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Dial It In: Swapping Tubes
July 23, 2019
Fine-tune your tube amp’s gain structure and headroom by experimenting with preamp and phase-inverter tubes.
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Mod Garage: Make a DIY Electrolysis Bath
June 28, 2019
Rust begone! You’re no match for this homemade cleaning tool.
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12 Things Guitar Techs Need to Know
May 14, 2019
Whether you want to tech for a touring band, open a repair shop, or simply maintain your own instruments, there are important things to consider before stepping into the world of 6-string repair.
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Mod Garage: Exploring “Outlaw” Pickup Parameters
May 3, 2019
Inductance, resonant peak, and Q factor: What the heck do they mean and how do they affect electric guitar tone?
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Dimed & Dangerous: The Joy and Heartbreak of DIY Amp Building, Part 2
April 26, 2019
Can your amp take the heat—literally?
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No-Brainer Mods 2019!
April 11, 2019
Three entry-level axes and the DIY projects that turn them into secret weapons for the stage and studio.
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Clone Your Clean Amp Tones!
December 20, 2018
Discover how to create hyper-realistic models of your favorite combos and stacks using impulse-response technology.
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Tone Tips: The Powerhouse Pedalboard
November 13, 2018
Our resident tone guru offers sound hardware solutions for your pedalboard, with versatility and ease front of mind.
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Tone Tips: Tweak Talk
October 14, 2018
Installing new pickups is, of course, a valid option if you’re not satisfied with a guitar’s tone, but tweaking elsewhere could get you where you want to be and save dollars.
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All the World’s a Gain Stage
July 16, 2018
A beginner’s guide to what makes tube amps growl, bark, and purr—from preamp tubes to output transformers and every cathode in between.
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DIY: No-Brainer Mods!
April 17, 2018
How to transform four affordable axes—a Gretsch Jet Club, an Epiphone Les Paul SL, and a Squier Vintage Modified Jag and Precision bass—into absolute gems.
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Bass Bench: Chasing Grounding Gremlins
March 23, 2018
If you hope to eliminate noise and hum from your bass, here are the important things to consider.
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Acoustic Soundboard: There’s the Rub
March 22, 2018
Understanding why and how frets wear (hint: it’s not just from fretting) could help extend the life of the ones on your guitar or let you know when it’s time for a complete replacement.
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Mod Garage: The Triple-Threat, Solo Humbucker Wiring
August 18, 2017
Like to keep things simple? Here’s how to coax three sounds from a stripped-down guitar sporting one 4-conductor ’bucker.
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DIY: Build Your Own Rotary Speaker!
July 6, 2017
Dig those head-spinning tones? Here’s a step-by-step guide for making your own Leslie-inspired cabinet.
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Mod Garage: Build a Pickup Phase Tester, Part 2
June 25, 2017
When installing replacement pickups from different manufacturers, it’s a crap shoot whether they’ll be in phase with each other. This fun DIY project helps you avoid out-of-phase nightmares.
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Mod Garage: Build a Pickup Phase Tester, Part 1
June 2, 2017
Do you like to try out different pickups in your guitars? This handy, inexpensive device will spare you a lot of potential grief.
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DIY: How to Refinish Your Axe
April 18, 2017
StewMac tech guru Erick Coleman on how to give your instrument a sweet new look in five easy steps—sans fancy tools.
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DIY: How to Set up Jazzmasters & Jaguars
April 12, 2017
Offset addict Michael Adams reveals setup secrets for making Fender’s ingenious, sorely misunderstood axes sing.
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Ask Amp Man: Upping the Gain on a Super Reverb
September 26, 2016
How to get more drive with a simple mod.
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