Guitar Trivia....

[josevin2000]

Hi ... I've not had a lot of formal guitar training.. Lack a lot of technical knwolodge.. Got a couple of questions for you guitar wizards...

what is meant by a guitar getting warped.. what exactly happens.. Is it something that happens only with guitars that are not used for a long time... and how can one avoid this...

Also wats with string guage.. I normally pick up a set of normal acoustic guitar strings... never Insisted about guage.. I have a local made acoustic guitar.. Does it make any big difference... If so how do i find out which guage is best suited for my guitar...

[Ian B]

Hi ... I've not had a lot of formal guitar training.. Lack a lot of technical knwolodge.. Got a couple of questions for you guitar wizards...

what is meant by a guitar getting warped.. what exactly happens.. Is it something that happens only with guitars that are not used for a long time... and how can one avoid this...

I'm no expert, but afaik, warping usually applies to the neck going out of shape. This is normally linked to the guitar being stored in excessive heat and maybe, lack of use. The truss rod will prevent most neck warping, but perhaps not all. The guitar top on acoustics can also warp this way, and the easiest way to avoid all this, is to keep it in a case (soft is ok) at a regular temperature and play it regularly. You've gotta be really unlucky/negligent for this to happen tbh. In my experience, the intonation is the first thing to go on a guitar that hasn't been played for a long time (and I mean a l-o-n-g time) so much so, even a change of strings hasn't helped. I've never fully understood why.

Also wats with string guage.. I normally pick up a set of normal acoustic guitar strings... never Insisted about guage.. I have a local made acoustic guitar.. Does it make any big difference... If so how do i find out which guage is best suited for my guitar...

String gauge is a personal thing, some like heavy, others like light. Over the years, I've gone from using 9's on my electric, to 11's now. Playing technique plays a big part in selecting the right gauge (that's 'right' for you, not so much the guitar) You're limited in choice of gauge for acoustic guitars, at least compared to electrics. A heavier gauge set of strings will give a bigger all round sound, which is a good thing usually, tho' they increase the tension on the neck, and can result in a slightly higher action.

I'll leave the real guitar players@KvR to shoot me down and give you some proper advice now

[Amberience]

String gauge affects the sound and the low tunings you can access. You probably couldn't tune down to drop B using 9's, you'd need at least 10's, probably 11's. Thicker strings sound beefier to my ears too (take the same guitar, same pickup settings, same amp settings, thicker sounds beefier than thinner)

As for warping, it's generally the neck they're refering to, and I'm not an expert on that.

[darcyb62]

I think string gauge is rather important on an accoustic and its important to use strings as close in gauge that was originally used by the manufacturer. The problem with most accoustics is that you cannot set intonation to the extent you can with an electric if at all. Because of the the manufacturer uses a string gauge that provides the best compromise for intonation. The more expensive the guitar the better the intonation will be. You will probably have to try a few sets to find the set that provides the best intonation. You might even consider mixing them up.

[ew]

Excessive heat isn't as bad as excessive moisture and/or dryness is. Keep your acoustic in a case when not being used, and use a case humidifier (even a damp sponge will work) during the dry seasons.
Acoustics are very sensitive to string tension over time. You should be changing your strings a minimum of four times a year (each season); once a month is even better. The top warping under the bridge is a more common problem than the neck warping on most acoustics, and it's 99% preventable by controlling the humidity and changing strings on a regular basis.
ew

[james0tucson]

Excessive heat isn't as bad as excessive moisture and/or dryness is. Keep your acoustic in a case when not being used, and use a case humidifier (even a damp sponge will work) during the dry seasons.

I live in the Sonoran Desert, which is basically one big long dry season. I've tried a few different humidifier things, but the amount of maintenance is not something I have the discipline for (I'd have to be wetting the thing every four hours for nine months out of the year...)

Anyway, I find with my guitar and my pianos, that they tend to do fine in dry conditions as long as they don't *change* between humid and dry.

[ew]

Good point, James- it's more the change in humidity than the actual humidity that screws things up. Same with temperature. Here in Minnesota, I go from 90 degrees with 90% humidity to -25 with 17% humidity in the course of a year
ew