Guitar Player articles from April 2004

Guitar Player archives from April 2004

Noise from the editor.
April 1, 2004... Let me start by thanking all our wonderful readers a trillion times (at least) for all the great--and not so great--comments about the March 2004 redesign issue. I asked for your reviews, and you answered--big time! In fact, when the missives...

Letter of the month!
April 1, 2004... Your reviewer's comment about a Carvin amp with "a tone bigger and fatter than Rush Limbaugh" [Dec. '03] poked fun at Mr. Limbaugh as a celebrity, not as a conservative. Your publication does not have a "lefty" bias, as demonstrated by your...

John Mayer.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... Kudos for putting John Mayer on your cover [Feb. '04]! I've never been a huge John Mayer fan, nor a huge pop music fan, but I recently watched one of his concerts on television. The whole thing totally caught me by surprise. Not only is he a...

John McLaughlin.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... Kudos to GP and Barry Cleveland on catching the latest views from John McLaughlin's ultimate perspective [Feb. '04]. The coverage on his past and present guitars was choice indeed--and never have I missed my '66 Fender Mustang more than now!...

Political turmoil.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... I would like to offer a response to the gentleman who felt annoyed at the perceived slight given to Rush Limbaugh by the editors in February's feedback column. He insinuated that comments like this had no place in a music magazine and that the...

Oops!(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... In our "Industry Insider" piece on ROCKRGRL Day at the Musician's Institute [Feb. '04], we mistakenly reported Phil Burks as the president of MI. Hisatake Shibuya is the president, and Mr. Burks is a Marketing Director. We also misspelled Carla...

Cast your votes for the 2004 Guitar Player Readers' Choice Awards!
April 1, 2004... Now you can pick the gear that has thrilled and delighted you this past year. Any tool that has helped you attain the perfect tone, get you jazzed about playing again, or has astounded you with its transcendent quality and coolness is eligible...

Not even legendary guitarist are immune to the law.(News)
April 1, 2004... Not even legendary guitarist are immune to the law. New Year's Eve at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida, was the scene of the arrest of Alex Zivojinovich, a.k.a., Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. While details of what happened are conflicted and...

On a more noble note, mere days after the Kinks' Ray Davies was given Royal Honors by Queen Elizabeth II, he was shot in the leg in New Orleans.(News)
April 1, 2004... On a more noble note, mere days after the Kinks' Ray Davies was given Royal Honors by Queen Elizabeth II, he was shot in the leg in New Orleans. He and a lady friend were walking along Burgundy St., when a pair of thugs grabbed his companion's...

Passing notes.(News)
April 1, 2004... On November 15, 2003, Speedy West--who Leo Fender once described as the greatest steel guitarist in the world--passed away. He was 79. West appeared on more than 6,000 Capitol Records recordings, and worked extensively with Jimmy Bryant. He was...

Winter NAMM 2004, January 15-18.(Industry News)
April 1, 2004... After a sucky economy and a few NAMM shows where brave faces often replaced optimism, it was a gas to walk the aisles of the 2004 Anaheim convention and bask in the good feelings of an industry ready to rock. PRS, for example, launched its...

Jason Stollsteimer's emotive purity.(Songwriting)
April 1, 2004... In a less-than-rock-and-roll-world where everything is like everything else, slam dancing to a different drummer ain't the most effective way for a musician to court success. But Von Bondies frontman, Jason Stollsteimer, did it his way, and he...

Getting into a superstar's band.(The Business)
April 1, 2004... Want to land a job playing with a star singer? Well, your proverbial 15 minutes of fame may be closer than you think. All you need is 15 minutes with fame--that is, an audition with a mega act, where you prove you're one guitarist they simply...

Nadine Sez.(The Business)
April 1, 2004... The difference between a musician who makes it and one who doesn't is simple. The successful one had a plan and followed it. There is a popular misconception that planning hampers the spontaneity of creativity. Actually, making a plan is the...

