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THE GUITAR MAGAZINE 387
GEAR REVIEWS | INTERVIEWS | GUITAR ESSONS | TIP & ADVICE
5 | November 20 4
Yardbirds Zeppelin
Semi Shootout!Gibson Group Tes& much ore!
Page
E X C L U S I V E
I N T E R V I E W
King CrimsonInterview + Fripp’s Rig!
NOVEMBER 2014 PRNTED N THE UK £5.75
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November 2014 Guitarist 3
©FuturePublishingLimited2014.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthismagazinemaybeusedorreproducedwithoutthewritten
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Jamie DicksonEditorPrint: 20,931Digital: 4,116The ABC combined printand digital circulation forJan-Dec 2013 is:
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Turning A Page
We’ve had the pleasure offeaturing Jimmy Page in the
mag again this month, anarticle prompted by thepublication of his newautobiography, in whichmuch of the story is toldthrough powerfully evocativephotos of Jimmy’s rise from
fresh-faced teen to session professional andfinally guitar god in Led Zeppelin. As you turnthe pages, the hair gets longer, while the guitarspass through the germinal stages ofembargo-era Graziosos to ‘proper’ Les PaulCustoms and finally the famous instruments thatJimmy used to etch the melody of Stairway To Heaven into the collective imagination. But it’spleasing to note that he reserves specialaffection for those first guitars: the awkward,difficult-to-play beginner’s instruments that hefirst performed with. When you think aboutthat, you realise that it’s because you discovermusic on such instruments. The first thrill of
conjuring melody from thin air belongs to thosehumble guitars – in the face of all their flaws,they’re still the most important instruments weever play. It’s a timely reminder that it’s themusic that makes guitars magical, not – howeverdesirable they may be – the guitars as objectsthemselves. A stairway to heaven indeed…
Chief executive Zillah Byng-MaddickNon-executive chairman Peter AllenChief financial officer Richard HaleyTel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London)
Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 (Bath)
EditorialEditor Jamie Dickson [email protected]
Content editor Chris Vinnicombe [email protected] reviews editor Dave Burrluck [email protected]
Deputy gear reviews editor Michael Brown [email protected]
Managing editor Josh Gardner [email protected]
Production editor Gary Walker [email protected]
Art editor Rob Antonello [email protected]
Senior music editor Jason Sidwell [email protected]
Music engraver Chris Francis
AV content produced by Martin Holmes
ContributorsTony Bacon, Owen Bailey, Chris Bird, Darran Charles, Trevor Curwen, Matt Frost, Nick Guppy, Rob Laing,
Neville Marten, Kerry Moyle, Roger Newell, Matt Parker, Mick Taylor
In-House PhotographyJoseph Branston, Dave Caudrey, Adam Gasson, Neil Godwin, Will Ireland, Simon Lees,
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Chief executive Zillah Byng-Maddick [email protected]
Next issue on sale… 14 November 2014
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COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE WILD
42
Contents The Guitar Magazine
6 Guitarist November 2014
People & PlayingSlash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32Reeves Gabrels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42J Mascis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48Jakko Jakszyk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Jimmy Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Pete Kennedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74Rich Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
62Jimmy PageOn the eve of the launch
of Jimmy Page, thefascinating new
photographic
autobiography, Guitarist
is granted an exclusive
interview with the man
himself – to talk about the
bond he still has with his
early guitars, highlights
from his session career,
and to discuss his gear
during the Zeppelin years
RegularsWelcome From The Editor . . . . . . .3Front End. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Readers’ Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34New Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41Subscribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104Longterm Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134Gear Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Readers’ Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
74
52
3242
ISSUE 387 NOVEMBER 2014
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November 2014 Guitarist 7
86
1418
94
New gear this monthVigier Excalibur Thirteen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8PRS Archon 100-watt head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Peerless Jezebel & Retromatic 131 . . . . . . . 18Gibson Billy F Gibbons Goldtop . . . . . . . . . . 36Gibson Memphis Round-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86Martin Retro & Aura acoustics . . . . . . . . . . . .94Godin Multiac Nylon SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Boutique Fuzz Pedals Round-up . . . . . . . .114What You Need To Know About Wah 118Roland Cube Street EX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
NSF Controls Free-Way Switch . . . . . . . . . .125EHX B9 Organ Machine & DeluxeBig Muff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126SiB! Mr Echo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127Zoom H5 Handy Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127Vox AC4C1-12 Combo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128Tech21 Fly Rig5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130Rode NT-USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132Fender Rumble 200 Bass Combo . . . . . . .132
How to watch
From now on, you’ll be able tostream all of the accompanying video content from a YouTubeplaylist, accessible via the short
web link below. Simply type it into your PC, tablet or mobile device’sweb browser and watch it all from
there. In the case of audio-only
files, we will publish a separatedownload link on the page.
And fear not, all back-issue Vaultcontent remains available online
at vault.guitarist.co.uk.
S T E P 1
Go to: http://bit.ly/guitarist387
S T E P 2
Play and enjoy. Simple!
Follow the linkabove to get your
video content
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VIDEOS
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November 2014 Guitarist 9
F I R S T P L A YVigier Excalibur Thirteen
FRENCH
PERFECT IONWhat is the definition of the modernelectric solidbody guitar?You’re looking at it…
WORDS D A V E B U R R L U C K
PHOTOGRAPHY S I M O N L E E S
The long-running Excalibur, introducedin 1991, is a much more mainstream
vision than many of Vigier’s earlierdesigns, but it’s the guitar that hasput the brand on the international
map: a complete redesign of the double-cutaway bolt-on.
