Let Us Set You Up!!!

Why a Professional Guitar Setup Matters

Hey everyone—Tom Pullen here from Mojo’s Music on Main Street in downtown Edwardsville.

After a couple of decades helping local players find their sound, I’ve seen this plenty of times: someone buys a beautiful new acoustic or electric guitar and assumes it should feel perfect right out of the box.

Sometimes it does. More often, though, the guitar makes playing harder than it needs to be.

If your fingers wear out too quickly, your chords go sharp when you press down, or notes buzz around the seventh fret, here’s the good news: it may not be your technique. It may simply be the setup.

Doing Business the Old-Fashioned Way

At Mojo’s Music, we’re not interested in making a quick sale and waving goodbye. Jamie and I want everyone who comes through the door to become a longtime customer. When you buy an instrument from us, we want it to feel comfortable, dependable, and truly yours.

A factory setup is basically a “one-size-fits-all” guess. But here in the real world? Wood moves. Weather changes with the Illinois seasons (and boy, do our humidity swings put guitars through the wringer!). Bridges shift, necks bow, and nuts wear down.

That’s where our tech, Jared, comes in. Jared trained in guitar setups and electronics at the Galloup School: International School of Lutherie, so he knows how all the pieces work together—not just how to make a quick adjustment. Whether he’s dialing in the action, sorting out an electronics issue, or making sure a guitar simply feels right in your hands, he brings careful, hands-on expertise to every instrument on his bench.

When a guitar gets a professional, hands-on setup, he’s looking at the whole picture:

• Relief and Action: Adjusting the truss rod and string height so you aren’t wrestling the fretboard just to play a clean F chord.
• Intonation: Making sure that when a note is in tune open, it’s still in tune up at the 12th fret. (Because life’s too short to sound slightly out of tune on every high solo).
• Nut and Saddle Optimization: Ensuring the strings sit right where they need to, eliminating buzz and keeping your tuning rock solid.

The Difference You Can Feel

As a bass player and a lifelong musician, I can tell you instantly when an instrument has been cared for. A well-set-up guitar doesn’t just play better—it inspires you to play more.

When your action is low and comfortable, and your intonation is dialed in, you stop fighting the instrument and start focusing entirely on the music. Beginners stick with it longer because their fingers don’t hurt as fast. Pros find new nuances in their phrasing.

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Let’s Get Your Mojo Working

If your trusty guitar has been sitting in the corner feeling a little stiff, or if you picked up an instrument online that feels more like a cheese grater than something you actually want to play, bring it on down to 144 N. Main St. Let’s talk about what you play, how you play it, and how we can get that gear feeling like home.

Stop by the shop, check out what’s new on the wall, and let’s get your setup sorted out.

— Tom