Premierguitar201312 1 DL

DECEMBER Highlights
Sponsored by Dunlop
54
108 Rock Star Guitars
The story behind some of the most iconic axes in the world.
84
Kings of Leon
Matthew Followill and his kin return to prove the naysayers wrong (again).
Trivium
97
The Florida metal foursome returns with a vengeance.
115
The Melvins
The genre-bending sludge rockers pull a switcheroo on their 19th album.
132
2013 Gear Awards

We salute 35 tone toys thatll rock your rig.
Photos by Frank White
REVIEWS: Squier Vintage Modified Cabronita Tele Eventide H9 Traynor SB115 Knaggs Severn Trembuck Tier 3 Little Walter Twin 50/22 Acid Age Electronics Acid Pig Worland Prairie Daredevil Atomic Cock PRS Grainger T-Rex Magnus
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GEAR OF THE YEAR KINGS OF LEON
MELVINS PIERRE BENSUSAN

DECEMBER 2013
Page, Beck, Richards, Wylde, Kramer & More
AXES OF THE GODS
39 GUITARS, BASSES, PEDALS & AMPS THAT'LL ROCK YOUR RIG
EVENTIDE / PRS / TRAYNOR / SQUIER / KNAGGS T-REX / LITTLE WALTER / & MORE
GUITAR & BASS REVIEWS
The new Night Train G2 not only delivers that instantly recognizable, VOX full-tube sound sought after by guitarists the world over, now it offers you far more tonal flexibility in a beautifully styled, easy-to-use and highly capable compact package you can use at home, rehearsal, in a recording suite or live onstage. And we just added a new 15 Watt combo amp to the range!
NT50H G2 V212NT G2
50 years of signature VOX valve tone All tube class A/B Footswitchable GIRTH/BRIGHT dual channel design
NT15C1
NT15H G2 V112NT G2
Digital reverb Effects loop Celestion G12 speakers in all models
VOXamps
VOXamps
WWW.VOXAMPS.COM
Expect a
Power surge.
Pick up a Destroyer. Its your turn to feel the surge.
The legendary Destroyer is back. Dont dare call it a re-issue. At Ibanez the tweaking never stops. The 2013 Destroyers feature the sonic pyrotechnics of DiMarzio Air Norton and Tone Zone humbuckers that deliver a dynamic range beyond anything in Destroyer history. The Tight-Tune bridge not only provides more adjustment flexibility than previous incarnations, but locks down with greater solidity, resulting in maximum sustain.
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Award Winning Gear

QUALITY & DESIGN
V3M
3 Channels All tube - Reverb 50w, 22w, 7w
The V3Ms features are selected for real-world usability, and the breadth and quality of its sonic abilities are impressive and accesibleall this while hanging on to the micro amp spunk so many of us have come to love. Dimitri Sideriadis
Premium Single-Cut Carved Top Contoured set-in neck heel Custom Shop 5-8 week delivery
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V3MC 12 COMBO
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Where made in the USA matters
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Publisher Jon Levy
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Shawn Hammond Managing Editor Tessa Jeffers Senior Editor Andy Ellis Senior Editor Joe Gore Gear Editor Charles Saufley Senior Art Editor Meghan Molumby Associate Editor Chris Kies Associate Editor Rich Osweiler Associate Editor Jason Shadrick Nashville Correspondent John Bohlinger Nashville Video Editor Perry Bean Photo Editor Kristen Berry
PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS

Operations Manager Shannon Burmeister Circulation Manager Lois Stodola Production Coordinator Luke Viertel
SALES/MARKETING
Advertising Director Brett Petrusek Advertising Director Dave Westin Marketing Director Christina Nantz Marketing Manager Matt Roberts
GEARHEAD COMMUNICATIONS, LLC

Chairman Peter F. Sprague President Patricia A. Sprague Managing Director Gary Ciocci
WEBSITES
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Convert your 6L6 or EL34 amp to a Class-A amp using EL84s.
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The information and advertising set forth herein has been obtained from sources believed to be Gearhead Communications, L.L.C., however, does not warrant complete accuracy of such information and assumes no responsibility for any consequences arising from the use thereof or reliance thereon. Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement or space reservation at any time without notice. Publisher shall not be liable for any costs or damages if for any reason it fails to publish an advertisement. This publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Premier Guitar is a publication of Gearhead Communications, L.L.C. Premier Guitar [ISSN 1945-077X (print) ISSN 1945-0788 (online)] is published monthly. Subscription rates: $24.95 (12 issues), $39.95 (24 issues) Call for Canada, Mexico and foreign subscription rates 877-704-4327; email address for customer service lois@premierguitar.com.
Volume 18, Issue 12 Published monthly by: Gearhead Communications, LLC Three Research Center Marion, IA 52302 Phone number: 877-704-4327 Fax: 319-447-5599 Periodical Postage Rate paid at Marion, IA 52302 and at Additional Mailing Offices POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: Gearhead Communications, LLC, Three Research Center, Marion, IA 52302
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6 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013
premierguitar.com info@premierguitar.com Distributed to the music trade by Hal Leonard Corporation.
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TUNING UP
The Day Ozzy Channeled My Dad

BY SHAWN HAMMOND
@PG_shawnh
Dad holding his first grandchild in happier times.
dont believe in fate. I dont believe in destiny. I dont believe in purpose-driven cosmic convergences or signs from beyond. But that doesnt mean Im not awed, humbled, and dumbfounded by a lot of the same things that other people might attach those labels to. And I do believe we should find insights and edification in these beautiful bits of randomness. We should let them strike us with their profundity, humor, and bizarreness. Let them expand our being, let them strengthen our resolve, let them cleanse us. If we dont, then were just clocking time here on the third stoneand not the kind of time that our drummers would high-five us for. This morning, just like every morning, my phone played random songs as I got ready for work. One of the first tunes to come up was an Ozzy Osbourne tune. Often that means I press the skip buttonIm not the hugest Ozzy fan. I own the Randy Rhoads albums, and thats it. Next thing I know, Im sitting on the floor in tears. A sickened mind and spirit The mirror tells me lies Could I mistake myself for someone Who lives behind my eyes? Will he escape my soul Or will he live in me? Is he trying to get out Or trying to enter me? Two years ago today my dad passed away. He was a practicing physician till nearly the end, but the last couple of years he battled Parkinsons disease. It destroyed his body, mind, and dignity. We watched as he lost mobility and sank into the horror of dementia. For the last year or so, he often didnt recognize us, and his days were riddled with lucid hallucinations of gruesome things happening to his loved ones on TV, in his dreams, in his bedroom at the care facility. He would call up to make sure we were okay, confused at how he could be seeing us on the screen in front of him and hearing our voices on the phone.
I expected to be melancholy and torn on the anniversary of dads passing, even though that day was something of a liberation, a long-awaited tragic day of peace. But I wasnt prepared for this. By the time Ozzy and Rhoads came to that liltingly beautiful bridge with bells, acoustic guitar, strings, and a choir, I was kind of a wreck. Voices in the darkness Scream away my mental health Can I ask a question To help me save me from myself? Enemies fill up the pages Are they me? Monday til Sunday in stages Set me free Like a lot of people, Id always thought of the Ozzman as that wild-but-amiable guy who bit the heads off bats and/or doves and generally made a spectacle of himselfeither purposely or accidentallywherever he went. Ive seen the fake blood and the camp and all the smart little marketing props hes used to carve out a career for himself, and Ive kind of dismissed it as brainless stuff to shout and pump your fist along to. It turns out, I havent given him a fair shake over the years. My dad wouldve hated Ozzys music, to say nothing of his whole shtick. But stillwhat were the odds of hearing that songby someone whos suffered an affliction similar to my dadson that particular morning? I know, I know: A) A statistician would need to know how many songs are in my phone, as well as get some code from Apple, to accurately answer that, and B) a whole bunch of more confounding code from my brain is the real reason I suddenly found meaning as I heard those words for the thousandth time. But as heavy as it can sometimes be, that mystery is the beauty of life, isnt it? We find new facets of meaning and emotion and experience, put them through our mysterious code processors, and as musicians we filter them through our neurons and fingers into our instruments, and have no idea exactly when, why, or how we will touch someone else.
Shawn Hammond Editor-In-Chief shawn@premierguitar.com
premierguitar.com
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FEEDBACK LOOP
this guitar remains an example of unbelievable relic work that could not occur through 50 years of hard gigs. Relic jobs,much like stickers, custom scratch pads, and knobs, are just embellishments that many of us use to make our guitars unique.Im not condemning anyones aesthetic decisionsto each their own. That said, the process is supposed to make new guitars look (and perhaps feel) old, played, and lovednot sanded and dragged around the kitchen. Sincerely, John Bohlinger of The Fretboard Journal and at ChicagoGuitarRepair.com. Thank You,
Geoff Benge, via premierguitar.com
Socialize with Us!
Too Good
Crystal Speaks
This Tak was a gift to me, from Melissa Etheridge [Last Call: Someday Youll Regret That Relic Job, November 2013]. I played it on television in front of 30 million people. Nothing fake about that. Its special to me, so I decided to put it on the cover of my second studio release, which was produced by the badass Steve Berlin of Los Lobos. This Tak plays like a dream, who gives a [expletive] what it looks like? People who write blogs should probably check the facts before they go and say things that are rude and extremely hurtful. And by the way, Ive put holes in my Martin that I played for 8-12 hours a day in the subways of Chicago. I know what a weathered guitar looks, plays, and feels like. Willie wouldnt judge someone the way you have. Willie warrants peace. Have a nice day!
Crystal Bowersox, via premierguitar.com
This [Beyond Blues: Moving Past the Pentatonic Scale] will take weeks for me to digest, but its more valuable than anything I learned from my guitar teacher so far!
letts, via premierguitar.com
I love #stompboxtober from @premierguitar. That is all.

Andrew W. Barlow, @awz_b
Albinis Axes
The Trem Topic
Check out all the different guitar tunings. Rig RundownGovt Mules Warren Haynes. Thnx @ premierguitar
Guitarbeau, @gear_slutz
I apologize to Crystal Bowersox or anyone offended by my comments about the relic job on her guitar.Although I researched this Takamine,I could not find its origin.As it turns out, this guitar was a very cool and generous gift from Melissa Etheridge.However, this does not change the fact that
Was just sent the Albini photo feature [Gallery: Russian Circles at Electrical Audio in Chicago, October 2013] in what I assume is your newest issue. I worked on a lot of guitars for Steve; the Strat in the middle is a 12-string neck from an old acoustic bolted to a Strat body with four banjo tuners down the middle of the headstock. It had 16 .009s spaced evenly, looking something like an egg slicer. It can be tuned any old way. He had us also build one for Sonic Youth. It had a penis-shaped pearl inlay on the headstock inscribed sonic 16. Also, the Veleno aluminum guitar in the picture, I set up lefty. It was elaborate because all of the bridge pieces had to come apart and a new nut cut. It was used in the Nirvana record In Utero on many songs. It was brought back to be made righty again several weeks after the session. The Travis Bean and many others I still work on periodically. You can see more of my work in the new issue (30)
Congrats on putting together a fabulous magazine month after month! I really enjoyed your recent article Titans of the Tremolo [November 2013]. As a player who uses the trem bar a lot, Im really pleased you decided to devote a feature to this fantastic system. Have to say, however, that I was astounded that there was no mention of the King of Tremolo, Hank Marvin. Further, there was no mention of his fabulous fellow Newcastle alum, Miss Zoe McCulloch and her incredible all-girl instrumental band, the Crickettes. Like Hank, Zoe is a Master of the tremolo bar! Please give these folks the recognition they so richly deserve and keep up the great work at Premier Guitar. Cheers,
Bill Wardwell San Mateo, California
New Rig Rundown from @premierguitar w/Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes! Cool B7d @ gibsonguitar & B6d @ GretschUSA!
Bigsby, @Bigsby
Keep those comments coming!

Please send your suggestions, gripes, comments, and good words directly to info@premierguitar.com.
There are so many killers [Titans of Tremolo, November 2013] ... but a semi-recent fave is Rich Woman by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. T-Bone Burnetts stroke of genius was to set the vibrato tempo up not as a triplet, but as a true 3 against 4. Gives the whole track a really woozy, unhinged quality, especially in the little instrumental breaks. Took a bit of practice to learn to tap-tempo that cleanly!
Ken E. Taylor
premierguitar.com
premierguitar.com
PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013 11
CONTENTS December 2013

ARTISTS 32
Classically trained guitarist Lindsey Troy gets fierce with her Fender Mustang and Big Muff.
Deap Vally
84
Matthew Followill and his kin return to prove the naysayers wrong (again).
Kings of Leon
97
The Florida metal foursome returns with a vengeance.
37
Windy City Gems
Local bluesman Daniel Ivankovich shares favorites from his personal collection.
54
The story behind some of the most iconic axes in the world.
75
A chat with the engineer who mixed Black Sabbaths return to the charts.
132
We salute 35 tone toys thatll rock your rig.
Trivium
108 Rock Star Guitars
Studio Legends: Andrew Scheps
2013 Gear Awards
106
The acoustic fingerstyle virtuoso looks back on four decades of DADGAD.
Pierre Bensusan
REVIEWS 166 171 174 178 182 187 190 195 198 203
Squier Vintage Modified Cabronita Tele Eventide H9 Traynor SB115 Knaggs Severn Little Walter Twin 50/22 Worland Prairie Daredevil Atomic Cock PRS Grainger T-Rex Magnus
Above Right: Photo by Lisa S. Johnson
115
The genre-bending sludge rockers pull a switcheroo on their 19th album.
The Melvins
Acid Age Electronics Acid Pig
premierguitar.com
NICK URATA | DEVOTCHKA | EASTMAN T386
HANDCRAFTED GUITARS & MANDOLINS. THATS WHAT WE DO. COMMITTED TO A HIGH STANDARD OF QUALITY, EASTMAN GUITARS USES ONLY PREMIUM TONEWOODS AND THE FINEST APPOINTMENTS. ALONGSIDE THE TALENT AND ACCOMPLISHMENT OF OUR DESIGNERS AND LUTHIERS, COMBINED WITH OUR COMPANY PHILOSOPHY, WE CONTINUE ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING MUSICAL TRADITIONS THE WORLD HAS KNOWN. www.EASTMANGUITARS.com
On the Cover:
GEAR OF THE YEAR KINGS OF LEON
MELVINS PIERRE BENSUSAN

DECEMBER 2013
CONTENTS December 2013
Lakland Decade 6, Ibanez Iron Label RGIR20FE, Catalinbread Echorec, Bogner Ecstasy Red, and Carr Impala
DECEMBER 2013
AXES OF THE GODS
If you want to take your looping from four-bar bedroom jams to a performance environment, start thinking of your looper as an instrument, not an effect.
Ethan Tufts, State of the Stomp, p. 164
18 20 23 206 208 220 222 224
News Bits Gear Radar
Opening Notes Media Reviews Staff Picks Next Month in PG Esoterica Electrica Last Call
GEAR 28 Rig Rundowns 52 Modern Builder Vault 70 Trash or Treasure 72 Vintage Vault 82 Tone Tips 94 Guitar Tracks HOW-TO 124 Acoustic Soundboard 126 Guitar Shop 101 128 Bass Bench 130 On Bass 160 Mod Garage 162 Ask Amp Man 164 State of the Stomp
Above Left: Photo by Sayre Berman
premierguitar.com
premierguitar.com
The warmth and depth of Elixir Strings is really important to my overall sound. They feel great and their tone lasts an incredibly long time. - Eric Bibb
Photo Credit: Andy Sheppard
Acoustic Phosphor Bronze

The tone you love for longer
Elixir Strings Acoustic Phosphor Bronze deliver distinctive phosphor bronze warmth and sparkle - together with extended tone life. Elixir Strings is the only coated string brand to protect the entire string, keeping tone-killing gunk out of the gaps between the string windings. Our innovative Anti-Rust Plated Plain Steel Strings prevent corrosion, ensuring longer life for the entire set. Guitarists tell us Elixir Strings retain their tone longer than any other string, uncoated or coated.
Eric Bibb plays Elixir Strings Acoustic Phosphor Bronze with NANOWEB Coating, Medium Gauge .013 - .056
www.elixirstrings.com/phosbronze
facebook.com/elixirstrings twitter.com/elixirstrings youtube.com/elixirstringsmedia
GORE, ELIXIR, NANOWEB, POLYWEB, GREAT TONE LONG LIFE, e icon, and other designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates. 2013 W. L. Gore & Associates, (UK) Limited
ELX-259-ADV-US-JUN13
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BEYOND BLUES Moving Past the Pentatonic Scale By Levi Clay
Pro Advice
When Premier Guitar traveled to the Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, New York, this summer for Paul Gilberts Great Guitar Escape, Gilbert went in-depth about his approach to mentoring other players. Not only that, but camp instructor Andy Timmons chimed in as well, giving insight into topics like conveying unquantifiable musicality and dynamics (how to get the feel). In other artist news, look for our web-exclusive interview with Jonny Lang, whos just released Fight for My Soul after a seven-year hiatus. And in addition to the 10 gear reviews in this issue, check out three more digital-only reviews online later this month: Phil Jones Double Four, TC Electronic Mini Hall of Fame Reverb (with video), and the PRS S2 Starla!
FRETBOARD WORKSHOP A Pentatonic Approach to Modes By Aurelien Budynek TWANG 101 Travis Picking Essentials By Tom Monda FUTURE ROCK How to Build Long Lines From Motifs By Emil Werstler
Galleries Galore
Theres always something to drool over in the realm of gear porn, and we can never fit it all onto these pages. If you missed some of our recent galleries, you can find them online by clicking the Gallery sidebar on the right side of our new, pimped-out website homepage. Recent photo essays include two Reader Pedalboards (Part 1 and 2), gear rundowns with ZZ Top and Russian Circles at Electrical Audio in Chicago, as well as a floor report from the L.A. Amp and Custom Guitar Show.
Guitar Center paid tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan at the L.A. Amp Show with a collection of SRVs vintage gear, including his original Uni-Vibe, a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, a Tycobrahe Octavia, a 53 Diaz-modded Fender Bassman, a Fender Vibratone cab, and a custom Hamiltone S-style.
premierguitar.com
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an Intelligent 3-Channel Mixer and a variety of inputs, each DXR Speaker gives you the freedom to play a small room or plug into a large halls sound system.
enhanced content in this ad when you scan it with the Yamaha Hub or Layar app. Just visit yamaha.com/scan on your phone or tablet now.
NEWS BITS
PRESENTATION
GUITARDOMS TOP TWEETS

We are awash in an ocean of TLCs!
@aguilaramp
PRS Guitar on Permanent Display at NYCs Metropolitan Museum of Art

New York, NY In early October, Paul Reed Smith Guitars presented a custom electric guitar for permanent display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The event was open to the public at the Temple of Dendur in the Sackler Wing. The exquisite guitar, a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Warren Esanu [Mr. Esanu is a founding partner and chairman of Paul Reed Smith Guitars Limited Partnership], was designed for the exhibit and features a McCarty-style body, a 25" scale, curly red maple top, African ribbon mahogany back, red heart abalone body purfling, and a light tiger eye microburst finish with natural binding. The curly maple neck features 22 frets, bird inlays cut from mammoth ivory found in arctic ice, ebony fretboard and headstock veneer, a bone nut, and PRS Phase III locking tuners. The PRS 408 humbuckers are controlled by a 3-way selector and master volume and tone controls. Because the museum wants the instrument to be played, PRS also provided the prototype so if its ever on loan, another will be on display in its place. Guitar legend John McLaughlin introduced the instrument to the world and performed with it. Electric guitar is meant to rock, swing, boogie, and get downall those things that you wouldnt normally associate with such an illustrious place as the Metropolitan museum. I feel very honored to be here, he said. At the end of his performance, the fusion maestro raised the guitar in the air and kissed it. Joe Charupakorn prsguitars.com
HALL OF FAME
Breaking: Southern rock band Government Mule has shut down! Enough is enough
@duffmckagan
I have figured out my DJ name: THE IVORY TOWER

@billy (Billy Corgan)
In honor of meeting my maker, theres this...

@troyvanleeuwen
God was competing with our light show tonight. Cant wait to see some pictures because it looked absolutely insane from the stage!
@trent_reznor
Geek Alert: changing the battery in my gold Klon Centaur (thanks Charlie!) notice the goop on the PC board.
@jbonamassa
Nirvana, Deep Purple, and KISS among Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees
Cleveland, OH The 2014 inductees are chosen by a secret ballot of over 600 individual voters consisting of all past inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, musicians, historians, critics and members of the music industry. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will again offer fans the opportunity to officially participate in the induction selection process. Beginning October 16 and continuing through December 10 at 5 p.m. EST. Votes can be cast at
rockhall.com, rollingstone.com, and usatoday.com. The top five artists, as selected by the public, will constitute a fans ballot that will be tallied along with the other ballots to choose the 2014 inductees. Joining KISS, Deep Purple, and Nirvana are The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, LL Cool J, The Meters, N.W. A., The Replacements, Linda Rondstadt, Cat Stevens, Link Wray, Yes, and the Zombies. To be eligible for nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. The 2014 Nominees had
to release their first recording no later than 1988. The 29th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held in April 2014 in New York City. Venue and public ticket sale information will be announced at a later date. The Induction Ceremony will be presented on HBO in May. All inductees are ultimately represented in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, the nonprofit organization that tells the story of rock and rolls global impact via special exhibits, educational programs and its library and archives. rockhall.com
premierguitar.com
CAMP
Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, and Pat Mastelotto to Host Three of a Perfect Pair Music Camp
Big Indian, NY Guitarist Adrian Belew, bassist Tony Levin and drummer Pat Mastelotto bring their Three of a Perfect Pair Music Camp back to Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY, for its third year in 2014. The weeklong getawayrunning from Monday, August 11 through Friday, August 15will feature performances, workshops, social and recreational activities, all set against the idyllic backdrop of the Catskill Mountains. The camp is part of the Music Masters Camp Series held at Full Moon Resort. Together in past incarnations of King Crimson as well as the current Crimson ProjeKCt and separately through countless other bands, projects and collaborations, Belew, Levin, and Mastelottohave helped forge the history of modern rock music over careers spanning five decades. At the Three of a Perfect Pair Music Camp, Adrian, Tony and Pat will share meals, tales from the road, and maybe even the stage during after-hours jam sessions with campers. Whether campers play guitar, drums, bassor no instrument at allThree of a Perfect Pair offers a rare opportunity to learn, to play, and to make new friends amongst renowned musicians. We get pretty up close and personal. Several have ongoing emails or come to gigs throughout the year. They become pals, says Mastelotto. Adrian Belew adds, A beautiful 100-acre facility on top of the world where at night it looks like you are in a fishbowl full of stars, fantastic friendly people excited about music, an awesome staff and surprisingly good food, nightly drinks and a bonfire and rubbing elbows with a world-class band willing to share knowledge and tell plenty of funny road stories...whats not to love? All activities will be held at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY, which features an eclectic array of rustic country-inn accommodations as well as primitive tent camping. musicmasterscamp.com
premierguitar.com
GEAR RADAR
New products on the horizon.
1 4
CMANDELL Dutch Kazoo Fuzz

The all-analog, two-stage overdrives kazoo filter and tone control creates a palette of tones ranging from slight overdrive to heavily saturated psychedelic fuzz to metallic noise. Street $225 dutchkazoo.com
PURESALEM GUITARS Tom Cat

This solidbody is built with a mahogany body, mahogany set-neck with a rosewood fretboard, vintage Kluson-style tuners, Kent Armstrong P-90s, and a Tune-o-matic bridge. Street $735 puresalemguitars.com
TC ELECTRONIC BG250-115
The 250-watt, 1x15 combo features TCs TonePrint capabilities, onboard effects, a tuner, DI and headphone out, auxiliary in, and weighs less than 40 pounds. Street $300 tcelectronic.com
FAIRFIELD CIRCUITRY The Accountant Compressor

An all-original handmade compressor designed with utility in mind and inspired by classic JFET feedback compressors of yesteryear. Street $150 fairfieldcircuitry.com
GRAMMATICO AMPS LaGrange

Based on a Tweed Deluxe, the sleek 6V6-powered 1x12 combo is a classic rocker with tones that are woody, warm, and fat with throaty mids and sweet, rounded highs. Street $1,850 grammaticoamps.com
premierguitar.com
7 9
10
GIBSON Zakk Wylde Moderne of Doom

Gibson brings back one of their most mystical body styles and updates it with Wyldes unique style which includes a mahogany body, EMG pickups, and a Floyd Rose vibrato. MSRP $2,082 gibson.com
DIMARZIO Titan Humbucker

Designed for Periphery guitarist Jake Bowen, the Titan humbucker (available for both neck and bridge positions) is a high-output pickup aimed especially at players who use drop tunings. MSRP $119 each dimarzio.com
WAMPLER PEDALS Ace Thirty

Emulating the classic British sounds of vintage Vox amps, the Ace Thirty features a Top Cut control, switchable headroom settings, and a boost option. Street $239.97 wamplerpedals.com
FUCHS Jazz Classic II

This hybrid amp is powered by a pair of 12AX7 tubes and sports a 3-band EQ, 3-knob reverb, and is voiced for guitarists who use pedals for their overdrive. Street $2,200 fuchsaudiotechnology.com
FENDER 68 Custom Princeton Reverb

The 12-watt silverface version of this classic amp features a modified Bassman tone stack, tube reverb, and a 10" Celestion Ten 30 speaker. MSRP $1,199.99 fender.com
10
premierguitar.com
OPENING NOTES
Charles Thompson
September 9, 2013 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA Photo by Lindsey Best
Back with the first new Pixies material in more than 20 years, the bands frontman (aka Black Francis) brings some to an L.A. crowd with his early-60s, alloriginal Gibson SG.
premierguitar.com
OPENING NOTES
Jeff Beck
September 27, 2013 Hard Rock Live Hollywood, FL Photo by Sayre Berman
The guitar legend delivers the goods on the opening night of his 2013 fall tour with his No. 1 Strat, a mid-90s namesake signature model thats loaded with a set of custom pups made by John Suhr during his tenure at Fender.
premierguitar.com
OPENING NOTES
Joe Hottinger
September 15, 2013 Discovery Park Sacramento, CA Photo by Silvia Paveri
The Halestorm guitarist tears into their set at the 2013 Aftershock Festival with the axe Fender built for him that includes a Tele body, Strat neck, a single humbucker in the bridge, and a kill switch.
premierguitar.com
OPENING NOTES
Michael Franti
September 11, 2013 House of Blues Boston, MA Photo by Rich Gastwirt
The turbo-energetic frontman for Michael Franti & Spearhead gets down to the ground during their set with his main axe, a 2010 Maton ECW80 dreadnought thats outfitted with a Maton AP5 Pro pickup and handpainted by artist Clark Hipolito.
26 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013 premierguitar.com
albert
RIG RUNDOWNS
John Scofield & Avi Bortnick
BERJAM
John Scofield and Avi Bortnick take us thorugh their vast effects rigs used for the current berjam Deux tour.
JOHN SCOFIELD
Whenever Scofield uses his Boomerang Phrase Sampler, he takes off his shoe to better control his loops.
FACTOID
Top Right: When backline is provided, Scofield requests two reissue Vox AC30TB amps and then chooses one to use during soundcheck. When possible, his preference is for pre-2006 models. Bottom Right: In the berjam group, Scofield needs a rather large palette of effects. This pedalboard, put together by Mason Marangella from Vertex Effects, covers all the bases. The signal enters the board through a Vertex input buffer and then through a true-bypass loop that contains a DigiTech Whammy XP-100. From there it goes through a TC Electronic PolyTune Mini, Vertex Axis Wah, J. Rockett Blue Note overdrive, and a Vertex-modified Boss GE-7 Equalizer. Next is a breakout insert interface going into a Vertex-modified Boss CE-3 Chorus, Neunaber Technology Wet Reverb, and another Vertex true-bypass loop (for the Boomerang Phrase Sampler and ElectroHarmonix Micro Synth). Finally, the signal ends at another interface (single output buffer/ splitter, splitting mono signal to two amplifiers).
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AVI BORTNICK
Bortnick needs to cover a lot of tonal bases in berjam, including triggering all the samples in real time, so his rig combines a traditional guitar/pedal/amp setup with a more modern software-based approach. The guitar first goes through an A/B switcher that toggles between the pedals on his board and a Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 USB interface. From the interface, the signal goes to his Apple MacBook Air (running Ableton Live and MIDI Guitar) and a Korg Electribe. Once the signal leaves Bortnicks A/B box, it goes into an Electro-Harmonix Frequency Analyzer, WrightSounds Fuzz-Stang, Vemuram Jan Ray, DOD FX-17 Wah/Volume, Boss CE-2 Chorus, Boss TR-2 Tremolo, MXR Carbon Copy, and a Strymon El Capistan.
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RIG RUNDOWNS
Synyster Gates & Zacky Vengeance
AVENGED SEVENFOLD
Avenged Sevenfolds Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance have a similar mantra when it comes to their gear: Keep it simple and consistent. As Schecter devotees, they both carry an array of their signature models, a few effects, and some heavy-duty tube amps to deliver their high-energy metalcore jams.
SYNYSTER GATES
Guitars Avenged Sevenfolds Synyster Gates uses an array of his signature Schecter guitars in a variety of colors and tunings (standard, drop D, and drop C#). Each guitar has a Seymour Duncan Invader in the bridge position and a Sustainiac at the neck. Amps and Effects Gates signal goes through an AudioTechnica wireless unit and into his Schecter Hellwin 100-watt head. The EL34-powered amp has three channels, a built-in noise gate, and a separate input designed for active pickups. The Hellwin also has MIDI functions, which allows Gates to switch channels from his Fractal Audio MFC-101 foot controller. The Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II handles all of Gates effects and is routed through the Hellwins effects loop.
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ZACKY VENGEANCE
Guitars Much like Gates, Zacky uses a handful of his Schecter signature model guitars and each sports a different finish and tuning. His main guitar has a set of Seymour Duncan JB humbuckers, along with some intricate engraving on both the pickup cover and ring. Effects Zackys effects are housed in a rack offstage and he controls them via a Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro MIDI Foot Controller. He uses an ISP Technologies Decimator Noise Reduction pedal, an MXR ZW38 Black Label Chorus, an MXR Custom Comp, and an Ibanez LF7 Lo-Fi Filter pedal. When he switches to acoustic guitar, his signal is routed through a Whirlwind A/B box. Amps For amps, Zacky uses a Jet City 100HDM head. This amp is loaded with four 6L6 power tubes and five 12AX7 preamp tubes, and it boasts a half-power switch that drops the output from 100 to 50 watts.
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DEAP VALLY
By Tessa Jeffers
Classically trained Lindsey Troy plugged in three years ago and quickly fell in love with her Fender Mustang and a Big Muff.
hat if music had an odor? We asked Deap Vally frontwoman and guitarist Lindsey Troy to hypothesize what her bands tunes might smell like. Her answer: Peaches, patchouli, garlic, and dirty panties. On the Southern California duos debut, Sistrionix, sexy femininity underlies a whole lot of scuzzy, fuzzy, rocking blues jams. Troys vocals are equally biting. Her delivery possesses an unabashed and unwavering quality in both high and low registers. (I love Nina Simone, Fiona Apple, John Lennon, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Janis Joplin, Joan Jett, Courtney Love, she says.) But Troy wasnt always an in-yourface playershe started on classical guitar and fingerpicking. Her father, a rock biographer, taught her Knockin On Heavens Door when she was 10. She didnt get serious about guitar until age 16, graduating from a cheap, shitty child-size guitar to a Baby Taylor, and borrowing her dads full-sized Taylor acoustic whenever she could get her hands on it. Believe it or not, Troy only plugged in three years ago, when she met Deap Vallys other half, drummer Julie Edwards. The first electric Troy played was a woodfinished 1976 Fender Mustang, which remains her No. 1 axe. At first
she just liked it because it was free. My dad bought it off of his friend who was hard up for money and living in his van, she recalls. First I just asked my dad for it because he wasnt using it, I needed a guitar, and I was broke. But then I fell in love with it. Im really protective of it. Its old, it has its own sound, its light, and Im just used to playing it. Troys main guitar influence was her sister Anna, two years her senior. They had a family band. Shes a fantastic guitar player, says Lindsey. She was always better than me, and I really looked up to her and admired her, As a teenager Lindsey was into softer pickers like Elliott Smith, but now cites harderedged influences: Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Nick Zinner, Jack White, Joan Jett, and Tony Iommi. Despite the fact that Deap Vally is often compared to other rock duos such as the White Stripes and the Black Keys, they didnt set out to be a two-piece. The first time we jammed together we played with a female bass player, Troy says. The bassist, Ashley Dzerigian, was too busy with other commitments (shes currently playing with Adam Lambert and Maximum Hedrum), so the band carried on without bass, and that format progressed naturally for Troy and Edwards.
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Photo by Chris Kies
LINDSEY TROYS GEAR

GUITARS
1976 Fender Mustang Backup modern Mustang
AMPS
Fender Deluxe Fender Bassman reissue
EFFECTS/STRINGS
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff DeltaLab DD1 Digital Delay Roland Space Echo DAddario .011-.049 (strings)
Being in a duo makes it easier to play in sync with each other. Its kind of like having sex with one person versus having sex with three people.
As a two-piece, you just get those comparisons, Troy notes. But those groups laid a lot of groundwork for two-pieces, showing that its possible to have a full, cool, original sound with two members. Being in a duo makes it easier to play in sync with each other. Its kind of like having sex with one person versus having sex with three people. The duos songwriting is collaborative they conceptualize and develop ideas together, whether a song is born from a lyrical concept, a guitar riff, or a beat. Whether riffing or soloing, Troy tends to mix notes and chords. I try to keep a chord in there every measure to ground the solo so it doesnt drift into the abyss, she says. But who knows? Maybe Ill experiment more with the abyss on the next record.
xxxx
Photo by Chris Kies
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Deap Vally guitarist Lindsey Troy (right) met drummer Julie Edwards (left) in a crochet class that Edwards was teaching.
Troy, who loves playing with sonic textures, admits she suffers from chronic pedal lust: I bought a pedal and fell in love, then bought another pedal and fell in love. So on and so on. But I intentionally kept my pedalboard very minimal on this first album because I wanted to really hone our sound and lay the framework of what Deap Vally is. Yet some not-so-simple effects did make their way on the album. Your Love, for example, features Hendrixflavored reverse echo. We used a vintage analog [Roland] Space Echo for that bit, Troy divulges. That was one of our favorite toys on this record. But the one pedal Troy cant live without is her Electro-Harmonix Big Muff. Its hard to imagine using any other fuzz pedal, she says. I tend to be a believer in, If it aint broke dont fix it. I suppose something else could take my breath away. I played around with my friends [Z. Vex] Woolly Mammoth, and
that thing seemed pretty sick. To cover more ground and fill the void of not having a bassist, Troy blasts her fuzz riffs through a Fender Deluxe and a Fender Bassman reissue, running simultaneously. Troy is also branching out into slide playing, incorporating it on Six Feet Under, the closing track of Sistrionix and her favorite song to play live on tour opening for Arctic Monkeys and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Its just so drippy and swampy and aching, she says. It adds a really nice dynamic shift to the set. Its like getting in a really hot Jacuzzi after going down some crazy water slides. At the end of the day, Troy just wants to make noise she digs. Her no-frills
attitude helps her music stand out while giving her the confidence to be truly creative. Her advice to budding guitarists is to go for it on your own at the beginning, and really spend time with your instrument. In his biography, Keith Richards talks about how every guitar player should start on acoustic because its muscularly much more challenging, she says. Theres a lot to be said for that, and Im really glad to have had all those years playing acoustic to really get my chops. But when the time comes that you want to plug in, dont be afraid to make noise and try shit out. You cant really go wrongits about having fun.
Deap Vallys Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards give an intimate performance during a live session recording (Troys beloved Big Muff makes a cameo at 0:48). YouTube search term: Deap Vally Baby I Call Hell (In Deapth Session)
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Photo by Bryan Sheffield
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24 Windy City Gems

Chicago was the epicenter of musical instrument manufacturing and distribution for three decades. Here, guitarist Daniel Ivankovich shares two-dozen favorites from his personal collection.
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MCMAHON
Chicago built guitars the way Detroit built cars.

