gibson 335

Why Indigo Girls’ Amy Ray Loves Her Les Paul Custom and ES-335

Amy Ray’s best known for her acoustic guitar work with Indigo Girls, but since the mid-’90s, when the band started incorporating electric guitar into their stage and studio performances with the album Swamp Ophelia, she’s plugged in more and more.

At that point she began wielding her dark cherry 1968 Les Paul Custom during shows. And in 2001, when she launched her solo career with the seriously rocking punk- and Southern-boogie infused Stag, she cranked her sound up to 11 with the addition of a battle scarred 1966 ES-335 hot-rodded with a Bigsby vibrato arm and a third pickup, a five way selector switch, and switches a previous owner had installed to flip the pickups in and out of phase.

When that guitar snaps a string during a performance with her all electric solo outfit, she’s got a battered, single-humbucker Melody Maker of uncertain vintage to take up the slack.

"Somebody really carved up the wood on the Melody Maker somewhere along the line," she says by phone from her band’s van en route to the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival from her Georgia home base. "I can’t really tell what year it is, but it’s old and really dependable. I know exactly what it’s going to sound like every time I pick it up, no matter where I am."

What Ray digs about her ES-335 is its versatility. "With the third pickup, it’s got so many tones it’s unbelievable. I run my guitars through a Princeton Reverb and a Hi-Watt Lead 30 live, so I can get clean ringing tones and massive distortion." She also steps on a Fulltone distortion pedal and a Durham Sex Drive booster when she wants to make a sonic point.

"At home I’ve got a Gibson Lancer amplifier that’s older and too fragile for the road, so I use that for recording," she notes.

Ray’s love of electric guitars began when the Indigo Girls were still a club act. "Although we played acoustic guitars, we played at a lot of clubs that were either punk-rock and alternative-rock clubs when we were starting out, and most of our friends were playing in loud electric guitar bands," Ray relates.

"Emily [Saliers, her Indigo Girls partner] and I also grew up listening to the Clash, Blondie, the B-52s… And for me Neil Young is a real hero. His tone really defines the meaning of a lot of his songs."

The singer-guitarist started her own band as a side project eight years ago when she had a group of songs built up that seemed too gnarly for the Indigo Girls’ acoustic guitars and celestial harmonies.

"I’m mostly a rhythm player," Ray continues. "I can play a rhythm that’ll really express what the emotions of a song are about. When it comes to playing electric guitar solos, I’m really just learning, but I love it when it all falls into place, and Neil Young is an inspiration for me there, too, because his solos are so simple and direct, but sound so full of meaning."

Typically Ray uses the bridge and center pickups of her go-to guitar, the ES-335, with the center humbucker dialed down a little to reduce its bass-heavy output. "What I love about that guitar is the huge variety of tones I can get," she says.

"Sound can be really atmospheric on its own terms, and help you put ideas across. Sometimes when I’m writing songs on the acoustic guitar and hit a roadblock I’ll switch to the electric, and sometimes I’ll write songs on the electric guitar that I’ll ultimately play on the acoustic. But for me what’s great about the electric is the ability to take my music to a place where the sound can take on a life of its own."

gibson es

Grrrl Power!: Gibson Recommends The Girls’ Guide To Rocking

If you’re a seasoned musical veteran you probably know how to start a band, book a gig and record your future hit song in your sleep, however if you’re just getting started with your musical career all of these processes can be daunting—and being a tween or teen girl can often magnify these insecurities. Thankfully that’s where The Girls’ Guide To Rocking comes in. Written by manager/publicist/writer/band member Jessica Hopper, the book is a comprehensive guide to finding your way to rock stardom that covers all of the basic information as well as answers embarrassing questions that you don’t feel comfortable asking the grizzled, goateed rock veterans working at Guitar Center.

From finding an instrument to forming a band and writing songs, The Girls’ Guide To Rocking is teeming with immensely useful information that’s not always intuitive such as how to have stage presence (advice: look people in the eyes, dedicate yourself to the lyrics and stay focused), writing lyrics (advice: don't use words you don’t know the definition of, don’t try to sound super-smart and don’t use words for the sake or rhyming) and also includes a checklist for your first show as well as a fold-out timeline called “A Superstar Century In The History Of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” which includes everything from Bessie Smith getting signed to Columbia Records in 1923 to Pink’s fifth album Funhouse debuting at Number two on the Billboard charts last year.

While much of the book is useful to anyone interested in forming their first band, the audience for the book is clearly female. (When asked why at a recent appearance, Hopper responded “because I’m not sure that boys need this book,” citing her own experiences as a burgeoning guitarist.) Correspondingly, The Girls’ Guide To Rocking is peppered with informative and motivational quotes from female artists ranging from the Pixies/Breeders Kim Deal to Sonic Youth’s Kim Deal and, yes, Courtney Love among others. “You have to kick doors open yourself. When people come up to me and say, ‘Patti, nobody wants to hear my CD and I don’t have enough money for equipment,’ I say, ‘Well, get a job, y’know?’ That’s what I did,’ reads a quote from Patti Smith in the chapter about managing your money and touring.

Smith’s words may ring true, but The Girls’ Guide To Rocking does her sentiment one better by showing you exactly how to promote your CD and come up with equipment—and Hopper also includes plenty of her own personal experiences in the narrative, which prevents the book from sounding overly academic. If you’ve always wanted to be in a band or are just trying to figure out exactly how a Leslie Speaker cabinet works, The Girls’ Guide To Rocking is essential reading for yourself as well as an excellent gift for a younger relative looking to break out of her shy shell and make her secret rock n’ roll dreams a reality. “May a thousand new bands be launched by this book,” Karla Schickele (founder and executive director of Willie Mae Rock Camp For Girls) writes on the back cover of the book. Here’s hoping it will. The Girls’ Guide To Rocking is peppered with informative and motivational quotes from female artists ranging from the Pixies/Breeders Kim Deal to Sonic Youth’s Kim Deal"?????..............someone needs to proofread these things better - the second "Kim Deal" should be "Kim Gordon"

"as answers embarrassing questions that you don’t feel comfortable asking the grizzled, goateed rock veterans working at Guitar Center." That's the funniest thing I've read in a long while. trust me, those "grizzled rock veterans " at guitar center (!!!!! LOL) LOVE it when any girl comes in. thanks gibson

gibson custom

Gibson Exclusive: Q&A with Gallow's Stephen Carter

The U.K.’s own Gallows may have only formed four years ago and have only released two full-lengths, but they’ve already made a name for themselves as one of the most exciting hardcore acts around. In May the band released their incendiary second album Grey Britain and they’ve been wowing audiences Stateside all summer on the Vans Warped Tour. We caught up with the band’s guitarist Steph Carter to talk about his love of Les Pauls, the band’s latest opus and their plans for world domination.

What kind of Gibsons do you play?

I play vintage Les Paul Customs and vintage Les Paul Artisans. My guitar collection consists of around 26 guitars—and I think 15 of them are Les Pauls and around eight are customs.

What do you specifically like about Gibsons? Why do you think it works for Gallows' sound?

Les Pauls are my guitar of choice because the double humbucklers give a well-rounded full tone and you can play any style of music and it will sound good; I’m also partial to heavy guitars, so the customs are perfect for me. I think these guitars work so well for Gallows because they are so versatile. Our music varies from track to track: We have some thrash metal parts and some melodic progressive parts as well as dual harmonies. For us to play all these contrasting styles we need good instruments that can stand their own and deliver. I've tried many different guitars in my life and I will always go back to my Black Beauty... it’s the only thing that can take a beating and still be there the next day!

How are things going on the Warped Tour? It seems like there are a lot of more mainstream-minded acts on this year's tour, so how do you think people are embracing Gallows?

Warped tour is a strange tour to say the least. There are so many bands playing out here that sound exactly the same that you don’t have a clue who’s playing half the time! Warped tour began as a huge Punk Rock tour and I think its lost its way slightly. Thankfully the people who come to see Gallows play are there for music and are there to see a real punk rock show. We did this tour in 2007 and people were not quite sure how to take us as it was our first American Tour and the crowds were between 10 people to 300 people. This year the crowds start at around 200 people and go up at 1500 people, so we've definitely made our mark.

What's the hardcore scene like in England? How did you get exposed to this type of music initially?

