I'll probably watch it.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Top 5 tips for buying a new guitar
A lot of my friends always ask me to come with them when they make any sort of guitar purchase because they think that I can somehow miraculously select the one needle in a haystack of crappy Gibson QC (yea, that was a stab at Gibson's quality control of late).
The truth is, there are definitely things to look for when buying a new guitar, but sometimes there can be unforeseen complications like wiring problems, a bum pickup or whatever...Not everything is perfect.
I attempted to group together the top 5 things I look for when buying a guitar, so I hope it helps you make a good decision.
1. Body resonance
For me, this is really important. When I try out a new guitar in the store, I try and play it unplugged first to see what it sounds like acoustically. If it sounds flat and dead, then odds are it will sound just the same through an amp. If I pick it up and can clearly hear the note definition as well as feel the body of the guitar resonate with the notes, then I know I have a well put together guitar in my hands.
2. Attention to detail
Now I know this can be a selective criteria, but you can still tell if the makers of a guitar have really taken pride in what they have created. Try to look at everything that makes up the guitar. Look at how the frets are installed: Are they even? Is the neck-pocket a nice, tight fit? Is the finish smooth and even? If these things are taken care of, chances are the manufacturer used the same attention to detail on the inside as well.
3. Playability
PLAY THE GUITAR!! This is purely selective. How does the guitar feel in your hands? I've gone into a guitar store before and gone straight to whatever guitar catches my eye, only to find out it plays like a 2x4 with spaghetti strings. Never, EVER buy a guitar based on looks. You will be much, much happier with a great playing guitar down the road. Remember guitars are for playin', not displayin'!
4. How long has the guitar been on display?
This may seem like a dumb question, but always think to ask the salesman how old the guitar on the shelf is. Sometimes guitars sit on the walls of music shops for months and months, maybe even a year or two. Throughout all that time they're on the walls, people come in and out and play them. After a while, that adds up to almost being like a used guitar. Sometimes, if the guitar has been on the floor long enough, you can negotiate a better pice with the store. Try it out, it works!
5. Don't look at the headstock!
I can't stress this enough: DON'T LOOK AT THE HEADSTOCK! What I mean is; don't get caught up on a guitar because of the manufacturer. Yes, it is nice to say "I own a Gibson," but you could very well own some sort of Les Paul copy, like a Japanese-made Edwards, for a fraction of the price, but sacrificing little to no quality. Don't just buy a guitar to impress your friends. Try out new brands you have never heard of: sometimes you may surprise yourself.
I hope these tips help you guys pick out the perfect guitar for you. Try and keep these in mind and Happy Shopping!
Tone is in the.... concrete?!
The eternal debate: 'What contributes most to your guitar's tone?'
Some say its the wood. Mahogany will give you a warmer, deeper sound; ash is a little brighter, etc..
Then you have your pickup fanboys, who say a great pickup will make any cheap parts-o-caster sound great. Then there's amp techies who drool over schematics like it was a centerfold, and the down-home old schoolers who insist that good tone comes directly from player's fingers and their ability to caress those wound nickel strands.
Debate aside (I'm a "in the fingers" kinda guy), Larry Lashbrook, of Lashbrook Guitars, has pushed the argument for pickups to a new level. Recently, Lashbrook has developed a new piezo system that he believes is so good, it can make any guitar sound good, no matter how bad it is.
To put it to the test, Larry actually took a concrete block, bolted a neck to it and stuck his piezo in it. Now, I know what you're thinking, "WTF?!" Yea, that was my reaction too... but after hearing it, I'm really impressed. (But not nearly enough to want to buy a concrete guitar)
It does sound a bit processed, but come on, its a freaking block of concrete: one of the least resonant materials out there. Props to Larry and the guys for breaking the mold and demo-ing their product in a really cool way.
Check it out, tell me what you think:
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Learn something new every day
How many of you are familiar with the classic 50s Gibson color, "TV yellow?" Well, it looks like this:
That is a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Jr., and THAT is what guitars are all about. See how the yellow color is somewhat greenish? That is a result of the yellow dye chemically reacting with the mahogany body of the guitar. If the same yellow dye were to be up on a guitar of, say, alder, it would come out as a flat, plain yellow. Moral of the story: you learn something new every day!
From Wiki:
Later, in 1955, Gibson launched the Les Paul TV model[10], which was essentially a Junior with what Gibson called a natural finish. This finish was actually more of a translucent mustard yellow through which the wood grain could be seen, and was not unlike the finish that competitor Fender called butterscotch yellow. The idea behind this TV Yellow was that white guitars would glare too much on early black and white television broadcasts, whereas TV Yellow guitars would not cast a glare.[11]
I miss my guit-box
Since I've been in Minneapolis since Wednesday, I haven't been able to play at all. So instead, I'm just watching youtube videos of other people playing!
Friday, July 24, 2009
New 5 lb, 50 watt amp from Milbert
Thats right, you read that title right. This little devil of an amp was just released as a prototype at this summer's NAMM show. (For those of you who don't know, the "National Association of Music Merchants" (NAMM) is the E3 of musical instruments. Its a biannual guitar, amp, effects ect. trade show.)
Basically, I near shat myself when I read this thing's specs.
For starters, its 5 lbs people. How can you beat that? Easily lighter than most guitars. It can run ANY TUBE! Yes, any type of power or preamp tube, and any combination you like. It also comes standard with a cool new Phantom Power for pedals, which lets you run all your pedals with no wall warts. All the power comes through your amp.
Check out the Milbert site for more info. Prices around 2k, available late '09. This will be something I definitely have to try out.
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