The original (Arbiter England) Fuzz Face pedals first began being imported into America in 1966. A strong argument could be made that it’s introduction contributed greatly to the burgeoning hippie movement, and the psychedelic rock scene that first took shape in the late 60s.

So what made the original Fuzz Face so special? One of the most unique aspects of the pedal is its smooth, transistor-based fuzz sound. It produced this rich, smooth tone with the use of the (now rare) PNP germanium AC 128 transistors.

Later editions of the pedal began using more modern components, and replaced the original germanium transistors. Unfortunately, modernizing the components of the pedal also took away much of the warmth and color of its original sound. For this reason, original Arbiter England models are now considered rare finds. A unit in good condition can sell at auction for more than $1000. Pretty expensive guitar pedal, huh?

Fortunately, you can also find good deals on these vintage guitar pedals if you shop around at online auctions, or local pawn shops. Many times an individual will have an old Fuzz Face pedal lying around and decide to sell it without knowing how rare and prized this classic stomp box actually is.

In these situations you might be able to buy one in great shape for as little as $100 or less. Of course, you have to do some shopping around to find bargains like this, but it is possible.

Tone-wise, the original Arbiter Fuzz Face is an amazing guitar effect. Legendary guitar heroes such as Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townsend have immortalized the this pedal on recordings from the 1960s and 70s. Many modern rock players also go ga-ga for its “creamy” transistor produced sustain. In fact, the Fuzz Face is probably more popular today than ever.

Unfortunately, there is a great deal of confusion about what an original Fuzz Face pedal actually is. Various companies produce stomp boxes that use the name “fuzz face,” but are in fact very different pedals, using completely different components.

For example, Jim Dunlop produces a “Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face” pedal that is quite popular, but is NOT the original. Like the Dunlop model, many manufacturers produce a reissue or “reconstruction” of the classic Arbiter English version. And although some of these “remakes” are very good, and have established solid reputations in their own right, none are as revered as the original English version.

Even the Dallas-Arbiter version is slightly different from the original English model, and lacks a certain “bite” that is difficult to describe. Mind you, they still sound pretty great — just not quite as great as the original.

Trying to get your hands on original English Fuzz Face is not always easy, but with a little bit of persistence you can usually find one at a decent price by searching around. If the price tag of an original English model is a bit out of your league, consider one of the many high quality reissues such as the Cornell AC 128. Next to an authentic English-manufactured Fuzz Face, it’s one of the sweetest sounding fuzz boxes you’re likely to hear.

By: Jon Mercer

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Buying a used guitar can be a good investment, as they tend to come in at about half the cost of buying a new guitar. Most used guitars age very well and they often sound better too.

These are the used guitar categories: ‘Old used’ guitars are generally ten years or older. The ‘new used’ category usually offers guitars that are less than five years old. ‘Refurbished’ guitars fall into the category between the old used and new used age group but because they have been overhauled they are generally more like new used. The ‘needs work’ speaks for itself and you should keep away from these unless you really know what you are looking for.

But before purchase your used guitar, take into consideration the following points:

Wood ages better than plastic. The neck joint should be flush to the body of the guitar, and the space in front and behind the bridge should be flat. Make sure the neck isn’t twisted or bent.

You may have to clean it up and change the strings, are you sure this is something you want to take on? Remember, if the guitar looks good, then it will probably sound good.

Make sure you do plenty of research before you make your decision. Don’t rush into buying the first used guitar you see just because its ‘on sale’, the ‘last one’, etc. There are usually plenty of used guitars for sale at very reasonable prices. Factory Seconds can offer great deals on recent models. You can also find some great deals on websites like Ebay. Look for sellers who have sold guitars before and have positive feedbacks. There are also some good bargains to be had from your local pawnshop. You could also do a “google” search on the Internet to find a used guitar, whether you are looking for your first ever guitar or a new top of the range guitar, if you have a favourite brand of guitar this will open up lots of opportunities for you. You can also find some very expensive, rare, antique used guitars up for sale.

If you would like more information on new and used guitars and accessories please visit my website at:

www.newandusedguitars.com

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By: Suzie Smith

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Buying the right guitar may not be an easy choice for you. It can be so frustrating and exasperating that sometimes you will just feel like buying the next guitar you see just so that you can stop your search once and for all. Worse if you the easily frustrated type, you may even feel like giving up the idea of learning how to play the guitar altogether.

Every person will have a different set of criteria when choosing a good guitar. However, chances are that you may not always be able to satisfy all of them at once. Just have a little patience and look around as much as you can so that will not regret later that you have bought a wrong guitar. Don’t just buy the first guitar you see, visit as many guitar stores as you can just to get an idea of what is on offer.

You probably will have friends who are experienced guitarists, so go and ask them for advice on how to choose a guitar for a beginner like you. Someone who has been playing the guitar for sometime will be able to show you where to choose the best guitars for the best price. Better yet, ask them if they are willing to accompany you to check out the guitars.

Beginner guitar players are often offered package deals in most guitar stores. These deals will often include a free guitar strap, case, tuner and sometimes even free lessons. This would be a good choice for a beginner because everything you need to learn how to play the guitar is packaged together.

