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The Fender American Standard series of guitars features both Telecaster and Stratocasters, the legends of the Fender name. The most affordable guitars in the Fender line-up, the classic style has some new updates to please musicians everywhere. Refinements include changes to some, but not all models of the guitars allowing musicians to select the guitar that best suits their playing style. The American Series guitars typically have twenty-two frets rather than the previous twenty-one, some feature humbuckers, synchonized tremolo arm, a steel bridge plate for added sustain and the three-sadle bridge has been replaced by a six-sadle bridge. The new six-sadle bridge means that you can adjust the height and length of each string independently. Available in a wide variety of colors and finishes, these guitars live up to the Fender legacy.

The Beginning

The first major electric guitar designed and produced by Leo Fender, the Fender Telecaster was introduced in the 1940's. With solid body construction and electronic amplification this was the first guitar to allow musicians to use the instrument with a band or as a solo instrument in a larger forum. Instantly popular with musicians across the genres, the Telecaster was embraced by Blues, Country and later Rock n' Roll musicians. Fender is known for its treble tone and the Telecaster is particularly known for its bright and clear tones. The bridge pickup of the Telecaster is wound more than the pickup for the neck with emphasizes the treble tone and the slanted neck also gives a more treble sound while the lower tones are dampened. A versatile instrument musicians can use the controls for volume and tone to craft their own sound. For more than fifty years the Telecaster has been a favorite of both professional and amateur musicians.

The Next Step

The second big innovation from the workshop of Leo Fender was the Stratocaster. Designed in the early 1950's, the Stratocaster was the result of all that had been learned from making the Telecaster combined with feedback from musicians about what worked and what didn't and what they wanted. Overall, the Stratocaster is a more complicated instrument with three single coil pickups which increases the tone and overall sound of the guitar. The addition of the Fender vibrato bridge allowed musicians to bend the strings to achieve a sound similar to the popular pedal-steel instruments. The already wide variety of tones that were created by the Stratocaster were expanded with the creation of the synchronized tremoloarm. A tremolo arm allows a guitar player to quickly vary the tension of the strings which temporarily changes the pitch to create vibrato, portamento and pitch effect expanding the options available for the musician. There were changes made to the overall design of the guitar body as well. Beveled areas for where the strumming arm rests and for the player's chest were added for a fitted feel that is comfortable for long session.

Creating the Fender Sound

The electric guitar was brought to life with the invention of the single coil pickup. A single coil pickup is created by wrapping a permanent magnet with fine enameled copper and then mounting the coil on the body of the guitar. When the player then plucks the strings, they vibrate and effect the magnetic flux which changes the voltage that passes through the coild of wire. The signal is modified by these changes in voltage and travels through the wire to the amplifier or recording device. The sound can then be amplified to be heard at any volume, from your garage to a stadium concert.

In its traditional form, the Telecaster guitar features just two single coil pickups but the three-way selector switch provides flexibility in choosing which pickup to use and further controls for tone and volume shape the sound. In the Stratocaster there are three standard single coil pickups mounted in series for the bridge middle and neck. With a switch of a lever the player can select which pickup they want to be active. Theey can use two pickups in combination, a single or all three to produce the sound that they want.

Further Innovation

First introduced in the 1950's, a humbucker is popular among many musicians for its ability to clarify sound. Electronic guitars rely on single coil magnetic pickups to 'pick up' and convey the alternated voltage created by the vibrating strings to create music. But these magnets can act as antennae and are vulnerable to picking up other signals not intended by the musician. The single coil magnetic pickups are sensitive to electromagnetic interference that can be generated by electrical appliances, computer screens, motors and other signals as well, all of which create a 'hum' or 'buzz' in the sound produced by the guitar. A humbucker uses two additional coils (although there are several versions of the humbucker) to cancel the interference, which literally bucks the hum and leaves only the pure musical sound to be amplified. In the American Series there are several Stratocasters that have humbuckers in their designs.

