Innehållsförteckning för Holiday December 2016 från Guitar Player

THE AUDIENCE OF MOSTLY BABY BOOMERS had to contend with myriad “Oldchella” references (an obvious play on the youth-oriented Coachella festival), the average age of the musicians themselves was around 72, and high-end amenities filled the fairground, but Desert Trip in Indio, California, was no last tango for fading bucket-listers. Thanks to the energy, political ire, wry humor, and transcendent songs from Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Roger Waters, and the Who, the two-weekend Desert Trip—which, at press time, was estimated at grossing more than $100 million—proved that great rock and rock can be both ageless and powerful. —MM…

Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, British Rail, London, 1965 THE IMAGE SEEMS SO TAME TODAY. KEITH AND MICK appear almost impossibly young and cute while on a train trip to a Rolling Stones concert. But this photo also exemplifies some of the fear parents had for the “wicked and dirty” Stones in the early and mid 1960s. There’s Keith, mouth agape and sunglasses shielding what my mom and dad would have likely assumed were “stoned eyes,” holding one of his weapons of youthful destruction—the 1963 Harmony H-1270 12-string acoustic he used to record “As Tears Go By,” “Not Fade Away,” and other early Stones tracks. (In 2004, this Harmony was sold at a Christie’s auction for $33,460.) And then, a slyly arrogant Mick, posed in desultory indifference, except for…

EPIPHONE LIMITED EDITION JOE BONAMASSA “TREASURE” FIREBIRD-I Goodies Closely modeled after the blues ace’s rare 1963 Gibson Firebird, the Treasure features a classic beveled headstock, a ProBucker FB720 pickup, an adjustable wrap-around “Lightning Bar” bridge and tailpiece, and Kluson Reissue Firebird/Banjo tuners. Each guitar includes a certificate of authenticity hand-signed by Bonamassa. Price $799 street More Info epiphone.com MARTIN GUITAR D JR. 2 SAPELE Goodies The D Jr. 2’s small body size makes it easier to play, yet it still projects booming bass, thanks to its dreadnought shape. It uses sapele as the foundation for the top, back, and sides, and sports a Richlite fingerboard and bridge, and a hand-rubbed body and neck finish. Available with Fishman Sonitone electronics for an additional $100. Price $529 street More Info martinguitar.com ROADRUNNER…

WERE SOMEONE TO PLAY YOU THE FIRST FEW seconds of each track on Prasanna’s All Terrain Guitar [Susila], you might reasonably draw the conclusion you were listening to a compilation CD from a label that specialized in broad-ranging modern jazz and world music: “Springtime in New York” playfully dances around Pat Metheny-inflected post-bop lyricism, “Lava” surges like a free-flowing Indian raga run through a cranked Marshall stack, and “The Keyword Is Love” juxtaposes melodic scat-singing against a gently pulsing reggae structure. Certainly, the album’s nine tracks are a delightful carousel ride through nine varied and eclectic musical landscapes. A more in-depth listen, however, makes it readily apparent that the connecting thread organically weaving this circumnavigation of world music together is the signature guitar style of Prasanna. With a passport stamped…

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO STUDY chords and how they work? Write ’em down! Instead of laboring over exhaustive chord manuals and dictionaries that list every known chord in the universe and tend to overwhelm the reader, committing pencil to paper significantly reinforces your understanding and retention, and, by doing so, you’ll get a much better grasp on how chords are formed and how they relate to each other. Here then is a special holiday treat. The following info and examples provide all the necessary tools to construct your very own self-penned chord book. Do the work and reap the rewards. STUDY YOUR BLUEPRINTS Chords come in three basic flavors: Major, Minor, and Dominant. Every chord falls into one of these categories, so step one is to familiarize yourself with…

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A MASTODON fan to dig this cool reimagining of the classic Gibson Flying V design. And it looks nearly identical to the Gibson-branded Flying V Hinds can be seen playing in some photos. The Flying V Custom’s distinctive pointy pickguard, straight-line knob and switch arrangement, V-shaped string-through-body tailpiece, and set rounded-profile neck joined at the 21st fret are all reminiscent of the original 1958 Flying V, while the neck and multi-layer body binding, ebony fretboard with block inlays, and fancy split-diamond headstock inlay impart more than a little Les Paul Custom classiness. One cosmetic feature you won’t find on either a vintage V or Paul, however, is the Brent Hinds skull logo looming on the rear of the headstock. The guitar’s striking Silverburst finish is…