Anne McCue.(Buzz)
April 1, 2004... MUSICAL STYLE Alt-rock. CHECK OUT Roll [Messenger]. GEAR '79 Gibson Les Paul Custom (with three humbuckers), Danelectro DC-3 and 12 String, Maton 300C acoustic, Morell lap steel, custom Jamison amp with built-in tremolo ("It has the...

The Walkmen.(Buzz)
April 1, 2004... MUSICAL STYLE Rock. CHECK OUT Bows and Arrows [Record Collection]. GUITARIST Paul Maroon. GEAR '57 Gretsch Streamliner, '61 Fender Jazzmaster, '65 Fender Pro Reverb, Vox Tonebender, Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb, D'Addario...

Horrorpops.(Buzz)
April 1, 2004... MUSICAL STYLE New wave rockabilly. CHECK OUT Hell Yeah! [Hellcat/Epitaph]. GUITARIST Karsten, Kim Nekroman. GEAR Karsten: Epiphone Sheraton, '70s Gibson Les Paul Custom, Marshall 30th Anniversary Series 6100 head, Marshall 4x12...

Hella.(Buzz)
April 1, 2004... MUSICAL STYLE: Modern punk jazz. CHECK OUT: The Devil Isn't Red [5RC]. GUITARIST: Spencer Seim. GEAR: Series 10 guitar ("It's an absolutely ridiculous, $100 knock-off of a Fender Telecaster, but it sounds really big and full"),...

Out now!
April 1, 2004... Out Now! is based on info from manufacturers. Coverage does not imply endorsement by Guitar Player. All prices and specs are subject to change. LEHLE The D. Loop ($270) is a fully programmable dual-effects loop switcher that lets you...

Shred.(Style Council)
April 1, 2004... There have always been shredders. No doubt that when a caveman beat on a log, there was a guy in the next cave over who did it faster and louder. Up through the ages, history has given us a proud lineage of those who shred, and those who rail...

Warp speed blues rock mojo: Joe Satriani goes back to the future of guitar music.
April 1, 2004... For a person obsessed with all things guitar, spying Joe Satriani walking his eight-month-old puppy through his neighborhood is a bit of a surreal moment, It's as if this man who can do absolutely insane things with a guitar should be absolved...

Elegant thunder: Mini Fox storms the bepop bastions.
April 1, 2004... Mimi Fox has been wowing San Francisco Bay Area audiences for years, but, as a result of nearly incessant touring and a string of stunning recordings, word of her prodigious talents has now spread across the continent and throughout the globe....

Soul man: George Benson on balancing the demands of being a pop-jazz-vocal-guitar icon.
April 1, 2004... George Benson's explosive entry onto the pop charts with Breezin' in 1976 was a blow to many worshippers of jazz guitar. At the time, few could have guessed that Benson's prowness on guitar was matched by a voice so golden that it would open...

The joy of letting go: Mr. Airplane man's Margaret Garrett channels Howlin' Wolf and awaits the magic.
April 1, 2004... Sometimes, progress sucks. Recording technology, for example, makes it possible for mere snippets of sound to be copied, rearranged, and reformed to create performances that so far outstrip reality that the results can be considered the aural...

What's spinning in the editors' heads this month.(Rants and Raves)
April 1, 2004... BARRY CLEVELAND Habib Koite & Bamada, Foly!, Live Around the World Ken Hatfield Trio, The Surerealist Table Various Artists, Exotic Strings Wes Montgomery, The Verve Jazz Sides Tabla Beat Science, Live ANDY ELLIS ...

Emmylou Harris: Elite Hotel, Pieces of the Sky, Luxury Liner, Blue Kentucky Girl, Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town.(Audio)
April 1, 2004... When your group boasts pickers like James Burton and Albert Lee, you almost have to call it the Hot Band--and that's just what Emmylou Harris did. With her bad-ass backing band--which, at different times, featured the likes of Ricky Skaggs and...

