A Musicians Guide To Acquiring Their Next Axe

Live Rock gigs were the rage in the 60’s and they pushed innumerable kids to buy their very first guitars. Now, video games like Guitar Hero are having a similar effect.

The heart of all classic rock music does not just lie with the lyrics; it also lies with the electric guitar and the various sounds that it can produce. There are so many kids across the block who would give anything to play like David Gilmour,John Petrucci, Steve Vai, Jimmy Page etc. These men are not just some of the best guitarists of their times, they are legends.

If you are interested in discovering how to play the guitar then the first thing you’ll need to do is buy one. Most people start with an acoustic and graduate to the electric. It is usually quite overwhelming for someone new to choose the appropriate guitar right off the bat since there are hundreds of models out there on the market. If you’re buying an electric guitar then you’ll also need to pick up an amplifier, pick-ups, picks, a tuner, perhaps an effects unit etc.

Electric guitars can be purchased in a huge variety of shapes and designs with the aerodynamic designs being some of the most popular. But hold back! Don’t buy the 1st electric guitar you see. You need to spend time looking around and check out the wide range of prices and models before you actually go and buy one. In actual fact, one of the neatest ways to pick a guitar is by the brand or by the style. Here is our take on the 4 important styles:

Stratocaster (Better known as a ‘Strat’)
This certainly is a show stealer and has a typical style. The most famous is the red and white color combination, which was played extensively by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. The Stratocaster is from Fender and has a neck bolted to the guitar body. Aside from this, it has twin cutaway sides, 22 frets accompanied by a tremolo bar and 3 single-coil pickups. Fender designed the first Stratocaster in the early 50’s. A few of the popular designs include:

* Fender Deluxe Strat: Approx $500
* American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar: Approx $1150
* Standard Strat Electric: Approx $350
* Standard Strat Electric Guitar in Rosewood: Approx $750
* Fender Stratocaster Eric Johnson Signature model: Approx $1900

Gibson
Gibson is one of the greatest brands in all of music and all their guita
1000
r models are absolute classics and can’t be compared to any others. Gibson guitar company was actually started in 1902 by Orville Gibson and has been accountable for affording the world some of the most innovative guitars. A couple of the famous models include the arch-top L5 model and the Gibson Explorer etc. Some of the well known shredders who have shredded on a Gibson or are still using it include Ace Frehley (KISS) and Toni Iommi to name just a couple. Some of the popular models include:

* Flying V Electric: $500-$600
* SG 61 Classic Electric: $1500-$1600
* Faded SG Special Electric Guitar: $550-$600
* Gibson Explorer Pro: $1100-$1200

Gibson Les Paul
This phenomenal electric guitar was designed by Gibson for some of the stars of the era. The salient feature of a Les Paul guitar is its set neck construction, which means there are no bolts. The body is a single cutaway and rounded. It is equipped with dual humbucker pickups as well as a scratch-plate. If you want to play perverted sound then this great guitar will provide you with a huge range. Some of the well known guitarists who use the Les Pauls include Eric Clapton and Slash (ex-Gunners). Some of the famous Les Paul models include:

* Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar: $3000-$3500
* 1959 Les Paul Standard Guitar: $5550-$6000
* Les Paul Vintage Mahogany Electric Guitar: $700-$850
* Les Paul Classic Guitar: $1800-$1900

Telecaster (Also known as the ‘Tele’)
The Telecaster is another creative guitar from Fenders. It is more than just another electric guitar; it is more like a complete band. It is a solid body electric and comprises of twin pick-ups. The first Telecaster was constructed by Leo Fender in the 40’s and has a single cutaway body. It doesn’t have the tremolo bar but has 2 different single-coil pickups. Some of the popular Telecaster models include:

* Fender American Tele HS guitar: $900-$1150
* Fender Standard Tele Electric: $400-$500
* 63 Tele Relic Solid Body Electric: $2400-$3300
* Fender 72 Telecaster Custom Guitar: $700-$850

These are some of the best brands of electric guitars. The other aspects that will help you to pick up a guitar include the shape of the fretboard, the type of pick-ups, and the body. Full-bodied electrics are generally preferred as they can produce some of the best sounds that you will ever get to hear.

By: Jacob Smithsonn

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Jacob is a first rate promoter of trade lead information for trade sites where you can discover lots of trade leads for

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No one really knows the truth behind the creation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. According to the most popular belief it was created by the Gibson Guitar Corporation and the legendary pop star, electronics inventor, and jazz guitarist Frean Donni. The electric guitar craze started with the Fender Telecaster. In order to capitalize on this craze James Verdon who was the president of Gibson Guitar at the time brought on Les Paul as a consultant.