THERE ARE A LOT OF TIME-TESTED ways to wake up an audience—pyrotechnics, choreographed onstage flash mobs, and wirerigged flying performers to name but a few. Or you can simply wield a SL3X in slime green, taxi cab yellow, or neon pink to imprint your image into the eyeballs of your fans. (For the timid, the SL3X is also available in more sedate satin black and white pearl metallic finishes.) This is definitely an instrument that screams “LEAD GUITAR” very loudly and proudly. And yet, the Soloist isn’t simply a weapon for soloists, shredders, and metalheads. I wouldn’t say this out loud near the SL3X for fear of wounding its aggro-macho pride, but it’s also a guitar capable of quite lovely clean and shimmery tones. Like all classic Jacksons, the SL3X…

AT FIRST GLANCE, ONE MIGHT MISTAKE this guitar for its upscale cousin, the Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass, which sells for three times as much. The idea here is obviously to provide an instrument reminiscent of the superb EBMM Cutlass at a price that makes it accessible to budget-conscious buyers, while delivering as much of the same vibe and performance as possible. The CT50 is very well made, especially for a comparatively inexpensive guitar. The nicely contoured body has a flawless finish, the maple neck’s frets and dot inlays are cleanly installed, and the hardware is solidly mounted. The slightly chunky neck has a Soft V profile that imparts a simultaneously smooth and substantial feel, while the deeply rounded heel eliminates the obstruction of some more traditional designs and eases…

ACCORDING TO YAMAHA, THE REVSTAR series of guitars was “inspired by the strippeddown custom “cafe racer” motorbikes popularized on the streets of London in the 1960s.” That theme is evident in the 502T’s sporty satin-nickel hardware, which includes diecast tuners, metal knobs, an oval jack plate, a Tune-o-matic bridge, and a snazzy floating aluminum tailpiece. These blend beautifully with the cream-colored top binding, pickguard, and pickup covers. Each Revstar model has custom-designed pickups created especially for it, and in the case of the RS 502T, they are VP5 Vintage P-90 single-coils featuring alnico V magnets wound with plain enamel wire and mounted on German silver baseplates. In addition to the single Volume and Tone controls and 3-way pickup selector, pulling up the Tone knob engages a proprietary Dry Switch that…

GuitarPlayer EDITOR’S PICK THESE TWO NEW GUITARS FROM TEYE’S Emperor and Super T Series showcase the fine workmanship, playability, and tone that have become hallmarks of this accomplished builder and guitarist. Our recent review of the Cleopatra (November, 2016) revealed an instrument that not only stood out visually with its over-the-top metal work, but also had very impressive sonic qualities. The guitars on review here further the assessment that Teye is creating very special instruments aimed at pro players who appreciate being able to wring the most tone possible from humbucking pickups. EMPEROR SERIES LA AZTECA With its blue mosaic top with acid-etched metal plates featuring stylized Aztec artwork (there’s a plate on the back as well), this guitar looks amazing enough to hang in a fine-art gallery. Add…

CARMEN VANDENBERG’S BRITISH DUO BONES HAS A SONG called “Girls Can’t Play Guitar.” Fighting words to be sure, but watching Vandenberg rip lines and solos over the tune’s Chicagostyle blues groove reveals the irony of the title. Though still young, she displays chops acquired through extensive schooling, touring, and session work, and a soul that belies her years. In the studio with musical partner/vocalist Rosie Bones—who occasionally plays guitar, as well—the band has created a unique blend of creative, aggressive guitar parts layered over modern rhythms. Live, when Bones puts down her guitar, and the personnel is stripped down to one guitar, drums, and vocals, Vandenberg’s elemental playing still fills out the sound with big riffs and solos that incorporate chords in a style harking back to Chuck Berry, without…

USUALLY, IF A BAND REQUIRES THAT A wall of security guards be stationed shoulderto-shoulder in front of the stage before they start playing, the implication is that things are about to get rowdy—maybe even a little violent. But while there was a squad of security hulks at Green Day’s recent concert at the Palladium in Hollywood, those 16 dudes didn’t seem to have policing the crowd as their primary purpose. If anything, the behemoths were provided, with love, by the band to act as a human safety net—a 32-arm insurance policy guaranteeing that no crowd surfer broke his or her face after tumbling over the barricade. Yes, the Palladium fans were rowdy, rabid, and raucous (but not violent), and even though the set was 135 minutes long, the…

