Guitar ZONE

Gibson Robot Guitar

2008-07-29T11:11:00.003+07:00

The Gibson Robot Guitar is a sub-model of the famous Les Paul and SG style guitar from Gibson. Currently, there are 2 different models available: The Robot Les Paul Studio, and Robot SG, as well as the first production limited edition model. Developed by Chris Adams, its most notable feature is that it uses an onboard computer to automatically tune itself without the need for an electronic tuner. This is not the first guitar to be able to tune itself, but it is regarded as the most modern, unique, and un-invasive self-tuning model available, because it does not employ cams or cantilevers throughout the body of the guitar.The non-limited edition SG and LP Studio are available in metallic purple, metallic green and metallic red. The price can range from about $1,000-$3,000 or more for custom options.

The tuning system used on the Gibson Robot Guitar is based on the aftermarket Powertune system, which was developed by the Tronical Company of Germany. The Gibson system uses the standard Tune-o-matic style bridge typical on their guitars, but modifications were made to have individual piezo saddles that transmit each string's pitch to the microprocessor. The computer analyzes the signal, and then controls each of the Powerhead Locking Tuners. Each tuner is run by a small servo motor that works in sync with the bridge to bring the string up to pitch by altering the strings tension until it is within a desired tolerance. The entire system is powered by a lithium-ion rechargeable battery housed in the control cavity of the guitar.

The Robot Guitar has the standard four knobs for individual pickup volume and tone controls; however, in place of the bridge pickup tone knob, there is the Master Control Knob (MCK). The control functions like a “push-pull” knob: when in the down position, it functions like a standard control. When in the up position, however, the MCK is what coordinates the automatic tuning for the guitar

TUNING

Users can choose from seven factory presets for tunings, six of which are editable:

D-A-D-G-A-D
Open E
Open G
Dropped D
Double Dropped D (Drop C)
Eb

Each tuning can be returned to "standard" tuning of A (440Hz) by simply pulling up on the MCK knob, and strumming the strings lightly.

Out of the box, the guitar is calibrated to use a .10 gauge set of strings, and will tune up within a tolerance of one cent The calibration can be changed to heavier or lighter strings, and the tolerance can be changed as well. The greater tolerance the user is willing bear, the faster the Robot Guitar will tune itself. On the fastest setting, Gibson claims that the guitar will tune up in about 15 seconds with a tolerance of 2.5 cents.

The onboard computer allows for each of the preset tunings to be overridden by user inputs, but the factory presets can be restored by resetting the computer.According to company press releases, the system allows for 200 tunings before the battery has to be recharged. This is accomplished with a standard ¼” patch cable connected into a provided AC adaptor, and takes about 90 minutes for a full charge.It is important to note that the system is able to be disabled and tuned just like a regular guitar. To do this, it requires the user to disengage the tuning button, making the adjustment manually, and re-engaging the system once the adjustment is complete.

Source : Wikipedia

You can meet the Inventor of the Robot Guitar's Self-Tuning System in Gibson web HERE and download the manual of Gibson Robot Guitar HERE

Joe Satriani Ibanez Guitar Series

2008-06-28T14:28:00.000+07:00

The Magician's power is transformation through the use of will and sheer talent. This is a dangerous gift and the high-wire acts he performs often seem like dark magic. With its clean, body-fitting design, the Joe Satriani Signature JS a deceptively simple yet potent divining rod, able to raise impossible flurries of notes and melodies from the fertile pastures of your rock guitar dreams.

New Premium Silver finish adorns the JS1600.
Multi-radius Prestige neck (JS1000/JS1200) is an
exact digital rendering of the neck on Joe’s favorite axe.
High pass filter on JS1000 and JS1200 volume pots maintains highs at low volumes.
Combination of 25 1/2” inch neck scale and DiMarzio or Ibanez Axis pickups provides wide dynamic range and versatility.
New JS20TH celebrates 20th anniversary of "Surfing With the Alien" CD and 20 years with Ibanez, features special 3D Silver Surfer graphic inlay, JS Prestige neck,DiMarzio® PAF Pro® and Fred® pickups.
JS20S features Surfer graphic (decal), IBZ pickups and Edge III bridge.

Source : Ibanez.com

Satriani's Gear

2008-06-26T22:05:00.001+07:00

Satriani has endorsed Ibanez's JS Series guitars, and Peavey's JSX amplifier. Both lines were designed specifically as signature products for Satriani. However, Satriani uses a variety of gear. Many of his guitars are made by Ibanez, including the JS1000, and JS1200. These guitars typically feature the DiMarzio PAF Pro (which he used up until 1993 in both the neck and bridge positions), the DiMarzio Fred (which he used in the bridge position from 1993 to present day), and the Mo' Joe and the Paf Joe (which he uses in the bridge and neck positions, respectively, from 2005 to present day).

The JS line of guitars is his signature line, and they feature the Edge Pro, which is Ibanez's exclusive vibrato system, although he's always used the Original Edge unit. The mirrored 'chrome' guitar he is primarily associated with and used on the Live in San Francisco DVD is called Chrome Boy. Satriani also uses a number of other JS models such as the JS double neck model, JS700 (primary axe on the self-titled CD and seen on the 1995 tour "Joe Satriani", which features a fixed bridge, P-90 pickups, and a matching mahogany body and neck), JS600 (natural body) , JS1 (the original JS model), JS2000 (fixed bridge model), a variety of JS100s, JS1000s and JS1200s with custom paint work, and a large amount of prototype JSs. All double locking bridges have been the original Edge trem, not the newer models, which point to a more custom guitar than the "off the shelf" models.

Satriani has used a wide variety of guitar amps over the years, using Marshall Amplification for his main amplifier (notably the limited edition blue coloured 6100 LM model) up until 2001, and his Peavey signature series amps, the Peavey JSX, thereafter. The JSX began life as a prototype Peavey XXX and developed into the Joe Satriani signature Peavey model, now available for purchase in retail stores. Joe Satriani has used other amplifiers over the years in the studio, however. Those include the Peavey 5150 (used to record the song 'Crystal Planet'), Cornford, and the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (used to record the song 'Flying in a Blue Dream'), amongst others.

