Today’s article is reviewing the Ibanez V70ce, a budget-level acoustic-guitar by one of the best-value guitar brands in the world. The Japanese instrument maker has a stellar reputation for highly advanced electronics and forward-thinking ideas. They introduce their proprietary tech on most of their models, from low-tier guitars to their shiniest Prestige line. Their impact
Today’s article is reviewing the Washburn Rover, a parlor travel guitar featuring an eye-catching and rather unexpected design. It’s also a budget offering that, despite its shorter body, actually has a fully-sized fingerboard for classical acoustic guitar players. Washburn is a medium-sized company and a medium-sized name in the musical instrument industry. Their offers revolve
MXL is a Marshall Electronics’ brand. It currently leads the pro audio gears and, in particular, the microphone segment. Today, we bring the MXL 770, one of the most popular condenser microphones in existence. Coming from their California headquarters, the MXL is an entry-level condenser microphone suited for home studios, podcast applications, voice recording, and
Avenged Sevenfold is working on a new studio album as we speak. The metal band says it’s “70 percent done.” While we wait for their next head-banger, we take the opportunity to talk about Synyster Gates’ guitar gear. On an Instagram Live video, the Huntington Beach band showcased their drummer, Brooks Wackerman, recording a song
Today’s article is doing something different than we normally do. We’re reviewing the OU5 Ukulele by Oscar Schmidt. In terms of ukulele prices, I’d say the OU5 is a mid-range model. Coming from a brand that specializes in hollow, semi-hollow, and acoustic guitars, we expect fair results. Also, the Oscar Schmidt OU5 ukulele is quite
Today, we’re reviewing the ATR2500 condenser microphone from Audio-Technica. We’ve reviewed the brand before to discover some of the best musical gear for your studio. The Audio-Technica Corporation comes from Japan. Their designs feature top-of-the-line electronics, flawless quality control, and advanced audio systems. Currently, they produce a wide array of professional audio gear, which includes
Antonio Hermosa is a fairly unknown guitar brand. Even us, here at Beginner Guitar HQ, rarely feature their models. Today, we’re changing the trend to highlight the Antonio Hermosa AH-50, an electro-acoustic guitar. The brand’s guitars come from China, which is why they don’t have higher popularity. However, you should know the company bases its
Vox, the reputed British amplifier company, has more to offer aside from expensive tubular solutions. In this particular bracket, we found the Vox Pathfinder 10, a solid-state guitar amplifier. Right out of the bat, we find it packs a lot of bang for the buck. Coming from one of the top amplifier manufacturers, this is
Rogue is a relatively new brand, which is why we’re keeping this particular review shorter than usual. In that regard, today’s article is reviewing the Rogue LX200B Series III bass guitar, which is an example of the reputation they’ve built over the last couple of years. In essence, Rogue is making noise in the entry-level
C.F. Martin & Co is the brand to beat and imitate when it comes to premium acoustic guitars with steel strings. Few brands can compete against Martin, like for example Taylor and Takamine. However, guitars like the Martin Custom D perfectly show why the Martin name is so relevant and reputed. You would be wrong
At a jam session, you might hear the singer ask the band to play a song in something like the “key of G” or the “key of D minor”. But what exactly are keys? Simply put, keys are a collection of notes and chords that sound good together. A lot of guitar players think of
Let’s start by saying congrats: By making it this far, you’re well on your way to building an epic home studio. You’ve probably already got some gear locked down, with a decent DAW and a nice audio interface set up in your studio. But there’s one piece of the puzzle missing, and it’s a pretty
Whether you’re dreaming of being the big EDM producer, or just want to know a few basics on producing electronic music on the weekend, there’s a pretty steep learning curve involved. Don’t let that scare you off, though. All we’re saying is that you need a capable guide to take you by the hand and
Let us start by saying congratulations. By reaching this point, you’ve taken the first step in turning your dreams into reality, from a few ideas or lyrics to a full-on recorded masterpiece. So, good on you. Of course, there’s still some work to do yet, namely figuring out which is the best recording microphone for
If you’re diving headfirst into the world of recording and professional audio production, you’ll be realizing pretty quickly that the learning curve is steep. There’s just so much tech involved that doesn’t exist in any other circles, and it can be pretty tough to get your head around it all, especially if your musical and
So, you’re getting ready to buy your first mic, but you’re more than a little bit lost. What is a condenser mic? Which polar pattern do I need? What the hell does phantom power mean? There are a lot of questions to be answered before deciding on the perfect mic, and the most pressing of
If you’re new to guitar, chances are you’ve only been playing in standard tuning. This is when you tune your… 6th string to low E 5th string to A 4th string to D 3rd string to G 2nd string to B 1st string to high E Standard tuning has been the go-to for popular music
