I know, I have belabored the point on this blog time and time again: I am a musician. I play music. I own lots of music-related stuff. Still, if there is one thing that unites musicians across the globe, regardless of style, level of playing, or even talent, it's one thing: a relentless desire to get more or different gear. Many of my friends in the music community call this "GAS" or "gear acquisition syndrome" and it's really rather commonplace.

Since I own so much stuff already, and my garage isn't getting any bigger, I try not to even think about buying new gear. Honestly, at this point, another guitar might push me to the point of considering therapy for addiction, but that doesn't mean other things don't catch my eye. One specific thing is the Line 6 G50 Relay Wireless System. It's their new wireless system, which has come out as the next generation of the G30 system, and these are supposed to be a real game-changer.

If you haven't heard of them yet, I wager you will soon; Line 6 has introduced the encoded digital signal transmitter, as opposed to the traditional radio transmission wireless, with an optional twelve channels for the best uninterrupted clarity with a two hundred foot line-of-sight range. Another key improvement introduced with the G50 is that it is now all-metal casing, as opposed to the polycarbonate casing of the G30, and each generation uses AA batteries in their transmitters, a lower-cost option than the standard nine volt. These are currently selling at Musician's Friend for $399.99 with free shipping. Yes, it's a lot, but for a system that's really one of a kind, it's hard to compare prices.

The good news for you Ebates members is that Musician's Friend is today's Daily Double, so they are currently bumped to 6.0% Cash Back, meaning you stand to get about $24.00 in cash back just for shopping today. Of course, you will be getting cash back on any and all purchases you make up until midnight.

Find the gear you've been searching for in our Instruments & Sheet Music category.

Thursday night I had a little spare time when I got home from work, so I decided to spend the evening at a few local used music and book stores. As most of you who read this blog on any kind of regular basis probably already know, this can be a very dangerous thing for someone with a disposition like mine. See, I go to stores with a set list in mind, and I know exactly what I want. Then I look a bit more, and a little more. Next thing you know (as happened Thursday) a trek to get a handful of new books and music ends up being four CDs, five DVDs, and three books at a cost of something in the neighborhood of $125. This is what happens when I have a night with nothing going on - I'd have been better off staying home.

But really, I'd have been much better off had I just gone to Half.com. I wouldn't have driven around town, I wouldn't have had to walk to and from my car in the rain, and I probably would have gotten the same stuff for about two thirds of what I paid. It's no exaggeration: even at used prices, I found almost every item I bought on Half.com for less, plus in most cases, I wouldn't have paid California's ridiculously high sales tax, and I would have earned 4.0% Cash Back - talk about making your money work for you! With the cash back I could have earned, I would have been able to get another book! (which is exactly what I need)

So check it out for yourself - they have an amazing selection of books, DVDs, Music, Textbooks, and video game stuff (consoles, games, accessories, etc). I know it may not mean much to you, but what impressed me is that they have solid discounts on books by Charles Bukowski. That may seem like a random statement, but I just had a discussion in the lunchroom on Friday about how the bookstore I went to (one of SF's most renowned) didn't have anything I didn't already own, and that other website named after that rainforest didn't have good used prices on any of his titles. Lo and behold, I should have just gone to Half.com for great prices and 4.0% Cash Back.

Find what you want at Half.com or at eBay, it's parent company.

I know we've written about this in the past, but I feel like every now and again it's worth mentioning one more time: you can earn 3.0% Cash Back through Ebates when you purchase items from the iTunes store. This includes everything from music and movies to iPhone apps. Granted, you do have to click through an Ebates link, and use your computer rather than your mobile device, but wouldn't you do that if you knew you'd be getting cash back on everything you buy?

Take it from a guy who has an iPhone, two iPods, and about sixty days worth of music in his iTunes account: you can really rack up some cash on these downloads, especially if you are the type who finds it easier to rent or download a movie or TV episode via iTunes rather than catch it the first time through. Also, don't forget that many popular bands also have iTunes-only releases which are usually both inexpensive and filled with little gems like live performances or B-side recordings.

What makes this almost more impressive of a deal is that Ebates offers 1.0% Cash Back from the Apple Store, but 3.0% Cash Back on iTunes purchases - so despite the fact that you don't have anything physical to show for it, you are getting a better deal on cash back when shopping for music and more at the iTunes Store.


What will you find in the Ebates Music & Movies category?

