Guitar Player articles from January 2005

Guitar Player archives from January 2005

Noize from the editor.(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... There's a lot of beauty in life, but a lot of things suck, too, and some things suck more than others. For me, Johnny Ramone's death at just 55 years old was a personal tragedy. Although Johnny couldn't play guitar technically as well as 99.7...

Letter of the month!(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Let me just tell you that I love your magazine! When I went to my mailbox and spotted my one guitar god--John 5--gracing your cover [Nov. '04], I went into a fit of hysterics right there on the street. After waving the magazine in the faces of...

John 5.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... The November 2004 issue was your most fascinating in a long time. Thanks so much for the John 5 cover story. I'd never been a Manson fan (I'd always thought of Manson the way I thought of Alice Cooper in the '70s--a rock theater spectacle with...

Allan Holdsworth.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Thanks for the piece on Allan Holdsworth [Patron Saint, Nov. '04]. I was getting those "your GP subscription is running out" letters, and, to be honest, I was about to let it go. Do I need to see John 5 in lipstick on your cover? Not really....

Noize.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Thanks to Michael Molenda for his recent Noize columns--specifically the July '04 and Nov. '04 installments. There was a time where you could just walk up to someone in a park and sit down and jam, but, somehow we've lost that sense of...

Oops!(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2005... In our Nov. '04 story on Earl Slick, we miscredited the photo on page 74. The correct photo credit is Frank Mullen/Wireimage. Sorry for the mix-up!

Exclusive preview! Digitech models Jimi Hendrix.(Industry Insider)
January 1, 2005... There were ghosts at New York's Electric Lady Studios, but they were benevolent spirits, and they were happy. The echoes of Jimi Hendrix, Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, and others were spinning off the analog tape reels and filling the...

A benefit concert and memorial rolled into one.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... A benefit concert end memorial rolled into one, the Be Well: Ramones Beat on Cancer event in New York on October 8, honored the Ramones' legacy and raised money for the Cedars-Sinai Cancer Research Center and the Lymphomo Research Foundation....

Bebop jazz guitarist Bruce Forman has taken a totally new and different approach to touring.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Bebop jazz guitarist Bruce Forman has taken a totally new and different approach to touring. He and his swing/bebop group, Cow Bop (a five-piece featuring his wife, Pinto Pammy), took a week out in October end cruised down Route 49--which runs...

A hard day's mystery.(History)(Critical Essay)
January 1, 2005... The opening chord to "A Hard Day's Night" is one of the most memorable in rock history. In The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, author Mark Lewisohn quotes Beatles' producer George Martin as saying, "We knew it would open both the film and...

Looking for that special piece of gear porn, but don't know where to find it?(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Looking for that special piece of gear porn, but don't know where to find it? Guitar-artworks.com sells high quality photos of all your favorite classic guitars, as well as abstract "art based on guitars." Site founder Dave Carter said: "I...

Will Ray's eBay strategies.(Tools)
January 1, 2005... AUCTION ITEM: 2000M FIRE 7010 WINNING BID: $85 I'm a sucker for portable amps that I can take out in my backyard or up in the mountains and play without the need for AC power. The Zoom Fire 7010 is a cool little amp with a 3" foldout...

The much anticipated Nirvana box-set, With the Lights Out, was released on November 22.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The much anticipated Nirvana box-set, With the Lights Out, was released on November 22. The four-disc set includes 81 tracks, 68 of which have never been released. The set also includes a DVD with all kinds of rare footage, plus a 60-page...

Web alert projectguitar.com.(Tools)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Here is where to go if you've ever desired to build or radically transform an electric guitar--or if you'd simply like to see what "underground" guitarmakers are up to. The site is a veritable treasure trove for DIY enthusiasts, with tutorials...

Bjork's aural embroidery.(Songwriting)(Interview)
January 1, 2005... "Songwriting is like a thunderstorm building up inside me," says Icelandic singer/songwriter Bjork. "If I don't write songs, I get all bottled up. It's almost like a survival mechanism." The sonic provocateur recently unleashed Medulla...

