Tweed Couch Guitar Therapy Session

Celestion, Eminence, Jenson, JBL, Tone Tubby, Warehouse... There are 100’s of brands and thousands of guitar amp speakers. On top of that there are tens of thousands of Impulse Responses that digitally capture mic’d speakers and can be loaded into all sorts of gear. But what is a good guitar amp speaker? Do they really differ that much? How many do you need? Is there a proper way to mic it? Does t...

The design of the Fender Stratocaster was the brain child of 4 people: Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. In 1954, a 25.5 inch scale, curvy, double horned, ash body with a bolt on maple neck was born sporting 3 pickups, 1 volume, 2 tones, a 3 way switch, and 6 tuners. These instruments have been so loved by their owners that they have been affectionately named like old...

I’ve played arenas to gazebos; amphitheaters to auditoriums; county fairs to backyard bashes; main stage to truck bed trailer. In all of these venues, the most important thing I did was NOT the music. Of course, the music IS important. But if you want to perform again in that arena or gazebo, you better make sure you know your role for the gig.  Whether you are a guitar player, singer, stange...

There are so many stunning features on a guitar. I love the curves. I love the woods. I love the hardware. But there are some things that I don’t love on a guitar that will cause me to not buy it. In fact, I might choose to not even play it if they have a certain feature or design. And one of the biggest turn off factors... is the headstock. So what is the best headstock? Would you not buy a guita...

Born October 28, 1972, Brad Paisley is an American Country superstar who has spent nearly 4 decades of his life in Country Music. He has sold over 11 million albums, won 3 grammys, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards, and 2 American Music Awards. He is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Toured all over the world AND has played for multiple Presidents of the United...

Two weeks ago Texas was hit with freezing temperatures, heavy precipitation, and families without power, water, and depleted resources. My main concern was for my family, loved ones, and neighbors. Of course, once I made contact and knew they were all safe my concerns turned to my music equipment. But how do you protect the gear? What are the main concerns? Is there a process to decide which guita...

Whether it was a family member's old classic. A buddies pawnshop beater. A gift you received or an item you worked all summer to afford. Every guitar player had a first guitar. But what is the right guitar to start with? Should I get an acoustic or an electric? What’s a good budget? Are there guitars I should not get? And where do I go to buy a beginner guitar? Well we will discuss this, and more...

I love this instrument we call, the guitar. I love its layout, I love its features, I love the accessories, I love the amps, I. love. the. tones... but sometimes the guitar and the gear doesn’t love me. Have you ever made a regretful guitar purchase? Have you ever had rebound gear? Maybe you’re tone confused? Possibly you purchased the wrong guitar simply because it was a good deal? Maybe you are...

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have people in my life who nurtured my positive interests and steered me away from negative ones. An interest I like to think of as positive... is the guitar. It stimulated creativity, built confidence, and gave me a skill that I have enjoyed nearly my entire life. Now I’m not saying it was easy. It took hard work, determination, and lots of effort to gain the...

The Gibson Les Paul was a guitar produced in response to the popularity  found in Fender’s solidbody guitar called the Telecaster. To be clear, this therapy session is not about the history of a Les Paul guitar. This session is about the journey to find one. But what features make a guitar a Les Paul? Is there a Les Paul tone? Why did it take so long to find the right one? Are the lawsuit gui...

When you think of left handed guitar players you probably think about Paul McCartney, Kurt Cobain, Tony Iommi, and of course Jimi Hendrix. These are left handed players who restrung a guitar to suit their needs and set themselves up for success. But how hard is it to find a left handed guitar? Do the pots and tuners work the same? Is the pedal industry anti-south paw? Is it cool to take a lefty gu...

When you hear the name Keith Urban you probably think of passionate guitar playing, soulful vocals, and inspiring lyrics. But what is it about Keith Urban that makes him so great? Has he ever toured with another band? What gear is he using? And did Jason steal his guitar strap? Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Jason, on the tweed couch.

When you hear the name Metallica you think of three things: Power driven Metal, Energetic live performances, and Rockstar lifestyles. Of course all these things can take a toll on a band that has been touring off and on for 40 years. But how did Metallica get started? Did James and Lars really meet through the newspaper? What does a Metallica whiskey taste like? Who's is Dave Pickerell and what is...

