And here’s what I’m working on this week. Fun one.
Author Archives: Rob
Kurt Cobain: Mustangs and DS-1s
Cool article dredged up by Guitar World in honor of the release of the 20th anniversary edition of Nirvana’s ‘In Utero’–The Definitive Kurt Cobain Gear Guide. I started playing guitar (again) a year or so before Bleach came out, and really, that’s what you bought back then if you were a punk rocker kid–cause they were cheap and crunchy sounding–a Mustang, a DS-1 and a crappy solid state amp. Well, that’s what I bought anyway.
The Guitar Solo Through the Years
Fun little video, and the end made me crack up. Also a good video for anyone who thinks a Tele can’t do it all.
James Brown – Sex Machine
Here’s what I’m working on this week. The famous 9th chords. Check it out
Shubb Capo
The Shubb is the only capo my guitar teacher would let me buy. He said don’t bother with any of the others. They go for around $20. I got mine at American Music. Seems like a quality item, should last forever. Side view pic after the jump!
Flying Y Guitar
Trek Y bikes were an early attempt at mountain bike full suspension. They didn’t work too well. So now people (or a guy named Jacob Chapman anyway) are turning them into guitars. I saw this flying Y guitar in the back of the November issue of Guitar Magazine and then found the image below at bikearoundbend.com. Pretty hilarious.
The Guitar Idiot Guide to Buying Your First Guitar and Amp
1. Don’t be intimidated. It doesn’t matter that you can’t play. No one cares that you can’t play. Everyone was beginner at some point. So don’t worry.
2. Don’t buy a new cheap junk guitar. Just don’t. If you stay with guitar for more than three months you will outgrow it and it will literally be worthless. Ok, not worthless. Someone might give you $20 for it.
3. If you do buy a new cheap junk guitar, don’t go any lower than Squire. And don’t buy the very cheapest Squire, either. Definitely don’t buy a random no name junk guitar. And don’t buy one of those stupid combo kits, either.
4. The best thing to buy is used Made in Mexico Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster off Craigslist. You can buy them all day long for $300 or less, and if you end up not playing it you can turn around and sell it for $300. If you do end up playing, you’ll probably keep it as a backup or mod it til you like it better or you might just keep playing it as is forever, cause they are darn nice guitars. They are also bombproof.
5. You can buy a used amp if you want for cheap but I don’t know how you can beat a new Fender Mustang 1 amp for $100. They rock. If you end up not playing you can sell it for $50 or give it to the kid down the street and make his day.
The pic below is my used MIM Strat which I got for $200 off Craigslist and my Fender Mustang 1 Amp which I bought new at American Music for $100.
That’s it. That’s my guide. Any questions? Oh, and get lessons. Well worth it.
My New Robert Cray Stratocaster
I picked up this sweet Robert Cray Stratocaster on Craiglist yesterday. I had been searching for a hardtail Strat for a while now (coming from the Tele, I’m just not a huge fan of the tremelo). Hardtail Strats are pretty few and far between on eBay and the American ones seemed to be going for a bit more than I wanted to spend. I’m not a huge fan of rosewood necks so I had been considering buying a Cray body off eBay and putting on a maple neck. But then this near-mint Cray popped up on Craigslist for $450 so I went for it.
This guitar is stunning. Pics don’t do it justice. I love the Inca Sliver with just a hint of green in it, accentuated by the mint pickguard. The neck is beefy with the 60’s “C” shape. You can check out all the specs on the Fender site (and there is also the Robert Cray Signature Series for $5,800). Continue reading…
Fender Vintage Style Tuners
Just got me a new (to me) Strat with vintage style tuners and was like, wha…? Wanted to get some new strings on there ASAP. This video showed me how.
Skateboard Guitars
Just ran across these randomly and thought it was pretty cool. I wouldn’t mind turning my old Schmitt Stix into a guitar! Looks like they are made in Buenos Aires, Argentina and run $1,000 each. More on their Facebook page.