Pillar's Noah Henson.(Christian Rock Report)
January 1, 2005... Pillar is a bit of an enigma. The band's lyrics and beliefs resonate positive tones, yet each member has the look, the sound, and the edge to speak to the Y generation. "We're not going to hide who we are," says guitarist Noah Henson. "We don't...

The Waxwings.(Buzz)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... "Coming out of the same Detroit scene as the White Stripes and the Von Bondies is great," says the Waxwings guitarist/singer Dean Fertita. "But there is a basic problem: We don't sound like them." Instead of harvesting the Motor City's...

Umphrey's McGee.(Buzz)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... "Growing up, my goal was simple," says Jake Cinninger, lead guitarist and musical ringleader of Indiana prog-rockers Umphrey's McGee. "I wanted to be able to sit down with any one of my influences--from Malmsteen to Metheny--and hold a musical...

Out now!
January 1, 2005... GODLYKE EMMA PEDALS * DB-1 Discumbobulator (envelope filter) * RF-1 Reezafratzitz (overdrive/distortion) * TM-1 Transmorgrifier (compressor) * $250 each retail [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HAO PEDALS * RB-1 Rust...

Johnny Ramone.(Patron Saint)(Obituary)
January 1, 2005... The originator of punk rock guitar passed away on September 15, 2004. Born John Cummings on October 8, 1948, Johnny Ramone pioneered both the sound and the attitude of punk rock, scowling through every gig while playing the guitar with more...

The defiant one: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown stares down death, blues cliches, and brainless categorizations.(Interview)
January 1, 2005... "My mind works in many, many different ways," says 80-year-old icon Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. "That's why I get so mad when everybody refers to me as just a bluesman. They're 100 percent wrong. I don't do any of that hardcore blues stuff...

Hear me roar: the cutesy punky Donna R. is so 2001. meet Allison Robertson--the Donnas' ballsy classic-rock guitar hero!(Critical Essay)
January 1, 2005... The sad reason that escaping the sins of your past is so not a matter of growing up, maturing, or experiencing a life-changing event is because it's those who remember who we were that trap us in the grasp of history. For example, if your best...

Postcards from Shangri-La: Mark Knopler expands his timbral pallette.(Interview)
January 1, 2005... Players who manage to forge an identifiable guitar voice typically stick with it throughout their career. But not Mark Knopfler, who traded his signature phasoidal Strat tone--a ducky bridge-and-middle-pickup timbre that propelled "Sultans of...

The guitarist's home for holiday gear.(ebay)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... To many, the holiday season conjures up images of family get-togethers, turkey dinners, and Christmas trees. To guitarists, its also an important opportunity to make sure the right box ends up under the tree. Traditionally, that's been a tricky...

Top Dog: Mike Keneally performs new tricks while acknowledging universal providence.(Interview)
January 1, 2005... The story of how Mike Keneally persuaded the late Frank Zappa to offer him a gig is legendary. After discovering that Zappa was rehearsing a new band, Keneally left a message with the maestro's assistant saying that he was "highly conversant...

What's spinning in the editors' heads this month?(Rants And Raves)(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... BARRY CLEVELAND Joseph Arthur, Our Shadows Will Remain Talking Heads, The Rome of this Bond is Talking Heads Spooky Actions, Early Music ANDY ELLIS Cake, Pressure Chief Blues Bastards, Overdose Rick Peckham, Left End EMILY...

C.C. Adcock: Lafayette Marquis.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... C. C. ADCOCK Lafayette Marquis With his snarling, gritty guitar tones, swampy grooves, and scratchy vocals, C.C. Adcock makes butt-shakin' music that blends rockabilly, old-school Memphis R&B, New Orleans funk, Cajun dancehall tunes, and...

The Sheryl Bailey 3: Bullseye!(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... THE SHERYL BAILEY 3 Bullseye! Chocolate and peanut butter, Martin and Lewis, B3 organ and guitar--just three examples of two great things that go great together. On her latest release, guitarist Sheryl Bailey exploits the B3/guitar pairing...

Various Artists: Christmas Gumbo.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... VARIOUS ARTISTS Christmas Gumbo If you want your Christmas party to feel more like Mardi Gras, Christmas Gumbo--a compilation of spicy original Cajun carols performed by a who's who of the Bayou scene--is your ticket to the Big Easy. Sonny...

