I just had my SF5 set up

[Slippery fingets]

I bought a new SF5 a few weeks ago, I played the hell out of it so I’d better know what she needed if anything. I could tell it needed a fret leveling and good set up, pretty much the norm for a new geetar. I took her to the luthier I’ve been using for a few yrs as he really knows what he’s doing.
I just got her back yesterday, and what a difference it’s a whole different geetar now.
He leveled the frets, adjusted the bridge so that the strings follow the neck radius, adjusted the pup pole pieces to the proper distance from the strings, put the intonation perfect, tweaked the string slots in the nut,and glued two frets that were a little loose, she’s about as perfect as a geetar can be. I’m so impressed with this SF5. I have a couple really high end geetars, but the SF5 now plays every bit as good as them or any other geetar I’ve ever played! It took him 3 1/2 hrs to set it up, and level the frets, the cost was $275.00, so I paid $1,325 for the geetar new, and put $275 into it so a total of $1600, and in my opinion WELL WORTH IT! The playability, and sound of this geetar in my opinion is as good as anything out there regardless of cost!
Paul

 

[7GuildsandanSG]

Photos or it didn't happen!

 

[Muckman]

Consistent with my experience. I have a SFIV and VI, fretwork is very clean, no snags along the sides.....both were greatly improved with a fret level and proper setup. In fact, I'd bet the reason I found great deals on them used, was the isuues with buzzing/action up the fretboard. They come with very tall frets, so plenty of fret there to work with and still be taller than most electrics

 

[Slippery fingets]

Yeah the tall frets were the first thing I noticed too. But that kind of work should be done on most new production geetars. The factory has a price point to meet, and only so much time is allocated to the frets, or any other part of the geetar for that matter.

 

[Slippery fingets]

Here’s a pic of here

 

[Muckman]

Yeah the tall frets were the first thing I noticed too. But that kind of work should be done on most new production geetars. The factory has a price point to meet, and only so much time is allocated to the frets, or any other part of the geetar for that matter.

True, I've had similar experiences with US made Gibson and Fenders. Usually, the fret leveling on Korean and Chinese electric guitars is better than recent US guitars I've owned.....true when comparing Mexican Fenders to US Fenders, as well. IME, anyway

 

[Slippery fingets]

No I agree with you 100%, Gibson has had quality control issues for a very long time. Fenders quality control is a little better, it seems the smaller American companies like G&L, and Rickenbacker have far less quality control issues. When I picked up the SF5 we were talking about that, he told me one of the best geetars as far as frets and set ups out of the box is Squier!!!!!!!! A 500-600 dollar geetar!! On the acoustic side he said bar none Taylor us the best production acoustic geetar made, but he also said he’s not a fan of the highs the Taylor geetars produce, his preference is old Martins, and very old Gibsons.

 

[Muckman]

No I agree with you 100%, Gibson has had quality control issues for a very long time. Fenders quality control is a little better, it seems the smaller American companies like G&L, and Rickenbacker have far less quality control issues. When I picked up the SF5 we were talking about that, he told me one of the best geetars as far as frets and set ups out of the box is Squier!!!!!!!! A 500-600 dollar geetar!! On the acoustic side he said bar none Taylor us the best production acoustic geetar made, but he also said he’s not a fan of the highs the Taylor geetars produce, his preference is old Martins, and very old Gibsons.

I Have played a few newer Squiers lately and they are stupid good.......

 

[Boneman]

Congrats on the set up and new feeling instrument!.

+1 on Squier. They come out of the store pretty much ready to rock without doing anything.

 

[Slippery fingets]

Yeah ain’t that something, there once was a time you got what you paid for, but I guess not anymore. I don’t know if it’s the new modern manufacturing techniques, or if the people in Korea and Indonesia have gained enough experience making geetars that they’re now really good at it, and dirt cheap for the quality you’d getting.
paul

 

[Muckman]

The upside is the quality and pride from some small US companies and from a lot of low price imported guitars. Running a small garage that relies on skilled labor has not improved my opinion of the employability/attitude of young people around here.....the difference from 10-15 years ago is horrifying. I can't imagine trying to staff shops like Gibson, Fender, Martin with the skilled labor it takes to properly finish guitars.

 

[Slippery fingets]

Yep I agree, not all the kids, but a large percent only want the paycheck, but not the work, and many don’t believe in starting at the bottom and working your way up. My career was an operating engineer, I served a 4 year apprentiship, and did everything the journeyman operators told me to do. After I got my journeyman’s card 1976 the apprentice kids were all really good, but a few yrs before I retired I noticed a marked difference in some of them. They didn’t care to learn the trade, all they wanted was a paycheck, I used to tell them if they can’t run any equipment they won’t be employable, but that went into one ear and out the other. Now this is not to say all the kids are like that cuz they ain’t but those that were, were the ones I remembered.Building a geetar takes a lot of skill and some yrs to aquier it so yep I see your point.

 

[fronobulax]

There is a stereotype, with some truth to it, of an older generation that observes that "kids these days" don't seem as interested in work or willing to work under the conditions that the older generation accepted when they were younger. If you actually talk to the "kids" there is much more to it than that and many resent the generalization. Once upon a time there were women who joined LTG and decided there was more misogyny than they cared to deal with. We're getting better in that area. Let's not scare off the younger generations since, if we do, LTG, and perhaps even the market for American made Guilds might not be around in a decade or so.

 

[Muckman]

I started that line of conversation, Frono. Stereotypes/generalizations all hold some truth, not worth repeating. My apologies

 

[dadglasser]

There is a stereotype, with some truth to it, of an older generation that observes that "kids these days" don't seem as interested in work or willing to work under the conditions that the older generation accepted when they were younger. If you actually talk to the "kids" there is much more to it than that and many resent the generalization. Once upon a time there were women who joined LTG and decided there was more misogyny than they cared to deal with. We're getting better in that area. Let's not scare off the younger generations since, if we do, LTG, and perhaps even the market for American made Guilds might not be around in a decade or so.

 

[fronobulax]