William asks…
Buying a used guitar?
I’m buying a used acoustic guitar. what should i be looking for to ensure that its in good condition? I dont really know anything about guitars. I’ve already picked the guitar i just want to make sure that structurely its in good shape. Is there anything i should be looking for? thanks.
NydiaMccartney answers:
Left-hand or right-hand, acoustic or not, style is secondary to a quality instrument.
First of all, the TONE should be bright and clear. The guitar, if it is Dreadnought size, should RING, suggesting superior construction. Tune it and play it.
Because it is a used guitar, you can expect some USE obvious, but there should not be evidence of abuse or improper storage.
Check the tuning machines, (which are essentially right-angle gears) —-make sure there is NO play in them. They do tend to wear out and if they are worn badly, it is difficult to tune the instrument.
Make sure the neck is not loose or WARPED. Put a straight-edge on the center of the fret-board from one end to the other. NO variation should be noted, i.e. There should be absolutely NO warp or curvature from one end to the other.
Inspect the fretboard to make sure the individual fret areas are not worn out. If the wood is worn down smoothly a lot between the fret bars, you can not play accurate notes.
Make sure the string action is adjustable, which means there should be some method of adjusting the NECK. Preferably, on a good guitar, the string action should be 3/16″ or less.
A nice low action makes it far easier to play bar cords far up the neck.
Look for a clean-looking guitar with no scratches, splits, abrasion marks, or dents and dirt. The finish should be clear and sparkle. Most guitars will have a pick guard on them, some scratches are likely to be noted on the pick guard.
The case should also be in good condition. If the guitar looks like new and the case does too, the previous owner has taken good care of it.
Get a high-end guitar if you can afford one. It is much easier to play, you usually get superior sound from them, and resale value is a valuable consideration. Some guitars appreciate in value substantially, ie. Old Gibsons.
Joseph asks…
Can my guitar have wooden frets?
for this contest you have to build something…it says no professional parts or toy parts or anything like that…so i’m gonna make wooden frets…how can i do this? is it possible to make metal frets myself? i also need a truss rod…how easy is it to make one? wood tuners?
it seems guitar doctor is a guitar noob
i should make something clear…i have been building electric guitars for 3 years now
NydiaMccartney answers:
Guitar Doctor actually made a lot of good points. Whether you choose to believe him or not is your own business. So let’s talk about your project.
First of all, wooden frets simply won’t hold up. Building a guitar is a massive undertaking., It would be a shame to put so much work into something only to have the frets wear out after a week of playing. Metal frets are T shaped and hammered into slots on the fretboard. I’m trying to think of something like coat-hanger wire that you might be able to adapt…but I can’t see how you’d attach it.
Tuners: friction pegs like on a violin would be more practical, but I doubt that they’ll hold steel strings up to concert pitch.
Regarding the truss rod: it’s simply a threaded rod embedded in the neck. You could use plain hardware store threaded rod…..in fact I have a guitar building book that recommends this. Nylon stringed guitars don’t have truss rods…but you’d still need frets.
BTW are real guitar strings considered “professional parts?”
Anyway, I can see a lot of roadblocks to building a modern guitar from scratch without using any professional parts. If you could think a little out of the box, you might come up with some alternatives. How about a fretless instrument like violin or slide guitar? A sitar is an extremely low-tech instrument. The frets are tied on. The tuners are friction pegs. The strings are hand-knotted piano wire which you buy by the spool. There are also fretless banjos.
FWIW, I once built a simple 4 stringed mandolin style instrument. The top was made of a spruce shingle. The body (back, sides and neck) was cut from a 2×10 construction lumber. I chiseled out the center of the body and glued the spruce on top. I did use real fret wire and tuners though. The bridge,and fretboard are walnut, the tailpiece is a piece of stainless steel I bent, cut and drilled.
Just saying that if you open your mind to something a little less traditional than a guitar, you might be able to make a very playable instrument. Best of luck in the contest.
Susan asks…
Question for guitar builders and repairman. Luthiers…?
Did you go to a school for this? How much did it cost? How much do you get on average for this? Any tips I should know? How often do you have to move from place to place? Finally, have you gone to the Atlanta Guitar Works school? I’m 20 years old and really eager to do this, unfortunatly i’ve only played guitar for 6 years and have no clue on how to fix them. THANKS!
