FAQ: uk.music.guitar
Rev Timothy N Nurse
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Welcome to the uk.music.guitar FAQ. The purpose of this document is to
provide an information resource for players and answer the most common
questions asked in the newsgroup. This FAQ will be posted weekly and
is also available on the web at :
http://www.ukmg.org.uk/faq.html
New-this-week or changed items are marked with a hash(#) symbol.
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CONTENTS
Introduction
General
o What's the group about?
o Binaries
o Crossposting
o UKMGPU
Buying and Selling
o Product Reviews
o Importing a guitar
o Ads in the newsgroup
o Buying valves in the UK
o Buying strings online
o Instrument Insurance (Under Construction)
Care
o Where to buy robust cases
Repair and Maintenance
o Where to buy small parts such as pickups, switches,etc
o Where to get parts to build a guitar
o Adjusting truss rod
o How to 'set-up' a guitar
o I've blown a speaker!
o (Glossary of Terms)
Safety
o Electrical safety advice
o Use of RCD protection
Playing
o Where to find tablature
o Digital recording on a PC
o Lessons/Teaching
o What is alternative tuning?
Introduction
============
Harmony Central - http://www.harmony-central.com - should be considered as
your starting point. It contains a vast array of useful information and links to
many other sites.
Aside from this newsgroup, there are several other guitar related groups
on the net. If you have a beginners question, we recommend the
alt.guitar.beginners group as an excellent source of answers.
alt.guitar.tab is a good first stop for how to play songs along
with rec.music.makers.guitar.tablature. Other useful groups are
alt.guitar.bass, alt.guitar.effects, alt.guitar.amps, rec.music.makers.guitar
rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic, rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz
Please don't crosspost to these groups, choose one, or, if you must,
post the message separately in each relevant group.
General
=======
Q: What's this group about?
A: Guitars. Playing (all styles), equipment, maintenance, teaching,
learning, recording, buying, selling, plus discussion about guitarists
and guitar-related music. Discussion of other stringed instruments
(banjo, lute etc) also welcome. Naturally most of the discussion will
be from a UK perspective.
Q: Can I post binaries here?
A: No. Binaries should be restricted to newsgroups with the word 'binary' in
its title. This is a text only group and unless there is a very good reason
for doing so, binaries should be restricted to binary groups,
Q: What about crossposting? I notice that there are other guitar related
groups like alt.guitar?
A: That's not a good idea. The flamage in alt.* tends to be much higher and
long running flame wars tend to drown out reasonable discussion.
alt.guitar is no different in that respect and seems to have a few
individuals more interested in flooding the group with bickering. It was
to get away from that that uk.music.guitar was first proposed so - no,
crossposting to alt.guitar is not a good idea.
Q: What does UKMGPU mean.
A: UKMGPU means its's time to meet up at an agreed pub for a small libation
with a few of the regular readers and posters. All are welcome. Oh and
UKMGPU stands for "UK.Music.Guitar.P*ss.Up
Q: Is it true that this group is full of big haired, spandex wearing people?
A: Erm..you want to talk to Tiffany Tractor about that one!
Q: Does this group have a patron saint?
A: Yes. Bert Weedon.
Buying and selling
=============
Q: I'm thinking of buying a [name your product], where can I find reviews?
A Harmony Central has a large database of product reviews where you can
find out what people thought of their purchases. Be aware though, that
people will be rather reluctant to admit to having bought a turkey and
that the reviews can sometimes be a bit over the top, but there should
be enough there to be going on with.
Q: Can I import a guitar from the US, what is involved and will it be cheaper?
A: Well known brands in the US sell at dollars-for-pounds rates, that is, if a
Gibson Les Paul costs 1000 pounds in the UK, it will cost $1000 in the US.
