As a way of providing ongoing support after the sale all Zager Guitar owners are provided a lifetime membership to our Guitar Help pages of our Online Video Lesson Library. Here Denny and Dennis Jr. will answer questions you may have about your new or old Zager Guitar. Denny updates these videos as new information becomes available so be sure to check back often for new information.
I just received my guitar and it’s buzzing
This video is for customers who just received their guitar in the mail and it has a minor buzz. Dennis Jr. shows you how to remove the buzz turning the truss key. This is extremely common as when you're shipping through different temperatures and humidity levels it causes the woods to shift slightly. Our guitars have a truss rod adjustment that allows you to dial in the neck perfectly to your playing style and remove any buzzes and rattles.
I’ve had my guitar several months/years and it’s starting to buzz and or crack
Humidity and your Guitar
If you have a guitar that once played beautifully that is now buzzing, hard to play, sounding poorly, or is cracking, you have sustained damage from dryness. All guitars from all manufacturers must be stored between 50 and 60% humidity. If not the woods will warp causing playability and sound issues and will eventually crack. Damage can happen in a matter of weeks if conditions are severe. New guitars with high quality solid woods and low action are most susceptible. Less expensive guitars with high action will not be affected like a precision made solid wood Martin, Taylor or Zager with low action. This type of damage is not warranted by any guitar manufacturer but it is repairable. (Martin Warranty, Taylor Warranty, Fender Warranty, Collings Guitar Care, D'Addario Humidity & Temperature page)
Signs that your guitar has sustained damage from dryness
- Buzzing or rattling on one or several strings especially near the sound hole.
- Getting the same note when fretting certain chords
- A leaning saddle (from a bridge tray that dried out and expanded)
- A peeling pickguard from the woods condensing loosening the adhesive
- Loose wires on electrics from the adhesive drying out that holds the wires down
- Looseness around electronic package from dry woods shrinking around it
- A cracked bridge or separation of the bridge from the face
- Sharpness of frets when sliding your hand down the side of the neck
- A hump in the fretboard that sinks down into the soundhole
- Flatness or sinking of the face (a guitar's face should bow outwards)
- Flatness or sinking of the back (a guitar's back should bow outwards)
- Creaking in certain parts of the body
- A crack on the face right next to the fret board.
- A crack running from bridge to the bottom of the face.
- Cracks around the screws of the electronics on electric models.
- A crack on the back, neck or heel.
How to repair your guitar
Here's a secret most guitar shops won't tell you. 99% of buzzing, playability and sound issues can be solved by simply adding water. When a guitars woods get dry the face lowers. This lowers the strings closer to the fretboard causing buzzing, playability and sound issues. To fix it a shop can install new frets, file the frets, build a new bridge, saddle, nut, even replace the entire neck, and all of this work will get your guitar playing again. Or you can simply add water back into the woods that will raise the face back into its original position and fix the problem entirely. Why don't shops tell you this? BECAUSE THEY CAN'T CHARGE YOU FOR IT. We'd like to say these practices are rare but being in the guitar business over half a century we've seen it's the norm. By simply hydrating the woods and adjusting the neck using a system luthiers have used for hundreds of years (as shown below) you can bring your guitar back to 100% playability and sound without spending hundreds of dollars and without causing more damage to your guitar as shops often do.
Cracks
Water can even mend cracks if they're small or just beginning. By super hydrating your guitar as shown in the video below it causes the woods to swell causing small cracks on the face and back to disappear. If your crack is larger 95% can be repaired by simply running a bead of Elmers glue into the crack as shown here. There are shops who will tell you your guitar needs entire refinishing making the crack cosmetically disappear, but what they DON'T tell you is by applying a new layer of finish it will ruin the sound. There's a reason artists like Willie Nelson who has cracks all over his guitar doesn't refinish it. He knows if he did he'd lose the sound quality that's been gained from many years of aging.
Step by step video to repairing your guitar
Send your guitar to Denny for servicing
Denny still services guitars but charges a lot less than most guitar shops, and since he built your guitar he knows how to get the job done right. If you'd like Denny to service your guitar follow this link to our service page.
Correct String Height How to Raise & Lower Action
Dennis Jr. explains in detail where correct string height should be when your guitar is new and how you can adjust string height to your particular playing style.
Master string change video
This has been called the most thorough and useful video on the entire internet for changing guitar strings. Here you will see Denny's 70 years of knowledge about guitars.
How to make a guitar humidifier that actually works!
