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.
Gear
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.
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
Review: Bourgeois’ Touchstone OM Vintage/TS is a Brilliant New Guitar with an Old Soul
The Bourgeois Touchstone OM Vintage/TS is a collaboration with Eastman Guitars that has resulted in an excellent tradition-inspired guitar with a relatively affordable price.
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
Luthier William Eaton Has Made a Life in Music with a Passion for Unconventional Instruments
William Eaton has made many unconventional instruments since the mid-1970s, and he has helped students learn how to build much more straightforward guitars at Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery
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.
A Visit with Archtop Luthier Tim Frick
For the last decade, luthier Tim Frick has quietly been pushing the envelope on the design of the archtop guitar.
Great Acoustics: 1948 Levin De Luxe Archtop
Levin instruments have been played by many of the finest European guitarists. The 1948 Model 1 De Luxe archtop shown here sat at the very top of the Levin line.