Cliff Gallup Guit4ristM4y2014Tru3PDF

GEAR REVIEWS | INTERVIEWS | GUITAR LESSONS | TIPS & ADVICE
THE GUITAR MAGAZINE
ISSUE 380
www.guitarist.co.uk | 5.75 | May 2014
INTERVIEWS
A N DY
SU M M ER S
LES
CL AY POOL
A DR I A N
BELEW
DI A MON D
I V ER SA RY EDITION
ROCKABILLY
CLIFF
GALLUP
STYLE FILE
FABULOUS 54
Inside Leo's first Strats

+ vintage Strat guide
SHADOWS
STRATS
Hank Marvin
talks twang
FENDERS
FINEST
Anniversary
Strats on test
MONTEREY
MAGIC
Jimis 67
festival Strat
REVIEWS
Taylor 814ce
Fender Vaporizer
Gibson Derek Trucks SG
Red Witch effects & much more!
MAY 2013
PR NTED N THE UK
5.75
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Strats All, Folks
Future Publishing Limited

30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW
Phone 01225 442244 Fax 01225 732353
Email guitarist@futurenet.com Web www.guitarist.co.uk
Editorial
Editor Jamie Dickson jamie.dickson@futurenet.com
Content editor Chris Vinnicombe chris.vinnicombe@futurenet.com
Gear reviews editor Dave Burrluck dave@daveburrluck.com
Deputy gear reviews editor Michael Brown michael.brown@futurenet.com
Managing editor Josh Gardner josh.gardner@futurenet.com
Senior art editor Mark Thomas mark.thomas@futurenet.com
Art editor Rob Antonello rob.antonello@futurenet.com
Senior music editor Jason Sidwell jason.sidwell@futurenet.com
Music engraver Chris Francis
AV content produced by Martin Holmes
Contributors
Owen Bailey, Darran Charles, Adrian Clark, Trevor Curwen, Nick Guppy, Matt Frost, Denny Ilett, Jim
Kimberly, Neville Marten, Isobel Morris, Kerry Moyle, Roger Newell, Mick Taylor, Henry Yates
In-House Photography
Joseph Branston, Dave Caudrey, Adam Gasson, Neil Godwin, Will Ireland, Simon Lees,
James Looker, Joby Sessions, Philip Sowels, Jesse Wild
Advertising
Phone 01225 442244 Fax 01225 732285
Advertising sales director Clare Coleman-Straw clare.coleman-straw@futurenet.com
Advertising sales manager Richard Hemmings richard.hemmings@futurenet.com
Account sales managers James LEsteve james.lesteve@futurenet.com
Alison Watson alison.watson@futurenet.com
Advertising sales executives Simon Rawle simon.rawle@futurenet.com
Marketing
Marketing manager Sarah Jackson sarah.jackson@futurenet.com
Direct marketing executive Alex Moreton alex.moreton@futurenet.com
Circulation
Head of trade marketing James Whitaker james.whitaker@futurenet.com
Trade marketing manager Dan Foley dan.foley@futurenet.com
Print & Production

Production manager Mark Constance mark.constance@futurenet.com
Production controller Frances Twentyman frances.twentyman@futurenet.com
Ad production coordinator Rebecca Lewis rebecca.lewis@futurenet.com
Licensing
Licensing and syndication director Regina Erak regina.erak@futurenet.com
Phone + 44 (0)1225 442244 Fax + 44 (0)1225 732275
Future Publishing Limited

Managing director, Future UK Nial Ferguson nial.ferguson@futurenet.com
Head of Music Rob Last rob.last@futurenet.com
Group art editor Rodney Dive rodney.dive@futurenet.com
Creative director RobinAbbott robin.abbott@futurenet.com
Editorial director Jim Douglas jim.douglas@futurenet.com
Chief executive MarkWood mark.wood@futurenet.com
Next issue on sale 2 May 2014
Printed in the UKbyWilliam Gibbons on behalf of Future.
DistributedintheUKbySeymourDistributionLtd,2EastPoultryAvenue,LondonEC1A9PT Tel 02074294000
Tobuyimagesfeaturedinthispublication
visitwww.futuremediastore.comoremailmediastore@futurenet.com
Customer services
Subscriptions and back issues 0844 848 2852 guitarist@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
Subscribe online at www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
Print: 20,931
Digital: 4,116
The ABC combined print
and digital circulation for
Jan-Dec 2013 is:
25,047
A member of the Audited Bureau of Circulations
Future produces high-quality multimedia products which reach

our audiences online, on mobile and in print. Future attracts over 50
NJMMJPO DPOTVNFST UP JUT CSBOET FWFSZ NPOUI BDSPTT mWF DPSF TFDUPST
Technology, Entertainment, Music, Creative and Sports & Auto.
We export and license our publications to 89 countries around the world.
Future plc is a public
company quoted on the
London Stock Exchange
TZNCPM '653

www.futureplc.com
Chief executive Mark Wood

Non-executive chairman Peter Allen
&KLHI QDQFLDO RIFHU Zillah Byng-Maddick
5FM
-POEPO
5FM
#BUI
FuturePublishingLimited2014.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthismagazinemaybeusedorreproducedwithoutthewritten
permissionofthepublisher.FuturePublishingLimited(companynumber2008885)isregisteredinEnglandandWales.Theregistered
ofceofFuturePublishingLimitedisatBeaufordCourt,30MonmouthStreet,BathBA12BW.Allinformationcontainedinthis
magazineisforinformationonlyandis,asfarasweareaware,correctatthetimeofgoingtopress.Futurecannotacceptany
responsibilityforerrorsorinaccuraciesinsuchinformation.Readersareadvisedtocontactmanufacturersandretailersdirectlywith
regardtothepriceofproducts/servicesreferredtointhismagazine.Ifyousubmitunsolicitedmaterialtous,youautomaticallygrant
Futurealicencetopublishyoursubmissioninwholeorinpartinalleditionsofthemagazine,includinglicensededitionsworldwideand
inanyphysicalordigitalformatthroughouttheworld.Anymaterialyousubmitissentatyourriskand,althougheverycareistaken,
neitherFuturenoritsemployees,agentsorsubcontractorsshallbeliableforlossordamage.
This year marks the 60th

anniversary of Leo Fenders
masterpiece, the Stratocaster.
Its testimony to his genius
for design that, even today, if
you asked a child to draw an
electric guitar, chances are
the outline theyd scrawl
would have twin cutaways,
three pickups and a scroll headstock.
Why is it so iconic? Well, part of the Strats
appeal is that it was launched when rock n roll
was itself new. It became a tool of choice for
players such as Buddy Holly and Hank Marvin
(see p82) who were taking guitar music to new
places, which ensured that the voice of the Strat
became part of rocks very DNA.
But, tellingly, when the era of Peggy Sue was
eventually superseded by that of Purple Haze,
and then Rising Force, the Strat continued to rise
to the occasion, and thats what marks it apart
from decent but uninspired guitars that have
fallen by the wayside over the years its a
supremely adaptable, balanced design, and
remains so in the hands of players such as Simon
Neil and John Mayer today.
To investigate the Strats remarkable appeal
further, Mick Taylor went to Sweden to get his
mitts on a genuine vintage 54 model (see p72) to
find out what the first of the breed feels like to
play today. We hope youll also enjoy his guide to
what came next: the technical evolutions in the
Strats design that propelled it into the future it
seemed designed to inhabit when it was
launched six decades go.
Elsewhere, youll find interviews with masterly
exponents of the Strat, including Adrian Belew
and Andy Summers (yes, he used his 62 model
almost much as a Tele in The Police), plus
reviews of two new versions of that other great
double-cut, Gibsons SG (see p10). Rave on
Wearecommittedtoonlyusing
magazinepaperwhichisderivedfrom
wellmanaged,certiedforestryand
chlorine-freemanufacture.Future
Publishinganditspapersuppliershave
beenindependentlycertiedin
accordancewiththerulesoftheFSC
(ForestStewardshipCouncil).
Jamie Dickson Editor
Full competition Terms & Conditions can be found at: www.futurenet.com/futureonline/competitionrules.asp
WorldMags.net
May 2014 Guitarist 7
WorldMags.net
Contents
52
The Guitar Magazine
48
qq=qce
38
62
People & Playing
Cover story
We celebrate the
Stratocasters 60th in
style with reviews,
a vintage guide,
Jimis Monterey Strat,
a real 54, and more
Regulars
Welcome From The Editor . . . . . . . 7
Front End. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Readers Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
New Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Subscribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Longterm Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Gear Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Readers Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
98
72
Robert Cray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Black Submarine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Les Claypool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Andy Summers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Aces: Cliff Gallup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Adrian Belew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Hank Marvin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
8 Guitarist May 2014
ISSUE 380 MAY 2014
82
Hank Marvin
The Shadows man reveals
the secrets of his
legendary tone
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY NEIL GODWIN
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
New gear this month
Gibson Derek Trucks SG & SG Futura . . .10
Fender Pawn Shop Special Vaporizer . . . 18
Aria 511 Dreadnought & 505 OM . . . . . . . . . . 22
Scott Walker Phantom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Fender 60th Anniversary Classic
Player 50s, American Standard
Commemorative and American
Reissue 1954 Stratocasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Taylor 814ce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Boss ME-80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Red Witch Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Yerasov GTA15J . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
EHX Soul Food and Slammi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Pedaltrain Volto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Seiko STX-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Free The Tone Red Jasper RJ-1V . . . . . . . .130
Supermegaultragroovy Capo 3. . . . . . . . . . . . 132
The Guitarist Vault

contains this issues
gear demos, audio
and bonus features,
ready to download
to your PC or Mac.
Wherever you see
the logo, log on for
more. Try it now!
STEP 1
Go to: http://vault.guitarist.co.uk
STEP 2
Register your details
STEP 3
116
92
18
Once confirmed, you can

access the Vault
Register now for

audio & video
content!
110
WorldMags.net
FIRST PLAY
WorldMags.net
GIBSON DEREK TRUCKS SG

1,399
WHAT IS IT: An old-school SG
Standard with Lyre tailpiece
GIBSON SG FUTURA
799
WHAT IS IT: Economy SG with
Min-ETune and level boost
TIME
PIECES
Last issue, we looked at Gibsons

2014 Les Pauls. Here, its the turn of its
longest-running solidbody electric, the SG
WORDS
DAVE BURRLUCK
JOE BRANSTON
PHOTOGRAPHY
WorldMags.net
http://vault.guitarist.co.uk
Gibson 2014 Derek Trucks SG & SG Futura
FIRST
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
PLAY
FIRST
PLAY
WorldMags.net
1. Trucks may be a slide
player, but this should
appeal to anyone who
pines for a properly
good classic SG
2. The Trucks SG has
some irregular body
contouring that leaves
the body edge just few
milimetres thick on
the top side
3. All thats left of the
Deluxe Vibrola this is
a hardtail guitar!
erek Trucks Signature SG is apparently

based on his trusty 61, complete with
just the engraved Lyre tailpiece of the
disabled Deluxe Vibrola. Now, guitar
historians would tell us that technically
this vibrato didnt appear until 1963, and the
guitar was still called a Les Paul Standard until
1963, despite the more-than obvious difference
between what we all now refer to as the SG,
and the prior Les Paul.
The more modernist SG Futura has no such
provenance issues. Its a bang-up-to-date
economy SG, and loads in pretty much all the
gizmos Gibson has at its disposal. So, clearly
we have two very different SGs in prospect
With its slightly faded-looking Vintage Red
gloss-nitro finish, the Trucks is a perfect
picture of a guitar weve probably all dreamed
of owning, whether were Trucks fans or not. It
avoids any obvious signature guitar-isms, aside
from the (easily swapped) Derek Trucks truss
rod cover. Gibsons production consistency
still falls a little short of most other premium
USA-made brands the finish, for example, is
noticeably mottled, yet that in itself adds to a
slightly vintage, less modern-precision vibe.
And although Gibson is now, on certain
models, putting its fret ends over the
fingerboard-edge binding, here, its old school:
the plastic still forms the fret end, with plenty
of potential for a gap to open up and for your
top string to slip into it. Gibson uses the Plek
machine set-up, too, yet the frets here are
hardly mirror shiny; there was a little buzz on
the higher top-string positions also, and the
rosewood board looks dry and pale in colour.
At half the price, the Futura, like many other
low-end Gibsons, begs the question: how can
the company make guitars in the USA for this
money? Its amplified here when you consider
WorldMags.net
FIRST
WorldMags.net
The Futura,
like many
other low-end
Gibsons, begs
the question:
how can the
company
make guitars
in the USA for
this money?
the fitted Min-ETune system, that retails as a

retrofit item for around 250. What is
immediately obvious is a hastier build. The
purple finish looks like its been applied with a
brush clearly, its a quicker off-the-gun
coating over a non-grain-filled mahogany
body. Whereas the tips of the horns are sanded
to softer, more rounded points on the Trucks,
here theyre left square-edged and sharp. The
neck is maple, not mahogany, with two
additional frets where the Trucks has the
classic coverplate between the end of the
board and the neck pickup. The edges of the
neck, too, feel a little squarer than the Trucks;
the unbound edges are a little sharper, and
theres no binding either just dot inlays and
the 12th-fret 120th Anniversary banner.
The Trucks model opts for dual 57 Classics,
a smaller ABR-1 Tune-o-matic (without the
retaining wire), Tone Pros vintage-like Kluson
Deluxe tuners and period-accurate silvertopped knobs. Only the stud tailpiece is shared
with the Futura.
The cheaper guitar gets a bigger Nashvillestyle bridge, an open-coil Burstbucker 3 at
bridge, and a humbucking soapbar at the neck.
With indented knobs, we have pull switch coilsplits on the volumes, while a two-position
toggle switch on the pickguard introduces a
15db gain boost, with its battery hidden
discreetly in the rear control cavity.
PLAY
Then, of course, theres the Min-ETune

system mounted on the slightly narrower
headstock, which does look a bit bulky from
the rear the individual motorised tuners
main housings are obviously larger than
conventional tuners. The brain sits between
the two tuner rows and aside from housing the
electronics, push buttons and display, it also
has a removable and rechargeable battery.
We also get large-diameter strap buttons that
many will find a plus over the smaller vintagestyle ones used on the Trucks.
Feel & Sounds

The SG has long been recognised as a nearperfect electric slide guitar, not least in the way
the neck sticks out and especially with the
really easy access to the full board. Trucks uses
a hybrid medium/heavy string gauge, and
what he describes as a string height thats just
high enough for clean slide, which he
predominantly tunes to open E. Gibson ships
the guitar with a normal, non-slide playing
action and 0.010-0.046 strings. But all you need
to do is swap the top two strings for an 0.011
and 0.014 and, via the thumb wheels, raise the
bridge, tune to E and get out that glass slide. Of
course, theres absolutely no reason why you
have to use the guitar like Mr Trucks. A
standard action results in a simply fine classic
rock/blues solidbody.
WorldMags.net
FIRST
PLAY
WorldMags.net
4. Last year, the MinETune was an optional

extra; this year its
standard on models
throughout the
Gibson catalogue
5. The Sidewinder P-90H
might look like the
fabled P-90 single
coil, but its actually a
humbucking unit
5
Theres vintage-like low power, and quite an
edge to the bridge played clean; the neck is a
little hotter, with a nice round nose, but still
some articulation. Into light-gain territory, and
that almost generic Gibson all-mahogany tone
appears, a little narrower than a maple-topped
Les Paul and more focused. Certainly, on the
neck pickup, it nails that Trucks-esque, fat,
liquid tone. With both pickups on, you have all
the subtle shades, and its easy to dial in a
darker woman tone; if you want more bite, the
bridge pickup just about stays on the right side
of shrill.
The Futura doesnt feel as good as it could.
The pickup heights seem to have been set a
little randomly, and while that probably wont
bother a high-gain bedroom warrior, a little
time tweaking the heights balances a little of
the BB3s spiky edge with the apparent
darkness of the neck pickup. While the DC
resistance of the BB3 hints at hot PAF, the
whopping 14.5k ohms of the neck pickup
suggests a reason why its so dark and softsounding; the coil-split drops it down to more
P-90-like territory but then, unless you apply a
boost, its overshadowed by the bridge pickup.
But ah yes! a boost: we have one of those.
Moving into the active world, suddenly we
have clarity, and although primarily conceived
as a solo boost to drive your amp harder and lift
you above the band for solos, actually having
WorldMags.net
6. With coil-splits on
the volume controls
and a handy 15db
active boost, the
Futura offers plenty
of sounds
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
FIRST
PLAY
WorldMags.net
Gibson Derek
Trucks SG
6
the boost on and then reducing the volumes
and adjusting the tones to suit sounds a little
classier, as far as that neck pickup is concerned.
Weve written about how the Min-ETune
works and, yes, it does. While tuning up is okay
where you might have drifted slightly,
changing to an altered or open tuning not only
requires more button-pushing, but we
managed to completely confuse it somehow
and stood back while it raised the D string to
break pitch. Literally. Re-stringing isnt
difficult: just remember the bass-side tuners
work in the reverse direction. If were honest,
the Min-ETunes tuning isnt 100 per cent
accurate when we checked our Peterson
Strobe or TC PolyTune tuners, and while you
can manually adjust the tuners, with their 40:1
ratio, they feel odd and take longer to turn and
tune to pitch. The added weight changes the
strapped on balance a little and, at least in the
opinion of this writer, we wouldnt feel totally
confident with the system for serious stage use.
Verdict
With Gibsons USA-made SGs starting at
under 500 (see spec, right), you cant be
surprised that in terms of fine details,
instruments like this Futura seem a little
lacking. And if were honest, the voice of the
neck pickup is odd, the BB3 veers on the toobright side of the tone tracks and, sorry, but
the Min-ETune just doesnt inspire stage
confidence. That boost, however, could prove
to be dead handy.
If it aint broke Well, the Derek Trucks
signature model is pretty much the only
standard SG in the current 2014 line up. Its a
classic guitar, no question, but theres some
serious US-built competition out there and
arguably its main appeal lies in its heritage, not
necessarily its sounds or build quality.
PRICE: 1,399 (inc case)

ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: Double-cutaway
solidbody electric
BODY: Mahogany
NECK: Mahogany, D-shape, slim
profile, glued in
SCALE LENGTH: 624mm (24.6)
NUT/WIDTH: Corian/43.24mm
FINGERBOARD: Bound rosewood,
acrylic trapezoid inlays, 305mm
(12) radius
FRETS: 22, medium jumbo
HARDWARE: Chrome-plated ABR no
wire Tune-o-matic and stud tailpiece
with Lyre-style tailpiece, Tone Pros
Kluson Deluxe vintage-style tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 51mm
ELECTRICS: Two Gibson 57 Classic
humbuckers with chromed covers,
three-way toggle pickup selector
switch, individual pickup volume and
tone controls
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 3.4/7.5
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: The 2014 SG
Special (699) has a mahogany body
with maple neck, unbound 24-fret
board, gloss finish with 490R/490T
buckers with coil splits. The 2014 SG
Standard (1,099) is all mahogany,
with bound 22-fret board, gloss
finished with dual 57 Classic bucker,
coils-splits and Min-ETune
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Vintage Red (as reviewed)
nitro gloss
Gibson
www.gibson.com
Gibson SG Futura
PRICE: 799 (inc case)
ORIGIN: USA
solidbody electric
BODY: Mahogany
NECK: Maple, 60s slim profile,
glued-in
NUT/WIDTH: Black Graph
Tech/43mm
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, acrylic
dot inlays with 12th-fret 120th banner,
305mm (12) radius
HARDWARE: Chrome-plated
Nashville-style Tune-o-matic and stud
tailpiece, Min-ETune tuning system
with vintage buttons
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 50mm
ELECTRICS: Gibson Burstbucker 3
open-coiled humbucker (bridge) and
P-90H Sidewinder soapbar-sized
humbucker (neck), three-way toggle
pickup selector switch, individual
pickup volume (with pull/push
coil-splits) and tone controls, 2-way
mini-toggle to engage 15dB gain boost
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: The 2014 SG
range starts with the SGJ (469) with
mahogany/maple construction,
unbound 24 fret board, matt finished
with two 61 zebra-coiled buckers. The
SGM (599) is satin, with a Min-ETune
LEFT-HANDERS: Yes
FINISHES: Champagne Fade, Brilliant
Red Fade, Inverness Green Fade,
Bullion Gold Fade, Pacific Blue Fade,
Plum Insane Fade (as reviewed)
all nitro vintage gloss
G U I TA R I S T R AT I N G
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Guitarist says: Essentially, this

latest Trucks signature is an
old-school SG Standard. Nothing
wrong with that at all!
WorldMags.net
Guitarist says: This is a very

affordable SG with nice upgrades
such as the Min-ETune system.
But is it a great guitar? No
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
PLAY
WorldMags.net
FIRST
FENDER PAWN SHOP

SPECIAL VAPORIZER
490
WHAT IS IT? Affordable valve
combo with mass-produced
electronics and a 1950s aesthetic
VAPOR TRAIL
We test the impact of this atomic bombshell

from Fenders retro rocket surgeons
WORDS CHRIS
VINNICOMBE
PHOTOGRAPHY JOE
BRANSTON
WorldMags.net
Fender Pawn Shop Special Vaporizer
FIRST
WorldMags.net
PLAY
he cobwebbed corners of the pawn shop

in Fenders head have yielded a mixed
bag of curios since the series began with
a range of mongrel guitar designs in
2011. 2012s tremolo-packing Excelsior
combo was the closest thing in the shop to an
essential purchase to date, and the rate at
which they were snapped up speaks volumes;
youll have to head to eBay and hope for the
best if you want to corral one now.
The Vaporizer was announced at the turn of
2014, accompanied by a sci-fi promo video that
reflects its Atomic Age stylings. An initial
glance at the specifications made us wonder if
this might just prove to be the best Pawn Shop
Special amp yet; it certainly seemed more
appealing than the too-dark-sounding
Ramparte and more practical for everyday use
than the Excelsior, thanks to a spring-reverb
tank and a pair of brash 10-inch drivers. We
caught a whiff of that rare excitement that only
the combination of the genuinely cool and
highly affordable can generate.
But wait a minute, 490 isnt that affordable,
is it? Its more than the average street price for
a Blues Junior, for a start, and probably more
than a second-hand Hot Rod Deluxe. Happily,
at press time, the Vaporizer is around 375 at
most UK retailers. Its not quite as rip-theirarm-off tempting as the Excelsiors borderline
crazy price tag was, but its not half bad either.
For the money, you get an amp thats about as
far away from the generic black box school of
backline design as is possible without paying
boutique money. The dimpled Surf Green vinyl
on our Vaporizer is very well applied around
the angular speaker cut-out, and the big,
luggage-style handle and washing machinestyle dials are evocative of the US post-war
manufacturing boom. Around the back, youre
reminded that this is no well-preserved piece
of vintage esoterica by the usual printed array
of warnings and a safety grille, all in order to
comply with modern legislation. On the inside,
the Vaporizer is every bit the modern
production-line valve amp, with most of the
electronics sitting neatly on two large PCBs.
Feel & Sounds

Theres not much here to get in the way of the
sheer raucous thrill of playing rock n roll
WorldMags.net
FIRST
PLAY
Fender Pawn Shop Special Vaporizer
WorldMags.net
Fender Pawn Shop

Special Vaporizer
2
1. One of the results of

the Vaporizers
unusual reverb
arrangement is that
the effect is more
present in the mix at
the cleaner end of the
volume controls
sweep, gradually
taking more of a back
seat as you wind it up
and things get louder
and dirtier
2. Around the back, the
safety legends break
the retro spell
somewhat. Its
overkill, of course, but
its not Fenders fault
3. When the red jewel

light is ablaze, it
denotes that the
rambunctious
Vaporizer mode has
been engaged, and
that the volume
and tone stacks have
been bypassed
guitar. Once youve matched your instrument

to the appropriate input jack, your volume
control then doubles up as your gain control.
That said, you should never be afraid to be
inappropriate; a Telecaster or Strat bridge
pickup plugged into the Vaporizers bright
input is vicious, but sometimes thats what a
particular part calls for.
Clean headroom is, of course, partly
dependent on how hard your pickups hit the
Vaporizers front end, but few would choose a
12-watt EL84 circuit for its pristine cleanliness,
even if there are decent clean sounds here. The
best sounds live just past lunchtime on the
volume control in conjunction with vintage
PAF-style buckers, P-90s or FilterTrons, and
bring to mind The Kinks, The White Stripes
and early Zeppelin. Its not polite, but its
dynamic, responding well to an explosive
picking-hand attack. Then step on the
Vaporizer footswitch for loud, ragged and
angry lead sounds; its not AC30-loud, but
without the ability to attenuate, its unsubtle
and untamed there may be sound engineers
in small venues who find the level
unacceptable, and you certainly cant get dirt
without pedals at home.
The short-pan analogue spring reverb tray is
suitably surfy, if a little noisy. Interestingly, the
reverb output is independent, so if you turn the
volume all the way down but leave the reverb
up, you just hear the wet signal. Its a cool,
spacey studio effect, and one weve only
encountered previously on this reviewers
own, similarly retro-themed, Swart Atomic
Space Tone combo.
PRICE: 490
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: All-valve Class A combo
OUTPUT: 12 watts
VALVES: 2x 12AX7 (preamp) and
2x EL84 (power amp)
SPEAKERS: 2x Special Design
16-ohm Vaporizer speakers
DIMENSIONS: 629 (w) x 432 (h) x
267mm (d)
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 17/37
CONNECTIONS: Normal input, bright
input, external 8-ohm speaker out
CHANNELS: 1
CONTROLS: Volume, tone, reverb
FOOTSWITCH: Included, activates
Vaporizer mode
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Springreverb circuit independent of amp
volume control, footswitchable
Vaporizer mode bypasses volume and
tone controls for maximum output
OPTIONS: Surf Green (as reviewed),
Slate Blue or Rocket Red texturedvinyl finishes available
Fender GBI
01342 331700
www.fender.com
Verdict
If the previous Pawn Shop Special amps have

seen Fender trying to crack the quirky secondor-third amp market, the Vaporizer might just
be a main gigging amp for the right sort of
player. If you like your guitar sounds retro,
upfront and nasty, then this is an immensely
fun amp for gigs and rehearsals, as well as
having a cool set of tones for studio work. Just
be prepared for things to get out of control.
Build quality
Features
Sound
Value for money
WorldMags.net
Guitarist says: Garage rock n

rollers and lovers of sleazy surf
sounds might just have found
their new fave amp. Fun, fun, fun
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
FIRST
PLAY
WorldMags.net
ARIA 511
499
WHAT IS IT? All-solid-wood
dreadnought acoustic guitar with
mahogany back and sides
ARIA 505
539
WHAT IS IT? All-solid Orchestra
Model acoustic guitar with
rosewood back and sides
INTO THE
WOODS
Aria aims to be taken seriously

in the low-end acoustic market
with the reasonably priced
solid-wood 500 Series
ISOBEL MORRIS & JIM KIMBERLEY
PHOTOGRAPHY JOE BRANSTON
WORDS
n a forest of guitars priced at around 500,

how do you make an instrument that stands
out from the pack? Well, Aria claims to have
worked extensively with luthiers and
musicians and investigated superior wood
supplies and quality manufacturing, and it
seems to have paid off. When it comes to
telling the wood from the trees, this new range
of instruments really opened our eyes and ears.
Aria released the all solid-wood AF-Mirage
in 2012, and at the tail-end of 2013, announced
the equally all-solid 500 series: a classic
dreadnought and an OM, both available with
either solid Indonesian mahogany or solid
WorldMags.net
Aria 511 Dreadnought & 505 OM
FIRST
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
PLAY
FIRST
PLAY
WorldMags.net
Indonesian rosewood back and sides, designed

in Japan and manufactured in Indonesia. With
solid Sitka spruce tops, quartersawn nonscalloped spruce X-bracing, sensible prices,
and a high level of build quality, fit and finish,
theyre aimed squarely at the serious amateur
and semi-pro market.
Here, were going to focus on the 511
dreadnought with mahogany back and sides,
and the smaller-bodied rosewood 505 OM.
Immediately, these guitars have an attractive,
friendly air about them. The clean, bright Sitka
spruce fronts are edged with herringbone
purfling, which also surrounds the soundhole,
giving a clean and summery feel. Theres a
whiff of the hippy 1970s to the styling, without
being fey. The high-gloss finish on the body
shows the figure in the mahogany and the
rosewood to great effect, and theres a further
decorative strip dividing the excellently bookmatched halves of the back. A pickguard is
provided separately for you to attach, or not:
the simplicity of a clean uncluttered front
definitely has its appeal.
Both guitars are fitted with bone saddles and
nuts, too certainly not found too often on
instruments at this level. Having retrofitted
bone nuts and saddles to many guitars from the
cheaper plastic ones over the years, its great to
see them as standard here.
Making a compelling guitar at this pricepoint is a challenging task, especially with so
many of the elements normally associated with
a much higher price. Here and there, its
apparent where Aria may have made its
savings. There are a couple of places where
glue is visible, and out of the (price-included)
cases, there was a roughness to the satin-neck
finish. But, as ever, this quickly burnished with
playing into a silkier feel. Speaking of which
Feel & Sounds

The classic dreadnought 511 has a sturdy feel
that encourages a strident approach: it
responds well to vigorous and energetic
strumming and picking. Theres a characterful
low-mid grunt to the tone that lends a
satisfying punch to rhythm parts, and theres
plenty of sustain with both more open voicings
and even full barre chords.
This business-like sound extends to a slightly
bigger-than-you-might-expect U-shaped neck
profile: more traditional Gibson Les Paul than
Its a pretty ambitious project to

make a guitar at this price-point,
especially with so many of the
elements normally associated
with a much higher price
WorldMags.net
FIRST
WorldMags.net
PLAY
1. Solid-bone saddles
are well shaped
and accurately
compensated,
with surprisingly
accommodating
string spacing
2. Herringbone purfling
surrounds the
soundhole and fronts
of both guitars
3. The fretboard is
unbound, but the fret
ends are fettled nice
and smooth
4. These unbranded
enclosed tuners on the
dreadnought perform
well, but theres a
nicer vibe to the
vintage-style, opengeared type on the OM
5. Carefully sourced,
beautifully figured
woods for the back are
bookmatched pieces,
enhanced with an
elegant centre stripe
modern Taylor. String spacing at both nut and

saddle feel very natural and quite airy: pulling
and slapping is a breeze, and things dont get
too bright with these more percussive
techniques. The guitar feels very stable in
terms of tuning, and intonation is accurate
enough to allow harmonious playing at the
dusty end of the fretboard. Again, not always
the case with lower end instruments.
The dreadnought is often pigeon-holed as a
strummer, but putting it through its paces with
everything from a simple drop-D to a low C
open-tuning, finger-picked or strummed, it
worked just as well only sounding a little
flabby when you really dig in.
By comparison, the OM definitely feels more
delicate, catering for the trend towards
smaller-bodied acoustics with its slightly
shallower depth and smaller waisted body. Its
a delight to play, and it feels more like a parlour
guitar after the size and boldness of the 511. But
considering its comparatively small size, the
OM has an impressively loud voice, with all the
bright warm responsiveness of the 511, plus a
little extra width in the highs and lows: the
result, we suspect, of the extra 40 rosewood
back and sides. As has been said before in these
pages, we cant help wondering how these
guitars will develop with age and playing time,
WorldMags.net
FIRST
PLAY
WorldMags.net
and how the character that the different woods

impart will colour the sounds.
Even so, the seemingly small differences in
neck profile and body depth already have quite
an impact: the OM is really another animal
compared to the dreadnought. It lends itself to
a different playing approach more complex
than merely strumming versus picking.
Whereas the dreadnought is perfect for a
boisterous campfire sing-a-round, the OM is a
songwriters friend, an instrument for quieter
spaces. The sound remains well balanced, and
having lost some of the bottom end that the 511
has in spades, a sweetness and subtlety is
revealed. Sustain is key to the sound. The
harmonics decay at a remarkably even rate
across the frequency spectrum, whether
strings are held or left open. If there were any
problems with intonation or tuning stability,
these would be glaringly obvious, but there are
none. This review sample is sensibly set up,
too. The action is comfortably low, but still
allows for a sensible amount of welly even if
you drop the D. And its sound is versatile, too.
Fingerpicked, it exhibits a clear folk voice.
Strumming? Well, itll suit anything from
gentle blues to smoky jazz accompaniment.
Aria 511
Aria 505

ORIGIN: Indonesia
TYPE: Dreadnought acoustic
BODY: Indonesian mahogany
NECK: Indonesian mahogany
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm
(25.5)
NUT WIDTH: Bone/4mm
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, small
snow flake inlay, radius unspecified
FRETS: 20, medium
HARDWARE: Enclosed die-cast
tuners
BRIDGE/SPACING: Indonesian
rosewood pin bridge with
compensated bone saddle/55.5mm
ELECTRICS: None
OPTIONS: The 515 dreadnought with
Indonesian rosewood back/sides
costs 539 inc case
LEFT HANDERS: Coming soon
FINISH: Natural high-gloss body
with satin neck
Aria UK
01483 238720
www.ariauk.com

ORIGIN: Indonesia
TYPE: Orchestra acoustic
BODY: Indonesian rosewood
NECK: Indonesian mahogany
NUT WIDTH: Bone/44mm
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, small
snow flake inlay, radius unspecified
FRETS: 20, medium
HARDWARE: Open geared, vintagestyle tuners.
BRIDGE/SPACING: Indonesian
rosewood pin bridge with
compensated bone saddle/55.5mm
ELECTRICS: None
OPTIONS: The 501 OM with
Indonesian mahogany back/sides
costs 499 inc case
LEFT HANDERS: Coming soon
FINISH: Natural, high-gloss body with
satin neck
Verdict
Unglamorous as it may sound, both these
guitars feel and sound honest and dependable
a very good thing. There are a couple of
minor cosmetic/construction blips, but
nothing to spoil the party. Essentially, these are
clearly defined, well-made guitars that should
develop the more you play them. They invite
you to have fun, too, and at this ticket price you
wont mind passing them around. There are no
electro options in the current line-up: they are
simply acoustic guitars that sound great, each
in their own way, and played as an acoustic
duo, they sound beautiful together. Try both.
Buy both? Seriously, thats not as daft as it
might sound.
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Guitarist says: Bone-nutted and

businesslike with a bold sound
this is a cracking value dread
WorldMags.net
Guitarist says: Sound,

playability and affordability,
this little OM has it all
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Frontend
Dont miss it! Must-see guitar goings-on for the coming weeks
Dave Davies
Of The Kinks
11 April, Barbican Hall, London
Kenny Wayne
Shepherd dates
JEFF KATZ
Robert Cray
UK tour
2-18 May, various
UK venues
Slick and soulful Strat
seducer Robert Cray will
be bringing his band to
the UK in May for a
13-day tour. Its in
support of his Stax and
Chess-influenced new
record, In My Soul. See
robertcray.com for
ticket and tour info.
30 April, 1 May,
London, Cheltenham
Its tours galore, and US
blues-rock phenomenon
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
will be over here for two
nights in support of his
forthcoming bluescover album GoinHome
at the end of April. See
kennywayneshepherd.
net for ticket info.
MARK-SELIGER
PAUL UNDERSINGER
here arent many artists who

could legitimately celebrate the
50th anniversary of a guitar
sound they created. But in the case of
Dave Davies of The Kinks, when he
took a razorblade to the speaker cone
of his Elpico amp, fed the output
through a Vox and ripped into the
powerchords of You Really Got Me, it
was a seismic sonic breakthrough
and its shockwaves have influenced
whole genres of musicians since.
Hell be playing his first UK date
for 13 years at Londons Barbican Hall
in April, so youll be able to hear
Davies perform a mix of songs from
The Kinks and his solo career for
yourself. Tickets are on sale now,
priced 35.50 and 32.50, available
from barbican.org.uk.
Plus, look out for a full interview
with the man himself next issue.
www.cheltenham
festivals.com/jazz for
more info.
Medeski Martin
& Wood feat
Nels Cline
Cheltenham
Jazz Festival
30 April-5 May,
Cheltenham
The renowned six-day
jazz celebration takes
place in a tented Festival
Village, and features a
diverse line up including
Radio 2-friendly acts
such as Jamie Cullum, a
Golden Age Of Jazzthemed night, and more
experimental fare. See
WorldMags.net
6 April, London
Hold on to your hats for
what this experimental
trio describes as an
amalgam of avant-noise,
funk and a million other
musical currents and
impulses.Joining them
on guitar will be Nels
Cline of Wilco, with
whom the trio have just
released a live album,
Woodstock Sessions.
See www.mmw.net for
further info.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Frontend
WorldMags.net
Roundup: Stay Classy