The English hardcore scene is very elitist. I think the hardcore scene died here along time ago, and now there are new bands trying to bring it back, but all these new bands just sound like poor versions of American Nightmare, Throwdown and Terror. I got into heavy music when I was 14 or so and the scene here was good then. [Vocalist] Frank [Carter] and I spent a lot of time playing in bands together when we were growing up. There were lots of local bands playing every weekend and as we got older, the venues began to close and the bands began to disband. In the U.K. it’s really hard for up-and-coming bands because there are no small venues willing to put on cheap shows anymore.

How would you say your new album Grey Britain is a progression from your debut Orchestra Of Wolves?

The songwriting on Grey Britain is a definite progression from Orchestra Of Wolves, for one [guitarist] Laurent [Barnard] and Frank pretty much wrote the whole of Orchestra Of Wolves whereas Grey Britain was written by all five of us as a collective. The song structure on this album is a lot more straightforward, we're taken the spazzy riffs and the off tempo rhythms and laid them over the top of simpler drumbeats that were able to hold a steady groove. Also the guitar riffs on this album are something we've not done before. The songs have intros and outros as well which is new to us; take “Queensberry Rules,” which is the longest song on the record but if you cut out the intro and the outro the song is only about two minutes long.

What's the title Grey Britain mean exactly? Is a statement on the state of the country or is it more universal?

When we look out the window at home all we see is grey, cloudy skies. So you can take the literal meaning, or you can look at our country on a whole. It used to be a very proud powerful place and over the years it’s started to fall apart. The recession hitting hard, the generation gap getting closer and closer and the fact is that nowadays it’s easier for kids to go on the dole [receive government assistance] than it is to go and work hard for a living. Our country has been hit recently with all of the above, but Grey Britain hits home all over the planet because we're not the only country going through tough times right now.

How did you achieve such a heavy guitar sound on "Grey Britain?" What was your secret?

Old Gibson Guitars and old Marshall Amps—and lots of them cranked as loud as I could get them! It helped having Garth Richardson produce the record; we went with Garth because before he produced records he engineered them, this way we knew he was able to get what ever sounds we were after. We double-tracked each guitar line with two different guitars: Laurent recorded his parts first using my 1974 Black Beauty and his 2008 Studio then I recorded all my parts with my 1978 Artisan and my 2006 Standard. Finally we went over lead riffs with a 335 and a Silverburst custom. Also every guitar track was put to tape to open it up and give it that classic sound and Garth made us hit every single note as hard as we possibly could— after recording guitars for the record I didn’t want to touch a guitar for weeks!

What's next for Gallows?

We're coming home after Warped Tour to play Reading and Leeds festival and then we're off to Japan and Australia and then hopefully we'll be back to America and Canada in October/November then we finish the year off with a smaller venue U.K. tour in December. Then next year same again, we'll keep pushing Grey Britain until we've taken over the world!

Don't think they are sh!t really, probably more original than most 'whatever-core' American bands we hear nowadays. And he says something relevant in that the majority of the bands sound exactly the same. Once someone comes up with a style, everyone follows. It's terrible to see so many bands and no originality at all...

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5 Greatest Woodstock Moments
Aidin Vaziri | 08.12.2009

Don’t feel bad if you were too young, too broke or too square to make it to the original Woodstock Festival in Bethel, N.Y. way back in 1969. As we’ve recently discovered, most the people that were there can’t remember much about it anyway.

It’s a good thing somebody had the bright idea to document it all. But why wade through the 40th anniversary festival-related CDs, books, films, concerts and television specials when we’ve broken the whole thing down to the five most memorable moments for you right here?

Santana “Soul Sacrifice”

This marked the Latin rock outfit’s first appearance outside of native San Francisco and the group killed it with this free-flowing percussion heavy jam. Carlos Santana led the charge with his fiery guitar work, leaving 400,000 brand new fans in rapturous awe.

Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnamP4-M9ko



Jimi Hendrix “The Star-Spangled Banner”

We’ve heard the national anthem mangled in so many different ways since Woodstock – thanks, Roseanne Barr! – it’s hard to imagine now how much controversy erupted around Hendrix’s screaming, feedback drenched version of the tune at the time. But once the dust settled it was his unrehearsed, unrefined Monday morning guitar solo that defined the concert, if not an entire era.

Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2bGUeDnqPY



The Who “My Generation”

These British mod boys didn’t quite click with the festival’s crunchy vibes and nowhere is that more evident than on this searing run through their early anti-authoritarian hit, played during a Sunday sunrise set dominated by tracks from Tommy. It was little wonder Pete Townshend later smashed his guitar over Abbie Hoffman’s head.

Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH9IgJZCx4c



Creedence Clearwater Revival “I Put A Spell On You”

The band tossed off "Bad Moon Rising" and "Proud Mary,” but when it came to this brooding cover of the Screamin' Jay Hawkins classic "I Put a Spell on You" John Fogerty and company dug in deep, letting the furious guitar solos and primitive rhythms unleash a thousand bad trips in the throng of revelers.

Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT_r6WTmgJI



Sly and the Family Stone “I Want To Take You Higher”

Appearing in the middle of the night –3:30 a.m. to be exact –it probably felt like Sly and the Family Stone were beamed onstage from outer space. Featuring a multi-cultural lineup with a full horn section, heavy R&B feel and frontman that looked like, well, an alien the group made trudging through the mud worth it with its eclectic, lively set. This medley was easily the highlight.

Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBIA7hZE0l0 I agree with the author of this article. Those were some memorable moments. Michael Shrieve, drummer for Santana was smokin'. He was also the youngest musician who played Wookstock at 19yrs old. Hendrix closed. Played SSB around 9am. What a wake-up call. Wavy Gravy "don't take the brown acid" still MC's Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, Ct.
The Star Spangled Banner by Hendrix is the most memorable moment and thus should be number 1 NO QUESTION !Ten Years After Goin Home not even mentioned on this website.I am on the Gibson website right ?This is a website for guitar people right ?Ill end my rant now because I just heard the news,GOD SPEED LES PAUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
no respect for joe cocker and his band, playin gibsons? which moron compiles these lists??
I always liked country joe and the fish. "rockin soul music" it was cool even though im not really a fan of them over all. It was a good "moment".

gibson 335

Guitarist to the Stars Smokey Hormel Gets Big Tones From Vintage Gibson Hollowbodies and Amps

Smokey Hormel is the Sam Spade of guitar: a superbly capable hired gun who can grasp any situation, roll with the punches and still — when it comes to crafting gorgeous melodies — be a romantic at heart.

The New Jersey-based string-bender’s approach has earned his card a slot in the rolodexes of Tom Waits and Beck — with whom he’s toured — and über producer Rick Rubin. And he’s played on albums by Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, John Doe, Joe Strummer, and bluesman R.L. Burnside. He also held the guitar chair with roots rock legends the Blasters from 1988 to 1992 when he lived in L.A., replacing another formidable guitarist, Blasters co-founder Dave Alvin. Hormel blasted away in that band on Gibson hollowbodies and Gibson amps.

“In the early ’90s I was really into the blues and American music from the ’50s and older,” Hormel offers. “Older Gibson amps like the GA-20 and Gibson hollowbody guitars were perfect for dialing in great sounds. Ry Cooder befriended me and we used to travel around hunting for these amps and guitars.”

When a friend gave Hormel a CD of early electric African music, his interest in that decade expanded by a continent. “I found so many parallels between classic American music and this period in African music before it was influenced by American rock, funk, and pop,” he continues. “I really wanted to play it.”

After Hormel returned to the New York area in the late ’90s he found a crew of musicians just as interested in performing this music. They played a series of weekly gigs at the club Tonic under the name Smokey’s Secret Family, until other commitments pulled the Family apart.

Now Hormel is aiming for a Family reunion so he can undertake a major city tour later this year in support of his new Smokey’s Secret Family, which covers seven of the African tunes Hormel became smitten with, including “Lakambo Ya Ngana” by the famed Congolese bandleader Franco and Brazilian folksinger Luiz Gonzaga’s “Acaua.”

“A lot of this African music was inspired by Cuban and South American music, which was played on juke boxes at bars in Africa at the time,” Hormel explains. The guitarist also makes his own contributions with two originals. The thread between all nine numbers is the pure joy sparked by the gentle rhythms and Hormel’s fluid, percolating melodies, spun off a solidbody Harmony Stratotone he acquired during his stint with Tom Waits and a 1958 ES-345 that’s one of his favorite axes.

