Skins Graphics for Guitars! REAL GUITARS!!!

Guitar skin covers just like phone skins and iPod skins!

Actual finished guitar with "OUIJA" skin



Simulated guitars below.

"SUNSET" skin

"SWIRL" skin

"WEATHERED" skin

Finally! Skins for your guitar!

"Skins" for iPods and cell phones have been around awhile. Guitar game controllers too, I believe. Fourth Floor Graphics has introduced skins for guitars, composed of the same protective micro-thin, photo finish film you see used for the graphics on transit buses, beer trucks, news vans, etc. They also do ATV's and custom bike stuff.

The film is super thin, applies without blister & bubble hassles, and can be easily removed with the help of a blow dryer, to warm it up without harming the original finish. Even safe on nitro finishes.

Full user application instructions are provided with your skin. All guitar skins listed are available for Fender Strats & Teles and most other popular guitar bodies and headstock faces (the product listings aren't clear about that, but I confirmed.). When ordering, simply email message them your guitar's make/model after initiating the purchase. Just read all info provided in each product listing page.

Strat & Tele skins provide separate skin sections for the pickguards, to facilitate instrument maintenance. Pickup cutouts can be re-applied over a smooth pickup cover surface if you want full graphic coverage and "hidden" pickups.

More skin graphics are coming. The above is a cross section from approx. 43 currently available skins. Ask Fourth Floor Graphics about submitting your own photo/graphic for a custom skin. This may or may not be possible, but it never hurts to ask! AND TELL THEM STRATOBLOGSTER SENT YA! ;))

A similar product is also made by AXEWRAPS

This is not the same stuff as the guitar Facelift products. You'll need to decide which is best for you.


Pimp Your Strat Directory

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Name That Guitar Player - March 29, 2010

(image: "Blindfolded Man" by artist Tim Teebken)

Another edition of "Name That Guitar Player"! Today we're gonna make our regular geniuses work a little.

Mr. Friendly's Clue: Hiram Bullock plays the rhythm guitar tracks, but NOT the solo. Who plays the guitar solo?

Click the player below and let us know who's playing the guitar.

Leave a comment if you know!

Leave your answer, or check "guess status" via the comments/comment link below.

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Bryan Baker Fusion Guitar

Here's some real fresh stuff from Bryan Baker who we originally featured here a couple years ago.

If you dig serious East Coast Fusion, i.e. Mike Stern, Krantz, Ribot, Zorn, Oz Noy, etc., Baker oughta fill your chops of doom prescription. The Berklee alum has toured with Steps Ahead, and created various other projects-- some of which even aren't jazz or fusion at all-- so he's also very eclectic. Probably brews beer like Holdsworth as well. Ya never know...

In the above video, be sure to stick around for the second guitar solo at 5:15 following the sax solo. If you prescribe to "if you can sing it, you can play it", watch how he's singing along with his soloing like some of the legendary bebop piano cats. He knows what he's doing!

Miles Davis would have loved Bryan Baker! Woulda called him a Mother F#*@a! too-- the highest compliment an artist could receive from Mr. Davis. Seriously, in the context of having badass chops that was the ultimate honor. You wouldn't call Bryan Baker that though-- you would tell him that Miles would call him that. Etiquette & protocol is essential!

CLICK HERE for the music video of his tune "TEETH" in which one Youtube comment thread chimes in:

"Beastie Boys meets Ornette Coleman after he went drinking with Bela Bartok..."

Reminds me of some of the stuff Mike Stern and Bob Berg were doing back on Upside-Downside.

bryanbakermusic.com

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Fender '66 Vibrolux Reverb - "All Original"

Vintage Amp good condition collector grade.

Clean tag. Click for close-up. All tube #'s & text readable.


No surface corrosion, dust, cobwebs, film, nada...

From all the photos, this is one of the cleanest Blackface era amps I've ever seen. Seller says this is an all original, one owner amp that's stayed in the house under a cover. Data about maintenance is not provided, so if in fact nothing has been touched in 44 years, we're talking electrolytic caps and maybe speaker cones. Otherwise, this really could be a cream puff. The seller is 100% rated, has sales history and currently lists other gear -- all high end stuff.

So do your due diligence, ask questions!

That model tag is extremely intact-- and the chassis is so clean. The chassis looks bowed in a couple different photos, which may be from how close in the camera lens is. Find out!

I own a '66 Vibrolux Reverb myself. Production 26, PC stamped. These are churnin' urns of burnin' funk!

Check it out!

