Guitarsite News

NAMM 2011 – Taylor Guitars co-founder Bob Taylor signing copies of his book

Bob Taylor, co-founder of Taylor Guitars, offers strategies for success in life and business in his book Guitar Lessons: A Life’s Journey Turning Passion into Business. During the NAMM Show, fans can purchase a copy of Guitar Lessons and have it autographed by Bob Taylor. Starting at 11:00 a.m., Thursday through Saturday of the show in the Taylor room, Bob will be on hand to sign books, chat about all things guitar, and take photos with fans. Copies of the book will be available for purchase in the Taylor room, located in Room 213ABC on the second floor of the Anaheim Convention Center.

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Bohemian Gravity by Timothy Blais

Here’s one for the geeks in the house… OK, so there are no actual guitars in this a cappella song, but I think it’s a brilliant example of creativity which reminds us that great ideas really do stand out from the crowd. The artist is Timothy Blais and you can follow him on Facebook.

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7 reasons to know Vic Flick (and then read his biography)

by Kaiser Nelson As if being responsible for the famous James Bond theme twang wasn't enough, here's seven other reasons to know Vic Flick and then read his biography.          7: His biography isn't just a list of chemicals he's taken I waited for them, I waited patiently, they just never came. Vic Flick played guitar without turning to hardcore hallucinagens? I've obviously been reading too many rocker biographies, I've come to think that sex, drugs and rock&roll were mainstream parts of any guitarist's life. Thankfully I've been proven wrong, you can play guitar without ruining your liver, or your kidneys, or your brain… 6: You'll see a side of music they don't show on MTV Seriously, load yourself up with anecdotes from this book. It'll make you look like you own a memorabilia store dedicated to the history of Rock. Vic was on the ground floor as the guitar grew up. He saw, if not worked with, some of the biggest names of the era in action. Not all of them are as you'd expect. 5: You'll get an idea about how much work it takes to be a paid guitarist The first thing you'll notice about Vic is

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Best Acoustic Guitar under 300

Best Acoustic Guitar under 300 | Guitarsite 25 Years You can get quality instruments at affordable prices. In fact, some nice gems are hidden in the lower-priced tiers. We have searched high and low to come up with this shortlist of the best acoustic guitars under $300. Read on to see our top picks. Best Acoustic Guitar Under 300 (Concert Size) Yamaha FS800 If you need more emphasis on the mids and high frequencies, the Yamaha FS800 is the wallet friendly guitar to get. Sweetwater Amazon Read Review Best Acoustic Guitar Under 300 (Dreadnought Size) Yamaha FG820 Dubbed “the poor man’s Martin”, with the same warmth for a fraction of the price. Mid-focused sound with mild highs. Sweetwater Amazon Read Review Best Acoustic Guitar Under 300 (Budget-friendly) Fender CD-60S An affordable yet quality instrument, with good tone and playability. Ideal for playing on your couch or outdoors. Sweetwater Amazon Read Review Best Acoustic Guitar Under 300 (Mahogany Body) Ibanez AW54 A cheap guitar with a nice “warm” tone and strong mids. Great for folk, blues, country music, and other finger-style songs. Sweetwater Amazon Read Review Best Acoustic Guitar Under 300 (Vintage-Style) Epiphone J-45 The Epiphone J-45 is a true workhorse

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Guide to a Basic Home Recording Setup

The purpose of this guide is to give you an understanding of the basic equipment you’ll want to have for recording at home to your computer. Image credit: midiman This guide isn’t about recording platinum albums, instead it provides you with what you need for these purposes: Getting your ideas recorded so you don’t forget them; Demo recordings for getting gigs or sending to record labels; Producing your tracks for SoundCloud, YouTube videos or for release through services like iTunes; And finally, but no less important, practicing your recording skills so that you’ll be more proficient when it comes time to record in a professional recording studio. Your Computer These days most off-the-shelf PCs and Macs will do just fine for recording so I won’t go into too much detail because the computer you already own is probably good enough to begin recording with. The one thing I will say is that it’s good to have plenty of RAM. You may be able to get by with as little as 2GB for basic purposes, but if you start loading up lots of plugins for effects or virtual instruments then you might want to look at expanding the amount of memory

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Capo Lane

One thing I have yet to mention in my articles is the use of capos. I use them all the time. All my playing career I have put up with abuse from those who consider the use of capos some form of cheating. What crap! I think they’re the most wonderful invention since tea bags. The guitar was designed and tuned with certain keys in mind — like A and G and C and D and E. Why would anyone bother with a chord progression like Eb / Ab / Cm / Eb / Bb when it can be played as a ringing D / G / Bm / D / A just by strapping that little capo on the first fret? My hands have never been able to do a barre C shape and make it ring. I’ve always looked for ways of making playing easier, and capos definitely help. The tuning I use, drop D, also makes the key of E rather awkward ( I know, E is supposed to be the easiest guitar key). If I want a low root note, I’ve got to go to the second fret. So I whack the capo on the second

