Richard Neesal asked:


Choosing the right electric guitar relies on many different factors such as the type of music that is going to be played, how often the guitar will be played and where.

For those learning to play the electric guitar, finding a good one to learn on is important, especially when knowing the fingers are going to have to toughen up a bit. And the easier the electric guitar is to play the better.

Many individuals that have played different electric guitars will tell you that not all guitars play or handle the same. For example, the strings and how hard they must be pressed have a great deal to do with the overall decision of purchasing an electric guitar.
Electric guitars can’t be simply be taken anywhere. So the location of where they are going to be played will require power of some type.

In addition, when choosing an electric guitar an individual has to take into consideration the amplifier that will be used in order to play the guitar. The guitar must sound right when it comes through the amplifier. Many electric guitars are being sold today with the option of actually purchasing the amplifier for a specific guitar. There are some electric guitars that just won’t sound right unless they are in fact sold with a certain amplifier.

There are also many band members that will tell you that in choosing the right electric guitar, weight should be a factor too. There are those brands of electric guitars that are lighter than others. There are also electric guitars on the market today designed especially for youth or young adults. In these circumstances the electric guitar is considerably lighter.

Some web sites via the Internet also have a wide assortment of different electric guitars that individuals and consumers can actually purchase via the Internet. Unfortunately, this doesn’t allow the individual to feel the weight or style of the guitar. Only the image can be seen on the web site and a description essentially given about the electric guitar.

Many of the music stores today usually have all the information an individual would need in order to choose the right electric guitar. The salespeople are usually helpful in knowing about the various electric guitars. In many stores, it is also possible for a consumer or customer to try the guitar out before the guitar is actually purchased, though this isn’t the case in all stores.

Vintge Guitars

Peter Suhm asked:


Ibanez electric guitars are inseparable from their Japanese roots as the Hoshino Gakki musical Instrument Co. in Japan imported Salvador Ibanez instruments as far back as the late 1920s. The Ibanez Company was eventually bought by Hoshino Gakki and by the late 1950s Ibanez electric guitars were being fabricated solely in Japan. Since 1982 Ibanez electric guitars have been sold on the international market. Originally the Ibanez electric guitars were imitations or copies of already established models made by Fender and Gibson, but by the late 1970s Ibanez emerged on the market with their own unique models, the Iceman, and the Ibanez Roadstar, thereby securing their place in the market of electric guitars. Since the production of the Iceman and the Roadstar, the company has no longer been producing copies of other models. The Ibanez Roadstar series features 24 fret slim necks and most of the models have bolt-on necks with high-performing tremolos. One way to easily identify an Ibanez electric guitar is by the “Monkey grip” or the “Lion’s Claw” just below the tremolo. Vine or Pyramid inlay are also signature design qualities of Ibanez electric guitars. Today’s Roadstar guitars include a 6-step special treatment to the fret board for more comfortable playing. Ibanez also designed the “S” series which is now famous for its ergonomic and light weight bodies made of mahogany wood. As intricate design is ingrained in Japanese esthetics, it is no surprise that the Ibanez electric guitars include delicate inlay in their design. Some of the famous musicians who favor the Ibanez electric guitars are Frank Gambale, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Nuno Bettencourt. Herman Li, guitarist for Dragonforce, is the newest endorser of Ibanez guitars. Frank Zappa’s guitarist, Steve Vai formed a relationship with Ibanez in the early 1990s, a collaboration that resulted in the Ibanez JEM and the Ibanez Universe models. Soon after the success of the JEM, a lower-priced version of this model appeared on the market and it too, was an instant hit among electric guitar enthusiasts. Also true to Japanese manufacturing that aims for high quality at low cost, Ibanez electric guitars are noted for being amongst the best made guitars on the market for the best price. With so much bang for your buck, you really can’t go wrong with an Ibanez. In 2002 the company released the new Artcore series, a hollow body guitar aimed to attract the novice guitarist. Since then, the Artcore is considered to be among the very best value guitars on today’s market.  With its beginnings in Spain and its foot in the door to the Japanese market before its destruction in the Spanish Civil War, the Ibanez Company survived incredible obstacles, finally securing its place in the world market for electric guitars. This is truly remarkable and speaks highly for the persistence and dedication to excellence that has made the Ibanez electric guitar what it is today: an awesome instrument worthy of the passionate player’s attention.

