Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Guitar Amps
  • Drums
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Radiohead theory
  • Steely Dan's drum machine
  • Deep Purple in the dungeon
  • Prince's drummers
  • 95k+ free music samples
Don't miss these
Jason Isbell plays a Martin dreadnought onstage in Norway
Artists Jason Isbell has some advice for any young player who has just bought their first acoustic guitar
A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
native instruments
Music Production Tutorials "As nuanced as the real thing, but only if you know what you're doing": The ultimate guide to plugin guitars
Close up of Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars under $500/£500 in 2025: Affordable electrics
Kids hands on a beginner keyboard
Keyboards & Pianos Best keyboards for beginners 2025: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages
Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook
Drums “An extremely well-thought-out and all-encompassing piece of drum education”: Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook review
Drum Kits Where to start with a drum kit
Side profile of a person playing a drum kit
Drum Lessons & Tutorials 13 easy drum songs every beginner should learn
Close up of a person holding an acoustic guitar bathed sunlight
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Ignite your inner guitar god for just 27 cents a day with TrueFire’s July 4th sale - save 60% on online lessons
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Score a mind-blowing $1,000 off the stunning D'Angelico Excel SS, $500 off the gorgeous Heritage Standard H-535, and so much more
Dickey Betts [left] and Warren Haynes trade licks onstage with the Allman Brothers Band at the 1993 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Haynes's Strat would soon be stolen in New York.
Artists How Warren Haynes turned to Les Pauls after his favourite Strat was stolen
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Artists Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
Yungblud
Artists Yungblud reveals his secret to making acoustics sound massive – and hints at future signature model
PRS SE NF 53: the super-versatile bolt-on electric gets a long-awaited SE release, and here all three finish options – White Dog Hair, Black Dog Hair and Pearl White – are photographed in front of a pair of PRS half-stacks.
Guitars PRS remixes its NF 53 for the SE line – and it's a serious workhorse electric for under a grand
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Score a massive $1,000 off Roland V-Drums, up to $320 off a range of Fender guitars, and so much more
  1. Guitars

Got a guitar for Christmas?

News
By MusicRadar Team published 25 December 2014

Here's everything you need to know to get started

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Parts of an electric guitar

Parts of an electric guitar

Page 1 of 15
Page 1 of 15
Types of electric guitar

Types of electric guitar

Page 2 of 15
Page 2 of 15
How to tune your guitar

How to tune your guitar

Page 3 of 15
Page 3 of 15
How to re-string an electric guitar

How to re-string an electric guitar

Page 4 of 15
Page 4 of 15
Types of guitar bridge

Types of guitar bridge

Page 5 of 15
Page 5 of 15
Essential accessories

Essential accessories

Page 6 of 15
Page 6 of 15
How to use a capo

How to use a capo

Page 7 of 15
Page 7 of 15
Plectrums explained

Plectrums explained

Page 8 of 15
Page 8 of 15
Straps and strap locks

Straps and strap locks

Page 9 of 15
Page 9 of 15
Cleaning a rosewood fingerboard

Cleaning a rosewood fingerboard

Page 10 of 15
Page 10 of 15
Types of amplifier

Types of amplifier

Page 11 of 15
Page 11 of 15
Connecting a guitar to an amplifier

Connecting a guitar to an amplifier

Page 12 of 15
Page 12 of 15
Amplifier controls explained

Amplifier controls explained

Page 13 of 15
Page 13 of 15
Achieving basic guitar tones

Achieving basic guitar tones

Page 14 of 15
Page 14 of 15
Effects pedals explained

Effects pedals explained

Page 15 of 15
Page 15 of 15
MusicRadar Team
MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers...

  • GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high- quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.
  • TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.
  • STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music making that no other music website can.
Read more
Jason Isbell plays a Martin dreadnought onstage in Norway
Jason Isbell has some advice for any young player who has just bought their first acoustic guitar
 
 
A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
 
 
native instruments
"As nuanced as the real thing, but only if you know what you're doing": The ultimate guide to plugin guitars
 
 
Close up of Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster
Best electric guitars under $500/£500 in 2025: Affordable electrics
 
 
Kids hands on a beginner keyboard
Best keyboards for beginners 2025: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages
 
 
Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook
“An extremely well-thought-out and all-encompassing piece of drum education”: Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook review
 
 
Latest in Guitars
Jacob Collier
Using his signature ‘DAEAD’ tuning, Jacob Collier recorded a 5-string acoustic guitar album in just four days
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score a mind-blowing $1,000 off the stunning D'Angelico Excel SS, $500 off the gorgeous Heritage Standard H-535, and so much more
 
 
Warren Haynes takes a solo live onstage with his Gibson Les Paul Standard. He wears a black shirt.
Warren Haynes on the Allman Brothers, Woodstock ’94, and finishing what Gregg Allman started with Derek Trucks’ help
 
 
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET and features a diverse lineup of guests that include celebrities, athletes, musical acts, comedians and human interest subjects, along with comedy bits and a house band. The guests for Monday, September 8 included Spinal Tap (Nigel Tufnel aka Christopher Guest, David St. Hubbins aka Michael McKean and Derek Smalls aka Harry Shearer) and Marty DiBergi (aka Rob Reiner) ("Spinal Tap II: The End Continues"), and musical guest Spinal Tap. (Disney/Randy Holmes) SPINAL TAP  (Photo by Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images)
Five basses! Spinal Tap recruit Tal Wilkenfeld and Thundercat for bottom-heavy Jimmy Kimmel performance
 
 
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - AUGUST 22: Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson performs during Megadeth concert as part of Dystopia World Tour at Luna Park on August 22, 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Santiago Bluguermann/LatinContent via Getty Images)
Dave Ellefson has his say on whether Metallica did Dave Mustaine a favour by sacking him
 
 
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas: these retro S-styles take the high-performance electric guitar brand back to the '80s, offering single and dual-humbucker platforms for shred with the choice of rosewood or maple fingerboards – and what about that "Two-Face" black-and-white finish?
“These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
 
 
Latest in News
Ed Sheeran attends the European Premiere of F1 ® The Movie at Cineworld, Leicester Square on June 23, 2025
“It would be ‘Stop’ and then ‘Eject’”: Ed Sheeran reveals that plans for posthumous album are in his will
 
 
Zultan FX cymbals
“A versatile tool for sharp, modern accents and cutting effects”: Zultan add to their effects cymbal range
 
 
ELMONT, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 07: Sombr performs during the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 07, 2025 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for MTV)
“In the actual song you hear today, the guitars, the riff, the bass, the drums and all the vocals are from those initial takes I did in my bedroom”: Sombr on the making of viral hit Undressed, and his formula for creating "a legendary indie rock song"
 
 
Adrian Sherwood
Dub pioneer Adrian Sherwood on embracing AI and playing the studio like an instrument
 
 
Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger and Keith Richard of The Rolling Stones perform during the final night of the Hackney Diamonds '24 Tour at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena
“They’re all hyped up”: Marlon Richards says that the Stones have been recording a new album in London
 
 
English band Radiohead performs live on stage at I-days Festival. June 17th, 2017
“An attempt to deliver tickets as fairly as possible”: Radiohead defend ticketing system
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...