Guitar / Bass Amplifier Info & Education

At any time at any gig, something is bound to go wrong and you may need a tool to get you back up and running. Here are a few basic tools you should bring to every gig. 

I once asked blues legend Walter Trout why he still plays his well-worn vintage Strat. The technology exists to digitally scan the guitar and make very accurate replicas. His response was he could leave it at home, but then it will never be played. Plus, someone could steal it from his home. At least the guitar is with him and he has the pleasure of playing it. But this may not be the same for everyone.

With modern day effects, it is possible to easily replicate guitar tones from early rock and roll in the 1950s to modern hard rock or metal.

One of the most misunderstood things in mixing is bass – whether it’s getting the low end right in general, letting the bass guitar cut through without overpowering everything else, or just making the bass interesting and cool. It can be tricky to get it right, but there are plenty of tried-and-true tricks for getting there quickly. Let’s go over a few of those.

Some of the great guitar-playing artists were self-taught – which means a great many of them use weird tunings. That’s probably no coincidence – using alternate tunings is a great way to come up with a unique sound. So, let’s look at a few of the most common uncommon tunings you could try with your guitar – or your bass.