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 by Jay Gordon - GSR Staff Writer When you buy a new guitar, or new car, you expect it to be perfect, right? After all, the factory has people that quality check these babies before shipping them off for sale, yes? Well, not exactly. Read on to find out about serious flaws with new instruments that should never be acceptable. Why Any Flaws At AllOver the past four decades most manufacturing has shifted from the USA, to Japan, and then to the rest of Asia. While you can still get good guitars out of Asia, its sad to see how...

 by Martin Graw [Guest blogger] Check out my picks for some of the most gifted guitarists to ever shred the six string. Keep in mind this isn't necessarily an endorsement of their bands, lyrical content, any life choices good or bad - it's simply an appreciation for their raw musical gift and God-given talent on their instruments that have enriched guitar history.  Joe (Satch) SatrianiWith his first two solo albums entitled “Not of this Earth” & “Surfing with the Alien” - and then add in his shiny bald head, dark sunglasses, and a solid chrome guitar - this guy is either from the future or another galaxy for...

It’s time. You’ve been putting off playing guitar and finally you’re ready to take the plunge. You’ve got friends and family that play, and now it’s your turn. But you need a guitar! A little planning can help you avoid costly guitar buying mistakes. Read on, and get our expert tips on what to do (and what not to do!) when selecting your first guitar. Getting the right guitar is crucial for success, more crucial than the right baseball bat or golf club for those about to swing into action; and the right guitar doesn’t have to cost a lot. Once...

This is a continuation of our article (Part 1) on setting pickup volume which is easy to do and important for optimal electric guitar sound. Go to that article here, and below are a few final tips on further sound optimization and available upgrades. FINE TUNING YOUR GUITAR AND PICKUPS  (PICKUP ADJUSTMENT PART 2)Now that we’re on the level with pickup volume, you may consider some further adjustments and customization. Some players like having a louder lead pickup and a quieter rhythm pickup. This helps alot for solos when you need to switch to the lead position and stand out front from the rest...

Why do some new guitars have pickups at all different heights?  Have you ever wondered why one side of a pickup is really low and the other is slanted really high? We’ll get the low-down on pickup height and learn how to adjust your pickups to the best height. Many guitarists never consider adjusting pickup height but it is critically important for sound, and easy to do! Electric guitar pickups work through magnetism, converting string vibration into an electric signal, which is sent to your amp. The magnetic field collects string vibration, so the further away from the strings, the...