“The rhythms of African music from this era are much gentler than King Sunny Ade’s JuJu music or Afro-Beat,” Hormel observes, “so it just inspires you to play in a natural way that lets the melodies pour out.”

Not that Hormel’s ever been short on melodies. And when he’s crafting them in the studio he typically brings 10 guitars along including a late 1930s ES-150 he acquired as a teenager in thrall of Charlie Christian, his ES-345, a 1960 ES-330 TDC, an early ’40s L-7, and a late ’50s J-50. Along with a box of effects that holds Fulltone wah-wah and Octane pedals, a Z-Vex Fuzz Factory, a Memory Man, and a host of other cool signal tweakers, he taps an armada of amps. Among his favorites are a late ’30s Gibson EH-185, a mid-’50s GA-20 (given to Hormel by the Cramps’ Poison Ivy), a late ’50s GA-6, an early ’60s Falcon, and an early ’60s Vanguard with an oil-can echo box.

“I am obsessed with old Gibson amps,” says Hormel. “They’re not very high powered, but they give you plenty of distortion and that cool low end. When I plug in my Charlie Christian guitar and roll back the high end, it barks!”

Barking, howling, buzzing, and singing angelically were all part of Hormel’s requirements for his high-profile gigs with Tom Waits and Beck.

“They’re both such great performers, and they’re really demanding, although they have different styles,” says Hormel. “Beck has very specific tastes that you need to learn to satisfy. And Tom tends to leave a fair amount of room in the arrangements for improvisation every night on stage, so things are always different.”

If Hormel reunites his Secret Family this year it will be for his first tour under his own name since 2002, when he teamed with Cibo Matto’s Miho Hatori for the bossa nova influenced group Smokey & Miho. Until then he can be found most Wednesday nights leading his western swing band Smokey’s Round Up at Sunny’s Bar in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn.

“You walk into the bar and it looks like it’s 1920,” says Hormel, “and when we’re playing it sounds like it’s 1930 or 1940.”

gibson acoustic

America’s Best Guitar Shops, Part 3

Our first roundup of the independent, out-of-the-way music shops that dot the country got such a great response we had no choice but to continue the journey. What started out as a summer road trip guide could extend well into the winter with all the great places we missed the first time.

So over the next few weeks we’re going to take our time and hit the guitar stores where the people are still passionate about the products they sell, new bands are formed in the percussion aisle every day, and there’s always hope that you might find that 1959 Gibson ES-335 hanging in the back collecting dust.

Once again, we realize that our selection below only scratches the surface as far as great local music shops go. So please take the time and tell us about your personal favorite in our comment section below (be sure to include a cool anecdote, or two). We’ll get there… eventually.

FULLER’S VINTAGE GUITAR - Houston, TX

We might seem a little partial because of all the amazing Gibson guitars they have in stock at cut-rate prices, including a CJ-165 EC Maple Acoustic-Electric, L-00 Latin Folk Edition Acoustic, and one of the strictly limited edition signed and aged Billy Gibbons "Pearly Gates" 1959 Les Paul’s. But even the locals will point you to this appropriately Texas-sized downtown emporium for any of your guitar needs, even if you’re in the market for something by Fender, Taylor, Martin, Jackson, or, well, just about every other manufacturer you can imagine. The vintage tag only covers a small swath of the 2000 instruments available here at any given time, many of them custom or specialty items. But if you’ve checked out owner Crazy Mike’s Insane Specials, you know none of them stick around for all that long. 116 North Loop, Houston, TX; (713) 880-2188; www.fullersguitar.com

FIRST QUALITY MUSIC - Louisville, KY

It’s worth going a little out of the way for this independent Louisville retailer. These guys really care about their products and customers – how many other music stores run a blog enthusing about their latest discoveries, giving YouTube demos of their favorite banjos, and sharing news about local musicians? The enormous showroom’s not bad, either, offering just about every piece of equipment or accessory you could possibly need – and just in case you don’t know what you need (or how to play it), there’s an adjacent music academy. 7006 Trade Port Dr., Louisville, KY; (502) 995-5651; www.fqms.com

WILDWOOD GUITARS - Louisville, KY

A wood-shingled downtown depot that features such a finely edited selection of gear locals like to joke that you can walk in with a blindfold on and still leave with an incredible guitar. Staffed by real musicians and friendly repair techs, Wildwood is renowned for its custom pieces. Just a quick glance at the Gibson section turned up handful of Limited Edition Kiristofferson SJs, an Iron Mountain J-60 Vintage Sunburst and Historic 1959 Les Paul VOS. Owner Steve Mesple also keeps active with the local scene, booking the bands for the Louisville Downtown Street Faire. 804 Main St., Louisville, CO;

Wildwood is actually located in Louisville, COLORADO, and not Louisville, KENTUCKY. And for what it's worth, Guitar Emporium (guitar-emporium.com) is another great guitar shop located in Louisville, KENTUCKY.

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Gibson Tone Tips #32: Classical Guitars

Simply by virtue of having the “classical” tagged to it, the classical guitar is often assumed to be more cultured and refined than other types of guitars while, conversely, also being very much ignored by many players. This mellower cousin of the more popular steel-stringed flat-top has plenty of applications outside the conservatory and the concert hall, though, and is worth exploring whatever type of music you play. This installment of Gibson’s Tone Tips, therefore, isn’t so much an isolated tip, a it is an in-a-nutshell look at an instrument that is often ignored by the rock and blues world

Any discussion of the classical guitar, or “concert” guitar as it is often traditionally called, ought to begin with a brief explanation of what a classical guitar is not—or, if you will, what is not a classical guitar. Beginning guitarists are often advised to purchase “a classical guitar” with the proviso that the nylon strings will be easier on the fingers, but such advice is misleading, and can often result in frustration. In addition to its nylon strings, a genuine classical guitar also has a neck and fingerboard that are significantly flatter and wider than those of the average steel-string flat-top guitar. This can make it more difficult for the beginner—and the younger player in particular—to get their hand comfortably around the neck and successfully shape chords. In many cases it’s more productive to persist with a more comfortable-feeling steel-string guitar (perhaps even a junior-sized model) that might seem to hurt the fingertips more at the start, but will become comfortable in a short time as your calluses develop, and will be easier to fret and shape chords on than a wide-necked classical guitar, once your digits have hardened a bit. Another alternative is the nylon-string “folk guitar”. These are often made without the extreme neck proportions of the true classical guitar, and might indeed be easier for the beginner to get to grips with. With this in mind, though, remember that millions of players around the world have overcome any early difficulties presented by steel strings and learned to play the instrument to their satisfaction, and if the sound that led you to an initial interest in the guitar is that of a steel-stringed instrument—as it so often is—the softer, gentler tone of a nylon-string folk guitar might not prove entirely satisfying. It’s there as an option, even so, and worth being aware of.

With this disclaimer in mind, let’s look briefly at the genuine classical guitar, an elegant instrument that is likely to be more suited to novice players at least, or beginners who have been drawn in by a love of classical music in particular, and who intend to pursue this type of playing from the outset. Although its sound can initially be dwarfed by the bright, aggressive thrang of the steel-string flat-top, a good classical guitar offers degrees of tonal depth and nuance that set it among the most elevated of the six-strings. Mellow, rich and warm when played gently, it is also capable of surprising attack and dynamics when plucked more vigorously. Despite having been rendered more of a one-genre instrument than almost any other type of guitar, it is a surprisingly versatile performer, capable of projecting many moods and voices. With that in mind, it’s worth noting that classical guitars have made notable inroads into other types of music: classically-trained guitarist Charlie Byrd introduced the nylon-string concert guitar to the jazz world in the late 1950s and early ’60s, pop-jazzer Earl Klugh employed one for his mellow instrumental excursions in the ’70s and ’80s, former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and Sting sideman Dominic Miller have both flown the classical flag in their rock-pop-fusion excursions, and country picker extraordinaire Chet Atkins moved from steel-string electric and acoustic guitars to a thin-bodied electric classical model to preserve his brittle fingernails, and in the process helped to develop Gibson’s CEC Solid Body Classical model.

Body Woods and Design

Classical guitars employ many of the same woods used to make steel-string flat-tops, but there are also some notable variations. Spruce is a popular wood for the top (also called a “table” in classical luthiery), but cedar is a more widely used alternative here than in the steel-string world. The fact that cedar requires less breaking in to reach its full potential offers a clear advantage in an instrument with a relatively low string tension in the first place, and this slightly softer wood’s natural tonal characteristics also suit the genre well.

