John Levan: Guitar Setup, Maintenance and Repair

Contents

• Chapter 1 - Tools and Materials
• Guitar Maintenance Kit - Basic tools needed to perform setups
• Materials - Materials and supplies you'll need
• Recommended Tools - List of luthrie tools
• Sources - Where to purchase tools and materials
• Chapter 2 - General Maintenance
• Hygiene - Keep it clean
• Cleaning and Conditioning - Proper care of your instrument
• Restringing - Professional tips and techniques
• Transporting and Shipping - Tips on packing and shipping a guitar
• Humidity Effects - Too much, too little or too late
• Chapter 3 - Adjusting the Neck
• Diagram of Components - Frets, fingerboard and trussrod
• Measurements - Before and after
• Sighting the Neck - Foolproof techniques
• Proper Adjustments - Adjusting for playing style and design
• Types of Trussrods - Single-action and double-action
• Troubleshooting - Identifying stripped and frozen trussrods
• Chapter 4 - Adjusting the Action at the Bridge
• Diagram of Components - Parts of a guitar bridge
• Acoustic Bridge Saddles - Concept, materials and common problems
• Tunematic
• Hard Tail Bridge
• Floating Tremolo Systems
• Chapter 5 - Adjusting the Action at the Nut
• Diagram of Components - Different shapes, sizes and materials
• Angles, Width and Spacing - How to correctly cut string slots
• Proper Adjustments - Calculating the correct height for each string
• Replacement and Repair - Do I film, shim or replace the nut?
• Chapter 6 - Adjusting the Pickups
• Diagram of Components - Parts of an electric pickup
• Proper Heights and Effects - Pole pieces, adjustable and fixed
• Chapter 7 - Intonation
• Definitions - What is intonation?
• Tools Needed - Tuners, hex keys and screwdrivers
• Sharp, Flat and Hopeless
• Variables and Tempering - Fret placement, nut placement and Bach
• Chapter 8 - Basic Fretwork
• Diagram of Components - Tools, jigs and materials
• Fret Leveling - My steel bar and buckshot method
• Recrowning Frets - A tight crown is better than a flathead
• Partial Refretting - How many should you replace?
• Burnishing the Edges - Final buff and polish
• Chapter 9 - Basic Electric Guitar Wiring
• Diagram of Components - Anatomy of a pickup
• Pickup Harness Color Codes - So many colors, so little time
• RW/RP, LFT/W - Fun with acronyms
• Pots, Switches and Jacks - How they work? And what do they do?
• Wiring Diagrams - The proper way to read a wiring diagram
• Acoustic Pickup Systems - Application and function
• Troubleshooting - Pickup failure causes
• Chapter 10 - Top 10 Signs of a Problematic Guitar
• Electric - Common Problems
• Acoustic - Common Roblems
• Chapter 11 - Miscellaneous Upgrades and Repair
• Strap Buttons - Drilling, countersinks and felt washers
• Tuning Keys - Replacement and repair
• Bridge Pins - Too loose, too tight and just right
• Chapter 12 - Other Training Resources
• Apprenticeships - Understudy programs
• Factory Training - Crash courses in real guitar repair
• Workshops - ASIA, GGAL and schools on guitar building