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Trade Secrets NEWSLETTER Tips, tricks, news and know-how!
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Dan Erlewine & The Trade Secrets Team

Welcome e-mail
Super glue drop-fill: quick fix for finish chips
This week's subject is one that comes up a lot: how to quickly repair chips in an instrument finish.
Issue 1 October 26, 2006
Making new bridge pins look old on a vintage Gibson
This week, Dan Erlewine reveals the seven-pin bridge that's hidden by Robert Johnson's hand in that most-famous photo of the King of the Delta Blues.

Issue 2 November 2, 2006
Use your drill press as a planer to make custom bindings
In Trade Secrets this week: Did you know you can plane wood on your drill press?

Issue 3 November 9, 2006
Cut binding strips with an upside down Dremel tool
In this week's issue, Don MacRostie shows Dan Erlewine a neat trick for making custom wood bindings: using an upside-down Dremel tool.

Issue 4 November 16, 2006
Two ways to fix a Telecaster's wobbly input jack
If you play a Telecaster, you've probably experienced a loose input jack. This weeks issue offers two solutions.

Issue 5 November 23, 2006
Give your buffer a haircut, and store it on the wall
This week's issue is about instrument finishing: a good tip about setting up new buffing wheels, and an idea to save space in your workshop.

Issue 6 November 30, 2006
Finding the right location for a guitar's saddle slot
This issue shows how to locate and cut the saddle slot for an acoustic bridge.

Issue 7 December 7, 2006
Acoustic guitar pickups: installation problems to avoid
In this week's newsletter, bad sound from a good acoustic guitar pickup: the problem and the solution.

Issue 8 December 14, 2006
Make this brad-point bit for installing side dots
In Trade Secrets this week, Dan Erlewine shows a trick for installing side dots that are perfectly positioned: he modifies a hardware-store drill bit to make the job easy.

Issue 9 December 21, 2006
Straightening the neck on a 1914 Gibson mandolin
This week, Dan Erlewine and Erick Coleman revive a beautiful old Gibson F2 mandolin that's become warped after nearly 100 hot summers stored in the attic.

Issue 10 December 28, 2006
Installing an endpin jack
Ever have trouble installing an endpin jack? Did you chip the guitar’s finish, or drill the hole out-of-square? Did you goof up on a customer’s guitar? You'll want to read this week’s Trade Secret from Dan Erlewine.

Issue 11 January 4, 2007
Mixing red epoxy for cherry-finish repairs
This week, somebody's attempt to fix a 1960 Les Paul is an example of what not to do. Dan Erlewine tries an experiment that saves this smashed-up guitar's finish: he creates cherry-red epoxy.

Issue 12 January 11, 2007
Installing an old-time banjo dowel stick
This week, Don MacRostie invents a new technique for an old technology: he shows how to accurately install a banjo dowel stick. Also, Bart Reiter sends a dowel-stick tip.

Issue 13 January 18, 2007
Fixing fret ends that stick out in dry weather
This week, Erick Coleman answers a wintertime question: What to do about fret ends that stick out of the sides of the neck?

Issue 14 January 25, 2007
Replacing damaged tuner knobs
This week, Dan's got a 1957 Les Paul Junior in his shop. It hasn't been out of the case in 25 years, and the tuners are unusable. Here's how to put new knobs on old tuners.

Issue 15 February 1, 2007
Using candle wax to keep a vintage P-90 working
This week in Trade Secrets, Dan runs into pickup trouble and turns to Lindy Fralin for help. The simplest possible solution keeps a P-90 pickup from 1957 from falling apart.

Issue 16 February 8, 2007
New ways to use the Guitar Repair Vise
In this issue of Trade Secrets, Dan makes his Guitar Repair Vise sit up and roll over. Who knew cast iron could be so flexible?

Issue 17 February 15, 2007
Making new tuners look vintage
This week, Erick Coleman shows how to add 50 years in 30 minutes: he makes a new set of tuners look like they've been around since the 1950s!

Issue 18 February 22, 2007
Upgrading the electronics in a "Less Paul"
Erick Coleman answers tech questions from StewMac customers, and here he answers a popular one: How do I soup-up this low-priced guitar?

