It’s the same story over and over again. Person gets new guitar, plays it for a week and then the jack socket starts to work itself loose.

Every guitar I’ve had, every guitar any of my mates have had. It’s always the same. You get your tools out, turn it ’till it’s tight again, then some time later, it’s come undone again. And so it goes on, until one day the guitar goes dead.

What happens – After repeatedly tightening the outside nut up, the wire inside becomes twisted and under stress, so eventually one of the wires attached to the socket comes off and you’re left with a dead guitar. As many guitarists don’t have much electronics knowledge, (they just wanna play, man!) they don’t know what to do, but it’s really simple to fix, and it’s really simple to prevent.

When you buy a new electric guitar, the first thing you should do, is stop that socket moving. Take the whole thing off by removing the mounting plate. You’ll see that the socket is sandwiched on either side by a nut to hold it in place. Make sure the inner nut is tight then stop it moving permanently with a dab of glue, varnish or something else suitable to lock it in place.

You can do it to the outside nut as well, but many people leave this as they’d rather keep blobs of glue etc. on the inside of their brand new, shiny guitar.

Next, if you find you’re already having problems and the guitar is completely dead, it’s almost certainly one of the wires has come loose as described above.

I was lucky enough to be lent a beautiful guitar recently. Well I say lucky. When he handed it over he mentioned nothing on it worked, and he knew I was good with electronics, so I’m not really sure he was lending it to me out of the goodness of his heart. Anyway, after a little investigation, it turns out the wire’s come off the jack socket, exactly like I’ve just described.

All I had to do was strip back the wire, re-attach it with a little solder, and tighten and treat the nuts as described. Put it all back together, and lo and behold, it works beautifully.

M Withers is author of an electric guitars blog. He is a keen enthusiast and has been playing the electric guitar for over 25 years.

More often than not, you would find artists not drinking any cold beverage or eating plenty of sweet foods. This is because these foods can wreak havoc to their voices. It is also the same when it comes to your Renaissance Custom Electric Guitar. Great guitars need the right amount of love and care in order to produce the finest tunes. These six guitar care tips can help you take good care of your guitar.

* Make sure that the top, side, and back of your guitar are always kept clean. You can use a furniture polish or those that are made for guitar use only. Doing this often will help keep your guitar looking like new all the time.

* After every use, don’t forget to wipe the neck. This is one of the most basic things that you can do in order to keep the fret board protected, and your strings in good shape.

* If the time comes that you must change the strings, make sure that you dress the frets. When you play often, oil and dirt could accumulate on the fret boards. Dressing the frets ensures that the sound of your guitar is always at its best.

* Extreme heat and cold must be avoided. These extreme weather conditions can damage the surface or finish of your guitar in a matter of 24 hours. Yes, overnight exposure to extreme heat can fade the finish. The cold on the other hand can cause some damage to the inlays and the neck of your guitar.

* Protect your guitar from humidity. This is often a problem whenever your guitar is already inside the case. You can utilize a capsule from a guitar store, and place the capsule in the case to stabilize the humidity inside.

* Avoid things that could literally harm your guitar. Try to avoid objects that could scratch or create dents on your guitar.

These are simple basic electric guitar care tips that you can do to preserve the beauty and quality of your instrument. Also, don’t forget to bring it to an expert guitar technician for a complete checkup, at least once a year. That way you can be assured that your instrument is in tip-top shape!

Looking to find the best deal on Electric Guitars, then visit www.electric-guitars.com.au to find the best advice regarding anElectric Guitar.

While the always-popular Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster (and the scores of guitars influenced by them) have rightly earned their spots as electric guitar icons, we sometimes can forget that there are other distinct guitars out there. Sure, a Les Paul cranked through a Marshall is a big sound, but it’s only one sound. Another “big” sound can come from plugging in huge hollowbody to a classic tube amp and getting your twang on! If you’d like to experiment with a guitar that would make Duane Eddy proud, give the Gretsch G5120 a try.

