Some of my other activities have led me to produce a Proof-of-Concept for another project. It's called Awesome Amps and has proven how quickly I can get a multi-site Drupal installation up and running.

The Concept

The idea started as part of the gift ideas for guitarists series. I was thinking of money-is-no-object amplifiers. As well as that, it fits with the activities over at Earn More Than Before.

Sometimes it's easy to get lost in more complicated structures and then a song brings back the joy of a simple structure. A lot of pop/rock songs have been based around three chords, hey some popular songs had only two. That should be no surprise. I'd expect most readers to already know that.

But when was the last time you wrote a song using just three chords?

Guitar Player featured an article back in April 2006 about 99 ways to Play Better Guitar.

I've just read it again and it's still as relevant now as it was then. I'm now curious how many of them I do on a regular basis.

also known as "Is it wrong to apply effects to an accurate recording of a guitar amp?"

At this stage, they're probably ditching their first, practice amps for something a bit more mature (typically a nice all-valve/all-tube Fender Hot Rod or similar). It's also about time for an upgrade from the basic guitar, so maybe to a Made-In-Japan Fender or even the Fender Highway Star range. Unless you know them incredibly well and can afford for the guitar or amp to be ignored or sold at half price, then leave this area well alone. There's a very high chance, you'll get the choice wrong. Remember, guitarists are fickle.

Similar to the rock guitarist, the chances are that the guitarist has started out either with a guitar package from a shop (including a guitar, amp, strap, lead, plectrum and tuner) or has been given a second-hand guitar. Blues guitarists seem to have a way of ending up with used guitars - I think that's just the way of the world.

I've included some easy links for purchasing from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk at the bottom of the page. Don't want to read the rest, then go straight to the gifts in the US or the gifts in the UK.

The chances are that the guitarist started out either with a guitar package from a shop (including a guitar, amp, strap, lead, plectrum and tuner) or has been given a second-hand guitar. If it's the former, then most of the items in the kit are very basic and are chosen either for having a cheap price-point or a gimmick - maybe they've got green skulls on or some other pattern.

Are you stuck for ideas of what to buy a guitarist friend or relative?

Rather than just promote a list of "The Top 10 Gifts for Guitarists", I'll guide you through a few ideas over the next few articles. I'll discuss each gift and point out what you need to know about the gift or the guitarist before you buy. I want you to be able to show you've put some thought into the present.

You can't please all guitarists with one present

Following some comments, I've recorded another audio clip of the 1224GT. There are a few differences to the last set of clips.

• There is only one audio clip
• The clips is based around the variations in tone available from the pedal board
• I don't touch the amp throughout the whole 7 minutes.
• In the clip, I talk you through which of the buttons have been pressed
• The mp3 is at a bitrate of 192k

Some background to the recording:

Ok, picture this: I changed over a 2x12 cab for a 4x12 cab in order to get a better sound for recording and then only mic up the bottom two drivers because that's what sounds best.

So why not use the 2x12?

If that's not enough of a surprise, it's even the same two drivers that were in the 2x12 at the start of yesterday's session.

But it does sound better with this guitar and amp combination and that's what counts.