ASSESSING THE PROBLEM
First things first, whether you’re looking to buy used or to fix a niggling problem on your current guitar, some simple, mainly visual checks can tell you a considerable amount about an instrument. After that, it’s time to dig a little deeper…
FIND OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF A GUITAR IF YOU’RE THINKING OF BUYING IT
INITIAL CHECKS CONDITION
The overall condition of an instrument tells us so much more beyond the obvious scratches, dings and dents. With regular care and maintenance there should be little wrong with your guitar – or indeed one you’re thinking of buying. Conversely, you might be looking at a used guitar in a bag, covered in dust with crusty strings and the explanation that “it’s been in the loft/garage/shed for years”. Potentially not good at all. So find out as much as you can about the history of a guitar if you’re thinking of buying it. Also consider that while “I gigged it for years” might suggest some fretwear and even fingerboard wear, not to mention well-used pots or even a duff pickup, it could likely be a positive – a guitar is well-used for a reason.
WHATTODO? Whether the instrument is brand-new or in a poor state, quickly check it over and dig for a bit of background.
TUNERS
Check the tuners. Are they stiff or sloppy? If they’re stiff, a small drop of oil on the open gears or in the hole on the back can help older tuners. Enclosed tuners really should be fine – just tightening the cross- or flat-head screws at the end of the tuner button will even up the tension. Often the large retaining bolt that holds a modern tuner might have worked loose and is easily tightened by using the correct-size spanner.
WHATTODO? It’s pretty rare that you need to change tuners on a new guitar, though many do. One reason might be to go for a set of locking tuners or just something that appears and feels better. If reversible is important to you, you’ll need to find a match, particularly in the way the tuners mount to the headstock. Bear in mind, too, that vintage-style tuners have a smaller post hole than most modern styles.
NUT
Does the nut appear to be cracked? Do the string grooves look like they’ve been mucked about with? There might even be a piece of tin foil under a string, a quick gig-fix for a low string-groove. If the nut appears okay then a vigorous rub with a stiff toothbrush will clean the slots and adding some light lubricant (Wilkinson’s SlipStick is ideal) is dead simple.
WHATTODO? Making a nut (or even fettling one) isn’t a basic job. If you encounter any issues then it’s definitely worth getting a pro to sort them, from maximising action height by lowering the string grooves to sorting a tuning issue caused by a nut slot that’s too tight.
FRETS
Take a glance at the frets. Do they look grooved? If so, are the grooves deep? If that’s a yes, you’re going to need help. On a less-used guitar, a simple rub with a fine abrasive pad will have them looking mirror-shiny in minutes. Sometimes on cheaper instruments a fret that hasn’t been smoothed correctly will feel rough as you bend a string. You can dress the frets yourself but only after you’ve checked the neck’s straightness. Typically using 600grit (and moving upwards to the finest you have) with a hardwood block, rubbing across the frets from bass to treble side should have those tops gleaming.
WHATTODO? With serious fretwear issues, such as buzz caused by uneven fretting, you’ll need professional help. A full or partial refret isn’t cheap, especially if you have fingerboard binding or it’s a maple fingerboard that may need refinishing.
FINGERBOARD
Cleaning a dirty, gunky fingerboard is easy, so this isn’t really a worry on a used guitar. In most cases, a damp cloth and elbow grease will remove most of the debris, and the edge of a plastic credit or hotel key card can help to get rid of the stubborn dirt. Be careful when using fingerboard oil, though, because it is definitely overused. In normal environments, the occasional light application is all you need.
WHATTODO? Apply the oil to a cloth or piece of kitchen towel – not directly onto the fingerboard – and rub it vigorously into the ’board. Leave to dry and rub again with a clean cloth before you restring.
NECK SECURITY
If the guitar is a bolt-on, is the neck secure? Gently (and we mean gently!) try to move it from side to side. If there is any slight movement, it could just mean you need to tighten the neck screws. It could also signal that the base of neck pocket is uneven or there’s uneven finish build-up.
WHATTODO? Never overtighten anything, let alone neck screws. If they feel tight and the neck still moves side to side, talk to a pro.
BRIDGE
A quick visual check of your guitar’s bridge can tell you a lot. Are the saddles in any way rusted? Never try to adjust rustedlooking saddles on a Strat, for example, without applying and leaving a little drop of WD-40 to release the threads. One handy tip is to squirt some WD-40 into a small bowl or saucer and then use an artist’s brush to apply it to the saddles. Doing it this way allows you to control the amount you use.
If your instrument has a tune-o-matic bridge, are the saddles sitting right at the front or back edge of the bridge? It might mean the bridge is misplaced so you can’t intonate your guitar correctly. Likewise, check that those saddles on a Strat aren’t screwed back so far on the bass side that they almost touch the back wall.