For much of the 20th century, the United States was largely rural and people tended to buy guitars and other musical instruments from catalogs. Chicagos centralitywith access to the Mississippi River, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and later the rails and highwaysmade the city a major manufacturing, commercial, and distribution center. Its no accident that catalog and retail giants Sears, Roebuck & Co. (for many decades Americas largest retailer), Montgomery Ward, Spiegel, and others were founded there, and that these retailers played a critical role in the creation and distribution of guitars, amplifiers, and other musical instruments. From the 1930s through the early 60s, Chicago was the world capital of guitar making, says Daniel Ivankovich, AKA Chicago Slim, guitarist for the Chicago Blues All-Stars, orthopedic surgeon, and medical director of the OnePatient Global Health Initiative. National, Supro, Harmony, Kay, Silvertonethey were all made here by the hundreds of thousands. Those companies and others headquartered in Chicago shared and swapped parts and designs and sold to the same distributors. Due to the low cost and wide distribution of their instruments, they produced far more guitars than Gibson or Fender. Some of their instruments were of dubious quality, often dismissed as dime store guitars, but others wereand areexcellent. More important, the ready availability of these guitars led to their prevalence in blues, country, early rock n roll, and the British Invasion. You cant deny the influence of Chicago blues and Chicago-built guitars on contemporary rock, says Ivankovich. British musicians were enthralled by anything black and from Chicago. When the guys in England heard and saw these blues guys with their crazy guitars and outfits, they were copying every piece. Ivankovich has spent decades assembling a collection of Chicago-built guitars, which includes all the major Chicago manufacturers and the dozens of brands under which their instruments were marketed. Those department store guitars were very innovative, he says, referring to the building materials and manufacturing methods used to mass-produce the comparatively low-cost instruments. Ive got picture after picture of artists who played Montgomery Ward guitars because they were affordable. They were everywhere. Maybe there wasnt a Gibson dealer in your town, but there was a Sears, Roebuck catalog or store. Chicago-built guitars, like the bluesmen who played them, were discounteduntil they received thirdparty validation from England. Racism and segregation were too pervasive, says Ivankovich. In the United States, Hendrix was a prophet without honor. He had to go to England to get discovered. Hendrix started playing on a Supro Ozark. Eric Clapton played a Kay Jazz II and a Thinline. Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and all those guys had various Chicago guitars that theyd seen the blues guys playing. Jimmy Page certainly knew about Supro amps! Those guys were studious, looking at pictures and figuring things out. Half a world away, they were getting Chess 45s, Kay guitars, and Supro amps. Lets take a closer look at some of the Chicago brands that helped shape guitar history.
Above: Whats Old Is New - J.B. Hutto to Jack White J.B. Hutto was never an official endorsee, but hes often associated with a red Supro or Airline Res-O-Glas guitar, Ivankovich says. Hutto featured one on the cover of his Hawk Squat and Slidewinder albums. Jimmy Reed used many different Valco guitars and often played the J.B. Hutto model in the studio and live. Jack White re-invigorated the model when the White Stripes made their debut using the Montgomery Ward Airline Res-O-Glas guitar. Whites visibility has made this model the most collectible of all Airline guitars. Though not as high profile due to its rarity, the Airline Professional was gorgeous and, with its 3-pickup versatility, allowed players to shape almost any tone. premierguitar.com
In terms of sheer numbers, Silvertone may be the most successful musical instrument brand ever, yet they didnt make their own guitars. The Silvertone name, owned by Sears, Roebuck & Co., adorned instruments made by many Chicago-based manufacturers, including Harmony Guitars, Kay Musical Instruments, and Valco, who manufactured and sold guitars under the National, Dobro, Supro, and Airline brands. The Silvertone brand offered nationwide distribution via the Sears catalog, which reached virtually every household in the United States, rich or poor, black or white. All the big department stores got into privatelabel selling, and not just for musical instruments,
Above: Airline Amp-In Case (Made by Valco) This is a 22-inch short-scale guitar with Valco singlecoil pickups and a built-in tremolo circuit, says guitar collector Daniel Ivankovich. The short scale really adds fatness for open-tuned slide playing. The Valco amp-in-case is about 5 watts and has a similar tube configuration as the Fender Champ. No wonder it sounds so good. Blues monster all the way! Right: Airline Barney Kessel Artist (Made By Kay) Where else could you find highly figured maple like this at a budget price? The sharp double cutaway is what sets this Airline Barney Kessel Kay apart from other semi-hollow body guitars of the era. Three Kay Kleenex Box pickups scream bad-ass versatility and the Dakaware selector switch offers four pickup options, the last of which creates an out-of-phase type tone, Ivankovich says.
Silvertone
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says Bruce Zinky of Supro USA/Zinky Electronics. Its an advantage, since you dont have to compete on price with any other store with a proprietary branded product. Montgomery Ward was selling Airline against the Silvertone product at Sears, Roebuck. Sharp eyes might note that the Airline guitar could be Valco-made, and the Silvertone might be Danelectro. The customer bought what was available in their town. There was no Internet. There was no Guitar Center. There wasnt a lot of choice. You bought what you could get, and in a small town, the Sears, Roebuck catalog was often the first and only choice. New Jerseys Danelectro and Japans Teisco also built Silvertone instruments. Koreas Samick Musical Instrument Co. recently revived the Silvertone brand.
Harmony
For the better part of the 20th century, the Harmony Guitar Co. was one of the worlds largest and most successful musical instrument manufacturers. According
to Tom Wheelers American Guitars: An Illustrated History, they made half the guitars built in the United States, thanks to their role as the principal instrument supplier to Sears, Roebuck. Harmony produced mandolins, ukuleles, guitars, and other instruments under the Harmony brand and under the Silvertone brand for Sears. They also made private-label instruments for other retailers under the Vogue, Valencia, Johnny Marvin, and Monterey brands, according to Westheimer Corp., which now owns the Harmony brand. Harmony was founded in 1892 and bought by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in 1916. Harmony reported annual sales of 250,000 units in 1923 and 500,000 in 1930, according to Wheeler. For perspective, in 1974, a total of 2.3 million fretted instruments were sold. In a move that illustrates Sears manufacturing muscle and marketing prowess, the company purchased the brands, but not the factories,
Biltmore Biltmore is a very rare off-shoot Harmony brand. The detail and finish quality on this square neck Hawaiian guitar is astounding, Ivankovich says.
Opposite Page: Silvertone AmpIn Case (Model 1457 Made by Danelectro) This is a roots rockers boyhood dream, Ivankovich says of this Danelectro 1457, which was sold between 1964 and 1966. The guitar is a double-cutaway, 21-fret design with a Masonitecovered pine body, Masonite pickguard, two lipstick pickups, stacked volume and tone knobs and a 3-way switch. The case amp barks through an 8-inch Jensen speaker powered by 5 watts of tube-tremolo saturated voicing via a rectified single-ended 6V6 power section.
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of instrument manufacturer Oscar Schmidt Co. in 1939. These included Schmidts La Scala, Stella, and Sovereign brands, according to American Guitars. Oscar Schmidt is now part of U.S. Music Corp., which also owns the Washburn brand. Washburn had deep connection to Chicago blues by virtue of proximity to Chicagos Maxwell Street Market, where Lyon & Healy, creators of the Washburn brand, were headquartered. Harmony and Sears parted in 1940, but Harmony continued to grow, propelled by the baby boom, the rise of folk music, and the emergence of rock and roll. But by the end of the60s Asian imports began to erode market share and profits. The U.S. recessions of the 70s brought rising unemployment, inflation, surging energy costs, and higher credit prices. Harmony went out of business in 1975, but the brand has been revived, and Westheimer sells Harmony guitars to this day.
Kay
Despite being a high-volume manufacturer, Kay had roots in old-world manufacturing. The company originated as the Groeschel Instrument Co., which later changed its name to StrombergVoisinet. The brand became Kay in 1928 when Stromberg-Voisinet employee Henry Kuhrmeyer purchased the company. (That same year Stromberg-Voisinet released the Stromberg Electro, one of the first electric guitars to hit the market.) Like Harmony, Kay built and sold stringed instruments under its own brand and a slew of others, including Airline and Sherwood Deluxe (for Montgomery Ward), Custom Kraft (for St. Louis Music), Old Kraftsman (for Spiegel), Orpheum (for Wards Catalogue), Penncrest (for J.C. Penney), plus Silvertone and Supertone for Sears. Kays tend to rank higher than Harmony guitars in quality and price, but below Gibsons. The Gold Kay archtops, created to compete with
premium brands such as Gibson and Fender, featured distinctive pickup covers that are sometimes referred to as Kessel boxes (after guitarist Barney Kessel, who had a signature Kay model) or Kleenex boxes. Another hallmark is the Kelvinator headstock with its huge gold and pearl plastic ornamentation. In 1955 Kuhrmeyer sold his portion of the company to Sidney Katz, formerly of Harmony. The company rode the rock nroll wave through the mid 60s, expanding into new markets and new products, including amplifiers and budget guitars. (Kay outsourced the amp production to Valco.) The company opened a new larger plant outside of Chicago in 1964, where, according to Wheeler, they were building 1,500 guitars per day, distributed to 7,000 retailers nationwide via 45 distribution companies. Kay was sold in to jukebox manufacturer Seeberg Corp. in 1965, and then to Valco two years later. By then guitar sales were in decline, and the company
Opposite Page: Sovereign Deluxe Jumbo (left) This is an amazing piece of sonic eye candy, Ivankovich says. With its tobacco burst and double pickguard, it holds its own against most any acoustic of the era. Jazz Artist (right) This was Harmonys answer to jazz players looking for a higher quality instrument. H68 pickups are modified doublemustache types. Left: Jimmy Reed Thin Twin (Kay K5910) Jimmy Reeds signature guitar was a semihollowbody with twin blade pickups, Ivankovich says.
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Above: Howlin Wolf Bass (Kay K5965 Right: Jimmy Reed Thin Twin (Kay K5910) The Thin Twin is shown here with a Silvertone headstock.
was auctioned off in 1969, according to kingofkays.com, a site dedicated to Kay guitars. The assets went to Syl Weindling and Barry Hornstein of W.M.I, which imported Teisco Del Rey guitars from Japan. The Kay brand then was applied to imported instruments in the early 70s. In addition to guitars, Kay made highquality upright basses. That division was acquired by Engelhardt-Link, which still produces instruments.
Valco
In many ways, Valcos story is a classic American tale of reinvention, which is to say that separating fact from fiction is difficult and possibly pointless. We do know this much: Before there was Valco, there was the National Stringed Instrument Corp., a Californiabased manufacturer of resonator guitars dating back to the 20s, and the Dobro Manufacturing Co. National created steelbodied guitars, notably the tri-cone, which used three resonating metal cones to amplify the sound, and the biscuit,
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which featured a single resonating cone. Then, as now, guitar players wanted to be heard, and that desire drove the development of these resonator guitars and the electric guitars and the amplifiers that would soon follow. George Beauchamp, one of Nationals founders, is credited by some with creating the Frying Pan, an electric lap steel guitar, in 1931 with Adolph Rickenbacker. Rickenbacker had founded Ro-Pat-In Corp., which became Electro String, which eventually evolved into Rickenbacker International Corp. He worked at National, and later at Dobro, and was largely responsible for the production methods that made it possible to mass-produce metal and Bakelite guitar bodies. In 1927 or 28, John Dopyera, another Nationals founder, started Dobro Corp. with his four brothers. They also produced resonator guitars and were direct National competitors. (The Dobro features a
There was no internet. There was no Guitar Center. There wasnt a lot of choice. You bought what you could get, and in a small town, the Sears, Roebuck catalog was often the first and only choice. Bruce Zinky, Supro Amps
different resonating device, a single bowl-shaped resonator, which Dopyera developed but kept from National.) The Dobro name is a mash-up of Dopyera and brother, and which also means good in Slovak, the brothers native language. Dopyera retained some National ownership rights and responsibilities, and there was what we would now call co-opetition between the companies. They effectively merged in the early 30s, becoming the National Dobro Co. Louis Dopyera and employees Victor Smith and Al Frost bought the company around 1934 and renamed it Valco, combining the first letters of the founders first names. In 1936 they relocated to Chicago to be near suppliers and other manufacturers, according to Victor Smith, as quoted in Wheelers book. Other Dopyeras started other guitar companies in warmer climates. Using parts from Harmony and Regal (another significant Chicago-based guitar manufacturer), they built wooden-body resonator guitars, Spanish guitars, lap steels, and later, electric guitars and amps. Regal also built resonator guitars using Valco parts, selling them under its own
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Supro Stratford Valcos answers to the Gibsons ES-335 were Supro Stratford, Carlisle, Clermont and Croydon models. The tobacco burst Stratford is an incredibly well-built 3-pickup guitar with an elaborate switching network and midrange boost that makes a thinsounding bridge singlecoil pickup sound fat like a P-90 or PAF pickup. This Stratford was loaned to a local blues musician during an album tracking session. Unfortunately, the saddle for the low-E broke and the guitar was rendered unplayable, Ivankovich says. When he returned it, the bluesman grinned and said that he saved the session by performing a custom modification that made the guitar sound like money and play like butta. Look closely and youll see.
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Tonemaster Norman English was a lap steel player who ran a music studio in Lansing, Michigan. He had a good relationship with Valco and was able to order custom instruments directly from them. English Electronics Tonemaster brand offered several sought after lap steels, Res-O-Glas guitars and amps, Ivankovich says of these Tonemasters. The lap steels have a 25-inch scale and Valcos legendary string-through pickups. Ry Cooders Coodercaster guitar is based on the Valco string-through-bridge pickup and single-coil neck configuration. The amp is powered by a dual 6V6 circuit, very much like a Fender Deluxe, with a 10inch Jensen speaker.
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brand. Valco created the Supro brand, applying it to Regal- and Harmonybuilt student acoustic models. They later used the Supro brand on electrics, amps, and bass guitars. They also introduced the Airline brand, under which they sold the same guitars and through Montgomery Ward. To those outside the manufacturing industry, these business relationships may seem counterintuitive. But to those in the industry, its business as usual. Our sports-focused nation may imagine a competition between companies, says Zinky. But these companies were just trying to sell a few more units. Collaboration between factories was all good, because everyone got paid. When you have machinery that breaks down, or one factory with an overstock of necks, you do what you must to alleviate the problem. When
you have a big contract or order you cant fill, you do what you must to fill it. Despite this genius for adaptability, Valco went out of business in 1968, a year after merging with Kay. Americas guitar lust had waned, the economy slowed, and cheaper imports flooded the market. The industry just keeps chasing the cheapest source, says Mike Robinson, president of Eastwood Guitars Inc., which now owns Airline and other vintage guitar brands and sells their replicas. It wasnt that different in the 60s. But now you see less of the exact same models with the exact same parts, only with different brands. The only exceptions are the very least expensive Fender and Gibson copies, because those are such generic designs.
Opposite Page (bottom): Montclair (H956), Rocket (H54) Redburst and Jamboree (H1250) These were period pieces, whose jet black finish and Harmometal trim embodied a mix of aesthetics that totaled out at cool, Ivankovich says. Left: Res-O-Glas Retro Cool For The 21st Century (Kay K5910)
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National/Supro Resophonic Student Guitars
Though mass produced and frequently dismissed, these department store guitars are different from most guitars built now, in that they were built in the United States by people who were more likely to play them than, say, a factory worker in Korea or Indonesia. And many of them were, and remain, genuinely fine instruments that are increasingly sought after by collectors such as Ivankovich. The late-50s guitars had a neck shape that was easy to play with small hands, but felt substantial, even if you had big hands, notes Zinky. The pickups always sounded musical. And then there were
the amps. Every Supro amp from the 30s through the 50s sounds like a good rock record when you turn it all the way upexcept for the ones that sound like fantastic rock records. I dont believe that can be said for any other brand.
The Department Store Guitar Revival
Nowadays the Kay, Supro, National, and Silvertone brands are enjoying renewed popularity. Replicas of these distinctive guitars are common, and bands such as the Black Keys, Grizzly Bear, the National, and the White
Stripes and using these instruments (and their reproductions) to create something simultaneously new, gritty, and authentic. Every time someone hits with one of these time machines, it makes everything thats old new again, says Ivankovich. Thats whats so cool about Jack White and the Black Keys discovering the Harmony and Airline stuff. Its the same mentality that drove the blues guys: The other stuff is too expensive! Who the hell can pay $10,000 for a Les Paul? Go get an Airline, a van, and trailer.
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Knaggs Best Thing

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MODERN BUILDER VAULT
KOZM Guitars
BY RICH OSWEILER
Kosmoski says his MT model draws its sonic influence from both a Telecaster and a Gretsch G5125. This slippery salmon-finished version has an alder body with a maple spine, and a maple neck with and an East Indian rosewood fretboard. The Tele-style bridge and sealed tuning machines are both from Gotoh. For electronics, Kosmoski outfits the MTs with a pair of DiMarziosa True Velvet DP178 single-coil in the bridge and a DP190 Air Classic in the neck.
MT (Mutated Tele)
odern guitars for modern times, is a fitting mission statement for Jeff Kosmoskis KOZM Guitars. One glance at any of his ergonomic instruments and its quickly apparent that the luthier isnt interested in producing modern-day versions of guitars that came on the scene 50-plus years ago. The self-taught builder is a mechanical engineer with a background in product design and computeraided design (CAD). Hes played guitar since grade school but didnt always want to be a luthier. The idea of actually making my own guitar seemed kind of strange, he says. Why spend the time making your own guitar, when you can just buy one and let you focus on the main taskcreating new music? About six years ago, however, Kosmoski was working at a company with a number of guitarists, some of whom were into kit guitars and making their own bodies. It got Kosmoski thinking: If he could use his background and skills with modern 3-D CAD tools to design and build any guitar he could imagine, what would he come up with? Some boutique luthiers pride themselves on not using CNC for valid reasons, but Kosmoski embraces the technology for his builds because
it allows him to create the instruments he envisions. That is, modern, curvaceous guitars that leave the past behind by moving away from flat, 2-D guitar design rooted in 1950s technology. Yes, there will always be those who say the old ways are the best ways, says Kosmoski. At the end of the day, however, the important question is, Can you make the material do what you want it to do? If your vision is limited by your tools, maybe its time to try new tools. Kosmoskis isnt influenced by a specific designer or instrument manufacturer per se, but he does have a design modus operandi. In general, Im inspired by people who arent afraid of shattering paradigms, people who think way outside the boxSalvador Dali, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Nikola Tesla. He considers Les Paul a visionary and says, Im pretty sure that if he was just coming on the scene today, hed be using CAD and a computer-controlled router to design and build guitars. Kosmoski builds both electrics and acoustics, and doesnt necessarily have a model he considers his signature or one hes most pleased with. To be honest, Im more interested in my next guitar designto see what I can come up with and to see how its going to sound, shares the builder. Although I like building electrics, these days Im more intrigued with the possibilities in the acoustic guitar realm. In some ways, Im just scratching the surface of whats possible. Theres a lot of room in the design space of 3-D, ergonomic, organic acoustic guitars. Kosmoski contends happy with the way his acoustics sound so far, but added, Im eager to see how far I can modify the sound by altering the body geometry, the size and location of the sound holes, the stiffeners, wall thicknesses, and woods. Guitar players are an interesting breed, says the luthier. In a realm thats all about breaking the mold, moving forward, and being innovative, Im intrigued that so many guitarists feel obliged to reach for the guitars of yesterday. Most builders today are confined to the world of flat. However, the human body isnt flat. Nor is the natural world in general. I strive to make my guitars as ergonomic, organic, non-flat, and seductive as possible. kozmguitars.com
PRICING & AVAILABILITY

Kosmoski is currently only selling direct through his website, but hopes to have some of his acoustic models in Portland, Oregon, guitar stores soon. The base price for his guitars is $2,395 for the acoustics and $2,595 for the electrics, and Kosmoski highly encourages customer involvement in the build process. Because I dont start making the guitar until everything is designed on the computer, I have the ability to take screen images of the design, and email them to the customer, says Kosmoski. My CAD software also lets me play with colors and details, so if the customer doesnt like something, we can manipulate the design until we get it right.
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AW (Arched Wave)
It has three single-coils and a 5-way selector switch, but the AW model is not your fathers Strat. This AWs body is constructed from a piece of resonant hard maple in the central area, bordered by strips of ribbon mahogany on each side, and then followed by Eastern ash for the outer areas. The neck is maple and is topped with an East Indian rosewood fretboard. The sleek, black hardware appointments include a Hipshot hardtail bridge and Gotoh 510 sealed tuning machines. The single-coil trio is made up of DiMarzio True Velvets with a DP176 in the bridge, a DP175S in the middle, and a DP175 in the neck.
Heresy 1
The Heresy 1 is a fine example of the boundaries Kosmoski is pushing in the acoustic arena. By using CAD technology and CNC, hes able to machine stiffening ribs as part of his overall support system directly out of the interior of the front and back halves of the bodymeaning a design with integral braces and no need for the traditional glue-in variety. Speaking of the side-ported body, it features a hard-maple front and an African mahogany back, with an ebony mid-ring separating the two components. The Heresys bolt-on neck is constructed with a hard maple center thats flanked on each side by African mahogany, and then dressed with an East Indian rosewood fretboard and Bolivian rosewood headstock.
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Photographer Lisa S. Johnson captures the story behind rocks most iconic axes, with commentary from the guitarists themselves.
BOOK EXCERPT COMPILED BY CORBIN REIFF
bout 15 years ago, Lisa S. Johnson was working as a technical sales representative for Kodak. In order to gain a greater knowledge of the companys product line, she bought her own professional-grade camera gear and began shooting still images in her spare time. As fate would have it, one night she found herself at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City, the Monday-night court of one Les Paul. The always-gracious Paul allowed her to photograph his guitars, and thus began a quest that would span years and send Johnson far and wide in search of guitar playersand instrumentsof all stripes.
The culmination of that journey is available now. 108 Rock Star Guitars is a 396-page, leather-bound behemoth brimming with beautiful, elegant images of some of the most iconic and recognized instruments the world has ever known. The artists who allowed their most prized possessions to be photographed by Johnson read like a veritable whos who of rock-guitar royalty. Whats more, Johnsons work is threaded with personal stories detailing her own epic adventure to discover and celebrate these wondrous instruments. Here, were delighted to share 11 of the books most compelling images and stories.
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108 ROCK STAR GUITARS
ACE FREHLEY
Modified Gibson Les Paul UFO Light Guitar
I met Aces tech backstage at Mandalay Bay, and he guided me through an obstacle course of road cases as the crew readied for what would be an epic showSkid Row and Ted Nugent performing in support of Kiss. He had staked out a small room near the stage, to work on guitars in relative peace, and it was here, in a craftsmans special lair, that he showed me three of Aces special axes and divulged their secrets. Ace frequently plays this Les Paul when Kiss performs New York Groove. It was built by luthier/guitar tech extraordinaire Steve Carr.
Lisa S. Johnson, 108 Rock Star Guitars
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ALEX LIFESON
1976 Gibson ES-335 Stereo
This is my baby, the original. When I pick this guitar up and play, it feels so different. Its got a tiny neckthats how they used to do them in the 70s.
Alex Lifeson
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Its not about what you play, or how. Its why ?

In the process of finding the perfect pickup for our 8-strings we stumbled upon Lundgren Pickups. They had it all and still reign supreme. Unchallenged. Fredrik Thordendal and Mrten Hagstrm of Meshuggah with Lundgren Pickups since 2000.
We never claimed that our handmade pickups sound better. Our artists and customers certainly did and we trust that they know why. Since making the first Lundgren pickups in 1990 our ambition has always been to find the short cut between your heart and ears. If youre still searching, trust your heart; trust our pickups.
www.lundgrenpickups.com American distributor Conklin guitars
BILLY GIBBONS
The Fur Gibson Explorer
Known as the fur guitars for obvious reasons. Made by luthier/furrier Matthew Klein at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville. In concert, Billy and Dusty strap on these fuzzy monsters when ZZ Top kicks into the song Legs. Dont let their soft appearance fool you; these guitars rock hard.
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JEFF BECK
Fender Stratocaster (1993 Neck, 1995 Body)
I waited three hours before being ushered into the presence of Jeff Becks cherished Frankenstratso-called because it was fashioned from various Fender parts, with a neck circa 1993 intended solely for internal use at the Fender factory bolted to a standard-issue 1995 body. The neck, its headstock stamped with the serial number 04, was a gift from Fender. A long crack snakes down the necks backside, but the guitar is in perfect working order, as anyone whos heard Jeff play will tell you.
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JIMMY PAGE
1968 Gibson EDS 1275 SG Double Neck
Perhaps no other guitar rises to the level of rock n roll icon as much as Jimmys SG double neck. See her up close and youll swear shes been to hell and back, despite her frequent ascensions via the Stairway to Heaven. Jimmy performs the intro of that most famous of Zeppelin songs on the twelve-string, utilizing the six-string on the songs more raucous sections and the solo.
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Double up on a classic.
One of T-Rexs rst eects, the original Alberta overdrive has been embraced by guitarists around the globe. So much so, in fact, that many found themselves using two Albertas in their eects chain - one for creamy rhythm sounds, and the other for piercing solos. Aware of just how valuable pedal board real estate can be, weve introduced the Alberta II. This dual-channel powerhouse doubles your tonal range without increasing its physical footprint. Now you can easily swap between your amps clean sound, an on-the-edge overdrive from channel 1, and a punchy, wide open rock tone from channel 2. Plus, ip the new FAT switch for even thicker tone on either channel.
FUEL TANK
FUEL IT WITH A
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JOE WALSH
1958 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
Ask Joe Walsh what his fondest guitar-related memory is and hell tell you of the day his first guitar, a Sears and Roebuck Silvertone, arrived at his doorstep. Ask Joe Walsh about his worst guitar-related memory and you get this: Falling out of a tree and breaking the neck of my Les Paul. It was, at least, a fall that taught him not to venture into trees with nice guitars, which is perhaps one of the most valuable lessons a guitarist can learn. Manufactured before Gibson replaced goldtop finishes with sunbursts in July of 1958, this particular modelwhich Joe received as a gift from his wife is one of the most expensive six-strings a collector can buy.
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ROBBY KRIEGER
1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard
This Kriegerburst is Robbys favorite LPan inspiring work of art that never fails to encourage him to new musical heights. Although he regrets not purchasing the prettiest burst he ever saw for $3K back in the 70s, he finds this one to be truly exceptional. It features an extra slim neck and weighs just under 8 pounds. Due to its rarity, Robby never takes this guitar on the road.
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PETER FRAMPTON
2000 Signature Gibson Les Paul
In the next edition of this book I hope to include Peters original 54 [Les Paul], scarred and burned from its Caribbean adventures but again regularly joining Frampton onstage. Meantime, here is the Signature model he used as his main guitar in 2001, complete with his signature etched into the 12th fret inlay.
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SLASH
1987 Gibson Les Paul Standard
A cigarette ember fell on this guitar while Slash was performing with Alice Cooper. Midsong, one with the music, he let the ember burn, leaving a charred reminder of rock n roll nirvana.
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WAYNE KRAMER
2010 Signature Stars and Stripes Fender Stratocaster
The guitar pictured here is a reissue. When I asked after the original Stars and Stripes sixstring, the control room fell profoundly silent. It went up a hole in my arm, Wayne said, watchful and intense. Tears welled in my eyes. His answer spoke of a dark remembrance, of a day when he had sold part of his soul for a fix.
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ZAKK WYLDE
1981 Gibson Les Paul The Grail
In the days before Zakk teamed up with Ozzy, he received this guitar as a gift from his parents. Its original crme finish made it virtually indistinguishable from a Les Paul favored by Randy Rhoads (RIP). Out of respect for Randy, Zakk refinished the guitar with the bulls eye pattern featured on movie posters for Alfred Hitchcocks Vertigo.
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Gator oers a huge selection for every guitarist. Gig bags for the gigging rocker to ATA ight cases for the touring shredder. Pack up your guitars, pedals, amps and amp heads with ease and hit the road with Gator.
Strings that protect your guitars bridge plate while delivering exceptional tone.
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TRASH OR TREASURE
Peavey T-15
BY ZACHARY FJESTAD
Q:
Hey Zach! I really enjoy your articles and was just looking through some older ones. I have a guitar you might not be too familiar with. Its a Peavey T-15 and I bought it brand new in 1982 or 1983. It came with a case that has a little built-in transistor amp. It plays nice and sounds fine, but the pickups are terribly microphonic! Can you tell me a little bit about my guitar and what its worth today? Thanks, Burt in Greenville, Mississippi
Peaveys T-15 short-scale guitar represents not only one of the companys first guitar models, but a design that helped ignite a new way of manufacturing guitars.
Hey Burt, Youre rightIm not too familiar with the Peavey T-15, but thats because its one of the less common T-Series guitars produced. I hear a lot more about Peaveys T-60 guitar and T-40 bass. Mississippi-based Peavey Electronics, as many of us know, first made its mark as an electronics company that produced amplifiers and PA equipment. Though Hartley Peavey used to draw sketches of guitars in high school, he never intended to become a guitar builder. But because of his companys success in the amplifier marketaccording to Peaveylarge guitar manufacturers such as Gibson and Fender were pressuring dealers to buy their proprietary amplifiers if the dealers wanted to carry their guitars. So Peavey decided to fight fire with fire and compete by building guitars too. The 1970s were an experimental time for guitar makers. Manufacturers were struggling to produce more guitars at a lower cost, and quality often suffered. Hartley Peavey looked for a better way
A:
and took note from his gun collection, because mass-production techniques were successfully being used to join wooden rifle stocks to the barrels with precision fits. Peavey had the idea to shape guitar necks on a copy lathesomething no other guitar manufacturer had tried up until then. By using computers and a machine to create the neck, every one was essentially the same. This method allowed Peavey to build guitars at a high production rate with low cost, yet maintain a high level of quality. It also helped ignite the CNC revolution in the guitar industry. Chip Todd, a guitar builder and engineer who started working at Peavey in 1974, was chosen to lead the guitar division. Peavey invested heavily in the guitar project by buying all the necessary machinery and completely overhauling a plant for guitar production. By 1978, the first T-60 guitars and T-40 basses rolled off the production line. Because of the low cost of production, Peaveys guitars could compete very well against the large manufacturers. In fact, Peavey ran an ad ran with the headline Why? that compared the price of their $375 T-60 to the Fender Stratocaster at $790 and a Gibson Les Paul at almost $1,000. In 1981, Todd went to work for Fender and luthier Mike Powers joined Peavey to take over the guitar division. New T-Series models were underway when Powers came to Peavey and the short-scale T-15 was nearly ready for production. The idea behind the T-15 and its 23 1/2" scale was to have a model
ZACHARY R. FJESTAD is author of Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars, Blue Book of Electric Guitars, and Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers. For more information, visit bluebookinc.com or email Zach at guitars@bluebookinc.com.
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Photo by Steve Kikoen, The Guitar Studio
available that could make learning easier for beginning guitarists and provide faster fretting for experienced players. The T-15s operating guide states that the bodies are made from select hardwoods. From most reports, the bodies were cut from either ash or maple, depending on the finish. The bolt-on necks were constructed from rock maple and topped with a maple fretboard. The pickups used were singlecoil Peavey Super Ferrites and electronics consisted of shared volume and tone knobs, and a 3-way selector switch. The T-15 was offered with the optional Electric Case, a hardshell case that had a built-in, 10-watt practice amp with three control knobs for pre-gain, post-gain, and EQ. Other T-Series models made it to varying stages of production. The T-25, made out of a composite called Sustanite, didnt get past a few prototype models, but a 3-pickup version of the T-15 called the T-30 and other projects including the T-26, T-27, and T-45 bass made it to full production. The T-Series instruments remained in production until the T-60 was officially discontinued in 1988. The T-15 was produced for just three years during the early 80s, and originally retailed for $260. Being Peaveys first guitars, youd think that T-Series instruments would be extremely collectible. Surprisingly, most are worth about what they sold for new over 30 years ago. Your T-15 with the case/amp combo included is currently valued between $250 and $300 (between $150 and $200 for the guitar only). The monetary value isnt that high, but these are great guitars that have achieved almost cult-like status and can be purchased at a relative bargain.
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VINTAGE VAULT
1957 Gretsch 6130 Round-Up

BY DAVE ROGERS, LAUN BRAITHWAITE, AND TIM MULLALLY
y 1953 the Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Company had been building drums, banjos, and guitars for 70 years. But that year, the traditional instrument maker made what seemed like a radical move by following the lead of Fender and Gibson in producing its own solidbody guitar: the Duo Jet. But while the Fender Telecasters ash body and the Gibson Les Pauls mahogany/maple body were truly solid, the Gretsch Duo Jets mahogany body was nearly hollow to accommodate the electronics and wiring. The hollowedout body was then covered with a pressed arched top. A family of similar guitars followed, differentiated mainly by their finishes. According to the companys 1955 catalog, Gretsch offered the design in four models, each one a triumph of modernistic beauty and musical performance. These guitars were the Duo Jet, the Silver Jet (silver sparkle), the Jet Fire Bird (red), and the Round-Up (western orange). The Round-Up was devised in 1953, when country and western music was gaining recognition on the pop charts. Its over-the-top cowboy-style decorations were aimed at aspiring C&W guitarists. The
1955 catalog described the guitar as having Masculine beauty in real Western finish. Tooled leather shoulder strap and body binding; gold plated metal parts. The fretboard inlays were etched with the same steer heads and cacti that appeared on the leather trim and strap. A pearloid steer head was also inlayed under the Gretsch logo on the headstock. A dramatic G brand embellished the top (often knotty pine). These decorations were reused the next year on the Chet Atkins signature models and the acoustic Rancher. The 1957 Round-Up pictured hereserial number 23405shows the typical characteristics of 1957 Gretsches: hump-top block fretboard inlays (with no etching), knobs indented with a G bisected by an arrow, and a long truss rod cover (introduced in 1956). Round-Up features unchanged from the original version included the studded leather side trim, western belt buckle tailpiece, tortoiseshell pickguard decorated with a steer head (the steer head on the headstock had been replaced by a horseshoe), DeArmond single-coil pickups, and Melita adjustable bridge. The original G brand had
disappeared from the deep-orangestained maple top by this time. The Round-Up was priced at $325 in the 1955 Gretsch catalog. The current value for this 1957 version is $12,500. Sources for this article include Gretsch: The Guitars of the Fred Gretsch Company by Jay Scott, Gretsch 6120: The History of a Legendary Guitar by Edward Ball, 50 Years of Gretsch Electrics: Half a Century of White Falcons, Gents, Jets, and Other Great Guitars by Tony Bacon, and The Gretsch BookA Complete History of Gretsch Electric Guitars by Tony Bacon and Paul Day.
DAVES GUITAR SHOP
Dave Rogers collection is tended by Laun Braithwaite and Tim Mullally and is on display at: Daves Guitar Shop 1227 Third Street South La Crosse, WI 54601 davesguitar.com Photos by Mullally and text by Braithwaite.
Opposite page: The Round-Up featured two single-coil pickups with adjustableheight pole pieces, a Melita bridge, and an ornate belt buckle tailpiece. Right: Note the steer head etched into the tortoiseshell pickguard, with a mounting screw representing his nose.
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STUDIO LEGENDS
ANDREW SCHEPS
The engineer/producer who mixed Black Sabbaths return to the top of the charts.
BY MITCH GALLAGHER
ndrew Scheps earned his spot in the center of the control room the old-fashioned way: by doing whatever job needed doing for some of musics biggest artistsand doing it well. After starting his career as a technician for New England Digital (creators of the Synclavier, one of the first digital audio workstations/synthesizers/samplers), Scheps went on to do synthesizer programming, drum loops, Pro Tools editing, and more for artists ranging from Michael Jackson and Jay-Z to Earth, Wind & Fire and Iggy Pop. Along the way he made a connection with mega-producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Slayer, Run-D.M.C., Metallica, Tom Petty, Eminem, Adele, and many more) and began engineering many of his projects. The latest of these is Black Sabbaths 13, the bands first studio album since 1995, and the first full studio album featuring Ozzy Osbourne since 1978s Never Say Die! The comeback album reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts, debuted at #1 in Canada, and became the first chart-topping album for Sabbath in the U.K. since 1970s Paranoid. What was it like mixing the iconic founders of the heavy metal genre? What was great about it, says Scheps, was being able to pull up faders and have it be Black Sabbath, as opposed to a band trying to sound like Black Sabbath. Nobody else plays like that.
Right: Andrew Scheps pilots the Neve 8068 console at Punkerpad West, his Van Nuys, California, studio.
Photo by xxx
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Andrew Scheps often consolidates tracks within Pro Tools so that instruments always appear on the same mixing board faders.
As a mix engineer, do you have input on how things are tracked, or does it only come to you after the tracking is finished? Usually its at the end of the tracking process. Thats when they start thinking, Hey, who should we get to mix the record? But there have been a few records where from the beginning theyve said, We cant afford you for the whole project, but we know were going to want you to mix. Do you want to come and hang out during the tracking or just be involved a little bit? That can be great, though I never want to step on the toes of the person whos actually recording. The last thing any engineer wants is someone else coming in the room and saying, No man, you should do it that way. When you get the tracks, do they also send you a rough mix that was made during tracking? Almost always. With the way Pro Tools is now, and people working in the box, the rough mixes are usually not terribly rough. Theyre quite involved. I always want to get a picture of why they thought the stuff was ready to be mixed. Is the rough mix the first thing you listen to, or do you put the tracks up first? Usually I listen to the rough mix. Theres a lot of prep, laying the session out to get it ready to mix. So I do that while listening to the rough mix. Whats your prep process? A lot of it is just organizing the Pro Tools session. I mix on a console, so I split things out over multiple outputs, usually 32 to 40. I try to lay things out the same for every mix. The lead vocal is always on fader 24, and the drums always start down on fader 1 and get eight to 12 faders. Next comes bass, then guitars, then keyboards, and above fader 24 is percussion. Once I start mixing I no longer have to think about where stuff is. Color-coding is a big part of my process. The drums are always a very dark blue, the bass is a brighter blue, guitars are always green. If there are a ton of guitars, dark green is the most distorted, and light green is the most clean or acoustic. I can glance at the screen and get a fast
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snapshot of whats coming up and how the arrangement plays. How much of the process is in Pro Tools and how much is in the console? Most of it is in the console, but there are lots of things that get mixed together in Pro Tools before they come up on the console. If someone has tracked all the guitars but hasnt yet combined all the microphones, then that gets done in Pro Tools. The last thing I want to think about is five microphones or two different amps when its a single guitar performance. That guitar performance gets one fader. Most of the actual mixing happens on the console with outboard gear, but every once in a while I reach for a plug-in just because its a different thing. After the prep, how do you start the mix? Once Ive got it all laid out and Ive listened to the rough mix, the first 70% of mixing is getting a balance. While Im getting the balance Im also EQing,
compressing, setting up effects, and things like that. I spend a very long time just trying to get a balance where the song plays itself. There was a reason people chose that performance of the song to mix, so presumably theres some point with the faders all just sitting there when the balance is right, its exciting, and you feel why they chose that take. Some mixers always start with the vocal. Some start with a kick drum. Do you have a process like that? No, things come up all at once. At the very beginning, I do start with the drums, and usually the kick drum first. But I want to make the drums act like one instrument, not many tracks. I want to think about drums as drums. So I go through and make the drum kit a single instrument the same way I would if I had, say, five tracks of guitar that make up one performance. But outside of that, all the tracks have got to be in. I work my way through
As Im working on a mix, the one thing I want is for it to hit me emotionally. Until its doing that, Im not done.
the instruments to discover whats there and fix any sonic problems, but it really is everything all at once as soon as Ive got the instruments acting as instruments. Do you view each song individually, or as part of an album? I dont worry about how stuff goes together. Its almost never a problem because an album usually has common threads. The songwriting. The vocalist. A lot of times the drums have all been tracked at once. There are enough common threads that its almost better to find
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8/26/13 10:55 AM
A Mixers Glossary
Automation. Using a computer to record and play back fader moves and control changes during a mix. Bounce. To re-record a track or tracks to a new track, including any plug-ins or effects used on the original tracks. In the box. Working entirely within a computer, using plug-ins and software tools rather than hardware processors and outboard gear. Mixing. According to Andrew Scheps: The mixer is the guy who gets all those performances that have already been recorded and has to make it into a stereo thing that you can put on a CD or iTunes. Out of the box. Using external hardware processors and mixers rather than software in a computer. Parallel compression. A technique where uncompressed signal is mixed with a compressed version of the same signal. Ride. To move faders while the song is playing to adjust the mix. Rough mix. An impromptu reference mix created during the course of tracking. Solo. To play back a track in isolation, with all other tracks muted. Tracking. According to Andrew Scheps: Tracking is setting up microphones and recording the performances.
what is amazing about each song, and to discover what will be super-cool for it. It keeps the album fresh as you go. If you worry about trying to make it consistent, all that happens is you end up with a slightly more boring record. So you start each song completely from scratch? In terms of the source tracks and EQing, absolutely. But the outboard gear I use for parallel compression, reverb, or delay is always there. What changes is what gets sent to it on each song. Ive got a couple of stereo things that usually work on drums. Ive got some stuff that usually works on vocals. Sometimes I add bass to the one thats on the vocal or well, thats the part that changes every time. Most people working in home studios are working in the box. Is there any essential gear for them? I think a control surface is essential. If youve never mixed with multiple faders in front of you, youre really missing
out on something awesome about mixing: being able to ride a bunch of things simultaneously and really feel how you can change the balance going into the chorus and stuff like that. In terms of audio gear, I really dont think theres anything essential. The stuff that Tchad Blake [engineer for Peter Gabriel, The Black Keys, Sheryl Crow, and many more] is doing completely in the box sounds so amazing that you cant argue that you absolutely need to have an analog bus compressor or anything like that. Its just not true. If someone wants to put together a great home studio, whats most important to focus on? Well, the drag is that it is a chain of gear and then acoustics, and the weakest link is the weakest link. You dont want to have any weak links. The speakers are critically important, as is your listening environment. If either of those is terrible, then it doesnt matter what else youve got going on. But it doesnt necessarily have to be a
professionally treated room. My control room is not professionally treated. It looks like a big living room, and I love that. How do you decide when a mix is done? Thats a really hard question! But I always know. As I work on a mix, the one thing I want is for it to hit me emotionally. Until its doing that, Im not done. I also build up a mental to-do list, whether its building vocal effects in the chorus, making sure the downbeat of the bridge is a big deal, or doing some panning moves. Until Ive ticked off everything on that list Im obviously not done. But really, I just want to hit play at the beginning of the song and be engrossed all the way to the end and think its awesome and want to hear it again. If I get to that point, then Im done. Lets talk about 13. Its been said that Rick Rubin wanted to recapture the vibe of the first few Sabbath records. Did you get simple sessions, as those early albums would have been, or did you get tons of tracks?
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For most of the album, its the live tracking band plus one guitar overdub and vocals, and thats it. I never had conversations with the band or Rick about this, but I assume he wanted to recapture the way they made their first few records really fast. As far as I know, they made the first record in two days. They just were a great band. They jammed, and thats what was awesome about them. Obviously the vibe and lyrics and stage show were big parts of it, but they were also just a great band. Rick wanted the album to feel like those guys playing together. The arrangements absolutely speak to that. Tony [Iommi] did a bunch of overdubs. There were extra guitars and keyboards and some really cool sound effects and things. But those were always meant to sound like overdubs. They werent meant to finish the songs. The band tracks finish the songs. That made it really easy in some ways and really difficult in others. When youve got a nine-minute song where 150 things come and go, all you need to do is make sure everybody can hear all those things. When you have a nine-minute song with only bass, drums, two guitars, and vocal, youve got to keep everybodys interest. It can actually end up being a little bit trickier to mix. All the songs are quite long. Did you mix them section by section? No, you have to do it all at once, because theres no way to know whether its going to work otherwise. If I really had to change something drastically, I could automate that change in Pro Tools so that what coming up on the faders would change. For a lot of my mixing, once I turn the automation on, I start at the beginning of the song and ride a few things together all the way through. I dont say, Okay, now Im going to ride this guitar in each chorus. I like to treat it like youre mixing front-of-house [live sound]. I sometimes overdo things and refine them later. But it gives you a great sense of the shape of the song and how its going to work. The album has big guitars, often doubled, which could have made it difficult to hear the bass. But on End of the Beginning, for example, the bass part is active, and you can hear all the notes. How did you achieve that?
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To be honest, a huge part of that is the guys playing, because their tones are amazing, the dynamics within their performances are amazing, and their rigs are amazing. Also, Greg Fidelman, who is a fantastic engineer, tracked the record. The tracks were great when I got them. It was just a matter of making sure that some things didnt step on other things. Lets say its two guitars going for most of the song, one hard left and one hard right, and the bass is in the middle. Immediately youve given yourself some room. Then finding EQsthe good thing is that the EQ where all of the notes live on a guitar is an octave up from that same spot on the bass. So you can use EQ to bring out frequencies on those instruments that dont necessarily interfere with each other. Also, there are a lot of subtle fader moves over the course of a nine-minute song. When a bass riff appears for the first time, its a little louder than the second, third, and fourth times, because its already
established, and youll hear it if you want to. Theres always a main instrument, whether the solo or the vocal or sometimes the bass or drums. The idea is to let those ideas be small so that you dont necessarily think, Wow, the bass got loud for a bar. You just think, Oh my God, what an awesome bass line, then Hey, wait, that riff was ridiculous, then Oh, now Ozzy sounds incredible. Shifting focus is a great tool. Well, its not really a toolits just what everybody does when they ride faders. Its one of the reasons I love the console. It isnt just about turning the bass upI might turn the guitars down a little bit to make room. But theyre very subtle moves, and theyre usually not very long. Another problem with dense mixes is getting the vocal to come through. Is there special processing involved? First of all, Ozzy sounds amazing on this record. When I got the vocal tracks I was
so excited. He has an amazing voice that works with guitars. All of the great rock singers have that. Chris Cornell is the same way. Theres something in his voice that is aggressive and that carries a lot of power but just cuts right through drums and guitars so its easy to hear. Singers do a lot of the work for you when theyre good. The vocal probably had a bit more effect on it than I would normally use, because thats part of Ozzys sound. Theres some doubling, some slap delay, that kind of thing. I also use parallel compressors. I have one compressor thats fairly aggressive so I can add a little bit more aggressiveness to the vocal when I need to. But a lot of it is just finding that static balance at the beginning, and then all of my rides work from that balance. Whatever the balance is before the faders start moving, you can hear everything. Then its just a matter of, what do I want to draw your attention to? What should be featured?
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Scheps hanging out with the Hives (left to right) Chris Dangerous, Howlin Pelle Almqvist, and Nicholaus Arson.
A Selected
ANDREW SCHEPS DISCOGRAPHY

Adele, 21 Johnny Cash, Unearthed Black Sabbath, 13 Josh Groban, Illuminations Red Hot Chili Peppers, Im with You, Stadium Arcadium Jay-Z, The Black Album, Collision Course (with Linkin Park) Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals The Hives, Lex Hives Metallica, Death Magnetic The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute Weezer, Weezer (Red Album)
Was the band involved with the mixes? Well, its not finished until they like it. [Laughs.] The band didnt attend the mixes, but they were very involved in all the mixes. They all had comments. We worked together until Rick and the band were happy with everything.
Above: Photo by C. Villano
Youve mixed everyone from the Dixie Chicks Natalie Maines to Adele, Metallica to Neil Diamond, Red Hot Chili Peppers to Jay-Z, and now Sabbath. Do you use the same approach in all those different styles?
I think my approach really is the same. Obviously, there are differences in terms of how aggressive to make certain things sound, what you do in terms of vocal effects, and stuff like that. But in general I think of myself as kind of a rock guy, and I mix everything like a rock record. Im trying to make everything exciting, and Im just trying to make the emotion come out. The core of what I do is trying to get the emotion of the song out of the speakers. Thats it. The gear can change, but its always about the performance and the song.
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TONE TIPS
What Would Linda Do?

