Instruments & Gear

Learn about the best guitar amps of all time, used by the most iconic guitarists in the history of rock, metal, blues, country, and jazz.

A side sound port or player port allows the guitar player to better hear what’s projected from the front sound hole.

Ukuleles come in different styles and sizes for people of any age and skill set. Any size you choose is portable for home use or community events. A fairly inexpensive ukulele may be a good introduction to see if you really want an expensive guitar. Here we will look at my ukulele from Donner.

A lyre is a fun, portable, and soothing instrument to learn and play. This article will focus on the pentatonic lyre (seven strings) from Donner although there are models with more strings available if you are advanced or prefer more options in song choice. This is also called a harp or a lyre harp.

You can record your own music samples using the MIDI keyboard in Reaper. These step-by-step instructions will guide you through the process of setting up either a physical keyboard interface or a virtual MIDI keyboard.

Learn about the differences between the Fender Stratocaster and Gibson SG so you can decide which guitar is better for you and your musical style.

You have a guitar fretboard or piece of wood, but it is dented. You have options but want to avoid using a filler. This article tells you what to try before resorting to filling a dent, and explains how to fill it if it becomes necessary. Also, learn to improve the quality of primarily flat wood.

I was searching for an inexpensive rechargeable Bluetooth speaker with good sound and an attractive design. Hawk Li's retro-styled Bluetooth speaker system appeared to be a good option.

Many electronic keyboard stands do not come with a music rest for lead sheets or books. This article explains the steps to solve that problem and create a useful music stand for a digital keyboard stand. A skilled builder could modify this for another keyboard stand or even as a free-standing unit.

This article presents information about features of the RD-88 with examples and analogies to clarify the meanings and distinctions of the many aspects available to the keyboard artist. We look at the way these different functions work together to create your unique sounds.

The guitar is one of the most popular instruments in the world. What makes the guitar so great when there are many other options out there for wannabe musicians?

Here are some tips on how to adjust to playing a 7-string guitar. These tips are geared towards those who have only used 6-string guitars.

Learn the difference between the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Telecaster sound and find out which is better for you when it comes to sound and style.

I was searching for an inexpensive and portable PA system with plenty of power. LyxPro's SPA-8 appeared to be the best option.

The best ocarina for beginners is one that is durable, well-tuned, and ergonomic. Learn about how to choose the right ocarina for you!

Texas is a large and diverse land. Lots of landscapes, lots of people, and lots of great music. Here are ten of the greatest of all Texas guitarists.

Ukulele or guitar? Find out which is easier and which makes a better first instrument for a beginner. Learn about the tuning of each instrument and what it takes to switch from one to the other.

Here is a review of the MojoMjo Overdrive from TC Electronic, an affordable guitar pedal with the sound and character to handle blues, country, and rock.

The harmonica is one of the few musical instruments that can be carried in a pocket and that users can teach themselves to play.

Here is a list of the best electric guitars ever made, 20 instruments that are considered all-time classics in the guitar world.

An amateur's repair of an old, damaged violin.

Find out how to many watts you need in a bass amp for gigging, jamming at home, practicing your chops, and playing with a band.

Do you have a stack of records around, but don’t know how to properly clean and restore them? Here are some useful tips and solutions on how to restore your vinyl collection.

This is a review of the BlumWay converter. It quickly converts old cassettes to MP3 format direct to a flash memory card without a computer or software.

If you want your 6-string guitar to sound like a 12-string guitar, this may just be the guitar effects pedal for you.

If you play electric guitar and want to start building a pedalboard, here are some tips on where to start.

There are a lot of distortion pedals out there, but not every one of them is a classic. These five are what I consider to be the five true classics.

In live situations, you may prefer to use a pitch-shifting pedal for drop tunings rather than bringing along an extra guitar. That’s where the DigiTech Drop Polyphonic Drop Tune Pitch-Shift Pedal comes in.

In this buying guide, you’ll learn how to choose the best guitar for extreme metal, hard rock, classic metal, and shred. Get advice on 7-string guitars, pickups, tonewoods, and more.

Mystical and mysterious, the life and death of Robert Johnson are legendary. He became the king of the delta blues, and inspired countless singers and guitarists. Did he make a deal with the devil? You be the judge. He played a Gibson L-1 guitar. Here is the rest of the story.

You’ve heard headroom is important for bass and guitar amplifiers. Find out how it affects your sound as a bassist or guitarist, when you should care about an amp’s headroom, and when you shouldn’t.

The Martin J-15 is a discontinued model from historic C.F. Martin & Company. Here is the rest of the story.

Learn the pros and cons of a modeling guitar amp when compared to a tube amp or solid-state amp and find out how digital modeling technology can help you grab the sounds you are looking for.

The Martin D-19 and the Martin D-17m are both all-solid wood dreadnoughts with solid spruce tops, but the tops are stained to look as though the guitars are made entirely of mahogany. Here's the rest of the story.

Capturing a good guitar sound goes beyond simply just hitting record. Guitar production can get very complex, so here is a good introductory guide to recording and mixing electric and acoustic guitars.

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; both are discussed here.

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. This article discusses the functionality, sounds, and settings of this popular pedal.

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.

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

Playing the trumpet takes a lot more stamina than other wind instruments and it can takes its toll on your lips. It’s not uncommon for trumpet and brass players to have problems with their lips. In this this article, I will talk about how I injured my embouchure and how I made a full recovery.

Go beyond the idea of "tuning your piano once a year"—here are tips to learn. As a complex process, you will want to research technicians to find a competent and experienced professional. Read on for the many steps to be accomplished and an overview of pianos to help guide you in a purchase.

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.

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

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

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.

The Telecaster was always the honky tonk or country and western dance hall guitar. Today there are Teles with much wider ranges of tonal character available. This article concerns 5 of the best.

Small 15 and 20-watt guitar amplifiers are popular today, but can you really use them for gigs? Maybe! Learn the best ways to do it, which useful features to look for in a low-wattage amp, and when you should really be considering a more powerful guitar amp.

You need to change the strings on your ukulele regularly to keep it sounding great. Here's how to easily restring your uke.

This is a review of a multi-effects unit from Zoom that specializes in chorus, delay, and reverb effects.