PRO (& READER) PEDALBOARDS DEAN WEEN HARVEY MANDEL OOZING WOUND

MARCH 2017
MARCH 2017

RIG
NS
RUNDOGWGAH
MESHU
&
BB
DAVE CO

ALL-STAR
PEDALBOARDS
CHRIS ROBINSON BLOC PARTY
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS MODEST MOUSE
BRAD WHITFORD BAND OF SKULLS
premierguitar.com

TIM COMMERFORD THRICE

13
GUITAR & BASS REVIEWS
PRS / SUPRO / DIGITECH
IK MULTIMEDIA / G&L / & MORE!
GUITAR COLLECTORS,
FEAST YOUR EYES
ON THIS.
All-new Ovation Collectors Series
guitars feature DW California Custom
Shop highly-figured, book-matched
exotic wood tops. The very same
woods used on the most coveted
exotic drums on the planet. Legends
and Elites in a variety of responsibly-
forested, hand-selected wood
species. Married with Ovation tone,
playability and optimized electronics.
Ovation reinvented.

www.ovationguitars.com 2017 Drum Workshop, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Shown: Dragon Wood Elite
 VISIT OUR GUITAR GALLERY
FOR DETAILED IMAGES OF GUITARS
AND BASSES TO BUY AT NEW!

SWEETWATER.COM/GUITARGALLERY.
NEW!

Fender Taylor
American Professional 812ce 12-fret
Stratocaster Deluxe

Electro-Harmonix
Soul Pog

Fender
65 Deluxe Reverb

NEW!

EarthQuaker Devices MXR EVH

Dispatch Master V2 Phase 90

0% INTEREST for 24 MONTHS* on purchases of select manufacturers products made with your Sweetwater Musicians All Access
Platinum Card between now and March 31, 2017 24 equal monthly payments required.

*Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. No interest will be charged on promo purchase and equal monthly payments are required equal to initial promo purchase amount divided equally by the number of months in promo period until promo is paid in
full. The equal monthly payment will be rounded to the next highest whole dollar and may be higher than the minimum payment that would be required if the purchase was a non-promotional purchase. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional purchases. For new
accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit card agreement for their applicable terms. Subject to credit approval. **Please note: Apple products are excluded from this warranty, and other restrictions may
apply. Please visit Sweetwater.com/warranty for complete details.
 SWEETWATER IS YOUR
PREMIER ONE-STOP SHOP
FOR GUITARS, EFFECTS,
NEW!
AMPS, AND MORE.
Gibson Memphis
ES-355 Bigsby

Ibanez
SR1400E SR
Premium

Supro
Comet

BOSS NEW!
CE-2W Chorus
Waza Craft

Keeley Wampler
Bubble Tron Pinnacle Deluxe V2

FREE PRO FREE 2-YEAR FAST, FREE

ADVICE WARRANTY** SHIPPING
Were here to help! Total Confidence On most orders, with no
Call today! Coverage Warranty minimum purchase!

(800) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com

 AKERS
e et THE M
M HAL
L 16
TH
BOO82

E
 Hampton Hampton Westbury Westbury Jamesport

Island Series guitars are a high-performance adaptation of the Supro 62 Ozark with ergonomic set-neck
construction, wave tailpiece and Gold Foil pickups available in single, double or triple pickup configurations.

Martinique Coronado II Sahara Coronado II Maritinique

Vibrato Vibrato

Dual-Tone Belmont Belmont Black White

Vibrato Holiday Holiday

Americana Series guitars are historic replicas of the semi-hollow, Art Deco fiberglass models of the 60s, loaded with
the legendary Vistatone single coils as well as piezo pickups and an all new Supro Vibrato system on selected models.
DISCOVER THE LEGEND

TM

SuproUSA.com/guitars
 Publisher Jon Levy

EDITORIAL
Chief Content Officer Shawn Hammond
Managing Editor Tessa Jeffers
Senior Editor Andy Ellis
Senior Editor Ted Drozdowski
Gear Editor Charles Saufley
Art Director Meghan Molumby
Associate Editor Chris Kies
Associate Editor Rich Osweiler
Associate Editor Jason Shadrick
Nashville Correspondent John Bohlinger
Nashville Video Editor Perry Bean
Digital Designer Ben Kuriscak
Photo Editor Kristen Berry
Contributing Editor Joe Gore

PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS

Operations Manager Shannon Burmeister
Circulation Manager Lois Stodola
Production Coordinator Luke Viertel
Administrative Assistant Kerri Thompson

SALES/MARKETING
Dir. of Business & Audience Dev. Ashley Atz
Advertising Director Brett Petrusek
Advertising Director Dave Westin
Marketing Manager Matt Roberts

GEARHEAD COMMUNICATIONS, LLC

President Patricia Erenberger
Managing Director Gary Ciocci

WEBSITES
Our Portal: premierguitar.com
Our Online Magazine: digital.premierguitar.com

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.

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; Copyright 2017.
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.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: lois@premierguitar.com.

PREMIER GUITAR (USPS 025-017)

Volume 22, Issue 3
Published monthly by:
Gearhead Communications, LLC
Three Research Center
Marion, IA 52302
CUSTOM REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR & BASS, MADE WITH PASSION AND PRECISION. Phone number: 877-704-4327 Fax: 319-447-5599

Periodical Postage Rate paid at Marion, IA 52302

and at Additional Mailing Offices

WWW.WARMOTH.COM POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to:

Gearhead Communications, LLC,

(253) 845-0403 Three Research Center, Marion, IA 52302

premierguitar.com
CUSTOM GUITAR & BASS PARTS MON-FRI 9AM TO 5PM PST info@premierguitar.com
Distributed to the music trade by Hal Leonard Corporation.

premierguitar.com
10 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
TUNING UP
Dr. Strange Love in the 6-String Abstract
BY SHAWN HAMMOND
F
or who-knows-how-many
years now, a not insignificant
number of guitarists have
been referring to their instruments
using either given names ( la B.B.
King and Lucille) or generic third-
person references (e.g., My Strats
back on her feet againI just put a
new set of pickups in her, and she sounds
amazing). Ill refrain from opining
about whether thats harmless, good-old-
fashioned folksiness, antiquated discourse
unbefitting the times, or flat-out creepy
(or maybe a little of each). Instead, Ill
just say that this quirk from the guitar-
o-verse recently got me thinking about
whether there might be some insights
from healthy long-term relationships with
significant others that might also translate
to the guitar in the abstract.
Uhhh strange topic, Shawn. Yeah, I
know. But think about: Wherever the jury
lands on referring to an inanimate object
you spend lots of hands-on, one-on-
one time with using expressions usually
reserved for human beings with feelings
and thoughts and rights, the simple fact
is that if you get into playing the guitar
with the expectation that its going to be
a long-term thing, youre going to end up
facing issues that are similar in some ways
to what you go through in relationships
with actual living, breathing humans who
can tell you to get your grimy mitts off
them when youre all hot and bothered
and making that gross solo face. And to
weather those issues, perhaps there are
some transferable lessons from sentient-
being relationships.
For starters, you and your axes should
be together for the right reasons. If you
committed to this thing not because the
music you make together fills you with
joy and wonder like nothing else, but
because you think itll get you chicks (or
dudes), make you look cool at your high-
school reunion or company party, or
reel in fortune and fame, then it might
be time for a heart-to-heart with your
instrument. Otherwise, its going to end
12 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
in a messy separation that costs beaucoup
bucks and makes the kids hate you.
Another important aspect of
healthy relationships is to have realistic
expectations. In the guitar realm, perhaps
this would translate to how you expect
to sound and play in comparison to your
heroes. Because even if youve got the
time to woodshed the licks, songs, and
sounds of your heroes, you simply are
not them and you never will benor
should you be. You need to be you.
Another thing: Youre not always going
to love how you sound. Sometimes youll
sound like ass (at least to your own overly
critical self ) despite your best efforts
at mastering techniques and dialing in
quality gear. Sometimes youll absolutely
hate how you sound and wonder why
the hell you even bother. Everyone, from
the greatest musicians ever (even the
megalomaniacs) on down to us mortals,
struggles with these insecurities.
Sometimes the best thing to do
during these times of doubt is to give
each otheryou and your beloved/
confounded instrumentssome space. A
stimulating, varied life away from your
guitar isnt just conducive but critical to a
long, productive, fulfilling relationship
with it (not to mention with the humans
in your orbit). However, unlike with
your spouse or partner, sometimes
the relationship hiatus needs to be
days or weeks rather than a night out
with the guys or girls. Ive interviewed
professional musicians whove said they
dont touch a guitar for months after a
long, grueling tour, because they know
the extracurricular time will reinvigorate
them for the next go-around.
Its also important to realize that,
during your life with the 6-string (or
however many strings you fret), youre
bound to changea lot. And thats
good. In fact, if youre not changing
learning, evolving, experimenting,
pushing yourselfthen somethings
wrong. If you started playing guitar ages
ago because of [insert name of guitar
@PG_shawnh
idol], and today youre still hyperfocused
on their work, its as much of a tragedy
as if you approached significant Homo
sapiens others the way you treated
people you had a crush on as a kid.
Its also a huge deal to realize its not
just the big things you do that get you
further along the path toward oneness
with your chosen instrument. Its not
just the hours spent nailing specialized
picking techniques or sight-reading
or chord theory. Its also things as
seemingly minor as experimenting with
string gauges or tunings, or changing
how you approach vibrato, or identifying
musical crutches that make you feel
good or stylistic prejudices that insulate
you but are probably holding you back.
And finally, youve got to learn how to
surf your guitar lifes wavesits ups and
downs. Because lets be honest: Even though
you really are getting better, sometimes
the longer youve played, the fewer big
victories you have. You can only learn to
do something for the first time once, and
the more musical terrain you conquer,
the harder it can be to feel like youre
improving. But thats the insular view. Thats
when you need to remember rule No. 1
being together with these glorious stringed
noise machines for the right reasons. Thats
when you go back and remind yourself
of all the incredible experiences theyve
brought you and rediscover a new, wiser,
deeper love that enables more of those to
unfold. Thats when you renew your vigor
and determination and fight off those
nagging doubts and insecurities that dog
you at seemingly every woodshed session,
band rehearsal, or gig. Thats when you
remind yourself why you decided to play in
the first placebecause you simply cant live
without the damn thing.
Shawn Hammond
Chief Content Officer
shawn@premierguitar.com
premierguitar.com
 Tuning the
Harmony of Time
IN HONOR OF MARTIN GUITARS
2 MILLIONTH GUITAR MILESTONE

D-200 Deluxe

A custom RGM watch

included with the
D-200 Deluxe

Find an Authorized Martin Dealer

at martinguitar.com/find-a-dealer
 FEEDBACK LOOP
Gary Rossington
I just read the interview you
guys did with Gary Rossington
in the February issue of your
magazine. I wanted to say thank
you for including this interview.
When I was a 15-year-old kid in
high school from a small town
in Georgia, a rock n roll tour
with Paul Rodgers, Kenny Wayne
Shepherd, and Lynyrd Skynyrd
came through my city. Id never
been to a concert in my life. After
the first two acts, it came time for
Skynyrd to bring the three-guitar
attack out and do what they do
best. Halfway during their set the
house lights dropped and a lone
spotlight hit Gary stage right.
Then he started the opening
notes of Tuesdays Gone .... and
it changed my life. I knew then
and there I had to learn to play a
guitar. I just knew I had to play
live music. After the final notes
of Freebird filled the air, I was
lucky enough to catch a guitar
pick from Gary.
Now Im 35 and Ive seen
Lynyrd Skynyrd 30-plus times.
I still wear that guitar pick on a
necklace today. It was great to
see Gary in an interview, and
reading it brought back some
great memories from those shows
and the people I saw them with.
14 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
I feel Gary, Steve Gaines, and
Allen Collins dont receive the
credit they deserve. Hell, none of
them even made Rolling Stones
100 greatest list a few years back.
Garys playing and tone shaped
what I thought guitar playing
should be. Simple, powerful,
and just enough grit and gain to
express what you need to. You
dont have to play lightning fast
or have over-the-top effects to get
your point across. Just let the notes
do the talking for you. I really
enjoy Premier Guitar and all of the
content across all formats. Thank
you for being a guitar magazine
for guitarists that enjoy the purity
of what guitar playing brings.
Travis Clark,
Chattanooga, TN
The Fixx
Hey Shawn,
Great article about Jamie West-
Oram [Tuning Up, January
2017]. I totally agreehes been
one of my favorites since I first
heard the Fixx in the early 80s
and wore out those records (still
listen to them to this day, but
MP3s, of course). Cool story:
I was at the NAMM show the
summer of 07 or 08, cant
remember which, but it was in
Indianapolis, Indiana. After the
show ended one day, I was driving
north through Indy headed for
my brothers house where I was
staying (I live in the D.C. area),
and I passed a marquee on a
small-ish club that said Tonight:
The Fixx. I slammed on my
brakes and couldnt believe my
eyes. My brother and I went to
see them that night and it was
incredible. The club was only
about 1/3 full and I stood right at
the edge of the stage in front of
J. W-O. I was so close I couldve
hammered-on a couple of notes Socialize
for him. I scoped his whole rig
Fender Hot Rod DeVille, MXR
with Us!
chorus, etc. The band didnt seem
to care at all that the club wasnt
fullthey put on a show like it
was a stadium. Definitely one of
the most memorable/great shows
Ive ever seen. Thanks for giving
him the props that he deserves!
Jason Robling
Standback Ampstands, Washington D.C.
Just wanted to say a quick Great read from
thank you for recognizing one @premierguitar.
of my favorite guitarists, Jamie Looks like Im going
West-Oram, in your Tuning to be investing some
Up column. It was really nice money in some
to see Jamies name in a guitar great music by
magazine. I was very happy, @thedavidcrosby.
and shocked at the same time, @WhiteRabbitObj
because Jamie has received very
little credit for his amazing tones
and the way he textures up those
awesome Fixx tunes. I find myself
channeling Jamie quite often
when I play my Strat through You dont
my big pedalboard, saturated know what
with chorus, compression, and slow is until
delay. The Fixx are still a great Ray Charles
live band and Jamies tone and makes you
chops are always spot on. By play slow [Last
the way, you compared Jamie to Call, August 2016].
Buck Dharma, who just happens He controlled his
to be another one of my favorite bands playing and
guitarists. I never thought of them sound in a way that
as similar until you mentioned it. made James Brown
Dharma had a lot of those same seem lackadaisical
chops and tones in the 80s when and all warm and
Blue yster Cult expanded their fuzzy. That man knew
sound as many other 70s rock what he wanted
bands did. More on both of these and he got it. And he
underrated guitarists please! heard everything that
Laura Andrews everyone was doing
Above left: Photo by Travis Shinn
all the time. If you
blinked out of time he
Keep those caught it and made
comments coming! sure that you knew
Please send your suggestions,
gripes, comments, and good words
that he knew it.
directly to info@premierguitar.com. Kenneth Nielsen
premierguitar.com
 CONTENTS March 2017
43 REVIEWS
All-Star 144 Rock Stock Skyline
Pedalboards
The most notable
144 Amptweaker Bass
stomp stations TightMetal Jr.
from last years
Rig Rundowns. 145 IK Multimedia Fender
Collection 2
66 145 BAE Hot Fuzz 156 Bullhead Matador
History of 146 Paul Reed Smith Sonzera 50 159 Joe Gore Gross
the Plectrum
About a century ago, 148 Supro Westbury 162 Epifani Piccolo 999
plectrum innovations
sparked a tone and
150 G&L Kiloton 165 Daredevil Red Light District
technique revolution. 153 Digitech Whammy Ricochet 168 DAngelico Premier SS

172 74 82 91 98
Reader Kristin Hersh The Dean Harvey Mandel Luke Temple
Pedalboards The Throwing Muses Ween Group A psych-blues hero Nylon-string picking
Our eclectic audience cofounder releases her An alt-rock wild man celebrates trippy and space-conscious
shows us unique ways muscular, riff-heavy, brings his Fender- tapping, extreme arrangements enchant
to wire up and fire ninth solo album. fueled A-game. vibrato, and his new solo album.
up a board. backwards soloing.

I lost out to Ron Wood because Keith 113 126

Richards wanted to keep the band Oozing Wound Aziza
all-English. Still, I did come real close This Chicago thrash Dave Holland and
trio takes the crude Lionel Loueke reveal
to becoming a Rolling Stone. metal shtick outside the vision behind their
Harvey Mandel, p. 91 the norm. jazz quartet.

Photo by Andy Ellis

p. 66

premierguitar.com
16 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 On the Cover: PRO (& READER) PEDALBOARDS DEAN WEEN HARVEY MANDEL OOZING WOUND
MARCH 2017

Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist

MARCH 2017
Josh Klinghoffers pedalboard. RIG
NS
RUNDOW H
MESHUGGA

Photo by Perry Bean

&
DAVE COBB

CONTENTS March 2017 ALL-STAR

PEDALBOARDS
CHRIS ROBINSON BLOC PARTY
RHCP MODEST MOUSE
BRAD WHITFORD BAND OF SKULLS

premierguitar.com
TIM COMMERFORD THRICE

13

12 Tuning Up
GUITAR & BASS REVIEWS
PRS / SUPRO / DIGITECH
IK MULTIMEDIA / G&L / & MORE!

26 Reader Guitar of the Month

27 Opening Notes
170 Staff Picks
206 Esoterica Electrica
208 Last Call
I would love
to see Eric GEAR
Clapton dust off 22 Gear Radar
his Marshall,
grab his Gibson
34 Rig Rundowns
335, and have 38 Vintage Vault
a woman tone 40 Bottom Feeder
party during the 72 Tone Tips
halftime show.
Jonny Lam,
142 Tools for the Task
Staff Picks, p. 170
HOW-TO
106 Acoustic Soundboard
108 The Recording Guitarist
110 Speaker Geeks
p. 34 122 On Bass
124 Bass Bench
134 State of the Stomp
136 Mod Garage
138 Ask Amp Man

Top left: Photo by Christophe Pauly

premierguitar.com
18 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Raise Your Voice
A New Series I Elevated Features I Limitless Possibilities

2017 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. FENDER.COM

GO ONLINE

ONLY ON PremierGuitar.com
Your guide to the latest stories, reviews, videos, and lessons.

FEATURED

LESSONS
Access all of our lessons
online, for free, with
streaming audio and
downloadable, printable
Purling Hiss and the Shelters notation PDFs.
The first thing we noticed about Mike Polizze, guitarist for psychedelic rockers Purling Hiss
(above left), is his modded Ampeg VT-22. You dont see many Ampeg guitar amps these days, but RHYTHM IS KING
Bob Marleys
they were a big deal in the early 70s, especially for the Rolling Stones, who were the first band Hypnotic Pulse
to use Ampegs muscular V series amplifiers when they brought the prototypes on their 1969 By Joshua Ray Gooch
American tour.
CRAM SESSION
That amp is the bedrock of Polizzes tone, and he keeps it loud, onstage and in the studio. While Thrash-Metal Rhythms
recording Purling Hiss new album, High Bias, he baffled the 120-watt behemoth to keep the By Jamie Humphries
volume manageable, yet still capture a raw, vibrant sound. We had a big foam thing that we put
BEYOND BLUES
over the amp, Polizze says. We used headphones, but it still felt live. In our interview, Polizze
John Scofield
discusses his improvisatory style and how he keeps a Strat in tune despite overworking the tremolo. By Levi Clay
We also spoke to the Shelters (above right) 6-stringer Josh Jove about the groups self-titled
DIGGING DEEPER
debut record, which they created under Tom Pettys mentorship, using his studio and all his
Developing a
amazing vintage gear. The Shelters are currently figuring out how to translate these songs to a live Funk-Guitar Orchestra
setting on their current tour, so head online to see the utilitarian gear choices theyve made. By Donna Grantis

Above left: Photo by Constance Mensh Above right: Photo by Brantley Gutierrez
NEW FOOTAGE!
Monday Morning Live
Isnt Facebook Live the darndest thing? Tune in to Premier Guitars
Facebook page for Monday live feeds with Nashville correspondent
John Bohlinger, who will give first looks at the newest gear, fresh for
review from the delivery truck. For these spots, Bohlinger plugs in and
plays through something drool-worthy, while providing brief specs and
unscripted commentary. Of course, we do in-depth reviews of these
featured instruments later, but this gives you a chance to see more of the
gears versatility, and offers a preview of what were working on and what
to look forward to. Well also keep these videos available on our website,
in case you cant make it to the live feed. (We know some folks have day
jobs!) Head online now to watch First Look: Supro Westbury and
First Look: American Professional Stratocaster.

premierguitar.com
20 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 GUITARDOMS
TOP TWEETS
My pedal steel weighs too much.
The case is bright pink. Think Ill name
her miss piggy #oink #diet #daaamn
@lizlawrence10

I knew about James Taylor about

six months before anybody.
- Dad #dadbrag
@NikiGlaser

Shuffled through some old pics at my

folks house and came across this early WALRUSAUDIO.COM
(promo?) shot. Circa 90. #parentsidea
@seancwatkins

And then the Berklee masterclass

instructor said find the names
of working musicians and send
them unsolicited friend requests
on Facebook
@doucheyhiredgun

Time for some acoustic tracks with my

signature series @MartinGuitar #guitar
@KWShepherd

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 21

 GEAR RADAR
New products on the horizon.
1 2
ESP
LTD Cult 86
This tribute to the guitar
that Vernon Reid used
on Living Colours Vivid
features an alder body, a
bolt-on neck, and a trio of
EMG pickups. Also included
is a Floyd Rose Special
locking tremolo for Reids
trademark dive bombs.
$1,149 street
espguitars.com
22 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
3 4
EBS MORLEY
Black Haze DJ Ashba
This bass drivevoiced Skeleton Wah
darker than most The former Guns N Roses
dirtboxeshas a 3-level guitarist worked to develop
character switch to boost this switchless wah that
or cut certain frequencies, uses an electro-optical
dual drive engines, and system rather than a
low-range compensation traditional potentiometer.
for improved performance It also uses a custom MQ2
with bass. inductor thats tuned to
$119 street Ashbas specs. Bonus: It
ebssweden.com glows in the dark.
$145 street
morleypedals.com
5
TRACE ELLIOTT STOMP AUDIO
ELF Octopus
Packed inside this quaint Based on an analog
broccoli-colored enclosure circuit, this monophonic
is a 200-watt powerhouse octave pedal uses simple
that offers three different volume controls for both
modes: uncompressed, the octave up and octave
variable multiband down effects, plus an
compression, and overall mix control. Theres
overdrive. Around back are also a gain circuit on each
studio-quality XLR outputs octave control that adds a
and a ground lift switch. heap of push.
$399 street $199 street
traceelliot.com stompaudio.com.br
premierguitar.com

6 7
NEUNABER
Iconoclast Guitar
Speaker Emulator
Placed after a pedal chain
or preamp, Iconoclast
shapes a guitars tone as
a speaker cabinet would,
and outputs directly to
headphones, powered
speakers, a mixer, or a
recording interface. It sports
a built-in noise gate, too.
$249 street
neunaber.net
premierguitar.com
9
6
10
8 9 10
MAGNETIC EFFECTS VOX RATTLESNAKE SCHECTER
Zola MV50 CABLE COMPANY Apocalypse
Inside this clean boost Utilizing Nutube Snake Head Series C-1
sits a voltage multiplier technology, this compact Guitar Cable Designed for extreme metal
that bumps 9V up to a amp comes in three This oxygen-free copper playerswith an aesthetic
whopping 30V for an different flavors: AC, Rock, cable is milled in the U.S., to matchthis super
immense amount of and Clean. Each one boasts with a capacitance of strat is constructed with a
headroom. A 2-band a hefty 50 watts and 2025 pF/foot. It uses swamp-ash body, a 5-ply
boost/cut EQ allows you features speaker and line/ strong quality Neutrik maple/bubinga set neck,
to tighten the lows, add headphone outputs. Oh, plugs and the durable ebony fretboard, rust grey
sparkle to the high end, and it only weighs a pound. outer poly-weave is finish, and Schecters USA
or deal with different $199 street available in seven colors. Apocalypse pickups.
pickup outputs. voxamps.com 10' ($55 MSRP); $1,089 street
$131 street 15' ($60); and 20' ($65) schecterguitars.com
magneticeffects.net rattlesnakecables.com
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 23
 GEAR RADAR
Contd
11
12
11 12
VOODOO LAB FENDER
Dingbat Power American
Pedalboard Professional
Each board comes with a Jaguar
roadworthy gig bag and Still as cool as it was in 62,
a pre-wired power supply this Jag has new flair with
(non-powered boards are its Michael Frank-designed
available, too). The Dingbat V-Mod single-coils, an
comes in three different added treble circuit to
sizes and can be paired maintain highs when the
with the PX-8 Plus true volume is decreased, a Jag
bypass switching system. bridge with brass Mustang
$229 street saddles, and a vintage-
voodoolab.com style floating trem.
$1,449 street
fender.com
24 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
14
13
13 14
TV JONES T-REX EFFECTS
Ray Butts Replicator Module
FUL-FIDELITY Housed in a compact
FilterTron rackmount-ready setup,
This mission was simple the Replicator Module
for TVs Tom Jones: uses much of the same
building the most original technology found in the
and authentic reissue of stompbox. New studio-
a FilterTron pickup to friendly options included
date. Now you can get the are CV inputs accepting
FilterTron Chet Atkins used 0-5 volts and a filter
for his high-fidelity tone, switch that dampens high
with an even, flat response. frequencies on the repeats.
$175 (chrome) street; $899 street
$180 (gold) t-rex-effects.com
tvjones.com
15
15
DANGELICO
Premier EXL-1
Built upon John
DAngelicos original
design, the companys
flagship model has been
added to the Premier
series. The 17" body comes
loaded with a custom mini-
humbcucker and laminated
maple back and sides.
$750 street
dangelicoguitars.com
premierguitar.com
 16

20
17

19

18

16 17 18 19 20
REUNION BLUES ZORG EFFECTS MOOER CARR AMPLIFIERS WYLDE AUDIO
RB Continental Oppressor Devin Townsend Mercury V Odin Genesis Grail
Voyager Series The French companys new Signature Ocean The 16-watt, 6V6-powered Bullseye
Guitar Cases optical compressor offers Machine Mercury V, the older British Reminiscent of one of Zakk
The ergonomic features of nine different combinations The prolific producer cousin of Carrs award- Wyldes Ozzy-era axes, this
the original RB Continental of attack and release and guitarist didnt winning Skylark, is back new model features a hefty
are improved upon for this settings via two aptly want everything in his with evolved features like maple cap over an all-
series. Upgrades include marked toggle switches. signature stomp, but a 3-position boost switch, mahogany body. Naturally,
1-thick, shock-absorbing It also includes a Bad almost everything. It a redesigned cabinet using the Odin uses a pair of
Flexoskeleton panels, an switch that adds more contains a delay generator North Carolina pine, and a EMG pickups (81 and 85)
extra-reinforced neck brace, gain. The red LED light with 17 options, reverb, a recording/PA line out. along with a TonePros
and a palm-contoured indicates just how much looper unit with 32 MB of $2,530 street (1x12); Tune-o-matic bridge and a
handle with a foam core. compression is dialed up. storage, and space for 24 $2,490 (head) Graph Tech TUSQ nut.
$189 street $191 street user presets. carramps.com $1,119 street
reunionblues.com zorgeffects.com $299350 street wyldeaudio.com
mooeraudio.com

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 25

 READER GUITAR
OF THE MONTH
Name: Conrad Warre
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Guitar: Acid-Blues Frankenstrat

As a guitar player, my
Achilles heel is the size
and shape of my hands,
and I can never get used
to the predominate
Fender Strat neck shapes
C, D, and U. I prefer the
V-shape neckI grew up
playing a medium V Strat
neck and stick with this
shape as much as I can.
Which leads me to the
pilgrimage I made to find
my perfect guitar.
I tried a Tom Anderson Classic and was
impressed with the versatility of the pickups,
so I went out of my way to find a set of Tom
Anderson SA stacked-coil pickups on eBay.
It took several months of lurking, but once I
found them, I assembled the rest of the parts
to make my dream guitar. A lightly used
Relic Master V-shaped maple neck appeared
on eBay, and I scoured my local Craigslist
for a Mexican Strat tremoloed body. At that
point I took all the parts to the renowned
luthier Jim Mouradian. He hard-tailed the
bridge perfectly, routed out a little more body
space for the stacked pickups, and built me
an incredibly playable guitar with individual
coil-splitting on each of the three pickups.
He added a 5-way Fender selector switch,
which allows 15 different voicings, including
single-coil out of phase with a humbucker,
which I havent seen elsewhere yet!
Strangely, the Blue Agave-colored body
attracts a lot of attentionmore so than
the wiring. But most friends and fans of
Bees Deluxe, my acid-blues band, love the
tone. Im able to roam well-known and
recognizable guitar sounds ranging from
the high-end squall of a Tele to the lupine
howl of a Les Paul. Much of my tone is
derived from my hybrid-picking style, but
I wouldnt trade this guitar for any other. It
feels and sounds like home to me.
On a sad note, Mouradian passed away
on January 14 after playing a show with
Ronnie Earl. All the Boston-area musicians
who knew and respected Jim are in a state
of grief. He will be sorely missed.

845.269.8275 / hahnguitars.com Send your guitar story to

submissions@premierguitar.com.

premierguitar.com
26 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 OPENING NOTES

John Doe
December 28, 2016
The Roxy
West Hollywood, CA
Photo by Steve Rose

The bassist for iconic punkers

X digs into his 63 Fender P on
the last leg of the bands 40th
anniversary tour. Does long been
seen with a Precision in hand,
and his No. 2 has visibly enjoyed
plenty of heavy action, but its had
little in the way of mods beyond a
repaint job and some wood added
around the bridge by the previous
owner. P basses have the solid,
opaque tone thats both low and
distinct, says Doe, who always
uses flatwounds. Especially if the
tone knob is turned back a bit.

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 27

 OPENING NOTES

Tim Wheeler
December 11, 2016
O2 Ritz Manchester
Manchester, England
Photo by John Gilleese

Ash frontman Tim Wheeler slams

his long-time sparkly companion,
the 1995 Gretsch Silver Jet he
purchased while on the bands
first U.S. tour that year and
used as his main guitar for the
recording of their debut album,
1977. Though Wheeler had his
tech glue down the floating bridge
soon after acquiring the guitar,
he has otherwise kept it stock.
Wheeler says, This year is the
20th anniversary of our debut
album, and weve been on tour
playing the album in full, so I had
to bring the Silver Jet out.

premierguitar.com
28 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 OPENING NOTES

Gus G.
December 10, 2016
Maasvallei
Maasmechelen, Belgium
Photo by Christophe Pauly

New to the Jackson roster as of

2016, metal-phenom Gus G. lets
it all ring out with his new No.
1, a signature-model prototype
built by Jackson master builder
Mike Shannon. Its packed with
features such as a beveled-ash body,
custom Evil G inlay at the 12th
fret, and Seymour Duncan Gus
G. Fire Blackout humbuckers that
are governed by a single knob for
volume. The specs are similar to
what Ive played for many years,
but the sound is huge on this
guitar, says Gus. It only weighs
about 7 pounds, but the sound is
really thick and the EQ of the tone
is well balanced.
premierguitar.com
30 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 300
Performance
Audio Systems

Personalized Fishman-Quality
Sound In A Portable, Powerful

SUB
and Easy-ToSet-Up Package
Easily personalized for your specific audio

needs, the Fishman SA Performance

Audio System is the ideal solution for solo

acoustic performers, small combos, DJs,

keyboardists, corporate presenters at trade

shows or in conference rooms... any and

all who need to be heard in small to

medium-sized situations where a portable,

practical and sonorous performance

amplification solution is required.

EXPAND
Inspired Performance TechnologyTM

800.FISHMAN | FISHMAN.com
RIG RUNDOWNS

DAVE COBB
FACTOID
Cobb currently
serves as the
producer-in-
residence of the
legendary RCA
Dave Cobb had a Studio A.
big year in 2015
and has moved his
studio to Nashvilles
legendary RCA Studio
A. Between sessions,
he took PG on a gear
tour, where we were
treated to a bevy of
vintage beauties.

GUITARS
Top left: Cobb keeps
a ton of vintage gear
handy for anybody
recording in his studio.
His arsenal of guitars
includes this 1952
goldtop Les Paul. At
some point it was
converted to a 57 style,
with a neck reset, stop
tailpiece, and vintage
PAF pickups.

Top right: This 1960

Gibson ES-335
attracted Cobbs eye at
Guitar Center because
of the faint remnants of
a Rebel sticker on the
upper bout.

Bottom left: Originally,

Cobb thought the
red finish on this
1966 Fender Esquire
was the work of an
inexperienced DIY-er,
but it turns out thats
whats left of the Fiesta
Red original finish.

Bottom right: Heres an

all-stock 1957 Fender
Esquire that Cobb keeps
handy. It was a recent
acquisition from fellow
Nashville 6-stringer
Tom Bukovac.

premierguitar.com
34 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 AMPS
Left: Earlier this year,
Cobb purchased this
1959 tweed Fender
Champ. According to
Cobb, he never turns it
past 3 or 4just mic
it up and it sounds like
a record.

Below: At first glance

this might look like a
rather standard 1965
Fender Deluxe, but the
guts were revamped
by famed amp mystic
Alexander Dumble.

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 35

RIG RUNDOWNS

Fredrik Thordendal, Mrten Hagstrm, & Dick Lvgren

MESHUGGAH
FACTOID
Rolling Stone
labeled Meshuggah
one of the 10 most
important hard
rock/heavy metal
Premier Guitars bands.
Perry Bean hung out
with Meshuggahs
tech, Kent Eriksson,
who walked us
through the bone-
crushing, cabinet-
free rigs of Fredrik
Thordendal, Mrten
Hagstrm, and Dick
Lvgren, the three
Viking warriors of
the extreme prog-
metal apocalypse.

GUITARS
Top left: Fredrik
Thordendals newest
addition to his
arsenal is this 2016
Ibanez LACS (Los
Angeles Custom Shop)
Stoneman with three
Lundgren M8 pickups
and a push/pull
coil-split option. This
Stoneman, like all of
Thordendals axes, is
strung with DR Tite Fit
(.009.072) strings and
is tuned FB%E%A%D%
G%B%E%.

Top right: Mrten

Hagstrms main guitar
is his Ibanez LACS M8M
with an alder body and
one mighty Lundgren
M8 pickup. This one is
tuned a half-step down
with a foam mute and
strung with DR Tite Fit
.009.070) strings.

BASS
Bottom: Dick Lvgrens
main bass is his 2015
Zon Guitars DLX5 with
Aguilar Pickups and DR
(.040.0120) strings. He
tunes to B%FB%E%A%.

premierguitar.com
36 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 AMPS & EFFECTS
Top: Both Fredrik and
Mrten use the same
amp and effects setup.
After hitting their
respective Shure ULXD1
wireless units, each
signal path runs through
a custom preamp pedal
(which is always on)
designed by Mike Fortin
of Fortin Amps.

Middle: After the

preamp, the signal
feeds one of these
120-watt Randall Ola
Englund Satan heads.
The amps are used
for heavy rhythm
parts only.

Bottom: The line out

from the Satan goes into
a Two Notes Torpedo
Live before the Fractal
Audio Axe-Fx II XL.
Fredrik loads his Axe-Fx
units with custom cab
impulse responses
that then go to the PA
and the bands in-ear
monitors. The Axe-Fx is
used for solos, effects,
and cleaner tones.

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 37

 premierguitar.com
38 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017

1957 Fender Pro
BY DAVE ROGERS, LAUN BRAITHWAITE, AND TIM MULLALLY
T
he Fender Professional (shortened
to Pro after 1947) debuted in
1946 and was aimed at players
who needed more power than the original
1x10 Deluxe amp provided. The 1x15
Professional started out with the same
style woodie cabinet as the Deluxe and
the Princeton, with three long metal
protectors mounted across the grill cloth.
By 1947, the Pro and the rest of the
amp line obtained a tweed covering and
a TV-style front. This look lasted until
1953, when a wide-panel cabinet took
over and remained standard until 1955.
The 55 Pro got the same narrow-panel
look as the rest of Fenders amps, but
retained only one tone control for the rest
of the year. It wasnt until 1956 that the
Pro was upgraded with bass, treble, and
presence controlsas reflected in Fenders
recent reissue of the amp as the 57
Custom Pro. The original Pro remained
unchanged for the rest of the decade.
premierguitar.com
VINTAGE VAULT
The 1957 Pro pictured has the The 1957 Fender Stratocaster posed with
specifications typical for the model that the amp has the standard features for that
year, as listed in the 57 Fender Catalog: year, which include an alder body with a
The Pro Amp features the solid-wood two-tone sunburst finish and a V-shaped,
lock-jointed cabinet, covered in brown- one-piece maple neck. The plastic of the
and-white-striped airplane luggage linen. pickup covers and knobs tended to yellow, in
It features the top-mounted chrome-plated contrast to the stark white of the pickguards
chassis with the following controls: bass, of this period. The Strats original price was
Opposite page:
treble, and presence tone controls, two $274.50. The current value is $25,000. A truly classic
volume controls, four input jacks, ground Sources for this article include: Fender combination
switch, on-and-off switch, and stand- Amps: The First Fifty Years by John Teagle for vintage
by switch. It employs a heavy duty 15" and John Sprung, The Soul of Tone: tone fiends: a
1957 Fender
Jensen speaker and is capable of producing Celebrating 60 Years of Fender Amps by
Pro amp with a
considerable power without distortion. Tom Wheeler, Fender: The Inside Story by Stratocaster from
Two 6L6G tubes provide about 26 Forrest White, and The Fender Stratocaster the same year.
watts of power. Interestingly, the tube by A.R. Duchossoir.
chart inside the amp is marked with the Bottom left:
In 1956, the
earlier 5E5 designation (with one tone four-input Pros
DAVES GUITAR SHOP
control), whereas the amp is clearly a Dave Rogers collection is tended by Laun Braithwaite control panel
5E5-A model (with bass, treble, and and Tim Mullally and is on display at: was upgraded
Daves Guitar Shop
presence). The 1957 list price was 1227 Third Street South from a single
La Crosse, WI 54601 tone control
$264.50. The current value for one in davesguitar.com to bass, treble,
excellent all-original condition is $4,500. Photos by Mullally and text by Braithwaite. and presence
chicken-head
dials.
Above: Heres a
quirk: Although
this amp, with its
expanded tone
control array, is
clearly of 5E5-A
construction,
the tube circuit
diagram inside
is for an earlier
5E5 build.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 39
BOTTOM FEEDER

Click here to
hear this guitar.

