Acoustic Soundboard
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With an alternating contributing blogger schedule featuring acoustic-industry leaders Mark Dalton, Larry Fishman, and Rick Turner, Taylor Guitars' Andy Powers, Antiques Roadshow host Richard Johnston, and luthier Bryan Galloup, Premier Guitar’s monthly Acoustic Soundboard blog is your portal to all things acoustic guitar.
ARTICLES
Keeping Frets on the Level
February 8, 2021
We all know dead strings can compromise our tone, but so can fret wear.
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Sure, Your Acoustic's Woods Are Important—But Is Its Bridge Plate up to Snuff?
January 11, 2021
The soundboard will always reign in tonal importance, but the size and materials of a flattop’s bridge and bridge plate are also critical.
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Has the Pandemic Sparked the 21st Century Folk Revival?
December 21, 2020
With off-the-charts numbers of folks playing guitar, and buying them as soon as they hit the shelves, these days have hints of yesteryear.
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The Earth Isn’t Flat, and Neither Is Your Fretboard
November 26, 2020
How—and why—acoustic guitar builders create predictable, controllably stable necks.
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Now's the Time to Pick Up a Banjo
October 29, 2020
Pandemic got you in a rut? Making the easy jump to the guitar's cousin is guaranteed to jumpstart your creativity.
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Truss-Rod Care & Guitar-Neck Health
October 1, 2020
The body is all-important, but we can’t discount the importance of the neck, too.
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What Matters More in an Acoustic Guitar—Design or Tonewoods?
August 16, 2020
Skillful guitar design reflects not only an appreciation for quality materials, but a nuanced understanding of how they behave.
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Why Plastic Bridges and Acoustic Guitars Don't Mix
May 14, 2020
Gibson has given many innovative gifts to the guitar universe, but this ’60s bridge wasn’t one of them.
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Do Bigger Strings Really Make for a Louder Acoustic Guitar?
April 2, 2020
Conventional wisdom says a heavier set of acoustic strings will make a guitar louder, but let’s not forget the other competing variables.
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How Mass Production Has Improved Entry-Level Acoustics
March 3, 2020
Upscale options once reserved for boutique guitars are now within easy reach for just about any budget.
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Would You Like Your Guitar Roasted, Toasted, or Baked?
February 12, 2020
Thermally modified tonewood goes by many marketing nicknames, but its effect on tone is still up for debate.
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How Many Guitarists Does It Take to Tuna Fish?
December 18, 2019
Thanks to the extraordinarily fine adjustment offered by modern tuning machines, today’s players can take their tuning to a level of accuracy only dreamed of in eras past.
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Acoustic Soundboard: From the Closet to the Store
November 28, 2019
Are those guitars you’re storing for Junior down the road truly instruments he’ll want?
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Acoustic Soundboard: Bling Versus Sound and Feel
November 11, 2019
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but a guitar should foremost be a player.
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Acoustic Soundboard: The Round-Shouldered Dreadnought Revival
October 14, 2019
This body shape didn’t go extinct, but it came darn close.
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Acoustic Soundboard: Under Pressure
September 9, 2019
Taylor's Andy Powers takes a closer look at how piezoelectric pickups amplify acoustic guitars.
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Acoustic Soundboard: Scale Length and String Tension
August 19, 2019
A deeper look at how your flattop's dimensions affect both its tones and its responsiveness.
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Acoustic Soundboard: High-Tension Wires
July 21, 2019
Did you know acoustic-string composition requires an intricate balancing act to achieve accurate pitch?
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Acoustic Soundboard: Dreadnought Days
May 27, 2019
Hip to be square or bound for round, it’s all about the shoulders.
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