Author Archives: Al Markasky
Acoustic Guitar Setup and Maintenance
Buy on CreateSpace.com for $19.99! –> Product Description This video includes essential techniques for improving the overall sound, feel, look and playability of a steel stringed acoustic guitar. Al Markasky, a professional luthier with over...
How to Improve Your Sound
My name is Orion Kubow and I want to explain a simple method which I used to completely improve the sound and feel of my guitar. Rather than just throw a bunch of information at you, I thought I’d begin … Continue reading →...
How a Truss Rod Works
Not quite sure how that steel rod in your guitar neck works? The video clip below should explain things.The same principles apply to electric guitars, bass guitars and acoustic guitars with truss rods. As the clip shows, a guitar truss … Conti...
How to Correct a Forward Bow on a Bass
The problem here is usually that your truss rod is too loose and isn’t exerting enough pressure against the strings and the strings are having their way and pulling the neck forward. Strings on a tuned instrument exert anywhere from … Co...
How to Correct a Back Bow on a Bass
If your bass has a back bow in it’s neck, this means that the neck is arching away form the bridge of your bass. The normal cause of back bow is an over-tightened truss rod. That is, your truss rod … Continue reading →...
(3 of 3) Setting the Saddle Height on an Acoustic Guitar
Tools Ruler that measures 64ths of an inch (or millimeters) Ebony Shims Razor Blade Self Adhesive Sandpaper Sanding Block Metal Nippers Pliers Radius Gauge The third and final step in setting up an acoustic guitar is setting the action at … Co...
(2 of 3) Nut Assessment and Adjustment on an Acoustic Guitar
Tools (Hover Over Links in Tools Section to See Examples) Nut Files Feeler Gauges with a .006in (.152mm) gauge. Metal Straight Edge Clear Acetate Soldering Iron Sand Paper Flat-ended Chisel or Flathead Screwdriver Wooden or Plastic block Wood or Plas...
(1 of 3) Neck Assessment and Adjustment on an Acoustic Guitar
Tools 12 or 15 in. Metal Straight Edge Alan Wrench, Hex Key or Socket Wrench Light Piece of Paper, Paper Towel or light cloth to use as a backdrop Phillips Head Screwdriver (if your guitar has a truss rod cover) … Continue reading →...
How to Fix Back Bow on an Electric Guitar
A back bowed neck can cause all sorts of problems, so if you have one, it’s the first thing you’ll want to fix as you run your guitar through a setup. The good news is, a back bow is usually … Continue reading →...
Electric Guitar and Bass Setup and Maintenance
Buy on CreateSpace.com for $19.99! –> Product Description This video details includes essential techniques for improving the overall sound, feel, look and playability of an electric guitar or bass. Al Markasky, a professional luthier and sho...