3 Great Books to Learn to Play Guitar.

Posted: May 16th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Resources | Tags: , | No Comments »

Here are 3 of my favorite books to learn to play guitar. I’ve chosen these because each book offers something a bit different, but cover all the major bases from beginner to advanced, acoustic and electric guitar.

Each book includes an audio CD so you can be sure you’re doing it right, and there’s truly something for everyone here which makes them great gift ideas too! icon wink 3 Great Books to Learn to Play Guitar.

Learn to Play Guitar

The Hal Leonard Guitar Method

Learn to Play Guitar Hal Leonard 3 Great Books to Learn to Play Guitar.Hal Leonard is a giant in the music publishing business, and they have some of the best books to learn to play guitar. The Hal Leonard Guitar Method, Complete Edition: Books & CD’s 1, 2 and 3 is one of the best of their collection.

What makes the Hal Leonard Guitar Method so great is that it’s designed for beginners and intermediate players and covers both acoustic and electric guitar.

This “complete edition” features 3 spiral bound books (Guitar Method 1, 2 and 3), each with a CD of samples, so you can hear what the lessons should sound like when played correctly.

This book begins at the beginning with how to hold the guitar. Each lesson proceeds from there in a logical way to more advanced topics like:

  • reading music
  • building chords
  • music theory
  • advanced fingerings
  • and much much more!

The Hal Leonard Guitar Method, Complete Edition: Books & CD’s 1, 2 and 3 is an incredible resource – whether you are a beginner wanting to learn to play guitar, or an intermediate player who wants to improve your skills.

This book focuses on developing the guitarist’s fingers, ear and understanding of harmony and melody. Music theory is introduced naturally, and subtly without ever feeling like a text book. The CD set makes learning proper timing, intonation and rhythm enjoyable and rewarding.

It’s never been easier to learn to play guitar!

Learn How the Fretboard Works

With the Guitar Fretboard Workbook, you will learn to navigate the guitar neck better than ever before.

Learn to Play Guitar fretboard workbook 3 Great Books to Learn to Play Guitar.The content of this book is based upon the core curriculum of the Musicians Institute, and it covers essential concepts of playing guitar from basic to advanced.

What makes the this book so cool is that it’s a hands-on technique for learning theory and how it relates to the fretboard – and you don’t even need to read musical notation to do it! You learn the fundamentals of music as they relate to the guitar. That knowledge can be extended to all styles and forms of music.

Among some of the topics covered are:

  • modes
  • chords
  • slash chords (ex: D/F, G/B..)
  • how to understand the neck, and relate to chords and scales anywhere on the neck

The Guitar Fretboard Workbook will teach you how to speak the universal language of Music. It gives you the knowledge you need to be able to communicate with other trained musicians regardless of what instrument they play.

The book itself if designed for use in everything from private lessons to classroom instruction to personal study.

The Fretboard Workbook is comprised of 22 short chapters, covering a specific topic or lesson small enough to be completed in a 20 – 30 minute timeframe. Each chapter builds on the one before it and increases in difficulty. Written and playing assignments are included, with answers in the back.

This Guitar Workbook is ideal for the self-starter who wants to learn to play guitar, but doesn’t have the time to schedule a fixed lesson every week. It’s also a great book for the intermediate player looking to jump to the next level of playing guitar.

Even people who know the 5 patterns of major scales have said they benefited from an improved sense of understanding the scales and how to visualize where to play them after using the Guitar Fretboard Workbook.

Great for anyone who has trouble finding their way around the fretboard.

Guitar Aerobics

Learn to Play Guitar Aerobics 3 Great Books to Learn to Play Guitar.Let’s face it – unless you’re a professional musician or student, it’s hard to find the time to practice playing guitar. Between work, and family obligations there isn’t much time to devote to regular practice. That’s where Guitar Aerobics: A 52-Week, One-lick-per-day Workout Program for Developing, Improving and Maintaining Guitar Technique comes into play.

Guitar Aerobics is what that titles suggests. One lick to practice, every day that adds up to a week long workout to get you in the groove, and help you build up your skills with minimal hassle to your already busy life.

You can think of this as your daily dose of vitamins, or callous inducing calisthenics.

Anyway, all the main styles are covered:

  • Rock
  • Blues
  • Jazz
  • Metal
  • Country
  • Funk

Techniques covered include:

  • alternate picking
  • arpeggios
  • sweep picking
  • string skipping
  • legato
  • string bending
  • rhythm guitar

Practicing these techniques every day leads to improved dexterity and accuracy. Each technique is mapped to a day of the week, and each week builds on the one before it.

