Q: My understanding is that a type of finish known as “French polishing” gives not only a hand-built look to an instrument, but also a better quality of tone and a fuller sound. How does this process work, and is it worth having it done to my moderately priced Samick…
To work efficiently, a guitar top must be built lightly enough to vibrate in complex ways.
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The short answer is: sometimes. And the short explanation is that different models and different woods can have confusingly overlapping sonic qualities.
Q: What exactly is the difference between a “handmade” and a “handcrafted” guitar? Furthermore, in the high-end market, what qualities should a player (not a collector) look for when evaluating the differences between, for example, a $3,500 guitar and a $7,500-plus guitar? —Dan Liechty, Normal, Illinois A: A quick Google…
Perhaps because of their lighter weight, cedar and redwood tops tend to “open up,” or break in, relatively quickly. However, unless the builder pays adequate attention to longitudinal stability, cedar and redwood tops sometimes open up beyond a point that many players consider optimal, losing low-end definition as the guitar continues to be played.
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It can be vexingly difficult to diagnose string buzz. Here’s a list of ten possible causes of a buzzing guitar.
Traditional finishes, such as varnishes and nitro-cellulose lacquer, take many years or even decades to fully cure, while catalyzed finishes, like urethane and polyester, can cure in a matter of days.
In my view, the sound of a guitar is primarily attributable to its design and to the individual woods that it’s made from. Voicing is a process of optimizing the interaction between these two variables.
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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.
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.
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…
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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…
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…
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…
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…
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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…
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.…
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…
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Dick Boak and Rick Turner provide answers to frequently asked questions.
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.
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.
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Learn how to perform basic maintenance routines and minor repairs without having to take your guitar to a shop.
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.
Some finishes are more impervious than others, but regular cleaning is a good habit to get into. Here's how to do it.
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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.
