Guitar Player articles from November 2005

Guitar Player archives from November 2005

Noize from the editor.(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... The blissful, waking dream of talking to Paul McCartney, the "controversy" regarding how GP should deal with culture and language in its pages, the angry smack-downs I received in some newsgroups for having the pitiful judgment to publish a...

Letter of the month!(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... What the hell is wrong with you? Do you not notice a good letter when you see it? For the past eight issues, I have sent letters to you hoping that you would select them for Letter of the Month. But to my dismay you haven't. Why not? I have...

Eric Johnson.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... Thanks for the great article on Eric Johnson. But I learned even more from his tech, Jeff Van Zandt. I tried his tuning method, tuning the E strings first, then D, B, A, then the G strings, and it worked much better than the way I was taught....

The Great Kat.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... Thanks for the inspiring interview of Kat [Sept. '05]. For years, I have enjoyed lots of her stuff. You included some info that not many of us knew--things that are surprising and enlightening. I love her guitar and violin playing, and, if they...

Noize from the editor.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... Nothing Guitar Player prints will cause someone to engage in pornographic activity or try illegal drugs, but the casual references to pornography and drug use in your magazine tend to make these activities seem more legitimate. If it's no...

Advertising.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... I am a loyal reader of Guitar Player, and, besides the wonderful articles and columns, I have tremendously admired your policy of running only music-related ads. You can only imagine my chagrin when I saw the Crown Royal and Mike Nason boots...

Oops!(FEEDBACK)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2005... In "Fairport Convention's Folk-Rock Fortitude" [Riffs, Sept. '05] we inadvertently deleted text stating that Simon Nicol is the group's lead vocalist in addition to being the guitarist.

Construction has begun on the Leo Fender Gallery at the Fullerton Museum Center, in Fullerton, California.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Construction has begun on the Leo Fender Gallery at the Fullerton Museum Center, in Fullerton, California. Dedicated to the life and work of Leo Fender, the gallery is tentatively scheduled to open in April 2006, and will be the only permanent...

Dan Erlewine's Mod Squad.(RIFFS)
November 1, 2005... Meet the Mod Squad's resident hippie, Jonah Powell. Hailing from northern Michigan, Powell was only half an octave away from receiving his master's degree in opera at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, when he quit school to join the Mod Squad....

New York is a big city, and the Hard Rock Cafe is, well, a big cafe.(NEWS)(Hard Rock Cafe International Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... New York is a big city, and the Hard Rock Cafe is, well, a big cafe. So, on August 12, to welcome the Hard Rock to Times Square, the organizers staged a big event: the world's largest guitar smash! 100 Gibson guitars were smashed simultaneously...

Roots troubadour Brooks Williams.(RIFFS)(Interview)
November 1, 2005... "My career has always been about the grassroots interconnection between myself and the audience," says guitarist, singer, songwriter, and teacher Brooks Williams. Over the course of 20 years, 14 albums, and thousands of concerts, the...

Tens of thousands of musicians stand to gain from SoundExchange--an non-profit organization, created by the Recording Industry Association of America [RIAA].(NEWS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Tens of thousands of musicians stand to gain from SoundExchange--an non-profit organization, created by the Recording Industry Association of America [RIAA], whose purpose is to pay out royalties to scores of session players and vocalists who...

Oeuvre easy Roy Buchanan.(RIFFS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Roy Buchanan played some of the most emotionally intense electric guitar ever. Although his glory days are generally considered to be the '70s, Buchanan's career spanned all the way back to the '50s, when he played with Dale Hawkins of "Suzy Q"...

Roy Buchanan, 1972.(INSPIRED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... This is the one. Buchanan's bittersweet rendition of "Sweet Dreams" became an instant classic, as did his signature tune--the haunting, "The Messiah Will Come Again." "I always dug the middle Eastern-sounding harmonics on 'Pete's Blue,'" says...

Second album, 1973.(INSPIRED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "If Buchanan albums were movies, then his first two records would be The Godfather and The Godfather II," sags Campilongo about Buchanan's follow-up to his brilliant Polydor debut. Every cut here is essential, but highlights include "Five...

