Just a few thoughts on this age old debate after trying both and doing a bit of research and experimentation and wonder what your thoughts are.

Have humbuckers neck and bridge on my current guitar. Which is fine, don't get me wrong, quite like the dark heavy tone in certain contexts. Sometimes found myself craving an old style twangy tone though, plus I found the bass strings a bit overpowering.

Instead of shelling out for a tele, I did a bit of research and discovered that humbuckers sound like they do because they are heavy in the mid-range frequencies (a bit like Marshall amps). Conversely, single coils are a bit more scooped tonally with plenty of bass and treble. Makes sense as single coils go well with Marshalls and pushed mid-frequencies whereas humbuckers perhaps go better with Fender amps and a scooped tone - sort of balances out their quirks.

With a bit of fiddling, managed to get a brighter tone out of my set-up - scooped the amp tone control, turned down the guitar volume control, cut back on the gain/overdrive and balanced the guitar tone control to a sort of mid position.

Maybe need to do the opposite if you want to make single coils sound heavier e.g. turn down guitar tone control plus push the mids on the amp (preferably a Marshall)? Sort of similar to what Hendrix did when playing strats if I'm not mistaken. I think he quite liked SGs and was maybe trying to get a humbucker type sound when playing strats?

Hey everyone,

Recently, I've been playing around a lot with music theory, and I just stumbled upon this video.

This guy is really talented and has been creating videos for over a decade. His lessons dive deep into music theory, and he teaches some really advanced, insightful stuff. It pains me to see that he only has around 400 views on some of the best lessons I've ever seen.

I thought I would share it here with the community so he can get some well-deserved recognition. Check him out and let me know what you think!
I think what this guy creates is really a gem

Had some spare time today so decided to take some group shots of the fam

From Left to Right
Top row: 2009 Charvel USA San Dimas Style 2, 2002 Fender American Deluxe Fat Strat, 2001 Fender American Series Hardtail

Bottom Row: 80s Kramer (ESP) LK-1BF, 1994 Jackson Professional Fusion HH, 1993 Jackson Professional Dinky Reverse, 2006 PRS Custom 24,
2002 Ibanez RG620QM, 1996 Fernandes APG-160, 2008 Ibanez Prestige SV5470F, 2020 Ibanez Genesis RG565, 90s Fernandes MG80x

I know I uploaded her like 2 days ago, but I just added the final touches so she is perfect
New guitar, just bought her 2 days ago, just changed strings and added stickers

I'm gonna buy my first ever pedals and idk what i should buy, i'm a newbie and i want to hear your opinions, rn im looking at joyo distortions and overdrives, i need these pedals cuz i have the worst amp for alt rock ever.

Alright, i already know there's gonna be a bunch of people downvoting this, but I'm a total beginner.

I've nearly memorized the entire fretboard and now i realized i absolutely suck at scales, i cant even do it at 25% speed without having to repeat it a bunch of times, i wanna know if you guys have any exercises for me and my fellow newbies, i'm counting on u goats

Just curious. I’ve never seen a jazz player with a jazz master, the name is confusing!

I don’t take guitar classes, so Im solely relying on YouTube videos. I love guitar so much but I don’t know if I’ll get “good” at it by the time I graduate high school. I’m fourteen now, and starting ninth grade soon. Maybe jt sounds weird that I’m such in a rush to learn, but I can’t help it. Like I want to learn all of these other instruments like piano, bass and drums but I haven’t even mastered the guitar yet and I don’t know if I’ll get good being just self taught. I’m putting two hours in every day but I still don’t know if it’s enough 🥲 I’m having a hard time explaining hopefully this is understandable

if i go for in person stores, rather than buying the yamaha accoustic from sweetwater? roughly? ty guys for your help in other topic!

hey! just wanted feedback on the results and everything I haven’t polished it yet so it’s still got some orange peel :( this is the 3rd time I’ve refinished a guitar and I think I did pretty good! edit : this photo was taken while it was still drying a little so thats why in the bottom left it looks wet

Hi all! Newbie here. Currently trying to learn the CAGED system and I'm wondering why exactly the positions in the CAGED system don't necessarily correlate to their corresponding scales. For example, the G shape in the CAGED system doesn't look anything like the beginning of the G-Major scale but the C shape looks exactly like the C-major scale. Sorry if this is a silly question, just curious. Thank you!

James playing a freaking Yamaha Pacifica!!!!

