TUNING IN
[ EVERY GUITAR TECH | Mitch Bohannon ]
Over the years, I have become friends with have learned…Have you ever had to change a business card so that it fits underneath the
several touring guitar techs. These guys take or adjust your guitar’s saddle? Or possibly you saddle, and then place it underneath the piezo
care of the guitars of many of our favorite artists might have had an issue with a piezo pickup pickup (I actually learned this from a pickup
and work completely behind the scenes. That that sits below the saddle. How did you go company at NAMM one year). This can also be
is, until they show up center stage in all black about making adjustments and checking your a possible fix if you’re not getting a balanced
to swap guitars out with the players on the progress without going through a mess of output from your piezo pickup.
platform. strings?
Once again, place that capo on the ninth
I have been so impressed with their attention to It becomes really simple when you place a or tenth fret and remove the string pins and
detail, and all the cool tools and gadgets they capo on about the ninth or tenth fret, loosen string ends from the bridge and make your
have and use. The cutters and winders, the the strings, and then remove the string pins in adjustments at the saddle.
drivers and pliers, soldering tools, parts, and the bridge. The strings can then pull out of the pieces… It’s all very exciting and interesting to bridge while you make your adjustments, and What else? Ever had a wire inside your guitar
me. One thing that I would say 100% of my then they can be easily replaced and retuned break free from its tethers and then start
tech friends have in their toolbox is a capo. Not without a problem and without losing your slapping against the wood with every movement
a capo to put on the performer’s guitars (they strings. or strum? Ever had a completely hard-to-reach
have those also), but one for their own use, as
battery? Ever had an endpin jack become loose
there are many more things these capos are You know, over time, the saddle can wear from the inside? I actually have two guitars right
good for other than just changing the voicing or down and end up causing string buzz if it allows now that need tightening at the endpin jack.
raising the key of our guitar chords. the string height (action) to drop too low. When Solution for that, besides a skinny forearm, is a
this happens, instead of cutting, adjusting, and Kyser placed at the 9th fret, unless you want to
intonating a new saddle, try to cut a sliver of throw away your strings!
Actually, it’s one of the oldest tech tricks that I
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December 2017
WorshipMusician.com