American axe: Live in 1974, 2003.(INSPIRED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Although 1975's Live Stock is generally considered Buchanan's definitive live document, for my money, this is the better bet. The sound isn't as polished as Live Stock, and the vocals are occasionally horrid, but you can feel the volume of...

That's what I am here for, 1974.(REQUIRED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "'Roy's Bluz' is Buchanan's slow blues tour de force," says Campilongo. "Roy throws in everything but the kitchen sink." This album includes Buchanan's blistering version of "Hey Joe," that just might make you ask, Jimi who?

In the beginning, 1974.(REQUIRED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... With pressure to deliver more sales, Buchanan's albums start to become slicker and more orchestrated. "But don't miss 'Wayfaring Pilgrim,'" urges Campilongo. "It's a study in unaffected, vibrato-free guitar, before Roy lets it all hangout,...

Loading zone, 1977.(REQUIRED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... With Stanley Clarke producing, the processed guitar sounds get in the way of the great double-billing of Steve Cropper and Buchanan as they trade licks on "Green Onions." But "Adventures of Brer Rabbit and Tar Baby" is wonderful.

My Babe, 1981.(TIRED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "All of Roy's records are worth a listen," says Campilongo. True, but the vocal-heavy, My Babe, is definitely not one of his best efforts. However, "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" shows that there couldn't have been a Danny Gatton without a Buchanan.

Dancing on the edge, 1986.(TIRED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Props to Alligator Records founder Bruce Iglauer for giving Buchanan a new lease on life in 1984. But, compared to his classic work, the Alligator gears were tilted more towards rock stylings and tones, with flangers and delays a prominent part...

Fareed Haque on eliminating the fear factor.(RIFFS)
November 1, 2005... "I love the jam band scene because it represents an effort to recapture a sense of social purpose in music," says guitarist Fareed Haque, co-founder of the jam-supergroup Garaj Mahal. "Jam band music isn't based on sound alone. Like all good...

Dr. Robert Moog, electronic music pioneer and founder of Moog Music, passed away on August 22.(PASSING NOTES)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
November 1, 2005... Dr. Robert Moog, electronic music pioneer and founder of Moog Music, passed away on August 22. He was 71. Moog had been diagnosed with brain cancer in April. He began building Theremins as a teenager, and, in 1954, started the R.A. Moog...

Guitar Hero 2005 winner! Dominic Frasca.(RIFFS)
November 1, 2005... Dominic Frasca--who took top honors at GP's first annual Guitar Hero competition after turning in a performance that left the audience and the judges breathless--began playing electric guitar at age 13, emulating the hard rock of AC/DC,...

Cuttin' heads at the Buffalo Niagara Guitar Festival.(RIFFS)
November 1, 2005... Frankly, the battle for first place at this summer's North American Rock Guitar competition at WNED's Buffalo Niagara Guitar Festival wasn't even close. While the other finalists (Anton Tsygankov, John Eric McNeil, Randy Romano, and Greg...

Smithsonian Global Sound.(RIFFS)
November 1, 2005... You can't beat the Internet for self-education, and when an institution with a stunningly deep and broad audio archive opens its vault for Web downloads, the inner scholar jumps for joy. The recently launched Smithsonian Global Sound Web site...

Pit crew.(RIFFS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Tommy Byrnes Gibson Les Paul Standard and Chet Atkins, Marshall Stack, O'Aquisto strings. Dennis DelGaudio Gibson '59 reissue Les Paul, '64 relic Fender Stratocaster, Marshall stack, custom Torn Peck pedalboard, D'Aquisto...

Passing notes.(RIFFS)(Charles "Duke" Kramer)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
November 1, 2005... Charles "Duke" Kramer--known by some in the industry as "Mr. Guitar Man"--died on July 28. He was 89. Kramer started working for the Fred Gretsch Co. in 1935. Upon returning from WWII, he was made Vice President of Gretsch, and he staged with...

