(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best instrument accessories

Epiphone makes good budget guitars. The other titan of the budget guitar world is Squier, who I would say has a better quality to price ratio. But of course Squier does Stratocasters, not Les Pauls. If the Les Paul style is what you want, I'd say either of those guitars is a good choice.

For the amp, since you're just playing at home, you really don't need anything louder than 5W, but there are a lot of great budget amps that are 10W-20W, and that shouldn't scare you off of buying them, you can always just keep the volume low. Make sure the amp you get has a headphone jack in it so you can play through headphones, that way you can play loud without bothering anyone. After all, it is very fun to play an electric guitar loudly.

I'm not well versed enough with budget amps to give you a good set of recommendations, but I would say that you will want to have a setup that sounds good. You can learn and play just as well on a setup that doesn't sound great as a setup that sounds really good, but it's just way more fun to play when you have a really great tone.

So I'd say either say do some research and get a decent amp, you can absolutely find decent amps at budget prices, or get a really cheap amp and a multi-effects pedal. The multi-effects pedal will let you play around with a bunch of different effects to get a great tone, and most have some "amp modellers" in them, which attempt to replicate the sound of famous amplifiers. The multi-effects pedal I recommend is the Zoom G1on. It has a huge range of effects, sounds great, is very easy to use, and is probably the least expensive multi-effects pedal you'll find. If you pick up that multi-effects pedal and a Fender Frontman 10G, you'll have a great budget setup. Or you can just find a cheap used amp in your area. Don't be scared to buy used gear, I always buy my gear used if possible. It's cheaper and supports fellow musicians.

If you're willing to spend a bit more on the amp, the Yamaha THR10 is the gold standard of bedroom amps. The tones on this thing are amazing and so accessible. The multi-effects pedal I recommended can get great tones, and has a bunch of built-in presets that sound really good, but if you want to find some truly spectacular tones you'll have to do some experimenting with it. The THR10 just sounds incredible right out of the box, and its portability has been useful to me a number of times.

My last bit of advice: if you decide to go for just an amp without a multi-effects pedal, find one that has reverb built into it, I'm talking about a knob labelled "Reverb" on the amp. Reverb is so important to getting a nice sounding tone, especially when you're just playing guitar alone.

Good luck!

I'm going to do my best to help but without a given budget it's a little more difficult, though I'm going to assume a sub-$150 range seeing as though it's a gift. While there are not a lot of particular pedals made exclusively for shoegaze, there is a pretty agreed upon category of effects to give the shoegaze sound: fuzz/distorition, delay, reverb, modulation.

Fuzz: My personal favorite category

Electro Harmonix Big Muff Pi- there are a lot of different variations of this pedal, many in the boutique market (read: price range), but the newly launched Nano Big Muff is a great compromise of sound and space.
Devi Ever Shoegazer- a little more pricey, but if you peruse the used markets you can occasionally find one for a little less than $150.
Way Huge Swollen Pickle- A Big Muff variation, but with a lot of additional controls to help sculpt the sound you want. There is also a newer version that moves the original SP's internal trim pots to the outside.
Blackout Effectors Musket- Yet another Big Muff variation, but my personal favorite and the one that currently presides on my board with very little risk of being replaced any time soon.

Distorition

Proco Rat- A fun little distortion pedal that's capable of some huge sounds
Dr. Scientist The Elements- A little more pricey, but arguably the most versatile distortion on the market, capable of everything from a clean boost to massive, almost fuzz-like distortion.
Walrus Audio Iron Horse- only slightly over budget, but a great distortion

Modulation

Chorus- A few suggestions for a classic shoegaze effect in ascending price:
EHX Small Stone
MXR Analog Chorus
TC Electronic Corona Chorus

Tremolo- The other classic shoegaze modulation effect
Boss TR-2
Voodoo Lab Tremolo
Fulltone ST-1 Supa-Trem
Mooer Trelicopter- Haven't tried this one and there's mixed reviews about the Mooer's quality control, but from what I've gathered, this isn't one of the pedals people seem to be having lots of issues with

Delay

TC Electronic Flashback- Also available in the X4 model (larger but offers presets)
Boss DD-3- Really any of the Boss DD series pedals would do the trick, and they go for a steal on the used market
EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master- a combo delay and reverb that sacrifices versatility in exchange for an awesome sound
MXR Carbon Copy- an extremely popular delay on this sub. This one's analog as opposed to digital, meaning the repeats will be a little darker, but the available modulation for the repeats sounds really good.
Malekko 616 Delay- Another analog delay that's fairly comparable to the Carbon Copy, but this pedal offers adjustable modulation amounts.

Reverb

TC Electronic Hall of Fame- My current favorite reverb pedal! Offers a wide variety of sounds, each with a fair amount of control, but the toneprint ability is really where this pedal shines.
Neunaber WET
Electro Harmonix Cathedral- a little pricer, but a great reverb with cool features like reverse reverb and a hold switch
Digitech Digiverb- There's a bit of a split consensus on this pedal, as some think its terrible and some love it. That being said, you can regularly find these things on the used market for around $40. If you went for a cheaper fuzz option, you could pick up one of these used for the reverse reverb setting alone- placed before a fuzz, it perfectly hits that huge Kevin-Shields sound.

These are just a few suggestions since I don't have too much time to keep going at the moment, but feel free to reply or shoot me a PM if you have any questions or would like more suggestions and I'll do my best to get back to you by tonight.

You can get a "bundle" that has everything you're describing (except pedals/effects-- but I'll get to that in a minute) for around your budget price. You just have to figure out which type of guitar to get. If you're into country, then you need a Telecaster type guitar. If you're into rock then you need a Les Paul type or Stratocaster type. If you're a metal guy... I can't help you because I don't know what's appropriate for that, other than it won't be a Telecaster.

Okay, so here's a Telecaster bundle on Amazon. It includes the guitar and a Fender Lunchbox containing a clip-on tuner, string winder, picks, strap, and strings:

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Affinity-Telecaster-Beginner-Electric/dp/B07B53YQ3Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537075140&sr=8-2&keywords=squier+affinity+telecaster+bundle

The cost is only $233.60. That doesn't include an amp, however. Here's a Frontman 10 watt amp for $60.00:

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Frontman-Electric-Guitar-Amplifier/dp/B001L8PIFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537075410&sr=8-1&keywords=fender+frontman+15g

Total cost is around $300.

Here's a Stratocaster style guitar bundle that includes Squier Guitar, 15 Watt Guitar amplifier, picks, Cable, and strap. All it's missing compared to the above is a clip on tuner. (They're cheap.)

This might be appropriate because this Strat has a "humbucking" pickup in the bridge. That means it has an aggressive rock sound like a Les Paul, but also has all the other sounds a Strat is famous for. It's appropriate for rock, blues, and some country. The amp is more powerful than the one listed above, and has better controls. Both amps have headphone jacks, though, so you can use it in your bedroom without disturbing the rest of the house or apartment.

This bundle is $300.00.

If your guitar hero play Les Pauls (e.g., Slash, etc.) here's an Epiphone bundle which includes a genuine Les Paul Special-II LTD guitar featuring two classic humbucker pickups and a 10-watt Electra guitar amp with a 10ft guitar cable, a clip-on headstock chromatic tuner, a guitar strap, medium picks, and an easy-to-carry gig bag. And best of all for new players, the Les Paul Player Pack comes with free downloadable guitar lessons from media.

Here it is in vintage sunburst:

https://www.amazon.com/Epiphone-PPEG-EGL1VSCH1-Electric-Package-Sunburst/dp/B00A6D50L0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537076037&sr=8-1&keywords=epiphone+les+paul+bundle

And here it is in bad-ass black:

https://www.amazon.com/Epiphone-Electric-Guitar-Player-Package/dp/B00AGJKKH8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537076037&sr=8-3&keywords=epiphone+les+paul+bundle

Not only is this guitar bundle cheaper than the ones above (it's only $250) it also includes a padded "gig bag" case for the guitar, so it's a really good deal.

You asked about guitar pedals and effects. Buying a full complement of those would add up to a lot of money. Here's an alternative: the Zoom G1Xon and G1on. This is a single stomp box pedal that has basically every effect there is built-in. It can make whatever amp you get sound similar to famous expensive amps (within reason), plus it has all the effects like reverb, delay, compression, chorusing, flanging, etc, etc. Basically multiple models of every effect you could think of. The Zoom G1on is $60. The Zoom G1Xon is the same pedal, but attached to it is a foot pedal so it can sound like a "wah-wah", or be a volume pedal, as well as other effects. It costs $80.

Here's the G1on

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1Xon-Guitar-Effects-Expression/dp/B00IOSJ68C/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537076414&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=g1%2Bon%2Bzoom%2Bpedal&th=1

And here's the G1Xon:

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1Xon-Guitar-Effects-Expression/dp/B00IOSJ72M/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537076414&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=g1+on+zoom+pedal

I have a recording studio and a million stomp boxes and other effects pedals, but I bought a G1Xon just because it looked like fun-- and it was! I love it!

​

Good luck with your purchase, my friend. I hope I have been of help to you with all this info!

​

First off, no need to apologize for inexperience. Asking good questions means you are gaining experience.

1. Now-a-days Squier makes a fine guitar, but just get it set up by someone who knows how if you haven't already! A good setup is so important to how any guitar plays. I would rather play your Squier with a good set up than an American fender with a shitty set up. As far as upgrades go I would think about some locking tuners. I think those are just drop in tuners with no drilling needed even for Squier, but I would make sure.
   
   
2. There are a ton of pickup makers out there but you can not go wrong with Seymour Duncan. Just browse around and take a look at their output and EQ charts that show how hot the pickup is and then listen listen listen to sound demos. Pickups are very subjective so youtube is a great tool.
   
   
3. Personally I love Elixir strings! They last a long time, especially if you have sweat like mine that kills strings very fast. That being said a lot of people don't like the feel of Elixir. They don't like the "slippery" feeling of the coating on the wound strings. If you want to stay with coated strings that feel more like traditional string you can check out D'addario EXP strings. Again it's subjective like anything else, so test drive and see what you like.
   
