Here is a quick guide to the 20 most used chords on guitar. This
little cheat sheet is perfect for the beginner who wants to have an
instant guide to the chords they should practice and memorize.

Click Here to Read the Entire Lesson:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/soapbox/article.php?articleID=32

By Jamie Andreas (www.guitarprinciples.com)

Many people begin to play the guitar by learning the guitar chords to
their favorite song, and trying to change them . In fact, I learned
this way. There are many things to be aware of while doing this. There
are things to know and do that can make it easier, and guarantee you
will have success. There are also many things that can go wrong, and
guarantee trouble.

Read the entire lesson here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/soapbox/article.php?articleID=31

In 1976, a young man named Dean Zelinsky set out to design a
progressive boutique line of guitars that would eventually go on to
define the sound of many top name guitar players around the world.
Some of these players, past and present, include Randy Rhodes, Sammy
Hagar, Nancy Wilson, ZZ Top, Chuck Goff (Toby Kieth), and the late
Dimebag Darryl. As I sit here, I wonder if the young Zelinsky could
have predicted the power house that Dean Guitars has become. From the
Hardtail to the Cadiillac, Dean Guitars have inspired novice and
professional players through innovative designs and quality
construction. The most notable player for the purposes of this review
would be Billy Greer from Kansas, who plays the very guitar I received
from Dean. This guitar is a cool little number called the Tribal, and
this is the guitar Billy uses on stage to play Dust in the Wind.

Read the entire review here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=117

If you have been following GuitarGearHeads for any length of time, you
know that we are big fans of ProCo's line of RAT distortion pedals.
Through our relationship with ProCo we have evaluated the classic
Vintage RAT, the RAT 2, the screaming "You Dirty RAT", and the mother
of all RAT pedals, the Deucetone. As such, you can imagine my dilemma
as a reviewer when I received the "Turbo RAT". I mean, what more can I
say about this line other than, "Pick one! They are all awesome!"
However, I was in store for a delicious sounding surprise when I
actually plugged the Turbo RAT into my rig. Two words, "Overdrive
Nirvana."

Read the entire review here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=115

I can imagine that it was a typical Woodinville, Washington rainy
day when Greg came up with the idea of making quality sound
reinforcement equipment at prices that any player could afford. In
1969 this idea grew into a company called Tapco, and would
eventually change its name and grow into one of the most respected
music gear manufacturers in the world. Greg was none other than Greg
Mackie, and his company would later become Mackie (a division of
Loud Technologies). For many years now, artists, recording
engineers, and producers have relied on the bulletproof Mackie line
of products for recording and live sound applications.Recently
Mackie decided to revisit the Tapco name, and bring out a new line
of lower priced products with the same attention to quality that has
made them an industry leader for over a decade. Tapco is by no means
an extensive line, but rather just a small line of well designed
affordable products. The product we are going to focus on in this
review is from Tapco's "Juice" series - the 1400 watt "J1400" power
amp from Tapco.

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=112

New Lesson @ GGH:

The Secret of SpeedFinding the "Incredible Lightness"By Jamie Andreas
(www.guitarprinciples.com)

In my essay "Discover Your Discomfort", I urged you to become aware
of the sensations of discomfort you experience while practicing and
playing. The reason is very simple. Until you do, you will not be
able to be aware of the sensations (that is, your mental awareness
of the physical feelings in your body) a good player has, the
sensations that you must have to play well. I call this sensation,
or feeling in the body, "The Incredible Lightness". I call it this,
because once you experience it, and allow it to grow by Correct
Practicing, well, it's Incredible. This feeling of lightness is what
makes fast, accurate playing possible. Unfortunately, because of
ignorance of how to practice correctly, far too many players create
for themselves "The Incredible Tightness".

Read the rest of the lesson here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/soapbox/article.php?
articleID=30

Without question, Leo Fender was a visionary, and when he founded
G&L and began producing guitars in the Fullerton, California factory
on Fender Avenue he forged a legacy of craftsmanship, creativity,
and quality. Each guitar in the main G&L line is a custom
instrument, finely tuned to exacting standards. Because of this
level of detail and attention, these guitars are highly desired but
often out of reach for the everyday musician. That is until G&L
introduced the Tribute line of guitars and basses. Using all of the
modern capabilities of the Korean luthiers, like CNC machines and
precision machining, G&L was able to capture the essential features
and unique properties of the main G&L line while maintaining a
surprisingly attractive price point. When I asked Dave McLaren of
BBE Sound, Inc. (the parent company of G&L) about the Tribute line
he sent me a gorgeous Tribute L2000 Premium bass guitar to review. I
suggest you read the whole article for the details, but I can tell
you right now that I was more than impressed by this amazing
instrument!

