Mamie Minch

Ask the Expert: How to Cure Your Guitar’s Wintertime Humidity Blues

Maintaining your guitar’s humidity level is key in avoiding lots of headaches, from a fluctuating setup to potentially expensive structural repairs.

Ask the Expert: Why Is the Action Suddenly High on My Guitar?

Action (string height) plays a big role in how comfortable it is to play your guitar. High action could be due to a lot of different reasons—some are easy fixes.

Ask the Expert: How to Minimize String Breakage—and What to Do When it Happens

Is it safe for the guitar, the strings, and the player to switch back and forth between standard and open tunings? Ask the Expert!

Why Isn’t My Acoustic Guitar Intonating Well, and What Can I Do About It?

Here are some things to check if you notice something is outside of the reasonable range of intonation on your guitar and it’s off enough to bother the ear.

Ask the Expert: How to Shop for a Used Guitar

With a few tricks and tips, you can feel confident heading out into the world of used-guitar shopping.

guitarist holds a resonator guitar and cleans it

Ask the Expert: Caring for Your Guitar Over the Long Haul

Guitar repair expert Mamie Minch gives a rundown of some basic things a guitar owner can do, and not do, to maintain the health of their guitar.

close up of vintage gibson headstock being hung on a wall

Ask the Expert: Is It Safe to Hang My Guitar on the Wall?

Will hanging my guitar on the wall alter the setup or damage it? Expert luthier Mamie Minch offers two great reasons to hang your guitar, plus some caveats to consider.

Ask the Expert: Is Fingerboard Oil “Snake Oil?”

Does applying oil to an acoustic guitar's fingerboard have any benefits other than making it look nice? Our expert weighs in on fingerboard oil.

closeup of a martin acoustic guitar neck joint with the neck detached

Ask the Expert: Does My Guitar Need A Neck Reset?

Neck repairs are a common occurrence on a vintage acoustic guitar and can enhance the sound of a valued instrument. Don’t feel nervous about getting this repair done.

Ask the Expert: If Your Guitar Isn’t Playing or Feeling Right, Check for a Loose Bridge

From the September 2017 issue of Acoustic Guitar | BY MAMIE MINCH Q: Over the last few months, the action on my older Yamaha dreadnought has gotten uncomfortab... Read More...