Alex Marucci Guitar Repair

A complete setup will help to ensure optimal performance and good tuning stability of your instrument and should be performed by someone who has the know-how & experience every couple months, depending on how much or how little you play. Chances are, if you are reading this it is because you do not have much experience making these adjustments. However, there are still things you can do to check to see if your guitar or bass needs adjusting.

Step 1. Observe the condition of the strings. Many players often overlook this very important factor of tuning stability. Yes, in fact changing your strings when they get old or begin to look dirty will greatly help your guitar stay in tune! Tech Tip: Sweat and grime will accumulate on the strings after each time you play, degrading string life. Make it a habit of wiping down the strings & fretboard with a cotton rag after each time you play, as this will greatly improve string life and put more money in your wallet!

Step 2. Take a look at your tremolo, if equipped. What do you see?? A piece of metal... yes that's correct, but there is much more to it. There are only 3 points in which the strings come in contact with the actual guitar - at the nut, the bridge, and when you fret a note. The rest of the time, your strings are suspended above the fretboard and must be high enough so that you don't encounter buzz, and low enough for comfort/playability. The first place to look is at the bridge and see if it sits too high or too low. For people with floating tremolos, in addition to looking at height, also make sure to check if the ANGLE is correct. Tech Tip: If you recently changed string gauges and you have a floating tremolo, the angle will need to be adjusted for optimal playability.

Step 3. Sight down the neck of your guitar from the body. There should be a slight amount of relief, but not much. If you can see the strings touching the frets at any point then there is too much back-bow and it need to be properly adjusted - same thing goes for relief. Tech Tip: If you don't know how to adjust a truss rod, DON"T! You can seriously damage the rod or other parts of your guitar. NEVER attempt to turn a stuck rod!

Step 4: Are your fretted notes sharper or flatter than they should be right after you just tuned?? You may need to have the intonation checked and adjusted. This is a tedious and precise process and is best left for a tech to perform. Tech Tip: Remember I have the lowest prices around and will setup your guitar for optimal playability, sound and comfort - so don't fret!