Get the most out of your instrument. In this final installment of the guide, we will see how the type of finish and strings used affect the sound of the instrument, and how to evaluate and test a guitar when buying it.
Finish
The type of finish or lacquer that should be used on an electric guitar is a subject that sparks no small amount of controversy. "Nitrocellulose lacquer is higher quality than polyurethane" is one of the most widespread claims, but the reality is that, aesthetic issues aside, the secret lies in how well or badly the material is applied. Nitrocellulose lacquer ages in a characteristic way that delights lovers of all things "vintage," and once dry it is less hard than polyurethane lacquer. But the most important question is how the different types of lacquer, and the way they have been applied, affect the acoustics of the guitar or bass. One theory that many builders seem to agree on is that the harder the lacquer, the brighter the sound, but the most important factor is the thickness of the finish and how it is applied.
If a guitar is too "loaded" with lacquer, the sound will suffer, since it won't vibrate as freely as with a thinner finish applied in several coats.
On mass-production lines, finishes tend to be very thick and applied in very few coats; to find quality, thin finishes we have to look at high-end guitars. In the mid-range we may find finishes of acceptable thickness but applied with little care, especially on bolt-on neck instruments, where it is not unusual to find lacquer buildup in places where it is practically unnecessary and which, moreover, greatly affects the instrument's acoustics.
One of the critical points is the neck pocket where the neck and body join, since excess finish here acts as a barrier that filters the passage of vibrations, which can result in a dull sound with less high-frequency response. Having removed all that excess finish on several instruments, I can confirm that the difference between before and after is very noticeable. It is a modification that doesn't affect the instrument's looks at all, since these areas are not visible, so I can only recommend this work to all of you who want to improve the sound of your instruments.
Other areas where it is worth "lightening" the finish are under the pickguard and in the other cavities. Most so-called "boutique" guitar and bass builders, many of them with great reputations worldwide, use polyurethane lacquers properly applied after good preparation of the wood, achieving attractive finishes with the right thickness. One of the finish combinations I find most suitable is the one used by Music Man, which uses a conventional lacquer for the body and the headstock, but oil for the back of the neck; this lets it vibrate more freely and gives it a much nicer feel than the vast majority of necks.
Strings
One of the cheapest and easiest upgrades we can make to our guitar is changing the set of strings. It is incredible that something so simple can have such a big effect on an instrument's sound.
Most guitarists don't change their strings often, some only when they break, without realizing how this harms their sound and their frets. The dirt that builds up in the windings acts like sandpaper as it rubs against the frets, which speeds up fret wear and causes fret buzz and poor intonation, something that can only be fixed by replacing and/or leveling the frets.
For those who have problems with very sweaty hands and don't want to keep changing strings very often, it is advisable to use strings with a special coating, which makes them last up to three times longer. It is also highly advisable to keep the fingerboard clean.
One of the questions when buying strings, if we lack experience, is which brand and gauge to put on the guitar. If the guitar is new and we don't know what gauge of strings it has, we can measure them, always in inches, with a digital caliper; and if they felt comfortable, install others of the same gauge, which leaves only the brand to decide. A good idea is to buy three or four sets from different brands and spend an afternoon trying them out. It is not a big investment and can be a great help in defining our sound. One of the most common arguments is "I use .009/.042 strings because heavier gauges feel uncomfortable," which is valid if the guitar is properly set up. It is not unusual for most people who use that argument to have excessive string height at the nut and bridge, as well as too much relief in the neck, and once this is fixed they adapt to one or two heavier gauges, gaining in sound and, in many cases, in comfort.
I'm sorry, but I have to say it: putting .009 strings on a properly set-up Les Paul is a crime, and on a Tele it may be too, although its longer scale length makes it less noticeable. I strongly recommend using at least a .010 gauge on a fixed-bridge guitar and .009 on one with a tremolo, but only after checking that it is properly set up, since otherwise it will be hard to tell whether our hands are fighting a gauge that is too heavy for them or a poorly set-up instrument.
For bass players, the same theory could be applied regarding gauges and string brands/types, but with certain nuances, since depending on the style of music we play, the scale length, the electronics and whether the bass is fretted or not, some strings will suit our bass perfectly and others won't. A blues or soul player doesn't need the same strings as someone who plays fusion and slap, although the former can adapt to almost any type of string by playing with the EQ. A five-string bass with a 35-inch scale doesn't need as heavy a gauge as a 34-inch one, especially on the fifth string. If we use roundwound strings on a fretless bass, the fingerboard will be damaged and they won't give us as organic and sweet a sound as flatwound strings.
