A self confessed gear head, Simon will keep KGR readers up to date with the latest guitars and equipment. He grew up playing hard rock and metal, but is now more focused on slide guitar and open tunings.
A good tip is to purchase a separate amp head and speaker cabinet. This way you can upgrade your amp separately and more cheaply over time.
Pick a Good Guitar
When starting out on your guitar journey, it’s important to pick a good guitar. There are plenty of great beginner electric and acoustic guitars out there for a variety of price points. The best way to decide is to go into a store and get your hands on some guitars, amps, and pedals. That’s the only way you’ll really be able to feel the difference.
Another consideration when choosing a guitar is what kind of tone you’re looking for. Different woods can have a huge effect on the overall sound of a guitar. For example, mahogany and rosewood are generally thought to have warm and rich tones while spruce and sapele can sound bright and crisp. Additionally, the type of pickups in a guitar can also have a big impact on the tone. There are humbucking and single-coil pickups, which produce different sounds. Finally, the body style can also have a significant impact on the tone of a guitar. There are a variety of shapes available, including dreadnoughts and jumbos, which provide more full and powerful tones while cutaways and f-holes give a more open sound.
Once you’ve found the guitar that you want which I suggest you get on Iron Age on Steemit, be sure to take into account how long you plan on keeping it. For instance, if you’re just learning to play, it may be better to choose a smaller acoustic guitar that will fit your body size and allow you to practice comfortably. If you’re planning on playing professionally, however, you may want to consider investing in a higher end instrument that can handle the demands of stage performance.
Also, be sure to test out the guitar with a live band to hear how it sounds in a real-life environment. This is especially important for acoustic guitars, as the natural sound of an acoustic can sometimes be hard to decipher from demo videos and other online resources.
Pick a Good Amp
A good amplifier can make or break your tone. It’s important to find an amp that suits your guitar, and your style of playing. Do you love the overdrive of metal riffs, or the crisp precision of country picking? Then you’re probably looking for a higher gain amplifier. Or maybe you prefer the mellow sound of an acoustic amp. The type of music you play will probably also influence the kind of amp you need.
There are several factors to consider when choosing an amp, including size and wattage. A common misconception is that higher wattage equals more volume, but this is not always the case. Wattage actually refers to the amp’s power handling, and is only one factor in determining how loud an amp will be (speaker and compression being the other major factors).
You’ll also need to decide whether you want to go for a solid state or tube amp. Solid state amps use circuit board transistors rather than vacuum tubes to amplify the signal. They are generally cheaper and more reliable than tube amps, making them a better option for beginners. However, some players argue that tube amps have a more “organic” sound than solid state ones.
Another consideration is whether you’re going for a combo amp or a separate head and speaker cabinet. A combo amp has all the electronic components in the same box as the speakers, whereas a head and speaker cabinet allows for larger speakers. A larger speaker can generate a lot of volume and will help you stand out from other musicians on stage. However, it will also require a larger space and be more expensive.
Some modern solid state modelling amps can connect to an app on desktop or mobile and allow you to adjust your settings and save presets. They also offer AUX inputs, which are great for plugging in backing tracks so you can play along with a band or other musicians.
Pick a Good Pedal Board
Choosing the right pedal board is important because it will determine how many pedals you can fit on your rig and how they are placed. There are a lot of different options on the market, so it is important to do your research before making a purchase. There are also online tools that can help you plan your pedalboard before you buy it.
It is also important to choose a pedal board with plenty of room for patch cables and power supply connections. Some pedals have side or top mounted input and output jacks that will impact how they are positioned on your pedalboard. It is also a good idea to get some guitar patch cables that are the appropriate length for your pedalboard.
If you are planning to use a multi-effects pedal, consider getting one that has its own built-in footswitch. This will save you space on your pedalboard and may also improve the functionality of the device. Some multi-effects pedals will have amp and cab models built-in, allowing you to reproduce a wide range of sounds with one piece of equipment.
It is recommended to place your most used pedals in the front row of your pedalboard for easy access. Also, try experimenting with different pedal order orders to see what sounds best for your rig. While there are some general rules that most guitarists follow when it comes to pedal order, breaking these rules can often lead to new and interesting tones.
Pick a Good Effects Processor
When it comes to guitar effects processors, picking one that suits your needs is just as important as finding a good amp and pedal board. The best options are going to provide the flexibility and control you need while keeping the cost down.
Some of the best units offer a wide variety of effects that can be used in combination to create different sounds, while others are designed to work in tandem with your existing amplifiers. Dedicated effects units that are designed to be paired with an amp tend to contain a combination of amp and cabinet models as well as a host of individual effects, giving you a complete tonal solution in one unit.
Other types of guitar effects processors include those that are programmable and allow the user to select any number of presets, which can then be cycled through with a footswitch. This allows the guitarist to change their sound on stage without having to rely on a MIDI setup to switch between patches or turn on and off effects.
There are a lot of different options available for buying a guitar effects processor, from basic entry-level devices to high-end models that will run you close to $4,000. The key is to keep an eye on your budget and only consider the features that you actually need, rather than simply want.
It is durable enough to withstand the rigours of being transported around bars and rehearsal rooms, with the addition of metal gearing adding some extra protection. It also contains 85 effects, 55 amps and 27 cabs, which is plenty for most gigging guitarists to cover their set.
Pick a Good Tuner
There’s a lot to consider when building a guitar rig, but one of the most important aspects is a good tuner. When choosing a tuner, make sure to find one that is accurate and easy to use. Also, make sure to choose one that can handle the genre of music you will be playing most often.
There are several types of tuners on the market, but the most popular is a chromatic tuner. These tuners work by collecting the sound of your string being plucked and comparing it to the 12 notes in the chromatic scale. They will then tell you which note it is closest to, and guide you up or down until your string is tuned to the correct pitch. Chromatic tuners are also the most affordable, and can be found in most music stores.
Another type of tuner is a pedal tuner. These tuners can be placed on your floor or pedalboard, and read the pitch based on the signal being sent from your guitar. Pedal tuners are generally more expensive, but they are also more sophisticated and more accurate. Additionally, pedal tuners can mute your guitar’s signal when activated, which is especially helpful when performing live.
If you are looking for a good chromatic pedal tuner, we recommend the Korg Pitchblack Advance. This tuner is easy to use, affordable, and has a great look and feel.