Guitar Player - September 2015

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SEPTEMBER 2015

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Alex Lifeson Thinline

                                                                                                                                                           

 A road-worthy guitar for players in need of a stage and studio-ready instrument                                      

“A guitar of stunning quality. Carefully selected materials, expert craftsmanship  and a smart approach to concept resulted in a guitar that is beautiful to look at  and rewarding to play”. - Alex Lifeson

                              

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guitarplayer.com

VOL. 49, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 2015

EDITOR IN CHIEF

  MANAGING EDITOR SENIOR EDITOR

  ASSOCIATE EDITOR

  LOS ANGELES EDITOR

  CONSULTING EDITORS

ART DIRECTOR MUSIC COPYIST PRODUCTION MANAGER

Michael Molenda [email protected] Kevin Owens [email protected] Art Thompson [email protected] Matt Blackett [email protected] Jude Gold [email protected] Jim Campilongo, Jesse Gress, Henry Kaiser, Michael Ross, Leni Stern, David Torn Paul Haggard Elizabeth Ledgerwood Beatrice Kim

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G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

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Contents

SEPTEMBER 2015 | VOLUME 49, NUMBER 9

 G P   COMMUNITY 14

We can all use a sense of community. Share your photos, gear and CD/DVD reviews, likes/dislikes, favorite amps and guitars, tone and technique tips, gig stories, and more with the Guitar Player  reader community. Come on… join in!

OPENING SHOTS 16

We get up close and personal with the gigs, the gear, the guts, and the glory that make playing guitar the coolest thing in the world.

RIFFS

FRETS

20

Craig Chaquico reminisces about Red

63

Tommy Emmanuel

Octopus, Joe Bonamassa grabs a piece

70

Review Boucher Studio Goose OM Hybrid

72

Review TronicalTune Plus

74

Vintage Excerpt

of Terry Reid, we celebrate ten years of Baked Potato jams, another cool story about Les Paul, an excerpt from Jim and Dara Crockett’s GP book, and more!!

COVER STORY 50

Happy Traum on Fingerpicking (from the September 1979 issue of Frets)

Joe Satriani

CLASSIC AD

Satch reveals how his alter ego, Shockwave

146 B.C. Rich Guitars (from the

Supernova, busted into the sessions for his new

January 1980 issue of GP)

album and directed some of the creative energy.

FEATURES

    S     N     O     C     I     S     A     L     T     A     /     R     E     W     O     Z     O     L     Z     L     I     E     N

32

Michael Schenker

38

Jon Hudson

42

Pat Travers

46

Steve Howe

Cover photo: Paul Haggard POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Guitar Player, Box 469073, Escondido, CA 92046. Guitar Player (ISSN 0017-5463) is published monthly with an extra issue in December by Newbay Media, LLC, 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 125, San Bruno, CA 94066. Periodicals postage paid at San Bruno, CA, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. 12

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

GEAR 30

New Gear

94

Guitar String Guide

98

John Page Ashburn

100 Buzz Feiten Gemini Blues Pro Deluxe

LESSONS 76

Under Investigation A thorough examination of a

102 XITS X10 104 3rd Power Wooly Coats Spanky 108 Stompbox Fever 65 Amps Colour Bender, 65 Amps

particular style or player. This

Colour Face, Bogner Burnley, Bogner Harlow, Bogner

month: Paganini for guitar.

Wessex, Crucial Audio Echo Nugget, Gurus EchoSex 2º

84

Kirk Fletcher Rhythm Lesson

114

Classic Gear 1965 Supro Model 24 Combo

88

Fretboard Recipes

116

Accessory File Tempo AnyCase Tracking Device

Melodic Motifs Pt. 3

118

Recording Tools AEA Nuvo Series N8 and N22

90

Rhythm Workshop Nine to the Universe

GET SMART 120 Craig Anderton on Technology 121

Carl Verheyen on Performance

122 Jason Becker on Creativity 124 Steve Hunter on Classic Sessions

MORE ONLINE! Expand your experience far beyond the pages of Guitar Player  at guitarplayer.com

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guitarplayer.com/gear       guitarplayer.com/lessons     Peter Frampton at guitarplayer.com/artists

JOIN THE  G P   COMMUNITY! Facebook Get news and post comments at facebook.com/guitarplayermag GP Forum Debate, shock, educate, and share with fellow readers at guitarplayer.com Twitter Follow daily tweets at twitter.com/guitarplayernow

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

13

GP Community NOIZE F ROM THE EDITOR without record-sales royalties.)

Sadly, this whole mess doesn’t

to cobble together a tough living, a

She did it for new artists, innova-

stop with Taylor’s victory over

middle-class living, a champagne

tors, and, well, all musicians who

Apple Music.

and Bentleys existence, or several

struggle to eek out a livin g wage.

I find I’ve become cranky and

financial stops in between. But,

And, just like that, Apple Music—

Italian loud at recent NAMM semi-

today, music is pretty much con-

which had initially decided not to

nars, music-industry forums, local

sidered something “not of worth”

pay artists a cent during the free

musician get-togethers, and, well,

by some corporations and a lot of

90-day rollout of its streaming

right here in this column, because

your fellow humans.

service to consumers—reversed

the consumer-corporate culture

My worry? I fear that young

IT’S OLD N EWS BY NOW, BUT

its position. Scan your brain to

has made it so difficult for anyone

people will stop dreaming about

I feel it deserves more ink. I mean,

find any so-called “socially con-

who loves creating music to even

a music career. They’ll do the

“Wow!” With one Tumblr post,

scious” musicians who also res-

dream of making at least a lower-

math and determine that working

Taylor Swift took on the arrogant

olutely came out against Apple

middle-class wage doing what they

at Home Depot will pay them far

and mighty Apple and launched

Music’s greedy and unfair prac-

adore. Yes. I know. The music busi-

more than writing songs, record-

some massively public fireworks

tice, and you’ll come up snake

ness has always been an extremely

ing tracks, and marketing music.

for the simple fact that record-

eyes. It was Taylor. Alone. I think it

risky career proposition, with just a

Kids aren’t dumb. So I ask, “Is this

ing artists should be paid for their

wouldn’t be a bad idea for musi-

few megastars and hordes of also-

sad turn of events killing our musi-

music. Like her widespread charity

cians to start erecting glorious stat-

rans. But, as insane as choosing a

cal future?”

work, she didn’t do this for herself,

ues to her across the globe. If you

path in music probably appeared

either. (She acknowledged in her

depend on sales royalties to keep

to all of our parents, musicians in

post that she is certainly capable

your career afloat, she saved your

just about every era except this one

of supporting her band and crew

bacon, kids.

still had the glimmer of a chance

FACTOID | PEER COMMENT

Where Are the Damn Guitars???

Ever since the calendar flipped over to the 2000s, the top five live

So many stompboxes [Pedalmania,

concerts by attendance are mostly devoid of raging, rock and roll guitars. Sigh. But just think about how far the turnout for live-

June 2015]! I feel most of them are

          

ridiculously overpriced. And what

       

names! Pitch Fork, Bloody Fi nger, Red Muck, Vexter Fat Fuzz Factor y, and the cutest one—the Leeds Fuzz that looks like the LP cover of t h e W h o ’ s  L i v e  a  at Le ed s. Really!

Babbu Maan | 4,080,000    

Concerto del Primo Maggio | 2,350,000    

Dump them all, save some money, D

Paul Van Dyk | 1,600,000

and get a Fender Mustang. I did! a

   

Blues down, brother. B — S T A N L E E W Y AT T

Peace Without Borders | 1,500,000    

The Rolling Stones | 1,500,000        SOURCE: INFOGRAPHIC GUIDE TO MUSIC, GRAHAM BETTS [OCTOPUS BOOKS]

14

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

GOT A QUESTION FOR YOUR COMMUNITY? [email protected]

Interact!

Partner in Crime

JOIN THE GP COMMUNITY! SOUND OFF! GET EXCLUSIVE NEWS. COMMENT. CRITIQUE. SHARE TIPS AND TECHNIQUES. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR E-NEWSLETTER.

FACEBOOK.COM/GUITARPLAYERMAG TWITTER.COM/GUITARPLAYERNOW GUITARPLAYER.COM

HERE’S A “HOME BREW” THAT I built in 1999. My son did the wood burning in 2004, when he was 16—his first attempt at it! It has a Carvin Hardtail body,

MICHAEL MOLENDA, Editor In Chief

a 24.75"-scale Warmoth “thrift

[email protected]

shop” conversion neck, a Seymour DuncanHotRails(wiredinparallel) in the neck, a DiMar zio Red Velvet in the middle, a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in the bridge, Master Volume and Tone knobs with a series/parallel switch for the bridge pickup, Dunlop 6105 frets, and a tung-oil finish. This father and son project sounds and plays great, and that’s why I love it.   — D O U G C O F F M A N ART THOMPSON, Senior Editor

[email protected]

FACEBOOK COURT OF OPINION What’s your favorite trick or technique for breaking creative blocks?

Tony Strand

Jason McClaren

Steve Tuccillo

Tylo Jason Naude

Loz Ruston

Simon Lock

Get lost in an idea—that’s a good one.

I play. Then I play some more.

Listen to a great guitar track.

Close my eyes. Listen to my guitar.

Play singlestring melodies.

I crank the hell out of my favorite tunes. Works every time.

MATT BLACKETT, Associate Editor

[email protected]

KEVIN OWENS, Managing Editor

[email protected]

Angelo Noal

Chris Hogan

Dave Henry

Wes O’Neill

Alan Dick

Jeff Waldman

Alcohol.

Have an interesting life.

I channel Garth Brooks.

Believing the audience won’t judge.

Listen to Joe Satriani!

Buy new equipment.

PAUL HAGGARD, Art Director

[email protected]

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

15

Opening Shots

Guitars That Jam

    G     R     E     B     S     E     K     A     L     B     Y     A     J

We all like porn, right? Well,  guitar   porn, that is. Photographer extraordinaire Jay Blakesberg has a new book simply titled Guitars That Jam,  which should satisfy all your desires to experience voyeuristically the historic instruments of your favorite guitar heroes. This little baby is not just a pit’cha book—each guitar comes with a poignant backstory by its respective owner, including famous players like Neil Young, Carlos Santana, Bob Weir, Trey Anastasio, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, and many more. Michael Franti is pictured here at Mountain Jam 2014 in Hunter Mountain, New York.

16

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SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

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SIX–STRING SUPERNOVA It’s extraordinary for a guitarist to build both a sterling reputation and thriving career on playing, almost exclusively, original instrumentals. Here on his hotly anticipated 15th solo studio outing, Satriani once again demonstrates why he’s one of the very few players who can do it—continually breaking new ground, burning like it’s his last day on the planet. Like the man himself, his guitar is one of a kind…made to explore and create the fiery likes of a Shockwave Supernova. SHOCKWAVE SUPERNOVA The new Satriani solo album on Legacy Recordings, featuring 15 new studio recordings including: Shockwave Supernova, On Peregrine Wings, and San Francisco Blue.

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R ffs R   O  G E  R  R  E   S   S  M E  Y  E  R  /   C   O R  B  I    S 

Craig Chaquico on the 40th Anniversary of  Red Octopus JEFFERSON STARSHIP RELEASED THEIR

album Red Octopus  40 years ago. Fueled by the hit singles “Miracles” and “Play on Love,” the album hit #1 on the Billboard  Top 200 and became a staple of rock—and ultimately classic rock—radio. Lead guitarist Craig Chaquico was 20 years old when the record was released, and he recalls some of his memories of the making (and airplay) of that chart topper. — M A T T B L A C K E T T “ T H E S E S S I O N S F O R  RE D OC TO PU S

were all done at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco,” recalls Chaquico, “as were 20

the Jefferson Starship platinum albums,  Dragonfly, Spitfire, and Earth. “Fresh out of high school art classes, I remember drawing the octopus idea for the logo with a heart and tentacles on a notepad in the control room between breaks and playbacks. It was later given to a major art department to polish up…kind of like my guitars in the mix. “On ‘Miracles,’ all my guitars were recorded with Marty singing with his acoustic guitar in a separate room and Paul Kantner, John Barbata, Pete Sears on bass, and David Freiberg on keys all playing live and

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

miked in the same room. Amps were set up and close miked in between gobos, but we could all make eye contact and wear these awesome headphones. “‘Miracles’ is one of the songs where all of the lead guitar—for seven minutes on the album version—is completely from the first take. I always felt embarrassed if I didn’t nail it right the first time. I worried that any overdubs would be a huge imposition from the new guitar player kid, so I tried to not waste studio time. Plus I just love to play on the actual live basic track. “After we selected basic tracks and took

Latest Guitar Contest Winners!

R   O  G E  R  R  E   S   S  M E  Y  E  R  /   C   O R  B  I    S 

Starship in the studio (left to right)—Craig Chaquico, John Barbata, unidentified kid, Pete Sears, Marty Balin (seated), Grace Slick, David Freiberg, and Paul Kantner. Matthew Scott

Chaquico then and now.

them home to listen, I would usually come up with a note or two I’d like to fix. I can still hear two or three notes I punched on the original solo from ‘All Fly Away’ off  Dragonfly, but most everything you hear on Red Octopus was done live in one take. For months I kept asking the producer, Larry Cox, to let me go in and redo my guitar on ‘Miracles.’ We recorded a whole symphony string section over it, and layered tons of vocals. Well, by the time that song was done and Larry did his magic with the mixing, the guitar didn’t need fixing. It never sounded so good as when he was done with the song. “I played nothing but real ’50s ‘vintage’ Les Pauls, which at that time in the ’70s were just called ‘used.’ My amps were almost always old blond Fender Bassmans. My effects were the original wah wah pedals and stompboxes like MXR Phase 90s. I didn’t usually need a distortion box, as I just turned the Bassmans all the way up to 10. That distortion and sustain was perfect: really clean and biting with a tube edge and bell-like sound.

“I would describe the guitar interplay between Paul Kantner and me as anarchy at its absolute best. He played whatever he wanted and so did I most all the time. We would listen to each other and the drums, but it was all sort of intuitive more P  A than actually being orchestrated. T  J    O H I still marvel at how the two N  S  guitar styles and the Strat and  O N Les Paul mixed so well on songs like ‘Sweeter Than Honey.’ “When I hear a song like ‘Miracles’ today, I usually hear the elevator door ding, or the sound of a supermarket P.A. Or, I’ll hear them talk over my guitar solo: ‘Price check. Price check for broccoli please.’ Seriously, though, it’s a trip to hear something I played guitar on before I was old enough to drink, as part of such an iconic band during a historic time musically and socially. “I’ll never forget this Red Octopus story: I met a young bachelorette one night in Sacramento while lying about my age, and she invited me to her apartment. Soon after we arrived, her boyfriend showed up too, holding one of those tire iron things you see in a car trunk sometimes. As she was truthfully explaining that nothing had happened, I was jumping three concrete steps at a time in cowboy boots and hit the ground running to the sound of the tire iron somersaulting past my head and ringing off the pavement. I made it to my ‘brand new’ (to me anyway) used Porsche 911, and as I was hitting second gear, the radio came on and was playing ‘Play on Love’ off our brand-new, soonto-be-hit album.” g

Joe Corwin and

with his Red

fans.

Special. TWO GUITAR PLAYER READERS recently had their guitar collections upgraded quite a bit after winning one of our giveaway events. The Brian May Signed Guitar Contest was won by Matthew Scott of Boynton Beach, Florida, who not only received a Red Special guitar signed by Brian May (hence the contest title), but also a copy of the book, Brian May’s Red Special: The Story of the Home made Guitar that Rocked Queen and the World .

“I’m a super-huge fan of Brian’s and this win is monumental to me,” said Scott. “I’m really going to enjoy this beauty!” Producer Brian Tarquin launched a guitar giveaway to celebrate the release of his Guitars for Wounded Warriors CD, which do-

nated a share of the proceeds to the Fisher House Foundation that houses military families at no cost while a loved one receives treatment at a VA facility. The prize was a Floyd Rose International 3 Series solidbody signed by many of the guitarists who contributed tracks to the album, such as Gary Hoey, Chris Poland, and Bumblefoot. “Words cannot describe the feelings I have after winning this great Floyd Rose guitar signed by some of the greatest guitar players of our day,” said winner Joe Corwin. “I will cherish this guitar and all that it represents for all of my lifetime. Visit guitarplayer.com often to check for upcoming contests and gi veaways. Who knows? You could be the next big prize winner. —MICHAEL MOLENDA

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

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Riffs ROUNDUP

JASON ISBELL’S SLIDE MAGIC IS CONJURED WITH HIS THIRD DIGIT AND STANDARD TUNING BY JIM BEAUGEZ

D A  V I   D M  c  C  L  I    S  T  E  R 

Middle of the Road IF THE SLIDE GUITAR HOOK THAT BINDS

“24 Frames,” the jangly first single from  Jason Isbell’s fifth album, Something More Than Free [Southeastern Records], sounds a little tricky, that’s exactly what its architect wanted. “The main riff on that song has a pulloff I do with my pinkie in front of the slide,” says Isbell. “I hit the note and pull off three frets up.” Isbell figured out the trick after adopting Bonnie Raitt’s habit of wearing a slide on her middle finger when he was learning to play at age 11, which makes his fretting hand more versatile. “I was initially attracted to that, because I saw that her hands were about the same size as mine when I started playing slide,” he says. “But putting the slide on my middle finger has turned out to be really cool, because I can do little things behind the slide—like flat the third and make a minor out of a barre chord. But I can also do hammer-ons in front of the slide. Sonny Landreth puts the slide on his pinkie and does all kinds of great stuff behind it, but not a lot of guitarists really play in front 22

of the slide like I do.” Isbell—who won the 2014 Americana Music Association awards for Album,  Artist, and Song of the Year—grew up in the Muscle Shoals area of Northwest Alabama, the unlikely setting for scores of hit recordings in the 1970s from the Rolling Stones to Aretha Franklin, and, later, to bands like the Drive-By Truckers (of which he was a member for six years) and  Alabama Shakes. His grandfather, a multiinstrumentalist Pentecostal preacher, first put a mandolin in his hands around age six, and then switched him to guitar for marathon jams. At the end, though, he always rewarded his student with what he really wanted to hear. “If I would play gospel with him for a few hours, he would play blues guitar for me,” says Isbell. “He would lay the guitar down in his lap, tune it to open E, and play slide with a pocket knife.”  The pastor/reluctant bluesman bought young Isbell a boxed set of Robert Johnson recordings, but took care to dub the songs onto cassettes and exclude the ones he deemed inappropriate. Isbell listened

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

to those songs—as well as guitarists such as Duane Allman, Lowell George, and Ry Cooder—for years before he finally put his own slide to his granddad’s Truetone Western Auto guitar. “I was just learning the guitar, so playing slide was like learning to drive a car with no brakes,” he says. “But I stuck with it, because the first music that really moved me was delta blues—an Elmore James lick was the first thing I learned to do—and I liked all those seamless microtones you can get with slide.”  After years of playing in open tunings, Isbell went back to standard when he began performing in bands, and then ended up tuning a full-step down when he was with the Drive-By Truckers. “That was hell on intonation,” he says. “A lot of nights, I knew I was going to be out of tune, but the Truckers was a punk rock band in a lot of ways, and if we would have been in tune, people might have been offended [laughs]. The first thing I did when I left that band was tune everything back to A440, and I haven’t looked back since.” g

Celebrating Les Paul’s Centennial Les Paul’s “home studio” circa 1980.

going to be tied down to do this show live all the time. Is there any way we can record this     T     R     E     V     E     I     S     N     O     J

and have it sound good?” So, after the war, I said, “Hey, Bing, I found a Magnetophon tape recorder—something that Hitler had. Mullin has it in his garage along with reels of tape, and this machine will knock you

IN 2008, AUTHOR MARTIN MCQUADE—

[Laughs.] He said, “Don’t worry about it. We’ll

out. This is something that will turn the world

 a research cons ultant for Bin g Crosby Enter-

put them in the band.”

upside down. It’s going to change the world.”

 pris es—i nterv iewed Les Paul for a plan ned

WereyouincorporatedintotheJohnScott

 article on his musical relationship relationship with Crosby Crosby..

Trotter Orchestra [Crosby’s musical direc-

The interview produced a 40-page transcript,

tor on the Kraft the Kraft Music Hallradio Hall radio show]?

 but it was was never published published.. Now, Now, to honor what

Yes. Bing just told Trotter, “We got a new

would have been Les Paul’s 100th birth day,  GP

bass player and a new piano player. They go

is excerpting part of McQuade’s interview for the

in the band.”

 next few few issues. We feel it’s it’s an excellent excellent “lost” discussion, and it’s a great way to honor two

When is this? It’s 1946 now. But NBC would not allow a tape machine to be brought in. No way! They said it wasn’t reliable. But Bing was convinced. He, Mullin, and his technical director, Murdo Macken-

Would you accompany Bing on various

zie, pioneered the tape-recording of radio broadcasts.

solo performances performances? ?

transcendent transcende nt musicians—Les Paul and Bing

Exactly—but only on the things I was featured

Yes. But he was told it would take a long

Crosby—on the occasion of Les’ centennial year.

on. My job was to play for Bing. He would have

time to make enough tape machines to do the

Last month, Les’ ruse to meet Bing Crosby

me right up to the mic, and I would do my thing.

job he wanted. So Bing and Jack Mullin went

When did you become aware of the exis-

up to Ampex and saw its founder, Alexander

finally paid off, and he was hired by the crooner. The dream came true…

Poniatoff. And Bing says, “I’ll tell you what I’ll

tence of tape recorders? Very few people know the real story. Colonel

do. I’ll write you a check for fifty thousand

Did Bing hire you to work with him on the

Richard Ranger discovered German magnetic

dollars. No interest. Nothing. You just deliver

radio?

tape technology while in the U.S. Army Signal

those tape machines to me.”

Well, here’s what happened. He said, “I will

Corps after the war, and [electrical engineer]

Note: Bing gave one of the first production

see you Thursday,” and he closed the door and

Jack Mullin was there, too. Now, Bing wanted

 models to Les, which resulted resulted in the invention

left us. I opened the door, and I was looking

to record his radio shows on transcription

of multitrack recording. Bing would prominently

at his back as he walked towards the studio. I

discs around 1944-1945, but the sound was

feature Les during the first season of hi s break-

said, “Hey Bing. How muc h?” He said, “A thou-

terrible. I said, “Bing, you have a big problem,

through transcribed radio program on ABC. The

sand dollars. One thou.” I said, “Okay,” and then

because the sponsor is not happy with the

two artists remained close friends. Les con-

I hollered, “Hey Bing?” He turned around again,

recording quality. They want to do the show

fided that he was shattered when Bing died in

and I said, “And how much for the trio—Buddy

live or not at all.” Bing replied, “I’ve definitely

October 1977, just days after they had agreed to

Cole on piano and Bobby Meyer on bass?”

got a problem, because I’ll be damned if I’m

 record  reco rd an album toge together ther..

—MARTIN MCQUADE

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

23

Riff ffss

Joe Bonamassa’s Guitar Safaris

R  I    C  K   G  O  U L  D

YOU, ME, AND TERRY REID… GREETINGS FELLOW GUITAR ENTHUSI-

asts, hobbyists, and innocent bystanders.  Today  T oday we have the story about how I met one of my idols and bought one of the coolest guitars in my collection. We are talking about Terry Reid’s old highly modified 1952 Fender Telecaster that he bought in Chicago, circa 1968, while he was the support act for Cream’s final U.S. tour. Now for those of you wondering, “Who is Terry Reid?”, Terry is one of the most talented singers, songwriters, songwri ters, and artists I know. know. His music was way ahead of its time and his 24

voice is a mix of Steve Marriott and Sam Cooke. (Check out “Seed of Memory” or “To Be Treated.” It’s all good.) Last summer I got a call from a guitar dealer buddy of mine asking if I had any interest in Terry Reid’s guitar. I told him that of course I would love to own it, but even more so, if nothing else, just to meet the guy who gave a young David Lindley one of his first professional gigs. (Check out Terry Terry Reid at Glastonbury circa 1970.) I agreed to a price and asked, “So, how do we get the guitar?” We couldn’t get in

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

touch with Terry for several days, day s, and I figured the guitar had been sold or had f allen into the vortex of lost-and-never-found guitars. But that same evening, while scrolling through my Facebook email (yes, I personally check it), I saw a message from a friend asking me if I would be b e interested in Terry’s Terry’s old guitar. I replied, “Yes, but he can’t be reached so I guess it’s not available.” Long story short, my friend frie nd responded with TerTerry’s cell phone number and, lo and behold, I was speaking to him within minutes. minu tes. We set a time the next day for me to drive way out into the desert to meet him and check out the guitar.  The fol follow lowing ing day I set out in my car from Los Angeles to Palm Desert. When I left my house the temperature was 82 degrees (mind you, it is August). As I approached the freeway exit in Palm Desert, it was a balmy 112! I find Terry’s house, knock on the door, and there he is—one of my musical heroes and a nd a super nice nic e guy. I say, say, “Is it always this hot?” He replies, “Nah… it’s kind of cool today toda y.” For the next two hours hou rs  Terry  T erry shared storie storiess of the road, photos with Jimi Hendrix, and a glimpse into a time that I wish I had lived in: London in the late ’60s. He was asked to join the New Yardbirds but recommended Robert Plant. He was asked to join Deep Purple but chose to follow his own musical path, something I respect a great deal. Countless tales of hanging with the Beatles and  just being part of a very special time in rock and roll. As it came time to leave I realized  just how attached attached he was to the guitar, guitar, so I told him that it will forever be at his disposal and it will always be his—I will just look after it for a while. I gave him a big hug and said goodbye. I’m honored to have it and even more honored to call him my friend. Cheers, Terry. You are a superstar.  This is one of the greatest gr eatest guitar safaris of my life. (P.S. (P.S. That humbucker h umbucker has been b een in there for 45 years. Terry Terry had it installed at Manny’s on the Cream tour. How cool is that?!) g

Riffs

Manic Mondays THE BAKED POTATO’S OPEN JAM NIGHT IS TEN YEARS OLD AND COUNTING… BY JUDE GOLD

successful is because it’s so eclectic,” says Volto guitarist  John Ziegler, who launched the jam with co-guitarist  Ja mie Ki me back in Apri l 2005. “Blues jams can get old, and bebop jams alienate a lot of players, but on Mondays at the Potato, anything goes. This is probably

WHAT DO PRINCE, E DDIE VAN HALEN,

Dr. John, and the late, great jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard have in common? They each, at some point over the past ten years, stopped by the Baked Potato on a Monday night to check out the Los Angeles jazz club’s famous open jam. Other high-profile musicians—including Steve Lukather, John Mayer, and Tool/  Volto drummer Danny Carey—like to hop up on stage and perform when they’re in the house. The beauty of this open mic, though, is that you don’t have to be a big shot to plug in. Anyone who puts his or her name on the list gets to play a tune and, if they like, stretch out on a big solo—which is one reason the jam has been going strong for ten years and counting. “Another reason this night has been 26

Another one down—John Ziegler (left) and Jamie Kime outside the Baked Potato after (approximately) the 520th Monday night jam.

