PMT Set Up

thefez

Has anyone ever used PMT for a set up? I think it's about the only store around me (Newport, South Wales) that does them but I've no idea if they're any good.

I bought a Gretsch Streamliner off them back in April and it came with a tag saying it had been set up but I don't know if that's the absolute basic to say they've done it or whether it's worth getting a full set up done. I've also never had a set up done before.

meltedbuzzbox

You can adjust the height of your strings yourself 

I wouldnt buy much into a pmt setup to be honest 

TTBZ

I'd look through the thread on here for local techs/luthiers as I'd trust someone independent to do a better job than someone at PMT.

Funkfingers

I have never visited PMT Newport. Hence, I cannot comment on the standard of their work.

I can, however, say that any change since you took the guitar home could have affected the set-up. Changes of strings, temperature, humidity and tailpiece position can all be detrimental.

Streamliner is a Gretsch “collection” moniker. In order to identify your model precisely, you need to state the Gxxxx number. This will immediately make it clear whether, for instance, you have a Bigsby vibrato.  

preston61

thefez said:

Has anyone ever used PMT for a set up? I think it's about the only store around me (Newport, South Wales) that does them but I've no idea if they're any good.

I bought a Gretsch Streamliner off them back in April and it came with a tag saying it had been set up but I don't know if that's the absolute basic to say they've done it or whether it's worth getting a full set up done. I've also never had a set up done before.

Look on Facebook for Mark Slade, he's a great guy and lives in Cwmbran and does a collection service, which considering the lockdown going on at the moment is probably your only option.
I've used him twice and he is excellent.  Happy to pass on details if you'd like them, just message me

thefez

preston61 said:

thefez said:

Has anyone ever used PMT for a set up? I think it's about the only store around me (Newport, South Wales) that does them but I've no idea if they're any good.

I bought a Gretsch Streamliner off them back in April and it came with a tag saying it had been set up but I don't know if that's the absolute basic to say they've done it or whether it's worth getting a full set up done. I've also never had a set up done before.

Look on Facebook for Mark Slade, he's a great guy and lives in Cwmbran and does a collection service, which considering the lockdown going on at the moment is probably your only option.
I've used him twice and he is excellent.  Happy to pass on details if you'd like them, just message me

Cheers, I'm about 3 miles from Cwmbran so that would be awesome.  PM incoming

skullfunkerry

Friend of mine bought a Les Paul from PMT, wasn't entirely happy with it and they told him they'd do a setup on it for him... he still wasn't happy so took it to Strings Direct whose tech guy told him that it didn't look like it had ever been worked on (and also that it needed a new nut, as the top string was too close to the edge of the fretboard). I do think they vary though from branch to branch, though

thegummy

It's so easy to learn to do a setup yourself, it surprises me how many people are willing to pay quite a lot of money for it.

Edit: when I see the online cliche "budget in for a setup" it's like someone saying "you can get it for 20 quid in Ikea but budget in on hiring a carpenter to put it together for you".

drofluf

I bought an acoustic from them and the setup was spot on. It was the display model and it might have come from Faith set up like that so I’m probably not helping 

TINMAN82

My Jem was perfectly setup from PMT, again likely came that way in the box. Had to re do it myself though when I upped the string gauge to 9.5s, bloody locking trems!

skunkwerx

The two I’ve bought from PMT have been fine, but one came straight out of their delivery truck to me, still freezing cold so it had left Fender that way, and was good. 

The other was a Gibson junior on display around March this year which was good too, although thats currently in with a tech as the intonation gone haywire and the cut could do with a little adjustment. 

The tech its in with is Zietgiest, who is also the tech Pmt Romford use.  

Should be collecting it tomorrow. 

skullfunkerry

skunkwerx said:

The two I’ve bought from PMT have been fine, but one came straight out of their delivery truck to me, still freezing cold so it had left Fender that way, and was good. 

The other was a Gibson junior on display around March this year which was good too, although thats currently in with a tech as the intonation gone haywire and the cut could do with a little adjustment. 

The tech its in with is Zietgiest, who is also the tech Pmt Romford use.  

Should be collecting it tomorrow. 

The friend I mentioned in the post above has used Zeitgeist as well & he's very happy with it.

It was a different branch of PMT that he had the problems with 

skunkwerx

skullfunkerry said:

skunkwerx said:

The two I’ve bought from PMT have been fine, but one came straight out of their delivery truck to me, still freezing cold so it had left Fender that way, and was good. 

