How to get bridge pickup tone control on a Stratocaster
What does a Strat sound like when tone control is added to the bridge-only pickup setting? You're about to find out. Easy mod #1 that I listed in Easy Strat mods that everyone should do is "Wiring in a...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #27 - Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass '70s
For a bass guitar on a budget, this is pretty darned good. Before starting this one, there's the Jazz Bass '70s and the equally priced Jazz Bass '77 from Squier. What's the difference between the two?...
View ArticleAmerican Special Stratocaster vs. Squier Vintage Modified '70s Stratocaster
Black-on-black with maple fretboard is a thing right now. I'm looking around Fender's latest offerings for Strats, and I see this black-on-black with maple fretboard limited run American Special that...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #11 - 1990 Fender Stratocaster Plus
Yes, this guitar counts as vintage. It's 25 years old. This is a bit of a special guitar for me because it's how I remember Strats being when I first starting getting into guitars. I first picked up...
View Articlediet update, september 2015
The last time I wrote about my diet was in May 2015. This is an update on it. Yeah, I know this isn't music related, but some of you out there who follow me are interested in how the diet is coming...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #28 - Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V (with coil tap)
Some of these guitars have a coil tap feature while others do not. Fortunately, it's really easy to tell which models have the coil tap when you know what to look for. The Yamaha Pacifica comes in...
View ArticleHow to get a "dreamy" guitar delay effect
The "dreamy" delay effect is possible to get in one of two ways. What I mean by a dreamy delay effect is best shown with a demo. Here's one of the pedal above, the Behringer Echo Machine EM600: You get...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #12 - 1989 Gibson Les Paul Custom
Why bother with a Gibson reissue Randy Rhoads Les Paul when you could buy this instead for less? This particular 1989 Gibson Les Paul Custom to many guitar players says one thing: "Looks like a Paul...
View ArticleFender Standard Jazzmaster HH Review
Not bad for what it is, but a little on the plain side. So I'm at the guitar store and I see a Fender Standard Jazzmaster HH, black-on-black, just like in the photo above, so I tried it out, and this...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #29 - Schecter Omen-6
If there's one thing Schecter knows how to do very, very well, it's pack a lot of pro-quality build construction into a guitar that sells for a very low price. The Schecter Omen-6 pictured above is...
View ArticleSwitching guitar string brands, and why I sometimes do it
Sometimes it's necessary to switch guitar string brands. I just did. Most of my followers know that my string brand of choice is Dunlop DEN0942. I've recently switched over to Fender Super 250's, and...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #13 - 1969 Fender Stratocaster in Lake Placid Blue
Very expensive. But very cool. The above '69 Strat in LPB is not cheap at all. If you want this Strat, you will need deep pockets. Now of course, this is one of my favorite Strat designs because of the...
View ArticleReturn of the Squier Jazzmaster
I acquired another Jazzmaster to replace the one I traded out. Yes, I know you have questions. I have answers. Okay. This is going to take some explaining. Rise and fall of the original Jazzmaster In...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #30 - Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster Custom
What's the deal with a Telecaster in this specific configuration? Believe me, there are real reasons it exists. The Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster Custom is a bit of an oddball in the world of...
View ArticleWhy does anyone keep buying the same stuff over and over?
This happens with pretty much anything one considers "good." While I don't hoard, there are times when I will either re-buy something or buy something "in twos" just because I like it so much. Going...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #14 - 1953 Fender Telecaster
It's probably true you can't afford this guitar. But you can recreate the sound of one if you know the right stuff to buy. Above is a real-deal 1953 Fender Telecaster. It is ridiculously expensive...
View ArticleWhy you should still use DVDs to back up your stuff
A bit of a nerdy article to start off this week, but it is important you know this stuff. Above is a 100-disc spindle of Verbatim DVD+R blank discs. Don't get the -R. There is a difference between the...
View ArticleCheap guitar of the week #31 - Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar
This is, believe it or not, the first time I've featured this specific guitar here. If you follow me on the internet, you know I play a Squier Jazzmaster. But the guitar featured here is the Squier...
View ArticleIs a cutaway acoustic guitar worth the bother?
Not really. Above are two dirt cheap acoustic guitars, the Jasmine S35 and the Jasmine S34C. And when I say dirt cheap, I mean it. Check the links to see for yourself. (And surprisingly, both guitars...
View ArticleVintage guitar of the week #15 - 1971 Fender Mustang in Competition Red
Ah, the Mustang. A weird little guitar. But cool. Above is a '71 Fender Mustang in "Competition" Red. The Mustang is one of the most affordable (if not the most affordable) vintage Fender electrics you...
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