Birth Of The Gibson Les Paul Custom Guitar

By Timmy Klein

The Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar is one of many variations of the standard and very popular Les Paul. This model is one of the more expensive ones in the Gibson catalogue, and is intended for players or collectors looking for a superior quality instrument. It was designed by notable guitarist and inventor Les Paul, who worked with Gibson to produce the original version in 1952.

The base Les Paul guitar was a response to the Fender Telecaster, which had pioneered the single body electric guitar design that was sweeping the rock, country and blues music scenes. The Les Paul had some differences, such as the strings being attached differently than other guitars. The Les Paul also differentiated itself by coming in many boldly colored designs.

The Les Paul Custom guitar, in particular, was designed to be a more high class looking instrument. It is primarily black in color, which led to the Custom being nicknamed the Black Beauty. When he first pitched the idea, Les Paul likened the design to the look of a tuxedo. The top of the guitar was made form mahogany, whereas the standard LP was made from maple. 1957 brought about the invention of the humbucker pickup, which was then added to the Custom, giving it a thick, warm sound.

Today's Customs also have an ebony fretboard, which gives them a more sharp sound. The frets themselves are also lower than standard frets, giving the Custom a second nickname: the fretless wonder.

The Les Paul Custom guitar has been in the hands of many notable artists since its debut in the 1950s. Guitarists such as Mick Jones of Foreigner, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones have utilize the custom at some point in their careers.

The modern custom costs several thousand dollars brand new. It has branched out from its roots as the Black Beauty and is now available in different colors and finishes including Cherry Sun Burst, Wine Red and others. - 32189

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Don't Be Hating Guild Guitars, Love Them

By Amy Brand

Writing a review of Guild Guitars has been a pleasure. I love these things and have owned several since the 1960's. My first acoustic and first 12-string were both Guilds. They play as well today as they did 45 years ago, in fact, they play better. Talk about something built to last a lifetime... Guild makes just that.

The Company has been producing the finest quality electric and acoustic guitars since 1953 and they're going strong. Once dubbed, "The Stradavari Of Guitars, " Guild has continued to live up to their name for close to sixty years. The list of musicians who choose the Guild brand include Eric Clapton, Richie Havens, Paul Simon and George Benson, among many others.

The first Guild manufacturing facility was located in New York City. Later, when they outgrew these quarters, operations were moved to Hoboken, N. J., just across the river from NYC. Currently residing in New Hartford, Connecticut, the Company continues providing the world with only the most finely crafted guitars made.

Guilds guitars aren't cheap but, as you know, 'good things ain't cheap and cheap things ain't good'. A guitar made in China, by any other name, is still going to seem second-rate. There's no way to fairly compare it to the All-American made-to-last-a-lifetime quality and craftsmanship that is synonymous with the Guild brand.

The Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969 saw the beginning of fame for many of the artists playing the venue. Richie Havens stands out as one of those 'hardly-knows who exploded with popularity after the concert was made into a music album and, later a movie. Richie sat there, center stage, hammering on his Guild D-40 Dreadnought with his rendition of 'Motherless Child' retitled 'Freedom'. It was a moment in history many will always recall, and Guild was there.

Guild Guitars are the best, and just getting better. No matter where you live, one of these fine instruments could be yours and only a few clicks away. Try the best. You deserve it. - 32189

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Learn Electric Guitar or Bass Guitar Fast

By Dana Damara

You Can Learn Electric Guitar fast! Follow a system and use the many resources available to you, and you can easily master playing the electric guitar. It is important you find a cheap and reliable method to learn electric guitar and to help you master the fundamentals. There are many resources available, so it is critical that you stick to a method or system for optimal results.

When you learn electric guitar, you need to know your instrument. You need to know how the electric guitar differs from acoustic guitar. Some people say that an electric guitar is better and enjoy the hard rock sound, others will tell you that an acoustic guitar is the best and a has a more classical sound.

The truth is, your decision about which instrument to learn depends on your preferences and your situation. You must understand the sound you are trying to achieve, the skills you want to master or the existing skills you'd like to improve. These and other factors would give you the idea about what you can do as you learn electric guitar.

Electric guitar is capable of a stronger or harder sound and can be played to much larger audiences. On the other hand, an acoustic guitar would give you a more pleasant sound and a more whole bodied sound. You may use an electric guitar if you want to play solos and other similar musical pieces. An acoustic guitar is more on the classic side, and also for easy music which entails light strumming.

Another thing you can learn about electric guitars is that you can play with different sound effects. Many pedals can be used to modify sounds on your electric guitar. This gives you the flexibility in creating a variety of sounds and music. When you learn electric guitar you can produce many different sounds and effects.

Just make sure that you know how to take care of your electric guitar. You have to be able to maintain it and make sure that it does not get easily damaged. It is important to learn about taking care of your instrument as they are delicate tools.

Playing and learning the electric guitar is much more flexible than learning your acoustic guitar. You may need to continue working on your skills. Electric guitar solos are harder and more distorted than solos on the acoustic guitar. Amplifiers for an electric guitar come in a variety of sizes.

