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Watch the Trade Secrets Video, A bass you play with your foot?
Online video available 		Trade Secrets! Issue 264 June 16, 2016
A bass you play with your foot?
Visiting Blue Eagle Music Shop, Dan Erlewine comes across an unusual instrument from the 1970s: a foot bass. While he’s in the shop, Dan checks in to see what’s happening with Blue Eagle’s young setup tech, Raj.
Are you supposed to slot Tune-o-matic bridge saddles? Trade Secrets! 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.
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, Banjo setup tips
Online video available 		Trade Secrets! Issue 214 April 10, 2014
Banjo setup tips
How do you set the tension on a banjo head? If you're more familiar with guitars than banjos, Dan Erlewine has a few quick tips for you.
Benedetto Archtop Tailpiece Installation Instructions Product Instructions I-5270
Benedetto Archtop Tailpiece Installation Instructions
Installation instructions for the Benedetto Archtop Tailpiece.
Benedetto Fingerrest Product Instructions I-4173
Benedetto Fingerrest
How to install a Benedetto Fingerrest.
Better tone with a lighter Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece Trade Secrets! 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 area lightweight Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece.
Compensated Saddles for Telecaster Product Instructions I-5167
Compensated Saddles for Telecaster
Installation instructions for Compensated Saddles for Telecaster.
Custom-shaping a replacement pickguard for a 1990s Gibson Trade Secrets! 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.
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, Do-it-yourself banjo bridge lifter
Online video available 		Trade Secrets! Issue 184 February 14, 2013
Do-it-yourself banjo bridge lifter
Dave Collins at Herb David Guitar Studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan shows an easy-to-make tool for swapping banjo bridges.
Dual Rim Rod Set for Banjo Product Instructions I-0280
Dual Rim Rod Set for Banjo
Installation and adjustment instructions for a Dual Rim Rod Set for Banjo.
eBay mandolin: fret work and using JB Weld to rebuild a truss rod nut Trade Secrets! 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.
Guitar Screw Rescue Kit Instructions Product Instructions I-1709
Guitar Screw Rescue Kit Instructions
How to use the Guitar Screw Rescue Kit to remove small damaged screws.
Guitar Tuner Drill Jig Instructions Product Instructions I-2197
Guitar Tuner Drill Jig Instructions
Tuner installation instructions using the Guitar Tuner Drill Jig.
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, Homemade bushing puller to protect the peghead
Online video available 		Trade Secrets! Issue 216 May 08, 2014
Homemade bushing puller to protect the peghead
Dan Erlewine needs to pull the tuner grommets/bushings from the peghead of this old Gibson. The lacquer is already damaged, and pulling the bushings can yank finish off too. Dan rigs a jig that holds the finish down while the bushing comes up.
How not to mess up a soldering job Trade Secrets! 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.
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, How to fit a Les Paul pickup ring to the curved top
Online video available 		Trade Secrets! Issue 192 June 06, 2013
How to fit a Les Paul pickup ring to the curved top
Don't ruin your pickup rings by skipping this step! Dan Erlewine nibbles, files, scrapes and sands to create a curve that matches the top of his Les Paul.
How to install a Strat tremolo and get it right Trade Secrets! Issue 145 August 04, 2011
How to install a Strat tremolo and get it right
Erick Coleman has a quick tip that will save you a lot of trouble.
Humbucking Pickup Cover Product Instructions I-0463
Humbucking Pickup Cover
Directions for installing a cover on a humbucking pickup.
Installing an endpin jack Trade Secrets! 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.
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, Is this bridge saddle in the right place?
Online video available 		Trade Secrets! Issue 185 February 28, 2013
Is this bridge saddle in the right place?
The free Fret Position Calculator at stewmac.com does the math, but can I trust its numbers for placing a Martin bridge? I tested the computer against my "stone age" method. — Dan Erlewine
Making a Les Paul clone look more vintage Trade Secrets! 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.
Making new tuners look vintage Trade Secrets! 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!
Mandolin Tuner Drill Jig Instructions Product Instructions I-5008
Mandolin Tuner Drill Jig Instructions
Tuner installation instructions using the Mandolin Tuner Drill Jig.
Mounting Instructions for Mandolin Pickguard Product Instructions I-5869
Mounting Instructions for Mandolin Pickguard
How to mount a mandolin pickguard.
National-Style Biscuit Bridge Product Instructions I-4330
National-Style Biscuit Bridge
Installation instructions for a National-style Biscuit Bridge.