Read the entire article here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=109

Not long ago, if you were in the market for an amplifier, you
essentially had two choices - tube or solid state. Today a new
generation of "Hybrid" amplifiers are appearing on the market.
Basically, these hybrid amplifiers combine a tube pre amp with a solid
state power amp and intend to give you the best of both worlds. That
is, warm tube tones backed by the reliability of solid state power. In
this review, we consider the T15-R by Johnson. This amplifier is a 15
watt hybrid style amp that retails at a wallet friendly price of under
$200. Johnson is a division of "The Music Link", and they were kind
enough to send me the T15-R to review for you.

Read the entire article here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=104

The acoustic guitar is a magical instrument. It is known as much for
both livening the party at small clubs and backyards to quieting large
crowds at indoor theaters and concert halls. In the hands of a master,
the acoustic guitar is a living breathing soul, with individuals in
the audience enraptured by the complex qualities of its six strings.
As we have discussed before, capturing and amplifying the tonal
qualities of an acoustic guitar is no easy feat. However, the L.R.
Baggs company has dedicated enormous resources to developing
technologies that deliver the promise of transparent acoustic tone. In
fact, the M1 series of soundhole pickups were designed with the purist
in mind. This is the person who relies on the natural feel of the
instrument and does not want to cut a giant hole in their guitar in
order to be heard. As of 2005, there are now two products in the M1
family, the M1 passive and the M1 active pickup. We review both in
this article.

Click the link below to read more:
http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=103

Graphic Equalizers remain one of the most mysterious pieces of gear to
musicians today. I have met many players that just quit using them
altogether because they just could not seem to understand how to use
all of the associated knobs and levers to place their instrument
appropriately in the mix. Fortunately, Alesis has taken the guess work
out of equilization with their introduction of their rack based DEQ230
Digital Graphic Equalizer. This unit allows even the novice to put a
professional edge on their sound that was previously only attained by
much practice, trial and (more often than not) error.

Click the link below to read more:
http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=94

About a year ago Furman Sound introduced their updated Series II line
of power conditioner and distribution centers. The PL-8 Series II
included some very important upgrades from its predecessor. The
original PL-8 had a traditional style surge suppressor circuit that
would sacrifice itself if the power surge was great enough to damage
equipment plugged into the unit. This was a very good insurance policy
for your rack gear, but did require that you send the PL-8 in for a
replacement of the suppression circuit. Unfortunately, this also
temporarily shut down your rack system, or at least left you
unprotected, while the PL-8 was being repaired. However, now with the
incorporation of Furman's new "Series Multistage Protection" (SMP)
technology, you will no longer need to worry about a surge causing the
power center's circuits to be destroyed.

Click the link below to read more:
http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=101

Digital amp modelers like the Line 6 POD®, Behringer VAMP®, and the
VOX Tonelab ® truly represent some of the most amazing technological
achievements in the guitar universe. The idea is brilliant – simply
analyze the waveforms of the most popular guitar tones, amps,
cabinets, and effects and then throw them all into a small
electronic box where you can access these tones with an easy turn of
the dial. If that is not enough, you can infinitely tweak those
tones by changing any of dozens of parameters. It is without
question that digital modelers sound outstanding in a recording mix
or through headphones. However, even with the best modelers, it
seems that the authenticity and dynamic feel is lost when you plug
these devices into an amplifier or a PA system for a live sound
application. Fortunately, Tom King, the founder of Atomic Amplifiers
enlisted Harry Kolbe (recognized as one of the world's legendary amp
gurus) to solve this problem. Out of Harry's lab came the
first "transparent" amplifier designed specifically to harness the
power of today's digital technology. The result was the Atomic
Reactor 112!

To read the rest of the article, click the link below:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=102

Many of you may have noticed that there have been some reviews about
power conditioning and surge protection here at Guitar Gear Heads. I
think it is very important for people to understand just why these
issues are so important to them and their gear. I decided to put
together this article as a supplement to reviews we write about power
conditioning and surge protection gear. The goal of this article is to
help you understand the interaction between a power surge and a surge
protector and how it can save you money, time, and embarrassment.

Click the link below to read more:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=90

The installation of the Trilogy Pickup system from Dean Markley is a
great starting point for anyone who wants to turn their acoustic
guitar into an Electric/Acoustic. Dean Markley has done a great job
in designing this unit so that even a novice can do the
installation. I can say this with confidence because it was my first
installation of an under saddle transducer an end pin jack. Once I
had the right tools to do the job it took me a total of
approximately 45 minutes to complete the install. With the help of
Dean Markley I decided to put together a lesson on this install with
some pictures to help guide you through the process.

