superboo -> Yamaha CG171SF Modification Recommendations * (Oct. 28 2008 10:30:42)
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*i know that this is very long and i apologize if my questions come off as annoying or ignorant -- i'm very new. i greatly appreciate the efforts of anyone that sticks around long enough to read and even reply to my questions. i've already learned a massive amount here and look forward to learning and contributing more. though small, this forum is an excellent source of information. i'm a very fresh beginner and have ordered a cg171sf which should arrive tomorrow. i understand that this is a cheap, entry-level instrument and that i shouldn't expect amazing performance from it. i don't plan on upgrading to a "handmade" guitar for at least 2-3 years, so i'd like to upgrade it within reason for better tone for the time being. as i understand, this guitar has fairly poor quality tuners, strings, as well as a plastic nut and saddle. during my search for a local luthier, i found a shop that has "the best guitar tech in the state" (hawaii). after extensive reading, i've considered having him upgrade all of these aspects of the guitar. i spoke with the shop, they said it would be no problem to install a bone nut/saddle. but before i do all of this, i'd appreciate some direction so i don't spend/modify more than necessary. i'll list tentative modifications and the thought process behind them. please feel free to reply with any corrections, thoughts, or recommendations. *note - it seems that some of the cg171sf's have rosewood fingerboards, others (newer?) have ebony. some of my decisions were based off of the prediction that i might receive one with ebony. if i end up with a rosewood fingerboard, then i'll have to reconsider decisions that are purely aesthetic in nature. my highest priority is tone. bridge - http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Classical_guitar_bridges/Classical_Guitar_Bridge.html the stock bridge is rosewood according to specs i've seen online. i don't know how this affects tone. but aesthetically, i'm considering replacing it with this ebony bridge. if i my fingerboard is rosewood, i won't change to ebony unless there's a significant improvement to be gained. nut/saddle - the shop said they'd change these to bone for me. initially i considered ordering pre-fab or blank tusq, but it's easier to have them do bone. plus i've read about "notching" issues with tusq that steer me away. oh, and should i request the luthier to "compensate" any or all of the string positions on the saddle? tuning machines - http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Guitar,_slotted_peghead_tuners.html regarding prices, it seems that Gotoh and Schaller are my sub-$superexpensive options. beyond that, i don't have a clue as to what i'm comparing. slotted or solid peghead? gold? brass? what are lyre/lyra/hauser? what's an acceptable turn/tune ratio? comparing pictures, slotted is what i see most often. aesthetically speaking again, i *guess* i'd want ebony knobs to match the rest, but that's very insignificant if there's something else i should be considering. do the prices i see include tuners for both sides of the headstock or do i have to order two sets? initial setup + routine maintenance: i plan on having this luthier perform a full setup. the problem is "when?". i live in hawaii, where the max humidity each day ranges from 70-95% or higher. the guitar is coming from a warehouse in kansas (dry midwest region). i've read that changes in humidity greatly affect guitars. how long does the guitar need to acclimate? would it be wise to wait until after this period of time to have the setup (and modifications) performed? i read a piece of advice that i really liked: use a set of popular strings as a baseline and just try a lot of different strings to compare. with that in mind, i ordered a set of d'addario ej45 pro arte that i plan on installing upon arrival. but i've also read that strings, especially nylon, tend to stretch quite a bit for a period of time after installation. i imagine that this can affect the setup process if they're still too new. so what i came up with is to install the d'addario strings immediately, and (try to) play the guitar a good amount over the next few days. i should have my first lesson this saturday, and would drop the guitar off at the luthier after for setup/mods. is this approach appropriate or even necessary? i've gathered that i need to clean the instrument routinely. i'm not completely clear as to how, though (this plagues me with my electric as well). someone told me a polishing cloth + lemon oil anytime i finish playing and recommended a dunlop cleaning kit to use once a month or so. any thoughts? the guitar will live in its specific yamaha case seen here. should i bother with hygrometer/humidifier (please consider local humidity)? if so, any specific recommendations? i thank you all for your time.
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