I know that, generally, people don't geek out over musical instruments like I do, but this guitar is pretty special. I've been a fan of the Epiphone Wilshire for years. Hendrix used to play one, so did Pete Townshend, and now they've re-surfaced with a few indie bands. Even the fellas in Ratatat use one.

But there's one hangup: now that Wilshires are popular again, they're really expensive. I'm talking anywhere from $2500 to $6000 for vintage models, so everyday working stiffs like myself can't really drop that kind of coin on a collector's guitar. Then Epiphone re-released them in white about a year ago. I like them, but I've always felt all-white guitars to be a little much.

Oh what joy I experienced, gentle readers, when I happened upon this little bit of news: Epiphone is finally making a '66 Reissue Wilshire. In multiple colors (including the cherry stain which I love so dear). You can pre-order it at the special price of $379.00, with 5.0% Cash Back from Musicians Friend. If I can find a way to justify it, expect to get a much more detailed review in the next few weeks.



Get cash back on the instrument of your dreams in our Instruments & Sheet Music category.

As a musician and someone brought up listening to music on my parents' console stereo, I've had a longtime love affair with the music of The Beatles. I also happen to be a somewhat avid Rock Band player, so when I heard about Beatles Rock Band, I almost plotzed.

As if that thrill weren't enough, as a way of celebrating arguably the greatest rock band of all time, stores started putting the Beatles Anthology DVD set on sale. Granted, this week it's almost impossible to turn on VH1 and not see some part of the anthology on TV, but this way, you can watch them any hour of any day.

If you're like the drummer in my band, your gripes about music have to do with restoring old recordings or poor mixing and mastering; wishing that old albums could have taken full advantage of modern recording quirks. Well, Beatles fans, your dream just came true. With the Beatles Discography Re-Mastered, the only question left is if you want to retain the original sensibilities of the mono recordings, or if you want to experience the cutting-edge stereo mixes.

No matter what you choose, you'll get 4% Cash Back on all those purchases at Barnes and Noble.com just by using your Ebates account!

Finally, something thin around your house that doesn't involve health food or exercise! (not that there's anything wrong with those) But what I'm talking about is the Wafer Thin Stereo from Brookstone.

If you, like most people, listen to most of your music on an iPod, chances are you have an iPod player that you use. The main issue I've found with many of them is that they are small and thin sounding or else they are bulky and you have no place to put them. This system solves both those problems by pairing a thin design control unit with NTX flat-panel speakers, which are just inches deep. There is also a satellite sub-woofer, and the trio of speakers all connect wirelessly (or so it appears) so you can put the speakers almost anywhere.

The downside? The system costs $349 and makes no promises about working with an iPhone.

The upside? You'll earn almost $21 thanks to 6% Cash Back at Ebates.

Fill your home with music on a stereo from one of our Electronics & Photo merchants!

You hear us talk all the time about saving money and finding deals with Ebates, but generally we're fairly abstract. The other day I made a purchase that saved me a grand total of about $350 off the retail price. Here's how:

As you may know, I'm a bit of a musician when I'm not blogging, and I decided a while ago that it was time to pick up a new bass amplifier.

I went to Musician's Friend, which always gives me a pretty good idea of what the going retail price is for musical gear. I found out that the amp I was eyeing (the Gallien-Krueger 800rb) was going for about $800. Armed with this knowledge, I headed over to eBay. After doing a quick search, I found the exact same amp, six months old, still with the original packaging for $500. While Musician's Friend offers free shipping on most orders over $49, you usually end up paying for shipping at eBay. Luckily, thanks to the 3% Cash Back I earned at eBay, I was able to pay the shipping with the cash back I earned.

What will you find at eBay?

While I'm usually the electronics guru around these parts, Bill and I have a shared love of musical instruments that goes above and beyond the circuitry found in most stomp boxes. That's why it's so great that Ebates has Musicians Friend coupons to get the best deals on all kinds of musical doodads, including cymbals, drum trainers, and all the guitar goodies you could dream of. And the best part? Why that's 3% Cash Back at Ebates, of course!

Many know Musicians Friend for their guitar and bass deals, but they excel in another area as well: drums! As a person who's been banging on things since birth, I recently picked a nice little starter drum set from Abes of Maine and needed cymbals to go along with it. Musicians Friend had a great deal on a nice little cymbal upgrade, and it even came with a free stand! You can't beat that!

Musicians Friend coupons aren't the only way to save at Ebates. Check out our other 1100+ stores for other great musical deals with cash back!

