Guitar Player articles from April 2005

Guitar Player archives from April 2005

Noise from the editor.(great guitar moments)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Today's kids should be proud and grateful that they're the now generation, because so much of modern culture belongs to the young. For me, as someone who is not young, but simply young at heart, I treasure the fact I can enjoy the present while...

Letter of the month!(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... After checking out Mike Varney's Spotlight in the February issue of GP, I realized what was keeping me out of the spotlight: a black shirt! So I put one on, and what a difference it made! I even A/B tested it with an aqua shirt, and the black...

Dimebag Darrell.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Like a lot of GP readers, I was devastated to learn the news about Dimebag Darrell. Although I pretty much read only your guitar magazine and ignore all the others, anytime I saw an interview with Dime in any guitar magazine, I'd have to snap...

Neko Case.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Thanks for introducing me to Neko Case in your Feb. '05 issue. I checked out Blacklisted from our local public library, and wow! She is truly an exceptional artist! I hope many of your readers had a similar experience so she can receive more of...

Going beyond.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I was dazzled to flip GP open to the piece on Bjork [Riffs, Feb. '05]. Kudos for featuring the woman many--including myself--believe to be a musical visionary of a higher order. Interestingly, guitars have little place in her potent musical...

Oops!(Feedback)(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2005... On the contents page of the March issue, we miscredited the cover photo. That lovely shot of Nels Cline was actually taken by Emily Shur. Sorry for the mistake!

Spock's beard's "pop" prog.(Songwriting)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2005... Seamlessly bridging the complexity of progressive rock with eloquent songwriting is a hallmark of Spock's Beard. Renowned as one the leading lights of the modern prog movement, the group derives its core inspiration from the '70s output of...

You can take the Madman out of Motor City, but can you ever really take Motor City out of the Madman?(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... You can take the Madman out of Motor City, but can you ever really take Motor City out of the Madman? Ted Nugent is moving to Texas. Crawford, Texas, that is. "It's right around the corner from President Bush's ranch," the Nuge told the...

Reggae legend Bob Marley, who passed away from cancer in 1981.(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Reggae legend Bob Marley, who passed away from cancer in 1981, has only just recently reached his final resting place. In January, his wife Rita announced that his remains would be exhumed from his grave in Jamaica, and buried in Shashemene,...

Ani Difranco Knuckles Down.(Songwriting)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2005... Ani DiFranco's muse is in a constant state of flux. The restlessly prolific singer/songwriter has released at least one album of adventurous folk-based music every year since hitting the scene in 1990. And while she's known for crafting songs...

Moody Leather gets sexy.(Industry Insider)
April 1, 2005... One look at the company's marketing materials tells you that Moody Leather is no ordinary strap company. I don't want to spoil the surprise (or the outrage), so let's just say that the images are very provocative. Oh, hell--I'll just let Moody...

For five months prior to his horrific death.(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... For five months prior to his horrific death, Dimebag Darrell had been working directly with Dean Zelinsky to create a new line of Dean guitars. In January, Darrell's family gave Zelinsky the green light to release the line, with a portion of...

Passing notes.(News)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
April 1, 2005... PASSING NOTES: Jimmy Griffin, founding member and guitarist for'70s pop band Bread, died on January 11 from cancer. He was 61. Griffin was also a songwriter, and won an Oscar in 1970 for the song "For All We Know," from the movie Lovers and...

Demystifying Django.(Education)(Django Reinhardt)(Book Review)
April 1, 2005... Few guitarist's lives are as shrouded in mystery as that of Django Reinhardt. Fewer still have had such an enduring influence on the evolution of jazz. In his new book, Django, the Life and Music of the Gypsy Legend [Oxford], Michael Dregni...

Mike Varney's spotlight.(Community)
April 1, 2005... no matter how old you are, where you live, or what style of music you play, this column offers you the potential to be recognized by your peers. To be considered for Mike Varney's Spotlight, please send a CD of your music, your bio, and a...

The Zutons.(Buzz)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2005... "When the Zutons formed in 2002, we were playing all of this crazy, complicated music with weird interlocking rhythms," explains guitarist/vocalist David McCabe. "The problem was, we didn't do it particularly well. So I made it a point to write...

The Bravery.(Buzz)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2005... "We're not a guitar-based band," says the Bravery lead guitarist Michael Zakarin. "But it's not like we're a keyboard-based band, either. We're a band where all the instruments rely equally on each other--whether it's a sequencer, a synth,...