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

the only place where you might hear ’50s bebop, bluesy ’60s stuff, ’70s fusion and R&B, ’80s rock, and maybe even some Iron Maiden—all in the same night.” Before guests are called up to play, the evening opens with an adventurous set by the house band, which typically features Ziegler and Kime backed by founding bassist Chris Roy and any of several virtuoso drummers and keyboardists that the band has on its roster. ’70s fusion tunes and ’60s modal jazz classics often make the set list, because they foster epic take-it-to-the-moon-andback improvised solos. “If this jam makes me proud of anything,” says Kime, “it’s the fact that we help keep the art of guitar improvisation alive. To a lot of younger players, improvisation is a dying art form. To them, guitar is all about patterns, working everything out in advance, and cutting everything to a grid. We introduce them to the other part of being a musician— the part where you get onstage with people you barely know and make something happen.” No musician has played more Monday jams at the Baked Potato than Ziegler, who has done the gig J    U more than 500 times. There is one D E   G person, however, who has been pres O L  D ent for every Monday jam at the Baked Potato: Doorman and veteran saxophonist Chuck Camper. “I’ve never actually played at the jam, though,” says Camper. “At this point, I’m afraid that if I pulled out my horn, I would somehow jinx things, and the ten-year-andcounting streak would end.” g

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Riffs BLAST FROM GP’S PAST Here’s an insight from the pages of Jim  and Dara Crockett’s new book, Guitar

Player: The Inside Story of the First Two Decades of the Most Successful Guitar Magazine Ever [Backbeat/  Hal Leonard]—a collection of oral histories from the editors, photographers,  artists, and advertisers who were in the magazine’s orbit during that era.

“Guitar Player  was the go-to magazine when I was starting my career in the ’70s, and one of the few that embraced all styles of playing. Early GP press proved to be a wonderful means of access to the nonclassical guitar world. It led to multiple GP Readers’ Poll awards in the ’90s and beyond, and to future GP features. Reading GP in those early days helped to educate me on the rock and jazz stars of the time, and it paved the way for my later collaborations with such guitarists as Steve Vai, Steve Morse, Larry Coryell, Herb Ellis, Laurindo Almeida, Michael Hedges, and Stanley Jordan.”

— SHARON ISBIN

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G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

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Choosing one can be diffi cult. Rest assured, they are both the right choice. Whether it’s the direct recording and fly-date ease of the 16lb. compact MARK FIVE: 25™ with our built-in Award Winning CABCLONE™ cabinet simulator or the dominance for Live Performance of the mighty MARK FIVE™ with 3 Channels, 9 Modes of expression, Boogie® 5-Band Graphic EQ and 90 Watts of Simul-Class™ 6L6-based authority - Either way, you’ll experience legendary MARK performance. It’s no wonder so many players end up getting both. For the ultimate in individual expression, be sure to check out the myriad of finish options available in our online Design Gallery. Contact your MESA® dealer to discuss custom options to inspire your dream amp today.

NewGear DLS EFFECTS ROTOSPIN Goodies Rotary speaker effect with Fast and Slow controls to set speaker rotation speeds, and Tweeter Intensity, Bass Rotor, and Ramp knobs that let you adjust horn rotation intensities and ramp up/down times. Switchable overdrive section. Price $309 retail

VOX

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VX II Goodies 30-watt amp with all-new VET (Virtual Element Technology) modeling circuits. 11 amp models ranging from classic American and British amps of the 1950s and 1960s to modern, highgain tone monsters. Eight effects, 22 user presets. Comes bundled with VOX’s JamVOX III and Tone Room software for deep editing of models and effects. Price $149 retail More Info voxamps.com

BEDELL WILDFIRE SERIES Goodies Available in dreadnought, orchestra, and parlor body shapes, and crafted from solid Adirondack spruce and figured big-leaf maple tonewoods. K&K Pure Mini electronics, maple binding, figured maple peghead veneer, and mosaic inlays. Deluxe hardshell case included. Price $3,990 retail More Info bedellguitars.com

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G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

TRUTONE 1 SPOT PRO CS 12 Goodies Power supply with 12 fully isolated and filtered outputs. Five voltage options: variable 4-9v DC, 12v DC, 18v DC, 9v DC and 9v AC. Switchable worldwide input voltage. Pedaltrain mounting brackets and a variety of power cables and converter plugs included. 5-year warranty. Price $179 retail More Info truetone.com

BLACK CAT PEDALS N-FUZZ Goodies Based on the Fuzz channel of the Black Cat OD-Fuzz but modified to use Japanese components. Features a wide-ranging Bias control that allows you to dial in a sweeping array of fuzz and timbres. True-bypass switching and Switchcraft jacks. Price $165 retail More Info blackcatpedals.com

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Goodies Artist grade figured maple top, thick

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versary bird inlays with Paua/Paua Heart Vine,

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Phase III locking tuners, PRS stoptail with brass

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inserts, 58/15 treble and bass pickups. Lim-

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ited run of no more than 120 instruments. Price $TBD More Info prsguitars.com

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

31

Features Man on a Mission MICHAEL SCHENKER PUTS HIS ENERGY INTO TEMPLE OF ROCK BY GREG PRATO

32

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Temple Rockers (from left to right)—Wayne Findlay, Francis Buchholz, Doogie White, Herman Rarebell, and Michael Schenker

IT SEEMED LIKE DURING THE LATE ’70S

and early ’80s, Michael Schenker could do no wrong on the Flying V, as evidenced by his stellar work with UFO and MSG. His penetrating, mid-heavy tone—courtesy of a half-cocked wah pedal and a cranked

Marshall—and his silky smooth bends, vibrato, and note choices made Schenker one of the most name-checked guitar heroes for budding rockers such as Randy Rhoads, Tom Morello, Vinnie Moore, and Kirk Hammett. Schenker’s melodic playing

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

33

J    O H N B   U L  L 

Features MICHAEL SCHENKER

loomed so large in the UFO/MSG era that some people forget that he also played on two records with his older brother Rudolf ’s band, the Scorpions. On his latest album, Spirit on a Mission (credited to Michael Schenker’s  Temple of Rock), Schenker is joined again by his one-time bandmates in the Lovedrive–era Scorps, bassist Francis Buchholz and drummer Herman Rarebell. Schenker took time out of his U.S. tour in support of Spirit to chat about the album, reconnecting with his old mates, and an intriguing description of his preferred guitar sound. Let’s discuss the new album,  Spir it on a  Mission.

It’s the latest album we have done with this lineup: [singer] Doogie White, Herman Rarebell, Francis Buchholz, and [guitarist/  keyboardist] Wayne Findlay. When we finished our last album, Bridge the Gap, I already knew what I was going to do with this album, and the idea was to add more 7-string to it. I’ve been watching Wayne—he’s been playing 7-string since 2005—and I thought it was time for me to use it. Wayne also co-wrote some songs on the record. I wanted this album to be like a book. When you’re reading a book, you want to stay with it until the end. I wanted to have half of it be fast, high-energy, doublebass-drum stuff with great vocal melodies and guitars all over the place, and the other half more mid-tempo with the 7-strings. How did you come to play with Francis and Herman again?

Herman and I were invited to play with the Scorpions at a stadium in Greece in 2009, and that’s when we started to talk about putting together a live project. I said, “I’d love to play the Strangers in the  Night material.” Around that time, I was going into the recording studio and doing a demo with [engineer] Michael Voss. I asked him to help me with the guide vocals. When he was singing, I realized he actually had a good voice. I asked him to do parts of the album, and then, when I played it for Herman and Pete Way, they wanted to become the rhythm section. When I was going to go on tour, Mike wasn’t available to do the vocals, but Doogie was. Pete Way wasn’t doing well, so I thought, “Maybe we should ask Francis. We play quite a few Scorpions songs. Maybe that would be the best solution at this point.” Francis was more than happy, and that’s how we got 34

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Reunited

Wayne Findlay, Michael Schenker, and Francis Buchholz (left to right).

A D A M K  E  N N E  D Y 

MICHAEL SCHENKER JOINS FORCES WITH HIS SCORPIONS MATES Although a very young Michael Schenker played on the Scorpions’ first album, Lonesome Crow , it wasn’t until his return on 1979’s Lovedrive that he played—albeit on only three songs—

with the rhythm section of bassist Francis Buchholz and drummer Herman Rarebell. Despite Schenker’s rather ignominious departure from the Scorps camp shortly thereafter, both Buchholz and Rarebell agree: “It’s great to play with Schenker again.” “For me, it’s like a dream, because I have always loved Michael’s playing,” explains Buchholz. “He is such a great player—melodically, rhythmically, and just the ideas he comes up with. It’s absolutely great. It inspires me. And with Herman, it’s like old friends coming back together, and he’s playing better than ever.” Rarebell recalls first crossing paths with the legendary guitarist: “We go back more than 45 years, so it feels like the family is back together. Actually, Michael was the one who got me in the Scorpions, because he already lived in England when I moved there in ’72. He was playing with UFO, so he was already a big rock star. We met for the first time in 1974, and in the spring of ’77, he said to me, ‘My brother has a band in Germany called the Scorpions. They’re looking for a drummer. Why don’t you go there and do the audition?’ What he didn’t tell me was there were 50 other drummers there, too! I got the gig, and the rest is history. I spent 20 years with the Scorpions.” Buchholz explains what it’s like to play alongside Schenker: “He has always been an extraordinary player. I remember when h e joined the Scorpion s in 1979, and we played onstage, there was this huge clarity of rhythm and melody in the room. As a bass player, I feel it immediately. To play with a musician like this is just great. It’s why I’m in music.” And lastly, how would Rarebell compare playing with Michael to the other lead guitarists he played with in the Scorpions, Uli Jon Roth and Matthias Jabs? “I have been lucky enough in my career to play with three great guitar players: Michael on Lovedrive , Taken by Force and Tokyo Tapes with Uli Jon Roth, and then 20 years with Matthias

Jabs. It’s difficult to say which one is my favorite, but come to think of it, I think it’s Michael. Michael is the most melodic, and he’s the ‘rhythm machine’ of the three.”

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Features MICHAEL SCHENKER

together. The moment Francis joined, that’s when it clicked. And we’ve never stopped since. I didn’t know that it would last, but I did the DVD, Live in Europe, so I would have the memory. Eventually I said, “Let’s make an album,” and that’s Bridge the Gap. Everything was a little bit upside down, because it wasn’t like the old days, where you make an album and then tour. We were already touring, but we hadn’t made an album yet.  This American tour that we’re doing now is the first time that the tour is actually in sync with the album release. You seem like you’re comfortable gigging with this band.

I’m realizing that in this stage of my life— since I’ve started Temple of Rock—I really like being onstage. That’s the opposite of how I used to be. I used to hate it. Temple of Rock is now developing into its own identity. After the next album, Temple of Rock should be able to stand on its own two feet and be recognized by its own unique sound.

 At that point, the live shows will probably be more based on the Temple of Rock material, at least half of the show, and the other half will be the classics—the “must play” kind of stuff from the past. Which guitars did you use?

I used so many—at least 16 guitars. Sometimes it’s good to just pick up a guitar and play it—seeing a different fretboard can break you out of a routine. I’ve been doing that lately for some reason, quite frequently—I keep changing guitars on stage. I guess it’s my “flexibility training” at this point of my life. Back to the record, though, I have no idea what I used for what. How do you compare playing the Dean V to a Gibson V?

 The Dean guitar was introduced to me when I was in Chicago in 2004. I played it and I went, “Great guitar!” I realized when I looked at it that the strings were coming in from the back and they embrace the wood. I do everything by ear and feel, and that

model they gave me to try out played great and sounded great. It was sustaining, it was singing. It had everything that I needed, basically. They offered to do a Michael Schenker model, and I said, “Let’s do it.” I’ve been with them ever since. They’re great people and a great company. I recall reading an old interview, in which  you mentioned a quest for a guitar tonethat  you described as “meat without the bone.”

When I was about 18 years old, I was in the studio, and [UFO producer] Leo Lyons asked me, “What kind of a sound are you looking for?” I didn’t know how to say it because I didn’t speak much English, and the only way I was able to describe it was a hollow kind of sound. “Just think of a finger, but without the bone.” I don’t know if that still fits. I’m not sure. It’s funny, you can’t really explain these kinds of things very well, especially if you only speak a little English. It’s very hard to explain music with words, to be honest. g

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Robert Randolph (left) and Luther Dickinson

Keeping the Faith JON HUDSON AND FAITH NO MORE FINALLY RETURN BY MATT BLACKETT FAITH NO MORE’S JON HUDSON CARES A

lot, and not just because that’s a reference to the band’s 1985 single. No, he really does care a lot apparently, because he can scarcely answer a question or voice an opinion without adding a “not that there’s anything wrong with that”style disclaimer. He is so thoughtful, soft-spoken, and considered in his responses that it’s hard to imagine anyone taking issue with what he has to say, but he clarifies his statements just the same, lending a cool weight and humble gravity to his words. Hudson spoke to GP in measured tones (for the first time since his October 1997 interview on the then-new release Album of the Year) about the first FNM album in 18 years, Sol Invictus [Reclamation], his sound, and how he feels about Faith No More’s indefatigable fan base. You guys have obviously played a lot of shows since Album of the Year , but you haven’t made a record in 18 years. Can you describe how this experience was different for you since the last time around?

I don’t think it was really all that different in terms of the overall approach, but the technology has obviously changed considerably. I think the fundamentals of recording haven’t changed all that much, as far as writing and arranging and coming up with parts. But the Internet has changed everything. We can send files back and forth. You can work on audio after it’s been recorded in a way that you never could have done prior to Pro Tools. When you come up with an idea you can record it on your iPhone or anything. That part of the technology is definitely

very liberating, but at the same time it doesn’t do anything on its own. Talk about the guitars in “Superhero.”

Bill [Gould, bassist] had the idea for the song. I played with the drummer while he tracked it and then we put more guitar and bass on later. I changed the rhythm parts a little bit where I thought necessary. As for the guitar solo, we weren’t even sure what was going to happen with it, so we kept it open ended, and the guitar solo on that song is actually Bill. He was working on it and recorded it, and I thought it was great. I didn’t see any reason to try to change it. All the rest of the guitars on there are me. That tune definitely has the dramatic dynamic shifts that I associate with Faith No More. How important are those to what you guys do?

I think it’s not just a big part of the band’s sound, but our approach. Without those dynamics, I think the band doesn’t function as well. We really thrive on those big shifts. That doesn’t necessarily work for other bands, but it works for this one. In a lot of our songs, the guitar or keyboards or both will completely drop out at times. It’s like negative space, and that’s really important. You hear it said all the time—it’s the space in between the notes. I think that’s not emphasized enough. There’s so much of a tendency to say or do too much. You have to lay out and you have to know that there’s potency in that. It goes for playing and writing too. How did you create that big rhythm sound?

I double tracked the rhythm parts. The basic setup in the studio was a Marshall JCM800, one cabinet with different speakers in it, and different mics on those speakers. The microphones

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Features JON HUDSON

were recorded to different channels, which becomes more of a headache later on when you’re trying to keep track of everything, but it was better than trying to bounce them down to one track. In “Separation Anxiety” there are some really cool, jangly chords. They’re not clean, but they’re not totally dirty. What’s the key to making a part like that speak the way  you want it to, both in the studio and live?

 That was a struggle. Ser iously, I t hink we tried it about a million different ways.  The part itself is straightforward, but getting it to work was trickier than I would have imagined. I’d actually be interested to go back and find out which track ended up getting used for that song because Bill had a Kemper and a Fractal Axe-Fx in the studio. We were looking for something that had a little less low end and maybe just enough midrange that it would find its own place without going crazy with EQ at mixdown. I think we knew if it wasn’t working before

the mix, it wasn’t going to work at all. How do you plan on pulling off that one live?

 Just by incorporating my existing setup— using my rig in a way where I can get in the ballpark. There’s always the option of using something with presets. Sometimes when you do that, though, the part loses its focus in a way. You start noticing that you’re using presets, although I have no objection to that. I’ll use whatever is necessary live. You find out how to make it work. What I’ll most likely do is use an EQ in a way that the low end doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the sound. You employ EQ pedals in an interesting way to clean up your Marshall. You’re not switching channels—you’re actually getting your clean tone from the same head on the same channel by using an EQ. How do you set it?

 Just to be clear, I don’t really have anything against a channel-switching amp. It’s  just that sometimes the second or the clean

channel doesn’t quite get it for me, but that’s  just me. Maybe other people have more success and they can get what they want out of it. I just don’t. I want the sound to be a little bit more manageable than simply rolling off my guitar volume. A few years ago I started messing around with a little EQ pedal as an alternative. Typically I’m using it subtractively so the amp is getting less signal. It’s as simple as that really, but it’s effective for me because that’s sort of like my clean channel. The JCM800s don’t have that much gain compared to what’s out there nowadays, so it actually is possible to get away with just using a pedal like that to clean it up. Typically, I’ll knock most of the low and mid frequencies off the pedal. I’ll also use an EQ instead of an overdrive. I like overdrive pedals, but they sometimes compress a little too much. The sound is really satisfactory when I’m playing by myself, but live I can tell it’s getting squashed. The EQ actually adds just enough gain on the top so

it’s a little crunchier. With two EQ pedals, I can get that range out of the Marshall. That’s not saying that they don’t have enough range on their own—because I think they do—but I definitely wanted some additional contrast.  This seems to be another option. When you use an EQ pedal as a boost, are you boosting some or all of the sliders or just the level?

 The midrange fre quencies mayb e g et kicked up a little bit with the volume, and that’s it. I don’t go crazy with it. I’m not really trying to change the sound of the amp all that much. An overdrive will tighten up the sound quite a bit and also cut the bass considerably. A lot of players love that. I don’t mind that, but I’m not looking to change my sound that drastically. Are you running all your pedals in the front end of your amp or do you put them in the loop?

I never use a loop. I have no objection to it, I just don’t have any need for it.

The Harrison of Digital Audio Workstations.  Version 3

So you’re running your delay and reverb pedals into the front end of the Marshall as well?

Yeah. Typically there’s no problem with that, however, you have to be mindful of the settings that end up going into it because if you have a neck pickup and you’re playing really quietly through the reverb into the amp, you get a certain sound. But if you are full blast with a boost going into that same pedal into the amp, it’s a nice little surprise. I just have the small Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Nano. That’s my Twin Reverb-style tank right there, and it does its job. I just got this Red Witch Violetta delay, which is really cool. I have a couple of those now. I have one for slapback and then one set at maybe 400 milliseconds. Those go in the front end as well. I like the sound of effects going into the front of the amp. I’ve never really messed around with effects loops all that much, although it’s a nice option to have. Even when I used a rack unit, it was

still going through the front of the amp. What can you say about the loyalty of this Faith No More fan base? They’ve not only stuck by you guys, but they’ve remained absolutely rabid over all these years, through everything.

 The most obvious thing I can say is we’re incredibly fortunate in that regard. The band has a loyal following of people that are receptive to what the band does. Not every band can get away with what we get away with. I don’t mean in antics, I mean in terms of the sound and the approach. What the band does wouldn’t work for everyone else. I think we just do what we do and we do that whether there are 50 people out there or 5,000. We got a great reception after such a long hiatus. We came back and there were people out there that were bringing their kids to the show and their kids are now fans of the band. It had been quite a while, and we’re really lucky that we still have this big following. g

                                                 Thriller, Graceland, and Spider-Man                           

                    

Features

Rock of Ages PAT TRAVERS RELEASES RETRO ROCKET AND PROVES HE’S STILL AN ASS KICKER ON THE HARD ROCK CIRCUIT BY ART THOMPSON ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT ROCK GUITARISTS WHO BECAME FAMOUS IN THE 1970S IS THAT MANY

of them continue to make albums and tour, albeit typically on a smaller scale than in their heyday. I recently had the chance to see Pat Travers and his band at a bar in Northern California, and it was an intense experience. Travers, his guitarist Kirk McKim, bassist Rodney O’Quinn, and drummer Sandy Gennaro absolutely killed it on a set that included old hits like “Heat in the Street” and “Snortin’ Whiskey,” cuts from his most recent studio albums Can Do and Retro Rocket, and classic covers such as “Born Under a Bad Sign” and an amazingly dynamic rendition of “Red House.” When I checked the GP index the next day and found that the last time we did anything on Travers was a cover story in 1980, it seemed like high time to catch up with him again. Not that much has changed since that time, as Travers still rules the riff-rock roost and delivers ass-kicking live performances that prove guys of his vintage (he’s 61) just seem to get better with age.  Travers’ signature sound came together pretty quickly following his stint with rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins. Like Jimi Hendrix, Travers went to England and metamorphosed into a powerful solo artist with blazing guitar chops and a creative zeal that would influence a ton of upcoming hard rockers in the 1970s. Reflecting back on his meteoric rise with the albums  Makin’ Magic and Putting It Straight (both from 1977), Heat in the Street (1978), and Crash and Burn (1980) Travers said, “I think it’s because I started so young. I was playing in bars and clubs six nights a week from the time I was 15 to the time I left to go to London when I was 21. So I’d had five years of playing regularly, and I think I’d managed to store up a whole bunch of ideas because I’d done so much already. It seemed to me at the time that I was just winging it, but I did know what I liked, and I was pretty experimental too. We tried things just to see if they were going to sound any good, and sometimes we got lucky. I was also lucky enough to start playing music at a time when bands and musicians were looking for new sounds, and everybody’s next album sounded nothing like their last album.” What’s the key to keep doing what you do at such a high level for all these  years?

 Well, the thing I learned from guys like Johnny Winter and Billy Gibbons is that it requires quite a bit of energy to do it right. Both of those guys put in a very high energy level to do what they did all the time, and there’s really no other way to perform properly. I know  Johnny didn’t have the same kind of energy level that he had in the ’90s or whatever, but the one night I played with him he was tearing it up. How did that happen?

I was lucky enough to meet Johnny for the first time in Daytona Beach in late 1987. I went to a club he was playing at and he was awesome. He invited me onto his coach and told some war stories, and I was so star-struck—but he was so cool and nice to me. I met him again a couple of years later, and then quite some after that we were doing this 42

big rock legends cruise together and he invited me to get up and play with him. It was a lifelong desire of mine, and I’m so glad it actually happened.

to get any kind of limelight, except in a healthy way. So I guess what I look for is somebody that knows a little bit more than me and is fun to get along with.

Early on in your career you added a second guitarist, and you’ve kept that format ever since. What are the qualities  you look for in someone to back you?

You and Kirk have great interplay onstage from what I’ve seen.

Well the first double guitar thing I did was years ago in Ontario, Canada, and it was a fellow named Derek O’Neil. I looked up to him and his playing, and he seemed to always be on that next level above me. Plus he played a Strat and I didn’t. Then later I tried a couple of other guys for a while, and nothing really worked out until I met Pat Thrall, who was recommended to me by Neal Schon. The common thing about Pat Thrall and Derek O’ Neil was that other than playing music, we just seemed to have a good time together.  That was important, because in both of those instances we weren’t competing

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He’s been with me for 10 years. Plus, he’s like the professor of musicology and just seems to know every obscure player. The way he plays guitar on my songs is just amazing. It’s so cool because I’ll record some stuff and then I have Kirk come in, and I’ll  just leave the studi o because I don’t want to be any kind of an influence at all. I come back, and it’s like he’s done stuff that is so completely different than anything I would ever think of, yet it fits perfectly. So it’s a magical kind of eff ect. I’m very lucky, and like you observed, we like each other. We’ve spent a lot of time together traveling, and you’ve really got to watch out for each other.

