Zimbio
Monday, July 14, 2008
Does Cable Length Affect Tone?
There are many opinions about what helps generate good guitar tone. More that anything, it is a matter of personal preferences. The guitarist has to first decide n what sounds he/she is trying to achieve. Then the guitarist must secure the gear necessary to get the desired tones. Included in this gear search are instrument cables. Once guitar, effects, and amp are selected, try a few cables at your local music store before purchasing. Length and quality of construction of the have to be considered. finding the right instrument cables for your setup is worth the time spent trying them at your music store.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Tube Guitar Amps vs. Solid State Guitar Amps
At this point you have probably figured out that I am a guitarist. Like most musician's, and guitarist in particular, I am constantly searching for a better sounds or tone. Strings, the wood used to construct the guitar, effects, etc. can all help to improve your tone. But none of that matters if your amplifier won't deliver!
Luckily, today's guitar players have many, many choice when it comes to amps. There is everything from small combo amps for studio use to the double stack that we look soooooo good standing in front of on stage. And with every size, there are both tube and solid state amps available.
Tube amps tend to weigh more than solid state amps of the same size and power output. This can be important if you don't have a "roadie" to carry your gear. I personally own a tube amp. My current musical endeavors are handled by a mid-sized combo. The unit weighs about 40 pounds, which is not bad. I like the sound of a tube amp versus solid state. I think the tone is warmer and fatter.
I also have a solid state modeling amp that is very nice. The digital reproductions of tube amps are excellent!! This amp weighs about 15 pounds and is great to "grab and go" to the rehearsal or the last minute gig.
Luckily, today's guitar players have many, many choice when it comes to amps. There is everything from small combo amps for studio use to the double stack that we look soooooo good standing in front of on stage. And with every size, there are both tube and solid state amps available.
Tube amps tend to weigh more than solid state amps of the same size and power output. This can be important if you don't have a "roadie" to carry your gear. I personally own a tube amp. My current musical endeavors are handled by a mid-sized combo. The unit weighs about 40 pounds, which is not bad. I like the sound of a tube amp versus solid state. I think the tone is warmer and fatter.
I also have a solid state modeling amp that is very nice. The digital reproductions of tube amps are excellent!! This amp weighs about 15 pounds and is great to "grab and go" to the rehearsal or the last minute gig.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Searching for That Perfect Tone
One of the easiest ways to alter your guitar sound is to experiment with different sizes and gauges of picks. Using a very thin pick produces a sound drastically different than using a heavy one. Many jazz guitarists tend to favor using heavy picks (1.5 or 2 millimeters) because it tends to thicken and darken up their sound somewhat. I personally use a 1.0 mm pick as I am a jazz fusion/rock guitar player.
Trying different string gauges can also help when searching for that perfect tone. If you are a jazz or R&B style player, a heavier gauge may be the ticket. If your style of music requires you to do a lot a string bending, then the lighter gauges are probably best (thin strings keep the blood to a minimum).
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Guitar Multi-Effects
There was time when getting a good guitar tone took effort. Now it is easy. With modeling amps, software, and artist stompboxes, it is easy to sound like any of your guitar heroes. But is that really a good thing? Sure, it is fun to dial up the tone of Jimi Hendrix and play Purple Haze. But where is that really leading you? What about your tone? Are you content to always sound like someone else? Do you really want to have the generic tone of the day — or 40 years ago?
I recently purchased an effects processor. The Boss GT-10. Although loaded with preset patches, what I really like about the unit is its flexibility. The unit is loaded with “user” patches that are completely configurable. You can tweak any part of a given patch to get the tone that you want.
The GT-10 offers a multitude of tones and sounds for the guitarist. If you are in the market for a guitar multi-effects processor, you owe it to yourself to check out this new unit from Boss.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
guitar-10
Main Guitar Articles Guitar Sites
| Feature Article A Brief History Of Gibson Guitars Gibson guitars have been around forever. It's funny, but although Gibson has produced some of the most amazing guitars in history, perhaps the company's largest contribution to music has been through their advancements in pickup technology. Gibson's first electric guitar the ES-150 was produced in 1936, and is still considered one of the best sounding electric jazz guitars in the world. In 1946 Gibson introduced the P-90 single coil pickup, which was eventually used on the first Les Paul model in 1952. The Les Paul was Gibson's first solid body electric guitar. In 1957 Gibson introduced the legendary Humbucker pickup on the Les Paul model, and an instant classic was born. The P-90 and the Humbucker quickly became the pickups of choice for Gibson's expanding line of solid body electric guitars. 1961 marked the introduction of one of Gibson's most successful models ever, the double cutaway SG. This was followed by the Firebird, and Flying V models, each a classic in its own right. In addition to electrics, Gibson produces some of the finest acoustic guitars available. Throughout the years, Gibson has continually sought to provide musicians with a wide range of choices concerning quality and price. Although this has proved to be one of the company's strongest assets, buying a Gibson can be a somewhat complex process. Buyers must arm themselves with a thorough knowledge of their desired model, as quality and construction techniques can vary wildly over the course of a model's production history. Much like fine wines, Gibson guitars also have their preferred vintages. Today, Gibson's commitment to excellence, and support of top musicians is demonstrated most deeply through its well known Custom Shop. The Custom Shop produces specialty instruments for artists, and discerning musicians. In addition, many well known historic classics have been faithfully reproduced by the Gibson Custom Shop, allowing a whole new generation of guitarists to experience Gibson's hallmark guitars.
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