Blog

How to Improve Playing Speed: A Complete Guide for Musicians

Improving your playing speed as a guitarist can be frustrating at times, but rewarding in the end. It is a journey that combines practice, technique, and smart self-analysis. Whatever instrument you play,  becoming faster and cleaner takes commitment and the...

How to Know Your Guitar Frets Are Dying

Playing guitar should feel natural, with every note ringing clearly and smoothly. But sometimes, an unwanted buzz, muted note, or sudden loss of sustain interrupts the music. For many players, this points to one of the most frustrating problems: dying frets. These...

How to Clean an Acoustic Guitar

Cleaning your acoustic guitar helps preserve its sound and beauty for years to come. A clean, well-maintained instrument is easier to play and has a richer, more consistent tone. While consistent maintenance is important, the key to a beautiful instrument is using the...

The Science of Sound: How Does a Guitar Work?

The guitar is one of the most popular and versatile instruments in the world, found in nearly every genre of music from country and blues to rock and classical. But have you ever wondered how this six-stringed instrument actually produces sound? Whether you're a...

Why Do Guitars Lose Their Tune?

Your guitar is an intricately designed instrument that will provide the desired chords and tone when properly tuned. Unfortunately, as any musician knows all too well, there are times when even the most cherished instrument will fail to hold its tune properly. This can be the result of all sorts of issues. Here are some common reasons to consider that will cause your guitar to slip out of tune more often than it should.

Tools Needed to Build Your Own Guitar

Have you ever wondered what it takes to build your own guitar? Crafting an instrument from scratch is a blend of artistry, precision, and passion. Whether you’re a musician seeking a custom instrument or a beginner exploring the world of luthiery, the process starts...
How to Remove Guitar Frets
How to Remove Guitar Frets

Using a Fret Zapper I use this tool, called a fret zapper, to remove guitar frets. The guys at Gruhn Guitars showed me this when I was working there. It’s essentially a 150-watt soldering gun with the tip replaced with two separate pieces of copper. How to Use a Fret...

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Student Profile: Brad King
Student Profile: Brad King

Brad King’s journey to Guitar Craft Academy Nashville started with his dad’s car radio. “My dad would listen to the radio and knew every song, everybody in the bands, all the instruments they played — it was like a history lesson,” he said. “To me, that was the...

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Q&A: Ryan Madora, Guitar Craft Academy bass instructor
Q&A: Ryan Madora, Guitar Craft Academy bass instructor

Ryan Madora recently joined the Guitar Craft Academy Nashville faculty as a bass performance instructor. Originally from Philadelphia, Ryan moved to Nashville in 2012 and has stayed busy performing in the studio and onstage with Robben Ford, Bobby Bones and many others (check out a Spotify playlist of her recordings here). We caught up with Ryan to discuss her career and her work at Guitar Craft Academy Nashville.

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Student’s First Guitar Sale
Student’s First Guitar Sale

Any luthier’s first guitar sale is a big deal. But it’s even more impressive when the guitar sold is the first guitar you ever built. So congratulations to recent Guitar Craft Academy graduate Tiernan McKinney, who recently sold his first guitar — built during our...

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