Guitar Player articles from February 2002

Guitar Player archives from February 2002

The glorious stew of talent and luck. (Soundhole).
February 1, 2002... Today, it's almost inconceivable that Stevie RayVaughan performed to a booing crowd. After all, as the last great popular guitar hero, he almost single-handedly made it hip to play blues during the new wave- and shred-obsessed '80s. And his...

Happy anniversary, GP! (Feedback).
February 1, 2002... Happy anniversary, folks! Thirty-five years is a long time for any magazine to survive, let alone one as focused as Guitar Player. You deserve all the congratulations you can get. I could easily bash you for putting Jimi Hendrix on the...

Roy Buchanan. (Feedback).
February 1, 2002... I've been reading Guitar Player for twenty years and while I can appreciate coverage of what's hot and what's new, I was ecstatic when I saw the article featuring Roy Buchanan. I love Jimi, SRV, and other legends, but Buchanan was a monster...

Shootout shoutouts. (Feedback).
February 1, 2002... Loved the "Wah Shootout" [Jan. '02]! I find these head-to-head comparisons most useful for deciding on the products that are right for me. Please do some more--chorus pedals, delay pedals, pedalboards, cables, Strat pickups, replacement PAFs,...

Controversy. (Feedback).
February 1, 2002... I'm a subscriber to Guitar Player, and usually enjoy the articles, lessons, and reviews in the magazine. However, I was taken aback by the photo of the band Dope on page 51 of your January 2002 issue. In this photo there are not one, but...

Oops! (Feedback).
February 1, 2002... In the recent article [Brian Setzer, Stray Cat Struts, Oct. '01], our Toneomatic Bridge was referred to as a Tune-o-matic with holes drilled in the saddles. We are a small California company who make precision-machined saddles for Gibson-style...

It's a roots thing, for Shure: the Shure Musical Roots Contest.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... IT'S A ROOTS THING, FOR SHURE: The Shure Musical Roots Contest--held from September 16 to November 15, 2001 -- asked amateur musicians from around the country to record covers of songs considered influential to their own music. Although we...

We're down a Bizkit.(Limp Bizkit, music group)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... WE'RE DOWN A BIZKIT: Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland "amicably" left the infamous rap-metal group in October to pursue other musical avenues. Left ax-less, the remaining members embarked on a search for a new guitarist in November, visiting...

Making the airways safe--for your 6-string.(attack on America, 2001, aftermath)
February 1, 2002... MAKING THE AIRWAYS SAFE--FOR YOUR 6-STRING: In response to the events of September 11, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed S 1447--the Aviation Security Act--on October 15. A subsequent amendment proposal restricted carry-on luggage, which would...

Pawnshop prize: Kent Model 35. (Toolbox: essential info for guitarists).(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... In the early '60s, Kent joined the legions of cheapo electrics that stormed America's shores during the peace-and-love years. Like many of these guitars, Kents were manufactured by Japan's Fujigen Gakki, an established guitar maker that would...

Live wires: Andreas Kisser. (Toolbox: essential info for guitarists).
February 1, 2002... To replicate the brutal thrash tones from Sepultura's Latest album, Nation [Roadrunner], lead guitarist Andreas Kisser tours with six stage guitars--two ESP Horizons with Seymour Duncan pickups, two custom Explorer-style ESPs with EMGs, a Floyd...

Guitars Gratis.(Perris records giving away guitars)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... GUITARS GRATIS: Perris Records is giving away one autographed Fender Squier Strat per month through their Web site. Slash, Keri Kelli, Jimmy Crespo, and George Lynch are just a few of the names you'll find on these Fenders. To enter, all you...

Passing notes.(Obituary)
February 1, 2002... PASSING NOTES: After a long battle with cancer, British luthier Sid Poole, 55, passed away on October 8. Poole had been making custom guitars for more than 30 years, building instruments for many U.K. artists, including Andy Fairweather-Low,...

