Innehållsförteckning för February 2024 från Total Guitar

Back in the days when I taught guitar as my job, January was always my busiest time. I think it’s a mixture of beginners, guitarists keen to rock new gear received from Father Christmas and long-term players with New Year’s resolutions to become happier with their playing. And if those last two sound anything like you, well, you’ll get plenty out of this issue! First things first, we have a new, exclusive interview with one of the hottest virtuosos around today: Matteo Mancuso. The prodigiously talented Italian talks us through the finer points of his fingerstyle technique, gives us his tips for transforming pentatonic ideas and going from rock to jazz, and he outlines how he likes his gear set up. Along similar lines, we get inside the minds of…

Matteo Mancuso is one of the most astonishing young guitar players on the planet. The jazz virtuoso’s flawless electric guitar skills and jaw-dropping fingerstyle techniques were first observed by thousands on YouTube and Instagram, before his debut album The Journeymade him one of the most talked about players of 2023. He’s won the admiration of masters like Al Di Meola, Joe Bonamassa and Tosin Abasi, and Steve Vai has declared the future of guitar to be safe, so long as people like Mancuso are around to keep the evolutionary wheels turning. As Matteo himself says: “Jazz can be extremely simple as well as extremely complex. Complexity doesn’t mean that it’s good.” But as a player who combines elements of shred, jazz and classical styles, a lot of what he does…

JON GOMM As one of the most innovative fingerstylists on the planet, Jon Gomm knows a thing or two about how to elevate the humble acoustic guitar to extraordinary heights. From beautiful tapestries of natural harmonics to frenzied eight-finger-tapping and brain-boggling feats of multitasking, there’s no doubt about it: he’s got the magic touch. But it can be tricky to know where to begin if you want to move your playing on from open-tuned strum patterns and fingerpicking to a more progressive acoustic style. As Jon says: “Experimentation is the key. What’s great about modern fingerstyle is that it really means: ‘Pick up an acoustic guitar and do whatever techniques you want, in whatever genre you like.’” Jon has made an art of doing just that for the last two…

Despite enduring a lengthy bout of writer’s block, it didn’t take frontman John Rzeznik long to write the Goo Goo Dolls’ career-defining hit single, Iris. “It probably took me an hour or two,” he revealed to ultimateguitar.com. Not bad for a song that would go on to top charts in several countries and still be getting airplay two decades on. Guitarists might be surprised that the track came together with such an unusual altered tuning being used – namely BDDDDD. It was strange for a melodic rock band, but certainly not a first for Rzeznik, who had written GGD hits Name and Black Balloon in DAEAEE and D b Ab Db Ab Db Db respectively. Though the tuning is the most striking element, we recommend tackling Iris in standard. You’ll…

1 GRAPH TECH UN-LOCK NUT Anyone whose guitar is equipped with a Floyd Rose will understand the problem of having to clamp/un-clamp their strings using an allen key. Well now, string replacement and maintenance just got easier thanks to Graph Tech’s Un-Lock Nut, which does away with the nut locks entirely. Designed to be paired with locking tuners, this TUSQ nut requires zero mods to your guitar (beyond changing and setting up the nut), while alleviating some of the tedium of changing strings. $29.95www.graphtech.com 2 ANALOG CASES XTS STANDS If you frequently use an interface, pedals or modellers on your desktop, then you’ll like the look of the XTS Stand. These extendable stands will hold your gear at an angle for easy operation, and can be adjusted to fit to…

REVIEW Japan’s FujiGen factory is well-known in the world of guitar manufacturing. Across its history, the company has built guitars for some of the most iconic brands, such as Fender, Ibanez and Yamaha, and has gained an eviable reputation for impressive quality. As well as lending its expertise to others, FujiGen is also the home of FGN – a line of classic-yet-contemporary guitars that promises to put Japanese build quality into a humble, affordable package, thanks to the absence of a “big name” on the headstock. It is from this lineage that our Iliad heralds. Lifted from the FGN’s ranks of Telecaster-inspired instruments, the Iliad is marketed as a modern twist on Fender’s single-cut design, retaining much of the charm of the original template, and injecting it with some distinct…

COVER FEATURE 30-DAY WORKOUT This month we’re going to flex our fingers and strain those steel strings in TG’s 30-day guitar workout. Of course, guitar practice can be a thorny subject for some. Most of us took up guitar because of our love for music – and ‘homework’-style practice may not be high on your wish list. So, here, we’re tackling the challenge head-on with a jam-packed set of lessons that are both fun to play and guaranteed to help you improve your technique. You can either dip into the lessons as you wish, or, alternatively, you can let our practice plan guide you through the next 30 days. It’s designed to be as flexible as possible so you can work towards your own playing goals. Grab your guitar, plug…

What is tab? Tab is short for tablature, a notational system used to give detailed information as to where notes should be played on the fretboard. Tab appears underneath conventional music notation as six horizontal lines that represent the strings of the guitar, from the sixth (thick) string at the bottom to the first (thin) string at the top. On these lines, numbers represent which frets you place your fingers. For example, an A note on the 2nd fret, third string, will be shown as a number ‘2’ on the third line down on the tab. Unfretted strings are shown with a ‘0’. The key and time signatures are shown in the notation. TG also includes a timestamp to tell you where in the original track you’ll find each example…

