Hey There, Fellow Guitar Enthusiasts!
I’m Frank, and like you, I have a deep-rooted love for all things guitar. If you’re on the hunt for a space that celebrates the art of guitar playing, you’re in the right place! This is where we turn guitar dreams into reality, one string at a time.
A Moment With A Legend
One of the highlights of my guitar journey was meeting the great Les Paul. The man was not just an extraordinary musician but also an innovator who changed the way we play guitars and make recordings!. Here’s a cherished moment where he’s autographing his CD for me. It was a surreal experience that affirmed my lifelong commitment to this craft.
My Journey With Six Strings
From the moment I strummed my first chord, I was hooked. I’ve been playing guitar for 55 years and teaching it for 25 years. I’ve also played Rock, Metal, and Jazz in bands onstage in the U.S. and other countries for 15 years, learning from some of the best!
For 3 years, I apprenticed with a guitar expert (luthier), learning how to build, fix, and modify guitars and amps. It gave me the opportunity to run my own repair shop. These days, I have a shop at home where I built more than two dozen of the guitars in my collection.
All this helps make My Guitar Lair a place you can trust for great guitar advice. But what really excites me is the opportunity to share this passion with others – like you. It’s a journey that’s been as rewarding as it has been challenging.
Why You’ll Love It Here
This is more than just a blog; it’s a community. Whether you’re a beginner picking up your first guitar or a seasoned pro looking for advanced techniques, there’s something here for everyone. Expect in-depth reviews, how-to guides, and a treasure trove of tips and tricks to elevate your playing. We’re all about helping you find your unique sound.
What Sets Us Apart?
What makes this community special is our collective passion for guitars. From the free eBook (see below) packed with invaluable tips to exclusive gear reviews, everything here is designed to enhance your guitar journey. It’s a one-stop-shop for all your guitar needs, curated by someone who’s been there and done that.
Let’s Jam Together!
Got questions or need some advice? Feel free to reach out. I want to help you play and sound better! This community thrives on interaction, and I’m always here to help. So go ahead, explore the site, and let’s make some beautiful music together! After all, the best way to learn is to engage, and there’s no better place for that than here.
Ready To Rock?
Your path to guitar mastery starts here. Dive in, explore, and let’s shred! Because, let’s face it, the world could always use more guitar heroes.
I sincerely hope you will enjoy this site as much as I do!
Keep On Playing,
Frank10@MyGuitarLair.com (remove the number 10)
Check out this video about Fender Playand get your free thirty-day trial!
(You may need to turn your smartphone sideways to see and play the video.)
Hi Frank
Love the site. We have a lot in common. I was also inspired as a kid hearing Jimi Hendrix. He had just passed away when I started playing. My profile photo is from 1977 and shows me playing my 63 Strat. I flipped the picture around so I am looking into the page rather than out of it. So I am really right-handed. Anyway, I love the look of your guitar collection.
I wish you all success with this site.
Best regards
Andy
Hi Andy,
I really appreciate your comments!
This website is relatively new but I intend to really add lots of cool guitar stuff, as time allows.
A 63 Strat is a great guitar and worth some money! I also have a late 60s Strat in Olympic White. I custom ordered the color from my local music store after I saw Jimi Hendrix (my high school musical idol) playing one in a photo on his “Electric Ladyland” album. I came home from school one day and my mother told me that Jimi was dead. I thought she had confused him with someone else but it was one of the saddest days of my life.
I answered your comment on my Sky Guitar article. Let me know if you have any other questions and I’ll be happy to help.
Andy, please come back and visit often,
Frank
was researching Jorge Garcia on the web and discovered you and your site. having no musical talent whatsoever, i choose to be an avid listener and fully appreciate both the person as well as the player that Jorge is. a wonderful human being and a great guitar player. thanks for what you do.
Hi Gary,
Thank You for your comments!
I’m totally psyched that you discovered Jorge and delighted to hear that you enjoyed my article! Jorge is obviously a monster guitar player with his own very unique style. I plan on doing more articles on jazz and jazz fusion guitar players, so please come back and revisit my website.
Happy New Year and all the Best in 2022!
Frank
Hi Frank, I want to thank you for the article you wrote on me. This is Guitarist Jorge Garcia. Great work you do and humble that you chose me to write about. I will like to send you my next album officially coming out in February, Dedicated To You is the name. Let me know how I can get it to you.
Hi, Jorge
I’m thrilled beyond words that you read and liked my article! I could have gone on forever with my assessment of what a fabulous and original guitar player you are! We definitely need more musicians like you and your awesome band members! You guys are all amazing!
Please let me know if there is any inaccurate or incomplete information, and I will correct it immediately.
I plan to add more Jazz and Jazz Fusion articles to this website as time allows, especially as I get requests from other readers.