The Little Things

The sound of each guitar is unique and can be personized and shaped by several factors. Where the pickups are positioned, the number of coils wound around each magnet, what type of wire is used, the shape of the guitar, the kind of wood used in the neck and body and the position of the strings all have an impact on the sound. Using the tone controls to determine which pickups are featured gives musicians control over their sound. Pickups in the bridge position bring a bright, harmonic-rich and sharp tone compared to those pickups in the neck position which are louder, more warm and mellow in nature.

The name Fender brings a wealth of history and achievement to mind- from Muddy Waters to Eric Clapton to Ritchie Blackmore the artists that have embraced the Fender electric guitars have set the standard for all who play. The latest generation of guitars to be embraced by musicians, the American Standard series features both Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars from legendary Fender. True to their historic past these guitars are beautifully crafted with small updates to their design. The most affordable line of Fender guitars, The American Standard Series brings everything you expect from the Fender name without compromise.

Blair Stephens is an experienced writer and proud member of the Music Power team. We offer the best selection of electric and acoustic guitars in all the best brands. Learn more about guitars in our Musician Articles at http://www.musicpower.com/musician-articles.asp

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Left Handed Stratocaster Electric Guitar Metal Belt Buckle

How can you be in tune with your ukulele? The ukulele is a fantastic little instrument with many possibilities. You can play chords and melodies on it but a requisite is that your ukulele is in tune. Let's tune up!

The most common ukulele tuning is the standard C tuning.

It is of course preferable to use a tuner or piano or tuning fork in ukulele tuning but it is not necessary to tune exactly to the concert pitch if you don't play with others.

You can tune the ukulele by ear, using the method outlined below.

The strings on the ukulele is numbered from the highest pitched string. When you hold your ukulele in playing position string number one will be the string nearest your feet.

Now I will show you some steps in ukulele tuning to get your ukulele in tune.

1. Tune your first string to an A or a pitch that sounds okey to you.

2. Press down a finger on the fifth fret on the second string. Tune the second string until the pressed down fret will have the same pitch as the first string.

3. Press down a finger on the fourth fret on the third string. Tune the third string until the pressed down fret will have the same pitch as the second string.

4. Press down a finger on the third fret on the second string. Tune the fourth string until it sounds the same as the pitch of your pressed down fret on the second string.

We can test if your ukulele is in tune by playing the first part of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

The first notes you will play are on the third string without pressing down any finger. I will use a form of ukulele tab with numbers.

The first number indicates the fret. The second number after the slash indicates which string to play:

0/3 0/3

This means: Play two notes on the open third string. Let's play some more ukulele tab:

0/3 0/3 3/2 3/2 0/1 0/1 3/2

Let's explain some of the numbers: 3/2 means press down the third fret on the second string and play the note. 0/1 means that you play the note on the open first string.

Let's play one more part:

1/2 1/2 0/2 0/2 2/3 2/3 0/0

If this sounds like the beginning of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star you can be quite sure that your ukulele tuning is correct.

We haven't used the fourth string in this melody but you can listen to the two notes 3/2 and 0/4. These two notes should have the same pitch if you have tuned the ukulele correctly.

Good luck with your ukulele tuning!

P.S. Why not try to find out the rest of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by ear!

Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and ukulele tab at http://www.capotastomusic.com

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Fender Deluxe Player's Stratocaster Electric Guitar - Rosewood, 3-color Sunburst

Electric Guitar. Made by Fender.

The Deluxe Players Stratocaster is a revised version of the former Super Strat. Upgraded with American-made Vintage Noiseless pickups, this guitar not only sounds great but with a 12" neck radius and medium jumbo frets it's a workhorse of a guitar! And, don't forget about the push button switch that gives the player nine different pickup combinations!

