My dad came up in the “Happy Days” years when slicked back pompadours and cigarette packs rolled up in T-shirt sleeves were the rage. Coupled with the early days of rock and roll – “the devil’s music” – my dad’s generation was accused by his dad’s generation, of nothing less than representing the eventual destruction of mankind.

I came up on the tail end of the “hippie” generation. Known for free love, mind altering substances, long hair (on men) and rock & roll (the “devil’s” music). It was a great time to grow up, but I still remember the look of confusion and dismay on the “old folks” when a static scratched Purple Haze blared out of the AM radio speakers as my shoulder length hair shook to the beat. That was, of course, back when I had hair.

Nowadays, when I walk down the street or through the mall, I gawk in amazement at the current generations’ fixation on saggy pants. How these things stay up when the waist band is at thigh level or below is, to me, something that defies gravity and decorum. They say we all eventually become our parents. I guess it’s true!

As a long time guitar player who still climbs on stage every weekend to play the “devil’s music”, I have also had a fixation on a trend over the last couple of decades, with guitar players that wear their guitars slung low.

This is one that I’ve never figured out. Always trying hard to remain an open minded Baby Boomer, when I see a guitarist hunched over forward and shredding a guitar at knee level, I still walk away baffled.

Although this low slung guitar trend has apparently continued to perpetuate as a fashion statement, because it “looks cool”, my confusion has less to do with fashion than it does physics. I just can’t fathom “how” you can physically play a guitar at that angle.

A large part of guitar playing technique comes from the wrist. String bends, barre chords and finger movements are all supported by a wrist that is able to pivot at a comfortable angle.

When a guitar is slung low, the only way to approach the neck is with the wrist bent at what, to me, seems to be an un-natural angle. The more severe the angle of the wrist, the more diminished is the wrist’s ability to apply a sufficient amount of pressure. When the natural plane of the lower arm, to the wrist, to the hand, to the fingers is broken, the less control the guitarist has to perform intricate maneuvers on the fret board.

Of course, it’s all a matter of what you get used to. I have been invited to sit in with bands over the years, and have been handed guitars with straps in the “low slung” position and tried to play them. Although, for the guitar player whose axe I was using, it was a perfectly comfortable position – for me it just doesn’t work.

My generation of guitar players included legends like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughn. All who played guitars at waist level and up, so that’s naturally how I learned to play.

In fact, I am a “slung high” guitarist. I wear my guitar up at about chest level. It’s just a natural position for me, although I have taken some ribbing from other musicians about it! To some “low slung” guitarists I must look like the high school nerd with pants pulled high in a buttoned down short sleeve shirt with a pocket protector.

Now that my generation has gone from cool and hip – to aching hips – I try to always be conscious of the fact that there are new things that will come out of the younger generations that I may not totally understand, but that doesn’t necessarily make them bad.

Although I want to pull some of these “low slung” guitarists off to the side and say, “hey, just try it this way. Give your wrist a break and see how much raising the height of you guitar will improve you ability to play”, I refrain.

The beauty of playing music and being a musician is that we are all different, which allows us all to express ourselves in our own way. What works for one may not work for another, and you know what, that’s okay.

My biggest fear though, is that the trend continues on even further. The vision of a guitar player playing a low slung (to the floor) guitar, and, wearing saggy drooping pants, might give a whole new meaning to a “crack” problem.

Author: Keith Dean

Keith Dean is founder of AdultGuitarLessons.com and a 30 veteran of stage and studio. He toured extensively as a road musician throughout the US and Europe, was a former lead guitarist for Jason Aldean, and has shared stages with Little Big Town, Wild Rose, Winger, Confederate Railroad and more. He is a published songwriter, owned and operated a successful music store, and has instructed numerous students in guitar. http://www.adultguitarlessons.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Dean

Gender Bias in Middle School?