The Thirteen (introduced in 2013 andretained for this year) came from a desire, says
Vigier’s UK distributor Ben Whatsley, “todevelop an Excalibur that is very versatile andwould be an ideal choice for players of anystyle or genre, providing an extremely stableand easy-to-use-guitar.” It may sit in the higherlevels of the Excalibur range, which starts withthe Indus at £1,459, but the Thirteen is honedto perfection, not a hair out of place, reflecting
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F I R S T P L A Y
Vigier’s long-standing obsession with ultimatequality and performance.
The body is two-piece centre-joined Frenchalder, slimmer in depth than the Fender blueprint at 41mm. Its skinnier horns providemaximum access to the upper frets – all 24 ofthem: medium gauge, mirror-polishedstainless steel on the 300mm radius’d maplefingerboard. The slightly flat-backed, slimdepth ‘D’ profile neck (19.5mm at the 1st fret,22.8mm at the 12th), combined with very vintage-like rounded edges and a satin finish,feels exceptional. Very few makers go for agraphite-reinforced neck without a truss rod, but Vigier believes in its 10/90 neckconstruction – it’s not a gimmick and wasintroduced back in 1988. “For me, the graphite[reinforced] neck is better,” says Patrice. “It is very stable. I don’t say we don’t have anyproblems, but they’re very few.” It’s interesting,too, that the graphite centre spine is installedfrom the back; the fingerboard, like an oldTelecaster, is simply the face of the neck.
Attention to the smallest detail iseverywhere. There are the knurled oversizedlocking wheels on the Schaller dual-heighttuners; those ball-end string retainers; theTeflon string guide (not glued, so changing to a bigger string gauge involves just swapping itfor one with wider grooves). Then there’s thehardened steel zero fret (again, easily replacedif any wear creates slight grooves); the direct-mount humbuckers with factory set pole-pieceadjustments; the bolted-into-metal-insertstrap buttons; the micro-sized kill switch. Andthat’s not to mention the needle point ball-
1 One of the numerousVigier innovations isto use a chromed ballend, which you threadthe string through, fora string tree
2 Standard strapbuttons just screwinto the body wood.Not Vigier’s: they boltinto a threaded metalbody insert
3 These Alnico II loadedAmber humbuckerscame out tops in ahuge pickup test thatPatrice Vigier carriedout a couple of yearsago. Headed byWolfgang Damm,these pickups aremade in Germany
4 Control of the dualhumbuckers is via afive-way lever switchthat offers fullhumbucking and splitcoil sounds. You also
get a micro kill switch
1
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F I R S T P L A Y
bearing pivot of the adapted Schaller vibratowith lockdown and height-adjustable saddles.Even the side-placed jack output is recessed ina hole that’s angled towards the base strap button, for those of us who secure our leadunder the strap.
Feel & Sounds
To coin a cliché, here’s a guitar that virtuallyplays itself. Set up with 0.009 to 0.042 gaugestrings and a string height below the factoryspecs, you’ll be racing all over the ’board in ananosecond. Some players may need a littlemore fight, but adjustments are easy via the vibrato’s two height-adjustable pivots. The vibrato is very stable unless you go completelynuts, and even then only the low string’s pitchwobbled a bit. Overall, intonation is scarilygood and there’s a superb, balanced ring and bright acoustic resonance and sustain. There isa slightly audible ping on low-fret, plain string bends, where we suspect there’s a slight groovein that zero fret, but it certainly doesn’t amplifywhen plugged in.
The five-way switch selects bridgehumbucker, screw-coil of the bridge, slug-coilof bridge with screw-coil of neck (hum-cancelling), screw-coil of the neck, and neckhumbucker. With the volume and tone and a
Attention to the smallest detail iseverywhere… This is a thoroughlyprofessional workhorse that isgenre- and style-spanning
2
3
4
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F I R S T P L A Y Vigier Excalibur Thirteen
G U I T A R I S T R A T I N G
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Guitarist says: State-of-the-art
solidbody with impeccable build,
playability and versatile sounds
Vigier ExcaliburThirteen
PRICE: £2,229 (inc case)
ORIGIN: France
TYPE: Solidbody electric
BODY: 2-piece alder
NECK: Vigier 10/90 system (10%
carbon, 90% maple), bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 650mm (25.6”)
NUT/WIDTH: Teflon with hardened
zero fret/43.1mm
FINGERBOARD: Maple, black dot
inlays, 300mm (11.81”) radius
FRETS: 24 (plus zero fret), medium
stainless steel
HARDWARE: Schaller/Vigier 2011
vibrato with ball-bearing pivot; locking
tuners with over-sized rear locking
wheels – chrome-plated
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 53mm
ELECTRICS: 2 Amber Rock
humbuckers, 5-way lever pickup
selector switch, master volume and
master tone, micro kill switch
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 3.4/7.5
OPTIONS: Rosewood ’board (n/c),
black hardware (£119), push/pull to
split the pickups (£93)
RANGE OPTIONS: The Excalibur
range starts at £1,459 with the Indus
LEFT-HANDERS: Excalibur Special
(£2,329), Indus (£1,599)
FINISHES: 10 colours inc Monarchy
Gold (as reviewed)
High Tech Distribution
01722 41000
www.vigier.co.uk
versatile amp and pedalboard, it gives youimmense choice. The fact that there’s a killswitch onboard leads you to believe it’s amodern rock/shred dream, and we doubt toomany of you playing in that style would bedisappointed – but there’s a lot more here thanthat pigeon-hole.
