What is a PLEK machine?
A PLEK machine looks like a large, glass display cabinet with a rack in it, on which you can easily hang an acoustic or electric guitar. But there is a lot more going on inside that cabinet, thanks to super smart, laser-controlled scanning techniques and some very, very finely-tuned guitar setup tools.
You could think of a PLEK machine as an extra pair of super sharp eyes and some extra tools for guitar builders and luthiers. The precision that a PLEK machine offers, up to a thousandth of a millimeter, is unique. Every guitar has, or develops over time, imperfections. Think of frets that are showing some wear, a neck that is a little too curved or the intonation has gone off.
Thanks to this German high end technique, you can detect and fix all these imperfections at lightning speed. In that respect, a PLEK machine is a bit like ChatGPT, DALL-e or Bing Image Creator: it takes a lot of work off your hands in a smart way, whilst suggesting solutions and delivers consistent quality.
Created by Maarten Dispa at The Fellowship of Acoustics
YouTuber and regular guest in Dedemsvaart Rhett Shull, explains in this video how a PLEK machine works.
Can anyone use a PLEK machine?
For some it may seem as if with a PLEK machine it is just a matter of opening a door, putting the guitar in, close the door, wait a while and you're done. But it's not that simple. The PLEK machine helps to analyze a guitar like nothing else can, but what you do with that information, still very much comes down to craftsmanship.
Do you want a high or a low action? Are there imperfections that determine the character of an instrument that you want to keep? That interplay between a professional human being who knows what a guitarist likes, remains super important with a PLEK machine. That is why the Fellows in the workshop are trained and know how to properly use of the PLEK machine, so that with the help of this technique we can offer this exclusive service to anyone who wants to get the best out of an electric or acoustic guitar.
What difference do I notice when I PLEK my guitar?
What you always get when a guitar is PLEK’d:
- A well-adjusted truss rod, ensuring that the curvature of your neck is good
- A perfectly tuned guitar
- Well flattened frets with the right radius
- The optimal adjustment of the fretboard
- As little fret buzz as possible (depending on preferences)
- Lots of information about the state of your instrument
The difference between before and after a PLEK setup can be enormous, but is sometimes very subtle. Especially cheaper guitars can be coarsely setup from the factory, with poor, or even sharp fretwork and the height of the strings can not be ideal. Treating such a guitar to a PLEK setup makes a world of difference. But that can also happen with expensive instruments that have not been properly looked at for a few years. This is because every guitar continues to set over time, simply because the tonewood will shrink and expand over time. In our experience, every guitar improves enormously from one or two setups per year.
Do you have an instrument that is already properly setup, but you notice that it is still not as you imagined it could be, but you cannot put your finger on what is missing. In that case you can use PLEK machine to find the sweet spot that suits you. Because the PLEK machine not only adjusts: the device also records. This makes it a learning tool and thanks to a PLEK machine you can have your guitar adjusted at lightning speed based on your preferences!
Are there any risks to having a guitar PLEK’d?
In all honesty, we must of course say that there are always risks involved when you start tinkering with a guitar, including with a PLEK machine. And we know it sounds somewhat unnerving to hand over your dearly beloved instrument to a glass case with a laser-guided robot. But the risks are minimal.
A PLEK machine does nothing by itself and the machine always starts with simply scanning the instrument. This will result in a lot of useful data and suggestions for adjustments. After that a PLEK machine gets to work with clear instructions and a push of a button from one of our trained Fellows. In addition, that smart PLEK machine, just like ChatGPT, interacts and only works within certain, safe, parameters. In the unlikely event that you give a weird assignment, PLEK will let you know. So your guitar is always in good hands, with some extra AI help from the PLEK machine.
Where can I get my guitar PLEK’d in the Netherlands?
There are two PLEK machines in the Netherlands: one at Haar Guitars in IJsselstein, where Erik van der Haar uses this technique to make his awesome Haar Guitars. The other PLEK machine can be found here in Dedemsvaart. We do not use the PLEK machine to build guitars, but rather for the perfect setup of acoustic and electric guitars.
How much does a PLEK setup cost?
What a PLEK setup costs depends, among other things, on where you bought the guitar. If you bought it at The Fellowship of Acoustics, our PLEK service is 149 euros. For other guitars we charge 199 euros. The price is the same for acoustic and electric guitars, but please note that some guitars, with (very) offset shapes, without a truss rod or 12-string guitars cannot be placed in the PLEK machine. For these instruments we do offer our Luthier Plus Service (without PLEK), from 99 euros.
Do you want to have your guitar PLEK’d, or do you have other questions about perfectly setting up your instrument? Feel free to contact us via chat, mail (info@tfoa.eu) or telephone. And of course we would like to see you in Dedemsvaart, the coffee is ready!