If you aspire to be a proficient guitarist, buying a guitar not suitable for you would not only get you shortchanged but it might also disillusion you and dampens your enthusiasm. For this reason, it is always recommended that buy your guitar from reputed brands such as Yamaha, Ibanez, Fender, Gibson, Ovation and Martin just to list a few of them.

You don’t have to get embarrassed when trying out and testing the guitar at the shop since you will be the one who is paying for the guitar. When inspecting a guitar, lookout for sloppy gluing and also make sure that the guitar has a good solid top.

Play the guitar as loudly as you want to because this is the best way of listening to its tonal quality. Play on every fret on the guitar neck to make sure that there are no fret buzzes. Also never pay the listed price for a guitar, so do some hard bargaining with the sales staff and you may get a handsome discount.

If buying a brand new guitar is out of your tight budget, you may wish to consider getting a good quality second hand guitar. This is also an option especially so if your enthusiasm on being a guitarist is just a passing fad.

By: Chris Chew

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An acoustic guitar can have a high or low action. The term “action” refers to the distance of the strings from the fretboard. If the action is too low the strings will buzz against the frets. If the action is too high the guitarist needs to exert too much pressure on the strings to get a clean sound. Acoustic guitars also make use of two kinds of strings – nylon and steel. The ideal guitar for a beginner would have as low an action as possible without fret buzz and use nylon strings which are better for breaking in a new guitar player’s soft finger tips.

Every guitar buyer has his or her own budget and you need to bear in mind that if you are looking at buying a new guitar, there’s no such thing as a bargain. An acoustic guitar is a valuable item so when you buy a new one, get a warranty with it.

The body of an acoustic guitar should be without dings or cracks in the wood. Any kind of damage or deterioration which shows itself in the form of splitting wood is not going to heal by itself. It will mean repairs later on. This also goes for any splits around the screws holding the machine heads in at the top of the neck.

The lacquer on the guitar should be free from chips and worn patches and you should check to make sure that the neck is not bowed. Hold the guitar up to your eye with the fat part of the guitar against your cheek, and sight along the neck. The neck should be straight.

After inspecting the physical condition of the guitar, play a few chords at different places on the fretboard. If you or whoever you brought with you to help check out the guitar, can play bar chords going right up the guitar’s neck without the guitar sounding out of tune it means there is no twisting of the neck that you could not see during your physical inspection.

The strings are stretched between the machine heads and the bridge. These two parts of the guitar hold all the tension. Make sure the machine heads do not resist you efforts to turn them. Any decent guitar can be tuned easily and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. The bridge should be without cracks and be firmly attached to the body of the guitar.

By: Ricky Sharples

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Technorati Tags: Electric Guitar, Guitar Players

Technorati Tags: Advice, Electric Guitar

Technorati Tags: Acoustic Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Amp, Hey, Iam

Buying the right guitar may not be an easy choice for you. It can be so frustrating and exasperating that sometimes you will just feel like buying the next guitar you see just so that you can stop your search once and for all. Worse if you the easily frustrated type, you may even feel like giving up the idea of learning how to play the guitar altogether.

Every person will have a different set of criteria when choosing a good guitar. However, chances are that you may not always be able to satisfy all of them at once. Just have a little patience and look around as much as you can so that will not regret later that you have bought a wrong guitar. Don’t just buy the first guitar you see, visit as many guitar stores as you can just to get an idea of what is on offer.

You probably will have friends who are experienced guitarists, so go and ask them for advice on how to choose a guitar for a beginner like you. Someone who has been playing the guitar for sometime will be able to show you where to choose the best guitars for the best price. Better yet, ask them if they are willing to accompany you to check out the guitars.

Beginner guitar players are often offered package deals in most guitar stores. These deals will often include a free guitar strap, case, tuner and sometimes even free lessons. This would be a good choice for a beginner because everything you need to learn how to play the guitar is packaged together.

If you aspire to be a proficient guitarist, buying a guitar not suitable for you would not only get you shortchanged but it might also disillusion you and dampens your enthusiasm. For this reason, it is always recommended that buy your guitar from reputed brands such as Yamaha, Ibanez, Fender, Gibson, Ovation and Martin just to list a few of them.

You don’t have to get embarrassed when trying out and testing the guitar at the shop since you will be the one who is paying for the guitar. When inspecting a guitar, lookout for sloppy gluing and also make sure that the guitar has a good solid top.

Play the guitar as loudly as you want to because this is the best way of listening to its tonal quality. Play on every fret on the guitar neck to make sure that there are no fret buzzes. Also never pay the listed price for a guitar, so do some hard bargaining with the sales staff and you may get a handsome discount.

If buying a brand new guitar is out of your tight budget, you may wish to consider getting a good quality second hand guitar. This is also an option especially so if your enthusiasm on being a guitarist is just a passing fad.

By: Chris Chew

About the Author:

Technorati Tags: Amps, Buy Guitar, Cables, Electric Guitar, Electric Guitars, Purchasing

Brenton E posted:


I am buying an used electric guitar. It is a Fender Stratocaster. What things should i check for so im non getting ripped off? Tell me as much as you can

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