Guitar Player articles from October 2007

Guitar Player archives from October 2007

Noize from the editor.
October 1, 2007... MY EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROJECT THIS MONTH was helping GP's sister publication EQ through the final stage of its planned evolution from a recording magazine for aspiring engineers and producers to a resource for musicians who make tracks at home....

Letter of the month!(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... In the August issue, John 5 tries to justify his release of the "world's first R-rated instructional DVD" by claiming that "99 percent of the guitarists buying these DVDs are guys, and who doesn't like breasts?" His claims may be true, but I'd...

Alien contact.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... I remember the day I bought Surfing with the Alien on the way to my after-school job. (I thought we'd never get off work that day.) A friend gave me a lift home, and, after we popped Surfing in the tape deck, I remember him saying, "What, there...

Roderick Poole.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... I read Michael Molenda's "Noize" column this morning, and when I got to the part about Roderick Poole--someone I never met--I could feel frustration building and my heart breaking. I quickly turned to page 34 to find out the details. I work in...

Huge horrible oops!(FEEDBACK)(Correction notice)
October 1, 2007... In September's Riffs feature on Clutch's Tim Sult, we made the mother of all editorial mistakes by running a photo of Neil Fallon, one of Sult's band mates. Our sincere apologies to Tim, who is pictured here.

Steve Vai.(RIFFS: Orchestral Shred)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... UTTER THE WORD "VAI" WITHIN THE ROCK-GUITAR world, and you will hear many definitions. Vai's first boss, the late Frank Zappa, called him "our little Italian virtuoso." To fans of the 1986 film Crossroads, he's Satan's guitarist--as cast by...

Alice Cooper.(RIFFS: Oeuvre Easy)(Vincent Furnier)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... IT'S NO SECRET THAT MR. VINCENT Furnier--a.k.a. Alice Cooper--wields a golf club much more enthusiastically than a guitar, but his band is nonetheless responsible for some of the rawest, riffiest, and most righteous licks in rock history....

Killer, 1971.(INSPIRED)(Alice Cooper album)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Killer is one of those perfect albums that smites adolescent dread and torment with throbbing grooves. snotty and rebellious vocals, poppy songs drenched in serf-myth, and layer upon layer of superbly Crafted, thematically empathetic guitars....

Billion Dollar Babies, 1973.(INSPIRED)(Alice Cooper album)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... It still takes my breath away to hear the yowling guitars that kick off the title track-a magnificent intro that begins with a siren-like hammer-on, then a harmony overdub, then a tension-breaking bass run, and, finally, all hell breaks loose...

Love It to Death, 1971.(REQUIRED)(Alice Cooper album)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The first album produced by Bob Ezrin, and the first record to unleash the classic "Alice Cooper sound," Death is defined by the still-potent teenage anthem, "I'm Eighteen." Suddenly, the band is uncorking killer riffs--the "I'm Eighteen"...

Muscle of Love, 1973.(REQUIRED)(Alice Cooper album)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... When I bought this beauty back in my high-school days, the cardboard LP cover--emblazoned with "Attention: This Carton Contains One (1) Alice Cooper Muscle of Love" and a faux grease stain of unknown origin-I felt naughty in a very pleasing,...

Pretties for You, 1969.(TIRED)(Alice Cooper album)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... A Somewhat late shot at psychedelia--but as transmuted by some nightmarish Broadway revue--Pretties doesn't presage the masterful and unique guitar histrionics that were to come. Most of the tones closely echo the fuzzy ejaculations other...

School's Out, 1972.(TIRED)(Alice Cooper album)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The title track pegs one of the most urgent and identifiable intro licks in rock, but the rest of School's Out takes a bit of a detour into the self-consciously prog-dinner-theater mindset of Pretties for You--minus the psychedelic overtones....

Editor boy's big eight.(RIFFS: Myspace Hordes)
October 1, 2007... GP IS EMBRACING D-I-Y MUSICIANS BY spotlighting thrilling (or, at least, interesting) guitar talents in this column and at guitarplayer.com. If you think you've got something going that our readers should hear, go to myspace.com/michaelmolenda...

