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iGUITAR_CONTENTS
Contents
INTERVIEWS 069_Squier Electrics - more winners! We also had four 140_Yamaha Pacifica PAC510V guitar
copies of Tony Bacon's riveting new book on the history of
008_EVH SPECIAL! Eddie Van Halen: the lost interview. 146_Two Rock EXO 15 tube head
Fender Squier guitars. Did you get lucky?
EVH rocked the guitar playing world when the band's first album 150_Matrix GT1000FX guitar power amp
was released. Even today debate still rages about how he got TECH SESSIONS
that amazing sound. We've unearthed a long-lost interview with 154_Fret-King Black Label Jerry Donahue guitar
EVH SPECIAL!
US journalist Steven Rosen who has the answers!
158_GJ2 Arete 5 Star guitar
070_Just Like Eddie - the style. Jamie Humphries shows
022_EVH SPECIAL! Is Eddie Van Halen Rock's most
you how to catch EVH's unique style 162_JMI 10 valve combo
important ever guitarist? Levi Clay argues the case.
078_Just Like Eddie - the sound. Jamie Humphries 166_Fractal Audio Axe FX
028_Opeth - Life after Death Metal? Mikael Åkerfeldt and
delves into the mysteries of that sound - and shows you
Fredrik Åkesson speak with Jason Constantine. Levi Clay 170_Exclusive Demo! Musicman Game Changer
how you can get close with modestly-priced gear.
adds his thoughts about Sweden's finest.
176_Peavey Butcher - 100 Watt tube head
084_EXCLUSIVE - Free LickLibrary session from
036_Mark Tremonti - Stuart Bull meets the guitarist hailed
iGuitar - Jamie Humphries shows you how to play Van 180_PocketLabWorks iRiffport
as having played 'the greatest solo of all time'. Levi Clay
Halen's She's The Woman
provides the words. 182_Blackstar Series 1 100 Watt tube head
COLUMNS
FEATURES THE BASSMENT- REVIEWS
088_EVH SPECIAL! The Rhythm Method. Jamie
044_Past Master Special - Randy Rhoads. John Stix 188_3 Leaf Proton FX pedal
Humphries takes us through chord arpeggios EVH style.
interviewed Randy in 1981 We bring you Part Two of his
in-depth interview, plus a unique soundfile from the original 094_Rick Graham - Hybrid picking 192_Warwick A RockBass Streamer LX 4
tape. 196_Warwick BC40 combo
098_Tom Quayle - Harmonizing a melody note
054_The Listening Room - Steve Morse on Pat Metheny, 200_Gallien Krueger MB 800 lightweight head
102_Michael Casswell - Pro Concepts : how to be a Pro
as told to John Stix
guitarist Part 10 - Shifting Pitch THE QUIET ROOM
056_Video Gems - John Stix ruminates on sittin' in - with
106_Andy James - 12 bar tapping 206_Taylor 710CE electro-acoustic
video from Tom Petty and a star line-up
062_Paul Brett's Vintage Guitar Heaven - world authority DOWNLOADS 212_Stonebridge Dreadnought DS20 CM
on vintage guitars, Paul Brett, joins the iGuitar team with 110_All the TAB for the features and lessons in this issue THE QUIET ROOM TECHNIQUE
an exclusive new series. What vintage guitars are left that plus the essential DVD list to advance your playing
real people can still afford? 218_Giorgio Serci - beginning fingerstyle guitar
REVIEWS - GUITARS, AMPS & FX - our great series continues
COMPETITION PAGE
118_Collings SoCo 16LC semi 224_Maneli Jamal - mastering percussive acoustic
052_WIN the fabulous Peavey Delta Blues 15 tube combo
in our free-entry competition! 124_EVH Special! - EVH 5150 Mk III tube head
COMPETITION WINNERS 128_EVH Special! - EVH Wolfgang Special, Wolfgang

USA HT & Wolfgang USA Custom
060_In iGuitar 8 we gave you the chance to win a TC
Electronic John Petrucci Dreamscape pedal. Were you the
winner?

iGUITAR_EDWARD VAN HALEN - THE LOST INTERVIEW
I’m Not sayin’

I couldn’t do better....
Los Angeles-based journalist Steven Rosen was a regular
at the Whisky in the 1970s. In ‘78 he was introduced to a
kid called Edward Van Halen - whose eponymous band was
just about to release a record. No one could have foreseen
how Rock guitar was just about to change forever.
Filed away in a drawer ever since, Rosen’s interview sheds
new light on one of the great mysteries of guitar history:
just how did Eddie get that sound?
Downstairs on the Whisky stage, Eddie Money is singing about

paradise and holding on to something. Upstairs, at the end of a
hallway reeking of burned-out butts, I’m standing in one of the
dressing rooms with guitarist Edward Van Halen. He is holding on
to a cigarette and talking as if we’d been friends forever. We’ve just
been introduced by club booker Michelle Myers. Somehow, though
I’d been attending shows at the Whisky and the Starwood for the last
four years, I’ve never heard him play. I knew about Ed - everyone in
Hollywood knew about Van Halen. He smokes and philosophizes
about Eric Clapton (loves Cream), Jeff Beck (not a huge fan) and
Detective’s Michael Monarch (sounds too much like Beck). Their
first album is due out in a couple of weeks. It is the beginning of
1978 and the record is scheduled for February/March.

“I think it’s good,” he says, the assessment Several months after listening to the album, Originally I played drums and my brother My main guitar up until right now.
offered up with equal doses enthusiasm and I conduct my first phone interview with that played guitar.
aw shucks humility. “I hope it does OK,” modest man from the Whisky. He is the Isstrithat the black and whi t e
confesses the guitarist, almost embarrassed by
the admission. Cue: the grin.
same low-key character and at this early stage
in the game, even he isn’t aware of what Ed
Is that right? ped guitar?
hath wrought. While I was out throwin’ my papers, he was Yeah; it’s the one that’s on the cover of the
Two weeks later and the newest shipment practicing my drums. He got better than album. Just one pickup and one volume;
of Warner Bros. records arrive. There is The album would eventually climb to I did and I said, “OK, you play my drums no tone or fancy out of phase switches or
the Rutles’ debut, Manfred Mann’s Watch, Number 19 on the Billboard charts. Not a and I’ll pick up your guitar.” It went on nothin’ like that.
Little Feat’s Waiting For Columbus, and Van stunning achievement but some 28 years from there. I’d say I really didn’t start playing
Halen. I drop the needle down on Runnin’ after its release, Van Halen would go on to
With the Devil and realize instantly that the sell over 10 million copies. Ten more records
guitar and getting into lead guitar and stuff You used to use a Fender
parameters of electric guitar will forever be would follow and while 1984 provided
like that until Cream came out and stuff like
that. When the heavy guitar thing started to
Strat?
changed. Those opening power chords are, at them with their first Number one single happen. Yeah, I did; I couldn’t get the sound I wanted
once, semi-classic in nature, harkening back (Jump) and 5150 and OU812 maneuvered
out of a regular Strat. Somebody told me
to shades of Blackmore’s Purple. And yet themselves into number one slots on the
the very depth of expression and profound charts, none of these releases would carry the Do you remember
guitar you had? the fi r st about the Charvel place; about their wood.
Their bodies get much better tone and stuff
character here makes the sound as unique as impact of this classic. Edward would grace
like that and I checked it out. It’s true.
any ever created. the cover of every guitar mag known to man
Oh, yeah [laughs.] A Sears Teisco Del Rey; a
and in pursuit of the infamous brown sound,
An Eddie Money lyric comes back to me: an entire cottage industry of custom guitar
three pickup job. I thought the more pickups You only need the one volume
“The future is ours to see.” I have now seen builders, amplifier modifiers, and vintage
it had, the better guitar it was; the more control and the si n gle pi c kup
that future and his name is Edward. instrument collectors would be born. As
switches and everything. Nowadays I’ve got to get all the tone you
Van Halen changed the very tools, debuts go, the Pasadena quartet’s eponymous
kind of a homemade copy of a Strat with
just one pickup and one volume knob on it.
need?
techniques, and tones that were the first step registered as important as Hendrix’s
Really simple. Uh, yeah; you know I use a couple of effects
scaffolding upon which modern guitar would Are You Experienced? Zeppelin’s first, and
Beck’s Truth. like an MXR phase shifter, a flanger and two
be built. Considered separately, the pieces are
considerable; taken in concert and the album
Can you descri b e your gui t ar Echoplexes which change the sound a bit,
is forever frozen in legend. Amongst these Was your father a musician? a little more? you know. And I use two Univox echo boxes
also for the end of my solo on Eruption.
innovations: It looks like a Strat but there’s a place in San That’s not an Echoplex; it’s a Univox.
Yeah; he got us into music very early. He got
Dimas, California called Charvel Guitars Everything I use is MXR; it’s about all I can
1] Hot rodding guitars (single pickup/single Al and me practicing piano for concert stuff,
and they custom make ‘em. Mine wasn’t afford. Mounted on a piece of wood. I use a
tone control) and amplifiers (beefing up classical piano, at like seven and eight years old.
really custom made; it was like a junk neck pretty long cord on stage about a 25-footer
transformers/different tubes).
and a hacked-up body that was just laying or a 30-footer and after it goes through
2] Tapping (yes, Harvey Mandel and Brian You were that young? around and I wanted to experiment building the pedals I use an equalizer to boost the
May have done it but not like this); flutter my own guitar. So I could get the sound I line back up. But tone-wise I just crank
Oh, yeah; my brother was six, I think, when wanted. See, I always wanted a Strat for the everything all the way up and depending on
picking. he started and I started when I was about vibrato bar because I love that effect. So I how you pick, you get different tones and
3] Massive rhythms/sweeping and articulated seven. Well, then we decided to come to the just bought it from them for $50 and the stuff. My amp setup is pretty tricked though.
lead sounds (not since the signature sonics of land of opportunity in southern California neck for $90 and slapped it together. Put
Hendrix and Beck and Clapton will a guitar and just started getting into rock and roll a an old humbucking pickup in it and one
tone be so imitated). little bit. The Dave Clark Five, the real early volume knob and painted it up the way I
stuff. And went out and got myself a paper wanted it to look and it screams.
route and bought a drum set.

and there’s about four or five different things I used, the better it would stay in tune but
Tell me about your rig. You actually crank up si x that you have to do including knowing the that ain’t true either.
Marshall stacks i n the technique of playing it. A lot of people just
OK; I’ve got six old Marshalls which have
been rebuilt. They have bigger tubes in ‘em
studio? grab the bar and go wahwahwahwahwah Have you done anythi n g to
and bigger transformers to make ‘em a lot Oh, no, no no [much laughter.] OK, see the
[mimics the sound of a bar going up and
down] and expect it to stay in tune. There’s
the tuning pegs themselves?
louder. I use six heads hooked to six cabinets. thing is I get the exact same sound out of one
little things that you have to do like after you I use Schallers; they’re not regular Fenders.
The cabinets are pretty much stock except I or out of six. All the difference in numbers
hit the bar after you bring the note down
changed the way they look a little bit. And just means how loud it’s gonna be. And each
usually one of the strings goes sharp.
I use these things called voltage generators. amp sounds the same. I use two actually Have you played wi t h the
What this box does is it enables me to put
150 or 160 watts; it enables me to crank up
‘cause I like to feel it too while I’m playing. bri d ge?
That is exactly what happens. The spring setup; they come with five
the voltage higher than the amp is supposed Itthemust be pretty loud i n So what you do is before you come back in springs and I only use four. It’s hard to
to take. studio. with a full chord, you have to stretch with explain everything because it also depends
your left hand to pop it back. Without on the guitar. I could tell you exactly what
That sounds amazing. Oh, yeah; we play stage volume. We recorded
at Sunset Sound; I like that room. It’s just
picking the string, you just grab the string to do and you could do it to your Strat and
and jerk it up real quick and then it pops it wouldn’t work. And also there’s a thing in
It really makes the tubes red-hot, you know; a big room; it’s like our basement actually.
right back to where it was before you hit the back where the strings hook up; there
it really makes the amp overload so much The guys who run the studio and maintain
the bar. And then on top of that, you know are two long screws and how tight you got
that it gets the sound I like. the place, they walk in after we’re done, boy,
the little metal jobs at the top? What part of that set, it changes the tension of the springs.
and there are beer cans all over the floor and
the guitar is that? I don’t even know. Where So it’s that; how you wind your strings; how
Does thi s actually plug i n to Pink’s hot dog smears all over the place. But
the tuning pegs are, Fender always has these many springs you got; the string retainers at
the amp somehow? in order for us to be comfortable we just do
what we want. We just set up in a big room
little metal things that hold the strings down. the top; and the way you play it. It took me a
String retainers or whatever they’re called. If while to figure it out.
It’s a box that you plug into the wall and (Sunset Sound) and I used almost everything
you have those too tight, the string will get
it has a big knob on it that goes up to 160 I use on stage. Only I used my old Marshalls
caught up on that and it won’t pop back the
and you plug your amp into it. It’s a voltage as opposed to brand new ones that I use live.
way it’s supposed to. Also, it’s the way you
Do you thi n k you’ll sti c k
box or something like that; yeah, a voltage The sound of my guitar and the solos were
cool (though) I’m not sayin’ I couldn’t do
wind your strings.
wiguitthars?
these Strat-styled
generator.
better. For the first album, it took us just
Any speci a l setti n gs you use a week to do the music; four or five days. How do you wind your strings? When we were in New Orleans, I just
bought a Les Paul. I needed another guitar
Everything was basically done in first and
on the Marshalls? second take. Our concept was to just do Hey, I don’t know if I want to tell you! It’s because I tend to bend the hell out of the
what we came up with as opposed to forcing basically simple and the kind of strings you strings a lot; usually after my solo live, I
I just crank ‘em all the way up; everything all use is important. I don’t know if I should be
ourselves to write something commercial change guitars. So I needed another guitar
the way up. Presence; middle; bass … putting down certain strings but I use Fender and when we were in New Orleans I just
strings; they’re very good and I like ‘em. picked up a Paul. It’s a real nice white one; it
Do you use the same setup i n How you do you manage to looks cool.
the studio? keep your gui t ar i n tune wi t h What gauges do you use?
sogoinmuch whammy bar stuff Do you play any acousti c
I use the exact same thing. g on in your playing? They’re pretty light really: .040; .032; .024; guitar?
That is a very tricky question. So far I haven’t .015; .011; and .009. So far for that Strat
told or showed anybody. I dicked around those are the best gauges for keeping it in
tune. I used to think that the heavier strings I have never in my life owned an acoustic
with a Strat for years learning how to do that

guitar; I really haven’t. I’ve written songs on Just practice, I guess. I’ve been playing eight
electric guitar that would sound real nice on to 10 years; that’s quite a while. I kind of
an acoustic but I’ve never owned an acoustic pick at an angle; a downward angle. And I
guitar. I guess one of these days I’ll buy one. started early, which is good. A lot of people
I don’t know nothin’ about acoustics; I know start late and play for 10 years and they don’t
what I like in electric guitars but acoustic I’m get quite as far. You’ve got a lot more hang-
lost. I don’t know what’s good; I really don’t. ups or whatever when you get older and shit.
I enjoy playing; that’s the main thing. It’s not
Do you play any slide guitar? like I was forcing myself because I wanted to
be a rock and roll star. I started out playing
A little bit; there’s nothing on the record. because I really liked to.
There’s no slide on the record. But who
knows what lurks in the future? Me and
my brother both play keyboards, too; I’ve
Do you still practice?
been thinking about getting a synthesizer. Sure; I mean I’ve got a guitar right here in
I know there’s a lot of people starting to my hands right now. I change the strings
get into guitar synthesizer but like Roland before a gig; I play for half-an-hour, an hour,
you have to play one of their guitars but I just to break in the strings and loosen up
don’t dig ‘em. So I think maybe I might get my fingers. And at night sometimes I come
a synthesizer and play keyboards. But who home and write a tune.
knows? I might not.
You change the stri n gs
Do you use any speci a l before every gig?
tunings? Oh, yeah, every day especially on the Strat;
Sometimes I bring the low E down to a D they wear out so quick with that bar.
for like some acoustic stuff; it sounds real
Talki n g about the album, i t
JHS
deep.
really sounds li k e there i s n’t
What about picks? aon?lot of overdubbing going
Fender mediums. What I used to do was use
a metal pick. A friend of mine always used to Oh, no, no. I hate overdubbing ‘cause it’s just
make me metal picks; he used to work in a not the same as playing with the guys; there’s
machine shop. And they were really cool but no feeling there for me to work off of. I’ve
when you start sweatin’ I couldn’t hold onto got to feed of them to play good, too. Are
‘em. They’d fly out of my hand and I’d be you familiar with the album?
bummed out.
Pretty fami l i a r.
Can you talk about how you Like Runnin’ With the Devil is a melodic
developed that fast flutteri n g
pick attack? solo so I put a rhythm underneath it. Songs
that have a spontaneous solo like I’m the

One, Ice Cream Man and most of the songs It was cool. I’m not sayin’ I couldn’t do home, drinkin’ a beer, and I remembered
on the album, Ted, our producer felt and better but for a first album it only took us a ItRitsounds li k e there are seeing people stretching one note and hitting
us also, that it was good enough on its own week just to do the music; four or five days. chi e Blackmore i n fluences the note once. They popped the finger on
without fattening it up. Also when we play Everything was basically done in a first or in your playing? there to hit one note. I said, “Well, fuck,
it live it sounds the same. I hate people - second take. nobody is really capitalizing on that. Nobody
Since the last five or six years, I really
without namin’ names - they over-produce was really doing more than just one stretch
haven’t been into any one guitarist; I like
in the studio and then when they walk out Any solos that stand out everybody. I’ve listened to Blackmore and
and one note real quick.” So I started dickin’
on stage people go, “Wow! Is that the same
band?” It doesn’t sound the same. With us
for you? Beck; especially Wired, I like some of that
around and said, “Fuck! This is a totally
nother technique that nobody really does.”
stuff. Before that I just never really got into
it sounds exactly the same and maybe even Umm, I don’t know; I like all the songs and Which it is. I haven’t really seen anyone get
him. I didn’t like him with Beck, Bogert &
better because you get to see it us doin’ it at I like all the solos. I guess it takes someone into that as far as they could because it is a
Appice. But the main guitarist I’d say that
the same time. It’s very energetic; we’ll get from the outside to pick which one they like totally different sound. A lot of people listen
influenced me to play the most was Clapton.
you up and shake your ass. best. Spontaneous-wise, I like I’m the One, to that and they don’t even think it’s a guitar.
I used to love the way he played; he was real
the boogie. “Is that a synthesizer? A piano? What is
smooth and a lot of feeling. Every review
Ted was i m portant as far as that?”
That,s the real fast one?
I ever read of the album or my playing it’s
fifinrstdingalbum
a dirand
ectiobrin nongingtheout always Blackmore, Beck, and Page influence.
the best in you? Yeah, the fast boogie. I like soloing to

But I never really sat down and copped The
the way
begi nyou
ni n ghi
oft harmoni
some ofc s
theat
their licks like I did Clapton. I guess a lot of
quick stuff. That one was pretty much people think I sound like Beck or Blackmore songs from the album also
Oh, sure. What he managed to do was put spontaneous; like Runnin’ With the Devil because I do use the bar and they do also so sound di f ferent than the way
our live sound on a record. I mean a lot
of people have to do a bunch of overdubs
and On Fire and some of the other ones
were set solos. But that one gave me a chance
it kinda gets the same kinda sound. The only other guitarists hit them.
thing Blackmore got me hooked on was the
to make it sound full. It’s a lot easier to to space off a little bit and noodle around. whammy bar. Because I never really liked the I just liked the sound of it and I just kept
make a lot of instruments sound full than Which I do a lot live; we all get crazy live. I way he played that weird staccato stuff. But I workin’ at it until I got the notes I wanted.
a guitar, bass and drums. That’s where mean nobody spaces off to the point where it feel a lot of my licks are different than theirs. You can almost do a complete scale with all
Ted comes in; he knows his shit. He’s the falls apart; we just add a little bit visually and Like the wide stretch things I do I try and the harmonics. Just gotta know where to him
man. He’s doing our next one, too. Van sound wise but keep it interesting. make it sound a little bit different. ‘em. I guess I could be funny and say I take a
Halen is three instruments and voices with lot of pills but that ain’t true.
very few overdubs; very live sounding.
Ted Templeman, the producer and Donn
Are there certai n scales and You do that one thi n g duri n g Di d you have any i d ea that
Landee, the engineer, they weren’t quite sure
thi n gs that you work from i n “Erupti o n” where you’re the band would have such
of what we wanted; they weren’t too familiar
putting together your solos? hitting a note and … success? You’re out touri n g
with our sound. We sifted through all the OK, I don’t really know what scales they are Right, right; it’s like having a sixth finger wiandth you’re
Montrose and Journey
songs with Ted and we picked out what we [laughs.] I really don’t. I know music theory on your left hand. Instead of picking you’re goi n g to Japan
wanted to do. And one out of the four might and I know how to write music on paper hitting a note on the fretboard. iamazi
n March. That must feel
say, “Hey, let’s do this one” and the other
guys are going, “Nah, why don’t we try this
and how to read for piano but on guitar it’s
a different story. I don’t know nothin’ about
ng.
one?” what a scale is; I know basic notes. I can Was thi s a techni q ue that Umm, we’re all trippin’ on that it happened
play what sounds good; what I think is good you developed or was i t quick. We’ve been together for four years as
You were pleased wi t h your anyway. just somethi n g you stumbled a band. I talk to these guys in Journey and
solos and the sound of your across? they go, “Wow, man, you guys are lucky
guitar on Van Halen? I really don’t know how to explain that, man.
because you guys happened so quick.” But
what they
I was just sittin’ in my room at the pad at

don’t understand is we’d been together for down to the Starwood in Hollywood which
four years before the album got out. was really always just kind of a bad place for
us because we weren’t a Hollywood band.
How were you able to promote When we’re out in the Midwest and they
Van Halen in the early days? ask where are you from and you go, “L.A.,”
immediately they think Hollywood. They’re
A lot of bands make a demo tape; we did wrong. Hollywood is like New York; they’re
that also. We went to New York with Gene islands. Pasadena is really where we’re from
Simmons from Kiss I’d say about two years and that’s like San Bernardino; that’s like
ago. He saw us in a club and asked us, “Are Bumfuck, Iowa. That’s what people are like
you guys on a label or anything? Do you out in Hollywood.
have a manager?” and we said, “No.” So he
said, “Wow, you guys are a hot band, I’d like Di d you know that they
to work with you guys.” And we’re going,
“What do you mean?” And what it boiled
were in the audience?
down to was he wanted to take a shot at It really tripped me out because when
producing a rock band so we said, “Sure” we were playin’ and Mo Ostin and Ted
because he was payin’ for it all. We didn’t Templeman walked in, we really didn’t know.
have any money and I guess basically that’s Somebody just said, “There’s somebody
why we did the tape. But then again we real important out there so play good.”
went to New York, made the world’s most There were no people there; it was some
expensive demo tape, and never ended up rainy Monday night without any people at
using it. On top of not having a tape, we all. And still they came backstage and they
didn’t know where in the hell to take it; we loved it. They said, “If you don’t negotiate
didn’t know anyone. Bands take it to a record with anyone else, you’ve got what you want
company and there will be some clown sittin’ right here.” We were happy; we tripped out.
on a couch, smokin’ a joint, listens to your Warner Bros., man, that was always the
tape, and nothing will ever happen that company I wanted to be with. On top of
Matrix
way. So what we basically did is we just kept that, we got Ted Templeman to produce the
playing the L.A. area everywhere. We used record. I talked to a lot of people who we’ve
to put on our own shows at the Pasadena played with and they say, “Wow, man, we’re
Civic, our hometown, and draw like 3,000 trying to get Ted Templeman to produce our
people on a $4 ticket. This was way before record.” He’s in demand and here we are; we
Warner Bros. So we just developed such get picked up by him.
a following that a sister of a friend at the
record company, the word got around about Have you wri t ten any songs
the band. for the next album?
Then you had some people Oh, yeah; we write all the time. That’s a
from Warner Bros. come good thing about the band and everybody
down and see the band? contributes. I’m the guitarist so I write all the
riffs and shit but Dave writes lyrics and Al
Finally Ted Templeman and Mo Ostin came and Mike really help arrange; every song is a

group effort. There’s not one song that one When we started out with Journey and
person wrote totally. Montrose, we were brand new; I think our
album was only out a week at the start of
Who’s i d ea was i t to release the tour. And now we’re almost passing up
“You Really Got Me” as Journey on the charts and stuff. So they’re
the first single? freakin’out; I think they might be happy
to get rid of us. We’re very energetic and
Uh, it was a joint effort; it was a joint thing we get up there and blaze on the people for
between us and Ted. The night he saw us half-an-hour; that’s all we’re allowed to play
play we played that song and he got off on it. with them. They won’t let us use any effects.
He’s going, “Hey, man, that might be a good For my solo, “Eruption,” I do that every
song to put on the record.” And I thought, night live and I have this old World War II
“Yeah, shit” because we’ve all been waiting bomb, which is about six, or seven feet tall
to do that song anyways since we were four and I put some echo boxes in it. Usually the
years old. I mean it sounds different than the thing blows up at the end of my solo with
original; it’s kind of updated; it’s been Van all the smoke bombs but they won’t let me
Halenized like a jet plane. use it. We don’t get soundchecks; we don’t
get shit. But we’re still blazin’ on the people,
How has the record been man; we’re getting a good strong encore
selling? every night. All we’re tryin’ to do is put some
excitement back into rock and roll. It seems
Pretty good; we’ve sold about 350,000. We’re like a lot of people are old enough to be our
like 29 with a bullet next week in Billboard. daddies and they sound like it or they act like
Fractual
So we’re kickin’ some ass. We started out, no it; they seem energy-less. It seems like they
… I better not talk about that. forget what rock and roll is all about.
It,s cool.

iGUITAR_EDWARD VAN HALEN OVERVIEW
Then along came

Eddie.....
Eddie Van Halen - the most important guitarist who ever lived?
It’s a claim that has been made for a handful of players from
Django to Jimi, but Levi Clay argues the case for EVH.
When we discovered Steven Rosen’s ‘lost Born January 26th, 1955 in the Netherlands,
interview’ with the (then) young upstart Eddie and his family relocated to California
Edward Van Halen and decided it in 1962. After learning piano and violin in
was time to build an issue around the his youth Eddie switched to drums while his
great man (EVH, that is, not Rosen), brother Alex (Van Halen’s drummer) played
talk turned to what else we could do. guitar. This was the way it stayed for quite
Jamie Humphries, naturally, took the some time until Eddie realised that Alex
driving seat on technique - but was there had somehow overtaken him on the drums
anything left to say beyond the man’s too so, frustrated, Eddie switched to electric
own words and Jamie’s fabulous ‘how to’ guitar. That first instrument was a cheap
tutorial? Then someone asked Levi Clay Teisco Del Ray which had 4 pickups, Eddie
if he felt he knew enough about EVH to was convinced more pickups were better
pen a piece: “Know enough? I think he’s (ironic right?).
the most important electric guitarist who
ever lived!” Before the fight could really The band Van Halen really came to life
get started, it was decided to let Levi when Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth
make his case for: Eddie Van Halen, the joined Eddie and Alex’s band, Mammoth.
most important electric guitarist ever. After a brief stint under the name Genesis,
the band had had to change it as they heard

