Musical Instruments

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Mick Mars has long been the guitarist for Motley Crue, and he is one very underrated musician. He plays a Fender Stratocaster HSH, and here is the rest of the story.

Learn the differences between a stock Fender Stratocaster and hot-rodded superstrat. Find out what makes a superstrat so super, which brands make the best superstrats, and how guitar players learned to mod their favorite guitar for maximum performance.

Tom Scholz and his Gibson Les Paul, along with some brilliant home made recording equipment, are the driving force of the band Boston. Here's the rest of the story.

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.

With so many different option, it may be difficult to choose the best ukulele for your musical needs. The first thing you need to decide is what size ukulele you would like to play. This guide will help you to choose.

Rock guitar superstar, Slash, a man with a universally known one syllable moniker, and a visual flair so distinct he can be recognized by just his silhouette, is the global ambassador for Gibson Guitars. He almost always plays a Les Paul, and here is the rest of the story.

Here's my list of the best acoustic and electric guitar brands for players on a budget. Whether you are a beginner looking for a cheap starter guitar or a veteran guitarist who wants an affordable instrument you’d be smart to look to one of these brands.

Joe Perry, formerly a toxic twin, and one of the two guitarists in US rock super-group Aerosmith, is a legend of rock and roll. His primary guitars are Gibson Les Pauls, and here's the rest of the story.

A step-by-step guide on the best way to clean your trumpet or cornet. Keeping your trumpet clean will keep instrument playing its best and will help avoid slides becoming stuck.

John Fogerty is one of the greatest of all American songwriters, and he's penned numbers that will transcend centuries and become folk songs. Hundreds of years from now, his songs will live on. He primarily played those songs on a Gibson Les Paul Custom.

The mbira is a traditional African instrument that is played in North America. An instrument based on the mbira can be used to detect counterfeit medicines.

Here’s a list of the top guitar effects brands, along with some of the analog and digital effects pedals that made them so famous. Effect pedals, stomp boxes and digital effects processors can be a key part of a guitar player’s sound.

Billy Gibbons, of that little band from Texas, is one of the world's finest living blues-rock guitar men. ZZ Top and Billy are still rocking hard, and though Billy doesn't always play a Les Paul, he most often does. Here is the rest of the story.

Learn how to buy a bass guitar in this guide to choosing a bass for beginners. Get advice on setting a budget, understanding pickups, strings, scale length and more.

David Gilmour's glassy Strat tone has been a part of over two hundred and fifty million albums sold world wide. Here's what you need to know if you're attempting to get a Strat with that exact sound.

This is a buyer's guide is intended to help readers choose an electronic keyboard instrument for a young musician.

From playing with Duane and Gregg Allman to his extraordinary solo career, Dickey Betts has been one of the cornerstones of southern rock. Here is a review of his beautiful Les Paul Goldtop, as well as a brief history Dickey's career.

Chris Cornell was one of the best vocalists 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 Fender Highway One Stratocaster, an American-made guitar I grabbed for a super affordable price back in 2003.

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.

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 similar guitars that are available today.

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.