Guitar Player articles from May 2003

Guitar Player archives from May 2003

The joys of addiction. (Soundhole).
May 1, 2003... Why do I own 20 guitars and still want more? There's no rational explanation for expending funds that should probably be earmarked for food, lodging, or maybe even donations to the Red Cross on endless versions of the same basic instrument. But...

The pretenders. (Feedback).
May 1, 2003... Thanks for the great cover story on Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders [Mar. '03]. It's about time Chrissie got some recognition for her songwriting and guitar playing. I love her in-your-face, outspoken, punk-rock attitude. She's a female and...

Cover women. (Feedback).
May 1, 2003... After only getting as far as the Soundhole column, "The Dangers of Sex" [Mar. '03], I felt compelled to write. As a woman guitarist, I was shocked to find out that only three females made your magazine cover in the last five years (and Chrissie...

Radio's homogenization. (Feedback).(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2003... Growing up in Cleveland, I have always been fond of Chrissie Hynde because we consider her one of our own (even though she's from Akron). But I have to correct an error in her article. The deregulation she cites to explain the decline in...

Fretwire. (Input/Output).(Music industry retrospective )
May 1, 2003... With the music industry muddled by major-label tizzies over drastically dropping album sales, as well as some seriously disturbing celebrity scandals, I thought I'd take a quick look to music's past and future to cheer things up. Congress...

Songcraft: Patty Larkin. (Input/Output).
May 1, 2003... Known for her incisive lyrics and evocative picking, Boston-based Patty Larkin is hailed as one of America's finest modern-day troubadours. For her tenth release, Red=Luck [Vanguard], Larkin wraps her soft, husky alto around shimmering guitar...

George Gruhn's rare bird: 1964 Gibson Firebird VII. (Input/Output).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Introduced in mid 1963, the Gibson Firebird line consisted of models I, III, V, and VII, with matching Thunderbird bass styles II and IV. The bodies of these instruments were drawn by automotive designer Ray Dietrich, and they feature the...

Performance notes: Deborah Coleman. (Input/Output).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... For the most part, the blues are a live experience. For many, the sweaty intensity and congregational feel can only be truly realized when audience and performer are face-to-face. Realizing this, Deborah Coleman's rousing Soul Be It! [Blind...

Producer's desk: Tom Scholz. (Input/Output).
May 1, 2003... Tom Scholz is one crazy dude. Sure, he's probably a genius, and he single-handedly changed the sound of rock with the meticulously engineered guitar sounds on his classic '70s Boston albums. He also developed the Rockman series of headphone...

Studio log: the Exies. (Input/Output).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Tracking "Creeper Kamikaze" Album: Inertia [Virgin] by the Exies. Part: Intro. Guitarist: David Walsh. Guitars: PRS McCarthy goldtop, unidentified nylon-string acoustic. Amps: Matchless combo, Budda Twinmaster. ...

Cool & coming soon. (Input/Output).(Calendar)
May 1, 2003... March 25 Califone, Quicksand/Cradlesnakes [Thrill Jockey] The Heavils, The Heavils [Metal Blade] Vic Chesnutt, Silver Lake [New West] April 1 Howie Day, Howie Day Live [DVD, Epic] Lisa Germano, Lullaby for a Liquid...

Buzz box: Cursive. (Input/Output).(music group )
May 1, 2003... "Everyone is soaring right now," explains Cursive guitarist Ted Stevens of the scene in his Omaha, Nebraska, home town. "We're really high energy, and we're making a lot of records and writing a lot of music." Omaha may not be the first...

Hot Spot: Hard Rock Vault Orlando, Florida. (Input/Output).
May 1, 2003... There are myriad pilgrimages a rock disciple can make: Graceland, Motown, Liverpool, Seattle's Experience Music Project, the remnants of swinging London, and just about any place an icon recorded, performed, or croaked. The latest "must see"...

Brat pack: Johnny Ramone on the glories of cretins past.(Ramones product introduction )
May 1, 2003... Musicians who spell the word with a capital "M" invariably laugh off the Ramones as loud, talentless dolts who long outlived the joke that was their raison d'etre. Musicians also don't dig that those same four misfits invented the abomination...

Melodic magic: Peter Huttlinger cuts to the chase.
May 1, 2003... Let's face it--you have to be a monster to release a solo-guitar album on Steve Vai's Favored Nations label. When the boss boasts the chops of ten ordinary players, it's not easy to turn his head. But Peter Huttlinger got Vai's attention--and...

