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MAY 2014

311 NEON TREES MUSIKMESSE 2014 10 GUITAR AND BASS REVIEWS

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Extreme high gain and crushing tone make these valve amplifiers the ultimate metal tone

machines. From a 1W combo to a 6L6-loaded 100W head, they deliver a full-on

Blackstar metal assault. Accept no imitations - stay metal!

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Where made in the USA matters

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www.carvin.com8 0 0 . 8 5 4 . 2 2 3 5

Redefining a Classic

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2014TAYLOR

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premierguitar.com8 PREMIER GUITAR MAY 2014

Publisher Jon Levy

EDITORIAL

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Distributed to the music tradeby Hal Leonard Corporation.

I love the sound ofvintage guitars.

Im always the guy in the front row, enjoying

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TUNING UP

Society is obsessed with efficiency and self-improvement. We read countless books on it (only tofind out later that they are selling snake oil and junk science). We buy questionable productsto fix some perceived problem with our bodies or minds. We have apps to help us exercise or

eat better. We have to have the latest gadgets because their miniscule spec improvements will save usa couple of seconds when updating our cyber followers on every aspect of our lives. Its exhausting!

Our most precious of pastimesplaying musicis not spared, either. We scour videos, articles,reviews, ads, and retailers websites for info on gear thatll improve our tone. At concerts, we oftenspend more time wondering what pickups are in axes or which pedals are behind wedge monitors

than we do soaking up the music. We spend countless hours practicing licks and riffs, readinglessons, and watching videos on how to play like our heroes.

Having interviewed hundreds of guitarists and bassists over the years, Ive heard a lot of advice onhow to improve. The tips range from fingering exercises to practice with a metronome to what sorts ofplayers to jam with, what settings will get the most out of a typical rig, what books or albums are mosteducational or inspiring, and what to do and not to do when youre in a rut.

All of these tips are great, but some of the best advice Ive heard is something far easier. Let me rephrasethat: Given our obsession with self-improvement, it may not actually be easierbut its far simpler: Putdown your guitar and go live. Go have fun. Spend quality time in other life-affirming pursuits.

Over the years, players of all stripes have stressed essentially the same idea, but its often dismissed orforgotten as we snap back to the 21st-century habit of thinking the solution is always try harder, worksmarter, and maximize [insert business- or self-improvement buzzwordhere].

Ironically, forcing ourselves to chill out and have fun has an incredible impact on our lofty self-improvement goals. Science proves it refreshes usphysically, emotionally, and intellectuallyand ismore effective than any quick-fix fad or innovative technology.

I recently returned from the first proper vacation Ive had alone with my wife (i.e., without our threeawesome boys) in the 19 years weve been married. We escaped the frigid climes of the arctic-vortex-

whipped Midwest and basked in the awesomeness of the Caribbean, where it was 80+ degrees in or outof the water. We didnt plan a thing ahead of time. Just drove around the tiny island in our tiny car,

chose restaurants on the spur of the moment, snorkeled, petted stingrays in water so aqua youd swear itwas photoshopped, and scuba-dived for the first time everon a whim.

I brought along one of my trusty Teles to plunk away on for a few minutes before hitting the sackeach night and falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing outside our window. Guess what? AsI aimlessly fretted that maple neck, I found myself playing things differently than Ive ever playedbefore. Not necessarily new riffs or song parts, but a new mentality and viewpoint. Holy shitI gottaremember this, I thought.

A couple of weeks after returning, we went to see comedian Jim Gaffigan perform his hilarious brandof food-obsessed self-derision and deceptively gentle commentary on the ironies of modern life. WhenI got home, I shouldve gone straight to bed. Instead, I picked up another Tele and twanged for a bit.

Suddenly, the viewpoint Id started tapping into on vacation yielded concrete ideas for a new song inwhat I like to think of as my own stylebut with a new twist.

Put down your guitar and go live.Your family, your bandmates, your coworkers, and your soul, if there is such a thing, will thank you

when you come back as a new being.

Slacker Science: The Case for LazinessBY SHAWN HAMMOND

Shawn Hammond

Editor in Chief

[email protected]

Self-help "guru"Kevin Trudeau

was recentlysentenced to 10

years in jail forhis fraudulent

claims thatcapitalize

on our self-

improvementobsession.

@PG_shawnh
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Keep thosecomments coming!Please send your suggestions,gripes, comments, and good words

directly [email protected].

Hot Rod, Suhr Style

I got really intrigued by theDecember 2013 edition of your

websites gallery of Readers HotRods submissions and thoughtId like to share mine with PGas well.

For viewing pleasure, this2011 ESP Grass Roots 52Telecaster copy (basswoodbody) originally had a maple

neck and fretboard, and ratherrun-of-the-mill hardware andelectronics. I swapped out allthe stock chrome-hardware partsfor gold parts, a transparentacrylic pickguard, Gotoh tuners,a Wilkinson Bridge, wired inorange caps to the pots, andchanged the stock pickups for aSuhr Classic T combination.

