New guitar setup

Hi. I'm just embarking on the Guitar Fundamentals Lwevel 1 course. I have a new Squier Bullet Mustang and an electronic tuner. Is it worth my while asking the local guitar shop to set the guitar up for me or should it be good to go as it is? Are the stock strings that come with it ok for now or would it be best for me to upgrade those right at the start and if so what grade strings would really suit. Cheers for any advice 😎

Hi and welcome. 

I've had a few squiers myself and there usually pretty good off the shelf as is. At this stage of your learning it's probably fine,  but as you get closer to the end of GF 1 and onto GF 2 then you might want to bring it in and have a setup done. This would probably involve a string change so you can even wait on that until then unless current strings are really discolored and rough to the fingertips. If not play on and when you bring it in for the setup tell them to put light gauge strings and lower the action. The action is the distance between the frets and the strings. The lower the better cause you wont have to press down on strings so hard and it will be easier to play. They should also clean the frets, adjust the truss rod if necessary and check intonation. At that point your guitar will serve you well for a long while.  Well at least unti you get your first attack of GAS, but that's another topic all together. 😎

Enjoy the lessons,

Moe

Hi Moe and thanks for the input - it all sounds like good advice to me 👍

I take it GAS stands for Guitar Acquisition Syndrome? If so I have the turntable equivalent and yes I'm already eyeing up other guitars 😄

I always think gettting a set-up done on a newly-purchased guitar is a good  idea. Then you know it is playing at its best, and that makes it all the better for you to learn on. 

Just my 2 cents - Lisa

Thanks Lisa and thanks for your tutorials really helpful 😎

Just echoing Lisa but yes, get a set up. Some people will start on a guitar that is not properly set up and get frustrated because it seems like playing is harder than it should be. Guitar learniing already has its own challenges, no reason to make it even harder.

Echoing have it set up for the reason JeffS65 and others have suggested. 

A Squier Bullet anything is going to have a rudimentiary factory setup to spec OOTB unless the shop you bought from does one. Most don't unless you're walking in for a $4 - 15k guitar personal pickup IME. e.g. I recently enjoyed another bought online and shipped to me NGD of a cheapie but a goodie SSS Strat equivalent of a Squier Classic Vibe. It was reasonably set up and almost playable out of the box except for the intonation on the G string being out rendering fretted notes flat and open chords where the G string was fretted (B7) sounding off. A setup addresses issues like that.

Bullets come prefitted with Fender .009-.042 strings OOTB. They're fine.

Do yourself a huge favour and buy yourself a can of Tone Finger-ease straight away. Your fingertips will thank me in a week.