Im out for a month

Hi guys i will go for a vacation for a month and the place where i want to go is a very remote place so i think there will be no internet connection.so i hope you will enjoy this blog and wait for my comeback ;)

Flaming Guitars! Minarik Fuels The Excitement Of A New Generation Of Musicians by Scott G

Celebrating an endorsement between G-Man Music and the fiery axe-makers known as Minarik Guitars, Scott G (The G-Man) reviews the Minarik Inferno X-treme.

From the Telecaster to the Flying V to the Iceman to the Warlock, some guitar designs are forever branded on our consciousness, and now there's a new one: the Minarik Inferno X-treme. The body shape erupts in furious fingers of flame. If ever there was a guitar design destined to ignite the imagination of young players, especially boys and girls who want to rawk, this is it.

Not that the Inferno X-treme lacks subtlety. With scientifically placed tone chambers, this instrument can sing sweetly if that's what you desire. Or, it can live up to its appearance and enable you to carve sonic craters in the parking lot.

Although this guitar has a look that will inspire thousands of preteen statements along the lines of "Mom, that's the one I want," I suspect that tons of established players will find it useful in the studio or on the road because of its delicate balance, sleek feel, and stunning versatility. (And besides, the cunningly crafted guitar is also available in a more traditional body shape.)

"So, what's the story on Minarik Guitars?" I can hear you ask. As the designer of the B.C. Rich Goddess Warlock and several other noteworthy models, Marc Minarik already has a legacy in the business. Now heading up his own company, Minarik has the goal of fusing quality workmanship with visually exciting design concepts.

Actually, his plan is much more complex than "make it attractive and build it right." Marc Minarik is as eager to talk about the playability of his guitars as about their construction and appearance. And if you inquire about the light weight and the chambered body, he is just as pleased to demonstrate the superior nature of his firm's products.

The flame-shaped body isn't just flashy; the size and curve of the flames have been carefully calculated to positively affect the tone and balance of the instrument. The flame design is eye-candy, but it's the application of the physics of sound that makes the Minarik Inferno X-treme really hot.

With a wonderful combination of form and function, the Minarik guitar line may have some interesting side effects, like bringing vitality to retail sales, launching a new generation of guitar players, and saving music from passive pop.

Not bad for a guy with a dream about a flaming guitar.

Minarik Contact:
www.minarikguitars.com
818-383-1254
minarikguitars@aol.com

About The Author


Scott G (The G-Man) proudly plays a Minarik Inferno. He creates radio commercials and composes music for songs and spots at G-Man Music & Radical Radio. A member of the National Association of Record Industry Professionals (www.narip.com) and The Recording Academy (www.grammy.com), he also writes about music for the Immedia Wire Service. He is on the Web at iTunes, www.delvianrecords.com, www.myspace.com/thegman, and www.gmanmusic.com.
immedia@pacbell.net

Learn Guitars by Esteban himself

The Best Way To Learn Guitar by Andre Sanchez

If truth be told, there might be no best way to learn guitar, since what is best for one person might not be so for the next. Many people learn guitar in many different ways, and some of the world's best guitarists learned with no help whatsoever. In saying that, however, there is an argument that questions whether or not that is relevant. Here is how that argument generally goes.

Guitarists who learn without tuition have to be brilliant guitarists, or they would never have learned without tuition. We don't know how many failed to learn how to play a guitar for the lack of tuition, because only the most brilliant are able to do so. The argument goes on to state that in relation to those that were given tuition, very few became good guitarists without it. The vast majority of good guitarists were taught, so unless you are a genius you must have lessons to learn to play guitar well.

Hence, if your son or daughter says they don't need lessons to learn because Jimi Hendrix didn't need them, point out to them that they are not Jimi Hendrix. Nor Eric Clapton, who also had no lessons. Instead ask them if they want to be like the thousands or more of others who tried without lessons and failed. There is no doubt that learning how to play an instrument properly allows you to learn quicker and play properly.

Although a good guitarist, Hendrix relied largely upon use of feedback and other electronic gadgetry for much of his sound, although nobody can deny Clapton's genius. The argument is that were he not a genius he would never have been successful without guitar lessons. Many failures can testify to that fact.

So what is the best way to learn guitar? The probable answer you will get is the way that the person you asked used. People generally know of no other way than that they used, although this is becoming increasingly less true as technology advances and the internet becomes a more significant factor in the teaching of just about anything.

It is unlikely that a guitar book is still the best way. In fact it wasn't just the best way; it was also the only way at one time unless your parents were rich and could afford a private guitar tutor. There's no doubt that private tuition is the best way, assuming that you are the only pupil. It falls down when you are one of a class of several, and the lessons are aimed either at the average learning rate or the fastest - never the slowest! So personal tuition is not necessarily always the best way.

When an audio tape or CD is added, the book becomes more attractive. You can now hear what you are meant to be playing, and if you use a CD or DVD recorder you can also hear what you are playing from the listener's perspective. For some reason your playing always sounds better to you than to the listener. Especially when you are learning! With the CD, all you need is video and you are practically replicating the personal tuition. Only you can watch the lesson over and over again.

That is why a DVD is perhaps the best way to learn guitar. Perhaps. The benefits of a DVD other than the aforementioned replaying facility, include being able to see where your fingers should be and to hear what certain finger positions sound like, something that plain audio could not achieve. Even for advanced players, you need video to learn how to play guitar harmonics. However, although video would appear to be the Nirvana of guitar teaching media, there is one more that surpasses even video: the online membership site.