Seller: eden analog - 100% rating.

Current Vintage Vibrolux Listings!

Current Hi-End/Vintage Amp Searches



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Fender 1965 Pre-CBS Jazzmaster, Custom Color

One owner, clean collector's guitar.

L series

"Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me ."

Click photos for close-ups.

Here's a very nice looking Jazzmaster listing with 3 days remaining at eBay and active bidding.

Plenty more photos at the listing page. Here's the full description:

"...1965 Fender Jazzmaster.

Natural one owner relic.

100% original and everything works

pickups, rollers, switches, trem lock, everything works !!!

This is a rare Custom color, matching headstock

The case is awesome, comes with original strap and curly guitar cable..."

Seller: eden analog - 100% rating.

Oh yeah, also be sure to check this seller's other items.

Current Jazzmaster Listings




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String Anchoring Technique for No Slippage

How to string a guitar.

Gorehound's Roots Guitar Tips just featured this quick and nicely illustrative video on how to wrap your strings for non-slip operation. I've seen people demo this method before on video very poorly; trying to talk you through the hard to see parts. Gorehound adds little illustrations to MAKE SURE YOU GET IT!

All in under 2 Minutes!!!




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LA Times 50 Guitars-- You Kiddin'!

(image: LA Times Magazine)

AND HOW DID THE STRAT DO? Find out at bottom of this post!

A reader "Dax", just sent me a link to the online LA Times Magazine 50 Guitars list. They have a regular series on 50 of about everything- whatever.

I balked at checking out all 50 guitars-- which is actually the subject of this post. Yeah, so check this out-- ya go to the feature page and there's the #1 pick first. And ya gotta click 49 more times to see each successive guitar on their list. Now, you can also pick out individual ones from the little numbered blocks on the right side, but still... That's right, little numbered blocks with no image or clue about which guitar may be there.

I just don't have that much jam, so I balked at the entire thing. Life is too short y'know.

Then I realized that they feature click ads on each page, basically creating more opportunities to make more ad click $ from browsing visitors with ADHD or is it ADD? You just couldn't give me enough ritalin to deal with this. The newspaper industry is in deep doo doo, so they bring it online and make ya WORK for them in order to recover from their losses over in the tree killing division!

MusicRadar.com does this too, with their lists. Although they're strictly online, which pretty much makes them greedy and inconsiderate to their visitors, Ok, so they ARE eco-friendly. Basically I'm still pissed at them for making me remove one of their images even if I credited them for it-- coincident with my criticizing their stupid Top 35 Strat Players list. It WAS stupid too! Then they gotta be pricks about it, and jam me about posting a photo even with my free referral to their stupid name.

This was actually a few months ago. I need to let it go.

BTW, if anyone happens to sift through all 50 guitars, would you be so kind as to note down how the Strats did and let us know?

Appreciate it. I'll just be right here visualizing world peace.

ed note: "Three strats #2 (Hendrix), #10 (Zappa) and #45 Clapton." Special thanks to Mark Roberts from Cause & Effect Pedals for letting us know the Strat scores. Visit Mark's link and check out their stuff!!!

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How to Pick the Right Guitar Teacher!

Guitar teacher instruction manual, handbook, ebook download for guitar lesson home business or finding a good guitar teacher.

"Uhhhh, you here for guitar lessons or our spring radiator re-core special? We also got beef jerky and blue blocker sunglasses. What'll it be today?"


Them boys need:

Rob's Totally Awesome Guitar Teaching Handbook

And so does the *doosh bag in this video trying to teach his cat how to play guitar.

Actually, it's not that the cat couldn't learn to play really well, it's just that the guy obviously lacks effective teaching skills.

Even common house pets shouldn't have to take guitar lessons from just anyone. Even if they advertise lessons in the nickel want ads, grocery store bulletin boards or EVEN if they have a commercially zoned groovy instruction crib in the back of a music store where you take your guitar twice a year to get it tuned... EVEN THAT doesn't make them qualified to teach you, your kid, your cat, your gecko or a caveman how to play guitar!

Or maybe you already play guitar, perhaps well too-- and you'd like to set up to deliver effective guitar instruction, and be a mentor hero for future rock stars. How & where do ya start?

Whether you wanna learn from somebody or teach somebody about guitar, I strongly recommend checking out:

Rob's Totally Awesome Guitar Teaching Handbook by Seattle based hi-demand guitar teacher Rob Hampton. Stratoblogster Approved!

Read my full review.