Certainly, the bridge is ballsy and crisp, but itsuits big, bold cleans right though to meltdowndistortion. The more vintage-output neckpickup has an older, woodier voice and it’s agood contrast, while the pickup mix isseemingly that modern generic ‘Strat’, whichnever quite sounds like the real thing but isgreat for modern chord voicings and lashingsof modulation and delay. However, the volumecontrol here is crucial to unleashing somemuch older traditional sounds. Stick to themiddle three positions and back off the tonecontrol and it actually sounds way more, well,
vintage-y. In fact, the more time we spend withthis guitar the more sounds we find – the markof a good instrument? We think so.
Verdict
If you see your instrument as a tool to do aprofessional job, and not a too-cool-for-schoolaccessory, Vigier will probably already be on
your radar. This model is a stupidly well madeand thoroughly professional workhorse that
by design is genre- and style-spanning. If youhaven’t tried one, we suggest you do.
5 Vigier’s 10/90carbon and maple
neck constructiondoesn’t feature anadjustable truss rodbut is renowned forits stability
5
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TA K E M ET O Y O U RL E A D E R
With massive gain, the Archonseems aimed exclusively at the
aggressive metallers out there.But there’s plenty more under
the hood…
WORDS N I C K G U P P Y
PHOTOGRAPHY S I M O N L E E S
P
RS has flirted with amplifiers severaltimes over the last three decades, but its
backline designs have never taken off inthe same way as the company’s guitars.However, that bogeyman might finally
be laid to rest with the arrival of a new rangecalled Archon. Coming from the ancient Greekfor ‘leader’ or ‘master’, the Archon collection isa competitively priced (by PRS standards)range of amps aimed squarely at the modernmetal player, but with enough sonic flexibilityto cross over into other styles of music. Withother Archon products due to arrive in the UKover the next year, here we’re taking a look atthe range-topping 100-watt head.
The Archon’s no-frills design is pure PRS,with a large gold badge sat on a charcoal-burstflamed maple fascia trim. Above this, there’s a
F I R S T P L A Y
PRS ARCHON 100-WATT HEAD
£1,999
WHAT IS IT? Hand-wired,
boutique, USA-made valve head
from one of the world’s top
guitar brands
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F I R S T P L A YPRS Archon 100-watt head
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F I R S T P L A Y PRS Archon 100-watt head
front-panel rotary controls are all heavilydamped, high-quality Alpha pots, a relativelysmall detail that makes a significantcontribution to the Archon’s luxury ‘boutique’ vibe. They’re also quite practical, as you canmake precise setting adjustments and feelcertain that the pointer knobs will stay where you left them.
SoundsThe Archon is aimed at the modern metalplayer, combining a big, open clean channelwith a very high-gain lead channel. There areno less than five gain stages in the preamp;most modern rock amps have three, giving the Archon the equivalent of a built-in overdrivepedal in front of an already high-gain frontend. Despite this, the amp is well behaved,with minimal hum and acceptable hiss, even athigher-gain settings. One of the Archon’ssecret weapons is the flexibility of the leadchannel gain control. At lower settings, it’s bright, punchy and very usable, with a sweethot-rodded Plexi growl. Classic rock playerswill probably never need to turn the gaincontrol beyond 10 o’clock; however, as youpush things around to two o’clock the Archon’scolossal overdrive takes over, with a searingharmonic-laden sustain and powerfulmidrange, which stays warm without being
simple perforated steel grille, with another tothe rear aiding ventilation. The woodwork is very clean, with big radius’d edges that echoclassic ‘Plexi’ designs. It’s compact but quitea heavy beast thanks to two massivetransformers. The robust chassis has a blackpowder coat finish and clean white lettering,making front- and rear-panel controls easy toread. The Archon is largely hand-wired; thesmall preamp components are arranged on aheavy-duty PCB strip configured in a standardturret board layout, with a separate board forthe output stage components and diodes, anda third board supporting an impressively large bank of capacitors. All front- and rear-panelcomponents, along with the valve bases, aremounted direct to the chassis, with wiresleading to the boards. This traditionalconstruction method separates PCBs from theheat generated by the valves, adding significantlong-term reliability. There’s a lot of wireinside, which is neatly routed and tied, withclean soldering. The overall impression is of a busy but well-sorted design, built to take thepunishment of continuous touring in its stride.
The Archon’s control panel is easilyunderstood, with two sets of gain, EQ andmaster volumes, with global presence anddepth controls. Both channels have a small bright switch, and the power and standbyfunctions have been combined on a singlethree-position toggle switch. A similar switchis used on the rear panel for impedancechanging – we’d prefer to see a recessed typehere, to properly protect that expensive outputtransformer. Other features include afootswitchable series effects loop andcomprehensive bias test points for the output valves, along with a half-power switch. The
1 The Archon’s controls arestraightforward, easy toread and deceptivelyflexible, with no frills
2 Power and standbyfunctions are handled byone three-position switch
3 The lead channel gaincontrol covers a hugerange of overdrive effects
4 Easy-access bias testpoints make it simple tokeep the Archon runningin peak condition
The Archon is aimed atthe modern metal player,combining a big, open
clean channel with a veryhigh-gain lead channel
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1
2
November 2014 Guitarist 17
F I R S T P L A YPRS Archon 100-watt head
overly peaky. The treble is edgy but sweet,while the fast, tight bass response is perfect formetal and detuned instruments. The cleanchannel swaps huge overdrive for hugeheadroom, with massive clarity and a subtleedge at higher-gain settings that reminds us ofthe original hand-wired Hiwatts. Add thelightning-fast dynamic response of thatsupersized power supply, and it’s notsurprising that the Archon has also foundfavour with many of Nashville’s elitecountry pickers.
