Are vintage guitar pedals really worth it?
No, not really. For my regular readers, you know I use a DigiTech RP360 as my primary effects unit, and I'm very happy with it. Is it perfect? No. The interface could use some work. But as for how it...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #22 - 2013 or newer Squier Affinity Telecaster
Why 2013 or newer? Because... ...it has the updated gold-and-black Squier logo on the headstock. I've made mention a lot of the Squier Affinity Telecaster. Great guitar, cheap and good. I've played one...
View ArticleHow to record a chorus effect for guitar without a chorus pedal
 This is a really easy recording trick that works every time. Chorus pedals like the Behringer UC200 above are cheap, so if you want the chorus effect for your guitar, it's not expensive. However, you...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #6 - 1974 Fender Telecaster
Being I've been talking about Telecasters recently, I figured it was time to feature a vintage example of one. The above guitar is not a relic. It's a real-deal '74 Telecaster. I picked this specific...
View ArticleThicker strings do not make a bigger guitar sound
If you play thick strings for sound and not for comfort, you've got it all wrong. On the solid-body electric, there's this belief that you absolutely must use thick strings in order to make a "big"...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #23 - Peavey Predator Plus EXP
Cheap guitar with a Floyd-Rose tremolo? The Predator Plus EXP delivers. As far as I can tell, the Peavey Predator Plus EXP is one of the cheapest guitars you can get that has a real-deal FR trem system...
View ArticleLenovo ThinkPad E430 gone, Dell Latitude E6420 in
The Lenovo ThinkPad E430 officially qualifies as the worst computer I ever owned. Fortunately, it was replaced by something better, even though "slower." Okay, story time. About 2.5 years ago, I spent...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #7 - 1966 Fender Stratocaster
There's just something about a red Strat that makes you really want it. The '66 Strat shown above is not cheap. In fact, it's the price of a new compact car. I'm not kidding... ...but that doesn't take...
View ArticleDoes a Stratocaster get better with age?
I give this a conditional yes. What's the condition? The condition is that if the guitar was played regularly, even if the guitar wasn't maintained 100% properly all the time, then yes, it will age...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #24 - Fretlight 5
Times have changed, and now this is affordable. Really affordable. I remember a time - and this truly was not all that long ago - when a Fretlight guitar was quite expensive, but now it's cheap. Why...
View ArticleSquier Affinity Telecaster guitar (with rosewood fretboard) review
I put my money where my mouth is. I bought one. I've talked, and talked, and talked, again and again, about the Squier Affinity Telecaster. I finally bought one in Metallic Red. More on that in a...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #8 - 1965 Fender Jaguar
For many fans of this guitar, this is The Jag. Above is a highly desirable Jag with a price tag to match. This is the kind of Jag that has the character Jag fans look for. Well-played and slightly beat...
View ArticleFender Deluxe Roadhouse Stratocaster review
There's some nice technical wizardry going on with this Strat, but is that enough for this model to be truly "Deluxe?" Let's find out. I'm at the guitar store, and I see a Fender Deluxe Roadhouse...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #25 - REVV RPX-1
The ultimate "workhorse shredder axe?" Maybe. I'll be totally honest here. This is a guitar I would never buy. I don't like the HSH pickup configuration, I don't like guitars with 24 frets on them and...
View ArticleAlice A506 guitar strings review (China)
I was nicely surprised by these. The Alice A506 guitar strings are available on eBay or on Amazon. Why did I buy them? Price. Buying guitar strings gets expensive, and I was able to score 5 packs of...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #9 - 1968 Fender Coronado II in Antigua
This is what the Antigua finish is supposed to look like. Whether Fender's Antigua finish works or not greatly depends on what body shape it's applied to. Where it's applied best is on a body with some...
View ArticleSquier Vintage Modified '70s Stratocaster Review
This is going to be a roundabout sort of review because my purchase of this guitar has a bit of a story to it. Well... more than just a bit. Okay, so.. the Squier Affinity Telecaster I bought is gone....
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #26 - VOX SDC22
Very cool, cheap, collectible, and most importantly - sounds awesome. The VOX SDC22, which you can get here or here (on the first link you should see a few for under $300,) is one seriously cool...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #10 - 2008 Gibson SG '61 Reissue
Yes, I know this is not technically vintage, but it's still better than the real thing. Above is a 2008 Gibson SG '61 reissue, which is now 7 years old. The price? Pretty darned low, and I'll tell you...
View ArticleEasy Strat mods that everyone should do
A Strat is a great guitar to mod because there are so many things you can do to it. However, some mods are good while others are not-so good. The guitar at top is a Fender Ritchie Blackmore...
View Article