But the biggest highlightwill always be its custom

airbrushed artwork on the bodyand headstock, and refrettingthe maple fretboard for ahandcrafted ebony vine of lifeinlay. The entire guitar tookclose to a year to complete themodifications.Regards,

Kenny Wong

Mourning aFlamenco MasterThat was a beautiful article[Flamenco Master Paco deLucia: 1947-2014, February2014] and Im saddened tohear of his death. I was blessedto see Paco live, along withMcLaughlin and company at theGreat American Music Hall inSan Francisco in the early 80s.

JimDep,

via premierguitar.com

John FruscianteMy compliments to PG forbringing us such a killer inter-view [John Frusciante: War

and Peace, April 2014]. I wishit went on for another threepages. Frusciante is that rarest ofthings-a true eternal student.Because he is humble, he findsand wrings all possible valuefrom the work of masters ofall styles and genres, be it JimiHendrix (classic rock) or JohnMcGeoch (new wave). Theres

a lesson for all of us as artiststhere: Dont get hung up on anyone aspect of music. True inno-vation only occurs when we arebold enough to move across asmany different fields and medi-ums as we can possibly incor-porate during our lifetimes. Imgladder with each passing yearthat Mr. Frusciante was able toget his life and career back ontrack, and grateful for what Ive

learned from interviews withhim and listening to his work.I will never be half the guitar-ist he is, but he inspires mecontinually. May he continue

writing, recording, and playinguntil the moment he draws hisfinal breath.

Nik Farr,


Eternal LessonsBeen listening to cacophonysince I was a young teenager andabsolutely love those wrongnotes, and like all diminished,suspended and similar things[Electric Etudes: Jason Becker,February 2014]. Of course, Ialso play some instrumentsguitar is the main oneandalways learn by help from

Yngwie stuff, and then Martyand Jason. What a mess I findmyself in, but learning neverstops and will go till the end ofmy time! Thanks PG.

Sasha,


DIY SuccessWow. What an awesome job[Guitar Shop 101, How to SetUp a Floyd Rose-Style Trem,

August 2013]. I followed this tothe letter. I had to buy a capo,truss rod wrench, and an actiongauge, but now I feel like I have

a brand new guitar. Thanks forthe skill. Again, amazingly thor-ough job right down to stringretainer. Thank you so much!

Mark Edge,


This is going onmy pedalboard

TOMORROW. I

dont even care howit sounds. RT @

premierguitar

Dread Ivy,@Dread_Ivy

@premierguitar Whenshowing guitar pics ...

please show headstock.Its very important to the

whole look!

Matt Beatty,@yycmattbeatty

Thanks for posting this

[DIY: How to Mic YourAmp for Stellar Tone,February 2014]. It wasactually really good forsomeone like myself just

beginning to record.

Stephen Swiontek

My 67 Gibson BarneyKessel, and the Billy-Boare the ones I cant put

down right now.

Columbo Saiya

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With patented safety and functionality features

like the Headlockneck support system, the

VertigoTop-Loadingaccess, and the impact

protecting Boot our full line of hybrid cases

are designed to meet the needs of world

traveling pros and local on-the-move players.

We dont make flimsy gig bags, we design

intelligent luggage for creators.

THE DUAL::The one case for two guitars.

THE VERTIGO::The Boot&Top-Loadinggame changer.
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People have tons of chops, but no songwritingability I dont want to watch dudes masturbate.

I want music to convey emotions.Baroness' John Baizley, p.94

CONTENTSMay 2014

147

Top 5 HeavyRig Rundowns

A look back at our favemetal gear videos.

94

State of MetalGuitarists from six hot'n' heavy bands discuss

the state of hardcorein 2014.

34

MusikmesseWe highlight thecoolest gear from

Europe's biggest show.

79

Sideman StoriesTips from veterans onhow to succeed as asupporting guitarist.

114 Aristides 070

116 PRS Archon

121 Third Man Bumble Buzz

124 Warwick RockBass Star Bass

127 TC Electronic Ditto X2 Looper

130 DiPintoMelody Mach IV

133 Black Cat OD-Boost

137 Dr. J Sparrow

140 Breedlove Premier Auditorium143 Origin Cali76 Limiting Amplifier

REVIEWS

58

Neon TreesChris Allen and

Branden Campbell onplaying with nuance.

70

ManchesterOrchestra

The dual-guitar coupde main of Andy Hull

and Robert McDowell.

ARTISTS

50

Tim MahoneyAfter two decades, 311

comes full circle withStereolithic.
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On the Cover:
http://digital.premierguitar.com/premierguitar/201405_1/TrackLink.action?pageName=15&exitLink=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.privatereserveguitars.com


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20 News Bits22 Gear Radar

25 Opening Notes

160 Media Reviews

162 Staff Picks

172 Next Month in PG

174 Esoterica Electrica

176 Last Call

GEAR

30 Rig Rundowns

44 Modern Builder Vault

46 Bottom Feeder

48 Vintage Vault

68 Tone Tips

HOW-TO

76 Acoustic Soundboard

86 The Recording Guitarist

88 Guitar Shop 101

90 On Bass

92 Bass Bench

108 Mod Garage

110 Ask Amp Man112 State of the Stomp

Each new

mic addssomething,

but takessomethingelse away.

