Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder needs a hardtail version
Wow, what a neck on this guitar... ...which is almost a reason to buy it. Almost. Now before I get into that, the exact make and model of this guitar is the Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR. The...
View ArticleIs the Tokai Goldstar Sound all hype?
As luck would have it, I got to play a Tokai Goldstar Sound. This requires some backstory. Rewind the clock back to the early-to-mid 1980s. This is just before Fender was "bought back" in 1985 and...
View ArticleFender American Special Telecaster in 2 exclusive colors
Today is the Fourth of July, so I figured it would be appropriate to show off some cool American guitars. What we have here is a lovely pair of Fender American Special Telecasters. However, they're...
View ArticleCasio watches with the most features for under 20 bucks
Let's see what happens when you go for cheap Casio digitals that offer the most for the least. There's a certain joy in getting a watch that offers a ton of features for next to nothing. However, you...
View Articlediet update july 2018
Time for a diet update. I recently rediscovered Sno-Caps. And they're frickin' delicious. But they can be a bit difficult to come by. Locally, I can find them at Walgreen's and only at Walgreen's. But...
View Articlethe one main reason i don't eat fast food
It's actually not the reason you think it is. Above is a photo of a burger & hot dog with chips and onion rings play set for kids, meaning it's pretend food. I found it interesting that such a...
View Articlethings i grew out of after turning 40
In reality I grew out of most of these things in my mid-to-late 30s, but I think most guys give this stuff a miss after passing 40. I'm in my early 40s now and there are certain things I simply can't...
View ArticlePossible problems with new old stock guitars
Sometimes guitar sellers unload these things just to get rid of them. There are certain things you have to keep in mind if you decide to get one of these. On my Facebook page I recently posted some...
View ArticleA shameful electric guitar technique
I was recently asked in email if I could write some articles on guitar technique. In my reply I said that's a somewhat complicated request because describing technique in words isn't exactly easy....
View ArticleGetting a lightweight electric guitar the easy way
Many guitars bust over 8lbs (3.6kg) in weight. Can we go lighter and still get something good? Yes, we can. A lot of guitarists pass on certain guitars simply because they're too heavy. A heavy guitar...
View ArticleElectric guitar neck relief, truss rod and string height info
It's a fact that most guitar players have absolutely no idea how much relief to set when it comes to adjusting guitar neck bow with the truss rod. This is some quick info on what Fender recommends you...
View ArticleHow to use a looper pedal for playback of backing tracks
Recently, I've received a few questions on YouTube concerning how to do this with a looper pedal. There are, surprisingly, a lot of guitar players out there who want to use a looper pedal as a simple...
View ArticleThe Led Zeppelin Bathroom Sound
When I do listen to Zep, Bathroom Sound is one of my favorite riffs to play personally. What is Bathroom Sound? It's the song Out On The Tiles from the 1970 album Led Zeppelin III as a rough mix...
View ArticleIf I had to choose 3 cheap guitar pedals...
If I weren't using a multi-effect floor unit and had to go with pedals, there are three I would use. Before I get into that however, in my last newsletter I talked about effects, mentioning the old...
View Article$200 Telecaster vs. $200 Jazzmaster
You didn't have the option of getting guitars like this for so cheap a few years back, but now you can. I remember when Squier introduced both the Classic Vibe and Vintage Modified Series guitars to...
View ArticleMid-2000s Fender Strats are cheap right now
Buying used is always a risk. Buying any guitar over 5 years old is also a risk. But if you're willing to take the plunge, certain mid-2000s Fender Strats are dirt cheap right now. Above is a 2005...
View ArticleHow a light touch improved my guitar playing
My playing improved significantly when I learned not to bang strings hard. The guitar above is the Squier Standard Telecaster, although what I'm about to say applies to pretty much all electric...
View ArticleThe reasons why electric guitars do not use XLR
This is a valid question, and the answer is probably not what you thought. If you've been around any musical equipment at all, you've seen the familiar 3-pin XLR connector, and it was almost certainly...
View ArticleWhy are so many GPS users so stupid?
Taking a small break from the guitar stuff. Sometimes I read Amazon reviews for GPSes just for the laughs. Before getting into that, I recently acquired a second Garmin nuvi 50LM. I liked the first one...
View ArticleSmashing a guitar is a really stupid idea
This is never, repeat, never a good idea. You have alternatives. Ever since I started playing guitar I've always run into that guy who "wants a guitar just to smash" at some local show because he...
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