Guitar News and Resources
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Discussion Forums
Whether you are a beginner looking for some help and advice, or an expert looking to share your knowledge, the Harmony Central User Forums are the place to be. Join the world's largest musician community and talk about gear, artists, technique, funny stories, and anything else guitar related.
If your interests go beyond the world of guitar, then jump right in and view all active forums.
Forum Areas:
- Guitar Jam
For general discussion not falling into the categories below.
- Electric Guitars
Eveything electric, from strings and pickups to construction and modding. On-topic posts only.
- Acoustic Guitars
Home for flatpickers and fingerpickers to share their advice and knowledge. Strictly on-topic only.
- Amps
Find the right amp and maximize the tone of your current amp.
- Effects
Stomp boxes, multi-effects, and towering racks.
- The Lesson Loft
Lessons from what to look for in a guitar to theory, practical use of knowledge, to recording. The total guitar experience. Strictly on topic only.
- Cool Jam
A slower pace, more mellow forum for general guitar talk.
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Guitar Instruction
A collection of lessons on guitar technique and music theory, some chord charts, a link to the Guitar Chord of the Week site, along with a couple of other related web pages including schools.
Browse Guitar Instructions »
Tablature
A listing of the major mirrors of the On-Line Guitar Archive, full with a wide variety of tablature, and some help for beginners to read tablature.
Browse Tablatures »
Product Review Databases
These databases are intended to be used as a reference when you are shopping around for new gear. It relies on people like you to share your comments, complaints, or praise. This is your chance to tell people how cool something is, what to stay away from, or just what you think people need to consider before buying.
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| Guitar Amps |
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| Electric Guitar Pickups |
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| Effects |
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Effects
This link will take you over to the Effects Page. It has a FAQ that explains how some common effects work and how to go about building your own, a source for lots of effects schematics, and an Effects Database where you can browse reader comments and submit your own comments for others to read.
Browse Effects »
Classified Ads
The Harmony Central Classified Ads provide an area to buy and sell used equipment. You can Post a Classified Ad (for free, of course) if you have something to sell or are looking for a specific item, and use the form below to look at the ads currently available. You can also Search the Classified Ads or Edit or Delete Your Ad.
If you are buying (or selling) an item, and want to protect yourself from getting ripped off, you may want to look into escrow companies like Safe Buyer, and escrow.ca to see what they have to offer. If you're looking for more places with classifieds, (for buying/selling gear and finding other musicians), there's a listing available on the Services page.
Other Topics and FAQs
FAQs and other resources for tube amps (reviews of books, guides for biasing and modifications), digital and MIDI guitar, tinnitus, building a guitar, pickups, customizing your guitar, intonation, and more.
Browse Other Topics and FAQs »
Software
There are some multi-platform items you may find useful, including Chord Generating C++ Code (25K), chord2html 1.0 (a Perl script that converts ChordPro files into HTML web pages), and a Tab Perl Script (8K) that will take an input file in the specified format and produce an ASCII tab output. The file contains instructions, and must be edited before use.
For other software, click on your platform:
Newsgroups
Here's a listing of some newsgroups of interest to guitar players:
You can search these newsgroups via Deja News.
Magazines
- Acoustic Guitar Magazine (Order Subscription)
- Acoustic Musician
- American Songwriter Magazine
- Audio Amateur Corporation
Publishes several magazines including Audio Electronics, Glass Audio, Speaker Builder, and Voice Coil. They also sell books and software on the same topics.
- Bluegrass Works
Bluegrass music news and reviews.
- Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine (Order Subscription)
- Flatpicking Guitar Magazine
- Fuse Online
Covers jazz-fusion, modern jazz and progressive music with artist interviews.
- Gig Magazine
- Guitarist
- Guitar Nine Records
- GuitarOne (Order Subscription)
Artist features, song transcriptions, gear reviews -- all delivered with a hands-on focus.
- Guitar Player (Order Subscription)
- Guitar Techniques
- Guitar World
- Guitart
Classical guitar magazine that includes a CD in each issue.
- Jazz Guitar Online
Lessons, transcriptions, and licks of jazz artists.
- Just Jazz Guitar
Some info on the magazine, including some of the lessons.
- Mugwumps
A magazine for folk music instruments being revived on-line. It does contain some articles on instrument dating, construction, and more.
- Music Connection Magazine
Focused on the business of music.
- Musiciannews.com
Web portal with gear and artist news, articles, classifieds, and more.
- Musicians Hotline
Classified listings plus reviews and interviews.
- The Online Guitar Magazine
- Play Guitar Magazine
Magazine dedicated to the beginning guitarist.
- Recording Magazine
- The ToneQuest Report
A subscription-based newsletter focused on the finding the ultimate tone.
- Topless Guitar Online Magazine
- Total Guitar
UK magazine that comes with an audio CD to supplement the articles and reviews in each issue.