It is very common, even more so than with guitars, to see basses with excessive string height at the bridge and nut, as well as with too much neck relief, which, as I mentioned above, doesn't help at all when looking for the right type of strings and, of course, when improving our technique. I recommend researching what type of strings musicians in the styles that interest you most use and, with that as a reference, installing a new set of strings on your bass after a good setup suited to the gauge of those strings. In upcoming installments we will talk about how to set up and maintain electric guitars and basses, where the relationship between string gauge and instrument setup will be discussed more fully.
Evaluating an instrument
It is useful to be able to tell whether a guitar or bass is in good condition and, if it has a problem, to see how it affects the quality of the instrument. Having this kind of information is very useful when buying an instrument, new or used, or when going to a luthier for a repair or setup. To anyone who wants more information on this subject, I recommend reading the article published in ISP 80 on how to buy an acoustic guitar, since much of what was discussed there applies to electric guitars and basses. Below I will discuss some of the most important points to keep in mind:
• Choose the right type of instrument. A player who mainly plays a single style of music doesn't need the same kind of guitar as someone who is with a metal band one day and has to play a gig with a pop artist the next. The latter needs a versatile instrument capable of a wide palette of sounds, while the former can look for something more focused, with a sound characteristic of his or her style. When in doubt, I would recommend going for a Strat-style guitar, since it is one of the easiest to modify and can be very versatile. If we need a sound with a bit more bite, we can install a humbucker in the bridge and/or neck position, as well as use push-pull pots to split the coils and get two kinds of sound from a single pickup. If we don't need the tremolo, it can be blocked, an easily reversible option in case we need to use it.
Something similar happens with bass players, since a blues player won't need the same thing as a metal player or a professional musician who plays with different artists. Today the best option for someone who plays various styles is a five-string bass with active electronics that can be switched to passive operation, giving you the best of both worlds. That said, there are external preamps in pedal format on the market capable of bringing your old Jazz Bass into the 21st century with one stomp.
• Testing the instrument. The first thing we should do is listen to the guitar or bass unplugged. If we find it has something that captivates us, then it is time to sit down in front of an amp and play simple things with a clean sound, paying special attention to the sustain and the overall quality of the sound.
The next thing to check, apart from the general condition of the finish and hardware, is the neck relief and whether it can be adjusted thanks to a properly working truss rod, since if the truss rod or the neck as a whole had any kind of defect, it could cause serious problems in the future.
Next we will evaluate the string height, at both the bridge and the nut, and how the tremolo works. If we find that these points have not been well looked after, but the guitar still appeals to us, sounds punchy both unplugged and plugged in, and we think it can serve us well, this shouldn't put us off, since these are easily fixed. What can't be easily fixed is a guitar whose body doesn't sound good and whose looks we don't like.
I have often come across guitars that were badly out of adjustment, with old strings, a grimy fingerboard and frets, and electronics that failed in several places, but when I tried them they had something that, even in that state, made you want to play them. I would think: "once it's set up and has new strings, this is going to be impressive," and sure enough, I wasn't wrong, as the owner's ear-to-ear grin when trying it confirmed. What I want to tell you is to focus on the essentials when choosing, taking into account the points discussed above, since almost all basses and guitars, new or used, need a setup to make the most of their potential.
• Don't "test" with your eyes. It is hard not to go shopping for an instrument with a preconceived idea about brand or looks. Assuming you are clear about the type of instrument you want to buy, what you should do, without paying much attention to labels or logos, is try every instrument of that type available, regardless of brand or price. If you come across an instrument that has that "something" that hooks you, beyond its looks, but you see, for example, that besides not being very well set up its electronic components are not the most suitable, then it is time to weigh the cost of the instrument plus the necessary upgrades, since this kind of problem is acceptable and worthwhile on mid-range instruments, but certainly not on high-end ones. If the instrument that captivates you is high-end and everything is perfect, all that's left is to pray the price fits your budget.
In previous articles we have talked about types of guitar and bass construction, electronics, woods, how to improve a guitar, how to evaluate an acoustic, etc. I recommend going back over them. For those who want more information, in upcoming installments we will talk about how to set up and maintain a guitar or bass. Until then, good luck and great music.