tip1. Use a fresh set of strings
Always set up your guitar/bass with a fresh set of quality strings. String makers like ghs, ernie ball, d'addario etc make wonderful strings that last long and provide your guitar with a good tuning stability. The 1$ string sets are good for experimentation and projects but they don't usually stay in tune for long... Expensive strings sets(e.g. coated ones) do have some benefits but their cost is too high in some cases.
When putting new strings on your guitar, use a string winder and stretch the string as you wind it on the machine head/key. Avoid string overlaps and don't let the string form more than 3 loops around the key. Always cut the unused part of the strings once you have tuned your guitar.
tip2. Stretch your strings
When you put new strings on your guitar or just tuning them after a few days/weeks of rest, you got to stretch them. How? Well, all you have to do is to tune your guitar and then grab each string around the 12th fret area and pull it gently upwards. The guitar will go out of tune which is a good thing because it means the strings are now stretched. Wait a few minutes and then tune your guitar again. Repeat the same procedure a few times.
tip3. Lubricate the Nut!
The nut of the guitar has to be slippery and well lubricated for the guitar to stay in tune. There are nut-lubricant products on the market but there is an easier way to do this: take a classic HB2 type Pencil and run it across the nut slots so that they get filled with pencil graphite. Even if your nut is a graphite one, use your pencil to lubricate it. The pencil trick works for most nuts but metal and/or locking nuts should be treated with an appropriate lubricant product.
tip4. Adjust the tremolo
Tremolo equipped guitars are usually a bit more difficult to set up than fixed bridge ones but there are a few tips that will make your life easier. If your guitar has a classic 6 point tremolo (strats),remove the old strings and load it with new ones.
-Hammer 'em down!
Then, take a 2mm Allen key and a small hammer. Place the Allen key inside the string holes of the tremolo block and give it a gentle tap with the hammer so that the ball end of the string goes further inside the tremolo block. That's how you will ensure that the strings sit tight in there and maintain your guitar's tuning stability.
-Floating point...
If your guitar has a floating(floyd, kahler etc) or a 2-point tremolo, always check the condition of the two studs/bolts and the knife edges. If the studs are worn, replace them. If the knife edges on your tremolo are quite worn, then you have to consider locking the tremolo or replacing it altogether. Worn knife edges or studs will make your guitar go out of tune easily. It's easy to lock your floating tremolo if want by placing a tremol-no or a tremolo stop system inside the back tremolo cavity of the guitar. Tremolo stoppers cost around 15$, are easy to install, allow you to use the floyd for dives and can be removed in the future. Other ways of locking your tremolo such as gluing pieces of plywood inside your guitar are not a good idea as they don't always work and sometimes they can't be removed...
tip5. Tighten some screws on your guitar's hardware.
Tuning keys have to be tightly screwed on the headstock so tight these screws. Also, some closed type tuners have a small bolt at the side of the tuning peg which. You can adjust how hard/soft it is to rotate the peg using that side bolt. Don't make it too loose though or the peg could fall off the key...
The bolts that hold your guitar's body and neck together have to be tight! Don't let them get loose.
The bridge system on your guitar/bass has quite a few bolts so you can adjust the height/action, the intonation or the tremolo position and stiffness. All these bolts are important and you should understand what each one of these does when setting up your guitar.
The strap buttons should also be tightly bolted on the body. Sometimes, the strap button screws get too loose because the screw hole on the body got bigger... don't worry, you can fix this by sticking a piece of a toothpick and some glue inside the hole. Then, bolt on the strap button and it'll be tight again!
tip6. Set up your guitar!
If the hardware and nut are okay, all you got to do is to set up your guitar properly. You could and should do it on your own very carefully. It's not such a difficult task and you'll get to know your guitar better. Some stores set up guitars in a generic way but the one that knows best how the guitar should be set, is you!
If you feel you don't have the time or knowledge to perform a guitar/bass set up, it's ok, just find a guitar-tech who understands you and your playing style without charging you a fortune.
tip7. Maintain yer guitar
Once you have set up your guitar with fresh strings, take good care of it. Always wipe the strings and the guitar with a soft cloth after a jam/gig/practice session. Sweat and water could rust the strings of even damage your guitar's finish and hardware. Once dry, store the guitar in a good case and lock it up. You could store it in a gig bag but you should be too careful. Put some anti-humidity bags in the case. Always watch your guitar case/bag because it could be dropped or stolen quite easily. Never store guitars in a car on any open space, they're vulnerable to humidity, changing temperatures and thieves!...
Rock on!
-Thanos
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