Spears Music | Blog

24/06/2016

How To: Order Effects Pedals

So you’ve been playing electric guitar for a while, learnt a few chords and licks and are now making your way through the guitar parts of some of your favourite songs. You’ve mastered the classic clean verse to overdriven chorus song structure using your amp’s in built distortion, but what other sounds can you get out of your guitar? Whether you’re getting the ball rolling with an all inclusive multi effects unit like our fantastic value Spur Gembox, or you’re looking at tailoring your guitar tone to your needs with... Read More

12/05/2016

How To: Build An Acoustic Drum Kit

How To: Build An Acoustic Drum Kit Building an acoustic drum kit can be a daunting task, particularly if you or your child are brand new to the drums! With many fantastic starter drum kits available such as our Spur Acoustic Drum Kits, it’s now even easier for new drummers to begin their musical journey. The first hurdle before you begin to play however is building the drum kit, and with so many different parts it may become confusing to assemble for the very first time.  In order to help... Read More

05/05/2016

Buyers Guide: What Is A Resonator?

Buyers Guide: What Is A Resonator? Regularly in stock within the acoustic areas of any of our 8 shops across the north west, resonator guitars can often appear daunting to the beginner guitarist with their unusual metal bodies or sections. If you’re unsure of what a resonator guitar looks or sounds like, take a look at our recent review of the Gretsch G9200 Resonator Acoustic Guitar here: A resonator differers from an acoustic guitar because of the way in which it produces sound. Where an acoustic guitar amplifies the vibrations... Read More

06/04/2016

Clean Up Your Tone & Switch Into Overdrive!

Clean Up Your Tone & Switch Into Overdrive! In this video, Leif Sargeant from our Blackburn store looks through some of the simple way in which you can switch between clean and overdiven sounds when playing the electric guitar. As demonstrated by Leif, many modern guitar amplifiers come with 2 channels built into them. This normally means you can have one channel set up for clean parts and another for overdiven or distorted guitar tones. Whilst simply using the channel selector on the front panel of the amplifier can be... Read More

12/02/2016

How To Tune A Guitar

Jack Leonard over at our Bury store recently filmed a quick demonstration on how to tune a guitar. : Quick Guide As mentioned by Jack in the video there are a few ways to tune different types of guitar, but one of the easiest ways these days is by using an electronic guitar tuner. Depending on what brand and style of tuner you get, these can be as little as £9.99 which is almost as cheap as a pack of strings (Cheaper in fact if you’re a bassist!). However much... Read More

05/02/2016

Cast Away The Croak: Top Tips For Taking Care Of Your Voice

Perhaps the most popular musical instruments the world over, singing is also one of the cheapest because no instrument is required other than your own voice. Whether it’s just for fun singing along to your favourite songs on the radio or performing on stage in a big production, virtually anyone of any age can learn to do it. However even after puberty our vocal chords change throughout our lives, so it’s a good idea to learn how to take care of your singing instrument, or voice so to speak. If... Read More

26/01/2016

Tremolo Or Not? Bridging The Gap Between Guitars

One question many new guitarists ask when buying electric guitars is whether they need a tremolo, trem or whammy bar on their guitar or if a fixed bridge is right for them. The tremolo bar (often called a whammy bar or shortened to trem) on a guitar is a long metal pole which sticks out of the guitar near to where the picking hand is normally positioned. This is attached to what is known as the bridge, and the purpose of this bar is to change the pitch of one... Read More

21/01/2016

Electric or Acoustic: Which Guitar Strikes a Chord With You?

We’re often asked by customers; “What’s the difference between an acoustic and an electric guitar?” or “Which type of guitar is best to learn on?”, and other similar questions.  This guide aims to to answer some of those questions. What do guitars have in common? First off we’ll look at what a guitar basically is and what they generally have in common. Guitars are stringed instruments which in most cases have 6 strings made of metal. In order to create a sound these strings are plucked individually to make a... Read More

07/04/2015
,

Alvarez Acoustic Guitar Days at Rimmers Music!

  Alvarez is one of the leading acoustic brands and for over 40 years Alvarez have crafted acoustic guitars with a unique combination of quality and affordability.   Alvarez guitars have been favoured by many famous musicians for their bright, clean tone. Greats including Carlos Santana, David Crosby and Graham Nash have all used Alvarez guitars. Regardless of the player’s ability or budget, Alvarez has an instrument custom-designed for purpose.   Live Performances Interactive Sessions Product Demonstration Admission is FREE, simply turn up on the day and see for yourself... Read More

New Blackstar Fly 3 Stocking Filler!

JUST IN!!! THE NEW BLACKSTAR FLY 3! AT JUST £49, IT’S A MUST HAVE STOCKING FILLER THIS CHRISTMAS! A battery powered mini guitar amp and portable speaker.    The FLY 3 is an innovative, cutting edge 3 watt mini amp which combines two channels, tape delay and the Blackstar patented Infinite Shape Feature (ISF) to create the perfect compact and portable guitar amplifier. It’s advantageously small and packs a punch with big TONE, even at the lowest volumes. The ISF allows you to infinitely change the sound of your FLY... Read More