Issue 19 March 1, 2007
Fitting an archtop bridge, easily and accurately
Did you ever try to fit a bridge to an archtop guitar or mandolin? (Or a violin?) This week Dan Erlewine shows how it’s done with sandpaper and a bridge-fitting jig.

Issue 20 March 8, 2007
Lubricating guitar tuners
This week, we're in Dan's Guitar Garage for a Tune-up Special: how to clean and lube old guitar tuners, and get them working smoothly again.

Issue 21 March 15, 2007
How to choose a fret-crowning file
Erick Coleman answers an important tech-support question: What's the best fret-crowning file?

Issue 22 March 22, 2007
Tricks for installing humbuckers
This week Dan shares two tips for installing humbucking pickups, including a simple jig you can make yourself. Also, he repairs a broken pickup ring that his customer thinks is worth $10,000!

Issue 23 March 29, 2007
Use a Fret Setter upside down for faster fretwork!
This week, Dan gets an email with a Trade Secret from luthier Jason Ingrodi. Jason's tip makes fret filing faster (this means a lot when you've got dozens of frets to file!)

Issue 24 April 5, 2007
Making a perfect bridge with the Sanding Station
Dan Erlewine's getting fancy with his Sanding Station: with his shop-made jig, he's making better bridges than he ever has before.

Issue 25 April 12, 2007
Better tone with a lighter Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece 
This week, Erick Coleman steps into the ring for Round Two in the Battle for Better Tone: his secret weapons are a lightweight Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece.

Issue 26 April 19, 2007
The fake through-saddle bridge: stronger than vintage
Dan shows us a Martin D-18 with a nasty looking broken bridge, and explains his technique for making a replacement that looks vintage but is stronger than the original.

Issue 27 April 26, 2007
Plugging old tuner holes on the back of the peghead
When installing new tuners leaves old screwholes showing on the back of your peghead, here a 1-2-3 step method for making them disappear.

Issue 28 May 3, 2007
Using the String Spacing Rule for guitars and mandolins
Erick Coleman uses Kevin Ryan's proportional string spacing rule for more jobs than Kevin ever expected: 12-strings, mandolins, bridge saddles... Plus: an explanation of the difference between equal spacing and proportional spacing.

Issue 29 May 10, 2007
Removing a pickguard: easy way and hard way
This week, Dan Erlewine’s got two pickguard removals in his shop. The Martin D-18's pickguard has cracked it's top, and Dan shows how a pickguard’s supposed to come off. The “Gibsonational” is another story: this pickguard is nothing but trouble!

Issue 30 May 17, 2007
Which super glue to use: thin, medium or thick?
Dan Erlewine uses photo examples to show when to choose thin, medium or thick super glue for instrument work.

Issue 31 May 24, 2007
How to install a Fender style (bolt-on) neck
Erick Coleman shows the steps involved in replacing a Fender-style neck, with tips for tuner installation, truss rod adjustment, and correctly positioning the neck.

Issue 32 May 31, 2007
One dead string driving me crazy! (Transducer trouble...)
I thought I'd fixed this acoustic saddle pickup, but the customer sent it back because the problem wasn't solved (STRIKE ONE)! I took another swing at it... (STRIKE TWO)! I almost struck out! -Dan Erlewine

Issue 33 June 7, 2007
Don’t be nervous about adjusting that truss rod!
Erick Coleman shows how quick and easy it is to evaluate a neck and adjust the truss rod.

Issue 34 June 14, 2007
Why hide glue is best for this cracked neck
A badly broken neck on this Mardin D-35 almost goes unnoticed, and the repair leads to an innovative do-it-yourself jig. Dan Erlewine explains how he chose the gluing method for this repair.

Issue 35 June 21, 2007
Plastic nuts are high-speed and low-cost!
Dan Erlewine races the clock to show that plastic nut installations are quick and profitable!

Issue 36 June 28, 2007
Build your own custom pickups
Erick Coleman needed a pickup like a good old Gibson P-90, but sized to fit a 3-string cigar box guitar! Here’s how he built it, and how you can build yourself a custom pickup for any instrument.

