Beyond Passive Pickups - Everything about guitar and bass pickups - Part 5
LearningAn active pickup is a normal pickup ─ but active. Got it?
A video trip to D'Angelico's NYC headquarters - Video: Audiofanzine Visits D'Angelico Guitars
LearningWe recently visited the D'Angelico showroom in midtown Manhattan and got a chance to see and play both electric and acoustic guitars. In addition to all the guitars, D'Angelico has a fully setup stag…
Pickup Formats - Everything about guitar and bass pickups - Part 4
LearningUp to now we have been talking about what's inside the pickups, but today we'll deal with the physical appearance.
About Single-Coils, Dual-Coils and More - Everything about guitar and bass pickups - Part 3
LearningTaking the pickup concept we've seen so far (the combination of one or several magnets surrounded by a coil), you get so-called single-coil pickups. This type of pickup produces a characteristic soun…
What Are Guitar and Bass Pickups Made Of? - Everything about guitar and bass pickups - Part 2
LearningIn this second article of our series dedicated to guitar and bass pickups, we'll take a look under the hood.
Why Your Guitar Won’t Play or Stay In Tune - How to understand and deal with tuning and intonation issues
LearningWhat is there to say about being in tune? You turn on the tuner, tune up, and you are in tune. Would that it were so easy. The truth is, any experienced guitarist or repairman will tell you there is …
How Magnetic Pickups Are Built and How They Work - Everything about guitar and bass pickups - Part 1
LearningAn essential part of electric stringed instruments, pickups are surrounded by a mysterious aura, lots of rumors and charm. For some, the instrument's wood and craftsmanship are at the core of its sou…
If You're Thinking About Getting a Pedalboard - Part 2 - Pedal order, powering, and securing effects to the pedalboard
LearningIn the second and last installment, we’ll cover three main issues that you need to work out order to get your pedalboard up and running: The order of the pedals, how to get power to them, and how to …
If You're Thinking of Getting a Pedalboard - Part 1 - Whether you're buying or building a pedalboard, here's what you need to know
LearningWhether you’re upgrading to a new pedalboard, switching over from an all-in-one digital unit, or getting your first pedalboard, there are endless options. The aim here is to give you the info you nee…
TC Electronic PolyTune Clip Review - A Gripping PolyTune
Written testYou all know the PolyTune, right? The pedal that revolutionized the tuning world five years ago by providing a polyphonic mode that allows you to see the pitch of all strings at once? Well, after int…
Review of the Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork - A Devilishly Clever Pitch Shifter
LearningThe Pitch Fork is a powerful and clean-sounding pitch shifter with some smartly designed features. It can produce shifts of plus or minus 3 octaves, which can make for some pretty cool and unusual so…
Classic Gear Spotlight: The Les Paul - Part 2 - And the Guitar Was Born!
LearningThe telephone rings. Pegg's back suddenly stiffens, she adjusts her glasses before picking up the phone. She can tell by the timbre of the voice that asks for Ted McCarty that it's bad news for her b…
Take Your Pick - Alter your tone for pennies by changing to a different pick type
LearningIf you are like most guitarists, you are on a continual quest to improve your tone and/or discover additional tonal options. This can involve spending thousands of dollars on amps, guitars, pickups, …
Classic Gear Spotlight: The Les Paul - Part 1 - History of the Les Paul
LearningThe tale begins in Winter 1951.
The best overdrive pedals for electric guitar - The gritty details on our five favorite overdrive pedals
LearningWith over 100 overdrive pedals listed on just one gear-shopping website, how does one choose the top five? The first order of business is to define the terms: An overdrive pedal should have enough vo…
