From unplayable to gig-ready in 3 days — a £65 Stratocaster rescue.
A much-loved Strat had been left in its case for a year. Collected in Hackney, set up on the bench, and returned playing better than new — at one fixed price, with every measurement logged.
2014 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Every Fretwork London job starts the same way: collected from the owner's door, assessed on the bench, and logged on a service ticket — so the work, the price and the turnaround are clear before a single tool comes out.
- MODEL
- Fender American Standard Stratocaster
- YEAR
- 2014
- SERVICE
- Full professional setup
- COLLECTED
- Hackney, E8
- PRICE
- £65 fixed
- TURNAROUND
- 3 days
What was wrong when it reached the bench.
The owner described it simply: 'It fights me.' On the bench, the cause was a stack of small problems compounding into a guitar that was no fun to play.
High action across the neck
Strings sat well above the frets, making barre chords and bends a fight — the owner had stopped reaching for this guitar entirely.
Fret buzz on the lower frets
Too little neck relief left the open and first-position notes buzzing against the frets, killing sustain and clarity.
Intonation drifting sharp up the neck
Chords rang in tune at the nut but went noticeably sharp past the 7th fret, so the guitar never sounded right recorded or in the mix.
Notchy, sticky nut slots
Tight, uneven nut slots were pinching the strings — tuning stability suffered and the guitar pinged out of tune after bends.
The work that brought it back to life.
A full professional setup — every adjustment measured, nothing guessed. The fixed £65 covers all of it, and anything beyond a setup is always quoted and approved first.
Truss rod set for optimal relief
Adjusted neck relief to a measured 0.25mm at the 8th fret — enough room to clear buzz without making the action feel stiff.
Action lowered at the bridge
Saddles set to a fast, even action measured at the 12th fret, balanced string-to-string so bends choke nowhere on the board.
Nut slots cut and polished
Each slot filed to the correct depth and width, then polished so strings return to pitch cleanly and tuning holds through heavy bending.
Intonation set string by string
Saddle positions dialled in with a strobe tuner so every string is true from the open note to the top of the neck.
Fresh strings, clean & condition
Premium string change included, fretboard cleaned and conditioned, frets polished and the whole guitar checked over before delivery.
The numbers, before and after.
Action measured at the 12th fret, relief at the 8th, intonation checked with a strobe tuner. Here is exactly how the guitar changed on the bench.
| Measurement | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Action — treble side (12th fret) | 2.6 mm | 1.6 mm |
| Action — bass side (12th fret) | 2.9 mm | 1.9 mm |
| Neck relief (8th fret) | 0.55 mm | 0.25 mm |
| Intonation drift (12th fret) | +9 cents | ±1 cent |
| Tuning stability after bends | Pings sharp | Returns true |
“I'd basically given up on this guitar. Otto collected it from my door, sent the specs back with it, and it plays better than the day I bought it. Fixed £65, no surprises, and I had it back inside three days.”
Ready when you are.
Give your guitar the professional care it deserves. Book a mobile setup and we'll take it from your door.
You can also sit down with Otto for a free consultation, by appointment, at Sixty Sixty Sounds on Denmark Street — London's iconic guitar row.
turnaround
- ✓Complete setup and adjustment
- ✓Premium string change
- ✓Pickup and delivery across London
- ✓3–4 day turnaround guarantee
- ✓Follow-up support included
Questions? Call 020 8040 1883