So, this is closely related to guitar...ok, it's just a fun couple of videos. An experienced genius of a pro and a rising star.
EDIT: I added this video too because it's a better, cleaner version of Jake Shimabukuro doing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." It's a lot longer but it's amazing and better sound quality.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Bass Equipment
This blog has a huge gaping void (some may think many) and I believe that to be information related to the bass guitar. I feel like this blog needs to cover this side of "guitar world" to really fulfill its purpose but unfortunately I don't know much about bass gear. I would love for someone to help me out with this. Please email me at billsguitarblog@gmail.com if you want to help out.
-Bill
-Bill
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Matchless Ampliefiers
Are you a fan of Matchless amplifiers? Do you want to get to know Matchless amplifiers a little better? The link below is a really interesting interview with the founder for the company. I found it to be very enjoyable.
Sampson Matchless Interview
Sampson Matchless Interview
Monday, December 14, 2009
New Facebook Fan Page
There is a new Facebook Fan Page for Bill's Guitar Blog. Become a fan!
Facebook Fan Page
Facebook Fan Page
Beauty of Guitar
So I was looking through the blog and I saw a comment that was posted that I must have overlooked. I found it to be amazing. It "contested" a lot of what I said in a post and I think that's great. The points made are very true and accurately demonstrate what I believe is a double edged sword. The guitar industry in general is definitely making things that are better than ever along with all of the crap in the market. The sad part is that the magic of the old days isn't there anymore, but as you will read in the comment, that's just the way it has evolved. "Back in the day," kids were listening to the Beatles, Cream, Hendrix, the Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, etc... Today we have Lady Gaga and Kanye.
I really like this response and the thought behind it. Well played, Bob Pauly.
Bob Pauly said...
...
The gear manufactured today is light years better than the gear made in my day: from a Squire Strat to a Collings I-35, the gear is better, more reliable and more affordable than ever. Amps, pedals - you name it - if you think it sounded better then - a TS9 over a Fulldrive - or that anything better than a DC-30 or Shiva (well maybe, a '65 SR), you need to be taken out to the woodshed (Make 'n Music).
As for the state of guitar playing, well, how about the state of guitar based music? Lady Gaga? We had Cream. Kayne? We had Hendrix. Yet I'm slightly optimistic about the future of guitar - my 6 year-old was jamming to GNR and Eric Johnson last night (Guitar Hero, of course) - if parents keep their kids off the sugar and on the classics - if parents demonstrate to kids that making music can be a part of daily life, the future of the guitar is bright.
As for the impact of the internet on the guitar, I thing it's fantastic. Hey - you like Haynes? - now check out Grissom. You can do this instantly. Want a more reliable AC30? Do a Google search. Want a great cab to go with that Belov head? Never has been more information, or more good gear, been more readily available. And never has access to like minded musicians been easier. The access to a great, guitar passion is only limited by your desire and imagination.
May 30, 2009 9:19 AM
I really like this response and the thought behind it. Well played, Bob Pauly.
Bob Pauly said...
...
The gear manufactured today is light years better than the gear made in my day: from a Squire Strat to a Collings I-35, the gear is better, more reliable and more affordable than ever. Amps, pedals - you name it - if you think it sounded better then - a TS9 over a Fulldrive - or that anything better than a DC-30 or Shiva (well maybe, a '65 SR), you need to be taken out to the woodshed (Make 'n Music).
As for the state of guitar playing, well, how about the state of guitar based music? Lady Gaga? We had Cream. Kayne? We had Hendrix. Yet I'm slightly optimistic about the future of guitar - my 6 year-old was jamming to GNR and Eric Johnson last night (Guitar Hero, of course) - if parents keep their kids off the sugar and on the classics - if parents demonstrate to kids that making music can be a part of daily life, the future of the guitar is bright.
As for the impact of the internet on the guitar, I thing it's fantastic. Hey - you like Haynes? - now check out Grissom. You can do this instantly. Want a more reliable AC30? Do a Google search. Want a great cab to go with that Belov head? Never has been more information, or more good gear, been more readily available. And never has access to like minded musicians been easier. The access to a great, guitar passion is only limited by your desire and imagination.
May 30, 2009 9:19 AM
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Guitar Buying Guide
After discussing the guitar world with a friend of mine this past weekend, we hit on the topic of making good choices when it comes to purchasing a first guitar (specifically electric). There are always a few internal battles that new players seem to go through, and as always, there are a million different answers.
Anyway, I thought I would have a look at what people are advising new guitar buyers to look for and the provide some my input on the process.
This is a good general information guide for a new buyer:
General Information Guide - Sweetwater
There are some basic fundamentals and concepts in that guide that make a lot of sense. But ultimately, I want to provide my views and hopefully they will someone make the right choices.