For example, Monday is “alternate picking day”, so each Monday focuses on increasingly challenging alternate picking skills.

Like any good book meant to teach you to learn to play guitar, the Guitar Aerobics: A 52-Week, One-lick-per-day Workout Program for Developing, Improving and Maintaining Guitar Technique includes a CD. The CD has all 365 workout licks and play-along grooves in various styles and metronome settings.

The real beauty of Guitar Aerobics is that the workouts are broken down into daily exercises that can be completed in 10 or 15 minutes a day. This avoids practice fatigue and it’s perfect for the busy amateur guitarist!

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Best Loop Pedal: TC Electronic Ditto Looper!

Posted: April 4th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Gear | Tags: , | No Comments »

Hands down, the best loop pedal on the market today – not just the best looper for it’s price point – is the TC Electronic Ditto Looper.

The TC Electronic Ditto Looper Pedal is plugged as being “mindblowingly simple,” and it is.

Why the TC Electronic Ditto Looper is the best

TC Electronic Ditto Looper1 300x288 Best Loop Pedal: TC Electronic Ditto Looper!

There’s a reason the TC Electronic Ditto Looper is the most anticipated pedal of 2013 and beats other loop pedals on the market… well, actually there’s
a few reasons.

  • Dirt simple looping – and nothing but looping!
  • True bypass and Analog-Dry-Through
  • 5 minutes of looping
  • Recordings remain when power is off
  • Undo / Redo function
  • Unlimited overdubs
  • 24 bit uncompressed high quality audio
  • Ultra-small footprint

 

As you can see, there are some really great features here, especially when you consider TC Electronic prides itself (rightfully so) on having created a pedal that is “only a looper.”

In focusing on simplicity, creativity and fun, TC Electronic has created the best looper pedal on the market today.

The TC Electronic Ditto Looper is dead simple to use, gives you enough looping time for a full song and is incredibly affordable.

It’s also small enough to fit in your pocket! Measuring at just 3 5/8” by 1 5/8”, the TC Electronic Ditto Looper is incredibly portable and leaves more room on your pedal board for other toys icon wink Best Loop Pedal: TC Electronic Ditto Looper! .

Ok, enough from me. Here are some demos of the TC Electronic Ditto Looper Pedal in action:

Tore Mogensen (of TC Electronic ) explains the looper, while Andreas Lund has some fun (Click to watch the demo):

Kasper Falkenberg shows what’s possible with the TC Electronic Ditto Looper and the Flashback X4 Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb Click to watch the demo):

Anouck Andre having a little fun Click to watch the demo):

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6 Best Effects Pedals For Beginners (Under $50).

Posted: March 20th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Gear | Tags: , , , | No Comments »

The best effects pedals for electric guitar are typically going to cost you close to or over 100 bucks, but there are a half dozen or so really good effects pedals for under $50. These are them – and they’re great pedals for the price, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player on a budget.

The 6 best effects pedals for electric guitar under $50

DigiTech Hot Head Distortion

digitech hothead 001 6 Best Effects Pedals For Beginners (Under $50).The DigiTech Hot Head Distortion Pedal is not just one of the best effects pedals for guitar under $50, it’s also one of the most versatile distortion pedals in the under $50 price range. That’s why it was included on the Best Distortion Pedals under $50 list. The Hot Head is perfect for adding that little bit of grit to your tone. Whether you’re looking for dirty classic rock or hard rock crunch, the Hot Head will deliver.

This versatility to many styles and its easy to use design make it one of the best effects pedal for beginners.

The DigiTech Hot Head Distortion Pedal is easy to use and gets the job done, at a good price.

DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive

DigiTech DBM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive 150x150 6 Best Effects Pedals For Beginners (Under $50).The DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive has it all! A killer name, and killer vintage overdrive make this one of the best effects pedals for guitar under $50. In fact, it may be the Best overdrive pedal under $50.

The Bad Monkey is a rugged and flexible overdrive pedal that will give your amp the sound of a naturally overdriven tube amp without polluting your guitar’s distinct tone in the process.

A good overdrive pedal is an essential effects pedal for beginners, and the DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive pedal is one of the best and most affordable for beginners.

Behringer DD400 Digital Stereo Delay/Echo

behringer dd400 001 150x150 6 Best Effects Pedals For Beginners (Under $50).A delay or echo is another basic effects pedal for beginners.

The two basic features of a delay pedal are number of repeats and time between each repeat (or echo). A good delay pedal will cover a good range of time and provide multiple echoes.

