Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 5 June 2026

These terms explain the basis on which Stu’s Guitar Setups accepts and carries out guitar and bass setup, repair and modification work.

Please read them before confirming a booking or leaving an instrument with me.

1. About Stu’s Guitar Setups

Stu’s Guitar Setups is operated by Stuart Elliot, a sole trader based in Haywards Heath, West Sussex.

Trading name: Stu’s Guitar Setups
Proprietor: Stuart Elliot
Email: [email protected]
Telephone, text and WhatsApp: 07396 962436
Website: guitarsetups.co.uk

In these terms, “I”, “me” and “my” mean Stuart Elliot trading as Stu’s Guitar Setups. “You” and “your” mean the customer.

2. When these terms apply

These terms apply when you ask me to inspect, set up, repair or modify an instrument and I agree to accept the work.

A general enquiry or provisional appointment does not necessarily create a contract.

A contract will normally begin when:

I confirm that I have accepted the work and you approve the proposed service and price;
you leave the instrument with me and ask me to proceed with an agreed service; or
we otherwise clearly agree the work, price or pricing basis.

The agreed work may be recorded through email, text message, WhatsApp, an estimate, an invoice, photographs or other written correspondence.

If anything agreed specifically between us conflicts with these standard terms, the specifically agreed wording will take priority.

3. Your authority to approve the work

By leaving an instrument with me, you confirm that:

you own the instrument or have the owner’s authority to arrange the work;
you are authorised to approve expenditure relating to the instrument;
the information you have given me is accurate to the best of your knowledge; and
you have told me about any relevant previous damage, repairs, modifications or known faults.

You must tell me if the instrument is subject to finance, belongs to another person or has been entrusted to you by somebody else.

I may refuse or stop work if I reasonably believe that you do not have authority to instruct me.

4. Describing the work

I will use the information you provide, my inspection of the instrument and any discussions about your preferences to determine the proposed work.

Please tell me about relevant requirements before work begins, including:

your normal tuning;
preferred string make and gauge;
preferred action;
playing style;
tremolo setup;
pickup preferences;
known faults;
upcoming performances or deadlines; and
any features or original parts that must be preserved.

Guitar setup preferences are subjective. Action, fret noise, tuning stability and playability can be affected by playing technique, string gauge, tuning, instrument construction and the condition of the frets, nut, neck and hardware.

I will discuss realistic outcomes where an instrument’s condition or construction limits what can reasonably be achieved.

Unless specifically agreed, I cannot promise a particular numerical action or the complete absence of all audible fret noise under every playing style.

5. Prices, quotations and estimates

Prices displayed on the website apply to the standard scope of the service described there. They may not cover unusual instruments, additional faults, specialist parts or work beyond the published description.

A quotation is a fixed price for the work described, unless:

you request a change to the work;
previously hidden problems become apparent;
information supplied before the quotation was inaccurate or incomplete; or
circumstances arise that neither of us could reasonably have identified when the quotation was given.

An estimate is an informed indication of the likely cost, rather than a guaranteed final price.

I will make clear, where reasonably possible, whether a price is a quotation or an estimate.

Prices may change on the website from time to time. A price change will not alter the price already agreed for an existing booking unless the scope of work changes and you approve the change.

6. Inspection and additional work

Some faults cannot be fully identified until:

strings, pickups, control plates, pickguards, hardware or other components are removed;
the instrument is brought to appropriate playing tension;
electrical components are tested;
previous repairs are exposed; or
the agreed work has begun.

If I discover that additional work or parts are advisable, I will normally contact you before proceeding.

I will explain:

what I have found;
the additional work or part recommended;
the likely additional cost; and
any meaningful consequence of not carrying out the additional work.

I will not carry out material additional chargeable work without your approval.

If I cannot reach you, I may pause the job until you respond. This may affect the estimated completion date.

7. Parts, strings and materials

Strings, replacement parts and specialist materials are not included unless the service description, quotation or estimate says that they are.

Before ordering an unusually expensive, specialist or non-returnable part, I will normally obtain your approval. I may ask for payment in advance for:

expensive parts;
special-order components;
custom-made items; or
unusually large jobs.

Where possible, removed original parts will be returned to you when you collect the instrument. Please tell me before work begins if retaining every removed part is especially important.

