Showing posts with label Information/Trivia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Information/Trivia. Show all posts
The secrets of the fretted and stringed musical instrument. | guitar trivia [4]
- Of the hundreds of types of chords played in western music, you need only know 4 scales to solo over almost all of them (Major, Melodic Minor, Diminished, Whole Tone).
- Leo Fender sold Fender to CBS in 1965. He continued to work at Fender until 1970, at which point he became a partner of Music Man. Leo's personal cut from the CBS buyout was a whopping $13 million.
- When Fender shipped the Stratocaster in 1954, it created a lot of firsts. The Strat was the first to feature three pickups. It was the first to feature a whammy bar. It was also the first to include a jack in the front of the guitar's body.
- The world's first, commercially available solid body, electric guitar was the Fender Broadcaster. It only shipped in 1950. In 1951, Fender was forced to change its name to the Telecaster due to the claims that Gretsch previously had rights to the Broadcaster name.
- Ovation acoustic guitars were started in the late 1960's with a parabolic, fiberglass body. The shape/material was chosen due to its great sound. Charles Kaman, Ovation's founder, was worried that hardened guitarists wouldn't pick a guitar that was so untraditional. However, we still enjoy Ovation's products even today.
- In the 1930's, Epiphone was the most respected guitar company in America. Ironically, Epiphone was bought by Gibson in 1957, instead of the other way around.
- Scales are not only useful for building speed, but knowledge of scale theory will also help one with writing solos.
- It's very important to maintain and clean your guitars. Human oils and other grime can ruin your favorite possessions!
- No amp, guitar, or effect sounds better than any other. How good something sounds is subjective, and not a fact.
- Heat can damage guitars. Be sure to keep your guitars away from heat as much as possible!
- Use a metronome while practicing scales. It's better to build up your timing than inaccurate speed.
- It's far better to practice for 2 half-hour sessions a day than a solid hour per day. Don't overdo it.
Read more about guitars at Guitar Emporium Online
Significant information revealed related to guitars. | guitar trivia [3]
- Since its birth in 1946, Fender has continued to be one of the world's most popular guitar companies.
- In 1944, Leo Fender invented the world's first solid-body guitar.
- The last of the gut strings were replaced by 1946.
- Kirk Hammett's guitar teacher was Joe Satriani.
- Steve Vai's guitar teacher was Joe Satriani.
- The sides of acoustic guitars are made by soaking a piece of wood. It is then bent over a heated pipe.
- The electro-acoustic guitar was invented by Ovation in the late 1960's. The first production models appeared in 1970. After only 100 guitars were rolled off the line, Ovation announced the concept would never become widely accepted. Today, Ovation is the leader in electro-acoustic guitars.
- The Dreadnought style of guitar was designed by Frank Henry Martin and Harry Hunt in 1916, but Martin didn't begin selling them in full force until 1935. The name comes from a British battleship which means "fear nothing".
- It's uncertain exactly when the guitar was invented, but many historians conclude that the guitar was, in its first form, invented in the 15th century.
- Up until April 1st, 1918, Martin actually used elephant ivory for bridges, bindings, and various trim on many of their guitars.
- Martin is, by far, the oldest guitar company around today. It was founded in 1833 by Friedrich Martin in New York.
- In late 1980, Grover Jackson met with Rhandy Rhoads (then little known) to design a model for him. At the time, Grover had already built up the Charvel name. When the guitar was finished, Grover created Jackson guitars specifically for Rhoad's guitar. The idea was that if the guitar flopped, it wouldn't tarnish Charvel's name. Of course, the guitar was wildly popular and thus, Jackson was born.
- The Thunderbird, by Guild guitars, featured a built-in stand in the 1960's. The stand was located in the back of the guitar's body. The built-in stand wasn't very popular, and was removed from the model before the 1970's.
- George Harrison's first guitar was purchased for $5.95. In November of 2003, it sold at auction for almost $470,000.
- The Devil's Interval, a tritone, was banned by some through the Baroque period. In some cases, people were burnt at the stake for playing it.
- In 1944, Leo Fender invented the world's first solid-body guitar.
