| Feature Article A Brief History Of Gibson Guitars
Author: Michael Casamento
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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| Feature Article 10 Beginner Acoustic Guitars
Author: Jeff Tomlin
Buying a guitar can be an intimidating process, especially if you've never purchased one before. There are so many factors to consider, and so many guitars available, novices will surely feel overwhelmed. Fear not - help is available. The following five lower priced acoustic guitars all offer great value for their respective price tags. 1. Seagull S6 These Canadian-made instruments are terrific guitars - very highly regarded, both for their beautiful sound, and their excellent value. The S6 features a solid cedar top, and mahogany back and sides. Although the price may be slightly above what some might be willing to pay for a first guitar, it should be considered an investment. 2. Yamaha F310 Perhaps not in the same league as the Seagull, the F310 is still a solid beginner instrument, and for the price (significantly cheaper than the S6), it's a good value. Guitar features a spruce top, with mahogany back and sides. 3. Takamine G-240 This beginner model Takamine guitar features a laminated spruce top, with nato back and sides. Although it clearly isn't on par with some of the higher end Takamine guitars, the general consensus is the G-240 offers a pretty good bang for the buck. 4. Fender DG-7 This lower cost Fender acoustic features a spruce top, meranti back and sides, and a nato neck. Cheaper Fender products tend to be occasionally guilty of lackluster workmanship, but for the price, this guitar could be attractive to newbies. 5. Epiphone DR-100 The DR-100 features a spruce top, with mahogany back and sides. This guitar can usually be found at a rather cheap price, which makes it attractive to beginners. Most consider this a strictly beginner instrument, however, so it may not be long before you'll want to trade up. 6. Washburn D10S This low-priced acoustic guitar is one of the best selling guitars in the world. Acoustic Guitar magazine even went so far as to name this their top guitar under $500. I can't fully agree, but the D10S certainly is a bargain! 7. Blueridge BR-40 This is a low-priced acoustic guitar with a focus on fine craftsmanship. The top of the guitar is solid spruce, with mahogany back and sides. The BR-40 even includes mother-of-pearl inlay. A particularly impressively constructed guitar for an instrument in this price range. 8. Ibanez AC100NT The Ibanez AC100NT is another well-constructed instrument with solid spruce top, and walnut back and sides. This combination creates a warm, bottom-end tone with bright highs. 9. Taylor Baby Taylor This is a 3/4 size dreadnought guitar, making it a good choice for younger guitarists with smaller hands. Taylor has a reputation for being one of America's greatest guitar makers, and although they've cut a few corners here to meet a low-price point, this is still a solid instrument. 10. Martin LXI One of the most highly esteemed guitar makers has provided this 3/4 size guitar, designed for guitarists with small hands and small pocketbooks. The LXI features a solid maple top, back and sides.
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| Feature Article A Brief History of Fender Guitars
Author: Michael Casamento
Perhaps no other guitar maker has touched the hearts of so many players and collectors as Fender. By producing excellent guitars at reasonable prices, Fender has been the instrument of choice for many guitarists throughout the world. Both the famous and not so famous have relied on Fender guitars to define their signature sounds. The Fender company was founded by Leo Fender, and produced its first solid body electric guitar in 1951. This guitar was called the Telecaster, and was soon followed by the Precision Bass, and the legendary Stratocaster in 1954. Over the years many changes would take place at Fender which had a great impact on the types and quality of instruments they produced. The first "mile-stone" year for Fender came in 1965. During this year, Fender was bought by corporate giant CBS. Quality began to decline during CBS's reign, and although Fender still remained popular among players, CBS lacked the commitment and understanding necessary to satisfy the needs of serious musicians. As a result, the guitars produced during the "Pre-CBS" era would become prized collectors items demanding large sums of money in the vintage guitar market. In 1985 Fender enjoyed another "mile-stone" year as a group of employees purchased the company back from CBS. For the first time in 20 years Fender was in the hands of musicians and artisans committed to producing world class guitars. A new manufacturing facility was built in Corona California to handle the production of USA made guitars. In 1987 the Fender Custom Shop was established, reaffirming the company's dedication to producing top quality guitars, and catering to the needs of top musicians. From 1985 to the present day, Fender has been steadily expanding its operations within the United States and abroad. The company now produces a vast array of musical products from strings to mixing boards. In spight of such massive growth, Fender's commitment to the production of quality guitars remains very high. Fender remains one of the few companies that can successfully provide quality products to both the "budget conscious" and "price no object" musicians.