Rosewood remains a popular wood for back and sides, the endangered Brazilian rosewood being most highly prized, but also banned from exportation do to its placement in the CITES list of endangered species. Many makers also use mahogany, although it is less seen in high-end classical guitars and more often a component of lower- and mid-level instruments (which still includes many makes and models of fine quality). Cypress has also been used by many makers, and this light yet strong timber is particularly popular with variations of the classical guitar intended for flamenco-style playing, where minimum weight and maximum resonance are valued qualities. Some exotic body-wood alternatives include walnut, wenge, pau ferro, zebrawood, bubinga, American cherry, black acacia, cocobolo, and several others.

The X-brace has long been established as the standard top-bracing system for steel-string flat-top guitars, but there tends to be more variation in classical guitar bracing systems, with many new makers becoming particularly adventurous. Way back in the 1850s Antonio de Torres, known as “the father of the modern classical guitar”, established a “fan strut” bracing system that remains popular today, which uses a series of individual braces radiating from the soundhole outward toward the guitar’s bridge and beyond, in a fan-like pattern. Others use a range of latticework bracing systems, employing extremely thin braces that cover a larger proportion of the underside of the guitar’s top.

Classical Neck and Fingerboard

The mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard proliferates in the lower strata of classical guitars, but high-end designs very often feature cypress necks, echoing the use of Spanish cypress in many parts of the great classical designs from the 19^th century. An ebony fingerboard is also considered a near-universal feature of any better classical guitar, and this wood provides the combination of durability and tonal definition and clarity that this type of guitar demands.

More than in the woods used in its construction, though, the classical guitar neck is distinguished from that of the steel-string flat-top by its design and dimensions. The traditional classical playing style, achieved with the thumb placed well behind the neck and the rest of the hand and fingers rotated more fully across the width of the fingerboard, requires that the instrument be made with a wide, flat fingerboard, and a relatively thin, flat neck. The fingerboard of a genuine classical guitar, therefore, can often approach 2" (51mm) wide at the nut, where a standard steel-string flat-top will average around 1 3/4", and most electric from 1 5/8" to 1 11/16". The majority of classical guitars have necks that are attached to the body at the 12^th fret, with a further 6 full frets on a fingerboard extension over the top of the body, and often another partial fret (rarely used in any but the most extreme performances) above and below the frontward curve of the soundhole.

Hardware and Components

Classical guitars carry a minimum of extraneous components, compared even to the more austere flat tops. They require a nut at the end of a neck and a bridge at the body, of course, to anchor the speaking length of the strings, but the classical bridge is quite different from that of the steel-string flat-top. Rather than channeling the strings into the body through six holes, where they are anchored by bridge pins, the classical guitar’s strings—which lack ball ends—are threaded through channels in a portion of the top of the bridge called a “tie block”, and twisted around themselves to anchor them behind the saddle. Another difference is seen at the headstock of the classical guitar, which uses a slotted design with tuners extending at right angles backward from it, and posts that are anchored within the slots. Classical guitars do not typically feature pickguards, partly because the strumming and plucking techniques used to play them—which employ the fingertips and nails of the right hand—are rarely vigorous enough to scratch the guitar, and partly in an effort to minimize any extraneous material that might impede the resonance of the guitar’s top. Flamenco guitars, which are also a little smaller and lighter than standard classical guitars, do, however, use a pickguard known as a golpeador, which helps to protect the guitar’s top from the finger tapping that is traditionally a part of the flamenco playing style.

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Gibson Interview: Jet’s Cameron Muncey Talks Guitars, Riffs, and New Album

It takes nerve to name yourself after a Paul McCartney song (and a great one, at that), but Jet has proven more than worthy of its ballsy moniker.

With its acclaimed Dirty Sweet EP and the multi-platinum Get Born album, both released in 2003, the Melbourne, Australia-based band injected new life into guitar-driven pop-rock infused with an alternative slant. The group’s second effort, 2006’s Shine On, further solidified Jet’s reputation as one of the genre’s brightest newcomers.

The band’s latest release, Shaka Rock, will no doubt push Jet higher into the heady rock stratosphere. Rife with snappy hooks, infectious melodies, and memorable guitar riffs, the disc occupies a sweet spot where classic rock tradition and youthful energy collide.

Highlights on the album include the vintage Alice Cooper-like “Black Hearts (On Fire),” the anthemic “Start the Show,” and a song titled “She’s a Genius” (the first single) that sounds like “My Sharona” on steroids.

In the following interview, Jet guitarist Cameron Muncey talks about the new disc, his main guitar influences, and what makes the “Australian guitar sound” unique.

A lot of bands say each album they make is a reaction to the album they made before. Were you trying to do some things differently on Shaka Rocks?

Yes. When we went into the studio to make the previous album, we hadn't really written the tunes. The ideas were still being worked through. The lyrics hadn't been written, and that ended up being a nightmare, when it came to finishing up the tracks. For this record, we wrote the songs in such a way that we could all sit and play them, in a room, before putting them to tape. We got back to basics.

Was there one song that set the tone for the rest of the album?

"Walk" sort of did that. That song was a great launching point for the rest of the record, in the sense that it had passion and lots of enthusiasm. Taking greater control, and co-producing, was great for us as well. We had a blast making the record. When we first got to Austin, where we recorded, I couldn’t believe how hot it was. It puts you in a different mindset. And the people in Austin are so carefree. Everyone's either playing music or working in a bar where music is being played. We were in comfortable surroundings.

The album is loaded with great riffs. Do really good riffs come easily to you?

Often they do. It's funny. I tend to think in that way, going back to when I first started playing music. A great guitar just sounds righteous, when you're playing a great riff.

Who are your main influences as a guitarist?

A lot of guys from the '60s … a lot of bluesy stuff. Hendrix was really a God-like figure to me when I was starting to play. I would stand in the room with the amp turned up full blast, trying to create feedback and trying to emulate something along the lines of people like Hendrix. Later on I discovered bands like Grand Funk Railroad. When I heard them I thought, why the hell haven't I heard this before? It's right up my alley … riff after riff after riff.

What was your first real guitar?

The first guitar I really cared about was a Flying V, which also became my touring guitar for our first record. It was big and heavy.

Do you have two or three go-to guitars for studio work?

I picked up a couple of them in Austin, actually. I got an ES 137 while we were recording there. We ended up using it a lot on the new record. We nicknamed it "Smokes," as in "it smokes every other guitar." There's always a thing you go through in the beginning of making an album, where you mike up an amp and say, "Okay, let's try a few guitars." In the end, "Smokes" blew everything else away. It’s going to be my main touring guitar as well.

What features specifically do you like about the ES-137?

It has a great, in-your-face, vibrant, "hot" sound. But at the same time it sounds sort of "old school." It's not an "'80s metal" type of guitar; it’s more rooted in that '70s sound. Plus, we were using a lot of vintage amps, and Neve preamps, and old boards and so forth.

Are you still playing SGs and Les Pauls as well?

I have a VOS Custom Shop Les Paul, with a big fat 1958 neck. It's a real beauty, a very cool guitar. I got it toward the end of making this record, and ended up playing it on some songs. It's not as loud as the 137, but it's beefier. It plays really nicely. Every Les Paul has its own unique character.

The riff on "Black Hearts (On Fire)” sounds like something ex-Clash guitarist Mick Jones might have come up with. Also, “La Di Da” is an example of how a simple riff can work beautifully.

[Drummer] Chris [Cester] wrote that riff for “Black Hearts,” and the second one was written by Nic [Cester]. Chris is a drummer but he writes a lot on the guitar, and on bass guitar. Writing on bass tends to lead to a different kind of riff. And I really like that melodic riff on "La Di Da.” It sounds slightly Eastern, or maybe like gypsy music.

The guitar on “Black Hearts” is actually a Melody Maker, with P-90s, that I got in Austin as well. It's so light you can practically hold it with your index finger. I ended up getting two amazing guitar tracks out of it. One was the slide in the last song, "She Holds a Grudge," and the other was "Black Heart." The sound of that guitar is really cool.

You’ve talked elsewhere about a guitar sound that’s specific to Australian guitarists. How would you describe that?