That’s what Eddie is - a spontaneous player who is

happy to showcase his chops at any point.
there was some English band with the same just bass and drums. This is really important
name... so “Van Halen” was born. Over the when you think about Eddie’s playing style.
next few years the four piece began to build a These songs were effectively just played live
major following on the LA scene with a real in the studio and many of the solos (Like Ice
guerilla roots promotional attitude, handing Cream Man and You Really Got Me) are one
out hundreds of flyers by hand at local high takes. That’s what Eddie is - a spontaneous
schools. This paid off in 1977, when Gene player who is happy to showcase his chops
Simmons of KISS came to see the band play, at any point. Learning a Van Halen song is
then recorded a demo for the group to try simple, learning to play Eddie’s fills is a task.
and launch them to the big time. Gene’s
management didn’t go for the idea in the That’s the feeling I get when I listen to this
end, but it was a straw in the wind. By mid record. It’s the sound of excitement, the
‘77 representatives of Warner had been to sound of a guitar player who had more
see Van Halen play and a week later a record to offer than anyone before him, being
deal was on the table, and so begun the completely unleashed. This was the mid-70s
recording of Van Halen. and during that period there were two big
things happening on the music scene.
This whole feature is really about that record On one side you have the lavish
and just what impact it made in 1978 on the arrangements of prog rock bands like Yes,
music loving public, and the guitar scene. Rush, Gentle Giant and, of course, Pink
When you listen to the album, the first thing Floyd. Then at the same time you have
you really should notice is just how stripped- all of the pent up social aggression, and
down it is, Eddie doesn’t rely on tracking primitive musical forces of punk bands
four guitars to sound huge, for the most like The Ramones, The Clash and The Sex
part of the album it’s just one guitar playing Pistols. When you really put Eddie in line
rhythm guitar and fills, then soloing over with his guitar peers, he stood out like a

There were some other things that really happened around this time that allow Eddie to play the way he did,
and actually, if Eddie had been born 10 years previously, he may not have been who he turned out to be.
man walking on water. Remember, we’re not techniques such as tapping, whammy bar Jackson from the ‘80s. Those ‘60s guitars things with your playing. For me, as a
talking greatest here, we’re looking at the tricks and harmonics, not really the common were not easy to play, they were a lot of work teacher, electric guitar technique is taught as
most important, and although pioneers like techniques of players growing up in the but suddenly guitarists were being treated to either pre, or post-Van Halen. Eddie is the
Malmsteen and Vai would come a few years late ‘60s. Eddie’s hero growing up was Eric guitars that didn’t fight you when you tried benchmark for what the electric guitar was
later, it really didn’t shock you quite as much Clapton, “I learned his solos to Crossroads to play them. The last real big innovation capable of. During the 10 year period after
as Van Halen would have in ‘78. and Sitting on Top of the World note for which was a big part of Eddie and his sound Van Halen, you had guys come in and really
note by slowing them down to 16 RPM was the invention of the Floyd Rose locking hone the picking, legato and bring sweep
Don’t just think of Eddie as a crazy lead on my dad’s turntable” recalls Eddie. Not tremolo. Suddenly, the guitar was capable picking to the table, but to me Eddie was
guitarist though, as a great shredder isn’t really a guy you think of when listening to of doing all of these crazy sounds, we could the father of it all. What I find with most
automatically a great guitarist. Van Halen is someone like Van Halen, but just check out drop our strings down until they were slack, advanced players is that they’re all influenced
just as cool if you mute all of the solos on the 0:55 on Feel Your Love Tonight (Van Halen we could wiggle, gargle, scream and any by Vai, Satriani, Gilbert etc, but they’ve all
record. As a rhythm guitarist Eddie had some I), it’s a lick straight from old Slowhand’s other sound you could imagine - this was all missed out on Eddie, and that seems crazy
great things going on, and more than just the arsenal. Aside from Eric, Eddie has many pretty new when Van Halen came out and it to me, especially as Eddie seems to get a lot
attitude he added to riffs like You Really Got influences from Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck was a big part of Eddie’s sound. of the rap for the modern day shredder. I
Me (The Kinks cover). to Allan Holdsworth and John McLaughlin. don’t want you to think that I’m trying to
You can hear those crazy stretch licks ala Then of course you have Eddie’s guitar - put down the important players that came
One thing that seems to set Eddie apart from the Frankenstein. When Eddie burst onto
many of the mindless Rock virtuosos that Holdsworth on tunes like Ice Cream Man, prior to Van Halen, the impact that players
but if you take away the few crazy tapping or the scene in ‘78 he was playing the first like Charlie Christian, T-Bone Walker, Les
came after him was his command of triads incarnation of this guitar. It was basically a
for riffs. If you look at the album opener, legato licks and remove the tremolo from the Paul and Jimi Hendrix had. It’s just that,
equation, Eddie just sounds a lot like one of Strat copy which Eddie put together himself. in my opinion, none of them took what
Running with the Devil, Anthony lays down This is such a cool thing when you think
a static E pedal note while Eddie plays C, the great British Blues guitarists on steroids. came before and took it so far forward.
about it, Eddie got the body then took it Eddie Van Halen took what was happening
D, G, A and E triads over the top to create There were some other things that really home before taking a hammer and chisel to
interest. When you really try and name these before and pushed it so far ahead that it
happened around this time that allow Eddie it to rout out space for a humbucker in the directly influenced almost every guitarist that
chords you have a C/E, E7sus, Em7, E13sus, to play the way he did, and actually, if Eddie bridge. He then sourced a scratch plate for his
Emaj, but I’m almost certain that’s not how followed.
had been born 10 years previously, he may little DIY project and wired the guitar with
it was conceptualized. We could call this a not have been who he turned out to be. The one volume knob. He then painted the guitar It’s over 30 years since Van Halen I. Eddie
modal approach, where Eddie shifts from E first innovation was the amplifier and its black before masking taping it in random hasn’t felt the need to change who he is and
mixolydian (Amaj), to E dorian (Dmaj) then ability to really break-up (Eddie was using places then painting it white so when the he’s still making great records. If you’re yet
resolving to E ionian (Emaj). This modal a modded Marshall). In the ‘70s the music masking tape was removed you end up with to dig into the legend of Eddie Van Halen,
interplay became a Van Halen trait that world started to be exposed to more and that iconic guitar on the cover of Van Halen or if it’s been many years since you’ve
would be used to great effect on later albums more gain and a side effect of this was that I. This guitar was tweaked and tweaked over checked him out, it would be worth heading
on tracks like Jump and Panama. it was no longer difficult to get sustain out the years, picking up a Floyd Rose along the out and picking up a copy of this year’s A
It’s very easy when listening to Eddie to of an amp, so thinner strings became the way, a neck pickup (that didn’t work) and Different Kind of Truth. This is the album
wonder exactly who he was influenced by. norm, and the guitar’s action began to come eventually that additional coat of red that we we’ve all hoped for, let’s just hope Eddie
I know from chatting with people that down. It really is evident when you play a all came to know and love. keeps making them.
Eddie is always known for his flamboyant vintage Fender from the ‘60s and then a
Ultimately this all comes down to impact
and just how far forward you’ve taken

iGUITAR_OPETH INTERVIEW
Life After
Death Metal
Sweden’s Opeth have been on a long journey since the
band’s beginning in Stockholm in 1990. Guitarist, singer
and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has welded together
influences as diverse as Death Metal, Progressive, Jazz and
even Folk to produce one of the broader palettes in Rock.
He and second guitarist Fredrik Åkesson speak with
Jason Constantine, while Levi Clay considers the band’s
impressive history.
It was way back in 1990 that The band’s first effort, ‘95’s Orchid,
guitarist and composer Mikael really set them aside from the rest
Åkerfeldt formed Opeth in of the metal scene in that the tunes
Stockholm, Sweden. The line-up in showed a rich variety of influences
those first few years was unstable and although it’s certainly rooted
to say the least but by ‘93 things in the death/black metal genre,
had sorted themselves out and the dual guitar approach, piano,
the guitar duo of Åkerfeldt (who acoustic guitars, clean vocals
also handled vocals) and Peter and dynamic contrasts meant
Lindgren was well established. This this record was something new
partnership continued until 2007, and exciting for the music fans
when Lindgren was replaced by of the day. Three more albums
Fredrik Åkesson. followed before the band really

started to make a big dent on the scene, ‘96’s ‘90s.” So it’s no wonder that in recent years
Morningrise, ‘98’s My Arms, Your Hearse and Opeth have become more and more like a
then ‘99’s Still Life. band right out of the ‘70s.
Opeth has always been about Åkerfeldt and These ideas are evident when you look at the
his writing which has developed a strong band’s first few albums from the noughties,
blend of Death Metal, Folk and classic 2001’s Blackwater Park is often considered
Progressive Rock. The influences from bands the perfect introduction to Opeth’s writing
like Death, Celtic Frost and Carcass are style. 2002 saw the release of Deliverance,
obvious when listening to Åkerfeldt’s riff style, which was Opeth’s heaviest outing to date.
but when you dig a little deeper you realize Five months later and they released possibly
that bands like Pink Floyd, Yes, Grand Funk one of the most artistically bold statements
Railroad and even fusion bands like Weather ever, as Damnation featured no heavy riffs,
Report play such a prominent role in Mikael’s no death growls and no fast tempos. It
writing that it would be impossible for Opeth paid-off perfectly and a live album followed
to be just another Death Metal band. Mikael (Lamentations).
recently went on record saying that “I haven’t
been listening to death metal since the early
Melbay
Opeth Interview by Jason Constantine

From a playing beautiful moments in his compositions where
perspective, it’s
simple devices like a series of chromatically
no secret that
ascending minor9 chords and you don’t find
that when you sit and worry about writing
Mikael is very
what is correct. In fact, when writing one
of my own tunes a few years ago, when it
much a ‘play now

came to the intro the only way I could get
something I liked was to stop thinking and
ask questions
just play “something like Opeth might play”
later’ kind of guy.

I’ve taken a great deal of pleasure in never
analysing that chord!
2008 saw the release of Watershed, which
delved deeper into Åkerfeldt’s Folk influences.
This is when Åkesson joined the fold and he
In 2005 Opeth released their first album couldn’t have made a better statement as this
with Metal mega label, Roadrunner. Ghost album seemed so far removed from the heavy
Reveries was a huge turning point in Opeth’s almost gothic quality of Ghost Reveries.
career as they had made it into the Metal Metal Edge magazine gave this disc its album
mainstream. This doesn’t mean that their of the year title.
sound was compromised, in fact Ghost
Reveries feels like the perfect balance between It’s only fitting that we take a look at Åkesson,
Deliverance and Damnation and, for me, to too, to get a grip of just the sort of guy it
this day the album opener Ghost of Perdition takes to back up a fiendish mastermind like
is one of the band’s best songs from their Mikael. Åkesson first came to my attention
best album. The tuning on this album is also when Chris Amott took a break from Swedish
melodic Death Metal band, Arch Enemy.
Daddario
a relatively hotly debated topic with many
fans sure that it’s played in open Dm tuning During that period Fredrik filled in, and
(DADFAD) but I can say with complete anyone who knows Arch Enemy’s music,
confidence that it’s actually in open Dmadd9 knows that Fredrik had some big shoes to
tuning (DADFAE) which is a beautiful fill! He features on 2006’s Live Apocalypse
tuning to play around with. alongside Mike Amott, where he kicks all
kinds of ass. Aside from this, Åkesson is
From a playing perspective, it’s no secret that probably most well known for his tenure in
Mikael is very much a ‘play now ask questions Talisman, with whom he put out seven studio
later’ kind of guy. His compositions are only albums over a period of 13 years. Fredrik is
limited by his ear, and never his theoretical a solid lead guitarist and one look at his live
knowledge. There are videos out there where solos reveals influences from Zakk Wylde to
Mikael walks through songs like The Lotus Shawn Lane. Fred is currently a PRS endorser
Eater and will play a chord and then say “I and has his own signature SE model available.
have no idea what this is called” when talking
about a diminished chord. There are some

Gearwise Mikael has also had a long running

relationship with PRS guitars, of which he has played
a wide variety of models. There is an SE signature
model single cut available and, in Mikael;s hands,
they are usually always tuned to standard tuning or
drop D. Ampwise, Åkerfeldt recently signed a deal
with Marshall (after a long time with Laney) and he’s
opting for the Vintage Modern range.
This brings us to late 2011 and Heritage which
couldn’t really be much further from what you
might be expecting from one of the absolute kings
of progressive metal. We’re back to the Damnation
sound in that a lot of the extreme metal features
are gone, most notably the death growls. The
album opens with a beautiful piano track before
moving onto The Devil’s Orchard which has a lot of
Åkerfeldt’s diminished sounding harmonic devices
and riff style, but the timbres used include sounds
like you might expect to find on a Kansas or Deep
Purple record. For me it’s the heavily keyboard
(Mellotron in particular) driven sound that gives it
that real ‘70s vibe. So far the record has been a smash
hit and the band are currently out on tour with metal
giants Mastodon.
Opeth are genuinely one of the most exciting bands
to have your eye on because there really is no telling
just what direction they will find themselves heading
next. Mikael summarises it perfectly: “Right now I
have a hard time seeing that I’m going to go back
to writing Progressive Death Metal. I’ve done that
for my whole life and I want to discover new ways
for this band, and Heritage is a good start for us to
collectively do that.” The only thing that is certain
is that there will be a hoard of adoring fans eager to
follow them on their journey as they know it’s going
to be a good one.

iGUITAR_MARK TREMONTI
going solo
Mark Tremonti has been showered with praise. Guitar World’s ‘Guitarist of the Year’
for three consecutive years, one magazine even claimed his solo on Blackbird was
‘the greatest solo of all time’. Which is one guaranteed way to start a bar room
fight! From Creed to Alter Bridge, Tremonti has conquered all. Now he’s poised
to launch his first ever solo album. Stuart Bull meets one of guitar’s hottest
properties, while Levi Clay considers his stellar career so far.
This couldn’t be a better time to feature Mark quite the speed metal connoisseur. Although
Tremonti. In just a few weeks time, he will it wasn’t long before grunge came along and
put out his first ever solo record and it’s fair temporarily killed-off the guitar solo, Mark
to say that there’s almost unprecedented never stopped loving to solo and had built
anticipation for it in guitar circles - especially up a high level of chops.
since a YouTube preview was carefully timed
to whet our appetites! In the mid ‘90s Tremonti met Scott Stapp
(vocals) and formed Creed with Brian
Tremonti really is one of the icons of the post- Marshall and Scott Phillips. The band started
grunge guitar scene and if he hasn’t popped due to Tremonti and Stapp’s shared love of
onto your radar before now, you’re at the writing music and performing, but there was
perfect place in time to find yourself a new a little more to Creed. In Mark’s own words:
hero. “Creed existed to be as successful as possible”,
and this shows in the band’s writing style. It
Born in Detroit, 1974, it was just 11 years would be a real expert on Mark who could
before Mark picked up the guitar. He’s very listen to Creed and say “oh yeah, this guy’s
open about his influences, citing Metallica’s really into thrash metal!” This direction paid
Master of Puppets as major game-changer for off and when their first album My Own
him. He was also into much heavier bands Prison (originally a self funded release) was
like Slayer, Tesla, Celtic Frost and Morbid picked up by Wind-Up Records, the four
Angel - this was a major driving force behind singles released all reached number one on the
his music for a long time but spent many Billboard rock charts. The record shifted six
years on the back burner while he was with million copies. Ladies and gentlemen, Creed
Creed. There was no escaping these influences had arrived!
from his early years though and Mark became

Over the next seven years Creed hit the a huge add for the PRS Tremonti SE, and it
stadium circuit and became one of the biggest didn’t matter how uncool Creed were, this
selling Rock bands of the era - 1999’s Human guitar certainly was cool: a black singlecut
Clay shifting over 11 million copies in the US with a pointy headstock. It was tough not
alone. This album spawned hit singles such as having one. Fortunately lots of magazines
Higher and With Arms Wide Open (which were featuring Mark as a player and I was
won the Grammy for best Rock song). There serious enough about guitar to read them, so
seemed to be no stopping Creed and even it was from Mark that I got a lot of my warm-
though 2001’s follow-up album Weathered up exercises, and an introduction to legato
didn’t meet with the same success, it still went technique. I just couldn’t get my head around
multi-platinum and contained the hot singles why he didn’t play like that in Creed!
My Sacrifice, and One Last Breath.
When Creed imploded in 2002 (I remember
What I remember personally from being in reading that two fans had filed a lawsuit
my early teens and listening to Creed was, against the band as Stapp was unable to sing a
they were NOT cool: they were the band that single song) I thought that may be the last I’d
everyone’s mum loved. Sadly, because they hear of Tremonti, but I was wrong - and I’m
were not cool, then Mark Tremonti wasn’t pretty glad I was, because his next band was
cool either, and that was tough because back the mighty Alter Bridge.
in 2001 every magazine on the market had
PRS
Mark Tremonti Interview

Morley/
Named after Alter Bridge in Detroit, a bridge Mark exploded with a series of rapid fire legato
which symbolically separated the social classes ideas with the wah and I’d honestly not heard
where Mark grew up, the idea of crossing Alter anything quite like it at the time (least of all
Bridge meant heading into the unknown. The from an ex-Creed member!)
line-up was Creed but with Myles Kennedy on Alter Bridge’s first album One Day Remains
1/2 Strings & Things

lead vocals. No one knew what to expect but came out in August 2004. It’s just a great
hopes were pretty high. Skip forward to June album featuring some amazing songs such as
2004 and a vivid memory of heading round Burn it Down and metal anthem Metalingus.
my friend Tom’s place to hang out and write The album was received really well by critics
music, and there on Kerrang! was the first Alter but the music industry had changed. Although
Bridge single Open Your Eyes. I was blown the record shifted 750,000 copies (tiny
away by the song, it just felt epic in all aspects compared to Creed) it was still considered a
and Myles was on fire, then the solo kicked in success.
(3:03) and I can say that my world changed
a little bit. After some slow, melodic phrasing

In the last eight years Alter Bridge have been builds until the guitar solo enters at the 4:40 them in various tunings including drop B, Amsterdam and this year’s Live at Wembley).
going strong, releasing two more albums, mark; this is one of Tremonti’s best moments open D and open G. Ampwise Tremonti has His schedule from here is to put out his solo
2007’s Blackbird and 2010’s AB III. During committed to record containing everything used many things over the years but I’m led record, then to write and record a new album
this period we’ve really had the chance to from melodic bends, fluid legato licks and an to believe that his current rig consists of Mesa with Creed. At the time of writing, all we
get to know Tremonti as a metal-influenced alternate picking run at the solo’s climax. Boogie and Bogner amplifiers. If you look know about this solo record is that Mark has
writer and a 21st century guitar icon. Just take closely though you see Fuchs, Two Rock, and gone back to his classic Metal roots as shown
a listen to the title track from Blackbird, it When it comes to gear, Tremonti is famed for Fender amps too, so he really mixes it up. in the first single, You Waste Your Time. This
opens like a Creed tune, with some melodic his vast collection of Paul Reed Smith guitars gives us a good idea of what we can expect
clean fingerpicking, but after a melodic intro which he’s been playing since the first major From 2009 onward Tremonti has bounced from our resident stadium guitar hero, and I’m
we’re introduced to a ball-breaking metal riff Creed tour. He has both a signature top line between Creed and Alter Bridge, recording sure we’re going to love it!
before Myles soars like the proverbial blackbird PRS which features his own pattern thin neck albums with Creed (2009’s Full Circle) and
over the chorus. The song just builds and profile, and the budget SE model. He tunes live DVDs with Alter Bridge (2009’s Live from

iGUITAR_PAST MASTER
PART 2
A Rare Interview With The
Unrevealed Randy Rhoads
In 1981, just a year before the guitarist’s tragic death,
Randy Rhoads gave two long, revealing, interviews to the US
journalist, Jon Stix. In issue 9 we brought you part one
of this remarkable historic testament. Part Two is just
as remarkable and includes a unique audio track from the
guitarist’s interview.
JS: Let’s talk guitars. Paul in the SG shape with gold pickups and
a Bigsby tremolo. Charvel just made me
three new guitars. One is my own design
RR: I’ve got a ‘64 cream Les Paul and a 1957 plus Charvel’s, which hopefully might turn JS: What do you look for in a guitar? RR: I use regular GHS strings. In England I
black Les Paul with three pickups. The Flying out to be one of my main guitars. There’s no use Picato. I don’t use light gauge. It’s .010 or
V was made by Carl Sandoval. He used tremolo on that one. He’s making one as an .011 and medium picks. I like GHS strings
to work at Charvel and he went off on his experiment with a Floyd Rose. I found this because they have a real metallic sound, to
RR: Small frets. I can’t play the big frets.
own. He made it for me. It has a DiMarzio guy in England who sets up tremolo arms. me.
Every other guitar player I know has big
Distortion Plus on the treble position and You don’t need Floyd Rose. I just stumbled
frets. Every time I have a guitar made or
a DiMarzio PAF in the bass pickup. The upon him. It’s so close to a Floyd Rose. The
buy a guitar, I have really small frets put on,
only one of the three I wasn’t playing was tuning is real good on it. If the guitar is set
almost acoustic wire. JS: Boxes?
the Charvel. That one he made for me after up right in the first place, Doug Chandler
I joined Ozzy. The Charvel has the Seymour can do wonders with it. I was so amazed
Duncan Distortion pickup. about how good it stays in tune. He did it
to my white Charvel. Tremolo to me is so JS: You like the double-coil sound? RR: MXR Distortion Plus, MXR Equalizer,
old now that I’m trying to not get too into Crybaby Wah, MXR Chorus, MXR Flanger,
it. The first thing a kid does now when he Korg Echo.
JS: What’s the switch on the Charvel? wants to learn guitar is go get a guitar with RR: Yeah, but I love the Strat sound. I’m
a tremolo arm and go back and forth. Used looking for an old Strat now, but not for live.
properly, it’s great, but I don’t want to get In a trio, for what I need to hear, it’s not fat JS: Do you practice playing with the gadgets?
RR: That’s just a toggle-switch for it too much into my style. I’d rather use a enough.
the pickups. The Charvel has Charvel tremolo as an addition to what I’m doing
everything. The Flying V has all Fender than make noises with it.
RR: No, because I don’t use them that much.
parts. The Gibson, everything’s stock, but
JS: Strings and picks? I use the distortion a lot. I used to use them
the machine heads are Schaller. I have a Les
more, because I had time to learn what I

iGUITAR_PAST MASTER
wanted to do with them. But I don’t need RR: It’s totally strange. It still hasn’t hit me think I have to do it. I didn’t come out doing with myself. Once you are, where are you
them much with this band. It’s really pretty yet. I’ve still got my past in me. I guess I’m it with him, but I learned straight-away from going to go? You’re gonna stay the same level.
much down the plane. trying to mature into it, but I don’t have my his personality that it doesn’t take that. I want people to know me as a guitar player
feet on the ground at all. I don’t even know the way 1 knew other people. I’ve got to be
who I am, what I am. People say this will honest: you asked, “What’s your weakness?”
JS:Do you use a wireless? go to your head and make you egotistical. JS: What about guitar playing? Did you ever My girlfriend distracts me. That’s the real
That’s a bag of shit. What it does is make you overplay? Most people overplay and learn truth. I don’t know if you should put that.
totally frightened and humble, because you what they need to drop. You seem to be Maybe you should say I get distracted easily.
don’t understand it because everything comes edging in very cautiously, starting at low tide. But it can totally blow it for me.
RR: I tried it once, didn’t like it and haven’t at you so fast.
tried it again since. It was a Schaffer. I’m not
against it. Because I didn’t like it, it was no
big deal. I’ve never been bothered by a guitar RR: I don’t want to be a ham and throw in JS: Do you have a plan to get better?
chord. I’ve used them so long, I could never JS: Does it seem out of proportion? the kitchen sink, but I still want to get my
think, I do need to get rid of this chord.” mark in.
RR: To be honest, I want to start getting
RR: Not yet. First of all, I’ve got a long way back to practicing. Obviously, now, it’s just
JS: Do you ever feel you overplay because it’s to go. How can I put it? Because Ozzy’s so JS: I guess you don’t feel that you’re up there go, go, there’s no breaks. When I do have
a trio? big, and such a humble guy, I think it helps with the people that you admire? a break, I want to go back to teaching and
me a lot. He always says this will happen, learning myself, taking lessons. In England,
and it does. He sort of educates me. I had a lot of time, and I took classical again.
If I have a month off, I’ll go back and take
RR: No, in fact, I think I could do more. I’m RR: Oh no. You’re only as good as you are. classical lessons. I want to keep bettering
still learning my way on the big stage. myself.
JS: Like what?
JS: What’s your strength and what’s your