Yet, the girls were walking around in skirts so short they should be arrested, belly shirts, and the other boys had low slung jeans showing off their backsides. And don’t even get me started on the school uniforms. it’s not just your school , unfortunately, … My son was sent home because he was wearing a baggy pair of pants, he was wearing a belt too but apparently it’s now a teacher’s place to notice a lack of underwear! I was shocked and reported the teacher. …

In Japan, It’s the Men Who Go for Skinny

Lad Musician burst onto the Tokyo fashion scene in 1995 in a glam-rock/low-slung-guitar kind of way, espousing an emaciated, tragic sexiness enhanced by clinging silhouetted tops and slim, revealing pants with no pockets and very little breathing space. Young men will combine these tops with baggy jeans that are suspended 8 centimeters below the navel on terrifically flat stomachs, subconsciously channeling, perhaps, the Kate Moss look of the late 1990s.

Bikini Jeans

I was thinking about this today, but, attaching underwear to jeans to combat the baggy jeans laws, if the undies are part of the jeans and made to hang out like that can they still arrest you?

Technorati Tags: Guitars, musical instruments, sagging pants, saggy pants

Another version is the Jimmy Page Les Paul limited edition – this double-neck guitar’s fretboards are made from rosewood. There are 20 frets with split-parallelogram inlays. First double neck Gibson guitars (the EDS-1275) were produced in 1958. In 1962, the design was changed to the SG body style. In 1968, they stopped production of the EDS-1275, but it was restarted again in 1977, but the line was discontinued in 1990. This popular double-neck Gibson was made with a cherry finish, tobacco burst, and ebony with chrome or gold hardware and alpine white with gold hardware.

In 2004, Gibson began working with Jimmy Page to create a replica of the famous EDS-1275 SG double-neck guitar. There are a limited number with his signature on one of the necks. There are also additional replicas created by Page and Gibson – these do not have his signature on them, but do come with a certificate of authenticity.

An interesting variation by Gibson is a double-neck mandolin, the EMS-1235. This was in production from 1958 through 1968 and even though it is called a mandolin, it was really a double cutaway. The top neck is shorter and tuned one octave higher than the standard pitch. This guitar had one-piece mahogany necks and rosewood fingerboards. Both necks were six-string ones and used thinline hollow bodies until 1961. In 1962, they changed to the SG style and were in production until 1968, when production was stopped.

And the last example of double neck Gibson guitars is the Gibson EBS-1250, which was in production from 1962 to 1970. This one was a bass/lead guitar – the top neck is a bass (four strings) and the bottom neck is a six-string guitar.

Author: Misha Kerogazov

The Gibson EDS-1275 Double Neck

Perhaps few guitars adequately express the true spirit of classic rock excess like the Gibson EDS-1275 double neck. During the 1970s, you could find an EDS-1275 in the hands of many legendary guitar players—most notably, Led Zeppelin’s.

Very cool 1960s Gibson tenor guitar/ mandolin double neck

2 necks, 12 strings. This 1960s-era mandolin/ tenor guitar is one of the cooler things I’ve seen for a while. I’ve been switching between mandolin and tenor guitar for some of Tangleweed’s stuff, so a 2-header monster like this.

Gibson Les Paul Guitars

The nitrocellulose lacquer finish on the Faded Double Cutaway makes for great looks. But you also get cool feel, wide-open vibrant tone, and a whole lot of guitar for very little cash. Solid mahogany body and set neck.

Technorati Tags: double neck, double neck guitars, gibson guitars, Guitars

1. The Buyer – Who is buying the guitar will play a major role in how much you get for the guitar. Is it a collector? If so, they may actually be willing to buy the guitar at a premium (more than it’s worth) because they intend to hang on to it and let it appreciate. Is the buyer a reseller? In this case, the buyer will be trying to pay you the absolute lowest amount because they immediately intend to sell the guitar for a profit. Be careful in this scenario, as the buyer may take advantage of your ignorance of guitar values. Arm yourself with as much information as you can.

2. The Condition – Obviously, the condition of anything you’re selling plays a role in how much money you get. Be aware that a buyer interested in an older or vintage guitar will be particularly fussing about the condition of the guitar. Also, if the guitar has had any modifications,
expect the value to decrease significantly.

3. The Number – How many of this particular guitar were made? If it was a million, expect value to be lower because supply is so high. If it’s an original Gibson Explorer and there are less than 100 in existence, expect the price tag to be in the hundreds of thousands. Your guitar probably falls in the middle somewhere, but knowing how many of your particular guitar came off the assembly line will help you determine it’s value.

At the end of the day, no website or guide can tell you exactly what your guitar is worth, but by knowing these three factors you’ll be better educated.