His effects pedals include the Vox wah, Dunlop Cry Baby wah, RMC Wizard Wah, Digitech Whammy, BOSS DS-1, BOSS CH-1, BOSS CE-2, BOSS DD-2 and a standard BOSS DD-3 (used together to emulate reverb effects), BOSS BF-3, BOSS OC-2, Barber Burn Drive Unit, Fulltone Deja Vibe, Fulltone Ultimate Octave, and Electro-Harmonix POG (Polyphonic Octave Generator), the latter being featured prominently on the title cut to his 2006 Super Colossal.

Satriani has also partnered recently with Planet Waves to create a signature line of guitar picks and guitar straps featuring his sketch art.

Although Satriani endorses the JSX, he has also used many different amps in the studio when recording, including the Peavey Classic. He is also known to have used Marshall heads and cabinets, including live, prior to his Peavey endorsement. Most recently Satriani used the JSX head through a Palmer Speaker Simulator. Joe Satriani has also released a Class-A 5-watt tube amp called the "Mini Colossal".

He is currently working with Vox on his own line of signature effects pedals designed to deliver Satriani's trademark tone plus a wide range of new sounds for guitarists of all playing styles and ability levels. They will be fully unveiled in Summer 2008.

Source : Wikipedia

Joe Satriani - The Biography

2008-06-25T21:49:00.002+07:00

Storming onto the music scene nearly a decade ago, Joe Satriani has been widely recognized as the archetypal post-modern hero.

Since his emergence in 1986 with a self-released, self-titled debut album, Joe has become the most recognizable guitar voice of his time, earning his place alongside the great masters of rock guitar. As an instrumental artist in a pop-dominated field, Satriani's accomplishments are even more remarkable: He is perhaps the most successful rock instrumentalist in recent history, selling millions of records and consistently packing concert halls - yet always preserving a strong musical vision, as well as the respect of fellow musicians and forward-thinking music fans worldwide.

Satriani's gift is creating highly evolved instrumental music, using the structure of popular standard songs that allows listeners to latch onto tuneful melodies before being dazzled by his acclaimed musicianship. His hallmarks are a warm, bluesy tone and delicate phrasing, combined with the bursts of superhuman technical facility which upped the ante well beyond the standards set by generations of great rock musicians before him.

Elsewhere on the album, Satriani revisits the familiar sound that demanded the attention of millions of pop fans: "A Train of Angles" creates the joyous pop mood heard in such classic Satriani radio hits as "Summer Song." On new tunes like "Raspberry Jam Delta-V," the melodies escalate into passages so stunning, it's difficult to believe they were performed with just two hands on a single instrument.

Joe Satriani was born in Westbury, New York, and began playing guitar at age 14. By 1971, he was teaching guitar to others, one of his students being Steve Vai. In 1974, Joe studied with two modern jazz masters, guitarist Billy Bauer and pianist/composer Lennie Tristano; four years later, he moved to Berkeley, California, where he began a 10-year guitar teaching career with students including David Bryson (Counting Crows), Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Larry LaLonde (Primus), and Charlie Hunter, among others. In 1984, Joe released a self-titled five-song EP on his own Rubina label, and the following year completed his first full-length album Not Of This Earth, which was financed on a credit card and released in 1986 on Relativity Records.

In October 1987, Relativity released Satriani's second album Surfing With The Alien. The record became a global phenomenon, going platinum with sales of over a million copies in the U.S. alone and landing Satriani's face on the covers of such magazines as Guitar Player, Musician, Guitar World, and dozens of other international publications. Surfing With The Alien was a landmark release which showcased the guitarist's stunning array of composing, playing , and producing talents. Consequently and deservedly, it became the most successful instrumental rock record since Jeff Beck's Wired.

Each subsequent Satriani release - including Flying In A Blue Dream, The Extremist, Time Machine and the recent Joe Satriani, which was produced by the legendary Glyn Johns - has drawn great commercial and critical attention. The same seems certain to be the case with Crystal Planet, and it's not just Joe's fans who have been moved by his unique tone and feel: Players from all walks of musical life have been attracted to Satriani's work.

After sitting in with Joe's band at New York's Bottom Line, Mick Jagger recruited Joe in 1988 as lead guitarist for the singer's very first tour apart from the Rolling Stones. Deep Purple tapped into Satriani's mastery when he assumed lead guitar position in the band for its 1994 tours of Europe and Japan. In 1996, the G3 Tour - featuring Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson - played 24 dates to some 90,000 fans across North America, a tour documented on the G3 Live In Concert album and home video (both Epic). In 1997, Joe united with jazz guitar great Pat Martino to record two tracks, "Ellipsis" and "Never and After," for Martino's acclaimed all-star collection All Sides Now (Blue Note); and enlisted in a second G3 summer tour, this one co-starring Steve Vai, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Robert Fripp.

With its cunning marriage of well-structured songs, challenging sonic surprises, moody moments and breathtaking guitar playing, Crystal Planet has all the marks of a great Joe Satriani disc. After a decade of ground breaking work, this is one musician still willing to push the edge of conventional rock beyond what's come before.

Source : ForeverJoe.com

Neck Joint - Set In Neck

2008-04-18T15:22:00.003+07:00

Set-in neck is a method of guitar (or similar stringed instrument) construction that involves joining guitar neck and body, pressing it tightly together using some sort of adhesive. It is a common belief that this yields a stronger body to neck connection than a bolt-on neck, although most luthiers agree that a well-executed bolt-on neck joint is equally as strong, and will have similar levels of sustain and neck to body contact. However, neither of these joints are as strong as a neck-thru body joint, which is a labor and material intensive undertaking and is usually only seen on high end offerings.

This method is most popular on acoustic guitars. Almost all major acoustic guitar manufacturers use set-in necks, with only notable exception being Taylor Guitars. In the electric guitar market, Gibson traditionally produces almost all of it's electric offerings as set-in neck models, as opposed to rival Fender, which traditionally builds it's electric instruments (most notably, the Stratocaster, Telecaster and various Electric Basses) with bolt-on necks.

