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.
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!
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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.
Guitar Wall Mounts, Floor Stands, & More—How to Keep Your Instrument Safe at Home
Cases? Floor stands? Wall mounts? Here's how to keep your acoustic guitars safe and protected at home.
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
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
Ask the Expert: What can Torrefaction Do for Your Guitar?
Properly torrefied, properly selected wood used in conjunction with a well-engineered design, can produce guitars that are both great-sounding and durable.
Ask the Expert: Why Is My Guitar Buzzing?
Is your acoustic guitar making an unwanted buzzing sound? Here our resident expert offers some possible causes and solutions.
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Acoustic Guitar Maintenance 101: 4 Tips to Keep Your Instrument Playing, Sounding, and Looking Great
Here we give primers on acoustic guitar maintenance, including adjusting the truss rod and saddle height, fixing loose tuners, and properly cleaning the instrument
Ask the Expert: Vintage Guitars and Aging Plastic Parts
Hello, gentle readers. Lately, I’ve received lots of questions about issues stemming from aging plastics on old guitars. From curling pickguards to binding rot, it’s one of the things that people have to bear in mind when buying and playing older instruments. Q: I bought a Martin 0-18 from the…
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.
Ask the Expert: What’s the History Behind Solid Headstocks and Banjo Tuners on Guitars?
It is often said that early Martin guitars with 12-fret necks typically have slotted pegheads similar to classical guitars, while those with 14-fret necks only have solid pegheads. But this does not, in fact, correspond to the reality of Martin history.
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Review: MusicNomad Keep It Simple, Setup (KISS) DIY Kit
MusicNomad has introduced the Keep It Simple, Setup (KISS), a DIY kit designed to make guitar setups easy even for the entirely uninitiated.
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: How Does a Truss Rod Work?
The truss rod is a long metal rod installed in a channel running most of the length of your guitar’s neck. Here's how it works and how to tell if it needs adjustment.
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Ask the Expert: When Is it Time for a Re-Fret? And What Is “Back Buzz?”
Should you keep the vintage frets on your vintage Gibson for the sake of the guitar’s authenticity? What's causing that mysterious metallic fret buzz? Ask the Expert!
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.
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.
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Ask the Expert: If Your Guitar Isn’t Playing or Feeling Right, Check for a Loose Bridge
Q: Over the last few months, the action on my older Yamaha dreadnought has gotten uncomfortably high up the neck. I brought it into the repair shop for what I expected to be a setup, but there was apparently an issue that I hadn’t anticipated. I was told it could…
Ask the Expert: When it Comes to Repairs, When Is Enough Enough?
If restoration is executed by craftsmen as skilled as those charged with maintaining Stradivaris, the spirit of the original guitar will eventually return after a bit of breaking in.
Guitar Guru: Troubleshooting Unwanted Sounds on Acoustic Guitar
By Dana Bourgeois |This article originally appeared in the April 2014 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine and was reprinted in the September/October 2020 issue. Q: My 1983 Martin HD-28 has a buzzing or rattling high E string. The rest of the strings sound great. A local fellow worked on the frets and smoothed them…
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Ask the Expert: How Much Do Acoustic Guitar Top Woods Contribute to Tone?
In general, lighter tops respond more efficiently to lighter playing styles, and more aggressive playing styles are required to bring out the full sonic potential of heavier tops.