F  R  A N K   W H I   T  E 

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You’re both using effects live, so how do  you decidewhouses what onanygivensong?

Usually I’m the only one using any kind of chorus. Kirk will use a Uni-Vibe on some jangly chord things, but he generally stays away from the chorus and  just leaves that to me. I have a Line 6 M9, which is a cool pedal system that’s got

every known stompbox, plus all kinds of very high quality digital delays. That’s basically all I use. And sometimes I don’t even use that, because usually by the middle of the set we’re slightly out of tune with each other and start to get a natural chorusing effect—especially when we play in unison, which we do quite a bit.

Is there a particular reason you’re both using Marshall JCM2000 amps?

Because they’re the cleanest sounding Marshalls. I have mine set to a super clean, punchy sound, and then I use a Blackstar overdrive pedal to get my distortion and I run that into the M9. The cool thing about running all the effects into a clean amplifier is they sound real nice and bright. Kirk does the same thing—we don’t use any overdrive on the amps at all. A long time ago I used to run my effects through the effects loop and got my distortion from the amp, but that gets pretty elaborate. I just wanted to get as simple as possible, and what we’re doing now is pretty darn close, and most of the time it sounds pretty good. Actually, I would rather use a Blackstar Artisan 100watt, but when we’re out doing fly dates and stuff you have to get backline gear, and most of the rental companies don’t have Blackstar. What amps do you use in the studio?

It’s all Blackstar. I have a 100-watt Artisan that’s just like an old Marshall amp. There’s no overdrive or anything like that. I have a 30-watt 2x12 combo that’s basically the same thing, but with a smaller power section, and I also have a 15-watt 1x12. They all sound wonderful. I can get a great sound out of a Marshall too, but the Blackstars have a little more richness, and they’re real punchy when they’re clean. What are your main guitars now?

I use PRS most of the time and so does Kirk. But lately we’ve been exploring Les Pauls. For Retro Rocket, I borrowed a Gibson ’57 VOS goldtop and just fell in love with that guitar. It just did everything and more that I wanted it to do. My very first electric when I was 14 years old was a 1968 goldtop with P-90s on it, so my history with Les Pauls goes way back—actually even further back than that, as my uncle had a ’54 goldtop that I saw for the first time in 1959. I love my PRSs and they’re wonderful guitars, but there’s  just something about that big, fat Les Paul thing. They’re kind of heavy, and you’ve got to grunt and groan to get the good stuff out of ’em, but when you do it sounds so good. You seem to go for a pretty bright lead tone. In that regard, do you have a preference for either PRS or Gibson PAF-style humbuckers?

Well, Paul Smith came out with these pickups a few years ago called the 57-08, which are supposed to be identical to brand new 44

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1957 Gibson humbucking pickups because he bought the original winding machine and some of the original wire and magnets. I put them on my guitar and they sound wonderful. Then he made some 59-09s, which are supposed to be from a ’59 Les Paul, and now we’ve got the 58-08s. The thing is, they’re like brand new pickups, and none of us ever got to hear those pickups when they were new.  That’s why they’re so chunky and loud and bright. In 20 years or so those magnets will diminish a little bit, and they’ll be warmer sounding because they’ve gone through their natural aging process. But I don’t mind having bright, vibrant, and ballsy sounding pickups, especially on the Les Paul. Whoever is making those pickups on those Gibson VOS guitars is also doing a very good job. You can move the volume control up and down and there’s a lot of variation in tone. Even if you go halfway down for a cleaner sound, you still get enough volume, and then it gets  junkier as you turn up. On the album Can Do, you get an interesting violin-like tone on the song “Wanted.” How did you do that?

 That’s just my guitar, and it’s an effect I kind of stole from Pat Thrall. Basically you strike the string and use your finger to roll up the volume—so you don’t hear the initial attack of the pick, you just hear the swell. You need to have your volume control in the right spot to do it, which means a Les Paul isn’t going to work so well. I used to have a guitar that I’d had a master volume put in in exactly the right spot, and I had a piece of surgical tape around the speed knob. I could get some pretty cool things going with that, and yeah, it would sound like a violin. There are a bunch of great tunes on that record. What was inspiring your songwriting at the time?

week and come back. I didn’t mind working that way, but I got most of the record done and then the inspiration just started to shut off. I was going, “Oh no, not now— please!” So the ending part of that album was really torture for me because I was working on songs right up to the very end and they were like the last things I thought about

 .      l    a    u      d     i    v     i      d    n     i    n    a     g    n     i    m    o    c    e      b    o     t    y    e    n    r    u    o     j    r    u    o    y     t    r    a     t    s    o     t    m    o    c  .    s    r    a     t     i    u     g      d    n    e    r    e    v    e    r     t     i    s     i      V  .    s     i    e    s      l    e    e    n    o    y    r    e    v    e     t    a      h    w     g    n     i    y    a      l    p    e    r      ’    u    o    y      f     i     t    n    e    r    e      f      f     i      d    e      b     t      ’    n    a    c    u    o      Y

before I went to sleep and the first things I thought about if I woke up to have a pee in the middle of the night. It was driving me crazy, but I got it done and felt very good about it. I mean if it had been 30-plus years ago, Can Do would have been a multi-platinum album, but unfortunately the record business isn’t what it used to be. g

bring a

to the

Can Do was definitely a mission for me, because just prior to getting the record deal with Frontiers [an Italian classic-rock label], I had spontaneously started to write what I thought were some pretty good songs. It wasn’t like I had a record deal in mind, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself. So then Frontiers expressed an interest and we struck a deal, and I was determined that every song I wrote could be the first song on the disc. So I chugged along for about eight months because I had to go out and tour as well. I didn’t spend more than three days in the studio at a time, then I would leave for a SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

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Robert Randolph (left) and Luther Dickinson

Looking Back STEVE HOWE EXAMINES HIS CAREER ON ANTHOLOGY  BY GREG PRATO ALTHOUGH HE IS PRIMARI LY THOUGHT OF

as the longest-tenured guitarist of Yes (and an original member of Asia), Steve Howe has been issuing solo albums since 1975. And with a multitude of these releases offered over the years, it may prove a tad difficult to keep track of Howe’s solo output. That’s where the recently released  Anthology: A Solo Career Retrospective comes in handy. Consisting of 33 tracks recorded over a 36-year period, the wide-ranging material touches upon dirty rock ’n’ roll (“So Bad”), tu nes that would have fit perfectly on ’80s-era Yes or Asia albums (“Sensitive Chaos”), tranquil country (a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Buckets of Rain”), and a collaboration with the English Chamber Orchestra (a reading of Howe’s classic “Mood for a Day”).  And this is not the only Howe-related release unveiled this year. Yes has issued  Live from Seventy-Two, which is available as a double-disc, triple-LP, and a whopping 14-disc boxed set. Was it easy or difficult to select the songs for Anthology?

It took a while, but it was good fun. It was something I wanted to do in an organized way. We treated each album respectfully and tried to get a running order that we thought might work as a listening experience. We couldn’t only focus on what we wanted to use from each album, but also how it worked with the next album. I was able to reflect more on the general styles of music that I did across the albums. On the first one [1975’s Beginnings], it’s quite surprising how much rock guitar there really was, and the way I’ve mellowed out in later years. This anthology documents those transitions.

By and large, was the material presented to Yes to record first, or was it written specifically for your solo albums?

 A bit of a mixture. In the ’70s, Jon [Anderson] and I worked up songs, and sometimes the songs that didn’t end up with Yes ended up on my albums. But many were only fleetingly played to Jon or other members. If I played them for the band and they didn’t work, they would have a little stigma attached to them, so I wouldn’t rush to put them on a solo album. With some music, I’m very open to collaboration, but music that is either highly personal or tells a little bit more about my life, I might not want to collaborate on. The stuff that I did on my solo albums was the music that I felt was most personal. What do you think of your guitar sound and the overall band sound on  Live from SeventyTwo, especially as compared to Yessongs?

I think everything is a mixed blessing. In ’72, I was using a Fender Dual Showman amp, with two 15-inch speakers, which was the most unpopular speaker for sound engineers—they preferrred 12-inch speakers. I had just been on tour playing guitar for P.P. Arnold, opening for Delaney & Bonnie with Eric Clapton, and somebody showed me a Dual Showman. When I joined Yes, my goal was to get one of those amps. It wasn’t a Marshall 4x10 or 4x12. It wasn’t as conventional. As far as the band sound is concerned, one’s got to be very realistic. When we did Yessongs [a threesided live album from 1973], the band and [producer] Eddie Offord sat in the studio for four months, editing and mixing as if it were a studio album. For the mixes, everybody’s hands were on faders, and we plowed through three albums

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of music. No other live album was done like that. Yesshows and subsequent live albums were mixed very much like Live from SeventyTwo. They were more like board mixes with a few approvals, as opposed to a fully fledged group commitment. So as far as comparing Yessongs and Seventy-Two, we should have much better sound on Yessongs. But in general, the sounds were very good in the early days. What happened to sounds when they went on tape wasn’t always bad. Sure, tape loss and tape hiss and all that is moaned about, but there was also a warmth and a beauty to the sound that we had. Let’s discuss some of your favorite guitars you’ve used over the years.

 The 1964 Gibson ES-175D was my main guitar when we did The Yes Album. Then on subsequent albums I used to experiment with a different guitar on each—usually a Gibson, but not exclusively. Fragile was an ES-5 Switchmaster, and then Close to the Edge is all about an ES-345. Tales from Topographic

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Oceans was the ES-345 and a Les Paul Junior that I really loved at that time.  Relayer was completely played on a Telecaster. Going for the One was a nice blend of a 175, pedal-steel, a Stratocaster, and a mandolin. Tormato was a confusingly difficult album to make from a tonal standpoint. Rick Wakeman had the Polymoog, which I think most of us thought was a dreadful instrument. It just didn’t sit like a Hammond organ or a Fender Rhodes or a piano, and I struggled to find a guitar to work with it. I mainly played a Les Paul Custom on that album. When it came to  Drama, I was fully back into using a whole array of guitars, but I played the 175 a great deal again. One other guitar I should mention is the Martin 00-18, which was the guitar I played “Clap” on, and was on the intro to “Roundabout.” It was—and still is—the most important acoustic guitar I’ve got, although I’ve got many other nice ones. I’ve got a hundred guitars. Some of them are beautiful collectible things, but many are hardworking

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guitars, like the ones I’ve just mentioned. Once I used a guitar on an album, I’d have to take it on tour, because if I wanted to play “Close to the Edge,” I had to play it on the guitar I played it on in the studio. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you discuss  your memo rie s o f p layi ng gui tar on the Queen song, “Innuendo.”

I was in Montreux, and Queen were recording at Mountain Studios—the same studio where we made Going for the One. I go in, and they played me the whole album, but they saved “Innuendo” until last. I was incredibly blown away. They said, “We want you to play on that. Why don’t you race around like Paco de Lucía?” Brian May had three Gibson Chet  Atkins, which are Spanish guitars. I found one I liked, we started doing takes, we tried different approaches, and then we went to dinner.  After dinner, we went back to the studio, listened through, and comped together what you hear today. It was just a lovely experience with a lovely bunch of guys. g

For Shockwave Supernova, Joe Satriani Lets a Flamboyant Alter Ego Rage In and Out of the Creative Process I N OU R W O R L D — M E A N I N G A P L A N E O F

existence where guitars, guitar tones, guitar techniques, guitar music, and guitar mythology wrap themselves like psychic boas around every facet of our being—the cautionary tale of the great Jimi Hendrix is a mammoth tragedy, while simultaneously being a celebration of all we hold dear.  That Hendrix energized and changed guitar playing forever is a fact, and one that still reverberates within anyone who adores the guitar. But ascending to that previously unknowable zenith of divinity required Hendrix to make concessions to “entertainment.” Towards the end of his life,

his grand and restless artistry seemed more and more hemmed in by the celebrity he attained, and by the public that embraced the seductive imagery of the sensual psychedelic rock and roll guitar legend. We know this to be true. And so does Joe Satriani, who so idolized Hendrix that he allegedly dedicated himself to the guitar on September 18, 1970, the day of Jimi’s death. Fast forward to 2015, and Satriani’s new album, Shockwave Supernova [Legacy] appears to be a tale of what could have been—not just about Hendrix, but also a sort of fable directed

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Satriani and Shockwave Supernova bassist Bryan Beller.

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at all artists who might struggle with the formidable battle bots of artistry, celebrity, and entertainment. It’s a look at a fictional musician who did all the outrageous flash moves typically required to gain stardom—I mean, why do you think Satch called this guy “Shockwave Supernova” in the first place?—and who is now assessing his life, influences, music, and past deeds in the hopes of a kind of rebirth.  The album is also a mature musician’s acknowledgement of the Jekyll/Hyde duality of successful artists. As Satriani admits in this interview, the “Hendrix Dilemma” affected him so deeply that he always strove to abandon glam in all forms. This is, after all, an extremely private and somewhat retiring family man who loves working in his tiny home studio, painstakingly creating music. But he is also someone who lives to perform onstage, and who psyches himself up to become the larger-than-life JOE SATRIANI that thrills concert audiences. It was thinking about that persona during some downtime out of the public’s eye after his last tour that birthed the “Shockwave Supernova” alter ego, as well as the concept for a “non-concept concept album.” (Yeah, 52

that doesn’t really make a lot of sense, but  Joe explains it much better, so read on…) With his alter ego in tow, Satriani kicked off his 15th solo album alone in his home studio, and then decamped to Skywalker Sound in Lucas Valley, California, with coproducer/engineer John Cuniberti to record the live-band tracks with bassist Bryan Beller, drummer Marco Minnemann, and guitarist/keyboardist Mike Keneally. Of course, as Satriani always keeps a rather large collection of songs and “tracks-in-progress” at the ready, Shockwave Supernova wasn’t totally made with the above crew. Some past sessions with drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and bassist Chris Chaney also came to the forefront, and were completed for the new album. Furthermore, a couple of songs have Satriani playing a Fender P-Bass through an Ampeg SVT “sounding like it’s about to blow up—which really wasn’t Bryan’s thing.” And bassist Bobby Vega makes an appearance on the song, “All of My Life.” However the persona of Shockwave Supernova commanded attention during the creation of the album, it’s definitely one of the most diverse solo albums Satriani has ever made, and a worthy “artistic

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colleague” to Hendrix’s  Electric Ladyland that Satch holds up as the touchstone of deep, expansive musical projects. So who is this Shockwave Supernova guy…?  Shockwave Supernova embraces a theme, and yet it’s not the classic definition of a concept album. What was the seed that kicked off the whole idea?

Well, I didn’t want to do a conventional concept album. I didn’t want to burden people with sitting in a chair, listening to tracks one through 15. So I thought, “This will be an internal concept that somewhat guides the creation of the album.” But, going back a bit, the Unstoppable  Momentum sessions [2012-2013] were very fruitful. I had almost another half a record done, as well as all these other songs I didn’t finish. What did it all mean? Usually, I purposefully don’t answer that question. I like that I don’t know what I’m writing as I’m doing it. Ultimately, someone calls me up and says, “By the way, you need to make a record,” and then I look at what I have, and I try to see some kind of trend or theme.  This time, that process happened a little

earlier than usual as I was touring behind Unstoppable. And, as I had a lot of extra material from the sessions, I found that I was listening to the tracks and asking myself, “Why didn’t I put that song on the record? What’s wrong with it? Too many verses? Bridge not strong enough? Wrong key?” So all of this started me thinking about what material really represents me as a performer—the situation where I take a deep breath before I step onstage and puff myself up a bit. I look in the dressing-room mirror and ask myself, “What can I pull out of my multiple performing personalities to deliver what the audience deserves—a great show?” That’s the guy the public sees—not the guy who likes to hang out in his little home studio and create music. Some performers are more or less exactly who they are onstage, and others are  vastly different from their public persona.

Yes—for the most part. But I found that during the Unstoppable Momentum tour, I was acting very differently onstage. How so?

I blame Mike Keneally [ laughs]. The two of us would trade solos, and we were having a blast doing the stupidest things. It was just having fun with your buddies, right? But that’s when you get into trouble. Suddenly, I’m playing with my teeth four or five times a night, and it became part of the show. I realized quickly that this was a very effective device as an entertainer, but, at the same time, it was also kind of destructive. Destructive?

It was the thing I promised myself I would never do as a kid of 14 was trying to come to grips with Hendrix dying. I realized that he worked himself into a corner very quickly, and it bummed him out so bad. And look what happened— Hendrix couldn’t reconcile the musician he wanted to be with the rock-and-roll clown that people expected him to be. So I always thought, “Don’t get too dressed up. Be ‘Joe’ backstage and onstage. Don’t resort to silly things like playing with your teeth.” But there I was—and my teeth hurt. That’s one of those tragic questions: What would the future have held for Hendrix if he could have successfully abandoned audience expectations back in 1970?

It would have been so cathartic and tumultuous for him! Can you imagine? It

would be really hard, of course, because his fans were kids like me who loved his records to death. If he suddenly came out looking completely different, and said, “Look, I’m really sorry, but I’m going to play this kind of music for now,” we’d be like, “Whoa!” But just think if he had a couple of years to really work on it. When artists come out with good material, the audience is very forgiving. It’s just bad material that ruins plans to morph, to get better, to change direction. Well, I imagine that then, as now, it would be quite a gamble for a musician to take a chance and change styles or musical direction.

I would have to say that an artist should take the chance. But the artist should also know they might get ridiculed. But that’s okay. There’s no contract between artist and audience, and there’s no justice in the entertainment business whatsoever. The audience has the right to walk away at any time. So you take artistic chances, and you take the hit when it comes. And, once in a while, you get lucky that what you want to do is what the audience wants to hear.  Then, you celebrate. So is this the main engine behind the Shockwave Supernova persona, the journey from being a talented entertainer to transforming into a serious musician?

It’s probably how I wound up with this ridiculous name. “Shockwave Supernova.” Who would call themselves that? That is someone who would wear a multicolored wig and flashy clothes, and resort to every flamboyant trick in the book. And I realized that, through the songs on Shockwave Supernova, I could represent the different facets this character would go through as they were realizing that guy was done. He’s changing. He’s thinking, “I’m not a clown. I can be better. I can be reborn.” So the songs, as a collection, represent his reminiscing about all the different things he did, and all the things that inspired him over the years. It’s not a specific theme of “I’m morphing into this,” or something corny like that. It’s about someone thinking about their career, and realizing that the process of change is going to be strange. That’s what the last song, “Goodbye Supernova,” is about. It starts off pretty, and then it gets dark. There’s a

sort of blues testifying, and then a weird breakdown, where this strange guitar thing is him sort of going through this period of rebirth. He walks into the light, so to speak, but I don’t provide the answer to where he’s going, because I didn’t presume to know that. Did you go as far as to choose gear for certain songs based on what you thought Shockwave would use? Such as specific guitars or amps?

No. I think I truly adopted the concept much later in the process of writing the record. It was a seed of an idea, and then I’d go, “Oh, that’s silly,” and I’d drop it for a while. I don’t think I came to grips with the concept until I had all the song charts pinned to an acoustic panel in my home studio. I was recording freeform without restraint, so I didn’t take the concept as far as thinking, “Shockwave would never use a vintage Fender Champ.” Or, “Shockwave would always use a fuzz wah.” However, I think the Shockwave idea allowed me to think more broadly for the record— especially later on in the recording process. You see, everything had already been recorded in a demo form, and, actually, a lot of the keeper performances were done here in this room. But when we set up at Skywalker Sound for the live tracks with the band, I knew I would be adding live performances along with the other players. Then, when we moved to 25th Street Recording [Oakland, California] for overdubs, I figured we’d be reamping the guitars a lot—whether they were played at Skywalker or in my home studio. So I was ready to rethink or replay anything at that point. It still wasn’t a question of, “What would Shockwave do?” But the concept definitely kept me more open to trying different things. Let’s talk about the live sessions at Skywalker with bassist Bryan Beller, drummer Marco Minnemann, and, of course, keyboardist and guitarist Mike Keneally. Your process always has so many layers—the already-completed home-studio tracks, whatever you and the band record live, and then the overdubs. So it appears that  you’re constantly evaluating all these different versions in Pro Tools throughout every phase of the recording sessions. Wow.

I don’t see it as much different than

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player with a White Russian in one hand, and he won’t put his drink down to play the song.” Ultimately, my guitar part turned out to be horrid—every other chord was way sharp or something—so we decided to get rid of the guitar and feature his keyboard part more. But this is part of the process, as well. Sometimes, my recorded performances are more “catalytic.” They’re not necessarily keepers, but they set a mood for the band. You’re never tempted to go, “Well, boys, I recorded all my parts at home, and my work is done. So I’m just going to hang out in the control room and evaluate your performances”?

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a composer sitting in front of an orchestra with a score, saying, “I have a problem with measure 187,” and then rewriting the part and taping the new music over the old. Musicians change things. It’s what we do. Erasers and pencils—or, in my case, nondestructive digital editing. It still seems like a brutal workflow to keep track of tons of different parts with each one representing a certain musical direction or arrangement.

I keep notes on what I record, but the tracks sometimes change as the process unfolds. John will refer to things, and ask, “What are we doing with this guitar or that guitar?” I also have to keep an open mind, because Keneally might say, “Boy, I don’t 54

like that guitar that’s hanging around. Is that a keeper?” So I would move things around for the guys depending on what they wanted to hear as they were tracking. I was constantly surprised at what they decided to listen to.  Another benefit of this method is that if the live band is pulling the song in a different direction than I had envisioned at home, if I like that direction, I can kill the recorded guitar that’s in the session file and create a new guitar part that follows where they are going. There are always surprises, too. For example, on “San Francisco Blue,” I played a 12-string, open-tuning thing that inspired Mike to play these chords a certain way. I joked, “It sounds like a keyboard

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Oh, no. It’s good for me to be out there with the band playing. I want John sitting in the control room listening to see if it’s all working. It’s great to work with John, because he’ll point out things I’d never think of. You either need a split personality when you’re working on your own records, or a talented friend, like John, who can be honest and tell you when you’re obsessing over something, or going off the deep end, or hearing something in your memory that’s not actually what’s happening in the present. Anyway, Glyn Johns once told me, “You’re either in the band, or you’re not in the band—which side of the glass are you going to be on?” That was good advice. Did Shockwave seep into the Skywalker sessions for the record at all?

Maybe not explicitly, but he was definitely guiding our thought process at times. When you’re recording an album, there are millions of little decisions you have to make. I think Shockwave may have gotten his ideas in there a few times. For example, my demo for “Cataclysmic” was just brutal—a simple drum-machine pattern and a lot of guitars—and it sounded like a metal song. I said to the guys, “What if you could play this song, have fun with it, and not live up to the demo or any other standard?” So Marco came up with this funny little snare thing that completely changed the vibe of the song. And then, John added some echo to the snare to make the part even more of a hook. Soon, I was really getting into the whole idea of making the rhythm section sound more arty and unusual. We were kind of making it up as we went along, and all the little decisions we made about

the guitar, the drum pattern, the role of the demo, and so on happened because we were getting excited about the snowballing of the Shockwave Supernova concept. Every time a song suddenly became unique, we’d go. “Wow—we just put another one right into the basket.” Do you have any other session stories related to the songs?

I had a very simple, blues-oriented thing that I was going to do with Sammy Hagar, called “All of My Life.” It had a very underplayed guide melody, which I thought was really nice. So we figured out how to play it, and I ended up with these twangy guitar parts that don’t sound like anything I’ve done before on a record. What is that stuff doing on a record called Shockwave Supernova? That question alone made it very attractive for me. Originally, “All of My Life” didn’t have a beat or anything. There were just some bongos, claves, and strangely tuned acoustic guitars—all of which had to go when we started to reconstruct the song. Marco and Bryan came up with a spooky and beautiful beat, and Mike played a really cool Wurlitzer bit. But, ultimately, with the acoustic guitars gone, I felt there was a ballad boogaloo rhythm thing missing that reminded me of ’60s music. When we started overdubbing at 25th Street, I thought, “Bobby Vega [bassist] is this guy.” The way he plays with a pick is amazing, and I knew he could make the song swing—especially if the bass was cranked up very loud, because everyone else is playing kind of light.  Then, there’s “L ost in a Memory.” Jonathan Mover, Stu Hamm, and I used to  jam on that back in 1988. It didn’t have a melody then—just these two chord progressions that were stuck together. I worked on that song a million times, and every time it would fall flat. But, suddenly, I figured out what it needed. Unfortunately, when I originally recorded it with Vinnie Colaiuta and Chris Chaney for Unstoppable Momentum, I was too attracted to the ’80s-throwback beat on the demo—which I assumed was part of the song’s charm—and my direction to Vinnie and Chris to play that style was way off. When I revisited the track for this album, I decided to pull down the rhythm section, and just listen to the guitars and these weird keyboards. Finally, it made sense! So I had Marco and Bryan match their parts

to the guitars and keyboards. That was the only song where we actually had to replace the rhythm section to make the track work. There are a lot of different vibes, approaches, grooves, and feels on the new record. Perhaps we can attribute that somewhat to Shockwave’s “influence,” but  you’ve never been shy to display versatility on your records.