With 7 different modes and a delay time of up to 1.3 seconds, the Behringer DD400 effects pedal ranges from subtle to radical stereo delay. No wonder it made the Best Delay/Echo Pedals under $50 list!

With this level of control for around $35, the Behringer DD400 is easily one of the best effects pedals for guitar under $50. The DD400 gives you a wealth of available controls and sound shaping ability, making it an essential effects pedal for beginners.

Behringer Compressor-Sustainer CS400

behringer cs400 002 150x150 6 Best Effects Pedals For Beginners (Under $50).Dynamics (relative loud and soft notes) are an important part of music, but uncontrolled dynamics can really mess up an otherwise great piece of playing.

This is where compressor pedals come in.

A compressor pedal smoothes out the dynamics by producing consistent sound levels. This process also has the effect of improving the sustain of each note. Compressor and sustainer pedals are great for playing searing blues or metal solos and Compressors are also great for slap-style bass players

It’s because of this diversity that a compressor/sustainer is an essential effects pedal for beginners – it just opens up so many doors.

The best compressor/sustainer effects pedal for under $50 is the Behringer CS400 compressor/sustainer pedal.

The CS400 adds some great impact to your tone and near-endless sustain, and it’s easy to use.

The Behringer CS400 is great for everything from clean, snappy country leads to searing blues solos to rock solos that really scream.

At $23.99 on Amazon, this pedal is a steal! (That’s why it made the Best Compressor pedal under $50 list)

Rogue Analog Chorus

Rogue Analog Chorus 6 Best Effects Pedals For Beginners (Under $50).A good chorus pedal will add depth to your tone, and it’s virtually a must for any 80′s pop songs (think The Police, Men At Work, Cure, etc..)

I know a lot of guitarists are not fans of the chorus effect, but it’s still essential to capturing that sound.

My pick for the best chorus effects pedal for guitar under $50 is the Rogue Analog Chorus pedal.

The Rogue Analog Chorus pedal creates everything from wide sweeping to shimmering 12-string sound. It adds depth to electric guitars, electronic keyboards and more.

It’s easy to use, featuring only two control knobs that let you quickly adjust the modulation speed and depth.

The Rogue Analog Chorus is has a true bypass switch engages and disengages the effect. An LED indicator shows you when the effect is engaged and gets dim when it’s time to change the battery.

Behringer EQ700 Graphic Equalizer

Behringer EQ700 6 Best Effects Pedals For Beginners (Under $50).Finally, our best effects pedals for guitar under $50 list will wrap up with the Behringer EQ700 Graphic Equalizer pedal. The idea behind this pedal is simple: shape the sound going into your amp.

The EQ700 is a lot like the equalizer on a traditional stereo system. 7 EQ bands let you shape your sound and eliminate feedback.

The Behringer EQ700 handles frequencies ranging from 100 Hz to 6.4 kHz with a powerful 15 dB boost/cut per band. This makes the EQ700 an ideal effects pedal for beginners because you can compensate for whatever may be lacking in your sound – too much treble, too little treble, not enough bass – you name it! The EQ700 can help round out your sound.

The Behringer EQ700 Graphic Equalizer includes the standard status LED for effect On/Off and battery check, and you can run your EQ700 on a 9 V battery or a DC power supply (not included). It retails for less than $50 at Amazon and other stores.

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Joe Bonamassa Tears it up and Gives a Glimpse of His Guitar Collection.

Posted: February 22nd, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Music | Tags: | No Comments »

I just came across this video of Joe Bonamassa playing in his LA apartment:

It’s short, but he plays some truly tasty licks and gives a glimpse of his “legendary” guitar collection and a cupboard full of pedals! (My wife would kill me if I tried that! lol!)

I actually thought it was interesting that he was playing a Fender Telecaster instead of his signature Les Paul though…

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The Best Distortion Pedals for Under $50

Posted: February 2nd, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Gear | Tags: , , | 3 Comments »

These are my picks for best distortion pedals for under $50. Note that these are distortion pedals and not overdrive pedals. If you’re looking for killer metal distortion or grunge sound to add to your guitar tone and want to spend less than $50, you’re in the right place.

If you’re looking to add some classic rock snarl or blues overdrive, then check out The Best Overdrive Pedals for Under $50.

Also, as an added bonus, each of these distortion pedals sells for less than $50 and includes cables and picks!

DigiTech DDM Death Metal Distortion

digitech deathmetal 001 The Best Distortion Pedals for Under $50

When it comes to distortion pedals, the DigiTech DDM Death Metal Distortion leads the pack. The DigiTech DDM pedal does one thing and one thing well – extreme distortion!

