Guitar Workbench 94
Big Muff Trio Shootout
First introduced in 1969, the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff has become one of the most ubiquitous pedals in the world. If a guitarist has a fuzz pedal on their board, chances are pretty good that it’s some sort of a Big Muff, or boutique clone of the circuit. While the Big Muff is a popular pedal […]
Guitar Workbench Collection: Modding Your Guitar
Sometimes, you find a guitar that’s 100% perfect for you right off the bat, and no changes are necessary beyond a minor setup. When that happens, it’s a truly beautiful thing, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes you may find yourself wishing your guitar had this or that feature, or had a tonality you […]
Overdrive from an Amplifier or a Pedal?
Getting overdrive primarily from an amplifier versus overdrive from a pedal has always been an interesting subject to me. Why is it that people get so obsessed with finding the best overdrive pedal or combination of pedals just to mimic what an amplifier sounds like when it’s being overdriven? Sure, The Beatles would also plug […]
Building a Guitar Part 4: Installing Pickups
Welcome back to the next installment of Building a Guitar! At this point in the build I’ve already discussed tips on choosing the right body and neck, proper hardware best suited for your needs, and given a tutorial on adding a custom neck finish. The last step to completing the body of the guitar is […]
Bringing Your Guitar Back From the Dead (of Winter)
Whether it’s cars colliding with cavernous potholes, or football opponents colliding with “Bear weather,” Chicago is a city known for its winters. It is also true that instruments are not safe from the grasp of Old Man Winter, which can expose the mortality of even the “elite.” While winter has proven capable its ability to […]
A Guide to Distorted Bass Guitar
In the dark, mysterious world of heavy music, the guitar reigns supreme, sitting atop a craggy mountain on a throne of crushed skulls. If you want to riff hard, usually you grab a guitar, drop the tuning down, plug into your favorite fuzz and start chugging. If you follow conventional wisdom though, the bass guitar, sitting […]
1965 Gibson LG-0 Vintage Acoustic Guitar
Hello. My name is Patrick and I’m a guitar addict. My most recent acquisition is a vintage 1965 Gibson LG-0 acoustic guitar. This model was Gibson’s student level guitar when it was released in 1958 since it lacks some features and has laminated back and sides. The guitar isn’t in mint condition. It has a […]
Double-Tracking Electric Guitars
Ever since digital recording surpassed analog as the norm, musicians have been exploiting the format to its fullest capabilities, not only to streamline workflows, but to also create new and interesting sounds. The ability to copy and paste regions in your DAW has really helped producers and mixers push creative boundaries in the last few […]
A Guide to ’65 Reissue Fender Amps
Arguably the most popular amps that Fender released came at the end of the ever-so-talked-about “pre-CBS” era. The most revolutionary thing about these amps is that they had reverb on-board instead of having to put an out-board reverb unit between the guitar’s output and the amplifier’s input. You see these “Blackface” amps, (named for the […]
