dwasifar
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2021
- Messages
- 1,083
- Reaction score
- 938
- Guild Total
- 1
Regulars will recall I returned my first D-55 to Guild under warranty because it had the wrong bridge and the neck finish was flaking. After many months they eventually just sent me a new one. I took it for setup at the time, and my tech advised me to wait a while before having that done.
So I've been playing it, but with some nagging dissatisfaction about its intonation. It never seemed to be quite in tune with itself. I noticed in particular that the B string seemed high at the nut, so that when it was tuned properly open, it was a little sharp when fretted.
Thursday I took it to him again. He confirmed my suspicion about the B and said the nut was just generally cut inconsistently. He and his colleague worked on it while I waited, and leveled things out. Cost me $20.
And worth it.
The whole instrument has snapped into focus. That nagging things-aren't-right feeling is gone: wazmo, just that easily. Everything just sounds more harmonious and euphonic, and much more enjoyable to play.
My wife, who is accustomed to listening to me play, cannot hear any difference. And I imagine regular audience members probably wouldn't. But I do, and it's not exaggerating to say it's a burden lifted.
That said, I would really like to know why a $4500 instrument doesn't come with a proper nut setup.
So I've been playing it, but with some nagging dissatisfaction about its intonation. It never seemed to be quite in tune with itself. I noticed in particular that the B string seemed high at the nut, so that when it was tuned properly open, it was a little sharp when fretted.
Thursday I took it to him again. He confirmed my suspicion about the B and said the nut was just generally cut inconsistently. He and his colleague worked on it while I waited, and leveled things out. Cost me $20.
And worth it.
The whole instrument has snapped into focus. That nagging things-aren't-right feeling is gone: wazmo, just that easily. Everything just sounds more harmonious and euphonic, and much more enjoyable to play.
My wife, who is accustomed to listening to me play, cannot hear any difference. And I imagine regular audience members probably wouldn't. But I do, and it's not exaggerating to say it's a burden lifted.
That said, I would really like to know why a $4500 instrument doesn't come with a proper nut setup.