General maintenance for your guitar is not only very useful but something that, if done correctly will ensure your guitar always sounds good and plays well… making it more enjoyable for you to play (and that’s what it’s all about.)
We’ll cover a few things – changing strings, storage, tuning, and cleaning.
It’s no secret guitar strings wear out. So to keep your guitar sounding fresh and in the best shape it’s important to build a routine of changing out your strings. You won’t need to change them everyday, but to start out you should consider changing them every couple of months. Of course, if you reach the point where you are playing and gigging regularly you may want to change them more often.
You have probably heard stories before about guitar strings breaking at the most inopportune moments; well for the most part it’s very true. If you are playing with older strings on your guitar, not only will it lose tuning faster, sound dull, and cause intonation problems, it also increases the chances the strings will break. So it is always a good idea to be on top of it and make sure to avoid those problems on your guitar as often as possible.
When it comes to choosing which strings to use on your guitar, a huge element to consider is personal preference. Of course, strings are sorted first by type of guitar: steel guitar strings for acoustic and electric guitars, and nylon guitar strings for classical guitar. That decision is the easy one if you already know what guitar you are playing.
Remember – never put steel strings on a classical guitar! It does not have a truss rod and you can easily pull the bridge off or worse…
Now where most of the personal preference comes into play is the gauge, or thickness, of the strings. For a beginner, I would recommend a light gauge string to start with then use that to judge what feels best for you. One thing to keep in mind with different sizes of strings, typically, the thicker the gauge the better the tone is but the harder it is to play.
For me, on my acoustic guitars I use a .012 gauge high E set, and on my electrics I usually use a .010 gauge high E set. I usually use Ernie Balls, but D’Addario, Dean Markley, Martin, Fender, DR, and many other brands are just fine. Just beware of “cheap” strings at smaller music stores. I’ve had problems with them in the past.
Alright so here I will share an example of changing the strings on an acoustic guitar. For most electric guitars, you should know that changing the strings is similar to the acoustic guitar. This is not the only way to do it, but it works well for me.
There are electric guitars that require different methods to change the guitar strings, such as where to feed the string on the body of the guitar. If you require specific instruction for your guitar, there are resources online and if you are purchasing a new guitar it is a good idea to talk about changing strings with someone working at the guitar shop.
To begin changing strings on an acoustic guitar, find a flat surface to lay your guitar on with the low E string closest to you. It is important to note that you should always only change one string at a time; do not uncoil all the strings on your guitar at one time since they will greatly change the pressure needed on the neck.
Use the tuner to completely slacken the low E string. Once slackened uncoil the string from the tuning peg and remove the bridge pin on the end from the bridge. After you have removed the string and discarded it, this is a good opportunity to wipe down the area underneath the old string with a cloth and possible guitar polish.
Now that the old string is completely removed, notice that your new low E string has a small ball on one end; slide that ball into the hole in the bridge and replace the bridge pin on top of it.
The ball and bridge pin should slip into place with a few small tugs. Next pull the string along the neck of the guitar towards the headstock. Then about one inch past the tuning peg, crimp the string with your fingers so the excess is at a 90-degree angle facing toward the tuning peg.
If you look closely, you will notice a small hole in the tuner; align the tuner with the tuning peg so you can slip the string through it with ease. Once you have inserted the string in the tuner hole, start bringing the string to tune slowly using the tuning peg. If you apply tension to the loose string on the fretboard, the excess slack shouldn’t flop around everywhere.
On the first pass while you are wrapping the string, make sure the wrapped string passes over the top of the protruding end. Then for the rest of the time, make sure the wrap-arounds are below the previous.
Try your best to keep the coil neat and not cross over itself. Once the string has been brought to tune, it is very important to stretch it out so it will hold a tone for an extended period of time. Simply tug on the wound string slightly about half way down the neck to stretch out the string. For an excess string past the tuner, simply cut it with a pair of wire cutters to the desired length. The remaining six strings will get easier to change since they are smaller than the low E string.
Remember to change each string one at a time and that the last three strings might have tuning pegs on the opposite side of the headstock, so make sure to apply them in the opposite direction from the first three. What may seem like a long process now, will get easier and easier with time and practice.
Of course, tuning your guitar is also a very important step for it to sound its best. I’ve written on this subject before… but for beginners sometimes the best option for tuning is to take it to someone who knows how.
Even with modern electronic tuners, you still have to be able to listen and hear that it is out of tune, and you often have to be able to hear which direction it is out of tune. If you’ve been playing for a while you probably take that for granted, but if you haven’t it seems really daunting.
One of a guitar’s greatest enemies is humidity. Since so much of the instrument is made from wood, it’s important to note harsh temperature changes will have a large affect on your guitar. In dry conditions, wood dries out very easily which can lead to splintering and cracking while too much humidity will cause wood to swell which weakens joints and glue. This damage is often not repairable…. so ideally you should keep it in its case when you aren’t playing it…
However, if you’ve read much of what I’ve written in the past you’ll know I’m also a proponent of keeping a guitar handy at all times. You have to use your judgement here because, after all, guitars are for playing. I live in a fairly moderate climate and I leave guitars out all the time. If you live somewhere with extreme differences in temperature and humidity, you may want to put the guitar in the case when you’re done with it.
Now cleaning your guitar is a process that will not only keep its’ appearance but may help make sure wood pores are open to allow for maximum resonance – in other words, you get the most tone from your guitar. A lint-free damp clean cloth is an easy way to keep your guitar looking its best. Even better are specific guitar polishes; furniture and heavier polishes often contain ingredients that will clog wood pores. There are also guitar hardware cleaners that will polish metal parts on electric guitars as well.
An extra tip for basic guitar maintenance is checking the tuners. Sometimes, tuners can seem loose; if that’s the case for you it’s an easy fix. Tighten them on the back of the headstock, but be sure not to torque too hard so you don’t strip the screw. Also, you may want to check the nuts on the face of the headstock. If the strings are on and tuned, they will probably seem tight but that may be only due to the pressure of the strings. Next time you change your strings, I suggest checking those nuts on the face of the headstock.
Follow these steps and your guitar will live a long, happy life and be a joy to play 🙂
236 replies to "Guitar Maintenance – How To Maintain A Guitar"
An excellent explanation and demonstration of how to maintain a acoustic guitar.
I prefer this kind of website greatly, It’s any rattling good berth to read and get details.
excellent points altogether, you simply gained a new reader. What would you recommend in regards to your post that you made some days ago? Any positive?
Hey Griff,
I’m a first responder because I just don’t do that.
I have almost all your courses and have been working very hard on my music for the last three years of my retirement. Excellent courses all
and instruction by you.
I am also a Graduate Aerospace Engineer and a retired Air Force Fighter Pilot and Test Pilot. I only mention this because I want you to know my level of understanding of materials science effects of stress application on materials.
I am and always have been a compulsive Engineer. Therefore I could not allow myself to play a guitar without understanding the physical science of the instrument. After about a year of study and research I was a pretty darn good luthier (guitar specific). The same with my pianos, they are strictly and accurately maintained by me. Every musical instrument and device in my studio is in better condition then when it left the factory and will stay that way for at least my lifetime.
But I just couldn’t let the string changing section of the blog go by without comment…(and it is starting to get long winded)
There is NO HARM REPEAT NO HARM in removing all the strings off of any guitar neck that has an adjustable truss rod.
If anyone would like to debate a different point of view on this…
Do the following…Get an Engineering Degree, Go to an Engineering Graduate school, Do at least 1 Year of in depth study and research into the materials science of the Guitar and by that time…you will no longer want to debate the issue…!
hey griff great advice thanks,just look at your feedback! you are the man!
Thanks Griff
Just a word about changing string sizes on your guitar if your guitar came with 9 on high E string and you decide to change to 10’s or bigger you will need to have your nut filed sideways or the strings will catch on the nut and give all sorts of tuning problems when doing bends.
If your not sure how to do it yourself take it to a Luther.
Cheers
Hey, Griff! I’ve got a Gibson Les Paul Studio that doesn’t have a polished finish. Any recommendations on how to clean the body?
lots of responces here . reading them all i think not. i will give my 2 cents . i use old english on the fret board on all my guitars . a damp cloth no no no adding water no no . spit shine it just a bit on thoes sweat marks left on your baby from that hot night of playing. make sure that you use same gauge strings that it came with. if you use the wrong ones you will have issues. dont really want to tell you about the basement floyd rose and how that string change out is done . i do know that once tuned a few times it does stay tuned for a long time . i have steel strings on my vintage avalon acoustic and its fine providing i replace the strings with the right gauge . once used these new fangled silk strings and it sounded awefull . thats all i gotta say about that. believe or not out of all the guitars i own and i have 5 the avalon has the best intonation of all of them . gotta love that hand made guitar from ireland. it was made between 1989 and 1993 . many want to play it but it never leaves the home ever . if anyone has an old avalon dont part with it because they dont make anymore of them actory closed . slash plays one and so does tom petty and others. later brah.
