The Bench

Flowchart diagram of the touch test for diagnosing guitar hum, showing three outcomes when touching the strings

Why Does My Guitar Hum When I Plug In? (And Whe...

Most guitar hum is normal and not a defect. Here is the thirty-second touch test I run on every guitar that crosses the bench, what a bridge ground wire actually...

Why Does My Guitar Hum When I Plug In? (And Whe...

Most guitar hum is normal and not a defect. Here is the thirty-second touch test I run on every guitar that crosses the bench, what a bridge ground wire actually...

Fender James Burton Signature Telecaster in black with gold paisley finish showing three Lace Sensor pickups

Are Signature Model Guitars Actually Worth Buyi...

Some of the best value on the used market hides in signature models, and some of the worst. A bench-level guide to telling the difference before you pay.

Are Signature Model Guitars Actually Worth Buyi...

Some of the best value on the used market hides in signature models, and some of the worst. A bench-level guide to telling the difference before you pay.

Fender Player II Modified Stratocaster in Sunshine Yellow, a Made-in-Mexico Strat

Is a Made-in-USA Fender Really Worth Double the...

The American Fender costs about double the Mexican one — but is it twice the guitar? An honest, bench-tech breakdown of where the extra money really goes, and when the...

Is a Made-in-USA Fender Really Worth Double the...

The American Fender costs about double the Mexican one — but is it twice the guitar? An honest, bench-tech breakdown of where the extra money really goes, and when the...

Figured honeyburst 2008 Gibson Les Paul Standard photographed from the front, a typical used guitar listing beauty shot

Is It Safe to Buy a Used Guitar Online Without ...

An honest answer from the bench. The real risks of buying a used guitar sight unseen aren't what most players fear, the eight photos worth asking any seller for, how...

Is It Safe to Buy a Used Guitar Online Without ...

An honest answer from the bench. The real risks of buying a used guitar sight unseen aren't what most players fear, the eight photos worth asking any seller for, how...

Diagram comparing string break angle over a Jazzmaster bridge with a flat neck pocket versus a shimmed neck

Do Jazzmasters and Jaguars Really Have Tuning P...

Offsets get blamed for buzzing bridges and slipping tuning. From the bench, the floating vibrato is usually the one part working fine - the real culprit is break angle at...

Do Jazzmasters and Jaguars Really Have Tuning P...

Offsets get blamed for buzzing bridges and slipping tuning. From the bench, the floating vibrato is usually the one part working fine - the real culprit is break angle at...

Diagram comparing two guitar pickup coils with 7,500 turns each: 42 AWG wire reads 5.5k ohms while 43 AWG reads 7.0k ohms, with essentially the same output

Does a Higher DC Resistance Mean a Hotter Pickup?

DC resistance is the most quoted pickup spec and the most misunderstood one. It measures the length and thickness of a piece of copper wire, not how loud the pickup...

Does a Higher DC Resistance Mean a Hotter Pickup?

DC resistance is the most quoted pickup spec and the most misunderstood one. It measures the length and thickness of a piece of copper wire, not how loud the pickup...