This article looks at some of the best finger-picking guitar songs and the people who played them. However, this is not the only genre of music we cover in our best fingerstyle list. Simplicity is the best when it comes to choosing songs in a fingerpicking style. The best fingerstyle guitar songs are not limited … Read more
Learning to play the guitar is lots of fun, but it can be a challenge, especially without a guitar teacher. It is possible to teach yourself the fundamentals of guitar on your own, with a few simple steps. The Guitar The first step is to choose the right guitar. Beginners often choose a guitar that … Read more
Martin Guitar Serial Numbers: Find the Year – Lookup Martin Serial All Martin guitars since 1898 (except solidbody electrics from the 1970s, basses, and tiples) are numbered in consecutive order. Ukuleles do not have serial numbers. Mandolins use a different serial number system than guitars. Martin guitar serial numbers start at 8000 in 1898 because … Read more
The only right way to make a “high string action” Martin guitar play correctly is to do a “neck set”. This repair involves removing the neck on the guitar, and refitting the neck at a slightly increased angle, which lowers the string action. If done correctly, this does not affect the value of the guitar … Read more
White men began using blackface as a comic gimmick before the American Revolution. The banjo became a prop for these entertainers, either individually or in groups. By the early part of the 19th century, minstrelsy became a very popular form of entertainment. Joel Walker Sweeney and his Sweeney Minstrels were already popular by the 1830s. … Read more
Martin Guitar’s Other Brands Since 1900, Martin did make guitars, mandolins and ukes for other brands and guitar studios. No, this was not “common”. Just because your guitar looks like a Martin, doesn’t mean it is. Even if your instrument is one of the brands listed below, that does NOT mean it was necessarily made … Read more