BY PETER THORN
Here I am at Linda Perrys studioKung Fu Gardens. Its an amazing place with a virtual treasure trove of gear options to choose from.
e guitarists tend to develop a style over time. Its a combination of the musical choices we make and sounds we use, and we all just seem to gravitate towards certain gear appropriate for the style(s) we play. When we think of Stevie Ray Vaughan, a battered 60s Strat, cranked Fender and Dumble amps, and an Ibanez Tube Screamer instantly come to mind. With Hendrix, we think of Strats, Fuzz Faces, a wah, and Marshalls. And for Eddie Van Halen, its his homemade humbucker-equipped super strat with a dimed Marshall plexi. But even these iconic guitarists sometimes utilized gear that was outside the norm for them, often with outstanding results. Van Halens use of a nylon-string guitar on Spanish Fly comes to mind right away. So this month Ill touch on the interesting possibilities that can come from stepping out of your comfort zone. In 2006, I started working for producer/ songwriter Linda Perry. Linda had me play on sessions for artists such as Alicia Keys, Daniel Powter, James Blunt, and many others. It was a great experience and I gained an incredible amount of insight into how to be effective in the recording studio. One of the most important lessons I learned working for Linda was that when it comes to gear, getting outside the box can yield great results creatively. Some of you know that Im a major gear geek, and can be quite particular about what I use. Once we get comfortable with our rigs, it can be unnerving to use gear other than our own, and Im often adamant about wanting to use my own. But Linda really liked to suggest gear for the musicians to use when producing sessions. She has an incredible and vast collection of amps, guitars, and effects, so there was certainly no shortage of options. When I first started working for her, Id usually bring a few guitars, amps, and a pedalboard to the studio. However I quickly realized that I could show up with nothing and be just fine.
Linda would typically have us learn a rough arrangement of the song wed be tracking that day. Id pick up an acoustic guitar and make a chart and notes. Once we learned the song, Linda would make decisions with each musician about what gear to use, and wed then start setting up our rigs. Its interesting how our musical past can affect our musical instincts when interpreting someone elses song in the studio. Lindas instincts could be totally different than mine. For example, my brain might tell me that a song absolutely needed muted eighth-notes played with a semi-dirty Les Paul/Marshall-type tone in the verses, and then opening up in the chorus. But Linda might say, Why dont you grab the Fender electric 12-string and the Vox AC15, come up with an arpeggio part in the verses, and then do something ambient with a delay in the chorus. The challenge was to embrace her suggestions and try to keep an open mind. That said, the most interesting and unique things often happened when I followed her instincts! When pushed out of my comfort zone both tonally and musically, Id come up with parts that I never would have otherwise. Expanding my own musical and tonal vocabularies in the process was the truly wonderful part. The same thing can happen in a live context, too. On many of the tours Ive worked on, one member of the band usually ends up serving as the musical director, or MD. Theyre like a producer because
their job is essentially to make sure the band sounds great by thinking about the big picture at all times. Sometimes they ask a musician to modify a part or try something different tonally, and its important to not take it personally when this happens. Turning off your ego and just rolling with the punches can yield great results. Sure, you might end up playing an acoustic fingerpicking part instead of a screaming solo, but being flexible and happily trying different ideas shows youre a true professional. It can feel like youre in the hot seat when singled out in a rehearsal and asked to change something. But handling these situations with humility, grace, and a smile on your face will yield great benefits. The players who deal with these situations well are the ones who get hired over and over again. When writing and recording my own music, Ill sometimes ask myself, What would Linda have asked me to do here? I often try and step out of my own preconceptions to come up with something tonally and musically unique. The great thing about music and the guitar is that theres always more to learn and somewhere else to go. See you next month for more Tone Tips!
PETER THORN
is an L.A.-based guitarist, currently touring with Melissa Etheridge. His solo album, Guitar Nerd, is available through iTunes and cdbaby.com. Read more about his career at peterthorn.com.
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Kings of Leon and Matthew Followill rise from the ashes of internet ridicule to craft a comeback record full of mysterious textures and bristling solos.
ROYALTY THE ROCKS?

WRITTEN BY CORBIN REIFF
W
Photo by John Davisson/Frank White Photo Agency
hen people toss out the saying Its good to be king, its usually a wry reference to obscene levels of prosperity enjoyed by a privileged few. But for Kings of Leon, it may have had a wry ring for an entirely different reason over the last few years. Between cancelling a 2010 concert due to pigeon poopand the, uh, crap storm of internet jabs the incident generatednot to mention having to bail on their 2011 U.S. tour due to singer/rhythm guitarist Caleb Followills alleged alcohol problem, the new decade didnt exactly get off to a grand start. Who knows exactly what went on behind the scenes during the downtime? Things can get hairy in families, and a family band cant be any different. It was rumored that the acrimony among brothers Caleb, Jared (bass), and Nathan Followill (drums), and cousin Matthew Followill (lead guitar) ran so deep that theyd inevitably hang up their crowns. That last bit of conjecture was false. Kings of Leons sixth LP, Mechanical Bull, came out this fall, and between its title
and song titles like On the Chin, Comeback Story, and Work on Me, it seems to address the drama head-on. The music has the hallmarks of a classic Kings album, if a more grown up one. Rock City bristles with Southern-fried feedback. Dont Matter is relentless with its fuzzy, worldweary vibe. Beautiful War broods with atmospheric, Joshua Tree-like warmth. Coming Back Again features bass guitar and toms galloping in unison alongside warbling, echo-laden guitar hooks. Its the sort of comeback that fits perfectly with the smug declaration of Mel Brooks King Louis XVI character after kissing a ravishing courtier in History of the World, Part 1: Its good to be king. We recently spoke to Matthew Followill about his affinity for hollowbodies, how synth lines inspire his guitar lines, and how he deals with being goaded by his cousins/bandmates while tracking solos in the studio.
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PREMIERGUITAR DECEMBER 2013 85
Ripping in red: Kings of Leons Matthew Followill with a cherryburst Les Paul Custom.
You guys took some much-needed time off before working on this album. How did that affect the writing of Mechanical Bull? We had been going really hard for a long timeI think it was, like, eight or nine yearsso it worked out well. We were all so excited to get back together and start writing for the album. Did you play much guitar during the break, or do you prefer to set it aside when you arent recording or touring? Im sure its not what people want to hear, but when I think back about that year I can barely remember playing guitar at all. Its weird though, because when I did pick it back up it was like an old friend and I was really excited to play again and I felt like I was better. Its hard to explain. Its like when you work out a muscle, and then you take a week off and let the muscle heal and its stronger. Did you find that your approach to playing had changed at all after the break? I listened to a lot of music on the time off, because on the album before [2010s Come Around Sundown], I had a bit of writers block and definitely wasnt feeling very creative. Listening to a lot of music helped me see what other guitar players and bands were doing. I wasnt dissecting albums or anything like that, but I think it helped a lot when it came time for writing. What were you listening to? Its weird, but a lot of the bands I like dont have a strong guitar player. Theres this band called Wild Nothing thats kind of pop/indie sounding. I listened to the Horrors record Skying, and some Tame Impala. Then you have the old classicslike, I got back into Thin Lizzy for a while, and some ZZ Top for a minute. But even bands that use a lot of synths help me picture the synth-y stuff as a guitar part, and Id think about how I could get there using pedals and stuff like that. When you guys got back together to write and record, what was the collective thinking like?
I just remember that we kept reassuring each other that this album had to be greator that at least we had to think it was great. We kept saying, If its not great, were just gonna take more time off and we will not come out with something until we, as a band, think its great. In the past, we always felt this pressureusually the label just sticks us in there and theyre, like, You have six weeks. But this time we built a studio and had all the time we wanted.
With all the negativity that has swirled around the band in the press, did you feel you had something to prove? Its hard to see bad reviews and get compared to, like, Creed or NickelbackI dont understand those comparisons all that much. At some point youve just got to be, like, This is what we love to do, so were just going to keep doing it and forget about all those people and know that there are fans of our music out there.
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MATTHEW FOLLOWILLS GEAR

GUITARS
2006 Gibson ES-137 1983 Epiphone Casino Fender Thinline Telecaster
AMPS
Ampeg Reverberocket 2x12 Fender Princeton Fender Bassman
EFFECTS
DigiTech Whammy Boss ME-50 Boss PS-5 Super Shifter Visual Sound Route 66 MXR Micro Amp Eventide Space Electro-Harmonix POG Ernie Ball volume pedal DigiTech DigiVerb Line 6 Verbzilla Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler Dunlop Cry Baby wah 88 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013 premierguitar.com
This record spans a pretty eclectic sonic spectrum. There are bluesy elements, anthemic rock moments, and country and rockabilly vibes. Does that come naturally, or is it tough to work out the band members various stylistic tendencies? We all have very different tastes, but it all comes together. I like the more atmospheric stuffthe bigger, more meaningful type of songs, like Beautiful War and Tonight and even Coming Back Again. Those are my favorites. Then you have Caleb, who likes the more country singer-songwriter types, like On the Chin and Comeback Story. Jared is kind of with me, so it all comes together. One song can be very close to a bluesy/country song, and the next song can be this massive-sounding, arena-type thing. U2 seems to have been an influence on your playing, if not the band as a whole.
We kept saying, If its not great, were just gonna take more time off and we will not come out with something until we, as a band, think its great.
The Edge has been a huge influence. A lot of people can rip on the guitar and do crazy solosand thats awesome, that makes you really talentedbut I think its a talent to be able to write a guitar part that changes the whole song. Thats a beautiful thing in and of itself, and the Edge does that great. When Kings toured with U2 back in 2005, did you get to interact with the Edge much? Wed say hello and whatever, but we didnt hang out and talk guitar or anything like that. But his guitar tech let me go onstage one day at soundcheck and look at all of his stuff, and it blew my mind. At that point, I just had a guitar, an amp, a reverb pedal for one song, and an overdrive pedalfor a 45-minute set. So when I went up there I was just, like, God, he has to use five different pedals for one song and it creates one sound and then that parts over and he doesnt even use those pedals again! A lot of people say we changed after that tour. I remember touring with Secret Machines, and their guitar player Benjamin Curtis has a crazy amount of pedals, too. Thats when I first thought, Maybe we should make a change.
Opposite: Followill applies flesh and Pyrex to his singlepickup Gibson Les Paul Junior at a Mercury Lounge gig in New York City, circa 2003.
Opposite Page: Photo by Frank White
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Kind of like what you said earlier about taking synth parts and translating them to guitar. Absolutely. On some songs Ill put a delay on it with a reverse, and then Ill put the guitar on the bass pickup and roll out all the treble and then do that kind of warbley thing where you go back and forth and pick really fast and it sounds just like a
sweeping synth. I did that on three or four songs this time, just to lay a background down. Its a way to challenge yourselflike, How can I make this song really good without playing a standard lead-guitar part? I always want people to go, Is that a guitarwhat is that? On a couple of songslike on On the ChinI tried to make the guitar sound like a
steel guitar using a Whammy pedal and reverbs and other octave pedals. How did you play that intro lick on Coming Back Again? It sounds like your leaning on the tremolo arm or something. Theres actually a couple of things going on with that. I was playing an older Fender Thinline Telecaster with a Bigsby, and then I was using an Eventide Space pedalwhich is probably my favorite pedaland it has that modulation on it where the reverb mods after it goes for a second. It goes down or it goes up, whichever way you choose. When you hit the note, it sustains and then it drops slowly. It was a combination of me going for the Bigsby and the mod on the reverb. Thats probably my favorite tone on the whole album. That was Angelo [Petraglia] though, and we gotta talk about Angelo: He produced the album and he brought in his collection of stuff and it just sounds amazing. Every cool sound and every great guitar tone is from him. He has so many old amps that hes redone. And he has so many old guitarslike 50 guitars that are all over $5,000 eachand he brings them in and we just go crazy. Youve been kind of a Gibson and Epiphone guy for so many yearswas it weird to play some Fenders for this record? It was awesome. I used that Thinline on a lot of songs. It just fit in with everything and I couldnt get anything else to sound quite as good. I used it on Beautiful War, Coming Back Again, and Tonight. Its just got that twang thing that sounded really good with that reverb I was talking about earlier. But for every record, I just use whatever sounds good. Ive never been, like, Its gotta be Gibson. I would play a $20 pawnshop guitar if it sounded cool. We also used a couple of Fender ampsa Princeton and a Bassmanon quite a few songs. Have you been taking any Fenders out on the road? I dont play the Fenders live, just because I have a thing going live that I feel comfortable with and I would be a little nervous to change it. Maybe on a big tour I could do that, but right now were just in and out for festivals and stuff, so for me to put a new amp or a new guitar onstage for one or two songs would be just kind of weird.
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For many years now, your main amp has been an Ampeg Reverberocket. How did you get turned on to that? I cant really remember what got me into the Reverberocket, but it was that and an 83 Epiphone Sheraton. It was all about how good I could get it to feed back. Like, I could hold a note and it would just start humming, and I thought, Thats so awesome! I used that on an album to get a lot of feedback, and then I thought, I have to be able to recreate that, so I stuck with hollowbodies and Ive been too nervous to change. Youve been playing a Gibson ES-137 as your main gigging guitar for some time. What is it about that instrument that appeals to you? I think that was originally a rental or Gibson wanted me to try it outthats usually the way these things happen. I remember Nacho [Followill, guitar tech and cousin] came in to soundcheck and said, You gotta try this out. Its really tough. So I put it on and it was really strongjust really gritty more immediately, a lot grittier than the Sheraton. And it was easy to play. Everything just felt great about it. I played it for one show and the rest is history. When you play one instrument almost exclusively for so long, does it become something of a comfort blanket? Or is it more about the fact that youve figured out what you can and cant do with it? I know exactly where to stand in front of the amp to get this sound or to make it feed back. Like, if I want to hit a chord and let it feed back, I stand right here. If I dont want it to feed back at all, I have to stand right here. Im comfortable with it and I know it so well that its like, Why change? I started out with a Les Paul and played that for about three years, then I went to the Epiphone Sheraton for about three or four years, and now Ive been on this 137 for maybe five yearsso Im sure therell be a change soon. Im just not sure at what that will be. You have a knack for switching between tight, spare-sounding parts like on Beautiful War, and then really ripping in looser moments like the roaring solo on Dont Matter. I think thats just from playing with the guys for so long and knowing that each song is going to be different. I have to have my chops up and be ready for them to switch on me pretty quickly. But its just whatever fits the song. Plus, I work on
opinions, yknow? Ive got the three guys in the band and the producer, who all have opinions. I work on a whole bunch of different stuff, and sometimes it doesnt work out. Sometimes I have to revisit songs because I just cant find anything. Then sometimes theyll say, Yeah, that worksthat should be in the song. Beautiful War is one of those songs we were having a tough time with, because it kind of lends itself to the big, reverb-y sound, and I was, like, I
dont want to do that, because thats what people would expect. So we tried that kind of bluesy, I dont know at times it reminds me ofand this is kind of weird for usbut it reminds me of Stevie Ray [Vaughan]. Ill hit one note and think, Thats reminiscent of Lenny. How often do you have to push Nathan or Jared or Caleband how often do they push you?
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It comes down to when were actually getting the arrangement together and were minutes or seconds way from recording it for the first time. There is definitely a push. I always push to make the songs more versatile and to have more interesting little partsinteresting bridges that are cool breaks from verses and choruses. I think that was the toughest part on this album, like, trying to convince the guys to do the breakdown on Temple, for example. It took a while in the studio for them to go, Yeah, we should do that. They challenge me a lot, toolike when its time for me to lay down a solo. I remember Caleb was wasted one night and screaming at me to try to get me pumped up and just making me feel really uncomfortable to the point of, like, Dude, Im not gonna get this done unless you leave. Whats the guitar interplay like with you and Caleb?
Its great. I told him at the beginning of this record that I wanted our parts to kind of marry, and Comeback Story is a great example of that: Hes playing the bassy notesthe full chordal notesand Im playing the lead, which is kind of the same part, but it sounds like an orchestra guitar or something. Hes definitely a different kind of rhythm playerhe almost goes lead sometimes, like on Tonight. I think its pretty awesome. With the album finally out and you guys back on the road, what is the bands headspace like now, and where do you see yourselves, going forward? Were going to tour all next year and were really excited. Its going to be tough
though, because weve got so many songs. We made the decision a couple of weeks back that were going to start playing two-hour sets. It was either that or kick out songs that everybody likes, and were not going to have people go to a show and not be able to hear the song that they want to hear. So were going to tour all next year and then see how it goes. Were either going to go straight back in 2015 to make another album, or theres the possibility of taking another year off. It worked so well for us this last time, yknow? Everything was fun and fresh and we actually wanted to do it, as opposed to the label just telling us, You need to make another album. Were great, manwere ready to rock.
Opposite: Followill plays his favorite guitar, a Gibson ES-137, at a gig on May 11, 2013. He originally tried the model at the suggestion of his cousin/ guitar tech, Nacho Followill, and the rest is history.
YOUTUBE IT
The Followills perform Supersoaker, the lead single off this years Mechanical Bull, at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire in London. YouTube search term: Kings of Leon Supersoaker (Amex UNSTAGED)
Opposite Page: Photo by Paul Haggard
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GUITAR TRACKS
Building a Mix
BY MITCH GALLAGHER
This session is set up in my preferred track order. The tracks are colored for easy location and organization.
ou can record the best tracks anyone has ever heard, but if those tracks arent presented in an equally great mix, theyll never live up to their potential. Ive said before that theres a reason the top professional mix engineers make the big bucks. Opinions vary on what makes a great mix, and requirements also vary when it
comes to different styles of music. For example, a mix for classical music usually strives for totally natural presentation, as if you were in the room or hall listening to the performance. Electronic music, on the other hand, may try to push things in new directions and go against the conventions of other styles. Dance music relies on a strong beat, a heavy bass drum, and throbbing bass to pull listeners out onto the floor. A track by a guitar shredder is going to necessitate focus on the lead guitar. In all cases its about presentation how the various elements of the music are combined, balanced, and conveyed by the overall sound of the mix. Getting started. Lets say you have a song that youve been working on in your studio. All the tracks are recorded, and youre happy with the performances and
Prep work. Youll save time later on and make things easier on yourself if you begin your mix with some prep work. I know its more fun to start cranking tracksbut trust me: Prep pays off. Lets start by organizing your tracks. There really arent any rules, but I tend to follow the same organizational template for every mix. It keeps things consistent, and I always know where Im at, especially with larger mixes. There are two elements to organizing for me: track order and track color. All DAWs allow you to set the color for a track, and this makes it easy to see and find different types of tracks on the screen. Busing. Depending on how large the mix is at this stage, I may also begin to set up some basic busing/subgrouping of tracks. For instance, I might route all of the drums to a stereo bus (also shown in the DAW exam-
Drums: Green Kick drum Snare (multiple tracks are used if the snare has more than one mic on it) Tom toms (organized large to small, from left to right) Overheads/cymbals (usually a left/right stereo pair) Other Percussion: Light green Congas Tambourine Bass: Blue Guitars: Orange Rhythm (first guitarist) Lead (first guitarist) Rhythm (second guitarist) Lead (second guitarist) Keyboards: Yellow Electric piano Electric piano fill Synth Vocals: Red
There really arent any rules, but I tend to follow the same organizational template for every mix.
tones that youve captured. You probably have a rough mix that you have built up and have been listening to during the course of the tracking and overdubbing sessions. Should you simply use it as the base for your final mix? Maybe, maybe not. While a rough tracking mix can give you a decent starting point, the mix choices you made during tracking sessions may not be best for the final mix. I prefer to take everything back to zero and start fresh with a clean slate and an unencumbered perspective. For similar reasons, it can sometimes be nice to take a break from a song before beginning to mix. At the same time, there is also something to be said for diving straight into the mix while the energy of tracking is still pulsing in your veins. Personally, I like to step away from the music for a couple of days before starting to mix, especially if I have played on the tracks. We need to be as objective as possible when mixing. Remember: Its not about our guitar partsits about the overall song and mix. ple). This allows me to control their overall volume with one fader, without affecting the balance between the individual tracks. (Well talk more about busing in an upcoming column.) Again depending on how large the mix is and also how many bus tracks there are, I may organize the bus tracks with their respective groups, or I might instead place them all on the far left of the DAWs mixer. Once my tracks are laid out and organized, all the faders will be pulled down to zero. I set pan to the center for all tracks. There are no effects or plug-ins on any tracks, and no effects sends. This is ground zero, the clean slate from which to build. See you next month for more on building a mix!
MITCH GALLAGHERS latest book is Guitar Tone: Pursuing the Ultimate Guitar Sound. A former Editor in Chief of EQ magazine, Mitch teaches music business and audio recording at Indiana University/ Purdue University, and serves as Sweetwaters Editorial Director.
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TRIVIUM
VENGEANCE IS FINE
The Florida metal foursome returns with Vengeance Falls, their most ambitious album yet.
BY JOE CHARUPAKORN
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Photo by Chris Schwegler/Atlas Icons
Triviums Matt Heafy punches out a power chord on his EMG-equipped Epiphone Les Paul Custom.
iven the success of Triviums In Waves, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard hard rock charts in August 2011, you might expect the Florida-based bad boys to rehash the magic formula on the new Vengeance Falls. But Trivium never makes the same record twice. Weve always said were the kind of band that does what it wants at any point in time, says vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy. When we released The Crusade, it was the polar opposite of
a Ascendancy, which had been very successful for us. After releasing In Waves, Trivium immediately began writing songs for the new album. Within a month the band penned Vengeance Falls, which would become the title track. A year and a half later the band finished songwriting and was ready to record. They enlisted Dave Draiman, frontman for both Disturbed and Device, as producer. Recording the band at his house in Austin, Texas, Draiman pushed Trivium beyond their
comfort zone. He also assumed the role of Heafys vocal coach, helping him extend his upper range. According to Heafy, Draiman made clear that he wouldnt interfere with the bands identity: He said, I know what your sound is. Im not here to change that. Im here to help you exemplify and evolve your best elements. The result is Triviums most adventurous release to date. Premier Guitar caught up with Heafy and lead guitarist Corey Beaulieu on their tour bus.
How did Dave Draiman enter the picture? Heafy: In 2005 we opened for Danzig in Chicago at the House of Blues and Dave Draiman, who happened to be living in Chicago at the time, was there. He told us he was a fan, which was cool because we were Disturbed fans. In 2011 when we did the Mayhem festival together, we gave him a copy of In Waves. He listened and said, I think this is the best record you guys have ever done, and I would love to work with you. Beaulieu: He loved the songwriting progression and the melodic delivery of that record. After hanging out and seeing how much he knew about making songs and records, it just seemed like a no-brainer. What influence did he have on your music? Beaulieu: You can definitely hear Matts voice getting stronger and his range getting better on this record from all Daves coaching.
If youre just jamming and want to have fun, add effects. But if youre honing your playing, its good to really hear what youre doing and not cover it up with effects or distortion. Matt Heafy
Heafy: Dave is a very regimented worker, just like us. Anytime we tried to simplify something too much, hed say, You guys are better than that. Lets show people. There are several songs where he helped enhance the playing. Brave This Storm, for example. Initially it used the same repeating riff. But Dave said, I feel like every time this part happens, it should evolve. Now the guitar part changes every single time. Same thing with the verse riff of To Believe. Typically we would have just had the same cycle eight, 16, or 32 times. But instead, every time that part comes around, it evolves into something slightly more difficult. Its one of the hardest things Ive ever had to play and sing at the same time. Not because of the individual guitar or vocal part, but because the two rhythms are so different. Dave always pushed me. Hed say, We can do anything we put our minds to. Beaulieu: Usually metal guys record one instrument at a timeyou do all the drums, then all the bass, and so on. On this record, we broke it up. We did half the record on drums, and then wed do two or three songs at a time on guitar
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Right: Corey Beaulieu (left) and Heafy rock the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, in 2005. We make the kind of music we want to hear, says Heafy.
and bass, and Matt would start singing. We were doing vocals the whole month we were recording and not waiting until the last week. We did everything faster because there was always something to record. If someone was burned out, someone else could jump in and start tracking. We recorded this record in about a third the time it took to make any other record. It was kind of an
eye-opener. I cant see us going back after doing it this way. Some fans were initially worried about Draiman being involved. Beaulieu: On the internet theres always some jackass who has to say dumb shit. We work with who we want to work with. Dave is great. I dont listen to critiques because I really dont care what anyone
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has to say. I love the record. Its exactly what we wanted to make, so its like, Your opinion means absolutely nothing to me. Songs like Brave This Storm and Vengeance Falls lead you to think the music is going one way, but then it twists in different directions. Heafy: Yeah, thats a part of our soundthe dynamics, the sudden changes, and the intense juxtaposition of fast and slow. You never really know what youre going to get out of our band. Beaulieu: One of the goals of this record was to write big songs with great grooves. To get people sucked into a rockin groove where their primal instinct is to bang their heads or tap their feet. Any song on this record would sound amazing at a festival in front of 60,000 people. Your music also evolves from album to album. Heafy: Each of the first five records is different, but Vengeance Falls channels the best of each
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to beef it up. Octaves can sound pretty dark if you add them to the right part. Or I might throw in a higher octave for a slightly different vibe. You both have signature guitars. What can you tell us about them? Heafy: My Epiphone Les Paul Custom is completely modeled after the first Les Paul Custom I got when I was 11 or 12, which I used to record Ember to
Inferno, In Waves, and Vengeance Falls. I sent that guitar to the Epiphone shop and they modeled everything: the weight, the dimensions, how it plays. The back of a Les Paul Custom is pretty boxy, and its hard to play at the higher frets, so we cut that back and added the Les Paul Axcess heel. I also put EMG 81/85s [neck/bridge] in the 6-string and 707/81-7 [neck/bridge] in the 7-string.
record. I like to keep people on their toes, and keep us on our toes. It goes back to the mentality we had when we made our first couple of records: We make the kind of music we want to hear. How do you split the guitar duties? Heafy: I usually track all the rhythm guitars on the record. When it comes to splitting up solos, its really as casual as, Do you want this part or that part? If something requires a lot of shredding, it usually goes to Corey. When theres something breathy and melodic that calls for a sing-along solo, I do it. We treat our solos as minisongs within the song. How do you come up with your harmony parts? Beaulieu: Its all about the big picture. Its about experimenting with different harmony sounds and also listening to the vibe of the song. Sometimes I might try a harmony, but it sounds too happyif its a dark song, playing thirds might sound a little too cheery. So I just leave it plain, or add a lower octave
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TRIVIUMS GEAR
GUITARS
Epiphone signature guitars (Heafy) Gibson SJ-300 acoustic (Heafy) Jackson signature guitars (Beaulieu)
AMPS
Kemper Profiling Amps Peavey 5150 (original block letter version)
EFFECTS
MXR EVH Phase 90 (Heafy) Dunlop Jerry Cantrell signature wah (Heafy) 102 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013 premierguitar.com
Beaulieu: My signature models [both 6- and 7-string] are made to order by Jackson. Theyre not mass-produced in a factory. The same shop that builds the one I get makes them, so I play exactly what people get. However, my model is a USA version, so its three, four, or five times as expensive as Matts. Heafy: I wanted to make something our fans could afford, whether its someone just starting off or someone like me in a professional band. A Gibson Les Paul Custom costs $3,500. I didnt want to play a better version of whats in the stores. I play the same exact model. The guitars I used on this tour and the European tour werent custom-built. They shipped directly from the factory. Corey, would the price of your signature model be an obstacle for younger fans? Beaulieu: Im hoping by the end of next year well start doing a Japanese import version in the $1,200 range.
You both had passive pickups on your previous Dean signature model. Now your respective signature guitars have active pickups. Heafy: Lets see: Ember was active. Ascendancy, The Crusade, and Shogun were passive. In Waves and Vengeance Falls were active.
it seemed a little bit bright. The Blackouts are smoother to my ears. I loved them the first time I heard them, and I have a hard time adjusting to other active pickups. You recorded previous albums with a block-letter 5150 amp. Did you use that on Vengeance Falls? Heafy: We basically tracked the whole record with it. I believe this particular 5150 belonged to Eddie Van Halen then it went to Sammy Hagar, and then Slash. Beaulieu: During mixing everything got really beefy-sounding. The guitars sounded good, but it was missing some balls, I guess. A little more oomph. So [mixer] Colin Richardson reamped it with a Kemper profiling amp. The way it was profiled and EQd just has a little more body. Heafy: There are no cabs and no mics. The tone is an Andy Sneap profile. Im not sure what the rig that was profiled consisted of, but Andy is known for
I dont like to rely on other people. I like to be hands-on with my gear. Corey Beaulieu
Corey, you use Seymour Duncan Blackouts while Matt uses EMGs. What sonic differences do you hear between those active pickups? Beaulieu: I like the Blackouts because theyre more balanced, quieter, and have a bit hotter output. When Matt plays his EMGs, they sound great. I had EMGs in a couple of my guitars and it seemed like I didnt get enough lows. For my playing style,
Opposite: Grind that 6th string! Triviums goal is to get people sucked into a rockin groove where their primal instinct is to bang their heads or tap their feet, says lead guitarist Corey Beaulieu.
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utilizing 5150s, 5150 IIs, and 5150 IIIs in his studio. You guys previously used the Fractal Axe-Fx. Beaulieu: I was using the Axe-Fx and was super into the concept of having a small rack and no giant pedalboard. With the Axe-Fx, it was like, Bam, I can get any sound I want, and I dont have to bring any more gear than this. Id heard about the Kemper through friends, but what sold me was hearing the mixes. From the first tune I was like, Dude, what did you do to the guitar tone? It sounds so brutal! I got a Kemper a few months before the tour and learned that thing inside out. I cant wait for the next album to have my Kemper at the studio and start copying shit. I understand that you program the Kemper yourself. Beaulieu: Im pretty good at figuring out gear. I didnt even look at the manual.
I programmed everything on the AxeFx and the Kemper. I havent even had a guitar tech who really knows how to run them. I dont like to rely on other people. I like to be hands-on with my gear. [Laughs.] Minus the guitars. I hate changing strings. Have fun with that! Matt, does the Kemper sound or feel better to you than the Axe-Fx? Heafy: For me, yes, though some bands prefer the Fractal. The thing is, there is no right or wrong answer. If you like the way a $300 plastic guitar sounds, thats fine. Its all about finding what works for you. What works for me are my Epiphone and my Kemper. If it doesnt work for other people, thats fine. Kids
shouldnt be buying a full-stack rig for their bedroom. What sort of rig do you have in your bedroom? Heafy: I write and practice with the smallest Roland Micro Cube. I dont have any other amps in my house. I use the JC clean setting and the crunch or classic one, not the setting with full distortion. I dont use anything else. I prefer the Cubes and minimalist tones because they dont mask what youre doing when youre working on your chops. If youre just jamming and want to have fun, add effects. But if youre honing your playing, its good to really hear what youre doing and not cover it up with effects or distortion.
Opposite: We treat our solos as mini-songs within the song, says Heafy. When theres something breathy and melodic that calls for a sing-along solo, I do it.
YOUTUBE IT
Trivium teases the audience at Wacken Open Air 2013 with a prerelease rendition of Brave This Storm, the opening track from Vengeance Falls. YouTube search term: Trivium Brave This Storm
Making tomorrows History Today
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Four Decades DADGAD

The acoustic fingerstyle virtuoso looks back at his 40-year career with the release of Encore.
BY TEJA GERKEN
Pierre Bensusan
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s anyone who has heard Pierre Bensusan live can attest, the French guitarist is among the worlds finest solo performers. Difficult to pin down to a single style, Bensusan has played steel-string fingerstyle guitar with peerless compositional depth, harmonic richness, and dynamic range for 40 years. Pierres work transcends the guitar itself, says fellow fingerstyle god Tony McManus. What he communicates are pure musical ideasstorytelling in melody, rhythm, and harmony, always creative and always inspiring. Bensusan started out playing folk guitar and bluegrass, which eventually led to a gig as mandolinist for American banjo master Bill Keith. But the release of Bensusans debut album Prs de Paris in 1974 (at the age of 17!) immediately established him as an extraordinary guitar talent. In the years since Bensusan has released nine more albums (not counting compilations and box sets). While his early efforts focused on arrangements of traditional Celtic music, the emphasis has increasingly shifted toward original compositions influenced as much by jazz and classical music as by North African styles, showing Bensusans Algerian heritage. Most Bensusan recordings feature additional instrumentation (2000s Intuite is his only true solo studio album), at times veering into a smooth new age/adult contemporary sound, though always featuring stunning guitar work and gorgeous, engaging compositions. But many fans have longed for an album that captures Bensusan as he appears onstage: solo, with his guitar tuned to DADGAD, the tuning hes used almost exclusively since 1978. Good things come to those who wait. Not only has Bensusan released a live recording, he decided to make it a beautifully packaged three-CD retrospective. I wanted to celebrate 40 years of making a living with just my own work, making very little compromise, he said via Skype from his home near Paris. My life is on the road. I exist mostly because of my concerts. The result, fittingly called Encore, is a stunning overview of Bensusans career. While not arranged chronologically, Encore features glimpses into Bensusans earliest work playing bluegrass with Keith and solo guitar arrangements of tunes originally found on Prs de Paris. Also featured are incredible versions of such tunes as Nice Feeling, the Middle Eastern-flavored tapping masterpiece Agadiramadan, and So Long Michael, Bensusans beautiful tribute to Michael Hedges, as well as the looping and vocal workout Cordillire. There are also several previously unreleased staples of Bensusans shows, such as the guitar and scat-singing Bamboulhiver, and even a couple of duets with Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Overall, Encore is an amazing 40-year retrospective that sounds great (thanks to Grammy-winning engineer Rich Breen) and serves as an excellent introduction to Bensusans work.
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What was it like to listen to recordings of yourself from 30 or 40 years ago? It was agonizing! I hadnt heard most of the recordings in years, and you never know what youre going to find. I spent three months without playing, just listening. How did you decide what to include? It had to do something to me. It had to move me. The guitar had to be in tune, and the sound had to be decent. Even if the sound wasnt decent, Id choose the performance over the sound. For instance, the Celtic medley was recorded in Charlottesville, and every time I played my second bass [5th] string, there was a bit of
feedback. That dictated my way of playing, because I tried not to hit that string too much, and when I did, I tried to control the resonance and sustain so it wouldnt be overwhelming. I thought, Okay, thats bad luck, but the playing is really fine. Its a marathonfor 18 minutes! Im glad you included some early bluegrass recordings. Not many players have gone from flatpicked guitar and mandolin to fingerstyle. Were you already doing both at the time? I was doing guitar first. I enjoyed bluegrass music a lot and played with a flatpick. Then I joined a band in a
suburb of Paris, and we couldnt find a mandolin player. My friends asked me to play the mandolin, so I bought one the next day. My reference and inspiration came from people like John Duffey, Sam Bush, Bill Keith, and the Stanley Brothers. I also loved Country Cooking, and Clarence White with the Kentucky Colonels. I was going to some hidden record stores in Paris where you could find those records. The guy working in one of those stores came to me one day when I was 16 and had just left school. He said, Would you like to join the Bill Keith Bluegrass Band? Im going to produce a tour for him. I said, Youve
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got to be joking! Thats how it started for me. Those recordings come from that very first tour. I took my guitar with me on the road because I was backing Bill on one song, using a flatpick. In the daytime I would practice on my own, and Bill heard me play those different arrangements of Celtic tunes and some of my own compositions. He said, I want you to play a couple of numbers onstage every night. Thats how it started for me, because we were in Belgium, France, and Switzerland, and all the promoters of those shows wanted to invite me the next year on my own. You mostly play original music now. Do you have a composition process? Probably, but Im not aware of it. I listen to the music inside of me. As Bobby McFerrin put it, I am my own Walkman. The idea is for the moments when I play and the moments when I hear music to coincide, so that I can play what I hear. There are a lot of different approaches for getting there on the guitar. One of them, of course, is to be ready technically. I never feel that Im ready, but I work a lot on my arrangements and my technique. I want something difficult to become agreeable and pleasant so I dont have to be anxious when I play. Your live shows have the feeling of a single connected event, rather than a bunch of tunes strung together. How much do you plan your set, and how much just happens? Its both. I feel that a show is a bit like listening to a record or reading a book. You cant do just anything at a show. I wish sometimes that I could start a show on a very high energetic point. I get there during soundcheck, but when the show comes, I need to calm down, start low, and then come up and up until the end. I try to give a form to the concert so that it sustains attention until the end. It has to include contrast, surprises, predictable moments, and unpredictable moments. Youve said the tuning players use doesnt matter much as long as
Two Extraordinary Lowdens
Pierre Bensusan is a virtual guitar monogamist. Sure, he played a Gurian at the very beginning of his career, and for a few years he played a signature model Kevin Ryan guitar. But for most of his career, hes been a Lowden man. Bensusan first fell in love with Northern Irish luthier George Lowdens work in 1978, when he acquired an S22 (equivalent to todays O-22 model). Featuring a cedar top and mahogany back and sides, the guitar was originally a non-cutaway model. Rather than replace it with a new guitar when he felt that a cutaway was necessary, Bensusan had Lowden modify it in 1989, and also had the fretboard and string spacing widened. For 25 years Old Lady was the only guitar Bensusan played. He still pulls it out of semi-retirement from time to time. In 2009, Lowden and Bensusan began work on a signature model. To the surprise of some fans, the result wasnt a copy of Old Lady, but an updated guitar. Using the companys midsize F-model body, the guitar is built with an Adirondack spruce top and Honduras rosewood back and sides. It also has a bevel on the bass side of the lower bout, a maple neck with a nut-width of 1.77", and fairly wide string spacing of 2.36" at the saddle. An unusual but very cool feature is the neck shape, available on other Lowdens as a fingerstyle option: It flares out slightly more than standard, providing a bit more width in the upper positions, which makes it less likely to slip off the fretboard when playing vibrato on the outside strings. The guitars list price is $8,765. Bensusan and Lowden are now working on a 40th-anniversary signature model: a faithful recreation of Old Lady. Due in 2014, the guitar will have Lowdens original jumbo body (slightly deeper than the current O-shape, and with a more pronounced taper between the neck block and the neck joint), older-style parabolic bracing, and an optional bevel. For more info, visit georgelowden.com.
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theyre familiar with it. But obviously, DADGAD had a big impact on what you do. Its not a tuning that influences meits the music, and DADGAD becomes a tool. But at the beginning, DADGAD was amazingly and vividly present, and it probably shaped my approach to the guitar for a while. But I realized very soon that you had to look for the notes, and it was not obvious. A lot of people take open tunings for granted. They get a flattering first impression, which is great, because it inspires. But you cant stay there. Thats why I chose to play in only one open tuning, rather than spend my time going between various tunings and always having challenges with intonation, breaking strings, and never really knowing my way. I chose DADGAD in 1978, and my life became much simpler. I started to approach classical music, jazz standards, anything. I started to modulate, and study scales, modes, and harmony. DADGAD became my standard tuning, so today I dont feel like Im playing in DADGADIm just a guitarist, like a pianist who uses a keyboard. The idea is to forget the guitar, to work so that you are as free as possible to express yourself. I dont want to always have to think, How do I do this? How do I do that? Choosing one tuning simplified things. I could have chosen standard tuning, but DADGAD spoke to me more, probably because I was doing a lot of Celtic stuff at that time, and I already knew a lot of pieces in DADGAD. How did your collaboration with Jordan Rudess come about? We met at the New Milford summer camp in Connecticut 20 years ago and became friends on the spot. A couple of years later I was commissioned to create a piece for a childrens choir. I invited Jordan to join me. We were the only two musicians backing 200 singers! In the first part of the show, I played solo a bit and then I invited Jordan. We played some duets, and two of them can be heard on Encore. That was the only time they were played, so I was very pleased that they were played so well.
You played your original Lowden S22 (Old Lady) exclusively for 25 years, and now youve been playing your signature Lowden for quite a while. Can you compare those guitars? I played the Old Lady in Germany the other day, because my signature Lowden was stuck between airplanes. It was not even set up, so I found a great German luthier, Dietmar Heubner, who spent three hours setting it up for the show. I played the guitar all day to get familiar with it again, and I felt, Oh my god, this is my home! It was amazing to play that guitar again. It was like, Why do I play another guitar? How does it differ from your signature model? Its richer. You cant invent 35 years of life in a guitar. Even if today the high harmonics have less sustain, they are still very present. In fact, I like less sustain, because sometimes its overwhelming,
PIERRE BENSUSANS GEAR