Hey Griff, and anyone else who may have this same problem and a potential solution. I have a Les Paul Standard without a pick guard and have been looking around for a type of (clear)adhesive foil I could apply to the guitar that would protect the finish and NOT damage the surface. I’ve already got a “rough spot” below the pickups and would like to do something about that before it gets any worse. Any ideas and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! As usual Griff, you are a constant source of inspiration and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your all you efforts and contributions!!!!
get a real pick guard sticky foil i think not if you dont want to damage it and ever want to use a real guard you will have to take that sticky stuff off what a mess that coulb be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You could try the clear film that they use for Ipad screen covers. It comes away easily and will probably do the trick. Disclaimer: I’ve never done it.
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don’t scratch that beautiful Taylor Guitar. LOL . so many years and so many string changes. worst string change was on a bigspy tremlo. i use lemon oil to clean my frets and conditions the fret board. use non abrasive car wax on my guitars and then hand buff them to a nice shine. good protection from moisture. use NEVER DULL on my hardware. keeps it shineing and protects from oxidation. don’t forget that using heavy guage strings, you most likelly will have to ajust the truss rod. reset the intonation after every string change. use the 12th fret and place your finger on each string and tune it. then tune it the regular way and recheck your intonation ajustment.
This is probably heresy, but I’ve used generic lemon-scented furniture polish and Old English, the higher-end stuff, on both acoustics and electrics for about 40 years. Doesn’t seem to hurt a thing. WD40 or a tad of gun lube on the tuners.
Nice article, Griff, and of course it is important to maintain your guitars. However, please do not perpetuate the myth that “the thicker the gauge the better the tone is but the harder it is to play.” This myth is easy to disprove. We could take two identical guitars, one strung with 09s and the other strung with 13s, and you can play your 13s and get a great tone, but I can easily match with a small adjustment to the volume knob. Remember, Jimmy Hendrix mostly played 9s or 10s, and Billy Gibbons prefers 8s. Do those two guys have a weak tone? If it makes you feel better to make a judgement about string gauge, here’s a true one: The thicker the string the harder to play, and the thinner the string, the easier to break. Now that is not as glamorous, but it has the virtue of being true.
true! the heavier the guage the better the tone. more volume in size resonates more tone. physics! if you have a string bridge with the wedge string guides, your going to break lighter weight strings. replace it with a roller saddel bridge. better tone and stays in tune after so many bends in a set on stage.
that explains why the screen door spring sounded so good when I would pluck it! drove my Granny nuts, but I loved the tone
Great help and advice, Griff ……. Thanks heaps. By the way, I go back a long way and was wondering if Black Diamond strings are still available. Cheers from “Down Under” (Australia to the uninitiated).
Black Diamond are still around here in South Texas. Check out Wal-Mart. I go back to the 60’s and I thought those were the only ones around. Fenders and Gibson were toooooooo pricey back in those days.
AHHHH the Black Diamond, when I was a Kid you could get Black Finger strings at any Drug or 5/10 store for a full set .50 then they went to a 1.00. after stringing the guitar, would never cut the string ends, My Kay had a axe head for a bridge, the strings would break right there, all ya had to do was back off at the tuner peg get enough slack and twist end into Broke off STEEL bobbin, and you was back in biz, The heavy nickel content of the string would turn your finger tips Black, hence Black finger strings, when the strings went dead, you would take em off Boil them and they were great sounding for another couple days.
Hey, Griff. Willy Nelson runs steel strings on a classical guitar….just sayin’ !
wille nelson guitar was never a nylon string guitar. it’s got to be from the 50’s. being in the music business, knowing willie if it was an acoustic he has a trusrod neck.the guy is a genius.
Hi Griff,could you tell me if Mr.Sheen is good for cleaning and polishing your guitar.I have been told it is good as it is good for wooden furniture and anything wooden.It certainately makes my fender accoustic look a million bucks.It does certainately make my Harley look like it should.It’s good on the paintwork and the chrome….
Cheers AL..
Thank you Griff for every bite of information concerning the great musical instrument ( GUITAR ) and all that involves making it the best towards playing it proper and teaching us all about it …I have learned alot from you … God bless you and all your loved ones , Bye now .
I’m not Griff buy here’s two cents on tube amps vs solid state. I have both.
I think it depends how experienced you ate and how much money.
Tube amps give a sweeter more organic sound. But they cost more, are delicate,weigh more, and are louder. Solid state modeling amps are cheaper, sturdier, and provide multiple special effects. So if you’re just getting started I recommend solid state modeling amps. Line 6 Spider 4s are very good and a 75 watt can be had for $300 A 30 Watt for about $150. I found when O started it was a lot of fun to use tremolo and a phaser at once. Lots can be done. When you get more advanced. lol entry of time to get a decent tube amp like a Fender Blues Junior or Fender Pro Junior.
if your a beginner, you can get a 5Watt tube amp for close to $300.00. Digetic, line 6, all the effects sound to digital and they break. vox makes the sound lab multi effects proccer. very close sound to analog. small and cost around $89.00. once you get your chops then go for a tube amp in the 30-40 watt range. make sure it has reverb adjustment knob, not a switch to turn it on.
Meteoro, Atomic Drive ADR 20, 139.00 Or the Meteoro Nitrous,129.00 amazing little amps, I have 27 amps, ranging from Silver tone 1962, to Several Marshall full stacks, 1960’s Kustoms roll and tuck,etc. Love a good sounding amp,no matter if its SS or tube, just because its a tube amp does not instantly guarantee a good tone or volume, I ran across the Meteoro ADR 20 and was Blown away with the Tones and Gain break up or super clean sweet Tones for acoustic or Electric use, when I found it was ONLY 139.00 Lunch money!! I had to have it, with line out,and speaker line I drove a 4/12 Marshall cab with it and it sounded amazing, If you get a chance, cause they are Hard to get hands on one, you will fall in love as well
Thanks Griff. I play Strats and changing strings is easy. The hard part for me was making a proper knot in the peg. Eventually I changed pegs to Femder Deluxe tuning machimes. No knot required. Just put the string in the hole and start tightening slowly.
I use Dadarrio .10s. I tried Ernie Ball Cobalts which I really liked. I realized after a couple of weeks they weren’t any better than the Cobalts just more money.
I know how to raise and lower actions but adjusting necks with truss rods is out of my league. If you have any suggestions about feeling if you’ve straightened the neck right I’d love to hear that.
Depends on what you want to do with the truss rod. I set all may Telecasters 1/8 inch (ish) off the straight clockwise as you look from body upwards because it suits my (ham fisted) playing, however if you don’t want to change anything I suspect there is no need to mess with it.
Thanks for ALL the help, I’m improving big time, but I would like you to talk about amps. The difference between tube and solid state. Is there that big a difference especially if you play at home?
Great advice and tips, thanks a million.
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Thanks for the stringing and cleaning info.
thanks for that advice. rogerr………….
Hi Griff,
I have been playing since I was 14 years old and started out on Classical Piano. I never have payed much attention to the size, recently I purchased a Gibson Songwritter from Guitar Center absolutely love the tonation of it. I have used size # 10 and feel that I can really bend the strings with my index and middle finger that my SG with Humbuckers from the Gibson shop really maintain the tonality, and great sustain. I have a humidifier in my case, but when I tune my guitar, it stays in tune. I haven’t put one in my other cases and all I can figure is that I have a really balanced humidity. We run the central air all Summer. In the Winter, it seems as though he gets the humidity that it needs. I bought your course, as we moved into a country town and people out here seem to appreciate country rock crossover and so the other members of my band that consisted of other musicians that were also in for their music degrees. The started out coming out here to pick me up, but that only lasted for about a year. I developed narrow angle glaucoma, so I couldn’t reat sheat musiic any longer. I like your approach to the guitar, as you make leaning fun. I took lessons for guitar with Joe Negry, who was the guitar player on Sesame Street, but he had the old Italian values and after getter my finger slapped enough with a ruler, I went to another instructer. By the way, Joe Negri was a very famous Jazz guitar player and that is basically what I wanted to learn anyway as my deceased Mom was a Big Band singer for KDKA and she sang with all the famous bands as they traveled through this area. Mom would have them over for Dinners and I cant tell you how many times they would bounce me on their knees. I had and did meet Bands like Count Bassey, Jimmy Smith and his Royal Hawaain Orchestra. It was a great opportunity to learn from them, but I was very young. and couldn’t read yet let alone be instructed.
