Updated

07-Mar-10

 Equipment Tips

Tip #12:

 

I will often sit down and play my guitar or bass.  Frequently the guitar will start to slip away from you (due to the high gloss finish) and you have to pull it back toward you.  I recently experimented with one of my guitars and added a thin (3/16”) piece of dampening foam with adhesive on one side.  The strip is about 1 1/2” wide x 9”  long and it is attached to the bottom of the guitar.  This does a very nice job of  keeping the guitar in my lap and not slipping away.  Do not try this with unfinished or oil finished guitars and I would recommend using a 3M release adhesive (like those used on the removable hooks) if you are going to put this on a high dollar guitar.

 

Tip #11:

 

Does your acoustic guitar sound a little dull? You could change or clean the strings, but I found a neat little trick that adds brightness without messing with the strings (other than removing them).  Change the bridge!  Well specifically, change the saddle on the bridge.  The saddle is the narrow piece of plastic, wood, bone, etc that the strings sit on.  This important piece of material helps transmits the vibrations from the strings to the body of the guitar.  A piece of plastic will absorb some of that energy.  Our friends at West End sell a replacement saddle made of Composite Acoustics' proprietary carbon fiber material.  You will probably have to trim the saddle with a hacksaw and a file it to match your existing saddle.  Be sure the saddle fits snug into the bridge. 

 

Tip #10: 

 

Is your guitar difficult to play?  Sometimes when the strings get old they get stiff and corroded.  A fresh set of strings can help a lot.  You can also consider a slightly lighter gauge (smaller diameter strings).  However, do not make a significant change in diameter as this will affect the setup of your guitar.  For acoustic guitars I like a set of  “12’s” which means the high E string has a diameter of .012”.  For an electric guitar I like a set of “10’s” where the high E string has a diameter of .010”.  Bass guitars (4 string) gauges I prefer .045” (G string) to .100” (E string).  Part B of this tip is to check the spacing between the bottom of the string and the first fret.  Fender electrics typically have this set at .020”.  A larger distance can make it more difficult to play.  Special files are designed to file the nut down to the right height.  Be careful not to make the groove too large or you will end up with fret buzz.

 

Tip #9:

 

What’s that rattle?  Figuring out where an unwanted vibration is coming from on your guitar or bass can be a challenge.  Several things to check include pick-up springs, bridge springs, strap-locks and tuning machines.  I found that the bridge of my $100 Squire guitar was  vibrating even though the screws were tight.  I needed to add a few screws under the bridge saddles.  If the strings are not tight against the nut, this can vibrate and it sounds as if the truss rod is vibrating.  To avoid this, be sure to wind the strings around the bottom of the machine post to ensure the string is pulled down on the nut.  Another quick tip I read is using a very small amount of Chapstick on the nut to lubricate the strings and keep them from binding, especially if you use a vibrato bar.

 

Tip #8:

 

In certain settings, especially traditional jazz, the sound of the bass lacks sustain (sustain is where you continue to hear the note after it was played).  This is also true with some of the early Beatles recordings.  One way to simulate this sound with a modern electric bass is to place a small, narrow piece of foam or sponge between the strings and the body of the bass near the bridge.  The amount of “dampening” can be controlled by how close the foam is to the bridge.  The closer to the bridge, the less dampening effect.  If you look closely at the bridge of a Rickenbacker 4001 electric bass on the bass page, this piece of foam was actually built into the bridge and the pressure against the strings (dampening effect) could be adjusted.  You can also use the side of your right hand if playing with a pick.

 

Tip #7:

 

Need a tuner?? Use your computer monitor to tune your bass!  I figured this out watching TV a long time ago, but your computer monitor will work and if you adjust the refresh rate, you can get closer to a certain frequency.  Here is how it works:   Common tuning for musical instruments is with the note A4 = 440 Hertz (Hertz = waves  or vibrations per second).  Working your way down, A3 = 220 Hz, A2 = 110 Hz and A1 = 55 Hz.  Well A1 is the open A string on a standard bass.  Play and watch the open A string of your bass using the light from your computer monitor (with the refresh rate at 60 Hz).  You should see the reflection of the string on the bass pickguard “move”.  If you place your finger on the first fret (Bb) of the A string, the “waving” of the string should slow down.  Bb is at 58 Hz.   If you bend the string up slightly, you will be at 60 Hz and in sync with the refresh rate of your monitor and the string should stop waving.  This web link has a list of other frequencies.