Membership sites of various types are growing all over the web, and have branched out into guitar teaching. A guitar tuition membership site can offer what a teaching DVD cannot: a multitude of playing styles, a multitude of guitar designs and a multitude of teachers. With a membership site you can choose the teacher that suits you best for the playing style that you prefer.

Classical, country, fingerpicking, blues, bluegrass, folk, pop, rock and heavy metal can all be found on the same guitar membership site. Special lessons are available for the kids. Not only that, but some lessons are specifically designed for rhythm, solo guitar and bass guitar. Hawaiian slack-key, slide guitar and other styles can also be found along with some other gems for the niche guitarist. Add to that the opportunity to choose from a number of different teachers, and you have something totally different and light years from the old book filled with chord diagrams and ancient songs to strum along to.

A membership guitar site can teach you playing techniques, such as harmonics, slides and spider walking for bass and lead. The best way to learn guitar is to have a guitar teacher you like, have lessons in your style of play and your type of guitar, and be able to play them back over and over again. Add to that a few minutes practicing new techniques, checking out what chords and scales the classical guys are learning and playing along to a few tracks on the site, and you really do have the very best way to learn guitar

Greatest Guitarist Ever -Slash. Do you agree?

Saul Hudson (born 23 July 1965), better known by the stage name Slash, is a guitarist best known as the former lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses and as the current lead guitarist of Velvet Revolver.[1][2][3][4]
•
Biography
Early life
Saul Hudson was born on July 23, 1965 in West Hampstead, London, England [5] Slash's African-American mother, Ola Hudson, worked as a costume designer for David Bowie among many other actors and musicians, and his British father, Anthony Hudson, was an artist who contributed live ensembles for famous musicians including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.[6]
Slash was raised in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, until the age of 11, when his parents relocated the family to Los Angeles, California. His parents separated and he lived primarily with his mother. He was given the nickname "Slash" by family friend Seymour Cassel because he "was always in a hurry, zipping around from one thing to another."[7][8]
As a young boy, Slash was influenced by a musical school teacher:
“ Tangerine from Led Zeppelin III was the very first song I mastered. I had a teacher at school who had a Les Paul and he was always playing Cream and [Led] Zeppelin licks and whatever. And when I heard him do that I said "That's what I want to do".[9]
”
After deciding to form a band with friend Steven Adler, Slash decided to pick up the bass guitar. This is due to the fact that Steven had declared himself lead guitarist. Slash stopped in at Fairfax Music School and told the receptionist he wanted to play the bass, and at that time met his teacher Robert Wolin. Robert told him to learn he would need a bass of his own. Slash went home and asked his grandmother and was given a worn-out, single stringed flamenco guitar. After hearing Robert play "Brown Sugar" by ear Slash realized that the guitar was his calling. He subsequently dropped out of high school to focus on music. In a Rolling Stone magazine article, he remarked:
My big awakening happened when I was fourteen. I'd been trying to get into this older girl's pants for a while, and she finally let me come over to her house. We hung out, smoked some pot and listened to Aerosmith's Rocks. It hit me like a fucking ton of bricks. I sat there listening to it over and over, and totally blew off this girl. I remember riding my bike back to my grandma's house knowing that my life had changed. Now I identified with something.[10]
Early career (1983–1985)
In 1983, Slash formed the band Road Crew with childhood friend Steven Adler. He placed an advertisement in a newspaper for a bassist, and received a response from Duff McKagan.
When Road Crew disbanded, Slash joined a local band known as Black Sheep. Headed by Willie Bass, the band shared an agent with another new group known as Hollywood Rose. In 1984, both bands opened for Christian metal band Stryper. After the show, Slash and lead singer Axl Rose were introduced to one another by a friend. The two quickly became friends, and several months later, Slash and Steven Adler were invited to join with Axl Rose, Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin as the band, Guns N' Roses.
Guns N' Roses (1985–1996)
Guns N' Roses toured bars and opened for larger acts throughout 1985 and 1986. It was during this period that they wrote most of their classic material, including "Welcome to the Jungle", "Sweet Child o' Mine", and "Paradise City." During this time, they were scouted by several major record labels, and signed with Geffen. From the start, they spent half of their advance on clothes, and the other half on alcohol and drugs. It was during this period that the "Most Dangerous Band In The World" tag was first attached to them. In 1988, Slash remarked:
For some strange reason, Guns N' Roses is like the catalyst for controversy, even before we had any kind of record deal.[citation needed]
With 28 million copies in worldwide (18 million only in the US), their album Appetite for Destruction is the highest selling debut album of all time in worldwide and US[11][12]. By 1988, Guns N' Roses scored its first #1 hit with Sweet Child o' Mine, a song spearheaded by Slash's riff and guitar solo.
In 1988, Guns N' Roses released G N' R Lies. Though this album only had eight tracks (four of which had already been released), it sold over 5 million copies. After a four year hiatus, Guns N' Roses returned with Use Your Illusion discs. The albums indicated a change in musical direction for Guns N' Roses, including more artistic and dramatic songs like "November Rain" and "Estranged". As Rose expressed a desire to pursue more progressive genres, Slash and McKagan fought to maintain their traditional sound as a punk/blues-based hard rock band.
In 1991, the band released Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. In 1991, Guns N' Roses embarked on the 28-month long Use Your Illusion Tour, to promote their new albums. Upon completion of the tour, Slash was naturalized, becoming an American citizen.
In the mid-'90s, Slash wrote several songs for what would have become Guns N' Roses' follow up album to Use Your Illusion I and II. Rose rejected the material, leading Slash to form Slash's Snakepit, a side-project that saw support from Matt Sorum, Gilby Clarke, Dizzy Reed, Mike Inez, and Eric Dover. The band recorded Slash's material and released It's Five O'Clock Somewhere in 1995. Critically, the album was praised for ignoring the conventions of grunge and alternative music. It also fared well on the charts, eventually selling over 1.2 million copies in the United States with little promotion from Geffen Records.
Side projects and session work (1990–2002)
After his departure from Guns N' Roses, Slash focused on his side-project, The Snakepit, playing a few tour dates before disbanding the group in 1998. Over the next decade, Slash became an in-demand session musician, recording music with the likes of Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, Insane Clown Posse, Ronnie Wood, Bad Company, Cheap Trick, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.
In 1990, Slash was contacted by Michael Jackson to work on his upcoming album, Dangerous. Slash played guitar on two hit singles, "Black or White" and "Give In to Me"; he also appeared in the music video of the latter. On several occasions, Slash appeared onstage with Jackson, performing "Black or White" during the Dangerous World Tour. Slash and Jackson appeared together at the MTV Video Music Awards of 1992 and 1995.[13] Slash played guitar on "D.S.", a controversial song from the HIStory album of 1995 and "Morphine" from the 1997 remix album Blood on the Dance Floor.[14][15] In 2001, Slash joined Jackson on stage at the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special playing guitar while Jackson performed his songs, "Black or White" and "Beat It".
In 1995, Quentin Tarantino asked Slash to contribute some songs to the soundtrack of his adaptation of the film Jackie Brown. Several Snakepit compositions can be heard throughout the film. In 1996, Slash collaborated with Marta Sánchez to record the flamenco-inspired song, "Obsession-Confession" for the Curdled soundtrack. The song was received well by Smooth Jazz radio stations. Later that year, Slash also played live with Alice Cooper at Sammy Hagar's club Cabo Wabo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The show was recorded and released the following year as A Fistful of Alice.
In 1997, Slash (alongside the late Ol' Dirty Bastard and hit alternative rock band Fishbone) appeared on BLACKstreet's rock remix version of their hit single "Fix". In 2003, he participated in the Yardbirds' comeback record Birdland, released on the Favored Nations label. He played lead guitar in the track "Over, Under, Sideways, Down." In early 2003, Slash also made an appearance at a rally to protest the coming War in Iraq called "Peace on the Beach", performing the song "Imagine" by John Lennon. Ed Kowalczyk provided vocals during this performance.
In 2000, he chose to regroup Slash's Snakepit to release his second solo effort, titled Ain't Life Grand. The album did well on the charts, reaching platinum status. To promote it further, Slash embarked on an extensive world tour with AC/DC in the summer of 2000.
In 2002, he reunited with Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum for a benefit/tribute concert for Randy Castillo. Realizing they still had the chemistry of their days in Guns N' Roses, they decided to form a new band together. The band that featured Slash, McKagan, and Sorum also featured former Buckcherry members Keith Nelson and Josh Todd. Later Duff put out a statement that Josh and Keith didn't quite fit with the band, and they added Dave Kushner as rhythm guitar and, after a long search, Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland. In 2006, Slash performed a guest spot on keyboardist Derek Sherinian's solo album Blood of the Snake covering the 1970 Mungo Jerry hit single "In the Summertime", also featuring Billy Idol on vocals. A video was also made featuring Slash, Billy, and Derek for this song.
Velvet Revolver and future endeavors (2002–present)