Retro cool and shabby roadworn chic are all well and good, but how about a
guitar with a bit of style? Check out these recent six-strings for the discerning
gentleman, or lady, below
1 Fender Select Series

Carved Top
Jazzmaster
2,302
www.fender.com
This Jazzmaster is part of

Fenders Select Series range, and
recasts the venerable indie-rock
favourite to include a flamemaple top, Adjust-o-matic bridge,
Wide Range Special humbucking
pickups and a channel-bound
compound-radius fingerboard.
We said: Continues Fenders
riposte to high-end luthiers you
can see the flair and enjoyment
thats gone into the design
2 DAngelico EX-SS
1,249
www.dangelicoguitars.com
The DAngelico marque has

produced some of the most
breathtakingly stylish guitars
ever created, but being able to
afford one has traditionally been
a stumbling block. Now, though,

the companys sumptuous new
semi-hollow EX-SS and
hollowbody EXL-1 models make
the dream a tantalising reality,
for around 1,000.
We said: More compact and
hollow-sounding than an ES-335;
a superb all-round vibe-y electric
3 Gibson Luther
Dickinson ES-335
2,299
www.gibson.com
This recent signature-model

ES-335, for North Mississippi
Allstars guitarist Luther
Dickinson, adds a dash of the
unusual: Alnico II dog ear P-90s,
a Bigsby B7, and a finish that
mirrors a vintage ES-175 owned
by Dickinsons father.
We said: The Bigsby B7 works
beautifully, and contributes a less
banjo-like acoustic response than
a hardtail ES-335 a seriously
desirable guitar
4 Vigier Excalibur
Special Limited
Edition
2,339
www.vigierguitars.com
The scrunched aluminium finish

of this limited-edition Vigier is the
icing on the cake of a guitar that
has always impressed over seven
incarnations since 1994. Superb
build quality and instrumental
rock-oriented playability and tone
make this a winner.
We said: Whether you like
shred, funk or rock, make sure
this eye-popping modern classic
doesnt pass you by
5 Gretsch G6139CB
Falcon Center-Block
Single Cutaway
3,226
www.gretschguitars.com
With its reputation for histrionics

and turning in troubled
performances while remaining
WorldMags.net
timeless, capricious and insanely

desirable, Gretschs White Falcon
will always be the guitar worlds
Marilyn Monroe. Gretschs 2013
feedback-suppressing CenterBlock versions just made us fall in
love all over again.
We said: A real looker with feel,
vibe and sounds all its own. Scary
price, scintillating guitar
6 PRS Pauls Guitar

4,030
www.prsguitars.com
This showpiece PRS may look

superficially similar to the classic
Custom 22, but theres nearly two
decades of constant progress on
show here. Sound-wise, its a step
forward, even from the recent
408 we believe we have a new
PRS tonal favourite.
We said: Covering earthy jazz
tones, sweet Fender-y cleans,
classic rock The sounds are
spectacular. And it will hold its
value, too
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

I+F?+@F K@ @!1! M

F)! 1!K@ F)F /!(!1?M
%/0!13 (I+F?+@F 3
! I, +! @I!1/M +1
!?I?M +1 !L+3 (! CC %?30
@I@6!F! )!?F FF.9
I/FI?/ +31 +1 )+@ 1F+J!
6+1 ! I, @+ +1 HO5H
3I0!1F?M ; /!?1! F)!
(I+F? /+.! )+/ /!?1@ F3 @6!.9<
+@ 10! !0! @M131M03I@
K+F) %/0!13 (I+F? %3? 01M
0I@+ /3J!?@ 1 !L61! 3F)
F)! 0I@+>@ ?!) 1 +F@
3I1?+!@ K)+/! ?!0+1+1( /3M/
F3 +F@ F?+F+31@9
! 0! )+@ ?!6IFF+31 K+F)
@!:I!1! 3% %/0!13 /I0@
F3(!F)!? K+F) @+1(!? 0?41 !
/ @/ +1 F)! 52BO@ IF +F K@
F)! 52B& +1F!?1F+31/ )+F
+1@F?I0!1F/ 1F?! 3@ (I@
7!FK!!1 K3 F!?@8 F)F
?3I()F )+0 (/3/ ?!3(1+F+319
! F3I?! F)! K3?/ 31 F)! .
3% F)+@ @I!@@ 1 )! F3/ F)!
61+@) 1!K@66!? / ,@ +1
HOO' F)F F)! 1!!@@+FM F3 ?!3?
/I0@ 03?! %?!:I!1F/M F)1
3F)!? %/0!13 ?F+@F@ %3?! )+0

F3 !30! ;31@F1F +113JF3?9<

@ ?!@I/F )! +1F?3I!
131*F?+F+31/ +1@F?I0!1F@ F3
)+@ 0I@+ 1 0! %3?M@ +1F3
F)! +J!?@! K3?/@ 3% /@@+/
1 -NN 0I@+9
! 3//3?F! K+F) ?1(! 3%
0I@++1@ +1/I+1( ?/3@
1F1 1 )+@ ?+M +()F 1
1 ?1+@3 31!?F +1 52"5
K+F) / + !3/ 1
3)1
I()/+1 +@ ?!(?! @ 31! 3%
/+J! (I+F? 0I@+>@ /10?.
030!1F@9 1 5225 )+@
3IF@F1+1( 6!?%3?01! 3%
3:I+1 ! 3?+(3>@ 31!?F3

%3? (I+F? 1 3?)!@F?
31+!?F3 ! ?1-I!N +1 3131
K@ /+0! M F)! 3063@!?
)+0@!/% @ 31! 3% F)! (?!F!@F
+1F!?6?!FF+31@ 3% F)! 6+!!9
! 31F+1I! F3 6!?%3?0 1
?!3? ?!(I/?/M I6 I1F+/ )+@
!F) ?!!+J+1( 01M K?@9
6+1>@ ?F@ @@3+F+31
@+ +1 F?+IF! ;3 ! I+ )@
1!J!? !!1 @I?6@@! M 1M31!
1 (I+F? 6/M+1( F3M K3I/
13F ! I1!?@F33 K+F)3IF )+@
?!J3/IF+31?M %+(I?!9<

! '! $ #
"/ , " & &-#'*

#
3*IF)3? 1M +I. )@

6?3I! %3? F31!@ %1@
K)F )! + %3? !F/!@
%++313@ K+F) )+@
6?!J+3I@ 33. !F/!@
!?# $ 1 F)+@ ?3//+1(
F30! K+F) +F@ CBH 6(!@ +@
!J!?M +F @ !L)I@F+J! !1((+1( 1
!1-3M/! @ +F@ !%+1+F+J! 6?!!!@@3?9 )!
+%%!?!1! !FK!!1 F)! FK3 3% 3I?@! +@ F)F
F)! F31!@> ?!!? +1/I! 0I) 03?! (!?
3J!? 0I) /31(!? 6!?+3 3% F+0! )!1! F)!
33. +@ F)! I/0+1F+31 3% 1+1! M!?@>
?!@!?)9 306?!)!1@+J!/M +//I@F?F!
F)?3I()3IF 6?!J+3I@/M I16I/+@)! 6)3F3@
306/!F! F)+@ 306!//+1( F+0! 6@I/! 3%
?3. >1> ?3//>@ 03@F !1I?+1( F9
( / +1$

!! * '# $
% #'# ,# "
#' ,&.*0
)'# ')# !#

+!"
" &"'&& *" ,"#

"
?+(+1//M ?!/!@! +1 HOOB

F)+@ %3//3K*I6 F3 /F! IF)3?
)+/+6 3@)+3 I3>@ !1
I+F? 31F+1I!@ F)! F)!0!@
3% +F@ %3?!?I11!? 66/M+1(
F)! 1+!1F 6?+1+6/!@ 3% !1
F3 0@F!?+1( F)! (I+F? $
@30!F)+1( !J!?M !1/+()F!1! ?F+@F .13K@ 1
1!J!? ! 31! 3% 3I?@!9 )!?! ?! 01M
6?F+/ 6/M+1( !L06/!@ F)?3I()3IF 1
3% I+3 IF F)! 33. +@ +1F!1! 03?! @
6?F+/ 6)+/3@36)M 3% 1 66?3) F3
(I+F? 6/M+1( !13I?(+1( 6/M!?@ F3 !L+@F
=+1 F)! 030!1F> K+F) F)! +1@F?I0!1F 1 F3
%?!! F)!+? ?!F+J+FM $ 13/! +0 1
F)3I()F*6?3J3.+1( 66?3)9
3?(!F F)! +(+F/ (! $ @30!

F)+1(@ @I) @ )3?
J3I/?M ?! !FF!? /!?1F
F)! )? KM %?30 1
)31!@F 3/*%@)+31!
0@@+J! 66!? 33.9 )+@
!1M/36!+ )@ G5OO
)3?@ ??1(! M .!M K+F) /!? +(?0@
1 6)3F3@ %3? !) 31! /31(@+!
@0FF!?+1(@ 3% I@!%I/ +1%3?0F+31 3IF
)3? 1 0I@+ F)!3?M 31!6F@9 !@+!@
K)!1 +F // (3!@ F3 )!// 1 M3I>?! )I/!
?3I1 63@F*63/M6F+ 06%+?! K+F) M3I?
3I@F+ (I+F? F?+1( @31(@ %3? +(?!FF!@
.13K+1( // F)3@! 0+13? B +1J!?@+31@ 0+()F
30! +1 )1M9
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

$'# # ". % ' .*
'' -#,& &#! #*#'#,"
)!1 3F3@3I1
?!/!@! +F@ !+@@I!
3% F)! I/F?*??! 5
52CO@ %INN 6!/ . +1 HO5G
K! K!?! +06?!@@! K+F) +F@
@3I1 1 +F@ IF)!1F++FM !J!1
F)3I() F EH'2 +F K@1>F )!69
3K 3F3@3I1 )@ 113I1!
1!K ?1(! 3% @+L 1!K 6!/@
!@+(1! K+F) 31! +0 +1 0+1 $
F3 ?!F! 6!/@ F)F @3I1 @
F)3I() F)!M>J! !!1 +1 (+((@
1 %/+()F @!@ %3? 03?! F)1
%3I? !!@9
) 6!/ +1 F)! 1!K ?1(! +@
)1*K+?! +1 F)! 1
!@+(1! M %0! I+3
!1(+1!!?
3)1 ?0 K)3 )@
K3?.! %3? 3L ?+!1F 1 !J!1
!3?(! I@ +1 1 !J!1F%I/
?!!?9 )! 6!/@ ?! F)!
3/!? 36F+/ F?!03/3 K+F)
I1+:I! 31F?3/ 3% 3F) @+/+31
1 (!?01+I0 @+(1/ 6F)@A

F)! +1( !1?M )@!? K+F)
31F?3/ %3? K+!?*
?1(+1( !%%!FA F)! I@)!?
306?!@@3? K+F) 13+@!
?!IF+31A F)! ?I@!? )3?I@
K+F) )3?I@ /!J!/A F)! I.!F*
?+(! %F!?0F) 1/3( !/M
K+F) %!!. !6F) 1 ?F!
1 F)! !J!//!? 6?30+@+1(
)+() )!?330 1 31F?3//!
K+F) 13J!/ 330 1 +NN +/@9
+.! F)! 5 INN // 3%
F)! 1!K 6!/@ ?! )3I@! +1
F)! F?+F+31/ K)*@+N!
@+1(9 ?+!@ ?! E5B2 %3?
F)! 3/!? +1( !1?M 1
?I@!? E5"2 %3? F)!
!J!//!? 1 E522 %3? F)!
I@)!? 1 %F!?0F)9 !!
KKK9?3F3@3I1930 %3? 03?!
1 /33. 3IF %3? ?!J+!K +1
%IFI?! +@@I! 3% I+F?+@F9
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
)$'')'

$ $$) ! # !#$

!"%, %, - .0 "
#0 "%0-(,+- --%"" ,0
6 0 !"%, 1" 04" " "
0 0,0%" 04" $ " (
3,6 -! , 0% 0 ,-0 %,

20 2-" ,%%0( 0 0- %,-!!, ','- %!'"6"
04"6 ! %6 "(

$!

%-03 , - ""%2"
3,-%" % 0- - 20,!'
-", !% , " ',%--%,
-%04, %, %" " (
'' " - 2-,- 0% 0 !"6
-'0- % 0- 3,02 !'-
" 2" ',!' 02 06'-
3%" 0,"-%,!, 06'- "
!%,( 444('%-03,(%!
%, "%,!0%"(

2-,% -0,
0, ,%20 % , - %"
%, ,%! , !%"0 ',0 % - &8,%, 10
""3,-,6 3"6 -,-(0 " 2 ' ,%20 "-'% 6
,%,-- " 0 "0-0 6
00 %
%, - %-(

20,-0 4- -" 0% ,
00 % - 20,-0 ,%!
3% " ,2,6 ,%! ,0
2, .&( 20,-0
4- %2", !!, % 0
5',!"0 ,%" %
""%30%,- 4% , - 0,
0-0 2! %!0" %,
3,6%6 " 18&8(
(% / +1$

6%2, 6 %%
-%2"0, 40 0- !6-0,%2- %,
%,,%4 ,%! 0 ,0 %" ,,6(

'#$
!)$'$
"#$
'$
$
'#"
'
, ''
"* *#&
" (

1
*&#"
**# +
##%&
'*&/ &

),0-
4% "4 5',"
%, 20,-0-*

)'- 0
00%+- 2"0%" 06
'- 0 -!' 06*
!!

)%, 2 6
, - !%," 2 %% "% 2,0,*

)"
"," 0,3
20, 40 0%0 6
,"0 3*
+
! 1 /KM@ M?!0 3% K+11+1( F)! /3FF!?M 3?
!30+1( %03I@ ?!1*%+//+1( ?3. @F? $ 1 +% !+F)!? 3%
F)!@! @F?3130+//M I1/+.!/M F)+1(@ K!?! F3 )66!1 F)+@ +@
F)! %+?@F 6/! K!> 31@+!? IM+1( F3 !/!?F!9
0!?+>@ =/?(!@F J+//!> 01@+31 +@ I??!1F/M 31 @/!
%3? 0!?! $ 1 @ M3I 1 @!! %?30 F)!
33(/! 6@ +0(! F)! &&OOO @:I?!*%33F )3/ ?!!.
/0 !@FF! )@ "

"
"9 I?6?+@+1(/M !13I() F)! !@FF!>@ 3K1!? K@ 13F
FI//M 0I@++1 3? (I+F? 3//!F3? 3?+1( F3 F)!
6?36!?FM>@ /+@F+1( (!1F 1 +F K@ 31/M ! !I@! +F
K@ ;-I@F K)+0@+/ (?!F +!<9
WorldMags.net

)' "
6%2, -0% %, 77
, 40 %" -
"%,",*

4%,, %20 "4 0"-%"" -0," 2,%' %"-% 6%2,- 6
4,0" 0 !2- 0% -- -'6 !(
%,- 40 "0," --%""-! 0% 4%, 4 -0,0" 40 0!%%6 !"%, 40 " #0(
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Perfect
10 WorldMags.net
dehydration. Then you stretch it out and
get back to it. The show has to go on!
WHAT ASPECT OF PLAYING

GUITAR WOULD YOU LIKE TO
BE BETTER AT?
I sometimes feel that Id like to be quicker.
Yknow, I enjoy listening to jazz players, and
I have dreams and aspirations that way.
I play around with it, but my technical
ability and my knowledge is blues-based.
IS THERE A GUITAR OR PIECE

OF GEAR THAT YOU REGRET
LETTING GO?
Im pretty comfortable, but I did get rid of
a few Gibsons in the early 80s. I bought an
SG Standard and that was the first Gibson
I ever had. I loved that guitar and I cant
remember why I let it go, or who I sold it
to. I havent played an SG since!
WHEN DID YOU LAST CHANGE

YOUR OWN STRINGS?
My strings are changed daily, but the
last time I changed them myself was in the
studio in December. I dont do it often, and
I cant do it as quickly as my guitar tech.
Robert Cray
The blues legend beat Stevie Ray Vaughan to his
favourite Strat and laughs in the face of cramp.
But can he handle the
10 Questions We Ask Everyone
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST GUITAR

AND WHEN DID YOU GET IT?
It was a Harmony Sovereign acoustic.
I had it for about six months or so [in 1965].
I really wanted an electric guitar, but my
mum got me an acoustic just to see how it
was gonna go. And to stop me making a
racket? Yeah. I traded that guitar in for the
Harmony electric I got next.
JEFF KATZ
THE BUILDINGS BURNING

DOWN WHAT GUITAR WOULD
YOU SAVE?
Probably my 58 Strat. Thats the oldest
guitar I have, and the one thats on the
cover of Strong Persuader. I bought it at a
store in LA. I remember looking at it and
thinking about it, and then the guy said,
Well, Stevie Ray Vaughan is coming in
here in two minutes. So I thought, Id
better get it, then. It cost $3,000 or
something but worth it.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME

YOU PRACTISED, AND WHAT
DID YOU PLAY?
Weve been rehearsing the new album to
get it out on the road. But solos and things
like that, I dont practise. I put the hours in
onstage. Thats where my practice is!
WHAT'S THE WORST THING

THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO
YOU ON STAGE?
Ive had my left hand cramp up so
I couldnt even peel it off the neck of the
guitar. When that happens, youve just got
to keep going until the song ends, then get
something to drink, because its usually
WHAT STRINGS DO YOU USE?

DAddarios. I start with an 0.011,
then 0.013, 0.018, 0.028, 0.036, 0.046.
I put that set together myself. I like 0.011s
because I need more meat on the E string
for solos, and I find that I get more sound
out. I dont break a lot of strings, but I can
get quite aggressive. I play hard when Im
playing rhythm and Im always bending.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING

FIVE MINUTES BEFORE YOU
GO ONSTAGE?
Im usually in the back room with the guys,
feeling out everybodys mood, swapping
jokes, just to be together as a unit. I think
bands play better when theyre friends.
10
AND FIVE MINUTES AFTER

YOU COME OFF?
We might recall an incident
that happened during one song. Theres
always gonna be good moments, great
moments, bad moments in the set. Its the
exceptionally good or bad ones that well
have a laugh about. It always takes me a
while to wind down
Robert Crays new album In My Soul
is out now on Provogue. His UK tour
starts on 3 May.
I sometimes feel that Id like to be quicker. I enjoy

listening to jazz players and I have aspirations but
my technical ability and knowledge is blues-based
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

"31;D #/,#H# ,D& -G>D "3 13D

#/,#H# ,D& 1 >>G# E@2! D*#=#;>
/#DD#= '=30 '#//3I 0G>,,1
>.,1) '3= )G,"1# 31 *3I D3
DG=1 *,> 5=#>G0/K #GD,'G/ 1"
D=#>G=#" )G,D= ,1D3 DDDK
I=#. 6>## ! 54(478 1"
I*D;> I3=># ,> D*D K3G DG//K
)H# ,1>D=GD,31> 31 *3I D3 "3
D*,>8 3 *#HK G1* 3' .#K> D
,D! 3= #DD#= >D,//! 53G= ," 31 ,D& 1
D*# >0# ,>>G# D*#=# I> #H#1 1
=D,/# 3GD G>,1#>> D*D! '3=
'##! I,// D.# K3G= )G,D= 1"
3H#=>## ,D> 5=D,/ "#>D=GD,31 K
/#1",1) ,D D3 3D*#= 3,.> ,' K3G 1;D
# 3D*#=#" D3 I=#. ,D K3G=>#/'
6>## =31D 1"! 5F$78 H# K3G //
)31# >3'D ,1 D*# *#"! 3= ,> ,D -G>D
0# I*3 D*,1.> >G* 1,# D*,1)>
>*3G/" # /3H,1)/K 5=3D#D#" 1"
I#// /33.#" 'D#=: /" )3D D*D
3'' 0K *#>D8
% $

# "
"" %

"

#
" #""
%"
%
" " "
"
%" !

( ".,,2 0 , !* ,! *! *,.%

(, / 0,
* ." .2
*!),* ! )"% . 2 , * 0, .,)* (
02* *", , , !* )! "
." .,)* 0, . !0 ) ,
. "2 * ),)*%
* *. (/ !. 2* 0, .,)
!,! ." ,)2 ! 2 /!.),
.,)),2 !)* ) * #0, ,)
* ,.) !*$% * *! ! 2 *,
"2 .,)* ) "
! ) -% 2 ,2 ! (, *!.
), ., ,2 "2 .,.2
! , ".)** / .*, 2 2
., *, , ,(* ")!2 2 ), ,,(*
!., ,% 2 2!. !. ! ,*,
,*, 0, !) ! )/0)* /
, 1"* ! ) , ) * )! "
,! !.,&. * 0, !* !., ! ,!"
0 ,2 / ! ! !) !'

"" $

!
! '#" # $

#'* !#'" ' )'
*) ' #$'*
*#"$ ' )'
''' ' # *)# )'#
' $ #*
$* *) ' ''
(% $ * )# #
$$) ) * '' '
* '' '#$$ )'#$

* ' # $ )
#' ) * #$ '
)'#$' '

I> "#/,)*D#" D*D G,D=,>D
"#,"#" D3 '#DG=# D*# #> G/
G1,3= ,1 ,>>G# E@$8 *H# 3I1#"

I*3/# =1)# 3' )=#D )G,D=>
3H#= D*# />D '#I K#=> GD '3=
),)),1) H#=>D,/,DK! 1" '3= >*##=
>G5=#0K 3' D31# D*=3G)*
H/H# 05! K3G =#//K 1;D #D
D*#
G1,3=8 D;> 0K 1G0#= 31#!
1" 5/K ,1 3H#=> 1" ,1
I*,* D*#
G1,3= ,> /,D#=//K D*#
#>D J# '3= 1KD*,1) '=30
0,"+AM> #D/#> 535! D3 /D#
42@M> ,1. /3K" 6,D 1 'G1.7!
D3 F 1" 3/,# 6,D 1 -1)/#7 D3
*#HK! "=. /. #K> 1"
))=#>>,H# G##1> ' *# D31#
)# D=.>8 D /,D#=//K .,//> //
0K 3D*#= )G,D=> 1" ,D -G>D
'/D+3GD >3G1"> #DD#= ,1 1#=/K
#H#=K 55/,D,318
3G )GK> "," I31"#='G/ "#03
,1 D*# H,"#3 #H =D#1 1"
*=,> ,11,30#;> *1",I3=. %
"8 #H >D=D#" D3 5DG=# D*#
)#1,G> 3' D*#
G1,3= I*#1 *#
>*3I#" *3I ,D 3G/" >3G1" /,.#
1 3G>D, % D*# *#=D 3' D*#
G1,3= ,> D*D >,1)/# +2M8 D *> D3

WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

# +2M! #G># 13 3D*#=

5,.G5 *> D*# "K10,> D*D
=#>531"! /,.# 1 3G>D,! D3
5,.,1) 5=#>>G=#! 3= D*# ,/,DK D3
*1)# H, H3/G0#BD31# >*,'D>8
GD D*# 3D*#= #/#0#1D> =# D*#>#
D*# >,05/# I=5+=3G1" =,")#!
I*,* //3I> '3= '=##= 03H#0#1D
3' D*# >D=,1)> >30#*3I? D*#
>,05/# 0*3)1K 3"K % 13
G11##>>=K 05/# D3 =#D# D*D
=,)*D ',LL? 5/G> 13 #JD= 5,.G5 D3
",>D=D '=30 D*# )/3=K 3' D*# .#K
=,")# >3G1"8 3= 0#! D*#
G1,3= ,>
K '= #DD#= D*1 03>D #> G/
D1"=">! 1" >30# H#=K
#J5#1>,H# G>D30 *35 ;G/>
;H# 3I1#"8 D *> 03=# '3G>#"!
D,)*D#= >3G1" 3H#=//! 03=# *,0#!
GD> D*=3G)* #DD#=! K#D ,> >D,//
>30#*3I =,*#=8 #>> ,> 03>D
"#',1,D#/K >3 0G* 03=# *#=#8
$

*3G)*D ;" /#D K3G .13I D*D
I> 5=D,G/=/K ,05=#>>#" I,D*
D*# =* #",D,31 3' G,D=,>D8
*3=3G)*/K #1-3K#" D*#
,0
G//#1 '#DG=# 63D* H,"#3 1"
D#JD78 #=K ,1'3=0D,H# 1"
,1D#=#>D,1) =D,/# 31 D*# #> G/
G1,3=! D33 /IK> /,.#" D*# /33.

3' D*#0 > I#// > D*# >3G1"! #H#1
D*3G)* ;H# 1#H#= ##1 '3=DG1D#
#13G)* D3 *H# 3I1#" 31#8 *#
H,"#3 "#03> 31 D*#0 I#=# >,05/K
)=#D8 > '3= D*# H,"> 3' D*#
<1)#/,3 +4 1" + %
/33"K #J#//#1D& 33. '3=I=" D3
D*# 1#JD #",D,318 // D*# #>D!

$ $
$

3 3/"#= 5/K#=> >3G1" #DD#=
D*1 K3G1)#= 31#> 6>## ##".!
,>>G# E@27: 'D#1! D*#K "31;D8
3I 01K D,0#> *H# I#
#13G1D#=#" >30#31# I*3 *>

##1 "3,1) D*# >0# D*,1) "/K
'3= (M K#=>! GD ,> "01D D*D
D*#K .13I // 3GD ,D #G>#
D*#K;H# ##1 "3,1) ,D '3= >3 /31):
)=#I G5 ,1 D3.53=D! D3I1
/#>>#" I,D* I31"#='G/ >#0,+5=3
3= #J+5=3 )G,D= 5/K#=>! 03>D/K
5/K,1) /G#>! >3G/! 1" AM> 8
1 D*# $M>! D*#=# I#=# D*=## 5G>
31 D*# 0=.#D >9G=# I,D* /,H#
0G>, /03>D #H#=K 1,)*D ,1 //
D*=##8 5/K#" I,D* )=#D 3/"#=
5/K#=> 1" "0,=#" #H#=KD*,1)
#J#5D D*#,= 31D#05D '3= 1#I
0G>,! D*#,= 31D#1D0#1D D3 5/K
D*# >0# 5*=>#> #H#=K 1,)*D 1"
=#'G>/ D3 >I#=H# '=30 D*# >0#
>#D/,>D> 3' /G#> 1" DJ />>,>
K#= 'D#= K#=8
*#1 "1# 0G>, 1"
>05/,1) #J5/3"#"! /3H#" ,D 1"
=#/,>#" D*D D*# 5=3"G#=> 1"
>=D*,1)
> I#=# 3'D#1 '=
03=# =#D,H# 1" >.,//#" ,1 D*#,=
3I1 ',#/" D*1 D*#># "#= '=,#1">
5/K,1) D*# >0# (M >31)> 1"
>3/3> #H#=K 1,)*D8 D;> 3GD
,1D#//,)#1#! =#D,H,DK! 35#1+
0,1"#"1#>>! I,//,1)1#>> D3
5=3)=#>>! 13D *3I /31) K3G;H#
##1 5/K,1)8 3I 01K 3' G>
>D35 "#H#/35,1) I*#1 I3=.!
'0,/K 1" *30# 6,' I#;=# /G.K7
30# /31): =3/K 03>D %
1" '=30 D*#1 31! I# =#/K 31
0G>/# 0#03=K! #,1) /# D3
5/K I*D I# I31;D >=#I G5
=D*#= D*1 I*D I,// >D=#D* G>8
D*,1. K3G1) 5/K#=> *H# 1#H#=
>3G1"#" #DD#=! ##1 03=#
35#1+0,1"#" 3= D#*1,//K
305#D#1D 1" 1 31/K "0,=#
D*# 53>>,,/,D,#> 35#1 D3 D*#08
=#300#1" D*# 3GG# H,"#3
3' D*# 4F+K#=+3/"
3# 310>>
D3 >G553=D 0K >#&
$

WorldMags.net
Frontend
WorldMags.net
Wishlist
PHOTOGRAPHY JOE BRANSTON
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Scott Walker
Phantom
5,650
utside of the cut and

thrust of the mainstream
electric guitar market
there are plenty of smaller
luthiers happy to push the boat
out in terms of design and
construction. Scott Walker is one
of them. Hes worked with Santa
Cruz, and now has his own line of
unique electrics, acoustics
basses and even a lap-steel.
The Phantom is inspired by the
work of the late Californian luthier
Steve Cripe, known for the guitars
he made for the Grateful Deads
Jerry Garcia. Utilising an ebony/
padauk/maple/padauk/ebony
sandwich construction, the
chambered body has a Les Paullike weight of 4.1kg (9lbs). The
bolt-on neck is beautifully figured
maple, topped with a grained
ivoroid-bound ebony board with
signature diamond inlays.
Unusually, the headstock is
slotted and fitted with Gotoh
WorldMags.net
Waverly-style tuners. Those large

Jazzmaster-sized blade singlecoils are made by Jason Lollar,
controlled by a three-way toggle
with dual volumes and master
tone. With a 635mm (25-inch)
PRS-like scale, chunky wellfinished frets and a Gibson-like
fingerboard camber, the neck is a
beautifully deep, almost U-shape
that evokes early Fender. Fit and
finish is absolutely superb.
Sound-wise, theres plenty of
bite and stridency, quite Fenderfocused on full chat; wind down
the volume and smooth the highs
a little, and theres an older-style
P-90-ish voice. The sustain is
extraordinary and from lowervolume jazz on that neck pickup
to quite barking heavier rock,
its a guitar that handles a lot of
ground. Of course, at this price,
including a custom hand-made
Scott Walker case, it should.
thenorthamericanguitar.com
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Music
Music
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
9 Dead Alive
Rubyworks/Because
++++
ll-new studio
album from the
Mexican duo ups
the ante
This first album
of all-new music since 2009s
11:11 from everyones favourite
Mexican acoustic-rock duo
proves well worth the wait for
their many fans worldwide.
Whereas each track on 11:11 was
dedicated to a musician that
inspired them, this time round, its
a sample of nearly nine centuries
worth of historical figures. So
opener The Soundmaker is a
tribute to Spanish luthier Antonio
de Torres Jurado, although its
such a ferocious
display of rhythmic
attack, relentless
offbeat riffing and
hummingbird tremolo
picking, it could just as
easily be a tribute to
James Alan Hetfield. Other
recipients of RyGs nylon-strung
tributes throughout the nine
tracks include Dostoyevsky, poet
Lucila Godoy Alcayaga, and
Eleanor of Acquitane.
You could be forgiven for
thinking that in our age of hyperslick production, a predominantly
acoustic album could be tiring for
the ears, but thankfully, thats not
the case at all: the duo have
clearly worked tirelessly on light
and shade in their shapeshifting
compositions, as well as the
variety in their
individual
performances.
Gabrielas fearsome
strumming and
percussion patterns
are breathtakingly
fluent and metronomic, while
Rodrigos melodic phrasing and
metal guitar-influenced leadlines
are expressive and memorable
he even pulls out a slide on Torito.
There are moments of reflection,
such as when Megalopolis floats
in and out of hazy reverb, and
Sunday Neurosis has sampled
voices, bluesey bends and organ;
but the pair are at their best when
they combine at full throttle,
which they do to devastating
effect on the intricate acoustithrash of The Russian Messenger.
WorldMags.net
The album was recorded and

produced by the duo in their
studio in Mexico, and whether
its down to them or to the skills
of renowned engineer and mixer
Andrew Scheps, the sense of
being present in the room with
them as they go head-to-head is
palpable.Touches such as
whispered mid-song count-ins
and snippets of conversation are
essential to remind us of the craft
on display here, and to bolster the
feeling of intimacy. Overall, this
is a passionate, skilful and
thoroughly enjoyable record that
has something in it for guitar
players of any stripe. [BW]
Standout track:
The Russian Messenger
For fans of: Paco de Luca,
Metallica
Music
WorldMags.net
In-fighting, breakdowns and break-ups fuelled

the mystique surrounding The Verve in the 1990s.
Now the bands mercurial guitar genius is back
Black
Submarine
hen The Verve finished,

the feeling among us
was that it was
premature. There was
definitely more mileage
in it, says Nick McCabe, the man former
bandmate Richard Ashcroft once described
as channelling a whole other universe
through his shimmering, psychedelic sixstring textures. After The Verve split with
some acrimony for the third, and apparently
final, time in 2009, the remaining members,
sans Ashcroft, planned to continue.
Drummer Peter Salisbury pulled out before
any new studio sessions began, so McCabe,
bassist Simon Jones, electric violinist
Davide Rossi who had worked with The
Verve on their final studio album, Forth, and
joined them live on stage recruited former
Portishead drummer, Mig Schillace, and
headed to Denmark.
The first two weeks of playing in
Copenhagen yielded 80 tunes, says
McCabe. We got into the habit of recording
everything. Theres a lot of openness to the
magic of improvisation, for want of a less
precious term. It was a shame that Pete
wasnt on board, but in a lot of respects, it
was probably for the best. I think Mig has
a greater capacity to adapt to what is
happening in a room at any one time. He
was the obvious guy for the job, and he was
a good friend, anyway.
Black Submarines line-up is completed
by singer Amelia Tucker, who plays a key
role in processing hours of improvised
jams McCabe describes her as the real ace
in the hole. Shes one of our key editors.
I keep saying this, but shes one of those
people who can take a sort of macro view
and an overview at the same time. So shes

really good at detail, and she knows where
shes going in the greater scheme of things
at the same time. Something like Here So
Rain was mostly drums, violin and melodica
with very little guitar. She got this skeleton
of the thing and returned a fully finished
song to us that just made absolute logical
sense. Most things go through several
reductions. Its a distillation process.
Modern love
Although much of Black Submarines sound
is the result of humans playing together in a
room, technology plays an important part,
especially for McCabe, long an advocate of a
modernistic approach to guitar recording:
It was kind of my idea to bring Pro Tools
into [Verve album] Urban Hymns. It was
a way of getting myself off the hook, really.
My technical skills arent that great, but
what I am good at is inventing things and
taking a lateral view. Theres nothing
I dislike more than hearing unison acoustic
and electric guitar. If Id started following
the chords it would have just killed it for me.
It was funny at the time Richard said my
job was to f**k it up! I was sort of semiinsulted by that, but my impulse was to play
against whatever was happening, and give it
a different dimension.
I probably went through the same
phase that everybody did: you start
perfecting everything, just because you can.
I understand that the imperfection is the
beauty of it now. Tempo drift and little
glitches in playing and stuff; you start
editing that out, you end up with highly
quantised, one-dimensional music. Its
difficult for kids in their late teens or early
20s now theyre so accustomed to

quantised music that everything else
sounds sloppy.
But each band has its own rhythmic
fingerprint. Its still something that I find
slightly mystical. Youve got to take a kind of
Eno-esque philosophical line you speed
up and slow down for a reason. Generally,
little shifts in tempo are to do with the fact
that the excitement in the room has ramped
up. If you take that out, you lose part of the
feeling of it. So with Black Submarine, weve
What were listening to

Little Barrie
Shadow
Primal Scream mans psych
power trio get soulful and
lmic on album four
Beth Hart
& Joe Bonamassa
Manchester
Orchestra
Live In Amsterdam
Cope
Killer covers set from soulful

rock siren and blues-rock star
Atlanta alt-rockers return with

bold strokes and crunchy riffs
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Music
Each band has its own rhythmic ngerprint.