Classic riffs: Gary Rossington on "Sweet Home Alabama". (Toolbox: essential info for guitarists).(songs)(Interview)
February 1, 2002... In the spring of 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington found himself twanging out the classic riff to "Sweet Home Alabama" during a rehearsal at the band's "Hell House" in Green Cove Springs, Florida. Singer Ronnie Van Zant shouted...

Heroes: Ralph Towner. (Toolbox: essential info for guitarists).(chats)(Interview)
February 1, 2002... By fusing classical compositional chops with impressionist harmonies and a fiery improvisational bent, Ralph Towner developed one of the acoustic guitar's most singular voices. An impressive feat, considering Towner--who played trumpet and...

Studio log. (Toolbox: essential info for guitarists).(song recording)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Tracking "Seed" Album: The Beginning of All Things to End [Epic] by Mudvayne--a remixed and remastered release of the group's 1997 indie debut, Kill, I Oughtta. Parts: All Guitarist: Gurrg Guitar: ESP ("I've forgotten the...

Jazz guitarist John Collins--who played with Billie Holiday, Lester Young, and Nat King Cole--died October 4 of cancer.(Obituary)
February 1, 2002... Jazz guitarist John Collins--who played with Billie Holiday, Lester Young, and Nat King Cole--died October 4 of cancer. He was 83. Collins' 14-year association with Cole began in 1951, and continued until Cole's death in 1965....

Putting a price on music.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... PUTTING A PRICE ON MUSIC: When it comes to the price of downloading music on the Internet, there are plenty of conflicting opinions from fans, artists, and record labels. What complicates the matter even more is that musicians aren't united on...

It is me, babe.(no gig for for unknown singers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... IT IS ME, BABE: Bob Dylan was surprised to find he couldn't get into his own gig at the Jackson County Exposition Center in Medford, Oregon, this past October. Touring in support of his recent release, Love and Theft, but lacking a backstage...

My favorite guitar player: Steve Lukather. (Toolbox: essential info for guitarists).
February 1, 2002... "Reading GP has always been a ritual for me, but it's hard to pinpoint my favorite issue. I'm a devout Joe Walsh fan, and I remember his `Pro's Reply' column [October, 19721 on how he got his sound on `The Bomber' was very cool. I was in the...

New gear.(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... 1. WAYNE Wayne Guitars--recently established by Wayne Charvel-- has introduced the Star ($2,399). Hand-made and modeled after the original '70s Charvel, it features Seymour Duncan pickups, an alder body, a Floyd Rose bridge, and a maple...

Fu Manchu: no shoes, no shirt, no fuzz.(guitar playing techniques used in recording of album California Crossing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... "Towards the end of our last tour, someone jumped, onstage and stole my Crown fuzz pedal," says Fu Manchu's Scott Hill. "I'd been using that pedal and my Fender Jaguar for over eight years. That was my sound. We did want to change our tones a...

Zoot Horn Rollo: beyond Beefheart.(music recording We Saw a Bozo under the Sea)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... "I've always liked putting wrong things together," says guitarist Bill Harkleroad. That sentiment won't surprise fans of his groundbreaking mutant-blues guitar work with Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band in the late '60s and early '70s. But...

Norman Stephens: a country-swinger comes full circle.(guitar player)(Brief Article)(Interview)
February 1, 2002... Ask an old-school country fan to name their favorite guitar solos, and it's likely that the lead break on the old Lefty Frizzell hit "If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)" would be on the list. An astute fan would also know that it was...

Bill Frisell: Seattle's super sonic.(guitar player; music recording Bill Frisell with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones)(Brief Article)(Interview)
February 1, 2002... Step into Bill Frisell's musical kitchen, and you'll see one of guitar's master chefs in action. His daring recipes call for tart melodies, angular harmonies, and mercurial background textures, and, best of all, when he cooks up a solo album,...

The Paladins. (Pickups).(guitar techniques used in recording of album Palvoline No. 7)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Fueled by the stripped-down, revved-up guitar of Dave Gonzales, the Paladins wheeled their vintage-sounding machine onto the national stage nearly two decades ago. And while scores of bands have ridden rockabilly's occasional waves since then,...