Bugera is one of the first, and one of the single manufacturers still producing budget tubular guitar amplifiers. The Bugera Trirec is not an example of what the brand usually offers, though. Whereas Bugera lives as a budget-minded builder of hand-made tubular amps, the Trirec model falls into the boutique category. It has everything going
Marshall Amps needs no extra introduction, but perhaps the Marshall MG15CFX does. It’s a budget solid-state amp coming from the brand that empowers the likes of Joe Perry, Angus Young, Slash, Jimmy Page, James Hetfield, Steph Carpenter, Joe Perry, and more. However, Marshall doesn’t only build amplifiers for superstars. The MG15CFX model goes towards young
As Axis of Awesome’s “Four-Chord Song” proves, you can play (almost) any popular guitar song with only a handful of major and minor chords. But what if you want to break out of the G-C-D-Em rut? Shake up a tired chord progression? Learn something new? This is when sus chords come in handy. Sus chords
You might have seen carbon fiber being used in sports equipment like tennis rackets, or as the hood of some imported powerhouse of a sports car — but, strangely, it’s pretty unlikely that you’ve ever seen a carbon fiber guitar. This might be because of the stereotype that they cost an arm and a leg
Today, we’re taking a look at the Boss CS-3 compressor and sustainer pedal for electric guitar. The CS-3 is one of those models that grant Boss such a high reputation, and we’re going to see why. Boss is one of the top-tier companies regarding guitar and bass pedal effects. Their reputation doesn’t come with a
Squier is perhaps everyone’s favorite budget guitar manufacturer, and Gibson’s subsidiary Epiphone is its only rival, in terms of sheer popularity. The appeal of a budget Stratocaster or Stratocaster guitar is simply too much. Among all of Squier’s incredible offers, we find the Squier ‘51 Stratocaster guitar. Originally, the guitar is part of Squier’s Vintage
Here we go again, with another Epiphone guitar review. And just like we saw on the Elitist Casino, the Epiphone Broadway is also an original hollow guitar with plenty to offer. Although Epiphone is currently Gibson’s subsidiary, they also have various original models. These original guitars and bass guitars come from the early ‘60s when
We’re here to take a look at the MXR Fullbore pedal, one of the most popular and sought-out stompboxes for metal genres. MXR is a New-York-based pedal effect manufacturer that began its operations in 1972. Nowadays, it’s a Jim Dunlop trademark company, continuously producing top tier effect pedals for rock genres. The Fullbore is about
Today, we’re taking a look at the AKG P420 microphone. This is a condenser microphone, otherwise known as studio mics for its ability to capture sounds with great detail and accuracy. At the same time, condenser mics are also lightweight and quite delicate, which is why you wouldn’t want to take them to a stage
Guitar intonation is the way that the instrument is in tune with itself, along the entire neck. Intonation is something that affects basses, guitars and almost any fretted instrument that has a bridge and strings, and can make a massive difference in the way your guitar sounds – making or breaking whether you sound good
A bass ukulele? Now, that’s a bold idea, but not just an idea, though. Bass ukuleles already exist as small solid or hollow body wooden instruments. They resemble guitar ukuleles, but they have four thicker strings to create deeper sounds. I may have oversimplified the matter, which may be exactly what you need. If you’ve
Few people know that Boss is Roland’s subsidiary. Given that Boss has such a reputation in the music industry, there’s no wonder why people don’t know they actually respond to someone else. The Boss Ve-8 is an example of why the brand is so revered. It showcases the consistent advancement the company makes in sound
Japanese guitar maker ESP is one of the biggest names in Asia. Their guitars are generally pricey to export to the rest of the world, though. As a result, ESP is not quite as big in America, but affordable models like the ESP LTD EC-256 have certainly made a dent in the industry. The LTD
I know what you’re thinking, we’re reviewing yet again another Epiphone guitar. This time, we’ve got the Epiphone Hummingbird Pro acoustic model, and we’re here to see if it’s worth it. As we usually say, Epiphone is Gibson’s subsidiary. Other than making affordable Les Paul alternatives and whatnot, Epiphone has a fair deal of original
We’ve seen many Epiphone electric guitars on our reviews. Often, they present themselves as alternatives to the very expensive Gibson Les Paul. And with a mere fraction of the premium price, guitars like the Epiphone Les Paul Standard are solid, reliable, and quite impressive. The history of Epiphone and Gibson are intertwined. Both brands have
Power chords are the key to unlocking many iconic guitar songs across genres and decades –– from Buddy Holly to Black Sabbath to Blink-182. The best part is, they’re not even that hard to play. They’re nowhere near as finger-cramping as barre chords. They’re even easier to fret than some open chords (looking at you,
