Martin
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Post by Martin on Apr 23, 2013 8:41:13 GMT
When you get a new guitar or other instrument, do you like to tinker with it or upgrade any components right away?
I'm not talking about any high-priced custom builds or whatever, but maybe just a standard instrument you picked up second hand perhaps, or got a good deal in a shop.
While I'm not the best at practical/technical tasks, I do like to do this sort of thing.
I changed the tailpiece and tuners on my Eastman mandolin because although I loved the mando, these components were letting it down both in terms of performance and appearance.
I also regularly swap bridges on my banjos to adjust the action when required, and I have previously changed tuners and installed a vellum on them as well.
What do you like to do to instruments that you acquire?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2013 10:07:50 GMT
I swapped-in a couple of Keith tuners on a banjo, and also swapped its brass tone ring for a bronze one, which obviously changed its sound for the better beyond all recognition (or I probably should say hardly at all, that being much closer to the truth). Apart from that, I usually replace tuners with better ones when they're dodgy, but that's about it.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 23, 2013 10:10:51 GMT
I love messing about with instruments! Some years ago I had a small sum of money unexpectedly land in my lap. I bought a cheap, used, eBay guitar and used it to learn how various factors affect guitar playability in a practical way, and to be able to set up and maintain my instruments. With a cheapo instrument there's very little to lose if things go pear-shaped. Fortunately they didn't, and I learned how to tweak truss rods, how to make new saddles and nuts and to do do minor work on bridges and the occasional dodgy fret. Selling this instrument for more than I paid for it meant I then had a little more money than I started with to buy the next instrument.
I enjoyed repeating this process quite a few times over the years - it was fun seeking out instruments I just fancied having around for a while just to mess with, to improve and to enjoy, but always with the deliberate intent of moving them on, and, crucially, moving up the price ladder for the next one. Some of them stayed aound longer than others, like the octave mandolin that needed stripping and refinishing as well as the usal setup related tasks. Others just needed a good clean up or new machine heads and were quickly moved on. As the guitar fund grew, I also experimented a fair bit with pickups, which was fun too.
But, in the end, as well as being a lot of fun, the process paid for my Custom Fylde, as well as teaching me how to do the commoner fettling tasks.
Good idea for a thread, Martin!
Keith
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leoroberts
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My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Apr 23, 2013 13:45:30 GMT
I love the idea of tweaking ... but am too scared to do anything other than change the strings...
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Apr 23, 2013 14:11:48 GMT
I love the idea of tweaking ... but am too scared to do anything other than change the strings... Remember to clean the Glurk of the fretboard occasionally when you do
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Post by sigmadel on Apr 23, 2013 21:24:59 GMT
Not really on acoustic instruments , the only thing ive done recently was added a bone second strap button and i took the action down slightly on the 12 string and tweaked the truss rod . On electric guitars over the years ive swapped scratch plates , pickups , pots , tuners and was constantly tinkering the action in fact when it comes to stratocasters i can set them up really nicely , ive had that many .
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Post by ararat66 on Apr 23, 2013 22:57:14 GMT
I recently 'converted' my old faithful Yamaha laminated top acoustic (great sound !!) to open G tuning with high G string in place of the bass 6th. I made a small brass hook to capo at the 5th (like a bluegrass banjo)and screwed it into the neck (very minimal) - works a treat. I'd been watching loads of Bela Fleck on YouTube over Xmas and it was too tempting.
Leon
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 23, 2013 23:10:15 GMT
That sounds to be a brilliant idea Leon - any recordings of it to share? Keith
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Post by sigmadel on Apr 24, 2013 1:18:32 GMT
Or a couple of pics , it sounds very interesting .
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Post by scripsit on Apr 24, 2013 1:58:08 GMT
I've got a couple of ebay cheapies (including a bizarre Ovation type knockoff) that I bought when I first thought about re-entering guitar playing. I'd like to have them available to poke in the back of the car without concerns, and for trying out some of the more bizarre fingerstyle tunings.
