Guitar 101, Headline »

While there is a massive chunk of the this site’s audience already very familiar with what each bit of a guitar is, this article is really aimed at those who might be just starting their guitar journey (or even just thinking about it).
This first article in Guitar 101 is a primer (or a refresher if you want to do a little revision) to ensure we all know the basics before we start moving on to look, in more detail, at all of the bits of a guitar.  For that reason, …

Factory Tours, Featured »

OK, so we visited Gibson a few weeks back but there’s always something new to see and to learn.
Here’s a series of three videos following the assembly of a Les Paul. Plenty of interesting stuff to see at each stage of the process and you get to see the presenter hack at lovely Les Pauls in various stages of construction – personally, I hope that guitar on which he butchered the neck tenon with a chisel (looking like he was going to stab himself in the process) wasn’t actually sold …

Featured, News »

The Bob Moog Foundation will auction this guitar on eBay from December 7th to 17th.
The guitar is a Paul Vo Collector Edition Moog Guitar.  It’s one of only 300 ever made (serial number , 005) and it has been signed by, and more importantly, played by, Lou Reed.
The guitar itself has a flamed maple top on an ash body.  It’s got a maple neck and ebony fingerboard.  It’s the internal fiddly bits that make this guitar special though, for it’s them that make this guitar do Moogy stuff.  Not really …

Featured, News »

You can now get yourself an SE Singlecut PRS made from Korina.
What’s all the fuss you ask?
Well, Korina is a splendid wood to make guitars from.  The first Gibson Flying V and Explorers were made from Korina and it’s being used more and more lately.  Korina is, in many ways, very similar to mahogany (they’re close cousins really) – it has a similar grain pattern, although it’s usually a little lighter in colour.  It’s also often lighter in weight than mahogany too although individual pieces will obviously vary.  Korina sounds …

Featured, News »

Christie’s AuctionHouse is having a Country Music sale.  On December 3rd, they’ll be auctioning off a ton of stuff associated with a ton of country music stars.
Among the fringed shirts and other memorabilia that you might expect, are lots of guitars.
And some of them are pretty cool.  To name but a few items:
There is a 1940 S-200 Gibson archtop that used to belong to Roy Rogers.  There’s a 1947 Martin D-18 that used to belong to Hank Williams.  Buddy Holly’s leather covered Gibson J-45 from around 1942 or 43 also …

Featured, News »

It seems the only news lately is sales, sales, sales.
For their Thanksgiving celebration, Fender are offering 10% off the price of all Fender gear over the holiday weekend (27th to 30th November).
This isn’t a sale, however, it’s actually called Fender Fan Appreciation Days. Fair enough – doesn’t matter what it’s called when there are bargains to be had.
This is in participating Fender dealers only (and US only).
To see if there’s a participating dealer near you, check Fender.

Featured, News »

It seems IK are overcome with good cheer this festive season.  I wrote a while back about some of the deals on offer from them and, while they’re still available, IK have even more bargains the these penny-pinching times.
There are quite a few offers, so I’m not going in to great detail on each. IK’s site will have all the info your recession-hit pocket requires.
I’ll include links to each of the various offers as we go.  Bear in mind when purchasing that prices are listed exclusive of VAT or taxes.

SampleMoog, …

Featured, News »

If you’re one of the few who are unfamiliar with the beginning of the ‘Gibson raided by the Feds for alleged issues with their sourcing tonewoods’ story can read about it here and here.
Gibson’s CEO, Henry E. Juszkiewicz, has been serving on the board of the Rainforest Alliance (who aren’t exactly keen on non-sustainable forestry) and, until this issue is resolved, he has stepped down from his position with the RFA.
The Rainforest Alliance has released the following statement:
Statement in Response to the United States Fish & Wildlife Service’s Investigation of …

Featured, Music »

That’s Paul Smith, not Paul Reed Smith.  Paul Smith, the clothing designer, collaborated with Vintage Guitars in order to produce this – the Paul Smith acoustic guitar.
It’s a 3/4-sized acoustic that Paul Smith is refers to in most of his marketing as a ‘children’s guitar’ but could really serve as a travel guitar for the discerning clothes-horse who wants to strum as fashionably as he or she dresses.
The guitar has a spruce top and mahogany body.  The neck is maple and the fingerboard, rosewood. Specifications list a mahogany bridge but the …

Featured, News »

Another cool competition.  From Fender this time.
Everyone loves a Jazzmaster, right?  ’Course you do.  Well, so does J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.
Fender are doing a Dinosaur Jr. tie-in with this competition.  You can win a, very handsome, custom-built, sparkle-finish Jazzmaster – with a gold anodised pickguard (none more cool) – that’s been signed by J Mascis.
If you win, Fender will even give you a copy of the latest Dino Jr. album.  Probably, the Jazzmaster is a bigger draw though – it is pretty stunning.
Pop off to Fender and sign up …