Words by Alana Mitchelson

Preston-based guitar technician Cameron Brew confirms that without regular grease and oil changes, guitars will inevitably deteriorate.

Cameron Brew was always one of those people who loved pulling things apart to see how they worked. He has more than 12 years of experience in varying facets of the music industry; having played in bands, worked in music retail and taken on studio and repair work.

During this time, Brew had the privilege of working on Eugene Bridges’ guitar which originally belonged to one of his greatest heroes, Freddie King.

Guitar setups are the bread and butter of his business which, put simply, are the grease and oil changes of guitars. If they are not set up, they will deteriorate over time.

“It’s a shame there are a lot of guitarists who are disillusioned by techs because they’ve had a poor experience. I’ve heard stories where people have been charged more than double the initial quote or even had their guitar damaged in a technician’s care,” Brew says.

“I’ve come across some musicians who would actually rather play a poorly set up guitar and willingly write-off that entire part of the industry.”

Brew is also concerned that there is a mistaken belief among many musicians to wait for a part to break before taking their guitar in for a repair job.

“A lot of people have the attitude that if they pay $6,000 for a guitar then it’s always going to play well. But regular maintenance is massively important. Just as one takes their car in for a routine service, guitar repair work is not so much about fixing a problem as it is avoiding issues from arising altogether.

“A setup can make a huge difference to the sound and longevity of the instrument.”

As when buying a new guitar to mirror the musician’s genre and style, guitar setups need to be tailored to fit the musician’s specific needs. There is no ‘ideal’ vanilla setup as such. This has Brew questioning the popular drop-off and pick-up method of service, which favours convenience over personalised service.

Ideally, guitars should be set up at least twice a year: in summer and winter. They are an organic material and the timber constantly fluctuates according to the temperature and humidity. This is especially relevant just before embarking on tour or travelling to a different climate with your instrument. The timber will change shape and it’s a matter of setting up the guitar accordingly to prevent damage.

When not being played, Brew recommends that guitars be stored in a hard case protected from dust, as dust will dull and corrode the instrument over time. The strings should be loosened if the guitar is not going to be played for a month or two.

Brew has noticed a new trend where musicians buy parts and even whole instruments online. It worries him that some people may have never walked into their local music store.

While online buying may be financially appealing, Brew all too often sees guitars with warped necks from customers who have bought them overseas, most often in China. Some problems can be fixed but others are virtually irreparable.

“The thing I like about buying things from a shop is that you can play the instrument and see what it’s like. You also build relationships with the people in the shop which means you may not get a discount the first time, but they are going to respect loyal customers and treat you well if you keep going back.

“It’s a very small industry in Australia which is why I think that if we don’t support music stores locally, we simply won’t have them. Every shop I’ve seen over the years is getting smaller and smaller, or shutting down and it’s because people want a quick fix.”

Cameron Brew charges about $80 for a general service which includes polishing the frets, cleaning electronics, adjusting the neck, adjusting the pickup heights, action and intonation adjustment, setting the string height and the bridge, basic part replacements and a general clean. Depending on the amount of ware, fret dressing ranges between $150 and $250. Setups take about 48 hours.

For more information, visit www.cameronbrewguitars.com