The Heartless Bastards.(Buzz)(musical group)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... When I reach Heartless Bastards' singer/guitarist Erika Wennerstrom on her mobile, she's preoccupied with more pressing concerns than chatting about guitar gear. "We're trying to get to our gig in D.C. tonight, and we've got to find a...

Out now!
April 1, 2005... PEAVEY VALVE KING 212 AMP * 100 watts * Four 6L6GC and three 12AX7 tubes * Two independent footswitchable channels * Footswitchable boost on lead channel * Two 12" Valve King speakers * Texture-variable Class A/B...

Jeff Parker.(Outsiders)(Interview)
April 1, 2005... It's out on the fringes of jazz where Jeff Parker, purveyor of Chicago cool, survives and thrives. An experimentalist with underground cred for days, Parker is currently a member of the successful instrumental ensemble Tortoise. The list of...

The 101 greatest moments in guitar history: we pick the events, players, innovations, and techniques that forged modern guitarcraft.(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... A moment in time. A split second where everything freezes, and your mind takes a snapshot of an event you'll always keep with you--an event that forever divides your life into two groups: stuff that happened before this moment, and the stuff...

Not-so-slight return: a massive web fan base: resurrects Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush.(Interview)
April 1, 2005... "I always knew we had fans, I just didn't know I'd find half a million of them on the Web," says Mahogany Rush's Frank Marino. "There's a big Internet underground of people who knew about us from word of mouth, our history of live gigs, and the...

Swamp twang: Pete Anderson visits the dark side with daredevil.(Interview)
April 1, 2005... When it comes to West Coast honky tonk--the punchy, stripped-down strand of post-war country music popularized by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard--no contemporary guitarist has done more to spread the word than Pete Anderson. Best known as Dwight...

Roky Erickson: I Have Always Been Here Before.(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2005... A lot of rockers have played crazy to create commercial mythologies and tabloid drama, but Roky Erickson was and is certifiably messed up in the head, having spent time at the Rusk, Texas Hospital for the Criminally Insane. But what a beautiful...

Phil Degruy: Just Duet.(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2005... Phil deGruy is one of those guys that truly occupy their own unique space within the guitarcraft continuum. For starters, he plays the Guitarp, an instrument custom-built by Bay Area superluthier Ralph Novak that's basically a fanned-fret...

David Lindley and Wally Ingram: Live in Europe!(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2005... On this mix of mutant reggae, twisted boogie, droning modal improv, and detuned blues riffage, stringed-instrument wizard David Lindley and wily percussionist Wally Ingram sound like a full band. Whether fingerpicking a lap-slide acoustic or...

Rez Abbasi: Snake Charmer.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... One of the New York jazz scene's best-kept secrets, Abbasi has served as a sideman to numerous greats, as well as releasing three solo albums. On Snake Charmer, the Indian-born/Los Angles-raised virtuoso moves even more deeply into East-West...

What's spinning in the editors' heads this month?(Rants And Raves)
April 1, 2005... BARRY CLEVELAND Snelwar, Manring, Zonder, At War With Self Scott Henderson, Live! Jim Hall, Magic Meeting ANDY ELLIS Blind Willie Johnson, Praise God I'm Saris/led Otis Rush, Double Trouble Silvertide, Show end Tell EMILY...

Joni Mitchell: Collector's Edition: a Life Story--Woman of Heart and Mind/Painting with Words and Music.(Video Recording Review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Elegantly encapsulating Joni Mitchell's iconoclastic 40-year career into a tidy two-hour documentary is a feat akin to Mitchell's unmatched gift for crystallizing the human experience in a three-minute song. Fortunate for info-starved Mitchell...

The White Stripes: Under Blackpool Lights.(Video Recording Review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... I'm not sure this DVD is going to be something of supreme interest to those who are already down with the Stripes' live show, but it would be unfortunate if the absence of bonus footage or juicy, behind-the-scenes outtakes, keeps anyone from...

Slide Shop: David Hamburger.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Sure, Truefire.com could issue their video courses on DVD. But the reason the Florida company--whose name you may recognize if you've ever downloaded audio and video versions of GP lessons--chooses the CD-ROM platform is not so you'll see a...

Masters of the Telecaster: Arlen Roth.(Video Recording Review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... If you dig the snarl of a cranked Telecaster or are a fan of its best-known players, don't wait another day to snag Arlen Roth's Masters of the Telecaster. Originally released as a VHS instructional video, this expanded DVD edition rolls Tele...