You can learn guitar fast if you stick to a proven system of learning. The basics should be your foundation, so do not be impatient in learning them. When you master the fundamentals of electric guitar then the complex stuff becomes much easier. - 32189

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Ampiphy :Kick Ass Rock 'N' Roll

By Karin Verbeek

Ampiphy is a Dutch Guitar Band having a distinctive United kingdom sound and look.

Dutch Band Biography

These guys write fantastically crafted rock songs and perform live with a mix of Ampiphy originals and covers from their own heroes (spinning well over a Four decade period).

Their songs could be described as "guitar rock" .

The 3 kids join forces in 3 years ago. The band name stems from a vision the band vocalist & guitar player, Vincent Le Blanc, had in 2007 where he had been working at Madison Square Garden having a band by the name of Ampiphy.

At the end of this same year the guys thought the time was right to record their own very first demo utilizing their very own songs. In 08 this particular Disc called "Lonely Road" was released (and is still available for electronic download). The bands songwriter Vincent turned Fifteen that year.

Ampiphy grew to become a live act, carrying out at various locations in Brabant & Limburg. At the conclusion of 08 these people noted down their second Demo Disc called "Speed Demo" in a recording studio within one hour!

Speed demo levels Vincent's rousing songs along with road-seasoned power chords in order to evoke an album highlighting rock for the brand new generation of followers. With standout tracks like "Ol' Time Lovin'" you shouldn't be amazed should you find Ampiphy at the top of the rock and roll charts and over and above eventually.

Anyone can pay attention to this particular track here:



Ampiphy live is characterized by a weighty and exciting guitar sound. Their own guitar player and lead vocalist is supported by a charismatic drummer Martijn Oosterhuis and ever awesome bass player Ruben Heijnsbroek. This particular tempo section keeps much more then only the beat alone. They manage a great rhythmical basis.

Viewers still find it difficult to maintain (standing) still when Ampiphy breaks lose upon stage. Next time, remember to be there to delight in.

The band is formed by:

Vincent Le Blanc: electric guitar, lead vocals

Martijn Oosterhuis: percussion

Ruben Heijnsbroek: bass, backing vocals - 32189

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Bass Guitar Tabs And Their Position In The Circle Of Life

By Allen Wilson

Bass guitar tab is an extremely popular method of writing bass guitar music. If you are interested in becoming a bass guitarist you need to get familiar with bass guitar music by playing the bass lines of some of your favorite songs before you let your inner bass player off the chain. Utilizing this handy tool you can learn how to be the bass player in a band quickly without getting too much into boring theory.

The bass player's job is simply to keep time. Nothing could be easier. Until you try to do it. So what is actually involved? The bass guitar player keeps time by playing a 'bassline' which is usually a rhythmic' sequence of notes. The bass player brings together the rhythmic playing of the drummer with the melodies and chords played by the lead guitarist. Do you need to be a talented musician to do this? Yes you do. The bass guitar player is the guy who switches off his brain and becomes one with the flow of the music. He then switches his brain back on and become the designated driver for the rest of the band.

A novice bass guitarist may not immediately be able to follow (or lead) the rest of the band right from the start. You might need some material to work with while you ease into the job. Bass guitar tab gives the guitar player written directions on what to play to give the bass line to a song. Tablature is a written representation of the strings of the guitar using numbers to show the frets. If you want to learn the bass guitar quickly tab will help you. It is easy to pick up and to remember, and it enables you to learn the riffs and phrases you need to give structure to your band's music.

A bass guitar tab is a picture of the fret board which can be drawn using Notepad on your computer or, if you like, by hand. The frets are numbered on lines representing the guitar strings. If you have a four string bass, the upper string is the G string, next the D string, the A string, and the E string. The numbers below the lines are the frets where the notes are played. If there is zero below the line it means the open string is played. A chord is represented in bass guitar tabs by two numbers, one above the other. Most bass guitar tabs contain a legend which explains any unfamiliar terms.

With the history of rock music going back for generations tabs are available for any song you can think of. The internet is by far the best source for bass guitar tabs. Just do a Google search and you will have more material than you will ever need. All you have to do is learn and practice. Learn and practice your favorite songs first. Bass guitar is not a musical instrument you can approach without passion. Bass guitar riffs can be learnt from tab books but should be played from the heart. - 32189

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Bass Guitar Players Who Changed The World

By Karen Mushett

Lots of people suspect that if you want to change the world you don't become a bass player, but go into something more challenging and stimulating like the Post Office. But does this myth portray how bass players really are? Let's step back from our habitual way of seeing bass guitar players as necessary but boring members of the group. Like accountants. Sure we acknowledge the fine contribution they make to their bands by supplying the bass lines and paying for the beer, but do they actually do anything really creative?

This brief listing of some prominent men (and woman) of bass will allow you to see that this apparently self effacing member of a musical group could be the creative powerhouse. Let's start with the leather jacketed but overpoweringly feminine Suzi Quatro. A vocalist and bass player who had a bunch of hits in Australia and Europe in the early seventies, her popularity in the USA stemmed from her role as Leather Tuscadero in Happy Days.

