Guitar Player articles from October 2003

Guitar Player archives from October 2003

That slow descent into irrelevancy.(Soundhole)(on being a guitarists and loving it)(Column)
October 1, 2003... When do you stop being cool? I mean, it happens, right? There's the mortgage, the kids, the job that's kicking your ass, and everything else that pushes one's enthusiasm for pop culture down to the Stygian mental depths of "Writing A Will" and...

Marshall.(professional guitarists comment on the new Mode Four amplifier from Marshall Amps)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... ".... nothing beats the crunch sound of a Marshall. I'm really impressed with the tonal versatility of the new Mode Four.... ... . the Clean Mode's the best ever--in fact, I like it so much that I used it on the new STAIND album." MIKE...

Dave Navarro.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Just received your August 2003 issue. Congratulations--a guy who can really play is finally on the cover. Jay Piasecki Chicago, IL Jay--Thanks. And while I'm sure that Dave will dig your assessment, it certainly won't make you...

The Allman Brothers.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Thanks for the interview--although too short--with Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes ["Guitarslingers," August '03]. I've been a die-hard Allman Brothers fan since their first album, and there have been a couple of times I thought it was all over...

Jimmy Herring.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Over the past few issues, I have seen several ads and articles featuring Jimmy Herring. I was a student of Jimmy's in the mid '80s, when he was teaching at the Atlanta Institute of Music. 1 had private lessons with him once a week--which was...

Gear reviews.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... Kudos, praises, and thanks for your expanded Bench Tests section! (My doctor says gear lust can't be cured, but it is controllable with more doses of reviews.) In regards to tube amps, I would like to make a suggestion: Please touch upon the...

Oops!(Feedback)(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2003... In our Master Class with Charlie Hunter ["Dr. Rhythm," Aug '03], the montuno figure that appears in examples 3, 4, and 7 was written incorrectly. The pair of eighth-notes in bar 2 (and of beat two) should have been tied together. In our...

Fretwire.(Input Output)(rock group and musician news)
October 1, 2003... According to Pollstar--the music industry's biggest touring and concert info resource--mid-year data has concluded that, if things continue this is going to be another record-breaking year in concert and tour profits. Apparently, increased...

Encore: Jim Hall.(Input Output)(jazz guitarist comments on his style and method)(Interview)
October 1, 2003... What a pleasure it was to have the legendary Jim Hall in our pages. Inspired by saxophonists, he crafted one of the most distinctive voices in jazz guitar--spare, thoughtful, lyrical, sometimes abstract, always elegant. Interviewed by Jim...

Unsigned artist alert: Cathy Horner.(Input Output)(guitarist talks about her influences and her music)(Brief Article)(Interview)
October 1, 2003... Genre: Fingerstyle acoustic. How She Views Her Music: Whimsical, unpredictable. Home Base: Fredericksburg, Virginia. Guitars: Goodall Standard (with cutaway), Takamine NP15. Strings: D'Addario EJ14 80/20 ("It's a mixed...

Benny Carter.(Angels)(jazz great dies at age 95)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The legendary jazz composer and orchestra leader passed away July 12. He was 95. A sell effacing icon, Carter never glorified any of his accomplishments, preferring to view each innovation as "just another gig." However, he was one of the first...

Company Segundo.(Angels)(dies at the age of 95)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... One of Cuba's oldest troubadours and the charismatic frontman of the Buena Vista Social Club, the 95-year-old Segundo succumbed to kidney failure on July 14. The guitarist/vocalist found fame very late in life with the releases of Wim Wender's...

Barry White.(Angels)(dies of kidney failure)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Sadly, the walrus of love passed away due to kidney failure on July 4. The 58 year-old bandleader and vocalist--who once conducted an 80 piece, all-female orchestra--scored mammoth record sales and numerous Grammy Awards with his lush,...

Tom Green.(Angels)(dies after heart surgery)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The "guitar-strumming evangelist," media critic, and Christian TV producer passed away after heart surgery in New Zealand on July 4. He was 55. Green was notable for programming secular productions--such as Phil Collins' video for "Another Day...

Skip Batten.(Angels)(bass guitarist dies of Alzheimer's disease)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The 69-year-old former bassist for the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and New Riders of the Purple Sage died from complications related to Alzheimer's disease on July 6.

Blues joint: Robert Cray.(Input Output)(Interview)
October 1, 2003... Time Will Tell [Sanctuary] might just mark Robert Cray's career timeline as the point where his slick, Grammy-winning formula for modern blues records started to turn slightly sour. The cool thing is that Cray himself--along with compatriot and...