 

http://www.contrabass.com/pages/frequency.html

 

Tip #6:

 

I recall reading this one somewhere and confess that I have done it.  Anyway, if you play the guitar or bass with  your fingers (i.e. no pick), sometimes the wound strings can “grab” your skin, which makes your playing less fluid (smooth).  One quick technique to lubricate the tips of your fingers is to rub them against the top of your nose (the outside of your nose!).  The surface of your nose typically has natural oils that work very well.  Of course, don’t do it while anyone is looking and especially not when they are taking pictures! ;)   This can diminish the brightness of the strings over time, but some rubbing alcohol on a rag can be used to clean the strings later. 

 

Tip #5:

 

I really enjoy the feel of a tung oil finish on the neck of a guitar.  Very smooth!  However this requires removing the finish from the back of the neck (sanding it down).  After removing the neck from the guitar, I sand the back of the neck from behind the nut down to the base.  Start with #220 grit, then go to #400 grit, #600 grit and then 0000 Very Fine steel wool.  Use a tack cloth to remove all of the dust and steel  fibers from the neck.  Follow the manufacture’s directions for applying the tung oil.  This is usually rubbing in the tung oil, letting it dry over night and then coming back with 0000 Very Fine steel wool.  Repeat 3—4 times.  I typically use Formby’s tung oil.  You can also tint the neck with a dye before you apply the tung oil for a slightly different finish.

 

Tip #4:

 

Use a plastic polish or 3M polish to clean up the finish of your guitar.  These products are not the same as  furniture polish. As always, test a small inconspicuous spot first.  This should only be done on lacquered or other hard finishes and not on a oil finish (such as tung oil).  Use a very soft rag (old T-shirts work well) and A LOT of elbow grease and your guitar will look almost new again.

 

Tip #3:

 

Rather than replacing your strings, clean them!  Dirty strings can make strings sound dull and are less comfortable to play. There are multiple ways to do this, but often I will boil a set of strings.  Remove the strings and coil them up.  Place them in a small pot of water and boil them. It is cheaper than a new set and will add back some of the brightness.  The thread windings on bass strings can start to come undone if they are left in the water too long.  I cleaned the strings on my acoustic guitar recently with rubbing alcohol, and then boiled them.  They sound great!

 

Tip #2:

 

When tuning your guitar or bass, bring the string UP to pitch.  That is, tighten the string until it has the correct pitch. If you over tighten the string, loosen it until it is below the correct pitch and bring it up slowly. Play the string while you are turning the tuning key so you can hear it approach the correct pitch.  I like to lightly stretch (gently) new strings once they are close to pitch.  This helps ensure they are tight against the tuning machine and the bridge pin, and keeps them in tune.

 

Tip #1:

 

If you happen to buy a very low costing entry level guitar (I refrain from the word “cheap”, some of these guitars are quite nice), consider replacing the strings will some brand name strings (D’Addarrio, Martin, Fender, Ernie Ball, etc). It can significantly improve the playability and sound of your instrument.

 

 

PRACTICE Tips

#1         Listen ACTIVELY.  Listen to a piece of music WITHOUT playing your guitar or doing something else.  Listen closely to what is going on.  Headphones are great for this.  A keen ear comes with practice and is essential to being a good musician. Listen, Listen, Listen!!

 

#2        Buy a guitar book and READ IT! The books are very inexpensive and there is a ton of good information in there.  You can initially skip past the exercises, but at least UNDERSTAND what you are supposed to do.  There is also a ton of information on the internet.  Check our links page.  The more you know, the better you will be (with practice of course).

 

#3      Keep your guitar / bass handy.  Get a good solid stand and keep it accessible.  If you have to pull it out of the case every time you want to play it you will be deterred from playing. If you don’t want to leave out your nice guitar, buy an inexpensive one.  I have a $100 used Fender Squire Bass that I leave at work just for that purpose.

 

#4      Use ALL of your fingers.  Once you learn a riff or chord (say a C major), learn to play it WITHOUT your index finger on your left hand….using fingers 2, 3 ,and 4.  If you typically play with your index (1)  and ring finger (3), try playing the same thing with your middle finger (2) and pinky (4).

 

#5      Practice what you can’t do.  If you have trouble with a part of a song, try to break it into small pieces and work it out.  Get comfortable with the movements of a new riff.

     

#6      Practice tuning your guitar.  Tune it using a piano or other keyboard.

 

#7        Practice different styles of music.  Listen closely to the rhythm.

 

#8        Even if you have a piece memorized, practice reading the music along with it.  Get used to look at either chord symbols or the notes without looking at  your hands.

 

#9        Create your own exercises.  Make patterns on the fretboard and practice them while watching TV or listening to the radio.

 

#10      Teach yourself a song.  Listen to the radio or your favorite song and try to figure it out.  Start with the bass notes (root of the chord).