June 10th, 2012

Published by: christaylor3

Pick A Guitar - Your Complete Guide to Guitars and Accessories

Be a Guitar Shopping Ninja!
Buying a guitar is hard - there are literally thousands of guitars to choose from. In order to get the perfect guitar that fits your needs and your budget, you need to educate yourself about what the most important things are to consider when trying to pick a guitar. No matter if you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced guitar player, we have something for you. Check us out at Pick a Guitar.

Gibson SG Bass - A Remake of an Old Classic

By Charles Ramsey on June 10th, 2012

If youre looking for a 4 string electric bass guitar that provides quick action and incredible clarity, check out the Gibson SG bass guitar. The Gibson SG Bass was designed to replicate the original Gibson bass, the E80. They kept this guitar true to the original with its 30.5 scale length and other features. Its light and small (comparatively speaking) so youre not anchored down if you want to move around while playing it.

Gibsons Industry Standard Three-Way Adjustable Bridge. I love this features because you can adjust the height of the strings in every direction front, back and side to side. This features makes for a floating bridge and gives options for equipping the guitar with several varieties of guitar string gauges and also gives you many options in your set-up. Set-Neck Construction. All of Gibsons classic guitars have a neck joint thats glued, which is something that sets them apart from many of the other guitar makers. By using glue to join the neck to the body, this gives a solid wood to wood connection which means theres no air space within the neck cavity. It also gives it the ability for the neck and body to work as one unit. This means better tone and sustain and no loose necks. Vintage-Style TB and TB Mini Humbuckers. These pickups were designed to replicate the pickups used on the 1960s Gibson bass guitars. The neck pickup is a TB plus humbucker which gives a heavy bottom sound, much like passive EQ pickups. The bridge pickup is the TB mini humbucker is smaller but gives you that awesome mid range punch. The combination of these
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June 10th, 2012

Published by: christaylor3

two pickups makes this a very versatile Bass guitar that will give you a full range of possibilities. 20-Fret Rosewood Fingerboard. On the Gibson SG Bass youll find the highest grade rosewood that can be had. Gibson takes great pride in its selection of wood that goes into their guitars and this rosewood is no exception. Gibson uses rosewood fingerboards because it makes them extremely stable and balanced, giving each and every note an unparalleled clarity. Nitrocellulose Finish. If you dont think the finish on a guitar is all that important, think again. On this guitar, Gibson uses a nitrocellulous finish, which is extremely labor intensive. When dried, it creates a thinner coat than using polyurethane which means that you create less interference with the instruments natural vibration. This ensures a much purer tone. Unlike polyurethane, it does not form an airtight seal on the wood, but provides a porous finish that will allow the wood the breathe and age better over time. In addition, its also easier to repair, unlike a guitar that has a poly finish. You can actually touch up scratches or dings.

youll hear Slash talk about the Les Paul copy he owned and then how he got his Les Paul while recording Appetite for Destruction and has used it for all his recordings since. In honor of Slash, Gibson created this signature guitar that was patterned after this guitar and its called the Gibson Custom Slash Signature Appetite For Destruction Vos Les Paul Electric Guitar. The guitar was unveiled in 2010 with very limited availability from Gibsons Custom Shop. You can still buy the guitar today but its not easy to find them. Naturally, the Epiphone version that was released is much more readily available. To Check Availability:

Some of the special features that youll find on the Slash Les Paul Appetite are:
AAA Carved figured maple top Gently aged Appetite finish with a natural top and faded cherry back Solid mahogany back with traditional weight relief Slash signature smoking skull with top hat artwork on headstock 24-3/4 scale length Set mahogany neck with rounded 60s profile Trapezoid inlays Bound rosewood fretboard Seymour Duncan Slash Signature Alnico Pro II humbuckers Special capacitors selected by Slash for vintage tone 2 volume controls, 2 tones, 3-way toggle switch Single-ply cream binding on top TonePros hardware Aged chrome hardware Acrylic trapezoid inlays Includes hardshell case As you can see, beginning with the AAA Carved figured maple top, this guitar is made of nothing short of the best in materials, components and construction. The neck profile was specially made for Slash and it features a rounded shape of the 60s Gibson Les Pauls. The specially constructed Seymour Duncan pickups and Slashs own choice of special capacitors give it the vintage tone that he loves.

More on the Gibson Bass SG Standard:

Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.

