Guitar Workbench 61
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 […]
Confessions of a Guitar Synthesis Addict
Nobody says, “when I grow up, I want to be a guitar synthesis addict.” Well, my name is David, and I have been addicted to guitar synthesis for quite some time now. My own journey through pursuing “synthesizer” sounds on my guitar began with a major realization at a buddy’s show at the Burlington in […]
How to Deck or Block Your Tremolo
As one of the most distinctive features on perhaps the most famous (and most imitated) guitars ever, the floating tremolo system as found on the Fender Stratocaster (and other guitars like it) is one of the most-played hardware systems out there. The system allows players to create natural, fluttering vibrato, akin to what early jazz and blues […]
Building a Guitar, Part 1: Choosing Hardware
Welcome to Part 1 of how to build a parts guitar! Over the next few months, I will be doing a general walkthrough on how to choose parts, and offer several guides on how to do basic DIY guitar work at home. I certainly know when assembling your own custom guitar, or simply modifying a […]
