Buying Guides
How to Choose the Correct Size Violin for your Child
Choosing the right violin can be difficult when faced with so many size options. For most parents, their child will just be starting out and have had very little, if any, playing experience. As a parent you don't want to fork out hundreds or thousands of dollars on an instrument if you're not sure they will see it through their first term of l...... Read More
Beginners Guide to Drums
Contents ComponentsSize GuideAcoustic or Electronic DrumsAccessories Drum Sticks Drum Heads Bags Upgrades Snare Drum Cymbals Hardware Why Choose an Artist Drum Kit? Components A standard 5 piece drum kit is generally made up of the same components, usually: Kick drum Snare drum 2 x Rack toms Floor tom Hih hat cymbal Crash/Ride Pedal, Stool...... Read More
Electric Guitar Bridges - What the difference?
Bridges for electric guitars can be divided into two main groups, "vibrato" and "non-vibrato" (also called hard-tail). Vibrato bridges have an arm (called the vibrato or whammy bar that extends from below the string anchoring point. It acts as a lever that the player can push or pull to change the strings tension and, as a result, the pitch. Thi...... Read More
What difference does the finish make to my guitar?
This buying guide will explain the differences of guitar finishes. Firstly, there are no such thing as a guitar without a lacquer finish, so please don't ask that question in a guitar store or in front of a Luthier or they will give a strange look, I'm saving you that situation, Muso's in guitar shops can be very funny sometimes. There are two...... Read More
What are the Parts of a Guitar?
Here are some diagrams showing the different parts of the guitar and a quick explanation of what they do. Artist LSP Steel String Acoustic Guitar Artist CL Beginner Classical Guitar Artist STH Beginner Electric Guitar Notes: Headstock Houses the Machine heads for adjusting the tension (tuning) of the strings Mach...... Read More
How to Choose the Right Guitar for a Child
The first few months of playing are the most crucial for a child learning guitar, so it's imperative that you choose a beginner guitar to suit them. If they make it through the first 3 months, then they are much more likely to become a life-long player. This is particularly true of children with a short attention span. If they find it too diffi...... Read More
Guitar Size Guide
The correct size is most accurately determined by the player’s height and age. It's also important to choose a guitar that will inspire you or your child to play. If they're into rock music, best to go for an electric guitar. Folk music is best played on a steel string acoustic. A couple of things to consider when deciding on a first guitar: ...... Read More
7 Common Mistakes When Buying Your First Guitar
Often people get inspired to play guitar and jump straight to purchasing something that might not suit them. Here are seven common mistakes people make when buying their first guitar: Mistake #1. Getting the wrong sound – Classical, Acoustic or Electric? You have 3 basic choices of sound when you buy a guitar: Nylon String Classical Steel Str...... Read More
How to use youtube to choose the correct guitar
Choosing the right guitar is all about getting something that is a great match. By watching a live video of your favourite band or musician, you can see the type of guitar they play. This will give a better idea of what guitar you should look at buying. For example, this video of Extreme playing the Classic song More than words features a steel...... Read More