How To Buy Your First Electric Guitar

Posted by Music Radio | Music Radio | Wednesday 3 March 2010 5:01 pm

There are a number of factors to consider when looking to purchase your first electric guitar. This report will be divided into four sections each covering a specific topic that will help you to choose your guitar. This text is intended as a guide only and in no way claims to be definitive. It does not promote or endorse any particular brand of instrument over another. The information contained is the result of nearly thirty years of playing, repairing and selling guitars.

Section I ? Price Range

The first issue to address and perhaps the most important (unfortunately) is the price that you are willing to spend on an instrument. Nowadays, unlike twenty or thirty years ago, you are able to purchase a very good quality guitar for a low price. It is a good idea to establish a minimum and a maximum that you would like to spend. Say for instance you choose a model that starts at $125.00 and goes up to $250.00 for the model with the most options or features (better bridge, tuners, etc.?). If your maximum price is only $200.00, you might opt for the in-between model that is still a great guitar that has everything you need! However, make sure that you shop around for your best deal. The same instrument could vary in price from one store to the next; so do your homework you won?t regret it!So when choosing your first electric guitar, only you can decide how much you want to spend. The point is to realize that there is usually more than one model of the same line of a particular guitar at different prices. It can get rather confusing, but that is what this guide is for; so you have an idea of what to look for!

Section II ? Visual Aspects

It is important to consider the appearance of the instrument you are seeking. This section of course varies with each individual person. However, it is important that you are happy with the way your guitar looks. After all, you?re buying your first guitar and you will probably keep it for a number of years. Do you like solid colors such as blue, red, green, or white? What about clear finishes or sunburst? Is the body style appealing to you? This is all personal choice right? Well, yes and no. If you have the money obviously you can pick whatever you want, but keep in mind that within just about any particular brand of guitar, solid colors generally cost less than clear finishes and sunbursts. So visual aspects are largely a matter of taste, but you might be limited again by your budget.

Section III ? Sound and Playability

When you pick up a guitar in the store and begin to play, it should feel comfortable. The neck should fit your hand size and the body should rest against you comfortably while standing up as well as sitting down. The sound must be pleasing to your ears or else you won?t be happy with the instrument. Ask to try out guitars with different pickup configurations. Pickups are the bars under the strings near the bridge that ?pickup? the string vibrations. Pickup configurations are simply the arrangement of the pickups that will produce different sound combinations when switched. The guitar should also fit the style of music that you intend to play. The salesperson at the music store can be helpful for this, as they should have a pretty good idea of which guitars are used for what. This might seem self-explanatory but so many times I?ve seen people (including myself) settle for something less or different than what they had in mind. Only to fall victim to the persuasive salesperson who is thinking about his commission rather than your satisfaction or happiness. So when choosing, keep in mind your personal needs alone, not what someone else tells you or tries to push you into.

Section IV ? The Bottom Line

What is the bottom line? Your personal satisfaction! You have to like or even love the instrument that you purchase, even if it is an inexpensive beginner?s model. Of course there is a lot more that could be said about this subject but the idea is to give you a guide that will help you in your purchase, not to write a long commentary! So have fun and don?t rush. You won?t be satisfied if you?re hasty so take your time and you will find your first electric guitar with as little stress as possible.

The Author is a guitarist of 30 years with experience in the studio, live performance and teaching. He also builds replicas of vintage amplifiers from the fifties. At the Guitars For All website you will find this article and also a collection of Free Guitar Lessons, so don’t hesitate to look for them HERE.

Electric Bass Guitars

Posted by Music Radio | Music Radio | Wednesday 15 July 2009 6:00 pm

Electric bass guitars produce a very striking sound that gives a punch to any type of music. The sound it produces is lower and deeper than normal guitars. These have a longer neck and are tuned an octave lower in pitch than a normal guitar.

Bass guitars are based on the double bass, and the sound it turns out is magical to the ears. It has a similar range as other bass instruments. The bass guitar just like a classic guitar with a bass design. Its body is made of wood, with an option of a fully hollow body, partially hollow body or completely solid body. The electric bass, in contrast to the double bass, is played while held horizontally across the body. Unlike the double bass, it is not played with a bow; instead, it is usually plucked with the fingers, thumbs or plectra. You can play the electric bass guitar sitting or standing.