Verdict
It’s about time PRS had a hit with one of itsamps, and we reckon the Archon is right on themoney, with good looks, great tone, plenty offlexibility from a simple control panel and,most importantly, a relatively affordable price.With the 100-watt head selling for around£1,650 on the street, the established names inthis genre are about to be given a hard time.With many top players already on board, andmore affordable amps on the way, we reckonthe Archon range could easily turn out to be amajor success for PRS.
G U I T A R I S T R A T I N G
Build quality
Features
Sound
Value for money
Guitarist says: A great head
from PRS that hits the bullseye
and will give the established
competition a tough time
PRS Archon
100-watt head
PRICE: £1,999
ORIGIN: Assembled in USA
TYPE: All-valve preamp and power
amp, with solid-state rectifier
OUTPUT: 100 watts RMS, switchable
to 50 watts
VALVES: 6x 12AX7, 4x 6L6
DIMENSIONS: 500 (h) x 550 (w)
x 270mm (d)
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 20/42
CABINET: Ply
CHANNELS: 2, footswitchable
CONTROLS: Bass, middle, treble,
volume and master volume x2. Bright
switch x2. Master depth and presence
FOOTSWITCH: 2-button switch,
supplied, changes channels and
toggles loop
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Series
effects loop, external bias test points,
half-power switch. Can be used with
EL34s
OPTIONS: Various custom colours
will be available, contact dealer for
more details
RANGE OPTIONS: Also available as
a 50-watt head for £1,799. A USA-built
4x12 cab loaded with Celestion V30s
is £1,100, there’s also a 50-watt 1x12
combo on the way, price TBA
PRS Europe
01223 874301
www.prsguitars.com
3
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C L O C K R O C KDistinctly retro-looking rock ’n’ rollersthat would slot right into plenty ofcontemporary genres: back to the future?
WORDS: M I C K T A Y L O R
PHOTOGRAPHY: S I M O N L E E S
The Peerless company of Korea is proudof its 45-year heritage, with roots inthird-party manufacturing for manymore famous marques. According tocompany literature, peak output per
month has been as high as 30,000 instruments, but in more recent times, Peerless has becomeincreasingly focused on its own brand, scaling
back production to less than½5 of thatformidable former number. These days, inaddition to a range of flat-top steel-stringacoustics, you’ll find the Peerless name atop awide range of broadly Gibson- and Gretsch-inspired archtops and semis, evoking plenty of
jazz and rock ’n’ roll nostalgia in the mid-priceranges, not least with these two new models.
The reasonably understated Jezebel andmore flamboyant Retromatic 131 share thesame 330mm (13-inch) lower bout width and15th-fret neck-to-body join, and are fullyhollow with additional, so-say mahoganysupport/sustain posts beneath their roller
bridges, more of which presently. The shorter-
F I R S T P L A Y
PEERLESS JEZEBEL STANDARD
£799
WHAT IS IT?
Small and slimhollowbody with arched spruce
top for old-school cool
PEERLESS RETROMATIC 131
£899
WHAT IS IT? Small yet
deep-bodied hollowbody archtop
with funky Art Deco styling
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F I R S T P L A YPeerless Jezebel Standard & Retromatic 131
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F I R S T P L A Y Peerless Jezebel Standard & Retromatic 131
scale-length Jezebel is the thinner of the two,measuring 44mm at the rim, with the gentlyarched top and back adding approximately20mm depth around the bridge area. Thelonger-scale Retromatic 131, by contrast, is
much deeper; 74mm at the rim, again bulgingat the bridge – both top and back. Both guitars’
bodies are made from pressed laminates; allmaple with a parallel braced top for theRetromatic and maple body with what’sspecced as an X-braced spruce top forthe Jezebel.
What we’ve learned so far is that Peerless’spublished specs are not exactly consistent, sowhatever you read elsewhere, this 131 has aFender-like 648mm scale (not 628mm), the
bridge block is maple (not mahogany), andthere’s no sustain post that we can find.Meanwhile, whipping both pickups out of theJezebel and getting in there with the dentist’smirror returns no sight of any X-brace as weknow it, just a slightly thicker piece of sprucethrough the centre section, and a distinctlynon-mahogany sustain block: it looks more likemaple. It does run top-to-back here, however.While we’re in there, we can at least have alook at the ply end block for the set necks:maple neck for the Retromatic 131, mahoganyfor the Jezebel, both of which are concealed
beneath a black finish on the outside, with athick gloss coat.
