Why Is It So Hard to Find a Good Guitar Setup in Utah?

If you're here, good chances are you've taken your guitar to a big-box music store or a random shop in Salt Lake City for a "setup." You pay $100+, wait two weeks, and when you finally get it back...

It feels exactly the same. Or worse, it buzzes in places it didn't before.

You aren't crazy. Finding a good, affordable guitar setup in Utah is surprisingly difficult. The reason isn't that there are no good techs in Utah; the reason is that most shops are setting up your guitar for a manual, not for you.

The "Factory Spec" Trap

Most repair benches operate on a "churn and burn" model. They look up the factory specifications for a Fender Stratocaster, measure your string height with a ruler, turn the truss rod until it hits the number, and hand it back.

But you aren't a number.

• Do you play with a heavy pick or your fingers?

• Do you stick to open chords or shred past the 12th fret?

• Do you play in Drop C or Standard tuning?

If your tech didn't ask you these questions, they didn't give you a setup. They just gave you a standard adjustment.

Why "Better Than New" is Real

A common myth is that buying a brand-new guitar means it plays perfectly.

The Truth: New guitars are almost never set up well.

Factories ship guitars with intentionally high action (string height) and stiff relief. Why? Because they know the guitar has to survive shipping from a humid factory in Asia or Mexico to the dry high desert of Utah without buzzing. They play it safe.

When you bring a "New" or new-to-you guitar to B. Viggy Guitars, I don't just check the specs. I unlock the playability that the factory or the last owner hid.

The B. Viggy Difference: I Listen

I specialize in personalized guitar setups. I want to know how you play so I can set the resistance and action to match your hands perfectly.

But don't take my word for it. Here is what local Utah players are saying about the difference:

• "I’ve known Bryan for a number of years now and have had business dealings with him ranging from setups, electronics work, and guitar deals. His setups are especially spectacular and always on point, even with particularly stubborn guitars. His prices on services and gear have always been very fair. He’s a pleasure to deal with, is very communicative, and it’s always great to discuss gear with him. Above all, Bryan is an honest dude with rock-solid integrity and I think that’s the most important thing when trusting someone to work on your beloved guitar(s)." - Andrew Wood (link to Google Review)

• "So glad to have found Bryan at B. Viggy. Over this past year I've taken quite a number of guitars to him to have various things done. Setups have all been done really well; I'm VERY pleased with the latest hollow body Casino he performed a setup on; this guitar sounds and plays extremely well after he worked on it. He's done a fix on a Les Paul that had a mis-wired potentiometer straight from the factory.I've also purchased from him and just like the repairs he's done, the purchases have been 5 stars as well. I highly recommend this business. Fast response, timely work and reasonable pricing." - Rory Spencer (link to Google Review)

• "I’ve taken ALL of my guitars to B.Viggy, there’s no one I trust more for setup and repair. I’ve constantly been recommending his work since I’ve known of him. From squire Strat to your nicest custom shop guitar; you’ll be amazed at the instrument that will get handed back you. I’d give 6 stars if I could." - Nate Ellis (link to Google Review)

• "I've been working with B Viggy for about 5 years and he's done work on many of my guitars and his work is top notch! From setups, to fret work, to swapping out pickups and other fixes I've never had a poor experience working with him. I've recommended him to multiple guitar buddies of mine and they have also been satisfied with the work he's done. Highly recommend!" - David Rogers (link to Google Review)

• "Bryan at B. Viggy is the best. I randomly found him on Facebook when I purchased a guitar from him (which I still have and is amazing), and have since had him do several setups and a pickup swap for me. Best guitar guy in the state, hands down." - Dallin Hatch (link to Google Review)