The Bench

Close-up of a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece and tune-o-matic bridge on a Gretsch Electromatic Double Jet FT

Do Bigsbys Actually Stay in Tune?

Bigsbys get blamed for tuning problems they didn't cause. The real culprit is friction, and it's almost always the nut. Here's what actually goes wrong, what fixes it, and what...

Do Bigsbys Actually Stay in Tune?

Bigsbys get blamed for tuning problems they didn't cause. The real culprit is friction, and it's almost always the nut. Here's what actually goes wrong, what fixes it, and what...

Diagram of a Norlin-era Gibson Les Paul pancake body cross-section showing a thin maple layer sandwiched between two mahogany slabs under a figured maple cap

Are Norlin-Era Gibsons Actually Bad?

Pancake bodies, volutes, heavy builds. Are 1970s Norlin-era Gibsons really junk, or underrated used bargains? An honest bench-level look at what changed, what got a bad rap, and how to...

Are Norlin-Era Gibsons Actually Bad?

Pancake bodies, volutes, heavy builds. Are 1970s Norlin-era Gibsons really junk, or underrated used bargains? An honest bench-level look at what changed, what got a bad rap, and how to...

Close-up of a Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece on a Gibson Les Paul Standard HP in Heritage Cherry Fade

ABR-1 vs. Nashville Tune-o-matic: Does the Brid...

ABR-1 or Nashville? The honest, bench-level difference between Gibson's two Tune-o-matic bridges — what actually changes (width, saddle travel, the retainer wire), whether the tone debate holds up, and which...

ABR-1 vs. Nashville Tune-o-matic: Does the Brid...

ABR-1 or Nashville? The honest, bench-level difference between Gibson's two Tune-o-matic bridges — what actually changes (width, saddle travel, the retainer wire), whether the tone debate holds up, and which...

Diagram comparing a rounder 7.25 to 9.5 inch fretboard radius to a flatter 12 to 16 inch radius

Does Fretboard Radius Actually Matter? A Straig...

Yes, radius matters, but less than the forums claim and less than a good setup. A plain-spoken guide to 7.25 vs 9.5 vs 10 vs 12-inch and compound radius, and...

Does Fretboard Radius Actually Matter? A Straig...

Yes, radius matters, but less than the forums claim and less than a good setup. A plain-spoken guide to 7.25 vs 9.5 vs 10 vs 12-inch and compound radius, and...

Diagram comparing a one-piece angled Gibson headstock, where straight grain runs off at the nut and creates a weak short-grain break line, with a scarf-jointed neck whose grain follows the headstock angle

Should You Buy a Guitar With a Repaired Headstock?

A guitar tech's honest take on buying a used guitar with a repaired headstock. Why a clean, well-glued break is mechanically a non-issue, what the repair really costs you in...

Should You Buy a Guitar With a Repaired Headstock?

A guitar tech's honest take on buying a used guitar with a repaired headstock. Why a clean, well-glued break is mechanically a non-issue, what the repair really costs you in...

Diagram of a passive guitar tone control showing the capacitor wired between the tone pot and ground.

Do Boutique Tone Capacitors Actually Change You...

The cap's value genuinely shapes your rolled-back tone, but the boutique brand mostly doesn't. A bench tech's honest take on paper-in-oil vs. orange drop vs. ceramic, and where the upgrade...

Do Boutique Tone Capacitors Actually Change You...

The cap's value genuinely shapes your rolled-back tone, but the boutique brand mostly doesn't. A bench tech's honest take on paper-in-oil vs. orange drop vs. ceramic, and where the upgrade...