Hopefully, you will come back and visit now and again, and I welcome all your comments!
Thank You for your generous offer! I can’t wait to hear your new album, and I will email you with my mailing address. Kindly autograph it!
With Great Admiration,
Frank
Hi Frank,
I used to play the guitar at university. The piano is my thing, and always will be. My roommate had built his own acoustic guitar and showed me how to play it. I was hooked.
The music we learned was classical guitar. We even went to another more experienced student for lessons. All free by the way because he enjoyed teaching us,
At the end of my studies, I joined a group that played Beatles music. We drove overland to India and gave concerts to small groups on the road. Loads of fun.
Since I grew the nails of my right hand to strum and pluck in a classical way, I couldn’t play the piano because of nail obstruction. When I returned home from this trip, I ached to play the piano. Off went the nails and I haven’t played the guitar since then.
I congratulate you on creating this site to help others get to know and play the guitar. Do you have a YouTube Channel where you perform? If so I’d love to hear you.
Your guitar world is a wonderful contrast to your medical profession. I am sure you will create a side business that will continue to add value to your life in multiple ways.
All the best to you.
Edwin
Hi, Edwin
Thank You so much for your comments! You are too kind.
You can always get a steel-string acoustic and play with a thumb pick and fingerpicks. You don’t have to grow your nails. That way, you can play piano and guitar!
I don’t have a YouTube channel yet, but maybe someday.
Frank ?
Frank, great site and very informative. I have been a guitar plinker for years as a bass player and just really started learning guitar correctly after retirement. I just finished your 10 Awesome Tips booklet and had a suggestion. You mention beginners selecting their first instrument. Considering how learning guitar requires some discipline and many new players just give up when confronted with a horrible “beginner” guitar maybe a future article could be how to select a realistic, reasonable priced instrument. I shutter to think of all the expensive, beautiful guitars locked in a case in the back of a closet never being enjoyed by all those rock and roll wannabes. Keep up the chatting. Love to read them when I should be practicing. Lol
Hi, Ronald
I really appreciate your comments and suggestion!
Yes, beginning players buy guitars that run the gamut from too cheap to be playable all the way to professional gig-quality! Adults tend to buy better guitars for themselves and cheaper ones for their children.
Some people have found amazing vintage guitars in the attics or closets of their relatives.
Most beginners quit playing because of the time and dedication required to learn to play any instrument well. It’s not uncommon for them to blame it on the low quality of the instrument. Some of the best musicians in the world started playing on some of the cheapest instruments you can imagine!
Jimi Hendrix started pretending to play guitar on a broom until his father noticed broom bristles on the floor and bought him a cheap guitar!
You might like the article on my website entitled “When To Buy Your Second Guitar? (With Buyer’s Guide).”
Nice chatting with you, Ronald! Please come back and visit again.
Frank ?
Hey my friend I don’t really have any suggestions to add to the 10 step book, because it is actually pretty perfect the way it is. I did encounter a typo.
“To easiest way to do that is to take it one string at a time.”
It’s not a big deal and I’m sure most anyone could imagine that it should have been (the) instead of (to).
Anyways, I’d like to say thanks for the free pointers, and the work you do for everyone.
Shawn
Hi, Shawn
First, Thank you for downloading the eBook and calling the typo to my attention, which I corrected!
I’m so happy that you found the book helpful!
Please let me know if you find any other typos or have any questions about the material in the ebook.
Happy New Year! ?
Frank ??
Hi Frank. JD here. I just took a cursory look at your site and it is great. The only problem I had with it was when I went to the E-book page. There was no header menu to navigate out of it, so I had to back arrow. Not really a problem, just an inconvenience. Other than that your site is great.
Thanks, JD!
I’m absolutely thrilled that you like the site, and I hope you’ll return often. ?
Rock On! ?
Frank ?
I have a reverse plate I did years ago but i put the volume on top for easy swells. Good article. Thinking about adding a 4-way switch next.
Hi, Tom
I really appreciate your input!
Yeah, I like the reverse Telecaster control plate configuration too! Reversing the pot positions puts the volume knob right where it should be. I have three Teles that I re-wired that way.
Rock On! ?
Frank ?
Hi
The last 2 pots on my 4 pot Ibanez will not pick up the sound the 6543 are fine
Any info on this please
Hi, Michael
Ibanez makes great guitars!
If two out of four pots are not working, it could be a wiring problem inside the guitar. If you feel comfortable opening it, you can check for any broken wires and clean both pots with Deoxit, which you buy on Amazon. Otherwise, please take it to a guitar repair center.
I hope you get your problem straightened out soon!
Please let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with. Provide me with more specific information, and I’ll see what I can do.
Rock On!?
Frank ?