GUITARS
Lowden Pierre Bensusan Signature Model 1978 Lowden S22
SIGNAL PATH
Line 6 Relay G30 wireless system Ernie Ball volume pedal Roland RC-50 Loop Station Universal Audio Apollo Duo FireWire audio interface MacBook Pro Schoeps CMC 64 mic for guitar Neumann KMS 104 mic for vocals
STRINGS
Wyres Signature DADGAD set, gauged .013, .017, .023, .032, .042, .056.
YOUTUBE IT
Pierre Bensusan plays Agadiramadan on Old Lady in 1993. Note the fluid single-note improvisation over the looped theme. YouTube search term: Pierre Bensusan Agadiramadan VRC0065
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and its hard work to tailor that sustain so that its not in the way of the musical conversation. But the new guitar is a very special instrument. Its three-dimensional. It has depth, horizontality, sustain, a lot of harmonics, and a lot of sound. The relationship between a note and the history of the note is extremely vivid on those two guitars. Its a bit like the taste of a great wine. Theres the first taste, and then the whole history of the taste after the first drop. Both guitars have that quality, which is what defines a great instrument. What can you tell us about your amplification setup? First of all, the pickup is very important. I use the Highlander. From there I go into a Line 6 wireless preamp, an Ernie Ball volume pedal, and a Roland RC-50 looper. From there it goes into Universal Audio Apollo Duo hardware, and then into a MacBook Pro. Im very happy with that setup. I can now do my stage monitor sound on my own. I can even do my front-of-house!
And your guitar and vocal mics also go through the MacBook Pro? Yes, and all the effectsreverb, limiter, expansion, EQare there. I can even record the show. Why a volume pedal? Its very convenient, because when I tune, I cut the sound. I also use it to shape the note attack for a bowing effect. What are you using an iPad for onstage? For walk-in music. I also use it for my song lyrics, and I have a little Bluetooth foot controller that turns the pages. Whats next? Im going to be doing a lot of touring from January until the end of July. Until then, Ill stay home, work on some new pieces, revise my old pieces, work on my improvisation, and catch my breath a bit. Im doing my album release shows in Paris, and Ill be in the States from March until May. Its going to be a driving tour with my new van!
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In 2003 Gary Grainger sat down with our engineers and helped us create the genesis of the Grainger Bass. Originally available only through Private Stock, the Grainger 4 and Grainger 5 are now available from our core line in an elegant and simplified configuration. This instrument has become the go-to bass for many of today's top musicians. Because of the extraordinary woodwork, hardware and proprietary pre-amp, these basses have all the tone, clarity, power and feel a player needs.
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TONAL TRIAGE
For their 19th album, the genre-bending Melvins bring back an old drummer friend, move their other drummer to bass, and go back to their oldschool punk roots in the ensuing comic carnage.
BY CHRIS KIES
T
he Melvins are not a joke. Dont be fooled by frontman/guitarist Roger Buzz Osbornes graying Sideshow Bob hairdo. Dont dismiss the quirkiness of originals with titles like Sky Pup and Rat Faced Granny, or their haunting cover of Paul McCartneys Let Me Roll It from last years Freak Puke, or the new Melvin-ized version of the traditional tune Youre in the Army Now off their brand-new
album, Tres Cabrones. But if you do happen to laugh at the 30-year doom-grunge vets, just know theyre laughing, too. Sure, we want to be funny, but those songs are still very meticulously done when were recording them, says Osborne. It works because its goodits not just some joke. It has a melody, its well crafted, and theyre catchy as hell. Therein lies the success of the Melvins theyve got the ying of Sabbath-style,
oozing-tar riffs mixed with the yang of melodiously delivered, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and wonky song titles. While theyve never been known to dwell in the past, for Tres Cabronestheir 19th studio albumthe Melvins opted to reconnect with original drummer Mike Dillard. Ive known Mike since probably 8th or 9th gradewe were partners in crime well before music, says Osborne. Now hes an all-American guy with a union job, a wife, and kids, so I was just happy to get Mike on a real Melvins album. Hes a great guy, a solid drummer, and Im happy that he can tell his kids when theyre old enough that their dad was a rock drummer. With Dillard sitting in on drums, longtime drummer Dale Crover moved to bass, and the change effected something of a nostalgic trip back to the groups more simplistic hardcore origins. It was fun because we played to our strengths with this lineup and we ended up making an album that sounds like a throwback to our early material, says Osborne. Osborne says the approach resulted in simpler, more digestible songs that sound like theyve been excavated from the bands late-80s or early-90s canon. To break up some of the heaviness, they also got their funny bones working on traditional covers of Tie My Pecker to a Tree and 99 Beers. We worked as hard on Tie My Pecker to a Tree and 99 Beers as we did anything on Tres Cabrones, but we were laughing our asses off while doing itwe had to redo takes because you could hear us in the background, he says. I think music has made us nuts. We recently spoke to Osborne about the making of Tres Cabrones, as well as all the crap he takes for his vibrato technique and why he opts for mainstream stompboxes. And dont miss our interview with Crover (p.120) about relinquishing the drum chair and taking on bass duties for the new album. Mike Dillard hasnt been in the band since the early 80s. What led to him joining you for Tres Cabrones? A few years back we put out some original demos on [former Dead Kennedys frontman] Jello Biafras label, Alternative Tentacles. He had a 50th birthday party in San Francisco and he
Melvins frontman/ guitarist Roger Buzz Osborne ham-fisting his Les Paul Custom during the bands set on the second stage at Ozzfest in 1998 at the Blockbuster Center in Camden, New Jersey.
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asked if the Melvins would play. Dale mentioned that we should have the original lineupor close to itplay the show, since the demos they released were from that iteration of the group. How did you parlay that performance into an album? Well, before the gig we got Mike down from Washington and we recorded some of our rehearsalsand we sounded really good. We talked out loud how cool it would be to record new songs to perform as this de facto original lineup. All of us were onboard immediately. Obviously, Mikes a very busy guy with a limited amount of vacation time, so it required some planning to make sure every time he would come down here to record we had material and ideas to work through. Aside from flying Mike down for recording, how were these sessions different from previous Melvins sessions?
What you have to understand is that we do a lot of bulk recording. During our last recording cycle, on one day wed do vocals for a [alternative band lineup] Melvins Lite song, bass parts for our Everybody Loves Sausages cover album, guitar overdubs for Tres Cabrones, and a solo for a song on Freak Puke. Isnt it kind of mind-boggling to work that way? Once you get the ball rolling, its easier to do more extra material than break everything down and start over again in a few weeks or months. I feel that creativity welcomes inspiration. We shouldnt limit ourselves to working on Tres Cabrones. Like, if a song doesnt fit in that format, were going to forget it. To me, thats a counterintuitive mindsetfollow the ideas and youll find a spot for them if theyre good. Do you view recording and live shows differently?
I love when people come up to me and say Your guitar sound was better on Stoner Witch, when you used a Les Paul. Im just, like, What album do you think I only used a Les Paul on? Plus, I used a Fender Mustang reissue on that, dumbass!
I believe theyre completely different but equally important. I really enjoy and feel special when I go to a show and see a band that has prepared and practiced their set list the same as when they record an album. It should feel and be apparent to the audience that our show is rehearsed because it is [laughs]. Every minute on a record and every minute onstage is valuable. If you dont hook the listener at a show or on an album by the first song, youre screwed you have to remember that with track listings and set lists. Lets switch topics and talk gear a bit. You used to play a Les Paul with the
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Osborne is shown here with his Electrical Guitar Company Custom DC model.
neck pickup torn out. Was that so you could perform kill-switch-style stops and starts more easily? I actually ruined the bridge pickup, probably doing something dumb or reckless. I didnt have any extra money, so I took out the neck pickup and put it in the bridge. I still have that 69 Les Paul Customa Fretless Wonderand its all setup and rebuilt, so I still do play it on recordings all the time. What other guitars do you use in the studio? Ill use anything when Im recording. Most recently I used a Fender Mustang, a PRS, my Electrical Guitar Company models that are either Plexiglas or aluminum ... whatever is lying around in the studio. Theres no way that anyone can tell which guitar Im using at whatever point in any song, because one song might have two to five different guitars on it [laughs].
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Above: Photo by xxx
Can you hear the difference? Vaguely, but I dont worry about that too much. Im most concerned with the finished product. Guitars are tools for the artistthats it. I love when people come up to me and say Your guitar sound was better on Stoner Witch, when you used a Les Paul. Im just, like, What album do you think I only used a Les Paul on? Plus, I used a Fender Mustang reissue on that, dumbass! [Laughs.] The band has a dynamic range of sounds and volume levels. How do you manage such big, fast changes in a live environment? I use my volume controls. I essentially have three volume/distortion levels: Full is with the volume on 10 in the bridge position, middle is with the selector in the middle position and the neck volume rolled off to five, and then the quietest is the neck position with volume at five. I change my tone and volume throughout a set by switching the pickup settings, because almost everything is on, all the time, on full. Thats why I always play a Les Paul-style guitaror at least one with a similar control setup. Recently, youve been using Electrical Guitar Company Plexiglas and aluminum models a lot live. What do you like about them? I love the necks, because with it being aluminum, you dont have to have a tapered neck since its so much stronger and stable than wood. It allows me to have a really small neck profilethe thickness is the same at the nut as it is at the neck jointbecause I have baby hands [laughs]. I can play faster and more effectively with a thinner aluminum neck than I could ever dream of playing with a wooden neck. Have you noticed any tonal benefits of that unique construction? The Plexiglas and aluminum guitars have a more robust low end and a clearer, fuller high range. It blows me away when people tell me that my sound is less impactful and huge onstage. Its like, Dont you think I took the time and resources to A/B my rigs? Geesh! There are so many fuzzes on the market these days, some new designs and a lot that try to capture the magic of old, rare pedals. Youre a huge fuzz fan, but you stick with your trusty MXR Blue Box and Boss ODB-3.
I realized a long time ago that gear has to last, especially when you take it on the road. If Im in Omaha on a Thursday night before a gig and my vintage fuzz box goes to shit, can I go to the Guitar Center and pick up a new rare Big Muff? Probably not. So thats why I opt for gear that is dependable and obtainable in most marketsand yes, it does have
to sound good, too. For live gigs, Ive gotten used to playing through pedals that you can get anywhere. On top of that, you could have the sweetest boutique rig ever but if you play a shitty club in Albuquerque with bad acoustics and P.A., your platinum rig will sound like dog shit. If my Electrical guitars go to shit, I know I can play a Les Paul and I can
THE
IS IF
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BACK TO BASS-ICS:
Melvins Drummer Dale Crover Picks up the 4-String for Tres Cabrones
What was it like to see someone else play drums in the spot youve held for nearly three decades? Mike is great. It was a joy to relinquish my seat and get him on our 19th record we made him wait [laughs]. His snare beats in parts of the album were a trip to watch him recorditll be fun trying to figure that out for live shows in the future. Youve played in Fecal Matter and guitar in Altamont. How was it recording bass instead of drums? It was easier. When you play bass, there are a lot less things you have to worry about, like micing and noises leaking into mixes. Bass is pretty straightforward, so I felt like I was a part-time employee. I did end up doing some percussion overdubs, but Mike laid out the backbone of all the drum parts on Tres Cabrones. Plus, I always knew if I sucked too bad, I could just punch my way through a track [laughs]. What gear did you use to record your bass parts? I used a Mosrite Ventures bass for a lot of the parts. [Nirvanas] Krist Novoselic came down and jammed with us, and he left one of his Gibson Ripper basses so I used that for a couple songs. The Mosrite has more of a midrange tonal frequency where it can sound like a really heavy guitar, but Krists Ripper was a beast. That thing brings the low end like you wouldnt believe. For amps, I mainly used a Gallien-Krueger 400RB through a single 15", and for an added dimension I ran my basses through Buzzs setup with the Sunn Beta Lead heads and cabinets that have 12" and 15" speakers in them. That filled out the G-Ks basic tone frequency with some beefiness. Bass and guitar should never really take a long time to get a good sound. If it does, youre probably doing something wrong or worrying about the wrong thingif it doesnt sound good, keep turning it up! Were there some things you learned about yourself as a bassist or rediscovered during the sessions? I play guitar quite a bit at home and I play bass, but I got to remember what it feels like to come up with a fresh, usable, complementary bass line or part. Its a rush or appreciation that only another musician or artist can comprehend. Plus, I enjoy playing bass because there are only four strings, so its easier to tune than a guitar and its a hell of a lot easier to set up than drumsthree of the bass strings are spares anyways [laughs]. Also, it gave me a fresh perspective and understanding for the musical landscape and where bass fits. We played some faster, punk-rock-style songs to keep things simple and fun for Mike and meI can show anyone those bass lines because theyre pretty basic. I reconnected with focusing on the rhythm, staying in the pocket, and not messing up. I just tried to come up with bass lines that didnt sound like Buzzs parts and to not sound like a drummer was playing bass. You speak as if youre a beginner, but the bass lines on American Cow are as good as any in the Melvins catalog. They really intertwine nicely with what Buzz is doing on guitar. Im proud of that bass line, because its different than what Buzz is doing on guitar and it reminds me of the Laughing Hyenas bassist Kevin Strickland, who almost took over as the lead instrument in the band. Its my best imitation as a bassist where I dont sound like a guitarist trying to play bass. But I think my favorite song on Cabrones is City Dump, because its rocking and the song is still stuck in my head. What did you use on the albums heaviest songslike Dogs and Cattle Prods and Psycho-Delic Hazeto get the overdriven bass tones? For any of the super-overdriven stuff, I used Buzzs Boss ODB-3. Thats whats nice about playing in a band with a guy with so much crossover gear like Buzzs rig with the bass distortion pedal, the 15" speakers, and those heavy Sunn heads. All that distortion on those songs helps covers up my sloppiness. In recent years, you and Buzz have incorporated drummer Coady Willis and bassist Jared Warren of Big Business for live shows. Whats it like playing with two drummers in an already loud band? Its bombastic. Its brutal. Its fun. Wed had the idea to do that for a long time, since we played in Fantmas/Melvins Big Band and I drummed alongside Dave Lombardo. I dont think it would work in a quaint jazz quartet, but for our raucous stuff it fits pretty well. Its just like two guitarists in a band, right? Totally. People seem to think its hard to do because its two guys keeping time and all were doing is completely doubling all the parts, but where it gets interesting and the full power is felt is when were both doing different beats and fills but still complementing each other and the song. Its like Thin Lizzyabout 50 percent of the time were playing in sync and the rest of the time one of us is following the other or playing our own parts that fit together, depending on what the song calls for. Youve recorded almost 19 albums with the Melvins. What were the highlights of recording this album? I think just bringing Mike into the foldand it being the first time we recorded officially togetherwas a blast. We always have fun working as a unit, but this time we did some really funny stuff. I had Mike rhythmically make spitting noises in parts of Tie My Pecker to a TreeI filmed it, tooand having him do a Goofy-like laugh in time was hilarious. Those both were my ideas, and I made him do them like a little brotherI was cracking up and he kept messing up his takes [laughs].
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get Boss and MXR effects anywhere and still play a superb gig. My philosophy is a poor carpenter blames his tools. And yet you opt for boutique brands like Electrical Guitar Company and Emperor for guitars and cabinets? Initially, Kevin [Burkett, Electrical Guitar Company founder] didnt know who I washe just knew I was into his guitars and he was happy to make me the exact guitar I wanted. Its a joy to work with him, and I have a feeling people will look at his work in 30 or 40 years and realize his excellence in the same manner that Travis Bean guitars are revered today. The Emperor guys helped us out before our Melvins Lite tour because bassist Trevor Dunn plays standup and it was a feedback nightmare. They specifically built us a bass cabinet designed for a standup bassist. And because theyre rad dudes, they built me a matching guitar cabinetand caseswith a 12" and a 15" speaker. And for my standard
Melvins rig, I use an additional Emperor 2x15 cabinet. Dogs and Cattle Prods is like a song trilogy in one jam: The first part is punk, with funky parts that warble with your vocals, the second part is a sludge fest, and the finale is an acoustic voyage. How did that come about? Thats my favorite song on the record. I realized very quickly that the two first parts went together beautifully, and we planned the whole thing out with that in mind. The last part I wrote later as an extension of the second part. For overdubs I usually just dick around with the guitar, trying various things until I find a part and sound that fits in. Sometimes I get that in a matter of minutes, and others it takes a few hours. You never know, but I like searchingthats whats so fun about playing guitar! How did you get that moaning feedback in the background of American Cow and Dr. Mule?
Theres an old saying in golf that says the more I practice the luckier I get indeed [laughs].
What I did for that songand most songs with that type of a guitar overdubis, once the hard part and the bulk of the guitar tracks are laid down, Ill go back, listen, and sit around fiddling with my Sunn Beta Lead solid-state amps and guitar to get the appropriate sound or feedback to musically complement the song. I used to play through a 4x12 and a 2x15, but the last few records Ive found that just using the 2x15 for overdubs sounds better. The 15" speakers give it a unique tone within the mix. Obviously, it has more low-end oomph, and to my ears, it got rid of the high-end whistling feedback made by my 4x12 cab. Using just the 2x15
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BUZZ OSBORNES LIVE GEAR

GUITARS
Electrical Guitar Company Custom DC models with Gibson 498T humbuckers
AMPS & CABS

Sunn Beta Lead heads (two) Carver PM 1.5 Power Amps (two)
EFFECTS
Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive MXR Blue Box Distortion MXR Dyna Comp Boss DD-5 Digital Delay Boss TU-2 Tuner
ACCESSORIES
Clayton Acetal Rounded Triangular .63 mm picks Dunlop Tortex Triangle .60 mm or .73 mm picks Light Top/Heavy Bottom Strings (various brands) .010.052 Stylophone 122 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013 premierguitar.com
cab live doesnt give me enough bite, but the 4x12-and-2x15 combination is unbeatable. Youve been using Sunn Beta Leads for a while. What do you dig about those? I know everyone prefers tube ampsand I love my Marshall stack and my Mesa/ Boogie TriAxisbut for my live tone, I cant beat those Sunn heads. Theyre amazing. Theyre dependable. But tonally, when theyre paired with the Carver PM-1.5 power amps, theyre monsters with plenty of gain and a real tight low end that doesnt cause my speakers to flub outbecause those 15" speakers could cause it to lose some definition. On The Bootlicker, we even recorded guitars direct out of my pedalboard into the mixing board, with no amp modeling or anything. We just messed with the signal afterwards. If you have the patience, you can make it work. How did you create those carnivalgone-wrong sounds in Dr. Mule?
Its a Stylophone. If people dont know what that is, look it up. I use them all the time. Ive made those things sound like giant organs, but Ive barely even touched a keyboard. Its a pocket-sized synthesizer that was, like, $30. It gets confused with an octave fuzz or a gnarly keyboard, but its just this little device Ive had for a long timeits a great studio tool. You play deep string bends extremely accurately, and you have a very unique left-hand vibrato techniqueas evidenced on the new tracks Dogs and Cattle Prods and Psycho-Delic Haze. How did you develop those? I always had a pretty good vibrato for some reason. Ive had people give me shit about
it in the past because they think it sounds generic, but I love it. Lately, Ive really been into long string bends that sound like Im using a Whammy pedallong, unnaturalsounding bends ending with heavy vibrato. As for how I learned that stuff, you wont find it in the Roy Clark Deluxe Big Note Guitar book. I dont read music, and I have no understanding of chords or how or why they work. For me, that knowledge is pointless, and after playing guitar for about 33 years I see no reason to seek that out now. In my opinion, technical ability and a broad understanding of musical notes written on paper has very little to do with making music. I love writing, recording, and performing songs. I spend about 70 percent of my waking hours doing just
Osborne bringing the Melvins patented powerful wall of sound thanks to his Les Paul Custom during the bands set on the second stage at Ozzfest in 1998 at the Blockbuster Center in Camden, New Jersey.
YOUTUBE IT
Feel the raw hours of power that ensues when the Melvins Buzz Osbourne and Dale Crover mash up with Big Business Coady Willis and Jared Warren. YouTube search term: The Melvins - Live @ Hellfest 2011 (full set)
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Here Buzz is rocking out during the bands set at the Apocalypse in Toronto in 1990. His 69 Les Paul Fretless Wonder has its neck pickup in the bridge position because he didnt have money to replace the original bridge pickup.
that. If you discount all of the hard work I do in this regard, then its all down to luck. Theres an old saying in golf that says the more I practice the luckier I get [laughs]. How exactly do you play those deep, Whammy-like bends? I just used my fingers and played two different takes, and then combined them for the recorded solo. Ive always been practicing and trying to improve my left-hand vibrato technique, because those are my favorite types of solosthe ones that sound like a pitch-shifting pedal or a guitars whammy bar. It sounds so expressive. To me, using pedals for those effects sounds sterile and rigid. I prefer the loose, fluid feel you can get with using your fingers. I think it also helps that I use custom-gauge strings with heavy bottoms and light tops. Why do you prefer larger, triangular picks? Because its three picks in one. I keep rotating it all night when Im playing a show, trying to get the sharpest, pointiest edge. Because of my ham-fisted strumming, I am constantly wearing out the picks. After each show Ill take the corners of the picks and rub them on the carpet, and that burns the burs off them and theyre good as new. I also like having the give of the thinner pick, because it gives a little thwap and snap to my tone since I attack so hard. If I used a thicker pick, Id snap it. Whats just as unique about your style is that many of your songs have odd time signatures and dont follow conventional rock-song structures. Someone like Captain Beefheart was never worried about song structure or standards, so why should we? We just write and construct what wed like to hear. Were not perverse or trying to do something different to be oddballs. People should expect the Melvins not to do those things. The Beatles are an overall easily accessible band loved by millions, but their songs Everybodys Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey or Helter Skelter are completely unconventional songs not of the pop formula, but are absolutely beautiful. A good song is a good song no matter its meter or how many times the chorus appears.
Photo by Derek von Essen
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GENUINE FENDER
PARTS AND ACCESSORIES
, Stratocaster , Strat and the distinctive headstock designs commonly found 2013 FMIC. Fender on these guitars are trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.
Visit your local dealer or shop online at fender.com/store
GUITAR SHOP 101
The Great Guitar Cleanup

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOHN LEVAN
he proper cleaning and conditioning of your instrument is critical to its health. Its not difficult to clean and condition a guitarit simply takes a little time and effort. And thats a worthy investment: Keeping your instrument in top condition will save you a lot of money in future repairs. Before we discuss how to clean and condition a guitar, its important to understand the potential problems. The issues. Two important components to clean, condition, and humidify are the fretboard and bridge. This is crucial because they are typically made of unfinished or untreated wood. Maple fretboards are an exception because they have some type of finish and therefore just need to be cleaned, but not conditioned. Rosewood and ebony fretboards and bridges must be cleaned and conditioned to prevent sweat and dirt from damaging the wood. A clean fretboard looks (Fig. 1) and feels great under your fingertips. As we play, dead skin cells, sweat, and dirt build up on the fretboard and collect around the frets. Not only is this unattractive (Fig. 2), but the moisture, acids, and salts in sweat cause the wood around the frets to deteriorate. This can cause dry rot in the fretboard, which results in loose frets and very expensive repairs. I can always tell if a fretboard hasnt been conditioned when I examine the frets. This is especially noticeable when Im doing a refret. After I remove the old frets, I can see nasty gunk on the tangs and green corrosion all over the fret wire (Fig. 3). Cracks are another terrifying byproduct of not conditioning your fretboard (Fig. 4). When sweat evaporates, it can dry out the fretboard and cause it to crack. A guitars electronics can also suffer from dead skin cells and sweat. When acids and salts build up on a pickup, they can corrode the coils and magnets and cause the pickup to fail. These corrosive materials have the same effect on potentiometers and switches (Fig. 5).
Many string and accessory manufacturers offer conditioners for your guitar. But be aware that most of these products, including lemon oil, contain harmful chemicals and solvents that will damage your guitars wood and finish. Avoid anything that contains d-Limonene, alcohol, or silicone. Derived from oil extracted from citrus rind, d-Limonene contains natural acids. These acids can act as a solvent and break down finishes and cause the wood around the frets to deteriorate. Alcohol dries out the fretboard, bridge, and other unfinished wood, and can cause cloudiness in certain types of finish. Silicone prevents the wood from breathing and can cause the finish
Keeping your instrument in top condition will save you a lot of money in future repairs.
on your guitar to become hazy. Its also very difficult to remove. Controlling humidity is another important aspect of guitar care. When a guitar gets too dry, the wood cracks (Fig. 6). Conditioning wood certainly helps prevent it from cracking, but its also a good idea to use a humidifier. New guitars tend to be more prone to humidity cracks than older instruments. Heres why: Most older or vintage guitars were made from air-dried wood. This wood was dried out over several decades, and during this process any pieces that cracked were culled out. The older harvested wood gets, the more stable it becomes, but its a lengthy, painstaking way to dry wood. Modern guitars are primarily made from kiln-dried wood. Kiln drying is designed to speed up the aging process, but only time can truly age a piece of wood. Maintaining a guitarfriendly humidity level helps prevent wood from cracking, and well discuss how to do this in a moment.
Cleaning and conditioning the fretboard. Well start by cleaning the fretboard, and the first step here is to remove the strings. Yes, all of them! People often say, Wont removing all the strings at the same time damage the neck? The fact is, it wont. Wood has an excellent memory, so you dont have to worry about removing all the strings to service your fretboard. Luthiers do it all the time. There are several ways to clean a fretboard, and one approach is to use 0000 steel wool. This works great, especially when you want to make your frets shine, but it makes a big mess. Caution: Do not use steel wool on a maple fretboard that has a glossy finish. Rubbing steel wool on any finish will make it hazy. If you decide to use steel wool, use only 0000 grade. This is the finest steel wool and will not damage the fretboard or frets. If youre cleaning an electric guitar (or an acoustic with a magnetic soundhole pickup), cover the pickups with painters tape to prevent the steel fibers from collecting around the pole pieces. These very fine steel fibers can cause a pickup to corrode, and they also cause noise if they contact the strings. Apply a fretboard conditioner to the fretboard and gently rub the conditioner into the wood with the steel wool pad, turning it frequently. Move across the fretboard, cleaning the wood between the frets, and then work the pad along the side of each fret. Once the fretboard is clean, run the pad up and down along the top of the frets to polish them. After cleaning the fretboard with steel wool, use a vacuum to carefully remove the steel fibers that inevitably shed from the pad (Fig. 7). Avoid getting the fibers on the guitars finish, as they can scratch it. My preferred method for cleaning the fretboard is to use an old toothbrush and Planet Waves Hydrate, a type of fretboard conditioner. This approach is less messy than using steel wool, but its important to note that Hydrate is only for dark fretboardsdont use it on maple boards.
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2 4
7 12
10
11
Fig. 1. A clean, well-condition fretboard just begs to be played. Fig. 2. Not only does fretboard gunk look unattractive, over time it can damage your instrument. Fig. 3. These frets have become corroded through neglect. Fig. 4. If you dont clean and condition your fretboard, it may crack. Fig. 5. If theyre not cleaned regularly, pickups, potentiometers, and switches can become corroded by the salts and acids in sweat. Fig. 6. When wood isnt sufficiently humidified, it can dry out and crack. This guitar back has seen better days. Fig. 7. If you opt to clean your fretboard and polish its frets with 0000 steel wool, remember to vacuum up the fibers that inevitably shed during this procedure. Fig. 8. An alternative to steel wool: Clean the wood with a toothbrush and fretboard conditioner. Fig. 9. Planet Waves Fret Polishing System includes super-fine abrasive paper and a guard to protect the wood. Fig. 10. Like the fretboard, an acoustic guitars bridge needs to be cleaned and conditioned. Fig. 11. Filth can build up on a bridge and its saddles. When hardware gets this dirty and rusty, youll need to disassemble and clean it with WD-40 or 3-in-One oil. Fig. 12. If left on metal hardware, sweat can eat right into the plating and cause rust.
I like using a toothbrush because you can scrub all you want without damaging the wood or the frets. Simply spray Hydrate onto your fretboard and work it into the wood and around the frets with the toothbrush bristles (Fig. 8). Once the gunk is loosened, wipe it off with a paper towel. Also be sure you wipe off any excess conditioner to prevent it from coating the strings. But the toothbrush technique wont polish the frets. If youre not too keen on using 0000 steel wool to do this (and I dont blame you), Planet Waves makes a product called the Fret Polishing System. Basically, its super-fine polishing paper thats packaged with a protective stiff paper template that covers the wood while exposing the fretwire. The template fits medium or jumbo frets and you can use the kit on maple or dark fretboards. Simply lay the template over the fretwire and polish the frets until they glisten (Fig. 9). The kit works great and there is little mess to clean up. But even with this system, youll want to vacuum the residue off the neck left by the polishing paper.
Cleaning and conditioning a bridge. Its very simple to clean and condition the bridge on an acoustic guitar. Remove the bridge saddle and then scrub the bridge with a toothbrush and conditioner (Fig. 10). Use cotton swabs to clean inside the saddle slot. When the gunk is cleaned off, wipe down the bridge with a paper towel. Thats it! Cleaning the hardware. Sweat is a big enemy of hardware because its acids and salts corrode the metal plating and attract dirt that clogs up any moving parts. In extreme cases, a guitars bridge (Fig. 11) and tuning keys (Fig. 12) can begin to rust. Cleaning these important mechanisms keeps them looking good and functioning at their best. For cleaning metal hardware, Ive had success with 3-in-One oil and WD-40. Remember that these products are only safe on metal, so avoid getting them on the fretboard or finish. I typically remove the hardware to clean it with an old toothbrush and then carefully wipe it off before reinstalling. Cleaning the finish. When cleaning your guitars finish, avoid furniture
polishes like Pledge, which contains lemon oil, or products that contain d-Limonene, alcohol, solvents, or silicone. All of these will damage the finish over time. Sweat is another finish-eater because it causes lacquer to soften and break down. Water actually works well to clean a guitar finish. Use a slightly damp microfiber cloth to wipe away dust and grime, and rinse the cloth frequently to remove any debris. As for a good polish, I only use pure carnauba wax, which is safe for most finishes. Controlling humidity. Once your guitar is clean, youll want to protect the wood with some type of humidifier. If you keep your guitar out in a studio or living area, try running an ultrasonic or warm mist humidifier in that room. For most stringed instruments, the optimum humidity level is 45 percent.
JOHN LEVAN has written five guitar repair books, all published by Mel Bay. His bestseller, Guitar Care, Setup & Maintenance, is a detailed guide with a forward by Bob Taylor. LeVan welcomes questions about his PG column or books. Drop an email to guitarservices@aol.com.
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BASS BENCH
Beef Up Your 4-String

BY HEIKO HOEPFINGER
ong gone are the days when bass manufacturers only had to offer a few 4-string models in different colors. For many years that was all the market seemed to demand and to identify the bassist, non-musicians simply had to count the number of strings on the players guitar. Its hard to find accurate sales numbers, but it feels as if 5-stringers rule todays market. The popularity of the 5-string bass exploded in the 80s and has just kept growing over the last two decades. So who do we thank for this 5-string takeover? Perhaps Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, and other 70s icons who showed us that the electric bass can do so much more than we thought? Or was the rise of the 5-string a response to electronic keyboards that were going to make us bassists obsolete if we didnt expand our range? Maybe its both. Everyone who started on a 4-string and later expanded to five (or more) strings surely knows that feeling of coming home when you grab a 4-stringer. In addition to the Jaco only needed four strings school of thought, some bassists insist that the 4-strings limitations can keep you more focused on each note you play and the musics rhythm. So why go to 5-string? The dilemma is that B or D is often the root in modern music and our blessed customersthe band leaders or producers who hire us to playare expecting and paying to get the full low end. Even if youre not into soloing and just want to play traditional bass parts, occasionally youll need that deep low end that EA DG tuning simply doesnt allow. To solve this problem, bass players who want to stay with just four strings came up with several solutions. Some metal-head bassists followed the drop-tuned guitarists in their band and tuned down a wholestep to DGCF. Other players simply restrung their instruments and tuned to BEAD, the lowest four strings of a 5-string bass. The drop-tuned approach leads to floppier strings, but you can usually
deal with that by switching to a heavier gauge set. But with the BEAD option, you make a big sacrifice by giving up the range youd use for melodic bass lines. But there is a technical solution for 4-string bassists who want to extend their low range but dont need those superdeep notes all the time: D-tuners! If youre not familiar with a D-tuner, the most popular version is a mechanical device that replaces the 4th-string headstock tuning key. It functions like a normal tuning key, but offers drop tuning with the flip of a lever. The lever pivots the tuning key, lowering the string to a preset pitchtypically down a whole-step to D, hence the name.
Typically a D-tuner is installed on the 4th string to lower E a whole-step to D.
Most D-tuners can reach even lower. So, depending on the gauge and type of string youre using, you might be able to go as low as B. This brings you into the range of a typical 5-string within seconds, although at the price of an extremely floppy 4th string. Not a huge deal if you use low B while playing with a band and dont need it all the time. It takes a while to get used to the unusual feel of a slackened 4th string, but thats probably easier to manage than relearning all the notes on the fretboard, as you would using either DGCF or BE AD tuning. (That said, some might argue that retuning your bass might open up your thinking, let you break free from ingrained finger patterns, and stimulate creativity.) The most prominent bassist to embrace D-tuners and use them innovatively is Michael Manring. If youve never heard him
play, check out The Enormous Room on YouTube. Youll see him use multiple headstock D-tuners (as well as bridgemounted levers) in a very musical way. This system lets Manring access altered tunings on the fly. In a 2005 interview with Anil Prasad (excerpted here from Innerviews.com, with permission granted by the author via a Creative Commons license), Manring explains why he uses altered tunings and why more bass players might benefit from them. Prasad: Where does your fascination with altered tunings stem from? Manring: It derives from a desire to expand the expressive palette of the instrument. When you change the tuning of a string, youre also changing the tension. You alter the way it vibrates and that alone says something different. If you tune the string very loose, it gets a floppy sound. If you hit that string hard, the pitch goes sharp, then it goes a little flat, and then it comes to rest in a center pitch. That sound has an emotional resonance with people. They perceive it as loose, funky, fat, and wild. If you tune a string really tight, you tend to hear more overtones than fundamental. People tend to hear that as more proper and organized. So, changing the tautness of a string opens up a whole palette of different emotional possibilities. If you mix strings of different tautness together, you can draw from an even bigger set of emotional choices at any moment. It blows my mind on a daily basis that most bassists dont take their basses and change tunings. Clearly, Manring is taking this further than most of us can even imagine, as he uses more than one mechanical retuning device on each string and does all this on a fretless! The good news for gear heads is that manufacturers offer more than just one type of D-tuner, and well dig deeper into these options next month.
Photo courtesy of basslab.de
HEIKO HOEPFINGER is a German physicist and long-time bassist, classical guitarist, and motorcycle enthusiast. His work on fuel cells for the European orbital glider Hermes led him to form BassLab (basslab.de)a manufacturer of monocoque guitars and basses.
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ON BASS
Be a Good Listener
BY STEVE COOK
nspiration hits at the strangest time. I had a whiz-bang of a column typed up for this month, but while recently waiting in line at a local burrito joint just south of Nashville, my blood started stirring when I overheard three young musicians talking about the song playing over the stereo. The song was a remake of Del Shannons Runaway and was pretty true to the original. The three hip kids behind me, looking fresh from a recording session (in Nashville you just know), started in contemptuously during the tracks solo. What song is this? Is this from the 80s? Someone Shazam it. No I cant find it, either. I didnt say a word. I sat down to lunch and thought about what just happened. Do you educate? Do you scold? Do you take the high road and let it go? Granted, the Musitron solo is quirky, but the legendary song itself is fantastic. I wasnt concerned that they didnt know the song because they were younger, but rather
the Rolling Stones! It was a sobering lesson that maybe I wasnt so well rounded after all. I play with a fantastic guitarist named Jeff Smith who is a musical-trivia whiz. Jeff can look at a picture of the Beatles and tell you which recording session, live performance, or even the year and month the photo was taken. He can also tell you the full lineup on every record by Chicago, Toto, and a boatload of other acts. Musical trivia is fun to know, but Jeff is also a musical-knowledge guru, which is a very valuable talent. Jeff knows the micing techniques, amps, and guitars used on a lot of rock records. Big deal? Think about it: What happens when your producer comes to you saying hes looking for a bass tone like Chris Squires on Roundabout, or a guitar tone like Brian Mays on Killer Queen? Would you know how to get your tone there? With his musical knowledgealong with his knowledge of gearJeff can get his guitar rig to sound like just about anyone. Im not saying you have to know every rock record produced, but having big ears can lead to having more
The classic song Runaway was a No. 1 hit for Del Shannon in 1961 and ranks as No. 472 on Rolling Stones list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Having a broad musical knowledge from which to take inspiring riffs or whole songs and twist them to your benefit is not a bad thing.
that they were musicians and didnt know (or respect) the song. Ive been on the receiving end of the you kids dont know music speech. Its not a good one to hear, but its sometimes a necessary one. This day, however, I simply walked away. I was born in the 70s and was raised on a host of keyboard-driven bands. I worked in a record store and thought of myself as well rounded musically, since I listened to the Beatles and Elvis Costello in a sea of Duran Duran and Love and Rockets. One day a patron came in and asked about a Keith Richards solo record. The customers expression instantly changed to shock when I asked him who Keith Richards was. I asked again before he sneeringly replied with a flush in his cheeks, The guitar player from work and more creative sessions. Successful players and producers listen to just about anything they can, current or classic. From listening comes learning, so they absorb, dissect, and rebuild tracks with passion. So how does this help us as bassists? Aside from knowing what those pesky producers want (which is really just big tone and less notes), we be students and learn from those who came before. I play country, and produce pop and rock, yet my ears lean toward jazz. Sadly, I cant put a favorite 32-measure upright solo in a pop song. But I can take a slick run from that same solo, slightly alter it, and then repeat it enough times to fill a pop verse. Musicians beg, borrow, and steal from the best. Having a broad musical knowledge
from which to take inspiring riffs or whole songs and twist them to your benefit is not a bad thing. The Police and Jason Mraz borrowed from Bob Marley. Robin Thicke borrowed from Marvin Gaye. The Beatles borrowed from everyone. And guess what? Everyone borrows from the Beatles. Being open to all kinds of music leads to more inspiration on your part, even if it was recorded 50 years ago. Im actually thankful to our three musician friends from the restaurant for pushing my column in a different direction this month, because I think this is a very important topic. Not knowing a tune is okay, but not respecting a song is something else. There are plenty of songs that I dont know, but Ill listen to anything in hopes of learning something from it. Your dads dusty record collection might not be that important to you, but just consider the enormous number of manufacturers building gear with the sole intent of replicating those tones of yesteryear. Why do you think that is?
STEVE COOK
has been fighting his rock-star frontman urges for decades, holding down the low end for such artists as Steve Cropper, Sister Hazel, and Phil Vassar. Join in his touring therapy on Twitter @shinybass.
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The Years Hottest Axes, Amps, Effects, and Accessories

hen we editors at Premier Guitar decide what gear to review, our overarching guideline is pretty simple: Check out the stuff that you will find compelling and useful in your creative quest. We base that on both the constant feedback we get from you online (via email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.), as well as what we can intuit by reading between the lines of your requests and putting it in context with new stuff you may not have heard about yet. As a result we see a lot of really nice stuff.
So when one of our editors or contributors is struck by a convergence of value, quality, and sound that adds up to being Premier Gear worthy, its a safe bet were talking about something special. Its fun and satisfying to encounter these especially excellent guitars, basses, amps, effects, and accessoriesdoubly so because so many of our award winners come from small shops and tiny bands of craftspeople who are in the same position many of the mainstream names you see alongside them were decades ago. There arent many industries out there where multimillion-dollar giants
and little guys can share the spotlight, and we love being part of it. Big or small, the manufacturers represented in this compendium of gear thats won our coveted Premier Gear Award in 2013 have done very cool work. Some of it is traditional but superbly executed. Other pieces are here in no small part because their creators took chances. No matter the path, though, the end result is gear that sounds great. What you do with it is up to you and your imagination. But were quite confident the stellar products here will spark more than a few ideas.
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G&L Tribute M-2000 (January 2013) Muscle and valuethats the M-2000 in a few words. But you could use many more in praising this affordable G&L. Reviewer Dave Abdo commended the comfort and playability as simply stunning. He also praised the intuitiveness and fidelity of the pickups and preamp, as well as a build quality that rivals much more expensive instruments. For anyone whos longed for a G&L but found the price a little steep, the Tribute M-2000 is worth a look. $699 street, glguitars.com
ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Junior (January 2013) Touring isnt getting cheaper. Nor are practice spaces, detached soundproofed homes, or vans for hauling a small armys worth of gear. Given these truths, compact gear is more interesting and essential, than ever. So were thankful ZT Amplification keeps making ever-smaller and great-sounding amps. The Junior is so small you could stuff it in a suitcase with your socks and set off on a European tour without checking an extra bag. That kind of portability opens up a lot of gigging possibilitiesall for the cost of a good stompbox. How could a working guitarist not be thrilled? $149 street, ztamplifiers.com
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Vintage tone for the 21st Century

