REVIEW: Guitar Man Strap
Guitar Man Strap
There are loads of straps on the market today ranging in price, this is a mini review for the Guitar Man.
Build Quality
Very well made, no problems with any of the padding or stitching.
In use
Easy to adjust, when you set it up it stays in position.
Has padding so really comfortable.
Overall
Good guitar strap, the padding is a nice feature.
Pros:
- Padding
Cons:
- Only in black, would be good to have some variety
G | H rating 4/5
Thanks to Strings and Things.
REVIEW: Hercules iStand, floor stand
Hercules iStand
The Hercules iStand is a compact floor stand that can be folded away and used in your gigbag.
Build Quality
It's made of tough durable plastic, the legs and cradle are metal.
It feels sturdy and when folded could be chucked around and it would withstand it no problem. It's made for travelling and will take a battering and come out on top everytime.
When constructed it gives confidence that it will hold your prized possession safely.
Ease of use
Pretty self explanatory when you start to assemble, all the parts fall into place effortlessly and can be assembled in under 30 seconds.
In use
Overall
I have checked out a few floor stands and have always been unsure of their stability, this immediately feels different.
The cradle holds your guitar in place and unless it takes a big knock from the back it isn't going anywhere.
Pros:
- Folds away for easy storage
- Well designed and a great looking piece of kit
Cons:
- If knocked from behind it will unsettle the guitar, no headstock support as with Hercules other stands
G | H rating 4/5
Thanks to Strings and Things.
REVIEW: Dunlop Maintenance Station
Dunlop Maintenance Station
The Dunlop Maintenance Station is a plastic neck cradle that can support both the guitar by the back of the neck and the fretboard.
Developed in conjunction with master luthier Ron Thorn this is an invaluable product.
Build Quality
It's made of plastic but good quality and gives confidence that it is going to hold your prized possession without any worry.
Each edge is covered by a thin layer of foam and isn't going to cause damage to your neck.
Ease of use
Easy to use, one side for back of neck and another one for the fretboard.
See pic (1) and (2).
Pic (1)
Pic (2)
Our Verdict
This is a MUST have, the number of times that I have worked on my guitars at home on a table or bench with no stability. If you think how many times a year you change your strings or clean your fretboard having something that you can rely on to hold your guitar in place is invaluable.
It's as applicable to home guitarists as it is tech's, recommended.
G | H rating 5/5
Thanks to Strings and Things (www.stringsandthings.co.uk) for the review product.
REVIEW: Chrome-frets
Chrome-Frets
Chrome-frets is a string cleaning and fret polishing system that is quick and easy to use and gives great results.
The kit comes with the following:
- TefloWax solution
- Micro-fibre cleaning cloth
- Reusable pad with leather on one side and a cloth on the other
One thing to note, this isn't suitable for maple necks.
Retails around £15.
Build Quality
A lot of care and attention has gone into this product, it's very well made.
All the parts are of good quality, the instructions are well printed and the bag is resealable so you can keep it all together for when you next need it.
Ease of use
The instructions are very well explained and the application process was a breeze, there is a HD video at the Chrome-frets website if you want to see how its done.
Basics are:
- Spray solution onto pad
- Wipe from nut to bridge for around 2 minutes
- Turn pad over and wipe with the cloth side to polish for approx 2 minutes
- Use the included micro-fibre to polish frets
- Wrap the cloth around each string and wipe each string in turn lengthways
Job done.
Very quick and easy, whole process takes no more than 5 minutes.
It leaves the strings clean but not too slippery as with other similar products I have used.
There is also a bit of cloth on the top of the bottle so that you can apply to each string if you want a silky playing action.
Our verdict
There are a lot of products out there for maintaining your gear, this is one that should be top of your list.
An invaluable product for the gigging musician, no need to get your gear looked at by a professional just use this after each gig and you will always be presented with a playable clean neck.
Just be careful if you do decide to use on an unfinished Maple neck.