- Guitar Player Magazine
- Sound on Sound Publications
The web site for Sound on Sound and Sound Pro magazines, covering hi-tech recording technology. Full access, on-line subscriptions are available.
- 20th Century Guitar Magazine
- Vintage Guitar Magazine
Some background on the magazine, plus subscription info, books, and table of contents from the current issue.
- Virtual Guitar Magazine
An on-line magazine with artist interviews, CD reviews, news, and gear tips.
Manufacturers
Links to guitar and amp manufacturers, effects manufacturers, companies that make guitar related softwareprograms, places that sell accessories and parts, and commercially available lessons, instructional videos, and tablature.
Browse Manufacturers »
Retailers
Browse Retailers »
Other Guitar Sites
If you want to keep surfing, or want to try a different guitar page, this link will get you started. There are also links to pages devoted to particular music styles.
Browse Other Guitar Sites »
Other Items of Interest
- Guitar Tip of the Day
Daily tips on playing guitar. Daily ezine plus hundreds of archived tips; directory of thousands of related sites.
- Songwriting Tip of the Day
Daily tips on songwriting and composition. Daily ezine plus hundreds of archived tips; directory of thousands of related sites.
- Avoiding Gear Acquisition Syndrome (G.A.S.)
A series of articles on how to choose gear that will work together the first time, so you don't have to buy more than you need.
- Guitars, Wood, and Tone
A discussion of how the types of wood a guitar is made from affects its tone.
- Purchasing and Acoustic Guitar
Advice on what to look for when choosing an acoustic guitar.
- The Anderson Touch
An interview with luthier Tom Anderson.
- An Interview with Paul Reed Smith
- Reviewed: PRS McCarty Archtop II
- 2000 Golden Axe Awards
- The Golden Axe Awards: Guitar Division
Some of the most amazing guitars on display at the 1999 Winter NAMM show.
- Loopwise.com
Collaboration site where you can get exposure and sell your services as a musician.
- MIDI Guitar Backing Tracks
MIDI backing tracks for play-along practice in several keys and different tempos.
- The Complete Guitar to the Guitar for the Beginner to Intermediate to Advanced Player
A humourous look at guitar playing.
- CRM - Composing, Recording, Mastering
Includes a section on guitar.
- MusicianWear.com
Sells t-shirts, hats, and other logowear from companies like Fender, Gibson, Mesa/Boogie, etc.
- Schematic Connection
Sells vintage and hard to find user manuals, service manuals, and schematics.
- Cathedral Stone
A studio that provides info on lots of their gear, including some rarer and vintage items.
- Java Metronome
- Institute for Applied Acoustics
"Optimizes" acoustic instruments with vibrations to improve tone.
- International Guitar Seminars
- Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA)
An industry organization for promoting guitar instruction in schools.
- Guitar Bookstore
Listings of guitar related books that you can buy on-line via Amazon.
- GuitarBooks.com
Provides reviews and links for purchasing guitar books and videos.
- TeachGuitar.com
A book for sale and some free resources for helping you become a guitar teacher.
- National Guitar Workshop
Info on their seminars/classes and how to apply.
- Mid America Guitar Camp
An annual event for kids ages 10-17
- Fur Peace Ranch
A guitar instruction camp.
- Guitar Workshop Plus
A summer program in Ontario offering guitar, drum, and keyboard classes.
- Progressive Music Center
Private lesson facility in Raleigh.
- Music Workshops in Spain
Guitar and percussion workshops held in the hills of Spain.
- Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp
Jam with musicians from well known bands, plus guest speakers, recording sessions, and more.
- Aesthetic Artist Productions
Covers a variety of music theory topics.
- Registry of Guitar Tutors
An accredidation program and service for guitar/bass instructors based in the UK. The Accent Guitar Studio site has news and events for the North American branch.
- Musicians Institute
- The Dick Grove 'School Without Walls'
The School That Comes To You.
- Applause Music Careers
Sells guides to help you get a job in the industry.
- Music Tech
- Miller Freeman Books
- The Muse's Muse
A site for songwriters with articles, classifieds, and related links.
- mic.gif (23K) and mic.txt
Plans and guidelines for building a simple microphone to use with an acoustic guitar.
- stand.ps.gz (21K)
stand.pdf (21K)
Plans to help you build a stand to hold up to four guitars and basses, by Tony Cormier.
- StickiWiki
A wiki site devoted to the Chapman Stick.
- Stick Wire, the authorized Chapman Stick Web Page. It has some introduction material and technical info.
- Virtual Chapman Grand Stick
A polyphonic Chapman stick created in Flash.
- Walkman Headphone Amp (2K)
This is a post that from USENET that describes how you can take an old walkman and convert it into a headphone amp.
- The Complete Jingle Course
- Fender Forum
Unofficial discussion page for Fender instruments
