Common Repairs and Maintenance

Fret Dress

When a set-up cannot alleviate fret buzz, a fret dress is often required. The frets of a guitar will eventually become unleveled given enough time or play. This is caused by uneven wear or the subtle settling of a neck as it ages. Non-level frets lead to buzzing when a high fret sits in front of the note being played and, therefore, in the vibrational path of the string. A fret dress involves leveling the frets by removing fret material from the high frets, reshaping the frets to have a rounded pique, and polishing them for a smooth playing experience.

New Nut or Saddle

Because the nut sits between the machine heads and the vibrational length of the strings, a poorly made nut can cause problems during tuning. The strings pass through grooves in the nut [located here], which are used to control string spacing across the frets. The strings are attached at one end by the machine heads, while extending over the fretboard to the bridge at the other end. If a string’s pitch does not change gradually as its machine head is turned, it may be binding at the nut. This can be addressed by polishing and sizing the grooves to the string gauge being used. If open strings are buzzing, the nut may have been cut too low and will need to be shimmed or replaced.

While electric instruments usually have a metal bridge-and-saddle assembly, acoustic instruments usually have a carved single-piece saddle set into a wooden bridge. The saddle is the endpoint of the vibrational length of the strings, whether the instrument is being fretted or not, which means the saddle has a big effect on an instrument’s performance. If an instrument goes out of tune with itself as it is played up the neck, the saddle may need to be intonated. The saddle also controls the action; if the strings are too close or too far away from the fretboard, the saddle will likely need to be replaced or modified. Volume can also be affected by a poorly shaped or fitted saddle, as the vibrations from the strings must travel through the saddle to cause the top of the guitar to pump like a speaker cone.

A nut or saddle may also be replaced in order to improve an instrument’s tone. Bone is the traditional material for both nuts and saddles, but synthetic alternatives have become popular with many builders and players. Synthetics are valued for their consistency, especially in use with undersaddle acoustic pickups, as well as for their self-lubricating qualities that minimize string binding at the nut. Plastic nuts are also common because they are easy to manufacture and easy to work with, making them a good choice for the cost-conscious.

Bridge Re-glue

There are many reasons why a bridge may lift off of an acoustic instrument. If the bridge was glued to a finish rather than bare wood, if the guitar has been subjected to severe weather changes, or if the top has ‘bellied up’—slowly flexing under the pull the of the strings until it has a rounded arch—the bridge may come unglued in whole or in part from the top. If a piece of paper can be slid more than 1/16th of an inch under any of the edges of the bridge, the bridge may need to be re-glued. This should be addressed as soon as possible. The bond between the bridge and the top is a crucial point of vibrational transfer, and a bad glue joint here will negatively affect the volume and tone of the instrument. Also, if a bridge is suddenly pulled off by string tension (rather than carefully removed by a skilled repair person or luthier), the top may be damaged as the bridge pulls some of the top wood with it.

Electronics

If an amplified instrument’s electronics produce an intermittent signal or no signal at all, or a crackling as knobs or switches are used, the electronics may simply need to be cleaned or a connection may need to be re-soldered. These are usually small jobs that might even be done while you wait. Sometimes a part may need to be replaced—especially the output jack, as it receives a significant amount of wear—but these parts can be expected to be on hand and inexpensive in most cases. If cleaning and re-soldering does not restore output, a pickup may need to be replaced or rewound.

Instruments with active (battery operated) preamps often cannot be repaired once they fail. Because the preamp has a more complicated and integrated circuit on a printed circuit board, parts cannot always be removed and replaced, nor broken connections remade. In this case the preamp, or preamp and pickup, may need to be replaced. This may require a bit of an investment and some installation, but it can also be a great chance to improve the amplified sound of your instrument

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