Wooden musical instrument construction relies on four widely used types of glues:

Hide glue
PVA (both "white glue" and "yellow glue")
Epoxy and Cyanoacrylate are sometimes also used for neck joints, but generally such use is rare. Structure of these glues makes it difficult to disassemble joint later if repair or servicing is required

Typically cited advantages of set-in neck include:

Warmer tone
More sustain, although this is not supported by formal research
Usually better access to top frets in comparsion to bolt-on necks utilizing a metal plate (as seen on Fender guitars)

Disadvantages

Slightly harder to mass manufacture than bolt-on necks, much harder to repair / service than a bolt-on neck
The player has no control over the neck-to-body angle; changing it requires disassembling the instrument and re-glueing the neck by an experienced luthier

source : Wikipedia

Neck Joint - Neck Through

2008-04-18T14:33:00.005+07:00

Neck-through or neck-thru (or in full form neck through body) is a method of electric guitar or bass guitar construction that involves extending the piece (or pieces, in a laminate construction) of wood used for the neck through the entire length of the body, essentially making it the core of the body. The strings, fretboard, pickups and bridge are all mounted on this piece. So-called "ears" or "wings" (i.e. side parts of the body) are glued or laminated to the central "stick". The "wings" may be bookmatched in order to give a symmetrical appearance, and are often cut from one piece of wood.

Neck-through construction is significantly harder to mass-produce than bolt-on or set-in neck constructions and is primarily found on high-end guitars. It is somewhat more common in basses than in guitars. Neck-thru construction allows easier access to upper frets, because there is no need for a heel — the thickened area where a neck would "bolt-on" (although technically, 3-4 large screws are used) to the body. Many musicians assert that neck-through construction provides greater sustain and stay in tune longer. There is little formal research on this topic, but what exists does not support this assertion.

Repairs to the neck are usually expensive and tedious. In many cases, it is usually easier to remove the old neck completely, either by taking the wings off and putting an entirely new core in, or by converting the guitar to a bolt-on or set neck by creating a heel and affixing the new neck to the core already in place, rather than to try and repair the neck itself. However, thanks to excellent stability and reaction to string tension and pressure, neck through guitars are often much more sturdy than many other guitars on the market.

source : Wikipedia

Neck Joint - Bolt On Neck

2008-04-18T13:58:00.004+07:00

This neck joint usually found in common electric guitar. This method is used frequently on solid body electric guitar and on acoustic flattop guitars. In the typical electric guitar bolt-on neck joint, the body and neck cross in horizontal plane, the neck is inserted in a pre-routed "pocket" in the body, and they are joined using 4 (rarely 6) screws. As screw heads damage the wood and could put extra stress on it, typically a rectangular metal plate or a pair of metal plates are used to secure the joint and re-distribute the screw pressure evenly.

Such a plate is usually criticized for making playing on top frets uncomfortable, so, manufacturers sometimes employ some kind of more intricate method to hide a metal plate, smooth the angles and make access to top frets easier. However, a visible metal plate is usually considered as a part of "vintage" style and they are a popular place to emboss manufacturer's logos, stamp out serial numbers and put other artwork. Fender is the manufacture that used this neck joint in nearly all of the product. While Taylor used this joint for their acoustic guitar

Typically cited advantages of bolt-on neck include:

Easier and cheaper to mass production and repair if damaged. Necks that allow Fender "standard" 4-screw joint are frequently interchangeable provided they are intended for the same style of guitar (e.g. Stratocaster or Telecaster): for example, one can order custom neck (with personal profile or radius) and change one by just removing one neck and attaching the other. A Stratocaster neck can also be fitted to a Telecaster body, although the reverse is untrue unless some minor modifications are made. Less traditional versions exist, such as 3-screw plate (with easier micro-tilt adjustment) or even 6-screw plate bolt-on joint, but they may differ widely in the shapes, sizes and position of screws. Which one is better is debatable, but budget guitar manufacturers often choose 3-screw joints for its minimal cost, notwithstanding the quality.
Easy to control: sometimes bolt-on neck includes some sort of adjustment screw that can control neck-to-body angle.
More resonance due to wood-to-wood contact in high quality bolt-ons, no glue allows better coupling.
More attack and "snap", slightly brighter tone, but this advantage is frequently debated

And the disadvantages of bolt-on neck include:

For solid body electric guitars, harder access to top frets, especially if screw plate is used and visible. Slick heel with hidden plate (such as depicted one) makes playing the top frets more comfortable and special neck joint techniques, such as the Ibanez AANJ, MusicMan Silhouette and Stephen's Extended Cutaway mitigate this problem.
Less sustain, due to the bridge and nut being on two different pieces of wood, but this disadvantage is subjective, frequently debated, and not supported by formal research.
Bolt-on necks are less structurally sound than neck-thrus, making them easier to break (also easier to fix), and more susceptible to going out of tune.
Sloppy construction or assembly of a bolt-on guitar exacerbates any of its inherent disadvantages

Luthiers and guitar players cite both advantages and disadvantages of bolt-on neck construction. Note that most of these views are highly subjective and relative. It is not easy to measure most of the claims objectively or even compare objective factors, as guitars differ considerably.

Source : Wikipedia

Guitar String Construction

2008-03-17T11:14:00.005+07:00

Depending on the construction of the instrument on which they are used, strings will usually have either a ball or loop at one end to attach the string to the instrument. Strings for some instruments may be wrapped with silk at their ends to protect the string. The color and pattern of the silk can be used to identify the string.

The simplest ones are the Roundwound strings. They have a round core inside and round-winding wire, wound in a tight spiral around it. Such strings are usually simple to manufacture and thus are usually the least expensive. There are several drawbacks, however:

Roundwound strings have a surface profile (the "bumps" of the winding) that causes "squeaking" sounds when the player's fingers slide over the strings. Whereas some artists use this sound creatively on purpose, this sound is, in general, unwanted.
Non-flat surface profile also hastens fingerboard and fret wire wear.

The winding is not secured to the core and can rotate freely around it, especially if the winding is damaged after use. It makes it harder to push down and hold the strings with the fingers, and thus impairs the general playing experience.