1994 Korean Epiphone Sorrento

BY WILL RAY

E
Photo 1: With very now and then, when Im 2
a single horn, surfing eBay, I run across a
vintage-style
guitar that just speaks to me
finish, and
double-dog- with its picture. This 1994 Korean-
ear-P-90 array, made Epiphone Sorrento is one of those
this 1994 Korea- guitars. From the moment I laid eyes on
built Sorrento it, I was smitten by the way it looked. Its
conjures the 1
vibe of classic
kinda like when you first saw your future
Gibson ES-125s. spouse walking down the street and had
love at first sight. Kinda.
Photo 2: The What really spoke to me was the
guitar arrived
vintage-looking sunburst finish with
with a defective
neck pickup, the two black P-90 pickups, instead of
so after a the usual chrome ones. The missing
little price pickguard only seemed to enhance its
renegotiation, a beauty. To me, it resembled an old
replacement was
acquired and
Gibson ES-125, with its cool sharp
this Epiphone cutaway. I knew I had to have it, so I
was back on its bookmarked it and waited patiently until
tonal track. the end of the auction to put in a snipe
bid. I ended up winning it for $405,
including shipping.
When I received the guitar a week
later, it looked even better than in the
pictures. It had nice low action and played When you
like butter. But there was a problem.
When I plugged it in, the neck pickup
receive a guitar
seemed to produce an intermittent off eBay with a
signal. At first I thought it might
be the pickup selector switch, but problem, see if
I eventually traced it to the pickup
itself. When I tested it with a VOM
the seller will
meter and tapped it, I came to the give you back a
conclusion the pickup had a short
in the windings and needed to be partial refund so
replaced. Bummer! So, I contacted the you can get the
seller, explained the problem, and asked if
he would give me a partial refund of $30 problem fixed.
so I could replace the defective pickup.
He reluctantly agreed, and so I ended even if the seller had refused the partial need to let one go now and then to help
up actually getting the guitar for $375. refund. I wanted it that bad!) finance others, but this one never fails to
Bottom Feeder Tip #882: When you Anyway, I replaced the neck pickup excite me when I play it. Thats the sign
receive a guitar off eBay with a problem, with a black dog-ear Seymour Duncan of a keeper!
see if the seller will give you back a partial and all is well now. How does it sound?
refund so you can get the problem fixed. Awesome! Im a real P-90 fan and WILL RAY is a founding member
of the Hellecasters guitar-twang
If theyre smart, theyll realize that its Seymour Duncan, in my opinion, makes trio. He also does guitar clinics
promoting his namesake G&L
better to refund a portion of the price the best-sounding ones. Listen to the signature model 6-string, and
rather than have an irate buyer ship the sound sample and hear for yourself. produces artists and bands at his
studio in Asheville, North Carolina.
guitar back for a full refund plus shipping. So is it a keeper? Probably. Im realistic You can contact Will on Facebook
and at willray.biz.
(For the record, I wouldve kept the guitar about guitars and know that sometimes I

premierguitar.com
40 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 ALL-STAR
PEDALBOARDS
From classic-rock simplicity to indie-tweakers delight:
Premier Guitar chronicles the most lustworthy stomp stations
from the last years worth of Rig Rundowns.
Photo by Perry Bean

| BY THE PREMIER GUITAR STAFF |

 For more on Robinsons
pedalboard, click here to

Chris Robinson Brotherhood

watch the Rig Rundown.

Chris Robinson runs a cable from his guitar to his Boss TU-3
tuner. From there, it hits a Vox Double Deca delay, MXR Phase
99, Lovepedal Eternity Drive, BearFoot FX Model H, and an
MXR Carbon Copy delay.

premierguitar.com
44 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Riversides cascading gain stages create harmonically
rich drivesfrom silky clean overdrives, saturated
distortions, and all points in between.

Exceptional touch sensitivity comes courtesy of our

all-analog JFET gain stage, while our precision-crafted
DSP gain stages generate dynamic complexity and
pleasing harmonics. Continuous circuit adjustments
are made as you turn the Drive knob, allowing the
sweet spot to follow you at every gain level.

strymon.net/riverside
 For more on Casals
pedalboard, click here to
Chris Robinson Brotherhood Contd
watch the Rig Rundown.
Jordan Rigg at JRIG Pedalboards built the tone station that sits
at Neal Casals feet every night. Before hitting the board, his
signal goes through a Sarno Steel Guitar Black Box tube buffer.
From there, it goes to a Road Rage looper that accesses various
combinations from a big pile of effects, including several pedals
from BearFoot FX (a Honey Beest OD, a Pale Green compressor,
and a Baby Pink booster), Catalinbread (an OctaPussy, an
Echorec, a Montavillian echo, a Belle Epoch Tape Echo, and
46 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
a Topanga reverb), EarthQuaker Devices (a Terminal fuzz, an
Arpanoid pitch arpeggiator, and a Grand Orbiter phaser), and
Strymon (Lex rotating speaker pedal and Orbit flanger), as well
as a Dunlop Cry Baby 105Q bass wah, a 3Leaf Audio Proton
envelope filer, a Chase Bliss Audio Gravitas trem, and a Korean
Klon Centaur clone. All the cables were built by Kidd Candelario,
amps are switched with a Divided by 13 Switchazel A/B box, and
tuning is accomplished with a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Noir.
premierguitar.com
 The last cable
youll ever need.
PedalSnake

the multi-channel
all-in-one cable
for effects pedals

A lifetime investment. Customize it to your rig. Any rig.

When your rig changes, it changes with you.
Its not expensive. Its not difficult. Spend a few minutes at
our site. Contact us. Were happy to help you figure it out.

PedalSnake is the fastest, cleanest, quietest effects

pedal cabling system ever invented, and
the last cable youll ever need.

Four different unique

methods of noise
reduction, including the
novel HiC-LoZ method.
Replace all pedal-to-amp cables with
one lifeline. Even power cords and
MIDI cables are gone. Super-clean
stage, ulta-fast setup.

Voted Best Accessory Soft rubber jacketed cable coils

Guitar Player Magazine easily, fitting into the smallest
pedalboard cases.

a v a i l a b le o n ly a t p e d a lsn a ke .co m
SALES2@PEDALSNAKE.COM (919) 749-8219 PATENTED TECHNOLOGY BY STAGE MAGIC INC.
 For more on Commerfords
pedalboard, click here to

Tim Commerford
watch the Rig Rundown.

Rage Against the Machine and Prophets of Rage bass legend

Tim Commerford runs a 20' cable directly into an EBS
MultiComp, which feeds an Ampeg SCR-DI and a homemade
mute/splitter that also feeds a Peterson SC5000-II strobe tuner
(not shown). From there, Timmy Cs signal hits a Countryman
DI, an A/B box that switches between his two Ampeg heads,
a Custom Audio Electronics Line Driver, and a Dunlop Cry
Baby Mini Bass Wah. A TC Helicon Mic Mechanic is used for
vocals, and the entire pedalboard is powered by a Voodoo Lab
Pedal Power 2.

premierguitar.com
48 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
CELEBRATING THE 40TH
ANNIVERSARY OF
BOSS EFFECTS
Introducing the BOSS DS-1-4A Distortion, a limited-edition
stompbox that commemorates the 40th anniversary of BOSS
compact pedals. This special version of the long-running
DS-1 Distortion pedal features a unique black and gold
look and the classic tone thats been a favorite of
guitarists everywhere for nearly
four decades.

www.boss.info
 For more on Band of Skulls
pedalboards, click here to

Band of Skulls
watch the Rig Rundown.

The pedalboard of Band of Skulls

cofounder Emma Richardson is
outfitted with an Electro-Harmonix
POG2, a Malekko B:Assmaster octave
fuzz, and a Crowther Audio Hotcake.
All the pedals are juiced by a T-Rex
Fuel Tank Chameleon power supply,
and Richardson tunes her basses with
the assistance of a Boss stomp.
Russell Marsden says his desert-
island effect is the Ernie Ball VP Jr.
volume pedal, which he says is the most
expressive tool under his control. The
noisemakers on his board include a
Fulltone OCD, four Electro-Harmonix
pedals (a Big Muff, a POG2, a Cathedral,
and a Bass Soul Food that he sniped
from bandmate Richardson), a Strymon
El Capistan, a Boss DD-7 digital delay,
and a Danelectro Reel Echo. Everything
is controlled by a GigRig QuarterMaster
QMX 8 switcher, and it all stays in tune
thanks to a Boss TU-3 Tuner.

premierguitar.com
50 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 UNIQUE NATURAL CHANNEL COMPACT YET POWERFUL ALL-VALVE SIGNAL PATH
ONE CONTROL: MASTER VOLUME CUSTOM 10 SPEAKERS - 101dB SENSITIVITY EL84 OUTPUT SECTION

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 51

 For more on Thrices
pedalboards, click here to
Thrice
watch the Rig Rundown.
The control center of Dustin Kensrues Pedaltrain Classic Pro
(top) is an FAMC Liquid Foot+ Mini, which works with a pair
of Voodoo Lab Hex units to switch between pedals. The choices
available are plentiful and include a trio of Strymon pedals
(a TimeLine, a Mobius, and a BigSky), JHS Mini Foot and
Muffuletta fuzzes, a Walrus Audio Deep Six compressor, a Line
6 M5 multi-effects, an Electro-Harmonix POG2, and a pair
of custom Mojo Hand Fx Kensrue Rook overdrives. A TC
Electronic PolyTune 2 Noir aids with tuning.
52 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Teppei Teranishis Pedaltrain board is stocked with a variety
of tone-shaping tools. He rocks a few JHS pedals (a Double
Barrel, a Pulp N Peel comp, and a Panther Cub analog delay),
Walrus Audio gear (Descent reverb and Julia chorus/vibrato
pedals, as well as an Aetos power supply and Transit 5 switcher),
a Line 6 M5, and a Mojo Hand Fx Bayou trem. A TC
Electronic PolyTune 2 Mini is used for tuning, and a Mission
Engineering continuous controller governs various Walrus
Descent parameters.
premierguitar.com
 For more on Modest Mouses
pedalboards, click here to
Modest Mouse
watch the Rig Rundown.
Modest Mouse axeman Jim Fairchilds main board (bottom) starts
with a Seymour Duncan Shaper Shifter trem, and from there
the signal hits a Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus, an Ibanez DE7,
a Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, an MXR Uni-Vibe, an EarthQuaker
Devices Dirt Transmitter, a Boss PS-5 Super Shifter, a Soursound
Hundred Dollar Boost, an EarthQuaker Devices The Depths
optical vibe, an Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, a Mr. Black
54 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Eterna, a DigiTech HardWire RV-7 Stereo Reverb, a Greer Amps
Fish Press comp, an old-school Pro Co RAT, and a Boss TU-3
tuner. A pair of MXR DC Bricks provides the power.
Fairchild runs his acoustic guitar through a three-pedal board
that lives by his amps. This board hosts a Boss TU-3 tuner,
an Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, and a Catalinbread SFT
overdriveall powered by an MXR Brick.
premierguitar.com
premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 55
 For more on Whitfords
pedalboard, click here to

Brad Whitford
watch the Rig Rundown.

For his side project with former Ted Nugent vocalist Derek
St. Holmes, Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford uses a board
that mixes some of the most revered of old- and new-school
technologies. Two doors down from his original Klon Centaur
from the mid 90s is a state-of-the-art Eventide H9 digital
powerhouse. Hes also got an AC-Booster Comp and Wah
from Xotic Effects, a Catalinbread Pareidolia vibrato/tremolo,
and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 4x4.

premierguitar.com
56 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 ALWAYS ROCK
EVEN IN A HARD PLACE

Fly Rigs are travel-friendly solutions armed with sweet analog tones and expressive combinations you can use for any gig. In the foot-
print of a pixie, each embodies an entire, multi-application rig. Around the corner or across the globe, rule the road with a Fly Rig.

TECH21NYC.COM
 For more on Bloc Partys
pedalboards, click here to
Bloc Party
watch the Rig Rundown.
Guitar tech Leif Bodnarchuk says the simplest way to explain
guitarist Russell Lissacks pedal rig (bottom) is that it contains
two loops. Some of the pedals are dedicated to loop A, some are
dedicated to loop B, and some float between both. The whole
array is heavy on Boss products (13+), but also features Electro-
Harmonix stomps (a Deluxe Memory Man, a POG, and a
Superego), an Eventide PitchFactor, a clone of a vintage Roland
BeeBaa fuzz, and a Line 6 M5. The brain (the black box in
the middle of the array) was made by Steve Crow from Audio
Kitchen in London, and is basically an amped-up A/B switcher
with dual outputs, a panic switch, a mute function, and a big
red footswitch that moves the signal between loop A and loop
58 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
B. The pedals rest on several Pedaltrain boards and are powered
by Truetone 1 Spot CS7 power supplies.
Block Party bassist Justin Harris is a big fuzz fan. His board
has a couple of Smallsound/Bigsound units (a Team Awesome
Fuzz Machine and a Buzzz), a Rafferty Fuzz-Orius, and two
Malekkos (a B:Assmaster and a Diabolik). He also uses Darkglass
Electronics Super Symmetry comp and Vintage Deluxe pedals,
an Xotic X-Blender, a Mad Professor Forest Green Compressor,
a Lehle 3AT1 SGOS, a Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver, and a
Heavy Electronics Descend volume pedal. He stays in tune with
a Korg DT-10 tuner, and navigates various pedal combinations
using a Voodoo Lab PX-8 and Commander switching system.
premierguitar.com
O F F - W O R L D A M B I E N C E

www.meris.us
 For more on RHCPs
pedalboards, click here to
Red Hot Chili Peppers
watch the Rig Rundown.
When we met with RHCP guitarist Josh Klinghoffer in the
summer of 2012, his pedal rig was one of the largest, most
sprawling wed ever seen. As of early 2017, plenty of the
pedals have changed, but the extensive scale remains. While
Klinghoffers stomps were previously spread across three
boards, they now occupy two, plus four rack drawers. The
larger board contains a Catalinbread CSIDMAN glitch/stutter
delay, Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man and Holy
Grail Nano pedals, a Death by Audio Interstellar Overdriver,
an Xotic Effects EP Booster, and a bunch of Bosses (DM-2,
60 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
DD-3, and DD-6 delays, a VB-2, vibrato, a CE-2 chorus,
an RV-5 reverb, a DS-2 distortion, and a couple of FS-5L
footswitches for activating a vintage Tone Bender MK 1.5 and
a Klon Centaur). A Bright Onion Pedals router enables various
effects combinations via a Voodoo Lab Ground Control Pro,
and a Radial Engineering SGI-44 routes the signal from
Klinghoffers wireless receiver (not shown) to the board. In
addition to the Ground Control Pro, the smaller board (right)
features a Line 6 FM4 Filter Modeler, an EHX Cathedral, and
an expression pedal.
premierguitar.com
BEND IT!
The new BenDABLe RockBoARD
BenDeR75 connecToR

our connector will forever change

the way you set up your pedalboard.
2 15/16 in length
 For more on RHCPs
pedalboards, click here to

Red Hot Chili Peppers Contd

watch the Rig Rundown.

One of Klinghoffers rack drawers is stocked with a Voodoo

Lab brick driving a Robot Pedal Factory Brain Freeze filter,
an Electro-Harmonix B9 Organ Machine, 80s Ibanez AF201
auto filter and BS10 Bass Stack stomps, an Xotic Effects SP
Compressor, a Wampler Tumnus, a JHS Firefly Fuzz, and a
Boss SP-1 Spectrum parametric EQ.

premierguitar.com
62 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 5 BOUTIQUE AMPS YOU NEED

WWW.NEUNABER.NET
MULTI-STRUCTURE OVERDRIVE
www.sinvertek.com

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 63

 For more on RHCPs
pedalboards, click here to

Red Hot Chili Peppers Contd

watch the Rig Rundown.

In the nearly five years since our previous Rig Rundown with
Flea, the 4-string Renaissance mans stomp station has hardly
changed: Back then it had just four pedals, and today its got
fivethree of which are the same models as before. In addition
to the MXR Micro Amp, Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron, and
Malekko B:Assmaster mainstays (the latter of which now has a
box preventing accidental knob changes), Fleas current board
has a Boss GEB-7 equalizer and a Wilson Effects Freaker wah.
A Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus provides volts and amps,
and a Radial Engineering SGI-44 gets the signal from Fleas
wireless receiver (not shown) to his pedalboard.

premierguitar.com
64 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 The
(Surprisingly Long)

HISTORY OF THE
GUITAR PICK
Guitar-like instruments played with some sort of plectrum
have existed for centuries, but nearly 100 years ago plectrum
innovations sparked a tone and technique revolution.
BY EMILE MENASCH

M
any of us have had the experience of picking up
someone elses guitar and feeling instantly at home.
But have you ever tried playing your own guitar with
someone elses pick? Unless it has a gauge, shape, and texture
similar to your own, an alien pick can make playing even a
familiar axe feel like someone changed the locks on your house.
And today, weve got more choices than everfrom
handmade boutique picks made of unusual organic materials
to mass-produced models with closely guarded polymer
recipes. Combined, manufacturers produce hundreds
of millions of picks every year in a vast array of the
aforementioned characteristics.
Yet strictly speaking, picks arent necessary. After all, classical
guitarists rarely use them, and many players switch between
flatpicks and fingerpicking, often in real time, to meet various
musical situations. Other players use their fingernails as picks.
Some even use coins. Yet aside from the instrument itself, the pick
is the universal symbol of guitar playing. How did that happen?

Photo by Andy Ellis

premierguitar.com
66 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 The Plectrum Spectrum
The story starts at the dawn of recorded
history. The word plectrumwhich
refers to a variety of picks used in
everything from guitars to mandolins
to harpsichordscomes from Latin by
way of the Ancient Greek word plktron,
which, according to Henry George
Liddell and Robert Scotts A Greek-English
Lexicon, means anything to strike with,
an instrument for striking the lyre, a
spear point. Ancient Greek artifacts show
lyre players holding their plectra,
and theyre also mentioned in
writings about music from
the period. In his book
Ancient Greek Music, M.
L. West describes how the
plectrum was attached to
the lyre with a string and
had a handle and a short,
pointed blade of ivory, bone,
or wood.
Other cultures played stringed
instruments with plectrums of different
sizes and materials. The Indian sarod,
for example, is traditionally played with
plectrums made from coconut shells
and that look a bit like modern teardrop
picks. Others, like the Middle Eastern
oud, are played with implements that
bear little resemblance to contemporary
guitar picks.
According to Will
Hoover, author of
Picks! The Colorful
Saga of Vintage
Celluloid Guitar
Plectrums, feather
quills were the most
common material for picking guitars and
related instruments until the 19th century,
when tortoiseshell became the material
of choice. At the time, picks were all
handmade, and there were no commercial
brands as we know them today.
The Shell Game
Top: Photo by Peintre de Brygos
Tortoiseshellwhich, once upon a time,
was also used for pickguardshad a lot
going for it in terms of both sound and
feel: Stiff yet flexible, it holds its position
and produces a smooth striking surface for
the strings. Unfortunately, the tortoises
premierguitar.com
contributing the shellprimarily hawksbill
sea turtleswere giving up their bodies for
more than guitar picks. Overharvesting
for everything from combs to furniture
adornments and eyeglass frames
endangered the turtles very existence, and
in 1973 it was officially listed as among
the worlds most endangered species. Since
then, it has been illegal to manufacture
picksor anything elsefrom financial district were full of factories.
tortoiseshell. In fact, to be legal, even old
tortoiseshell picks (which are highly prized
by collectors) require documentation
affirming their antique status.
Further, as Steve Stone put
it in a 2008 issue of Vintage
Guitar, the forbidden
material has plenty of
drawbacks, chief among
them being that its brittle,
is easy to chip, and requires
a lot of upkeep to maintain
smooth edge bevels that dont get
hung up on the strings. A quarter-sized
tortoise pick can end up being dime-
sized in a matter of six months of steady
polishing and use, says Stone.
Fortunately, an alternative was found
a half-century before tortoiseshell was
banned. The modern guitar pick traces its
roots to the DAndrea company, which
introduced picks made from celluloid
an early thermoplasticin early 1922.
At the time, the guitar was not yet the
musical and cultural icon we know
todayboth banjo and mandolin were
more popular. Its impossible to know if
the guitar would have jumped to the top
of the pops without Luigi DAndrea
the man many regard as the Henry Ford
of pick manufacturingbut theres no
disputing that his picks ended up in the
hands of countless guitar innovators.
The elder DAndrea was an unlikely
candidate to start the revolution in
guitar picking. Born in Foggia, Italy,
in 1886, he came to the U.S. in 1902.
By the dawn of World War I, he had
married and settled with his wife, Flora,
in New York Citys Little Italy. According
to a company history written by his
grandson Tony DAndrea, Jr., he eked
out a living for his family selling vacuum
cleaners to his Italian neighbors in the
neighborhood. But Luigi apparently was Top: Plectrums
a pretty driven guy and ready to take full have been used
advantage of an opportunity that may to play stringed
instruments for
come along. And one day it did. more than 2,000
years, as proven
From the Kitchen Table to by images such
World Stages as this close-up
of a circa-480
In the 1920s, the Manhattan
BCE Greek
neighborhoods just north of the drinking vessel
depicting a lyre
The downtown lofts that now serve as player.
homes for well-heeled New Yorkers were
Bottom:
sweatshops churning out everything from According
textiles to machine goods. to multiple
In those days, these small sources cited in
manufacturers would often drag any this story, Will
Hoovers 1995
excess inventory out to the sidewalk in
book, Picks! The
front and display these items for sale, Colorful Saga of
DAndrea writes. One day, walking down Vintage Celluloid
a street with many lofts, [Luigi] stopped Guitar Plectrums,
in front of a company that made ladies is the definitive
source of
powder puffs and makeup compacts. information on
With the change in his pocket, he bought the evolution of
the items they had displayed for sale, the guitar pick
namely: a few sheets of tortoiseshell- over the last
century.
patterned celluloid, several small mallet
dies, and the frames of makeup and
compact cases and their decoration.
Back at his apartment, Luigi decided
to use the tools and materials to create
his own makeup compacts. As he started
hammering out heart shapes from the
celluloida popular decoration for
makeup cases at the timehis 8-year-old
son Tony noticed the resemblance to the
tortoiseshell mandolin picks used by his
cousin, Primo. Sensing an opportunity,
Luigi brought a box of these heart-shaped
picks to a local music store. With Tony,
who spoke better English, acting as
interpreter, DAndrea sold the box for
$10over $135 in todays money, and a
tidy sum at the time.
Celluloidwhich is still one of the
most popular materials for pickswasnt
exactly new even in 1922. But as Tony Jr.
puts it, it was still the only commercially
available plastic in the world And
because of its strength and flexibility and
density, [it] made a great guitar pick
and still does. Made from a combination
of nitrocellulose and camphor, celluloid
was patented in 1870 by John Wesley
Hyatt, who built on the work of
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 67
 The modern guitar pick traces its roots to the DAndrea company, which introduced
picks made from celluloidan early thermoplasticin early 1922.

Top: Early Alexander Parkes, a Briton who invented

20th-century and patented the first thermoplastic,
singer-guitarist
Parkesine, in 1862.
Nick Lucas,
shown in this Early 20th-century music catalogs
1930s image, is featured mandolin plectrums made from
considered the celluloid and shell, often with cork and
performer who other design features aimed at improving
first popularized
the notion of
the players grip. One interesting patent
playing guitar had several picks fit together, Swiss Army
with a pick knife-style, and some picks combined
specifically the early plastics with rubber, leather, and
DAndrea model
other materials.
351 that most
modern designs The standardization of the pick
descended from. combined with amplificationhad an
immediate impact on the guitars sound
Bottom: The and role. Because striking the guitar strings
plectrum
revolution
with a pick produced a much louder sound
began in the than could be made with the bare fingers,
1920s with guitarists in jazz and dance bands had to
the celluloid play with a pick to be heard above the other
DAndrea 351,
instruments on the bandstand, like the
which is still
manufactured in woodwinds, brass, and drums, explains
the companys Jon Chappell, co-author of the Guitar for became a template for country and folk, and watching players visit on a Saturday
Pennsylvania Dummies (Wiley) series. In the 1920s and Chappell says. And of course, the pick morning to bounce guitar picks on the
factory. 30s, musical styles dictated that guitars would later give rock players the power glass tabletop and discuss the different tonal
replace banjos, so performers like Eddie and attack that defined the sound of the qualities of celluloid versus real tortoiseshell,
Lang and Freddie Green became known electric guitar for decades. and the merits of one shape over another, as
as guitarists and no longer had to bring a the picks bounced, Tony Jr. says.
banjo along on their gigs. Green was the Birth of the 351 Luigi gave the shapes numberswhich
guitarist with the Count Basie Band for 50 Demand grew quickly, are still in use today. Famous examples
years and was famous for his signature four- and Luigis kitchen- include the small, pointy teardrop he
to-the-bar rhythm technique. Essentially, table business moved called the 358, the larger, rounder
Green would hammer out quarter-note to several factory spaces, teardrop he termed the 354, and the
chords, delivered as downstrokes, which including homes in a small ubiquitous rounded triangle of the 351,
served as the foundation of the bands building on 29th Street, which Tony Jr. calls the standard of the
rhythm, or accompaniment, sound. The a larger facility on Long Island, and industry [that] still represents the pick
pick was also essential for the techniques finally to its current Connecticut-based of choice for 98 percent of guitar players
developed by influential jazzmen like headquarters and Pennsylvania factory throughout the world.
Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt, location. And though the company would The 351 was originally associated with
who took picking into the single-note realm expand into the businesses of importing Nick Lucas, an early 20th-century singer

Top: Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns Bottom: Photo courtesy of DAndrea

and demonstrated the guitars potential as a
solo instrument alongside horns and strings.
Then there was Les Paul, Barney Kessel,
and George Van Eps, as well as country
pickers like Jimmy Bryant, who adapted
the bowing technique of his days playing
violin to master double picking. On the
acoustic side, a whole school of high-speed
bluegrass playing was developed around the
flatpickits even called flatpicking.
But picking wasnt just about speed.
[Highly influential American folk
group] the Carter Family used the pick to
combine melody and chords in a way that
instruments and producing accessories,
picks have remained its mainstay.
But until DAndreas original epiphany,
most picks sold by major companies were
made in small shops under contract. Luigi
both standardized and industrialized pick
making, and by 1928, was mass-producing
picks on an unprecedented scale, using
semi-automatic punching machines and
tumblers to smooth the edges. With input
from players, he developed more than 50
celluloid-pick shapes, and dozens more
that were available in real tortoiseshell. I
remember being in my grandfathers office
and guitarist regarded by many to be the
first to popularize playing the instrument
with a plectrum. But long after Lucas
faded from the pop charts, the unique
traits of the 351 had come to define the
average persons conception of the guitar
pick. The latter was aided by the fact that
DAndrea never patented his designs
but most of the competing brands were
actually picks designed and manufactured
by DAndrea. That would start to change
in the ensuing decades.
Concurrent with development of the
pick, the guitar itself was undergoing a

premierguitar.com
68 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 rapid evolution in terms of technique,
tone, and popularity. As new generations
of jazz, country, and pop players
expanded its potential as both a lead and
a rhythm instrument, the flatpick went
from an accompanists basic strumming
utensil to a precision tool that opened up
new realms of speed and accuracy.
The Name Game
Interestingly, another DAndrea
innovationprinting on pickswould
spur an interest in collecting. It started
with the DAndrea brand name, later
evolving to include other manufacturers
and, most notably, artists. In the 1950s,
DAndrea started making custom picks
for manufacturers and players. For
example, Fenders popular pick was
actually a rebranded 351.
By the next decade, the pop-music
revolution that had started with Elvis
was in full bloomand demand. Pick-
manufacturing competition suddenly
soared as fans became players and
premierguitar.com
demanded the opportunity to use the
equipment their heroes used, right
down to the guitar pick. Some of those
players became collectors too, prizing
picks by classic and new artists, as well
as classic examples in both celluloid and
tortoiseshell. Ann Pearson, founder of
the Vintage Guitar Picks and Things
website, has been offering a forum for
collectors for years. It began as a way
of cataloguing my personal vintage
guitar-pick collection as it grew in
size, she says. However, I started to
realize the need for a place one could
go for information about collecting.
Its really the first and only resource
of its kind on the net. Daily, I receive
various questions from collectors seeking
information on guitar picks, and I
always make every attempt to answer
every question I receive. Even if its an
Im sorry, I really dont know-type watching the pick business evolve since
of answer.
Like many of the manufacturers we
spoke to for this story, Pearson refers
to Will Hoovers book Picks! as a must-
have resource for collectors and anyone
interested in the plectrums history. As
she puts it, Will created a spark in
the darkness for pick collectors. Other
notable collector-historians include Joe
Macey and Brian Bouchard, both of
whomlike Hoover and Pearsonare
contributors to Pick Collecting Quarterly,
an online resource for plectrum fanatics
worldwide. Though hard to find,
Bouchards Guitar Picks of Rock & Roll
is another important book used by
collectors and fans to rate and identify
items in their possession.
Like collectors, manufacturers
sometimes themselves go to unusual
lengths to honor the picking choices of
the greats. Django Reinhardt used a
button as a pick, says DAndreas plant
manager Charlie Lusso, who has been
he joined the company in 1981. At
one time, we supplied a vendor with a
knockoff of the button he used!
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 69

Front and back Rise of the Big Three
of the Herco From the 1950s to the 1980s, pick
Vintage 66a
manufacturing continued to evolve to
pick made from
nylon, the first meet the demand spurred by the wave
material to rival of baby-boomer guitarists. Along the
celluloid in way, new stylistic developments in both
popularity. popular music and guitar playing itself
spurred new designs and incorporation of
new materials.
It was during this time that, says author
Will Hoover, DAndrea faced its first
serious competition from the Hershman
Musical Instrument Companybetter
known as Herco. Initially, Herco offered
celluloid picks manufactured in Japan.
However, the companys most lasting
contribution began in the 1960s, when
it offered picks made of nylon, the first
material to rival celluloid in decades. The
idea originated with Californian Joseph
Moshay, but didnt catch on until Herco
brought it to the masses.
Herco and DAndrea faced
competition from Japan, as well,
thanks to a company founded by Shoji
NakanoPickboywhich by the mid
1970s was producing more than 700,000
picks a month.
Though celluloid was more affordable
and more popular among players, real
tortoiseshell still had its champions. Even
before its trade was outlawed in 1973,
manufacturers began looking for other
synthetics that could mimic the best
qualities of shell while simultaneously
eliminating some of its disadvantages,
such as its brittleness and inconsistency.
Chemical engineer Jim Dunlop started
designing musical-instrument accessories
in his native Scotland in 1965. Based
on reading about player preferences
and his own research, Dunlop began
making picks out of nylon. Within a
few years, hed left his job at a chemical-
engineering company and built a factory
in California. By the 80s, Dunlop would
own nylon pioneers Herco, and join
70 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
DAndrea and Pickboy in what Hoover
calls the Big Three.
At the time, electronics were rapidly
changing the guitars sonic potential.
Distortion boxes and higher-gain amps
opened guitarists to tones with less
emphasis on attack. You no longer had to
pick every note to be heard.
Yet at the same time, some rock and
fusion players were playing with more
preciseand fasterpicking techniques
than ever before. Guys like Al Di
Meola and, later, Steve Vai pushed the
boundaries, says Lusso, himself an
accomplished guitarist. Then there
was the sweep-picking movement of the
1980sthose fast arpeggios. They all
influenced how some players choose and
use their picks. At the same time, people
like David Gilmour and many others
showed how different picking techniques
could take advantage of the technology to
produce a range of sonic textures.
In addition to nylon, other alternatives
to celluloid began appearing. In 1981,
Jim Dunlop discovered Tortex material as
an alternative to celluloid, says Dunlop
product manager Frank Aresti. Pick
manufacturers had long been trying to
discover a material to achieve the properties
of tortoiseshellat first it was celluloid,
then we discovered Tortex. Jim was a
machinist by trade, so he also thought to
give the picks more precise gaugesin
millimetersthan what was typical at
the time. [Editors note: Prior to that, picks
simply came in light, medium, or heavy
gauges.] Aresti adds, Our colors made
the picks stand out in the store. Today
[Dunlop] picks are made from nylon,
Ultem [the thermoplastic polyetherimide],
Delrin [another thermoplastic known as
polyoxymethylene], graphite, polycarbonate,
stainless steel, aluminum, and feltand
were always looking at new materials.
The Many Personalities of the Pick
Although a major identifying point for
many players preferred picks remains its
colorfrom faux tortoise to solid hues,
pearlescent models, and the abstract-
impressionist color mix Lusso lovingly
refers to as pukeits the shape,
thickness, bevel, and texture that makes
a player stick with a particular pick. We
have great players who swear by different
models, but its interesting to see how the
same pick can work in different styles,
Lusso says. Joe Pass used a 358, but
chicken-pickin Tele players also use it
because its sharp point gives that bright,
articulate sound. The bigger 354 teardrop
became a favorite for Lee Ritenour and
those L.A. jazz guys, but its also used by
David Gilmour. Pat Metheny uses a thin
pick but just uses the rounded edge of it
with a close grip.
All things being equal, a thick pick
will produce a faster attack and fatter
sound. But, as Lusso notes, many players
carry alternatives for specific situations.
For instance, many guitarists prefer a
light pick to get the shimmery acoustic
sound heard on so many pop hits. In
fact, between composition, shape, size,
and thickness, there is an overwhelming
number of ways to shape your tone and
technique through use of different picks.
And while its been decades since the
most popular shapes came to be, theres
still plenty of innovation in the industry.
We make well over a thousand
different models, Dunlops Aresti
says. Its safe to say a great deal of
development goes into every pick, but
some picks require more than others.
Take our Primetone series for example:
This is a complicated pick with a great
deal of features and benefits that took
a lot of time and attention to develop.
The grip is the first thing players notice
when they pick up the pick, and we were
keenly aware of what we wanted the
players experience to be, so a great deal
of time was spent on design for that. The
material and the beveled edge are the
next things players notice, so we sweat
over those details, as wellparticularly
the bevel, since that is the primary point
of contact with the string. A simpler pick,
by comparison, would be our new Tortex
Flex picks, which we announced at
NAMM 2017. We start with the material
Photo courtesy of Jim Dunlop
and spend more time on the finishing
process to achieve a certain feel when the
pick comes in contact with the strings.
Today, the majority of mass-produced
picks are made using one of two processes:
premierguitar.com
 moldingthe technique developed for
nylon but also used on some plastic-
compound modelsand punching with
tool dies that, Lusso says, resemble cookie
cutters. Once the picks come out of
the punch press, they undergo a process
called tumbling, which creates both the
finished feel and the smooth edges players
expect, says Lusso. Its typically a two-step
process, with each step taking about a day
and a half. So a pick actually takes about
a workweek to make. Today, we use such
environmentally friendly materials as corn
cobs in the tumbling process. The goal is to
get that nice beveled edge and finished feel.
As for new designs, were always getting
ideas, both internally and from players,
Lusso says. Since 2012, weve been owned
by Delmar Products, Inc., which is the
exclusive distributor for celluloid, so we
can utilize these resources to develop new
and unique designs, too. But we also have
an archive of old designs from the 1950s,
and we often find that a lot of new ideas
were tried a long time ago. A design
premierguitar.com
needs to work on a massive level for us to
produce it. Making a new pick model is a
big investment, and in terms of tooling, it
costs us the same to make 200 as it does
to make 250,000. Punch dies cost between
$5,000 and $10,000, while the molds
we use for nylon and Delrin cost tens of
thousands of dollars. Our original tooling
[for nylon picks] cost over $80,000 back in
the 1980s.
Yet pick making isnt only about mass
production. It continues on a more
grassroots level as well, thanks to a new
generation of handcrafters who make
specialized picks of both traditional
and nontraditional materials. We use a
bench grinder that has a grinding wheel
on one side and a buffing wheel on
the other as the main tool, says Chris
Fahey, founder of boutique outfit Gravity
Picks. The pick is slowly shaped and
then buffed to a mirror finishslow and
steady, no magic involved.
Faheys apprenticeship began when
he started working with Vinni Smith of
V-Picks in 2007. That is where I initially
learned the craft of pick making. Three
and a half years of shaping little pieces of
plastic will make anyone into a master
picksmith. It is tedious, monotonous work.
Fortunately, I enjoy that type of work. The
inspiration for Gravity Picks came from
looking at the other dozen or so handmade
pick companies and seeing how I could do
something that they werent doing.
Fahey and Smith are part of a growing
community of boutique makers. Other
notable companies include Wegen,
Brossard, Hot-Picks USA, Childs
Custom Guitars (which handcrafts picks
from wood, mother-of-pearl, and other
materials), StoneWorks, BlueChip Picks,
and more. Does Fahey see a connection
between todays small shops and the
20th-century pioneers? I feel that I have
a small amount of ingenuity and a lot
of tenacity to build upon what others
started, he says. But the folks that
created [the industry] from nothing are
in a league of their own.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 71
TONE TIPS
A Mini-Board is Born
BY PETER THORN
M
Pete Thorns anufacturers of advanced
recently digital pedals continue to pack
assembled
more tons of horsepower into
mini-pedalboard
might only be ever-shrinking enclosures. There are also
about a square more than a few pedals on the market
foot in size, but that will take the place of a traditional
itll be able to guitar amp by including full-featured
stand on its
own just about
preamps, cabinet simulation, and more.
anywhere. Combined, these units open up all kinds
of possibilities by allowing us guitarists
to run either direct to a console, into a
clean power-amp, or the effects return
of a guitar amp. And consequently, its
getting easier than ever to do that session
or fly date.
This month, Im going to detail a
powerful mini-pedalboard that can cover
a huge range of tones and serve as an
entire rig if necessaryno amp required.
Be it compressed cleans with modulation,
reverb, and delay, or on-the-edge rocking
crunch, I want it all in a 14" by 14"
package. Can it be done? (Note: All the
components from this wide variety of
manufacturers simply represent products
I know and like, and are not intended to
be endorsements. There are a lot of other
excellent options out there.)
Small Footprint, Tons of Tone
Pedal No. 1. The Ethos Clean II preamp
from Custom Tones Inc. was designed to
essentially mimic the tone and response
of a guitar amplifier. It can be used as a
preamp and/or overdrive in front of a
traditional guitar amp, but it can also be
patched into a power amp and cabinet, or
direct into a PA or recording interface. And
because its output is bufferedeven when
bypassedthis supersedes the need for a
standalone buffer on the board to keep the
guitar signal strong and uncolored.
Pedal No. 2. I love having a volume
pedal for volume swells and maintaining
control over my level at my feet. Thanks
to its tiny size, the smooth-action Volume
X Mini from Dunlop fits the bill perfectly.
Pedals No. 3, 4, 5, and 6. My attack
of the minis is a quartet of excellent
tiny pedals for our tiny pedalboard. The
72 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
first is a Wampler Mini Ego Compressor,
which packs lots of compression
versatility into a mini-format pedal and
sounds great. Next up is a PhazeVibe
from F-Pedals, a terrific-sounding, highly
tweakable Vibe-style pedal. Ive grown to
love the sound of Klon-inspired pedals,
and for a lead boost pushing an already
dirty amp (or stacked with an amp-like
drive), they have become my go-to thing.
The Wampler Tumnus delivers the Klon
magic in spades and its tiny, so its here
on my pedalboard.Ive also included the
F-Pedals EchoBandit because it does a
great job of capturing a warm, tape-delay
character. And Im using it old-school, in
front of my Ethos amp.
Pedal No. 7. The Suhr Eclipse is a
new dual overdrive/distortion pedal I
chose to include. It has two identical
channelsboth with gain, volume,
and full 3-band EQ. You can set one
channel for an edgy overdrive or crunch
sound and the other for full-distortion
meltdown. Combined with the Ethos
Clean II, youve got a 3-channel rig.
Pedal No. 8. Virtually any effect
under the sun is packed into the Eventide
H9, from delays to verbs to flangers
to choruses. Its a Swiss Army Knife
pedal for me and a must-have on my
pedalboards.
Pedal No. 9. The Strymon Flint has
become another favorite thanks to the
luscious tremolo and beautiful reverb it
produces.
Pedalboard and power supply.I
went with a 14" x 14" V Board Pro from
V Boutique. Its an angled pedalboard
with ample space underneath for
power supplies, cables, etc. Speaking
of underneath, thats where a Strymon
Ojai power supply is living. (If youre
wondering where the tuner is, I suggest
using a good headstock tuner like TC
Electronics PolyTune Clip to save
valuable space on the pedalboard.)
Signal path and patching.The guitar
plugs into an input on the right side
of the pedalboard and the signal path
order is as follows: Mini Ego, PhazeVibe,
Tumnus, Eclipse, EchoBandit, Ethos
Clean II, and Volume X Mini. The
output of the volume pedal runs to the
right side of the board and the input for
the two final pedals (the H9 and Flint) is
also on the right side of the board. This
way, its easy to use a short patch cable
to run all the pedals in-line together and
then direct the output of the last pedal
(the Flint) to a guitar amp, a DI, or a
power ampin mono or stereo.
Or, I could run the output of the front
end of the pedalboard (all the pedals up
until the volume pedal) to a guitar-amp
input and take the guitar amps effects
send and feed it to the H9 and Flint via
the boards side jack. Then, the output of
the Flint could be fed to the effect return
of an amp, or the effect returns of two
amps for a stereo rig.
There you have it! A miniature,
incredibly powerful guitar rig. It would be
totally feasible to fit this mini powerhouse
into a decent-sized backpack or roller
suitcase and carry it on an airplane.
Its also something you could take to a
session with ease. The producer will love
the great tones and your back will stay in
good shape for years to come. Until next
month, I wish you great tone!
PETER THORN
is an L.A.-based guitarist who has
toured with Chris Cornell, Melissa
Etheridge, Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, and
many others. He released a solo
album, Guitar Nerd, in 2011. Read
more at peterthorn.com.
premierguitar.com
 RAW BONES,
DRESSED
IN COLORS