Developed almost 50 years ago, the Celestion Greenback remains an essential ingredient in the blues-rock guitar sound that burst out of the late 60s. Now comes the Creamback a contemporary take on the Greenback recipe all that unmistakable vintage G12M tone and the higher power handling necessary for a 21st Century stage.
Creamback
Find out more
www.celestion.com
Recording King RO-310 (February 2013) A good OOO or OM is the acoustic-guitar equivalent of your favorite baseball gloveits got that just-right fit, its capable of both routine and spectacular plays, and in the best of times its like an extension of your own fingers. The Recording King RO-310 delivers each of those qualities, but at a price that weve rarely seen for an OM or OOO this good. Like any OM, its the essence of balance, but its the fact that it wont knock your bank account out of balance that makes it Premier Gear. $499 street, recordingking.com
(February 2013) In 2011, PRS issued limited editions of the Custom 24 and Studio models that many considered the finest of the breed. Apparently, Paul Reed Smith decided those guitars were too good not to share, because the 408 Maple Top is essentially a production version of the maple-topped Private Stock instruments. As Jordan Wagner noted, its a guitar that can be almost anything you want it to be. With all that potential on tap, were excited to know what classic performances will emerge from this guitar in the years to come. $2,990 street, prsguitars.com
PRS 408 Maple Top
Strymon Mobius (March 2013) This outfit of vintage tone fans with turbo digital know-how keeps on delivering stomps that sound amazing and invite deep musical exploration. The analog purists on our staff tend to be blown away by how convincing these pedals sound, and the digital-loving nerds among us love the endless options and MIDI versatility. But the essence of the Mobius is the ability to generate crazygood emulations of modulation effects that have stumped DSP engineers, well forever. Nice work, Strymonagain! $449 street, strymon.net
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Every Gibson Acoustic is built by hand, giving each guitar a personality as unique as each player. Play one and discover the difference between a guitar and aLegend.
The
Gib
son
J-3
www.gibson.com
(March 2013) Fear not, the Grid Slammer is not a super villains plot to undo the nations power infrastructure. It is, however, one hell of an overdrivecapable of kicking your amp into realms ranging from sweaty blues to medium-gain bliss. But itll also add an aggressive, singing quality to heavy leads and make any on-the-fence tube amp sound mean enough for the most evil super villain. $179 street, mesaboogie.com
Mesa/Boogie Grid Slammer
Epiphone 62 Sheraton E212T
(March 2013) Classy, classic, and just plain killer to play, the Sheraton had to be one of the finest luxe-for-the-bucks experiences we had all year. The U.S.-made Gibson mini-humbuckers made the Sheraton a willing partner for everything from Stones raunch to uptown Wes Montgomery-style tones. If youre into this style of guitar, it would be hard to find a cooler piece of wood to hang around your neck especially at this price point. $799 street, epiphone.com
As reviewer Jordan Wagner noted, some of the mightiest bass tones in the galaxy come from combining a towering bass amp and a Big Muff. But Electro-Harmonixs latest addition to the bass Muff family takes the impressive potential of that combination several steps further adding noise gate, dry blend, and switchable crossover features that yield (get this) a more nuanced Bass Big Muff. Considering that a bass and Big Muff are typically about as subtle and nuanced as a B-52 raid, we consider this an award-worthy achievement indeed. $118 street, ehx.com
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Bass Big Muff Pi (April 2013)
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Carr Impala (April 2013) Steve Carrs work over the last decade has been consistently excellent. Theres not much in the amp-o-sphere he hasnt tried: AC-like EL84 circuits, Deluxe-inspired 6V6 amps, and EL34-driven combos built for cranking out the heaviest rock. The new Impala is built in homage to the blackface Bassman, and like that classic workhorse its a beautiful blank slate. Reviewer Alex Maiolo called it one of the finest rock amplifiers Ive ever had the pleasure of playing. But considering how much more the Impala can do, a Premier Gear award is a no-brainer. $2,490 street, carramps.com
Eastman AR371CESB (April 2013) Eastmans archtops, semi-hollows, and acoustics have impressed us with regularity over the years. But Adam Perlmutter found the companys ES-175-inspired AR371CESB to be a top-quality, beautiful-sounding archtop equally adept at rowdy rock and sophisticated jazz. At just under 700 bucks, he also found it to be a value nearly impossible to beat. Keep the sweet deals coming, Eastman! $780 street (with hardshell case), eastmanguitars.com
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GREATEST SELECTION
OF THE
THE
FINEST GUITARS
Duesenberg DTV Deluxe Hollowbody in Crimson Red Friedman Pink Taco 20W Tube Amp Head
Friedman Pink Taco 1x12 Closed-Back with celestion Creamback Speaker
GCPLATINUM.COM
(May 2013) For players fond of post-70s hard rock and metal, Bogners Ecstasy amps are a little like a Mercedes-Benzobjects of lust, but also trusted to deliver and last. For those who cant afford the original amp, the Red and Blue stompboxes gets you remarkably close to that coveted Bogner sound. The Blue is the tamer of the two, delivering exceptionally defined low- to mid-gain tones, while the beastlier Red is geared for British-style metal. $299 street (each), bogneramplification.com
Bogner Ecstasy Red and Blue
(May 2013) Vigier is a relentlessly inventive company which is always nice to see in a an industry that often seems chronically retro-gazing. The Excalibur Special 7 puts that inventive spirit to work in very tangible ways that yield real results. From the proprietary vibrato to the stainless-steel frets, its a flawlessly built marvel of playability and a monster tone machine to boot. $3,495 street, vigierguitars.com
Vigier Excalibur Special 7
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www.allparts.com/joe-barden
Diezel D-Moll (May 2013) The 100-watt, KT77-driven D-Moll starred in our Monsters of High Gain roundup because of its superior definition and midrange detail. But lest you think Diezel traded civility for ferocity, keep in mind that our reviewer emerged from 10 rounds with the D-Moll calling its overdrive pretty intimidating. Indeed, the D-Moll may be a cultivated monster, but its a monster nonetheless. $2,999 street, diezel.typo3.inpublica.de Ibanez AFJ957 (May 2013) Seven-string archtop players could safely be called a niche market, but thats what makes the AFJ957 so impressive. It takes commitment and thoughtful design and execution to make a niche guitar like this so affordable. The result, as Joe Charupakorn put it, is a guitar thats not just a great guitar for the price, but a great guitar period. $799 street, ibanez.com
(May 2013) Jeorge Tripps and the Way incaHuge crew seem almost inca pable of making a bador even mediocrestompbox. And the Echo-Puss is a superb analog bucket-brigade delay that lives up to Way Huges impressive reputation. Anyone whos ever loved and lost a vintage Deluxe Memory Man will love this thing. Its combination of gor gorgeous analog tones, smart-sized enclosure, and rugged utility make it a Premier Gear shoo-in. $169 street, wayhuge.com
Way Huge Echo-Puss
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Spaceman Saturn V Harmonic Booster (May 2013) This Portland, Oregon, pedal manufacturer riffs heavily on 60s-era NASA design aesthetics, but its pedals also seem built to space-faring specs. They are rock solid and, in the case of the Saturn V Harmonic Booster, a heavyduty musical asset. This incredibly complex boost pedal enhances picking dynamics, responds to input changes from your guitar, and delivers cool overdrive tones that are full of character. Plus, it looks like you just ripped off a component from an Apollo capsule to put on your pedalboard! $219 street, spacemaneffects.com
ValveTrain Trenton (June 2013) This boutique amp outfits mantra seems to be that top tones need not mean top dollar. Though ValveTrains wares arent cheap, theyre almost always a great value for the quality and sound they deliver. With the beautiful-looking Trenton, Valvetrain delivers great tones via four switchable voices that, as reviewer Derek See described it, go from clear to Crazy Horse. For a very reasonable 1,400 bones, well just call it killer! $1,399 street, valvetrainamps.com
Dingwall Super P (June 2013) As iconic and familiar as Fenders Precision bass is, its unusual to do a do double take when you see an instrument with those same familiar lines. But with its fanned frets and biomorphic headstock, its hard not to stare at Dingwalls Precision-inspired Super P. When reviewer Steve Cook wasnt drooling over its cool looks, he was marveling at the playability, ergonomics, attention to detail, and range of sonic possibilitieswhich he called downright incredible. $2,730 street, dingwallguitars.com
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Nik Huber Rietbergen Standard (June 2013) Weve had the good fortune to spend some quality time with Nik Huber and check out how they do things at his shop in Rodgau, Germany. So we were hardly startled when reviewer Ben Friedman returned a rave review of Hubers sumptuous semi-hollowbody, saying the tones from the Hussel pickups were bound to dazzle. Considering this is probably the most beautiful guitar weve seen yet from this remarkable builder, were not about to disagree. $7,325 street, nikhuber-guitars.com
Ibanez ES2 Echo Shifter (June 2013) As obsessed as we get about how stompboxes sound, its easy to forget that great pedals can be instruments in their own right. Take the Ibanez Echo Shifter: That control layoutthree adjacent knobs, two switches, and a big slidermakes this one of the most fun-to-use echo units since the Maestro Echoplex. But they also make it incredibly versatile, expressive, and musically responsive. Whether you use it as a tool for freaking out or playing it cool, it comes at a price that make it dang-near irresistible. $149 street, ibanez.com
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Ibanez Iron Label RGIR20FE (July 2013) You cant really fake a good shred guitar, because even shredders on a budget have no time for crappy action, dodgy playability, and squishy, unresponsive electronics. Ibanez gets that. And in the form of the Iron Label, theyve delivered a superb, affordable shred machine. We found the quality and playability astounding for a 600-dollar guitar. That, plus a surprising adaptability, helped make this Ibanez an easy choice for a Premier Gear award. $599 street, ibanez.com Amptweaker TightFuzz (June 2013) This pedal from amp guru James Brown is one of two bass fuzzes in our Premier Gear lineup this year. And attentive bass-gear manufacturers out there would do well to take note of how a good bass fuzz can be an unexpectedly versatile texture. The Tight Fuzz does it with a control set thats sure to look busy to oldschool players, but were betting it only takes a few minutes to change the minds of those fence sitters and curmudgeons, because the Tight Fuzz has the goods to transform your tone. $220 street, amptweaker.com
EarthQuaker Devices Disaster Transport SR (August 2013) EarthQuaker Devices is a company with gumption, derring-do, and a music-first sense that results in pedals that can be practical and bizarreoften all at once. Case in pointthe Disaster Transport SR. Yes, you can dial this dual delay up (with surprising ease) for a conventional, parallel long and short delay. But it takes but a few tweaks before youve converted this silver-flake delight into a peyote voyage in a box. $345 street, earthquakerdevices.com
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The Best... For Less

Only Guitarfetish.com offers the most unique brands in the music biz... Sold Warehouse Direct at Wholesale Pricing... with the widest variety of cool vintage, modern and cutting edge gear anywhere. Our GFS Pickups, Xaviere Guitars, Slickstraps, Hardware and Accessories are shipped daily to customers all over th world. Our 30,000 sq. ft. of warehouses are packed with the brands that we design and sell, exclusively. We design everything in our Boston headquarters, and skip the middleman to sell direct to you! Weve been fortunate enough to sell our stuff to some of the most respected guitarists out there, check our website to see the latest guys who turned down paid endorsements to PAY for their GFS pickups and electronics. New products are arriving DAILY... New takes on the classics as well as totally new stuff that we invented... Great quality at the absolute lowest prices. Isnt it time you stopped by to look around?
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Reverend Kingbolt (August 2013) Despite boasting a roster that includes adventurous and virtuosic players like Reeves Gabrels and Pete Anderson, Reverends more traditional-looking body lines can often give the impression the company has a retro agenda. The Kingbolt, however, could change that perception for good. With hot, no-cover humbuckers, a 12" fretboard radius, Wikinson trem, and graphite nut, its an unquestionably metal-geared machine. While reviewer Joe Charupakorn found it varied enough to deem it a gold mine of tonal possibilities, we suspect a lot of players are going to dedicate their Kingbolt to getting heavy above all. So much for that retro agenda. $1,079 street, reverendguitars.com FU-Tone High Performance Bridge Packages
(August 2013) Dedicated shredders obsess over guitar details thatll never even occur to many other players. For these demanding and ultra-specialized players, little things add up to big tone and playability dividends. Yes, at least one of the packages here is built around a titanium tremolo block, yet reviewer Gerry Ganaden found the difference in tone profound. And for downright religious tone hounds, the payoff will be worth every penny invested. $320 street (Standard Upgrade Package), $923 street (Full Titanium Package), fu-tone.com
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Epifani AL 112 (August 2013) The AL 112 bass combo makes us wonder why the guitar industry often seems so dang obsessed with the days of tweed cabs and carhops (cool as those are). The Epipfani looks vaguely like a circa-72 vision of the future, but it takes a very different approach to bass-amp constructionusing an aluminum cabinet to create a very light, tough, practical, and big-sounding bass amplifier. Thats the kind of forward thinking we can get behind. $1,599 street, epifani.com
Jaguar HC50 (August 2013) The Jaguar HC50 walked away with a Premier Gear award largely for its mastery of the sound/ simplicity equation. Four knobs, a couple of EL34s, a good 12" speaker, andvoil!youve got a palette of tones that ranges from jangly and airy to monstrous. Reviewer Matt Holliman also noted that the HC50 took to just about every effect he tried like a fish to water, which might make this the finest blank canvas for sound sculptors we played all year. $2,029 street, jaguaramplification.com
Lakland Decade 6 (August 2013) Six-string basses are odd birds, but for players willing to investigate the potential of these instruments, the musical payoff can be big. Laklands Decade 6 is, like most every Lakland bass, beautifully built and executed. Mate that quality with the ability to move from Spaghetti-Western baritone sounds to powerful, thumping low end, and you have a serious studio and stage secret weaponnot to mention a means of expanding your vocabulary in unexpected ways. $3,250 street, lakland.com
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Catalinbread Echorec (September 2013) The original Binson Echorec is perhaps most legendary because of its role as the echo unit that powered early Pink Floyd work. Those associations aside, the Binson was a gloriously quirky and unique machine with a very distinct musical personality. Catalinbreads own Echorec uses DSP technology rather than the clunky mechanicals of the original to achieve its lush voice and superb rhythmic delays. But delay fiends and Floyd fanatics arent likely to give that much more than a passing thought once they plug this unit in and experience its liquid, spacious repeats. $230 street, catalinbread.com
(September 2013) The 40-watt Blackbird, as the name cheekily suggests, pays homage to Fenders mid-60s blackface era. But its counted among this years award winners for delivering a super-responsive tone-shaping section and an incredibly pedal-friendly voice. If youre ready to retire your heirloom blackface, youd have a hard time finding a better replacement. $2,650 street, fargenamps.com
Fargen Blackbird VS2
(October 2013) Known for their bizarre contraptions of aural destruction, DBAs latest fuzz is a collaboration between two chaos-loving artiststhe Death by Audio team (which includes A Place to Bury Strangers Oliver Ackermann) and Thee Oh Sees John Dwyer. Not surprisingly, its capable of producing a brutalizingly powerful fuzz tone. But what makes the DBATFWO Premier Gear is its surprising flexibilityand even civility! The onboard treble boost is a perfect match for the Muff-like fuzz, and the tone control has considerable soundsculpting power, making this fuzz a killer whether you need a slik glove or a wrecking ball. $225 street, deathbyaudio.com
Death by Audio Thee Ffuzz Warr Overload
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When we decided to create a delay pedal that delivers the sound and feel of iconic tape echo machines, we relentlessly studied and faithfully recreated every last nuance. Months were spent in our sound design labs capturing the warm, saturated, distinctive qualities of tape echo. Get the full bodied, pristine sound of a factory fresh tape machine all the way to the gnarled qualities of worn out tape. Meticulous dTape Echo Algorithms ber-Flexible Tape Character Controls Tape Age, Wow & Flutter, Tape Crinkle and More Designed and Built in the USA
strymon.net/elcapistan
Dunlop Fuzz Face Mini Germanium FFM2 (October 2013)
While we were pretty excited by the convenience of the smaller Fuzz Face Mini Germanium, in the end it was the amazingly authentic vintage Fuzz Face tones and dynamic interactivity that knocked us off our feet. Senior editor Joe Gorea seasoned Fuzz Face user if there ever was one declared, youd be hard-pressed to find a Fuzz Face that sounds better at any price. But with all that tone in a new pedalboard-friendly compact enclosure, this new Fuzz Face excels at being practical and musical. $129 street, jimdunlop.com
TC Electronic PolyTune 2 (November 2013) TCs original PolyTune tuner wowed the world with its ability to check the pitch of all six strings with a single stroke or switch to single-string chromatic mode with the pluck of one string. This newest incarnation adds a more accurate strobe mode, a super-bright readout, and a sensor that will adjust to prevailing light conditions. Who knew a little tuner could do so much or make our playing lives so much easier? $99 street, tcelectronic.com
(October 2013) Pigtronix makes impressive-sounding, sometimes complex pedals. But with the Quantum Time Modulator, it delivers a typically inventive and rich-sounding fusion of chorus and vibrato in a compact enclosure thats beautifully simple. The sum is a modulation unit that ranges from subtle to downright insane with a few quick twists. This ability to appease mellow texturalists and freakishly experimental players alike make this pedal a Premier Gear no-brainer. $199 street, pigtronix.com
Pigtronix Quantum Time Modulator
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Blueridge Guitars...More Bang for the Buck!
hen its your instrument thats holding you back, its time for a change. We invite you to stop by your local Blueridge Dealer and have an intimate conversation with the guitar that will bring out the best in you. The secret of tone lies in the details of design, selection of materials and the skilled hand of the craftsman. The result is more bang period!
The Quality and Value Leader!
Blueridge BR-160 Guitar

Select, aged, solid Sitka spruce top with traditional herringbone puring for tone and beauty Expertly handcarved top braces in authentic, pre-war, forward-X position Select, solid East Indian rosewood back and sides for deep, rich tone Carved, low prole, solid mahogany neck and dovetail neck joint for strength and stability
BR-160 Dreadnaught
To learn more about Sagas Blueridge Guitars, visit www.sagamusic.com/PG
P.O. Box 2841 So. San Francisco, California Connect with us on
Saga Musical Instruments
MOD GARAGE
How to Wire Alternative Tele 3-Way Switches

BY DIRK WACKER
Fig. 1. The classic open CRL 3-way Tele pickup switch has two stages, or rows, each with four soldering lugs. Fig. 2. The stages and lugs on the open OakGrigsby 3-way switch are very similar to the CRL.
elieve it or not, were almost done with our discussion of the Telecaster 3-way pickup selector switch at least for now. (Later, well return to the basics when we explore the Telecaster 4-way switch in detail.) So far, weve focused on the stock Tele switch [Inside the 3-way Telecaster Pickup Switch, October 2013, and How to Wire a Stock Tele Pickup Switch, November 2013]. Now its time to transfer what we know about the stock switch to popular alternative versions from different manufacturers. Armed with the information well cover here, youll be able to wire up any switch of your choiceand also adapt wiring diagrams you might find on the web, most of which use the CRL switch layoutwithout driving yourself mad in the process. First, lets review what we covered in the previous column. Fig. 1 shows the schematic for the CRL 3-way switch that we used as our quasi-standard Tele wiring. It has two stages (or rows) and each stage has four soldering lugs. Stage 1 (with the metal frame that holds the screws) is the top row and stage 2 is the bottom row. In addition to this open CRL switch, some Teles sport other switch types, so lets take a look at the most important alternatives. To wire these up, all you have to do is transfer the wiring from the CRL switch to the corresponding lugs of the other switchits like painting by numbers. Heres the wiring chart:
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Armed with the information well cover here, youll be able to wire up any switch of your choice without driving yourself mad in the process.
The open OakGrigsby 3-way switch (Fig. 2) is very similar to the CRL. It offers the same high quality and similar switching sensation, though the lugs are shifted slightly. This is the standard switch youll find in most Fender guitars today. After using CRL for a very long time, Fender now mostly uses the OakGrigsby switch, and only installs CRL switches on some selected series. Since the OakGrigsby (which has been acquired by Electroswitch) and CRL switches are essentially equivalent in price and quality, its simply a matter of choosing oneyou cant go wrong with either. Stewart-MacDonalds open 3-way switch is very common in the U.S., but a rare bird over here in Europe. Its a very high quality switch with improved gold contacts and an extremely smooth switching feel. Stew-Mac stopped selling it some months ago, offering standard CRL switches as a substitute. For almost 20 years Ive had Stew-Mac switches in some of my own guitars and theyve never let me down. Although these switches are no longer directly available from Stew-Mac, Ill bet there is still a lot of remaining
Lug
A 1 2 3
Stage 1
Hot wire from bridge pickup Connected to stage 1, lug #2 Connected to stage 2, lug #2 Unconnected
Stage 2
Hot wire from neck pickup Connected to stage 2, lug #3 Connected to stage 2, lug #3 Output to volume pot
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Fig. 3. The orientation of the lugs is a bit unusual on the extremely smooth StewMac 3-way switch. Fig. 4. Imported closed 3-way switches have only one row of lugs, but still offer two stages. Fig. 5. With its open PCB-based construction, the ultraflexible Megaswitch T offers many wiring possibilities.
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
stock in music stores. Because this switch was sold for decades and its installed in countless guitars, it has to be included in our list. The orientation of the lugs is a bit unusual, as you can see in Fig. 3. Imported closed 3-way switches (aka budget or far-east switches) have only one row of lugs, but still offer two stages (Fig. 4). Typically these switches are used in low-cost instruments and because of their poor quality, theyve deservedly earned a bad reputation. But you can also buy high-quality closed switches with this arrangement of lugs and stages, and they often cost more than open switches. So pay attention and avoid the cheap versions that wont get you through the gig. Also
bear in mind that most imported switches require a metric switch tip with a smaller slit than U.S.-made switches. Offering open PCB-based construction on a metal frame, the Megaswitch T from Eyb Guitars and Schaller is a combination of an open and closed switch. Older versions of this German switch offer an extra ground lug, marked with a red G in the diagram, while the newer versions have a metal ground lug connected to one of the two screws on the back of the switch. Because of the special, ultraflexible layout of the switching matrix (Fig. 5), you will have to do some extra jumper-wire connections with the Megaswitch T, so youll need to download
the instruction manual from Eyb (eybguitars.de) or Schaller (schaller-electronic. com) before you start soldering. Congratulations, thats it! Now youll be able to develop your own mods with any given switch in your Tele. And speaking of mods, next time well tackle one of my favorites: 50s Les Paul wiring in a Telecaster. Im sure youll love it. Until then, keep on modding!
DIRK WACKER lives in Germany
where he plays country, rockabilly, and surf music in two bands, works regularly as a session musician for a local studio, and writes for several guitar mags. Hes also a hardcore guitar and amp DIY-er who runs an extensive website on the subject (singlecoil.com).
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ASK AMP MAN
The Early-70s Silverface Fender Twin Reverb: Dud or Dynamo?

BY JEFF BOBER
Q: A:
Hi Jeff, I just got a 70s silverface Fender Twin Reverb that needs a little TLC. Surfing the various forums, Ive learned that this master-volume edition of the Twin is one of the most (unfairly, to me) maligned designs. The only indication of power is the 300 watts label on the back. Ive wanted a silverface Twin or Pro Reverb since I was a teen. To me they are loud, clean, blank slates to color with different guitars and pedals. Id appreciate any thoughts you might have on this amp. Thanks, John Gilbert
Some silverface Twin Reverbs feature a master volume control with a push/pull switch for extra gain.
WARNING: All tube amplifiers contain lethal voltages. The most dangerous voltages are stored in electrolytic capacitors, even after the amp has been unplugged from the wall. Before you touch anything inside the amp chassis, its imperative that these capacitors are discharged. If you are unsure of this procedure, consult your local amp tech.
Hi John, The Twin Reverb design has been through many iterations since its 1963 debut. The amps Fender produced between 1963 and 1967 are known as blackfaces because of their black control panels, and their designs remained largely unchanged during this period. Blackface Twin Reverbs are the most coveted versions of this amp. With their stated power of 85 watts, they are the most powerful Fender amps of the era. In 1968 Fender changed to the silverface control panel. The circuitry was altered as well: There were changes to the bias and phase inverter circuits and, most important, the output stage. For whatever reason, the engineers at Fender added seven additional components to the output stage, effectively turning it into a semi-cathode-biased output. While these amps were supposedly rated at 100 watts, they are nowhere near as potent as their predecessors. Some players actually prefer these models, however, because they tend to compress more easily than any other Twin. According to the dates on Fender schematics, these improvements only lasted for a year. You can easily identify these 1968 amps by the silver-metal band around the perimeter of the grille cloth. The 1969 schematic revision shows a return to the standard fixed-bias, 100watt output-stage configuration, though the bias and phase inverter changes remained. An additional change occurred in 1970 with the addition of a capacitor to eliminate ticking in the tremolo
circuit. The next change was the addition of a master volume control in 1972. This brings us to the era of your amp. Now, having a master volume control on a Fender Twin Reverb, or most any other Fender amp of this era, seems like a useless addition. Master volumes are generally associated with and necessary in amps that use considerable front-end gain to overdrive the preamp section. There is not a huge amount of gain in the preamp stages of a Twin Reverb, at least not enough to achieve significant overdrive. So why incorporate a master volume? One explanation might be to allow the amps preamp section to be overdriven by an external gain-boosting device, such as the Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 or the Dallas Rangemaster. Turning up the channel volume allowed increased overdrive in the preamp section, with the overall volume of the amp controlled by the newly added master volume. Okay, now it makes a little more sense. But the engineers at Fender took it a step further, adding the ability to access more gain internally. This boost is activated via a master volume control with a push/pull switch. So where did this extra gain come from? From the most unlikely of places: the reverb drive signal! The reverb drive circuit in most tube-driven reverb amps is actually similar to a small, low-power, single-end output stage. The tube is fed a signal (from channel 2, or the vibrato channel, in the case of Fender reverb amps). The tubes output connects to a transformer, exactly as in a
single-ended amp like a Champ. But instead of being connected to a speaker, the output of the transformer in the reverb drive circuit is fed to a transducer in the reverb pan. Its similar to a speaker, except instead of driving a cone, it drives a spring. As you can imagine, a signal derived from this circuit could have substantial level, which could easily overdrive a preamp tubeand since the overdrive comes from a little tube power amp, it should sound pretty good. Yeah in theory. In reality, the result was far from stellar, and Im not sure I know anyone who actually uses this feature. Ive never ascertained if this is because the reverb drive signal simply doesnt sound as good as youd expect, or because of where this signal is applied in the amp. Either way, this under-whelming overdrive tone together with the master volume and other post-1967 circuit changesis why your amp is, in your words, maligned. But dont lose sleep over this, as most post-blackface improvements can be returned to pre-68 specs, yielding a pretty toneful amp. Hmmmfood for thought for my next column. I hope that sheds a little light on your amp, but remember: Its only a bad amp if you dont like it!
JEFF BOBER, one of the godfathers of the low-wattage amp revolution, co-founded and was the principal designer for Budda Amplification. Jeff launched EAST Amplification (eastamplification.com) in 2010, and he can be reached at pgampman@gmail.com.
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STATE OF THE STOMP
Looping Tips and Techniques

BY ETHAN TUFTS
first got into looping about 10 years ago after hearing my college friend Tyondai Braxton, an excellent artist, perform some of his loop choir soundscapes using an old rackmount Echoplex Digital Pro. He inspired me to use loopers to create solo live performances of my own.Little did I know that I would be sent down the long and winding path of trying just about every looping device ever created.Here are a few things that Ive learned along the way. I hope they spark a few looping ideas for you. Your looper is your instrument. Record, overdub, play, and stop. Thats it, right? Maybe, if you have a simple looper. But high-endloopers can provide a wide array of performance-oriented features such as multiple independent loops, quantization, loop multiply, and MIDI integration. If you want to take your looping from four-bar bedroom jams to a performance environment, start thinking of your looper as an instrument, not an effect. Creating engaging loop performances can require the same type of effort that you put into learning guitar. Really get to know your looper until using it becomes second nature.You dont want to be onstage trying to remember how to access the undo function! Create an entire looped song. Building a conventional song structure with a looper can be a challenge, given that your looper will merrily repeat the same thing until the end of time.Here are a few exercises that may help you minimize the repetition: Perform a simple song structure, but only use your looper for one song section. For example, perform the verse, but only start recording when the chorus begins. Overdub a few parts as the chorus part plays. Switch off the loop when the chorus is complete, and perform the verse in real time. When you get back to the chorus, switch on the loop. Now youve got thick-sounding backing from the overdubs you recorded the first time around.
If your looper can do multiple independent loops (like the Boss RC-300 and other advanced loopers), try recording separate loops for each song section.Start by recording your verse chords on loop 1, and then switch to loop 2 to record the chorus chords. Now youve got two parts ready to use throughout your song. If you have a looper that can record simultaneous tracks (such as the EHX 45000), you can mute recorded parts and bring them back as needed. Start by recording a rhythmic element on track 1. While it plays, record some chord changes on track 2 and jam on that for a bit. When you get to your B section, turn off track 2 and overdub a new part on track 3 while your track 1 rhythm continues to play. Create a looped soundscape. Just because your looper plays back recordings in strict time doesnt mean you must use it solely for rhythmic parts. Loopers are also great for ambient soundscapes that seem to have no definite beginning or end.Start by recording a short loop of something subtle and minimalperhaps chords swelled in with your volume knob or an auto-swell delay. End your recording with an overdub, so that the note decay from your loop spills over onto the overdub. Continue overdubbing simple, sparse parts to create a cloud-like layer of sound. Some pedals, like the Boomerang III, allow you to control your loops feedback (decay). Try setting a long decay so that loops slowly and gently evolve over time as new overdubs appear. For an even more ambient sound, try placing a reverb or delay pedal after your looper. Practice making mistakes. Okay youre onstage with your looper, and inevitably something goes wrong. You flub a note, and all of a sudden that flub is repeating over and over.It may sound strange, but when practicing, intentionally make a few mistakes to see
if you can recover from them. The worst thing during a performance is to stop everything to re-record a loop. Have an exit plan, whether its a simple undo or mute, or quickly switching to another loop.On the other hand, not everything that we consider a mistake is necessarily a showstopper. Try looping over that terrible loop to see if you can transform it into something musical. Play with your signal chain. Setting up your looper can be as simple asplacing it at the end of your effect chain.Its a good idea tospend some time tailoring the balance between your direct and looped signals. If your loops are louder than your direct sound, you may have a tendency to play more loudly on subsequent loops or overdubs. Some loopers offer multiple inputs and outputs that can be routed separately. I route both looped and live guitar to a clean tone on my Ampeg GVT, and both looped and live vocals to a full-range PA.If you intend to route your signal to a house system rather than your amp,invest in a high-quality direct box such as the Radial ProDI. If you dont, prepare for some nasty-sounding ground loops. Over the years of trying so many looper pedals, Ive strived to learn as much about my gear as possible so I can use it instinctively.Dive in, learn your looper, and discover a way to make looping instinctive for you.
ETHAN TUFTS is recording artist State Shirt, and the lead marketing nerd for Strymon.
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REVIEWS
SQUIER
By Shawn Hammond
Vintage Modified Cabronita Telecaster with Bigsby

S
quier, Fenders more affordable brand, has come light years from where it was three decades ago. In the 80s and 90s, most serious guitarists wouldve balked at the idea of owning, let alone gigging, with a Squier. They were for beginners on a budgetbeginners no one expected to keep at it for long. At the time, the brands only prominent endorsee was the late blues-rocker Jeff Healeyand the fact that he was blind inspired no end of speculation about whether he played Fenders with Squier headstock decals, and/or jokes about the company putting one over on him. I used to be one of those scoffers, but then Squiers Classic Vibe line came along, drawing much attention for its vintage-style aesthetics, as well as specs and tones that have much of the flavor of Fenders most iconic models. More recently, the Vintage Modified line has earned similar reactions, pairing classic looks and features with the sorts of tweaks DIYinclined players might make to the tried-and-true designs. The latest in this line is the new Vintage Modified Cabronita Telecaster with a Bigsby. Muy Bonita! During my time at Premier Guitar, Ive made no secret of my regard for recent Squiers. Ive purchased two Telesa 50s Classic Vibe I found on Craigslist, and a Vintage Modified Telecaster
Fender-designed FideliTron
Bigsby B5 Telecaster Vibrato
3-way pickup selector
Master volume
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Custom. The former I modified with Fender Custom Shop pickups, and the latter was part of our March 2013 Mod Madness cover story, which chronicled (among other things) the process of adding a Bigsby vibrato. Ive recorded with these Teles, used them with my band, and pitted them against more costly T-style instruments from a variety of manufacturersand I always come away completely satisfied with what Ive got. Months prior to my Mod Madness project, Id been lamenting the dearth of both Bigsby-outfitted production Teles Fender or Squierand more affordable versions of the La Cabronita Telecaster, a sharp-looking Custom Shop guitar outfitted with TV Jones Classic pickups. So imagine my excitement upon hearing about the new Bigsby-fied Squier Cab, which features aspects of both ideas: Its the first FMIC-built Tele in several years to have a Bigsby B5 Telecaster vibrato kit factory-installed, and its neck pickup is a FideliTron humbucker, Fenders take on the Gretsch FilterTron-style pickup that TV Jones Classics are based on. It also has a traditionally voiced single-coil in the bridge position. Other specs: a polyurethane-finished basswood body (in black only), a modern C-profile maple neck with a 9.5"-radius fretboard, a master volume, and a sturdy-feeling 3-way pickup selector. Like many guitars these days, Squiers dont come with a case or gigbag. When
I removed the VM Cab from its doubleboxed shipping carton, I found that the vibrato arm had been positioned fully clockwise, which made it extend an inch or so past the butt end of the guitar. It appeared to have taken the brunt of many impacts during shipping, because the arm had cut a little bit into the raised edge near the hinge, creating a jagged edge I had to watch out for. Otherwise, the VM Cab looked like a million bucks, and felt and played wonderfully. Hopefully Squier has since found a way to avoid similar damage during shipping. Twang n Warble I tested the Cabronita with a Fender 1965 Twin Reverb reissue and a Goodsell Valpreaux 21, at times engaging a Pigtronix Fat Drive and/or a Keeley Compressor. Through the Twins vibrato channel with the EQ knobs at 5 and bright switch engaged, the FideliTron sounded gloriously fat, yet crystal clear and even across the frequency spectrum. Truth be told, I was shocked, especially considering the price of this instrument. A pick conjured bell-toned blues, and thumb and fingers summoned jazzy lines with an impeccable mix of thump and articulationdynamics for days. The Supro-esque Valpreaux, with its gain, volume, and tone knobs at 3 oclock, yielded similar results, though with a swampier, more vintage vibe. The neck pickup produced warm, corpulent flavors
with more grit and attitude, sounding like a guitar costing many times the entrance fee. I happen to think a Tele without a Tele bridge pickup is hardly a Tele that single-coil is key to the snap and twang that made the guitar legendary. Thankfully, the VM Cabs single-coil agrees: Paired with the neck pickup and the Twin, it delivers a spanky, compressed sound thats great for squeaky-clean rhythms, though this setting did reveal the bridge units lean, less-refined tendencies. Soloed through the Twin, the single-coil sounded a bit anemic and brash. But when I engaged my Pigtronix Fat Drive in its higher-gain mode, it transformed the bridge unit into a scrappy punk with tons of attitude for spitting riffs and leads. Switching back to the Goodsell, I set the Fat Drive to my preferred low-gain mode, which lets me goose the amp with a clean boost for a more organic feel. Soloing the bridge pickup again, I found bristling rudeness with fantastic clarity. Its a little rough around the edges, but not in the way I anticipated. Tele-modding dude I am, I expected to think it would sound better with an aftermarket bridge pickup. But I promptly got carried away with the ratty-in-a-good-way riffs that the bridge unit made possible. It sounds badass for stanky funk linesthink Nile Rodgers in a pissy mood. Engaging analog repeats
9.5"-radius, modern C-profile neck
Soloing the bridge pickup, I found bristling rudeness with fantastic clarity.
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from my Ibanez Echo Shifter reminded me of crystalline early U2 tones. And with or without a compressor, you get fantastic chicken-pickin tones of the sort traditional Tele fans require. My only real complaint was that, while the guitar stayed in tune even under heavy Bigsby use, the B5 vibratokits bridge suffers from the same issues as vintage and vintage-style Jazzmasters: The multi-grooved saddles dont hold strings well under heavy attack, andfar more annoyingthe high E- and B-string height-adjustment screws seem to have minds of their own. If theres one mod youll want to do on the Cab, itll be opting for a Mastery bridge or one of the more affordable home remedies adopted by Jazzmaster aficionados. The Verdict Squier has done a lot to improve its image over the last decade, but the brand still doesnt get the respect it deserves.
That opinion became more ensconced after playing the Vintage Modified Cabronita Tele. Sure, plenty of players grudgingly admit Squier Classic Vibes are nice enough to own, but they quickly qualify the admission with a list of their real Fenders, implying that Squiers cant cut it for serious playing. Frankly, it all smacks of pretension and refusal to confront current-day reality. Of course, there are real differences between the two brandsthe lower prices come from somewhere. For one, Squiers pickups, pots, jacks, and wiring often arent as robust or highspec as Fender parts. Youre also pretty limited in terms of color options, and naturally the finishes arent nitrocellulose. However, Squier necks, bodies, fretwork, and attention to detail are on par with Fenders and other quality brands. If youre looking for a Tele with some delectable twists, you owe it to yourself to try this guitar.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this guitar at premierguitar.com/dec2013
Squier Vintage Modified Cabronita Telecaster with Bigsby

$399street fender.com/squier Tones Playability Build/Design Value
PROS Highly desirable mods, straight from the factory. Classy looks. Tones range from smooth and refined to twangy and rude. Nice feel and playability. CONS Problematic bridge saddles.
You might say were obsessed. We spent many late nights in our labs forging a collection of the most organic, luscious, and versatile modulation effects we could conjure up. We faithfully captured the warmth and detail of iconic effects from the past five decades, and pushed their boundaries with new sonic possibilities never before heard. Mobius. Rewriting the history books of modulation.
strymon.net/mobius
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Brett Tuggle and Collings Guitars
Serious Guitars | www.CollingsGuitars.com | (512) 288-7770
Brett Tuggle and his Collings D1 A on tour with Fleetwood Mac
REVIEWS
EVENTIDE
H9
O
By Joe Charupakorn
Sadistic Simplicity Housed in a futuristic white enclosure, the H9 features a sleek looking form factor that may seem eerily stark to analogminded players. Under the LED display is a row of buttons with intentionally vague, potentially daunting labels: hotknob, x, y, and z (plus presets). Hotknobs role varies from preset to preset, while x, y, and z address the top three parameters in a given preset. Centered beneath the buttons is a big, multi-function encoder knob used for such tasks as scrolling through presets and manipulating hotknobs expression settings. A ring of LEDs encircles the encoder, indicating the current value. Rounding out the control panel are two footswitches: active and tap. Theres also a built-in tuner. ver the last couple of years, Eventides stompbox seriesthe TimeFactor, ModFactor, PitchFactor, and Spacereceived wide acclaim for putting the companys legendary studio effects within range of the average guitarists budget. And then the New Jersey-based outfit upped the ante again earlier this year with the introduction the H9 Harmonizer, a cutting-edge effects unit twoandahalf years in the making. The H9 can produce the sounds of all the Eventide stompboxes, as well as unique H9-only sounds such as Ultra Tap and Resonator. It can also interface with iPhones and iPad via Bluetooth, and Mac computers via USB. (The free iOS H9 Control app is available from Eventides website.)
6-character LED display
Soft knobs MIDI jacks
Encoder
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Siris Lovechild Its possible to manipulate the H9 via its built-in controls, but if you hate scrolling through screens on a typical multi-effect unit, working with the H9s 6-character display will really test your patience. However, once you pair the H9 with its Control appwhich lets you see all the virtual knobs and other interface optionsthe editing process becomes quite intuitive. Though my first couple of tries at pairing my iPhone 4 timed out, I succeeded after a couple more. The H9s accompanying documentation doesnt list iOS system requirements, but when we mentioned the connection issues to Eventide we determined my problems were because my iOS wasnt up to date. The H9 is compatible all the way back to the iPhone 3GS, as long as the device is running iOS 5 or greater (it also works via USB with OS X 10.5 or later, and Windows machines running XP or later). Things got quite fun after connecting my phone. It was pretty sick to be able to tap in a tempo from a remote touch screen, though maneuvering the virtual knobs does take some getting used to. (This remote accessibility could open new doors for techs who manipulate guitar effects from offstage.) I later connected to an iPad, where all the controls were visible on a single screen. While initial setup may take some time, once youve got what you need in place, you dont necessarily need the H9 to be connected to any devices at a gig. The H9 can store 99 presets, more than youre likely to need in one setting. Additionally, you can save a practically infinite number of presets to your iOS device and load them as needed, exponentially increasing the H9s usefulness. For example, you might have groups of presets programmed for different bands, and you could then swap them in and out of the H9 itself as needed. Algorithms at the App Store Although the H9 can produce all of the sounds of Eventides stompbox line, the purchase price doesnt include all those sounds. Each of the four stompboxes
in the series includes approximately 10 algorithms, and the H9 comes with nine of the 40 or so. Each algorithm includes 1030 presets. You can buy additional algorithms to upload for $19.99 each, with five minutes to audition each one before you buy. (Note: the TimeFactors looper function is currently not available on the H9.) You can use only one algorithm at a time, but an algorithm can contain multiple effects, so that isnt as limiting as it might sound. For example, the ModEchoVerb [Modeko] preset contains delay, chorus/ flanger, and reverb, all of which can be used simultaneously or individually. Ambient [i]Pads Eventide helped set the gold standard for ambient and time-based effects, so I wasnt surprised by the H9s killer sounds. However, the cynic in me worried that the H9 might offer lite versions of the individual stompbox effects. Just to be sure, I convinced a friend to lend me his Eventide pedal collection. I couldnt hear any sonic difference between the algorithms. Included H9 effects such as Shimmer and the U2-inspired Streets delay are among the H9s incredibly rich and 3three-dimensional soundsyoud be very hard-pressed to find bettersounding reverbs and delays. The H9 is also capable of esoteric outer-space effects. Ultra Tap is a 64-tap delay that allows you to distribute the taps across a roughly four-second time span, with results varying from percussive repeats to ethereal cinematic textures.
The Verdict The Eventide H9 produces glorious sounds that, until recently, required bulky processors costing thousands of dollars. Considering this, it shouldnt be much of a surprise that this diminutive wonder also offers such seemingly infinite possibilities that it can easily become overwhelming. This review only scratches the surface of what the H9 can do. You could twiddle its knobs for years and still find groundbreaking discoveries to take your music to the next dimension.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this pedal at premierguitar.com/dec2013
Eventide H9
$499 street eventide.com Tones Ease of Use Build/Design Value
PROS Amazing sounds. Vast potential. CONS Takes some time to figure out.
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REVIEWS
TRAYNOR
SB115
By Steve Cook
ith humble beginnings as a Toronto music store repairman, Peter Traynor started selling his first bass amp, the DynaBass, back in 1963. Even though the Traynor brand was phased out for years before being revived by Yorkville, Traynor products have long had a reputation for quality at a reasonable price. This year Traynor introduced their latest line of bass combos with the Small Block series. These compact and lightweight amps have a single 10", 12", or 15" speaker, and their combination of power and portability is aimed at the working musician. We tested the SB115, the most gigfriendly of the three. New Kid on the Block The SB115 looks and feels great out of the box. How can an amp feel great? Well, it only weighs 31 pounds, impressively light for a combo. The plywood cabinet measures a scant 21" x 18" x 15", making it small enough for a subcompact car, or for that matter, the subway. But dont let the footprint fool youthe Traynor folks have packed some useful features into the SB115. The SB115 has both passive and active inputs, and the latter is padded with a -6 dB cut. The amp also boasts 4-band EQ plus a lowexpander control, which I couldnt wait to use to test the limits of the 15" speaker. The control panels pots felt a little loose, though that may be
When I pushed the bass EQ up to 2 oclock, the amp started sounding massive. It suddenly became the little amp that could.
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a matter of personal preference, since I like making slow, small adjustments. The SB115 also has a tweeter, along with a topside defeater switch to disengage it if desired. Theres a balanced XLR (pre EQ) DI jack, plus a limiter on/off switch and a ground switch. Rounding out the control panel appointments are 1/4" headphone and aux jacks. Block Rockin Bass I auditioned the SB115 with a Music Man StingRay and a Gretsch Electromatic. Powering up with the StingRay plugged in, I was greeted by a little red light that turned blue to indicate that the amp was ready. I set the gain, master, and EQ controls to 12 oclock, with the low expander control turned all the way down. The amp sounded a little throaty and thin at this initial setting. But when I eased up the low-mid, mid, and treble knobs and brought the low expander up halfway, the StingRay sprang to life. The SB115 sang beautifully, and the amp didnt color or interfere with the basss innate tone. When I pushed the bass EQ up to 2 oclock, the amp started sounding massive. It suddenly became the little amp that could. I put the amp through its paces from top to bottom. And for the bottom here, I dropped the StingRays tuning to D while easing up the low expander. This reduces mids and compresses the bass tone while adding massive low end and moving more air from the amps rear port. The SB115 showed power and guts as I played louder and louder. I wouldnt necessarily recommend it, but I had the amps gain and master volume maxed. The signal was as clean as can be and the speaker didnt mind it
Passive and active inputs
When I eased up the low-mid, mid, and treble knobs and brought the low expander up halfway, the StingRay sprang to life.
Tweeter defeater switch 4-band EQ
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at all. With the StingRay, I felt that the amp sounded best with the tweeter on, though players who dig a mellower tone may switch it off. As cool as the low expander is, its not even necessary to make this amp sound good. Theres plenty of low end with the expander off and the bass EQ bumped. Adding the expander to the mix with the 4-band EQ just provides more shaping options. I took the SB115 for a spin in a large club gig, using the hollowbody Gretsch. (The band was a quartet with piano, cajn, and acoustic guitar.) Again the amp did well tonally, and I liked how the low expander paired with the Gretsch. Set halfway up, it enriched an already smooth tone. The FOH engineer admired the DIs transparency, which allowed him to EQ to his liking. Considering the size of the venue, though, I may not have given the amp a totally fair chance. Even with the SB115
directly behind me, I came away thinking the big club was just a bit too large for it. A kickstand or tilt feature might have helped, but any amp can only do so much. However the SB115 will perform beautifully in smaller clubs, and it certainly has enough power for the rehearsal hall, or to rattle the pictures on your bedroom wall. The Verdict The Traynor SB115 is powerful for its small size, if not as massive as some other current combo options. Its features and tones will keep many working bassists happy. It travels well from the bedroom to venue, though its size and output might not be quite sufficient for bigger clubs. Traynor has a reputation for reliable amps at respectable prices, but the SB115 may be a little on the pricey side. But with its lightweight design, low-end presence, and quality features, the SB115 could be the last practice/ small-gig amp you buy.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this amp at premierguitar.com/dec2013
Traynor Amps SB115