Flatwound strings also have a round core, but the winding wire has a rounded square cross-section. When tightly wound, such strings have a much shallower profile (in cross-section), thus making them more comfortable to play, less damaging for frets / fretboard and producing quieter squeak sounds from fingers sliding along the string. However, players frequently cite that the sound of flatwound strings differs considerably from the sound of roundwound, with less brightness

Halfwound strings, ground wound strings or pressure wound strings are a cross between roundwound and flatwound, providing both the tonal characteristics of roundwound and the lack of squeaking and the playing feel of flatwound. Such strings are usually made by winding round wire around a round core first, then polishing, grinding (thus the name, ground wound) or pressing the exterior part of the winding until it is practically flat.

Note that polishing process removes almost half of winding wire mass, thus, to compensate for it, manufacturers have to use heavier gauge winding wire. In its turn, thicker winding wire lowers frequency of slide squeaking. Depending on sound processing, it can be a good thing (as squeaking becomes less accented and it will be masked out by performed music) or a bad thing (high-pitched squeaks are much easier to detect and filter out when recording).

Hexwound strings are composed of regular hexagonal core and a tight (usually round) winding that closely fits a hexagonal shape. It solves the second problem: it secures the winding around the core, so it cannot rotate and slip under the fingers. Sometimes it is cited that hexagonal core improves tones due to closer bond between the core and the windingThe drawback is that relatively sharp hexagonal corners are less comfortable for fingers and wear down the fingerboard and fret wire even faster than roundwound strings. Hexwound strings are more commonly used on bass instruments (such as bass guitars).

Source Wikipedia

Guitar Strings

2008-03-17T10:39:00.002+07:00

One of the cheaper and easier way to change your guitar tone is change the strings. But which strings we should use to get the sound we want? Guitar strings are bits metal or plastic that you strum away at to make sound. There are many different types of string which is made of different materials for different purposes.

Guitar strings made from solid threads of material (metal, plastic, silk, gut) and some rounded with wire wound tightly to get the required thickness.

Strings for acoustic and electric guitar have their own characteristic and should not change vice versa. Because of electric guitar use magnetic pick up, so acoustic strings made from nylon can not use for electric guitar. But electric guitar strings can be used for acoustic guitar and produce thinnest sound than acoustic strings.

Acoustic Guitar Strings
Strings for acoustic guitar usually come in two kinds

Bronze Wound Acoustic Guitar Strings
Bronze is alloy which is actually a mixture of copper and tin or copper and zinc. An 80/20 bronze string is made of an alloy comprised of 80% copper and 20% tin or 20% zinc. These alloys are sometimes called brass.
Bronze strings produce a very brilliant, crisp sound when new but begin to lose their new sound after only a few hours of playing. So we should change the strings each time we want to perform or recording the sound.
Example Martin MSP3200 Studio/Performance 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings

Phosphor Bronze Wound Acoustic Guitar Strings
Phosphor bronze (P/B) is second in popularity to the 80/20 bronze strings for acoustic guitar. They produce a bright, but slightly warmer and darker sound than bronze strings. The small amount of phosphorous in the alloy helps them retain their new sound longer than bronze.
Example D'Addario Set Acous Exp Phos Brz Med

Electric Guitar Strings
Electric guitar strings use two kinds of string i.e. plain and wound. Plain made from steel as the basic, meanwhile wound made from steel for the core and rounded by another material to add the weight and diameter to get the lower sound. The bigger the diameter and weight the lower sound will produce. So the plain strings usually used for strings 1,2, and 3 and wound string for string 4,5, and 6.

Electric guitar strings can be divided by material used

Pure Nickel Wound Strings
Inner steel were wound with an alloy called Pure Nickel. This kind of strings popular at 50’s. Tone characteristic is bright, warm, and vintage tone.
Example Original 1550's - Pure Nickel Wound 11-49 Gauge

Nickel Plated Steel
Nickel plated steel is the alloy most widely used in string making today. The nickel plating enhances the feel and reduces finger noise and fret wear. They are hotter and provide greater sustain and a brighter sound than pure nickel.
Example DR Strings MT-10 Tite-Fit Nickel Plated Electric Guitar Strings

Stainless Steel
Stainless steel strings are hotter, brighter, and provide more sustain than either pure nickel or Nickel Plated Steel. They are more resistant to oils, acids, and sweat and are, hands down, the longest lasting strings.
Example Ernie Ball 2246 Stainless Steel Regular Slinky Electric Guitar Strings

Guitar Bridge - Non-Tremolo System

2008-02-24T11:05:00.005+07:00

It is generally thought that non-tremolo bridges offer better transfer of string vibration into the body. This is due to direct contact of the bridge to the guitar's body. These bridges are bolted directly to the guitar body and, assuming good quality, limit longitudinal string movement completely.

Therefore tuning stability is assured. The improved transfer of string vibration into the body has an effect on the sound, so guitars with this type of bridge have different characteristics than those with tremolos even when it is removed. There are no springs in the body or a cavity to accommodate them, which also affects resonance.

Fender have different bridge for strat and tele model. This is for strat model
and this is for tele model

Gibson Les Paul build their own type of non locking bridge known as Tune-O-Matic (TOM) designed by Tom McCarty, the former president of Gibson .
The Tune-o-matic bridge consists of 2 adjustable posts that are screwed into the guitar body and a bar between these posts. The bar has 6 saddles, one per string. When fully assembled, each string is passed through a saddle and the saddle thus "marks" the end of the vibrating string. Each saddle can be adjusted (moved back and forward) with a screw to control intonation.

To prevent saddles from falling out of the bridge when no strings are installed, most models usually hold the saddles with retainer wires. After the saddles, each string is passed to the tailpiece. Some guitars have a stopbar to hold strings, others have "strings through the body" construction, thus holding the string by whole body. The Tune-o-matic bridge is not absolutely flat, and standard Gibson Tune-o-matic bridges have a 12" radius. Ideally, the radius should match the radius of fretboard for the most comfortable playing experience.

Guitar Bridge - Tremolo System

2008-02-24T10:05:00.008+07:00

A bridge is a device for supporting the strings on a stringed instrument and transmitting the vibration of those strings to some other structural component of the instrument in order to transfer the sound to the surrounding air.
The bridge is placed perpendicular to the strings and larger surface (which are roughly parallel to one another) with the tension of the strings pressing down on the bridge and thus on the larger surface beneath it.

Bridges for electric guitars can be divided into two main groups, "tremolo" and "non-tremolo" (also called hardtail).

