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Frequently Asked Questions
(and their answers!)
What is a set-up?
What is the Maple Street Guitars Action Warranty?
What woods are used for the top of a guitar?
What woods are used for the backs and sides of a guitar?
How do I care for my guitar?
When should I change the strings on my guitar?
Which strings are best for my guitar?
What is the difference among brands of guitar strings?
Why do some guitars cost so much more than others?
I am left-handed, should I play a left-handed guitar?
My child wants to play guitar. What type of instrument should I purchase?
How do I travel with my guitar on an airplane?
What is the difference between an acoustic and a classical guitar?
Does installing electronics in my acoustic streel string guitar make it an "electric" guitar?
What kind of dog is Cricket?
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A Set-Up is the adjustment of string-height to make a guitar as easy to play as possible. It involves setting the height of the strings at the nut and saddle - assuming that the fretwork of the fingerboard is perfect, the neck-set perfect and the top of an acoustic guitar is very flexible. (Neck-set is the angle at which the neck is attached to the body.) Ideally the neck should be on a parallel plane with the top of the guitar. If fretwork, neck-set and top flexibility are less than ideal, other work may be required to make the guitar as easy to play as possible. In addition, electric guitars require adjustment of the pickup heights and intonation of the strings by setting the heights and placement of each individual saddle.
The art of a set up involves experience and judgement, recognizing what a guitar will allow to maximize its playing condition.
Although we use standard measurements for string heights at specific points, we use our experience and judgement to customize each guitar's action. Ideally the fingerboard should be very straight with a hint of concave (relief) and the frets perfectly even so that there is no rattle against the frets when the guitar is played with average attack on the strings. Those players whose playing style causes extreme amplitude of the strings, will either have to have a higher set up or accept more buzzing in their sound than might be ideal for other players. Likewise, a player with weak hands and a softer attack can have a lower than standard set-up.
If the guitar has an adjustable truss rod in the neck, adjusting the truss rod affects the string height: “relaxing” the truss rod creates more “relief” (space between fingerboard and strings) and tightening it creates less “relief”. Setting the action of a guitar often involves filing down the existing saddle bone and the slots of the nut. Or, it can involve replacing the existing saddle and nut with a new, custom-made bone saddle and nut. Since fretwork is seldom perfect, especially after a guitar has spent awhile taking on and giving up moisture, filing frets here and there is often another part of the set-up. We also check any hardware, tightening up tuning machines and the input jack on electric guitars
Many new guitars come to us with very good set-ups. They have been constructed under ideal conditions without any string tension. However, after spending a little time on the wall, strung up to proper string tension, taking on and giving off moisture from the ambient air in a different environment, the wood of the guitar can change, affecting the action. We often make adjustments to new guitars we sell before they leave our shop, and we guarantee the set-up of every guitar we sell. (See Action Warranty)
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Guitars are constructed in a controlled environment without any string tension. After arriving at a store, they are hung out for sale where they may not only experience a different level of humidity but frequent fluctuations in humidity. Their strings are tightened to a certain pitch, which also may change. Wood is organic, and though guitars are constructed from wood which has been dried or cured, it can re-absorb moisture and release moisture.
Changes in moisture content can affect the action or playability of a guitar. Specifically, dryness can cause the top of a guitar to shrink, lowering the strings. Dryness can even affect the fingerboard, causing frets to become more prominent. Too much humidity can cause the top of a guitar to swell, raising the height of the strings. Even minor changes can be perceived by a player. Minor changes may cause a guitar to have buzzes and rattles when played with a reasonable attack. Minor changes can make the guitar less responsive and more difficult to play. We believe that the first year in a guitar's new home will be most crucial one for stabilizing the action of a guitar. We will make the necessary adjustments to the action of any instrument we sell, free of charge, for one year after being purchased from Maple Street Guitars .
Our Action Warranty also covers any action issues an instrument may have which we may have overlooked before it was purchased from us.
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A guitar sounds its best when its strings are fresh, perhaps after a few hours playing time have reduced the stretching and sharpness of the new strings. So –
1. Change your strings when you think your guitar doesn't sound as good as it used to.
Strings eventually get completely stretched out and lose their elasticity. At this point it becomes more difficult to make small adjustments in tension. So –
2. Change your strings when it becomes difficult to tune your guitar accurately .
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3. Obviously, change your strings when they break – only change all of them. Usually the compression of the mass of the guitar string at the saddle eventually results in enough stress on the string that it breaks. Or enthusiastic playing puts more tension on a string than it can tolerate. The most even sound on a guitar occurs when strings are of the same vintage. A fresh string sounds stronger than an older string. Furthermore, unless the string break results from a very hard attack on the string alone, a breaking string points to wearing out of the other strings. For best results, change all of the strings when one string breaks.
