Guitar Upkeep Questions

1voyager2 · 07-12-2019, 11:08 PM

I have recently purchased my first guitar in almost 50 years.
I now have more interest in the proper care and mintenance of it.
I have a full set, and then some, of luthier type tools on order.
I intend to do the setup of an acoustic guitar myself.
I have many questions about it's care.
Lets ask them only a very few at a time.

1.
Strings:

Some sources advise to change a new guitar to lighter strings in order to ease the player's break in process, then some sources insist that one should stay with the same sizes installed by the manufacturer.
What is the consensus here?

2.
OK, another related String question:

While tuning the brand new instrument, I notice that it does not tune smoothly and evenly.
The tuning of the strings seems to hang and jump.
It does not transition evenly as it changes.
My thinking is that the grooves in the nut are binding the strings and will need some filing to smooth tuning of the instrument.
Thinner strings could probably take care of the problem.
Thoughts?

07-12-2019, 11:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
1voyager2 Groupie Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 3	Guitar Upkeep Questions I have recently purchased my first guitar in almost 50 years. I now have more interest in the proper care and mintenance of it. I have a full set, and then some, of luthier type tools on order. I intend to do the setup of an acoustic guitar myself. I have many questions about it's care. Lets ask them only a very few at a time. 1. Strings: Some sources advise to change a new guitar to lighter strings in order to ease the player's break in process, then some sources insist that one should stay with the same sizes installed by the manufacturer. What is the consensus here? 2. OK, another related String question: While tuning the brand new instrument, I notice that it does not tune smoothly and evenly. The tuning of the strings seems to hang and jump. It does not transition evenly as it changes. My thinking is that the grooves in the nut are binding the strings and will need some filing to smooth tuning of the instrument. Thinner strings could probably take care of the problem. Thoughts?