Auction block: Will Ray's eBay strategies.(Input Output)(author puchases an Ibanez Howard Roberts guitar)(Column)
October 1, 2003... AUCTION ITEM: 1970s Ibanez Howard Roberts WINNING BID: $600. Back in 1987, a student came over with an amazing cool used guitar. It was a '70s-era Ibanez Howard Roberts Model, and I have lusted after one ever since. Often called "lawsuit...

Cool & coming soon.(Input Output)(sound recording releases)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... September 9 North Mississippi Allstars, Polaris [Tone-Cool] The Decemberists, Her Majesty; The Decemberists [Kill Rock Stars] Pennywise, From the Ashes [Epitaph] Frank Black & the Catholics. Show Me Your Tears [SpinArt] ZZ...

Country notes: Shelby Lynne.(Interview)
October 1, 2003... With a recorded oeuvre that includes honky tonk, Western swing, Memphis soul, Americana, pop, and even jazz, Shelby Lynne is tough to pigeonhole. She first gained prominence singing a duet with country legend George Jones ("If I Could Bottle...

New gear.
October 1, 2003... 1. C.B.I. C.B.I. and Neutrik teamed up to produce the new GA1 Gold guitar cables ($25). The professional grade, 18' cables are available in nine different colors, and feature Neutrik gold-plated 1/4" connectors, Belden 20-gauge wire, and a...

Guyatone.(New Gear)(MT-3 Micro Tuner)(WR-3 Wah Rocker)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... THE MT-3 Micro Tuner ($120) and the WR-3 Wah Rocker ($90) are the latest additions to Guyatone's Micro Effects series. The MT-3 features input-signal mute, auto-calibration mode, an ultra-bright LED, and a tuning range from A0-C8. The WR-3 is...

Dunlop.(New Gear)(CryBaby Classic wah from Dunlop)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Built around the legendary Fasel inductor found in the original CryBaby, Dunlop's new CryBaby Classic wah ($169) was engineered to recreate the "smooth sweep and sweet top end" of the revolutionary, '60s-era wah. The Classic features a...

Courting the muse: Steve Kimock's improvisational Odyssey.(Interview)
October 1, 2003... Steve Kimock's name is often mentioned in the same breath as that of the late Jerry Garcia--an association that Kimock finds both flattering and somewhat dubious. While it's true that Garcia did cite Kimock as his "favorite unknown guitarist,"...

Fast and Bulbous: Gary Lucas and Denny Walley reignite the Magic Band.(discussion of the band and the work of Captain Beefheart)(Interview)
October 1, 2003... Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band's fourth album, 1969's Trout Mask Replica, is a dizzying blast of cosmic polyrhytmic blues and surreal imagery. A true classic that appears on nearly every critic's all-time "essential albums" list, Trout...

Tortured genius: how BRMC's Peter Hayes and Robert Turner got everything wrong and produced one of the year's most brilliant guitar albums.(production of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's 'Rebel Gear Traders')(Interview)
October 1, 2003... Few bands of late have been so successful at forging an air of mystery and danger as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. If you're in a somewhat cynical mood, it's as if the creative teams of films such as The Crow, City of Lost Children, and 28 Days...

City of dreams: Neil Young leads a stripped-down Crazy Horse to a make-believe town.(the veteran folk musician discusses his new musical work of linked songs called 'Greendale')(Interview)
October 1, 2003... Complex, elusive, and intensely creative, Neil Young has remained true to his art to a fanatical degree. Whether it's walking away from lucrative tours, vanishing for months to recharge his psychic batteries, or choosing to play with bands that...

Shakin' that thing: get your groove on with Taj Mahal's wide world of riffs.(Interview)
October 1, 2003... There's certainly more than one way to wow a crowd with an electric guitar. For example, if you can simultaneously play beer-bottle slide while plucking the strings with your teeth, all the while wiggling your pelvis like Elvis, you're sure to...

Rusty Cooley's intense licks of doom.(Guest Guru)(lead guitarist comments on technique)(Interview)
October 1, 2003... "WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, IF I WANTED to hear a certain technique played really well, it seemed like I could only find it in certain guitarists," says powerhouse prog metal/shred demon Rusty Cooley. "For example, if I wanted to hear great...

Hot guitarist alert!(Chops)(lead guitarist Jake Cinninger talks about technique)(Interview)
October 1, 2003... Name: Jake Cinniger Home Base: Chicago, Illinois WANT TO MAKE SINGLE-NOTE RIFFS EASIER TO PLAY, AS WELL as give them a sassier, more it-your-face sound? Take a hint from Umphrey's McGee's dynamic lead guitarist, lake Cinninger--try...

Amazing Grace.(Chops)(tips on the use of chords in guitar playing)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... I LOVE CHORDS. ONE OF the most exciting things you can do with chords is use dram to reharmonize melodies. This is done by taking a preexisting melody and--without changing a single note in that melody--replacing some or all of file chords in...