Joe Gore,

The Recording

Guitarist, p.86

Photoby

KenSettle

CONTENTSMay 2014

On the Cover:The Aristides Instruments 070

7-string and PRS Archon head.

Photo by Meghan Molumby


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- Bolder, stronger high end

- Fuller, warmer low end

- Balanced voice across

all strings

- Ideal for narrow bodied guitars

- Comfortable, balanced hand feel

- .013, .017, .025, .032, .042, .053

GORE, ELIXIR, NANOWEB, POLYWEB, GREAT TONE LONG LIFE, e icon, and other designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates. 2014 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. ELX-318-ADV-US-FEB14

HD Light Phosphor Bronze with NANOWEB

C oating HD Light 80/20 Bronze with NANOWEB Coating

Elixir

Light Stringsa new voice to love for longer

New ElixirHD Light Strings

are a blend of medium gauge

plain steel strings with light

gauge wound strings, bridged

by a custom .025 third string.

Increased tension of the

treble strings improves their

articulation. The interaction

soundboard also adds harmonic

content to the bass strings.

Learn more:www.elixirstrings.com/hdlight

GO ONLINE
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FEATURED

LESSONS

BEYOND BLUESProgressive Progressions

By Levi Clay

RHYTHM RULESChops, Speed, and Rhythm

By Fareed Haque

ACOUSTIC ADVENTURESLeo Kottkes

Invisible ThumbBy Shawn Persinger

FUTURE ROCKHybrid PickingBy Tom Monda

Access all of our lessons

online, for free, with

streaming audio and

downloadable, printable

notation PDFs.

ONLY ON PremierGuitar.comYour guide to the latest stories, reviews, videos, and lessons on PremierGuitar.com

Grissom's BristleSession hero David Grissomhas worked with a laundry list of music titans, including but notlimited to John Mellencamp, the Dixie Chicks, Ringo Starr, Chris Isaak, Robben Ford, and BuddyGuy. Hes an accomplished songwriter in Nashville, penning tunes for Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann

Womack, and others. But we talked to him about his new solo album, How It Feels To Fly, whichoffers bristling recorded guitar tones generated by the union of his PRS signature guitar and amps:a whammy-equipped DGT 6-string and his brand-new, ultra-responsive DG Custom 30- and50-watt tube barkers. In other web-only coverage, look for our interview with Marty Friedman,and a gear review of the ISP Theta Preamp.

NEW FOOTAGEPremier Guitars road crew just returnedfrom Germany with a whopping amount

of gear news. Check out the editorspicks from Musikmesse 2014on p. 34,andthen head online to see photo galleries of all theguitars, basses, amps, and effects that we could getour grubby paws on. In addition, well be rollingout more than 40 video demos of the same, soyou can decide for yourself if you like what yousee and hear.

MartyFriedmanphotobyShadowgate

Marty Friedman
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OBITUARY

Flamenco Master Paco de Lucia:1947-2014Guitarists and devotees of flamenco musicaround the world are mourning the deathof Paco de Lucia, heralded as the greatestflamenco guitarist of our time. De Luciareportedly suffered a heart attack whileplaying with his children on a Caribbean

beach resort in Mexico and died at a localhospital on the evening of February 25.He was 66.

Born Francisco Gustavo SnchezGomes in 1947 in the Spanish port cityof Algeciras, de Lucia began playing

traditional flamenco guitar at an early age. His father and two brothers also played flamenco guitar,and the four of them accompanied another brother who was a flamenco singer. A child prodigy, deLucia made his radio debut at age 11 and recorded his first album at 14. At that time, de Lucia tookhis professional name to honor Lucia Gomes, his Portuguese mother.

For many years, de Lucia devoted himself to traditional flamenco music and became recognized asa master of the genre, following in the footsteps of Sabicas, the great flamenco guitarist de Lucia firstmet as a youngster. Sabicas became de Lucias mentor and friend, and eventually de Lucia was widelyacknowledged as Sabicas successor.

But de Lucias restless musical curiosity and interest in jazz and Latin music led him to explore newsounds. Through collaborations with John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Larry Coryell, and Chick Corea,de Lucia introduced the fiery rhythms and lightning-fast runs of flamenco to rock and jazz guitaristsaround the world whountil hearing de Luciahad little familiarity with traditional Spanish andGypsy music. Released in 1981, Friday Night in San Francisco, which featured de Lucia, Di Meola, and

McLaughlin, sold more than a million copies and is considered one of the greatest live acoustic-guitaralbums of all time.To have worked and played music with Paco is one the greatest blessings in my life, says

McLaughlin. In the place where he lived in my heart, there is now an emptiness that will stay withme till I join him.