I think it can be quite raw. It’s not so much in the guitars or in the amps, but in the way it's played. There’s a certain raggedness. There's an Australian band called the Angels who did a song called "Take a Long Line," that has some of the most vicious guitar-playing I've ever heard. But it's not dark; it’s fun, and alive. That's a good example of the Australian guitar sound. I like to think we've got something new to offer from our continent.

gibson custom

One of a Kind Sound from Epiphone's Glorious Past!

One of a Kind Sound from Epiphone's Glorious Past! In 1957 Gibson purchased New York's Epiphone Guitar Company and moved production to Kalamazoo, Michigan. With plans to expand retail distribution by differentiating Epiphone dealers from Gibson dealers, Gibson began production of a new line of "Kalamazoo-made and designed" Epiphones in 1959. For over a decade, Epiphone solid body guitars and basses were produced right alongside Gibsons. These Epiphone guitars represented some of the highest quality and best sounding instruments of their generation. They provided unique shapes, pickup arrangements, and tonal signatures not seen on comparable Gibson models of the day. Under appreciated at the time of their release, numerous artists through the years have recognized the unique appeal of these guitars. Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Paul Gilbert and Steve Marriot are but a few of the artists that have embraced the tone and build quality of these Kalamazoo built Epiphones. One such Epiphone instrument was the Wilshire.

Today, Epiphone brings back the Wilshire with a faithful reproduction of the 1966 model. Like an SG guitar, the Wilshire's double cutaway Mahogany body with a glued-in Mahogany neck that joins the body at the 22nd fret gives you ultimate upper fret access. Lightweight and comfortable, the Wilshire has excellent resonance and natural acoustic tone - even unplugged! Featuring Epiphone's LockTone tune-o-matic/stopbar combination, the transfer of string vibration is improved even more giving this guitar excellent sustain and clarity. But here's what separates the Wilshire from the SG. Most early Epiphone guitars including the Wilshire were equipped with mini-humbucking pickups and Epiphone carries on this tradition. With its smaller size, narrow magnetic field and unique design combination, the mini-humbucker produces bright and focused output while retaining famous humbucker "hum-free" performance. A replica of the originals, they feature adjustable pole pieces, enamel wire, bar ceramic magnets and rounded nickel plated covers set in an original style black mounting ring with height adjustment screws.

Cool Retro-Looks! Also unique, the Wilshire features Epiphone's own "batwing" headstock. A classic design that improves tuning ease and accuracy by offering a straight string-pull design, the headstock is adorned like the original with the vintage "Epiphone" logo in gold. Other features include a 1960's SlimTaper neck profile with Rosewood fingerboard, premium 14:1 die-cast tuners and individual Volume and Tone controls for each pickup. And to give it that worn-in look and feel, Epiphone tops it all off with a thin satin finish.

It could last a lifetime! As with all Epiphone's, the Wilshire is backed by Epiphone's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service. Only 398 original 1966 Wilshires were produced and are selling today for $10,000 or more depending upon condition. If you're not fortunate enough to own an original or can't afford that kind of cash, here's your chance to own one with the same classic 1966 Epiphone vibe and tone. Cool!

gibson es

Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Holy Grail!

Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Holy Grail! Most guitar historians and collectors consider the 1959 Les Paul Standard, the "holy grail" of Les Paul's - not to mention of all electric guitars. Although the only significant change made in that year was to flatter, wider frets that allowed more dramatic bends, the impact of that change was not truly realized until the 1960's when countless rock and blues players discovered the magical fat, warm voice and feel of the Les Paul Standard. To commemorate this classic instrument, Epiphone introduces the new Limited Edition "1959" Les Paul Standard. With a history going back to the 1940's when Les Paul himself would visit the Epiphone factory in New York and work on what has come to be known as the FIRST electric guitar, this Limited Edition also pays homage to the man that started it all.Premium Components and Authentic Features: Epiphone's Les Paul Standard has been a favorite guitar for years and years. Starting with the same successful recipe, Epiphone significantly "steps it up" on this Limited Edition "1959" reissue. True to it's heritage, the neck features an authentic, 1950's rounded neck profile. Often referred to as "the baseball bat", this neck feels beefy yet comfortable in your hands while adding warmth and sustain with it's greater mass. Epiphone hand fits this solid Mahogany neck into the body with an historically accurate "deep-set" long neck tenon that extends well into the neck pickup cavity creating even more tone and sustain. As is traditional with Les Paul Standards, the back of the body is solid Mahogany while the top is a carved Hard Maple cap. Making it affordable, a premium AAA grade flame Maple veneer is attached capturing the true "beauty of the burst."

Hearing is Believing: Capturing everything these tone woods and premium construction have to give are a pair of Gibson U.S.A. BurstBucker (TM) pickups. BurstBucker pickups replicate the sound of Gibson's original "Patent Applied For" pickups - the pickups that gave the '59 Les Paul Standard its legendary sound. Like the originals, with unpolished magnets and non-potted coils, variations in pickup output and tone also came from inconsistencies in winding the bobbins, a result of the lack of automatic shutoffs on Gibson's winding machines in the late 1950s. Seth Lover, who invented the humbucker, always said they wound the bobbins "until they were full." When two coils in a pickup have a different number of turns, that variation puts a little "edge" or "bite" on the classic humbucker sound. That's the sound BurstBuckers replicate. The neck pickup is a Burstbucker-3 and is wound in the range of Gibson's '57 Classic. The bridge pickup is a Burstbucker-3 and is slightly over-wound with a hotter output that works well in combination with the BB-2 in the neck. One listen and you'll think you have a 1959 in your hands!

Attention to Detail: Other unique features of this "1959" include a Switchcraft (tm) brand toggle switch, Mallory-150 tone capacitors, amber "top hat" knobs with metal pointers, nickel hardware, a blank trussrod cover and a "stamped" serial number on the back of the headstock. To top it all off, the guitar includes a replica Lifton-style case with brown exterior and pink interior. Very cool! It also includes a certificate of authenticity as well as Epiphone's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service. If you don't have the wallet for a real "1959" or want a professional instrument that you can perform with night after night, this complete package is for you. But hurry. Quantities are limited to 1,959 total.

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SG FAN: YES ZAKK WYLDE PLAYS BOTH EPIPHONE SIGNATURES AND GIBSON SIGNATURES, AND HE USES BOTH 81 and 85s and HZ respectivly. BUT IF YOU WANT THE GUITAR HE PLAYS MOST GET THE GIBSON. HE ACTUALLY SOMETIMES DOES PLAY THIS SILVER CUSTOM MADE MODEL THATS ONLY BUILT FOR HIM ON SOME SHOWS BUT IF YOU LOOK ON YOUTUBE hE ALSO PlAYS THE EPIPHONE MODELS TOO WOW, this has to be the dumbest most ugly guitar body shape Ive ever seen. How can you even play this sitting down. It must be epically heavy too cuz its shaped like a coffin but looks like a huge block of wood with the sides cut off...come on wylde, Im sure epiphone made this without ur concent, well I sure hope so at least...
that's funny! I actually kinda like it though. I've noticed lately that although Zakk is coming out with guitars that are only sold with the Epiphone brand and not Gibson. Does he actually play the Epiphones or are his personal guitars Gibson branded...I do know that thing that looks like a cross between an SG and a Flying V was Gibson and I've only seen Epiphone production models. I'm sure he doesn't use the EMG HZ pickups though...I found they didn't have near the same output as his usuall EMG 81/85's found on his Gibsons. Personally, if I was to get a Zakk Wylde model guitar, I'd want it to be EXACTLY the same as his personal guitars...after all, isn't that what a signature model is supposed to be about?
An absolute piece of garbage. Really reaching a new low. Butt ugly, no class. An insult to luthiers, guitarists, designers, to anyone who has ever bought a Gibson or Epi or ever wanted one. Some poor kid will talk his parents into buying it for him and will be marked as a loser for life.
Why are we wasting more time and money with guitars like this? Instead of using resources to manufacture travesties like this, that money could be used to pass savings onto the consumer! I don't want a Graveyard Disciple, I want a Les Paul I don't need a loan to affordPresenting... A Zakk Wylde Original!
08.19.2009

There's no question that Zakk Wylde is a one-of-a-kind performer and guitarist. As the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founding leader of Black Label Society, Zakk has torched many a stage with his unique style and performance. Winner of multiple "Most Valuable Guitarist" awards in the metal genre, Zakk combines pure speed shredding with the use of pinch harmonics and chickin' pickin' to create a wall of sound that's second to none. And like Zakk, his new limited edition Epiphone "Graveyard Disciple" will also light up a stage.

