Guitars are amazingly durable instruments – but they need a little help once in a while to function properly.
Whether you play jazz, metal, classical, virtually any style, your guitar will suffer the stresses of string pressure and, because it’s being manipulated by a guitar player, succumb to the normal effects of wear and tear.
This means the gear will need some form of maintenance and even the occasional setup.
You can have a reliable individual do this for you, for a price of course, or you can do it yourself. Personally, I’ve found players fall into basically two categories: those who have no problem spending the money to have the work done for them, and those who are hands-on preferring to do the work themselves.
A Few Tools
Since we’re not servicing jet engines, the tools we need are fairly humble. Here’s a short list:
- Side Cutters
- String Winder
- Large and Small Philips Screwdrivers
- Large and Small Flat Screwdrivers
- An Assortment of Allen Keys
- Small Adjustable Wrench
- Cloths or Paper Towels
- Guitar Polish and Cleaner
There are many more depending on how deep you dive, but these should handle the basics.
Your instrument may also have come with the required wrenches or adjusters necessary for performing basic maintenance. It’s great practice to keep them in the guitar’s case for easy access when you need them.
Removing Strings
There’s an “old wives tale” that you should never take all the strings off the guitar at one time. This is totally false.
While it is smart to leave a single on to help keep loose parts from falling off, taking all the strings off is actually beneficial to the guitar’s health as it releases built-up compression. The instrument gets a chance to relax and re-normalize.
When it comes to working with strings in any quantity, remember to batch your processes!! The work will go faster, it will reduce frustration, and allow you more time to play.
To get started, grab your trusty string winder and, going around the headstock, slacken each string off in turn.
Gather up all the now loosened strings with one hand and cut all the strings in one shot about six inches from the bridge with the side cutters – not the kitchen scissors. You can now freely remove each string from it’s tuner post, then bundle them all up, and chuck them in the trash. Same goes for the tag ends at the bridge. For new guitar parts visit – FaberUSA.com
Installing New Strings
Just like removing the old strings – remember to batch your processes!
Instal the ball end of each string, one by one, at the bridge in their respective seats. Then move to the headstock and, working from the nut outwards, attach each string in turn to it’s corresponding tuner post. Allow about an inch and a half of string to accommodate three wraps around each post. Any more than that can cause tuning issues, any less will cause string slippage.
Don’t bother torquing up the strings to full pitch just yet – it’ll be wasted effort. Just get them in the ballpark.
Next, give each string a real light stretch – they’ll drop in pitch a fair bit. Go around the headstock again and bring them up close to pitch. Just get them in the ballpark, you still don’t have to be precise just yet.
Adjusting Action
There are essentially three points to good action: the nut, the bridge, and neck relief
The nut, being a fixed point should only be adjusted or recut by someone who knows what they’re doing. So let’s assume it’s close enough to work with.
The Les Paul bridge assembly on electric guitars can be adjusted up or down depending on your preference in overall string height. With acoustic instruments, the saddle determines overall string height. It can be shimmed to increase height, or the bottom can be sanded down to reduce height. Again, if you’re not comfortable with this kind of work, take your guitar to someone who knows what they’re doing.
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