Griff,
I was taught to change two at a time, working from the two e”s in. Take two off, replace them.
Is this ok to do?
finally Griff, you have told people about how to change strings on an acoustic. i start with the g sting then the d and work my way out wards. b then d then the 2 e’s.
do it like Griff tells you. removing the low e could cause a loss in intonation.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR INFO! IM JUST STARTING OUT SO EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS. THANKS AGAIN, LYNN. ONE QUESTION I HAVE A HARD TIME MAKING THE “F” CORD ANY SUGESTIONS?
first fret: bar the high e string with the b string.use your index finger then fret 2 on the g and fret 3 on the d string. practice scales. start at the bass e string and hit the string down the fret board using your first finger than your second and then your 3rd finger and then your 4th finger keeping all fingers down as you go thru the scale, then hit all the your fingers down on the scale and lift esch one up afer the other. do this on all 6 strings. this will build up strength and help your fingers out in making hard chords.
Hi Griff. A good lesson on maintenance / string type, I have just changed the strings on my acoustic guitar to D,Addario .010-.047 light phosphor bronze,the tone know is a lot brighter and warmer .Thanks for all the e-mails Great Job……..J.P.C.
Hey Griff great info. Check out Elixir strings they work great and out last any string that Ihave ever used.
Wouldn’t use any other strings but John Pearce………They outlast any and all other strings on my acoustics………Wouldn’t and won’t use any others…………..
Great info
great info, thanks
who’s bill?
thanks and peace Wayne
I appreciate all your emails, they really go into great detail, and yet you make them so that anyone can understand them.
Thanks for everything.
Very important stuff, Griff. Thanks for the info.
Great article Griff! One of the mistakes I made the first time I tried to change the strings on my acoustic was not trying to feed the string back down into the peg whole to release the peg. Ended up scratching the guitar and breaking the peg! Does anyone have any recommendations regarding the guitar humidifiers? I live in North Texas and it is usually pretty dry and hot. I spend to much on these guitars not to do everything I can to maintain them. Generally they stay in their cases when I am not playing them, but do I need a case humidifier? Thanks!
Hi,
I’ve been playing since I was nine and I just turned 60. I still found your article about guitar maintenance since you start to loose memory after a while. I also think the section about changing strings will be helpful to beginners. I know a lot of people who play and still have the original strings, asking me to change them, because they never learned.
Keep up the great work!
JIMMYGJR60
I don’t think Bill is a Jerk, I think he is an a–hole
Thanks Griff! any comment about strings breaking while in the case? My martin classic is starting to break the third string up from low E. always the same string? I try to use Martin strings if I can find them. Does not seem to matter. breaks up near the nut or tuner. I don’t see any sharp place. Never did this before. I’ve had it about 20 or more years.
Griff,great advice.I have your Begining Blues Guitar course,where you explain how to string the guitar. Very helpfull. Thanks, Mike Z.
Thanks Griff. Martin Guitars has an excellent video on their website on this topic and also goes into fret board maintainable and guitar cleaning tips.
Pity Bill is not as good with grammar as he is with arithmetic i.e. “your very good….” See hos opening line.
Griff is excellent. Bill is a jerk.
like that………..bill
Here is a bit of advice to Aadenn, (down the list about 13).. If you are continuously breaking strings, I would suggest you quit beating on the instrument like.you want to kill it, and strum or pick it gently with some loving affection. A guitar is a living thing, and should be treated like a loved companion, not like an enemy you want to kill. If you need more volume, buy an amplifier and let it do the noise making.
I have some instruments that I bought new in the early 1970’s and have never broken a string on them while playing, and the tops are still like new, with no chunks of wood gouged out of them.
Here in the U.K. the weather is temperamental to say the least. One day is hardly ever the same as the last( until the government declare a drought situation–then it can rain for weeks). As I often play out with friends sometimes in pubs.I usually clean off the strings with” fast fret” cleaner after playing, then put the guitar in its case, this seems to help remove the sweat from fingers and any other dusts that are in the atmosphere. what do you think Griff?
Thanks for the advice it’s always really useful. Even though I’ve been playing for a while now I think it’s good to return to basics and check you’re doing everything right.
Just a shame that some people always have to bring others down. Don’t see Bill running a successful website with thousands of subscribers…..
Thank you Griff for the wonderful information! As a humble “Newbie” at guitar, I certainly appreciate ALL of the tips etc… you share. I do NOT need to “Puff myself up” at your (or anyone else’s) expense as some others try to do. We all have God-given talents, yours is guitar, and Bills apparently is finger math. Keep on keeping us informed! 🙂
Hey Griff!!
Thanks for the tips and taking the time to write it all up.
Take care
Chris.
p.s. Bill, perhaps you should visit another web site as I don’t think your comments are appreciated or even well thought out.
Bill,
Do you now feel superior because you’ve pointed out that you’re aware there are 6 strings on most guitars. You could use a little practice at not being a perfect jerk. I hope you’re better with a guitar than you are with a computer keyboard but I really doubt it.
This kind of info is pretty basic to those who know but greatly appreciated by those who don’t. It’s nice that you take the time to look after us newbies!
The best cleaner for removing dirt and grime from a guitar is naptha, aka lighter fluid. In his book on guitar repair, Dan Erlwine says he uses it on all guitars, even those with a French polish finish.
Good luck with that buddy, I know harsh chemicals take the polish off my coffee table , on my Guitar no!!!!.
dear Bill
you forgot to take your shoes and socks off and use your toes as well,
some maths teacher you are, what you have to do is imagine you are a child and want to know something you just pester someone with banal statements/questions until they tell you its easy practice practice,, down rover
Russ
PS Griff spot on tuition keep on..!
You say: “.. Try your best to keep the coil neat and not cross over itself…….”. Then in that same paragraph you say: ” The remaining six strings……..” Question! are there 7 strings on this guitar?
Your very good at your instructions on the guitar, but possibly need a lesson on basic math. You can count on your hand digits, which you probably have ten altogether-So if you count only six strings, one for each digit, you would have 4 left over, counting 7 would leave you 3 left over. One string from 6 strings would leave 5 strings. Now that is simple, just practice and practice and it will come. Oh! by the way practice does not make perfect but perfect practice does make perfect and you certainly have no problem teaching the perfect way. Waiting for your next session.
Thanks Griff !
A slew of most interesting comments!
In my country Cuba I use to play. In Hotel Habana LIbre former Hilton Hotel. I play in the Show Orchestra The government guide us the strings only when it was broken. you show the string and they give you the new one. Here I can change the whole strins every month. Is very good information about the products to clean my guitar, thank you
G’day Griff and Co. My wife and I just recently returned from 5 years travelling throughout Australia, busking, and visiting many music festivals. I’ve used evrey string pack in the book. I played $75.00 jobbies and they broke just as quickly as the $5.00 a pack El Cheepo brands. I use 13 – 56’s because I play very hard and I like volume and tone. 2 clicks on the trust rod ( VERY Carefully !!!! ) no problems on an old Ibanez cutaway acoustic with a pre-amp. We did 2 hour shows every day with no set breaks. One time I broke 4 strings in 2 hours. If you’re not breaking strings you’re not playing the guitar !!!! My guitar was in a case, in our camper van no problems. For 5 years it was on my strap, rain hail or shine !!!! I just wanted to play…so I did !!! Can’t practice…so I play…play…play !!!!
Just do it – your way, or someone else’s…but just do it.
Boy, you ain’t just a woofin’ when it comes to humidity causing problems! And not just those wooden types. Uh huh! I live very near the beaches of Queensland and (yeah, I know… poor me!) and I can tell when the humidity is ramping up… strings ease outa tune quick. Guess there’s gotta be some downside to living here.
Thanks for all your videos, Griff… some, well, most, are beyond my skill level. But wasn’t so long ago ALL were unplayable. Thanks for your lessons and your extra help……….
Bill
this was a helpful article. I am not what you call a good guitar player but I like to keep my stuff clean and up to date, thank you!
Great article! I would also like to point out that keeping an instrument clean between changes is very, very important for string life. I play jobs regularly and the first thing done at the end of the night (whether playing a gig or rehearsing) is to wipe the sweat and grunge off of the guitar and strings. I own a good number of guitars and possess several purchased new in the 60’s and 70’s. When stored (whether on stands or in the cases) I loosen the strings to relieve tension. Most of my guitars (with the exception of a couple with some unfortunate dings) look as good as the day they were purchased. I’ve never understood how someone can take a fine instrument and have it look like beat up junk in no time at all. When changing strings I loosen them all about 5 turns and let the instrument sit for a while. I then remove them all, clean and lightly lemon oil the fretboard (rosewoods and ebony) and then and clean and polish the body body of the instrument prior to re-stringing. When re-stringing I put the strings back on, bring up the tension (not to full pitch) let it sit for a while and then tune to pitch using the technique you described regarding stretching the strings. My system takes more time and probably is over kill but I’ve been very happy with how it works for me and keeps my instruments in great condition.