Issue 37 July 5, 2007
Making a pearloid pickguard with a 1950s vibe
Dan Erlewine’s got an unusual 1951 guitar: a National with a Gibson body. The old pickguard came off in an earlier Trade Secrets, and now the new one goes on: it’s an oddball pearloid guard that’s worth checking out!

Issue 38 July 12, 2007
Lesson in pearl engraving from Doug Unger
Doug Unger restores and reproduces exquisite turn-of-the-century 5-string banjos and early archtop mandolins. Doug shares a lesson in pearl engraving with Trade Secrets readers.

Issue 39 July 19, 2007
Clean up your old electric guitar saddles
Erick Coleman shows why brushing your guitar saddles is as important as brushing your teeth!

Issue 40 July 26, 2007
Lacquer drop fill: hiding a scratch on a customer’s Les Paul
As Dan Erlewine was packing a customer’s Les Paul for shipment, he noticed that somebody in his shop had scratched the top! Time for some fast finish fixing -- here's how he made the scratch go away.

Issue 41 August 9, 2007
How to use a Fret Hammer
A fret hammer was one of the first lutherie tools Erick Coleman ever bought, and it's still an essential in his shop. In this issue of Trade Secrets, he shows how to use it.

Issue 42 August 23, 2007
The best nut-making material: Bone for Tone!
Customers ask, "What material makes the best a string nut?" Erick Coleman's says it's Bone for Tone.

Issue 43 September 6, 2007
Super glue your frets for better tone!
Erick Coleman shows why so many guitars need their frets fastened. Add a touch of water-thin superglue to lock down your already-installed frets, and get better tone, too!

Issue 44 September 20, 2007
Go-bar decks: fast, flexible gluing
This week, Dan Erlewine asks Todd Sams to show how a go-bar deck in his home shop turned two hours of work into twenty minutes!

Issue 45 October 4, 2007
Custom-fit your bridge pins for better sound
Erick Coleman talks about why each guitar he works on get six custom-fit bridge pins. It’s all about hardware coupling, energy transfer, and tone.

Issue 46 October 18, 2007
For ebony streaks, use black fingerboard stain
Erick Coleman shows why black fingerboard stain is a standard item in any guitarmaker’s shop, including the big name builders.

Issue 47 November 1, 2007
Polishing papers: flexible, reusable abrasives
Why has Erick Coleman been hiding small scraps of 3M Polishing Papers in his tool chest?

Issue 48 November 15, 2007
Making a Les Paul clone look more vintage
Erick Coleman's finished tweaking a budget-priced Les Paul copy. It plays great, but one last thing's needed: making it look more like Jimmy Page's 1970s original.

Issue 49 November 29, 2007
Binding and fretting a Red Diamond mandolin fingerboard
Don MacRostie shows us his methods for fingerboard binding and fretting on a Red Diamond vintage model mandolin.

Issue 50 December 13, 2007
Scraping, not sanding, to prepare wood for finishing
Dan Erlewine shows why he uses scraper blades instead of sandpaper for the final smoothing before the finish goes on a guitar.

Issue 51 December 27, 2007
Banjo Killer? The scoop on forward X bracing for greater guitar volume.
Todd Sams gives a simple and clear explanation of how to position dreadnought braces for the sound and volume of an early-30s Martin.

Issue 52 January 10, 2008
Single-coil buzzkill: the why and how of electric guitar shielding.
Erick Coleman talks about the causes of buzzes and electrical noise, and how to beat them.

Issue 53 January 24, 2008
Setting up a banjo's 5th string: nut, capos and peg
Todd Sams shows how he sets up a banjo 5th string using railroad spikes, a block of wood, and a camless clamp.

Issue 54 February 7, 2008
How to spray a sunburst using aerosol cans
Erick Coleman uses tinted aerosols to recreate a vintage Strat 3-tone 'burst.

Issue 55 February 21, 2008
Where’s the best spot for your strap button?
Dan Erlewine raises a simple question that comes up often in any repair shop. Is there a best spot for your strap button?

Issue 56 March 6, 2008
Waverly upgrade: replacing the factory tuners on your Martin
Erick Coleman responds to a question in the online lutherie forums: What’s involved in replacing Martin factory tuners with a new set of Waverly machines?