Scary Good Looks! You may have already caught a glimpse on YouTube of Zakk performing on the 2009 "Peddle to the Metal" tour and caught a glimpse of this monster on stage. Designed by Zakk in cooperation with Epiphone, the new Graveyard Disciple combines killer sound with equally killer looks. Shaped like a coffin, the edges of the body are tapered and "pin-striped" in silver giving it a striking visual appearance and depth while providing for a comfortable feel. Pick one up on stage and you will raise the dead!

Dying to be Played: While looks are important, the new Graveyard Disciple doesn't compromise in the performance department either. As with most all Zakk's guitars, the neck is made of Hard Maple for bright attack and glued into a solid Mahogany body adding a touch of warm and of course, sustain. The neck features a "D" profile, SlimTaper neck with a smooth, satin finish for fast and effortless lead work. Top it off with a bound, Ebony fingerboard and medium-jumbo frets with easy access to all 22 frets and you've got a real performance guitar that's dying to be played.

EMG Pickups and Floyd Rose Tremolo: Perfectly paired for hard rock and metal, the Graveyard Disciple combines an original Floyd Rose(tm) tremolo with EMG HZ pickups. The tremolo cavity allows for serious dive bombing as well as pull-ups. The EMG HZ-4A is positioned in the bridge position for optimized lead performance while the EMG HZ-4 is voiced for and positioned in the neck position. Designed to emulate the sound of their active counterparts (the EMG 81 and 85), these HZ's are probably the quietest passive pickups available. And unlike actives, you never have to worry about these babies showing up dead.

Attention to Detail: Other features on the new Graveyard Disciple include a multi-bound headstock with mother-of-pearl "cross" inlay, black hardware with premium 16:1 ratio Grover(tm) machine heads, Mother-of-Pearl topped metal knobs, Epiphone's non-rotating output jack and Zakk's signature silhouette on the back of the headstock. For added comfort and convenience while playing in the seated position, the guitar features the brilliantly designed and patented Steinberger LegRest. Fold it down and rest it on your leg. Fold it up and it practically disappears.

Premium Add-Ons: With a guitar like this, you need to carry it in style and so it comes with a custom-made Coffin(tm) case featuring the "Graveyard Disciple" artwork on it. And for this limited edition model, you also get a Certificate of Authenticity.

It may look dead but it will last a lifetime! As with every Epiphone, it features their Limited Lifetime warranty backed by world famous 24/7/365 day Gibson Customer Service. Plug one in and wake the dead today!

gibson acoustic

Geek Out: Five Essential iPhone Applications For Musicians, Part One

Back in the day, if you wanted to be a professional guitarist you needed a ton of extra equipment such as cassette four-track recorders, tuners, metronomes, cables, effects pedals, metronomes, chord guides, a book of scales—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Thankfully with the advent of technology such as the iPhone it’s never been easier to be an accomplished musician. Here we highlight five of our favorite iPhone applications (which are also compatible with the iPod Touch) for musicians, all of which are not only space and money saving but also streamline the entire process in order to give you more time to develop your own sound as opposed to unpacking your duffle bag full of cords and books.

Sonoma Wire Works FourTrack: This amazing application does exactly what the title implies by turning your iPhone into a functioning four-track recorder. Using either your phone’s microphone or an external recording source, the program allows your to record four separate tracks of audio, plus it gives you the ability to pan, fade and bounce tracks all on your phone. Once you have that all set, you can import the session into your computer to further experiment with and fine-tune your future hit song. In other words it’s probably time to toss that cassette four-track that’s been gathering dust in your basement and drop ten bucks on this digital recorder that fits in your pocket. Price: $9.99 [iTunes]

Shazam: We don't believe in magic, but Shazam is definitely the closest thing we’ve come to evidence of it in the music world. If you’re not familiar with the program, it’s essentially a database that looks for the sonic fingerprint of a specific song and then identifies it. For example, if you’re in a record store and don’t feel like asking the pretentious clerk which Belle & Sebastian import you’re listening to without getting a disapproving glance, just hold your phone toward the speaker for a few seconds and Shazam will seek the sound sample out of its database of over six million songs, let you know who sang it, what album it came out on and show you how to purchase it. While there is a technically an algorithm behind this technology, we’re still pretty sure it’s supernatural. Price: FREE [iTunes]

Agile Partners Guitar Toolkit: If you’re a guitarist who regularly gigs out and you’re also obsessed with your iPhone then GuitarToolkit is a must-have application. Featuring a chromatic tuner, list of scales, chord library, metronome and support for everything from 12-string guitar to 5-string bass, it’s the only program you need to practice everything from your metal shredding to jazz-guitar voicings without having to lug around tons of extra equipment or worry about being weighed down by 9-volt batteries for all of your various gadgets. Oh and if you’re a lefty, don’t worry because Guitar Toolkit also readjusts everything if you’re using a different hand position. In fact all it’s missing is the ability to transform into a Marshall stack, but here’s hoping that might be included with the next software update. Price: $9.99 [iTunes]

PocketGuitar: PocketGuitar is exactly what it sounds like it is: an application that turns your iPhone into a virtual guitar. However unlike toy guitars of yesteryear, with PocketGuitar you can strum strings and press down frets using different instruments including electric guitar, classical guitar, electric bass and ukulele. Oh and if those aren’t enough options for you, you can also implement effects such as distortion, chorus and delay to help fill out the sound and give you different sonic textures to work with during your quest to write the perfect riff. The best part is that the program only costs .99 cents, which is only about the cost of one guitar string for your non-virtual axe. On second thought, the best part of it might be the fact that you never need to tune your iPhone. Price: $0.99 [iTunes]

7 Chords: If you’ve always wanted to improve your knowledge of guitar chords or music theory, look no further than 7 Chords. Despite the deceptive nature of the program’s title, 7 Chords is essentially a database with over 10,000 guitar chords laid out in both standard notation and chord shapes. Oh and if you’re trying to figure out if a certain chord would sound in a song, 7 Chords can also play each note in a chord without going through the trouble of hunting around your fretboard. Additionally the program utilizes the iPhone’s impressive display and polyphonic sound, while the program itself has a breathtaking and intuitive interface. If you ever wanted a composing tool that you could keep in your pocket, 7 Chords is the ultimate program for you. Price: $1.99 [iTunes]

Self congratulatory - already have 4 out of 5, but here's a tip: I just used the Voice Memo app to capture a rehearsal session today and it worked fast and easy. The files automatically sync right to my iTunes so I can practice the new bits tonight! (Voice Memo came with the new iPhone upgrade last month.) Rock on.

gibson 335

Classic Amps: The Fender Tweed Super

Mention the phrase “Fender Super Amp” and most players will probably think of the square, black box with four 10-inch speakers, reverb, and tremolo known as the Super Reverb. But the model name got its start long before that incarnation arrived in 1963, and has been with us—sans Reverb, of course—since late 1947. The tweed Super, as most players know it today, is a classic of raw blues, rockabilly, and rock and roll, and that’s the version of the amp that we’ll take a look at here.

The author and guitarist Carl Verheyen sample a range of tweed Supers in an excerpt from the Interactive Fender Bible.

These rare early Supers are somewhat different from the later tweed amps that most players are familiar with, using fat-sounding 6SJ7 octal (eight-pin) preamp tubes—later 6SC7s—and some more primitive circuitry, but they are still great sounding amps. They are rounder and smoother sounding than later versions, they a pronounced midrange and a lot of compression when you play them hard. While Fender’s later mid-sized amps would mostly be rated at around 40 to 50 watts, these early examples, even though they used two 6L6 output tubes, were only capable of generating around 18 to 20 watts or so. Greater volume, headroom, and fidelity would be the companies multi-pronged goals throughout the ’50s and ’60s, however, and the Super, along with all amp models, would evolve considerably.

TV-front and wide-panel Supers of the late ’40s and early ’50s (so named after the appearances of their tweed-covered cabinets) would receive a range of advances in a relatively short period of time, including the use of new, smaller 9-pin 12AY7 and 12AX7 preamp tubes, improved phase inverters, a Standby switch, and more. All along the way, these amps gained a little clarity and definition, but they are still chunky, fat, warm and gritty sounding by today’s standards, and more suited to dirty blues and classic rock and roll than anything else, especially once you get the volume past the first third of the dial.