JS: You don’t feel a big burden because you’re weakness? JS: Fantasize five years ahead.
the only harmonic instrument? RR: Everything. He’ll tell me about the
record companies, and about the kids in
the audience. He’s just predicted everything
along the way. RR: Great question. I’ve never been asked RR: Five years ahead? I would love to have
RR: No. Not at all. We do have keyboards, that. My weakness is insecurity. I don’t go up people know me as a guitar hero. I’d like to
on the side, that fill little bits, but it’s only there every night with a lot of confidence. be able to do something more instrumental.
on three numbers. I like the sound of two That’s a weakness. If the sound is not right, Some day maybe put out a solo album where
guitars in other bands, but I couldn’t play JS: What did he teach you about performing I’ll get paranoid. My weakness is my sound. I
onstage? I can dig into a lot of instrumentals. I like a
with two guitars. It’s just too confining. I like rely on it 100 per cent. I don’t know how to lot of different kinds of music.
to have the freedom. put it, but I’m still learning about what to feel
onstage, which is probably totally different
RR: I learned a lot from him about posing. than a small level. If the sound isn’t right, it
My old band was really into trying to get the could totally blow you away. My strength JS: Let me shoot you some names for a
JS: Does it seem strange that all of a sudden reaction: John McLaughlin?
people say you’re great? You’ve gone from crowd, and the only way we knew how to was is that I just want to keep getting better. I
teaching at $8 a half hour, to Quiet Riot, to by going over the top. I learned from Ozzy want people to know me as a guitar player,
the big stage with Ozzy. that you don’t need to do that if you’re good. like I knew other people. My strength is my
Now I move when I want to, not because I determination. I don’t want to be satisfied

iGUITAR_PAST MASTER
RR: Technically brilliant, but it’s not one of players in the ‘70s. They had a lot of vibrato. happy with it or else. For how I did it, I’m RR: I personally feel a lot of my style is
my favorite styles. That sound influenced me a lot. Kids always happy with it. Still, I didn’t have enough leaning toward more melodic playing. I feel,
say, ‘You know when so-and-so does this?’ I time to search for what I wanted to play. when I was taking classical, it gave me a lot
say, ‘Yeah, it’s great,’ but I don’t know. I don’t Possibly if we had more time to write it, it of ideas to turn things into leads. The thing I
JS: Allan Holdsworth? have any rock player’s albums. would have been different. We could have keep thinking is if I could only study again,
played the songs more. What happened was I could have all this new input for ideas. I
we got a basic form for it, and went right could stumble upon things again. What’s
JS: Diary was recorded how far after into the studio. What I was trying to say happening now is I feel like I need some
RR: He’s great. I love his playing. He’s got a was I had just gotten off a tour for the first totally new scales or something. Sources. I
lot of great jazz scales. He’s got scales where Blizzard?
album. I hadn’t a break yet. I didn’t have time find I play the same thing and I sort of get
you don’t know what they are. to sit back and think, now, what do I want bored with it. I knew when I was studying
to do? What do I want to accomplish on the that I got a lot from it. I think it would
RR: It was recorded eight months later. next record? Therefore, I was really short for help. I’m on the road all the time, so I don’t
JS: Andy Summers of the Police? Diary is a year old now. ideas that I was actually interested in. really know. I was thinking of trying to teach
myself again, but you know how that is. You
do everything wrong.
RR: Definitely unique. It’s hard for me JS: The guitar playing on Diary felt a bit JS: Do you cringe a little because it’s not as
because I really don’t listen. rushed. original as you would like it?
JS: Ozzy said you mentioned having a tutor
on the road.
JS: Pat Metheny? RR: It did. To be honest, that album, to me, RR: Some songs I really cringe. One song,
was a bit rushed. In other words, we didn’t “Little Dolls,” I never got to put a solo on.
have as much time to write lt. The material It’s actually a guide track. I was playing along RR: I was wondering if it’s been done. I was
came out shining, but I was a bit lost for with the record where I was gonna put a solo thinking the only way I could keep myself
RR: I like him. He does some great acoustic licks, what to do on it. I didn’t have enough down. I never got to do it. The one that is together on the road, and keep practicing
stuff. time to think what I wanted to do. I didn’t there is a guide solo. We were so rushed for and keep playing, is to have a teacher sort
have time to think of ideas. It all happened time in the studio because we had to get to of thing every day. Besides the fact that the
so quickly. We did the first album, went on America to start the tour. cost would be ridiculous, I was wondering
JS: Who was important to you? tour, came back and did the second one. It if someday it would be possible to do. What
couldn’t have been a whole year, now that I’m finding now is, I go on the road, and
I think about lt. I think it was within six aside from gigging, I’m not really sure what I
months, actually. JS: Will you have a better grasp for the next
one? want to do. I don’t know if I want to stay in
RR: Leslie West. Great feel, really moody and
and practice or go out. I need something to
powerful. He was one of my favorites. Beck
keep me there, some responsibility. I’m sort
because he can do anything. He can play one
JS: Do you go home with the basic tracks of bored with my own. I’ll pick up a guitar
note and it’s great. I rarely hear him play fast. RR: I don’t want to go in so rushed. I want
and play along? and it seems like it’s the same thing now. I
Blackmore was great. I loved his expression. to be prepared for the studio. need total stimulation from somewhere.
I loved B.B. King. I like Michael Schenker’s
playing a lot. I liked Ronnie Montrose with
Edgar Winter a lot. I liked the way he bends. RR: No, we just jam a lot. We played to the
I could never bend like he could. His vibrato. first album a lot. I had time to sit back and JS: Being aware of where you want to go is JS: Eddie Van Halen locks himself in the
I like Earl Klugh a lot. I quite like Steve say, “I don’t like that lead, that’s not what I’m one thing. Are you taking steps toward that closet and plays for hours.
Lukather’s playing. I liked all the English looking for. For Diary, I sort of had to put direction?
the leads together in the studio. That’s it. Be

iGUITAR_PAST MASTER
RR: I do that. That’s the best way. Sometimes been trying to hang onto myself, to keep up
I’ll go down to the gig way early and sit in with everything.
the tune-up room all day. But I’m finding
that I’m losing my control on that right now.
So what I’m saying is that, if I had a tutor, JS: What do you do for musical stimulation?
it would sort of like be a responsibility. I’m
paying this guy and it’s my commitment to
keep at it. This is all new to me and now I’m
in my second year and going through the biz RR: I’m locked into something right now,
changes, how to stay on top of yourself. and it’s not my own pace. Therefore, it’s kind
of stifling sometimes. I was thinking one of
the greatest things would be to play on other
people’s records. That could build up a lot
JS: Has the spotlight made it harder for you for me. I could do a different sort of playing
as a player? and be known for that as well. It would also
spread my name in different areas. Now
it’s very limited. Ozzy Osbourne is about
RR: No, it’s not, but what has happened, as heavy metal as you can get, and a lot of
though, is I feel like it’s brought to my people don’t even know about it because of
attention that I’ve really got to start getting that. It’s almost like being Kiss. That’s why
a hold on it now. I’m totally shocked that it I’m thinking I want to study classical. It’s
happened, and it changes your whole thing. totally different for me. I was used to taking
Now I’ve got to get it together. It’s no longer lessons and teaching all day long. I had
just ‘Try your best.’ You’ve got to be great constant input with music. New ideas were
now. It’s a weird thing. All of a sudden you’re going in and out of my brain all day. It’s a
put under a different kind of pressure. It’s a combination of stopped ideas and touring,
pressure that you’ve always got to be better because this band tours a lot. It’s trying to
than yourself, which is a difficult thing to be. find something. It’s all in my head. I’ve got
GJ2
What do they do on the road? Eddie is great. to put it together. I would like to play more
I don’t want to get near competing with of a lot of light jazz things, like Earl Klugh
people like that. or Jean Luc Ponty. I was never into heavy
fusion. Things I had written were on the
melodic side. I used to play a lot of things
JS: Neither did he. Has thinking of a solo like that on acoustic. It’s just what you’re
album been approached? doing at the time. The main thing I’m going
through is how to get more back to being
a musician than being a big band. That’s
my biggest problem. To get back to being a
RR: Believe it or not, I haven’t met many player and get away from---I don’t want to
people in the biz yet. I’m not at that level say rock star, because I’m not. But I do want
where I meet people all the time. I would to get away from the distractions of success.
love to do a solo album. All along I put it to
timing. The right time for the right thing.
I really haven’t been able to think. I’ve just

v
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FEATURES_JOHN STIX
THE LISTENING “I usually attack the guitar and try to build

to screaming climaxes.”
ROOM
John Stix listens as top players discuss their influences.
Steve Morse discusses Phase Dance by Pat Metheny

“That’s classic Metheny, and the reason he’s he was. I think he is the jazz success story
won over so many people as fans. It’s that of the decade. He’s the model citizen to me.
perfect combination of subtle, insistent I freaked out when I first heard this. It’s so
rhythm and a nice blend of the piano and silky and smooth. I’ve always been intrigued
guitar. Not to mention that the chord by Pat as a soloist. He’s 180 degrees from me.
changes at the beginning of this song are I usually attack the guitar and try to build to
perfect. Whenever I pick up a 12-string screaming climaxes. Pat just kind of cruises.
guitar I almost always hear that kind of He can play soft and fast but he’s always
thing go through my mind. He’s been such smooth. He dances around the guitar.”
a great inspiration to me. He sat down and STEVE MORSE
said, here’s what I do, period. He never
marketed himself as anything else but what
John Stix was the Founding Editor-In-Chief of Guitar For the Practicing Musician Magazine and
a principal architect for the creation of Guitar World and Guitar One Magazines. He started Guitar
Recordings where he signed Blues Saraceno, Mike Keneally, Mark Bonilla, Randy Coven, and Brad
Pat Metheny Group - "Phase Dance" (1977) Gillis Currently he runs the print dept. at Cherry Lane Music.

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FEATURES_JOHN STIX
VIDEO GEMS John Stix searches the web for choice guitar gems that you may
have overlooked in the vast universe of Internet videos.
Sittin’ in....
Tom Petty, Harrison,s son, and Prince -
Guitar gently weeps The odds are not good. How many times
have you been to a show where guest artists
come out, join the band and make better
stage and put it in my magazine, Guitar for
the Practicing Musician. It wasn’t inspired
playing but it was a pretty cool picture.
music than photos? It doesn’t happen that
often. I was listening to Santana playing Of course it doesn’t have to be this way and
with the Grateful Dead. “All Along the there are many examples of great playing
Watchtower” may be great for jamming from guest musicians. But the conditions
because of its iconic past and simple chord have to be right. The band has to know the
progression but I have yet to hear any killer song well, and not be calling out changes or
playing when guests sit in on a version. having musicians sneak into the next part a
It’s the same with “Johnny Be Goode”. It’s few moments late. It helps tremendously if
almost like guitarists figure it’s so easy they you play on a real song, not just a repeated
don’t have to commit to the changes or to progression for jamming. And the musicians
their own passion on the instrument. have to be committed to the performance,
not just phoning it in. You also have to be
It’s fine to get caught up in the excitement willing to inspire your band mates as well as
of the moment. For weeks after the show, I support them. Have you heard Clapton play
was telling friends how I saw Clapton, Page with B.B. King? There is so much admiration
and Beck play together at the Ronnie Lane there from son to father that Clapton doesn’t
benefit concert in New York. The promise step up or out. It’s makes for a good photo
of the music was never actually met, but the and less than inspired music.
moment still remains vivid in my memory. It
Tom Petty, Harrison’s son, and Prince was the same for me when Steve Howe sat in It doesn’t have to be that way. I’ve chosen
with Steve Morse on a rendition of “Freeway two great sittin’ in situations to share with
Jam” at My Father’s Place in Roslyn, Long you. The first one is a rare musical highlight
Island. I got a photo of the two together on at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

v
FEATURES_JOHN STIX
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Jeff Healey

later be, as Jeff’s career took off. Clocking in at around four minutes, the song is a medium
shuffle and both guitarists take two volcanic choruses each. Jeff was playing like an artist on
the way up. At this time no one could blow up Stevie Ray Vaughan, but Healey sure ignited
him. The bigger surprise is that it happened on television, the least friendly and coolest
medium for live music. This is the first time I’ve ever jumped up and applauded the television
screen. Stevie ray Vaughan and Jeff Healey, that’s some sittin’ in!
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Jeff Healey
Ceremony. This is consistently one of those Prince is actually playing the song, the intent
photo over music events. In this first video of the title and thus wailin’ at the same time.
the inductee was George Harrison. The This all-star performance makes me wish I
band featured Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve was there to both hear it and to see it.
Winwood, Dhani Harrison and Prince.
So we’ve got our “wow” photo. The song, And just to prove the blues progression can
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is played be fertile ground for guest guitarists, let’s
spot on, and lovingly. Marc Mann plays the look in on Stevie Ray Vaughan, playing on
Clapton parts and solo note for note. Prince Canadian Television. He’s playing “Little
comes in for the coda guitar solo halfway Sister”, a radio track from Soul to Soul. The
into the song and true to the song title he is word is that he and Albert Collins found Jeff
crying. He plays with energy and passion. Healey playing at Albert’s Hall in Toronto
and were as blown away as the rest of would

v
FEATURES_COMPETITION WINNERS
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v
FEATURES_PAUL BRETT VINTAGE GUITAR HEAVEN
Paul Brett's
Vintage
iGuitar is honoured
to welcome the
guitar collector
and historian Paul
Gu ita r
Brett to the team
with a unique take
on vintage, guitars.
Heaven
Just what s left that
is affordable and -
most importantly
fun to play?
This issue - selling for way above their real value and
those who paid such prices were either ill-
1956 Gibson Melody Maker (selling May advised, had more money than sense, or were
2012 for $1,250 to $1,800*) just plain stupid. They paid the price dearly
as electrics that sold then for anywhere up to
1962 Jupiter/Stratotone 1423L (selling a million dollars, came tumbling down to a
May 2012 for $750 to $1,000*) quarter of the price paid ...Ouch!
Those were the heady days of lofty gains for
Any form of collecting is a risky business. dealers and ignorance from buyers with little
Before the international financial fiasco and or no knowledge of what they were buying.
inflated company share values that brought There was even a hedge fund company set
the banks to their knees, electric guitars were up on the Stock Exchange which encouraged

v
investors to leave their investments in for at least 20

years to maximise climbs in guitar values. They were,
according to their ads, buying top priced guitars,
Fender and Gibsons. No serious collector would pay
top prices when the market is at its peak, or at least in
‘runaway train’ mode. Acoustic guitars, however, have
never experienced the peaks and troughs in prices that
electrics have, mainly because they are collected by older
and more experienced buyers.
I started collecting guitars and related stringed
instruments in the 1960s.You have to take into account
that in the ‘60s, the guitars that these days are fetching
many thousands, were new back then and as such, were
not collectable. The collectors market back then lay in the
early classical and flamenco guitars of European origin.
My first amplifier was a Watkins Dominator, all 17
Watts of it! I couldn’t wait to change it in favour of a Vox
AC30. Yet these days, the Watkins is more collectable and
valuable than the Vox, even though the AC30’s were
the iconic amp of the British Pop phenomena of
the ‘60s. The main lesson here is that no one
knows what the value of things will be in
the future, if we did, we could all be sitting
on our butts on our own islands by now.
What determines the value of instruments
for future generation is a mystery. What
we can determine are factors that may add
to future values, what musical styles were In my first article for iGuitar, I want to highlight an
created on such instruments and who played early Gibson that is still very affordable and hasn’t as
them, these will be considerations if past yet scaled the heady heights of early Les Pauls, plus a
trends are an indication. 1962 Silvertone Jupiter. Silvertones over the past few
years have become very collectable and have risen in
I never buy guitars at the top of their price quite steadily. There were many different models
price, the attraction for me is in made but it’s the electrics that are creating the demand
brands that are not currently trendy, among collectors at present. Originally played by the
but are reasonably priced with room great Blues icons like Muddy Waters, many Rock
to rise if the trend pendulum swings
their way. If it doesn’t, I am not at
risk for substantial losses and I still
have the pleasure of recording them they not only reflect the sound and music of their era in their
in my historical timeline. Fortunately, fundamental usage, but also hold their ground today..
I haven’t lost any serious cash to date!

v
giants too strummed their first chords on a The model featured in the video clip is black sparkle finish and the measurements
Silvertone, with the likes of Jimi Hendrix the Jupiter/Stratotone 1423L with its are: 38 x 13 x 2 inches. Originally retailing
among them. black sparkle finish. This particular guitar for around the $80 dollar mark, with an
They were the affordable options to higher is in mint condition and condition plus extra option of a 10 buck chipboard case!
priced brands and as such, were the first originality is paramount when collecting
steps for many players into the world of for investment; not so much for purely Next one up is a 1956 Gibson Melody
electric guitar. Originally distributed by playing. It formed a thrust in the Harmony Maker: a three quarter size slab that is one
My collecting tips are: never Sears, they not only reflect the sound and company’s guitar drive of the ‘60s and with of my favourite electrics. I love these little
buy a guitar at the top of music of their era in their fundamental its semi hollow body, DeArmond pick ups, guitars as they are really easy to play and
its price range and always usage, but also hold their ground today with Tone Blender control, which affects the kick out a tremendous noise. The 1959
check out the originality and the help of modern amplification and effects bridge and neck pickups, is a great addition model in the video was the first year that
condition. as you can hear from my video sample. to any collection, both from a playing point Gibson introduced them to the market.
of view and a collectors one. It’s basically a Les Paul Junior in shape
Silvertones have clearly risen steadily in but smaller in size. It’s approximately 3/8”
value and are still on the up, as they are The original specs are: spruce top and back, thinner. Its 3/4 size has a scale length of 22
truly an iconic guitar of the ‘50s and ‘60s. maple sides, pearl inlays, adjustable bridge, 3/4” and a very playable 12 fret to body

v v
FEATURES_PAUL BRETT VINTAGE GUITAR HEAVEN FEATURES_COMPETITION WINNERS
action (19 frets total). The body and neck are mahogany
SQUIER ELECTRICS THE WINNERS!

and the fingerboard is Brazilian rosewood with pearl
dot inlays, Grover machine heads / plastic knobs. Some
may have frayed over time so check them out if you are
thinking of buying one. There’s a black wrap around
pick-guard that holds the controls and the model name
is sited under the neck’s end. The pickup is a killer little
7/8” “fat”(Gibson changed them in 1960 to 5/8” and
Back in Issue 8 we reviewed Tony Bacon’s
they were not as good) that will scream out solos all day
definitive account of the story behind
and night. These are steady risers in value and a joy to
Fender’s Squier guitar brand: Squier Electrics
play, that are
- 30 Years of Fender’s Budget Guitar Brand
still affordable
(Backbeat Books/Hal Leonard ISBN: 978-1-
to the serious
61713-022-9)
collector
who was not As our review said: “Squier owners and
trawled in by collectors will find a treasure chest in this
the feeding well produced paperback, packed with
frenzy of a few memorabilia and guitar porn photography.
years ago. With extensive material for model dating and
chronology, candid inside information from
My collecting tips are: never buy a guitar at the
Fender employees, this is probably the only
top of its price range and always check out the
book Squier will need until another 30 years
originality and condition. There are lots of very
have passed.”
informative sites on the net where you can get
detailed information about early vintage guitars
and it’s well worth the effort as it could save you a
lot of time and money. Also, it’s not as easy to fake Courtesy of the publishers, Backbeat
acoustics as it is electrics! Books, we had four copies to give away as
prizes and here are the lucky winners!
www.paulbrettguitarist.co.uk
Click to watch the official

Paul Brett guitar review Douglas Cotton, from Westfield, MA, USA
Alan McGain from Great Wakering, Essex,
* Important note about our guide prices: UK
The prices quoted are US-based (prices in the EU David Abrahams from Raamsdonksveer, the
tend to be higher) and represent a spread between Netherlands
private and dealer figures at the time the article was
written, as shown in the text. They are not meant to Brad Rosentritt from Bewdley,
be any more than a very approximate guide and are Worcestershire, UK
subject to change on a weekly basis!
Congratulations to all our winners and our
Caveat emptor! thanks to Backbeat books!

TECH SESSIONS_EDDIE VAN HALEN - THE STYLE
JUST LIKE EDDIE

THE STYLE
Jamie Humphries digs into Eddie Van Halen’s
encyclopedia of licks and tricks, and shares
some of the soloing secrets of one of the
greatest Rock guitarists of all time..
Eddie Van Halen has been hailed as the godfather of heavy
metal and a post-Hendrix pioneer of modern Rock guitar.
His contributions, influence and impact on guitar playing
have been immeasurable, and not just because of his technical
abilities. Eddie was a pioneer with the actual instrument
too, being (arguably) first person to use a Floyd Rose system.
When you look at most modern Rock guitars, there will be a
certain element of how that instrument is built, or configured
that you can trace back to Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen also
brought Rock to the masses, composing catchy hard rock
tunes, and pioneered a genre that was a lifestyle in the USA
during the 80’s; hard Rock music you could party too!

TECH SESSIONS_EDDIE
JOHNNYVANMARR
HALEN
ANALYSIS
- THE STYLE
This tech session is a little teaser for Lick 1 is our opening lick, performed
you, as the licks and track are taken over the drum intro. This is an
from my new Lick Library DVD interesting lick which involves tapping
Quick Licks Van Halen, which two notes with two fingers of your
shall be available soon from www. picking hand on the B and G strings
licklibrary.com. In this lesson we are and pulling-off to two fretted notes.
giving you eight Eddie-style licks to This lick is pretty tricky as you have
get your teeth into, but if you want to to shift both hands up the neck
delve deeper into Eddie’s unique and chromatically, as it outlines shifting
innovative playing style then be sure dominant chords.
to grab a copy of my new DVD!
Lick 2 features a similar lick to the
There are obvious eras to look at with intro lick in from the Michael Jackson
Van Halen; the late ‘70s and early to track “Beat It”. This lick includes
mid-80s David Lee Roth period, the string bends and slides, with artificial
Sammy Hagar period, with a more harmonics being performed by
processed guitar sound, and in many tapping directly over the fret wire.
cases more radio friendly hard Rock, This lick will take a little practice to be
that lacked the tongue in cheek lyrics sure that the harmonics are achieved
and showmanship of Roth, but which cleanly and clearly.
to many boasted more a more mature
sound and writing style. For our Tech Lick 3 is another Beat It style lick,
Session, and the Quick Licks DVD, and includes a three note per string
I’ve chosen to focus on the Hagar figure that also includes some tapping
period, with a riff that is based on a on the 1st and 2nd strings. This lick
similar progression to Pound Cake. concludes with a bluesy bending
All of the licks covered in this lesson figure.
are based around the key of E minor. Lick 4 is a whammy bar lick that
For those of you that prefer the David includes a legato figure that pedals
Lee Roth era, be sure to check out my off of the open 2nd string. As the
Quick Licks Van Halen Vol I, which is lick is performed, you should dip the
based more on the band’s early sound.

bar, scooping into the notes. This around E minor that is performed
lick concludes with a Blues-based with fast tremolo picking.
bending figure and a whammy bar
dive. Lick 6 features one of Eddie’s
bluesier sounding licks and mixes
Lick 5 and it’s time to get your up notes found in the E minor
picking hand moving. Eddie has pentatonic scale, with big bends and
a very unorthodox approach to plenty of vibrato. Make sure you
picking, where he holds the pick select the neck pickup for a warm
with his middle finger and thumb, and creamy tone.
and arches his wrist, affectively
flicking the string with the pick. Lick 7 is another blues based lick
I would suggest using whatever which is pretty straightforward, but
approach you find comfortable makes use of some pretty big bends.
when tackling fast picking. The lick Don’t be deceived by this lick, and
features a climbing figure based be accurate with your bending pitch,
Hand In Hand
Eddie - The Style Lesson

and again pay attention to your licks. I hope I’ve whetted your
vibrato technique. appetite enough with these few licks
for you to check out the new Quick
Lick 8 is our final teaser lick, and Lick’s Vol II DVD, for the full
features a descending pentatonic solo, and in-depth analysis. Make
phrase that makes use of an sure you check out the video in the
interesting rhythmic figure. This is magazine for a close up look of the
a great lick, as it is so rhythmically licks being broken down, and also
interesting, and has a great groove performed, as well as tips on tone.
against the solid driving rhythm Good Luck!
section of the band.
So there you have it, a selection of
tapping, picking and bluesy EVH
Peavy
Eddie - The Style Performance

TECH SESSIONS_EDDIE VAN HALEN - THE SOUND
JUST LIKE EDDIE

THE SOUND
So you’ve mastered the licks and riffs, but still that
secret ingredient is missing. It doesn’t quite sound
like Eddie Van Halen. Jamie Humphries looks at the
gear used by the great man over his long career -
and then shows you how to achieve the tones on a
budget-priced rig!
Tone is the Holy Grail for many a guitar player. As well as wood-
shedding your chops and nailing your favourite riffs, getting the right
tone and sound is equally as important. But let’s face it, most often
we’re listening to millionaire Rock stars who can afford the gear that
many of us only dream of. So in this feature I am first going to look at
Eddie’s ever-changing gear over the years, and then suggest some ways
you can approach that legendary tone, using the more budget-friendly
gear that most of us use.
The Guitars
After Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen is without a doubt one of the
most important figures in the development of Rock guitar. Not only
did Eddie turn the guitar community on its head with his blistering
style, but also with his equipment. Like everything he did, he didn’t
conform to what was considered the norm and his guitar is a great
example of that. Even the man himself is surprised by the impact

that his homemade guitar has had, and white stripes and cut out a black pick switch into the routing where you would control that said “tone” on it! The neck
continues to have, on guitar companies guard from some plastic using a soldering normal find the middle single coil, just to was created by scanning the profile of
and guitarists alike. iron to smooth the edges. This is the confuse people and keep them guessing Eddie’s most favourite guitar neck into a
guitar that started it all, and is the one about his secrets! Although this guitar was computer, and had an instantly played-in
The story starts with our hero wanting seen on the cover of Van Halen I. retired in the mid-80s, recently Fender feel. These instruments were produced
the best of both worlds - a guitar that was
released a limited run of replicas of the in small quantities and are now very
comfortable and fast like a Fender Strat, Due to the number of imitators, Eddie
Frankenstrat, which featured every dent, collectible.
but had a thick, warm, full tone like a started using a different guitar for Van
scratch and cigarette burn and was so
Gibson. So Eddie decided to morph the Halen II, one that featured the famous Eddie then moved camp again - this time
accurate Eddie himself found it hard to
two, have a Fender style guitar but have black and yellow stripes, but Eddie was to Peavey. It made sense, Peavey at the
spot the difference!
the pickups of a Gibson (see this issue’s frustrated with this one and soon the time producing his signature 5150 head.
lost interview for the story from the horse’s original guitar was back in action. An Eddie has used lots of other guitars in his The Peavey Wolfgang proved to be a very
mouth - Ed). The ‘Frankenstrat’, as it is original Floyd Rose bridge was fitted, career, including Les Pauls and an Ibanez popular guitar, slightly resembling the
affectionately named, started life on the replacing the vintage Fender bridge and Explorer-style Destroyer, which had a Musicman, but featuring an extended top
“seconds” pile. The body was made of ash he also screwed a 1971 Quarter coin to huge lump of the body cut out and was horn.
and Eddie also bought a Strat-style maple the body that was used to keep the bridge known as The Shark. Eddie stopped using
neck. He fitted a Fender Vintage tremolo flush to the body and stable. With more this guitar following its cosmetic surgery, Eddie finished his relationship with
and wired in a single Gibson PAF pickup, and more companies trying to cash in on as it altered the tone too much. He has Peavey and moved next to Fender, first
which he dipped in paraffin wax to reduce his guitar, and also countless imitators, also used Steinberger headless guitars producing and using the Charvel Art
microphonic feedback. He painted the Eddie fitted a single coil in the neck that with the Transtrem, also finished in his Series, and then the Frankenstrat. Now
guitar with the now famous black and didn’t work, and fixed a five-way selector signature stripes. with the help of Fender, Eddie has his
own brand, EVH Gear, and produces the
During the ‘80s Eddie switched to newest Wolfgang guitar, of which you can
Kramer guitars, the New Jersey company read a full review in this issue.
building him a newer version of the
Frankenstrat, featuring a prototype Pacer Amps and
body and with the instantly recognisable
trademark hockey-stick headstock. Eddie
Effects
used various versions of this guitar, For years Eddie used a mid ‘60s 100
including the Hot for Teacher guitar and Watt Marshall Super Lead, which is
the legendary 5150. rumoured to have been modified by Jose
Arrendo. As we’ve seen elsewhere in this
By the end of the ‘80s Eddie surprised issue, Eddie would get that elusive tone
the guitar community by designing a by basically running the amp flat-out,
guitar with the Ernie Ball Musicman and controlling the output level with a
guitar company, that was totally unlike Variac, which allowed him to run the amp
its various stripy predecessors. The at a lower voltage. He would also run a
Musicman EVH guitar was a single dummy load box after the Marshall and
cut guitar, almost a cross between a Les send the output of the box to his effects
Paul and a Tele, with a slab body with and then to a power amp, effectively using
no contouring. It featured a flame top, the Marshall head as just a pre-amp. This
Eddie - The Sound two humbuckers, with the neck pickup allowed him to run the amp very hot, so
functioning this time, and a single volume it would saturate more, but leave control

of the output level with the power

amp. Eddie has also used Soldano
heads, which were the basis for
his Peavey 5150s. Today he uses
the Fender-built 5150 MK III,
reviewed in this issue. The best of
them? Many feel the Peavey 5150
MK I was the best of the bunch.
Over the years, Eddie has used
various stomp boxes, mainly MXR
phasers and flangers, with MXR
now selling a range of signature
pedals. In the early days he also
used an Echoplex tape echo unit
but I should point out that he
never uses any form of distortion modelling amps, with a valve power amp section,
pedal, with all the crunch being amp-generated. He would also and not too expensive. This amp also includes
sometimes use an MXR EQ to boost his mids, and also uses a effects and stomp effects, making it a very
Crybaby wah. affordable and versatile piece of kit. I also put the
EVH Signature flanger, phaser and wah pedals
Later, Eddie used a Bob Bradshaw system, integrating pedals and to the test, and, as expected, they produced a
rack processors controlled by a switching and routing system. His very authentic tone. You can see and hear it all
sound became more processed and he used a heavy detune for in action on our video!
chorus. He also ran a wet, dry, wet system. The outer cabs were all
effect, with a different delay time in each side, while the middle cab Eddie’s tone is not a scooped modern Metal
was dry and totally unaffected. tone - in fact it’s pretty clean, and is really more
of a heavy overdrive. I backed-off some of the
The sound on a budget low end and boosted the mids and the upper
frequencies. I also added a room reverb, courtesy
There’s no easy definition of what ‘budget priced’ means, because of the Peavey’s onboard effects. You could
it varies from person to person, but for our video I’ve chosen a experiment further, with either tape echo or digital
selection of gear that many players can either afford, will already delay depending on the era of Van Halen you are
have, or can get close to with similar products, without the need to trying to recreate, but ultimately a warm crunch,
own a personal oil well in the back garden! or ‘Brown Sound’ as Eddie calls it, with some flanger
or phaser, will be a pretty close approximation of his
Any humbucker equipped guitar will work fine, but I have chosen hallowed tone. Be sure to watch the video, and good luck
to use a Sterling by Musicman, which is obviously based on on your sonic quest!
the original design EVH signature model, but costs around the
$500/£500 mark. For an amp I used a Peavey Vyper, one of the best

IGUITAR & LICKLIBRARY_EXCLUSIVE FREE LESSON!
Van Halen:
She’s The Woman!