   
4. Oh boy pedals. Pedals can be a slippery slope financially haha. I also think /r/guitarpedals would be able to help you (better than I can at least) there but if you like distortion then I have heard a lot of good things about the Mesa Flux-Drive and the JHS Angry Charlie.
   
   As for your amp I do not have any personal experience with the Vypyr but if you like the sound and it is loud enough for your applications then go with it. Those are really the only things determining if you need a new amp. If you ever want to upgrade to a tube/valve amp I would suggest looking at the Marshall DSL line if you are into heavier tones and want to spend money.
   
   The pedals and amp are really based off what you like to play. If you are not satisfied with your current amp there are A LOT of good combos out there that are more affordable than tube amps. Andertons Music youtube channel just put out a great combo amp round up video you should check out if you want. I hope that all helps!

You'll get a lot of recommendations for the free stuff for JustinGuitar, Andyguitar or https://syngates.com.

Supplement these theory lessons with Rocksmith 2014 (PC or gaming machine) which'll help you with mechanics in a FUN(!) way as you learn from famous licensed songs. They add songs every Tuesday (Shania Twain pack was released today for example). There's currently over 1000 songs. The software also has ways to slow down songs, play impromptu with a "band" and do mini-games to improve your muscle memory/technique/chord knowledge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NWZR3rh06c&list=PLkTijIFpb637_jSnwBpwghkRIQrNanu3t

You can also get a cheap but great sounding "bedroom amp" like the Blackstar Fly 3 Bluetooth for practice (you WON'T do better for the money). Btw, Bluetooth is great for passing thru backing tracks from your phone/computer.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fly+3+bluetooth

Once you evolve to the point where you want to use different effects, you can get the much adored Zoom G1xon (again best in class) for less than $80 and mate it to the Fly 3 (it includes a Looper, Drum Machine, Metronome and Tuner to help with your practicing):

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=zoom+g1xon

Get a Dunlop sampler pick pack off Amazon to find the pick you like most for your fingers. Also stick with around 10-46 area for string gauges or something more unique like the GHS Gilmours which have purposely THINNER gauges in the middle for easier bending (the 10.5-50 set is specifically designed by Gilmour himself for Gibby guitars).

STRINGS:

https://www.amazon.com/GHS-Strings-GB-DGG-Signature-Nickel-Plated/dp/B001I51JNS/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520372995&sr=sr-1&keywords=ghs+gilmour

PICKS:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055VBYWC/ref=twister_B00IPH8MD2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

TUNER (this is best in class, VERY responsive chip):

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UniTuneClip--tc-electronic-unitune-clip-clip-on-chromatic-tuner

It's worth talking to him and seeing which body shape he likes best. You can find Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster, Mustang, SGs and even Les Paul styles for about the same price. Starting with something that you really like and identify with can make a huge difference to keep motivation at that harsh beginning.

Anyway, here's my recommendation:

• Amp: Fender Frontman 10G 10W - $59.99
  
  You can't really get a good amp and it won't make that much difference at the beginning so it's best to focus on the guitar for now. I started with an amp similar to that one (maybe even worse) and it was perfectly capable for years.
  
  
• Guitar: Squier Affinity Stratocaster - $155-$179.99
  
  A very solid choice for a first guitar. You can get the Telecaster version for about the same price but that specific Strat is on sale today at MF so it might be worth picking it up.
  
  Here you also have the choice of spending a bit more and going for a $180 $200 guitar, such as the Yamaha Pacifica, the LTD EC-10, a Jackson JS22-7 or even a Jazzmaster, which is my personal favorite choice. All these other choices depend drastically on the style of music he likes to listen and play. That's why it's worth talking to him beforehand.
  
  Anyway, considering you're going for the first strat, here's the other recommendations to finish the package:
  
  
• Elixir .09 strings- $9.99
  
  Some people love them, other hate, but it's fact that they're great for people starting out and even just playing/practicing in their bedroom. I use these as my every day strings. They don't rust and contrary to regular strings that will last you 2-4 weeks, these last several months.
  
  
• Dunlop Pick Pack Variety - $3.99
  
  Just so he can test and choose between several picks.
  
  
• Planet Waves 10ft cable - $7.99
  
  Just a solid and simple cable.
  
  
• Snark Tuner SN-1 - $9.15
  
  Fantastic, accurate and reliable little clip-on tuner. I've been using these for years and they're very well regarded.
  
  Total: $246.11
  
  
  EDIT: Of course that after I finished typing this whole post I went to check the value pack kit posted here and realized that the first Squier kit is basically what I selected plus a nice discount. Well, fuck me... I'm still keeping the post up.
  
  By the way, if you do get the kit at $200, consider getting a setup done to the guitar for about $40~$50. All guitars usually require it but it's much more important on these cheap ones. They usually play like garbage out of the box and to be playable they require a basic setup.

For $35: The DOD 250 is my favorite Bass overdrive. It can get anything from a transparent grind to a moderate fuzz. The reason it does the transparent thing well is because it literally is the drive circut from the Klon Centaur, it just doesnt have the buffer, blend or tone knob. The tone is directly tied to the gain knob which means you will really want to set the tone using the gain knob and you want to set the gain by driving more or less volume into the pedal. Kinda weird at first, but its pretty easy to figure out. here is some reading for the fun of it.

For $32: The JOYO Ultimate Drive is a very convincing clone of the OCD. Its a little on the anemic side for bass in comparison to the Fuzzrocious Demon (Bass specific OCD Clone) but for the price its pretty dang good... heck, at one time, they were repackaged and sold as the "Freekish Blues" botique pedal and were hyped up and going like hotcakes for $200 a pop until people figured out what was happening.

For $60: The Russian Muff Reissue is one of the better fuzzes out there for bass. Its on the heavier side, and doesn't do a transparent tone well but does a great great fuzz. Most iconic bass pedal on the market.

I assume you mean the Berklee Press "A Modern Method for Guitar" (though I think the same book by William Leavitt is published also by Hal Leonard).

I was just recommending the Hal Leonard Complete Method because it's so much less daunting, but if you've got the chops for the Berklee book, go for it. It definitely jumps in hard with both feet and leans way more on harmony really early on. If you find yourself hitting the wall with it, you can always take a break and try the other one and jump back and forth as you progress.

I'll also recommend this playlist on Youtube that has several of the duets played with both parts. That way you can really enjoy playing the duets and learn both parts and then play them back with the other parts played on Youtube.

If you don't already have a looper, it's also likely a worthwhile investment not just for guitar, but also if you're using a keyboard. It's great to be able to play duets with yourself when there isn't a recording like above. Also, listening back to yourself lets you really pay attention to details and lets you notice how bad your time is so you can fix it.

It can also be great for jamming between the two instruments or used to help with practice of improv and other things.

An entry level, no-frills looper that seems really popular is the Ditto.

• [Wilkinson] (http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/All_Hardware_and_Parts_by_Instrument/Electric_Guitar_Parts/Electric_Guitar_Bridges_and_Tailpieces/Electric_Guitar_Tremolos/Wilkinson_Gotoh_VS-100N_Tremolo.html) trem. Drill press would be ideal for the post holes, but you could also just clamp a guide to the body.
  
• LSR nut. Unless you have access to a router jig, I would suggest a rectangular file matching the LSR's dimensions to clean up and deepen the slot you're going to start with a super fine cut saw.
  
• Locking Tuners. Staggered, so no more string trees. Super stable tuning when paired with the Wilkinson and LSR, even after divebombs. Those "F" tuners have a super accurate 18:1 gear ratio. I also like that particular design because they're stabilized with a pair of incorporated pegs that slip into pre-drilled holes, instead of relying on a tiny little screw.
  
  I can't comment on the Gen 4 Noiseless, as I've never used them. My wiring is more like a Les Paul, with dual HB, three way switch and push-pulls for coil splits. This is a pretty good resource for wiring ideas, if you're looking for inspiration. Generally speaking, you'll also want to replace the switches and pots with Switchcraft, CTS, etc. My guess is that the MIM's come with Alpha, but I could be wrong.
  
  EDIT: Keep in mind, when researching wiring diagrams, that "Noiseless" usually means humbucker. It might look like a single coil, but it will be two coils stacked one on top of the other. Check manufacturer specs to confirm whether you're dealing with four or two wires, then plan accordingly.

Here’s my recommendation:

The guitar: this it’s really an excellent guitar, for price you can’t beat that.

The strings: used for The Wall

Additionally you could replace the pick ups depending on your amplifier: with these personally i would not recommend it on the specific strat I recommend for you to buy cause it cost twice the guitar. But if you get one, try to find one second hand!

Also remember its not all in the equipment, you also they way you play the guitar! Learning the proper style of playing can get you a long way!

Now pedals and amps:

I personally think this is the most important no matter what guitar you have, if you put it threw a good amp it really does miracles!

I personally have a Fender M-80 amplifier, the distortion on that amp sound extremely good so I don’t really use disto pedals!! But I do have 2 disto pedals that sound like him,

1: Real Tube Overdrive: this

2: Big Muff: here ya go

3: Definitely get an Echo Pedal thats a must! Any one should do! like this

Just use a decent amplifier, if you already have one it’s probably fine, around 200-300 Watts is great.

Additional links:

This website called Gilmourish is excellent if you want to find the exact correct pedals and techniques! Here: http://www.gilmourish.com

And this video:

this! and this

Hope this helps!

Edit: if you dont have an amplifier, try looking for a second hand Fender amp, either on ebay, craigslist, facebook market place! You can send me a pm if you found one and I could tell you about it!

Edit 2: really depending on your budget I can tell what to get so feel free to pm always happy to help a fellow Floydian.

1. I really didn't think I had anything that was gray!! But this is! And so is this! WOOO!
   
   
2. The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. But I've never been there.
   
   
3. Not crazy, but still, unusual, right?
   
   
4. This whole list is for the people and animals that I work with!
   
   
5. If you've seen the movie YOU HAVE TO READ THE BOOK!! There's so much more excitement and detail!! Everything makes sense!
   
   
6. Fifteen cents.
   
   
7. We use this for some of the smaller cats at work!! Put a little treat or some whole fresh catnip, and AWAAAAY THEY GO!!
   