The most radical advances in the evolution of the tweed Super came in 1955. Signaled by the introduction of the snazzier narrow-panel tweed cab, the more significant changes were on the inside. The amp now had a two-knob EQ section with independent Bass and Treble in place of the lone Tone control on its predecessors, which was driven by its own 12AY7 preamp tube in a “cathode follower” configuration (as would be used by the Bassman and other great tweed amps). The Super’s output stage was changed from cathode bias to the more efficient fixed bias, and its phase inverter was advanced to a cathodyne (split-phase) circuit. After a brief flirtation with smaller 6V6 output tubes in the short-lived 5E4-A model (which nevertheless pushed these tubes with the same voltages as it had the bigger bottles), the 5F4 reintroduced 6L6s to the brew, and signaled the zenith of the tweed Super. The amp was now capable of putting out a robust 28 watts before clipping (often rated at 35 watts), and became a popular model in the clubs and on the bandstands.

We might not think of a 1959 narrow-panel tweed Super as being a “high fedelity amp”, but relative to its predecessor of 10 years before, that’s not an unjust claim. Of course, amp makers weren’t designing these things to be cranked wide open, and that’s where the juice comes from. While it’s punchy, clear, and bright at lower volumes, the tweed Super breaks up righteously when you get it up to the half-way mark and beyond, and segues from country twanger to rock and blues grinder with ease. Designed to accompany Fender’s own bright, lower-output single-coil pickups, these amps really kick out the crunch when introduced to a beefier pickup, such as Gibson’s meaty P-90 or warm, fat PAF-style humbucker. The beauty of these amps, too, is that while they give you a big dose of the chunky, open 6L6 tone, their output is still low enough to cut it at many smaller clubs, and in the studio as well. The two 10-inch Jensen alnico speakers aren’t the most efficient drivers either, by today’s standards, but offer a fast, lively response, and a snappy, slightly gritty tone that benefits a wide range of rootsy playing styles.

In 1960 Fender changed the circuit again for the new brown Tolex-covered Supers, adding vibrato and increasing the amp’s output capabilities. These 1960-’63 Supers are great amps, too, but are very different from the tweed combos that preceded them. In late ’63 the model received two more 10s, reverb, and a bigger output transformer for even more volume. Another classic amp was born, but the Super as it had been known for more than a decade was now gone for good.

The video clip is great, and as the previous post states quite well, kudos to Gibson for so graciously posting all great things relating to guitar (Fender, et. al). Fenders classic amps are a breath of fresh air. Classic sounds and performance. The new more varied amps on the market today are great, but these classic sounds offer a level playing field for all styles, and insight into where the sounds, preferences, and developments that followed subsequently, all came from. Additionally, nothing complements a great Gibson guitar sound (or Fender for that matter), like a classic Fender amp. No wonder Gibson and Fender are still at the top of the heap 50 years later!

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Your Guide to The New Supergroups

Even if Velvet Revolver hasn’t found a new lead singer yet, this has turned out to be a banner year for supergroups – the rock and roll equivalent of the all-star team. In the past few months music fans been inundated with so many it’s getting hard to keep track. Fortunately, we’ve come up with a guide for keeping the current crop straight because, well, we wouldn’t want anyone to get their Conor Oberst in their Crooked Vultures.

TINTED WINDOWS

WHO’S WHO? Taylor Hanson from former teen-pop stars Hanson, James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins on guitar, Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne on bass, and Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick on drums.

WHAT DO THEY SOUND LIKE? A power-pop dream. The mulit-generational band draws inspiration from classic ‘70s records by the likes of the Knack, Raspberries and Buzzcocks, but its self-titled debut isn’t a mere throwback. “The record is not vintage in its production,” Hanson tells us. “It sounds modern but musically we just wanted good songs with that wall of guitar.”

CHECK THEM OUT: http://www.myspace.com/tintedwindows

THEM CROOKED VULTURES

WHO’S WHO? Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age on guitar and vocals, John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin on bass, and Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters on drums.

WHAT DO THEY SOUND LIKE? Based on a few audio clips that have made it online and the band’s post-Lollapalooza show at Chicago’s Metro for 1100 close friends, the band’s sound leans more toward QOTSA’s propulsive metal than any of the other player’s outfits but that doesn’t mean this isn’t something special. In his review for the Chicago Sun-Times, critic Jim DeRogatis writes, “As obsessive rock fans who grew up worshipping Jimmy Page and John Bonham, Homme and Grohl seemed thrilled to be standing onstage with one of their heroes, and they pushed themselves to new heights to prove that they deserved the honor.”

CHECK THEM OUT: http://themcrookedvultures.com/

CHICKENFOOT

WHO’S WHO? Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony from Van Halen fame on vocals and bass, respectively, Joe Satriani on – what else? – guitar and Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers on drums.

WHAT DO THEY SOUND LIKE? There’s no room for Radiohead-style experimentation here.A true amalgamation of their individual resumes, the group’s self-titled debut is a straight-ahead collection produced by Led Zeppelin engineer Andy Johns -- highlighted by big dumb hard rock songs like “Sexy Little Thing” and “Oh Yeah” – and Hagar is totally fine with that. “Chickenfoot is going to be way too successful for credibility,” he said. “It sounds too much like a hit."

CHECK THEM OUT:

http://www.myspace.com/thechickenfoot

MONSTERS OF FOLK

WHO’S WHO? A gaggle of revered indie-rock singer-songwriters that includes Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes, Jim James from My Morning Jacket, and M. Ward.

WHAT DO THEY SOUND LIKE? Coming together for Bright Eyes’ 2004 tour behind the synth-heavy Digital Ash in a Digital Urn album, this collective’s sound is a little more full-bodied than you might initially expect. Based on the three songs available on its MySpace, the group covers everything from backwoods ballads (“The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me”) to bleak electro- pop (“Dear God [Sincerely M.O.F.]).” The full-length should be a doozy.

CHECK THEM OUT:

http://www.myspace.com/monstersoffolk

THE DEAD WEATHER

WHO’S WHO? Jack White from the White Stripes on drums, Alison Mosshart, the lead singer of the Kills on vocals, Dean Fertita from Queens of the Stone Age on guitar, and Jack Lawrence from the Raconteurs on bass.

WHAT DO THEY SOUND LIKE? It seems like anything Jack White touches is deemed a supergroup even if the rest of the members’ credentials don’t quite stack up. At least this band makes enough of a racket on its excellently titled debut album, “Horehound,” to rank among the others. The New York Times writes, “The band’s music has the charm of something put together quickly. It is created collaboratively but bears Mr. White’s influence.” That’s never a bad thing.

John Paul Jones wrote the riff for Black Dog. Meaning he wrote the greatest riff of all time. TCV are going to be brilliant, no doubt.(Not sure what the bloke from Hanson will come up with though).

gibson custom

Quinn of the Used makes playing the guitar seem easy ! Its not that simple is it ? Great sounds though coming out of that SG. Following in the footsteps of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, AudioSlave, Three Doors Down etc. You dont think I'm getting carried away do you ? Keep on rocking Quinn, great stuff ps - you dont think the sound would be better on a fender do you ? Only kidding, Humbucker rules OK !

In the midst of The Used's recent trip to the UK last month - appearing at the Sonisphere Festival and a triumphant headline show at the Relentless Garage - they took some time to head to Gibson's London studio.

While they were here they had some fun in the studio and decided to record three guitar lessons for tracks from their new album, titled Artwork. Quinn Allman decided to share the secrets of his musical flair on a variety of guitars, check out the widget below!

Learn Guitar With The Used

In the midst of The Used's recent trip to the UK last month - appearing at the Sonisphere Festival and a triumphant headline show at the Relentless Garage - they took some time to head to Gibson's London studio.

8 Great Electric-Guitar Players Time.com Overlooked

Any “Greatest Ever Guitarists” list is subjective in nature, of course, but occasionally one comes along that makes you scratch your head and wonder just which guitar-history books the list-maker has been reading. Such is the case with Time.com’s recently-published “10 Greatest Electric-Guitar Players”

Few guitarists have proved as versatile and innovative as Jeff Beck. His work with the Yardbirds and with the Jeff Beck Group helped pave the way for heavy metal, while his mid ‘70s masterpiece Blow by Blow remains essential listening for any fan or student of instrumental jazz-rock. A trusty Les Paul has often been Beck’s instrument of choice.

