Instruments & Gear Reviews & Tutorials

Learn about the Mexican-made (MIM) Fender Standard Stratocaster and decide if the HSS or SSS if better for you and your sound.

Check out my review of the Marshall DSL40C guitar amp. It’s a powerful, versatile tube combo from a legendary name in the guitar world.

A pair of spoons can be used as a folk and percussion instrument. A variety of playing techniques are possible and a range of rhythms and sounds can be produced.

Read my hands-on review of the Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded T electric guitar and decide if this affordable instrument is right for you!

Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster? Read this review to help decide which guitar is better for you based on sound, quality and differences.Learn about affordable versions of each and how to choose between them.

Which guitar players have the best tone? Here are a few who knew what it takes to get some amazing sounds out of an electric guitar and amp.

Learn how many watts you need for a guitar amp based on your goals. Get advice on amplifiers for home use, playing in a band, recording and more.

Compare the best acoustic guitars under $500 and learn why you don't need to spend a fortune to land a great instrument!

Learn about the pros and cons of the Floyd Rose tremolo bridge, one of the most significant inventions in the history of electric guitar.

Which guitar brand is best for metal: Jackson, Ibanez, ESP LTD or Schecter? Compare construction, quality, sound, specs and more.

The Gibson Les Paul Studio is a great guitar, but how does it match up with the Les Paul Standard or Epiphone Les Paul? This review explains all!

Knowing the difference between the Squier and Fender Stratocaster will help you decide which guitar is right for you and your budget.

Check out this list of the best acoustic guitars for under $1000, eight amazing instruments from the top guitar makers in the world.

Check out the best Yamaha acoustic guitars, top-rated instruments perfect for beginners but good enough for intermediate and advanced guitarists.

Don Felder wasn't always a member of the Eagles, but the band would have never soared as high as they did without him. The twin guitars of Felder and Joe Walsh produced some timeless music indeed. Gibson guitars has produced two instruments in Felder's honor, and here is the rest of the story.

In this review you'll discover why the Fender Standard HSS Stratocaster is among the top electric guitars for the money.

This beginner's guide to EZ Drummer will help you get started on that virtual percussion fix you so dearly crave.

These are five top notch and less expensive solid wood alternatives to a Martin D-28. Rosewood and spruce in a dreadnought design is something very desirable, but not all can afford a D-28.

Angus Young has been the frontman, and face of AC/DC. He does it all with a Gibson SG guitar. Here's the rest of the story.

A review given after testing out the Vox Rock 50-Watt Hybrid Tube amplifier head.

In the 1970s Gibson guitars relaxed their quality standards and sold some things they should not have. The Japanese took notice and started building Les Paul copies. Here are five of the best brands.

Every piano should be serviced once a year, or at least every two years. This goes beyond the simple idea of "having your piano tuned" by adjusting the wires. As a complex process, you will want to research technicians in your area to find a competent and experienced professional.

Check out this review of Jackson’s best guitars: The King V, Soloist, Rhoads, Dinky and Kelly. If you're metal, how do you choose only one?

Learn whether a beginner should choose an electric or acoustic guitar when starting out, and discover the differences between each type of guitar

This Fender Standard Jazz Bass review takes a look at a Made-in-Mexico (MIM) version of a classic instrument.

Review and compare 5 of the best bass combo amps under $500 from some of the biggest names in the industry and find the perfect amp for your needs.

The Epiphone vs Gibson Les Paul debate has been going on for years. This review will help you decide which guitar is better for your budget and needs. Here you can compare construction, quality and sound between Epiphone and Gibson, and even learn a little history.

This guide can help you find the best guitar amp for the money. Beginner or pro, you need the right amp for your budget and style.

Compare the Fender Mexican (MIM) Player Strat and American (MIA) Professional Stratocasters and decide which guitar is better for you and your budget.

Learn what to look for when buying your first acoustic guitar in this comprehensive guide for beginners.

Here's my list of best bass guitars for under $500. If you are a bassist on a budget here are the top basses for the money. They're affordable, they sound great and they are made by some of the best bass guitar companies of all time.

Discover the top ten electric guitars that are best for beginners, all under $200 and from big names in the guitar world.

All mahogany dreadnoughts offer a great counterpoint to the typical spruce top guitars. They have a unique voice too. They are most especially great for a singer songwriter who loves to play rhythm.

Check out the top rock guitar builders, companies that have proven themselves as the best of the best over the decades.

Here’s a review of the Fender Standard (MIM) Telecaster. This guitar might be made in Mexico, but the MIM Tele is a real Fender through and through.

Check out my review of the BOSS DS-1 Distortion Pedal and learn why this rock classic might be exactly what you need to take your guitar sounds to another level.