Buy Sell Trade Used Guitars & Amps

Peter Suhm asked:


What is a left-handed electric guitar? Can’t you just flip a regular electric guitar over, string it backwards, and call it a left-handed guitar? Well, maybe south paw acoustic guitar players can do that, but for any serious guitarist, that is sacrilege. As for the left-handed electric guitarist, however, that is simply asking too much. Due to the positioning of the electric pickup control knobs, simply flipping and restringing an electric guitar is not an option. The knobs that control the electric qualities of the guitar are situated on the body near the bottom of the strings. The placement of these knobs is relevant to comfort and convenience so that the musician can manipulate them with only a slight movement of his strumming/picking hand. Therefore, simply restringing a right-handed electric guitar will not result in a satisfactory instrument for the left-handed musician, even if he did concede to sacrilege. How is a left-handed electric guitar any different from a regular electric guitar?A left-handed guitar is one that is strung in the opposite order of a regular guitar because, as the chords and picking styles are designed to move from lower to higher notes, the thicker strings are placed at the top of the instrument’s body (as it is positioned against the body of the musician) and the thinner strings at the bottom. A left-handed guitar is held with body of the instrument in front and to the right of the musician, the neck reaching out to the left. The fingers on the left hand are then used to press the strings against the neck so that when the strings are strummed or picked with the right hand, the desired notes are produced. Until only the past couple of decades, left-handed guitarists were encouraged to learn to play regular guitars simply because of a very limited availability of left-handed instruments, and even fewer chord books designed for left-handed guitars. It was also considered to not be very important since playing the guitar is ultimately a 2-handed art. People just accepted that no matter whether you are right-handed or a “lefty”, you would have to develop strength, flexibility, and speed with both hands, so there must not be much need for a specially designed guitar for lefties. Lefties are strong-minded, though, and so the market finally had to respond to the need. Left-handed musicians no doubt spurred the growth of custom designed instruments also filling the market. Even though there are many more companies today manufacturing left-handed electric guitars, the fact remains that when you are out in the world of guitars, you are more likely to find awesome electric guitars that are not made for the south paw. Don’t let this discourage you though because even a quick web search will bring up thousands of retailers, one of which is bound to have your dream left-handed electric guitar!  

Buy Sell Trade Used Guitars & Amps

Peter Suhm asked:


Yamaha electric guitars are produced by a company with more than 100 years of experience and expertise in making musical instruments. The brand stands on a good and proven record of quality products. Yamaha fabricated its first electric guitar in 1966 at its factory in Central Japan. One of Yamaha’s core values is the absolute joy of music. For this reason, the company aims to make this wonderful discovery attainable by everyone. To meet this goal, Yamaha has a variety of complete guitar kits on the market. The Yamaha EG-112PF Electric Guitar kit is a popular choice for new beginners. This kit includes a practice amplifier, padded gig bag, guitar cable, 2 single-coil pickups, 1 humbucking pickup, 5-positiong pickup switch, a tremolo bar, and chrome hardware. Satisfied customers claim that it is the best choice for any beginner. In fact, many accomplished guitarists today began with this very kit. One of the nice things about the Yamaha EG-112PF Electric Guitar kit is that as the novice guitarists improves and becomes more accomplished, this first-love guitar can easily be overhauled to meet the needs of the growing musician. Along these same lines is the Gigmaker EG guitar pack. This kit includes a PAC012 Pacifica solid body electric guitar, 20-watt 2-channel Drive guitar amp, Qwik Tune Digital chromatic tuner, guitar cable, gig bag, guitar strap, and an instructional DVD. Another unique electric guitar made by Yamaha is the SLG100 Silent guitar. This guitar is perfect for people who live in populated areas such as student dorms, apartments, and condos. Just plug in the headphones and what you hear will make you feel as if you are playing in a grand concert hall, but no one else will know! It’s a great way to practice. Then, just hook up to a sound system and you are ready for public performances. Yamaha electric guitars are recognized for their through neck system whereas the neck is set deeply into the body instead of being bolted onto the body. Yamaha electric guitars are also known for their patented “T-Cross system” and “sustain Plate”. These new features resulted in a powerful yet warm tone quality. Known as high quality, yet affordable for the beginning and intermediate guitarist, it is often said that a Yamaha electric guitar is the optimal choice because it is both affordable and easy to play. Like all the famous electric guitar manufacturers, Yamaha makes a variety of models. The Pacific series is significant because it was the first to be designed and built in the American Custom Shop in Hollywood California with the input from professional players. Yamaha electric guitars are among the best for beginners, but the true Yamaha lover can stay with this brand forever. Yamaha electric guitars span the limits in versatility. From low-cost basic to high end professional instruments, Yamaha electric guitars can meet your needs and enhance your performance for a lifetime of musical bliss.

Alternatives to eBay

Peter Clark asked:


So you’ve wanted to be a rock star since before you could walk, but to really be a rock star you need to learn how to play the electric guitar. After all, the guitar players are always the ones at the front of the stage aren’t they?