There are many important pieces to consider in buying a first guitar. Most people are looking to spend as little as possible and get a decent instrument. Unfortunately, the days of walking into Sam Ash and getting a nice Made in Mexico Fender Telecaster are long gone, but that's fine because there are many options out there if you want to do the legwork. For cheaters who don't want to read the entire post, some inexpensive brands that I really like are Epiphone, Crafter (acoustic), and G&L.
Epiphone makes some great stuff that really doesn't cost that much. Their Les Pauls have been notorious for bad wiring but that can be fixed easy enough. You can make your Epiphone Les Paul just as good as a Gibson by getting a good setup and throwing in some aftermarket pickups. In lower-end guitars, the electronics are typically a weak spot. For some guitars, the wood is good enough (Epiphone) that an upgrade in components makes it worth it. In other brands like Squier, it isn't even worth the effort.
Crafter makes really nice budget acoustics. I wanted to primarily write about electrics but I just have always found Crafter stuff to be SO nice and their prices can't be beat; great bang for your buck. If interested, see if you can track down one with a Cedar top. I wish I got one back in the day. Though it was a budget guitar, it sounded that good.
Ok, so G&L isn't that inexpensive but if you compare them to their Fender counterparts, they are really good deals. Their craftsmanship is impeccable and they sound amazing. True, they don't have the signature Fender headstock and are not as well known, but they are definitely worth every cent. If I wasn't such a humbucker/Gibson guy, I would probably almost play G&L exclusively...but currently I don't own any and I own two Fenders. Yep, that makes sense...
For people that are willing to spend some money and are not questioning whether or not they want to play guitar, I will provide some other options. I already provided G&L which could fall into this category. But the Gibson Les Paul Studio is a good "high end" option for a lower price. Gibson also had a line of Faded and/or Special guitars that are pretty good value.
It is said that Gibson took their Gothic series that didn't sell well and stripped the paint off of these guitars and resold them as the Gibson Special. The Gothic series was always rumored to be the line Gibson used to sell off their junk wood under the disguise of heavy black paint. The Special line was sold in Faded Red and brown, and then a couple of painted finishes. It is said Gibson used the good pieces of wood in the Faded finishes and the bad wood they kid with the paint jobs. So now you can find yourself an inxpensive Gibson SG Faded special. I have them go for as low as $475 and as high as about $800. Guess it just depends on the demand...
One brand that I can't "endorse" for the life of me is Squier by Fender. I have never heard one that sounds good, I have never played one that feels good, and I have never seen one that looks good. I can't tell you how many times I have seen a Squier at a store with a twisted neck where the repair would cost more than the guitar.
Generally, a good mindset to standby is that quality is the most important part of a guitar purchase. I wholeheartedly believe that you are better off spending $100-$200 extra dollars on a guitar made of better quality no matter what. If you're just learning to play, a bad guitar will be more difficult to play and won't sound good so you will become frustrated and not want to continue to learn the instrument. If you are already a somewhat experienced player, you need to consider the investment. Maybe the guitar feels fine to you now, but as you continue to grow as a player, will it still meet your needs? You will always be better off at saving up a little more money to get better quality than buy something because "it was cheap." The more expensive guitars get, this becomes a grey area, but that will come down to personal taste. While you're trying to develop that "taste" you should make sure to make good choices in purchasing an instrument. Of course, just because the price tag is bigger, that doesn't mean it's necessarily better. The only way you will know what guitar is best is spending time with it. If you are going to buy a guitar, make sure you feel it worth every cent.
Another thing to address is resale value. When you are buying an intro level guitar you might as well ignore the resale value factor. Entry level guitars are not investments...simple as that. Even intro level Gibsons from 50-70 years ago are valued much lower than anything in the vintage market. True, Guitar Center or Sam Ash will always give you a few bucks on it as a trade-in but it will always be at a significant loss. That said, don't buy a guitar because you think it will fair better when you're ready to move on. Buy a guitar that you know you will be satisfied with. You like how it plays and you like how it sounds.
Quick tips:
1. Make sure the guitar feels balanced
2. Make the neck isn't twisted. Twists are virtually impossible to repair WELL no matter what anyone tells you.
3. Make sure there isn't any hidden damage to the guitar.
4. Plug it in and make sure all the electronics work.
5. If you are torn between two guitars because of price and the more expensive one feels better, get the one that feels better.
If you're looking for more advice on buying a guitar or have any questions, feel free to email us at billsguitarblog@gmail.com. Hopefully we can get you pointed in the right direction and narrow down some choices for you.
Anyway, I thought I would have a look at what people are advising new guitar buyers to look for and the provide some my input on the process.
This is a good general information guide for a new buyer:
General Information Guide - Sweetwater
There are some basic fundamentals and concepts in that guide that make a lot of sense. But ultimately, I want to provide my views and hopefully they will someone make the right choices.