Steve Morse: Major Impacts 2.(Audio)
April 1, 2004... Like a brilliant classical composer, Steve Morse has an uncanny knack for hearing an elaborate arrangement of interlocking melodies and timbres in his head and then bringing it to life as a living, breathing piece of music. Instead of drawing...

Mike Stern: These Times.(Audio)
April 1, 2004... Fuelled by a stellar cast of accompanists, Stern's polished yet gutsy guitar playing positively burns throughout these 11 innovative compositions. Stylistic colorings as diverse as Jaco-era Weather Report, traditional Pakistani vocal music,...

Ray Flacke: Songs Without Words.(Audio)
April 1, 2004... When a hotshot electric lead guitarist decides to record an album of solo-acoustic originals, things can get squirrelly real fast. The sonic and esthetic differences between those two realms are so pronounced that few guitarists manage to...

Hot Club of Cowtown: Continental Stomp.(Audio)
April 1, 2004... Live albums can sometimes be a startling dose of reality. With one spin, you could discover your favorite band is tragically misrepresented by its high-quality studio recordings. But when a live record exposes a band's raw, creative magic--oh...

Scotty Anderson: Classic Scotty.(Audio)
April 1, 2004... Anderson plays fast, twangy, butter-smooth runs that swing like Stan Getz, sting like Albert Lee, and are so in-the-pocket you could test your metronome against them. It's as if Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and Jimmy Bryant each willed this...

Howlin' Wolf The Howlin' Wolf Story.(DVD)
April 1, 2004... In this lovingly produced 90-minute documentary on Chester Burnett--the inimitable Howlin' Wolf--we learn about the man behind the music from those who knew him best. His daughters, Hubert Sumlin, Marshall Chess-as well as notable blues...

According to the Rolling Stones.(Print)
April 1, 2004... Edited by Dora Lowenstein and Philip Dodd The title of this book should have been "According to Some Rolling Stones." A collection of interviews conducted during the November 2002 through May 2003 Forty Licks tour, this tome celebrates the...

Sacred geometry: simplifying the fretboard with Pat Martino.(Master Class)
April 1, 2004... If there's one common misconception people have about geniuses, it's the notion that these stellar intellects engage only in the most strenuous of thought; that in order to even hold a conversation with one of these brainiacs you need an Ivy...

How to play like ... Grant Green.(Intermediate)
April 1, 2004... If those tried-and-true blues licks are starting to get a little stale, then it's high time you got hip by adding a jazzy color to your sound. I recommend a healthy dose of green--Grant Green, that is. He was one of the hardest-swinging...

EZ street: how to nail hammer-ons.(Beginner)
April 1, 2004... When we first start playing guitar, we're taught to assign the fretting and plucking chores to separate hands. As a result, our tendency is to view these two techniques as discrete actions: The left hand frets strings, the right hand plucks...

How not to suck!(Beginner)
April 1, 2004... Problem Big, bulky, clunky, clumsy, barre chords Solution Stick to 3s and 7s So, you can play barre chords. Great. Guess what: In many band situations, you'll rarely need them. Think about it: Rockers and metal-heads often strip these...

Rock guru Steve Morse: adjacent-string adrenaline.(Advanced)
April 1, 2004... You can do a lot with just three adjacent strings and a nimble picking attack. Ex.1 is from "Air on a 6-String," a solo electric guitar piece from my new album, Major Impacts 2 [Magna Carta], and while the phrase is only one bar long, it...

Blues guru Robben Ford: jammin' pentatonics.(Intermediate)
April 1, 2004... Last month we covered three pentatonic scales that you can use in the key of E--namely, E minor pentatonic (which works nicely over Em or E7 chords), and E major and G# minor pentatonic (which match E major perfectly). They all share the same...

Metal guru Rusty Cooley: killer sequences.(Intermediate)
April 1, 2004... To make scalar, stepwise riffs and runs more interesting, many guitarists apply sequences to scales. But I find that many of the traditional patterns guitarists employ sound too in-the-pocket and predictable. This is especially true of...

