The Guitar Guild

Tools    







I only use a few pedals and as you can see I do like the Boss brand. Extremely robust and easy to use. I do have effects on my amp but rather than programming them into my amps memory and using a channel changer, I find an external pedal more convenient to use. Other than a tremolo which I don’t yet have (great for blues) this is all I’ll ever need. I’m not one for a mass pedal board.



You ready? You look ready.
This guitar looks killer. These types of guitars are great for pretty much any type of music, even hard rock. My Gretsch has a centre block in it so it’s not completely hollow. This is to help with feedback problems when using distort. People think you can only play a certain style on certain guitars but that’s not true. My Gretsch and Ibanez semi acoustics pictured in this thread are great all rounders.
Yeah, I agree about the style of play capable from these. I just know right off the shelf this gets me closest to the sound without too much extra on my part. The humbuckers on this model are acceptable, but I can see myself replacing them sooner rather than later. This one also has a center block as well, but I am loving that semihollow sound.

Also, I finally have an excuse to pick up some Orange gear.




^word
Chris Cornell rocked a signature ES-335 and, IMHO, he is a rock legend.


I love the look and sound of a semi-hollow body guitar. They're loud enough you can noodle around with them without an amp and still hear everything you're playing.


Nice guitar, McClane.
Dave Grohl has used a 335 for the duration of Foo Fighters.




Few days in and I am reasonably satisfied with my progress. Tried to play couple of songs (Yesterday, Faded, Nothing Else Matters) with little success. Placed my ego aside and moved onto nursery rhymes . I can now play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday and Old MacDonald.
I must add that I am using a pick and playing the basic versions. There are couple of YouTube channels which provide those.

Today I worked on Yousician's Celine Dion Titanic number. Again the basic one. And it was worthwhile.

As for the issues. There is only one, and I thought I could best explain it with a meme. So made one.

My left hand's fingers on the Fretboard




You ready? You look ready.
I have always have flashbacks to my N64 days when I pick up a guitar. “Uh, what is this?”

@WrinkledMind I have been learning Old English melodies and would suggest you check out those for some easy to learn stuff. Plus, they are true classics for a reason. I love me some Greensleeves.

I’m working on memorizing that, Silent Night, and We Three Kings at the moment.



Few days in and I am reasonably satisfied with my progress. Tried to play couple of songs (Yesterday, Faded, Nothing Else Matters) with little success. Placed my ego aside and moved onto nursery rhymes . I can now play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday and Old MacDonald.
I must add that I am using a pick and playing the basic versions. There are couple of YouTube channels which provide those.

Today I worked on Yousician's Celine Dion Titanic number. Again the basic one. And it was worthwhile.

As for the issues. There is only one, and I thought I could best explain it with a meme. So made one.

My left hand's fingers on the Fretboard

Learn this barre chord and you will be able to play so many songs. It can be played on any fret to give you any major chord. Remove finger 2 and this will give you the minor equivalent. It will kill you hand to start with but this chord will open up a whole new world.




I have always have flashbacks to my N64 days when I pick up a guitar. “Uh, what is this?”

@WrinkledMind I have been learning Old English melodies and would suggest you check out those for some easy to learn stuff. Plus, they are true classics for a reason. I love me some Greensleeves.

I’m working on memorizing that, Silent Night, and We Three Kings at the moment.

Just looked up tabs for Silent Night. It's perfect. Will keep Greensleeves in my list. Thanks.
And yes, the sound of guitar on those basic tunes reminds me of old video games as well .


@Thunderbolt

Thanks man. That will be my exercise for the week.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
This is pretty cool!
Just found this and wanted to join in.
Firstly, here's my lil backroom baby:

An A-90 Rogue Dreadnought. She's basically a starter guitar that I picked up about 4 yrs ago for about $65. She's got a great mid-range, holds a tune forever, and ideal for the fingerstyle Blues I've been delving into recently. AND I don't have to be afraid of being a newbie and bumping her about, which I have over the few years I've had her. Re-callousing my fingers whenever I drift off in practicing/learning.

A little backstory for those interested:
I've always wanted to learn to play guitar throughout my life. In fact, in Second Grade (1972) my mom bought me an old guitar from one of the nuns at my grade school who taught music. It was pretty huge for me and my tiny, short fingers, and soon after I grew discouraged and it went into storage in a closet.
Just over five years ago, my father died. He was 90 yrs old and while the family was going through the attic and assessing the mass of things that have accumulated over the past 60 yrs or so, I found that guitar.

A JOM Mexican-made guitar with 3 of the original nylon strings still on it. The case had deteriorated pretty badly and there were some minor structural issues but she still held a lovely tone.
I was equal parts elated to see it still around and very ashamed and heartbroken that this creature of music was left abandoned for over 40yrs. In the dark.
So I went to a couple of guitar stores to see if it could be given some tender attention; knowing that this was my time to finally learn and I would begin my sojourn with her.
But each place claimed it would cost more than she was worth to restore her and I was pretty broke and did not have the cash to say "Don't care. She deserves another chance to be played. I owe it to her."
So, I scraped to get the Rogue and I keep her propped up in my bedroom for the day that I have the money and come across someone with a love for old guitars who understand the sentimentality I have and is overjoyed to give her that new life she deserves. Kind of like The Island of Lost Toys in Rankin/Bass' Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Meanwhile, I play, I learn. I'm in the beginning stages of Intermediate and since a 6 day work week does not allow time to go to a teacher, I've wandered through YouTube for a number of excellent lessons and followed them to their own sites to expand. Learning and finding a wonderful home in Fingerstyle while bouncing about from Spanish to Classical to some Piedmont style Blues with a couple of Lesson Books I've picked up recently while bookmarking other sites that I had discovered some excellent lessons and online teachers.

