The Fret Files

In this episode, Eric and Melissa share listener submitted gig horror stories!! Not for the faint of heart! Eric also shares a few of his own. Also discussed is nitro over poly revisited, what happens if there’s no volume pot, fingerboard oil, and strap locks. Enjoy! To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions concerning locking tuners, steel wool, starting a guitar repair business, making a guitar lighter, capacitors, Halloween candy and of course the earth’s magnetic field and what it has to do with your guitar pickups. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions concerning Tom Bukovac, Ibanez lawsuit era quality, touching up the finish on a Parker Fly, straightening a backbowed neck, case repair, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions concerning potentiometers, undersaddle pickups, are the frets really in the “wrong place” on vintage Gibsons, can you lacquer over poly, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions concerning 335 wiring problems, string trees, rusty polepieces, paulownia, shaped neck joint heels, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions concerning a stripped truss rod nut, pickup polarity, when to use sealer in the painting process, bass setups, vintage waterslide decals and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk Gibson lawsuits, bakelite vs. garrolite, left handed guitar parts, matching the copper on a vintage Danelectro and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk price increases at Reverb.com and the missing 1959 Gibson Ledger. Questions are taken regarding Wilkinson roller nuts, lacquer potted pickups, wiring up separate tone controls on a Tele, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk price increases, a 1961 Custom Telecaster for sale, and a great youtube channel called “Rescue and Restore.” They take questions regarding super glue in fret slots, neck pickup effect and placement, seam separation knives, pickup shorts, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions regarding Fiesta Red, Eric Johnson, James Cotton, Jack White, 1950’s Telecasters, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions regarding Washburn guitars, rewiring a 335, lacquering over headstock decals, touching up paint, intonation, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions regarding fret removal, fret crowning tools, microphonic pickups, residue removal, and ‘overdoing it’ when it comes to oiling fingerboards. Eric also gives Melissa a quiz called “Blues Musician or Guitar Color.” She hated it. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk guitar news and then answer questions about Alnico magnets, pickup phase and hum cancelling, refretting, coffee snobbery, and why Eric uses ash for most of his guitar builds. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa answer questions about string gauge, Danelectro volume and tone controls, how often to oil your rosewood fingerboard, shielding guitar cavities, ground loops, and how to make your guitar ring out like a piano. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa answer questions about how to get started in a guitar repair career, guitar wiring, tune-o-matic post spacing, refret process, vintage guitar prices, neck resets, and some effect pedal/delay talk. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa answer questions about tune-o-matic bridges, guitar straps, fingerboard inlays on a Harmony Meteor, how long does it take for a guitar to ‘settle in’ after a set-up, and more in this special commercial free 100th episode. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa answer questions about ebony fingerboards, fake ebony fingerboards, warped fingerboards, reverse headstocks, Danelectro binding edge tape, and which shipping service is best. I’ll give you a hint, it’s not FedEx. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric interviews veteran luthier, guitar repair guru, and Taylor Guitars employee Dave Staudte from San Diego, Ca. Eric and Dave talk about all kinds of repairs and techniques from neck resets to finish work. Dave also gives us a little peek behind the scenes at Taylor Guitars. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa answer emails with questions about pickup polarity and “phase,” rewiring the electronics in an archtop, fixing a wobbly bridge on an Epiphone Casino, straightening out an old Harmony neck, and the proper use of locking tuners. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa answer emails with questions about removing fingerboards, polishing nickel hardware, removing minor scratches, Eric’s favorite guitar tech books, and how to glue down that peeling Danelectro binding tape. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa answer calls and emails with questions about refretting maple Fender necks, relic’ing modern guitars, how to route pickup cavities, and more. Also discussed is the Emerald City Guitars video on PAF pickups which you can see here. