Switching power supplies? Regulated outputs? Isolated grounds? Arrgh! All I want to do is to power my pedals without sounding like a can of bees or bursting into flames. What do all these terms mean? Do they make any difference for effects pedals? Let’s find out. The job of the power supply is to convert the voltage from your wall… Read More »Pedal Power
Volume is an odd concept. You would think it to be straightforward enough that a volume control makes things louder or quieter, and in the case of guitar amplifiers, one rated at a higher power should be louder. Of course, it’s a fair bit more complicated than that. Let’s first remind ourselves of a basic definition of sound.Sound starts with… Read More »The Science of Volume
Do you want to show off your guitar to everyone that steps foot in your home, but don’t have anything to display it with? Do you just leave your guitar leaning against a wall or on a floor rack? There are much better (and safer) solutions than that for displaying your beloved axe, and we have a handful of those… Read More »5 Items to Display Your Guitar With
Building pedal boards is fun, but it’s also often frustrating. The de-facto method of fixing pedals with Velcro is simple and inexpensive but I don’t know, something about it doesn’t feel like a real engineering solution. It’s also kind of messy. When you need to rearrange pedals or swap them out for new ones, removing the goop is a pain.… Read More »Aclam: Building Your Pedalboard the Easy Way
Previously, we went over how to clean your strings and the best tools to use for cleaning them. This time, we will be going over the best way to clean the body of your guitar, so you can keep your favorite instrument nice and shiny! The Basics The best thing you can do for your guitar, much like your strings,… Read More »How to Clean Your Guitar
Strings are one of the most important parts of your guitar. The quality and overall shape of your strings can have a huge impact on what your music sounds like as a whole. Over time, though, as we play on them, a layer of grime will build up on your strings. This grime actually affects how your guitar sounds. Because… Read More »Guitar String Cleaning Guide
Plectrums, or picks as they are most commonly known, are an essential item for every guitar player. They are one of the first things you should purchase when you’re new to playing guitar, and one of the things you should always have on hand when you’ve been playing guitar for awhile! For those that are new to guitar, though, picks… Read More »How to Pick a Pick
Changing strings on an electric guitar may be intimidating for some new guitarists. They may feel like they could damage their guitar, or never get strings back on again! But, it is not actually that difficult of a task and will make a big difference in your playing if your strings are worn down. It is also useful knowledge to… Read More »How to String Your Electric Guitar
Do you look at guitarists with envy and wish you could play guitar too, but have no idea how to get started? Well, the first step of your journey, without a doubt, will be picking up your very first guitar to learn with! There are often so many choices that it is overwhelming when you step into that music store,… Read More »5 Great Guitars For Beginners
Learning to play the guitar can be overwhelming with its plethora of concepts; from handling techniques to music reading. It also is not just as simple as buying a guitar and freestyle jamming! There are other things that you need to pick up with your shiny new guitar. Some of these things are absolutely essential to getting started on the… Read More »5 Essential Items For Beginner Guitarists