A new set up can work miracles...and a shout out for Brinsley

Gassage

I sent my Nash to Chandlers for Brindsley Schwartz to do a full fret dress and set up. The result, when handed back to me yesterday, was phenomenal. His work, as always, is magnificent and it totally backs up his reputation as the best guitar tech in Britain.

The frets are like silk, the ends are as rounded as a snooker ball...the action is sensational.

I know he's not the cheapest, but if you are needing a set up, this guy sets the standards. £134 was the damage

hubobulous

Is he still grumpy?

Gassage

Beyond grumpy.

In fact, Alistair went and picked it up and said "He's a bit of a grumpy bugger isn't he?'

But that's part of his unflappable charm

Anyway, the mystery of the pups are solved-

These- which pleased me:

http://www.fralinpickups.com/stratstyleBS.asp

sunshinewelly

Seems a lot of money for a set up and fret dress

Gassage

It was a big fret dress - the ends protruding- and also a new nut.

ICBM

Sounds about right to me for that quantity and quality of work in a London shop by a top professional. Including the nut that would be a minimum of an hour and a half's work, probably a bit more.

A new set-up can indeed work miracles and it really surprises me that some companies, even at the higher end, do not make more effort to do it right at the beginning - if you're making a two grand (plus) guitar, there's really no excuse for leaving it poorly set up… actually not only no excuse but bad from a marketing point of view.

Gassage

ICBM said:

Sounds about right to me for that quantity and quality of work in a London shop by a top professional. Including the nut that would be a minimum of an hour and a half's work, probably a bit more.

A new set-up can indeed work miracles and it really surprises me that some companies, even at the higher end, do not make more effort to do it right at the beginning - if you're making a two grand (plus) guitar, there's really no excuse for leaving it poorly set up… actually not only no excuse but bad from a marketing point of view.

@icbm

It was bliss to play last night. And he is a top, if grumpy, pro. His personal playing credits are immense- Clapton, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe......

I love Charlie's set ups but the difference is a lot of his stuff is automated (his fret machine) whereas Brins does it all the old fashioned way.

ICBM

Gassage said:

It was bliss to play last night. And he is a top, if grumpy, pro. His personal playing credits are immense- Clapton, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe......

I love Charlie's set ups but the difference is a lot of his stuff is automated (his fret machine) whereas Brins does it all the old fashioned way.

In my opinion the old-fashioned way still gives better results if the old-fashioned grumpy sod doing it is good and really cares .

The Plek gives very consistent results and is better than a lot of manual work, but not better than the best humans who do it by feel as much as science.

It's actually very unusual to find someone who is both a world-class player (yes, I know something of his history!) and a world-class tech - the two skills are not all that related, really. I long ago gave up on being a world-class player, so I'm left with trying to be a good tech…

Gassage

ICBM said:

Gassage said:

It was bliss to play last night. And he is a top, if grumpy, pro. His personal playing credits are immense- Clapton, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe......

I love Charlie's set ups but the difference is a lot of his stuff is automated (his fret machine) whereas Brins does it all the old fashioned way.

In my opinion the old-fashioned way still gives better results if the old-fashioned grumpy sod doing it is good and really cares .

The Plek gives very consistent results and is better than a lot of manual work, but not better than the best humans who do it by feel as much as science.

It's actually very unusual to find someone who is both a world-class player (yes, I know something of his history!) and a world-class tech - the two skills are not all that related, really. I long ago gave up on being a world-class player, so I'm left with trying to be a good tech…

A few years back, he refretted my number 1 strat. I turned up at the shop and one of his mates was there playing a Lazy J whilst Brins was 'testing' my strat. An impromptu 'country lick' jam took place with Brinds hitting every Gill and Lee lick ever recorded- I felt utterly honoured to listen to his playing- it's absolutely immense.

And, he's as modest as hell about it.

crunchman

He's a good guy.  I had a buzz on my Les Paul a few weeks ago that I couldn't track.  I took it in and Brinsley fixed it in 2 minutes and didn't charge me anything.  I probably will take it back for a full set up at some point, but my 339 needs one more.

Teetonetal

Gassage;33889" said:

I sent my Nash to Chandlers for Brindsley Schwartz to do a full fret dress and set up. The result, when handed back to me yesterday, was phenomenal. His work, as always, is magnificent and it totally backs up his reputation as the best guitar tech in Britain.



The frets are like silk, the ends are as rounded as a snooker ball...the action is sensational.



I know he's not the cheapest, but if you are needing a set up, this guy sets the standards. £134 was the damage

You can't beat a well set up guitar and it's something I really miss from the uk. A poor fret dress here in Zurich for my old start cost me 250gbp.... And it was just ok.

It's almost cheaper for me to fly back to the uk and get it done, especially if frets need replacing.

Enjoy the silkyness!

Sassafras

If he's done a full set up including fret dress and a new nut and it's a high quality job that's improved tone and playability then £134 doesn't sound like a bad deal.

JohnPerry

ICBM said:

A new set-up can indeed work miracles

cannot stress this enough. I played for years and collected two dozen guitars before finally biting the bullet and getting the wonderful Dave Smart here in Oxford to sort them out one by one over a year or two. 

I kid you not: every single one was transformed. Some were like getting a different/new guitar back. Some I had never got on with and contemplated selling are now my favourites. A good tech is absolutely worth the investment. Some guitars I will even take a punt on, here or on eBay, because I know Dave will turn them into something fabulous in the end or die trying

Phil_aka_Pip

He did my Strat.  Before, it wouldn't stay in tune. After, it's excellent and easier to play. Nice one Brinsley!

FelineGuitars

Good to hear than Brinsley hasn't changed......

Working alongside him 20 years ago was interesting, if a little challenging.

He certainly knew a lot of stuff.....

Really glad you got a cracking good result.

Gassage

Jonathan-

It's part of the unflappable charm that is Brinds.

If he says a guitar is 'OK-ish' it's rather like being told tou've won the lottery!

Philly_Q

I bought a Warmoth neck in Chandlers many, many years ago - pre-internet - and found Mr Schwarz quite scary to deal with.  I didn't realise he was still there.

Still, £134 sounds quite reasonable to me although I don't know what other techs would charge.

sweepy

It is amazing what a decent setup can do to a lacklustre guitar, it also helps if the tech doing the work can play a bit

Phil_aka_Pip

Philly_Q said:

 £134 sounds quite reasonable to me 

^ This ^

sweepy

I suppose once you factor in the 20% VAT and the London weighting plus the shops min 20% markup thats fair I suppose .

One thing I always try to ascertain when setting up a guitar for someone is what style of music they play and , to those I get to know well, their own personal habits, i.e. hard picking action, legato etc etc . No point setting a blues players guitar like a shred machine as he'll hate you for it  and vice versa .

Gassage

sweepy said:

I suppose once you factor in the 20% VAT and the London weighting plus the shops min 20% markup thats fair I suppose .

One thing I always try to ascertain when setting up a guitar for someone is what style of music they play and , to those I get to know well, their own personal habits, i.e. hard picking action, legato etc etc . No point setting a blues players guitar like a shred machine as he'll hate you for it  and vice versa .

Brinds had known me 15 years and is well aware that he needs to create a set up that allows for both blues in Em AND in Am- always a challenge, this I understand.

He once explained to me that I'm actually allowed to use the frets above the 12th fret, however I've never really explored that as of yet.

And, re costs- I'm very happy.