The tuners and, in the case of the round back, the pickup are fine on both of these, and in any case I've got normal screw drivers and the like if something needs a touch up. Frets seem to be OK, although I gather that a straightedge and a long flat file could work if I needed to knock down a high one.
I've done some very minor stuff with saddles and truss rods to improve playability, but found on both guitars that I can't go much further without adjustments to the nut. Intonation adjusting at the bridge end is reasonably easy with a modern digital tuner and small files. Needle files and sandpaper don't seem to work too well as far as accuracy goes in nut slots, yet a set of nut files is expensive: last time I looked more than either guitar cost.
So, they're just sitting there.
I'd be interested in knowing what sort of toolkits you folk who fiddle with acoustic instruments have put together.
I'll start with one device that I got for less than $A3 online, which is a small mirror joined onto a stick with a universal joint. It was advertised as a dental mirror, but it would be suited only to a very large mouth or other bodily cavity. I've never had to use this for any repairs, but it's fascinating to look inside different guitars and check out bracing designs and the like. And, if you've got some old laminated top instruments, sometimes a bit surprising.
Keith, I admire your persistence in working your way up to quality instruments in the manner you described.
Kym
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Post by sigmadel on Apr 24, 2013 11:15:09 GMT
Selling this instrument for more than I paid for it meant I then had a little more money than I started with to buy the next instrument. So its you thats selling the Epiphone with the dodgy story on e-bay Keith . I must admit im a bit surprised by this .
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2013 10:43:24 GMT
I forgot to mention before that I always fit fifth string capos to banjos. I haven't come back just to say that, but to to mention that I got the awkward bugger out again this morning and got really fed up of that "sour" sound up the neck, so I've just ordered a compensated bridge. Turns out they're only a fiver from Eagle.
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Apr 30, 2013 11:14:26 GMT
I forgot to mention before that I always fit fifth string capos to banjos. I haven't come back just to say that, but to to mention that I got the awkward bugger out again this morning and got really fed up of that "sour" sound up the neck, so I've just ordered a compensated bridge. Turns out they're only a fiver from Eagle. Pete, is your 5th string capo always attached (screwed onto) the neck? That's what always put me off fitting one, and I usually just fit model railway spikes. Let me know how you get on with the compensated bridge? I've got a Stockwell 'Moon' bridge on one of mine, and I like it, but I'm not sure exactly how effective it is with intonation. I usually just push and pull my bridges until I get the required effect, sometimes putting it at a queer angle
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Post by calv on Apr 30, 2013 11:40:22 GMT
As a novice guitar and banjo player, i've not done a lot as yet, but i'm getting braver. It's been nice changing the basics on the kids new guitars to get them a nicer sound, just strings and set up really, but it's nice knowing that i can do it. Thats interesting that you've tinkered with the head and bridges of your banjo Martin. A guy on the BHO from Somerset is sending me four different bridges to play around with before i go buying ones i might not like. Thinking of making my own bridge too. Regrading the fitting of the vellum, how did you get on with tightening the brackets and retuning the head? I'd love to fit a skin head on mine, but i'm a bit wary about doing this because of the tuning. A while back i asked Andy Perkins about getting a more woody, plunky sound, and he said one way was to loosen the head. I did this, as advised by him, just a 1/4 of a turn with each nut. Seems to have worked a little, might do it a little more yet. I'm worried though when i loosen the nuts all the way, i won't get them back on equally. Maybe i'm over thinking it? Calv.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2013 11:48:26 GMT
Yep, I use Shubbs and have them screwed in. You'll probably be horrified to hear that I used to make a "guide hole" for the little screws by heating up a thick needle between pliers and burning into the neck at the requisite points. It's probably fortunate that my eyesight has now worsened to the point where I can't do that!
Regarding bridges, the problem with the straight ones is that they're always a compromise. I tend to fix it so the intonation of the top two strings is about right, as they're the ones you mostly hit up the neck in Scruggs and melodic styles, but I find it really jars when I fret the third and fourth up there. I'm hoping that the compensated bridge will make for fewer jumps down to the lower positions mid-phrase.
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