Both guitars have visual niceties, includingmulti-ply body binding and black neck
binding, but it’s the 131 that will turn heads,starting with those blinging ‘mother-of-pearl’fingerboard inlays. We’ve got this far beforementioning Art Deco, so now it comes with theinevitable reference to Germany’s Duesenberg,which leads the pack in that world. It’s verymuch a matter of taste, of course, but we reallylike the sort of kitsch ‘uptown’ razzmatazzticfeeling of opulence that goes with it… exceptthat compromises in build reveal some dirt
beneath both guitars’ gloss-painted nails.Untidy insides, plenty of finish build-uparound the neck/body union and plastickypickup surrounds have a sort of Danelectro/ Hagström charm, perhaps, and while moreimportant areas such as fret-end finishing andnut cut are fine, the former could do with apolish to finish them off, the latter with thesharp edge taking off the bass side.
Both guitars have visual niceties, but don’t expect much fun upthe dusty end, for dusty it will
remain – thanks to 15th-fret neck joins and vintage-style cutaways
1
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November 2014 Guitarist 21
F I R S T P L A YPeerless Jezebel Standard & Retromatic 131
Peerless has enlisted the help of MattGleeson, from Monty’s Guitars of London, inits pickup designs; two low-outputhumbuckers in the Jezebel that look veryGretsch-smart with their parallel cutouts, anda P-90/humbucker combo in the Retromatic,again of modest/vintage-type output. Just forthe record, all four of these pickups are madein the Far East, which is to say designed byMatt Gleeson, not necessarily made by him.Let’s plug ’em in.
Feel & Sounds
When we reviewed the Retromatic P3 (issue376), we commented on its almost “too slinky”setup. There’s no such danger here, as withplenty of relief in both necks and the bridgesset to fighting height, the action of both guitarswill be unacceptably high for most tastes. As ithappens, this reviewer quite likes it, as itdemands you get in there and engage with thething – the extra string vibration doing goodthings to get what top there is moving, eventhough they’re laminated. The necks are full inthe hand, giving you something meaty and vintage-like to hold on to – both are 22mmdeep at the first fret with a big-feeling, roundedprofile all the way up. Don’t expect much funup the dusty end, however, for dusty it willremain thanks to 15th-fret neck joins and vintage-style cutaways [there’s no money upthere anyway – Ed].
It’s also worth saying that the Jezebel is aphysically light guitar, which will definitelyappeal to anyone who either dislikes, orphysically can’t manage, a heavy instrumentfor whatever reason. The Retromatic is noheavyweight either, with only half a pound orso of extra heft: most of it is air, of course!
The smart roller bridges are fully adjustable,which is good news as both guitars needed
1 Bearing the BHK brand(OEM fitters toEpiphone, Washburnand more), theJezebel’s pickups aredesigned by Matt
Gleeson of Monty’sGuitars, wound toaround 8.2k ohms
2 Arguably far moreclassy than the 131’sArt Deco steps, theJezebel’s pegheadshould offend nobody.They are both nicelypitched back to ensure
good string pressureover the bone nut
3 The Retromatic’spickups are alsodesigned by Gleesonand bear the Peerlessname on their stickers.
The humbucker is saidto be around 7.8k ohmsfor the bridge and 7.1for the neck
4 Hmm. ‘Fun’ is probablythe best word at this
juncture. Actually, wereally like it, even if acertain German brandstarting with ‘D’ andending in ‘eusenberg’might feel somewhatput out
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VIDEO DEMO
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22 Guitarist November 2014
F I R S T P L A Y Peerless Jezebel Standard & Retromatic 131
G U I T A R I S T R A T I N G
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Guitarist says: Loads of kitsch,
Art Deco fun for jazz, rock ’n’ roll,
blues, or for exploring more
evocative tonal textures
Peerless
Retromatic 131
PRICE: £899 (inc case)
ORIGIN: Korea
TYPE: Single-cutaway archtop
hollowbody semi-acoustic
BODY: Laminated maple top,
laminated maple back and sides
NECK: Maple, set
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone, 43.3mm
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, approx
305mm (12”) radius
FRETS: 22, medium
HARDWARE: Grover GH-102 nickel
kidney-button enclosed tuners,
Peerless roller bridge with floating
trapeze tailpiece
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE:
50.4mm
ELECTRICS: 1x Monty’s humbucker,
1x Monty’s P-90-style single coil,
master volume, master tone,
three-way pickup selector
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 2.9/6.4
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: P1, P2 and P3
are thinner-depth, wider-bout
628mm-scale models with single- (P1)
and dual-pickup (P2) configurations.
The P3 has two pickups, Varitone
control and Stetsbar vibrato. There are
also B1 and B2 basses
LEFT HANDERS: Yes, to order
FINISHES: Ivory (as reviewed), Black,
Gloss Polyester
G U I T A R I S T R A T I N G
Build quality
Playability
Sound
Value for money
Guitarist says: A capable small
jazzer or vintage rock ’n’ roll
belter for anyone who doesn’t
want a huge box
Peerless Jezebel
PRICE: £799 (inc case)
ORIGIN: Korea
TYPE: Single-cutaway archtop
hollowbody electric
BODY: Laminated spruce top,
laminated maple back and sides
NECK: Mahogany, set
SCALE LENGTH: 628mm (24.72”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/43.3mm
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, approx
305mm (12”) radius
FRETS: 22, medium
HARDWARE: Nickel-plated kidney-
button enclosed tuners, Peerless roller
bridge with floating trapeze tailpiece
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE:
50.4mm
ELECTRICS: 2x Peerless Gleeson
Dual-Pole humbuckers, master
volume, master tone, three-way
pickup selector
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 2.7/5.9
OPTIONS: Jezebel Deluxe has gold
tuners and Midnight Wine finish
(£899)
RANGE OPTIONS: See above
LEFT HANDERS: Yes, to order
FINISHES: Midnight Blue (as
reviewed), Midnight Wine (Deluxe
model with gold hardware, £899),
Gloss Polyester
Peerless Guitars
www.peerlessguitars.eu
some set-up tweaks — our samples werehastily requested, so we should bear that inmind, and our prior experience with Peerlessin the set-up department has been nothingshort of excellent.