WHEN IT COMES TO READING MUSIC, the most important things are to do it regularly— like every day, if you can—and to set a tempo and don’t stop or slow down. Some other things we’ve discussed so far have to do with all the info you should take in whenever you’re faced with a piece of music. Again, there is a tremendous amount of information in just about every single bar of written music you’ll encounter, and you should be getting pretty good at recognizing it and assimilating it almost instantly. Take a look at Ex. 1. Within the first two seconds (seriously), you should be able to grasp the time signature (4/4, like most of the time), key signature (one flat, Bb, which means key of F, right?), tempo…

THE PREMIER SS IS A NEW AND MORE affordable addition to D’Angelico’s recently revitalized offshore-made lineup, and it looks to be a contender with players seeking alternative styling in a versatile semi-acoustic. Our review guitar has classic D’Angelico styling in its multiply-bound headstock with mother-of-pearl empire “Premier” banner inlay and aluminum trussrod cover, Grover Super Rotomatic tuners, block inlays, and stairstep pickguard. The 15"-wide, single-cutaway semi’s top, back, and sides are made from laminated maple, and there is a solid-maple center block to add punch and sustain and minimize feedback. All in all, this Premier SS is beautifully executed for the price, and, in fact, would raise few concerns even at twice the ticket. The mirrorgloss finish is uniform and swirl-free, the binding is neatly applied and gently rolled for…

CHANCES ARE, WHEN YOU HEAR THE name “Fender Mustang,” P-90 pickups are likely not the first things that spring to mind. The Modern Player Mustang, introduced in 2013 and discontinued shortly thereafter, was the only model to have them before now. That instrument updated the classic Mustang design in several ways, and the new Mustang 90 inherits some of those updates, as well as incorporating its MP-90 pickups. Along with the new Duo-Sonic, Duo-Sonic HS, and standard Mustang guitars, the Mustang 90 is among the latest additions to Fender’s Offset series of fresh takes on historic “offsetwaist” instruments. The Mustang 90 is available in three colors—Olympic White, Silver, and Torino Red—and has a maple neck with a C profile and a rosewood fretboard. Besides sporting MP-90s, the Mustang 90 differs…

WHILE IT’S NOT AN ENTIRELY NEW model, this SE Custom 24 is a thoughtful revamp of a cornerstone of PRS’s value-for-money SE lineup, and it lives up to the good reputation earned by the maker’s offshore range in spades. Updated features include a more elegant signature logo on the headstock and upgraded pickups that more closely match PRS’ U.S.-made guitars. Form and fitments here offer no surprises: a body made from a three-piece mahogany back with maple top and figured maple veneer is crafted in the traditional PRS shape, with a glued-in neck made from three parallel pieces of maple, and an attractively dark and stripey unbound rosewood fingerboard graced with acrylic bird inlays. Dual humbuckers, a simple control layout boosted by coil splitting from the push-pull Tone pot, and…

GuitarPlayer EDITOR’S PICK AS SUGGESTED BY ITS NAME, THE Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster ’50s seeks to deliver some of the vibe of a classic ’50s-era Fender Tele, but at a budget-conscious price befitting the Squier brand—and that’s exactly what it does. Selling for considerably less than four bills on the street, this little beauty cops cool cosmetic details from its earliest predecessors, combines them with more contemporary touches, and does so with comparatively few compromises. Nods to first-decade Telecasters include its semi-transparent finish, “vintage-tint” gloss neck finish, one-piece “blackguard” pickguard with five mounting screws, knurled chrome knobs, barrel-style switch tip, “vintage-style” tuners, and 21 frets set directly into the neck with no separate fretboard. Non-’50s features include a modern C-shaped neck profile, a pine body rather than alder or ash,…

GuitarPlayer EDITOR’S PICK THE LONG-AWAITED RETURN OF THE coveted Mark IIC+ amplifiers that Mesa/Boogie produced in the 1980s has finally been realized with the introduction of the John Petrucciinspired JP-2C, which is both a IIC+ at heart and Mesa’s first “unlimited build” signature model. Of course, as Mesa never makes exact replicas of anything—their constantly evolving technology always figures to some degree into the models it chooses to bring back—it’s no surprise that the JP-2C has some new tricks up its sleeve. Much of this is due to Mesa and Petrucci’s intention of creating the most aggressive and purestsounding representation of the Mark IIC+, and the need for it to fully address his requirements for an amp that functions equally well onstage and in the studio. An important aspect of…

JUST AS MARSHALL’S 1 0 0 -WATT Super Lead stack was emerging as the presumptive emperor of rocktown in 1967, bringing unprecedented volume and behemoth crunch to the masses, one humble engineer in southwest London decided he could do better. Dave Reeves figured that by designing a new amp from the ground up to maximize punch, thump, and big-stage cutting power, he could help major artists deliver the ominous performances that the emerging heavy-rock styles were demanding, and which some players still weren’t getting from existing hardware. Operating as Hylight Electronics, and working out of his garage in New Malden, Surrey, Reeves manufactured his first commercial run of amps as a supplier for Sound City, the London guitar shop and eponymously named amp line of British retail giant Dallas-Arbiter. Dissatisfied…

