May 27th, 2012

Published by: christaylor3

Pick A Guitar - Your Complete Guide to Guitars and Accessories

Be a Guitar Shopping Ninja!
Buying a guitar is hard - there are literally thousands of guitars to choose from. In order to get the perfect guitar that fits your needs and your budget, you need to educate yourself about what the most important things are to consider when trying to pick a guitar. No matter if you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced guitar player, we have something for you. Check us out at Pick a Guitar.

Online Tuning
Using on the online tuning sites is a great way to get your guitar tuned for free. There are several online tuning sites that are a great alternative for people who dont own their own tuner. The following site offers tuners for most types of string instruments. Check it out: Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.

Learning How to Adjust Guitar How to Tune an Electric Guitar Action on Both Acoustic and By Charles Ramsey on May 27th, 2012 If you want your music to sound great, your guitar needs to be Electric Guitars
in tune. There are many ways to tune an electric guitar. You can do it manually by ear, by using a guitar tuner or by using a piano. If you want to learn how to do it manually, you can refer to my post on - the concept is the same for both acoustic and electric guitars.
By Charles Ramsey on May 27th, 2012

Should You Buy a Guitar Tuner?

If you have a great ear, then do it manually, but if youre like most people and you cant do it manually and you dont have a tuned piano handy, using a guitar tuner will probably be the easiest way. A good guitar tuner is very affordable and will last for many years so its always a good investment. Things to be aware of when tuning an electric guitar: Tune one string at a time. If you tighten the strings too much, the strings will break. You may have to repeat the process more than once. If your intonation is not good, your guitar will not be uniformly in tune. In other words, it may be in tune on one fret and out of tune on another. That is a sign of bad intonation. Check out the video on the following post (video at the bottom of that page) to see how to adjust the intonation: Heres a video that shows you how to tune a guitar. The guitar in the video is an acoustic guitar but the tuning is the same for an electric guitar.

No doubt youve heard the term guitar action before, but do you really understand what it is and the impact it will have on your playing? The following will help you to understand more fully just how important the action will be when it comes to setting up a guitar for your particular style of music. The term action refers to the height of the strings above the fretboard. It is the way a guitar is adjusted and how well it plays, relative to the style of music that is being played. The action on an instrument played by an aggressive strummer or flatpicker will vary greatly from that for a jazz player or fingerpicker. Acoustic guitar have generally a higher action than electric guitars. An action that is too high is hard on your hands and will cause the guitar to play sharp. When it is set to low, its easier too easy to play, but causing the strings to rattle and buzz against the frets. Action adjustments are made to improve the feel of the instrument, decrease pressure on your fingertips which can be severe when the action is too high, avoid buzzing and generally just get the best sound out of an instrument. Most instruments are set-up at the factory with higher action then necessary. This is because it is easier to drop the action than it is to raise it. Adjusting the action can be a costly undertaking. Raising action can require replacement of the nut, saddle and neck rod (since nylon string guitars rarely have adjustable neck rods, this step would be
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eliminated), while cutting them both lower can be done by resetting the neck. Often an inexperienced repairperson will plane down a bridge in order to lower action which not recommended as it can result in the loss of both volume and tone. Depending on the abilities of the instrument and the needs of the player adjustments can be made to improve the instruments action and increase the comfort of playing. If you feel that you would like to adjust your action, take your guitar to a repair shop and play in front of the repair guy so he can observe your playing style so he can set it right for you. Source Ive included a couple of videos below that show you in detail how to adjust the action on both an acoustic and an electric guitar.

big difference in the sound of your guitar, as well as keeping it in tune. Depending on the type of guitar, there will be some variations in how to measure the amount of string to cut. I have included some videos below that will demonstrate just how to do that properly. The first thing you should do is to remove your old strings if youre replacing strings. Be sure to loosen the string before you cut it with wire cutters. If you dont want to cut it, you can simply unwind it all the way and then pull it out. Some people say to only do one string at a time, but its really personal preference. I tend to do them all at one time and Ive never had any issues. Since this is more of a visual exercise, Ive found some great video tutorials that will guide you step by step in what to do. Ive included videos for both acoustic and electric guitars that I found to be most helpful.