Features:

• BODY Ash
• NECK Maple, Modern "C" Shape, (Satin Polyurethane Finish)
• MACHINE HEADS Gold Plated Fender/Reliance Vintage Style Tuning Machines
• FINGERBOARD Rosewood, 12" Radius (305mm)
• NO. OF FRETS 21 Medium Jumbo Frets
• PICKUPS 3 Vintage Noiseless Strat Pickups
• CONTROLS Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)
• BRIDGE Gold Plated Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
• PICKUP SWITCHING 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickups (Plus Bridge Pickup When Push/Push Switch Is Activated), Position 5. Neck Pickup (Plus Bridge Pickup When Push/Push Switch Is Activated), 1-Push-Button On/Off Switch: Activates Bridge Pickup in Positions 4 and 5 of Blade Switch
• HARDWARE Gold Plated
• STRINGS Fender Super Bullet 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042)
• CASE Deluxe Gig Bag
• PICKGUARD 4-Ply Brown Shell
• SCALE LENGTH 25.5" (648mm)
• WIDTH AT NUT 1 11/16 (43mm)
• UNIQUE FEATURES Gold Plated Hardware
• ACCESSORIES Deluxe Gig Bag

NOTE: The picture on this page shows the Maple version of this guitar model, if you place an order from this page you will receive the model with a Rosewood fretboard

Perhaps no other guitar maker has touched the hearts of so many players and collectors as Fender. By producing excellent guitars at reasonable prices, Fender has been the instrument of choice for many guitarists throughout the world. Both the famous and not so famous have relied on Fender guitars to define their signature sounds.

The Fender company was founded by Leo Fender, and produced its first solid body electric guitar in 1951. This guitar was called the Telecaster, and was soon followed by the Precision Bass, and the legendary Stratocaster in 1954. Over the years many changes would take place at Fender which had a great impact on the types and quality of instruments they produced.

The first "mile-stone" year for Fender came in 1965. During this year, Fender was bought by corporate giant CBS. Quality began to decline during CBS's reign, and although Fender still remained popular among players, CBS lacked the commitment and understanding necessary to satisfy the needs of serious musicians. As a result, the guitars produced during the "Pre-CBS" era would become prized collectors items demanding large sums of money in the vintage guitar market.

In 1985 Fender enjoyed another "mile-stone" year as a group of employees purchased the company back from CBS. For the first time in 20 years Fender was in the hands of musicians and artisans committed to producing world class guitars. A new manufacturing facility was built in Corona California to handle the production of USA made guitars. In 1987 the Fender Custom Shop was established, reaffirming the company's dedication to producing top quality guitars, and catering to the needs of top musicians.

From 1985 to the present day, Fender has been steadily expanding its operations within the United States and abroad. The company now produces a vast array of musical products from strings to mixing boards. In spight of such massive growth, Fender's commitment to the production of quality guitars remains very high. Fender remains one of the few companies that can successfully provide quality products to both the "budget conscious" and "price no object" musicians.

Written By: Michael Casamento

This article may be freely distributed so long as the above resource box is included in its entirety.

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Fender Stratocaster Mouse Pad

Made in the USA! This mouse pad is shaped like the real guitar! Looks great and is still very practical.

On the list of greatest guitarists of all time there could be literally hundreds of names. There have been so many influential guitarists who have changed the world of music for the better. However, there are certainly a few that stand above the rest. Not only are they incredible in how they play, but they have endured the test of time and really have been inspirational for so many up and coming guitarists.

The one and only Jimi Hendrix is at the top of the list for many reasons. Considered to be by far one of the greatest guitarists in rock music history, Hendrix achieved world wide fame back in the late 1960's. Starting in England he made a name for himself at the Monterey Pop Festival and then later at Woodstock in 1969. He was a pioneer of guitar feedback and was the first to incorporate overdriven amplifiers, which until then were thought of as a way to make bad music. Hendrix played one of the most amazing guitars of all time with his Fender 60's Reverse Headstock Stratocaster.

Second on the prestigious list of greatest guitarists of all time should be the incomparable Jimmy Page. Joining the group The Yardbirds before starting the band known to all as Led Zeppelin, Page was one of the most versatile guitarists in history. He was ranked number nine in Rolling Stone's list of 100 top guitarists of all time. Playing his Gibson Les Paul Classic as well as his Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page Double Neck Electric he was pure magic on stage.