Right on. I OWN A COLLECTION I KEEP CASED.I ALSO FOLLOW SAME PROTOCOL FOR CHANGING STRINGS AND STORAGE.HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED INTONATION PROBLEMS.LEMON OIL IS YOUR FRIEND.
GOD BLESS
I was reading your article how to care for your guitar and you mention never to use steel strings on a Classical Guitar. Perhaps I should know this but what constitutes a Classical Guitar please
Bill
A Clasical Guitar is a guitar designed to use Nylon Strings, has no metal neck rod and usually no metal tuning heads, just wooden or plastic bars , horizontal in the head to wind the strings around.
enjoyed your reminder of how to change guitar strings.thanks also for reminder of using special polish for guitars.
regards
richard
Griff
Thanks for your notes on guitar maintenance. I have Electric, steel strung acoustic and gut strung classical guitars.
Can you direct me to information about setting up classical guitars please, particularly about the ideal string height of the strings from the finger board.
If the string height is too high, not only does it make more difficult to play, but the extra tension
places on the strings cause it to be slightly out of tune. This especially noticable at high fret numbers.
This problem seems to be solvable on electric guitars because many have small adjustments
to string length at the bridge.
There seems to be no adjustment on classical guitars, other than lowering the on most bridges.
Thanks
what is your thoughts about storing a guitar on it’s back in a case?
do you use yourself sprays on your strings or recomended if so what kind or brand.
Good advice
Maybe you can answer a question for me Griff. I have several guitars and I want to store them away for awhile….How should I go about ensuring that I don’t get any warping of the neck, before I store them?
TIA
TW
Good stuff and helpful —thanks
Good stuff, easily understood and do-able. I will pass this info on. I like your approach.
JBJr.
This is great info. Thank you for all you do.
how best can one take care of guitar n strings where the country i live is 85-90%humidity?
ooops forgot,by the way my e mail is amok4@hotmail.com
dear griff recently i acquired a second hand guitar shaped like the bb king model.
the make of the guitar is “PALMER”.
it has no model name,can u please (if u know) tell me where this guitar is made s the websites dont seem to have any info on it!
anyone who reads this,please comment!
thank u
I sounded like Neil young and Ravi Shankar at times..whew.bad on the fingers..Thanx for sharing the info griff.
Thanx for bringing the “no steel strings on an acoustic”..for years I always wandered why I was the only one that could or wanted to play my acoustic..that went on for a long time.the strings were very high off the neck,but I got to practice my slide.so wasn’t too bad..Thanx..
Thank you for reminding me not to take all the strings off at once!
My poor baby, I’ve been taking all the strings off when installing new ones…forgive me..
remember all acoustic guitars need to have humidity 45% is the ideal condition.the internal humidifiers are the best. they don’t cost a lot and they work well. i have brought guitars back from what looked like death. sunken tops, rolled forward bridges, warped necks all of it is caused by lack of humidity most of the time. they will come back in about 3 months from almost unplayable shape to almost good as new. it is amazing.
you don’t mention how you set the height of the strings to get the proper action or what settings you use
A second thought – what about the use of ‘Fast Fret’ on the strings & fretboard at regular intervals? Is it worthwhile or a waste of time?
Thank you Griff that is very helpful and i am enjoying all your lessions
Watch the humidity and don’t let your guitar get too dry in the winter months. A tip I got was to put a damp sponge in the small compartment of your case and leave the guitar in the case when not playing. I didn’t dot that and even though it was only hanging when not in use, my ten year old Martin split. Fortunately the wood did not split, just the back seam and I’ll be able to get it fixed better than new.
All good advise wish i could buy you a coffee just to say thanks,jim
As ever excellent advice from someone with huge experience i.e. you Griff. It all helps and further demonstrates your love of the instrument. Thanks Griff
Grif, if you are half as nice as you seem, you are one fine person. From us old guys to the youngsters, you are a blessing. Thank you for all you are giving back.
God bless, Clyde
I’ve read recommendations that you should wipe down your strings with a lint free damp cloth after use to keep them sounding good and prolong their useful life. Make sense I think.I usually run the cloth under the strings and up sand down the neck to clean the undersides.
I’m curious about what your thoughts are, for long term storage, for guitars that are only played once or twice a year…if that. It would seem that the guitar necks and tops would be vulnerable if the strings weren’t loosened. I’m rather concerned about it, because I’m trying to save some 12 string beauty’s to give to my Grandchildren, someday.
Your comments about how to wind the strings were very interesting….. bending with a one inch lead was very helpful.
I’ve been playing guitar now for about 50 years – not improving a lot but enjoying it nonetheless. I knew most of the tips about tending to the guitar but a couple things were good to know that I was not sure about. One was on keeping the guitar in the case when not in use. I see so many guitars hanging in shops and displayed on walls I wondered about that. I personally keep them in the case just to keep them clean and prevent accidents and they seem to have survived well. I also recommend a humidifier. My house is kept at about 50% humidity and i keep the temperature around 67 degrees or a little cooler. Even in my early years in the Dakota’s when I didn’t always have the money for a good case I wrapped blankets around instruments when traveling to keep them safe and warm in winter and protected from elements in summer. I used to take all the strings off when changing strings so I could put a good fret board treatment on and clean all the frets, but your idea of changing one string at a time makes sense. One thing you didn’t mention was the pressure that heavier strings might put on a guitar. I know my Martin D-28 paperwork (which I saved from years ago) recommends light gauge strings to reduce pressure on the neck and bridge. I also tend to tune my 12 stings to a D instead of E and then capo up to E or just play in the lower key and transpose as needed. I don’t always get as good of tone and volume but figure the guitar is less likely to warp.
Thanks for the tips. Michael Murray
Hi ,Griff Your always on the ball griff thank you .John.
Good info regarding acoustic guitar care. Remember to consult many different sources. Weigh all and consider. No knee-jerk actions. Sometimes things are worded better for you. A case in point would be when Griff refers to ‘humidity’. He sez he lives in a moderate climate so humidity, either wet or dry isn’t a prob. If you live in Florida or Nevada you should be aware of the conditions by now! It’s common sense. Martin, for example has extensive info about caring for your guitar. Buy a little humidity meter and keep in the case and go from there. It sure doesn’t take much to lay your guitar in the case for a couple of hours and then open ‘er up and play. Make it convenient.
A good tip from Guster, below about installing strings. Bend up the string ect.
Thanks for your imput. Bob B
Good tips on string replacement, I’m not sure about storing your guitar in it’s case.
I own a very expensive hand built Larivee and the instructions are not to store it in it’s case, but rather, use a guitar stand which allows air circulation. Who knows? I had a Epihone Masterbuilt and it had a humidity indicator built into the case.
I’m enjoying your new Acoustic Blues, lots of good stuff
Thanks
Pete
After years of storing guitars,I still don’t know the best way.(Tried different waysStill can’t tell)! In the case, face up?face down?straight up? leaned against the wall? ETC!!! Which is best for all the ones I raely get out?????? THANKS
Been playing for over 45 years & I Love my guitar collection!!! Info. helping me take care of them all is VERY IMPORTANT to me & those I will leave them too… THANKS 4 the Info…
Hi Griff,always welcome your support and advice,maybe you could share your thoughts on fitting Rev.Willy,s 7 guage on an American Strat.with advantage /disadvantage possibilities.Cheers.
Good advice Griff. I didn’t know this info for years. It cost me unrepairable damage to two lovely Martin guitars and finish checking to a wonderful old ’69 Rickenbacker 360F. Just a thought that you might want to go a little further and explain about hygrometers and humidity protection products like Planet Waves packs that do both in removing too much humidity or replacing it if your atmosphere is too dry. Ameritage guitar cases have a great humidity device in the form of two plastic canisters filled with a clay type material. All you do is open them, submerge them under water in the sink for ten minutes, close, dry and leave in your guitar case. They are only about $15 each and you do it once a month. As I grew older, I moved up to some high end guitars like A Taylor jumbo, an 8 string baritone, a Circa coco bolo and a McPherson Brazillian rosewood. $15 for a humidity product is a cheap price to pay to protect these instruments.
great tips specially for beginners.
I remember once buying ‘Tape Wound’ strings and not liking them. Any comments?
All tips from you are so valuable. Thanks
Lionel
JOHN BERRIMAN – REPLACE THREADS WITH A HELI-COIL. CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL MOM & POP HARDWARE STORE.