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| Feature Article A Brief History of Fender Guitars
Author: Michael Casamento
Perhaps no other guitar maker has touched the hearts of so many players and collectors as Fender. By producing excellent guitars at reasonable prices, Fender has been the instrument of choice for many guitarists throughout the world. Both the famous and not so famous have relied on Fender guitars to define their signature sounds. The Fender company was founded by Leo Fender, and produced its first solid body electric guitar in 1951. This guitar was called the Telecaster, and was soon followed by the Precision Bass, and the legendary Stratocaster in 1954. Over the years many changes would take place at Fender which had a great impact on the types and quality of instruments they produced. The first "mile-stone" year for Fender came in 1965. During this year, Fender was bought by corporate giant CBS. Quality began to decline during CBS's reign, and although Fender still remained popular among players, CBS lacked the commitment and understanding necessary to satisfy the needs of serious musicians. As a result, the guitars produced during the "Pre-CBS" era would become prized collectors items demanding large sums of money in the vintage guitar market. In 1985 Fender enjoyed another "mile-stone" year as a group of employees purchased the company back from CBS. For the first time in 20 years Fender was in the hands of musicians and artisans committed to producing world class guitars. A new manufacturing facility was built in Corona California to handle the production of USA made guitars. In 1987 the Fender Custom Shop was established, reaffirming the company's dedication to producing top quality guitars, and catering to the needs of top musicians. From 1985 to the present day, Fender has been steadily expanding its operations within the United States and abroad. The company now produces a vast array of musical products from strings to mixing boards. In spight of such massive growth, Fender's commitment to the production of quality guitars remains very high. Fender remains one of the few companies that can successfully provide quality products to both the "budget conscious" and "price no object" musicians.
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| Feature Article Gibson Guitar Makes Music Industry History With Announcement of ...
Author: Not Available
Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Gibson Guitar , the world's premier musical instrument manufacturer and leader in music technology announced today the limited ... ...
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| Feature Article Gibson Guitar Amps
Author: Not Available
These pages will cover areas of interest related to Gibson guitar amps, especially the older ones, that don't seem to be covered elsewhere. ... ...
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| Feature Article Gibson Guitar Amps
Author: Not Available
These pages will cover areas of interest related to Gibson guitar amps, especially the older ones, that don't seem to be covered elsewhere. ... ...
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| Feature Article Gibson's robo- guitar tunes itself | Crave : The gadget blog
Author: Not Available
The " Gibson Robot Guitar ," to be exact, available in its debut next month in "an exclusive Blue Silverburst Les Paul model" before the regular version comes ... ...
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| Feature Article Gibson's robo- guitar tunes itself | Crave : The gadget blog
Author: Not Available
The " Gibson Robot Guitar ," to be exact, available in its debut next month in "an exclusive Blue Silverburst Les Paul model" before the regular version comes ... ...
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| Feature Article Gibson
Author: Not Available
This is the Gibson Guitar Schematic page. Here you will find wire diagrams and instruction sheet for many Gibson guitars . Ckick on the guitar for schematic. ... ...
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| Feature Article Get 5 Guitar Playing Tips to Help You Play Better Guitar.
Author: jake1
In this helpful article, you will get guitar playing tips designed to help you improve your playing skills. So let's get started...
1) The first guitar playing tip is to use good posture while playing the guitar
You should sit up straight in an armless chair. If the chair has arms, you will not be able to hold the guitar properly for playing. Sit up straight to protect your back.
