Guitars and basses: hardware and electronics

Check that tuners, bridge, saddles, strap buttons and other mechanical parts are stable and complete.

Then connect the instrument to a clean amplifier and verify:

• every pickup;
• selectors and switches;
• volume and tone controls across their full travel;
• any push-pull controls or active circuits;
• output jack;
• unusual noise while operating the controls.

A slightly noisy pot may only need routine maintenance, while drop-outs, intermittent signal or dead components require a different assessment.

On active instruments, also check the battery compartment and circuit power.