In my genesis of learning, I have noticed that touching base in various styles/genres of music really opens up the process and where one may bring up that eventual wall we all come to know, another will give you that certain something to aid you in moving beyond it.

Well, off to practice.
Wonderful to see ya all!
__________________
What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes
~Mr Minio



This is pretty cool!
Just found this and wanted to join in.
Firstly, here's my lil backroom baby:

An A-90 Rogue Dreadnought. She's basically a starter guitar that I picked up about 4 yrs ago for about $65. She's got a great mid-range, holds a tune forever, and ideal for the fingerstyle Blues I've been delving into recently. AND I don't have to be afraid of being a newbie and bumping her about, which I have over the few years I've had her. Re-callousing my fingers whenever I drift off in practicing/learning.

A little backstory for those interested:
I've always wanted to learn to play guitar throughout my life. In fact, in Second Grade (1972) my mom bought me an old guitar from one of the nuns at my grade school who taught music. It was pretty huge for me and my tiny, short fingers, and soon after I grew discouraged and it went into storage in a closet.
Just over five years ago, my father died. He was 90 yrs old and while the family was going through the attic and assessing the mass of things that have accumulated over the past 60 yrs or so, I found that guitar.

A JOM Mexican-made guitar with 3 of the original nylon strings still on it. The case had deteriorated pretty badly and there were some minor structural issues but she still held a lovely tone.
I was equal parts elated to see it still around and very ashamed and heartbroken that this creature of music was left abandoned for over 40yrs. In the dark.
So I went to a couple of guitar stores to see if it could be given some tender attention; knowing that this was my time to finally learn and I would begin my sojourn with her.
But each place claimed it would cost more than she was worth to restore her and I was pretty broke and did not have the cash to say "Don't care. She deserves another chance to be played. I owe it to her."
So, I scraped to get the Rogue and I keep her propped up in my bedroom for the day that I have the money and come across someone with a love for old guitars who understand the sentimentality I have and is overjoyed to give her that new life she deserves. Kind of like The Island of Lost Toys in Rankin/Bass' Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Meanwhile, I play, I learn. I'm in the beginning stages of Intermediate and since a 6 day work week does not allow time to go to a teacher, I've wandered through YouTube for a number of excellent lessons and followed them to their own sites to expand. Learning and finding a wonderful home in Fingerstyle while bouncing about from Spanish to Classical to some Piedmont style Blues with a couple of Lesson Books I've picked up recently while bookmarking other sites that I had discovered some excellent lessons and online teachers.

In my genesis of learning, I have noticed that touching base in various styles/genres of music really opens up the process and where one may bring up that eventual wall we all come to know, another will give you that certain something to aid you in moving beyond it.

Well, off to practice.
Wonderful to see ya all!
Touching story. I hope you find someone to do it justice one day.

I still have my original electric guitar that my parents bought me for my 16th birthday. Even though I have a collection of guitars that are quite expensive, this starter guitar was probably relatively cheap in comparison. I still play it today and even though I have sold a couple of guitars in the past for better models, this I could never part with. 26 years I’ve had the guitar for. It’s the black Strat pictured earlier on in this thread.

I can also thank my Dad for introducing me to some great Delta blues players. Robert Johnson, Skip James, Son House. I love the raw acoustic stuff.



A system of cells interlinked
I see people posting their effects, so I guess I will too!



Line 6 Pod HD500X!
__________________
“It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.” ― Thomas Sowell



A system of cells interlinked
Wow. Looks serious. I bet this does every effect out there.
It probably does! I tend to stick with fairly basic, stripped down tones for the most part. I chose this unit because the distortions were really good for a unit in this price range, as I can't really crank up tube amps etc. where I live. This thing models Marshall, ENGL, Mesa, Soldano et. al. pretty well, so I am happy with it. The PC interface allows for really easy experimentation without having to drill down into a bunch of menus on the unit itself, something I have had to deal with in the past with outer gear.




Blackstar Fly 3
The best sounding micro amp I have come across. I have added a CD case so you can get an idea of true size. I have seen people busk with these here in the UK. I sometimes use this if I just want a 10 min practice. Great clarity for a 3 watt amp.


Or double up on sound with the extension cab.




That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
wow. I just checked a YouTube vid on that amp and it sounds pretty darned good.
__________________
"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel

"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel

"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I've been mulling over the idea of an amp. I really want a Fender Blues variant but I don't want the volume OR the hit to my wallet. I've sat on that fence for YEARS. I have considered the Pig Nose, Fender and Vox micros but haven't really been that impressed and kind of dismissed them all as novelty. That Blackstar does sound pretty good tho.



Those Blackstars are sick. The Boss Katana is also a nice little amp, as well. A buddy of mine has one.
From little to large. This is my 50 watt which I’m sure my neighbour loves. Strange she has put her house up for sale recently. Funny that. This is the best amp I have owned. I got fed up of buying amps that start to crackle when you adjust the volume/gain. The components on this are of very high standard. No problems here.





I've been mulling over the idea of an amp. I really want a Fender Blues variant but I don't want the volume OR the hit to my wallet. I've sat on that fence for YEARS. I have considered the Pig Nose, Fender and Vox micros but haven't really been that impressed and kind of dismissed them all as novelty. That Blackstar does sound pretty good tho.
These are also worth considering. Not too loud and great sounding for size. Battery or mains operated.
Roland Cube GX



A system of cells interlinked
I've been mulling over the idea of an amp. I really want a Fender Blues variant but I don't want the volume OR the hit to my wallet. I've sat on that fence for YEARS. I have considered the Pig Nose, Fender and Vox micros but haven't really been that impressed and kind of dismissed them all as novelty. That Blackstar does sound pretty good tho.
Get the Katana. That thing cranks!