DURABILITY IS A KEY COMPONENT to the appeal of synthetic acoustics, so GP figured it would be interesting to put Kevin Michael Guitars’ carbon fiber Sable to a tough test—in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. I took the Sable to Burning Man, where rogue dust devils often appear out of thin air. The Sable’s paradox is that while it’s built like a Patton tank, it has a silky sensibility when played. I tended to grab it by the soundhole like a lumberjack would snag a chainsaw, and got the impression that if I whipped it against my buddy’s RV, the vehicle would need fixing. Yet, playing that carbon fiber neck with its soft “V” profile felt completely cozy. Challenging chords and fast linear licks were made easier by the Sable’s graceful…

Almost 50 years ago on a hot summer day in Fresno, California, a guitar-smitten 16-yearold laid down his 35 cents and took home the first Guitar Player magazine. He pored over every page of that first issue and many more over the years. That kid was me. I was fortunate to play in bands in high school and college, followed by more years of performing and recording in Hawaii and California as an accompanist, soloist, and pit musician in numerous theatrical productions—frequently with a copy of Guitar Player nearby. I have never lost my love for playing music, and I have kept on learning about other players and techniques through the pages of your magazine for the past half century. My thanks to all of you at Guitar Player.…

“This is art. There’s tension and release, and humans definitely respond to that. They like structure. Some guitar players will go all the way out, and they never come back. There’s a feeling of having an experience, but it leaves you sort of unsatisfied. My approach is to get out there and offer some strange tastes, but eventually come back to something people can recognize and feel good about. You need a certain amount of balance.”…

THE 2016 CHICAGO JAZZ FESTIVAL took place primarily at the city’s spectacular Millennium Park over Labor Day weekend. The four-day event included dozens of performances on multiple stages, including the extraordinary Jay Pritzker Pavilion—all of which were free to the public. Festival highlights included trumpeter Orbert Davis’ celebration of the Centennial of the Great Migration Soul Migration, a tribute to the late bassist and composer Charlie Haden, and an expanded lineup of the Bad Plus performing Ornette Coleman’s 1972 masterpiece Science Fiction. The biggest guitar event was the John Scofield/Joe Lovano Quartet’s scorching set, in which the longtime friends and musical collaborators burned through tunes from Sco’s 2015 album Past Present and early-’90s John Scofield Quartet material. Bassist Ben Street and original Quartet drummer Bill Stewart joined Scofield and saxophonist…

LONG THE ARCHETYPE OF TRANSFORMATION, PRODUCER Daniel Lanois has morphed sonics and musical approaches for Brian Eno, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, U2, and many others. And yet, he’s also savvy enough about convention to make hits, win Grammys, have his songs covered by other artists, and add his guitar and pedal-steel talents to bands and sideman gigs. All of this comes to bear on Goodbye to Language [Anti-]—a haunting and beautiful album of atmospheric sensations, soaring pedaland lap-steel melodies, manipulated samples, and undulating textures. The music somehow manages to be symphonic in scope, while also casting emotive spells that drone and hum—a construct made all the more miraculous as Lanois and co-conspirator Rocco Deluca crafted their parts randomly with Lanois calling out chords while the duo played live in the…

PEAKING IN 1972 AT #5 ON BOTH THE U.S. and U.K. charts, Argent’s “Hold Your Head Up” was released full-length on the band’s third album, All Together Now, along with shortened single and D.J. edits. Each version kicks off with the song’s classic intro/verse chord riff, featuring robust Fender Strat-and-Twin tones, courtesy of original guitarist Russ Ballard, who also supplied the song’s crystalline, high-tenor lead vocal. As much fun as this figure is to play, it turns out to be equally educational. Let’s start with the chord progression itself. Ex. 1 illustrates Ballard’s mostly triadic riff, which, over the course of four bars, utilizes open-, third-, and fifth-position Dsus4-D, C-Csus2 (or C-Gsus4, if you prefer), and Dsus4-D-G-Am(add9)-Am voicings, played exclusively on the top three strings. But what really makes…