How to Adjust YourAcoustic Guitar Action

When your guitar action is too high, the neck is usually underbowed. You can actually hold the guitar up and look down the neck and see it. You can adjust this by tightening the truss rod. The video below shows you exactly how to do it and what to be careful about. If your strings are too low, your string can buzz against the frets. You can adjust this by loosening the truss rod (relief) Check out this video for complete instructions:

How to String a Guitar Acoustic Guitars

This is a great video tutorial about how to string an acoustic guitar. Pay close attention to what they are saying about how to properly measure the strings before you cut them.

How to adjust your electric guitar action and intonation

Adjusting the action on an electric guitar is totally different from that of an acoustic guitar. Heres a great how to video to show you what to do. About Charles Ramsey Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.

How to Change Guitar Strings on Your Electric Guitar

This tutorial is for changing strings on a basic electric guitar. The video after this one demonstrates how to change them on a Stratocaster if you happen to own that style of guitar. This guy gives you some great tips on stretching the strings as youre installing them so it will stay in tune.

Videos on How to String a Guitar - Both Acoustic and Electric

By Charles Ramsey on May 27th, 2012

How to Change The Strings on Your Stratocaster

Since the Stratocaster and Telecaster tuning pegs are different from some of the other electric guitars, I included this video as well. In addition, he has some great tips not covered in the other videos.

That pretty much concludes how to string a guitar. These videos should make it incredibly easy for you to complete this task and to do it properly. About Charles Ramsey Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they
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Learning how to string a guitar is one of the first things you should know about your guitar. Doing it properly will make a

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could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.

resembles a human crying. The wah wah sound is achieved by varying the signals tone frequency through the foot pedal.

Guitar Effect Pedals

By Charles Ramsey on May 27th, 2012

Chorus Pedals
This effect pedal is designed to make it sound like there is more than one guitar playing when there is really only one. It takes a guitar signal, clones it, slightly delays it, detunes it and and plays it back with the original, giving it a doubling effect. This is really a cool effect.

Reverb Pedals
These pedals produce reflected waves sort of like an echo, but instead of being a distant sound, they are merged together to give a single effect. Guitar effect pedals (also called stomp boxes) are used by many guitarists. Youve probably seen them controlling the unit with their foot. But what are they and exactly what do they do? A guitar effects pedal, which is also referred to a Stomp Box is a small box that sits on the floor and is controlled with your foot. Some controls are simple on/off switches while others, such as the wah wah pedal, move the pedal back and forth while playing the guitar to change the sound. You can have any number of these various pedals on your pedal board or you can choose to buy a multi-effects pedal that combines two or more special effects. Types of Effects Controlled by Effects Pedals: Distortion Volume Overdrive Fuzz Wah Wah Pitch Modulation Reverb Delay Tremolo Vibrato Chorus, and more

Delay Pedals
The Delay pedals also produce echos, but with more of a delay. Basically, when a sound is produced, the delay repeats the exact sound back with no alterations exactly like an echo.

Features to Look for in the Best Effects Pedal

1. Get a Multi Effects Pedal I would have to recommend that when looking at effects pedals, you choose one that is multieffect, if you can afford it. A good multi effects pedal will run you around $200 $250. Otherwise, you can buy each pedal separately and mount them on a pedal board. 2. Durability Make sure the pedal/pedals you choose are durable (made of metal) after all, youre going to be stomping on them. Youll also have to consider how easy they are to transport and if theyre durable enough for that, as well. 3. Choose one with an expression pedal. With an expression pedal, you can modulate and control the volume, along with other effects, without having to bend down to reach the knobs. 4. Check the connection options. If you plan on expanding your equipment ensure you have enough inputs to do so. Otherwise an input and output are all you need. 5. Power options. This is important if you dont want to have to rely on batteries to run your effects pedal. Ive seen a lot of people who were upset when they ordered an effect pedal and found out it didnt have an AC adapter.