The G5120 is made primarily of laminated maple (body and neck) in order to trim costs. The neck also has a rosewood fingerboard and 21 medium-jumbo frets. Pickups are Gretsch Dual-Coil and come standard with chrome covers.

The tailpiece is characteristic Gretsch, which is to say that it’s a Bigsby vibrato. An Adjusto-Matic bridge (with an attractive rosewood base) and chrome-plated hardware are also standard.

Since the type of guitar you play chooses the music for you in many ways, we broke out our best rockabilly and country-western licks upon playing the G5120.

We weren’t really tempted to try super-fast sweep picking or shred licks, but that’s okay. The G5120 completely satisfied us with its powerful clean tones. It made our Fender Twin and Vox AC15 amps quake with delight!

Even without a super-distorted sound, the G5120 has a huge, clean sound that begs to be played. Honestly, it was fun just strumming simple chords on the Gretsch. We were very impressed with the quality of the finish and fretwork and couldn’t find any problems with either. The Bigsby vibrato held its tune during most normal use, but it’s not a Floyd Rose, so save the dive bombs for later.

We were also pleased with the guitar’s playability. We half expected the G5120 to be difficult to play, but that was hardly the case. Lead and rhythm work both came very easily. The Korean-made craftsmanship is first-rate.

With a street price of only $700, the Gretsch G5120 is quite a bargain when compared to its more expensive hollowbody brethren! We recommend this guitar for anyone wanting to explore the rich, full tones of a well-made hollowbody guitar.

If you are looking for the absolute cheapest price on a used or new Gretsch G5120, then you need to visit Ray’s Guitar Shop, which offers the most competitive on all used and new guitars. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a Gibson Flying V, an Ibanez RG350DX, or a PRS Mira, Ray’s Guitar Shop has what you’re looking for!

In the 1970′s, Ibanez got into serious legal trouble with their copy of a Gibson Les Paul. Probably the biggest reason Gibson got upset with Ibanez is that by many accounts the Ibanez copy was, at the time, a far better instrument than the real thing!

With the ART100, Ibanez proves that they can still make a killer single cutaway guitar at a great price. Let’s take a look at the details.

The ART100 is a set neck guitar with mahogany body and neck. It has a 22 fret rosewood fingerboard and a tune-o-matic style bridge and tailpiece. Pickups are an Ibanez Artcore 1-S for the neck and an Artcore 2-S for the bridge.

With a street price of around $300, there’s just not much to love about the Ibanez ART100. Like most Ibanez guitars, the action is as playable as you want. The feel is definitely different from the Wizard-neck equipped guitars, but not in an inferior way. Just different.

We chose the Heritage Cherry finish and were very pleased with it. We found no discernible flaws in the finish. The guitar has no inlays with the exception of a custom inlay on the 12th fret. A classy look, in our opinion, especially for a $300 guitar.

Regarding the sounds, the strengths are certainly the distorted and overdriven tones, though the clean sounds are certainly passable.

The stock pickups do a fine job, but if you want some different sounds, you could always swap out the stock pickups for some replacements.

We wish the guitar had come with a case, but what do you want for $300? Overall, it’s a fine budget guitar that doesn’t sound or play like a budget guitar. We highly recommend it.

Looking for the absolute best price on a new or used Ibanez ART100? Then you must visit Ray’s Guitar Shop! They offer the lowest prices on all used and new guitars. It doesn’t matter if you’re Looking for a Yamaha, an Ibanez, or a PRS, Ray’s Guitar Shop has what you’re looking for!

The Gibson SG is a major part of music history although it doesn’t have the same iconic status as a Les Paul or Stratocaster. Artists as diverse as Eric Clapton and Angus Young have used this influential guitar at one point or another.

Indeed, the SG is one of those instruments that can be discovered in jazz, blues, rock, and even country recordings throughout its long history. The most current model, the Gibson SG Standard, is itself a fusion of the old and new. To be sure, it’s a fine instrument, but why is that the case? What are the details?