Small damaged consumables, broken strings, unusable wire, solder and similar waste may be disposed of unless you ask me to retain them.

8. Customer-supplied parts

You may provide your own strings, pickups, tuners, bridges, electronic components or other parts.

I will take reasonable care when fitting customer-supplied parts, but I cannot guarantee:

that the part is genuine;
that it is free from manufacturing defects;
that it is the correct specification;
that it will fit without modification;
that its claimed measurements are accurate; or
that it will perform as the seller or manufacturer described.

I will tell you where reasonably possible if a supplied part appears unsuitable before fitting it.

Additional work required to make a supplied part fit will be chargeable if you approve it.

My responsibility for the fitting work is separate from responsibility for the quality or performance of a part that you supplied. Any claim concerning a defective customer-supplied part may need to be made against the seller or manufacturer.

9. Pre-existing and hidden conditions

I may photograph the instrument when it is received to record its condition and identify existing marks, damage or modifications.

You should tell me about any known:

cracks or previous breaks;
lifting bridges or loose braces;
unstable finishes;
neck or truss rod problems;
modified wiring;
damaged screw holes or threads;
seized components;
non-original parts;
water or impact damage; or
previous repair attempts.

Older, damaged, heavily modified or poorly repaired instruments may contain hidden weaknesses that only become apparent during reasonable inspection or disassembly.

I am not responsible for a pre-existing or hidden defect that I could not reasonably have identified before beginning the work, except to the extent that loss or damage is caused by my failure to use reasonable care and skill.

If previously hidden damage makes the planned work unsafe, impractical or uneconomic, I may stop and discuss the available options with you.

You will only be charged for reasonable work already carried out and approved parts or materials already committed, subject to your legal rights.

10. Irreversible work and modifications

Some work may permanently alter an instrument. Examples include:

drilling or enlarging holes;
routing wood;
replacing frets;
removing binding nibs;
cutting or replacing a nut;
modifying a bridge or pickguard;
changing wiring;
removing damaged finish;
gluing a structural break; or
altering original components.

I will explain any significant irreversible alteration that is not already obvious from the agreed service and obtain your approval before proceeding.

Repairs to damaged instruments may remain visible. Unless cosmetic restoration or refinishing has been expressly included, the purpose of structural repair is to make the instrument stable and usable rather than to produce an invisible restoration.

11. Timescales

Any completion date I provide is normally an estimate unless I expressly agree in writing that it is a fixed deadline.

Timescales may be affected by:

the discovery of additional faults;
difficulty contacting you for approval;
availability or delivery of parts;
curing or settling time;
the condition or complexity of the instrument;
illness or other circumstances outside my reasonable control.

I will let you know if I become aware of a significant delay.

If you need the instrument for a particular performance, recording session, journey or other fixed event, you must tell me before the booking is accepted. I will confirm whether I can reasonably agree to that deadline.

I am not responsible for losses connected with an event or performance deadline that was not disclosed and expressly accepted.

12. Looking after your instrument

I will take reasonable care of your instrument while it is in my possession.

Please remove money, documents, straps, capos, tuners, leads and other loose personal property from the case unless they are needed for the agreed work.

You should tell me if the case itself is particularly valuable or requires special handling.

I may move or transport an instrument where reasonably necessary for the agreed work, specialist assistance, security or an emergency. I will not normally transfer an instrument to another repairer for chargeable work without discussing this with you.

13. High-value and irreplaceable instruments

You must tell me before leaving an instrument if its reasonable current market value exceeds £10,000.

My goods-in-trust insurance is subject to limits and conditions. I may:

decline to accept an instrument above the insured limit;
require evidence of its value;
ask you to maintain your own specialist instrument insurance; or
agree separate arrangements in writing.

Please also tell me if an instrument is particularly rare, historically important or difficult to replace, even where its monetary value is below £10,000.

Insurance limits do not remove or reduce any liability that the law does not allow me to exclude. They also do not guarantee that an insurer will accept a particular valuation or claim.

Compensation for loss or damage is normally assessed by reference to reasonable financial loss and market value. Sentimental or personal value may not be financially measurable.

14. Payment

Unless we agree otherwise, payment is due when the work is complete and before the instrument is released.

I accept:

cash; and
bank transfer.

A bank transfer must have reached my account before the instrument is collected unless otherwise agreed.

