Plek Pro: The Holy Grail of Guitar Setups from Sweetwater

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  • Опубліковано 1 лис 2024

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  • @sweetwater
    @sweetwater  2 місяці тому +6

    Which guitar would you get Plek’d? Let us know in the comments, and follow the link to learn more about Sweetwater’s Guitar Workshop and Plek Pro service! 👉 www.sweetwater.com/shop/guitars/plek/

    • @fadingdestination
      @fadingdestination 2 місяці тому +2

      My first gen, southpaw Cobain Jag I have switched to right-hand. 😆
      That thing has fought me for a decade!

    • @Endureth
      @Endureth 2 місяці тому +1

      I had a bass plek'd and some electronics installed by Sweetwater and it came back unplek'd and the electronics in-operable because instead of the Sweetwater tech telling me the installed part was incompatible, they just ruined the bass and installed it anyway. I'm not recommending people avoid Sweetwater, but make sure they're clear on what you want them to do and ask, "will this work on my instrument" because they won't volunteer that information.

    • @onevoiceinc
      @onevoiceinc 2 місяці тому

      I hope your Plek guys are able to see this... the Plek process is INCREDIBLE! Never knew all this info, but my Musicman Sabre plays better than any guitar I've ever owned (after the Plek, I'll add). After that, I bought a 5 string bass and had it done again. Same magic action and playability. I bought my brother a Taylor Acoustic afterward, and the Plek was a must have. Sure enough it plays as good as most electrics, but it plays so perfectly. The Plek process is basically turning an amazing guitar into the PERFECT guitar. I've since changed strings once on my Sabre (and I was scared I'd undo that magic, hahaha), but nah. The same glorious action. I did buy a second Sabre (in Honeyburst this time), and I'll say, the Ernie Ball family does incredibly great setups at the factory... but it still doesn't feel as wonderful and magical as my Plek'd Sabre (in Cobraburst) that I bought from Sweetwater. If anyone is ever on the fence about spending that little extra money, DO IT!! It's a complete game changer. Only problem with mine is that I can't stop playing it. That's a win, right?

    • @bennyblanco1280
      @bennyblanco1280 2 місяці тому +1

      How long did the plek process take here?

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому +2

      @@bennyblanco1280 Total process time is about 3 hours... .5 hours prep time, 1 hour machine time, .5 hours polish time, 1 hour setup time.

  • @DDPAV
    @DDPAV 2 місяці тому +21

    I got a free plek setup with a budget guitar I bought a while ago(epiphone firebird). I've been playing for over 40 years and absolutely the best setup guitar I've ever played. Whoever did the setup did a fantastic job.

  • @HarryBall-fw7pv
    @HarryBall-fw7pv 2 місяці тому +7

    Thanks Sweetwater! Just today got in my Ibanez RG550 in today. Been trying to get one all year. Packaging was excellent. And the set up was spot on. Pulled it out and very little tuning, and zero adjustments needed.

  • @jerrymcdaniel4539
    @jerrymcdaniel4539 2 місяці тому +6

    I bought my Strat from Sweetwater a couple of years ago and had them update my tuners and pleck it for me. It plays great.

  • @RomeoG39
    @RomeoG39 2 місяці тому +9

    I just got my first Plek'ed guitar a few weeks ago, from Sweetwater. It's a Richie Kotzen signature Tele. Anyway, I love it! I recommend it.

  • @MakeSomething
    @MakeSomething 2 місяці тому +1

    Just had a new Fender bass Plek'd by Sweetwater and liked it so much that next month I'm taking in a 60's Supro.

  • @Cody121404
    @Cody121404 29 днів тому

    Got the full set up on my white Epi Les Paul Custom in 2020 and it was the best setup I've ever had.

  • @mattteovids
    @mattteovids 2 місяці тому +1

    Thanks for helping my get my 4th gen scarlett focusrite. Conor helped out and another guy I forget his name but thanks a ton for the support the past few days. Very appreciated. - Matt

  • @dougp7545
    @dougp7545 2 місяці тому +6

    Sweetwater and plek ROCKS!!!!!!!

