The Bench

Gold volume and tone knobs on a wine red Gibson Les Paul Classic with humbuckers, illustrating a 500k-pot guitar

250k vs 500k Pots: Does Pot Value Actually Chan...

A 250k pot makes a guitar a touch warmer; a 500k pot leaves it brighter. Here is what the number actually means, why single coils get 250k and humbuckers get...

250k vs 500k Pots: Does Pot Value Actually Chan...

A 250k pot makes a guitar a touch warmer; a 500k pot leaves it brighter. Here is what the number actually means, why single coils get 250k and humbuckers get...

Gibson SG Standard body in cherry burst, a thin lightweight mahogany body that makes the SG prone to neck dive

Why Does My Guitar Neck Dive — And How Do I Act...

Neck dive is a balance problem, not a defect. Here's what actually causes a headstock to drop — and the fixes that work, from a grippy strap and lighter tuners...

Why Does My Guitar Neck Dive — And How Do I Act...

Neck dive is a balance problem, not a defect. Here's what actually causes a headstock to drop — and the fixes that work, from a grippy strap and lighter tuners...

Gibson Custom Shop R7 1957 Les Paul Standard Reissue goldtop resting on a green chair

Are Gibson Custom Shop Reissues Actually Worth ...

A working guitar tech breaks down what a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul reissue actually gives you over a USA Standard - long neck tenon, hide glue, no weight relief,...

Are Gibson Custom Shop Reissues Actually Worth ...

A working guitar tech breaks down what a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul reissue actually gives you over a USA Standard - long neck tenon, hide glue, no weight relief,...

Comparison chart of common Gibson humbuckers including 57 Classic, Burstbucker 1 and 2, Burstbucker 61, Burstbucker Pro and 490R/498T

What Gibson Humbucker Is in Your Les Paul? '57 ...

A bench guide to the humbuckers Gibson actually ships - the '57 Classic, the Alnico 2 and Alnico 5 Burstbuckers, and the 490R/498T - what makes each one different, and...

What Gibson Humbucker Is in Your Les Paul? '57 ...

A bench guide to the humbuckers Gibson actually ships - the '57 Classic, the Alnico 2 and Alnico 5 Burstbuckers, and the 490R/498T - what makes each one different, and...

Diagram of the four stages of guitar fret wear in cross-section, from a healthy rounded crown to a deep divot that needs a refret

How Much Fret Wear Is Too Much on a Used Guitar?

Fret wear on a used guitar is a bargaining chip, not a dealbreaker. A guitar tech walks through how to read the crowns, where wear hides, the level-vs-refret rule of...

How Much Fret Wear Is Too Much on a Used Guitar?

Fret wear on a used guitar is a bargaining chip, not a dealbreaker. A guitar tech walks through how to read the crowns, where wear hides, the level-vs-refret rule of...

Diagram of where a plucked guitar string loses energy: the nut, the bridge, and neck resonance, with a note-decay curve.

Does a Heavier Guitar Actually Sustain Longer?

Does more body mass mean more sustain? An honest, bench-side look at why neck stiffness, the nut, and the bridge matter far more than raw weight — and what actually...

Does a Heavier Guitar Actually Sustain Longer?

Does more body mass mean more sustain? An honest, bench-side look at why neck stiffness, the nut, and the bridge matter far more than raw weight — and what actually...