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Strings have two main variables: weight or gauge and the material from which they are manufactured.
1. String Material
A. Brass. Used only for the bass (wound) strings of acoustic steel-string guitars, brass strings are called “80/15”, “80/20” or “bright bronze”. As might be expected, “bright bronze” sounds very bright or “brassy”. The color of the strings is a bright, brassy, yellow color. Within a brand, “80/20 or bright bronze strings are usually the least expensive.
B. Phosphor Bronze. Used only for the bass (wound) strings of acoustic steel-string guitars, Phosphor Bronze strings are true bronze with a touch of phosphorus for longer life. Phosphor Bronze strings are a darker, more “bronze” color and produce a cleaner, more focused sound. They usually cost a little more, and many people claim that they stay “live” longer.
C. Steel. Used for the plain (unwound) treble strings for electric and acoustic steel-stringed guitars. They are made of polished steel.
D. Nickel . Used for the bass (wound) strings of electric guitars and also for some strings designed for Acoustic-electric guitars. Nickel has a duller acoustic sound than brass or bronze, but it conducts signals from a magnetic pickup far better. Some Nickel wound strings are alloys and some are pure Nickel. Deciding whether one should use an alloy or pure nickel is a personal preference.
E. Nylon. Used for the strings of classical and flamenco guitars, which are braced too lightly to withstand the tension of metal strings. Nylon is very elastic and pliable, and has a much lower tension than brass and bronze strings. Pure nylon is used for the treble strings, and nylon filaments wound with silver-plated wire are used for the bass strings. Since nylon is very pliable, it is good for subtle effects such as vibrato and tonal variation.
In recent years new, denser nylon compounds have been developed. Sometimes called “carbon” nylon, this type of nylon has been used with great success in certain brands. The perception is that carbon nylon produces are more focused, louder sound.
F . Copper. Sometimes used in bass (wound) strings for classical guitars.
G. Synthetic webbing. Used in coating wound strings for longer life.
The amount of perspiration and the constitution of the perspiration varies from person to person. For those guitarists whose hands are prone to perspire, especially if that perspiration contains an acid component – their perspiration corrodes the strings and deadens them so swiftly that playing with fresh strings is a short-lived event. Modern technology to the rescue! A few years ago the Gore corporation, inventor of Gore-Tex (registered trademark) outerwear, developed a web-like coating for guitar strings which protected them from the corrosiveness of perspiration. Coated strings extend the life of strings for other players as well, and they keep guitars hanging on the walls in stores sounding better for longer. Gore's brand, Elixir, has been hugely successful, a godsend to guitarists with clammy hands. It has been copied by major string manufacturers, until most major brands have a coated string offering. The downside of coated strings is that they do not sound as crisp and fresh as non-coated strings. Furthermore, the web-coating does not do for plain steel treble strings. Gore has tinkered with their original string, called Polyweb, and put out a string with a lighter coating called Nanoweb. They also produced a phosphor-bronze coated string. The lighter coated strings do not last as long, but they have a crisper sound.
2 . Gauge or string weight.
Strings come in a range of gauges, usually termed “extra-light”, “custom light”, “light”, “medium”, “heavy” and various combinations of the above. Most of the time the actual string diameters are listed on the package. Nylon strings are the most general in their designations. Usually, Normal, Hard Tension and Extra Hard Tension.
A rule of thumb is - the thinner or lighter the string, the less air mass it moves, resulting in less volume. Lighter, thinner strings also deform more when pressed down, affecting intonation (playing in tune). However, the heavier the string, the harder it is to press down - and the less it bends, making certain effects like vibrato and string bends more difficult.
Gauge is therefore a matter of subjective choice, depending on one's playing style and personal preferences.
Gauge is also a matter of suiting the string to the guitar. A general rule is that big body guitars use heavier strings to achieve their best sound, and smaller body guitars use lighter strings – in some cases to put less stress on a lighter braced instrument. Heavier strings are best for players whose playing style involves a strong attack on the string: they can play harder, get more volume with less string buzzing against the frets. However, heavier strings kill the shimmer and subtlety in the sound of many guitars and present a challenge to those with weaker hands.
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String weight and material aside, different manufacturers also vary the manufacturing of their strings in the following ways:
1. Size and shape of the core wire in metal wound strings.
2. Type of fiber or filament in nylon wound strings.
3. Number of wraps per inch on wound strings.
4. Weight of individual strings within a set. Manufacturers occasionally differ slightly as to the individual weights of the strings packaged together as a set under a certain designation, such as “light” or “medium.
