- Automotive feeler gauges (.002-.025)
- Ruler (6” with 1/32” and 1/64” increments)
- Phillips-head screwdriver (small)
- Nut driver (½”, ¼”)
- Electronic tuner
- Wire cutters
- String winder
- Polish and polish cloth
- Light tung oil or lemon oil
The most frequent yet easiest and least expensive item of guitar maintenance is changing the strings. Nothing brightens the sound of your guitar and ensures easy playability more.
Most Guild guitars ship with new Guild L350 light-gauge (.012-.052) strings; setup measurements used here are based on the tension of these strings (tension of strings by other manufacturers will likely vary slightly and hence affect setup specifications). Also, make sure your strings are at pitch before checking the measurements that affect your guitar’s playability. Change your strings correctly by following these steps:
- Remove the old strings. This is a good time to clean and seal the fingerboard and bridge; light tung oil, lemon oil and bee’s wax compounds work best (don’t use standard guitar polish on unfinished fingerboards or bridges— they dry out the wood).
- Seat the ball ends of the new strings snugly against their bridge pins at the bridge plate to avoid pitch slipping (often the cause of what many people erroneously believe to be “string stretching”) and firmly re-insert the bridge pins.
- At the tuning posts, carefully wind the strings downward from the anchor holes; two to three complete wraps for the low E, A and D strings and at least three complete wraps for the G, B and high E strings. No more than five wraps are necessary. Attach all the strings with low tension before tuning up (see Illustrations 1, 2, and 3).
- Tighten the strings to pitch (a string winder and electronic tuner will help). Even a quarter-step below pitch can relax tension in the top and neck, resulting in a slightly duller sound; more tension in the wood produces more volume and sustain. Once strings are at pitch, you can start checking the measurements that affect your guitar’s playability.
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Illustration 1
String is passed through
hole near top of string post. |
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Illustration 2
String is then wound
halfway around post. |
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"Illustration 3
Prevent string slippage by
running the short end
halfway around the post,
then underneath and back
over the main length of
string before tightening. |
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Guild acoustic guitars are equipped with a neck truss rod that counteracts concave neck curvature (double truss rod in 12-string models). Follow these steps to check and adjust the truss rod:
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Illustration 4
Remove truss rod cover from headstock. Using 1/4 inch nut driver, turn rod nut gently.
Inset: Truss Rod Cover |
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- Remove the truss rod cover (if so equipped) and apply a capo at the first fret.
- Fret the low E string at the 14th fret. While doing this, measure the distance from the top of the fifth fret to the bottom of the low E string with a feeler gauge. There should be a small gap (.006” +/- .002”). This gap should equal half the thickness of the high E string (.012”) and determines the neck “relief” needed to prevent string buzz cause by a normal string vibration pattern (or excursion). A gap of less than .006” may cause buzzing or, on higher frets, “fret out.”
- With a ¼” nut driver, turn the truss rod clockwise to straighten the neck; counterclockwise to add “relief.” Note that medium gauge (.013”-.056”) strings have higher tension with less excursion, hence requiring more truss rod tension to counteract the stronger string pull and producing more volume, sustain and tonal “woodiness” (see Illustration 4).
- Should you meet excessive resistance when adjusting the truss rod, or if the adjustment seems extreme, or if you’re uncomfortable attempting the adjustment, take your guitar to your authorized Guild Service Center.
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To check string height at the first fret, follow these steps:
- Remove the capo from the first fret. Use a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the low E string; the gap should range from .085” to .093” (5.5/64” to 6/64”).
- Measure the high E string in the same fashion; the gap between the top of the 12th fret and the bottom of the high E string should be .070” to .078” (4.5/64” to 5/64”). If the gap is too wide, the bottom of the bridge saddle must be shaved or the bridge saddle replaced with a shorter one. If the gap is too narrow, a taller saddle is needed (the radius of the top of the saddle must match the fingerboard radius; Guild uses a 12” fingerboard radius).
To adjust the saddle as mentioned above, follow these steps:
- Loosen the strings without removing them from the tuners.
- Apply a capo to the first fret. This lets you remove the bridge pins with no damage to the tuning post windings.
- Draw a light pencil line across the base of the saddle along the top of the bridge.
- Use pliers or wire cutters to gently lift the saddle from the saddle slot. Don’t try to pry it up—it’s too easy to chip wood away from the bridge slot.
- Use a flat file to remove an amount of material from the bottom of the saddle double the amount of the 12th-fret overage (i.e., if the 12th-fret gap is 1/64” too high, you must remove 1/32” from the bottom of the saddle).
- Drop the saddle back into the saddle slot and draw another pencil line across the saddle at the base of the bridge. Remove the saddle again and check your work. It’s critical to keep the saddle bottom flat and level so that it sits flat in the saddle slot. Saddle rounding causes volume loss and, if your guitar is equipped with an electronic transducer, response loss.
- When saddle modification is completed, re-install it into the slot, reseat the strings and re-install the bridge pins. Remove the capo and retune the guitar to pitch.
- Because you’ve released neck tension by loosening the strings and the truss rod may have shifted, neck straightness must be rechecked according to the preceding procedures). Remove the capo and recheck the-12th fret measurements. Repeat the shaving procedure if necessary.
- If you consider this adjustment necessary but are uncomfortable with the procedure, take your guitar to your authorized Guild Service Center.
To check string height at the first fret and, if necessary, adjust the nut, follow these steps:
- Use a feeler gauge to measure from the top of the first fret to the bottom of the low E string; the gap should measure .022” +/- .002”.
- Measure the high E string in the same fashion; the gap between the top of the first fret and the bottom of the high E string should be .020” +/- .002”.
- Unlike the procedure for adjusting the bridge saddle, nut adjustment requires each string to be measured and adjusted separately.
- Caution: adjusting the nut should only be done with the proper files and sufficient experience. If you consider this adjustment necessary but are uncomfortable with the procedure, take your guitar to your authorized Guild Service Center. If you decide to do it yourself, continue as instructed here.
- Carefully cut the string slots in the nut with nut slot files, angling the string slots downward toward the headstock to relieve any pinching of the strings that may happen on that side of the nut (if you cut too deep, the slot can be filled with a mixture of baking soda and crazy glue and re-cut—the nut must be isolated with masking tape; wipe away excess crazy glue with tissue paper to protect the finish around the nut).
- Retune your guitar to pitch.
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