Dear fellow musician,
I wish you a warm welcome on GuitarNeeds.com!
Background
Let me take you back to 1985. I had turned ten and from my birthday money I wanted to buy a wah-wah pedal. In the guitar store I was kindly helped by an older man. He let me pick a guitar and I chose a Fender Stratocaster. The salesman placed the wah-wah pedal between the guitar and the power amplifier. And I began to play.
As I played the first notes of Voodoo Child (Slight Return), a smile appeared on his face. His eyes widened and he visibly enjoyed my guitar playing. ‘How does a little guy like you come up with the idea of playing Jimi Hendrix? Where did you hear that music? I replied that the father of a friend of mine was an old hippie. He was a drummer and handed out countless cassette tapes of music from the ’60s’. Through this boyfriend and his hippie father, the love of guitar playing was born for me.
Every guitarist has a few moments when they hear a guitar god for the first time and are completely captivated by it. Playing guitar becomes a passion, an obsession perhaps. In my youth, we copied the sparse sheet music with Tabs of our heroes. But since there wasn’t that much available at the library and the books were too expensive to buy ourselves, we learned most of the songs by ear. While many peers were playing soccer, we were teaching each other the latest guitar licks. And where others were listening to the pop music of Rick Astley and Vanilla Ice, we were captivated by the instrumental rock of Steve Morse, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Nuno Bettencourt, trying to decipher this music step by step.
My friend became more and more interested in jazz and in time went to the academy of music. I myself was faced with the choice: do I want to make music my profession, or is it just a hobby? I studied economics and psychology and enjoyed student life. Before I knew it I was working for the government as an organizational change professional. I got married and had two children. My choice was made, but my fascination with the guitar did not diminish.
Life moves fast and therefore it is important to enjoy all the beautiful things life has to offer. I continued to play guitar and learn about guitars and guitar gear all these years. I collected and compared different teaching methods. Now that I am approaching 50 and I am “the old hippie” myself, it feels like my turn to pass on the knowledge I have accumulated over the years. That’s why I built this website where I share a wealth of information about this amazing instrument.
Mission
My mission is to share with you the best possible selection of guitars, guitar gear and learning materials that I have collected on the web. My goal is to put together the most fact comprehesive guitar and guitar gear content on the web. GuitarNeeds provides you with all the information you need for guitar playing, lessons, maintenance and wise purchases at any playing level, music style or budget.
Offer
- Reviews: I write In-depth product reviews and cover a guitar’s technical specs, , as well as its look and feel, the price, and any additional features that you need to decide whether or not it’s right for you.
- Comparisons: I compare and contrast two distinct models, examining every aspect of their performance and features to determine which one is best for you.
- Guides: In my in-depth guides I describe for a certain type of products (guitars, amps, etc.) or services (online courses, teaching material etc.) what to look for and key terms to know.
- Tips and Tutorials: In my tips and tutorials-posts I answer frequently asked questions of all types and I provide lists and pointers to more information.
Honest
I want to be completely honest with you. I‘m open and direct about my own experiences. If I think there is a better alternative, I will set you in that direction. And I discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of guitar products and services.
Simple
I write my content with the aim that it’s easy for everyone to understand. You shouldn’t have to be tech savy or an expert to understand it.
Up-to-date
My information is actual and so you can keep up with the latest products and services in guitar land.
If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to react using the contact form.
I’m glad to hear from you.
Happy playing! 🎸
Greetz,
Friso