Importing a guitar involves a number of extra costs and problems. Firstly,
you have to find a dealer prepared to ship. Secondly, you have no control
over what instrument they may send you as you will not have the opportunity
to play a number of the instruments and choose the best one. The extra costs
involved are shipping - about $150 - $200 for FedEx, a 3% import duty into
the UK and finally 17.5% VAT on top of all that. Add all that in and
before you realise it, your $1000 Les Paul is getting pretty close to the
UK price. Having said all that, you *may* come across the occasional
bargain in the US and then it might be worth considering. Musicyo
(http://www.musicyo.com) offers some good deals on Steinberger guitars
as well as other instruments. At least one poster to the group bought
a Steinberger this way and ended up paying half what he would have in
a well known London store for the same guitar.
Q: I have an instrument for sale. Can I post an ad?
A: Strictly speaking, uk.music.guitar is a discussion forum and, to be honest,
you'd get a much better response if you posted it to Loot
(http://www.loot.com) or one of the 'adverts' newsgroups but, if you
think someone might be interested in your instrument AND it is a genuine
private sale AND it is not spammed (cross-posted to lots of groups) AND
it is not repetitively posted to the group, Its doubtful if anyone would
object. However, touting for bids at an auction may receive a rather less
welcoming reception
Q: Where can I buy valves for my amp in the UK?
A: There are a number of excellent valve retailers around. Watford Valves[1]
(http:/www.watfordvalves.com), HotRox[2] (www.hotroxuk.com) and
Wilson Valves[3] (wilson...@surflink.co.uk) all offer valves tested and
matched to match anything on the US market and at a considerably lower
cost.
Q: Where can I buy strings online
A: http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/ offer discount strings including
double ended strings for Hohner and Steinberger 'headless' guitars.
Merchant City Music - http://www.guitarstrings.co.uk/ - also offer
discount strings.
Care
====
Q: Where can I buy a hard case for my guitar?
A: There are a number of suppliers offering different grades of 'hard cases'
some of which are rather less 'hard' than one would think!. Hiscox offer
a large range of suitably tough cases for most purposes as do SKB.
Q: But I want to take my guitar abroad on a plane?
A: Then you'll have to get a 'baggage-handler-proof' flight case. Scottish
Foam[4] (http://www.scottishfoam.co.uk) offer a wide rage of flight and
transit cases, for a variety of musical instrument and equipment. RJ
Flytes[5] also offer flight cases.
Repair and maintenance
==================
Q: Where can I buy parts such as pickups, replacement switches etc?
A: There are a number of suppliers, details of whom are listed at the
end of this FAQ. Brandoni[6] offer a wide range of replacement switches
pick ups, scratch plates, etc at reasonable prices. Ask for their
catalogue. Rainbow Products[7] offer similar products but from the
US manufacturer WD products as well as the full range of Kent
Armstrong pickups (http://www.wdmusicproducts.com).
Q: I want to build my own electric guitar. Where can I get bits in the UK?
A: There are a number of UK suppliers of musical instrument building
bits and pieces ranging from bare planks of wood, up to pre-machined
bodies and necks so, your ability will probably determine where you go.
The best advice is to hang around rec.musc.makers.builders for a while
to see what sort of special tools you might need and which you can
skip by using a cheaper substitute. Some you may have to import from
the US from the likes of Stewart-McDonald[8] supplies, others are
available from suppliers like David Dyke[9] or Touchstone Tonewoods[10],
here in the UK. But whatever you decide, one thing is certain, you will
need a good book as a reference and none come more widely praised than
Melvyn Hiscock's Build Your Own Electric Guitar. It is an absolute
'must-have' for those thinking about building their own electric guitar.
Pre-machined bodies and necks are available from Brandoni[6] but the
necks need finishing in terms of nut cutting and fret stoning.
Q: What's a truss rod and what does it do?
A: A truss rod is a metal bar that runs the length of the runs the length
of the neck of the guitar from roughly the nut to where the neck meets
the
guitar body. Its purpose is to both reinforce the neck against the pull
of the strings and allow adjustment to the neck in such a way as to allow
the strings to vibrate properly without hitting the frets.