The bass players generally stand while playing, although sitting is also accepted, particularly in the orchestral settings. However, it is a matter of player?s preference as to which position gives him the greatest ease of playing. When sitting and playing, the instrument can easily be balanced on the thighs or legs. A bass guitar suits almost all kinds of music, like rock, jazz and pop, but it?s very popular in contemporary music. Playing a guitar is fun, but the electric bass guitar definitely add that little sound and vibration to your fingers as you enjoy playing it.

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Guitar Choosing Exactly The One For You

Posted by Music Radio | Music Radio | Monday 13 July 2009 10:48 am

Playing guitar, like everything else, takes time and dedication to master. Once you do, it can be one of the most rewarding things you have done in your life. You may have had to spend countless hours practicing away, with your fingers on the edge of going numb but like any visa comercial would say, playing in front of a crowd and getting their admiration, is priceless.

Choosing the right guitar for you is something you must not take lightly. If you’re getting started, this can be the difference between becoming a master or just playing for a couple of weeks and leave it on the side.

There are a few things you want to consider, things like the quality of the wood, the bridge of the guitar, and what type of music you like. I say what type of music you like because this is what ultimately decides what guitar are you going for. First of all, there’s the sound quality, which in general terms sums up in two types of guitar: electric and acoustic.

If you like rock and you’re interested in playing with more of an upbeat, high paced, louder rithm, then an electrical guitar is a better fit for you. If you want more of a classic vibe, a more mellow organic feel on your playing then you should get a classical guitar.

If you’re a beginner, than I would suggest working your way from a classical guitar. You can find them at a better price and you can play them anywhere, which is something you definetly want to consider.

If, on the other hand, you have more free time on your hands and you want to make some serious noise, then getting an electrical guitar is more fit for you. Keep in mind, that unless you are already good and can keep up with a tune by yourself, it can become irritating really fast when you’re playing nothing but noise for a couple of hours.

In general, what you want is something that strikes the balance between what you want with what you need with your current skillset. Be sure to match up the style of your music, the type and quality of your guitar and the location you will play it in (if electric you will need power supply all the time).

After you make your choice, make sure you keep developing your skillset, and you’ll be thankful you did.

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Custom Made Guitars

Posted by Music Radio | Music Radio | Saturday 11 July 2009 2:01 pm

Every musician is particular about instrument set up. Guitarists like to have their guitars custom-made to reflect their unique identity. Custom-made guitars are a unique combination of order, expertise, dreamy innovations and intuition clubbed together to make a fine piece of art. Studio owners and professional players all swear by custom-made guitars, and they are very popular.

There are radical custom designs that are incorporated from every facet of art to produce a custom made guitar. Creators of custom designs release very few pieces of any particular make, in order to keep it a unique creation. They have artistic designs that run through the entire front of the guitar. The designs are made of different materials and crafted using techniques similar to furniture making. The most common material used to produce custom guitars is Rosewood. It is used for making concert instruments, and is generally aged for 15 to 30 years. It is therefore considerably better than virtually all other commercially available material. Other materials used are ribs and backs that are stored at a controlled humidity to ensure their stability before use.

The designs of a custom-made guitar may be complex and intricate, adding in a particular theme or an outlook. A custom-made guitar is considered a collector?s item and usually created from the most exquisite materials available. Guitarists do not play these guitars ? they flaunt them as a showpiece. Large guitar manufacturers often issue these guitars to celebrate a significant historical milestone.

Custom made guitars have high historical value and fetch large amounts of money when auctioned. Rock bands are usually associated with the use of customized instruments to exhibit their personalities. The famous rock star, Jimmy Hendricks is known to have auctioned his guitar for over $1 million. Just like custom bikes, cars, houses, furniture and clothes, custom guitars have seen an upsurge in popularity especially amongst the modern rock bands of the 21st century.