Personally I like DR brand Strings. Jeff Healey endorsed them, and as a musician that relied totally on “feel” to play, I figured he knew what he was talking about. I also periodically treat my rosewood fretboard guitars with lemon oil. It gives the wood a nice leather feel.
Hi,just a word to string gauge.I use .010’s on my Les Paul and feel very comfortable with it,but i find- due to the shorter scale -on my Start i prefer Hybrids (Ernie Ball).This gives you a nice heavy bottom feel,but allows string bending(for me at least) a lot more flexibility up top.
One very important thing I didn’t see in your blog about winding the strings. For tunIng pegs on the left side of the neck, insert the string through the hole from the right side, wrap the end of the string around 1/2 turn to the right and under where you stuck it through the hole, then bend it up 90 degrees. This will prevent the string from slipping once you start putting tension on it and after it is in tune. For pegs on the opposite (right) side, insert the string through the hole from the left side and wrap the end around 1/2 turn to the left and do the same under and up bend. I myself think that Elixir strings are the absolute best you can buy. They have a protective coating that helps keep them from rusting or corroding and it makes them slick as butter to play. I like the .010’s myself. Try a set if your serious about your playing, I bet you’ll never go back to the junk you use now lol. Have fun, keep jamming, and keep the good info coming Griff.
Thanks!!!
A fellow told me the following: Take a paper towel, double it and lay it on the fret board. Take another and spray silicone on it and run it up and down the strings several times. Cautiously, I tried it and the sound seems more clear and sharp, and has prolonged the life of my strings. Do this very often.
Your comments.
I love guitar playing an endeavour which has come to me fairly late in life (48) how ever my son is really into heavy metal music (playing) a form of noise designed to induce a stress induced heart attack in me. I have discovered that cleaning his “Axe” in the top loader washing machine don’t forget the full spin cycle, has vastly improved the sound
At 63 all I can say is LOL.
I think the section on humidity is misleading. Just keeping the guitar in the case, even a hard-shell case, will not keep it at the proper humidity in climates that vary from cold to hot during the year, such as NY, where I live. By doing this I incurred a $600 repair to my Gibson J-30 which had become deformed from improper humidity.
To maintain it properly, I now use a Planet Waves humidifier, about $9.00, which is basically a sponge moistened with distilled water inside a small plastic case, which hangs between the strings down into the sound hole. It must be re-moistened every three days or so. I use a second one in the case up near the end of the neck. This works in the winter. I’m still looking for a good summer method, as I don’t use air-conditioning, which does the trick. Planet Waves makes a more expensive year-round system called the Humidipak which does not work in the summer, in my experience, contrary to their claims. I am going to try some home-made solutions this summer and see what works.
One should also have a hygrometer in the case to check the humidity, which should be between 40 and 60%.
Home humidity conditions, whether wet or dry, easily pass through guitar cases to the inside. Frankly, this is a little cutting, but I can’t help it: you do your readers a real disservice by giving them the impression that keeping the guitar in the case is all they need to do!
My acoustic guitar recently had a ping sound on the first 3 frets. I leave it out. I took an allen wrench and loosened the nut at the top of the guitar and retuned and problem went away. My conclusion was the wood dried out over the fall and early winter. This is the first winter I’ve owned this guitar. I’m wondering if the opposite will happen in June when moisture levels return to the house!!
Great information, always wondered when to change strings. Got into the habit of changing only when one would break and think “guess its time…”
Thank you
Loved your article. I play a yamaha acustic…not very well these days. In the. 60 s i was part of a. Band.called. “the life cycle we produced an animated short for ralph baksi called mavin diggs it is on u tube. So now i am old.but. not discouged. Your mall is l s so great. I think i would llke to play blues.
.
ls
!playy blues. G.oodd for old hilppies..will continue to reads your mail..tks. verna
Daltoart.com
Thanks your article was a real help /
One important thing to remember when changing strings is to change like for like otherwise you’ll screw up that beautiful set up that you are so used to. So If you’ve got .010 Ernie Balls fitted replace them with the same, If you change to lighter strings, say .008’s, the tension will be different (less). The neck will drop back lowering the action so you may get buzzing etc on an electric. It’ll be the same difference if you change up to .012’s except the tension will be greater and your lovely low set up will increase alarmingly and it will be a dog to play. The same applies to accoustics as well.
Its easy to alter the set up on an electric with a bolt on neck but not so easy with a set or through neck. One tip I’ve found that’s worth sharing is if you buy say an accoustic and the action at the 12th fret is too high try dropping the string guage down to say .11’s or even .010’s before having a luthier reset the neck. Remember though that the sound will be a bit “thinner” the lighter the guage that you fit. ALWAYS MEASURE THE THICKNESS OF YOUR STRINGS BEFORE REPLACEMENT, THE GUY IN THE SHOP WON’T KNOW WHAT’S ON YOURS!
lots of help,,,,iam not very good mon my guitar but when i have time i enjoy reqading your news tips, as soon as i can afford to buy you cd’s i will. truly cal o ward
Exactly the procedure I’ve used for twenty years. only lemon oil on dark wood fret boards not maple only fast fret on maple IMHO. 0000 steel wool (bb sized ball just big enough to clean fret and not scar fretboard.) once a month for cleaning frets. Love your axe like no other woman and she will always provide you with hours of enjoyment.
The Revelator
Great Article….
All good basic stuff. I always clean mine with a polish with beeswax on it. Brill’ Then after a gig just rub over with a cloth & back you go to polished up. Do every time I change the strings. Works for me. PS. Any suggestions ? Iv’e had a little helper pack away my strat for me, very kind but they have taken off the tremolo wrong & strripped the threads in the whole. thanks. WHAT TO DO ?
@ Salvy24: Kinda hard to answer without seeing the guitar. Best guess: a worn 2nd fret or a high 3rd fret. Have a repairman check it out.
@ Ken Harwood: 60 – 70 % relative humidity would be ideal.
Thanks for all your help over the past year. I played some 40 yrs ago and have just started uo again with your help. At times its advanced but works my soggy brain well. I want to start with a series that is good for me Any suggestions?
Thanks
Jerry
I just recently purchased a used Danelectro Hodad w/Bigsby-type tremolo. I have a terrible string fret buzz on the A string at the second fret. Any suggestions? There is no truss rod, it’s a bolt-on neck. Thanks!!!
My Jose Ramirez R-2 came with a humicase. I use it when the heat is functioning in my north Florida home. The case has a high humidity. I don’t know the house humidity. Should I case it or leave it out? I could get an instrument to measure the house humidity, but I still don’t know what is the best level for the instrument.
Thank you for this and your many helpful thoughts!
Quick question: I recently allowed a friend to play one of my guitars and he must have just finished an ice cream cone or something. The next time I picked it up the strings were sticky and had no action. What do you recommend for cleaning dirty, gritty strings??
Hard to keep your guitar in tune? Imagine for a moment that the manufacturer painted your new guitar strings on one side between the ball to the other end. Your stringing technique may reveal that the strings end up twisted several times between the bridge and nut so that the painted side appears twisted once or twice between bridge and nut. So make sure you carefully draw the string through the machine head; making sure you don’t accidently leave the string twisted as you put the right angle kink at the machine head.
I’ve been playing guitar for 40 years now. I must have restrung hundreds of guitars. However, for some reason it seems that they never hold tune very well. Even after stretching out the new strings. I use to try and explain away the dilemma by blaming it on the quality of the tuning keys. Over the years I must of bought & sold dozens of guitars. They all couldn’t have poor tuning keys. Why does this always seem to happen ? Could it be that I’ve been not stringing my guitars correctly all these years? If so, I apologize to all of my past guitars that I cursed at over the years. I once was in a music store and saw an employee stringing a guitar. I tried to note the technique he was using. I’m not so sure that there is a set way to string a guitar. But when I spoke to him he said that he always liked to lock the string on the first turn by bringing the string up under the first revolution, then finishing with at least four to five more revolutions. The trick is to judge in advance the length to start at so you end up with no more than 4 to 5 revolution.
Excellent advice, I might add in condemnation of furniture posish that some also contain lemon oil which after time will cause a dull satin finish and in extreme cases can lift a thin veneer right off the guitar.
i am a 50 yer oldman and new at [[[[[[[[ plz ]]]]] help me
hey bro comment about your four note blues solo which I might add rocks but i only counted at most three notes one on fifth string maybe two counting the bends and two on sixth string but whos counting hehe good info thanks T
Hi Griff have been out of circulation for a while but,as usual thanks for the good sound advice.
Griff, what would be REALLY valuable would be a VIDEO of you showing exactly how to replace a string on one post, with, lengths, bends, directions clearly and slowly shown.