Tommy Byrnes and Dennis DelGaudio rock up Movin' Out.(RIFFS)
November 1, 2005... "We're not your regular pit orchestra," declares Dennis DelGaudio, guitarist from Movin' Out, the Broadway musical that joins Twyla Tharp's choreography and Billy Joel's music. "Most of us come from the rock and R&B worlds and hadn't played on...

Mike Varney's Spotlight.(RIFFS)
November 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. If you're chosen for Spotlight, you'll receive an Ernie Ball t-shirt, customized EB picks with your...

American Minor.(BUZZ)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "I've pretty much stolen everything I know," says Bud Carrol, guitarist for Southern rockers, American Minor. "And my goal as a guitarist is to become more familiar with the roots of American music." The band's eponymous debut [live],...

Flipsyde.(BUZZ)
November 1, 2005... Sometimes the unintentional results of unforeseen events--think penicillin, or "Hey, you got peanut butter on my chocolate!"--can be happy ones. Such is the story of Oakland, California's Flipsyde, a culturally diverse four-man rock/hip-hop...

Evidence Audio.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... MELODY SIGNAL CABLE * Solid-core primary conductor for dynamic bass response and focused midrange * Increased grain linearity copper overcomes distortion caused by copper impurities * 98 percent shield coverage for outstanding...

Carl Martin.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... PLEXITONE OVERDRIVE * Two-step overdrive: crunch channel and high gain channel * 20dB clean boost * Built-in, regulated 2x12-volt power supply * Low capacitance * $300 retail DELAYLA HL DELAY * Second delay head...

Dircksons.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... TREMCONVERTER * Converts tremolo from full-floating to a dive-only or fixed bridge on the fly * Fits in standard tremolo tension-spring compartment; no routing required * $74 retail * dircksons.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

AXL Guitars.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... MAYHEM SERIES GUITARS THE CLUTCH (AH-LOO-4BK) * Solid alder body * Rosewood-on-maple neck * EMG-designed alnico pickups: two single-coil/one humbucker * Tremolo bridge * $269 retail * axlguitars.com [ILLUSTRATION...

Moog Music.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... MOOGERFOOGER MF-1042 ANALOG DELAY * 50 to 1,000 milliseconds delay time * Controls: Delay Time, Wet/Dry Mix, Drive/Output Levels, Feedback, Internal/External Loop Switch, Loop Gain * Feedback, Delay Time, Wet/Dry Mix controllable...

Malden Guitars.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... SUBHUMAN * Mahogany body * Rosewood-on-mahogany neck * Two Tesla VR-Extreme humbucking pickups * Nickel hardware * $915 retail * maldenguitars.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Louis Amps.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... LE-45 AMP HERD * Transformers hand wound to original RadioSpares specs * 2-watt potentiometers * Aluminum chassis * Two KT66s, one GZ34 Rectifier, three 12AX7s * Call for price CABINET * Custom hand-built...

Peavey.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... PENTA AMPLIFIER HEAD * 140 watts RMS * Four matched EL34 output tubes/four 12AX7 preamp tubes * Five EQ/gain voicings * Three-band passive EQ * Master volume * Ceramic tube sockets * Custom USA transformers ...

Stony guitar customs.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... LEATHER PICKGUARDS * For Stratocasters and Telecasters * Fully customized to customer's specifications * Price varies with type of leather and customization * stonycustoms.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Johnson musical.(OUT NOW!)
November 1, 2005... THE JOHNSON CAROLINA SERIES GUITARS * Solid Engelmann spruce top * African mahogany or East Indian rosewood back and sides * Rosewood-on-mahogany neck * Classic butterbean tuners * Hand-cut abalone/mother-of-pearl...

John Scofield.(PATRON SAINT)(guitarist)
November 1, 2005... John Scofield has recorded dozens of albums as a bandleader, in addition to working with scores of legendary artists such as Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, Jim Hall, Gary Burton, and Miles Davis. The...