NydiaMccartney answers:
Oboy, this is going to be a long answer (sorry)…
I used to teach a 4 year course in a vocational high school concentrating on guitar repair and construction. The first 2 years were strictly woodworking, making everything from table legs to roller coaster models. Year 3 was filled almost entirely with building a first guitar from scratch. Year 4 was developing design and theory and using it in a new guitar design.
The best way, in my opinion, to learn how to build guitars is to first have a very solid background in woodworking. Understand precision woodworking and you’ll be far ahead of the pack. By doing so you’ll have a much better idea of what is and isn’t possible with wood. Learning this includes the use of all tools, the characteristics of materials, making patterns and jigs, sharpening tools, and finishing among other stuff.
Next is to have an understanding of electronics. Learn what potentiometers do, discover the difference between an SPST and a DPDT switch, figure out how a tone control works, learn how a pickup, er, picks up.
Find out what a scale length is, what compenstion does, and how intonation works. Learn the difference between even tempered tuning and equal tempered tuning. Discover how a string vibrates.
During this experience you should be reading everything you can get your hands on that has to do with building and repairing… Although a repairperson will be ahead of the game by understanding construction the two disciplines are very different.
Play every guitar you can, whether it is a $49 WalMart special or a $20,000 custom built triple neck acoustic. Ask questions. Take notes on the bad and the good. Fill notebooks and keep them in a safe place. Ask others opinions but don’t let somebody elses ideas be the end-all-and-be-all of your work. Never decide that a particular guitar, or even a particular pick or string is the best. Keep experimenting.
Guitar work is not really very lucrative and you’ll probably find that you’ll need a second job to stay alive. It is also a never-ending learning experience. A typical job in the industry (unless you have your own shop) starts with apprenticeship which usually pays about minimum wage. You’ll sweep floors and learn finer points.
Next, if you don’t get discouraged, is being a technician. This can pay pretty well if you are frugal… At least enough for one person to live on and buy an occasional guitar or special tool. You’ll install braces on acoustics, rout solidbody guitars, and learn how to fret, and how to bend sides. You’ll make more scrap than you could imagine. This step seems to take forever, and it very possibly could. The best builders are always learning new things.
Finally, if you continue your struggle, use all that you learn and begin to build your own way.
There is this old quip, and the longer I am in this business the more I believe it is true… “If you want to end up with making a small fortune in guitars, start with a large one.”
Here are some books you can start with. I used them as textbooks. All together thay’ll cost you about $500… A VERY cheap introduction to your chosen profession:
-Complete Guitar Repair by Hideo Kamimoto
-How to Build Your Own Electric Guitar by Melvyn Hiscock
-Pearl Inlay by The Duke of Pearl
-A Guitar Makers Manual by Jim Williams
-Classic Guitar Construction by Irving Sloane
-Guitar Repair by Irving Sloane
-Guitar Making: Tradition and Technology by W. Cumpiano and J. Natelson
-Guitar Electronics for Musicians by Donald Brosnac
Donald asks…
help with guitar construction?
basically im looking into making a guitar this summer to keep me busy – last year a took apart a stagg bass and did it up and it went pretty well so wanted to make one more or less form scratch (will probably buy a cheap guitar or two and use parts such as the neck that i dont really have the equiptment for)
basically i was wondering if anybody could tell me a bit more about the electronics, i didnt realise that the electronics had to be grounded (actually seems kinda obvious now) so was wondering if someone could tell me more about that and other things about the electonics its likely i might not be aware of, as well as any other tips when constructiong a guitar
NydiaMccartney answers:
Hello there,
Pickups.
Let me use a Strat for an example to explain pickups. If you play on the neck pickup one get one tone, sort of bright. If you play on the mid pickup the tone is a bit more mellow. If you play on the bridge pickup the tone tends to be sharper. A single coil pickup will have a hum. So Fender uses a reverse wound pickup in the mid position. The 5 way pickup selector switch is commonly wired Postion: 1 neck alone, 2 neck and mid, 3 mid alone, 4 mid and bridge and 5 bridge alone. When you play in postions 2 or 4, you have the either the neck or bridge and the reverse wound mid pickup. That gives you a hum cancelling pickup effect. That is what a humbucking pickup is. A humbucker has 2 coils, one reverse wound from the other to cancel the single coil hum. Each location of pickup has a different tone.
Single coil pickups are brighter. Humbuckers handle distortion better.