I have been playing for years but keep being told I put the strings on wrong. It really can’t be shown with words, it has to be SLOWLY demonstrated, on video, just one string, the low E, would be fine.
It would resolve a lot of confusion, when you just READ the instructions, thought you did a good job, it is ALWAYS confusing. And I have met pros (I am a music journalist) who don’t really know the right way to do it.
Help ! , thanks, Vic ,
I always restring one at a time on my Gibson LP. If you don’t the tail piece will fall. I have a friend who was so freaked out over this that he did not change his strings for 5 years…Ahhhh! I played it and OMG it was terible, but he had become used to it.
Back to what I was saying. I do however change all my strings at once on my Stratocaster. And right now I am changing the pickups and the tone and volume controls so I have to remove them all. However I agree changing strings every 2 or 3 months is best, and it doesn’t matter how often you play they will still get slight oxyadation and dirt even in the case. And there is nothing like the feel of a new set of strings under your fingers.
Happy Playing evreyone, and thanks Griff.
Griff, thanks for the tips! I have steel strings on my acoustic and sounds great with my roland street amp a small cube box with effects built in. But had no idea that Classical is built so differant then a Acoustic.
Thanks again
Should you leave the strings tight to pitch when the guitar is not in use?
Beware guys of leaving your guitars out in any daylight, sunlight is the worst, turns those wonderful Blue mahogany dyed guitars the worst faded greeny colour ever, and its ruined that gorgeous red mahogany dye on my Gibson, and even ruined the rich deep brown mahogany on my Martin 12 string.. its pathetic really how unknowingly stupid ive been about the damage the suns UV can do… it will bleach anything!!!
i know its tempting not to put them in the cases but really thats the only place to keep them safe.
Or at least close the curtains in the room you keep them in when your out during the day.. THAT WILL PROTECT THEM!
Also DO NOT USE PLEDGE>> EVER
hey and keep your girlfriend out of the sun too, it ruins their beautiful skin!
Leathery skin is ok for us guys i guess.
Raymond
Griff, I know this isn’t the best forum for this question. But I don’t know where else to put it. What is your take on guitars with scalloped fret boards, ala Ritchie Blackmore. Advantages? Sound differences? Or just more difficult to play, which is an assumption based on the fact that 99% of the guitars have flat frets. The local guitar store has a sweet Strat scalloped, and I am twitching on it.
GRIFF, Does it hurt the guitars to hang on a wall in a room in an air condition home. I live in Florida so the air conditioner controls the humidity. It is just so easy to walk in the room, pick a guitar off the wall to play. I have been doing this for over a year and can see or hear no ill effect.Once in a while a slight tuning touch up and I,m ready to go. But if I’m causing them harm I,ll change things.
Please advise. Thanks Paul
Good advice, Thankyou..
I do remove all the strings on the accoustic and electric OOOOPS,
mainly to to give the neck a polish but point taken, stressing and unstressing
in that way cant do any good..
cheers
CP
Imagine you’ve got a “Tug of War” with Six guys on each side. What would happen if All Six Guys on One Side were to “Let Go”? Well, that is similar to what will happen when you “Release” the Tension on Neck by Removing all Six Strings.
Bear in Mind that even a Temperature Change of 10 degree (depending on Humidity) will cause the Wood to Expand or Contract…so a “Sudden” Release of Pressure (like removing all six strings) is a Big Deal. “Don’t Do It”
Grif…U Da Man!
Thank you so much to help every guitar player to be neat with the instrument Yeaaaah!
Thanks some excellent detail
Thanks for that Griff… specially for the warning about furniture polish; is there a particular kind of guitar polish you would recommend?
I have another query too: How important exactly is it to change strings one at a time?
The reason I ask is that, with the aid of an electronic tuner, I find it much quicker and easier to change all six strings at once… and you can clean under the string area much more efficiently this way too.
I can’t say that I’ve noticed any ill effects from doing it this way on previous guitars… My last (Ibanez) guitar I’d had for many years and always changed them all at once. I sold it recently, but its neck and action were still just as good as they were when I’d bought it (and it was secondhand even then!) On the other hand, I wouldn’t want to do anything that might compromise the health of either my new SG Gibson or Epiphone PR 5E…
🙂
Thanks Griff
Been out of the loop for some time have been in hospital. Jusy started to play again. Thanks for the information,nice and well put together.
Great information. Thank you for sending this to me. I will refer to it often.
YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY THANKS FOR THE TIPS , I HAVE BEEN PLAYING A 1956 D-28 MARTIN SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 1958 NEW. I WAS IN THE MARINES AND WE MOUNTED OUT FOR NAM IN 1962 FROM KANOAE MARINE CORP AIR STATION 4TH MARINE BRAGADE, CAPT. PALONIS YELLED TO ME O’FERRALL BRING YOUR GUITAR AND LEAVE YOUR GUN AT HOME……THE WEATHER WAS HOT 126 DEG. AND HUMID MY GUITAR STILL LOOKS GREAT …..
Good coverage of the subject. Thanks.
Thank you for the information on guitar maintenance Griff.
Roger
Say Griff does elevation have an affect on Guitars?
Hey Griff, about 2 months ago or longer I purchased the Jamerama course, was i supposed to receive any cd’s? If so, i never received them, thank’s Ron
Also, I like and enjoy your instructions, great work.
Good lesson for maintenance, thank’s.
very helpful and much needed. Thanks
That is a good
This is a good guide…some things cannot really be controlled, however. I bought a nice little guitar in Costa Rica some years back; and it literally self-destructed when I took it back with me to Montana. The difference in humidity from one extreme to another was something I had no idea how to control. Fortunately, It was the back of the guitar that cracked and sounds ok with a one-ply covering of fiberglass overlaying the back. It has become my “campfire” guitar and has been on many a trip.
This is so very helpful. I’m a beginner, and restrung my guitar without reading this first. I did make a couple of small mistakes, so will re-do! Thank you.
I have a ovation appause. I have thought about using a set of electric strings it. also usiing 10s on it. Do you have to use acoustic strings? Also what is thr difference?
Very informitive
Hi Griff.I recently purchased a used American Standard Stratocaster that the previous owner “Hot Rodded” with Locking machine heads and a Floyd Rose tremolo system. This was purchased at a Music shop and I didn’t know the previous owners playing style,but from what I hear when tuning it he loved to bend the shit out of it with the whammy bar.I tune it open and as soon as I play it, it goes out.Even pressing on ,say the A string open and then frettin it at B it’s really sharp.You can hear AND see it on the tuner.(it’s like 1/2 a step sharp)Please correct me if I’m wrong but is this an intonation issue and will I have to bring it to a Professional Luthier to right the situation.I paid $800 Canadian for her and it’s in MINT condition.Please advise.Murray tilson
Thanks Griff, as always great info and well written ,easy to understand ..Keep up the great work!!! PS. I love the tutourials you send me..Thanks for your cd course! if only I would apply myself more to using the cd,s!!!
Hi Griff,
I’m an old(er!) sax (woodwinds?) player whose “been around the block” (Yugoslavia to Panama, et al) and I’d like to thank you for all the help. I am no longer able to play sax because of dental problems and the doctors have “sworn me off” because of a heart condition (diaphragm support is a bitch! “Hey dude, ya’ want ta’ just drop dead on stage?”). Oh well…
So, I’m now reduced to the level of a guitar player/singer (I swear I’m just kiddin’)! Fortunately I learned a little guitar back in my teens and twenties and have some “guitar monster” friends who I can lean on when necessary. However, I originally gave myself three years to become competent as a three + hour solo act (I’ve been off the sax for about a year now), but just using the free stuff you’ve sent I think I’ll be able to get some “backup gigs” a lot sooner.
Cash flow ain’t what it used to be so I’m not presently able to contribute to your hard work (yea, it IS hard work!) and I just dropped some cash on a Martin DSR (the octaves are “dead on” form fret 1 to 12, low E to high E). As soon as I’m able I swear I’ll spend the cash on your CD’s. I can’t imagine how much it would help my practice sessions.
God bless, Earl
Good job Griff, you got it all correct. Just a quick question about the videos coming from Dan. My computer plays your videos great,but his don’t play at the same speed as his talk and is skippy with the picture portion. the quality of picture is good but it is very hard to follow. Do you have any suggestions or is my computer just to slow to keep up with the streaming or whatever it’s called?
Griff,
Thanks for the info. I purchased your Beginning Blues Guitar Program and it is great. I just recently bought a Taylor 214 CE Grand Aud. I can’t believe how much better it feels and sounds compared to the student guitar I was using; actually it has motivated me to practice more!!
