A genuinely good idea, Mojo Grip pick
All the grip with no sacrifice.
To note up front, this comes in a bunch of different thicknesses with both celluloid and delrin options. You're covered here.
I switch back and forth between celluloid and delrin picks, which for me means Fender 351 and Dunlop Tortex.
With the Fender 351, I get the nice "bite", similar to if I were pulling on the strings and snapping them back to the fretboard. With the Dunlop Tortex, that stays in the hand and there is no danger of it slipping away from sweat.
With the Fender Mojo Grip, now it appears you can have both.
To answer the question of whether the grip is removable, yes it is, meaning it can be reused with other picks of 351 size.
How long does that rubber grip last? That I don't know, but I'd assume for a good long time before the rubber starts wearing out.
I plan on getting some of these just to see if my picking hand can get along with the grip or not. They're definitely worth a try.
It's really tough to beat a Katana 50 guitar combo amplifier
It's easy to understand why so many guitar players love this thing.
The amp I use is a Line 6 Spider V60. Great amp. But it's a bit complicated to use.
Then there is the BOSS Katana 50. It's lighter in weight, less in price by almost $100, and has something else going for it over the Spider V60. Simple controls and no screen to deal with.
Yes, this is a big deal because it makes the Katana 50 stupidly easy to use. With this amp, most guitarists don't even need an instruction manual. It is a true plug-in-and-go piece of kit.
Easy is good, and the Katana 50 is easy. Whoever designed the control layout should be given a raise, because everything a guitar player needs instant access to is right there. And although most wouldn't even notice this, I really like the fact there's a solid vertical line between the sections for AMPLIFIER, EQUALIZER, EFFECTS and TONE SETTING. This means you can find stuff easily in low-light environments (like a stage).
Heck, the controls are so thoughtfully laid out that you can figure out where you need to be just by feel alone after a while.
And unlike typical BOSS products, it's not overpriced.
Yeah, I can totally understand why this has a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Amazon - it's just that good.
Cheap guitar collectible for end of 2021, Squier Bullet Stratocaster HT
This is only true if you get a very specific color.
The Squier Bullet Stratocaster HT comes in 5 colors. Black, Brown Sunburst, Fiesta Red, Sonic Gray and Tropical Turquoise. The most collectible of these colors is Sonic Gray.
Why?
Guitar Center doesn't put this specific color in their stores.
The reason GC doesn't carry this color is because they have three Limited Edition colors of their own for this guitar. Sea Foam Green, Red Sparkle and Lake Placid Blue (the blue is the best of the lot).
However, it's the Sonic Gray one that's the elusive color. Some guitar dealers have this guitar in stock, but not all that many. If you want Sonic Gray, it's almost a certainty you'll have to buy it online.
Fortunately, the guitar is cheap (under $200) so it absolutely won't break the bank.
If you want some cheap exclusivity, getting one of these in Sonic Gray is the way to do it.
There's still a need for the Tascam DP-006
There is a good reason Tascam still makes this.
I prefer the ZOOM R8 for multitrack recording duties, but then there's the Tascam DP-006. It is less in price, but why would anybody bother with a 6-track recorder?
Answer: The DP-006 is where you get the most for the least in the smallest form factor. It is the best "sketch pad" recorder you can have.
The DP-006 is small. Two 1/4" inputs and built-in condenser high-quality microphones for mono or stereo recording of voice, acoustic guitar or other acoustic instrument. Fairly easy to figure out.
And when I say small, I'm not kidding. 6.1" x 1.6" x 4.2" (155mm x 41.5mm x 107mm).
The tradeoff to the size is that there are no physical fader controls, although there is complete control of levels through the menus. It wouldn't be much of a recorder if you couldn't do that.
It is easier to record with the DP-006 instead of a smartphone because of the dual 1/4" inputs and dual microphones. Everything you need for quick multitrack sketch recording is at-the-ready with the DP-006.
Also, the DP-006 can run on just 4 plain alkaline batteries for up to 8 hours. That's pretty darned good. And since few people record for 8 hours straight, you'll get some good life out of the batteries you put in it.
To give you an example of how easy it is to sketch record with this, you could sit on your bed with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, a set of headphones and the DP-006 and just start recording. After that, you can mix and master, still just sitting right there where you are.
Granted, the ZOOM R8 can also do this, but it's not as compact as the DP-006.
It's just nice to have a DP-006. And if you absolutely need 8 tracks, Tascam also still makes the DP-008EX. Slightly larger, but also a significant bump up in price.
The low price and compact size is what makes the DP-006 such a winner for quick sketch recording.
I would own one myself if I didn't already own the ZOOM R8.
This year's Thanksgiving guitar, Gretsch G5031FT Rancher
A weird guitar from Gretsch, but Gretsch knows how to do weird right.
Guitars like this is what makes Gretsch cool.
This is an electic-acoustic guitar. The FT in the G5301FT model I'm talking about means Fideli-Tron, which is in reference to the pickup you see very prominently displayed. Gretsch made absolutely no attempt to hide the pickup and instead kept it in full view, almost as if the guitar is wearing a gold medallion.
What we've got here is a 25.0" scale guitar dreadnought shape, laminated back and sides, solid spruce top, mahogany neck, laurel fingerboard with 12" fretboard radius, a single knob for master volume (which of course has the Gretsch "G" logo on it, very nice), compensated bridge (which makes for much better intonation), gold-plated hardware finishing, 4-ply tortoiseshell pick guard, white binding on the soundhole, body, neck and headstock.
I also dig the "mustache" style look of the bridge, and the horseshoe on the headstock. Looks cool.
The price? Pretty darned good for what it is. Well south of $1,000.
Is this a new model? No, but it's probably true you've never seen one.
The price is nice for this. Definitely not the plain ol' standard dreadnought and has nice personality to it, along with a sound that delivers. Can't ask for much more than that.