Tag: November 2016

Illustration (by Olivia Wise) of Charley Patton from the book cover of Play the Blues Like. Features Patton playing his acoustic guitar on a porch, with young people looking at fireflies in the background.

Learn to Play Guitar Like Charley Patton, the Father of the Delta Blues

Widely known as the Father of the Delta Blues, Charley Patton is generally recognized as one of the most influential blues artists active in the first decades of the 20th century. Although no single individual can be credited with inventing the Delta blues style, Patton was one of the first…

Tom Feldmann
June 21, 2020

photo illustration of hands playing an acoustic guitar

7 Essential Books for Fans of Delta Blues

If you're a fan of Delta blues, get your mojo working with these 7 essential Delta books.

Greg Cahill
February 28, 2020

How to Buy Your Next Acoustic Guitar

Here are a few tips to help you navigate the different marketplaces, so you can make the smartest choices when it comes to purchasing your next instrument.

Adam Perlmutter
December 5, 2016

Album Review: Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer’s ‘Off-Grid Lo-Fi’ Is Chock Full of Roots-Rich Gems

Tracked at a secluded wind-and-solar powered cabin on an uninhabited Washington State island in the dead of winter...

Pat Moran
October 26, 2016

In the Age of Disco, Windham Hill Founder Will Ackerman Helped Solo-Acoustic Guitar Thrive

It's hard to overestimate the impact Will Ackerman’s first album of reflective music had on the acoustic-guitar world.

Kenny Berkowitz
October 11, 2016

Dolly Parton, Bryan Sutton, and More Revive Appalachian Tunes on ‘On Top of Old Smoky’

Album focuses on simple, direct folk versions that hew close to the heart of these tunes.

Kenny Berkowitz
October 10, 2016

Howard Paul and master luthier Damon Mailand of Benedetto Guitars

Makers & Shakers: Benedetto Guitars Is Building Some of the Most Coveted Archtops in the World

Some of the most coveted archtop guitars in the world are built in Savannah, Georgia, at Benedetto Guitars, where the company’s president and CEO Howard Paul and master luthier Damon Mailand ensure that every guitar going out the door represents the artistic legacy of Robert Benedetto’s original designs. Benedetto archtops…

Mark Ari
October 7, 2016

Trekking the Mississippi Blues Trail: B.B. King Museum, Parchman Farm, Dockery Farms, and More

Founded by the Mississippi Blues Foundation, the trail’s purpose is to honor and promote Mississippi’s rich blues heritage.

Karen Peterson
October 7, 2016

Jug Band Cohorts Jim Kweskin & Geoff Muldaur Reunite on a Collection of American Roots Classics, ‘Penny’s Farm’

It’s been nearly 55 years since two of the folk revival’s best guitarists, Jim Kweskin and Geoff Muldaur, first played together. Now they've reunited on Penny's Farm, a collection of American roots classics.

Derk Richardson
September 20, 2016

Lesson: 4 Easy Steps to Getting the Best Natural Harmonics on Acoustic Guitar

The beauty of the acoustic guitar is elevated by natural harmonics, which result from delicately touching an open string or strings at a given point. Transcending musical genres, these chime-like sounds feature prominently in everything from Led Zeppelin’s “Black Mountain Side” intro to Antoine Dufour’s solo guitar interpretation of Coldplay’s…

Jeff Gunn
September 20, 2016

Gear Review: Guild Relaunches Its US-Built Acoustic Guitar Line with the M-20 [VIDEO]

Even though the M-20 is relatively unadorned—no binding, nor abalone nor mother-of-pearl inlays except in the “Guild” insignia on the head stock—its build is apparent in the quality of the woods, fret dressing, bone nut and saddle, and set up.

Pete Madsen
September 20, 2016

Michael Kelly Forte Port Acoustic Guitar

Gear Review: Michael Kelley Forte Port, a Bargain Acoustic Guitar at Under $300 [VIDEO]

At first glance, the Michael Kelly Forte Port might seem like nothing special. After all, it has laminated sapele back and sides, a two-piece mahogany neck, a nylon nut, black ply binding, and a sticker price of just $299.

Greg Cahill
September 20, 2016

Martin Macassar acoustic guitar neck and body

Gear Review: Martin DCX1AE Macassar Is Built of Laminate, But it’s Unmistakably a Martin [VIDEO]

With a street price of just under a grand, this Macassar is one of Martin’s least expensive guitars, but it’s not an inferior instrument. A solidly built guitar with a winning personality and Fishman Sonitone electronics, it’s a smart choice for a beginner or a cost-conscious pro.

Adam Perlmutter
September 20, 2016

Closeup of male hand playing fingerstyle acoustic guitar

Lesson: Create Fresh Sounds with a Keyboard-inspired Approach to the Acoustic Guitar

The sound is quite different from a percussive strum or arpeggio—it’s more like a piano, with your fingers taking the role of the hammers striking the strings.

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
September 20, 2016

Gibson Hummingbird acoustic dreadnought guitar.

Gear Review: The 2016 Gibson Hummingbird Vintage Model Is a High-Flying Acoustic Guitar [VIDEO]

It’s not just one of the best Hummingbirds I’ve played, but an excellent flattop by any yardstick—one as graceful and nimble as its name suggests.

Adam Perlmutter
September 20, 2016