INSTRUMENT
steel strings, gauges .009 to .042 (part number 073-0250-403)
.
There is no better, faster and
easier way to reinvigorate the sound of an electric guitar than by simply changing the strings.
It’s easy to tell when strings are old, worn or dirty, because they’ll sound dull and lifeless, look
corroded, and feel rough to the touch. The electrical conductivity of the
Squier® by Fender®
Stratocaster® Guitar and Controller's
strings can be compromised when they accumulate
excessive dirt or wear. You might also find that gameplay can be affected by inaccurate
tracking, and that some notes will be missed or dropped.
To ensure top performance from your
Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar and Controller
,
make sure to change your strings on a regular basis. See your
Fender
dealer to purchase
replacement
Fender nickel-plated steel strings
.
TUNING
Tuning the strings of the
Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar and Controller
isn’t strictly
necessary for gameplay, although it is recommended. Tuning is necessary, however, when
playing it through an amplifier.
Tuning is easily accomplished using an electronic tuner, which you might want to purchase
(many are small and inexpensive). Simply plug the
Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar and
Controller
into an electronic tuner and tune up as you would with any electric guitar. With the
volume all the way up, pluck an open string or its 12th-fret harmonic to produce the clearest
tone for the tuner (a harmonic is a chime-like tone produced by lightly touching the string at
specific points with a fretting hand fingertip and plucking the string with the other hand; the 12th
fret harmonic is used for tuning). Note that pressing down too hard with the fretting hand will
“choke” the string and mute the sound. With a little practice, however, the light touch needed
to sound the harmonic tone is easily developed.
TRUSS ROD ADJUSTMENT
The truss rod is the unseen device inside the neck of a guitar that counteracts the bending force
caused by string tension and maintains proper neck “relief” (curvature). A properly adjusted
neck will have a moderate amount of relief in order to accommodate the vibration of the
strings. See diagrams below.
To measure neck relief, two tools are needed—a capo (a small movable bar placed across
the fingerboard of a guitar or similar instrument so as to raise the pitch of all the strings
uniformly) and a set of automotive feeler gauges (.002-.025). The amount of relief is determined
by fixing the capo to the first fret, fretting the low E string at the last fret and measuring the
distance from the bottom of the low E string to the top of the eighth fret (the fret wire itself, not
the fingerboard) using the feeler gauges. This distance should be about .010”. Further, when
sighting down the neck from the body end toward the headstock, you should be able to see
if the neck is straight or bowed. If there is too much relief or none at all, the truss rod should be
adjusted.
Your new
Squier by Fender Stratocaster Guitar and Controller
has a unique hex nut truss rod
adjustment mechanism, easily accessible through the small hole in the side of the neck just
below the 20th fret (see diagram below).
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