Steven asks…
How to get a high gloss on a guitar finish?
I have been building a guitar for the past few months. I finally got a beautiful black and gold paint finish on the body. Now I am applying the polyurethane; however, when it the coat dries there is always dust and other cloth like materials stuck underneath. I have tried brushing it as clean as possible before each coat and i use a fan to circulate the air around the room. I still cant get a good coat on the guitar. If anyone knows how to fix this please help. Also any tips on reaching that high gloss look would be great. I am trying to finish the guitar within this week or next week buy the latest.
NydiaMccartney answers:
Hello there,
You do have a mess on your hands. The fan will always blow dust into your finish. If you are brushing it on, you are applying it too thick. Polyurethane goes on easy, but is so hard that it is difficult to get off. You should be wet sanding with 400 grit paper between each coat to keep the finish smooth. Frankly if you have be brushing on several coats and not sanding between them, you may have to strip the entire mess off and start over. That is why I mentioned polyurethane is hard to get off.
For a paint job on a guitar body, you should have an air compressor and paint spray gun. If you do not have those, you can use rattle cans to paint. But do not expect a professional finish from a rattle can.
After the body is stripped, sand with 400 grit to remove all marks and scratches left from removing the old finish. Then shoot on the color coats. Wet sand with 400 grit between coats. How many coats of color depends on how many it takes to get the shade you want. Then shoot on many coats of clear. Wet sand with 400 grit between coats. After the last clear coat, let it cure. How long depends on what you are using (poly cures faster than lacquer or urethane). Curing is a hardening of the finish. More than just dry to the touch (as between coats). Then after the last clear coat sand with progressively finer grit. Go from 600 up to 2000. It is this sanding process that gives the glossy shine to the finish.
You can evaluate your paint job to see if it can be saved or not. Where ever you are in the process I described, put up there and continue.
One other note, your sealer, color and clear should all be compatible. If you need to start over, use auto paints (lacquer or urethane). Good luck, hope you can salvage the paint job. They are a lot of work.
Later,
Hello again,
You need ot build a rack to hold the body in a position that you can paint all sides without touching the body and without it touching anything. At the simpliest end of racks is to cut a board to fit the neck pocket. Screw it on in the neck pocket to hold the guitar. Put the other end in a vise.
Ken asks…
Where can i learn the skills needed to become a guitar tech?
I live in south Wales and i need to find somewhere to learn the skills on becoming a guitar tech. Does anyone know any good luthiers or universitys in south Wales that teach courses? Once i’ve learnt, how can i get working for bands? and how can i help sell merchandise or design for bands? I live in a small town and it is hard to find helpful sources. I would love you all forever if you could help me out,as becoming a guitar tech would be my ultimate job!
Thanks!
NydiaMccartney answers:
As I am in the USA, I don’t know too much about south Wales, other than you should be able to hit the local music scene and ask the artists and musicians you see who they would recommend for such services… Its pretty easy to go to a few shows of artists doing the type of music you want to work alongside and just find out who the best in the business is, then try to hire them for a few hours to show you some pointers and give you some direction on ‘how’ to learn. You can even offer to help them out as an assistant volunteer to get some experience.
I’m not so sure it is the ‘ultimate’ job, but one of my good friends has succeeded at that already and we are building a new resource website that can really be helpful to you. It hasn’t launched with any of the new articles yet that will include things like ‘ the proper way to wind cables’, ‘how to change strings properly and how often should(i.e. Every 8 songs)’ as well as much more about midi routing and redundant racks. We have tons of pictures of celebrity rigs that will be detailed and explained (billy corgan, sheryl crow, rammstein, the cult, kiss, and more).
So hopefully our site will be a good resource for you once we add the new content. For now you can see some pictures of my buddy’s previous clients. Normally i wouldn’t say ‘our site our site’ but I think it will help you out.
Donald asks…
What can I make using an old guitar neck?
How can I recycle this special guitar neck into something that might be a little bit useful? I would like to keep it, so if I can build something useful out of it instead of just setting it somewhere, that would be great.
