How to Maintain Your GuitarTable of Contents
GUITAR STRINGS ........................................1
1. Acoustic Guitar
2. Electric Guitar
3. Acoustic-Electric Guitar
GUITAR HARDWARE ..................................6
1. Electric Guitar
2. Acoustic-Electric Guitar
GUITAR BODY ..............................................7
GUITAR STRINGS
* Strings have lost their tone.
It is time to change the strings. Before installing new strings, it is important to know how to remove the old ones. Once you have restrung it, you have to tune the strings to the correct pitch. After tuning, pull the strings in several directions to stretch them out a little. This causes them to go flat, so you will have to tune them to the correct pitch again. You may have to repeat the process a few times to help the strings hold their pitch. New strings have a tendency to lose their pitch. Don’t give up. After you go through the stretch-and tune process a few times, the new strings will eventually hold their pitch.
* Strings have become discolored
It may be due to oil and residue from your fingers, as well as from everyday wear. Wipe down the strings after every use. Use a clean cloth made of soft material. Wipe each string from top to bottom, and all the way around. This will improve the overall life of your strings.
* Removing and changing strings
Turn the tuning peg and loosen the string enough to grab it from the center. Then pull the string off the post. It is not necessary to unwind the string completely off the post by using the peg. You may also remove old strings by cutting them off with wire cutters.
1. Changing Strings: Acoustic Guitar
Installing new steel strings:
* Attach strings to the bridge
Remove the old string and the bridge pin. Bridge pins tend to stick. They can be pried out using the notched end of a peg winder (available at most music stores). You may also use a table knife, but be very careful, as this may scratch the wood.
Place the ball end of the new string (the small brass part on the end of the string) inside the hole that held the bridge pin.
Place the bridge pin firmly back in the hole with the slot facing forward (I.e. towards the nut).
Pull gently on the string until the ball rests against the bottom of the pin. Keep your thumb or finger on the pin so that it doesn’t pop out. Be careful not to kink the string while pulling it.
Test the string by tugging on it. If the string doesn’t shift, then the ball is snug against the bridge pin, and you are ready to secure it to the tuning post.
* Secure the string to the tuning post (the top part of the guitar)
The process is different for treble strings (G, B, E) and the bass strings (E, A, D). Treble strings are would clockwise, and bass strings are wound counterclockwise.
Treble strings
Pass the string through the hole in the post. Leave enough slack between the bridge pin and the tuning post so you can wind the string around the post several times. Crease the metal wire toward the inside of the guitar. Keep the string tight against the post with one hand, and wind the tuning peg clockwise with the other hand. If you do it correctly, the string should wind down toward the headstock (the top, or head, of the guitar). Check to make sure the string goes into the correct slot in the nut.
Bass strings
The steps are the same as for the treble strings, except you wind the strings counterclockwise. The string goes up the middle, and over the post, to the left.
Installing new nylon strings:
* Attach strings to the bridge
Steel strings have a ball on one end. Nylon strings do not. You can attach either end of the nylon string to the bridge. Pass one end of the new string through the hole in the top of the bridge, in the direction away from the sound hole, leaving about 1 ½ inches sticking out of the rear of the hole.
* Secure the string to the tuning post
The tuning posts pass through the headstock sideways instead of going through perpendicularly. Pass the string through the hole in the tuning post. Bring the end of the string back over the tuning post, towards you. Pass the string under itself, in front of the hole. Pull up on the string end, so that the long part of the string (the part that is attached to the bridge) sits in the U-shaped loop that you formed. Make sure your loop comes from the outside (I.e. approach from the left on the lower three bass strings, and from the right on the upper three treble strings). Then, pass the short end under and over itself, creating two or three wraps. Doing this should hold the loose end in place and prevent the string from slipping out of the hole. Next, wind the peg so that the string wraps on top of the loop. This will secure the string against the post. Finally, pull the string length taut with one hand, while turning the tuning peg with the other hand. Don’t forget to wrap the windings to the outside of the hole, away from the center of the guitar.
2. Changing Strings: Electric Guitar
Removing old strings:
Please refer to the beginning of this section, entitled “Guitar Strings.”
Installing new strings:
* Attach strings to the bridge
For most electric guitars, the string can be secured to the bridge by passing it through the hole (from the back or bottom of the guitar) until the ball stops the movement. The hole in the bridge should be smaller than the ball at the end of the string so that the ball holds the string.
* Secure the string to the tuning post
The post should protrude through the headstock (the top of the guitar). First, you pass the string through the post hole, kink the string to the inside toward the center of the headstock, and begin winding while holding the long part of the string with one hand.
Adjusting string action:
If you have difficulty in fretting, or hear a buzzing noise, the strings may be set too high or too low. In this case, the action (the space between the strings and the fingerboard) will have to be adjusted. Adjusting the action will let you achieve the desired string level. This can easily be remedied by lowering or raising the string saddles at the bridge. The saddles are the parts in front of the bridge where the strings sit. You can raise them or lower them by turning the hex screws with a hex wrench. Turn the screw clockwise to raise the saddle, and counterclockwise to lower it. If the saddle has two hex screws, be sure to turn them the same amount.
