You Can Make These Simple Upgrades Yourself To Boost The Quality Of An Inexpensive Guitar

If you've been playing a beginner-level guitar that didn't cost much money, you might have your eye set on a brand-name instrument as your skills begin to improve. If you're on a tight budget, however, it can be worthwhile to think about making some upgrades to your current instrument to improve its sound and playability, while also putting money aside for the guitar of your dreams. Many music shops also sell a wide range of accessories and parts, and it's possible for the average person to perform many simple upgrades on his or her own. Here are some upgrades that you should consider.

Locking Tuners

One of the issues with many inexpensive beginner-level guitars it that they use cheap tuners. The problem with cheap tuners is that they're prone to slipping, which means that you'll have trouble keeping your instrument in tune. The good news is that you can overcome this challenge by purchasing locking tuners from your local guitar shop and installing them yourself. Locking tuners are ideal because, as their name indicates, they lock the strings on the tuning posts, reducing the string slippage that can quickly put your instrument out of tune. All you'll need to remove the old tuners and install the new ones is a socket set. You'll be able to easily follow the instructions on the package.

Nut

The nut of your guitar may be a small piece, but it plays a big role in the tone that you get. Inexpensive guitars often have inexpensive, plastic nuts that aren't doing your tone any favors. It's ideal to upgrade the nut to one made of bone or a higher-quality synthetic material, and your local guitar shop should have an extensive selection of products. You can typically remove your old nut by lifting it out with needle-nosed pliers, and you can then glue the new one in place with general-purpose glue.

Fret-End Filing

Inexpensive guitars are occasionally uncomfortable to play, and one of the reasons for this issue is sharp fret ends that scratch your fingers. While you can opt for a refretting from the tech department at your local guitar shop, a cheaper solution that you can do yourself is to buy a fret file and round off the ends of the frets. You'll need to put painter's tape on the fret board itself to protect the wood, and then this job is simply a matter of grinding off any sharp fret edges to improve the playability of your instrument.

For more information, contact local professionals like The Music House.