Downtown Devil by Molly Bilker It’s 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon, and the workroom of the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery is alive with sound: hammering noises, scraping, footsteps. Students move from workbench to drawers against the wall, outside to sand down a guitar neck or body, back inside to the sink, around again to the workbench. Roberto Venn […]
Guitar Repair
Guitar maker to restore Elvis collection
Guitar maker to restore Elvis collection by Andre Gallant Online Athens Athens guitar maker Scott Baxendale will begin in February making trips to Memphis to repair, restore and document Elvis Presley’s guitar collection. Most of the maintenance on the collection, which Baxendale estimates is less than 25 guitars, is “general,” he said. Baxendale will set up a workstation […]
Guitar Theft – Protect yourself.
We all love and cherish our instruments. Musicians often feel a unique connection with the instruments that they play. That is why it is such a tragedy to us when we have an instrument stolen. Having anything stolen is a terrible thing, but having something as personal as one’s guitar taken from them so callously is […]
Can I convert my guitar to left handed?
In most cases a right handed instrument can be easily converted to a left handed instrument. In fact, on a classical guitar, the conversion may be as simple as restringing it. The saddles on classical guitars typically have no compensation angle, and the nylon strings are close enough in diameter that the nut slots are often […]
Releasing tight or stuck bridge pins
Often times a player will go to restring their guitar, and discover that the bridge pins wont budge. This can be a frustrating experience, and can turn a simple procedure into a struggle. Luckily, there are a few tricks that can be used to make bridge pin extraction as painless as possible. The first thing […]
A quick fix for a bone nut
Have you ever seen a bone nut with a chunk missing or a chip in it? This is a fairly common situation. When this occurs, players often choose to replace the nut entirely, and there is nothing wrong with this. In fact, it is the best scenario. However, sometimes clients want a quick inexpensive fix. […]
Considering compensation for twelve string guitars
So, do you calibrate a twelve string guitar or not? It is a common question and a very valid one. With fretted instruments we are always battling the limitations of the equal tempered scale. I’ve discussed in previous posts how intonation and calibration works. Basically, frets are placed at a place where a mathematical compromise […]
What’s the buzz?
A guitar can buzz or rattle for many reasons. A large number of repairs that come into my shop are due to complaints of buzzing or rattling when the instrument is played. When these kinds of complaints arise, I like to have the musician play for me and show me what they are hearing themselves […]
Stocking stuffers for that special guitar player
With Christmas fast approaching, I am having more and more people ask what my suggestions for “stocking stuffers” are. Most people are already aware of the standard small gifts to get for that special guitar player in your life such as picks, and strings, but there are some other gift ideas that they might not […]
The Guitar: A Functional Sculpture
An instrument can be seen as an extension of one’s own self to many people. Guitar players are certainly no exception to this. Guitars are more than they appear to many players. The instrument is not only a tool by which a musician can create their music, but also an extension of their own bodies. […]
Pave the way with music
This past July, I attended the The Guild of American Luthiers’ Twentieth National Convention/Exhibition in Tacoma, Washington. Beyond learning a plethora of new and interesting information, I discovered something very simple that I keep thinking about. The convention was held on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University (for that week it became Pacific Luthier University), […]
When to adjust your instrument’s truss rod:
In my repair shop, I am often asked how often a “truss rod” should be adjusted. Unfortunately, there is no clear response for this question. The truss rod is in place in case it is needed, not because it is needed. In an ideal world, your truss rod would never require an adjustment unless your […]
What are frets, and when should I have them replaced?
Frets are metal strips (usually nickel alloy) embedded along the fretboard (also called fingerboard) and located at exact points that divide the scale length in accordance with a specific mathematical formula. When a player presses a string against a fret it shortens the vibrating length of the string, thus […]
Beat the heat! Don’t leave your guitar in the car.
With the heat of this Summer in the Detroit area, it is important to be aware of how one can protect their instrument. The worst thing that an instrument owner can do is leave their guitar out in a car on a hot day. You wouldn’t leave your child or family pet out in a […]
Upgrading your guitar to a bone nut and saddle.
Often times I am asked by customers what upgrades they can make to their guitars to improve the sound of their instrument. Most of the time, I advise them to replace their nut and saddle with one made from a bone material. This is a fairly low cost repair that is always an improvement. Most […]
Guitar Repair
It is that time of the year again! The Summer is upon us, the school year is coming to an end, and the weather is becoming consistently warmer. Some Michiganders may be complaining of the rise in heat and humidity recently, and if your instruments could talk, they would be too. A guitar or any […]