Fret size is one of the most important but overlooked aspects of a guitar. Unlike neck relief, action, pickups, and other hardware, frets are not adjustable (without a costly refret, of course). Replacing guitar frets is expensive, so it’s worth paying attention to the fret size on any guitar that you are considering for purchase. …
Guitar Frets: How to Choose the Right Ones For You Read More »
You’ve no doubt heard of the benefits of stainless steel fretwire, and maybe you’ve wondered: Are Stainless frets better? Are they a real improvement to Nickel Silver, or a solution looking for a problem? Stainless Steel frets are an option for refret jobs, but they are also increasingly being offered by guitar manufacturers on new …
One of the great things about playing guitar today is all of the options we have to tweak our tone. Silk and Steel acoustic guitar strings are one of those options. I had heard of silk strings, but never considered trying them until recently. What I found was pretty interesting. What are Silk & Steel …
Pickups are a powerful upgrade to any guitar, but the process can be a rabbit hole of trial and error. Regardless of the type of pickup, knowing what you are aiming for increases your chances of success. In this article we’ll discuss the decision to change your electric guitar pickups. Pickups and their Effect on …
Maple vs Rosewood Fretboard? Ebony vs Rosewood? What about Pau Ferro? Guitar fretboard (aka fingerboard) wood is both overlooked, and over-hyped. Which wood feels best? Which wood is the most durable? Does fretboard wood affect tone? Why don’t they make Les Pauls with maple fretboards?! (actually, they have—more on that later). In this article we’ll …
I recently slapped a set of Martin Retro strings on my Taylor 314 acoustic. The set is Martin Retro acoustic, gauge 12-54. These “retro” Martin strings are named Retro because they are made of Monel, an alloy used in the past that is now enjoying a resurgence in popularity. I wanted to see what the …
The Hair Metal genre of the 1980s and early 90s is easily the most recognizable and distinct era in popular music, and their gear reflected it. Perhaps no other time in rock history required participants to be as consistent in the type of instrument they played. Here are five classic 80s guitars, and an example …
Today we’re highlighting an excellent brand of guitar strings that you should be aware of: John Pearse. John Pearse makes acoustic and electric strings, as well strings for bass and other instruments such as 12-string guitar, Pedal Steel, and Lap Steel. In this John Pearse strings review I will highlight three guitar string sets: Two …
Everyone wants a sweet flamed maple guitar top, right? We’ve all seen the dramatic maple tops, and some are so obsessed with them that they’d never consider a guitar without it. What is flame maple and why—or why not— might you want a flame maple guitar? In this article we’ll dive into the various types …
Flame Maple Top Guitars: Necessity or Indulgence? Read More »
What’s a 1995 Stratocaster Plus Deluxe worth? Is it a vintage guitar? The answer is, obviously, as much as someone will pay for it. At 20+ years old, guitars like these are the “new vintage”. A quick check on Reverb indicates that prices for many 1990s era guitars are trending up. Let’s look at this …