Video Lesson
As part of our celebration well Eddie would perform, following his

of all things Eddie Van much publicised ill-health and addiction
issues. But it turned out well. EVH is back
Halen, iGuitar brings you an and firing on all cylinders and She’s The
exclusive FREE LickLibrary Woman showcases some of Eddie’s best
session with Jamie playing to date.
Humphries showing you how
to master Van Halen’s This track has been around for a number
She’s The Woman! of years, and was first featured on the
original demos from around 1976.
The world of Rock guitar waited with Interestingly, the original version featured
baited breath to hear A Different Kind a different bridge section prior to the solo,
Of Truth - the first new album from Van which ended up being the bridge on the
Halen for far too many years. There was track Mean Street.
so much to anticipate and wonder about.
It had David Lee Roth back with the The track kicks-off with some bluesy based
licks based around the A minor pentatonic
Exclusive
band, it had - FREE
long standing Van Halen
bassist Michael Anthony replaced by
LickLibrary
scale, track
and includes unison bends. It should -
Eddie’s son Wolfgang Van Halen but for be performed with a healthy amount of
guitarists especially, many wondered how crunch and a wah pedal. Following our
Jamie Humphries shows you how
intro solo to play
section Vaninto
we launch Halen’s
the
She’s The Woman! Click here to watch.

IGUITAR & LICKLIBRARY_EXCLUSIVE FREE LESSON!
main riff, which features a figure based part for you to play based on how Eddie in this issue). There is also a healthy dose of delay and the sound is pretty saturated.
simply around the notes of A and G, plays it live. The middle section kicks off Let’s also not forget his signature Dunlop wah! The tone is pretty crunchy, but
and the diad chords of C5/G and D5/A with a shifting power chord figure, plus remember to add plenty of mid and try to dial in a little top end presence. I hope you
performed against a pumping muted more open string pedal tone line idea. enjoy working through this classic track, and be sure to watch the lesson videos for a
open A note. The intro riff concludes Following this figure, Eddie kicks in the more detailed breakdown.
with a chromatic figure that is performed wah pedal, and plays a funky 1/16 note
in unison with the bass. octave figure with a waker-waker Shaft-
style wah part.
The riff continues for the verse, but
during the verse Eddie breaks things up The solo section is quite intricate
with some tasteful and well placed licks. and modulates through various
The verse concludes with a guitar and
bass unison figure that pedals off of the
chord changes, with Eddie outlining
them with various arpeggio ideas
Click to watch the Lessons from LickLibrary
open A string, which then leads us to the and scale based lines that follow
chorus. the accompanying chords. The solo
concludes with a three note per string
The chorus is pretty straightforward arpeggio lick that is similar to something
and uses the chords of D5, Eb5 and heard in the classic track Jump. Take
E5, plus another guitar and bass unison care with the end of the solo as the
figure, before heading back to the verse timing of the legato run, followed by the
riff for the remainder of the chorus. We A minor pentatonic is vital in making
then head into the second verse, which sure the licks fit! So practice this section
is similar to the first verse, with the slowly to start with if you’re unsure of
inclusion of some more tasty licks. We the rhythmic values.
then head into another chorus, which
is the same as the previous chorus but Following the solo, we head back to our
concludes with a guitar and bass unison final verse, with Eddie ripping a classic
run based around the A minor pentatonic tapping lick at the half way point. The
scale. track concludes with a final chorus and
the climbing unison figure repeats with
Now it’s time for the middle section Eddie performing a phrase with pinched
and as I mentioned earlier, the original harmonics, before concluding with the
demo featured the middle section that final A5 power chords.
ended up on Mean Street from the album
Fair Warning. The new middle section This track was recorded with Eddie’s She’s The Woman Lesson Video Lessons
features a twin guitar part, and although I latest squeeze, his Fender-built EVH
have included the additional guitar parts Wolfgang guitar played through the
on the backing track, I have arranged the EVH 5150 MKIII head (see our reviews

COLUMNS_JAMIE HUMPHRIES
T H E
R H Y T HM
ME T HOD
Chord arpeggios Eddie Van Halen style!
Over the last few issues of iGuitar we’ve been Our study piece is constructed around four
looking at various approaches to using chord different sections, a verse, chorus, bridge and
arpeggios when coming up with rhythm a middle eight. I have also included a solo
parts. To round-up our look at the subject, in this issue’s track, as I felt we couldn’t look
we’re going to look at a slightly more Rock at Van Halen with out laying down a few
approach. So far we’ve looked at progressive tapping licks!
ideas and also Blues, both of which used
alternate picking. This lesson we are going The track kicks-off with our chorus section,
_CHECK OUT THE DVDS to look at using all down strokes, designed with a driving aggressive riff that makes use
to give a more aggressive and driving feel, of two note diad chords, performed against
and also include some palm muting, derived a drive palm muted open A root note.
from the great Eddie Van Halen. Harmonic movement is implied by the triads
of C/E, G/D, D and F/C triads that are also
Eddie Van Halen is not just a virtuoso when performed against the driving A root note.
it comes to lead playing, but he is also one of The chorus concludes with the chords of E5,
the most revered and inventive Rock rhythm Eb5, D5 and C5 that are performed with
guitarists. Such classic tracks as Ain’t Talkin’ heavy accents with the drums and bass.
‘bout Love and Unchained demonstrate
Eddie’s inventive use of the chord arpeggio Next is the verse, and this is our chord
approach. Another approach he also favours arpeggio section, including the chords of
is the use of triads, that give melodic and Am, Asus2, Gsus2 and Fsus2, all of which
harmonic movement to his parts, and these are performed against a solid driving A root
are also often performed as arpeggios. performed by the bass. When performing
these chords as arpeggios I would use

Jamie Humprhies Rythm Method Lesson
Floyd
Jamie Humprhies Rythm Method Performance

strict down strokes throughout, as well has A Blues and A Dorian mode, and kicks off
tight palm muting. Make sure you keep with a bending tapping phrase. As you bend
the picking hand relaxed and the constant the note up we then play a moving melodic
eighth note rhythm tight and accurate. The line with tapped notes, whilst still holding the
progression also includes a short melodic fill bend. This is followed by a signature EVH
that is performed in unison with the bass lick that can be heard on the classic cover of
guitar. This section is followed by the bridge, You Really Got Me from Van Halen I. We
where we see the dynamic of the track lift. then see another tapping lick that crosses
This section uses the triads of D/Dsus4, F/ the strings and uses three notes with the
Fsus4 and G/Gsus4, all performed against a fretting hand as well as the tapping note, and
palm muted open D string. Really try and is similar to the tapping runs heard in Hot
keep the palm muted root tight, so that the For Teacher. Following some whammy bar
triads sound strong and accented. This section dives and bluesy bends we have an ascending
also includes the chords of G5, F5 and C5, tremolo picked line, with the solo concluding
and concludes with the same descending with some unison bends that follow the
power chords found in the chorus. We then descending power chord stabs.
head back to another chorus section before
we introduce the middle eight. As regards to tone I would suggest not
using too much gain, as Eddie’s sound is
The middle eight features some partial chords surprisingly clean. Aim to dial in some extra
performed with the picking hand fingers. mids and some top end presence, and also
Make sure that you back-off the gain for this experiment with modulation such as phaser
section, and don’t be too aggressive when or a flanger.
Orange
performing the partial chords. This section
also includes some natural harmonics and Good luck!!
concludes with the descending power chord.
Now it’s the solo, and this is performed
over our verse progression. The solo is based
mainly around the A minor pentatonic,
USEFUL LINKS_
www.jamiehumphries.com

COLUMNS_RICK GRAHAM
BY RICK GRAHAM
GUITAR ROADMAPS
Hybrid Picking
In this issue I’d like to talk about my specific approach to using and practising hybrid picking
technique. If you aren’t familiar with hybrid picking don’t worry, it’s a simple concept
whereby we use a combination of the pick and fingers of the right hand to play different notes
or chords. Chances are you’ll be holding the pick with the thumb and index finger of your
right hand. This leaves the middle, ring and little fingers available to use to play other strings.
Rick Graham - Hybrid Picking

COLUMNS_RICK GRAHAM
This technique can be remarkably useful For the next example we will be using a
and I personally use this technique in lots triplet pattern which uses the following right
of ways, including arpeggiating chords and hand sequence; down, down, m, a, m, up.
playing wider interval licks when soloing. We’ll be using this with a D minor chord at
the 5th fret with the root on the A string.
For the purposes of this tutorial, I’m going to This pattern is a little bit more challenging
show you three very useful ways of applying than the previous pattern but stick with it
this technique which will not only help you and you’ll be fine.
to improve your hybrid picking skills but
will hopefully also give you some ideas in the Remember to change to different chords
application of the technique to further your when you feel ready to do so. The final
study. example is even more challenging particularly
to get up to speed! The right hand pattern
Hughes & Kettner

The first example is taken from a set of is as follows: down, m, up. I love this
Classical guitar studies written by the particular pattern and try to use it whenever
Brazilian composer Heitor Villa Lobos. Some the opportunity presents itself but it does
of these studies adapt particularly well to the require quite a lot of practice and quite
electric guitar and study a lot of patience. When you get it down
#1 is perfect for hybrid picking technique. you’ll find that it will work with a variety of
All we need is the first chord in the study string combinations, making for some really
which is a simple open E minor chord. The creative sounding stuff.
right hand will be playing the following Feel free to download the tabs on the
sequence of strings: 6, 4, 5, 3, 4, 2, 3, 1, 2, downloads page and get your hybrid picking
1 3, 2, 4, 3, 5, 4 alternating between the into shape. Thanks for checking in, see you
pick and middle finger. Once you have that next issue!
pattern down then you can apply it to any
chords you like.

COLUMNS_TOM QUAYLE
Tom Quayle
T H E
CHORD KNOWLEDGE
C O L U M N
Harmonising a Melody Note

In the previous few issues of the contains that relationship giving me lots
magazine we've looked at using our of scope to use anything from a minor
knowledge of modal formulae to develop triad to a minor 7, 9 or 11, minor 7b5,
our knowledge of chords and create 7#9 or any other voicing that fits the
modal chord progressions. We're going bill. There are many possibilities on
to change tack slightly now and look at offer for each bass note, some being
things from another angle. This issue's more restrictive than others. Feel free
lesson is certainly more complex and to move the melody note to higher or
involved than the previous ones but lower string to allow sensible left hand
will serve as a great exercise for both stretches but the melody note must stay
advanced and intermediate chord work in the same octave for the exercise to be
and can be tailored to different ability effective.
levels as I'll explain shortly.
Once you have worked out a chord
The idea of this exercise is to take a that fits with each bass note, write them
given melody note (the highest note of a down and try to figure out the best
chord) and harmonise (create a chord) it scale to play over each one. Now, repeat
using all 12 possible bass or root notes. the exercise playing first each chord,
For the purpose of the accompanying followed by its relevant scale. By doing
video I used the melody note G# on this you'll be hearing the harmony in
the B-string and harmonised it using both a chordal and linear, scale fashion.
bass notes from F at the 8th fret of
the A-string, moving down an octave This exercise will give you a great ability
until I reached F at the 1st fret of the to harmonise any given melody note
low E-string. The idea is to look at the with any root note or, when given a
intervallic relationship between the chord symbol, be able to find any scale
melody note and each of the 12 bass tone as the melody note.
notes and try to come up with a viable In the video example I end up with the
chord that fits that relationship. So, for following chords as I descend through
example, if the melody note is G# and each bass note combination with my
my bass note is F, we have a relationship G# melody note. You can find the TAB/
of a minor 3rd interval from F to G#. notation for these chords in standard
Therefore, I can use any chord type that tuning later in the magazine.

COLUMNS_TOM QUAYLE
Fm11, Emaj7#11, Eb7sus4, D9#11, Dbm7, not over-thinking everything, so feel free to
Cm7b6, Bm13, Bbm7, Amaj7, Abm7, abandon the theoretical approach and work
G7#5b9, Gb13, F7#5#9. on this exercise using your ears as a guide.
If you're anything like me you'll gradually
If you find all of this rather overwhelming become obsessed with the puzzle-like nature
then the exercise can be scaled down and of harmony on the guitar and find your
used not as a fretboard visualisation one fretboard and chord knowledge coming on
but as an ear-training exercise instead. in leaps and bounds.
Simply use your ears to fill-in some of the
notes between the bass and melody notes. I wish you luck and I'll see you in the next
Once you find something you like, don't issue! Take care.
worry about naming it but simply write
it down and remember it for future use in
.
a song or chord progression. Many of the
greatest musicians and compositions were
founded on this principle of listening and
Toneworld
Harmonising a Melody Note
USEFUL LINKS_
www.tomquayle.co.uk/

COLUMNS_MICHAEL CASSWELL
PRO CONCEPTS10
SHIFTING PITCH
CASSWELL This issue I want to introduce a favourite technique
of mine, which mainly concerns shifting the pitch of
notes, chords and general lines we all know and love.
Little microtonal string bends as you phrase lines and
licks give real big colour to your playing. It is a real hard
MICHAEL
technique to get sounding good, because you are in the
realms of possibly sounding out of tune and it’s a real
fine line you walk when you are sending notes sharp or
flat in the name of musical expression.
This also means you might have to start using that

curious thing on your guitar called a tremolo (or as
its affectionately known, ‘the whammy bar’). Just so
that you all don’t go into shock, I have kept it fairly
simple to begin with, restricting the use to some
simple ‘shimmering’ and some controlled downward
movement, thereby shifting the pitch. I have also crept
in some interesting sounding double stop bends that
only involve the whammy bar for a little shimmer at the
end of the idea. Its all revolving around the key of G,
mixing major and minor pentatonics and a tiny bit of
mixolydian here and there.
A lot of you may already be familiar with how much

I use the whammy bar and I have always loved the
possibilities it gives you. I guess over the years I have
honed it to the point where I don’t really have to think
about it as I play, to the point where it is as second
nature as vibrato and string bends. I was working
on this style from my early days as a player, long
before I really noticed how other players such as Scott
Henderson, Michael Lee Firkins, and the genius that is
Jeff Beck were really doing it.
Where I really stole a lot of my swoops, dips and

shimmers is from a couple of unlikely sources that I

COLUMNS_MICHAEL CASSWELL
insist you guys check out. The first player introduce some simpler whammy bar
that really made me pay hard attention to technique, It might set you off thinking
whammy bar possibilities was a fantastic about the possibilities, and open yet
session guy from the 80’s called Alan another colour or creative concept you
Murphy. Unfortunately he is no longer might want to explore. If you haven’t heard
with us, but if you haven’t heard of him of anyone I have mentioned, then to be
or heard his playing, I strongly suggest honest, you are probably not that into
you Google and research his style. He was using a whammy bar, and are more of an
just fantastic! The other player I learnt old school Les Paul kinda guy, and Jeff
a lot from, not just about the whammy Beck is just that guy that sang Hi Ho Silver
bar, but about tone, sound, phrasing, and Lining!
general versatility, was a fantastic player
called Steve Farris, who at the same time Next issue I will take the microtonal string
I was signed to RCA records, was one bends and the whammy bar madness a
quarter of a band called Mr Mister, who step further. If you cannot wait that long, I
were signed to the same label and having do have the Ultimate Tremolo Techniques
hit after hit. We became good friends and DVD out on Licklibrary, which explores
used to hang out in that strange town everything whammy bar in depth. Please
Michael Casswell - Shifting Pitch Part 1 called Los Angeles. He used to beat the bear in mind that although I have talked
crap out of a Floyd Rose, but in a real a lot about trem usage, it is also a lot
musical way, not a hideous ‘80s cheese about those microtonal string bends and
way, and coincidentally, his big whammy more demanding double stop ideas. We
bar influence was Alan Murphy! I urge you have explored some cool string bends in
to check out Steve’s playing on the two big previous pro concept columns, but I have
Mr Mister albums, Welcome to the Real given you some more in this tutorial.
World and Go On (ignore the now dated
drum sounds and just try to take in what Hope you enjoy the demos which were all
the guitar is doing). pretty much done in one take, so some of
it will be more ‘out’ of tune than it should
Jeff Beck has obviously taken this whole be, but I wanted to keep it real, and even
whammy bar philosophy and made it when things are slightly out, it can still
his own. Scott Henderson will twist your sound cool and vibey. Or, it can just be out
understanding of what a guitar should be of tune!!
able to do. Michael Lee Firkins has the
whole ‘sounding like a slide’ thing down
to the point where if he was to use a slide,
he would sound like he is using a whammy
bar. So although in this lesson we only
USEFUL LINKS_
Michael Casswell - Shifting Pitch Part 2
www.licklibrary.com/contributors/mike-casswell

COLUMNS_ANDY JAMES
By Andy James
12 BAR TAPPING
Hello and welcome to this lesson on tapping and notes to keep the smooth legato sound going. It’s
string skipping over a 12 bar Blues pattern. In also important to make sure that the right hand tap
this issue we’re going to take a look at some pretty doesn’t ring into the left hand tap, but you can’t just
advanced tapping concepts where we’ll need to master lift it up or that open string will ring out. The idea
wide stretches, fast position shifting, left and right is that as the left hand taps, the right hand releases
hand tapping and string skipping in the style of pressure but without leaving the string (silencing the
modern shredders like Michael Romeo of Symphony note) you can then lift up creating minimal string
X and Greg Howe. noise; as you can see from my video, I use a hair tie
just to keep things extra clean, but you should never
This idea is arpeggio based, and when working on rely on this.
arpeggios it’s not uncommon to practice them over a
chord progression like Pachelbel’s canon to give you So this pattern begins by moving up the first shape
some harmonic interest. In this example we’re going then sliding up the G string to the second shape
to outline a minor Blues in Em (Em, Am, Bm). So before sliding up (again on the 1st finger) to the 3rd
_CHECK OUT THE DVDS before playing through this actual lick it might be shape. When we’re here I move into a pattern I’m
worth familiarising yourself with the sound of these very fond of which involves playing the position 1
chords. minor pentatonic in the left hand and adding taps 4
frets higher (on the 19th fret in this case). We move
There are a lot of notes here and it would be easy to down this shape leading with the left hand
become confused over the shapes we’re using, so take and ending on the root.
a look at the fretboard diagrams and get your head
around each shape before you try to play the correct It’s really important that you practice this shape and
pattern. learn it so you know the pattern cold because our
next step is to play the exact same thing but now five
We start with a right hand tap on the A string (14th frets higher to outline an Am sound. Care needs to
fret) before rolling down and then up to the tap be taken here though as we’re right up the high end
again. From here we have the toughest mechanic of of the neck and have to tap on the 24th fret. If you’re
this lick, the left hand tap. We need to play the 14th playing on a 22 fret guitar, try tapping on 22, 22, 21,
fret with a right hand tap, then strike the 7th fret of 22 and then 22, this will give you notes contained in
the G string with a left hand tap. This note needs to the Am pentatonic scale.
be clean and at the same volume as all of the other

COLUMNS_ANDY JAMES
Andy James - 12 Bar Tapping
Now we need to outline a Bm, Am to Em pay careful attention to the the left hand taps
so we take the basic pattern we started with and the distance between our two hands.
(shape 1) and play a one bar idea (bar 5),
this differs from the original pattern because These ideas are something you should
we don’t slide up into the next two shapes. experiment with and try to use to outline
Rotosound
Instead we play the same lick starting on the your own chord professions. There really
14, 12 and finally the 7th fret. is no substitute for taking these concepts
and trying to implement them in your own
To finish this little exercise off we’re actually compositions then try them out with your
going to outline a B7 sound. If you look band, or just write a tune where you get to
at the diagrams you may recognise the last use them.
shape as coming from the three note per
string mixolydian shape. We’re playing the Until the next issue, stay metal!
same pattern as we did in bar 2, but now just
outlining a different sound. The mechanics
are exactly the same as before, we still need to
USEFUL LINKS_
www.andyjamesguitarist.com/

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iGUITAR_REVIEWS
We’ve pretty much OD’d on Eddie Van Halen in Our amp selection is wide-ranging too, from Peavey’s
this issue with three EVH Wolfgang guitars and one new Butcher head, through Two Rock’s exotic EXO,
Reviews
of the latest incarnations of EVH amps. But life’s a handwired valve combo from JMI, and the Fractal
not all whammy bar madness because we’ve also got Audio FX system plus a fabulous power amp from
the latest in traditional electrics from Collings - the Matrix. Blackstar is represented with a 100 Watt valve
master of classic guitar building skills. Speaking of head and for all you iPhone fans there’s a look at the
masters, Grover Jackson is back with the GJ2 project iRiff Port.
and we’ve got his flagship model on test. Add a Jerry
Donahue signature from Fret-King, plus another Is there something you’d like to see the iGuitar team
newcomer in Yamaha’s red hot Pacifica series and review?. Why not email and tell us what you’d like us
we think that’s a strong line-up - especially with to look at? Just email gary@iguitarmag.com
the addition of an exclusive demo of Musicman’s
astonishing Game Changer pickup switching system!
P118 Collings SoCo 16 LC P124 EVH 5150 MK III P128 Wolfgang Guitars P140 Yamaha Pacifica P146 Two-Rock Exo 15 P150 Matrix GT1000FX P154 Fret King Black Label
PAC510V Power Amp Jerry Donahue
P158 GJ2 Arete 5 Star P162 JMI 10 P166 Fractal Audio AXE FX P170 Ernie Ball Musicman P176 Peavey Butcher 100w P180 PocketLabWorks P182 Blackstar Series One
II Reflex Game Changer Head iRiffport 104 6L6 100watt Head

REVIEWS_GUITAR REVIEW
Collings SoCo16LC
Within seconds of strumming
It may be the prettiest guitar we’ve ever reviewed, but how does the Collings a few chords acoustically, I
could immediately tell it was
SoCo 16LC play and sound? Who do we know who really appreciates fine, grown- great, which is a top tip for
up guitars? Time for Michael Casswell! any of you guys when buying
an electric guitar. Play the
Back in issue five I had the pleasure of is so traditional, and, some say, so important thing first unamplified. If a
playing, and giving my thoughts on, the to the eventual tone of a properly made guitar rings, resonates, and
Collings I-35. I loved it. It was as good as guitar. I don’t know what the burst finish is acoustically has a large sound,
guitar production gets. To be honest, it was called but I call it a fireburst. More orange then when you plug it in, even
the only Collings electric guitar I’d played, than a cherry burst but darker than a lemon if the pickups are average, chances
but I have played enough guitars in my time, burst. In my books, that’s a ‘fireburst’. The are the guitar will sound fab. And
and personally own quite a few vintage and beautiful laminated flame maple wasn’t just the pickups on this SoCo certainly
modern high-end guitars, to know when a on the top. It carried on round the back and are not average! In fact they are Lollar
guitar isn’t just good, but when it’s extremely sides, making this an all maple semi-hollow Imperials Alnico humbuckers. They
good - and the I-35 was indeed extremely body, with a solid maple centre block, cream are voiced perfectly for a semi-hollow
good. Which gave this SoCo 16LC a lot to binding, and a subtle arch to the top and body like this, giving very articulate,
live up to. the back. Quite a slim depth to it, maybe a sweet sounding humbucking tones
bit slimmer than a Les Paul, but the visuals that I have only really encountered
The name SoCo is named after “South exudes class, and it is a very ‘grown up’ on genuine ‘59 Les Pauls. Yes,
Congress Avenue” which is in Austin Texas. looking guitar indeed. really. This guitar could handle
A colourful, happening place apparently,
many styles - probably more
and the home of Bill Collings and his team. For wood fetishists (he means me – Ed.) the
than the average player could
Maybe an English guitar builder could make SoCo is made from Collings’ own maple
play! The Lollar pick ups just
a guitar and call it the “North Circular”? No, laminate, as was the I-35. Not satisfied
sound great with the semi-
it doesn’t work, does it? Somehow the USA with the quality of what he could buy,
hollow body, and the maple,
always seems so much cooler. Bill Collings apparently just decided to
which is a bright but sweet
make his own laminates. That’s the kind of
As I lifted the lid, the look and finish of sounding wood. The SoCo
company you are dealing with here. The
the guitar really made an impact, to the would easily be at home
traditional set neck is mahogany with a
point where both myself and the camera playing warm Jazz, rooty
rosewood fingerboard and the hardware is
guys just stopped and took a moment to Blues, Funk and Country.
of a matching quality throughout, from the
simply admire the thing in its case. One of The bridge pick up is wound
custom engraved Gotoh machine heads to
the spotlights happened to be in the right and voiced specifically for this
the TonePros bridge. I know I keep saying it
position to illuminate the colour and the guitar and even the volume pots
but it can’t be said too often - this is as good
flame maple top. Very pretty, very cool and are graded and tailored by their
as it gets.
glowing from the nitrocellulose finish which value, to achieve the optimum tone
from each individual instrument.
STAR RATING CHECK THE SPEC

Collings SoCo16LC Review

At volume, with a good valve amp, the volume pots will act as tone and gain
control, because they tell the Lollars to be darker, brighter, sweeter or dirtier
as you turn them up and down. Work the tone pots as well, and you have a
whole range of possibilities for great humbucking sound. A technique often
overlooked by less experienced players.
The frets and neck were fantastic. Some of the best fretwork and nicest feeling
frets I have played in a long time. The neck has a nice played-in feel with some
rounded edges, which gives the feel of a neck that has done thousands of gigs
over many years, but on a brand new guitar. The actual neck feels quite old
school in size. Not small, but not too big and with a nice C-shape that fills
your palm. The whole thing reminded me of my James Tyler neck which I
love, but I’m not one of those players that has to have a certain size neck. I just
pick up and play. But this neck suits this guitar and feels fantastic. The strings
feel like 10’s or 11’s, so I opted to demo the guitar with a bit of smooooooth
Jazzzzz, mainly because I wanted to try and appear as cool as this guitar is! I
tried...I failed!
The SoCo 16LC works on all levels. The whole thing works in harmony.
The wood is chosen specifically for the sonic imprint it makes. The pickups are
wound and voiced to work with the wood. The pots are chosen for the pick
ups. The semi-hollow chambers add a lovely warmth and grain to the overall
amplified sound. All the components works as one, such is the quality and care
put into this guitar. Collings only produces three or four guitars a day, when
the more money driven companies churn out 50,60,70 guitars per day. That’s
the difference. That’s what you are paying for when you buy a guitar like this.
If your playing deserves the best, and you can afford it, then you should
definitely try this Collings. It comes in quite a range of finishes and you can
even have a Bigsby factory-fitted if you choose. Even more troubling is that the
16LC has a big brother - the outrageously beautiful DeLuxe model, which oozes
even more quality. If you go to the Collings website you’ll see a Deluxe version
in quilted maple, but be careful - you may suddenly find yourself compelled to
mortgage your house and buy one. Our Editor says it’s possibly the best-looking
guitar he’s seen in a decade and editors are never wrong, are they?

