I think there is a best way to hold a guitar pick that makes learning to play easier, and I teach it to all my students. In this video, I demonstrate it.
Posts published in “Guitar Tech and Setup Tips”
Hints, tips, and explanations for setting up your guitar properly.
I bought the DiMarzio Area Set (Area 58, Area 61, and Area 67) while looking for new single coils to go in the neck and middle positions of my Silhouette Special. There are lots of reviews of the DiMarzio Area pickups out there but I don't think nobody has ever directly compared all three in the same pickup position. This may the first!
People often ask me about powering their effects pedals. Pedals manufacturers' specifications can be confusing and people are naturally afraid of damaging their pedals by using the wrong device. But with a little care we have nothing to fear. Let's clear up the confusion and answer the common questions.
As a reference resource, I have collected the treble bleed capacitor and resistor combinations recommended by many major guitar pickup manufacturers (and some guitar makers too). I am reproducing that list here. Below the list I have also included notes and additional information based on my research and experience. I hope you find it useful. Feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions.
Sometimes a bolt-on guitar neck can shift in the neck pocket, causing the strings to be too close to one side of the neck. It's a common issue and very easy to fix. In this short video I show you how.
For too many years, too many people have spread too many half-baked ideas about setting up and adjusting guitars. Truss rods are of course frequently implicated. So, at the risk of courting controversy, let's bust some hoary old truss rod myths.
No single part of a guitar is more terrifying or mysterious to many guitarists than the humble truss rod. For years we have been told that we can ruin our precious and fragile guitars by just looking at them funny. But truss rods are very simple devices and are nothing to be afraid of. So let's dispel the fears and the myths.
Many a great guitar has been ruined by well-meaning but bad advice. And many a great guitar is also ruined by people who overestimate their experience and abilities with a screwdriver or a file. These are obvious lessons but so easy to forget that I think it's time I reminded you with some real world examples (yes, the names have been changed to protect the innocent)...
A recent forum post asked the following question: My guitar goes out of tune when I put on a capo. Is this normal? What can I do about it? Can this problem be worse on the lower frets? Does string diameter matter? The answer to all these questions is "yes". Let's look at why.
It is a myth that buzz-free low action is always possible. People frequently read manufacturers' specifications and assume those numbers are a goal rather than a guideline. They assume such a setup will suit their personal playing technique without any string/fret buzz. In my experience, that is just not the case. I'll explain why.
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Re-gluing the fingerboard, ready to work on the innards.[/caption]
Usually, in English, that expression would imply some level of theft or underhand dealing. In this case it really is just a guitar that fell off the back of a truck. The truck was moving too. Quite fast, I was told, on a French motorway. Mathieu, a great double bass player, wanted his beloved Squier Strat ready for a punk gig that week and between our existing schedules it meant that I didn't have much time to work on this. Naturally, I was expecting something of a disaster.
