Five things that just make me crazy about: guitar repairs
Steel strings on a classical guitar.
This is not my biggest pet peeve but is one that guitar owners should be aware of. A classical guitar generally does not have a truss rod in the neck. The action of a classical guitar can be adjusted by shaving the saddle down or putting the guitar in a vice to bring the neck into alignment. Keep your classical guitar out of traction: keep the nylon strings on it or if you are desperately seeking steel, buy a steel string guitar.
No case.
A dog without fur, a burger without a bun, a house without a roof: all of these are unprotected (okay, I threw the burger in because I’m hungry) – these are just like the guitar that lacks a case. Whether you have a gig bag, which is soft-sided, or a hard case, these protect your guitar from weather, bumps and bruises. When you bring your guitar in for repair and it has a case, we feel confident that you have protected the instrument and will continue to get years of great playing out of it. Onset Village Music sells both types of cases.
Telling me “no one has worked on the guitar; it just got that way last week, last month, overnight, five minutes ago.”
With electric guitars, it is often difficult to diagnose any issues with the electronics until the technician gets into the guts of the guitar. By the time he gets into the pickups and the wiring, an hour of billable shop time has already been used up (shop time is $50 an hour). If the technician knows in advance what he is looking for, less time is spent diagnosing and more time is spent repairing. This means less money out of the owner’s pocket. If you or someone else has already tried to fix the guitar, please let the sales associate know. It helps us to keep your cost down.
Mysterious stains on the body or fretboard accompanied by a disgusting smell when the case is opened.
It just makes me gag. There really is no need for this, plain and simple. Keep your instrument clean. When you finish playing your guitar, wipe down the fretboard and the body with a soft cloth. Use string cleaner, fretboard conditioner and guitar polish (unless prohibited by specific finishes) as necessary.
Telling me that you stored it in the basement since Uncle Harry left it there after the bonfire, Labor Day, 1977.
Guitars should be stored in temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees with 40-50% humidity. Obviously, not many of us have a thermometer and/or hydrometer in every room where the guitar travels. Keep the guitar on the main floors of the house, not in the basement, attic or garage unless they are climate controlled (heated or air conditioned on a regular basis).
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