Q&A
This issue: Bargain beauties, spring cleaning and making contact…
PRE-LOVED PERFECTION
Having been looking for a good-quality second, and secondhand, electric guitar, I’m interested to know if you have any recommendations. What do you reckon is the best place to look for something that costs less than a grand but plays and sounds the absolute business? I’d like a guitar with iconic good looks if possible. I play in a classic rock covers band and so the thing will have to look the part in that setting. Whatever I end up getting will be a backup for my Custom Shop Les Paul. W James, via email You’re obviously a Gibson fan, so you might want something with that classic twin-’bucker format, and a 24.7-inch scale. Well, have a sniff around and you’ll find an almost inexhaustible supply of sub-£1,000 pre-loved Gibson guitars. There are Les Paul Studios, not to mention many assorted Juniors and Specials, and a load of stripped-down Firebirds and ’67 reissue Flying Vs. Our pick of the litter? We’d recommend the noble SG Standard. In constant production since it replaced the original single-cutaway Les Paul in 1961, the double Devil-horned SG is the biggestselling Gibson guitar of all time. We’re not suggesting that this is the only decent model that fits your criteria, it’s just a great place to start. Besides, good enough for Angus Young, Tony Iommi and Paul Weller… good enough for you.
Have your wicked way with the search function in a wellknown online auction site and you’ll encounter a load of SG Standards prepared to hoover up between £600 and £800. For that, you’re getting the pickup format and scale length you know and love, plus a slim taper neck and rock ’n’ roll aesthetics, all in an Americanmade lightweight package.
There are a couple of lumps in this gravy. Gibson quality control was caught snoozing on occasion in the 90s. There are enough out there to ensure you’re getting one of the good ones. The brand has also played fast and loose with the SG spec-sheets in the past 10 years. So if you don’t fancy fretting over roasted maple, scan the listings for a classic-spec rosewood fingerboard.
Oh, and some of these secondhand bargains will be offered with a padded gig bag. The famously snap-happy SG will feel much safer tucked away in a proper hard case.
SPRINGS & THINGS
I’ve got a 20-year-old American Standard Strat that has recently developed an annoying habit. I have the vibrato unit set up to float, Jeff Beck style. Tuning is remarkably solid, but I am suffering from an annoying creak
when I use the whammy bar. I like to play clean with a bit of reverb and delay, so rogue noises are intensified and repeated by my echo box.
What could be causing this nonsense? I’d prefer to tackle the problem myself, especially if it’s something simple to deal with. I have a screwdriver and a reasonably practical brain – I just need your advice. Ben Thomson, via email Whenever you have moving parts in a machine, there’s a possibility of problems caused by wear and tear. You’re not completely off the hook, either, as poor maintenance is a possible factor, too.
You’re likely aware that a vibrato unit uses springs to counterbalance the tension from the guitar’s strings. These are located under a plastic plate on the back of the guitar. Yeah, you’ll need to remove the plate to get at the springs. Now, it could be the case that the springs are at the end of their useful life and need a good ousting in favour of a new set. The good news is that virgin springs are cheap and plentiful. The even, er, gooder news is that your existing springs might not be as past it as you might think.
There are other possible culprits that you’d do well to investigate. The creak you’re referring to might be coming from the headstock end of the guitar. A poorly cut or worn top nut could be gripping the windings on the bottom D, A and E strings. So, your first move is to lubricate the slots with some Nut Sauce or the graphite from the business end of a pencil. If that solves the problem, happy days. You can now move on and enjoy the rest of your life. If you’re still up whammy creak, take a closer look at the springs. There is a scenario where the springs are rubbing on the guitar’s body or the plastic plate that keeps them incognito. To be sure this isn’t the case, some players like to place an oblong of foam under the springs to isolate them from the body. You can also wrap the springs in wax proof paper to prevent contact with other parts.
If none of the above works, then it’s time to open your wallet and get some new springs. Just be aware that the tension of the new arrivals might be different from the outgoing offenders. That means you’ll have to rebalance your vibrato all over again.
DUST DEVIL
I’ve noticed that the switch on my guitar crackles and cuts out if I haven’t used it for a while. I’m not sure if the switch needs to be cleaned or replaced. Is there a way of figuring this out before I splash out on some new parts? The guitar is only a few years old, although it has been stored away in its case for much of its life. Please give me some advice on what to do next. B Jennings, via email Any classic car buff worth their wheel nuts will tell you that the worst thing for any machine is a prolonged lack of use. That goes for guitars, too. Inactive parts will seize up and be prone to damage caused by corrosion, dirt and dust. Yes, even if it’s stored in its case. Actually, that’s the worst place for them. So, you need to, metaphorically, keep the wheels turning.
When you flick the pickup selector on your guitar, and twist the control knobs, the contacts essentially clean themselves through abrasion. To deduce whether or not you need to replace bits in your guitar’s wiring loom, simulate that basic engineering with this simple test. Plug your guitar into your amp then rapidly run the switch back and forth through its entire range. 10 seconds or so will do it. If the switch suddenly works like it should, the thing just needs a damn good clean. Get yourself a can of contact cleaner and use it in small amounts to clean each contact on the switch. You’re basically looking for any metal bits that rub together. If you see obvious corrosion, rub the contacts with some fine sandpaper. Don’t use oilbased sprays; you don’t want any residue soaking into the wooden parts of your pride and joy.
Say you’ve done all of the above and your guitar still sounds like (cue ancient cultural reference) Norman Collier, you need a new switch. Grab your soldering iron if you’re proficient in such matters, or take your poorly axe to a professional.