

Ok... let’s play “wrong on every point”

1) incredibly untidy workshop absolutely covered in dust!

when you build guitars you have a need to shape, carve, saw, machine wood... you also have a need to make templates, normally out of MDF... machining wood creates dust, machining MDF creates a lot of dust... even with the best extraction in the world you will still get dust... and it gets everywhere... he may have been knocking up a template just before you walked in...

2) bits and pieces all over the workbench waiting to do damage.

fairly certain a space would have been cleared for your guitar... in fact, did your guitar come away with any damage? You don’t mention any so I assume that the bits and pieces waiting to attack your guitar didn’t do their job properly!...

3) intonation that was still poor but different.

I asked what method you used to check the intonation afterwards... you haven’t responded to that one... however you have said it was “different” so obviously something was changed... again, what have you checked it with? Do you have perfect pitch? Maybe it’s bob on and your ears are out?

4) the D and G strings slipped when tuning...

unless the guy has cut the strings really short the slippage will probably be down to wear on the cheap machine heads on the Yamaha...

so... how exactly is that wrong on every point?

also, never said I thought you were an idiot... never mentioned you being an idiot... you assuming that I “clearly think you’re an idiot” say more about you than me pal...

and to answer your original question... there are loads of “techs” that are more than capable of setting up your guitars in your neck of the woods but I wouldn’t recommend any of them to you... it really wouldn’t be fair to them!...

Again, it’s not quite right to come on here and rubbish someone’s business just because in your opinion he’s done a bad job... Rule 1 fella... which I’m now at risk of breaking thanks to allowing myself to be suckered into this thread!!!!

Sorry but I'm not going to respond.  I've said quite enough and I'm not going to comment any further on the work the guy did or how he works other than to say it's not for me.  As you say, slagging off other's work isn't what this place is about and I don't think I did that.

You should consider the wisdom of defending someone you have never met and, apparently. know little about.  And you know nothing about me either but you make your own conclusions quite plain.

And no, I didn't go back because, first, it was a long drive and, second, if he was happy with the work he'd already done, it seemed a bit pointless.  It wasn't very expensive so I just put it down to experience.

Maybe when you've dealt with one of the best it spoils you for ever after, which is a shame.

Danielsguitars

Gotta say you definitely don't want to come to my workshop if you don't want to see dust, never heard such bollocks to be honest, doesn't matter how much I dust, extract ,hoover or sweep up I make more dust, unfortunately it's a by product of using actual wood 

Last week alone I've made a tele neck, templates, recarved a couple of necks etc and when this lot is finished I'll be making more bloody dust, if you think this is a measure of how good someone is you're wrong, sorry

You might find less dust with a shop that just has a tech

normula1

A good few years ago now what's now Nigel's guitar workshop listened to my mad ramblings, explained why I shouldn't (mainly for cost) and then did a superb job anyway.

poopot

rlw said:

And no, I didn't go back because, first, it was a long drive and, second, if he was happy with the work he'd already done, it seemed a bit pointless.  It wasn't very expensive so I just put it down to experience.

Right. So instead, what you have done is start a thread under the guise of “recommend me” in the hope that someone mentions him so you can rubbish the work he’s done!... plain as day!...

rlw

poopot said:

rlw said:

And no, I didn't go back because, first, it was a long drive and, second, if he was happy with the work he'd already done, it seemed a bit pointless.  It wasn't very expensive so I just put it down to experience.

Right. So instead, what you have done is start a thread under the guise of “recommend me” in the hope that someone mentions him so you can rubbish the work he’s done!... plain as day!...

Plain as day to you anyway

Danielsguitars

And to everyone else reading

rlw

rlw said:

Edited.

Danielsguitars said:

Gotta say you definitely don't want to come to my workshop if you don't want to see dust, never heard such bollocks to be honest, doesn't matter how much I dust, extract ,hoover or sweep up I make more dust, unfortunately it's a by product of using actual wood 

Last week alone I've made a tele neck, templates, recarved a couple of necks etc and when this lot is finished I'll be making more bloody dust, if you think this is a measure of how good someone is you're wrong, sorry

You might find less dust with a shop that just has a tech

Daniel.  By your own admission you dust, extract, hoover and sweep and you probably do that daily.  That's all I'm saying.

Danielsguitars

rlw said:

rlw said:

Edited.

Danielsguitars said:

Gotta say you definitely don't want to come to my workshop if you don't want to see dust, never heard such bollocks to be honest, doesn't matter how much I dust, extract ,hoover or sweep up I make more dust, unfortunately it's a by product of using actual wood 

Last week alone I've made a tele neck, templates, recarved a couple of necks etc and when this lot is finished I'll be making more bloody dust, if you think this is a measure of how good someone is you're wrong, sorry

You might find less dust with a shop that just has a tech

Daniel.  By your own admission you dust, extract, hoover and sweep and you probably do that daily.  That's all I'm saying.

My name is Darren, I make under that name which was my son's for future reference

Fighting mess and dust is a battle and not always won after a long day, I do try and Keep it tidier if someone is coming over

RonnieHotdogs

the best set up is the one you do yourself. 

Danielsguitars

RonnieHotdogs said:

the best set up is the one you do yourself. 

Depends how good you are, unless you're used to fret dressing nut filing truss rod adjustment etc you can easily muck it up 

Modellista

Danielsguitars said:

RonnieHotdogs said:

the best set up is the one you do yourself. 

Depends how good you are, unless you're used to fret dressing nut filing truss rod adjustment etc you can easily muck it up 

Anything that involves removing bits of the guitar with a file makes me a bit nervous.  All guitarists should know the principles of a basic setup though - that which involves adjusting rather than potentially destroying something!  Truss rods, neck pockets and saddles shouldn't hold much fear - unless you force things any fiddling should be reversible.  Anything more complex and it's off to someone who's learned their craft.

rlw

Danielsguitars said:

And to everyone else reading

Really.  Certainly not my intention and I have edited my comments.

I responded to a question.  If it hadn't been asked I wouldn't have commented at all.   I'm not aiming to blame anyone or slag any specific people off.

I'm actually trying to find a good tech around here so I asked for recommendations in the hope that an unfamiliar name would come up.

And of the people I have used around here, only one familiar name has come up which suggests no-one would recommend any of the other half dozen.

And, by God, you lot are so cynical.

poopot

rlw said:

Danielsguitars said:

And to everyone else reading

Really.  Certainly not my intention and I have edited my comments.

I responded to a question.  If it hadn't been asked I wouldn't have commented at all.   I'm not aiming to blame anyone or slag any specific people off.

I'm actually trying to find a good tech around here so I asked for recommendations in the hope that an unfamiliar name would come up.

Door locked after the horse has taken his guitar to a tech tho’

you bitched about a small business owner on a forum containing a large number of his possible clients... why? Because you felt you didn’t get the high service reserved only for folk of your lofty standing and wanted to name and shame... and your comments can still be seen... what has it achieved? A possible impact to his business and you showing a disdain for rule 1...

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