Players may be unconsciously sensitive to these differences – hence, their preference for one brand over another. In the end, the player should experiment among the types and brands of strings appropriate for his instrument, and choose the set that best enables him to play his music!
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1 . Biggest reason: Time and labor.
Despite the use of sophisticated technology, skilled labor is still required to construct guitars. The higher the standards, the more skilled the craftsman and the more time he takes to build the guitar. Guitars of high quality can be made from mass-produced parts in assembly-line fashion. However, the small decisions that a skilled and gifted craftsman makes as he assembles a guitar results in an instrument with unique overtones and a responsiveness that is hard to duplicate. In small workshops where time is taken to voice tops, hand finish braces and to execute clean construction, the resulting instruments are often superior to those made in environments where parts are assembled in a more mass produced fashion..
It takes more time to decorate a guitar with special inlays, purflings and bindings, special finishes. They cost more.
2. Materials .
Premium materials are more rare, more expensive, and sometimes more difficult to work with. Brazilian rosewood and maple, for example are brittle and prone to cracking. The expense of dealing with cracks must be figured into the price. Premium woods that are hard to come by will cost much more than those more commonly available. The best luthiers have very high standards for the materials they use. If they can not obtain a variety of wood in the grade that satisfies their standards, they will not construct a guitar from that variety at all. They will wait for a quality piece to become available.
3. Uniqueness and Demand .
As in all consumer items, demand drives price. An instrument made by a gifted, highly skilled, and widely acclaimed guitar maker who only makes twenty-five guitars a year, will probably have a waiting list. Demand for such a small output will drive up the price. Is the higher price justified? The players wanting a guitar from that luthier would probably say, “yes”.
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There is no single answer to this question. There are many very strong reasons to play the guitar as right-handed players do -- the left hand fingering the notes on the fingerboard, the right hand strumming or plucking the strings.
1. There are many, many left-handed players who play “right-handed” without any negative effects.
2. Both hands need to develop dexterity and strength in order to play the guitar – just as in playing the piano.
3. The choice among left-handed guitars is very limited. Many players are forced to order a left-handed guitar without being able to try it out first.
4. A left-handed player is at a disadvantage in social situations where there is an available guitar to play, and he doesn't have his own, left-handed instrument.
evertheless, if - after trying for several months to play right-handed - a left-handed person still feels disoriented and clumsy in his efforts to play the guitar, and feels that switching the guitar around to play left-handed would advance his progress, he should purchase a left-handed instrument and play on!
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1. A sized guitar that is comfortable to hold and allows easy access to the strings for both hands. Some guitars come in several sizes designed specifically for children.
2. Most teachers recommend a nylon string guitar for children, because nylon strings have less tension and are easier to press down. The neck length of a nylon or “classical” sized guitar is usually more correctly proportioned to the small size of the body and more accommodating for a child.
3. HOWEVER, if the child has strong preferences for a steel string sound because of the music he is eager to play, or if he is strongly motivated by the idea of playing an electric guitar, motivation must be taken into consideration. Most teachers who play acoustic and electric styles can teach a beginning student on any type of guitar, as long as the size is right. Solo or fingerstyle playing is still best learned on a nylon string guitar.
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In these security-conscious days traveling with your guitar can be a stressful experience, especially if your guitar is valuable to you in terms of dollars or sentiment.
1. The easiest way is to use a well-padded gig bag and carry your guitar on board as inconspicuously as possible with no other baggage in hand. The downside of this plan is that if it does not fit in the overhead compartment, which can be small on some large airplanes, and the authorities force you to check your guitar into the baggage compartment, your guitar faces considerable risk in being crushed by heavier luggage during take-off and landing.
2. The most secure way to fly with your guitar is to purchase a flight case, such as a Calton (see Cases) and gate-check your guitar. Flight cases are expensive, more expensive than some guitars; but they protect instruments quite well from all but the most bizarre occurrences. You must weigh your guitar's importance against the cost of the case. If you decide that your guitar is not worth the price of a flight case, you can choose:
3. The calculated risk method: Purchase a strong, arched top or double-arched case, which is more protective than a gig bag or flat top case. You can even buy a padded case cover with a shoulder strap to reduce shocks and help protect against gouges. A shoulder strap helps to make the guitar case seem less obtrusive and bulky than a flight case and may help in getting the guitar carried on board. This solution is not as protective as a flight case, but is less expensive and offers a pretty good protection against the hazards of being checked into the baggage compartment. Again, checking your guitar at the gate and retrieving it there rather then having it ride the ramps and carousels, eliminates additional hazards to your instrument.
Technically nylon string and steel-string “acoustics” are both acoustic guitars.
