OWNER’S MANUAL FOR F E N D E R ® A C O U S T I C G U I TA R S
Languages 1 Si necesita acceder a los manuales de instrucciones de las guitarras en Español, visite nuestra página web http://www.fender.com/support Vous trouverez le mode d’emploi des guitares Fender® en français sur le site Internet http://www.fender.com/support Il manuale d’uso delle Chitarre Fender in Italiano è disponibile nel nostro sito web http://www.fender.com/support Das Fender Bedienungshandbuch für Gitarren in Deutsch, finden Sie auf unserer Website http://www.fender.
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Welcome to the Fender® Family 3 Thank you for choosing a Fender® acoustic guitar. We believe it will give you many years of pleasure. Please take a few moments to read through this booklet. In it you will find answers to many of your questions and other invaluable information about care and maintenance for your guitar.
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History The History of Fender® Acoustic Guitars … Fender’s rich acoustic guitar history dates all the way back to the early 1960s, when the company injected a much-needed and thoroughly modern dose of youthfully exuberant Southern California sun-and-fun culture into the somewhat stodgy old world of acoustic guitar design.
History Stratocaster® guitar headstocks, screw-attached pickguards and internal body trusses that took stress off the top and back, enabling lighter tops with smaller braces. Earliest models included the King, the Concert, the Classic, the Folk and the Palomino. Fender continued to create many new stellar models through the mid-’60s and was recognized for exceptional innovation with the development of the Wildwood guitars, which were introduced in 1966.
Anatomy Anatomy 101 Whether you know the names of all the parts or not, anatomical 7 side preamp soundhole (depending on model) rosette top guitar body bridge pins end pin or end pin jack (depending on model) saddle bridge binding pickguard
charts are always cool.
The Effects of Temperature, Humidity and Moisture Content in the Wood Wood is an organic, porous material that either absorbs moisture from the air, or evaporates it out into the air, depending on the humidity and temperature of the environment surrounding it. Like a sponge, when wood absorbs moisture, it swells up, and conversely, when it dries out, it shrinks.
The moisture content for wood and the relative humidity for air are measured quite differently. In wood, a 6% moisture content is present at 30% relative humidity and 72 degrees F temperature, (about 22.2 degrees C). If the relative humidity is low and the moisture in the wood is allowed to evaporate out, it can cause shrinkage, splitting and cracking, no matter how long the wood may have been previously aged. It also can cause the top and back to shrink, making the string action low.
Protection from Temperature and Humidity The most important thing you can do to ensure the structural integrity of your instrument over time, is to maintain the moisture content of the wood consistently at the appropriate level. It is 100% certain that an acoustic guitar will be exposed to varied and multiple environmental/climatic conditions from the time it leaves the maker’s hands until it reaches its ultimate owner.
Cracks in the Wood Cracks in the wood are typically caused by changes in temperature and humidity; usually higher temperatures and low humidity. While a crack may initially be alarming, if it is taken care of promptly it shouldn’t be a cause for undue concern. Cracks may easily be repaired without compromising structural or tonal integrity.
Finish Checking Finish checking, (very small splits in the finish), usually occurs in winter and is typically the result of exposing a cold instrument to the shock of warmer temperatures. For example: transporting an instrument in a cold automobile and then bringing it inside and opening it up in a much warmer environment. All of the materials that make up a guitar expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity, and they do so at different rates.
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Tuning Machines Set-up Fender uses only the finest tuning machines. Our die-cast machines (Illustration 1), are pre-lubricated and sealed, and as such, do not require periodic oiling for smooth operation. A small tension adjustment screw is located at the end of each die-cast tuner’s button that also holds the button in place. If the tension is too loose, the machine may slip and go out of tune easily. If it is too tight, the button may become very difficult to turn.
Strings that have not been secured properly to the tuning machine post and stretched during installation may easily slip and go out of tune. This problem is commonly misdiagnosed as an issue with the tuners. Check your string installation carefully and stretch the string during installation and tuning. See illustrations 4, 5, and 6 on pages 22 & 23.
Tuning 6-string Guitars Something as simple as how you wind the strings onto the tuning machine posts when changing your strings, will determine tuning stability and even string tension. It’s also a good idea to stretch your strings just a little as you tune to make sure that each string is seated well and snugged down on the tuning machine post. This will save you some tuning frustration down the road. Just grab the string in the middle, lightly tug it up and down to remove slack, and then retune.
If you do not have an onboard or an electronic tuner, use a guitar pitch pipe, an A-440 tuning fork or some other pitch reference, and begin by: Tuning the second string, “A” to pitch. Then, depress the second, or “A” string at the 5th fret, to produce a “D”, and tune the “D” string to that same pitch. Next, depress the D string at the 5th fret, to produce a “G”, and tune the “G” string until the pitches match.
Tuning 12-string Guitars Due to the tremendous amount of tension exerted on the neck by the 12 strings, we suggest that you use a light gauge string set, such as the Fender Phosphor Bronze (60-12 L) on your 12-string guitar. In standard 12-string tuning, the second string in each pair is tuned to the same pitches, E, A, D, G, B, E, and using the same methods as the six string guitar on the previous page.
A 12-string tuned at standard pitch generates a lot of tension on the neck, and should be monitored regularly for the possible need of truss rod adjustments to counteract this tension. A guitar in need of an adjustment that is ignored may develop permanent problems. (See page 26) Please Note: Warping of the neck caused by the neglect of necessary adjustments will not be covered under the Fender warranty.
Changing Strings A fresh new set of strings can breathe renewed life into your instrument. That is why many “tone-conscious” touring professionals change their strings before every performance. While there is no set rule on how often to change strings, we have found that most players do not change them nearly as often as they should. Set-up Body oils, acids and salts from sweaty hands and humidity all interact with the metals in guitar strings and cause a corrosion and breakdown of the materials.
