October 17th, 2011 9:32 pm
Having a good instrument to play or exercise on is crucial in order to progress on it. There is not one thing more discouraging than not being competent to play your best because of fret buzz or strings being so high that it is very hard press them down. I have always been setting up my own guitars and through trial and error I learned what it takes to make a guitar sound good. There are two things you MUST do in order to get your guitar sounding as best as it may sound.
Truss Rod Adjustment
Your guitar absorbs dissimilar amounts of moisture allround the year. When it does that the wood starts to swell. Your guitar neck is where you may see that swelling the best. Fret buzz is an indicator that the neck might need an adjustment. First find out what adjustment it needs. Put a capo on the initial fret and also push down on the last fret with your finger. That forms a straightedge and if you go to the eighth fret, you may distinctly see if the neck needs adjustment or not. If there is a big gap in amidst the string and the neck, tighten the truss rod to get rid of it. If there is no gap in between, loosen the truss rod a bit to get a little gap. You need to have a little gap amidst the string and the neck to achieve the best playability. Truss rod adjustment is one of the easiest maintenance procedures to do but do not forget NOT to over tighten the rod or it will snap.
Intonation
Having a good intonation on your guitar may actually make it sing. To adjust the intonation in the right manner you need a guitar tuner. Tune the guitar. Play an open E-string and then play the 12th fret on the same string. If the 12th fret note is sharp, you need to tighten the bridge saddle. If the note is flat, you need to loosen the saddle. Repeat the procedure on all strings until the notes on the 12th fret are the same as the open string notes.
Tags: guitar maintenance, guitar maintenance tips, guitar set-up, intonation, truss rod adjustment