It is now time to assemble the guitar, dress the frets, install the bridge and pins, fit and install the tuners, make the nut and saddle, and set the final action. A pickguard is usually installed and the completed instrument is polishes and strung up. It is an exciting day when the guitar is played for the first time! See the work involved in bringing the new guitar to life in the gallery below.
Maintaining your wooden instruments at an appropriate level of humidity year round is vital to their health and well-being. It is surprising how many owners of expensive instruments are unaware of this. I suppose that the primary reason is a lack of educating customers at the time of sale. But I know players who ignore this issue even after being made aware of it. It takes just a little time and attention to keep your guitar properly hydrated during the dry times of the year, which for most … [Read More...]
There are a lot of choices out there for the prospective buyer of a fine guitar. It's no secret; a handmade instrument can cost a lot. For that matter, any of the better guitars purchased from a quality manufacturer is going to command what most people would consider to be a lot of money. Are there compelling reasons to spend your money on a handmade guitar from a custom builder rather than from a brand name factory or custom shop? There certainly are! … [Read More...]