 True. I’ve always liked listening to records that are broad in their scope, rather than hearing a bunch of songs that do the same thing. To me, that’s like a playlist on Spotify. I want to make records like Electric Ladyland— which is such a broad record, that you may not like side three for the first six months, but, after that, you might go, “This is my favorite side.” So I want all my records to be very broad, but this one is super broad.  Take “Butterfly and Zebra” and “Cataclysmic.” What are those two songs doing on one record? Okay, so you’ve released Joe records, and now you’ve released, let’s say, a Joe/ Shockwave collaboration. Can you step back at this early stage and determine the differences between another Joe Satriani album and a Shockwave Supernova record?

 That’s a great question. I think I would answer it differently just about every day. I could see that if I called the record something else—made it a “normal” record by chopping a couple of songs off—that no one would be the wiser. They’d just think it’s another record from Joe. But I think there is magic in the presentation of something. Context is very important. I did an interview yesterday where they were talking about the contestants for a  TV competition, and it came to mind that when you’re performing on television for something like that, there isn’t a singular context. It’s television. It’s very uncomfortable. There are time limits. You’re rushed out there. You’re probably not with your band or your buddies. It’s a competition.  And then your performance is being seen in living rooms, in bedrooms, and on teeny little screens on people’s phones. How do you play to all those different audiences? It’s impossible. This was something Brian Eno mentioned many years ago—how the context for recorded music has become so fractured that you can’t possibly create one recording that can work in every venue. SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

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But in my favorite venue—the concert stage—you have to make the venue perfect for the people who have come to see you. I’m working, but the audience is free to walk the halls and do whatever they want. They’re in control, but you have some control, as well.  They are stuck in the building, so you have to block out all the crappy stuff by putting on a great show. You don’t want people thinking about parking. Once the show starts, it has to be magical. So, whatever the venue, the whole thing about context and the presentation of your art is extremely important.  This is a very long answer, but I want to bring in one other element—which is when a song comes out, or any kind of art, it is seen in context with what’s happening in the world. A song can come out as one thing and people may see it as something entirely different—all because of how it was used to accompany a great moment of triumph or a horrible tragedy. Ultimately, once you release an album, it leaves itself open for interpretation based on the relative nature of the world. If six of my friends release records that all have “Space” in their title, it might dilute things. When Surfing with the Alien came out, perhaps I was helped because there was nothing out there like it, and that’s what made it stick out. The genre was dead, and nobody was stupid enough to put out a record like that. But, in relation to the world, all of a sudden, it was, “Whoa. What’s that?” So even though at some point I adopted “Shockwave Supernova” as the album’s theme for me, I wasn’t thinking that it was necessary for anybody else to accept it in order to enjoy the record. I just wanted to make a great instrumental guitar album. Eno’s concept is interesting, because, on one side, an artist does have some control. They make a record. It’s theirs. They put it out there. They stand by it. But the other side is, like, “I made this record. It’s mine. I put it out there. And— oh my God — somebody just curated it in a way I never expected.” Scary.

I understand what you’re saying. You’re echoing what took me about five minutes to explain. Yes. You don’t know it, and you should never think about it. Why would we write a single note if we were paranoid about how people were going to reuse something? No artist wants to stand up and say, “Hey, that’s not what this song is about,” because 56

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they actually want their fans to freely associate with it to some degree. But I must admit that I think about that a lot—how things can get so twisted. No one wants “Born in the USA” used in a car commercial or in a political campaign. Are there any songs on the record that  you’ll fear performing live?

Oh yeah. Having to perform some of the stuff I did in this room every night on tour could be challenging. What if fans start asking to hear the crazier songs? Then, start thinking, “Maybe I shouldn’t have written that. Maybe I should have written something nice and easy going [laughs].”  There are some songs that might have me looking at my fretboard a little bit more, like “Crazy Joey.” It’s a funny little repetitive part, but you either play it right, or you blow it, and not blowing it requires me staring at the fretboard. Also, I did a slide part on the title track, and, of course, when we got to the overdubs, Cuniberti says, “Oh, I like the slide. You must do it on slide.” Well, that means if people like the song, then I’ll have to do it in front of an audience every night, and that means really practicing my slide game. I mean, slide is just something I pick up when I need it. Then, I worry that the band can pull off “Goodbye Supernova” with the gravity it has on the recorded version. It’s quite an exercise to distill six guitar parts and four keyboard parts into an arrangement you can pull off live. Believe it or not, the challenges are usually with the subtle pieces. They’re not technical challenges, per se, but I always worry if we can quiet down the show enough to convey a tender song. Were there any gear stars on the album?

My brand new Marshall JVM signature amp probably did the bulk of the work— and the Roland JC-120 I’ve had since the Squares [Satch’s 1980-era band] has been on every record I’ve ever made doing something—but the Marshall head below the JVM on the rack over there has a great story. On the last tour, we were going through Washington or Oregon, and Greg Montgomery— a guitar player who was a fan of the Squares and who lived in the Bay Area at the time— came to the meet and greet, and said, “I loved the two Marshalls in stereo that you used with the Squares, and I started doing the same thing.” When one of his Marshalls died, he went on a hunt to replace it, and a

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JOE SATRIANI

friend told him, “Hey, I’ve got this Marshall. I think it’s the exact year you want, but it’s painted orange.” So he gets the amp, sees a crack in the faceplate, and goes, “I know this amp from somewhere.” So he decides to take off the orange paint, and, underneath is a stencil that says “Squares Number 6.”  This was a ’71 plexi that was stolen from me back in the ’80s! So we made a mutually beneficial exchange. He sent me the amp, and I sent him a guitar. I had [guitar tech] Bill Schneider fix it up, and that amp is just crazy sounding! You have to turn it up to 10, so you can’t be in the same room with it, but it’s a very powerful, not-verybroken-up-sounding Marshall with a lot of heart and soul.

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What are the other Marshalls in the rack?

 There’s a ’68, and a reissue of a ’68 Marshall. We did a lot of reamping on the album using those guys. Howwouldyoutypicallycastyourvintage plexis or your new JVM signature for parts?

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If I had to do a lot of legato playing— and I needed the tone to be really fat all the way up and down the neck—I would use the  JVM-410HJS head. It makes you feel good— you’re not self-conscious when you’re playing through something like that. When you plug into a vintage amp, you can hear yourself breathe. Every little thing you do is right there, but, sometimes, that’s what you need. For instance, on the song “San Francisco Blue,” we had around eight guitar tracks, and we choose the amps—a ’59 Fender Champ, a ’63 Gibson Discoverer, some Fender Deluxes, a Vox AC10, and perhaps a SansAmp—to ensure every sound would remain very distinct when spread across the stereo spectrum. Having some vintage amps in the mix always helps you achieve clarity and articulation when you’re building guitar textures.  The older the amp is, the more in your face the sound is, and the more transient response it seems to have. The really old Marshalls give you a whack in the head, and as an amp gets more modern, the sound becomes like a caress, and it’s also forgiving in a certain way. So if I’m doing a guitar part that requires super highs and lows, but that also has to be melodic, I would tend to use a modern amp that tapers everything off and presents the sound in a more listenable format. But if I want to claw your face off for a couple of seconds, I’ll go for an old amp that is uncultured and raw.

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Icouldn’thelpbutnoticethatthereareton of wonderful sustaining lines on the record.

Oh, there is a lot of Sustainiac on this record—so much, in fact, that I started putting those pickups in all the guitars we’ll bring on tour. Typically, how do you approach a Sustainiac pickup from a creative standpoint? What’s your mojo?

I approach it very cautiously, because, many years ago, Robert Fripp was in this very room, and I was recording him using his Sustainiac when we were doing the song “Sleep Walk.” I thought, “It’s amazing how that pickup makes him be creative in a different way.” Neal Schon uses a Sustainiac in a very seamless way, and then, touring with Steve Vai a lot, he would go out there and  just do brilliant things with a Sustainer—a different pickup that does much the same thing. He’s very lyrical. I love that the Sustainiac lets me get feedback at any volume, and from anywhere I stand on stage. My new Ibanez JS2450 over there in muscle-car purple—I put a Sustainiac on it, and it’s a very comfortable guitar to play, but when I flip the switch for the Sustainiac, it becomes something else. It’s like wrestling with a snake that’s writhing out of control and screaming. Moments like that helped me think that I could carve out my own identity with this piece of gear that doesn’t sound like I’m stepping on Robert’s, Neal’s, or Steve’s shoes. Can you elaborate a bit more on what you do to carve out techniques with a sustaining pickup that’s different from how Neal, Steve, and Robert might use it?

Well, I’m not sure yet [laughs]. I guess it stimulates me to play certain kinds of melodies and achieve a certain kind of phrasing.  The silliest trick is to hit a note, hold it forever, and point to the audience. Everybody can do that, but it’s really when you do it, and what note you hit. Is it truly an uplifting moment when you hit that note, or are you  just being annoying? You wrestle with that. You toy with it. And, hopefully, you achieve something interesting. Obviously, “Butterfly and Zebra” could only be achieved with a Sustainiac. When he heard it, Joe Bosso [music journalist] said something like, “Boy, if guitar notes were like droplets of water melting from large icicles, that’s what it would sound like.” Where there any surprises from an effects or pedal standpoint during the sessions?

Cover Story JOE SATRIANI

“Cataclysmic” has a very long solo section that sounds kind of flange-y, but it’s actually an Avid DigiRack Doubler. I opened up the software on a whim, because I wanted the solo section to just be bass and drums for a very long time, and, as a result, I felt the guitar needed to have more impact than  just sitting in the center of the mix. So I tried this vocal patch, and I thought it was kind of cool, because the solo is very Coltranelike—long lines and stuff. I was surprised that the effect started during the demo process, and went all the way through the recording of the band, until, ultimately, John said, “I really like whatever the hell that thing is.” So we left it on.  There ’s a wei rd pat ch on the Fractal  Axe-FX II—I wish I remembered what it’s called—that really made “Goodbye Supernova” work. It’s a swelling kind of uppermidrange reverb thing that I used for the chords. I was being “Joe the bad recording engineer” when I did the song, because I printed the part with the effect, rather than track a dry guitar part that we could mess with and change later. I just plugged right into it, started playing, and, all of a sudden, I wrote a song. So I turned on Pro Tools and recorded this thing. Perhaps that was Shockwave imposing himself on the proceedings again. “Screw options, dude—you’re going to commit!”

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Could be. You know, that song sat actually around for about two years. It was a demo for Unstoppable Momentum. When I sent it to John as one of the songs to consider for Shockwave Supernova, he said, “I really love this song, but what’s happening in the breakdown?” I said, “What do you mean what’s happening? It’s a breakdown.” And John goes, “Not yet. You need to do something there.” So I went back to my studio, and started fooling around, and I found that Axe-FX II patch. I sent it back to John with the new part, and said, “The good news is that I saved it. The bad news is it is what it is—there’s not much we can do with it.” Happily, John thought it was great, and it’s a beautiful little piece. But maybe that is the Shockwave influence, because if I was being “Joe the good recording engineer,” I would have talked myself out of doing it. It was very lucky that I pushed Record right away and played something in the throes of inspiration. You’ve been able to have a long and successful career while working outside

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

the mainstream pop channels. It’s kind of incredible—and inspirational.

Listen, it’s a tragedy and a gift to work outside of the mainstream. The tragedy part is obvious—it has to do with work and exposure. The gift is that I don’t have to compromise, and I have a direct line to fans who don’t want me to compromise. Think how awful it would be for an artist to tell a fan that the ten-song album they j ust bought would have been so much better with five other songs, but I left them off due to some business decision. Can you imagine the audience going, “What the hell is that all about? I don’t want to hear about the problems with the music business. Who gives a sh*t about that? I’m the fan, you’re the artist, give me the best stuff you have!” In that way, I can sort of relax. People will hopefully like what I release, but whether they do or not, at least it’s just them and me. There are no excuses. I can’t blame it on some mystical industry problem. Sure. But perhaps a lot of artists these days—especially with the record industry in such awful shape—may be afraid of not following convention. To keep their career moving, they may surrender to business and management strategies out of survival instinct, rather than musical inspiration.

I don’t think it’s so cut and dried, and I don’t think any artist has ever been made to do anything. I think, ultimately, they made their own choices. You always have the power to do what you want—you just have to accept the consequences. That’s just part of growing up. I’m a big fan of A&R departments—they can be extremely creative—but I don’t always agree with their advice. However, I always listen to what they say, because their suggestions have been nothing but helpful for all the crazy ideas I’ve had throughout my career. After all these years of being in the public eye, do you get hurt by bad reviews online or in the mainstream press?

Sure, but there’s always a part of me that can take it. When you’re a musician as a teenager—as I was—and you start performing early, you get used to people telling you they don’t like what you’re doing. I didn’t start putting out records until I was close to 30 years old, so I had a lot of practice getting kicked down. I still get wounded by bad reviews, but they don’t bother me that much. They don’t stop me—let’s put it that way. g

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GUITAR PLAYER SPECIAL

ACOUSTIC SECTION

TOMMY EMMANUEL ON PLAYING FOR THE AUDIENCE, RECORDING GUITARS, AND CRAFTING HIS STAGE SOUND REVIEWED! BOUCHER STUDIO GOOSE TRONICALTUNE PLUS CLASSIC COLUMN HAPPY TRAUM ON FINGERPICKING, 1979 SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

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COVER STORY

THE ENTERTAINER FINGERSTYLE DYNAMO TOMMY EMMANUEL ON RECORDING, PERFORMING, AND HIS NEW ALBUM BY TEJA GERKEN

out of playing the guitar, others follow a calling. In Tommy Emmanuel’s case, the latter is most certainly the more accurate way to describe his life with the instrument. Having started to tour throughout his native Aus-

but also the fact that it’s not unusual for him to still pick up an electric today, when gigging with his brother, Phil Emmanuel (with whom he played at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Olympics), or sitting in with a variety of other acts.

tralia with his family band at the age of six, Emmanuel, who turned 60 earlier this year, has never earned his living in any other way than playing the guitar. Hearing Chet Atkins on the radio somewhere in the outback as a child had a profound impact on his own playing, but his appetite for all kinds of music has led him on a crooked path toward becoming one of the most successful solo steel-string

Without a doubt, though, Emmanuel’s solo acoustic work has become his trademark. Deeply rooted in Chet Atkins-style thumbpicking, Emmanuel has not only developed an energetic and highly original voice for solo guitar, he has also successfully broken out of the trappings of a fan base composed mostly of guitarists, allowing him to celebrate a level of mainstream success that is

fingerpickers of all time. Settling in Sydney for much of the 1970s, Emmanuel became an in-demand session player, playing on recordings by Air Supply, Men at Work, and many other popular Australian acts, including the platinum-selling rock band Dragon, with whom he also toured during the ’80s. Fans who are only familiar with Emmanuel’s acoustic side may be surprised that even his

unheard of for a solo fingerstylist. As a road warrior who averages 300 shows a year all over the world, Emmanuel doesn’t spend a lot of time in his current home base of Nashville. But he still manages to work on a variety of projects that don’t involve getting on a tour bus. This has been an especially busy year, the highlight of which has to be the birth of his daughter.

early solo work was dominated by a Telecaster, and a quick YouTube search confirms not only impressive instrumental rock chops,

But he’s also releasing a new album,  It’s Never Too Late (and yes, the title was inspired by becoming a father once again at the age o f

SOME FOLKS CHOOSE TO MAKE A CAREER

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60!), and is launching his own label, CGP Sound (named after the “Certified Guitar Player” title bestowed on him by Atkins), which will be dedicated to re-releasing his earlier, currently out-of-print catalog and

Celtic undercurrent in all the things he does. I did a version of an old blues tune called “One Mint Julep,” which I kind of made like a Delta blues. But the rest of the tunes are my originals.

mic on it. We used an old Neumann from the ’50s and just found the right spot.

special projects (the first release will be a trio album that features Emmanuel playing mostly Gypsy swing material with guitarist Ian Date and violinist Ian Cooper). Emmanuel spoke with Frets by phone

I recorded some of the tracks with Kim Person in Nashville, and then the rest of the album I did in LA with my friend Marc DeSisto. Marc and I mixed the album at his place, and he also mastered it.

usually uses two to three microphones. She’ll use a pair of Neumann M 149s, and then a Neumann U 87, kind of like at eye level, about four feet back—sort of like an ambient mic. One of the M 149s is to my left, pointing down at the fretboard and the other one is about a foot in front me, pointing just below the soundhole. That’s how we get that sound. Marc has a differ-

Is using a single mic a standard approach for you to record acoustic guitar?

It’s Marc DeSisto’s approach. Kim

ent approach. He just uses one mic and that’s all he needs. Everybody has their own way of doing things—I don’t work with those people and then tell them what to do; I want the best they can give me from their experience. I remember when I was recording with Chet Atkins, he put up the mic, left it in one place, and then positioned himself around it. Chet obviously influe nced you greatly, and there are tunes on

It’s Never Too Late  that

reflect that, like “The Bug,” for example.

That was on purpose. It’s a way of saying, “This music will continue into the next generation through this song.” I couldn’t have written “The Bug” if I hadn’t learned “Lover Come Back to Me” by Chet, or “Avalon,” or any of those great tunes. Chet handed us those great arrangements, and then we did something else.  S  I   M  O N E   C  E   C   C  H E  T  T  I  

as he was preparing to play the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia. With baby Rachel audible in the background, Emmanuel was fired up to talk about the current stage of his life, his new album, his gear, and his approach to performing.

What guitars did you use?

Too Late?

Mostly my Matons, but I played a Larrivée on one track, and I used my Tom Williamson OM, which is a beautiful Brazilian rosewood guitar that I’ve used on lots of recordings. Tom was a builder from Maine that I became good friends with a long time ago, but unfortunately, he passed away from cancer. My guitar was the second to

It’s almost all original songs. I did a version of one of Martin Taylor’s songs called “One Day,” which is one of my favorite songs of his. Martin’s a jazz player, but coming from Scotland, there’s a real

last he built, and it is like the best 1930s Martin you’ve ever played. But for most of the songs, the Matons sound great. If you listen to the title track, that’s my main Maton [EBG808TE] guitar with just o ne

What is the concept behind

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“Hellos and Goodbyes” is a guitar duet where you’re overdubbing the second part. What made you choose that approach, rather than arranging it as a solo piece?

I just played a rhythm part and then I played the melody and the solo as if I was being accompanied. It doesn’t work as a solo piece. I wanted to do something totally different, and that worked so nicely. It would normally be guitar and keyboard. You play mostly in standard and droppedD tuning, but do you have any thoughts on

playing in altered tunings?

I’ve experimented a bit with alternate tunings, but I try to stay away from that because so many other people are doing it, and I can’t really tell the difference between many of the players. They all start to sound the same, and everybody does the same thing. They slap harmonics

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TOMMY EMMANUEL

because they’re easy to find and they play these beautiful chords because you just have to stick your finger on it and it sounds nice. People are not writing the melodies the way they used to. I don’t want to rely on playing gimmicky stuff. A song has to

honing it some more back in the dressing room. I’ve got to find the right key to play the melody in, and then find a way of getting it sounding as beautiful as I can—getting the notes to ring around the melody, and all that sort of stuff. Even since I’ve

My stage sound is big because I want to have weight to my notes. And when I mute with my right hand, I want it to be like “boom, boom, boom” down there in the bass. My main concern is getting it big out front—what the public hears. Then I get

tell me a story and take me somewhere. You may be able to do that in an open tuning, but I can’t. People send me videos of themselves playing so I can give them advice, and nine times out of ten, people are playing in DADGAD and they’re doing what everybody else does. There are some people who can make the open-tuning stuff sound beautiful, but not many touch

recorded the song, I’ve changed the way I play the melody again, so it’s evolving. But as far as working someone else’s song out, let me give you an example of a well-known song, like “Close to You,” by the Carpenters, which was actually a Burt Bacharach song. I went looking for a good key to play that in and then I had to find a way of making it interesting at every turn, because that

the stage sound how I like it.

me in that style.

song could quickly get way too syrupy. I found alternate chords, so I’m still playing the melody, but I’m playing unusual chords underneath it. I was wondering whether that was mostly

straight into the P.A. That’s a big, fat, juicy signal—the best preamp sound you’ve ever heard. And then I come out and go into the AER Compact 60 amp. And then we come out of the amp straight into the P.A. and add that in as well.

for your own benefit, or for the experience

Are your pickup and internal mic signals

Given that you don’t read music, what is your approach for learning new music that’s not your own, like Martin Taylor’s “One Day”?

I listened to him play it a thousand times! And then I work out how I want to play it. I probably spent three or four days every afternoon at soundcheck playing, and then

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You have a pretty loud stage sound, and

that the audience is having?

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

And your setup is still basically the three Matons—two EBG808TEs and one TE1—going through an AER amp?

Yeah. My soundman, Steve Law, does all my effects, reverbs and delays, from the front, and I have a completely dry signal onstage. I’m using the AER Pocket Tools Colourizer preamp for one signal; it goes

blended in the guitar?

Yes. They’re both on 10. The mic and pickup are both flat out—that’s how you get the sound. You can drive a Maton pickup like a Ferrari. You can run it flat out, and it’s as clean as a whistle, and it’s got every frequency you need. And because the mic is

what I do and bring it to the world on a level that’s unprecedented. Now, are you with me?” That’s my approach. I never have thought, “Well, I’m just a solo guitar player. I should just be playing small clubs.”

there as well, when you’re in the audience it feels like your head’s inside my guitar.

of advice can you give other solo performers?

You’re a real entertainer on stage. What kind

But if you want to be onstage in front of people, then you better be an entertainer, and that’s what it’s about. I’m a guitar player first and foremost, but my job is to take you, the audience, out of your ordinary existence and totally make you forget everything and

I’m not interested in that. I love doing workshops and all that kind of stuff, but I’ve never been interested in just appealing to musicians. I’m out there to play for

The first thing is you’ve got to be thinking about the audience. Your audience is your reason for being there, so you don’t want to get too inward when you’re up there, too self-indulgent. But the truth is that underneath it all, I still always play for myself, because I’m hard to please. At the same time, I’ve had so many people say, “I

engage you in an experience that maybe you didn’t expect. If you really connect with the audience in a way that they suddenly realize they’re not thinking of anything else but what’s going on right in front of them right now, that’s what entertainment is all about. So I’m using everything I can to give you a good time. Why do I bang my head on the microphone and play the guitar with

the public and I want to take what I do to a level that’s never been done before. I’m interested in making history. I’m not thinking small at all. I never have been like that. Anybody who works with me, my managers and everyone else, one of the first things I say to them is, “We are here to make history. Let’s find a way of being able to take

 just drove 500 mil es and you didn’t play ‘Classical Gas,’” so there are certain songs that you can’t leave out if you care about people. When I was a kid, my father really drove it into us that when you go onstage, you’re an entertainer. So if you just want to be a musician, then go ahead and play in a  jazz band, or in an orchestra, or whatever.

a brush? Because no one else does, and it’s something maybe you don’t expect. I may go from playing a Beatles song into “Classical Gas” or whatever, and just when you think you’ve heard it all, I’ll do something else. I’m always trying to use that element of surprise to give my audience a great time. That’s really what it’s all about. g

You’re one of a precious few fingerstylists who have managed to break out of playing mostly for other guitarists.