Its still something that I nd slightly mystical.
You speed up and slow down for a reason
relished making an imperfect record its

perfect in its imperfection! Its knowing
where to stop. I think thats probably where
my experience counts more than anywhere
else. I know not to tweak the perfection
button too much!
McCabes main six-string squeezes in
Black Submarine are Levinson Blade Texas
Series electrics, along with cheap and
cheerful Hofner and Agile models, but its
his Kemper Profiling Amp that has proved
the most revelatory acquisition: Thats
fulfilled all the promise of digital. For the

last year and half, the Kemper won out over
everything. In a lot of respects, I prefer the
profiles to the real thing now. Quite a lot of
the time when Im playing guitar, Im
f**king frustrated because its not working
out the way I want. Generally, more
tweaking happens than actual playing. But
with the Kemper, because you have a
crystallised version of something, you kind
of go, That sounds f**king good, and you
get on with it. Every time Ive finished a
Animals As Leaders
Emmylou Harris
The Joy Of Motion
Wrecking Ball
Abasis technique shines on one

of the years most impressive
displays of musicianship
Legendary singer-songwriters
beautiful 1995 covers set
remastered with bonus material
session with it, Ive thought, That is the

best thing Ive ever bought. It sounds
incredible, and there are no weird artefacts.
It sounds as guitars should sound. [CV]
Passing notes
WorldMags.net
Out now: New Shores

More info: blacksubmarine.co.uk
Download: Here So Rain
Rock Candy
Funk Party
Takes New York: Live
Bonamassa live again! This time,
he brings the breathless funk

WorldMags.net

! "

4; ?9 > 8A 9=+ 18/ 992 ;

?9 /- (- ,A &/, 9;=(/
?& 8 7> , > 8A 8 /8
@ 1; ;& A9; 8& /- 9
9(- 0..#2 ;79 /,"/8;+
& 1 - &9 ;&; " + ;/ (;2
;&8 ? =1 9/, ,(8/1&/- 9
- ?A ? ? -;2 /= - & 8
9/, %+(;& 92 & 8 "8(% 8;/8
/, 9 /- /- (- ?&(+ 2 &
/% 8*9 (- ;& *%8/=-2
;&(-* ;& 1&/- > - 8(-%9
> 8A -/? - %(-2 ; (9 ?&;
(; (92 ; ?9 18 ;;A ,=& )=9;
8A-
&/ %=(;8 - 9;
- @; ;/ & /;& 8 1+A(-% ;& 9
9/-%92 A+( //9 1+A9 +(;;+
,-/+(- - ,A 9/- 1+A9
-)/ /-
2
=- (9 8(11(-% "8/, ;&
91 * 892 & ?&/+ ;&(-% ?9
/- (% &//; ---A25
4 & - /+ /+ //=9;( 99 =; ,(-+A ?9

1+A(-% - /=9;( 8 9/-;/8
99 ;&; +//*9 +(* /8/2 ;79
;=++A )=9; 9/, /+ 1?-'
9&/1 ;&(-% 1(* =1 /- A
"/8 /=; $CC ! 7, -/; > 9=8 ?&; 8- (; (92 & ;/
*(- /" /;/8 (; =12 9;=* 1(*=1 (- - /> 8 (;
?(;& ;1 2 & %=A9 8
> 8A *(- ;/ , ;& A 1=;
1(*=19 (- ++ ;& 9 / ;&(-%9
?& - 8(-% ;& , (-2 &;
%=(;8 (9 /,"/8;+ - (;
9/=-9 %//2 8A- ?9 =9(-%
=+ 8 /+ /- , ;+'
/( 8 9/-;/825
" #

4 +/-% ;(, %/ (-7; =9 -A
"" ;9 ; ++ =; ;& - >8(/=9
+(;;+ ;&(-%9 9;8; 8 1(-% (-

- -/? &> 1+ ;&/8 /"
=;;/-9 ;/ 9;/,1 /-2 (;& ;&(9
8 /8 ?9 "8 /" ++ ;&;2 ;
?9 B 8/ "" ;9 ! 9;8(%&; (-;/
;& ,1 ! 9/ /=+ )=9; 9(;
;& 8 - 8(-*2 7*-/? +/; /"
(; (9 )=9; ;& 9/=- /" ;& 99
+ (-% ;&8/=%& ;& ,(
=9 ?9 9(-%(-% -
1+A(-% ; ;& 9, ;(, 2 &;
?9 (-; -;(/-+2 =; ;& - +9/
& - ,1 % /8;"+ @2 ,1 %
%(> 9 , "8 9;="" ! ;&;79 18;
/" (; ! - +9/ ;& /8;"+ @ )=9;
9/=-9 8 ++A + - - + 8
- 6>(-;% '%//72 (-7;
?-; ;/ /+/=8 ;& 9/=- ; ++2
8A- & <C0C - 8
+=@ > 8 ?(;& + 9;(/8 -* 91 * 8 (9&, 88A /=%+9 =8 1 +
79 =9;/, /,1 -
WorldMags.net
0C'- - =-+/1

>/+=, 1 +25

47> -%(- 8 - 18/=
+,/9; > 8A;&(-% 7> /- "/8
,-A A 892 =9 ? ? 8
/(-% (; ; ,A &/=9 *-/?
?&(& 18; /" ;& /-9/+ ;/
*(* ?& - /- /" ;& 8 +A9
9;(*92 ;79 +(* - /+ )+/1A
*-/? &/? ;/ 8(> (; ;; 8
;&- -A/A +9 2 ;79 +/; /"
?/8* =; (;79 9( 8 ;/ % ; ;&
9/=-9 /=; /" ,A & - (-;/
;& /-9/+ (" 7, ;& /- 9;//
;& 8 ;?(+(-% ;& *-/92 &(9
?9 18 ;;A 9;8(%&;"/8?8 9/
;& 8 ?9-7; ,=& ;/ (; )=9;
/=1+ /" ,(9 - =-& /"
/+ >(-;% % 82 )=9; ?-; (;
;/ 9/=- +(* ;?/ %=A9 9(;;(-%
8/=- ;& ,1"(8 25

WorldMags.net

4 8 /8

/=1+ /" ("" 8 -;
;(, 92 * 1; ;8A(-% ;/ 1+A (;
"9; 8 ;&- (; 9&/=+ &> 1+A 2 &; ?9 )=9; /?- ;/
@(; , -;2 /, ;(, 9 A/=
; - ;/ 1=9& ;&(-%9 - ;& ?& - A/= +(9; - * (; )=9;
/ 9-7; 9/=- 8(%&;2 ;79 +(* /
A/= ?-; ;/ /- /" ;& 9 %=A9
;&; -//+ - %/ ;&8/=%& ++
;& 9 &//19 /" "(8 - /
%A,-9;(93 8 / A/= ?-; ;/
9/-%?8(; 83 8 (9 ;& 8
?A ;/ /,(- /;&3 /8 ,
/- ;&(9 8 /8 ?9 )=9; ;8A(-%
;/ ?8(; ;& 9/-%9 (- ,A & 2
" ;& 8 79 /=1+ /" &//19 /"
"(8 )=,1 ;&8/=%& (- ;&
18/ 99 %8 ; =; /-7; 9;8(>
;/ / ;&; =9 ;&/9 ;A1 9
/" 8 /89 /-7; (-; 8 9; , 25
4; (-7; /, /=; ;//

9&A2 / &> -A
/,, 8(+ &/1 93 &
,=+;('+;(-=, 9;;=92 7,
@1 ;(-% ;/ 9 ++
/"
8 /892 & ? 7> &>(-% "=- ?(;& ;&(9 ;&(-%
+(> 9/ ? )=9; "(%=8 6&;
;& & ++7 - , 8 /8 ;/
&> 9/, ;&(-% ;/ 9 ++ ; ;&
, 8&-(9 9;-2 7,
1+ 9 ?(;& (;2 =; 9 ?(;&
-A /;& 8 ;&(-% / 7++ 9; 1
?A "8/, (; "/8 /=1+ /"
,/-;&9 ;& - %/ * -
;&(-* 6& 9; 9&/=+ &>
/- ;&(9 /8 ;&;72 7++ / ;&;
=-;(+ ;& A ( /- > 8A
8 /82 =; A/= - /-+A
1/+(9& ;=8 9/ ,=&2 ;
9/, 1/(-; A/=7> %/; ;/
1=; (; ;/ 25
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Andy Summers Interview
WorldMags.net
Circas Hero
Andy Summers pristine riffs with The Police added space and grace to Walking On
The Moon and dark poise to Every Breath You Take. We meet him to talk about his
new rock outfit, Circa Zero, learn why right-hand technique is key to his style and
why Strats are where its at Words Jamie Dickson
ndy Summers has a genius for

crafting elegant pop hooks
that lodge in the memory like
cool barbs of sound. Although
theres a more experimental,
esoteric side to Andys playing, hes
returned to pop territory recently with his
new band, Circa Zero, who have just
completed a debut album loaded with
surging rock riffs and the kind of lush,
chorus-laden clean tones last heard when
Molly Ringwald was Pretty In Pink.
We join Andy to talk about the playing
and studio gear on the record, wryly
entitled Circus Hero, after a New York disc
jockey mispronounced the bands name on
a breakfast show. We also find out why
Strats were nearly as important to Andys
Police-era tone as the battered, heavily
modded 61 Telecaster hes known for, and
hear how he nearly gave that fabled Tele
back to its owner shortly after buying it
and not because it was bad, either
The new albums quite a bit heavier than
we were expecting
We really wanted to make a rock album

that was full of hit songs. I even slightly feel
we went too far in that direction. But thats
the way it came out and I do think that its a
very strong album. In some ways, rockier
and a bit edgier than some of the stuff we
did with The Police.
The core of the music is your guitar and
multi-instrumentalist Rob Giles vocals.
How did you meet?
He was in a band called The Rescues that

were playing around LA theyd been
together for a little while. A friend of mine
was managing them and I was taken to see
them, and I was very impressed.
Then, a year later, I went to see them
again, and again I was really impressed with
Rob. About the same time, I was about to
release a record and I was slightly unsure
about what I had I thought I had great
tracks and I was working with this young
guy who was very good, but there was
something that wasnt quite there for me.
Long story short, I spoke to the manager
of The Rescues the next day, whos a friend
of mine, and said Id really like to get
together with Rob. I wonder if he would
come down and sing a couple of these
songs? So that afternoon we put one of the
tracks up and he sang it and just I said, Oh,
I think this is the guy. I decided on the spot
in my studio that wed make a rock album
together. And so, thats really how it started.
We quickly found the chemistry was
completely there. And thats really why
I stuck with this and went all the way
through to make an album, because I dont
really need to do this. But we get on great,
the musics there and we worked our way
through, on and off, for six months. And
were very happy to be at this point with it.
Weve always admired the economy of
your playing how do you keep things
simple yet effective?
Its a good question; lets just say good taste

prevails, hopefully. You dont really want to
WorldMags.net
piss all over the singer with unnecessary

guitar just because you can play. What you
want to do is make the most of whatever
youve got and make it the most effective.
But at the same time, this is rock music its
gotta be exciting, so it can be a bit wild and
outside of the box, as it were. You have to
learn to strike an attitude with every track:
establish whats right for every track. Its
the way it comes out with every person
thats where my taste is, I want it to come
out very strong and effective, but I dont
want to destroy the song, just because I can
play the guitar.
There are echoes of Police riffs, especially
on Whenever You Hear The Rain. Was that
a deliberate nod to your past?
Yes, well that track was a very late addition.

It was actually a song that Id written
previously one of those that was written in
about five minutes flat, it was kind of
amazing, you know. Sometimes they just
come into your head complete. But we were
fiddling around with it and I thought,
Christ, its too commercial can we really
go to this place? But what really sealed the
deal was that lick I put on it, which is almost
a reverse version of what I played on Every
Breath You Take. I woke up at four in the
morning and Id got it in my head; just like
I heard the whole song originally. So I went
to the studio next day and tried it and it
gave that song a spine that goes all the way,
and the right amount of tension. It is Policelike. But you know, thats my legacy: I wasnt
particularly looking to play like The Police
Interview Andy Summers
WorldMags.net
Avant-Gardeners
ANDY Summers blends his instincts for a
pop hook with more cerebral, leftfield
influences. But hes not the only player
mixing Friday night with erudite. Heres
our pick of three players who have sure
mainstream instincts but also know how
to warp your mind
Jim Campilongo
This intriguing New York
Tele-toter is a musical
collaborator of jazz-pop diva
Norah Jones, but his solo work, such as his
superb Orange album from 2010, is full of
bitter n twisted Tele tones and languid
blues that belong in a swampy other-world
of tone. If you havent checked out this
great player, who walks in the footsteps of
Roy Buchanan, you really should.
DENNIS SMITH
Marc Ribot
The snarling Tele tones of Marc
Ribots playing can be heard
all over the back catalogue of
Tom Waits but the more sleazily abstract
side of his playing comes out beautifully
on Waits Mule Variations from 1999,
especially on tracks such as the smokily
narcotic Black Market Baby.
Adrian Utley
This Bristol-based guitarist
may have made his name with
Portisheads sparse and
moody trip-hop, but hes an eclectic sonic
explorer. His background was in jazz guitar,
and recently hes been performing and
recording massed-guitar orchestra
versions of minimalist composer Terry
Rileys mesmerising In C.
Circa Zero is a collaboration with

singer and multi-instrumentalist
Rob Giles, who plays with The Rescues
on this album, but it comes out here and

there. Its all unintentional but if it fits
something like that, then it can go in.
Tight arpeggio riffs, as on Every Breath
You Take, are a hallmark of your style.
How do you keep your picking so tidy?
If its arpeggiated, Im probably playing

with my fingers because I played classical
guitar for years. So I have a very good, pretty
fluid right hand Im always going between
the pick and the fingers, and sometimes I do
the hybrid-picking thing. To play straight
with a pick is almost unusual for me, now;
I do so much else with the fingers and the
thumb, or a combination thereof and
sometimes you can be more accurate doing
it with the hand rather than with just a pick.
Youre one closer, as it were. To me, its
very natural my advice to any guitar player
is that youve got to learn to play guitar with

your fingers youve got to learn how to
play with the right hand. Youre just missing
out on half of what you can do if you only
play with a pick.
Watching vintage footage of a player such
as Merle Travis, you realise how much can
be done with the right hand
Yeah, he was a great player but of course

he used a thumbpick, which is difficult. Ive
tried it, and its one technique I just cant
quite get. Ive tried it a few times where you
got the thumbpick on, and then the first and
second finger and its hard. I like to play
with the thumb actually on the string.
What was your studio rig for the album?
In my studio, I have a battery of everything:

Ive got about 150 guitars or something.
I usually have about 12 out but, mostly,

guitar-wise it would usually have been a
Strat or a Les Paul. I certainly used the Les
Paul on most of the solos; theres also a
Collings guitar I really like: their take on the
335 [the I-35]. Im a big fan of Collings
guitars. So those would be the main guitars
I dont see a lot of need to stretch outside
of that for this thing. Amp-wise, theres a
few different amps that I plug into Ive got
my actual stage rig, which is the pedalboard
with a load of pedals and a Mesa/Boogie
2:90 amp with two 2x12 cabinets with
sealed backs, which I always use live. Then
I also use the Roland VG-99 [guitar synth]
quite a lot on the record and then the amps
would either have been an old Fender
Concert amp or a 59 Deluxe, Princeton
And then Ive also got a Mesa/Boogie cant
remember what its called. Its extremely
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Interview Andy Summers
WorldMags.net
CHELSEA LAUREN/WIREIMAGE/GETTY IMAGES
Summers describes Circa Zeros

sound as harder and edgier
than The Police
clean, with a sealed back. Its about the

cleanest amp I ever played through. And
Ive got all the pedals of course you name
it, Ive got it.
Do you still use any of your old Pete
Cornish Police-era effects much?
I dont use any of Petes stuff any more. Its

still great, still works, and Ive still got the
board But Im mostly using newer stuff.
Theres some really thick drive tones on
the album what did you use for those?
Actually, for a lot of the solos, the best

sound I could get was out of the Roland
VG-99. I sort of took the VG-99 and rewrote
all the [multi-effect patches] in a different
order than they have it. I dont even know
what the sound is that they call it. But the
way Ive set it up, its just Number 150
sorry, thats not very helpful [laughs]! But
its a fantastic lead sound a perfect sustain
and fuzz. And as you can hear on the record,
I used it with a wah-wah here and there.
Many think of you as a Tele player, but you
used Strats for a lot of Police material
Yeah, Im obviously known for the

Telecaster but of course, my major era of
playing with Strats was with The Police.
The first Strat I ever had was a white one
that belonged to Buddy Guy. I dont know
where it went and I didnt stay with it,
I went back to playing a Les Paul Junior. But
then somewhere, I think it was Austin

Texas, I bought the red Strat that I used
through most of my career with The Police
for like $300 or something. I think it was a
62 Strat. Id use it for probably half the set
in the old videos you can see it a lot.
I probably used it as much as the Telecaster
in the end, and Ive still got it.
Now Ive got several Strats, and theres
two that I like. When we did the Police
reunion tour, Fender made that [Tribute
model] Telecaster for me, and at the same
time they made me a couple of copies of my
original red Strat, both of which are
amazing guitars to play very slick. And one
of them, which is a very quiet guitar, is the
one I mostly use.
How about your modded 61 Tele does
that get used much these days?
I dont use it much the actual one is

hidden away, because its valuable and
I dont really like to get it out of the house
much. But I have six other ones, copies that
Fender gave me. But its got a really thick,
meaty sound its still a great guitar, and
plays like liquid. That original one is a really
magical guitar: a life-changer, actually.
Accounts vary as to where that came Tele
from whats the actual story?
I got it off a guy that I was teaching guitar,

for, like, 200 bucks. I always remember that,
because I got it home and was thinking,
[My 61 Telecaster] has a really thick, meaty sound

its still a great guitar, and plays like liquid. Its a
really magical guitar: a life-changer, actually
Christ, this guitars amazing! And I actually

offered to give it back to him: I said, Look,
this is a really great guitar, are you sure you
want to get rid of it? But he said, No, I dont
want it any more. And thats how I got that
guitar. And itd had all the business done to
it already: it had a Gibson pickup in it and an
overdrive built into it. But it was sort of
perfect. My life started changing shortly
thereafter in The Police, and that was the
guitar. It became iconic.
The Circa Zero album is very much a poprock outing but are you still interested
in more esoteric stuff?
Absolutely, I have enough skills where

I can say, Yeah, lets focus on making a rock
album; and thats we did. But over the last
20 years, Ive made so many jazz and all
kinds of different albums that just arent
rock at all. For example, aside from this
project with Rob Giles, Im working on a
ballet, which is mostly composed of really
out-there, avant-garde electric guitar
sounds. So I definitely have an ear for the
sonic palette kind of stuff.
Whats next? Any plans to tour with Circa
Zero in the UK?
Absolutely were just really waiting to

see, because as it stands, were still a month
out from the record [at time of writing] and
obviously everyone knows me, but they
dont know about this band, and I hope we
get started this summer for the rest of the
year. Were looking for the right tour, the
right setup, so that we can go out.
Circus Hero by Circa Zero is out now on
429 Records
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
wy
Aces xz
In an explosive five-and-half-month period in 1956,

35 tracks were recorded by Gene Vincent And His Blue
Caps with the then-unknown Cliff Gallup on guitar. Little
did this humble genius know that these tracks almost his
entire recorded output would secure his place in history
as one of the most groundbreaking guitarists of all time,
influencing The Beatles, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and
countless others along the way
Small Miracles
W O R D S DENNY ILETT
T
MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIVES/GETTY IMAGES
he year 1956 was when it all came together. For

decades, blues, jazz, pop and country artists had
mostly carved their own paths. Towards the end of
the 1940s, new, hybrid forms of music began to
emerge. By 1950, rhythm and blues or R&B a
fusion of blues melody and lyrics with swing/jazz rhythm
had come to dominate the pop charts. The new sound,
led by the likes of Louis Jordan, T-Bone Walker and Big
Joe Turner, inspired a record-company frenzy for more
earthy, soulful music as an antidote to the sophisticated
sound of Frank Sinatra and the big bands. Into the
mix came a country/pop movement championed by
Tennessee Ernie Ford, Gene Autry, Merle Travis and the
great Hank Williams. By 1956, jazz, blues, country and
pop music had fused and created Elvis Presley. In that
same year, Cliff Gallup showed the world what this
stylistic gumbo sounded like through a guitar amp.
NORFOLK NIGHTS
Cliff was born Clifton E Gallup on 17 June 1930 in Norfolk,
Virginia on the east coast of the USA. So little is known
about his early life that, for years, his name was believed
to be Clifford, not Clifton. What is known is that, like so
many other greats, he took to music at a young age and
displayed prodigious talent. By his late teens, he was
performing at parties, dances and small local clubs with
a band called The Virginians.
Fast-forward to the start of 1956: William Douchette,

known as Sheriff Tex Davis, a local radio DJ, had heard
a young singer calling himself Gene Vincent at a talent
show in Norfolk. Vincent had been born Vincent Eugene
Craddock on 11 February 1935, one month and three days
after a certain Elvis Presley and, like Cliff Gallup, also in
Norfolk, Virginia. After dropping out of school at 17, and
with a desire to pursue a career in the US Navy, Craddock
later suffered a huge setback in 1955 when his left leg was
permanently damaged in a motorcycle accident. The leg
was saved, although he was left with a limp and constant
pain. His Navy dream was over. Eugene then started
hanging out on the local music scene, and was beginning
to make waves when Sheriff Tex heard him and signed
up to be his manager.
Heartbreak Hotel, the song that broke Elvis Presley and
rock n roll into the mainstream, was released on 27
January, shaking the music world to its foundations.
Record companies and talent scouts went into overdrive
looking for any next Elvis that might come their way.
Sheriff Tex Davis was no fool. Being a local DJ, he knew
that rock n roll was going to be the next big thing, and he
wanted a piece of it. By May of 1956, hed signed Eugene
Craddock, who was now calling himself Gene Vincent,
and put a band of local musicians together to back him up.
Together, they were Gene Vincent And His Blue Caps; a
term used to describe members of the US Navy. That
WorldMags.net
wyAces Cliff Gallup xz
WorldMags.net
Gene Vincent And His

Blue Caps pose, with Cliff
hiding from the limelight
group were Willie Williams on rhythm guitar, Dickie

Harrell on drums, Jack Neal on upright bass and Cliff
Gallup on lead guitar.
STUDIO STAR
Davis wasted no time securing a contract with Capitol
records and booking sessions; the first on 4 May, 1956. The
musicians, despite being active on the local scene and
handpicked by Davis, didnt at first inspire the same
confidence in Ken Nelson, the producer. He took the
precaution of booking a group of seasoned session players
in case Vincents sidemen were below par. The first track
recorded by Gene Vincent And His Blue Caps was Race
With The Devil. Once theyd run through it a couple of
times, Nelson dismissed the session guys.
Cliff takes two solos during the course of the songs 2:06
minutes and, behind Vincents vocal, plays a series of
effortless little runs and chord stabs that show a player,
still only 25 years old, of remarkable maturity. The
influence of Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore and Charlie
Christian is evident from bar one, but theres something
else in this incredibly relaxed guitar work that is 100 per
cent Cliff Gallup. Its as though, on his first visit to a
recording studio, Gallup wants to show us a little of
everything hes capable of, as he demonstrates with
aplomb the full gamut of rock n roll guitar vocabulary.
The 6/9th chord stabs, the relaxed, swinging eighth-note
phrasing, the blistering triplet run that opens his first
solo, the octave runs and doublestops; its all here!
His gorgeous, fat-but-biting tone comes courtesy of a
Gretsch 6128 Duo Jet, a semi-hollow electric with
DeArmond DynaSonic single-coil pickups and the
obligatory Bigsby vibrato arm. These guitars were first
manufactured in 1953, so Cliff would have been one of
the earliest users of them. Amp-wise, he plugged into a
Standel 25L15, a tube combo sending 26 watts through a
single 15-inch speaker, that was also a favourite of Chet
Atkins. The setup is simplicity itself, with only the
addition of studio-generated tape delay for that classic
rockabilly slapback echo. Gallup also found a way of

rigging up a tape machine to his amp to achieve the same
sound, much like Scotty Moores fabled Ray Butts
EchoSonic amplifier with onboard tape echo that
featured on virtually every early Elvis hit.
BLAZING A TRAIL
With Race With The Devil in the can, it was time for the
second number of the session. This turned out to be the
now immortal Be-Bop-A-Lula; a simple, loping 12-bar
blues with an even simpler lyric that became Vincents
biggest selling song, and the one for which he is best
remembered. Clearly influenced by Elvis Heartbreak
Hotel, Be-Bop-A-Lula again showcases Gallups slapback
guitar in two solos. There are some simple but perfect
JET PILOT
On Cliffs glorious Gretsch

GALLUPs main guitar was the
Gretsch Duo Jet, introduced in
1953 in response to the growing
popularity of solidbodies from
Gibson and Fender. The Duo
Jet looks like a solidbody
but is, in fact, chambered
inside, making it perfect to
cover 1953s plethora of
styles from jazz to country,
pop and rock n roll. A Duo
Jet played its part in the
reinvention of rock n roll
in 1963, in the hands of a
young George Harrison
on The Beatles
breathless debut album,
Please Please Me.
WorldMags.net
wy Cliff Gallup Aces xz
WorldMags.net
doublestop licks, and some Chet Atkins/Scotty Mooreesque chordal picking slowed right down to suit the
tempoofthesong.Inthesecondsolo,therearesomevery
tasty semitone bends (whole tone, and beyond, string
bends were virtually impossible with the heavy-gauge
strings that were standard then) and some subtle use of
the Bigsby to achieve a semitone drop. Along with some
of Gallups trademark triplet runs, despite being fairly
simple, this is as perfect as a guitar solo gets; fitting the
moodandpaceofthesong,andcomplementingthevocal
verses almost in a call-and-response manner.
To say Be-Bop-A-Lula was influential would be a
monstrous understatement.Inlessthanayear,ithadsold
over two million copies, one of them to a teenaged lad
from Liverpool named Paul McCartney it was the first
record he ever bought. John Lennon would later record
a version of the song on his 1975 covers album, Rock N
Roll. Be-Bop-A-Lula inspired so many young guitarists
and wannabe rock stars in the 1950s, including Jeff Beck,
JimmyPage,AlbertLee,EricClaptonandTheBeatles,all
of whom are on record stating what an important
influence the Blue Caps were to them. And it was the
Blue Caps extraordinary guitarist, Cliff Gallup, who,
with his technical proficiency, his gift for melodic and
rhythmic invention and his uncanny ability to play
the right thing at the
right time reaffirmed
to these youngsters
what rock n roll was
all about, following
the mainstreams
sanitisation of Elvis .
Gene Vincent And
His Blue Caps never
repeated the success
ofBe-Bop-A-LulaalthoughcriticalacclaimforRaceWith
The Devil and other tracks such as Blue Jean Bop meant
that the group made several more trips to the studio that
summer of 1956, notching up 35 sides between May and
October (36, including a remake of Race With The Devil).
PICKIN GOOD
How Gallups hybrid style shaped his sound

CLIFF had an unusual
picking technique that
involved holding a normal
plectrum between thumb
and forefinger, with two
metal fingerpicks on his
second and third fingers.
This hybrid setup allowed
him almost total freedom
of expression. He would
use the conventional pick
for those blistering

pentatonic runs and
flawlessly executed
triplets, then bring the
two fingerpicks into play
when he needed some
rolling arpeggios or
country-flavoured chord
picking inspired by his
heroes Les Paul, Chet
Atkins and Scotty Moore.
tracks.Here,onewillfindhimplayingjazzstandardssuch
as The Girl From Ipanema and September In The Rain
alongside an instrumental version of Be-Bop-A-Lula.
At this stage, Gallup had further distanced himself
from the Gene Vincent days by trading his Gretsch Duo
Jet for the more sedate Country Gentleman. Its fitting
that this last visit to a recording studio finds Gallup
reflective, mellow, and in complete command of
his guitar and the
various playing styles
heexhibitsthroughout
the album. Cliff
continued to play his
guitar, work for the
school system and
look after his family
until his fatal heart
attack, at the age of
just 58, in 1988. At the request of his widow, the local
paper obituary didnt mention his time as a Blue Cap.
Cli was never comfortable with

the rock n roll lifestyle, and hated
touring. A reluctant showman, he
found himself being goaded into
embarrassing stage antics
FAMILY MAN
Cliff, being around five years older than the other band
members, was never comfortable with the rock n roll
lifestyle, and hated touring. A reluctant showman, he
found himself being goaded by his bandmates into stage
antics that embarrassed him. Despite being only 26,
hewasalreadymarriedandmissedhometerribly.Latein
1956, he decided to turn his back on a lifestyle that many
of us dream of, returning home to be with his wife and
family. His parting words to Vincent were: If you think
Im gonna get down on the floor, youre crazy!
Ken Nelson at Capitol offered him a solo deal, but Cliff
turnedhimdown,althoughhedidreturntothestudiofor
a few more Blue Caps sessions. He settled into a quiet life
ofworkingasdirectorofmaintenanceandtransportation
fortheNorfolkschoolsystem,andlocalgigsatweekends.
He never regretted his decision to turn his back on
potential fame and fortune.
Gallup was enticed back to the studio in the mid-60s to
record an album called Straight Down The Middle with
his group, The Four Cs. Its a potpourri of styles that,
despite its rather dated sound, shows Cliff to be so much
more than the rock n roller on those famous Blue Caps
YOU BETTER BELIEVE

ThemoststrikingthingaboutCliffGallupsplayingishow
far superior he was technically when compared to most
other rock n roll guitarists in the 1950s. At a very young
age,hedmasteredmanyaspectsofplaying,demonstrating
a greater control over his jazz-flavoured country-blues
licks than anyone else. This is what future greats like
JimmyPageandEricClaptonheardonthoseearlyrecords,
and its what later players like Brian Setzer and Darrell
Higham have taken as the blueprint for their musical
personalities. Its what inspired Jeff Becks 1993 album,
Crazy Legs, a record so dedicated to Cliff Gallup that Beck
leaves his signature sound behind in order to recreate
Gallup note-for-note. When I was learning guitar, Cliff
Gallup was the biggest influence on my playing the cut
was pretty deep and the scar never healed, Jeff said. His
solos are so beautifully formed with a beginning, middle
and end, that theyre like small miracles.
Oneonlyhastolistentothesuperchargedsolosontracks
suchasPinkThunderbirdandCruisinnexttothebeautiful
chord melody work on Up A Lazy River and Peg O My
Heart to understand why Cliff Gallup is remembered and
revered by players of all styles. He made us realise that
there are no boundaries in music, no jazz, blues, rock,
country.Ultimately,onlytaste,toneandtouchmatterand
Cliff Gallup had a pink Thunderbird-full of all three.
WorldMags.net
x Aces
WorldMags.net
Godfather of rockabilly
Denny Ilett shows you how to emulate the chops of the unassuming
but massively influential Cliff Gallup
Denny chose a semi-hollow guitar

to help him approximate the
punchy sound of Gallups Gretsch
CLIFF Gallup was widely considered to be one of the most

technically proficient guitarists in the early rockabilly and
rock n roll era. He was also one of the most unassuming: his
spell in Gene Vincents Blue Caps lasted just six months, and
he spent most of his adult life working in the school system
while playing locally in Virginia. Yet the 35 tracks he recorded
with Gene Vincent influenced generations of great players
such as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and George Harrison.
Gallup was equally comfortable with both the chordal,

fingerpicked rockabilly style and a more swing-influenced
single-note melodic style. He used hybrid picking, holding the
flatpick between his index finger and thumb, but also wearing
fingerpicks on his middle and ring fingers. This gave his solos
a crisp sound, more akin to country guitar or pedal steel. Add
to this a melodic sophistication and a daring improvisational
flair, and it's no wonder Jeff Beck reveres him as a god! [AC]
Example 1
THIS example works over an A or A7 chord and is mostly built around A Mixolydian (A B C# D E F# G). The minor 3rd (C)
adds a bluesy element, but the frequent F# notes (and almost total lack of G notes) give a sweeter, swing-like feel.
qq=qce
#
E
B
G
D
A
E
A6add9
6 7
7 4
5 7
8 7 5
WorldMags.net
8 7 5
5 7
12
12
11
11
Cliff Gallup
WorldMags.net
Aces x
Example 2
ALTHOUGH this example is mostly based around G Mixolydian (G A B C D E F), the individual phrases are built around the
underlying chords, rather than from linear scale lines.
qq=qce
G9
D7
# n
BU
E
B
G
D
A
E
(6)
3
3
2
3
2
Example 3
THERES a similar theme here, with the octaves picking out a descending line among the notes of the first four chords. We
then switch to C major pentatonic (C D E G A).
qq=qce
C7
Fm
1/4
C9
1/4
E
B
G
D
A
E
13
9 10
11
10
10
9
7
10
11
10
8
8
7
8
7
Example 4
OVER a static E7 chord, this example also uses the Mixolydian mode (E F# G# A B C# D) but with lots of chromatic
passing notes.You can really hear Cliffs country influence in these kind of lines, especially with his crystal-clear pick attack.
qq=qce
E7
E
B
G
D
A
E
#
6
j
#
11 12
A6/ 9 B b6/ 9
E
B
G
D
A
E
B6/ 9
11
11
D 6/ 9 E b6/ 9 E 6/ 9
bb
10
11
12
14
12
14
15
14
12
14
12
5
5
4
4
6
6
5
5
7
7
6
6
WorldMags.net
10
10
9
9
11
11
10
10
12
12
11
11
12
12
11
11
11
0
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Adrian
Belew
Adrian Belews gift for conjuring extreme sounds from the guitar has seen
him work with some of the most visionary artists in rock, from David Bowie to
Talking Heads. Here, he recalls the mind-frying learning curve of his debut in
Frank Zappas band, explains how he and Robert Fripp wrote the parts for King
Crimsons technically tortuous Discipline album revealing the effects he relied
on and explains why, for all his genius, Fripp will never be a bluesman
Words Jamie Dickson
PICTURE PERFECT/REX
Sounding Off
I think sound is always what
Ive always enjoyed the most:
making sounds, creating
something that youve never
heard before. Trying to
emulate other instruments, or
even, in my case, animals or
ordinary everyday sounds like
car horns.
In the mid-70s, just before
Frank Zappa discovered me
here in Nashville, I was yet
again in a cover band that
wasnt making much money
and was doing very poorly.
I had schooled myself in how
to play a lot of different styles
of guitar, but Id got to this
point where I realised, Well,
now I just sound like everyone
else, and every time its time
for me to do something, I was
just picking different licks
from all those different guys.
So, thats what I decided:

that I had to stop doing that
and replace it with something
original, and be conscious
about that. How are you going
to do it and what are you going
to do? At that point, the only
[unusual] thing that I was
doing was making sounds.
I would emulate the sound of a
car horn in the middle of a
guitar solo and the audience
seemed to get a big kick out
that. So I thought, this could
turn into something, and this
is actually what I enjoy the
most about playing electric
guitar, so let me see if I can go
that direction.
Its very difficult to find
your own little piece of real
estate in the world of guitars.
There are so many great
people, great guitarists, and
so many styles that overlap
and to stand out from that is

not easy.
Make A Jazz
Noise Here
When I first joined Frank
Zappas band it was difficult,
especially during the rehearsal
stages. I got the feeling from
the other guys in the band that
they didnt quite get why I was
in the band [laughs]. I mean,
youre talking to some guys
who had just come off jazz
tours, and they read the music
from charts every Monday
morning but here was this
guy standing around making
weird sounds!
But Frank had a system in
place for me, since I was a
non-reader, and he rarely
worked with non-readers. We
would rehearse from Monday
through Friday, and on Friday
WorldMags.net
night, I would get in his car

and go home and spend the
weekend at the Zappa
residence. He would show me
what was coming up the next
week, so I could start
memorising it.
So, on Monday morning,
hed come in to the rehearsal
and pass out music to the other
guys. But I would already
know some of the stuff we
were doing. There were things
I was left out of, because I just
simply wasnt able to learn
them in time, like The Black
Page or something crazy like
that. If youre a non-reader that
would really be hard to learn
it might take you a few months.
In the time period that
I was with Frank, which was
about 11 months, I learnt five
hours of Franks material, so
I was proud of myself for being
Adrian Belew
WorldMags.net
If It Is Broke,
Dont Fix It
Adrian Belew on the first
Strat he ever owned and
why a broken neck pickup
became part of his sound
in King Crimson
able to make that transition.