Heres an explanation some of the most popular effects pedals: Distortion Pedals
Distortion pedals give your guitar a dirty or distorted sound. This distortion can be very subtle or can be set to make it sound like your amps are going to explode.

Guitar Pedal Reviews

In this section, Ill give you a few recommendations for effects pedals that I think youll like. Wah Pedals: Ive already reviewed in detail several Wah Pedals so you can see that here: Multi Effects Pedals: For just under $200, the Vox ToneLab ST is a great multi effects pedal that will give you just about any type of effects you want 25 versatile effects in this one unit. The construction is durable and will stand up to heavy use and being moved around. It comes with an expression pedal and an AC Adapter. Read more about it here:
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Wah Pedals or Wah Wah Pedals

This is a modulation effect made famous by Jimi Hendrix in the 60s. The effect was originally made to emulate the tone produced by a muted trumpet a crying sound. Some say it

May 27th, 2012

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Vox ToneLab ST Guitar Multi-Effects Processor Pedal Distortion Pedals: Boss makes a great distortion pedal and theres a range from beginner to advanced so you can spend as little as $43.67 to get a very well made, durable pedal. If youre more advanced and looking for more features, Boss makes a variety of distortion pedals for all levels of players and budgets. See the entire line here: Chorus Pedals: You can get a decent chorus pedal for under $20. If youre not a professional musician and you just want to play around with this effect, the Danelectro D-5 Fab might be all you need for $17.42. Its probably not the most rugged made pedal or the best sounding one but you can have some fun with it. If youre looking for something more substantial and more professional, I suggest looking at the Boss CH-1 Super Chorus Pedal that sells for $76.89. It will give you a wide range of incredible sounds and its rugged!! Check out these two recommendations and more here: About Charles Ramsey Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment. Related posts:

Levys Guitar Straps Offers a Wide Selection

Though their signature straps are leather, you can be sure that their other straps have the same high quality workmanship. For instance they produce one of the most popular cotton straps on the market that sells for just $15.66. Its comfortable, affordable and it is built to last. It wont scratch or irritate your neck and it wont scratch your guitar. They are made with leather ends so you can securely fasten it to your guitar. Read more here: If youre guitar is especially heavy and youre looking for a padded leather strap, they have that, too. These 2 1/2 straps made of a supple garment leather have a foam padding to give you even more comfort. They sell for $43.91. Read more here: Levys also makes some specialty straps featuring studs and bullets so if its a little flash youre after, you can get that in a Levys guitar strap as well. They have several to choose from ranging from $22 to $80. Read more here: They make a great Jacquard Weave strap in many patterns that is extremely comfortable that cost from $18 to $40. Read more here: Looking for skull designs? Levys has that, too! You can get one for as little as $14.99. Read more here: Theres a Levys guitar strap for every budget since they offer their straps starting at around $15.66 and go well over $100. The best news is that you dont have to have the high end straps to get a good quality, comfortable guitar strap that youll enjoy. They also offer straps in various widths and lengths so no matter why type of guitar you play, youll be able to find a strap that goes well with it.

Are Levy's Guitar Straps Overrated or Do They Live Up to Their Hype?

By Charles Ramsey on May 27th, 2012

Less Popular Levy Guitar Strap

Though Levys makes a great line of guitar straps, there is one Levy guitar strap that I dont recommend. Its the 3 neoprene padded guitar strap that tends to be a little stretchy. It stretches a little too much, in my opinion, which causes it to hang low so check it out before you decide to buy this one. Do your guitar straps cut into your neck or chafe your skin? If thats the case, its time to look at getting a new strap because there are many on the market that will make you so much more comfortable while playing your guitar. Your focus should be on playing, not squirming around to get more comfortable. Levys Guitar Straps has a wide variety of guitar straps to choose from and theyre great for any type of guitar. They manufacture every type of strap from nylon, polyester, and cotton to the softest leather and anything inbetween. They use high quality materials and their workmanship is incredible. They have a reputation for producing some of the best guitar straps on the market today.