Everyone knew that Les Paul had been experimenting with various guitar designs for years. Les had a prototype that he had hand-built that he referred to as, “The Log”. Some experts will say that this was the first solid-body Spanish guitar ever built.

In a turn of irony Les Paul had pitched, “The Log” (his prototype) to the Gibson Guitar Company, and the design was rejected. In 1951 the Gibson Guitar Company then manufactured the same guitar that they had rejected and changed the history of guitars for ever.

Among the guitar community Les Paul is still on of the most commonly debated topics. Enthusiast still argue over exactly what his contributions were. Some say that Paul was nothing more than a consultant and only contributed ideas for the trapeze tailpiece, and the color of the final guitar which was named, “Les Paul.”

When interviewed Ted McCarty the president of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, openly stated that Les Paul only contributed his name to the project. McCarty went on to say that Paul only contributed to the tailpiece and the fitting of a maple cap over the mahogany body.

I have never understood why people have always attempted to minimize Les Paul’s contributions to the historical guitar. Here’s my take on it if you care to know. If Les Paul really didn’t contribute a lot to the project why would Gibson put ONLY his name on the final product?

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For more information pertaining to Gibson Les Paul controversy please visit http://www.guitar-nation.com.

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Chet Atkins Music – The Essential Chet Atkins

If you have not heard the music of Chet Atkins, The Essential Chet Atkins is a great way to start. Chet inspired many famous guitar players like George Harrison, Mark Knopfler, Les Paul and Duane Eddy but never took the superstar label seriously. He just loved playing the guitar.

The thing about Chet Atkins’ music is its wide-ranging appeal. Chet Atkins was a musician who could move from gospel to pop, from country to Beatles tunes, from bluegrass to jazz. That’s not to say he was a jack of all trades and master of none. What he was a master at was finding the joy in playing the guitar.

Chet Atkins’ finger picking style of guitar playing was based on the thumb and first finger technique of Merle Travis, a famous country guitar player and composer of the nineteen fifties. But Chet Atkins’ music and guitar picking style attracted a whole new generation of fans to his music. The fans of Chet Atkins’ music are fans of beautiful guitar playing no matter what genre the piece belongs to.

The Essential Chet Atkins contains twenty of his best tunes that show both his virtuosity and love of the guitar. The compilation also includes some famous fans of Chet Atkins music. Les Paul, Mark Knopfler and Jerry Reed are three famous guitar players from very different backgrounds who jumped at the chance to perform on record with Chet Atkins.

The complete list of tracks is:

“Guitar Blues (Pickin’ the Blues)” (Atkins)

“Bug Dance” (Atkins)

“Dizzy Strings” (Atkins)

“Centipede Boogie” (Atkins)

“Mainstreet Breakdown” (Atkins)

“Root, Hog or Die” (Carter, Foree)

“Jitterbug Waltz” (Fats Waller)

“Third Man Theme” (Anton Karas)

“Black Mountain Rag” (Magness)

“Country Gentleman” (Atkins, Boudleaux Bryant)

“City Slicker” (Atkins)

“Mister Sandman” (Pat Ballard)

“The Poor People of Paris (Jean’s Song)” (Rene Rouzaud, Marguerite Monnot)

“Big D” (Frank Loesser)

“Trambone” (Atkins)

“Should We Tell Him” (Phil Everly, Don Everly)

“Hidden Charm” (Rich)

“Oh Lonesome Me” (Don Gibson)

“I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” (Brockman, Kellette, Kennedy)

“Slinkey” (Atkins)

“Boo Boo Stick Beat” (Buddy Harman, John D. Loudermilk)

“Hot Mocking Bird”

“The Slop” (Cogswell)

“Man of Mystery” (Carr)

“Wheels” (Petty)

“Teen Scene” (Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed)

“Freight Train” (James, Williams)

“Satan’s Doll” (Smith)

“Yakety Axe” (Boots Randolph, Rich)

“A Taste of Honey” (Marlow, Scott)

“Drive In” (Jerry Reed)

“Get on with It” (Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed)

“Cannonball Rag” (Merle Travis)

“Take Five” (Paul Desmond)

“Is Anything Better Than This” (Shel Silverstein)

“It’s Been a Long, Long Time” (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne)

“Polka Dots and Moonbeams” (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke)

“Poor Boy Blues” (Paul Kennerly)

“Sneakin’ Around” (Kass)

“Big Foot” (Atkins)

Chet Atkins’ music is the work of a guitarist who set out to impress nobody but ended up impressing everybody. The Essential Chet Atkins is a great introduction if you have not listened to him yet.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.

