Events/Festivals

Fueling a guitar lover's dream, Taylor Guitars is hitting the road again to bring the company's well-loved and award-winning Road Show to authorized Taylor dealers across the U.S. and abroad in 2010.

The Bob Moog Foundation announces an once in a lifetime raffle opportunity to begin Tuesday March 9, 2010 at 12pm (EST). The Foundation will be selling $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win one of Lou Reed's Moog Guitars.

Have you ever wanted to drastically improve your musical skills in a short period of time? Or wanted to learn to improvise like a professional? DWEEZILLA is the opportunity for you!

In tune with Martin Guitar’s environmental philosophy, C.F. Martin & Co. has donated a rare 000 12-fret Peter Cree Certified Wood Guitar to International, the world’s leading art business, for their upcoming “A Bid to Save the Earth” Green Auction.

Veteran bass player, the one and only Billy Sheehan, will be joined by heavy metal hero and fellow bassist Dave Pybus on the Rotosound stand at the Musikmesse 2010.

Guitar nation is a two day music festival of performances, demonstrations, seminars and cutting edge debates for guitarists and musicians serious about music. It brings together the people who make the industry happen; world class musicians, band managers, top producers, media professionals, music industry guru’s and many more.

Gibson Guitar along with the Gibson Foundation have announced a very special tribute to the late, great Les Paul to be held at the historic Ryman Auditorium, former home to the Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville on Thursday, November 19, 2009. The tribute concert program will be free to the many fans of Les Paul and Gibson Guitar. Les Paul, the innovator and inventor who passed away at 94 years old this past August was known throughout the world as the man who created multi-track recording and the father of the electric guitar. Many musicians pay homage to Les Paul and credit their careers and musicianship directly to him.

Gibson Guitar is once again the presenting sponsor of Help Clifford Help Kids, providing a one-of-a-kind Gibson BB King Lucille guitar customized with Clifford's autograph on the pickguard. With Susan Antone's blessing, American Youthworks is offering the guitar for auction on eBay on October 20, 2009 to a worldwide audience, with all proceeds benefitting Help Clifford Help Kids. Renowned music photographer Gary Miller photographed Susan with the gorgeous guitar on Antone's historic stage (see attached photos). Susan says: "What my brother did to help keep the blues alive is pretty well known by music fans worldwide. I think it is fitting to have worldwide fans of the blues bid on this amazing Gibson guitar that was Clifford's favorite model.

Following a highly successful re-launch last year, Manson’s are now happy to announce that Manson’s Guitar Show is to be staged again. The show’s dates and venue has been confirmed as 24th and 25th October 2009, Riverside Leisure Centre, Exeter.

The first annual Nashville Amp Expo is set to take place on August 22-23, 2009, at the Hyatt Place hotel in Brentwood, Tennessee, just eight miles south of downtown Nashville. The first annual Nashville Amp Expo will offer musicians of all levels, as well as engineers, producers, and, of course, weekend hackers, the chance to try out some of the finest amps and gear on today's market at "real world" volume levels. The entire Hyatt Place hotel has been reserved for both days, August 22-23, to allow players a rare opportunity to test out high-end, boutique guitar and bass gear without having to worry about being told to "TURN IT DOWN."

Guitar Center has announced the return of King of the Blues, the nationwide search for the next great undiscovered blues guitar player. With sign-ups launching July 1, Guitar Center's King of the Blues will feature competitions in over 200 Guitar Center locations across the country, culminating with the Grand Finals in Los Angeles this November. In addition to showcasing the top-five finalists, the King of the Blues Grand Finals will also feature performances by renowned blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa, who has been awarded "Best Blues Guitarist" by Guitar Player Magazine for the past three years, and Grammy Award-winner Pete Anderson.

Aguilar Amplification has announced a special installment of their Artist Series Master Classes on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 with endorsing artists, Steve Jenkins and Matt Rubano.

The London Guitar show is back at the world class ExCeL Exhibition Centre, London Docklands June 11th to 14th 2009 and the UK's biggest guitar show is better than ever. With only 10 days to go we can now announce a truly world class line-up of acts to entertain, inspire and wow the crowds, plus the best display of gear under one roof and an action packed schedule of signings and seminars.

Guitar Affair has announced general availability of its offering that has been in testing with select customers since January. The new Guitar Affair service targets guitar enthusiasts who frequently travel for business as well as those who wish to demo limited availability guitars prior to purchasing them.

Guitar Center and Ernie Ball/Music Man have announced an evening of dialogue and music with guitar and bass virtuosos Steve Morse and Dave La Rue.

Neal Moser is opening his doors to teach aspiring guitar builders the craft, trade and best kept secrets of building top notch instruments The dream of Neal Moser has always been to offer personalized service, quality hand made guitars and new designs for players who truly want unique instruments.

Aguilar Amplification has announced the continuation of their Artist Series Master Classes on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 with endorsing artist, Gary Willis. An in-demand clinician, Willis has lectured in over 20 countries and currently teaches improvisation and arranging at the prestigious Escola Superior de Musica de Catalunya conservatory in Barcelona, Spain. His published works for Hal Leonard include Fingerboard Harmony for Bass, Ultimate Ear Training, and 101 Tips for Bass.

In 2009, Yamaha Guitars will celebrate its 40th year selling acoustic, electric and bass guitars in the United States. Yamaha has a distinguished history in the evolution of guitar technology and quality, and in 2008, became the top-selling acoustic and acoustic-electric guitar brand in the country, determined by sales volume and number of units sold.

When artist Jeannette Parssi was invited by Gibson Guitars to participate in its upcoming Miami GuitarTown project, she did not hesitate to accept the invitation. Gibson shipped Parssi a naked Epiphone Casino guitar, which she turned into a work of art. The brightly painted guitar, which the artist titled "Miami ??? Sunrise to Sunset," features a stunning sunrise scene on the front, with an equally dazzling image of the Miami skyline at sunset on the reverse side.

On March the 15th, Glenn Haworth will be attempting to break a World Record for Restringing as many guitars as possible in 60mins.

Guitar Workshop Plus has announced three sessions at two locations for its 2009 summer schedule.

In response to requests from guitar players around the world, Taylor Guitars is poised to bring its award-winning Taylor Guitars Road Show to dealerships across the U.S. and abroad in 2009.

Aguilar Amplification announces the continuation of their Artist Series Master Classes on Saturday, March 7, 2009 with endorsing artist, Gerald Veasley. The clinic, entitled "Improvisation for Everybody", will focus on demystifying some of the concepts and approaches to soloing.

Here's an opportunity that doesn't come along everyday. Elliott Randall has partnered with LiveAuctioneers to auction off seven of his personal guitars - many used on tour. The guitars up for sale include a Vulcan New Yorker, Fender Jazzmaster, Fender Telecaster, Guild Starfire Emerald III, Kramer American Showster Savant III and a Brian Moore MC/1. The auction house is known to have handled some of Jimi Hendrix's best-known guitars, numerous instruments, manuscripts and memorabilia from The Beatles, The Doors, Sinatra, Springsteen and Elvis.

On the 24th of November Christie's will be auctioning a Yamaha SG1000 electric guitar owned and played by Bob Marley during the reggae superstar's final worldwide tour in 1979. Marley was presented with the guitar when he and Wailers were invited to visit the Yamaha factory in Hamamatsu during the Tokyo leg of their tour.