REVIEW

BOUCHER STUDIO GOOSE OM HYBRID TESTED BY ART THOMPSON

acoustic guitars since 2005, and, owing to its location in the Canadian Appalachian mountains and  good fortune of being surrounded by the largest Adirondack spruce

they also offer the higher-end Signature and Revelation series, both of which are available with extensive custom options. The Studio Goose OM Hybrid on review here is an orchestra-sized guitar with a

herringbone purfling around the top and rosette, and a herringbone back stripe. Even the flame-maple wedge at the tail of the guitar is trimmed in herringbone. The black ebony fingerboard wears aba-

forest in North America, is reportedly the only maker using this prized variety of spruce for all of its tops and bracing. The company’s two base models are the Genuine Goose and the Studio Goose, and

body width of 15.187". It features an upgrade to Madagascar rosewood for the back and sides ($2,000 extra), 14 frets clear of the body, and has a cosmetic treatment that consists of natural maple binding,

lone dots, and the 22 narrow-ish frets are expertly finished. The bridge is also black ebony and features a bone saddle and ivory-colored bridge pins with abalone dots. A carefully cut bone nut ($75 extra)

BOUCHER HAS BEEN BUILDING

70

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

routes the strings to a set of gold-plated tuners ($50 extra). The satin-finished neck ($150 extra for gloss) is carved to a svelte C shape that even those with smaller hands should appreciate. The generous string spacing and low action make this guitar easy to play, and the tuneful intonation enhances it all by allowing chords to sound clear in all

the Studio Goose, as you can pick from 13 different tonewoods and four sizes: Dreadnought, 000-12 Fret ($500 extra), S-Jumbo ($100 extra), and OM Hybrid, as tested. Other options are available to further personalize the instrument to suit your tastes and budget, and the end result is a guitar that, even in base trim, offers a lot of value thanks to its high-grade woods

reaches of the fretboard—or at least as far as is reachable with a non-cutaway body. The Studio Goose OMH doesn’t have an overly hyped top-end; rather it delivers a warm, woody, and balanced tone with good bass response and absence of midrange honkiness. It’s a fun guitar for any style, though guitarists seeking more acoustic volume may want to opt for the Dread-

and build quality. g

Studio Goose OM Hybrid CONTACT

guitareboucher.com

MODEL

Studio Goose OM Hybrid

PRICE

$3,499 base; $5,624 as tested

NUT WIDTH

.75"

NECK

Mahogany, 14-fret neck joint

nought version, which doesn’t add anything to the price, yet should be better suited for bluegrass lead playing or anything else that requires more punch. Otherwise, the OMH is a sweet-sounding instrument with a responsive feel and enough sustain to allow you to play your best. At the moderate volume it’s capable of producing, the Studio Goose is also a good candidate for any of the five

FRETBOARD

Ebony, 25 ½" scale

FRETS

20

TUNERS

Gold die-cast

BODY

Solid Madagascar rosewood back and sides, solid

WEIGHT

4.6 lbs

optional pickups systems that Boucher offers (see website for details). You’ll likely also need to add a front strap button if you plan on performing with it. Boucher offers a lot of ways to fly with

BUILT

Canada

KUDOS

Top-notch craftsmanship and materials. Awesome look.

AAAA Adirondack spruce top BRIDGE

Ebony with Tusq pins

ELECTRONICS  

Optional

FACTORY STRINGS Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze Light, .012-.053

Plays and sounds great. CONCERNS

None.

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

71

REVIEW

TRONICALTUNE PLUS TESTED BY MATT BLACKETT

automatic tuning system back in the May 2014 issue and I was—and remain—a huge

into action. It got my acoustic perfectly in tune within seconds. I then navigated to E b tuning, hit the button, strummed the

know how to tune a guitar. On the contrary, it is perfect for those who not only know tuning, but are also fascinated with

fan. The volks at Germany’s Tronical have been active since then, with updated software that is faster and even more accurate, and more and more guitar models supported. Amongst those new models are several acoustic guitars, including my Larrivee OM-3 that you see here. I downloaded the headstock template from tronical.com to make sure the holes would

strings, and TronicalTune dropped everyone down a half-step in no time. Certain tunings took a little longer to get in tune, such as going from standard to open  A or open D, but even the longest times are still way faster than I can do with a tuner. Some tuning changes only take a few seconds and are almost always super accurate. Along the way, I experienced a

various tunings and want to explore them further—with a fast, easy way to do so. Altered tunings are one of the best ways to jumpstart your creativity, but they’re  just enough of a hassle t hat most of us never get to know them. This system removes all those impediments instantly. It’s incredibly inspiring to call up a different tuning and just start playing, with

line up and ordered their Type U system. It arrived in a beautiful Rolex-approved  jewel box and I eagerly set about taking off my stock tuners and installing it. They say on the Tronical site that installation takes 15 minutes. I’m sure a qualified tech could do it in less than that, but it took me about 30 (I am many things, but a qualified tech is not one of them).

couple of glitches, but I was always able to get my tuning sorted out by simply trying again. I created a custom tuning (“The Rain Song” tuning of C , G, D, G, C , D) and stored it in one of the blank slots, and that whole process only took about a minute. Unreal! And the more you use TronicalTune, the easier it all gets. Hitting the buttons to call up various tunings is

an almost child-like “I wonder what happens if I put my fingers here…” approach. And part of the reason players are hesitant to write songs in non-standard tunings is because they don’t want to lug another guitar to the gig to play them. Forget about that! This system is great on electrics, but it will absolutely change your life on an acoustic and you need to

Still, the process was really fast and easy. I attached the strings to the cool locking posts, followed the instructions for “string up” mode, and then hit the button for standard tuning and watched it spring

simple and even changing strings, while a little tricky at fi rst, was no problem by the second set of strings. The thing to keep in mind with Tronical is that it’s not  for people who don’t

check it out. Super impressive! Kudos Powerful creativity booster. Simple to use. Very accurate. Concerns Takes a little getting used to. Contact tronical.com g

I REVIEWED THE TRONICALTUNE

72

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

VINTAGE EXCERPT

74

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

From the original Frets, September 1979

BY JESSE GRESS

UP FOR A CHALLENGE? THE 24 CAPRICES WERE COMPOSED BY THE GREAT VIOLIN VIRTUOSO NICCOLO PAGANINI (1782

– 1840) in the form of etudes, with each number exploring different skill sets and techniques, such as high-velocity arpeggios and scales, double-stopped trills, and extremely fast switching of positions and strings. Arranged for guitar, Caprice No. 2, this month’s featured investigation, spotlights t he latter, and presents a wealth of riches for any guitarist. Classical master Eliot Fisk was the first to transcrib e all 24 Caprices for guitar, but during the ’80s, some of Paganini’s Caprices served as a primary source of inspiration for a new generation of neo-classical shredders spearheaded by Yngwie Malmsteen,  Jason Becker, et al. (Fact: Caprice No. 5 was the basis for part of “Eugene’s Trick Bag” as performed by Steve Vai in the 1986 film, Crossroads.) Learning to play any of Paganini’s Caprices is a huge commitment, but it’s also an investment that will pay off with huge dividends. I guarantee you’ll hear fresh and familiar harmonies and discover new techniques. Just remember, when the going gets tough, keep repeating the following mantra: “I thin k I can, I know I can.”

76

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

 W I   K  I   M E  D I   A  C   O M M  O N  S  /  A L  T  E  R  N A 2 

K  E  I   T  A R   O Y   O  S  H I    O K  A

Eliot Fisk

Yngwie J. Malmsteen

PEDAL-MANIA  Take some time to scrutinize the rhythmic and melodic strategies behind this 34-bar excerpt from Paganini’s Caprice No. 2 (in  B minor), and you’ll discover two key concepts: First, there’s virtually no rhythmic variation throughout—nearly every bar of 6/8 contains all 12 sixteenth-notes— and, second, much of it centers around moving melodies played on the eighthnote downbeats alternating with repeated

pedal tones (i.e., the same note) on the sixteenth-note upbeats. Suggested fret-hand fingering has been thoroughly notated below the TAB staff, and you are encouraged to explore other options, but your pick hand is on its own. (The same goes for your choice of instrument.) Online videos reveal performances of every imaginable way to play the piece, from traditional classical fingerstyle and strict alternate picking, to hybrid pick-and-finger-style

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

77

Lessons PAGANINI Ex. 1a

Ex. 1b

Moderately

Moderately

 86                                 68                        7 T A B

9

Fingering:

3

1

11

4

7

1

10

4

7

1

8

2

7

1

7

1

7

7 9

1

3

7 7

1

1

7 11

1

4

7 9

1

3

7 8

1

2

7 7

9 1

3

7

1

1

1

11 10

T A B

9

Fingering:

3

Ex. 1c

Ex. 1d

Moderately

Moderately

4

4

8

2

7

1

9

7

3

1

11

9

8

9

4

3

2

3

7

1

 68                                       86                       7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

T A B

Fingering:

1

1

1

1

1

1

(my personal preference) and two-hand tapping. All I can say is get ready to stretch! BREAK IT DOWN INTO SMALL BITES Much of this excerpt’s non-stop melodic action is grouped into two- and three-bar phrases, so we’ll begin by isolating the first two bars in Ex. 1a. Note how all of the melodic motion occurs on the downbeats (one, two, three, four, five, six), while every other note is a pedal B played on the and, or upbeats. One of the most efficient ways to digest and assimilate this (or any) phrase is to break down its components and practice them separately before reassembling them. Ex. 1b extracts the B-minor-based melody—a tonic B followed by a jump up to its 7 ( A# ) and a chromatic descent to the b7 and b6 ( A and G), before continuing with more  B harmonic minor scale tones ( F #  and E, the 5 and 4) and crossing over into bar 2 with D, C#  , B, A#  (b3, 2, root, 7), and a final B-to- D (root-to-b3) ascension. Playing the melody on its own clarifies the note positions for improved retention. Begin very slowly and drill the two-bar phrase a few dozen times (with 78

1

1

1

1

1

1

7

7 8

9

Fingering:

1

1

1

1

3

4

4

2

breaks), gradually increasing the tempo as your motor memory sharpens. Now, look at Ex. 1c, which isolates the upbeat B pedal tones. Piece of cake, right? But before you reassemble the two parts, check out Ex. 1d for still another way to look at the phrase. Here, each two-sixteenth grouping is combined and played simultaneously as a harmonic interval. This method illustrates each fingering contortion necessary to play the phrase, hastens the learning curve, and will come in handy as you work through the piece. Once you’ve internalized the first two bars, move on to bars 3 and 4 (Ex. 2a), which outline F #7   , the V-chord in B minor. Ex. 2b shows the isolated melody, which contains an ascending and descending contour similar to Ex, 1b, and suggests  F #   Phrygian Dominant, the fifth mode of B harmonic minor. Commit it to memory via repetition, and then add the pedal A# s from Ex. 2c to both measures. Again, Ex. 2d sums each two-note grouping into a single harmonic interval and helps define the shape of the phrase. There’s your drill. You’ll also want to zone in on the transitions from one phrase to the next, such as beat six of bar 2

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

7 7 11 10

T A B

7 9

7

7

7

7

7

7

9

7

1

1

1

3

7

11

9

8

9

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

4

3

2

3

1

7

into beat one of bar 3. Don’t proceed until you can play all four bars in time, even at a slow tempo, and then repeat the process for every upcoming phrase. OK, we can’t do this with every phrase, so drill-wise, you’re on your own from here on in. Just follow some or all of the same steps as necessary to instill each new phrase slowly and thoroughly into your motor memory as you work your way through Ex. 3, which presents the first 34 bars of the beautiful Caprice No. 2. Let’s pick up where we left off. BARS 5 & 6 It’s back to the B natural minor scale and a high- B pedal for the seventh-position,  D-F #-  B-D-C# -B melody in bar 5. We remain in position for bar 6, but the pedal tone shifts to a high, pinky-fretted  D over the G-based G-B-A-G-F # -G melody. (Tip: G is the bVI chord in the key of B minor, and the IV chord in the relative key of D major.) BARS 7 & 8 Here, the high- D pinky pedal is maintained over both the F #-  B-G-F #-  E# -F # and E# -D-C#  B-G-E #   melodies. (Tip: E# , an enharmonic

Ex. 2a

Ex. 2b

Moderately

Moderately

  68                            86                      6 T A B

6

Fingering:

1

1

8

3

6

1

7

2

6

6 9

1

4

6 7

1

2

6 6

1

1

6 9

1

4

6 8

1

3

6 6

9 1

4

6

1

1

6 7

1

2

6 9

1

4

1

T A B

6

Fingering:

1

8

3

7

2

9

7

6

4

2

1

9

8

9

4

3

4

6

7

9

1

2

4

Ex. 2c

 86                                            Moderately

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

T A B

Fingering:

Ex. 2d

 68                      Moderately

6

6 8

T A B

6

Fingering:

1

1

1

3

6 7

6

6

6

6

6

6

9

7

6

1

1

1

2

4

2

9

8

9

1

1

1

1

4

3

spelling of F , is the #4/ b5 of Bm, as well as the 3 of C# 7, the secondary dominant of F #7  . BAR 9 In this transitional measure, the pedal tone drops a half-step to C#  , and is re-fingered with the third/ring finger to free up the pinky to grab the lone G in this F # 7based, F #-  A# -G-F #-  F #-  F # melody. Note how the three consecutive F #s  create a doublepedal effect. BARS 10 - 12 Bar 10 would be a great time to employ the harmonized interval method a la Examples 1d and 2d. Losing the pedal tone for a half

6

6

6

6

7

9

1

1

1

1

4

1

2

4

bar, we play three broken tenth intervals that could be viewed as partial G, Bm, and  A chords. The high- B pedal reappears in the second half of the measure over a chromatic descending G-F # -E#  melody, which segues directly to the pedal-less melody in bar 11. Here, we play two beats of an arpeggiated F #  chord, followed by four broken intervals—a minor third ( E# -G#  ), a tri-tone ( E-A#  ), a major sixth ( D-B), and a minor tenth ( A# -C# ) that outline C# , F # 7,  Bm, and F #  harmonies, respectively. Raising the last minor-tenth a half-step creates a false cadence/resolution to G in bar 12.  The second half of the measure, for the first time, drops the low-G pedal tones

below the melody and shifts them to the downbeats while the melody occupies the upbeats, a pattern that continues for the next three measures. BARS 13 - 15  The low, downbeat pedal tone drops to F #  starting in bar 13, which features the same motif played twice and sets up another false cadence. The first four notes of each repetition outline F # , while the last two ( G-E# ) depict an enharmonically-spelled partial G7 chord. The ear expects bar 14 to resolve back to B minor, but instead, the F #  chord is extended with a stretch-y, off-beat, ninthposition arpeggio that reaches the 14th

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

79

Lessons PAGANINI Ex. 3

                    86                                     Moderately 1

7

T A B

Fingering:

11

7

10

7

8

7

7

7

9

9

3

1

4

1

4

1

2

1

1

7

1

3

7

7

1

1

7

11

1

4

7

9

1

3

7

8

1

2

7

7

9

1

3

7

1

1

6

6

1

1

8

1

3

6

1

7

2

6

6

9

1

4

6

7

1

2

6

6

1

1

1

                                           4

6 T A B

9 4

6 8

1

3

6 6

9 1

4

6

6 7

6 9

7

7

1

1

2

1

4

7

7

7

10

7 9

1

7

1

1

1

3

7 1

1

10 1

4

9 1

3

1

1

9

10

7 1

3

10

4

2

10 7

4

1

10 10

4

3

10 9

4

2

10 10

4

3

4

                                             7

10 T A B

4

2

10

10

10

10

10

10 7

9

9 2

10 10 4

3

9 4

2

8 4

1

9 4

2

10 6

9

8 4

1

4

1

4

1

10

4

2

10 10

4

3

10 8

4

1

9 8

9 4

2

9

3

1

9 10

3

4

9 9

3

2

9 9

3

2

9 9

3

2

3

                                                  10

T A B

12 10 1

15 14

4

1

14 12

2

1

12 10

4

1

12 9

4

1

8 4

fret! Hang on the F # octave in bar 15, take a deep breath, and then have a well-deserved break, letting rest and sleep do its magic thing before moving on. (That could be an hour, a day, a month, or more.) Just review and stay fresh on everything you’ve programmed so far. Let it all sink in and keep repeating that mantra (“I know I can”), and I’ll see you…whenever! 80

12

1

11

11 11 10

9

9

11

7 7

9 4

1

4

3

3

2

1

1

4

1

9

8 1

9 1

3

BARS 16 & 17  Ah, I see you’re back for part two, feeling completely restored with 15 bars under your belt. By now you’ve come to grips with the complexity of the piece, but those who have been captured by its allure have no choice but to soldier on and resume the drill. Transitioning to the relative major key of D, the phrase in bars 16 and 17 echoes bars 1 and

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

10

1

12 10

3

1

10 10

4

1

12 10

2

1

11 10

4

1

10 10

3

1

2

2 in form and melodic contour, except for the completely descending melody in bar 17. The pedal A (the 5 of D) is back on the upbeats for the downbeat D-G# -G-E# -F # -E and D-A-G-F # -E-D melodies that comprise both measures. BARS 18 & 19 If that wasn’t stretchy enough, check out

                                                                13

T A B

11

11 9 1

9 4

10 10

1 4

2

11 9

3

11

1

9 4

10

11

10

1

4

2

11

9 3

9

1

3

9

1

3

14

14

1

9 4

1

14 9

4

11

5 11

9

1

4

1

5

9

7

5

8

5

6

5

7

5

5

9 3

3

3

1

4

1

4

1

2

1

3

1

1

1

1

                                            17

5 T A B

7

3

5 7

1

3

5 5

1

1

5 9

1

4

5 7

1

3

5 5

1

1

5

9

5

8

5

5 8

5

5

5 7

5 6

5 5

9

9 1

4

1

4

1

4

1

4

1

1

1

3

1

2

1

1

5

1

4

5 7

7 1

3

5

1

3

5 5

1

1

1

                             20

10 T A B

10

(10)

9

10

10

10

7

10

9 7

8

(9)

8

7 10

4

3

(4)

2

4

3

4

1

4

1

4

2

(4)

2

7

7

7 6

9 1

7

1

4

7 1

1

7

(7)

7

5

3

9 1

1

4

3

(4)

3

5

5

5 4

9 1

5

1

4

5 1

1

7 1

2

1

1

4

                                                        23

T A B

5

(5)

5

3

3 7

3

(4)

3

1

4

3 4

1

2

3 7

0 1

8

1

the giant leap that commences this twobar, A7-based phrase. The C# -G# -G-D# -E-D (bar 18) and C# -G-F #-  E-A-G (bar 19) melodies maintain the high- A pedal tones on the upbeats throughout. BARS 20 - 23  Things get a bit trickier in the next four bars, but the good news is you can sustain the first

1

0 3

14

13

14

12

10

9

11 14

13

14

12

11

9

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

4

4

4

1

3

3

3

3

3

2

2

pedal tone in each measure through beat two of each measure, which allows an easier transition between each one-bar phrase. The F #-   A-G# -A-F #-  D melody in bar 20 alternates with five upbeat high- D pedal tones, before the sixth one drops a half-step to C# , making the whole passage a kind of Dmaj7# 11arpeggio. B assumes the pedal role in bar 21, acting first as the 3 of G for three beats, and then the 9

2

2

0 1

3

2

2 1

3 1

5

2

4 1

4 2

7 5

1

4

8 7 4

1

7 2

7 1

1

above three more beats of an A7/C# -based melody.The broken minor-seventh pickup on beat six functions as a partial C# 7 chord. The triple- F #-  to- D-to- B melody played beneath a high- A pedal in bar 22 reeks of D, but actually outlines Bm7. Another broken minor seventh on beat six precedes the G-pedaled A7-based melody in bar 23. (Tip: Use that open- A to buy time for the shift to seventh position.)

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

81

Lessons PAGANINI

                                            continued 

26

T A B

0

14

13

14

12

10

9

11 14

13

14

12

11

9

1

0

0

0

0

0

2 0

4

4

4

4

1

3

3

3

3

3

2

2

2

0 1

3

2

2 1

3

5

2

4 1

1

4

7 5

1

2

4

8 7 4

1

7 2

7 1

10 11 11 0 0 0 3

1

8 9

0

7 7

0

8 9

0

10 11

2

2

1

2

2

3

3

1

3

3

0

                                            29

T A B

12

3

12

12 12

4

3

12 9

4

1

9

10 4

10

12

2

4

1

10 6

4

1

9 7

4

1

10 9

4

1

12 11

3

1

14 12

3

1

10 9

4

1

7 5

3

1

5 4

4

1

7 7

2

4

2

5 4

3

7

2

4

1

5 5

2

4

5 4

4

2

4

                                             32

T A B

14 15

0

12 14

0

10 12

0

9 10

0

7 8

0

10 12

0

0

9 10

0

7 8

0

5 7

3 5

0

0

7

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

3

3

3

2

2

3

3

2

2

3

3

2

BARS 28 – 31  All of the melody notes in the next four bars

9

5 6

2

BARS 24 – 27  The two-bar phrase in bars 24 and 25 begins with a sizeable leap from seventh (on the last beat of bar 23) to eleventh position (on the downbeat of bar 24) preceding the ensuing chromatic and diatonic sixth intervals played over upbeat open- D pedal tones.  This marks the first use of harmonic intervals in the piece. The V-chord tension comes in bar 25’s ascending A7-based diatonic tenths (which suggest A-Bm7-A/C# -D-A7/E) sandwiched around an open- A pedal. (Tip: Transpose the first three chords down a whole step and observe a remarkable similarity to Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird” intro.) And here’s the best news so far: You just learned bars 26 and 27. It’s a BOGO!

82

5 7

have been transposed down an octave to compensate for a few pitches that are beyond the range of a standard fretboard. Originally written as diatonic tenth intervals, bar 28’s F #-  E D-E-F # melody notes (which alternate with upbeat open- D pedal tones) have been re-harmonized in diatonic thirds. The high B and D pedal tones that swap registers with the G-D B-G-B-G#  melody in bar 29 have also been lowered. The last two broken minor-tenth intervals outline G# dim7, and the fingerings converge nicely to the string of melodic tenths that outline A, Bm, C# m, D, C# m, and G triads in bar 30, and the broken D- and A7-based intervals that follow in bar 31. BARS 32 - 34 Finally, wewrap up this investigation by reverting back to the original pitch ranges (with one exception), and momentarily reversing

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

6

4

4

1

7

10

8

7

2

1

9

7

6

3

1

1

5

2

4

the pedal open- Ds to the downbeats against a descending set of six diatonic third intervals played on the upbeats in bar 32. An impossible-to-grab low-G pedal tone in bar 33—which is back on the upbeats alternating with more descending thirds—necessitated its transposition to open-G, which brings out its lovely Lydian IV-chord quality. The second half of the measure continues the descending thirds over an open- A pedal to create a (temporarily) final V7-I ( A7-D) cadence, which culminates in bar 34 with three Ds in three different octaves, each preceded by its lower chromatic neighbor (C# ). You can stop right here on beat four, or tag on the two-beat pickup and repeat the whole deal from the top. Congratulations! You’ve made it through roughly one half of Paganini’s magnificent Caprice No. 2. Now search out the rest of the score (nudge-nudge wiki-wiki) and have at it! g

Lessons

Uptown FunkKirk Fletcher’s Blues Comping Tips BY JUDE GOLD

fanatics love the way Fletcher delivers rich “uptown” blues grips (“I like chords with a lot of information in them,” says Fletcher) with a soulful old-school gospel pocket, and the comments they post are overwhelmingly positive. (No trolls here.) Watch the saucy 12-bar blues shuffle progression in  Bb Fletcher opens with, and you’ll probably find it impossible not to pat your foot along with the Fletcher funk. It seems to have an irresistible bounce. “That bounce came from a combination of playing tons of shows with West Coast  jump-blues artists like Lynwood Slim, who helped me learn the Hollywood Fats style,” says Fletcher, who has a new solo album out called Burning Blues—Live at the Baked  Potato. “I also learned that feel taking lessons from Junior Watson.” Because most of the comments on

IT IS OF TEN SAID THAT GREAT LEAD

guitarists are great rhythm players as well, and many a brilliant player has proven this to be true. Case in point: Kirk Fletcher.  As fans of the Fabul ous Thunder birds,  Joe Bonamassa, the Mannish Boys, Italian superstar Eros Ramozzatti, and other artists who have hired Fletcher over the years are well aware, the Los Angeles guitarist fires off soulful, straight-from-the-heart solos that dazzle on big stages. Yet, like many truly great blues and gospel players, Fletcher also blows people’s minds when he’s playing rhythm guitar.  Just ask the many YouTubers who have watched the video I shot of Fletcher teaching rhythm guitar approaches one afternoon at Musicians Institute. (You’ll find it if you search YouTube for “Kirk Fletcher’s Blues Comping Tips.”) These guitar

this video are along the lines of, “Damn, I wish had a transcription of this,” we have responded accordingly. That’s right, Internet, your wish has been granted. See Ex. 1, where Fletcher’s blues opens with the classic but always satisfying sounding Bb blues turnaround that starts on the second beat of bar 1 (0:11 on the video timer) and features contrapuntal lines moving chromatically on the second and fourth strings. The  Ab13 grip near the end of bar 2 rises chro matically through A13 to land on our first I chord—bar 3’s Bb13. Here at the double barline, letter A indicates the start of the 12-bar form, a traditional I-IV-V blues sequence that employs jazzy III-VI-II-V turnarounds in the last four bars. “Some of this stuff comes from watching Robben Ford’s instructional video, The  Blues and Beyond,” says Fletcher, who was

Ex. 1 = ca. 130

3

Shuffle feel

A

=

A 13 B /A

0:11

E /G G 7

B /F

F7add11

(I)

A13 B 13

1

4 4 4

()

4 4

3

4

3 3 6

T A B

4 3 5

5 3 4

6 3 3

1

8

8

6 6 8 7 8

1 1 1- 2

9

9 10 10 9

10 11 11 10

11 12 12 11

6 X6 X6 7 X

*Th.