Do your future programs teach students how to read guitar music? I was wondering if I should take classes for that, or purchase the next Blues program and take classes.
Again thanks for the info!!
Great tips!!! Thank you
Hey Thanks Griff..great article..Would you be able to do a video or article on How to make your guitar and amp get the sound your looking for then you can add your effects pedals..I know I’m not explaining this well..but it’s more to do with setting your settings on your amp ,and you don’t have to touch your amp..just work your pick up selector and tone knob or volume knob to change your sound and get some variety..I guess I’m asking you what’s the technique or guideline on changing your guitar sounds from mellow to punchy to wailing..by working your guitar settings ..then if you want to kick on a chorus or wah pedal you have a great basis to start with..any help would be appreciated,I guess I’m looking for a sound,but I am having no luck dialing it in on my guitar or amp..but I know it’s due to operator error.!!..Thanks Griff..Rock On!!
OPretty much the way that I do it. Thanks
Thanks. Nice to learn the best way rather than my way.
Thanks for the tutorial on Guitar Maintenance. I’m still not real sure on exactly how to wind the new string at the tuning peg so it won’t slip 🙂
thx Griff,,you are an ‘ax-man!”
I have about 10 Guitars left so I went and bought some pegboard and they hang on my dining room walls. I keep my tempature in my home at a comfortable 78 degrees, is this alright I have the newer 2011 Gibson Goldtop 60 Tribute Studio with the p 90.s. I also have a USA HIGHWAY ONE STRAT with the noiseless pickups,I think it is a 2009 also a 2010 USA highway one TELE with the seymor duncan alnico pro II’s. But I am crazy about the late 70,s early 80,Arias Made by Matsumuko made from the Mach1 LP COPY A 76 tele copy, and an epiphone LP standard. Iam just crazy about my Aria CS-400. They are all hanging,Ijust purchased but haven’t received a PE -600, and Iswear that that is the Guitar that PRS got his idea from. Is this alright or should I case and or bag them since I have more Guitars than cases,but I have quility bags for the rest.I wipe them down and change strings when needed I have Ernie Ball 10,s on all of them,ecept a 77 ibanez acoustic I think they have 12,s on them. Will this hanging the guitars as said hurt them? Thanks Randy
Although I use Dampit humidifiers extensively (two to three per soundfhole depending on the dryness of the instrument and room it will be stored in) I also make my own humidifiers.
I buy inexpensive plastic soap dishes – the ones that come in two interlocking parts (top and bottom) and a good quality standard sized kitchen sponges that are slightly larger than the soap dish. I drill equal rows of small holes in the top of the soap dish. Then I cut two sponges to perfectly fit in the dish.
I soak the sponges, squeeze out the excess water, and place them in the soap dish.
I usually buy a 4 pack of sponges and 2 soap dishes at a time. This makes two nice long lasting humidifiers that I can fit in just about any instrument case. The soap dishes are around $2.00 each and the pack of sponges is about the same. For about $5.00 I end up with 2 nice humidifiers.
If an instrument is really dried out I hang it in my shed for a coupole of days – I have successfully completely saved quite a few acoustic instruments using this meathod, from cracked to suken tops.
Thank you for the tips. Also, I’m saving for another guitar. Currently I have a Yamaha CG (classical) I have branched out playing many different genres of music including blues, which I am finding that I really enjoy playing them. I would also like to explore more tap/slap method). I am thinking about an electric acoustic. I have read some articles and the advice is too purchase one with an all wood top. I see that there are guitars that are specifically designed for women or people with smaller hands, but I am unfamiliar with the overall quality. Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.
You don’t recommend how many winds one should use. I have found about 3 to ideal. With less, the string can slip. With more, the tuning is unstable.
Every Luthier I’ve listened to says it’s perfectly OK to remove all the strings before re-stringing. This also makes it a lot easier to clean the fretboard and guitar. Any comments?
I personally do think it is ok to remove all the strings occasionally for a total clean of the fretbord and the rest of the guitar, unlike other people,I prefer just a damp cloth, wetted in slightly soapy water, though a mild oil may be OK to finish the job. I don’t like the idea of chemical products.
Remember that you can only adjust the stress rod, if neccessary, when you have replaced the strings, starting with low E and bring them up to tune. About Bridge height,BB King says “I just adjust Lucille so she doesn’t buzz on low F”. on an electic check the harmonics.
Great tips Griff
Thanks for your regular emails and tutorials…they are concise, informative and enlightening.
Sincerely
Sean Zimmerman
Australia
Hey Griff:
Great info, this will keep it in everyones mind and don’t try rushing. Take the time to do it correctly.
THANKS
John
useful tips , often overlooked by a lot of guitarists, I guess
Re: Humidifiers and storing in a case.
Ed from the southwest mentioned yesterday his experience with his Taylor. I have had the same experience. Although I live in Oregon and our normal humidity is fairly mild I found the back of my Taylor looking a little flat. When I started storing the instrument in a case with a humidifier for a few days every once in awhile the curvature returned and the sound was improved. I even think I could detect a very slight improvement in the distance of the strings above the frets.
Humidifiers that insert between the stings work well during winter to keep the instrument humidified.
And in summer {I’m in Florida} to decrease humidity. I leave my vintage Martins and Goyas in their cases.
I am speaking just of acoustics. My Hagstrom Sg3 I keep away from lightning !!!!
How many wraps of string should there be on the tuner?
Sorry, but I am new and wonder about the meaning of your statement “high E set.” Thanks.
Good tips to follow. Like the way you play on the wee tutor clips you send. Great control and patience and right to the point. Some other tutors talk in codes beginners have never heard before and forget to explain the meaning. Then race up and down the neck. Lucky you cant hear me playing along but I’m getting there.
Your a real Guitar Hero..Thanks for the buzz.
Thanks Griff,
One question: i have also a bass guitar that i don’t often use.
Is it good or not, to slacken all the strings to prevent the neck becomes curved?
thx
Very useful. Thank you.
thanks for taking the trouble to put this article together…. you’re a thoughtful teacher.
while I’m here ….. can’t help but wonder how many there are – like me – who stumbled upon your 4 note blues free video and got inspired.
30 years of playing chords and singing and ‘nary a single guitar note did I play’
‘4 notes and a bend’ opens up a world I never expected to enter ….. that’s a great gift.
cheers
As usual Griff you pass on great information for all classes of guitar players THANKS for showing us the right way to treat our Guitars
Thankyou
Excellent, as always, wery helpull stuff. Many thanks!
Griff,
I have a 1986 Goya that I love the tone but it has some edging around the top that is cracking and coming loose is there something I can do to resolve this do they sell this at music stores I noticed the example on the string change had white edging mine is black. Love your maintenance suggestiongs here.
mc
bought my guitar Sept.last year,have never changed strings onit. with the informatin you gave out I think I can do it by myself, thanks Dennis
I am learning new stuff everyday
I had a lot of trouble over the years tuning my guitars. I never had the tuner and the guitar in the same place as the tuner when I needed it. it is so accurate on my very very nice acoustic that it just makes me smile. I have a Droid phone and I promise you that the digital tuner app called gstrings available on the Droid Market Place is the easiest that I have ever used and guess what…it is always in my pocket. go figure. AND…….IT IS FREE! YOOO HOOOwww.cohorter.org/gstrings
ps. I do not work for this company. I just use the product and love it.
Wayne
Richard Rose makes a good point about acoustics and string changes. Removing all the strings generally isn’t a problem. Not true with certain electrics. Face it, not everyone lays the guitar out flat to change strings. Old Tune-o-matic brigdes/tailpieces will unseat or fall off with all the strings removed. Remove all the strings on Floyd Rose or similar vibrato systems lets the springs pull the intonation screws against the body marring the finish or bending the adjustment screws themselves. Really take care with old archtops with wooden bridges. Usually they’re held in place by string tension only.
Fender-type fixed or tremolo bridges don’t cause much problems. Parts shouldn’t fall off and with string tension removed the trem’s baseplate just rests against the top of the body.
Personally, I prefer one at a time.
I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF YOU, BUT THINK WE SHOULD SOMEHOME GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A PARTY FOR GRIFF, SO HE CAN SEE FIRST-HAND HOW HIS TEACHINGS HAS REACHED ALL OVER THE WORLD. COME ON LETS DO THIS I KNOW TIMES ARE TOUGH RIGHT NOW, BUT LOOK WHAT GRIFF HAS DONE FOR ALL OF US WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING ON THAT CERTAIN JOB WE WERE AFTER. INSTEAD OF GOING CRAZY LIKE NORMAL WE PICKED UP GRIFF’S COURSE AND PRACTED AND IT TOOK ALL THE CRAZIES AWAY FOR AWILE JUST BUY PLAYING HIS COURSE. SO WE OWE HIM ATLEAST THAT MUCH WHAT TO YA THINK PEOPLE??