The tones bring more than their fair share ofsmiles. Unplugged, the Retromatic is obviouslythe louder, more full-sounding of the pair, butwhen plugged in, the Jezebel has the softerattack and paradoxically more traditionalarchtop response: that spruce top would seemto be doing its thing. Laid bare through aclean-ish amp, there are old jazz tones aplenty;the Jezebel pushing the front end just that bitharder for some extra edge up top, thanks to itsmore powerful pickups. The shorter scalemight make the midrange a little more chewy,too, certainly compared with the Retromatic,which twangs just a soupçon more, with a littlemore clarity from the slightly weaker pickups– the neck P-90 especially. Add a little vintageamp overdrive, tremolo and reverb and you’re banging out evocative, movie-soundtracksounds that would sit in so manycontemporary genres.
Neither guitar could be accused of being bright-sounding; instead, you get morefundamental in the note, that seems to suit allmanner of rock ’n’ roll, jazz and vintage bluestones; there’s so much more air around thetone than you could expect from a fully solid orchambered-body guitar. The trapeze tailpiecescontribute to that general picture, too, offeringresonances and vibrations that are absent froma more solidly fixed bridge.
Verdict
Despite their overt vintage styling, theseguitars remain entirely relevant because thetonal and stylistic influences of late-50s/ early-60s music in contemporary culture areas strong as they’ve ever been. You could easilyimagine anyone from Dan Auerbach to JDMcPherson to Jake Bugg to Anna Calvi withone of these slung round their shoulders. TheRetromatic is marginally the more rock ’n’ rollof the two, the Jezebel more jazzy, perhaps,though both guitars could do either, noproblem, as long as you don’t want searingtreble and tight, solidbody-like bass.
Sure, there are aspects of these guitars thatare a long way from perfect. Indeed, Peerless’sown marketing sets you up for a champagneexperience, leaving you slightly deflated whenthe guitars deliver a beer reality. Nevertheless,there’s undoubted charm and likeability onoffer, not to mention seriously usable, engagingsounds. We’ll turn to the mythical Jezebelherself – immortalised in song by all manner ofartists – for help with a conclusion. She waspretty untidy around the edges, andencouraged poor old Ahab to do all sorts ofnaughty things. But boy, was she a lot of fun bythe sound of it – a lot like these guitars.
http://bit.ly/guitarist387
VIDEO DEMO
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November 2014 Guitarist 25
Frontend
The Seven Decades: Zebra Stripes, Flames & Killer Tops show is a fascinating stage and
multimedia performance that tells thestory of the ‘Big Four’ electric guitars– the Tele, Strat, Les Paul and ES-335– by using them to play the music thatmade them famous. The 90-minuteshow features a six-piece bandplaying around 40 guitars on 40songs. Historical authenticity isparamount, and organiser/performerMichael John Ross tells us: “Theguitars are the real stars of the showand all of them are completelyoriginal. We use the right guitar forthe right guitar hero… We play BuddyHolly on an early Strat, SRV on a ’63,Peter Green and Jimmy Page on a ’59Les Paul ’Burst… The Holy Grail!”For ticket info and to find out more,see www.sevendecades.com.
Don’t miss it! Must-see guitar goings-on for the coming weeks…
The Holy GrailGuitar Show15-16 Nov 2014, Berlin
The Holy Grail Guitar
Show is the perfect
excuse for a winter
break. Over 100 top
independent guitar
makers will be exhibiting
instruments ranging
from hand-crafted
traditional creations to
avant-garde designs.
See holygrailguitarshow.
com for more info.
Matt Schofield13-30 Nov 2014
Various UK venues
Britain’s premier
bluesman last toured
the country with Joe
Satriani, and he returns
in November for a
headline tour of the UK
with his trio; there’s
support from The Ben
Poole Band.
See www.mattschofield.
com for the dates and
ticket info.
Martin HarleyBand tour13 Nov-12 Dec 2014,
various UK venues
Guitarist’ s favourite
Weissenborn-wielding
acoustic troubadour
returns to the UK for a
20-date tour in support
of his latest album,Mojo
Fix . If you’re a fan of
slide, and you’ve never
seem him play live, you
owe it to yourself. See
www.martinharley.com.
MerseysideGuitar Show23 Nov 2014, Ormskirk
Now in its 12th year, the
Merseyside Guitar Show
is one of the UK’s
biggest regional guitar
shows. The line-up
features more than 80
exhibitors, dealers and
collectors, with new,
second-hand and
vintage instruments to
trade and try out. See
www.guitarshows.co.uk.
Seven Decades:Zebra Stripes,Flames & Killer Tops
4 - 8 N o v , W i l t o n ’ s M u s i c H a l l , L o n d o n
© S
A M H A
R E
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26 Guitarist November 2014
Frontend
If you’re feeling flush, and want to treat yourself to a modern, high-end
rock guitar, check out this bevy of beauties we’ve recently reviewed
Roundup:Dream rock machines
1 Ibanez FR6UCBKFPrestige£1,589
www.ibanez.com
This up-to-date, no-nonsense
rock machine is fitted with Bare
Knuckle Aftermath Pickups for
king-size, articulate rock sounds,
but its five-way selector offers
tonal variation.
