“Breaking In” a Guitar
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Gtrjunior
Well-known member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Sounds like you need some fret work. A level and crown and possibly filing any rough edges on the sides of the fretboard.
As far as settling in, I can see that possibly the neck might settle to a particular spot but there’s no reason to think the guitar will magically get better than it is right now.
You likely need the fretwork and a setup done.
Just because a guitar is factory fresh doesn’t mean it is properly adjusted...
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Sounds like you need some fret work. A level and crown and possibly filing any rough edges on the sides of the fretboard.
As far as settling in, I can see that possibly the neck might settle to a particular spot but there’s no reason to think the guitar will magically get better than it is right now.
You likely need the fretwork and a setup done.
Just because a guitar is factory fresh doesn’t mean it is properly adjusted...
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
We're talking a couple years of constant use to do that.
Yup. They all do, provided it gets played. Sitting does nothing to improve any instrument.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
I find everything you can do for a guitar through decades of playing can also be done through less than a half hour of work. One of the main things that happens to a guitar with age is the the fretboard starts to get rounded from where your fingers have been rubbing on it, you also start to thin out the finish from where your body frequently makes contact with it. All this can be done for fairly cheap with little experience.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
I find everything you can do for a guitar through decades of playing can also be done through less than a half hour of work. One of the main things that happens to a guitar with age is the the fretboard starts to get rounded from where your fingers have been rubbing on it, you also start to thin out the finish from where your body frequently makes contact with it. All this can be done for fairly cheap with little experience.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
It seems frivolous to spend what it costs on a fret dressing, etc. but when you play a neck with great fretwork it’s amazing.
Same for Christopher’s comments on fretboard edge rolling and potential neck finish smoothing/removal.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
It seems frivolous to spend what it costs on a fret dressing, etc. but when you play a neck with great fretwork it’s amazing.
Same for Christopher’s comments on fretboard edge rolling and potential neck finish smoothing/removal.
ehdwuld
A Ficus
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
On an acoustic yes
As the wood ages it develops a smoother tone
The frets........ No
Steel wool will sort out Factory frets
We assume that by factory, you mean a brand new guitar with rough frets
Then yeah steel wool, or scotchbrite as the alternative that will be offered
If it's just polishing
New frets should be leveled and crowned as they left the factory
Used may need real fret work
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
On an acoustic yes
As the wood ages it develops a smoother tone
The frets........ No
Steel wool will sort out Factory frets
We assume that by factory, you mean a brand new guitar with rough frets
Then yeah steel wool, or scotchbrite as the alternative that will be offered
If it's just polishing
New frets should be leveled and crowned as they left the factory
Used may need real fret work
Gtrjunior
Well-known member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
My guy charges $60 for a level and crown. Money well spent imo.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
My guy charges $60 for a level and crown. Money well spent imo.
VinceT
New member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
What guitar? What symptoms? What condition?
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Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
What guitar? What symptoms? What condition?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
NEVER use steel wool on any electric guitar. Scotchbrite is the way to go - it's non-metallic and therefore non-magnetic. Also, as it breaks down into crumbs, it doesn't hurt your fingers. If you must use something metallic - use brass wool.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
NEVER use steel wool on any electric guitar. Scotchbrite is the way to go - it's non-metallic and therefore non-magnetic. Also, as it breaks down into crumbs, it doesn't hurt your fingers. If you must use something metallic - use brass wool.
Kamanda~SD
New member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Let's not also forget proper humidity. Shrinking neck wood = sharper fret ends as well.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Let's not also forget proper humidity. Shrinking neck wood = sharper fret ends as well.
Jacew
New member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Never thought of that. How does steel wool being magnetic matter?
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Never thought of that. How does steel wool being magnetic matter?
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
I use steel wool with little trouble on unfinished fretboards, but I see how it could be an issue if it gets stuck in a pickup or something. But I don't use it on finished necks.