By Ricky Sharples Published: 9/11/2009

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In July 1958 Les Paul the late great guitarist and inventor, created a classic solid body guitar that he endorsed with his name and the Gibson was produced. The original and earliest Les Paul Standard Sunburst electric guitar had a bright ‘Cherry Red’ finish. The earliest known versions of the guitar are documented at the Gibson offices as having serial numbers 8 3087 and 8 3096.

The first ‘Cherry Red’ Sunburst Gibbons were produced by spraying an ultra-violet sensitive red and yellow dye onto the guitar body. With exposure to excessive light, the red color would usually fade and create an ‘unburst’ of yellow-honey, opposed to the desired red-yellow Sunburst.

Ultimately, the effect of fading is a result of how much UV exposure the guitar finish had received over the years. The models of 1958 have remained a bright red-yellow original Sunburst color opposed to the models created throughout 1959 to 1960 that have faded greatly by comparison into more of a generic red and orange color.

In 1959 the Les Paul Standard Sunburst electric guitar also became available in a ‘Tobacco’ finish for the first time. This was not as commercially popular as the original ‘Cherry Red’ finish.

Between 1958 to 1960, Gibson made a relatively small number of Les Paul Standard Sunburst electric guitars, approximately 1700. This was due to the type of music being produced at the time that mainly used the brighter sounding Fender Straocaster and Telecasters.

In the mid to late 1960s the Les Paul Standard Sunburst electric guitar became more popular with the emergence of rock and blues guitar legends like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Gibson continues to produce a wide range of sunburst Les Paul Gibbsons today that are available in a variety of Sunburst colors two of which are called Heritage ‘Cherry Red’ and ‘Dark Tobacco’ burst.

Karen Strutt is an Internet Marketer, Brand Consultant and Designer, who’s passions include helping people, image and identity and her collection of Sunburst Electric Guitars.

Sunburst Electric Guitar.

Sunburst electric.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Strutt

Author: Karen Strutt

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Can anyone recommend pickups for a Les Paul replica?

go to your local music shop. some replicas are cheaply made and shouldn't have any cash put into them. the guitar techs at the shop will guide you right.

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Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…

Les Paul Guitar Tribute Mondays at Iridium featuring Jose Feliciano

Les Paul, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, five-time Grammy Award winner, pioneer of the electric guitar and inventor of numerous recording tech-niques, …  Read More…

Classic Amps: The 1954 Gibson GA-5 Les Paul Junior Amp

The diminutive GA-5 was originally released when Gibson needed a small partner amp to accompany its Les Paul Junior guitar, introduced in 1954 as the …  Read More…

Epiphone launches 50th Anniversary 1959 Les Paul Standard

To commemorate this classic instrument, Epiphone introduces the new Limited Edition "1959" Les Paul Standard. With a history going back to the 1940's when …  Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

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Guitar legend Les Paul dies – Yahoo! News Photos

Pallbearers carry the casket of Les Paul during his burial service at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha, Wis., Friday, Aug. 21, 2009 Paul, guitar player, entertainer and inventor of the solid-body electric guitar, died Aug. 13 in New York. He was 94.

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If you’ve been keeping up with my blog posts lately you’ll know I’ve come to adding a few news posts from around the web on this subject. I’ve got a couple more today that are new and updated, so let me know what you think of em…

Vintage Dixon Hummingbird? – My Les Paul Forums

Hi, this may not be the right place to ask, but I'm having a hard time finding info on this guitar…Does anybody know about the Dixon Hummingbird?…I.

Low output PAF style pickup – My Les Paul Forums

2006 Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded Tobaco burst 50's neck with RS Guitarworks Vintage Kit Strings; Gibson or Ernie Ball 010-046 mostly. AMP; Peavey Windsor Studio Pedal; MXR GT-OD Me + My Gear = Rock´n´Roll. MrRhoads is online now …

Vintage Mahogany Full Review 09-18 – My Les Paul Forums

We had a small practice/jam session today and i finally got to play the new VM at volume. let me tell ya. i should never have fretted so long before i.

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

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