How to spot the right tech

[unclrob]

OK this is a really hard thing to define,so I'm just starting it off in hope's others will add to it.

Since I'm a tech I'll start off with something.I do interview my clients.Things I need to know before I can do what I do.

First and formost I want to know how much you know.
Do you understand the terminology used when talking about guitars-a good tech will take the time to explain and educate you.the more educated a player is the easier it is to give them what they want.There are many that don't know the difference between a saddle and a bridge,understand what relief is.I spend alot of time educating players.
What training does the tech have and how long have they been doing it.I know quite a few who taught themselves via the internet or buy reading a book or two and working on there friends stuff.Some are good others are bad.
Can they give you a list of clients that you can talk too.
Do they have a sample of there work you can look at.Including there own instruments.
Whats there personality,does it jive with yours?

This is far from complete but like a said its a start and its hard for me as I'm a tech.So come on kids time to pass on your words of wisdom.
   
   

[unclrob]

What nobody got notin to add come on kids lets hear some info!!!!

[Sherm]

In my other post I mentioned that I brought my late 90's OM-10 in to Larry Cragg for a setup today because I just bought it used a few months ago and the action was too high making it hard to play. Larry's list of clients include Neil Young, Carlos Santana, and in the past, the Rolling Stones, the Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother, and Quicksilver. He has over fourty years experience having started out working in a music store during the 60's:

http://www.suitelorraine.com/suitelorraine/Pages/larrycragg.html

This article is 10 years old and he is still enthusiastically working on guitars at 62 years old. When I walked into his shed in front of his house this morning he was working on someone's Strat. I showed him my Larrivee and he plugged it into a strobe tuner and showed me how the intonation was off on the low E and A strings and recommended a new saddle. He also showed me how the neck had a concave bow and he would straighten it with the truss rod. He thinks with the neck straight the action will be much better, but he can adjust it with the new saddle if needed. He will also smooth the frets out a bit because they have some wear on them. There were a bunch of guitars and amps in his workshop, and he also rents vintage instruments and amps:

http://vintageinstrumentrental.com/

Of course he maintains all the vintage gear himself. He has very reasonable prices and I plan to bring my '79 Les Paul in for a setup next. A friend of mine recommended Larry to me after he set up his old Martin.

[RoundLakeDT]

A good tech will listen to you to figure out what you want (and if you really know what you want), ask questions about what style you play, how you play, what's annoying you about the instrument, and (if needed) educate you about a setup or repair along the way without making you feel like a dummy if you don't know as much as they do (which hopefully you don't or else you probably need a different tech).

They'll make specific suggestions and also tell you what that'll do for you, rather than following a limited "script" of setup or fixit steps. 

The customer might just feel that they can't strum as hard as they want without buzzing, and it doesn't stay in tune long; the tech should translate that into a plan.  Like unclrob said, many people aren't as educated as techs in terms of action, relief, tuning stability, etc... but you shouldn't have to tech-speak to get the 'right' results for you.

The best setup / tech experience I've had is actually with my old fiddle.  Brought it to a local tech who took the time to explain a lot of things I didn't know, like that there are different bridge contours available depending on how you want to play (flatter or rounder).  He didn't just tell me that a setup would 'fix everything', but that I had some choices to make in terms of the sound I wanted... I learned a lot about fiddles that day.  It wasn't cheap but in the end 110% worth it.  (that was Marchitto violins in Schenectady NY)

Dave

[Sherm]

A good tech will listen to you to figure out what you want (and if you really know what you want), ask questions about what style you play, how you play, what's annoying you about the instrument, and (if needed) educate you about a setup or repair along the way without making you feel like a dummy if you don't know as much as they do (which hopefully you don't or else you probably need a different tech).

That's right, I described to my tech that I play mostly fingerstyle, but do some strumming too and he asked how hard I wanted to strum. He also asked about what dropped tunings I play because he would have to make a compromise if I wanted to switch back and forth between dropped tunings and standard tunings. I told him I usually don't drop much more than the low E string to a D so he didn't think that would be a problem. I also told him that I use a capo a lot between the second and fifth frets.

Sherm

[hadden]

I can think of a lot of things that might indicate who is a bad tech (from experience, not finding a keeper yet).  If he doesn't lead the conversation and ask detailed questions -- mentioned already. You can sometimes get the sense they will do what they do and are not interested in you. The last guy was going to go ahead and re-radius the fretboard more curvy ( what he personally likes) without my permission -- he hinted at it and I had to specifically tell him no. He would have just done it.

I could go on forever about warning signs.

[ducktrapper]

Easy! All the best guitar techs have a pony tail. 

[ffinke]

I took my Larrivee (L-03) to a store who advertised their tech's credentials: apprenticed under Del Langejans, courses at Bryan Galloup's luthiery school, 20 years in the business, etc. I had no idea that you're suppose to talk to the guy (he's also the owner of the store and keeps more 'daytime' hours - not convenient for working stiffs) so I left my guitar at the store and went home to wait. When I picked it up I actually talked to him and he said that he had to make a new nut because it was all out of whack (and the guitar was less than 6 months old). I was skeptical but he only charged an extra $5 so I thought that was reasonable. He had never played a Larri himself and said what a great tone it has (keep in mind he SELLS Martins).

...but then I played it!!! His credentials were accurate! It is now a GREAT guitar and I've since taken my 2 OMs in for set-ups with equal results.

I can only hope that everyone could have the same good fortune with their set-up techs (or use unclrob exclusively). When you find one... KEEP HIM!!!

f

[unclrob]

How to spot a bad tech is great info too.ALWAYS,ALWAYS,ALWAYS talk to the one who's doing the work.ALWAYS,ALWAYS ask more questions then you think are nessasary.There are never ever too many question,NEVER.There are NEVER EVER ANY DUMB QUESTIONS.Keep note's of the bad techs to tell your friends about as much as you would a good tech.


Keep ir comin.

[Sherm]

How to spot a bad tech is great info too.

I had a not so great experience several years ago when I brought my Strat in for a setup with a tech whom the shop I bought the guitar at recommended. I made an appointment to bring in my Strat and as soon as I walked into his workshop there was the strong smell of pot smoke (not that I know what pot smells like from personal experience but I think it was pot smoke ). I told him how I liked the action and we agreed that the frets did not need any work. It took him longer than he had told me to finish working on it, and when I finally got the call to pick it up I found out that he had dressed the frets a little bit and was asking for more money. I reminded him that we agreed that he wasn't going to work on the frets, so he said ok, the fret work was free. Anyway, I checked the guitar out thoroughly after that and luckily it wasn't messed up and it played nicely. I didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling from that tech though so I would never go back to him.

Sherm

[unclrob]

A setup should includethe following for any string instrument with frets{you'll understand why I haven't included non-fretted string instruments}A neck adjustment,string height,nut slot correctly set,a fret dressing with recrown,a discussion about what you[the player] about what YOU want,follow up inspection and any change's to work already done if needed or desired by YOU.I ask all my clients to keep a pad and pencil handy to take note's as most memories s**k of any problems/quaries over the next 3-4 weeks when I want to see it back for an inspection.Oh ya I also inform them that I'm part owner now and if they mess it up I get to beat them rapidly about the heead with a stick.

[hadden]

Yes taking the time to thoroughly inspect and informing of problems or potential problems you didn`t know about. I get the sense sometimes they don`t do this because it requires extra effort. You want them to want everything PERFECT before it leaves the shop. That attitude. The sort who would have an anxiety attack if things are not meticulous.

[unclrob]

The most important thing a good tech should have is passion.I know a few good techs that have lost the passion and it show's in there aditude.