Rock impressionists: Cave In gets all blurry and pitch shifty.
May 1, 2003... "Our producer didn't second-guess us about the fact that we like our guitar-thing a certain way," says Cave In guitarist/singer Stephen Brodsky about the sessions for the band's Antenna [RCA]. "Which is, we like to use pitch shifters on every...

Throwing down the gauntlet: Longwave's onstage scare tactics.
May 1, 2003... With a mesmerizing blend of timbral recklessness and melodic grace, Longwave's stellar new release, The Stangest Things [RCA], features everything from hypnotic Brit-pop riffs to abrasive, noisenik interludes and roaring sonic firefights. ...

Gear 2003: a preview of 50 guitars, amps, effects, and accessories you'll be lusting after this year!
May 1, 2003... Imagine a sun-splashed sojourn into the world's most gigantic music store--one where every manufacturer is on hand to personally show off their latest wonder--and you've got a pretty good picture of the NAMM show held last January in Anaheim,...

Los Twangueros: surfing old Havana with Ry Cooder and Manuel Galban.
May 1, 2003... Ry Cooder had plenty of time to plan his latest musical move. The phenomenal success of the Grammy-winning Buena Vista Social Club album had attracted the attention of federal authorities, who then blocked the 55-year-old guitarist from...

Supersonic single notes: Steve Morse shares the secrets of his pyrotechnic picking prowess.
May 1, 2003... Steve Morse has never been the type to ram the neck of his guitar through a speaker cabinet, nor is he someone who's been known to set fire to his instruments or swing them over his head and smash them onstage. That said, however, Morse is an...

Frank Gambale's dangerous riffs. (Guest Guru).
May 1, 2003... IT SURE IS DIFFICULT to hold a conversation with Frank Gambale. No, it's not because the powerhouse fusion hero has any problem conveying his ideas--quite the contrary. (Gambale is, after all, the very articulate head of the guitar department...

The voodoo blues scale. (Chops).(guitar techniques )
May 1, 2003... IF THERE'S ONE FISTFUL of notes that never gets old, it's the blues scale. Once it finds its way into the hands of a young, inspired guitarist, it typically stays there for a lifetime. Though the blues scale is timeless, many players yearn for...

Power pages. (Chops).(Music technqiues products )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... THE BEST TECHNIQUE BOOKS aren't the ones with the most information inside, but the ones that actually get you to practice what's on their pages. Because they're so tiny, Mel Bay's Gig Savers books succeed in this regard. Roughly the size of a...

The power of harmony. (Chops).(music lesson )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... FEW THINGS HEIGHTEN the emotional impact of a riff or melody more than an inspired and inventive harmonization. A unique harmony can give a riff one of the most elusive qualities of all--individuality. To hear a dramatic example of the power of...

Skip James: Studio Sessions: Rare & Unreleased.
May 1, 2003... Nehemiah "Skip" James was one of the most enigmatic figures in American music. Widely viewed as a seminal exponent of the Delta country blues tradition, James' singing and playing are in many respects, ironically, atypical of that tradition....

R.L. Burnside: Heritage of the Blues/No Monkeys on this Train.(music )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Northern Mississippi guitarist R.L. Burnside infuses his raw country blues with sly twists of humor on an album that showcases his solo and ensemble styles. On several songs recorded live at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Arizona, Burnside...

Yo La Tengo: Summer Sun.(music group)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... On their 12th album, the Hoboken-based Ye La Tengo--guitarist Ira Kaplan, drummer Georgia Hubley, and bassist James McNew--once again serve-up a tasty assemblage of rich aural delights. The group cites influences from the Velvet Underground to...

Quick hits.(music industry )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Rieflin, Fripp, Gunn, The Repercussions of Angelic Behavior. Former Ministry drummer Bill Rieflin teams-up with King Crimson's Robert Fripp and Trey Gunn on tiffs exquisitely-performed and very compelling improvised instrumental outing. Dark,...

Jimmy Thackery: Guitar.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... For those who like their blues playing fast, distorted, and mean--not to mention marinated in a sizzling vat of Texas barbecue sauce--each of these fully rockin' instrumentals are a crash course in the art of crowd-pleasing blues licks....

Elefant: Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid.(The Strokes music album )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Riding alongside the much ballyhooed garage rock resurgence are bands--like the Strokes, for example--who mine New York's post-punk/new wave scene for their inspiration. On their full-length debut, Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid, NYC's Elefant...

Buzzcocks: Buzzcocks.(punk rock group )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Old punks never die, but some sure as hell lose steam as the years beat some sense and sensibility into their snotty little noggins. Happily, the Buzzcocks are almost as loud and cranky and, well, snotty as they were back in 1976. Buzzcocks...