In a nutshell, the DigiTech DDM delivers killer metal tone with tons of distortion and a 3-band EQ.

DigiTech DDM Controls:

  • Level
  • Low
  • Mid
  • High

The level knob allows you to control the amount of Death Metal Distortion to add, while the 3-band EQ (high, mid and low) lets you dial in the right amount of tone shaping and ensure your guitar always cuts through the mix.

The DigiTech DDM Death Metal Distortion is some of the most extreme distortion on the market, especially it the under $50 price range. DigiTech says they’ve “turned the gain up to “eleven” and ripped the knob off,” and I believe them!

Here’s a demo of the Digitech DDM

DigiTech Grunge Distortion

digitech grunge 001 The Best Distortion Pedals for Under $50

Anyone looking for a more flexible distortion pedal should check out the DigiTech Grunge Distortion Pedal. This puppy is great for blues, rock and metal. It’s not nearly as heavy as the DDM, but the DigiTech DDM really only does Death Metal Distortion, If you play metal but also some less heavy stuff like blues or hard rock then the DigiTech Grunge Distortion is an excellent pedal to have.

The DigiTech Grunge Distortion has the following controls:

  • Loud
  • Low
  • High
  • Grunge

The DigiTech Grunge Distortion Pedal was designed for guitarists who want everything from chunky rhythm to heavy grind to amazing sustaining leads. The DigiTech Grunge Distortion gets you these and everything in between, and all for less than $50!

Here the DigiTech Grunge in action

DigiTech Hot Head Distortion

digitech hothead 001 The Best Distortion Pedals for Under $50

So what if you’re looking for a distortion pedal, but don’t play death metal and don’t even need that Grunge level of distortion?

This is where the DigiTech Hot Head Distortion Pedal comes in. The Hot Head Distortion is a multi-purpose pedal for any music style where light to moderate distortion is needed.

The controls are simple and straightforward, but allow for flexible tone shaping:

  • Level
  • Low
  • High
  • Gain

Whether you need just a little more dirt in your tone or you need your amp to sound like a full stack, the DigiTech Hot Head Distortion Pedal gets the job done, at a good price.

Here’s an excellent demo of the Hot Head from Robert at Dolphinstreet

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The Best Overdrive Pedals for Under $50

Posted: January 31st, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Gear | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »

These are my picks for the best overdrive pedals for under $50. Note that these are overdrive pedals and not distortion pedals. If you’re looking to add some classic rock snarl or blues overdrive to your guitar tone and want to spend less than $50, you’re in the right place.

If you’re looking for killer metal distortion, then check out The Best Distortion Pedals for Under $50.

The Best Overdrive Pedals for Under $50

Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive

TO800 big 242x300 The Best Overdrive Pedals for Under $50

The Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive pedal creates great tube-like, screaming distortion with a smooth sustain and nice, fat tone.

The authentic vintage sound of the Behringer TO800 is made possible through the use of original 4558 op amp and the MA150 distortion diodes.

The control set for the Behringer TO800 is stripped down and simple. It also has noise free On/Off switch, status LED and battery check.

The Behringer TO800 runs on a 9 V battery or DC power supply (not included).

Behringer TO800 Controls:

  • Drive
  • Tone
  • Level

It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

If you want vintage and screaming tube-like distortion, the TO800 is a great choice, especially since the Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive sells for $38 on Amazon!

Here’s a demo of the TO800 in action:

 

DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive

DigiTech DBM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive 189x300 The Best Overdrive Pedals for Under $50

Besides having an awesome name, the DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive pedal delivers killer vintage overdrive to your tone.

The DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey has the following controls:

  • Level: boosts the output level of your guitar signal
  • Low: adjusts boost and cut of bass frequencies
  • High: adjusts boost and cut of upper harmonics
  • Gain: provides smooth tube amp distortion to your sound

That’s it!

The DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive pedal is not metal level distortion, but it gives your guitar amp a boost just when you need it.

The DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey is a rugged and flexible overdrive pedal that will give your amp the sound of a naturally overdriven tube amp and allow your guitar’s distinct tone to be preserved.

The DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive pedal sells for $49.95 – but comes with Guitar cable, patch cord and picks! (you can also buy just the pedal, without the extras)

Watch gearmanndude demo the BadMonkey:

DigiTech Screamin Blues

DigiTech DSB Screamin Blues Overdrive 234x300 The Best Overdrive Pedals for Under $50

Lastly, there is the DigiTech Screamin Blues Overdrive Pedal. While all players can benefit from the Screamin Blues, it’s blues players in particular who will love this pedal.

