Members Kaux Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I mean, maintenance, and repairing? There are no guitar techs where i live, I would be amazed if there is any (really good one) in my entire country. Do you work on your own guitar? I keep reading in old posts, that people change nut, or saddles, how did you learn? My guitar (a cheap yamaha F310) sounds good for what it is, but the low E string started buzzing and about 8 to 10 fret, i put a little more relief in the neck, and it helped, but not totally removed the buzzing, even when the action starts to be too high. I found this on you tube: [YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE] Could it help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moctzal Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 What that video is describing is a sunken top. Take a ruler or something long and perfectly flat/straight and see if there's a slight outward bulge on your guitar's top. The bridge should be slightly raise and a very subtle curve up out to the edges of the top, like a mountain, in all direction. If it's flat, or if it curves down and like a valley, it has a sunken top because it's too dry. So humidifying may fix it. However since your buzzing is limited to a few frets, it sounds like a high fret. Try to check and see if the buzzing is happening at the same fret. If it's raised, it may be dry too and it may need to be humidified and/or leveled as well. Hope this helps. PS: If I was doing what the guy in the video was doing, I'd use a damp sponge in a plastic bag that has holes in it instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brokepick Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I have the tools to do most of my own simpler work like setups. I can shave and set intonation on a saddle, file a nut, level and crown frets. I can do finish touch up on lacquer finishes. I have installed a strap button, and reglued a bridge. I haven't yet attempted replacing frets or doing a neck reset though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted August 18, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I have the tools to do most of my own simpler work like setups. I can shave and set intonation on a saddle, file a nut, level and crown frets. I can do finish touch up on lacquer finishes. I have installed a strap button, and reglued a bridge. I haven't yet attempted replacing frets or doing a neck reset though. Great... How did you learn? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted August 18, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 However since your buzzing is limited to a few frets, it sounds like a high fret. Try to check and see if the buzzing is happening at the same fret. If it's raised, it may be dry too and it may need to be humidified and/or leveled as well. Not only to some frets, but just the low E, no other string buzzes How do you humidify frets/fingerboard that?I live in a really dry pleace, like 2 years ago i lived in a place with lots of humidity, enough for fungus to grow when you left something on the floor. I havent took guitar too seriously until now, and this guitar has suffered my indiference through all this weather conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 Great... How did you learn? Try the index atwww.frets.comBooks"Guitar Player Repair Guide" by Dan Erlewine (ISBN -10: 0-87930-291-7)&"Complete Guitar Repair" by Hideo Kamimoto (ISBN 0.8256.0156.8)Both books deal with and provide details on virtually all aspects of guitar repair and set-up - as does Frets.com - and all are well worth at least studying.--------I was taught luthiery by my grandfather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I'm a self-taught DIY guitar maintenance man. I am by no means a luthier but set-ups, wiring, fret dressing, minor repairs, etc - no problem. Learning to set up a guitar is one of the best lessons a guitarist can learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members missedmyexit Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I've been slowly adding more and more to what I am willing to try myself. This forum is a reason why I feel more comfortable then I did. Lot of experienced people willing to take the time to explain things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 If it involves cutting/filing/drilling or anything like that, I let a pro do it. I'll do anything that involves a screw, a wrench or similar adjustment tool, where the task can be undone. I'll also solder. Some day, I should pick up a tag sale/goodwill quality acoustic, and try to teach myself these things. But I still won't do any of it on my more expensive stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members happy-man Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I've done nut and saddle work. I got all my learnin from the sick guitar thing in the Annex and the info on frets.com (and questions posted to this forum). Scott O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted August 18, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 That site frets.com is great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 That site frets.com is great! If you find yourself needing any information the best thing you can do is ask, as I'm certain someone will try and help you out.The two books I mentioned are very good reference tools for both amateurs and professionals alike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members totamus Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I do all the work on inexpensive guitars, and take expensive gits to the Luthier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tralfaz Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I've never attempted to reset a neck, change frets, or replace the fretboard, but I've done pretty much everything else. At a minimum, a guitarist ought to learn how to do a proper set up. The guitar techs in my neck of the woods only know one set-up: high-action bluegrass style. Learning to do it yourself will not only teach you how to do it, but will also help you discover the set up that's best for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted August 18, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 In my saxophone days, i tried to learn to work on it, but man... those instruments are complicated. The cool thing with guitars, is that you are working with something organic (wood)... My guitar is really cheap, like i said, it has suffered my lack of love for it until now. But i guess it will be a good instrument to learn on how to tweak guitars once i get a better one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sangemon Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 In my saxophone days, i tried to learn to work on it, but man... those instrumMy guitar is really cheap, i like i said, i has suffered my lack of love for it until now. But i guess it will be a good instrument to learn to tweak one i get a better git. Those are the best kind to learn on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mjuenem Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I've done nut and saddle work. I got all my learnin from the sick guitar thing in the Annex and the info on frets.com (and questions posted to this forum).Scott O +1:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ohioarrow Posted August 18, 2008 Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 I've been slowly adding more and more to what I am willing to try myself. This forum is a reason why I feel more comfortable then I did. Lot of experienced people willing to take the time to explain things. +1000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted August 18, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2008 A little bit off topic, but i didnt want to open a new topic just for this question: Wich of the humidifiers available at sweetwater would you recommend me? http://www.sweetwater.com/store/search.php?s=humidifier&go=Go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarist21 Posted August 19, 2008 Members Share Posted August 19, 2008 A little bit off topic, but i didnt want to open a new topic just for this question:Wich of the humidifiers available at sweetwater would you recommend me?http://www.sweetwater.com/store/search.php?s=humidifier&go=Go! Any of those should work just fine. I have one very similar to the Planet Waves one, and I'm happy with it. A lot of folks around here just use a slightly damp sponge in a Ziploc bag with holes poked in it. Throw it in the case and you're good to go. Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stormin1155 Posted August 19, 2008 Members Share Posted August 19, 2008 I've never taken my guitars to a luthier. I guess it just never occured to me that I couldn't work on them myself. I've made some blunders along the way (perhaps the worst was overtightning and snapping the truss rod on a 1955 Gibson ES225). Mostly I learned by trial and error. I also used to hang out at a luthier shop and ask a lot of questions. There are several good books on the topic (Guitar Player Repair Guide by Dan Erlewine is pretty comprehensive), and tons of websites that show you how to do things. If you have some basic tools and are generally pretty handy with fixing things you can do probably 90% of your own tech work. At least things like neck relief, minor fret dressing, and adjusting or installing nuts and saddles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted August 19, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 19, 2008 There are several good books on the topic (Guitar Player Repair Guide by Dan Erlewine is pretty comprehensive), and tons of websites that show you how to do things. Does that book cover making saddles and nuts? it looks to me like it is the first thing to attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted August 19, 2008 Members Share Posted August 19, 2008 Does that book cover making saddles and nuts? it looks to me like it is the first thing to attempt. Try a search on here for "compensated saddle - how to" and tie the information you find there with the saddle making information on frets.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted August 19, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 19, 2008 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted August 19, 2008 Members Share Posted August 19, 2008 No probs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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