premierguitar.com
74 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 Kristin Hersh is a prolific singer-songwriter, published author,
and guitar-wielding frontwoman for 50 Foot Wave, and, a bit
more famously, Throwing Muses. On her ninth solo album,
Wyatt at the Coyote Palace, she sets her muscular, riff-heavy
epic aflame with ferocious flatpicking and bravura textures.
N one other than Bob Dylan once
said about songwriting: Songs
dont just come to me. They
usually brew for a while, and you learn its
important to keep the pieces until theyre
completely formed and glued together.
Kristin Hersh might agree, if only to
a certain extent, because for most of her
life, the songs havent simply brewed
theyve churned, cascaded, and crashed
like an unrelenting flood of pictures,
sounds, memories, and emotions. As
she recounts in her memoir Rat Girl, it
all started after she sustained a double
concussion in a childhood accident. After
a car struck her while she was riding
a bike, the trauma literally flipped a
switch in her head, and the music kept
coming, to the point where she felt less
like a budding songwriter and more like a
constantly live wire, unable to shut down
the current that possessed her. She was
only 16 years old.
Eventually the songs no longer tapped
me on the shoulder, she wrote. They
slugged me in the jaw. Instead of singing
to me, they screamed, burrowing into
my brain as electricity. Do you want your
face grabbed and shouted at? Probably
not; at the very least, its irritating. But
now that its happened to me, I know that
music is as close to religion as Ill ever get.
Its a spiritually and biologically sound
endeavorits healthy.
That energy fueled a string of
explosive albums by Throwing Muses, the
defiantly eclectic indie-rock band Hersh
cofounded with her stepsister Tanya
Donelly when the two were still in high
school in Newport, Rhode Island. The
band blazed a humid trail of triumphs
and broken dreams, punctuated by
premierguitar.com
BY BILL MURPHY
soul-baring anthems like Hate My Way
(from their eponymous 1986 debut),
House Tornados episodic Walking in
the Dark, Red Heavens slow-building
gem Pearl, and, in 1995, the yearningly
sweet, critically lauded but commercially
doomed University, their last album to be
distributed in the U.S. by a major label,
Sire/Warner.
Along the way, Hersh and her
bandmates helped set the stage for the
90s alt-rock craze, influencing the rise of
the Pixies (who in their early days often
opened for the Muses), Pavement, the
Breeders, the Lemonheads, and, yes, even
Nirvana and Radiohead. By 1997, in the
wake of the aptly named album Limbo,
the band went on hiatus, but Hersh was
just getting revved up.
Wyatt at the Coyote Palace is her
ninth solo album, going back to 1994s
Hips and Makers. Nearly five years in
the making, in a sense its her Physical
Graffitia beautiful and unruly 24-song,
multi-instrumental, double-disc magnum
opus that finds Hersh pushing open
strange new doors with her writing,
arranging, and recording chops. She
also plays every part, including bass
and drums. Coproduced with longtime
friend and confidant Steve Rizzo at his
Stable Sound Studios in Portsmouth,
Rhode Island [see sidebar, Studio as
Sanctuary], its a concept album thats a poignant aura of catharsis. Its just one
rife with expertly layered acoustic and
electric guitarsincluding Hershs go-to
Collings C10 cutaway acoustic, custom-
shaped for her by Bill Collings himself in
2008. She still refers to it as the guitar
that love built, because her fans helped
buy it for her after she lost her house,
and everything in it, in a flood.
FACTOID
Kristin Hershs
ninth studio album,
Wyatt at the
Coyote Palace, is
accampanied by a
64-page book of
essays and artwook,
illustrated by
Throwing Muses
drummer David
Narcizo.
WYATT at THE
k r i s t i n h e r s h
COYOTE PALACE
Love in all its permutations, in fact,
is the driving force behind the music
here. Hersh named the album for her
third son, Wyatt, who made his own
discoveries while exploring an abandoned
apartment building near Stable Sound
that was taken over by coyotes (hence,
the coyote palace). She was also
working through the painful dissolution
of her 25-year marriage, lending songs
like the Bowie-esque Hemingways Tell,
with its sheets of distorted lap-steel guitar,
of many moments where Hersh sounds
palpably inspired, excited, and maybe
even a little terrified by the possibilities of
trying something new.
When I step into the studio, I always
know what Im gonna walk out with,
even if its five years laterand Im
always completely wrong, she gushes.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 75
 Hersh reads Hersh speaks animatedly, with a sharp,
from her 2010 self-deprecating wit that goes a long
memoir, Rat Girl,
way toward explaining how her music
while another
of her favorite appeals to so many: shes always open and
guitars, an ESP authentic, never striking a pose.
Xtone, hangs on You can pretend, she warns, but the
her shoulders. songs know how they want to be raised
That became
my most solid,
up. They know what colors they want to
roadworthy wear. Its like telling your kids what to say
guitar for a and what to wear, when you shouldnt.
while, she says. You cant really, because when a song
It takes effects
presents itself to you in a superficial way,
well without
feeding back. its not skin deep. Its just using the colors
of this plane appropriately. I find that
charming, and humbling. So this time
I walked into the studio saying, Yeah,
Im gonna Nick Drake this shit up, and
then I suddenly realized, well, Im not
Nick Drake. It needed deconstruction as Overall, Wyatt at the Coyote Palace ass, you know? I dont want to be
well as incessant layering, which makes has a much bigger sound than your pretentious, but I needed something
no sense at first. I thought raw bones last solo album, Crooked. to catch peoples ears, and thats a
then you cant lie, and everybody knows Oh yeah, absolutely. Crooked was difficult thing to do. You dont want
youre not lying. But there are also layers almost like recording a garage band. to be willfully kooky. So I found that
of color. I can respect that as long as you I just couldnt make this one small, I was compulsively recording things
dont make any mistakes. and I really do love small. I like the all over planet Earth. At first, I would
Adding to the layers of color, wonder, character actors in every sphere, but just send them to friends because
and meaning, Wyatt at the Coyote Palace this just isnt one. Its so big. Wyatt they were funny or interesting, but
is packaged as two CDs accompanied by likes to call it my big-budget home then I thought Id try treating them
a 64-page hardcover book designed by movie. [Laughs.] like instruments.
Throwing Muses drummer David Narcizo,
complete with lyrics, photographs, and Did you talk with Steve Rizzo There are street sounds like that in
interstitial prose passages. Its the third beforehand about what you had Soma Gone Slapstick or Elysian
time Hersh has released an album this in mind? Fields, for instance.
way, starting with her 2010 solo album Poor Steve. He never knows what to I worked on Elysian Fields for a few
Crooked, and followed in 2013 by the expect when I walk into the studio yearsintermittently anyway. I cant
Muses Purgatory/Paradise, which was their every day! I mean, theres never been remember everything that went into it
first full-length release in 10 years, and a a harsh word between us, but I walk right now, and I dont want to make
harbinger of things to come. The band has in, and he knows thats when the shit up, but its about a street in New
tentative plans to begin work on a new mad scientist part begins. Sometimes Orleans, like a bunch of my songs.
album in early 2017. it means breaking instruments or
Hopefully what Im doing is ear- building instruments, and layering Youre doing some nice flatpicking
catching without turning everybody off, them or using these field recordings there. Youve said the Collings guitar
Hersh quips. I know that what I do I made, which seemed to replace the figures prominently in all your
isnt for everybody, but I wouldnt want to room mic this time. The room mic solo albums.
come between them and the music. Thats is useful when you dont feel like It just has a nice bite. I dont always
why I thought a book would be a nicer the listener is being invited into the like sparkle, but it has an edge. I went
gift than a piece of plastic. Vinyl, as much atmosphere. If you can identify the for something more percussive on this
as we like it, is still kind of presumptuous. track-within-the-track thats too dry record, too. Thats more a reflection
Its like suggesting that someone adopt or too removed from the human body, of the foam that I stuck under the
your soundtrack or your religion. But a then you just bring up the room in strings, and the duct tape and all the
Photo by Tony Nelson

book is a nice little keyhole view of the that track. crap that I used. Sometimes I would
world. Its saying, Heres some pictures. And yet this time that wasnt put down eight tracks of the same
Heres some stories. You can come in. Its enough. I needed more idiosyncrasy guitar, so it sounds like brush strokes.
like a sweetness, I guess. without just crawling up my own Thats a little hint of the versatility

premierguitar.com
76 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017

Kristin Hershs that a Collings affords, because the
favorite acoustic sustain inherent in that instrument is
is a one-of-a- so similar to an electric that you can
kind, Collings
C10 cutaway, play leads that dont sound like Spanish
handbuilt for her guitar. Its a striking sound. It almost
by Bill Collings. reminds me of a banjo, sometimes.
She selected the Theres a slight slap, because theres an
body shape.
attack and then a sustain.
Its similar to playing an electric, but
you can relate to the muscles. You can
hear that its being played physically. Thats
been a frustration for me with electric,
because youre sort of lying. You use pedals
to mimic muscles, and with acoustics, you
dont do that. Its all about the body.
You even play with a sense of
physicality and instinctive movement.
Is that because youve been so close to
the guitar for such a long time?
Ive been playing it longer than Ive been
writing songs. I started when I was a little
78 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
kid, but I took classical for so many years
that it sort of kicked my sensibilities out
of my hands. This isnt uncommon. You
learn the rules before you learn to break
them, and yet youre born knowing how
to break them. You just need to get back
to the musical language that youre born
knowing. That was thrust upon me in
the car accident, where I started hearing
music. I guess it was just the music that
I wouldve written if I had remained
unsocialized in my playing.
Theres a lot of electric guitar on this
album, too, and I noticed thats how
youre playing these songs on the road.
I have an ESP Xtone that became my
most solid, roadworthy guitar for a
while. It takes effects well without
feeding back, but I dont have it out right
now. Im playing a Tele Thinline, and
thats what I used on most of the record.
KRISTEN HERSHS GEAR
GUITARS
Collings C10 cutaway (custom)
Nashville-tuned Gibson J-45
Fender Telecaster Thinline (vintage)
Fender Stratocaster (vintage)
80s Michael Allison LP-style
Danelectro Double Cutaway 59 reissue
Reverend Rumblefish bass
62 Fender Jazz Bass
Fender Classic Series 69
Telecaster Thinline (live)
ESPXtone (live)
AMPS
Supro 16T
Vox Cambridge Reverb
Harmony H410
Ampeg Rocket
Fender Twin Reverb (live)
Fender Bassman (live)
EFFECTS
Electro-Harmonix Crying Bass Wah/Fuzz
STRINGS
DAddario EXP13 80/20 Bronze,
Custom Light (.011.052; acoustic)
DAddario ECG26 Chromes
Medium Gauge (.013.056)
It has a little more character, a little more
balance, and I can put chromes on it and
the character doesnt suffer. These songs
need that kind of clarity. Its full-bodied
for a Tele, and yet it still has that clarity.
It was tough to find the right guitar
for this stuff when Im playing it live,
because obviously Im solo, so it doesnt
sound anything like all the layering thats
on the record, but the songs still need to
be realized. An acoustic wasnt gonna do
it. Its just not the right feel.
That layering youre talking about
really comes through in songs like
Diving Bell, with the cello parts near
the end, and especially on Detox.
Even though that song seems to change
time signatures, from the opening bass
premierguitar.com
 You learn the rules before you learn to break them, and yet
youre born knowing how to break them. You just need to
get back to the musical language that youre born knowing.

line to the main guitar riff, the pulse is
actually constant and consistent.
Ive been playing that live and noticing
that. That song, like a lot of the other
ones, is not played to a click. If you do,
it sounds mathy and rude. It has to be
performance-based, especially if other
songs are supposed to be hypnotic and
need to be played to a click. And I love
bass. Its so much fun. Drums are the
most fun, but bass is a close second. Im
playing a Reverend on that. Its just a dry
acoustic sound that I really like.
Did you use any effects on the album?
Not really. Its mostly the different slide
parts that are on the most chaotic leads. It
seems to have replaced singing for me. My
voice is actually what I want it to be for
the first time ever, for a long and unusual
reason, but I found that the lead guitar
parts were akin to the field recordings, as
an extension of the room mic. So the leads
were more [about] singing than singing
could ever be. I guess what it is, you hit
a point where your body isnt enough. I
mean, why else would you be in a studio
playing instruments? Sometimes they
can say more than you can, so the most
chaotic leads were telling a truth that
I wasnt able to articulate. That sounds
kind of pretentious, but I cant think of
any other way to put it. Its like vomiting
electric guitar, which is a lot more
charming than actually vomiting [laughs].
So no Electro-Harmonix fuzz wah
anywhere?
Ha! Thats my favorite pedal, which
is embarrassing because its been my
signature sound for a while. I found that
at Kingsway Studios, Daniel Lanois place
in New Orleans, where we made a bunch
of records. It distorts at the top of the
wave and mellows at the bottom into
this 70s bass sound. It can carry a whole
song. Its hypnotic. It doesnt have the
effect youd think a fuzz wah would have.
I dont knowits just really charming
and awful, and I love it. Its on a lot of 50
Foot Wave stuff, but the Throwing Muses
song where its the loudest is probably
No Way in Hell from University.
Then I lost it in my house flood
with all my other equipment. Id always
wanted another one, even though I was
scared to let myself play it again because I
get so annoying with them. Then a friend
picked one up for me for my birthday,
and I was so psyched. I brought it to the

Unlock your POTential

Every pro knows: it's all in the details. Whether

you're a player, a tech or a builder, make sure you're
using the best. Go with Noble.

847-364-6038
nobleusa.com

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 79

 studioit was like, Yeah, I have my
sound back! And it sounded like a beer
commercial. I couldnt figure out what
was wrong. Do I suck now? Is it 50
Foot Wave that was good, not me? And
then I realized its because the old one
was totally screwed up, and thats why
it sounded so cool. So I soaked the new
one in water, and now it works perfectly.
Would that have been salt water or
fresh water?
Hey, there you go! Something about
degrading it is awfully attractive.
Is every day in the studio different
for you?
Yeah. Its probably like being an
athlete, but Im allowed to determine
my flexibility for each event. If I go
in and Im big and raw, then I can
take on starting a song. I can take on
basics and work. But if Im more subtle
about detail, and my muscles are finely
tuned, then I have to work under the
auspices of a song, filling in the blanks.
A producer would recognize those
strengths and weaknesses in the artist he
or she is working with, but I have to do
it myself. I have to boss myself around,
and give myself shit, and fire myself.
But I get the sense that you record,
mix, and produce a song as youre
working on it.
Yeah, I think you have to. I wouldnt
know what we had unless I was tweaking
and backing up, and tweaking more and
backing up. I know now why people
paint, because you can just see it. You
take a few steps back, and you know
what it is. Records are okay. Books are
impossible. But for me, Stable Sound is
already a church, so when the real song
walks in, everybody knows it. Its really
hard to fuck up because the atmosphere
is already in place. I dont know if thats
spiritual practice or what, but why else
would we have buildings called churches
unless that effect was real? So I step
through that doorway, and I just think,
Okay, I worship here. It would be very
difficult to lie if you thought God was
watching, you know?
80 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Studio as Sanctuary
Steve Rizzos Stable Sound Studios gets its name from being
adjacent to an actual horse stable, but for more than 20
years, its also provided a no-nonsense, down-to-earth,
and relaxed environment for Kristin Hersh and Throwing
Muses to commit their music to tape (or Pro Tools, to be
precise). Over the course of more than a dozen albums and
countless hours of tracking and mixing sessions, Hersh and
Rizzo have forged a creative partnership that comes down
to one thing: trust.
I think Ive said this before, but for us its like the William Tell routine,
Rizzo jokes. Some days the apples on my head, and some days its on her
head. Kris trusts me, I trust her, and thats it. I dont think weve ever had
a disagreement musically in the studio. If I have some ideas, its more like
Im hearing something in my head, and Ill just say, Hey, what do you think
of this? And shell be like, Yeah, lets try it. She just comes in and we
record, and as its happening, its developing into something.
To capture the sound that Hersh wanted out of her Collings C10, which
is the key guitar on Wyatt at the Coyote Palace, Rizzo would usually start
with a Shure KSM44A and a Miktek C7, with one microphone positioned in
front of the guitar, about a foot away from the 12th fret, and the other as
a room mic above Hershs right shoulder. From there, hed run the signal
through a MartinSound Martech MSS-10 mic preamp, primarily just to stay
true to the sound that Hersh was hearing in the room.
When she started recording, I remembered it would be cool to put
some foam under the strings, Rizzo says. Weve done that before.
When you hear that chung chung chung that sounds almost like staccato
cello lines, thats the guitar. Theres some real cello on the recordwe
have some samples in there, and then we used the faders to give them a
dynamic feel, like at the end of Diving Bellbut for the guitar, the foam
on the strings just keeps them from ringing too much.
Another distinctive acoustic sound comes from a Nashville-tuned
Gibson J-45. Weve been using that on almost every solo record, Rizzo
says. A lot of people think shes playing a 12-string, but whats happening
is its the 6-string and the Nashville played together. She can play the
exact same thing from take to take so they sound like a 12-string, which is
pretty cool. And sometimes it sounds very physical. Her hands can be so
strong that its like, How the hell is she playing that?
Once the album was ready for mixing, Hersh gave him the green light
to Rizzofy the mix. Shes never overly detail-oriented, so its never
like, Give me a dB of this or that. I think she just enjoyed the process of
having the luxury of time, because it gives you perspective. You record
it, you live with it, and then you can go back and try different things. And
thats really the beauty of Pro Tools. The analog-digital argument is kind
of moot these days. If youre a modern musician, composing and editing in
the studio, thats how you work now.
YOUTUBE IT
Heres a look at Kristin Hersh and producer Steve Rizzo at work
in Stable Sound Studios, Hershs recording refuge. While her
reputation largely rests on her masterful songwriting, shes also a
ripping guitarist, as the solo shes cutting on Morning Birds 1, from
Throwing Muses Purgatory/Paradise, displays.
YouTube search term: Kristin Hersh in the studio
premierguitar.com
 The Raster a digital delay with three pitch shifting modes. Controls
are carefully tuned for exploration of self-oscillation and feedback. Delay
time extends from 20 to 750 ms with multiple feedback arrangements.

Harmonized delays
Shifted echoes
Tuned feedback
Infinite noise loops
Atmospheric textures
Chaotic self-oscillation

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 81

 Alt-rock weirdo Dean Ween stays twisted on his solo
debutbringing his Fender-fueled A-game to a new
group that bears his name and new songs packed
with fat riffs, killer hooks, and wild-ass sounds.
BY PAUL KOBYLENSKY

Deans 2000
Gibson Les Paul
Standard sports
Lindy Fralin
pickups. Fralin
also modded
M ickey Melchiondo is like a lot of Premier Guitar
readers. Hes obsessed with all things guitar,
loves vintage gear, and believes in the power of
great rock n roll. The difference is that Mickey also goes by the
name Dean Ween, is coleader of the successful band Ween, has
the electronics legions of loyal fans throughout the world, and for three decades
so that both has made a career out of writing off-kilter, sometimes humor-
pickups are ous, and undeniably catchy songs.
controlled by
just one Maybe known best for the hit Push th Little Daisies, Ween
volume knob. began its journey when Melchiondo met Aaron Freeman (aka
Gene Ween) in junior high school and they adopted their stage
names. The two quickly combined their love for a wide variety
of musical styles to create a sound thats equal parts rock, sonic
experimentation, and playful art-project weirdness. After nine
studio albums, the band threw in the towel in 2012, leaving
Dean Ween with some time on his hands.
At first, Dean fell into a depression, putting his guitar down
completely for several years. But inspiration struck again and
he found himself as busy as ever, working on material with his
diverse playing influences, that inform the sound of the
recording. I wanted to make a record heavy on the guitar,
and go out and play behind it. And Im doing it, and its been
awesome, he says.
Heavy on the guitar it is. There are multiple instrumentals
that showcase Deans love of iconic players, such as Dickie
Betts, and a tribute to the anti-Santa, Schwartze Pete.
There is also a tip of the hat to electric-guitar pioneer Les
Paul. And when Dean does step up to the microphone on
rockers like Bundle of Joy and Ill Take It (and Break It),
its still his raunchy and slippery guitar style that powers
the tunes.
But no matter how guitar-rich The Deaner Album is, for
Dean Ween, the song is still always the priority. I think the
records, like, half-instrumental, he explains, but the focus
has all been on the songs, with me singing, which is a real
confidence-booster.
The sound of The Deaner Album is undeniably linked
to the band Ween, which recently announced a string
Photo by Jenny Baniszewski

band the Moistboyz, building a recording studio, and releasing
his first solo record as the Dean Ween Group (DWG), titled
The Deaner Album.
While The Deaner Album will definitely appeal to Ween
fans, its Deans passion for tones and vintage gear, and his
of reunion performances. But judging by Deans own
musical output and history of writing great music in
whatever style thats inspiring him at thetime, he has a lot
more adventurous material coming, and hes sure to keep
branching out.

premierguitar.com
82 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 Your passion for writing great songs
has been evident throughout your
career. What led you to become
a songwriter?
At first we just liked to hear ourselves on
tape. We were fascinated that we could
put something down and listen back
to it. Anything we got down that had
drums, guitar, and vocals we thought
was music. Like, Its official, were a
band! [Laughs.]
We gave it a name, Ween, immedi-
ately. We were, like, 13, you know? And
then I learned how to tune the guitar.
Originally I would tune it all up to one
chord, like a lap steel. I would play barre
chords on it with my thumb. And even
with those limitations, we were starting
to write passable stuff. But we wanted
more. When you write something thats
good, that youre going to play for
somebody, that youre confident in as a
songwriter, you can never backpedal from
that. Youve got to keep going forward.
And that was what did it.
Then my dad bought me my first real
guitar, which was a Squier Stratone of
the early ones. Its a great guitar, made
in Japan. He hid it, but I knew the day
it entered the house. When nobody was
home I would just play it all day. The
body and the pickguard were all scratched
when I got it on Christmas Day. They
knew and they didnt care. I never got
a better gift in my entire life, before or
since. And I started taking guitar lessons.
And then I just had a love affair with my
guitar, which lasts to this day.
What was it that initially inspired you
to pick up the guitar?
Jimi Hendrixs Are You Experienced?
and then Van Halens Atomic Punk.
I heard those two songs, which have
one thing in common: the scratch on
the strings at the start of both. It scared
the crap out of me. I remember both
incidents. I heard Are You Experienced?
in a locker room when boom boxes were
first coming around, and it stopped me
dead in my tracks. It actually put me on
the path with music. I was just terrified
by the mystery of it. I went out and I got
it, and that was all she wrote.
What inspired you to create such a
guitar-focused new album after all
these years?
That was the primary goal for this record.
I had a million ideas over the years with
Weenconcepts I wanted to do. Like,
I always wanted to do a straight-up
Les Paul-sounding record the guitar
player Les Paul. And theres a song on
the new album, Schwartze Pete, that What guitars did you use on
does that. And I wanted to do a Miles
Davis strung-out thing. And Ive been
pleasantly surprised to find that the thing
that people have focused on most are the
songs which have a lot of guitar in them.
Your instrumental tracks have a vocal
sense of melody. How do you determine
which songs will be instrumental and
which will have singing?
This record is about half and half. I
didnt know who my audience was going
to be. I wanted to focus on the guitar,
but I also knew I had to sing and write
songs, because without a song, youve got
nothing. Unless youre a master like
Jeff Becks Blow by Blow or something.
Which is so fucking badass.
I write tons of instrumentals. I do a
lot of both. But I dont think Im going some reason Ive never been able to get
to change much. Im going to write another wah-wah to sound that good.
FACTOID
Dean Ween
recorded The
Deaner Album in
his new studio.
We built it from
the ground up
every nail, every
stud, with all the
considerations
youd want,
he says.
songs and choose the best ones. If they
got vocals on them, they got vocals on
them. If they dontif the playing is so
good or the melody is so good that it
doesnt need themthen thats what goes
on there.
the album?
I used everything. I always come back
to my Strat, seems like. The studio is
a lot different than live. In the studio,
all bets are off. Everything is in play.
Everything is possible if it serves the
song well. If I want a Tele sound, I have
an old 65 Twin and a bunch of Teles. I
know exactly how to make it get that
thing. I have a huge, huge vintage pedal
collection. If I hear a Fuzz Face, I grab
my Fuzz Face, you know?
What are some of your favorite
vintage pedals?
The Mu-Tron stuff, for sure. Mu-Tron
phasers and the envelope filter. And I
have an original spaghetti-logo Cry Baby.
Its Italian, from the late 60s. And for

Over the years I found that it takes a crowd

to get me to the next level. We can jam here in
the rehearsal room, but put me in a room full
of people and Ill elevate my game.

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 83

 I dont use a distortion DEAN WEENS GEAR

pedal. I never have in GUITARS AND BASSES

my life. I use the amps

1960 Dakota Red Fender Stratocaster
(Lace Sensor Gold pickups in the neck and middle,

natural gain. And I use

and a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in the bridge)
1966 Fender Stratocaster (stripped finish with

my guitars volume knob

Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups in the neck
and middle, and a Duncan Hot Rails in the bridge)

as my gain channel.
Fender parts Frankenstrat (with 61 Jazzmaster
neck, 1956 Road Worn body, Fender Pure
Vintage 59 pickups in neck and middle, and a
Duncan Hot Rails pickup in the bridge)
2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard
with Lindy Fralin pickups
Fender Telecasters
Fender Precision Bass
Fender Jazzmaster
Fender Musicmaster
G&L SC-2
Jerry Jones Master Sitar
Alembic Further
Martin 1969 D-28

AMPS
Fender 212 Hot Rod DeVille
Fender Super-Sonic 100
Fender Twin Reverb
Fender Rumble 200 bass combo
John Dandry Little Devil
Mesa/Boogie Trem-O-Verb
Mesa/Boogie Mark IV
Music Man HD-130
Fender 1x12 cab
Fender 4x12 cab
Mesa/Boogie 2x12 cab
Mesa/Boogie 4x12 cab

EFFECTS
Mu-Tron Phasor
Mu-Tron III Envelope Filter
Dean Weens Roland Space Echo
return to
recording and 60s Cry Baby wah-wah
the road ended Jimi Hendrix Signature Wah
a spell of MXR Blue Box
depression and MXR Carbon Copy
guitar-avoidance
Photo by Tamara Lee/Atlas Icons

after the band MXR Phase 90

Ween initially Electro-Harmonix Micro Synth
broke up in DigiTech Whammy V
2012. Its very Rocktron Banshee Talk Box
important to not
put the guitar Boss TU-3 tuner
down for too
long, he says. STRINGS
Ill never do
DAddario EXL110 (.010.046)
that again.

premierguitar.com
84 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 G6134T 58 Penguin
Vintage White Lacquer

Vintage Select Edition

LIVE IN TRUE VINTAGE HI-FI

gretschguitars.com
2017 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Gretsch, Penguin and Bigsby are trademarks of Fred W. Gretsch Enterprises, Ltd. and used herein under license. All rights reserved.

I always come Did that wah make it on the album?
back to my Strat, Oh yeah. If theres a wah-wah, that
seems like,
says Dean Ween,
would be it. I love tape echoes. I have an
shown here old Echoplex and a Roland Space Echo.
digging into one But onstage I use the Boss RE-20 Space
of his three go- Echo pedal, which has a tap function. I
to Fendersa dont use a distortion pedal. I never have
1960 Dakota
Red model with in my life. I use the amps natural gain.
Lace Sensor And I use my guitars volume knob as
Gold pickups in my gain channel. When its on 10, that
the middle and means Im ripping!
neck positions
and a Seymour
Through this process, and playing
Duncan Hot Rails with a lot of different guys to make
at the bridge. this record, I found the guys where we
have the Keith and Ronnie thing going.
We all have like-minded taste in gear.
We use Fender amps and Fender and
Gibson guitars, wah-wahs, phasers, and
echoes, basically.
What amps do you use live?
I use a Fender Super-Sonic 100, and I use
a 4x12 Fender cab. And for bar gigs I use
my Fender DeVille combo. I have two
or three of them. I was a Boogie guy, but
86 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
after years of playing through Rectifiers
and Mark IVs, I just found that it was
too generic of a sound. I didnt like the
gain of it as much as I like the Fender
gain. Its more round. Im not a gearhead,
but this is a guitar magazine and this is
fun to talk about!
Absolutely!
Lindy Fralin pickups changed my life.
As I cut my volume for rhythm guitar,
like to 3, say, Lindy Fralin pickups help
the high end stay there. You know what
I mean? It adjusts naturally.
I had Lindy, for my Les Paul, take
a volume and tone knob out. Both
pickups are on one volume knob. I
dont know why no one ever did that.
I love my Les Paul, but I cant deal
with two volume knobs onstage. When
I asked Lindy if that was possible, he
laughed! He was like, Dude, youre the
only person thats ever asked me. I do
it to every one of my Les Pauls. And
he hooked me up. Suddenly the Paul
became a part of my rig.
Does Fralin custom-wind the pickups
for you?
Yeah. Theyre expensive, but theyre
worth every penny. And I would have
it no other way. I dont want free shit
from someone thats a master. He really
stands behind his shit. And you hear it.
Anyone that picks up my guitar goes,
Dude, I love this thing! it something you focused on?
How are your newer guitar-forward
tunes translating to your live shows?
Its the biggest rush in the world, man.
Totally. I mean my chops have never
been better than they are right now.
Ive been playing for about two years,
every day and every night. Im either
rehearsing, recording, or gigging. And
you know when you get to that point,
you dont want to let it go at all. You
dont want that shit to get dull.
Its very important to not put the
guitar down for too long. Its important
to put it down for a little while, if its a
conscious decision. But to set it down
for real, for a long time like I did? Well,
Ill never do that again.
I used to be real sensitive to how a
guitar was set up. Now it doesnt even
matter. Ive played so many guitars, I
have so many guitars here, and I switch
them up on the road to make myself
play differently sometimes. Like one
night, or just before a tour, Ill say,
Bring the Paul out, or Grab the Strat
and the Teles.
What was it like making the
adjustment from doing your thing in
Ween to being the frontman in the
Dean Ween Group?
It was hard, but you know, you get
confident. Playing against a push-pull
thing with your vocals and your guitar ...
Im getting better at it.
The best thing about that with the
Dean Ween Group is that I have my
whole band sing, and we really work on
it. Even with the Ween stuff, its great.
Were covering a lot more parts that
Aaron sang on the records. Since the
DWG got together, Ive noticed that
its helped Ween immensely, with Dave
Dreiwitz [bass], Glenn McClelland
[keys], and Claude Coleman [drums] all
on the mic. [Editors note: All three also
perform with Ween.] And we sound good.
I never thought I would say that. My
voice hasnt sounded good since I was 13
in high school chorus.
Did that fall together naturally or was
Both. We worked on it at rehearsal
and onstage. But were still getting
better. I learned a million little tricks
on the guitar, but you can really work
a microphone, you know? There are
masters of it: Frank Sinatra, Marvin
Gaye. You get a little further back and
sing something from your throat. You
can sing something from your belly, and
when you scream yeah, it should be
from your toes, you know?
Do you prefer the creativity of
working in your studio or the energy
Photo by Tim Bugbee
of a live show?
There used to be no contest. All I wanted
to do is make records. I thought Ween
was going to be anonymous from the
premierguitar.com
 start. And then when we got signed, we
went on tour and found that we were a
really good live band. Over the years I
found that it takes a crowd to get me to
the next level. We can jam here in the
rehearsal room, but put me in a room full
of people and Ill elevate my game. So I
love them both, but its like choosing a
favorite kid to me.
You recently built your own recording
studio. What influence did that have on
The Deaner Album?
Well, I started this record, like, four
years ago. I brought my other band, the
Moistboyz, from Austin to work on our
fifth album and the Dean Ween Group
record at the same time. And it was a very
bad plan. There was no focus. It was like,
Whoa! What song goes on which record?
They all sounded like the Moistboyz,
because were cowriting together.
So I put my record on the back burner
and put my best foot forward for the
Moistboyz. When that was done and the
premierguitar.com
dust settled, I got an opportunity to build
a studio in my home town. Then it was
time to get serious about my record. I
had a few tunes, but coming in here was
basically a restart, so the studio really
inspired the record, I would say.
I ended up with my dream studio.
I own it. We built it from the ground
upevery nail, every stud, with all the
considerations youd want. Comfort,
vibe, soundproofing, big live room
you know? A beautiful control room,
a kitchen, lounge, big flat-screen TVs,
Pro Tools, an API console, and a tape
machineeverything that I ever would
want. The live room has a full PA and
side fills for rehearsal. And its all miked
up so we can record it through the API to
have a studio-sounding album.
or beat people over the head with one
Coming into The Deaner Album, you
spoke about finding a new creative
place where you were really on fire.
Yeah. I still got it going, man. Ive been
writing on the road, which I never
have done in the past. Its like Im
usually too busy or Im just not in that
headspace. But when you are hearing
melodies and you are writing riffs,
you got to get that shit down. Because
when you arent writing, youre going
to have this huge catalog of stuff to go
out and start playing on tour. And that
inspires you again. And then all of a
sudden youre back.
We actually already have a second
record thats better than the first one.
Its done. I cant wait to put it out. And
by the time we do get it out, hopefully I
would have written more tunes.
Any idea when that album will
come out?
Nah. I dont want to muzzle the first one
right on its heels. And Ween is going. So
Im plenty busy.
Any plans for new music with Ween?
Not at the moment. Thats all I can say.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 87
 As guitar What is it about the guitar that still
intensive as
inspires you to pick it up today?
Weens solo
debut is, he still The fact that I dont know anything.
puts a premium I would love to be able to play like
on songcraft. Django. Id love to be able to play like
Without a Eddie Van Halen. I mean, theres so
song, youve
got nothing,
much out there. Ive developed my
he says. Here, style and my tendencies, and I have my
he strips his influences, but theres so much more to
music to the conquer. And you never know when its
essence with a
going to hit you.
Guild acoustic.
Like, Willie Nelson doesnt get nearly
enough props for his guitar playing.
The guitar playing is beautiful and sin-
gular. He plays a classical Martin, which
is what I have. More than steel strings,
thats what I like to play. I saw him
recently, and I came home and I just
couldnt wait to get my hands on mine.
You know Eddie Van Halen wishes
he could play like Django. You got your
YOUTUBE IT
The Dean Ween Group meets the Meat Puppets in the guitar-mad
thing, and thats great and all. But you video for The Exercise Man, a tune stoked by Ween-esque humor
can never stop learning. And when you and abundant hooks. The highlight comes about a minute in, when
Dean, on a Telecaster, and the Puppets Curt Kirkwood, picking a Les
stop searching, then youre fucked.
Paul, trade dizzy solos as the camera zooms in on their fingers.
You know? YouTube search term: The Exercise Man

Zuma and Ojai are the highest horsepower, most technologically

advanced effects pedal power supplies. Each output provides a
staggering 500mA of current. Our optically isolated feedback and
advanced multistage filtering allow your pedals to sound the way they
were designed to sound. Never worry about power again.

strymon.net/power

premierguitar.com
88 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 2017 PRS Guitars / Photos by Marc Quigley

Chuck Treece w/McRad @ FDR Skatepark

CONTROL YOUR TONE

The Sonzera family of ampliers from PRS Guitars
feature two independently controlled, foot-
switchable channels designed for maximum
versatility. The Sonzera is built in the spirit of
vintage amps that allowed you to control your
tone instead of the amp being in control. To
hear these amps and to see what our artists
are saying go to www.prsguitars.com
 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

THE
SNAKE
STRIKES
AGAIN!
Psychedelic blues guitar hero
Harvey Mandel returns, uncoiling a
lifetime of trippy techniques like
tapping, extreme vibrato, and backwards
soloing in a new album and box set.
BY MICHAEL ROSS
Illustration by Rosemary Fanti

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 91
 M
In Mandels still- any listeners first exposure to the unique, slithering
expanding sonic
guitar sound of Harvey Mandel came when the
universe, green
isnt just the Rolling Stones Hot Stuff hit the airwaves in
color of aliens. 1976. But Mandels story begins more than a
This graphic decade earlier, when young white guitarists roamed Chicagos
self-portrait blues clubs, learning to play at the feet of legends like Buddy
celebrates his
image as a
Guy, Otis Rush, and Magic Sam. The release of The Paul
longstanding Butterfield Blues Band in 1965, with its back-cover exhortation
psychedelic to play it loud, and the groups East-West in 1966 showcased
warrior. the incendiary playing of one of those nascent guitar heroes,
Michael Bloomfield, whose raw performances on both records
spoke to a new generation of players.
Harvey Mandel was also on the Chicago scene, cutting
his teeth sitting in with blues legends. Bloomfield was more
on the South Side, and I hung more at the club Twist City,
which is the West Side, says Mandel. Born in 1945, he was
a few years younger than the Butterfield Band guitarist, but
by his late teens he was consistently jamming with the likes
of Buddy Guy. I wasnt legally allowed in a lot of clubs
because I wasnt 21, but the owners didnt mind, he says.
They would sneak me in and out, making sure no one
fed me liquor so they wouldnt lose their licenses. Shortly
after becoming legal, Mandel made his recording debut
on Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhites Southside
Band, with a singing tone already hinting at the sustain that
would help define his sound.
To many suburban blues guitarists, Stand Back was almost
as influential as the Butterfield records, but because it was
released in 1967, Mandels emerging style was overshadowed
by Claptons work with John Mayalls Bluesbreakers and
the arrival of Jimi Hendrix. Still, Bill Graham deemed the
Musselwhite band worthy to share a bill with Bloomfields
Electric Flag and Eric Claptons new group Cream at his San
Francisco-based Fillmore West. I ended up staying in San
Francisco, because after that show the group disbanded and
everyone went their own way, Mandel recalls.
There, the guitarist met Abe Voco Kesh (Keshishian),
a radio DJ and producer for the Mercury/Philips labels.
A fan of the Musselwhite band, Kesh had just produced
a No. 1 record for Blue Cheer. This let him get Mandel
a solo deal with Phillips without so much as an audition.
His first solo record, Cristo Redentor, in 1968, contained
many of the markers Mandel would revisit over more than
a dozen records and almost five decades: funky grooves
with strings and horns filling out the sound, along with
psychedelic production techniques like guitars panning
across the stereo spectrum and flipping the tape over to
achieve backwards guitar effects. Even without recording
tricks, Mandels distinctive licks seemed at times to be going
backwards, creating the serpentine sound that earned him
his nickname, Snake.
The next year saw the release of Righteous, cementing
the eclecticism that would mark all of Mandels music,
ranging from the clean tones on Cannonball Adderleys
92 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Jive Samba and the
funky Poontang to more
distorted effects on the
swampy Love of Life
and the slow blues Just a
Hair More.
One of the most
successful blues bands of
the late 60s was Canned Heat, who cracked the pop charts
with On the Road Again and Goin Up the Country.
Following the release of their fourth record, original guitarist
Henry Vestine quit after an onstage argument with bassist
Larry Taylor at the Fillmore West. The next night Mandel and
Mike Bloomfield sat in with the band, after which Mandel was
recruited as Vestines replacementjust in time for Woodstock.
Mandel left Canned Heat in 1970, but soon joined Larry
Taylor in British blues legend John Mayalls band to record
USA Union. For that drummer-less album, the guitarist fully
abandoned distortion and sustain for a more country-ish clean
tone, leaving the majority of the soloing to Mayalls piano and
Don Sugarcane Harris electric blues violin. Mandel and
Harris would briefly join forces a few years later for the group
Pure Food and Drug Act, but not before the guitarist recorded
one of his best solo records, 1971s Baby Batter.
For The Snake, released in 1972, the guitarist added some
new sounds and techniques. Uni-Vibe modulated tones
are prevalent, while the song Lynda Love offers pull-offs
on open strings that create wide intervallic jumps. Mandel
further expands his technical palette on 1973s Shangrenade,
delivering an explosion of two-handed tapping a full five
years before Van Halens first record.
The year 1976 brought the guitarists famous Rolling
Stones audition, which resulted in Mandel appearing on two
singles from the Black and Blue album, Memory Motel and
Hot Stuff. His tasteful melodic licks on the former enhance
the tune, but it is his limitless sustain and backwards-
sounding licks on the latter that show the added colors and
creativity Mandel might have brought to the band had they
not opted to go with Ron Woods virtual cloning of Keith.
In the subsequent 40 years, Mandel has toured with
versions of Canned Heat and continued to make solo
records, including his most recent, 2016s Snake Pit. This
release finds the guitarist at the top of his game, mostly
fingerpicking his heart out, despite spending the last
few years fighting off cancer and undergoing a series of
operations. Last year also saw the release of Snake Box, a
set of five full Mandel classicsCristo Redentor, Righteous,
Games Guitars Play, Baby Batter, and The Snake, along with a
bonus disc, Live at the Matrix.
Artwork by By Harvey Mandel
Surveying the collected works and latest release, as well
as interviewing the man, reveals a portrait of an artist who
developed a personal voice early on, yet continues to grow,
willing to incorporate new sounds, skills, and technology as
long as they help him achieve his vision.
premierguitar.com
 Inspiration can come in many shapes and forms a touch, a sound, a color,a fine instrument.
The Premium RGs are designed to inspire your creativity and imagination. Your job is to inspire the world.