*I learned this term from my teenage son. It's very popular now. Most kids don't actually know the literal meaning. I told him to ask his mother what it is. She told him it means "a dick head". Well alrighty then...

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Around the Guitar Blogosphere

Tired of humdrum gear review, gear pimp & "dig my guitar expert opinion" guitar blogs like mine?

For a refreshing twist, let me recommend the following blogs:

Play a Little Guitar - literally, a little guitar. Blog includes a great collection of guitar related quotes in the right column.

The Vainglorious Atrocity - A real inglorious bastard guitar blogger!

These guitar blogs feature wit, humor, attitude, sarcasm and other unexpected twists. Why, yes they do.

And since I've approved them here at Stratoblogster, you can have the assurance & peace of mind that these blogs are virtually free of any side effects, choking hazards, glutens and trans-fats. At least, I think one of them is gluten-free.

Hey, it's Friday! Live a little-- let's get on with it! Whatever it takes to have a good time, so long as it doesn't cause a murder.

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G&L Comanche Semi-H Quilted Amber- Friday #163

Semi-hollow, quilted maple on ash body.

Click images for close-ups!

FRIDAY STRAT #163

A recent arrival to the Guitar Adoptions inventory, this natural amber maple on ash would be just as good poured over waffles! And it's loaded from head to toe with sweet nutritious goodness and Z-coil pickup zing-a-tude, along with a deluxe molded hardshell case and a certificate signed by Mrs. Leo Fender. A complete breakfast! Click the above GA link for complete specs.

G&L is big into semi-hollows these days, and Guitar Adoptions stocks quite a few hi-end custom order models. They also stock more lefty models than many dealers. While browsing around be sure to also check out the G&L Jerry Cantrell Rampage stuff. They have a whiskey finish in-stock and are taking pre-orders on Blue Dress models too.

Basically, Guitar Adoptions is serious G&L headquarters kids-- and best to you each morning!


Friday Strat Directory

Hi-end Strat type Stuff

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Loaded, Wired SRV Strat Body

Genuine Fender components, brand new.

The folks at The-STRATosphere continue to make available new factory components like this fully loaded SRV Strat '09 body. They also currently stock EJ, Jeff Beck & Malmsteen bodies along with a large supply of necks, pickguards and hundreds of other genuine Fender parts & components.

Check 'em out!


Pimp Your Strat Directory - free resources, mods ideas and more suppliers for parts & accessories!

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Name That Guitar Player - March 24, 2010

(image: "Blindfolded Man" by artist Tim Teebken)

It's time to play "Name That Guitar Player" again!

Today's clue: "L.A. native"

Click the player below and let us know who's playing the guitar.

Leave a comment if you know!

Leave your answer, or check "guess status" via the comments/comment link below.

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Stratocaster is #1 Ski Guitar at The Ski Channel!

In The Ski Channel's recent Top 10 Ski Guitars, the Strat reigns supreme. Even more than that, the writer there is beyond hopelessly in Strat-lust!

Just read some of this stuff!
(I need to sharpen up my writing chops!)

"...Basically, the Fender Strat is greatest guitar of all time period...

The reality is if the very essence of skiing were somehow crystallized in the form of a guitar, it would be a Stratocaster...

Sleek and fast, with curves both gentle and dangerous, and to be used in ways from elegant to outrageous...

If the Hahnenkamm was a guitar, it would be a Strat...

It is a guitar imbued with the very soul of adventure, designed not merely to travel the beaten path but to go well beyond it...

It is the most versatile guitar ever manufactured...

When you look at the top horn on a strat pointing back behind the recess in the top of the instrument – it is like skiing down the back side of a great mountain and catching untracked powder at Noon on a back bowl after the sun has come out...

The Strat is the gold standard in the guitar world and in our world, we believe it is the white standard..."

I gotta party with this cat!

Found at www.guitargearheads.com

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JW Black "Art Nouveau" Engraved Aluminum Strat

1993 Fender Custom Shop NAMM Masterbuilt Stratocaster

Click for closeups! Please!!!

Check out the curly birdseye maple neck!!!

$$$ SERIOUS STRAT COLLECTOR ALERT!!! $$$

Stellar eBay Seller hunterhailey, whose uncanny gear listings we've featured before, is listing this '93 engraved Aluminum body Art Nouveau/Tree of Life Strat. Remember all those aluminum Strat bodies Fender had in the 90's that they had to find uses for? We've seen our share of 'em floating around. But this Masterbuilt project by J.W. Black, with Ron Chacey doing the inlay and engraving, is #1 of the 4 guitar Art Nouveau series, and the very first aluminum body project in the Fender Custom Shop-- according to the seller.