$699 street traynoramps.com Tones Ease of Use Build/Design Value
PROS Light, feature-rich, and powerful for its size. CONS May be too small for large venues. A little pricey.
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DREAM
IN COLOR
HOG2 transports your axe to a technicolor universe of fantastic sounds. Play single notes or chords and it creates 10 totally polyphonic octaves and intervals soaring from two octaves below to four above your instruments pitch. Each voice is completely independent. Use them individually or in combinations with or without your dry signal. New algorithms, our most advanced ever, elevate the quality of the HOG2s sound generation and Freeze functions to unprecedented levels, while tracking is telekinetic. Polyphonic perfection awaits!
10 fully independent voices: 2 Octaves, 1 Octave, Original, +5th, +1 Octave, +1 Octave+5th, +2 Octaves, +2 Octaves+3rd, +3 Octaves, +4 Octaves. 7 Expression modes: Octave Bend, Step Bend, Volume, Freeze+Gliss, Freeze+Volume, Wah Wah and Filter. Expression pedal included. Full MIDI control over all parameters and presets. Freeze modes: hold a note or chord and play over it or glide to a new one with gliss. Master volume for added convenience. Separate lower and upper harmonic amplitude envelopes to sculpt attack or decay speeds. Dedicated resonant filtering with sweepable frequency control.
Save and recall up to 100 preset programs with the optional Foot Controller.
WWW.EHX.COM
REVIEWS
KNAGGS
By Ted Drozdowski
Severn Trembuck Tier 3

R
isks make the blood flow. Maybe that explains why, after Knaggs new Severn Trembuck Tier 3 came off the FedEx truck perfectly tuned and ringing beautifully, I took it straight into the studio to cut the final track on an in-the-works albumbefore Id ever plugged it in. Then again, maybe I did it because quality inspires confidence. Because any solid body guitar that sings unplugged like the Severn Trembuck is bound to sound good through an amp. And considering that Joe Knaggs was once the top designer at Paul Reed Smith it came with the backing of a very good reputation and positive pedigree. Tracks of Their Tiers The Severn models (named after the river that feeds into Chesapeake Bay near the companys location) are part of Knaggs Chesapeake line of electric guitars and basses. The pricier Severn Tier 2 offers options including Seth Lover or Lindy Fralin single-coils and humbuckers, coil splitting, boutique hardware choices, and curly maple tops and diamond inlays are staple. The not-so-plain-Jane Trembuck Tier 3 reviewed here doesnt offer those options. Its about $1,400 less than the Tier 2, but its far from looking stripped down or bare bones and is packed
Seymour Duncan TB4 bridge pickup Seymour Duncan SH2 neck pickup
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with craft-built charm and the quality of a custom shop instrument. The test model came in a rich, high-gloss black with a natural wood finish at the sloping outer contours that mange to make the guitar look fresh and classic. The fretboard is cocobolo with dots, rather than diamonds, and the body is alder with a sapele or maple cap. Standard hardware includes Gotoh tuners and Seymour Duncan pickups (a TB4 in the bridge and a SH2 in the neck position.) All Severn models have a 25.5" scale, and a 22-fret neck carved to a comfortable rounded early 60s C shape with an 8.5" radius, 1 5/8" GraphTech nut and comfy jumbo frets. The deepcut horns of the neo-S-style body and contoured heel make every inch of the instrument available. And the electronics are super simple: volume and tone speed dials with a 3-way blade pickup selector switch. The tone dial pulls up for singlecoil mode. Knaggs 4-spring proprietary whammy works on a hinge system, rather than a blade, block or cam approach. This design keeps the Severn Tier 3 in tune
This is a guitar that will stay clean while very loud if you set it up right.
after radical, Hendrix-y dive bombs and feels a lot like an old-school Stratocaster whammy. Trials of the Trembuck In the studio, I was tasked with conjuring a vintage Clapton tone for an overdub supporting a raging (and very long) Hammond B-3 solo. I plugged the Trembuck into a 72 50-watt Marshall plexi with the bass on two and mids and treble on 10, then flipped the pickup selector through its paces and decided on the humbucking neck pickup with the guitars tone pot rolled back to two. The single Eminence 50-watt Private Jack speaker began speaking Cream instantly. After the track was cut, I eased back on the amps treble, bumped the bass and flipped the pickups into single-coil mode. The end result was screaming distorted tones, sustain, and a beautiful wealth of overtones, especially in the middle and neck positions. In fact, just about anywhere I set the amp and guitar, something beautiful happened. The single-coil mode also yielded some of the best tones Ive ever heard from my 66 Blackface Twin. Living in Nashville, I get an earful of twang. And in the single-coil bridge position the guitar yielded perfect, high-gloss modern country bite that sounded extraordinary: Full of snap, but with a big bellied character. Using the same amp settings (volume, bass, and treble at six, reverb at two) the belly rumbled even more warmly in the mid and neck positions. With such cleanly defined classic tones at my disposal, the urge to plug in a Big Muff was irresistible. The Knaggs produced more than enough clarity to punch through the basically muddy Muff, plus about enough sustain to keep a note singing for a week. I got the more of the same in humbucking mode, with even richer lows and mids.
Cocobolo fretboard
Gotoh tuners
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Something magical happens when you roll the Trembucks humbucker volume back to seven and the tone back to four. Soft-edged, warm tones suitable for mellow jazz pour from the Knaggs, and as I increased the Twins volume, the tones remained essentially the same but louder. This is a guitar that will stay clean while very loud if you set it up right. Swatting The Curveballs Since we dont all play through handwired amps that cost as much as a car, I pulled out a Roland Cube 30X in JC mode. That amp and setting can be less than forgiving with guitars that dont have nice natural tone. But the Trembuck sounded great, and as I varied my picking intensity and traveled the neck the guitars dynamic response remained remarkably spot on. My Supro Lightning Bolts fantastic natural breakup makes a great platform for detuned blues, so I turned to a nice, saggy open D and whipped out a slide. The
Trembuck put me right in touch with my inner R.L. Burnside, delivering fat chord sounds and sustaining finger picked notes. Back in standard turning and single-coil mode it was easy to dial up Jimmy Pages Dazed and Confused tone. The guitar is just as happy in metal setting, and pairing it with a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier and speaker 50-watt Eminence produced a viciously abrasive chug. The Verdict The Knaggs Severn Trembuck Tier 3 is an outstanding, highly playable jack-ofall-trades suited for every style from surf music to Stonesy blues-rock to mellow jazz to razor-edged metal. Thats a good thing. Because while it is Knaggs lowest priced Severn electric and compares favorably to other guitars in its range, its still a sizeable investment for the average working musician or weekend warrior. It might be the only electric guitar a lot of players need, but it might also be the only one they can afford.
Knaggs Severn Trembuck Tier 3

$2840 street knaggsguitars.com Tones Playability Build/Design Value
PROS Do-it-all instrument with a big, articulate voice across the board. Wide variety of easy-to-dial-in tones with coil splitting. Fast neck plus smart whammy bar. CONS Fewer pickup and appointment options than Tier 2, but still pricey.
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PSA 1.1
Turning 20 is a powerful testament to the unusual longevity of the SansAmp PSA.
Its dicult to believe, even for us, the SansAmp PSA was introduced 2 decades ago. To commemorate the occasion, we are issuing a limited run with a copper anodized faceplate. In a time of every-other-month upgrades, the SansAmp PSA has been modied only once in 20 years, and primarily to add hardware features. Combining a warm, all-analog signal path with digital recall, the exceptionally versatile SansAmp PSA can be used for multiple applications and instruments. An established studio and touring staple to this day, the PSA provides a powerful combination of dazzling tones, unlimited editing, and dependable digital programmability --with an all-analog signal path to boot. The result is a phenomenally warm preamp that can be mercilessly tweaked, and favorite sounds can be stored with the push of a button. The special edition 20th Anniversary SansAmp PSA-1.1 is available for a limited time. Get yours today.
100% analog signal path 49 factory presets 77 user-denable locations Master volume control XLR ground lift switch Phantom power MIDI input
Dedicated headphone output
Not just for guitar and bass, use with any stringed instrument, drums, horns, Adjust parameters in real time harmonica, keyboards, vocals... In the studio, record direct to tape, warm up existing tracks in mixdowns
On stage, use as a pre-amp, "monster direct box" to PA system, and outboard processor Smooth, linear rotary controls have 256 incremental steps for maximum tweakability
DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE U.S.A. TECH21NYC.COM
REVIEWS
LITTLE WALTER
Twin 50/22
By Joe Gore
ome ultra-premium amps are packed with a dizzying array of features. But the only dizzying things about Little Walter amps are their superb tones and boldly minimalist designs. (Well, that, and their hefty price tags.) Little Walter mastermind Phil Bradbury won the endorsements of A-list Nashville players with two previous amps: a 22-watt model driven by two 6V6 power tubes, and a 50-watter with dual 6L6s. And now theres the Twin 50/22, which combines both amps in a single head.
Super Duper Two-In-One When I say both amps, I mean it. Were not talking channel switching or some tricky circuit-swapping architecture. Inside the head are two discrete steel chassis, each with its own transformers, tubes, and power supply. We reviewed the 50/22 with its matching 2x12, semi-openbacked cabinet, which lets you run both amps in true stereo. The cabinet features two contrasting Celestion speakers (a G12 Alnico Gold and a ceramic-magnet G12-T75). You can
50-watt dual 6L6 head
22-watt dual 6V6 head
2x12 stereo cabinet
Celestion G12 Alnico Gold speaker
Celestion G12-T75 speaker (ceramic magnet)
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route either amp to either speaker, or run either through one or both speakers. Its a clever and versatile arrangement. Both head and cab reveal top-tier workmanship. Theyre garbed in ravishing honey-tinged lacquered tweed, and the speaker cabinet is solid pine. The dual amp chassis are mounted to the bottom surface of the head, tubes and transformers facing up, and everything else encased in metal. The heads unusual height lets you access the tubes from above (and provides critical ventilation, because these amps runs hot). As on all Little Walter amps, the wiring is strictly point-to-pointthey dont even use turret board, let alone circuit board. The transformers are hefty Hammonds, and the review model arrived stocked with JJ tubes. Simple, Not Stupid Both of the Twins amps draw inspiration from classic combos of the 1950s, but theyre not retro for retros sake. Bradbury and his amps convincingly make a case that the simpler the circuit, the better the tone. There are no master volume controls. No reverb or trem. A single tone control on each amp siphons off treble, but nothing else. These amps are all about sending the loudest, most harmonically rich signal to the power amp tubes, and generating gorgeous distortion there. Thats the motive for another retro detail common among all Little Walter amps: Bradbury employs strictly octal tubes. Thats no surprise when it comes to the 6V6 and 6L6 power tubes, but its an unusual choice for preamp tubes. Octal preamp tubes were common in the 1940s and 50s, before the advent of 9-pin (noval) tubes such as the 12AX7. Octal tubes distort less readily than noval ones, which means less compression, fatter lows, more high-end headroom, and a purer signal to the power amp section. The downside is, they can be harder to source, and relatively large bottles make them prone to microphonics. (Its almost impossible, for example, to find a nonmicrophonic replacement for the EF86 tubes that appeared in some early Voxes.) But like early Fender tweed amps, the
50/22 employs 6SC7 preamp tubes. (According to Tube Depots Rob Hull, these are in relatively good supply and not terribly expensive.) The preamp tubes in the review model sounded fine, and you definitely hear their character blasting from the speaker. If the words power amp distortion make you salivate, fetch the drool bucket before plugging in.
Nifty 50 The 50-watt 6L6 side sounds glorious. Clean tones crackle and shimmer. Ample headroom provides strong note definition and a sense of air around each note. Meanwhile, the stout transformers, streamlined circuitry, and resonant cabinet deliver buff lows. Individual notes and frequencies never leap out too aggressively, even when digging into a bright, single-coil bridge pickup. While this is the Twins clean side, distortion sounds equally excellent. Tones grow fatter and smoother as you advance the gain, yet they retain strong attacks. (This thing excels at Stones-style raunch.) The amp is biased hot, thoughdiming the volume introduces harsh, buzzy distortion. Most players will probably get best results by following builder Bradburys recommendation for parking the volume knob somewhere in the middle of its range and shaping the tone via touch and guitar knob adjustments. Likewise, many players will prefer to leave the tone control maxed. As Bradbury correctly notes, the passive tone circuits in vintage amp amps are strictly subtractive, and you get the maximum signal to the power amp with the circuit wide open. The tone controls voicing promotes that approach: It nixes highs only modestly throughout most of its range, with a rapid roll-off at the very lowest settings. But with such beautifully balanced tones and graceful treble attenuation at higher volumes, you may never need to fiddle with the tone control.
Two fully independent amps in one head
This amp sounds great through both speakers, together and separately. (As expected, the ceramic-magnet speaker is a bit tighter and crisper than the alnico one.) Why not mike both, and perfect your blend at the mixing board? Lets Get Small The dual-6V6 22-watt side nails what most players love about early tweed amps and then some. It distorts gorgeously at relatively low volumes, and reveals many lovely overdrive colors as you advance the volume. Just as the clean amp generates great distortion sounds, the dirty 6V6 amp offers fabulous clean tones. Theyre not as sparkly as the 50-watt tonestheres always a bit of hair at all but the lowest settings. But you may be startled by how chimy and clear this small amp can sound. (I dont know if Ive ever heard such strong pick attack from an overdriven 2x6V6 circuit.) Parking the volume anywhere near the middle of its range puts you in that sought-after sweet spot where you can control the breakup by touch alone. This tone control feels more linear than that the one on the 50-watt sidetheres a smooth, even roll-off across its range. (Personally, Id set the tone to max, station the volume at 2 oclock, and make all tonal adjustments by playing them.) This amp is small but powerful, simple yet versatile. It sounds as good as any tweed-influenced head Ive heard.
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Plugging into both amps simultaneously via an A/B box sounds as good as youd hope. You can dial in many useful tones that blend smooth, small-amp overdrive with big-amp definition. The Verdict The Twin 50/22s look, tones, and workmanship are unimpeachable. You dont need great technique to summon great tones from either amp, but they were clearly designed by and for guitarists who rely on subtleties of touch and technique, and theyre the players likeliest to love the 50/22 the most. Obviously, if you have five grand to play with, there are many other options, including a pair of the antique amps that inspired the Little Walter line. Also, some players who might be attracted to the notion of a true dual amp might wish for a Vox- or Marshall-style side, rather than two Fender-influenced circuits.
But recording and touring pros who live and die by the signature sounds of the great mid-century amps will cherish this extraordinary instrument.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this amp at premierguitar.com/dec2013
Little Walter Amps Twin 50/22 head

$4,000 street littlewaltertubeamps.com Tones Playability Build/Design Value
Little Walter Amps Lacquered Tweed Cabinet

$900 street w/ Celestion G12-T75s ($1,000 as reviewed with one G12-T75 and one Celestion G12 Alnico Gold) littlewaltertubeamps.com Tones Playability Build/Design Value
PROS Stellar 50s-style amp sounds.

Superb workmanship. Extraordinarily dynamic and responsive.
CONS Did you say four grand for the head only?
PROS Great sound. Clever mono/stereo wiring options. Looks lovely. CONS Pricy for a 2x12 cab.
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REVIEWS
ACID AGE ELECTRONICS

Acid Pig
By Joe Gore
his pedals full name is the Acid Pig LM308 Distortion Unit. The LM308 is a type of op amp (the integrated circuit that provides gain in most overdrive/distortion circuits). For crunchaholics, the LM308 connotes one particular pedal: the original ProCo Rat. Later Rat revisions featured different op amps along with other circuit changes. But for many fans of this potent and popular circuit, real Rats employ LM308s. The Acid Pig is an excellent Rat reproduction, but its also more than just a clone. Like a number of current boutique Rat replicas, it expands the circuits range with modifications that can alter the distortions character and intensity. This is a retro Rat with improved range. Rat On! The Acid Pig resides in a standard 125B enclosure with top-mounted jacks. Internal construction is immaculate: Wires are neatly routed, soldering is flawless, and the PCB is secured to the housing via the Pigs two switches. Either a 9-volt battery or a standard power supply (not included) can power the Pig. The pedals three potsgain, tone, and levelmirror the Rat. So do the tones when the switches are set to mimic the original circuit. (More on that in a moment.) The Pig sounds as good as any Rat Ive heard. If you dig the Rat sound, you wont be disappointed.
That sound is, for better or worse, strongly linked to 80s hard rock, but you dont have to love Ratt to love the Rat. Harder-edged than a Screamer and more tightly focused than a 60s-style transistor-based fuzz, the core distortion sound lends itself to any aggressive guitar style requiring loud, bright distortion and
Rat-style controls
The circuit that inspired the Acid Pig was created long before the drop-tuning and 7-string crazes, but it kills on lowtuned strings.
strong note attack. The tone control is a simple treble roll-off, but its perfectly voiced to emphasize pick attack and dial in the right amount of edge. Theres massive gain range. The pedal can get insanely loud, yet it retains its essential character at modest output settings that dont bludgeon your preampa great recipe for tight, chunky hard rock chords. In fact, many modern metal and hard rock players will probably relate to the Pig. Even though the circuit that inspires
Switches provide alternate voicings
it was created long before the droptuning and 7-string crazes, it kills on low-tuned strings. Drop-D sounds great. Baritone guitars in B or A sound great. Heck, even low-tuned bass guitars can sound great (though bassists are likely to long for a midrange tone control and a wet/dry blend).
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On the other hand, the circuit is probably not a great choice for fans of warm/smooth distortion, or for players who like to sculpt tone via their guitars volume knobs. Rolling back a guitars volume a touch slims down the crunch, but you cant really clean up the tone that way. Low guitar volume settings produce dark, tentative tones. The Pig prefers to rawk. Do or Diode The Pigs two switches provide four variations on the classic Rat tone by jiggering with the diode configuration. (Like Screamers, Rats generate distortion via a pair of diodes, though theyre inserted at a different point in the circuit, hence the Rats harder/edgier sound. In fact, the Rats circuit is surprisingly similar to that of the Boss DS-1.) One of the 3-way switchs settings replicates the original Rat configuration (silicon diodes). Another mixes silicon with an LED, yielding even louder and tighter tones. A third option removes
the diodes from the circuit altogether, generating distortion exclusively within the op amp. Diodes suck volume as they distort, so bypassing them triggers a hefty level boost. This setting has less character, but man, is it loud! A second switch selects between overdrive and distortion modes. As youd expect, the overdrive setting softens the Pigs bite, though its still plenty aggressive. The switch provides attractive variations in both silicon and silicon/ LED modes, though it has no effect when the diodes are bypassed. The Verdict The Acid Pig delivers stellar Rat-style distortion plus several cool and useful sonic variations. It costs nearly twice as much as a new Asian-made Rat, but it offers far more tones and comes packed with the coveted LM308 component that many Ratheads swear by. If you seek quality dirt, but find retro-style transistor fuzz too squishy and Screamers too tame,
Acid Age Electronics may have built your perfect pigpen.
Acid Age Electronics Acid Pig

$160 street acidage13.bigcartel.com Tones Ease of Use Build/Design Value
PROS Excellent vintage Rat tones. Cool alternate sounds via diode switching. CONS The tight, bright distortion doesnt suit all styles.
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Apps
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GEAR OF THE YEAR KINGS OF LEON MELVINS PIERRE BENSUSAN
DECEMBER 2013
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DECEMBER 2013
AXES OF THE GODS
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REVIEWS
WORLAND
Prairie
By Adam Perlmutter
ver 20 years as a luthier, Jim Worland has exhibited a strong experimental streak, creating wonderfully idiosyncratic instruments like a lap steel shaped from a slab of live-edge walnut and a 20-string electric-acoustic hollowbody harp guitar. But Worland does classic too. In his one-man shop in Rockford, Illinois, he builds a range of traditional steel-string acoustics in sizes ranging from parlor to jumbo. They can be customized with bracing and top thicknesses that suit a clients playing style.
Worlands new Prairie model emphasizes simplicity. And at $1,950, the guitar is relatively affordable for a handcrafted instrumentand less expensive than many finer factory-built guitars. Bare Bones But Built to Last Worlands Prairie is based on an OM/000 shape. With its sharp, squared-off headstock and simple ebony bridge, it evokes a classic Martin 000-18a standard bearer for elegant simplicity in
Sitka spruce top
Mahogany back and sides
2 " string spacing at saddle
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a small body if there ever was one. The Prairie can be ordered with a Sitka spruce or Western red cedar soundboard and Honduran mahogany back and sides. Our review model uses the more traditional spruce/mahogany combination. Material selection is clearly one of Worlands prioritiesand talents. The spruce top is finely grained, devoid of imperfections, and has a hint of reddish color thats a great match for the warm and glowing mahogany used for the back, sides, and neck. The ebony fretboard and bridge looks as much like mineral as wood: straight-grained, non-porous, and uniformly black. While the most essential design elements and the Prairies scalloped X-bracing are traditional enough, the neck joint, which Worland calls heelless, is a notable departure from pure, Martin-style construction methods. The neck, which joins the body at the 14th fret, is made from a single piece of wood, seated in a reinforced body pocket and affixed with machine bolts that screw into steel-threaded inserts. Ornamentation on our Prairie is streamlined, to say the least. Some players
will find the design tastefully restrained. Others might find it insufficiently sexy. But the lack of ornamentation highlights the impeccable construction and beautiful materials. Apart from black binding on the guitars top and back and a black outline at the edge of the soundhole, the guitar is free of embellishment. There isnt even a headstock logojust a paper label inside the guitar. What the Prairie lacks in flash, it makes up for where it counts. The 20 medium-jumbo frets are smoothly crowned and polished, and the bone nut and saddle are cut to perfection. Binding is perfectly tight and flush with the body, and the satin lacquer finish feels smooth and even over the whole guitar. A look inside betrays no sloppy sanding and gluing of the kerfing and bracing.
Slinky Getting Around, Beautiful Sound When I first played the Prairie, I felt a little disoriented because the lack of a heel makes the neck feel extra-long, but that doesnt affect the guitars superb balance, and the benefit of improved access to higher frets quickly becomes apparent. The fretboard is built around a modern compound radius that measures 9.5" at the nut and 12" at the soundhole. The action is smooth and low, and feels as comfortable as an electric guitar with an excellent setup. Yet as low as the action is, theres no fret buzz. Every note rings clear and true, even at the highest frets, and the intonation is spot-on. Its hard to imagine a more effortlessly playable acoustic. I could play barre chords for extended periods without
Its hard to imagine a more effortlessly playable acoustic. I could play barre chords for extended periods without fatigue, and the low action enables speedy single-note playing.
1 " nut width
Sealed Gotoh tuners
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fatigue, and the low action enabled speedy single-note playing. Though the nut is a fingerstyle-friendly 1.75" wide, its not at all difficult playing chords with thumb-fretted bass notes. The Prairie sounds beautiful, possessing a bell-like clarity and resonance. Like any great OM, the bass is deep without dominating, the midrange is present and not muddy, and the treble is abundant without being shrill. It is, however, remark-ably loud for an OM and could probably pass for a dreadnought or jumbo in the right recording situation. The combination of 1 3/4" nut and 2 1/4" saddle spacing make the Prairie perfect for fingerstyle. I tried playing some Robert Johnson transcriptions and Nick Drake songs and found the guitar dynamic, resonant, and well suited to the lowered tunings favored by these players. The Prairie sounds just as good when strummed, and theres a surprising amount of headroom considering its
size. In any style of accompaniment from Carter-style to basic pendulum strumming, the Worland maintains a strong presence and authority, and great note-to-note separation within chords. The Verdict With the Prairie, Jim Worland has delivered a completely handmade OM crafted of high-grade spruce and mahogany for less than two grand. While thats not in-expensive by any stretch, its a bargain-basement price for a luthier-built creation these days. (A good factory-made OM can cost as much or more.) A diehard traditionalist might not ditch a prized Martin for the Worland. Nitpickers and purists may take issue with his neck design, as they do with the bolt-on NT joint on Taylors excellent sounding up-market guitars. But for a player not devoted to a particular brandand who values function over formthe Prairie is bound to be a remarkable companion.
Worland Guitars Prairie

$1,950 street worlandguitars.com Tones Playability Build/Design Value
PROS Luthier-made, top-quality OM guitar for an unbeatable price. Superlative sound and playability. CONS Very few options. No available electronics.
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REVIEWS
DAREDEVIL
Atomic Cock
By Charles Saufley
Boost knob
Heel/toe filter control
Blend control
ne of the real treats of this years Summer NAMM was hanging around with Daredevil founder Johnny Wator. The companys booth felt like a throwback to NAMMs gone by. From the (very genuinely) weathered amps and guitars on hand, to the flow of offhanded licks coming from Wators SG, there was an air of industriousness and a relaxed irreverencethe perfect mindset for building great stompboxes, as far as this editor is concerned. Wator doesnt seem interested in reinventing the wheel, at least at this point. But as a member of the band The Last Vegas, and with musical predilections including Bowie and the Stooges, Wator understands the enduring musical worth of classic stompbox tones. He also gets the importance of durability and offering a good deal to gigging guitarists. Daredevils pedalsmostly fuzzes inspired by classics like the Fuzzrite and Big Muffreflect a focus on those fundamentals. But with the Atomic Cock, a very cool variable-fixed wah in a box Wator created a bold-sounding, potent, and unusual pedal capable of some very overlooked and heavy-duty tones. Green Monster Theres a thoughtful design economy at work in the Atomic Cock. The kelly green enclosure is arresting, even on a crowded pedalboard. And the logo, which includes atomic orbitals and a lightning bolt (a nod to Mick Ronson and Bowies Spiders from Mars, we suspect) is hip and distinctive without cluttering up the works. The control layout is simple. The gain (or boost) control is on the upper left corner and can be easily nudged with your toe to add or reduce the boosted signal. The smaller blend knob is located in the middle and isnt quite as easy to adjust on the fly, which is a shame given how significantly it can reshape your tone and the pedals reactivity to your playing. The rocker pedal youd normally find on a wah is replaced by the heel/toe knob, which can be adjusted pretty readily with your foot. All three knobs have near-ideal resistancejust enough to prevent accidental tweaks but not so much that you cant make those little adjustments with your sneaker in the heat of performance. Cracking open the green enclosure reveals careful, professional, and very tidy wiring. The circuit board itself is affixed to the flat backsides of the potentiometer enclosures with soft foam double-sided tape, which keeps the board very secure and helps soften any knocks the pedal might take onstage.
Song of a Snotty Brat By itself, the Atomic Cock adds an air of punkish brutality to any guitar/amp setup. The basic voice is not unlike a vintage Italian Vox wah with a little less vocal richness and slightly more piercing character. With the heel/toe knob at noon, its nearly the guitar analog to Johnny Rottens spite-spitting vocal delivery. Backing the knob all the way to the heel setting gets you the snorkliest, most bassy, and fattest toneslike a fatter version of Ronsons live The Width of Circle tone. Rotating the knob clockwise makes your tone progressively more trebly and pinched, and adds some very cool ghost harmonics and a strange aural illusion of phaser/flange style modulation. The boost isnt exactly a clean boost, nor is it strictly an overdrive or treble boost. Instead, it exhibits characteristics of all threea little fuzzy grit, but nothing with so much color or rich overdrive that it would alter the wah filters voice. But its definitely effectiveespecially with big rigs that include humbuckers and 4x12s. And the boost is substantial enough to get a solo way over the top. The blend knob may be the most valuable control on the Atomic Cock. Its definitely the one that contributes most to the pedals versatility and sets it apart from a standard wah. You can use it to dial out the wah voice entirely or eliminate your clean signal completely. But the real treats are the settings that lie between these extremes. With the blend control set right in the middle, you get some of the richest wah-inflected tones youll ever heara beautiful balance of unfiltered and aggressively filtered tones that create a fat, singing, and snotty sound brimming with muscle and attitude. Paired with a good fuzz, these settings are nothing short of massive. Its also a wonder
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to have such a wahd-out signal retain so much in the way of pick dynamics. Pairing a wah and fuzz is only natural. So in honor of Mick Ronson, I paired the pedal with a Tone Bender Mk 1 clone (built by none other than Senior Editor Joe Gore). Its hard to imagine a nastier range of tones than the ones a primitive fuzz and the Atomic Cock produce. As with any wah, the effects order is critical. With the Atomic Cock placed between the fuzz and the amp, the Daredevil thins the fuzz and creates less harmonically rich, but in some cases, more focused fuzztones for a given setting. Most wah users who put a wah after a fuzz depend heavily on manipulating the filter sweep with the footpedal to create swooshing fuzz filter effects. This is one case where the Atomic Cocks lack of a rocker pedal will be a hindrance to some. My favorite setup, and the most versatile one, is placing the fuzz after the Atomic Cock. In this configuration, the
filter on the Daredevil pedal becomes exponentially richer and enhances rather than strangles the meaty and buzzing voice of the Tone Bender clone. The Verdict Daredevils Atomic Cock probably wont be the only pedal you have in your line. (Though a player who works with a colorful medium- to high-gain amp could probably get away with using the Atomic Cock and little else.) For most players, it will work as a texture to break up the monotony of the same old fuzz and distortion tones. Its rarely subtle in that function, but man does it have attitude and a whole lot more range than you would expect. At 130 bucks youll get a lot more mileage out of this pedal than a second or third fuzz or overdrive. And provided youre comfortable with its basically extroverted voice, youll never tire of unleashing this green monster on your audiences, bandmates, and recording engineers.
Daredevil Pedals Atomic Cock

$130 street daredevilpedals.com Tones Playability Build/Design Value
PROS Surprisingly versatile cocked-wah tones. Blend knob. Effective boost control. CONS Wah voice could be a little more vocal.
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REVIEWS
PRS
By David Abdo
Grainger 5
T
hough Paul Reed Smiths name is most often associated with electric guitars, the basses PRS has built since the mid-80s have been widely praised for their designs and playability. In 2003, Paul Reed Smith, Joe Knaggs, and Gary Grainger began collaborating on a signature 5-string for Grainger. The resulting instrument caught the eyes and ears of many bassists, but for a decade it was only offered as a pricey PRS Private Stock instrument. But now the ideas spawned by that think tank are available via two instruments in PRSs Core series, the 4-string Grainger 4 and the five-string Grainger 5, reviewed here. Bird Watching Its easy to appreciate the beauty of the Grainger bass. The mahogany body of our tester features the 10-top flame-maple option, enhanced with a warm, autumn-sky finish. The body shape shares the aesthetic of such PRS guitar models as the 513 and 305, but it has a deeper cutaway on the treble side for easy access to the upper fretboard. The maple neck has a smooth satin finish and a custom shape based on Graingers specifications. The browns of the rosewood fretboard complement the body colors nicely, but players who prefer a brighter look and tone can order the bass with a maple
Dual-blade GG pickups
10-top flamemaple top
3-band EQ Push/pull pots for active/passive switching
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board. Flying across the 24-fret landscape are bird inlays, a PRS trademark. Paul Reed Smith explained during a 2013 NAMM show demo that their bass pickup and preamp systems are the result of input from bassists, sound engineers, and other audio specialists. The Graingers two GG pickups feature a dual-blade design, with contours that follow the radius of the fretboard. This shape aims to deliver a fat, clear tone with a balanced string attack. The 18-volt preamp appears conventional at first, with controls for neck volume, bridge volume, bass, mids, and treble. However, the two volume knobs are also push/pull pots that engage active EQ in their downward positions. With both pots pulled up, the Grainger is in passive mode. If a player wants to solo one pickups, all they have to do is pull up the corresponding volume knob. (The only caveat: Popping a knob up disables the active EQ along with the other pickup, putting you in passive mode.) The cool thing is, theres no volume difference between active and passive modes. This lets bassists immediately
change their tonal character within a song. For traditional pickup blending in passive or active mode, both pots must be up or down. Home on the Grainge After marveling at the curves and colors of the test bass, I strapped it on. The medium-light Grainger felt balanced and comfortable. I was able to speed around the neck thanks to the flawless satin finish and comfortable neck profile. For some players, the string spacing at the lower frets may initially feel a bit narrow, but I found that it relieved left-hand stress while inspiring adventurous runs and string-skipping lines. Its always cool when you pluck a basss strings and perceive instant, unhindered
vibration, and thats definitely the case here. Whether playing vibrato-laden upper-register fills or full, focused 5th-string notes, I could feel PRSs craftsmanship at work. Next, I tested the Grainger 5 with several studio rigs: an Epifani AL112 combo and a Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.2 pushing a Glockenklang Quattro 410 cabinet. I checked out the primary tones of both pickups in passive mode. The neck pickup sounded smooth and deep with a slight growlnot so much a P-bass sound as that of a rich baritone voice. Soloing the bridge pickup delivered the expected bark, but the notes were slightly fatter and edgier than what you might get from a soloed bridge pickup on a J-style bass.
The Grainger 5 sounded right with rock, but it ruled on an R&B/funk gig.
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The Grainger is not a clone aiming to replicate an existing instrument. You have to hand it to Paul Reed Smith for creating an original bass voice: a somewhat scooped sound with warm, slightly punchy lows and crystalline highs. On the Stage with Gary Like most great performers, the bass shined when it hit the stage. Whether plugged into the Epifani combo or an Epifani UL 501 head with a Glockenklang cab, the bass found its place in the bands sonic spectrum. I set the Grainger to active mode with both pickups engaged and the preamp flat for a rock covers show. The brightness added a nice edge and accents cut through the mix. The firm lows established a solid foundation. Each note was punchy, with pants-shaking power.
The Grainger 5 sounded right with rock, but it ruled on an R&B/funk gig. Sticking with the flexibility of active mode, I boosted the bass and treble EQ for thick slaps and bright pops. And like a sonic boom, the 5th-string notes spread over the stage and dance floor with chest-pounding precision, perfect for ballad climaxes. The Verdict Its rare to find a U.S.-made instrument that provides this much quality for under $3,000. The aesthetics are striking, but this axe is much more than just a pretty face. The Grainger 5 delivers with rocksolid construction, excellent playability, a dynamic voice, and a versatile preamp that permits lightning-quick tone shaping. Live or in the studio, this bass excels at most modern music applications.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this bass at premierguitar.com/dec2013
PRS Grainger
$2,929 street prsguitars.com Tones Playability Build/Design Value
PROS Beautiful looks. Comfortable design. Solid sit-in-the-mix tones. Impressive 5th-string performance. CONS Sounds and styling could be too modern for some players.
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WAH, WAH, WAH...

THE WH10V2: TOUGHER. (BUT NOT TOO TOUGH TO CRY.)
Theres nothing like the sound of a classic Wah pedal to help squeeze out every ounce of tonal expression. And so, its no surprise that back in the 90s, the WH10 squeezed its way into numerous classic tracks. Yes indeed, were talking about that Ibanez wah pedalwith one important upgrade: a hard-assed die-cast metal housing. Same sweet electronics inside. But tougher than ever on the outside. ibanez.com
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REVIEWS
T-REX
Magnus
By Joe Charupakorn
ulti-effects units can be very practical tools, yet they remainwell, lets just say ituncool for many players. Given that stigma, many boutique and high-end builders steer clear of do-it-all devices, though recent releases from companies like Electro Harmonix, Empress, and Strymon suggest a new open-mindedness about the format. Denmarks T-Rex enters the multi-effect derby with the semi-analog Magnus, which bundles overdrive, distortion, delay, reverb, boost, and a tuner. Rather than cramming everything into a compact enclosure, T-Rex gambles that a slightly larger unit with an appealing and easy-to -use design will find takers.
Easy To Get Around With its milky-white face, silver edges, and stark facade, Magnus exudes Scandinavian minimalist chic. Despite having five effects, its surprisingly light, and only slightly longer than a compact Pedaltrain Nano board. There are four knobs per effect, plus the rear-panel boost knob. Each effect has a dedicated footswitch, and there are three additional ones: a live switch that toggles between preset and manual modes, a bank selector, and a tap-tempo/tuner switch. The simple layout (and thoughtful touches like the recessed boost knob) reflects a concern for the realities of stage life.
Magnuss all-analog gain section obliterates the notion that multi-effects units cant deliver killer overdrive and distortion.
Rear-mounted boost control Tap tempo switch
Overdrive effect
Distortion effect
Delay effect
Reverb effect
Access to two preset banks
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However, the footswitches and knobs feel less robust than they might, given Magnuss gig-oriented mission. Modern Functionality with Analog Soul In Magnuss what you see is what you get live mode, the pedals operate as five independent effect units. Meanwhile, preset mode lets you store up to 10 combinations in two five-preset banks, differentiated by red and green lights and selectable via the bank button. Here you select specific presets via the five bypass switches. Access to programmable presets is handy in many performance situations. Say youre using overdrive and a dash of reverb for your rhythm sound: When its time for a solo, you might choose a preset that bypasses overdrive and engages distortion and delay simultaneouslya move that might be tricky to execute with three individual pedals. However, while Magnus lets you save effect combinations, it doesnt store individual effect settings. Some may find this arrangement limiting. Others may appreciate its intuitive simplicity. Taming a Tuna The tuner uses green and red lights to signify sharpness and flatness. Unfortunately, there is no alphanumeric display to indicate which note youre tuning. This can be challenging, because the tuner reacts to whatever note it hears first. If youve knocked a given string way out of tune, it can be hard to pinpoint your target pitch. The fact that the tuner mutes your signal compounds the problemtheres no audible reference to verify whether youre tuning to, say, E or E%. Magnus Speaks Fake, digital-sounding overdrive and distortion sounds are usually the Achilles heel of multi-effects units. But Magnuss all-analog gain section obliterates the notion that a multi-effects unit cant deliver killer overdrive and distortion. The overdrive section has gain, tone, and level controls, plus a less common blend knob that lets you mix your clean
The distortion pedal has great range, from a smooth, violin-like lead sound that works well with delay and reverb, to a more Rat-like, in-your-face attack.
tone with the dirt, adding clarity and articulation. The drive has a nice Tube Screamer-like character that can add a slight edge or beefy crunch. The distortion pedal has great range, from a smooth, violin-like lead sound that works well with delay and reverb, to a more Rat-like, in-your-face attack. The tone control provides much color as well. At its darkest settings, individual notes never got muddy. With the tone maxed, notes are strikingly clear without ever reaching the icepick threshold. The presence control adds even more toneshaping options, lending Marshall-like brilliance when turned up high. Delay and reverb effects run parallel to the dry signal. The delay is based on T-Rexs Tap Tone, and you get up to a second of delay time. Theres also a tap tempo footswitch. But while the manual says the delay is capable of a space rock freak out, you wont get infinite repeats even with the feedback maxed. The tone control is a high-cut filter, and analog warmth is apparent at all settings. This is one of Magnuss nicest effects. There are four reverb types: spring, room, hall, and LFO. The spring and room reverbs are a bit on the dry side, and at times I heard a slight metallic tinge. The LFO mode recalls the sound of a Roland JC-120 in all its chorused glory, while hall mode is the silkiest option. The Verdict Magnus is built on a core of solid-togreat effects. Thats no real surprise given the quality of most T-Rex pedals to date. If your effects needs are many and specialized, Magnus may seem limited. It doesnt offer any routing optionsyou cant, for example, insert a pedal between two Magnus effects, or place the delay and reverb in an amps effects loop while running the gain section into the preamp. But if you simply need a killer-sounding core of pedals (and are tired of hassles like chasing down bad pedal cables and stompboxes that fall off the board), Magnus could be worth its weight in gold. And by any standard, 400 bucks is not a bad price for five very good effects in one convenient package.
T-Rex Magnus
$399 street t-rex-effects.com Tones Ease of Use Build/Design Value
PROS Excellent sounds in an easyto use, intuitive layout. CONS Preset mode doesnt save effect settings. Problematic tuner display.
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TRADITIONAL CABLING
AUDIO (4) 1/4 guitar cords: wireless-to-pedals, CONTROL (2) 1/4 footswitch lines: reverb on/off,
channel select/boost (stereo). (1) Power strip pedals-to-amp-input, FX send, FX return.
POWER (1) 120VAC extension cord COST $155 HOOKUP 4 min, 25 sec TIME
Which one sounds better?