Compare the top electric guitars that are best for intermediate players and guitarists who are just beginning their climb to the top.

Find out which guitars besides the Epiphone Les Paul are among the best affordable alternatives to the Gibson Les Paul.

If you've always wanted to own a Telecaster, and have a maximum of five hundred dollars to spend, then this information is for you. Here are 5 of the single best options.

Discover the Peavey TransTube Bandit 112, red-stripe version. This powerful little amp has served me well for more than a decade!

Looking for a Stratocaster guitar but want to stay away from Fender? Here are five of the most well thought of non Fender Stratocaster manufacturers.

We can't all afford a $1500 Les Paul Standard, but with a bit of time and money, we can make a cheap guitar sound less... cheap.

Small bodied acoustic guitars with mahogany tops were the guitars of choice for most during the great depression. Well, they sound great today too. Here are five of the best mahogany top small bodies.

Discover the best heavy metal guitars under $300, great options from brands like Jackson, Schecter and Ibanez.

The best metal and hard rock guitar has to not only look the part, but sound amazing too. Here are a few guitars that make the cut.

This tutorial goes through all the steps necessary to unlock the full version of FL Studio 20 using a valid regkey.

Here are 5 of the best Fender Stratocaster models available. 4 are signature series or Artist series. Hendrix is dead, you know - and one is the new HSS Shawbucker, something desired widely.

Discover the 10 best guitar brands for heavy metal and learn which companies make the gear you want to get the hardcore sounds you need.

An introduction to the world of piano chords. If you have always wanted to play the piano but have no interest in reading music, this article is for you!

Are you a heavy metal guitarist, a shredder or riff master? These Super Strat guitars are the heavy metal virtuoso's dream come true.

Check out this list of best bass guitar brands for 2019 and get help finding an instrument that’s perfect for you.

If you're serious about playing music, you need to be prepared. Veteran players know that in order to get steady work, they need a well-stocked survival kit. Carry these items and be ready for anything.

Kurt Cobain was a hot burning star that went supernova. As a parting gift he gave us the MTV Unplugged concert. Here's the story of his guitar, and what similar guitars are available today.

The world of the acoustic steel string guitarist is totally in love with the Martin D-28 Herringbone guitars. It has been this way since the 1930's, and it will be this way for long to come. While there are many different varieties, makes, and models of the high X D-28 from various and sundry manufacturers, this article examines five of the best without trying to encourage breaking the bank and spending someone's inheritance

The Telecaster has always been associated with country and western music, and in the mid-1960s, country rock. There is no limit to what music can be created with one.

Check out my choices for the best bass amplifiers for heavy metal and hard rock. These are affordable amps with the punch and power to survive in the chaotic world of high-gain amps and detuned guitars.

Dreadnought guitars crafted from Brazilian rosewood are highly sought after, very expensive, and absolute treasures to own and enjoy. Here are my pics for the best of the best of them.

Bob Dylan's earliest recordings were made using a small all mahogany Martin 00-17 guitar. This guitar is no longer in production, but the very very similar Martin 00-15 is inexpensive and available.

Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai have been two of the most well known guitar virtuoso in the entire world for several decades. Well, here are the exact guitars they are each playing today.

Compare 10 of the best electric guitars under $1000 in this guide to the top instruments for under a grand, all from big names in the guitar world.

Recording software is notorious for costing even more than some instruments, but that doesn't have to be the case. Here are five digital audio workstations under $100 that will do the job just fine.

Learn to choose the best guitar strings for electric and acoustic guitar, plus get tips for beginners on changing strings and guitar maintenance.

Everyone loves a Fender Telecaster, but not all Teles out there are made by Fender. Here are 5 of the best makes of Tele out there which are not Fender guitars.

New in 2017 comes the Gibson Custom Modern Double Cut Guitar. It has some brand new features. Then we have the very similar Tak Matsumoto Doublecut Custom, which has been around a bit. Which is best?

Yamaki brand acoustic guitars aren't so easy to find, and the reason is that some of them are every bit as good as the high-end American makes that they copied. Some of these Martin copies deviate from the norm with Redwood or Western Red Cedar tops and they have abalone inlays as well. I've never played one that I didn't like.

The Gibson Marauder and S-1 guitars were crossover instruments where Gibson tried to steal some market share from Fender. These are somewhat rare birds, but very fine instruments should you find one.

Find out if expensive guitars are worth it and if you really need high-end gear to be taken seriously as a guitarist.

Find out how worrying too much about expensive gear can hurt your guitar playing, not to mention your wallet. Don't be a guitar gear snob!

