
Amazon Prime Day is here (July 16-17). Whether you're a veteran player or just picking up your first guitar, these are some bargains you don't want to miss. Check out more deals here! https://amzn.to/3LskPRV
Line 6 Catalyst, Black, 60-Watt, 1x12
First, the Line 6 Catalyst 60-Watt 1x12 Combo Amplifier for $299.99 is a solid pick. It offers versatile tones and is built to handle anything from clean jazz to heavy rock.
MOOER SD30i Practice Guitar Amp Portable Smart Amplifier
For those who enjoy practicing on the go, the MOOER Practice Portable Intelligent Bluetooth Guitar Amplifier at $109.99 offers Bluetooth connectivity, so you can jam wherever you are.
Pyle Multi-Guitar Stand 7 Slot Display Rack
A reliable stand is a must, and the Pyle Guitar Stand at just $30.99 is both sturdy and foldable.
Positive Grid Spark MINI 10W Portable Smart Guitar Amp & Bluetooth Speaker
If you need a portable speaker, the Positive Grid Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $183 packs a punch despite its compact size, making it great for practice sessions and small gigs.
AeroBand Guitar Smart Guitar
For beginners or those looking to try something different, the Stringless Removable Fretboard Guitar for Beginners and Teenagers is a unique, user-friendly option. Designed for learning the basics without the intimidation of traditional strings.
D'addario Nickel Wound Electric Guitar Strings
Beyond Amazon, there are some fantastic deals from other retailers. Sweetwater has the D’Addario EXL110 Regular Light Nickel Wound Electric Strings 10-Pack for $38.49.
PRS Sonzera 20 20-watt 1 x 12-inch Tube Combo Amp
The PRS Sonzera 20 20-Watt 1x12-Inch Tube Combo at $1,099.00 offers those rich, warm tube tones. For a limited time, you can buy any PRS amplifier, and get a free PRS pedal of your choice, a $349.00 value.
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard Electric Guitar Cobra Blue
The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster with a Maple Fingerboard in Cobra Blue at $1,979.99 is a bit pricier but worth every penny for its playability and tone.
Squier Classic Vibe '70s Jaguar Limited-Edition Electric Guitar Daphne Blue
At Guitar Center, the Squier Classic Vibe ‘70s Jaguar Limited Edition Electric Guitar in Daphne Blue for $349.99 is a steal.
Boss DM-101 Delay Machine Pedal
Finally, for pedal enthusiasts, the Boss DM-101 Delay Machine Pedal at $449.99 from ProAudioStar is a must-have. It's a versatile pedal that can add a whole new dimension to your sound
So, whether you’re looking to upgrade your rig or just starting out, these deals are too good to pass up. Happy playing!
The iconic hard-rock shredder breaks down his incredible career and runs down one of his carpal tunnel-inducing face-melters.
From Ozzy Osbourne to Black Label Society to Zakk Sabbath to, most recently, his stint filling in for his old friend “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott in Pantera, Zakk Wylde has left an unmistakable mark on the hard-rock and metal music worlds. Fresh off performing “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Cleveland Browns game in October, and paying homage to his boss Ozzy at the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Wylde joins this episode of Shred With Shifty to share his teachings from the book of rock.
When he was learning to play, Wylde studied Frank Marino, Al Di Meola, and John McLaughlin along with Sabbath shredder Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, and “King Edward”—Eddie Van Halen—but Osbourne’s original right-hand guitar-man Randy Rhoades was top of the crop. Little did Wylde know he’d go on to replace him after his tragic death, following up the work of Rhoades, Brad Gillis, and Jake E. Lee. He got to join his favorite band, but it wasn’t an easy gig. “What’s expected of you as an Ozzy player?” says Wylde. “The bar that Randy set was lights out.”
After a quick pinch-harmonics tutorial, Wylde lays out how he used a Marshall JCM800 and Boss SD-1 with his “holy grail” bullseye Gibson Les Paul Custom to track the alternate-picking intensive on “Miracle Man,” a mix of “ingredients” from all the players Wylde loves. (“Pass the Ritchie Blackmore, boss!”) For those thinking of skimping and swapping in some hammer-ons and pull-offs, Shifty warns: “There are no shortcuts! Pick every note!”
Along the way, Wylde discusses the inner workings of his tenure with Osbourne, including being the longest-running player in the group—like “working at the deli,” according to Wylde. And tune in to hear about Wylde’s relationship to Ozzy’s wife and manager Sharon Osbourne, who he refers to as “mom”—a role she performed well when she busted him at a nightclub while he was underage.
Credits
Producer: Jason Shadrick
Executive Producers: Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan for Double Elvis
Engineering Support by Matt Tahaney and Matt Beaudion
Video Editor: Addison Sauvan
Graphic Design: Megan Pralle
Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.
Listen to the new track from Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Steve Vai's G3 Reunion Live.
Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Steve Vai returned to the G3 touring concept in 2024 for a sold-out US tour. This was the original G3 lineup that saw the three virtuosos first share a stage back in 1996. Each guitarist plays a full set with their own band and then the three join together for an encore jam.
