FirstMeasure Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Great List. Maybe a footnote to #1, Make sure the Proffessional Luthier is a Luthier, not someone who gets paid to Wreck your guitar or do nothing and give it back, figuring you'll never know. Unfortunatley for me there wasn't a guitar repair for 100 miles when I was learning, so I got a few $10 - $15 guitars from pawn shops and twisted their truss rods until I got the feel for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Pics !!! I'll only be visiting Gruhns and unless it's just an outrageous deal I won't be buying I'm still paying for my last guitar I bought last Sept. I would love to have a 70's Deluxe though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Pics !!! I'll only be visiting Gruhns and unless it's just an outrageous deal I won't be buying I'm still paying for my last guitar I bought last Sept. I would love to have a 70's Deluxe though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Great list Neo! Also, I think that every player should have a "beat up" guitar (and amp) to really work on. I've taken apart a lot of cheap guitars and amps in my time. Some of them never quite played the same way after I put them together, which can be good and bad (LOL). But I certainly learned a lot. I did most of my Sonex restoration myself including dressing of frets, electrics (yes this geek can use a soldering gun), etc.; the neck was warped which needed a Luthier's hands. To be honest with you though, I'm still not comfortable doing major jobs on the Les Pauls yet. But I like to support local tradesmen too, so they go to a Luthier twice a year for maintenance. I don't want my Luthier to go out of business because he's the best in the area (honest pay for honest work). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 If only I could get good luthiers to make housecalls.... Man, it's a truckload when I haul all of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 D Dude' date='Have you heard the horror stories of broken truss rods in Gibson necks? Have you seen the damage the unenlightened ones can do to a neck? Like I told Surfpup, when you know your stuff, go for it. When you're a beginner, don't be so eager. My final thought on the matter is that very often the truss rod is NOT the problem. Jacking with it creates more problems, then the death spiral begins. Probably a dozen times I've seen kids restring a Les Paul or SG and bump the bridge thumbwheels down. Once in tune with the new strings they think that the truss rod must need adjustment now since the strings are laying on the frets. With all the "information" on the web now, they are instant set up experts and the guitar gets f-ed up GOOD. Seen it too many times - with my own eyes.[/quote'] Yea, I've heard the stories, and I agree that a newbie should not take a socket wrench to an expensive guitar, but it's not really rocket science either. Anyone with an ounce of horse sense can do truss adjustments, and be very good at it with little practice. You just need to know what affect the adjustment is having. Such as; tightening creates a concave movement, loosening creates a convex movement, and that a quarter turn has a significant affect. The adjustment points are there for a reason, and the principals of their use are relatively simple. The people who have trouble with them usually have no business with any kind of tool in their hand, no matter what they are working on. So, yea, I'd say it's a good thing to caution people, but I'd never tell someone that it's taboo to touch the truss rod at all, just like I'd never tell someone to not touch the bridge height or intonation adjustments. It's just not that technical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 As a side note to that point, If I had a guitar that was unplayable, because the neck was bowed , I would have no problem cranking on the truss rod until either the neck was pulled into a reasonable position, or the truss rod snapped. There would be nothing to lose either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 The neck can be pressed externally, reshaped until the truss rod can be effective again. If the neck is badly bowed, incremental rod adjustments over time can fix it without breaking it. I'm talking newbies here, same as I can build 600 hp V-8's but wouldn't recommend anything beyond an oil change for most young drivers until they get a better idea of what's going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Pics !!! And Old Spice stick will fuxk a nitro finish also... The bug spray stories are all true ... AXE, Gruhns inventory is full of pictures at his sight. Be careful though, it's addicting. Esp if he's only a few hours away. He also has a new guitar. Cool stuff. Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I check out George's inventory on a regular basis... It's just nice to see vacation pictures ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 One thing about Gruhns. When I bought Scotty Stonemans (1933 Gibson) Mandolin there last summer, they have GREAT service, case candy included Gruhns strap, Gruhns pick holder thing, picks, 2 sets of strings, ect. Really nice people. ...................................................... Back on topic................. (Sorry Neo) My '03 J45RW hangs on those wall hangers, and it's never eatin' the nitro. My 339 hangs on the Hercules for a few hours a week, no signs of trouble. I wonder if somethings changed? Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I think the most common scenario is the guitar leaning against an amp or a piece of furniture. When it falls' date=' any direct impact on the headstock area results in snappage due to the extreme angle of the headstock and the tension of the strings. [/quote'] I guess I am very lucky. My LP has hit the floor at least three times. You'd think after the first time I had it leaning against our piano and a dog knocked it over, I would have learned! Matter of fact it's leaning on my couch as I type this while my son is laying right next to it. I also distinctly remember playing an outside July 4th party on the water and using mosquito repellent. I had never heard of this being a problem at that point, but thankfully my axe was spared any damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Back on topic................. (Sorry Neo) No problem Murph. no signs of trouble. I wonder if somethings changed? Your luck. My Les Paul sat on stands alot for over a year with no real issue. After I got my 335 in 2002, in just a few short months I noticed a little darkness in the finish. Hmmm... Need to wipe this thing down real good. No luck. You won't know until it's too late. Both Gibsons have it from identical Qwik Lock stands. Very subtle, but if you know what you're looking for it's there - and it ain't never going away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfidl Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I decided to share this ... (two different sources) .. neither knew I asked the other one. But I do agree that using a stand for playing and practice is very light use (and most of the time we are holding them in our lap and playing them) .. so what they are saying is don't leave them there for a month. From El Rayo (one of the best guitar shops in San Diego) .. really good. Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 6:37 AM Subject: Guitar stands I hear/read a lot of chatter on Gibson forum that guitar stands ruin finishes (sponge subber and any kind of rubber against the nitros-cellulose laquer. Aer you seeing damage to finishes and if so is it Gibson only or all guitars? Hi (Gitfidl), Stands can and will ruin a finish on a nitro paint job—but! Which stand and what is it about the rubber that ruins them? It's hard to tell if you have one of those stands. Sometimes the sun and rubber formula of any certain stand will react badly to a finish. It's just hard to know which stand you have. I have been using some we got from god knows where and no problem. There is a company called String Swing that make stands that are non-toxic to guitars. It's just sort of crap shoot. The big manufactures are shooting poly's for the most part so not much will affect the finish. Check them out on the web for good quality stuff. Hope I helped. From: hamerguitars.com Sent: Wed 3/11/09 5:11 PM Hello, Surgical rubber has been known to mar finishes if left in the stand for prolonged periods of time. It's important to understand that guitar stands are temporary resting places only, and guitars should be stored in cases. Some materials are worse than others though. Please check out Hercules brand guitar stands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I think #1 is a crock. Any monkey that can read can learn in under 5 minutes how to adjust a truss rod... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 11. It's just a guitar. Just a guitar? and I suppose your mother was just a mother? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 I think #1 is a crock. Any monkey that can read can learn in under 5 minutes how to adjust a truss rod... Yeah' date=' it shouldn't be that hard but they keep fxcking them up left and right. The point I try to make is, eliminate all the small, obvious, most common problems first. The most common thing I see, to illustrate the caliber of apprentice luthiers, is the result of a string change. They don't notice the thumbwheels under the bridge on a Gibson are getting turned while they figure out the whole string-winding bit, and by the time all six strings are back on the guitar the action is WAY off. How can that be? Well, the assumption is there's some 'difference' between the old strings and new and the truss rod is the 'obvious' fix. Twist it this way..... No good. Well, twist it that way - and now it's loose. Nope, gotta tighten it up again so go the other way. A little more. A little.... more.... getting stiff... [b']SNAP![/b] Gibson will not honor the warranty. Shiny firewood. Seen it too many times, people assume the truss rod fixes everything when it's the last thing that needs adjustment. I own 20 guitars right now, I've had at least 20 others. I work on friends' guitars. I know guys who build guitars. I can count the times I've had to adjust the rod on ALL my guitars in 30 years on my fingers - maybe a toe or two. Buy your kid a Les Paul Studio and let him and his ****** buddies start wrenching on it with no basic pointers. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Great idea for a posting, NeoConMan, very well done. As far as No. 3 goes; 3. DO NOT put any stress or pressure on the back of the headstock. It WANTS to snap off' date=' don't tempt fate.[/quote'] I've had an idea; why don't they just thicken up that area of the neck at the rear, just peg-head side of the neck. They could call it a 'Volute' and we could all take the p!ss out of them 30 years later for having mucked-up the 'One True Idol'....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 D Dude' date='Have you heard the horror stories of broken truss rods in Gibson necks? Have you seen the damage the unenlightened ones can do to a neck? When you're a beginner, don't be so eager.[/quote'] Maybe the thread title could be "10 Commandments for Beginners Who Own a Gibson" & #1 could be "take 5 minutes to learn how & WHEN to adjust the truss rod." It's so easy that there is just no way that this task should be 'Owners Off Limits - Realm of Luthiers Only' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 D Dude' date='Have you heard the horror stories of broken truss rods in Gibson necks? Have you seen the damage the unenlightened ones can do to a neck? When you're a beginner, don't be so eager.[/quote'] Maybe the thread title could be "10 Commandments for Beginners Who Own a Gibson" & #1 could be "take 5 minutes to learn how & WHEN to adjust the truss rod." It's so easy that there is just no way that this task should be 'Owners Off Limits - Realm of Luthiers Only' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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