NydiaMccartney answers:
I think it would make a great hat, key, or even coat rack. This isn’t that dissimilar that the other person’s idea, I would just go bigger. Use larger hooks and mount it on a bord to support the weight of the hanging objects.
Carol asks…
Can I plug my ipod into a guitar speaker?
I want to play a live show, and I make electronic music off my computer.
I want to just play my instrumentals and sing with it.
Would I need two seperate guitar amps?
What kind of ipod wire would I need to connect to a guitar amp?
And I doubt it’s possible to use a microphone and play my ipod through one amp..
I need help!
NydiaMccartney answers:
You would need two separate amps only if you want good control of the audio from all your different audio sources… And it depends how loud you need to be – and what amp and speaker you are using.
The iPod has a 1/8″ (3.5mm) stereo headset jack. One side of the cable needs to be that – just like the headphones… The other side would have two (left and right audio). If you plug directly into a regular amp, that would normally be a 1/4″ males end of the cable going into the amp’s 1/4″ in. Guitar center or Radio Shack have the cables.
And we don’t know what mic you are using… If it uses a 1/4″ jack that plugs into the amp now… Then it plugs in tomorrow… But you just identified your problem. Typically amps have only one or two 1/4″ inputs… So… How do you get more inputs?
A small mixer will do what you want… Check the Mackie or Behringher mixers at Guitar Center… A 4 or 6 channel will do just fine. The mic gets Channel 1… The iPod gets “Line Audio In” RCA or 1/4″ jacks… The mixer mains out connects to your amp. You may need an XLR (mains out) to 1/4″ tail/adapter so it can connect to your Amp. Most amps don’t have XLR audio-in.
This is very similar to the way some newer PA systems set up using active rather than passive speakers. Active speakers have the amps built-in rather than have the amps sitting in racks connected to unpowered/passive speakers.
Daniel asks…
What exactly is a guitar effects loop?
I get the point of the pre-amp and power amp. But I have no idea where the effects loop comes in there, and how people can run 2 or more loops. :P I also would like to know the significance of rack gear. Is it essentially the same as pedals on a pedalboard or what? Someone, please help a dumb guitar player. XD
NydiaMccartney answers:
An effects loop is an a set of send/return jacks that allows you to insert various effects between the pre-amp and power amp sections of the amplifier circuit.
FX loops are most commonly used to apply time based effects (like phaser, flanger, delay, or reverb) to your sound while using the amp’s built-in distortion. Try throwing a reverb pedal on the floor while cranking the distortion on your amp… It will sound terrible. The FX loop lets you avoid that unpleasantness.
Check out this article on FX placement:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/answer?qid=20120318214512AApVmzY
Basically, anything in those last two categories belongs in the FX loop.
Some amps have wet/dry controls for the FX loop as well. You can either hear the just the sound through the FX loop, just the sound without the FX loop, or a mix.
Rack gear is typically much higher quality than pedals (it’s also WAY more expensive). Pedals have several bonuses though. They’re portable, can be battery powered, and they’re right there in front of you on stage. If you want to change your sound, you can do it right there. Rack gear is better suited to the studio.
Mandy asks…
what do i need to make studio quality recordings at home?
the way i see it, i need three mics, a mixer/USB port, and software. i was planning on doing everything live in separate tracks (i.e. guitar track 1, bass track 2, etc)
any suggestions on models? i was thinking Shure SM-57 mics. did i forget anything?
i have a laptop w/windows 7, and high end hardware so that’s not a problem.
the music would be what comes through the amp, then mixed inside my laptop.
if i am not clear on anything just ask and i will edit .
NydiaMccartney answers:
By “mixer/USB port”, I think you mean an audio interface. That’s what they’re called in the industry. Think of an audio interface as a sound card that’s good enough for recording. (The normal sound cards that come with or are built into computers are not adequate!)