Click the link below to read more:

Part 1 - http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?
storyid=88

Part 2 - http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?
storyid=89

Part 3 - http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?
storyid=92

Look around your local music store and you are likely to find a huge
array of guitars in all shapes and sizes, made out of materials such
as metal, graphite, carbon fiber, and, of course, wood. Options that
were previously only available on custom made electric guitars, such
as seven string models and hybrids with piezo saddle transducers are
becoming more common and more standard. However, even considering
all of these advancements, we should remember that the foundation
for the modern electric guitar was laid not too long ago by just a
few guitar designers. One of the most well known of these guitar
designers was Leo Fender. Leo introduced his first guitar in 1951,
and these early designs for the original Fender Guitar remain the
most popular and copied guitars today.Looking to continue building
upon his original designs, Leo opened up G&L Guitars in 1980. His
commitment never wavered as he produced a new line of guitars,
implementing improvements and perfecting his own designs along the
way. In March of 1991 Leo Fender passed on leaving a legacy and
legend that will far outlive his time. BBE Sound was given control
of G&L Guitars and remains committed to producing guitars of a
quality that would have made Leo proud. G&L guitars are still built
in Fullerton California in the same factory where Leo had his design
studio. To this day that very design studio remains untouched,
looking like the last day that Leo spent there. For this review we
are going to look at the S-500 which is handmade by G&L craftsmen in
their factory in Fullerton, California.

Click the link below to read more:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=99

As the years go by in the life of a player, there are two kinds of
growth we can experience. Both are necessary for our development as
musicians and guitarists. I call them Vertical Growth, and Horizontal
Growth.

Click the link below to read more:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/soapbox/article.php?
articleID=29

In Part 1 of this series we looked at setting up efficient rehearsals.
However, at some point you will want to play out at a gig.One of the
most important aspects of setting up is being properly prepared for
each specific venue before you get there.Whenever possible I like to
visit each venue to inspect the room, the set up, the lighting,
accommodations and electrical availability. It's very helpful to go on
a night when another band is playing so you can see first hand how
they handle things including any potential problems. Talk to the
bartender. They always know the score and a few casual beers and tips
should get you everything you need to know.

Click the link below to read more:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=98

Today's music gear market is moving at light speed. New companies
burst onto the market with the next must have piece of gear and then
just as quickly, they are gone. Larger more established companies put
out a new piece of gear only to discontinue it before you can save up
the money to buy it. Then there is ProCo Sound. ProCo sound is one of
very few companies that still produces and sells a product that they
developed and brought to market over 25 years ago in the original Rat
pedal now known as the Vintage Rat. Over the years, new Rats have been
developed to suit the needs of a changing music market. ProCo
continues even today to bring you new Rat designs while still offering
most models that they have developed along the way. In this review we
are going to focus on the Rat 2, the evolution of the Vintage Rat.

Click the link below to read more:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=100

When the new Atlas Series from Breedlove Guitars hit the market, all
the guitar forums on the internet seemed to erupt into discussion
about these models. My curiosity was certainly piqued after reading
many reports of the quality and build quality of these units - so
much so that I decided to try one out for myself. I had to see what
was so special about this acoustic guitar, priced under $800, that
it was receiving so much "grass roots" acclaim. I called Breedlove
and they immediately sent me the AD25/SM Acoustic-Electric to try
out and review.

Click the link below to read more:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=80

Here is a challenge for all you true GearHeads. Do a web search for
electronic guitar tuners. Count them...and now choose just one. It
seems like everyone is building guitar tuners these days (good ones
and bad ones!). Fortunately, for those of us who want a rack mounted
tuner, the field is much smaller. There are only a few rack tuners
to choose from in the current market, and after looking at all of
them my first assessment was that the RT-7100 by Sabine® had the
best features and represented the best value. Wanting to take a
longer look to see if my instinct was correct, I contacted Sabine®
and they sent me one right away to review.