Though guitarists enthusiastically embraced de Lucias nuevo flamenco, not everyone in theflamenco world endorsed this new sound. Like Ravi Shankar, who brought the melodies, timbres,and rhythms of sitar and Indian classical music to the West and was decried by traditionalists fordoing so, de Lucia had critics in Spain who saw the marriage of flamenco and jazz as diluting thepure form. But also like Shankar, de Lucia never lost his heartfelt connection with his musical roots,

and his stunning technique, impassioned improvisations, and artful compositions always honoredthe music he learned as a child in Spain. De Lucia will be remembered as flamenco guitars greatestambassador and one of the finest musicians to ever hold a nylon-string guitar. Andy Ellis

FOR SALE

Gruhn Guitars OffersEarliest KnownStratocasterGruhn Guitars has announced

for sale the earliest known1954 Fender Stratocaster (serial

number 0100) with originalpoodle style hard case for$250,000. Ive seen a vastnumber of fretted instrumentsduring the 50-plus years Ive

been in this business andthis guitar spoke to me the

moment I opened the case,says George Gruhn. Itssignificance goes far beyond itsplace in the history of musicalinstruments. This Stratocaster

made an incredible mark onmusic history as well when

NEWS BITS

GUITARDOMS

TOP TWEETS

Eric Johnsons @EJUpClose pedal board

@KWShepherd

Maybe @EarthQuakerDev gets

free publicity from platetectonics, but I havean overdrive called

The Internet. SAY MYNAME!

@dwarfcraft

Today were playing anold prison, apparently

George Lynch stayedhere once? @ffdp @ffdp_uk @mariahlynch @

georgelynch@jasonhook_5fdp

Eric Clapton, of allpeople, told me theres noway Neil could be hearingthese differences after yearsof Crazy Horse-induced

ear damage.@hiattb

Mike Landau. Incredible.@timlefebvre

WALRUS AUDIO


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premierguitar.com PREMIER GUITAR MAY 2014 21

it left the Fender factory and landed inthe first owners hands at a music shopin El Monte, California. This is theearliest example of the most successfulmodel electric guitar in the history of theinstrument and is the guitar that launcheda revolution.

The Strat is reportedly in exceptionallyfine condition. The neck date is 1/54

(January 1954) and the body date is 4/54(April 1954). As is typical of the earliestStratocasters, the serial number is stampedon the tremolo cavity plate rather than theneck fastening plate as seen on later Fenderinstruments.

gruhnguitar.com

CRUISE

Mtorhead, Megadeth,

and Anthrax Team Up forMtorheads MotrboatMegadeth, Motrhead, and Anthrax willperform at the first annual MotrheadsMotrboat cruise onboard the CarnivalEcstasy from September 22-26, 2014.In addition to these three rock giants,The Loudest Boat In The World willalso feature performances from Zakk

Wylde, Jim Breuer, Danko Jones, FireballMinistry, Wilson, and more.

Motrheads Motrboat will sail fromMiami, visiting the ports of Key West,Florida and Cozumel just off Mexicos

Yucatan Peninsula. While onboard, guestswill have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunityto interact with band members and seeunforgettable performances on variousstages throughout the ship.

Motrhead founder Lemmy Kilmisterproclaims: "This will be everything youvecome to expect from a night out with us,except even louder, with more great bandsand no way of escaping! If you thought

waves could rock a boat, youve got anotherthing coming with this lovely little outing!"

Scott Ian of Anthrax adds, Anthrax,Motrhead and Megadeth at sea??? Toquote Chief Brody [Jaws], Were going to

need a bigger boat.motorheadcruise.com

INTRODUCING THEWALRUS AUDIO

DESCENT REVERB
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3TV JONES

Brian Setzer

Signature PickupBuilding on more than 20

years of working together,

TV Jones and rockabilly

master Brian Setzer

team up for a signature

pickup derived from the

TV Classic, but a bit more

over-the-top.Street $145tvjones.com

1EASTWOODAirline 59

NewportBased on the National

Newport Val-Pro 88, the

new Airline 59 sports a

lightweight chambered

mahogany body, maple

neck, and two NY mini

humbuckers.Street $1,099

eastwoodguitars.com

4ANALOG

OUTFITTERS

Road AmpThis amp is built from a

decommissioned road sign

enclosure and a vintage

Hammond organ amp

chassis foundation, has

a pair of 6V6 tubes, and

weighs in at 20 watts.MSRP $1199

analogouttters.com

5HOBO KING

GUITARS

Standard CigarBox GuitarAn American-made

3-string axe with an

ebonized black walnut

neck, birch and mahogany

boxes, Grover Rotomatic

tuners, and a Hobo King

MKIII pickup system.MSRP $249

hoboking.com

2MODTONE EFFECTS

Bohemian

OverdriveWith a simple 3-knob

congurationvolume,

tone, and gainthe

Bohemian is right at

home as a main overdrive

in the front end of your

amp or as authentic tube

saturation when used as a

solo boost.Street $109.95

modtone-efects.com

GEAR RADARNew products on the horizon.