An audio interface:
* Generally has 2 microphone inputs or XLR/TRS combo jacks equipped with phantom power and mic preamps (with gain control and a clip indicator)
* Generally has 2 – 8 additional analog line level audio inputs, usually TRS
* Generally has 2 – 8 analog line level outputs, usually TRS
* Generally has an S/PDIF and/or ADAT ports for digital input and output
* Generally has a MIDI in/out connectors
* Generally has a word clock input
Audio interfaces come in 3 flavors: USB, Firewire, and PCI cards. It’s generally a rack-mountable breakout box that plugs into your computer, but some mixers now have audio interface features. Some keyboards do, too.
There are tons of options and configurations. Do your research at an online music retailer. You say you’re planning to do everything live. That means you’ll need an audio interface that can handle all the analog inputs you’ll need, simultaneously. (If you’re going to mic a drum kit, that could be 8 microphones by itself.) Make sure to read the specs on your interface. Some can only handle half of their physical capacity if you record at higher sample rates. (96 kHz is the highest you could need, 48 kHz is probably good enough.) If you’re using 3 microphones, you may need an outboard preamp because most audio interfaces only have two. You can find preamps on mixers and in standalone rackmounts.
The SM-57 is often touted as excellent microphones for snare drums and guitar cabinets. But you might want a large diaphragm condensor for a vocal mic, too. If you’re recording acoustic guitar, you may find the SM-57 disappointing. You’ll want a pair of small diaphragm condensor mics to record acoustic guitar.
You completely forgot monitors and acoustic treatment. You need to accurately hear what you’re doing. If you record with microphones to overdub material that’s already been recorded, you will need a headphone monitoring system, too.
These are the priorities for where to put your time, energy, and money if you wish to make high quality studio recordings:
1) Good songwriting
2) A performance executed by competant musicians/singers…
3) …on quality instruments
4) The acoustics of the room and the acoustic treatment in the room
5) A skilled recording engineer
6) Good microphones
7) A good monitoring system
8) Compressors & EQ
9) Quality of the AD/DA converters (found in the audio interface)
10) Mic preamps
11) Decent cables
12) Effects
Good luck with your music!
Donna asks…
What are some of the basic to have a semi pro or pro recording studio?
Please tell me what I need. I already have a bunch of websites. I just need to know what I need
NydiaMccartney answers:
Generally speaking: Good microphone(s), digital audio workstation (DAW) which can be a stand-alone or computer based system, amplifier and good monitors (speakers), acoustical treatment for your room, and the biggest room you can get. Square and rectangle rooms with 8-foot ceilings are the worst, but that’s what we have to deal with, eh?
My favorite mic (on a budget) is a Rode NT1A or NT2A. It’s an excellent large-diaphragm condenser mic for the money. Whatever mic you get, if it’s for vocals and acoustic guitar, make sure it is a large-diaphragm condenser. The next best is a small diaphragm condenser mic. For other instruments get a couple of Shure SM57 or SM58. They are tough, inexpensive ($100), and have been an industry standard for decades. Don’t let anyone talk you into buying fancy microphone pre-amps. If you get a good DAW system it will have decent pre-amps included, and you can add outboard pre-amps later when you are more experienced.
My DAW is a Roland VS2400CD. I bought this many years ago, so there are better products available, now, but I’m very happy with it. You can get a lot more for the money with a computer-based system, but I didn’t consider myself computer-savvy enough to base my studio around one. There are very knowledgeable people who can help you figure out which type of DAW to get. The folks at sweetwater.com are good at this stuff. I’m told the 003 Rack Plus is a good computer-based system. It comes with a very popular application called ProTools 8. Many systems come with ProTools – it’s an industry standard.
Like microphones, you don’t want to skimp on monitors. They are your window to all the ears in the world that will be hearing your music, so you want them to be accurate. If you get active (powered) monitors, you won’t need to buy an amplifier. If you buy passive (unpowered) monitors, you’ll need a separate amp. On a budget, a good stereo amp is OK, as long as it’s powerful enough. I use JBL monitors and a Stewart amp. You can buy decent budget monitors for a few hundred $, but the really good ones are at least twice that much. When you have clean power and good speakers you can listen longer before your ears tire out. It’s not a good idea to always monitor with headphones. They should be but one tool for tweaking a mix. The bulk of your listening should be on monitors (assuming they are good ones and your room sounds OK).