  • @childofzoso2790
    @childofzoso2790 2 місяці тому +11

    Years ago I bought a SG and turned out the neck was warped, uneven sharp frets and the action so high I did not even play it. Could not stand the guitar to be honest. I took it to local shop had it Plek'd and worked on plus had some new seymour duncan pickups and its my go to now. The next SG I bought was from Sweetwater, had them Plek it, tune it down with the strings of my choice plus put some black winter seymour duncan pickups in it. I bought a case and they shipped the guitar in it. The guitar plays like a dream, the Sweetwater reps are amazing to work with!

  • @cwness4587
    @cwness4587 2 місяці тому +1

    Every guitar I have bought from Sweetwater I have their Plek setup done to them. I have had zero complaints. In fact my sales reps have a standing order to Plek all guitars I buy from them. CW

  • @jamesmaxwell5415
    @jamesmaxwell5415 2 місяці тому +7

    I just had Sweetwater Plek my 2001 Hamer Artist. It has never played, and sounded so good! Totally worth the price

  • @pdbordelon
    @pdbordelon 2 місяці тому +3

    Fascinating! I get the Sweetwater/Plex set up for all my guitars - well worth the additional cost in my opinion!

    • @Jeff-fx5vu
      @Jeff-fx5vu 2 місяці тому +2

      @@pdbordelon midrange and above Martin guitars come plekd at the factory

  • @DigitalViperGaming
    @DigitalViperGaming 2 місяці тому +14

    My biggest worry would be that I'd spend the money on the PLEK, but after shipping and change of temperatures, it would undo some of the PLEK's benefits.

  • @bptracer
    @bptracer 2 місяці тому +2

    Great idea to put button rash on the guitar before it goes out the door, dude.

  • @billallengo
    @billallengo Місяць тому +1

    I LOVE SWEETWATER…

  • @rickeguitar9086
    @rickeguitar9086 2 місяці тому

    Great concept in practicing due diligence at the retail point of location. The challenge is, and this is to your point, wood shifts where metal does not. The perfectly set up and pleked guitar gets sent to the customer who lives in Florida, New York, Canada, Hawaii, or anyplace in between where the conditions are radically different from the original location in Indiana. What type of support can you offer to customers who opt for this feature to ensure the customer receives what the original intent was when leaving Indiana?

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому

      The success of the plek is based on the neck relief it was plek’d at. Should you need to adjust neck relief back to what it was plek’d at, our support team is happy to assist. Thank you for the message!

  • @davidmcaninch4714
    @davidmcaninch4714 2 місяці тому +7

    I’m a drummer!!! Why am I watching this????

    • @tubbers20
      @tubbers20 2 місяці тому +2

      They can plek sticks too.

    • @davidmcaninch4714
      @davidmcaninch4714 2 місяці тому

      @@tubbers20 lol. Seriously? How does that work?

    • @tubbers20
      @tubbers20 2 місяці тому

      @@davidmcaninch4714 😄

  • @RalphMercuroMusic
    @RalphMercuroMusic 2 місяці тому +1

    If I bought a higher end guitar from Sweetwater and it needed fretwork that would prove they're not doing the inspection they advertise. I'd also send the guitar back for warranty repair or replacement.
    I'm not anti Plek. I've had several guitars re-fretted and plek'd but never a brand new guitar...

  • @jwcaldw
    @jwcaldw 2 місяці тому

    Maybe I missed it, but how do you deal with a low fret since you can’t add material?

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому +3

      With a customer owned instrument, we would reach out and recommend a partial refret on the low frets. However, on a brand-new guitar that we have, if we find a fret that is too low to plek, we send that one back to the vendor as defective and have the customer select a new serial number from inventory that we have. Thanks for the interest!

    • @jwcaldw
      @jwcaldw 2 місяці тому

      @@sweetwater great info. Thanks!

  • @dananthony6258
    @dananthony6258 2 місяці тому +3

    What does it cost on average ?

    • @GerryBlue
      @GerryBlue 2 місяці тому +3

      A good $250-$300

    • @Jeff-fx5vu
      @Jeff-fx5vu 2 місяці тому +6

      $300 base price from Sweetwater

  • @MrJingles021
    @MrJingles021 2 місяці тому

    I just ordered from Sweetwater for the first time!....but then my address wasn't correct on the invoice or the order confirmation...but its correct on the website in my account details.