R G 3 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y

Live, Mandel Were you born in Chicago?
employs modern
stompboxes
I am from Chicago. I just happened to
pop out at the wrong time, when my
and a VG-99
to reproduce father was working in Detroit, but I
effects he
created decades
never really lived there. I was an infant
when we moved back to Chicago.
ago in the
studio. His
Parker Fly Mojo How did you start playing guitar?
sports an aptly I was going on 16, jamming on bongo
psychedelic drums with this guy who played the
finishflames guitara kind of a beatnik thing. I asked
and a snakeskin-
patterned
him to show me a chord, and from that
lower bout. moment I was hypnotized. My dad got
me my first instrument, which was a
$16 Harmony acoustic. A guy in school
showed me how to take a phonograph
cartridge, put it on the guitar, and drill a
hole in a radio to use it as an amplifier.
That became my first electric guitar.
When my dad saw I was that inventive,
he took me to Sears, where I got a
Silvertone with a Silvertone amp. Every
few months I graduated from one guitar
to the next, until I went through all the
Strats and Gibsons. I have been mostly
playing Parker guitars for the last 12 years.
Did you come up in the same Chicago
scene as Mike Bloomfield, Paul
94 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
I have the action set where I can slip
the G string or B string underneath the D and
A string if I have to. Thats the only way you
can do certain bends or vibratos.
Butterfield, and keyboardist Barry
Goldberg?
Barry Goldberg and I played in a couple
of groups together, including on Charlie
Musselwhites first record. I didnt know
Mike Bloomfield well. We jammed a
couple of times. We were all pretty much
from the same era, playing a lot of the
black clubs.
Early on, you covered tunes by saxist
Cannonball Adderley and pianist
Horace Silver. Was jazz a big influence?
I listened to all kinds of stuff back in
those days and it would all have some
influence. Even though I am primarily a
blues-rock player, I still like jazz. I can do
some within my style. I also like country.
For a while I did nothing but country
licks. I actually played with a country
band for about six or seven months.
HARVEY MANDELS GEAR
GUITARS
Parker Fly Mojo with DiMarzio pickups
AMPS
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 4x10
EFFECTS
Keeley Fuzz Head
Keeley Compressor
Roland VG-99
PICKS & STRINGS
Dean Markley (.009.042)
Dava medium picks
Having those other influences mixed in
makes my blues and rock playing better.
How do you do some of your more
extreme string bends?
I have the action set where I can slip the
G string or B string underneath the D
and A string if I have to. Thats the only
way you can do certain bends or vibratos.
I use .009.042s, so my E, B, and G are
light enough to push into the other ones.
You seem to both push and pull the
strings.
I do every type of vibrato and bend you
have ever seen. I have my Eric Clapton
vibrato. There is the Albert King vibrato,
which is pulled down. Theres my Otis
Rush vibrato, which is real smooth.
When I first started playing blues, I spent
lots of time perfecting those techniques.
premierguitar.com
 What led you to seek almost infinite sustain?
I was trying to imitate horn, violin, synthesizer,
harmonica, and steel guitar sounds. You get an idea
in your head and you find a way to do it. Now,
they have 500 different pedals to give you sustain,
distortion, and fuzz. When I started we had to
get it from an amplifier. We had to figure out the
proper amp to use and the way to set it. When I
did the Baby Batter record, I was using a Bogen PA
amplifier. I took out one or two of the tubes, so it
wasnt real loud, and fed it into a 12" speaker. To this
day that is one of my best sounds. I did all kinds of
crazy experimenting with different stuff. Now, Im an
expert on effects so I can consistently get the magic
sound. Back in the day it was hit or miss.
you to fly out tomorrow. The next
day I got a ticket, took my stuff, and
went there.
I knew at the time it was an
audition, because Mick Taylor
had just left. He wasnt part of the
showmanship stuff. He didnt jump
around and go crazy like Jagger. He
stayed in the background and just
played cool guitar. Jagger wanted
me because, like Mick Taylor, I
would play fancy guitar licks in
the background and let them do
their thing. Unfortunately I lost
out to Ron Wood because Keith
Richards wanted to keep the band
all-English. Keith grew up with
Ron and they were buddies. Still, I
did come real close to becoming a
Rolling Stone.
How had Mick heard of you?

You also experimented with backwards

guitar sounds.
I started by flipping the tapes over. Its all in
learning how to play to make the sound natural
and make sense with what you are doing when
you reverse it. You cant just reverse anything and
expect it to sound good. Now I use certain effects
that emulate the backwards sound.

Sometimes you sound like you are getting a

reverse sound without effects.
I became able to sustain those notes to let them
bend down and do all these weird little twists and
turns that you get when you do the backward
tapes. I was always emulating that sound.

Was 1973s Shangrenade the first time you

really started two-hand tapping?
That entire record is tapping.

What led you to that technique?

When I was in the Pure Food and Drug Act, the
other guitar player, Randy Resnick, did a little
tapping. Others had done it before, but that was
the first time I saw it. I just took it and did my own
thing. Van Halen got the credit for tapping, but I
was definitely the first rock guy to do it on a record.
Nobody realized I was tapping on Shangrenade.
They thought I was a jazz player with long fingers
who was able to do these incredible intervals.

Tell us about the Rolling Stones audition.

I was living in Los Angeles, when I got a call at
3 or 4 oclock in the morning from Mick Jagger.
I thought it was somebody goofing around, but
after I talked to him a minute or two I could tell it
was really him. He said, Id like you to come play
on this record. Were in Munich, Germany. I want

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 95

 I lost out to Ron Wood because Keith Richards wanted to keep the band
all-English. Still, I did come real close to becoming a Rolling Stone.

A young Mandel We crossed paths somewhere when I Snake Pit is your first studio record in
(left) performing
at Woodstock with
was with Canned Heat. So, through over a decade. Why now?
somebody, he got my number. I guess people started getting interested
Photo by Jason Laure / Frank White Photo Agency
Canned Heat. A
vocabulary built in me lately because of my past notoriety
around sinuous How did the Snake Box set come about? and the illness that I was going through.
leads and bold, When he cut 1970s Games Guitars
My manager, Timm Martin, from Out Josh Rosenthal [of Tompkins Square Play, Mandel was wrangling a Fender
varied vibrato
helped Mandel the Box Records, is also in charge of the Records] reached me through my Stratocaster. The album includes
Chicago Blues Reunion Band, which manager and came up with the offer to bassist Larry Taylor and covers of I
earn his reptilian Dont Need No Doctor, which Humble
nickname, the is Barry Goldberg, me, and some other do this record at Fantasy Studios. All the Pie would also record live the next
Snake, at around the Chicago players. He had a connection tracks were one to two takes live, but it year, and Leaving Trunk, Taj Mahals
time of his debut take on Sleepy John Estes Milk Cow
solo album, 1968s
with Cleopatra Records and they made was recorded with earphones in separate Blues. The LP is now part of the
Cristo Redentor. an offer. rooms. I did some conducting through Snake Box reissue set.

premierguitar.com
96 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 the glass. The musicians were really good.
Once I told them what to do, I could just
sit back and play. Despite the fact that I
have gone through a bunch of medical
weirdness these past few years, I can play
better than ever. Thats the only thing I
can still do in my old age. [Laughs.]
What pedals are you using these days?
I play through a Roland VG-99 and some
Keeley pedals I keep on the side, like
fuzz, delay, and compressor. The VG-99
is great because it has a million effects
built in. I can sit there and create a bunch
of my own patches, so I can have the
perfect rhythm sound, the perfect Jimi
Hendrix sound, and a perfect backward
tape sound at the flip of a button. I use it
mostly for the effects, through a Hot Rod
DeVille 4x10. Sometimes I will run one
of its amp model effects and still run it
through an amp.
On Buckaroo theres a sound that is
like a wah-wah, only not quite.
There is a ribbon controller on the Have you gotten any kind of
VG-99 to modify effects parameters. I remuneration from anyone?
did that with my finger on the controller. Are you kidding?
I used it to filter the sound. It was the
first time I ever did it, just for fun. It How are you doing health-wise?
produces a tone you cant get with the I have been over the cancer for the last
regular wah pedal. couple of years, but have been limited
because every four to six weeks I had
A lot of your tracks over the years to go for reconstructive surgery. One
resemble what they started calling or two more operations and that will
acid jazz. Many of those old acid be done, and then I can concentrate
jazz records ended up as samples on on touring and performing. Its been
hip-hop records. Have your records like a never-ending nightmare, but
been sampled? now the end is finally in sight and I
Sure. They can take certain chords, a can concentrate on getting my full
good beat with a magic rhythm, and do strength back. I would say in the next
all kinds of crazy stuff with it. I know six months to a year, I should be back
that has happened for sure. in full swing again.
YOUTUBE IT
Caught live in Lucilles restaurant at B.B. Kings Club in New York
City, Harvey Mandel is in top psychedelic form on his Parker Fly
Mojo, conjuring his way through backwards guitar lines and vibrato-
drenched riffs as he dips his toes into the traditional spiritual Wade
in the Water.
YouTube search term: HARVEY MANDEL -- WADE IN THE WATER

the legend
perfected

INTRODUCING THE NEW M6 AND M6 MINI

Featuring 18 : 1 Velvet-Tec technology
5 dierent designs: M6 (double) Pin, M6 180, M6 135, M6 90, M6 Mini
10 exclusive M6 buttons: large or small metal, perloid, ebony, galalith, polybone
6 dierent stringposts: locking, toplocking, solid and slotted headstock, classical and classical deluxe
10 dierent colors: Nickel, Chrome, SatinChrome, BlackChrome, Gold,
Ruthenium, SatinPearl, VintageCopper, SatinBlack, SatinGold

www. schaller. info

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 97
 turn off
the
rational brain
Psych-folk songwriter
Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic
follows the flow, using intricate
nylon-string picking patterns and
space-conscious arrangements to
craft an enchanting
new solo album.
| BY FREDDY VILLANO |

L
Temple was uke Temple has such a deep, personal connection to I had a sense that I could sing, he recalls. But, like guitar,
trained in what he sings and writes about that it seems as if he I started because it is something you can do by yourself. He
art school as
a painter to was born doing it. Listen to the electronic-acoustic also developed a keen compositional perspective as a painter
understand the psychedelia of his band Here We Go Magic, or the avant-garde at Tufts that he would eventually apply to songwriting. Even
compositional traditionalism of his solo work, and it becomes quite clear his deft fingerpicked licks seem to resonate from the pattern-
values of light that over the past 10 years or so Temple has matured into the oriented headspace he discovered in college. My natural
and dark. As a
quintessential folk artist of our time. His lonesome falsetto has inclination, he says, was to figure out patterns [on guitar]
sonic artist, he
applies the same conjured comparisons to Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley, and and then write little songs from those ideas.
principles of his songcraft is weighed against other contemporary masters, After Tufts, and struggling to make it as a visual artist,
shading to his including Cass McCombs. Still, musically he nods to Hank Temple recorded two folk albums under his own name, Hold
use of space Williams and Roger Miller. a Match for a Gasoline World (2005) and Snowbeast (2007),
and dynamics.
Temples career in music didnt start with the concentrated, before forming the New York-based indie-rock band Here We
intuitive focus he possesses today. His current trajectory can Go Magic in 2008. Their eponymous debut was released the
be traced back to his freshman year in college. Born in Salem, next year. It was recorded almost entirely alone by Temple on
Massachusetts, Temple initially got into playing with his high a simple 4-track recorder with nothing more than a drum,
school friends when he picked up bass as a teenager, but when one microphone, a synth, and an acoustic guitar. Here We Go
Photo by Michael Leviton

he enrolled at Tufts School of the Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston, he didnt have anyone to make music with.
Bass is an ensemble instrument, for the most part, he
explains. So I started teaching myself guitar and it just evolved
from there. He even admits he was too shy, initially, to sing.
Magic eventually morphed into a five-piece, gaining critical
acclaim for The January EP (2011) and A Different Ship (2012).
But whether working with a band or alone, Temple seems to
prefer a songwriting palette that blends stream-of-conscious
lyrics and melodies with groove-inflected bedroom folk music.

premierguitar.com
98 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 On A Hand Through the Cellar Door, Temples latest album, figurative image. Reminiscences such as these abound on A
this auricular template once again manifests itself in quirky, Hand Through the Cellar Door, set in relief by the role space
compelling songs. Musically, the set is a whimsical expression of plays in the songs minimalist arrangements.
minimalism featuring the trio of Temple on guitar and vocals, The symbiotic relationship between influence and expression
Ben Davis on bass, and Austin Vaughn on drums. Lyrically, in Temples songs illuminates an organic approach that is both
Temples meditations on life take the listener inside the head familiar and refreshingly original. His storytelling demonstrates
of someone seemingly immersed within his own thoughts. On an inimitable intuition for the fascinatingly askew. And his FACTOID
Birds of Late December, Temple traverses a memory he has guitar playing skips and hiccups unpredictably and effortlessly An element of A
Hand Through
about his parents divorce, while his gently twined vocal and within the sparse soundscapes he creates as a backdrop for the Cellar Doors
guitar melody evokes Elizabeth Cottens Freight Train. In musical and personal nostalgia. Yet his trips down Memory seductive sound is
bleed. The album
The Case of Lewis Warren, Temple sings about a former high Lane are never sappy. was recorded live
school classmate as he channels the 70s folk-crooner vibe of PG recently caught up with Temple at his adopted home in with minimal
miking, including
Fred Neil and Tim Hardin. Smashing Glass touches on the Los Angeles to discuss the influence of musical traditions, the a Telefunken U47
destructive aspects of anger in its lyrics, and Temples fluttering, illusion of space in music, the cathartic aspects of songwriting, for vocals that also
picked up Temples
nimble fingerpicking sonically paints an Eric Fischl-like his artistic evolution, and his unpretentious oddball gear. nylon-string guitar.

When you first picked up an instrument,
was the catalyst to write your own songs
or learn cover songs?
I always wanted to write my own music.
I started just jamming with friends and
improvising. We never really learned covers,
even back then in high school. I always felt
like it was much cooler to write my own
material. Maybe it was my compositional
brain coming from painting. Now, in
retrospect, I wish I had come up learning
more covers and, at this point, Im interested
in going back and learning more covers.
Why?
I think theres strength in tradition.
Whether I realize it or not, theres always
some attempt to avoid clichslittle
songwriting tropesas a songwriter. But
inevitably Im influenced. Like the 12-bar
progression, for instance. Theres always
Photo by Taylor Swaim
room for that. It could be considered a by the brain in the same way. It goes
clich, but theres always a different way to into the darkness and then it is just
reinterpret that. And right there Im being information. There are a lot of similar
influenced by American songwriting via considerations writing a record and Luke Temple,
Scotch-Irish music that goes way back. working on a painting. warming up on
his Guitarras
Whether or not youre learning covers Madrigal Modelo
youre still influenced by the lineage of What is your songwriting process? 98C nylon
music that predates you. Actually going in It usually starts off with throwing shit at string before a
and learning covers and different forms the wall and then editing out the parts November 2016
probably enriches your palette. that dont work and finding the narrative performance at
the Co-Cathedral
thread in there. It starts from a more of St. Joseph
You have a strong, educated subconscious place. Or Ill have an idea in Brooklyn,
background in painting. Does that ever about what I want to write about, but pursues
cross over or influence your music? then I just let that spring up from the songwriting via
inspiration and
I dont think about them both at the subconscious. If I dont try to be too perspiration.
same time. But Im probably utilizing literal about it, it eventually just sort of He says he
the same part of my brain. There are shows itself. And then the rational brain lets songs
similar considerations with regard to takes over and you have to roll up your begin from a
subconscious
composition and bookending narratives sleeves and get into the editing part.
place, and then
and things like that. Whether its visual Thats always the hardest part for me, but rolls up
or auditory, it comes in and is processed its really important. his sleeves.

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 99

Temple explains
that his well-
played nylon-
string Guitarras
Madrigal is on
permanent
loan from a
friend. Its also
all over A Hand
Through the
Cellar Door.

The first time you show something to a band, the vibe is sort of perfect
because everyone is on their toes. They are playing really intuitively.
Why do you find thats so hard? Do you apply the same approach to I was listening to some North African
Because part of me wants every tiny little the musical components of your songs? music, if I remember correctly, like Tuareg
pearl and jewel in there, and every little Thats the most intuitive part, and that stuff. Theres a little guitar line in the
metaphor, but you have to remember not usually comes first. Maryann started middle of the song that is a Tuareg rip-
to try to impress too much and just get with lyrics, which is pretty rare for me. off, in my mind, but the vocal delivery is
the idea acrossthe story. To get stuck Usually it starts with the music, like maybe [composer] Arthur Russell, a little
in minutia can be a trap. some sort of rhythmic feel that I want to bit. That song is less narrative than the
use, then the music, and then the lyrics. others. The title says it all. Were always
Many of your lyrics seem to be estimating and going on statistics, but we
personal tales. What were you thinking, conceptually, really have no idea whats going to happen.
There are two songs on the record, about Maryann Was Quiet? That song is more about the groovegoing
Maryann Was Quiet and The Case Musically I was thinking Velvet from E to F#, back and forth. I was also
of Lewis Warren, that are about people Underground. There are so many thinking Fire on the Mountain by the
I actually know. Those are true stories. lyrics and its very conversational, so it Grateful Dead, which is just A to G over
Usually I start with something that Ive seemed ridiculous to make the music and over again. A lot of Talking Heads
been through and I have an idea about too baroque or too modal. The music songs have that whole-step movement.
what I want to write about, but then I just needed to be really simple to tell Its an easy progression to float over. I also
have to turn off my rational brain that story. really like holding a whole-step above in the
Photo by Taylor Swaim

to allow the images to pop through. bass while the other chordal instruments
Just think about the situation, then I hear some interesting influences in move down a whole-step, like keeping an
free associate, and then edit it Estimated World. Where does the A over a G. I think thats a beautiful sound.
slowly together. rhythmic figure come from? That was the vibe of that song.

premierguitar.com
100 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 Bass was
Temples first
instrument, but
when he found
himself without
playing partners
in art school, he
began to explore
acoustic guitar
and singing,
which put
him on his
current path.

Tell me about the band and the

recording process. The record has a real
live vibe to it.
Its just a trioBen Davis on bass and
Austin Vaughn on drumsand we
recorded it in two days. We did a bunch
of rehearsing and then went into the
studio and recorded it live. Everything is
live. There are a couple of overdubs here
and there, but the bulk of itthe vocals,
bass and drumswere all done together.
Did you write what they played or did
they come up with their own parts?
Im with Miles Davis, in that its not
about writing parts for people. Its about
picking the right people. If you pick the
right people, they are going to play stuff
that works. You have to start there and let
them be themselves. If they are the right
musicians they are going to understand
the tone. Theyre going to know it needs
to be sparse, or whatever kind of thing
youre working with. Those guys were the
right fit for this particular batch of songs.
And they loved rehearsing so there was
no twisting their ears to go in and work
on the songs.
Inside Temples Gear Sanctum
Some players subscribe to the guitar-as-hammer-and-nails philosophy
the notion that the instruments so many of us drool over are simply
tools for getting a job done. Luke Temple is one of them. Despite his
sonic conjuring, he says his needs are basic and he makes the most out
of whatever is at his disposal, to the extent that he sometimes doesnt
remember what hes actually used to record.
On A Hand Through the Cellar Door, Temple says he played a Guitarras
Madrigal Modelo 98C nylon string that he says is on permanent loan from
a friend. At home he plays and writes on an inexpensive Yamaha FG-30
12-string acoustic that is nowhere to be heard on the album. With Here
We Go Magic, he relies on his trusty, well-worn 1965 Valco-made National
N-644 solidbody, which is also absent from Cellar Door.
The sole amp he used on the album is a small Vox that was provided
by the studio where he cut Cellar Door. He admits he doesnt remember
the amp model, or the make of the contact mic he used to translate his
Madrigal 98Cs vibrations to it. Temples own go-to amp for live shows, a
Fender Concert Pro, was recently stolen. And while he doesnt declare a
preference for any particular brand of strings, he does use .011 sets on his
nylon-string and 12-string guitars. He does not use a pick.
The music is pretty simple, so it might this weird illusion you can create with
seem like I just showed them the song space and that takes a lot of work. At
and they just came up with the first thing least it did for this record.
on their minds, but it was a lot of work,
Photo by Taylor Swaim

Theres sparseness to the music actually. To work with such a simple How do you balance over- and under-
that must be challenging to capture palette like that, its like less is more. rehearsing for such a session?
convincingly. You have to be loose, The more space you utilize the more you The first time you show something to a
but tight. actually hearthe fuller it seems. Its like band, the vibe is sort of perfect because

premierguitar.com
102 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 everyone is on their toes. They dont
really know whats coming, and they are
playing really intuitively. But usually
people hit wrong notes or make mistakes
because they dont really understand
the songespecially if its a bit more
complex. My songs usually have little
turns that no one would really be able
to predict intuitively. There are certain
songwriters, like Bob Dylan for instance,
who would just come in and show the
song to the band right there and they
would be hanging on for dear life. You
can hear that in a lot of his recordings.
Blood on the Tracks was reportedly
done that wayat least partially.
And I feel like you can hear it. You can hear
the bassist just listening or looking at Dylans
fingers for when theyre going to change.
And that adds real electricity to a recording.
With a lot of my songs, you couldnt really
do that because theyre a bit more baroque
in the way that they are written, so there
needs to be some rehearsing.
How would you describe the phases of everyone had the songs under their belts
development in the rehearsal process? completely and we could just play with
At the beginning, the vibe is right, it. Its a whole process.
but inevitably theres going to be some
kinks to work out. And then theres this You have to have structure to break
whole middle period where everyone free from. Even most jazz musicians are
basically figures out what they want to improvising over chord changes.
play, but it starts to get really uptight I always think of someone like John
because they are thinking about it Coltrane. These master musicians
too much. And then it gets to a point practiced probably 10 or 13 hours a day
whereand maybe youve played it live in such a formal way that they just broke
a few timesyou actually transcend that through some other side. His ascension
and you get back to the innocence of on those records, from A Love Supreme
knowing the song so well you can relax onits just this completely free music. In
in it and just have fun with it. And you a sense, rehearsing for a record is a little
can kind of improvise again within the microcosm of that. You want to get to the
parts that youve written for yourself. point where youre free past the form, but
I knew it was time to record when its not like my music is free music.
YOUTUBE IT
Luke Temples belief in keeping things sweet and simple resonates
through this solo performance of Here We Go Magics Miracle of
Mary on his nylon-string guitar, recorded at the Vondel Hotel in
Amsterdam in 2012.
YouTube search term: Here We Go Magic - Miracle Of Mary (Live)

the Straight Truth About Pickups by Jason Lollar

The magic found in some (but not all) classic vintage pickups was created
by accidentdont let anyone tell you different. And over time, some pretty
stellar accidents happened. The only way to recreate that magic is to study
more than a few exceptional examples of all the classic pickup types, while
acquiring a thorough understanding of exactly what materials were used
and precisely how each pickup was constructed and wound. Only then
is the magic repeatable, if you are willing to spend the time and money
required to chase the dragon. I am.

I have personally designed over 100 different pickup models,

including all the vintage classics, many obscure works of
art known only to lap and pedal steel players, and even a
few of my own designs that never existed in the past.

I invite you to visit our website for sound clips, videos and
current product information, or feel free to give us a call.

Handmade in the USA lollarpickups.com 206.463.9838 P-90 Staple

LOLPGVGHALF2016

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 103

 You only play acoustic guitar on this
record. How did you track
your instrument?
We miked it and also had a contact mic
going through an amp. I think it was a
small Vox that was blown out a little. I
dont think we used much of that track
other than to beef it up or give it a little
grit occasionally. For the most part we
used the guitar mic. I sang through a
Telefunken U47, and that invariably
picked up a bunch of guitar, also.
Did that kind of bleed cause
mixing issues?
Nowadays when you mix and master
a record you do a vocal version and a
non-vocal version, because if you hope
to sync your music to a commercial
or a film, everyone always wants the
instrumental version. And that was the
one thing about this record I couldnt
do, because everything is bleeding into
everything else. Theres no way of taking
104 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
out the vocal without taking out the
guitar. Or the vocal was in the guitar
track. It just was impossible.
Do you prefer acoustic or
electric guitar?
In Here We Go Magic I play electric, but
I think I prefer playing acoustic. Its the
instrument that I write all my music on,
mostly because I write at home. I actually
have a 12-string I like to play a lot when
Im kicking around the house.
Youve done albums at home by
yourself on a 4-track and in a studio
with a band. Do you have a preference?
They both have their place. Im recording
right now by myself. I love working alone
and just being in a world of overdubs
where I play everything. But theres
something you cant get with overdubbing
that you can capture live with other
human beings. Its just a case-by-case
situation that depends on the song. The
more narrative songs would feel weird
for me to labor over. This record needed
to be conversational, so playing live with
other people gives it that vibe.
Is there anything cathartic about the
writing process for you?
My insides are a big jumble and my
mind is constantly going. Im constantly
thinking about the next thing, so its
hard for me to reflect and say whether
something is cathartic or that Ive worked
through a problem. Im just always on to
the next thing.
But it feels that way when I perform.
Writing feels like a lot of work. Theres
a certain satisfaction when you finish
a song, but its not always enjoyable,
necessarily. I love doing it and I
understand that I have to do it every
day. Im writing all day, every day. But it
doesnt feel cathartic until its finished and
I perform it or record it really well and I
listen back. Then it feels like a success.
premierguitar.com
ACOUSTIC SOUNDBOARD

A Master Builders Tips for Choosing the Right Pickup

BY MARK DALTON

A
Installed in coustic guitar pickups have been
one of Huss & written about extensively in
Daltons OM Premier Guitar by knowledgeable
models, this
bridge-plate
folks like Larry Fishman, but this month
contact pickup Id like to touch on the subject through
will serve a the lens of a guitar builder. Ill avoid
player with plans comparison between different pickup
to play noisier
models and instead concentrate on the
rooms, where
an internally different types of pickups, along with
mounted mic considerations for choosing the right
might not be up system for you and your guitar.
to the job. So, where do you play that requires
you to plug in? Its the very first question
Ill ask anyone who asks me what pickup
they should install. Its a simple question,
but its critical to getting the best
system for you. Over the years, I have
identified roughly five different levels
of performance/background noise that
necessitate the use of particular systems. Given the relatively low-volume (gain) level that
Level 1. If you play at home on you will need in this scenario, any guitar builder
your ownor maybe with one other will likely tell you to go with a mic.
acoustic playerand you want to do
some recording, I would question the
need for a pickup at all. I believe that a this situation, Id suggest going with at gain needed and the tremendous feedback
good external condenser mic would be least a combo pickup that incorporates opportunities involved, Id recommend
the better choice if this is where you find an internal mic with another source such finding a good under-saddle transducer.
yourself. A mic will usually give you the as a bridge-plate contact pickup. This Remember: If nobody hears that great
best tone for recording and you can easily way, you can mix the mic signal in higher break that you just played, it doesnt matter
try out a number of different models and when the room is quieter for better tone, how great it was. Im reminded of a friend
different mic positions to get the tone you but you can dial it back and use more (who is a terrific flatpicker) and the time
hear in your head. Given the relatively of the secondary source when the room he told me about a night where the sound
low-volume (gain) level that you will need youre playing in is noisier. was particularly bad at the venue they were
in this scenario, any guitar builder will Level 4. Okay, now add several other playing. After the show, a friend of his came
likely tell you to go with a mic. players and a bit more noise. At this up and said, Man, those were some great-
Level 2. Lets say you want to venture point, forget the miceither internal looking breaks you were playing tonight.
out into a quiet coffeehouse or church or external. I would use a bridge-plate While no acoustic-guitar builder will
setting, either solo or along with another contact pickup for tone and also consider necessarily tell you that using a pickup is
player. This is where you might want to adding an under-saddle transducer, and ideal, its certainly necessary sometimes
invest in a pickup so you can concentrate then mix the two signals. In the best in order to be heard. I hope these quick
on your playing and not have to overplay rooms, the contact pickup will likely guidelines will help you in achieving the
in order to be heard. For this level, you work well on its own. But when its loud, absolute best tonewhich is always my
might consider an internally mounted having the under-saddle transducer is the focusat a listenable level of volume.
microphone. These will give you good only way your guitar will be heard at all.
tone and still allow you to have some Level 5. This is a full-blown band with MARK DALTON is a founding
partner of Huss & Dalton Guitar
control over the mic and placement when drums and electric bass. At this point, Company. When not building
youre outside of your home studio. you need to concentrate on simply being guitars, Mark and his wife,
Kimberly, tend to the draft horses
Level 3. What if that coffeehouse is heard and worry less about tone. While and mules that inhabit their farm
not so quiet, and youd also like to throw it pains me to say that, its the reality of in the Piedmont region of Virginia.

in the occasional acoustic-duo bar gig? In these situations. Considering the high

premierguitar.com
106 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
DELTA00/DLX
DELTA00/DLX
F R O M T H E A C C L A I M E D A LVA R E Z
JAZZ & BLUES SERIES

GENRE SPECIFIC
DESIGN . STELLAR
COMPRESSION
AND RESPONSE
PREMIUM BUILD
A LVA R E Z J A Z Z & B L U E S S E R I E S

DELTA00 . DELTA00/DLX
& BLUES 51 FLAT TOPS
FROM
$ 3 9 9 . 0 0 STREET

www.alvarezguitars.com/jazz-and-blues
THE RECORDING GUITARIST

Click here o hear

soundclips.

A Study In Stereo Miking

BY JOE GORE

This still from

the PG video
DIY: How
to Mic Your
Acoustic Like a
Pro, by senior
editor Andy
Ellis, captures
Nashville studio
pros Bryan
Clark and Adam
Fluhrer at work.

