QI have an Aria Pro II, Japanese-made acoustic 12-string, which I like very much. The binding (white trim) around the headstock and body has yellowed. Can you tell me why this happens and what, if anything, can be done to correct it?
Jamie Jones
Inverness, Florida
AYou want to make the binding white again?! You wouldn't believe what I and countless other luthiers go through to match that nice mellow-yellow, aged look on binding when doing repairs and restorations! What causes it to look yellow is the finish, which has yellowed from exposure to air and light. You don't notice it over the wood, which you expect to darken with time, but most finishes-especially lacquers-do turn amber with time. It's considered very attractive to most guitar aficionados. If you really wanted the binding white again, you'd have to carefully scrape the yellowed finish off and then build new finish back up level with the finish on the bordering wood. I wouldn't bother, though; it would be far more trouble than it's worth.
--Rick Turner
Q Could you please give me some advice on how to get the most out of my practice time?
Patrick Smith
College Park, Georgia
AFirst of all, make sure you have a quiet place to work where you won't be disturbed. Turn off the TV and other distractions. I make a distinction between practicing and rehearsing. When you rehearse for a performance, your task is clearplaying tunes all the way through, preparing a set list, and thinking about what you'll say between songs. Practice involves specific instrumental goals, and it requires a different kind of planning.
Start each session with some warm- ups. Use single-line runs for this even if you are a fingerstyle or chordal player. Then tackle your most challenging material: perhaps technical exercises or new pieces. Avoid tedium by working on different music from day to day. Finish up by playing tunes that are in the final polish stage and can be played with satisfaction. When you follow this order, you will do your most demanding work when you are fresh and save the fun playing for the end. A disciplined routine will let your subconscious know that you are serious about the work. Your subconscious will respond by functioning more effectively.
Jack Grassel has written an excellent book, Power Practicing, that is full of creative practicing ideas (available at www.jackgrassel.com or by phoning (888) 543-7168). He suggests picking one book of transcriptions at a time and playing straight through it, maybe a page a day, without lingering over any one item. This will improve your sight-reading and keep you from ending up with a stack of books you've started and never finished.
Another great book of practice ideas is master teacher Scott Tennant's Pumping Nylon (Alfred Publishing Co.). Tennant suggests using exercises rather than performance pieces to learn new techniques. Otherwise, during a performance you may have a mental block regarding the song's hard parts. You can also do effective work away from your instrument by visualizing, step by step, every move of a technical sequence.
Apply these ideas to your practice sessions and you'll see a greater return on your time and effort.
--Gary Joyner
SEND QUESTIONS TO Dear A.G., Acoustic Guitar, PO Box 767, San Anselmo, CA 94979-0767; or to our Email address, dear.ag@stringletter.com.
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