This guitar has been featured in the Custom Shop Calendars and books, so it oughta be easy to research. The seller is a straight "A" shooter with lots of positive history.

The question is, "How deep does yo pockets be?" I say screw the boat!

Besides plenty of details, the listing description includes photos of COA, candy, soft/hard case combo and all Custom Shop calendar & book pages the guitar is featured in.

No kiddin'! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Hi-end Strat Searches

Top Dealers

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Line 6 & James Tyler Collaborate on Variax Line!

The James Tyler Variax Guitar Line

Click image for close up!

Word from Musikmesse in Frankfurt and a news release from Line 6 about a new line of Variax guitars designed by killer super Strat builder James Tyler! Besides the "69 Sunburst" model pictured above, other iconic body styles will be represented. At least for me, the absence of Tyler's own headstock design here is a relief. Enough said about that. Tyler's fine traditional craftsmanship will help to offset the over technoid impression some people get from the Variax stuff.

Get details at: http://tylervariax.com -- stay tuned their for more info. as this is very new stuff!!!

Check for pre-order status:

Guitar Center

Musician's Friend

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Hot New "Bombshell" Strat Graphic Theme??

Sure! Why not!

Fender Custom shop oughta crank out a quickie Michelle "Bombshell" McGee Strat-- Skankocaster!

Pamelina H would do a kick a$$ job with the graphics! Seriously though, check out the Pamelina link for her latest guitar art projects!


At the very least, this story deserves a cool theme tune. Anybody remember this one?

Pinup Decal and Re-finish Links!


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A Stratocaster Finally Debuts on American Idol!

(photo by Michael Becker/FOX)

After 9 friggin' seasons, 2-3 allowing guitars, somebody finally plants a Strat on American Idol soil! And poetically enough, it also happens to be Cool, Texas native Casey James. That's right, you heard right-- from COOL, Texas. Now how COOL is that! That's one small step for man, and although he may not turn out to be another Kenny Wayne Shepherd or Jonny Lang in the guitar department-- he nevertheless is at the crux of a milestone event for guitar geeks. Especially those involved in wholesome Strat oriented activities, like me and fine Stratoblogster readers everywhere.

So dedicate your next beer to Casey James, then move on with your life.

Now if Sistah Bowersox will only go solidbody!

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Guitar Coffin T-Shirt from Marc Jacobs Collection

bountyxhunterbxh is an eBay Store featuring apparel and accessories by Marc Jacobs. Although I'm not much for handbags and ladies' footwear- at least most of the time- I am diggin' this Guitar Coffin t-shirt.

I wonder if the shirt was inspired by the scene in Kill Bill Vol. 2 where Beatrix punches herself out of the grave:

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Hendrix Stage Coat by Rock & Roll Religion

Black velvet with braided brocade & shield crest pewter buttons. Licensed by Hendrix Estate

Perpetual Vogue eBay store has an interesting variety of men's and ladies' rocker apparel and accessories, including this Jimi Hendrix "Stage Coat" in cotton velvet with poly satin lining and lots of metal buttons to eat up the back of your axe in high style!

Item # 370343787425

The above listing is a large. "Large: Shoulder Seam to Shoulder Seam 20 inches, Chest 45 inches, overall length 34 1/4 inches, Sleeve length 25 1/2 inches."

PV also lists a few Fender Custom Shop apparel items.

Find Hendrix Strats



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Lil' Chuckster Amp - 9 Volts and a Mission!

(Give it a minute to start!)

I discovered the Lil' Chuckster amp in a Youtube demo by our old pal Bobby D . The above audio clip was made by another gear demo personality called Fatback2.

Lil' Chuckster is built by Dan Rasp in St. Pete, Florida employing the legendary 386 chip technology-- specifically an NOS JRC386BD. The rest of the magic comes from the Ted Weber 6" AlNiCo speaker, hand wiring, mil-spec components and fine audiophile filter caps. The solid pine cabinet is coated with a special spray impregnated with DuPont Kevlar. Yum! But probably alligator proof too!

I'm guessing this amp was inspired by the Chucky movies.

On top, besides the on/off sw and vol/tone knobs, Chuckster has a boost switch and gain knob. The amp's out jack line can get you to a PA, or boost another amp while Chuckster can double as a stage monitor. And a power adapter-in bypasses the battery.

