In my time as a guitar technician, I’ve been lucky enough to work on some fantastic instruments. I’ve also noticed that there are a few guitar repair jobs that tend to be the most common. Sometimes, damage just happens, and the only real solution is to take your guitar to a repair specialist.
However, many common issues with guitars can actually be prevented. So, if you have any concerns about your instrument, read on for my top tips on avoiding some of the most frequent guitar repairs.
1. Replacing guitar nuts
Guitar nuts are a key component of both acoustic and electric instruments. The nut keeps your strings properly spaced and at the right height but over time nuts can wear out, crack, or break, disturbing your string action. Sometimes, this happens when tuning or changing your strings but humidity changes can also affect it.
So, what’s the best way to repair a broken guitar nut? In this situation, a like-for-like replacement is usually more effective than trying to repair it.
Replacing a guitar nut can be a fiddly job, especially if too much glue has been applied. The first step is to carefully remove the old nut before cleaning the slot to get rid of any adhesive residue. Then it’s time to fit a new guitar nut, filing and shaping it for a perfect fit.
How to prevent it
While it’s impossible to guarantee your guitar nut will never face any issues, I recommend making sure you invest in a high-quality material to lower the risk of needing frequent replacements.
Many people opt for bone or plastic nuts, but these tend to break the most. In my experience, TUSQ (a proprietary resin) is the best material for guitar nuts. Essentially a synthetic ivory, it’s not only a strong and reliable material, but it also aims to provide the same harmonic response you’d get with real ivory — all without the brittle spots or ethical concerns of the real thing.
2. Woodchip repairs (drop-filling)
Another guitar repair job I see often is the need for drop-filling to fix any chips or cracks, particularly on the fretboard.
Chips can occur for a whole host of reasons — knocks, drops, and vigorous playing onstage! In some cases, it can cause nut and fret unseating, so it’s important to get chips, cracks, and holes looked at by a guitar technician.
Drop-filling involves:
Matching the wood: Finding a wood offcut that matches the type and colour of the guitar.
Creating sawdust: Using sandpaper to turn the wood offcut into a fine powder.
Filling the hole: Filling the chipped space with the sawdust, mixing it with water-thin CA glue, and letting it cure.
Sanding and refining: Gently filing and sanding until the filled-in patch is flush with the rest of the guitar.
How to prevent it
The best way to avoid chips is to store your guitar safely. Use a case when out and about but also at home. While it can be tempting to have your guitar displayed on a stand, there’s a much higher chance of it falling over (or being knocked into by a toddler or puppy!) — so go for a good quality case at all times.
3. Electrical grounding to reduce hum
When it comes to the most common electric guitar repair jobs, electrical grounding has to be up there.
Have you noticed excessive humming or electrical interference? It could be due to a poor ground connection. Anything from your guitar’s age to swapping out pickups can cause electrical components to fall out of place.
Before we can fix this problem, it’s important to identify the source. When I carry out a guitar grounding repair job, I start with a visual inspection — are there any obvious signs of loose wires?
If that all looks fine, I check the components for any weaknesses — for example, switches and the guitar input.
Usually, the issue will be coming from one of these areas, so it’s a case of re-soldering the loose wire or replacing the faulty component.
How to prevent it
Grounding issues are likely to affect every guitar at some point so there’s not really a way of preventing it as such. Having said that, regular guitar servicing can help you keep an eye on what’s going on with your instrument’s electricals.
Point-to-point continuity checks come as standard with all my electric guitar services, so I can identify any loose connections early and get them sorted.
It can also be helpful to learn how to use a multimeter to check point-to-point continuity yourself.
4. Broken hardware repairs
Whether it’s due to an accidental knock or drop or a case of age and the elements working away at your guitar, chances are that, at some point, you’ll need to repair or replace key hardware components.
Tuners: These take a lot of pressure from string tension, which means they can snap or the inner gears can grind down, making them ineffective at keeping your guitar in tune. With this guitar issue, replacement is usually more effective than trying to repair them.
Bridge: There are loads of different guitar bridge types, but they all tend to face the same issues with the saddle or screws. Screws can seize up or become too loose, and saddles can wear away over time or develop burrs from string friction. Again, replacements are generally the best way to go with sorting bridge issues.
String trees: A string tree sits a couple of inches above the guitar nut. It helps guide your thinnest gauge strings and supports tension regulation. However, over time, these small pieces can bend or become loose. If the screws have become loose, you can use a toothpick to rethread them — it’s a pretty straightforward guitar repair.
Strap pins: General wear and tear or impact knocks can also cause your guitar strap pins to come loose or crack. If the pins are loose, you can use the toothpick trick again to tighten them. However, if the damage is more severe and the pins are cracked, it’s best to contact a guitar technician or luthier to assess the problem.
How to prevent it
As with many of the other issues we’ve discussed, many hardware problems are due to wear and tear so it can be difficult to prevent them completely. However, keeping your guitar in a decent case can reduce the risk of knocks — and a soft shell case can be just as effective as a hard one.
It’s also helpful to add strap locks to lower the risk of dropping your guitar when playing.
5. Acoustic guitar bridge resetting
Excessive string tension and failing glue under an acoustic guitar’s bridge can cause it to lift or rise. When this happens, you need to reset the bridge by glueing and clamping it and then leaving it to cure.
Once it’s cured, get a fresh set of strings and gently reintroduce the string tension — very slowly. (The same method of tension reintroduction goes for guitar neck breaks, too).
In severe cases, you might need to change the bridge plate on the guitar’s interior, along with resetting the bridge.
It’s worth noting that while it might be tempting to use a really strong glue to bond the bridge back in place, there still needs to be a bit of give. If the bridge is bonded too strongly and the string tension is too high, the soundboard can become warped, causing what’s known as ‘belly bulge’. This is a much more serious problem, so it’s best to seek help from a professional guitar technician.
How to prevent it
Maintaining the right humidity levels can help reduce the risk of bridge lifting on an acoustic guitar. This is because fluctuating moisture levels can cause the glue to become less effective.
If you want to find out more, please hop over to my previous blog: How does humidity affect acoustic guitars?
Guitar repair services in Cardiff and Bristol
Hopefully, these tips have given you a bit of insight into how to keep your guitar in top condition and lower the risk of frequent repairs. If you are in need of a guitar service, setup, or repair, however, please feel free to get in touch to discuss the issue.
I carry out luthier work from my base in Cardiff but can also cover Bristol. Take a look at my price list and contact me to book your guitar service or repair.
Need some more info? Check out my blog for more advice on common guitar problems and getting the most out of your instrument.
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