The Distillers. (Buzz).(guitar techniques used in recording of album Sing Sing Death House)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... All of my favorite guitarists have very identifiable styles," says Brody, guitarist/singer for L.A. punkers the Distillers. "Guys like Johnny Ramone, Steve Jones, and Greg Ginn--their styles are extremely personal, and they define the `I don't...

The Botswanas. (Buzz).(guitar techniques used in recording of album Fade and You're Gone)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... "We're definitely a riff-oriented band," says the Botswanas' Price Harrison. "We've written songs where we're singing over chord progressions, but those are the tunes we end up not keeping." On the group's Fade and You're Gone [Feralette],...

Surface of Eceon. (Buzz).(guitar techniques used in recording of album King Beneath the Mountain)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Plenty of guitarists tout the virtues of improvisation, swearing they never play the same solo twice. But you know somebody is serious about shooting from the hip when they never play a song the same way twice. Such is the way of ambient...

California diversity. (Carvin Factory Tour).(guitar manufacturer Carvin)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... One of California's oldest guitar companies probably isn't the first name you'd shout if "50-Year-Old Guitar Manufacturers" was a Family Feud category. But Carvin has been churning out stringed goodies since 1946, when founder Lowell Kiesel...

Hardcore architects: Fugazi's Ian MacKaye and Guy Piciotto on constructing the argument.(musicians discuss latest music recording)(Interview)
February 1, 2002... Few punk bands can claim a legacy as enduring as Fugazi. Since their inception in 1987, the Washington, D.C.-based group has influenced a veritable who's who of modern rock acts that includes Pearl Jam, Nirvana, R.E.M., and Rage Against the...

Chordless comping: play kick-ass rhythm using intervals.(guitar playing techniques)
February 1, 2002... When you hear the words "rhythm guitar," what leaps to mind? Crunchy power chords? Chimey open-string voicings? Perhaps you imagine Freddie Green's three-note swing grips, or Hendrix-inspired hammers and pulls that flow around partial-barre...

Trigger fingers: how Stevie Ray Vaughan played his way out of the clubs and into the legend.(guitar player)
February 1, 2002... "I was into that guy before anyone." That's a common refrain among guitarists. Recognizing a great player before it's fashionable to do so is a point of pride in the guitar playing community. After all, no one wants to look like some...

The complete Pacific Jazz. (Reviews: blast from the pass).(The Complete Pacific Jazz: Joe Pass Quartet Sessions)
February 1, 2002... Joe Pass The Complete Pacific Jazz Joe Pass Quartet Sessions On December 18, 1960, a young Joe Pass--with just 13 cents in his pocket and a decade of aimless gigging and drug abuse behind him--checked himself into Santa Monica's Synanon...

Quick hits.(music recordings)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Rags to Rich's, Rags to Rich's. Guitarist Richie Rebuth ignites his band's debut with red-hot country, surf, and pop chops. What a cool instrumental album! R-Own. --ART THOMPSON Jon Dee Graham, Hooray for the Moon. A luscious, old-school...

Hava Narghile: Turkish Rock Music 1966 to 1975, vol. 1. (Reviews: blast from the pass).
February 1, 2002... Various Artists Hava Narghile: Turkish Rock Music 1966 to 1975, Vol. 1 Turkish psychedelia. Merely stringing the two words together invites poppy-powered dreams of gogo-booted belly dancers getting down to a soundtrack of swirling, modal...

All Is Dream. (Reviews: blast from the pass).
February 1, 2002... Mercury Rev All Is Dream Mercury Rev is two groups in one. There's the introspective quartet of the fragile falsetto vocals, winsome acoustic fingerpicking, and wise-sad songs in the Leonard Cohen/Neil Young vein. Then there's the team of...

Good Rockin' Tonight--The Legacy of Sun Records. (Reviews: blast from the pass).
February 1, 2002... Various Artists Good Rockin' Tonight--The Legacy of Sun Records This tribute to the label that launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash features fantastic duo performances by Paul McCartney and Scotty Moore,...