Complete Straps

Line

of

Levys

Guitar

Levys manufactures a huge line of guitar straps including: Standard Guitar Straps Basic Guitar Straps Sublimation Printed Guitar Straps Licensed Guitar Straps Urban Prints Guitar Straps Classic Guitar Straps Ultra Comfort Guitar Straps
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Designer Guitar Straps Woven Design Guitar Straps Genre Guitar Straps Acoustic & Dobro Guitar Straps Bass Guitar Straps Classical Guitar/Ukulele Straps Kids Guitar/Ukulele Straps Mandolin Straps Banjo Straps

The strings should feel good while youre playing them. Are they too hard? Too soft? Do you prefer coated strings?

Nickel vs. Steel

Here are some Pros and Cons for both Nickel and Stainless Steel Strings that may help you choose which types you want to try. Nickel Guitar Strings Pros: Give a warm tone Typically cost than Stainless Steel strings Tend to be a little easier on your fingers as opposed to Stainless Steel strings

Conclusion
Levys Guitar Straps are some of the best straps on the market and no matter which one you choose, youll be making a great investment that will prove to be durable and comfortable. We highly recommend this brand of guitar strap. About Charles Ramsey Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment. Related posts:

Reduce the wear and tear on your frets Nickel Guitar Strings Cons: Have to be cleaned often to avoid corrosion Some people have reported having a nickel allergy Stainless Steel Guitar Strings Pros: More durable because they are more resistant to sweat, oils and moisture Give a Brighter tone than you will get with nickel strings Great alternative for people who have a nickel allergy Stainless Steel Guitar Strings Cons: Typically cost a little more than nickel strings Little rough on the fingers Sound quality doesnt last as long as it does with nickel strings Can be a little rougher on your frets

Choosing the Best Electric Guitar Strings for Your Sound and Budget
By Charles Ramsey on May 27th, 2012

Steel / Stainless Guitar Strings

There may be no other component to your electric guitar that makes more of a difference in sound than your strings. If your guitar sounds small or lifeless, you can change out the strings and get a brand new sound. As with any other guitar equipment, choosing the best strings is a very personal decision. It depends a lot on the type of music you play and how you play. Since there is such a wide variety of strings available to choose from, its important to know the differences. When you start looking youll see electric guitar strings made of nickel plated steel, pure nickel, stainless steel, etc. Youll also see that you have many different gauges to choose from. Its also important to look at how well the strings are made so that youre not having to change them out all the time. Its a pain in the rear to have to stop during a jam session or performance to change out a broken string.

Steel

Electric

Steel strings have been the industry standard for many years because they allow you to really dig in and get a great sustain. Some guitar players prefer stainless steel guitar strings because they play brighter than either nickel plated steel strings or pure nickel strings. Some of the most popular brands in steel guitar strings are: DAddario Ernie Ball Dunlop Gibson DR DAddario ProSteels Round Wound are my choice: ProSteels are DAddarios brightest and most corrosion resistant strings. A specialized steel alloy
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delivers harmonically rich, brilliant high-end coupled with deep, tight lows that work in tandem to create the coveted Piano tone steel players crave. Great for both articulate fingering or aggressive picking, ProSteels give you the extra edge and punch you need to cut through the mix. Source More Information:

Coated Guitar Strings

Coated strings get mixed reviews but they do have some advantages over the nickel and steel strings. They tend to last longer and play smoother because the coating cuts down on the residue thats left on strings when playing. That means less oil, sweat, dirt and dead skin cells that cause corrosion of the metal strings. Some of the top brands in the coated string market are:

Nickel Plated Steel Guitar Strings

Nickel plated steel guitar strings tend to provide a clear, bright tone. The most popular nickel plated string brands are: Ernie Ball Slinkys DAddario XLs GHS Boomers The GHS Boomers are my choice in this category, especially when compared to the Ernie Ball Slinkys which are one of the popular guitar strings around: The GHS Boomers are great strings, especially if youre looking for a little extra bite and an unmatched sustain. You wont believe how full and vibrant these strings sound. I suggest you buy a set and try them for yourself. Chances are youll never settle for another type of string again.