Issue 57 March 20, 2008
Fixing an acoustic pickup fast — it has to be onstage in an hour!
Dan Erlewine does some emergency surgery on an undersaddle transducer in time for it to make it on stage with Emmylou Harris.

Issue 58 April 3, 2008
Save time and money with Dan's pickup wiring tips
Dan Erlewine's upgrading an inexpensive guitar with replacement pickups. The job's got to be done quickly at a low price, so he demonstrates some time-saving tips.

Issue 59 April 17, 2008
Carlos Santana's Strat: repair and setup
Dan Erlewine tells what happened with two guitars sent to him recently by Carlos Santana.

Issue 60 May 1, 2008
Why Dan Erlewine is attracted to repair magnets
Dan’s been using repair magnets in his shop for a dozen years, and they’re doing tricks all over his shop.

Issue 61 May 15, 2008
Tremolo tips: staying in tune with a twang bar
You don’t have to have a locking system to have a tremolo stay in tune. Erick Coleman shows tips for keeping your tremolo tuneful.

Issue 62 May 29, 2008
When frets don’t fit the slot, resize the fret tang
This week, Dan Erlewine’s pumping iron (nickel steel, actually!) He’s showing how to bulk up your skinny fretwire and slim down your fat fretwire.

Issue 63 June 12, 2008
How to make a string nut for the first time
Why you might need a new nut: Cracked nut. Poor string spacing. Hollow plastic nut sapping tone. Nut slots are too low, causing fret buzz on open strings. If you're nervous about replacing the string nut you've got company, and this week Erick Coleman shows that making a nut is no big deal.

Issue 64 June 26, 2008
Adding color to hide glue for an invisible repair
Dan Erlewine's got a neat trick for a mandolin repair, and he makes his pitch to get us all to join the hide glue club!

Issue 65 July 10, 2008
How not to mess up a soldering job
Erick Coleman shows how easy it is to do a pro-quality soldering job.

Issue 66 July 24, 2008
Strengthening a square-tube Martin truss rod
Dan Erlewine’s doing a neck reset on a Martin that has a square-tube truss rod. While he has the neck off, he shows how to improve the truss rod before regluing the neck.

Issue 67 August 7, 2008
What’s the problem with swapping Fender and Gibson bridges?
Erick Coleman answers a Frequently Asked Question from StewMac customers: “What if I want a Gibson bridge on my Fender?” (Or vice versa.)

Issue 68 August 21, 2008
Removing the glued-in saddle on a 1937 Martin D-28 Herringbone
Someone shaved down the saddle on this great old Martin until there’s barely a nub showing above the bridge. It needs to be removed, but it’s glued in and so low you can’t grab it. Dan Erlewine shows how to solve this problem.

Issue 69 September 4, 2008
How to open a humbucker and reverse the polarity
Erick answers a customer question about reversing a humbucker's pickups, and finds that the hardest part is getting the cover off the pickup!

Issue 70 September 18, 2008
Fixing a 1937 Martin bridge. The first step is fixing a sandwich!
Dan Erlewine’s got an unusual bridge problem and an unusual repair.

Issue 71 October 2, 2008
"Which binding tools should I choose?"
Erick Coleman answers a frequent question from customers: Which tools to use for routing channels for instrument bindings?

Issue 72 October 16, 2008
Money talk: estimating prices for repair work
Dan Erlewine shows the steps of inspecting a customer’s guitar, and gives advice on repair prices for the work required.

Issue 73 October 30, 2008
How to choose the right pickup for your acoustic guitar
Erick Coleman clears up the confusion about acoustic pickups: separating them into different types and helping you figure out what’s what.

Issue 74 November 13, 2008
eBay mandolin: fret work and using JB Weld to rebuild a truss rod nut
Dan Erlewine's customer got a deal on eBay. Whether it was a good or a bad deal depends on how much it takes to make it playable. Dan fixes fret buzz and a warped neck, then rebuilds the truss rod nut using JB Weld repair epoxy.

