Still Kickin Blog

So there's a new piece of gear you want. Where are you gonna get the best price? Guitar Center, SamAsh, Sweetwater, Musicians Friend, Zzounds? You may know this, or you may not, but shopping around really works. Play these guys against each other. Many of them have room to play with pricing you see on their websites. If you see one site is running a promotion to get 8% off using a promo code, you can bet if you call a competitor they will meet or BEAT...

If you gig with your guitar or rehearse, or even just use a strap at any time, it's worth investing in a set of strap locks. There's nothing worse than seeing your baby fall to the ground in front of your eyes...Nooooo! 

Everyone knows about Schaller and Dunlop strap locks. They are the two big locking systems out there. Schallers can be great, but personally I've had them fail before.

Schaller strap pins sometimes get worn...

For some of us, eBay is a necessary evil. We may not like dealing with them, but they are nearly a monopoly, so if you want to sell something, especially something used, eBay is still going to get you more exposure than most other online outlets. That said, how can you keep as much of your own money and not pay it to them? I thought I'd jot down a few things I've figured out.

1) Open an eBay store. Most people pay 10% in selling fees every time they sell something on eBay. But did you know if...

Most of us at some point have bought a used guitar only to find the guitar and/or case smells horrible. Sometimes it's smoke, sometimes mold/mildew. There are a million ideas on how to remove these smells. Some of the suggestions here I've tried, some I've found on forums, so do your own research!

First, the natural ones: Leave the case outside in the sun for a few days. Or leave a fan blowing directly at it to circulate air over it. Keep in mind some smells will take TIME...