If you get a backache after a bit of playing, you will realize how having good posture while playing the guitar is so important.
2) The next guitar playing tip is to hold the pick firmly but not too firmly.
If you do not grip the pick firmly enough, you may lose it during a vigorous bout of strumming! But if you grip it too tightly, you may find your whole arm getting tired. Middle of the road is the best guitar playing tip I can give you where pick grip is concerned.
3) Choosing the right pick is another guitar tip that is important.
Picks come in finger and flat styles. Most guitarists use a flat one. They also come in three different levels of flexibility.
Several professional guitarists have given me the advice of getting the softest, flabbiest pick I can find for learning to keep up with fast strumming. It's easier on the arm. Flabby picks are harder to use, however, if you are trying to pick out individual strings, as in adding a bass line, or flat-picking.
After some practice with a soft pick, you will probably want to move on to a firmer one. A final guitar playing tip about picks is that the firmest picks make the richest sounds.
4) Here is a guitar playing tip - learn to play arpeggios.
It's fun, great for old folk songs, and sounds beautiful! You won't be able to use a pick, though. Finger the chord. Now, pick the bass note of the chord with your thumb. You can use a thumb pick for this, however, it works just fine to use your thumb. You will grow a little callus there which will make it easier.
Now use your index finger to pluck the third string. Next, pluck the second string with your middle finger. And then pluck the top string with your ring finger. You've picked four notes.
If you repeat the sequence, giving each note the timing of an eighth note, you will fill a measure of a song written in four/four time. This guitar playing tip will make people sit up and take notice, but it does require practice, and calluses, to play this way. Try playing the strings in different order, and alternate bass strings.
5) A final guitar playing tip involves the chord D.
While playing the D chord, try adding your pinkie finger to the chord at the third fret. This new chord is often called "D-suspended" or "D-sus." Then play D again. Now try lifting your middle finger so that the top string of the chord is open. And back to D again.
You can do the same thing with the A-chord, but have to do the change on the second string. Up one fret to the third makes A-sus, and you can also lift that finger to go down a step on that second string. C-suspended requires you to go up a half step on the fourth string. G-suspended requires you to do it on the fifth string. Learning suspended chords is a guitar playing tip you'll find yourself using when you play contemporary songs.
I hope you've found these guitar playing tips helpful. It's important to remember that the best way to improve your guitar playing skills is to practice, practice, practice. Good luck! Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com Article by Jake Hanson. Please visit his guitar lesson site to get an online free guitar lesson course that details how to play guitar with amazing free chord and tab lessons. ...
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| Feature Article First a Trickle then a Flood.The Birth of the Blues in Britain
Author: Robin Piggott
Chris Barber's Jazz Band with the beautiful Otillie Patterson on vocals brought the sound of New Orleans to British traditional Jazz buffs in the late fifties and early sixties. This was just the beginning of a wave of new sounds that culminated in what came to be known as the British Blues Boom! On Banjo was the great Lonnie Donegan who became the Godfather of Skiffle a year or two later. All of the early musical melting pots were springboards for the next generation of musicians and within a couple of years the Music scene was to change forever.
My first exposure to the blues was on Barber's wonderful L.P. New Orleans Joys. I forget all the titles now but the haunting sounds stirred up strange sensations and led me a few years later to a life long passion for the Blues as I am sure it did with many young kids at the time.
The year 1962 saw the birth of several Blues gigs in London Clubs, notably the Famous Marquee which made its home in Wardour Street, Soho. The great Alexis Korner was to prove to be a nursery slope for what was to come. Cyril Davies on Harp, Dick Heckstall- Smith on the most wailing of saxophones, Mick Jagger (yes that one!) on vocals to name but a few. I guess that first Album recorded live at the Marquee…Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, started the trickle which very rapidly gathered momentum and soon the Blues was the talking point of all young music heads.
