Tips and know-how from the workshop bench.
Why a regular service protects your guitar or bass, improves how it feels and catches wear before it turns into damage.
Learn what intonation is, why a guitar that's in tune can still sound wrong up the neck, and what affects the adjustment.
What action is, how it affects comfort and fret buzz, and why the ideal string height differs from one instrument to the next.
What the truss rod does, what neck relief is, and why adjusting it needs a proper diagnosis and a careful hand.
How the nut affects tuning, the feel in the first frets and clarity, and the signs that it needs checking.
A guide to choosing string gauge by instrument, scale length, tuning, playing style and feel.
The main string types for electric, acoustic and classical guitar and bass, and how they differ in material, feel, sound and lifespan.
How pickup height affects output, balance and dynamics, and why there's no single ideal distance for every instrument.
How a Floyd Rose works, why changing strings upsets its balance, and what it takes to keep it in tune.
How to recognise fret wear, the problems it causes, and when frets need levelling, crowning or a full replacement.
Pickups, volume, tone and jack: how an instrument's electronics work and which symptoms mean it needs a check.
The most common causes of tuning instability: new strings, the nut, tuners, the bridge, the tremolo and temperature changes.
How to protect guitars, basses and other string instruments from humidity, dryness, heat, sunlight and sudden changes in their environment.
A practical guide to cleaning strings, body, hardware and fretboard safely, without the wrong products or overdoing it.
Recognise the signs that a guitar, bass or other string instrument needs a technical check, not another quick fix.