At the end of the day, how much is your guitar worth? Only as much as a buyer is willing to pay you.

Author: Derek Douglas

What is a Vintage Gibson Guitar and Why Buy a Vintage Gibson Guitar?

Vintage Gibson guitars are generally accepted as those from the 1920’s through to the 70’s. Gibson guitars have long been regarded as the Rolls Royce of the guitar world. As such are sought after by music connoisseurs and investors.

11 Things You Have to Know About Purchasing Vintage Amps

In a previous piece I looked at ways of finding good used guitars at the traditional old bargain-basement haunts such as pawn shops, garage sales and local music stores, with emphasis on what you need to check out to 11) Extra attention: If it’s a vintage amp, and one with any value in particular, and you feel you like the tone and performance enough that you’re ready to make the purchase, it’s a good idea to “look under the hood” to see how much.

Spotlight On the 50th Anniversary 1959 Les Paul Standard

The 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard represents the pinnacle of imaginative design and masterful craftsmanship. This guitar has become the Holy Grail of guitars in the minds of professionals and collectors the world over. It has attained the highest, most acclaimed value in quality and investment. The year 2009 marks the 50th year anniversary for this guitar, and in celebration, Gibson is proud to reintroduce this legendary iconic guitar to the world.

Technorati Tags: Electric Guitar, gibson acoustic guitar, Gibson Guitar, Guitars

Guitars can be divided into two broad categories namely acoustic and electric. But you can make an acoustic tone in an electric acoustic with the help of a processor. Once you plug in the instrument with the amplifier, you will get a perfect sound, actually you do not have any unplugged sound. The instrument can be electric as well as acoustic. And can be played acoustically or electronically. Pegs hold on to the acoustic strings and keep it attached. The saddle is situated on the bridge. Pickups The electrical sound on an electric and acoustic electric are produced by the pickups.

You can play, where the sound is produced by vibrating the strings, which is further modulated by the hollow body of the guitar. Many of the notes repeat themselves in several locations. Unlike the piano, the acoustic guitar is laid out in a way that is not linear. The strength and dexterity that the acoustic guitar demands is at first, alien to the fingers. The spanish guitar, also called the classical guitar, with six nylon or gut strings that resembles the Flamenco. You can buy a 6 string or a 12 string acoustic.

Solo pianists and solo acoustic guitarists have taken their lead from pioneers in the field like Mason Williams, George Winston, Michael Hedges and others. Vocals are usually recorded in mono, acoustic instruments could be recorded in stereo. Aside from the strain on the fingertips, another reason to begin playing with an acoustic instrument is that you are more likely to learn how to play correctly. If you decide to begin with an acoustic model, by the time your fingers have hardened sufficiently on the softer strings, you well be well on the road to knowing your chords.

After school, there would be ample time to discover all the chords and enjoy the resounding flavor of notes that are emitted from the bass. Acoustic electric guitars use acoustic amplifiers, and, of course, acoustic instruments do not use amps. If you are interested in acoustic music, for example, then an acoustic instruments would be the correct item to purchase. An acoustic is that one that is not dependent on any external device rather uses a soundboard fixed on the front part of the body.

Sound Hole The sound hole can be found on the top center of the body of an acoustic or acoustic electric. The entire journey of learning how to play can turn out to be an absolutely enthralling experience provided you have the right kind of motivation and devotion. Whether you will opt for an acoustic or an electric largely depends on the what suits your needs best. There are also many tip books, which provide a storehouse of knowledge to the beginners. Many of the tips come handy and are quite helpful in making beginners learn the basics.

Some of the remarkable qualities of acoustic guitars are as followed Beautiful sound quality. There are several kinds of acoustic guitars, which come with different price tags. So it makes sense to go through some of the important acoustic playing tips that are going to make the learning of the basic techniques an absolutely fun filled experience. Learning the basics can also be an engaging process provided you take lessons from the right institution or person. Electric acoustic In these pickups do not produce a signal directly from the vibration of the strings, but rather from the vibration of the top or body.

Manufactures of acoustic and electric instruments, bass guitars and accessories, amplifiers, live studio sound equipments, microphones and lighting gears. The acoustic guitars was quite large and deep in contrast to most instruments and gave more volume, especially in the low register. The acoustic bass was introduced in 1972. Conclusion Acoustic instruments, which are an indispensable part of folk music and country music as well, are available in different types.