DR Ernie Ball Elixir I have to go with the DR strings in this category because of the technology they use. The K3 coating is the first coating that players report, sounds as good or better than uncoated strings. DRs new, remarkable, proprietary and patent pending K3 Technology Coating is the first coating that makes no apologies and no excuses for not delivering sound equal to uncoated strings. Players tell us that these strings have more volume, less unwanted overtones, greater clarity and articulation then standard, uncoated strings. Yet, they provide the same protection due to corrosion and perspiration as well as increased tone life that coated strings are known for. Source More Information:

Pure Nickel Guitar Strings

The pure nickel guitar strings have a warm, vintage tone than either the nickel plated or the steel strings. I have two favorites in this category: DAddario Pure Nickel Round Wound DAddario XL Pure Nickel strings look back to the 50s, when nickel was the primary alloy found in electric guitar strings. Pure nickel strings would be supplanted by nickelplated steel in the 60s when guitarists required brighter tone and enhanced magnetism. Pure Nickel brings back the richer, warmer timbres found in traditional blues, classic rock, rockabilly, and more. Source More Information: Dean Markley Jimi Hendrix This my 2nd choice in the Nickel category. These strings were designed based on the legacy of the master himself, Jimi Hendrix. These strings have that classic nickel sound and will transport you back to the 60s with their vintage sound. More Information:

What Are the Best Electric Guitar Strings?

So you see from the choices above that you have a lot of decisions to make. This choice will have a profound effect on the sound and tone you get from your guitar, so choose wisely. The good news is that guitar strings are pretty cheap so you can try out a few brands without breaking the bank. About Charles Ramsey Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.

Clayton Picks are Among the Industry's Finest Guitar Picks

By Charles Ramsey on May 27th, 2012

Clayton Picks Diverse Line of Picks

Clayton Picks are some of the best and coolest picks Ive ever seen or used. As most of you already know, tortoiseshell picks are pretty much the holy grail of guitar picks but theyre an endangered species so its not longer legal to use the shells to
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May 27th, 2012

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make picks or anything else. Because of that, the pick makers have been forced to make and design guitar picks that mimic the sound you get using authentic tortoiseshell picks. Steve Clayton came out with their picks made of Ultem to fill the void that was created when tortoiseshell picks were outlawed. Even though youll find that Ultem will give you sounds that resemble those you get from true tortoiseshell, what youll find is that its much stronger and not fractured like the tortoiseshell picks. These Clayton guitar picks will help you to create those clean, crisp tones. One of their newest picks is NuTone Protein pick which also mimics the sound of an authentic tortoiseshell pick. NuTone is not plastic. Heres what they have to say about this new addition to the Clayton Guitar Picks: NuTone was created to mimic the extraordinary sound of authentic tortoiseshell. Its unique composition produces a punchy bass with clear treble tones, making it a perfect pick for acoustic play. Its natural lubrication releases off your strings quickly and gives you the ability to produce articulate tones. Made from polymerizing an animal protein, it is much the same as the famed, but endangered, Hawksbill Sea Turtles shell. NuTone Protein Picks replicate the sound and feel of the Hawksbills shell with its natural protein components, but no animals are harmed in any way by its production. Another popular choice are the Clayton Acetal picks that give you an incredible balance of stiffness and give. That means you can really dig in for the power chords, but keeps you from breaking strings because of the perfect amount of give. It also has a matte surface which means it wont be slipping around or moving around between your fingers. Source Not only are their picks great for creating amazing sounds, but the designs are incredible, too. One of my favorites is the Pick of Destiny from the Movie Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny starring Jack Black. Theyve also designed other picks based on movies such as Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street, to name a few. Here are a couple of their movie designs. Pick of Destiny Friday the 13th

To see the entire line of Clayton Picks: Check out this interview with Steve Clayton and hear what he has to say about his brand of Clayton Guitar Picks. About Charles Ramsey Charles Ramsey is guitar specialist and the author of several music publications. This site was created because a lot of people asked him to put his knowledge in a format that they could reference when they needed to choose a new guitar or piece of equipment.