Re-Stringing Your Guitar The procedure for re-stringing flat-top acoustic guitars and basses is quite similar in the way that the strings are wound onto the tuning machines. There are differences though, in how the strings are attached to the bridges of acoustic flat-top and classical guitars. Set-up Please Note: When changing strings, change them one at a time.
Next, pull the string up over the nut towards the headstock and bend it around the tuning machine post toward the tuning machine button, (Figure 6) Thread the string through the hole in the post and begin winding the button to remove the slack in the string. Continue winding to form a neat coil. Set-up Finally, tune the string to the appropriate pitch. Pull up gently at the center point of the string to stretch it.
bridge. Pull the string up over the nut towards the headstock and feed it through the hole in the tuning machine capstan, (Figure 9) Bring the string back and over the capstan, loop it under itself, and pull it so that it is heading in toward the end of the headstock, (Figure 10). While holding the string in place with your right hand, begin winding the button to remove the slack in the string. Continue winding to form a neat coil with the initial wrap at the inside of the coil. Do not overlap the winds.
To string a classical/nylon string guitar with “ball-end” classical strings, simply feed the string through the appropriate hole in the bridge; pull the string up over the nut towards the headstock, then wind the string onto the tuning machine capstan using the same instructions for “tie-on” strings (see Figures 9 and 10). Set-up Please Note: Never cut a string to length before putting it on your guitar and tuning it to pitch. Premature cutting may cause the string to unwrap and become useless.
Truss Rod Adjustment String tension exerts a tremendous bending force on the guitar neck. Environmental conditions like temperature and humidity may also cause bowing of the neck. Fender acoustic guitars have an adjustable truss rod, running the length of the neck that counteracts this force, strengthens the neck and insures straightness.
Should the neck of your guitar require adjustment, insert the appropriate a hex truss rod adjustment wrench through the strings and the sound hole. (See illustration 13). Note: The guitar should remain tuned to pitch during this procedure. If the neck has a concave bow (See illustration 11), tighten the truss rod nut by turning it clockwise. If the neck is humped or has a convex bow (See illustration 12 ), loosen the truss rod nut by turning it counter clockwise.
Adjustment of Action String height and tension typically determine the ease with which the strings can be depressed. This description of playability is usually called the “action”, and is determined by the distance between the strings and the frets. Depending on your technique or style of play, high action can sometimes be difficult to play, and low action may result in string buzz.
Set-up Electronics Depending on the specific model you purchased, your guitar may have come with an on-board pickup and active (battery powered) preamp. When the available power in the battery drops below a certain threshold, the quality of the sound will become degraded and there will be a loss of output. It is always a good idea to have a spare battery in your case and to familiarize yourself with the process of changing the battery, before the inevitable event of the battery losing power.
Traveling with Your Guitar Fender guitars demonstrate the highest standards of quality in material and craftsmanship, and deserve only the best in protection. We recommend that you purchase a Fender factory guitar case that has been designed and fitted exclusively for your guitar to give it the utmost protection. It’s a good rule of thumb to keep your guitar in a case when not playing it. Set-up If you plan to travel, carry your instrument in a hard shell case at all times for protection.
General Maintenance Clean the instrument after each use, making sure to wipe the fingerboard and strings, as well as any of the plated parts with a soft dry cloth. Polish gloss finishes with a non-silicone based guitar polish. For satin finishes, use only a soft dry polishing cloth. Set-up When not playing the instrument, keep it tuned to pitch and in its case with a hygrometer to monitor the humidity.
cause the endpin to loosen up. Examine the endpin periodically and snug it up with a twisting press when necessary to minimize the risk of dropping your guitar. Securing the endpin is considered routine maintenance, akin to maintaining appropriate air pressure in the tires of an automobile. Be careful when using vinyl, plastic or synthetic leather guitar straps, guitar stands and wall hangers using surgical rubber tubing, as these materials may react with the finish of your instrument.
Servicing Your Guitar Many experienced guitar owners have learned to adjust the truss rod or action of their instrument. If you do not feel comfortable making these adjustments to your new guitar we recommend that you bring the instrument to your dealer or to an authorized service center within 90 days of the purchase, for an inspection and truss rod adjustment if needed.
SERVICE: Service For service in the United States and Canada, please contact an Authorized Fender Service Center, which you can find by calling our Fender Consumer Relations Department (480.596.7195), emailing consumerrelations@ fender.com or using the “Service Center Finder” link on the “Support” section of www. fender.com.
Warranty Fender Acoustic Instrument Limited Lifetime Warranty 35 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) warrants this Fender brand instrument to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as it is owned by the original retail purchaser, except that pickups, switches, jacks, controls, all other electronic components, tuning machines, hardware, pickguards, plated surfaces, gig bags, cases and case hardware are warranted for a period of one (1) year from the date of original purchase
All transportation, insurance and freight charges associated with warranty service and repairs on Fender instruments are the responsibility of the purchaser, as is any service initiated for the purpose of customizing setups or adjustments beyond factory specifications. Initial standard setup and adjustment of the instrument and its components at the time of purchase are considered normal Dealer product preparation, and are not covered by this warranty.
Warranty 11. Instruments that have been serviced by unauthorized persons (any person other than a Fender Certified Technician at an Authorized Fender Service Center).
Fender®, Stratocaster®, Strat®, Telecaster®, Tele®, Precision Bass®, P Bass®, Jazz Bass®, J Bass® and the distinctive headstock designs commonly found on these guitars are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. IMPORTADO POR: Instrumentos Musicales Fender S.A. de C.V., Calle Huerta # 132, Col. Carlos Pacheco, C.P. 228890, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. RFC: IMF870506R5A Hecho en Mexico.
© 2011 FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORP.