  • @paulptboa1
    @paulptboa1 2 місяці тому

    Is it possible to walk my guitar in and have it plek’d via an appointment? It’s gibson Les Paul 59 conversion from a 55.

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому +1

      Currently a customer can drop off their guitar locally to have it plek’d. To set an appointment, please reach out to guitar support. Thanks!

  • @rmzzz76
    @rmzzz76 2 місяці тому +1

    A friend of mine ordered a Gibson Hummingbird and paid for a PLEK from Sweetwater. I was surprised no one there informed him Gibson factory PLEKs all their acoustics. Was this a outlier case of lost communication or do you normally advise customers when a service you offer is done at the factory for a specific make and model?

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому

      Guitar manufacturers that plek their guitars when building instruments are using it as an automated tool to level frets at the manufacturing and production stage. These are plek’d under a template, whereas when your instrument is plek’d at Sweetwater we are setting the program and plek’ing it based on your individual setup specs, opposed to factory specs.

    • @rmzzz76
      @rmzzz76 2 місяці тому +1

      ​@@sweetwater First of all, I love you guys and will continue to shop with you because you're the best at what you do. But on this point, I don't agree.
      The PLEK process removes quite a bit of fret material and I see tagging this on as a add-on service redundant and adding wear to the frets unnecessary for most customers... Actually the company that builds the PLEK machines more or less told me the same thing... For those outlier cases where the customer insist on something outside factory spec, I was told there's still going to be quite a range where the factory PLEK is adequate.... It the very least, it would be ethical to explain to the customer asking for the service that a factory PLEK was done and explain the additional wear on frets of another round of PLEK. If that isn't the Sweetwater practice today, it should be.

  • @hiramsoberanes9688
    @hiramsoberanes9688 2 місяці тому

    What Ibanez model is this ?

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому

      Thanks for the interest! That's an Ibanez Prestige in pastel pink, a Sweetwater exclusive.

  • @stephbarbershop2518
    @stephbarbershop2518 2 місяці тому

    Does a guitar that is plek'd at the factory like a Gibson need something like this?

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому +2

      Guitar manufacturers that plek their guitars when building instruments are using it as an automated tool to level frets at the manufacturing and production stage. These are plek’d under a template, whereas when your instrument is plek’d at Sweetwater we are setting the program and plek’ing it based on your individual setup specs, as opposed to factory specs.

  • @revtimewest
    @revtimewest 2 місяці тому +4

    Was that an Ibanez prestige? Why does it need a plek? I can see inexpensive guitars benefitting from a plek job. They just cant spend a whole lot of time on the frets and setup.
    A guitar over 2k or even 1500 should never need a plek job.
    Just my opinion.

    • @modelcitizen1977
      @modelcitizen1977 2 місяці тому +1

      If the Ibanez factory is doing it by hand it's never going to be absolutely perfect. This process takes it on the last leg of the journey to get it perfect.

  • @brentsmith2865
    @brentsmith2865 17 днів тому

    How about basses?

    • @PaulPaid
      @PaulPaid 17 днів тому

      Yes, they do basses too.

  • @kennethdarlington
    @kennethdarlington 2 місяці тому +3

    What the heck is a sales ENGINEER?!

    • @modelcitizen1977
      @modelcitizen1977 2 місяці тому

      They "make" sales.

    • @Jeff-fx5vu
      @Jeff-fx5vu 2 місяці тому

      Someone that is engineered to sell you gear

    • @zesta77
      @zesta77 2 місяці тому

      It is someone who is technically trained and able to properly sell you what you need, rather than a generic sales droid. Sweetwater is amazing in this regard.

  • @sPazzYx1
    @sPazzYx1 2 місяці тому

    maybe I'm misunderstanding -- but you plek the guitar and then sand it...? isn't that just damaging the plek job?

    • @MaynMain
      @MaynMain Місяць тому +2

      The PLEK uses cutters to cut the frets to height, but does not polish. The sandpaper the polisher uses isn't enough to change what the PLEK did. Just enough to remove machine marks!

  • @dwaynecarroll6098
    @dwaynecarroll6098 2 місяці тому

    Can you Plek a bass guitar?

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому

      Yes, both acoustic and electric non-multiscale. Thanks for the interest!