Tremolo bridges
Tremolo bridges usually need to be suspended in some way, which reduces contact. Most tremolo designs today use a group of springs in the guitar body, which oppose the tension of the strings. Some players feel that the vibration of the springs affects resonance in a way that makes the guitar sound better; others disagree. Naturally, it all depends on personal preference and the musical style of the individual player. There are two kinds of tremolos bridge:

Non-Locking Tremolo
Non-locking (or vintage) tremolos are the bridges found on all guitars manufactured prior to the advent of the Floyd Rose locking tremolo in the late 1970s and many (typically cheaper) guitars manufactured thereafter. For many playing styles, vintage tremolos are a good choice because they are easy to use and maintain and have very few parts. Some people feel that they can also provide a better degree of sound transfer, especially with tailpiece type tremolos such as the Bigsby.

However, "Synchronized Tremolo" type found on the Fender Stratocaster is balanced against a set of screws in much the same manner as a locking tremolo and offers little improvement in the way of sounds transfer. This picture is an example of vintage tremolo bridge which usually used in old fender stratocaster

Given that this type of tremolo is installed on solid body guitars the degree to which sound transfer affects the sound that the instrument produces is minimal. Also, keeping a guitar with a non-locking tremolo in tune can be difficult. The most common types of non-locking tremolos are the "Synchronized Tremolo" type and an almost endless stream of copies and also the Bigsby type although that type has largely fallen out of favour. The modern tremolo bridge that can be found nowadays

Locking Tremolo
Another type of tremolo is the locking tremolo. These bridges have a sort of vise in each saddle which clamps the string into place (usually with an Allen Key). The end of the string has a clamp, which holds the string in place, stopping it from slipping. This is especially useful for songs that require tapping or heavy/hard playing styles. Once set up for tuning stability, locking tremolos are very good. However, their fulcrum points offer extremely minute contact with the body, which may disturb sound transfer.

Around 1979, the locking tremolo was invented by Floyd D. Rose. The locking tremolo became highly popular among 1980s heavy metal guitarists due to its extremely wide range of variation and tuning stability.

The original Floyd Rose system was similar to the Fender synchronized tremolo, but with a number of extra mechanisms. The first to be added and most obvious is a locking plate on the head nut, tightened with a hex key to fix the strings at this point after tuning. This provides extra tuning stability, particularly during use of the tremolo arm, but as an unwanted side effect it also prevents further adjustment of the pitch using the machine heads.

This is an original floyd rose tremolo

and this is the pro version

Get close with NUT - NUT materials

2008-02-23T23:22:00.006+07:00

There are a lot of materials can be used for nut i.e. plastic, bone, graphite, tusq, corian, brass, nickel etc.

Plastic
Usually found in low budget instrument. The color is white and made with injection molded machine. The tone is quite well but not as best as the other harder materials
Bone
A hard material with a vintage look, must be cut cleanly to keep strings from binding in slots. Made from cow bone which is almost luthier's favorite material. This hard material give a good tone contribution. The typical sound is bright and clear with detailed sound.

Graphite
It's black and also used for pencil. Genuine Graphtech self-lubricating material works well with tremolos and headstocks that do not have straight string pull through nut. The sound is warmer and even-soundingTusq
Synthetic material with a look similar to bone. The sound is warmer and even-sounding
Corian
Hard synthetic material takes a fine finish and is available in large oversized blanks. The sound is balanced, clear, even sound.

Brass
Hard material polishes well and looks good with gold hardware. Great sustain for bass and slide guitar playing. The sound is bright with very good sustain.

Nickel
Made of the same material as our fretwire (18% hard nickel/silver) so it matches sound & look of frets. Well polished. The sound is very bright with excellent articulation and sustain.

Get close with NUT - NUT types

2008-02-23T22:21:00.007+07:00

What is nut? Maybe nut is not popular like the other guitar part but nut is a crucial component in tone shaping and playability. This material lays near the headstock for string foundation and have a gap to directing each string to tuning machine.
There are four types of nut i.e Standard Nut, Locking Nut, Roller Nut, and Compensated Nut.

Standard Nut
We can find this nut type in almost electric and acoustic guitar. A small strip made from various materials, slotted, and polished. Generally this nut type is glued to neck and fretboard. A Fender nut usually has 3 mm thickness and set to fretboard and Les Paul model or acoustic usually use 4 mm thick nut.

Locking Nut
This nut usually associated with Floyd Rose tremolo bridge. This nut type have a mechanism to lock the string stay tune after an extreme tremolo action or extreme bending
Roller Nut
To avoid the string out of tune after extreme tremolo or bending action without locking nut, Trev Wilkinson design this roller nut. This ingenious nut uses ball bearings to locate the strings and ease their movement across the nut. When used in conjunction with locking tuning machines and moderate tremolo action, tuning issues are significantly reduced when compared to more conventional set-ups

Compensated Nut
Compensated nut designed to maintain each tone in every fret in each string get close with the proper tone. This nut is especially nice for finger picking where a lot of open string chords and open strings in general are used.You will simply love the fact that you can play chords up the neck that include open strings. The accuracy of this nut is amazing!

Setting Up Your Electric Guitar part 2

2008-01-29T10:58:00.000+07:00

Setting The Action/String Height

Setting the action mean arrange the distance between string and wood surface of neck fret board. We can change the distance by change the height of bridge. The lower distance will make easy to play. But too much low cause fret buzz/buzzing. Every guitar has its own way to setting the action depend on the guitar model.

String height is measured at the 12th fret. Use your steel ruler and measure on the top and bottom string

Use your steel ruler, measure the action on the top and bottom strings. Adjust the bottom string (low E) to 2.00mm and the top string (high E) to 1.5mm by raising or lowering the saddle. Set the middle strings by gradually increasing the height from treble to bass side.

Setting Up Your Electric Guitar - part 1

2008-01-21T18:29:00.000+07:00

Your guitar is made of wood. Woods is affected by temperature and humidity and it’s make a difference to your guitar sound. So it’s need to adjust to get the maximum playing condition.

The following is about how to setting up your guitar. The first is Truss Rod Setting. What is Truss Rod? Truss Rod is a long metal at the center of the neck that adjustable depend on the neck condition.