Does your Dad love digital doodads and gadgets? Even the least techno-friendly fathers can get behind the space-age style at Brookstone, whose iDesign speakers range from wafer thin to tower tall to match any room in the house. And instead of costing an arm and a leg like some "designer" speaker systems, the many iDesign sets are available at Brookstone with an amazing 6% Cash Back at Ebates. And to top that off, we've got a great Brookstone coupon, too!

Right now, save on all high-end Brookstone iDesign products by taking $10 off all orders $150 or more from Brookstone! Just enter code AF09EBAT at checkout, and check back for more great Brookstone coupons to save on more high-tech essentials for Dad. The coupon works for anything over $150 at Brookstone, so if he's in need of something else, don't hesitate to look around!

Don't skimp on Dad! Get him something special with Brookstone coupons at Ebates!

How about that American Idol? I don't mean to spoil it for anyone with the finale sitting at home on their DVR, but yesterday saw the crowning of America's newest Idol - Kris Allen. Yes, little country boy Kris beat the flashy Adam Lambert in one of the most-watched finales in Idol history. Yet, even if you did miss the big finale (or the entire season), you can go back and watch it on iTunes and get 3% Cash Back with no promotion codes to boot!

Yes, that's right - you can get iTunes Cash Back on all your iTunes purchases. While we don't currently have any iTunes coupons, 3% Cash Back on all your music, movies, movie rentals, TV shows, and App Store purchases is such a good deal, you'd be silly to skip over it! With exclusive American Idol downloads, behind-the-scenes performances, and more, iTunes and Ebates are a perfect fit for one another!

So before you buy another song, start saving with online rebates and cash back on all your iTunes purchases. Don't forget about our Apple Store coupons and other great deals, too!

Hi everyone. I'm Bill, and I'm an addict. Fortunately, my addiction is not damaging to my health, only my wallet. I'm not hooked on hard drugs. Rather, my real fix is musical gear, especially those of the vintage persuasion. I started out in my youth, experimenting with guitars and tube amplifiers, but by the time I was ready to go to college, I was already well on my way down that dark and lonely road, afraid I was going to end up saying "Hey buddy, can you spare a 6L6?" (If you get that joke, you might be headed down that very same road)

A real turning point in my life was when I discovered the ultimate enabler for my addiction: eBay. I was seventeen or so, and I suddenly realized that instead of staining my fingers black looking at local classified ads, I could hop on the 'net, and within a few minutes (dial-up modem, after all) I could be debating how much I really loved a mid-seventies Fender Telecaster, or if I was more interested in holding out for that Blackface Bassman amplifier I'd been lusting after for a few months.

I realize that for many of you, that last paragraph or so reads kind of like a foreign language, and I understand. However, for those of you who have a love for vintage gear like I do (yes, all those amps in that picture belong to me, and yes, those are two BlackFace Fender amps) then think about this: the next time you're ready to pull the trigger and pick up a $2,000 Pre-CBS Jazzmaster or Gold Top Les Paul, you can earn 3% cash back on all those auctions you plan to win (or "Buy it Now" icons you click) through Ebates. I'll let you do the math on how much you'll get back. In some cases, it might be enough for another guitar...

I don't know about most of you folks, but I am always on the lookout for new musical gear. This could be why my garage tends to resemble the equipment closet for a recording studio, but it's something that's become ingrained in my being. I always check sites like Musician's Friend for their Stupid Deal of the Day, hoping that somehow a nice piece of gear will be selling for some stupidly cheap amount of money (aka an amount someone like me could afford). However, most people don't know that we have a vast array of music retailers on our site, that can keep the deal hunting musician occupied for hours on end.

However, we also (as I'm sure you all are well aware by now) have recently added eBay to our site, and are currently offering 3% on purchases made with them. I don't know about you folks, but I am obsessed with vintage gear, and eBay is really the number one stop to shop. Whether you're looking for a Moog Synth, a 60s Les Paul, a classic Fender Twin Reverb, or a hand-hammered crash cymbal, it can all be found on eBay.

Still, you don't have to be a musician to take advantage of all the great deals on music savings from Ebates, you can save on all your CD and mp3 purchases as well, so even the "professional appreciator" of music can earn cash back on their passion.