We said: “A solid, ferocious-
sounding guitar with a stripped-
down charm, that’s just begging
to be taken on the road”
2 Manson MA2 EVO£1,864
www.mansonguitarworks.com
This futuristic, yet still somehow
traditional design from the
company that supplies Matt
Bellamy of Muse with his sci-fi
weapons is fitted with an
(optional) onboard Fernandes
Sustainer unit, and a Manson
MBK-2 humbucker made by
Bare Knuckle.
We said: “An excellent, modern-
rock-intended instrument,
superbly made with a
Telecaster-meets-Les Paul-on-
steroids voicing”
3 ESP EII ST2Rosewood£1,529
www.espguitars.com
The ST-2 is the closest ESP has
come to producing the stripped-
down, no-nonsense 1980s-rock
vibe in quite a long time, and its
custom-wound DiMarzios,
excellent neck and flamy glamour
will surely tempt many a
shredder to upgrade.
We said: “A great high-end rock
guitar: with impressive spec and
performance, it’s up there with
the best”
4 Schecter USAProductionHollywood Clas sic£2,499
www.schecterguitars.com
A Custom Shop-grade set-neck
doublecut with powerful
SuperRock humbuckers, this
Schecter is no one-trick pony,
and has surprising tonal
versatility: it’s also available
with a Floyd Rose.
We said: “Great build, resonance,
playability and rock tones – a
‘posh’ guitar that would be a fine
stage/recording buddy”
5 Jackson 30thAnniversary Soloist£3,622
www.jacksonguitars.com
Jackson returns to the roots of
the ‘Superstrat’ phenomenon
with this limited-to-30 edition
30th Anniversary Soloist.
It replaces the 1984 original’s
active pickups with EMGs, and
produces as fine a tone as any
modern rock guitar we’ve played.
We said: “An authentic
recreation of a classic – not even
the SL-1 is as desirable a Soloist
as this!”
6 Gibson Les PaulClassic 2014£1,499
www.gibson.com
With its skinny neck profile and
punchy pickups, the Seafoam
Green (!) Les Paul Classic has
strengths that any tone lover
with an eye on modern, powerful
soloing will love… and it’s
excellent value, too.
We said: “For a great-value, fully
realised modern Les Paul, look
no further – a modern titan of
the breed”
1 62 543
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And also…
And Finally…
Substitute Tired of using the same old chord shapes?These substitutions will freshen up your playing in seconds.
Picks Highlights from last issue
30 Guitarist November 2014
Frontend
Here’s a little thought experiment.
Great rhythm players (especially in
jazz) cover complex chord
progressions easily, because they
know LOADS of shapes. Can we work
with this approach? Let’s try a little
blues in A, starting with this A9 shape.
Having set a precedent there, let’s try
to find the other chords on the middle
four strings, around the 5th fret. It’s
not too much of a challenge to find
the D9…
So we now need the V chord, and it’d
be a shame to cop out by simply
moving the previous chord up two frets
to create E9. Be strict! Here’s an E7
with the 7th at the bottom…
There’s room for one more, so when
you’ve played through 11 of the 12 bars,
how about using this E7#5 for a bit of
spice on the turnaround?
ElectricsFender Modern
Player Short
Scale Telecaster
£394
We said: “Super-light,
super-resonant,
super-priced…
A beginner’s dream”
AcousticsAvian Skylar
Demi Cutaway
£899
We said: “The
soundhole placement
is a revelation. A great
guitar for modern
fingerstyle players”
AmpsSupro 1690T
Coronado
£1,049
We said: “Not just an
amp for retro tone
lovers… a great
centrepiece for a
modern rig”
EffectsKorg Nuvibe
£479
We said: “The Uni-
Vibe and beyond – a
fine modulation pedal
with the ability to dial
in familiar sounds but
go further”
MiscEventide
MixingLink
£259
We said: “A clever,
feature-packed
device that could
become a gigbag
essential”
This Issue: Compact Blues
TWO-TONE TEMPTRESS
Gretsch continues to roll out more
CenterBlock Series guitars with its
latest addition, the G6112TCBJR 2
Tone model. A thinline Nashville
Junior in two -tone Jaguar Tan and
Copper Metallic, the Two Tone has
a pair of Fil ter’Trons and a Bigsby
B3C. See www.gretschguitars.com
for more information.
RIP JOHN GUSTAFSON
Bassist and vocalist John ‘Gus’
Gustafson died in September,
aged 72. Born in Liverpool, he was
a member of early rock ’n’ roll trio
The Big 3 and the Merseybeats
before joining Quatermass in 1970
and Roxy Music in 1973. He went
on to work with Ian Gillan and
Gordon Giltrap, and as a session
player. He released a solo
album, Goose Grease , in 1997.
RIP ROBERT YOUNG
Former Primal Scream bassist
turned guitarist Robert ‘Throb’
Young died in September, at the
age of 49. He was a member of the
band from early on in their career
until 2006, and played on many of
their most influential albums,
including Screamadelica,
Vanishing Point and Give Out But
Don’t Give Up .
