8/1/2010 ALL ABOUT STRINGS

A Guide for Selecting Strings
Part 1 - Acoustic & Electric
by Randy Vradenburg, Headmaster

8/1/2010 PRODUCT REVIEW

Check Out the JamMan Loopers!
by Randy Vradenburg, Headmaster

“If you want to learn to play your guitar and play it well - if you want to have fun learning - and if you want to do that for an unbelievable price... well, MyGuitar247 is THE place for you!.”

Tom Spelling/
MyGuitar247 Member (Lawton, OK)

» Sign Up Today

MyGuitar247 News, Information, Updates and Other Stories!

GUITAR TECH CORNER 7/1/2010 A Guide for Taking Care of Your Guitar
by Randy Vradenburg, Headmaster

The best way to care for your guitar is to clean and maintain it.

The next best thing is to keep it away from extreme heat and cold (Don’t leave it in the car!). These two temperatures will literally undo the guitar in every way possible.

Cleaning Your Guitar

You’ll need an old soft cloth and a good guitar polish. My favorites are Martin guitar polish and Gibson guitar polish. Clean the headstock on the front and back then move to the neck and clean the neck. After you’ve cleaned the neck, spray the polish on the fret board and let it sink in. The fret board needs the moisture. Now, clean the body of the guitar. If you have an electric, wipe off all of the metal parts as well. Sweat and dirt will corrode the metal. If the frets are corroded or dingy, take some fine steel wool and polish the frets. A clean guitar is a joy to play and a once-a-week cleaning will keep your finish in good shape for years.

Maintaining Your Guitar

You will need small Phillips- and flat-head screw drivers, a pair of pliers, and a set of Allen wrenches. A great multipurpose tool is called the GuiTool. You can purchase one at your local music store. It has nearly everything you may need.

Start at the headstock and tighten the tuning keys. There are three places to tighten. On top of the headstock, tuning keys have a nut on each key. Also, there are screws on the back of the headstock on each tuner. On the end of each key, there is a screw holding the key on the tuner. Make all of the tightenings “snug” but not too tight. If you have exposed gears, use a drop of oil to keep them working smoothly.
Make sure the End Pin and strap buttons are tight.
If you have an electric guitar, tighten the faceplate screws and also the input jack nut and screws holding it.
Sometimes the volume and tone control knobs need tightening. It might take a small flathead screwdriver or a small Allen wrench. You can get them at the hardware store or the GuiTool would have what you need.
Screws in the pick-ups are for adjustment, not tightening. Also, screws next to the pick-ups are for adjusting the height, not tightening.
On the back of the guitar at the end of the neck there are screws and a metal plate holding the neck to the body. Tighten these.
The screws on the saddles are also adjustment screws not for tightening.

Remember...A little attention paid to the guitar will keep it in great shape for years to come!

News Articles Search RSS