- The last of the gut strings were replaced by 1946.
- Kirk Hammett's guitar teacher was Joe Satriani.
- Steve Vai's guitar teacher was Joe Satriani.
- The sides of acoustic guitars are made by soaking a piece of wood. It is then bent over a heated pipe.
- The electro-acoustic guitar was invented by Ovation in the late 1960's. The first production models appeared in 1970. After only 100 guitars were rolled off the line, Ovation announced the concept would never become widely accepted. Today, Ovation is the leader in electro-acoustic guitars.
- The Dreadnought style of guitar was designed by Frank Henry Martin and Harry Hunt in 1916, but Martin didn't begin selling them in full force until 1935. The name comes from a British battleship which means "fear nothing".
- It's uncertain exactly when the guitar was invented, but many historians conclude that the guitar was, in its first form, invented in the 15th century.
- Up until April 1st, 1918, Martin actually used elephant ivory for bridges, bindings, and various trim on many of their guitars.
- Martin is, by far, the oldest guitar company around today. It was founded in 1833 by Friedrich Martin in New York.
- In late 1980, Grover Jackson met with Rhandy Rhoads (then little known) to design a model for him. At the time, Grover had already built up the Charvel name. When the guitar was finished, Grover created Jackson guitars specifically for Rhoad's guitar. The idea was that if the guitar flopped, it wouldn't tarnish Charvel's name. Of course, the guitar was wildly popular and thus, Jackson was born.
- The Thunderbird, by Guild guitars, featured a built-in stand in the 1960's. The stand was located in the back of the guitar's body. The built-in stand wasn't very popular, and was removed from the model before the 1970's.
- George Harrison's first guitar was purchased for $5.95. In November of 2003, it sold at auction for almost $470,000.
- The Devil's Interval, a tritone, was banned by some through the Baroque period. In some cases, people were burnt at the stake for playing it.
Read more about guitars at Guitar Emporium Online
Interesting guitar facts & figures. | guitar trivia [2]
- Naked women and guitars? You know it! Gibson was commissioned in 2000 by Playboy to produce 2000 limited edition "Playmate" guitars. The Playmates were priced to own at only US$7,000 a piece.
- Most guitar pickups are magnetic. Very, very few pickups actually hear sound. Instead, vibration measurements are turned into sound.
- Although guitar amps didn't become popular until the 1950's, they have actually been around since the 1930's.
- Steve Vai definitely isn't afraid of signature products. His arsenal includes a series of signature guitars, an amp, a wah pedal, and even signature cables.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan, at birth, weighed in at only 3 pounds and 9.25 ounces.
- Beekeeping is one of Steve Vai's many hobbies.
- Before his solo career, Steve Vai toured with Frank Zappa as his guitarist.
- B.B. King's guitar is lovingly named Lucile.
- B.B. King has given up on standing at his concerts. He now prefers to sit.
- B.B. King originally played gospel music, but later switched to blues due to the fact that it's far more lucrative.
- In 1941, Gibson's plants were actually used for production to help with the war.
- Most guitar pickups are magnetic. Very, very few pickups actually hear sound. Instead, vibration measurements are turned into sound.
- Although guitar amps didn't become popular until the 1950's, they have actually been around since the 1930's.
- Steve Vai definitely isn't afraid of signature products. His arsenal includes a series of signature guitars, an amp, a wah pedal, and even signature cables.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan, at birth, weighed in at only 3 pounds and 9.25 ounces.
- Beekeeping is one of Steve Vai's many hobbies.
- Before his solo career, Steve Vai toured with Frank Zappa as his guitarist.
- B.B. King's guitar is lovingly named Lucile.
- B.B. King has given up on standing at his concerts. He now prefers to sit.
- B.B. King originally played gospel music, but later switched to blues due to the fact that it's far more lucrative.
- In 1941, Gibson's plants were actually used for production to help with the war.
- Jimi Hendrix took up professional guitar playing thanks to a parachuting related injury in the army.
- The world's smallest, playable guitar measures in at 10-millionths of a meter (about the size of a red blood cell).