Also one of the original members of The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton is a name that is synonymous with amazing guitar playing. With a nickname such as "Slowhand" Clapton won several Grammy Awards and is one of the most successful guitar players and musicians in the 20th and 21st century. With an amazing three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Clapton is the reason that many youngsters even pick up a guitar for the first time. He was a pioneer for blues-rock as well as psychedelic rock while playing his famous Eric Clapton Artist Signature Stratocaster.

Making this list of greatest guitarists of all time, you can't help but remember Carlos Santana. With his blend of rock, blues, jazz fusion and salsa, his music is truly inspiring. Santana is one musician that can change with the times and adapt his guitar playing to the various types of music he is working on. With a decidedly Latin flair, his music reaches to the core of your soul. Playing on a PRS Santana II named after him or the Gibson SG, Carlos Santana sounds great no matter what music he plays.

Whether your choice for greatest guitarist of all time would be someone in heavy metal like Slash from Guns N Roses or Angus Young from AC/DC or someone more rhythmic like Keith Richards there are certainly many choices out there. The one thing they all have in common is that there is literally no end to their natural talent and their ability to really rock the guitar.

Stop wasting money on 1-on-1 guitar lessons! Check out Steve Krenz's awesome Learn and Master Guitar course, it beats the pants off anything out there. It's the most comprehensive and thorough instructional guitar course available today. Advanced guitarists should check out http://www.madguitarlicks.com for 35 killer licks to add to their arsenal.

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Fender Deluxe Player's Stratocaster Electric Guitar - Maple, Sapphire Blue

Electric Guitar. Made by Fender.

The Deluxe Players Stratocaster is a revised version of the former Super Strat. Upgraded with American-made Vintage Noiseless pickups, this guitar not only sounds great but with a 12" neck radius and medium jumbo frets it's a workhorse of a guitar! And, don't forget about the push button switch that gives the player nine different pickup combinations!

Features:

• BODY Ash
• NECK Maple, Modern "C" Shape, (Satin Polyurethane Finish)
• MACHINE HEADS Gold Plated Fender/Reliance Vintage Style Tuning Machines
• FINGERBOARD Maple, 12" Radius (305mm)
• NO. OF FRETS 21 Medium Jumbo Frets
• PICKUPS 3 Vintage Noiseless Strat Pickups
• CONTROLS Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)
• BRIDGE Gold Plated Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
• PICKUP SWITCHING 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickups (Plus Bridge Pickup When Push/Push Switch Is Activated), Position 5. Neck Pickup (Plus Bridge Pickup When Push/Push Switch Is Activated), 1-Push-Button On/Off Switch: Activates Bridge Pickup in Positions 4 and 5 of Blade Switch
• HARDWARE Gold Plated
• STRINGS Fender Super Bullet 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042)
• CASE Deluxe Gig Bag
• PICKGUARD 4-Ply Brown Shell
• SCALE LENGTH 25.5" (648mm)
• WIDTH AT NUT 1 11/16 (43mm)
• UNIQUE FEATURES Gold Plated Hardware
• ACCESSORIES Deluxe Gig Bag

NOTE: The picture on this page shows the Rosewood version of this guitar model, if you place an order from this page you will receive the model with a Maple fretboard

Music memorabilia is something special. It gives us a place in music history and helps us think about where you sit in terms of the grand scheme of things. When we hold onto something used by Jimmy Page or Elvis Presley, we are holding onto something used by rock royalty. It makes us feel special, it makes us feel a connection to those individuals and it makes us happy to think that in the grand scheme of things, we hold onto something special. We are a keeper of rock history, and that helps to give our lives some sort of meaning.

The question is then raised by those who want to be a part of music history, where do you find music memorabilia? Well, when you want used music memorabilia, you simply have to look in the right places, and often the right place is on the internet.