G | H rating 5/5
Thanks to Chrome-Frets - www.chromefrets.co.uk
Nice and clean
REVIEW: JOYO JT-20 Clip Tuner
- Joyo Tuner
There’s plenty of small, inexpensive guitar tuners around these days, all doing a decent enough job and the JOYO JT-20 is no exception. It’s a small, no-nonsense tuner that operates as a clip or microphone and does exactly what you want.
- LCD Backlight in Yellow/Green/Red
- Clip or Microphone mode
- Tuning options for Guitar/Bass/Violin/Chromatic
- 410 – 450Hz tuning frequency
- Tolerance +/- 1 cent displayed using needle-style indicator
- Power saving function
- Powered by 1 x CR2032 battery (3v) supplied
- Dimensions: 67mm x 46mm x 44mm
Build Quality
Made of plastic with a sturdy clip mechanism, it’s overall quite small and should prove robust enough for most occasions.
Ease of use
The instructions are clear enough though it’s all fairly straightforward anyway. Once powered up, the power button is used to switch to clip or microphone mode.
Up/Down arrows will change the frequency and the mode button will switch between the tuning options of guitar/bass/violin/chromatic.
The display screen is well lit and generally easy to read, but strong direct light is a bit trickier. However, as it has a 360degree turning circle it can easily be adjusted when clipped to avoid direct light. Also, as it’s a fairly small unit, the operating buttons are quite small, so chunky fingers may find them a bit fiddly.
Overall I didn’t have any problems with it and found it very easy to use and more importantly, accurate with it’s tuning measurements.
Overall
A decent, compact little tuner with a no-nonsense operation. It’s a Tuner and nothing else, so that’s all you pay for– and at around £10, good value too.
G | H rating 4/5
- Bob
REVIEW: Marshall Single Footswitch
Marshall Single Footswitch mini review
I was after a cheap footswitch to switch between clean and gain channel's on my Laney GH100L so after a quick shopping trip ended up getting the Marshall P801.
Marshall P801
Price paid - £15
Cheap, well built, hard wearing and simple to use (one switch!).
I've used this at home and rehearsing and it's not failed me once, solid build means it can stand even the hardest abuse.
If you are looking for a single footswitch that's going to last then this is the one for you.
REVIEW: K&M Stand
The K&M Plastic stand is an innovative take on the same stands you see everywhere.
Fold away design
It folds away pretty small and even when holding your prized possession takes up less room than a standard metal stand.
It will take all electrics and acoustics and is padded with foam so will not damage your instrument.
Design
Not as sturdy as others tested (check out Hercules) so you might want to consider something else if you want to be 100% sure of protection. This looks pretty unstable if knocked and I would hate to damage a guitar by using a £10 stand.
G | H rating 3/5 - Best to be used by your practise area for temporary storage, I wouldn't recommend using one as a permanent home for your guitars.
Lee
REVIEW: JP Guitar Tool
JP Guitar Tool
The JP Guitar Tool is an all in one solution for guitarists, comprising of
- String cutter
- Spring action pliers
- .050 hex
- 1.5mm hex
- 2.5mm hex
- 3mm hex
- Philips head screw driver
- Flat head screw driver
- Bridge pin puller
- Carry case
Build quality
Nicely packaged, very well put together piece of kit. Solid construction and looks like it is built to last, will be ideal for the gig bag or on your shelf at home.
No complaints here.
Guitar Tool
Ease of use
All tools are easy to use, the only exception being the pliers. They are situated below the string cutters and it is tricky to be accurate with the positioning but its not a deal breaker.
It has everything you need, especially useful for Floyd Rose owners as it has all of the hex ones that you need.
Overall
You can use normal house tools for guitar maintenance but I find it's great having them all in one place rather than having to keep them all together, this also takes up a lot less room.
Bit on the pricey side (£15) but I do recommend getting one for your gig bag.
G | H rating 4/5 - very useful but a bit on the expensive side.