As usual, the SG has an instantly recognizable double-cutaway body, which is made of mahogany. Similarly, the neck is mahogany and sports a bound rosewood fingerboard adorned with signature trapezoid inlays. For the pickups, Gibson chose a 490R humbucker for the neck and a 498T for the bridge. This combination yields a wide variety of sounds.

In common Gibson fashion, the SG has double volume and tone controls in addition to a 3-way switch. The guitar features chrome hardware.

As you might expect, the SG is pretty light, particularly compared to a Les Paul. What would you expect from an instrument that’s been Angus Young’s choice for years?

Our review model came with a classy Heritage Cherry finish, which showed absolutely no defections. Very nice! We were also able to set the action very low with no buzzing or dead spots. The fretwork was what you would expect from a USA-made Gibson, i.e. immaculate.

We tested the SG Standard through a variety of amps, including a Marshall JCM800, Rivera Chubster 55 Combo, and a Dr. Z MAZ-18. We definitely liked the sound through all three amps, though the Marshall/Gibson combination was perhaps our favorite.

Though the SG lacks the bottom end of its big brother, the Les Paul, it definitely has a bite and character all its own. It cuts through a mix with ease, and we were able to coax world-class blues, rock, and even jazz tones through our amplifier selections. If you’re looking for a solid, USA-made instrument at a solid price (street price is around $1,200 new), then you can’t beat the Gibson SG Standard.

If you are looking for the absolute lowest price on a new or used Gibson SG Standard, then you need to visit Ray’s Guitar Shop, which offers the lowest prices on all new and used guitars (acoustic and electric). It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a PRS McCarty, an Ibanez JEM7V, or a Fender Stratocaster, Ray’s Guitar Shop has what you’re looking for!

Like the Fender Stratocaster, the Gibson Les Paul has become a guitar icon, cherished by players in such contrasting styles as rock, metal, blues, jazz, and country. From Slash to Jimmy Page, the fans of the Les Paul are common.

The trouble for many of us, though, is that Gibson Les Pauls are a bit on the high-priced side.

A new Les Paul Standard will cost over $2,000, an expensive musical investment to be sure. So what can we do?

How about the Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus?

Don’t let the “Made in Korea” sticker fool you. This Epiphone-branded Les Paul Standard Plus sounds, plays, and looks like its American-made brethren. But how does it compare in every detail?

The guitar we surveyed had an absolutely lovely Transparent Blue top, which is laminate but nevertheless quite exquisite. The top was complimented by captivating creme-colored binding and snazzy chrome hardware.

In the looks department, the Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top is one very exquisite instrument.

When I first tried out the Epiphone, I couldn’t help but equate it to my own Gibson Les Paul Standard. I have to say that I was very impressed with the Epiphone. The neck was fast easy to play, reminding me somewhat of a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard. It was speedier in many ways than my own Les Paul, which was a pleasant surprise.

The fretwork overall is extremely well done, though maybe not as good as my Gibson. The rosewood fretboard had a really nice feel to it, and the frets were smooth and well-polished overall.

When I get a new instrument, I ordinarily swap out the stock pickups for custom Dimarzio or Seymour Duncans, just so I can get the exact tone I want. Honestly, I’d probably do the same with this Epiphone; nevertheless, that does not mean that these pickups are not “keepers.” The Epiphone includes alnico classic pickups that certainly project a classic Les Paul sound. The bridge pickup has just the right amount of “bite” and the neck pickup is smooth, perfect for lead or rhythm sounds.

I think a Duncan JB and Jazz would sound great in this guitar, but the replacements would be more of a taste than a necessity.

The stock Epiphone pickups sound very good as they are, and they just might suit your needs as is. I did discover some “squealing” at high volumes, but it wasn’t that much of an annoyance.

The compromises in a model such as this guitar aren’t readily manifest. Epiphone saves cash by having a veneer flame top glued to non-flamed maple. Likewise, where Gibson Les Paul Standard bodies are made from a single mahogany slab, the Epiphone mahogany body is laminated, as is the neck.