WHAT TO DO? Rust and gunk can be taken off with some WD-40 and a stiff toothbrush, preferably after you have removed the parts from the guitar. Oil and water are no-nos on your guitar. Sometimes rust gets into the small Allen key socket at the top of a Fender height-adjustment screw. If this is the case, soak the saddles in WD-40 overnight and try easing the gunk away with a needle or similar fine point. You might be lucky. Otherwise, you’re best off replacing the saddle(s) so you can set the string height correctly.
IF YOU LOOK INTO THE CONTROL CAVITY AND THE WIRING LOOKS LIKE SPAGHETTI, IT MIGHT MEAN SOMEONE’S HAD A GO AT IT. BE WARNED
ELECTRICS
Plug in and quickly check that the pickups are working. If the guitar is unstrung, just lightly tap the polepieces, check the pickup selector switch then the volume and tone controls. Do they work? Are they scratchy? Are the control knobs loose? Is the output jack loose? If you’re able to look into the control cavity, as with a Les Paul, we’d recommend you do. If the wiring looks like a plate of spaghetti, it might mean someone’s had a go at it. Be warned.
WHATTODO? Non-functioning pickups, controls and so on might need some professional help to replace, particularly on hollowbody or semi-hollowbody guitars where there’s no scratchplate or rear control cavity. However, if your controls or switches work but are a little crackly, for example, using a switch cleaner (such as Servisol Super 10) can easily cure the problem, at least in the short term.
THE PLAY TEST
Now, if the used guitar you’re considering is in a playable state with okay strings, it’s time to give it a play test. When you’re checking a guitar, a headstock tuner is always handy to have in your pocket. Tune up. Are the open strings speaking cleanly or is one or more of them buzzing? Obviously, you’ll want to peel off your tastiest licks to impress the seller… but if you’re plugged in, dial in a clean amp tone and start with a low-fret chord and move its inversions up the neck. Does it sound in tune? Compare the open-string root with a high-position chord. Are there any obvious dead or choked notes?
Quickly check the basic intonation with a harmonic then a fretted note across all the strings at the 12th fret. Play those chords slowly and really listen and feel. Are the strings getting progressively further away from the frets as you climb up the fingerboard? Play a few simple
licks, slowly, in all positions and listen out for dead notes or buzzes. Try some slow upper-fret bends: are any strings choking?
Sight down the fingerboard from the nut to the bridge. Do the frets look parallel with each other? They should. Next, using the low E string as a straight edge and looking down as when playing, does the neck have a fairly even, slight concave bow? This is what we’re after. Are there any obvious humps? If so, flag it up as a possible reason not to buy that guitar.
With the guitar in playing position hold down the low E with your left hand at the 1st fret and your right hand at the fret where the neck joins the body. There should be a slight gap – around the size of your top E or B string – between the underside of the string and the top on the fret around the 7th or 8th fret. Try the same on the G string and then the top E.
Next, check the nut height by fretting each string at the 4th fret then look at the gap between the underside of the string and the top of the 1st fret – you should be able to see a very slight gap.
WHATTODO? The neck’s truss rod is designed to allow a small amount of adjustment. In basic terms, to correct too much concave bow you need to slightly tighten the truss rod, and vice versa if your neck has too much convex bow. Make the adjustments in quarter turns and then evaluate again as described. See our pro tips here and if you’re in any doubt or don’t have the correct Allen key or spanner, seek help.
The basic steps needed to evaluate and fine-tune a guitar in reasonable condition are skills you should learn. Aside from making your new guitar play – and, to a certain extent, sound – how you want it to, evaluation is the key if you want to avoid buying a dog secondhand.
But just because you understand a pentatonic scale doesn’t mean you can play like Eric or Jimi. And just because you can put petrol in your car doesn’t make you a mechanic. It is always worth getting your guitar (new or otherwise) set up professionally. If things change due to humidity, wear or simply because you want to change string gauge, you’ll have less to dial in yourself. But you’ll only learn by doing it – and often doing it wrong. Leave your Custom Shop Strat in the hands of a pro while you hone your mechanic chops on a Squier.
A word of warning in regard to ‘vintage’ guitars. Even if you think you know a bit, please seek professional advice. The slightest change from original specification can, in certain cases, dramatically affect the instrument’s value. Old guitars, too, can be cranky buggers; they need to be treated with immense care and respect. Here’s to making your guitar play great!
OLD GUITARS CAN BE CRANKY BUGGERS; THEY NEED TO BE TREATED WITH IMMENSE CARE AND RESPECT