Damir Simic: Live in Zagreb.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... DAMIR SIMIC Live in Zagreb The possession of awesome technical firepower can be a blessing and a curse. The icky part is when one's ferocious chops lead the creative muse into spasms of bad shred cliches, meaningless note flurries, and...

Deep Blue Organ Trio: Deep Blue Bruise.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... If you dig the organ trio genre and the warm arch top tones of early George Benson, Pat Martino, Kenny Burrell, and Grant Green, you'll flip over Deep Blue Bruise. Whether the groove is moody, funky, or briskly swinging, guitarist Bobby Broom...

The Play-A-Long Series/St. Louis Blue: Jamey Aebersold.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... If they ever decide to give the Nobel Peace Prize to a music teacher, it'd he hard to find a more worthy recipient than Jamey Aebersold. Over the past three-plus decades, the tireless jazz pianist and educator has personally helped legions of...

Bluegrass and beyond: Tony Rice reveals his secrets to fiery flatpicking.(Master Class)
January 1, 2005... Tony Rice steps up to the mic to take a solo, and notes pop like tightly coiled springs from his Santa Cruz dreadnought. The crowd at Nashville's Belcourt Theater sits mesmerized as the lanky picker's fingers race up the neck. Dressed in a...

Jazz guru Mike Stern: bach to basics.(Intermediate)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... For me, learning how to spell chords was, frankly, a pain in the ass. One thing I found to be immensely helpful was Johann Sebastian Bach's violin sonatas and partitas, including the excerpt from Sonata No. 1 in G Minor presented below. Why?...

Blues guru Roben Ford: simple secrets of the symmetrical scale.(Advanced)
January 1, 2005... Probably no other scale sounds weirder the first time you hear it than the whole/half scale--or symmetrical scale, as it's often called. It is a truly strange sounding group of notes that usually makes little sense until you realize how useful...

Jam guru Jimmy Herring: get bent.(Intermediate)
January 1, 2005... When you're improvising in a harmonically free situation--one where a specific key or tonal center isn't necessarily the most important thing--there are certain patterns on the fretboard that may lead you in new and inspiring melodic...

How to play like ... John Lee Hooker.(Beginner)
January 1, 2005... Few guitarists become so strongly identified with a genre of music as John Lee Hooker and his timeless boogie. Hooker laid down his share of classics, such as "Boogie Chillen" (a.k.a. "Boogie Chillun"), "I'm in the Mood," and "Boom Boom," and...

EZ Street: pattern picking.(Beginner)
January 1, 2005... Folk and country blues guitarists often use repeated fingerpicking patterns to accompany their vocals. Because "pattern picking" combines rhythm, harmony, and melody in nearly equal proportions, it makes a potent accompaniment technique and...

"Montgomeryland Funk": as performed by Wes Montgomery.(Full Song Transcription)
January 1, 2005... Wes Montgomery's mesmerizing 12-bar blues "Montgomeryland Funk" was first released on 1958's Montgomery Brothers, which features Wes and his two siblings, Monk (bass) and Buddy (piano), along with tenor sax legend Harold Land. Pacific Jazz...

John Frusciante on Inside of Emptiness.(Techniques)
January 1, 2005... "Back in the '60s, recordings had some great sounds that now have been pretty much lost," says Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante, whose latest solo offering, Inside of Emptiness [Record Collection], is the fourth in a series of approximately...

Digidesign ReVibe 1.0.(Software)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... For many years, plug-in reverbs sounded good, but many users felt software 'verbs couldn't quite keep up with the quality of their hardware counterparts. Recently, however, a new generation of convolution and modeling reverb plug-ins have hit...

Blue Sky MediaDesk 2.1.(Hardware)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... The MediaDesk 2.1 ($599 retail/street N/A) is a powered, studio-quality monitor system comprised of a subwoofer and two satellites. The sub isn't just an add-on, either--it's integral to the system, as it provides the MediaDesk's full-range...

AT2020 cardioid condenser microphone.(Studio Product Spotlight)
January 1, 2005... Audio-Technica Launch Date: December 2004 The AT2020 establishes new price/performance/quality standards in side-address studio condenser technology. Custom-engineered low-mass diaphragm for extended frequency response/superior...