   
8. These. so freaking gorgeous!
   
   
9. Just to see and hear Tom Cruise sing. Or Alec Baldwin sing. Or really, the whole thing goes back and forth from awesome to awesome-er, as long as you don't have a lot of expectations.
   
   
10. If you can hunt for food in silence, the zombies won't know where you are!!
    
    
11. This is on my dream list for the hubs to see. My computer is dead and I have to use the kiddo's. I miss my photo editing software, all my files, etc...
    
    
12. I don't believe this, but I have absolutely NO add-on items on any of my wishlists. wow.
    
    
13. See #11. I'm desperate to have a computer back. DESPERATE!
    
    
14. I could carry a breadbox in this thing.
    
    
15. Totes smaller.
    
    
16. Sandalwood smells incredible.
    
    
17. HEXBUGS ARE MY FAVORITES!!
    
    
18. you have to have an awesome pencil case to go back to school!! Or, maybe this one?
    
    
19. RAoA is my favorite obsession. And yeah, that's on my WL!!
    
    
20. I can't get over how gorgeous, or cheap, this is!! Also, the kiddo has this bookmarked on the Senior Year WL. Absolutely gorgeous. And expensive.
    
    

    BONUS!!
    

    
    Yes. Cherries. need them now.
    
    
    
    

I got this from Amazon after I decided to learn the ukulele. No regrets at all, it sounds great. I even bought Aquila Super Nylgut strings to restring it but I think the ukulele I got already have those and it sounds great. You also should pick up something like this to help you tune your ukulele, kind of hard to tune it by ear as a beginner. Well, not hard but much easier to use electronic tuner.

I think you're fine buying it from Amazon, when you get good at it and know you're going to stick with it THEN make plans to buy a renown ukulele in a store or online. I hear good things even about those $30 soprano ukuleles on Amazon. Whatever you decide to buy, it's just to help get your foot into the door!

Although it's expensive, you should check out a bigger amp to use if you join a band. I think for industrial, the best idea is to get a solid-state amp and a good distortion pedal.

Solid-state amps are perfect for industrial because unlike other genres of guitar music most people don't want the warm saturated sound of normal tube distortion, which solid-state never does. It also lets you get high-gain sounds at low volumes.

As far as pedals go, the best starting pedal I recommend is the Boss DS-1. This pedal has been used by everybody from Kurt Cobain to Steve Vai. A lot of people also hate it because it's ubiquitous; everyone and their mom has one, and you can buy them anywhere.

If you want to go more expensive, the ProCo Rat is about twice the price but covers more of the fuzz range from pedals like the EHX Big Muff (another one I'd recommend for a similar price, Josh Homme from QotSA, Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins, and Matt Bellamy from Muse use the Muff, though Bellamy also uses a Rat). The Rat has a more '80s Hair Metal sound, like Whitesnake or Poison.

A heavier, more modern sounding pedal for the same price as a Rat or Muff is the Boss ML-2. It sounds like modern alt-metal, and has way more gain than the Rat.

But whatever you do, don't be tempted to by the Boss Metal Zone. It sounds like radio static on any setting. I use mine as mute switch.

Lastly, if you don't see any opportunities for joining a band in the next few months, get the pedal first. If someone wants you to join this week, get the amp first and settle for a DS-1. Happy playing!

I have a slightly newer version of that same guitar (same color and everything) that I bought brand new as my first electric almost 20 years ago. I still have it and really like it. I wouldn't be in a rush to change anything. Just set it up the way you want, play it, and then figure out what needs to be changed. MIM Strats are nice guitars just the way they came and I kind of wish I left mine mostly stock. I even wish I kept the stock pickups as I now think they sound good; I swapped them out for Lace Sensors about 15 years ago and I was never a big fan of them. I wish I kept the originals. I'll probably eventually pick up a set on ebay.

I did, however, just put Fender locking tuners on mine yesterday. I'm really glad I did it because it makes string changes so much quicker and easier. I didn't have to drill any holes and they fit just fine. However, that's not always the case with those. Take one of your tuners off and look on the back of the headstock. If you have 2 little guide holes, in addition to the hole the actual tuner goes through, you should be fine.

The other little thing I did to mine a few months ago is put on a set of Dunlop strap locks. I used the original screws instead of the ones that came with them. I really like these things and put them on my other guitars as well.

See this video regarding pole piece heights on strat pickups. Darrell Braun's channel has a lot of really good stuff on it including a lot of videos comparing pickups and busting some common myths.

You want a practice mute. Regular mutes are used in orchestral and chamber music to change the tone, but they don't really affect the volume.

A rubber practice mute is lighter, and since it dampens less of the overtones, it sounds nicer but diminishes volume less than a heavier mute. A metal practice mute will give you maximum volume control, but since it dampens so much of the sound, it can mislead your ear if you ONLY practice with it on. The Artino rubber-coated metal mute came out a few years ago, and it's supposed to give you the best of both worlds. I find that it has a little bit nicer sound than a traditional metal mute, but mostly I like that it grips the bridge better and won't vibrate off while playing, which metal mutes will sometimes do.

A practice mute is definitely something you should own. But I wonder, why don't you want to annoy your family? Unless the only time you can practice is in the middle of the night, they should just deal. Practicing is important and necessary to get better; they need to understand that. Plus, they have to love you no matter how bad you sound. Being self-conscious just because they might be able to hear you is counterproductive. I hope you're concentrating on doing what you need to be doing when you're practicing, and not what anyone else is thinking.

Uno) (Before I begin, sorry, I suck at writing.) Not the most interesting, but one of the craziest. So, one time I was camping with a friend, and this was in a randomly chosen spot in the depths of Michigan woods. We only had a tent, an ax, two knives, a .22, a box of matches and fishing poles. On our way to the site we found a couple carcasses, some rabbits, squirrels, a few deer, and a lot of spots that looked like wild Boars have been through there.

Now I don't know if you know how big wild boars can get, but they get pretty huge, and are also very mean. So, we weren't looking forward to running into any of them. Sadly, you don't always get what you want, and we didn't.

We went out to look for food, and try and get a squirrel or a rabbit for dinner. As we're walking through the woods we here some noises, loud noises, oh great. As we get closer we discover the song to be loud grunting, and we assumed it was mating. But we progressed, because it could be dinner for us.

We get to a sort of clearing and see a pack of boars. They definitely noticed us, but we got closer, bad choice. About 15 yards away they get riled up, and then some start running, most in another direction, but two of the biggest ones and another smaller one decided they would take there chances with us. The smaller one and the biggest one chase my friend, and he hurries into a tree, where they wait for him.

But to my luck the second biggest, who was not much smaller than the biggest, decided to charge at me. I'm a nature guy, so I know my stuff, so I know that boars have thick skin, and the .22 and my 3" bladed knife aren't doing anything. Just then I remember the ax, without hesitation I bring it up over my head, like a good wood splitting formation.

About 20 feet away, the boar is getting closer, and will be to me in a matter of seconds. It's in my reach, and I bring the ax down. fwapp Blood splatters, I feel the ax crush the skull.

And that's the story of how I killed a wild boar with an ax. Sorry about my writing.

Dos) This, this, and this, should equal around $20)

Tres) Cool Story Bro.

Thanks for the contest, and telling me about pooping on your cat.

OK, so my recommendation:

Zoom G1on ($50): http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1on-Guitar-Effects-Pedal/dp/B00IOSJ68C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421777443&sr=8-1&keywords=zoom+g1on

This will give you SO much great stuff. Loads of amp+speaker simulators for recording direct (vox, fender, marshall etc.), as well as loads of distortion, chorus, reverb, echo synth, wah, filter etc. effects that can be linked together in a chain. I have a lot of experience with guitar effects, and this unit is by far the best way to spend your money.

You still need a better way to input from that pedal into your computer. If you want to be able to use stereo effects (recommended), meaning the reverbs will be wider and more spacious, then you will need to go for a 2-channel USB interface. Something like this might work for you:

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1421777678&sr=8-7&keywords=2+in+audio+interface

...however I have no experience with that so I can't vouch for it. You could try to find one a little pricier that might work better, I don't know. Look around for reviews etc., but if that works fine then you should have pretty much all you need to record a good quality sound in Audacity.

For drum sounds and others such as piano and strings, check out this software:

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/sampletank3free/

I use it myself. It should work as a plug-in with Audacity but I haven't tried that myself. Either way it's free and has some good sounds in it.

Edit: On a more positive note, my rubber mute was delivered today, and I love it! It allows a little more volume than my heavy metal mute, which is nice. I've found that the metal mute is overkill for most situations. Plus the rubber one is far less scary to use; my metal one always made me a bit nervous since it could easily damage my violin if it fell onto it.

-----

Another week of the Suzuki Book 4 struggle. I don't know if I can say I'm at a plateau, because I am progressing, but progress is SO slow. I've been working on piece #4 since February! I can finally play it all the way through (took a while to build the stamina), but it still isn't too pretty.

More than anything I'm just frustrated with myself. I go through these cycles throughout the year where my energy and general motivation rises and falls. I feel like I've been on a low motivation kick for months now. I keep letting my dishes pile up in the sink, I have unfolded laundry lying on my bed, I spend way too much time mindlessly browsing Reddit, and my violin practice schedule has been all over the damn place (sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes at midnight like tonight). I really need to get back into a routine. The good news is that this anger with myself is usually the feeling that sparks a high(er) motivation period, so I should be getting my act together soon.

-----

Anyhow, here are some nifty links I recently found:

Printable Scales - PDFs of 1, 2, and 3 octave major and minor scales.

Scales - This page is nice because it has audio files for all the scales, so you can hear what it's supposed to sound like when you play it.

Online Flashcards - Flashcards for learning music notes! This is just the kind of thing I need to sharpen up my sight reading.

String Articles - Articles for/about string musicians.

the donner yellow fall delay is $35 and it's a surprisingly good analog-style (it says analog but I'm almost sure it's digital) delay.

also, I know not everybody's into chorus, but the danelectro fab chorus is an absolute steal at $15. it's probably not gig-worthy, but it's the best 15 buck pedal I've ever heard. I think most people would agree that it's the best out of the danelectro fab series. can't go wrong if you like chorus.