Astonishingly, these cost-cutting measures allow the guitar to weigh even less than its Gibson counterparts. For the price, the Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus is a superb sounding and easily playable Les Paul for a small fraction of the cost of the Gibson equivalent.

If you are searching for a super deal on an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top, then look no more! Ray’s Guitar Shop has the cheapest prices on all used and new acoustic and electric guitars available on the Internet. Go visit Ray’s Guitar Shop today!

In the 1930′s electric guitars came on to the scene with minimal appreciation. These guitars are the back bone to rock and roll. They set the tone for it. Almost every genre of music these days utilize an electric guitar in their music. To learn more about electric guitar read the rest of this article.

Over the years as the quest for a louder instrument grew so did the advance of the guitar which has always be in the running for the loudest instrument due to is acoustic properties. If you are one who likes the feel and sound of the guitar this electric phenomenon is just for you. It comes in six string guitars, seven string guitars and 12 string guitars.

Now the electrical guitar uses electromagnet pickups and amplifiers to produce sound. There are three sets of pickups that allow the player to choose the amount of signal used from each pick up therefore allowing you to adjust the sound quality. If the guitar is not plugged in and you try to play it the sound is barely audible. All because there is no sound board and hollow body for the strings sounds to be amplified off of. As orchestras became louder so did the need for guitars to be louder. There has always been a home for the electric guitar in blues and rock and roll. Starting its roots in Chicago Blues, and then soft rock, on to rockabilly, and now every genre imaginable.

Without a sound board and hollow body there is nothing for the sound of the strings to be amplified off of. Chicago blues was fond of the electric as well as the orchestra believe it or not, but as those got louder the guitar needed to be louder. Rock and Roll has definitely proved that.

Leo Fender was known for his work as a radio repairman and he also was an instrument amplifier maker. In 1946 he was the designer of the first successful, commercially that is, solid body with a single magnet pickup. Country and western music makers quickly became fans at that point. The Fender company still makes some of the best guitars on the market today.

There are many popular 12 stringed guitars out there. It is increasingly becoming the standard for recording due to its seemingly hypnotic melodic chorus. With features like a mono and stereo output, a 6-Saddle bridge, triangle fret marker, and maple wood body and neck. The price of the marvel will vary depending on the seller but if taken care of and loved correctly can be a great value no matter the price.

There are also left handed guitars, silent guitars, and travelling guitars out there just waiting to gt caressed by the right musicians fingers. The guitar only will always be just an instrument, but when it is grace by the hand of a person with the love of music in his soul it becomes much much more.

You can find other variations of the electric guitar as well. Variation like the eight string guitar or the stratocaster electric guitar. With the right desire to find the perfect guitar you can find all you need to make your music making session to be a success. Take your time to find the right pickup, strings, bags, and amplifier. Because the time you put into it will give you the sound you want out of it.

Almost every genre of music currently utilize an electric guitar in their music. To learn more on electric guitars read the rest of this article as it will open your eyes to a new world of music.

The Gibson Les Paul is a part of music history, to say the least. Ever since the 1950′s, the Les Paul has been famous for its distinctive shape and the potent, thick sound. Throughout the years, however, several particulars (from the neck specifications to the pickups) have varied.

Only a couple of years ago, Gibson presented a number of alterations in the popular Les Paul Standard series. Some of these revisions have been well-received, others not so much. So, what has changed, exactly?

The alterations include a new chambered body, enlarged neck tenon, Dunlop Strap Locks, TonePros locking bridge and tailpiece, Neutrik locking output jack, Grover locking tuners, Bourns pots, asymmetrical neck, and a Plek guitar setup. If you’re familiar with Les Pauls (I’ve owned a more “traditional” model for years), then the first thing you’ll discover about the changed model is its weight, which is certainly due to the chambered body.

