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I once worked for a guy who enjoyed riding his bike around the showroom before we opened our doors for the day. He would weave his way through the guitar stands like it was some sort of demented driving test. It was his shop, so the rest of the staff just egged him on. I never saw him knock one down. One day, just to stir the pot a little, I plugged in a Tele as he was mou … read more

PRS S2 594 McCartyIn the world of electric guitars, PRS is unique in their endless search for tonal and ergonomic perfection. While other guitar builder’s content themselves with simply offering stellar examples of classic designs, PRS has committed to reverse-engineering a vintage style of their own based on the insights gleaned from decades of experimentation. In man … read more

If you want to avoid the gatekeepers, you’ll have to learn to make your way through the forest of sound alone. Thankfully, records hang like fruit from the trees, and there is a deep cave where you can examine the reflection of your instrument (just don’t venture too deep, like some sort of sonic narcissus). A small creek, brook, or stream is best for refining intonation, … read more

When folks who are used to fretting attempt slide guitar, it’s like trying to run on ice-skates. You suddenly realize that there are whole oceans between the notes. As western musicians, we tend to base our musical understanding on the 12-tone, chromatic scale, but a guitar is not a piano, and it can cover more hidden ground. Not only can we bend the strings, we can slide … read more

People begin playing the guitar for many reasons. Some crave stardom, some the attention of the opposite sex. Some just regard it as a constructive past-time; a way to round out their skill-set, something to do at parties. From my experience as a musician and teacher, however, the ones who excel at the instrument are the ones who truly need it. They need it to focus th … read more