"G3 Reunion Live" is much more than “just” a live album. It’s a full album-length set from each artist plus a collaborative supergroup LP. The deluxe edition features a different colored vinyl for each artist, a special splatter LP for the encore jam, and a 64-page photo book, divided into artist and jam chapters, with the full program also on 2 CDs. It is also available in a 2CD digipak with a 16-page photo booklet, 4 LP gatefold and digital download.
For more information, please visit satriani.com.
Restoring a Romantic-Era Acoustic with Ties to the U.S. Presidency
These before (left) and after (right) shots demonstrate only a fraction of the restoration process our columnist carried out.
This centuries-old instrument, which belonged to the daughter-in-law of President Andrew Jackson, has witnessed almost 200 years of American history.
We tend to think of “history” as something we read about or learn from our elders, rather than something we live and contribute to. I’ve often wondered if my great-uncle knew he was making history when, as a Mexican immigrant, he built the original Mickey Mouse guitar for Walt Disney in the early 1950s.
Last year, I was contacted by Jennifer Schmidt, the collections manager at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. They were seeking a grant with the hopes of restoring an acoustic guitar on the property. It was the guitar that was owned by Sarah Yorke Jackson, White House hostess and acting first lady of the United States from November 1834 to March 1837, and daughter-in-law to America’s seventh president, Andrew Jackson. The Hermitage is the historic home of President Andrew Jackson located in a neighborhood just east of metropolitan Nashville.
When I arrived at the home to inspect the guitar, it was leaning against a chair in the living room, in desperate need of repair. It had been “restored” previously by a violin luthier in 1983, and while their work helped sustain the shape of the instrument, there were many repairs that had been done incorrectly.
I quickly saw that this was going to be a combination of a restoration and preservation project. There was a history written up on the guitar, but I believe it to be incorrectly documented that the luthier was Cabasse-Visnaire l'Aîné, who worked in the Mirecourt region of France during the early 1800s. Despite bearing some similarities, later guitars that are credited to Cabasse-Visnaire have a different style in building.
Based on the design, I believe the instrument was crafted by Petitjean l'Aîné in 1817. Another luthier from the region, Didier Nicolas l'Aîné, was also active in that period, but there are differences in his building decisions that have led me to this belief. Didier was known for his one-piece maple backs on his guitars, while Petitjean l'Aîné was known for laminating the backs of his guitars, and this guitar has a spruce back with a laminate. He also built in a style that was complementary to Didier—a nice way of saying he appears to copy his style in headstock and design.
“I couldn’t stop thinking of the story this instrument could tell—all it had endured and been privy to, the suffering it witnessed and the joy it gave.”
This guitar is considered a “Romantic” guitar, made during the era of 1790 to 1830. It features a Norway spruce top, most likely harvested in the French alps. The fretboard is African ebony, with a 646 mm scale. The back is laminated spruce and the sides are rosewood, with the outer laminate appearing to be pearwood.
The guitar needed a great amount of work. The issues and repairs included top cracks, loose perfling and braces, bridge lifting, binding and inlay missing, separated back, missing and incorrect frets, neck reset, missing top-hat pegs, and, to top it off, a fretboard held on by Scotch tape. When the instrument was finally delivered to us, it took several months before I could clear my schedule to dedicate time to the repair. The repair itself took several weeks to complete, but I couldn’t stop thinking of the story this instrument could tell—all it had endured and been privy to, the suffering it witnessed and the joy it gave to either Sarah while she played it or the audience she may have played it for. As musicians, we all tend to think beyond just the physical attributes of a musical instrument. We use words like feel, touch, voice, warmth. We use these terms because the instrument is expressing something that we lack the words or ability to express without it.
This guitar lived through the formation of the Democratic Party, the origins of the Spoils System, and the Indian Removal Act, which created the Trail of Tears. All of the pain and suffering, as well as the victories and joys, that were absorbed into this instrument have shaped its sound and presence, and to think that it crossed my path, a first-generation Mexican-American born in the United States. I am honored at the opportunity to help preserve a small piece of our American history.
I have worked on countless instruments that have historic musical relevance, but this guitar was different. We have a tagline for Delgado Guitars: “Does your guitar have a story?” I created this tagline because I believe every person has a valuable and important story to tell. Now, I’m grateful to have helped preserve this amazing guitar for future generations to see as they visit the Hermitage. I even built a custom stand from wood that came from the property. You can see more of the steps in the restoration on our social media pages if interested, but if you find yourself in Nashville, please stop by the Hermitage and pay it a visit. It might inspire you to share your story.
PG contributor Zach Wish demos Orangewood's Juniper Live, an all-new parlor model developed with a rubber-lined saddle. The Juniper Live is built for a clean muted tone, modern functionality, and stage-ready performance.
Orangewood Juniper Live Acoustic Guitar
- Equipped with a high-output rail pickup (Alnico 5)
- Vintage-inspired design: trapeze tailpiece, double-bound body, 3-ply pickguard, and a cupcake knob
- Grover open-gear tuners for reliable performanceReinforced non-scalloped X bracing
- Headstock truss rod access, allowing for neck relief and adjustment
- Light gauge flatwound strings for added tonal textures