The average guitarist, especially those just starting out, is not looking to spend several hundred or even thousands of dollars on a guitar. Many of us are happy finding a deal online or heading to a local music store and buying off the wall for under $200 or $300. If this is you, there may be a bit more set up involved to optimize the sound and feel of your guitar. There are a few easy adjustments that can be made to get the most out of your new purchase without having to break the bank.
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| Dreadnought |
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| Grand Auditorium |
1. New strings.
Now it isn't entirely necessary to also grab strings when you are purchasing the guitar but it will have quite an impact on the quality of sound produced. Your guitar had to be built by the manufacturer, shipped to a dealer, shipped to a store, and then probably sat there for three months before it was lucky enough to find you. The strings will reflect that. To decide on the type of strings we want, we'll want to consider a few things. What body style is your acoustic? The two most popular shapes for acoustics are the dreadnought and grand auditorium styles. By identifying the body style of your guitar you can better decide what gauge is best suited for your acoustic and your playing style. The higher gauge strings will create greater tension on the neck of the guitar, pulling it upward against the force of the truss rod, which runs through the length of the neck. Dreadnoughts are typically designed to withstand a bigger medium gauge string, while grand auditorium guitars are better suited for a lighter gauge that creates less upward pull on the neck of the guitar. If you're doing mostly strumming type play, you may decide you like the richer tones of a higher gauge string. Inversely, if you're mostly finger picking you may want something that won't shred your picking hand. In this case a lighter gauge may be appropriate. Once you have decide on strings it's time to check the ol' truss rod. (1)
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| Found on http://www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/truss_rod_adjustment.pdf |
2. Tightening the truss rod.
The truss rod is used to assist the neck in resisting the pull of the strings and keep the action (The distance between the string and fret.) lowered. Without it, you would have an inward bowed neck and a painfully high action. Depending on what gauge strings you chose, you may or may not have to tighten the truss rod to counteract the string pull. Just take a look down the length to check for any bowing and tighten the nut accordingly. (Located at either the top or bottom end of the neck.) This alone, may not lower the action to a comfortable level. For that we move on to the next step. (2)
3. Action!
You may find the strings still sit a bit high off the neck, meaning you will have to press harder to avoid that oh so ugly buzz. For those of us that are just starting out this can be quite painful and a bit discouraging for progress. Do not fret! (One pun won't kill you.) Lets bring those strings down to a more comfortable level. We can start by loosening the strings and removing the pins and strings from the bridge. From here we have some options. Check under the saddle for spacers that are sometimes put in by the manufacturer. Pulling those out and replacing the saddle alone may fix the problem, depending on the severity. If the action is still too high we can do some light sanding, using a high grit count, to the bottom of the saddle to lower its profile and therefore eliminate some space between the strings and fret. Take note that if you sand too much you will cause the strings to touch the fret board and you'll have to buy a new saddle. (Only a couple bucks a pop online.) You may also need to make some adjustments to the nut. That's the grooved plastic piece at the top of the neck which the strings run through. A simple needle file should work nicely. Use care while filing the channels, so as not to go too low or wide with your filing. (3)
Maintenance.
Now that we have adjusted the neck and brought our action to the right level we are ready to rock... go ahead.. I'll wait.
Now when we aren't playing the guitar it may be best to store it in the case. This is to help control the moisture gain or loss. Depending on where you live, you may have to take extra care to keep the humidity levels right. Those in dryer climates or the extra cautious will probably want to purchase a humidifier to keep their guitar in great shape and avoid any bowing, cracking, or splitting. Also keep in mind that higher temperatures and humidity will weaken the bond of the glue. It's also a good idea to grab a string cleaner/lubricant like Fast Fret to keep your strings in good condition and make moving across the fret board a bit smoother. (Quick tip: Wash your hands before playing to avoid the wear and tear of excess dirt and oil on the strings.)
Now when we aren't playing the guitar it may be best to store it in the case. This is to help control the moisture gain or loss. Depending on where you live, you may have to take extra care to keep the humidity levels right. Those in dryer climates or the extra cautious will probably want to purchase a humidifier to keep their guitar in great shape and avoid any bowing, cracking, or splitting. Also keep in mind that higher temperatures and humidity will weaken the bond of the glue. It's also a good idea to grab a string cleaner/lubricant like Fast Fret to keep your strings in good condition and make moving across the fret board a bit smoother. (Quick tip: Wash your hands before playing to avoid the wear and tear of excess dirt and oil on the strings.)
There you have it. A few adjustments and you'll have your guitar sounding and feeling much better than when you left the store. Now go practice!
1. http://www.guitarfriendly.net/best-acoustic-guitar-strings/
2. http://www.instructables.com/id/Acoustic-Guitar-Setup/#step1
3. http://www.instructables.com/id/Acoustic-Guitar-Setup/step6/Adjusting-the-Nut/
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