The final amount may include:

the agreed labour charge;
approved additional work;
approved parts;
strings and materials not included in the service price; and
any deposit or advance payment already credited.

Please raise any question about the invoice before collection.

Where permitted by law, I may retain possession of the instrument until payment for authorised work and approved parts has been made.

15. Collection and play-testing

I will contact you when the instrument is ready.

You should arrange collection within a reasonable period, normally within 14 days of being told that the instrument is ready, unless we agree otherwise.

Where reasonably possible, you will be invited to inspect and play-test the instrument before taking it away. This gives you an opportunity to check its general operation, feel and setup and to raise any preferences or concerns that are apparent at collection.

Please take reasonable care when testing the instrument and tell me at the time if you would like me to consider a further adjustment.

Your inspection or play-test does not remove your statutory rights and does not prevent you from reporting a problem that was not reasonably apparent at collection.

However, the condition and setup demonstrated during the play-test may be relevant when establishing whether a later problem was present at collection or arose afterwards.

Instruments will only be released to:

you;
a person you have authorised; or
another person who can reasonably demonstrate their authority to collect.

I may ask for confirmation before releasing an instrument to somebody else.

16. Uncollected instruments

If you do not collect the instrument, I will make reasonable attempts to contact you using the details you provided.

If it remains uncollected, I may send you a formal written notice requiring you to collect it or provide instructions for delivery within a reasonable period.

If you still fail to collect the instrument after the required notices and time periods, I may take steps to sell or otherwise deal with it in accordance with the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 and any other applicable law.

Where an instrument is lawfully sold, the proceeds may be used towards:

the unpaid invoice;
reasonable costs of storage;
reasonable costs of serving notices; and
reasonable costs of sale.

Any remaining balance will be dealt with as required by law.

An instrument does not automatically become my property simply because it has not been collected.

It is your responsibility to keep your contact details up to date.

17. Cancelling an appointment or booking

You may cancel a provisional appointment by contacting me by email, telephone, text or WhatsApp.

If work has not started and I have not ordered or committed to approved parts, there will normally be nothing to pay.

If you cancel after approving work, you may be required to pay for:

work reasonably completed up to cancellation;
parts fitted with your approval;
special-order or non-returnable items that you approved; and
other reasonable costs that I clearly explained and you accepted.

This is subject to any statutory cancellation rights that apply.

18. Distance and off-premises cancellation rights

This section applies where you are acting as a consumer and the service contract is concluded entirely at a distance, such as through telephone, email, text or WhatsApp, or is concluded away from my business premises.

Where the law provides a cancellation right, you will normally have 14 days from the day after the contract is entered into to cancel without giving a reason.

You may cancel by sending a clear statement by email, text message or WhatsApp.

If you ask me to begin work during the 14-day cancellation period, I will require your express request to start early.

If you then cancel after work has begun, you may be required to pay an amount proportionate to the service supplied up to the time you cancel, together with other costs for which the law permits a charge.

If the service is fully completed during the cancellation period after you have:

expressly asked me to begin early; and
acknowledged that the cancellation right will be lost once the service has been fully performed,

your statutory right to cancel will end when the service has been completed.

If the contract is made in person at my premises, there is not normally a general statutory right to cancel simply because you have changed your mind. Your rights where a service is faulty or not carried out as agreed are unaffected.

19. Problems with the work

I will perform the service with reasonable care and skill.

Please contact me as soon as reasonably possible if you believe there is a problem with the work. Explain the issue and give me a reasonable opportunity to inspect the instrument.

Where the service has not been carried out with reasonable care and skill or does not match what was agreed, I will provide the remedy required by law. Depending on the circumstances, this may include repeating or correcting the work within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience, or providing an appropriate price reduction.

Please do not arrange for another repairer to alter the disputed work before giving me a reasonable opportunity to inspect it, unless:

urgent action is reasonably necessary to prevent further damage;
it would be unsafe or impractical to return the instrument to me; or
the law otherwise entitles you to do so.

Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights.

20. Changes and adjustments after collection

A guitar or bass setup can be changed or disrupted after collection by:

adjusting the truss rod;
changing bridge, saddle or action height;
changing intonation;
altering tremolo springs, claw position or bridge balance;
altering pickup or pole-piece height;
changing the nut or string slots;
changing string gauge, construction or tuning;
modifying wiring or other components;
accidental impact or damage;
unsuitable storage conditions;
changes in temperature or humidity;
normal movement of wooden components; or
work carried out by you or another person.