Here, there, and everywhere: a treatise on the awesome creative prowess of Sir Paul McCartney, musician and legend, as he collaborates with Radiohead Producer Nigel Godrich, plays most of the instruments on his brand new album, and is forbidden to play his Les Paul.(Cover Story)
November 1, 2005... If you were lucky enough to be Paul McCartney in 2005, how the hell would you approach a new album? Would you avoid competing with your legend, and just coast on your rep? Would you pitch and churn in a vortex of option anxiety, knowing that...

Gretsch, grease, and Sun: Brian Setzer shines the light on Sun Records' rockabilly sides.(Interview)
November 1, 2005... "Listen to those Sun rockabilly records from the '50s, and you hear a group of guys huddled in a room in Memphis, basically inventing rock and roll," says an amped-up Brian Setzer. "It doesn't matter what style of guitar you play. Listening to...

Spoonful: Spoon's Britt Daniel rises from the corporate-rock dead zone.(musical band)(Interview)
November 1, 2005... You've heard the tale before. An upstart indie band hits the ground with swagger, critical cachet, and a buzz louder than swarming bees. They sign to a major label, then fizzle out like a wet firecracker. So when Elektra dropped Austin's Spoon...

The top ten Jimmy Page Riffs of all time.(LICK LIBRARY)
November 1, 2005... In a battle for the 20th-century's Rift Champion Award, can any guitarist top Jimmy Page? It barely took a decade for Page and crew to create some of rock's most tumultuous and tender moments. Cream and the original Jeff Beck Group may have...

What's spinning in the editors' heads this month?(RANTS AND RAVES)
November 1, 2005... BARRY CLEVELAND Various Artists, Village of the Un fretted Bonney & Buzz, Rock-Ola Bruce Arnold & Tom Hamilton, Disklaimer ANDY ELLIS Grant Green, For the Funk of It Nusrat Fateh All Khan, Mustt Mustt Lou Donaldson, The Natural...

Horrorpops: Bring It On!(AUDIO)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... When you see the Horrorpops you might think that rockabilly got into a knife fight with a mohawk hair-do on the southside lawn of the local cemetery. Don't let their tattoos and wallet chains fool you, however, as these cats carry just about...

Son Volt: Okemah and the Melody of Riot.(AUDIO)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Being branded a cofounder of the alt-country movement (alongside former Uncle Tupelo partner Jeff Tweedy, now of Wilco) forces you to sidle out to left field now and then to keep the typecasting at bay. Singer, guitarist, and songwriter Jay...

Errorhead: ErrorRhythm.(AUDIO)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... If you're a sucker for the nuanced tonal colorings that only single-coils and a fulcrum trem can deliver, then Germany's Marcus Deml--the second runner-up at GP's recent Guitar Hero competition at Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--will...

Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives: Souls' Chapel.(AUDIO)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Marty Stuart's new album--the first on his own label--is an audacious blend of gospel songs, earthy grooves, and gorgeous vocal harmony the four-time Grammy winner calls "church-house rock and roll." Featuring twin twangy guitars--played by...

Ohm: Amino Acid Flashback.(AUDIO)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Ohm guitarist Chris Poland is one of the best-kept secrets in kick-ass guitar today. This veteran of Megadeth (he was the original lead guitarist from 1983-1987 and is all over the latest record, The System Has Failed) has flown under the radar...

North Mississippi Allstars: Electric Blue Watermelon.(AUDIO)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... It's tough to give the blues a modern twist without destroying its soul, but with Electric Blue Watermelon, the North Mississippi Allstars have cracked the code. With one foot firmly planted in his native Mississippi hill country and the other...

Deke Dickerson: Deke's Guitar Geek Festival.(DVD)(Video Recording Review)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Deke Dickerson is doing God's work with this DVD. Because, while paying tribute to masters such as the Ventures, Joe Maphis, and Jimmy Bryant, he's also highlighting some amazing current players as well. Shot at Anaheim's legendary rockabilly...

