The Axe-Handler by Re-Axe. Yes that’s a healthy display of the hyphen. And no, we're not talking about the kind of axe George Washington used to cut down a cherry tree. What we are talking about is an American-made, mega-portable guitar stand that you can stash inside your case or gigbag to save your instrument from being the victim of a party foul at your next gig or living-room jam session.

While eight-string solidbody electric guitars haven’t yet matched the popularity of their seven-string counterparts, a growing number of companies have developed eight-string models since the first mass-produced eight-string guitars hit the market in 2007.

Originally intended to mimic the sound of a muted trumpet, it didn't take long for guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa to make that sweet, sweeping "wah-wah" sound an integral part of the rock and roll lexicon.

The dreadful “must use provided backline” or “the mysterious amp at the drummer’s house” are circumstances where we hope for the best, yet fear the worst. Backline gear is usually decent, but your biggest setback is time. The band before you swore, the crowd wanted more, and now the stage director is just swearing at everyone for going overtime!