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa do a little guitar news, and then answer questions about Les Paul wiring, installing side dots, using double sided tape when routing with templates, how to spot a refin, and what’s the best products and methods for pore filling an open pore wood like ash when prepping for lacquer? To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa answer questions about how to properly pack a guitar for shipping, what to do about finish cracks, how to optimize your guitar for low tunings, and some Bigsby talk. Enjoy! To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take a few questions (like what causes figuring in maple) and read submitted Guitar Horror Stories. Enjoy! To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions about Martin vs. Taylor neck joints, finishing with shellac, unoriented alnico magnets, helping a “stiff” feeling Telecaster, fixing detached binding, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk about pore filling, getting the wax off of pickups, binding repair, Supro guitars, special taper pots and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk about weak high strings and what could be causing that, fretwork, tone pot circuits, warped cheap 12 string guitars, which Epiphone you should buy, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and his buddy Nat talk about the amp kits they built together. The kit in question was the Trinity Amps “Triton” model. They also talk Rosewood/Cites news, and take questions from listeners about resonance, sparkle Fender finishes, intonation, Pau Ferro and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk LCR meters, tube amp kits, and take questions from listeners about chambered bodies, truss rods, gluing down loose inlays, ground loops, and even a few leather questions and comments for Melissa. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa do a little guitar news, and then answer questions about Jazzmasters, pickguards, oil for fingerboards, tone capacitors, single pickup guitars, and then discuss whether hot hide glue is really necessary or if liquid hide glue is an acceptable substitute. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk slab vs veneer Fender rosewood fingerboards in a follow up to last episode. Then they take questions from listeners about tuners, quartersawn necks, neck joint cracks, and grounding a Cabronita bridge on a fresh build. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa talk guitar news, namely the David Gilmour guitar auction. Then they take questions from listeners about guitar fingerboards, lawsuits, lap steels, and neck profiles. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about P-90 polepiece spacing, winding Strat pickups, borescopes, picks, and Kay “Thin Twin” pickups. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about hiking with a guitar, potentiometer values, intonation on a National resonator, Indian laurel fingerboards, and a special “horror story” from Down Under. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about truss rods, Taylor acoustic guitar setups, out of phase pickpus, pinning archtop bridges into place, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about guitar humidification, Tele bridge pickups, Baritones vs. the Bass VI, gluing in frets, Tightbond vs. Hide Glue, and much more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about glossy finishes, ground wires, stainless steel frets, and lots of follow up about moldy guitars. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about moldy guitars, pickup resistance, painting guitars, guitar polish, adding a pickup to a Silvertone 1448, fingerboard removal, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about finishing maple fingerboards, shop lighting, humbuckers, slanted nut slots, hide glue, finish compatibility, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about Alnico II magnets, spraying lacquer on necks, fixing a volume pot taper issue, routing a pickup cavity, and “what’s up with relicing?” and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about tailpiece ground issues, pickup wiring, neck resets, zero frets, Jazzmasters, rubbery necks, nut tools and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about impedence, filling dings, how to store your guitar, re radiusing necks, how to find mystery trem arms, and saving the plastic buttons on a vintage Danelectro made Silvertone U-1. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about ‘partscasters,’ stuck truss rods, Asian import neck resets, tone circuits, and we we pronounce ‘solder’ incorrectly. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482.  To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners about Richlite, crack repair, gluing fingerboards, replacing pots, wet sanding, and lemon oil. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric interviews blues guitarist Henry Cooper. Eric and Henry talk about how to get your own tone, and discuss Henry’s path to refining his sound and his tone. You can find Henry here and message him to buy his new album, a compilation of his best material. Enjoy! To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa read Eric’s list of “Things Not To Say To Your Luthier.” Then they take questions about Gretsch switches, intonation screws, nut slots, and guitar strap conditioning. Enjoy! To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions about pot resistance, fret buzz, tuning noises, and more. The second half of the show is the annual Halloween Special… Guitar Horror Stories. Enjoy! To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa read “the top pet peeves of guitar technicians, and then take questions from listeners concerning Z pickups, fret ends, wax potting pickups, budget acoustic guitars, rosewood alternatives, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric and Melissa take questions from listeners concerning microphonic pickups, vintage guitar modification ethics, removing marker from a guitar finish, strap lock options, and more. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.

In this episode, Eric chats with Todd Lunneborg of TL Guitars about road teching for major touring bands and what the job entails. We also chat about guitar building, guitar repair, and Todd’s history in the industry. To participate in the show, you can leave a message with your question or comment by calling 757-774-8482. To email the show, visit Eric at EricDaw.com and click the contact link.