If you think the six necks on one guitar is pretty ordinary, then check out six hands on one guitar.  Granted, two of them are tapping rhythm, but it’s pretty neat, nonetheless.  Watch the video – it gets better towards the end. I’d like to see two hands per neck on the six-necked guitar – now that would be something! 😀

To celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday, Gibson Guitar will be presenting the world leader and icon with an icon of its own – a custom made Gibson Les Paul Studio.  The guitar will be presented as part of the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Celebration concert at London’s Hyde Park on June 27.  The guitar itself will bear artwork of Mandela’s prison number – 46664 – as well as signatures of the performing artists. Artists performing at the concert will include…

Most electric guitars come with a variety of knobs and switches. At the bare minimum, there will be a volume knob, and a tone knob. When I first started to play electric guitar, I had no idea how to use these basic controls effectively, and like anyone picking up the electric for the first time, I just left everything on full and played. If I wanted a different sound, I would either use an effects pedal, or experiment with various…

A friend sent me this amazing YouTube video about Tony Meléndez, a Nicaraguan American guitar player, composer and singer and songwriter whose story is simply inspiring.  He was born without arms due to a side effect of Thalidomide his mother was taking during her pregnancy.  Personally, I find it difficult enough playing and singing with all faculties intact – and despite this disability, Meléndez has taught himself how to play the guitar with his feet. In 1987, Meléndez was given the…

The folks at Gear Trap went for a Guinness Record attempt of the world’s largest pedal board, consisting of 142 pedals.  Check out the video for how it sounds. While you’re at it, check out this mesmerising video of a guy emulating an electric guitar sound on his keyboard.  Totally amazing, and well worth watching.

Is two weeks is too short a time for a complete newcomer to become proficient enough to perform as part of a band?  Simon Talbot, 41, took up this challenge using Richard Delyn’s Easy Guitar Method, involving one intensive 30 minute session a day.  His aim was to play the Snow Patrol song “You’re All I Have” alongside The Picturehouse Big Band, and after two weeks of practice, this was his impression of the show: “For the first verse I was biting…

We’ve all done it – pulling faces at the peak of a euphoric solo, when you’re lost in the moment.  What you might not know is that jam faces is definitely an art form that is to be taken seriously.  Rolling Stone has compiled this handy guide of your favourite guitarists doing the dastardly deeds. One of the best things about being a guitarist is being able to contort yourself while in the middle of your killer solo or scorching…

Not only does this 8 year old guitar prodigy from Japan hammer out some mad riffs on his guitar – he sings too!  Props to Yuto Miyazawa – never too young to start, I say.  Gotta love the polka dot flying vee that’s bigger than the little man! via Guitar MX