Joni Mitchell: Shadows and Light.(Movie Review)
October 1, 2003... Since 1968, when Joni Mitchell burst on the folk-rock scene with her debut album Joni Mitchell, the Canadian singer-songwriter has maintained a parallel career in the visual arts. A committed painter, she has illustrated many of her album...

Various Artists: The Story of the Blues.(Sound Recording Review)
October 1, 2003... Originally released in 1969 as an audio accompaniment to Paul Oliver's excellent book of tire stone tide, The Story of the Blues has been remastered and expanded to include a whopping 13 "bonus" tracks. Covering the entire history of the blues...

Daniel Peterson: Illinois Jazz Project.(Sound Recording Review)
October 1, 2003... Talented multi-instrumentalist Peterson delivers plenty of smooth, glass-of-Cognac-after-a-night-of-clubbing moments on this jazz set, and hepcats of the Playboy glory days will absolutely revel in his melodic forays and tuxedo-sophisticate...

Squier showmaster roundup.(Bench Tests)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Squier celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, and the affordable, youth-oriented line of Fenders is perhaps even edgier now than it was as a baby brat with something to prove. Depending on the model, Squiers now boast hot-rodded graphics...

Ashdown Fallen Angel 180 & peacemaker 100.(Bench Tests)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... The amplifiers made by England's Ashdown company might be distinguished by their analog VU meters--which give them a decidedly vintage flair--but these unique designs offer features and tones that suit modern shredders as much as old-school...

Ibanez S1620FBNT.(Editors' Pick Award)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Do you remember a product marketed with the slogan, "It's like wearing nothing at all"? (Hint--it wasn't a guitar.) The same tagline could apply to the Ibanez S1620FBNT ($1,049 street). The first time I strapped on this guitar during a gig its...

Motion Sound AG-110H AcousticField.(Bench Tests)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... These days, most acoustic guitarists accept amplification as a practical necessity. Some like wildman Monte Montgomery--embrace technology, while others use it grudgingly, but virtually everyone recognizes the need for sound reinforcement when...

Reverend Avenger TL.(Bench Tests)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... At first glance, the Reverend Avenger TL ($679; $729 as tested, direct only) reveals obvious Stratocaster influences with its three single-coils, 5-way selector, and hardtail bridge. But look closer and you'll also see Tele caster and...

Tom Anderson Guitarworks Crowdster Acoustic.(Bench Tests)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Southern California guitar maker Tom Anderson is known for creating out standing electrics that offer world-class playability, workmanship, and tones. Anderson has never made an acoustic per se, but many of his designs feature chambered bodies...

Carvin Cobalt C980.(Bench Tests)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Carvin is known for the wide selection of solid-body electrics and thinline acoustic-electrics it produces at its San Diego, California, factory. However, for its new Cobalt series acoustics, Carvin joins the ranks of guitar companies who have...

DigiTech RPx400.(Pro Audio Report)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... I've said fills before, and I'll probably repeat it until the last wisp of breath escapes from my lips: If you're not documenting your work, you're in visible. All those gigs you play are lost in the mental marshes of imperfect memory as soon...

Yamaha SLG100S Silent Steel.(Bench Tests)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Yamaha SLG100S Silent Steel ($599 street) offers steel string players the same generous feature set found on Yamaha's popular nylon-stringed SLG100N. Both guitars are part of the company's line of "silent" instruments, designed specifically for...

Brad Cat Hot Cat 15.(guitar amplifier )(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Designed by Matchless co-founder Mark Sampson, the Bad Cat Hot Cat 15 ($2,600 street) features the same quality components, roadworthy construction, and modern-sounding high-gain channel found in its bigger brother, the Hot Cat 30 (reviewed...

Marshall 1959 SLPX.(electric guitar amplifier )(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... The late-'60s, 100-watt Marshall "plexi"--It's not just an amp, it's an institution. It's the snarling beast that put fangs in the riffs of Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, and countless others. Various reissues of...

Reeeves Studio/Stage combo.(guitar amplifier )(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... Just when you drought there couldn't possibly be room for another EL84-powered amplifier, along comes the Reeves Studio/Stage ($2,459; head $1,799)--a 40-watt, 2x12 combo that features reverb, 3-band EQ, Master volume, and a half-power switch....

Blackstone appliances MOSFET Overdrive Model 2SV3.(electric guitar pedal )(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... With its embossed metal nameplate, flush mounted controls, and textured black finish, the Blackstone MOSFET Overdrive Model 2SV3 ($225 direct) looks like a relic from the 1930s. Despite its beyond-vintage appearance, however, the 2SV3 is much...