Melissa Dougherty.(RIFFS: Rocker Girl)(Lemon Sun guitarist)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... IF THE OVERACHIEVERS OF THE MUSIC WORLD ever received grades, Lemon Sun guitarist Melissa Dougherty would be on the Dean's List. Playing guitar and classical piano from the age of five, Dougherty was already producing her own CDs and playing in...

Lucky Oceans.(RIFFS: Sliders)(pedal steel guitarist)
October 1, 2007... YOU MIGHT THINK THAT BEING a pedal-steel guitarist in Perth, Australia--"the most isolated city on earth"--would be a Maytag repairman-like existence. Lucky Oceans, however, has built a successful career not only as a musician, but also as an...

Will Bernard.(RIFFS: Jazz)(guitarist)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... "I JUST GOT BACK FROM A FUN GIG PLAYING traditional French cafe music with the Baguette Quartette at the Ratatouille film premier," says Will Bernard with a slight smile. The soft-spoken, hard-bopping guitarist is best known as a jazzman, but...

Markus Reuter.(RIFFS: Outsider)(guitarist)
October 1, 2007... "TOO MANY PEOPLE WRITE MUSIC THAT IS EASY to play," says Austrian touch guitarist Markus Reuter. "For me, the real creative challenge lies in pursuing something I wouldn't typically attempt. I like to force myself out of the comfort zone, and...

Brian Silverman.(RIFFS: Super Sideman)(guitarist)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BECOMING PROFESSIONAL guitarists, many of us get wild-eyed visions of stadium tours and limos. Far fewer see orchestra pits and conductor's batons, but that's one way a well-rounded musician can make a living if he or she...

Kelly Johnson, original lead guitarist and vocalist for the headbanging, all-female, U.K.-based quartet Girlschool, died July 15, following a six-year battle with cancer of the spine.(Passing Notes)(Obituary)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Kelly Johnson, original lead guitarist and vocalist for the headbanging, all-female, U.K.-based quartet Girlschool, died July 15, following a six-year battle with cancer of the spine. In 1978, Johnson and drummer Denise Dufort joined forces...

Founding Marshall Tucker Band rhythm guitarist George McCorkle died June 29 in Nashville at the age of 60. McCorkle, who had recently been diagnosed with cancer, penned many MTB songs, including the band's first Top 40 hit, "Fire on the Mountain.".(Passing Notes)(Obituary)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Founding Marshall Tucker Band rhythm guitarist George McCorkle died June 29 in Nashville at the age of 60. McCorkle, who had recently been diagnosed with cancer, penned many MTB songs, including the band's first Top 40 hit, "Fire on the...

Laurie Morvan.(RIFFS: Blues)(guitarist)
October 1, 2007... "I SET OUT TO MAKE A REALLY STRONG GUITAR statement that would have people asking, 'Who is that guitar player?'" says Laurie Morvan of her latest release, Cures What Ails Ya [Screaming Lizard]. Oil the album's 12 original tunes, Morvan singes...

Bigsby vibrato prototype.(RIFFS: Vintage Vault)(Paul Bigsby)
October 1, 2007... PAUL BIGSBY IS known for several of the modern electric guitar's milestone achievements, but, technically, Bigsby didn't invent any of them--he just refined them. Similarly, Bigsby didn't invent the vibrato bar, but he certainly set the...

John Williams & John Etheridge.(RIFFS: Classical)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... ALTHOUGH BEST KNOWN AS A VIRTUOSO classical guitarist, John Williams' musical reach has routinely extended far beyond the classical repertoire. During the '80s, Williams played steel-string and electric guitars in the highly successful...

Gary Moore.(RIFFS: Blues-Rock)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... "THERE'S AN INTERNET RADIO STATION BASED OUT of London called Planet Rock, and they asked me to host six two-hour blues programs," says legendary guitarist and pioneering blues/rock stylist, Gary Moore. "As I was digging around looking for...

