Guitarist

Starting out on electric guitar or bass guitar? At first glance they look like family: four or six strings, a neck with frets, an amp behind them. But in a band, they do something completely different. ‘Which instrument is the easiest to start on?’ isn’t really the right question, because guitar and bass both have their own technical challenges. The real question is simpler than you think: what do you think is cool?

A guitar slide might look like a simple tube, but its material says a lot about how it behaves. Glass, steel and brass differ mainly in weight and character. How heavily does it sit on the strings, how bright does it sound and how quickly can you move it? Choose the slide that suits your strings and your playing style, not the material with the prettiest shine.

The Fazley Core-FX series consists of two multi-effects pedals for guitar and bass: the compact Core-FX2 and the more extensive Core-FX3. Both pack amp models, effects, NAM captures, a USB audio interface and a rechargeable battery into one small box. The main differences are how many sounds you get and whether you want to use the pedal on stage.

A string winder: is it a genuine tool, or just a toy for guitarists who can’t be bothered to turn the pegs? Honest answer: you can get by perfectly well without one. But it saves so much winding and costs so little that you’d be daft to leave it on the shelf. In short: is it a luxury? Yes. Unnecessary? No.

Marshall is arguably the best-known amplifier brand in the world, and that’s no coincidence. A drummer with a music shop listened carefully to what guitarists were missing, and the answer, more volume and a rawer edge, became the sound of rock. It started with a handful of prototypes built outside the shop and ended up as a wall of cabinets on every major stage.

Gig bag or guitar case? Every guitarist faces that question at some point, usually the first time you head out the door with your instrument. A case offers better protection, while a bag is lighter and more practical. Which one you need mainly depends on where your guitar is going and what it goes through along the way.

Lots of audio interfaces and mixers have an input labelled Hi-Z, Inst or with a little guitar icon next to it. So what’s it for? In short: a Hi-Z input is designed for the high-impedance signal of an electric guitar or bass, so it comes through clear and bright when you plug straight in. Plug your guitar in anywhere else and you’ll hear the difference straight away.

Dreadnought or jumbo: if you’re looking for a large acoustic guitar, you’ll end up choosing between these two sooner or later. Both are big and loud, with a hefty helping of bass. Yet the choice is less tricky than it seems: the dreadnought is the versatile standard, while the jumbo is a size bigger still and asks more of your body. Your arms and your ears will decide together which one it’ll be.

Left-handed and learning to play the guitar? Then sooner or later you’ll run into the question: do I buy a left-handed guitar, or do I just learn to play right-handed? Around one in ten people are left-handed, so you’re certainly not the only one wondering about this. My answer: there’s no wrong side, as long as you choose what feels natural to you and don’t switch afterwards.

The colour of a guitar has no effect on its sound, and the finish has only a slight one at most. That difference is so small and so disputed that you’re better off choosing on looks, feel and how the guitar ages, especially with an electric guitar. Even so, the debate between nitro and poly fans has raged on for decades. There’s a grain of truth in it, just not where you’d expect.

This blog is dedicated to Stevie Ray Vaughan (3 October, 1954 – 27 August 1990), one of the most beloved blues guitarists of the late 20th century. With his band Double Trouble, he laid the foundations for the blues revival of the ’80s. More than 20 years after his tragic death, his influence is still clearly felt.

In this blog, we’ll be taking a look at the playing style and the gear of Jimi Hendrix. Over the years, his brilliant playing has inspired countless guitarists, and it still does to this day. His influence can be heard across the widest range of musical styles. Because of his early death, his own discography remained limited to just three studio albums: Axis: Bold as Love, Are You Experienced and Electric Ladyland. After his death, a stream of official and unofficial albums was released, of highly variable quality. What is it about a guitarist who died too young, with only three albums to his name, that still inspires guitarists and music lovers?