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
The EVH 5150 MK III

Eddie Van Halen doesn’t just have a signature guitar - as befits one of the world’s
most influential guitarists, he has an entire brand all to himself called, of course,
EVH! In his quest for the perfect Eddie sound, Jamie Humphries assess the
mighty three-channel EVH 100 Watt head.
Eddie Van Halen has long been renowned the design team at EVH Gear have thought
for his exquisite Rock tone. From the early of everything because as well as having the
days of Van Halen 1, with his hot rodded regular handle on the top of the head, the
Marshall’s running with a Variac, to his amp also features handles on both ends
more modern Soldano tones on F.U.C.K, of the head, enabling it to be carried with
to the development of the signature Peavey both hands - genius! The front of the amp
5150 100 Watt head, he has been restless in features a black powder coated grill, for both
pursuit of tone. To many Eddie followers, cosmetic reasons, exposing the valves, and
the original “block logo” 5150 was the also, importantly, for cooling. As well as
best sounding amp, with its stripped down this, the grill is decorated with black metal
features, and now hailed as a collectable EVH stripe motif, a really stunning tie-in
modern classic. But fast-forward more than to Eddie’s stripes, subtle yet stylish. The
20 years and an alliance between Fender and control’s of the amp feature the very nice and
Eddie has resulted in the launch of an entire retro ‘chicken head’ knobs.
musical instrument brand - EVH. Under
that umbrella are various versions of Eddie’s One of the first things you notice on the
new Wolfgang guitar, plus his “Frankenstein” control panel is that the power and standby
guitar, as well as 50 Watt and 100 Watt switches are located on the rear of the
versions of the new 5150 head. We borrowed amplifier, freeing up space on the front. The
the meatier model for this review. power light features a red jewel for bright
power on indication on a dark stage. The
Compared to previous version of the 5150, three channels included are Clean, Crunch
this head is packed with extra features. and Lead, but are labelled One, Two and
We were given a stunning Ivory 100 watt Three. Each channel includes gain, low, mid,
version, which features three channels, high and volume, enabling independent
eight 12AX7 preamp tubes, and four 6L6 EQ, as well as crunch and volume control
power amp tubes. The amp head is pretty of each channel. The amp doesn’t feature
big in size - nearly 30” across from left to an over all master volume, though, which
right, and pretty weighty too. That said, is quite surprising as it is good to be able
The EVH 5150 MK III Review

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
here we are able to get some very high levels

So what did we of gain and saturation! Once again, the very
well tuned EQ controls enabled me to get
think of it? It is a wide variety of tones, as you can hear.
undoubtedly a very Personally, I enjoyed the mid-range control,
as it is tuned and voiced in such a way that
well built and great achieves the Eddie “Brown Sound” perfectly.
sounding amp Eddie’s sound uses a surprising amount of
mid-range, and that band on this amp is very
sweet. Another great thing about the amp is
to balance the level of each channel and
how well it cleans up when the guitar volume
then control that globally depending on the
is backed off; a technique used by Eddie to
situation. Not having a master volume would
achieve cleaner tones.
mean that each channel would have to be
rebalanced. But then this is Eddie’s signature So what did we think of it? It is undoubtedly
amp, and like all signature equipment it’s a very well built and great sounding amp
artist specific - and who am I to argue with that is capable of producing a wide variety
Eddie’s choices? The amp does include three of modern and vintage, clean, crunch and
independent presence controls, however, saturated tones. The styling is classy, yet
which enable you to tailor the top-end captures the feel of something baring the
frequencies of the power amp. As already EVH brand. My only one question mark is
mentioned the rear of the amp houses the the lack of master volume control, which
power and standby switches, as well as the strikes me as odd. Maybe, too, it could have
effects loop and speaker outputs. done with a deep or resonance control.
Then again, this is Eddie’s choice, and when
Having got the details out of the way, I
you buy into signature gear you are buying
need to say, as we always do, best watch the
into the ideas and preferences of the player
video to get an idea of how this mighty amp
whose signature is on the front of the piece
really sounds. Suffice it to say that the clean
Wampler & Lollar

of gear. That’s something you need to bear in
tone was full and rich, and the EQ controls
mind when you are considering buying any
were very usable and effective, allowing me
signature piece of gear.
to dial in a variety of tones. Another great
application was that by pushing the gain All in all this is great amplifier. True, it is
control I was able to “crunch up” the clean at the upper end of the price scale, but if
channel, for some old school ‘60s/’70s style you compare it with other professional class
crunch; quite old Marshall like. 100 Watt tube heads it’s far from the most
expensive and in fact way below the price
Moving onto channel two, things start to
of some of the boutique equivalents. In
get a little hotter, as you might expect! This
fact, I’d go so far as to say it would be well
is the Crunch channel, but to be honest it
worth checking out if you are in the market
produces enough gain to be a Lead channel.
place for a new amplifier, even if you aren’t a
Once again, the EQ controls operate very
devoted Eddie fan.
effectively, enabling vintage/modern Rock
tones, to Blues and scooped hard Rock
sounds. Now we kick in channel three, and

EVH Wolfgang
EVH Wolfgang Guitars Special
Eddie Van Halen doesn’t just have a signature guitar - as befits one of the world’s
most influential guitarists, he has an entire brand all to himself called, of course,
EVH! We couldn’t let our Van Halen special pass by without looking in some detail
at the latest incarnations of Eddie’s own Wolfgang guitars - these days made in
close association with Fender. Jamie Humphries got the gig. It’s a tough life, but
someone has to do it!
Eddie has always set trends with his guitars, Eddie rigorously and brutally road tested
from his home constructed “Frankenstein”, various prototypes of the new Wolfgangs.
featuring his signature striped finish, single He would have new prototypes brought out
humbucker and Floyd Rose vibrato system, on tour and if you look at pictures from
to his “Hockey Stick” headstock Kramer the tour you can see different ones with the
guitars from the mid-80s. prototype numbers sprayed on the front.
The original “Wolfgang” style guitar - or The story goes that the guitars were pushed
at least where the body design started - to the max - beaten and broken and parts
was with the Ernie Ball Musicman EVH replaced until they didn’t break and could
signature guitar that Eddie co-designed stand up to the torture and stress that Eddie
and used exclusively from the late 80’s to puts his guitars through - and that’s not to
mid 90’s. Following his departure from mention the ability to produce exquisite
Musicman, Eddie turned next to Peavey to tone!
produce his “Wolfgang” guitar. The version
was similar in many respects, but featured All of which bodes well for the guitars we
a slightly extended top horn. Then, after were sent to review by Fender UK: the USA-
Eddie ended his agreement with Peavey, he built “carved top” Wolfgang, the USA-built
turned to Fender for a limited run of Charvel “set neck” USA Custom, and the Japanese-
guitars featuring various striped finishes built “Flat top” Special. Sadly, all of the
marking different eras in Eddie’s career. This models sent to us were hard tail versions, and
relationship proved fruitful and Eddie next seeing as Eddie is renowned for his whammy
set-up his own EVH brand under the Fender bar skills I have to say it would have been
banner, and during the highly successful nice to have tried out the EVH version of the
2007-2008 US tour, the band once more Floyd. Still, saying that, I was lucky enough
reunited with David Lee Roth, plus the to be able to test and compare all three of the
addition of Wolfgang Van Halen on bass, models, which was quite a treat!

EVH Wolfgang Special

The first guitar up for ‘the treatment’ was a wheel for easy adjustment of the truss rod, In use, the guitar is very well
the Japanese-built Wolfgang Special. This something all the EVH guitars share. balanced and sat perfectly on my
instrument boasts many of the features of its knee or on the strap, without the
bigger USA brother, but at a more affordable Now for the body and controls, where neck heading towards the floor. The
price. The guitar features the familiar we have two zebra stripe EVH Wolfgang body shape is also very comfortable,
Wolfgang style body shape, although in this humbucking pickups. There is a single and the neck joint allows access to
version comes with a flat top. The wood is volume and tone arrangement that uses low the higher frets. The controls feel
basswood, with a maple veneer top. The neck friction pots for a very smooth action, with great, the low friction volume is a
features the same compound radius as the MXR style knobs. One the top horn we great addition, although the pickup
other Wolfgang models and is made from AA have a three way selector, which works in the selector takes a little getting use to.
bird’s eye maple, with an oiled finish. The opposite way to a Les Paul, with the down The guitar produces great cleans, rich
frets are vintage style made from stainless position being the neck, and the up position crunch and warm, sustaining leads,
steel and the nut is a Floyd Rose locking the bridge, with both pickups selected when and the when the volume is backed
nut, which is quite unusual for a fixed bridge in the middle position. The bridge is a off, the guitar cleans up well. Also
guitar. Moving onto the headstock, we TonePro’s model that has fine tune adjusters, the tone control is very effective,
have EVH branded machines, plus a string to adjust the tuning if it slips slightly while and produces great pseudo wah
retainer for straight string pull, and a maple locked with the Floyd Locking nut. tone effects, when backed off
veneer. At the body end of the neck there is and both pickups engaged.
How good is it? We’ve put
all that together at the
end of this feature in a
single conclusion.
Wolfgang USA HT
STAR RATING
CHECK THE SPEC
Now let’s look at the

USA Wolfgang, which
is Eddie’s personal choice.
To my mind this is what the
Wolfgang guitar is all about.
It’s sleek, sexy and functional,
EVH Wolfgang USA HT and although the finishes are
impressive and exquisite, you won’t
mind a few battle scars over time, and
loving wear marks.

Essentially, the guitar looks pretty much the same as the Japanese version, although the
basswood body features a carved top this time. Our review guitar came in an attractive vintage
Wolfgang USA Custom
white, with a five-ply body binding. The neck is once again AA bird’s eye maple, with an oiled
finish and a compound radius. There are 22 stainless steel frets and at the body end of the
guitar we have the truss rod wheel for easy and quick adjustment. This guitar was also supplied STAR RATING CHECK THE SPEC
with a fixed bridge and featured a Floyd Rose locking nut plus a string retainer. The machine
heads are branded EVH tuners, so as you can see the spec is pretty close to the Japanese
version.
So to the top of the range,
set-neck Wolfgang. This
guitar boasts exquisite
styling, woods and features
and looks that, I must say,
seem to me to be anything
but Van Halen-like! In
fact it reminds me more
of the type of instrument
a rich collector would add
to his collection of Private
Stock PRS models proudly
hanging on the wall, as
opposed to the beaten-up,
stripy, cigarette burnt and
battle scared axe that we
have become to know and
love in Eddie’s hands.
The body is the same
The body shape is the Wolfgang body design, Once again this guitar sits very well, and is Wolfgang design, but is
although as I said this model has a carved very well balanced. The additional thickness made from mahogany
top, with the middle of the body where to the body makes you really feel like you are with a ½” solid maple
the pickups are situated being quite a thick holding something substantial. The tone of flame top and seven-ply
piece of wood. The trem cavity is unfinished this guitar is noticeably fuller, better sustain, body edge binding. It’s
inside, to allow the wood to breath and and a much thicker crunchy tone, and warm a thick body, with the
mature, according to Eddie. The controls are leads when the neck pickup is selected. This pickups mounted into
the same as the Japanese model; we have low guitar cleans up great with the 500k volume some seriously meaty
friction pots, a 500k volume pot and a 250k pot. When using a clean tone I was able to wood, although they are
tone pot with MXR style knobs. The pickup go from bright, spanky Country inspired in surrounds and not
switching is the same as before. The bridge is cleans to warm rich Jazz like tones. To my direct mounted. The neck
a Gotoh bridge with fine tuners. mind you can really see, feel and hear why is a vintage style set (i.e.
this is Eddie’s main squeeze, and to me this glued) neck, made from
really is a great workhorse and the flagship of mahogany, with a bound
the brand. ebony board, and custom
trapezoid fret markers.

The neck includes 22 stainless steel vintage ‘top hat’ style knobs as opposed to the
frets and it also features graphite stabilising more functional MXR style used on the
rods, and also has the now familiar EVH rest of the range.
wheel for truss rod adjustment.
Once again the guitar sits and balances
The headstock also features seven-ply perfectly, and the body feels noticeably
binding, and thanks to its angle, no string thicker than the USA Wolfgang. Plugged
retainer is required. The machine heads are in, it sounds...well... exceptional: very
conventional style with pearl buttons and thick and full, and quite different in sound
this guitar also features a standard non- to the USA Wolfgang. Cleans are rich and
locking nut, although the stop tail bridge thick and when the gain is kicked-in, the
still has fine tuners. crunch is very dark - almost Les Paul like.
This is a very big sounding guitar.
The look and styling of this guitar is
quite different to the other Wolfgangs. I couldn’t help feeling that although this
The pickups are not direct mount, with unique instrument it is to Eddie’s spec,
the EVH custom design humbuckers it doesn’t sound like you would expect
with nickel covers mounted with pickup an Eddie guitar to sound. Maybe he’s
surrounds. It also features two low friction mellowing in his old age!?
500k volume pots, and two 500k tone
pots. The knobs are the more traditional
EVH Wolfgang USA HT

Conclusion As for the custom; well it’s a stunning guitar,

but to me it isn’t a Van Halen guitar, and I
These are three great guitars and all of them say with no disrespect to Fender or EVH.
are quite distinctively different, tonally and Eddie was never about a guitar that was so
spec wise, despite sharing the EVH styling. flash looking that you would be scared to play
it, and with this finish and price this guitar
I’ll say again that it would have been nice to is up there with things like the collectable
have been sent at least one of them with a PRS models. I’ve seen pictures of Eddie
Floyd as, although the Custom only comes playing a Gibson Les Paul Gold Top with the
with a fixed bridge, the Special and USA neck humbucker pulled out, and bare wires
Wolfgang both come with Floyd Rose systems hanging out, like the Frankenstein! That’s
with a D tuner. I think any Eddie fan would what Eddie’s guitars were to me - there to be
be keen to find out how good the Floyd abused and pushed to the max. But - and it’s
sounds and feels - particularly as Eddie was
Yahama
a big but - the Custom is a fine instrument in
the pioneer of the Floyd and was possibly the its own right and for the right player could be
first person to use one! great to own, so hats-off to Eddie for pushing
That said, all of these guitars performed his brand into other territories. It is a beautiful
extremely well. The Special, although not guitar, well built and sounded killer. It is
that cheap, is cheaper than you might expect expensive, though, so not quite up there in
give its prestigious pedigree. You sacrifice the value stakes with the other two.
the thicker carved top body, which alters the If I had to pick one of the three, my choice
sound quite a bit. Then again, if money is would be the USA Wolfgang. I love this guitar.
short, it does give you the feel, styling and It’s lean, it’s mean, it barks like a rabid Rottweiler,
sound of an EVH for a slightly lower price. It’s and sings like an angel. It’s got EVH written
as well built as you would expect a Japanese all over it. It’s not cheap but it’s a professional
guitar to be and at the street price competes quality, American-made guitar which delivers
pretty well with the obvious ‘signature’ rivals. what it sets out to do in real style.

Yamaha Pacifica PAC510V

Tom Quayle was so impressed by the two Yamaha Pacificas he reviewed in iGui-
tar 9 that he went back for another - the fascinating stripped-down, single pick-
up PAC510V. Does less mean more? We think it just might.
In issue nine I had the great pleasure tuners and chrome volume and tone knobs
of checking out Yamaha’s Pacifica series complete the picture and add up to a high
PAC611 and PAC311 models and was quality, professional-level hardware package
extremely impressed with the quality, that impresses from the outset.
playability and tones on offer. For this issue I
wanted to look at the other high-end model The construction of the 510V certainly
in the range, the PAC510V, which, although lives-up to my experiences of the previous
it shares many features of its two siblings, two Pacificas. The body, neck and hardware
is really quite a different beast in some all feel very well put together with no signs
important ways. of cracks, gaps or creaking. The opaque
finish, available in a choice of five colours,
The general premise of the guitar is the is flawless and the neck finish isn’t sticky
same as the flagship 611 model in that we and feels fast in the hands. With a 13 ¾”
have an alder body, maple neck and 22 radius, the neck is comfortable for chordal
nickel fret rosewood fretboard with bolt-on playing and created no issues for bends in the
construction. The scale length (25 ½“) and higher register. Lead work is fast and precise
radius (13 ¾”) are also the same, allowing for (depending on your technique!) without
identical levels of playability and a traditional providing you with an anorexic neck profile
Strat-like feel. The main differences occur in and I’d imagine even those with smaller
the choice of hardware that Yamaha has gone hands will find this guitar very approachable.
for in the 510V. As opposed to the fixed
bridge of the 311 and 611 we have a floating The alder body isn’t overly heavy and, thanks
Wilkinson VS50-6 bridge, featuring stainless to that classic shape, is very well balanced
saddles and a vintage six-screw attachment both in a seated and standing position.
to the body. The single pickup is a Seymour The floating bridge works well for both
Duncan Trembucker P-Rails in the bridge gentle vibrato and more aggressive, modern
position, matched with a three-way switch, techniques, remaining in tune thanks to the
allowing for true humbucker, p-90 and single locking tuners and high quality saddles.
coil tones from one pickup. Grover locking

OK, so that’s the basics dealt with - now without any of the plastic tonal qualities of
things start to get really interesting! cheaper guitars - and bear in mind that this
is not an expensive instrument, particularly
An uneducated look at the 510V might lead considering the pro-quality hardware on
you to believe that it is a one-trick pony in offer.
the ‘San-Dimas’ shred style - but you’d be
wrong. The Seymour Duncan Trembucker Plugged in, we began with clean tones that
P-Rails (TBPR-1b model) is a more versatile sounded great for a bridge pickup in all
beast, only limited by the fact that there are three modes but are not really what a guitar
no neck or middle position pickups for more like this is all about. This is obviously an
tonal variations, so you are limited to bridge evolution of ‘80s style single pickup Rock
position tones only. The three-way switch and Metal guitars so we began to pile-on the
will wire the pickup coils for humbucker, gain and checked out what was on offer.
p-90 or single coil tones with no digital
fakery going on - these are real, authentic The p-rails pickups are pretty high output
sounds and give the 510V a versatility that and with the gain cranked, the pickup
belies its simplicity. screams for lead work and is supremely
chunky on riffs and chordal material. For
Unplugged, the 510V is resonant throughout a high output unit, things cleaned up very
the body and neck and exhibits a warm tone well using the volume control too, allowing
Hiwatt & Rothwell

Yamaha Pacifica PAC510V

The PAC510V
is definitely
a superb
instrument.
for authentic Blues tones with very

little loss of top-end and clarity. My
favourite setting was the p-90, having
a throaty mid-range that would cut
through in a band really well. Tonally
you’re firmly in Rock territory but
more vintage tones can be coaxed
out of the instrument with some
considered tweaking of the volume
and tone controls, especially in the
p-90 and single coil modes.
The PAC510V is definitely a superb
instrument, especially considering
its price point. There’s no denying
the tonal limitations of a single
pickup design, even with the ability
to switch between humbucker,
p-90 and single coil sounds, but
Yamaha has that covered with the
611 and 311 models. If you’re after
a great, straight-ahead Rock guitar
that really screams but you also
need a bit more versatility in your
bridge pickup tones, then the 510V
is a superb choice with pro-level
hardware at a price that won’t give
you a heart attack - but which might
seriously disturb some of Yamaha’s
competitors!

REVIEWS_AMPLIFIER REVIEW
as the usual bass, mid, treble, master volume, speaker cab outputs catering for 4, 8 and 16
and a contour control pot, which basically Ohm cabs, which covers all the possibilities.
Two-Rock Exo 15 fine tunes how up front you want the amp to
sound (a bit like a really effective presence Soundwise, all Two-Rock amps are said to
have been designed to let you hear the detail
control). Round the back, it is great to see
an effects send and return for your delays, in your guitar. They are also designed to
interact with your favourite stomp boxes
Most boutique amps look like they were designed by Rock-Ola or RCA’s radio divi- reverbs, and modulation effects. Some
boutique amp manufacturers want to keep to expand the sounds you can get from an
sion in 1938. Two-Rock’s Exo 15 looks like it fell from UFO. We asked our resident things ‘pure’ and sometimes do not include already nicely voiced amp. You don’t get bags
of fizzy gain with the Exo. What you do get
space alien, Michael Casswell, to investigate... an effects loop, which really irritates me,
because I like to have the choice of using is a nice broad crunch, or a bluesy clean,
my time-based effects where they sound that lets you create your own sonic canvas on
The ‘low wattage with a massive sound’ on the outside, and your soft squishy bits best, which is in a loop! It’s also great to see top. So if you want more gain, kick in your
concept seems to have just about taken over on the inside, making you harder to eat in favourite overdrive to push the front end, or
the amp market in the past few years. They the food chain. So it looks tough, rugged, back down the pre-amp gain for cleaner
are all doing it and it’s no bad thing, because and I guarantee you wouldn’t be able to eat tones that will take compressors well,
amps that can deliver big tones at sensible it! It’s obviously well designed and comes in and again push the front end
volumes are perfect for home practice or predominantly black, blue and our version, of the amp with a dirt
studios. Some of them are even loud enough which was sort of brown. box for more
to gig with and providing you have good gain.
monitoring and a decent sound system, the In case you don’t know of them, and
actual Wattage of an amp doesn’t really come have just heard the name, Two-Rock is a
into the equation. Californian company, formed in 1999 by
Bill Krinard and Joe Mloganoski. Both have
Two-Rock, as a brand, has been on my list decades of experience behind them with
of amps to investigate for while. Some big guitar and Hi-Fi amps (in Bill Krinard’s
names have been using them. Both John case) and in 2010, having established a rapid
Mayer and Joe Bonamassa use Two Rocks as rise to boutique guitar amp stardom, the
part of their multi-amp live rigs and those company was acquired by Premier Builders
guys get great tones, could choose to use any Guild, a particularly interesting boutique
brand of amp they wish and opt for Two- guitar and amplifier company, “comprised
Rock. So I was pleased when a Two-Rock of elite master builders supported by proven
came in for review, courtesy of our good management, marketing, and dealer service
friends at Manchester’s Toneworld, here in teams,” it says here.
the UK.
And so to the amp itself! The Exo 15 is a
It does look cool. I’m guessing it’s called 6V6, tube rectified, class AB, single channel,
‘EXO’ because it does look like it has an 15 Watt head. On the front it has the usual
exoskeleton. If you don’t know what that is, pre-amp, gain and volume, which will give
it means you have your hard protective bits you more crunch as you wind it up, as well

REVIEWS_AMPLIFIER REVIEW
This is how I generally run my Marshalls and It’s there to function as a fantastic sonic
how a lot of players do it. So although the canvas for you to stamp your own idea of
EXO 15 is single channel, all the sounds are good tone onto. It isn’t an amp that you
there if you know how to work your guitar plug-in and press a few buttons to get a
volume knob, and get the best from your pre-set killer tone - it’s an unashamedly
pedals. As for it delivering just15 Watts, professional, expensive, exceptionally well
well, in the room this amp seems loud. With made amp that would be ideal for a session
a good cab, it could probably handle more player whose work calls for versatile, classic
civilized volume gigs, but it obviously will sounds from a reliable, portable, package.
not have the headroom of larger wattage
amps. Incidentally, Two-Rock also offers a Our thanks to Toneworld for the loan of this
specially designed cab to match this head, review sample. www.toneworld.co.uk
which we didn’t get to try.
There’s no doubt this is a superbly made amp
- it’s all hand-wiring inside - and it has been
designed to do a versatile job of delivering
classic tones and to do it exceptionally well.
Two-Rock Exo 15 Review