THE GOLDFINCH LOOKS AS IF IT WERE built by a crazed backwoods luthier with a thing for highly figured woods, and, well, birds (check out that feathered-friend pickguard). Designed by New Jersey artist Philip Samuel Smith and made in Chicago from local, Illinois-milled renewable woods, the Goldfinch’s construction is wonky enough (imprecise pickguard cuts, imperfect body routs, raised control knobs, screwed-down metal headstock logo) to merit its “made by hand, one-at-a-time” vibe, but it’s far from just a unique art piece from some roadside timbersmith. A few cosmetic issues aside, the Goldfinch is actually built to withstand road rigors like a world champ. All hardware is battened down, the neck is screwed in airlock tight, and the pickups don’t rattle about. It took some getting used to the reversed, upside-down…

IF YOU SWITCH OUT THE TRADEMARK metal G-Arrow control knobs for gold-colored plastic knobs, dump the vintage screw-down strap buttons for more conventional studs, replace the lovely thumbnail or crown fingerboard inlays for blocks, and exchange the twang-er-rific Filter’Trons for more orthodox Broad’Trons, can you call a Streamliner Series guitar a true Gretsch? At first glance, I wasn’t so sure. But after spending some time with the new G2622T Streamliner double-cutaway, I can happily report the answer is “yes.” The neck of the G2622T is as fast, comfy, and inspiring to play as all but the most revered— and expensive—Gretsch models. The frets are well dressed with no sharp ends, and the action is set perfectly with no fret buzz or fretting out whatsoever. The Torino Green finish is lovely,…

GuitarPlayer EDITOR’S PICK REVEREND INTRODUCED THE DOUBLE Agent back in 2007, and, over time, it underwent various changes—most notably acquiring a new body shape and a Wilkinson tremolo bridge. At one point the folks at Reverend noticed that the original Double Agent guitars were fetching high prices on the pre-owned market—indicating a strong interest from players—so they decided a reissue was in order. The OG in Double Agent OG stands for “original guitar.” The Double Agent OG features the original Charger-style body shape and a Tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece in place of the tremolo bridge. The OG’s body is constructed from korina topped with flamed-maple and features a gorgeous Coffee Burst finish and white top binding. The guitar’s bolt-on maple neck sports a smooth satin finish, a maple fretboard…

GUITAR FETISH HAS ESTABLISHED A veritable Aladdin’s Cave of affordable pickups, parts, and, via the Xaviere brand, guitars. This XV-570 Rockabilly model stands as a good example of what this outfit and their Asian manufacturers can do. It’s funky, stylish, and extremely affordable for the feature set it offers, and it promises to be good fun overall. The company’s GFS Minitron Nashville Filter’ Tron-style pickups are a popular after-market item, and a pair of them lend the XV-570 its distinctly Gretschy vibe. The body is made from hollowed-out solid mahogany with a bent solid-maple top, into which a pair of f-holes have been cut, while the gluedin mahogany neck carries a maple fingerboard with black Les Paul-style inlays. Accoutrements are what–you-see-is-what-you-get, but entirely competent nevertheless—a testament to the affordability of…

“ITALIANS! IT’S ALWAYS THOSE GIFTED Italians,” says director D.W. Griffith after he views the giant elephants erected for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in the fictionalized 1987 film, Good Morning, Babylon. (Griffith then hires the two Italian brothers who made the sculptures to do the same for his epic silent movie, Intolerance.) I got the same feeling plugging into the Sinusoid ($435 street), made in Faenza, Italy, by designers Guglielmo Cicognani and Chicco of Guru Amps. The lush reverb and sexy tremolo (inspired by the ’63 Fender Vibroverb amp) are as stunning as a Maserati GranTurismo, a Bvlgari necklace, or an Ermenegildo Zegna suit. Italians, indeed! Whether deployed together or separately, the reverb and tremolo elevate your guitar tone to something immersive and magical. There’s a ton of vintage…

TUSQ Picks Graph Tech Guitar Labs Available Now TUSQ Picks are a totally new class of pick. Each model comes in three different tones, (bright, warm, deep), three shapes, and three gauges. Drop TUSQ picks onto a hard surface to hear each tone. TUSQ Picks feel alive, transmitting the feel of the string and your picking attack instantly to your fingertips. MSRP: $5.95 (4 or 6 pack), $56.95 (48 or 72 pack) www.graphtech.com 1-800-388-7011 sales@graphtech.com Backbone Guitar Resonance Enhancers for Tele and Strat Style Guitars Backbone Guitar Products Available Now Backbone connects the neck, body, bridge and strings, immediately increasing core resonance for more sustain and improved tone. Easy, non-invasive user install. “You could literally feel it without the guitar plugged in.” - Texas Blues Alley MSRP $49 to $69…