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Best Guitar Effects Software

This selection represents the best guitar effects software to help you turn your computer into a full featured effects processor. Since we have already covered amp modeling software, this time we will focus on software that provides quality guitar effects. These popular software effects applications will get you as close as technologically possible to your favorite stomp box and rack mount effects – minus the bulk, weight and the hassle. Note that certain packages excel in specific effect types, so do check out your favorite effect types via the demos before you decide on which is your top pick. We have included both paid and free guitar effects software for you to sink your teeth, and mouse, into. Guitar Effects Software – PAID These are the top commercially available guitar effects programs. Most of them are considered as amp modeling software as well, because they usually include both amp and effects modeling in one package. Guitar Rig More info: Although not as dominating in amp modeling, Guitar Rig takes the top spot in our guitar effects software list. It leads the pack with its meticulously detailed effects modeling. Its 54 modeled effects closely follow the behavior of legendary stompboxes and

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Five Tempting 12 String Electric Guitars

Here are some great 12 string electric guitars that we’ve looked at for you – this is a good starting point if you’re looking to buy a 12-string. The unique jangle sound of a 12 string guitar has inspired a number of songs that spans various musical genres, including the Beatles’ “A Hard Days Night”, The Byrds’ “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, Mahavishnu Orchestra’s “You Know You Know” and many more. This unique sound is produced when a course or pair of strings are plucked together. The first four pairs (also called courses) of strings are tuned in octaves while the highest two strings (high B and E) are tuned in unison. This pairing creates a natural chorus effect because the minute differences in pitch and timbre of the paired strings converge and are heard as one. Although it is commonly used for rhythm and accompaniment, guitar greats like Jimmy Page and George Harrison have shown that with sufficient imagination and skill, the 12 string guitar can do so much more than just play chords. Rickenbacker 360/12 Rickenbacker 360/12 The Rickenbacker 360/12 is one of the first electric twelve string guitars produced. It was made popular back in the ’60s by George

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Eight Cool 8 String Guitars

If 6 strings are not enough and 7 strings barely satisfy then check out these eight cool 8 string guitars. We have come up with a list of 8 String guitars that will surely take your music beyond the 7th heaven. You can compare specs, performance, and the most superficially important aspect of all – cool looks. In the past, 8 string guitars were rare and expensive because they were only available via custom shops. Thankfully guitar manufacturers have caught the 8 string fever, thus producing a wide variety of affordable and mass produced 8 string guitars for us to choose from. The Default tuning for an eight string guitar is F# / B / E / A / D / G / B / E. 8 string guitars are enjoying a resurgence thanks to popular metal bands like Deftones, Animals as Leaders, Meshuggah among many others. They utilize the extended bass range of the eight string guitar to produce the signature low “chug” rhythm sounds of modern metal. Jazz artists like Charlie Hunter, Terje Rypdalwere and others also loved the one man band capabilities of the 8 string and were some of the first to showcase the 8 string

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Band Room Double-Stack Guitar Case Rack

Guitarstorage introduces the Band Room Double-Stack Guitar Case Rack, a mobile guitar rack that can store 20 or more guitar cases of various shapes and sizes. Related Feature: Acoustic Guitar Cases Instead of storing guitars bare, having a mobile rack that can handle multiple guitar cases is a safer option. This is exactly what the Double-Stack can do, providing a way for you to store and move multiple guitar cases properly. The new Band Room Double-Stack Guitar Case Rack is designed for music rooms, recording and rehearsal studios, church facilities, and other institutions that need a multiple guitar storage solution. It will let you store your various guitars on their cases and organize them on an easily accessible rack. Thanks to its sturdy dual-deck design you can store over 20 guitar cases while still having them within an arms reach as you stand in front of the rack. It is based on the company’s popular Double-Stack Guitar Rack which stores both bare guitars and cases, but optimized to provide more space and better handle guitar cases. It is designed to handle the cases of various shapes and sizes, including parlor sized guitar cases, allowing you to arrange your instrument cases

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GuitarStorage.com unveils new session guitar rack