6

8 6 8 6 8 6 7

6 6 6

7

6

*Th. = fret 6 w/t humb

    D     L     O     G     E     D     U     J

Bar 1, beat two

84

Bar 3, beat one

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

8 6 8 6 8 6 7

Bar 3, beat two

6

9 10 10 9

10 11 11 10

11 12 12 11

such a fan of Ford, that he even helped tech for the renowned guitarist in his late teens. “It also comes from growing up playing in my father’s church in Inglewood. I started playing there around age nine.” Speaking of cool gospel-inspired guitar parts, let’s head to the IV section, which hits at bar 7. (Note: This is actually taken from Fletcher’s second 12-bar chorus, and, as indicated, occurs 0:43 into the video. But don’t worry—if you learn all the moves in this lesson, you should be able to play nearly everything Fletcher plays in t he video example.)  The general harmony here at bar 7 is  Eb9 (which Fletcher sets up with the E9- Eb9 shift at the end of bar 6), but my favorite part of the entire video begins on beat three of bar 7. Here, Fletcher plays a tasty threepart harmony line on the high strings that navigates down the neck gracefully, goes to two-part in the second half of bar 8, and goes back to three-part in bar 9. When I first heard this phrase, it sounded like it could be a big band line played by saxes, ’bones, and trumpets.

J    O N A T  H A N E  L  L  I    S 

continued 

E9 0:43

(IV) E 9

5 3 3 3

2

3

1

T A B

6 6

X X X

6

6

8 6 8 6 8 6 7

7 6

6 6 6

6

8 6 8 6 8 6 7

7 6

12 11 12 11

1 2

11 10 11 10

11 10 11 10

11 12 12 11 X 13 14 14 13 X 12 13 13 12 X

11 13 12

9 11 10

X X X

8 8 8

8

5 6

6 7

5 6

4 5

Bar 7, beat three, middle of triplet

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

85

Lessons KIRK FLETCHER

“That’s actually more of a steel-guitar thing,” says Fletcher. “I learned lines like that from the steel player in my father’s church.” Fletcher’s next chorus begins at letter B (bar 15) with sparkly Bb9 and Bb9sus4 fingerings every guitarist should know. Add the juicy Bb 7-Eb 9 shapes in Ex. 2 (which Fletcher strums at 0:36) and the intriguing secondary dominant in Ex. 3 (a Bb7# 5 voicing Fletcher uses at 1:02 to set up the next IV section), and you’ve nailed just about

everything Fletcher plays in this blues. But don’t stop there. Keep watching the video and you’ll be rewarded with several other kick-ass blues grooves and techniques courtesy of Mr. Fletcher. In fact, you’ll probably be so impressed you may be inspired to post a comment of your own. But you’ll hard-pressed to express your praise more colorfully than YouTube user Intr1nsic did, who rhymed, “That was cold as a witch’s titty. On a scale of one to ten, I give it about fiddy.” g

Bar 12, beat one

continued 

                                                                                    (I)

(III)

B 7

Dm7

*(VI)

(II)

(V)

Cm9

F7 9

1 2

9

3 3 3

1 1 1

( )

4 3

2

2

3 3 3

T A B

X X X

2 2 2

1 1 1

10 10 10 (10)

10

9 9 9

8 8 8

10 8 8 8

9

8

8

8 8 8 8

8 8 8 8

10 8 8 8

10 11 13

10 11 13

10 10 11 11 13 13

13

13

13 13

11 12 12 11

*implied harmony

                                                                      (I)

(VI)

(II)

(V)

(I)

B 13

G7 5 9

Cm7

F7 5 9

B 9

B

B 9sus4

B 9

13

2

3

2

etc.

11 11 10 9 10

T A B

Ex. 2



B 7 XX



XX

8

Ex. 3



B 7 5 X

VI

XI

2 31 4

9 9 8 7 8

8 8 8

E 9

XI

86

(11) (11) (10) (9) (10)

1 3 24

Th 1 3 4 2

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

(9) (9) (8) (9) (8)

6 3 5 6

(6) (3) (5) (6)

6 4 5 6

6 4 5 6

6 3 5 6

(6) (3) (5) (6)

tone is

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MitchellGuitars.com ©2015 Mitchell Guitars

Lessons

Fretboard RecipesMelodic Recipes Melodic Motifs Pt. 3 BY JESSE GRESS

IF YOU’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE

first two parts of our ongoing exploration of three- and four-note melodic motifs, the drill for this month’s five-note motifs should already be familiar. If not, here’s a quick review. Strong melodies happen by reorganizing scale tones into memorable melodic configurations. Melodic motifs are short patterns of notes whose intervallic structure can be represented numerically numerically and adapted to any given scale or mode. All rules for three- and

four-note melodic motifs also apply to the five-note melodic motifs shown below, where, again, “1” represents the root, “2” represents the 2nd scale degree, “3” the 3rd, and so forth. Also keep in mind that any melodic motif may be attached to any rhythmic motif.  All of the five-note melodic motifs motif s in Ex. 1 are applicable to any seven-note scale. Begin by applying them to major scales, and then try them in various harmonic settings with other scales and modes. The numerical

Ex. 1

88

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

scale degrees in any motif can be sharped or flatted to correspond with a given scale or mode, i.e., “1-2-3-4-5” translates to “1-2b3-4-5” in a minor scale, “1-2-3- #4-#5” in a whole-tone scale, and so forth. You can also make use of any rhythmic motif from the past year or so of Rhythm Workshops to jump-start any five-note melodic motif. We’ve already observed how a three-note motif yields six permutations, and a four-note motif produces twenty-four, but any melodic motif that contains five different notes will

generate a whopping 120 (1x2x3x4x5) permutations, with twenty-four starting on each note. The list below shows all 24 permutations starting on the first note of a 1-2-3-4-5 motif. Follow suit to discover twenty-four starting on each remaining note (2, 3, 4, and 5), and then apply the same process to the remaining motifs to generate huge amounts of melodic options. Choose the motifs that catch your ear (or create your own) and explore their 120 alter egos. That should keep you busy for a while!

1-2-3-4-5 1-2-3-5-4 1-2-4-3-5 1-2-4-5-3 1-2-5-3-4 1-2-5-4-3

1-3-2-4-5 1-3-2-5-4 1-3-4-5-2 1-3-4-2-5 1-3-5-2-4 1-3-5-4-2

1-4-2-3-5 1-4-2-5-3 1-4-3-2-5 1-4-3-5-2 1-4-5-2-3 1-4-5-3-2

1-5-2-3-4 1-5-2-4-3 1-5-3-2-4 1-5-3-4-2 1-5-4-2-3 1-5-4-3-2

(Next: Melodic Sequences.) g  Jesse  Jes se Gr Gres esss is th thee au auth thor or of of The  The Gui Guitar tar Coo Cookb kbook ook::  TheCo Comp mple lete te Gu Guid idee to Rh Rhyt ythm hm,, Me Melo lody dy,, Ha Harrmony, Technique & Improvisati I mprovisation on [Backbeat].

continued 

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

89

Lessons

Rhythm Workshop Odd Meters – Pt. 4 NINE TO THE UNIVERSE BY JESSE GRESS

9/4 OR 9/8 METERS INVOLVE ESTAB-

lishing a pulse of nine quarter- or eighthnotes per measure at a given tempo. Since it is a common practice to notate 9/4 as a bar of 4/4 plus a bar of 5/4, especially at slower and medium tempos, we’ll be focusing on 9/8 rhythms, all of which can be converted to 9/4 by playing t hem at half-tempo. Ex. 1a illustrates a basic 9/8 pulse in a range of moderate to fast tempos. Choose and play any single note or chord, and try tapping your foot on every beat, accenting the downbeat (beat one) on each pass. It’s too fast, right? Now try just tapping the downbeat (beat one) of each measure.  That’s too slow, right? Here’s the dea l. 9/8 is typically subdivided into smaller accented groupings of eighth-notes. Since nine is divisible by three, our first subdivision ( Ex. 1b) groups the nine eighthnotes into “threes” (3x3x3), creating a

Ex. 1a



loping, triplet/shuffle feel. Tap your foot on each accent and think of it as a barand-a-half of 6/8, three quart ers of a bar of 12/8, and/or three eighth-note triplets in a bar of 3/4. Experiment with a variety of tempos until you feel acclimated to the meter, and then apply different notes and c hords. (Tip: Try arpeggiating some of your favorite chord voicings.)  App ly the sam e process to the fol lowing seven examples. Examples 1c  and 1d show another pair of common subdivisions that combine accented five-plus-four-note, and fourplus-five-note groupings. Tap your foot to either set of accents—on the first b eat of each four- and five-note division, and then on the first, third, fifth, sixth, and eighth notes in Ex. 1c, or th e first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth not es in Ex. 1c. Note how in both examples the second set of accents requires tapping your foot

Ex. 1b

on two consecutive eighth-notes when crossing from the last note of the “fives” to the first note of t he “fours.” By further subdividing these “fives” and “fours” into two- and three-note groupings, we arrive at the next four options. Ex. 2a  features a 3+2+2+2 configuration, while Ex. 2b ’s 2+3+2+2 formula shifts the three-note grouping (and the doubled-up foot tap) one slot to the east.  The process continues as we displace the three-note group two more times to produce the 2+2+3+2 and 2+2+2+3 subdivisions in Examples 2c  and 2d. Now, let’s check out some real-world apps. First up is Ex. 3a ’s bluesy, singlenote, root-b7-5 motif, which utilizes the 3+3+3 grouping from Ex. 1b to outline the I- and IV-chords ( A and  D) in the key of A. In Ex. 3b , we flesh out the same riff by using double-stops to cover both chords, embellishing the I-chord with a

Ex. 1c

Ex. 1d

= 230-350

        9    8                   (9x1)

(3+3+3)

(5+4)

(4+5)

or

Ex. 2a



Ex. 2b

or

Ex. 2c

Ex. 2d

= 230-350

                    9   8        90

(3+2+2+2)

(2+3+2+2)

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

(2+2+3+2)

(2+2+2+3)

hammered b3-to-3 (C-to-C# ) played below the 5 ( E), and adjusting the C#  to C to accommodate the IV-chord. Use either figure (or both) to constru ct a complete 12-bar blues progression and jam yourself some serious 9/8 blues. Next, we move into funk/fusion territory utilizing the 4+5 and 2+2+2+3 subdivisions (and foot taps) from Examples 1d and 2d. The one-bar motif in Ex. 4a  features a James Brown-style dottedeighth-to-sixteenth-to-eighth move, followed by three staccato eighth-note hits on beats five, seven, and nine. Apply the chord voicings diagramed in Ex. 4b

to this rhythm at the rate of one chord every two bars, and then tag on a single 12/8 measure utilizing the four descending chords shown in Ex. 4c (played one chord per dotted-eighth-note beat), and you’ll hear a pretty close approximation of the rhythm figure from Jeff Beck’s “Scatterbrain” (from 1975’s Blow by Blow and 1976’s Live with the Jan Hammer Group).  Any discus sion of any odd meter is incomplete without at least one Mahavishnu Orchestra-style reference. The single-note riff in Ex. 5a is similar to “Vital  Transformation,” from 1971’s The Inner  Mo un ti ng Fl am e, and employs the  F # 

pentatonic minor scale in another 4+5 or 2+2+2+3 rhythmic grouping. The repeated ostinato in bar 1 begins with emphasis on two downbeats before getting all syncopated in the middle and ending with a pair of hammered sixteenths on the last two downbeats. Play this figure many times, segue to the descending 3x3x3-grouped dotted-eighths in bars 2 and 3, and dig the transition between subdivisions. Follow up with bars 2 and 3 of this figure repeated a whole-step lower with one slight alteration. (Tip: Listen to the record.) Hold a final second-string/  third-fret E for a few bars, and then add

Ex. 3a



 98                                       = 250-350

A7(I)

D7(IV)

1

3

A7(I)

3

etc.

T A B

7

5

7

7

5

7

7

7

5

5

7

7

7

5

7

7

5

7

7

5

7

7

5

7

7

5

7

Ex. 3b



 98                                         = 250-350

A7(I) 1

D7(IV)

1 2

A7(I)

3

3 3

7 7

T A B

5

5 6

7

7 7

5

5 6

7 7

7

5 6

5

7

7 7

5 5

7 7

7

5 5

7 7

7

5 5

7 7

7

5

5 6

7

7 7

5

5 6

7

7 7

5

5 6

7

Ex. 4a

                  9                         8                

= ca. 272

Ex. 4b

Ex. 4c

B m7 X

D /C

X

VI

X

VI

2

333

D/C

X

X

VII

2

111

E/D

X

X

IX

2

111

Gmaj7

X

X

X

2

111

B /A

X

X

XV

1 32 4

G/F

X

X

XII

2

111

E/D

X

X

IX

2

111

A/B X

X

X

V 2

111

3

421

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

91

Lessons RHYTHM WORKSHOP

the one-bar ascending whole-tone motif depicted in Ex. 5b, noting how the subdivisions have changed to 5+4 (or 3+2+2+2). Follow the notation and repeat the same motif for five ascending whole-steps over the course of five bars. Top this off with a high, oblique, unison F # bend held for one measure to complete a full-circle transition back to Ex. 5a. Finally, we come to perhaps the most famous 9/8 tune of all time: Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo a la Turk” (from 1959’s

landmark Time Out album, which also contained “Take Five.”). The song’s melody, which is often incorrectly assumed to be based on Mozart’s “Rondo alla Turca,” utilizes the now-familiar 2+2+2+3 and 3+3+3 subdivisions. Ex. 6a, with its shifts from three bars of 2+2+2+3 to one bar of 3+3+3, arranges Brubeck’s right-hand piano part for the fretboard, and, as a bonus, the chord grids in Ex. 6b provide appropriate adaptations of his Gershwin-esque lefthand accompaniment.

Keep in mind that any of the basic eighthnote groupings in Examples 1a through 2d can be further subdivided into endless combinations of mixed eighth-notes, dottedeighths, sixteenth-notes, sixteenth-note triplets, etc., or elongated with quarternotes, dotted-quarters, half-notes, and so on. Check out the back catalogs of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Frank Zappa, Gentle Giant, Yes, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Kansas, Dream Theater, and even ’60s TV themes like “The Saint” for more 9/8 action! g

  98                                        Ex. 5a



(F m7)

= ca. 260

N.C.

3

3

2

2

2

1

1

1

3

3 1

1

3

1

1

T A B

4

4 4 2 4

6

2

3

etc.

10

4 2 4

9

9

9

2 4

2

7

7

Ex. 5b



 98                 = ca. 260

1

1

3

1

1

3

*etc.

T A B

4

4

6

6

4

6

6

8

8

6

*continue fig. sim. moving up five more whole steps.

Ex. 6a

1.

2.

                                      9  8          

Fmaj7 F7

= 350

1

F6

Faug

F

Faug

5

6

5

6

5

6

1

2

4

5

6

8

5

6

5

6

Ex. 6b

Fmaj7 X

214

92

F7

F

Faug

F6

2

T A B

XX

F6

F7 XX

F6 X

214

XX

Faug X

21 3

XX

F X

211

XX

X

321

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

5

6

2

1

6

5

4

2

4

8

6

8

1

5

4

8

1

2

1

2

4

5

6

5

6

8

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Gear Change Your Strings! A GUITAR PLAYER  PRODUCT GUIDE ALTHOUGH THEY’RE PROBABLY THE MOST TAKEN-FOR-

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a guitar in Nashville tuning. Throw a set of flatwounds on an elec-

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on your acoustic. It al most doesn’t matter because generally speak-

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if you replace your old strings with the same type and gauge. If you

change your strings today. It’s easy, it’s fun, and i t’s some of the most

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construction methods, you can  really  open up new possibilities. Go

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godinguitars.com

94

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

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96

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

tone is

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Gear TEST DRIVE

John Page ClassicAshburn TESTED BY ART THOMPSON JOHN PAGE HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY

of one of his most popular models—the Ash-

along the way, and it’s easy to get that “nicest

with Fender. He joined the company in 1978 and

burn Custom—and the end result is the Japa-

Strat I’ve ever played” kind of impression from

basically worked his way up to becoming a guitar

nese-made guitar on review here.

the Ashburn. Staggered height tuners make

designer with credits for Bullet, and the Vintage,

The Ashburn begins in classic form with an

string trees unnecessary, which may also con-

Elite, and Performer series. In 1987, Page co-

alder body that draws on the outline of a Strat,

tribute to the easy bending and buttery playing

founded the Fender Custom Shop with guitar

but has a more streamlined look and feels a

feel. The Gotoh 510 vibrato has a silky travel and I

builder Michael Stevens, where he built one-

little more ergonomic. The maple neck mates

found it stayed reliably in tune when doing pretty

off instruments for a who’s-who list of players,

to the body via an offset-pattern 4-bolt joint

aggressive pitch bends with the press-in bar.

including Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Pete Town-

that uses machine screws and threaded inserts

Designed by Page, the Bloodline single-coil

shend, and Cesar Rojas. Page led the Custom

to enhance vibration transfer and eliminate the

pickups feature alnico V magnets and flat-top

Shop for 12 years before taking a post as Execu-

chance of wood screws stripping in their bores.

poles. The middle unit is reverse-wound to pro-

tive Director of the Fender Museum of Music and

The neck’s medium thickness and comfy C shape

vide hum canceling in positio ns 2 and 4, and the

the Arts in Corona, California. He subsequently

is instantly appealing, and maple ’board wears

bridge pickup is wound a little hotter (7.38k )

relocated to southern Oregon in 2003, and turned

22 nicely finished frets that measure .095” wide

and installed in a reverse slant configuration to

his attention to building artistic furniture for a

by .045” tall. The fretboard dots are also shifted

tighten up the lows and mellow out the top-end

time before launching John Page Custom Guitars

to the bass side for greater visibility. Add a con-

response. A 5-way switch provides the usual

in 2006. Page teamed up with HRS Unlimited

toured neck heel for easier access to the high

pickup selections, and the controls are pared

in 2014 in order to produce a production version

positions, as well as very musical intonation all

down to just Volume and Tone, the latter of

98

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

MODEL

ASHBURN CONTACT

johnpageclassic.com

PRICE

$1,499 retail

SPECIFICATIONS NUT WIDTH

1.69", graphite

NECK

Maple, medium C shape

FRETBOARD

Maple, 25.5" scale, 12" radius

FRETS

22 jumbo

TUNERS

Gotoh vintage-style staggered

. BODY

Alder

BRIDGE

Gotoh 510 tremolo

PICKUPS

Bloodline by John Page JP-1 single-coils

CONTROLS

Master Volume and Tone controls, 5-way switch

FACTORY STRINGS

D’Addario, .010-.046

WEIGHT

7.58 lbs

BUILT

Japan

KUDOS

A highly refined take on an S-style guitar that plays and

which has a very musical taper and yields useful,

combo. Through the higher gain channels of a

musical textures throughout its range.

Mesa/Boogie Mark 5:25, the Ashburn’s bridge

sounds above its price. CONCERNS

None.

The pickup selections aptly cover the vari-

pickup made it easy to get badass rock rhythm

ety of tones that make Strats such versatile

and lead tones. Even with lots of sustain , there’s

guitars. The neck pickup has a bold, ringing char-

no questioning the responsiveness to picking

The Ashburn is a well-conceived guitar that

acter and sounds great for clean jazz chording

attack and Volume knob settings, and only slight

makes its case by virtue of a multitude of refine-

or, with some grind applied by Big Joe Texas

attenuation of the Tone control was needed to

ments —some subtle, some fairly dramatic—that

Screamer and Seymour Duncan 805 pedals, a

keep everything sounding creamy. Positions 2

make it inspiring to play and effortless to get great

wailing blues-rock tone that stayed clear and

and 4 provide two flavors of classic Strat-style

sounds from. Essentially a boutique instrument

defined when I rolled down the volume. The

cluckiness, with that balance of chiminess and

that’s priced for working-stiff players, the Ash-

middle position is great for all kinds of rhythm

deep, well-defined lows that make them a blast

burn is a sweet deal and very much worth con-

duties, and it went easily into meaty overdrive

to have as options for changing-up your cleaner

sidering whether you’ re a seasoned Strat player

when pushed through a wicked-up Dr. Z Z-Lux

rhythm and lead tones.

or a newcomer to this time-tested platform. g

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

99

Gear TEST DRIVE

Buzz FeitenGemini Blues Pro Deluxe TESTED BY MICHAEL ROSS MANY PLAYERS SEARCH ENDLESSLY

in the exposed edge “bindi ng.” (Feiten uses AAA

lowering the string tension, creating a slinkier

for the right gear to give them the sound they

flame maple for tops with transparent finishes.)

playing feel, and reducing the chance of string

seek—Buzz Feiten creates it. Whether it’s speaker

The Blues Pro Deluxe’s medium-carve,

breakage. Combined with the low-action fac-

cabinets, a tuning system to meet his own

C-shaped neck is designed to be more accom-

tory setup, funk rhythms were a blast to play, but

demanding specs, or now a full line of guitars,

modating to a wider range of players than the

there was a tendency for notes to choke off a

this highly accomplished guitarist has always

chunkier necks found on earlier Feitens. And while

bit when I aggressively picked clean single-note

invented the musical tools he felt were miss-

the scale length remains a Fender-style 25.5",

lines. This was not due to any inconsistencies in

ing from the marketplace. Feiten’s latest guitar

the .010-gauge strings actually feel more like

the otherwise perfect fretwork, but rather from

model is the Gemini Blues Pro Deluxe, a modi-

.009s. Reason? According to sales manager Joe

the physics of the shallower string angle. I found

fied T-type that lives up to the “Deluxe” moniker

Carletta, this is because Feiten uses a top-load

that raising the action slightly accommodated

by featuring a beautiful black finish (including

bridge as opposed the string-through-the-body

my style of lead playing better, but whether

matching headstock), a flame-maple fretboard,

type usually found on a Tele, which decreases

with lower or higher action, strummed chords

and a flame-maple top, some of which i s visible

string angle across the saddles; effectively

and arpeggios showed no lack of sustain—the

100

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

MODEL

GEMINI BLUES PRO DELUXE CONTACT

buzzfeitenguitars.com

PRICE

$2,850 street

SPECIFICATIONS NUT WIDTH

1.7"

NECK

Two-piece, quarter sawn northern maple. Medium “C” carve.

FRETBOARD

Maple, 25.5" scale

FRETS

Dunlop 6100 jumbo nickel steel

. TUNERS BODY

Feiten Precision die-cast 15:1 Alder back, maple top. AAA flame maple for see-thru finishes

BRIDGE

Custom designed, top-loading with proprietary, Feiten designed machined-brass saddles

PICKUPS

Feiten designed BF109 humbuckers (manufactured by G&B

Feiten rang beautifully and sounded as perfectly

bridge pickup’s coils in parallel. It all adds up to

pickups exclusively for Buzz

in tune as you would expect.

making the Blues Pro Deluxe an excellent choice

Feiten Guitars) Volume, Tone, 3-way toggle,

The maple top and neck, combined with th e

for rock, funk, country, and just about anything

lower-wind proprietary humbuckers, hel ped the

else that needs a guitar that has T-style char-

mini switch for switching bridge

tones remain clear and detailed, even with heavy

acter and   the girthy wallop of humbuckers.

pickup from series to parallel

CONTROLS

distortion applied by Keeley Katana and True-

Any fan of Feiten’s guitar playing will instantly

FACTORY STRINGS

D’Addario, .010-.046

tone Jekyll & Hyde pedals. Running into Fender

understand the design choices on the Gemini

WEIGHT

6.5 lbs

Blues Junior or Little Walter 50-watt amplifi-

Blues Pro Deluxe; playing this guitar was the clos-

BUILT

USA

ers, the Blues Pro Deluxe proved a very versati le

est I have gotten to his funky, jazzed-up sound in

KUDOS

High quality construction.

guitar, and part of this is due to a Series/Parallel

decades of trying. But, even if you only know him

Articulate sound. Excellent

switch for the bridge pickup, which provides five

as the man who helped guitarists sound more in

playability. Versatile.

useful pickup combinations and allows you to

tune, you’ll appreciate the charms of this beau-

tap into a brighter, Tele-like response with the

tifully made, great-sounding instrument. g

CONCERNS

None.

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

101

Gear TEST DRIVE

XITSX10 TESTED BY DAVE HUNTER WITHOUT COMING CLOSE TO COPYING

tastefully modernist logo plate, a Bespoke-made

playing the guitar for several years. Now back

anything from the golden-age British amp

leather handle, and a back-painted plexi control

in fine fettle, Koski has redesigned the X10 for a

makers, Michael Koski of XITS Sound has abso-

panel. If you’re a sucker for style, you’ll just want

more refined frequency spectrum, tighter lows,

lutely nailed the aesthetic of the early ’60s in

this thing without even hearing it!

and improved clarity. Componentry and work-

his new rendition of the X10. You’d be forgiven

After founding XITS in the mid 2000s (pro-

manship remain impressive: A look inside the

for thinking at first glance—or second—that this

nounced “exits,” and inspired by the letters on

welded 1/8”-aluminum chassis reveals a blue

sweetie of a 17-watt, 1x12 combo was some long

the back of Paul Weller’s Rickenbacker), Koski

hand-wired circuit board with top-notch com-

forgotten design from Dick Denny’s workbench

released his original X10 combo in a quest to

ponents that include custom Mercury Magnet-

circa 1960, and its quality and construction bears

achievethe ultimatesweet-crunchy-janglyEL84-

ics transformers, and a Celestion Alnico Blue to

out that impression too. Ultra compact at just 17"

based tone. Demand was high, and XITS quickly

take it to the masses. Out front, the interface is

x 17" x 10.5", the unit features cabinetry made

became back-ordered—at which point Koski

enticingly simple: Volume 1 for gain, Bass and

from 1/2" Baltic birch ply covered in custom gray

sustained a tragic hand injury that impeded his

Treble, a Sparkle switch for upper mids/highs

linen-pattern vinyl, all-wool “dot” grillecloth with

building efforts and even prevented him from

emphasis, and Volume 2 for master.

