Not really the kind where you take an electronic tuner and check the strings to make sure they’re EADGBE (the notes of each open string) but more like a yearly or so tune up of the guitar itself.
Back in March when we went to California for training, we also stopped in to visit Rita’s cousins. One of them (actually more than one) plays the guitar and mentioned that I should get mine taken in to a Luthier, someone who works on guitars, and have him go over it for a general tune up.
Since I’ve never considered this, I mentioned it to Zack, my instructor and he agreed and that he takes his in yearly.
So I spoke to the Luthier at Guitar’s Etc here in Longmont and had him check it and explain what he was going to do.
1. He would bring the neck back to get the action, the distance between the strings and the fret board consistent from the head to the body.
2. He would align the neck. It was a little off kilter which you can tell by looking at the high E string (the one on the bottom of the neck is the high one) and how it aligns with the edge.
3. He would round the strings at the base. They were flat instead of following the contours of the fret board which is rounder.
4. He would file down the neck piece at the top (forget the name) so the strings would be a consistent distance from the fretboard.
5. He would file down the fret risers (again, have to look it up) because the fret being wooden would shrink.
6. He would check the pickups (the electronic bits under the strings in the body) and generally check the electronics out.
This would cost a total of $90 including replacing the strings.
I checked it out at lunch (he finished in a day of course) and it sounds better which wasn’t expected, but it is easier to play with the strings an equal distance from the fretboard.
All in all, I’m happy with his work. I have a lesson tonight with Zack (an hour to make up for missing last week) and I’ll have him check it out as well.