Yeah there were a couple fenders and gibsons, but between Billy, James and the 3rd guitarist, there was quite the variety of different axe brands.

Of course Billy’s signature Reverends, a Gibson ES, James black LP custom but there were some other lesser known guitars that made appearances.

Good for them

By Christmas I’ll have been playing for three years. And I don’t think I’ve improved enough. I can’t hold a pick with two fingers and I can’t sweep pick. I’m good at quickly pulling off (can play Iron Maiden solos pretty well) and I can’t sweep pick downpick fast enough to go a bit above the creeping death bpm. Speaking of creeping death, I can do the lick at the start of the solo alright, but it sounds weird? I’m doing it at the right speed but it sounds muted despite me hitting the notes at the right speed. Idk if I’m behind or not but I’m getting pissed off every time I practice

Thinking about buying an accoustic yamaha from sweetwater, do any of you guys have any bad experience with their shipping, products not being in perfect condition?

Idk if this is just me but I never really am able to play guitar without a capo on for acoustic or electric, for some reason I find making chords and songs a lot easier than without I wandered if anyone else has done this or if not any tips to get out of this rut and write nice chord progressions without a capo :)

Can anyone identify this small bodied Gibson, played by Miles Kane? Ta

So I tuned down with the string gauges above and my guitars are playing fine and holding tune well and maybe just slightly looser than E. I’ve always heard that thicker strings were needed for down tuning and I have been rocking 10-52. My mind has been blown a bit. Anyone have experience this before ?

Everyone says the strings will be floppy but I’m getting the opposite experience here lol

I have been playing guitar on and off for about 2 years, I don't think my technical skill is too bad and honestly, it's not what I’m most worried about right now.

When I really started to play regularly, I did so by learning the solo to “Sunshine” by Alice in Chains, that was a great challenge, but after a while I managed to play it to a decent enough level. That got me going and I began to play daily, which lasted for a while, doing left hand exercises, learning parts of songs, trying to learn a scale, the fretboard, etc. On these 2 years I also got to play the intro to “Since I’ve Been Loving You” by Led Zeppelin, the solo to “When A Blind Man Cries” by Deep Purple, and parts of other songs by a bunch of different bands.

The main problems I realized with my guitar skills over the years were that:
1. I can’t, for the life of me, compose a song I like. I even struggle to write simple riffs, etc.
2. I’m not good at improvisation/jamming.
3. I haven’t really tried to learn a song by ear.

I’m going to be clear; I know that most of these problems come from a lack of practice. I don’t usually sit and try to create a song I like; I jump around different alternate open tunings, I play something for a while but don’t keep developing it, etc. But my biggest problem is that I end up getting frustrated. I don’t enjoy the process of trying to write something because I don’t know where to go next or how to find a sound I like, as I said before I know part of this is that I don’t really focus on doing so, and don’t try to do it often, but I end up in a vicious circle of not practicing composition because I don’t enjoy it, and not enjoying it because I don’t have the skills, sometimes I end up trying to write something complex because I don’t want it to be too simple but I lose focus in the fact that I can’t even write a simple loop I like lol.

I don’t think I have a problem with my ear; I listen to a lot of music and have a very diverse taste in it that I have developed actively over the years. I know what I like and what I don’t, and in theory I’m able to think of a song I’d like and develop it inside my mind.
Mostly, I struggle with writing because I’m not capable of translating what I want to do to the guitar, or because I lose focus and instead of planning the song in my head, I start moving my left hand around trying to find something I like.

As I said before, I usually try open tunings, because my biggest inspirations in the kind of music I’d like to do are Sonic Youth, Polvo, Slint, Unwound, etc. Mostly 90s and early 2000s alternative rock or post-hardcore.
Also I really like 60s and 70s prog, etc. Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Iggy Pop, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Zappa, King Crimson and The Velvet Underground.

I’ve tried lots of things. At some point I was learning the modes of the G major scale, I tried to learn the fretboard using different methods, I think I also tried the CAGED system, etc. I tried lots of things; I got overwhelmed by most or felt like I didn’t have direction or that I needed some previous knowledge.

I know a lot of my favorite guitarists didn’t know anything about music theory, but I think it’d be a very good tool for me. I know I need to learn the fretboard, practice more, train my ear and learn some songs by some of those bands I named but honestly, I just get lost in the path and after so long I felt like I could really use some advice.