102

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

I found the X10 dug the single-coils in a

these low-wind humbuckers induced some

Fano SP6 and a Danocaster S-style the most,

fizzy sizzle in the highs and slightly flatulent

and issued chime and sparkle aplenty, which

lows from the 15-watt Alnico Blue in this small-

I occasionally tamped down slightly via the

ish cab. It’s par for the course for AC15-style

guitars’ tone controls. As such, with the X10’s

amps and kinda fun in itself if you’re chas-

volume set to edgy cleans, there was superb

ing edge-of-freak-out tones, but not entirely

clarity and harmonic shimmer for outstand-

working for thumping classic rock. Switching

ing Vox-like chord jangle and juicy single-note

to single-coil guitars at these levels put the

runs. A Gibson 1959 Les Paul Reissue beefed

X10 back in its wheelhouse, and nailed that

it all up considerably for cool ’60s rock ’n’ roll

rich, dynamic, harmonically-saturated lead

tones, with a snarly, garage-y splendor and

tone that Koski was shooting for in the first

excellent touch sensitivi ty. With Volume 1 rolled

place. Tons of fun, elegantly achieved, and

up past noon and Volume 2 near max, even

timeless sounding. g

MODEL

X10 CONTACT

xits-sound.com

PRICE

$3,183 street

SPECIFICATIONS CHANNELS

1

CONTROLS

Volume 1, Bass, Treble, Volume 2 (master), Sparkle switch

.

POWER

17 watts

TUBES

Three 12AX7 preamp tubes, two EL84 output tubes (solid-state rectification)

EXTRAS

Three-way power/standby switch, dual speaker outs with 8 ohm/16 ohm switch.

SPEAKER

12" Celestion Alnico Blue, 16

WEIGHT

40 lbs

BUILT

USA

KUDOS

A timelessly classy design with truly lustworthy aesthetics. Great internal build quality. Juicy, dynamic tone with lots of EL84 chime.

CONCERNS

The overall sound would benefit from a larger cab. Very expensive.

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

103

Gear TEST DRIVE

MODEL

WOOLY COATS SPANKY CONTACT

3rdpower.com

PRICE

$1,750 street as reviewed; reverb and tremolo optional @ $200 each. Base model with 10” speaker $1,650 street

SPECIFICATIONS

3rd Power Wooly Coats Spanky

CHANNELS

1

CONTROLS

Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass

POWER

20 watts

TUBES

Two 12AX7, two 6V6 output

. EXTRAS

tubes, 5U4 rectifier tube Dual speaker outs with 4/8  selector

SPEAKER

One 12" Celestion G12M Greenback (Currently shipping with an Eminence George

TESTED BY DAVE HUNTER

Alessandro 12) WEIGHT

32 lbs

JAMIE SCOTT WAS A GUITARIST WITH

facilities in Nashville, Tennessee. One of sev-

BUILT

USA

major-label bands in the ’80s and ’90s before

eral new models that were unveiled at the 2015

KUDOS

Excellent build quality in a

moving into music electronics, where he spear-

Winter NAMM show, the Wooly Coats Spanky is

great-sounding and stylishly

headed digital guitar-wireless products at Xwire

a Fender Princeton-inspired package that estab-

retro grab ’n’ go club amp that

and X2 Digital. His founding of 3rd Power in 2010

lishes a simple and firm foundation upon which

somewhat expands the hori-

brought him back to his core love of guitar tone,

the customer can build features as required. Add

and the company’s success since then has led

reverb to this base model for $200, add tremolo

not only to the cleverly updated MkII series for

for $200, or go smaller with the 1x10 combo for

2015, but to a recent expansion into larger new

$1,650. It delivers 20 watts from a pair of 6V6s

104

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

zons of mid-’60s voicings. CONCERNS

A little pricey by the time you add reverb and tremolo.

Gear 3RD POWER

with a 5U4 rectifier, and the traditional circa-’65 preamp is expanded with a Midrange control in addition to Bass and Treble knobs, which enables you to sweep the voice from meaty tweed to scooped and snappy blackface. In addition, the standard small-amp phase inverter circuit—an ingredient partly responsible for the Princeton’s characteristic early breakup—has been upgraded to a big-amp-style long-tailed pair PI, which delivers more headroom and a broader, fuller frequency response. The openback cab houses a Celestion G12M Greenback, and the quality of construction and componentry inside the chassis is on par with that of the

amount of headroom. With the Volume between 9

vintage amp past its limits” vein. At these levels

British Dream MkII.

and 11 o’clock, I enjoyed everything from easy jazz

the Tele screamed plenty too, although it all held

With my Telecaster, the Wooly Coats Spanky

runs to smoky blues, all with a broadly scul ptable

together more tightly for a sound that would be

exuded small- to medium-sized blackface tones

EQ range. Pushed up to around 3 o’clock, the Les

right at home in a Delta juke joint or a Bakersfield

with a quacky top end and tight, springy lows.

Paul elicited some serious crunch, and the Green-

honky-tonk. Like the blackface amps that inspired

The Mid control definitely helped to wind up the

back 12 did start to lose its low-end cool a little

it, the Spanky is arguably somewhat limited of

grind when I wanted things to snarl a little more,

when hit with aggressive power chords or wailing

range—the bells and whistles just aren’t there—

revealing an amp with some 5E3-l ike bite and tex-

leads (note that 3rd Power is now using an Emi-

but it does what it does very well, and is a handy

ture, but more body and clarity overall. Even with

nence George Alessandro 12 in this model). But

package for any gig that needs soulful, ’60s-style

the Les Paul, this combo retained an impressive

that in itself proved a cool tone in the “pushing a

tube tone. g

106

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

  M   O   C  .   S   U   S   S   O   B   v   o   d   n   i   h   S   o   t   s   i   r   H   :   o   t   o   h   P

  S   O   R   P   E   H   T   E   K   I   L   Y   A   L   P   N   W   O   E   I   W  .  N   T   U  O   G  D   L  N   O  T   S  N   A   V   U  R   E  U   R  O   G  B

Gear STOMPBOX FEVER

7 Sensational Signal Shapers IT APPEARS TO BE A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR PEDAL ZEALOTS.

65 AMPS COLOUR BENDER

Heck, we just reviewed more than 120 stompboxes in our annual Pedal-

As one of my prized possessions is a Mick Ronson Signature Tone Bender

mania issue (June 2015) , and new releases just keep on coming. The latest

(apparently worth $640 today if the web is to be believed), I was intrigued

goodies include 65 Amps interpretation of classic fuzz boxes, Rupert

to see how 65 Amps voiced their version of the classic, mid-’60s Sola

Neve’s collaboration with Bogner, a big ol’ tube echo from Crucial Audio,

Sound Tone Bender MKII. The Colour Bender ($295 street) uses three

and a Binson Echorec revamp by Italy’s Gurus.

germanium transistors like the original, and while my era-appropriate

108

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Ronson remake offers Level and Attack controls, the new Bender adds a Hi/Lo gain switch, a Voice switch (normal and mid boost), and a truly bulletproof chassis. Like the Tone Benders of yore, the Colour Bender’s fuzz sound is to die for—dynamic (especially to adjustments of your guitar’s volume knob), articulate, full of spit and grit, and as aggressive as a cornered and starving panther. The modern features simply give you more options for a tone that’s already awesome. Experimenting with the two switches and a couple of different guitars, you can leave Ziggy Stardust behind and dial in caterwauling sustain, dying-battery fizz, nu-metal-like saturation, and a bunch of sonic stops in between. The Colour Bender is one of those products that proves vintage gear can definitely be improved upon without sacrificing a millimeter of vibe or attitude. — M I C H A E L

MOLENDA

Kudos Ronson roar. Versatile. Tough. Concerns None. Contact 65amps.com

65 AMPS COLOUR FACE Featuring build quality that could survive a nuclear

Bogner and the sophi sticated Mr. Neve couldn’t

faceplate) reminds me of my beloved Focus-

strike, handsome styling, and awesome sound,

resist enclosing this true-bypass buzz box in a

rite Red 3 Compressor that was so transpar-

the Colour Face ($275 street) is a more civilized

weighty, high-end recording-studio-quality case

ent I could squash the bloody hell out of a vocal

germanium fuzz pedal than I expected. It always

and incorporating one of his excellent transform-

and it would sit right in the mix, but sound clear

felt well behaved, even when I dialed in extreme

ers (for an extra $50, you can even upgrade your

and dimensional—no murkiness, pumping and

settings. Based on the Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face,

Burnley to a bubinga faceplate—see the Wessex

breathing, or other artifacts. This puppy deliv-

it sports controls for Level, Fuzz, and a Stock/

photo on p. 110). Not surprisingly, while the Burn-

ers near the same audio quality. I can crank the

Mod switch, which changes the character of the

ley’s distortion is appropriately crunchy and sat-

Harlow’s Level to get my solos over a band mi x,

distortion. The Colour Face responds astound-

urated, it also sounds like a distortion tone that

and then dial in the Bloom (compression) until

ingly well to picking dynamics. My favorite set-

has already been mastered. It has an alive and

every note stands out with stout authority, but

ting was with the toggle switch set to Stock,

edgy quality that jumps out of the mix without

still sounds articulate, punchy, and fabulously in-

Level at 1 o’clock, and Fuzz at roughly 4 o’clock.

being primitive—as if the timbre was compressed,

your-face. There’s no “catch” where some pedal

By manipulating my guitar’s Volume and Tone

EQ’d, worried over, and refined to belligerent per-

compressors grab your pick attacks, or produce

controls, this setup gave me everything from a

fection. And, beyond of all that sonic wonder, I

pops, or cause yo-yoing volume levels, or do any-

’60s sizzle to raunchy ’90s Grunge, to blister-

still have to giggle with pride when I look down at

thing that compromises your preferred tone. The

ing single notes that sustained for ages. Pleas-

my pedalboard and see Rupert Neve’s signature

Harlow is simultaneously feral, sophi sticated,

ant surprises include a logo that lights up when

etched on a stompbox. Wow.  — M I C H A E L M O L E N D A

high-tech, and awesome. — M I C H A E L

the pedal is engaged and near noise-free oper-

Kudos A marvelous distortion in formal wear.

Kudos Killer boost. One-knob compressor.

ation. —

MOLENDA

LED tracks your picking dynamics. Exquisite

LED tracks your picking dynamics. Exquisite

Kudos Tough. Versatile.

construction.

construction.

Concerns None.

Concerns None.

Concerns None.

Contact 65amps.com

Contact bogneramplification.com

Contact bogneramplification.com

BOGNER BURNLEY

BOGNER HARLOW

BOGNER WESSEX

It appears that studio genius Rupert Neve may

How do you make the common boost pedal

Bogner obviously makes some great amps,

be getting back at all those ’60s guitarists who

sexier than the common boost pedal? Add a

and the marriage of the company’s amplifier-

viciously overdrove his superb recording-con-

transparent compressor with a single control.

voicing skills with a Rupert Neve transformer

sole preamps to craft their dirty, gritty distor-

Genius. Bogner’s analog, true-bypass booster

makes the Wessex ($229 street; $279 for bub-

tion sounds. And what better payback than

brings Rupert Neve’s studio-design chops to a

inga faceplate) one hell of a natural, organic,

to partner with Bogner to produce a distortion

relatively simple effect with tremendous results.

and transparent overdrive. The Wessex appears

pedal like the Burnley ($229 street)? Of course,

In fact, the Harlow ($229 street; $279 for bubinga

to “collaborate” with your favorite amp, giving

SAM HAUN

SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

109

Gear STOMPBOX FEVER

and it can only be powered with the included

G U R U S E C H O S E X 2º

16VAC power supply. The USA-made pedal cuts

Stuffed full of tubes, with a motor driving a spin-

a charmingly old-school look, with chicken-head

ning magnetic-recording disc, the Italian-made

knobs, boutique-like artwork, medium-sized

Binson Echorec was a secret weapon of Euro-

it more drive, bite, and crunch without hijack-

status LEDs, and Hi and Low input jacks. Inside,

pean crooners of the late ’50s and early ’60s,

ing the tone. It still sounds like your amp—there

you get bucket-brigade analog circuitry, and a

and later of Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett and David

just seems to be more of its inherent, kick-ass

high-voltage, low-noise vacuum tube preamp

Gilmour. Though it suffered the pitfalls of most

goodness. What you don’t get is something that

utilizing a pair of 12AX7s—an exciting prospect

vintage electro-mechanical devices, a good

sounds like your amp with a tone-sucking pedal

for players who crave vintage echo. And the

original one is ungodly expensive today. Enter

in the signal chain. Of course, if youwant to mess

Nugget does not disappoint. There’s 100ms

Gurus of Italy, which has undertaken the chal-

around with your sound, the Wessex provides

up to 500ms of delay time on tap, with con-

lenge of making “that sound” available again in

Bass and Treble controls, and an “enhanced”

trol over Time, Repeats, and Mix for the Analog

a rugged, portable package dubbed the Echosex

mode that widens the frequency range with

Delay section, and Output and Tone knobs for

2º ($399 street; note that a run of 500 “guitar

slightly jacked-up lows and highs. In fact, by

the Output Level preamp. In fact, the preamp

optimized” units celebrating Gurus’ 20th anni-

turning down the Gain , you can even deploy the

section can be run independent of the delay,

versary are also available).

Wessex as a mostly clean, colored boost. If your

if you simply want to hit the front end of your

This all-analog delay is built into a sturdy

tastes groove to classic rock and blues—and you

amp harder, or pump up the volume for a solo.

folded-steel housing with a nifty etched plexi-

prefer plugging straight into an amp, rather than

The delays are gorgeous. Warm, clear, and with

glas top, and with a l ittle window revealing the

using a lot of pedals—the Wessex could be just

just enough sweet buzziness to showcase the

12AX7 tube drive stage, backlit in green like

the thing to add a little stank to your rig with-

vintage-like, analog sonics. An LED pulses to

the “magic eye” on an Echorec. Delay comes

out getting too pungent. — M I C H A E L

the timing you’ve dialed in, and there’s no tap

courtesy of a PT2399 processor—no moving

Kudos Organic, tube-amp-like grit. LED tracks

tempo option, so you’re definitely in the world

parts here—and Gurus has gone a long way

your picking dynamics ( Note: Controls should

of old school—especially as the Echo-Nugget

toward providing functions to emulate the

be set higher than the other Bogner pedals to

should be warmed up for ten minutes before

original Echorec experience. Controls include

start the LED flashing). Exquisite construction.

you start using it in order to get the best sound.

Volume Echo (intensity), Echo (delay time),

Concerns None.

If you settle for nothing less than exceptional

Bass-Treble, Length of Swell (repeats), and

Contact bogneramplification.com

manufacturing and audio quality, this extraor-

something dubbed “Age of Damage”—a clever

dinary gold box is well worth the pedalboard

function that emulates the level of “mechan-

CRUCIAL AUDIO ECHO-NUGGET

real estate you’ll sacrifice to make it a part of

ical” wear, resulting in increased modulation

Wow. The Echo-Nugget ($599 direct) is one

your rig. — J O Y C E

as you wind it up. The delay range runs from

hefty pedal. The 3lb, extruded-aluminum chas-

Kudos Superb sound. High-qual ity. Tough.

60ms to 660ms, roughly twice the longest

sis is absolutely designed to be tour tough, but

Standalone preamp.

echo of the original Echorec, and there are

the cigar-box-sized enclosure will also devour

Concerns Pricey. Big.

dip switches that affect Input and Output

a hefty chunk of space on your pedalboard,

Contact crucialaudio.com

levels for different rig configurations, plus

110

MOLENDA

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

KUO

Gear STOMPBOX FEVER

bypass, so the circuit always juices your tone in a fat, rich way that was also characteristic of the original Binson, which a lot of players will dig. Rather than ranting about “Gilmour lead tones” and “Edge-like repeats,” let me just say this thing sounds superb. The echoes are lush and warm. The slapbacks I dialed in for rockabilly riffing could have come from any of several tape echoes I used to own. Longer atmospheric delays with some Age of Damage warble added texture and dimensionali ty. You don’t get multiple head options, and I haven’t played an original Echorec for at least a dozen years, but this unit really impressed me. Short of paying $3kplus for the real thing—and hoping it survives to the next gig—the Echosex 2 º is a fab way to bring back that sweet vintage analog echo tone. —DAVE HUNTER

Kudos Sturdy design. Lush analog echoes. Versatile. Tube-conditioned bypass tone. Delay Stop/Decay capabilities. The unit requires

both a tweed Fender Deluxe and a Marshall

Concerns None.

an external 9–12VDC supply (not included).

JTM45, and in the loop of a Fryette Power Sta-

Contact gurusamps.it; 703-919-0194 (U.S.

tion driven by the latter. The pedal is not true

dealer) g

I tested the Echosex 2 º  in the front end of

112

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Gear QUICK HISTORIES OF THE ROOTS OF GUITAR LUST

The 1965 Supro Model 24 Combo BY DAVE HUNTER IF THERE’S ONE AMP THAT BEARS testament to the fact that what goes down on the concert stage is often much different than the alchemy brewed up behind the magician’s curtain of the recording studio, it’s the mid-’60s Model 24, made for Supro by the Valco company

This amp’s true glories take place on the

at first glance, but they function very differently

of Chicago. While the albums Led Zeppelin I & II

inside, but before diving in let’s pause a moment

and contribute to a different-sounding amp as a

had rockers around the world saving their pen-

to appreciate the exterior: the original Trinidad

result. These deceptively stout tubes are capa-

nies to purchase Marshall stacks and Les Pauls,

Blue vinyl is the stuff you really want to see on

ble of taking much higher voltages than EL84s,

Jimmy Page was laying down a hefty chunk of

this model, and the silver pinstripe grille takes it

and remain far firmer and punchi er at higher vol-

that fat, crunchy guitar tone with a Telecaster

all over the top. Add the silver control panel and

umes, too. They also succumb to less sag and

through a little 20-watt Supro Model 24 1x12

it’s a sweet look for a deceptively fierce performer,

compression than the more common EL84, and

combo much like this one. Yeah, there’s been

but that’s part of the fun.

boast a thicker midrange and a somewhat darker

a lot of speculation over the years about which

Remove the upper back panel and the chas-

tonality overall. Good new-old-stock 6973s are

Supro he used, but most reliable accounts point

sis interior reveals the rat’s-nest wiring famil-

getting hard to find, which is one of the pitfalls of

to this model—or similar—being the most likely

iar to any player who has probed half a dozen

contemporary Model 24 ownership, but Electro-

contender. But if you remain skeptical, you likely

B-list amps, with a boatload of round ceramic-

Harmonix makes a usable new replacement. Add

haven’t plugged into one of these before: Crank

disc tone capacitors where you’d normally see

Supro’s deep, swampy bias-modulated tremolo,

the volume beyond noon and lay into it, and this

costlier, name-brand axial caps in Fender, Vox,

and you’re in tone heaven. g

deceptively pretty blue box issues a guttural growl

or Marshall amps. But these circuits were plenty

that remains punchy and tight however hard you

clever, too, and actually very well constructed for

hit it, with a thick, meaty overdrive that stands

their price point. The preamp stages in the Model

proud in the heaviest mix. The extra cool factor in

24, with a Volume and Tone control for each of

all this is that the Supro 24 tone, while dynamic

two channels, is different from any other popu-

and exciting, won’t be mistaken for anything else.

lar circuit of the day, so add that to the compo-

It’s not “a mini Marshall” or “a poor-man’s tweed

nent choices (budget grade, but characterful

Deluxe;” it is entirely its own beast, with a unique

as a result) and you’re headed toward an amp

   

character that helps it grab the listener’s atten-

with its own standout voice. Run all of that into

     

tion, all thanks in no small part to the fact that

the Model 24’s output stage and you’re brew-

the Model 24 is put together like no other pop-

ing something utterly individual. With their tall,

ular vintage amp of the era, other than a hand-

narrow glass envelopes and 9-pin bases the

ful of other Valco creations.

amp’s 6973 output tubes might look like EL84s

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ESSENTIAL

INGREDIENTS

     

around 20 watts    

with no negative feedback

.

   

ceramic-disc capacitors      

pinstripe grille cloth

Gear ACCESSORY FILE

FIRST LOOK!

Tempo AnyCase Tracking Device BY MICHAEL MOLENDA IT’S ONE OF A GUITARIST’S BLOOD-

the instant your guitar case is moved. You can

a thief: [1] removes your guitar from its case or

curdling fears that his or her instrument may

therefore confront a potential thief before the

gig bag before taking off with it, [2] your guitar

someday go “poof” like the errant wife in Gone

instrument leaves your location, or at least know

is onstage on a stand and out of the case, or

Girl—only, in this real-world scenario, it’s unlikely

if a soundperson, band member, or someone

[3] the kidnapper reads Guitar Player   and is

your guitar will mysteriously return like the film’s

on the stage crew innocently moves your guitar

now aware that the AnyCase device exists, and

protagonist. Yikes. And it doesn’t seem to matter

from where you last saw it. The other nifty trick

looks for it before snatching your instrument.

how hard you try to keep your prized guitar in

is a Geofence Alert that you can set up with

sight. Some thieves are like speedy and invis-

boundaries around your street,

sibly keep your valuable guitar

ible Ninjas—which is why thefts are reported

neighborhood, concert venue,

safe from most theft calami-

by everyone from big stars with security teams

or other area that lets you know

ties seems extremely reason-

to club musicians sleeping next to their guitar

when your guitar crosses the vir-

able. Using an AnyCase may

cases. Give an unscrupulous type but an instant,

tual barrier. It’s a great feature

also make your insurance car-

and, if you’re unlucky, you can call your guitar

if your guitar is kept in a stor-

rier happy—assuming you do

“departed.”

age space, or somewhere else

insure your instruments, that

Tempo’s AnyCase Tracking Device ($295

that you’re not. Tempo says that

is—which might help with your

direct) can’t transform a world of thieves into

more features will be added as

rates (I haven’t checked this

an oasis of angels, but it can keep an eye on

time goes on.

out, but other devices—such as

Those quibbles aside, spending $295 to pos-

your guitar’s travels if it leaves your side in the

I downloaded the mobile

those on automobiles—some-

company of a very bad person. Utilizing a small,

app for Android, and all the fea-

times reduce insurance fees,

non-descript GPS tracking device—as well as

tures are clear, simple, and easy

depending on the company.) If

the Tempo Tracking Portal for computers and

to use. I didn’t send my Collings

you’re as paranoid about losing

smartphones—you can monitor your guitar’s

290 to Paris from San Francisco

your creative partner as I am—

location anywhere in the world.

to test the global reach of the

and I just couldn’t handle my

The tracking “bug” can fit into a guitar case

GPS tracker, but it did an excel-

Monkee-red Collings 290 ever

or guitar bag, and, as you can see, nothing about

lent, and mostly glitch-free job

its construction telegraphs the fact that it’s an

(I had just a couple of crashes while first using

the AnyCase as a trusted sentinel.

anti-theft device. Even better, you can currently

the app) while puttering around the Bay Area.

Kudos Super easy to use. Constant monitoring

set two alerts that will notify your cellphone the

The only downsides to the Any Case have to

moment something is amiss. One is a Motion

do with the shrewdness of the criminal mind.

Concerns Savvy thieves might toss the device.

Alert that sends you a text message or email

For example, the tracker won’t help you at all if

Contact tempocases.com g

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going MIA—then I’d consider

via smartphone. Global reach.

Gear RECORDING TOOLS

AEA Nuvo Series N8 and N22 BY BUDDY SALEMAN

definitely records acoustic guitar with an organic sparkle—as if the performance was in a hushed coffee joint—and vocals are reproduced with clarity without being overly aggressive in the mids.

IF YOU’RE A RECORDING NERD AS MUCH

2-610, an API 3124, a Digidesign Mic Pre 8, and

GO FOR TWO

as you are a guitar-gear geek, then it’s big news

a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40. Test tracks were

Blending the “room” personality of the N8

that AEA offers affordable ribbon micro-

piano,6-and12-stringacousticguitars,solo

with the articulation of the N22 produces

phones based on the classic 1930s RCA 44.

female vocals, and a male a cappella group.

Far from costing multi-thousands for a vin-

truly delectable results. The vocals were captured in a modified X/Y configuration, and they sounded

tage ribbon, the N8 ($1,098 street) and N22

N8

deep and dimensional. Subtleties in vocal phrasing

($899 street) are within striking distance

Although the N8 (pictured left) is designed

are clearly audible amidst the textures, and room

of most home-studio budgets. In addition,

more as a room mic, it sounds very smooth

reflections are captured with enough subtlety to

these evolutions of the classic ribbon design

on vocals and guitars when using close-mic

add ambience while diminishing annoying flut-

are crafted by AEA co-founder Wes Dooley,

positions. You get clarity without any ha rsh-

ter echoes or other glitches. The acoustic piano

who started servicing RCA 44s after RCA

ness or stridency, and the warm, relaxed

and acoustic guitars were glorious—every sound

closed its microphone division in 1976. In

tone presents every instrument it records

had impact, shimmer, and girth. This is perhaps

other words, the dude knows what he is doing.

in glorious detail.

the best “dynamic duo” since Batman and Robin. Kudos Beautifully organic sounds with

TEST ARENA

N 22

The varied signal paths for the N8 and N22

The N22 (above right) was maximized in price

Concerns None.

included a Manley VoxBox, a Universal Audio

and performance for singer/songwriters. It

Contact wesdooley.com g

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G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

dimension and clarity.

