Comfort zone

This month Alex Bishop unravels the intricate fretwork of a century-old concert mandolin

Can this early 60s Gibson Southern Jumbo be saved or has it gone belly up?

Nearly 40 years on from the Custom Shop’s inception, its creations are more ambitious than ever. Find out how the team walks the tightrope between ‘canon’ and ‘cannot’, and where its guitars are heading next

Fender’s Custom Shop had a precarious start in the mid-1980s, but the story of its formative years is full of big ideas, some bizarre instruments, and a queue of famous guitarists

As the 514ce is retired from Taylor’s catalogue in Europe, we take a look at the new Builder’s Edition of the same model to examine the upgrades and refinements it brings to the table. A worthy alternative? Let’s take a look

The late Jim Mottram explains modifications to make his 23-footer easier to sail. Here are just some of his tips from the archives