I would suggest either an H/S/S (singles in the neck and mid and a humbucker in the bridge) or a H/H (2 humbuckers) configuration for you based on what I am guessing you will play. You can get a wiring diagram off the Seymour Duncan website for what ever configuration you chose.
Pots. Tone and volume pots. Use 250K if you have only single coil pickups. Use 500K pots if you have any humbuckers in the configuration.
Switch. If you go with a H/S/S I would suggest a 5 way pickup selector switch. If you go with the H/H you can use either a 3 way selector switch (Fender) or a toggle (Gibson).
Where you place the pickups has an important effect on the tone. You do not just randomly place them under the strings. There are dead spots and optimum spots. Physics is not my strong point, so I will not explain why. It has to do with the wave length of the string. There are articles on the internet that explain in detail about pickup location.
If you are building the body, one more comment (not about pickups). You have to determine the scale of the neck you will be using to decide where to locate the bridge. If you get the bridge in the wrong place, the guitar will not intonate. That means it will play out of tune as you play down the neck. So bridge location is important if you really want to play this guitar. Generally Gibson necks are 24 3/4 inch scale and Fender 25 1/2 inch scale. To determine the scale. Measure from the nut to the 12th fret and multiply by 2. The to position the bridge. Attach your neck to the body. Measure from the nut the scale length. That is where the bridge should be located. If you are using a body from a guitar, you need to natch the scale length of the body to the scale length of the neck (or you will have to move the bridge). You probably do not want to cut more holes in the body for a new bridge location, so match the body to the bridge. That is, if you use a Strat style neck with a 25 1/2 inch scale use a Strat body (and not a Les Paul body).
On grounding. Remember you need to complete the ground circuit. Pickups ground to the pot case. So do the output jack and the bridge. Using sheilding paint in the pickup cavity helps quiet the pickups. But using copper tape makes a better ground (the tape goes up to connect with the rest of the ground circuit).
Later,
Michael asks…
new guitar purchase!!!!!!!!! HELP!!?
What guitar should i buy?
hi guys!! i’m planning to buy a new guitar something different from fender stratocaster, gibson les paul or ibanez, in my local store i’ve seen these models:
>michael kelly Patriotgreg bennett TR2VSgreg bennett AV6OShagstrom Ultra swede<
http://www.nevadamusic.co.uk/Guitars/Electric_Guitars/Electric/sc1437/p7270.aspx
i've read that these brands are not bad at all so i'd like to say what do you think…. are these great guitars or not?? and the quality is comparable to major brands as fender,…..?? thanks a lot greetings from italy
NydiaMccartney answers:
How to Buy a Guitar
In the first part of this article, I will help you determine which kind of guitar will not only be best suited to the type of music you want to play, but will also be comfortable and enjoyable during long periods of practice. The second part of the article will provide tips to help you move through the shopping experience with confidence and ease.
Guitar Size
No matter what type of guitar you want to buy, it’s important to find an instrument that is enjoyable to play and will not cause pain or injury. Try to find a guitar that sits comfortably on your lap, without your having to exert an effort to keep it there. Make sure that the body of the guitar is not so large that it creates tension in your right shoulder as you reach your arm over it to play. Notice the difference in the neck size from one guitar to another and determine what is comfortable to you.
In addition to monitoring your own sensations, it’s helpful to have someone give you feedback. If you don’t have a friend to help you shop, ask the salesperson to look at you holding several guitars of different shapes and sizes and advise you as to the best fit. For instruction on healthy posture and body use while playing, check out my instructional video and read the article on the basics.
(To read about a small guitar that I purchased and enjoy, click here.)
Guitar Types
Acoustic guitars have steel strings and can vary in scale length, but typically have 14 frets to the body. They come in various sizes and shapes and may or may not have a cutaway. Unless you’re interested strictly in classical music, you will probably be looking for this type of guitar for your first guitar. If you’re interested in an electric guitar, but need the versatility that an acoustic guitar provides, you might want to look at one of the many acoustic guitars on the market that have built in pickups (electric- acoustic).
Classical or nylon string guitars have a smaller body, a wider neck and 12 frets to the body. Because the nylon strings are easy to press, many people prefer to start with a classical guitar.
Solid body electric– This is the kind of guitar most people think of as an “electric guitar”. It is made from a solid piece of wood and comes in various sizes, shapes and colors. The sound varies widely from one guitar to another, depending on the kind of wood and the number and types of pickups.