1

3

4

5

2
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9FREE THE TONE

Red Jasper

Based on an original HTS(Holistic Tonal Solution),

the Red Jasper is a

low-gain overdrive with

smooth highs, punchy

mids, and tight lows.Street $265

freethetone.com

8BOSS

GT-001

A sleek desktop unit witha huge selection of COSM

amps and efects, 1/4" and

XLR outputs, and an XLR

input to record vocals or

acoustic instruments.Street $299bossus.com

6TAILPEACE DSIGNZ

Custom Series

TailpiecesThese patent-pending,

lightweight designs mount

easily on traditional

tailpiece studs and appear

suspended or oating

without ever touching the

surface of your guitar.Street $79.99-99.99

tailpeace.com

10SYNAPTICGROOVE

Slackjaw

The companys secondpedal handles single-coils,

humbuckers, and solid-

state or tube amps equally

and ranges from nearly

clean boost to warm

saturation to hairy fuzz

without tone coloration or

signal degradation.Street $239

synapticgroove.com

7ANGELTONE

John Stannard

Telecaster PickupsThis set has vulcanized

ber bobbins made

in-house, nitrocellulose-

lacquer, coil-insulation

dipping, Alnico magnets,

black wax potting, and

22 gauge vintage-style

hookup wire for great

vintage looks and sound.Street $149.90 (set)

angeltone.com

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tcelectronic.com/ditto-x2-looper

Ditto X2 Looper takes all that made the original smash-hit

Ditto Looper great and brings it a quantum loop forward!

Weve added reverse and half speed loop FX, a footswitch

for instantly stopping and clearing loops, the ability to import

and export loops and Stereo I/O. All of the award-winning

features of the original Ditto, plus new, next level looping

features forged from pure awesome!

DITTO. X2
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Gary Clark Jr.February 11, 2014The Palace of Auburn HillsAuburn Hills, MIPhoto by Ken Settle

The Grammy-winning bluesmanbrings the heat to Detroit andbends big with his main axe, a1966 all-original Epiphone Casino.

OPENING NOTES


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Bob WeirFebruary 24, 2014

House of BluesBoston, MAPhoto by Rich Gastwirt

The Grateful Dead legend getsRatdogs two-night stop in Bostonstarted with the help of his LindyFralin Vintage Hot-loaded axe thatwas built for him by San Franciscoluthier Rich Hoeg in 2010.

OPENING NOTES


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Stephen MalkmusFebruary 25, 2014

Paradise Rock ClubBoston, MAPhoto by Tim Bugbee

The frontman for StephenMalkmus and the Jicks servesit up to Beantown with one ofhis two current go-to guitars, amostly stock, beat-to-hell 1970Guild S-100 thats been through

the ringer, but its mostly intact,says his tech.

OPENING NOTES


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James EdwardBagshawJanuary 28, 2014Teatro LatinoBarcelona, SpainRosario Lopez

At a surprise show in Barcelona,Temples lead guitarist JamesEdward Bagshaw delivers the bandsbrew of psychedelia with his 2013stock Gretsch Country Gentleman.

OPENING NOTES


32/189RIG RUNDOWNS
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ROBBEN FORDIn celebration of hisnew album A Dayin Nashville, guitarvirtuoso Robben

Ford returned to

the scene for two

shows at Music

Citys 3rd & Lindsleyclub. On March 5,

2014, ace luthier Joe

Glaser filled in as

the Premier Guitar

Rig Rundown host,

meeting Ford and

his tech/co-producer

Rick Wheeler before

the second showto talk about the

beauty of vintage

guitars and what

its like to tour with

what may be the

most valuable guitar

amp out there.

GUITARSOver the course of hisincredible 40-yearcareer, Ford has touredand recorded withsome very drool-worthyguitars. Currently, hetravels with just twovintage beauties: a1966 Epiphone Riviera(Glaser removed theoriginal Bigsby trem andreplaced it with a stoptailpiece) and a 1960Fender Telecaster with arosewood fretboard.

FACTOIDSince 1983, Robben

Fords main amp

has been a DumbleOverdrive Special,serial number 002.
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AMPSSince 1983, Fords mainamp has been a DumbleOverdrive Special, serialnumber 002, whichAlexander Dumblemade for him that year.(Serial 001 is Dumblespersonal amp.) Fordkeeps this sweet babysafe by plugging itinto a variable voltageregulator. He runsthis Overdrive Specialthrough a Dumble2x12 cabinet that was

actually made for hissecond Dumble head.The cabinet houses apair of Celestion G12-65 8 speakers.

EFFECTSGiven that Ford playstop-shelf guitars andamps, his tone doesnot need much help inthe pedal department.

Ford uses a Vertexpedalboard designedby Mason Marangellain 2013. Although theboard has gone throughsome changes, today itincludesin signal-ow orderaVertexI/O interface, a TCElectronic PolyTuneMini, a Vertex-moddedBoss FV-500 volume

pedal with expressioncontrol running out to aVertex Boost, a HermidaAudio Zendrive, aStrymon TimeLinethats controlled by aRoland EV-5 ExpressionPedal, a TC ElectronicHall of Fame Reverb,and (conguredindependently of allthe eects) a Dumble

footswitch with pre-EQboost and overdriveswitches. Voodoo LabsPedal Power Digitalprovides the juice.

