Reviews (Testimonials)

I've played guitar for a long time, but the furthest I'd ever got to 'setting' up a guitar was to change some strings (infrequently!). But thanks to James and Olly's expertise, I can't wait to get cranking and see what difference 1/1000th of a inch change in neck relief can do to my neglected guitars!!...
It was a great course and also an amazing showroom of guitars. Well worth it. Thank you!
Kev

Thanks so much Kevin! Glad you had a good day 🙂

James.

I’m a man of few online words or opinions but my praise of
This course and those that own and run it is without any caveats
Absolutely first class. Cheers chaps ! The Blingcaster is outrageous!
Nick

I travelled quite a way for this course but it was so worthwhile.
I am confident to set up my guitars saving cost and, more importantly, set the up the way I want them - to my taste and playing style.
Very informative and very hands- on.
Thank you James and the team

Thank You! We’re very grateful to you for joining us!

If you’re forever tinkering with your guitar but never happy with the results then you simply must do this course ! How everything is explained to get a perfect set up is very clear and if you stick to the workflow you’ll be over the moon . For the price of a decent overdrive pedal you’ll have the chops to bring your guitar to its full potential . It’s a no brainer.

Thanks Anthony, greatly appreciated.. enjoy setting up all your guitars!!

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to James for a fascinating and immersive 3 days of guitar building. The course met and exceeded my expectations as a learning experience and was such a thrill to come away with a top-quality guitar that I will cherish for many years to come. Thanks also to Olly and Jude for all your help and support with getting to the finish line.
I would recommend this course without hesitation to anyone looking to gain hands-on experience in guitar building and setup.

Thanks So Much! Really appreciated. Enjoy that fabulous Strat! 🙂

Had a fantastic day learning how to set up a guitar properly. Lots of great advice and plenty of opportunity to get hands-on experience. James and Ollie were patient, attentive and willing to answer any question. Would highly recommend.

Thanks so much Ross, glad you had a good day and hope you get the best out of your guitars!!

This really is a superb course. Everything was explained very clearly by James and Ollie, and plenty of time to complete the tasks in a very relaxed and informative environment. If you're a guitarist looking to learn how to do your own setups, then look no further this is THE course to go on. I can't recommend it highly enough. Thanks again guys, I had a great day!

Thanks so much Martin! Glad you had a great day.. Many Thanks, James.

Had a very enjoyable day at Guitar Tech Academy HQ. I'm pretty new to the guitar tech world and electric guitars in general, but James and Ollie were very patient and made the whole experience, informative and very enjoyable. There's not much they don't know.
Would highly recommend this solid 1 day course to anyone who wants to start unravelling the mysteries of setting up either your own instrument or on tour etc.
Thanks for such a great day guys and hope to see you again for sure!

So pleased you had a good day! Appreciate the feedback, look forward to hopefully see you again soon. Thanks, James.

I went on this course to learn more about the "mysteries" of setting up guitars and boy did it deliver the goods
From theory to practical, from how to diagnose a problem to how to approach solving it and how following the right pathway to setting up a guitar will solve most problems i might have
And against the cost of a professional set up, this course pays for itself very quickly.
Thoroughly recommended

Thanks Ian! Delighted you had a great day 🙂

What a fantastic course!

I have now done both the three day build course and the one day guitar set up course. Both courses where absolutely fantastic. Fun, friendly and super informative! I came away from each with a massive smile on my face. I would recommend these courses to anyone. I don't think of myself as a very DIY sort of person, but building my own electric was an absolute blast. I was supported throughout and came away with a guitar I am proud of. 100% satisfied, and if I could give this more stars, I would!

If you are even half considering either course, don't hesitate, you will have a great time and learn loads.

Thanks again!

Thanks so much Rob! Greatly appreciated.

Had a brilliant time with James and Ollie at the 1 day Pro Guitar Setup Course. The environment was calm, pressure free and such a great space to learn in. Was lovely to see everything done first hand and know that any and all questions were answered with such knowledge and background experience. Would highly recommend to anyone. I hope to join the 3 day Building Course next year!

Thanks George! Hope to see you again soon, James

I did the setup course and it was exceptional. Nothing more to say than that really, loved it!

UPDATE:
A couple of years later and I've now also done the build course. Absolutely thrilled with it and I really learnt a lot and walked away with an amazing instrument. Huge thanks to James and Ollie for everything. I highly recommend Ollie's OGEE pickups, I prefer them to the five Bareknuckles I own.

Thanks so much Nic!

This was my second build course (different model this time) and just as enjoyable and rewarding as the first. As before, you're assisted through every step but in a way that allows you to feel like it is your build! My guitar was even better sounding than my first - you also get incredible Ogee Pickups which are hand wound and made by James's trusted 'apprentice', Ollie. All in all, this was worth every penny and you get your own custom-made guitar for a price that is less than that of a Californian factory model 🙂

Thanks very much Robert, was a great 3 days and an awesome looking and sounding Tele 🙂

I'd highly recommend to anyone interested in doing a setup course to do it here with James and Ollie. It was a great day, made really easy to understand by the guys. No longer fearful of the truss rod thanks to them!

Awesome! 🙂 Thanks very much

I recently completed the professional guitar set up course at Jmaes Collins Guitars. It's a one day course and they manage to get everything into it that you need to know. From theory to practical set up they make sure to go through every point and possible issue so you understand exactly how to work. I actully took this course to help me set up guitars when i am out on tour with bands. But this course is ideal for anyone who just wants set up their own to play at home. I highly recomend taking the time to complete this course as it will definetly help with the understanding of whay your guitar can do and even improve your playing ability and ost of all, enjoyment, alongside it.

Thanks very much Gordon!

Excellent day learning guitar set up skills with James and Ollie. I an now much better equipped to do this work on my own.

Great to hear it! 😀 Thanks

Enjoyed the day immensely. Well structured theory and practical with an engaging and knowledgeable team. Truss rod adjustment will no longer strike fear! Thank you James and Ollie.

Thanks very much Neil! James.

Great 'hands-on' course, led by two highly experienced pro's. I'd done quite a bit of 'tinkering' with my guitars before. Adjusting the truss rod was something I used to do with trepidation and usually as a last resort! I now know the right order and techniques to do a good set-up. I've since set up a number of my axes. I wish I'd done a course like this many years ago.

Thanks Graham! Much appreciated 🙂 James.

I spent a great day with James and Olly, the course was friendly, relaxed and highly informative. I couldnt wait to get home and apply what we learned to my own guitars. Not only do I now have the confidence to do this but I also have an understanding of what I like in my set up and why I like it!

Thanks very much Fabrice, glad you got a lot out of the day. all the very best, James.

Upon arrival James and Olly were there with a warm and friendly reception, which i think is so important in many ways, it certainly helps you settle into your day ahead.
Both James and Olly both shared their invaluable source of knowledge and experience in detail when going through the theory side of the guitar set up process, the do's, the donts and most importantly the reasons why, which is why were all here right, to learn.
In the practical session we were then given guitars that were not set up correctly, and it gave everyone within the group a hands on experience to put into practice what we had learnt within the theory session, both James and Olly were there throughout to help, advise and oversee everyones progression.
There were also question and answer times, the knowledge and skills that both James and Olly share is in my mind, totally invaluable and will help you to gain the confidence to assess and set up your own instruments to your preference.
In a nutshell, if you're wanting to gain the knowledge and most of all the confidence to do this, James and Olly are the guys to take you there.
You will not be disappointed.
Thanks guys.

Thanks so much Roy, so pleased you had a great day. Was fun! Cheers, James.