Hint: The one thats faster, neater, safer, and quieter.
PEDALSNAKE SYSTEM
AUDIO Same as above (congures to any rig). CONTROL Same as above (congures to any rig). POWER (2) 9VDC P-Lines (PowerLines) deliver
low-voltage power thru PedalSnake.
COST $168 HOOKUP 35 sec TIME
All in One
Voted Best Accessory Guitar Player Magazine
Ingenious, ultra quiet, multi-channel technology, for lightning fast setups, with no spaghetti or heavy tie-wrapped-cable-bundles underfoot. PedalSnake consolidates it allguitar cords, send-returns, footswitch lines, MIDI, etc.into one light, soft, easy-to-coil cable. With systems starting at the cost of the average stompbox, PedalSnake is not only affordable, but a lifetime investment. The modular plugnplay design congures to any rig, and changes are painless when new gear arrives.
You Have the Power

Experience the fastest and cleanest one cable solution with PedalSnakes low-voltage method. Power supplies move back with your amp, and 9V, 18V, etc. run silently thru PedalSnake. No more power cord! Have a board-mounted power supply? You can still use it (and still run the power cord). Switch to the low-voltage method at any time (those who do never go back). PedalSnakes patented wiring scheme keeps it quiet (actually reducing noise in most rigs), with no tone coloration whatsoever. www.PedalSnake.com
See the PedalSnake Channel on YouTube
(919) 749-8219
DIGITAL REVIEWS
PHIL JONES PURE SOUND

By Steve Cook
ownsizing is a hard pill to swallow. Nobody wants to be told to make do with less. Were often taught that bigger is better, and this sentiment is echoed repeatedly in the music world, with bass rigs pushing thousands of watts through refrigerator-sized cabs. Reversing course, Phil Jones Pure Sound has been moving things in a smaller, more scientific direction with the
Double Four BG-75

D
revolutionary 5" Piranha bass driver, the soul of the companys micro bass amp line. Jones has been making bassists do double-takes with creations that produce big, faithful bass tone from cabinets housing as many as 21 of his wee speakers. Blazing yet another trail, Jones recently introduced the 70-watt Double Four BG-75, a breadbox-sized micro combo that deliversand delivers well.
Dual 4" NeoPower speakers
DR1 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013
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Fours? When I unpacked the Double Four, I held the tiny amp in my hand and gazed back into the box, as if Id see something I missed. Nope. It was all in my hand all (almost) 9 pounds of it. The amp is roughly the size of two stacked shoeboxes. I was more than intrigued. The Double Four is a simple, straightforward combo amp with clean lines and a solid feel. The textured covering looks sprayed-on, like a pickup truck bed liner, which I like because theres no outer material to peel away over time. The rugged chassis houses simple controls suitable for practicing and small gigs, plus some helpful extras. A mute/low/high mini-switch toggles between low-gain input and a high-gain stage that brings the 70 watts to their full potential. A clip indicator light, a level control, 3-band EQ, and master volume round out the controls. Theres also an 1/8" aux input jack with level control, an 1/8" headphone jack, and a 1/4" line out. The Mighty Roar So how good can an amp this small sound? Is it for real? And should you consider spending $450 bucks on a practice amp? Plugging in a Sandberg California TT passive, I was happy to hear, well, bass and lots of it. The 4" speakers sounded full and rich. The tone was authentic and free from coloration. The Double Four had plenty of volume for its size. It handled everything I threw at it, from fingerstyle to slap to pick. It was punchy, tight, accurate, and above all, simple. So how exactly does the Double Four do what it does? Phil Jones had already mastered delivering low end via small neo speakers, and then he notched things up with the Rectangular Auxiliary Low Frequency Radiator (RALFR) in the Double Four. Its a fancy name for a radiator that augments speaker output in 30-to-150 Hz range by redirecting air. Additionally, each speaker is powered by its own amplifier for greater efficiency. Its difficult to believe the bass response of these 4" speakers. I field-tested the Double Four at an acoustic rehearsal with a piano player, two acoustic guitarists, and a drummer on
Auxiliary input with level control
3-band EQ
cajn. I placed it on the floor for natural resonance and found that positioning it on its side was most convenient for EQ adjustments. Everyone was amazed by how great the amp sounded. The Double Four blazed through rehearsal with no problems, always sounding far bigger than its size. I didnt test the amp through a PA, but the line out has you covered for situations where the Double Four might not be quite powerful enougha larger coffee house gig, for example. But for a small gig, rehearsal, or songwriting situation, this amp is all you need. The Verdict Playing (and transporting) the Double Four is a joy. No, it wont replace your high-output stage gear, but thats not its intent. It elevates the bedroom-sized amp to the upper echelons of tone and portability, so you dont have to sacrifice tone when rehearsing. It can make acoustic and other low-volume gigs a
breeze. It could also be handy backstage, on the bus, or as a personal monitor. And did I mention you can fit it in a backpack? All this makes the Double Four very much worth a test run.
Phil Jones Pure Sound Double Four BG-75

$449 street philjonespuresound.com Tones Ease of Use Build/Design Value
PROS Authentic, uncolored tone from a deliriously small amp. CONS Wont make it past a drummer on its own.
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PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013 DR2
DIGITAL REVIEWS
PRS
By Jordan Wagner
S2 Starla
hen Paul Reed Smith introduced the Starla back in 2008, it was a departure for the company. Its sexy, retro-leaning design was stark contrast to the superflamed maple tops and violin-like curves of the companys bestknown models. It also delivered an array of tones that deviated from the classic PRS sound. The bummer is that the company stopped producing them for their retail product line. Thankfully, the Starla lives on in the form of the S2 Starla, part of PRS new, more affordable, USA-made S2 line. Each guitar is completely built, finished and inspected at the PRS factory in Stevensville, Maryland with the same care and
standards applied to the companys higher-priced models. By making a few labor-saving alterations to the Starlas original formulasuch as a less sculpted top carvePRS delivers an S2 that more folks can afford without sacrificing tone or playability. Sister Act The Core and S2 Starla models look similar at a glance, but there are a few significant differences. The S2 features a 25" scale and Pattern Regular profile instead of the Core Starlas shorter 24 1/2" scale and Pattern carve. The deep-brown, 22-fret rosewood fretboard is peppered with solid ivory fret markers
S2 Pickups
Bigsby B-50
Coil tap
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and expertly dressed jumbo fretwire, and its matching painted headstock is loaded with PRS new impressively stable S2 Series locking tuners. The tuning stability of the guitars Bigsby B-50 and Tune-OMatic-style bridge is equally remarkable. The Starlas new S2 Treble and Bass pickups are controlled via 3-way switching and a pair of volume and tone controls. Pulling out the latter engages the guitars coil tap. The controls have an easy, secure, and satisfying feel, which is nice for players who ride the volume and tone knobs a lot. An easier-to-grip control surface would be nice, though, especially for coil tapping. Star-la Trek Pairing the S2 Starla with an original 63 Fender Vibroverb produced smooth, detailed clean tones and ample sustain. In humbucking mode, the bridge pickup was very balanced, with a bubbly low end that responded naturally to changes in pick attack. The neck position was equally well balanced, delivering deeply resonant lows, defined highs, and full, throaty midrange.
The S2 pickups are missing some of the magical FilterTron-like jangle that the original Starla conjured so readily, but the strong low-midrange presence works well for darker jazz tones and subtle blues leads. Whats more, the added 1/2" in the scale length gives the attack a little more snap, and made chording a touch easier. The guitars bridge pickup really comes to life after dialing up a bit of power-tube overdrive from the amplifier. The midrange opens up and the highs take on a more aggressive flavor, allowing you to coax smooth mid-gain tones with a little more bite. Both pickups respond to changes in pick attack and clean up without significant loss of high end when the volume control is rolled back. I did miss the original Starla pickups tendency to soften a bit when used with overdrivea great quality that S2 Treble and Bass pickups lack. The Verdict The S2 Starla gives players a second chance to check out a very underrated PRS instrument. Most of the essential
Paul Reed Smith S2 Starla

$1,249 street prsguitars.com Tones Playability Build/Design Value
PROS Great tuning stability, meaty neck and gorgeous finish. Affordable and USA-made. CONS Pickups dont have as much high-end sweetness or midrange give as the originals.
ingredients that made the Core version of the Starla so enticing are here, and the rocksolid build and tempting price make it a winner for tone hounds with tight budgets. Despite some minor tonal trade-offs, its one of the best values in PRSs S2 line.
In humbucking mode, the bridge pickup is very balanced, with a bubbly low end that responds very naturally to changes in pick attack.
Pattern Regular neck
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DIGITAL REVIEWS
TC ELECTRONIC
By Matthew Holliman
C Electronic has been integrating their groundbreaking TonePrint technology into their stompbox line for a few years with increasingly cool results. TonePrint lets you download settings designed by celebrity players and upload them to your pedal via mini USB or smartphone. (By aiming your phones speakers into your pickups, you can beam the data directly to the pedal.) TCEs original Hall of Fame reverb features a host of verb types (spring, hall, church, tile, and ambient among others) plus TonePrint functionality. Now TCE has released the HOF Mini, a microscopic stomper that omits most of the originals controls in favor of a single wet/dry knob. It ships with TCs famed hall reverb algorithm, and you can load additional sounds using TonePrint. One Knob for All Roughly the size and color of a Hot Wheels fire engine, the HOF Mini is truly a miniature. These tiny 1590A-sized enclosures save boatloads of space on crowded boardstheyre perfect for that final slot when space is scarce. But I strongly recommend securing it with Velcro or zip ties, or the slightest bump will send it scurrying around your board. Theres no room for a battery inside, so the HOF must run off a 9-volt power supply. (The size also demands that the input and output jacks be slightly askew.) The barrel-style 9-volt jack resides beneath the mini-USB jack used to download TonePrints. The single knob alters the wet/dry mix. The Print Collector The original Hall of Fame has four knobs to control the reverb character, mix, tone,
Hall of Fame Mini Reverb

T
9-volt power jack
Wet/dry knob
Mini USB jack for tone editing
and decay. The Minis one-knob controls, however, put a wet blanket over on-thefly tweaking. Im the kind of pedal nerd who loves mashing around with controls, pushing parameters to the extreme, and generally causing a ruckus until I settle on a more suitable tone. Some of these
outlandish extremes can be useful in live situations too, depending on your style. Thats not possible with the Mini, unless you create your own bizarre verb with the TonePrint software. One drawback of my Orange OR50 is its lack of reverb, which is why Ive
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leaned on a Twin Reverb for years. But when I need the Oranges EL34 sound, I throw a reverb pedal into the chain to make things more spatial. The HOFs default hall reverb has a giant presence that sounds massive with a Stratocaster. Despite the lack of a tone knob, this sound is readily usable for a standard, set-and-forget sound. Its not comparable to my Twins spring tank, but a quick flip through TCs iPhone app reveals a plethora of TonePrints that would fit the bill. I settled on Troy Van Leeuwens Vibrato Spring, a dark warble modeled after a vintage Twin Reverb tank. Again, this was immediately usable and I found myself foundering in whirlpool twang similar to Syd Barretts sound on Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Smaller practice amps can benefit greatly from the HOF Minis color palette. Many practice ampsVox Pathfinder includedscrimp on quality reverb. The Pathfinders reverb has a short tail and low output, but the
Mini fixed these issues in a jiff, kicking up the reverb blend for a saturated output. The hotter humbuckers from a DeArmond MT-75 flourished in this newfound reverberation, producing a gentle blues drawl with a low reverb mix setting and a lonesome slide-guitar whine at higher settings. The Verdict Control freaks should steer clear of this TCE Mini series. Personally, I like at least a couple of parameters to tinker with playing live or recording. That said, I liked the overall tones of this practical and efficient pedal. If you just need a quick tone to lubricate your output, the TonePrint database should have you covered. Those with the itch to tweak will want to hook up the TCs toneediting software, and will have to work within the limits of the Minis simple wet/dry knob. Considering that those options are at your disposal, the HOF Mini is actually capable of many cool
and effective voices. Its only the ability to tweak them on the fly that limits the pedala fair trade, perhaps, given the tiny space it requires.
TC Electronic Hall of Fame Mini Reverb

$109 street tcelectronic.com Tones Ease of Use Build/Design Value
PROS Minimal, small design. Great tone with virtually endless possibilities via tone editor software and TonePrints database. CONS Limited real-time control. Doesnt include mini-USB cable for editing.
HOLIDAY
Gift Guide
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2013
MEDIA REVIEWS
Eric Clapton
Give Me Strength: The 1974 / 1975 Recording
Alvin Lee
The Last Show
The 70s were a toughbut transitionaldecade for Eric Clapton. Between the somewhat failed supergroup experiment of Blind Faith to his successful dodging of the spotlight with the Layla album, Clapton started the decade off as an artist in conflict. He became a recluse for much of 72 and 73 because of drug abuse but in the spring of 74 he felt good enough to head to Miamis Criteria Studios to try and revitalize his solo career. This comeback period that stretched through three albums over two years is the focus of the six-disc Give Me Strength, which includes expanded versions of 461 Ocean Boulevard, Theres One In Every Crowd, a remixed and expanded version of the E.C. Was Here, the famous Freddie King Criteria sessions, and a Blu-Ray that includes a few different surround-sound mixes of 461 and Theres One In Every Crowd. The real guitar fireworks appear on the live album and the sessions with King. Most of E.C. Was Here comes from an oftbootlegged 74 show in Long Beach, but for the first time we get to hear Claptons classic trio of Crossroads, Layla, and Little Wing, which is taken at a considerably slower tempo than the studio version. With King providing his signature gruff vocals and thick Gibson tone, the previously unreleased 20-minute version of Gambling Woman Blues is a masterful demonstration between the mentor (King) and the student (Clapton). Taken as a whole, you can hear Clapton settling back into the spotlight. This two-year period was make-or-break for Clapton and although his substance issues werent entirely behind him, it could be argued that this was his most creative and exploratory phase, with musical detours into country, reggae, spiritual, blues, and Americanabefore that was even a thing. Give Me Strength is aimed directly at Clapton fans that collect every note Slowhand has ever played. Put it this way: If youve ever actually looked up 461 Ocean Boulevard on a map and wondered what it would be like to hear Clapton try and deal with his musical demons inside the walls of Criteria Studios, then this collection is likely for you.
Jason Shadrick MUST-HEAR TRACKS: Give Me Strength (Dobro 1), Sugar Sweet, Badge
The world lost one of its premier musical talents with the passing of Alvin Lee last spring. As fate would have it, Lees final showa performance in Raalte, Holland was recorded for posterity and is now available. Beyond the obvious historical significance of The Last Show, the music is spectacular, with Lee displaying the same mastery of his instrument that made people first take notice so many years ago. Lee covers multiple genres: rockabilly on My Baby Left Me, blues on I Dont Give a Damn, and funk-rock with Love Like a Man. Perhaps the most poignantand adeptcuts are the two songs Lee performed with Ten Years After on that fabled Woodstock stage in 1969: Going Home and I Cant Keep from Crying Sometimes. Its a fantastic performance nearly devoid of post-production touchupsfitting for an artist who created and played so honestly.
Corbin Reiff MUST-HEAR TRACK: I Cant Keep from Crying Sometimes
Pete Anderson
Birds Above Guitarland
Its no surprise that guitar nuts associate Pete Anderson with snappy Tele tones: The Grammywinning guitarists urgent, twangy riffs helped propel Dwight Yoakam to stardom. Anderson produced and played lead on Yoakams acclaimed 1986 debut and also helped launch the new traditionalist movement in that era of country music. Anderson is still playing roots music but has shifted from honky tonk to jump swing, blues, and rockabilly. Armed with a thinline, Bigsby-equipped archtop, Anderson lays down slapback-drenched phrases with an uptown harmonic slant that owes more to big-band ballrooms than Mississippi juke joints. Anderson says hes been listening to classic Sinatra for inspiration and this shows in his superb compingcomplete with altered voicings, moving lines, and chromatic approaches. As sophisticated as his playing has become, its lost none of its original fire. If you like jazzy guitar served with a stiff shot of rockabilly attitude, youll feel right at home.
Andy Ellis MUST-HEAR TRACK: Outta the Fire
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Mark Orton
Music from the Motion Picture Nebraska
Is it bluegrass, eclectic country, or maybe, Gypsy Americana? Multiinstrumentalist Mark Orton owns a sound all his own, and these haunting guitar-driven tunes that are sprinkled with dobro, violin, accordion, and other antique instruments have a gorgeously melancholy nature. His imaginative composition skills and musicianship allow him commanding storytelling prowess that is always fresh and interesting. The score represents the first time the three original Tin Hat members have reunited since 2005 with Rob Burger (piano/accordion), Carla Kihlstedt (violin), and Orton teaming up as part of the core band for this project. The 17-track album is collection of both previous work redrawn for the film and new material that came out of those efforts. Every track, however, paints a dreamy alt-acoustic landscape through out-of-this-world songwriting and chops.
Rich Osweiler MUST-HEAR TRACKS: The Ambush, Night of the Skeptic
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Joe Bonamassa
Tour De Force: Live in London
Ready to join the club?
Earlier this year, Bonamassa undertook the challenge of his career and elected to perform a series of four different shows, with four different band configurations, using four different setlists in four separate venues around London. The DVD package is as expansive as they come with roughly nine hours of live concert footage accompanied by an additional four hours of bonus material. The first gig was meant as homage to Bonamassas earlier trio years and found him playing agaspStrat. The second and third shows took place at the Shepherds Bush Empire and the Hammersmith Apollo with the former designed as a blues night and the latter a rock showcase. The last night, Bonamassa revisited the Royal Albert Hall, the hallowed venue where he first made a name for himself in 2009. A number of highly prized guest stars appeared in the form of Rory Gallaghers 1961 Strat, Bernie Marsdens 59 Les Paul and the fabled 1959 Peter Green/Gary Moore Burst Les Paul. Overall its a triumph. You really have to marvel at Bonamassas gumption, and moreso, his sheer will and determination to pull it off.
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STAFF PICKS
Gear of the Year
Tele master Jim Campilongo, reader Matt Heckroth, and PG editors talk about which pieces of gear from 2013 they just cant get out of their heads.
Jim Campilongo
Guest Picker
What are you listening to? Ive been cranking all my vinyllike Hendrixs Greatest Hits and Miles Davis On the Cornerthrough my new Klipsch Heresy speakers. Its a total Hugh Hefner, 70s status symbolsexy stereo. Whats your must-have gear from 2013? My orange signature Fender Custom Shop guitar. Unlike my 59 Tele, which has cumbersome divots in the neck from wear, my signature has a fast neck. I play it at home about three hours a day!
Matt Heckroth
Reader of the Month
Andy Ellis
Senior Editor
Joe Gore
Senior Editor
Shawn Hammond
Editor in Chief
Chris Kies
Associate Editor
What are you listening to? Never Give In by Will Hoge. I was first drawn by his soulful songwriting, but there are some great guitar passages and haunting pedal-steel lines. I really dig the jangly, overdriven tone on Home Is Where the Heart Breaks. Whats your musthave gear from 2013? Ive been using these tagua-nut guitar picks from Howling Monkey. The substance wears very slowly and has a warm tone Ive never heard in a pick before.
What are you listening to? Steamroller by Strat-wrangler Philip Sayce. The years he spent touring with Melissa Etheridge, Uncle Kracker, and the late Jeff Healey have brought a razor-sharp edge to Sayces chops and tone. Hot, feral lead guitar la Michael Landau with his raging trios. Whats your musthave gear from 2013? My lime-green AKG Q701 Quincy Jones signature headphones. Sweet highs, rich mids, and clean, round bass. Refreshingly nonhypedperfect for rediscovering my music library late at night.
What are you listening to? Im obsessed with Jim Halls solo on Sonny Rollins 1964 version of God Bless the Child. He packs an encyclopedias worth of ideas into two ballad choruses, but in the most relaxed and offhand manner imaginable. Genius. Whats your must-have gear from 2013? It doesnt exist yet: a light, portable solid-state amp purpose-built for laptop guitar gigs. The years almost over, but hope springs eternal.
What are you listening to? The Fixx, Beautiful Friction. Jamie West-Orams bercompressed, funky/ atmospheric Strat is back on the New Wave vets 11th studio LP, but he also mixes in raging fuzz and other textures. Simultaneously deep, optimistic, quirky, and hooky. Whats your musthave gear from 2013? Im saving up for a Jaguar Amplification HC50its amazing crystalline articulation somehow manages to be fantastically brawny, and yet airy and three-dimensional.
What are you listening to? My wife continues to soften my edges, so I will admit my love for Kings of Leons Mechanical Bull. To keep my metal cred, Ive been enjoying prog-metal slammers like Pelicans new Forever Becoming and Intronauts Habitual Levitations. Whats your musthave gear from 2013? I just got my first Telecaster and I want to beef it up with a hot bridge pickup and a traditionally voiced P-90 for the neck position.
Check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/premierguitar to comment on our question of the month for your chance to be our featured Reader of the Month in Premier Guitar.
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The New G&L Savannah Collection

ASAT Bass ASAT Junior II ASAT Deluxe II ASAT Classic Bluesboy 90 ASAT Classic Bluesboy
Exotic African Korina tops and ultra-light semi-hollow African Okoume bodies for airy clarity and superb articulation.
Pickups designed by Paul Gagon, Leo Fender and Seymour Duncan for harmonic richness.
Pao Ferro fingerboards with Plek-dressed frets for unsurpassed playability.
G&Ls Old School Tobacco Sunburst finish to capture the rare beauty of the African Savannah.
The Savannah Collection might be the most beautiful and distinctly toneful G&L Custom Creation ever.
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The Boiling Point doesnt feel like a pedal. It plays like a great amp, breathing and reacting. It possesses musical mojo of the highest order. The most incredible piece of gear I have purchased in nearly 36 years of playing.
Ive gotten more compliments on my tone with the Baby Blues than since I started playing! I cant believe how good it sounds. I take it to a gig when I dont know what rig will be there and the Baby Blues always comes through with THE sound! The Baby Blues is just amazing!
The Red Dog has a wonderful warmth with a huge bottom end! The sound is direct, very natural, with lots of air and a very spacious feel. When I use it with the Boiling Point, the guitar sound is incredible.
Well, Light My Fire! The Brown Sugar just kills it! I think I just found a new box of tricks for my lead and crunch tones. This pedal is insane! Everything from full-on 70s lead tones to amazing squeal and sputter!
LEARN MORE AT WWW.ROCKBOX.COM 408-279-9400 VISIT US AT WINTER NAMM 2014
NEW! SMALLER CASE SILENT SWITCHING LOWER PRICE SAME SIGNATURE SOUND MADE IN CALIFORNIA, USA
Singing Harmonics & Sustain No String-Break by Flat-Lock Stepless Intonation Setting 4 Semitones Up-Bending Hardened Steel Knife-Edge CNC-Milled from Bell Brass
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Former Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante opens up about his epic 10-minute guitar solos and free-jazz approach on his new album, and then we talk to session ace Lyle Workman and newcomer Jon Greene about their Arthur Channel project with Wallflowers bassist Greg Richling and a different ex-Chili Pepperdrummer Jack Irons. Other artist highlights include interviews with Jim Campilongo and A Perfect Circles Billy Howerdel. Weve also got not one, but two special historical features for January: First, we take a journey back in time to the 1960s to unfold the little-known history of Marshalls evolution from 45- to 100-watt amps. Then we explore the rich instrumentmaking heritage in and around Markneukirchen, Germany.
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Strings Nov. 12 - 19
New Gear
Were cruising into 2014 with the latest Reverend Pete Anderson signature model, ESPs EC1000 rock machine, and the Zoom A3 acoustic effects processor. You pedal pushers can vibe on the Skreddy Little Miss Sunshine and two other stompboxes. Well also plug into the new Andrews Amplification Spectraverb, then pull a wild card with a rundown of Fishmans Triple Play.
Malekko
Wolftone Helium Nov. 19 - 26
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Guitar Hanger Dec. 3 - 10
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Premier Guitar ISSN 1945-077x (print) and ISSN 1945-0788 (online) is published monthly by Gearhead Communications, LLC. Principal office: 3 Research Center, Marion, IA 52302. Periodicals postage paid at Marion, IA 52302 and at Additional Mailing Offices. 2013 Gearhead Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Premier Guitar are registered trademarks of Gearhead Communications, LLC. Subscribers: If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address. U.S. Subscriptions: $24.95 for one year. Call for Canada, Mexico and foreign subscription rates. Postmaster: Send address changes to Premier Guitar, 3 Research Center, Marion, IA 52302. Customer Service and subscriptions please call 877-704-4327 or email lois@premierguitar.com. Printed in USA. Volume 18 Issue 12 December 2013
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ESOTERICA ELECTRICA
The Underappreciated Button

BY JOL DANTZIG
A popular and effective DIY strap-locking solution (that can also quench your thirst) is mounting rubber washers from Grolsch beer bottles on your strap buttons.
onsider the lowly and overlooked strap button for a moment. Most often an afterthought, it doesnt inspire discussion like sexier accessories and components such as pickups and tuning machines. Even the tone capacitorhidden inside an instruments dark interior compartmentoccupies more bandwidth than a strap button. Yet without this unpretentious appendage, live-rock performances would be a bore. Imagine a seated Pete Townshend delivering the crashing chords of Baba ORiley or Edward Van Halen pounding out a set while perched on a stool. A strapless Jimi Hendrix might have been judged on his music alone. Guitarists would be tethered down and static, likeheaven forbidkeyboardists! Worse yet, vocalists would be free to roam the stage unchallenged. Mobility is one of the guitars strongest suits, so the ability to deliver an accurate performance on the hoof has always made the instrument even more compelling. Early attempts to allow guitarists to stand included tying rope or twine to the instrument, which was fine for cowboys or strolling folk performers. The early guitar strapswhich were attached by looping around the body and headstockwerent completely without drawbacks, but guitarists took to the idea even with their sketchy balance.
Eventually recognizing the trend, guitar builders began to equip their instruments with a peg at the butt end of the body to facilitate attachment there. Performers like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash even developed a sort of seesaw style that the wide-span straps afforded. At some point, a clever person devised the idea of a strap button for each end of the strap, and we were off to the races. (As an interesting side note, Fender basses were adorned with a button on the back of the headstock until the early 1970s.) Although button shapes tend to be pretty similar, there have been attempts to innovate. The changes were merely cosmetic at first, with metal and animal parts being the materials of choice. Some makers varied the shape and size to improve the ability to anchor the strap while still allowing for removal of it. Pro guitarists started putting large, flat washers under the buttons to keep straps from falling off. A current and popular derivation of this is the use of the rubber washers from a Grolsch beer bottle (probably because you also get to drink the beer). Van Halen went so far as to devise one of the first locking straps by screwing a hardware-store-variety eyebolt into his guitar and fitting his strap with a spring-loaded clip. Not to be left behind, the aftermarket responded. Both Schaller and Straplok (Dunlop) marketed push-button strapsecuring hardware. And thissave for the other various aftermarket safety clips availableis where weve been for about three decades. But what about the strap-button location as a design parameter? Does this ever enter the equation, or is it strictly an add-on once a guitar is designed? With classic guitar shapes penned before the advent of the guitar strapsuch as the dreadnought and its second-cousin jazz boxId have to guess it was a matter of finding a strong spot that would accept the buttons.
Because the straps location relative to your body is somewhat finite, the top button usually determines three things: balance, where the frets are relative to your left hand, and where the bridge is to your right. For single-cutaway shapes like Gibsons Les Paul, it seemingly was a matter of mimicking the location found on the larger-bodied hollow guitars, as the LP was essentially a scaled-down version of those instruments. In this case, it was a matter of function following form, and the result allows these guitars to be easily tilted at will. Some players enjoy this adaptability, while others find it useful to move the top button to the back of the body directly behind the neck joint. This changes the attitude of the guitar slightly and provides a different feel. Alternately, the Stratocaster-style shape thrusts the location of the strap button to the players left, effectively moving the balance point to a more neutral position. The net difference between the two is not only balance, but also where the fretboard falls under your hand. The Gibsons mounting point falls at the 16th fret, while the Strats is at the 13th fretquite a considerable contrast. Interestingly, the Telecasterwhich is a shape derived from the traditional dreadnought formhas its top-button location at the 16th fret as well. Its almost as though the Stratocasters top horn was created precisely for the purpose of improved balance. So, there is plenty to think about when it comes to the importance of those lowly strap buttons and where they are locatedcertainly when beginning a new design for a guitar. Just remember: Its a balancing act.
JOL DANTZIG is a noted
designer, builder, and player who co-founded Hamer Guitars, one of the first boutique guitar brands, in 1973. Today, as the director of Dantzig Guitar Design, he continues to help define the art of custom guitar. To learn more, visit guitardesigner.com.
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LAST CALL
The Road Less Traveled

BY JOHN BOHLINGER
ts been said that to think is to undermine. I get it. The minute I stop to analyze my life/career/relationships/ accomplishments, my sense of fulfillment and general happiness go to shit. Musicians rarely improve their lives through pensive moments. A little contemplation inevitably leads to a suspicion that we have chosen the wrong path. Either we should put down the guitar, grow up, and get a real job, or we should quit our grown-up job and just play. Or maybe we should play with different people, or work in a different town, or choose a different genre, instrument, or band. After too much meditation, we begin to suspect we are wasting our lives, and we have become enormous disappointments to those who love us in spite of our glitchy natures. In a world of infinite possibilities, it rarely seems like we are where we should be. We like to think that a happy life depends on good decisions. Prisons are full of people who made poor choices, while successful/happy people pick the smart path. Thats true to an extent, yet its as false as any oversimplification. My high school guidance counselor had a motivational poster in her office. It was a huge photo of a picturesque grassy footpath beneath a canopy of gently arching trees, with these words superimposed over the image: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. While my counselor blathered on about the benefits of learning a trade, Id stare at that stupid Hallmark clich and think, When in doubt, go off the beaten path. Roughly 20 years later, during an agonizingly introspective moment, I got around to reading Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken. I was shocked to learn that my idiot counselor and the printer of motivational posters got it all wrong. Most of us are familiar with the poem. It starts with a classic dilemma we face
In a world of infinite possibilities, it rarely seems like we are where we should be.
literally and figuratively throughout life: Which road is right for us? The speaker looks down each path as far as he can see, and declares they are really about the same. Our traveler arbitrarily chooses the first of these nearly identical paths. Hey, wait a minute! He didnt take the road less traveled. He just selected a road based on no real information. Thats the curse of free will: We are free to choose, but we never really know what we are choosing. Its like a cosmic Monty Hall is offering us two mystery boxes, and our entire life depends on the choice. The poem takes an odd turn in the final line. The speaker says he took the one less traveled, but he knows he is lying. He wants to appear to be a discerning, rugged individualist who found success off the beaten path, but he knows he just got lucky while blindly stumbling through life. So what does this have to do with guitar? We musicians tend to let the greener grass syndrome drive us crazy because of the huge disparity in income and benefits between the top and bottom tiers in our industry. We see someone who appears to be a rich and famous guitarist in a wildly successful band and think, Dang, Im better than him! That should be me. How did that idiot get there while Im floundering in oblivion? Stop torturing yourself with doubt about your lifes trajectory. If you are happy, paying your bills, and not hurting anyone, thats about the best you can hope for. There will always be others who appear better off then you. Maybe they are, maybe theyre not. Evaluate your situation, make calculated decisions, but then let go of or be driven mad by those things you cant control. There is no right path.
When Stevie Ray Vaughan digs into Lenny on Live at the El Mocambotaped in 1983 at a gig in Torontoits obvious hes in a trance, simply channeling his music in the moment.
Thats one of the great gifts music gives us. When you get lost in playing guitar, all outside thoughts disappear. Watch a video of SRV playing Lenny, and you can tell hes not worrying about some namby-pamby existential quandary. Hes experiencing a semi-euphoria that I imagine is far better than an extreme yogis experience while deep in a trance. Dont worry about your pathjust enjoy the journey.
JOHN BOHLINGER
is a Nashville multi-instrumentalist. Hes been the Musical Director for the CMT Music Awards for the past five years, led the band for all six seasons of NBCs hit program Nashville Star, and has worked on many specials for GAC, PBS, CMT, USA, and HDTV.
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HOLIDAY
Gift Guide
Welcome to the Premier Guitar Holiday Gift guide. to complement the Gear of the Year recap and new reviews found in our December issue, weve included this special promotional section showcasing cool new products from a variety of manufacturers. Youll find gear from virtually every corner of the guitar and bass marketfrom electric and acoustic instruments to stompboxes, amps, and accessoriesalong with detailed specs and handy links to video and audio demos, as well as information on where to go to play and/or purchase the gear.
2013
DUNLOP MANUFACTURING, INC.
20th Anniversary 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah
Twenty years ago, Jimmy Dunlop and Senior Engineer Sam McRae worked closely with the worlds top guitar players to design the 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah, a pedal that allows players to tweak the most important wah wah parameters. For the first time, players could fine-tune their wah wah sound and make it their own.
Since then, the 535Q has been used by top guitar players from bands of all music styles, from Soundgarden and Tool to the Allman Brothers and Prince. This limited edition 535Q Multi-Wahfeaturing a commemorative satin pewter finish with matching hardwarecelebrates 20 years helping guitar players find their Cry Baby voice. Street price: TBD JimDunlop.com
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WEB 2
Special Promotional Section
EASTMAN GUITARS
E10D
The E10D is an Adirondack spruce-topped, traditional series dreadnought with a mahogany back and sides, and an ebony fingerboard. Street price: $1,250 EastmanGuitars.com
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CARR AMPLIFIERS
Impala 1-12
The Impala is one of those very rare amps that can do it all. From sweet glassy clean tones to pushed, in your face, American overdriveyou will find it here. The control panel is deceptively simple with its ultra wide range Volume control the star. At lower settings the Impala stays in the 60s American clean voice while taking the volume past 3 oclock brings in heightened pre amp toothy overdrive. The Master Volume allows you to dial in the right amount of power tube thickness and overall loudness. Amazing with pedals due to its wonderful solidity and openness. Street price: $2,490 CarrAmps.com
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Special Promotional Section WEB 3
REVEREND GUITARS
Pete Anderson PA-1 RT
The popular PA-1 platform now with Revtron pickups, for that distinct upper-mid twang! Reverend has teamed up with country/roots-rock guitar legend and Grammy winning artist/ producer Pete Anderson to design this customized hollowbody. Pete wanted a classic hollow sound and look, but with the ability to play at higher volumes without uncontrollable feedback. So we developed the innovative Uni-Brace, that not only addresses feedback, but also enhances sustain, durability, and clarity. Unique features include: bushing mounted bridge, R embossed knobs, back sprayed/logoed pickguard, and 15th fret neck/body joint for better high fret access. Street price: $1,799 ReverendGuitars.com
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WEB 4
VHT AMPLIFICATION
Melo-Verb Pedal
The Melo-Verb is a pedal recreation of the fabled tremolo and reverb effects first introduced as built-in amplifier features in the 60s. The two effects sections are completely independent, with separate true-bypass switching. Controls: Tremolo Speed, Depth, Shape, Level Reverb Dwell, Tone, Mix Switching Independent true bypass footswitch for each effect External 9-volt DC power source required. Street price: $119.99 VHTAmp.com
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RECORDING KING
Dirty Thirties Series Guitars

Our Dirty Thirties Dreadnought, OOO, and Single O sound great wherever the road takes you. Like classic mail-order instruments, they sit at the perfect crossroads of classic sound and vintage design. Each guitar starts with a solid Spruce top, rosewood fretboard and bone nut and saddle. Weve finished them with classic large fretboard dots, aged ivoroid binding, satin finish, vintage-style tuning keys and historic Recording King headstock. Dirty Thirties guitars pack playability and vibe into a retro-inspired package that makes vintage style accessible to every player. Street price: $199 RecordingKing.com
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CELESTIAL EFFECTS
Gemini VTR
20% OFF
The Celestial Effects Gemini VTR features three independent guitar effects housed in one space saving enclosure. The signal chain is wired in the following sequence: True pitch shifting Vibrato into Tremolo into Reverb. Finish it all off with paralleled dual output jacks and your ready to add these three versatile effects to your rig! Street price: $419 CelestialEffects.com
thru Januar y 1, 2014 Use this coup on code at checkout
ALL PEDALS
PGXMAS2013
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WEB 6
GRIFFIN TECH
StudioConnect with Lightning

StudioConnect with Lightning is Griffins popular all-in-one audio interface for music creation on the iPad, now compatible with the just released iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display, as well as the iPad (4th generation) and iPad mini. In one compact device, StudioConnect provides greatsounding plug-and-play convenience for guitars, stereo audio, MIDI-In/ Out along with a Lightning charging dock. It also features line-level RCA stereo output and stereo headphone output with separate volume control. Street price: $149.99 GriffinTechnology.com HEAR SOUND CLIPS PLAY VIDEOS BUY IT NOW ADD TO MY WISHLIST FIND US ON FACEBOOK
MOOG MUSIC
Minifoogers
The Minifooger family of analog effects places legendary Moog quality, tone and versatility into a compact, rugged housing designed to withstand the tortures of touring and daily abuse. Each Minifooger is unique, powerful, transformative and extremely responsive to each players unique style. They are true bypass, 100% analog, expression input equipped, battery power-able, and have no negative impact on the tone of your instrument. Street price: $139-$199 MoogMusic.com
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C. F. MARTIN & CO., INC.

D-17M
Resurrecting the look of our early Style 17 guitars, the all solid-wood 17 Series features a shaded gloss Sitka Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and tortoise brown binding. The D-17M features a booming Dreadnought body, great for banging out rockers or quiet fingerpicking. Street price: $1,999 MartinGuitar.com
LX1E Ed Sheeran
Designed in collaboration with awardwinning recording artist Ed Sheeran, the LX1E Ed Sheeran Signature Edition features Eds signature + sign on the headstock and album logo laser-etched on the solid sapele top. Stage-ready, this model is small enough to take anywhere and comes equipped with Fishman Isys T electronics, SP Lifespan Martin strings and a padded gig bag. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this model will be donated to the East Anglias Childrens Hospices (www.each.org.uk). Street price: $599 MartinGuitar.com
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WEB 8
STRING SWING
CC01K: Guitar Hanger

Great stocking stuffer gift idea! For over 26 years, the original String Swing has satisfied millions of music enthusiasts around the world. Made in the USA, with real hardwood, this hangers design is attractive and cradles your instrument comfortably and securely. Because each instrument is unique, the experts and craftsmen at String Swing have created displays for almost every one. Ask your local retailer for an authentic String Swing hanger, or shop online at www.stringswing.com. Street price: $13.49 StringSwing.com
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LITTLE WALTER TUBE AMPS

Little Walter 50 watt
Little Walter Tube Amps 50 watt delivers unmatched dynamic response. Point to point construction. True Tonal Transparency. Ample headroom provides strong note definition and a sense of air around each note. Available as a Combo or in a Head with a speaker cabinet, in Lacquered Tweed or Tolex (colors available upon request). Hand built in the USA by Phil Bradbury. Street price: $2,499 LittleWalterTubeAmps.com
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PRS GUITARS
PRS S2 Series
The PRS S2 Series offers the fit and finish of PRS craftsmanship in a straightforward design. Standing for Stevensville 2, S2 Series instruments are made in Maryland, blending new design elements and manufacturing techniques with practiced quality control and workmanship to create reimagined, fresh guitars at a more affordable price. The S2 Series is comprised of three models: the S2 Mira, S2 Starla, and S2 Custom 24. Find your S2 voice. Street price: $1,179 $1,399 PRSGuitars.com
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PRS GUITARS
408 MT
A new voice. PRS 408 pickups extend the guitars tonal spectrum by narrowing the field of the bass pickup to increase its focus and widening the field of the treble pickup to increase its sound-field (hence their asymmetric appearance). Thanks to this pickup combination and the simple but versatile switching system, which features two mini-toggle switches that provide numerous combinations of humbucking and singlecoil tones, the 408 Maple Top provides stunning articulation and musical clarity. Street price: $2,990 PRSGuitars.com
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WEB 10
PRS GUITARS
SE Angelus Standard
The PRS SE Angelus Standard is made with highquality components, including a solid mahogany back and solid spruce top, mahogany sides, bone nut and saddle, rosewood fretboard and bridge, and PRS SE designed tuners. These instruments share the same proprietary bracing pattern and several distinct construction features as PRSs acclaimed Marylandmade acoustic line, as well as PRSs trademark bird inlays and headstock design. A PRS pickup system is also available, highlighting the instruments rich tone. Street price: $699 PRSGuitars.com HEAR SOUND CLIPS PLAY VIDEOS BUY IT NOW ADD TO MY WISHLIST FIND US ON FACEBOOK
PRS GUITARS
DG Custom 30
Developed and refined over many years, the PRS David Grissom signature amplifiers bring Davids discriminating tone to players looking for a highlyresponsive, musical amp rig. The PRS DG Custom 30 comes in blonde vinyl with a cherry stained mahogany fascia and un-tinted salt and pepper grill cloth. It features four EL84/7581 power tubes and several tone-sculpting features, including bright switch, reverb, boost/normal gain switch, presence control, and top cut control. Street price: $1,999 PRSGuitars.com
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ASPRI CREATIVE ACOUSTICS

ASPRI Clip-On Reverb
Concert Hall Reverb in an Intimate Setting The ASPRI Clip-On reverb unit is the only product on the market that allows full natural reverb to project directly out of the sound hole of your acoustic guitar. The unit easily clips on and off in a matter of seconds and requires no mods or batteries. Just you, your guitar and ASPRIs natural spring reverb to create an entirely new and inspiring playing experience. Best of all, being totally unplugged, you can take it anywhere and enjoy that same full sound. With the new ASPRI analog reverb, you wont be able to tell the difference between jamming in your room, playing on the beach and performing in a concert hall. Unleash the artist in you with the ASPRI. Mega special until Christmas! For demos and orders visit www.aspri.com. Street price: $129.95 Aspri.com
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WEB 12
TRONICAL
TronicalTune
The TronicalTune, with six cybertronic motorized tuning pegs, seamlessly self-tunes your guitar in a matter of seconds and installs to the back of a guitars headstock without the need of professional installation or alteration. Featuring 18 different tunings, (12 factory presets and 6 user presets) switch between tunings in seconds by simply pushing a button and strumming the strings. Compatible with hundreds of guitar models. Nominated for a TEC Award. Rechargeable battery and charger included. Street price: $329 in chrome and vintage pearl $349 in black, and $369 in gold. Tronical.com
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GRIFFIN TECH
GuitarConnect Pro
GuitarConnect Pro solves the connectivity problem between a guitar and an iPad, iPhone or Mac computer in one convenient instrument jack connector. Simple and intuitive, GuitarConnect Pro converts a guitars analog signal into a 100% digital connection so users can play, record and even multitrack in 24 bit, 48kHz quality. Includes three detachable cables for compatibility with both iOS and Mac devices. Street price: $89.99 GriffinTechnology.com
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TOTALLY WYCKED AUDIO

GREAT DIVIDE Mk II
The Great Divide Mk. II combines classic analog octave division with proprietary synth technology to create one of the bestsounding, most versatile octave units ever made. The Great Divide is 100% analog its circuit tracks incoming audio and subdivides the waveforms to create lower notes at varying intervals. The Great Divides five independent voices can be continuously blended for a limitless array of sounds, from classic, super-fat octaves to multi-layered, supersonic synth mayhem! Street price: $399 Godlyke.com
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JBE PICKUPS
T-Styles
The ones that started it al . . . JBEs T-Styles created a new model of hi-fidelity replacement pickups for the Tele. Designed for Danny Gatton, they are the choice of Tele players worldwide. T-Style tone is characteristically vintage but with greatly expanded fidelity that eliminates the thinness that is often a problem with Tele-styled guitars. Our Modern T-Bridge pickup is also available for Modern Country and Rock players who want more muscle in the bridge pickups tone and performance. Street price: $293.95 JBEPickups.com
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WEB 14
DE GIER GUITARS & BASSES

Junior
De Gier Guitars has been gaining worldwide reputation with the BeBop model. The Junior is our Authority model undressed. Youd be surprised how all-round this 1 pickup guitar is. Completely handmade in the Netherlands by luthier Sander de Gier. Superb woods, quality, sound and finish. Available with optional neck pickup. We ship worldwide, no dealers (which means best price) and we offer a full refund if its not what you expected! Street price: $1,799 DeGierGuitars.com
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GOCHORDS
GoChords
Players and songwriters: GoChords is an easy-to-use tool for creating simple song sheets with moveable chord symbols, lyrics, and simple notation. Create custom chords; change keys, change the instrument you are playing and GC will change the chords in a flash. Set up and join groups to make jamming easy. Its a handy tool, a great resource, and a social network for guitar, ukulele and mandolin players alike. You Dont Have to Read to Write! Street price: $5/Month or $50/Year GoChords.com
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BUZZ FEITEN GUITARS

Signature Elite
I wanted to build a beautiful instrument that wouldnt just sit in a display case or hang on the wall, but would be picked up and played every day by players who would appreciate the attention, instinct, and care that went into making it. The book-matched flame maple top, with its alder core, provide a sparkle and transparency that is simply remarkable. The end result is a guitar that delivers, warmth, expression, sustain and dynamics in a truly gorgeous package. The maple top, cream binding and abalone inlaid neck make the Signature Elite MY version of the flame tops from the Golden Age of guitar making. Neck: Materials: Radius: Scale: Frets: Shape: Electronics: Controls: Pickups: Bridge: Volume, Tone, 3-Way Switch, Mini-toggle (Rhythm/Lead switch) BF-109 Bridge Humbucking, BF-120 Neck (hum cancelling) Custom Top Load 2 piece Northern maple/maple-maple/ rosewood (quartersawn) 14 25.5 6100 Vintage C Contour
Nut Width: 1.7
Street price: $3,295 BuzzFeitenGuitars.com
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WEB 16
FOR MUSICIANS ONLY
Analog Mans Guide to Vintage Effects

Now in its second printing, Analog Mans Guide To Vintage Effects is the ultimate stompbox reference! Originally published in December 2004, it is generally regarded as the most complete, in-depth, and accurate effects reference to date, having sold thousands of copies since its release. Foreword by Adrian Belew Hundreds of B&W and color photos Commentary from Elliott Randall, Jay Graydon, Steve Hackett, and others Makes the PERFECT holiday gift! Street price: $44.95 ForMusiciansOnly.com
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BLACK CAT PEDALS

Black Cat Vibe
The Black Cat Vibe is the flagship of the Black Cat product line. It has garnered a reputation among many as the best Univibe recreation ever made, and has found its way into the rigs of many well-known players, such as Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, Lenny Kravitz, and Trey Anastasio. True, authentic Univibe circuitry Available in stompbox or half-rack format Equipped with expression jack to control speed Available NOW, no more wait Street price: $299 BlackCatPedals.com
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PURESALEM GUITARS
Bow Down Upon Our Church Of Acid Rock PureSalem Guitars adopts an inspired approach and attitude while honoring the electric guitars glorious past. Its simplicity in design. Its wood, wire, and strings. Its rock and roll, and not rocket science. To quote David Fair (Half Japanese): The idea is to put a pick in one hand and a guitar in the other and with a tiny movement rule the world! Please visit our website and join us on Face Book! Go start a band and make the world a better placeDIY. Street price: $625 $825 PureSalemGuitars.com
PureSalem Guitars launches 2013 line-up
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WEB 18
EPIPHONE
Les Paul Performance Pack

This holiday season, give someone special the Epiphone Les Paul Performance Pack. Its got everything a new player needsa Les Paul Special-II LTD, Electar amp, free online lessons, and more! Just plug your Les Paul into the Electar amp and let the open-coil Humbuckers roar. The Les Paul Performance Pack includes a guitar cable, clip-on headstock tuner, strap, picks, and an easy-to-carry gigbag. Plus, FREE downloadable guitar lessons from eMedia. Visit your nearest Epiphone Dealer today. Street price: $259 Epiphone.com
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PIC STIK, INC.