I think my favorite that I've come across is the Fulltone OCD, and of course the Tube Screamer, though that's usually better for boosting an already-dirty signal, if you're looking for a nice crunch. Those two are pretty standard in this kind of music.

I'd also really recommend checking out Joyo pedals - they're a Chinese company that makes clones of American pedals, but at a fraction of the cost. I've got their Ultimate Drive pedal - it's a clone of the OCD, and it's ABSURDLY cheap. Sounds great, even in shootout videos with the OCD on YouTube. Overall, Joyo's pedals are great for testing the waters with certain effects before you shell out cash for high-end stuff, and in some cases, they're just as good.

This is the Gator GK-2110 case that has been mentioned here before, combined with the Ultimate Guard Arkhive 400+ card case. I use Ultimate Guard dividers to separate the playlists in the box, and Fantasy Flight grey sleeves (I didn't link to the sleeves, as you should not get those on Amazon. Too expensive!)

The whole bag closes well when you pack it as shown in the photo. The bag is obviously not intended for a card box that is that high, so it's not perfect perfect, but it is, IMHO, a pretty good solution, the best I have found.

The Arkhive case has plenty of room for additional playlists, and the cover folds out to become a nice "playmat", very handy to keep card sleeves clean when sorting, deck building, etc (see bottom right picture). It is a fairly expensive case though.

If you put everything together like I did in the lower left picture, with the card case at the "hinge" side of the Gator case, then it zips up like in the top picture. I don't think you will get the case to zip if you try and put the cards on the other side of the board. I didn't try, I didn't want to break things. I am quite comfortable that there are no stresses on anything that will cause zippers to break, fabric to rip, or card boxes to get crushed.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002GL7ZO
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M3R4TVI
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KK6MMO6

I used these which might be the most I do for now. Have you finished the enclosure at all? I haven't decided what or how to do it -- doesn't look terrible unfinished, but will eventually want them to look nicer.

Using the same inuke here, have you adjusted the dsp at all? I'm in the middle of figuring out how to use REW with my radioshack SPL meter, hoping to finally play around with it this weekend.

I'm pretty happy with them, for about $900 they complement my Ascend Acoustics CBM-340's nicely. Just need to adjust for the room at this point.

Good job! I saw the violin on Sesame Street when I was really young and my parents were able to save up to send me to private lessons for most of my childhood. I'm no professional or anything and i really only play my son to sleep these days. But I am really inspired by your journey. It makes me want to play again.

To do something with it.

There is a point (you are getting close to it) where the instrument really does become a part of you. That is my favorite part of the fiddle, I can communicate things with it in a way that I can't with my words or work.

Just a quick recommendation. How you practice is how you play. If you want to practice playing with strength but without volume you may want to consider buying a practice mute https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B7N8P5A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_D5eByb1636QF8 they are relatively cheap and you can play with the whole bow and all the pressure you want.

I hope this helps and I hope you keep going.

An old bluegrasser once told me that rhythm was his only stopper. He'd play with anyone who couldn't keep the tune or follow the jam. But, they couldn't keep rhythm, the whole group would fall apart. Feel the rhythm, keep practicing, and if you don't already, go find some jam sessions and join in.

I looked in my gig bag for inspiration - it turns out that I just have way too much shit in there, most of which is under £15. Cheaper DIY options offered where applicable:

• The snark SN2 clip-on tuner. Absolute must-have.
  
• A decent multi-tool
  
• Allan Key Set if the multi-tool doesn't have the right sizes (metric is normal unless you play something made across the pond, but in case you need imperial, and have lots of space in your gig bag)
  
• Dunlop strap locks are a solid addition to any bassist's set-up
  
• Some fret-fast (I'm too lazy and disorganised to get new strings very often - you could just sub a rag and white mineral oil, but this is a convenient little package)
  
• A couple of spare 9V batteries for your bass, or your (more likely your guitarist's) pedals
  
• A fold-away bass stand that you can take to practices, comes in just over budget, but is a good addition and folds up to about the size of a tube of Pringles
  
• Some cheap bric-a-brac like electrical tape, gaffer tape, write-on-anything pens - all good additions
  
• A decent set of ear-plugs to protect your hearing
  
• Foldaway music stand if you ever play with sheet music; alternatively, if you have a car or are near public transport then this guy might be more bang for your buck; light in case you have one and play in dark venues sometimes and bag in case, like me, you're always leaving the house on gig-day carrying too much
  
• Patch cables if you use several stomp-boxes or rack units
  
• Cable ties to stop your cables getting mangled (can always use zip-ties instead - less neat but much cheaper)
  
• A cheap soldering iron is not essential, but it will be good to have one for that odd occasion where you need it - I've actually been in situations where I've saved some poor soul's night (occasionally mine) by having one of these on my person
  
• Owning a padded guitar strap has saved me much back pain over the years.
  
• A decent torch for last-minute backstage repairs and adjustments, lighting your pedalboard, etc
  
  Conspicuous consumerism at its finest, ladies and gents.

The guitarists there play almost exclusively classical or Spanish-style acoustic guitars. I wasn't sure before I went, so I brought some metal and some nylon strings. The nylon ones were far and away more appreciated, as most of the musicians who I encountered didn't have much use for the metal strings (what most strumming guitarists in Western music use). You'll want to look for sets labeled "tie end", as "ball end" strings didn't seem to be as common (though they can still be used). Here are a few options on Amazon:

One

Two

Three

There are some more options at varying price levels, but those are for sure safe bets. If you have a Guitar Center or local music shop nearby there will absolutely be somebody knowledgeable there who can help you if you're still stuck. I promise that whatever you bring will be much appreciated!

You're right, the instrument does not factor in as much as one's interest. Totally right.

Of the packages listed, the first Yamaha one for $159 looks very nice. You'd definitely get more than your money out of it. Yamaha has a great rep. for longevity.

I own this Rogue for $79 and love it to death. I taught Grade 6 and students were allowed to play whenever they wanted - it never got any rest from students or teachers.
I'd get this Snark tuner, this guitar strap, these strings, this string winder, and finally this stand. Oh, and these thin picks.

That gives you a grand total of $119.24. I've either owned or used all of these products and can vouch for them.

Now, the other thing I'm thinking of... there's this instructional book on Google Books, where you get the first 64 pages for free. It's a great resource, but the name escapes me. If I think of it, I'll write back. I hope this helps.

Looks like a presale leading up to black friday. I would assume that you'll probably find better deals closer too or on black friday.

However while taking a quick glance I did come across some Joyo Pedals that are a pretty good price right now; most of them are under $30.

These 2 stuck out in particular, as I've owned them in the past and they're pretty good quality pedals. Especially when considering the price point, they're well worth it.


Joyo Vintage Overdrive


Joyo Ultimate Drive

Man I'll tell you, out of every pedal I've ever owned nothing gets playing time like my Fulltone OCD. It is without a doubt the best tone I get out of any guitar I send through it. Might satisfy your punk needs, maybe not so much with the metal/hardcore. Here's an amazon link. Best hundred bucks I ever spent

For your metal/hardcore needs...you're probably looking more toward distortion instead of overdrive. I (or I'm sure a whole lot of others here) can explain the difference if you'd like. But when I'm going into AC/DC mode I love my RAT distortion pedal. Another great addition to any board.

I just put these (amazon.com) in my American telecaster yesterday. It was a zero modification drop-in and took about 5 minutes. I've heard that mexi strats take the same tuners.

I can confirm that the nut is 10mm. This never happens, but I grabbed a 10mm wrench out of my toolbox randomly without knowing the nut size and it fit perfectly. It was like winning the lottery.

Hey guys, first hangout post. I got my Microkorg 2 weeks ago and let me tell ya. as a long time guitarist it is a whoolee neww wooooorrrld! Starting Monday I'll be spending a week with my brother and a friend of ours recording a record at my buddies home in Kentucky. Should be a really cool experience and I look forward to getting the most out of my Microkorg as well as my brother's Microbrute! Please comment with any tips/tricks to try on either synth, I feel im picking it up quickly but its still a learning process. Thanks guys!

side note: anyone looking for a case for the Microkorg, I bought this one from amazon, good deal at $30 and fits it very well

I have had this one for almost a year. It's pretty solid and fun to use. It doesn't come with the 9V power adapter it needs though, so if you don't already have one you need to get one for like 5-10 bucks. It is also the epitome of not too fancy, which could be a detraction. I definitely recommend it though, it's probably the best deal on the market.

Biyang Tri Reverb is $60 and amazing for the price

Behringer DR600 is pretty solid too

That being said, I had really good luck pairing the Biyang with:
Donner Yellow Fall Delay when I was in a shoegaze project.

Cheers.

"dirt" pedals are overdrive, fuzz, or distortion pedals because they 'dirty' up your signal

if you're okay with waiting, used is always the best to go in terms of cost. if not, here's a small list of cheap, simple pedals that work

delay:

tc electronic the prophet


joyo d-seed


boss dd-3

joyo delay

donner yellow fall analog delay

reverb:

mosky spring reverb

tc electronic drip

caline snake bite

behringer dr-600

chorus:

mxr analog chorus

joyo classic chorus

biyang chorus

danelectro fab chorus

volume pedal:

ernie ball

boss fv-50h

power supply:

cs7

mxr iso brick

here's a cheap/basic place to start. since you're going simple, most pedals you come across will honestly work with what you want you want to accomplish, it's mostly down to your budget. if you're looking used, you can't go wrong with MXR, boss, and EHX pedals, they're usually everywhere on the used market

Okay, If the top of the guitar(headstock) looks like this:

>http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4615510364720152&pid=1.7

It's A nylon string. If it looks like this:

>http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=acoustic+guitar+head&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=acoustic+guitar+head&sc=5-20&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=1CAA97FA30D02EC26C4BB9141ED059A628B5B87B&selectedIndex=2:

You've got yourself a steel string guitar.


If you've got nylon strings, then your best bet is to buy nylon strings:

>http://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ45-Pro-Arte-Classical-Strings/dp/B000EEL6J6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373375203&sr=8-1&keywords=nylon+strings

...and if steel string, then something like this:

>http://www.amazon.com/Martin-M130-Steel-Guitar-Strings/dp/B0002CZT0M/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1373375250&sr=1-1&keywords=steel+string




This is all on the assumption that your Franciscan has a big hole under the strings.
If it's solid, then go for electric guitar strings. As for the sixth string, the sixth string is the thinnest string in the pack. Although it would be worth replacing them all as the strings will probably be a bit old and tatty anyway.