There are many important pieces to consider in buying a first guitar. Most people are looking to spend as little as possible and get a decent instrument. Unfortunately, the days of walking into Sam Ash and getting a nice Made in Mexico Fender Telecaster are long gone, but that's fine because there are many options out there if you want to do the legwork. For cheaters who don't want to read the entire post, some inexpensive brands that I really like are Epiphone, Crafter (acoustic), and G&L.
Epiphone makes some great stuff that really doesn't cost that much. Their Les Pauls have been notorious for bad wiring but that can be fixed easy enough. You can make your Epiphone Les Paul just as good as a Gibson by getting a good setup and throwing in some aftermarket pickups. In lower-end guitars, the electronics are typically a weak spot. For some guitars, the wood is good enough (Epiphone) that an upgrade in components makes it worth it. In other brands like Squier, it isn't even worth the effort.
Crafter makes really nice budget acoustics. I wanted to primarily write about electrics but I just have always found Crafter stuff to be SO nice and their prices can't be beat; great bang for your buck. If interested, see if you can track down one with a Cedar top. I wish I got one back in the day. Though it was a budget guitar, it sounded that good.
Ok, so G&L isn't that inexpensive but if you compare them to their Fender counterparts, they are really good deals. Their craftsmanship is impeccable and they sound amazing. True, they don't have the signature Fender headstock and are not as well known, but they are definitely worth every cent. If I wasn't such a humbucker/Gibson guy, I would probably almost play G&L exclusively...but currently I don't own any and I own two Fenders. Yep, that makes sense...
For people that are willing to spend some money and are not questioning whether or not they want to play guitar, I will provide some other options. I already provided G&L which could fall into this category. But the Gibson Les Paul Studio is a good "high end" option for a lower price. Gibson also had a line of Faded and/or Special guitars that are pretty good value.
It is said that Gibson took their Gothic series that didn't sell well and stripped the paint off of these guitars and resold them as the Gibson Special. The Gothic series was always rumored to be the line Gibson used to sell off their junk wood under the disguise of heavy black paint. The Special line was sold in Faded Red and brown, and then a couple of painted finishes. It is said Gibson used the good pieces of wood in the Faded finishes and the bad wood they kid with the paint jobs. So now you can find yourself an inxpensive Gibson SG Faded special. I have them go for as low as $475 and as high as about $800. Guess it just depends on the demand...
One brand that I can't "endorse" for the life of me is Squier by Fender. I have never heard one that sounds good, I have never played one that feels good, and I have never seen one that looks good. I can't tell you how many times I have seen a Squier at a store with a twisted neck where the repair would cost more than the guitar.
Generally, a good mindset to standby is that quality is the most important part of a guitar purchase. I wholeheartedly believe that you are better off spending $100-$200 extra dollars on a guitar made of better quality no matter what. If you're just learning to play, a bad guitar will be more difficult to play and won't sound good so you will become frustrated and not want to continue to learn the instrument. If you are already a somewhat experienced player, you need to consider the investment. Maybe the guitar feels fine to you now, but as you continue to grow as a player, will it still meet your needs? You will always be better off at saving up a little more money to get better quality than buy something because "it was cheap." The more expensive guitars get, this becomes a grey area, but that will come down to personal taste. While you're trying to develop that "taste" you should make sure to make good choices in purchasing an instrument. Of course, just because the price tag is bigger, that doesn't mean it's necessarily better. The only way you will know what guitar is best is spending time with it. If you are going to buy a guitar, make sure you feel it worth every cent.
Another thing to address is resale value. When you are buying an intro level guitar you might as well ignore the resale value factor. Entry level guitars are not investments...simple as that. Even intro level Gibsons from 50-70 years ago are valued much lower than anything in the vintage market. True, Guitar Center or Sam Ash will always give you a few bucks on it as a trade-in but it will always be at a significant loss. That said, don't buy a guitar because you think it will fair better when you're ready to move on. Buy a guitar that you know you will be satisfied with. You like how it plays and you like how it sounds.
Quick tips:
1. Make sure the guitar feels balanced
2. Make the neck isn't twisted. Twists are virtually impossible to repair WELL no matter what anyone tells you.
3. Make sure there isn't any hidden damage to the guitar.
4. Plug it in and make sure all the electronics work.
5. If you are torn between two guitars because of price and the more expensive one feels better, get the one that feels better.
If you're looking for more advice on buying a guitar or have any questions, feel free to email us at billsguitarblog@gmail.com. Hopefully we can get you pointed in the right direction and narrow down some choices for you.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Feelin' Good
I will forewarn you now, this post will be very limited in terms of guitar talk. I just wanted to take a minute to reflect on the blog a bit.