Sugarfoot soul: celebrating the music of jazz legend Hank Garland.(Master Class)
April 1, 2005... Hank Garland led a double life. As a first-call Nashville session guitarist in the 1950s, he cut scores of hits with top post-war country, rockabilly, and pop artists. But Garland was also an innovative jazzbo who jammed in New York clubs with...

Lead guitar 101: get a grip on two-string oblique bends.(Beginner)
April 1, 2005... An essential lead-guitar technique, string bending adds soul and texture to solos and riffs of every persuasion. Whether you play slamming metal, wailing blues, stuttering hot-rod country, or fluid jazz-rock fusion, your bending skills reveal...

EZ street: exploring slurs.(Beginner)
April 1, 2005... To play guitar expressively, we must venture beyond merely fretting and plucking the correct notes. Subtle techniques--such as vibrato, string bending, and slurs--transform mundane music into something special. Slurred notes aren't attacked...

How to play like ... Tom Morello.(Intermediate)
April 1, 2005... If post-grunge heavy guitar were to choose a patron saint, the most righteous nominee for canonization would likely be Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello. Morello (now with the band Audioslave) wore his guitars unfashionably high and often...

Jazz Guru Frank Vignola: Django meets Amadeus.(Intermediate)(Django Reinhart)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Jazz players often get so caught up in playing music from only one period that that's all you hear on their albums. But there's so much other music out there just waiting to be explored. For instance, there is an ocean of amazing classical...

Blues Guru: Robben Ford: a new shade of blue.(Advanced)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Here's a sound--a color--that I really enjoy throwing into a blues in G: the intriguing chord known as G13[FLAT]9 [Ex. 1]. You don't have to play this chord with the root, but to get a complete sense of the harmony-especially if there's no bass...

Pentatonic slingshot: this month's prize: a studio electronics ModMax filter!(Reader's Challenge)
April 1, 2005... "This is a little trick I'd like to share," says Gianmaria Scattolin, a Hollywood, California, guitarist who sent in the saucy pentatonic phrase below. "Using the first and third strings, it moves up the fretboard through all five pentatonic...

How to decode written music in Guitar Player.(Notational Symbols)(Glossary)
April 1, 2005... The following symbols are used in Guitar Player lessons and transcriptions to notate fingerings and techniques commonly used in guitar music. Certain symbols are found only in the tablature or the standard notation. For clarity, always consult...

Louis XIV on "Finding Out True Love Is Blind".(Production Strategies)
April 1, 2005... In a political climate where everything even remotely unwholesome is considered blasphemous and un-American, it does one's rock-and-roll heart good that a blatant song about sex can generate massive airplay and reap critical and popular raves....

The tyranny of details.(Techniques)
April 1, 2005... Are your mixes pristine, transparent, and utterly boring? Is there no funk in your sonic fromage? No attitude? No atmosphere? No life? Well, you're probably obsessed with doing things right. Unfortunately, while striving for perfection is a...

Mackie Onyx 1220.(Hardware)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Back in the early '90s, Mackie sparked a revolution in personal recording with the introduction of the CR-1604 compact mixer. With its high-quality mic preamps, 3-band EQ, four aux sends, and four buses--all at a price that musicians could...

Audio-Technica AT2020.(Mic Test)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... While it's certainly a gas to do a session with a collection of expensive vintage microphones, it's also all kinds of cool to grab a $99 condenser that can deliver the goods. Furthermore, as a cat who remembers when even crap condensers cost...

Kjaerhus Audio GCO-1.(Software)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Sometimes, it's the smaller software companies that produce the real gems, and this is one of them. The GCO-1 "Golden Compressor" ($118 direct) VST plug-in for Windows 2000/XP gives you more than just a kickin' compressor/expander. This plug-in...

Model 1R--1KVA balanced power system.(Studio Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Equi=Tech Corp. Now Available The Model 1R is Equi=Tech's precision balanced power system designed for the small studio or musicians rack. Its 10-Amp capacity is an ideal fit for most pro-tools and small recording applications. ...

AT2020 Cardioid condenser Microphone.(Studio Product Spotlight)
April 1, 2005... Audio-Technica Now Available The AT2020 establishes new price/performance/quality standards in side-address studio condenser technology. Custom-engineered low-mass diaphragm for extended frequency response/superior transient response....

RockStand curved multiple stand.(Studio Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... RockStand by Warwick Now Available The new RockStand curved multiple guitar stand is perfect for storing and displaying your guitars in hard-to-fit spaces such as corners or around bulky objects--like your drummer! SRP: 5 guitar...