You have to understand, I was
a guy who had played cover
songs in many different types
of bands, and never played
anything in an odd time
signature in my life!
But I immersed myself.
I moved to LA. I got a little
apartment. I didnt even have a
car. I walked everywhere, and
just lived Frank Zappas music,
day in and day out. Thats the
only way I could catch up.
Look Alive
The live shows I did when
I was playing in Franks band
went on for three solid hours,
with no breaks in between
songs. At any moment, Frank
had a hand signal that he
would make, and then point to
you. When he did that, there
would be something that you
were supposed to do that night.
I remember one night, it
was for me. Whenever he
would make the signal and
point at me, the band would
stop and I was supposed to say:
Banjo, [laughs]. But I forgot

the word that night, so he kept
doing it, you know, over and
over, and finally I said, Oh!
Banjo! [laughs].
There were other things
like that. I remember when it
was the anniversary of Jimi
Hendrixs death and we were
in Atlanta playing at the Fox
Theatre. Just out of the blue,
Frank said: This is the
anniversary of Jimi Hendrixs
death, and heres Adrian Belew
to play Jimi Hendrix! I was,
like, Okay, now what?
So I ran back to my amp,
and started waving my guitar
frantically in front of the
speakers and causing feedback
and making sounds and, you
know, biting it with my teeth
and all of that stuff. You really
had to be on your toes but
that was the idea, and it was
built into all his sets.
Maintaining
Discipline
In King Crimson, Robert
Fripp and I would start out
Out of the blue, Zappa said: Its the

anniversary of Jimi Hendrixs death,
and heres Adrian Belew to play Jimi
Hendrix! I was, like, Okay, now what?
quietly, just the two of us with
our electric guitars but not
plugged in and we would
daily continue on an idea. Wed
get to a certain point and wed
have, maybe, four or five ideas
running, and then wed decide:
Okay, is this a song or is this a
piece of music?
If it was a song, at that point,
it was turned over to me. Itd be
like, Okay, Adrian, youre the
frontman and the singer and
the lyricist. You write the song,
the chord changes from this
point on that you need for the
melody, and you write the
words, and itll be a song.
If it was an instrumental
piece, it was quickly developed
to the stage where we would
play it with the rest of the
WorldMags.net
members of the band, and we

would play many variations of
it, until Robert was satisfied
that this was the linear
arrangement, and we would
lock that in.
Then we would go out and
play those things live. Almost
always before we ever made a
record, wed play the material
live, and that would kind of
give us the final perspective
on what might be changed,
or what could be done better.
Thats why its usually a twoor three-year process to do a
King Crimson record.
Personal Effects
My amplification was always
the Roland JC-120. I loved that
amp at that point. It was nice
RAY STEVENSON/REX
Belew and Zappa play live at the

Hammersmith Odeon, January 1978
My first Strat, though, was

just a regular old wood Strat.
I went up to a store and
bought it new in Washington
that had good prices. I drove
up there. It just had a natural
finish, nothing unusual or
different about it. It wasnt the
best-playing Strat, but its
what I could afford at that
time. This was right about the
time when I was getting in
Frank Zappas band, and it got
stolen on the very first tour.
Then, in the Discipline era,
I was using another Fender
Strat. It was a 60s Strat.
Again, it wasnt a unique Strat
it was just an old beat-up
one, and Id beat it up even
further. In fact, the neck
pick-up had become
unwound, and so you could
get this really tinny, almost
banjo-like sound out of it.
I never got it fixed, because
I liked that it was different.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
DANIL GOLOVKIN
The sixth and current incarnation

of the experimental and
improvisational Krimson ProjeKCt
and clean sounding, with a

beautiful stereo chorus. It
never really sounded like a
tube amp. It always had that
kind of digital quality about it,
but I still liked it.
In front of me, I had a small
one-strip pedalboard that had
eight on- and off-switches, and
thats all they did. There were
no lights or anything; you just
put them on and off. The lead
from that travelled back into
the top of my road case, and
I could put effects in there, in
any order I wanted.
I usually had, back in those
days, a lot of ElectroHarmonix gear, because
I found they were the quirkiest
things, and you could get them
to do things they werent
supposed to do [laughs]. So Id
usually have an Echo Flanger,
or maybe an Electric Mistress
and, of course, Id have one or
two different fuzzes. One
would always be the Big Muff,
and I would always run that
through a 10-band EQ, and
push up all the mids a lot, to get
a crunchier sound where you
hear the pick noises more and
it feeds back more. I always
had a compressor, too.
Then I had a delay unit that
was given to me by David
Bowie. It was a Roland DC-30,
I think. It was a chorus and
delay unit, and it was fun too,
because you could plug in an
expression pedal and move the
delay around. I had that rig for
a long time. I interchanged

those things, you know, and
I would try a new pedal or two,
but that was the basic stuff that
I had.
I used a lot of Electro-Harmonix gear,

because they were the quirkiest
things. You could get them to do
things they werent supposed to do
Blues Breaker
As a two-guitar partnership
[in King Crimson] there was
everything you could possibly
want. But Robert is not a bluesguitar player: I did study blues
when I was first starting out.
I dont put it on record much,
but I do know how to do that.
One time, he was staying
here in the guest quarters of
my house, which was typical of
how we wrote. He would stay
here for a few weeks at times
when we were writing. I heard
him every day downstairs
trying to play blues licks. He
had a couple of records and he
was trying to learn, and he was
puzzled about it, I could tell.
We laughed over it, and
I just have to say that although
hes brilliant, he cant play the
blues. Hes the whitest guy on
the planet [laughs].
On The Fly
These days, I play a modified
Parker Fly. When I first got a
Parker Fly I loved that it stayed
really well in tune. It had a
great tremolo system on it, and
resonated with feedback really
well; it was very light.
The main thing was the
neck, to me, which was just
unbelievable. I could play
faster, cleaner, more precise,

almost instantly, from picking
that guitar up.
The problem was, that
guitar was created by Ken
Parker in the 80s, and when it
came my turn to start playing
one, I decided I had to have all
the stuff, the bells and whistles
I needed. So, a long way to
explain, I didnt change really
anything about the guitar,
except the electronics.
I had them make it a MIDI
guitar, but Ken Parker
informed me that, at first, that
was what they were planning
to do anyway, but they didnt
go ahead with it because they
felt like the guitar was already
too revolutionary. Also, I had
been using a Sustainiac for so
long, I couldnt imagine not
having that, so we put that on
the guitar.
Then, right about that time,
the Variax system from Line 6
came out. They gave me a
guitar but I couldnt even keep
it in tune although the
technology was brilliant.
I thought, Well, weve got to
have that on my guitar, and
that would bring this [Parker
Fly] up to the state-of-art in
electric guitars at that point.
WorldMags.net
Seeing Red
In my opinion, King
Crimsons music while it
sounds great on record, and
Im happy with the records is
really a live entity. You have to
see it to get the power of it.
When we were writing the
music, it was always done with
the eye towards playing it live.
We never did overdubs or
added things we wouldnt be
able to replicate. So it was
meant to be live music from the
get-go. It just comes to life
more in performance, because
you just cant put that on a
record. Its big, its powerful,
its kind of, intense, you know.
Then theres also the fact
that every nights a bit different
[Adrians currently touring
classic Crimson material with
the Fripp-approved Crimson
ProjeKCt band Ed]. The
shows have improvisation built
into some of the song
arrangements, to keep it fresh
for us and the audience, and
thats also something you cant
capture on a record, because
its different all the time.
The Crimson ProjeKCts
album Live In Tokyo is out
now on InsideOutMusic
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
FIFTY FOUR 60
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
FIFTY FOUR
Only a 4am start, a 120-mile drive, two plane rides and a European Capital
Of Culture opening ceremony stood between Guitarist and a genuine
1954 Fender Stratocaster. Join us as we pack a bag and head on a personal
pilgrimage to find the guitar that fired a lifelong obsession
WORDS
MICK TAYLOR
PHOTOGRAPHY
JOBY SESSIONS
WorldMags.net
FIFTY FOUR 60
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
he guitar has always been totemic, to a

degree. Many are the tales of wide-eyed
hopefuls stood agog at music-shop windows,
transfixed by a stringed conduit of wonder
and possibility. These days, that shop
window is more likely to be on your
computer screen than in your high street, but its still
happening every day, all over the world.
This guitar, with its drop-dead curves and near-perfect
functionality, has transcended totemic status. In its 60 years to
date, the Fender Stratocaster has nestled right in there
alongside the Ray-Ban Wayfarer and Levis 501s as a staple of
20th century culture and design that remains 100 per cent
relevant. Much imitated, never equalled, not old, not new: it
just is. You might even call it timeless.
Like you, I remember the first time I ever saw one, for real, up
close. I was 14 and our local pub had a band on. My dad insisted
I watched them, having noticed the spark of enthusiasm in me
ignited by electric blues. You might learn something, he said.
And he plays a real Strat! Nobody I knew had a real Strat.
The Aran B Sweaters featured one Marco Rossi on the fabled
Fender, punching out Albert Collins and T-Bone Walker licks
among many others, through a 4x10 Fender Concert. The
combination made noises that stirred something very deep that
remains with me to this day. My dad was right, I did learn
something, and Im still learning.
I was thinking about Marco on the plane to Ume, Sweden,
back in January this year. Its probably down to him I was
making this journey at all; its probably down to him that whats
at the end of it will excite me more than any rock band or
superstar ever could. I know its not a minter, I know its not 100
per cent original, but in many ways, thats what makes it all the
more interesting.
DONT DROP IT
Twin brothers Mikael and Samuel hdn have quite a few
guitars. Over 300, its said, and thanks to the considerable
efforts of a small team of collaborators and the municipality of
their home town, Ume, theyve offered their collection up for
public display in Guitars: The Museum. Throughout a handful
of breathtakingly grand rooms, walls are augmented with
gigantic glass cases, each containing treasures that may as well
be the Crown Jewels to people like us, albeit way more
interesting. They have quite the collection of vintage Fender
Stratocasters on display, marking each significant transition in
its design; a bewildering array of spaghetti logos, sunbursts,
reds, blues and worn nitrocellulose lacquer.
Wed arranged with the brothers to photograph one of their
prize 1954 Strats for this feature. Playing it in anger live or at a
recording session was unfortunately not on the cards, because
of the museums public opening and all the security
surrounding it. But just to see it, to hold it, smell it, knock out a
few licks; to get the chance to look closely at another old gem
and learn a little more, well, that would be enough.
So here we are, the brothers sat around a table in one of the
museums restaurants, having gone to the considerable trouble
of freeing the treasure from its multiple-stage security. Theyre
shooting the breeze with the great and the good of the Swedish
vintage-guitar scene, while photographer Joby Sessions and
1108s neck profile is neither

overly chunky, nor V-shaped
I get to work on the Strat, just as we have done on hundreds,

maybe thousands of guitars before. It never ceases to amaze
me: how the hell did they even imagine this in 1954, let alone
make it?
In his book The Stratocaster Chronicles, respected guitar
author and historian, Tom Wheeler, goes deep into the many
accounts of how the Strat first came to be: who was involved
and what their input was in order to present if not entirely
reconcile some differences of opinion and memory from
those early days. It was ultimately Leos baby, nobody disputes
that, and in its debut year, featured a highly stylised, Comfort
Contoured ash body, partly in response to player feedback that
the Telecasters body edges were sharp and uncomfortable.
There were no CNC machines back then if there were, Mr
Fender would surely have used them so the bodies were cut
on a bandsaw, then shaped and sanded by hand. Ash was
reportedly a little harder to work than alder, with a more open
grain structure that also required more pore filler before
finishing, two reasons the Strat later switched to mostly alder
bodies during 1956.
Holding this one now, its hard to imagine that the solidbody
guitar was still such a new phenomenon back then, widely
referred to as the Electric Spanish guitar, in fact. Its so curvy.
Earlier Strats are known in general and I stress in general
to have slightly deeper, more rounded contours than later
guitars. This one flaunts its 60-year-old shapeliness more
elegantly than it has any right to, even if its thinned, worn
nitrocellulose-lacquer coat has seen better days. Its got to that
wonderful point where it feels at one with the wood and were
it not for the prevalence of good vintage replicas these days, it
WorldMags.net
FIFTY FOUR 60
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
These Klusons are

retrofit replacements
The vibrato has been

part of the Strat
recipe since 1954
Time to bin these old

things and chisel out
a humbucker cavity
The nitrocellulose feels at one with

the wood: you feel more wood than
nish, hear more music than guitar
would probably feel a little bit alien. You can feel more wood
than finish; you can hear more music than guitar.
This neck came as a bit of a surprise. You might expect
something fairly chunky, maybe even a V (not introduced until
1955, as I later discovered). Its not one of the very thick,
rounded profiles of 54 folklore, but something that Id happily
pick up and play every day of the week. It feels remarkably like
some of the modern-day Fender Heavy Relic necks, which is a
testament to the Custom Shops attention to detail, perhaps
more so to the original designs enduring brilliance: it worked
then, it still works now. This one has had a refret at some point,
making it all the more pleasurable to play; a little extra height
on the frets makes choking less of an issue on the vintage-style,
curvy maple playing surface (one piece with the neck,
remember). Youd scarcely know this was a 60-year-old guitar,
and that is perhaps the standout observation.
AGE BEFORE BEAUTY

The first 100 or so Stratocasters from 1954 had their serial
numbers stamped into the plastic vibrato-cavity plate,
reverting to a four-digit number on the neck plate from around
mid-1954. This guitar has a non-1954 back plate, given away by
its oval string holes; originals were round, turning oval in 1955,
in order to facilitate easier string changes. Likewise, the tuners
are non-original, having been replaced with post-1956-spec
Klusons at some point.
As you can see, our guitar is numbered 1108, placing it most
likely in latter 54 (serial numbers were not sequential in terms
of date, unfortunately), but along with certain other features,
New Old Pickups

Fenders early Strat pickups were typically
full- and fat-sounding. Here are five modern
sets to get you closer to those early tones
BARE KNUCKLE PICKUPS APACHE (AROUND 175 SET)
Made by hand in England, these use Heavy Formvar wire,
Alnico III magnets, fibreboard flat work and a choice of
magnet stagger. Bridge pickup is wound a little hotter
(6.4k ohms) than neck and middle.
AMALFITANO VS (AROUND 199 SET)
The man who makes pickups for Matt Schofield among
many others also does a mid-50s Stratocaster set.You get
Formvar wire and Alnico III magnets. The bridge pickup is
rated at 5.7k ohms.
FENDER PURE VINTAGE 56 (AROUND 169 SET)
The originator is often overlooked when it comes to retrofit
pickups. No reason why: these are more accurate than
Fenders 54 set in our opinion: Formvar wire, Alnico III
magnets and an average DC resistance of 5.8k ohms.
LOLLAR VINTAGE BLONDE (AROUND 189 SET)
The USs most talked-about custom pickup builder
chooses Alnico II for his vintage-inspired Strat set. DC
resistance values are in line with vintage spec, but these
have slightly less midrange prominence.
LINDY FRALIN REAL 54 (AROUND 189 SET)
This extremely well-respected US maker also uses Alnico III
magnets, but with slightly higher DC resistance of 6 to 6.5k
ohms. Fralin also offers the baseplate option on the bridge:
not original, but some people like it.
WorldMags.net
FIFTY FOUR 60
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
indicates that it may well have been produced on one of the first
official Stratocaster runs, in October 1954. A good many Strats
predate that, of course, almost back to the beginning of the year,
even before its official release month of April 1954.
The knobs, pickup covers and switch tip are made from
whats often mistermed Bakelite. It has that slightly
translucent look particularly the pickup covers and is in fact
polystyrene. As you can see, our Strats pickup covers have
suffered the same fate as those on Buddy Hollys 55 Strat, one
reason Fender moved to using less-brittle plastics for knobs,
switch tips (and later, pickguards). By this point in late 1954, the
Strats knobs had evolved to the modern shape we know now,
and you might be surprised how white they are; the early white
plastics didnt discolour like later variants did.
While Leo Fender and his colleagues were perfecting the
Synchronized Tremolo unit, 2,000 miles away in Kalamazoo,
Michigan, Gibson was developing the Tune-O-Matic bridge.
For the first time, guitarists would have individual adjustment
for string length (intonation), but in the Stratocasters case, that
also meant individual string-height adjustment and a vibrato
unit. Blissfully simple when you look at it now, it was
nonetheless a revolution in guitar bridge design back in 1954,
even if it did take regular maintenance and a deft hand to
confidently hold tuning stability. Many people including me
60 years aer it was rst made, you

could do tonights gig and treat it like
any other Strat that has ever existed
would argue that there is nothing better for the optimum blend
of tone, functionality and feel to this day.
Back then, if youd chosen one with the new wobble-bar
non-Tremolo versions were offered a little later youd have
had to fork out $249.50. The case was $39.95 extra, and: of
hardshell construction, crushed-plush lined covered in a
grain hair seal, simulated leather covering, no less. The
average US wage in 1954 was around $3,000, so a Strat would
have been around a months wages.
FOREVER YOUNG
What did we learn on our trip to Ume to see what its owners
laughingly call this old, dusty guitar? Are we just
perpetuating a vintage myth that has no relevance in modern
music? I dont think so. Whats really astonishing about this
guitar is that even 60 years after it was first designed and made,
you could chuck it in a gigbag, go and do tonights gig and treat
it like any other decent Stratocaster that has ever existed.
Perhaps we shouldnt be too surprised, because however
revolutionary, the Strats near-perfect blend of form and
function lies right at the heart of its many other ostensible
contradictions: versatile yet simple; futuristic yet timeless;
workaday yet remarkable; all different, yet all strangely the
same. Above all, its a guitar that you dream about, yet one
which you can just go out and buy with a few hundred quid
as long as you dont want this original 54, of course!
So happy birthday Stratocaster, old buddy. I probably wont
see all of your next 60 years, but if they keep you safe, I know
youll be as timeless then as you are now.
Around mid-1954, Strat

serial numbers began to be
stamped onto the neckplates
The 54 is one of many stunning

guitars on show at Mikael and
Samuel hdns museum
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
FIFTY FOUR 60
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
1. SERIAL NUMBER
The earliest Strats around 100 or so
instruments had their serial numbers on the
plastic backplates. Mid-1954, it became a fourdigit number on the neck plate. (Five from 1955,
though four-digit numbers still exist into 1956!)
2. HEADSTOCK
1954 and early 55 Strats had a softer radius to
the headstock edges than later models, where
the edges became sharper. Patent numbers
werent added to the decals until 1961
3. PLASTICS
Fenders plastics went through various
transitions: early Strats used a very brittle
material (polystyrene, often referred to as
Bakelite), that was phased out during 1956 and
1957. Pickguards, knobs, pickup covers and
switch tips all changed shape/profile during that
time, too
4. VIBRATO
Fenders original Synchronized Tremolo has
remained unchanged (although other variants
have been developed) in 60 years. Early saddles
were stamped with FENDER on one side and
PAT. PEND. on the other
5. PICKUP SELECTOR
Five-way switches werent introduced officially
until 1976/77, but players worked out almost
instantly that you could find unusual and usable
sounds with the three-way jammed between
main settings, however
6. BODY
1
6
Ash was the first body of timber for Strats, and

was often a single piece or two pieces on early
models. Alder became the standard body wood
during 1956, with ash retained for the blonde
colour option
7. NECK
All Stratocaster necks were a single piece of

maple, including the fingerboard, right up until
1959, when separate rosewood fingerboards
were introduced
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
MILESTONE
ST R ATS
Since its introduction in 1954, the Fender Stratocaster has evolved,
diversified and gone right back to the beginning! Here are 10 guitars
that chart the development of the model right up to the present day
WORDS
MICK TAYLOR
1955-58 FENDER STRATOCASTER
The plastics changed progressively to ABS from the previous,

more brittle polystyrene; bodies became predominantly alder
from mid-1956. Pickups moved gradually from Alnico III
magnets to Alnico V, the V neck shape was introduced, then
phased out by 1958 when the Three-Colour Sunburst was
brought in. Claptons 1956 Brownie sold at auction in 1999 for
$497,500. His retired and iconic 56/57 Blackie sold in 2004,
for a record $959,500.
The last of the pre-CBS Strats are often referred to as

transition Strats. During this period, the headstock logo
changed from gold spaghetti-style to block gold. Clay
fingerboard dots changed to pearloid, pickguards changed
gradually to white plastic, and the grey-bottom pickups
arrived, still with alnico V magnets. Robert Crays famous Inca
Silver Strat is a 64, while Bob Dylans Sunburst 1964 Newport
Strat sold in 2013 for $965,000 (with all pre-transition specs).
1959 was a watershed year, as slab-rosewood fingerboards

arrived along with three-ply celluloid pickguards. The board
became a round-lam veneer in 1962. During this period,
Fenders Custom Colour chart expanded, and its from this
period youll find the most desirable models in Lake Placid
Blue, Fiesta Red, Sonic Blue, Surf Green and so on, and of
course, good old Three-Colour Sunburst. Fans include SRV,
Rory Gallagher, Mark Knopfler, Hank Marvin
By now, the Strats headstock had enlarged considerably, and

the blocky black logo had arrived. Bodies became less
contoured and heavier, finishes got thicker (both more so in the
mid-1970s). Three-bolt necks appeared in 1970, and it was all a
bit regrettable except many artists had great success with
these guitars! Hendrixs 68 Woodstock Strat (that sold in 1990
for 198,000 and again for $1.3m in 1993), Blackmores 68,
Malmsteens 71 those guitars made history in good ways, too.
WorldMags.net
MILESTONE STRATS
WorldMags.net
NIGEL OSBOURNE/ REDFERNS/GETTY JAWBONE
1982 FENDER SQUIER SERIES

STRATOCASTER 62
COVER FEATURE
1997 FENDER RELIC STRATOCASTER
Facing immense competition from the Asian makers and

seemingly unable to make great Strats in the USA, Fender
Japan was established. The results were the first Squier Series
instruments, harking back to original Strat specs and aesthetics
in many respects. There was a 57 maple neck variant and a 62
rosewood board model: genuine Fender copies, by all accounts.
Hailing from Fenders Custom Shop, you might have wondered

if the company had lost its mind when the first artificially aged
guitars started appearing. Over 15 years later, Fender is still
churning out Relics by the truckload from its hallowed Custom
Shop in Corona, California. The Strats have generally vintage
specs with a twist or two here and there, and theyre beaten up
to look and feel like old workhorses.
1987 FENDER AMERICAN

STANDARD STRATOCASTER
2006 FENDER CLASSIC SERIES 50S

STRATOCASTER
Following years of turmoil, Fender regained its vision and

proudly released the American Standard Strat in 87. This was a
sea-change: four-bolt neck, 22 frets, 9.5-inch radius board,
two-pivot trem, TBX tone control it was a Stratocaster that
was respectful of the early models, but also had more modern,
player-friendly features. Though the spec has evolved, it
remains the staple of Fenders American production to this day.
Fender Japan established a market for high-quality, lower cost,

vintage-style Stratocasters through the 1980s and 1990s.
Fender took that model and applied it to its wholly owned
operation in Ensenada, Mexico, with the Classic Series. Theyre
the affordable vintage reissue Strats of choice to this day,
sitting way below American Vintage in terms of price. In 2013,
Ensenada debuted its first nitro-finished Classic Series guitars.
1988 FENDER ERIC CLAPTON

STRATOCASTER
2014 AMERICAN VINTAGE 1954

STRATOCASTER
This was the first official Fender signature model that kicked
off a highly successful artist program. The collaboration with
Clappers took his famous Blackie 56/57 as basic inspiration,
with a V-shape neck profile and more modern tweaks,
including Gold Lace Sensor pickups and a 25dB mid boost
circuit. EC used prototypes in 86 on the Eric Clapton & Friends
shows, and it became Fenders most successful signature guitar.
60 years since those first, history-changing Stratocasters,

Fender has honoured them with a replica (for 2014 only).
The American Vintage Series in which it sits was upgraded in
2012, and now makes the most historically accurate reissues of
old models ever produced outside of its Custom Shop. Its a
neat, full-circle journey for a guitar that is all at once timeless,
and yet ever-evolving. Turn to p92 for more on the latest model.
WorldMags.net
HANK MARVIN
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
ST R AT O -M A ST ER
As The Shadows King Of Twang, Hank Marvin was
Britains first guitar hero of the electric era, inspiring a
generation of players with single-coil tones as springy
and lush as a manicured lawn but he also played the
first Fender Stratocaster to reach these shores. We
join Hank to hear previously unrevealed details of the
Strats that he used to carve out his inimitable sound
WORDS
ROGER NEWELL
ew Strat players are as iconic as Hank Marvin

its hard to picture him without also seeing in your
minds eye a Fiesta Red Strat with a maple
fingerboard and gold-plated fittings, the guitar
with which he made his name in The Shadows. Its
a guitar that seemed electrifyingly modern in drab, post-war
Britain, and in fact, it was the first example of Leo Fenders
contoured masterpiece to enter the country. Its testament to
the Strats adaptability that Hanks still relying on the design
decades later and over the years, several other Strats have
passed through the hands of this hugely influential player. As
Hank prepares to cut a new album, we caught up with him to
chat about the significant other Strats that hes used on
landmark recordings over the years, plus detailed insights into
the Strat setup and component mods that he favours
anyway, we ordered that in what was pretty much the top-ofthe-range specification.
Its arrival must have been exciting?
Very! It came in a tweed Fender case with the red plush lining
and this magnificent-looking thing was just lying inside. It was
like something from space, really, it was so futuristic in its
design. The three pickups, the white scratchplate, the red
guitar, the beautiful birdseye maple neck and all the gold
plating, it just looked sensational. We just looked at it for a
while, then took it out of the case, tuned it up and played it.
Unfortunately, the strings were really heavy; I was told back in
the 70s that they were sent out then with 0.013 to 0.056 gauge
or something like that, with a 0.026 wound third, so they were
much heavier than I was used to. I found it difficult to adjust to
the effort.
CHRIS BARHAM/REX
So, that first Fiesta Red Strat. How did you come by it?
That first Strat made an appearance in 1959. My Antoria had a

horribly bent neck, so Cliff wanted to buy me a good guitar, and
we decided that the Fender was the way to go, because wed
seen Buddy Holly with one on the Crickets album cover, and it
was pretty cool. It was great looking, and we liked the sound of
it, and wed heard that James Burton used a Fender, so we got a
catalogue from the States. We could see that Buddys guitar was
the Stratocaster and as that was their top-of-the-range model,
we assumed that James Burton would also have one. For some
reason, we always thought it was called Flamingo Pink. But
apparently they never had any such colour; it was Fiesta Red
So did you have to adapt your style of playing as a result?
Undoubtedly but the tremolo arm was great, because I found

it helped me in different ways. The second string you could
bend but probably only half a step, but I could bend it up with
my left hand and pull it up a bit more with the whammy bar.
The other thing was I could get vibrato on the strings, which
Ive always enjoyed in other instruments, to make it sort of say
more. I could hit a note and dip it down or hit it under pitch and
let it come up, just little things and, of course, I loved giving it
a good old shake. You know that trick where you push the
second string up against the first and give the bar this wild
WorldMags.net
HANK MARVIN
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
The original Shadows: Bruce Welch, Tony Meehan, Jet Harris and Hank with their first Fender guitars
shake, like the beginning of Man Of Mystery? Things like that

were fun to do, and they were different. So, clearly, the guitar
itself and the fact that it had the vibrato bar helped me to
develop a style that wouldnt have happened without that.
Also, the guitar itself, the sound, the shape of it with the
contoured body was very comfortable, and its not a heavy
instrument. So therefore you could swing it around a little bit
for posing and leaping about. It lent itself very much to the
visual aspect of rock n roll.
So what was the first recording session you used it on?
Im not sure about that. Saturday Dance [from August 1959

Ed] has the Strat on it, and I used it on Cliffs second album
[Cliff Sings]. We did things like The Snake And The Bookworm,
but I dont remember which came first, that album or
Travellin Light.
Is it true that the vibrato arm was particularly short?
Well, I didnt have anything initially to compare it with, but

I noticed that some of the Strats I had later seemed to have
longer arms. So I would say that it was shorter. It would be
interesting to compare photographs.
That particular guitar went back to Cliff, and he had it
sprayed white for a while?
Yeah, well, when Jennings [Voxs manufacturers Ed] became

the importers of Fender equipment once the trade embargo
was lifted, they wanted us to use Fenders. Initially, I still had
You could swing it around a bit d for

posing and leaping about. It lent itself
to the visual aspect of rock n roll
that first guitar, so Bruce [Welch] and Jet [Harris] got the
Jazzmaster and Precision Bass. Then they said we could have
red Strats and a bass, and we thought great, that would be a
good look. They gave me one as well with a rosewood
fingerboard, so the original went back to Cliff. That would have
been 1961, and I think we had them sprayed white for a while.
I know we had white Burns guitars, but before that, we had
white Fenders during the time that Licorice [Brian Locking]
was playing bass. We didnt have the red ones as well, so I think
they took them back and sprayed them for us. Cliff liked the
look of them, so he said: Ill get this one sprayed white, so when
were working together and I use it, itll look really cool.
What were the first recordings the rosewood Strat was on?
The first session? Good question, but I cant remember! When

we did the Crackerjack TV show playing The Frightened City
and FBI [in late April 1961] we had those guitars, but we didnt
necessarily record and release things immediately. It could
have been two weeks later, or a track could have been sitting
around for months.
WorldMags.net
HANK MARVIN
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
Cliff Richard shows off his new purchase to film star Jayne Mansfield
By early 1963 the bands Fenders had all become a matching shade of white
So which did you prefer at the time, the maple-neck Strat or

the rosewood board?
I preferred the maple neck; it was a better guitar, I thought,

with a particularly good sound. When I got the rosewood
board, it just sounded a bit different to me. And I just preferred
the feel of that original guitar, which was a particularly nice
instrument with a nice fingerboard.
Did you get a choice of the guitars that Jennings supplied?
REX GETTY IMAGES PHOTOSHOT
No, they would just send them over. We just thought a Strats a
Strat, and if there was a problem they would obviously fix it
you know, rough frets or anything like that but we didnt get to
choose them ourselves; they picked out two guitars and a bass
for us. There were at least two, maybe three sets going through
from then until 1963. They replaced them as necessary. We did
get newer guitars as ours got a bit bashed or whatever, and
theyd take those back and do whatever they do with them,
probably renovated and sold them, I guess.
As you preferred the feel, why didnt you go back to an
all-maple neck?
Well, I asked, and they said they couldnt get the maple necks.
Whether Fender had stopped making them at that point Ive
really no idea, but thats the story we were told and accepted.
How much of a problem was noise in the early days?
It depended on the venue, particularly when they used the

dimmers on the lights, as that seemed to affect the noise
Hank being filmed for The Young Ones and using his rosewood board Strat
tremendously it was really frying tonight. Once you were all

playing, it wasnt really that noticeable, but back then, peoples
sound-quality expectations werent what they are now.
So are you still favouring Kinman pickups on the
Stratocasters that you use today?
When we did the remake of all the old numbers for the Cliff
and The Shads reunion album, I decided to try out some of the
Fender 57 reissues, which I was introduced to when trying out
the TVS3 echo. I thought it might be an idea to go back to the
kind of pickups on the older guitars to get the sort of sound that
we were trying to recreate. I had those fitted on all the guitars
for the album, and theyre still on! They sound really good.
They have a nice twang to them, and although theyre not as
quiet as the Kinmans, theyre not as bad as they used to be.
Why did you decide to switch back to Fender guitars from
Burns instruments after Marvin, Welch & Farrar reverted to
being The Shadows?
Well, Id already gone back to Fenders by then. When Marvin,