A shining beacon in a sea of riff-heavy, punk-inspired grunge guitarists, Mike McCready’s impeccable blues feel, Hendrix-esque chord work and earworm hooks have helped Pearl Jam stay afloat for over three decades – all while most of their contemporaries have sunk without a trace. Inspired by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie Van Halen and Ace Frehley, Mike’s classic rock approach to guitar helped define the Seattle band’s sound – a sound players have been chasing since the early ’90s. Now, if there’s one guitar heavily associated with the grunge icon, it’s his battle-worn Fender Stratocaster. A fresh-faced McCready purchased his beloved Strat immediately after the success of the band’s monumental debut album and he’s used it on every record and tour since. He originally bought the beat-up six-string,…

REVIEW The SG can feel like a strange beast if you’re not used to the guitar’s idiosyncrasies. If you play almost any other six-string it can seem alien. But whatever you think, this collab from Epiphone and bluesman Joe Bonamassa is an absolute stunner. So what makes the SG design that different from the norm? Well, the neck joins the body at the 22nd fret so it sticks out further, putting the 12th fret out in clear air. SGs can also suffer headstock dive due to the long neck, so you’ve either got to keep pulling it back up or invest in a grippy strap. Some players don’t like the three humbuckers or big trem of the Custom version, either, but enough of the negative stuff. Our ’63 Custom is…

ROSIE FRATER-TAYLOR It’s a bold claim, but one that we’re prepared to make: there is no other guitarist in the UK right now who sounds quite like Rosie Frater-Taylor. Brought up in a musical household, with a jazz drummer for a father and a jazz singer for a mother, the rapidly rising young Londoner specialises in combining accessible songcraft with wicked jazz-infused guitar chops as she deftly blurs the boundaries between rock, alt-pop, neo soul, new-school jazz and folk. Having first picked up a guitar at a very young age, Rosie possesses an innate kind of connection to her instrument that often manifests itself as a tendency to sing or scat along in unison with the improvised melodies that come flowing out of her fingertips. A technique originally born out…

ACE FREHLEY “I’M A SLOPPY GUITAR PLAYER! I’LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT” As the lead guitarist in the original line-up of KISS, Ace Frehley is a hugely influential figure in American rock ’n’ roll – an inspiration to countless guitar players that emerged in the ’80s and ’90s, including Dimebag Darrell, Tom Morello, Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, and Stone Gossard and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam. Ace’s guitar wizardry is most powerfully illustrated in the songs he wrote and recorded with KISS in the ’70s – Cold Gin, Shock Me, Rocket Rideand more. In 1978, when solo albums from the four members of KISS were released on the same day, it was Ace’s record that rocked the hardest – and sold the most. And between his two tenures…

CLASSIC TRACK Appearing on Maiden’s 1984 album Powerslave, Two Minutes To Midnight features high‑energy riffing, half-time head-nodding and even the occasional harmonised twin-lead moment courtesy of guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. If you should happen to play with two other guitarists, we suggest one of you plays chords while the other two trade riffs and lead licks. When it comes to the solos, you’ll be playing a mixture of picked and legato runs, plus fairly aggressive whammy bar lines, so your playing will need to be as tight as Murray and Smith’s spandex circa 1984. With a long solo section such as this, it can be easier to learn a few choice licks and improvise some of your own. Make sure to follow the tab in those harmonised parts,…

Welcome to the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome*) Station! Every issue, TG scours the market for the hottest new gear and brings you transparent reviews that you can trust. From the smallest of accessories that make your life easier, to big investments, such as brand new guitars, amps and effects pedals – if it’s worth your attention, you’ll find it here! HOW WE TEST CURATION Our product selection is driven by our love of gear. We select the most exciting products on the market every month to bring you opinions you can trust. FACE-VALUE REVIEWS We’re not gear snobs here at Total Guitar. We judge it on whether it looks good, sounds good and plays well – not by the name on the headstock. NO SNAKE OIL You won’t find us…

REVIEW Kim Thayil is not just grunge royalty, he’s one of the most influential guitarists of his generation. While Thayil may not be spoken about in the same breath as Eddie Van Halen or Jimmy Page, the Soundgarden great has had a huge effect on alternative rock. His masterfully crafted riffs and beautifully chaotic lead work would go on in part to define the Seattle sound and, in turn, inspire everyone from Alice In Chains to Nirvana, creating a sonic shockwave that is still felt to this day. Grunge fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of a Kim Thayil signature since the Soundgarden axe-man helped breathe new life into this almost-forgotten model in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Now, while the project may have been plagued with bad…

REVIEW Ever since its introduction, the Boss Katana range has become a byword for affordable digital modelling, with a wide range of amps covering home, studio and stage use. In the home amp market, small is often beautiful, and the Katana Air stereo desktop amp is a popular choice, pushing out up to 30 watts through a pair of three-inch speakers, with a wireless guitar transmitter and battery power to remove untidy wires and cables. Now Boss have added yet another option to the range, for those who like the wireless thing but want more: the Katana Air EX. A DESKTOP AMP THAT CROSSES OVER INTO SERIOUS RECORDING The Katana Air EX is physically bigger than the original Air, with a ported wood cabinet housing a pair of specially-designed five-inch…

Swiss psychedelic trio Dirty Sound Magnet have created a unique racket that’s both thrillingly expansive and potently evocative. On their fourth album Dreaming In Dystopia, they combine the sonic directness of Jimi Hendrix and The Doors with the leftfield innovation typified by Frank Zappa. “I know it sounds old-fashioned but creative liberty in the ’60s and ’70s made music so rich and powerful,” says guitarist/singer Stavros Dzodzos. “We try to keep our music organic, and that’s why people might call it ‘vintage’. We’re not trying to create a big wall of noise with loads of compression and processing. It’s a matter of taste.” For the new recordings, Stavros plugged his Gibson Les Paul Standard and Fender Telecaster into a Tone King Sky King combo to create base tones that he…