The term ‘guitar practice’ could be interpreted it lots of ways – practice could simply be you putting in the hours with your instrument. Or it could mean a rigid, disciplined routine to elevate your skill. Whatever way you look at it, it’s an essential element in any musician’s life. So how can you make the most out of your practice and keep up motivation? Attitude, gear and influences can make all the difference. Let’s take a closer look… Guitar practice: essential gear Gear isn’t everything, but there are a few bits that we think are essential for a good practice session. Not only will it h ..read more

“Relic’d” guitars, like those from the Fender Road Worn series, are all the rage these days. So many musicians just love the look that beaten-up, well-played vintage instruments have (with their chipped paint, dents and cracked lacquer), that they want to capture the same aesthetic in guitars that aren’t actually decades-old or as expensive as real ’50s and ’60s instruments! But why are relic guitars so popular, and what makes them special? It’s hard to explain exactly why, but as guitarists ourselves, we feel that they just possess that extra character, charm and most importantly, “mojo”, whi ..read more

After two years of enduring postponed/cancelled gigs as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, it finally feels as though things have returned to normal. We’re ecstatic to see that the UK festival season is back in full swing — and let’s be honest, it’s never truly the Summer without these legendary music events taking place! Musicians are curious folk. We’re always intrigued to discover what gear makes our favourite artists tick, especially when it comes to their live rigs. That’s why we’ve compiled a list featuring a bunch of UK festival headliners and the guitars that they’re using to achiev ..read more

Fledgling virtuoso Marikit Akiwumi, only 12-years-old, is to play the role of bassist Katie in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical School of Rock on their UK & Ireland tour, having picked up the bass guitar for the first time ever at Andertons Music Co. Marikit was asked to prepare a handful of riffs and technical exercises for her first audition in July 2019. Lacking experience with the four-stringed instrument, Marikit and her father, Tony, came to Andertons for help. We set her up with the perfect short-scale Ibanez bass to suit her smaller stature. At just 12-years-old, the world is her ..read more

What is a Jazz Bass? Well, the legendary Fender Jazz Bass arguably set the standard for ergonomic bass guitar design in 1960 and beyond. It quickly became a viable and equally popular alternative to the Precision Bass, which was released a few years prior in 1951. From its tapered neck to the curvy body and elegant cutaways, the Jazz Bass guitar just oozes class. It’s also supremely versatile, thanks to a flexible dual pickup configuration. Trust us, you’ve heard Jazz Bass players everywhere — recorded on countless blues, rock, metal, folk and jazz records! Despite its long lifespan ..read more

Even if you’ve never heard the name Marcus Miller, there’s a good chance you’ve heard his playing. If you’re a fan of funk and soul music, you will most definitely be familiar with his work! Born in New York in 1959, William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (Marcus Miller for short) is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, but is best known for his work on bass guitar. Career With a decorated career spanning some thirty years, Marcus has worked with some of the biggest names in the business. Marcus worked primarily as a session musician for over fifteen years, during which he regularly worke ..read more

What is Compression? Compression can be very confusing, but in its most basic sense, it makes loud noises quieter and quiet noises louder. By squashing the very loudest signals down, we’re able to bring up the level of the quieter noises to match. It’s what our ears do naturally, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to hear whispering and our eardrums would burst every time a noisy motorcycle rode past. Compression is crucial in music, so you can clearly hear every part of the mix and don’t get deafened by any volume spikes. Without compression, you wouldn’t be able to mix music because the volu ..read more

Chapman guitars have established themselves as genuine contenders in the highly competitive market of electric guitars. They’ve done this by offering a number of different guitars that suit a number of different styles. Most importantly, their core standard range has always remained affordable. Not only are their guitars affordable, despite using high-quality woods and hardware, but they’re also collaboratively designed. 2009: It all started with the ML-1 The concept of collaborative design was born with the first Chapman ML-1. In a series of videos, Chappers put out a vote to the public for ..read more

Have you set yourself a musical new year’s resolution? January is a great time to start fresh on a technique you want to nail on your instrument, a piece of music to record or perform, or to simply get back into playing more regularly. Here are our top tips on becoming a better musician this year ..read more

Fender are every bit the same boundary-pushing company as they were in the 1950s, and their FSR Series is the proof. You’ve no doubt seen Fender’s extensive standard guitar ranges, as well as all their amps and pedals — but they’re a creative bunch and like to spice up those stock designs from time to time. FSR is where they bring their coolest ideas to life! FSR stands for ‘Fender Special Run’, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. The Fender team switch out the components of their classic instruments with fresher, unique features. Where your run-of-the-mill Player Strat ..read more