N
ot that I deserved it, but Santa
was very kind this year. And by
Santa, I mean my father-in-
law, Allan Malmberg. Hes an ace record-
ing engineer whose business, Opus One,
specialized in classical recording. Allan
was winnowing down his gear collection
and he gifted us several superb mics. A
merry Christmas indeed!
The bequest includes an AKG C 426 B,
a great-sounding and ultra-versatile stereo
mic. Among other things, its perfect for
comparing and contrasting various stereo-
miking techniques for acoustic guitar.
Nashville know-how. This isnt the
first time Premier Guitar has covered this
topic. One of my fave PG items ever is the
Andy Ellis video DIY: How to Mic Your
Acoustic Like a Pro in which Nashville
studio pros Bryan Clark and Adam
Fluhrer demonstrate several stereo miking
techniques. Check it out! Ill wait.
I cover similar turf, but with one
difference: Thanks to the stereo mic,
I can compare the techniques without
You dont need a stereo mic for these
techniquesyou can use any good-sounding
pair, subject to a few limitations.
changing the instrument, the mic, or
their relative positions. This provides a
reasonably objective basis of comparison.
Note that you dont need a stereo mic
for these techniques. You can use any
good-sounding pair, subject to a few
limitations well discuss.
SeX/Y stereo. In x/y stereo recording,
two mics are positioned as close as
possible to each other, with one angled
left and one angled right at something
like a 90-degree angle. That way the
sound reaches the two mikes at nearly
the same instant, minimizing phase
problems. You set the mics to directional
patterns (assuming your mic patterns
are switchable). They can be cardioid,
hypercardioid, or figure eight, all of which
favor sound from straight ahead over
sound coming from the sides.
Check out the two examples in
Clip 1. (Headphones recommended.)
First you hear both mics set to figure-
eight patterns, and then both mics set
to cardioid. The instrument is an old
rosewood classical guitar strung with
Thomastik-Infeld rope-core strings and
tuned low.
The figure-eight mics produce a
nice, fat stereo image, with some room
color via the rear sides of the mics. The
cardioid version has less stereo drama,
but the guitar commands center stage
with more impact and presence. Your
choice might be a matter of how hard-
hitting you want to sound, or whether

premierguitar.com
108 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017

the ambience in your recording room is
worth capturing.
Mid vs. side. Mid-side technique
(m-s for short) can be bewildering at
first, though Clark explains it well in the
video. To further complicate matters,
you usually dont hear the effect till after
youve recorded it. But m-s recordings
have two advantages: They always
sound good when heard in mono.
(Phase problems can arise with other
techniques when summing to mono.)
Also, you can change the stereo width
after youve recorded.
The side-facing mic must be set to
figure eight, so it hears equally from
left and right. The front-facing mic
can be cardioid, figure eight, or omni
(youll hear all three). After recording
you must duplicate the side-mic track in
your DAW, and then flip the duplicate
out of phase with the original. (Some
DAWs have a phase-reverse switch on
the channel strip. Otherslike my DAW
of choice, Logic Prorequire a plugin.)
Pan the side-mic tracks far left and
right. If you solo these two tracks, you
hear only silence. Its 100 percent phase
cancellation. But if you start with the
front-facing recording in the center and
gradually raise the two side-facing tracks,
a stereo image appears. (The louder
the side signal, the more dramatic the
premierguitar.com
stereo.) Its like magicat least if youre
not an acoustician.
Clip 2 starts with the forward-facing
mic also set to figure eight for a nice,
naturalistic stereo spread with a touch
of room color. Then I switch the mic to
cardioid for a more center-forward sound.
Finally, you hear the front mic set to omni
for a more diffuse and roomy effect. Again,
your choice might depend on how much
center impact you desire and whether the
room sound is worth capturing.
To A/B or not to A/B. What about
just setting up two mics some distance
apart and angled inward, as if they were
stereo speakers? This A/B technique
provides a realistic stereo effect, though
the two sides can often be out of balance,
like the left-heavy sound of Clip 3.
Conventional studio wisdom dictates
at least three times the distance between
the two mics as between the mics and
the sound source, and thats what you
hear first. After that I break the law,
arranging the guitar and mics so that all
three objects are about 18 inches apart.
This produces a warmer sound thanks
to the proximity of the mics, though
theres a slight loss of sparkle due to phase
conflicts. Still, its still an attractive and
usable sound.
Mono me. There are many appealing
options here. For a solo guitar recording
A: You can
swivel the
upper capsule
of this stereo
AKG mic for
various stereo
techniques.
B: Two small-
diaphragm
Schoeps
condenser mics
in a typical x-y
pattern. C: The
AKG 414 on
the left faces
forward. The
second mic
is oriented
sideways and set
to a figure-eight
pattern for m-s
featuring this particular instrument, Id recording.
probably go with the m-s arrangements
with the front-facing mic set to cardioid
(strictly a personal call). Or I might
choose something a lot simpler: plain old
mono, as heard in Clip 4.
Mono has advantages: ease of setup,
no phasing issues, and, with some skill
and luck, great sound. What it lacks is
stereothe topic of this article! Granted,
Im cheating a bit. While the other
examples are bone-dry, here Ive added
light EQ, compression, and stereo reverb.
But thats just to demonstrate that mono
acoustic guitar need not sound flat and
unappealing. Many, if not most, of
the greatest solo guitar recordings were
tracked in good ol mono. (I covered
mono acoustic guitar recording in
Tracking Yourself on Acoustic in the
November 2014 issue.)
I hope Ive provided a clear overview of
the options so you can zero in on the best
technique for your needs the next time
you take a walk on the stereo side.
JOE GORE has recorded and
performed with Tom Waits, PJ
Harvey, Tracy Chapman, Courtney
Love, Marianne Faithfull, Les
Claypool, Flea, DJ Shadow, John
Cale, and many other artists. Joe
has written thousands of articles
about music and helps develop
music tools for Apple and other
clients. He blogs at tonefiend.com.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 109
SPEAKER GEEKS
The Lowdown on Power Handling
BY JOHN PAICE
P
More important ower handling. Its one of the
than a speakers most fundamental loudspeaker
groovy color:
specifications, and yet one of the
Can it handle
your amps most misunderstood. Heres what you
power output? really need to know about choosing the
right speaker for your setup.
As guitar players, were all comfortable
with the idea of our amps power rating.
Its a handy means of quantifying how
much boost we can apply to our guitar
signal, how much bigger we can make the
output. A guitar speakers rating considers
power from the opposite direction.
This rating represents the maximum
amount of amplifier power the speaker
can safely tolerate over a period of time.
If the power input from the amp to the
speaker is lower than the specified power-
handling figure of the speaker itself, then
the speaker ought to deliver trouble-free
operation for a lifetime. But if you feed
a speaker anything beyond its stated
maximum, problems can occur.
Its perfectly okay to mix two speakers of differing
power ratings. If you do this, then the overall cabinet
rating will be twice the lowest rated value.
In practical terms, this means if you
connect a 50-watt amp to a speaker rated
at 50 watts (or more), then youre good to
go. However, connect a 20-watt speaker
to the same 50-watt amp and you run
an increased risk of the speaker failing at
some point down the line ... probably in
the middle of your showpiece solo.
Avoiding disaster. Operationally,
choosing a speaker you can safely use
is simply a matter of getting to know
which speaker is going to work with
your amplifier without breaking. For that
50-watt amp, a 50-watt speaker will work
fine, but so will any speaker with a power
rating greater than 50 watts. It could be
60, 75, 100, or even 150 watts. In terms
of functionality, it doesnt matter. Beyond
that its simply down to your tonal
preference as to which speaker you select.
110 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
The same principle of maximum amp
power also applies to multiple speakers.
If you run a 2x12 cab with that 50-watt
amp, Id recommend using a minimum of
two 25-watt speakers. Similarly a 2x12 cab
with dual 60-watt speakers provides you
120 watts to play with, which is still great.
Its perfectly okay to mix two speakers
of differing power ratings. If you do this,
then the overall cabinet rating will be
twice the lowest rated value. So a 2x12
cab loaded with both a 25- and a 60-watt
speaker will have an overall power rating
of 50 watts.
Where to draw the line? Theres a
school of thought that suggests you need
to be driving a speaker to a certain level
perhaps somewhere between half and full
powerto make it do its thing. The best
option, so the thinking goes, is to choose
a speaker with a power handling close to
the max power output of the amp. While
its true the more you crank up the power,
the more gnarly (I believe thats a technical
term) the speaker output will likely become,
the truth is a guitar speaker actually begins
adding its tonal mojo at very low levels
mere fractions of a watt. So whatever level
youre playing at, you can be sure youre
already getting oodles of the lovely speaker
tone you crave. Ever wondered if you could
use that cute little 5-watt lunchbox amp
with a 90-watt speaker? Sure you can, and I
bet itll sound fantastic.
What dictates power handling?
Testing a speaker to find its power handling
gives us an insight into how the speaker copes
with a sustained input both mechanically
(in the repeated back-and-forth motion of
the cone, voice coil, and suspension) and
thermally (with the heat generated when you
send a powerful signal into the speaker) over
an extended period of time.
At Celestion, we test speakers in a
number of ways: We play guitar through
them, we play recorded music through
them, and basically we do everything
possible to find the limits of the speakers
performance and what it takes to break
it. More scientifically, we also feed the
speaker with an RMS test signal
random noise with a consistent level of
sound energy thats averaged over time.
By subjecting the outcomes of these
tests to experienced interpretation, we can
arrive at a meaningful power-handling
value. Averaged over time is perhaps the
most critical statement here. For example,
if we know that a guitar speaker can cope
both mechanically and thermally with a
constant 50-watt input signal for 100 hours
with no adverse effects, then we can safely
assume that the same speaker will have little
problem withstanding a cranked 50-watt
tube-amp signal thats apt to produce
higher transients from time to time.
Power handling neednt be a barrier
to speaker choice. In fact, once youre
armed with the knowledge of what it is
(and isnt), you can confidently choose
from a bigger selection of speakers, and
that can only broaden the range of tonal
possibilities available to you.
JOHN PAICE has worked in
Image courtesy of Celestion
product marketing at Celestion
for nearly 14 years. With a degree
in acoustics and another in
physics, alongside a passion for
guitar music, Paice figures it was
somehow inevitable he would end
up working in the tech end of the
music industry.
premierguitar.com
 Rich Tonewood Series
RTS-750SCE Rich Tonewood Series
Xaviere XV-555 Xaviere XV-550 RTS-550SCE
Xaviere XV-560 Xaviere XV-845
Slick SL51

Real Woods...Real Tone...Real Innovation..Real Pricing!

Only Guitarfetish.com brings you the very coolest new guitars, pickups and parts... sold warehouse-direct. Our site is
positively PACKED with critically acclaimed GFS Pickups, XGP Guitar Parts, Xaviere Guitars, MODboard effects and Slick
brand guitars and parts. Our proprietary Kwikplug Quick Change Pickup system makes pickup changes a 60 second job!
Not found at any dealer. Sold Direct to YOU at Wholesale pricing...Unmatched for quality, tone and value worldwide!

Slick, Kwikplug,, GFS,, XGP, and Xaviere, are sold exclusively at www.Guitarfetish.com
Distributed in USA by: Musical Distributors Group (MDG) | Phone 866-632-8346 | www.musicaldistributors.com

W W W .EBSSWEDEN.COM
 a ni c s E
r g
O OFFE N
Armed with Zack Weils naturally technical yet
rhythmic guitar playing and Kevin Cribbins unclean,
Photo by Joe Martinez Jr

nasty lead bass tones, Chicago thrash trio Oozing

Wound takes the crude metal shtick outside the norm.
X BY TZVI GLUCKIN X
premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 113
 Oozing Wound
like their venues
the same
way they like
their music:
no frills, dark,
and unclean.
C laiming to be Tipper Gores worst fears incarnate,
Oozing Wound isnt exactly a serious act. Check
out their videos: They murder posers, trample lion
cubs to death, and pay tribute to recreational activities like
shot-gunning beer and ripping bong hits. Their song titles
include Call Your Guy and Everything Sucks, and My
Its an aesthetic Cribbin shares with guitarist Zack Weil,
although Weil keeps a stomp-free signal chain. Im not huge
on pedals, he says. Every pedal I ever bought, I was like,
Okay, it makes this one sound. Cool. I can do that in part of
one song. And then youre just carrying this pedal around.
After further examination, Oozing Wounds shtick turns
Theyre shown
here playing Life Is a Lie. Irreverence is more than a byword for them out to be much more than fuzz overload and cultivated bad
the Windmill in its a core value. taste. Their musical depth is rooted in disparate influences.
London on The Chicago-based thrash trio spew juicy sarcasm on Everything I listen to is from the 70s, Weil says. Thats
Dec. 3, 2016. albums like Retrash, Earth Suck, and now Whatever Forever where my mind is always at, then every so often I come up
nothings sacred and to hell with convention. Their music is for air. Theyre as happy listening to bands like the Beach
fast and raucousas thrash metal should beand dripping Boys, Yes, and Frank Zappa as they are listening to Lightning
in fuzz. And their sound, as youd expect, is an exercise in Bolt and fellow Midwestern heroes, the Platinum Boys. That
excess. I can always figure out how to sound properly gross diversity is part of what keeps the bands music fresh and mul-
in the mixgetting the grossness just right, bassist Kevin tidimensional. Inside jokes and faux bravado aside, theyre also
Cribbin says. Oozing Wound is gross, and thats the point. sophisticated songwriters, with a keen ear for melody and a
But they do it with a certain finesse thats more than meets daredevil approach to odd meters, feedback, and noise.
the eye. Cribbin, for his part, is armed with a bevy of ZVEX We want to be serious at making it as good as we can on
fuzz pedals. He works the bands bottom end and keeps the craft level, Cribbin says. And they do that while raising
Photo by Kevin Gras

things gnarly. But despite his penchant for nasty, his formi- a middle finger at decorum. Weil and Cribbin discuss their
dable chops enable him to maintain the musics intensity tonal formulas, go-to gear, and organic songwriting approach,
with clarity and definition. plus Weil confesses his fear of changing guitar strings onstage.

premierguitar.com
114 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 YamahaMusicUSA
Dave Keuning / the killers
yamaha.com/revstar

Zack Weil is a
minimalist when
it comes to gear.
A Gibson Flying
V is the only
guitar he plays,
so he makes it
a point to
never break a
string onstage.
Who are your musical influences?
Weil: Ive been listening to a lot of Beach
Boystheyre my favorite bandIm
always listening to them. Five or six years
ago I was probably only listening to
metal, which is right around when I start-
ed Oozing Wound, but the Beach Boys
have been a constant for so much longer.
Its just something I always go back to.
I cant write music like that, so its fasci-
nating to me in a way that Metallica or
Kreator is not as amazingI hear what
theyre doing, I get how theyre doing it.
Whereas there is a real mystery behind
what the Beach Boys do or Yesprobably
being my second favorite band that Im
always listening to. Im listening to a lot
116 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
of ABBA lately, too. People never believe
me about this stuff, but thats what I
listen to. Its pop music. I get a lot of and noises and he plays with his fingers
ideas from that, way more than I ever do
from metal.
Cribbin: The obvious answer is that I
was really into Les Claypool. But my
mom and my uncles were all heads in the
70s, so I was exposed to a lot of Devo,
Frank Zappa, the Police, Deep Purple,
Black Sabbath, and all those bands. Bass
was an interesting component to all those
recordstheir presence. Everyone in
Oozing Wound is into strange, non-metal
music. We listen to different genres that
dont resemble what we produce. We like
the Beach Boys and shit like that.
ZACK WEILS GEAR
GUITARS
Gibson Flying V
AMPS
Peavey 6505 Plus
Marshall cabinet
PEDALS
Boss Tuner TU-2
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
STINGS AND PICKS
Ernie Ball Regular Slinky strings
(.010-.046)
Purple Dunlop 1.14 mm picks
How does listening to pop music influ-
ence your metal writing?
Weil: We do breakdowns, go against
rhythms, and do things that a band try-
ing to play to a style would probably
never think to do or would never want
to do. We try to keep things interesting
or catchy or at least bizarre. Playing off
Kevin helps because I write way more
straight than he does. I come up with
two parts that I think will go good back
and forth and its usually rhythmically
strict. Hell come in and put something
over the top of that. You couldnt tran-
scribe what Kevin does, but its pedals
in a way that makes most people, if they
start watching him, go dead in the face
staring at his hands. I would say the com-
bination of the two of us writing against
one another is how we come up with
these weird things. If we were only listen-
ing to metal, I dont think we would do it
the same way.
When writing songs, do you bring in
riffs or do you do a lot of jamming
Photo by Kevin Gras
at rehearsals?
Weil: Ive structured out songs before
and I was like, Heres the four parts.
premierguitar.com
 FACTOID
To create a huge wall of guitar sound on Whatever
Forever, guitarist Zack Weil recorded one track of guitars
on the neck pickup of his Flying V, and a second guitar part
on the bridge pickup. Weil also uses two or three amps,
then doubles them, so the effect is like hearing six guitars.
Heres how were going to do it. And it never
turns out the way I think it will. That used
to bum me out. But now thats the magic of
it all. Its always a collaboration, no matter
how much Im doing. If I write 90 percent of
it, the other 10 percent is really important.
Kevins brought in a couple riffs, but for the
most part its me wanting to move onto the
next thing and hes good at making what I
do weirder and more interesting. Its a real
partnership.
Cribbin: Zack comes up with these really
weird riffs, so, do I play what hes doing? Do
I emphasize certain notes? Do I treat it rhyth-
mically? Do I play his riff backwards over it
and make it sound weird? Anything goes. A
lot of that stuff is organically trying to make
things interesting on a personal level.
Zack, your rhythm playing is intricate and
pretty difficult. Do you have different tech-
niques you use either for playing that way,
for practice, or to maintain consistency?
Weil: Not really [laughs]. I never used to
play metalthat was a discovery in my mid-
20s that I could even do it. For example,
for some people palm muting is impossible
and they get caught up on that. You build
up these small little things that eventually
you can combine. There were skills I picked
up when I was a teenager. I listened to some
proggier, mathier stuff when I was in my
early 20s and that all fed into it. I was play-
ing with a bunch of different people in bands
premierguitar.com
and you hear this thing and youre like, I can
do that rhythm. Then you play it and every-
one is like, Wow, thats difficult. And youre
like, I guess so? To me, I never feel like Im
pushing my ability too hard, but sometimes
listening back Im kind of shocked at the stuff
I hear. But theres no real technique or thing
Im practicing or anything like that. Ive got-
ten better at speed pickingit doesnt hurt
my arm anymore.
How so?
Weil: When I first started, I had to change
how I held the pick. But a few little changes
and suddenly everything was super simple.
Im sure touring helps a lot, as well.
Weil: Kind of. You get tighter and looser at
the same time. You start screwing up things
that youve never even questioned before. I
get freaked out halfway through a tour. The
guitar playing part is always easy, but all the
vocal stuff, I start losing my voice about half-
way into itor just even a couple of days. I
get real moody and I cant drink as much or
I have to drink room temperature water and
try not to talk. Its kind of maddening.
Does playing loud help? It can loosen up
your attack.
Weil: Yeah. I used to play some folkie stuff,
but eventually I realized I would rather see
people having a good time in the crowd than
crying, weeping, or moping. Loud goes with
the territory. Its more fun. If you could be
really fun and quiet then maybe I would do
it, but I have yet to see that happen.
What amps do you use?
Weil: I use a Peavey 6505 Plus. Before that
I was using a Peavey Ultra Plus. I worked
with the guy who records us, Matt Russell,
at a Whole Foods right when I was starting
Oozing Wound. He was the most metal guy
I knew who recorded bands. I asked him,
What do I need to do to get that sound?
He said, Buy a Peavey Ultra Plus. Get a
Marshall 1969 cab. And put Zakk Wylde
pickups in your guitar. And it totally worked
[laughs]. Hes kind of a genius in that sense.
It was a real budget way to get the right
tone. Ive been using the exact same thing
ever since. Same pickups. Ive been trying to
use different cab setups, but the restriction
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 117
WW_CS_LTD2017_2,5x9,875_USA.indd 1 12.01.17 17:15
 is always money and finding this shit.
I want to have giant orange and green
cabs or something, that kind of thing,
the loudest most horrifying thing, and
someday maybe I will.
Do you get your distortion from
the amp?
Weil: Yeah. Its built in. There are two
levels of distortion on the 6505there is
a crunch and then a high-gain channel. I
keep it on the high gain, cranked, every-
thing to full. It is the most basic thing you
can possibly do. That has always been my
goal, to keep it simple and dont mess with
it. You dont need to add to this. It is good
on its own.
Do you use any reverb?
Kevin Cribbin Weil: No. The amp might have a built-in
got a Peavey reverb, but I think it was broken, so Ive
Milestone II bass never used that. Also, with the amount
for Christmas
of chugging that we do, its already hard
at age 15. Its
the same bass to discern what were doing to a certain
Im still playing extent. I feel that reverb would just make
now, he says. it impossible.
How about guitars? You have the V. Do
you have a backup on the road as well?
Weil: Ive magically never broken a string
onstage with Oozing Wound. Ive had
it happen in other bands. The last time
it happened, I changed it in less than a
minute. I feel confident that I can do it
onstage. Even though thats the weirdest
feeling in the world.
Why? Because everybodys staring
at you?
Weil: Staring at you trying to do essen-
tially one of the simplest tasks on guitar
that is somehow impossible to do in front
of peoplebecause youre also panicking.
Its probably going to be out of tune when
you play and youre going to try and fix it
while you play. Great feeling.
Kevin, you have an amazing technique
where it looks like you use your index
finger as a pick. Talk about that.
Cribbin: I have this other band called
Unmanned Ship, its a more spacey,
instrumental band and we do a lot of
soundscapes and weird stuff. I had some
songs that I would play like that, but it
was all really slow. Then I started playing
with Zack and Kyle [Reynolds, Oozing
Wounds previous drummer; current
drummer Casey Marnocha joined in
2016] and they were playing thrashy, fast,
crazy metal riffs. I wasnt used to play-
ing like that, but it was the only thing
that made sense because I never learned
to play with a pick. It would have been
too awkward and strange to learn picking
technique because I was already playing
for about 10 years with my hands. So, by
playing loud and moving your hand really
fast, you dont have to dig into ityou
dont have to physically play like a jack-
hammer to play that fast.
Are you saying the volume helps because
you can have a light touch yet still get a
huge sound?
Cribbin: Yeah. Its anchoring your hand
with your thumb and wiggling your
finger around really fast. Basically, I just
turn it into a pick and that way you are
KEVIN CRIBBINS GEAR
BASS
Peavey Milestone II
AMPS
Hartke LH1000
Fender 6x10 cabinet
Carvin 2x15 cabinet
PEDALS
ZVEX Woolly Mammoth
ZVEX Jonny Octave
ZVEX Machine
ZVEX Fuzz Factory
Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy
with expression pedal
Photo by Kevin Gras
STRINGS
Any brand, usually GHS Bass Boomers
(.050.115)
premierguitar.com
 Think of an Effect Here.
free to do whatever else when youre not
picking. People would ask me about it and Make it Happen Here.
Id be confused because it just sort of hap-
pened organically playing with Zack and
Kyle in this new format.

Otherwise you use alternate fingering.

Do you add a third at times as well?
Cribbin: Sometimes. Its whatever makes
sense or feels good. Theres some three-
finger stuff, theres just strumming it with
your hand, some Les Claypool thumb rip-
off shit, or whatever makes sense. Because
Im playing stuff that is so distorted all the
time, its easy to make it sound like com-
plete garbage and muddy and fucked up,
so I do a lot of muting. Whatever fingers
are working are also doing something else.
Simple. Intuitive. Wireless Touch Effects.
Kevin, talk about your bass tone.
Is the fuzz from your amp or are you
using pedals?
Cribbin: Ive always had just a clean amp. Your Sound, Our Technology
But over the last 14 years Ive collected
this chain of ZVEX pedals. My tone is all gtcsound.com
that stuff cranked in different combina-

evolution
tions. For Oozing Wound, specifically,
its designed to be as gross, broken, and
distorted-sounding as possible. When I
started playing with Oozing Wound I was
like, Im just going to use one pedal. Just
one thing so I dont have to worry about
anything and I can force myself to have a
limited palette. The only thing that made
sense when playing with them was the
Superior Sound
ZVEX Woolly Mammoth pedal and that in an
thing is pretty much on all the time. Evolutionary Jacket
On our new record, its pretty much
that, but then Ill sometimes use a Jonny
Octave, the ZVEX Machine, and the
ZVEX Fuzz Factory. I have an Electro-
Harmonix Memory Boy with an expres-
sion pedal to make a lot of weird, chorus-
y, fucked-up noises. Any combination of
those pedals is all the distortion and weird
noises I need. ZVEX pedals are killer I have been using Proco Evolution cables
pedals. Each pedal is its own instrument exclusively since they rst came out. I am a
unto itself. For about a decade, pretty solid believer in the quality and sound they
much all my tone has been ZVEX stuff have provided. Not a single one has failed
and figuring out how to make this insane,
to date and I couldnt be happier with the
unwieldy, fucked-up tone controllable.
product and the company behind it.
Do you sometimes kick them all on?
Cribbin: Oh yeah.
800.253.7360
www.procosound.com

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 119

 Do you find that using multiple distor-
tion pedals sometimes has an opposite
effect and limits the sound?
Cribbin: Totally. But generally, those
pedals work nice together and playing
them all at once sounds insane. My tone
is generally the Woolly Mammoth all the
time with other things to make it more or
less insane. One of those pedals by itself is
like the color blue, and then two together
are two other colors, and you get this new
thing. Its like a puzzle to figure out how
to make these tonal options work for you
in a song. What does this need? Is Zack
playing a high shreddy riff? I should get
really low and disgusting.
Do you ever go clean?
Cribbin: Nah [laughs]. Not in this band,
not yet.
When you record, do you generally
show up with your live rig and go for it?
Weil: Yeah. I wish we were capable of
doing something different, but its because
of the amount of material that we have
to cover and how the performance has to
sound. We do everything live and then try
to do punch-ins. In the past, Kyle would
do a perfect take, or close to it, and thats
the take wed use. Then we fix the stupid
crap that we somehow messed up on gui-
tar or bass. Then I do a second guitar over
the top of it to balance it out. Thats how
we go. Its the fastest possible way we can
do it and still, there is never enough time.
Even with the four days we had in the
studio, we could have easily doubled that
to make it sound better, to add more stuff.
There is always some song where were
like, We could put horns right here, that
would sound cool. Well, we dont know
any horn people right now and we only
have three hours left. So, I guess were not
doing that.
I cant imagine horns on an Oozing
Wound song.
Weil: Ive heard them in my head a couple
of times. I wish they were on there. It
makes me sad that people dont get to hear
it the way that I do. But it is what it is.
Cribbin: Were always chasing the clock.
Its kind of insane. We had a little bit more
120 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
time to experiment with some stuff and
tonally things I think are more representa-
tive of how we sound live on this record.
There was time to fix stuff, experiment,
get that right weird little sound there, get
the right feedback. Thats another thing,
feedback is great, but suddenly youre in
the studio and you cant make it work how
you want.
Do you find its harder to generate feed-
back in the studio?
Cribbin: Yeah, it istrying to find a live
room that can duplicate your weird prac-
tice space or basement that youre used to
playing in. You want everything to be con-
trolled, so you are in this box and every-
thing is dry. A lot of times all this distorted
bass stuff sounds like a dumb synth blast-
ing in your face and the feedback sounds
disproportionately loud. Basically, trying
to get a live room for my bass shit was the
goal and we succeeded for sure. You get
that weird room noise and that feeling you
get listening to the bass through your toes
and not like in your ear.
Do your second guitar parts double the
first or do you create variations?
Weil: It all depends. There were a handful
of times Ive done variations, but for the
most part its just exactly what Ive played
before. I remember reading that Keith
Richards says that you should have a dif-
ferent guitar for your second tracklike
tracking only Telecasters is going to sound
like one giant Telecaster. The way weve
done it is, I usually record on the neck
pickup and then I do the second guitar
on the bridge pickup. It creates this huge
guitar sound. They sound funny on their
own, but together it creates this big wall of
guitars. When we do that, Im also playing
out of two or three amps. Matty [Russell,
recording engineer] rigs some stuff up,
hell use a second headwhatever he can
find that matches or complements the
YOUTUBE IT
This clip gives a good view of the fury behind Oozing Wound bassist
Kevin Cribbins fingers. His bass gymnastics are formidable, as is the
unique way he and Kevin Weil play off each other.
YouTube search term: Oozing Wound Death by Audio 2014
Peavey. Im running out of two or three of
those at the same time and then I double
that. So technically there are six guitars.
Your riffs are often in an odd meter. Do
you do that on purpose or does it just
work out that way?
Weil: More times than not I am like, Its
easy guys, this is in four. Come on you can
get this. Well work on it for an hour, Im
counting it out, and Im like, Sorry, this
is in five or seven or nine or a compound
seven and eight. All that stuff sounds
natural to me like, What? You dont feel
this? Just listen to the flow. It loops back
around. But Ive never purposely said,
Im going to write a song in seven. At
least, I havent in a long time. I used to do
that stuff as an exercise, but now they all
sound the same to me. Seven sounds the
same as four, eight sounds the same as five.
Cribbin: It definitely isnt planned. Zack
might come up with a weird riff and say,
This is a weird riff in five or something, I
dont know. But were not geeking out on,
Whoa, check out this fucked-up time
signature. Its more how the riffs and
parts connect and how we play over them
that dictates that stuff more than any sort
of preconceived tech ethos or anything
like that.
Thats probably why it works, because
its organic.
Weil: Yeah. I remember Soundgarden used
to talk about that a lot. Everyones like,
You play this song in 11. And theyre
like, Its just what it is. Thats what the
riff is. Its what sounded catchy.
You arent one of these 70s prog bands.
Cribbin: No. Wed like to be. Wed like
to do a Yes Relayer album if we had the
time. If we didnt have day jobs and we
could get government funding, wed make
the most fucked-up Emerson, Lake, and
Palmer thrash album ever.
premierguitar.com
 Eliasson Custom Guitars

Unique Exquisite
Adjustable compensated nut available
the ultimate in intonation

www.pauleliassonguitars.com

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 121

ON BASS
Stick to Your Resolutions
BY VICTOR BRODN
B
Intent on y the time you read this, we will
traveling to be well into 2017possibly far
Cuba this year
enough that the many people
to study and
develop his who made resolutions to work out more
Afro-Cuban and have already evacuated the gyms. As Im
Latin rhythms writing this, however, it is Christmas
technique, our Day. And about an hour ago the
columnist keeps
this photo on his
untimely and premature death of another
wall to keep his great musician, George Michael, was
2017 resolution announced. This instantly lit a fire in me
front of mind. about the responsibility those of us in
the arts have to be at our best and most
productive at all times. Its a profound
responsibility to make better music and
to be curious and adventurous for those
who left us too soonwho might be
looking down on us wishing they had
the opportunity to play or write just one
more song. This is my belief. So here, Id
like to share my New Years resolutions
for bass.
Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms. I
attended school for bass for a few years,
where a lot of the schooling focused
more on jazz-oriented material. During
my tenure in theses institutes of higher
learning, I experienced a feeling that
was similar to what I experienced in
high-school algebra: that maybe this
information wouldnt be that relevant in
the real world.
I make a living playing commercial
music: pop, country, R&B, or hard rock.
I will still never be a jazz lover, but have
grown to appreciate it tremendously.
When I studied it, a small part of my
schooling touched on Afro-Cuban and
Latin rhythms, and how they are applied
in the jazz world. As I have grown older
and toured through numerous cities
where a lot of Latin music is played on
radio and television, Ive come to realize
that the influence of these rhythms in
rock and pop is tremendous.
I grew up playing styles that are very
focused on the downbeat: be it the funk
of the Gap Band or the punk rock of
Green Day. Absolutely dominating the
downbeat is our main job as bassists in
order for the rest of our bandmates to
122 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
trust us and enjoy playing
with us. But to execute
Caribbean or Central and
South American rhythms
wellwhere there is often
no bass on the downbeat
really feeling these patterns
(and not counting them in
your head) is a key skill.
Its the opposite of what a
player like myself has drilled
into his backbone. However,
I want to alter that animal
instinct and lifetime of downbeat-centric
experience by shifting how I feel music.
But I dont want to just buy a book and
some key albums. I want to immerse
myself in the culture and the sound.
Anytime I see street bands from Cuba
online, the unknown bassists always
completely floor me with the intent
of their attack, their passion, and their
rhythmic fluidity. So I want to spend a
week in Cuba and take private lessons
this year. Part two of my resolution will
be to continue the private lessons when
I return to the U.S., since most major
cities here have world-class Afro-Cuban
bassists. And finally, I resolve to devote
part of my practice time to the style so it
doesnt just become a passing fad in my
musical development.
Back to the Metronome. Speaking
of practice habits, I used to have better
ones. When I was in college and in the
years immediately following, before I
had landed any bigger gigs, I practiced
more. Having more time and my
ambition to really get somewhere in my
bass-playing career helped inspire this. I
also practiced more with a metronome.
All that said, music for me is about
communication with people. Time
spent alone is never as inspirational
as time spent in a room sweating it
out, improving, and learning with
other players. And its definitely not as
inspirational as playing a great gig in
front of people and seeing their faces
light up as a result of what you are doing.
Occasionally, at a recording session,
Ill catch myself rushing or dragging
in spots where I didnt intend to. Yes,
being able to intentionally play around
the beat to add emotion, tension, and
groove is one of the most important
skills for a musicianespecially for a
bassist. But these slight, rhythmic errors
have happened enough to where Ill
leave a session underwhelmed with my
performance, in spite of the producer
or client being happy. So, bass New
Years resolution No. 2 is getting back to
practicing everything I do to a click, and
also implementing the old trick of playing
the same exercise at different tempos.
(Youll find that playing very slowly in
time can be excruciatingly difficult.)
A natural understanding of non-
downbeat-centric rhythms and a more
accurate groove are the two hopeful main
results of my two resolutions. George
Michael would want me to be funkier,
and I am pretty sure Prince would too.
Life can be short, so hold yourself to a
higher artistic standard for your sake
and for theirs.
VICTOR BRODN is a Nashville
bassist and producer who has
toured and recorded with more
than 25 major-label artists,
including LeAnn Rimes, Richard
Marx, Casting Crowns, and Randy
Houser. His credits also include
Grammy-winning albums and
numerous television specials
on CMT and GAC, as well as
performances on The Tonight
Show and The Ellen DeGeneres
Show. You can reach him at
vbroden@yahoo.com.
premierguitar.com
 The New Piccolo 999
1000 Watts, 4 pounds, #LegendarySound

www.epifani.com

tecampglobal.com

musicaldistributors.com positivegrid.com

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 123

BASS BENCH
The Pros and Cons of Neck Joints
BY HEIKO HOEPFINGER
I
n the world of classic acoustic
stringed instruments, the only way
to connect the body and neck has
always been to glue the two together.
Today we refer to this as set-neck
construction. Over the centuries, luthiers
used various types of glue and explored
variations in the form and shape of the
contact surface, yet the principle remained
the same. This only changed when the
first electrics became popular and Leo
Fender introduced basses and guitars
with bolt-on necks. This became Fenders
standard for bass, as well as the standard
for many other builders (Photo 1).
Looking back, it seems surprising
that it took until the 70s for the third
formneck-through constructionto
receive wider recognition. Its even more
surprising since the very first electric bass
designed by Paul Trutmarc, the Audiovox
Bass Fiddle Model 736, had this in 1937.
Over the years other instrumentssuch
as the Bigsby/Travis guitar from the late
40s, various Rickenbacker models during
the 50s, and a few Gibsonsalso used
this approach (Photo 2).
There have been a few other attempts
to experiment with other ways to attach
the neck to the body, but they were more
or less variations of set-neck, bolt-on,
or neck-through design. One of these,
which appeared in the late 70s, could be
described as a half-through. A longer
neck reached further into the body
often as far as the bridgewhile the
rest of the body was classically bolt-on.
S.D. Curlee basses were known for this
construction.
The neck joint must influence a bass
sonic character, right? Were talking
about a big area thats right where the
strings vibrate the most, and its here
that the involved forces are at their
highest. Well, before we get to the
alleged tonal influences of each type of
construction, lets examine their physical
pros and cons.
Bolt-on. Leo Fender is well known
for his cost-cutting designs and easy
124 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
1
Looking back, it seems surprising that it took
until the 70s for the third formneck-through
constructionto receive wider recognition.
repairability, so its no surprise he came
up with this design. If you accidentally
break off the headstock, replacing
the neck can be cheaper than hiring
a woodworker to try to restore the
headstocks initial rigidity. Also, if you
need more down pressure at the bridge
or run out of saddle adjustment range,
its easy to simply shim the neck. Even
swapping the neck for a shorter or longer
scale length is an option.
Most builders use four screws (a triple-
screw design has a bad reputation, but
thats another story) and some boutique
builders even use up to 12. Four screws
can hold a lot of tension, so I suspect
using many more is principally a way
to visually differentiate a bass from its
competitors.
Set-neck. This construction lacks
most of the above advantages, but its the
classic design and in this tradition-driven
business, that alone can be an argument
for using it. A set-neck build is more
elaborate than a bolt-on, as the gaps
between the parts need to be small. This
requires precisiontraditional wood glue
isnt able to bridge larger gaps. So when
builders choose a set-neck connection
with its reduced repairability, theyre
probably expecting it to deliver at least
some tonal benefits.
2
Neck-through. Naturally, repairability
and flexibility couldnt be any less than
on a neck-through, so the expectations
of the builder and customer are most
likely to be the samea perceived tonal
benefit. But theres one other thing that
also makes them popular: The transition
between the body and neck can be very
smooth, allowing easier access to the
higher frets. Its not surprising neck-
through instruments gained renewed
attention at a time when more bassists
stepped out of the dark corners of the
stage to indulge in soloing. This was at
the same time more players were asking
for 24 frets.
Okay: We know that the more
elaborate builds can cost more to repair.
So that brings us back to sound: What
are the attributed tonal effects of each
particular design? Are they as influential
as their location on the instrument
implies? It wont be easy, but lets see
if we can get to the bottom of this
next month.
HEIKO HOEPFINGER is a
Photos courtesy of basslab.de
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.
premierguitar.com
 Legendary bassist Dave Holland
and fingerstyle master Lionel Loueke
reveal the origins and vision behind Aziza,
their star-packed jazz quartet.
BY JASON SHADRICK

T
he origins of Aziza, a collective
jazz supergroup of sorts, started
back in 2014 when legendary
bassist Dave Holland and saxophonist
Chris Potter were brainstorming for a
project to tour with in 2015. I just
love playing with Chris, says Holland,
who brought Potter into his funky and
soulful quintet in the early 2000s. After
bouncing some ideas around, the duo
decided to bring in guitarist Lionel
Loueke and drummer Eric Harland.
Lionel approaches the instrument in
a unique way and blends his African
heritage and guitar styles with all the
language and harmony of jazz music.
project, The River. The tour was an
immediate success with each member
bringing in specific compositions for the
band. From day one, it was just all about
the music, says Loueke. Youre playing
with musicians that just listen so closely
to whatever youre doing and are very
open-minded. Were ready to take some
risks and see where the music takes us.
Halfway through that first tour,
the band decided that their intense
interplay and chemistry needed to be
documented in the studio. The group
booked two days at Sear Sound Studio,
and each member brought in a pair of
compositions for what became their self-
joyous platform for Potters soprano
sax flourishes. I wrote a counterline
specifically for Lionel, says Holland. I
wanted it to be a layered thing.
It was one of Louekes compositions,
Aziza Dance, that gave Holland the
idea for the name of the group. During
the original tour, Holland took Loueke
aside and asked him about the origins
of the name. Loueke explained that
Aziza is the name of a god of inspiration
taken from Dahomey mythology, which
is from his homeland of Benin. It just
sparked me, says Holland. I thought it
would be a wonderful name for the band.
When we spoke with Holland
Opposite Page Photo by Douglas Mason

None of the members were strangers:
Loueke and Harland had spent time in
trumpeter Terrance Blanchards group,
and Holland, Loueke, and Potter all
worked with pianist Herbie Hancock
on the tour for his Joni Mitchell tribute
titled debut. By now, the tunes had been
road-tested with twists and turns added
to each. One of Hollands contributions,
Finding the Light, is an introspective,
odd-time piece built around a slightly
off-putting ostinato that provides a
and Loueke, they had just finished
a lengthy European tour. We asked
them to describe recording Aziza and
what it takes to channel their worldly
influences into one of jazzs most
electrifying quartets.

