Tone Report Weekly Issue 106 | Page 47

MANY GUITARISTS TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN HANDLING THEIR OWN GUITAR MAINTENANCE DUTIES, tweaking every facet of their instrument's playability, sound, and setup until it's just right. I have never been one of those people. Unfortunately, I derive no satisfaction whatsoever from maintaining my own instruments. In fact, I view it as a tedious chore. I do it anyway, though, because it's not really all that difficult, and because I'm a poor musician-writer guy who can't afford to pay a professional tech every time one of my guitars needs a minor intonation or neck adjustment.  Perhaps because most common electric guitars are very simple instruments, consisting mainly of a couple of wood planks and some basic, passive electronics, most setup and maintenance requirements can be easily handled by the novice. Very few tools are needed, and typically, any mistakes made will not result in permanent damage to the guitar, and can be easily reversed. Factor in the financial advantages, and it becomes clear that there's really no reason why any player should not handle the bulk of their own maintenance and setup requirements. For those just embarking on the DIY guitar maintenance journey, I have put together a short, basic primer to get you started. ToneReport.com 47