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Brand new G&L Doheny in for the Legendary Southeast Setup
So why on earth does a brand new guitar need a setup? Well, most factories don’t have time allotted to do a final setup for every instrument that travels down the line. And even if they did, some guitars travel a long way from the plant to the player; half way around the world in this case. When you bring your new axe to your friendly neighborhood luthier, they can take the time to bring the instrument that final mile and make it sound, feel and play its best. In this case, the player wanted it set up to play in D standard tuning with 11 gauge Stringjoy Signature strings,…
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1992 Ovation Collector’s Series
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Fender Squier VI
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Pre-lawsuit era Ibanez Crest gets a mod
Here is the first of two 1970s-era Ibanez guitars we are working on. This walnut beauty is in to have a Varitone switch added along with a new set of strings and a general inspection. Hard to believe this guitar is over 50 years old.
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PRS McCarty Hollowbody setup and repair
Another fine PRS guitar on the bench today. We replaced the 3-way toggle switch, did a thorough cleaning and gave it the Legendary Southeast Setup. Onward, and upward!
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Martin Custom X gets a little love
Here’s a super-lightweight MIM Martin, which is on the bench for a Southeast Setup and a couple minor repairs. We noted a slight crack in the soundboard along the centerline, but after a thorough inspection we noticed that the transverse braces, the bridge plate and the tailblock were holding the crack at bay, and that it was structurally sound. Sometimes doing nothing is doing the right thing for the client.
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1998 PRS McCarty hollowbody archtop
Here’s a lovely 25-year old Paul Reed Smith McCarty hollowbody archtop on the bench for a Southeast Setup, including a new set of Ernie Ball Slinkys. It’s hard to not get lost staring into the beautiful figure of that tiger maple body! IMG_6516.480
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Martin “The Backpacker”
On the bench today is Martin’s travel acoustic guitar, “The Backpacker.” It’s here for a Southeast Setup, which includes a general look under the hood where we give the player a 19-point checklist of our findings. Oh, can’t they all be as easy as this one. This guitar, as simply built as it is, sounds and feels great! We dialed in the string action, making it a bit more comfortable, then gave it a clean bill of health! Safe travels, my friend!
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Don’t underestimate an inexpensive guitar!
On the bench today is a Mitchell T333E acoustic guitar. Some folks are quick to dismiss this brand as the “house brand” of Guitar Center. I say, not so fast, Buster! We added a hand-carved nut and saddle, replacing the generic Tusq parts supplied at the factory, the gave it the Legendary Southeast Setup, including a set of Stringjoy Naturals Phosphor Bronze strings. When the nut is carved to compliment the player’s string choice, it just sounds better. IMG_6374
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Fender Dread CD-60 Acoustic set-up
How to you turn a $200 guitar into something special? Swap out the plastic nut and saddle for bone, and give it a Southeast Setup, of course! Which is exactly what we did for this beauty. Now it sounds like a million bucks. Or, at least $750! And it plays better than it did when it left the factory in Indonesia. A small investment in a few parts and an expert setup will always bring out the best in your instrument.
Brooklyn Fretworks
Bespoke guitar design, repair and modification