  • @lyricbread
    @lyricbread 2 місяці тому +2

    I had no idea DØVYDÅS worked at Sweetwater.

  • @hidesertmusic
    @hidesertmusic 2 місяці тому +7

    Doesn’t look like $299 worth of improvement to me. The machine is cool and probably expensive but if I buy a $5000 guitar it should already be set up perfectly, which isn’t always the case.I currently have a Taylor K14CE Builders Edition (was $4999 now $6299) that has high action on the upper frets that can’t be fixed by adjusting the truss rod. I was told that the neck hat “settled”. Now I have to pay shipping to and from a certified Taylor technician. Things have changed since I bought the guitar so now I can’t afford the shipping. I’m stuck with a $4999 piece of beautiful wood.

    • @pdbordelon
      @pdbordelon 2 місяці тому +1

      Agreed but keep in mind on a $5k guitar Sweetwater will likely give you some sort of discount and that discount can cover the cost of a nice Plex setup. :)

  • @cuda426hemi
    @cuda426hemi 2 місяці тому +1

    If you buy a Gibson (I got the Iommi Monkey) heck a $1600 P90 loaded SG Special w/HSC comes plek'd from factory! Save $300 there ! At least in my Monkey's case it plays like an opulent dream. If Sweetwater brought back the 600 page catalogs and candy I'd consider switching back from AMS and MF but how do you refuse 20% off coupons and 0% financing? SW never discounts anything so they've been off the vendor list now for a couple years now that a PEI took them over🎸

    • @MashaT22
      @MashaT22 2 місяці тому +1

      That’s a misnomer. Not all Pleks are created equal. Gibson does plek its guitars in their factory, but their machines are not the same kind of Plek used by SW and other shops. The Gibson machines don’t have nearly the same capabilities- it can diagnose major issues, but Gibson is not using their Pleks to conduct the same level of setup as SW. There’s no way Gibson or any other factory claiming to plek their guitars could do that because it would take far too long per guitar and would bottleneck production. Every guitar at SW takes around an hour in the machine, give or take. Do the math on how many guitars Gibson produces daily - even if you want to say they have 200 machines (not sure of the exact number, but I’m sure it’s way less than my estimate), there wouldn’t be enough hours in the day to Plek each guitar- and that’s not even counting the man hours it would take before/after like SW showed.
      That being said, Gibson is using their more basic Plek machines as more of a QC tool than a setup method. They are having their machines scan for major issues with frets and necks, but that’s where it ends. If they find a major fault that isn’t within their tolerances, it goes back to the production line to get addressed. If the guitar passes, it moves on to the final stages of getting final inspection before getting boxed up. Using their plek machine makes it becomes less likely that you will get a guitar with a major issue, but the Plek isn’t actually making any adjustments/repairs like at SW - nor is anyone really setting foot up the guitar to your specifications. And generally speaking, a Gibson guitar will still need a setup like any other guitar since most manufacturers always leave the action in the mid range - so if you’re okay with that, you might be happy. Most people will still need to setup the guitar to their liking still.
      I learned a lot about the evolution of Plek machines and the different types being used today from the man who invented them. There are a lot of videos where he talks about their designs and use today. He spoke about just what I said, so it came from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Can’t refute the man who invented several iterations and makes them for factories and shops.
      Glad you’re happy with the guitar, but it’s important to understand that had nothing to do with the “plek” Gibson does. It was purely coincidental. Their marketing department wants you to think that they’re doing the same level of setup and adjustments as Sweetwater and other shops’ plek services, but it’s far from the truth.

    • @MashaT22
      @MashaT22 2 місяці тому +1

      Also, that’s not true about SW not discounting anything. If you call and speak to a rep, you always get a discount if you ask. They are not allowed to do discounts online and by email because of agreements with most manufacturers. . . but they’ll do it over the phone every time. They’ll often even beat (or at least meet) another competitor’s price if you can show them a written quote.
      I’ve never heard anyone ever say that SW doesn’t do discounts. You’re literally the first.