Above: Aziza is (left to right), Eric Harland, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, and Lionel Loueke. Though each musician has racked up a
staggering amount of recording and performing credits, this marks the first time theyve played together as a quartet.

premierguitar.com
126 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 Once the band members were selected,
what was the overall vibe you had in
mind in terms of composing for Aziza?
Holland: Its the players involved. When
we were all considering what music to
bring in, we were really thinking about
an idea of what the four of us playing
together would sound likeeven
though we hadnt heard it. Were writing
music for improvisers. Were thinking
about how each person approaches their
instrument, what their concept is, and
what language they like to explore. Then
we try to find compositional vehicles
that allow for the maximum amount of
freedom for those players.
Loueke: You dont have to write much for
this band. Aziza Dance was written for
my trio, but I knew that with these players,
it would go in a whole different direction.
That makes it easy, yet sometimes very
challenging because you dont expect
something that works one night to be the
same tomorrow. Were thinking of doing a
live recording because its a whole different
energy. When you play the same music
every night for six weeks, it just keeps
growing into different shapes and never
goes in the same box or direction.
Speaking of Aziza Dance, the tones
youre getting on the intro and solo are
wild. What were you using there?
premierguitar.com
Loueke: I use a Kemper Profiler. On that FACTOID
patch, I used my regular sound with a lot The bands name
came from ancient
of wah and two types of whammy. One African mythology.
is an octave higher to make the chords a Aziza is known
little fatter. For the intro, I used that plus as the god of
inspiration.
a whammy setting that bends an octave
down. That gives me flexibility. The idea
was to imitate the sound of a talking drum.
I also have a ring modulator with different
frequencies connected to the expression
pedal. Theres a kind of crossfade between
the whammy octave down and ring
modulator going up. I think on the intro, I
probably opened up all the patches!
Holland: The groove of Aziza Dance
is just fun to lay into and explore. We African guitar styles, called GuitAfrica.
look for new ways to bend it around and I did some research based on different
interpret it. traditional instruments from different
places, and I wrote some new tunes
Dave, the fuzzy bass sound on Sleepless and grooves. By doing that research I
Nights seems a bit out of character. learned a lot about the gimbri, which is Below: From
Whats the story behind that song? a traditional instrument from Morocco. day one it was
just all about
Holland: Back in the day when I was with Its something between a guitar and a the music,
Miles, I had a fuzz/wah pedal I used on the bass. When I wrote that tune, I had the remembers
bass guitar. Ive worked with my engineer, gimbri tone in mind, so I tuned my low Loueke, shown
James Farber, since the late 80s, and every string down to D and basically played the here with
Aziza at Rhode
now and then hell say, How about the whole intro on that one string. Islands fabled
fuzz on this one? Its a running joke at this Newport Jazz
point. But on this particular tune we tried In terms of composing, Aziza is a true Festival. With
it, and I liked it. But instead of a pedal, he collective. With such an accomplished these guys, you
dont have to
used some kind of Pro Tools plug-in. group of musicians, how do you
say muchit
Loueke: I wrote this tune based on communicate your vision of your just takes off
an application I did for iOS about compositions in the studio? naturally.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 127
 When it comes to composition, my process is that after
recording 5 or 10 minutes of music, I go back and listen to it and
find something I like. Then I figure out what meter its in.
Lionel Loueke

LIONEL LOUEKES GEAR

GUITARS
Sadowsky Semi-Hollow
Private Stock PRS Singlecut Archtop

AMPS & EFFECTS

Kemper Profiler

Originally from Holland: Sometimes we had individual That level of focus and embracing the Sometimes that can scare people, but Im
the West African parts or just lead sheets. I think we all had music is important. not one of those guitarists who plays loud.
nation of Benin,
the same approachwhats on the paper Lionel, you mentioned that youre For me, its more about the range of the
Lionel Loueke
creates an is merely a suggestion or starting point. using a Kemper. Any digital all-in- cabinet. I dont crank it, but at least I get a
adventurous mix Speaking for myself, Im wide open to any one unit can be a real wormhole fat sound. Also, I mostly used my Sadowsky
of traditional kind of interpretation these wonderful sometimes. Where does your tone start on the album, but I have a few PRS guitars,
African styles players bring to the music. Very often, in this context? too. It just depends on the gig.
and modern jazz.
His explorations what they come up with is much more Loueke: As you know, for most guitar
led him to than whatever I could have thought of. players, sound is a big deal. When I got Dave, tell us about the upright bass
experiment with Its just a matter of postulating a starting the Kemper, I tried to get all the analog you used on Aziza.
a new tuning: point. The less you write, the more sounds from the pedals I had. The magic Holland: Ive had my current bass since
DADGBE,
opportunity you offer for the creative thing about it for me is to find the right about 1995. I found it in an antique
with the 5th
string on his power of the group to come through. amp profile. I basically use two amps shop in France. It had been in a caf
Sadowsky tuned I think Miles demonstrated that on the Kemper: an AC Morgan, mostly that had been closed for about 30 years.
an octave higher beautifully in the things he put together. for the distorted sounds, and then I use The antique shop owner had bought
than standard. There would often be a minimal amount another Morgan for clean sounds. It the entire contents of the caf. I was
When I play
some standard of written material, but conceptually, depends on what effects Im using on top just taking a walk before leaving for
voicings in the material would be very strong. Then of the amp. I also use some stereo reverb, the next gig when I saw the bass in the
this tuning, he would find the right people to come delay, and a phaser, but you cant really window and took down the number. A
they dont in and fill up the gaps with their own tell because the mix is very low. few weeks later I was back in the area
sound standard
creative ideas. and managed to see the bass and try it
anymore,
Loueke: With these guys, you dont Do you use the Kemper for gigs and out. I thought it had a lot of promise, so
Photo by Mathieu Bitton

says Loueke.
have to say muchit just takes off
naturally. The tempo might be different
or someone could come up with an idea
thats best for the song in that moment.
recording? I brought it back to New York and had
Loueke: Yeah, for this album I took a direct David Gage renovate it. We believe its
stereo out from the Kemper. When I use about 200 years old and of French origin,
it live, I have a Mesa/Boogie 4x12 onstage. but theres some discussion about that.

premierguitar.com
128 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 DAVE HOLLANDS GEAR

BASSES
Vintage French upright bass
David Gage Czech-Ease Road Bass

AMP
Gallien-Krueger 200MB

PICKUPS AND ACCESSORIES

David Gage Realist pickup
Underwood pickup
Klark Teknik DN 100 DI
DPA d:vote 4099B mic

Photo by Douglas Mason

Left: During the groups featured set at the
Newport Jazz Festival, Dave Holland plucks
away on a 200-year-old French bass that
he found in an antique shop.

Dave Hollands 6-String History

Even a cursory glance at Hollands extensive and impressive discography makes it obvious that he enjoys collaborating with
some of the most revered guitarists of our time. Its no surprise, considering his roots werent based in the low end. During
the early 50s in England, Holland was swept up in American rock n roll, and he soon found himself playing in a skiffle band
that mixed elements of rock and folk. My first bass was a skiffle bass made out of a box, broomstick, and a piece of string,
remembers Holland. On his 10th birthday, he received a guitar and started to learn popular songs on the radio. By 13 he had
shifted to bass. PG asked Holland to share memories of playing with some of his best-known 6-string collaborators.

Jim Hall
I didnt do much recording with Jim, but we did some duo
things together. Im hoping someday those recordings
can come out. I first heard him live in 65 with Jimmy
Giuffre in London. It wasnt until we connected in New
York in the 90s that we really started to play together.
Derek Bailey
I met Derek in London in the mid 60s and he had
quite an extraordinary conceptual idea of the guitar.
In fact, I heard him in 62 before I knew who he was.
When I was 17, I happen to be on tour with a big band.
We stayed in a hotel where a guitar trio was playing
this Bill Evans-influenced music. I found out much
later that it was Derek. By the time I got to know him
and play with him he had developed this completely
unique language. He had a tremendous impact on the
open-improvisation scene in London.
John Abercrombie
I first heard John in the late 60s. Jack DeJohnette
brought us together in the Gateway trio and we had
many, many great years of playing together. John really
130 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
thinks outside the box and has a very personal sound
that is completely steeped in the tradition.
Kevin Eubanks
During the 80s I was running the Banff school
[the summer jazz workshop at the Banff Centre
for Arts and Creativity in Alberta, Canada] and one
year Abercrombie couldnt make it. Robin Eubanks
recommended his brother Kevin who was already
coming up to Banff. From the very first day we played
as a duo, I had this immediate connection with him. I
asked Kevin if hed be interested in working together
and that resulted in the Extensions album.
Pat Metheny
We first met around the time of Bright Size Life. Pat had
asked me to do that album, but because I was working
with Sam Rivers I wasnt available. Thats probably the
best thing that could have happened because who
could be better on that album than Jaco? We didnt get
a chance to play together until the Parallel Realities
tour with Jack DeJohnette. What Pat has accomplished
is quite extraordinary.
premierguitar.com
 Thats so interesting that its not some
high-end boutique instrument you
sourced through a music store.
Holland: Yeahthere was something
about the way it looked. It has very
narrow shoulders, but a very deep bout.
I thought the instrument had quite a
potential for some real depth of sound.
When I tried it, it certainly seemed that
way and worth taking back to New York
to find out how good it could be.
Do you bring it out on the road?
Holland: Until about nine years ago, I
used it for everything. That was around
the time when the airline started to change
their policy about checked baggage. I was
increasingly having problems with them
checking it and Id been struggling with
it for a while. Then I discovered a travel
instrument that David Gage designed called
the Czech-Ease bass, and now thats what
Ive been using on any gig I cant drive to.
Whats your amp setup like?
SET AND FORGET
www.henrettaengineering.com
premierguitar.com
The less you write,
the more opportunity
you offer for the
creative power of
the group to
come through.
Dave Holland
Holland: I use two Klark Teknik DN 100
DIsone for the David Gage Realist pickup
and the other for an Underwood pickup
that feeds my Gallien-Krueger 200MB
onstage. The Klark DIs are wonderful. I also
use a DPA d:vote 4099B bass mic.
Loueke: It was all intuitive. There were no
Both of you have a reputation for
making odd-time signatures very
THE KYSER QUICK-CHANGE
TWENTY COLORS. TAKE YOUR PICK.
MADE IN AMERICA
accessible. Lionel, do you think
that came from years of listening to
traditional African music?
Loueke: Yeah. Personally, I dont like
odd meters that make me feel like Im
doing physics or math. When it comes
to composition, my process is that after
recording 5 or 10 minutes of music, I go
back and listen to it and find something I
like. Then I figure out what meter its in. It
just happens naturally. If something comes
out at 21 1/2, then thats what its going
to be. If the bass line comes first, then Ill
use GarageBand to find a groove that is
slightly against that bass line to give me
some sort of cycle, or circular vibe, so it
doesnt sound like a skipping CD. Which
can be a challengeI spend a lot of time
making the groove really sound natural.
Growing up in Benin, was there any sort
of formal music education?
schools to go toI just learned by playing
traditional music. I grew up playing
www.kysermusical.com
Guaranteed for life KYSER MUSICAL PRODUCTS
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 131
 About 15 years percussion and then played bass for a while
ago, Lionel
before moving to guitar. Ive always said
Loueke ditched
his pick and Im a frustrated bassist and percussionist,
went for a and thats why I beat on the guitar.
fingerstyle
approach. I Dave, I must ask about that famous story
was starting to
develop my own
of the jam session you had with Jimi
language, he Hendrix. How did that come about?
says. For all the Jimi had Electric Lady Studios in the city,
polyrhythmic and I got a call one day to go down there
stuff, in terms
for a jam session with John McLaughlin
of harmony,
I couldnt get and Buddy Miles. It was just the four of us
that with just in the studio and an engineer. There was no
the pick. real plan, as far as I could tell. Jimi would
just start up a riff and wed pick it up and
jam on it. We were playing a lot of the same
festivals at the time, so our paths did cross
a bit. I wasnt a close friend or anything,
but I was a huge fan. He loved Miles Davis
and Miles loved him, and there had been
YOUTUBE IT some discussion of them doing something

Photo by Douglas Mason

Heres the result of Dave Hollands only time jamming with Jimi Hendrix.
Its a free form instrumental affair with the legendary John McLaughlin together, I think. Unfortunately, that was cut
on guitar and Buddy Miles on drums. Shortly after this session, Hendrix short. He was clearly moving on and looking
went on to form the Band of Gypsys with Miles and bassist Billy Cox.
YouTube search term: Jimi Hendrix & John McLaughlin Record Plant N.Y
for some new directions, and I think that
25 March 69 was just a chance to try something out.

a small company with

BIG CREATIVITY
Near the Southern California desert,
in a small town called Redlands,
Carey Nordstrand has a tiny
shop dedicated to the pursuit of
TONE. He began with custom
bass building, then pickup development.
Carey is consistently working with his
team to develop a product that
brings sound to a new level of
audio brilliance. Starting with
a kernel of an idea, he always
seems to spin it into something
special and unique.
Visit the Nordstrand website and discover whats
io
/pr oaud developing at the shop.

.com
.bo urns
www guitar pickups bass pickups effect pedals more
www.NORDSTRANDPICKUPS.com

premierguitar.com
132 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
STATE OF THE STOMP
Chuck It in the Bucket
BY BENJAMIN HINZ
This schematic The Time: Time to go to the mall.
of a non-starter The Place: Car Guy Magazines coolest
pedal has all
family van three years running, aka
the functions
necessary for a Dwarfcraft One.
one-way trip to The Cast: Your old palmeand at
Palookaville. least three middle-school girls.
The girls were shouting. (Theyre always
shouting. On a scale from 1 to 10,
middle-school girls only have feelings
above 9.) I tried to ignore the noise, but
the volume was too severe. Eventually
they began firing off funny rhymes
and sayings they enjoyed. This quickly
became my scene, but they werent moved
by my proud declaration of tune low,
play slow. But I guess they could tell
how dangerously cool I am, because one
of my passengers shared something you
can only say in front of cool parents.
In a full voice she spoke: You know
what Maya always says chuck it in
the Long pause, giggles. Then, in a
hushed tone, fuck-it bucket.
The van erupted in laughter. Yes! Its a
great rhyme and, as far as Im concerned,
a pretty powerful and healthy line to
have at your disposal. I find in art and
business, sometimes you just have to
chuck it.
We like to think of ourselves as
dedicated, hardworking types who dont
let the bumps in the road tear us apart.
Of course, lots of people are out there
busting their humps and getting great
results. I think its great to tackle a project
with all your might and to see it through.
Im going to let you in on a secret,
though. For a variety of reasons, gear
companies chuck things. Weve ditched
two circuits and put one on hold this
year. Multiply that by almost a decade in
this industry and youll get an idea of our
pedal graveyard.
There are many roads to Abandon
Town. For example, its pretty tough
for me to put my weight behind any
distortion circuit anymore. From a
musical perspective, Ive already made
or purchased my favorite distortion
134 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
devices, so its hard to get fired up
about something that cant beat what
weve already got. The business persons
perspective is even harsher. Taking a
gander at the latest issue of Real Cool
Pedal Guy Magazine, I notice there
are just under three billion handmade
distortion pedals available. Thats not
counting the self-oscillating fuzzes, of
which there are roughly 23 million.
Business guy does not feel great about
trying to sell another one of those. Music
guy cant even get excited about using it.
Sorry neat fuzz, your next stop is the
shelf for old ideas. Maybe Im pickier than
I need to be, but there are more than a
few schematics and even prototypes from
abandoned drive/fuzz/distortion pedals
rattling around my workshop.
A schematic is a great place to leave a
project. Its easy! You put some work in,
a few hours in front of the breadboard,
but its just not working. Hang on to I could visualize this one unfolding I
that paper. You might come back to
it some day, but probably not. It gets
tougher the longer the project goes on.
An intense focus, or the more effective
dangerous obsession, with a project can
really gum up the works when it comes
to the practicalities of a pedal. We had
one of these this year. I was deep into the
artwork, front panel design, and circuit
design for a pedal from day one. Im pretty
sure I thought about it at night instead of
sleeping. As soon as I got to work in the
morning, Id add the features or tweaks Id take a few steps back and consider every
imagined earlier. This was gong to be the
best pedal that ever did that one thing.
Yes, Id found nearly all the pathways.
I managed to use mostly parts that were
currently availableand an expensive
power converter that also required a
second circuit board. And an extra-large
enclosure. When considering all these
factors, it became clear Id dreamed up
the worlds least marketable one-trick
pony. And while it was technically not a
clipping-style distortion device, eight out
of 10 players would hear it and say, real
cool fuzz, bro.
Ugh. Chuck it in the fuck-it bucket.
Music guy was a little sad. This wouldve
been a lot of fun to play with. Business
guy locked eyes with music guy and
did his best Tommy Lee Jones in The
Fugitive, responding: I dont care.
At least the visual mockup came in
handy for illustrating this article, and I
played it pretty close to the vest on social
media, so nobody outside the shop is
going to be let down. And dont worry
about music guy. He remembers how to
patch it up on the modular rig.
Id be lying if I said I didnt feel a
bit of relief at being able to stop at that
point. Ten years in the pedal industry has
shown me plenty of disasters, and once
was glad to have dodged that bullet. On
top of that, we sunk very little money
into the project, and did no marketing
or building, so I got to skip all that and
start on something new and exciting, like
modding a Tube Screamer! Has anyone
done that yet?
Please dont read this as an
endorsement of just giving up. Weve
toiled over pedals for a year-and-a-half,
and had great success when they were
finally finished. I think its a good idea to
aspect of a project a few times during the
process. Every once in a while, you might
save yourself a real headache with those
seven magical words: Chuck it in the
fuck-it bucket.
P.S. Did you figure out that music guy
and business guy are both me?
BENJAMIN HINZ is the Supreme
Commander at Dwarfcraft
Devices and Devi Ever FX. In
addition to experimenting
with audio, he really enjoys
Blade Runner and Tom Pettys
Wildflowers.
premierguitar.com
 MOD GARAGE

The Super-flexible, Super-simple Telecaster Wiring

BY DIRK WACKER

I
At the heart of often get emails from guitarists
this mod is the asking if theres a way to increase
Oak Grigsby
a Telecasters sonic flexibility that
4-way Telecaster
switch, a drop-in doesnt involve a complicated switching
retrofit for the scheme. Most players who are attracted to
stock Fender a Telecaster in the first place want to keep
3-way pickup its classic look and dont want to mess
selector. Mounted
in a Tele, this
around with a lot of additional switches,
replacement pots, and the like. As a Tele player myself,
switch is visually I totally understand, which is why I want
indistinguishable to share my favorite Telecaster wiring
from the factory
the one I use in most of my personal
model, yet it
opens the door to Teles. This mod doesnt have a name, so
a powerful new if you have a cool suggestion for one,
soundsingle- please let me know.
coil pickups Overview. This wiring offers four
in series.
switchable sounds, a direct-through
option, and a mod to convert the
standard tone control into what I call a
warmth controlsomething I use to
simulate other pickups. The benefit of
this wiring is that it is easily reversible
and very flexible. Best of all, its externally
invisible: The Teles classic appearance
isnt altered in any way.
You dont need much for this mod.
Heres your shopping list: a Telecaster
4-way switch, a 2PDT push/pull or
push/push pot to replace your tone pot
(alternatively you can keep your tone pot
and add a 2PDT mini-toggle switch),
and a 3300 pF capacitor. Two single-coils in series can sound like a P-90 or
The switching matrix looks like this: a humbucker, and its easy to drive your amp into
saturation with this switching position.
Position #1: bridge pickup.
Position #2: bridge plus neck pickup
in parallel. get a big, beefy tone thats a lot louder search for Telecaster Series Wiring,
Position #3: neck pickup. than the other switching positions. This from the June 2015 issue. Please note that
Position #4: bridge plus neck pickup is perfect if you need a fat overdriven you need to prepare your neck pickup
in series. sound or a burly clean solo tone. Its even with separate ground connections for
suitable for some jazz playing, if you also the pickup itself and its metal cover, as
The details. A direct retrofit for the use the warmth control (more about this described in this article.
stock Fender 3-way pickup selector, the in a moment). Two single-coils in series Weve also discussed the direct-through
Telecaster 4-way switch is made by Oak can sound like a P-90 or a humbucker, switch in an earlier Stratocaster mod,
Photo courtesy of stewmac.com

Grigsby and available from Allparts,
Stewart-MacDonald, and other luthier
supply outfits. In addition to the three
common Telecaster switching positions,
this switch provides a fourth option: With
both pickups connected in series, you
and its easy to drive your amp into
saturation with this switching position.
For me, this is one of the best Telecaster
mods ever. We previously explored series
wiring in a different context, so for all
the details go to premierguitar.com and
but hey, it works great on a Tele, too.
This particular mod lets you connect any
pickup or pickup combination directly
to the output jack, thus bypassing the
master volume and master tone control.
For a description of this mod, search for

premierguitar.com
136 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 my Stratocaster Direct-Through Mod
column, from the October 2009 issue, on
PGs website.
If you dont want to alter your Teles
visual appearance, simply replace the
stock tone pot with a 2PDT push-pull
or push-push switching pot. This stealth
approach makes the direct-through mod
invisible. But instead of using a switching
pot, I like to install an additional 2PDT
on/on mini-toggle switch right between
the two stock knobs on the Teles metal
control plate. I find it easier to operate
this way, but I dont care too much about
visual appearanceas long as its not a
vintage guitar. If you take this mini-toggle
route, youll have to drill a 6 mm hole
into the control plate. Obviously, this is
not reversible. Either approach works fine,
so its simply up to your personal taste.
Now for the warmth control. This
Illustration courtesy of singlecoil.com
last step is easy because it only requires
replacing the existing tone cap with another
oneeverything else stays the same.
Usually in a Telecaster youll find
a 0.022 F tone cap, although more
vintage-flavored models will have a 0.047
or 0.1 F cap. Okay, we all know the
premierguitar.com
problem: The useable range on these caps
is very small. After only a short rotation
of the knob, the tone gets really dark and
muddy, losing all its color and life.
A tone cap with less capacitance
can instantly fix this problem. My
recommendation for this wiring is a 3300
pF cap. I prefer an Orange Drop cap
for a Telecaster because its slightly mid-
scooped tone is a perfect match for any
Telecaster with vintage-flavored single-
coils. With a 3300 pF cap, you have full
control over the whole rotation of the
tone pot. Even with the full capacitance
engaged, the tone remains defined and
transparent, yet warm (which explains the
warmth control moniker).
Its easy to mimic several pickup types
with the warmth control. For example,
select position #4 to put both pickups in
series and set the tone control between
4050 percent, and prestoyoure in
the PAF humbucker ballpark. Try it! Im
confident that anyone who doesnt need
those totally dark tones from common
tone caps will find this mod very useful.
Now that weve discussed all the
details, check out the wiring in Fig. 1. Be
sure to break the connection to ground
on the volume pot lug where the tone
cap is soldered on the standard Telecaster
wiring. This is a common error, and
one to check if you find this setup isnt
working as expected.
Note: I showed the direct-through
mod as a separate toggle switch because
its much clearer to illustrate the
connections this way. That said, the
switching matrix of a 2PDT push-pull
or push-push pot is identical, so if you
opt to take that route it should be easy to
transfer the diagrammed wiring.
Thats it! Next month well return to
our exploration of pickup parameters.
This time well cover electrical phase and
learn how to build a professional pickup
polarity tester for only a few bucks. Until
then ... keep on modding!
DIRK WACKER lives in Germany
and has been a guitar addict since
age 5. Hes also a hardcore DIY-er
for guitars, amps, and stompboxes
and runs a website on the subject
(singlecoil.com). When not
working at his guitar workbench,
he plays country, rockabilly, surf,
and flamenco. Contact him at
info@singlecoil.com.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 137
 ASK AMP MAN

Beware the Clean Ones!

BY JEFF BOBER

H
ello Ask Amp Man readers
and man, it seems there are
a lot of you! Why? Because I
was recently informed by PGs fearless
leader, Shawn Hammond, that Ive been
writing this column for 10 years! Wow,
thats a long time, and Ive done my best
to keep from sounding like a broken
record. I would like to give my thanks
and appreciation to you for making the
column so successful for so long.
Now, lets continue with this months
installment, which I call Beware the
Clean Ones! Sounds like the opposite
of something your mother mightve told
you, right? Let me explain. After decades
of experience, I always tell people to
watch out for the clean examples of older
or vintage amps. I would get a call or
visit from a player or store owner who Fig. 1: A connector for the choke in the power supply circuit, while appearing to be
just found a vintage amp in such great attached, was very loose on its connecting post. This was causing voltage fluctuation.
condition that it looks like its been in
somebodys closet for 30 years. And you My beware the clean ones motto was The sound was still fading in and out and
know why it looks that way? Because it once again validated when a client brought exhibiting some very strange characteristics.
Below: This has! And why has it been in the closet for me a Fender Blues DeVille for servicing. Back in to troubleshoot we went!
Fender Blues
30 years? Because it never sounded good This was the cleanest example of a 20-plus- The first thing I noticed upon very
DeVille from
the 90s arrived or it had some mystery issue, and the years-old amp Ive seen. The footswitch scrutinous inspection is shown in Fig. 1.
at the shop in owner just decided to retire it and move was still in shrink wrap! It looked as One of the connectors for the choke in
suspiciously on to something different. Give me an though even its cover hadnt seen the the power supply circuit, while appearing
pristine old beat-up amp that looks like its been light of day since 1994 and it hadnt! to be attached, was very loose on its
condition. The
footswitch was
rode hard and put up wet and Ill show It was brought to me because the sound connecting post. This would definitely
still in its you an amp thats sounded great and was fading in and out. Okay, no problem. cause the high voltage in most of the
shrink wrap. given great service for many years. The typical solution is a good cleaning, amp to fluctuate up and down, causing
because, as with most amps with effects the signal to fade in and out. A quick
loops, inactivity leads to intermittency. If a tightening of said connector and we
series effects loop remains unused for long should be good to go.
periods of time, the switching contacts in Uh, nope. This amp was still
the loop jacks become dirty or oxidized exhibiting problems, but now the
and need to be cleaned, or possibly sound level seemed to be intermittently
replaced. That and a good cleaning of popping in and out. While probing
the pots, jacks, and the sockets, and the around with a scope (oscilloscope)
amp should be good to go. But it wasnt. probe, I seemed to be able to exacerbate

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.

premierguitar.com
138 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 THE BEST AMPS IN THE WORLD

THE PROFILER
With profiling, Kemper changed the
world for all guitar players, making it
a better place indeed.

Because all the best guitar amps in the

world with their tones meticulously
designed, thoroughly miced and recor-
ded in the best studios are available
with the Profiler. Ready to be taken to
the studio, the stages around town
....and around the globe!

The Profiler comes loaded with the

finest Rigs created by artists, producers
and performers who are famous for
their tone.

NEW: PROFILER REMOTE

All Performances and Rigs
can be controlled without
further setup.

AWARD 2013: BEST GUITAR HEAD KEMPER-AMPS.COM

AWARD 2012 & 2013: MOST INNOVATIVE PRODUCT facebook.com/kemperamps

Fig. 2: One of the plate resistors had a compromised solder joint. This is particularly
troublesome with single-sided circuit boards.
Below: Finallyfor job No. 3more troubleshooting was required beneath the tone
controls, which were intermittent despite the two earlier repairs on the Blues DeVille.
the problem in one area of the board.
Okay, now the fun started. It was time
to pull the circuit board to see what was
underneath, possibly reflow some solder
joints, or maybe replace a couple of
suspect components.
I prefer not to go through and
re-solder a massive number of solder
joints on a whim, in hopes that it
just might fix the problem. I prefer to
actually find the problem first! More
intense perusal of the suspect area and
there it was (Fig. 2): One of the plate
resistors had a compromised solder
joint. It was probably soldered well
enough to pass initial inspection, but
over time and from vibration became
140 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
down the location of the issue. This time,
loosened from what little solder was
connecting it. This is particularly
troublesome on single-sided circuit
boards, which is why I wont use them
in my amps. Such boards are a far more
cost-effective way to build an amp
especially one where the price point
is a major concernbut on a quality
circuit board, where the holes are
plated through, solder adheres to each
component lead all the way through
its hole, making for a far more reliable
connection. The other issue with single-
sided boards is that traces can easily lift
off the boards during extensive servicing
or modification, so these should be left
to an experienced solder hand.
Fig. 3: A cap with a short lead was the
final culprit. That lead was touching the
solder in the hole, but was not really
soldered in place.
All right, it was time to repair this issue
and reassemble the amp. Good to go?
Uh no. The sound now appeared to
be solid, but the tone controls seemed to
be intermittently working. Okay: More
probing, pressing, and prodding to narrow
with little surprise, I was led to the area of
the tone controls. Since I was not focused
on that area before, maybe I missed a bad
solder joint there. One more time the
board came out and the inspection began.
All the solder joints on all the controls
looked good, but there was one solder
joint for one of the tone caps that just
didnt appear right. A closer look revealed
that there was no component lead sticking
through the hole. Removal of the cap
showed why. As you can see (Fig. 3), one
lead is just a bit shorter than the other.
What was happening was that the short
lead was initially touching the solder in the
hole, but was not really soldered in place.
Movement and vibration had now caused
it to just intermittently make contact, so
the tone stack was cutting in and out. I
replaced the bad cap with one having two
good leads and was finally done!
So, as I said, beware the clean ones my
friends. Sometimes theyre more trouble
than you think.
JEFF BOBER is one of the
godfathers of the low-wattage amp
revolution. He co-founded and was
originally the principal designer
for Budda Amplification, though
he launched EAST Amplification
(eastamplification.com) in 2010.
You can catch his podcasts at
ampsandaxescast.com or email
him at pgampman@gmail.com.
premierguitar.com
 A N E W G E N E R AT I O N O F R O C K R O YA L T Y

From MESA comes a departure from Boogie and a new bloodline aimed at the Rock Throne. Gorgeous Cleans,
Classic Crunch and Gain Beyond (our highest ever), housed in a small, light, 50 Watt package with total flexibility.
The New Triple Crown TC-50

MESA/Boogie Ltd. | 1317 Ross Street | Petaluma, California 94954 | 707-778-6565 | mesaboogie.com

2017 MESA/Boogie Ltd.

 TOOLS FOR THE TASK
Look for this icon
to click and
purchase the gear.

Buffers
If youre working with multiple pedals or long cable runs, youre building capacitance that can suck the life right out
of your tone. This can be remedied by placing a buffer devicelike the 10 options herein your signal chain.

1
JHS
Little Black Buffer
Integrating this little box into a signal chain is intended 1
to provide the perfect input impedance to your rig so it
can deliver clear, natural toneno matter how many
pedals youre using.
$75 street
jhspedals.com

2
EMPRESS EFFECTS 2
Buffer
Conceived to be the complete I/O interface for a pedalboard,
this compact, all-analog buffer provides a separate tuner
output to keep the tuner out of the audio path.
$99 street
empresseffects.com

3
TC ELECTRONIC
BonaFide Buffer
Designed to combat treble-eating constraints put on
tone from long cable runs, this buffer has a power-failure
3
mode that automatically switches to true bypass if the
power is cut.
$69 street
tcelectronic.com

4
PROVIDENCE
Vitalizer WV
Wah and volume pedals tend to degrade and color a high- 4
impedance signals tone, but players can minimize this
degradation by sending these pedals a low-impedance
signal via the Vitalizer.
$119 street
providence-ltd.com

5
EMERSON CUSTOM
Concord Utility Buffer
This handbuilt buffer can run at 9V or 18V and was
designed to bring clarity and high-end sparkle to your
input signal that may have been lost due to multiple
5
pedals and cables.
$79 street
emersoncustom.com

premierguitar.com
142 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 6
MOJO HAND FX
C-1
For use at the front or end of your pedalboard and
effective for lengthy cable runs, this buffering circuit in a
box was designed to restore vitality to your signal.
$75 street
6 mojohandfx.com

7
MESA/BOOGIE
Stowaway
This 100-percent discreet, class-A buffer provides
a stable, consistent load to remedy such issues as
impedance loading and mismatching that adversely
7
affect a pickups character.
$99 street
mesaboogie.com

8
RADIAL
SB-15 Tailbone StageBug
Designed to drive multiple pedals and long cable runs
8 without added noise, this buffer also allows a player to
combine two 9V outputs from a power brick and convert
them to 15V DC.
$79 street
tonebone.com

9
J. ROCKETT AUDIO DESIGNS
10 SOS Buffer
The single knob on this buffer allows you to subtly dial
in the highs to be exactly how you need them without
getting unwanted interaction with fuzz and wah pedals.
$79 street
rockettpedals.com
9
10
SUHR
Buffer
This transparent signal buffer/line driver employs unity
buffering to reverse the effects of capacitance without
impacting your instruments tone or output level.
$129 street
suhr.com

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 143

REVIEWS

Quick Hits
ROCK STOCK AMPTWEAKER
Skyline Bass TightMetal Jr.
By Shawn Hammond By Rich Osweiler

The Rock Stock Skyline Amptweakers James Brown knows dirt, and
Reverb aims to put authentic his compact Bass TightMetal Jr. was designed
spring-reverb sounds in a to move said dirt with a dash of high-gain
straightforward stompbox, and fury. Resting below its roll-bar-protected dials
to that end it succeeds in many for volume, tone, and gain is a slider switch
measures. As youd expect, the for thrash/normal/smooth EQ settings and a
tone knob shades reverberations second slider to govern the attack with settings
from a bit muted to bright and for fat, normal, and tight. Positioned between
splashy, and decay lengthens the sliders is the adjustable noise gate for
them from brief to longer than taming hum and dialing in harder stops.
most real spring units can go. This pedal delivers an edgy-yet-thick distortion thats not
But level and drive might stump for the faint-hearted, but its also not just for metal. The snarl
players expecting a response like I cooked up in the thrash setting with the tight attack engaged
two- and three-knob tube-driven and the gain at 3 oclock was intense and, yes, tightspot-on
units of yore. Level increases the for fast metal runs. But by setting the sliders to smooth and
volume of the wet signal, but no matter how high its set, fat, respectively, and dialing back the gain to about 1 oclock,
the dry signal doesnt remain just constant, but dominant. the tones thickened up nicely with a warmth that could fit
You cant dial in that drowning sound an old spring unit gets nicely in genres from modern punk to scuzzy slacker rock.
when you crank the mix knob. And the drive control, rather Low-end preservation is probably what I liked best about
than dialing in tube-like saturation and grit, increases the the distortion sounds. The weight and oomph of my notes
reverbs intensity in a way that seems more like an extension kept the word thin from ever entering the conversation.
of the decay control. Thats helped in big part by the dry-low knob housed on
On the plus side, the feel and response of the Skylines the pedals right side. It eases in the clean signal to taste, but
lovely fundamental tones have a lot of the boing and sproing primarily just the lows and mids. If youre a bassist fond of
of a real spring reverb. But a few refinements would help its crunch with an evil streak yet want to maintain a big bottom
odds in a competitive market. end, be good to yourself and check out this Jr.

TEST GEAR Baritone Jazzmaster with Seymour Duncan Antiquity TEST GEAR Fender Precision, Gallien-Krueger 800RB head,
IIs, Jaguar HC50 with Weber Gray Wolf Orange OBC212 cab, Focusrite Scarlett 2i4

PROS Reasonably convincing PROS Good low-end

$179 street, spring-reverb sounds with
rockstockpedals.com extended decay possibilities.
Tones
CONS Hiss from high level
Ease of Use settings present when effect
is bypassed. Slight pitch-
Build/Design
modulation artifacts. No
Value drowning surf sounds.
$169 street, amptweaker.com retention. The noise gate and
dry-low knob are welcome
features.
Tones
Ease of Use CONS Theres a wide range
under the hood, but tones are
Build/Design
still relatively niche.
Value

CLICK HERE TO HEAR this pedal. CLICK HERE TO HEAR this pedal.

premierguitar.com
144 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 IK MULTIMEDIA BAE
Fender Collection 2 Hot Fuzz
By Jason Shadrick By Charles Saufley

The latest plug-in for IK Vintage fuzz can be a tricky

Multimedias AmpliTube
modeling software goes after
a handful of iconic tweed
and blackface tones from
the golden era Fender amps.
Included are models of
tweed versions of the Deluxe, Champ, Pro, Twin, Bassman,
Bandmaster, and a blackface Super Reverb. Getting up
and running is rather easy: I just plugged straight into my
interface, fired up AmpliTube, and away I went.
A hallmark of tweed amps is how important the guitars
volume knob is to the equation. It can move you from a
glassy funk tone to old-school Stones rather quickly if set up
correctly. I wore out the Layla album, so I headed straight for
the 57 Custom Champ. The immediate response and feel
was there, and the reaction with the single volume knob on
the Champ allowed for rather believable tones.
As I maxed out the virtual Champs volume, there was
plenty of grind and I found myself reaching for the volume
knob on my guitar more than I had expected. I went for the
Derek Trucks setting on the Super Reverb (treble all the
way up) and that biting, but not piercing, tone was there.
Just a heads up: There is a bit of a learning curve in decoding
the ins and outs of the AmpliTube software, but once you
get past that you access a stash of holy grail amps that require
way less maintenance than the originals.
TEST GEAR Fender Telecaster, Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
business for modern players. Its
easy to be lured by legend and
lore, only to discover that the
archaic fuzz you pined for is a
hard-to-handle little monster.
BAEs Hot Fuzz strikes a crafty
balance between authentically
wild and musically manageable
thanks to a responsive tone stack, a gain range that moves
from mellow to mean, and a Rangemaster-inspired boost that
adds subtle texture shifts or heaps of attitude.
Hot Fuzzs basic voice is unmistakably rooted in the Tone
Bender family. Its crackling hot, sings at high gain settings,
and delivers tones that run from scooped and nasal to
stinging, depending on the guitar and how you set up your
volume and tone controls. The powerful tone controls suggest
a Tone Bender MKIII or MKIV heritage, but Hot Fuzzs
dials are much more evolved. They add complex bass tones
and sizzling highs that never compromise the essence of the
authentically Tone Bender-styled voice. The Rangemaster-
derived hi freq boost section is a massive bonus. On its
own, it adds subtle-to-robust volume and treble boost thats
awesome with tube amps verging on breakup. Mixed with the
fuzz its positively viciousadding body or snorkely cocked-
wah tones depending on the setting.
TEST GEAR Fender Jaguar, Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster
Deluxe, Silverface Fender Bassman, Fender Champ

PROS Very convincing amp PROS Beautifully balanced

$149 street, ikmultimedia.com tones. More options than youd $225 street, baeaudio.com between vintage character and
ever need. modern malleability. Super-
solid build quality.
Tones Tones
CONS Rather steep learning
Ease of Use curve. Ease of Use CONS Footswitches are
situated too close together.
Build/Design Build/Design
Value Value

CLICK HERE TO HEAR this modeler. CLICK HERE TO HEAR this pedal.