Maroon 5.(RIFFS: Rock)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... "BECAUSE OF OUR CHART SUCCESS AND HIGH profile on MTV, people are quick to write Maroon 5 off as this fluffy pop entity," says guitarist James Valentine, conveying far more bemusement than bitterness. "It's understandable, because we exist in a...

The top 40 common newbie guitarist mistakes.(RIFFS: Guitar Player 40 YEARS)
October 1, 2007... By Harmony Central Forum Members Investing in distortion boxes instead of a good amp. Learning 100 intros and no songs. Limiting yourself to one style of music--usually metal. Not taking the time to learn music theory. ...

Various Artists: Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970.(Audio)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... It isn't surprising that someone would release a box set commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love. Rather than simply repackaging the same psychedelic songs easily available on myriad anthologies, however, Rhino chose music...

Bob Brozman Orchestra: Lumiere.(Audio)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Gracing the cover of Bob Brozman's latest album is a photo of 27 instrument-bearing bespectacled and bearded men attired in white suits and funny hats emblazoned with the names of various countries. The instruments include acoustic and...

What's spinning in the editors' heads this month?(RANTS & RAVES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... MATT BLACKETT Black Sabbath, The Dio Years Rush, Snakes & Arrows The Police, Synchronicity DAMIEN CASTANEDA Patty Griffin, Children Running Through Ekova, Heaven's Dust Unsacred Hearts, In Defense of Fort Useless...

Jet Lag Gemini: Fire the Cannons.(Audio)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... At first listen it might be easy to dismiss Jet Lag Gemini as yet another overly clever pop/punk power chord band la Blink-182. The thing that will set them apart, however, is the bitchin' guitar work of Vlad Gheorghiu. Far from simply hitting...

Paul Gilbert: Get Out of My Yard.(Instructional)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
October 1, 2007... Chart-topping rock star and self-professed Hollywood guitar maniac Paul Gilbert is also an amazing teacher. His enthusiasm for all things guitar is infectious, and his ability to break down techniques such as picking and vibrato is second to...

Krank Amplification: Krankshaft overdrive pedal.(GEAR: New Gear)
October 1, 2007... Heavy-duty chassis * True-bypass circuitry * $129 retail * krankamps.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Hearos: Skull Screws foam ear plugs.(GEAR: New Gear)
October 1, 2007... Made of soft, washable, and reusable foam tips connected to plastic screw-like stems * Carrying case included * Noise-reduction rating of 30dB * $5 retail * hearos.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Gadow Guitars: Monterey.(GEAR: New Gear)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Solid alder body * 25 1/2" scale bolt-on neck * Customization options include choice of alder or swamp ash for the body, choice of fretboard woods, Handwound Lindy Fralin or Lollar pickups, choice of tuner and hardware colors, neck inlays, and...

QSC Audio Products, Inc.: HPR122I powered loudspeaker.(GEAR: New Gear)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Can be pole-mounted with stand socket or flown via nine M10 suspension points * 500 watts total * 12" low frequency driver with 3" voice coil and neodymium magnet structure * Two-way enclosure features a compression driver with a 1.4" diaphragm...

Sonic Research, Inc.: turbo tuner ST-122 portable true strobe tuner.(GEAR: New Gear)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... LED-based strobe display * Automatic-note selection zeroes in on the note being played and rejects background noise * User-defined alternate tunings * Guaranteed to maintain an accuracy of [+ or -] .02 cents * $199 retail * turbo-tuner.com ...

Spirit Musical Products: master series 3010 guitar.(GEAR: New Gear)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Honduran mahogany with 3/8" AAA+ quilted top * Three-piece maple set neck with ebony fretboard * KTS titanium neck system with titanium two-way trussrod * Spirit Cobalt pickups with coil tap * Grover Super-Roto-Matic tuners * Includes hardshell...

British invasion! Celebrating 50 years of Vox.(Cover story)(Company overview)
October 1, 2007... AS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC NAMES IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS and amplifiers. Vox played a huge role in creating the shimmering guitar sounds that galvanized a generation of young music fans in the 1960s. Vox amplifiers, guitars, organs, effects, and...