Too often, the weakest link in a home studio is the room itself. Your worst enemy is parallel walls and low ceilings. Bedrooms and small living rooms can make a decent mic sound bad, as well as a good pair of monitors. There are several cool-looking acoustical treatments that are a waste of money, and there is nothing more misunderstood than how to deal with acoustics and soundproofing. Professional acoustical treatment can be extremely expensive. The best DIY stuff I’ve found is insulation board. It’s insulation, like the fluffy stuff in your walls, but it’s compressed into semi-rigid 2×4-foot panels. You find it in building supply stores, but not always Home Depot or Lowe’s. I had to go to a contractor supply place to order some. The best I found is by Roxul. It’s called insulation board, rockboard or CurtainRock. You have to buy cheap fabric to wrap it in because it sheds insulation particles. (It’s designed to go behind walls, after all.) I have several that I place along different walls, or around a space where I want to mic someone or something. Get panels that are at least 4 inch thick, or get enough 2″ panels to put together. The toughest sound to control is bass frequencies because the length of the wave is so long. That’s why many of the products sold as acoustical treatment are a waste of money. They’re too thin to have any affect on lower frequencies. With the insulation board, you can mount panels at different distances from the walls, which will attenuate different frequencies. Use the link below to learn how to control sound in your studio.
To do this studio thing right, you really need to connect with someone you trust. If it has to be a salesperson, that’s cool. I’ve always had good luck with sweetwater.com. Have fun.
Susan asks…
What are those things to the left of this picture?
Go to this picture: http://www.recordingconnection.com/userfiles/images/studios/phoenix.jpg and tell me what kind of equipment that is to the left. Patch bays? Equalizers? I’m asking because I’m going to build my own recording studio.
NydiaMccartney answers:
The equipment in the far left rack looks like mic pre-amps. In sophisticated studios, the pre-amp is not in the mixing board, but each mic has its own channel processor. The VU meter is to aid in setting up the limiter, to get that “soft warm” sound of a pentode tube amp that is in overload distortion (did you think that only guitars had distortion boxes?).
Having lots of boxes won’t be of any use if you don’t know what they are for and how they are operated. I suggest you wait on building a studio until you have done some course work in audio engineering or at least hire a consultant.
Maria asks…
What places do you do your best writing?
I have a meadow near my house that I set in the middle of and write. I do my best writing outdoors. I know a guy who only writes in his bathroom.
BQ: What place do you prefer to write songs?
NydiaMccartney answers:
I write strait on the computer rather than the old pen and paper method. As to where, when I start writing the rest of the world disapeers. I hear nothing but the music I’m playing see nothing but the story unfolding in front of me and do nothing but write except for occaional bathroom and food breaks. I often write without sleep for 48 hrs or more.
Musically when I compose I am more concerned with availibility than the setting. I have all my effects boxes in a makeshift rack. My cables and a set of headphone jacks connected to each are labeled, that way I can in seconds switch between any of my effects boxes or drums both with headphones, input cable and output cables going to the break out box to record. I have my drums and effects rack located very close to my recording computer, a sort fo wall of EM emmitting electronic devices, a metronome sitting beside one of my mixers, my guitars and basses on a rack next to the effects boxes. Scales book, blank CDRs and a place to perch my ashtray and set my coke bottle down on. From there I start recording as it hits me, switching to the instruments as I lay down various tracks. I need to build a custom rack for better access. One that that would really help is if I could rotate them to the floor for easy switching. All are foot pedal models and if I’ve got a bank programmed for a song and it’s not the one on the floor I have to take my hands off the guitar. That’s just not a practical way to record. I also need better slant to see what effect I’m on and such.
Again it’s away from the world, my computers are not far away and it’s not uncommon for me to hit a pause point in one endevor and switch to the other to take a break from recording or writing.
Folks have to follow thier muse. Luckily mine is oblivious to the surroundings :) Though people drive me insane when they try to get my attention while I’m writing or composing. It can completely break my groove and end all creative efforts. I don’t converse or watch TV or anything like that while I’m in a creative endeavor. Except for listening to music while I’m writing I leave my surroundings behind.
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