>I am aware that there is a difference between the two but I am not sure which one fits me.

On one had the difference between overdrive / distortion / fuzz / dirt / etc... is kind of meaningless. They all cause clipping / distortion to your signal. They all may do so a little differently.

My personal category is as follows.

Overdrive - Low to medium gain. Softer clipping. Often used for boosting and shaping EQ in desirable ways. Can add a little grit to a clean tone. Also popular to boost a dirty tone and send it over the edge. Examples are the Tubescreamer, Klon, Bluesbreaker, and Timmy.

Distortion - Medium to higher gain. More of a harder clipping. Most often used to provide its own distortion. More often used with a clean amp and significantly transforms the base tone. Sometimes has a wider range of tone shaping. Examples are the Boss DS-1, Fulltone OCD, JHS Angry Charlie, Suhr Riot.

>Any ideas of what brand I should look for or what pedal I should get?

Be aware that there are like 1.5 bazillion pedals out there. It also can be a heck of a rabbit hole. If you're just dipping your toes in, my personal recommendation would be to buy a Joyo Vintage Overdrive and a Joyo Ultimate Drive. That will cover your Tubescreamer overdrive style and an OCD distortion style. $60 for both. Build quality is decent. Sound quality is on par with any other clone.

I've been playing for 10 years, bought hundreds of pedals all across the price spectrum, and have built my own. At your level these two will serve you perfectly well.

do you have any videos of people doing stuff with the voicelive touch? the videos they provide on the website are cringey... country stuff.
the zoom pedal looks really nice! ideal i think. i also saw this guitar pedal G1Xona while ago and it seems mysteriously cheap with so many features coming from the same brand. wouldn't it work as well for a mic? do you know about it/would recommend it as well?

thanks a lot

Wow! That is exactly what I was thinking but people here told me it isn't possible. How about this thing. Will it work as a substitute for an amplifier and allow me to play clean as well as distortion(for example, a song like Fade to Black)?

One of my very favorite things to cook is a big batch of jumbo stuffed shells. I'm at work and don't have the exact recipe, but I'll post it later if anyone is interested. Here are the basics. After boiling some jumbo shell pasta, you stuff them with a mixture of ricotta and parmesan cheeses, an egg, chopped spinach, shredded chicken, and some italian seasonings. Put them in a baking dish and cover with your favorite red sauce, bake for a while, then cover it all with shredded mozzarella near the end. Add some garlic bread on the side and a glass of red wine. I love this dish.

Edit: Forgot my link.

I've been using this for almost 3 years:

https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B0002GL7ZO

You may want to add protective sleeves to your gear because the padding is a little lackluster (if not absent in certain spots), but the size is just a perfect compromise and the front pocket is quite useful for cables and such.

Also, I covered it with pins. Everyone loves pins, you should too.

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Co-RAT2-Distortion-Pedal/dp/B0002MSQVQ This is called a RAT by Pro Co. Its another famous pedal. People like Kurt Cobain and Jeff Beck used em so id say if its good enough for them, its good enough for us bedroom rockstars. Its $80 shipped from Amazon. I understand the college budget thing. My gf's parents arent able to help her as much as theyd like so she works w/ the money she is able to save up for me on Christmas and my bday. its the thought that counts and the fact i have someone who cares about me is a gift in itself. I kinda agree with the other guy downbelow about the Fender pedal. They make some legendary amps and guitars but they venture into pedals seems to be new. And as or the BOSS DS1, as I said its a "so bad its good" pedal and it is also a love it or hate it pedal.

Came here to talk about Joyo Pedals. I purchased the Ultimate Drive in June and have been really happy with it. They're currently going for $29.99 new.

These pedals have a bit of controversy around them, when a company passed them off as $170 boutique pedals.

Either way, its basically a Fulltone OCD clone, which is a nice sounding overdrive pedal.


Also, if this pedal is truly being used for science, you may also want to consider the technical differences between distortion and overdrive pedals. Again, I don't know if this is relevant to you or not. Joyo makes distortion pedals too. Some consider the differences negligible.

As a guitar enthusiast and musician, I like the idea of having a fulltone OCD clone, into what some consider to be Fender American clone. There's a bit of a poetic irony there. A chinese manufactured duplicate installed into a chinese manufactured duplicate. Also, I'm not knocking chinese made guitar equipment, if anything I'm a fan.

edit:format, sp, add context

If you're down to get into modeling, I would recommend the Zoom G1OnX as a good first pedal. I have a full pedalboard myself, but the G1On (not the G1OnX) was my first pedal that really taught me a whole lot about what different pedals sound like and how they stack. Plus, you can get a whole lot of sounds at a fraction of the cost that is also much more portable than a full pedal board. Obviously won't sound as good, and hopefully you outgrow it soon, but I think it's a great place to start.

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1on-Guitar-Effects-Pedal/dp/B00IOSJ68C

Item I wanted for Christmas but didn't get: Return to Oz movie.

Item that's useful to me: a Clip-on Ukulele Tuner (I started performing with my ukulele! But I need a tuner that can handle tuning when there is other noise around.!!!)

Thanks for the contest!

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

OK, this parts list uses the blue and black case that is inverted with a window. You can put the 120 mm NF-A12x25 right under the top filtering mesh blowing onto the graphics card. Or remove the stock fan and put the more powerful Noctua fan at the rear of the case at 1200+ rpm to pull air down through the mesh without it being in plain view. This fan is more pleasant then others at high speed and comes with all needed wires and accessories.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor | $439.50 @ Vuugo
Motherboard | ASRock X570M Pro4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard | $279.92 @ Vuugo
Memory | *G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory | $104.99 @ Newegg Canada
Storage | *Crucial MX500 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $129.99 @ Newegg Canada
Video Card | *ASRock Radeon RX 5700 8 GB Video Card | $447.50 @ Vuugo
Case | BitFenix Prodigy M Cobalt Blue MicroATX Mini Tower Case | $89.88 @ Amazon Canada
Power Supply | *Corsair TXM Gold 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply | $99.99 @ Amazon Canada
Case Fan | Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM 60.1 CFM 120 mm Fan | $37.90 @ Amazon Canada
Monitor | *Acer XZ321QU bmijpphzx 31.5" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor | $568.50 @ Amazon Canada
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before BS PITA MIR) | $2253.17
| Mail-in rebates | -$55.00
| Total | $2198.17
| | *Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |

If you do not want to push the budget to the max, I would first cut the processor from the R7 3700X to the R5 3600 ($2025). Then I would cut the graphics card two levels to the RX580 8GB, then add 3 TB of storage, and a Windows 10 stamp ($2050, see below). Then you will want to play on 1440p medium presets with high textures. FreeSync on the monitor and graphics card should make that a smooth and low-latency experience.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor | $265.50 @ Vuugo
Motherboard | ASRock X570M Pro4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard | $279.92 @ Vuugo
Memory | *G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory | $104.99 @ Newegg Canada
Storage | *Crucial MX500 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $129.99 @ Newegg Canada
Storage | *Seagate Barracuda 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $94.99 @ Newegg Canada
Video Card | *ASRock Radeon RX 580 8 GB Phantom Gaming D Video Card | $256.41 @ Vuugo
Case | BitFenix Prodigy M Cobalt Blue MicroATX Mini Tower Case | $89.88 @ Amazon Canada
Power Supply | *Corsair TXM Gold 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply | $99.99 @ Amazon Canada
Operating System | *Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit | $134.94 @ shopRBC
Monitor | *Acer XZ321QU bmijpphzx 31.5" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor | $568.50 @ Amazon Canada
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | (before BS PITA 50/50 flip) | $2050.11
| | Mail-in rebates | -$25.00
| Total | $2025.11
| | *Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |


If you don't like the big handles on the Prodigy M case, they can be removed if you buy some appliance feet for the bottom. The compact case has the power supply exhaust on the bottom, and it needs clearance from the floor/desk. The graphics card is at the top of this case, so you can see the graphics card through the mesh and the window. It is also really blue.

https://www.amazon.com/Reliable-Hardware-Company-RH-1606-8-Amplifier/dp/B00JJ191Z6/

Sorry for replying so late. Haven't been at my PC so I couldn't link the strings easily. I usually play on the EJ46C's (https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ46C-Pro-Arte-Composite-Classical/dp/B0002IKZM8) but if you're more of a beginner I'd recommend learning on something like EJ45's (https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ45-Pro-Arte-Classical-Strings/dp/B000EEL6J6/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=d%27addario+EJ45C&qid=1566738783&s=gateway&sr=8-2). They have a lower tension which makes it easier to play clearly.

Take everything with a grain of salt, including this. But here's what I would tell "beginner me" if I could go back in time.

Technical Information: I think this is too often overlooked in beginner lessons.

• Use light gauge strings 12-53 (example). Even after 4 years, medium gauge is hard for me to play on. It will hurt your fingers a lot.
  
• Learn how to change strings properly.
  
• Tune your guitar with an app before you play, almost every time.
  
• Get a capo (example). You will encounter songs that are unplayable without one, and it's also easier to play with a capo on because it brings the strings closer to the fretboard.
  
  Music Stuff: Videos, videos, videos
  
  
• Youtube will have everything. Watch "beginner" lessons, choose whichever you are most interested in.
  
• Be super patient. It will be worth it, but acoustic guitar is kind of difficult to play. Nothing changes overnight, but you do get a rush every time you get part of a song right.
  
• Learn how to read tabs. It's easy, and there's a million of them.
  
  Have fun!

Strat all the way for the Chili Peppers.

I'd recommend Squier Classic Vibe since they come with proper AlNiCo Pickups, so it'll sound great, and the main problems are the input jack and gloss neck. The neck is completely subjective, so you might actually dig that, and a new input jack is like $15 max, and it's about as easy as it can get when it comes to soldering. Even if you pay someone to do it for you, you'll still save money over what you would pay for a MIM Strat.