Contact - www.farleyessentials.com
REVIEW: Spear ST-1 Clip Metro-Tuner
Spear ST-1
The Spear ST-1 is a clip on Tuner that also boasts a metronome and tone generator.
- Built in mic and vibration sensor
- Calibration 430Hz-450Hz
- For Guitar, Bass and Violin
- Metronome, 30-250BPM
- Auto power off
- Battery included
- £12.99
Build Quality
There are quite a few tuners coming from the far east at reasonable prices, some vary in quality but are all along the same lines. The box and instructions are clear and the tuner itself is clearly labelled and looks to be of good quality.
Ease of use
Really easy to use, nice clear back lit screen is great and is easily visible in all light conditions.
Hold power to power on then use the same button to scroll through the functions, the metronome is really easy to use utilising the left hand buttons to increase or decrease the tempo.
Tested against a good quality Korg tuner and it was just as accurate.
Nice clear screen
Value for money
These tuners are all around the same price range (normally less than £20) and in my opinion every guitarist should own one, especially if you are gigging. The Spear is the best I've seen, nice bright screen and is accurate.
Overall
Highly recommended, having a tuner that you can use when in noisy surroundings is indispensable. I have compared this to a similar product and when looking at the back lit screen, metronome and ease of use this is our favourite.
G | H rating 5/5
Contact - Blacki Distribution (01236 861261)
www.spear-guitars.co.uk
Hercules GS414B Floor Stand
Hercules Stand
The Hercules GS414B is a floor stand that can be used for Instruments up to 33lbs and is one of the best on the market.
First thing that strikes you about this stand is the build quality, its metal with foam coverings for protection and once assembled is very sturdy.
The key to these stands though is the patented AUTO GRIP mechanism for holding the guitar in place, you simply place the headstock into the grip and lower, it then grips and you can let go.
I have used this stand with a variety of electric and acoustic guitars with no problems.
Overall
Can't really fault this product, although double check the foam is safe for Nitro.
G | H rating 5/5, bit more expensive than other stands but worth it.
Getting started in home recording with the Zoom MRS-8
Zoom MRS8
The ZOOM MRS-8 is a multi-track recorder with built in drum machine that is a great way of getting into recording without using a computer.
I used one as my introduction into home recording a few years ago and if you spend the time getting to know it will be invaluable if you don't want to go down the route of using a computer.
It comes with an SD slot for easy recording and can be transferred to a PC for final mastering (don't have to do this bit if you want to stick to the Zoom).
Specs:
- 8 track recording
- 24 bit digital mixer
- 8 drum kits and 5 bass models
- Guitar effects
- SD card recording
- Headphone OUT
It's quite daunting when you first use this and the menu's can be confusing so spend some time with the manual, I know its a hard thing to do sometimes but to get the most out of this you need to.
The on board effects are great especially the lead guitar ones, chorus and delays are particularly good.
I used this for around six months before deciding I needed to have more control over what I was recording, that said though its great for recording live stuff. If you have the time to spend with this it will be a great piece of kit but I needed something a bit more visual, the screen isn't big on this and can be hard to figure out whats going on sometimes.
If you want a quick way of recording without all the fuss of having a computer involved then this will be good for you but if want more control over your tracks and dont mind staring at a PC then I would go down that route instead. There are plenty of solutions inc Ableton for PC and Garageband for Mac that in my opinion are way above what this can do, especially given the price (I paid £150).
G | H rating 3/5
Ernie Ball Pedal Connectors – A Must Buy
Pedals
These are amazing little products if you don't want endless leads all over the place.
It is a 1/4" male to male connector which, especially if using in a bedroom are essential to stop the clutter.
Build quality is what you would expect from Ernie Ball, amazing and the price wont break the bank ($5).
The only thing to watch out for is not all pedals have the INPUTS and OUTPUTS at the same height, as you can see in the picture I have some paper underneath my Digitech CM2 so I dont put pressure on the connector.