This evening I have had quite a few moments of satisfaction centered around Bill's Guitar Blog and general gear talk. I'm currently in the market for a new amplifier after having a complete reawakening at a show I was at last night and I have spent the day exchanging emails with my uncle who is fellow gearhead. I realized that I was at a point in the conversation where I was no longer seeking relevant information but was just enjoying exchanging essays on amplifiers and guitars. Very little makes me happier than gear talk.
The next event trips me out. Believe it or not (I believe I have alluded to this before), playing in my band and Bill's Guitar Blog don't pay the bills and I actually have to work a day job. I work in the world of IT and part of our team is based in India. A member of the team from India spent a considerable amount of time working in our Chicago office where I got to know him pretty well. He eventually finished his work in Chicago and headed back to India. Little did I know while he was here that this guy was a guitar player! One day when I wa perusing Facebook I saw a video he posted on Youtube of him playing. Since then, we have discussed our music every now and then. ANYWAY, I logged into my personal Gmail account and this friend started chatting with me via G-Chat and brought up my blog. Turns out he follows it and finds it interesting. Imagine that!
Clearly, I'm a nerd. I love the tools of music so much. At this show last night, I turned to my wife and said to her, "I love music. Not just the sounds, but the tools used to make them." I got the usual "yeah" and a "you gotta be kidding me" head shake. But it's true, I love the science of guitar and through this blog I get to discuss everything I love about it. Not only that but it allows me to connect with someone on the other side of the world who also loves music.
Ultimately, I'm just really happy that there are a few people reading this and they seem to enjoy it. It really makes me feel good and excited about whatever I write about next. Hopefully by this time next year the blog will have lots of new followers and will gain some momentum.
So as always, thank you and please help spread the word. The more people that dig the blog, the more motivated I am to keep working on it and improving it. I'm hoping that I will be able to get more people to start contributing writeups and/or anything else to the blog. I truly want this blog to be exactly what the readers want and the only way to do that is to allow them the ability to contribute. So remember, you can email me at billsguitarblog@gmail.com and let me know what you want to see.
Again, thank you and KEEP TELLING YOUR FRIENDS! Let's spread this blog and make this thing huge!
This evening I have had quite a few moments of satisfaction centered around Bill's Guitar Blog and general gear talk. I'm currently in the market for a new amplifier after having a complete reawakening at a show I was at last night and I have spent the day exchanging emails with my uncle who is fellow gearhead. I realized that I was at a point in the conversation where I was no longer seeking relevant information but was just enjoying exchanging essays on amplifiers and guitars. Very little makes me happier than gear talk.
The next event trips me out. Believe it or not (I believe I have alluded to this before), playing in my band and Bill's Guitar Blog don't pay the bills and I actually have to work a day job. I work in the world of IT and part of our team is based in India. A member of the team from India spent a considerable amount of time working in our Chicago office where I got to know him pretty well. He eventually finished his work in Chicago and headed back to India. Little did I know while he was here that this guy was a guitar player! One day when I wa perusing Facebook I saw a video he posted on Youtube of him playing. Since then, we have discussed our music every now and then. ANYWAY, I logged into my personal Gmail account and this friend started chatting with me via G-Chat and brought up my blog. Turns out he follows it and finds it interesting. Imagine that!
Clearly, I'm a nerd. I love the tools of music so much. At this show last night, I turned to my wife and said to her, "I love music. Not just the sounds, but the tools used to make them." I got the usual "yeah" and a "you gotta be kidding me" head shake. But it's true, I love the science of guitar and through this blog I get to discuss everything I love about it. Not only that but it allows me to connect with someone on the other side of the world who also loves music.
Ultimately, I'm just really happy that there are a few people reading this and they seem to enjoy it. It really makes me feel good and excited about whatever I write about next. Hopefully by this time next year the blog will have lots of new followers and will gain some momentum.
So as always, thank you and please help spread the word. The more people that dig the blog, the more motivated I am to keep working on it and improving it. I'm hoping that I will be able to get more people to start contributing writeups and/or anything else to the blog. I truly want this blog to be exactly what the readers want and the only way to do that is to allow them the ability to contribute. So remember, you can email me at billsguitarblog@gmail.com and let me know what you want to see.
Again, thank you and KEEP TELLING YOUR FRIENDS! Let's spread this blog and make this thing huge!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Cool Build Video
I recently acquired my first HomeBrew Electronics (HBE) pedal which is a surprise to me considering how much I love their stuff. Every single effect I have heard from them sounds amazing.
Anyway, I was perusing their site and found this 10 minute video on how their hand-building process and thought it was pretty impressive. Check it out.
HBE Build Video
Head over to their website:
HomeBrew Electronics
Anyway, I was perusing their site and found this 10 minute video on how their hand-building process and thought it was pretty impressive. Check it out.
HBE Build Video
Head over to their website:
HomeBrew Electronics
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