GuitarStorage.com has announced the release of its new Session Guitar Rack, a more economical version to its recently unveiled line of Session Deluxe Guitar Racks that were announced in December. The Session Guitar Rack's solid construction and ergonomic design provide superior protection for guitars to be displayed and stored out of their cases while keeping the floors of rooms and studios clear and organized. The Session Guitar Rack is made of hardwood rails and melamine sides. Its design is based on the Company's new Session Deluxe Racks and its very long-time successful Studio Guitar Case Racks. Moreover, the new rack offers a more economical alternative to the Deluxe models. Among its many benefits, the Rack protects up to five (5) guitars, banjos, or basses of virtually any shape and size in a safe, soft environment, and enables players to quickly access any one of their instruments. The furniture-quality Rack incorporates five (5) individually felt-lined cutouts and a cushioned base to safeguard the guitars at all contact points to avoid scratching while making the instruments quickly and easily accessible in a den, living room, or studio. The Rack's open bottom design prevents contact of the end strap button with any material

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TC Electronic WireTap Riff Recorder

TC Electronic introduces the WireTap Riff Recorder, a compact pedal that is specifically designed for high quality capture of song ideas. Related Feature:TC Electronic Ditto X4 Looper This pedal allows you to integrate on-the-fly recording into your rig, with modern wireless connectivity features to simplify both recording, file transfer, storage and organization of musical ideas. TC Electronic understands the importance of capturing inspiration and ideas as they happen, and while there are already a myriad of options to go about doing this, the company thought that having one that can be both portable and integrated to a pedalboard would be practical and effective. And so they came up with the TC Electronic WireTap Riff Recorder, packing the latest technology that the company can in a compact pedal that’s easy to use and requires little pedalboard space. Described by the company as a must-have tool for serious songwriters, this pedal will ensure that you never lose inspiration ever again. This means that you won’t have to rely on your sketchy memory to store catchy melodies and interesting riff ideas, and you also don’t have to rely on other low-quality audio options like recording through the mic of your phone. The design

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Carbon Fiber Guitar Roundup

Here are the coolest carbon fiber guitars today, lightweight and roadworthy instruments built with modern materials and crafting techniques. The use of carbon fiber on various manufactured machines has been proven to be advantageous, and so it was only a matter of time for it to make its way into guitars. Thanks to brave and adventurous guitar makers, we now have a wide selection of carbon fiber guitars in the market, instruments that are rock solid, impervious to environmental changes and very light. Since these type of guitars are meant to last a lifetime, the price tags are quite hefty. Picking your carbon fiber guitar will depend highly on your budget and on your tolerance for odd designs. You can either stick to traditional shapes or go for originality. Carbon Fiber Electric Guitars Gus G1 Hardtail If you are looking for a modern looking electric guitar that has the feel of traditional fretboards, then you should consider the Gus G1 Hardtail. Although it looks futuristic, this guitar still maintains some traditional wood elements into its design, having a carbon fiber over cedar body, and a cocobolo fingerboard. It is designed to give you the feel of wood while having improved

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Blind Willie Johnson’s Music

Original and cover recordings of Blind Willie Johnson songs. For those of you who read our article about Blind Willie Johnson, here are some examples of his music. No actual film footage is believed to exist of Johnson, so the following videos include pictures and other footage which illustrates the times Johnson lived in. We have included two sections: Recordings featuring Blind Willie Johnson Recordings by other artists Recordings featuring Blind Willie Johnson Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground Nobody’s Fault But Mine Motherless Children Have A Hard Time The Soul Of A Man You’re Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond Blind Willie Johnson songs recorded by other artists Nobody’s Fault But Mine by Led Zeppelin John the Revelator by Steve Vai This version includes Johnson in the mix Dark Was The Night by Ry Cooder Can’t Keep From Crying by Ainjel Emme More information and music by Blind Willie Johnson can be found at: GuitarSite.com Wikipedia Last.fm All Music

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EXCLUSIVE: Jon Gomm Rig

Jon Gomm is the guitar world’s version of a ‘triple threat’ – he is a brilliant Guitarist, Composer, and most importantly he’s an amazing Live Performer. I believe that his name sits comfortably besides the likes of Tommy Emmanuel, Michael Hedges, and Jeff Buckley. By that I don’t mean to say he sounds like them, but rather he has a unique approach to guitar and music generally which stands him apart from the crowd. I’m quite certain that once you listen to a few of his songs you’ll agree Jon Gomm is worth this level of praise. For that reason I’ve been chasing Jon for a rundown on the equipment he used on his inspirational song “Passionflower” for over a month, and today we finally have an exclusive with Jon answering my question about all the gear he used on this song. But before we get to the gear – let’s listen to the Jon performing Passionflower live: This is what Jon emailed me about the equipment he used on Passionflower:

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The Audible Frequency Range and Describing Tone