Men are fickle creatures, and I should know. I am one, and readily admit to being both fickle and a creature. Because of this, women often times have the trickiest job of finding something, anything for their loverboys. While very few guys will turn down a bunch of chocolate (after all, who would?), chances are your (literally) sweet gifts are getting a little stale year after year. Why not try and spice things up a little bit and get him something that he won't just masticate? Even though they might not be for every man, one of these electronic gifts are likely to make your special someone smile when V-day finally approaches.


Gift Idea #1: JBL OnStage iPod Portable Loudspeaker

It's gratuitous generalization time: All men love music! As such, they probably have some sort of portable doodad to go along with it; likely something from Apple's iPod line (if not, get him one!). Another thing men like to do is rock, and that's exactly what this JBL Loudspeaker Dock is designed to do. It's small in size, but big in power, and lets him hear his tunes loud and proud in any room he takes it to. Better yet, it's $10 off right now at Sears! What's not to like about that?

Once again it's my favorite time of the year. A time when openly laughing at someone's else performance is not only social acceptable, but welcomed. A time when such serious questions as "Does Ryan Seacrest Date?" come up frequently in conversations, a time when a mouthy brit has something more to say than "Sharon!".

Of course I'm talking about American Idol.

After a six month break, American Idol is back at it with season eight. A new season means new contestants, new fights between an intoxicated Paula and an angry Simon, and of course new chances for Randy to call someone his "dawg". Along with the banter and shameful auditions comes a new judge by the name of Kara DioGuardi. Not familiar with the name or face, I did some research on the latest Idol judge and have come to two conclusions. The first is that she is responsible for nearly every major pop song you've ever heard. The second is that her face seems to be the handiwork of an over-zealous plastic surgeon. While one's personal relationship with a scalpel is really none of my business, it does make for an interesting character. Any concerns I had about her not being as entertaining as the other judges were quickly squashed, when she attempted to out-sing the bikini girl from last night's Phoenix auditions. I have no doubt she will entertain us as much as Paula's attempts to remain sober.

For those who missed last night, the series premiere kicked off with auditions in Phoenix where a young woman by the name of Arianna stole the show. As if her voice wasn't good enough, creating her own charity for the elderly puts her on my "Definitely going to Heaven" list. Less fun was the boring Tuan who wasn't bad enough to laugh at, but was bad enough not go to Hollywood. Hopefully tonight's auditions being held in Kansas City will offer some crazier moments. It's audition time, and I have my popcorn handy, and my DVR remote ready.

For the superfans out there who can't get enough, or for those of you who misplaced your copy of From Justin To Kelly, you too can now sing along with American Idol Karaoke Revolution. I found this gem at Barnes & Noble for just $49.99. Available for XBOX 360, Playstation, and Wii, this mega fan must-have is the only way to audition for the judges. Assuming that waiting in line amongst thousands of people isn't your thing, in which case neither is driving to the nearest store in standing in line. Luckily with Ebates you'll receive 4% cash back all from the comforts of your own home. You can sing along with favorite contestants or alone, I prefer to have some support, as I've been known to shatter glass with my vocals. But hey, at least I'm aware of it. So here's to another season of American Idol, and another season of knowing not to quit my day job!

For those of you who share in my love of auditions gone bad, here is my all time favorite audition..EVER. Enjoy!

On a budget? Tired of leaving the Apple Store with nothing but your sleek, titanium-encased dreams? Try buying a refurbished Mac or iPod.

I know, the r-word kind of gets stuck in my throat, too. It's hard for me to imagine my iBook in the arms of another. Word on the street, though, is that refurbished Macs and iPods are just as good as the brand new ones, but at a fraction of the cost. Apple has a very stringent refurbishment process, so you can feel confident about your purchase.

If you still aren't 100% convinced, remember that all machines are covered by Apple's One Year Limited Waranty. You can even buy Apple Care for total reassurance. (Which I always recommend since the coverage is more than generous. My 2002 iBook turned out to have some irreparable glitches, so Apple issued me a new iBook- even though I'd had mine for 2 years already- all because I had Apple Care. How cool is that?)

An Ebates member named Michael (not the same one from a couple days ago!) had this to say about his experience with Apple Certified refurbished computers: "As a member of Ebates, I have purchased several refurbished products and will continue to do so over the next couple of years.  The product is just a good as new and I save several hundreds of dollars in addition to getting my big fat check."

Although most of you aren't Mac users (let's not go there), many of you love the iPod. Apple is reducing their refurbished iPods up to $80 off!

Make sure you start with Ebates so you can get some Cash Back, too!

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