"Brother John": Joe Satriani.(Full Song Transcription)
April 1, 2004... The high-flying Silver Surfer on the cover of Joe Satriani's groundbreaking 1987 release, Surfing with the Alien, seemed to say it all: A hero has arrived. Obviously, it wasn't a Marvel Comics hero who was making the scene that year, but a...

Samick Torino TR3.(Gear)
April 1, 2004... Another gorgeous instrument from the recent Greg Bennett redesign of the Samick line, the Torino TR3 is a luxed-up, yet thoroughly working-class version of the classic Gibson SG. Bennett's re-engineered models focus on the marriage of expensive...

Kustom WAV 212.(Gear)
April 1, 2004... Kustom created an unforgettable identity in the early '70s with its tuck-and-roll coverings, and now the new WAV 212 combo stakes out its own stylistic claim by flaunting some of the curviest lines this side of a Victoria Secret catalog....

SAGA Blueridge historic BR-160 and BR-183.(Gear)
April 1, 2004... If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Martin's D and 000 series guitars are probably the most pridefully blushing flat-tops on the planet. Myriad clones of these classic designs are available--which isn't surprising, considering...

Diezel Herbert.(Editor's Pick)
April 1, 2004... If you've been keeping up with the latest trends and developments in elite multi-channel high-gain amplifiers, you've surely heard of Diezel. Hand-crafted in Munich, Germany, these wicked-sounding tone machines have been a force to be reckoned...

Blackbox Quicksilver.(Gear)
April 1, 2004... The Quicksilver continues Blackbox Electronics' "everything including the kitchen sink" tradition of pedal design. In addition to offering two independent delay lines in a single stompbox, the hand-painted real and silver Quicksilver is...

Action tuners String Master robotic tuner.(Accessory File)
April 1, 2004... The String Master robotic guitar tuner ($99 retail/$69 street) not on]y has a microprocessor that does all the thinking for you, it also includes a built-in electric motor that automatically turns the tuning peg to the correct pitch! Simply...

Auralex acoustics GRAMMA.(Accessory File)
April 1, 2004... Auralex has provided studios with sound-absorption options for years, so the company is pretty savvy about "tuning" acoustic environments to maximize sonic clarity. The GRAMMA ($59 retail/$49 street) puts some of that sound-control magic into a...

Moody standard guitar strap.(Accessory File)
April 1, 2004... Many players treat guitar straps as less-than-afterthoughts. That is, until their backs turn to jello due to the ineffective distribution of the guitar's weight, or until some bar bruiser gives them grief for hoisting a fine instrument on dorky...

Carl Martin Hot Drive N' Boost MK3.(Stompbox Fever)
April 1, 2004... The Carl Martin Hot Drive N' Boost MK3 ($240 retail/$168 street)--a rugged, "two-in-one" grind machine--offers a variable Boost, as well as a Drive mode. With my Tele plugged into the Boost-engaged MK3, my Marshall became weak-kneed as it tried...

Option 5 Destination Rotation.(Stompbox Fever)
April 1, 2004... The Destination Rotation ($299 retail/$249 street) is a compact stompbox that uses analog technology to re-create the sound of a miked rotary-speaker cabinet. The handmade pedal sports cool tone and flexibility enhancing features, including...

Reverend Drivetrain II Overdrive.(Stompbox Fever)
April 1, 2004... The Ibanez TS-808 and TS-9 are two of the most popular overdrive pedals ever made, but a host of other pedals strive to emulate the TS-9 sound and then some. Reverend's Drivetrain II ($169 retail/$109 direct), uses the same JRC4558 chip that...

Steinberger USA GLB-2SA.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Steinberger Now Available Combining a M/S Blend composite neck with a GL-shaped maple body for a guitar with clarity and projection. Active, EMG pickups and 40:1 direct-pull tuners. Includes hard case. SRP: $999.99 www.musicyo.com ...