1. A nylon string guitar is often called a “classical” guitar because it is the instrument most often used for playing solo, composed pieces. A nylon string guitar typically has nylon strings (the basses being a nylon filament wrapped with silver-plated wire), a wider neck – usually about 2 inches wide at the nut – and a flat fingerboard. The neck is wider to enable a player to play “cleaner”, keeping certain strings ringing while others are played.
The neck joins the body at the 12 th fret, instead of the 14 th fret, as is typical in most steel string acoustics. The headstock is slotted rather than solid. The body of a nylon string guitar has a pretty standard shape to achieve balance between the bass and treble portions of the dynamic range.
Nylon string guitars are actually quite versatile and are used for many types of music worldwide. Their strings are easy to press down, and the balance between treble and bass is very accommodating to the expression of melodic lines. Many jazz players use nylon string guitars because of their sound and playability. Beginning students often find nylon string guitars easier to play.
2. Steel string guitars are called “acoustics” in the music industry. They have all metal strings, a narrower neck than nylon string guitars, and a curved or “radiused” fingerboard. The neck of the steel string guitar most often joins the body at the 14 th fret, although there are some exceptions. The body of steel string guitars often comes in different sizes and shapes to accommodate different types of music and playing styles:
A. Dreadnaughts. This body shape was invented by the Martin Guitar Company in the early 20 th century for the Ditson Company. It had a deeper and wider lower bout than guitars made previously. Martin named it after a famous World War I Battleship design, the Dreadnought, and Martin copyrighted the misspelling of the name. This design enhanced the bass response of the guitar, making it ideal for rhythm accompaniment. It became so popular that it was widely copied and a version of the Dreadnaught is a standard model in the line of almost every guitar maker today.
B. Small Body. Smaller body guitars have a more even balance between the bass and treble – i.e., melodic lines become more prominent. For this reason they are often chosen by players who want to play solo fingerstyle music. They are also chosen by players who find larger bodied guitars uncomfortable to hold. Finally, many players are looking for a different sound, and like what they hear from a smaller bodied guitar.
Smaller bodied guitars are offered by most guitar manufacturers and luthiers. The Martin Guitar company, being one of the oldest, has several models, designated by zeros: 0, 00, 000, 0000. They also have an “Orchestra Model” called “ OM ” which has the same body size as a 000, but usually has a longer scale length and often a slightly wider nut width. Many other guitar makers use the “Orchestra Model” general proportions and also the name “ OM ” for their small body guitar. In addition, there are other designations for unique small body shapes: Grand Concert is a popular term for small body guitars used by Taylor, Goodall and many others. Gibson has their L and Nick Lucas models, which are unique designs, often copied. Collings has a C-10 model, similar to the Gibson L, for example.
C. Grand Auditoriums and Small Jumbos. These sizes are not small body guitars, but their design and shape often result in a big-sounding guitar with a more balanced treble and bass, making them good candidates for fingerstyle playing. Though they often have the body depth of a dreadnaught, they usually don't feel as bulky to hold because they have a more pronounced waist.
D. Jumbos. Jumbos are the largest bodied steel-stringed guitars. Depending on the materials used in their construction they usually have the most pronounced bass of all guitars. They are great for rhythm accompaniment.
E. 12-Frets. Joining the body of a steel string guitar to the neck at the 12 th fret results in a longer body and more soundboard to vibrate. The sound generated by 12-Fret steel strings is very big and open, even when the body is a small body, such as a 000 size. Fingerstyle players especially enjoy 12-Fret acoustics. Their nut widths are typically a little wider to accommodate solo fingerstyle playing, and the headstock is traditionally slotted, although solid headstocks are also seen. The Martin company designates their 12-Frets with an “S” for “Slot-head”.
Installing electronics in an acoustic steel string guitar only enables the steel string sound to be amplified or made louder. So-called “electric” guitars, including archtop or “jazz” guitars (which have an acoustic cavity) have a much different sound, due to their unique construction and the pickups used to amplify their sound. Solid body electric guitars in particular have a sound much different from an amplified acoustic guitar. They were originally designed without an acoustic cavity to eliminate feedback, although feedback was subsequently utilized to create distinctive sounds for electric guitars. The unique sounds generated by “electric” guitars have created a complete genre of new music for the latter part of the 20 th century. It is not possible to duplicate these sounds on an amplified steel string guitar. Buying your child an amplified acoustic guitar will not satisfy his or her longing for an electric solid-body guitar!
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Cricket is a Rat Terrier. She is a perfect dog to take to work – calm and laid-back, yet curious and friendly. She is quite intelligent and takes seriously her job of entertaining our customers and students and fending off any subversive attacks from undesirables! At nine, she is still the youngest member of the staff but has learned to fit in quite nicely.
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