John LeVan

John LeVan has written five guitar repair books published by Mel Bay. His best seller, Guitar Setup, Maintenance & Repair, is a hands-on guide with a forward by Bob Taylor. John also authored PG’s Guitar Shop 101 column, hosted several PG DIY videos, and is an authorized warranty technician trainer for Taylor Guitars. To learn more about John’s repair and restoration workshops for players, technicians, and retail employees, visit guitarservices.com.

Guitar & Bass Mods

12 Things Guitar Techs Need to Know

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.

Guitar Shop 101

Guitar Shop 101: Using Super Glue in Guitar Repair

The fast-acting adhesive can work wonders ... if you know how to handle it safely.

Guitar Shop 101

Guitar Shop 101: Happy Little (String) Trees

Do the open strings buzz or sound wimpy on your Fender-style guitar? Maybe the problem lies at the headstock.

Guitar Shop 101

Guitar Shop 101: Curing Sticky-Neck Syndrome

Do you feel like you’re fighting your guitar’s neck? Here’s how to create that smooth, “played-in” feel.

Guitar Shop 101

The ABCs of Output Jacks

Passive pickups, active electronics, and acoustic-electric guitars with dual-pickup sources all require different types of output jacks. Do you know how to wire them up?

Enter to Win the Vintage-Voiced Cort Essence GA4 Guitar

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John LeVan

12 Things Guitar Techs Need to Know

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.

Guitar Shop 101: Touch-up a String Nut with Super Glue

After replacing or upgrading a nut, finish the job with fast-acting cyanoacrylate adhesive.

Guitar Shop 101: Using Super Glue in Guitar Repair

The fast-acting adhesive can work wonders ... if you know how to handle it safely.

Guitar Shop 101: Happy Little (String) Trees

Do the open strings buzz or sound wimpy on your Fender-style guitar? Maybe the problem lies at the headstock.

Guitar Shop 101: How to Repair Delaminated Neck Binding

Got some loose fretboard binding? No worries—here are a few easy steps to fix it.

Guitar Shop 101: Curing Sticky-Neck Syndrome

Do you feel like you’re fighting your guitar’s neck? Here’s how to create that smooth, “played-in” feel.

Guitar Shop 101: How to Replace a Zero Fret

Learn how a zero fret functions and why it sometimes needs to be replaced.

The ABCs of Output Jacks

Passive pickups, active electronics, and acoustic-electric guitars with dual-pickup sources all require different types of output jacks. Do you know how to wire them up?

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John LeVan

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.

After replacing or upgrading a nut, finish the job with fast-acting cyanoacrylate adhesive.

The fast-acting adhesive can work wonders ... if you know how to handle it safely.

Do the open strings buzz or sound wimpy on your Fender-style guitar? Maybe the problem lies at the headstock.

Got some loose fretboard binding? No worries—here are a few easy steps to fix it.

Do you feel like you’re fighting your guitar’s neck? Here’s how to create that smooth, “played-in” feel.

Learn how a zero fret functions and why it sometimes needs to be replaced.

Passive pickups, active electronics, and acoustic-electric guitars with dual-pickup sources all require different types of output jacks. Do you know how to wire them up?