Other Guitar

Regular blog contributor Scott "The Bard" Wilcox puts three straps through their paces: the LM Products Studded Strap, the Perri's Poly Guitar Strap 2, and the Ralph Marlin Optic Impression Strap. We haven't seen this much strap-action since falling out of favor with the headmistress.  

Sometimes, a product comes along that's so functionally ingenious, only old-timey soapbox salesmanship can truely convey its worth:

The Cooperstand Guitar, Banjo And Mandolin Stand Looks Handsome, And Keeps Your Beloved Stringed-Instruments Looking Handsome, Too. It Won't Mar Delicate Finishes, Is More Stable Than other Guitar Stands, Folds To Fit Into Any Case Or Gig Bag, And It Really, Really Works!"  

An opportunity to save money is very important especially during these times of economic hardship. If you plan to get a new tuner for yourself, the Korg Pitchblack Rebate Program gets you that extra 10 back into your pocket.  

Man, if I had a Lollar for every time my Strat's single-coil buzz ruined a track. . . I'd have more Lollars than I needed! Really all I need is two or three Lollar Supro Steel hubuckers. They've buck hum while retaining the bite and chime of single coils.  

Reports of artists wanting the V-Picks Grip with a traditional pick size and shape have reached the ears of the people in V-Picks. This request was granted in the V-Picks Tradition.  

OMG! Quick! You don't want to miss out on the chance to win a new [garbled] from Digidesign, do you? No, of course not, especially if you play guitar! The new [garbled] is going to revolutionize the way you [garbled] guitar! Be the first on your block to nab your own [garbled], and for free, too!  

If you want that unique sound, you might as well invest in a rare instrument that will make you stand out. The Beyond The Trees Guitaringi Da Gamba, the only instrument of its kind, is now being sold.  

The new BOSS eBand JS-8 combines digital audio playback of songs and backing tracks with a suite of real BOSS guitar effects for the most enjoyable practice / rockstar role-play sessions ever.  

Have you ever wondered what pickups Mr. Goodbody would rock were he to rock non-stock pickups? Here's that answer to that quasi-riddle: the new BG Pups Bucker Clear Top humnbuckers and BG Pups MM90 Green Meanie Melody Maker replacement single coils.  

While losing picks feels like just a negligible cost, imagine how much money you've already wasted from years of losing picks in various locations. Save yourself from crawling underneath your table looking for a pick or from spending a lot of time trying to pick up a pick flatly laying on a tabletop or your amp with V-Picks Pick Stick.  

The twang and clarity of stainless steel strings have been predominant in records by guitarists such as Brian May and Pete Townshend, providing a sound that could be characterized as uniquely British. Rotosound British Steel guitar strings brings in the sound that made "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Save The Queen" guitar solo anthems.  

Dan Kelley from Guitar Kits USA is gonna show you how to make a Frankenstein guitar. No, really; a nice one that will actually make you want to scream, with gleeful insanity, "GIVE MY CREATION... LIFE!" Heh. Let us introduce you to the Res-O-Glas Guitar.  

Bo Pirrucello from Hanson Musical Instruments will admit that winding pickups isn't rocket science. However, there's still clearly a perceivable difference in quality between pickup X and Y, so what gives? The difference, Grasshopper, is tension.  

It just so happens that most guitar stands take up floor space, leading to clutter on the floor. It just seems to the best way to have easy access to those guitars. If you think that the easiest way to get around that is to hang your guitar to the wall, Hart Productions The Guitar Frame is that piece of gear you need to have.  

The hassles of going on tour without a pedalboard often leads to a messy floor setup with a significant risk of getting your precious gear smashed to bits. If it will only take a couple of dollars to invest on a pro pedalboard, then what guitarist wouldn't do just that? Lyt Pedalboards F16 provides that adequate pedalboard that’s light on the back as well as the pocket.  

Can you imagine a cinder block sounding like wood? Larry Lashbrook says yes, with the new Lashbrook Guitars Naturacoustic piezoelectric bridge.  

