When I got my first bass, my dad told me that I should have it serviced or “set-up.” I kinda scoffed, because what could possibly be wrong with my beautiful new bass? Well, I don’t know if I ever wrote about this, but my truss rod was broken inside of the neck, so I had to have the whole neck replaced. Also, my electronics needed to be re-wired. So, it’s needless to say that getting your instrument serviced is a good thing.
But what does it mean to get get your instrument “Serviced” or “set up?” Well, basically, this is a “check-up” or a “well visit” for your instrument. The person you take your instrument to will check your intonation, make sure your fretboard is aligned well with the strings, he/she will check for fret buzz, he/she will check to make sure your electronics are working properly,etc. So, like I said, it’s basically a doctor’s appointment for your instrument.
Why are they important? Not all instrument problems are easy to see unless you look for them. Some things, like intonation, happen gradually and can go unnoticed. So, it’s important to have someone be able to point it out and fix it for you. You definitely don’t want the problem to get worse. Plus, some issues can be annoying like fret buzz and you’ll definitely want that fixed.
You can go to just about any music store to get your instrument serviced. I definitely trust Sam Ash, if you have one near you. If you don’t, you can just do a google search for music stores in your area.