Slash with Velvet Revolver in 2004
Velvet Revolver began as "The Project", a venture by Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum to find a new lead singer. On rhythm guitar, they initially worked with Izzy Stradlin, and they were offered to open for The Rolling Stones but Slash, Duff and Matt wanted to have a lead singer; after this Izzy became less involved. They would find their second guitarist in the form of Dave Kushner, who had previously played with McKagan in "Loaded" prior to this project. For many months, the four of them listened to demo tapes of potential lead singers, a monotonous process (documented by VH1). After many months, Slash and the others were almost ready to give up. However, Stone Temple Pilots had recently imploded, allowing lead singer Scott Weiland to volunteer to record a song with the band. Realizing there was chemistry between each member, Weiland officially joined the band in 2003.
Velvet Revolver played several concerts in the summer of that year and released their first single, "Set Me Free" as part of the soundtrack for The Hulk. In June 2004, they released their first studio album, Contraband. A 19-month long tour ensued, as the album went double platinum and re-established Slash as a mainstream performer. After the tour concluded, he and his bandmates took a lengthy break before beginning work on their second album. In July 2007, Velvet Revolver released the critically acclaimed Libertad, a follow-up to their multi-platinum debut. Following their second studio album, Velvet Revolver also began a second tour. On March 20, 2008 during a glasgow gig, Weiland announced to their audience that it would be Velvet Revolver's final tour. Matt Sorum posted a message on his website the next day discussing the band's situation and said, "You could tell who was unhappy last night," and "some people in this business don't realize how great of a life they have." Weiland shot back by telling Blabbermouth.net, "Well, first of all, the state of my family affairs is really none of his business, since he is too immature to have a real relationship, let alone children. So don't attempt to stand in a man's shoes when you haven't walked his path." On 1 April 2008, Scott Weiland officially split from Velvet Revolver.
On May 31, 2006, Slash was joined by Rob Zombie on vocals, another former Guns and Roses axeman Gilby Clarke on rhythm guitar, Scott Ian of Anthrax on guitar, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee on drums, and surprise guest Ace Frehley of Kiss for a rendition of God of Thunder. The occasion was a one-time supergroup tribute to Kiss for the VH1 Rock Honors Award Show.