Music making is essentially a form of energy manipulation. One maverick physicist thought that since light and sound are both energy forms that behave in similar ways, he can make a guitar that manipulates light instead of sound to make music hence the introduction of the Russell Stoneback Light Guitar.  

A breadth of instant tuning options for the guitar and other fretted stringed instruments seems impossible even with a capo or specially calibrated tuning mechanisms. Providing a wealth of tuning options in an instant without ever manipulating your tuning knobs is the Summer NAMM 2009 Best In Show winner, Creative Tunings SpiderCapo.  

When a guitarist becomes disenchanted with his beloved electric guitar's tone, this usually results into a costly pickup purchase and installation, a vicious cycle of recurrent dissatisfaction and increasing cost. Cutting that down into one single purchase and installation is the ElectroKraft Magnedyne, a vintage-style single-coil pickup with adjustable tone.  

Robert "Lu" Edmonds of The Mekons keeps his mind and talent quite active with an insatiable hunger for travel and learning, and a penchant for playing crazy instruments from just about everywhere. Gearwire talked with him about the Saz he favored in a recent Chicago show. Don't know what a Saz is? Oh, don't worry. You'll know soon enough!  

Having those picks inside the pocket of your tight-fitting jeans have that undesirable* effect of making you look like you're fondling yourself on stage. Save yourself from embarrassment with the V-Picks Wristband Pickholder.

*subjectively speaking  

Given today's times, musicians are very conscious about the financial costs with regard to playing their respective instruments. Majority of costs among guitarists and bassists involve strings and any method that could prolong their life is explored. The Rotosound Nexus Coated Strings series ensures that strings have that longevity that would cut costs and exhibit an awesome tone at the same time.  

Some acoustic-electric guitar features suck big time. For one thing, the endpin jack wasn't at all designed to adequately secure a strap, especially when playing unplugged, therefore exposing your guitar to the risk of falling and breaking (which makes you somewhat think of a conspiracy theory in the theme of planned obsolescence in place). The SNJ Enterprises Strap-Jack is bound to save your guitar from falling at the Summer NAMM Show 2009.  

Keeping your strings in shape can be a tiresome job which includes some home-brewed remedies like string boiling, polishing with rags, and even fingernail scraping. Being exhibited at Summer NAMM 2009, Tone Gear The Bass String Cleaner will free those bassists from those tedious and risky activities once and for all.  

Guitarists who are fans of the miniature-poodle-in-sweater look are in for a real treat this summer. LightWing AxeGlove II has been announced, offering even more protection for you beloved relic while still looking every bit as dorky as before.  

James Blackshaw impresses with his understated prowess on the 12-string; but if you can't hear it, you can't be impressed. Lately he's taken to a number of different amplification solutions, one of which involves the Seymour Duncan SA3SC Woody SC acoustic guitar pickup. Woo! That's a long name for such a little thing. But it makes a big difference.  

Guitarists have long sought to rival violinists for their expressive capabilities by pushing the electric guitar's limits. Unfortunately, this has resulted in numerous pieces of hardware getting destroyed, among them toggle switches being used for the "machine-gun effect." Shadow Electronics seeks to rectify the situation with the SH 124 Kill Pot.  

It used to be that the only option you have for your guitar's protection is your gigbag or flight suitcase (or this hideous thing). While these could be potentially good items to secure your guitar, it is unfortunate to know that you can never play your guitar live whilst keeping them inside those bags. It's good to note that GuitarGuard is bringing in three of their new products to provide that security even during live performance. SKins and more to be debuted by GuitarGuard at the upcoming Summer NAMM.  

Fully assembled in-store cables sometimes fall short of guitarist's expectations. Therefore, as a music store owner you want to deliver the best custom cables you can build. The Lava Cable Center could be that great addition to your shop to have a firm grasp over customer loyalty.  

In an attempt to get that impressive guitar sound, active pickups have been sought by guitarists. However, the hassle of additional weight and the constant need for batteries have long been an annoyance. Could the Lace Alumitone Deathbucker be the end of active pickup tyranny?