10 things you gotta do to play like Danny Gatton.(LESSONS)(Biography)
October 1, 2007... WHEN GUITAR PLAYER BEGAN RECEIVING DOZENS OF READERS POLL BALLOTS with the same name nominated in nearly every musical category as early as 1976, the editorial staff must have dismissed them as a prank. After all, it wasn't possible for a...

Mr. Scary's soloing secrets: George Lynch shares ways to wring, wrangle, and wrestle fat tones out of your fretboard.(LESSONS: Master Class)
October 1, 2007... "One of the main problems young guitarists have is that they're nervous players, and they never commit to a note. Grab a note, stay on it, dig in, and really establish it." AT THE END OF A PLEASANT CUL DE SAC in the suburbs of Los Angeles,...

Conquering the chromatic scale.(BEGINNER)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... If you've ever been taught a fingering for the chromatic scale, chances are it was the first one shown here. But as prolific GP columnist Jimmy Stewart pointed out in the January '81 GP, there are other fingerings for the scale that are worth...

Obnoxious shred lick no. 237.(ADVANCED)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Admit it: You have no shame. With an agenda that's clear to everyone but yourself, you stroll into--perhaps even take employment at--the local music emporium to, under the guise of testing out new gear, dial in loud, performance-enhancing lead...

The cure's "heaven"-ly jangle.(BEGINNER)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... It would make sense that two notes played together would sound twice as full as one sounded alone. On the guitar, however, this often simply isn't the case--two notes typically sound several times huger, particularly if one is a ringing open...

Cheating with muse's Matthew Bellamy.(INTERMEDIATE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Sure, we can thank the capo for many a singer/songwriter never learning barre chords, but branding the handy string clamp a "cheater" is a bit like calling a handgun a peacemaker--it only describes one of the gizmo's possible applications. Take...

RAD reader riff.(BEGINNER)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... If you were in the back row of the concert hail watching someone play this passage onstage, your eyes might tell you that three of the grips (all but A7) were typical barre chords. Your ears, however, would hear something much richer. As GP...

Jerry Garcia.(ADVANCED)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... It's fun smashing stereotypes. Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead were, of course, known for their extended modal explorations, but pigeonholing Garcia as favoring "endless one-chord jams" (as some 6-string elitists did) was simply unfair. In...

Chord Melody: how to conquer jazz's most dazzling and daunting guitar style.(LESSONS: Style Council)
October 1, 2007... ONE OF THE MOST SOPHISTICATED, all-inclusive, and truly mesmerizing guitar styles is chord melody. A hybrid of rhythmic accompaniment and lead playing, this approach finds the guitarist providing the melody, harmony, and groove all at once,...

10 under-$300 acoustic-electrics.(GEAR: Roundup!)(Alvarez RD8C, Applause AE 128 and Ashland SF 70CE3TS)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... THE OLD SAYING, "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR" HAS PARTICULAR significance in the acoustic guitar market, where fine tonewoods and expert craftsmanship are fundamental requirements for great sound. If you can afford to spend $1,500 or more (often...

Alvarez RD8C.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... THE MIRROR-IMAGE "A" ON THE HEADSTOCK AND the walrus-moustache bridge announce from across the room that the RDSC is an Alvarez. It sports simple but tasteful cosmetics and the cool pickguard (coupled with the unique bridge) prevent it from...

Applause AE 128.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... THE APPLAUSE LINE IS KAMAN'S MORE MODERATELY priced alternative to its legendary Ovation acoustics. Sitting atop a super-shallow synthetic bowl-shaped body, the AE 128's honey burst spruce top yields a lovely hue with no sign of shoddy...

Ashland SF 70CE3TS.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... FROM THE STUDENT LINE OF Crafter Guitars, the Ashland SF 70CE3TS arrived with a pretty sunburst on the superbly polished spruce top. The 'burst goes nicely with its mahogany back, sides, and neck. The wow factor was enhanced by the gleaming,...

