Acoustic Guitar Setup
Thanks to cheap labor and mass manufacturing in China, there is a surprisingly wide variety of acoustic guitars available for around $100. So what separates these cheap guitars from those costing five or ten times as much? Modern manufacturing can maintain a relatively high build quality, so the extra money mainly goes towards using rare woods and the additional hand labor for precise set-up. It is my opinion that inexpensive guitars sound fine but can be a little awkward to play . With a little time and care though, it is possible to setup one of these inexpensive guitars with the playability of one costing ten times as much. Here are the adjustments that usually need to be made. 1) Adjust the Truss Rod The truss rod is used to provide counter tension against the strings to keep the neck in the proper position. It is not used for adjusting the action, this is done in later steps at the nut and bridge. The head of the truss rod is accessed at the top of the neck or from within the sou...