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
Here are answers to many questions about acoustic guitar care and repair. If you’re uncertain about guitar care and maintenance, the ins-and-outs of guitar building, or another topic related to your guitar, we’re here to help! Ask Acoustic Guitar’s repair experts by sending an email with the subject “Repair Expert” to editors.ag [at] stringletter.com.
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.
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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.
How to Shop for a Used Guitar
Even with a repair or two to consider, you still stand to get more for your money when shopping used or vintage. And of course, you can’t reproduce the mojo of a cool old guitar.
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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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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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.
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.
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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
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.
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Ask the Expert: Vintage vs. Modern Instruments—Do Blindfold Tests Really Work?
Over the years, a number of blindfold test have been conducted, including a pair of widely reported tests administered by a trio of researchers in 2010 and 2012. In the first experiment, 21 contestants from the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis were asked to rate six violins: two Stradivaris, a Guarneri del Gesu, and three violins made by highly regarded contemporary luthiers.
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.
Ask the Expert: Is It “Right” to Experiment?
Q: What do you feel are the “right” areas to try to improve upon the classic styles? What areas of design must remain true to vintage originals in order to preserve integrity, and what areas have wiggle room for experimentation? On a more personal note, do you still feel challenged…
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Ask the Expert: How Do You Acquire the Wood for Your Instruments?
The short answer is that I usually work closely with a variety of trusted tonewood suppliers to acquire woods that are sawn, matched, and cured specifically for making acoustic guitars. Typically, I try to inventory a six-month supply of most woods.
Ask the Expert: Do Bonding Agents Affect a Guitar’s Sound?
Q: Why is hot hide glue preferred by some luthiers, while others use synthetic glues, and what are its advantages and disadvantages? —Doug MacKenzie, Cary, North Carolina A: Hide glue, animal glue, and protein colloid glue are names for adhesives made from the connective tissues of various animals. Used by woodworkers…
Ask the Expert: How Long Should it Take to Break In a New Guitar?
Numerous and complex elements contribute to breaking in an acoustic guitar, and it requires a lot of playing. But long long does it take to break in a new guitar?
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Ask the Expert: Should I Put a Pickup on My High-End Instrument?
Mounting a magnetic pickup on a prewar D-28 seems like an obvious no-no, now that the pickup is long gone, and prewar D-28s cost more than my first house. But what about installing a modern pickup on a Brazilian Santa Cruz?