Listen to What The Man Said: Popular Artists Pay Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney. (Reviews: blast from the pass).
February 1, 2002... Various Artists Listen to What the Man Said: Popular Artists Pay Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney Tribute records are often doomed, because at best, they'll make you want to listen to the original recordings. At worst, they're like a...

Greasy Kid Stuff. (Reviews: blast from the pass).
February 1, 2002... Kid Ramos Greasy Kid Stuff Ramos' guitar style is as muscular as his biceps, and greasier than the pomade in his mile-high pompadour. Backed by a streamlined rhythm section, Ramos finds plenty of wide-open space to cut loose fingering...

The Guitar Cookbook. (Print).
February 1, 2002... The Guitar Cookbook By Jesse Gress With his vast teaching, touring, and transcribing experience, GP music editor Jesse Gress could have simply written a great technique book. But, he aimed higher. While many books will make you a better...

Hawaiian punch: Reverend Rocco. (Bench Tests).(guitar)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... As one of the few companies building bolt-on neck guitars that don't look like Fenders, Reverend has carved out a stylistic niche with its engaging blend of swooping curves and art deco-inspired lines. The Rocco ($1,199; $1,499 as tested with...

Tech update DigiTech GNX2. (Bench Tests).(sound processor)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... DigiTech made a big splash in the effects pool in January 2001 with the introduction of the GNX1 (reviewed September 2001), a floor-style effects processor that not only provided a stout array of amplifier models, but also packed the processing...

One-tube wonder: THD UniValve. (Bench Tests).(amplifier)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... Tubes have distinct sonic personalities, and one of the privileges of being a tube-amp player is exploring the myriad tonal colors that tube swapping can provide. Of course, to really experience the tonal changes that occur with different...

Super powers: Bogner Uberschall and Demeter TGA-2 inverter. (Bench Tests).(amplifiers)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... Nothing rocks like a 100-watt head. The sheer power and mayhem unleashed by a quartet of EL34s, 6L6s, or 6550s has made the 100-watter the traditional weapon of choice for legions of rock guitarists--from Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page to...

Gizmo alert z. Vex Ooh Wah & Super Duper 2 in 1. (Bench Tests).(electric guitar stompboxes)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... Minneapolis stompbox designer Zachary Vex once jokingly proclaimed his company motto to be "Crazy effects for rich people." You needn't be rich to use his pedals--which are fairly priced for top-tier designer gear--but a touch of craziness...

Woody Phifer studio. (Exotica).(guitar)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... In an age when guitars--even good guitars--are mass-produced by the thousands, it's refreshing to examine a handcrafted instrument built with staggering attention to detail. The Woody Phifer Studio Signature model ($4,999), created by upstate...

Crunch bunch: Zoom Hyper Lead, Tri Metal, Power Drive, and Ultra Fuzz. (Bench Tests).(distortion pedals)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... The undying love affair that guitarists have with analog effects has recently prompted Zoom--an acclaimed maker of digital guitar effects--to venture into the analog zone with four exciting new distortion pedals. But while these Japanese-made...

Pedal power. (Chops Builder).(tonic progression in guitar music)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... IF YOU'RE LIKE MOST GUItarists, you'll love the huge, jangling sound of the progression in Ex. 1a. It gets its magic from droning open B and E pedal tones--upper pedals, in this case--that ring vibrantly in each chord. These drone tones...

Son of sonic shapes. (Classic Column).(chord progression in guitar music)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... HERE ARE SOME WAYS to break old fretboard habits and create an infinite amount of new ones. The following shapes are extremely useful as passing patterns for moving from one tonal point to another (think of them as melodic equivalents to...

Tremolo technique. (Chops Builder).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... WHETHER YOU WANT TO dazzle audiences with energized strum solos--or just add fluttery sustain to melodies and chords--you need a strong tremolo technique. Don't worry--like a drummer working up his paradiddle, you can get your tremolo up to...

Classic interview * Allan Holdsworth * 1982. (Encore).(Reprint)
February 1, 2002... Guitar Player, December 1982--Despite virtual invisibility in the pop music world at large, Allan Holdsworth, through his unique sound and strongly independent approach, has become a touchstone for many guitarists. Among lead players, "Allan...