The world is full of misnomers - names for things that are inaccurate or misleading. Examples include starfish and Guinea pigs, white chocolate and French fries, and - closer to home for us guitar players - tremolo bars and input jacks. It’s that last one that I aim to talk about tod... See More »

There’s an old parable of a woodsman chopping down trees in the forest. He labors for hours, chopping furiously, with little progress. As he toils, a passing traveler observes his situation. “I couldn’t help but notice how hard you’re working, with so little to show for it,... See More »

The English language is an interesting thing. It’s full of contradicting terms, colloquialisms, and misnomers that confuse and mislead. The name “tremolo bar”, for example. The word “tremolo” refers to a fluctuation in volume, but a tremolo bar alters pitch. It should therefore techni... See More »

TV Yellow is a classic and much-loved color in the world of guitars. It is instantly recognizable, yet frustratingly difficult to reproduce. It is a moving target that can range from off-white or beige, to pale mustard yellow (with perhaps the slightest hint of green), to almost but... See More »

If you cut your guitar-playing teeth in the 80’s, you probably remember Kramer's Nightswan guitar. You probably also remember the magazine ad that was so ubiquitous at the time: Vivian Campbell leaning against a white French door, hair perfectly teased, while a fog machine and a light... See More »

If you have ever purchased a Warmoth guitar or bass neck, you have no doubt noticed the little cartoon turtle branded into the heel. You’ve probably seen him in ads and on our website as well. The turtle has been around since Warmoth’s beginning. In fact, he has been around since befo... See More »

‘Twas the night before Axe-mas, and all through the gig, My neck was too skinny, my frets were too big. Playing was difficult, chords were a chore, But I finished the set, though my fingers were sore. Then put my guitar back all snug in its case, Packed up my ge... See More »

Your Strat®-style tremolo bar is one shifty character. It can wreak havoc on your guitar’s tuning, without ever getting its own hands dirty. It accomplishes this by recruiting others to do its dirty-work, while it sits quietly in the background, pulling the strings. It’s like the do... See More »

I love to watch a guitar being made of repurposed or reclaimed wood. It’s exciting to observe the process as a seemingly worn-out piece of wood is given new life as a guitar or bass. I’ve seen guitar bodies made of wood reclaimed from old hockey sticks, industrial pallets, skateboar... See More »

  A skilled luthier is worth their weight in gold, especially when it comes to more advanced tech work. There are a lot of things the average Joe can do for themselves, however. What’s even better, many of them don’t require don’t require fancy tools. Here are a few ... See More »