Q: How do I adjust my truss rod?
A: With GREAT CARE and, unless you know what you are doing,
not at all and leave it to a luthier to do as part of the set up process.
Q: How do I 'set up' my guitar?
A: Steve Cobham's site (http://users.powernet.co.uk/guitars/setuptut.htm)
offers excellent advice on setting up your guitar. There is also an
excellent site at http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html for
those wishing to set up/repair/maintain acoustic instruments?
Q: I've blown a speaker in my bass rig. Where can I get help/advice?
A: Try having a word with the guys at Concert Systems in Altrincham,
0161 927 7700, they're usually pretty on the ball about these things.
Safety
=====
General: Amps get thrown around and mains leads get damaged.To protect
yourself from injury or fatal shock hazard, always check the lead before
use for small nicks exposing the live conductors and ensure that the plug is
securely fitted. Moulded leads are better than rewireable plugs. If it is
damaged, throw it away and buy a new one - do not try and repair a moulded
lead.
Q: How do I protect myself from electric shock?
A: Use an RCD
Q: What's an RCD? Where do I get one? How do I use it?
A: Residual Current Device. It's a circuit breaker that measures the current
going in through the line of the mains and compares it with that going out
on the neutral. IOf all is well, they should be the same. If not, someone
is being electrocuted or there is a leakage somewhere and it shuts off the
power before the current rises to a fatal level.. They are usually used
with things like electric lawnmowers, hedge cutters and power tools and
you'll get them at any DIY or gardening store. They are not foolproof but
will get most potentially lethal electrical faults. It looks like a 3-pin
adapter. Just plug it in and plug you amp into it and that's it!
SAVE YOUR LIFE FOR LESS THAN 20 POUNDS!!
Teaching/Lessons
=================
Q: I want to learn guitar from a teacher. What should I look out for?
Here's a few general thoughts and pointers.
To find a teacher look in the local paper and magazines. Also look on
the noticeboard in music shops. Don't forget that personal
recommendation is often a good indication of a teacher's reputation.
There's also the Registry of Guitar Teachers, but I don't have any
contact info to hand. Keep your eyes peeled on the www and in the
relevant ngs.
Shop around. If possible, take a trial lesson and if you don't think
that you'll get on with the teacher, look elsewhere. It's extremely
important to have a good relationship with each other.
As well as this, think carefully if the teacher's approach is right
for you. If you want to learn to strum Oasis songs and the teacher
insists that you start off by learning the major scale in all its
positions you'll get bored very, very quickly. Likewise, if you want
to learn to play by reading music and he tries to steer you away from
this course, think again.
Look for a teacher who is well-prepared and not too casual. The "What
shall we do today?" approach often indicates a lack of preparation and
puts the onus on you to think what to do. That's part of the teacher's
job and what you're paying him for. He should be offering you some
sort of structured approach and not just merely filling up the time
with whatever he fancies doing that day.
What qualifications does the teacher have? If none, what experience?
Anybody can set themselves up as teacher, but that doesn't necessarily
mean that they can teach as well as play.
Fees vary very considerably and it's impossible to give any figure for
guidance. Price is not always a reflection of the teacher's ability.
You may well find that the cheaper of two teachers is better for you.
Perhaps not. As suggested above - shop around.
If you do get a good teacher who adopts a professional approach
towards you and your development as a guitarist, remember to treat him
accordingly. If you have to cancel a lesson then give him the notice
he requires. If he's professional he'll extend the same courtesy
towards you. Many teachers have "waiting lists" and can fill your
"slot" very easily. Establishing some sort of ground rules between the
two of you helps to clarify the business side of the relationship.
Above all, learning to play the guitar - any musical instrument -
should be fun as well as personally rewarding. If you're not enjoying
your lessons, that particular teacher may not be the right one for
you.
Playing
======
Q: Where can I find the tab for [name your artist]?
