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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How often should I change my guitar strings?
This depends on many things; how often you play, how stringent you are about keeping them clean, whether you do lots of re-tuning for different songs, or how much you perspire.

Most gigging guitarists would change their strings after a few weeks. I reckon if you get three gigs out of a set of strings you are doing quite well. I know some guitarists who change their strings for every gig because they love the sound and feel of new, zingy strings. Other players I know enjoy the sound of slightly played-in strings and will keep them on for longer.

If you are solely practising at home and keep your strings in good condition, there's no reason why you shouldn't get a few months out of them.

The short answer is - it's entirely up to you. Remember that strings are constantly deteriorating, and the longer you leave them on the higher the chances of them breaking. If you don't want this to happen in the middle of your best solo, change them more often! Prevention is better than cure.

What is the difference between string gauges?
Most guitars are fitted with a 'standard' gauge when they are manufactured. For most electric guitars this means 9-42 or 10-46. Acoustics are usually fitted with 12-53 or thereabouts. These numbers refer to the thickness of the strings in thousands of an inch (or 'thou', as some people call it).

Perhaps you want a heavier, chunkier sound. In which case try fitting a thicker gauge. A lot of modern metal music requires the bottom string to be detuned to D or C# (or sometimes even lower). For this, a much heavier bottom string will help. Feel free to experiment and find whatever gauge you feel most comfortable with.

A couple of things to bear in mind: (1) If you change your string gauge your guitar will usually need a small adjustment on the truss rod to compensate for the new tension. If you are not sure about this, give me a call and I will advise you.  (2) As a general rule, heavier strings will give you more tone but tougher playability. Lighter strings will be easier on the fingers but your instrument will produce less tone.

What can I do to prolong string life?
Always give your strings a wipe down with a lint-free cloth after playing. Don't throw away old t-shirts. Cut them up and use them for this. Don't forget to clean underneath the strings.

Try to avoid damp conditions. If your guitar is kept in an unheated loft, there is a good chance moisture will get to the strings which will then corrode.

How often should I practise?
My golden rules are:
> Try to play every day, even if it's only for ten minutes.
> Ten minutes a day is better than an hour once a week.
> Enjoy it. If it gets boring or becomes hard work, stop! Go back to it later.
> Don't forget to practise rhythm as well as lead. As an old mate of mine always says, "lead's for show, rhythm's for dough".

Can you advise me on changing my pickups?
There are loads of really good pickups on the market, all of which claim to be a one way ticket to tone heaven. If you are thinking of changing your pickups, here are my fundamental questions to ask yourself:

> If you own an entry-level instrument it will certainly have cheap pickups which could be improved upon. HOWEVER, do you want to spend good money upgrading a cheap guitar? Why not put the money towards a better guitar?

> If you own a high quality instrument, chances are the pickups are already pretty good. Why replace them?

The reason I ask these questions is because changing your pickups is not especially cheap, and you can't listen to the results before you have committed to spending the money. A set of three good quality Strat-style pickups from Fender will cost around £100, and I can fit and wire them for you, prices starting from about £25 for a single pickup.

Far be it from me to put you off! My only real advice would be to avoid fitting expensive pickups to an inexpensive guitar. My personal recommendations? I recently fitted a set of Lace Sensor pickups to a Mexican Strat and it sounded awesome. Also, if you own a guitar with humbuckers and you want to get it really cooking, try EMG active pickups. I have also recently fitted Bare Knuckle pickups on a couple of guitars. These are made in the south of England, and are extraordinarily nice.

Although I can source pickups and purchase them for you, it is more economical if you buy them yourself and bring them to me for fitting. It would be inappropriate for me to recommend specific retailers. Get online. Shop around. You know what to do.

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A FEW MORE QUOTES FROM SATISFIED CUSTOMERS
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Andy,
Just to say thanks for my bass setup, it is playing really nicely now ... loving the lower action!
I’m really pleased, especially considering other technicians wanted £80+ for probably a lower quality job.
When I’ve got some more cash, I’ll bring my battered old telecaster copy for a look (that needs a bit more than a setup I think) ... either way, I’ll definitely be back!
Martin
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Hi Andy,
Just dropping by to say thanks for the great job you did on my Strat. Those Lace Sensor pickups sound astonishing, and the way you have set the guitar up is spot on. The Elixir strings finish the whole thing off beautifully - I think I have finally found That Sound.
Keep up the good work.
Al
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