Dean Performer E mini-jumbo cutaway.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... THE PERFORMER E SPORTS A PRETTY, DARK BLUE "burst" finish with a subtle hint of grain peeking through. It also has several nice cosmetic touches, including white binding all around, mother-of-pearl-like headstock and rosette inlays, and a...

Fender Sonoran SCE.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... SPORTING A STRATOCASTER HEADSTOCK AND a lively Lake Placid Blue finish, the Sonoran SCE is my pick for the hippest looking guitar in the Roundup. Construction throughout this cutaway dreadnought is air tight. The paint is cleanly applied with...

Greg Bennett OM 5 CE.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... THE FOLKS AT SAMICK PRESENT THE GREG Bennett-designed OM 5 CE, a guitar that looks clean and solid, with minimal inlay (simple dots on the fretboard and tasteful abalone on the rosette), a smooth Venetian cutaway, and a smart-looking black...

Ibanez AEL10E.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... THE RELATIVELY LARGE AND DEEP-BODIED AEL10E looks almost like a fatback jazz guitar. The instrument feels very solid and substantial, and the workmanship is quite good overall, with only a few tiny rough spots and glue traces marring an...

Jasmine ES33C.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... THE ES33C IS A FAIRLY PEDESTRIAN INSTRUMENT. It wins no points for design, its stick-on rosette and painted logo are far from classy, and even the semi-cool tortoiseshell binding isn't sufficient to win it any awards for stylishness. But...

Silvertone SD 50CE.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... COMING FROM ONE OF THE OLDEST NAMES IN affordable gear, the dreadnought-sized SD 50CE looks sharp with its high gloss finish, abalone rosette, and preponderance of binding. Look closer, though, and you start noticing that the binding isn't...

Washburn EA16.(GEAR: Roundup)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... COMBINING A METALLIC PAINT JOB WITH A '70S-style "butterfly" bridge, the EA16 is well suited for those who aren't seeking a traditional looking acoustic-electric. The dark grey body is complemented with neatly installed black binding on the top...

3 new PRS SE models.(Guitar Player EDITORS' PICK)(Custom Semi-Hollow, One and Paul Allender model)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... AT THIS POINT IN TIME, ONLY A WOOLY MAMMOTH who has been encased in an ice flow for a millennia or so wouldn't be aware that Paul Reed Smith makes exquisite guitars. They're often expensive beauties, and yet few seem to argue that they aren't...

All about: bolt-on and set necks.(GEAR: Sonic Essentials)
October 1, 2007... OVERHEARD IN A GUITAR STORE SOMEWHERE near you: "Dude, what's that? "A Tom Anderson." "Never heard of it. Anyway, you don't want that--it has a bolt-on neck. You want a guitar with a set neck." This fictional exchange highlights a...

C Tech Pocket Rock-it V2 Boss RC-2 T. Jauernig Gristle King.(GEAR: Field Test)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... RECENTLY, AS I WAS PREPARING FOR AN OVERSEAS TRIP THAT included performing at the Thanks Jimi Festival in Wroclaw, Poland, I decided it would be nice to be able to bone up on my Hendrix licks before the show, as well as work on my own music....

Fulltone GT-500.(Guitar Player EDITORS' PICK)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... DEVISED AND BUILT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, Fulltone's GT-500 ($225 retail/street price N/A) is a dual mode grind machine with independent Booster and Distortion modes. Like all Fulltone pedals, the GT-500 sports absolutely impeccable...

SuperVee Tremolo.(GEAR: Accessory File)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2007... THE GUITAR COMMUNITY'S "BUILD A BETTER mousetrap" award for the last 25 years would probably have to go to Floyd Rose, who got so fed up with his whammy system going out of tune that he took the tremolo law into his own hands. By clamping the...

Jennifer Batten 1989.(BACK 40: GP Archives)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... "WOMEN ARE THE WEAKER SEX. A WOMEN'S place is in the home. Women can't be president because they're too emotional. It's a man's world. I remember hearing phrases like these when I was growing up. recalls Jennifer Batten. "But. when I was a...