The Fret Files

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk about neck resets, linear vs. audio taper pots, sustain loss during a refret, and more. The second half of the show is a great interview with guitar repair master Mark Tossman.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk about headstock crack paint touch-ups, pickup winders, advice for the diy refinisher, short scale Fender guitars, and how pickguards effect tone.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk about capo tuning problems, neck shims, router humps, zero frets, why pickups go bad, and why Eric no longer takes custom orders.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa follow up on a news story from last month, talk guitar wiring, slotted headstocks, bone nuts and more.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa bring back an old segment… Guitar News! They also field questions about guitar pickup phase and hum cancelling properties, how to tame a rowdy bridge pickup, how to dampen string vibration behind the nut, b-benders, and can an old acoustic guitar be disassmbled and made into a new acoustic guitar?

In this episode, Eric and Melissa field questions about favorite guitar books, filling fingerboard divots in ebony, the pros and cons of jumbo frets, good options for an economically priced Strat bridge, and more. Then Jason Verlinde of the Fretboard Journaljoins Eric for an in depth ‘behind the scenes’ interview about the magazine.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa field questions about resources for learning, acoustic guitar bridge pins, the effect of a broken headstock on a Gibson Les Paul, how to quiet the hum in a vintage ES-330, how to adjust the Danelectro bridge properly, and more.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa field questions about top loader tele bridges, how to keep CA glue from drying out in the nozzle, how to set up a guitar without repeating steps, Gibson headstock angles, and how to free up rusted or busted saddle adjustment screws.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa field questions about sealing the inside of acoustic guitars, how to find a loose brace, neck shims, body cracks, and the infamous Gold Foil pickup. The Bizzare Guitar Pickup Encyclopedia referenced in the show can be found here

In this special Halloween episode, Eric and Melissa share Guitar Repair Horror Stories from listeners. There are also tech questions about pine guitar bodies, acoustic neck resets, fret levelling files, and how to modify a volume pot for a specific desired result.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions about how to correct a warped neck, will a refret change the feel of my favorite guitar, what is the zero fret, are coated strings any good, Gretsch pickup upgrades, and acoustic endpin instrument jacks.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions about Telecaster input jack cups, scale length’s effect on tone and pickups, soldering irons, synthetic materials vs bone, and the current state of Gibson and Fender and what it means for the future.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions about why Fender bridge pickups are slanted, why Gibson stopped doing the volute, how to properly shim up a bone saddle on a high end acoustic guitar, what’s the deal with Harmony truss rods, and whether or not tricking out cheap guitars is worth it. Also, Rickenbacker guitars are beautiful but feel really weird.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions about enlarging peghead holes for replacement tuners, why late 60’s and early 70’s Fenders have orange headstocks, changing the sweep of a tone pot, and what to do about single coil hum. Then, for the second half of the show, 9 guitar myths are discussed and debunked.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions about neck vs. bridge pickups, wartime Gibson acoustics, Jazzmaster bridges, and how Fender Stratocasters were set up at the Fender factory in the 50’s. They also talk about Melissa’s custom guitar straps. The second half of the show contains an interview with Gene Nygaard of Zero Guitars in Seattle. Gene’s music can be found here. Eric also announces that custom pickups are available at Emerald City Guitars.