After almost 30 years of playing guitar I am still trying to learn how to maintain and repair the instrument, so I thought it would be nice to write and share a list that contains the essential repairing jobs with the general guitar setup. I would appreciate adding other jobs to the list if I missed something.
- Complete rewiring including the soldering work.
- Testing electronic components.
- Grounding the guitar.
- Setting up the height of pickups (single coil and humbuckers).
- Setting up action (truss rod, bridge, and height of saddles).
- Setting up intonation.
- Setting up the tremolo (vintage, 2-point, and Floyd Rose).
- Re-fretting.
- Replacing the nut (graphite or roller nut).
- Replacing the neck.
- Upgrading the tuning keys.
- Cleaning and polishing fretboard.
- Fixing faulty strap screws.
What have I missed?
Comments
Screening of cavities.
Fingerboard scalloping.
Refitting the bent metal thing that secures Telecaster jack sockets.
and deciding which butter your guitars will most play like after your skillful interventions ...
Seven to six string conversions. (Another notorious eBaytor.)
...just me and Jimi then?
Filling up pickup/bridge/battery/etc. cavities made during earlier upgrades.
Might as well list the crowning and polising of frets...
- Complete rewiring including the soldering work.
- Routing for additional pickup.
- Filling unneeded spaces made during earlier upgrades.
- Testing, upgrading, and replacing electronic components (pickups, pots, capacitors, and switches).
- Grounding electronics and shielding the cavities (control and tremolo).
- Fixing scratchy knobs and switches.
- Setting up the height of pickups (single coil and humbuckers).
- Setting up action (truss rod, bridge, and height of saddles).
- Shimming for a forward/positive neck-angle (bolt on necks).
- Setting up intonation.
- Setting up the tremolo (vintage, 2-point, and Floyd Rose).
- Re-fretting.
- Levelling, crowning, and polishing frets.
- Smoothing sharp fret ends with dressing file.
- Fretboard scalloping.
- Fretboard rolling.
- Cleaning and polishing fretboard.
- Replacing the nut (graphite or roller nut).
- Replacing the neck.
- Replacing, upgrading, and installing bridges and tremolo blocks.
- Replacing saddles.
- Upgrading the tuning keys.
- Fixing Jack sockets.
- Finishing and minor finish repairing.
- Fixing faulty strap screws.
- Photographing earlier setup and gear status.
- Noting serial numbers and documenting modifications.
Great list!...I may rearrange it.