Cover for the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with Slash in the middle and two other playable characters in the game, Judy Nails (left) and Lars Ümlaüt (right).
Slash is a playable character in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and his likeness appears on the game cover. Slash did motion capture with RedOctane to record his movements for the game. Beating Slash in a one-on-one competition (playing an original composition he recorded solely for the game), unlocks him as a playable character. Beating him in this challenge leads to the player and Slash playing the master track of "Welcome to the Jungle" as an encore song.[16][17]
In 2007, Slash performed with Paulina Rubio on the hit Latin single "Nada Puede Cambiarme".
On March 12, 2007. Slash and Velvet Revolver paid tribute to Van Halen by inducting the band into the Rock N' Roll hall of fame. The band also played two covers.
Slash appears on the cover of Guitar World magazine for their July 2007 issue, the "20 year salute to Appetite for Destruction". The title is "The Cat In The Hat Is Back" and it pictures him holding his guitar with a snake crawling up the neck.
Slash made numerous contributions to The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx, published September 18, 2007.[18] He also played guitar with them at Crüe Fest.
An autobiography titled simply Slash was published on October 30, 2007.[19] It was co-written with Anthony Bozza. Slash will also be appearing in the HBO book and Documentary The Black List vol.1, he can be seen in a portrait on the cover of the book.
It was announced by Kerrang! Magazine that Slash was going to appear on Ace Frehley's next solo album.[citation needed]
Slash has planned to record a solo album after the third Velvet Revolver album, but after the departure of singer Scott Weiland and time-consuming searches for a new singer for the band, he decided to record a solo album first. On September 30, 2008, he began recording demos for the upcoming album. Slash was quoted saying that the work alone in the studio on the solo album is "cathartic", and that he's really enjoying the work alone in the studio. He also said he plans to bring a different singer for each song on the album, and that he has a list of guests to appear on the album, and most of them are already committed, though he refused to tell who are those guests. Rumored singers for the project include Slash's close friends Lenny Kravitz, Sebastian Bach, Alice Cooper and Vince Neil as well as his past Guns N' Roses pals, Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagan.[20]
According to Slash's wife during an interview with Rockerrazzi.com, both Ozzy Osbourne and Fergie will make appearances on Slash's upcoming solo album, saying, "It's going to be Slash and friends, with everyone from Ozzy [Osbourne] to Fergie."[21] Other musicians set to appear on the release include Josh Freese, Chris Chaney, Travis Barker and Jason Bonham.[22]
In 2009, he played the guitar parts on the film score of The Wrestler composed by Clint Mansell.
Television
Slash appeared as a recurring caricature of himself in Robert Evans' animated television series Kid Notorious which aired in 2003 on Comedy Central. As in real life, Slash is Evans' close friend and next-door neighbor.[23] He appeared as the guest mentor for rock n roll week of American Idol (Season 8) on 5 May 2009.
Honors
Slash won the "Best Guitarist" prize in the 2005 Esky Music Awards in Esquire magazine. A write-up in the magazine announced Slash's win read as follows:
He's who we see ourselves as every time we strap on an air guitar. The top hat. The hair. The dangling cigarette. The near-death experiences. He'll always be Slash of Guns N' Roses to us, but we also congratulate him for beating the comeback odds with a surprisingly legitimate and vital outfit, Velvet Revolver."[24]
Slash accepting the award has issued the following statement:
This is my first guitarist award ever. It's very humbling. I'd like to thank my parents, and I'd also like to thank everyone I've ever fucking worked with in the music business from the point I started at up until now - the bands I've been in, the sessions I've done, and the artists I've worked with. My wife is at least half of the reason I'm still walking. I'd also like to thank Robert Wolin; he got me to switch from bass to guitar. Thank you."[25]
In January 2007, Slash was honored with a star on the Rock Walk of Fame; his name being placed alongside Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix.
In 2007, Slash was awarded the coveted title of "Riff Lord" during the fourth annual Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards.[26]
Slash was selected to perform "Hey Joe", a signature song of the late Jimi Hendrix in a posthumous tribute at the UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Steve Winwood as vocalist, Billy Cox playing bass, and Mitch Mitchell on drums; the latter being the only original member still alive from the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
"Welcome to the Jungle" ranked #2 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs, #467 on the Rolling Stone Magazine list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, #764 on Q Magazine's 1001 Best Songs Ever and #26 on VH1's 100 Greatest 80s Songs. Most recently, the song was named the "Greatest Song About Los Angeles" by a poll in Blender magazine.[citation needed]
"Sweet Child o' Mine" placed #37 on Guitar World's list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos", number three on Blender's 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born, number 196 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and in March 2005 Q magazine placed it at number 6 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. The introduction's D-flat based riff was also voted number-one riff of all-time by the readers of Total Guitar magazine. It was also in Rolling Stones 40 Greatest Songs that Changed the World.[citation needed]
"Paradise City" is ranked #21 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs of All Time,[1] #3 in Total Guitar Magazine's list of the 100 greatest solos of all time and #453 on Rolling Stones' "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
"November Rain" holds the record for the longest guitar solo in a U.S. top 10 hit. The song is also listed at number 6 in the "The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos" by Guitar World. Additionally, "November Rain" was voted #1 on the Rock 1000 in 2006, an annual countdown of the top 1000 rock songs by New Zealand radio listeners.
Personal
In 1990, a heavy metal video called "Hard N' Heavy" was released containing music, concert footage and interviews. The video included Slash and McKagan appearing with the band Great White at a "Children of the Night" Benefit concert in LA for abused homeless children, the performance helped raise money for housing to aid the underprivileged.[27] He also performed at an anti-Iraq War festival in 2003.
Slash is married to Perla Ferrar, with whom he has two sons.[28] The family lives in Los Angeles.
Feud with Axl Rose
In 2007, Slash admitted to going to Rose's home with the intention to settle a long-standing legal dispute and make peace with his former band mate. Slash elaborated on the incident in his autobiography, claiming that what actually occurred was that he simply went to Rose's house while intoxicated and left a note asking Rose to contact him to settle a pending lawsuit. He also added that he had not actually spoken to Rose in person since leaving Guns N' Roses in 1996 [29]. Slash further stated that incident's publicity created a rift in Velvet Revolver; as his bandmates were unsure of what Slash had actually done and Slash had confronted Weiland over his scathing reply to Rose, feeling that Weiland did not have the "right" to criticize Rose, not actually knowing him.[30] In March 2009, Slash responded to an interview in which Rose referred to him as "a cancer", saying that "it doesn't really affect me at all. The fact that he has anything to say at all it's like 'Whatever, dude'."[31]
Equipment

