*How-To* for doing set-ups?

@ Phil -- visited the Utube link. Good stuff. The guy's use of adhesive-backed sandpaper saved me some $$$. (Another Utube demo recommended using a vise for working on the saddle. But I will feel more comfortable using the sandpaper idea.)

@ Choirguy -- I bought from those fellows once & did NOT like their set-up at all. When I told them that fact, rather than adjusting the set-up, they engaged me in tecno-babble in a very condescending manner. I liked the uke so I bought it anyway, & left. I had my tech do the set-up to my preferences. I think "face-to-face" set-ups should fit the user's preferences -- NOT the technician's. I'm no longer their customer.
 
@ Phil -- visited the Utube link. Good stuff. The guy's use of adhesive-backed sandpaper saved me some $$$. (Another Utube demo recommended using a vise for working on the saddle. But I will feel more comfortable using the sandpaper idea.)

@ Choirguy -- I bought from those fellows once & did NOT like their set-up at all. When I told them that fact, rather than adjusting the set-up, they engaged me in tecno-babble in a very condescending manner. I liked the uke so I bought it anyway, & left. I had my tech do the set-up to my preferences. I think "face-to-face" set-ups should fit the user's preferences -- NOT the technician's. I'm no longer their customer.

Sorry to break it to you...

but, um, maybe you don't know, but the VIDEO in the link from PHIL, is in fact the EPISODE of "The Ukulele Site" (HMS) podcast that Choirguy is referring to, so, even if you think you do not like these folks from your in-person interaction, you just admitted that the video you watched was useful...

... so maybe there some food for though there somewhere....:)
 
Sandpaper of different grits, 0000 steelwool, needle files, something VERY level for fret leveling and you're golden. It's a bit tricky the first time, but not impossible. A fret crowning file helps, but isnt essential, I managed to re-crown my first setup without one and it's great.
 
@ Booli -- AFAIK, there are actually 2 Oahu locales of HMS. One locale is the retail store on North Shore (Haleiwa). The other locale is in Wahaiwa, which does the mail order shipping, & set-ups. My experience is confined to the retail outlet -- I visited there often because my Acupuncturist was next door & I would visit HMS store when I was early for an appointment.

I've never saw the blonde guy before (from the video) but I did know that it was an HMS video.

@ Choirguy -- Good schtuff! 10Q
 
Sandpaper of different grits, 0000 steelwool, needle files, something VERY level for fret leveling and you're golden. It's a bit tricky the first time, but not impossible. A fret crowning file helps, but isnt essential, I managed to re-crown my first setup without one and it's great.

Thank you for your post - it kind of answers some thoughts I had as well. I am a music teacher and have 30 ukes and 30 guitars in my class, and with a limited budget, I really should be doing my own setup type work as needed.

I had a chance to meet with a local builder in my area and he kind of showed me the ropes, and I've already started building up a shopping list (Stewmac), but I'd love to save as much money as possible. I'm fine going with an official fret leveler, stewmac offers them in 3" and 6". The fret crowning file is pretty expensive though, I am assuming you re-crowned your first setup with just a standard mill file? I'm cautious about doing too much of my own work with fret leveling and crowning as I would hate to go too far, thus making the frets unusable.
 
Sandpaper of different grits, 0000 steelwool, needle files, something VERY level for fret leveling and you're golden.
120 grit sandpaper is good, yah?

Are needle files (a good set costs about $15) of sufficient quality to do the work of costly luthier-grade nut/saddle files ($60 & up)?

I do hope the needle files are *good enough* for use by a duffer (such as me) -- the good luthier tools are expensive, especially since I would use them only once or twice a year, at most.
 
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@ Booli -- AFAIK, there are actually 2 Oahu locales of HMS. One locale is the retail store on North Shore (Haleiwa). The other locale is in Wahaiwa, which does the mail order shipping, & set-ups. My experience is confined to the retail outlet -- I visited there often because my Acupuncturist was next door & I would visit HMS store when I was early for an appointment.

I've never saw the blonde guy before (from the video) but I did know that it was an HMS video.