Playing at the Marquee shortly after, in 1963 was the man destined to become the Godfather of British Blues… John Mayall…. John's famous band, The BluesBreakers went onto fame and fortune as many musicians joined and left in quite a procession over the next couple of years. John celebrated his 70th Birthday a couple of years ago and is playing as well as ever. This gives lie to the notion that life is over at forty and its all downhill from there on. The list of John's protégées is a who's who of the music business; a good proportion of whom are still playing today. John McVie, co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, Mick Fleetwood, Jack Bruce of Cream, Eric "Slowhand" Clapton, Peter Green, Aynsley Dunbar, Mick Taylor and many more.
The band that I believe was the turning point at this time was undoubtedly The Yardbirds, whose incredible energy and enthusiasm were absolutely unparalleled on stage. My first exposure to this Juggernaut was on a Monday morning at school one time when some friends told me about this amazing band that they had seen at the Marquee who had a Guitarist that was simply unbelievable. The Year was 1963, the man in question (well he was only 18 years old!) was Eric Clapton.
The Legend was already underway at this stage and I believe Eric was responsible for the huge interest brewing in the Blues in Britain as the Yardbirds became household names on the R n' B circuit. Many Guitars were sold at this time as young bloods attempted to emulate Clapton, some with success and many without. Probably one reason for the upsurge in Guitar bands as opposed to wishy washy pop sounds of the time was the discovery of the almost forgotten Gibson Les Paul which produced the sound closest to the Chicago Blues of a decade earlier. Eric's use of this instrument took the Blues to a new height and no-one could escape the flood that was on the way. With the Yardbirds there was a mix of Gibson and Fender guitars in use. Eric initially played a Fender Telecaster with Rhythm Guitarist Chris Dreja using the Gibson 335, but the favourite in years to come particularly in '65 and '66 was the Les Paul.
In 1963 one of the first Bluesmen to arrive on this side of the Atlantic for a Tour was the legendary Harp player Sonny Boy Williamson who recorded a wonderful live album with the Yardbirds that was not released for several years. The restrained backing that the band provided to Sonny Boy showed them to be tight and controlled but Keith Relf the Lead singer and Harpist was a little put out at having to take a back seat to the Master during the gig. Many more Blues legends toured Britain and Europe in the following years which not only revitalised their own flagging careers but gave the budding white Blues players a chance to learn from the Maestros. These include Howling Wolf and the legendary Son House who had been a contemporary of Robert Johnson in the nineteen thirties. The author was privileged to see Son House play in London in 1970 shortly before he died. He was very frail but he certainly could make that National Steel Guitar sing sweetly!
The Album that preceded the Flood was of course the 1966 rendition by John Mayall entitled simply "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton" recorded on the Decca label .This album marked the first vocal airing by Slowhand and he chose Robert Johnson's "Rambling on my Mind" as his debut. The interrelating of Mayall's gutsy Barrelhouse Piano together with Eric's Les Paul and his tentative vocals, wrote a piece of Blues History that day in the studio. That Album sums up for me not only the musicianship involved and the passion of the music but the very essence of the British interpretation of the Blues. I have listened to this song so many times now since the first momentous day that it came through the speakers and every time it's hard to keep the emotions steady.
The Robert Johnson Legacy forms an integral and vital part of the Birth of the Blues in Britain and is responsible for the undoubted vitality of today's thriving Blues scene on both sides of the Atlantic. There are no Blues Bands past or present who do not owe a debt to Robert Leroy and his magic. His genius and virtuosity with the bottleneck will live forever! Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com Robin Piggott is a Professional Driving Instructor based in Limerick .Ireland.He was one of the kids referred to in the above article and has been a lifelong disciple of the Blues. If you are thinking of traveling in Ireland please have a look at his web site and blogs. www.astralmotoring.ie astralmotoring.blogspot.com ...