RICK & JO-JO FROM FLORIDA
DO YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF SPRAY CLEANERS LIKE PLEDGE.. I’M
SURE PLEDGE ISN’T THE BEST FOR CERTAIN WOODS. I AM SURE THEY HAVE SOME FINE WOOD CLEANERS YOU CAN SUGGEST…
THANKS GRIFF
YOUR FRIEND FROM FLORIDA
RICK & JO-JO
Griff,
I am forever thankful to you for your blues instructions. BGU lessons have finally taught me how to play the guitar. Your knowledge of music is wonderful and I think so much of your general advice is very sound and based on your vast experience.
BUT, ahem . . . as a builder of acoustic guitars I have to take issue with you about something in this post. PLEASE don’t repeat the myth that strings must be changed one at a time. There is absolutely no need to observe such a precaution.
Slack them all off, get them off the instrument, then put the new ones on, drawing each one up just enough to keep the windings on the tuner shafts and the strings in the nut slots, then bring them up to tune by observing some common sense balanced tightening from one side to the other to keep things even.
There will be absolutely no harm to the instrument.
During the course of locating the bridge or achieving the exact neck angle, a luthier tightens (to pitch) and loosens the strings repeatedly. ALL of them.
Don’t take my word for it. Here’s a link to a discussion on this at William Cumpianos’s blog (the second item of discussion on the page):
http://www.cumpiano.com/Home/Newsletters/Issues/newsletter15.html.
Bill is one of the foremost Luthiers in America and the author of the bible on building acoustic steel string guitars and classical guitars, “Guitarmaking, Tradition and Technology.” He’s a no-nonsense guy and frequently debunks the myths and folk lore that frequently swirl around the behavior of acoustic instruments. (You would probably enjoy reading other pages in that blog).
Rich
Thanks for all the useful tips Griff, I enjoy learning how to play, and I can’t think of a better teacher than you are. Everything you do is made perfectly clear and very easy to understand. Thanks alot
Thanks Griff. I have made the mistakes that others have made, furniture polish and taking all the strings off. One thing I did notice was ” The remaining six strings will get easier to change since they are smaller than the low E string.” I did not realize you played a 7 string guitar! Just kidding. We get 6 string in our mind and run with it. I really enjoy your style of teaching. You don’t repeat the same info over and over. Keep up the great work!!!
Hey Griff bought your blues package LUV IT. After I change the E string I only have 5 left to change .(not 6 ) You are a super teacher , but your math needs a liitle attention. Keep up the e-mails as they are much appreciated
I have been changing string on my acoustic guitar for many years-45. I noticed the sound deteriating. I read this article and I learned I should always only change one string at a time; do not uncoil all the strings on your guitar at one time since they will greatly change the pressure needed on the neck.
Thanks
Ronzo
Great info. Thanks so much. I just tweeted it. 🙂
I’ve heard/read that when doing your final tuning.
1. Pull each string away from the body to do some of the initial stretching. This is really appropriate for nylon strings.
2. Tune a semi tone above the note & then loosen down to the appropriate pitch, it will stay in tune longer that way.
Strings only ever break after the music store has closed. That’s why I buy strings buy the case.
Thanks, Griff. I’ve always wondered whether to wrap that first string loop around the protruding string end at the tuner. Also, I’ve been guilty of removing all 6 strings (albeit gently) to allow easier fretboard cleaning. I’ll change that. FYI, just received the new SBS. I’m pumped! Love slow blues! Once again, you’ve provided an excellent product and a tremendous amount of motivation. You’re still the best!
One more thing…If you have a guitar without a fixed bridge, i.e., Gretsch, only change one string at a time! This is to prevent the bridge from changing location. Otherwise, you will lose the intonation that was set at the factory by the bridge location. This will will really cause you some headaches! Thanks!
My question is about humidifier/de-humidifiers kept in the guitar cases. I own three guitars. My newest is a Taylor nylon/electric classical. Taylor strongly recommends storing their guitars in a case containing a humidity control system. They provide several visual criteria with which to judge whether or not the instrument is too dry or too wet.
I also own a Gibson I believe the model number is ES-125. I believe it would rank as a vintage instrument as it was purchased in 1952-53. It is a hollow body electric. Would this guitar benefit from a humidity controlled storage system similar to the Taylor?
Very good information. Another thing to avoid is sudden temperature changes. If you bring your guitar in from the car or anywhere outside where the temperature is freezing or sub freezing, don’t open the case up immediately..it will cause the finish to crack and check. I usually bring mine in the house and leave the case closed for several hours, then I crack open the case about 1/2″ and let it adjust to room temperature very slowly. I had a 1966 Rickenbacker 360/12 that was brought in from the cold and warmed up too fast..CRACK. I had to have it completely refinished, and lost a lot of it’s value.
Real good advice! I have always removed all the strings at the same time, good tip to do them one-at-a-time. I have also learned the hard way that during very hot summer months to slacken the strings a couple of turns after I finish playing (you should tune the guitar every time you play anyway) as the bridge on one of my classical guitars pulled away one hot day!
The last time I changed my 12 string a little piece that the strings sit on at the bottom cracked it seems to be made of some type of hard white plastic & now it needs to go out for repair. The 2 stores that used to do guitar work are both out of business & the store where I bought my SG says they send all of their repair work out. Still hoping to find one nearby but no luck yet. If I could get the part I could probably do it myself.
Later,
Chaliq
Yup, humidity is a VERY big deal in terms of damage and playability. In dry, dry Colorado I use a guitar humidifier and keep any hollow body guitar in a plastic bag. It’s amazing how much moisture effects the tone.
thank you all are very infomative and aooreiciated
Thank you for the info on keeping the wood clean. I’ve owned my acoustic guitar for 37 years and have always maintained it well. But a couple of times over the years I made a mistake and because of your blog I will never repeat it. My mistake was taking old fashion “johnson” furniture paste wax and putting it on my guitar. After wiping it down I shined it with an electric buffer. I must say the guitar was absolutely beautiful, but it never dawned on me the damage that paste wax might be doing to the sound. I’ve only done it twice in 37 years and have been doing as you suggest.I only keep a bottle of guitar polish around mainly for the pick guard and some sweat and fingerprints that are produced in our sorry as hell Alabama climate. Living here can be like getting out of Viet Nam and coming home to Viet Nam. The humidity is horrible. Would you suggest a dehumidifier in the case? Thanks
P.S. – The thing you mostly need to be aware of is what happens when you CHANGE climates… going from cool A/C to a hot humid outdoor porch really puts a whammy on the wood, or in reverse…
As for tuning, instead of starting from the 5th fret on the low E to achieve sympathetic vibration on the low A , I find that starting at the tenth is easier to tune the 4th D string and so on.
Any explanation?
On the other hand, I doubt anybody from the old Mississippi Delta had dehumidifiers, air conditioners, or anything else except high heat and high humidity every year, every summer. And, believe me, in the south the summers go on forever! In spite of all that, their guitars held together, sounded great, and generally changed the whole world. So, tips are great, and you certainly don’t want to abuse your gear, but don’t go over the edge and turn yourself into some kind of paranoid controlled climate freak… just play the thing already!!!
Thanks for all you do and say! Do you recommend storing in hard cases or is soft ok for electric? I have 5 electric and 2 acoustic, one electric bass… I keep the electrics at ready to use… mostly indoors controlled environment but then use them in various humidities and heat. Thanks! -=rockon=-
very good. allway take good care of your equimpment
Andrew, check this guide out from StewMac. Look at the picture for “Problem 2”. Hope this helps.
http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/ts0061_tremsetup.hzml?jrl=109704&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ts0061&clk=193620
I use a humidifier called a “Dampit” to keep my acoustic from drying out. I live in the Southwest and it really is important here. I didn’t even realiize it, but the arch in the back of my Taylor had almost completely flattened out from the drying out of the wood. The moisture from the Dampit expanded the wood back to where it should be and the sound improvement is quite noticable.
Hi Griff, just a question about when you first wind the string on the tuning peg and you pass once over the string and the rest of the time under the string- i’m sort if a visual person and I’m having a tough time visualizing this. Can you elaborate? I think i could use the advice as I’ve been playing for a long time but I’m really not great at wrapping the strings properly around the tuning peg
thank you…Griff….my way is to take all the old string at once….and put the new
string one at the time…now I know…I will past the secret to my mates….thank you again…
cheers…
Hi Griff,
Just stumbled on this guy
http://www.youtube.com/fruduatv#p/u/29/FgcNVRDjawM
Very impressive videos.