This biography of a living person does not cite any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Unsourced or poorly sourced contentious material must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2008) Find sources: (Slash (musician) – news, books, scholar)

Guitars
Slash owns more than 114 guitars. The guitar he recorded Appetite For Destruction with was a hand made flame-top 1959 Les Paul replica with no pick guard and 2 Seymour Duncan pickups. His main live guitar is a 1987 Les Paul Standard with 3 piece top (Factory Second). It has a cracked neck in 2 places, but he has had it repaired and continues to use it. Most of Slash's electric guitars have Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups which are low output pickups.
His guitars include:
• B.C. Rich Mockingbird
• Fender Stratocaster
• Fender Telecaster
• B.C. Rich Double neck
• Gibson EDS-1275
• Gibson Flying V
• Gibson Explorer
• Gibson Melody Maker (used for slide during "Bad Obsession")
• Slash Custom Les Paul Gold Top Guitar
• At least 30 Les Paul Guitars
Slash's favorite guitar is the aforementioned hand-made Gibson Les Paul Copy. He received it during the recording sessions for Guns N' Roses debut album, "Appetite for Destruction". When he couldn't get the right sound he was looking for, the band's manager found a 1959 Les Paul Standard copy.
He has used that guitar on every album he has recorded with Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver. the guitar was also the basis of the instrument his doppelgänger used in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
He favors Ernie Ball Slinky R.P.S gauge 11-48 strings as well as Dunlop Purple Tortex (1.14 mm) picks and Seymour Duncan APH-1 Alnico II Pro and Vintage Gibson PAF pickups. He keeps his guitars in tune with a Peterson Strobe tuner.
Some of his favorite effects boxes are:
• Dunlop Rack Mounted Crybaby (controlled with an Ernie Ball volume pedal for live shows)
• Rocktron Hush II CX
• DBX 166 Compressor
• Yamaha SPX 900 Multieffect
• Boss DD-3 Delay (for solos)
• MXR 10-band graphic EQ
• Dunlop Heil Talkbox
• Boss GE-7 (for solos)
• Dunlop Q-Zone
Amplifiers
On stage, he only uses Marshall amps. He used a rented vintage 1960s Marshall 1959 modified by Tim Caswell at SIR studios for the recording of Appetite for Destruction. Slash liked the amp so much he tried to keep it, telling the store that it had been stolen, but it was returned accidentally by a roadie. During the 1980s Slash was using a Marshall JCM 2555 Silver Jubilee Anniversary amplifier made in 1987. It featured EL34's power tubes and three ECC83 preamp tubes.
For the recording of Velvet Revolver's debut, he used a Vox AC30 and small Fender tube amps (for "oddball" sounds). For the recording of Velvet Revolver's second album, he used the new Marshall Vintage Modern 2466 amp.
Signature equipment
Gibson Custom Shop
The Gibson Guitar Corporation custom made two guitars for Slash in 1988. The first "Inspired" Slash Les Paul is a replica out of one of the two guitars given to Slash by Gibson in 1988. The guitar is finished in a faded Heritage Cherry Sunburst, fitted with Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups and the neck is made to the exact specs of Slash's original Les Paul.
Gibson USA
Slash Les Paul Standard is a recreation of Slash's favorite Les Paul and is made of solid mahogany and is finished with a Antique Vintage Sunburst. Just like the custom shop version the guitar is fitted with Seymor Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups and a neck modeled after Slash's original. The guitar will be made in a limited run of 1600 guitars. He says "It's sort of a trip for me to see it because it looks exactly like the guitar after I had it refinished in 1988. This is what it looked like when it was brand new."
Epiphone
The Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plustop is made to be a more affordable version of the two Gibson versions while still being able to offer a high quality instrument. As the Gibson versions it is equipped with Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups which he says he decided to place in all his guitar models, and is finished in Dark Tobacco Burst.
In 2008, the Slash signature Les Paul "Gold Top" limited edition guitar became available. Epiphone's Les Paul model has a solid mahogany body with a gold top finish, and the standard long neck he came to request on all his guitars, preferring the closest similarity in the neck as his first Les Paul. Again, Seymour Duncan Alnico II pro humbuckers, a standard item on all his guitars. This version also featurs Epiphone's locktone stop tailpiece and tuneamatic bridge system, which Slash feels makes it an easier instrument to play, particularly for newer guitarists.[32]
Marshall Amplifiers