- The great Stevie Ray Vaughan was born on October 3rd, 1954.
- The world's smallest, playable guitar measures in at 10-millionths of a meter (about the size of a red blood cell).
- The great Stevie Ray Vaughan was born on October 3rd, 1954.
- Because of Eric Clapton leaving, Jeff Beck joined the Yardbirds in 1965.
Read more about guitars at Guitar Emporium Online
How well do you know about guitars? | guitar trivia [1]
- Gibson submitted a design patent for the Flying V on June 27th, 1957.
- Despite the Great Depression, Gibson adjusted and produced the "Kalamazoo", an inexpensive flat-top guitar. Even as people were fighting to afford food, Gibson still lived on.
- In 1978, Fender began putting 5-way selector switches on their guitars for the first time. Fender guitars were previously shipped with a 3-way switch. Due to many customers taking, the liberty to rewire their guitars themselves in order to make the guitars much more versatile, Fender finally decided to just make the 5-way switch stock.
- In 1980, Leo Fender and George Fullerton started G&L Music Sales. Today, it is often said that G&L produces guitars of superior quality to Fender, which Leo founded decades before.
- Leo Fender was an interesting man to work for. No matter how good one did, it rarely met his standards. However, despite him driving his employees as hard as he did, they loved him. It has been said that some employees even worshipped him.
-Fender once pushed an ad campaign called "You won't part with yours either". In one ad for the campaign, a skydiver was featured while in free fall and holding a Fender guitar.
-The world's first store to sell guitars only opened in 1957 in Tarzana, near Los Angeles. The store was opened by the man with the idea, Ernie Ball.
- Danelectro was known quite well for their pickups which resemble lipstick cases. However, the pickups didn't actually resemble anything -- they literally were lipstick cases! They were bought from a cosmetic company and converted into pickups.
- In the 1950's and 1960's, Sears (yes -- the tool store) had their own brand of guitars! Sears guitars were actually Danelectro guitars with the Sears name on them. The Sears guitars were actually quite reliable, and inexpensive as well.
- An ad campaign to promote the Rich Bich (by B.C. Rich) featured a model in a controversial pose and was featured in Playboy. The poster itself sold over 30,000 copies, and generated enormous publicity for this otherwise little known company.
- Bernardo Chavez Rico, the founder of B.C. Rich, started his business (then called Bernardo's Valencian Guitar Shop) making classical and flamenco guitars.
- Clear-body guitars have been around for quite some time. The first was invented by Ampeg in 1969. Ampeg wanted to create a guitar with great sustain, and plastic was the best choice.
- Les Paul loved to experiment with guitars. His first "electric" guitar creation was made by jamming his mother's phonograph needle in to the top of a guitar. Believe it or not, it actually worked!
- No, Les Paul's first guitar wasn't a Les Paul. His first guitar was a Troubador flat-top acoustic from Sears.
- Les Paul, up until the early 1930's, played jazz under the alias "Rhubarb Red".
- Carvin got its name in 1946 when its founder, Lowell Kiesel, combined his two oldest sons' names, Carson and Gavin.
Read more about guitars at Guitar Emporium Online
Turning New Strings Up to Pitch
Here's a tip from the pros…
After installing a new set, take a few moments to stretch and fully seat the new strings. Here's how:
Start on the low E string by placing your left hand index finger on the string at the first fret. Use your right hand to grasp the string and gently tug on the string back and forth a couple of times. Now move your fretting finger up to the second fret and repeat the tugging part. Continue this routine until your fretting hand gets to the 12th fret. Now retune the string and repeat as necessary. Be sure to do this for all six strings.
Once you've got the strings stretched, fine tune all strings by starting in the middle of the guitar with the D (4th) string. Tune the D string then move up to the G (3rd) string. Once the G is in tune, go back and touch up the D string. Check the G string, then move on to the B string. Get the B in tune, then recheck the others. Now tune the A string, followed by touch ups on the previously tuned strings. Finally, tune both E strings and recheck all six strings and you're ready to play!
Retrieved from Elixir® Strings Tips & Tricks
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