John Entwistle pioneered the use of the electric bass guitar as an instrument for soloists. His aggressive approach to the bass guitar influenced many other bassists.

Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers impressed a lot of musicians with his popping and slapping technique which was originally invented by Larry Graham of Sly And The Family Stone. Flea's innovative use of effects pedals has also influenced many bass players.

Jack Bruce wrote most of supergroup Cream's hit songs. Among his other achievements are fighting constantly with Cream's drummer, Ginger Baker and surviving a liver transplant.

Greg Lake is another artist of the early seventies who played with a number of innovators from the glam rock era. Lake is best known for his vocals, bass and guitar work with Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Rob Bailey is a bassist who plays loud and aggressive. His bass playing is an important element in the music of AC/DC.

Benny Rietveld, a Dutch musician who went to college in Hawaii, is admired for his musical and individualistic style of playing. He worked with Barney Kessell, Sheila E, Huey Lewis and Miles Davis. He has also made an album featuring Carlos Santana. Talk about diverse.

Paul McCartney played bass with The Beatles. Many bass players say he's quite good, but he changed the world with his romantic song lyrics.

Considered by some to be the king of bass players, Stanley Clarke employs a variation of the pop and slap technique to produce some truly innovative bass guitar music. His 1976 album, School Days, is acclaimed by many critics as one of the greatest bass albums ever.

A true bass lead guitar player, Billy Sheehan has won Guitar Player Magazine's "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll five times. Why a "bass lead guitar player"? Because Billy plays bass as if he were playing lead.

So if you are not familiar with bass guitar players I hope this article has whetted your appetite. Why not spend your next rainy Sunday watching some of their work on YouTube? - 32189

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Essential Guitar Tabs For Beginner Guitarists

By Lary Brown

When we wonder what guitar tab we need to get to begin to make up our repertoire, we usually think only about songs we like. We know that our choice in music does not suck in the slightest but if we are going to be playing our guitar and singing for audiences we need to get used to the idea that our taste in music will not match what our listeners want to hear. We may even take a look at popular choices in songs and get the uncomfortable feeling that we might have to play songs that we do not like. One thing guitar players are famous for is standing on their principles and not compromising on what they are going to play.

The other thing they are famous for is giving the audience what they want. So a mixture of these two attitudes is probably going to form in your psyche as you peruse your list of guitar tabs on the internet. While we are on the subject of lists of guitar tabs remember to pay a visit to your local music store or online merchant for ready-made collections of easy guitar tabs. You can find titles like "Popular Songs for Acoustic Guitar" or "CMT's 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music".

One fact that has emerged from field tests conducted by buskers, night club performers and covers bands is that you should look for your repertoire in the songs of years gone by. Oldies are goodies. Another thing you should think about is whether or not you are an audience participation kind of performer. If you are still wondering about it one second after the thought enters your head, then you probably aren't. So stay away from songs that require you to yell, "Everybody now!!" or "Just the girls this time!". Likewise if you play solo acoustic guitar and have a voice like Johnny Cash you might want to stay away from Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love". But do not walk away from songs you enjoy just because they might not seem immediately doable.Remember Jose Feliciano's "Light My Fire" and Eric Clapton's unplugged "Layla".

Of course what songs you choose is not going to matter much if you do not pay attention to how you sing and play the guitar. People pay to see performers who are better at something than they are. Which is where playing material that you like comes in. If you are playing a song that you consider to be a crowd pleaser but you personally think is a load of stomach chunks you give attention to the part the audience likes. You already know what that is. That is why you do not bellow, "Hello darkness my old friend" or shirk on the enthusiasm when you sing the line, "Welcome to the Hotel California".

Okay so what we get out of all this is first, there are songs that crowds of people like and second, you can sing and play these songs in a way that highlights your particular talents. Now for a basic list of songs that have been known to please a crowd or two over a period of years:
Wild World by Cat Stevens
Imagine - by John Lennon
Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin
Catch the Wind by Donovan
Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley
Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks
Angie by the Rolling Stones
Everybody Hurts by REM
50 ways to leave your lover by Paul Simon
The 59th Street Bridge Song by Simon And Garfunkel
American Pie by Don Maclean
Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell
California Dreamin' by The Mamas and Papas
Knockin' on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan
Mrs Robinson by Simon And Garfunkel
You're so vain by Carly Simon
Blowin' In The Wind by Bob Dylan
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
I Walk The Line by Johnny Cash
Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton
Gloria by Van Morrison (or Them)
Hotel California by The Eagles
Behind Blue Eyes by The Who
White Room by Cream
Sex And Candy by Marcy Playground
Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers
What Its Like by Everlast
Alison by Elvis Costello
Life By The Drop by Stevie Ray Vaughn
Melissa by Allman Brothers
Dead Flowers by The Rolling Stones
Seagull by Bad Company
Mediterranean Sundance by Al DiMeola and Paco De Lucia
Classical Gas by Mason Williams

This list could be much, much longer, but you probably already see songs here that you would never play in a million years so all I can say now is I hope this guide to essential guitar tab has been helpful. - 32189

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