PGX Wireless.(Studio Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Shure Incorporated Now Available Featuring Shure's patented Audio Reference Companding technology, PGX Wireless systems are durably constructed (with up to 12 compatible systems using multiple bands), and offer innovative, easy-to-use...

TruTraps[TM] Genesis Broadband absorption System.(Studio Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Auralex Acoustics, Inc. Now Available The TruTraps[TM] Genesis Broadband System is a "one-product-fits-all" solution that includes four 3" thick, 2'x4' TruPanels[TM], 3" thick TruSpacers[TM] for offset mounting, and 4 Q'Fusor...

AR-15 II voltage regulator/power conditioner.(Studio Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Furman Sound, Inc. Now Available This single rack space unit provides a constant 120 volts of clean, filtered power to connected equipment. At the same time it features the most comprehensive protection available from surges, spikes...

Six swell sidekicks.(Volume Pedal Roundup!)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Guitarists use volume pedals for a variety of reasons, and which pedal is "best" for an individual player depends on how it will be used. If you simply want to increase and lower your volume with your foot in the same way that you'd adjust the...

Boss FV-50H.(Passive Pedals)
April 1, 2005... This diminutive pedal is constructed of high-impact plastic and weighs a mere pound. Besides operating in stereo, the FV-50H features a dedicated tuner output and a Minimum Volume knob. The pedal uses a mechanical swinging arm to turn a...

Ernie Ball VP Junior.(Passive Pedals)
April 1, 2005... EDITORS Guitar Player Pick The sleek VP Junior offers the same features as EB's classic Volume Pedal in a slimmed-down housing, including a tuner output and a small 2-way swell switch located just inside the front plate. The VP Junior's...

Vox V850.(Passive Pedals)
April 1, 2005... This no-frills pedal sports a traditional look and a classy two-tone color scheme. Weighing a hefty 3.4 lbs, the American-made V850's cast-iron housing renders it virtually indestructible, and the minimal circuitry inside is cleanly wired and...

Morley Little Alligator PLA.(Active Pedals)
April 1, 2005... The 3.3-lb Alligator boasts a solid-steel casing with a textured footpad, a Minimum Volume knob, a green power LED, and an easily accessible metal battery compartment. The Little Alligator is an electro-optical device that functions by...

Behringer FCV100.(Passive Pedals)
April 1, 2005... This stereo pedal is equipped with a Minimum Volume knob and a battery strength LED. The 1.43-lb unit is sturdily constructed of heavy-duty plastic and rubber, and its treadle travels more than twice the distance as that of any of the other...

George Dennis GD020.(Passive Pedals)
April 1, 2005... EDITORS Guitar Player PICK The Czech-made GD020 is constructed of thick sheet-metal and weighs a solid 2.36 lbs. The wiring inside is neat and tidy, and you access the battery compartment by sliding a plastic cover off of a glued-in plastic...

Orange Rockerverb 100 and speedster class a "40".(Gear)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... It's often said that style is everything. But while most amp manufacturers build tastefully executed and pleasantly attractive designs, few seize the opportunity to make a stylistic statement as boldly as Orange or Speedster. And why not?...

Gadow custom hollow.(Gear)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... The idea of melding the best features of Fender and Gibson guitars isn't new. Eddie Van Halen took the law of guitar building into his own hands in the '70s, slapping a Gibson humbucker into a Strat-shaped Charvel and watching as almost every...

Budda super drive 18 and Chicago blues box Kingston 30.(Gear)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... Red state or blue state, Ginger or Mary Ann, hand-wired or printed-circuit-board amplifiers--all contentious debates that continue to rage with no end in sight. Well, except for the Ginger/Mary Ann thing, because everyone knows Mary Ann is...

Yamaha AES720 AND AES920.(Gear)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... With their subtle retro styling and quality construction, Yamaha's AES series solid-bodies have proven popular with players who prefer a mix of vintage and modern esthetics. Recently, two new models have been added to the line--the AES720, a...

Rosignolo guitar professional care system.(Accessory File)
April 1, 2005... Designed specifically to clean and wax a variety of guitar finishes (as well as chrome and plastics). Rosignolo's Professional Care System for guitars ($25 retail/street price N/A) consists of one bottle each of Cleaner, Polish, and Detailer,...

Q Lighting Bil-Lites and maestro.
April 1, 2005... If you've ever gripped a flashlight with your teeth as you fumbled behind an amp, or if you've squinted at a poorly illuminated piece of sheet music on a gig, you're sure to appreciate these cleverly designed battery-powered LED lights from Q...

