Guitar Setup Near Me UK

At independent workshops a basic setup (clean, nut and saddle check, truss rod and intonation) typically costs around £48, while a full setup including a fret level, dress and polish runs about £100 to £130. These prices cover labour only, with strings usually charged separately. Across the market the full range sits between roughly £35 and £130 depending on the shop and the work involved.

guitarguitar does not publish an online setup price and asks you to enquire in store, working to roughly a 30-minute slot. Andertons charges a labour rate of £70 per hour after assessment, with a full Plek service from £170 (Guildford only) and a Plek scan from £45. PMT previously offered setups but went into administration in June 2025 and has closed all its branches.

A standard setup usually starts with cleaning and conditioning the fretboard and checking the truss rod and neck relief. The technician then adjusts string action and intonation and sets the nut and pickup heights. Most setups finish with fresh strings, a polish and a full function check, though strings are commonly billed on top of the labour.

A simple setup needs roughly two to three days of actual workshop time, but demand means independent shops often run waiting lists of one to two weeks. Larger jobs take longer: Andertons quotes around 7 to 10 working days, and a refret or Plek service commonly adds one to two weeks.

Usually yes. Factory setups are often minimal because production lines prioritise volume over fine adjustment, so a new instrument rarely plays at its best straight from the box. Wood also settles after transport, storage and changes in climate, so a setup once the guitar has acclimatised to your home is well worth it.

Heavy players tend to book a setup every six months, or whenever the seasons change and humidity shifts the neck. For occasional players once a year is generally enough. Beyond that schedule, get a setup as soon as symptoms appear, such as string buzz, action that feels too high or too low, or a fret that has failed.

A DIY setup is realistic for the truss rod, string action, intonation and nut height. The core tools are a string action gauge, a set of feeler gauges and radius gauges, plus the right screwdrivers, at around £30 to £80 for a basic kit. These jobs are measurable and repeatable, but fret levelling and crowning are considered professional work because the risk of errors is high.

A luthier builds and fundamentally restores instruments, so the work leans towards craftsmanship and construction. A guitar tech focuses on maintenance, setups and touring support. Both carry out guitar setups, so for a straightforward setup either professional is a sound choice, and the distinction matters more for building or major restoration work.