When I first got a guitar and a small practice amp, I expected it to sound like my favorite guitarists. I had no idea they used specific amps and multiple effects pedals to fine-tune their sound. I couldn't even get my guitar to sound distorted! Basically, I quickly learned that I would need some effects pedals. But what guitar pedals do I need to get the sound I … [Read more...] about What Guitar Pedals Do I Need? (7 Most Useful Effects Pedals)
Electric Buying Guides
What Do You Need To Play An Electric Guitar? (Minimum & Ideal Rigs)
Have you seen all the gear professional guitarists use? The pedals alone can cost many thousands of dollars. But do you really need all that stuff yourself? What do you need to play an electric guitar, if you just want a bare bones setup? The most basic setup you need in order to play your guitar consists of 3 things. But you will probably need a few more, … [Read more...] about What Do You Need To Play An Electric Guitar? (Minimum & Ideal Rigs)
Guitars Every Guitarist Should Own (Some Are Surprisingly Cheap)
Most professional guitarists have a number of different guitars. I have six of them myself. Plus three bass guitars. If you're just starting out, one is definitely enough. But why not make your first one a good one? Several of the guitars every guitarists should own below are far more affordable than you might guess. Two are entry-level instruments that even pros … [Read more...] about Guitars Every Guitarist Should Own (Some Are Surprisingly Cheap)
Best Combo Amps For Metal (In All Price Ranges)
Most of us need a combo amp. Sure, they may be heavier. But that is really the only drawback. They take up much less space, making them great for both the road and at home. But which of the hundreds of available combo amps are any good? More importantly, which combo amps are good for metal guitarists? We've narrowed down the many choices to the very best. And … [Read more...] about Best Combo Amps For Metal (In All Price Ranges)
Best Ibanez Guitar For Metal (At Every Price Level)
Ibanez is practically synonymous with metal. This Japanese brand has made a name for itself among metal guitarists as one that delivers excellent guitars for the genre. What is it that makes them so good for heavy metal and hard rock music? We'll discuss that a bit below. First, we're going to give you the 6 best Ibanez guitars for metal. A comparison table is … [Read more...] about Best Ibanez Guitar For Metal (At Every Price Level)
Best Guitar Picks For Shredding (Reviews And Comparison)
If you're like me, you started learning guitar with a floppy paper-thin pick. Those work great when you are learning chords. But when you begin playing strings, you quickly realize you need something thicker and harder. That's what she said. Sorry. I've just been watching reruns of The Office. But it's true. And for shredding, most want extra heavy picks. But not … [Read more...] about Best Guitar Picks For Shredding (Reviews And Comparison)
Best Guitar Strings For Fender Stratocaster
Don't you just love that bright Fender Stratocaster tone? Even those who prefer the muddier Les Paul tone still know to appreciate the Strat sound. But if you have the wrong pair of strings on your strat, you lose that tone. It just won't sound right anymore. Or you might want to alter that tone, to muddy it up, or to highlight it even more. The right pair of … [Read more...] about Best Guitar Strings For Fender Stratocaster
Jackson JS32 Dinky Review (Surprising Features On A Budget Guitar)
Jackson is one of the most important electric guitar manufacturers for heavy music. You see their instruments in the hands of many famous metal guitarists. But hard rock and heavy metal push guitars to their limits. As a result, quality metal guitars are expensive. That's what makes the Jackson J32 Dinky so impressive. The company managed to design a great metal … [Read more...] about Jackson JS32 Dinky Review (Surprising Features On A Budget Guitar)
Squier Bullet Strat Review (How Close To A Fender Is It Really?)
Squier makes the best-selling guitars for beginners and intermediate guitarists. And they're so popular for a reason. Fender is one of the biggest guitar brands of all time. But their instruments are far from budget-friendly. Even the cheaper Fender Player series guitars have high price tags on them. That's where Squier comes in. As Fender's budget subsidiary, … [Read more...] about Squier Bullet Strat Review (How Close To A Fender Is It Really?)
Yamaha Pacifica Review (Which Model Is Best?)
Yamaha makes great guitars in all price categories. This is especially apparent with its Pacifica line of electric guitars. Every instrument in this line far outperforms its price level. You won't find a better value anywhere for Stratocaster style electric guitars. The Yamaha Pacifica 112 is the best selling model, so we will focus on that one (the 112v) in this … [Read more...] about Yamaha Pacifica Review (Which Model Is Best?)