A: Long ago there used to be a tab archive site called OLGA. It has
been partially closed down due to dispute over copyright, however
remnants of it still remain. Check at Harmony-Central and follow the
guitar related links to tablature. Alternatively, you could try
alt.guitar.tab or rec.music.makers.tablature or a web based search
such as http://www.tabcrawler.com/search/
Q: How do I do a digital recording on my PC?
A: John Rimmer offers an excellent introduction on his web pages
http://www.basketcase.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/record.htm
Q: What is alternative tuning?
A: Standard tuning on guitars is EADGBE but there are other possibilities
which can change the entire timbre of the guitar. Naturally chord
shapes are a little different but alternative tuning can open a whole
range of possibilities for both the fingerstyle acoustic and electric
guitar player. One of the simplest is known as the dropped D tuning.
In this tuning, the bass E string is simply detuned down a tone to D.
A common alternative tuning is DADGAD, so named because that is how
the strings are tuned! This tuning is quite commonly used by
fingerstyle guitarists. A more unusual tuning is Nashville tuning.
In this tuning, standard tuning of EADGBE is used, but the three
bass strings are tuned an octave higher. Obviously this means you
need thinner guage strings for the three bass strings to avoid
breaking them and putting an unneccessary strain on the guitar neck.
There are lots of other tuning possibilities worth trying out to
expand your playing. Try them and see! A good list of alternative
tunings can be found at www.consult-eco.ndirect.co.uk/guitar/tunings.htm
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Contacts:
[1] Watford Valves, 3 Ryall Close, Bricket Wood, St Albans AL2 3TS
Tel: 01023-893-270 [http://www.watfordvalves.com]
[2] Hot Rox Valves, 10 Avondale Road, Carlton, Nottingham NG4 1AF
Tel: 01159-873-163 [http://www.hotroxuk.com]
[3] Wilson Valves 28 Banks Ave., Golcar Huddersfield HD7 4LZ
Tel: 01484-654-650 [email: wilson...@surflink.co.uk]
[4]Scottish Foam 7/8 Bleasdale Court, Clydebank Business Pk, Clydebank
G81 2LE Tel: 01419-511-503 [http://www.scottishfoam.co.uk]
[5] R J Flytes Kettering, Northants. Tel: 01536-723-451
[6] Brandoni Music, Unit 3.6, Wembley Commercial Centre, East Lane
Wembley Middx HA9 7XJ. Tel: 020-8908-2323
[7] Rainbow Products,
[8] Stewart McDonald's Guitar Supply Shop, Box 900-GT, Athens,
OH 45701, USA. [http://www.stewmac.com]
[9] David Dyke
[10] Touchstone Tonewoods 44 Albert Road North, Reigate RH2 9EZ
Tel: 01737 221 064
Any hints, suggestions, corrections etc are gratefully received at either of
the two mail addresses in the copyright notice below or posted to the group
and will be acknowledged in the contributors list. Become famous, see you
name up in ..err...text and contribute!!
A great many people have contributed to the creation of this FAQ. The
following are just a few: Dave Morning(dam[at]dcs.gla.ac.uk), Timothy N Nurse
(tnnurse[at]usa.net), Gary Wright (gary[at]garang.freeserve.co.uk-nospam),
Steve Cobham (steve[at]guitars.powernet.co.uk), Kevin Place
(Kev.Place[at]mythagowood.demon.co.uk), John Rimmer
(john.s.rimmer[at]umist.ac.uk), Ian Spencer(JustForNewsgroups[at]tesco.net),
Jon Boyes (mail[at]jonboyes.co.uk), Ross Edwards (REdward[at]freshfields.com),
David Galbraith (lsbs-ics[at]clara.co.uk) Tiffany Tractor
(ttractor[at]NOSPAM.usa.net)
Copyright: This FAQ is copyright (c) Dave Morning (dam[at]dcs.gla.ac.uk) and
Timothy N. Nurse (tnnurse[at]usa.net). It may be freely distributed provided
that it remains intact and accompanied by this copyright notice.
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