1. FOR THE IBANEZ RG20 Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 1 Maintaining Your Guitar Lead GuitarWorks 321 South Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64123

2. Keeping Your Guitar in Top Shape Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 2 There are a few simple tasks that can keep your instrument playable. Fresh Strings Tuning String Action Intonation Neck Adjustment

3. Fresh Strings Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 3 Guitar strings wear out with time and use. You can tell it’s time to change strings when The strings are discolored The sound becomes dull or fuzzy The guitar is harder to keep in tune Keep these things in mind about replacing strings: You typically want to use the same string gauge (thickness) that is already on your guitar. Cheap strings wear out faster. Keep an extra set of strings handy in case a string breaks.

4. Fresh Strings: CAUTIONS Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 4 Taking Care of Your Guitar  Remove and replace strings ONE AT A TIME. Removing all of the strings at once will cause a drastic change in neck tension. The neck may warp or crack during this procedure if you try to remove and replace the strings all at once. Taking Care of Yourself  String ends are SHARP. The ends of guitar strings are like needles. Handle them with care and dispose of them properly.

5. 1. Unwind the string with the tuning machine knob. 2. Push the loose string out through the tremolo. Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 5 Fresh Strings: Removing Old Strings Tuning machines Back of Tremolo Strings exit through the holes

6. Fresh Strings: Replacing Strings Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 6 1. Thread each new string in through the tremolo and toward the headstock. 2. Be careful not to bend the string while pulling up through the tremolo. 3. About one inch past the tuning machine post, bend the string at a right angle. 4. Thread the string through the post up to the bend. 5. Turn the knob on the tuning machine to tighten the string. 6. Tighten to about one full tone beyond the normal tuning of the string. For instance, tighten your new E string so that it sounds close to F#. 7. Stretch the new string by pulling firmly at a point near the middle of the string. 8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 until stretching the string does not change it’s pitch. 9. Tune the string to its normal pitch. 1” past the post, bend 90˚

7. Tuning Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 7 A typical electronic tuner There are several good ways to tune a guitar string. Match the sound of another instrument, such as a piano. Use an electronic tuner. Use a tuning fork. We recommend an electronic tuner for convenience and accuracy.

8. String Action Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 8 String Action is the height of the strings above the fretboard. If action is too high, the guitar will be difficult to play. If action is too low, the strings will buzz against the frets. 1. String action is adjusted at the bridge. It is measured at the 14 th fret. 2. On the bass side, the distance should be 1.5 mm. 3. On the treble side, the distance should be 2 mm. 4. The distances for the strings in between should gradually go from 1.5 mm to 2 mm. Adjust here Measure here

9. Intonation Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 9 Intonation adjusts the overall tuning of a string. A string can be tuned for the correct pitch at the open position, but still be out of tune when played at a fret. To adjust intonation: 1. Tune the string to the proper pitch when played open. 2. Adjust the intonation screw (on the tail of the bridge) so that the pitch is exactly an octave higher when the string is played at the 12 th fret. 3. Repeat until no further adjustment is necessary. 1 octave apart Adjust here

10. Neck Adjustment Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 10 CAUTION! It is very easy to damage a guitar by adjusting the neck improperly. We recommend that you leave this to an experienced professional. The neck adjustment nut is used when the string action or intonation cannot be properly adjusted. Neck adjustment problems can be caused by moisture, temperature, or a change in string gauge. Tightening the adjustment nut bends the neck forward. Loosening it causes the neck to bend farther back. Neck adjustment nut Recessed in the headstock

11. Resources Terry Mullett - Engl-123 User Manual Assignment 11 You can learn more about the Ibanez RG20 at http://www.ibanez.com See especially: http://www.ibanez.com/support/manuals/guitars_basses.pdf http://www.ibanez.com http://www.ibanez.com/support/manuals/guitars_basses.pdf To learn more about maximizing the performance and playability of your instrument, visit the experts at Lead GuitarWorks. http://www.leadguitarworks.com http://www.leadguitarworks.com