Hollow body electric– Just what the name says. Because the body is hollow, the guitar has acoustic properties. (It is not, however, designed to be played without amplification.) Hollow body guitars are usually preferred by jazz players. It is not usually the best choice for rock, as the hollow body provides a risk of feedback at high volume.
Semi-hollow body electric– The body is still hollow, but is thinner than the full hollow body, minimizing the feedback problem.
Materials and Construction
Look for a guitar with a solid wood top. (Some of the less expensive “beginner” guitars have plywood tops, which will not last as long or sound as good as one with a solid top.) Spruce and cedar are good choices for the top of an acoustic guitar.
Look for obvious signs of craftsmanship, such as symmetry, even frets, and straightness of the neck. Check for scratches, dings or irregularities in the finish.
Guitar Shopping
.For many people, the mere thought of trying out guitars in a store puts a damper on the desire to shop for a new guitar. Guitar stores can be overwhelming: loud, crowded with people and instruments, filled with too many choices and lacking in comfortable places to sit and play a guitar. It seems like there is always at least one hot-shot guitarist playing one guitar after another at high volume, making you feel like you don’t belong in the store unless you’re ready for the big time.
If you can’t tell a $200.00 guitar from one that costs $2,000.00, don’t know one amplifier from another, and would prefer that no one hear you play, you might feel ready to run for the door before even trying a guitar. Instead of retreating, you can easily devise a plan and cultivate an attitude that will help you find the guitar of your dreams at a fair price.
The first thing to realize is that you are not required to know everything (or anything!) about guitars in order to shop for one. Review the information in Part I of this article before you strike out and learn the rest of what you need to know through your shopping experience. Remember, you are the customer. You don’t need to impress the salesperson…they need to impress you!
You will want to visit several different stores and try out as many guitars as you feel you need to in order to determine your criteria for sound and comfort. If you don’t play well enough to “try out” a guitar, read The Basics to get some ideas about how to hold a guitar and play a simple single note exercise. If you have a friend who plays, you might ask them if you can noodle on thei
Betty asks…
Any suggestions for my first homemade guitar improvements?
Ive recently built from scratch a 1959 les paul style guitar with flamed maple top with a 6 piece construction African Mahogany body made from one plank. The neck is a 3 piece maple neck with a scarf joint used to attain the headstock angle. Extended neck tenon is used with large amounts of glue used for it. the fretboard is a tighter grained flamed maple. The sclae is the usual 24.75 gibson scale. Ive sawn and set the fretboard myself and glued it on. With this said all of it hold together exceptionally well but still the lower strings and string tension is lower than i thought as in the strings are losser than i imagined and downtuning past Dd is out of the question with the current 10-46 set o dadarrios on. Schaller m-6 tuners and gotoh bridge and tailpiece with overwound golden age pickup in the bridge i get a ‘weaker’ output from the guitar with a single volume control. This is my first attempt and intonation is way out of wack from bridge placement 1/2 inch off on each end.
NydiaMccartney answers:
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Helen asks…
Find me a good guitar !?
Ok let me straight to it.
I want to buy an electric guitar and I’ve almost bought this Squier HSS Strat until I was talked out of it by people here..
So now I’m back at square 1, so I thought I’ll get a little help.
I need an electric guitar which is versatile (punk, metal, blues, jazz) but I have quite a tight £100ish budget. I also want a guitar that’s relatively durable and will hold its tune.
Thanks! :D
PS. I’m not a beginner, I’ve been playing acoustic for a year and playing solos on an acoustic just doesn’t cut it.
@Norm Jones:
Firstly, thanks again for taking so much time to answer my other question that well.
For the time being, I mainly play at home, jamming with friends, but I may move on to some gigging (nothing too regular though, I’m still in school) in future, and so I’d prefer if the guitar could withstand some light gigging.
I think I’ll start saving some more and maybe buy a better strat, maybe a second-hand Fender or something.
I’d just like to know, what makes of guitars should I stay away from, and what makes (even if they aren’t too well known) are good, maybe recommending certain models?
Thanks again! :D
NydiaMccartney answers:
Do you have Washburn guitars in shops near you? From my experience, they make the best budget guitars. But really – you have a lot of options – Dean, ESP LTD. If you saved a bit more, You could get an Epiphone, but the low end Epiphones aren’t really good (the Good ones have set necks and general better construction and materials all around).