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| Feature Article Fender Guitars : Tradition that Never Gets Old
Author: Peter Lenkefi
Without a doubt, Fender guitars are the top-of-the-line in guitars. Success in business is often measured according to the amount of money and sales a company is able to secure. The success of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation proves there are two other elements to consider: dedication and perseverance. From the beginning, it was company owner Leo Fender's main goal to fender guitars the best as possible. The first fruits of his labor would prove positive his dedication He would reach his goal by designing the Telecaster, a solid-body electric guitar with a Spanish design. This guitar, like many Fender guitars that would follow, was the first of its kind. Only a few years after gaining fame with the Telecaster, Fender followed with the Precision Bass and Stratocaster. These Fender guitars are now collector's items. Shortly after the success of their pioneering guitars, the company switched management gears and was sold to CBS due to Leo Fender failing ill. For the decade that followed, the company would reach the pinnacle of success by riding on the coattails of their successful Fender guitars. Luckily, CBS returned to its broadcasting ventures and sold the company to employees who basically rebuilt the company from the ground up. Slowly and with assurance the company rebuilt its reputation in the amplifier and guitar industry. They also continued the company's dedication to customize guitars. The Fender guitars that put the manufacturer on the map were the Telecaster and the Stratocaster. These two electric guitars proved that the company knew how to make great sound. Anytime a musician looks for a guitar, the quality they most often search for is sound. When Leo Fender first considered joining the guitar industry, he was actually a designer of amplifiers. When people think of Fender guitars they often think of electric guitars. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation also produces a good stock of reputable acoustic guitars. To show their versatility, the company also created a selection of acoustic-electric and bass guitars. Reviewing Fender Guitars The old saying that, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" probably applies to how Eric Clapton became associated with the Fender company. For many years the guitar legend Eric Clapton was a die hard Gibson guitar fan. That was until the company discontinued his favorite Gibson guitar. Clapton finally discovered love in the land of Fender guitars. Out of his collaborations with the company arose the introduction of the Clapton Signature Strat guitars. Clapton has not turned back since. The following are the unique features of this line of guitars: * Noiseless Pickups that are trademarked
* Tremolo bridge
* Neck shaped in the form of a "V" Nowadays, there are very few things that last 50 years. However, the American Telecaster has done just that. It was 50 years ago that Fender introduced the American Telecaster into its line of electric guitars. The Telecaster has managed to stand time because it has adapted with it as opposed to standing still. The following features exist on the most recent edition of the American Telecaster: * Signature S-1 switching system
* Complementing pickups
* Traditional body radius
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| Feature Article Fender Strat - A Piece of Magic
Author: Jakob Culver
One of the most popular guitars today and one of the best is the Fender Stratocaster. It has been around for years and has established a well known reputation for having an original sound and been great to play. Many top guitarists of the past and present played Strats - Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, the list goes on and on. All of these artists have that beautiful tonal sound of a Strat but when you hear each one, you can tell the difference between them, and that's the beautiful thing. The Fender Strat gives you such originality while having that beautiful tonal sound no other guitar has. The secret to that great sound that the Strats have is in the single coil pickups, the wood of the guitar and the way the body of the guitar is put together (2 sections). The combination of these 3 things put together is one of a kind, that guitarist have come to love right from the beginning of the Strats birth. Although Strats are centered around a standard setup. There are lots of additional models that slightly differ and in-turn slightly change the sound of the guitar. This is great because it offers guitarists the chance to find that desirable sound that they have always wanted. To go one step further a lot of big name guitarist that play Strats get fender to make them a custom model just for them on specifications that they want so they can come up with the ultimate and perfect sound for them. These guitars are also available to the public to buy and are deemed signature models. If you desire a sound from one of these top quality guitarist than you can have it by buying a signature model which emulates the exact sound that artist has. If you are thinking of buying a Strat I highly recommend to you that you go and try out as many different models that you can. Most people buy the standard USA Strat but this may not be for you, you may want something slightly different with a few different changes to the standard. Another thing I wish to point out is that when you try out a Strat, it is important play it through a quality amp, i.e. a fender twin amp. This is because if you try out guitars (great ones and poor ones) though a cheap and poor amp than the guitar will sound bad and disgusting. The rule when buying a guitar or any musical instrument is to try out many different types of that instrument as possible, this is the only way to properly find out what guitar suits you best.
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