Darren Blakeborough

Notions of vanity aside, if Shakespeare were alive today I believe that he’s be a guitar player and he’d agree with me that ESP makes some of the most aesthetically pleasing guitars in the world. That is only part of the equation, however, as the playability and tones produced are virtually unrivalled. In this blog I take a look at the ESP USA Eclipse and the ESP E-II M-II. Beauties indeed.

In this blog, part 3 of a series looking at the wide variety of guitar effects pedals, the focus shifts to “pedals that modulate”. This grouping of pedals includes the chorus, flange, phase, vibrato, and tremolo pedals and I will discuss the differences between these as well as suggest some of the ways that you can use them in your effects chain to help you get the sounds you are looking for.

A guitar and an amplifier, while clearly the most important ingredients in live performing, are but two of the components in this stew. While recipes differ from player to player, this is the core set of requirements that live players require as well as those extra little things that while not requisite, are certainly appreciated. In this blog I will go over some of the accessories that can make your performance truly shine by relieving stress and providing a helping hand when one is needed.

Considering buying guitar effect pedals can be a daunting task. With a myriad of different brands, copious advertising that seems to make impossible claims, and multiple effects and their variants it can be overwhelming to sort through. In this blog I will give you a brief overview of what various guitar pedals are intended to do and help you sift through to a general understanding that should help clear the path.

If your first question is “Why would I need a guitar pedal?” then your next question invariably is “what do they do anyway?” In this blog I will lay out the different types of guitar effect pedals and begin by looking at pedals that boost and distort. I will explain what they ultimately do to your guitar’s sound so you can get a better idea of when and why you may want to invest in one (or eight).

The Yamaha FG720S dreadnaught style acoustic guitar and the APX500III electric acoustic feel, play, and sound like guitars well above their price points. In this blog I look at and play both of these guitars that prove cheap pricing doesn’t mean cheap craftsmanship or cheap sound.

Boss answers the boutique pedal manufacturers by releasing 2 new (old) pedals under their WAZA Craft branding that retain their original analogue warmth while adding some nifty new features. The Boss DM-2W Delay and the Boss SD-1W Super Overdrive are re-imagined for the modern guitarist. In this blog I will talk about their hallowed predecessors, compare them to this new iteration, and put them through their paces to see how kind time has been.

Almost all major guitar manufacturers now carry at least two brands of guitar under their umbrella. You have the one “name” brand that is the premiere flagship brand and then a less expensive brand that makes more affordable versions of the classics. Gibson Guitars has the Epiphone brand, ESP has LTD, and Fender has Squier. And while these guitars are more affordable than their famous brothers, that doesn’t mean that they don’t play and sound great, especially considering their price points. This blog will look at two Squier Stratocasters and discuss playability, sound, and value.

As technology advances it often makes the things we want to do easier, quicker, and more efficient. It can also make things significantly more confusing. As we continue to add peripheral devices in our music making lives, you may notice as I did, that similar looking cords and cables are not always created for the same tasks. TS vs. TRS or Balanced vs. Unbalanced are just two of the differences we encounter when we look to buy or upgrade our music related cables. In this blog I will do my best to try and explain, as I understand, some of these differences so that getting the connections you need is less of a chore than it need be and you can get it right the first time.

A lot of different bang for your buck.   The Alesis Transactive Wireless speaker functions as a wired speaker, a Bluetooth speaker, a USB charger for your mobile devices, an amplifier for guitar, keyboards, or electronic drums, and a small Personal Address (P.A.) system. It is portable, can run on AC power or with the built in rechargeable battery, and can even be pole mounted. This hard working unit can do it all and not empty the bank account.