Can you give me some information on earplugs? How well do they work, and do most rock musicians use them?
Rockin’ Billy Bong
xxxx@rocketmail.com
While they’re relatively new to the world of rock music, earplugs have become a popular item with many musicians, and with good reason. I’ve worked for a lot of particularly loud rock bands, and […]

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I have a Crate GX15X, which has a gain channel and a lead channel with a built-in graphics EQ. I wasn’t pleased with the amp’s distortion, so I bought a Danelectro Fab Tone fuzz pedal. Now I can get decent distortion when practicing on my own, but I can’t get a suitable tone when I […]

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I read that Eddie Van Halen waxes his pickups and boils his strings. Can you tell me why he does this and how I can do it myself?
Tim
xxxx@cs.com
Winding in the pickup tend to become loose over time. Waxing (or “potting”) a pickup prevents loose windings from vibrating and becoming microphonic, a condition that results in […]

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Why do I hear people talking, like on an AM radio, when I turn up my Fender Sidekick 25 (SKX25R) really loud? The distortion is too loud for me to understand them. Also, I bought it used. How much was it new?

Without actually hearing the voices I would suggest you make the following checks: Make […]

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If the link between a light bulb and a raging Marshall stack doesn’t seem obvious, take a glance at those vacuum tubes glowing inside your amp. And then pay your respects to Thomas Edison, the Wizard of Menlo Park, New Jersey.
 
Edison produced an incandescent light bulb in the late 1870s by feeding an electric current […]

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I’m entirely retubing my 5150 head. What tubes do you suggest, and what other suggestions can you make for choosing good tubes and getting good sounds
 
James
XXXX@yahoo.com

 
You’ve got some choices here, James. Three come to mind—namely, China, Russia, and in the U.S. These are among the few countries that still produce tubes. Your 5150 uses […]

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I’ve always wondered about the string action of my guitar. You’ve worked with some of the greats. What types of setups do they prefer: high, medium, or low? And how high is high? In inches? Do a lot of guys like low action and a straight neck? Do tell!
 
Shawn
xxxxx@aol.com

 
Hey, Shawn! Interesting questions. No two […]

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I bought a used Marshall Super Lead 100-watt reissue. It has four inputs: two labeled “I” and tow labeled “II”. It looks just like the Marshalls Jimi Hendrix is seen playing in some concert photos. In one of those photos, I’ve noticed Hendrix had more than one cord plugged into his amp’s inputs. Please tell […]

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I own an early Eighties Charvel Strat that I absolutely love. Unfortunately, certain chords, specifically open D variations, don’t ring in tune, even when I use my tuner. It drives me nuts! My guitar teacher checked the intonation and said it was right on. What could be wrong?
-Peter Wilmson
xxxxx@yahoo.com
More than likely, worn frets are your […]

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