Supergrass: Life On Other Planets.(Rock group product information )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Even before you get into the songs, Life is one groovy package. Insert the CD into a computer and you get three videos ("Rush Hour Soul," "Grace" and "Seen the Light") and a Web link to live concert footage from a Paris show, as well as...

La Chitarra di Liuteria: Masterpieces of Guitar Making.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... By Stefano Grondona and Luca Waldner If your lust for guitars extends into the realm of Spanish instruments, this nylon-string bible may be worthy of a place on your bookshelf. Don't worry, while the text is in Italian, its full English...

Ronnie Wood: Far East man.(dvd product information )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... This DVD is kind of a career retrospective for a man who has grown to look and sound a little Coo much like his Rolling Stones bandmate Keith Richards. Here, Wood tackles material from his latest solo album (Not For Beginners), his Stones...

Schecter PT custom & SW-3500. (Bench Tests).
May 1, 2003... From the Firebird-esque Ultra M to the Strat-inspired Hellcat, the Schecter team has perfected the art of putting novel twists on vintage designs. However, two new models show that the company can worship innovation while simultaneously...

Crate GLX212. (Bench Tests).(music amplifier product information )
May 1, 2003... The Crate GLX212 ($729 retail/$499 street), a three-channel, 120-watt solid-state amplifier with two 12" speakers, is designed for "semi-pro" players. This very affordable combo provides all of the essential features you'd expect in an amp of...

Martin acoustic roundup. (Bench Tests).(C.F. Martin and Company Inc. )
May 1, 2003... A casual glance at Martin's vast product line reveals instruments designed to appeal to just about every taste and style. Representing the extreme ends of what Martin has to offer are these three very different guitars. The ALternative II is a...

Hughes & Kettner TriAmp MKII. (Bench Tests).(guitar amplifier product introduction )
May 1, 2003... Hughes & Kettner's latest tube-powered flagship, the TriAmp MKII ($2,999 retail/ $2,249 street) follows in the footsteps of the original TriAmp model by offering three independent tube preamps and a common 100-watt output stage. However, each...

Superbaby and Soul-o Single. (Bench Tests).(music amplifier product information )
May 1, 2003... Recent designs from Emery Sound, Groove Tubes, and THD have made it easy to revel in the distinct tonal shades provided by different tubes. The Emery Superbaby and Groove Tubes Soul-o Single are both single-ended, class A designs that are able...

MXR double shot. (Bench Tests).(distortion pedal product information )
May 1, 2003... Whether you use it for shading chords Or sustaining solos, a distortion pedal can be as integral to your sound as your guitar and amp. One of the earliest purveyors of distortion stompboxes was MXR, whose super-simple Distortion Plus was a...

ART Tube MP Studio V3. (Field Tests).(ART microphone product information )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... When ART introduced the $100 Tube MP mic preamp in 1995, the device garnered accolades from home recordists and industry pros alike, and an enhanced "Studio" model quickly followed. The MP Studio V3 ($149 retail/$119 street) retains its...

Danelectro Free Speech. (Field Tests).(Free Speech Talk Box product information )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... First, the good news. Putting your lips around the Free Speech "In-line" Talk Box ($129 retail/$99 street) is as dastardly good fun as kicking Einstein's ass at Trivial Pursuit. By sticking the tube deep (or not so deep) into my mouth and...

Pawar Epic 20 Prestige. (Field Tests).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... With its hand-carved flame-maple top and ivoroid-bound rosewood fretboard, the Pawar Epic 20 Prestige ($1,999 direct or street) is a celebration of the finer elements of traditional guitar building. Its 22-fret neck, for example, is so straight...

Fulltone Fat-Boost. (Field Tests).(Guitar pedal product information )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... In guitar circles, the terms "distortion" and "overdrive" are thrown about so casually that players often forget that the words aren't actually synonyms. In their truest definitions, the former is a result of the latter. One tough, steel-clad...

Godlyke PA-9 Power-All. (Field Tests).(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... Ask three guitar players a gear-related question and chances are you'll get four different answers. However, when it comes to wall-warts, guitarists are generally united in their opinions--they hate the damn things. But Godlyke's PA-9 Power-All...

BSM Treble Boosters. (Field Tests).(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... Treble boosters are designed to do just that--boost your signal and give you more top-end bite. Based on classic British designs from the '60s, the German-made BSM series treble boosters offer modern refinements such as true-bypass switching...

Forgotten distortion delights. (Pawnshop Prize).(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2003... Charles Darwin would have been pleased to witness the ascension of distortion pedals as they evolved from simple fuzztones to sophisticated mini processors with multiple gain and filtering stages, electronic switching, and, in some cases,...