Click the link below to read more:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=83

The term "vintage" has gotten out of control in the guitar gear
manufacturing industry. It seems that everyone is trying to label
any old piece of junk as a "vintage" piece. Unbelievably, even some
manufacturers are labeling brand new gear…that never existed prior
to five years ago…as having a vintage sound! As we all search for
the "Ultimate Guitar Tone"™, we quickly come to terms with the idea
that there are really only two basic tones. Great guitar tone and
bad guitar tone – it's not something you can describe, you just know
it when you hear it. The reason "vintage" gear is in demand is
because it is associated with high quality construction, inspiring
performances by rock heroes, and scarcity. But what if companies who
invented all that vintage stuff still made their gear like the good
old days? What if you could buy a new piece of gear that sounded
like it came from 1977 without all the scratches, bumps, and dents?
Believe it or not, there are still companies that believe in not
messing up a good thing. One of these companies is ProCo Sound, the
inventor of one of the all time great distortion pedals, the Vintage
Rat!

Read the whole store here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=95

Three new wallpapers are up for March.  Download a little GGH for
your desktop...for free!

Here's the link:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/tinycontent/index.php?id=10

While the music industry has seen major technological advancements
in electronics and instruments over the last few years, rack cases
have remained for the most part unchanged. Sure, there have been a
few advancements, like shock mounts for added protection and
polythylene construction to make them lighter and stronger. Other
than these few improvements, their function had been the same. A
case to hold all your rack gear for easier transport and to keep it
all organized.

Seeing an opportunity to truly advance rack technology, Gator Cases
introduced the GRR-10PL-US rack system. They took a simple rack case
and made it extremely functional through creativity and innovation.
After we take a look at this rack case, I think you will understand
why this rack was chosen over all others for the Guitar Gear Heads
rack build project!

Click the link below to read more!

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=85

Tone-Tools is proud to introduce the Vintage Blues Guitar Speaker
Cabinet Series, designed for the serious blues player.

We set out to give the blues player a cabinet that will take them to
the next level. The VB series has an evolutionary design which
enhances all the great features of the blues tone. We climbed all
over the vintage blues family tree to find the tones, the little
nuances that deliver that classic blues sound.

Read the entire press release here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=86

I ran across these tuning tips in the manual for Sabine's RT-7100
rack mount tuner manual. Sabine has agreed to allow me to post them
here for you. Please thank them by visiting their website and taking
a look at all their great products. www.sabine.com

Read the entire lesson here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=87

As most of you are already aware, Greg Bennett has been designing
guitars for the Samick organization. This hire was probably one of
the smartest things Samick has ever done, since Greg's signature has
gone from an interesting picture and footnote in their advertising,
to a full fledged, well respected brand. I believe this is rooted in
Greg's luthier philosophy. He believes in quality materials,
traditional designs (with a few twists to keep them interesting),
fine but subtle appointments, and simple physics in instrument
design. These features apply to both electric and acoustic guitars.
Recently we reviewed the Ultramatic™ as an example of the electric
line. In this review we take a hard look at the Carolina, a sweet
sounding slope shoulder dread.

Read the whole story here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=82

Just found a ton of new guitar related downloads.  All free.

Check out our downloads section for links and descriptions:

Nut Chords 32 1.17 (2005/2/15)
RandyTAB (2005/2/15)
Wtune (2005/2/15)
Guitar Chords Crash Course (2005/2/15)
Interactive Circle-of-Fifths (2005/2/15)
Chorder Note (2005/2/15)
Cleve's Tabviewer (2005/2/15)
Easyscale (2005/2/15)
Fretboard Navigator (2005/2/15)
Barre Code (2005/2/15)
Fretboard Knowledge (2005/2/15)

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/mydownloads

We've partnered with Jamie Andreas from Guitar Principles to bring
you a monthly installment of guitar philosophy and approach to
proper technique.

Check out the first installment - "Discover Your Discomfort" here:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/soapbox/article.php?
articleID=28

Check out Jamie's website at:

http://www.guitarprinciples.com

Dan

As we described in NAMM 2005 Part One, the show was a giant
cacophany of sites and sounds. Personally, I had never been to a
larger show. There was definately too much too see in too little
time.

After running around the previous day, Gary and I elected to take a
nice dinner and discuss business. We had definately made a bunch of
new contacts on the first day, and we had to figure out where all of
the pieces were going to fit.

Read more to learn what happened on day two!

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=78

The 2005 NAMM show in Anaheim California was a guitar lover's
paradise. By all accounts, this was the most successful NAMM show in
recent memory, with over 1,400 companies and 78,000 registrants!

At the end of our own successful first year, GuitarGearHeads.com
took a trip to NAMM to meet up with companies that had partnered
with us to discuss plans for 2005. We also grabbed some quick peeks
at some interesting new gear. We interviewed and took pics and wrote
it all down for you! Here's part one of our report...

Click the link below to read the rest of the story:

http://www.guitargearheads.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=77