Slash was the first musician to own a signature amplifier created by Marshall for him.[citation needed] In 1996 the Marshall Slash JCM 2555SL was launched, it was built with the specs of Slash's own original 1987 Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 amplifier. A total of 3000 of these amplifiers were made before it was discontinued.
Discography
Guns N' Roses
Title Release Date Label RIAA (US) certification
Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide
1986 UZI Suicide
—
Appetite for Destruction
1987 Geffen
18x Platinum
EP (Live from the Jungle)
1987 Geffen —
G N' R Lies
1988 Geffen 5x Platinum
Use Your Illusion I
1991 Geffen 7x Platinum
Use Your Illusion II
1991 Geffen 7x Platinum
The Spaghetti Incident?
1993 Geffen Platinum
Use Your Illusion
1998 Geffen —
Live Era: '87–'93
1999 Geffen Gold
Greatest Hits
2004 Geffen 4x Platinum
Slash's Snakepit
Title Release Date Label RIAA (US) certification
It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
1995 Fontana Records
—
Ain't Life Grand
2000 Koch Records
—
Velvet Revolver
Title Release Date Label RIAA (US) certification
Contraband
2004 RCA Records
2x Platinum
Libertad
2007 RCA Records
—
Solo
Title Release Date Label
Slash & Friends
2009
Guest appearances
• 1988 - Alice Cooper - The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years -> "Under My Wheels"
• 1990 - Iggy Pop - Brick by Brick -> "Home"
• 1991 - Michael Jackson - Dangerous -> "Black or White"; "Give In to Me"
• 1991 - Alice Cooper - Hey Stoopid -> "Hey Stoopid"
• 1991 - Lenny Kravitz - Mama Said -> "Fields of Joy"; "Always on the Run"
• 1992 - Spinal Tap - Break Like the Wind -> "Break Like the Wind"
• 1992 - Motörhead - March ör Die -> "Ain't No Nice Guy"; "You Better Run"
• 1993 - Duff McKagan - Believe in Me -> "Believe in Me"; "Just Not There"
• 1993 - Paul Rodgers - Muddy Water Blues: Tribute to Muddy Waters -> "The Hunter"
• 1994 - Gilby Clarke - Pawnshop Guitars -> "Cure Me...Or Kill Me..."; "Tijuana Jail"
• 1994 - Paul Rodgers - Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix -> "I Don't Live Today"
• 1994 - Eazy-E - Beverly Hills Cop III Soundtrack -> "Luv 4 Dem Gangsta'z" (Slash Did The Guitar Part)
• 1995 - Michael Jackson - HIStory -> "D.S."
• 1995 - Mario Peebles - Panthers Soundtrack -> "The Star Spangled Banner"
• 1995 - TLC - CrazySexyCool -> "Red Light Special"
• 1995 - Quentin Tarantino - Jackie Brown -> "Jizz Da Pitt"
• 1996 - Marta Sánchez - Curdled Soundtrack -> "Obsession Confession"
• 1997 - Michael Jackson - Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix -> "Morphine"
• 1997 - Insane Clown Posse - The Great Milenko -> "Halls of Illusions"
• 1997 - Marta Sánchez - Azabache -> "Moja mi Corazón"
• 1997 - Blackstreet - Another Level -> "Fix"
• 1997 - Sammy Hagar - Marching to Mars -> "Little White Lie"
• 1997 - Alice Cooper - A Fistful of Alice -> "Lost in America"; "Only Women Bleed"; "Elected"
• 1998 - Ella - El -> "Bayangan"
• 1999 - Duff McKagan - Beautiful Disease -> "Hope"; "Mezz"
• 1999 - Graham Bonnet - Day I Went Mad -> "Oh! Darling"
• 1999 - Chic - Live at the Budokan - "Le Freak"; "Stone Free"
• 1999 - Various Artists - Humanary Strew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper -> "No More Mr. Nice Guy"
• 2000 - Doro - Calling the Wild -> "Now or Never"
• 2001 - Ronnie Wood - Far East Man -> "Assorted Songs"
• 2001 - Bad Company - Merchants of Cool -> "Wishing Well"; "Crossroads"
• 2001 - Cheap Trick - Silver -> "You're All Talk"
• 2001 - Rod Stewart - Human -> "Human"; "Peach"
• 2002 - Ray Charles - Ray Charles Sings for America -> "God Bless America Again"
• 2003 - Robert Evans - The Kids Stay In The Picture Soundtrack -> "Love Theme From The Godfather"
• 2003 - Matt Sorum - Hollywood Zen -> "The Blame Game"
• 2003 - The Yardbirds - Birdland -> "Over, Under, Sideways, Down"
• 2003 - Elan - Street Child -> "Street Child"
• 2005 - The Beatles - Benefit Single for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake -> "Across the Universe"
• 2005 - Eric Clapton - Save The Children Benefit Single -> "Tears In Heaven"
• 2005 - Ray Charles - More Music from Ray -> "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand (version 2003)"
• 2006 - Sarah Kelly - Where the Past Meets Today -> "Still Breathing"; "Out of Reach"
• 2006 - The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (Original score) -> "Welcome to Tokyo"
• 2006 - The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (Original motion picture soundtrack) -> "Mustang Nismo"
• 2006 - Derek Sherinian - Blood of the Snake -> "In the Summertime"
• 2006 - Paulina Rubio - Ananda - "Nada Puede Cambiarme"
• 2006 - Daughtry - Daughtry -> "What I Want"
• 2008 - World Peace One - Theme Song -> "Give Your Love"
• 2008 - Alice Cooper - Along Came a Spider -> "Vengeance is Mine"
• 2008 - Edgar Winter - Rebel Road -> "Rebel Road"
• 2008 - Vasco Rossi - Il Mondo Che Vorrei -> "Gioca con me"
Source Wikipedia