EXTRA LESSONS MORE GEAR ENHANCED SEARCHING AWESOME VIDEOS ONLINE STORE EXCLUSIVE BLOGS REVIEWS AND MORE

®

GettSmart Ge Craig Anderton on Technology Make a “Sparkler” Sound Enhancer LET’S ENHANCE YOUR DRY

electric and acoustic guitar tracks by constructing what I like to call “The Sparkler”— a sophisticated audio “brightener” that adds definition without treble equalization. Here’s how… BASIC SETUP  Th e Sp Spar ar kl kler er ne needs eds to be a  parallel  paral lel effect.  effect. Tracktion and Studio One Pro V3 allow parallel effects routing within a channel. Although several amp sims can do parallel internal routings, only Guitar Rig has the needed modules. So, in most situations, you’ll need to set up a bus and insert the Sparkler as a bus effect. Use the guitar channel’s send control to feed some signal to the bus with the Sparkler. Because this bus terminates in the master bus (like other mixer channels), you can add the effect by turning up the Sparkler bus fader. HOW IT WORKS First, the signal goes through a steep high-pass filter that leaves only the very highest frequencies intact. Next up is distortion, which synthesizes harmonics from those high frequencies. An amp sim with a cabinet won’t do the job, because the cab reduces highs.  A plug plug-in -in des designe igned d to emul emulate ate a tube or preamp sound is ideal, or try using an amp sim’s distortion stompbox, and bypass the amp/cabinet. amp/cabin et. Finally, mix

120

Fig. 1—Sparkler implementation with Native Instruments’ Guitar Rig 5.

this processed signal with the dry signal. THE SPARKLER EFFECT IN GUITAR RIG Use the Split tool to create a parallel path ( Fig. 1). The Pro Filter is in Split A, set to HPF (High Pass Filter), Cutoff at 10kHz, Resonance at 0, and slope at 100% 4- pole. The Skreamer provides distortion.  Turn  T urn Drive up all a ll the t he way w ay to to hear distortion, because the input signal is low level due to the high pass filter taking out most of the signal. Use the Split Mix to add a taste of the Sparkler sound. THE SPARKLER EFFECT IN SONAR Figure 2 shows a typical typica l DAW implementation, with a 24dB/  octave high-pass filter preceding a Tube Saturation module. (Note: With Sonar, select Type 1 distortion,

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

because Type Type 2 doesn’t process pro cess high frequencies.) While similar to the Guitar Rig implementation, the option for steeper filter slopes, a cutoff range that extends above 10kHz, and a gentler distortion algorithm also make it suitable for program material. TWEAK TIME  As yo u tw ea k th e Sp ar kl kler er sound in isolation, grab only the highest audible frequencies, and avoid harsh distortion—you want just a hint of breakup. You’ll likely need lots of Send level to the Sparkler bus to compensate for loss through the high-pass filter. Steeper filter slopes work best with lower cutoff frequencies (but don’t go much below 8kHz), while shallower slopes usually need a higher cutoff (above 10kHz). Finally, listen to the main track and bus output, then find the sweet spot between an inaudible

Fig. 2—Sparkler implementation with Cakewalk Sonar.

effect and an obvious one—and now your guitar is sparkling. is  sparkling. MORE ONLINE! Check out an audio example that plays a guitar track, then the same track with the Sparkler, then the sound contributed by the sparkle processing by itself.

Craig Anderton has played on or produced more than 20 major label releases, mastered hundreds of tracks, and written dozens of books. Check out some of his latest music at  youtube.com  youtu be.com/thec /thecraigan raiganderto dertonn . g

GettSmart Ge Carl Verheyen on Performance The Manipulation of Sound in the Air ALTHOUGH MUCH OF

today’s electric electric-guitar -guitar recording is done using plug-ins and virtual amp models, I am still a holdout for miking amps. The manipulation of sound in the air remains my favorite way to get a unique guitar tone. You may argue that t hat playing direct through a plug-in produces a more modern sound, and I would agree that sometimes a whacked-out, heavily effected guitar tone is easier to achieve using modeling technology. But when you go that route ro ute and select your sound from software presets, the risk is that you will print a generic “out of the box” tone. This is very convenient, of course, but consider this: By plugging into an amp, selecting mics, auditioning mic positions, and stringing together a handful of pedals—some hi-fi rackmount reverb effects, a low-fi filter, and a stereo chorus—I have the chance to produce a sound that nobody nobody has  has heard before.  That’s what makes ma kes recording guitars exciting for me.  This quest for unique tones is one of the main reasons why recording artists are constantly asked, “How did you get that sound?” Tones and gear are obsessed about in our community, and everybody is on a lifelong quest to sound better.  A big part of that quest has as much to do with the recording environment as it does your gear. Rooms have personalities, and a savvy guitarist should exploit the sonic signature of the space he or she is recording in—whether it’s a big studio with perfect,

acoustically tuned rooms, or a home studio with an interesting-sounding hallway, bathroom, kitchen, garage, or attic. Critical listening in any environment is also essential to ensure that standing bass waves or frequency bumps don’t compromise the integrity of your guitar sound. I just finished six days of recording at Sweetwater Studios in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Their state-of-the-art facility has the

you play. When Mark finds that spot where the guitar sounds best—where, in fact, the tone “blooms”—he’ll set up a room mic. The choices for microphone positions and polar patterns are many—x/y,, omni, aimed at the many—x/y floor or ceiling, and so on— but adding that room track to your sound produces depth, or what I like to call “sonic girth.” Whether I choose to print delay or reverb along with the performance in real time, or add effects

to the mix later, this three-mic technique is the foundation of my tone in the studio. It’s that manipulation of sound in the air that makes a great guitar tone. I live for that! Carl Verheyen is a critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated  gui tar is ist, t, voc ali st, son gwr it iter, er, arranger, producer, producer, clinician, clinici an, educator, and tone master with 12 CDs, two live DVDs, and two books released worldwide. g 

Two examples of sound manipulation—(top) room miking and (bottom) close-miking.

latest in microphone technology, as well as many awesome vintage pieces. I had 25 guitars, 15 amps, seven speaker cabinets, and four drawers of pedals trucked across the country from Los Angeles to work with producer/engineer Mark Hornsby. He likes to mic my speakers with a Telefunken M-80 dynamic mic for articulation, coupled with a Royer R-121 ribbon mic for a more organic tone. After selecting the exact position of the speaker to mic, a good engineer will go out into the room, and walk around as SEPTEMBER 2015/GUITARPLAYER.COM

121

GetSmart Jason Becker on Creativity Intervallic Arpeggios AS I MAY HAVE MENTIONED

before, when I was in high school I took lessons from former Miles Davis guitarist Dave Creamer. I was getting into arpeggios, and he taught me about intervallic arpeggios. Funny story: When I found these intervallic arpeggios that I had written back in the day, I had sort of forgotten what the definition was. I Googled it and all that came up was “Jason Becker on Intervallic Arpeggios.”  This led me to believe that Dave Creamer invented the term. I think the basic idea is that the notes skip around rather than  just go up and down.  These days there are a lot of players who do arpeggios the way I started doing them in ’87, which is very flattering. I am totally honored. I sometimes wish I had gotten to expand on those ideas that Dave Creamer, Marty Friedman, and Philip Glass got me started on.  Thinking back, I remember doing a pretty cool intervallic arp on the Cacophony song “E.S.P.” ( at 5:30) from the album Go Off! One neat thing I did in that solo was rhythmically pause after the first three notes. That gave it a totally different vibe than if I had  just played it straight through. I think that small little solo is uniquely me. I can’t categorize it musically. I have seen guitarists stress out because they aren’t creating their own style. My advice is to relax, practice, and try making little changes to licks that have been done before. One day something will click in your playing. It is about the journey and love of music. I remember hearing an old bootleg Jimi Hendrix recording, before he was 122

the man. It sounded like Jimi, but the magical mojo wasn’t there yet. It made me remember that it takes a lot of practice and experience before it clicks

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

and you start to become your own musician.  Jason Becker is a composer and guitarist whose work can be heard on

his solo albums, and with Cacophony and David Lee Roth. Check out this sexy man’s story in the awardwinning documentary Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet. g

ALFRED’S BASIC GUITAR METHOD 1& 2 Reinventing Tradition For generations, Alfred’s Basic Guitar Method  has been a staple in guitar education. Since 1956, it has introduced over five million students to the joy of playing the guitar.

Students will: Correctly hold and tune their guitar  Learn rhythms, dynamics, scales, keys, and chords  Play songs, duets, and bass-chord accompaniments Cover styles like blues, country, folk, jazz, and rock

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New video lessons—the next best thing to having a teacher around.

Exclusive, custom mix software allows students to tailor play-along tracks to their individual needs.

Correlating media can now be streamed or downloaded so students can easily practice anywhere.

Learn more at alfred.com/abg.

GetSmart Steve Hunter on Classic Sessions How I Realized the Blues Was My Life… SOMETIME IN 1972, I THINK

it was, I found myself in the control room of the New York Record Plant’s Studio A with producer Bob Ezrin, Alice Cooper, and guitarists Michael Bruce and Glen Buxton, listening to the playback of a song called “Sick Things” from the group’s  Billion Dollar Babies sessions. I was a bit nervous, because I really wasn’t sure what or where I was going to play. If you’ve heard the piece, you know it’s a pretty scary-sounding song, but imagine hearing it for the first time in the early 1970s, and you can certainly imagine how I felt. After the playback, Bob said that he wanted me to play only during the outro, and he wanted something in a “Clapton/Cream-style blues.”  That made me relax, because I was a huge Cream fan, and I had already “borrowed” several of Clapton’s licks and phrases for my session work. In those days, recording guitars was a pretty simple job. I took out my ’60s SG with real PAF pickups (of course, in those days, nobody really cared about that), and plugged straight into a Marshall half-stack. (I can’t remember if it was a 100-watt or a 50-watt, though I preferred 50s.) This was the old four-input head, which I still prefer today. Sometimes, I did jumper the two channels together, but on this occasion, I remember plugging straight into the second channel—which I preferred, because it was a bit warmer, and it seemed to sing more. Miking was a little more elaborate than it often is today. Usually three mics were used.  A Shure SM57 was positioned 124

close to one speaker in the 4x12 cabinet, a Sennheiser MD 421 was placed out from the cab at a distance of about five to eight feet, and a Neumann U87 was put on a tall boom stand and raised up quite high—as well as placed quite a distance from the cab—to pick up the overall room sound. Those three mics were then blended together in various ways to get the final guitar sound. Bob ran the track a few times, and I did some passes, and then came into the control room to have a listen. I wasn’t really sure if what I had played would work, but when

G U I T A R P L A Y E R . C O M /S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

I listened back, I was amazed at how well Cream-style blues fit into that particular track— especially because of how very heavy the song was. Everyone seemed very happy, and I learned a valuable lesson that has stayed with me throughout my career. What I realized was that if I could play blues over a solo section, I could come up with all sorts of different lines and variations. I think that’s when I first became very aware that I was a blues-based rock guitar player. It was quite a liberating revelation, and it always worked for me no matter the situation. As I was madly

in love with the blues anyway, it was awesome to realize that the blues had become such a big part of my playing. Sometimes called “The Deacon,” Steve Hunter is an American guitarist best known for his collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, and Alice Cooper. Hunter has played  some of the greatest riffs in rock history, including the opening solos on Aerosmith’s version of “Train  Kept A-Rollin’” and Alice Cooper’s “Cold Ethyl,” and the acoustic intro to Peter Gabriel’s “Solsbury Hill.”  He also wrote the legendary “Intro”  for Lou Reed’s 1973 live version of “Sweet Jane.” g

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the Straight Truth About Pickups by Jason Lollar  The“magic”found in some (but not all) classic vintage pickups was created by accident. Don’t let anyone tell you different. And over time, some pretty stellar accidents happened. The only way to recreate that magic is to study more than a few exceptional examples of all the classic pickup types, while acquiring a thorough understanding of exactly what materials were used and precisely how each pickup was constructed and wound. Only then is the “magic” repeatable, if you are willing to spend the time and money required to chase the dragon. I am. I personally design and wind over 30 different pickup models, including all the vintage classics, many obscure works of art known only to lap and pedal steel players like Robert Randolph, and even a few of my own designs that never existed in the past. I invite you to visit our website for sound clips, videos and current product information, or call us for a free product highlight brochure.

Lollar Guitars PO Box 2450 Vashon Island, WA 98070 (206) 463-9838 www.lollarguitars.com

2 Levels

No Velcro

Curved Deck  

Quick.Tight.Better. Lifetime Warranty Patents Applied For

The New Holeyboard Std. MKII  SeaFoam Green

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EVO TRACK pedalboard  A new take on the classic Velcro® pedalboards! Its modular design means you can build your own pedalboard up to double the size. Evo Track allows you to regulate tilt or level it out to suit any stage setting by adjusting the back feet. Fully compatible with our Smar t Track model with fasteners. PATENT PENDING www.aclamguitars.cat Follow us!

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Finally it’s here the best and easiest way to mount your favorite, classic shaped wah, solidly to your pedalboard.

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AUGUST 22 & 23 Metrolina Expo/Charlotte, NC       

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XITS X10 | modern classic The result of unceasing passion for the perfect combo amplifier. Sweet, articulate cleans, three dimensional overdrive and everything inbetween. Pure Magic. Pure XITS.

 x its www.xits-sound.com 136

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Rails Rai ls under und er the the wo wound und st strings. stri ri Poles under the pl the plain ain st strings. strin rings. gs. A A revolutionary rev design from Joe Na Joe Naylo Naylor ylorr that that tightens the lows and fattens the hi the highs highs, ghs,, for exceptional clarity and punch bey beyond on conventional pickups. Check out Railhammer pickups today at railhammer.com. They will change the way you play. Available at zZounds, AMS, and Musician's Friend.

Guitars & Lap Steels

Discover A New Classic... Asher T-Deluxe

 C alifornia Crafted 

since

1982

3 1 0 . 8 2 1 . 2 8 8 8   www.AsherGuitars.com

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Guitar Showcase

THE ULTIMATE LOW-POWER AMERICAN INSPIRED AMPLIFIER!! The Skylark concept began with our love and appreciation for classic home/student 60s American amps. These small – student amps deliver organic tube juice and vibe at real world volumes – making them super usable and super satisfying. Our Skylark takes this fun utility a giant leap forward. Reverb, a built in power attenuator, Hi/Low gai n switch, and the extended range presence control offer an incredible pallet of tones from the Skylark’s beautiful dove-tailed cabinet. 12 watts full power. SEE OUR WEB SITE FOR DETAILS, VIDEOS, AND SOUNDS. CARRAMPS.COM

 "Best Small Amp of 2014" -

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TONE QUEST MAGAZINE 

"Desert Island Amp" -

VINTAGE  GUITAR MAGAZINE 

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Guitar Bazaar

FREE 20 Page Download Available!

                                                                     

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Guitar Bazaar

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Product Spotlight System 10 Stompbox Digital Wireless System  Audio-Technica

Lil Luber/Groove Luber/Bench Luber Big Bends LLC

Available Now Featuring a rugged pedal-board mountable receiver with foot switch, two switched TRS balanced ¼” outputs and an output mode selector, the System 10 Stompbox provides unique functionality to guitarists. $349.95 Street Price www.audio-technica.com

Available Now Big Bends LLC is proud to introduce the complete line of Nut Sauce™ tuning lubricant applicators: the 0.5cc Lil Luber – for the guitar hobbyist; the 1.5cc Groove Luber – for the serious player; and the 6cc Bench Luber – for the guitar tech or repair shop. Accept no imitation! MSRP: Lil Luber $12.45, Groove Luber $24.95, Bench Luber 59.95 www.bigbends.com 1(888)788-BEND

TUSQ Picks Graph Tech Guitar Labs

 Vapor Shield Guitar Strings La Bella Strings Available Now

Available Now TUSQ Picks, Three Tones, Three Gauges, Three Shapes. They have a different feel, tone and articulation than anything else availa-ble. Amazing feel and tone. Check out the independent YouTube reviews. Love them or your money back! A pack of 6 for $5.95! Tear Drop / Standard 6 pack - MSRP $5.95 Tear Drop / Standard 72 bulk - MSRP $56.95 Bi Angle 4 pack - MSRP $5.95 Bi Angle 48 bulk - MSRP $56.95 Mixed packs - MSRP $5.95 www.graphtech.com #5-7551 Vantage Way, Delta, BC V4G 1C9 Canada Tel: +1-604-940-5353 [email protected]

The future of coated strings...are not coated! Guitar players no longer have to sacrifice tone using a conventionally coated string. Our Vapor shield technology mutates the molecules of the string, creating a slick, low friction surface resistant to grime and oil. No peeling or flaking after extended play! Available for Acoustic, Electric guitar, and bass. Contact www.labella.com to purchase these strings. Hand wound and treated in the U.S.A. SRP: $10.95 www.labella.com

 Barbera Soloist, Ultra High Performance Acoustic Guitar Pickups Barbera Transducers

 VintageVibrato™ MannMade USA 

Available Now Finely tuned string balances, focused, accurate tonal clarity, powerful passive output, high resistance to feedback. Acoustically transparent, engineered saddles for steel and nylon string guitar. “Hear every note, not every noise”. MSRP:$300 www.barberatransducers.com

Available Now Fits vintage style Strat® guitars with no mods. Steel block for that authentic Strat® stink! Increased tone and sustain. Push-in Arm. Patented mounting system guaranteed to stay in tune. Smooth silky feel, less string breakage. All hardware included. Made in USA. MSRP: $160.00 www.MannMadeUSA.com/gp

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Product Spotlight Percolator 2W 1x8 Tube Amp Combo Zeppelin Design Labs LLC

Ratio: Tuned Machine Heads Graph Tech Guitar Labs

Available Now Offered as DIY kit OR Ready-to-Play, The Percolator Combo features an all-tube signal path designed around a single NOS Compactron tube. The single volume control delivers warm, rich, clear tones at lower levels and aggressive overdriven tones at higher levels — all at moderate volume. Speaker is a Jensen C8R. Direct: Percolator Combo Kit $339; Ready-to-Play $489 www.zeppelindesignlabs.com [email protected]

Available Now Ratio Tuned machine heads. Every string has its own, precise gear ratio, from 12:1 to 39:1. One turn equals one tone - all strings. Faster, more precise tuning on every string. Available for acoustic and electric with lots of options. Love them or your money back! MSRP $99.99-$109.99 www.graphtech.com #5-7551 Vantage Way, Delta, BC V4G 1C9 Canada Tel: +1-604-940-5353 [email protected]

Howling Monkey Guitar Picks Howling Monkey

Contemporary Guitar Improvisation (Utilizing the Entire Fingerboard) Book & CD by Marc Silver

Available Now Handcrafted in Rochester, NY - from a nut grown in South America called Tagua, Howling Monkey guitar picks may just change the way you play. Amazingly warm & clean tone, great attack, and long life. Check out our new, wonderfully comfortable, super grippy, Pistol Grips. MSRP: $9.99+ HowlingMonkeyPicks.com

Available Now Since 1978, Contemporary Guitar Improvisation is THE classic book for learning guitar improvisation. This innovative system is based on five basic fingering patterns that form the foundation for improvising over virtually any chords, in any key, across the entire fingerboard. All patterns are diagrammed, so note-reading ability is not necessary. Recommended by guitar legend George Benson. MarcSilverGuitarImprov.com $42.00 USD (includes delivery in the U.S.)

Custom Guitar Body Ring  Atlas Jewelers

Pi-Phase Prophecysound Systems

Available Now Highly detailed, made to order musician jewelry crafted to your specifications. From start to finish, the process of making your custom piece is shared with you. Full body guitar ring starting at $1000 in 14K(585) multi colored golds. www.MusicianRings.com

Available Now Reproducing the sound of the Mu-Tron Bi-Phase, the Prophecysound Pi-Phase is a modern and all-analog rebirthing of the original 70’s classic. With world-class build quality, the Pi-Phase is pedal-board friendly and well-suited to either stage or studio. MSRP: 599AUD, 480USD (approx) http://prophecysound.com [email protected]

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Product Spotlight Gold Series Gravity Guitar Picks Available Now The Gold Series is the new premium line offered by Gravity Guitar Picks. The material is a high grade thermoplastic which is amazingly wear-resistant and has a great grip. There is a sizable difference in volume when compared with a normal pick, enabling you to cut through the mix. The Gold Series is available in 4 thicknesses: 1.0mm, 1.5mm, 2.5mm and 5mm. MSRP $29 www.gravitypicks.com [email protected]

Route6 SeaGlass Guitars, USA  Available Now

SeaGlass Guitars are handmade in Massachusetts by luthier Roger Mello. The Route6jr is a Korina bodied setneck with a Hand-Rubbed oil finis h. The Route6A Carvetop features a chambered mahogany body with a carved maple top and a nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Route6jr: $1395 Route6A Carvetop: $2695 www.seaglassguitars.com [email protected]

Tuffies™ Heavy Duty 18-Gauge USA Made High Quality Instrument Cable Hilltop Music Corporation

The Super-Vee BladeRunner Super-Vee Tremolo Systems

Available Now This USA cable has everything a musician could want! Reduces electromagnetically induced noise to less than 1/10 level of other two-conductor cables. Low capacitance allows more brightness for lower treble setting. Neutrik HD plugs heat-shrink sealed inside protects corrosion-free wire allowing conduction without resistance. Two-pole gripper safely unplugs, and more! MSRP: $29.99-$39.99 www.tuffies-cables.com (865) 585-6575  [email protected]

Available Now The BladeRunner with patented technology gives your Stratocaster superior tuning stability, improved clarity, and a marked boost in sustain. Unlike any other tremolo, the BladeRunner delivers. Crafted in multiple finishes - six screw, two-post and lefty. MAP Price - $169.95 - $199.95 www.super-vee.com 887-TREMOLO

“Jennifer Batten’s Self-Empowerment For The Modern Musician” Experience Jennifer Batten

 AmpliFire  Atomic Amplifiers

Available Now A touring crash course in summer 2015 of life changing content enhanced by stories of Jennifer’s 30 years of stage experience. Subjects include: self confidence, millennial income, branding, optimal learning skills, demos of powerful tools. $49 Tickets and dates at www.batten.com

Available Now AmpliFire is the complete professional digital guitar amp modeling processor in a pedal featuring patented tube modeling powered by Studio Devil, custom speaker impulses loadable via USB, and a full suite of effects. Meet your total amp rig replacement, direct recording tool, and new pedal board addition... all in one! MSRP: $599 www.atomicamps.com [email protected]

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Product Spotlight PrePlay Graph Tech Guitar Labs

Mag-Lok Tremolo Anti-Deflection Device The Super-Vee

Available Now PrePlay cleans your hands and neutralizes the acids in your hand to increase string life, and save your hardware from rust and corro-sion. A quick shot of PrePlay before your play and your ready to tear it up. Each bottle contains approx. 200 applications. MSRP $19.95 www.graphtech.com #5-7551 Vantage Way, Delta, BC V4G 1C9 Canada Tel: +1-604-940-5353 [email protected]

Available Now The revolutionary Mag-Lok design uses Rare Earth super magnets to securely hold your tremolo’s zero position during hard finger string bends, but transparently releases when using the whammy bar. It is truly the holy grail for the ultimate in tuning stability on all tone block style tremolo systems including Floyd Rose. Installs in minutes with just a screw driver. Patent pending. Price: $59.95 www.super-vee.com

StoneWorks Guitar Picks StoneWorks Picks

Monster Grips™: The Ultimate Grip for Guitar Picks and More! Monster Grips™

Available Now Handcrafted by Mike Stone from 100% natural stone. See for yourself why players from all over the world love their StoneWorks Pick. Read the reviews and then give us a try.

Available Now Monster Grips™ is a revolutionary guitar pick grip that is super grippy, non-sticky, and stays clean. Surprisingly durable, yet ultra-thin, it is extremely comfortable and is certain to enhance your playing experience. $9.99 www.monstergrips.com

www.StoneWorksPicks.com

Advertise here! Jon Brudner Specialty Sales Advertising  [email protected] (917) 281-4721

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Classic Ad

IN 1980, THE B.C. RICH COMPANY PLACED THIS AD IN GP TO FIND A N AME FOR A LOWER-PRICED PRODUCTION version of its famed Rich Bich. The winner would score one of these solidbody sex machines, and the runner-up would receive bling in the form of a 14k gold “R.” A model called the “Bich Six” started appearing in ads around 1982, so did this contest yield the name? 35 years on, we’d like to kn ow... —ART

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THOMPSON