The Yamaha Pacifica 112J. A Fender Stratocaster copy? An upgrade? or something completely different? What I’m reviewing here is my 1997 Yamaha Pacifica 112J (as opposed to the later 112v model). Originally this guitar was billed as a Squier Stratocaster killer, featuring solid body-woods as opposed to the rumoured plywood Squiers of that time. Features […]
Yamaha Pacifica 112J Electric Guitar Review Read Post »
I’ve been overcome with guitar buying guilt lately. Could the Gibson Les Paul Tribute series be the answer? Putting the Stratocaster to bed. Round in round in circles I go again. First I fell in love with the Strat (again) but had second thoughts. The Squier Classic Vibe series just seems too cheap: Small pots,
Gibson Les Paul Tribute: The Holy Grail of Guitars for under a Grand? Read Post »
Fender Player Stratocaster Review. In-depth review of the Fender Player Stratocaster. Is this the best value electric guitar money can buy? New video added. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel here. The preamble Before we start, know this: This latest guitar review is a long time in the making. If you’re a reader
Fender Player Stratocaster Review Read Post »
If tone is your only concern. The BOSS Katana can’t compete with more expensive valve guitar amps. Let me try to explain why. I’ve been a supporter of the BOSS Katana range of amps for years. But how do they really compare with traditional valve guitar amps? I’ve already covered the benefits of the BOSS
BOSS Katana vs Valve Guitar Amps Read Post »
Famously, guitarists don’t exactly need much encouragement to stock up on gear and guitar accessories, however, much of the time it actually makes good sense (honest)! So many guitar accessories out there are designed to make things quicker, easier, safer, and more efficient. Some are necessities, some are (very desirable) luxuries, and some sit in
Guitar Accessories: 10 you’ve got to have Read Post »
As a Queen (and Brian May) fan, the fabled Red Special was always beyond criticism… until the day I bought the Brian May Guitars Red Special. The Brian May Guitars Red Special is, of course, an ‘affordable’ version of the real thing, not even comparable to the ‘Supers’, let alone the official copies made by
Brian May Red Special Review Read Post »
Exploring the differences between the two most common guitar fretboard (or fingerboard) materials. Maple and Rosewood. Looks It depends on the Guitar. I’ve seen some gorgeous maple guitar fretboards with a little flaming, but a lot of them, particularly at the cheaper end of the spectrum, are just too anemic/plain looking. Up close, the darker
Guitar Fretboard: Maple vs Rosewood Read Post »
Beginner’s guide to Electric Guitar String Gauges. How do you decide on the perfect gauge for you? Read on… What are Electric Guitar String Gauges? Electric Guitar strings usually come in sets/packs of six, of different thicknesses or gauges. These normally start with .008 (of an inch) gauge packs (or 8’s), moving up to 12’s
Electric Guitar String Gauge Guide Read Post »
An inventory of every single electric guitar I’ve owned since I started in 1990. My very own Electric Guitar History. What’s your Electric Guitar History? Hondo Strat copy My electric guitar history begins as a Christmas present circa my 16th Birthday, 1990. Candy apple red with a rosewood fingerboard. It didn’t inspire and as
My Electric Guitar History Read Post »