How Does Timber Choice Affect Electric Guitar Output? by Peter11

So you've wanted to be a rock star since before you could walk, but to really be a rock star you need to learn how to play the electric guitar. After all, the guitar players are always the ones at the front of the stage aren't they?

Problem is it's not easy to learn to play the electric guitar, it can take years and some say you're never finished learning. So I've written a series of articles about some of the basics of electric guitars, and in this one I'll have a look at how the timber you choose for your guitar changes the result you get from your guitar, or at least changes the sound.

Now of course the actual sound of the guitar isn't produced by the timber in the guitar, it's produced by the strings and it's taken by the pickups and converted into an electronic signal for the amplifier to use to amplify the sound. So how can the timber which is used to make the guitar change the sound?

The reason is that the timber which makes the guitar affects how the strings vibrate, and so it thus affects their sound because the way the string vibrate affects the sound. And it's not just the timber used in the guitar which affects the sound either, it's the complete package. It's the timber used, the shape of the guitar, the type of guitar, for instance whether it's a solid or hollow body, and it's the way it's constructed.

And it's the way that the pickup or pickups moves as well.

Lets have a look at some different timbers and how they are used in electric guitar construction.

Mahogany is a hardwood used in many of the parts of an electric guitar that utilize timber. It isn't the hardest of hardwoods and it emphasised midrange sounds well and resonates well. It is a lovely brown color and looks great.

Ash is used mainly in the bodies of solid body guitars. It is a hardwood and produces a fine resonant sound with a sustained ring and good midrange.

Rosewood is a beatifully looking timber that is used particularly for the fretboards of guitars. It is very hard and looks great and has a wide range of colors.

Maple is often used for guitar necks and is a very dense hardwood with good tonal characteristics. It's tonal characteristics help with trebles in the sound of the particular guitar.

Alder is similar to Ash but is cheaper so is more common in some of the cheap electric guitars that you can find, but is a good timber even so.

There are more exotic timbers used in electric guitar constructions too. However for the beginner who aspires to a basic level of competence at the electric guitar it is sufficient to understand that the timber you choose in your electric guitar affects the sound it produces. Gradually as you learn more about both playing the electric guitar as well as how they are constructed you can narrow down exactly what guitar it is you want to play, and eventually when you get good enough you can buy the right guitar for your style.

However at first it's a matter of learning how to play and learning about the different types of guitar. Because it will be some years before you'er good enough to justify spending up big on a great electric guitar that will do everything you want it to.

That's the point where you need to know enough about them to know exactly which electric guitar is right for you.

Tips on Buying Guitars by Mantius Cazaubon

There are so many guitar models on the market today. So many types including electric, acoustic, acoustic electric, nylon string, and steel string guitars. How does one make a selection? Here are a few tips to help you choose one that meets your needs.

1. It depends on how much you can afford.

With such a wealth of guitars available, a working person shouldn't have a problem finding one that fits their budget. But this doesn't mean that you should settle for anything. As the old adage goes, you usually get what you pay for. Usually the more money you invest, the greater the returns. You're going to be spending a lot of time practicing so choose an instrument that you can enjoy. An instrument that you can look forward to playing.

2. What style of music will you be playing?

The style of music to be played should influence your choice of guitar. For instance if you plan on playing rock you should buy an electric guitar, since Rock music is better suited to be played on that type of guitar. If Jazz and blues is your thing you may prefer a semi-acoustic guitar from the start. An acoustic nylon string guitar may be better suited to classical music and smooth Jazz.

3. Child or adult.

Are you a parent looking to buy a guitar for your child? Consider buying a 1/2 size or 3/4 size guitar. Your child doesn't have the reach that an adult has, so these smaller guitars are better suited. Regular size guitars will be more difficult to play and can cause a lack of interest.

You may also want to look into buying an electric guitar for your child if you can afford it. They have a small neck and very light thin strings and are therefore easier to play. If money is an issue a second hand electric guitar may be the answer.

