Andy Fraser 
Are you new to the guitar or thinking about whether to try playing? Almost everyone at the start wonders how long it takes to learn guitar. There’s no harm in admitting we want to get good at something as quickly as possible. Unfortunately it’s never that easy. So, how long does it really take to …
Taking care of your guitar is important. You want it to sound its best and last as long as possible, right? So you do the right things like storing it properly, keeping it at the correct temperature and humidity etc. But what about the strings and the tension they put on the guitar? Do you …
One of the fundamentals when learning to play the guitar is holding the pick correctly. While it’s not strictly necessary – you can play without one – most people play with a pick and it makes sense to learn how to do it properly. Getting the right technique early is helpful too. Some people go …
The zero fret is a little bit of an enigma. In some cases reviled and hated, by others adored and considered a technological marvel that makes tuning stability and your tone much better. But they’re a bit odd. You tend to find them either installed in really cheap and poor guitars or the highest quality, …
A Kill switch is one of those guitar terms you may have read about but not fully understand. They’re not all that common but can be an interesting addition to your playing. I actually installed a kill switch in an old guitar of mine to test it out. It was a fun experiment and a …
Drop tuning a guitar is fairly common. It’s a simple technique that can open up your playing and give you lots of varied options. Standard tuning is great, obviously. But it can be fun and interesting to try different tunings and expand your sound. You’ll find a lot of heavier styles of music like metal …
You may have come across the phrase ‘relicing’ in relation to guitars and the way they look. It’s been growing steadily in popularity for a while now and lots of guitarists like that reliced look. If you’re not sure, relicing guitars is when you take a guitar and make it look worn, old and ‘vintage’. …
One thing those new to the guitar often worry about is hand size. Sometimes it’s because their hands are big and they have fat fingers. But mostly it’s concern their hands are too small to play guitar. So, can you play guitar with small hands? Yes, although there may be certain chords and stretches that …
Whether you’re a beginner, someone who hasn’t much experience or just bought a new one it’s normal to find guitar amplifier controls confusing. Getting familiar with what they do and how to use them can be tricky. Some amplifiers are straightforward and only have a few knobs. But many of them have a huge array …
Wanting to play electric guitar without an amp is becoming popular. More and more guitarists, from bedroom players to famous bands, are finding different methods to play without an amp. Amps are great, don’t get me wrong. I love mine and have no desire to give them up or trade them in any time soon. …