Problem is it’s not easy to learn to play the electric guitar, it can take years and some say you’re never finished learning. So I’ve written a series of articles about some of the basics of electric guitars, and in this one I’ll have a look at how the timber you choose for your guitar changes the result you get from your guitar, or at least changes the sound.

Now of course the actual sound of the guitar isn’t produced by the timber in the guitar, it’s produced by the strings and it’s taken by the pickups and converted into an electronic signal for the amplifier to use to amplify the sound. So how can the timber which is used to make the guitar change the sound?

The reason is that the timber which makes the guitar affects how the strings vibrate, and so it thus affects their sound because the way the string vibrate affects the sound. And it’s not just the timber used in the guitar which affects the sound either, it’s the complete package. It’s the timber used, the shape of the guitar, the type of guitar, for instance whether it’s a solid or hollow body, and it’s the way it’s constructed.

And it’s the way that the pickup or pickups moves as well.

Lets have a look at some different timbers and how they are used in electric guitar construction.

Mahogany is a hardwood used in many of the parts of an electric guitar that utilize timber. It isn’t the hardest of hardwoods and it emphasised midrange sounds well and resonates well. It is a lovely brown color and looks great.

Ash is used mainly in the bodies of solid body guitars. It is a hardwood and produces a fine resonant sound with a sustained ring and good midrange.

Rosewood is a beatifully looking timber that is used particularly for the fretboards of guitars. It is very hard and looks great and has a wide range of colors.

Maple is often used for guitar necks and is a very dense hardwood with good tonal characteristics. It’s tonal characteristics help with trebles in the sound of the particular guitar.

Alder is similar to Ash but is cheaper so is more common in some of the cheap electric guitars that you can find, but is a good timber even so.

There are more exotic timbers used in electric guitar constructions too. However for the beginner who aspires to a basic level of competence at the electric guitar it is sufficient to understand that the timber you choose in your electric guitar affects the sound it produces. Gradually as you learn more about both playing the electric guitar as well as how they are constructed you can narrow down exactly what guitar it is you want to play, and eventually when you get good enough you can buy the right guitar for your style.

However at first it’s a matter of learning how to play and learning about the different types of guitar. Because it will be some years before you’er good enough to justify spending up big on a great electric guitar that will do everything you want it to.

That’s the point where you need to know enough about them to know exactly which electric guitar is right for you.

Mesa Boogie

Peter Suhm asked:


Acoustic electric guitars: is this not a contradiction in terms? After all, “acoustic” describes music, or a musical instrument that is not electronically amplified; “electric” however, implies that the music or musical instrument is electronically amplified. Well actually, the wonderful thing about acoustic electric guitars is that they combine both the qualities of the acoustic, which is to control, absorb, and carry sound, as well as the qualities of the electric which is to amplify the sound. Acoustic electric guitars give the player and the listener alike the full benefit of both acoustic and electric qualities. Acoustic guitars have a hollow body (or at least a portion of the body is hollow) like acoustic instruments, but they also have electric pickups mounted directly onto the body. The purpose of an acoustic electric guitar is to get the tones of an acoustic, but with an increased volume. The most basic and original kind of acoustic electric guitar is an acoustic that has been fitted to include pickups. When these were first introduced, the major problem was with feedback. The electronic pickups couldn’t handle all the vibrations of the instrument and the electrical currents, so a screaming feedback often resulted. In addition, the acoustic sound was often compromised as well because the electric pickups simply could not manage the high frequency sounds. Today, most acoustic electric guitars have piezoelectric pickups which require a preamplifier made directly into the body of the guitar. The more advanced acoustic electric guitars of today have eliminated these problems and enhanced the quality of sound as they are designed to be truly acoustic-electric as opposed to being acoustic guitars with an electric add-on. There are two kinds of acoustic electric guitars: the acoustic-electric classical guitar, and the basic acoustic electric guitar. The acoustic-electric classical guitar was designed to amplify the sound. This guitar is first an acoustic instrument, and the electric component is added. This idea was then improved upon, thus the invention of the acoustic electric guitar. Generally speaking, you can remember that acoustic electric guitars are primarily regarded as acoustic instruments because the pickups produce a signal from the vibration of the guitar’s body rather than from the vibration of the strings. The most valued benefits of an acoustic electric guitar are 1) the ability to plug your instrument into a console without the need for expensive microphone equipment, and 2) the ability to play at very loud volumes while still maintaining the clear, sharp, beautiful tones of the acoustic guitar. These guitars produce both clarity of tone as well as volume and are an excellent choice for many musicians. The term acoustic electric guitars is not at all a contradiction of terms, rather it refers to the type of guitar that produces an incredible sound at concert levels by its innovative design.  