RIG RUNDOWNS


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J. D. Cronise & Kyle Shutt

THE SWORDAustin metalquartet The Swordtalked with Premier

Guitar before their

show at the Exit/

In, in Nashville on

February 17, 2014.

Guitarists John J.D.Cronise and Kyle

Shutt explain why

all they need for a

successful tour is

four guitars, a couple

amps, and a bass

player that builds

custom pedals.

J.D. CRONISES GEARGuitarsJohn J.D. Cronise isa full-on Gibson man.When not bludgeoninghis beloved 1979Gibson E2 Explorer,hes playing his 2007Gibson Les Paul Customplain top. Both guitarsfeature Gibson TP6tailpieces. The E2features a DiMarzioSuper Distortion in thebridge and a DiMarzioSuper Distortion 2 in theneck. The Les Paul sportsa Super Distortion in thebridge and a SeymourDuncan Pearly Gates inthe neck.

EectsJ.D.s pedal chain startswith a TC ElectronicPolyTune into a RocktronHUSH. Next is an MXRPhase 90 into a BognerEcstasy Red overdrive/boost and ending withan MXR Carbon Copydelay. J.Ds board alsoholds a TC-HeliconVoiceTone D1 that he

uses as a doubling eectfor his vocals.

FACTOIDKyle Shutt keeps

things simple

with his one-knobwonder: a 50-watt

Big Crunch OneKnob.

AmpsCronise plays through an Orange OR100 and keepsa Laney AOR pro-tube as a backup. Both players runtheir amps into two black tolexed Orange 2x12 and4x12 cabinets, (modelsPPC412 and PPC212), loadedwith Celestion Vintage 30 speakers that have twicethe wattage of a standard Orange cab.
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KYLE SHUTTS GEARGuitarsKyle Shutt toursexclusively with twoElectra Guitars. The rstis a lovely 2013 ElectraOmega Prime featuringa maple fretboard, aDuncan Invader pickupin the bridge and aDuncan JB in the neck.The other is a very blackbeauty-ish 2013 ElectraOmega featuring a SuperDistortion in the bridgeand a Duncan Phat Cat

P-90 in the neck.Electrawas an innovative guitarcompany in the 70s thatcould not survive thepointy guitar craze ofthe 80s, but theyre nowback and better than ever.

EectsKyles eects chain startswith a Boss TU-2 tunerinto a wah (although

you see a Vox enclosure,the actual circuitry is aDunlop Cry Baby thatsbeen heavily moddedby The Swords bassistBryan Richie). Next inline is a Boss DS-1 into aRocktron HUSH, then intoa phaser (built by Richie),ending with a delayalso built by Richie.While PGwas conducting

this interview, Bryan wassoldering somethingin the background andlooked a bit like a madscientist, only waycooler. Both guitaristsuse a Voodoo Lab PedalPower 2 to provide juicefor all this grease.

AmpsKyle uses a 50-watt

Big Crunch One Knob,which, as you probablyguessed, gets it all donewith a single volumecontrol. Both playersrun their amps into twoblack tolexed Orange2x12 and 4x12 cabinets,(modelsPPC412 andPPC212), loaded withCelestion Vintage 30speakers that have

twice the wattage of astandard Orange cab.


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WRITTEN BY JOE GORE | PHOTOS BY CHRIS KIES

MUSIKMESSE

M

usikmesse isnt what it usedto be, show veterans say.

Attendance is far from peak.

There are fewer full exhibition halls. Highparticipation costs (and the ability toannounce and publicize products digitally)have prompted numerous companies tobypass the once-essential event.

But you know what? Messe is still huge.NAMMs European equivalent, held

each year in Frankfurt, Germany, issubstantially larger than its Anaheimcounterpart. Far louder, too: As atNAMM, sound police armed withdecibel meters patrol the floor, but theyreslackers. Messe is deafening.

But, hey, whats a little tinnitus whenyou get to spend four days ogling so

many cool new music products? FromMarch 12th through 16th we roamed thevast halls, marveling at superbly crafted

boutique instruments, solid working-player tools, and some remarkable budget-gear bargains.

The show highlights? For NorthAmerican players like us, its probably thechance to fondle the phenomenal creationsof small-production European shops whoseinstruments tend to be scarce in the States.The phrase Old World craftsmanship maybe a clich, but Messe schools you on howit became one. You can hardly turn around

without being dumbstruck by a ravishinginstrument that blends the engineeringchops of Stuttgart or Turin with the designelegance of Milan or Barcelona.

But our report isnt just someglamour-gear buyers guide forinvestment bankers and lottery winners

indulging in a European grand tour.Quality work and compelling style wereequally evident in mid-priced gear for

working stiffs and in some remarkableentry-level bargains.