Issue 75 November 27, 2008
Patch a hole in a guitar: the BridgeSaver is also a HolePlugger
Erick Coleman finds a new use for StewMac's BridgeSaver: quickly repairing a hole in the side of a guitar.

Issue 76 December 11, 2008
Using a foam buffer in a hand drill on Junior Brown Guit-Steels®
When a pedestal buffer can't accommodate the shape of Junior Brown's famous Guit-Steels, Michael Stevens finds that a simple foam buffer does a great job!

Issue 77 December 25, 2008
How to rewind a 1959 Strat pickup
Erick Coleman shows how to rewind a vintage singlecoil in a 1959 Strat.

Issue 78 January 8, 2009
ShopStand: solving the space problem in a cluttered shop
Dan Erlewine faces facts: too many tools and not enough workspace. He clears the decks and sets up a whole new floorplan using two ShopStands.

Issue 79 January 22, 2009
This eBay pickup’s a bargain, if you do a bobbin transplant
Erick Coleman’s used pickup sounds great, but a broken baseplate makes it useless unless this bobbin transplant works.

Issue 80 February 5, 2009
Workin' in the soundhole with the scissor jack and a mirror
Dan Erlewine's got a repair that needs repairing again. Working inside the guitar body is too tight for comfort, but Dan shows some tools and tips that make it easier.

Issue 81 February 19, 2009
A traveling guitar repair kit for duty in Iraq
Erick Coleman helps a serviceman put together a complete carry-all kit for service in Iraq with the Air Force Band.

Issue 82 March 5, 2009
Making custom-colored patching filler baking soda
Dan Erlewine's cooking with baking soda and ColorTone stains -- fixing a hole in his granddaughter's birthday present.

Issue 83 March 19, 2009
Bad news: a stripped truss rod nut. Good news: an easy solution.
Erick Coleman’s using the Gripper truss rod wrench to solve a problem that’s familiar to all of us.

Issue 84 April 2, 2009
Easy, affordable way to make your own custom-fit guitar case
Hardshell cases are sold for a few of the most common guitar sizes, but what if your guitar is a different shape? Todd Sams shows an easy way to make a great custom case.

Issue 85 April 16, 2009
Whoops! How to hide a scratch in your big brother's guitar
Erick Coleman's neighbor has put a chip in his big brother's guitar. It needs to be repaired invisibly, and fast! Touch-up markers do the trick.

Issue 86 April 30, 2009
Putting the new Nut Slotting Gauge to work on a "burn victim" guitar
Dan Erlewine shows a before and after of a 1958 Gibson that’s (barely) survived a house fire. It needs a new nut, and he’s using the Nut Slotting Gauge to get it right the first time.

Issue 87 May 14, 2009
New pickups and new sound, with Golden Age Prewired Pickguards
Erick Coleman responds to a tech call emergency: “This guitar sounds bad, and I’m supposed to record with it tomorrow night!”

Issue 88 May 28, 2009
Making a custom fire stripe pickguard to fit a baby guitar!
Dan Erlewine's in his guitar shop (or is it a toy shop today?) making a custom "fire stripe" pickguard to like the one on his 1939 Gibson J-35. He shows how to make a custom pickguard in any color variation you like.

Issue 89 June 11, 2009
Day of the Zombie: curing an undead Telecaster pickup
The multimeter tells Erick Coleman that this pickup is dead, but nobody told the pickup: it’s still playing!

Issue 90 June 25, 2009
Vintage retainer wire: searching Nashville for one little guitar part!
Dan and Leon Rhodes need a retainer spring for a vintage Gibson bridge. Visiting repair shops in Nashville, the find out how to make their own.

Issue 91 July 9, 2009
Cleaning up after sloppy fretwork: fixing chips in the fingerboard
Erick Coleman's got a neck to fix, including a broken peghead. One thing leads to another, and it turns out the toughest job is hiding the fretboard chips left by the last repairman to work on this guitar.

Issue 92 July 23, 2009
Guitar repair money talk: estimate hours, not dollars
While Dan Erlewine gives a relic finish to new tuners on a 1945 Gibson J-45, he talks about making money with a guitar repair business.