The other was a Gibson junior on display around March this year which was good too, although thats currently in with a tech as the intonation gone haywire and the cut could do with a little adjustment. 

The tech its in with is Zietgiest, who is also the tech Pmt Romford use.  

Should be collecting it tomorrow. 

The friend I mentioned in the post above has used Zeitgeist as well & he's very happy with it.

It was a different branch of PMT that he had the problems with 

Yeah Mr Zeitgeist is decent! 

Basically a couple minutes away from where I (usually) work. Driving there felt odd.. made me realise how bloody long its been since I’ve actually been in the office! 

thermionic

It depends who works there. I’ve heard that Gareth Lewis does setups there - he set up an Epi LP for me when he worked at Cranes, superb job.I see a lot of people recommended for setups in the Cardiff/Newport/Valleys area but Gareth is the only one I have recent experience of: https://www.guitarsetupservices.com/

merciful-evans

Yes its a variable.

I would be wary of asking PMT to do this anyway. When I was in store to get a Variax, I choose the one with the best neck relief. Even so, the guitar was so poorly set up I couldn't evaluate it. It just needed the bridge lowering a bit. I asked the assistant to do it. When I checked on his progress he was adjusting the truss rod! aghh!!!

thefez

thermionic said:

It depends who works there. I’ve heard that Gareth Lewis does setups there - he set up an Epi LP for me when he worked at Cranes, superb job.I see a lot of people recommended for setups in the Cardiff/Newport/Valleys area but Gareth is the only one I have recent experience of: https://www.guitarsetupservices.com/

Thanks for the heads up and link. Was kinda shocked to see that Crane's had gone in Cardiff, used to be my dream place for window shopping.

My intonation just seems off but then again I could just be talking through my arse. Bigsby/nut defo needs something done because I can't even look at the bugger without the G and B going out of tune. 

PonchoGreg

merciful-evans said:

Yes its a variable.

I would be wary of asking PMT to do this anyway. When I was in store to get a Variax, I choose the one with the best neck relief. Even so, the guitar was so poorly set up I couldn't evaluate it. It just needed the bridge lowering a bit. I asked the assistant to do it. When I checked on his progress he was adjusting the truss rod! aghh!!!

I was going to say I sincerely hope their guitars in store haven't received any attention whatsoever from their tech, otherwise that would seriously make me doubt said tech's ability and the wisdom of paying for a service there.

Went to PMT London a week ago to try out a couple of bits and it was pretty shocking. An american original 50s strat in particular stuck out: old dead strings on, bridge clearly out of whack (showing nearly a cm of block between the plate and body). Made it incredibly unappealing.

I totally get no putting too much effort into a £200-600 guitar, You'd think they would try and keep "flagship" 1.5k guitars in fine fettle, maybe stick a set of elixirs on it and get it to a nice middle-of-the road setup.

thermionic

Cranes have been gone for a few years now @thefez! Also Gamlins closed in the spring sadly. At least a couple of old Cranes guys work for PMT now.

thefez

thermionic said:

Cranes have been gone for a few years now @thefez! Also Gamlins closed in the spring sadly. At least a couple of old Cranes guys work for PMT now.

Just back into the country after a decade away and didn't even know what PMT was when first asking about the shops around Newport/Cardiff. I wonder if GM or Speed Music are still around. 

thegummy

merciful-evans said:

Yes its a variable.

I would be wary of asking PMT to do this anyway. When I was in store to get a Variax, I choose the one with the best neck relief. Even so, the guitar was so poorly set up I couldn't evaluate it. It just needed the bridge lowering a bit. I asked the assistant to do it. When I checked on his progress he was adjusting the truss rod! aghh!!!

That's another thing with paying for a setup, a "guitar tech" (although I've only heard that specific term online) is just someone who's willing to charge you to set up your guitar, there's nothing to say they're particularly good at it.

Finding one with a reliable reputation helps but I've gone to one like that before only for it to be his employees who did it and I ended up paying for the worst setup imaginable. E.g. the pickups distorted the amp they were so close to the strings, it wasn't that it just wasn't to my preference.

Tenebrous

I bought a B-stock Charvel from PMT recently & before buying it, I called up to enquire why it was B-stock. The guy said it was like new & that he'd personally recently set it up with new strings, lubed up floaty bits, etc. The setup was absolutely fantastic, & all I went out of my way to do was put some furniture polish on the base of the whammy bar so it stopped squeaking.

That's my only experience with PMT, but it was a good one, so worth mentioning.