Category
Gear
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11.08.08Gibson announces the Robot 2: Dark Fire[caption id="attachment_241" align="alignnone" width="300"][/caption] Last year, Gibson released the most technologically advanced guitar ever made: the Robot Guitar. The guitar could literally tune itself for a retail price of $2,499. The company made it very clear at the time that the guitar was a prototype, and that anyone that purchased the product would be investing money in the revised model to be released at a later date. Well, that date is almost here. Gibson revealed the new guitar, dubbed "Dark Fire," yesterday. A cure for cancer? No, just another damn expensive Gibson guitar. Simply put, Dark Fire is 10 guitars in one. The ...
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09.17.08Who played the Gibson Les Paul[caption id="attachment_202" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="The Gibson Les Paul guitar"][/caption] The sweet sounding Mahogany, the tone sustaining Humbuckers - the Gibson Les Paul has been the guitar of choice for many rock stars. Here are a few of the big name artists that have preferred the Les Paul guitar. 1. Jimmy Page. One of the greatest guitarists of all time, Page played for The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, and even a solo gig. He uses a 1958 Les Paul Standard, a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a 1973 Les Paul Standard, a Goldtop Premium Les Paul and a 1991 Custom Shop Les Paul. Page also ...
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08.27.08Who played the Fender Stratocaster[caption id="attachment_192" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The 1960\'s model Fender Stratocaster guitar"][/caption]Who, exactly, has laid hands on a Fender Stratocaster in the rock-o-sphere? Here's a list of some of the most influential Strat players. 1. Dick Dale. Dale was one of the original players in "Strat pack," and also one of the very first owners of a Fender Stratocaster. Leo Fender gave Dale his strat in 1955, which he used to popularize surf rock. 2. Eric Clapton. A great guitarist and genuine asshole, Clapton grew up on Gibson guitars but transitioned to the Strat (which he nicknamed Brownie) in 1970. He has used nothing ...
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08.08.08Why I hate the Floyd Rose[caption id="attachment_170" align="alignnone" width="150"][/caption]The Floyd Rose bridge and tremolo setup, also known as the Locking Tremolo, is a system used on some guitars (especially 80's metal-era guitars) with a lock on the nut. This holds the strings in place so that if pressure is applied, the tuning heads wont slip. The "floating bridge," which is the easiest give away for spotting a locking tremolo, is just what you would think it is. The bridge "floats" above a cut in the body and can be wiggled using the whammy. This all sounds great... except for the fact that its a huge pain ...
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08.07.08How to change your guitar strings (electric)[caption id="attachment_130" align="alignright" width="150" caption=" Typical Guitar Strings"][/caption]Perhaps one of your strings broke while you were shredding on some Slayer. Or maybe you're just getting sick of all the grease build-up from those late night pizza orders. In any case, I've put together a simple guide for changing the strings on your electric guitar. Please note, this guide is not compatible with a Floyd Rose Bridge. If you don't know what that is, (a) do you have a wammy? (b) does it lift your bridge up when you press down on it? If you answered no to either of ...
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08.03.08Gibson Les Paul vs Fender StratocasterWhat are the differences, really, between the Gibson Les Paul Standard and the Fender Stratocaster? Here are some key points. Design differences Fender Strat-----------Gibson Les Paul Alder wood-------------Mahogany 3 pickups, single coil----2 pickups, double coil or humbuckers 25.5" long--------------24.75" long Double-cut away-------Single-cut away 2 tone, 1 volume knob--2 tone, 2 volume knob Relatively light----------Relatively heavy Bolt-on neck-----------Set neck 6 tuners on one side----Tuners distributed No head angle----------15 deg. head angle (for sustain) Non-locking tremelo-----Stop tail bridge Five-way toggle--------Three-way toggle As far as sound goes, the Gibson Les Paul Standard has a warmer, crunchier tone. I think of the Les Paul guitar as being voluptuous. This makes the guitar great for rock n roll. Not ...
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08.01.08“Dean” leaving Dean Guitars for goodThe guitar mastercraft and founder of Dean Guitars has announced that he will be leaving the company, Dean Guitars. Dean Zelinsky founded the company in 1976. Dean Guitars became known for their high-end stage-worthy instruments such as ZZ Top's fur guitars and Dimebag Darrell's ML design. Zelinsky sold the company in 1991, only to partner up with the company again in 2000. Zelinsky commented, “I wanted to get back to what put Dean on the map originally — building high-quality instruments that shape both the image and tone of guitar players, from the beginner to world-class professionals." ... "I can no longer ...
