Figure 1 - The Fender PT-100 chromatic guitar tuner
I think i’ve found one of the most useful pieces of equipment any guitarist can own! Such statements shouldn’t be made lightly, but in this case I stand by it. If you need a new tuner you really should consider this one. In the PT-100, Fender have a solid, durable and, most importantly, easy to use tuner that works for guitar and bass. It does the job, and it does it well.
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Figure 1 - The John Lennon 1965 Casino
In the 1960s Epiphone Casinos were ‘in’. And John Lennon wasn’t the only Beatles to own one. In fact Paul McCartney and George Harrison both had Casinos, as did Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. But it was Lennon who became most associated with the instrument, most famously playing it on the infamous rooftop appearance of 1969.
Fast forward to November 1997, and a team from Epiphone visit “The Dakota” in New York to examine John’s Casino. They took measurements of the neck and body, studied the components and photographed everything, in order to create a guitar as close to Lennons original as was possible to acheive.
As a result and in cooperation with Yoko Ono, Epiphone proudly introduced the Limited Edition John Lennon “Revolution” and “1965″ Casinos.
The “John Lennon 1965 Casino” is a reproduction of the guitar as John originally purchased it with the sunburst finish and stock hardware.
The “John Lennon Revolution Casino” is a reproduction of the “stripped” guitar featuring one coat of nitro-cellulose lacquer, gold Grover tuners and no pickguard.
Figure 1 - The Dave Grohl DG-335.
2007 has seen a wide range of guitars leave the Gibson factory doors; from the standard instruments that are the companys bread and butter, to limited-number special-edition instruments: the Guitar of the Week range, numerous historical reissues, and of course the Inspired By range.
This is a series of instruments “inspired by and built to the exact specifications of passionate musicians and artists” - among them are Les Pauls (John Lennon and Warren Haynes), Flying Vs (Jimi Hendrix and Zakk Wylde) and three thinlines; the Roy Orbison ES-335, Keither Sutherland ES-336 and best of all the Dave Grohl DG-335.
So its a 335? Not quite…… Read the rest of this entry »
A new set of strings can do wonders for a bass. If the old set have been on for a while, the sound they produce will be dull and lifeless. Old strings can be the cause of fret buzz and intonation problems, and in a worse-case scenario could snap during performance.
How long a string takes to become ‘old’ depends on several factors: how much it is played, whether it is wiped down after use, and even how corrosive the perspiration of the player. Top players may change their strings nightly; only fresh strings give them the sound they want, whilst a bass that spends very little time in use - perhaps avoiding gig situations - will be fine for months or years.
So, now you’ve decided to treat your beloved bass to a new set, how do you decide what to buy? There are a lot of choices, but which ones are right for you? Long scale? shortscale? roundwound? flats?
This article describes some of the main types, to help the reader identify the best bass strings for them…
Some designs just don’t go out of fashion. Its been 46 years since Gibson redesigned the Les Paul, giving it those batwing cutaways and characteristic translucent cherry finish - and they haven’t looked back. Be it guitar or bass, the SG has attitude, and plenty of it.
Although the shape has seen continual use on guitars, Gibson didn’t produce a bass version for over 20 years. That was until 2005 when they launched the SG reissue bass.
But it hasn’t stopped there - as well as Cherry, White, Ebony, Canary Yellow, Coral Pink, Coral Blue, Silverburst, and faded finishes, there is the maple flamed-top SG Supreme, and a Supreme Fireburst.
Its not just looks that make a guitar; the SG reissue bass is proving a big hit for its sounds and playability too.
Time-based distortion pedals (we’re talking flange, echo, an chorus) are less widely used as other types of distortion, but are still the best option for some of the more unique sounds that come from distortion pedals. Much of these effects are great for solos, but some practical uses that the everyday guitar player would experience exist as well. Even rhythm guitarists are cashing in on this less popular type of distortion, but there are a few things to look out for when buying them.
Figure 1 - When it comes to time based effects, don’t be surprised to see Boss pedals take the lead in most categories. (Pictured on the left)
Not a whole lot of guitar players cash in on the benefits of a pop filter, but no one can blame them. Most of the affordable pop filters break or fail within weeks of having them- or don’t even work at all. This has led a lot of innovative guitar players who are looking to record vocals to become creative- everything from putting a shirt over their mouth to making makeshift pop filters from tennis rackets.
Figure 1 - They may resemble tennis rackets, but pop filters can mean the difference between a professional sound, and just another home-made recording.
Fender decided to mix up the guitar tuner industry norms with the Fender Automatic Guitar Tuner AG-6. We’ve all seen the tell-tale signs of a cheap guitar tuner, but Fender is covering its tracks with the AG-6 model. In fact, this model has a few innovative design features- a backlit display, for example. The first thing that will be noticed, however, is the glossy and sparkly surface that screams 1980’s glamour.
Alternate picking is said to provide more sustain and tone control, as stated by guitar legends such as Steve Morse. This type of picking pattern takes more time to learn than natural picking patterns such as directional picking. Most guitar players seek to use a hybrid of the two picking patterns instead, so the best of both worlds may be enjoyed.
Rhythm is one of the three building blocks of music theory. Without it, timing wouldn’t exist- much like the basic tablature system lacks timing and rhythm. For music theorists who take the time to learn the three building blocks of music theory- rhythm, harmony, and melody; the payout will be enormous in the long run.
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