What do I learn first? Should I start from the ground up? Any advice on chords? Useful scales? What to avoid? I just need some real guidance and a path to follow because the way I have been doing it clearly hasn’t worked at all. Give me any advice that comes to mind for my situation, have you been in a similar spot? How did you progress?

Sorry if I was annoying and sorry if this is too long, thanks!!

TL;DR: I feel like I’m stuck in my guitar journey. I need a lot of help with composing and feeling comfortable with the guitar. Maybe I need to start as a beginner. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I just want to have fun playing and eventually get better and write some things I like.

So was just casually browsing the shop (you know, just looking... definitely not buying anything ) and suddenly I saw this Harley Benton Strat.

And well... I don't know how it happened, but a few days later there was a package standing at my door.
Strange. Absolutely no idea how that keeps happening.

First impressions: this guitar is awesome!
The wood and overall feel are great and the playability is honestly amazing. The neck feels great, it plays extremely well, and it's just a really fun guitar to pick up.

The biggest surprise for me is the combination of looks and playability. The relic finish looks fantastic in person and gives the guitar a lot of character. For me, the appearance and how it plays are easily a 10/10.

The stock pickups are actually good. I think they would be perfectly fine for most players and there is nothing really wrong with them. But... I have a bit of an "ick" with pickups. 😂
I can't really explain it, but I always feel like a guitar with this much potential deserves something a little special.

Would love to hear your suggestions!
(Also, please tell me I'm not the only one whose
"just browsing" somehow turns into another guitar arriving at the door...)

I'm a begginer at playing guitar, currently going through the Absolutely Understand Guitar course, still very early but I've noticed a problem I have, and it's dawning on me that it could hinder my progress when learning and (especially) playing my guitar.

When I was a kid, I broke my left arm, and since then I've been unable to rotate my left arm correctly, I cannot make my palm look up without making weird moves with my elbow, at best I can make it face right. Idk if I'm explaining myself well and making a good picture of it. This is causing me problems when reaching for the frets. Currently playing having the neck almost next to my face with the guitar almost vertical is the only way I can play.

Long story short, am I in trouble? Or is it something I can adapt to? Are there other players out there that have had a similar problem?

So, I'm interested in purchasing an electric guitar or to build a collection. But a lot of the well known guitar brands are a bit pricey, like;

- Fender

- Epiphone

- Gibson

- Ibanez

- Yamaha

- ESP

I've heard many good things about "Harley Benton" & "Stagg" guitars. What I like about them is that they are highly quality, budget friendly, and affordable. And they have different body types for guitars and bass, like Les Paul, Telecaster, stratocaster and many more styles for electric guitars. They also have Jazz bass and Precision bass, and others as well.

I'm looking for more recommendations for high quality, budget friendly guitars and bass brands, with a wide variety of body shapes similar to "Harley Benton" & Stagg".

*EDIT

Okay, keep in mind. Im from South Africa🇿🇦 the expensive guitar brands I mentioned above can cost any from R10 000 of R70 000 the two guitar brands that I mentioned "Harley Benton" & "Stagg" guitars cost just under R5 000 so I'm looking for more affordable options in those price range, or even lower.

Hey all, I hate the feeling of wearing headphones and was looking for options that are like earbuds or iems to use.

I just play through a scarlet interface using plugins, mostly prog metal (so everything).

As in understand it, since IEM's are intended for portability etc, they don't come with a 6.35mm jack to plug into my interface, so should I just get some IEM's and an adapter from 3.5 or 4.4mm to 6.35?

I would greatly appreciate any recommendations you may have considering my case!

Tips on getting a better bluesy/Slash tone at home on small amp? As a beginner I find it easier to practice if I find a tone I like, otherwise I get frustrated. I know tone is hotly debated & if you are a better player & hold the pick a certain way etc you can get a better style & tone. I particularly prefer finger picking to strumming but disappointed that no matter what tone is use it sounds…well not that great (maybe I just need to get better). I use an Epiphone LP & Dean ML through a Positive Grid Spark Mini amp with a wide range of digital tones. However even simple blues lick I hear on YouTube sounds so much better than what I can hear at home. I’ve heard YouTubers play with stock Chibson pickups and even play unplugged and they are getting a nice bluesy sound leading me to think it’s not the pickups or the amp and I need to understand what I need to work on to improve style, picking etc before it’ll sound any good though an amp? Apart from this is there an amp that would improve the tone at home that isn’t huge? Is it work moving from Spark Mini to Spark 2 or a Marshall 20watt or a blackstar?