Slash Appetite Les Paul Overview and Video

By Charles Ramsey on June 10th, 2012

Anyone whos a fan of Guns N Roses is familiar with the famous Slash Les Paul guitar. Its the one he used to record the Appetite for Destruction album and many of his records since them. Its widely rumored that the actual guitar that Slash used wasnt a Gibson at all, but a replica made for him while he was recording the Appetite for Destruction album. It was said to be made by guitar luthier, Chris Derrig, and was based on a 59 Sunburst Les Paul guitar that was equipped with Seymour Duncan humbuckers. However, if you watch the video below,

Heres what Gibson has to say about the Slash Appetite Les Paul
Bursting onto a scene rife with poodle hairdos, spandex pants, and pointy headstocks, Slash and Guns N Roses saved rock in the mid 80s by bringing back the grease, leather, attitude, and some seriously heavy guitar chops. Their 1987 release Appetite for Destruction became the biggest-selling debut album of all time, with 28 million and counting sold worldwide, and the big
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June 10th, 2012

Published by: christaylor3

riffs of Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, and Sweet Child O Mine fired up the airwaves across the globeriffs fueled by the most powerful rock tool of all time: a Les Paul. source Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.

balanced tone. And like all of our Epiphone acoustic guitars, the Hummingbird is also made tough. It goes in tune and stays in tune while the adjustable truss rod and rosewood bridge ensure stable intonation. Thought there are many guitars that claim to be historic or vintage styled, only an Epiphone comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty and Gibson 24/7/365 customer service and the experience of a century of guitar making. Start with the best. Visit your Authorized Epiphone Dealer today and get an Epiphone Hummingbird today. Source As youre probably aware, the Gibson Hummingbird is going to have more expensive features than the Epiphone model. You can take a look at these features and see if they really make a difference to you. If they dont, then the Epiphone Hummingbird is probably going to be a better choice for you.

Epiphone Hummingbird
By Charles Ramsey on June 10th, 2012

If you know anything about the Gibson Hummingbird, you probably know that its played by some very famous artists such as Keith Richards, Gram Parsons, Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock. The original Gibson Hummingbird was introduced in 1960 and its been a great choice ever since. The best part is that now the Hummingbird is available in Gibsons Epiphone line so that anyone can afford it. Whats the difference in price? Well, the Gibson is going to cost you approximately 10x more. Huge, huh? Heres a little blurb from both websites that give a little rundown on their models. Notice how much alike they are: From a company that has brought the guitar world so many great originals, the Hummingbird stands out strong and proud. Introduced in 1960 as Gibsons first square-shouldered dreadnought, the Hummingbird arrived at the dawn of a new era in music, and was rapidly embraced by several prime movers on the scene. In the hands of everyone from Keith Richards to Gram Parsons, it quickly proved itself equally adept at folk, country and rock, and excelled at many of the crossovers genres in between that helped to set the scene for the 60s. Much of the Hummingbirds appeal lies in its versatility. However you attack this flat-top, it pumps out rich, deep tones, and is equally at home thrumming out first-position chords as it is taking the spotlight for flatpicking leadlines further up the neck. Its spacious mahogany body and sweet, select Sitka spruce top are more than capable of nailing down the rhythm in the hands of a rock and roll sideman, or of accompanying the most nuanced performance under the fingers of todays alternative singer-songwriter. Made in the image of the original, in Gibsons acclaimed acoustic facility in Bozeman, MT, todays Hummingbird lives up to its pedigree, bringing you all of these capabilities and more as, quite simply, one of the finest acoustic guitars available today. Source The classic Hummingbird style acoustic became one of the first acoustic guitars to become a recognized rock and roll icon thanks to Keith Richards, who used a Hummingbird on many Rolling Stones albums in the early 70s including Exile on Main Street and Sticky Fingers. Today, the Hummingbird is still a go-to acoustic for rockers like Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock who need an acoustic with fast action and great tone. Now, both beginners and professionals can enjoy a classic look designed and built with the integrity you expect from Epiphone.The Hummingbird can cut through an acoustic band and fire up any country rock recording with a sweet,