AR-15 II voltage regulator/power conditioner.(Studio Product Spotlight)
January 1, 2005... Furman Sound, Inc. Launch Date: December 2004 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...

Spike powered recording system featuring Tracktion.(Studio Product Spotlight)
January 1, 2005... Mackie Now Available Mackie's complete desktop recording solution for Mac or PC featuring a 24-bit/96kHz USB Audio/MIDI interface, Mackie mic-preamps, powerful yet incredibly easy Tracktion recording software, and Final Mix CD...

Radial Re-amping pack.(Studio Product Spotlight)
January 1, 2005... Radial Engineering Launch Date: October 2004 Unlock the door to creative re-tracking with the Radial Re-amping pack--Includes Radial's award winning X-Amp re-amplifier, J48 active DI with power supply all in a protective Zebracase 212...

Drumcore.(Studio Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Submersible Music, Inc. Now Available Access 10 world-class drummers (Matt Sorum, Sly Dunbar and more.)! Perfect for composers and musicians. Includes audio and MIDI drum content. Loops, fills, hits and MIDI instrument with DAW...

Fishman Aura and Martin DC-Aura.(Gear)
January 1, 2005... An extraordinary amount of brainpower has been expended in the quest to make acoustic guitars sound natural in sound-reinforcement environments. Simply placing a decent microphone in front of the instrument might appear to be the most obvious...

Godin Freeway Classic and Montreal.(Gear)
January 1, 2005... Canada's Godin Guitar Company recently rolled out two new models that are designed for distinctly different needs. The Freeway Classic, Godin's first double-cutaway solid-body in some years, is a fast-playing ax that can cover everything from...

George Dennis mighty mouse.(Gear)
January 1, 2005... Anyone seeking a small amp that can serve on the home front and hold its own in the studio or onstage has a lot of choices available in the 30-watt class of 1x12 tube combos. And while most of these amps hail from America, England, Germany, and...

Gibson Firebird Studio.(Gear)(Column)
January 1, 2005... You cut a mean silhouette when you're wearing a Gibson Firebird Studio. While I was holding this dangerous mahogany plank at a recent soundcheck on a big outdoor stage, the late afternoon sun against my back created a magnificent sight: the...

Pawnshop prize Gibson GA-20.(Gear)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Gibson never gets the same love for its amplifiers as Fender or Marshall--a reality that seems unfair considering that Gibson got into the amplification game earlier and was responsible for some very innovative designs. The all-tube, stereo...

Deep blue chorus.(Stompbox Fever)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Rocktron's R&D department has apparently contracted a serious case of stompbox fever, as evidenced by the recent introduction of six new pedal designs. Made in China, these affordably priced units represent Rocktron's take on some classic...

Hypnotic flange.(Stompbox Fever)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Sporting the same Panasonic MN3207 analog bucket-brigade chip as the Deep Blue chorus, the Hypnotic Flange ($119 retail/$83 street) offers stereo outputs along with Rate, Depth, Manual (modulation delay time), Feedback, and FX/Level controls....

Nitro clean boost.(Stompbox Fever)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Sporting a single Boost knob and a jumbo LED status indicator, the Nitro ($79 retail/$55 street) can provide a clean boost of up to 22dB. Driven by a low-noise, low-distortion NE5532P dual op-amp, the Nitro can easily pummel the most...

Pulse tremolo.(Stomp Fever)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Pulse Tremolo ($99 retail/$69 street) features Speed and Intensity controls, a large LED that pulses in sync with the oscillations, a tiny side-mounted slide switch that selects either triangle or square-wave modes, and a Rocktron-built,...

X-tune tuner.(Stomp Fever)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The X-Tune ($99 retail/$69 street) is an attractive chromatic tuner that features handy dual output jacks: one that's automatically muted while you're tuning, and another that's always active. When tuning, one of 12 LEDs illuminates to indicate...

Zombie distortion.(Stomp Fever)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Designed to produce more extreme distortion tones, the Zombie ($99 retail/$69 street) features Bass and Treble controls, along with Scream (gain) and Louder (output level) knobs. The Zombie's most innovative function is its Stare control, a...