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
Matrix GT1000FX Power Amp

After a few years in the doldrums, rack-mounted pre and power amps are start-
ing to make a comeback - especially with players using rack-mounted effects and
processing systems. UK-based Matrix are one of the brightest stars in the guitar-
friendly power amp market. But can a solid state power amp really sound like a
guitar amp? We asked Tom Quayle to test drive at GT1000FX
Independent level controls are included for each channel and a four row LED panel ensures
Made by Matrix Amplification in the UK, situation. Power options are also flexible, that you can see which mode you’re in, from the front of the unit. At only 3.7kg the weight to
and designed by Andy Hunt, the GT1000FX allowing for stereo, mono/parallel or bridged power ratio is fantastic, giving you an eminently portable package that will fit in a small rack
is a stereo, 1u rack mountable solid-state mode at 4 Ohms or above. You can also run case or hand luggage if flying. Paired with the Axe FX II preamp that we used for our video
power amp offering up to 500 Watts per mismatched loads for even greater flexibility, review, you could house both units in a 3u rack, which is easily transportable by one person.
channel The GT1000FX is designed to work giving you options such as an 2x12 cab with
To test the GT1000FX we paired it with a Fractal Audio Axe FX II modelling pre-amp and
with a wide range of guitar products, from 8 Ohm and 16 Ohm speakers in mono
used it in stereo 325 Watt mode with a pair of passive, full-range 8 Ohm wedges. The Axe
digital modellers to valve pre-amps, pre-amp mode, or a 4 Ohm cab and 16 Ohm cab in
FX II is a very high spec pre-amp with professional ins and outs and superb modelled tones
pedals, ‘slaving’ traditional amplifiers and stereo mode.
newer mini-amps with line outputs and can
power either full-range or guitar cab speaker In bridged mode, a total of 1,000 Watts is
systems. Matrix has designed a flat-response available using 8 Ohms and 650 Watts at
amplifier that essentially responds like a valve 16 Ohms. That amount of power should
amp in terms of its ‘loose, open feel’ and I suffice for even the loudest gig and it remains
have to say that I was extremely impressed pristine, with very low noise levels all the
with both the sound and performance of way up. Two internal fans keep things cool
their design. and run quietly in the background. If you’re
going to be using the unit in a studio it’s
As soon as you see the GT1000FX you worth considering that Matrix also make a
appreciate the rugged construction and high 2u version that runs so quietly that the fans
quality components both internally and are barely audible at all and sells for the same
externally. The unit is housed in a rock-solid price. The GT1000FX also features power-on
metal chassis and features high-spec combi- protection circuitry ensuring that there are
Neutrik ins and outs for XLR, Speakon no deafening pops or thuds as you switch on,
and jack cables. This flexibility allows you even at full power, and ensures the amplifier
to connect to all manner of pre-amps and is protected from loudspeaker short circuits
speakers, giving you peace of mind that and mis-wiring.
you’ll always be able to sound great in any Matrix GT1000FX Power Amp

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
so would prove a good test for the Matrix If you’re after a power amp that is built like a
technology. tank and will give you a true representation
of your beloved pre-amp set-up, without
I must admit I was blown away by both the the hassle and cost of valve based systems,
tone on offer and the feel and response of you’d be unwise to ignore the Matrix
this combination. The GT1000FX matched GT1000FX. The only hassle (if you can
the Axe FX II perfectly and in a blindfold call it that) is that you have to buy them
test I’d never have known I was using a direct from the manufacturer at www.
digital and solid-state pairing. Matrix has matrixguitaramplification.com . There are
managed to achieve a very impressive level two upsides to this, however. The first is
of dynamic response and clarity in the that somehow Matrix seems to have found a
GT1000FX whilst retaining a valve-like magic carpet shipping service because their
warmth of character and punch that never prices for international delivery are very
reveals the downsides that many feel exist reasonable and the second is that the amps
in solid-state circuitry. To have such superb themselves don’t incur extra margins for
amplification available that doesn’t over- retailers and distributors, so they seem very
colour or diminish the tone of your preamp well priced for the high quality on offer.
at this weight and price point is fantastic for
guitarists at all levels. Those not requiring The Matrix GT1000FX was a real find for
quite so much power can opt for the lower us - a great product at a great price - and we
powered and even more budget friendly are looking forward to trying more Matrix
GT800FX, which features the same high products in the future.
specs but at a lower power rating.
Rosetti &
Go To Guitars

Fret King Black Label

it ever since. It was an amusing coincidence that I was later asked to
review one - but at least I had some hard won experience with it ‘in
Jerry Donahue action’! To be clear, the natural finish guitar you see me playing at
first in the video demo is my own instrument - paid for out of my
own pocket of course!
What happens when top US Telecaster wielder Jerry Donahue gets together with As I already have one and didn’t rush to take it back for a refund (!)
top UK guitar designer Trev Wilkinson? The answer is the Fret-King Black Label JD. you can guess that I’m not going to give this a bad review.
We asked our own Country Boy, Lee Hodgson, to investigate. Only to find out he’d It’s a fabulous guitar, designed for real gigging musicians, so what
follows is more of a tour round how it performs in real life than a
beaten us to it... traditional ‘is it good or bad?’ review.
I must start by saying that I’ve never gone for a signature
The Fret-King Black Label JD is the culmination of a project between American mind- instrument before. So why the change of heart/mind? Well it’s
bending string bender Jerry Donahue and renowned British guitar guru Trev Wilkinson. simply that this is a very versatile guitar that plays well and sounds
Jerry’s objective was to somehow combine the best aspects of three of the most iconic guitars great in a wide vareity of applications. Review over? Er… Well…
in a single instrument. This has been achieved, quite successfully I can confirm, thanks to Um… OK, I wanted something different. But hang on, doesn’t
Jerry’s well-known obsession with tone, allied to Trev’s enviable know-how. The JD has the the JD claim to sound like all other guitars combined? Well, no,
honour of being the first model in Fret-King’s Black Label range - a line of guitars that would ridiculous, but what it does do is remind you of other
guitars and in a rather unique way. I’m sure Jerry, and even Trev,
wouldn’t be offended if I stated that it doesn’t sound exactly like
guitars X, Y and Z but that it gets close enough to sounds that you
may be fond of and, more importantly perhaps, that producers/
bandleaders expect; and, in a creative sense, it will surely make
you play a certain way. Imagine Steve Cropper playing
some in-the-pocket double stops and the JD will take you
developed by there. Then again, imagine Clapton or Hendrix playing
Wilkinson for one of the Blues or whatever and the JD will send you in that
the leading UK disributors, direction. Thinking along those lines, adding overdrive
JHS, and is claimed to offer or distortion is your prerogative and the JD works well in
virtually boutique quality at this respect – it’s not just a country picker’s axe! Mind you,
affordable prices. (Editor’s I can feel some hybrid-picking coming on…
note: there are several ranges of
Fret-Kings, including Black, Blue Of course you’d expect a guitar such as the JD to twang
and Green label models and the with the best of them and it sure does! The bridge pickup
concept behind them is something we are in particular has been carefully designed to produce a
going to be investigating at a later date) gutsy, sustaining sound - using a compressor helps but
is not an absolute requirement I can assure you (see
I should state for the record that even before I was asked my later comments about using a compressor with the
to review this guitar, quite independently, I had already JD.) Note that Jerry specified symmetrically staggered
bought a JD, a few months ago, and I’ve been gigging with pole pieces for the bridge pickup. Then there’s the
“special” circuit that the Trev added for the mixed
Yamaha Pacifica 611HFM pickup combination, which is a little brighter than
STAR RATING CHECK THE SPEC you’d expect and apparently exactly what Jerry wanted.

There’s also that unusual choice of pickup the ‘in between’ ‘quack’ tone (position four
in the neck position: Jerry loves a Tele-style on the five-way) is an acquired taste. To be
guitar but has always preferred the neck fair though, it does suit some songs or parts
pickup of a Strat. perfectly. Moreover, Jerry is adamant that
positions two and four of a “standard three-
The really cool – or should I say warm? pickup guitar” (he means a Strat - Ed) often
– thing about the JD is that, with the five- get lost in the mix: he knows from experience
way switch in position two (one notch that this is the case. On a professional level it’s
down from fully up according to Fret-King also good to know that using position three,
nomenclature), the guitar instantly produces i.e. both pickups combined, in phase, the
a full-bodied Jazz guitar tone! As I say on guitar operates in humbucking mode with all
the video, I really do appreciate being able the noise-rejection you’d accordingly expect.
to twang away in a Country hoe-down one Sometimes that really does matter. So why the compression ratio is set high (especially Well then, I’ve just done a couple of gigs
moment (using the bridge pickup), or a doesn’t Jerry specify humbuckers in the first with a low threshold setting) then turning the using this particular “half gauge” and I can
Duane Eddy-style low note run (using the place? If you have to ask… guitar’s volume down, even a long way, still report that things are just as you’d expect:
neck pickup, position one, whilst picking produces a quite loud, bright sound. This is there’s a little more firmness and power than
near the bridge), then quickly having to While on technical matters, I should also not a design fault. It’s merely a technical issue you get when using 9s, without losing much
deal with a Western swing-style tune that report that, what with the volume pot having that I’ve encountered myself and bothering in the way of pliability. This might appeal
needs a more rounded, less sharp sound, a treble-bleed capacitor across it - and I’m me as it does occasionally, I would simply not to you in terms of player comfort (string
and finding the JD delivers just that in an certain that it does - then you have to accept use a compressor. (I gig and record variously bending, especially behind the nut, is a
instant! Still, I have to be honest and say that that if you choose to use a compressor, and if with a modern modelling device that offers, delight!). Still, if you are working with a live
amongst other things, compression, as well drummer then I’d say 10s are the way to go.
as a valve/tube amp, which I prefer to use I’m even going to try hybrid 10-52 for some
‘pure’, although I do sometimes add studio rockier gigs that I have coming up, where a
quality FX in parallel). Still talking tone, I solid bottom end is desirable - I should add
can imagine that Jerry and Trev probably did that the .044 on the bottom of that 9.5 set
their sound designing and auditioning using a goes noticeably sharp when you hit it hard
high quality valve/tube amp, which likely has (yes, I know the physics but still…). So, tone
wonderful sustaining properties of its own. being important of course, you’ll need to
consider how hard you play and in what style
I used my JD guitar with 9’s on it for a term and band context. I’ll say it one last time: the
of teaching and it was good: it plunked and 11-58’s that I use on another Fret-King guitar
popped nicely and was easy to play. But when are extra solid and help me punch through
I gigged with it, with a live drummer (bashus the mix for sure.
extinctus), it did not project at all well. So I
changed to 10’s for the video review and used In conclusion? Having already said that I
the guitar for a few gigs soon thereafter and I bought one and I love it, I’m not going to do
can report that projection was resumed! (I use anything other than say it’s a great guitar, am
11-58 on my Fret-King Corona but I know I? So what I’ve tried to do is discuss some of
Jerry doesn’t like heavy strings). the features and aspects that you may find if/
when you buy one for yourself. Only you can
So what about a compromise? I’d never tried decide that but you’d be missing the chance of
Fret King Review a .0095 gauge set before so I was curious as to owning a fabulous, versatile, guitar at a great
how it’d work out on the JD. price if you dont try one!

GJ2 Arete 5 Star

Grover Jackson is back! The original Jackson brand having been part of the
Fender empire for some years. Grover has now struck out on his own
once more with the reassuringly professional-class GJ2 brand. But
does he still possess the magic touch? Rick Graham finds out.
We’ve had our eyes on getting a GJ2 in
for review since word reached us that Jackson
GJ2 guitars is a new brand which was back in business and it’s thanks to the sole UK
has none other than the mighty retailer, GuitarGuitar, that we were loaned the top of the
Grover Jackson at the helm. line 5 Star model, which came in a very striking thin-gloss red
Grover achieved considerable finish. It’s a guaranteed head turner!
success during the ‘80s with
his innovative designs for Our 5 Star came with a basswood body and in keeping with early Jackson
his own brands, Charvel models, as a through-neck design, which runs from the headstock right
and a little later, Jackson through to the strap pin, with solid basswood wings attached on both
guitars. His designs were sides. This is highly unusual, but stems, we were told, from a pair of
so popular that they found guitars Jackson made a few decades ago - one for himself, the other for
their way into the hands of Allan Holdsworth. Basswood is widely used as a body wood, but is unusual
some of the biggest name
players of the time including
Jeff Beck, Steve Vai, Allan
Holdsworth and Randy
Rhoads. Not a bad list, is it?
The première GJ2 model currently
in production is the ‘Arete’ and in case
you’re wondering where that name comes
from, apparently it’s a word of Greek origin
that can be translated as ‘excellence in all things’.
The Arete model comes in two forms; the 4 Star and
the 5 Star, both of which are available with a choice of
options ranging from different body woods right through to fret sizes and inlays.
A premium hard shell case in a stunning light blue colour along with a strap and a certificate
of authenticity complete the rather impressive GJ2 package.
Yamaha Pacifica 611HFM

as high output as I was expecting, they Perhaps surprisingly, we frequently come

were certainly capable of producing some across set-up issues with review guitars
stunning tones and made a formidable match but this was perfectly set-up with perfect
with the guitar’s basswood body. Words intonation. Very impressive indeed!
simply can’t do justice to the quality of this
instrument, so watch the video and hear for To sum-up, this guitar comes at quite a price
yourself how good it is! and there is some pretty stiff competition
out there among high-end brands. However,
Whether going for a more cutting Rock there’s no doubt that the GJ2 is a superb
sound with the bridge, or a smooth creamy instrument and for the right player who
lead tone with the neck pickup, the GJ2 realises you have to pay for this sort of
performed with class. The only little niggle exquisite quality, then price really isn’t the
for me was the position of the pickup issue. A top-end guitar built by a master will
selector switch. I did find it a little awkward always be expensive and what you have to do
to access at times. is decide which of them is the one for you. If
this is your style of instrument, then a GJ2
Playability wise, this guitar would be very simply has to be on your shortlist.
hard to beat and to be honest it’s not
surprising as that was a hugely important Our thanks to GuitarGuitar for the loan of
aspect of GJ’s early custom builds, especially this instrument - www.guitarguitar.co.uk
as these guitars were geared toward the
for a neck. However, despite not being Ebony is the wood of choice for the shredder.
prettily figured (which is why it is usually fingerboard which has a gorgeous ivoroid
painted) it is incredibly stable and Jackson binding and on our review model we had
said the neck on his basswood sample didn’t the beautifully designed infinity logo fret
move at all over many years. Hence the markers which is an optional extra and looks
decision to put an all-basswood model into fantastic.
production.
The headstock, although very similar the the
This Arete is fitted with dual humbuckers iconic Jackson headstock, is a classy design
as standard - GJ’s own ‘Habanaro’ pickups. and with the addition of the ebony cap and
These vintage voiced pickups are controllable the beautifully finished mother of pearl GJ2
via a three-way toggle switch. The bridge logo, again cut in-house at the GJ2 factory,
comes in the form of an all original, genuine finishing-off what is a truly stunning-looking
top-spec Floyd Rose with a locking nut. guitar.
It is worth noting that almost all of the parts Unamplified, which, for me, is always a
for the guitar are made in house at the GJ2 simple but very effective test for electric
factory in California and even that includes guitars, the Arete 5 Star sounded bright
the pickup rings and the ergonomically and responsive not to mention, extremely
designed volume and tone controls. This is resonant. It’s a very light instrument too,
anything but a ‘parts bin’ guitar and that sort thanks to the all basswood construction.
of attention to detail
Yamaha really
Pacifica shows.
611HFM GJ2 Arete 5 Star Review
Amplified, the guitar sounded even more
impressive! Even though the pickups weren’t Yamaha Pacifica 611HFM

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
JMI 10
What connects Billy Gibbons, Noel Gallagher and the Beatles? And when is a clas-
sic British valve amp a lot more than it seems? All this and more is revealed as
Rick Graham unwraps the enigmatic JMI 10.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the exclusively handbuilt in Yorkshire, available
subject of this review is missing a familiar around the world, and with the exception of
name on its grille cloth. JMI? Who are JMI? not having that famous name on the logo,
And doesn’t this look an awful lot like a Vox? are more or less what you would have played
Let me enlighten you. through if you were a young John Lennon or
George Harrison in the early 1960s - not to
JMI amplification was set up in 1997 by mention Noel Gallagher and Billy Gibbons
the team that these days owns the venerable all these many years later!
HiWatt brand. Well versed in the vintage
market, they knew there was a tremendous For this review JMI provided us with a JMI
demand for old-school effects pedals (notably 10 model, which is based on the original
of the original Vox Tonebender type, in all AC10. This amp is essentially a 10 Watt, two
its many incarnations) as well and genuine channel combo loaded with twin Celestion
hand-wired amps of the original Vox style. Vintage 10 Speakers. As you would expect
Vox, owned after many ups and downs in it is a valve/tube amp and has three bottles
a tortured business history, by Korg, had in the front: an ECF82, an EF86 and an
gone off in its own direction, so the idea was ECC83, and two EL84s in the power amp.
hatched to buy the defunct JMI brand name
and make amps that accurately replicated The control layout is nice and simple and
the original Dartford-built amps created consists of: Tone, Normal volume, Volume,
by the fabled Tom Jennings and his even Speed and Amplitude (the latter three Fawn but our pictures show it in a stunning this and bash-out opening chords to Free’s
more fabled engineer, Dick Denney. JMI controlling the vibrato channel section) as green, which is one of many custom options. Alright Now without feeling some sort of
had originally folded in 1968 but we’re not well as two inputs per channel, each of which nostalgia, even if it you weren’t around then!
going to go too deeply into the history here provides low and high impedance. These In action, the first noticeable thing is that The Vibrato channel of the amp is equally
as this is neither the time nor the place. Also, channels can be bridged, enabling you to it is very loud indeed. Don’t let the size of impressive, offering a wide variety of settings
because our editor says he doesn’t like having gain access to both channels which can then this amp put you off, it really can push some for you to explore and delivering it with
to deal with lawyers! been changed using the supplied footswitch, air. The clean sound is superb. Even at low a sonic quality just like the original it was
which is hardwired. The amp’s vinyl covering volume it is always very big and with the use inspired by.
Suffice it to say, that JMI amps are comes in a choice of two colours Black or of the tone control can take you from a very
bright jangly clean tone right through to a In short, this is a superb amplifier with
robust, thick Jazz type tone without breaking a superb sound. It is clear that JMI is a
Yamaha Pacifica 611HFM a sweat. Turn up the volume and you’ll be company that is thriving on the inspiration
STAR RATING CHECK THE SPEC hitting classic Rock territory in no time. To left behind by Dick Denney and Tom
be honest, it’s hard to crank a classic amp like Jennings and there’s no doubt that JMI

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
enthusiasts will finds lots

to revel in here. A player
wedded to the modern
style, wanting channel
gains, effects loops and
the rest could find himself
wondering what all the fuss
is about but the key is in
your ears. If pure tone is
what you are after, then this
has it in spades. There is just
no questioning the quality
of sound that the JMI 10
can produce.
George & Jensen

JMI 10

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
Fractal Audio AXE FX II

Fractal Audio’s original Axe FX modelling pre-amp and processor was so ground-
breaking that it created its own cultural following that included high-profile users
from Steve Vai to John Petrucci. It became the desirable product that everyone
unit to match a preset to a reference signal Sustain and Release) curves are included,
aspired to own. With the Axe FX II, Fractal claims to have bettered their original from a mic or recording. This allows you to allowing you to create time-based changes
design. Can they have achieved the seemingly impossible? Tom Quayle finds out. match your sound to your favourite artist, to effects or amps and parameters which
simply by playing their tone into the unit! can be mapped to a huge array of external
And loses his mind in the process...! controllers such as expression pedals,
You can basically think of the Axe FX II switches or continuous rotary controls,
If you’ve never heard of Fractal Audio and the real deal, and the G2 technology also as being a modeller hooked up to a studio including the four rotary ‘ABCD’ quick
the Axe FX pre-amp/processor then where models the entire power amp including the level FX processor, as the unit includes a controllers that are on the front panel of the
have you been over the last few years? One of tubes, transformers, choke, filter caps and whole array of superb quality effects built- unit.
the most successful product releases in recent more. This level of complexity allows for the in. Amp models and effects are arranged in
memory, the Axe FX was originally released most impressive modelled tones I have ever blocks on the edit page and can be arranged Fractal also makes a dedicated controller
in two forms: the Standard and Ultra experienced, with amp models sounding and in any order you like, with up to four called the MFC-101 (for which there is now
models. Used by many famous players, these reacting just like the real thing. signal paths at once. The level of control a dedicated input on the back of the Axe
two models have now been superseded by the on offer for each effect and amp model is FX) for direct control over all the available
new Axe FX II model, claimed to be far more The modelled cabs are all based around obscene as every parameter imaginable can parameters. In use, these modifiers allow you
powerful, with a whole new set of features Impulse Response technology (IRs) - be edited with precision and ease. This is a to create sounds that are totally unique to
and sounding better in every respect. essentially a sample of an actual cab and tweaker’s delight and it would be impossible the Axe FX and allow for a huge amount of
mic combination stored in an onboard file. to exhaust the possibilities. Effects on offer creativity, inspiring you to look for the next
The Axe FX II is basically a very high- IRs allow for far more realistic cab sounds include: Overdrive, Distortion, Fuzz, Wah, new sound.
end digital modelling pre-amp and effects that are identical to the real thing and since Whammy, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo,
unit with dual DSP chips for incredible the cab is such a huge component of any Univibe, Delay, Reverb, Harmonizer, EQ, Onboard ins and outs have been vastly
amounts of processing power. The first DSP guitar tone, getting this right is essential Compression - and this is only scratching the upgraded from the original unit, with
chip powers all of the amp modelling and for modelled tones. The Axe FX II even surface as each effect type has a large number professional-grade, balanced and digital s/
the second is dedicated to FX. Featuring allows you to create IRs of your own cab/ of sub-models on tap, to allow for even more pdif and AES in and outs. A dedicated
hundreds of new amp and cab models, the mic combinations, using the onboard Cab creative expression. In use, the effects sound headphone out (missing from the original
unit uses Fractal’s all-new G2 modelling IR capture utility. Being able to capture the incredibly pristine and realistic - this really unit) is very useful and allows for superb
technology to model pre-amp and power tone of your own cab and use it anywhere, be is as good as it gets and the sheer number of practice tones late at night. The unit can
amp tubes in impressive detail. New it studio or stage, is a fantastic addition and options on offer is mind-blowing. be used direct into a desk, soundcard or
‘Virtual Vacuum Tube’ technology creates works superbly in practice. To complement PA, into a power amp and monitors/guitar
a dynamic model of a vacuum tube for the IR capture function the Axe FX II also To add even further control, the Axe FX II cab, into the FX return of an existing amp
realism, complexity and response, matching has a Tone Matching feature, allowing the includes what Fractal calls ‘Modifiers’. These or direct into the front of a guitar amp.
modifiers are controllers that can be mapped The greater processing power even allows
to many of the parameters for amp and cab for combinations of set-ups or multiple
models or effects. Two LFO (Low Frequency configurations at the same time, allowing
STAR RATING CHECK THE SPEC Oscillators) and two ADSR (Attack, Decay, you to run a signal into your amp whilst

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
having a different configuration running to II also includes an on-board back-up utility with modifiers. The possibilities are literally No doubt this is an extremely expensive piece
your in-ear monitors on stage. This sonic and via a flash ROM, so if you lose all of your endless. The modelling is phenomenal and of kit, but to buy all of the amps, cabs and
logistical flexibility make the Axe FC II very patches mid-gig you can recover them without has reached the stage where it is almost effects to get this level of flexibility would
attractive for the gigging musician, as well as needing your computer. It would seem that impossible to tell the difference between cost an absurd amount of money, so in fact
the recording artist. Fractal truly have thought of everything! modelling and real tube amps. Just watch you certainly get what you pay for here.
the video review to hear examples of what’s With the added attraction and excitement
Onboard USB connectivity allows the Axe One of the greatest aspects of the Axe Fx II on offer. We were lucky enough to borrow of future updates from Fractal and a support
FX II to act as a soundcard with two inputs is Fractal’s dedication to firmware updates. Matrix amplification’s demo Axe FX II for network of dedicated users and developers
and four outputs, sending audio direct to The original Axe Fx was updated over 11 this review, which they use to show-off their exchanging sounds and patches, the Axe
your DAW for recording as well as the dry times during its lifetime and the Axe Fx II fine power amp to the best advantage (see Fx II might just be the most exciting guitar
signal for re-amping at a later point. MIDI has already been updated a number of times our Matrix review in this issue) and together product out there right now. Amazing -
is also sent via USB, allowing the unit to since release. I was lucky enough to get my they really do make a superb combination. congratulations Fractal!
be controlled via a DAW or by Fractal’s hands on the beta release of the latest update To have all of this power, flexibility and
impressive, free, computer-based editor – Axe for the review and the new drive pedals and control in one rack unit is insane and I am Our thanks to Matrix amplification for the
Edit. This software makes editing patches other features on offer were very impressive. seriously tempted to drop all of my other loan of their demo model and to Fractal for
even easier with a great and well thought-out gear in favour of this unit - it really is that the help.
visual interface allowing you to develop new In use the Axe FX II sounds incredible,
with easy patch editing, even at the deepest impressive! (steady-on, old boy! Ed)
sounds in a very practical way. Patches can be
saved to your hard drive for future uploading level. Creating patches from scratch is as
to the Axe Fx II, or saved from the Axe Fx to simple as selecting your amp model and
your computer for future editing. The Axe FX cab, adding effects and then getting creative
Fractal Audio AXE FX II Part 1 Fractal Audio AXE FX II Part 2

Yamaha Pacifica 611HFM

Ernie Ball Musicman Reflex

¼” jack, there is a MIDI-in that enables editing and also
pickup selection via a MIDI controller board, and also a
Game Changer USB that enables you to connect the guitar to a computer
for deep editing, using the online browser software, and
also for loading a variety of user and artist based wiring
Sterling Ball has called the Game Changer one of the biggest developments in the configurations. The guitar does take three AA batteries for
power when connecting to a computer and these cannot be
electric guitar since Leo Fender created the five-way selector switch on a Strat! recharged when the USB is plugged in.
The Game Changer could certainly change the way we look at guitar electronics.
So now that I have run through the spec of the guitar and the
Our resident Musicman expert, Jamie Humphries, is well placed to explain the controls, what exactly is a Game Changer? Well in short, the
system as he is a regular demonstrator. As Jamie is a Musicman endorser, we are idea of the Game Changer is that you can rewire the guitar in
ways that have only been possible with extreme customisation
awarding no rating on this unique iGuitar demonstration. to a guitar, including rewiring with a regular soldering iron,
and either sacrificing some of the regular pickup selections
I’ve been playing a Reflex guitar for quite Musicman guitar’s normally have very small found on a five way, or by adding an additional switch. There
sometime now, the Reflex starting life as dot inlays, but for this guitar have opted for are many guitarists who are known for their unique tones that
the 25th Anniversary Model. The Reflex is the bigger, more traditional, style dots. The were produced by their either home made or highly modified
essentially a larger bodied Axis - a single cut neck and board are maple, with a 25-1/2” guitars. Brian May is one player who springs to mind,
design which started its life back at the end scale length, and a 12” neck radius, with a with his Red Special, which is capable of various pickup
of the ‘80s, beginning of the ‘90s as the EVH satin oiled finish. The fingerboard includes configurations, either in or out of phase, courtesy
Signature model. The slightly bigger bodied 22 high profile medium width frets, which of the six switches on the guitar. Another is the
Reflex features a chambered basswood feel great for bend and vibrato. The signature original Steve Morse Telecaster, which became
body with a mahogany tone block running four and two headstock design features a the Steve Morse Musicman we looked at in
through the middle of the guitar, where the black finish, matching the body and the iGuitar Issue 9. Again, this guitar is able to
pickups and bridge are mounted. The body design of the head stock results in straight produce a variety of tones that you could not
includes a comfort cut where the picking arm string pull, meaning much more stable achieve with a regular guitar. But what if you
rests, as well as a belly cut on the back. tuning. were able to achieve these tones, plus literally
millions more with one instrument?
There are various different pickup Now on to the revolutionary stuff! At first
configurations available, as well as the piezo appear the Musicman appears to have the Basically, the regular five way switch on a guitar
acoustic bridge option. The Reflex/Game regular controls you’d expect. At the lower is what the guitar designer decided were the
Changer that I have as my demo guitar part of the body we have a volume control, most versatile sounds he wanted to make
features an HSH pickup configuration, and which when pushed acts as a save button, available and without modification those are
includes custom DiMarzio pickups. The a single tone control, which is a push pull the only choices you have when you buy
bridge is a vintage tremolo system, which and acts as bank A, when down, and bank a new guitar. What the Game Changer
comes set against the body from the factory. B when pulled up. There is also a five way does is, effectively, let you rewire and
I have mine set-up so there is a whole tone selector switch, and on the top horn we have store different wiring configurations, as
pull-up on the G string. a momentary three way toggle switch which well as the more standard configurations,
is the preset bank Z. As well as the regular and recall them on a gig/session with just
the guitar controls that I outlined in the
spec. You can wire in series, or parallel, in
and out of phase, and you can also wire from
different points of the pickup.