Online you will find countless sites that cater to the historian in all of us, offering to sell cherished items of rock for rock-bottom prices. Looking at those sites, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of rock memorabilia you can buy, from something mundane like a drumstick used by Keith Moon in 1972 at a concert in New Jersey, to something iconic like the signed sheet music to Yesterday by The Beatles.

Of course, with that comes different prices. Something like the drumstick will cost you about $20 bucks, but the signed sheet music will probably cost you $20,000. It is all relative to the impact it had on music and the impact the person who used it had on music.

If you don't want to buy something online, then you can often find what you are looking for at conventions or collectable stores. This will allow you to get a first hand look at some of the items and be able to find out if it is actually legit. Whenever you buy something like used music memorabilia, you are going to want to see if you can get a certificate of authenticity. Doing this means that you will have something that is actually a piece of rock history, and not something that is being passed off as a piece of rock history. Why spend the money if you aren't going to get what you want?

Rock and Roll is a part of all of our lives, from the Baby Boomers to Generation Y, it shapes us and helps us. For each person, used music memorabilia is going to take on different meanings for all of us. For one person, getting a signed copy of Puff, The Magic Dragon from Peter, Paul and Mary will mean more than getting a signed copy of Sticky Fingers from the Rolling Stones.

If you are looking to get used music memorabilia, then you should start looking online at eBay and other music memorabilia websites around the world. You will be unlikely not to find what you are looking for. Become a part of rock history by getting the piece of rock history you are looking for.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments. You can find the best marketplace for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments at these sites for used vintage CDs, autographed vintage CDs, and used vintage musical instruments.

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Fender Standard Stratocaster Guitar 3-Ply Back Plate White

Guitar Replacement Backplate. Made by Fender.

Fender offers an assortment of Stratocaster back plates for all of your replacement needs.

This back plate is 3-Ply and comes in a white finish.

Playing a musical instrument can be one of the most exciting things for anyone. It is not only satisfying but also lucrative as a career. Although each instrument has its own charm and significance, guitar seems to be one of the most popular choices of all time. For any guitar lover, it must be a treat to watch a person playing guitar and its tune and rhythm is simply overwhelming.

However, it takes a long time for a guitarist to master the art of playing guitar so well. If you ask any guitarist about their preference on the sound of guitars, their unequivocal answer would be electric guitar. Over the years, the popularity of electric guitars has gone up and so has their sale. Even though you have been playing acoustic guitar for some time now, you will need proper guidance while buying an electric guitar.

Take a look at the following points before you hit an electric guitar store:

Budget:

The prices of electric guitars would start from $300 and upward. If you have a shoe-string budget, chances are that you won`t find high-end guitars such as Guild Benedetto Signature Model or Paul Reed Smith Santana II. However, the good news is, due to the computer aided woodworking equipments, even low-end electric guitars sound almost as well as their high-end counterparts.

Types of Electric Guitar:

Electric Guitars can be found in different depending on their body. Most electric guitars are made up of solid wood such as Alder, Ash, Mahogany and Basswood. Semi-hollow instruments such as Gibson`s ES-335 are popular because of their thinness and lightweight. On the other hands, there are electric guitars such as Gretsch Black Falcon which a true hollow-body and f-holes allowing the user to tune the guitar to resonate sounds as well as the acoustic guitars do.

Types of Music:

Whether you would want to buy a Gibson ES-5 or Fender Telecaster depends purely on what music you play most of the time. For instance, if you belong to a country band, you should choose an electric guitar that produces cleaner and brighter twang. Hence, you can pick a Stratocaster or Fender Telecaster to do justice to your county band. On the other hand, go for the Paul Reed Smith McCarty Hollowbody II if you are playing music in a jazz setting.

Number of Pick-ups:

Usually, modern electric guitars can be found in two different pick-ups such as single coils and humbuckers. While single coils will sound brighter with a pronounced attack, humbuckers will produce a warmer and darker tone. Some electric guitars can also have mix pick-ups. Guitars having more pick-ups will produce more tonal variations.

