The Bench

Diagram comparing a standard guitar strap button that relies on friction to a strap lock system where a spring-loaded collar latches onto a post

Are Strap Locks Worth It? Do They Actually Keep...

Do guitar strap locks actually stop drops? A repair tech breaks down how they work, the failure they can't fix (it's the screw, not the lock), Schaller vs Dunlop, the...

Are Strap Locks Worth It? Do They Actually Keep...

Do guitar strap locks actually stop drops? A repair tech breaks down how they work, the failure they can't fix (it's the screw, not the lock), Schaller vs Dunlop, the...

Black 2008 Gibson Les Paul Traditional, a clean player-grade guitar with factory pickups swapped for active EMGs

What Does "Player Grade" Actually Mean When Buy...

"Player grade" isn't an official condition grade. It's shop shorthand for a fully playable used guitar with honest wear, mods, or non-original parts. Here's what it really means and how...

What Does "Player Grade" Actually Mean When Buy...

"Player grade" isn't an official condition grade. It's shop shorthand for a fully playable used guitar with honest wear, mods, or non-original parts. Here's what it really means and how...

Fresh gold hardware on a Gretsch archtop — bright gold humbucker covers, Bigsby tailpiece, bridge and knobs before any wear.

Does Gold Hardware on a Guitar Wear Off — and S...

Gold hardware wears off faster than almost anything on a guitar — because the gold is a microscopically thin cosmetic layer over brass or nickel. Here's why it happens, where...

Does Gold Hardware on a Guitar Wear Off — and S...

Gold hardware wears off faster than almost anything on a guitar — because the gold is a microscopically thin cosmetic layer over brass or nickel. Here's why it happens, where...

2015 Gibson Les Paul Standard in Heritage Cherry Sunburst photographed front-on at Aeonic Frets

Should You Avoid a 2015 Gibson? The G-Force, Ze...

2015 is the most misunderstood modern Gibson. A bench-side look at the G-Force tuners, brass zero-fret nut, wide neck, and centennial signature — what's a real problem, what's just noise,...

Should You Avoid a 2015 Gibson? The G-Force, Ze...

2015 is the most misunderstood modern Gibson. A bench-side look at the G-Force tuners, brass zero-fret nut, wide neck, and centennial signature — what's a real problem, what's just noise,...

Cross-section illustration of how a nitrocellulose guitar finish checks, with hairline cracks in the lacquer stopping at the wood line.

Is Finish Checking on a Guitar Bad? What Those ...

Finish checking - that web of hairline cracks in a nitro finish - is almost always normal aging, not damage. Here's what causes it, why it doesn't hurt tone, when...

Is Finish Checking on a Guitar Bad? What Those ...

Finish checking - that web of hairline cracks in a nitro finish - is almost always normal aging, not damage. Here's what causes it, why it doesn't hurt tone, when...

Illustration of the back of a guitar headstock showing where a factory second '2' stamp is impressed in the center.

Are Factory Second Guitars Worth Buying? What T...

A true factory second failed a cosmetic inspection, not a playing one. Here's what that little "2" stamp on a headstock really means, where the genuine risks hide, and how...

Are Factory Second Guitars Worth Buying? What T...

A true factory second failed a cosmetic inspection, not a playing one. Here's what that little "2" stamp on a headstock really means, where the genuine risks hide, and how...