In this video Dennis Jr. will show you how to make a guitar humidifier for free that will work better than any high dollar humidifier you can buy in the shops.
Humidity and your guitar
Denny describes the optimal humidity to store your acoustic guitar, the dangers of dry climates, and what you can do to keep your guitar in pristine condition.
How to reattach loose wires dangling inside your acoustic electric
Dennis Jr. shows you how to tighten those wires and we'll send you the new Fishman adhesive fastener for free. When the adhesives begin to come free this is a sign of dryness so before your guitar begins to buzz or cracks check humidity levels and make sure it's being stored in 50% or higher humidity.
Using your capo
Using the capo can change your playing entirely for the better. Learn how to use this small tool in this video.
Heavy handed players
Denny talks about this style of playing guitar and how playing less heavy handedly will only help your music and also protect your guitar too.
Fine tuning
Denny talks about being in tune so your playing sounds the best.
When to change your strings
If you notice your tone isn't as clear and precise as it used to be, a fresh set of new guitar strings will make all the difference. Denny talks about how to tell when it's time to change out your guitar strings.
Uneven volume on certain strings when plugged in
This is very common when shipping in different climates and with fresh woods settling. Uneven volume on one or more strings can be easily fixed by adjusting the transducer under your saddle on your acoustic electric Zager guitar. Dennis shows you how it's done in this quick video.
How to remove the bridge pins on your Zager Guitar
Changing your pins is easy with the right tool. You won't ruin the pins or the bridge of your guitar when you do it the right way. We also offer replacement pin sets in our accessories store.
How to replace the battery of the electronics (all units)
Putting a new battery in any of the Fishman electronics units is quick and easy. Dennis shows you how on all the models in this video.
How to replace the Grover tuning gear on your Zager Guitar
Tuning gears can be easily replaced and keep your guitar looking new. Just watch this quick instructional video by Dennis and you'll be on your way to shiny new tuning machine installation.
How to replace the nut on your Zager Guitar
Replacing the nut on your guitar is easy and fast when you do it this way. Dennis shows how to get the current nut out, and put the new one in with tools you likely have at home already. We can supply a replacement nut free of charge.
How to replace the pick guard on your Zager Guitar
Replacing your pick guard is easy as peeling a sticker. This video shows you how to remove the old pick guard and put a new one on with a helpful hint to keep it looking brand new.
How to replace the saddle on your Zager Guitar
The saddle of your guitar is a very important piece to its playability and sound. Being able to change it out quickly is very helpful and easy once you watch this quick video. Dennis shows you how to get the saddle out properly. We'll send you a new one upon request, free of charge.
Electronics problems on an older guitar
In this video Dennis Jr goes over things to check on a guitar that's having electronics problems. If your electronics are working but you have uneven sound issues (some strings that are quieter than others) watch our video called "Uneven volume on certain strings when plugged in."
How to Tighten the Amplifier Jack: PART I – Slightly Loose
Dennis Jr guides you through how to easily tighten your slightly loose amplifier jack. If your amplifier jack is really loose and spinning or dangling out refer to our video below, part II.
How to Tighten Amplifier Jack: PART II – Very Loose
Watch this video if your amplifier jack is dangling loose and needs to be tightened from the inside.
A word about guitar luthiers
A guitar luthier is a person who builds or repairs guitars.
The humidity gauge and proper humidity for your Zager Guitar
Dennis Jr talks about the importance of a sturdy case to regulate humidity levels to avoid dryness issues. All of our Zager Pro Hard Shell cases include a digital humidity sensor so you know exactly where you're at in regard to relative humidity.
When the bridge cracks or separates from the guitar
This video will show you what to do if your bridge has separated from your guitar or if it is cracked. When a bridge cracks or separates from the guitar it means at some point your humidity levels were too dry or too moist causing the face to either sink or expand and this causes a bridge to either crack apart or separate from the face. The good thing is this is very easy to fix and we will have Denny make you a new bridge and send it free of charge.
How to use your Fishman AURA electronics unit
How to use your Fishman Presys electronics unit
How to use your Fishman Isys electronics unit
How to install a new Fishman AURA Pro unit (printable manual)
Keeping your guitar clean
My brand new guitar isn’t staying in tune
Dennis Jr. explains how new green woods and settling woods can affect tune and how changing string gauges can affect tune as well.
Denny’s older buzzing string video (great reference video!)
Denny Sr. shows you in detail how changing the strings and adjusting the truss rod will remove your buzz.
An older buzzing string video (great reference video!)