G | H rating 5/5
Fender California Cables
Just wanted to do a quick post about the FENDER California Cable series.
California Cables
These are the best cables I've used, come in various lengths and colours and come with a limited limited warranty.
I've been using these for around 3 years and I have NOT had any issues.
G | H rating 5/5
Guthrie Govan Books – Review
Creative Guitar
Guthrie Govan is a much respected and technically excellent British guitarist performing in various bands and teaching guitar.
This series of books is aimed at the guitarist who wants to learn some new tricks or feels stuck in rut, which is something we all go through at some point in our playing.
The books here are:
- Creative Guitar 1, cutting edge techniques
- Creative Guitar 2, advanced techniques
and they both come with a CD.
The first thing you notice with these books is that they aren't full of tab, but each section has a prefix which explains the technique beforehand in an easy to understand manner.
They help you to sit down and structure practise around them i.e. lets do a chapter tonight and are broken down enough not to take hours.
Covering topics such as:
- Theory
- Scales and chords
- Legato
- Tapping
- Emulating other instruments
they have enough in them to keep it interesting and contain some helpful hints on warm ups.
G | H rating 4/5
PRS Cleaning Kit
The PRS cleaning kit consists of:
- Polishing cloth
- Fretboard conditioner
- Guitar polish
- Guitar cleaner
Price: £25
The cloth is the same that is used in the factory and should be left around for dusting off your priced posesssions.
The rest of the kit functions as expected and can be used on any guitar (although you might want to avoid using it on a nitro finish).
G | H rating: 5/5
PRS Cleaning Kit
Warwick Rock Stand Review
Warwick Rock Stand
The Warwick Rock Stand is a guitar stand that holds 3 instruments either electric or acoustic (they also do a 5 stand one).
I use this for 2 electrics and 1 acoustic and as we all know when your guitars are out on display you are more likely to pick them up.
Price: £45
Out of the box
This stand comes disassembled , but it only takes 5 minutes to put together.
I would advise to assemble it where you are going to site your guitars.
Build Quality
The build quality is good although the foam will wear over time, it will leave an imprint where your guitar has been sat and will deteriorate over time but I am yet to see it break apart to the metal.
Nitro?
A word of warning, if you have a guitar with a Nitrocellulose finish then you might want to put some cloth between your guitar and the foam as I'm not certain if it will affect the finish (better to be safe than sorry).
Overall
This is a well build stand and is definately up for the job, it will comfortably hold electric and acoustic guitars.
G | H rating 4/5
In use
Fretboard Roadmaps
Fretboard Roadmaps
Fretboard Roadmaps
Fretboard roadmaps is a book by Fred Sokolow and aims to improve your understanding of the fretboard through lessons on notes and scales.
It is very well laid out and doesn't overcomplicate things like a lot of books do on this topic.
Lessons include:
- Notes on the fretboard
- The major scale
- Two moveable major chord shapes
- The I-IV-V chord family
- The D-A-F roadmap
- Chord fragment/chord families
- Circle of fifths
- Variations of the two moveable major chords
- Moveable major scales
- Three moveable blues scales
- Major pentatonic scales
- A moveable double note lick
Overall
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to either learn theory or brush up on their knowledge, I've found it very useful and a welcome addition to my practice schedule
G | H rating 4/5
G7th Performance Capo – Review
G7th
- Capo in place
GHS Fast Fret – Guitarists Best Friend
I have been using GHS Fast Fret for years, in fact I think I have had this one for at least 2!
Fast Fret
Pretty simple product really, a wooden handle with cloth on the end (has mineral oil embedded in it).
You can apply to the neck and not worry about it damaging the fretboard, just run it over the strings then wipe off any excess with the supplied cloth.
Warning! don't apply too much though as its takes a while to come off.
I wipe the strings off every time I'm done playing then use this about once a week, it helps keep the strings looking like new and definately helps with making them longer lasting.
Another word of warning, keep it in the container or it will dry it out.
G | H Rating 5/5