July 2016
ARTICLES
Album Review: Jeff Beck’s Bigger, Better, Badder "Loud Hailer"
July 12, 2016
The Strat master says he wants to move past “guitar nerd” albums, but his latest effort is still brimming with chops, funky rhythms, and untouchable mystique.
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Beyond Blues: 8 Essential Turnarounds
July 9, 2016
To navigate the last four measures of a 12-bar blues in style, you need a sophisticated ear and a solid knowledge of chord tones.
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Episode 4 – Gigs from Hell
July 4, 2016
PG fans recount live performances gone horribly awry—from club cave-ins to CD-stealing hecklers and a bar whose over-the-top, sketchy-sounding name turned out to be all too apt.
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Sturgill Simpson’s Laur Joamets: From the Baltic Sea to Nashville
June 30, 2016
How an Estonian string slinger went country—and beyond—with a psychedelic roots visionary … and learned pedal steel in three months.
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Tone Tips: The Power of Intuitive Thinking
June 28, 2016
Your chops and attitude might be fantastic, but a high degree of intuition is just as important for taking things to the next level.
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Vintage Vault: 1978 Hamer Sunburst
June 27, 2016
A vintage-inspired design reflecting the best features of classic ’50s and ’60s electrics.
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Guitar Shop 101: How to Repair Delaminated Neck Binding
June 21, 2016
Got some loose fretboard binding? No worries—here are a few easy steps to fix it.
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Michael Daves: Bluegrass’ Jekyll and Hyde
June 21, 2016
This NYC guitarist goes trad acoustic and buck-wild electric on his edgy new double album, Orchids and Violence, pushing the roots envelope and igniting a bonfire of vintage fretboards and modern fuzztones.
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On Bass: The Lowdown on Prince’s Low End
June 21, 2016
Praise for the Purple One’s mad skills on bass and a firsthand account of one of his legendary after-parties.
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High on the ’70s: Black Peaches’ Rob Smoughton and Adam Chetwood
June 20, 2016
This Brit guitar team inhales America’s rock ’n’ roots past to forge a fresh, fire-breathing sound for their 6-string-packed debut, Get Down You Dirty Rascals.
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Jol Dantzig's Esoterica Electrica: Dollars in the Details
June 20, 2016
Aesthetically pleasing guitar details that blend high and low art with the bottom line.
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Reader Guitar of the Month: SinnerBoy Deuce
June 19, 2016
This Bo Diddley plank-style guitar was built to honor the musical bond between a father and son.
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Sonic Bliss: Adam Rudolph’s Guitar Orchestra
June 17, 2016
A composer’s 11-axe orchestra sets Nels Cline, Liberty Ellman, and other top improvisers free to conjure a prismatic universe of sound on a unique new album, Turning Towards the Light.
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Bass Bench: The Perils of Tech-Speak
June 17, 2016
Being a musician requires more than instrumental skill—you have to master terminology from many disciplines and understand the ideas they represent.
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L.R. Baggs Stadium Electric Bass DI Review
June 16, 2016
A bass DI that can be multi-dimensional and vibey, in addition to helping deliver great tone.
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Paul Gilbert: Swingin’ Carnage Blues
June 16, 2016
The shred idol looks beyond metal for inspiration on I Can Destroy, and reflects on dynamics, picking, playing with intent, and a few things he would have done different along the way.
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Ask Amp Man: Reduce Power with a Pentode/Triode Switch
June 16, 2016
How to mod a high-wattage amp for all playing situations.
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SolidGoldFX Horizon Compressor Review
June 15, 2016
An optical compressor that goes way beyond a gentle squeeze.
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State of the Stomp: Overdriven to Tears
June 15, 2016
Why are there so many overdrive pedals on the market? It’s your fault!
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Cole Clark FL2EC-BLBL-AE Review
June 14, 2016
This Australian blackwood dreadnought dishes distinctive flattop tones with style.
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