Welch & Farrar were doing the Palladium with Cliff and Olivia
Newton John, I had several guitars stolen two Burns, a
12-string Gibson and an acoustic six-string on the night before
we opened. Bruce had lent Cliffs [now white] Strat to Terry
Britten, who was in Cliffs band at the time, so he got it back for
me. I used it for the time we were there, then I decided, yeah
I love it, Im back on to the Strat! So thats when I bought the
Sunburst one, or one with that terrible colour that looked like
WorldMags.net
HANK MARVIN
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
Bruce Welch (right) holds the notorious humbucking Strat from the 1970s
I had a black one says Hank and here it is! It was originally Sunburst, however
an undercoat, but anyway, I bought a Strat. I should have kept

hold of Cliffs one!
During the time that you were working with John Farrar,
there was a Sunburst Strat with a maple board and large
headstock and a much-modified white one
I had a black one! But, from memory, I had that sprayed at least
once so that was probably the Sunburst one that I decided to
have black, eventually with a tortoiseshell pickguard. I tried
different pickups, too. I had a Fender humbucker on the bridge
and something else on the front, a Gibson humbucker, I think,
and a single coil. Actually, I still have that scratchplate in the
studio with the pickups attached. I saw a black Telecaster in a
guitar store in Manchester, and thought it looked really sharp,
so I decided to do it black, and I had it for a few years until I gave
it to Ben Marvin.
Do you have any wiring mods done to your Strats?
that maybe I should look at that again. I do use that betweenpickups sound sometimes, just for a tone colour change, but
usually, I use the pickups individually and more often than
not, I end up on the bridge pickup.
Do you still have Easy-Mute vibrato arms on your Strats?
Yes, I do, along with the block that Ian St John White does that
matches the actual bar. The material its made of stops the bar
working loose like the standard arm tends to do. Weve all tried
tape and loads of things to stop that rattle, but these never do
that, theyre brilliant.
Lets be honest, there wasnt actually much wrong with the
original 1954 design, was there?
No, not at all! Ive seen a 54 belonging to a friend of mine in

France, Jean-Pierre Danel, whos got one that he calls Miss
Daisy, and its very nice. Whew! Great design looked great,
comfortable to play they got it right first time!
Its totally functional, beautiful and iconic at the same time
Absolutely! And its a very practical instrument, too. Theyre as

tough as old nails and youve got a variety of sounds available.
Ive seen people playing jazz on them; you can play country on
them, blues, rock, heavy rock and everything you can think of,
really. I think its an incredibly versatile guitar.
Hank Marvins new album Hank is out on 2 June via
Demon Music Group
WorldMags.net
PHOTOSHOT REX FEATURES ROGER NEWELL
Well, a few extra switches in the days when you tried to get
those in-between pickups sounds, but I think that was on the
one with the humbuckers. On one of my signature models, Ive
got a pull/push switch on the lower tone-control knob which
does something, although Im not sure what, as Ive never used
it! I think it engages the neck and bridge pickup together, and
I think thats why I had it done. Thats quite an interesting
sound, and Im pretty sure I used that on a couple of my early
album tracks, although it doesnt figure very highly on my
Richter Scale of pickup choices but youve just reminded me
Hank with The Scotsman Strat backstage at the Colston Hall, Bristol 2004
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
MONTER EY
M AGIC
Jimis era-defining Monterey Pop Festival Strat is at home in Seattle
but a return to London is on the cards
hen you think about Jimi Hendrix, its hard not

to imagine him playing the 1968 Olympic White
maple-board Strat he used in 1969 at the
Woodstock Festival. But its arguable that his performance
at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 was almost as epochal in
terms of his explosion onto the world stage and for that
electrifying show, he used a Black, rosewood board 1966
Strat, now on show at the Experience Music Project Museum
in Seattle, which boasts one of the worlds biggest exhibits of
Hendrix gear.
Although Seattle is, fittingly, home to the guitar for now, it is
owned by a British musician. Although he spoke to Guitarist on
condition of anonymity, he was happy to shed more light on

this iconic guitar. Monterey is generally regarded as the first
ever large-scale rock festival, the Strats current owner told
Guitarist. Hendrix was relatively unknown in America until
Monterey offered a platform for his combination of virtuoso
musicality and showmanship, which propelled his career to
nationwide fame across the United States the technical term
is, he smashed it!
This particular instruments importance to Jimis career and
the seminal Monterey performance starts back in London on
4 June 1967 at the Saville Theatre, where Hendrix played a live
cover of Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band just a few days
WorldMags.net
MONTEREY MAGIC
WorldMags.net
after its 1 June release. Paul McCartney was already a fan and in
the audience; suitably impressed, he recommended The Jimi
Hendrix Experience as the headline act to the organisers of the
Monterey Pop Festival.
Photos confirm the Monterey Strat is also the guitar Jimi
used for that Saville Theatre show, although sadly, no film
footage has surfaced. Shots taken during BBC sessions appear
to show Hendrix using the same guitar, and it was used soon
after Monterey at the Fillmore West and Golden Gate Park
shows in San Francisco.
For the last number of arguably his most important
performance [at Monterey], Hendrix chose to swap guitars,
and played Wild Thing on a less-treasured instrument which he
famously burned and smashed. Monterey and Woodstock are
certainly Hendrixs most important live performances, and this
appears to have been his favourite guitar during one of the most
dynamic stages of his all-too-brief career.
The guitars current owner acquired the instrument from
ex-Hendrix roadie James Tappy Wright at auction in London
in 2012, receiving notarised affidavits affirming the guitars
authenticity from both him and Bob Levine, Jimis US manager,
who had no personal stake in the sale.
Aside from documents supporting the guitars movements
and history, it has been closely examined by many specialists
including curators at the Experience Music Project and
Londons Handel House Museum, highly reputable
auctioneers and leading rock memorabilia experts on both
sides of the Atlantic, its owner told us. Also, before the
auction, a photography expert carefully compared still shots
taken from digitally enhanced film footage of the Monterey
COVER FEATURE
Being involved with a unique and

important item like this particular
guitar isnt something I take lightly.
Im merely looking aer it for the
next generation
concert against high-definition photos of the instrument, so
I could be sure it was the same guitar.
He adds that as you might expect, the wear on the guitar is
extensive, particularly on the reverse of the instrument, which
bears the scars of heavy use including belt buckling and has
worn right through to the wood in places.
The guitar is still strung for a left-handed player, but
theres no way of knowing whether the strings themselves
date to Hendrixs heyday. Being involved with a unique and
important item like this particular guitar isnt something
I take lightly, he adds. Im merely looking after it for the
next generation.
The guitar is currently exhibited at the Experience Music
Project in Seattle until the end of this year; after that, the
intention is to display it in Hendrixs old flat in London at the
Handel House Museum.
Guitarist would like to thank Experience Music Project
Museum in Seattle, USA for its assistance with this feature.
www.empmuseum.org
WorldMags.net
CONCLUSION
WorldMags.net
COVER FEATURE
LEOS
M A STER PIECE
60 years on, the worlds most imitated and iconic electric guitar still satisfies
the needs and fires the imaginations of players
WORDS
JAMIE DICKSON
udged solely on the sheer variety of music that has been

created with the Stratocaster in the past six decades, it
would qualify as a classic. But its appeal is deeper than
that arguably, its more sophisticated than the workmanlike
Telecaster, but also simpler in control layout and functionality
than the Jazzmaster that followed in 1958.
In other words, for many players, its the Goldilocks guitar of
Leo Fenders creations. Its blend of tonal versatility, playability
and looks turned out to be just right for thousands of players
since 1954.
In starting with a blank canvas, without decades of guitarmaking heritage behind him (or even personal knowledge of
how to play a guitar), Leo Fender turned those potential

handicaps into virtues by beginning with the question: what
do guitarists need? Leo put it to leading players of the mid-50s,
such as Western Swing guitarist Bill Carson, who suggested
ways in which the Tele could, in his view, be improved,
including a ribcage contour for comfort and extra pickups.
The value of a talented engineer asking that simple question
of players can be judged by the fact that the Strat is not simply
still with us, but has inspired so many other cool variations on
the solidbody, twin-cutaway guitar in the years that have
passed since 54. I hope youll join us in wishing the Strat many
happy (slight) returns on this, its anniversary year.
WorldMags.net
Buddy Holly And The Crickets

perform Oh, Boy! on the
Ed Sullivan Show in 1958
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
FENDER 60TH ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTERS 994-2,278

ELECTRICS
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
FENDER 60TH ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTERS 9942,278

ELECTRICS
WorldMags.net
Fender 60th Anniversary

Stratocasters 994-2,278
To celebrate the Stratocasters 60th birthday, Fender
brings us upgrades on three of its most popular and
important variants. So is there new life in the old dog yet?
WORDS Neville Marten PHOTOGRAPHY Joe Branston
What We Want
To Know
So whats this flashcoat finishing?

It refers to the very thin
final lacquer coat thats
said not only to impart
a natural, breathing
tone, but also to assist in
the instrument looking
more authentically
vintage-accurate.
Fat neck or thin neck
which ones for me?
Fatter necks seem to suit
players who like thumb
over the top styles, while
slim necks are seen as
being for thumb behind
the neck or three notes
per string playing.
Floating vibrato, or
vintage-style?
The vintage, six-point
vibrato is limited by the
fact that it lays directly on
the body. The floating
knife edge style vibrato
was developed to
eliminate this friction.
Both have their fans.
he mind boggles when

one realises that the
Stratocaster turns 60 this
year. We said the same on its
40th and 50th anniversaries,of
course, but this guitar really
could have come off the
drawing board six days, let
alone six decades, ago. Putting it
into context, that same year,
Dwight Eisenhower and
Winston Churchill were both
still in office.
At the bottom of our price
ladder comes the Mexicanmade 60th Anniversary Classic
Player 50s Strat; in the middle
sits the 60th Anniversary
American Standard
Commemorative Strat; and
topping out this birthday trio is
the 60th Anniversary American
Reissue 1954 Strat. Youll forgive
us for sticking to more
manageable abbreviations
throughout this review.
vibe, we loved the 9.5-inch

radius board, medium-jumbo
frets, American Vintage Strat
pickups and tuneful two-post
vibrato with stamped-steel
saddles. In fact, its hard to
know how Fender could
improve on such a winning
formula, but improvements
there are. These include an ash

body, vintage-style locking
tuners, gold anodised pickguard
and backplate, commemorative
neckplate and headstock
medallion, gold hardware and
gloss nitrocellulose finish.
That final detail should tell
tone hounds that this Classic
Player occupies a loftier space
than its already illustrious
predecessor. It comes in Desert
Sand finish that gives off an
ultra-cool surf aura, with its
gold anodised aluminium plate
and tinted plastic parts.
Mexican build quality rarely
disappoints. In fact, its
impossible to find a flaw of any
Classic Player 50s

Stratocaster
There was little wrong with the
Classic Player even before
Fender gave it the 60th
Anniversary treatment. With its
great build quality, value and
The Classic Players two-point vibrato reduces friction: but not with the purists
WorldMags.net

ELECTRICS
WorldMags.net
Rivals
Fret-Kings Korean-made
Corona JV (649) received
high praise when we reviewed
it in issue 374. With a two-piece
alder body, Wilkinson floating
vibrato, graphite nut and humcancelling dummy coil, its a lot
of guitar for the money and an
obvious rival for the Classic
Player 50s Strat. Further up
the price scale, G&Ls
stunningly built USA Legacy
(1,456) has direct links with
Leo Fender himself (Leo
formed the G&L company in
1980). With Leos own-design
Dual-Fulcrum vibrato system,
three CLF-100 alnico single
coils, a choice of ash or alder
body and maple or rosewood
fingerboard with Plek-finished
medium-jumbo frets, its a
serious contender in the pro
marketplace. And if you love
the vintage vibe but hanker for
something not so specific to
1954, Fenders own Custom
Shop Team Built Strats
(circa 2,199) offer the full vibe
with modern playing touches
such as 9.5-inch radius
fingerboards, medium-jumbo
frets and tone control on the
bridge pickup. They also come
in a variety of aged and not-soaged finishes
kind throughout this guitars

construction or finish.
In the hand, the Classic
Players gently V-shaped neck
is neither too thin nor too fat.
Strung with 0.010-gauge
strings, which actually feel
lighter, the action was perfect
for almost any style and one
could noodle on it all day.
American Standard
Commemorative
Stratocaster
Available for 2014 only, the
American Standard
Commemorative Strat is an
impressive-looking animal.
Dressed in classic two-tone
urethane burst over a twopiece side-jointed ash body, it
brims with special features.
Again boasting an anniversary
commemorative neckplate and
headstock medallion, here, the
heel is dressed away at its
corner for improved access.
Further aiding playability is a
compound-radius board
carrying the Standards usual 22
medium-jumbo frets. Other
high-end touches include gold
hardware, pearloid tuners and
pearloid dot markers.
The American Standard
usually features Fat 50s pickups,
but here, Fender graces it with a
trio of special-design 1954
single coils. They sit in a
parchment pickguard with
Available for 2014 only, the American

Standard Commemorative Strat
is an impressive-looking animal
that brims with special features
similar-coloured knobs and

switch and the Standards usual
control set-up; these include the
No-Load tone that acts on
bridge and middle pickups.
From zero to nine, it works
normally, but turn it full up and
its bypassed for increased
output and overall tonal
response. For our video demo,
we kept it fully clockwise to take
advantage of that extra zing.
The Standards neck is a slim,
slinky affair thats a little wider
than its two siblings, and with
its compound-radius
fingerboard, feels even slicker.
The satin finish is drag-free, and
the fat frets and low action beg
for speedy licks and big bends.
Fender fits it with 0.009-gauge
strings that feel rather floppy
we appreciate the guitar is
perhaps aimed at younger
players, but surely a pro
instrument should come with
0.010s? That aside, its classy

and modern, and we can think
of few Strats less standard.
American Vintage
1954 Stratocaster
And heres where it all started!
Although looking like any other
Two-Colour Sunburst, maplenecked Strat, the 1954 differs in
certain respects. The headstock
edges are rounder, as are the
pickup edges; the polystyrene
knobs and selector-switch tip
The Commemorative Strat has a rounded-off heel, and birthday bling
WorldMags.net

ELECTRICS
WorldMags.net
are slightly stockier than on

later versions, too. Early Strats
in general had deeper body
contours; Fender is spot-on
with the 54, and it instantly
feels right. It looks great in
flash-coated nitro lacquer, too
(see What We Want To Know).
The body is two-piece, sidejointed ash, but so expertly have
the pieces been joined that it
took us minutes to locate the
faintest line running under the
jack socket.
Pickups are newly designed

1954s, and Fender says they sing
with the tone of the originals.
These would have been mated
to a master volume, two tones
and a three-way switch;
however, the more usable
five-way is fitted and the former
is supplied, should your vintage
sensibilities win out.
Although possessing the
fattest neck of the three, its also
incredibly comfortable, filling
the palm and seeming effortless
The 54 cries out to be used and

abused, gain dings and become a
patina-laden musical instrument
to play. In hindsight, Fender got
it right with the 7.25-inch
radius, as playing barre chords
doesnt tire the hands, and
pushing string bends up the
hill makes real sense. Limited
to a run of 1,954 units, the
American Vintage 1954 looks

set to become a collectors item.
And thats a shame, because it
cries out to be used and abused,
gain dings and dents and
become a patina-laden musical
instrument not a pristine
museum piece!
Sounds
You can hear the three guitars
demod in our videos. Each
went through our house AC15
with the same settings and no
outboard trickery, so any
differences you hear belong to
the guitars themselves.
Generally speaking, the
Classic Player was darkest; its
tones were fattest and most
rounded. It accepted overdrive
beautifully, and thickened
further as a result. Theres no
need to change these pickups:
so no pimping costs further
down the line!
The middle-priced guitar was
the brightest. And although we
kept the No-Load tone control
The 60th Anniversary American Vintage Stratocaster has chrome hardware and vibrato/bridge cover all is as it should be
WorldMags.net

ELECTRICS
WorldMags.net
bypassed, this was still evident

on the neck pickup, which is not
affected by that pot. The light
strings could be something to
do with it, but whatever the
reason, we liked this brightness
as it stacked up beautifully in
our track. Its the most versatile
of the three, no question.
Sitting sonically in the middle
of our trio is the American
Vintage 54. If you know what a
great Strat sounds like, then
picture it in your mind, and this
is it. Better still, check it out on
the video demo.
Verdict
So, three Strats, three price
points and three very different
guitars. Were often asked:
Arent they all the same? and
this trio gives the answer better
than the most eloquent writer
ever could. Fender has put
thought into the balance of
features, materials, hardware
and electrics and come up with
three superb guitars to float the
boats of very different players.
Priced and styled to capture
hearts, the Classic Player is a
peach. It looks wonderful, its
vintage-meets-modern neck
wont offend a soul, and its big,
fat tones make it the bluesrockers new best friend.
The American Standard
Commemorative is the Strat
fully formed for today: sonically,
its the most versatile, and its
neck, frets, dressed-away heel
and compound-radius board
mark it out as the modernplayers guitar.
And so to the 54! What better
accolade to Leo and Freddies
design that the present
company can remake it as
closely as this, and still it sets
pulses racing and fingers flying?
It marked the art of the
maverick genius back in 1954,
and it marks the art of musical
instrument production
engineering today albeit laced
with real heart and soul.
60 years on, Fender should be
congratulated for not only
upholding the legacy of the
worlds most recognisable
electric, but also for continuing
to push the boundaries of
quality and choice with these
terrific guitars.
Fender 60th
Anniversary Classic
Player 50s Strat
PRICE: 994 (including tweed plushlined case)
ORIGIN: Mexico
solidbody electric
BODY: Ash
NECK: Tinted maple, with
6-a-side headstock
NUT/WIDTH: Synthetic bone/
42mm (1.650)
FINGERBOARD: Integral maple with
241mm (9.5)
HARDWARE: Gold anodised
aluminium pickguard and back plate;
commemorative neck plate and
headstock medallion, 2-point vibrato
with stamped-steel saddles,
vintage-style locking tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE:
53mm/2.08
ELECTRICS: 3x Fender American
Vintage single coils with volume and
two tones (tone works on bridge
pickup), 5-way switch
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 3.63/8
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: See 60th
Anniversary American Vintage Strat
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Desert Sand
(as reviewed)
Fender GBI
O1342 331700
www.fender.com
Fender 60th
Anniversary
American Standard
Commemorative Strat
Fender 60th
Anniversary
American
Vintage Strat
PRICE: 1,498 (including tweed 60th

Anniversary plush-lined case)
ORIGIN: USA
solidbody electric
BODY: 2-piece side-jointed ash
NECK: Maple, with 6-a-side headstock
NUT/WIDTH: Synthetic
bone/42.8mm (1.685)
compound-radius 241mm (9.5) to
355.6mm (14)
HARDWARE: Gold. Commemorative
neck plate and headstock medallion,
2-point synchronised vibrato
with bent-steel saddles, pearloid
button tuners
53mm/2.08
ELECTRICS: 3x Fender special design
1954 single coils with volume and
two tones (second No-Load tone pot
works on bridge and middle pickups;
full up bypasses tone control), 5-way
selector switch
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: See 60th
Anniversary American Vintage Strat
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: 2-Colour Sunburst
(as reviewed)
PRICE: 2,278 (including tweed 60th

Anniversary plush lined case)
ORIGIN: USA
solidbody electric
BODY: 2-piece side jointed ash
NECK: Maple, with 6-a-side
1954-style headstock
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/41.3mm (1.625)
184.1mm (7.25) radius
FRETS: 21, vintage narrow
HARDWARE: Nickel chrome vintage
vibrato with bent-steel Patent
Pending saddles, vintage-style tuners
53mm/2.08
ELECTRICS: 3x Fender special design
1954 single coils with volume and two
tones (tone works on bridge pickup),
5-way switch
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: There are six
guitars in the 60th Anniversary range.
As well as those reviewed, theres the
Squier 60th Anniversary Classic Vibe
50s Strat (478), the American Deluxe
Stratocaster Plus HSS (1,774) and
the Deluxe Stratocaster HSS Plus Top
with iOS Connectivity (814)
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: 2-Colour Sunburst
(as reviewed)
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Guitarist says: Almost

impossible to criticise, the 60th
Anniversary Classic Player 50s is
a stunning Strat for the money
Guitarist says: The modern

Strat for the modern player
the culmination of the breed, if
you like
Guitarist says: This is where it all

began there wasnt much
wrong with it then, plus its even
better-built now
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
TAYLOR 814CE 3,023

ACOUSTICS
WorldMags.net
A Classic
Redened
Celebrating 40 years of guitar making this year, Taylor
has taken its original 800 series, redesigned it and
added a new pickup system. All change? You bet
WORDS Dave Burrluck & Mick Taylor
PHOTOGRAPHY Joby Sessions
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
TAYLOR 814CE 3,023

ACOUSTICS
TAYLOR 814CE 3,023

ACOUSTICS
WorldMags.net
Taylor 814ce
What We Want
To Know
Redesign? The 814ce

looks the same
Well, the actual outline of
the Grand Auditorium
shape, introduced by
Taylor during its 20th
anniversary (1994), is
about all that remains the
same compared to, say,
a 2013-spec 814ce.
So the new models
about more than
cosmetic changes?
This is a fundamental
re-evaluation of the entire
800 series the firstever Taylor-brand guitars
from 1974. The voicing
has changed and to
achieve that, bracing, top
and back thickness, the
glue, finish thickness, the
pickup and even the
strings are all new.
Whos it aimed at?
So long as you have the
necessary funds, pretty
much any acoustic player.
The Grand Auditorium
814ce is a real all-rounder.
rom the very early days of

Taylor, innovation has
been key to the brand.
From the use of modern
computer-driven machinery
Taylors first CNC router was
recommended by Tom
Anderson through to UV
finishing and, not least, the NT
neck joint, which allows a level
of consistency and repair,
should it be needed, that
remains quite unique. Of course,
this modernism isnt always
welcome in the often rearwardlooking guitar world, where
old is best is a maxim many
players adhere to.
And thats where Andy
Powers comes into the story,
employed by Taylor a couple of
years back to add his
considerable luthiery and
playing skills to take Taylor
forwards. As Bob Taylor has
said, he was looking for the
impossible when he recruited
Powers: A guy who could really
design guitars; who had over 20
years of experience; who was a
professional player; who came
from San Diego and, the real
kicker, who was under 30!
Powers is highly versed in the
guitars of yesteryear, and as
weve already seen with the
2012 refresh of the 700 series,
hes adding a vintage sensibility,

not for the sake of it, but to
enhance the musicality of the
guitars. For 2014, the original
Taylor range the 800 series
receives his considerable input.
814ce
There are a raft of cosmetic
changes to this years 800 series.
The headstock facing moves
from rosewood to jet-black
ebony, and is gloss-finished.

The binding around the head,
fingerboard and body edges is
still maple but, by design,
plainer and unfigured.
Conversely, the ebony
fingerboard, is noticeably
streaked, smoky in Taylorspeak, and features new
Element inlays less fancy
than the diamond-like inlays
of the previous spec. The
soundhole rosette still has an
abalone centre but is edged
inside and out with rosewood,
while the actual soundhole gets
a maple-bound edge; the edge
purfling, too, adds a rosewood
The 800 Series back bracing is slanted on the GA and GC models to aid midrange
WorldMags.net
TAYLOR 814CE 3,023

ACOUSTICS
WorldMags.net
Taylors new ES 2 piezo system has three adjustable sensors behind the saddle
line with a thinner black/white

stripe. Most noticeably, the
pickguard is a diagonally
streaked thin piece of rosewood,
not tortie-like plastic.
As Andy Powers explains, he
aimed to specifically voice each
body style to maximise its
potential. The top thickness and
bracing was re-evaluated and
the easily visible offset
diagonal back bracing is all part
of freeing up the back. Another
change is the addition of vertical
side struts, presumably to
reinforce the side and prevent
impact splits. Overall, theres a
noticeable effect on the weight
of the guitar some 300g lighter

than our 2012 714ce, and 200g
lighter than a 2013, smallerbodied 812ce. Finally, the hardly
thick UV-cured polyester finish
has been halved here to
approximately 3.5 thousandths
of an inch about the thickness
of a piece of copy paper or just
over a third of the thickness of
your 0.009 first string. Our
review sample is mirror flat, too
a superb job.
If that wasnt not enough,
Taylors Expression System
(ES) has received a complete
redesign moving away from
the soundboard and neck-
The new 814ce is 300g lighter than

our 2012 714ce, and 200g lighter
than a 2013, smaller-bodied 812ce
These m-o-p element inlays are subtler than the previous 800 Series design
East Indian rosewood remains the back-and-sides material for the 800 Series
placed magnetic sensors of the

original design back to piezos.
But, as Taylors David Hosler
explains, the sensors are placed
behind the Micarta saddle, not
underneath it. If you look
closely behind the saddle, there
are three mini-Allen key screws
that actually allow you to push
the three piezo sensors onto the
saddle and tune the sound.
Wed advise extreme caution; if
you have a problem, ask Taylor
to sort it. Interestingly, should
the pickup go down, it can be
replaced without even
slackening the strings.
Aside from those three microindicators of the ES 2, Taylor
has retained pretty much the
same preamp, with its centrenotched volume, treble and bass
rotary controls on the upper
shoulder; likewise, the same
base strap pin/jack socket
output, and tray for the single
9V block battery. The internal
preamp circuit board still has its
red LED indicator and a small
slide switch, which, on the ES 1,
turned off the body sensor for a
different tonality and feedback
rejection at higher levels.
Here, as on the piezo
undersaddle ES-N system, for
example, it acts as a phase
switch again, a good source of
WorldMags.net
Dont Forget
Your String
ALONG with everything else,
Taylor has even looked at
strings as part of the 800
Series redesign, developing a
custom phosphor bronze set
(standard fitment was
previously 80/20 bronze) with
new gauges 0.013, 0.017, 0.025,
0.032, 0.042, 0.053 halfway
between a traditional light and
medium set. Weve always
found a 0.012 and 0.016 can
sound a bit thin on the top two
strings of our Taylor guitars,
whereas a whole set of
medium-gauge strings
(0.013 to 0.056) can feel a bit
heavy. Also, 80/20 bronze
strings tend to sound zingy
out of the packet both
DAddario and Elixir class these
as their brightest acoustic
strings so our personal
preference is for phosphor
bronze. So, the new Elixir
Nanoweb HD Light phosphor
bronze set addresses all those
issues pretty squarely, though
the same-gauge set is also
available in 80/20 bronze it
you want to maximise that
zing. Its up to you!
TAYLOR 814CE 3,023

ACOUSTICS
WorldMags.net
feedback rejection, if not all

that accessible.
Feel & Sounds

The quoted 44.45mm (1.75inch) nut width provides ample
space for all but the most diehard fingerstyle players;
likewise, Taylors 56mm saddle
spacing is very airy. String
height and action are relatively
low, and the feel is enhanced by
a neck profile with reasonable
depth (21.8mm at the first fret),
but not too much shoulder.
Part of the reason why the

Grand Auditorium (GA) body
style is so popular is because its
an all-rounder. Yes, Taylors have
a family resemblance soundwise: brighter or more hi-fisounding that an equivalent
Martin, or conversely, less
muddy with more clarity. But
the interesting thing here is that
the redesign seems to have
subtly changed that character
certainly when compared to our
714ce and 2013 812ce both
spruce/rosewood guitars.
Volume-wise, the 814ce has more to

give: its also more intimate and even
more versatile than its predecessor
Primarily, it concerns the
midrange, which sounds bolder
and less scooped. Not least
with the new-gauge strings
(see p101), theres also a little
more thickness to the highs, and
the guitar feels like its got more
to give, volume-wise. But the
Elec-trickery
For the new ES 2 pickup system, Taylors David Hosler
returned to piezo but in a radically new way
BASICALLY, we had abandoned piezo crystals
a long time ago, because we just really couldnt
get the results from them, muses David Hosler,
referring to the path that he and Taylor took with
the now-called ES 1, introduced in 2003, which
used magnetic sensors to capture acoustic
sound. But via laser images specifically aimed
at uncovering exactly how the saddle moved,
Hosler and his team began what was to become
a reevaluation of the humble piezo pickup.
It was quite a startling discovery you made
Our theory was that when you pluck a string, we
know that the energy travels along the string and
that the saddle has a lot of forwards energy. But
the laser images proved that up and down,
absolutely nothing is happening. So, when you
put a pickup under the saddle, the reason its
working is because the material is compressed;
the saddle is not moving, its not bouncing; these
images showed us that you couldnt even tell that
it was working hardly at all. However, when we
looked at this motion forwards and back it
looks like a whole football stadium of people
waving at you. Its incredible.
The ES 2 pickup has three adjustable arms,
each with a piezo sensor on the front. We wanted
to capture the energy that was going in this
direction forwards/backwards and that goes
into to the guitar, and the guitar throws the same
energy back. So even if Im not plucking the
strings, just talking at it, the saddle still moves.
Secondly, the crystals sound the way they do
because in the location theyre typically at (ie
under the saddle) they are pre-compressed, and
they cant re-expand. Piezo material is very
sponge-like. Theres like 27kg (60lbs) of down
pressure from the strings pushing at that
approximating 3.6 to 4.5kg (8 to 10lbs) per
string. So these crystals are being crushed, and

they cant re-expand. Theres no motion in that
up/down direction anyway, so that quack we
hear is nothing more than a crystal that is overstressed, in a position that has no movement.
So, what youre saying is that theres a
fundamental misunderstanding about the
way weve previously used the piezo pickup?
Im saying that weve been doing it wrong.
Because of where weve placed the sensors
[behind the saddle] we can adjust them, via three
small screws: we can move each of the three
elements forward to barely touch the saddle or
back it off. And by barely touching the saddle,
theres almost no pressure on the piezo crystals.
So now all the piezo sound is gone, the sound of
the string is going into the pickup, the sound of
the guitar is coming back into the pickup. Its an
approach that works!
David Hoslers ES 2 system is

a new approach to the piezo
WorldMags.net
new guitar also feels a little

more intimate, responding just
as well as that old-spec 812ce
when played quietly, fingerstyle. The GA always has plenty
of bass, helping it ape a classic
dreadnought, but also meaning
fingerpicked basslines sound
strong. We relaxed the truss rod
a little to just give dropped
tunings a little more air and
actually, in standard tuning, the
resulting subtly higher string
height in the main area of the
board induced a little more
fight than the often almost
slinky, electric-like playability of
a Taylor. The point being, the
814ce is even more versatile
than its predecessor.
Plugged in, the first thing
youll notice over the ES 1 is a
much stronger output, even
Rivals
Martin admits its GPCPA1
Plus was inspired by Taylors
Grand Auditorium design and
even called it the Grand
Performance shape. The top
tier of the series features
Indian rosewood back and
sides, Sitka spruce top with
gloss body and a satin neck.
It has a Fishman undersaddle
system onboard, with highspec F1 Aura+ preamp.
Takamines NEX-shaped
P7NC (2,098) is a wellfeatured spruce/rosewood
electro cutaway with gloss
finish and much more
onboard control than either
Taylor or Martin, with its Cool
Tube preamp with three-band
EQ and onboard tuner. Like
Taylor, Yamaha has
completely redesigned its
popular non-cutaway L Series
acoustic range with new
voicing, neck profile, AREtreated spruce tops and
passive pickup. The all-solid
spruce/rosewood LL16 ARE
is expected to retail at 804
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
TAYLOR 814CE 3,023

ACOUSTICS
WorldMags.net
Andy Powers is Taylor

Guitars master luthier
Taylors New
Generation
We grill Taylors Andy Powers over the genesis
of the new 800 Series guitars
So what was the start point?