By: Ronald W. Firquain

Fender ESV 10E Ensenada Acoustic Electric Guitar Mint …

Fender ESV 10E Ensenada Acoustic Electric Guitar Mint. Jun 09, 2009 in Gibson Guitars. US 9.95. End Date: Tuesday Jun-09-2009 16:03:14 PDT Buy It Now for only: US 9.95. Buy it now | Add to watch list. Technorati Tags: Acoustic Electric …

The Acoustic Bass Guitar: A Relative Newcomer | Guitars On eBay

The modern acoustic bass is accredited to Ernie Ball of California, who was supposedly felt that since electric guitars had bass instruments, acoustic guitars should too. Regardless of his motivation, Ball went on to collaborate…

0Sec » Martin Koch – Build Your Own Electric Guitar [Video Training]

… of design to the final set-up of of solid-body, hollow-body and semi-acoustic electric guitars is covered step by step in this book. It contains a section about winding your own pickups and another on active guitar electronics. …

Acoustic vs Electric: The Age-Old Battle Rages On | bmmissions.org

There’s little difference between learning how to play the acoustic guitar and electric guitar. The biggest difference I notice is the attention you need to dedicate to room acoustics and the tuning of the guitar. 

Bass guitar or electric guitar? | Personalized Guitar Lessons

Hi, I have just started taking lessons of acoustic guitar last month. I got inspired to do this by listening to heavy metal. In the future I want to play in a band. I’m 14 years old. In september my parents promised me they are gonna …

Technorati Tags: acoustic and electric guitars, acoustic electric guitars, Electric Guitar, electric guitars, Guitars

Guitars come in various shapes, sizes, looks and design. The music world has classical acoustic guitars, semi-acoustic guitars, electric guitars, hollow body guitars, jumbo guitars, ‘S’ hole guitars etc. Each of these guitars has its own characteristic generic looks, characteristic sound and tonality, which attract their own respective following. Overall, guitars can be classified into two broad categories: acoustic guitars and electric guitars.

How Does a Guitar Work?

To know how guitar work, let us first see what is common to the working of any guitar. Every acoustic guitar has a minimum of six parts – the guitar neck with guitar nut and headstock, fret board, tuning keys, Guitar Bridge, sound box and guitar strings. Each of these parts is crucial to the good working of the guitar and plays its own roles to dole out music.

The guitar strings are long strands of metal or nylon wire, which stretch along through the major length of the guitar. There are normally six strings in a guitar (for the most common six-string guitar). All of these six strings run parallel to each other and are interspersed with a small gap between them. There are the sound generators of the guitar.

Strings generate sound for the guitar by vibrating along their vibrating length. The guitar bridge on one end and the guitar nut on the other end fix the vibrating length of a guitar string. The strings are tied onto a guitar under tension. The strings are plucked by fingers or with a pick. The tension in the string (varied about with the help of tuning keys) makes the string to vibrate.

Up to this point, the working of all guitars is the same. What happens next is what categorizes whether the guitar is an acoustic guitar or and electric guitar.

Acoustic Guitars

All guitars have strings that vibrate which are the principal sound generators of the musical instrument. If you pluck a string tied under tension (no, no! not on a guitar!) you will find that the sound produced is not what you will want to hear again and again as you would like to hear the sound of a good guitar.

Moreover, the sound from bare strings is very soft and you will barely be able to hear them. The sound has to be amplified so that people far and near can hear them. This is where the sound box from the acoustic guitar comes in. The sound box of an acoustic guitar is made as an hollow body constructed out of wood. It uses the ‘acoustics’ of the shape of the hollow body, material characteristics etc to amplify the sound generated by the string. The sound box of a guitar gives it its characteristic sound.

How Does An Electric Guitar Work?

Electric guitars amplify the sound generated by the guitar strings electronically. Instead of the sound box of an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar has pick-ups and other electronic components. The pick up from an electric guitar picks up the sound waves generated by the strings and converts them into their corresponding minute electrical signals. There are different types of pickups. Commonly used ones are magnetic pickups, piezo electric pickups, condenser pick ups etc.

