Two Different Jobs On One Counter
For a guitar setup and restring, Joondalup Music Centre is the shop at Unit 4/101 Winton Rd, open 7 days. A restring is the string change itself. A setup is bench work: adjusting the instrument so the strings sit where the player actually wants them. The two are often done together, and we quote both free in store before anything starts.
It helps to know what a setup is not. It is not a repair, and it will not fix a cracked top, a lifting bridge or a neck that has twisted. It is an adjustment of the things that are meant to be adjustable, which is why an instrument can feel transformed without a single part being replaced. Our site lists Re-strings & Parts and Services & Repairs separately. If the instrument needs more than a setup, we say so at the counter rather than charge for an adjustment that cannot hold.
How A Setup Moves Through Our Workshop
We keep the same route for every job, from a first guitar to one that has been gigged for years. Call the store on 08 9300 0033 first if the instrument is needed by a date.
- Bring it in: in its case or gig bag, with any spare parts that came with it.
- Free quote: we look it over with the owner and quote the work before it goes anywhere.
- Strings agreed: the owner picks the brand and gauge, because that decision changes how the rest of the job is measured.
- Bench work: neck relief is set at the truss rod, string height is set at the saddle and checked at the nut, intonation is set so notes ring true up the neck, and tuners, bridge pins and strap buttons are checked while the strings are off.
- Collection: the owner tunes it at the counter if they want, and tells us whether it feels right.
An electric has more that can be adjusted than an acoustic, which is why bench time differs between a Fender electric and a dreadnought. Individual saddle heights, pickup height and, on a tremolo, spring tension all move, and a locking nut or floating bridge takes longer to restring than a fixed bridge. An acoustic has one saddle and one nut, so a height change means material off the saddle rather than a screw turn.
Symptoms That Belong On The Bench
Most instruments arrive with a complaint rather than a diagnosis, and the complaint is usually enough to point at the cause. Buzzing that follows the fretting hand up the neck, strings that feel stiff and far from the fretboard, chords that ring true at the nut but drift sharp or flat higher up, and tuning that will not hold through a song are all ordinary setup territory.
Some of it a player can handle alone. Learning to wind a string neatly onto the post, seating bridge pins properly and stretching new strings in will solve a surprising amount of tuning instability. Truss rod adjustment is where we would ask people to stop. It is a small turn with a long reach, and an over-tightened rod can take the nut or the neck with it. Sharp fret ends, rattles that do not move with the hand, and dead notes in one spot are worth bringing in rather than guessing at. A beginner comparing instruments may find our starter guitar buyer guide useful before deciding whether a struggling instrument is worth servicing.
String Choice, Gauge And Perth Conditions
Before a guitar setup and restring, Joondalup Music Centre asks the owner which strings go on, because that choice sets up the rest of the job. We keep strings in store from makers including D'Addario, Ernie Ball, Elixir, Martin and Stringjoy, so gauge and brand are decided with the instrument in hand rather than ordered blind.
Gauge matters more than most players expect. A heavier set pulls harder on the neck and a lighter set pulls less, so moving between them undoes the relief and action an earlier setup established. The same applies to dropping into a lower tuning, which is the usual reason a guitar that was fine last month now buzzes. If a change of gauge or tuning is planned, it is worth mentioning at drop-off so the setup is done around the strings that will actually live on the instrument.
Coated sets generally hold their tone longer against sweat and humidity, which is what makes them worth considering for players who sweat heavily or practise daily. Uncoated phosphor bronze remains the standard for players who change often and like a fresh set under the fingers.
Change intervals follow playing hours and hand chemistry rather than the calendar. A daily player will feel a set go dull well before an occasional player does, and strings that look dull, feel gritty and will not hold pitch are finished whatever the date says. A corroded set also works against the frets and the nut slots, so a modest set changed often is kinder to the instrument than an expensive set left on.
A setup is also a snapshot of the instrument in the conditions it was wearing that day. Perth conditions shift between summer and winter, and timber responds to that, so an acoustic set up in February can feel different in July. The change usually shows up as relief in the neck rather than as anything dramatic.
That is not a fault, it is a reason to treat a seasonal re-check as normal maintenance for a wooden instrument. We are open 7 days, so a second look is a quick errand rather than a long job. Bring it to the counter and we will say whether it needs anything.
Student Instruments And First Setups
An instrument that fights the player is hard to practise on. Strings sitting too high make barre chords punishing for a hand that is still building strength, and a beginner has no reference point for telling an unplayable guitar from their own inexperience. A setup before the first lesson removes that doubt, so we suggest it for any instrument a student is starting on, including one bought elsewhere or handed down.
Sizing is part of the same question for younger players, and our guide to children's guitar sizing and setup covers how body and scale length affect what a child can reach. Tuition runs through the Joondalup School of Music on 08 9300 0965.
What The Law Covers On Repair Work
When a customer pays for a guitar setup and restring, Joondalup Music Centre owes the standard set by the Australian Consumer Law. Consumer Protection WA states that repair work must be carried out with due care and skill and be fit for its stated purpose, and that this guarantee cannot be removed by signage or docket wording. If the work does not meet that standard, the customer is entitled to a remedy.
The parts carry their own guarantees. Strings, nuts, saddles and tuners supplied as part of a job must be of acceptable quality, match their description and be fit for purpose, and Consumer Protection WA names the seller as the first point of remedy rather than the manufacturer. A string set or a replacement part that fails early is our problem to sort out, not the maker's.
A workshop also cannot simply keep or sell an instrument that is never collected. Disposal of uncollected goods in this state follows the Disposal of Uncollected Goods Act 1970, with notice and disposal steps that depend on what the goods are worth, as set out by Consumer Protection WA. Leaving current contact details at drop-off protects the owner.
Where We Are And Who We See
Players who need a guitar setup and restring, Joondalup locals and other Perth players alike, can bring the instrument to the counter at Unit 4/101 Winton Rd. The bench covers restrings, setups and intonation, while cracked tops, lifting bridges and twisted necks are quoted as repairs rather than setups. We have been servicing the Perth music community for 20 years, we are open 7 days, and we ship parts and strings Australia-wide for players who are further out. Instruments bought second-hand are welcome and often the ones that benefit most, and our guide to buying a second-hand guitar in WA covers what to check before a purchase.
Book Here: Joondalup Music Centre, Unit 4/101 Winton Rd, Joondalup, ph 08 9300 0033, open 7 days. Tuition enquiries go to the Joondalup School of Music on 08 9300 0965. Contact information and the full catalogue sit on our website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Booking Ahead And What To Bring
A phone call to the store on 08 9300 0033 on the day is the fastest way to find out what the bench looks like, particularly if the instrument is needed for a gig, an audition or an exam. Mention the deadline at the call, not at collection.
Bring the case or gig bag, any spare parts that came with the instrument, and a preferred string brand if there is one. If the instrument travels without protection, our comparison of a hard case against a gig bag is worth a read.
Other Instruments And Inexpensive Guitars
For instruments other than guitars, bring it in and ask. Our catalogue runs well past six-string acoustics and electrics, and takes in drums, amps, pedals, strings and accessories. Gauge is easier to settle at the counter than over the phone.
Inexpensive guitars are usually worth setting up, because an inexpensive instrument with high action is often just unadjusted rather than bad. The exception is a neck with a genuine twist or a structural fault, where the work can cost more than the instrument. We will say which one it is before any money is spent.