@ Choirguy -- Good schtuff! 10Q



The Blonde guy is Joel. He is the set-up master . He took great care of my ukes. If yours is set up by Joel, there should be no issue at all.
I have bought uke from other shop, they took only a few minutes to do the set up while Joel spent almost half an hour on my Kanilea' . He is a very detail person.
I don't think you will ever see him at the retail store. He works at the other location doing set up.
 
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Thank you for your post - it kind of answers some thoughts I had as well. I am a music teacher and have 30 ukes and 30 guitars in my class, and with a limited budget, I really should be doing my own setup type work as needed.

I had a chance to meet with a local builder in my area and he kind of showed me the ropes, and I've already started building up a shopping list (Stewmac), but I'd love to save as much money as possible. I'm fine going with an official fret leveler, stewmac offers them in 3" and 6". The fret crowning file is pretty expensive though, I am assuming you re-crowned your first setup with just a standard mill file? I'm cautious about doing too much of my own work with fret leveling and crowning as I would hate to go too far, thus making the frets unusable.
I used a triangular needle file, but honestly, I bought a crowning file for my second setup. I got a nice one off ebay, not a Stewmac one, but it was still expensive...about 40$ iirc.
 
120 grit sandpaper is good, yah?

Are needle files (a good set costs about $15) of sufficient quality to do the work of costly luthier-grade files -- there's a decent somewhat-low-cost set at HERE.

I do hope the needle files are *good enough* for use by a duffer (such as me) -- the good luthier tools are expensive, especially since I would use them only once or twice a year, at most.
No, you need much finer quality grit than that. I used 400 to level I think, and then up to 1200 for polish. I just bought a cheap set of needle files, working great so far.
 
I used a triangular needle file, but honestly, I bought a crowning file for my second setup. I got a nice one off ebay, not a Stewmac one, but it was still expensive...about 40$ iirc.

I'm tempted just to go with a crowning file, as I don't trust my technique and hand with a triangular file not to muck it up. Thanks for taking the time!
 
The Blonde guy is Joel. He is the set-up master . He took great care of my ukes. If yours is set up by Joel, there should be no issue at all.
I have bought uke from other shop, they took only a few minutes to do the set up while Joel spent almost half an hour on my Kanilea' . He is a very detail person.
I don't think you will ever see him at the retail store. He works at the other location doing set up.

I tried to do work on my ukes but now I let Joel do the work for me...no one better on Oahu.....IMO
 
I'm tempted just to go with a crowning file, as I don't trust my technique and hand with a triangular file not to muck it up. Thanks for taking the time!

Have been using welding tip cleaners as round files for setup work for years. The tips only cost $5-10 per set and any decent hardware store has them. Got the hint on these from postings on the mandolin forums. The triangle files are fine where steel strings are used, but the much softer nylon strings can get pinched and cut (resulting in snaps) when forced by tuning tension into the triangular wedge formed with the triangle files. With rounded slots nylon strings glide more smoothly and pinching is avoided.

A good (and free) setup e-book is available from "Robster" at the mandolin forums. While mandolins are the main focus, the techniques are applicable to most stringed instruments, including ukuleles.

image6 (3).JPG
 
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Have been using welding tip cleaners as round files for setup work for years. The tips only cost $5-10 per set and any decent hardware store has them. Got the hint on these from postings on the mandolin forums. The triangle files are fine where steel strings are used, but the much softer nylon strings can get pinched and cut (resulting in snaps) when forced by tuning tension into the triangular wedge formed with the triangle files. With rounded slots nylon strings glide more smoothly and pinching is avoided.

A good (and free) setup e-book is available from "Robster" at the mandolin forums. While mandolins are the main focus, the techniques are applicable to most stringed instruments, including ukuleles.

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Thanks Steve - makes perfect sense how the triangular file will end up creating too sharp of a point for a nylon-based string. I've got a few beater instruments in my classroom so I'm hoping I'll get my technique down pretty decently. I also emailed robster and will take a look at his e-book.
 
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