    • @cuda426hemi
      @cuda426hemi 2 місяці тому

      @@MashaT22 You can talk to ANY rep ANYWHERE to get discounts but that isn't what we are talking about is it??? I'm talking about corporate 20% off without talking to anybody - they NEVER do that. I'm talking $20 off coupons - they NEVER do that. Further, and the reason they are failing they won't provide credit! Game OVER !!! Quite simply AMS provides credit AND they get stuff you can't get at SW from Gibson, Fender and the rest. SW NEVER had a Epi '58 Korina/ Gold Explorer for $650 and that's just one of many I could name. Just stop, you are so wrong about Plek, about SW unbelievable. 🎬

    • @cuda426hemi
      @cuda426hemi 2 місяці тому +3

      @@MashaT22
      YOU do the math. Who ships probably over 1000 guitars every day from all brands, and who (Gibson) ships maybe 50-100? And they are hand made, glued necks ALL of 'em each one taking more than a week to make so you really are lost, aren't you??

  • @richardvasquez8911
    @richardvasquez8911 2 місяці тому +5

    I don't see it

  • @jerryabrowne
    @jerryabrowne 2 місяці тому +1

    When I saw the word plek the first I thought was plecrum or guitar pick. Confusing name.

  • @andrewbevan4662
    @andrewbevan4662 2 місяці тому

    Set up zealots always say to work on the guitar in the playing position ,so why isn't the plek machine set up that way?

    • @sweetwater
      @sweetwater  2 місяці тому +3

      Hey, Andrew! The reason we accept this orientation as accurate is because our goal when measuring in playing position is not having gravity apply force to the neck when laid on a neck rest, therefore giving us exaggerated neck relief measurements. With it standing straight up the way it is in the machine, the gravity force is being applied to the bottom of the body, therefore not manipulating the neck while loaded into the machine. With this we can get playing position specifications while also being in an optimal orientation for cutting. We do set neck relief in the plek preparation stage as well, which is measured in playing position.

  • @GerryBlue
    @GerryBlue 2 місяці тому +27

    Electric guitars worked very well for 70 years, produced the best popular music ever, suddenly we need pleking, sorry, I just don't see it

    • @charlesharper7292
      @charlesharper7292 2 місяці тому +15

      I do this work myself by hand with pretty good results. I can't match the precision of this machine. I don't know how much they charge for this. It does make a difference between a good playing guitar and one you will reach for every time.

    • @capturelightmedia
      @capturelightmedia 2 місяці тому +34

      Cars worked great for decades without air conditioning. A car can drive perfectly well without it. Suddenly we need air conditioning?

    • @johnkowall7558
      @johnkowall7558 2 місяці тому

      @@charlesharper7292it’s about $200

    • @GerryBlue
      @GerryBlue 2 місяці тому +1

      @@capturelightmedia So we are agreeing that it's a cherry on top that most likely won't have any influence on the overall performance of a certain product?

    • @GerryBlue
      @GerryBlue 2 місяці тому +1

      @@charlesharper7292 Or it may be a personal perception thing, like thousands of other things that have been invented in recent years, is there an OBJECTIVE way to measure improvement or is it just people saying it feels better?

  • @MrMishagui
    @MrMishagui 2 місяці тому +3

    Totally cork sniffing process

  • @Bibblebabbler
    @Bibblebabbler 2 місяці тому +6

    Waste of money, just like there 55 point inspection 😂
    Had three instruments show up unplayable 😂

    • @Endureth
      @Endureth 2 місяці тому +2

      I've had two show up unplayable.

    • @GearLover
      @GearLover 2 місяці тому

      I thought the 55 point inspection was free?

    • @Bibblebabbler
      @Bibblebabbler 2 місяці тому

      @@GearLover it is and they don’t do it well.
      All I’m saying is I wouldn’t trust them with doing it right is all .
      Company has gone to 💩 after chuck sold it.

  • @DD-lc9jv
    @DD-lc9jv 2 місяці тому +1

    Seems like some good old snake oil salesmanship going on here because fact is if you spent the money to buy a decent guitar than the frets had better of been done at the factory so any adjustments that fancy pants machine is going to make to a brand-new guitar is not going to be noticeable.

    • @PaulPaid
      @PaulPaid 17 днів тому +1

      You sound ridiculous. 90 percent of the guitars you buy anywhere will have issues like intonation, neck warping, fret buzzing , high action etc.