Setting the guitar anchor

Musical instruments need to be set up regularly. If you just purchased, for example, an electric guitar, you will need to adjust the scale, tremolo, string height and anchor rod. This process is quite painstaking and long. But, first of all, it is necessary to understand what an anchor is and how it is tuned.

Inside the guitar neck there is a rod, which is called an anchor. Its upper end is rigidly fixed from above under the cover at the head of the neck. And the head of the anchor from the bottom of the neck goes out, so it is available in the cavity opening. The anchor is necessary to support and strain the neck, for example, so that it does not bend under the tension of the metal strings. The need for its tightening occurs if the middle of the neck is below its ends. In the reverse situation, when the neck protrudes like a hump, the anchor must be released. Much more often, it "distributes" the deflection by waves. The setting of the anchor is necessary in the event that when playing the guitar at a moderate pace the strings are touched in frets. If there is a significant deflection, the tool anchor is set by the master, and with a small problem, you can figure it out yourself.

To set up, you need an anchor hex wrench. If the adjustment is made perfectly, then it allows you to get a relatively smooth, with a slight and inconspicuous curve bend. You can check it by holding the sixth string on the first and around the twentieth harmony, and you should look at the gap that appears between the seventh harmony and the string. It should not leave more than 0.2 millimeters. The anchor does not require adjustment if everything is in order.

When the rattle of the strings should be corrected their height. In the event that the problem lies in the deflection of the neck, it is necessary to adjust the anchor to adjust it. In the beginning, in order to avoid the rupture of the strings, they must be weakened. On the curtain, which closes the anchor nut, unscrew the bolts. Set the hex key to the stop. To reduce the deflection, tighten the anchor, for which the key must be rotated clockwise. And, conversely, to bend the anchor weaken, and rotate the adjustment tool against the clockwise direction. In the event that the anchor is loosely released, it can strongly rattle inside the neck. Normally, if it is slightly tightened in the new guitar.

It should be taken into account that the adjustment process can be an extreme task. You can not rush when setting up a guitar anchor, turn the key slowly. In order not to spoil the neck, in a day it is necessary to do only half a turn of the key. It should wait from five to ten minutes for the bar to take its final form, and the bend must be checked every time, making a half turn of the anchor nut. To avoid nuts, it is better to consult a specialist if you can not handle the adjustment yourself. After the adjustment is completed, you must re-adjust all the strings, and it's best not to touch the guitar within 24 hours.

The various positions of the anchor make it possible to experiment with strings having different thickness and tension, adjusting the neck depending on the wear of the frets and the weather. When replacing the guitar with thin strings for thick, the setting of the anchor is mandatory. If it is adjusted correctly, the bar from the first to the fourteenth harmony must necessarily be straight. In this case, the strings for tuning the anchor must be stretched as usual, and the neck must always have a slightly concave shape. Musicians who have mastered the tuning method described above share the results. Their instrument began to sound beautiful, the lower notes - deeper than before, high - cleaner and sharper. You can adjust the anchor on both an electric guitar and an acoustic instrument.

It happens that the root of the problem lies in the defects, the slanting of the wood, the uneven twisting of the braid of the string or the uneven bending of the neck. Then it will not be solved by setting the anchor, Improving the sound of the instrument will not even after its completion, it is necessary to consult a specialist for advice.