4. Wood type and its relation to tone.

Although there are no rules for choosing guitar woods, there is a guide that you can follow. Generally, darker woods produce a brighter tone while darker woods produces a deeper, richer tone. Medium tone wood like mahogany produce a very even smooth sound spectrum. You should compare various wood colors. The best thing to do is to listen to the tones that a guitar produces before deciding.

5. Pay attention to the guitar's features.

Your guitar must have certain important features. Don't simply focus on looks.

For example, your guitar should have die-cast machine heads (or tuning gears). With this feature, you will be able to tune your instrument more accurately and your guitar will stay in tune longer.

A solid top is also very important. A solid top usually consists of 2 solid matched pieces glued together side by side. This is of better quality than a laminated top where various woods are glued together on top of each other. With a solid top the guitar's tone will be more even and accurate and you can expect a sustaining vibration throughout the guitar's body.

6. Buy a guitar that feels good to you.

You're the one who will be playing that guitar. So you'd better buy one that feels comfortable to you, whether you're sitting or standing. For instance, if the strings are too far from the fretboard, playing will be difficult. An expensive guitar that is not comfortable is a waste. Spend time with the guitar before deciding.

7. The bottom line is sound.

If it sounds good, buy it. No two guitars can ever be the same. It's never about looks. It's about the sound that is generated through the use of the right type of wood and through superior craftsmanship.

You should be able to find a guitar easily online. You can order one that suits your needs today. Some of the best guitar prices can be found on the Internet. You even get free shipping to your door.

About The Author

Mantius Cazaubon offers a buying guide to help you choose an electric guitar that meets your needs on his site www.electric-guitars-guide.com. Visit http://www.electric-guitars-guide.com/ for electric guitar lessons, tips, and reviews.

Why Purchase A Handmade Guitar vs A Factory Built Guitar? By James R Sullivan.

I heard a fellow luthier say one day, "they call this the golden age of guitar making." Twenty years ago in this country there was a hand full of people that could build handmade guitars from scratch. There weren't a lot of people that even knew how to procure the materials needed for such an ambitious undertaking. Today with the internet and the availability of just about anything you could want, anybody with any computer savvy at all, can find not only the materials, but the instructions to build just about anything. All you need is some mechanical aptitude, mixed with a good eye for detail, the perseverance to get it done and you might be able to build yourself a playable guitar. This is one of the reasons why there are a few hundred thousand web sites when you do a search for handmade guitars. It seems like everybody, their brother and, illegitimate child is building guitars these days.

With that being said, it would also be note worthy to say," buyer beware!" There are a lot of hobbyists out there that don't really understand what a high level of skill and experience can bring to the table of handmade guitars. Experience tells a luthier about things like, cross grain stiffness in a board and how thick to make a top according to how it feels or bends in their hands, or how to tap tune a top by removing wood from certain areas of a brace or two. There's also a great deal of skill involved in hand cutting mitered purfling lines or fitting traditional dove tail neck joints on handmade guitars. A good and skilled craftsman scrutinizes every little detail and understands the physics behind what makes the guitar work like it does and how to change it to make it better. Skill and experience tell a luthier what materials to use in the making of handmade guitars and how to get the most out of those materials. A well built handmade guitar will often have a flawless finish, which requires year of experience and practice. A lot of handbuilt guitars made in small shops are built by luthiers that play the guitar themselves and know what other players expect in a good set up. They know about issues concerning playability and intonation. When a handmade guitar goes out the door with your name on it, the words "quality control" take on a whole new meaning.

Then there's the big manufacturing facilities with all their computer controlled automated equipment and their multi million dollar advertising budgets. Who's really building these guitars? They are hourly employees that are usually over worked and under paid. They're not really guitar builders, they're machine operators. They know how to do a particular operation on a particular part. They don't really understand how a guitar works and most of them probably don't care. There might be a few supervisors that have an idea of what's going on but they can't be everywhere at once and probably have little to say about the quality of the process. The supervisors jobs consist mostly of paper work, keeping the machines set up and running correctly and the coordination of the machine operators.

It's impossible to process 100 guitar tops all at the same thickness and get 100 guitar tops that will yield the same results. There is really no comparison between a factory made guitar and one that is built by hand by a guitar builder that knows what they're doing. From fret work to the finish work, a handmade guitar is most often far superior to one that's built in a factory setting.

Have you ever heard that your car has a better chance of being a good one if it was built on Wednesday? I think that theory probably holds true in most large corporate manufacturing situations. So if you want to purchase a nice, well built guitar, that sounds good and plays well with meticulous attention paid to every detail, scrutinized throughout the whole manufacturing process, take a look at handmade. Get to know the maker. Shop around and ask a lot of questions. Listen to, look at and feel the difference between factory and handmade. You'll be glad you did and probably be a lot happier with your investment. Most small shops that build guitars by hand are a lot easier to deal with when it comes to warranty issues, and have much faster turn around times on any repairs that need to be done.

Remember, you're only as good as the limitations of your instrument!

Jim Sullivan, is a luthier that builds handmade guitars in his shop in Portland Tennessee, Sullivan Guitars. Jim's acoustic handmade guitars can be seen in high end guitar shops in and around Nashville Tennessee, music city USA. He also has a web site http://www.acousticguitarcorner.com where you can purchase quality acoustic guitar cases, amps, and accessories.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_R_Sullivan