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 145

REVIEWS

PAUL REED SMITH

Sonzera 50
By Joe Charupakorn

P
aul Reed Smith started building amps in 2009, although
it happened through more serendipitous circumstances
than you might suspect. Smith met amp designer Doug
Sewell at the Dallas Guitar Show, where their respective booths
were back to back, and after trying Sewells offerings Smith was
so impressed that he bought every amp Sewell brought to the
show. Before long, Sewell was relocating to Maryland to spear-
head PRS amp division. PRS amps have since become a hot
ticket, and are now a staple in the rigs of artists including Derek
Trucks, David Grissom, and Warren Haynes.
The relatively affordable Asia-built Sonzera line are the
newest members of the PRS amp stable. It includes a 50-watt
head or combo, and a 20-watt combo. For this review, I tested
the two-channel 50-watt combo, which comes equipped with
one 70-watt, 12" Celestion V-Type speaker, a JJ ECC835 and
three 12AX7AC5 HG tubes in the preamp section, and two

Independent Drive and level controls

Volume and reverb controls for gain channel
master controls for
Presence control
clean channel

Two channels

premierguitar.com
146 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017

EL34s in the power section. (The 20-watt
combo features two 6L6 power tubes,
rather than EL34s).
Clean and Mean
Each channel on the Sonzera 50 has an
independent set of controls for reverb,
bass, mid, and treble. The clean channel
has its own master and volume controls,
while the gain channel has independent
level and drive knobs. The two channels
share a presence control. Sonzera comes
with a footswitch for channel switching
and activating the reverb, and theres a
series effects loop in the back for patching
in time-based effects.
I tested the Sonzera with an Ernie
Ball Music Man Axis Sport and a Fender
Stratocaster. And on the amps clean
channel, its easy to hear a strong blackface
vibe. Thats no small coincidence. PRS
says Sewells ideal clean sound is built
on elements of Eric Johnsons stereo
Twin Reverbs and Stevie Ray Vaughans
Vibroverbs. And, in fact, in his pre-PRS
days, Sewell built an amp called the
Texaverb designed around that formula.
The Sonzeras clean tones sound like direct
descendants of that idea: bold, beautiful, and
multi-dimensional with lots of headroom.
The gain channel also provides a path
to cool, cleanish tones. If I set the level
and all EQ knobs around noon, with the
drive knob set to approximately 7:30, I
got a beefy clean sound that was excellent
for dark, woody, neck-pickup jazz lines
(on a solidbody no less) and pop-rock
arpeggio chords with ringing open strings.
(The latter sounded especially excellent
with the bright switch activated.)
The Sonzera is very touch sensitive,
and a variety of sounds are possible
just by varying the force of your pick
attackeven in high-gain mode.
With a light touch, arpeggiated chords
sounded atmospheric and rich. With
a heavy-handed pick attack the same
arpeggios morphed into gritty, Sunny
Day Real Estate-style sounds. Strummed
chords went from almost-pristine clean,
with the neck pickup engaged and the
guitar volume notched back a hair, to
light crunch when I used the bridge
pickup, maximum guitar volume, and
premierguitar.com
an aggressive attack. And while the
Sonzera is a two-channel amp, guitarists
accustomed to using guitar volume to
tailor their gain may have a field day with
the new PRS before they ever get around
to using the two-switch capabilities.
Big and Beastly
Speaking of gain, the Sonzera puts a
ton at your disposal. Setting the drive
knob to 9 oclock delivers quintessential
British-rock crunch. Even at this
conservative setting, the Sonzera can
sound beastly, and simple open A-string
chugs alternating against D-and-G-string
dyads sounded massive. Moving the drive
knob past noon yields sounds reminiscent
of a circa-80s modded Marshall. At
near maximum drive levels, the Sonzera
produces what can fairly be called a wall
of gain. But what astonished me was
the note definition that remains at these
gain levels. Whether I played complex
chord voicings that I wouldnt dare play
on other hyper-juiced amps or detuned
16th-note riffs, the Sonzera stayed
articulate and responsive.
The Sonzera shines as a blues machine,
too. With my Strat in hand and the gain
around 11 oclock, presence at 1 oclock,
bass at 11 oclock, mid at 9 oclock, treble
at 2 oclock, and the bright switch on, I
was deep into SRV tone realms. Bright,
stinging (but never piercing) single-note
licks and chordal riffs a la The Wind
Cries Mary had a glassy snap that will
make blues lovers drool.
Its worth noting the payoff that comes
from having independent reverb controls
Series effects loop
12" Celestion
V-Type speaker
on each channel. I set up the clean
channel with a ton of reverb to get a nice,
lush pad of sound and set up my gain
channel with negligible reverb so I could
play sharp, percussive, and un-muddied
riffs. With a shared reverb, the same
scenario would require two pedal
switches. This more-streamlined approach
enables fast, dramatic shifts.
The Verdict
Though it looks understated, Sonzera
delivers a wide range of killer sounds. It
can cover everything from pop to blues to
math-metal with ease. That the Sonzera
delivers this many sounds at around $900
is equally impressive.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this amp.
PRS Sonzera 50
$899 street
prsguitars.com
Tones
Ease of Use
Build/Design
Value
PROS Fantastic range of excellent
sounds. Affordable.
CONS Independent presence controls
would be a nice touch.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 147
REVIEWS
SUPRO
Westbury
By Joe Gore
O
h man, am I experiencing dj vu! No, Im not
remembering the 1950s and 60s, when Valco-
made brands such as Supro populated the musical
instrument sections of those retail palaces we called department
stores. Nor am I recalling the many Supro revivalists, from
Pagey to punks to post-rock artistes. No, Im flashing back
to last summer, when I reviewed Supros Zep-tastic Black
Magick combo amp in the August 2016 issue, hailing its astute
compromise between vintage accuracy and cost-conscious
modern production.
Something similar is happening with the first new Supro
guitars in 50 years, and its a brilliant balancing act.
Alder body
Trapeze tailpiece
148 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
The Supro Story
A quick Supro recap: Valco folded in 1967, but, early this
century, esteemed amp designer Bruce Zinky acquired the name
and began issuing new amps that both revived and improved
old Supro designs. Ownership eventually passed to New
Yorks Absara Audio, the folks behind Pigtronix pedals. Absara
expanded on Zinkys work, transforming a long-dormant brand
into a popular and critically acclaimed amp line.
Judging by Supros initial 6-string release, theyre approaching
guitar making much as they do amp building. Supro amps use
modern production methods such as circuit board electronics
and wood-composite cabinets, making them eminently
Two gold foil pickups
Maple neck
premierguitar.com
 affordable. At the same time, they
reference Supros bitchin mid-century
visualsand, more important, their
musical essence. Modern Supro amps
usually sound as good as vintage models,
and often better. And now Supro is doing
a similar thing with guitars.
Islands and Ozarks
Supro is unveiling two new guitar
lines. The Americana series includes
10 models with chambered mahogany
bodies beneath modeled-plastic Res-O-
Glass tops. Meanwhile, the dual-pickup
Westbury is part of the solidbody Island
series, whose models are all based on
the 1962 Supro Ozark (famous as Jimi
Hendrixs first guitar). Westburys siblings
are the three-pickup Hampton and the
single-pickup Jamesport.
The Indonesia-built Westbury has an
alder body and a set maple neck. Our
review models ocean blue metallic finish
is flawless. (The guitar is also available
in black, white, turquoise, and tobacco
burst.) The necks rear surface has a
comfy matte texture. The body shape
mirrors the original lines with a subtle
perimeter bevel. Other retro flourishes
include the asymmetric headstock with
its lightning-bolt logo, small plastic
knobs, and a wave tailpiece.
Meanwhile, a generic Tune-o-matic
assembly replaces the original floating
wooden bridge. The 6100 jumbo frets
25 1/2"-scale fretboard
with 22 jumbo frets
premierguitar.com
are fatter and taller than on originals, but
they feel sexy, are expertly installed, and
are great for the greasy blues and rock at
which Supros excel. Kluson-style tuners
are another modern update.
Foiled Again
The star sonic attractions, however, are
the recreated gold-foil pickups. Gold foils
are famed for their fat, full-frequency
tones, with hefty lows and ringing,
transparent highs. Theyre also remarkably
quiet for single-coils.
Supro nailed the gold-foil vibe. Tones
are complex and compelling, with that
airy high end that can almost feel like a
miked acoustic guitar. Its a fat, full-range
sound aerated by interesting spectral
nooks and crannies. Bright clean tones
shimmer without shrillness. Overdriven
ones are meaty yet buoyant in an early
Zeppelin way. The lows arent chunky in
the modern rock/metal sense, but theyre
smooth and satisfying. Westbury sounds
substantial yet effervescent regardless of
pickup setting.
For the longest time, I partly
credited the wide-open gold-foil sound
to chambered bodies made from light
materials. But my time with Westbury,
coupled with recent workbench
experiments using various gold foils,
convinces me that the character resides
almost exclusively in the pickups. With
good gold foils like these, you get their
signature qualities regardless of body
composition.
Trapeze Act
I love the fact that Supro devised a trapeze
tailpiece, as opposed to taking the easy way
out with a typical stop tailpiece. The extra
string length contributes to Westburys
zingy acoustic resonance and formidable
sustain. You can also create cool bell-like
effects by playing behind the bridge (as
heard at 1:49 in the demo audio clip).
Westburys playability and consistency
are likely to satisfy even choosy
professional players, but simple chords
and unrefined strumming sound great
too. Westbury would be a great choice for
a ham-fisted rhythm guitarist (pardon my
bluntness), because its airy tones wont
hog all the bands sonic space.
The Verdict
Like Supros current amps, the companys
debut guitar manages an impressive feat:
employing budget-conscious modern
construction techniques while successfully
conjuring the soul of the instruments that
inspired it. Westbury is well made and
ultra-playable. It looks sharp. Its tones
range from rude to angelic, oozing charm
and character. And it sells for under a
grand. Nicely done.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A
REVIEW DEMO of this guitar.
Supro Westbury
$999 street
suprousa.com
Tones
Playability
Build/Design
Value
PROS Cool retro looks. Solid
construction. Great-sounding gold foil
pickups. Good price.
CONS None.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 149
REVIEWS
G&L
Kiloton
By Steve Cook
A
lthough the master, Leo Fender, is no longer with us,
the engineers at G&L continue to push forward with
Leo-like moxie, rolling out highly respected instrument
designs while still keeping them fiscally in reach for many play-
ers. The latest bass to come out of Fullerton is the Kiloton, as in
1,000 tons of explosive power at your fingertips. When a com-
pany names a product so boldly, there had better be something
big behind it. So we took a close look and listen to find out
what makes this bomb tick.
A Tale of Two Basses
G&L was founded when Leo, after his years with Fender and
Music Man, felt he had more to offer the musical instrument
world. His SB-2 design is evidence of this, as it introduced a
G&L MFD humbucker
G&L Saddle-Lock bridge
Series/split/parallel toggle
150 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
more comfortable, sleeker P-style bass and quickly became a
favorite with players the world over. In the same breath, G&L
developed MFD (Magnetic Field Design) pickups, which allow
for individual pole adjustments. The MFDs also offer more
output while remaining super-quiet, making them popular in
bass circles as well.
And now, in classic Reeses-peanut-butter-cup-moment
fashion, two divergent forces have been joined together to make
a singular bass powerhouse. The body of the SB-2 has been
equipped with the large-pole MFD pickups, making for an
interesting combination of features and (ideally) tone.
Straight out of the case, I was impressed with the overall
presentation of the Kiloton. Our tester was finished in emerald-
blue metallic, which leans more toward the green side of things,
6-bolt maple neck
premierguitar.com
 but its flashy nonetheless. The body is
alder and the hard rock maple neck felt
nice from the get-go with its satin finish.
(Custom wood, finish, neck-profile,
and pickguard options are available.)
Unplugged, the comfortable bass was
responsive, with great tone and sustain.
There is an air of familiarity with some
aspects of the design, but make no
mistake, its a very modern build with a
whole new feel.
Any great bass is the sum of its parts,
and G&L has engineered some excellent
features into the Kiloton. One very
important (yet often overlooked) feature
is the Leo Fender-designed Saddle-Lock
bridge. Its unique in that there is a block
of metal under the bridge that embeds
itself into the woodrather than just a
flush bridge resting on topand adds
sustain and another point of resonance to
help give the unplugged bass its power.
Other great bits include the bone nut and
G&Ls Ultra-Lite tuners. The triple-ply
(white/black/white) pickguard is a nice
touch as well.
The neck of the U.S.-built Kiloton
is PLEKd to optimize string action.
Getting an instrument PLEKd is a high-
dollar treatment if done aftermarket, so
I like the built-in value. As I pointed
out earlier, the satin-finished neck felt
wonderful, but the point where the
fretboard and neck meet could have used
just a few more touches with the sander.
All said, the action was nothing short of
amazing, the frets felt great, and the bass
was assembled very well overall.
Rosewood fretboard
premierguitar.com
You put your humbucker on my P
bass! You built your P bass around
my humbucker!
To hear the electrified nuances of the
Kiloton, I plugged the bass into a PreSonus
FireStudio running Studio One Professional
software. The Kilotons control set is pretty
simple: volume, tone, and a mini 3-way
toggle for pickup tapping. The first position
of the 3-way is series modewhich is the
most aggressiveso I decided to start there.
With the tone and volume dials dimed,
the Kilotons MFD pickup sang with really
hot output, yet kept its composure with
articulation and a solid attack. Tonally,
the bass brought punch and clarity with a
noticeable mid bump. When rolling the
tone back to halfway, however, the bass
got lost in a case of wet-blanket syndrome.
In series mode, Id suggest keeping the
tone control dialed to at least 75 percent
to get the Kilotons real voice.
When I switched to single-coil mode
(the neck-side row of coils), the Kiloton
took on quite a different flavor. The tone
was crisper than in series mode and quite
usable, even with the tone control dimed.
The location of this row of coils is closer
to the pickup position of a traditional P,
so the bass displayed a surprising amount
of beef utilizing just a single-coil. Im not
saying the Kiloton will replace your P,
but itll give you a sonic punch that wont
leave you wanting for too much more.
The tone mellows out a little in
parallel mode. To my taste, the tone
control needs to be above, say, 60
percent, or else the bass just sort of
barks. Above that mark, the Kiloton can
be a mid-scooped little slap machine. It
feels like a great, active P/Music Man
hybrideven though its really neither. If
this were my No. 1 instrument, Id likely
use the parallel setting with the tone at
about 75 percent for the entire gigand
Im talking just about any gig, at that.
The Verdict
G&L has done a nice job keeping Leos
vision and innovative spirit alive, and with
the introduction of the Kiloton, they just
pushed the bar up another notch. With
its pointed and rich tone, the Kiloton lives
up to its name. One of the biggest secrets
of great bass tone is not big low-end: Its
pointed and pronounced mids that allow
a bass to be heard in live and studio mixes.
The Kilotons MFD pickup runs a good
race in this middle section and will give
players a solid option that bridges the gap
between a P and a full-on MM, though not
quite reaching either end of that range. The
setup from the factory was amazing and I
just cant stress enough how silky and good
the neck felt. The Kilotons tones might
not be for everyone, but I think if you have
the chance to play one of these basses, you
likely wont put it down for a while.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A
REVIEW DEMO of this bass.
G&L Kiloton
$1,399 street (as outfitted)
glguitars.com
Tones
Playability
Build/Design
Value
PROS Comfy bass to play. Fantastic-
feeling neck and fretboard. Very nice
features.
CONS The price seems a touch high.
Pickup tones might not be an ideal
match for traditional P or MM devotees.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 151
 REVIEWS

DIGITECH
Whammy Ricochet
By Joe Gore

W
hen DigiTech unveiled the first Whammy pedal
28 years ago, it was an instant hit. It wasnt
just that a pitch-shifting stompbox was a new
and inspiring idea. With its built-in controller pedal, the Toggled or
Whammy was fresh-sounding and expressive, allowing play- momentary
LED ladder effect
ers to vary the rate of their pitch bends, much as if they were indicates shift
playing, well, a whammy bar. direction
DigiTech recently marked the Whammys latest anniversary Independent
attack and
by removing the effects trademark pedal. Okay, not release controls
reallythe company still make the excellent fifth-generation
Whammy V, the Bass Whammy, and the Whammy DT
(which specializes in chordal pitch-shifting for simulated
drop-tuning effects), all with built-in treadles. But nixing Seven
the expression pedal, as they do here on the Ricochet, makes transposition
the Whammy effect accessible to a particular and growing settings

subset of guitarists: those with too many damn stompboxes to

accommodate the large-format Whammy on their pedalboards.

Is your beloved Whammy pedal gathering

dust just because it wont fit on your board?

A Smaller Shifter
The downscaling works. The Ricochet is roughly the size of
a standard B-sized stompbox. It resides in a tough, folded-
metal enclosure with quality knobs and a soft-touch relay
footswitch. Theres no battery compartment; you must use an
adapter with at least 300 mA of juice (not included).
Meanwhile, theres a clever workaround for the absence of a
treadle. A pair of concentric knobs lets you independently set
attack and release times for the pitch effect, from instantaneous
shifts to excruciatingly slow builds and dive bombs. Another
knob specifies the transposition interval. A toggle switch
selects between upward and downward bends. A second toggle
determines whether notes remain transposed until you press the
footswitch again, or only as long as you hold the switch down.
The former setting would be handy for, say, playing an entire
song in a transposed tuning, while the latter is good for injecting
impossibly high or low notes into standard-tuned solos. You can
tell at a glance whether youre set for up or down, thanks to an
LED ladder that indicates the current direction.
I found this streamlined system fun and musically useful.
Will it satisfy an extant Whammy user? It depends how often
and how much you vary the speed of your pedal pushing. Do
you work the effect rhythmically, carefully timing notes to arrive
at a particular instant? Or, like most players, do you just whack
the thing on for instant range expansion? If youre the latter
type, Ricochet will probably cover your basses.
Transposition Mission
I confess that I havent used a DigiTech Whammy in
many yearsand holy cannoli, has the pitch-shift quality
improved! Early versions couldnt handle chords well, and the
transpositions had a bleating, obviously digitized quality. But
now the pitch shifting is damn good.

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 153

 To demonstrate, allow me to
walk you through the audio clip that
accompanies the online version of this
article. I start out with phased arpeggios
at standard pitch, and then bounce
them up an octave while playing the
same figure. (Clean-toned shifts in large
intervals are the real acid test for pitch-
transposition effects.) You can tell its a
digital effect, yet its perfectly listenable.
Next comes a distorted example
with the same octave shift, but with
slower rise and fall times. It certainly
sounds like Im working a pedal, and
the shifted power chords retain their
chunky goodness.
Another clean-toned example follows
at 1:00. Here I noodle over an Am/Gm
progression, but Im actually fingering
notes in A minor only, shifting down a
whole-step for the G minor bits. Yeah,
I can hear a tiny difference in timbre
between the dry and pitch-shifted
tones, but its so close that it hardly
Tone
Without
Compromise
jenningsguitars.com
Voyager
starting at $1,500
HANDMADE in Camarillo, CA.
154 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
matters. And again, dig how cleanly the
triads transpose!
Most Ricochet transpositions solo
the dry signal, though one setting, OCT
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A
+ DRY, mixes wet and dry, generating REVIEW DEMO of this pedal.
dissonant tension as the two voices rub
against each other on their way to an
octave transposition. You hear this effect
starting at 01:38. The final example,
at 02:10, uses the octave-down setting Digitech Whammy Ricochet
for a pseudo 8-string-bass effect. The $187 street
other available transpositions are perfect digitech.com
fourths and fifths and minor sevenths.
You can use all seven settings in both Tones
ascending and descending modes. Ease of Use
Build/Design
The Verdict
Value
Is your beloved Whammy gathering
dust just because it wont fit on your
board? Case closed: get a Ricochet. If
PROS Compact size. Excellent sound
quality. Good price.
youre new to pitch-shift effects but
eager to explore, this great sounding, CONS For maximum timing precision, a
solidly built, and reasonably priced treadle still works best.
pedal provides a superb introduction.
Giveaways
You could WIN
an EBG808TE!
@PREMIERGUITAR.COM/CONTESTS
premierguitar.com
premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 155
REVIEWS

BULLHEAD
Matador
By Shawn Hammond

W
hen you see a big ol head atop a
matching 4x12 cabparticularly 3-band EQ with Bright switch
presence control
bright red ones emblazoned with
the aggressive-sounding Bullheadyou cant
help but assume the pair will dish out blistering
distortion at bludgeoning volumes. But with his
Matador half-stack, Nashville amp builder Scott
VanFossen seems to be having a bit of fun with
both the art of amplifier design and guitar nerds
expectations. In many ways, the setup is a bit of
a red-cape sleight of hand: Fans of the imposing
half-stack form who charge toward it in anticipa-
tion of carnage may be surprised at whats behind
the red vinyl, while combo snobs who plug into it
may well reconsider their stance against big rigs for
the first time since their starry-eyed teen years.

Ol6V6s!
There are, of course, heads on the market driven
by a wide variety of valves, but the industrys bread-
and-butter designs typically run 6L6s or EL34s.
And while the Matador Bullhead is available in a
40-watt version burning the latter, we were excited
to get a crack at the 20-watt version powered by
6V6svalves most famous for defining the warm,
spongy sounds of small, classic American combos
like the Fender Champ, Princeton, and Deluxe.
The Matadors knob array, on the other hand, is
closer to what youd expect on a vintage Marshall.
There are presence, master, bass, middle, treble,
and gain knobs, and the preamps capabilities
are extended by two toggles: a 3-position EQ
character selector with U.K., Scoop, and
Mid options, and a bright on/off switch. Around
back, the options are simple and straightforward:
dual 1/4" jacks for the series effects loop, a 1/4"
speaker output, and a knob for selecting an My favorite moments reminded me of the sound
impedance of 4, 8, or 16 ohms. Ours was set to Kim Thayil gets on old Soundgarden tracks like
the middle position to accommodate the matching Holy Waterviscous, burnished, and mean,
Celestion Greenback-loaded Matador 4x12 cab,
which features finger-jointed 3/4" Baltic birch
though with greater clarity and note separation.
construction and recessed side handles.

premierguitar.com
156 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 Impedance selector
Three 12AX7s
Series effects loop

healthy, its also limited by the amps

Inside the Matador heads beefy box
(also of Baltic birch), a class-AB circuit
uses a mix of fastidiously neat point-
to-point and turret-board handwiring:
Solder joints are pristine, with no excess
silver goop, and PVC connections linking
the main turret board with the chassis-
mounted pots, jacks, and the small
printed circuit board for the effects loop
are kept as short as possible, with longer
runs of adjacent wires carefully twisted
together and routed to their destinations
at easy-to-track right angles.
By the Horns
I tested the Matador with a variety of
axes, including a Schecter Ultra III
with a TV Jones MagnaTron bridge
humbucker, a Curtis Novak-loaded Tele,
and a baritone Jazzmaster with Duncan
Antiquity IIs. While each instruments
tones were, naturally, oriented toward
the guitars trademark traits, across the
board the biggest tonal takeaway was
that the Matador has a comfy, lived-in
harmonically rich raunchiness that was
every bit British, yet never piercing. I
imagine this is the sound many would
expect from a vintage plexi stocked with
new-old-stock tubes. Scoop mode took
this essential character and imbued it
with a cushier, American-combo flavor
rather than the deep, hollowed-out
metal sound that some might expect
think Deluxe on steroids. Mid mode,
meanwhile, boosts the 6-strings primary
frequencies for a fuller, more present
sound that feels slightly louder than
the other two modes. The differences
between modes can seem subtle at first
flip, but their individual strengths shine
through the more you experiment with
playing nuance and attack.
Because I keep my Schecter in a lower
tuning (D standard), some of my favorite
moments reminded me of the sound Kim
Thayil gets on old Soundgarden tracks
like Holy Waterviscous, burnished,
and mean, though with greater clarity
and note separation. That said, with
moderate wattage (clean sounds will have
a tough time cutting through a band
without being miked). Routed through
my Jaguar HC50s oversized open-back
1x12 cab, the Matador lost some beef and
volume, but gained a more dimensional
and enveloping sound. Regardless, the
most salient point is that the Matador is
far more than one would expect from its
appearance. Its not often that you find this
level of vintage-Marshall sophistication
in an amp thats super simple yet also has
some astute tricks up its sleeve.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this amp.
Bullhead Matador head
$2,649 street
bullheadamplification.com
Tones
Ease of Use
Build/Design
Value
PROS Lovely tones ranging from
vintage plexi to hot-rodded American.
Top-shelf build. Versatile EQ toggle.

responsiveness that you rarely find in a
brand-new amp.
In the end, I gravitated most toward
the Schecter/TV Jones comboand
thats saying something, coming from a
single-coil guy. My favorite setting was
typically with master cranked, gain at
2 oclock or higher, and presence, bass,
middle, and treble between noon and
2 oclock. But even with every knob
at max, its virtually impossible to get
a harsh or painful sound out of the
Matador. It would be easy to attribute
this to the softer response of its 6V6s,
as well as the Greenback speakers, but
that would certainly do an injustice to
the care put into the amps design and
preamp voicing.
In U.K. mode, the aforementioned
setting yielded a toothy, even,
the other guitars, lower gain settings,
CONS Somewhat expensive. Subtle
and some outboard reverb, the Matador bright toggle seems unnecessary.
easily pivoted to fare ranging from gritty
blues to skanky funk, soulful R&B, and
swaggering rock n roll.
The Verdict
Scott VanFossens Bullhead Matador
Bullhead Matador 4x12
exhibits an attention to quality and detail
$1,099 street
that you just dont see everyday, and bullheadamplification.com
the resulting designs ingenuity makes
one wonder why more amp builders Tones
havent tried a similar formula. However,
Build/Design
whether it yields sounds youll dig will
Value
depend largely on the selected speaker
cab. With the included sealed-back
4x12, the Matador serves up a focused, PROS Solid, clean construction. Warm,
punchy Greenback tones.
more mid-heavy sound than many will
be accustomed to hearing from 6V6s, CONS Pricey.
and while its thump factor is reasonably

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 157


JOE GORE
Gross
By Charles Saufley
I
f you check out Joe Gores website, joegore.com, its hard
not to come away infected with his spirit of irreverence and
adventure. Its peppered with videos of songs disassembled
and rebuilt in unlikely styles, unconventional studio advice, and,
above all, perverse guidance about how to mangle your tone to
creative ends. Disclosure: Gore is a contributing editor to PG
and his gear reviews and expertise in studio techniques are regu-
larly featured in our content.
Gores independent sensibilities manifest themselves in
the pedals he designs and sells under his name. (They are
built in Michigan by Cusack Music). In the case of the Gross
Distortion reviewed here, Gores irreverence results in a very
flexible distortion with an unusual control set. And while it
wont be immediately intuitive for every player, its ultimately
a very satisfying tool for chasing specific or elusive overdrive,
distortion, and fuzz sounds.
Enter the Infinite
When I say the Gross is less than intuitive at first, that doesnt
mean its unapproachable. On the contrary, the Gross invites
uncomplicated, impulsive sound shaping as much as it enables
surgical tone sculpture. Its hard to make a bad sound. And while
it takes time to understand the myriad ways the controls interact
with your guitar and affect your tone, its easy to find pleasing
tonesor radical onesthrough casual twists of the six knobs.
The most critical of these controls are the two 12-position
radial switches. These enable you to tap into the defining
quirk of the Grossa network of 25 clipping diodes (most
fuzz and distortion pedals have just a few) that color distortion
depending on how you combine them. A small toggle between
the two-diode selector knobs adds a third diode to whatever pair
you select, to lend asymmetric distortion sounds to the already
expansive tone palette.
The potential of these controls isnt always immediately
apparent. Small adjustments can result in tone differences so
minutely incremental that some ears wont hear the difference.
Monitor your amp in headphones, however, and youll hear
small shifts that can be critical when shaping tones and
pinpointing frequencies in a studio. Gore added one simple but
thoughtful detail that makes the labyrinthine possibilities easier
to navigate: One knob is labeled with numbers, the other with
letters, which facilitates logging settings or using mnemonic
premierguitar.com
Asymmetric REVIEWS
clipping switch
Two 12-position
clipping diode
selectors
9V AC or
9V battery
power
devices to recall them. I only wish hed reversed the left-right
orientation of the letter and number knobsmost players
that checked out the pedal thought bingo-style letter-then-
number designations were easier to remember. Players that spend
a lot of time in parking garages may have a different opinion.
The tone and gain controls are extremely transformative
and interactive. Both controls are active, which means less
tone strangulation if you want to aggressively roll back the
bass or treble. They also have acres of range, which makes
fine-tuning a joy. The gain control has impressive range and
sensitivity, too. At one extreme its relatively transparent. At
the other it generates fuzzy textures that are focused, complex,
and responsive to adjustments from the tone controls. (I found
trebly, high-gain sounds especially satisfying.)
Purrs Like a 156-Pound Kitty
As I said, its easy to get great sounds out of the Gross. Getting
exactly the tone you want takes a little work, but well get to
that. Gross single-transistor design is loosely inspired by the
Electra distortion, a super-simple circuit that arguably sounded
great because of its simplicity, but which is also ideal for
circuit tweaking downstream from the transistor. That design
philosophy is at the heart of the Gross.
You can easily hear how nice the basic distortion architecture
is in the Grossand how clearly it communicates the voice
of your guitarby dialing in low-to-mid gain distortion,
setting the tone controls at noon, and cooking up a relatively
transparent diode setting (my Stratocaster, humbucker-equipped
Telecaster Deluxe, and Jaguar all sounded very much themselves
at the 8-G setting, among others). The distortion tones have a
rich, growling, and even-tempered essence that can be re-shaped
easily with guitar volume and tone attenuation. This is a
strength of Gross at much more radical settings as well.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 159
 From there, how you proceed is
really down to personal preference. I got
the best results by setting up a clipping
scheme that sounded like a natural fit for
my guitar and the musical environment,
then moving through clipping variations.
While different clipping schemes may not
radically alter the voice of your guitar, they
can have a pronounced boosting effect or
thin the frequency bandwidth in extreme
ways. Gross tone controls are so versatile,
however, that they profoundly re-shape a
given clipping scheme. Even with narrow-
bandwidth clipping setups and tone profiles,
I could add corpulent bass and stinging top
end by maxing the bass and treble controls.
I could probably spend another
1,000 words describing possible tone
permutations from these tweaks. The
point is, the Gross is highly responsiveto
modifications from its own control set,
from your guitar, or from your pick attack.
Gore may have aimed for 156 tone colors
from the Gross. In fact, the real number of
available tone shades is exponentially more.
160 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
The Verdict
Id guess resolutely minimalist players,
the kind that scorn devices apart from
their guitar and a Fender Deluxe, wont CLICK HERE TO HEAR this pedal.
have much time for Gores Gross. For just
about everyone else, Gross is a potential
tone feast. Do those tone combinations
also make it tricky to use? I suppose that
depends on your appetite for adventure. If
you welcome the open-ended, semi-chaotic
Joe Gore Gross
nature of modular synths and deep, multi- $279 direct
joegore.com
function pedals, youll love every twist and
turn Gross throws at you. Im not sure that
Tones
Id risk radical changes on stage without a
Ease of Use
cheat sheet. But for chasing tones in the
more relaxed confines of a studio, Gross is Build/Design
a distortion tone buffet without parallel. Value
Its pretty expensive, even if the price is
understandable given the R&D, labor- PROS Almost incalculable array of rich
intensive circuitry, and high-quality distortion, overdrive, and fuzz sounds.
U.S. build. But now that Ive tried it, Great range in gain and active tone
controls. Very responsive to guitar tone
I almost get anxious thinking about doing
and volume attenuation.
a recording session without it, and its
hard putting a price tag on that kind CONS Expensive.
of versatility.
aud io
/ p r o
rns .com
. b o u
www
premierguitar.com
 Rodney Crowell
and Collings Guitars
Rodney Crowell and his 1993 Collings C10 Deluxe

Serious Guitars | www.collingsguitars.com

REVIEWS
EPIFANI
Piccolo 999
By David Abdo
H
ow would you like to sound like Matt Garrison? Or
Ron Carter? Well, thats a tall order, but you can
employ the equipment used by Garrison and Carter
to make a best attempt at replicating their signature sounds. For
a number of years now, their instrumentsand those of other
top bassistshave been plugged into Epifani amplification.
Long recognized for excellence in cabinet design, Nick Epifani
and his team have developed a number of products that cater
to players who are serious about their sound and appreciate
straightforward features in a portable package. The companys
latest amplifier, the Piccolo 999, borrows characteristics from
their popular Piccolo 600, but boosts the power to a massive
1,000 watts.
As a result of this responsiveness, I could play with a lighter
touch and serve up dynamic, articulated bass lines
all while maintaining a consistent low-end foundation.
Mid-cut section
162 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
The Number of the Beast
While the Piccolo moniker is befitting for the 4 1/2-pound
class-D amp (piccolo is Italian for small), it contains full-bodied
features and big power. The front panel lays out the necessities
for tone sculpting, including a gain section thats tied to an
active/passive switch to optimize a variety of bass pickups.
Neighboring the gain is a mid-cut dial and an adjacent mid-
cut activation switch, which provides up to -8 dB at 800 Hz.
Bassists will find the mid-cut section handy when seeking classic
slap-and-pop timbres, or mellowing out the harsh mids that
some upright pickups produce.
To the right of the master volume (the large, guitar-pick-
shaped dial with an Art Deco-esque E in the middle) lies
3-band EQ
Master volume
Vintage tube-emulation switch
premierguitar.com
 the EQ section. Despite the sections
simplicity, the bass, mid, and treble
controls are expertly voiced for quick
tone-shaping with significant shelving
capabilities. Below the trio of tone
controls is a switch for the companys
proprietary vintage circuit, which Epifani
contends will adjust the frequencies of
the amp to replicate the timbres of classic
bass amplifiers.
The rear panel contains an effects loop
with a mix control, a tuner out, pedal
input, and a DI section. The Piccolo 999
component set makes it clear that Epifani
understands the needs of the working
bassist. Only the essentials are packed
into this pint-sized powerhouse.
Italian Stallion
I ran the Piccolo 999 up against two of
Epifanis other designsa Piccolo 600
and a UL 501with each amp plugged
into an Epifani UL3 112 cabinet. As I
listened for differences between the rigs,
I alternated between a Fender American
Standard Jazz and an F Bass BN6.
All three elicited pleasing tones,
but the Piccolo 999 stood out with
its responsive delivery of each note by
conveying tight lows, clean top-end, and
punchy, aggressive midrange. This is not
to say the mids were harsh, but both
basses produced an authoritative voice
in that region. Historically, Epifanis
wares have been known for quick tonal
transmission, and I was impressed by
how the 999 actually improved on
sonic sensitivity. As a result of this
responsiveness, I could play with a lighter
touch and serve up dynamic, articulated
linesall while maintaining a consistent
low-end foundation.
premierguitar.com
Ive long been impressed with the
capabilities of Epifanis mid-cut circuitry
particularly when using an upright bass
or EUB. Epifani has voiced this dial to
near perfection by providing the means
to scoop out the artificial-sounding honks
and clacks of upright pickups. Not only
does this bring the woody character
back to amplified uprights, but it assists
in creating a pleasing replication of an
upright sound from EUBs.
Another key ingredient to the Epifani
sound is characteristically clean tones, and
the Piccolo 999 continues in this tradition.
I realized this when I took the amp (along
with two UL3 112s) to different stages,
and split time between a Nash P-style bass,
an F Bass BN6, and the aforementioned
Jazz bass. The Epifani rig loved bridge-
pickup sounds, and with a slight boost of
the mid and bass EQ dials, I conjured up a
beefy, barky tone that delivered 16th-note
lines ideal for a jazz/fusion setting.
When it was time to transition to the
Nash for a Motown-tribute show, the
Epifani rig nicely presented what the warm
P-style bass had to offer and allowed me
to attempt my best James Jamerson and
Bob Babbitt impressions. I did try using
the vintage switch during this show, but
I felt it took away a bit too much of the
midrange information that the rig was
expertly delivering. In fact, the Piccolo
999 sounded great in its flat setting, and
I could simply adjust the tone control on
my bass to temper the amount of presence.
When it came to high-end content,
the Epifani turned my F Bass BN6 into
a slap machine at a contemporary church
service. A slight boost in the treble EQ
gave pops a killer modern zing and
fingerstyle passages plenty of edge to
cut through a powerful choir. It should
also be mentioned that the Piccolo 999
handled the 6th string with ease, and
punched the congregation in the gut with
bowel-shaking bass notes.
The Verdict
Epifanis Piccolo 999 is like the ideal
boxer: powerful, quick, and agile around
the musical ring. It preserves the best of
Epifanis past, but serves up enhanced
performance and portability. Its fan
might be a little loud for recording
environments, but this little monster
can kick ass onstage. If you want a
no-nonsense amp that treats the inherent
sound of your instruments with the
utmost respect, the Piccolo 999 is a
contender in that regard and worthy of
some of your own time in the ring.
CLICK HERE TO HEAR this amp.
Epifani Piccolo
$1,199 street
epifani.com
Tones
Ease of Use
Build/Design
Value
PROS Punchy, responsive amplifier
with clean tone and easy-to-use fea-
tures. Portable design.
CONS Fan a tad noisy.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 163
 REVIEWS

DAREDEVIL
Red Light District
By Matthew Holliman

D
aredevil Pedals founder John Wator
designs and builds all of his companys
Midrange control Mid-scoop on/off switch
products. And his concepts are, for
the most part, driven by a few essentialsyears
of experience touring and recording, and his
taste for all things fuzzy. In fact, with the excep-
tion of the Atomic Cock, a filter that approxi-
mates a cocked wah pedal, Daredevil only pro-
duces dirt pedals: from even-tempered overdrives
and boosters to a plethora of killer fuzzes.
I loved the combination of craftsmanship,
vintage-inspired familiarity, and tones of the
Nova and the L.S.D. pedals (which I reviewed,
respectively, in the October 2013 and October
2104 issues of Premier Guitar). But the Red
Light District is more versatile than either of
those two fuzzes. Its built around Daredevils
Fearless Distortion, but adds a mid scoop and
a hi/lo gain footswitch (instead of the toggle Hi/lo gain
found on the Fearless) to expand the available footswitch
overdrive colors. In the process, it delivers
diabolical crunch thats ideal for hard rock and
stoner metal.

Dirty by Design
Red Light Districts medium-sized enclosure is home to three
knobs: volume, gain, and scoop. And the scoop control is
what really sets the Red Light District apart from the simpler
Fearless distortionenabling players to carve out mids for
more pointed, thrashier snarl or bulbous, bottom-heavy growl.
This feature may be deactivated by flipping the adjacent on/
off switch. Its also worth noting that the switch is positioned
so you can actually flip it pretty easily with your foot. In
addition to the bypass footswitch, theres a hi/lo footswitch that
snaps between two gain stages. The Red Light District may be
powered via a 9V barrel adaptor on the right-hand side of the
unit, or by a 9V battery. The inside of the unit reveals neat
hand-wiring and plenty of room for the battery.
Suited for the Swamp
With its hi/lo gain structure, possible applications of the Red
Light District add up to a long list. But it was hard to pass up
putting it to use in the most obvious contexts, with an Orange
OR-50, a Fender Twin Reverb, a Gibson SG, a Les Paul and
a ton of volume.
Coupling the SGs P-90s with the Orange made it easy to
access early Black Sabbath tones by pushing the Red Light
Districts gain and scoop controls to 3 oclock. The heavy mid
scoop is pretty crucial for nailing that classic Iommi vibe, in
particular when things start to get heavy. However, within the
context of a full bandespecially one with two guitarists
you may need to play around with this setting to find an EQ
position that cuts through the chaos. That said, Daredevil has
plenty of horsepower to get you above the clamor once you get
the midrange right. Unity gain for this setup is just a hair past
noon with the hi-gain setting engaged, though if you turn off
the mid-scoop toggle, youll notice a slight volume drop.
Downshifting to the lo-gain setting, I was knocked out by the
wealth of usable overdrive tones. The basic overdrive color has
a glassy character that evokes early English high-wattage heads.

