Guitar & bass knowledge. No strings attached.

The Best Guitar Strings for Fingerstyle Playing: Acoustic and Electric

February 25, 2024

What guitar strings should you use for fingerstyle playing on electric or acoustic? Here's how to find the best strings for fingerpicking.

The History of the Tube Screamer

February 20, 2024

From SRV and John Mayer to Kirk Hammett and John Frusciante, the Tube Screamer has been used by countless greats throughout the years.

Going Electric: The History of Acoustic-Electric Guitars

February 8, 2024

Acoustic-electric guitars are an essential these days, but where did they come from? How did we go from acoustics with no electronics to acoustics that have built-in pickups, tone controls, tuners, and more?

The Alternate Tunings of Sonic Youth: A Primer

January 13, 2024

Sonic Youth has used dozens upon dozens of different tunings over the years. In this article, we look at five of the most well-known.

Two Handed Tapping: Our Top 8 Tappers of All Time

January 10, 2024

From Eddie Van Halen to Victor Wooten, here are our top 8 Two Handed Tapping practitioners of all time, on both guitar & bass.

Are These the 10 Most Popular Guitar Pedals of All Time?

December 21, 2023

From wahs and fuzz to tuners, there are some expected and unexpected entries on our best-guess list of the 10 most popular guitar pedals of all time.

Can Sweep Picking be Tasteful? You Bet.

December 17, 2023

From jazz to country, sweep picking is a more varied and useful technique than you might think at first glance.

Holiday Gifts for Guitarists 2023

December 6, 2023

Diminished Chords for Guitar: The Ultimate Guide

November 19, 2023

We cover what diminished chords are, how to play them, and most importantly—how to use them.

The History of C. F. Martin Guitars

November 12, 2023

The C. F. Martin & Company & its world-famous guitars have a long and storied history, filled with ups and downs.

The Top 10 Weirdest Fender Guitars Ever Made

November 3, 2023

Fender has made tons of offbeat, unique, and surprising guitars over the years. Here are the 10 most surprising Fender guitars ever made.

Tube Amp Wattage: How to Pick the Right Amp for You

October 26, 2023

There's nothing like cranking up a tube amp. But how many watts for a tube amp is enough for you? Find out in our guide to tube amp wattage.

10 Guitarists Who Don't Use Amps

October 23, 2023

Long before modelers came into vogue, there were still guitarists who were eschewing the status quo and forgoing their amps.

American vs. British Tube Amps: What's the Difference?

October 5, 2023

When it comes to tube amps, there are typically two categories: Amercain Amps and British Amps. But what is it that makes them different?

10 Guitarists That Don't Use Pedals

September 28, 2023

Sometimes you get tired of twiddling knobs, setting up pedalboards, and constantly tinkering to get the right sound.

Fender’s Wide Range Humbucker: An Under-Appreciated Classic

September 20, 2023

Wide Range Humbuckers don’t get as much attention as Fender’s single coils or Gibson’s PAFs, they have carved out a place in guitar history.