Guide: Guitars and Basses

Amplifier

Choosing Amp Size: Watts, Speakers and Use Case

How many watts you really need, how tube and solid-state power compare, which speakers and cabinets suit home, rehearsal and stage, and what to check when buying a used amp.

Amplifier

Tube, Solid-State or Modeling: Which Guitar Amp Fits You?

How tube, solid-state, hybrid and modeling amps work and sound, how they differ in volume, weight, upkeep, recording and used-buying checks, with a decision table.

Electric Guitar

Stratocaster or Les Paul? Two Electric Guitar Classics Compared

How Stratocaster and Les Paul differ in construction, scale length, pickups, bridge, sound, weight and price (US new and used), with alternatives, advice by player type and myths.

Electric Guitar

Buying a Used Electric Guitar: What to Check

A step-by-step checklist for buying a used electric guitar: neck and truss rod, frets, electronics, finish, hardware, online red flags, repair costs against value, and negotiating.

Electric Guitar

Common Mistakes When Buying Your First Electric Guitar

The most common first electric guitar mistakes and how to avoid them: budget for guitar, amp and extras, fit, setup, left-handed and kids options, testing and myths.

Electric Guitar

Tremolo Systems Explained: Vintage-Style vs. Locking/Floyd Rose

How tremolo systems work, how vintage, locking, Bigsby and fixed bridges differ, why nut slots and nut material matter for tuning, and what string changes and setups cost.

Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic Guitar Bracing Explained: X-Bracing, Scalloping, V-Class and What to Check

Bracing is the hidden wooden skeleton under the top that holds string tension and shapes tone. This guide covers the main patterns, how brace shaping changes sound and durability, typical age-related faults, how to inspect them, what you can do yourself (watching the top, humidity, string changes) and what repairs cost.

Acoustic Guitar

Humidity and Acoustic Guitars: Target Values, Damage, Storage and Used-Buyer Checks

Aim for roughly 45-55 % relative humidity at room temperature (40-60 % is still tolerable). This guide covers the damage on both sides, measuring and calibrating a hygrometer (salt test), using humidifiers, winter and travel, storage and what to ask when buying used.

Acoustic Guitar

Action, Neck Relief and Truss Rod: Diagnosing Playability on an Acoustic Guitar

How to measure and adjust relief and action, set the truss rod in small steps, check nut and intonation, tell a setup problem from a neck reset case, and what a setup costs (as of Oct. 2026).

Acoustic Guitar

12-String vs. 6-String Acoustic Guitar: Sound, String Tension, Nut Width, Prices and Buying Risks

A 12-string is not just a 6-string with extra strings: octave pairs, a wider neck, roughly 250 lbs of string pull against about 160 lbs and a fussier tuning routine change how it sounds, plays and ages. Includes restringing, relief and action checks and care tips.

Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic guitar strings: 80/20 vs. phosphor bronze, gauges, tension and when to change

How 80/20 bronze and phosphor bronze differ, what extra light, light and medium gauges mean in inches and pounds of tension, when coated strings pay off, and how to change strings and check relief, action and intonation afterwards.

Classical Guitar

Cedar vs. Spruce Tops: Tonal Character on Classical Guitars

Cedar or spruce for a classical guitar top: tone, break-in time, repertoire, looks, durability, spruce species, torrefied tops, wood pairings, prices, a test-play guide, myths and buying advice by player type.