Vintage Original Spec aged finish Premium Sitka spruce top Square shoulder dreadnought body Mahogany neck Mahogany back and sides Round neck profile 25-1/2 scale Single-ply binding Madagascar rosewood fingerboard Bone nut and saddle Mother-of-pearl parallelogram inlays Mother-of-pearl crown inlay on headstock 1.725 nut Madagascar rosewood bridge Custom early 60s Dark Heritage Cherry VOS top and back Finish White bridge pins Mother-of-pearl dot bridge inlays Tortoise Hummingbird pickguard hand-painted and casted in the original Vintage Gold Keystone Green Keys tuners Period-correct bracing 1960s mold Read More:

June 10th, 2012

Published by: christaylor3

Features of the Epiphone Model:

Learn one scale at a time and master it before you move on. Dont think about how many more you have to learn. Instead of learning notes and positions of scales by repeating it over and over, try to use a riff you like to do it. In other words, learn to play the riff in one scale, then learn how to play it in another, and then another, etc. Learn the scales that are important for your genre of music. You dont have to learn every scale known to man, just the ones that youre going to use.

Square-shoulder dreadnought Mahogany body and neck Solid spruce top Rosewood fretboard Distinctive hummingbird pickguard 25-1/2 scale 1.68 nut width Body and neck binding Chrome hardware Read More:

Dont spend hours a day learning scales. Make it part of a warm up exercise that lasts a few minutes. This way youre likely to stick with it and youll be surprised how much you can learn over time.

Guitar Scales for Beginners

Learning notes and guitar scales can be a little overwhelming for beginning guitarists but there is plenty of free help and information online if you just take the time to look for it. If you dont know where to start learning guitar scales for beginners, following are two videos that will get you started:

If you have a ton of money and want to get the best guitar, then definitely go for the Gibson, but if your budget doesnt allow for that, the Epiphone model will still be a great selection for you. I personally like the Epiphone line because you get that great Gibson quality at an affordable price. Needless to say, theyre not top of the line from a construction standpoint, but they are actually better quality than some of the other popular brands that cost a lot more. The sound will blow you away. When in doubt, always go to a guitar store and check them out side by side. Thats a great way to help make up your mind. Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.

About Charles Ramsey Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment. Related posts:

How to Use a Capo Correctly

By Charles Ramsey on June 10th, 2012

What is a Capo?
A capo (short for capotasto, Italian for head of fretboard) is a device used on the neck of a stringed (typically fretted) instrument to shorten the playable length of the strings, hence raising the pitch. It is frequently used on guitars, mandolins, and banjos. The capo is most commonly used to raise the pitch of a fretted instrument so that a player can perform a piece in a certain key using different fingerings than they would use if played open (i.e. without a capo). In effect, a capo uses a fret of an instrument to create a new nut at a higher note than the instruments actual nut. No matter the style, the capo is typically placed as close to the desired fret as possible, just behind the fret. This holds the strings down behind the fret as securely as possible with the sharpest possible angle to ensure they will remain fretted. Source No doubt youre either seen a capo or heard of them, but you may not know exactly what it does or how to use a capo. Guitar
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How to Learn Guitar Scales

By Charles Ramsey on June 10th, 2012

Do you get a bad case of the hives when anyone mentions learning guitar scales? I will be the first to admit that theyre not fun to learn and practice, but doing it will give you the best foundation for becoming a great guitarist and musician. Bottom line is that if youre in a band and you want to solo, you better know your scales. When you first start learning the different scales, its likely to be very overwhelming, but if you keep with it, theyll get easier over time. Heres a few tips that you can use to make the learning process less painful:

June 10th, 2012

Published by: christaylor3

capos are used to change the pitch of your guitar. This can be especially useful for beginning guitarists because it will allow you to play a wider range of various keys before youre able to learn barre chords, which are challenging to learn for beginners. This is great because it takes songs that are technically out of your range and makes it much easier to play. However, a capo is not strictly used by beginner players. There are many expert guitarists who use capos. You should think of it as another tool that can literally change the scope of your musical instrument. When putting the capo on your guitar, you need to position it correctly. It is placed right behind the fret, not on top of it. This is where most experienced guitarists put their fingers when playing chords anyway so just put the capo where youd put your fingers. Some capos will not work correctly. In other words, some capos put too much pressure on the strings which makes them go out of tune and other capos dont put enough pressure. This can be remedied by choosing a capo that is adjustable.

Using a Capo
For learning the benefits and tricks of using a capo, here is a great video that shows you step by step how to correctly do it. About Charles Ramsey Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.