Core one bullet coil cable.(Accessory File)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Nothing says "old-school cool" more than coiled guitar cords, which were the choice of Jimi Hendrix. Danny Partridge, and other guitar and bass legends. Unfortunately, nothing says "crappy tone" more than these notoriously bad-sounding relics...

Stix Pix.(Accessory File)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Featuring a thin micro-suction pad that clings to almost any surface, Stix Pix ($3.99 retail/street price N/A; pack of six) are designed to provide enhanced grip, and can be stuck anywhere on your instrument. The beauty of the micro-suction pad...

Tascam CD-SP1 carrying case.(Gear)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Tascam's new CD-SP1 Carrying Case ($39 retail/street price N/A) rules for anyone who owns the company's popular CD-GT1 guitar trainer. As any GT1 owner knows, leaving the house with it involves bringing along a power supply and a stack of...

Airline reissue Eastwood guitars.(Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Two new Airline reissue models are now available; 2 pickup "White Stripes" model and the 3 pickup "J.B. Hutto" model. Tone chamber body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, Humbucker pickups, Available in a wide variety of colors and options. ...

Randy Rhoads limited edition sculpture.(Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... KnuekleBonz, Inc. Launch Date: Late November 2004 This exclusively licensed figure of the legendary guitarist is sculpted, hand-painted and hand-numbered. Randy is portrayed with his signature white Jackson[R] offset-V guitar Limited...

Trilogy west coast series pickup system.(Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Dean Markley NOW Available Dean Markley's revolutionary Trilogy incorporates three pickup systems and two preamps in one system: a single-coil magnetic pickup with adjustable pole pieces, a condenser microphone (housed in pickup...

UHF wireless microphone system/UHF-3.(Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Nady Systems Now Available Breakthrough, affordable single channel UHF wireless. Half-rack receiver design, DigiTru Diversity[TM], and Nady's proprietary circuitry for 120 dB dynamic range. Available with handheld, instrument or...

Guitar theme neckties.(Product Spotlight)(GuitarsNTies)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... GuitarsNTies Now Available What a great gift for the guitarist in your life. Our ties are 100% luxurious silk of the highest quality. Great for any occasion from gigs to the office. SRP: $19.95 www.GuitarsNTies.com ...

Big bends nut sauce.(Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 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 ...

SansAmp acoustic DI.(Product Spotlight)(Tech 21)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Tech 21 Now Available Provides natural warmth and presence, as if professionally miking your acoustic instrument via Tech 21 's proprietary, 100% analog circuitry. Record direct or use with an amp. Removes feedback and eliminates...

Stagehand[R].(Product Spotlight)(Awesome Big Ideas Group Pry Ltd)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Awesome Big Ideas Group Pry Ltd Launch Date: October 2004 This soft molded hand-size guitar stand stows in your case! Great for basses and electric guitars. Stagehand[R] easily withstands even/day touring use. Simply attach it to your...

RockCase acoustic guitar case.(Product Spotlight)(Warwick)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... RockCase by Warwick Now Available The new RockCase by Warwick Acoustic Guitar Cases are rugged on the outside, plush on the inside, and available in Black Tolex, Vintage Tweed, and a very cool faux snakeskin tolex. SRP: starting...

Custom embroidered leather guitar strap.(Product Spotlight)(Double Treble Custom Guitar Straps)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 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....

Equinox parametric equalizer preamp.(Product Spotlight)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... D-TAR Now Available Equinox is an audiophile quality, low noise, 3 band parametric equalizer preamp. The frequency sweep controls, bandwidth controls, boost/cot controls and dual notch filters make Equinox ideal for studio and live...

Guitar backsaver.(Product Spotlight)(Leathers-n-Feathers)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 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....

Neil Giraldo on.(Testimony)(Brief Article)(Interview)(Biography)
January 1, 2005... NOT THINKING "I honestly don't know what happens when I start playing," says tattooed "Spyder-man" and long-time Pat Benatar guitarist (and life partner) Neil Giraldo. "But I do know that if I start thinking about it, I'll lose it. The act...