Solutions to Keep Your Guitar Safe - How to Choose the Right Guitar Stand
LearningThe guitar hasn't quite followed the evolution of its creator ─ the homo sapien ─ and still cannot stand up straight on its own. So, after having to break that news to you, let's look at the differen…
Choose the Right Pots for Your Electric Guitar - Help Picking the Right Pots for Your Electric Guitar
LearningMost guitarists don't think too much about the pots (potentiometers) inside their guitars, unless they start going bad and making noise. But did you know there are different types of pots with differ…
Understanding the Specifics of a Guitar Neck - What Type of Guitar Neck to Choose
LearningGuitar necks come in different shapes, sizes and finishes. So, how can you pick the right one for you? In this article we'll explore the different neck options available, in order to understand their…
Electro-Harmonix EHX Tortion Review - Tubey or not Tubey, that is the question.
Written testSince the days of the original Big Muff Pi, Electro-Harmonix has been building distortion pedals, and one of its latest entries is the EHX Tortion ($179). Way more than just a distortion effect, it a…
Key Concepts for Instrument Miking - How to Get the Best Results When Recording Acoustic Instruments
LearningIf you’ve ever recorded an acoustic instrument, you already know that there’s more involved than just sticking a mic in front of it. Factors that influence how the recording will come out — besides t…
Tech 21 Hot-Rod Plexi Review - Stack Attack
Written testAlthough most amp modeling is digital, Tech 21 has always created its amp emulations using analog circuitry. The Hot-Rod Plexi pedal ($179) is the latest example. It’s an effects processor that’s des…
The Top Digital Reverb Pedals - A Look at the Best Digital Reverb Guitar Pedals
LearningIndispensable on the pedalboard of any guitarist — right next to the overdrive/distortion — the reverb pedal allows you to add some ambient or to modify the position of a sound in a mix. Naturally, i…
The Top Guitar Pickup Brands - A Look at the Best Electric Guitar Pickup Makers
LearningElectromagnetic transducers play a crucial role in the sound of a guitar player and many of us like to change the original pickups on our guitars. Here are the results of a survey we ran some time ag…
How to Get Ready for Your First Gig - Part 1 - Getting ready for your first gig as a guitar player
LearningThe time has come, your band is ready for the big jump: Your first live gig as a guitar player is imminent. However, your stress is rising at a rate that would shock any cardiologist. Stay cool — her…
How much power does your amp need for rehearsals and gi… - Choosing the Right Wattage for Your Guitar Amp
LearningThanks to "Doc" Emmett Brown, everybody knows that you need 1.21 gigawatts for a DeLorean to go back to the future when its flux capacitor runs out of plutonium.
Which Type of Tuning Machines Are Best for You? - How to Choose Tuners for Electric Guitar
LearningBroken, worn-out or simply ugly-looking tuners are often the cause of complaints by guitarists. If changing them is unavoidable, here is some info that will help you understand the subject better.
Tips for Better Soloing - Make Your Solos More Interesting and Musical
LearningWhether you play guitar, keyboard, saxophone or any other lead instrument, there’s more to being a good soloist than just having chops and knowing riffs. Playing fast is great, but speed by itself do…
A Review of Toontrack's Classic Amps EZmix Pack - Classic Amps the EZ Way
LearningToontrack recently released a new collection of amp models with effects called the Classic Amps EZmix Pack, which can be opened as presets in the company's EZmix 2 software. How do these emulations s…
Palmer Kaputt Review - Kaputt
Written testWith our recent review of the Mutterstolz tube distortion in mind, the Audiofanzine editorial board decided to review some of the other models from Palmer's Root Effects collection. We've already pos…
Before You Buy that Acoustic Guitar - Tips for Evaluating an Acoustic Guitar Before Purchase
LearningBuying a steel-string acoustic guitar is an investment that you don’t want to go into lightly. Unless you plan to purchase a super-cheap entry-level model, you’re likely to spend a fair bit of coin f…