On unfinished boards it's nice because if you scratch it you can just run over it with lemon oil and all the scratches are gone.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
I use steel wool with little trouble on unfinished fretboards, but I see how it could be an issue if it gets stuck in a pickup or something. But I don't use it on finished necks.
On unfinished boards it's nice because if you scratch it you can just run over it with lemon oil and all the scratches are gone.
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
There are magnets in your pickups. The crumbs can get in the pickups (especially if it has no covers), and short it out. It's not unusual for electric guitars to have problems with static electricity (due to the finish), and the crumbs can scratch the guitar. You certainly don't want them to get inside your control cavity to mess up your pots or jack. Steel wool crumbs are insidious - they get into everything eventually.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
There are magnets in your pickups. The crumbs can get in the pickups (especially if it has no covers), and short it out. It's not unusual for electric guitars to have problems with static electricity (due to the finish), and the crumbs can scratch the guitar. You certainly don't want them to get inside your control cavity to mess up your pots or jack. Steel wool crumbs are insidious - they get into everything eventually.
L
Little Pigbacon
Guest
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Steel wool in a guitar is like a yeast infection that won’t go away. Now that I have things like flexible sandpapers and fret erasers, I’m never using it again.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Steel wool in a guitar is like a yeast infection that won’t go away. Now that I have things like flexible sandpapers and fret erasers, I’m never using it again.
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
This for the win. I've always just played new or used guitars as they came to me. I never had any that were so bad that they bothered me.... or so I thought. Last year I took in a guitar I bought because one of the fret edges was coming up and the first 3 frets had some dents in them. I had a full dress and asked him to file any fret ends he thought needed it, since the one needed it anyhow.
Man, what a difference. Seriously. Smooth as silk. So good I took another guitar to be done. I'm going to do a couple more this year. Spend the money and be amazed.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
This for the win. I've always just played new or used guitars as they came to me. I never had any that were so bad that they bothered me.... or so I thought. Last year I took in a guitar I bought because one of the fret edges was coming up and the first 3 frets had some dents in them. I had a full dress and asked him to file any fret ends he thought needed it, since the one needed it anyhow.
Man, what a difference. Seriously. Smooth as silk. So good I took another guitar to be done. I'm going to do a couple more this year. Spend the money and be amazed.
ehdwuld
A Ficus
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
See, its like saying Candyman three times in a mirror
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
See, its like saying Candyman three times in a mirror
Nightburst
New member
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
https://www.thomann.de/nl/goeldo_fret_polishing_rubber.htm
This looks like it could work for you too before spending money on a tech.
If you ordered the guitar from the internet you can also send it back and ask for a 'proper' instrument. My last 2 guitars I ordered blind online have perfect frets an no sharp edges.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
https://www.thomann.de/nl/goeldo_fret_polishing_rubber.htm
This looks like it could work for you too before spending money on a tech.
If you ordered the guitar from the internet you can also send it back and ask for a 'proper' instrument. My last 2 guitars I ordered blind online have perfect frets an no sharp edges.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
First, a question.... Aside from a guitar thats been played to where there are grooves in the frets, or a guitar that has rough or sharp frets, how does one know whether or not a particular guitar needs the frets done? My only experience ever having fretwork done was not so good. Was on a LP Studio. Was my first Gibson and the most expensive guitar I had at the time. I wanted it to be as good as possible, so I took it to a local Luthier and when I got it back, it was awful. The setup didnt work for me and he did what I think was known as a school bus crown on the frets and I hated it.
Re: “Breaking In” a Guitar
First, a question.... Aside from a guitar thats been played to where there are grooves in the frets, or a guitar that has rough or sharp frets, how does one know whether or not a particular guitar needs the frets done? My only experience ever having fretwork done was not so good. Was on a LP Studio. Was my first Gibson and the most expensive guitar I had at the time. I wanted it to be as good as possible, so I took it to a local Luthier and when I got it back, it was awful. The setup didnt work for me and he did what I think was known as a school bus crown on the frets and I hated it.
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