You might guess that the change in the body type could result in loss of sustain or tone, but that’s just not the case here. It has a balanced, thick tone that you’d expect from a Gibson Les Paul. One thing’s for sure, and it’s that the light weight will make the guitar much more “gigable,” since Les Pauls have been traditionally back-breakers.

Ordinarily, I swap out a stock tune-o-matic bridge with a TonePro locking bridge, so it was nice to find that as a stock option here. We were also pleasantly surprised with the stock setup, owing to the Plek machine setup, we imagine.

We did have to make a small truss rod adjustment, but for an instrument that was sent halfway across the country, that’s standard procedure. For the record, though, this instrument was ready to take to a gig straight out of the box. Not bad.

The finish on the revised Standard is as great as ever. We reviewed a Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish that had just a lovely flame. We found no blemishes in either finish or fit, and the fret dressing and setup was as nice as we’ve ever seen from a production guitar. Gibson also opted to exclude the pickguard from this model, though you could easily install one if you miss it. The pickguard is included, however.

For the retooled Standard, Gibson chose to incorporate an asymmetrical neck profile, and I applaud their choice. The whole point is to have a thicker bass side with a slightly thinner treble side, and the playability is greatly improved with this profile design.

It’s sort of a cross between a 50′s profile and a 60′s profile, but in one instrument. We don’t know if we should thank Gibson or Plex, but the fretwork was the finest we’ve seen from a stock Gibson, as was the setup.

Since the Gibson/Marshall combo is so time-honored, I decided to test the new Gibson Les Paul Standard with a JCM 800 half-stack. While it’s definitely hip, the chambered body does add something of a 335-type sound to the mix. It may or may not be your cup o’ tea.

The Burstbucker pickups seemed to be a pretty good fit, since they are aggressive and dark by nature. There are definitely some classic Les Paul tones to be found here, though the chambered body/Burstbucker combination has its own unique flavor. To each his own. We liked them.

For all the beneficial modifications in the new Les Paul Standards, there are a few modifications that we just didn’t get. For starters, we’ve never been a fan of locking input jacks. Granted, Neutrik jacks are as high high-performance as you can get, but that’s not the point. It’s more of a pain than a help, and we wish they hadn’t assumed all guitarists would want such a “convenience.”

Even less pleasant are the volume and tone control pots, which are PCB mounted. It seems convenient at first, since the jack, selector switch, pots, and pickups are all connected to the main PCB board. But it could really slow down the simple act of switching a pot or pickup. No thanks.

Aside from these small concerns, we think the newest incarnation of the Gibson Les Paul Standard has a lot to offer and that it definitely has the spirit of a classic Les Paul. If the revisions are not to your liking, Gibson now offers the “Les Paul Traditional” that is more, well, traditional. There’s something for everyone in Gibson’s Les Paul lineup.

If you are shopping for the absolute cheapest price on a used or new Gibson Les Paul Standard, then you need to visit Ray’s Guitar Shop, which offers the lowest prices on all used and new guitars. It doesn’t matter if you’re shopping for a Fender Telecaster, an Epiphone Casino, or a PRS McCarty, Ray’s Guitar Shop has what you’re searching for!

Guitar music can be some of the best sounding music anywhere. Choosing the correct guitar strings, to help you accomplish this, is a little more complicated. New technology has made this decision a little more involved, but in most cases the type of string that you should use becomes a personal choice, once you determine what sounds you wish to create.

The oldest and most common guitar is an acoustic. These offer a more mellow sound with great depth and bass, when played using nylon strings. If you listen to John Mayer, who plays electric, electric acoustic and solid body electric, he creates a more melodic sound with his acoustic using nylon strings. Whereas, Brian Setzer, who plays only electric acoustic, has a more rocking sound with steel strings.

The simple explanation is this. Nylon strings are predominantly for acoustics and steel or bronze strings are for electrics. There is also consideration for how you play. If you are seeking a more mellow and deep sound, this will be achieved much easier with nylon strings. Think John Mayer, Eric Clapton (post Cream genre) or Jimmy Buffet. Your electric guitar, with steel strings, will have a more brash sound and allow you to reflect more emotion. Consider the sounds of Pete Townsend, Slash or Richie Sambora.

