The problem with guitar amp modelers.

Well…..my problem. It’s not Line 6 or Fractal Audio’s fault. It’s that by nature of what they are, guitar amp modelers offer the guitarist a TON of options, both in terms of amp models, as well as effects. Fractal’s amp list is well over 250 now, and Line 6’s, while not quite as high, still […]

The Race to the Bottom in Retail

Free shipping. 30, 45, or even 60 days to return items. Razor thin margins. This is all the norm now, with companies like Amazon primarily, but also Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and specialty market chains like Guitar Center. But shipping isn’t free. Shipping a 15 pound amp head costs at least $50 for UPS Ground, regardless […]

When nerds try to out-nerd a guitar nerd

By day, I’m a mild-mannered IT guy, wrangling servers for a living. It pays the bills. But by night (well, twice a week and on the weekend) I lead the glamorous life of Guitar Shop Guy. Yes, it’s as amazing as you’re thinking. Rockstars, industry heavyweights, studio pros, all shuffling through seeking MY expertise in […]

Modeler wars are getting out of hand.

Ooh, Kemper released a floor version of their popular Profiling Amp, previously available on in head (“toaster”) form, and rackmount. Cue up fanboy venom from Line 6 Helix fans and Fractal Audio fans! It’s hideous. Disgusting. Old technology. The UI is awful. Too expensive. Those are actual quotes from Facebook user groups about it. Never […]

Live shows and original music…..or lack there of

Last night (May 29th), I had the pleasure of seeing one Mr. Paul Gilbert. Famous for his work in Racer X, Mr. Big, and of course his extensive solo catalog, Paul has continued to grow as a musician and songwriter through the years. In fact, I feel as though when compared to his contemporaries, he […]

Consumers are to blame for the downfall of brick and mortar retail…..not websites

As many of my friends know, I work part-time at a guitar shop. This is about a particular gentleman who’s been in twice. Last November, this person called to see if we had a Mesa Boogie Rectifier 25 in stock. We did, so he wanted to bring in his guitar to try it out. Absolutely! […]

Windows Experiment, v.2.0

So, as I’ve mentioned before, while I LOVE MacOS, Photos, iMovie, Safari, etc., and particularly Logic Pro X, I’ve grown rather weary of Apple’s continued issues with their laptops. Crappy keyboards that stop working. Version 2 of crappy keyboards that stop working. Version 3 of crappy keyboards that stop working. Ribbon cables to screens that […]

Jony Ive (or whoever’s designing Apple stuff these days) needs to be canned.

Apple laptops, iPads, iPhones. All elegant, beautiful works of art, as well as being (for many, anyway) a joy to use. They’re thin, they’re light, the battery lasts hours. The screens are amazing. Did I mention they’re thin and light? It’s the latter that seems to be causing issues these days. In an effort to […]

Android: Am I Wrong?

I recently posted an article about how I had a failed attempt at switching from iOS to Android (and from MacOS to Windows as well, but this’ll just be about phones). My friend Adam read it, and it seems we disagree on some points about each OS. I still think most of it comes down […]

The reports of my death, er I mean, move away from apple, have been greatly exaggerated

I was going to move away from Apple products, en masse. No more iPhone. No more Macs. No more Apple Watch. So I began to pick away at my dependence on Apple, by buying an Android phone, testing all the stuff I do on a Windows machine, etc. Why would I do this? Don’t I […]