DiMarzio Tone Zone S.(electric guitar accessory )(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... A license is required to own a gun in this country, but how come we let just anyone plug a single-coil bridge pickup into a screaming 100-watt half-stack? One way to ensure you're never guilty of causing anyone's ears to bleed is to install a...

Lehle Dual swithcher.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2003... The German-made Lehle Dual ($225 street) is the BMW of switchers. Employing gold-plated relays (no semiconductors) and an electrically isolated Lundahl line splitter (which eliminates ground loops), the Dual provides professional-grade...

Klotz LaGrange cable.(electric guitar cable)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The sky's the limit when it comes to how much you can spend on a high-end cable, but the German made Klotz guitar leads imported by American distributor Kendrick Amplifiers deliver top-notch performance without taking a huge whack out of your...

Dean Markley Alchemy strings.(guitar strings )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Although some players--myself included--considered coated strings to be a passing fad, it's dear they're here to stay. Dean Markley's Alchemy line of acoustic strings ($9 street; available in Gold Bronze and Gold Phos sets) are the latest...

Snarling Dogs Guitar Restoration Kit.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Snarling Dogs presents the products in its Guitar Restoration Kit ($12 street) as wondrous elixirs for axes afflicted with all manner of finish blemishes. The Kit contains 4-ounce bottles of Revival Cream and Real Orange Oil, accompanied by a...

Nady TD-1 Tube Distortion Floor Effects Pedal.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Nady Systems Offering classic tube sounds, lots of sustain and great note definition, Nady's reissued TD-1 utilizes the original core 12AX7 tube pro-amp design with new expanded control functions for optimal overdrive selection, tone...

Chafin Helios Custom.(guitar )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Chafin Custom Guitars Launch Date: Now Available The Helios is all handmade by respected luthier Ben Chafin. It features the best available materials and Chafin's exclusive SonicArt bridge. ]he all brass bridge comes in 6 different...

Sabine Smart Spectrum SWM7000--2.4 GHz Wireless Mic Systems.(microphone system )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Sabine, Inc. Launch Date: Now Available The first 2.4 GHz wireless (no TV interference!) that sounds as good as a wired mic and comes with 5 built-in digital signal processors including the FBX Feedback Exterminator[R] and Mic...

iMix-Onboard Mixing System.(electric guitar accessory )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... LR Baggs Co. Launch Date: August 2003 Onboard 2 channel Mixing System that features the award winning IBeam and new Element Pickup. Upgrade for many existing factory installed preamps. Features include; click lock battery access, phase...

Electar Tube-30R.(guitar amplifier )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... MusicYo.com Launch Date: May 2003 Electar introduces the ALL-NEW Tube-30R guitar amplifier. 30 watts of vintage tube power featuring 2-12AX7s and 2-EL84's, 10" spkr, 2-channels, ext. spkr out, preamp out, footswitch and Accutronics...

El Diablo 100.(electric guitar amplifier )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Genz Benz Enclosures Launch Date: September 2003 An EL 34 powered 100/50 watt tube guitar head, 2-channel tube preamp platform, capability of 12 unique and distinctive remote tone variations, 5-button footswitch included. SRP...

Groove Agent.(virtual instrument, software )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Steinberg Launch Date: May 2003 Groove Agent is a stunning new VSTi that provides you with ready to go drum rhythms in only a few mouse clicks. Playing the most popular and influential styles flora music history inside your VST host...

Nut Sauce Filled Groove-Luber.(guitar string lubricant )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Big Bends LLC Nut Sauce filled syringe applicator with curved plastic needle for pin point application. Extreme tuning aid. Smooth precision tuning. Keeps you in tune. Reduces string breakage up to 95%. SRP Price: $10 ...

E-Series Fusion II.(electric guitar )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Zeta Music Systems, Inc, Launch Date: July 2003 Hand crafted in the US. Semi hollow construction. Ultra lightweight and equipped with the new patented E-series II pickup system & geared tuners. Available in Black, White or Spruce...

Burrell Acoustic 00.(Burrell 00 Single Cutaway guitar )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Burrell Guitars Launch Date: Now Available The Burrell 00 Single Cutaway is the only model currently available as a production instrument, 8[degrees] twisted neck; 25-7/16" scale length; neck attachment at the 17th fret, cut to the...

Big Rig, Guitar Stack Case System.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Calzone Case Co. Launch Date: July 2003 The system features a headcase that stacks on a 4X12 cabinet customized to make and model with 4 space rack and accessory compartment, Cabinet has custom foam and steel trap door for cabling. ...

Pawnshop prize: Stella flat-top.(vintage guitar )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Stella acoustic guitars have long been associated with bluesmen such as Blind Blake and Blind Willie McTel--players whose choice of instrument probably had less to do with their impaired vision than the fact that Stellas were cheap, reasonably...