Ask the Expert: What Should I Look for When Selecting Wood for a Guitar?
The luthier’s dirty little secret (drum roll . . . ) is that demand for ultra-fancy wood is greater than demand for wood that only sounds spectacular.
Ask the Expert: Should I Reset the Neck on My Vintage Guitar?
Guitars sound best when string load and top resistance are in relative balance. An underloaded top cannot drive enough air to achieve optimum volume, power, and presence; an overloaded top is unable to generate higher overtones and lacks sustain. One key to optimizing the mechanical efficiency of an individual top is knowing, with some precision, how it wants to be loaded.
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Ask the Expert: What Causes Random Intonation Glitches?
Q: Using an electronic tuner, I can verify that when my open strings are in tune, my fretted octaves are accurate or nearly accurate. Individual notes of certain chords, however, can be very out of tune, and capoing in some positions requires retuning. I’ve noticed that all guitars, even electrics…
Ask the Expert: How to Know When to Hang ‘er on the Wall
I have a Takamine dreadnought that I bought used, and it has been a trusted companion for the past ten years. I like it because it was affordable when I was just learning, and it sounds good. It’s become harder and harder to play in the last six months, so…
The Importance of a Strong Bridge Glue Joint
I play a Gibson LG-0 that my mother handed down to me—she got it as a teenager in the ’60s. It’s a great guitar and in pretty killer shape considering all it’s seen. A few months ago, I noticed that the bridge was pulling up. (I can get a piece…
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DIY Maintenance: How to Adjust String Height at the Bridge
Every guitar needs regular maintenance, and at some point, no matter how careful you are with your instrument, it’s bound to need some kind of repair. If, say, your old campfire guitar isn’t fun to play anymore because the action (the distance between your strings and the fingerboard) is too…
Guitar on a Budget: Pros Offer Advice on Getting the Most Out of Your Gear
Even if you’re the kind of guitar-obsessed nut who spends hours cruising reverb.com or your favorite online guitar shops for your dream guitar(s) when you really should be sleeping, the stark reality is that when it comes down to it, most guitarists need to make cost-conscious buying decisions. The realities…
Ask the Expert: Commissioning the Right Repair for a Vintage Guitar
Q: I have a 1932 Gibson L-00 12-fret that appears to have had a neck reset and refret before I bought it. After finding a few muted notes around the 14th fret, I asked a local repair shop for an evaluation and was told they would need to sand down…
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Ask the Expert: Fixing String Spacing & Refretting a Bound Fingerboard
Thank you, dear readers, for all your write-in curios and questions over the past months. If I haven’t let you know, I really appreciate it. Sharing your question or concern, even about something small, can help clear things up for other readers—including things they didn’t know they needed cleared up.…
How to Adjust Your Truss Rod
If your guitar has a single-action truss rod, then you’ll only have control over the amount of backward bow, with any forward movement either being built into the design of the neck or occurring from the pull of the strings. Many contemporary guitars use a double-action truss rod, which allows…
Two Experts Answer Common Acoustic Guitar Repair Questions
Dick Boak and Rick Turner provide answers to frequently asked questions.
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DIY Maintenance: How to Make Your Acoustic Guitar Play Better Than Ever
Learning how to give your guitar a minor tune-up versus knowing when it’s time to take it to a repair pro will help you get more enjoyment out of your instrument.
How to Fix Rattles
Your entire guitar vibrates when you play it: the top most of all, but even the neck and headstock are moved by the vibrating strings’ energy. Any loose part on your guitar may buzz or rattle audibly, sometimes only when certain notes are played. Parts don’t have to be visibly loose to rattle, and it can be quite a job to chase down the causes of some of these little noises.
7 Lessons on DIY Acoustic Guitar Maintenance
Learn how to perform basic maintenance routines and minor repairs without having to take your guitar to a shop.
Guitar Maintenance: How To Fix Loose Tuners
Inspecting the tuners on your acoustic guitar may just solve that mystery buzz or rattle you’ve been hearing. Here's how to fix loose tuners on your guitar.
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DIY Guitar Maintenance: How to Keep Your Guitar Clean [VIDEO]
Some finishes are more impervious than others, but regular cleaning is a good habit to get into. Here's how to do it.
Guitar Maintenance: How to Check and Adjust Saddle Height
Your guitar’s bridge saddle is the most significant piece of the puzzle when it comes to raising or lowering action. Here's how to check and adjust saddle height.
Guitar Maintenance: How to Perform Basic Pickup Repairs
Here are some general tips that will help you troubleshoot why your guitar's pickup isn't working and get the electrons flowing again.
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Guitar Maintenance: Check Action at the Nut
High strings at the nut can cause sharp intonation and make playing in first position difficult, while low or worn slots can result in open-string fret buzz.
Guitar Maintenance: How To Adjust Neck Relief
Humidity changes can quickly throw a neck out of whack, causing too much forward bow (relief) or back bow. Here’s how to check neck relief on acoustic guitar.
Guitar Maintenance: Tips on Restringing Your Acoustic Guitar
There’s more than one way to string a guitar, and here are some important things to keep in mind to make sure your guitar keeps working as it should.
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How to Replace the Nut on an Acoustic Guitar
For one reason or another, a nut will occasionally need to be replaced, and many guitarists can do this themselves.
How to Adjust an Acoustic Guitar Truss Rod
Your truss rod needs adjustment when the neck of your guitar has too much or too little upbow or too much backbow. Here's how to do it yourself.
Adjusting Your Action on Acoustic Guitar
If your action feels wrong and the neck has been properly adjusted, it is time to look at the saddle.
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Guitar Fingerboard Maintenance
Because an acoustic guitar’s fingerboard generally doesn’t have finish applied to it, it should be cleaned with a method slightly different from the one you use on the body