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 165

 The response is crisp, and the overdrive
stays controlled and colorful well into
the second half of the gain knobs range.
For versatilitys sake, I preferred this setup
with the mid-scoop off, because the extra
air in the midrange feels more dynamic
and helps the basic richness of the
distortion profile show through.
Studio players and home recording
artists will be psyched to know that
smaller practice amplifiers like the
Fender Champion 600 and solid-state
Vox Pathfinder are a great fit for the
Red Light Districts lower gain settings.
The high-gain tone profile sounds great
too, but its much less articulate with
small amps than it is with bigger, high-
headroom amplifiers.
The Red Light District feels and
behaves pretty differently with Fender-
style single-coils. It sounded great with
Stratocaster and Jaguar pickups, but,
perhaps predictably, you can expect to
run into more white noise and feedback
situations with single-coils at high gain
Giveaways
Value: $699
166 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
levels. Even so, the Red light District can range of tones you can summon from the
sound fantastic in these more radical, control set make the $189 price tag seem
treble-heavy settings. And a Jaguar with very fair.
my Twin Reverbwith the Red Light
Districts gain sitting at 1 oclock, lo-gain
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A
engaged, and the scoop offproduced REVIEW DEMO of this pedal.
searing Roland S. Howard tones.
Even here, the Red Light District was
responsive and dynamic, exhibiting slight
breakup that got much more pronounced
when I really dug into the strings. Daredevil Red Light District
$189 street
The Verdict daredevilpedals.com
Its little surprise that Red Light District
can satiate the needs of most high-gain- Tones
oriented playersparticularly head Ease of Use
bangers that tend to nod their skulls to
Build/Design
slower, more Sabbath-oid grooves where
Value
rich, classic high-gain sounds shine.
But the Red Light District also excels
in low-gain applications that you might PROS Great range of low-to-high gain
tones. Dual-footswitch design.
otherwise call overdrive. It works best
with amplifiers with high headroom. And CONS No real EQ apart from the
though the effective mid-scoop-based EQ mid scoop.
might be limited for some players, the
You could
WIN
an Artist 60 Series
Dreadnought Electric !
Enter @ PremierGuitar.com/Contests
premierguitar.com
 (716) 630-7030
premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 167
REVIEWS
DANGELICO
Premier SS
By Joe Gore
W
hen Italian-American luthier John DAngelico
opened his New York City guitar shop in 1932, the
Chrysler and Empire State buildings were less than
two years old. Inspired by the worlds then-tallest structures
and their American take on Frances Art Deco design move-
ment, DAngelico bedecked his guitars with sleek, geometrically
patterned pickguards, tailpieces, and hardware. The original
DAngelico guitars arent merely beautiful. They are reputed
to be the finest archtop guitars ever made. (I say reputed,
because even after many years writing for guitar mags, Ive never
Single-cutaway
laminated-maple body
168 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
touched one. But thats what I hear from the big kids who get
to play the nice instruments.)
Like many modern guitar and amp manufacturers
operating under brand names borrowed from the past, the new
DAngelico label has no direct connection to its namesake. Yet
the new company is reviving more than just a moniker. All their
instruments reprise design details from those storied archtops.
Current DAngelico offerings range from handbuilt archtops
selling for north of ten grand to Asia-built, production-line
instruments costing less than $700.
Two DAngelico
humbuckers
Maple neck
Bound body
and neck
premierguitar.com
 Deco for Days
DAngelico models are classified in four
ranges: Master Builder, Deluxe, Excel,
and Premier (in descending order of
cost). The SS is part of the budget-
conscious Premier line. As you might
expect at its $749 price, its an Asia-built
instrument that, like many of its current
competitors, provides solid quality at an
impressively low price.
Our review SS is a thinline semi-
hollowbody with a single rounded cutaway
and a center block. A more expensive
version can be ordered with a vintage-
inspired stairstep tailpiece and a fully
hollow configuration. You can also order
a semi-hollow version without f-holes.
The 1.75"-deep, subtly arched body is
formed from maple laminate. A 25"-scale
rosewood fretboard tops a maple neck.
Attractive single-ply binding outlines
the top, back, neck and headstock. The
blemish-free glossy finish is a lovely
dark-cherry hue. But the guitars visual
highlights are its Deco-inspired details.
The pickguard, tuners, and shiny truss
rod cover share a common stairstep
motif. Equally striking is the hollowed
out keystone headstockanother visual
hallmark of vintage DAngelicos.
Pickguard aside, the body is
reminiscent of classic Gretsches, Gibsons,
and Epiphones, with f-holes, a Tune-o-
matic bridge, a stop tailpiece, and four
plastic barrel knobs. Still, the SS provides
22-fret, 25"-scale
rosewood fretboard
premierguitar.com
ample bling for its price, and its a sharp-
looking axe exactly as shipped.
Tone and Playability
Unplugged, the SS sounds promisingly
zingy and resonant. The shallow C-shaped
neck has a sleek, modern feel. So do the
capably installed medium-jumbo frets.
However, the guitar would have benefited
from some extra love on its way out
the door. The intonation was far from
accurate, one of the tone pots was loose,
and the bridge pickup was situated too far
from the strings. Plan on doing your own
setup, or paying for the job.
While old-school DAngelicos are
almost exclusively associated with jazz
playing, the SS is a versatile modern axe.
The svelte neck favors speedy playing. The
elegant cutaway and neck joint make it
easy to sail high notes to the stratosphere.
And the SSs feel accommodates
everything from chord melodies to
cowboy chords to vulgar shredding.
Of Coils and Character
The DAngelico humbuckers are hot
enough to summon gritty chunk from an
overdriven amp, yet they clean up enough
for traditional jazz playingespecially
with the neck pickups tone pot rolled
back. But while the SSs tones never
sound bad, they can sound somewhat
generic and dont always match the
guitars distinctive visual flair.
Art Deco hardware details
Pickup character is a matter of
personal taste, so consider my comments
in that light. To my subjective ear, these
DAngelico humbuckers are relatively
bland, and they dont seem to telegraph
the guitars attractive acoustic character.
The high end suffers from a lack of
openness and air. Tones are solid, but
they seldom sparkle. Id love to hear the
SS with zingier, more distinctive pickups
with character that lives up to the guitars
visual promise. Id also like to hear how
they sound in the fully hollow-body
version. Having said that, the same
criticisms are often true for competitors
pickups in the same price range, and I
have no doubt that many players will dig
these tones just as they are. Let your ears
be your guide.
The Verdict
DAngelicos Premier SS is a well-built,
ultra-stylish guitar with a perfectly fair
price tag. Granted, its vintage DAngelico
DNA lives primarily in small visual details,
but man, what lovely details! There are
some weak links: notably the lax setup
and (to my ears) unremarkable pickups.
But between those players who like the SS
sound just as it is and those who purchase
it with pickup upgrades in mind, this
Deco flashback is sure to win fans.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A
REVIEW DEMO of this guitar.
DAngelico Premier SS
$749 street
dangelicoguitars.com
Tones
Playability
Build/Design
Value
PROS Sharp Deco-inspired looks. Solid
playability. Zingy acoustic sound.
CONS Unremarkable pickups. Lax
factory setup.
PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 169
STAFF PICKS

Question & Obsession

Pedal-steel guitarist Jonny Lam joins us in discussing which guitarists would make the best performers for one of the
most-watched shows on the planet: the Super Bowl halftime show.

Which guitarist would you

like to see play solo at a
Super Bowl halftime show?

Far left: Photo by Damian LaFargue Bottom: Photo by Ral Ranz

Jonny Lam Kraig Schwartz
Sinkane, Atomic Bomb Band Reader of the Month

A: Being that Ive been A: Slash and Tremonti, with

revisiting many of my Myles Kennedy singing. I
childhood guitar heroes love Slashs greasy, slithery
lately, I would love to see Eric style of hard-rock licks
Clapton dust off his Marshall, full of soulful, rich tone.
grab his Gibson 335, and Tremontis PRS with Mesa/
have a woman tone party Boogie sounds so sweet, and
during the halftime show. The Myles has the best rock voice
first guitar solo I ever learned out there!
was Creams I Feel Free and
Ive taken a lot of inspiration Current obsession:
from that. If not Clapton, then I absolutely fell in love
Yngwie Malmsteen! Though with PRS guitarsthe
that would probably have to tone and attention to
be the last Super Bowl ever. detail is second to none.
I play a PRS Hollowbody
Current obsession: II with a Mesa/Boogie
George Benson! A genius, TC-50. I discovered my
virtuoso, and absolutely Mesa/Boogie a few years
unique player with back, and believe me,
impeccable articulation and I went through a lot of
incredible feel. His wild amps before my search
energy is really something ended with a
else, and I love how recklessly pot of gold at
he seems to play. Hes just the end of the
going for it, even though he rainbow.
might fall off the rails (he
never does). There is such
confidence in his seemingly
endless lines and harmonic
ideas. Man, he can really wail.
(Party on, Wayne!)

premierguitar.com
170 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 John Bohlinger
Nashville Correspondent
A: No one will ever
top Princes halftime
performance, when he cued
the clouds to open right as
he launched into his Purple
Rain solo. Nonetheless, I
would love to see the original
Van Halen crew slog through
Beautiful Girls, Eruption,
You Really Got Me, and
Running with the Devil.
Football is classic rock.
Current obsession:
Strats, probably the most
expressive guitar made.
Five pickup combinations,
a whammy bar, tone and
volume controls. If you cant
Top right: Photo by Perry Bean
get it done with that, you
cant get it done.
premierguitar.com
Rich Osweiler
Associate Editor
A: I love football, but for
whatever reason, I loathe
faux playing and lip-syncing
so much I can barely watch
the halftime show. Why not
save some money and have
a laser-light show or screen
highlights from past games?
With the exception of a
couple pretty memorable
performances, Super Bowl
halftime is bio break and
refill time for me since the
commercials are so much
more compelling. If I have to
choose someone, Ill go with a
member of Raider Nation so
we have a presence this year.
Carlos Santana!
Current obsession:
Sin City. Gypsy jazz phenom
Robin Nolan channels Angus
Young on his latest release
thats chock-full of AC/DC
covers, and its killer.
Luke Viertel
Production Coordinator
A: This may be a cop-out, but
Prince. Again. Princes death
was a big blow to musicians
everywhere, especially those
who support originality and the
ability of music to push cultural
boundaries. When I think of
a modern player mainstream
enough to play the Big Game,
I know no one will be able to
top the rainstorm epiphany
that Prince left on that stage.
Id even accept a repeat
performance via hologram.
Perhaps a yearly tribute?
Current obsession:
Were All Gonna Die by L.A.
folk-rockers Dawes (produced
by human-Swiss-army-knife
Blake Mills). On the surface,
its a departure from their
Americana roots. Further
spins reveal the same depth
of lyric and theme that made
their previous records shine.
I look for a big year from
them in 2017.
 READER PEDALBOARDS 2017
Options are virtually limitless when it comes to effects.
PG readers show us their way to wire up and fire up a pedalboard.

Y
ear after year, we hear from our eclectic audience of
stompers with diverse tonal ideas and different things
to say. For many of you, true joy comes from putting
together your personalized toolbox. For example, one of our
readers has an entire Moog pedalboard (which can be seen in
the online version of this feature). A player from Wales uses
seven loops and sets them up to conjure the intricate techniques
of Paul Gilbert, John Petrucci, and Devin Townsend. One
guitarist only uses three pedals but has double that on his board,
and yet another has stomps almost a quarter-century old. Read
on to get inspired. Perhaps youll discover something youve
never seen done, or get an idea for your ultimate board.

premierguitar.com
172 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Legendary tone of the VH4.

Now available in a pedal.

www.diezelusa.com
 WESLEY FARMER
Pedal Dancer
At first glance, this pedalboard might look complicated, but its
not too complex compared to other boards Ive seen. I wanted a
board that could get me pretty much any tone for the different
styles of music I play the most (alternative, classic rock, blues,
Americana, prog, and ambient), and the pedals had to be easy
to use while still being quality. I made sure no pedal had more
than four to five knobs, to keep things as simple as possible.
Heres the signal path: Boss FV-500H Volume Pedal,
DigiTech Whammy (4th gen), Dunlop Cry Baby Wah,
Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, Electro-Harmonix Soul
Preacher Compressor/Sustainer, MXR Phase 90, Ibanez TS808
Tube Screamer, JHS Angry Charlie V3, Vox Satchurator,
174 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, TC Electronic PolyTune 2, Boss
CH-1 Super Chorus, MXR Micro Flanger, Boss TR-2 Tremolo,
Boss DD-7 Digital Delay (with Quik Lok PS-10 pedal for tap
tempo), TC Electronic Shaker Vibrato, Strymon Lex Rotary, TC
Electronic Flashback Delay, Boss RV-6 Reverb, TC Electronic
Hall of Fame Reverb, and a JHS Little Black Buffer (under the
board). Also pictured is the footswitch to a Fender 65 Princeton
Reverb Reissue.
Pedals are on the Pedaltrain Classic Pro, patch cables are all
from Hosa, and the board is powered by the Truetone 1 Spot
Pro CS12. My board was built by Jordan McCown at Mountain
Music Exchange in Pikeville, Kentucky. He does great work!
Time to do the pedal dance
JOE GIORDANO
Illinoise
I live just outside of Chicago, Illinois, where I play with a band
called Dig Engine. I love Premier Guitar! Heres my pedalboard:
Sarno Steel Guitar Black Box (not pictured), Neo Ventilator
II (Leslie speaker simulator), Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Wah,
two Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamers (silver modification done by
Analog Man), Analog Man Comprossor, Electro-Harmonix
Micro POG, BBE Tremor Tremolo, DigiTech Whammy II, Line
6 DL4 Delay Modeler (mod by Alchemy Audio), Keeley Katana
Clean Boost, Boomerang III Phrase Sampler. All pedals are
powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power Mondo (isolated power).
premierguitar.com
RECLAIM YOUR TONE

Our Pedal Heavy Era Creates a Challenge, Heres the Solution.

STOWAWAY BUFFER HIGH-WIRE BOOST CLEARLINK LINE-DRIVER CLEARLINK CONVERTER

Every Component in the Signal

Path is a Tone Control.

In todays pedal-heavy era, tone is won

or lost at three big crossroads; Input,
Effects Loop and Output. Our new Signal
Management solutions preserve your
signal and can improve the performance
of nearly any amplifier. These new signal
solutions have one main focus; ensure
your Tone is the best it can be. Learn
more about optimizing your signal path
at mesaboogie.com #reclaimyourtone

MESA/Boogie | 1317 Ross Street | Petaluma, CA 94954 | Tel: 707-778-6565 | mesaboogie.com

2017 MESA/Boogie Ltd.
 MIKE SVENSSON
Three Pedals and the Truth
Hi from Sweden! My board is straightforward and houses very
few things. Ive had basically the same pedal setup for the last
15 years. All pedals go through the effects loop of my amp
in this order: Boss TU-3 tuner (only used as a mute when
swapping between guitars), Dunlop Cry Baby Wah, original
DigiTech Whammy WH-1 (I have five of these), two Boss
DD-3 delays (I could get by with one, but live its easier not
changing settings too much), a DOD FX40B Equalizer (set flat
and only used as a boost for solos), and finally the MXR Phase
90 (which I dont really use).
NATHAN HALL
176 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
I only use three pedals frequently: wah, Whammy, one DD-3.
The EQ isnt really an effect. I recently tried to use a Keeley Mini
Katana Clean Boost in place of the EQ, but I changed back. Im
a creature of habit, and while the Katana served well, it wasnt the
same. Ive tried every Whammy model except for the newest DT and
WH-5 models. Nothing comes close to the original, both in terms of
sound and ease of use. My current wah is a new unit, but my favorite
is an 80s model which sounds much better than any other Cry
Baby Ive tried. I keep that on my backup board. The sweep is much
cleaner, smoother, and never gets too high. Unfortunately, it isnt very
reliable to use live, but I always record with it.
Tidy Tone
Hi Premier Guitar! My board and I come
from Maine. This fairly compact (for
me) setup gives me everything I need for
playing blues and classic rock at jams and
home practice. The Temple Audio board
is new to me. Im loving the departure
from Velcro and the tidy system, which
enables using mounting plates or zip ties.
I use Monster and George L cables, and
my signal path is as follows: Real McCoy
Custom Picture Wah, TC Electronic
PolyTune, Fulltone Supa-Trem, MXR EVH
Phase 90, Xotic EP Booster, Xotic AC
Booster Comp, Fulltone OCD, Xotic RC
Booster V2, TC Electronic Ditto Looper.
My wah is powered by a 9V battery;
everything else is powered by a Voodoo
Lab Pedal Power 2, mounted underneath. I
usually play a Gibson Les Paul Traditional
goldtop into a Marshall DSL50 and 1936
2x12 cab with Celestion Greenbacks.
premierguitar.com
 ROSHAN VASUDEV

The Brain
Heres my baby! Ive been playing for years and just couldnt find
my sound or get organized with all the various combinations
of pedals and tones. I was searching for good quality pedals
that would make my tone as sweet as Steve Rotherys or Steven
Wilsons. I remembered the amazing Rig Rundown video of
Steven Wilsons board, and that got me going. I started with a
Strymon TimeLine and quickly added the BigSky, then snuck
in the Providence when I saw that on one of Guthrie Govans
boards. I also came across That Pedal Show, which sucked me in
entirely (hours of videos and reviews to sink my ears into)!
I also started to search for a brain to help calm the
pedalboard tap dance, and thanks to PG reviews and an Booster, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, Thorpy FX Muffroom Cloud
amazing video by Pete Thorn on the RJM Mastermind, I was (Fallout Cloud), TC-Helicon VoiceTone Harmony-G XT,
immediately hooked! So, I decided to abandon all those old Providence Anadime Chorus, Pigtronix Rototron, Strymon
cheap pedals and embark on a much more rewarding (and TimeLine, Strymon BigSky, Lehle Mono Volume Pedal, and
wallet-emptying) endeavor. Roland EV-5 Expression Pedal.
Here are the pieces that make this board sing: Electro- Theyre all controlled by the brainRJM Musics
Harmonix Nano POG, Xotic SP Compressor, Xotic EP Mastermind PBC.

premierguitar.com
180 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 ANDREW PHILLIPS
Wailing in Wales
I live in Wales, U.K. This pedalboard has
been an ongoing project for the last few
years, but I think its finally finished
for now! All the pedals are routed into
a QuarterMaster QMX 10, made by
TheGigRig. This receives the output from
the guitar. The rest goes something like this:
Loop 1: TC Electronic PolyTune that
acts as a mute.
Loop 2: MXR EVH90 Phase 90 and
Petrucci Cry Baby Wah.
Loop 3: TC Electronic HyperGravity
Compressor and TC Electronic
Petrucci The Dreamscape for clean
Dream Theater tones.
Loop 4: Boss SD-1 into KHDK
Ghoul Screamer.
182 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Loop 5: Boss SD-1 into Friedman
BE-OD (sometimes substituted for
Mesa/Boogie Grid Slammer and
soon to be Horizon Devices Precision
Drive). Loop 4 is used with high-gain
amp settings while Loop 5 is used to
boost lower-gain amp settings.
Loop 6: DigiTech Whammy and
Eventide PitchFactor (with Ernie Ball
expression pedal) for Steve Stevens ray
gun sounds.
Loop 7: MXR EVH117 Flanger.
I have three loops left for future
purchases. The QuarterMaster goes out
into a Decimator Pro Rack G, which
goes to a Mesa/Boogie TriAxis preamp,
controlled by a Behringer FCB1010
MIDI Foot Controller.
The effects loop of the TriAxis goes to
a Mesa/Boogie Five-Band Graphic EQ,
then to the MXR Stereo Chorus. My
signal then goes to three TC Electronic
pedals: a Flashback set for single repeats
for the Paul Gilbert Echo Song effect,
another Flashback set on a Petrucci
Mountain Top lead setting, and a Hall
of Fame Reverb pedal, which goes into
the final Flashback set on a ping-pong.
This way I can stack delays and even
introduce the reverb for Devin Townsend
effects. Then it goes back into the TriAxis
and is amplified by either a Matrix
GT1000FX or Marshall EL84 20/20
through two Mesa/Boogie Rectifier
2x12 cabs. Its all on a Pedaltrain PRO
pedalboard, juiced up by two Voodoo
Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus power supplies.
premierguitar.com
Space
((( INTRODUCING )))

Spiral

MODULATED DELAY DEVICE

The Space Spiral is a dark and dreamy modulated delay designed to take
you across the highways of fantasy. While the delay may be designed
around a dawn of digital echo processor, the sound is out of this world,
man. If you are a fan of the dreary echoes produced by old oil can delays
or the ethereal sound of a well-loved tape delay, the Space Spiral is totally
going to tickle your tone bone.
The Space Spirals delay time ranges from a tight 30ms to a fast and loose
600ms. Can you imagine having 600ms of delay time at your fingertips?
Out of this world! With all of this adjustable delay time you create anything
from a classic slapback to a rhythmic wash of cosmic proportions. You want
to take it even further? Maybe to an astral plane? Crank up the repeats and
let the infinite oscillation of the Space Spiral take you to the other side.
Space Spiral Itll get you through the night.

www.earthquakerdevices.com
 NOW AVAILABLE

LOWEST
PRICES EVER
ON ALL ANALOG DELAYS!
US STREET PRICES

Memory Toy .................................... $89 00

Memory Boy ................................. $112 00
Deluxe Memory Boy ...................... $168 00
Deluxe Memory Man ..................... $22100
Deluxe Memory Man 550-TT........... $250 00
Deluxe Memory Man 1100-TT ......... $358 00

Get the Free EHX Mobile App

For details visit ehx.com/delays

 BILL RAVEN
Bill Raven: Bright Switchin,
Whiskey Burnin
Im a guitarist for a country-rock group from La Crosse,
Wisconsin, called Burnin Whiskey Band. I have a versatile setup
that allows me to cover a lot of bases and sounds. I use two
blue paisley Blackbird pedalboards. The beginning of my chain
is a Line 6 Relay G10, Boss TU-3W Waza Craft, and MXR
Reverb on the small board. Then I jump to a Cry Baby Wah,
MXR Dyna Comp, MXR Phase 90, MXR Uni-Vibe, Xotic
EP Booster, Maxon Envelope Filter, Malekko Sloika, MXR
186 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Distortion III, Malekko Helium, Xotic EP Booster with bright
switch, Analog Man Prince of Tone, MXR GT-OD, Way Huge
Echo-Puss, Strymon DIG, Line 6 M9 (for different tremolo),
and a Fender A/B switch (A goes to normal channel on a Fender
Deluxe Reverb, B to vibrato channel). This way I can use the
amp reverb/tremolo and get a brighter sound on B, and pedal
distortion on A, because the normal channel on a Deluxe
Reverb doesnt have the bright cap like the vibrato channel. Also,
the reason I use two EP Boosters is one is set for my Telecaster
and the other, with a bright switch, is set for a Stratocaster.
MIKE SIMPSON
Overdrive Champion
I play in an 80s and 90s dance band and a 70s hard-
rock band, so I needed a board that would handle
everything for both types of music. The real champ
of the board is the Friedman BE-OD. Its the best
distortion pedal Ive ever used.
My pedalboard consists of the following: Chemistry
Design Werks Holyboard (painted by my kids), Morley
Bad Horsie 2, Electro-Harmonix POG2, Line 6 M9
Stompbox Modeler, MXR EVH90 Phase 90, DigiTech
Bad Monkey, DigiTech Whammy 5, Friedman BE-OD,
two Dunlop Volume X Mini pedals (one for volume,
one for expression for the Line 6 M9), and a Big Joe
Power Box.
premierguitar.com
 LEHLE MONO VOLUME

Operates wear-free with a

precision magnetic sensor

No tone loss from zero

to full volume

Dynamic range of 110 dB

18 V
with 18 Volts internally

Lehle SIGNAL ROUTING SOLUTIONS. MADE IN GERMANY.

www.lehle.com support@lehle.com

premierguitar.com
188 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
4 PEDALS, 36 SOUNDS,
100s OF HITS.
From the game changing B9 and C9 Organ
Machines to the KEY9 Electric Piano Machine
and MEL9 Tape Replay Machine, EHX
gives you the sounds of enough legendary
keyboards to fill a stage and then some!
Each polyphonic pedal provides a unique
collection of classic sounds in a simple
plug-in-and-play package. No modifications,
special pickups or MIDI implementation is
required, and tracking is impeccable.
Whether you want to cook up some hot Green
Onions, lay down a cool Riders on the Storm
style groove, take a trip to Strawberry Fields
or spend some time at the House of the Rising
Sun, EHX has the keys!
 M I C R O T U B E S 9 0 0 B A S S A M P

A SOUND YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE

D A R K G L A S S . C O M

premierguitar.com
190 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
FEELS LIKE THE REAL THING

www.rockettpedals.com
 MARTIN CHENEY
Old Faithful
Heres my main board. Some of the pedals are more than 20 years
old, including an original Pedal Power. The top level is on hinges,
which allows me to access the NS-2 and power cords. The outlet
on the Pedal Power allows me to plug in the adaptors for the
DigiTech Whammy and TC Electronic RPT-1 Nova Repeater.
The Boss TU-2 and NS-2 have the power out option.
The NS-2 powers the Boss GE-7 EQ and the TU-2 powers
the Xotic SP Compressor and wah. At the moment, Im using
a Moen Jimi Zero Vibe as my modulation, but I have another
board almost identical to this (without the volume pedal and
whammy), which has a Boss flanger and phaser so I can swap
those in and out.
A few years back I was trying to figure out how to make my
tone better without buying new pedals, so I bought mod kits
from Monte Allums and they turned our greatwith thanks to
192 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
some help from my dad, who is great with electronics. We also
did the true-bypass mod on both of my wah pedals.
I just measured it out and bought the wood from a hardware
store and spray-painted it flat black.
This is my chain: Ernie Ball Volume, Boss TU-2 Tuner,
DigiTech Whammy, Dunlop Cry Baby Wah (true-bypass +
vocal mod; a small knob on the side can adjust one of the
internal resistors), and Boss Noise Suppressor.
Loop Send: Xotic SP Compressor, Moen UL-VB Jimi Zero
Vibe, Boss Metal Zone (Monte Allums mod), Boss Blues Driver
(Monte Allums mod), and Boss Distortion (Keeley mod).
Loop Return: Boss Tremolo (Monte Allums mod), TC
Electronic RPT-1 Nova Repeater, DOD DFX9 Digital Delay,
and Boss GE-7 EQ (Monte Allums mod).
premierguitar.com
 The 45000 is a 4-track powerhouse
SUPER LOOPER with a console-style layout
for intuitive control. Each loop features four
tracks and it delivers unlimited standard,
reverse and variable speed overdubbing, speed
control, stereo loop recording and much more.
This looping tour de force also syncs to
MIDI clock and saves directly to SD Cards.
Optional external Foot Controller.

The 22500 Dual Stereo Loopers loops can be

locked to each other or run independently in
free form. It lets you do verse/chorus switching
in Sequential mode, or two-loop simultaneous
playback in Parallel mode. A phantom-powered
mic input adds convenience. The compact
22500 also includes 16 Drum/Rhythm tracks,
or import your own!
Optional external Foot Controller.

With 12 minutes of stereo loop recording

on 10 banks that remain in memory until
you erase them, plus unlimited Standard,
Reverse and Speed overdubbing and an
adjustable Fade Out mode, the 720 Stereo
Looper packs plenty of power in a compact
pedalboard friendly design.

Boasting 6 minutes of looping time,

the super-affordable 360 lets you
record, store and recall 11 loops. Single
footswitch control of record, erase,
undo-redo and unlimited overdubbing,
plus a compact size and easy-to-use
functionality, complete the picture.
 Outlaw_RockerBox_3.85x4.85_Jan9.pdf 1 17-01-09 4:44 PM

premierguitar.com
194 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017


Giveaways

You could WIN a

LOADED PEDALBOARD!
@PREMIERGUITAR.COM/CONTESTS

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 195

 BJ BEYERS
Cosmic Oddities
This setup provides an amazing amount of flexibility,
because it can easily nail any tone, from pristine
cleans to cosmic oddities to crushing distortions. Ive
made an effort to buy or build what I consider top-
class pedals for each effect category, and ended up
with an oversized board full of inspiring tones.
My signal chain is as follows: Dunlop Cry Baby
Classic Fasel Inductor Wah, handbuilt BYOC 5-knob
compressor, Boss DS-1 Distortion (Keeley mod),
Analog Man King of Tone overdrive, handbuilt
BYOC Rams Head Big Muff fuzz clone, an all-white
Moogerfooger MIDI MuRF, EarthQuaker Devices
Sea Machine chorus, Way Huge Supa-Puss delay,
Neunaber Slate reverb with EXP expression pedal,
TC Electronic Ditto Looper, a handbuilt BYOC
A/B/Y splitter than runs into independent channels
of my Vox amp, and a Vox controller that toggles
spring reverb and a tremolo.

Click here to see more reader pedalboards.

the first sound active Giveaways

PERFORMANCE LIGHTING
EFFECT PEDAL
electric or acoustic
StompLight.com

You could WIN the

ENTIRE PEDAL LINE!
@PREMIERGUITAR.COM/CONTESTS

premierguitar.com
196 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 The Ray Butts
Ful-Fidelity Filtertron
AS HISTORIC AS HISTORIC GETS

In collaboration with Rays family

and technical journals comes the closest
HANDMADE
thing to the original FilterTron
that has ever been created.
Visit www.tvjones.com for more info IN THE USA

SEDUCTIVE

The new Purple Plexifier is the latest

pedal designed by BJF for our constantly
growing line up of extremely dynamic and
responsive effect pedals.
www.one-control.com
premierguitar.com
198 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 T Introducing

Loog Pro & Loog Mini

The award-winning 3-string guitar kits, now in two sizes.
Loog Guitars are designed to make it fun and easy to play music.
They come with an app that gets children playing songs on day one.

Get yours with 10% off at www.loog.nyc (discount code: PREMIER)

 USA

New for 2017

Galaxie 4 Serape
An iconic American
guitar made by
American workers.

www.dipintoguitars.com

premierguitar.com PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017 201


Holeyboard NEXT Series
Strong. Light. Sustainable.

www.chemistrydesignwerks.com

SALES SERVICE STRINGS PARTS RESTORATIONS

Restorations by Jeff Babicz

GM1T

www.HeadlessUSA.com Hotline: 2033958013

The worlds largest Steinberger inventory.
TM

N E W T -S H I R T
G ET A ONTH
E A CH M NDARY
L E G E
F ROM A S HOP!
GU I T A R

GUITARSHOPTEES.COM
premierguitar.com
202 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
 More than Print.

Our FREE digital magazine

gives you everything in print,
PLUS interactive features like
audio and video so you can
see and HEAR gear.
Try it today.

Digital.PremierGuitar.com

premierguitar.com
204 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
ESOTERICA ELECTRICA
Hugs, Counsel, and Confronting Blind Spots
BY JOL DANTZIG
A
Shown here at s we slither into this relatively new
21 years young, year, many of us consider what
wet behind
we can do better than before.
the ears, and
practicing his Its natural to want to improve things for
millennial ourselves, our friends, and our families.
whoops, our And, in the case of guitar builders, our
columnist customers. No matter how old you are,
asks, If I time
travelled back
there are always things to discover. But who
to 1973 to meet among us hasnt wondered what it would
me, I wonder be like to have known back then, what we
which of us know now? Was there ever a point when
would be more
the wisdom of experience was offered, but
surprised.
our child-brain chose to ignore it?
I recently stumbled across a video
interview of John Mayer, during which
the interviewer asks the guitarist what
advice he would give to his younger self.
To my surprise, Mayer responded, Id
just give him a hug, I guesstheres
nothing you could tell that kid. It was
a delightful admission that cost Mayer
nothing, and its so true for almost all
of us. So, in the spirit of our inveterate
desire to change what cannot be changed,
I offer you a list of things I might impart
to my own young self, should I have the
misfortune to meet him. Please feel free
to ignore these points, just as I did.
Practice your craft. Dont mistake
natural ability for excellence. This is the
domain of the small-town football hero
who gets crushed in college. If you are
good at something, put in the timeIm
talking yearsto get really great at it.
You cant download an app for mastery. If
you dont have the guts for that, heres a
spatula, because Burger World awaits.
Realize your strengths. Ive always
been a jack-of-all-trades sort of guy who
was adept at a lot of things, but quickly
tired of the routine (see above). If thats
your personality, you might make a
good manager of those who are better
than you at specific tasks. My favorite
realization was that the best managers
surround themselves with great people,
set a direction, and then get out of the
way. The conundrum here, of course, is
that you have to avoid getting bored with
learning to be a manager.
206 PREMIERGUITAR MARCH 2017
Dont be afraid to ask for assistance.
I know, this is starting to sound like a self-
help column, right? Your natural ability will
also trick you into thinking that you can
figure everything out yourself, which really
wastes a lot of time. If you are interested in
doing inlay work, for example, offer to help
a knowledgeable inlay artist in exchange
for some instruction. Its flattering for him
or her, and every shop has work that needs
to be done, so its a win-win. The time you
donate to someones shop will be less than
what you would have wasted trying to learn
on your own.
Figure out how to be different in
your own way. Realize that anybody can
do what you do. No matter how great
your skills are, there are others who are
doing the exact same thingand maybe
better. The key is being true to your own
personality. If you are a guitar builder, its
the same as being a guitarist. Find a way
to twist those tired, old riffs that you are
rubber-stamping all over your reputation
and get your own thing. The world
simply doesnt need another Firebird
clone at the moment, so change more
than the pickguard shape.
Learn to sell. The simple truth is
that anyone can make a guitar, but not
everyone can sell a guitar. It used to piss
me off that salespeople were paid more
than vice presidents (let alone builders),
but if you want to make products that sit
in a warehouse or your storage locker, go
right ahead and ignore salesmanship. You
can build the most kick-ass website, but
that wont close a sale like a handshake.
Learn how to sharpen your own
tools. Even if you send bits and blades
out to be re-tipped and sharpened, you
wont know if your vendor is skimping
on you if you dont know how to do this
yourself. Also, it helps to speak the same
language if you have a complaint about
tools that dont perform correctly.
Take some spray-painting classes.
Most of the big automotive coatings
companies have workshops to help sharpen
your skills. Id been paintingand teaching
paintingfor a long time when I took a
series of classes at PPG. In a few weeks, I
unlearned mistakes and problems that Id
been muddling through for decades. There
is real science behind the art.
Dont believe your own hype. Maybe
you can be a politician with no real
credentials, but if you try to fake your way
into the guitar market, trust me, you wont
last long. I was unlucky enough to watch
someone in my organization destroy himself
this way, and it wasnt pretty. Everyone
loves a story, but if you push the envelope
too far from who you are, youll implode.
Remember: What you think is being clever
and edgy, others just think asshole. Its a
small industry, so make your bed carefully.
Dont feel compelled to finish
everything before its time. Everything
is a process, and when you pay attention,
the work tells you what to do like
ending this list before reaching 10.
And heres that hug. Youre gonna
need it.
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.
premierguitar.com
LAST CALL
Vibing the Divine
BY JOHN BOHLINGER
After recording Everything in life is vibration.
Pet Sounds, was Albert Einstein
Brian Wilson
really out of his
mind, or just I recently Amazoned the Brian Wilson
hyper-aware of movie Love & Mercy. If youre in a hurry,
those intangible skip to 1:25:24 where the Paul Dano
elements that
make music great?
version of Brian Wilson walks around
a large tracking room while 12 string
players, three engineers, and a couple
suits from the label wait and watch
nervously. Brian spreads his fingers over
the acoustically tiled walls muttering
worried sighs until a suit says, What do
you say, Brian? Its been two hours.
Brian: Im not sure. Its hostile in here
right now. The vibrations arent right
ummmm. Okay. Lets cancel the session.
Suit: Are you sure? Its going to cost
like $5,000 with everybody here.
Brian: Cancel it. We cant work. I dont
know; the vibrations are all wrong tonight.
This scene attempts to show Wilson
entering a psychotic breakdown. However,
at the time Wilson was at the top of his
game, having just recorded Pet Sounds
and Good Vibrationsmusic that
routinely makes every best-ever list of
pop recordings. So, was Wilson out of
his mind or just hyper-aware of those
intangible elements that make music great?
Warning: We are heading into a place
where physics meets the paranormal. Im
talking a mix of quantum mechanics,
entanglement theory, and some new
age, hippie-spiritual shit. Oxygen gets a
little thin up here when you open your
mind, so take a deep breath and lets walk
through the looking glass.
There is nothing solid: you, your
guitars, your computer, your loved
ones, and the floor under your feet. The
planets and stars may appear solid, but
all of this seemingly rock-solid matter
is actually in vibration. All physical
atoms are comprised of atomic particles
(protons, neutrons, and electrons) that
are constantly spinning and vibrating.
Ergo, you and all you see and touch are
just energy and vibration. Weve all heard
of Einsteins equation, E=mc2. Heres
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. 2017 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 22 Issue 3 March 2017
what it means, essentially: Energy can be
transformed into massive particles, and
mass can be transformed into energy.
Energy is matter.
Mind blown? Well, now consider
this: Our thoughts are energy. Studies at
Stanford University proved that directed
thoughts produce a physical energy, even
over remote distance. Let me put this
in terms that youll understand: Your
thoughts are literally as solid as a 1957
Les Paul.
Now plug that goldtop into the amp
of your choice, turn all the knobs right,
and hit that low E like the sumbitch
owes you money. The energy from your
hand hitting those strings creates a
vibration that is a physical presence that
joins with the vibration of the universe.
If youre ready for a personal paradigm
shift, consider this: Those vibrations
from the strings are a physical energy,
you are a physical energy, and the air
molecules around you are a physical
energy all comprised of these same
basic building blocks. This means that
everything in the universe is connected,
but nothing actually touches. Were all
just a vibrating skin sack of vibrating
atoms swimming in a universe of
vibrating atoms. We are stardust.
As Nikola Tesla said over a century
ago, If you want to find the secrets of
the universe, think in terms of energy,
frequency, and vibration. Thats why
Brian Wilson was right in cancelling
his recording session. Everybody in that
studio was nervous. Those negative
vibrations were a physical presence in
the room that did not vibrate on the
same frequency as the music in Wilsons
head. The people at the session acted like
Wilson was crazy, but I bet most of those
musicians were relieved when the session
got called off, because they could feel
that they were not going to get a great
performance. The vibe was not conducive
to making great music.
Isnt it interesting that the word vibe
means, according to Merriam-Webster, a
distinctive emotional atmosphere; sensed
intuitively, but its root is vibration? Even
our language suggests that emotions are
energy vibrating like guitar strings.
When Im on tour during the summer
and I see hundreds of thousands of
people who drove for hours, paid too
much for tickets, had to deal with bad
parking and huge crowds, waiting 20
minutes in line for a $12 flat beer and
another 20 minutes for a biohazard port-
o-john, I wonder if these people are out
of their collective minds. All that trouble
just to see music performed does not
seem worth it. But then I think about
how good it feels to watch or play music
when the energy is positive and the crowd
is into it, and I totally get it. Live music
feels amazing. If church felt like that, Id
be there every week.
Music is more than just melody, meter,
and dynamics. Its also energy, frequency,
and vibration. Music connects us to life,
the universe, and the infinite. Call it what
you will, but I think this connectivity of
all life, matter and energy is where God
lives. This may smell of hippie, but I feel
its absolutely true. Thats why all of you
reading this are obsessed with guitars. Hit
the right note and youre connected to
life, the universe, and the divine.
JOHN BOHLINGER is a Nashville-
based multi-instrumentalist best
known for leading the band on
NBCs Nashville Star and serving
as music director for the CMT
Awards and specials on PBS
and GAC. When not filming Rig
Rundowns and gear reviews for PG,
John plays pedal steel for Lee Brice.
SELLING MADE EASY.
Sell gear fast. Keep more of your money.

Download the app. Start selling today.