Guitar Workbench 100
Building a Guitar Part 3: Applying a Custom Neck Finish
In this installment of Building a Guitar, I’d like to focus on one of the most important aspects of any guitar: the neck. The neck is the literal “feel” of the guitar, as you manipulate it most from this area as you play. Because of this, a lot of care and attention to detail is […]
How to Install a Pre-Wired Pickguard
Perhaps the most drastic way to change your guitar’s tone is by installing a new set of pickups. And whether you’re making a big change in the type of pickup — like going from a single-coil pickup to a humbucker, or installing active pickups where you had passive pickups — or just installing a different […]
Passive vs. Active Pickups
Even though both passive and active pickups have now been around for decades, some players still don’t know the true differences between the two types. Pickups happen to be one of the most — if not the most — fundamental tone-shaping parts on your electric guitar. Knowing how they work and the different tones they […]
Four Ways to Rein in Your Powerful Tube Amp
Don’t get me wrong — I love loud amps as much as the next guy. I’ve got two tube heads at home that clip at about 120W each and more cabs than my back can handle carrying, but even I can admit that sometimes less is more. While you may be head-over-heels with the tone […]
Setting the Action on Your Acoustic Guitar
While changing the action on an acoustic guitar is not as simple as turning a screw like on an electric, it is no more difficult than adding or subtracting a little material. The trick is knowing how to measure ahead of time to save time and avoid any further complications later in the process. In […]
The Story Behind Fret Sprout
You pick up your guitar that you’ve had sitting in the stand for a few weeks and suddenly you feel it: the “sharp” frets are sticking out from the fretboard! Or worse yet, you pull a brand-new guitar you just ordered out of the box and the setup is all off and you feel the […]
Building a Guitar, Part 2: Choosing Body and Neck Wood
When constructing a guitar, one of the most important aspects to consider is the wood that the body and neck are made from. With the massive array of wood species available today to choose from, it can no doubt be a seriously difficult decision to make. But have no fear – this wood buying guide […]
Overdrive vs. Distortion vs. Fuzz
Overdrive. Distortion. Fuzz. We’ve all heard the terms before. But how exactly are they different? While there are players whouse the words interchangeably, there are distinctive differences between the three types of signal clipping. When I first started playing, the word “distortion” covered the entire gamut of clipping tones. I knew Kurt Cobain used a distortion […]
A Primer on Power Tubes
As you gaze lovingly into the warm glow of the tubes in your favorite amp, you may wonder: “What exactly do these glorified lightbulbs have to do with powering my amp, let alone shaping my tone?” The answer to that question is: “a lot.” Each type of power tube, whether EL34, KT88, 6L6 or otherwise, has drastically different […]