Electronics:

All standard electric guitars have a basic set of pick-up selector switch, volume and tone controls. Instruments such as the Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster have an added feature which allows the player to adjust the warmer and flatter sound of the humbucker. There are also hybrid electric guitars such as synth guitar which are fitted with additional hardware for connecting them to a synth via a 13-pin RMC system. Electric guitar manufacturers are now putting more emphasis on guitars playability than their aesthetics.

Appearance:

The looks of electric guitars would vary greatly and it actually depends on you preference. Guitarists who are into death metal would hardly like a Fender Telecaster with a shell pink finish. Hence, now-a-days, electric guitar manufacturing companies produce guitars that are genre-specific.

Frets:

Many buyers do not care much about the frets; however, they are curial to the playability of electric guitars. For instance, electric guitars with smooth and playable neck will allow you to do hammer-on and pull-offs, bend notes, and deliver clean articulations at any positions of the neck. If the frets are tailored perfectly, the electric guitars will offer a superlative performance.

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for PoloMercantil.

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Fender 1/6 Scale Mini Stratocaster

The legendary and venerable Fender Stratocaster guitar took guitar design to a higher level and became the voice of rock n roll. Featuring a comfort-contoured body, three single-coil pickups, and a synchronized tremolo system the Strat guitar has become the most popular guitar ever built. This 1/6 scale model guitar comes packaged on a blister card with many accessories including 3 mini picks, strap, shield, transmitter and guitar stand. (NOT PLAYABLE - For DISPLAY ONLY)
Customer Review: Mini Strat
I play a Stratocaster as my main guitar, and I even prefer it over my Les Paul, so I was intriguigued by a miniature Strat. I was expecting something similar to a Strat, but when I got it I was totally jazzed. The detail is unreal. They had gone to great effort to make everything exactly like the real one. It even has a pack of three picks. One thing is put it in a safe place to display it because in making the details in scale it is very delicate. I'm very careful not to damage it because it is a prize display I show to everyone who comes to my house. If you like guitars and unique detailed collectibles check it out. You'll love it. I do.

Every guitarist knows that the tone of the guitar is determined for the better part by the type of pickups he uses. So what do you do when you're not happy with the tone your guitar produces? Well the answer is pretty simple. Just get yourself a new pair of pickups!

This however is more easily said than done. Delve deeper into the world of guitar pick ups and you will be as confused as a rat in a maze. Humbucker, single coil and acoustic are some of the types of guitar pickups available and for the beginner these might seem like complex jargon. So read on to find simpler tips on how to choose the best guitar pickup for your guitar.

Find a tone that you like

Is there any artists who plays the same kind of guitar you play? Do you admire them for their awesome tone? Well, then it might be easier to get the tone you desire by simply figuring out what pickups they use. There are many websites which will provide you these details.

The three main types of pickups are:

Single Coil: Single coil pickups are sought after for their vintage sound and they have widely noticeable feedback. The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most popular designs that use a single coil pick up. Though fender has launched many pick up designs, none have been as popular as their original design. Also a lot of other Statocaster guitar models of other brands use single coil pickups.

Humbucker: The Humbucker is renowned around the world for its extremely powerful tone. In fact the Humbucker was specially designed to reduce the hum that was caused by single coil pickups. So even if you play blues or heavy crunching rock, you can find a Humbucker that suits your needs. You can also find some humbuckers with a vintage feel to them. The magnets and screws of the humbuckers are what give them the punch in the sound. Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio and EMG are some of the best brands for humbuckers.

Acoustic Guitars: With acoustic guitars you don't have that much of a choice when it comes to pickups. Acoustic pickups are mend to increase the overall sound of the guitar and not improve the tone. Soundhole, soundboard transducers and the unplugged acoustic are the three main types of acoustic guitar pickups.

So do a little bit of research on each type of guitar pickup. You'll find it relatively easy to find the right pickups. There is nothing better than to play your guitar with a tone you love!

For more information on guitars, equipment and other related stuff, please check out http://www.soundetta.com

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