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, Phil McKnight Shows Off Our New Epiphone Hardware and Electronics Upgrade Kit
Online video available 		Video
Phil McKnight Shows Off Our New Epiphone Hardware and Electronics Upgrade Kit
Phil McKnight, from the popular YouTube Channel Know Your Gear, introduces our new Epiphone Hardware and Electronics Upgrade Kit. Many of these Epi's are really great guitars and can play like their much more expensive brothers and sisters with some new hardware and a little work you can do yourself.
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, Phil McKnight Shows Off Our New Squier Stratocaster Hardware Upgrade Kit
Online video available 		Video
Phil McKnight Shows Off Our New Squier Stratocaster Hardware Upgrade Kit
Phil McKnight, from the popular YouTube Channel Know Your Gear, introduces our new Squier Stratocaster Hardware Upgrade Kit. Many of these Squier's are really great guitars and can play like their much more expensive brothers and sisters with some new hardware and a little work you can do yourself.
Plugging old tuner holes on the back of the peghead Trade Secrets! 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.
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, Repairing a broken-off tuner screw
Online video available 		Trade Secrets! Issue 181 January 03, 2013
Repairing a broken-off tuner screw
In this Trade Secrets video, Dan Erlewine extracts and replaces a broken screw in a Fender peghead.
Replacing damaged tuner knobs Trade Secrets! 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.
Resonator Guitar Spider Bridge & Cone Product Instructions I-1530
Resonator Guitar Spider Bridge & Cone
Installation instructions for a Spider Bridge and cone.
Rugged and road-ready: replacing skimpy parts Trade Secrets! Issue 143 July 07, 2011
Rugged and road-ready: replacing skimpy parts
Erick Coleman finds that a 1970s Hondo is really well built, but the parts weren't road-ready. A couple of fixes, and this guitar's ready to tour the world!
Setting up a banjo's 5th string: nut, capos and peg Trade Secrets! 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.
Single Rim Rod Set for Banjo Product Instructions I-0271
Single Rim Rod Set for Banjo
Installation and adjustment instructions for a Single Rim Rod Set for Banjo.
Steinberger Gearless Tuners Installation Instructions Product Instructions I-5460
Steinberger Gearless Tuners Installation Instructions
How to assemble and install Steinberger Gearless Tuners.
String Mounting Instructions for Locking Guitar Tuning Machines Product Instructions I-1954
String Mounting Instructions for Locking Guitar Tuning Machines
Instructions for stringing Locking guitar Tuning Machines.
Tele Jack Installation Tool Instructions Product Instructions I-4321
Tele Jack Installation Tool Instructions
How to install or remove a Tele jack retainer clip with the Tele Jack Installation Tool.
Tremolo Routing Template Instructions Product Instructions I-2270
Tremolo Routing Template Instructions
Installation instructions
Tricks for installing humbuckers Trade Secrets! 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!
Tune-o-matic swap: going from Nashville to Kalamazoo Trade Secrets! Issue 147 September 01, 2011
Tune-o-matic swap: going from Nashville to Kalamazoo
Taking a Les Paul from Nashville to Kalamazoo by way of the Tune-o-matic Bridge: Erick Coleman swaps the factory Nashville bridge for a 1950s-style ABR-1 Tune-o-matic.
Tuner Bushing Press Instructions Product Instructions I-0460
Tuner Bushing Press Instructions
An overview of how to install and remove tuner bushings with the Tuner Bushing Press.
Tuner Drill Jig for Slotted Headstocks Product Instructions I-3896
Tuner Drill Jig for Slotted Headstocks
Instructions for drilling pegholes for classical and steel string tuners.
Unusual transplant: 12-string guitar tuners save a mandolin Trade Secrets! Issue 138 April 28, 2011
Unusual transplant: 12-string guitar tuners save a mandolin
Erick Coleman can't find tuners to fit a Martin mandolin -- so he modifies 12-string tuners to do the job!
Watch the Trade Secrets Video, Upgrading control pots: choosing the right pots and knobs
Online video available 		Trade Secrets! Issue 255 January 28, 2016
Upgrading control pots: choosing the right pots and knobs
Lots of low-cost guitars play great, even though the manufacturers cut costs on hardware and electronics. Swapping out your control pots is an easy mod with big results. Erick Coleman shows you how to avoid trouble…
Vintage retainer wire: searching Nashville for one little guitar part! Trade Secrets! 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, they find out how to make their own.
Waverly Mandolin Machines Product Instructions I-6050
Waverly Mandolin Machines
Tips for installing Waverly mandolin tuning machines.
Waverly upgrade: replacing the factory tuners on your Martin Trade Secrets! Issue 56 March 06, 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?
Where's the best spot for your strap button? Trade Secrets! 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?
Wilkinson Compensated Tele Saddles Product Instructions I-5071
Wilkinson Compensated Tele Saddles
How to install Wilkinson Compensated Tele saddles.