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In the late 1800s, Kalamazoo, Michigan was a popular destination for wealthy Yankee farmers to send their sons to become leaders of industry. Born a New Yorker, Orville Gibson set up shop in Kalamazoo and acquired his first patent in 1894. Inspired by the subtleties of the violin, he recognized that the design of 19th century mandolins and guitars could be vastly improved. For example, the bow …

Custom Fender Guitar Designs We’re smitten with the Fender Custom Shop 2019 and 2020 guitar model offerings. Years of studying and repairing vintage Fender electric guitars have granted the luthiers profound insights into what makes their guitars sing. The classics are classics for a reason. If you’re looking for an extraordinary butterscotch Tele, or an elegant sunburst Strat, we’ve got …

Collings Guitars is a pioneer in the manufacturing of acoustic and electric boutique guitars, based in Austin, Texas. People begin learning the guitar for all sorts of reasons, but there is usually an artist that comes along and inspires them to take their pursuit more seriously. Whether it was a smoldering solo or a finger-picked acoustic intro, something resonated within us and we thought, “I …

Acoustic Guitars are plentiful at Midwood Guitar Studio and we only represent the best. Welcome to Midwood Guitar Studio! We’ve got wood and wire in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Let me show you some of my favorite acoustic guitars: Taylor Guitars This one is pure, earthy class. The silent-satin, wild-honey sunburst finished acoustic guitar looks terrific in every light …

What we love about our collection of acoustic guitars. As we sail deeper into the new millennium, it’s important to reflect on the builders that have helped establish Midwood Guitar Studio as one of the premier purveyors of fine acoustic guitars in the world. After all, the lines we carry are as much a reflection of our identity as the thriving neighborhood that we call home. We cater to all …

The best single note on a guitar can be played with one hand. No matter which of the six open strings you prefer, they are each vastly superior to every other “fretted” E, A, D, G, B, or E (assuming standard tuning). There’s simply more going on. When you fret a string, you choke it. Some of its vast potential overtone series is lost in translation (more on that later) The fact that fretting en …

How To Use Pedals Effectively Throughout my years in the gear circus, I’ve noted a sharp divide between guitarists who do and don’t use pedals. This all or nothing mentality has contributed to a stigma on either side. You’ve got players who won’t practice without at least five pedals on (and half the time they’re fiddling to find the right tone), and you’ve got players who think they need a new …

There’s something magical about solo guitar music. In Greek Mythology, It was Hermes who crafted the first plucked string instrument. This “lyre” proved so entrancing that it helped him settle a dispute with his brother Apollo, who would go on to master its secrets. The guitar has many ancient antecedents, the lyre being one of them, but it was the “vihuela” of 15th century Spain that assum …

The Sound of Guitars is Hard to Describe Often, the words we use reflect our subjective preferences. Whether a particular guitar sounds “boxy”, “thin”, “earthy”, or “woody” usually boils down to a matter of opinion. That said, there is a certain thematic continuity in our diction. It would be unusual to hear an instrument referred to as both “dark” and “bright”. Let’s get meta and consider wh …