The Screamin Blues is built to respond to playing dynamics of all kinds, but is especially attuned to a more blues style of play.

Playing lightly gives you a mild overdrive, but dialing up the gain and digging in hard will make the Screamin’ Blues sing with ultra-rich harmonics and sustain.

The Screamin Blues has the basic overdrive pedal controls:

  • Level
  • Low
  • High
  • Gain

The DigiTech Screamin Blues Overdrive Pedal sells for $49.95 and like the DigiTech DDM Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive, it includes a patch cord, picks and guitar cord and is also sold alone.

Watchgearmanndude demo the Screamin Blues:

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The Best Compressor/Sustainer Pedals For Under $50

Posted: January 9th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Gear | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »

Dynamics (relative loud and soft notes) are an important part of music, but uncontrolled dynamics can really mess up an otherwise great piece of playing.

A compressor pedal lowers the output sound relative to your input signal. In other words, it smoothes out the dynamics by producing consistent sound levels. Incidentally, this also has the effect of improving the sustain of each note.

Compressor and sustainer pedals are great for players looking for that searing blues solo, and metal players alike.

Compressors are also great for slap-style bass players, making thumb slaps, string pulls and muted notes all the same volume, for an extremely percussive effect.

Here are two great compressor/sustainer pedals that sell for less than $50.

Behringer Compressor-Sustainer CS400

behringer cs400 002 210x300 The Best Compressor/Sustainer Pedals For Under $50

The Behringer CS400 compressor/sustainer pedal adds some great impact to your tone and near-endless sustain. It is easy to Operate with 4 knobs to let you dial in the amount of compression and sustain you’re looking for.

The Behringer CS400 has dedicated knobs for:

  • Attack
  • Sustain
  • Level
  • Tone

Attack lets you dial in the amount of compression, while sustain controls…well, the sustain. icon wink The Best Compressor/Sustainer Pedals For Under $50

The Level control allows you control the amount of volume boost – from subtle to “monster” volume boost. The tone knob controls level of highs.

The Behringer CS400 is great for everything from clean, snappy country leads to searing blues solos to rock solos that really scream. The CS400 also provides an LED to tell you when it’s on, and on/off switch that will put the pedal in bypass mode when off and runs on either a 9 V battery or PSU-SB DC power supply

At $23.99 on Amazon, the Behringer CS400 compressor/sustainer pedal is a steal!

Rogue Vintage Compressor

rogue belcat compressor 002 268x300 The Best Compressor/Sustainer Pedals For Under $50

Rogue Vintage Compressor is about twice as much as the Behringer CS400, but it’s “Vintage”. icon biggrin The Best Compressor/Sustainer Pedals For Under $50

“Vintage” means it’s likely to produce some added “noise” to your signal when put after other pedals in your signal chain. But for some players, that “noise” is the vintage sound they’re after. After all, Hendrix had a pretty hairy tone in a lot of his live recordings..

The Rogue Vintage Compressor Pedal is also a bit more simplified in its appearance, with only 3 control knobs:

  • Compressor threshold (sensitivity)
  • Sustain
  • Overall volume

The Rogue Vintage Compressor is a true bypass pedal, so disengaging the effect won’t rob your tone. An LED indicator shows you when the effect is engaged and gets dim when it’s time to change the battery.

The Rogue Vintage Compressor is made of aluminum and built to last.

The Rogue Vintage Compressor at a glance:

  • Sturdy, lightweight aluminum case
  • True bypass switching
  • Easy-to-use Threshold, Sustain and Level controls

Powered by either a 9 volt battery or external 9 volt DC adapter

The Rogue Vintage Compressor Pedal sells for about $49.99 on Amazon.

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The Best Delay / Echo Pedals For Under $50

Posted: December 31st, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Gear | Tags: , | No Comments »

Here are three awesome delay/echo pedals for under $50. If you’re wondering how delay and echo are different than reverb, then read on. If you’re only interested in the best bang for your buck on an effects pedal, then skip to the “The Best Delay /echo pedals for under $50″ section below.

Delay vs Echo vs Reverb.

The Delay effect is both easy to understand, and easy to confuse. Many people equate reverb and delay as the same thing. They are not, but they are related.

It is best understood with example.

Imagine yourself in a large, empty gymnasium. You shout “Hello” in a loud voice. The first “hello” you hear reflected back to you from the nearest wall is an echo, caused by a delay.

As the echo mixes with other echoes reflected off other walls, bleachers, the floor, etc.. it creates reverb.

Think of delay as an exact copy of the sound, stored in the pedal and played back at a later time.