Its hard to summarize such a vastevent with a simple tagbut if pressed,Id go with retro fun. Per usual, vintage-inspired designs reigned supreme. But

we saw more manufacturesplaying

withvintage aesthetics, recombining old-school elements in winning new ways.By and large, manufacturers seem to behaving fun. We certainly wereand itsnot just the beer and schnitzel talking!

||

Look for this icon to see a video demoatpremierguitar.comoryoutube.com/premierguitar.

ELECTRIC GUITARS
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1.Poland-born, Berlin-based luthier Nick Pagecreates ultra-high-end, one-of-a-kind custom

instruments. His designs boast unique andexquisite detailing, yet they have a worn-in,well-loved feel. We drooled over his Blitzmodel, with its Charlie Christian neck pickup(beneath a humbucker cover), a bridge PAF, and acustomized Duesenberg trem. Page winds all hisown pickups.nickpageguitars.com

2.Hagstromshowed the colorful Viking DeluxeCustom Limited, a double-cutaway semi-hollowbody with a ame maple ply body, a

set maple neck, and a pair of Hagstroms H-50humbuckers. Its available in mandarin orangeand black cherry nishes. hagstromguitars.eu

3.Vibe on a budget: Jay Abend, whoseGuitar Fetish line specializes in solid gear atunbelievably low prices, debuted the new EarlSlickguitar series. Created in tandem withJohn Lennon/David Bowie sideman Slick, theaxes exude rawkattitude with their swamp ashbodies, distressed nishes, and chunky brass

hardware. We dug his Tele-themed SL50, whichwill sell for just a couple of hundred bucks.slickguitars.com

4.Shredmeister Dario Lorina, who just joinedZakk Wyldes Black Label Society, demoed hisnew signature model, the LGArkanator. Its amash-up of two previous LG models, combiningthe neck from the Arkane with an Imperatorbody. It boasts Seymour Duncan Blackoutspickups, a Floyd Rose trem, a mahogany body

with a quilted maple top, and a hard maple neckwith an ebony fretboard.usa.lagguitars.com

5.The Gibson Custom Shop's CollectorsChoice series clones instruments from privatecollectionsextraordinary guitars that just donthappen to be associated with a famous player.The 18th model in the series is a masterfulreplica of Dutch Bursta memorable 1960Paul owned by a Netherlands collector. This isntyour typical antiquing: Gibson made hundredsof scans of the original, and cloned every singleding and crack. It may be the most convincingfaux-antique guitar weve encountered.gibsoncustom.com

6.Frances Wild Customsguitars truly earntheir Custom moniker. Their guitars are builtfrom several templates, but each one has someunique design detail. From ravishing engravedmetalwork and elaborately carved surfaces tofunky distressed nishes, this is Grade A eyecandy.wildcustomguitars.com

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AMPS
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1.Thomas Blug, creator of some of Hughes &Kettners best products, has gone solo with his

BluGuitarline. His new Amp 1, a 4-channel,100-watt amp head that looks like a small multi-eect pedal. Employing much novel circuitryand a single mini-sized Russian tubethe tinyoor unit summoned fat, full tones the belied itsmodest size.bluguitar.com

2.TubeArtof the Netherlands bowled us overwith their three-channel V6 head and 2x12cabinet. It nails classic California tones, AC/DC-style crunch, and hard rock saturation, all with

spectacular punch and dynamics. A cryptic knoblabeled That mimics the resonances of varyingcabinets with remarkable realism. Its a big, boldamp with a big bold price: 4,200 for the basicmodel.tubeart-amps.com

3.Friedman Amplication, specialists in ultra-high-end, Marshall-derived amps, introduced theSmall Box, a 50-watt, EL34-powered head withdual channels, one with a vintage plexi sound,and one summoning the hot-rodded tones of

Friedmans Brown Eye model. The dynamicresponse is simply stunningyou can go fromcrispy-clean to monster crunch by touch alone.friedmanamplication.com

4.Two-Rock red up their new Coral model. Itsa 2-channel amp with numerous tone-sculptingswitches and other impressive extras, such asindependent reverb send and return controls forboth channels, and the option of bypassing theentire tone stack for a brighter, more ferocious

tone. It comes in both cab and combo versions,and in 6V6 and 6L6 congurations of varyingwattages. Clean tones sparkle. Dirty tones roarandsparkle. Its a recracker! two-rock.com

5.Carlsbropreviewed the VAC 15 classic, a newclass A, 15-watt, dual-EL84 combo amp. It will bea budget-conscious model, yet it boasts a bonade 12" Celestion Greenback. carlsbro.com

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1.Cheap chic: Ekos new Italian-designed/Chinese-made NXT Parlor is a sleek black

small-format acoustic that will sell in the U.S.for around $170. It looks cool, sounds decent,and would make an awesome kids guitaror agreat couch/beach axe for experienced players.ekoguitars.it

2.Martins new 000-18 is a 14 fret model witha Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides.Its a sweet-toned beauty with a manicured EQprole perfect for recording. martinguitar.com