As guitarists, most of us sooner or later find ourselves in pursuit of tone. A talented guitarist can find a way to make anything sound good, but there should be no doubt that our equipment and the tone it provides can inspire and help fuel our creativity. In pursuit of tonal inspiration, we need to develop a vocabulary to help us find what we’re looking for in our sound. The Audible Frequency Range Most guitarists start out by learning the names of the musical notes corresponding to a particular string and fret number, but they are not initially aware that these notes also correspond to the fundamental frequency of the vibrating string. For example, the sixth string played at the 5th fret (low A) in standard tuning has a fundamental frequency of 110 Hz. Any doubling or halving of a frequency is an octave, so the next octave up from 110 Hz would be 220 Hz. In order to develop a vocabulary for tone, we have to think in terms of frequencies as opposed to musical notes. The audible frequency range for us human beings is about 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (20 kHz). For descriptive purposes, it’s common to

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Burst Finish Ibanez Artcore – AF85TDGVLS and AS93VLS

The Ibanez full hollow body AF85TDGVLS and smaller semi-hollow AS93VLS are Ibanez Artcore Series guitars in violin sunburst finish. Whether you want to rock out or to mellow down, you can do so in burst finish style – with these two contrasting and affordable Artcore series guitars. First up is the Ibanez Artcore AF85TDGVLS, it is a full hollow body guitar based on traditional hollow body guitar designs. It features a single cutaway 15.75 inch body that produce rich and complex tones, ideal for jazz, country and other clean tone purists. A prominent feature of the Ibanez AF85TDGVLS is its vintage vibrato (VBF70) which aside from giving an old school vibe, provides country and rockabilly nuances. The roller saddles are there to eliminate the tuning problems associated with these types of vibrato systems. Other features include a 3 piece mahogany/maple set-in neck, flamed maple body and sure grip III knobs. Pickups are Ibanez designed ACH1 and ACH2. Ibanez Artcore AF85TDGVLS The Ibanez Artcore AS93VLS is a semi-hollow body guitar in a smaller package, bearing a double cutaway design. This is a versatile instrument built to tackle a wide variety of music genres. The pickups are mounted into a sustain block

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Dean releases the new USA Dime Razorback 10K

With over 10,000 units shipped since introduction, the success of the Dean Dime Razorback line is nothing short of amazing. Commemorating this historic milestone, Dean Guitars is pleased to announce the release of the new USA Dime Razorback 10K, a diamond plate top version of the guitar world's hottest selling new shape. In an unprecedented three short years, the Razorback has become one of Dean's best selling and most recognizable guitar lines, with its barbed wire-like ultra-sharp points and massive presence. The Razorback is a 21st century form of the Classic Dean ML shape Dimebag Darrell first played over 2 decades ago. Each Razorback 10K features a mahogany body outfitted with a locking Floyd Rose Tremolo system, comes loaded with a Duncan Dimebucker in the bridge position, black Grover tuners, and Dime's trademark traction knobs. The Razorback's Mahogany neck is capped with the wing headstock bearing the Dime logo. A rosewood fingerboard a signature pearl razor blade inlay at the 12th fret completes the design. Dime Razorback 10K at a glance: – Body Style: USA made, Modified ML shape, mahogany body, lightweight plastic diamond plate top, metallic finish – Neck: Mahogany with Rosewood fingerboard, signature “Dime” razor blade marker at

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Gibson celebrates the 50th anniversary of the ES-335

Gibson has announced its 50th Anniversary of the ES-335 Guitar celebration at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio on Monday June 30th, 2008 with legendary musician Larry Carlton and friends. The Gibson ES-335 was the world's first commercial semi-hollowbody electric guitar originally released by the musical giant in 1958. The ES in the series stands for “electric spanish” and its neither hollow nor solid, instead, a solid wood block runs through the center of itsbody but the sides are hollow sporting violin – style f-holes. Artists from around the world have succeeded in recording top charting songs and played to hundreds of thousands of fans with the ES-335 guitar. In celebration of the guitar's rich history a special one-night performance and filming will take place at Cleveland's Rock Hall. On Monday, June30th at 7pm, “Mr. ES-335” himself, Larry Carlton and a collection of other greats will pay homage to this important guitar classic. Larry will lead an all-star performance with his famous friends and musicians including John Pizzarelli, Gary Pucket, Joe Bonamassa, Dennis Coffey, Joel Hoffner and Matthew Shariff-Hobley. The event will be hosted by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Director

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PRS offers limited run Ted McCarty SC and DC 245 models

PRS Guitars is honoring its legendary mentor with the new limited production Ted McCarty SC and DC 245 models. Made in the spirit of the original PRS Sunburst Series, the two models feature a short 24-1/2″ scale, special bound fretboard, original PRS birds, Santana headstock shape with curly maple veneer and 1957/2008 pickups or optional Soapbar pickups. Ted McCarty SC (single-cutaway) and DC (double cutaway) 245 models are currently available. For more information, please visit www.prsguitars.com/tedmccarty245/index.html Related Article: PRS McCarty 594 PRS 59/09 and 53/10 Pickups

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