Rock n Roll

Richard Neesal asked:


The actual date and time of the invention of the electric guitar hasn’t ever been recognized, although it was first seen in the early 1930’s by members of orchestras and musicians. The inventors of the electric guitar at that time, who were electronically minded individuals, realized that the guitar needed to be amplified to produce louder sounds in noisy venues and to be able to be heard alongside other instruments.

The reason for this of course was due to the fact that at the time, many of the musical instruments at that time were often made of brass. With this being the case, acoustic guitars would simply not be heard in a band. This frustrated many of the musicians, because the guitar was a popular instrument and was simply being pushed out of the music place.

The version of the instrument that is best known today is the solid body electric guitar, a guitar made of solid wood, without resonating airspaces within it. The electric guitar of this type has an innovation of technology which includes a pickup of some kind that actually causes the vibration from the strings being played to sound through some kind of amplifier. Obviously, the amplifier for the electric guitar was also an issue and the earliest of these often had tubes as televisions did during that time period.

Electric guitars in history have been rather heavy due to the inner components. Over the past few decades the electric guitar has been getting lighter and lighter. The electric guitar and the components are essentially made out of not only lighter wood, but the actual pickup is smaller. This allows for a bigger sound. In fact, some of these electric guitars are even becoming digital in many different aspects of the overall design of the electric guitar.

There are many web sites dedicated to the concept of the electric guitar, and those that are sold today are reasonable and affordable. It is for this reason that so many individuals today are learning to play the electric guitar more. According to statistics the number of those individuals who play the electric guitar has increased tremendously over the past decade alone. With the history of the electric guitar so long ago, the design of the body of the electric guitar has changed too. There are many different colors for the electric guitar now.

There are also those that are considered cut-outs. Cut-outs are those electric style guitars that literally have portions of the body removed for appearance. Depending on where or what type of music the guitar is going to play will usually vary in the appearance and color of the electric guitar.

Electric guitars are found in most bands today. From classical music, rock music and other styles, to ultimately country music that often used acoustic guitars in times past. Many of the electric guitars now also have add-ons or pedals for the guitar that can essentially make the electric guitar sound like any instrument. This is a big advancement from the 1930’s when the entire idea of an electric guitar was simply so it could be heard among the other instruments in a band.

Guitars Amps Reviews

Peter Suhm asked:


Electric guitar amps come in such an array of power, special abilities, and specific purposes that it would be easy to become overwhelmed by it all. This article will present basic information about electric guitar amps. In the simplest of guitar amps there is at least a volume control and most even have a gain and a master volume control. The gain control is equivalent to the distortion control on a distortion pedal. The tone controls typically include passive bass and treble controls or maybe even midrange control. Generally speaking, there are two basic kinds of amps: 1) solid state and 2) vacuum tube. A solid state amplifier is easy to repair, lighter, and less expensive. The sounds produced by the solid state amp are those favored by Blues and Rock artists. A vacuum tube amplifier on the other hand, is more expensive, heavier, and periodically the tubes need to be replaced, adding to the expense of upkeep. The “slapback”, a term used to describe the echo effect, was originally produced through a tube amplifier. Electric guitar amps come in two forms: 1) the combo contains the amplifier head and the guitar speakers in a single unit with the amp head including the preamp, built-in effects processing and a power amplifier; 2) the amp stack is an assembly of separate units, the amplifier head which is usually placed on top of one or more loudspeakers, and a separate amplifier head is placed on top of a guitar speaker cabinet. There different forms of the amp stack including the half stack (one cabinet with an amp head on top); full stack (the amp head on top of two cabinets); and Head and Cab, or Piggyback, (stacks on a frame that can be maneuvered with tilting hinges and casters). Electric guitarists use the amps in one of two different situations, either for practice and performance, or for recording. Recording guitar amps have a power rating of 20 watts down, sometimes as low as even a fraction of 1 watt. Practice or performance amps, on the other hand, have a wattage of more than 50. What is an electric guitar without distortion? Distortion is one of the major characteristics that define the electric guitar sound. Often referred to as the sound’s texture, distortion is shaped by the sound produced by the guitar amplifier by adding distortion and/or equalization effect pedals before the amp’s input jack. Another kind of signature sounds of the electric guitar tone are the electronic effects.Guitar effects are electronic devices that modify or the tone, pitch, or sound of an electric guitar by rerouting the electric signal in some way.  The effects are housed in small effects pedals known as “stomp boxes” or directly in the guitar amps. Electric guitar amps are an essential piece of equipment in the electric guitar package. Without the amp, there is essentially no electric guitar. Therefore, it is important to know the basics about electric guitar amps so you know what will best fit your guitar and your needs.

Guitars Amps Reviews