The one that looks the most like John's main Strat is the '60s Classic Vibe

If you have the $600, I'd say put locking tuners on to make string changes eaiser, a new nut for tuning stability and tone on open strings, and a good input jack since Squier's are notorious for their loose input jacks.

There's no one right answer. Some people will use super heavy picks and it'll work great, and others will feel like their right hand is going to fall off if there isn't some give. I use Dunlop Ultex Jazz III XL's. They're fairly new (the regular Jazz III XL's were my old pick.) I like the sharper end, and Ultex pretty much never wears away. The regular Jazz III size picks are too small for me, but if you don't mind the size, a lot of people swear by them. Dunlop sells a variety pack that's got some good heavy picks to try out in it.

save yourself some $$ and give this a try, I'm loving mine. The built-in looper and rhythm machine are great for jamming by yourself: https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1Xon-Guitar-Effects-Expression/dp/B00IOSJ72M

Thank you! Several have recommended it and it's cheap so I think it's worth trying. Is this the version you're referring to? It looks like they also have something called a super harness.

The Makala MK-S was my first uke and it still serves me well. It also fits your budget. The strings it comes with are OK, but if you want some better ones, go for these Aquila strings. This Snark Tuner is also a nice thing to have.

Two words: bari harness

I play and have marched clarinet, bass clarinet, alto, and bari and this harness makes bari a lot easier and comfortable.

I trust this strap with my life. It has never broken and has worked just fine for the entire year I’ve been using it. It still shows no signs of letting me down.

My favorite birthday was my eighteenth!! The week of my birthday four of my favorite bands happened to be coming to town. I managed to get tickets to all four between birthday gifts/birthday money! They were all spectacular concerts.

Thing.

By the way, Happy Birthday Marzipan86!!

I'm incredibly grateful for my friends. They mean so much to me and I really don't know where I'd be without them!

Cheaper under other sellers!

stitchinbitchin loves me

Typically, they'll be sold in sets of 6, but some vendors, like stewmac or warmoth do sell them individually. I would just replace the whole set and take the opportunity to upgrade to locking tuners, if I were you. I'm a big fan of this Fender staggered set.

Your main concern will be the ferrule diameter. You want it to match the holes in your headstock, or at least not be bigger than the hole, or else you'll need to drill them bigger. Slightly smaller is not a major issue, particularly with the set I linked to, because of the dual stabilizing pins on the back that make the machine sit quite stable, but do require drilling holes for them on the back of the headstock. Most other tuners have a single stabilizing screw, which may or may not line up with the drilled holes on the back of your headstock. If the tuner(s) you end up with do not line up with the pre-drilled holes for the stabilizing screws, just pre-drill some new ones. Do not screw into your headstock without a pre-drilled hole.

You might want to try Cleartone strings. They use a newer and thinner coating technology than Elixir strings. They don't last quite as long as Elixirs, but they feel and sound more like uncoated strings.

I'd also suggest wiping down your strings after every session. Wiping your strings will remove dirt, but it'll also prevent your sweat from corroding your strings between playing sessions. Some people find it beneficial to use a string cleaning product like Fast Fret.

It's a very common question around here, and the standard answer is not to buy an electric violin, rent a normal one and use a mute.

From what little I know (adult beginner here), it is the superior choice because the bowing required for an electric instrument is way more forgiving compared to an acoustic one, and you might end up not being able to play the acoustic one without significant relearning.

Are you sure you have time for the violin though?

DUDE! I HAVE THE PERFECT SOLUTION. GHS make this product called "fast-fret". I clean my strings before I play with this and they feel really new always, if you keep it up. Sound diminishes over time; but at least I get more time to play.

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

My teacher has 4 adult students between 25 and... 50 (I think?), and she says they are all really dedicated... and don't worry if you can't read sheet music yet, you will learn that "on the go" (although I admit me being able to read it might have additionally accelerated my progress).

Concerning the volume: As I work from home I usually practice at times when most neighbours aren't home, so that's an advantage. If you are on good terms with your neighbours, you could maybe speak to the ones living directly adjacent to your flat and "warn them" you'll pick up the violin - if the neighbours are nice, they'll probably be supportive as long as you are open and communicative with them. I don't know where you are located, but in Germany you actually have the right to play an instrument for several hours per day in an apartment (Although I think drums are limited to 90 minutes per day :-D). Otherwise, I can recommend a rubber mute which considerably takes down the volume. I use the Glaesel practice mute for weekends (Sundays), but it's not really the same as practicing without it.

Here you'll find a test with and without the practice mute.

I am trying to buy some guitar strings on Amazon and I found this image on this product page. I had been trying to figure out what the difference is between the two types of strings pictured, and this image appears to explain, but it's in Japanese. If someone could translate it would be really helpful - thanks!

Why can't you use a harness? Use a harness for practice but then use a regular neckstrap for parades and completions. I recommend this harness and this neckstrap. Both are amazing and I only use the harness at rehearsals but use the neckstrap at shows/comps/parades

Check out the Zoom G1on. It has headphones out, and it sounds pretty good. It has amp models as well, so you can play through a Vox AC30, Fender Twin, or even an Orange stack.

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1on-Guitar-Effects-Pedal/dp/B00IOSJ68C/

If you can, order both of these packs and play all of them, then just pick the ones you like the most and stick with them.

I found that for picking, the usual jazz III is very good, although I also liked the Ultex picks. I preferred very light picks for strumming since they don't make as much clacking sound when hitting the strings.

With this setup you can play pretty much anything and it'll sound great.

Guitar

Squier Classic Vibe 50's Stratocaster - $400

Amp

Fender Bassbreaker 15 - $650

Dirt

Xotic RC Booster V2 - $168

ProCo RAT 2 - $70

Devi Ever Hyperion Fuzz - $100

Compressor

MXR DynaComp - $80

Delay

Boss DD-500 - $300

Reverb

Empress Reverb - $450

Power Supply

Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Mondo - $250

You will want to grab an overdrive pedal. Misha puts one in the front of the amp, and he cranks the volume, and drops the gain. Here's a video where Misha is demoing his pedal, but you can get a good sense of how to use the tone. If youi want a decent, cheap pedal check out this Joyo.

If you're using a modeler, you can find a number of his presets out there (in particular, he shares a lot of the tones for his Axe FX).

yep

my students like this brand for an entry level looper:
https://www.amazon.com/TC-Electronic-Ditto-Looper-Effects/dp/B00AZUAORE

i really like them because it makes my students victims of their own bad rhythm and intonation, and gives them immediate positive reinforcement when they make improvements. :)

funf

vier

drei

zwei

eins

Thanks for the contest, I love your hooties! :3

I love Snark tuners. They're awesome and cheap

http://www.amazon.com/Snark-13-JQCT-G3R2-SN-1-Tuner/dp/B003VWJ2K8/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1369762112&sr=1-1&keywords=snark+tuner

Go down your local pawn shop and get an inexpensive (not cheap) acoustic guitar. Bring someone who knows something so you can avoid the garbage that's out there. I bought my first acoustic that way for $70 and still have it. Head on over to the guitar reddit, there are tons of resources available for free. Get a stand and a decent tuner. Keep the guitar/stand in the room you spend the most time in, then it's easily accessible, you can pick it up anytime, if just for a few minutes. Tune it up every time before you play. For a hundred bucks, give or take, and some stick-with-it-ness, you can have a lifetime of enjoyment.
Here's a decent, cheap tuner.
http://www.amazon.com/Snark-SN1-SN-1-Tuner/dp/B003VWJ2K8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318088803&sr=8-1

Here's something that'll be a great stocking stuffer that most people don't know about: Guitar strings that are the same colors as those in the game. They work great: https://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8

You can use grade 0000 very light steel wool to clean your fretboard. I personally use GHS Fast Fret to finish cleaning the fretboard and give it a nice shine and smooth feeling.

Edit: downvotes? Classic /r/guitar lol.

Loop pedals are cool, you can use them to record a little bit of yourself and then play along to it.

I have this: https://www.amazon.com/TC-Electronic-Ditto-Looper-Effects/dp/B00AZUAORE/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1484912706&sr=1-5&keywords=ditto+loop

And it's awesome

Accessories are always good. Strings, picks, maybe a strap or a stand if he doesn't have those already.

I'm not familiar with the Esteban DVD set aside from his commercials back in the day. There's a lot of good videos on Youtube for a beginner so I don't think that would be necessary regardless.

edit: Since he's new you can get him a variety pack of picks so he can see what he likes: http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-PVP102-Variety-Assorted-Players/dp/B0055VBYWC

Have you thought of a practice mute? I use a metal one when I need the most dampening. I use a rubber one when I want some dampening, but still want a decent tone. Practice mutes can alter the sound a bit so it is something to consider. There is also a rubber coated metal one that falls between the rubber and plain metal one. The links I provided are just to show you what I'm talking about. To give you an idea of how much they dampen, in my roughly 900 square foot apartment, my boyfriend can't hear me practicing at all with the metal mute when I'm in the back of the apartment and he's in the front. The rubber mute is more like a soft whisper.

I also want to add that if you practice during the daytime, most neighbors aren't going to have a problem. They may even like it. If you're really concerned you can actually go around and ask if the noise would bother them. If it does, see if you can work out a compromise. Even though mutes are great in situations where you really need to practice without disturbing anyone, they do have an effect on the tone. I don't recommend practicing all the time with them unless you have no other choice.

I got this Joyo Ultimate Drive for $30. You don't need much else, if it's really just low volume bedroom practice. For awhile I was using it as a boost for whatever distorted amp sound I had dialed in, and it fattened up the tone. But now I crank up the gain and put it on the clean channel and prefer it to any of the amp's drivers or amp channels, sounds more natural, less digital, a lot warmer.

[This one] (http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-83_52553-Guitar-Black/dp/B000788VPG), a Dunlop, I love it :)

I am currently using this to store my cards (sleeved), which is perfect for wave 1 (one compartment per genre with dividers to separate each playlist, as organized in the app's Collection section):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002TT3JI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I might end up getting another one for wave 2.

For the Dropmix board itself, I took the advice from several threads around here and on Discord:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002GL7ZO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The deck box I specified fits pretty well in the front pouch. The main compartment is a tad bigger than what the board requires, but you can probably use the extra space for more deck boxes or speakers.