This truss rod maintain the neck at a straight condition, not concave or convex.

If the neck is concave, tighten the truss rod. If the neck is convex, loosen the truss rod. Use the L wrench to tighten or loosen the truss rod.

Sound simple, isn't it? But it can damage your gear if you did it carelessly. Some important tips, never force the adjustment if it feels tight, make adjustment in a very small degrees. The last if you're not sure about this, bring your guitar to the expert.

1st Touch of Electric Guitar

2007-12-22T22:38:00.000+07:00

Electric guitar uses pickups to convert the vibration of steel-cored strings into electrical current, which is then amplified. The signal that comes from the guitar is often electrically altered to achieve various tonal effects prior to being fed into an amplifier, which produces the final sound which can be either an electrical sound or an acoustic sound. Devices commonly used by guitarists are meant to add distortion, wah, equalization, tremolo, and phase shift, amongst others, in some cases radically changing the sound that is emitted from the amplifier.

Despite its traditional association with rock music, the electric guitar has long been used in many popular styles of music, including almost all genres of rock and roll, country music, jazz, blues, ambient (or "new-age"), and even contemporary classical music. The instrument's distinctive sound and intimate connection with many legendary internationally-famous musicians has made it the signature instrument of late twentieth-century music. Specialized steel guitars are also in use, although they are to be considered a different instrument.

Some of the earliest electric guitars, essentially adapted hollow bodied acoustic instruments, used tungsten pickups and were manufactured beginning in 1931 by Electro String Instrument Corporation in Los Angeles under the direction of Adolph Rickenbacker and George Beauchamp. Their first design of a hollow body guitar instrument that used tungsten pickups was built by Harry Watson, a craftsman who worked for the Electro String Company. This new guitar which the company called "Rickenbackers" would be the first of its kind.

The earliest documented use of the electric guitar in performance was during October 1932 in Wichita, Kansas by guitarist and bandleader Gage Brewer who had obtained two instruments directly from George Beauchamp of Los Angeles, California. Brewer publicized them in an article appearing in the Wichita Beacon, October 2, 1932 and through a Halloween performance later that month.

The first recording of an electric guitar was by jazz guitarist George Barnes who recorded two songs in Chicago on March 1st, 1938: Sweetheart Land and It's a Low-Down Dirty Shame. Many historians incorrectly attribute the first recording to Eddie Durham, but his recording with the Kansas City Five was not until 15 days later. Durham introduced the instrument to a young Charlie Christian, who made the instrument famous in his brief life and is generally known as the first electric guitarist and a major influence on jazz guitarists for decades thereafter.

The version of the instrument that is best known today is the solid body electric guitar, a guitar made of solid wood, without resonating airspaces within it. Rickenbacher, later spelled Rickenbacker, did, however, offer a cast aluminum electric guitar, nicknamed The Frying Pan or The Pancake Guitar, beginning in 1931. This guitar is reported to have sounded quite modern and aggressive when tested by vintage guitar researcher John Teagle. The company Audiovox built and may have offered an electric solid-body as early as the mid-1930s.

Sketch of Rickenbacker "frying pan" lap steel guitar from 1934 patent application.

Another early solid body electric guitar was designed and built by musician and inventor Les Paul in the early 1940s, working after hours in the Epiphone Guitar factory. His log guitar (so called because it consisted of a simple 4x4 wood post with a neck attached to it and homemade pickups and hardware, with two detachable Swedish hollow body halves attached to the sides for appearance only) was patented and is often considered to be the first of its kind, although it shares nothing in design or hardware with the solid body "Les Paul" model sold by Gibson.

Recording your acoustic guitar

2007-12-06T15:27:00.000+07:00

Recording acoustic guitar is not easy as electric guitar. There are two way to record, using mic and pick up. We can record both of the way, and we can mix them up to get the full frequency spectrum.
The first is replace your old string with the new one. It's important because the old string may out of tune, not so clear as the new one. Tune your guitar properly and you ready to record.
As I mention above there are two way to record acoustic guitar, using mic and pick up. We'll discuss record using mic first.

Select your best microphone
This way also have two technique, mono(one mic) or stereo(two or more mic) way. Which one better? It's up to you according the mic resource you have. Next Question is, dynamic or condenser microphone we should use? According to those mic chracteristic we recommend the condenser one which is have much more high frequency response and better transient response. A RODE NT1 is an example of a good condenser mic.

Mic placement
If you just have 1 microphone place the mic toward the 12th fret about 5 inches. We can add 1 more mic for stereo system and direct it toward the sound hole to get more frequency response. This placement is not exact, you may vary the position and listen the result. Get the combination as you want

Record using Acoustic Pick Up
If you had the pick up installed at your gear dont't waste it when you record your guitar. Use it and you can mixed up with the result of mic recording. It can yield more detailed sound.

Just remember, each situation may different. You can combine the system above to get the sound you want. Don't be affraid to experiment.

Get a better sound....

Alternate Guitar Tuning

2007-12-02T23:05:00.000+07:00

Alternate tuning refers to any open string note arrangement other than that of standard tuning . Despite the usefulness and almost universal acceptance of standard tuning, many guitarists employ such alternate tuning arrangements in order to exploit the unique chord voicing and sonorities that result from them. Most alternate tunings necessarily change the chord shapes associated with standard tuning, which results in certain chords becoming much easier to play while others may become impossible to play.

As a standard set of guitar strings is designed to be tuned to the standard notes, alternate tunings may require not just a different tuning, but re-stringing of the guitar with strings better suited to the open string note. In turn further adjustments to cope with the different tensions placed on the guitar may be required, and in extreme tunings, fitting different components to cope with the different gauges used.

There are 4 kinds of alternate tuning i.e. Rock music tuning, Classical guitar tuning, Open tuning, Miscellaneous tuning. We'll give some example of each alternate tuning

1. Rock Music tunings
Dropped D : D-A-d-g-b-e'
This tuning is not only used by metal and rock bands, but also folk musicians. It allows power chords (also known as bare fifth chords) to be played with a single finger on the lowest three strings. It is also used extensively in classical guitar music and transcriptions since it allows open strings to sound the tonic and dominant as part of the bassline in the keys of D and D minor. Some guitarists choose to use a capo on the second fret with this tuning so that they can retain the ease of playing power chords without the darker sound created by the D tuning.

