Guitar Setup and Maintanance tips n tricks thread

[7 Dying Trees]

I thought it would be cool for everyone to post their little tips and tricks when it comes to guitar maintanence, restringing, cool things to make it sound better, and home improvement modifications etc

So I'll start with one:
If the screw for the strap button has worn down the hole (happens with some strap locking systems) and thus the screw keeps falling out (along with the strap) the best way to remidy this quickly is to get a cocktail stick, place it in the hole, and then screw the strap button back on.

 

[Hexer]

i recently wrote a description about how to fix it if the screw(s) that holds the tremolo-system in the back of the guitar has worn down the hole so it doesnt hold the screw any more

i wrote it in german, when i have time, i`ll translate it and post it here......

 

[The ORIGINAL South Of Heaven]

This may just be common sense but I'll say it anyways:
When restringing a guitar with a Floyd Rose, don't neuter the string; put it through so the ball catches on the tuning post and wrap it around a couple times, and chop the excess string off accordingly when clamping it at the bridge. It's totally useless if you just sit at home and play, but if you play out alot and break a string on stage, since Floyds usually break at the bridge, you can just unwind a bit at the headstock and then clamp it back down again. Saves alot of time on stage, and seriously... WHO wants to hear someone tuning a guitar on stage in the middle of a show?

 

[Indiooo]

Check your truss rod, string action and intonation every time you change string gauge. Cleaning your strings with some cleaner (for lack of better word) and a dry cloth after playing makes that brilliant sound you get with new strings last a lot longer. Another nice thing to do is stretch (yes, stretch) your strings after restringing your guitar (before you tune to pitch obviously, you don't want to break strings before even getting to play, right?). Can't remember anything else right now...