3.The Blues Elite BE70SB from Alvarezshigh-end Elite Masterworks series is a prettyand petite acoustic with a true carved top ofAA Sitka spruce, a one-piece mahogany neck,Indian rosewood back and sides, amed maplebinding, hand-carved bracing, a bi-level ebonybridge, and lovely pearl and abalone inlays.alvarezguitars.com

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1.Norways Aalberg Audiopreviewed a crowd-funded delay pedal comprising two components:

Ekko, a digital delay stompbox (with light metersto denote the delay time, feedback, and mixsettings), and Aero, a small, ergonomic wirelesscontroller that can be clip-mounted on yourguitar, belt, or wherever. Aeros push/pull pot letsyou set tempo by tapping, scroll through eectparameters, and enter values. Its the rst in aplanned series of remote-controllable eects.Theyre still securing funding via Indiegogo,but given the interest at the show, we doubttheyll have trouble reaching their funding goal.

aalbergaudio.com

2.Dutch amp and pedal company Kochpreviewed the 59OD, a full-featured preamp inpedal form. (Yeah, the picture says 63OD, butKoch says the nal name will be 59OD.) Its gota 12AX7 tube and two eect loops, one beforeand one after the gain stage. (The pre-gain loopwould be perfect with Fuzz Faces, wahs, andother eects that sound best when not precededby a buer.) It runs at 12 volts, but includes a

9V output (not pictured) capable of poweringother eects on your board. Theres an XLR out,plus a 1/4" out switchable between 0 dB, -10dB, and a ReAmp-like mode. The pedal soundedimpressively amp-like running directly into a PA.koch-amps.com

3.Israeli stompbox manufacturer Greenhouseshowed o a line of colorful-looking, colorful-sounding stompboxes. Their latest, Self-titled,boasts clever interchangeable tone modules.Just plug in a new module to morph the pedalfrom fuzz to trem to overdrive.gheects.com

4.Korgmixes old and new with the Nuvibeanupdated Uni-Vibe that nails the vintage soundwhile oering unprecedented user control. Arow of LED sliders lets you tune the modulationeect to taste and create endless variationson the classic chorused sound. The controllerpedal is included. Tired of miniature-formatstompboxes and endless talk of pedalboard realestate? Take this big boy for a ride! korg.com

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Emil Werstler - ChimairaZach Myers - Shinedown

Dustie Waring - Between the Buried and MeMark Tremonti - Alter Bridge

2014PRSGuitars/PhotosbyMarcQuigley

The Archon was designed to leave youwith just the essentials for killer tone.Five gain stages deliver a full and lushdistortion while the clean channelsample headroom is a perfect platformfor pedals. The Archon is a powerful,imposing and articulate amplifier that

caters to the needs of any player.

100/50W (Switchable)2 Channels

6L6GC Tubes

BASSES & ACCESSORIES


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1.Swedens Hagstromhas resurrected a classicbass, the Northern Super Swede. Its based on

the instrument that Abbas Rutger Gunnarssonplayed on such hits as Dancing Queen.Its a neck-through model, its central slab ofmahogany visible from headstock to bridgeand surrounded by double-cutaway mahoganywings. The pickups are hand-wound J-types byLundgren. Love the Stockholm-meets-Fullertonstyling! hagstromguitars.eu

2.Beatle-style, only bigger: Germanys Hfnershowcased the new Federal 500/15 bass, which

grafts a Beatle Bass neck onto a full-depth bodywith no sustain block. Fitted with atwoundstrings, it nailed that signature sound, but withgreater acoustic mass.hofner.com

3.Italys Ekoshowed the Italian-designed/Chinese-made Mia, a single-cutaway acousticbass guitar with a solid cedar top, rosewood backand sides, and lots of cool styling. Ekos onboardpreamp/EQ delivered full, fat tones through anacoustic amp, and the system boasts a built-in

tuner.ekoguitars.it4.Timber Tones, a Brighton, U.K., manufacturerspecializing in high-end guitar picks made fromunconventional materials, has expanded theirproduct line, which includes picks made fromagate, crystal, and various metals.timber-tones.com

5.Barcelonas Aclam Guitarsdisplayed theirModular Track pedalboard frames. Craftedfrom brightly colored anodized aluminum andavailable in three sizes, these boards boastheight-adjustable legs, cable concealing covers,and suction-cup mounts that slide along theframe to secure stompboxes of varying sizes.Aclam also does custom sizes and congurations.aclamguitars.cat

6.TV Joneshas been winding pickups for BrianSetzer for 20 years, but has only now releaseda Brian Setzer signature model. Its descendedfrom the Gretsch FilterTron, but features a

new pole screw alloy and what Jones describesas a more over-the-top sound. Its a sonicknockout, with crackling transients and airyhighs that never seem harsh, and a fat bottomend to anchor that brightness. It sounds stunningthrough an overdriven amp, where the boldtreble response maintains denition even as youslather on gain. (The guitar pictured is Jones' testrig, which lets him swap pickups in seconds.)tvjones.com

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