Bob said,The 800 was the first guitar
I designed as a model for Taylor, and has
become the quintessential modern
acoustic guitar: its been my baby for the
past 40 years. I want you to make it your
guitar, and make them better than theyve
ever been. That was the impetus.
Is there a fundamental change to the
design, or a raft of small improvements?
I look at it as a fundamental departure
weve just walked through a door into a new
generation of instruments. It also marks the
departure from a sort of one size fits all
mindset, because I dont look at
instruments that way: I like to look at each
one as an individual, and optimise it. To me,
a grand concert (GC) guitar is not the same
as a dreadnought (D) guitar. They can both
be wonderful, but theyre not the same. I
want the same qualities out of both of them,
but its going to come out in a different way.
Like different members of a family.
I evaluated every one individually, starting

with the grand auditorium (GA). I wanted
more sustain, a more bold response, more
volume, bigger carrying power: more
projection, and a more balanced response
over its whole register. In some cases, it was
about refinements, in others, a distinct,
major change, like the back bracing on the
GA and GC. Theyre now slanted, its not a
straight ladder bracing anymore.
Whats the reason for this?
Because it changed the way the back
moves in relation to the top. I changed the
top bracing and optimised that for each
model individually, then I looked at the back
bracing and then the thickness of the wood:
the top and the back.
Are you moving Taylor backwards a little

to come forwards?
In some ways Having the experience that
I have, I like to look at the entire history of
instruments and take out what I feel are
valuable insights and valuable practices
from every era. One of Bobs great gifts to
the guitar world is the NT neck: thats a
neck that can be consistently made to play
well. Using that as a starting platform, I can
say I want to, for example, reintroduce the
world of hide or protein glue because I can
make a better-sounding guitar using that.
Thats technology that went out of fashion a
100 years ago, but still the chemistry and
technology is sound, and it works very well.
One of the most challenging things was the
new finish
Its a thinner version of what was already
a pretty thin finish
It was 6 mils [six thousandths of an inch]
about the same thickness as most average
finishes. At the end of the day, the thinnest
we could possibly go with it, on average,
was 3.5 mils. But, great, we got the finish
just about half as thick as it used to be.
But now, what I end up with is another
ingredient in the recipe for a better guitar.
All of these things combine into making a
more musical instrument.
Bob said, The 800 has been my baby for the

past 40 years. I want you to make it your guitar,
and make them better than theyve ever been
WorldMags.net
TAYLOR 814CE 3,023

ACOUSTICS
WorldMags.net
when using a balanced TRS

cable on the previous system, as
recommended: no need for one
of those here. The next thing
that strikes us is a bolder lower
midrange: a thicker sound, less
polite than the lower-position
sound of the ES 1. Moving up
the fingerboard, the sound
were hearing from the amp
sounds more like the guitar,
whereas the ES 1 gets
progressively more magneticsounding. It does have more
piezo character, but without the
quack, the lack of which is
especially noticeable on
percussive, hard-picked parts.
At volume, its certainly lively,
with plenty of body noise and
unlike the ES 1, you cant turn
off the body sensor there isnt
one. Plugging into an LR Baggs
Venue DI gives us the chance to,
ahem, tailor the sound a little
before it hits the PA and here,
some subtle thinning of the

midrange has good effect,
likewise pulling down the
presence. Compared directly to
a Fishman system on a Martin
dreadnought, although the
character of sound is quite
different, theres a more natural
low end without that quack
the Taylor definitely seems to
deal with percussive pick attack
better right across the guitars
range, from high-to-low,
making it sound more naturally
acoustic-like.
Verdict
Theres a lot to evaluate here
with the new 814ce: a sea of
subtleties, perhaps, that results
in really quite a different voice
for Taylors definitive modern
cutaway electro-acoustic. The
improvements to the acoustic
sound of the guitar, to our ears,
broaden its versatility
Many subtle changes have resulted

in quite a dierent voice for Taylors
denitive modern cutaway electro
especially for fingerstyle. It

doesnt compromise Taylors
renowned clear voice, but does
seem to bolster the midrange
and thicken up the highs a
little. All good.
The ES 2 might seem a
radical departure from
contemporary piezo pickup
design, yet our tests illustrate
the differences over the ES 1:
its more conventional, and as a
consequence is therefore
user-friendly, both for the
musician and soundman,
especially if youre using otherbrand guitars on your gig. And
while the more magnetic
upper-position character of the
ES 1 certainly has its fans, here,
the sound is more acousticaccurate. The livelier, lighter
build could potentially cause
some problems at higher
volumes on stage, but thats
something well hopefully be
evaluating when we secure one
for a Longterm Test. In the
meantime, we can only
conclude that one of the finest
modern electro acoustic guitars
has just got better.
Taylor 814ce
PRICE: 3,023 (inc case)
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: 14-fret grand auditorium-size
cutaway electro acoustic
TOP: Solid Sitka spruce
BACK/SIDES: Solid East
Indian rosewood
MAX RIM DEPTH: 114.5mm tapering
to 96.4mm
MAX BODY WIDTH: 406.4mm (16)
NECK: Tropical mahogany
TUNERS: Individual Taylor-logod
enclosed, nickel-plated
NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech
Tusq/44.8mm
FINGERBOARD: Maple-bound
ebony, pearl Element inlays, 381mm
(15) radius
FRETS: 20, medium
BRIDGE/SPACING: Ebony with
compensated Micarta saddle/56mm
ELECTRICS: Taylor Expression
System (ES 2) with volume, treble
and bass rotary controls
OPTIONS: Special order only
RANGE OPTIONS: All other 14-fret
800 series guitars GS, D and GO
with cutaway and ES 2 are same price
as the reviewed 814ce. Non-cutaway
electros cost 2,821; purely acoustic,
2,519. The 12-fret GC electro
cutaway costs 3,174; non-cut electro
is 2,972 and acoustic only at 2,670
LEFT-HANDERS: Yes, same price
FINISH: Natural UV-cure polyester,
gloss (body), satin (neck)
Taylor Guitars
+31 (0) 206 676030
www.taylor.com
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
The rosewood pickguard is a lovely visual touch. The grain runs this way to help disguise pick marks, according to Taylor
WorldMags.net
Guitarist says: A re-evaluation

of the guitar that made Taylors
name, with a redesigned electro
system. A new benchmark?
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Subscribehere
RY!
HUR
r ends
O f fe
6 May
2014
Great reasons
to subscribe
saovneey
m
Save 25% off

the cover price
Start subscribing for just

55.99 every 12 months!
frgeifte
Get a FREE
Marshall MS-4
Mini Amp
Ordering is easy
ery
ferle
ive
er Q
nev
ss it!
mi
FREE delivery
direct to your door
Never miss an
issue again!
Order online
www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/GUIP2J
Call our hotline

0844 848 2852 (quoting code GUIP2J)
Lines are open 8am-9.30pm weekdays and 8am-4pm Saturdays
For overseas orders (excluding North

America) please go online at
www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
For North American orders, turn to p146
ORDER CODE: GUIP2J
HURRY! Offer ends: 6 May 2014
Terms and Conditions: Full details of the Direct Debit guarantee will be provided and are available upon request. This offer is for new UK subscribers paying by Direct Debit only. You will receive 13 issues per year. Your subscription will start with
the next available issue. If at any time you are dissatisfied in any way please notify us in writing and we will refund you for all unmailed issues. Please allow 35 days for delivery of your gift. Gifts are subject to availability. In the unlikely event your
selected gift is unavailable; we reserve the right to send an alternative gift of similar value.
WorldMags.net
Subscribehere
WorldMags.net
scribe
now!
Get a FREE
Marshall MS-4
Mini Amp
worth 37!
The MS-4 is the ultimate in portable mini
amps packing full Marshall tone into a
tiny case measuring just 25cm tall, this
mini full stack features switchable
Clean and Overdrive modes, a tone
control for focusing the bass and treble,
and an additional (in comparison to its

smaller sister, the MS-2) gain control.
Add in a headphone output to rock in
private, which you can also use to drive
an external power amp, and the MS-4 is
a mighty mini amp that you must have.
Special magazine subscription oer
SAVE25%
When you subscribe to
today
Take advantage of this special subscription offer and look forward to receiving every issue of Guitarist delivered free to your
door often days before its available in the shops for a massive 25% less than the cover price! Subscribe today and you
will get all 13 issues of Guitarist each year, for just 55.99 every 12 months just 4.30 an issue!
Order online now!

www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/GUIP2J
WorldMags.net
BOSS ME-80 269

EFFECTS
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
BOSS ME-80 269
The Rivals
The latest in a distinguished and evolving line of Boss

multi-effects pedals offers versatility in effects switching
WORDS Trevor Curwen PHOTOGRAPHY Joe Branston
What We Want
To Know
Arent Boss multieffects units usually

prefixed with GT?
The GT-100 is the current
Boss flagship processor;
the ME series is cheaper,
and the ME-80 replaces
the ME-70.
So is it a complete
pedalboard in one unit?
You can have eight
switchable effects: two
assignable effects,
distortion, modulation,
reverb, delay, a pedal
effect, and a preamp.
Is that better than
buying stompboxes?
Well, it certainly gives
you more options and
programmability, but
better? Thats up to you
his latest Boss multieffects made its debut at

Winter NAMM 2014, and
is a more tactile unit than the
menu-driven GT-100, with
effects selections and parameter
adjustments made using a huge
array of front-panel knobs.
Battery or adaptor-powered, it
features a set of ingeniously
designed footswitches that can
be used in two ways: either to
switch a collection of individual
effects pedals, or for instant
recall of complex patches
featuring multiple effects.
The patches are constructed
from up to eight simultaneous
effects, including, if you want
them, COSM amp sims. The
actual range of onboard effects
is really wide, featuring all of the
standard stuff you would
expect, plus some new things
such as Bosss Tera Echo,
which incorporates Multi
Dimensional Processing (MDP)
technology to create a range of
BOSS ME-80 269

EFFECTS
ambiences. The ME-80 also has

tap tempo, tuner, a phrase-loop
function with 38 seconds of
recording, and a built-in USB
audio interface for recording to
a DAW that includes the
possibility of recording a dry
sound while listening to the
ME-80s effects, and then
re-amping it later.
Having discontinued its more

affordable HD300, HD400 and
HD500 multi-effects units,
Line 6 has the POD HD500X
(429) and if you have the
budget for that, you may
consider the Boss GT-100
(379) as an alternative to the
ME-80. DigiTechs RP1000
(359) offers 200 memories
and a Pedalboard Mode to use
five footswitches to turn
stompboxes and effects on
and off. Theres also the
smaller RP500 (249).
Zooms G5 (259) sports 297
onboard patches featuring up
to nine effects with instant
switching for four of them,
plus a switchable valve boost
You name it, the ME-80 has it including new additions to Bosss stompbox line
WorldMags.net
BOSS ME-80 269

EFFECTS
WorldMags.net
Boss ME-80
The wealth of knobs gives you plenty of control over your effects
The ME-80 is versatile, practical, and

just the thing for anyone wanting a
whole eects solution in one go
Sounds
There is really nothing
complicated about the ME-80,
but dont let that fool you its
packed with excellent sounds,
and its impressive array of
rotary switches and knobs make
it easy to assign effects and
tweak parameters. However, if
you prefer, you can connect it to
a computer to access the Boss
Tone Studio application, which
provides a graphical interface
for tweaking and archiving the
ME-80s effects. An internet
connection will let you access
Boss Tone Central for direct
access to free patches created by
professional guitarists.
PRICE: 269
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: Floor-based multieffects pedal
PREAMP MODELS: AC, Tweed,
Clean, Crunch, Combo, Lead, Drive,
Stack, Metal
EFFECTS: Comp/FX1 (11), overdrive/
distortion (11), modulation (11), delay
(11), EQ/FX2 (6), reverb (spring,
room, hall), pedal FX (10)
PRESETS: 36 user; 36 preset
OTHER FEATURES: Tuner, phrase
looper, tap tempo
CONNECTIONS: Standard jack
guitar input, mini-jack aux input,
mini-jack stereo headphone/
recording output, standard jack
outputs (L/mono & R), USB (type B)
POWER: 6x AA or LR6/R6 batteries
or AC adaptor
DIMENSIONS: 447 (w) x 231 (d) x
70mm (h)
OPTION: AC adaptor: PSA series
RANGE OPTIONS: GT-100 (379),
ME-25 (159), ME-50B (265),
ME-20B (189)
Roland UK
01792 702701
www.roland.co.uk
wah-wah and Whammy-like

octave shifts, or you can use it
to control selected effects
parameters for some expressive
real-time sound shaping.
Verdict
Theres complete flexibility in
how you use the ME-80
onstage. In manual mode, you
have footswitches to access
individual effects, but you can
switch between that and
memory mode with the eighth
footswitch. Doing so will
reconfigure the footswitches so
you have four for the presets in a
particular bank, while the
others select the bank and a
control function, which is
assignable in each patch for
toggling grouped effects on/off,
or for real-time adjustment of a
specified parameter. The pedal
treadle can be used for foot
volume and pedal effects like
With eight footswitches rather

than four, the ME-80 is a
massive step up from its
predecessor in the Boss range,
the ME-70, and is effectively a
complete and comprehensively
equipped pedalboard. There are
some really nice-sounding
effects on offer here, and theyre
all wrapped up in an easily
operated and relatively compact
unit. Versatile and extremely
practical, the ME-80 may be
just the thing for anyone who
wants to put together a whole
effects solution in one go: and
with street prices at around
229, youll be getting superb
value for money.
WorldMags.net
Build quality
Features
Sound
Value for money
Guitarist says: An affordable

do-it-all effects solution for
onstage use and recording
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
RED WITCH PEDALS 99-249

PEDAL ROUND-UP
WorldMags.net
Red Witch Pedals

99-249
Ding-Dong! The Witch is Red. Heres an

effects sextet from the South Pacific
WORDS Trevor Curwen PHOTOGRAPHY Neil Godwin
ed Witchs analogue pedals, designed

by Ben Fulton and made in New
Zealand, count rock aristocracy such as
The Police, U2, Guns N Roses, The Black
Crowes and many more among their users.
Until recently, the company had just two
basic ranges. Theres the Premium range,
consisting of eight larger pedals, and the Seven
Sisters, a series of tiny pedals, all with female
names and featuring rechargeable battery
power. The new Original Chrome range
recently saw its first pedal introduced.
Red Witch
Seven
Sisters Grace
PRICE: 99
ORIGIN: New Zealand
TYPE: Compressor pedal
FEATURES: True bypass
CONTROLS: Volume,
compression
CONNECTIONS: Standard
input, standard output
POWER: 9V rechargeable
internal Lithium ion battery
or 9V DC adaptor
DIMENSIONS: 45 (w) x 85
(d) x 55mm (h)
Sounds Great Music
0161 436 4799
redwitchpedals.com
hen the Seven Sisters range

arrived they offered the
worlds smallest pedalboard
footprint, an honour now belonging to
the budget Hotone pedals. Of course,
shoehorning circuitry and a battery into
a small enclosure isnt easy, and while the
Hotones run from a 9V adaptor only, the
Seven Sisters can operate from a
rechargeable lithium battery as well as a
9V adaptor. The Grace offers 120 hours
of constant use from a four-hour charge.
Finished in a shade that complements
any Seafoam Green Fender, its a simple
two-knob design, with one to turn up the
compression and one for the volume. Its
sonic range isnt dissimilar to an MXR
Dyna Comp: from a clean boost, through
a tightening and thickening of your
sound, to more obvious compression
with a snap to the front end of the notes.
Red Witch
Empress
Chorus
PRICE: 189
ORIGIN: New Zealand
TYPE: Chorus and
vibrato pedal
CONTROLS: Mix, depth,
voice, velocity, vibe/chorus
switch, bright switch
input, 2x standard output
POWER: 9V battery or 9V
DC adaptor
(d) x 60mm (h)
Verdict
Amazing Grace? Well, we wouldnt go
that far, but shes a decent-sounding,
value-for-money compressor that will
slot neatly into any board.
nlike most chorus pedals, the

Empress has a (voice) knob to
adjust the delay time, allowing,
says Red Witch, an infinite number of
analogue chorus pedals in one box.
Modulation depth and speed (velocity
knob) are adjustable, as is the wet/dry
blend via the mix control. You can
choose between vibrato and chorus
modes, with the former yielding vintage
vibe sounds, plus a neat line in rotary
speakers, but its the chorus thats
special sparkly, spacious and varied.
Early Boss units are the benchmarks
here, and next to vintage CE-1 and CE-2
units the Empress lacks some of their
warmth, with more of a modern treble
content, but is able to replicate the range
of chorus available and then some.
Its especially good when hooked up in
stereo like micing a JC-120s speakers
separately and panning them. No
wonder Andy Summers uses one.
Verdict
Great sound and versatility make this
one of the best chorus pedals around.
Guitarist says: The cutest compressor

around, and it sounds good, too
Guitarist says: A full chorus line

compacted into one box
WorldMags.net

PEDAL ROUND-UP
WorldMags.net
Red Witch
Seven
Sisters Ruby
PRICE: 99
ORIGIN: New Zealand
TYPE: Fuzz pedal
CONTROLS: Volume, fuzz
internal lithium ion battery
or 9V DC adaptor
(d) x 55mm (h)
nother of the Seven Sisters, the

Ruby offers a functional twoknob fuzz, and 300 hours of use
from a single charge. Volume and fuzz
knobs dial in the sound, which is voiced
somewhat like the Fuzz God II (see
p118) with its sputter knob fixed at
around 2 oclock. Rubys not a polite
lady; what she gives you is raucous,
spitty fuzz with an attitude. We like it.
So what of the lithium battery?
Considering that most of us run our
pedals off a power supply rather than
batteries these days, and you do need an
adaptor to charge it anyway, perhaps its
not that relevant, except in two ways:
one (good) is that it will still work if your
power supply goes down onstage; and
the other (er, not so good) being that
lithium batteries need replacing every
couple of years.
Red Witch
Synthotron
PRICE: 249
ORIGIN: New Zealand
TYPE: Synth/filter pedal
CONTROLS: Octave toggle
switch (ch1, ch2), level
(ch1, ch2), decay (ch1, ch2),
trem toggle switch, velocity,
dry, sample/hold toggle,
range, velocity
POWER: 9V regulated DC
PSU (supplied)
(d) x 60mm (h)
he Synthotron has two different

functions that can be used
independently or together, each
with its own footswitch; a twin-voice
analogue synth, and an envelope filter
thats really cool for auto-wah and
Mu-Tron-esque stuff, but can also
function as a sample-and-hold
generator. The synth (oscillator
triggered by signal to voltage
conversion) offers two channels, each
with level, decay and a choice of octaves
(unison, or one octave up and one or two
octaves down).
Its monophonic, and tracks best
further up the neck (anything below the
9th fret can be glitchy): its probably best
used mixed with some dry sound for
solidity. You can also apply tremolo with
variable speed. Synth and filter together
is a recipe for sonic madness.
Verdict
Verdict
Characterful fuzz with plenty of appeal,

although a little more output would
have been nice, rather than having to
keep the volume knob almost fully up.
Not everyone wants analogue synth

sounds from their guitar, but the
Synthotron offers it in a small footprint
with bonus funky-filter action.
Guitarist says: A red-hot fuzz pedal thats

great for tight spaces
Guitarist says: A game of two halves

funky and bonkers sometimes at once!
WorldMags.net

PEDAL ROUND-UP
WorldMags.net
Red Witch
Violetta Delay
PRICE: 120
ORIGIN: New Zealand
TYPE: Delay pedal
CONTROLS: Delay, mix,
mod, repeat
input, standard output,
expression pedal socket
(mini-jack)
internal lithium-ion battery
or 9V DC adaptor
(d) x 55mm (h)
ith the same footprint and

powering system as the Seven
Sisters, the Violetta is the first
in the new Chrome series. Three tiny
knobs adjust the standard delay pedal
parameters of wet/dry mix, delay time
and number of repeats (also adjustable
via an expression pedal), while a fourth
adjusts modulation.
Red Witch has voiced the Violetta for a
retro sound with the top end rolling off
the repeats as they decay: this beds in
nicely with the guitar tone and sounds
great. Theres plenty of range here:
everything from slapback up to a full
one-second delay, and the modulation
knob adds a touch of tape-echo-esque
pitch wobble. The expression pedal is a
great idea for controlling your repeats
and bringing in self-oscillation dub
effects, but you may need an adaptor or a
special lead, as the socket is a mini-jack.
Red Witch
Fuzz God II
PRICE: 159
ORIGIN: New Zealand
TYPE: Fuzz pedal
CONTROLS: Volume, fuzz,
wrath, sputter, gain
doubling switch, treble
boost switch, internal trim
pot for transistor bias
POWER: 9V battery or
9V DC adaptor
DIMENSIONS: 125 (w) x
95 (d) x 60mm (h)
Verdict
A very nice-sounding and versatile delay

pedal, with the added advantage of its
compact size.
If you like the madness of the ZVex Fuzz

Factory, the Fuzz God II will appeal.
Lining up your knobs is crucial, as theres
so much interaction, but get them right
and satisfaction is guaranteed.
Guitarist says: A delay pedal that shines

in more ways than one
Guitarist says: LIke fearsome fuzz from

the top of Mount Olympus
Verdict
eaturing silicon transistors, the

Fuzz God II sports two
footswitches: a normal bypass and
one designed to incur the wrath of the
Fuzz God, says Red Witch, unleashing
oscillation and octave effects governed
by the wrath knob. Volume and fuzz
controls are standard, while a sputter
knob dials in a sweet spot or descends
into dying battery weirdness. On top of
that, you get toggle switches to double
the gain and bring in a treble boost.
While you encounter thick and
musical character fuzz with the sputter
knob fully clockwise, going backwards
makes things more ragged, as the fuzz
hangs on for dear life. The second
footswitch brings in sonic chaos that you
can leave running to ensure you get an
encore (just so it gets turned off!).
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
What you need to know about
Compressor
Pedals
If theres one type of effects pedal that guitar players are most
unsure of, it has to be the compressor. No worries, let Guitarist
explain what it does by Trevor Curwen
WHAT EXACTLY IS
COMPRESSION?
Although compression can be used
as an obvious effect, its more likely
to be used as a subtle tool. One of
the reasons guitarists may be wary
of compressors is that what they
do isnt always that obvious. Take
the compression away, however,
and it will be missed. The simplest
explanation of a compressor is that
its an automatic volume control
that turns down your signal when
it exceeds a predetermined
threshold, attenuating or
squashing signal peaks. Basically,
it makes the quieter parts of an
audio signal louder and the louder
parts quieter: in effect, its
narrowing the dynamic range of
a signal and delivering a more
consistent overall loudness.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT

KNOBS FOR?
Theres usually a volume/level
knob, which sets the outp t level
of the pedal; and a knob (often
marked sustain, sensitivity or gain
reduction) that increases the
amount of compression. In
addition, you may get an attack
knob which determines how fast
the compressor kicks in, letting
more of the transient through and
influencing the note snap. There
may also be a tone control, as
compression can be perceived to
dull the sound.
WorldMags.net
you need to know about
WorldMags.net
DO I HAVE TO COMPRESS THE
WHOLE OF MY SIGNAL?
Theres a technique known as
parallel compression, where some
compressed signal is mixed with
the dry signal. This allows you to
retain some of the attack and
dynamics of your original signal,
but still have some of the benefits
of compression. Pedals such as the
Barber Tone Press and the
Wampler Ego will let you do this.
Another technique is multi-band
compression, where you compress
separate frequency bands to a
different degree useful if, for
example, you want to keep only the
bottom end of your signal really
tight. This type of compression is
quite rare in stompboxes, but EBS
incorporates it into the MultiComp.
SO, HOW WOULD THAT HELP

MY GUITAR SOUND?
Well, it can smooth, thicken and
tighten your sound by evening out
the volume differences between
the notes or chord strikes. If you
are less than consistent with your
pick strikes, a compressor can
come to your aid, delivering more
constant dynamics: great for chord
work or playing tight, highly
rhythmic funk. Similarly, in country
picking where there are likely to be
lots of notes played quickly,
including plenty of hammer-ons
and pull-offs, a compressor will
make sure they are all weighted
equally. In that context, theres
another thing that a compressor
can do as it works on the transient
(front edge) of the note to alter its
envelope this is often referred to
as giving some snap, pop or click
to a note.
Another aspect, some may say
the most important, of a
compressors action is that it can
increase sustain, and can do it
while still maintaining a clean
sound rather than using overdrive/
distortion. As your note is fading,
the compressor is working to keep
the level up so your note lasts
longer, benefiting slide players or
anyone that wants clean notes to
ring on. Thats not to say its just
for clean sounds: a compressor
works fine with overdriven amps,
and can be used as a booster to
drive your amp into more dirt.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Compressor Pedals
Joyo JF-10 Dyna Boss

Compressor
CS-3
The budget buy
ompressor pedals are

available at all price
points, from Chinesemade budget boxes up to 300plus units from Origin Effects
(reviewed in issue 361).
The JF-10 Dyna Compressor is
at the lower end of the scale, but
is robustly built and has a
picture of a scorpion on the
front. So, does it take the sting
out of your dynamics? Well, it
certainly has a lot of output,
making it a useful clean boost,
and the compression doesnt
sound bad, if a little bright.
The Dyna doesnt have as much
squash as others here, but you
could just leave it on all the time
to enhance your sound.
Verdict
A workmanlike compressor for
those of us on a tight budget.
Versatile, compact compression
Joyo JF-10 Dyna

Compressor
PRICE: 29
ORIGIN: China
CONTROLS: Sustain, attack, level
CONNECTIONS: Standard input,
standard output
POWER: 9V battery or 9V DC adaptor
55mm (h)
Coda Music
01494 535333
www.joyoaudio.com
fter the CS-1 and CS-2,

the latest compressor
in the Boss Compact
series is the CS-3, offering
plenty of control over the
sound with the addition of a
tone knob to the more standard
level, attack and sustain.
Capable of going from mild
compression to a very
squashed compression-aseffect tone, the CS-3 lets you
sculpt quite a prominent note
snap via juxtaposition of the
sustain and attack knobs
with the tone knob dialling in
plenty of top end if you want it.
Verdict
Guitarist says: You don't need
to spend a fortune to get a
compressor that works
With the four-knob setup, Boss

has built enough versatility
into this to make it a decent allround buy, for comparatively
little outlay.
WorldMags.net
Boss CS-3
PRICE: 75
ORIGIN: Taiwan
FEATURES: Buffered bypass
CONTROLS: Level, tone,
attack, sustain
standard output
59mm (h)
Roland UK
01792 702701
www.roland.co.uk
Guitarist says: A decent
purchase, poised between
budget and boutique
WorldMags.net
Watch it, hear it, read it

Guitarist magazine on Newsstand for iPhone, iPad & iPod touch
Packed with video, audio, picture

galleries WorldMags.net
and a whole lot more
WorldMags.net
Compressor Pedals
MXR 76 Vintage Keeley 4 Knob

Compressor
Dyna Comp
The original. Revived!
A boutique favourite
aunched in 1972, the MXR

Dyna Comp was the
original guitar-pedal
compressor, and is still
available from Jim Dunlops
revived MXR line. This is the
more expensive Custom Shop
version as opposed to the
standard M-102 Dyna Comp
(74), and is faithful to the
script logo original with the
same components, batterypower only and no LED. This
pedal shows MXR got it right
from the start when it comes to
guitarists needs: it thickens
tone and gets squishy if you
need to, with a note attack that
can have a pronounced snap but
still sound natural.
Verdict
Basic facilities for sure, but it
does the job very nicely.
MXR 76 Vintage
Dynacomp
PRICE: 165
ORIGIN: USA
CONTROLS: Output, sensitivity
standard output
POWER: 9V battery
50mm (h)
Westside Distribution
0844 326 2000
www.jimdunlop.com
Guitarist says: Vintage
features, vintage looks and,
yes, vintage sound, too
ne of the most revered

vintage compressors
was created by Ross,
using modified Dyna Comp
circuitry. The Keeley, regarded
as one of the best boutique
examples, is derived from that.
Available in two versions, this
four-knob unit adds attack and
clipping knobs over the
original (165), which instead
incorporates them as internal
trim pots. Level and sustain
are similar to a Dyna Comps,
and that clipping knob adjusts
the input level (with different
settings to suit humbuckers
and signal coils) so they dont
add distortion to the signal.
Verdict
It sounds great: a quality
compression with adjustments
to suit pro players.
WorldMags.net
Keeley 4 Knob
Compressor
PRICE: 215
ORIGIN: USA
CONTROLS: Sustain, level,
attack, clipping
standard output
52mm (h)
Andertons
01483 456777
www.robertkeeley.com
Guitarist says: Modern boutique
version of a respected design with
added refinements. Superb!
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Compressor Pedals
Effectrode
PC-2A
Wampler Ego
Compressor
Valve-powered compression
Mix-and-blend compression
heres a nod to the

Teletronix LA-2A
Leveling Amplifier, a
legendary studio compressor, in
the name of the PC-2A a
rugged, valve-driven optical
compressor pedal. A limit/
compress switch selects light,
subtle compression or a much
heavier squashy effect, all
dialled in by the peak-reduction
knob, while gain sets the output
and can provide a great clean
boost to drive amps. This is
classy, natural compression
that will even out your string
response while adding sustain
a real tone enhancer to be left
on all the time.
Verdict
It isnt exactly cheap, but it will
give you lovely smooth studiostyle compression.
Effectrode PC-2A
PRICE: 249
ORIGIN: UK
TYPE: Valve-powered
compressor pedal
CONTROLS: Peak reduction, gain,
limit/compress switch
standard output
POWER: 12V DC adaptor (supplied)
50mm (h)
Effectrode
01782 372210
www.effectrode.com
Guitarist says: Natural
compression with added
valve-based mojo
ith more knobs than

any other pedal on
test, the Ego adds
some extra features to its own
variation of the classic Ross/
MXR Dyna Comp circuitry.
The main differences are a
blend knob, which gives many
more options for a natural but
compressed sound by letting
some of your unprocessed tone
sit alongside the compressed.
Theres also a tone knob, which
can add a touch of airy sparkle
in just the right area. Careful
juxtaposition of the knobs
yields enough compression
variations to take on a whole
range of guitar tasks.
Verdict
Those five knobs offer a
versatility that makes this a
compressor for all seasons.
WorldMags.net
Wampler Ego
Compressor
PRICE: 199
ORIGIN: USA
CONTROLS: Volume, sustain, attack,
tone, blend
standard output
55mm (h)
First Line Distribution
07894 747041
www.wamplerpedals.com
Guitarist says: One of the most
versatile, compact compressors
around, with great blend options
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
QUICK TEST
MISCELLANEOUS
WorldMags.net
Quicktest
Yerasov GTA15J 1x10 combo 319

Crme de la Krem a bold new 15-watt budget boutique combo
CONTACT: Yerasov UK PHONE: 07534 429269 WEB: www.yerasov.co.uk
Now available in the UK, the
Russian-made Yerasov GTA15

may look a little like a 1970s
catalogue practice amp, but
underneath the skin, its a
serious tone tool with a pair of
JJ EL84s powering a Jensen
C10Q loudspeaker. Inside the
tough steel chassis, theres a
decent-quality non-throughplated circuit board, with lownoise metal film resistors and
Wima film decoupling
capacitors arguably the best
you can buy. Hand-wired
ceramic valve bases are bolted
to the chassis, and the board
layout and wiring is superb.
Controls couldnt be simpler,
comprising volume and tone,

fed by separate inputs for guitar
or line-level devices such as
multi-effects floorboards.
Sounds
The Yerasovs noise
performance beats most of the
valve amps weve tested in the
last decade, with practically
inaudible hum and hiss at lower
volume levels. Combined with
the excellent Jensen C10Q
loudspeaker, this makes it a
superb recording tool. Used
with a PAF-loaded Les Paul, the
amp stays clean up until around
10 oclock. Beyond this, the
GTA15s smooth creamy
overdrive progressively takes

over. Depending on the guitar
you use, it may be a little too
warm; however, for the
relatively bright tone of a PAFstyle humbucker or single
coils, its superb, with a deluge
of harmonic overtones
accompanying power chords,
and a bloom that flatters singlenote soloing, making it ideal
for classic rock and blues
when cranked.
Verdict
The Yerasov is a real stealth
boutique amp, with portability,
great tone, excellent build
quality and superb low-noise
WorldMags.net
performance. If you think the

styling is a little austere, then
close your eyes, listen to the
sound and reflect on the price.
Youre getting a top-quality
hand-made valve amp for the
cost of a mass-produced solidstate product. The line inputs
make it ideal for floorboard
users, too a pair of GTA15s
would make a portable and
powerful stereo rig. Definitely
one to watch out for. [NG]
G U I TA R I S T R AT I N G :
Guitarist says: Forget the rather
drab styling, this is a serious
boutique tone machine
WorldMags.net
QUICK TEST
MISCELLANEOUS
Electro-Harmonix Soul
Food and Slammi 49 & 109
Two new pedals with something familiar about them
CONTACT: Electro-Harmonix PHONE: N/A WEB: www.ehx.com
Electro-Harmonix has been

introducing so many pedals
lately that its increasingly
difficult for us to keep up.
Here are two of the latest the
Slammi, a pedal in the EHX
Next Step range, is a footcontrolled polyphonic pitch
shifter, while the Soul Food is
EHXs take on the transparent
overdrive of the Klon Centaur.
Sounds
Slammi enables you to change
pitch up or down to a fixed note
that is selected by an 11-position
rotary dial offering Detune,
Half Step, Major 2nd, Major
3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th,
Major 6th, Minor 7th, 1 Octave,
2 Octaves or
3 Octaves/
Dive Bomb.
If you dont
want your
whole sound to
change pitch, then a
second dial sets the amount
of dry sound thats mixed with
the pitched signal so you can
have harmonies or a faux
12-string sound. Control of the
pedal might take a bit of getting
used to, but the results are
excellent: lush detune/chorus,
octave bends, instant baritone
or bass sounds and more, all
remarkably glitch-free.
The Soul Food is an excellent
complement to a valve amp.
The Klon is beyond the means

of most of us, but if youre
looking for that type of touch
sensitive, transparent overdrive
and boost that keeps your core
sound intact, the Soul Food
delivers it.
versatile pitch shifting at a great

price, and the Soul Food is an
affordable alternative to a pedal
that is way out of the reach of
most players. [TC]
Verdict
Guitarist says: Two new pedals

that offer a more affordable
option to two established
favourites and do it in style!
A fine pair of pedals. The

Slammi (a coincidence that it
rhymes with Whammy?) offers
Pedaltrain Volto 89
A rechargeable power supply for your pedalboard
CONTACT: Westside PHONE: 0844 326 2000 WEB: www.westsidedistribution.com
Pedaltrain seems to have the

market sewn up when it comes
to its pedalboards, so producing
power supplies for the pedals
you put on em is pretty sensible.
Alongside the existing and hefty
Powertrain 1250 supply comes
the new Volto, and its not your
usual power supply. Its USB
rechargeable, which means,
once charged, your pedalboard
will be mains-free: ideal for the
travelling/busking musician or
indeed any of us who need an
ultra-quick set-up time; at an
open-mic slot, for example.
In Use
Slightly wider than an original
iPod, it takes six hours to charge
from zero to full capacity via the
supplied USA cable and mains
plug with USA,

European,
Australian and UK
adaptors included.
There are two (nonisolated) 9-volt outlets
its only designed to power
9-volt pedals and included
are two single-use right-angle
plug pedal leads, and two threeconnector daisy-chain rightangle plug cables. With a total
of 2000mA, Volta could in
theory power a lot of 9-volt
centre-negative Boss-style
pedals (it will work with centrepositive pedals, although youll
need an adaptor lead, not
supplied) but bear in mind the
more you power, the less time
you have per charge. According
to Pedaltrain, one to five pedals
will give you about 36 hours use;

while six to 10 pedals will
provide 18 hours use. Plenty for
long rehearsals and gigs.
Verdict
Compact, discreet and easily
mountable on your Pedaltrain
or other pedalboards (Velcro
strips supplied) or simply a
WorldMags.net
compact power supply for those

who need to get mains-free
power to any pedals. [DB]
Guitarist says: Perfect power
supply for the travelling musician,
or those beachside jams/busking
slots with a battery-powered amp
QUICK TEST
MISCELLANEOUS
WorldMags.net
Free The Tone Red

Jasper RJ-1V 239
High-quality overdrive with amp-aping tones
Seiko STX7 34.99
CONTACT: Guitar XS PHONE: 01227 832558 WEB: www.freethetone.com
A rechargeable clip-on tuner with LED torch

Billed as Free The Tones first
CONTACT: JHS PHONE: 01132 865381 WEB: www.jhs.co.uk
The headstock tuner has taken

off in a big way, certainly
judging by the number of them
out there. While most get the
tuning job done well enough,
many have poor battery life, and
when the required batteries are
invariably those expensive
button types, things can start
to get rather costly.
Seikos answer is a USBrechargeable tuner that also
features a very handy dualpower level torch ideal for
those backstage/onstage lowlight situations, or even to
illuminate your pad. Its larger
than many, but that means the
clip will fit any acoustic and
electric headstocks and the
actual tuner can be rotated 360
degrees and tilted up or down.
Fitted to the back of your
headstock, the note display is
upside down, but the bright
bar-tuning display is still easily
used in this fashion. The STX-7
features the usual tuning
calibration and either mic or
clip (vibration) mode.
In Use
It may not be the most discreet
headstock tuner weve
encountered, but its faultless
in operation, with fast and
accurate note recognition in
both tuning modes. Charge
time from zero is roughly three
hours, and so long as you
remember to press and hold
the switch to turn the torch on,
it proves plenty bright enough
to illuminate amps, effects or
your chord charts. In low-light
mode, it offers 30 hours use
per charge.
Verdict
Not the cheapest headstock
tuner on the market, but as far
as were aware, the only one
thats USB-rechargeable. Plus
that torch is extremely handy
for live use. [DB]
Guitarist says: Say goodbye to
batteries, get in tune and see
what youre doing. Nice
low-gain overdrive, the Red