Issue 93 August 6, 2009
Tune-O-Matic setup: is the trouble with the bridge or the neck angle?
Dan helps the local music store with a customer complaint about a Gibson Tune-O-Matic bridge setup. Who's to blame here?

Issue 94 August 20, 2009
Fishing a volume control out of a semi-hollowbody for soldering.
Erick Coleman’s got a guitar with one dead pickup and a volume control that spins around when you turn the knob. That’s trouble. And it’s inside a semi-hollowbody guitar -- that’s double trouble!

Issue 95 September 3, 2009
A knife in the back! Popping the back off a 1929 Gibson L-5.
Dan Erlewine's trying to pop the back off a pre-War Gibson, while keeping the binding intact. He hopes to put it back on the guitar just like snapping a lid back onto Tupperware. (Well, maybe not quite that easily...)

Issue 96 September 17, 2009
Custom-shaping a replacement pickguard for a 1990s Gibson
Erick Coleman’s got a busted-up pickguard, and off-the-shelf replacements don’t fit. He shows how to make and use a custom-shape template for a new guard.

Issue 97 October 1, 2009
How to clean a guitar that REALLY needs it!
Rock's a dirty business, but somebody's got to do it: Dan Erlewine cleans up a Les Paul that hasn't had a bath in four years -- and 650 gigs!

Issue 98 October 15, 2009
3 tips for cutting finely detailed custom inlays
Dan Erlewine's cutting a curvy script letter "L" out of pearl. It's a spidery-thin shape, so he uses some tricks to cut it cleanly without breaking. He also talks about his favorite headgear...

Issue 99 October 29, 2009
How to see inside a guitar body if you don’t have X-Ray Specs
Dan Erlewine says he has the last working pair of X-Ray Specs on Earth, and he won’t share them. At least he has some alternatives for the rest of us.

Issue 100 November 12, 2009
It’s a crime to cut pickup leads this short!
Erick Coleman has been rooting around in the parts drawers at Dan Erlewine's shop, and he's found a 1960s Gibson patent-sticker humbucker. It would be valuable if somebody hadn't cut off the pickup lead. Erick shows how to fix that.

Issue 101 November 26, 2009
Final-shaping a D-18 or D-28 style guitar neck
Guitar maker Todd Sams directs the production of our StewMac guitar necks, and he uses the necks in his own custom Sams guitars. Todd shows how to spend twenty minutes final-shaping a neck to get it to look and feel exactly right.

Issue 102 December 10, 2009
Relic finish: faking age cracks on a 1956 Strat
Dan Erlewine shows how he makes a new finish repair on a 1956 Strat look as old as the original finish all around it.

Issue 103 December 24, 2009
Make a "stunt double" guitar body for benchtop work
Erick Coleman shows how he made a surrogate body for neck and fret work, following the free plans online at stewmac.com.

Issue 104 January 7, 2010
Using a "swiss cheese knife" to fix the back on a 1923 Gibson
Dan Erlewine's working on great old Gibson L-1 with back problems. The challenge: how to fix this on a budget today, in a way that won't interfere with more thorough repair work in the future.

Issue 105 January 21, 2010
Which sandpaper to use for instrument work?
Dan Erlewine looks at specialty papers for lutherie, and comes up with a handful of tips for tricky sanding.

Issue 106 February 4, 2010
Simple inlay repair on a Les Paul Triumph bass
This bass from the early '70s is in great shape except for a gaptoothed peghead inlay. Erick Coleman shows how to quickly replace a missing inlay, including coloring the new work to match the old.

Issue 107 February 18, 2010
How to know a bridge will play in tune before gluing it on
Dan Erlewine finds an old bridge to fit a 1950s Gibson, but will the saddle slot be in the right place? He measures and calculates, but still wants to prove it's in tune before gluing. Here's how he did that.

Issue 108 March 4, 2010
Sharpen your chisels so they cut like razors
Dan Erlewine shows how to sharpen, hone and strop an edge onto any chisel, creating a super-sharp cutter.

Issue 109 March 18, 2010
Are you supposed to slot Tune-o-matic bridge saddles?
Customers often ask how and why they should put slots in the saddles of their new Tune-o-matic bridge. Erick Coleman provides the answers in this issue of Trade Secrets.


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