How to Tell If Your Guitar Needs a Setup

Signs Your Guitar Needs Attention – and Why It Matters

If your guitar doesn’t feel quite right lately—maybe the strings are buzzing, the action feels off, or it just won’t stay in tune—you might be overdue for a professional setup. A proper setup can dramatically improve playability, tone, and tuning stability. Radnor Guitars in Nashville specializes in making guitars play their absolute best.

Top Signs Your Guitar Needs a Setup

High or Uneven String Action

If the strings feel unusually high off the fretboard or some strings are harder to press than others, your guitar may need adjustments to the truss rod, saddle, or nut. Proper action makes your guitar easier and more enjoyable to play.

Buzzing Frets or Dead Notes

Buzzing, especially on open strings or specific frets, usually points to uneven frets, incorrect neck relief, or low action. A fret level or neck adjustment during a setup can eliminate this issue.

Tuning Instability

If your guitar won’t stay in tune—even after string changes—it could be due to issues with the nut, tuners, or intonation. A setup helps stabilize tuning by correcting string tension and making sure everything is properly lubricated and aligned.

Poor Intonation

When chords sound out of tune up the neck despite your open strings being tuned correctly, your intonation is off. This can be fixed with saddle adjustments and other precision tweaks during a setup.

Stiff or Squeaky Playability

If your guitar just feels off—too stiff, too loose, or inconsistent across frets—it could be due to seasonal changes, fret wear, or neck movement. A setup restores consistent feel and responsiveness.

What’s Included in a Professional Guitar Setup?

At Radnor Guitars, a full setup includes:

• Truss rod adjustment

• Action and string height adjustments

• Nut and saddle evaluation

• Intonation correction

• Fretboard cleaning and conditioning

• Lubrication of contact points

• Restringing and tuning

We tailor every setup to your playing style, string gauge, and preferences.

Local to Nashville? Let’s Dial in Your Guitar.

Based in Nashville, TN, Radnor Guitars offers personalized setups for electric, acoustic, and bass guitars. Whether you're a gigging player or a weekend strummer, your guitar deserves to play like a dream.

👉 Contact us today to schedule a setup or drop by the shop.

How to Spot Fret Wear – and When to Get a Fret Job

How to Spot Fret Wear – and When to Get a Fret Job

Understanding the Signs Before Your Tone and Playability Suffer

Frets are one of the most used—and most worn—parts of any guitar. Whether you’re a regular gigging musician or a weekend bedroom player, your frets take a beating over time. Worn frets can lead to tuning issues, buzzing, and a frustratingly inconsistent feel across the neck.

At Radnor Guitars in Nashville, fretwork is one of the most common repairs we do—and one of the most impactful. In this post, we’ll break down what fret wear looks like, when it becomes a problem, and what your options are when it's time for a fret job.

What Does Fret Wear Look Like?

The most common signs of fret wear include:

• Flat spots or divots where your strings make contact

• Visible grooves under the strings, especially around the cowboy chord area (frets 1–5)

• Shiny or uneven wear patterns

• Buzzing or dead notes, even after adjusting action or neck relief

• Difficulty staying in tune, especially when fretting chords

Look closely under good light—or run your finger along the frets—you may feel flat spots or dents that weren’t there when the guitar was new.

What Is a Fret Job?

A “fret job” refers to any repair involving fret surfaces. This can include:

• Fret dressing (level, crown, polish) – smoothing and reshaping worn frets

• Partial refret – replacing the most worn frets

• Full refret – removing and replacing all frets, often needed on vintage or heavily played guitars

Each approach depends on how deep the wear is and how much fret material is left.

When Is It Time for a Fret Job?

You likely need fret work if:

• You’ve already had the guitar set up and it still buzzes

• You feel the strings sinking into grooves when you bend or press

• Notes choke out when bending, especially on higher frets

• You’re getting uneven intonation even with proper tuning

Don't ignore these signs—continued playing on worn frets can make the damage worse and costlier to fix.

How We Handle Fretwork at Radnor Guitars

At Radnor Guitars, we use precision tools and decades of experience to evaluate and service your frets properly. Every fret job includes:

• A detailed neck inspection

• Accurate fret leveling using radius-matched beams

• Crowning and polishing for smooth playability

• Optional partial or full refrets with premium fret wire

• Setup adjustments after the work for maximum playability

You’ll be amazed how much better your guitar can feel and sound after quality fretwork.

Located in Nashville? Stop by for a Fret Check.

Whether you’re playing honky-tonks on Broadway or recording in East Nashville, your guitar needs frets it can rely on. If you’re unsure whether you need a fret job, Radnor Guitars is here for you.

👉 Contact us today to schedule a checkup or bring your guitar by the shop.