Recent content by DrumBob

Ask us here and you're going to get too many opinions. Appreciate what you have and take the time to bond with each of them. First, do you play gigs? Then, ask yourself: Do you need multiple sounds for the material you play? Do you need a separate guitar for slide? Do you play open tunings...

The answer is, too damn much on guitar gigs!! I take half the amount of stuff on drum gigs. This is what I have to haul around in my Subaru Forester: Five guitars (yes, they're all different and I use them all) Amp Pedalboard Utility bag with cords, mics, power strips, etc. Gig bag Two...

OMG, my blues/roots band played three times at a local mental hospital. The first time was in a big field in a gazebo. That was OK. The second two times, we were locked in a courtyard with some of the most severely afflicted patients. It was extremely uncomfortable for me. I was freaked. On...

Yes, put shirts on, guys. The bass player is too flabby to walk around shirtless. And yes, they're awful, I hate to say. I can't recall ever sounding that bad back when I was in garage bands in the 60's. But hey, they're kids and they have time to work on their sound and improve. Good luck to...

Unfortunately, not at the moment. When the new editor-in-chief came in last year at PG, I, along with several other stalwarts who helped build the magazine into what it is today, were swept out in order for him to bring his journalistic buddies in, most of whom wrote for Guitar Player. The way...

It's not only the headstocks, but the body shapes that some of these boutique makers are coming up with are so butt ugly, it only fortifies my resolve to stick with the tried and true vintage and classic styles of the 50's and 60's: Les Pauls, SGs, Teles, Strats, Gretsch hollowbodies, and...

It depends on the guitar. On the Gretsch Anniversary and the Les Paul Junior, it's 11s. On the Fenders, it's 10s, although I'm thinking about going to 11s, because I'm over bending. I think I'm getting to the point where I can handle 11s pretty much all around.

I don't know how you can possibly ask this question of us. Do you have a recording of your playing we can hear so we can discern your style to see if you're playing blues licks? The kid probably listened to some old blues/rock at one point and heard some things you played that reminded him of...

The only way I would buy another Epi is if it had been gutted and the pickups and all electronics upgraded. My bro-in-law has had some hard times lately, so he sold a few of his expensive guitars and bought an Epi Slash LP. Within three months, the toggle switch blew out. I told him last night...

I have asked myself this question a lot lately. I have blown a lot of money over the years on gear I probably didn't need, and wondered if I'm trying to compensate for something missing in my childhood or youth. I think one needs to rearrange priorities and learn to be happy with what you have...

I wrote an article over a year ago for Premier Guitar magazine on this very subject. Trade Tang is, as mentioned, a clearing house for all kinds of products, some bootlegged, sort of China's answer to Craigslist. You order a guitar from someone on Trade Tang, and they go out and find it for you...

I think you're possibly the exception to rule. I have encountered too many Deadhead guitarists over the years, and all of them mimic'd Garcia's playing and tone. I wanted to start a band once with a friend of mine who I knew was a Deadhead. He came over and all he did was try to be Jerry II in...

It was a $15 Teisco POS, the lowest quality imaginable. Totally unplayable. I went from that to a Gibson Melody Maker, a big improvement.

I've played drums for 44 years as well as guitar. It all comes natural and thank God, always did.

I have a friend who uses olive oil on his fretboards. Neal Schon can rub salami all over his necks if he wants to, but I won't. Try stuff call Fiddle Brite. It's made for violin necks. Works great.