There are two main ways of programming By using the program it is possible to simply
the configurations, by either using the guitar click on the pickups and have them change
itself, or by running it with a computer. configuration for you, either splitting so
When programming on the guitar, you you can use individual coils, running them
simply choose a desired preset tone using in series or parallel, or simply in and out of
bank Z switch, then push and hold down the phase. The other way of using the program
volume control on the guitar until it mutes. is to use the grid, which enables you to wire
Then select either bank A or B, and then different coils, and also have them in series,
set the five way lever switch to the location parallel, and also in or out of phase, but by
where you want the sound to be, hold the using the grid you can get into much more
volume control again and the tone is saved; it intricate wiring possibilities. To really get
really is that simple. I have my guitar set-up a full understanding of this make sure you
so that bank A is as I would expect an HSH watch our demo video. Also with in the
guitar to appear on a five way, and then bank program there are libraries, where you can
B contains more custom sounds. store your own sounds, share sounds with
the online community and also load user
The other way is to use the computer sounds from the likes of Steve Lukather, John
program, which works by simply connecting Petrucci and Blues Saraceno.
the guitar to a computer with a USB cable.
Ernie Ball Musicman Reflex Game Changer

To many people the thought of all of these I realise I could be accused of bias here as
options, and connecting the guitar to a I am a Musicman endorser and product
computer may seem too much. I have also specialist, but we have consciously opted not
had people quoting the Line 6 guitar to to make this a review - more an explanation
me in conversations about Game Changer of a system by someone who knows how it
but it’s very important to realise that this is works. So, no star rating, just make up your
not a digital guitar. It is like a regular guitar own mind from the video and, of course,
that uses the computer to access countless trying one in a guitar shop! I can honestly
options, but the guitar and pickups remain say I have waited two years for this guitar.
those of a normal analogue guitar. As For my work at Lick Library and iGuitar,
regards to the learning curve, it does not this is going to be such a valuable tool for
take long to get your head around, plus being able to nail any tone I want. Also for a
with the various options of storing and gigging guitarist, or the studio musician, it’s a
programming configurations you can start very powerful addition to your guitar arsenal.
with the basics, using the guitar presets, gain I couldn’t be without one now!
an understanding of the instrument and then
work up to full blown grid programming.
Ernie Ball Musicman Reflex Game Changer

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
A solid metal footswitch is included in the Dynamically the Butcher is very responsive,
Peavey Butcher 100w Head package (good to see that! - Ed) and connects
via a very secure DIN-cable running to the
tracking pick dynamics well with no
muddiness to speak of. It’s also very easy
back of the amp with a very long cable run. to play through and compresses beautifully
Channel switching, master volume selection, at higher power amp volumes. The crunch
Peavey has carved out a great reputation for its high quality Rock and Metal effects loop on/off and channel boosts can channel is where this amp really excels, and a
be switched via the footswitch, giving you whole range of low, mid and high gain tones
amps. Does the brand new Peavey Butcher 100 tube head keep the Meridian Mas- plenty of control at the front of the stage. are on offer with a great deal of tonal shaping
ters ahead of the pack? Power chords at the ready, Tom Quayle checks it out! We did notice something that may (or may via the three band EQ, presence and punch
not) bother some users here. During channel controls. This certainly isn’t a Metal amp in
changes there seemed to be a slight lag. We the manner of the 5150 for example - the
Having produced some of the most iconic controls allowing you to match the loop went back to Peavey about this and were gain levels here are more hard Rock than
Rock and Metal amps, a new top-end Peavey to rack or pedal based effects. Next door is told that to get fully noiseless operation, hardcore, but the tones are exceptional and
head is an exciting prospect. With a healthy the footswitch in and Peavey’s microphone the company has decided to use optical can be pushed even further with a drive or
reputation for crushing tones and great emulated MSDI output for plugging the switching (Peavey isn’t alone in this) but boost pedal. As with the clean channel the
construction, I was very optimistic when I head direct into a desk for recording or live that the lag should not be bothersome and crunch tones are dynamic and responsive,
unpacked this substantial Peavey Butcher use. The MSDI tone can be dialled in for that it was possible we had a faulty sample. cleaning up very nicely by using the guitar’s
head and plugged it into our 4x12 studio bright, normal or dark settings, giving you Our suggestion would be that you try it for volume control. The punch control works
cab. control over the high frequencies in your yourself. well for dialling-in a tighter and ‘punchier’
signal. The amp can take 4, 8 or 16 Ohm low end, adding more body to smaller cabs
The Butcher is an American made tube cab configurations with dual speaker outputs The clean channel has a great deal of clean or dialling less bottom end for bigger 4x12
amp, featuring independent clean and and can be switched to half power mode (50 headroom thanks to that 100 Watt rating configurations. Using the MSDI output
crunch channels and an array of controls for Watts) using the power switch on the back. and can be dirtied-up with higher gain yields very realistic tones and makes the amp
shaping your tone, provided by five 12AX7 4, 8 and 16 Ohm cabs can be used in either settings and using the pre-gain boost switch. a viable recording solution without resorting
preamp tubes and four EL34 power tubes. power mode using a selector switch. The tones on offer ranged from sparkly and to real mics.
Each channel has independent three band tight with the treble and presence controls in
EQ controls with volume and gain with The Butcher feels very well constructed and upper positions, to darker, jazzier tones with
a global presence dial for shaping the top is reassuringly heavy, weighing in at just lots of bottom end and girth.
end frequencies. Both channels feature a under 25kg. Obviously, that’s not light but
switchable pre-gain boost for adding in more what 100 Watt valve head is? The controls
filth with the crunch channel also sporting all feel very solid and tight and the general
a 12-segment ‘punch’ control that allows finish and construction is high quality with
you to shape the low-end response to your black tolex covering the chassis and a white
taste or requirements. Two switchable master inner detail running around the Peavey
volumes allow you to dial-in your normal logo and central fascia. The faceplate is very
volume level plus a solo boost and since they clean and not cluttered with hundreds of
are post-gain you’ll just get louder without controls like a lot of modern amps. As such,
affecting your tone. the Butcher is very easy to use and learn,
making it simple to dial in tones quickly
Round the back of the amp you’ll find an and efficiently. It won’t take you months and
active effects loop with send and return months to master this beast.

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
If you play classic or modern Rock and need a great clean channel to compliment your driven
tones, then the Peavey Butcher makes for a superb choice. It’s versatile, easy to use and well
made, but above all it sounds great!
iDrum
Peavey Butcher 100w Head

REVIEWS_INTERFACE REVIEW
noise free with none of the horrendous feedback
PocketLabWorks iRiffport issues associated with similar cables that plug into
the headphones socket of the iOS device.
As Apple’s iOS software and hardware become more and more popular, compa- One thing to be aware of with any of these devices
is their compatibility with apps from the App Store.
nies are scrambling for opportunities to create products for guitarists. Pocket- The iRiffport is not compatible with all the apps
LabWorks is the latest with a guitar-specific interface for the iPad/Pod/Phone. that are available, so it’s important to check out the
compatibility list on PocketLabWorks website before
Tom Quayle checks it out... purchasing. The unit worked very well with Apple’s
Garageband app but was completely incompatible
with Amplitube for example, although that may be
PocketLabWorks’ iRiffPort is a compact audio interface
expected, as IK Multimedia make a similar product
designed to provide guitar players with a high quality
of its own.
connection to their iOS enabled device. The unit is an all
in one interface and cable design that plugs into the 30-
The ability to use amp simulators, multi-track recorders, high quality tuners and effects
pin connector at the bottom of your iPhone, iPad or iPod
processors with great sound quality in such a small, portable and elegant package is very
and then into the jack socket of your guitar, providing
attractive. If they can sort out the connector and compatibility issues then I think this would
a direct signal to the application of your choice. Also
be an irresistible buy for iOS guitarists.
provided are 3.5mm line out and headphones sockets, the
latter being located next to the input jack for your guitar
reducing the propensity for the headphones cable getting
tangled around your instrument as you play.
The iRiffPort features a solid, moulded-plastic 30-

pin connector and 6ft jack cable that feels well made
and durable. As with all cables, careful use will ensure
longevity but this certainly isn’t a cable that you’ll be able
to fix using a soldering iron. I would have preferred a
longer cable as I found myself almost pulling my beloved
iPad onto the floor if I turned left or right too far. The 30-
pin connector is also very easy to pull out by mistake and
could do with a more solid connection if it’s to be relied
upon in a performance.
Sound quality was superb, considering the diminutive size of the unit, with no noise or clicks/
pops and lots of high end frequencies present. I tested the iRiffPort using PocketLabWorks’
own amp simulator Pocket Amp 2 (purchased separately and demonstrated in the
accompanying video review) and was pleasantly surprised with some very usable tones ranging
from sparkly cleans to aggressive metal tones. All the while the sound remained pristine and
PocketLabWorks iRiffport

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
Blackstar Series One 104 6L6 100watt Head

Low power exotic tube combos may be flavour of the month - but nothing beats a stack when you’re looking to make a big
impression. Michael Casswell sets out to see if he can do just that with Blackstar’s mighty Series One 1046L6.
It’s always good to get to grips with a Blackstar In my time I have used the original Peavey Channel 2 is a good crunch channel.
product and I’ve been waiting for this one for 5150, Soldano, Boogie, Rivera and Fender It’s nice for chord work and dynamic
a while, being a player and user of mostly 6L6 amps, and I’m currently running a couple of playing via your guitar volume pot.
loaded amps. In case you are not sure what I early ‘90s 6L6 loaded Marshalls, so I sort of Push the little button in, and you get
mean by the term 6L6, I refer to my favourite know the qualities that make a good musical more gain, which thickens the mids.
sounding output valve. I do own some EL34 amp, rather than something that is loud, but Again, you can push this channel by
tube amps, but for sheer size and weight of a bit characterless. This amp is certainly loud, kicking in a comp or overdrive, which I
sound, a 6L6 powered amp does it for me. I and a lot of the character will come from you did, and it gave great response from the
have found that you really start to hear the as a player and your guitar choice. I chose amp, giving bags of sustain and tone,
difference at stage volumes. When things get my 2006 custom shop Beck Strat, loaded whilst keeping the character of my Strat.
a little louder, the British sounding EL34 with Fender noiseless pickups (not as good as
amp seems to get squashier as you turn up the old Lace Sensors) for the review, and the Channels 3 and 4 are the full-on
the volume, rather than louder, whereas, a US Blackstar certainly did kick out some great drive channels. Channel 4 takes over
6L6 loaded amp will get louder and louder, characterful tones. where Channel 3 leaves off and both
and still retain definition and clarity. It will gave a thick, fat tone, which kept the
also sound huge, and for me, huge is good! I Channel 1 is supposed to give a Marshall definition at the front of the note.
generalize, but in my experience, that’s usually Plexi-type clean, and this and Channel 2 When it comes to saturation, you need
how it goes down. I also tend to make full use have a little push switch to give an option on to hear the pick attack and the front
of effects loops, so a little definition and clarity the sound. The push switch boosted the top of the note, and all was good on both
is exactly what you want when using delays and bottom on Channel 1, and warmed it these channels. If you were going to
and reverbs. up nicely, but to me it was a little lifeless by use pedals in front of either, it would
itself. Kicking in a few pedals soon made this only be to manipulate and massage the
I did try the original Blackstar Series One channel sing and zing. A compressor worked sound. You wouldn’t need more gain,
which uses EL34’s and it’s a good sounding perfectly with this channel for some great but by backing the gain down on the
amp. It has that British grind that you splangs and chimes and a Fulltone Fulldrive 2, amp, and pushing the channel with
associate with classic Rock, and I am sure for delivered a lovely traditional Blues tone. This some choice stomp boxes, a whole
most players, it’s just what the doctor ordered, is pretty much exactly what I want from a new world opens up if you are chasing
but for me, it lacked a little of that low-end clean channel, because those in the know will a sound in your head. In effect you
‘thump’ that I look for. I knew it was just either use a little compression, or a good loud have four channels, but two of those
down to my preference in output tubes, so I pedal, to get the best from any clean channel channels you can also tweak with
was keen to check out this 6L6 version! on any amp. those little push buttons. You get the
footswitch to take you through the four
Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Classic Wah channels.

REVIEWS_AMP REVIEW
I’m glad the amp has a series effects loop, For me, personally, Blackstar has really got it
because I use volume and expression pedals live, right this time. As the range has grown they’ve
and to do this, I need a series loop. Just for fun, produced an amp for just about everyone and
I stuck a cheap Boss reverb in the loop and left it seems they have finally made the perfect
it on for the whole demo. Reverb is best when amp for me. If you were someone who wasn’t
it’s felt rather than heard, and I think it added quite sure about the EL34 powered version,
to the overall vibe well. There’s the usual +4/-10 try this. It’s excellent. I may have to buy one!
level setting to accommodate for most units,
and it all was just how I want it.
Added to all this, you also get a great speaker
emulated output, MIDI switching, a
resonance control, dynamic power reduction
(DPR), and two ‘Infinite Shape Feature’ pots
(ISF), which basically means you can take it
anywhere from 100watts down to 10watts,
or make sound a little more ‘British’ or
‘American’, as Blackstar puts it.
Social Networking
Blackstar Series One 104 6L6 100watt Head Review

THE BASSMENT_AN INTRODUCTION
THE BASSMENT
Gallien-Krueger has become combo. Low cost gear doesn’t have
established as one of the most to be cheap and nasty (though it
significant bass amp brands - can be!) so we asked Dan to give
particularly at the high-tech end these two a serious thrashing to
of the market. Dan Veall, our see how they will stand up to the
resident dungeonmaster, has been demands of a beginner pushing
itching to get his hands on one of them as far as they can go.
G-K’s products since we opened
The Bassment and in this issue he Finally, we’re back in effects
finally got his chance with one of country again with a second pedal
the new and much-talked about from 3Leaf - this time with the
MB 800s. company’s Proton. Bass effects are
growing in importance and this is
Professional gear is all well an area we intend to keep a close
and good but it’s important to eye on in the future.
remember that beginners need
good gear too - in some ways even Remember that we’re always keen
more so as a poor product can to hear your suggestions about
put a would-be musician off for what you’d like us to look at.
life. That was why we were keen Just email your suggestions to
to sample two quite affordable editor@iguitarmag.com
Gary Cooper - Editor

products from Warwick - a
Rockbass Streamer and a 40 Watt

THE BASSMENT_PRODUCT REVIEWS
3 LEAF AUDIO PROTON ENVELOPE FILTER Dan Veall was so carried away with 3Leaf’s GR2 (reviewed in issue 9) that we gave him another
from the Seattle wonders, just to watch his little red eyes light-up with joy!
After the fun I had with 3Leaf ’s GR2 in our Tron III envelope filter famous. Mu-Tron’s a beast of a box in to a small
previous issue I’ve been given another of the beast of a pedal was another that ate up pedal case. In fact, this time it’s even
company’s envelope filters to try this time, board real estate and didn’t make life easy smaller than the GR2 Groove
but this one based on another legend of the for guitarists, as it needed its own special Regulator.
Funk world. I’m pretty sure 1970s Funk and power supply (and a suitcase to house it in!).
Soul music wouldn’t be the same without Spencer Doren of 3Leaf Audio has taken The fewer controls of the
this characteristic sound. A bit of Bootsy the design of the Mu-Tron and in his view Proton in comparison to the
anyone? Stevie Wonder and Jerry Garcia, improved it, as well as treated it to a serious GR2 certainly does not mean
amongst others, also helped make the Mu- diet. Once again, he has managed to squeeze there is any less flexibility in
terms of available sounds,
though. In fact, the Proton,
like the GR2, is packed with
useful and epically funky
sounds!
I feel the sign of a great
boutique pedal designer is to
know what features are needed
and useful while not ‘over-
cooking’ things unnecessarily
with too many bells and
whistles. This could also be
said about great amplifier
manufacturers. Cluttered knob
layouts lead to confusion.
Most bass players like to
keep things relatively simple,
I think, and for that reason
the Proton will be welcomed
with open wallets - simplicity,
GR2 Envelope Filter Review ease of use and overall great
sounds!
Like the GR2, the top left
control is the ‘sensitivity’ but
on this model it is labelled
STAR RATING CHECK THE SPEC Gain instead. I think I

Madison Fith &

before can mean that the dynamic effect is
subdued.)
Having both of
these pedals in at Three switches below the two knobs include:
Range, which controls the frequency range
the same time for of the filter sweep – great for using with
review was pretty
Max axe
either bass or guitar, you can switch to
exciting and I am the range that has the strongest effect or
pleased to report indeed, whichever you prefer! Moving on
that they delivered to the range switch, which again, like the
signature funky GR2, toggles between a band pass mode
tones that focuses the effect more aggressively
in a specific region but loses low end. Or
there is the low pass mode that allows low
frequencies through the pedal as well so that
prefer that as a name as it is controlling the the signal remains full. There’s nothing worse
level in to the filter circuit. Too low a level than disappearing from a mix, swallowed up
and the filter won’t affect the signal. The by the volume of other instruments when
Proton doesn’t have the attack and decay your low end disappears! The last switch on
controls of the Groove Regulator, however the front panel reverses the direction of the
adjusting the Gain control does affect those sweep effect. 3Leaf Audio suggests raising the
functions as you advance the knob clockwise. gain control a little to make the effect more
Experimentation is needed to find that point pronounced.
on the dial that nails the sound you are after.
Again, like the GR2, switching to a bass with Having both of these pedals in at the same
a different output level may mean that you’ll time for review was pretty exciting and I am
need to readjust this control. pleased to report that they delivered signature
funky tones. It was easy to get great sounds
To the right hand side is the Peak knob - this and I feel that even a novice to envelope
could be described as the effect resonance, filters would be grooving very quickly with
or the ‘depth’ of the effect. I found that either of these models.
lower settings were subtle and much higher
settings delivered an effect that would cut Which one is for you? Well watch the video
through any band mix. In some cases a few here and check-out iGuitar 9 to hear the GR2!
ear drums too! I’m sure this would have To me, both are fine boutique pedals and
sounded fantastic daisy-chained with a which you choose will depend on your ears!
distortion pedal connected after it (placing
a distortion pedal after a pedal that relies on
signal dynamics instead of before will ensure
Our thanks to Bass Direct for the loan
TO ADVERTISE
a stronger effect from the dynamic pedal.
of this product. www.bassdirect.co.uk
Distortion pedals compress the dynamic
range on higher gain settings so if placed
CONTACT: Helen - UK AND EUROPE. helen@iguitarmag.com Lisa - USA. lisaspiteri@iguitarmag.com

WARWICK BC40 COMBO Life isn’t all about 1000 Watt Class D heads - even for Dan Veall! We opened the Bassment door,
chucked a Warwick 40 Watt combo into his lair and waited for the howls of outrage....
Germany’s Warwick is not only well known ‘modelling amplifier’ variety, while the kids
for its wide range of basses but also for on bass usually have a combo between 30-60
powerful and flexible amplification. In Watts. So this amplifier, or its larger brother,
both markets it covers everything from would fit the bill nicely.
professional to beginner level products and
in this issue we are looking at one of a range The front panel layout of the BC40 is
of current Warwick combos that are designed simple, straightforward and uncluttered.
specifically for the needs of either those The controls are functional and ideal for
looking to buy their first amplifier, or a home those who wish to just plug-in and get a
practice amplifier. Indeed, Warwick markets good sound with the minimum amount of
this range of combos to include teachers fuss. Warwick makes a point of advertising
needing dual inputs to share with students that the BC combos have been designed to
and make use of the additional MP3 audio achieve the best sound possible, employing
input, as well as for ‘backstage warm up/ the use of ‘A Class’ preamp topology
tune up’ amplification - so they are quite for a pure signal path and a power stage
clear about their intended buyers. that doesn’t use a fan for cooling, so that
background noise is kept to a minimum. The
The combos in this specification range power amplifier module and its heatsink can
include the BC20, BC40 and larger BC80. actually be seen behind the bass port on the
If you need a bigger or more powerful front of the cabinet. Cooling of the amplifier
combo with more features, then there are is aided by the flow of air through the port
two additional models in the BC range: the as the speaker moves back and forth. For an
BC150 that features a 150W amplifier and amplifier of this low power, this method is
an effects loop (like the BC80) and auxiliary sufficient to keep things cool and running
level control and the even larger BC300. safely.
Warwick’s BC40 is a step up from the baby Tonally, the 10” Warwick bass speaker and 2”
of the pack, the 20 Watt BC20, and would tweeter translate the tone of your instrument
do nicely for beginners who are starting amicably and the addition of the port at the
to play with other musicians, who need bottom of the cabinet adds to an amount of
a reasonably priced combo to get started low end girth as the amplifier is turned up.
with. I myself teach a local Rock school and Moderate volume was easily attainable and we
have found that guitar amplifiers purchased found no reason to criticise the combo at all.
by the students are usually of the 30 Watt It gets the job done and well.

A curious inclusion at first look on the There are a few more features on board the
BC20, BC40 and BC80 is the use of a ‘figure BC40 that help it stand-out in comparison
of eight’ power plug and socket on the rear of to some other combos in the same product
the combo (in the UK - this may be different bracket. For example, it boasts a ‘dynamic
elsewhere). I’d expected to see a more usual limiter’ that is said to be an improvement
IEC connector on the rear, or indeed a over standard amplifier limiting devices,
‘hard wired cable’ at this price. Warwick has because it actually senses when the amplifier
a point though: a lot of consumer goods is being pushed into distortion, instead
don’t need an earth wire (or earth pin on the of setting a nominal threshold level for a
plug) due to the way that they are insulated. standard type limiter to kick-in. Warwick
Warwick has taken this method and brought advertises this as meaning that this 40 Watt
it to these three combos. A positive side combo can be louder than an equivalent
effect of this is that with no earth wire competitor unit. We were unable to test this
plugging in to the mains outlet, there is less in the studio, but can certainly confirm that
chance of noisy ‘earth loops’ and other mains it seemed to deliver a pretty good volume for
borne noise being picked up by the combo. such a small cabinet and power rating.
Clever thinking. It does mean though, you’ll
need to make sure you don’t lose the cable - Finally, we were pleased to see two very
you might not find another laying about at a handy connections for rehearsal, practice and
rehearsal space! learning: the inclusion of an MP3/CD input
and headphone output.
Both are stereo, making silent practice a joy I like the sloped front of the tough metal
as you’ll be able to mix your bass sound into grill, which is very pleasing to the eye. Check
stereo headphones. out the full specification to go with this
review and enjoy the sounds in the video.
The BC40 doesn’t feature all the bells and
whistles of a modern modelling combo, nor In summation, this is a great little combo
is it pretending to be some boutique ‘must from Warwick, playing to strengths of
have’ valve amplifier. It is however dead easy simplicity and tone. Looking around at the
Warwick BC40 Combo to use and presents you with exactly what obvious competition, it seems reasonably
you want to hear: unadulterated bass tone priced, too.
that sounds full and clear. It’s brilliant for
those who don’t need lots of effects and for
those who just want to ‘plug and play’.

THE BASSMENT_BASS REVIEWS
WARWICK ROCKBASS STREAMER LX 4

Warwick is one of the giants of bass. Dan Veall checks out an affordable entry
to this prestigious brand.
Warwick has been massive in the bass world This Streamer version, delivers the LX in a fretless version, you’ll get a tiger-stripe ebony
for many years and continues to deliver more affordable package. fingerboard thrown in to the deal too.
quality goods consistently to the professional
and beginner markets alike. Back in 1982, The bolt on maple neck with ‘Ekanga’ On board is a set of passive MEC
company founder Hans-Peter Wilfer had veneers has a nice comfortable rounded ‘Dynamic Correction’ pick ups.
a vision to create premium instruments feel to it. The veneers make for a tasty ‘pin Despite a lack of information as to
offering exotic tonewoods as well as new stripe’ look down the back of the satin feel what the ‘dynamic correction’ feature
twists on classic construction. Warwick neck. Err.. ‘Ekanga’ Dan? - Well, after a little actually is, I can tell you that the tone
basses blend ergonomic designs with eye research I find that this ‘wood’ is man made of the instrument for the price bracket
catching and instantly identifiable body and mainly composed of reclaimed wood is actually rather pleasing, as you will
outlines. fibre. As I understand it, Warwick is a very hear in the review video. The Volume,
‘green’ company and reuses left-over wood as Pan, Treble and Bass controls have a
Oh, and identifiable they are - not just in much as possible. This reclaimed product is smooth sweep to them and we found very
looks but tonal character too. Warwick reformed for use in new instruments and is usable tones available from both pickups
attracts major artists for this reason. You called Ekanga. So there you have it! with the help of the active preamp providing
only have to look at the impressive list of the boost and cut EQ. Having said that,
endorsees - Jack Bruce, Stuart Zender, T.M. I’d say that it had a fairly ‘quick’ profile although it’s a very usable sound, it isn’t the
Stevens, Jonas Hellborg, Adam Clayton, - certainly not a chunky classic P-Bass same as you would expect from a premium
Robert Trujillo, Bootsy Collins and Steve handful. Very comfortable in fact. I love Warwick - then again, what would you
Bailey to name just a handful. the glossy black finish - it looks ultra sleek expect at this price? This is no criticism,
and modern, though it was easy to spot that more an observation.
Not content with providing professional- this finish was part of a cheaper instrument.
class instruments, Warwick has gone on to It wasn’t a smooth as it could have been Round the back of the RockBass,
introduce a number of additional product in places. If black isn’t your bag though, I was very pleased to see that the
lines, such as its RockBass budget range Warwick makes four, five and left hand compartment lid could be removed
of which the subject of this review, the models as well as a fretless model available with nothing more than bare
Streamer LX. in metallic red and metallic blue high-gloss fingers. No tools here. - It’s actually
finishes too. There are no fretless left hand a patented design by Warwick
The premium LX model appeared in versions. The 24 frets are nicely finished on and is very handy, especially for
Warwick’s arsenal in 1996 and has been a the rosewood fingerboard. If you go for the those who have needed to change
favourite amongst Warwick bass players. a battery five minutes before
performing and find all their tools
are packed away in their car/truck, or
backstage! Interestingly, I was talking
STAR RATING CHECK THE SPEC to a good friend of mine yesterday

THE BASSMENT_BASS REVIEWS
I have to say that genuinely, this a a good little bass for the money and shouldn’t be cast
aside from your shopping list if you are looking for a starter instrument or a cheap back up.
who owns a ‘boutique’ bass. He was players spend a lot of time looking for the long life from the bridge pieces
genuinely annoyed to find that the battery perfect action and neck relief combination and Warwick tuners. Finally
compartment was secured with four Allen for our instruments but the nut seldom gets looking at the hardware,
key bolts! I feel your pain Hugh, I really do! touched. Adjustment is a one-way journey. Warwick fits its own strap locks
If you have to file the nut, you can’t return to RockBass instruments too.
The hardware onboard the ‘carolena’ wood it back to it’s original ‘setting’ unless you You’re unlikely to see this on
(also a recycled product, we suspect) bodied replace it. With the Just-A-Nut, it’s easy to other budget instruments and
bass is of a good quality. It’s great to see the lift the height or lower it for optimal playing it’s a very welcome addition.
Just-A-Nut III nut too - something that position. In tandem with the nice, chunky
has been in place on Rockbass instruments two-part Warwick bridge that is a mainstay Playability of the instrument
since 2008. I’d actually like to see adjustable of their instruments, string changes and is good across the whole of the
nut heights on premium basses. We as bass adjustments are a breeze. I’d expect to see a neck, though I have to say I’d
have personally liked to have
seen the action on this example
lower. As I mentioned in my
video, I’ve played other models
from the RockBass line that
had a great low action, so I
expect the set-up here isn’t
typical. Tonally there’s a good
strong definition to individual
notes acoustically on the
instrument’s 34” scale length.
I have to say that genuinely,
this a a good little bass for the
money and shouldn’t be cast
aside from your shopping list
if you are looking for a starter
instrument or a cheap back
up. I’m very lucky in that all
the basses that have made it to
review have all been good ones
Warwick Rockbass Streamer LX 4 and this I think this would be
a sensible choice for the budget
conscious among us.

