The Bench

Illustration comparing guitar fret profiles to scale: 6230 vintage, 6130 medium jumbo, 6105 narrow-tall, and 6100 jumbo fret wire, with crown width and height in inches

Does Fret Size Actually Change Your Tone and Fe...

Jumbo, medium jumbo, or vintage frets — does the size actually change your tone? An honest bench take on what fret size really affects (feel, bends, and intonation), what it...

Does Fret Size Actually Change Your Tone and Fe...

Jumbo, medium jumbo, or vintage frets — does the size actually change your tone? An honest bench take on what fret size really affects (feel, bends, and intonation), what it...

Illustration comparing vintage, medium jumbo, and jumbo fret wire profiles in cross-section with width and height dimensions

Does Fret Size Actually Change How a Guitar Pla...

Does fret size actually change how a guitar plays? A plain-spoken bench take on vintage, medium jumbo, and jumbo frets — how each feels, the intonation catch on tall frets,...

Does Fret Size Actually Change How a Guitar Pla...

Does fret size actually change how a guitar plays? A plain-spoken bench take on vintage, medium jumbo, and jumbo frets — how each feels, the intonation catch on tall frets,...

Close-up of the rosewood fretboard and frets on a PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline, in stock at Aeonic Frets

Is a PLEK Job Actually Better Than a Hand Fret ...

PLEK machine or a hand fret level? The honest bench answer: at equal operator skill they're closer than the internet claims. How each actually works, where each genuinely wins, what...

Is a PLEK Job Actually Better Than a Hand Fret ...

PLEK machine or a hand fret level? The honest bench answer: at equal operator skill they're closer than the internet claims. How each actually works, where each genuinely wins, what...

Diagram comparing a long neck tenon that runs under the neck-pickup rout to a short rocker tenon that stops short on a set-neck electric guitar

Long Tenon vs. Short Tenon: Does the Les Paul N...

A long neck tenon gives more glued contact and a flatter, more repairable joint — but can you actually hear it? An honest look at what the Les Paul neck...

Long Tenon vs. Short Tenon: Does the Les Paul N...

A long neck tenon gives more glued contact and a flatter, more repairable joint — but can you actually hear it? An honest look at what the Les Paul neck...

Close-up of a bare rosewood fretboard with bird inlays on a PRS electric guitar

Should You Oil Your Guitar Fretboard? The Lemon...

Most players oil their fretboards too much. A bench guide to which boards need oil (and which never do), what 'lemon oil' really is, and why over-oiling does the real...

Should You Oil Your Guitar Fretboard? The Lemon...

Most players oil their fretboards too much. A bench guide to which boards need oil (and which never do), what 'lemon oil' really is, and why over-oiling does the real...

Diagram of a PLEK machine scanning a guitar neck strung and tuned to pitch, mapping fret heights under real string tension

Is a PLEK Setup Actually Worth It? An Honest An...

A PLEK is a great fix for a real fret problem and a poor upgrade for a guitar that already plays well. Here's what the machine actually does, where it...

Is a PLEK Setup Actually Worth It? An Honest An...

A PLEK is a great fix for a real fret problem and a poor upgrade for a guitar that already plays well. Here's what the machine actually does, where it...