Archive for September, 2009
Monday, September 28th, 2009
If you have an unlimited amount of money to spend, it is great fun to to look at acoustics from guitar-makers like Martin, Taylor, Collings and Santa Cruz. But not all of us have an unlimited amount of money to spend. (If we did, we might not be writing blog stories on guitars - well actually we probably would.) For many of us, the trick is to find a guitar that fits in our budget that will get us most of the way there.
For awhile now, Recording King has been the acoustic guitar maker that fits the bill for us. Designed here in the USA and then manufactured in China, Recording King makes very good quality guitars at a fraction of the price of a comparable Martin. The company’s latest guitar, the Recording King ROS-06 looks like an excellent choice for the fingerpicker looking for a 12-fret model that can be used fearlessly. At roughly $300 at retail, we really like the specs on this one.
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Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, September 25th, 2009
We learned about the Walden Concorda CG670TB after reading about it in Acoustic Guitar Magazine. After adding over 1400 guitars to the Fretbase database, we thought we had covered a lot of the important ones. However, we were surprised to find an important luthier that we had missed.
Not only does Walden carry a deep and very reasonably priced line of acoustic and classical guitars, but their guitars also carried by a number of top-tier guitar stores including Gryphon Stringed Instruments and many others. The Walden Concorda CG670TB is a grand auditorium model that retails for under $500. Solid cedar top with mahogany back and sides. Nice combo.
Walden Concorda CG670TB
Walden Guitars
Tags: Walden
Posted in Guitars | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
Ok this one is a trip…
This guy uses just his voice and a microphone to create a lead guitar sound. I’d say his vocal chords sound like a Stratocaster with humbuckers through a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier and a TS808 screamer. He trades a few licks back and forth with a real guitar players. We’re not sure what his name but if you do please let us know in the comments. Special hat tip to GuitarKadia for this one. Check it out…
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Tags: mouth guitar, Video
Posted in Bedroom Rockstars, Video | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Here at Fretbase, we are regular users of Guitar Toolkit - one of the best-selling iPhone apps for the guitar. So when we heard that Agile Partners was releasing Tab Toolkit - an iPhone application for guitar tablature - we had to try it. We were given special access to take Tab Toolkit on a test drive and we’re glad we did.
Simply stated, Tab Toolkit is intended to allow you to take your guitar tablature with you and access it on the iPhone or iPod touch. For anybody who has ever been caught without a key piece of tablature at home or tried to read tablature on a Kindle, the need for a piece of software like this can’t be over-stated.
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Tags: guitar toolkit, iphone
Posted in Reviews, Technology | 10 Comments »
Monday, September 21st, 2009
Ok this could be the coolest thing you could possibly step on before launching into a crushing guitar solo on stage. I can’t believe metal fans haven’t come up with something like this sooner.
Tuned in Fretbase reader Tim sent us this tip on a 3D guitar effects pedal called the “Skull Crusher” by Tone Box. This is the first pedal from Tone Box creators Kasha and Crosby in what promised to be a line up of cool 3D pedals for your pedal board.
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Tags: pedal effects, skull crusher
Posted in Accessories, News | 2 Comments »
Sunday, September 20th, 2009
You have done the research and you are sure that *this* time you have found the guitar for you. But you don’t want to just order it. Instead, you want to walk into your local guitar store and try it. That makes sense. You aren’t buying an iPod. Each guitar is different. Each one is cut from different wood, each built by a Luthier (hopefully) and each went through its own ups and downs in shipping. But where is your nearest local dealer? Which website could possibly help you find such information?
Of course, at Fretbase we’re here to help you. We have had our team of editors compile a list of local guitar dealers by brand. And what a wonderful list it is. Sometimes it works to buy online at Musician’s Friend, but sometimes you really want to step into a Gryphon Stringed Instruments.
Local Guitar Dealers by Brand
Tags: gryphon stringed instruments
Posted in Guitars, Retailers | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Here’s a great video we stumbled across that features UK guitarist Adrian Legg. Legg has been described as “impossible to categorize” and has become well known for his acoustic fingerstyle abilities, alternate tunings and strange looking guitars. Like us, Adrian Legg is a bit of a gear nut and over the years has been involved in the development of Ovation, Vox and Takamine guitars.
In this short video clip we see him demonstrate a song using just an alternate tuning and the guitar’s tuners. Short, but very impressive…
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Tags: Adrian Legg, fingerstyle, guitar video
Posted in Instruction, Songs, Video | No Comments »
Saturday, September 12th, 2009
Never heard of Richard Gilewitz? Neither had we until tuned-in Fretbase reader Yvonne contacted Dave and I and said we have to check this guy out. Well we did, and we were very happy to find a fantastic fingerstyle guitarist.
Richard Gilewitz has a style reminiscent of Leo Kottke and has in fact shared the stage with Leo among other musicians that include Warren Zevon, John Prine, Adrian Legg, Taj Mahal, Steve Morse, Sonny Landreth and The Indigo Girls. This solo performer combines quips and tunes with a little history to deliver a timeless picture of American and European fingerstyle guitar.
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Tags: fingerstyle, John Prine, Richard Gilewitz, warren zevon
Posted in Instruction, News | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Just a little in advance of the game’s official release today, the New York Times published their review of The Beatles: Rock Band. They freakin’ loved it. In the words of Seth Schiesel, “it may be the most important video game yet made.” (Apparently Schiesel never played Lesiure Suit Larry.)
In particular, the Times loved the way the game is not only enjoyable, but the way is has “intergenerational cultural resonance.” (Traslation: Old people and young people will like it.) While the game follows the traditional Rock Band structure (players simulating instrument playing and singing), The Beatles: Rock Band brings rich “psychedelic dreamscapes” and of course the incredible Beatles music. If you were thinking about picking up a copy of The Beatles: Rock Band, this new review should put you over the top. With the software-only version starting at $53.99 on Amazon, how could you resist?
But if you still aren’t sure, check out the trailer.
New York Times Review of The Beatles: Rock Band
The Beatles: Rock Band (Amazon)
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Tags: rock band, the beatles
Posted in Guitar Video Games, News | No Comments »
Sunday, September 6th, 2009
BOSS has recently announced a very cool looking practice tool for guitarists called the eBand JS-8. The eBand JS-8 will allow guitarists to upload any song into the device and play along with the song, modify the song’s tempo for learning note-by-note or even use the built-in software to remove the guitar track all together.
But that’s not all. The eBand comes preloaded with 300 backing tracks and rhythm loops which also include pre-programmed guitar effects. You can even record your guitar with the eBand JS-8. This is pretty much an all-in-one practice tool for guitarists at home. You can work songs you’re learning, rehearse your band’s music or just jam out to some of the backing loops included. We also like the portability of the device. You’re not tethered to your desktop or laptop computer. It’s also pretty much plug and go. Check the video.
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Tags: boss, eBand, roland
Posted in Accessories, Instruction, News | 1 Comment »