The length of time between the original sound and the copy being played back (echo) is the delay. The delay may be less than a second or several seconds.

A good delay pedal will cover a good range of time periods and even multiple echoes.

Here are two of the best in the under $50 price range.

The Best Delay /echo pedals for under $50

Digital delay effects pedal

Behringer DD400 Digital Stereo Delay/Echo

behringer dd400 001 246x300 The Best Delay / Echo Pedals For Under $50

With 7 different modes and a delay time of up to 1.3 seconds, the Behringer DD400 effects pedal ranges from subtle to radical stereo delay.

Behringer DD400 control features:

  • Dedicated Mode
  • Time
  • Feedback
  • Level

The DD400 has a bypass mode and blue status LED indicator for on/off and battery check.

The DD400 runs on a 9 V battery or a DC power supply.

At around $35, the Behringer DD400 gives you a great bang for your buck considering the available controls and sound shaping ability.

check out the Behringer DD400 in action:

Analog delay effects pedals

For those who prefer a more organic sound, here are two great analog delay pedals for under $50. Some people complain that these pedals can be “noisy”, but that’s part of the analog experience – even with pedals in the $150 range.

Behringer VD400 Vintage Analog Delay

behringer vd400 001 246x300 The Best Delay / Echo Pedals For Under $50

The Behringer VD400 Vintage Analog Delay effects pedal delivers true analog delay ranging from vintage slap-back echo that rivals any tape delay, to space-aged echo.

The VD400 has controls for:

  • Intensity
  • Echo
  • Repeat Rate

Like its digital cousin, the DD400, the VD400 also sports a blue status LED for effect on/off and battery check.

The Behringer VD400 Vintage Analog Delay sells for about $22 and runs on a 9 V battery or a DC power supply.

The VD400 is a clone of the BOSS DM-3 (no longer made), but at a fraction of its cost.

The VD400 Vintage BBDs produce up to 300 ms of delay and advanced noise reduction circuit keeps your signal clean.

The Behringer VD400 Vintage Analog Delay effects pedal demo:

Rogue Analog Delay

rogue belcat delay 003 267x300 The Best Delay / Echo Pedals For Under $50

The Rogue Analog Delay pedal creates echo effects from vintage country and rockabilly style slap-back to longer repeating echoes.

The Rogue Analog Delay pedal has only three control knobs:

  • Echo speed
  • Volume
  • Number of Echoes

This streamlined interface keeps things easy and un-cluttered.

The Rogue Analog Delay pedal is a true bypass pedal and includes an LED indicator showing when the pedal is on or off as well as when it’s time to change the battery.

The Rogue Analog Delay pedal is made of aluminum and built to last.

Rogue Analog Delay pedal features:

  • Sturdy, lightweight aluminum case
  • True bypass switching
  • Easy-to-use Time, Repeat and Level controls
  • Runs on either a 9 volt battery or external 9 volt DC adapter

The Rogue Analog Delay pedal sells about $10-15 more than the Behringer DD400 Digital.

The Rogue Analog Delay Pedal Demo:

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4 Electric Guitar Kits for Beginners (under $200).

Posted: December 17th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Gear | Tags: , , | No Comments »

These electric guitar kits for beginners are a cost effective and great way to introduce children and adults alike to the world of playing guitar.

Each of these kits for beginners includes everything needed to start playing electric guitar right out of the box:

  • Guitar Amplifier
  • Electric Guitar
  • Guitar strap
  • Picks
  • Gig bag
  • Guitar cable

Some include instructional DVDs, pitch pipes or tuners as well.

Each kits is from a name brand and reputable guitar manufacturer: Rogue Guitar, Peavey and Epiphone

4 Electric Guitar Kits for Beginners (under $200).

Rogue Rocketeer Deluxe Electric guitar pack

Rogue Rocketeer Deluxe Electric Guitar Pack 150x150 4 Electric Guitar Kits for Beginners (under $200).First up on the list is the Rogue Rocketeer Deluxe Electric guitar pack.

This electric guitar kit features the Rogue Rocketeer RR100 guitar and G-10, solid state practice amp . The RR100 is smaller and lighter than a Stratocaster, and offers great versatility and easy of play, both of which are great for beginners.

The G-10 is a decent powered practice amp that’s ideal for bedroom practice. It features a 3.5″ speaker, and boost switch for overdrive.

Peavey Raptor Backstage II Electric Guitar and Amp Value Pack

Peavey Raptor Backstage II Electric Guitar and Amp Value Pack 150x150 4 Electric Guitar Kits for Beginners (under $200).The next electric guitar kit for beginners is the Peavey Raptor Backstage II Electric Guitar and Amp Value Pack .