Maybe you should increase your budget and get a good one (for say $300 US…not sure precisely what it will cost in the UK.). That probably means waiting.
Best thing, since you sort of know what you are doing, would be to go and buy a used guitar. A little wear and a few scratches are no big deal, and the quality will be better than new for several reasons.
Thomas asks…
How can I fix my guitar?
I have a Jackson Pro Dinky reverse (angled) headstock guitar. Some idiot dropped it, breaking the “pointed” corner of the headstock, which holds the 1st (high E) string tuning machine head – just imagine the entire 1st string point gone. I’m considering my options. I don’t want to just trash it. I don’t want to just keep it as a 5 sting either. Perhaps a Luthier could tell me how far apart the machine heads have to be? Do the have to be perfectly aligned – I was wondering if it is possible for me to just drill another hole elsewhere?
NydiaMccartney answers:
The machine heads should be evenly spaced, and as close to in line with the path the string takes as possible. (Angles are no bueno.)
Your best bet is to get the headstock fixed, which is entirely possible.
If you kept the original piece that broke off, it’s possible it can be put back. Match it up like a puzzle piece, get some good glue, and find a way to clamp it tight while the glue sets.
If not, it’ll need to be sanded perfectly flat where the piece broke off, and a replacement will have to be hand made. You’ll want it to be a little thicker and a bit bigger than the one that broke off. Once again, glue it and clamp it. Once it’s on there good, re-shape it, figure out what size hole to drill for the tuner and do it. Oh, and you’re gonna want to use a good hard wood, like maple. (Odds are the neck is maple to begin with, but whatever you do, it’s best both for aesthetics and for sound to match it up.)
Never forget the ancient rule, measure twice and cut once.
You’re gonna want to paint it to match, too, I suppose.
That’s a little tougher, but here’s what you do. Make sure you find a sealer for the wood. (Sanding is crucial every step of the way.) Then, to match the exact color, your best bet is actually nail polish. It comes in a big range of colors, and it’s easy to work with.
Guitars aren’t so different than furniture, as far as construction goes. Finding information on how to finish it properly shouldn’t be too hard to find, just remember to CLAMP when you glue, and just for schnitzengiggle, measure THREE times.
It’s totally fixable.
Oh, and if you still have the original part, I know clamps aren’t gonna wanna stay on. Make something to fit the shape of what you’re gluing (the piece and your headstock) and put some padding in it to not scratch your finish.
And one more thing. Hit the idiot who dropped it. For me, I promise it’ll feel great.
Sharon asks…
how much does an avila guitar run for? where does it come from? what’s the history on it?
NydiaMccartney answers:
Standard 20 fret dreadnought acoustic with Grover Rotomatics, tasteful abalone rosette, a sweet solid spruce top, mahogany neck, rosewood back, sides and fretboard. Speaking of the fretboard… It has a pretty little set of inlays. A slender vine running almost the entire length with an abalone “firefly” on it. The bookmatching on both the top and the back is striking and it looks as good as it sounds.
There’s no pickguard on the guitar, but the high gloss finish looks to be very tough and durable, so I’m not too worried about that. Plus I’ve got quite a good bit of pick control, so I don’t think I’ll be scratching it up at all.
This guitar is very “martinesque” sounding. Its bass heavy, but the mids and the highs still cut through. In fact it sounds better than both my D-15 and my 615ce and was very inexpensive when compared to any other manufacturer out there. Even though the guitar was the deal of a lifetime, it isn’t cheap with tone or quality.
The action fit and finish are typical for Michal Kelly guitars. Freakin’ perfect. They’re so good that I now own 5 of their guitars and I would highly recommend them to anyone without any hesitation whatsoever.
Again… This is a Michael Kelly and, from the looks of the construction, should withstand any abuse that I could ever give it.
I love most everything about the guitar, but I do wish they would upgrade the nut and bridge on their models. Plastic is just crap in my opinion. Bone doesn’t cost that much and I would gladly pay the little extra for it. I did… Installed them myself. This is the only reason for any disregard with this guitar. Even with the plastic nut and saddle… This guitar had a fantastic tone. Now she sings with the best of the bunch and is my favorite 6 string acoustic.
If you happen across any of the Michael Kelly line… Pick it up and play it. If you’re looking for a guitar, you’ll immediately stop looking and take home your very own like I have.
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