Jasper is similar in size to its
Heat Blaster HB-2 distortion
with a fairly wide 100mm diecast enclosure. Inside, youll
find what the Japanese effects
maker calls its Holistic Tonal
Solution circuitry, which runs
off a 9-volt centre-negative
PSU or battery, while current
draw is a fairly hungry 15mA.
For the uninitiated, Free The
Tone says HTS combines the
best aspects of true bypass and
buffered circuits. In brief, the
circuit filters out noise from
redundant frequencies in the
input signal and also features a
noiseless on-off switch. It also
ensures that the output
impedance of the Red Jasper
remains constant when it is
switched on and off. Control
layout is simplicity itself with
Level, Hi-Cut and Gain dials
the only tweakables.
Sounds
Designer Yuki Hayashi told us
that both the natural overdrive
of cranked valve amps and
Klons Centaur inspired the
pedals sound although wed
say the Red Jasper is less glassy
WorldMags.net
and toppy than some Kloninspired pedals out there, with

an extremely musical, flattering
character all its own. It seems to
work best plugged into smallish
EL84-based amps, producing a
detailed drive tone with an
incisive edge but an open and
airy bloom.
Plugging in to a 6L6-powered
amp with more headroom
accentuated softer fuzz-tones at
the cost of some bite and
definition. We got the best
results here by using the Jasper
as a clean boost, with gain low
and level high, to sweeten and
lift the amps natural tone rather
than as a full-out overdrive.
Verdict
If you want an overdrive pedal
that thinks its a good amp, this
could be for you: warm, naturalsounding drive tones that will
suit blues, jazz-fusion and
classic rock to a tee. [JD]
G U I TA R I S T R AT I N G :
Guitarist says: This pedal isnt
cheap, but theres no snake-oil
here: one of the more
sophisticated and characterful
overdrives weve tried
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
QUICK TEST
MISCELLANEOUS
WorldMags.net
Supermegaultragroovy Capo 3 20.99

Could this new app lead the way when it comes to learning to play in the future?
CONTACT: Supermegaultragroovy PHONE: N/A WEB: supermegaultragroovy.com
Okay, you can have lessons, but
we suspect the way most of us

learned to play was by listening
to our favourite recordings over
and over, trying to figure out the
notes and chords and then
playing along. Now, while a
small proportion of readers will
remember dropping the needle
on vinyl records playing at half
speed, things have moved on
quite considerably.
This is perfectly reflected in
Capo 3, the latest software from
Supermegaultragroovy, who
claim that it is the future of
learning to play. Running on a
Mac, Capo 3 can import any
song from your iTunes library
and offer you a choice of phrasetraining functions such as
slowing down the tempo
without changing pitch,
transposing the pitch of a song,
fixing loop points to repeat
sections and vocal reduction/
elimination. What is most
remarkable, though, is the claim

that it can automatically detect
a songs chords.
In Use
Loading a song is a case of
following menus, or simply
dragging and dropping the file
onto Capo 3s icon. As you play
back the song and listen to it,
you will see its wave file, plus a
spectrogram that shows whats
going on musically over the full
frequency range.
Its basically a series of blobs
at the correct pitch, but you can
pick out which blobs represent
the notes in a guitar solo, and
then click on them with a
mouse to hear the note played
back on a virtual piano.
Whats more, you will find
that dragging the mouse over
the note puts it into the tab
display below not necessarily
on the right string but you can
then edit that accordingly.
As for the automatic chord

recognition, as a song plays,
the chords appear below it. We
try this with loads of different
songs and the results are mixed,
we have to say, depending in
part on how dense the songs
instrumentation is. For one, it
sometimes doesnt pick up on
all the chord changes, and for
those it does, sometimes you
get the right chord, sometimes
the wrong chord.
However, Capo 3 invariably
displays related chords in the
right key, so is a definite starting
point and a genuine help when
you are figuring stuff out, as
long as you have a modicum of
musical knowledge. You can
easily correct chords and then
add new ones, so you can also
use it to chart your own songs
for passing on to bandmates
for learning assuming that
they have a Mac and a copy of
Capo, that is.
WorldMags.net
Verdict
Capo 3 is undoubtedly a very
useful app, although its a
personal choice whether its
worth shelling out 20.99. Its
chord recognition is not perfect,
but it may be asking the
impossible to get it to accurately
spit out every single chord from
every song you put into it. As it
stands, it gives you a real headstart on figuring things out, plus
its standard phrase-training
facilities are excellent (the slow
tempo feature sounds very
clean), with helpful features for
the guitarist. Whether youre
learning guitar, teaching it, or
just need to work out a new
repertoire quickly, Capo 3 could
be an invaluable tool. [TC]
Guitarist says: A practical
software solution for working
out how to play songs
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Longterm Tests
Guitarists
test products
WorldMags.net
Eventide H9
Mick Taylor
Fender
Starcaster
Stuart Williams
Fender Pawn Shop

Special Ramparte
Josh Gardner
Longtermers
A few months gigging, recording and everything that goes with it
welcome to Guitarists longterm test reports
Fender Modern
Player Starcaster
Stuart Williams
NEW PRODUCT
Total Guitars editor finally gets his hands on a semi
Ive never been one

for indie poseurisms. My jeans sag,
my haircuts not
angular enough, and I pronounce
Bon Iver the English way. So,
when Fender set moustaches
twitching all around the world by
announcing the reissue of Jonny
Greenwoods favourite guitar,
I was merely interested rather
than rushing to express my joy on
Instagram. That said, many of my

favourite rock guitarists have
used semis over the years.
Perhaps its an age thing. Turn
30, purchase slippers, appreciate
semi-acoustics. Thinline Teles
dont seem hollow enough, and
an ES-335 has always felt too
cumbersome and expensive.
However, I have always liked
Fenders offset bodies, so the
Starcasters skewed, narrow
waist seems like an ideal choice.

Throw in the modern Wide
Range humbuckers and sturdy
bridge, and it has the makings of
a sound modern-rock machine.
First things first, then: that
headstock. To begin with, I wasnt
sure whether to reach for the
screwdriver (to attach my Strat
neck) or a wood saw. Then
I plugged the guitar in. It could be
down to preconceptions, but the
more I play it, the less I want to

go for distorted barre chords.
I started with some heavy
rhythm parts, dialled back the
gain to play along with some
Gaslight Anthem, then rolled
back even more to join in with
some Counting Crows. Full open
chords with mild overdrive seem
to be where this guitars heart is.
Ive loved Wes Montgomerys
Four On Six since a mate (and
infinitely better guitarist) played
it on his ES-335 years ago. I sat
down, readied my thumb, flipped
to the neck pickup and forced
myself to get past the opening
single-note part, to the chords
that have my fingers in knots.
An hour later, I was playing
(albeit poorly and slowly), jazz.
Plus, Id forgotten all about that
headstock. Like I said, it must be
an age thing
Fender Modern
Player Starcaster
First reviewed: 378

Price: 802
Type: Semi-hollow,
offset-body electric
Body: Maple laminate with alder
centre-block
Neck: Maple, C-shape
Pickups: 2x Wide Range
humbucking pickups
Hardware: Pinned chrome
Adjusto-Matic bridge with
anchored tailpiece, cast/
sealed machineheads
Fender GBI
01342 331700
www.fender.com
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Gretsch G6137TCB
Panther Center-Block
Chris Vinnicombe
Mesa Engineering
Recto-Verb Twenty-Five
Jamie Dickson
Fender Pawn Shop Ramparte

Josh Gardner
INTERMEDIATE
Has an impulse pickup led our managing ed down a dark path?
Last time out,

I explained why my
indecisiveness had
led me to man the
Ramparte rather hastily.Yes, Id
listened to demos and read the
reviews, but when I got it home,
the old adage of try before you
buy proved gallingly accurate.
I should preface all this by
saying that the Ramparte is
undoubtedly a cool, great-looking
little amp with some really fun
retro sounds just as Id hoped.
However, while Id heard that it
was a dark-sounding amp, I didnt
expect it to be this dark. And
while my Cabronita and Strat
have the required trebly quality to
compensate, my Les Pauls
humbuckers just turn things to a
low-end mush. I was despondent
I love my Fenders, but at heart,
Im a Les Paul man, and the

notion of not being able to get the
best out of mine niggled me.
Since then, Ive tried to remedy
the problem with the aid of a MXR
Micro Amp+, turning the treble
knob right the way up, but its still

a compromise that feels like Im
not really getting the best out of
either guitar or amp.
So, it the Ramparte isnt the
home amp for me, but I still want
Longterm Tests
Peerless
Retromatic P3
Dave Burrluck
to take it to some jams before I

throw in the towel. When Ive
cranked it, the high-end opens up
somewhat as the valves start
working. If the Ramparte can
endear itself in a band setting,
theres still hope. But if not, this
Pawn Shop Special could find
itself in the window of one of its
namesakes pretty sharpish
Fender Pawn Shop

Special Ramparte
First reviewed: 377

Price: 264
Type: All-valve preamp and power
amp, with solid-state rectifier
Fender GBI
01342 331700
www.fender.com
Peerless Retromatic P3
Dave Burrluck
INTERMEDIATE
Our reviews editor cant get a gig, but the Retromatic is in high demand!
Well, if you need a

guitar player
I offer.Sorry, didnt
hear that, says my
mate on the other end of the
phone.Did you say I could
borrow the Retromatic again?
Bloody typical I cant get
arrested, but the guitar Im
supposed to be longterm testing
is getting busier by the day.
Its the end of 2013, and theres
a packed house at the local for a
night of pub rock par excellence
featuring Nine Below Zeros
Dennis Greaves and Squeezes
Glenn Tilbrook, not to mention
the now official Peerless tester,
Mike Dearing and a host of other
local luminaries.
New Years Day, I awake with a
cracker of a head and no idea
how I got home. How old am I?
How are you? laughs Mike.
Enjoy the gig?Yeah, it was

great, I croak.Didnt Glen use
the Peerless first?
To be honest, Mike replies,
Hed make a Woolworths guitar
with four strings sound good he
made it sound good on an odd
Varitone setting. For the second

number we adjusted the knobs,
and he sounded blinding. Then
we swapped around and I made it
sound a bit weird, then Dennis
made it sound good. Then I was
back on it and I thought, Im going
to have to sort out that Varitone!

Were there any comments from
the chaps? Well constructed
too much finish and could be a
bit lighter? I told em we cant do
much about those things but we
could make a new scratchplate
and move the controls, couldnt
we? Oh, God. Another DIY
project looms. I go back to bed.
Peerless
Retromatic P3
First reviewed: 376

Price: 899 (inc case)
Type: Single-cutaway, centreblocked semi-solid electric
Peerless Guitars
07838 667630
www.peerlessguitars.eu
WorldMags.net
Longterm Tests
Guitarists
test products
WorldMags.net
Anderwood
Style 1M
Rob Antonello
Taylor 814ce
Dave Burrluck
& Mick Taylor
Tronical Components
TronicalTune
Owen Bailey
G6137TCB Panther Center-Block

Chris Vinnicombe
FINAL REPORT
Will a simple mod transform this Panther from house kitty to jungle cat?
Last time around,

despite being
hopelessly smitten
with this instrument,
I hadnt yet found the cojones to
release the Panther into the wild
at a gig. Why? Chiefly because
the combination of the factory
Adjusto-Matic bridge and Bisgby
B3C didnt produce enough
downward pressure on the
saddles to prevent the low E
popping out of its groove when
attacked with gusto. The full force
of my clumsy right paw in a live
setting would knock that sixth
string out of its seat throughout a
set, wreaking tuning havoc and
causing unwanted headache
after unwanted headache.
Happily, help was at hand.
Adam Bowden-Smith, European
product manager at Gretsch
Guitars, informed me that hed
managed to cure the same
problem while playing in a surf
band by installing a Rocking Bar
bridge (approx 80). These
chrome-, nickel- or gold-plated
brass bars are an old-school
Gretsch design developed in the
1950s in conjunction with Chet
Atkins. Not only do they rock
smoothly back and forth when
used with a Bigsby, but they are
also notched in a way that is more
resistant to lateral string
movement than the average
tune-o-matic-style saddle.
Theres far less control over
intonation, of course, but as
fitting one is a completely
reversible, 30-second mod,
I opted to give it a whirl. With the
Panthers strings slackened, it
was simply a matter of lifting the
Adjusto-Matic off the bridge
posts, replacing it with the
Rocking Bar, realigning the
strings in their slots, adjusting the
action to taste with the
thumbwheels and tuning back up
to pitch. Easy peasy.
The result? The addition of the
Rocking Bar gives the Panther an
even more vintage aesthetic, and
adding a lump of solid brass into

the equation has its tonal benefits
too: but mainly, despite attacking
the low E string with as much
venom as possible, I couldnt
make it pop out of its notch.
There dont seem to be any
detrimental effects as far as
radius or intonation are
concerned, but anyone whos
looking to perform a similar mod
could always opt for one of the
Tru-Arc radius-correct bar
designs (www.truarcbridge
works.com) or a Compton
Compensated Bridge
(www.comptonbridges.com) for
a more sophisticated solution.
Armed with a guitar thats now
more than robust enough for the
task, I took to the stage for my
first live show of 2014 and, well, I
havent had as much fun onstage
in ages. Aside from accidentally
knocking the pickup switch
towards the neck on a couple of
occasions, playing the Panther
for a whole set went like

clockwork: not only did those
FilterTrons sound great, but the
stability of the Bigsby allowed me
to throw caution to the wind and
give the whammy bar a serious
leathering. Remarkably, despite
closing with our sets customary
cacophonous wall of feedback
and guitar abuse, I took the

Panther out of its case the next
morning to find it was still in one
piece (phew!) and was also
perfectly in tune. Now I just have
to call Adam and convince him
that he definitely doesnt need
this wonderful guitar back any
time soon
Gretsch G6137TCB
Panther
Center-Block
First reviewed: 372

Price: 2,926
Type: Semi-acoustic
Body: 3-ply maple top, back and
sides with spruce centre block
Neck: 3-piece maple
Hardware: Chrome Bigsby B6C
vibrato,Adjusto-Matic bridge
with pinned base, Grover Sta-Tite
die-cast tuners, Schaller straplocks
Electrics: 2x High Sensitive
FilterTron pickups, master volume,
bridge pickup volume, neck pickup
volume, master tone, 3-way toggle
Fender GBI
01342 331700
www.gretschguitars.com
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
(
-+, + $.)+ ) 0 / + )0() 0 + +) +')

)+ + .(

+(%&($&

,
+%%+
#! !
## $%
! !
#! ## #!
'
' %! ! '
! ' !! &!
-%
& ! #! !
%
' % $

' %'

%!

,
%(
! #! !
" ' !
%
!

# ! ! !
% % ! !
+ #! !

! %!
% ! &

! !
#! ! #
.) 1 .(
$.)+ ) +(%&(
+(+%("
( 0(+ + .+ ()+
2 .+.(
.)
,3 .+
+(+
+ ! -# 1 .
.
" + ( ") +
"( ( )
. + ++(
%
%E +'&/--I:
0,:
9'::D A9A.:A9 A%A *.E
DA !.9 ., ,,.H',$ 09.*+
(D:A ,7A $A A% A9+ A. :AH ',
AD, ),.F 'A7: :.+A%',$ H.D
+D:A %E .E9 !.9 DA
, H.D $. .E9 %.F A. :A 'A D0
$', 0*:5 7E *..) .,*',
DA *FH: :+ A. , D0 .,
!.9D+: F%9 E9H., ': (D:A
':$9',$ F'A% % .A%9
, *.A%'9 E' +'*
0 J )I .22- E E)+?

/0L E+/ ? 0 HE +E=?
2//20 +??H 0 +? ?+.L
?2>E 7 ? +E=? E) E>E=? BNE)
00+I >?>L . E=? +I +0 (+07
0 >=? 2J0 ?+E +? (> E
4. E2 ( E E)+? ?EH%% +% L2H=>
I > 20%H? 7 2 # J 0 E2
.22- E E) >+( +E? .% E) 0HE
?E>+0( E> 5?6 0 EH0 >?7 E=? ..
2HE > H+0( %>+E+20"
&) H0 E2 4+E)7 ,H?E E)
?4>+0(?= E 0?+20 +0 E) > >
I+EL ?2 E)E E) I+>E2 H0+E
?+E? E E) 0(. L2H J0E +E7 %
L2H J0E . ?? H4 0 E+()E 0
E) .J ?4>+0(? 2> 20?+ >
+0( 02E) > ?4>+0(7 % L2H
J0E /2> H4 0 2 E)
2442?+E 7 0 > > 2// 0?
F7G// EJ 0 E) (H+E> E24
0 E) H0 >?+ 2% E) I+>E2
? 4.E E +E? )+() ?E 42+0E7
?+0( N7N3N? %2H> ?4>+0(? (+I ?
0+ 42?+E+I % . HE +E=?
2J0 E2 4 >?20. 4> % > 0
J .+- /H) . ?? H4 07
2) >+E+20 +? 0 +??H H?
E) H0 >?+ 2% E) I+>E2
4.E 2 ?0=E )I ?4 +%+
J ..* %+0 ( 20 J)+) E2
4+I2E7 )E K >E ? E)+? +?
J) 0 E) ?+K ?> J? )2.+0( E)
>+( 4.E E2 E) (H+E> > E22
E+()E7 2 ?.- 0 2%% E) ?E>+0(?
0 . E E) ? 4.E ?+E %.H?)
(+0?E E) 2L7 2J H02
) 2% E) ?+K ?> J? ?2 L2H
"" " " "

""
" "
"

$"' % $ '#
# ""
" " "

#
" & %
"
" " #" "%

% "' # " "#
" "
#"'
#
%
# "
)I 44>2K+/E .L 37&//

(4 EJ 0 E) E24 2% E)
? 4.E 0 E) H0 >?+
2% E) ?> J?7
1) 2J E+()E 0 E) EJ2 2HE >
?> J? ?2 E) L 20.L ,H?E E2H)
E) E24 4.E 7 )+? / 0? E)
EJ2 2HE > ?> J? E ? E)
4+I2E 42+0E? J+E) E) /+.
%2H> . %E %2> ?E+.+EL7
) +0+/+? %>+E+20 E E) 0HE
L .H>+E+0( +E J+E) 4 0+.
WorldMags.net
# '#
" "
" " #"
(>4)+E 2> HE H 5E) ?.2E?

/L .?2 0 EE 0E+20 HE E)+?
+? 4>2 ,267 / (2 ? %2> 0L
?E>+0( E> ?7 +0..L J) 0 L2H
EH0 E) (H+E> EH0 ) ?E>+0(
H4 E2 E) 2>> E 4+E) >E) >
E)0 2J0 H? E) %2>/ >
- 4? E) 4 (=? ( > .2 0
E) > %2> /2> ?E. 7
) - ?H> L2H )I )+()*
8H.+EL ?. ?7 ) 4 + *?E
?. ? ?)2H. +00
1 -3! )
(
WorldMags.net
.) 1 .( $.)+ )+(%&( +(+%(" ( 0(+ + 2 .+.( .)

,3 .+
+(+ + ! -# 1 . . " + ( ") + "( ( ) . + ++(
+// +E .L # ( E ?2/ )+()*

8H.+EL ?E+0. ??*?E .
> 4. / 0E? 5? ?4 = 20
/ >+0 +0E( ? >+ ? E>E?6
2> E+E0+H/ 20 ? %>2/
4+EH> ) > 7
+E) .. E)E 20 L2H> E>E=?
I+>E2 ?)2H. /H) /2>
H?. J+E) . ?? %>+E+20 +0 E)
J)2. ?? /.L .E)2H() +E=?
0 I > (2+0( E2 ? %%++ 0E ?
/2 >0 -0+% ( *?EL.
I+>E27 ) L H?H..L > 8H+>
?.+()E H4J> 2> 2J0J>
<%.+-= E2 <> ? E= E) 42?+E+207

%&
7E 9 *.A .DA %.F '!!9,A
0*A9D+: , %,$ H.D9
:.D,3 .,7A F,A H.D A. A** +
%.F A%H %,$ H.D9 :.D,
1 , %9 A%A !.9 +H:*!2 7+
(D:A ',A9:A ', F%A 0*A9 H.D
*.A D: , F%H H.D %..:
A%+5 . D'A9':A 19D+ 9.**2
F%A 0*A9D+: . H.D D:5
1%) .DA +H (.D9,*':+ :)'**: 2
.%, .D$*: E' +'*

4 3++!3 ( > > I+ J?
+E2> :H0.24 E2> >+4

37&// J) 0 H? 4+-? E)E +?7
L /+0 (+( +? %+0( >0+.?
J .2/ E2 E) J2>. 2% 0+.
%+. ? %.? 0+.? H4 > .H 0
?E> 0(E) 0+0( I>0+?)$;
" ,%# +E2>
:H(+0 2>0 F//7
) L=> E2E..L +0%. K+. I >L
>E+H.E HE .?2 )I > ..L

?2%E >2H0 EE- J) 0 L2H
?E>+- 02E ?7 .?2 H?
/)2(0L 4+-? 2% E) ?/
E)+-0 ?? %2> E) ?/ > ?207;
4!! +0# +E2> H+E>
)0+8H ? :H0.24
MM
? 37F!//7 .+- E) +> %E E20
0 % . J+E)2HE <(.??+0 ??=7
=I > 0E.L ?J+E) E2 .%>2/ > ? E) L ? / /2>
20?+?E 0E # ?2/ > 0E >
20 ? )I % .E +E <%.244L=7;
,%# 5!! ? 0+2> /H?+
+E2> :H0.24 .E K )>4
G7N//7 ( E ?2.+ ?E>+0( 20EE
J+E)2HE E) E20 +0( 2I >.L
>+()E7 ) L=> I >L 4> +? %2>
?4 4+-+0( 0 ?E>+0(
,H/4+0( 0 E) L=> E E) +>
?E J) 0 E) 42+0E )?
>2H0 2%% ?.+()E.L7;
6!%+ K* +E2>C
20E>+HE2> :H0.24 E2>
>+4 37&//7 ) L=> E) >+()E
4.?E+ EL4 %2> / +0 E20 0
% . 02E E22 ?2%E 02E E22 )>7
) ?+ ? > ?)4 E2 0 (
J)+) ) .4? J+E) L0/+? 0
20=E >24 E) /7;
+, ##%" 20E 0E
+E2> :H0.24 L.20 E0>
N7!!//7 ?L E2 (>+4 I 0
H0 > )2E ?E( .+()E? 0
%. K+. ?2 . ?? .+- .L E2 ?04
J) 0 4.L+0( ((> ??+I .L7
(H( E)+- > 0 > ?E>+0(?@ (H( .+()E > > E) 4+-7 ) L ,H?E J2>-$;
#" " '

$ %
"' # %'
&
%': +'$%A D+:A
4D:A'., H.D7E E9 % DA
%9 $.: 0*H 1*H2
G', *:A9 A. F%'% A%
09E'.D: .F,9 %: !'AA
H+.D9 D,, 9'$ 0')D03
D: #I&FAA .*, D +0
DA ,,.A $A A%A 6*:A9
:.D,7 A%A ': ., .! A% 9:.,:
*') *: :. +D%3 % $D'A9
0*H: F** ', .A%9 0.0*7: %,:
, 'A %: $9A :.D,3 . F%A
. , A. .5 , E, $A
A%A :.D, F'A% A% +0 %E5

%E E9'.D: 0*: %.9D:
9E9 *H: , :. ., :.
F%, H.D7E ** !',':% 9.**',$
., A% !*..9 , :.+., 0.',A
+ ', A% 9'$%A '9A'.,5
.%, H, E' +'*

+ + 02 H/ 8H ?E+20?
2)0 20.L H/ 0?J >? ?2

J =.. 2 2H> ?E E2 I2+ 20 2%
E)2? 7 ) 0 L2H ?L E)E
< . ?E > ?2H0= +E=? 02E . >
J)+) 20 L2H / 0 /+()E +E
+- , )+ (+ %

9**H ,(.H 0*H',$ F'A% 0*:
A. $A '!!9,A :.D,: DA A%
:+ 09.*+ )0: 9.00',$
D0 :. +,H .! A%+ :.D,
GA*H A% :+ 7E A9' *.A:
.! '!!9,A 0*:; D
9+9 AH0: &/
.H. , :.+ .A%9:3 %H

:.D, :*'$%A*H '!!9,A DA
,., .! A%+ :+ A. A9D*H
','E'D* A. +3 9 A%9
,H ':A.9A'., 0*: .DA A%9
A%A 9 A9D*H '!!9,A5 H
+D:' A:A: 9 +.:A*H 9.)
, *A9,A'E 1% %'A
A9'0: % *) H:
'9E, 23
A0%, ..: E' +'*
. 1 -3!
22 8H ?E+20 E I 7 2H=>

.H- H? E) > > E20?
I >L +%% > 0E +?E2>E2*2K ?
2HE E) > 7 % L2H )I 0=E (2E
20 ( E 0 . E>2*>/20+K
+( H%% + %2> /2I+0( H4
E2 E)> 2% 2H> %I ?"
0%#
& '/&$(
6 3 0 #5 '/&$(
) <>/ E>+ +?E2>E+20

+.E >= +? ? 0 %>2/ E)
.20(*(20 ?E>2 *3
+0.H+0( 0 KE> / .L
42J >%H. /+>0( E20 +>H+E
+0 2/+0E+20 J+E) 0 (L
((> ??+I +?E2>E+207
2?)
2// .2I ? +E E2 0/ ,H?E
20 7 >L +%% > 0E I >L 22.7
>/20+ EH>E2>9 =..

)I ?2/ 2% E)E$ )+?
2>(
>+44? ?+(0 2 ?0=E )I E)
E20. ?24 2% E) *3 HE +E
>E+0.L )? 4. 0EL 2% >2(+>E) 0 (>+E EH>0+0( 0L . 0
/4 +0E2 >H0)L > J
?L I >L*>0- * >?)..*
EL4 /20?E >7
WorldMags.net
+%50+ 3%
+3#,
3,0+ '/&-$(
% L2H .+- E) + 2% 2

)>/20+? # E) H04. ?0E
(L ?2H0+0( 20 ? # /+K
J+E) E20? 2% %HMML >H?)L >+I
0 /+K 24E+20 %2> L2H> . 0
?+(0. E)+? +? E) 4 . %2> L2H$
E=? .+- E. +- L / E?
+( H%% E >0+ ?. L=? )2H? 7
WorldMags.net
E) - >?%+ . 2H0E>L*EL4
E20 2> /L E) >2>)LE)/? 2% I >L20 %>2/
4>+0(?E 0 E2 H29
MM .H ?
?2H. 2> %H0-9 ) . +? ?H)
I >?E+. (H+E> 0 )? 0
H? J20 >%H..L +0 .. E)
( 0> ? ?2 +E=? 24 0 ? ?207
2H .?2 20=E ?L J)+)
L/2H> H00 4+-H4 +E +?@
+% +E=? ?2/ E)+0( J+E) I+0E(
?4 +%+E+20? 0 ?+0(. 2+.
I >LE)+0( +? J ..7 2J I > +%
+E=? ?2/ -+0 2% )+()*42J >
4+-H4 2> ?+0(. *2+.*?+M
)H/H- > E) 0 E)E J+..
E>E %>2/ E) E>+E+20.
< . *0 ??= 2% E) (H+E>7 0 0L
? L2H> H 'N ?)2H.
?2H0 %+0 ?2 J => (2+0( E2
?H(( ?E L2H E>L E) %2..2J+0(
20E 0E+2H? 4>E %+>?E
HE N7N3N*(H( ?E>+0(? 20 E)
(H+E> ? /+0+/H/ 5N7N3N E2
N7N'B6 0 /- ?H> E) E+20
+?0=E 2I >.L .2J ?-+00L ?E>+0(?
0 HMML %> E? 20=E ) .4
0LE)+0(7 0 E) /4.+%+ >
? . E E) . )00 . 0 H?
+E) > E) <J = 2> <.0 .= /4 /2 .? 5E) %2>/ >
+? ?.+()E.L %EE > +0 E) /+? 0
J+E) /2> (+0@ E) .EE > J+..
?.+()E.L /2> EJ0(L 0
. 0*?2H0+0( ?2 E>L 2E) 0
? J)+) L2H +0?E0E.L 4> % >67
E .. E) +.? >2H().L +0 E)
0E> K 4E %2> E) /?E >
I2.H/ J)+) L2H ? E )2J I >
.2H L2H 0 ( E JL J+E)7
H>0 E) 0 E) .L 2%%
0 ? E E) > I > E2 >2H0 E)
/+. 2% E) <?4>+0(= >0( 7
. E E) >+( 4+-H4 20
L2H> . EH>0 E) (H+E>=? 42E?
H4 E2 %H.. 0 4.L +( 24 0
0 )2>?7 )E > ..L
?)2H. ?2H0 .+- . E E)+?
42+0E7 % L2H %+0 E) (H+E> +?
E22 ?)>+..*?2H0+0( >2.. +E? E20
42E 2J0 L >2H0 8H>E > 2%
+E? E>I . 0 2% 2H>? ?J+E)
E2 E) 2E) > 4+-H4 ? EE+0(?7
2J 2 +E .. (+0 H?+0( E)
<.??+ E-= /2 .7 L
4> ?E2 >2-$ . ? . E H? -02J
)2J L2H ( E 207
!% !&#
: ', '::D B<- .! D'A9':A
A%A H.D79 .',$ !AD9 .,
A% ,9 A9A.:A9 A =I
H9: .* ', A% ,GA '::D3 ,
A%',$ 7E *FH: F.,9 ':
F%H :.+ A9A: 9 :% ,
.A%9: 9 *9 , F%A A%
'!!9, ':5 % !'9:A .,: %
:% .': :. F%H ' A%H
%,$5 : 'A !.9 :.D, 09'
*..): .9 ** .! A% .E5
9,) 99': E' +'*
%3*+ +0 >0- E) I >L
%+>?E E>E? ) ?) 2+ ?
5? E) 20 20 4( AG ? 0
K/4. 67 ) . ?E > )
0 / 2% ?2HE) >0
5<?J/4=6 ?) %2> E) E>E
/ .20(@ +E ?H+E (H+E>
/-+0( 0 ) 0 EE>E+I
(>+0 ?E>HEH> E)E .22-
(> E H0 > E>0?.H 0E
%+0+?) ?7 ?) J? H? ./2?E
K.H?+I .L H0E+. >2H0
/+*31&B J) 0 0 > .?2
?E>E H?+0( . > # J)+) L
0 >=? 2J0 /+??+20 )
. ?? E2 2 J+E) ?20+ 8H.+E+ ?
0 /2> E2 2 J+E) E) %E
E)E +E J? +0 4. 0E+%H. ?H44.L
E (22 4>+ 7
2HE) >0 ?) )? /2>
24 0*(>+0 ?E>HEH> E)0
. > ?2 > 8H+> /2> 42>
%+..+0( 0 J? ?.+()E.L /2>
+%%+H.E E2 J2>-@ . > /
.2E 2% ? 0? 20 .2E 2% . I .?7
0 E >/? 2% E20 50 4. ?
> +0 /+0 E) ? > .JL?
( 0 >.+E+ ? 02E ?2.HE ?6
E) ( 0 >. 20? 0?H? +? E)E
(22 .+()E 4+ 2% ?J/4 ?)
E 0? E2 )I ?.+()E.L
?E>20( > ?? > ?420? J+E)
I >L ?J E 0 > ?200E )+()?
J) > . > +? />(+0..L
<)> >=*?2H0+0( /2>
%2H? +0 E) /+>0( 7 E=?
.?2 ?+ E)E . > 0? H4
+0( /2> /2> <20?+?E 0E=
?2H0+0( E+/ > 2I > E+/
J) > ? E) I>+0 ? +0
(>+0 0 42> ?E>HEH> +0
?) 0 / 0 (> E >
I>+0 +0 E20 7
&)0 "'

) + ) )+1 )+( ( ))
()" ) 0+ )0+ () + )
WorldMags.net
(
WorldMags.net
.) 1 .( $.)+ )+(%&( +(+%(" ( 0(+ + 2 .+.( .)

,3 .+
+(+ + ! -# 1 . . " + ( ") + "( ( ) . + ++(
) ? L? 0 > ?E+.. H? ?

?) %2> >E+0 +0?E>H/ 0E?
5/ >+0 +0E( =&G
. ?E > 0 /0L E>0?*
%+0+?) (H+E>?6 HE E) /+0
2L E+/ > +? . >7
&(%&#
.9 H9: A..) ,. ,.A' .! F%A
A% '!!9,A :A9',$ .+0,':
*'+3 ! H.D *'E A%+
E9H.,7: :A9',$: 9 AA9
A%, E9H., *:7: F%'% ':
'+0.::'*3 7+ *!A !*',$
:0A'* .DA :A9',$: , ',$
19D+0H .9A%9, 'A2
7+ *:. A.. A'$%A A. :%** .DA @"I
.9 :. ., !',',$ .DA F%'% .,:
9 :A3 .D* H.D G0*', F%H
:.+ :A9',$: 9 :D00.:*H
*.,$9 *'! A%, .A%9: , F%'%
H.D 9.++, .(A'E*H5
%,): ', E,3
.9A 9H E' +'*
% # E2 E22 ? 4E+.
2 >E .20(*.+% 52E 6

?E>+0(? %+0+E .L - 4 E) +>
E20 0 .?E .20( >" HE
( 0 >..L 2?E /2> E2 22E7
E J? .+K+> E)E > ..L -+-
.. E)+? 2%% +0 +( JL %+>?E 2% ..
J+E) +E? 2.LJ 50 .E >
02J 6*2E ?E>+0(?7
?+..L E) J2H0 ?E>+0(? >
2E 0E+> .L +0 /E >+. E)E
4)L?+..L 4>2E E? E) / E.
?E>+0(? %>2/ 2>>2?+20
KE 0+0( 2E) .+% 0 E20 7
& '
" "
" "
L.2> +? 20 2/40L E)E

0E>H?E? .. 2% +E? 0 J (H+E>?
J+E) .+K+> 02J ?E>+0(?7
2E? 2% 2E) > /0H%EH> >?
2%% > ?+/+.> 44>2)7 )
=>+2 >0( 5%2> 2E)
. E>+ 0 2H?E+6 H? ? 0
H.E>*E)+0 2E+0( 20 +E? J>4
J+> %2> J2H0 ?E>+0(?7
) 0 E) > > >0+ ..
2E .+0-L 0 I >.?E
2H?E+ ?E>+0(? 2E2?2H0
KH? 0 ?2 207 >E+0=?
+% ?40 ?E>+0(? > ?+ E2
<E> E = 02E 2E HE +E=?
EH..L ?H4 >*E)+0 2E+0(@
,H?E 20 /+>207
. > ..L +? E) +(( ?E %E2>
+0 )22?+0( L2H> ?E>+0(?7 2/
2% E) 2E+0(? > E)+- > E)0
2E) >? J)+) L2H J+.. +E) >
.+- 2> L2H J20=E7 0 E) H4?+
E)+-.L*2E ?E>+0( 0
> H ?E>+0( 02+? 0 ?8H -?7
0 E) 2J0?+ +E 0 ?2H0
H.. 0 % . <4.?E+-L=7 )
H+E>+?E > J E 0 E2 H?
2E ?E>+0(? %2> 2H?E+
(H+E>? HE . ?? ?2 %2> . E>+?
H? E) L ( E )0( /2>
2%E 07 2?E 2% H? ) > )I
+%% > 0E >0 4> % > 0 ? ?2
E) > =? 02E > ..L 0L 2, E+I+EL
2HE +E 2E) > E)0 E2 ?L E)E
E) 2E ?E>+0(? 20 .. 2% 2H>
2H?E+? %+0+E .L > E+0
(22 20?+?E 0E E20 E . ?E
EJ2 2> E)> E+/ ? .20( > E)0
H02E 20 ?7
" $#

" " "
" %
# "
(0 + + .) +

)+() ( .)+)### +1 +1
(+ ))++ +
( +
%E :A,9 G',
*:A9 , A%',) 'A7: A'+ A.
D0$9 A% 0')D0: !.9 !'9
9.) :.D, 1,.A A%A 'A :.D,:
DA A**: + A%A A%9
': :.+A%',$ AA9 .DA A%9 2
.F . %..: A% 9'$%A 0.A: A.
F.9) F'A% %D+D)9>&-I
,) , :',$*&.'* 9'$5
E9H., :H: "II) !.9 %D++9:
, C"I) !.9 :',$*: DA F%A8:
:A !.9 D:',$ ., .! %5 .F
F'** :',$*&.'* 9'$ 0')D0
:.D, '! D: "II)5 %.D* .0A
!.9 A% +'* $9.D, , A9H ,
!', B<") : D: ', A% 9%+
.G., *5 *0
AE F, .9A%+0A.,
, 6%3 > 4>2.L J>
E I E) )+() > E) I.H

5> ?+?E0 6 2% E) 42E E) % J >
)+()* 0 %> 8H 0+ ? > .2?E E2
(>2H0 /2?E 02E+ .L ? L2H
EH>0 E) 42E 2J07 0 0HE?) ..
)+()*I.H 42E? <?2H0 >+()E >=
E)0 .2J > I.H 42E?7 ? L2H
?L ?+0(. 2+.? > ./2?E
.JL? H? J+E) G&N- 42E?
* 1 -3!
WorldMags.net
5E)E ?2%E 0 2%% ?2/ 2% E)2?

