Ask the Expert: What’s the Deal with Nylon Strings?
Guitar repair expert Martin Keith explains the differences between steel and nylon guitar strings and shares some useful terminology.
Martin Keith
Martin Keith is a luthier, repair and restoration expert, and working musician based in Woodstock, New York.
Finding and Fixing Rattles and Buzzes on Acoustic Guitars
Here is an end-to-end approach for for finding and fixing those annoying rattles and buzzes on your acoustic guitar.
ADVERTISEMENT
Try This Simple Trick to Restring Your Acoustic Guitar with Ease
All guitarists have one thing in common: we eventually need to change our strings. Here's how to restring an acoustic guitar.
Can Bridge Pins Enhance Your Acoustic Guitar’s Tone?
There are so many different materials for acoustic guitar bridge pins, but how much difference do they make in your guitar tone?
Acoustic Guitar Truss Rods: Correcting an Adjustment Gone Wrong
Truss rod adjustments can make a big difference in an acoustic guitar's playability. However, even the most straightforward adjustments can have their pitfalls.
ADVERTISEMENT
How to Avoid String Tension Problems on Vintage Parlor Guitars
Should you be concerned about string tension on parlor guitars from the early 1900s? Considering that very few of these instruments have truss rods, it's a valid worry.
Ask the Expert: All About Celluloid Rot—and What to Do About It
Celluloid rot, the degrading of the plastic used for the binding on vintage guitars, is a common occurrence. Here we take a look at why this deterioration happens.
How a Skilled Touchup Artist Can Make Your Guitar’s Dings and Scratches Disappear
Touchup is one of the real dark arts of instrument repair, and one that exists in an almost entirely different universe from structural and functional repairs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Why Does My Plugged-In Acoustic-Electric Guitar Sound So Uneven?
Piezo systems have evolved into a broad family of acoustic sensors that can be quite musical and robust-sounding—if they are properly installed
Remembering Luthier Rick Turner and His Many Contributions to the Guitar World and Beyond
Alembic, Turner, The Dead's Wall of Sound—The late luthier Rick Turner, who died last April at 78, had such an illustrious career that to fully describe it, one would need to write a medium-size book.
How to Fix Problems Caused by Incorrect Neck Angles on Acoustic Guitars
Neck angle is probably the single most crucial variable for the playability of a flattop guitar. Here's how to fix it if it's off.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ask the Expert: Is There a Correct Way to Position a Saddle on an Acoustic Guitar?
Although guitar tuning is something that can be easily measured, there are many differences in saddle/bridge position and treatment between popular makes.
Ask the Expert: All About Slotted Headstocks and Dead G Strings
Repair expert Martin Keith discusses acoustic guitar headstock design and how to maintain evenness and consistency of timbre on your classical guitar's thickest string.