Dropped C : C-G-c-f-a-d'
This tuning is the same as dropped D, but each string is lowered an additional whole step, or two semitones. Technically a "drop C" tuning would be C-A-d-g-b-e'. However, the tuning technically known as "Dropped D tuned down one whole step" is commonly referred to as "Dropped C" tuning, as very few people drop only the sixth string. This gives the guitar a very low and heavy sound, and usually requires extra-thick strings to maintain tension. This tuning is frequently used by rock and heavy metal music bands as well as various popular metal bands to achieve a lower sound. Tuning a standard, non-baritone guitar any lower than this is difficult.

2. Classical guitar tunings
Renaissance lute tuning : E-A-d-f#-b-e'
This tuning may also be used with a capo at the third fret to match the common lute pitch: G-c-f-a-d'-g'. This tuning also matches standard vihuela tuning and is often employed in classical guitar transcriptions of music written for those instruments.

"Pseudo Russian" or "g" tuning : D-G-d-g-b-e'
A versatile tuning examples of which can be heard in Choro de Saudade by Agustín Barrios and also in well known transcriptions of La Maja de Goya by Enrique Granados and Sevilla by Isaac Albéniz.

3. Open tunings
An open tuning is a type of guitar tuning in which the open strings are tuned to form a common chord (usually major) which can be 'transposed' to any higher pitch simply by placing a finger across all of the strings at any chosen fret. Blues slide guitarists often take advantage of this effect, whereas fingerstyle guitarists tend to use various combinations of the open strings to provide a sustained chordal accompaniment to melodies played on fretted higher strings.

Open C : C-G-c-g-c'-e'
Open D : D-A-d-f#-a-d'
Open E : E-B-e-g♯-b-e'
Open G : D-G-d-g-b-d'

4. Miscellaneous tunings
All fourths : E-A-d-g-c'-f'
This tuning is like that of the lowest four strings in standard tuning. It removes from standard tuning the irregularity of the interval of a third between the second and third strings. With regular tunings like this, chords can simply be moved down or across the fretboard, dramatically reducing the number of different finger positions that need to be memorized. The disadvantage is that not all major and minor chords can be played with all six strings at once.

D modal tuning : D-A-d-g-a-d' and D-A-d-a-d'-d'
Popularised by Davey Graham, who had been inspired by Arabic oud tuning while living in Morocco. D modal tuning D-A-d-g-a-d' is now encountered in Celtic music and contemporary music.
Another similar modal tuning is D-A-d-a-d'-d' from low to high respectively. Used by guitarist Stephen Roy, it makes chords simpler to play. Having a "dropped D" effect in the bottom bass strings makes one finger chords easier. The top two treble strings can be slightly out of tune from each other, creating a chorus double guitar kind of effect.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_tuning and find more alternative tuning

Wanna get software to tune your guitar? It's free to download here

Tune Up Your Guitar

2007-12-02T22:36:00.000+07:00

Learn to play the guitar is never difficult especially if the beginner has a passion for guitars. A part of the learning process is learning how to tune the guitar. Tuning the guitar may seem very difficult when in fact it is not. We use this notation on guitar tuning:

String Note Frequency
1 e' 329.6 Hz
2 b 246.92 Hz
3 g 196.0 Hz
4 d 146.8 Hz
5 A 110 Hz
6 E 82.4 Hz

Here the steps for quick tuning :

1. Play the e' string with open string. The sound must match with the 5th fret of b string
2. Play the b string with open string. The sound must match with the 4th fret of g string
3. Play the g string with open string. The sound must match with the 5th fret of d string
4. Play the d string with open string. The sound must match with the 5th fret of A string
5. Play the A string with open string. The sound must match with the 5th fret of E string

e'|-------------------0---|
B |---------------0---5---|
G |-----------0---4-------|
D |-------0---5-----------|
A |---0---5---------------|
E |---5-------------------|

0 stand for open string, and number 4 and 5 are fret number.
This is the easiest method of tuning a guitar. There are also electric methods to tune a guitar, but this traditional method is the most efficient. Once a beginner is able to learn how to tune a guitar, learning to play it will never be that hard.

That was a standard tuning. is there any non standard tuning? We'll see.....

Some Guitar Buying Guide

2007-12-02T22:22:00.000+07:00

Guitars are one of the best musical instruments man has ever created. In fact, almost 65% of Americans know how to play the guitar. This is because learning how to play the guitar is as easy as 1-2-3. It just needs some "dogged" determination, interest, and love for music, and anybody can easily learn how to manipulate a few strings.

Many experts contend that learning how to play the guitar is almost proportional to the kind of guitar being used. They suggest that in order to learn how to play the guitar in as little time possible, it is advantageous to use a good guitar.

Since many people would like to believe that all guitars are the same because they have similar attributes, it is really not possible to assume to assume it to so. This is because guitars are not created equal. Each kind has its own distinctions and differences.

For those who are not yet familiar with the way to choose the right guitar, here is a list of some tips that you can use:

1. Determine your budget first

Guitars are not made of second-hand class materials so you can expect that most of the guitars are relatively expensive.
Determine your budget first so that you will know how much you can afford before you decide what kind of a guitar to buy. Settling for a cheaper guitar is generally not a good option, especially those that are priced below $200 so you had better set a budget for it.

2. Know your style

Knowing the kind of music that you like will help determine the kind of style of music you will play. For instance if you are interested in acoustic music, then it is best to buy an acoustic guitar; if you are into jazz, it would better to buy an "archtop' guitar, etc.

3. Know your level of expertise

If you think you are still a beginner but would like to personally own a guitar, it is best to buy an electric guitar because it provides easier manipulation of the strings.

4. Know the store

Do not buy just anywhere; it would be better to buy your guitar from a quality shop or store. This will assure you of the quality of the guitar plus service in case you need some repairs or additional services.

......the last but not least,
don't forget to try playing your guitar at the shop where you will buy it

Buying a guitar is not as easy as playing it. Just keep in mind that when you buy a guitar, do not just think of it as a good investment for your money but consider it a good investment for you skill. As they say, a good guitar renders good music.

