Is getting a guitar setup general maintenance or only for fixing problems?
I get an oil change for my car every 6 months or 3,000 miles. Its just part of keeping the car in good working order. Should I get my guitar set up every x amount of time, or x amount of hours played or is it just something that should be done if I am having problems with buzz, or action, or intonation?
If it is just a regular thing I should do, how often should it be done?
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To add to Doktor Mayhem's answer:
My guitars are being moved around a lot between places that have varying levels of humidity and temperature, so they need to be set up at least once a month (just basic stuff, truss rod, maaaaybe the string action).
If your guitar stays at home most of the time, just get her set up once every half a year, maybe even once a year. Or just when you notice it doesn't sound the way it used to before.
Generally you should get a new guitar setup, or if you buy a second-hand one. And then, unless you notice problems or you decide to change something (like string gauge, tremolo tension, or moving from dry to humid environment etc) you should not need to have another setup.
A proper setup will sort intonation, remove any buzzing, set the trem correctly, ensure the neck isn't twisted, check the tension, and a full setup will also check fret wear and replace or file frets as needed (this is typically only needed on well worn fret boards.)
Guitars (like all stringed instruments in particular) are sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity: The strings and the neck expand and contract with those changes and that will often impact your set-up.
Playing itself can also gradually change your set-up: Every time you play, you are subjecting the strings, nut, tuning pegs, neck and bridge to stress that may impact your set up. Often you won't notice it right away but then one day you'll realize 'Hey - this thing played a lot better when I got it set up last year'.
Changing strings often requires a new set up too.
Many professional musicians have their instruments set up by a pro regularly for these reasons - often on a seasonal or monthly basis. Also included are woodwind and percussion instruments.
So yes - your analogy to an oil change is a good one: Quality musical instruments are precisely designed, delicate machines and they require diligent maintenance to keep them functioning properly and comfortably for your particular playing requirements. Bringing a guitar into the shop to have it set up the way you like it on a regular basis - after the changes of the seasons is a popular time - is a good thing to do.
Better still is to take the time and learn how to set up your guitar yourself, at least for small, seasonal adjustments. (Leave big problems to a pro.) It's not rocket science, but you need to learn how to do it properly or you'll find yourself with an unplayable, if not ruined instrument. Many guitar books and lots of website and videos out there explain the ins and outs of setting up a guitar - do some homework and learn about it.
I did just that - I own 6 or 7 basses and play two of them regularly. Once I learned I can always small adjustments, particulary if I change strings - to the trussrod, the action or intonation, etc. without worrying about screwing things up or bringing an instrument into the and playing every time I want/need a set up.
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