Acoustic Guitar Strap Buttons Heel Mounted Strap Button on an Acoustic Guitar A guitar strap allows the player to securely position the instrument in a comfortable spot without the need to physically hold it. They can be useful whether playing seated or standing.  Strap buttons are the connecting points that let the user easily secure and/or remove the strap as needed. Each guitar strap needs two points of contact. On an acoustic guitar, these are typically the endpin and either the headstock or the heel. Headstock Strap Mount Buy Now A headstock mount is a traditional means ..read more

Electronic Repairs on Hollowbody Guitars This beautiful Collings I30 guitar came to us with a non-functional neck pickup tone control. While this is likely a simple repair electronically, as with most wiring repairs on semi-hollow and fully hollow-bodied guitars, the more time consuming task will be accessing and reinstalling the electronics before and after service. Fishing The Electronic Out Of The Body As we have previously mentioned in our article about replacing hollow body output jacks, Hollow-bodied guitars typically do not have and easily accessible control cavity. Rather ..read more

Taylor Guitars Expression System Repairs The Taylor Guitars Expression System is a series of proprietary onboard acoustic guitar electronics. Here we will discuss some commonly needed repairs. The previous link will be helpful in determining which version your instrument is equipped with. Scratchy Volume / Tone Controls Taylor ES Volume and Tone Controls The expression system uses sealed potentiometers to minimize the chance of dirt or dust interfering with their operation. However, sometimes these controls oxidize or wear out, becoming scratchy when turned, an ..read more

Electric Guitar Bolt-On Neck Resets The Neck Pocket Of A Bolt-on Neck Electric Guitar Showing Shims Shimming a Bolt-on Neck Guitar When performing a setup on a bolt-on necked electric guitar, shims are a way to quickly adjust the angle at which the neck joins the body, facilitating the desired action adjustment. An assortment of improvised shims that were found in this guitars neck pocket In our shop, we commonly find improvised shims installed in the neck pocket. They range from purpose-built plastic shims like those pictured at the top of the page, to a hodgepodge of items like s ..read more

Fender Telecaster 3 Barrel Saddles Fender Telecaster with 3 barrel Saddle bridge The Birth of the Solidbody Guitar, Lead Guitar, and 'Slinky' Strings The Fender Telecaster was the world’s first mass produced solid body electric guitar. While its core features have remained remarkably consistent, since the early 1950’s, playing styles and musician’s preferences have changed. At the time that the model was conceived, its role in popular music was largely as a rhythm instrument; Due to the nature of traditional acoustic guitar designs, and the amplification then available, it simply wasn’t lo ..read more

Shielding An Electric Guitar A Fender Stratocaster Guitar With Copper Foil Shielding What Is Shielding? “Shielding” is tool that is used to reduce electromagnetic interference, or “EMI”, in your guitar’s signal. Since most electric guitar pickups are by definition “electromagnetic transducers”, EMI is a frequent cause of unwanted noise in the guitar’s signal chain. Guitars with single coil style pickups are especially prone to these issues. (For a primer on both EMI and the concept of “grounding” in electronics, please checkout our article on string ground wires.) For a bit ..read more

Gibson Hummingbird and J-200 Pickguards A Gibson Hummingbird Guitar With Its Iconic Pickguard The pickguard art featured on the Gibson Hummingbird, as well as the “flower and vine” pattern used on the J-200, are defining features of the respective models. Originally the most expensive guitars in Gibson’s catalog, their unique pickguard’s make these instruments instantly recognizable. While the artwork is largely the same, different manufacturing techniques have been used over the company’s history. Traditionally, the pickguards were hand painted and engraved. Later on, in a ..read more

Crack Repairs - Repairing Wood Cracks In Guitars Wood is the most common material for guitar construction. A few particular tree species such as Ebony, Maple, Rosewood Mahogany and Spruce have long been staples within the industry. The type for a particular task is based on a combination of factors such as: availability, tonal qualities, aesthetic beauty, workability, tradition and durability.  As with anything made of wood, if they are to last, guitars require care and consideration to protect them from damage. Wood cracks can usually be attributed to one of two main causes ..read more

Acoustic Guitar Strap Buttons Heel Mounted Strap Button on an Acoustic Guitar A guitar strap allows the player to securely position the instrument in a comfortable spot without the need to physically hold it. They can be useful whether playing seated or standing.  Strap buttons are the connecting points that let the user easily secure and/or remove the strap as needed. Each guitar strap needs two points of contact. On an acoustic guitar, these are typically the endpin and either the headstock or the heel. Headstock Strap Mount Buy Now A headstock mount is a traditional means ..read more

Electric Guitar Bolt-On Neck Resets The Neck Pocket Of A Bolt-on Neck Electric Guitar Showing Shims Shimming a Bolt-on Neck Guitar When performing a setup on a bolt-on necked electric guitar, shims are a way to quickly adjust the angle at which the neck joins the body, facilitating the desired action adjustment. An assortment of improvised shims that were found in this guitars neck pocket In our shop, we commonly find improvised shims installed in the neck pocket. They range from purpose-built plastic shims like those pictured at the top of the page, to a hodgepodge of items like s ..read more