The Gibson SG Standard is an amazing guitar, and no question about it. But if you want an SG's vibe, but something just a bit different, then here are your five very best options or alternatives.

These 5 essential guitar effects pedals are classic must-have stomp boxes, found on the pedal boards of some of the best guitarists in history.

Here's a detailed list of the 36 best guitar brands. Anyone looking for the top electric or acoustic guitars in 2019 will find this guide useful.

Check out this Peavey 6505+ 112 Combo review and find out why I think it is the best combo guitar amp for metal. It has legendary 6505 tone, and all the power you need in a compact package. Learn how it compares to the 6505+ head and the 6505 MH mini head.

One of the 4 most iconic solid body electric guitars in the world, the Gibson SG is far less expensive than the other 3. This is also the most successful guitar Gibson has ever produced

Many a great guitarist has played the venerable Martin D - 28 dreadnought guitar, and of course the legendary Jimmy Page did as well. Many a great song in the works of Led Zeppelin was recorded on a fine rosewood and spruce Martin D - 28, and before all has been said and done, more terrific music will come from the hands of others playing that timeless design of six strings and woods. Hats off to James Patrick Page, "Jimmy Page," for all he's provided for us to enjoy with his Martin guitar!

Find out why the most underrated acoustic and electric guitar brands can give you the best chance at finding a diamond in the rough. Some guitar makers never get the credit they deserve, while others are well known but undeservedly looked down on. Either way, you’d be smart to check them out.

Check out some of the best little mini acoustics. These small-bodied guitars are great for travel and jamming when space is limited or just for having fun.

You always want an all solid wood construction dreadnought if you can afford one. Mahogany is a bright tonewood with a very woody sound, excellent for all styles of music. Here are 5 of the best.

I bought the JBL boombox. Check out my review to see if this bluetooth speaker is worth buying.

Would it surprise you to learn that famous pro guitarists use Epiphone guitars like the Les Paul, SG, and Casino for gigs and recording? Epiphone guitars aren't just affordable instruments for intermediate players. Gibson’s little brother has a storied legacy all its own.

Learn about the difference between the Epiphone Les Paul 100, Special II and Studio and find out which electric guitar is best for you.

A Gibson Les Paul Custom with 3 pickups is forever an extremely desirable and also expensive guitar. Here are 5 of the best available.

The best portable guitar amp combines cool features with great sounds in a small, battery-powered package. Here are 5 awesome choices.

These 5 inexpensive solid body electric guitars represent several styles and genres of guitar building and styles of music they were built to accommodate for players. All go for less than 1K dollars.

Buddy Guy and Jimmie Vaughan are long-time warriors of the blues guitar. Both have Fender Artist Series Stratocasters made for and after them. Here's the story on both.

Learn the difference between a tube amp and solid state amp and decide which best meets your needs as a guitar player.

It doesn't take a lot of money to find a top quality budget turntable these days! This article takes a look at four of my favorite cheap vinyl record players, and offers pros and cons for each one.

Confused by guitar specs when it comes to buying your first beginner guitar? Read this guide to basic terms and definitions.

When you are a serious guitarist, but your day job requires you to travel, you need a guitar you can take on the road. Here are five of the best travel guitars.

Discover which bass guitars are best under $300. Find a bass that keeps you under budget but still sounds amazing!

Check out the best acoustic guitars for beginners, all under $200 and from some of the top brands in the guitar world

The Gibson Les Paul is one of the most copied guitars in the world. Here are ten great ones, some more exact copies than others, from ten different manufacturers of electric guitars

All over the world mahogany body dreadnought guitars are sought after for their bright, woody tonality. These are the cream of the crop in mahogany body dreadnought guitars.

Conch shells come from large sea snails and are used as wind instruments. The shells are played at ceremonies and in jazz. They produce a loud and eerie sound.

The hydraulophone is a tubular musical instrument. Pressurized water moves through the tube and out of a series of holes. Placing a finger over a hole produces a sound.

Jumbo sized acoustic guitars were created for folks who wanted even more volume out of their acoustic guitars than the large dreadnought design could offer. These are some of the best of the best.

Check out my list of the best bass guitars under $1000. These are 4 and 5-string basses for intermediate players or working pros, and they are made by some of the top bass guitar builders in the world.

Learning to play drums is one of the greatest decisions, and once you get a kit, it is important to know how to care for your drums. Here are some tips to help.

Choosing an electric guitar with the right type of bridge for your needs is a key part of getting the sound you want from your instrument.

Learn the difference between a maple or rosewood fretboard for guitar and decide which is better for your sound.

Check out this review of the Jackson JS32 Series. They're affordable versions of classic designs such as the Rhoads, King V, Dinky, Warrior and Kelly.