Hagstrom on Amazon.com

Hagstrom Guitars, a classic brand popularized by artists such as Frank Zappa, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and David Bowie, has announced that its full line of electric guitars and basses is now available on Amazon.com for online purchase. Amazon, the largest single retail site on the Internet, does a thriving business in musical instruments and

Steve Vai—Wild Thing!

Steve Vai just released a live DVD and his Naked Tracks series of play-along CDs. He's doing his Alien Guitar Secrets seminars all over the world. He’s also working on his next opus, and he still practices every day. Is there anything this man can't do?From the day his decadently warped harmonies and unabashed virtuosity blew readers’ minds via

Blending the Dorian Mode with the Melodic Minor

IN THIS LESSON WE’LL EXPLORE A QUICK way to mix the Dorian mode with the melodic minor scale. If you know the formulas for these scales, you will notice that there is only one note difference between them. The Dorian formula is 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7 and the melodic minor scale formula is 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The only difference is the 7th degree. Here are some basic fingering patterns for each. Ex. 1a is a three-note-per-string A Dorian pattern starting on the sixth string. Ex. 1b is an A melodic minor scale starting from the same spot, and Ex. 1c is a pattern mixing the two scales. Notice the Es that are doubled on the second and third strings—this adds a neat effect. These patterns work in all keys, so you’ll want to learn them all

Grosh Guitars ’60s Fat Stratocaster Set

Does the world really need yet another revamped take on the pre-CBS Stratocaster pickup? According to high-end guitar maker Grosh Guitars, the short answer is “yes." After fitting its guitars for years with pickups made by other reputable manufacturers, this company has decided to wind its own, a process that began with a quest to nail down