Adjusting string intonation:
If you notice your strings are fretting sharp or fretting flat, you may need to adjust the intonation. You can adjust this by moving the saddle away from the nut if the string is fretting sharp, and toward the nut if the string is fretting flat. Don’t forget that adjusting the saddle for a string corrects only that particular string. You may need to adjust intonation for each string.
Adjusting truss rod:
If the neck bows outward, away from the strings between the seventh and twelfth frets, causing the strings to be too high and difficult to fret, you may need to tighten the truss rod to make the neck arch upward. The opposite holds true if the neck bows inward, into the strings between the seventh and twelfth fret, causing the strings to be too low, and creating a buzzing sound. If this happens, loosen the truss rod to make the neck sag. The truss rod is a one or two-piece adjustable metal rod, that goes down the inside of the center of the neck. You can adjust this with a nut, located on one end.
The nut should be located on the headstock, under a cap just behind the nut, or where the neck joins the body, under the fingerboard. You may need a truss-rod wrench to adjust it. (These can be purchased at any local music store). To tighten the truss rod, turn the nut clockwise, a quarter turn at a time, giving the neck a few minutes to adjust. To loosen the truss rod, turn the nut counterclockwise, a quarter turn at a time, giving the neck a few minutes to adjust. Over-tightening or over-loosening the truss rod can potentially damage the neck and body, so please do it with great care!!
3. Changing Strings: Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Removing old strings:
Please refer to the beginning of this section, entitled “Guitar Strings”. Installing new strings:
* Attach strings to the bridge.
Remove the old strings and remove bridge pin. Please not that bridge pins tend to stick. They can be pried out, using the notched edge of a peg winder (available at most music stores). You may also pry out the bridge pins with a table knife, but be very careful, or you may scratch the wood.
Place the ball end of the new string (the small brass part on the end of the string) inside the hole that held the bridge pin. Place the bridge pin firmly back in the hole with the slot facing forward (I.e. towards the nut). Pull gently against the string until the ball rests against the bottom of the pin. Keep your thumb or finger on the pin so that it does not pop out. Be careful not to kink the string while pulling it. Test the string by tugging on it. If you do not feel the string shift, the ball is snug against the bridge pin, and you are ready to secure it to the tuning post.
* Secure the string to the tuning post (the top part of the Guitar)
Please note that the process is different for the treble strings (G, B, E) and the bass strings (E, A, D). Treble strings are wound clockwise and bass strings are wound counterclockwise.
Treble strings:
Pass the string through the hole in the post. Don’t forget to leave enough slack between the bridge pin and the tuning post, so you can wind the string around the post several times. Remember to crease the metal wire toward the inside of the guitar. Keep the string tight against the post with one hand, and wind the tuning peg clockwise with the other hand. If you do it correctly, the string should wind down toward the headstock (the top, or head, of the Guitar). Make sure the string goes into the correct slot in the nut.
Bass strings:
The steps are the same as for the treble strings, except you wind the strings counterclockwise, so the string goes up the middle and over the post to the left.
GUITAR HARDWARE
Please note that if any electrical components on your Guitar need to be repaired, we recommend that you take it to your local music store, and not try to repair it yourself (especially if you are a beginning musician).
3. Guitar Hardware: Electric Guitar
If you hear any rattling or buzzing noises while playing, some hardware may be loose. You can tighten any hardware with a screwdriver or wrench. It’s possible that a nut on the bridge post may be loose. If you hear a rattling noise, try strumming the Guitar to recreate the noise, while touching various parts with your other hand. The rattling should stop when you touch the affected part. Then you can tighten the part that is loose.  Dust and foreign material may pose a threat to your Electric Guitar. If you suspect this is creating a problem, turn the knobs back and forth to work out the dust. You may need to do this a few times with each knob.
3. Guitar Hardware: Acoustic-Electric Guitar
To use the electrical aspect of your Acoustic-Electric Guitar, you need to have an amplifier to plug into. If you don’t feel like buying an amplifier right away, and you already own a stereo system, you might find an outlet on your stereo system to plug into.
GUITAR BODY
If the body of your Guitar looks dull, use a soft, clean, cloth (like chamois) to wipe it down. If it has marks resembling scratches, use Guitar polish (available at most music stores). This may be residue from the manufacturing facility, and should clean off easily.
If your Guitar has cracks, it may have been exposed to extreme changes in humidity. Like all wood, your Guitar can be affected by excessive moisture, (or excessive dryness). Keep your Guitar out of direct sunlight as much as possible. Also keep it away from temperature and humidity changes. Guitars are manufactured in an environment that has approximately 45 - 55 percent humidity, and 72 - 77 degrees Fahrenheit. These are ideal conditions. The further away that you get from ideal conditions, the more your Guitar is in danger. Keep it away from sources of direct heat. Keep it out of the rain. Store it in it’s case when not in use. Remember, if your Guitar has any problems, take it to a local music store for repair.
Enjoy owning your guitar!!