If you read “Fender” on the brand, you know it’s something good. Add 60-watts of tubular power and you’ll end with a pricy, premium item. As such, the Fender Hot Rod Deville is a top-tier offering by the legendary musical gear brand. We’ve reviewed many Fender guitars, and we even named Fender as one of
The Epiphone Elitist Casino is not your standard Epiphone guitar. It’s an original model that has been decades in the market. As a combination between classic rock and modern styles, the ’65 Elitist Casino is well worth its price. Gibson’s subsidiary Epiphone is much more than a simple creator of budget Gibson alternatives. Before the
Marshall, as the creators of the first 100-watts combo amplifier, knows a thing or two about guitar loudspeakers. But we’re not here to talk about their meanest and biggest models: Instead, we’re discussing the best Marshall mini amps you can buy right now. There’s nothing sweeter than plugging your guitar into the loudest amp you
Learning guitar shouldn’t be a chore. After all, it’s called “playing” for a reason! It should be just as fun as playing sports. Or better yet, video games…. Enter Yousician. This Finnish company first made waves in 2010 with their popular Guitar Tuna tuning app. Then, in 2014, they launched a music teaching app for
Triads are some of the simplest chords that you can play on your guitar. The shapes are generally pretty easy, and as long as you aren’t playing any open strings, the basic shapes can be moved all over the neck to play different guitar chords of the same quality. Knowing where to find them on
Have you been noticing that you’ve been getting a little fret buzz as of late? How about your strings – do they feel like they’re a little too far from the fretboard? Are you finding it hard to fret a note, or is the playability of your guitar less than ideal? If you’ve recently changed
Orange amplifiers come from the UK. As such, you can expect the creamy British Invasion rock coming out of their loudspeakers. That said, we’re reviewing the modest Orange Crush 12, an entry-level solid-state guitar amplifier that serves as a first-timer gear. The brand’s amplifier range has a top-tier reputation. That’s because legendary rock players have
Seagull, as a subsidiary of the Canadian premium Godin brand, specializes in top-value and near hand-made acoustic guitars. Their instruments often pass the quality tests, though, with many people confusing their models for a mid-level Taylor or Takamine option. The Seagull Entourage Rustic is a mid-tier offering from the company. It hits the segment with superb
Despite the name of our site, there’s more to talk about around here than guitars. One of our goals is highlighting top-value musical gear in every market segment, from premium to budget alternatives. The latter is where the Blackstar HT1 comes into play, as an affordable combo amplifier for electric guitars. The Blackstar company is
Instead of reviewing mid-level and budget musical gear as we normally do, we’re going all-in. You’re in luck if you’re looking where to spend your hard-earned money on a professional guitar. The Schecter Hellraiser C-1 is a dream made electric guitar for metal genres. Schecter Musical Research is an American company. It needs no introduction.
So you want to sound like Jack White. You’ve come to the right place! In this article, I’ll show you all the gear that Jack White’s guitar rig is made up of, as well as the gear that is readily available in today’s market to help you sound like him. Since the White Stripes released
If you’re just starting out learning guitar, it can be frustrating when everything that sounds good seems so complex. It’s always fun to learn to play your favorite songs (in fact that could be why you picked up the guitar in the first place), but it’s sometimes a long hard road to be able to
You’re able to play barre chords, you might’ve tried experimenting with your finger positioning, moving frets or taking fingers off. If you have, you’ll have found that the sound of the chord changes drastically with even small changes, unlocking a whole new dimension to your playing and to the chords that you choose to use
As a beginner guitarist, it’s tempting to pick every single note in a downstroke. But experienced players know that alternate picking is the best way to up your game. This classic, staccato style picking uses a combination of alternate downstrokes and upstrokes. This way, you can easily play at lightning speed. It’s also more versatile
If you’re in the market for a new acoustic or electro-acoustic guitar, you’ll know that there are a lot of different options out there for you – different types of wood, different types of string, different makes and models, and different price points. One of the first options you’ll have to choose between though is
It’s time to check Yamaha’s acoustic guitar for kids. The JR1 FG is a beginner’s guitar retaining the elements every kid and parent would like. It’s small, cheap, and easy to play. More importantly, it has some of the elements of Yamaha’s excellent FG series, so we’re not talking about a disposable instrument. Yamaha acoustic
ESP doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Often their guitars go unnoticed, branded as nothing more than Gibson Les Paul copies. Here we have the ESP Viper electric guitar, another member of their affordable LTD line of modified, metal-oriented “Gibson copies.” Don’t be fooled, though. As per usual, the ESP LTD line offers some serious