Pic Stik
The Pic Stiks patented design clips to your strap and holds 5 picks of any gauge independently. Forget about glue, pins and tape. Pic Stik really is - The Coolest Thing To Stick Your Pick In!! Clips to your strap for instant access. Embossing prevents Pic Stik from sliding on your strap. Comes with 5 collectible international flag picks. Bonus pentatonic blues scale and chord reference chart included. With the Pic Stik, you will always have a pick handy. Street price: $6.99 StickYourPick.com
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FISHMAN
TriplePlay
Unlock your guitars potential with Fishmans TriplePlay Wireless Guitar Controller! Compose, perform and record with powerful and unlimited sound capability is at your commandall with the freedom of wireless control. Comes complete with an ultra-slim wireless controller, hexaphonic pickup, wireless USB receiver, mounting hardware and a comprehensive software suite for recording, editing and playing back your music on Mac or PC. Easy, non-permanent installation on virtually any electric guitar. Switch between instruments, or play up to four instruments at once. Teach or learn faster with full, accurate transcriptions in standard notation or tab. Create video soundtracks. Mix your own samples, beats, loops and tracks. Play your guitar live with an endless array of instruments and sounds. Open up new creative options and build arrangements with any instrument at your fingertips. With blazingly fast note encoding, a preset editor and mixing console, youll have a complete recording and production tool. Street price: $399.95 Fishman.com
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WEB 20
AUDIO KITCHEN
The Big Trees
Hand-wired in London, England, the Audio Kitchen Big Trees Pedal Amp is the latest Audio Kitchen product. A tube overdrive pedal, a pre-amp/reamping device and a 25 watt amplifier all wrapped up in a very unique package for use in the studio or on a pedal board. The Big Trees can drive a speaker cabinet or a line level input with a panorama of clean and tube overdrive tones. Street price: $999 AudioKitchen.co.uk
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CORNELL
Cornell Plexi 18/20 Head

The Cornell Plexi 18/20 Head is the perfect solution for players seeking that classic Plexi tone with enough power for the stage and a low-watt option for home and studio use. Featuring a tube or solid state rectifier circuit, half power switch and two channels that can be jumped together, this amp is the choice of some of Britains top blues players. Street price: $2099 www.DC-Developments.com
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BAUDIER GUITARS
King Dutch Rat Rod
King Dutch Rat Rod guitars , 25inch scale , Honduran mahogany , mahogany neck, ebony fret board , Baudier Custom shop Rat Rod pickups, Bourns pots, custom wiring system with treble bleed, stainless steel polish frets , glow in the dark fret markers , our new ultra thin lacquer paint system , Hot Rod custom paint scheme, custom inlays, GraphTech resomax bridge , Gotoh self locking tuners, graphtech bone nut,custom knobs, custom G&G case. Street price: $3,195 BaudierGuitars.com
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OSIAMO LLC
The Stomp-Head 3.BL

The Stomp-Head 3.BL is 60 watts of boutique analog power in a light, compact stage format. Taurus proprietary design was engineered to produce the purest tube sound. Dynamics, compression and distortion characteristics are the same as in classic high-end tube amps. The sound is clean, punchy and saturated. The 3.BL features 2 channels, crunch and boost switches, effect loop, line out, power reducer to 40 watts plus loudness mode, and speaker impedance selector. Street price: $720 Osiamo.com
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WEB 22
STETS METAL ARTS INC.

Stetsbar
New Stetsbar Vibratos! Play your guitar and get the tone and with styles it never could before. Mount to your favorite axe without the damage or cost to install a routed in tremolo. Fits many fine instruments like: Gibson, Fernder, Peavey, Epiphone, ESP, Dean, LTD, Fernandez, G & L, Hamer, Guild, and many more. Starting at $219.00. Shown with optional Vintage Arm and Fine Tuners. Street price: Starting at $219 Stetsbar.com
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SAINT BLUES GUITAR WORKSHOP

Delta Blues Box
These Cigar Box Guitars are not for hanging on the wall. We took what we know about making some of the best guitars in the world and put that into building a cigar box guitar for real players. 24 3/4 Scale - Tuned to Open G Custom DAddario String Set Custom wired 1 3/8 Piezo Transducer Volume Pot and Switchcraft Jack Bolt on Maple neck with Medium Frets Bone Nut and Bridge Grover Gears Custom Made Tailpiece Street price: $275 SaintBlues.com
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MAYONES USA
Regius 6 Custom Buckeye Burl

Mayones guitars and basses are handcrafted in Poland using traditional European luthier techniques and the finest components available. Mayones artists include Between The Buried And Me, Korn, Katatonia, Limp Bizkit, Paradise Lost, Periphery, Jimmy Haslip and many more. This Regius 6 Custom features an exotic figured Buckeye Burl top, neck through body construction, ebony fretboard, Seymour Duncan Blackout active pickups and Sperzel tuners. Street price: $3,239 MayonesUSA.com
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ROCKBOX ELECTRONICS
Boiling Point, Red Dog, Baby Blues, Brown Sugar

A past Premier Gear award winner, Rockbox Electronics is proud to have top artists like Jeff King, Mike McCready, and Richie Sambora using their pedals. Once you try the Boiling Point, Baby Blues, Brown Sugar, or Red Dog, were sure they will become an essential part of your sound, too! Street price: $199 Boiling Point $179 Red Dog $199 Baby Blues $189 Brown Sugar Rockbox.com
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WEB 24
RAIMUNDO USA
Raimundo Model 660E Cutaway Spanish Classical Guitar

Since 1968, Raimundo Guitars have won numerous awards for their unparalleled quality and craftsmanship. Each Raimundo guitar is built in Spain by hand with the same Spanish method developed over hundreds of years for better sound, stability, and durability. Raimundos Cutaway Series of Spanish Classical Guitars come equipped with Fishman Pickups and Pre-Amps for reproducing the natural sound of nylon strings. This model 660E has a solid cedar top and solid rosewood back and sides. Street price: $1,774 RaimundoUSA.com
GUITARRAS SPAIN
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CHRIS CAMPBELL CUSTOM GUITARS

CCS Modern Series
Chris Campbell Custom Guitars are each hand-built and finished in California using the finest materials and hardware available. The CCS Modern series rocks a classic design with the best modern features. Flamed or quilted maple tops in colorful transparent and burst finishes, customwound pickups and electronics, a fast, 1016 compound radius rosewood fretboard on a highly figured birdseye maple neck, hipshot vibrato bridge and other custom features make the Modern Series a pro players dream. Street price: $4,050 ChrisCampbellGuitars.com
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TECH 21
Boost Series
Boost Fuzz celebrates germanium fuzz sounds of the 60s. Boost Distortion pays tribute to rock and hard rock tones of the 80s. Boost Overdrive gives you the blues rock sounds of the 70s. Bass Boost Fuzz pays homage to the fat, gritty tones of 60s fuzz bass. Tech 21s all-analog circuitry merges the classic sounds of vintage effects with modern dependability. Each pedal is designed and built from the ground up utilizing the best individually-selected, hand-biased discreet components. Each unit delivers optimized performance with studio-quiet operation. A powerful boost function delivers up to 21dB of clean boost, which can be used independently from the effect. A true post-boost, it punches up the tone you dial in, rather than smothering it in unwanted distortion. Other features include Level, Tone and Drive controls, high-impedance input, and a silent-switching, custom footswitch actuator. Street price: $195 Tech21nyc.com
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WEB 26
CORDOBA GUITARS
GK Studio, GK Pro, GK Pro Negra

Originally designed for the Gipsy Kings, Cordobas GK models are known for their lightweight construction, exceptional crossover-style playability, and big tone. A slightly thinner neck, flatter neck angle, and low string action are comfortable features borrowed from the flamenco tradition that offer versatility for any players style. All models come equipped with premium Fishman pickup systems, offering on-board tuning, equalization, and blending capabilities between a mic and piezo for beautifully amplified tone. Street price: $649 / $1,399 / $1,499 CordobaGuitars.com
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CORDOBA GUITARS
35T
The 35T is an all-solid acacia tenor ukulele that has a clear, bright tone, and distinctive figured appearance. Cordoba collaborated with renowned luthier Pepe Romero Jr. on the 30 Series, adopting Romeros vision of building ukuleles as if they are small guitars by using traditional Spanish building methods. The result is a lightweight ukulele with a deeper and wider body, fan bracing, a Spanish heel neck joint, and a wider fingerboard for easy playability. Street price: $599 CordobaGuitars.com
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MCPHERSON GUITARS
A fusion of exquisite craftsmanship and cutting edge design, famous McPherson guitars feature revolutionary Offset Soundhole Technology, a state-ofthe-art Bracing System and a unique Cantilevered Neck. Street price: $6,400 McPhersonGuitars.com
Offset Soundhole/Cantilevered Neck
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WEB 28
BEARFOOT GUITAR EFFECTS

Better Than Amp-Like!
BJFe/BearFoot have built a reputation for building the most amp-like guitar effects around. Our pedals not only sound, but feel and perform like the amp features they emulate: the early Tweed/Blonde/Plexi response of the Sparkling Yellows, the warm, tubelike EQ of the SBEQ or the perfect emulation of amp/ speaker compression in the Pale Green Comp. BearFoot pedals reproduce the sounds of your favorite recorded amps and they do it at any volume thru any clean amp. Yes you can stomp thru your collection of the most musical amp tones ever made and even the best compression, EQ and modulation in exactly the amounts you need to sound like. . .YOU! Thats better than amplike ! Street price: $199235 BearFootFX.com HEAR SOUND CLIPS PLAY VIDEOS BUY IT NOW ADD TO MY WISHLIST FIND US ON FACEBOOK
CUSTOM AMP COVERS

Custom Amp Covers has been making quality, affordable heavy duty covers for over 10 years. We use USA-made vinyl that has a felt backing to provide protection. You choose the look by selecting 1 or 2 of the 10 vinyl colors and/or adding any of the 18 trim piping colors. MANUFACTURER and DEALER inquiries are welcome. Also ask about our dealer pricing program that requires no inventory! Street price: $43 and $51 as shown AmplifierCovers.com
Large Amp Head and Small Combo Cover
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FRACTAL AUDIO SYSTEMS

The MFC-101 is a tough, powerful, versatile, easy-touse MIDI foot controller designed for the Axe-Fx and/ or any other MIDI devices. Bi-color LEDs. High intensity transflective display. Solid State Switching. Connects over MIDI, EtherCON or FASLink to the Axe-Fx. Street price: $749 FractalAudio.com
MFC-101 Mark III MIDI Foot Controller Processor
Axe-Fx II Mark II Preamp Effects Processor

Industry leading all-in-one guitar processor faithfully reproduces hundreds of vintage and modern guitar amps, speaker cabs, stompboxes, studio effects, and more. Tone Matching and onboard Speaker IR tools capture clone any tone. Mark II Unit features EtherCon for interconnection the between Axe-Fx and MFC-101. Street price: $2,199 FractalAudio.com HEAR SOUND CLIPS PLAY VIDEOS BUY IT NOW ADD TO MY WISHLIST FIND US ON FACEBOOK
WEB 30
T-REX EFFECTS
Alberta II
With the Alberta II dual overdrive pedal, the classic T-Rex Alberta overdrive sound has doubled in quantity, but the sonic and physical footprints are unchanged. You get two channels of creamy, responsive overdrive without sacrificing extra pedal board real estate. With one pedal, you can seamlessly switch between clean sound from your amp, an on-the-edge overdrive from Channel 1, and a hard-hitting rock sound from Channel 2. Plus, flip on the new Fat switch for an even thicker tone on either of Alberta IIs channels. Street price: $369 T-Rex-Effects.com
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T-REX EFFECTS
Fuel Tank Goliath
With seven isolated outlets and the ability to handle multiple voltage requirements, the Fuel Tank Goliath from T-Rex will power almost every pedal you own. Five standard outlets each deliver a mammoth 450mA of switchable 9 or 12 volt power. You also get one 18 volt DC outlet (250mA) and a 12 volt AC outlet (450mA) for a wealth of ferocious T-Rex power - nearly 3000 mA! Plus, Goliath features a convenient 115V/230V voltage selector, making it compatible overseas - great for touring musicians. Street price: $399 T-Rex-Effects.com
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RACE POINT PUBLISHING

Beatles Solo
The Beatles individual solo careers have never been covered like this! This stunning gift set contains four beautifully illustrated books one for each Beatle covering their lives since they broke up in 1969. Jampacked with nearly 400 pages, 200 photos, quotes, lyrics, and memorabilia all packaged in an elegant slipcase, this is a must-have gift item for the Beatlelover in your life. Street price: $50 RacePointPub.com
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VOYAGEUR PRESS
The Fender Stratocaster : The Life & Times of the Worlds Greatest Guitar & Its Players
In this authoritatively written, painstakingly curated, and gloriously presented tribute to the Fender Stratocaster, author Dave Hunter covers the guitars history from concept, design, and model launch, through numerous variations and right up to the present. The story is illustrated with archival images of Stratocasters and their players in action, studio shots of Stratocasters of varied vintage and provenance, memorabilia associated with famous players, and profiles of over 30 noted Strat slingers through the ages. Street price: $40 VoyageurPress.com
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WEB 32
VOYAGEUR PRESS
Nirvana: The Complete Illustrated History

Nirvana: The Complete Illustrated History is the first objective, complete illustrated history of the hugely influential rock band Nirvana, featuring writing from a roster of respected writers and illustrated with rare photography and memorabilia. Street price: $35 VoyageurPress.com
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RACE POINT PUBLISHING

Pink Floyd: Behind The Wall
The first complete illustrated history of Pink Floyd, author and journalist Hugh Fielder gets behind the wall and recounts the bands entire history, analyzes their recordings, and provides a complete discography. Readers will discover stories behind the bands formation, recordings, and tours, as well as the bitter disputes, both public and private. Includes more than 250 images - live performance and candid off-stage photographs, as well as rare memorabilia like gig posters, concert tees, and picture sleeves. Street price: $35 RacePointPub.com
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FIX PEDALBOARDS
Fix Pedalboards are built to last... Laser cut aerospace-grade aluminum 100% crafted in the United States Fully customizable to fit most any pedal rigs Unlimited lifetime warranty, fully transferable Complete Range of Pedalboards
Building a Better Musician One Stomp at a Time.

Whether youve got a few pedals and a wah or a Bob Bradshaw looping masterpiece, a Fix pedalboard will compliment your rig.
We offer a variety of pedalboards in a wide range of sizes and a rainbow of colors, so no matter how many pedals you run, and how flamboyant (or subdued) you are weve got you covered. Risers Too If you already have a board that youre happy with, thats fine. However, we also offer a full compliment of pedal risers and mounting brackets designed to work on all pedal boards... not just ours. So you can have your fix no matter what board you run. Street price: $50 $340 FixPedalboards.com
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WEB 34
THE GUITAR HANGER

The Guitar Hanger
The Guitar Hanger is the ideal Stocking Stuffer and Holiday gift for any guitar player. The Guitar Hanger allows you to hang your guitar anywhere with a nail, bracket, or closet rod. Have a home studio? You will now be able to switch guitars in less than 10 seconds. Ideal for Dorms, Shared housing, or for the player with a music room. Premier Guitar readers use Promo Code TODAY for $3 Discount. Street price: $22.95 TheGuitarHanger.com
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ASTEROPE
Asterope Pro Stage and Pro Studio Series

Asterope premium audio cables deliver pure, uncolored, high definition sound. Asterope products literally excite your tone the moment you plug it in. Regardless of the application, Asterope provides greater clarity, bandwidth and harmonics while dramatically improving the musical experience for both the musician and the listener. Asterope Pro Stage Series: Ideal for more dmanding environments when consistency, control and durability are essential to a successful performance. Asterope provides artists and engineers a product that is clearly superior whether at a casual rehearsal or a large production. Asterope Pro Studio Series: Provides a more dynamic, spatial and superior sound. This is ideal for more intimate environments when clarity and harmonic response are critical. Asterope utilizes revolutionary technology that delivers high-definition sound with much greater bandwidth, balance and harmonic response. Production lengths include: 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 50. Street price: Prices vary by length Asterope.com
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EMG, INC.
57/66 Set
Released in 2012, the 57 and 66 humbuckers were a forey into new territory for EMG; an experimental merging of classic sound and modern style that resulted in a truly dynamic pair of pickups that are unrivaled when combined as a set. A true original, the 57 is a bridge-specific pickup designed for todays player regardless of style or genre. The unique combination of Alnico V magnets and steel pole pieces evoke an unmistakably PAF-like quality in its tone. The active attributes provide the headroom and punch necessary to deliver unparalleled definition and presence. Designed and voiced as a neck pickup, the 66 is a result of pickup design innovation inspired by the specific needs and requests of todays players. Alnico V magnets provide the warm, smooth mid-range and expansive lows while the ceramic pole pieces bring out the clarity in the upper register. The 57/66 set is available in EMGs exclusive brushed steel cap giving it a sleek modern look that compliments any instrument. Street price: $239 EMGPickups.com
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WEB 36
BIG JOE STOMP BOX COMPANY

Vintage II Tube
The Big Joe Vintage II pedal is a true bypass, analog, overdrive pedal with four custom tailored tube amp signatures. It is a very transparent and organic sounding box that meshes well with all amplifiers. It keeps the tone of your rig intact while giving you extra muscle and sustain. It is also extremely responsive to pick attack. The harder you play it the more it bites. It is a very dynamic box for the serious tone freak. Street price: $199.95 BigJoeStompBoxCompany.com
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CRUSHSOUND
Farmers Mill
Farmers Mill is the first in the world, authentic and highly innovative guitar pedal which delivers exceptional sound breaking experience straight at your feet. Billed as the 100% Electric Mud Grinder Farmers Mill is the ultimate solution for players who seek for avant-garde musical expression tools. Powered by True Random Technology makes your guitar sound like broken, set on fire and ran through a blown amp. Street price: EUR 99 Crushsound.com
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C.P. THORNTON GUITARS

The Classic
Chuck Thornton crafts guitars featuring innovative construction methods and top-quality materials, applying his fresh design approach to creating instruments with unparalleled tone, playability and durability. The Classic combines the player comfort of a 4 degree neck angle, and the superb access to the upper frets of a set neck, with a vintage Nashville tone. Street price: $3,300 - $3,800 ($3,600 as shown) CPThorntonGuitars.com
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GOLD TONE, INC.

MicroBass
The MicroBass is a short-scaled acoustic/ electric bass guitar utilizing dedicated synthetic strings and a piezo transducer pickup that deceivingly packs far more wallop than what meets the eye. The extended 23 scale length greatly improves intonation over similar models and the sloped ergo-glide top makes this instrument extremely comfortable to play. Available fretted or fretless for a tone remarkably similar to a traditional upright double bass. Cutaway body design provides access to higher register positions. Gigbag included. Street price: $500 GoldTone.com
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WEB 38
LUNDGREN GUITAR PICKUPS

Heaven 57
Heaven 57 P.A.F. Sound. We have built this pickup with all the right features. We had some good P.A.F.s from late 50s to compare with. Maybe the biggest impact of this pickups sound is our special alnicomagnet which contributes to this pickus pleasent wooden character. Heaven 57 is a Registered trademark and owned by Lundgren guitar pickups. Street price: $ 190 LundgrenPickups.com
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ISP TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Decimator II Pedal/Decimator II G String Pedal

The Decimator II and Decimator G String II feature improvements including ISPs new Linearized Time Vector Processing and now both pedals include a LINK IN and LINK OUT allowing two pedals to be linked to track with performance similar to the Decimator ProRack G. Linearized Time Vector Processing increases the smoothness of the release response providing the most transparent noise reduction system available and virtually eliminates any release ripple for incredibly smooth decay of longer sustained notes. Street price: $159.99/$269.99 ISPTechnologies.com
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EARTHQUAKER DEVICES
Arpanoid Polyphonic Pitch Arpeggiator The first dedicated compact polyphonic pitch arpeggiator effect pedal! The Arpanoid takes whatever you play and transforms it into an adjustable ascending or descending scale. It features 8 intuitive and expandable modes and will work on complex chords as well as single notes in any key. A truly original device! Street price: $225 EarthQuakerDevices.com
Arpanoid Polyphonic Pitch Arpeggiator
The Depths Optical Vibe

The Depths is our take on the classic optical vibe circuit. It creates a lush, phasing three-dimensional swirling sound. The Depths has been optimized to work well with all types of instrument, pickup types and to play well with dirt. With its Voice and Throb controls, The Depths can achieve sounds from thin and subtle to warm and deep and everything in between. The Intensity and Rate will go from a smooth, ultra-slow warble all the way to speedy, sharp bursts allowing you to get more than just the classic vibe sounds. The Level will allow you to boost the signal well above unity to make up for any perceived volume loss commonly found in vibe pedals. Street price: $195 EarthQuakerDevices.com
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WEB 40
TOWNER VIBRATO GUITAR PARTS

The Towner Down Tension Bar, mounted to the existing studs, and Hinge-Plate Adapter is a SCREW-LESS system eliminating drilling holes in the guitar body when installing a Bigsby B3 tailpiece. The Hinge-Plate Adapter is designed to go on the outside of the Bigsby B3 hingeplate raising the strap button out of the slot for easier access and relief from drilling the extra four holes in the your guitar body. Street price: $39.95 TownerUSA.com
Towner Down Tension Bar & Hinge-Plate Adapter
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OZZTOSH
LUMA billet aluminum guitar

The OZZtosh Luma guitars are CNC machined from two billets of aircraft quality aluminum and then hand finished and polished. Producing rich, crisp notes that are long on sustain and deep in tone, the Luma guitars are the newest innovation in the electric guitar industry. See us at NAMM 2014. Street price: $6,995 OZZtosh.com
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MOD KITS DIY
Persuader Deluxe Pedal Kit

The Persuader Deluxe utilizes a Darlington preamp to push cascaded triode vacuum tubes into distortion. Four dual triode vacuum tubes are included with each kit (JJ 5751, 12AX7B China, JJ 12AU7 and a NOS USA made 12AT7). Swap to create a wide range of tones from just a hint of break up from the JJ 5751 to over the top crunchy distortion using the NOS US made 12AT7. A boost switch provides an additional layer of flexibility with added gain and a little extra bottom end. An LED indicator lights up when the Persuader Deluxe is engaged and not in true bypass mode. Street price: $100 MODKitsDIY.com
KITS DIY
amps.mods.pedals
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WEB 42
LEHLE
Lehle Julian Parametic Booster

The new Julian Parametric Signal Buffer/Booster by Lehle is the perfect gift for any musician on your list! Built to last, designed for pros, priced for everyone it is the ultimate buffer/clean boost solution for any set up even those using vintage pedals. It delivers clean output because of its JFET input stage. The Lehle Julian is brand new and available at better dealers everywhere! Be the first on the block! Street price: $369 Lehle.com
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GOODSELL ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT CO LLC

Valpreaux Custom MkIV
The Valpreaux Custom Mark IV is a 30-watt 1x12 combo featuring four 6973 power tubes. I has the same cathode-follower tone stack found on all of the other Mark IV Series Goodsells, and is available with reverb and award-winning bias-vary tremolo (shown). 2x10, 2x12, and head models built-to-order. Street price: $2,499 GoodsellAmps.com
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GOGO TUNERS
The GoGo Pedal
With its metal chassis and durable stomp knob, the GoGo pedal tuner is compact, dependable and ruggedit deserves a spot on your pedal board! The GoGo pedal tuner rocks a giant LED display for easy reading. When it all shows red, you're out of tune, and when it all shows green, you're in tune. The GoGo pedal tuner delivers classic, precise pitch. . . a sure-shot for perfect pitchevery time! Street price: $69.99 GogoTuners.com
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ROCK TIPS
Rock Tips Liquid Callus Formula

The perfect stocking stuffer for newbies and professionals alike. If you play guitar, bass, ukelele, banjo, violin or any other stringed instrument Rock-Tips is a must have for your gig bag. Our specially formulated, non-toxic application creates a thin protective membrane that is extremely tough, allowing you to play longer and build your natural calluses up faster. A great gift for every musician in your life. Try RockTips, and feel the difference! Street price: $17.99 Rock-Tips.com
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WEB 44
PICKBAY
PICKBAY Stainless Steel Guitar pick holder pendant (Original)

Musician gift solved! Classic PICKBAY guitar pick holder pendant necklace set in Stainless steel. Holds 1-4 guitar picks depending on gauge for the musician, shows off vintage and concert guitar picks for the music lover. Complete set. Label yourself a guitar player with PICKBAY. Street price: $32.95 pickbay.com
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MTDMICHAEL TOBIAS DESIGN

MTD Kingston Guitars & Basses
Guitarists and bassists can both experience the Michael Tobias Design difference with the new MTD Kingston Rubicon Electric Guitar and the well respected MTD Kingston line of basses. Asymmetrical neck design for faster, stress free playing, ergonomic carved body and well balanced for extended playing, proprietary pickups, killer MTD tone, pro features built for working musicians! Pro quality and performance at reasonable prices. Available at better dealers everywhere! Discover the Michael Tobias Design difference. Street price: $1,099 $1,469 MTDKingston.com
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CHORDBUDDY
ChordBuddy Jr.
Introducing the ChordBuddy Jr. Pack Finally a learning system with a right-sized guitar for children ages 4 and up. Based on the fastest guitar learning system for older beginners, the ChordBuddy is now reconfigured for a 1/2 size guitar. With the ChordBuddy Jr children will easily learn rhythm, timing skills, and gain finger strength and dexterity by using the patented single-lever system with simple, colored buttons. There is instruction to have the kids eventually form standard chords. The ChordBuddy Jr. Pack includes a 1/2 size guitar, ChordBuddy Jr chord device, instructional DVD , song book and guitar tuner. Street price: $ 169.95 ChordBuddy.com
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WEB 46
DIPINTO GUITARS
Body: Neck: Fingerboard: Construction: Frets: Scale: Selector: Controls: Bridge: Tuners: Colors:
Los Straitjacket Galaxie

The Galaxie 4 is quickly becoming the Surf Guitarist guitar of choice! Mahogany Maple Rosewood with star or dot inlay Bolt on neck 22 25 1/2 Five position switch or 4 rocker switches One volume, one tone Floating intonatable bridge w/removable cover Enclosed gear, pearl button machines Silver Sparkle w/Gold Pearl Pickguard (Los Straitjacket Model) Sunburst Pink Sparkle
Available in Left Handed Street price: $670 DiPintoGuitars.com HEAR SOUND CLIPS PLAY VIDEOS BUY IT NOW ADD TO MY WISHLIST FIND US ON FACEBOOK
VANAMPS LLC
Sole-Mate Limited Editions

The Limited Edition Sole-Mates with special gold lettered Limited Edition control plates and VanAmps logo, which comes with the 9VDC output port option as standard equipment, engraved with the builders name and date on the back and a certificate of authenticity. Only 50 will be issued in total. Call or email us to find out what coverings we are currently featuring in the series. Hurry only two left in the Tweed/ Western covering pictured. Street price: $350 VanAmps.com
VanAmps
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KSM GUITARS
Foundation Bass Bridge

More contact. More solid. Better sound. Changing the bridge on your bass is one of the best upgrades you can make! The KSM Foundation Bass Bridge utilizes a ramp system that allows for precise adjustments and maximizes the transfer of string-to-body vibrations. All moving components lock into position to prevent any part from vibrating loose. Easy installation and fits on most 4 and 5 string basses on the market. Street price: $149.99 $165 KSMGuitars.com
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CHANDLER LIMITED
GAV19T
All-tube,19-watt amp in the vein of such vintage classics as Selmer, Watkins, Marshall, Vox. Full of fat, vintage tone! Editors Pick Award, Guitar Player Magazine. Controls change the bias of the gain stage. Intensity switch adds sustain and grit. Drive controls function in power amp section only and create distortion thats not weak or muddy. The Tone control is a Baxendall-style eq which functions like a treble booster pedal to add sustain and presence. Street price: $2,050 ChandlerLimited.com
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WEB 48
COOPERCOPIA LLC
Cooperstand Ecco-G
Fabricated from first run recycled ABS Composite. Ecco-G is designed for maximum portability and abusive situations, most specifically for heavy on stage use. The most important mechanical properties of ABS are impact resistance and toughness. Ecco-G securely supports all the same instruments as our Pro-G, and is priced to meet the budget of any musician. Our ABS Ecco-G is intentionally meant to be flexible and move with the instrument if bumped. It will fit in a back pocket of a pair of jeans or pack away in most guitar cases or gig bags. Website price $29.95 includes Priority USPS shipping inside the US. Street price: $29.95 Cooperstand.com
The Real Stand Out
www.cooperstand.com
Pro Instrument Stands
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GEORGE LS CABLES
New orange cable
George Ls, the original High End cable, introduces our new bright orange cable. Customize your pedalboard with our 6 & 12 patch cables & handy Effects Kit. Save time with our solderless plugs. Just cut,poke & screw your way to the cleanest sound in the world.Were not just for pedalboards. With no line loss & rated at 19pf ft, hear your gear with no alteration of sound from your cables. Great for studios. 3rd Generation Family owned Proudly made in the U.S.A. Street price: $19.50 $99 GeorgeLs.com
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TC ELECTRONIC
Ditto Looper
Ditto Looper is the smash-hit looper designed specifically for guitarists. Its simple, sounds great and is tons of fun! Ditto Looper combines all essential looper functionalities with an intuitive one-button UI, a true-bypass, analog dry-through design, ultra-small footprint and 24 bit uncompressed high quality audio. With 5 minutes looping time, unlimited overdubs and undo/redo functionality, Ditto Looper is the perfect mix of quality, creativity and simplicity. Street price: $129.99 TCElectronic.com
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WEB 50
CELESTION
V-Type
The V-Type is a sweet sounding speaker with a superbly balanced tonal signature imparting real vintage musicality. Delivering 70 watts power handling, its built with the modern player in mind. Clean sounds are true across the lows, mids and highs, with just enough HF sparkle to add clarity and definition. Crank it up for sizzling overdrive and raw rock tones, with plenty of mid-band warmth giving body and substance to lead note playing. Available in 8 or 16 ohm. Street price: $99 Celestion.com
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PIGTRONIX
Quantum Time Modulator & Gatekeeper Noise Gate

Pigtronix Quantum is an all analog dual BBD chorus pedal with LFO and Envelope Modulation sources. Developed in conjunction with Dweezil Zappa, the Quantum slams complex modulation sounds into a stompbox format. Pigtronix Gatekeeper is a lightning fast, studio quality noise gate that locks out all unwanted noise from any rig. Sporting threshold and release time knobs, the Gatekeepers unprecedented response time makes it the most useful and effective noise gate pedal on the market.
Street price: $199 Pigtronix.com
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DLS EFFECTS
RotoSIM
The DLS RotoSIM has been adopted by professionals around the world for its rich, authentic rotary speaker sounds and versatility! This effect is small, quiet, rugged and affordable. Controls include: Fast speed, Slow speed, Ramp time, Tweeter intensity, Bass Rotor level, Overdrive stage, Stereo or mono in/out, Expression pedal speed input, 9vdc input, and more. Find out why the RotoSIM stays on musicians pedal boards! Street price: $299 DSLEffects.com
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OPTION KNOB, INC.

GloKnob
The GloKnob Classic & Boutique are winged knobs that replace the factory knob on your effects pedals and allow you to tap into the full spectrum of sound parameters with your toes while playing. You can charge them with any bright light source such as flood lights and LEDs, but even ambient day light will make them glow as bright as lava! So pick which parameter you want real-time control over and kick up some noise! Street price: $11.95 OKnob.com
Option Knob, Inc.
CONTROL YOUR SOUL
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WEB 52
BORN CUSTOM GUITARS

OG-Drop
Youve played guitars built for the masses; its time to create your own sound with something built just for you. Customize the OG-Drop chassis by choosing from a variety of woods, electronics, finishes, and neck options and conquer that elusive tone youve been chasing for years. All of our guitars are built in the USA using sustainably sourced tone woods and only the finest components available. Street price: $2,495 BornGuitars.com
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OPTION KNOB, INC.

VKnob
The VKnob is an advanced dynamic volume controller for electric guitars. Pull off the factory knob, push on the VKnob, and instantly you can execute fine-tuned volume control and lightning fast volume swells with ease! Rapidly move the arm up and down to create tremolo effects at whatever tempo you want. Couple your pinky finger with the notch on the arm to swell the volume on every individual note while picking or strumming. Street price: $12.95 VKnob.com
Option Knob, Inc.
CONTROL YOUR SOUL
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GIBSON BRANDS, INC.

J-35
First introduced in 1936, the J-35 is the modern equivalent of that original round-shoulder flat-top with Gibsons historically celebrated, full-bodied acoustic tone. Handcrafted with solid tone woods and all the acclaimed skill of Gibson Acoustics luthiers of Bozeman, Montana, the J-35 features a spruce top and mahogany back and sides for that expressive Gibson tone sought after by renowned artists, acoustic connoisseurs, record producers and sound engineers. The short-scale neck with dovetail neck-to-body joint, attached with traditional hot hide glue, provides for smooth tonal response and easy playing. An Antique Natural finish hand-sprayed with Gibsons signature nitrocellulose lacquer preserves the natural grain and lends a clean, modern look. Equipped with a Baggs Element pickup. Street price: $1,699 Gibson.com
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WEB 54
EMPRESS EFFECTS
Tremolo2
The Empress Tremolo2 is an updated version of the now classic Empress Tremolo. The audio signal path is analog, but the tremolo effect is controlled digitally via opto technology. Tap tempo, selectable waveforms, a choice of 8 rhythms and a full preset system capable of storing up to 8 presets are all at your fingertips. The control port allows control over the Tremolo2 via external tap tempo, expression pedal, control voltage and MIDI making the Tremolo2 more powerful than ever! Street price: $249 EmpressEffects.com
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VALVETRAIN AMPS
Revolution Series Amplifiers
Designed in the tradition of the masters, hand wired and proudly manufactured in the U.S.A. the Revolution Series Amplifiers from ValveTrain provide an American made alternative to import products. Starting under $1000 the Revolution amps offer power levels ranging from 5 to 20 watts.
All major components including speakers, cabinet, chassis and transformers are manufactured by American suppliers. All other parts are sourced from U.S. distributors. Available as combos or as heads with matching cabinets. Street price: Starting at $1000 ValvetrainAmps.com
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NOISE SUPPLY
Boutique Pedals and Innovative Accessories

Noise Supply is an online retailer of custom, boutique, and innovative guitar products. We pride ourselves on carrying high quality and hard to find items that we personally believe in. We carry effects pedals by: Dr. Scientist, Fairfield Circuitry, SolidGoldFX, Maritime Analog, SynapticGroove, and Palmer. We also carry other products by: Lock-It Straps, Aspri, Palmer, GODLYKE, Blackbird Pedalboards, Hofner, Aurora Strings, Standback, and more. Check out noisesupply. ca today! Street price: $12 $800 NoiseSupply.ca

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BOICEBOX PEDALBOARDS
Versatile Bamboo Pedalboards
Highly functional, flexible, durable , and beautiful performance ready pedal boards. Made from incredibly strong and sustainably harvested bamboo, these pedal boards are distinctive in esthetic design as well as function. Plug-and-play Two-tiered design Our box is the board! Street price: $250 $399 Boicebox.com
PEDALBOARDS
MADE IN USA
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WEB 56
ELECTRO-HARMONIX
Hot Tubes, East River Drive, OD Glove, Soul Food

Hot Tubes Incendiary overdrive that simulates the tone and response of a small vintage combo. Disengage Tone control for a fuller, meaner overdrive East River Drive Classic JRC-4558 overdrive with a focused midrange for exceptional edge and cut. OD Glove Rich, earthy overdrive reminiscent of a hot-rodded EL-34 equipped tube amp. Internally switchable between 9v and 18v. Soul Food Transparent overdrive that adds boost and definition to your tone. Switchable between buffered and true bypass. Street price: $58.04/$62.81 for Soul Food ehx.com
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ELECTRA GUITARS
Omega Prime, Flame Maple

Step up to the new Omega Prime, Flame Maple. This Prime has a vintage C-shaped neck that sports a maple fretboard with jumbo nickel/silver frets, tortoise block inlays, and a GraphTech Tusq nut. For the ultimate in tonal selection, the Primes are equipped with Electras custom wound, Alnico 5, MagnaFlux Humbuckers with coil split. Upgraded hardware includes Tonepros/ Kluson Deluxe Tuning Machines, TonePros locking Tune-o-matic Bridge and locking Stop Tailpiece. Also, an Electrosocket style output jack plate. Street price: $979 ElectraGuitar.com
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DECEMBER Highlights

108 Rock Star Guitars

The Florida metal foursome returns with a vengeance.

The genre-bending sludge rockers pull a switcheroo on their 19th album.

2013 Gear Awards

Photos by Frank White

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Page, Beck, Richards, Wylde, Kramer & More

AXES OF THE GODS

39 GUITARS, BASSES, PEDALS & AMPS THAT'LL ROCK YOUR RIG

GUITAR & BASS REVIEWS

Digital reverb Effects loop Celestion G12 speakers in all models

Get the Gear You Want This Holiday at Sweetwater

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(800) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com

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The Day Ozzy Channeled My Dad

Dad holding his first grandchild in happier times.

8 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013

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I love #stompboxtober from @premierguitar. That is all.

The Trem Topic

Keep those comments coming!

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PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013 11

CONTENTS December 2013

108 Rock Star Guitars

Studio Legends: Andrew Scheps

2013 Gear Awards

Acid Age Electronics Acid Pig

12 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013

NICK URATA | DEVOTCHKA | EASTMAN T386

GEAR OF THE YEAR KINGS OF LEON

MELVINS PIERRE BENSUSAN

CONTENTS December 2013

Page, Beck, Richards, Wylde, Kramer & More

AXES OF THE GODS

18 20 23 206 208 220 222 224

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GUITAR & BASS REVIEWS

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Photo Credit: Andy Sheppard

Acoustic Phosphor Bronze

16 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2013

Extend Your Reach.

Extend Your Experience. Enjoy digitally

Extend Your Power. With four

Extend Your Control. Loaded with

GUITARDOMS TOP TWEETS

PRS Guitar on Permanent Display at NYCs Metropolitan Museum of Art

I have figured out my DJ name: THE IVORY TOWER