The converted electric signal then passes through the various electronic components mounted on the guitar and finally into the sound amplifier which electronically amplifies the sound. The electronic components on the guitar modulate the converted electric signal to suit the guitarist. Most commonly found components on guitars are the volume control knob (which enables the guitarist to control the volume of the guitar sound) and tone control knobs (which enables the playing guitarist to determine the sound tonality).

By: Max Cane

Electric Guitar Genius Video – Heavy.com

Electric Guitar Genius. Check out this kid, he has some serious guitar playing skills. He must have been practicing Guitar Hero or something, because he is really, really good. This kid totally shreds his guitar. … March 11, 2009 please be advised that GWRL shall take whatever action is necessary to protect the reputation, trade marks and other intellectual property of GWRL. Yours faithfully. James Howell Legal & Business Affairs…

How Do Electric Guitars Work – All you Need to Know

Guitar workbrbrto know how guitar for the vibrating along their own characteristic sound from the principal sound of the same what happens next is made as an acoustic guitars.

Beginner Free Guitar Lessons That Really Work

It involves video beginner guitar lessons calculated to make learn the guitar fun and interesting. Whether you want beginner acoustic guitar lessons or beginner guitar lessons for an electric guitar, Jamorama gives the most value for your money and can help you develop the … The Jamorama Multimedia Course will effectively teach you everything you need to know to learn how to play guitar, from consummate beginner level,

Rocking Free Online Beginner Guitar Lessons

The Jamorama Multimedia Course will comprehensively teach you everything you need to know to learn how to play guitar, from absolute beginner level, right through to being a professional guitarist. Jamorama’s learning method is proven …

Electric Guitar Lessons Online – Guitars

Hopefully you have one in your life because someone else you know plays (or quit playing) and now you’re looking to either get your own or upgrade to a better axe. So how do you choose? Head straight to the popular guitar makers section. … Not that you need to buy it there – a lot of time you can find good deals online for both new and used equipment. You can keep coming back to electric guitar lessons online to help make …..

Technorati Tags: Acoustic Guitar, acoustic guitars, Electric Guitar, electric guitar packages, electric guitars, Guitars

Every musician is particular about instrument set up. Guitarists like to have their guitars custom-made to reflect their unique identity. Custom-made guitars are a unique combination of order, expertise, dreamy innovations and intuition clubbed together to make a fine piece of art. Studio owners and professional players all swear by custom-made guitars, and they are very popular.

There are radical custom designs that are incorporated from every facet of art to produce a custom made guitar. Creators of custom designs release very few pieces of any particular make, in order to keep it a unique creation. They have artistic designs that run through the entire front of the guitar. The designs are made of different materials and crafted using techniques similar to furniture making. The most common material used to produce custom guitars is Rosewood. It is used for making concert instruments, and is generally aged for 15 to 30 years. It is therefore considerably better than virtually all other commercially available material. Other materials used are ribs and backs that are stored at a controlled humidity to ensure their stability before use.

The designs of a custom-made guitar may be complex and intricate, adding in a particular theme or an outlook. A custom-made guitar is considered a collector?s item and usually created from the most exquisite materials available. Guitarists do not play these guitars ? they flaunt them as a showpiece. Large guitar manufacturers often issue these guitars to celebrate a significant historical milestone.

Custom made guitars have high historical value and fetch large amounts of money when auctioned. Rock bands are usually associated with the use of customized instruments to exhibit their personalities. The famous rock star, Jimmy Hendricks is known to have auctioned his guitar for over $1 million. Just like custom bikes, cars, houses, furniture and clothes, custom guitars have seen an upsurge in popularity especially amongst the modern rock bands of the 21st century.

Author: Seth Miller

Hand Made Guitar Raffle 

I’ve just found out that there is a Michael Manzer Froggy Bottom Hand made Acoustic Guitar on raffle. Michael’s guitars are some of the best in the world.

Custom Made Guitars

Guitarists same to hit their guitars custom-made to emit their unequalled identity.

How to Pick a Custom Guitar Maker

A custom maker also cherry picks from a woodpile to select only the best pieces. And, Davis says, a & fef lt;b>custom maker can take advantage of the wood’s individual qualities.

Technorati Tags: Custom Made Guitars, Guitars, Hand Made Guitar, Hand Made Guitar Raffle