The B.B. King Treasures: By B.B. King and Dick Waterman.(PRINT)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... Packed with amazing photos, album artwork, removable memorabilia, and detailed first-person recollections, The B.B. King, Treasures chronicles the life of the world's best known and most beloved blues-man, Riley B. King--"The Beale Street Blues...

Vibrant voicings: Ted Greene's tips and examples.(MASTER CLASS)
November 1, 2005... Guitarist and teacher Ted Greene died this past July, aged only 58 years. His name may not be familiar if you're not a Los Angeles-area native, keen jazz buff, or longtime GP reader, because he only gigged locally and released just one album...

Jam guru: Jimmy Herring: burnin' on "Blackberry Blossom".(INTERMEDIATE)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Some of the most melodic licks you can possibly play on guitar are those you steal from mandolin players. In my first lesson feature in Guitar Player ["Fire and Flow," July '02] I showed you one of my favorites [Ex. 1], a fantastic little...

Jazz guru: Larry Carlton: Jazzin' the blues with an altered V-I Ramp.(ADVANCED)
November 1, 2005... Last month we discovered how to add musical tension to a blues by including notes from the melodic minor scale. Starting a half-step higher than the I chord, we used this scale to introduce tension-generating altered tones during the transition...

How to play like ... Chuck Berry.(INTERMEDIATE)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... If there were a Bible for rock and roll guitar, Chapter I, Verse I would probably read, "In the beginning God created Chuck Berry to rock the heavens and the earth, and he saw that it was good--Johnny B. Goode." Berry is arguably the single...

Ez street: over, under, sideways, down.(BEGINNER)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... In our ongoing exploration of counterpoint, we've seen how two layered melodies interact using parallel, oblique, or contrary motion ("Melodies in Motion," Oct. '05). Though we investigated each of these interactions individually--which makes...

Blues guitar 101: spicing up the 12-bar form.(BEGINNER)
November 1, 2005... There are many great ways to play a 12-bar blues in E. In standard tuning, the simplest way to handle this timeless I-IV-V song form may be to use the open E7, A7, and B7 chords shown in Ex. 1. Pillars of blues tunes for as long as the genre...

Reader's challenge: 12-tone avalanche.(ADVANCED)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... True, sometimes nothing sounds more heinous than a single bad note. Then again, sometimes nothing sounds more satisfying than a roaring landslide of "wrong" notes. A perfect example is the tumbling, chromatic knuckle-buster below, sent in by...

Production strategies: David Pajo's unconscious surprise.(RECORDING)
November 1, 2005... The alluring acoustic and vocal textures that swirl around David Pajo's Pajo [Drag City] recall the eyes-closed-and-whirling-in-the-sun rapture of the '60s folk-rock explosion. To construct his vibey and sensual songs, Pajo relies on sparse...

Portable workstations.(60-SECOND BUYER'S GUIDE)(digital audio recorders)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... Although hardware-based digital-audio recorders get smaller and more feature-laden with each generation, many recordists still shackle them to home studios. Why? These babies are made to move, and adventurous types can transport them to...

Gizmo watch.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... If your music software supports VST, you can now collaborate with similarly equipped musicians anywhere in the world. Just go to digitalmusician.net and download the Digital Musician Link (DML) plug-in, which lets you transmit and receive MIDI...

The Dean Martin mixology mindset.(TECHNIQUES)
November 1, 2005... Throughout a career filled with mob dives, movies, concert stages, and the Rat Pack, Dean Martin never broke a sweat. He did whatever he wanted, and he never messed with his aura of cool by caring what anybody thought about anything he did....

The FIREPOD.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... PreSonus Now Available FIREPOD is a 24-bit/9GK 10x10 FireWire recording system with eight class A PreSonus microphone preamplifiers, SPDIF and MIDI 1/0, and Cubase LE 4B-track music production software. SRP: $799.99 ...

Central Station.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... PreSonus Now Available The Central Station is the ultimate studio-monitoring interface featuring a purely passive signal path with five sets of stereo inputs (three analog, two digital), three sets of speaker outputs, talkback, mute,...

