Pro Music Sound Advice

Choosing Your First Guitar

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:09:54 -0800

You've decided to buy your first guitar, or perhaps you are buying one for someone else, and you have no clue where to begin. With the right information you can get an instrument that will make learning the most enjoyable experience possible.

AFFORDABILITY VS. PLAYABILITY

Price is often a major issue when looking for a first guitar. What if you don't stick with it, will the guitar turn into a dust collector? Due to these worries many people look for either used guitars or the most inexpensive new guitar possible. Great deals can often be found on used guitars and most shops carry guitars that are very easy on the wallet. Unfortunately the low cost of many of these options may be the only positive, you may in fact be making things much more difficult for the future guitar player. Let us explain:

Used Guitars - You can find a great deal on a used guitar if you're lucky and know what to look for. The catch is exactly that, you have to know what you are looking at. Small issues with the neck, or action (Action is the distance of the strings from the frets beneath them) on a guitar can make it very difficult to play, cause the guitar to play out of tune, cost money to repair or even make the guitar completely unplayable. Since many of the issues are hard to see to the untrained eye, it is hard to teach the inexperienced what to look for. If you know a trustworthy guitar player, more experienced than yourself, it would be a good idea to have them check out any used instrument you consider purchasing. It is strongly recommended against buying a guitar with no strings, or missing parts, since some problems cannot be seen unless the guitar is set up to play.

Budget Guitars - Various inexpensive guitars can be purchased at your local store and even from the occasional infomercial on television. Many of these guitars are built to look very much like a guitar, but are constructed with low price in mind and very little thought towards playability. Sometimes with some work from a good guitar tech, these guitars can be made to play decently. Make sure things like action, intonation and truss rod adjustment, which are very crucial for a guitar to play right, are adjusted correctly. Depending on the price of repairs and setup at your local store it may be worth it to spend a little extra on a guitar that is properly built. There are many manufacturers that make a decent beginner guitar. Make sure that the guitar has been set up, not all shops will give an entry level guitar the attention that they need. Inexpensive guitars often require the most adjustment to play properly. If the store won't set it up for free make sure you know how much the charge of set up will be. Any good guitar shop should set up the guitars they sell, especially entry level guitars! Encouraging people to play can only help the industry grow!

ACOUSTIC VS. ELECTRIC

Usually we recommend beginning with acoustic guitar. More focus can be given to learning the fundamentals of playing, rather than messing with all of the knobs and switches you find on an electric guitar and amplifier. The thicker strings and higher action on an acoustic, although difficult to press in the beginning, will help build finger strength and callus more quickly. Starting out with the thinner strings and low action of an electric guitar may also cause difficulty when attempting to switch to an acoustic in the future. If light gauge acoustic strings (the size usually found on a new guitar) are just too thick for you to play, extra light or silk and steel strings can used. We commonly start small children off with silk and steels, make a switch to extra light, and then finally to light gauge strings as their hands gain the strength.

On the other hand do not forget about the excitement factor of the electric guitar, some folks may just be more interested in the electric guitar. If that interest translates into playing guitar longer or more often, it will make a difference in learning how to play the instrument. Being amplified can also help you hear your mistakes, unless drenched in distortion, forcing you to pay more attention. Plus the joy of hitting a nice distorted power chord for the first time is an experience that all should enjoy!

How Humidity & Temperature Affects An Acoustic Guitar

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:24:43 -0800

Martin Guitars Humidity & Temperature Recommendations:

Your guitar is made of thin wood which is easily affected by temperature and humidity. This combination is the most important single part of your guitar’s surroundings. Martin keeps the factory at a constant 45-55 percent humidity and 72-77 degrees Fahrenheit. If either humidity or temperature get far away from these factory conditions, your guitar is in danger. A rapid change in temperature or exposure to cold can cause small cracks in the finish. These are lacquer checks. We recommend the use of a hygrometer/ thermometer to measure the relative humidity and temperature surrounding your guitar.

As humidity increases, moisture content of wood goes up rapidly, causing it to expand and swell. A gradual increase in humidity won’t generally do permanent damage to your instrument. When very high humidity is combined with high temperature, glue joints could possibly become weakened and may even open slightly. If your guitar is exposed to high temperature or humidity for any length of time, the glue under the bridge could weaken causing the bridge to pull off.

Rapid changes in local humidity are what you want to guard against. If, for instance, you place your guitar near a source of dry heat, the humidity around it will drop much faster than it would naturally, although a sudden dry spell can have the same effect. If the moisture content of wood is forced down in a hurry, portions of it shrink faster than others, causing cracks and open joints. Don’t set your instrument next to a source of heat or hang it on a wall where it will dry out. At all costs, avoid hanging your guitar on an outside wall during winter months. The wall will be cooler than the inside air. The result is a conflict between the temperature of the top and back, with potential damage as a result.

Should the guitar be exposed to freezing temperatures, let it warm to room temperature while still in its case. This lets it come up to room temperature more slowly, decreasing the possibility of wood and finish cracks.

Caution should be taken if you choose to use a humidifier to combat low humidity. Moisture in direct contact with the guitar could cause damage, as can the rubber or vinyl parts of a humidifier.

Pro Music Humidity & Temperature Recommendations:

The top of the guitar needs to be looked at regularly. You sight across the top of the guitar between the sound hole and the bridge. If the top is sinking in, then the guitar is dehydrated and more moisture is needed (see pictures above). If the top is above level, then the guitar is over hydrated and a dehumidifier is needed. An example of a dehumidifier is the desiccant packets that usually ship with electronic equipment. Some examples of various humidifiers are sound hole humidifiers, tube humidifiers, and case humidifiers. These humidifiers are designed to maintain humidity only. If severe dehydration has already occurred, then more advanced methods of re-hydration might be necessary.

In the interior of Alaska, the arctic climate can be dryer than a desert. One humidifier may not be enough to keep the humidity at 50%. Sometimes two or more humidifiers are need; especially in homes that heat with wood stoves.

Temperatures in Alaska can reach -50ºF regularly in the winter months. Rapid changes in temperature must be avoided to protect guitar finishes.

Signal Levels

Fri, 1 Jun 2007 09:08:22 -0800

Signals from quieter to louder:
Acoustic guitar pickup, with no pre-amp
Microphone and electric guitar
Active electric guitar and preamped acoustic guitar
CD player, tape deck, keyboard (line level)
Headphone level
Listening level (see above picture for sound levels in this area)

Balanced vs. Unbalanced Cables Lengths

Fri, 1 Jun 2007 00:10:48 -0800

A balanced cable is a three conductor cable, composed of a ground and two center wires. Balanced cables can run very long distances, when connected to balanced inputs and outputs, without problems (noise) created by radio frequency interference getting added to the signal.
An unbalanced cable is a two conductor cable, composed of a ground and one center wire. Unbalanced cables should be kept under 20 feet long if possible, and no longer than 40 feet. If an unbalanced cable is greater in length than 40 feet, it will become susceptible to radio frequency interference being added to the signal.