I can take some pictures after work if ya'll would like!

Still a work in progress, but this is my current "budget-ish" setup:

ernie ball volume pedal jr > donner tuner > donner compressor > mxr m-80 d.i. + > ibanez phat hed od/dist > joyo vintage phase > danelectro fab chorus > joyo analog delay > donner yellow fall analog delay > Hartke HA2000/Genz Benz 2x10

Batman! Cause my car is the Batmobile in disguise xD

And something for /u/Watsoned... cause we rarely agree on anything xD

And oh, I found you :P

I glue pick holders to the back of the headstock of most of my guitars:

Mic stand pick holders also work, I keep some on my music stand.

And of course then there's the tin.

Basically, I have picks everywhere, but the pick holder glued to the guitar is the best option.

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

This stuff is amazing and makes the fretboard feel soooo good.

A Guitar pick holder for all my guitar pick holding needs! Which is ALOT! I mean just look at that shit! God-damned grace from heaven!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002OOMU8/ref=wl_it_dp_v_nS_ttl/189-3267167-4993132?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3NXTE4W6NMVBT&coliid=I9L5XO77RCWGF

No pet, but enjoy this monkey.

@(^O^)@

bkev covered mute strings well.

Regarding online tuners, they are fairly accurate.

If you want to buy one, I've been using Snark SN-5 which is easy to see in bright lights, and is only about $10.

but you can get by with the Snark SN-1 which is a little over $8 just fine.

With these, the battery lasts a long time, and you don't have to go online to tune-up. Just clip it onto your guitar and go.

There are plenty of others as well. Check them all out.

I use fast fret for string cleaning and its great. i have four acoustics and sometimes won't play my 12 string for a month at a time, this stuff takes the rust right off and they'll sound bright and new again.

Second the ditto. It's very minimal and is true bypass. It's great for practicing a home but is totally something you could play out with. Plus it's only $100.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZUAORE/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_-ixfvb0NXYKER

Probably the Proco Rat. Versatile, awesome sounding, relatively cheap.

The MXR Distortion + is another good call.

Some people swear by modded Boss DS1s, though I've never played one.

My suggestion would be a looper pedal. Extremely fun to play with and practical practicing tool.

https://www.amazon.com/TC-Electronic-Ditto-Looper-Effects/dp/B00AZUAORE

Fender Locking Tuners. I believe they are Schaller, but made in Taiwan. Fender has some sort of arrangement with Schaller so they can make Schaller locking tuners and strap locks in Asia. The locking tuners for instance are made in Taiwan and they are amazing quality.

http://www.amazon.com/Aquila-AQ-4-Soprano-Regular-Ukulele/dp/B00MXUJ394

http://www.amazon.com/Snark-SN6-Clip-On-Ukulele-Tuner/dp/B004Z17008/

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+restring+ukulele&oq=how+to+restring+ukulele

Good luck!

[This is my cheapest)[http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0002OOMU8/ref=wl_it_dp_v_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=171RUC5APS3KD&coliid=I1LIOVRT8TCOR6]

15

Thank you for this contest! =)

What is your favorite musical instrument?

You could wipe them down daily with GHS fast fret. It's a little expensive on Amazon so I'd recommend going to a store to pick it up. It helps clean the guitar strings and keeps them fresher longer. I've read online that the liquid in there is just wood/mineral oil so I've been reusing the applicator with that liquid and haven't noticed any difference.

I've been rocking a Gator GK-2110 Gig Bag for Micro Controllers. Holds the board well enough and some space for Ultra Pro deck boxes with Ultra Pro penny sleeved cards. The front pouch is big enough to fit an iPad as well, so everything is in one place!

I use a guitar capo on mine. It works fine. It's a Jim Dunlop. I highly recommend it. I'll find a link to it if it can.

Edit: this is the one I have http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000788VPG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1373858130&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

Second Edit: I just noticed your comment about the size. I don't think this capo is too cumbersome. Here's a picture of it on my soprano Diamond Head uke. http://i.imgur.com/2WFLQ3U.jpg

I use this GHS string cleaner I love it

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

You want a Snark. I prefer to tune by ear (use a tuning fork for the reference) but I got a snark for noisy environments. Best I've ever used.

People keep telling me to watch this movie...I guess I should...

Warm Hugs

Yay for not losing guitar picks, for under $5!

You should be wiping your strings/neck down with stuff like this before and after you play.

I basically can't remember the last time I put on new strings. Though to be honest, I only ever really did that if I had a gig or was starting a big studio session.

You can get away with that for a little while if you have a good ear. Good clip-on tuners are less than $10, though...

If you're doing a classical violin, invest in a practice mute like this:


https://www.amazon.com/eBoot-Rubber-Violin-Practice-Black/dp/B01B7N8P5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483302604&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=violin+practice+mute&psc=1


It will mute the ballllls out of the music. And make your intonation better!

If you have a guitar or other string instriment, then this tuner is really awesome! I bought one for my boyfriend this past christmas and he uses it constantly.

Replacing the tuning machine on a strat is one of the easiest things imaginable. They're just slid through the hole and secured with a nut on the topside, sometimes with an extra screw from the bottom to keep it from spinning in the hole.

It may be difficult to source a single tuning machine but now's as good a time as any to upgrade to a set of locking tuners.

I replaced the feet with these and I've put felt sliders in it as well.


I've only use 1" sliders on it but you could go 1.5" to be exact on the feet. But it works, I can slide it around on my hardwood floor by myself. But you need assistance when lifting this. It was troublesome lifiting this to the stairs lol but I survived.

>I replaced the feet with these and I've put felt sliders in it as well.

Very smart.


>I've only use 1" sliders on it but you could go 1.5" to be exact on the feet. But it works, I can slide it around on my hardwood floor by myself. But you need assistance when lifting this. It was troublesome lifiting this to the stairs lol but I survived.

I can only imagine. My Rythmiks are almost half that weight and I was not a happy camper pushing either of them up my staircase by myself.

DR Strings NMCE-10 DR NEON Electric Strings, Medium, Multi-Color

Great contest! :D

I would recommend a harness type strap for bari, they're kinda weird at first but it distributes the weight better.

Here's one on amazon.

Learning on acoustic tends to start people off better. If the loudness is what's concerning you I'd recommend buying a practice mute for an acoustic and that way it's still very quiet but you can practice. I bought this a while back for while I was on your so I could practice in the hotel room, it works well and is very quiet.violin practice mute

There's always these.

I intended to purchase these for my first string change but after three weeks I don't hesitate on what color = what string. as /u/Aircommando12 said, it might be easier for me since i'm a wet-behind-the-ears newbie.

I also invested in slightly heavier gauge, (medium) DR NEON Hi-Def MULTI-COLOR Medium · Electric Guitar Strings. They've really helped starting out, particularly since, after much umming and aahhing I decided to invert the strings in Rocksmith to better match with the tab I'm also teaching myself with. I also believe the medium gauge strings deliver a stronger signal to the pickups and hold their pitch better as I grapple and squeeze too hard at unfamiliar chords. Sure they might be slightly harder to bend but they're still featherweight compared to even the light strings I'm using to teaching myself elsewhere on my Gretsch Jim Dandy Acoustic. The Neon strings are a bit gaudy, must be said and I think, once I get around to changing them again they'll have served their purpose and I'll get some Elixirs perhaps.

Maaaaybe grab a multieffect pedal and run it straight into the PA, but don't be surprised if it sounds bad ;)
This one, if amazon is an option: Zoom G1Xon

But still, this won't sound like a 100W Marshall stack and I only recommend it because of your special situation and limited options.
Let me know how the gig goes! ;)

What kind of neckstrap are you using? I would suggest using a bari sax harness. It takes the weight off your neck.
This is a great one I use.
Neotech 2501162 Soft Harness, Black, Swivel Hook https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1NS2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mAUKzb8C8Z69D

I use this practice mute myself, it's great - http://www.amazon.com/Glaesel-Violin-Ultra-Practice-Mute/dp/B0002II6V0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398474500&sr=8-1&keywords=violin+mute

You can do what I did and get something like this it's $3.99 for 12 different picks so I could try them out to find out what works best for me.

I use the green turtle for 90% of playing, and the blue alligator when I'm playing something that requires less strumming and more individual string picking.

//i just looked again and apparently amazon made it an "add-on" item that means you have to order other shit before they'll ship it. You can find cheap variety packs all over the place though, and every music store I've been to has a "loose picks" section that you can pick up 10 or so different ones from.

Have you considered a practice mute? Very helpful for late practice and not disturbing apartment-mates.

I lost my capo last weekend. I went to the forest with some friends, made some music til after dark. And, when I got home I found that I'd forgotten something.

I study music & play guitar. I'd really like a new capo.

My favourite pickups in a fat Strat are the Seymour Duncan JB and two Lace Sensor Gold. The JB is great for any style and the Lace give you close to a regular single coil tone while remaining totally noiseless.

Lately my go-to amp has been a Vox AC15. I have a few amps to choose from but the Vox stands out for me.

For dirt I like the Joyo Ultimate Drive or Fulltone OCD. I also use a tc electronic Spark Booster to push the amp a little harder. I use a tc electronic PolyTune 2 tuner. I rotate the rest of the pedals on my board somewhat frequently.

I never got the hang of using a pick and my thumb hates me for it.

That said, a friend of mine has some of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-35005002001-Series-Pickholder/dp/B0002OOMU8

They have sticky backs and he attaches them to the headstocks. Very simple but very smart.

I used to do the double-sided tape thing to secure picks to my guitar, but I found out about stuff like this which saves a lot of space. Plus your picks don't have sticky points afterwards.

I use a Zoom G1on

Powered via battery, USB or adapter. Includes a looper as well as some drum backing presets (personally, I don't use them). Fairly solid construction. Some of the presets don't sound too bad and it allows you to amend them or patch your own. There are better sounding units out there, for sure, but this will only set you back about $50. It did wonders for my FM.