THE BASSMENT_BASS AMP & CAB REVIEWS
GALLIEN KRUEGER MB800 As the race to make the loudest and the lightest bass amp shows no sign of abating, US maker
Gallien-Krueger makes a bid for the ‘best in class’ award. Dan Veall looks very thoughtful...
The last couple of years have seen a real step Since hearing via the ‘bass playing grapevine’ blue when it is all ready to go. Similarly the Soundwise, those who have already had
up in the output power of bass amplifiers. rumours that a higher power version of the mute switch has a ring round it that glows an opportunity to try this amplifier have
They seem to be getting smaller and smaller Gallien-Krueger MB500 was on the cards, red when engaged and should you clip the suggested it is unmistakeably G-K in
too. Recently we have reviewed the TC I’ve been waiting rather patiently to get my input with a signal that is too hot, the ring character. It is punchy in the bottom end
Electronic RH750 and the Ampeg PF350 grubby paws on one. Like many iGuitar around the pad switch flickers red too. But with a great clarity that is a little forward
(that is also available in a 500 Watt version) readers, I am very much a musician with there’s more on the front panel: the MB800 without being harsh, they say. I’ve played
and enjoyed looking at the Randy Jackson those ‘gear buying needs’ and have read many includes a foot switchable channel function through a few G-K heads in my time and I
TTE500 from Markbass, yet another a comment online, comparing this new head (a simple but very sturdy metal foot switch am inclined to agree with that, but there’s
company which also brings lightweight and to the others I have mentioned above. The with integral LED indicator is included something about the MB800 that feels
powerful amplification to the table. Amongst MB800 promises much, so it was with a in the box for the amplifier along with a more energetic than the other MB heads
the well known manufacturers showing certain amount of excitement that I finally standard instrument lead for connecting the I’ve tried. The mid-frequencies are great too.
off new kit at this year’s NAMM show in hauled one down the stairs into the Bassment two.) On the front panel of the head are two It has a lot of power on tap which almost
Anaheim was Genz-Benz with its updated for what we like to call...a good once over’. gain controls and a separate level control seemed to burst out of the test cab we were
Shuttle and Streamliner heads, boasting huge for the second ‘channel’. When the second using. This head does include a completely
D class amplifiers in gigbag sized cases. And For someone who has a certain penchant for channel is selected, the blue lit ring on the different preamp in comparison to other MB
then there was Gallien-Krueger’s latest - the coloured lights, even switching this amplifier channel A gain knob changes over to the heads though, featuring an all FET design
MB800. on is a joy. On pushing in the power switch, Gain B knob providing visual notification for a ‘valve-like’ feel. To over-simplify, ‘Field
the outer ring changes from a red light to of the channel change. Incidentally, without Effect Transistor’ circuits can be configured
a foot switch, channel changes are made by in such a way that they have a similar effect
pushing the gain A or gain B buttons in. on signals to valve circuits, which is pleasing
STAR RATING FOR BOTH CHECK THE SPEC to the ear and the MB800 sounded great

THE BASSMENT_BASS AMP & CAB REVIEWS
slap sound. Yes, I am really pleased to say a line-out or headphone connection.

that this amplifier is able to produce a wide A ‘mode’ switch next to it allows you to
range of usable sounds, with very little choose between the two modes of operation.
tweaking. I find that some amplifiers either There is also a D.I. output.Once again take a
have an inherent tone that you just can’t get look at the technical specs for this amplifier.
rid of, or the EQ section makes it difficult It’s great to see so many cool features in a
to dial in the sound you want easily. Not head that will slide nicely in to a 1u rack
so with the MB800. I’d have been happy space or gig bag and weigh just over 2Kg and
leaving all controls at 12 o’clock. be powerful enough for pretty much any gig.
The tone of this amp is great, the price is
Around the back, G-K has managed to very fair. In fact I think we have just found a
cram in even more usable functionality. Two new review favourite. This is just a brilliant,
Speakon connectors and the IEC power brilliant amplifier!
socket at either end of the shell flank the
foot switch socket, effects loop and tuner out
socket (for silent tuning). As if that wasn’t
enough, there is a socket that can be used as
Gallien Krueger MB800
when the pre-amplifiers were driven towards making use of those huge Watts in a gig
distortion. That means the ‘G-K growl’ is where you won’t hear too much of that fan
very much alive and well here when the gain noise - it will be masked by those luscious
control is pushed up! Bob Gallien obviously bass tones coming from the superb EQ
knows this tried and tested method works section!
well and has used the same ‘G.I.V.E’ (Gate-
Induced Valve Effect) design in his FET Speaking of huge Watts, the MB800 also
pre-amps for the last 30 years. I have to includes a power amplifier limiter that can
say, this amp delivers by the spadeful and is be disengaged. One of the nice things about
fast becoming my favourite ‘gig bag’ sized the functionality is that when the limiter
amplifier - and I’ve been lucky enough to is not part of the signal path, you will still
play through a lot of the current crop of get indication that the amplifier section is
favourites too. peaking. That’s good thinking on the part of
G-K, providing constant indication of the
Whilst we were recording the videos, we did amplifier’s status .
notice the sound of the two fans situated
on the side of the unit kick in with a fair Also on the front panel, as well as a
amount of gusto. You may think of it as a wonderfully usable and musical four-band
negative point, but I see fan noise as a by- EQ section, is a contour control. This allows
product of the technology used and thus I manipulation of the amplifier response, for
can easily live with it. Hopefully, you’ll be example scooping out those mid-frequencies
to make the amplifier do a brilliant modern

THE QUIET ROOM_AN INTRODUCTION
THE QUIET ROOM

We’ve a slightly truncated Quiet Room this issue, due to the non-appearance of one of our intended review subjects, but fear not: plans are afoot for more products, more tuition and more artist
interviews over the coming months! Our reviews feature a newcomer from the old world and an established brand from the new. Bob Taylor’s fabulous acoustics need absolutely no introduction. They set
a benchmark for a new style of acoustic guitar when they were first launched - instruments that players more familiar with electric guitars could easily get to grips with. Since then, Taylor has enhanced its
reputation for making not just guitars that are great to play but are among the world’s best-sounding. Ever-restless, Taylor regularly tries new ideas and we jumped at the chance to review an early sample of
the 700 series, launched earlier this year.
Almost at the other end of the recognition scale are Furch guitars, or Stonebridge as they are known in the English-speaking world. Made in the Czech Republic (a country renowned for its
traditional musical instrument making skills) Stonebridge are now quite widely available in North America and the UK as well as in continental Europe and elsewhere and promise traditional
handmade quality at production guitar prices.
Add more from those two superb musicians and teachers, Giorgio Serci and Maneli Jamal and that’s this issue of the Quiet Room - the part of iGuitar where sanity reigns!
Gary Cooper - Editor

gary@iguitarmag.com

THE QUIET ROOM_PRODUCT REVIEW
you have to be very careful where and how you store

your guitar, and an acoustic guitar neck can be very
Taylor 710 CE susceptible to temperature change, which can be
a problem for a touring musician, but Bob Taylor
has developed something called an ‘NT’ neck. This
is basically a way of completely supporting and
There’s something very traditional - almost plain - about Taylor’s new-for-2012 installing the neck to the body in such a way as to
retain complete stability and playing perfection,
700 series. But don’t be fooled by the modest looks of the 710CE. This is a killer and still make it easy to adjust. This is a brilliant
guitar, as Michael Casswell found out. innovation because even the most expensive, best-
made acoustic guitars can be easily
compromised by humidity
Bob Taylor’s company makes a bewildering Taylor stockist and try both, side by side. and temperature fluctuation.
range of acoustic and electric guitar these No neck is completely
days but they all seem to have one thing The handsome, not to say restrained and impervious to the problems
in common. I have played quite a few and traditional looks of the 710CE, come despite of travel, but there’s a
now take it for granted that they are all the use of a poly finish. Taylor stopped reason why Taylors are so
exceptional. I have never come across an using nitro finishes in the late ‘90s, saying popular among touring
average, or just OK one. it’s better for the environment to use a poly professionals, over and
finish, which, anyway, protect the guitar above the sound quality and
Having got that out of the way, they are better and makes spot repairs easier to carry renowned playability.
often very different, so when I was asked out. This may be true, but for me, you can’t
to look at one of the recently introduced beat what 20 or 30 years of playing does As for that playability, this
700 Series (a 701CE) I had no idea what to to a nitro cellulose finish. This guitar will neck is very comfortable
expect when I opened the deluxe hardshell look exactly the same as the years go by, and the set-up on our
case. Visually, it made an immediate impact, because a poly finish is much more resistant sample was perfect,
because it sported a very nice, deep vintage to scratching and temperature variation, making it easy
looking sunburst, which, when it catches which is obviously good in many many ways, to use for most
the light, glows a very attractive deep dark but my heart often rules my head when acoustic styles.The
red. It’s really quite old school, which was, it comes to guitars, and I prefer the more fretboard is ebony
apparently, what Taylor was trying to achieve labour intensive nitro cellulose path to guitar with ‘Heritage
with these dreadnought sized models. You perfection. Taylor do apply their finishes Diamond’ dot
get used to seeing so many Sitka spruce plain expertly and very thinly, so the guitar is in markers and
tops, it’s always good to see something a bit no way compromised in resonance and tone. the bridge pins
more - dare I say it? - ‘old Gibson’ looking I suppose what I’m saying is this guitar will are also ebony,
and the Engelmann spruce certainly helps look pristine for longer and for many (most?) which is a nice
there. If you want, you can choose cedar as that will be a good thing. touch. The back
an alternative and if you did you would get, of the mahogany
Taylor suggests, a warmer, slightly darker Talking of temperature variation, Taylor neck has a satin
sound, more suited to the needs of fingerstyle guitars have the most stable necks in the finish and is joined
players. My advice would be to find a good business, as far as I’m concerned. Often to the body using a
scarf joint.

The back and sides of the dreadnought body are Indian rosewood, which stay with you, and the price is competitive compared to similar high-end
you can also find as a headstock overlay and truss-rod cover. The body has guitars of this quality.
a ‘Venetian’ cutaway making access to the upper frets easy and the ivoroid
binding is another little touch of class that endows this guitar with a When it comes to sound, Taylor uses various styles of bracing, which
traditional feel. allows each series of guitar to be fine-tuned to have its own particular
voice and resonance. The 710ce has bracing that is forward shifted to
The whole thing exudes a rather restrained class and quality and, let’s allow maximum resonance, as well as something called a ‘relief rout’,
be frank, it doesn’t come cheap. Pricewise, you are looking at a serious which is a groove carved along the inside edges of the top to give extra
outlay, but this is a serious, US-made guitar, made from high quality flexibility without sacrificing structural strength. This neat innovation
tonewoods and a great pickup/pre-amp system. A guitar like this will gives extra bass and volume, but with a real balanced tone. Which is

THE QUIET ROOM_GUITAR REVIEW
Taylor 710 CE
exactly how the 710ce sounds acoustically. instruments to make sure you are buying
I would almost have to use the phrase ‘just the right one, so if this is the sort of money
right’. If you strum hard, the sound is big, you are thinking of spending, get yourself
Washburn
balanced and very detailed. If you play to a Taylor dealer and don’t be fooled by
softer, you still get that clarity but with a the 710CE’s restrained looks. Despite the
lovely sweetness to each note. It also sounds dreadnought size, it isn’t a big, boomy
fantastic when plugged in. Taylor’s on-board strummer’s guitar (though it can make a
‘Expression System’ needs little comment. powerful enough sound!) because it’s also
It’s revered for natural, rich sounds which capable of responding to more thoughtful
just how you want an amplified acoustic playing, just as well. It may seem a bit over
tone to sound. I particularly liked the simple the top to give guitars costing this sort of
volume, bottom, top, controls to fine-tune money that ‘extra half ’ making them four
it. Nice and easy and very hard to go wrong and half star reviews, but we’re in a different
with. We plugged it into the desk, added a league here, where a guitar this good, for the
little plate reverb, and instantly the sound person who can afford it, is actually good
was glorious. value for money, as well as a joy to play and
listen to.
What can I say about this fabulous guitar,
other than that I liked it very much? At
this level, you really do need to audition .

I must admit that when I was given the

Stonebridge DS-20CM to review, it
Stonebridge DS 20CM was a name I’d never heard of and I
had no idea what to expect. What a
pleasant surprise! I was handed a model
called the DS-20 and it turned out to be
Known in the English-speaking world as Stonebridge, and as Furch throughout superbly constructed instrument that really
exuded quality and tone. This was a name
Europe, the acoustic guitars made in the Czech Republic by Frantisek Furch have that I evidently need to remember and one that
been building a serious following since their launch in 1981. Now available in I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about in the future.
North America and the UK, will they be able to make themselves heard in such The DS-20 on review is constructed using solid
crowded markets? Tom Quayle finds out. mahogany for the back and sides and features a solid
cedar top. It’s important to remember that bit about
‘solid wood’ as an all-solid wood guitar of this quality
is usually going to sell for more than this Stonebridge.
Complementing those tonewoods, a rosewood
fingerboard and bridge complete a traditional look and
are matched very nicely by Schaller nickel tuners and
imitation tortoise shell pickguard and binding.
This model is at the cheaper end of the Stonebridge
range and as such has a basic but functional
look, with no abalone or mother of pearl
inlays. It’s also bereft of pre-amps or inbuilt
microphones. Instead, what you get though
is a very well made acoustic that is beautiful
in its simplicity and harks back to a simpler
era. Of course, should you want bells and
whistle they are on offer from Stonebridge
as extra cost options - and, as you’ll see in our
Tech Spec box, there’s a very wide range of
choices on offer, including left-handed models.
Our dreadnought model in the video featured

20 frets and a cutaway, allowing upper fret
access with ease. An open-pore satin finish
lets the woods vibrate and breathe naturally
and feels very comfortable in the hands. I
much prefer the feel of natural wood on
an acoustic and this is about as close as
you can get whilst retaining some kind of
protection long term. Speaking of protection,
Stonebridge includes a quality gig bag with
this model.

The first thing that hits you upon inspection of this guitar is the build quality. The chosen
woods, especially the rosewood fretboard, feature a very tight grain pattern and all body and
neck joints are flawless. The internal binding is beautifully done with no signs of excess glue or
rushed finishing. Fretwork is supremely clean and the headstock, small fingerboard inlays and
imitation tortoise binding give the guitar a very classy look. Stonebridge offers the option of a
slotted headstock that would enhance this even further.
Our review model was strung with 12-53 gauge Elixir strings and was set-up for a low to
medium action, resulting in an easy and engaging playing experience that reacted to each
note’s attack accurately and dynamically. This would be a great guitar for Bluegrass style flat-
picking, or any fingerstyle playing in fact, as notes are well projected and sound strong across
Stonebridge DS 20CM

its entire range. Strumming is well handled too,

as the dynamic range of the guitar allows for an
accurate representation of right hand technique
and makes you listen more to your attack,
resulting in a more musical performance.
Tonally, the DS-20 is very even with a tight
bottom end and bell-like upper range. The mids
are focussed and give an almost ‘Hi-Fi’ feel to the
sound of this guitar with no dead spots or weak
areas. If you need to amplify your sound fitting
a third party pickup would be very simple and
Collings
allow you to tailor the amplified tone to your
specific needs and tastes.
The acoustic market is very competitive and

offers a huge amount of choice for the consumer.
Stonebridge is certainly offering something here
that gives a value for money that better known
brands don’t always offer. The DS-20 certainly
feels and sounds like a much more expensive
guitar with many options available. You can even
order a 12-string version if you so desire. So, if
you’ve not heard of Stonebridge guitars, then
now’s your chance to check them out. If you have
heard of them and not tried them yet, then what
are you waiting for!

THE QUIET ROOM_GIORGIO SERCI
First Steps In Fingerstyle

To facilitate composers’ choosing task,
Hello there and welcome again to many road-tested melodic, harmonic and
Guitar Interactive’s Quiet Room! rhythmic templates or clichés can be used.
Some of these clichés have been used by
Having a Masters Degree in Composition I our most celebrated predecessors and, no
get asked many times about my approaches doubt, will be used for many years to come,
to composition, particularly writing for in order to generate many other magnificent
guitar, so I decided to write a short study compositions.
piece for you to learn and analyse. This will
provide a perfect opportunity to discuss a The word cliché may carry negative
few simple but effective compositional ideas, connotations as it implies a repetitive use
which hopefully will stimulate your creative of an idea, which eventually will become
self. Let’s start! unoriginal. However, in a broader sense,
ideas are often recycled simply because these
Composition can be described in a nutshell are great ideas. Furthermore, clichés are often
as the art of choosing and blending notes, seminal ingredients of a composition and
organizing these into melodies, harmonies definitely an integral part of any language,
and rhythms, with awareness of structure, including the language of music. (This
dynamics, textures and sense of direction. metaphor is incidentally another cliché!)
Just like a chef would choose the right The first cliché in this tune is the descending
ingredients for his recipes, using just the chromatic bass line, which has been used by
right amount of each, the composer will countless composers from Chopin to Led
choose scales, modes, harmonies and Zeppelin in Stairway To Heaven! Another
rhythms with different stylistic connotation. recurring idea is the use of particular
The work is more likely to be purposeful harmonic resolutions or cadences, for
the more the composer understands the example, the interrupted cadence in bar 12-
inherent quality of his chosen ingredients. In 13, and the plagal or amen cadence in bar
every art, aesthetic quality are as important 24-25. You may want to research these topics
as purpose, in other words making sure not for more inspiration and in order to expand
only the melody, harmony and rhythms your harmonic lexicon.
are satisfying but the orchestration and
the performance have to give justice to the
seminal composition, like a chef would know
how to beautifully present a dish.

Giorgio Serci Lesson
Let’s look at the meat-and-potatoes of the piece. It is in ¾, 3 beats per bar or in other words,
one accent every three beats, and it gravitates around the key of Em (G).
The picking hand pattern is as follows: p and a finger play the outer notes of each chord
implied and the i and m finger fill the gap by playing the G and B string on beat 2. This
pattern varies slightly to add variety of texture (bar 5, 13 etc), or to accommodate motivic
variations (bar 15 etc) as shown in the video and as depicted in the PDF.
Fretting hand nomenclature: i.f. = index; Bar 3: Beat 1: Open D, m.f. fret 3 of E.
m.f. = middle f: r.f. = ring f: l.f. = little f. Beat 2 open G and B.
Bar 1: Beat 1: i.f. on fret 2 of D, l.f. on fret Bar 4: Beat 1: r.f. fret 4 of A and open E.
3 of high E. Beat 2: Open G and B for held Beat 2: i.f. fret 2 of G and open B.
for 2 beats.
Bar 5: Beat 1: r.f. fret 3 of A and open E.
Bar 2: Beat 1: m.f. on fret 6 of A and l.f. fret Beat 2: fret 2 of D and open G. Beat 3: fret
7 of E. Beat 2: i.f. on fret 5 of G. r.f. on fret 1 of B and open E.
7 of B

Bar 6: Beat 1: i.f. fret 2 of A. r.f. fret 3 of B.

Beat 2: open D and G.
Bar 11: Beat 1: r.f. fret 5 of A. l.f fret 5 of D.
i.f. fret 2 of G.
If you are interested in composition, I recommend researching some of the
Bar 7: as bar 5 Bar 12: Beat 1: r.f. fret 5 of A. m.f. fret 4 of
salient harmonic ideas used in this composition such as modal interchange,
Bar 8: as bar 6
D. i.f. fret 2 of G. diatonic and diminished substitutions, inversions, extended chords etc.
Bar 13: Beat 1: i.f. on fret 2 of D, l.f. on fret
Bar 9: as bar 5 3 of high E. Beat 2 and 3: Open G and B.
Bar 10: i.f. fret 2 of A. r.f. fret 3 of B. Beat 2: Beat 3: i.f. (still in barre position) fret 5 of E. modal interchange, diatonic and diminished
Bar 14: Beat 1: m.f. fret 6 of A and l.f. fret
open D and G and fret 1 of B. Beat 3: substitutions, inversions, extended chords
7 of E. Beat 2: i.f. fret 5 of G. r.f. fret 7 of B. Bar 15: Beat 1: Open D, i.f. fret 3 of E. Beat
open B etc. Similarly, melodic ideas such as use of
2 open G and B and m.f on fret modes (N.B. Lydian mode in bars: 26 and
5 of E. Beat 3: l.f. fret 7 of E. 28) and motivic development (bar 15)
Bar 16 till bar 22: as from bar 4 I recommend playing the melody part first
till bar 10. and then the bass line independently. Next,
Bar 23: Beat 1: r.f. fret 5 of A. l.f memorise small chunks of it, ideally one bar
fret 5 of D. i.f. fret 2 of G. Beat at the time. Whether you will play this study
2 (up beat): m.f. fret 4 of D. piece on a steel strung or a nylon-strung
guitar, make sure that, both, the melody line
Bar 24: Beat 1: r.f. fret 3 of A. as well as the bass line are as sustained as
m.f. fret 2 of D and open G. possible, for a fluid outcome. Furthermore,
Beat 2 (up beat): open D. the harmony should be quieter than the
melody.
Bar 25 & 27: Beat 1: m.f. fret 3
of low E, open D, G, B. Beat 2: As recommended in the previous columns,
open D and G. Beat 3: open B focus on accuracy and consistency of tone.
and fret3 of B. Strategies to further develop include the use
of the planting technique described in the
Bar 26 & 28: Beat 1: m.f. fret previous columns, resting our fingers onto
3 of low E. i.f. fret 2 of B. Beat the chosen strings, and executing each stroke
2: i.f. fret 2 of G. Beat 3: i.f. with a controlled and even pressure and with
fret 2 of D. (Barre on 2nd fret). tonal and dynamic awareness. Each note we
play should sound as full-bodied and as good
Bar 29: m.f. fret 3 of low E.
as the previous one.
Open D and G.
I hope you will enjoy playing this study piece
Bar 30: m.f. fret 3 of low E.
and that this will give you some ideas on how
l.f. fret 4 of D. r.f. fret 3 of G.
to write your own solo guitar compositions.
i.f. fret 2 of B and E.
Till the next time, Good-bye!
If you are interested in
USEFUL LINKS_ composition, I recommend
I will be pleased to get researching some of the .
your feedback on facebook.com/giorgiosercimusic salient harmonic ideas used
or www.giorgioserci.com in this composition such as

THE QUIET ROOM_LEARN PERCUSSIVE ACOUSTIC WITH MANELI JAMAL
LEARN PERCUSSIVE
ACOUSTIC PART4 with Maneli Jamal
Before we get more into some progressive fingerstyle, it is critical to know some
fingerpicking patterns as well to apply to our vocabulary of techniques. I spent
a great amount of time focusing on getting good tone on the right hand and
experimenting with nail lengths. Right now I get my right hand fingernails
‘done’ at a nail salon. I go for the acrylic gel on top of my natural nail. They will
become hard as rock and I get them redone every month or so. If you mind the
embarrassment of going to do this you can always find a do it at home kit. Just
note that anything you put on your nails will go into your body and some people
can have allergic reactions to this method. The length of each finger is important
and depends on what kind of sound you’re going for. I have found that the best
tone for my style is using both flesh and nail to get a balanced warm tone. Too
much nail will sound sharp and no nail will sound very warm.
In the first example, we have a pretty simple progression from G, D, Em, D. The
trick in getting the “x” to sound clean is to slap the right hand thumb on the low
E string on every 3rd beat per bar. I personally use a thumbpick for this but you
can also use your bare thumb. Whenever we hit the “x” with the thumb we always
use that thumb to hit the open low E string after to sound fluid. Using the same
chords we can now use our right hand palm to accent the 3rd beat of each bar.
Example 2 is just a simplified version of this without any slaps. Combing these
ideas is an important step to making a good arrangement with dynamics.
224 iGuitar Magazine Issue 810 iGuitar

iGuitarMagazine
MagazineIssue
Issue108 225
THE QUIET ROOM_LEARN PERCUSSIVE ACOUSTIC WITH MANELI JAMAL
Example 4 now shows us how we can These are mostly maj7, min7 and dominant
incorporate a melody inside this chord 7 chords played in different inversions.
progression while keeping the same Try these fingerpicking patterns to some of
fingerpicking pattern and thumb slaps. your own progressions to see how they can
This is the root of all fingerstyle music, bass add some more musical elements to your
notes with treble notes combined to create playing.
a full harmonious sound. This is simply
one approach to this chord progression but If you’d like to hear how I use these
what happens if we fuse this style with some techniques in my own compositions you can
Jazz chords now? We can have some cool always find me on youtube.com/maneli or
phrasing here as shown in Example 6. facebook.com/manelijamalmusic.
Learn Percussive Acoustic with Maneli Jamal Lesson

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Marshall Dean

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