FIREBOX.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... PreSonus Now Available The FIREBOX is a professional mobile recording system with six inputs including two Class A microphone/instrument preamps, eight outputs, 24-Bit/96K sample rate, MIDI and SPDIF 1/0, and Steinberg's Cubase LE...

BlueTube DP.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... PreSonus Now Available The BlueTube DP is a two-channel microphone and instrument preamplifier with Dual Path technology enabling the ability to switch between a transparent solid state preamplifier and a rich warm vacuum tube...

Eureka.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... PreSonus Now Available The Eureka is a professional recording channel strip featuring a discrete class A transformer-coupled microphone preamplifier, compressor, and three-band parametric equalizer great for use with all types of...

Inspire 1394.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... PreSonus Audio Electronics Launch Date: October 2005 24-bit/96k four-channel FireWire recording system (daisy-chain up to 4 units). Includes two microphone/instrument inputs, phone (turntable)/line input, speaker and headphone output...

Auralex ELiTE Pro System EPS-168T.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Auralex Acoustics, Inc. Now Available Class A, fabric-wrapped, all-inclusive acoustical treatment solution for your studio. Comes complete with absorption, corner base traps and diffusion in your choice of 4 fabric colors, along with...

Snowball USB Microphone.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Blue Microphones Now Available The Snowball combines Blue's unique styling with high quality and versatility. The plug & play Mac/PC USB driver makes recording into a laptop or DAW quick and easy, while its dual capsules and...

Radial ProD1 and ProD2 compact direct boxes.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Radial Engineering Now Available Compact single and dual-channel (stereo) passive direct boxes. Engineered to handle high signal levels without saturation, the ProD1 and ProD2 use specially designed custom audio transformers to provide...

DrumCore.(STUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Submersible Music, Inc. Now Available Access 10 world-class drummers (Matt Serum, Sly Dunbar and more)! Perfect for composers and musicians. Includes audio and MIDI drum content. Loops, fills, hits and MIDI instrument with DAW...

Artifacts: fender 5F8-a Twin-Amp.(VINTAGE VAULT)
November 1, 2005... Awarded the "high power" designation because of its four 5881 output tubes, the 5F8 Twin-Amp, introduced in 1958, boasted twice the wattage of the earlier dual-5881 Twins (models 5C8, 5D8, and 5E8-A). High-power Twins were only made until late...

Combo roundup! Five new tube terrors.(GEAR)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Ever since Gibson got the idea to bolt an amplifier and speaker into a suitcase, guitar players have been bonded to the combo format. Perfectly sized for smaller rooms and cramped travel conditions, combo amps evolved rapidly during the 1950s...

Stagg G Force and Z600M TCH.(GEAR)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... I love discovering new guitars and new guitar companies--especially when the goods are slightly twisted, fearlessly unique, and/or ugly-in-a-hip-way. With its eye-catching G Force, Stagg immediately deserves cheese for a giddy/cool...

Waves/PRS Guitar Tool Rack.(GEAR)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Okay, I'll admit it. I'm not a huge fan of digital amplifier models. Despite all of the truly remarkable products out there, at the end of the day, I still find myself succumbing to the irresistible seduction of wooden boxes with tubes in them....

Benedetto Bravo.(GEAR)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Robert Benedetto is a maker at the pinnacle of achievement in hand-built, hand-carved archtop guitars--which, in itself, is one of the most elevated of callings in all of luthiery. With Benedetto guitars now being made by a small, highly...

Field test: gearing up for an "Ozzy" gig.(GEAR)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... It's not every day that Ozzy Osbourne calls me up for a gig. Okay, he never calls me for gigs. But when Osbourne impersonator-par-excellence Izzy Ozborne contacted me, it was a license to rawk I simply could not refuse. Few tribute gigs could...

DST Amp-Cradle.(ACCESSORY FILE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Over the last decade or so, more guitar players have begun exploring the once-forbidden realm of DIY amp maintenance, repair, and modification. Whether you're cleaning a scratchy pot, adjusting the bias, or performing a more extensive mod,...