Some basic info on setting up your guitar...

Video Lesson

 

Basic Guitar Adjustments

For many things it is probably best to take your guitar to a shop, but I think it's a good idea to understand the basics a bit anyhow, so that you understand what they tell you in a shop and those good with their hands can have a go if they feel confident!

The Action is the distance of strings from the fingerboard. Too low and the strings will buzz a lot when you play. It's it's too high then it will be very difficult to play anything.

If it needs adjusting on an acoustic you really need to take it to a shop and have it "set up". On electric you can try adjusting the Bridge Saddles (with an Allen key on a Stratocaster type guitar, a screwdriver for many Gibson type guitars). There is not too much that can go seriously wrong, and if you really make a pigs ear of it, you will just have to take it to the shop and get them to sort out your mess!

The Truss rod is made of two metal rods that run down the guitar neck and by turning a little screw you can adjust how straight the neck is. I don't like touching them because things really can go wrong if you start playing with them. It's adjusting this that will correct the neck if it bowed.

When you change strings you might need to adjust the truss rod too, but again, I would recommend you get a guitar guru to do it for you.

If you have a stratocaster tremolo system then I would recommend tightening the screws in the back of the guitar and or adding 5 springs, effectively locking the tremolo against the body of the guitar so it doesn't work. As a beginner you are unlikely to use it in a musical way anyway, and it will stay in tune a lot better this way.

If you got yourself a guitar with a locking tremolo system then you'll have to take it to a shop or be prepared for some major headaches.

If the nut needs adjusting, I would say take it in for professional help, they will require filing which is impossible to undo! If the strings are clicking (pinging) in the nut them they might use some lubrication, graphite is best - get a pencil and draw in the groove!

One very simple trick I can share with you is for a loose strap button - the thing that hold the strap on sometimes gets lose. If it does, unscrew it - then coat a matchstick in wood glue and ram it into the hole. Once the glue has dried just screw it back in place. The wood used in matches in not very dense so you should have no problem getting the screw back in. DON"t try this with acoustic guitars, only electrics! And only if you are confident you know what you are doing, of course I can't be responsible if something goes wrong.

Two other preventative hints:

Don't leave you guitar right near a heat source - not next to the radiator, a fireplace or in the hot sun. The wood could warp and totally ruin your instrument.

Don't lean you guitar against the wall or a table - lay it down flat where it has no place to fall, or buy a stand. Leaning it against the edge of a table, against a wall or in a chair is just asking for trouble!

If you want some more info on this, a very cool and helpful member of the forum has made a thread about guitar set ups, big thanks Tourniquet! Read his Set-Up Guide here.

 

Next up we are going to check out ties in rhythms in BC-165 • Rhythm Guitar Basics 4

 

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