This guitar kit features the Raptor® Plus EX electric guitar and Backstage 10W Transtube electric guitar amp.

The Raptor Plus EX has the same pickup configuration as the Rogue Rocketeer (HSS), and a similar body style.

The Backstage 10W amp has a 6″ speaker, and overdrive channel for more rocking distortion.

A great guitar pack for the beginner with an ear for harder rock.

Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic/Electric Player Pack.

Epiphone PR 4E AcousticElectric Player Pack 150x150 4 Electric Guitar Kits for Beginners (under $200).The Epiphone PR-4E Acoustic/Electric Player Pack. is the only acoustic-electric guitar to make this list, so if you’re not sure if you want electric or acoustic this kit would be ideal.

This guitar kit for beginners features the Epiphone PR4-E Acoustic/electric – with on-board EQ (treble, bass, mid), and the Studio-10 Acoustic amplifier, with chorus effect switch.

As it sounds, the PR4-E can be played acoustically, or plugged into the amplifier for a greater sonic palette. It’s a great introduction for the beginner to playing guitar and dealing with an amplifier, just don’t expect rock and roll style distortion.

Epiphone Les Paul Pee Wee and Pee Vee Zakk Pakks Guitar Packs

Zakk Pakk Pee Wee 150x150 4 Electric Guitar Kits for Beginners (under $200).The Epiphone Les Paul Pee Wee and Pee Vee Zakk Pakks Guitar Packs are actually two slightly different electric guitar kits for beginners. They differ mainly by style.

Both offer the signature Zakk Wylde bulls eye pattern, but one is a traditional Les Paul style body while the other is a Flying V style.

Both come with the Marshall MS-4ZW micro stack amplifier, which features volume, gain, and tone controls combined with two speaker cabinets.

Conclusion

The Peavey Raptor electric guitar kit for beginners has a larger speaker, and delivers a more well-rounded sound than the Rogue Rocketeer.

The Pee Wee and Pee Vee electric guitar kits for beginners focus more on style than substance. The Micro Marshall looks neat, but can’t compete with the larger Peavey speaker for volume and sound quality.

Don’t get me wrong, the guitars are still quite good for the money, but suffer from the typical shortcomings of electric guitar kit guitars – i.e. they can be a little rough around the edges in terms of construction, and they tend to go out of tune more easily than a full size, or higher quality guitar.

Most starter packs will require a string upgrade to get the best sound, since they typically come with cheaper strings.

Can you get a better sounding guitar and amp? Of course, but not for this price. You could would have to spend $200 or more on both the guitar and amp to have a really good sounding rig, but these electric guitar kits for beginners are an excellent and cost effective way to get exposure to playing guitar, especially if the person doing the playing isn’t so sure they will stick with it.

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Cigar Box Amplifiers, by C. G. Gitty.

Posted: December 13th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Gear | Tags: , | No Comments »

Cigar box amplifiers not only go great with cigar box guitars, they also add to your decor. They’re stylish – and functional – conversation pieces.

Cigar box amps look great in the dinning room, kitchen or living room.

This is especially important to guys like me, because sometimes I just want to plug my guitar in and play, but don’t feel like lugging my amp downstairs (and then back upstairs) and I have trouble getting my wife to feel jazzed about having a more traditional looking amp sitting in the dinning room when company is over.

Not these little guys though. They’re just funky enough to be decorative, and functional enough to be enjoyed when the company departs for the evening. icon smile Cigar Box Amplifiers, by C. G. Gitty.

Pre-made Cigar Box Amps

These cigar box amps are not only affordable, but they’re great little amps are hand-crafted in the U.S.A. in C. B. Gitty‘s workshop in the foothills of the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

C. B. Gitty Cigar Box Amplifier: Oliva V Series

C. B. Gitty’s Oliva V Series Cigar Box Amplifiers are “production models”, designed to be mass produced. But while these are not individually unique, they are signed by C. B. Gitty himself, which is a nice touch.

c b gitty cigar box amplifier oliva v series 300x300 Cigar Box Amplifiers, by C. G. Gitty.

C. B. Gitty selects the best cigar boxes as his amp cases, and then turns them into stylish and functional works of art. The Oliva 5 Series is comprised of a distinctive all-wood dark finish Oliva Series V cigar box with gold Swirl Speaker Cover with gold screen beneath. The hardware consists of a gold On/Off/Volume Knob, gold input jack and brass carrying handle.

The battery tray holder is eternally accessible, and all 8 corners are embellished with solid shiny brass box trunk corners.