Master Anthology of Jazz Guitar Solos Vol. 3--20016BCD.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Mel Bay Publications, Inc. Now Available Intermediate Advanced level, Presents nine challenging tunes and improvised solos by some of today's top jazz guitar players, Biographical sketch of each performer and companion stereo CD included....

Distortion floor effects pedal (TD-1).(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Nady Systems Now Available Featuring 12AX7 tube pre-amp design and extensive tone shaping and EQ control functions, the TD-1 provides classic tube sounds ranging from slight distortion to the most severe overdrives--all with lots of...

Sonar 3.1.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Cakewalk Now Available The free 3.1 update for registered SONAR 3 owners provides multi-processor optimization, support for all sample rates, high-quality sample rate conversion, adjustable EQ plot resolutions, missing plug in protection,...

Studio Case.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Steinberg Now Available Complete music production package which includes a top sequencer and the fantastic-sounding VST instruments. Cubase SE--the new music production software based on award-winning Cubase.--The Steinberg Studio Case...

Garritan Personal Orchestra.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... harps.com, Corp Now Available A complete orchestral sample library and toolkit for $249. Includes Native Instrument Kontakt player, OVERTURE notation program, GPO Studio and more] Ever/thing you need to create magnificent orchestrations!...

PedalSnake.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Stage Magic Inc. Launch Date: February 2004 Patent Pending--guitarists are raving. Guitar Signals and 9V Power run between pedals and amplifier in one flexible cable. Special shielding insures no noise or crosstalk. All standard...

Epiphone Airscreamer.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... The Epiphone Co. Now Available Hit the road in style with the new "Trailer Park Troubadour" Airscreamer from Epiphone featuring EMG pickups and a push/pull wheel-volume knob! Includes gigbag. SRP: $915 www.epiphone.com ...

Nut Sauce Filled Groove-Luber.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Big Bends LLC Now Available Nut Sauce filled 5yfinge applicator with curved plastic needle for pin point application Extreme tuning aid. Smooth precision tuning. Keeps you in tune. Reduces string breakage up to 95%. 5RP: $19.95...

Future Sonics Ears[TM] (Model EM3).(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Future Sonics Incorporated Now available with special pricing Universal fit personal monitoring at a price for nearly any performer Natural sound, incredible vocals and outstanding bass response. Great upgrade to existing products of...

Wonder Wah 2 with True Mechanical Hard Bypass (SDPWWDW2).(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Snarling Dogs Launch Date: January 2004 The Wonder Wah 2 captures the classic "vintage" wah sound, but takes it a step further adding a wider frequency range, crisp highs, deep bass and greater presence, Analog Wah with TMHBS. MSRP:...

Fretboard Logic Box Set.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... Bill Edwards publishing Now Available We now offer the bestselling Fretboard Logic system at a substantial discount in our Box Set package. The Box Set includes the books and the videos in your choice of VHS of DVD. SRP: $89.95...

SKB-18RW ATA Roto Acoustic Guitar Case.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... SKB Corporation Now Available The SKB-18RW ATA Dreadnought case is rotationally molded with recessed hardware, heavy-duty valance, built-in wheels and molded in handle. The SKB18RW has a lifetime warranty and $1500 coverage on your guitar...

RR Gadow Custom Hollow Guitar.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2004... RR Gadow Guitars, LLC Now Available Custom semi-hollow guitar with pure, clean tones and a neck you don't want to let go. Lindy Fralin pickups, choice of fingerboards, TonePros bridge, optional Roland Ready, Made in Durham, NC. List...

Dave Mason on Nick Sterling.(Trading Graces)
April 1, 2004... "Nick Sterling is this 13-year-old kid who just plays incredibly," says recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dave Mason. "He came into the RKS Guitars booth at Winter NAMM, started playing some of our guitars, and I couldn't believe what...