All of these great guitarists have chosen a type of instrument and strings to create the sounds that reflect what they want you to hear. In other words, the electric guitar will have more power and allow more agility in your sounds than using nylon strings on an acoustic. But by using steel based strings on an acoustic, you can create more bass and bottom to your sounds. So, these are personal choices based on what music style you personally choose.

Steel strings create a totally different sound and with some new technology, are changing the sounds from both acoustics and solid body instruments. By adding liquid nitrogen to the strings, there is a new and better tone and the strings last longer. If you are a casual player, you may find some challenges while getting used to these, but they will not break as easily. Overall, this new technology has received mixed reviews, but it is a relatively new idea and will likely catch on.

If you are just a beginner, then your learning curve can be enhanced by using nylon strings, as they are easier to play. It is necessary to develop your fingers to get the proper sounds from your chords. This is done by building callouses on your finger tips and with nylon this process is not quite as painful! Once you have accomplished this, you will likely not stop playing because to build them again is a real pain.

It is very important to take proper care of the strings on your guitar. Oils, perspiration, and other debris can accumulate on them, so it is important that you clean them. As with almost everything, the better care you take of them, the better they will perform.

Lastly, you can make such great music with a guitar that you really need to have all factors in your favor. Choosing the right strings for your music of choice may help you launch yourself into stardom.

Do you need to buy some guitar strings? Why not look online for some great prices on guitar strings today. Find those deals and save money now!

Situated between the American Standard series and the MIM Standard series, Fender’s USA-made Highway One Strat is a unique guitar that is emphatically worthwhile of the name “Fender.” What makes this particular Stratocaster unusual?

The first thing we marked upon opening the guitar case was the lovely (but different) flat finish. It came in black, and unquestionably has a different look than the glossy finishes we’re used to seeing. Sure, it was a cost-cutting measure, but it’s still very nice. It’s also a lighter finish, which means the guitar will “breath” better and improve the resonance.

Here’s the rundown on the other details. It boasts large frets, a 70′s style headstock, vintage vibrato, C-shaped neck, maple or rosewood fingerboard, 3 single-coil pickups (Alnico 3 magnets), and a “Greasebucket” tone control circuit. In order to trim costs, the instrument ships with a gig bag instead of a hardshell case.

Although it’s got some evident differences from the American Standard series, it was clear from the first chord that this is a top-notch USA-made guitar. Like we said earlier, the nitro satin finish is nice and one that some people might actually prefer over the American Standard’s glossy finish.

We decidedly loved the pickups, which had a little more “punch” and dirt than American Standard pickups do. We particularly dug the Greasebucket circuit, allowing you to decrease the highs without simultaneously raising the bass. This instrument is particularly suited for blues and classic rock tones.

While we know not everyone will like the larger C-shaped neck, we favored the feel of it. It made techniques such as sweep-picking and fast runs flow much easier. The build quality, fretwork, and attention to detail was faultless on both the neck and the maple fretboard.

If you’re not a fan of big frets, you likely won’t dig the feel, but we thought it was really comfortable and gave the Highway One Stratocaster a feeling all its own.

Obviously, we genuinely loved the Fender Highway One Stratocaster. It’s a quality instrument made in the USA that won’t bankrupt you. It’s not just a “budget” American Strat. It has a life of its own, from the large frets to the satin finish to the C-shaped neck. It takes a valued place in the Fender instrument lineup.

Need to find the cheapest prices on a used or new Fender Highway One Stratocaster? Then head on over to Ray’s Guitar Shop, which offers the lowest prices on all used and new guitars (acoustic and electric). It doesn’t matter if you need a Fender Stratocaster, a Gibson Les Paul, or a PRS Custom 24, they can help you find the perfect instrument for you.