As we ring in the new year, many people feel compelled to start off the calendar year right. Some try to kick a bad habit. Some try to take on a good routine... We call this, a New Year's Resolution. Of course some people fail within a week due to pour will power, low accountability, and a lack of proper support. But what are Dr. T & Jason's New Years Resolutions? How do we plan to keep them?...

I grew up listening to my Dad's Blonde Fender Showman. It was big, loud, and clean. As my tone evolved, I started to like other amplifiers too. One of my favorite amplifier manufacturers is Marshall but the journey to get there took a while. But what is the Marshall sound? Is there a way to get the sound without a Marshall? Which Marshall is the best and what are the pros & cons? Well we will...

The tradition of hanging a stocking above a fireplace has been around for centuries. There are many theories, stories, and folklore that surround the origin of the stocking but the modern tradition uses the stocking as a place Santa Clause can put small gifts of toys, food, or clothing. Usually the stocking is a boot but Premier Guitar uses a box. But what's in the box? What did other people get?...

I love Christmas. I love the hunt for the best deals. I love giving the gift. I love giving the gift. Unlike some, for most things, I prefer buying online. I like shopping from the comfort of my own home. I like searching, putting it in my cart, looking for coupons or better deals... I like clicking on the "Process Order" button and I like the wait. But what are the concerns with shipping? Is ther...

Largely described in the late 50s and 60s as an utter failure... the Gibson explorer has become an iconic guitar that brings on a personality of its own. As part of the modernistic series, the Gibson explorer, has caught the eye of Eric Clapton, Rick Nielsen, James Hetfield, Lizzie Hale, Dave Grohl, and the Edge. Many have played it. Many have copied it. Many have a redefined it. But there is no d...

Born May 24, 1941 in Duluth, MN. Robert Allen Zimmerman was raised a few miles northwest in Hibbing, MN. While in high school, Zimmerman formed a number of high school cover bands on the Rock N' Roll music of the time. But for him, Rock N' Roll was too vain and lacked substance. So he went back to his roots of Folk. This marriage of Folk, Rock, & Substance created a musical poet. That poets na...

Sometimes it's difficult to express gratitude. But at this time of the year it is important to count our blessings, take time to acknowledge, and give credit where it is due. So what genre of music brought us joy this year? Is there an artist that influenced us? Is there a manufacturer or piece of gear we are grateful for? If I was making a thanksgiving meal of tasty tone what would the courses be...

It only took me twice playing out with a band and taking longer than the drummer to setup before I realized I needed a pedalboard. But what size do I need? How do I attach the pedals? Do I need a power supply? What brand should I get or should I just make my own? Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Jason, on the Tweed Couch.

Edward Lodewijk Van Halen born January 26, 1955 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Died October 6, 2020 in Santa Monica, California of tongue and throat cancer. He was a musician, songwriter, arranger, produce, an actor, a brother, a bandmate, a father, an inventor, and an entrepreneur. In 1972 he and his brother decided to start a band named Van Halen. What occurred after that was an explosion of Rock N'...

When I hear Telecaster, the first word I think of is simplicity… a slab of wood with a neck bolted onto it. Then add some hardware, pickups, and tuners. No need for tremolos, no need for carved tops or belly cuts. Just simplicity… Now the second word I think of is versatile! No guitar sounds like a tele... yet, a tele can sound like so many other guitars. But what defines a telecaster? Is it the s...

There’s nothing quite like waiting for your gear to arrive. You spend your valuable time researching. You spend your hard earned money purchasing. You spend your small amount of patience waiting for that day that new piece of gear comes home with you. But what’s the process to finding the gear? Do you try it in a store? Do you watch reviews or read forums? Do you buy it online? Maybe you trade for...

There is something about this beautiful solid bodied, singlecut, carved top, set neck, 22 fret, 24 and ¾” masterpiece. It’s shape, dimensions, and features are copied by many but few can replicate its tone and feel. So what is it about this guitar? Why do so many manufacturers replicate it? Is it the style? The familiarity? The history? We will discuss this, and more, on this session of, the Tweed...