Electro-Harmonix 16 second delay.(Stompbox Fever)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 1, 2005... The good folks at Electro-Harmonix got so tired of being inundated with requests to reissue the legendary 16 Second Delay that they finally capitulated. Almost. The reissue ($990 retail/$349 street) looks a lot like the original and sports many...

Framus Cobra amplifier.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Now Available Framus The Framus Cobra is an all tube, three channel amp that is specifically voiced for the hard rock and metal player. Features a sparkling clean channel with bright switch and two high gain channels with notch...

UNIVOX Hi-Flyer reissue.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Now Available Eastwood guitars This reproduction of the early 1970's UNIVOX Hi-Flyer is available in Tremolo and Stop Tail models. One-piece Basswood body, upgraded SET maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, P-90 pickups. Also in...

Black Kross Universal 4x12 skull and bones hard top cabinet cover/Coffin Case SK4x12.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Coffin Case Launch Date: January 15, 2005 This 4x12 nylon cabinet cover with a skull and bones hard top is easy to remove, but the best part is you never have to take it off your cabinet! With one quick zip, roll down the front panel...

Jazz connection w/Don Mock.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Riff Interactive Now Available Designed to help the rock and blues guitarist make the "connection" to jazz guitar. Each lick comes with a jam track, video clip and tab notation synchronized to an actual audio clip using advanced new...

Zemaitis S-22 ST W&B edge model #ST-22 W&S edge.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Zemaitis Launch Date: January 2005 Zemaitis Pearl-front--beautifully inlayed front with abalone/pearl shell mosaic. Amazing looks, top-quality materials plus that famous Zemaitis action make this a truly stunning guitar! SRP:...

Guitar wall case (GWC-CVALk).(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Access N Sight Launch Date: January 2005 Safety glass door, hygrometer and thermometer, velvet. Options include: Vertical or horizontal, electric or acoustic guitar sizes, lock, light, seven hardwoods. Two other styles available. ...

SA series high-definition active SR loudspeakers.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Mackie Launch Date: Q2 2005 Mackie proudly announces 14 new SuperActive, Active and Precision Passive loudspeakers. Highlighting the new lineup is the premium SA Series, developed by the renowned loudspeaker engineers at Eastern...

Custom embroidered leather guitar strap.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Double Treble Custom Guitar Straps Now Available Stand out in the crowd. Personalize your very own guitar strap online with words, custom graphics or choose from over 14,000 designs. Handcrafted and finished using the finest leather....

The Fretlight M-Player MIDI song player.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Optek Music Systems, Inc. Now Available The M-Player is a full featured MIDI song player for the Fretlight Guitar. Light up the rhythm or lead on your Fretlight Guitar, loop sections, slow down the tempo, etc. SRP: $39.95 ...

Bronzewood 60.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Tech 21 Now Available 60-watt, dual-channel acoustic combo. Features compressor, notch filter, active tone controls, full-length Accutronics reverb, SansAmp XLR Direct Output, 12" Celestion speaker, high frequency horn, and a mic...

Guitar Collection Case (GCC-1).(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Access N Sight Now Available Handcrafted quality. Holds twelve electric guitars or six acoustic guitars, or a smaller combination of both. Safety glass, lock, hygrometer, thermometer and more. Wood options: oak, ash, maple, walnut or...

Guitar Backsaver.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Leathers-n-Feathers Now Available Tired of scratched-up electric guitar and bass backs? The patented Guitar Backsaver protects your instrument from belt buckles and buttons. The leather pad slips on/off in seconds with elastic straps....

2000 series frequency-agile UHF wireless systems.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Audio-Technica Now Available Automatic scanning, true diversity reception, easy setup, amazingly affordable. Includes a receiver and either a handheld microphone/transmitter or UniPak[TM] body-pack with high-impedance input that makes...

Big Bends nut sauce.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Big Bends LLC Now Available NUT SAUCE, stops string breakage, stabilizes tuning (keeps you in tune!). No modifications needed. Easy to use, no waste, no mess pinpoint applicator. MSRP $19.95 www.guitaristonly.com ...

Nady tube amp stack GTH-100/GAC-412.(Product Spotlight)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Nady Systems Launch Date: February 2005 The GTH-100 100W (RMS) all-tube head (4 X EL-34, 6 X 12AX-7) features a full complement of controls for total volume, tone shaping and tonal definition, a spring reverb, and rugged construction....

Dave Davies on: imperfection.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... "I like a song to sound cranky--like it just happened," stated solo artist and forever Kink Dave Davies about recording Bug in June 2002. "I love desperation and anger and things that are slightly out-of-tune or out-of-time. I actually strive...