Electric Guitars provides detailed information on Electric Guitars, Acoustic Electric Guitars, Cheap Electric Guitars, Electric Bass Guitars and more. Electric Guitars is affiliated with Piano Lessons.

Cheap Electric Guitars

Posted by Music Radio | Music Radio | Monday 29 June 2009 10:21 am

Guitar playing can be your passion, your obsession, your profession or your hobby. Owning a guitar of your own is every guitarist?s dream. But buying one can be quite expensive. In that case, an easy and affordable alternative is to buy a cheap electric guitar.

The cheap versions of electric guitars are almost same as the expensive ones and also produce a similar sound. The only difference is the quality of wood and strings used to make the guitars. Otherwise, the cheaper versions are just look-alikes of the expensive ones, and it?s hard to find any difference in the two. If the two are kept beside each other it would be difficult to tell them apart; even the sounds produced are similar.

Only a very experienced and highly professional guitarist who has tested his hands on almost all types of guitars can tell the difference. The cheap electric guitars are a good deal for beginners, amateurs and kids, before buying a more expensive model. When you go to buy a cheap electric guitar don?t go by the looks, since they can be deceiving and you might end up buying useless stuff. Take a good look at the product. Check the controls, nuts and bolts, pickups and playability. To buy some really interesting electric guitars you can go on online and have a look at the products available with different dealers, and then contact them. Or, you can go to some reputable dealers in your own town and buy cheap yet good-quality guitars.

Electric Guitars provides detailed information on Electric Guitars, Acoustic Electric Guitars, Cheap Electric Guitars, Electric Bass Guitars and more. Electric Guitars is affiliated with Piano Lessons.

A Brief History Of Gibson Guitars

Posted by Music Radio | Music Radio | Wednesday 1 April 2009 9:27 pm

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.

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.

Written By: Michael Casamento

Michael Casamento is the founder of Guitar Pages Online – a comprehensive resource for guitars and guitar related merchandise on the Internet.

For more information visit:http://www.guitarpagesonline.com

This article may be freely reproduced so long as the above resource box is included in its entirety.

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A Brief History Of Fender Guitars

Posted by Music Radio | Music Radio | Wednesday 1 April 2009 5:27 am

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.

Written By: Michael Casamento

Michael Casamento is the founder of Guitar Pages Online – a comprehensive resource for guitars and guitar related merchandise on the Internet.

For more information visit:http://www.guitarpagesonline.com

This article may be freely reproduced so long as the above resource box is included in its entirety.

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12 String Acoustic Guitars

Posted by Music Radio | Music Radio | Wednesday 5 November 2008 8:27 pm

Guitars have evolved a long way from the 6 stringed guitars of the yesteryears to a completely functional acoustic guitar with 12 strings. Earlier, a guitar only meant the non-electronic variety. A 12-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar that has its roots in the classical guitar. Acoustic guitars are tensed with steel strings for a clear and loud sound. They require a stronger frame construction to withstand the tension created by the strings. Terms such as the steel-stringed guitar or folk guitar are used to distinguish an acoustic guitar from classical guitars.

The production of a 12 string acoustic guitar has many variations in the construction method and materials used. These methods contribute largely to the sounds produced by an acoustic guitar. Expensive guitars feature solid wood tops, sides and backs, while the lower priced ones may use solid tops with laminated backs and sides. Acoustic guitars made for amateur guitarists are completely laminated. As the availability of high quality woods is on the decline, manufacturers have resorted to using different types of woods. Plastic and graphite are also used as a guitar making material. The various combinations of different woods and their quality, along with design and construction elements are among the factors affecting the tone of the guitar. The most contributing factor in the tone of an acoustic guitar is the solid top. The laminated sides and backs are also instrumental in the production of pleasant sounds.

There has been a rise in the number of guitar players and the companies selling guitars. The most prominent American makers of acoustic guitars are Martin, Guild, Taylor and Gibson. They are known for both the quality and price of their instruments.

Rock bands have adapted to the use of 12 string acoustic guitars. They are easy to learn and play. They provide variations in the sound output that may not be possible for a classical guitar.

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