For more details and lots of audio clips head over to www.chucksteramps.com

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Guitar Clinics by Robben Ford & Steve Lukather

Oops! Wrong clinic!! >>>


Fellow guitar blogger Clinton from The Guitar Column was fortunate enough to attend a couple excellent guitar clinics this month. And we are fortunate enough that he posted some cool reviews about 'em!

First was the Lukather clinic. Here's an excerpt:

"...Luke even gave us a little background on Beck's fingers only technique. Apparently Jeff had told him that he dropped his pick playing live on the Ed Sullivan Show on TV and swore after that that he wouldn't rely on a pick anymore. 'With Jeff, it's all in the right hand. Put a pick in his hand and he doesn't sound like Jeff Beck.' Interesting!..."

(read full review)


Next, a Robben Ford clinic exerpt:

"...To find your sound, get rid of your pedals. Take 'em away. For a while at least. With pedals, you're going to think that your sound is in your gear. I didn't have pedals when I started out, so I didn't have that problem. Pedals are the icing, not the cake so watch it with the effects..."

(read full review)


Tune into The Guitar Column regularly for goodies from the guitar blogosphere!

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Danny Bryant - UK Strat-o-Brother Packs a Punch!

A reader just let me know about Danny Bryant-- who I shoulda known about a long time ago. A big fixture in the British Blues scene with like 7 albums, Bryant and his RedEyeBand are the kinda band you wanna catch when serious beer drinkin' and shoutin' are in order!

We're talkin' no-nonsense, all-up-in-your-nose Strat tone too. Danny gets around, a Youtube browse revealing lots of clips including some fine head cuttin' entertainment sharing the stage with the likes of Walter Trout and Popa Chubby. This guy even looks like the delivery driver for a fine malted beverage distributor... with a Strat!

Beer Drinkin', shoutin', double orders of hot wings and pukin' in the parkin' lot. You wanna do this awhile before settling into quiet recliner despair with Everybody Loves Raymond, now in endless syndication on cable...

www.myspace.com/dannybryantsredeyeband

www.redeyeband.co.uk

Strat-o-Brothers Directory

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John English Relic Stealth Esquire FOR SALE

Fender Custom Shop

Click images for close-up views!

This very special unit built by the late Fender Master Builder John English is currently available from UK based Andertons Music Co. as a pre-owned item. It's called a Stealth Esquire because additional pickups are hidden underneath the pickguard. For more details and goodies about this one, just click the above link and type "John English" in their handy left side search bar.

Be sure and forward this one around to your TDPRI pals-- the ones what gots the moneys, that is...

Check also for Stealth Esquire:

Private Reserve Guitars

FCS John English @eBay

Vincent Price said it's alright!

Vincent Price said it's okaaaaaaay!

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More Non-Guitar Music Escapes

The Bad Plus

In case you're tired of guitar blogs just pimping guitars and endlessly talking about guitars and guitar music, here's a brief departure in the above tune, Anthem for the Earnest by The Bad Plus. These crazy cats are a contempo jazz outfit who stay outside and edgy enough not to get pigeonholed too badly with the smoothies. And whacky enough to cover stuff like Rush's Tom Sawyer, Neil Young's Old Man, Floyd's Comfortably Numb-- and even some Nirvana. But still very East Coast avant garde boppy. Go figure.

If this is just too far from guitar for ya, turn your woman onto it for a work-out tune. Help her tighten those gluts at least!

Meanwhile, here's some other suggestions to try out:

On your guitar, learn the sax solo from The Rolling Stones' Brown Sugar-- or Booker T's organ solo from Stephen Stills' Love the One You're With.

One of the coolest guitar solos I ever thought I heard turned out to be a cheesy-mediocre sax solo through the walls, from the apartment next door. Think about it.

The Bad Plus @Amazon.com



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Vintage Oly White '65 Stratocaster - Friday #162

1965 Fender Strat Olympic White

VID #1 - UNPLUGGED

VID #2 - AMPLIFIED DEMO

A Strat for Friday #162

Eddie of Guitarville By Vegas is video demoing his inventory these days. And he's got vintage inventory alright! The featured '65 has a 6100 jumbo re-fret, 80's nitro refinish, Earvana nut and non-orig. pickguard- although period correct. Otherwise, the lumber, hardware and electronics are 1965. The audio in clip #2 says it's all Strat.

And where would it all be without Eddie's Madonna pick!!!

All Ed's stuff is vintage, and price pointed for deep pocket collectors. It sells when it sells. Don't assume the Madonna pick is included.

Friday Strat Directory

More Vintage Strats

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