Happy shopping....

How to take care of your guitar..

2007-12-02T15:09:00.000+07:00

Why my guitar doesn't have the same sound as used to be I bought? Why my string is out of tune when I played on 12th fret area? wow, maybe you should notice for the advice below.

Guitars normally require very little maintenance. However, a little care in handling and storage will protect your investment for many years to come.

• Never expose your guitar to high heat and humidity. For example, don't leave your guitar in a hot car or in direct sunlight. Typical heat damage consists of warped soundboards and unglued (detached) bridges.

• Never lean the guitar on furniture or the wall. The guitar is unstable (the lower bout is round) and can easily fall and be damaged. Always store your guitar in a case or on a guitar stand.

• Wash your hands before playing. Dirt and oil will clog and corrode the strings and diminish considerably the sound and life of your strings.

• Handle the guitar only by the neck. Squeezing the top and body will damage the delicate soundboard bracing.

• Wipe your guitar off with a microfiber or soft cotton cloth after playing. Clean and polish your guitar occasionally with a light polish. Avoid heavy paste waxes as they eventually build up into a thick, vibration muffling coating.

And don't forget to change your string periodically if you often play your guitar.

Keep your guitar clean and sound as you want...

source : www.emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu with some part edited

Acoustic Guitar Topology

2007-12-02T14:20:00.000+07:00

What is Acoustic Guitar?
Historical and modern acoustic guitars are varied in their design and construction. Some of the most important varieties are the classical guitar (nylon-stringed), Steel-string acoustic guitar and lap steel guitar.

All guitars produce sound through the mechanical vibration of strings. Acoustic guitars transmit the vibration of the string to the soundboard via the saddle and bridge. The combined resonance of the strings, saddle, bridge and soundboard are, in turn, "amplified" in the soundbox or body of the guitar. The soundboard has a larger surface area and thus displaces a larger volume of air, producing a much louder sound than the strings alone. The design and quality of the strings, saddle, bridge and soundboard have a major impact on the sound. One weak link in the transmission chain--a cheap plastic saddle, worn out strings, etc.--degrades the sound considerably.

Here is the part of acoustic guitar

There are two basic types of acoustic guitars, the classic or nylon string guitar and the steel-string guitar. Both types are excellent general purpose instruments, suitable for many styles, but each has its own distinct feel and sound. The choice of one or the other is purely personal. Pop musicians tend to use steel-strings guitars more often than classics. However, many guitarists play both types of instruments depending on their mood and style of music. Eric Clapton, mainly a steel-string player, used a classic guitar in "Tears From Heaven." The Eagles, mostly an electric guitar band, used Takamine CP132SC classics on the live acoustic version of "Hotel California." Ozzie Kotani and Keola Breamer do much of their slack key work on nylon-string classics. You can not put a steel string on a classic guitar because the high tension of steel string will damage the bridge and soundboard. Classic guitar is not design to use with steel string.

Find more about acoustic guitar at www. acousticguitar.com

source : www.emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu with some part edited

Guitar Short History

2007-12-01T13:36:00.000+07:00

Guitar, a word that maybe the most popular in music world ever. From the mellow acoustic guitar sound to distorted rock sound, everything have a place in the heart of human kind. What about the story of the guitar itself ...?

Before the development of the electric guitar and the use of synthetic materials, a guitar was defined as instrument having "a long, fretted neck, flat wooden soundboard, ribs, and a flat back, most often with incurved sides". Instruments similar to the guitar can be found for least 5,000 years ago known in ancient India and Central Asia as the Sitara. The oldest known iconographic representation of an instrument displaying all the essential features of a guitar being played is a 3300 year old stone carving of a Hittite bard.

The modern guitar is descended from the Roman cithara brought by the Romans to Hispania around 40 AD, and further adapted and developed with the arrival of the four-string oud, brought by the Moors after their invasion of the Iberian peninsula during the 8th century AD. Elsewhere in Europe, the indigenous six-string Scandinavian lut (lute), had gained in popularity in areas of Viking incursions across the continent. Often depicted in carvings c.800 AD, the Norse hero Gunther (also known as Gunnar), played a lute with his toes as he lay dying in a snake-pit, in the legend of Siegfried. By 1200 AD, the four string "guitar" had evolved into two
types: the guitarra morisca (Moorish guitar) which had a rounded back, wide fingerboard and several soundholes, and the guitarra latina (Latin guitar) which resembled the modern guitar with one soundhole and a narrower neck.

The Spanish vihuela or "viola da mano", a guitar-like instrument of the 16th century, appears to be an aberration in the transition from the renaissance instrument to the modern guitar. It had lute-style tuning and a guitar-like body. Its construction had as much in common with the modern guitar as with its contemporary four-course renaissance guitar. The vihuela enjoyed only a short period of popularity; the last surviving publication of music for the instrument appeared in 1576. It is not clear whether it represented a transitional form or was simply a design that combined features of the Arabic oud and the European lute. In favor of the latter view, the reshaping of the vihuela into a guitar-like form can be seen as a strategy of differentiating the European lute visually from the Moorish oud.

The Vinaccia family of luthiers is known for developing the mandolin, and may have built the earliest extant six string guitar. Gaetano Vinaccia (1759 - after 1831) has his signature on the label of a guitar built in Naples, Italy for six strings with the date of 1779. This guitar has been examined and does not show tall-tale
signs of modifications from a double-course guitar although fakes are known to exist of guitars and identifying labels from that period.

The modern word, guitar, was adopted into English from Spanish guitarra, derived from the Latin word cithara, which in turn was derived from the earlier Greek word kithara, which perhaps derives from Persian sihtar. Sihtar itself is related to the Indian instrument, the sitar.Modern dimensions of the classical instrument were established by Antonio Torres Jurado (1817-1892), working in Seville in the 1850s. Torres and Louis Panormo of London (active 1820s-1840s) were both responsible for demonstrating the superiority of fan strutting over transverse table bracing.

The electric guitar was patented by George Beauchamp in 1936. Beauchamp co-founded Rickenbacher which used the horseshoe-magnet pickup. However, it was Danelectro that first produced electric guitars for the wider public.

source : www.wikipedia.com with some part edited