I haven't posted in a while, sorry if I'm nubbing this up but couldn't figure out how to post an image and text?! Anyway, this is the case: Gator GK-2110 Gig Bag for Micro Controllers (22.5" x 11.5" x 4") https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002GL7ZO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_Tgza5wCBZn6cf

I used Kaizen foam, 57mm for the inside. My setup isn't anything flashy, haven't had time or money to do much extra to it yet, but I figured you'd guys might like this case if you want an option for the 8" barrel with collapsible am brace, or setups of similar length. This case is very lightweight yet padded enough to provide decent protection for trips to the range or just having it in my trunk. It's also somewhat discrete and not tactical looking.

For a beginner is this pedal any good? I just want to experiment with some sounds and see what effects have to offer. http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1Xon-Guitar-Effects-Expression/dp/B00IOSJ72M/ref=sr_1_28?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1425579267&sr=1-28

I use a Snark chromatic tuner. Probably the best tuner I've used. This one is good for guitar. There's also the SN-2 which works for many more instruments, but costs a bit more.

Direct swap! Very easy and $50. Did them on my MIM HSS. I also did the American string tree and the fender bone nut.

Fender Locking Tuners Chrome https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000L6GD04/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8McADb32V80QN

Fender Vintage Style Stratocaster/Telecaster Electric Guitar Pre-Slotted Bone Nut https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FW84QMI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qPcADbG4RM9BW

Fender American Series String Guides https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E2GMY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aQcADb44ETYFN

You could consider a violin mute. I use one myself and it’s working very good!

It is a classical guitar. They use a mix of nylon and wound(metal) strings so don't be alarmed. If you go into a music shop just ask for classical guitar strings and get something reasonably priced and decent, here's some good ones. You can pay a shop to change the strings for you, usually goes for around 20 bucks, or you can try it yourself by following a video like this

Have you tried using grip picks before? I use a Dava control pick. It's got grip and you can make it flexible or stiff. There's some grip picks in this Dunlop variety pack idk the models of but they're alright.

DR color coded guitar strings

https://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481154810&sr=8-1&keywords=dr+colored+strings

Snark Tuner

https://www.amazon.com/Snark-SN1-Guitar-Tuner-Blue/dp/B003VWJ2K8/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1481249934&sr=1-3&keywords=snark+tuner

Both good stocking stuffers

https://amzn.to/30oA5Xh I've heard the colour wears off pretty quickly

$12.49? It's been on my list for weeks. lol

You can try with a multi-effect pedalboard. These are a bit outdated compared to current generation of professional pedalboards .. but hey these cost 50-80 brand new and I bet you could get some of these really cheap on the used market.

Here are some examples:

• https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1on-Guitar-Effects-Pedal/dp/B00IOSJ68C
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1N-Guitar-Multi-Effects/dp/B002N4GBLI
  
• https://www.amazon.com/DigiTech-Element-Guitar-Multi-Effects/dp/B00KVS6XGG
  
  So he will be able to configure and play with lot of sounds; guaranteed tons of hours of experimentation.
  

The Donner Yellow Fall sounds pretty darn good for the price. I don't notice any noise at bedroom levels, but haven't cranked it up.

It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users.
I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!


Here is link number 1 - Previous text "One"

Here is link number 2 - Previous text "Two"



----
^Please ^PM ^/u/eganwall ^with ^issues ^or ^feedback! ^| ^Delete

Really nice, man. Try these guys on the bottom in each corner. I swear by them.

The adhesive for the rubber feet my case came with was garbage, so i bought these. Just used a drill, some screws, and some nuts to attach them to the bottom. Looks good and the case is higher than it was before, so probably has better airflow.

Welcome to the American Professional fam, fam!

Here is a clip of mine. That's solo'd over a simple Ditto looper pedal. I do not claim to be worth a damn, just ... Strats, man!

My daughter loves, loves, loves playing kitchen. She has a whole set up, a play kitchen, dishes, food, tea sets, my old pots and pans and spoons, but she does not have her very own pot holder, and is always stealing mine. I would bestow upon her this very awesome and colorful crocheted master piece and her collection would be complete! I might also borrow it from time to time.

Rainbow guitar strings!

I am in the same situation and have been using the Zoom G1on. Very versatile and somewhat easy to use when you configure the patches on a computer instead of directly on the unit.

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1on-Guitar-Effects-Pedal/dp/B00IOSJ68C?th=1&psc=1

Not OP but I play the violin, get a mute like this one https://www.amazon.com/eBoot-Rubber-Violin-Practice-Black/dp/B01B7N8P5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483302604&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=violin+practice+mute&psc=1

Neotech Soft Harness, Swivel Hook Saxophone Strap (2501162) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1NS2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SMYNDbVQ32KNX

'Tis the one I have. Ran me about 30 bucks. There are sizing options, for if you happen to be a 6'2" 250 lb. giant like I am.

I would recommend you make him a harness. [Like this] (http://www.amazon.com/Neotech-2501162-Harness-Black-Swivel/dp/B0002E1NS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369341192&sr=8-1&keywords=bari+sax+harness)

omfg candroth

It's a new experience, you might like it, you probably will :D

Item

> You'll also need some kind of tuner.

and I'd recommend a snark tuner

I'd suggest a simple looper, like the mini Ditto at ~$100, and a reverb, Biyang Rv-10 TRI Reverb at ~$60.

Looks like they are on sale on amazon for about 9 dollars a pack.

Cheap

or,

Still pretty cheap, but shiny

They are colour coded to the string colours in Rocksmith 2014 as I'm using that to learn how to play.

http://www.amazon.com/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8

I have had two sets of DR Neon 10-46 on my beloved PRS SE245 and they match the colours on the game strings. As a musically challenged nerd, I love that!

I've had 2 sets of them, because I think they look awesome! I still suck, however, but that's down to me, not the strings ;)

In the videos I've seen that show it, it looks much much more precise. I use one of these bad boys. They are waaaay better than the 2011 RS tuner and you can just always leave it on. Hopefully that won't be necessary in the new game.

The Joyo JF-02 - Ultimate Drive is also a nice pedal, and also really cheap. I have more expensive pedals, but this one stays on my board. You can find reviews on youtube for bass.

found this thread when looking for the same and when I searched biyang delay found this which looks promising.

Donner Yellow Fall Vintage Pure Analog Delay Guitar Effect Pedal True Bypass https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GRRN2RI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WDGhybWKM4X9B

Current Rat.

Reissue Rat.

Dual Rats.

DIY modded Rat kit.

Best over the top Rat.

Cheap Rat.

For a very inexpensive option that doesn't compromise your sound quality too much, you might try a rubber practice mute. I have a roommate who's frequently trying to work and concentrate in the evening, and I have that exact mute. If I go in the next room and close the door while using the mute, he can barely hear that I'm playing, much less is it bothersome. As a caveat, though, it's definitely not literally silent-- but I think that if my roommate can barely hear it, your neighbors should not be able to hear it at all.

Probably the quietest option, of course, would be a silent electric violin.

I bought some of these a while back to put on my Pioneer PL-518. Not sure if they will fit on your SL-D2, but if no one else offers a solution I'd give them a try.

Here's a couple options from Amazon.

Neotech 2501162 Soft Harness, Black, Swivel Hook -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1NS2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_b901xbDRT8AP5

Pro Tec A306M Large Universal Saxophone Harness -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AF40QAU/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_k-01xb1G5TKJA

If you guys are looking for an OCD overdrive pedal, also check out the JOYO clone "Ultimate Overdrive." You can find it on amazon, or ebay for less than 30 bucks.

On amazon it's selling for $118 which is still $20 cheaper for a pedal that will take up less board space.

Amazon, search for DR-NEON you got from 9, 10, and 11 sized and up.

https://www.amazon.ca/DR-Strings-NMCE-10-Electric-Multi-Color/dp/B00DND2SN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464098840&sr=8-1&keywords=DR-neon+strings

I wouldn't get either of those pedals.

Just get a basic delay pedal and a vintage-style overdrive pedal.

something like this for a bit of echo: https://www.amazon.com/Donner-Yellow-Fall-Vintage-Analog/dp/B00GRRN2RI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466494900&sr=8-1&keywords=analog+delay

and something like this for a bit of dirt: https://www.amazon.com/Joyo-JF-01-Vintage-Overdrive-Guitar/dp/B004FEGXDK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466494843&sr=8-1&keywords=joyo+overdrive

I have a tuner that attaches to my guitar, what I did was bend the string until it changes notes on the tuner. Then I repeated that same feeling over and over again until I got the muscle memory down.
Tuner in question.

here you go

I'd get one of the light-medium and one of the medium-heavy so that you can try as much as you want.

Fast Fret works for me...


http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fret-String-Neck-Lubricant/dp/B0002D0CQC

Fast Fret is legit.


https://www.amazon.com/GHS-Strings-A87-FAST-FRET/dp/B0002D0CQC

http://www.amazon.com/Gator-GK-2110-Micro-Controllers-22-5/dp/B0002GL7ZO

Get a Practice mute

​

On the back of the head of my guitar.

amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-35005002001-Scottys-Pickholder/dp/B0002OOMU8

There's this, or this, or this.

You could put together a restringing kit, with the following things.

1. http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-String-Acoustic-Electric-Guitars/dp/B008XAXQAK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1450285020&sr=8-4&keywords=tuning+peg+winder
   
   
2. http://www.amazon.com/Martin-M140-Bronze-Acoustic-Strings/dp/B0002M6B2M/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1450285048&sr=8-6&keywords=acoustic+strings
   
   
3. http://www.amazon.com/Korg-GA1-Guitar-Bass-Tuner/dp/B002HPMTZU/ref=sr_1_8?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1450285069&sr=1-8&keywords=guitar+tuner
   
   
4. http://www.amazon.com/Gibson-Gear-AIGG-950-Polish-Standard/dp/B0002D0MFI/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1450285093&sr=1-4&keywords=guitar+polish
   
   
   OPTIONAL
   
   
5. http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-PVP101-Variety-Assorted-Players/dp/B0055V7UR0/ref=sr_1_9?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1450285131&sr=1-9&keywords=guitar+picks
   
   
6. http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-35005002001-Scottys-Pickholder/dp/B0002OOMU8/ref=sr_1_6?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1450285131&sr=1-6&keywords=guitar+picks
   
   This is about $50 and will last a lifetime (except the strings).