For those who aren’t scared of a soldering iron, the amp board also provides connection points for an output jack and headphones jack as well!

C. B. Gitty’s Oliva V Series Cigar Box Amplifier features:

  • 2.5-watt amplifier
  • all-wood cigar box
  • beautiful gold hardware
  • External mount 9V battery tray
  • panel-mount volume/on/off knob
  • Decorative gold speaker grill and screen

The heart of the Oliva V Series cigar box amps is an Artec SDA-T 2.5W amp board, powered by a 9V battery. The amplifier has a standard 1/4″ mono guitar cord input, and features a single 3.5″ 1W speaker.

It also has a red LED power indicator, so you don’t accidentally drain the battery.

These little amps put out a very respectable sound, and in our opinion are much superior to the smaller half-watt and one-watt amps!

The Oliva 5 Series cigar box amps measure: 5.75″ wide x 6.75″ high x 4″ deep.

C. B. Gitty Cigar Box Amplifier: Armed & Dangerous Macanudo

c b gitty cigar box amplifier armed dangerous macanudo 300x300 Cigar Box Amplifiers, by C. G. Gitty.

The C. B. Gitty Armed & Dangerous Macanudo Cigar Box Amplifier is also a “production” line cigar box amp, like the Series 5 Oliva and not a “one-off” amp.

But just like the Oliva, each of these production models is designed and signed by C. B. Gitty himself.

Where the Armed & Dangerous Macanudo differs from the Series 5 Oliva is it’s body. the Armed & Dangerous Macanudo cigar box amps are made from a distinctive paper-covered Macanudo Hyde Park cigar box, and feature a cool “Armed and Dangerous” multicolor chrome speaker cover over a red steel mesh. The hardware consists of a tone/gain control, black On/Off/Volume and Tone Knobs, externally accessible battery tray holder, and beautiful shiny nickel box corners with a matching nickel carrying handle.

The Armed & Dangerous Macanudo also features protective rubber feet, and connection points on the amp board for an output jack and headphones jack as well!

The C. B. Gitty Armed & Dangerous Macanudo Cigar Box Amplifier:

  • Nice loud 2.5-watt amplifier
  • Distinctive paper-covered cigar box
  • External mount 9V battery tray
  • Panel-mount volume/on/off knob
  • Decorative gold speaker grill and screen

Like the Series 5 Oliva, the Armed & Dangerous Macanudo is built around an Artec SDA-T 2.5W amp board, powered by a 9V battery.

The Armed & Dangerous Macanudo cigar box amps also accept a standard 1/4″ mono guitar cord as input, and output is through a 3.5″ 1W speaker. A red LED power indicator is included to help prevent accidental battery drain.

The Armed & Dangerous Macanudo measures: 7.25″ wide x 6″ high x 2 7/8″ deep.

Cigar Box DIY Kits

For the more adventurous DIY-er, C. B. Gitty even makes a Cigar Box Amplifier Kit with Oliva G Cigar Box, Hardware and How-To Guide!

cigar box amplifier kit with oliva g cigar box 300x300 Cigar Box Amplifiers, by C. G. Gitty.

This is a complete cigar box amp kit, and includes all of the parts needed to build your own 2.5-watt Series G Oliva cigar box amplifier!

The body is a beautiful all-wood Oliva G cigar box, and all the decorative shiny nickel box corners (with matching screws) to help dress it up are included in the kit. The heart of this amp kit is a 2.5 watt amp board, which really puts out some nice sound considering its size and input power.

This cigar box amplifier kit also includes a four-page how-to sheet that shows wiring diagrams and covers some key points about wiring and assembly.

Skills required to assemble this kit:

  • basic soldering skills,
  • ability to read simple wiring diagrams

This cigar box amps contains the following parts:

  • 3.5″ 1-Watt Ferrite Magnet Speaker with wire screen and mounting bolts/nuts
  • 8pc. Nickel-Plated Box Corners with Mounting Screws
  • 9V Metal Battery Holder Clip with mounting screws
  • 2 feet each Red and Black 24-gauge Hookup Wire
  • 9V Battery Connector
  • 4pc. Rubber Self-Adhesive Non-Skid Pads
  • “Top Hat” Potentiometer Knob
  • ¼” Long-Shaft Mono Input Jack
  • Red LED (Power Indicator) with Plastic Mounting Bezel
  • 2.5-Watt Artec Amp Board
  • Oliva Series G All-Wood Cigar Box

The amp board also has an onboard Tone Trim Pot, adjustable with a Philips screwdriver , which allows for fine-tuning the tone from “clean” to “crunchy”.

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