Please tell me about any adjustments, modifications, string changes, impacts or other relevant events that have occurred before asking me to investigate a problem.

If you report a concern, I may ask to inspect the instrument and compare its current setup and condition with my job records, measurements, photographs and its condition at collection.

If the problem results from my failure to carry out the original service with reasonable care and skill, I will provide the remedy required by law.

Further work may be chargeable where the instrument has been altered after collection or the problem has been caused by something outside the original agreed service. This includes adjustments made by the customer or another person, changes of strings or tuning, accidental damage, environmental movement or a newly developed fault.

Where reasonably possible, I will explain my findings and agree any charge before carrying out further work.

Nothing in this section affects your statutory rights.

21. Limits of responsibility

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits responsibility for:

death or personal injury caused by negligence;
fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
breach of your statutory consumer rights; or
any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

I am not responsible for loss or damage caused by:

inaccurate or incomplete information supplied by you;
a pre-existing or hidden defect that could not reasonably have been identified;
defective or unsuitable customer-supplied parts;
your failure to follow reasonable care or use advice;
alterations made by another person after collection; or
events outside my reasonable control,
adjustments, repairs or modifications carried out by you or another person after the instrument was collected;

except to the extent that I caused or contributed to the loss by failing to use reasonable care and skill.

Unless specifically agreed in writing, I do not accept responsibility for indirect business losses such as lost income, missed performances, cancelled recording sessions or loss of commercial opportunity.

This does not affect liability that cannot lawfully be excluded and does not affect the rights of a consumer.

22. Advice and recommendations

Any advice I provide will be based on:

the condition of the instrument when inspected;
the information you give me;
the intended use you describe; and
my reasonable professional judgement.

Instrument setup and modification choices can involve personal preference and trade-offs. A recommendation is not a guarantee that every player will prefer the resulting feel, tone or specification.

Where you choose an option after I have explained reasonable alternatives or limitations, this will form part of the agreed instructions.

23. Complaints

I aim to resolve concerns fairly and promptly.

To make a complaint, contact:

Email: [email protected]
Telephone, text or WhatsApp: 07396 962436

Please provide:

your name and contact details;
details of the instrument;
the date of the work;
a description of the problem; and
what you would like me to do.

I may ask to inspect the instrument before reaching a conclusion.

I will acknowledge the complaint and investigate it within a reasonable period.

24. Personal information

Information about how I collect, use and protect personal information is provided in my Privacy Policy:

guitarsetups.co.uk/privacy-policy/

The Privacy Policy does not form part of the service specification but explains my responsibilities under data protection law.

25. Website use

The information on this website is provided for general information and to describe the services I offer.

I take reasonable care to keep the information accurate, but website content may occasionally be incomplete, out of date or contain an error.

Website information is not a substitute for inspecting a particular instrument. A final recommendation, price or assessment may change after inspection.

You must not:

misuse or attempt to disrupt the website;
attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website or its systems;
introduce malicious software;
use the website unlawfully; or
reproduce substantial original website content for commercial use without permission.

Unless otherwise stated, original text, photographs and Stu’s Guitar Setups branding belong to Stuart Elliot. Third-party trademarks, images, software and other materials remain the property of their respective owners.

The website may link to third-party sites. I am not responsible for their content, availability, security or privacy practices.

26. Changes to these terms

I may update these terms when my services, business practices or legal obligations change.

Changes will apply to bookings made after the revised terms are published.

The terms applying to an existing booking will normally be the version provided or available when the contract was agreed, unless we expressly agree a change or a change is required by law.

27. Severability

If any part of these terms is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining terms will continue to apply.

Any unlawful or unenforceable provision will be treated as modified only to the minimum extent necessary to make it lawful and enforceable.

28. Governing law

These terms and any dispute arising from them are governed by the law of England and Wales.

If you are a consumer, you retain any mandatory rights you have under the law applying where you live and may bring proceedings in any court that has jurisdiction under applicable consumer law.

29. Contact details

Stuart Elliot
Trading as Stu’s Guitar Setups
Haywards Heath, West Sussex

Email: [email protected]
Telephone, text and WhatsApp: 07396 962436