Ask the Expert: Flying with Your Guitar
When flying with guitars, it’s important to think outside the case. Even with careful preparation, there are many potential dangers that lurk throughout the process.
Martin Keith
Martin Keith is a luthier, repair and restoration expert, and working musician based in Woodstock, New York.
Ask the Expert: What’s the Best Way to Maintain My Guitar’s Fretboard?
Products designed to improve the look and feel of your fretboard are plentiful, but some can lead to unintended problems.
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Ask the Expert: Modifying a Standard Flattop for Lap-Style Playing
I'm thinking about converting an instrument for lap-style playing. Will I be putting the guitar at risk if I raise the nut and saddle high enough to play it with a bar?
A Primer on DIY Finish Touchup for Acoustic Guitar Repairs
How can you determine what type of finish was originally used? And how can you best match it to complete the repair?
All About Nylon Strings and Modern Steel Sets
Finding the right match between string and guitar can have a very rewarding result.
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Remembering Innovative Guitar Repair Guru Frank Ford
The legacy Ford leaves behind is much greater than just the story of his work—it is also one of community, innovation, education, and friendship.
Are Some Guitars Better Suited for Certain Climates?
With proactive maintenance, your guitar should be able to work for you in whatever climate you call home.
Remembering Legendary Luthier Frank Ford, 1944–2023
The legacy Frank leaves behind is much greater than just the story of his work—it is also a legacy of community, innovation, education, and friendship.
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How to Clean a Guitar Fretboard the Proper—and Safe—Way
Cleaning and maintaining your fretboard can be fun and satisfying. Here are some expert tips on how to do the job the right way.
How to Set Up a Single Guitar for Use in Multiple Tunings
When setting up a guitar for a player who uses many alternate tunings, I take a slightly different approach from the usual setup job.
Should You Repair the Crumbling Celluloid Binding on a Vintage Guitar?
Binding replacements on vintage guitars are becoming increasingly common as more and more old celluloid turns to dust
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Ask the Expert: Is it Possible to Improve a Guitar’s Tone by Changing Tuners?
Considering the physics of sound in stringed instruments, let's explore the impact that tuners can have on the tone of an acoustic guitar.
How to Keep Acoustic Guitar Tuners Moving Smoothly
Here's how to keep the tuning components on your acoustic guitar moving smoothly, from cleaning to proper lubricant selection for both modern and vintage guitars.
How Guitar Strings Age—and How to Know When to Change Them
When to change strings is an age-old question with no clear answer, and one that I still field regularly from repair clients.
Do Pickguards Impact Guitar Tone?
Whether or not pickguards affect guitar tone is an interesting topic, and opinions vary in the field of guitar makers.
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How Plugging the Soundhole Affects an Acoustic Guitar’s Sound
Using a rubber soundhole plug is a go-to move for reducing feedback when plugging in an acoustic guitar. But what effect does it have on tone?
How to Deal with Bulging Soundboards and Moldy Cases
AG's repair expert weighs in on a common playability issue and the only sure way to cure the moldy case blues
Ask the Expert: How To Diagnose and Eliminate Common Nut Problems
Here's a guide to understanding the acoustic guitar nut, a critical area where a few thousandths of an inch can make a big difference in intonation and tuning stability
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Ask the Expert: The Delicate Art of Fretwork—and Why It’s Best Left to a Professional
Whether building an instrument from scratch, restoring a collector’s item, or setting up a brand-new guitar, it’s likely that some amount of fretwork will be required.
Ask the Expert: Can I Use Medium Strings on My Prewar Martin?
Will using medium strings on a 1936 Martin D-18 put too much pressure on the the instrument over time? Ask the Expert.
How to Take Care of Your Guitar in a Very Humid Environment
For those living in an overly humid environment, acoustic guitars can take on serious damage from the air around them. Here's how to take care of guitars in an extremely humid environment.
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Ask the Expert: Understanding Acoustic Guitar Scale Length
Here's a guide to understanding scale length on acoustic guitars, an often overlooked design variable that has a big impact on the sound and feel of the guitar.
Can a Budget Guitar Be Transformed into Something Better?
How can you improve a budget guitar? This is a simple question with a complicated answer. To really tackle the subject, we’ll have to let's consider a few different areas.
Ask the Expert: Sound Advice for Making a Living in Lutherie
Thinking about a career in guitar making or repair? Here are some resources to help get you started off on the right foot.
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Balancing Act: How the Weight of Acoustic Guitar Bodies and Necks Affect Tone
Balance between the neck and body of an acoustic guitar is important to the sound and playability of the instrument.