)+()? /2> E)0 &NN- 42E
J2H.6 J)+. )H/H- >? >
./2?E .JL? 4+> J+E) &NN42E? ?2 /+K+0( E) EJ2 /L
+0I2.I 2/4>2/+? 7
+>?E 4HE +0 L2H> 0 J 4+-H4?
0 .+?E 07 % L2H .+- J)E L2H
) > 20=E )0( E)+0(7 % E)
(H+E> 2H. 2 J+E) .+EE.
KE> >+()E0 ?? )2J I > +E
/+()E J2>E) E>L+0( E) FA&42E + 52> /L FNN?67
% L2H .2I E) ?2H0 2% E)
>+( 4+-H4 J+E) E) ?E0>
G&N- 42E? HE %+0 E)
)H/H- > E22 >-*?2H0+0(
) - 2HE E) J+>+0( +(>/
5I+.. E JJJ7% 0 >72/6
%2> E) E . ?E >7 )+?
(H+E> H? ? &NN- 42E? 5J+E)
N7NGGH% E20 46 HE H? ?
GAN- > ?+?E2> J+> +0 ? >+ ?
EJ 0 E) >+( 42?+E+20
4+-H4 ?J+E) .H( 0 (>2H0
20 E) - 2% E) I2.H/ 42E7
)+? %% E+I .L >+0(? E)
> ?+?E0 I.H 2J0 %2> E)
>+( 4+-H4 ? . E+20 20.L7
I %H0 K4 >+/ 0E+0($
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
PHOTOGRAPHY
JOBY SESSIONS
63 Fender
Stratocaster
or many players, the Strat reached its apex

in the early 60s. The reputation of guitars
from this era among players was such that
when Fenders fortunes were waning in the early
80s, after buyers had become disillusioned with
CBS-era Strats, a slab-board 1962 model was
selected as the basis for a new series of historically
accurate reissues that helped turn the companys
fortunes around.
By 1963, however, the Strat had moved on again.
To address production problems Leo Fender had
experienced with slab-fretboard necks, he
introduced round-laminate boards part-way
through 1962, which entailed gluing a thin,
curved layer of rosewood onto the top surface of
a maple neck that had already been cut to the
correct radius. It was a trickier piece of
workmanship to complete and marked a new
phase in the guitars development.
This battered but beautiful 63 Stratocaster in
Fiesta Red is currently on show at the vintage
Valhalla that is Guitars: The Museum, a permanent
exhibition that opened in Ume, Sweden, in
February of this year. The museum is also home to
the 54 Strat featured in our cover story (see p72)
and a whole lot more besides. Its a long journey
north, unless you currently reside at the Pole, but
if you want to feast your eyes on this gorgeous
slice of Strat history you could do a lot worse than
pay a visit.
www.guitarsthemuseum.com
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
i
m
o
C
WorldMags.net
next month
30
As we celebrate three rocking
decades in the business, find out
how the nation plays, buys and
enjoys guitars in 2014 in our
Great Guitar Survey
North American
Subscriptions to
SAVE
40%
GEAR REVIEWS
Knaggs T3 Severn Trembuck

Tone King Majesty
Mesa/Boogie King Snake
Blackstar ID:Core series
Boss DS-1X & OD-1X
AND MORE
STARS!
Dave Davies
Legendary Kinks man on that guitar tone
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
New album from Strat-lovin bluesman
Reverend Horton Heat
Slicked-back hair and rockabilly guitars
PLUS! Guitar lessons, tech Q&A, news,
and all your Guitarist faves
Poetry is not the most important thing in life... Id much rather lie in a hot bath
reading issue 381 and sucking sweets.
ISSUE 381, JUNE 2014, ON SALE 2 MAY 2014
Save 40 per cent off store price

Get your copy delivered direct to your
door each month
Save time and energy searching around
in stores
Spread the cost and pay just $31
by quarterly credit card
Never miss an issue!
Order online at
www.imsnews.com/guitarist
Please enter promotional code A016 to enjoy this offer
Or phone TOLL-FREE on 1-800 428 3003

(quoting code A016)
Overseas orders (excl N America) please go to:

www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
Terms and conditions details of the Direct Debit guarantee are available on request. You will
receive 13 issues per year. Your subscription will start with the next available issue. In the unlikely
event of stocks becoming exhausted, we reserve the right to substitute with items of a similar
value. Minimum subscription term is 12 months. If at any time during the rst 60 days you are
dissatised in any way, please notify us in writing and we will refund you for all unmailed issues.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Everything you need...

A magazine/DVD with tips, ris,
scales and exercises, plus authentic
Texas blues style tracks to learn!
On Sale Now! Just 6.99 from WHSmith and all good newsagents
WorldMags.net
Techniques Blues Headlines
WorldMags.net
Blues Headlines
Neville Marten is on a mission to make you
a better blues player with full audio examples
and backing tracks in the Guitarist Vault
Target Practice
Difficulty +++
| Gear used: Gibson Les Paul 59 Reissue
SOME time back, Matt Schofield did an

exercise for us where he demonstrated that,
by using strong chord tones, you could imply
the underlying changes without a bassline,
keyboard or rhythm guitar. Matts sequence
was a jazz-blues using a 13th I chord and a
turnaround following the VI-II-V-I format
common to that style.
It occurred to me that some readers might
suppose you could only do that with more
sophisticated progressions jazz players are
known for changing scales with the chords,
whereas bluesers use fewer scales and
plough on through! But we, too, can outline
even a basic three-chord trick by targeting
each chords strongest notes.
The notes we want to highlight are the root
the strongest note in any chord; the 3rd,
which signifies major or minor; and the b7th,
which provides bluesiness. A note that Matt
might not choose is the 5th: this is often
ignored as a target note in jazz, but old
bluesmen would often use it to add tension.
If you want to sound in control, you need to
know where these notes lay, both within the
underlying chords and in the scales you use.
Lets keep it simple and stay pentatonic.
The minor pentatonic (R b3 4 5 b7) contains
three of our four target notes, and since we
usually sharpen the b3 by bending or using the
minor to major 3rd hammer-on, you could
say it boasts all four. While thats fine for the
I chord, when it comes to the IV and V, we
need to be more creative. If we now add the
major pentatonic (R 2 3 5 6) we gain the 2nd
(or 9th), the major 3rd and the 6th.
In our key of C, that gives us: C D Eb E F G A
Bb. And if we look at the target notes in all
three chords in this months blues C7 (C E G
Bb), F7 (F A C Eb) and G7 (G B D F) we can see
that combining the scales gives us all but the
B in our G7 chord it also creates a sort of
Guitarist Vault
CHARLIE GILLETT COLLECTION/REDFERNS
Tutor: Neville Marten
| 10-15 mins per example
Listen to Albert Collins

for his innovative and
blisteringly effective
targeting of notes
super Mixolydian scale: C D (Eb) E F G A Bb

the bracketed Eb is our extra note.
Now, its all well and good knowing all this;
the trick is learning to use the knowledge to
target good notes in each chord as it comes
along. Ive tried to create a simple but
satisfying solo where licks begin or end on a

chord tone, and contain as many as possible
without resorting to strict arpeggios.
Check out the performance notes for a solo
road map, and see if you can use the same
ideas to spice up your own playing.
WorldMags.net
Blues Headlines Techniques
WorldMags.net
Example 1
chords change, we see semitone bends into the b7 of the F7 chord
(Eb), finishing on the C now the F7 chords 5th. A bend up to F (now
our root) begins a run that ends on Bb the b7th of C7, as we are back
in the I chord. A doublestop bend highlights the 5th and b7th (G and
Bb) before a spitting lick (also finishing on the b7th), leads us via the
4th to 5th up to a top-string root. This lick goes across the bar into
BARS 9-12 Where it takes us down to a double hit G, the root of our
G7 V chord. Can you work out the other targeted notes in the solo,
then use the backing track to create a solo thats as shapely as this?
BARS 1-4 We begin on the root (C), plays the major 3rd (E) via a
hammer-from the b3 a semitone below, up to the 5th (G) and back
down to end on the low 5th (fifth string, 10th fret). We begin the
second lick with a chromatic run from G to A, which marks bar 2 and
is the 3rd (A) of the next chord (F7). The lick then runs up to a high A
bend and back down, passing through a slightly bent b3rd (E),
through the root and 5th, running to a straight major 3rd and sliding
back up to the root. The first four bars end on a lick highlighting the
root, 3rd and 4th and back to our top-string root. BARS 5-8 As the
.
.
12
& 8 . . J
j
b n
j
b n
. . #
. b
J

1/4
4
BU BD BU BD
E
B
G
D
A
E
10
10
10
10
10
12
11
10 12 10
1/4
12 (14) (12 )(14) (12 )
10 12
10
&
j
b
J b
j
b n
[8]
. j
b
3
BU BD
E
B
G
D
A
E
10
j F
b
10 (12 )
10
(10 ) 8
10
10
10
10
&
BD BU
10 ( 11) ( 10 ) ( 11)
j
b
BU
BU
E
B
G
D
A
E
BU BD
8 10 ( 11) (10)
10
10
10
11 (13)
1/4
1/4
11
1/4
b # n
PB
10
BU
1/4
11
11
11
(11 ) (10 )
WorldMags.net
Techniques Blues Headlines
WorldMags.net
Example 1 continued
b
.. j ..
1/4
3
BU
E
B
G
D
A
E
8
8
11
BU
BU
1/4
11
11
10 (12) 10 (12 )
10
10
10 8
10 (12 )
10 (12 )
10 8
10 10
10 9
j
b
E
B
G
D
A
E
BU
1/4

10
1/4
BU BD
BU
10 (11 ) (10) 8 11 (13 )
11
13
Hold
bend
BU
11 13 (15 )
RP
(15 ) 13 11
13 13
13 13
13
13
13 13
10
() b C
1/4
1/4
1/4
j
b
3
1/4
E
B
G
D
A
E
10
13
11
1/4
11
1/4
12
11
BU
12 10
BD
(11 ) (10 ) 8
10
12
Hear It Here
ALBERT COLLINS
Ice Pickin
Albert bridges gaps between both blues and
jazz, and blues and rock. His tone is scarily
powerful, and his note choices can veer from
the dramatically wild to the beautifully
sophisticated. This album features the
brilliant Too Tired, Honey Hush, and a
fantastic instrumental, Avalanche, which
shows you exactly what Collins is all about.
LARRY CARLTON
Sapphire Blue
While Larry Carlton is rightly known for his
sublime playing over sophisticated changes,
on this record, the master shows how its
done over a simpler set of tunes. As usual,
he shows exactly what taste, touch and tone
are all about. Just An Excuse To Play The
Blues, A Pair Of Kings and the title track itself
are real lessons in timing, phrasing and, yes,
note targeting.
ROBBEN FORD
Talk To Your Daughter
I make no apologies for recommending this
again its impossible to overstate Fords
brilliance on this record. It contains both
simple and sophisticated songs, each one
brimming with licks that skirt, sneak up on
and downright attack target notes. The title
track and Robbens devastating takes on
Help The Poor and Aint Got Nothin But The
Blues are worth the asking price alone.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
y
a
d
t
o
s
t
e
l
d
o
l
o
r
c
o
0
1
w
the guitars in the
c
i
r
t
c
e
el
#8
o
r
t
c
e
guitars
l
t
s
e
e
l
o
n
o
Da
om/c
.c
r
a
d
g
a
r
c
in list? www.musi
h
T
d
l
i
W make the
Did you
rs
demos
r video and bands
le
il
k
d
iews an ourite artists
er
ear rev
g
f
o
s
our fav nd sound bett
d
an
s with y
a
w
y
ie
s Thous
la
v
p
r
lp you
ive inte
s Exclus tutorials to he
nd
rs of WorldMags.net
s Tips a
e make
From th
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Reader Ads
Readerads
Free Adverts for Guitarist readers to buy, sell and exchange
Electrics
Bravewood Custom Thinline
T-style. Surf Green, stunning
birdseye maple slim neck
with large frets, TV Jones
FilterTron pickups, mint
with Hiscox hardshell case,
12-month waiting list. Pics
available. 1,400. Call
07875 146247 or email
f.coia@tiscali.co.uk Cornwall
Fender 1964 MusicMaster II,
100 per cent original with
original hard shell case.
Excellent condition for age,
with no issues. Case has a
bump in it. Buyer to collect.
1,200ono. Email
twentyhertz@twentyhertz.
co.uk Preston, Lancashire
Fender Roadhouse USA
Stratocaster 1999,
immaculate condition, maple
neck, Texas Special pickups,
tortoise shell pickguard,
Three-Colour Sunburst,
great setup, 650. Call Stuart
07812 705575 or email
farmer.stu@gmail.com
Wolverhampton
Fender Custom Shop Master
Built Yuriy Shishkov 55 Strat.
2013 guitar, Black, light relic,
gorgeous, debt forces sale.
3,200ono (4,000+ spec).

Chas, 07850 255355 London
Fender Eric Clapton
signature Strat in Black. VGC,
everything as purchased,
tweed case, hang tags and all
case candy. 900. Call
07868 263587 Wiltshire
Fender JV Squier 1983
JV56211. Incredible guitar,
Black, maple fretboard,
fabulous condition, owned
for 28 years, 550. Call
Stephen on 07906 618310
Harrogate
Fender Strat (USA) Vintage
Reissue Limited Edition
Anniversary 1997, no 1273
of 1997 (also year of
manufacture). Immaculate.
950ono. Call Sue on 07701
032698 or email
suestott54@msn.com
Fender Stratocaster,
Mexican build, dates to
1992/3, Black with good
neck and rosewood board,
good condition, new strings.
240 for quick sale, reducing
my collection. Call Kevin on
07900 932672 Chelmsford
Fender Stratocaster USA
Highway One, Red seethrough nitrocellulose finish,
rosewood board. Privately
imported. Unused, no case

but gigbag available. Part of a
collection of recording artist.
450. Call/text/Facebook
Virgil McMahon on
07896 971086
Fender Telecaster American
Standard, 2006. Vintage
Blonde/black pickguard.
Excellent condition and
sound with professional
setup. All original parts.
750. Call Tony on 01322
528944 / 07949 690221
SE London/NW Kent
Gibson ES-335, 1964,
Cherry Red. 1959 PAF on
bridge side. Neck replaced
1968. Excellent instrument.
Offers. Please call
01224 508940
Gibson ES-335, 2008.
Cherry Red, plain top. Mint,
home-use only. Cased with
Custom Shop certificate.
1,350ovno. Call Geoff on
0121 358 2704 Birmingham
Gibson ES-335TD 2003 Dot
reissue. Flamed maple top in
Cherry Red. Brilliant
condition and sound. Pro
setup. All original parts.
1,750. Call Tony on 01322
528944 / 07949 690221 SE
London /NW Kent
Gibson ES-339, Custom

Shop, Antique Red, 2012,
Memphis tone circuit. As
new, hardshell case. 1,275.
Call 01252 323037 or email
nickgolf@hotmail.co.uk
Surrey
Gibson genuine 1957 Les
Paul Junior in collectors
condition, with original croc
case. 6,995. Email
studuke@hotmail.com or call
07816 404742 Devon
Gibson Les Paul 2008,
Honeyburst, original case
with papers, bought new,
never left the house, vgc.
1,200. Call Adrian on
01633 872998
Gibson SG Standard 2005
model, Cherry. Good
condition, original case is a
little tatty. 700. Call Phil on
07766 077690 Teesside
Gretsch Chet Atkins
Tennessean, 1967, vintage,
rare, walnut, serial #1712,
original old case. Great
action, lovely binding,
fabulous tone! 1,750. Email
kaye.fender@tiscali.co.uk
Cardiff
Nik Huber Krautster II, Onyx
Black, mint, outstanding
guitar, rare opportunity to
buy one of these hard-to-find

guitars, also save 395 on
new one. 2,100. Call
07875146247 or email
f.coia@tiscali.co.uk Cornwall
PRS Custom 22, 20th
Anniversary Artist. Superb,
near mint, bedroom use only.
Blue Matteo quilted maple
top, Brazilian rosewood
fretboard and headstock.
Birds in flight, Wide Thin
neck, gold hardware, vibrato.
Luthier setup. Cost me
2,895, will sell for 1,995.
Email ste100centurions@
yahoo.co.uk for photos or call
Steve on 01942 792111
Greater Manchester
Starfield USA, rare, Light
Purple, Ibanez factory, 1992,
nice condition, three
Seymour Duncan pickups,
vibrato, original case. 850.
ilonatracey@hotmail.com
Vanquish Legend Classic
Plus, 2009, natural, flamed
maple top, Bare Knuckle
Mules, hand-built in UK. See
Vanquish Guitars website for
full spec. 1,500. Email
jerrypinner@live.co.uk
Worthing
Organic Standard, UK
handmade, perfect
Reader Ads Before you submit an ad

We now only accept reader ads via e-mail
to guitarist.readerads@futurenet.com .
The 21-word maximum for your advert
description (excluding your name and
location) still applies.
To be fair to all readers and allow for
the maximum amount of ads to be
included each issue, ads that exceed this
count will not be included. In addition,
there is a maximum limit of three
advertisements per person, per month.
Guide example to formatting your adverts

(upper caps are not required in the description):
Category:Electrics
Advert:Fender Stratocaster, USA Standard, 2001, black, white scratchplate,
three Lace Sensor pickups, vgc, never gigged, Fender hard case, 435ono.
Call Sue on 01234 567890 E-mail lynn.sixx@youremail.com Bromley
Pleasenotethat due to the sections popularity there can sometimes be a period
of around a month before your advert will appear. We are unable to send a notice
of receipt for your advert.
Send ads to: guitarist.readerads@futurenet.com

Guitarist magazine reserves the right to omit or change any reader ads which fail to meet the above guidelines or infringe any companys registered trademarks, ie Strat copy,
Gibson copy, and so on. Please write concisely and double check phone number and email address! You get 21 words max, and theyre all free! FREE we tell you!
WorldMags.net
Reader Ads
condition, no scratches.
Natural wood-oil finish,
with original case. 999ono.
Call 07527 428489 Bristol
Acoustics
Guild GAD-50 Natural, solid
rosewood back and sides,
little used, mint condition
with hardcase. 430 inc.
postage, packing and
insurance. Call Lesley on
01803 524059 or email
lesleyhomer059@
btinternet.com
Levin Goliath 1963 LM-26,
excellent original condition
for age, restrung and soft
case. 650. Call Gary on
0208 207 5015 or email
Fiona.zg@sky.com for pics
Martin D-41, 1999. Beautiful
condition and sound plugged
or unplugged. Fitted with
Fishman Matrix Infinity
pickup system. Professional
setup. 2,500. Call Tony on
01322 528944/07949
690221 SE London/NW Kent
Ovation (USA) Elite 6778 LX.
Beautiful example of this
American electro-acoustic in
excellent condition, with
Ovation case. 650ono. Call
Pat on 07786 914979 or email
patcarney82@hotmail.com
West Mids
Tanglewood electro semiacoustic, Cherry Red,
immaculate condition.
320ono. Call Tony on 01642
504692 or 07757 745339
Middlesbrough area
Amps
Atomic Reactor 112,
de-digitise your digital POD/
floorboard sound with this
flat-response 18-watt valve
power amp/cabinet. With
fitted padded cover. 200.
Call J on 01954 715454 or
email thebigjoost@hotmail.
co.uk Cambs
Award Session AceTone
(EFTP) combo. Mint, with
cover. Hand-built by Stewart
Ward, with Vintage 30
speaker. Shadows sounds
plus more. 400+p&p. Call
Tony on 01296 738486 or
email tony.cox7@btinternet.
com N Bucks
Blackheart Handsome Devil
WorldMags.net
15-watt combo, all-valve,
12-inch speaker, as new.
150. Call Paul on 0161 491
1383 Manchester
Engl 100-watt Real Tube
Head with Engl 2x12 cab and
Z9 footswitch. Unused. Call
Chris on 01332 840206
Fender Blues Tweed Deluxe
reissue 40-watt valve
amplifier. Excellent condition,
including footswitch and
cover. Fantastic sounds.
400. Call or text Eric on
07850 382264
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, 1x12,
40 watts. Great original
condition. Beautiful cleans,
great crunch and overdrive.
Mainly home use. 390. Call
07771 987382 or email
nigelwhiting@tiscali.co.uk
Essex
Fender Blues Deluxe reissue,
pristine condition, including
stand, cover and footswitch.
Very few hours, home use
only. 475. Call Richard on
07702 588192 or email
richardcatterall@
googlemail.com. Newcastle
upon Tyne
Hughes & Kettner Puretone
Class A valve head, two
EL34s, 40/25 watts, single
channel, very loud! Excellent
condition, with cover. 900.
Email jerrypinner@live.co.uk
Worthing
Kustom Sound 72 Coupe
2x12 combo, footswitchable
gain, reverb, tremolo. 72
watts, excellent condition.
425. Chris 01332 840206
Laney VC30 210 30-watt
valve combo, 2x10 Jensen
speakers, excellent
condition, home use only,
300ono. Call Graham on
07780 907361 Norwich
Line 6 Spider Valve HD100.
225. Call Malcolm on 01539
624560 Cumbria
Marshall AVT20, vgc with
cover, 60. Call Geoff on 0121
358 2704 Birmingham
Marshall JMP Master
Volume 1980 50-watt 2x12
combo, immaculate
condition, re-valved, tested,
original cover. 450. Call
Chris on 01332 840206
Marshall MA100C 100-watt
valve amp. 220. Call
Malcolm on 01539 624560
Cumbria
Marshall MG30CFX, 30
watts, excellent condition,
hardly used, original box and
manuals. 100ono. Email
guitarrocks9@btinternet.
com
Music Man RP100 EV12M
combo. Excellent condition,
fine original vintage amp,
brilliant, well cared for
example with super speaker.
550 Email kaye.fender@
tiscali.co.uk Cardiff
Orange MT20 Micro Terror
head and Orange PPC108
speaker cabinet. Brand new,
boxed, never used. 130.
Call 07717 671744 Bristol
Orange Rocker 30 1x12
combo. Includes footswitch,
cover. Light use, immaculate.
450. Ultimate Orange
sound. Call Tony on 01296
738486 or email tony.cox7@
btinternet.com N Bucks
Peavey Bandit 112 100-watt
combo. Blue Marvel 12-inch
speaker, including footswitch
and instructions. Never
gigged, four years old. 100.
Deliver 30 miles or meet
halfway. Call Jeff on 0794
488 5469 or email bigbro@
nebula100.plus.com North
East
Peavey Bandit 65-watt
combo, twin-channel. 80.
Call Paul on 0161 4911383
Manchester
Roland AC-60 stereo
acoustic guitar amp, with
gigbag and manual. Great
natural acoustic sounds for
small gigs/studio/home
practice. 200. Call J on
01954 715454 or email
thebigjoost@hotmail.co.uk
Cambs
THD Hot Plate, clean, full
working order. 150. Call
Chris on 01332 840206
Vox AC15VR 15-watt hybrid
(valve and solid-state) 1x12,
as new. 175. Call Sue on
07701 032698 or email
suestott54@msn.com
Vox AC30CC2, brilliant
condition, instructions still in
wrapper! 450. Email
ianedwards155@yahoo.co.
uk or call 07841 113441
WEM Dominator MKII,
around 17 watts via 1x12,
thought to be all original inc.
Mullards, vgc. 450. Call
07773 276815
WEM 2x12 speaker cabs,

pair, early 1970s, each
rated at 12 ohms, possibly
for use with transistor ER
40/100 amps. 150. Call
0777 327 6815
ZT Lunchbox, 200-watt
solid-state amp, as-new
condition, home use only, ZT
gigbag. 125ono. Call Paul on
0844 778 6372 Manchester
Bass
Fender Jazz Bass Standard,
made in USA, 1998,
Sunburst, rosewood
fingerboard, in Gator case.
750ono. Call 0777 327 6815
Bass Amps
Laney RB1 bass practice
amp, 15-watt 1x8, CD in,
headphone socket. Perfect
for home bass practice or
recording. 45. Call J on
01954 715454 or email
thebigjoost@hotmail.co.uk
Cambs
Effects
Boss RC-20XL Loop Station,
great condition, hardly used,
no issues. 135. Call Stephen
on 07906 618310 Harrogate
DigiTech JamMan looper
pedal. Hardly used, as new
condition. Home use only.
Bargain at 130. Call
07771 987382 or email
nigelwhiting@tiscali.co.uk
Essex
Dunlop Uni-Vibe Stereo
Chorus (discontinued),
boxed with user guide, mint
condition. 99. Email
keithwpurnell@btinternet.
com for photos or call
02392468532
Okko Diablo Gain+
Overdrive, boxed with user
manual. Mint condition. 119.
Email keithwpurnell@
btinternet.com for photos or
call 02392 468532
Zoom 2020 multi-effects,
50. Mint, boxed with
instructions. Call Geoff 0121
358 2704 Birmingham.
Misc
Boss BR-600 Digital
Recorder, boxed, as new,
Send ads to: guitarist.readerads@futurenet.com

WorldMags.net
multi-effects, drum kits,

mastering, complete with
Boss power supply. 110.
Call 07790 191874 or email
pete.h.sullivan@gmail.com
Cheltenham
Callaham Vintage
Replacement Tremolo Block
for American Standard Strat
bridge. Unopened, never
used. 40. Email
keithwpurnell@btinternet.
com for photos or call 02392
468532
Chris Eccleshall solid
electric mandolin, South
American mahogany body,
rosewood board, handwound pickup and mini
Schallers. Original hard shell
case. 420. Call Gary on
0208 2075015 or email fiona.
zg@sky.com for jpegs
Line 6 Relay G50 digital
wireless guitar system, no
licence required, boxed, as
new. 140ono. Call Paul on
0844 778 6372 Manchester
Roland GR-707 Guitar
Synthesizer, silver/grey,
original hardcase, GR-700
floor controller with MIDI
output, leads. 650ono or
swap for Les Paul. Call
Richard on 01984 634199 or
email r.d.rutter@hotmail.
co.uk Somerset
Personnel
Blonde drummer wanted for
hard-rock band. Long hair.
Over 22. Contact gismus@
aol.com
Brown-haired bassist
wanted for hard-rock band.
Long hair. Over 22. Email
gismus@aol.com
Joe Perry-lookalike guitarist
wanted for hard-rock band.
Long hair. Over 22. Email
gismus@aol.com
Wanted
Gibson ES-335, Sunburst,
immaculate. 2,300ono. Call
Tony on 01642 504692 or
07757 745339
Middlesbrough area
Gretsch White Falcon. Must
be in immaculate condition.
Please send price and
particulars to Tony on 01642
504692 or 07757 745339
Middlesbrough area
WorldMags.net
SAVE
45%
UP T
MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS FROM

AS LITTLE AS 13.49 THIS SPRING
Try something new this Spring! Get a fresh perspective from one of our exciting magazines.
$W WKHVH SULFHV \RX FDQ DRUG WR EH LQVSLUHG
Guitarist
From 22.99 Save 36%
T3
From 17.49 Save 45%
Guitar Techniques
From 23.99 Save 40%
Total Film
From 14.99 Save 45%
Total Guitar
From 23.99 Save 37%
Digital Camera
From 20.99 Save 39%
Rhythm
Science Uncovered
From 22.99 Save 37%
From 14.99 Save 47%
Mollie Makes
From 20.99 Save 40%
The Simple Things

From 20.99 Save 40%
Guitar Techniques
From 23.99 Save 40%
2 Easy ways to order
6DYH XS WR R WKH FRYHU SULFHV

'HOLYHU\ LQFOXGHG LQ WKH SULFH
2YHUVHDV GLVFRXQWV DYDLODEOH WRR
myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/s201
PDJD]LQHV FRYHULQJ FDUV F\FOLQJ FUDIWV PXVLF

FRPSXWLQJ JDPLQJ GHVLJQ PRUH
3OXV D KXJH UDQJH RI LWHPV SULFHG XQGHU e
0844 848 2852
(Quote code S201)
/LQHV RSHQ 0RQ WR )UL DP SP 6DW DP SP
6DYLQJV FRPSDUHG WR EX\LQJ \HDUV ZRUWK RI IXOO SULFHG LVVXHV IURP 8. QHZVVWDQG 7KLV RHU LV IRU QHZ SULQW VXEVFULEHUV RQO\ <RX ZLOO UHFHLYH LVVXHV LQ D \HDU H[FHSW 6); &ROOHFWLRQV DQG &RPSXWHU 0XVLF 6SHFLDOV ZKLFK DUH
FRPSDUHG WR EX\LQJ LVVXHV SHU \HDU DQG &RPLF +HURHV ZKLFK LV FRPSDUHG WR EX\LQJ LVVXHV SHU \HDU )XOO GHWDLOV RI WKH 'LUHFW 'HELW JXDUDQWHH DUH DYDLODEOH XSRQ UHTXHVW I \RX DUH GLVVDWLVHG LQ DQ\ ZD\ \RX FDQ ZULWH WR XV RU
FDOO XV WR FDQFHO \RXU VXEVFULSWLRQ DW DQ\ WLPH DQG ZH ZLOO UHIXQG \RX IRU DOO XQPDLOHG LVVXHV 3ULFHV FRUUHFW DW SRLQW RI SULQW DQG VXEMHFW WR FKDQJH )RU IXOO WHUPV DQG FRQGLWLRQV SOHDVH YLVLW P\IDYPDJPDJWHUPV 2HU HQGV WK
0D\
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
9000
9001
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

Cliff Gallup Guit4ristM4y2014Tru3PDF

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Cliff Gallup Guit4ristM4y2014Tru3PDF

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

GEAR REVIEWS | INTERVIEWS | GUITAR LESSONS | TIPS & ADVICE

THE GUITAR MAGAZINE

www.guitarist.co.uk | 5.75 | May 2014

Inside Leo's first Strats

Strats All, Folks

Future Publishing Limited

Print & Production

Future Publishing Limited

A member of the Audited Bureau of Circulations

Future produces high-quality multimedia products which reach

Chief executive Mark Wood

This year marks the 60th

Jamie Dickson Editor

Full competition Terms & Conditions can be found at: www.futurenet.com/futureonline/competitionrules.asp

May 2014 Guitarist 7

The Guitar Magazine

People & Playing

Robert Cray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

8 Guitarist May 2014

ISSUE 380 MAY 2014

The Guitarist Vault

Once confirmed, you can

Register now for

May 2014 Guitarist 9

GIBSON DEREK TRUCKS SG

Last issue, we looked at Gibsons

10 Guitarist May 2014

Gibson 2014 Derek Trucks SG & SG Futura

May 2014 Guitarist 11

Gibson 2014 Derek Trucks SG & SG Futura

erek Trucks Signature SG is apparently

12 Guitarist May 2014

Gibson 2014 Derek Trucks SG & SG Futura

the fitted Min-ETune system, that retails as a

Then, of course, theres the Min-ETune

Feel & Sounds

May 2014 Guitarist 13

Gibson 2014 Derek Trucks SG & SG Futura

4. Last year, the MinETune was an optional

14 Guitarist May 2014

Gibson 2014 Derek Trucks SG & SG Futura

16 Guitarist May 2014

PRICE: 1,399 (inc case)

Guitarist says: Essentially, this

Guitarist says: This is a very

FENDER PAWN SHOP

We test the impact of this atomic bombshell

18 Guitarist May 2014

Fender Pawn Shop Special Vaporizer

he cobwebbed corners of the pawn shop

Feel & Sounds

May 2014 Guitarist 19

Fender Pawn Shop Special Vaporizer

Fender Pawn Shop

1. One of the results of

20 Guitarist May 2014

3. When the red jewel

guitar. Once youve matched your instrument

If the previous Pawn Shop Special amps have

Guitarist says: Garage rock n

Aria aims to be taken seriously

n a forest of guitars priced at around 500,

22 Guitarist May 2014

Aria 511 Dreadnought & 505 OM

I+F?+@F K@ @!1! M

F3 !30! ;31@F1F +113JF3?9<

3:I+1 ! 3?+(3>@ 31!?F3

! '! $ #

"/ , " & &-#'*

3*IF)3? 1M +I. )@

)'# ')# !#

" &"'&& *" ,"#

?+(+1//M ?!/!@! +1 HOOB

3?(!F F)! +(+F/ (! $ @30!

1 (!?01+I0 @+(1/ 6F)@A

$ $$) ! # !#$

3,6 -! , 0% 0 ,-0 %,

"31;D #/,#H# ,D& -G>D "3 13D

( ".,,2 0 , !* ,! ! ,.%

!

! '#" # $

* '' '#$$ )'#$

G1,3= ,1 ,>>G# E@$8 *H# 3I1#"

G1,3= ,> DD >,1)/# +2M8 D > D3

# +2M! #G># 13 3D*#=

G1,3=! D33 /IK> /,.#" D*# /33.

#13G1D#=#" >30#31# I3 >