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Matte, Satin, Semi-gloss guitars - What happens when they're polished?
So you've got a matte finish, non-gloss guitar and are tempted to polish it. You've even heard some of these can be polished to a full high gloss! Should you do it? Check out this video (and the precautions) below to see what happens to one type of satin finish guitar that can be safely polished to full gloss: There's a few considerations before attempting to polish or clean a non-glossy guitar. The terms matte, satin, and semi-gloss finishes are often used interchangeably to describe a non-shiny surface, but you should check with the guitar manufacturer to determine what kind of finish...
Premium Guitar Cable Truth - are you still using the cheap ones?
Today we'll look into whether premium guitar cables are worth the hype, and offer four easy tips for your next guitar cable purchase. Unless you're new to playing guitar, you know there are many choices for guitar cords, also called 1/4 inch instrument cables. There’s everything from free cables packed with cheaper guitars or guitar/amp starter kits to entry level music store cables. There's lifetime built cables, and there's premium pricey cables like Monster and Mogami. So is there a difference? In a word, yes! How much so really depends on your playing level, gear, and the ever-subjective "tone" debate. For these reasons it...
That infamous nitro haze!
That infamous nitro (nitrocellulose) haze on Strat and Les Paul guitars Haze, residue, and fog so common with nitrocellulose instruments like many Fender Strat and Gibson Les Paul guitars is normally very resistant to cleaning due to years of playing. It builds up over time, and before you know it these instruments often show a dirty fog or haze that just wont all seem to wipe off with typical cleaning methods, especially in areas where your arm touches the finish. Fortunately our Guitar Scratch Remover Player's Kits will wipe away nitro haze buildup from playing in an instant (see end...
Four Reasons Your Guitar Plays Out of Tune
*** UPDATED 10-28-20 *** Let’s face it, guitar tuning problems are a hassle. Tuning in general is an inconvenience, and can be outright overwhelming if you’re a beginner and aren’t up on tuning’s finer points. Most instruments must be tuned before playing, with exceptions like pianos and keyboards. Even brass instruments and drums should be tuned. So now that we know tuning is a reality for playing music, let’s narrow it down to the biggest factors and catch that vibe. Why does your guitar play in tune then out of tune? I believe the four biggest factors affecting guitar tuning are: 1) poor...
Are “special” guitar strings any better than normal strings?
*** Updated 10-7-17 *** Over the last couple decades a variety of new strings have arrived on the scene. This includes strings that allegedly stay in tune better, bend better, and “coated” strings, which supposedly last longer and sound better than un-coated strings. This coating is basically a fine, flexible shell that protects each string, popularized by companies like Elixir. So is there any truth to these claims or are we strung out over nothing? Stay-in tune strings and super bending In my many years of playing and working on all sorts of guitars, I have never seen any difference in guitar strings that...