Instruments & Gear Reviews & Tutorials

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.

Here’s a review of my Fender Highway One Stratocaster, an American-made guitar I grabbed for a super affordable price back in 2003.

A semi-hollow body electric guitar has a bit of acoustical variance not available to a solid body guitar. They especially excel at clean tones, but they need not be limited. Here are 5 great new ones.

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.

The Gibson Les Paul is known as one of the greatest guitars in the world and with good reason. Here are 10 of those reasons!

Check out this list of best bass guitar brands for 2018 and get help finding an instrument that’s perfect for you.

At some point or another most people who are into music wish to play an instrument, or see if they can - and the guitar is the most common instrument found in modern music. Here are five of the very best acoustic guitars for under five hundred dollars. These guitars are all very good instruments that won't need to be replaced until a musician reaches a higher skill level, and even then these are guitars that are keepers for a lifetime if they are properly cared for.

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.

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.

Learn how to choose an affordable Gibson Les Paul, find the best Les Paul copy or evaluate a non-Gibson, budget-friendly alternative made by another guitar company.

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!

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!

This article will help you choose between a combo amp and a head and cabinet setup for guitar or bass. There are pros and cons to each whether you play at home or in a band, and one or the other is likely the best option for you.

This review takes a look at the Gibson SG Special vs Standard and Faded models, and can help you decide which guitar best meets your needs and budget.

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

Tonewoods are a key selling point for electric guitars, so why do some guitar players say they don’t even matter?

Here's a detailed list of the 33 best guitar brands. Anyone looking for the top electric or acoustic guitars in 2018 will find this guide useful.

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

If you’re trying to choose between the Gibson SG and Les Paul this article can help you sort out the differences and decide which is better for you.

The great Jimi Hendrix set the world of music on fire with his Fender Stratocaster guitars. He was the most influential Strat ambassador, and so Fender now makes two Jimi Hendrix Strats Here they are.

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

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.

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

Check out my list of the top Peavey guitar amps for metal and hard rock. Peavey makes some of the best high-gain amps in the world, from tube heads, to combo amps to affordable solid-state amps. This is a brand that has shaped the sound of extreme metal and rock music for decades.

Compare 5 of the best bass amps for beginners, top-rated amplifiers from some of the biggest brand names in the bass guitar world.

A real underdog, this lesser-known microphone offers very low noise, a tight pickup pattern, and a sound quality rivaling microphones twice its price. Also, it's American-made.

Here's a review of my Heartfield Talon II guitar, a Fender superstrat made in Japan that has become a strange sort of classic in the guitar world.

The Les Paul guitar by Gibson is a iconic electric guitar. But they make so many different ones it can be hard to know which is best. Here are 5 of the best across a range of price and style.

The Martin D 18 acoustic guitar is less expensive than the Martin D 28, D 35, and D 45 - it's FAR less expensive than the D 50 or D 100 - but the Martin D 18 may very well be a BETTER guitar than any of it's more expensive cousins.

Learn more about the Standard Precision Bass by Fender, a quality Mexican-made version of a classic bass guitar.

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.

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.

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

Check out some of the best travel guitars: Acoustic, Electric and Acoustic-Electric guitars made to pack up and take on the road.

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.

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.

Iconic, back-breaking, sustaining, brash and pricey, the Gibson Les Paul is a one of a kind guitar. Just don't stumble and lose your head.

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

Check out five of the best hollow-body jazz guitars for under $1000. If you’re looking for the ultimate jazz box start your search here!

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.

Radio station managers know that sound quality is part of everyday operations. But what is the audience actually hearing? Poor sound and shoddy production may lead to lost messages.

Martin M series guitars such as the M 36, the M 38, and the M 42 are simply different body style guitars than Martin's more famous dreadnoughts. Martin M series guitars have a larger lower bout, but a shallower depth - and this causes these instruments to have different tonal characteristics than the more famous dreadnoughts. These guitars were originally designed to provide less feedback when miked on stage.

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.

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

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.

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

The Fender Telecaster was born perfect. The design is timeless and utilitarian bliss. Here are 5 of the very best Fender Telecasters anywhere.

Check out the best acoustic guitar brands for intermediate players. These are companies with reputations for making quality instruments with amazing sound.

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.

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?

Compare the 10 best electric guitars under $500 and decide which top-rated instrument is right for you.

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

Five of the finest of all Jumbo sized steel string acoustic guitars from five of the finest makers of steel string acoustic guitars. These are big acoustic guitars for people wanting a big sound.

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.

Every guitarist needs an acoustic/electric which is good enough to use in the studio and on stage. But a working musician also requires affordability in their road worthy guitar. Here are five.

Learn the difference between the Ibanez RG and S Series and decide which guitar is better for you and your music.

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.

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.

Is Squier a good guitar brand? This review takes a look at Squier by Fender and lays out the good, the bad and the ugly.

Outside audio is an excellent way to enhance a yard, patio, or pool space. This article looks at some of the best outdoor speakers currently available.

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

Learn how to hold your guitar in minutes with Ben Sielaff, Guitarist and Teacher. From acoustic guitar to electric guitar, you can master the basic techniques in posture and playing.

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.

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.

Find out what other guitarists say makes an electric guitar sound good or bad and cast your own votes in this online guitar poll.

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

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 magical sounds that come from the harmonica are nothing short of a mystery. How do they do it? This article explores some of the masters of this tiny musical instrument.

Compare the Epiphone G-400 PRO to the Gibson SG Standard when it comes to sound, construction and value and find out which SG is right for you!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Check out the best tube combo amps for under $1000. Whether you're into rock, metal, country or blues this article can help you find your sound.

Chris Cornell was one of the best vocalist in the history of rock music, and also one of its most intriguing songwriters. Gibson produced two different and very rare ES-335 models for Chris, and here's the rest of the story.

Here’s a review of my new Martin DX1AE, an acoustic-electric guitar with an amazing sound and an environmentally friendly build.

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.

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

Here are five of the best acoustic-electric guitars on the market for under $1000. If you’re looking for a new guitar start your search here!

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.

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 the difference between the Fender Stratocaster vs the Telecaster and decide which guitar is best for your needs.

Check out the best acoustic guitars under $300! Perfect for beginners and intermediate guitarists, but good enough to impress the veterans!

Here’s a review of the MXR M234 Analog Chorus pedal and the MXR M101 Phase 90. Find out why these two modulation effects may be all you need to take your guitar sound to the next level. These pedals are examples of why MXR is known as one of the best effects brands in the guitar world.

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

When it comes to vintage American guitars the big three will always come to mind. Now, everyone has heard of the big three American automobile companies, but we Americans have a big three for guitars as well, Martin, Gibson, and Fender. C.F. Martin...

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

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

Find out what electric guitars are made out of and how wood is used in different parts of the instrument. Learn what’s inside an electric guitar body, how wood is routed to accommodate the electronics, and how alternative materials may be the way of the future for electric 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.

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

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.

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.

Discover the best heavy metal guitars under $300, great options from brands like Jackson, Dean, Schecter and B.C. Rich.

The specific steps I went through to build my own acoustic guitar, from choosing the type of wood to attaching the bridge and completing the finishing touches (with photos).

Martin 16 series dreadnought guitars offer all the great play-ability and tones of far more expensive models at less cost. These all solid wood Martin guitars are bluegrass cannons.

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.

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!