Duane Allman

With help from Dickey Betts, Duane Allman set the standard for improvisational six-string interplay. He was also one of the most soulful slide guitarists ever to strap on a guitar. His playing on the Allman Brothers Band’s At Fillmore East — a tour de force that launched southern rock’s ‘70s reign — makes you wonder what heights Allman would have reached had he lived.

Eddie Van Halen

Singer-songwriter Patty Smyth once described Eddie Van Halen as “like a brother from another planet, [who], much like Hendrix, did things no one ever imagined could be done with a guitar”. How true. Technically skilled beyond measure, Van Halen nonetheless has always favored controlled virtuosity, never allowing his immense talents to overwhelm the essence of a great song.

George Harrison

Why does George Harrison always get short shrift as an electric guitarist? Like fellow Beatle Ringo Starr, Harrison was never showy or extravagant; rather, his work on his chosen instrument provided a hand-in-glove fit to whatever a song required. Whether a track demanded stately elegance (“Something”) or raucous clamor (“I’m Down”), Harrison always had the goods.

Steve Howe

Time.com hails Yngwie Malmsteen as a “neoclassical” stylist influenced by Bach and Paganini. As technically adept as Malmsteen is, however, Yes’s Steve Howe towers above him in terms of imagination, elegance, and classical-inspired melody. On “Roundabout,” “Siberian Khatru,” and (especially) the epic “Close to the Edge,” Howe showed that progressive rock could possess lustrous beauty.

David Gilmour

David Gilmour’s beautiful solos — as illustrated on such tracks as “Time,” “Money,” and “Comfortably Numb” — are so spot-on perfect for Pink Floyd’s songs it’s hard to imagine them being played in any other way. The word “celestial” springs to mind, which is fitting given the dizzying heights to which Gilmour has always elevated Floyd’s best work.

T-Bone Walker

Chuck Berry made Time.com’s list, but what about the guitarist who influenced Berry most? As early as the mid ’30s, T-Bone Walker was dazzling audiences with his precise bends, weepy vibrato, and heretofore unheard sounds — all emanating from vintage variations of the electric guitar. Small wonder that Walker is often credited as the man who invented the guitar solo.

Pete Townshend

Thundering power chords, feedback-drenched solos, and calypso-on-steroids strumming have long been mainstays of Pete Townshend’s unique repertoire. Were it not for the Who’s Live at Leeds album serving as a formative template, the ‘70s punk scene might have taken on a whole different flavor. On stage, there’s almost an orchestral power to Townshend’s playing.

Other electic-guitar players worthy of any “greatest-ever” list:

Buddy Guy, Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Bo Diddley, Brian May, Robert Fripp, Randy Rhoads, Mick Ronson, Joe Perry, Angus Young

gibson bass

New Music Cheat Sheet: Must-have Summer Releases

As much as we love summer, it’s easy for the summer heat to get us down. Instead of seeing live music, most of the time we just want to sit instead blasting the air-conditioning and trying not to sweat ourselves to death. Thankfully five CDs have come out recently that are brilliant enough to remind us that great music can beat even the roughest summertime heat—and these releases, which range from country to indie rock, prove there are still plenty of relevant artists out there writing songs that matter. Heat or no heat, the least that we can do is listen.

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Monday, August 31, 2009 11:38 AM

Classic Amps: The 1954 Gibson GA-5 Les Paul Junior Amp

Beginner amps, starter amps, student amps, call them what you will—the small, low-wattage tube amplifier has been with us for many years, and guitarists today know them for the little tone machines they are. Gibson’s entry in this category has been one of its longest running models, making its original run from 1954-’67, and appearing again in 2004 as a reissue model. The diminutive GA-5 was originally released when Gibson needed a small partner amp to accompany its Les Paul Junior guitar, introduced in 1954 as the company’s first solidbody “student” model. Although its circuit and appearance evolved over the years, it has always retained its unfettered tonal purity.

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Friday, August 28, 2009 1:18 PM

Gibson Interview: Sammy Hagar Talks Chickenfoot, Guitars, And Songwriting

To paraphrase a well-known ad slogan, with a name like Chickenfoot they had better be good.

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Friday, August 28, 2009 11:29 AM

Big Bill Morganfield — Muddy Waters’ Son — Stakes Out His Legacy With a Gibson ES-347

Big Bill Morganfield’s got his daddy’s high cheekbones and the same dusty deep-chocolate resonance in the low end of his voice. And over the years he’s acquired a similarly whinnying style of slide guitar that’s displayed on his new album Born Lover.

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Wednesday, August 26, 2009 10:53 AM

Legendary Guitars: Maybelle Carter’s 1928 Gibson L-5

We might usually think of the true “legendary guitar” as being an electric played by a rock god, or perhaps a flat-top acoustic that helped to establish the folk-rock boom. But one archaic archtop—an instrument not wielded by a jazz star, even—has arguably seen more American musical history in the making than any other single guitar the world over. In 1927, country music originators The Carter Family made their first recordings (the now famous “Bristol Sessions” recorded in Bristol, TN) and started tasting success, and one year later their singer and guitarist Maybelle Carter used a little of those earnings to buy herself a brand new Gibson L-5 archtop acoustic guitar. Carter’s L-5 would be used throughout The Carter Family’s recorded catalogue of more than 300 songs, as well as her tenure as “Mother” Maybelle Carter with her daughters Anita, Helen, and June, and would serve to lay the foundations of country, bluegrass, and American folk music—earning Carter the title of “Queen Mother of Country Music” in the process. But in 1928 she was just a girl of 19 with a new guitar, and boy how she loved to play it.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2009 4:03 PM

Country Guitar Wizard Steve Wariner Tells You How to Sound Like Chet Atkins

Chet Atkins’ signature guitar was dubbed the Country Gentleman for good reason. The model reflected its namesake’s courtly demeanor as well as his impeccable, clear-toned technique — a style Atkins chiseled under a list of influences that includes Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, Charlie Christian, and George Barnes.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3:43 PM

Gibson Interview: Tenacious D Get Psyched for Outside Lands Festival

We couldn’t be more thrilled when we found out that Tenacious D was stepping in to cover for the ailing Beastie Boys at this weekend’s Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco. The comedy folk-metal duo featuring Jack Black and Kyle Glass are not only proud Gibson players, but stars of one of our favorite rock and roll movies in recent memory, “The Pick of Destiny.” They’ll be closing out the three-day festival in Golden Gate Park that will also see performances by the likes of Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, M.I.A. and about 80 other acts. But are they ready for a major festival? We called up the guys to find out. In return, the told us about crawling up Metallica’s armpit.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2009 10:09 AM

Geek Out: Five More Essential iPhone Applications, Part Two

Let’s face it, there are too many cool iPhone applications for musicians that we couldn’t limit our list to just five—so here we present you with another batch of programs that you’ll want to download as soon as you finish reading this. From instructional tools to creativity enhancing apps, all of these programs unlock the full potential of your iPhone (and iPod Touch) and also hopefully hint at the technological advantages that will be available in the next few years. Because if these applications are any indication of upcoming technology for musicians, the future possibilities are literally unimaginable.

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Monday, August 24, 2009 2:06 PM

That’s Not All, Folks: Chuck Ragan Launches the Second Annual Revival Tour

The folk tradition has long been based on a communal spirit that sees outcasts banding together on boxcars and writing protest songs because they have no other choice. While this sentiment has sadly been lost over the years, Hot Water Music co-frontman and accomplished solo artist Chuck Ragan is doing his best to bring it back to the forefront of the music community. Correspondingly last year he launched the Revival Tour, a traveling road show of sorts that saw him performing alongside a rotating cast of troubadours including Against Me!’s Tom Gabel, Avail’s Tim Barry and Lucero’s Ben Nichols (among others). However in true folk fashion, in addition to performing solo these musicians would come onstage to collaborate on each other’s songs with little regard to set lists or time constraints.

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Monday, August 24, 2009 1:33 PM

Happy Birthday John Lee Hooker : His 10 Best Guitar Boogies

Next time you’re listening to Z.Z. Top, George Thorogood, the Animals, R.L. Burnside, and a whole host of classic rockers and post-’50s electric bluesmen who’ve written percolating one-chord stomps, think of John Lee Hooker.