In a sad but touching moment during September’s Bestival
Festival on the Isle Of Wight, Nile Rodgers broke down in tears
and dedicated his set to the memory of his close friend and
guitar tech, Terry Brauer, who passed away shortly before the
performance. “This is a very tough night for me,” Rodgers told
the 55,000-strong crowd. “My guitar tech of 18 or 19 years
passed away, and it was very hard for me to do this tonight.” The
Chic star then had the crowd chant Brauer’s name and hold
their phones up in tribute. The set was also notable for breaking
the record for hosting the world’s largest mirror ball, which was
more than 10 metres in diameter and was lit up, suspended
from a crane and rotated during the concert. © R I C H A R D I S A A C / L N P / R E X
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32 Guitarist November 2014
Perfect 10
10 Questions We Ask Everyone
We catch up with Slash around the release ofhis new album, World On Fire. So how does theman who’s seen and done it all handle the...
Slash
1WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST GUITARAND WHEN DID YOU GET IT?“It was a one-string Spanish-style
acoustic and I got it right before my 15th birthday. My grandmother gave it to me. Myuncle, my mom’s brother, had a couple ofguitars and one of them was this beat-up oldhollowbody electric with a fake Bigsby, andit just never appealed to me, but the acousticwith the one string… for some reason, it waslike, ‘That’s what I need.’”
2THE BUILDING’S BURNINGDOWN – WHAT GUITAR WOULDYOU SAVE?
“I would still go with my [Kris] Derrig ’59copy that I’ve been using forever [the Appetite For Destruction guitar – Ed]. It’s just such a great-sounding guitar, but it’s oldnow. It was built in probably ’85 or ’86. It’s very temperamental, so we’re like an oldmarried couple. I have to treat her a certain
way and she gives back a little, so there’s alot of nuances in how we work together. Atthe end of the day, tonally, that’s my guitar.”
3WHAT’S THE OLDEST GUITARYOU HAVE?“Probably a ’52 Tele, which I think I
bought in the 90s during theUse Your Illusion period. I bought a lot of vintage stuffwhen we were doing that album, but Ihaven’t really bought since. One of thethings I’ve grown out of is thinking youneed to have a certain guitar for a certainsound, but back in the day I bought a lot of vintage guitars looking for different tones.”
4
AND THE NEXT PIECE OF GEARYOU’D LIKE TO ACQUIRE?
“I pick up stuff as I need it. I’m reallynot a gear head or a technician that lovesgadgets. I just go for what I need and I tryand keep it as basic as possible. I stumble on
stuff or, if I hear a sound, I’ll ask a couple ofpeople if there’s anything that does this andif there isn’t, how could we make it?”
5
IS THERE A GUITAR YOUREGRET LETTING GO?
“I miss my BC Rich Mockingbird,which was my first good name-brandelectric guitar. I had that for a long time, buta lot of equipment got hocked for cash because of more important, erm…necessities… you know what that’s about! Isold it to Guitars R Us on Sunset for somequick money and it was never seen again.The other guitar that I miss – but I don’thave any regrets – is the ’59 in TobaccoSunburst that I gave back to Joe Perry.”
6
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONETHING ABOUT A RECORDINGYOU'VE BEEN ON, WHAT
WOULD IT BE AND WHY?“I just don’t believe in that because it’s sortof like blowing our past up! Usually, I knowwhat I’m doing at the time when I’mrecording. If something comes to me lateron, I might just throw it in live or whatever, but I don’t find myself really stressed bythat at all.”
7WHAT ARE YOU DOING FIVEMINUTES BEFORE YOU GOON STAGE…
“Most of the time, I just stay in the dressingroom after soundcheck and play my guitaruntil show time. Sometimes – depending onhow hard we’re touring – you can get reallyfatigued… 5-Hour Energy drink works!”
8…AND FIVE MINUTES AFTER?“I just want to decompress. I thinkmy heart rate goes up about 10
notches when I play, so I just want quiet andI don’t want to deal with anybody or to signanything. I don’t want to have to doanything ’til I’ve gotten out of my clothesinto something else and wound down.”
9WHAT’S THE WORST THINGTHAT’S EVER HAPPENED TOYOU ON STAGE?
“When there’s an irretrievable train wreckthat the band can’t recover from. Those aremy worst memories, and that used tohappen a lot back in the 80s and maybe inthe early-90s.”
10WHAT SONG WOULD YOUPLAY ON ACOUSTICROUND THE CAMPFIRE?
“That’s an interesting question. Probably Let It Loose from The Stones, but there’s lotsof different Stones songs that would soundgreat. Or I might play some old Bob Dylansongs – anything that lends itself to thatkind of thing!”
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Frontend
34 Guitarist November 2014
Feedback Your letters to theGuitarist editor. Drop us a line [email protected] – you might even win a prize!
THE GUITARISTDear Guitarist , thought I’d compose this poem about guitars foryour consideration…
When life’s not very rock ’n’ roll And even eBay can’t sell your soul
Now you’ve settled into your accountant’s role You’ll always have guitars.
A lump of wood with wiry stringsKnobs and electronic thingsStardom waiting in the wings
For you and your guitar.
Flying V, SGThe riff to (Cor Baby That’s) Really FreeBlackmore, Slash and Bo Diddley
Learn licks on their guitars.
That Petrucci solo left you out of breathEvery note in the treble clef
Should have stuck to Napalm Death Your guitar gently sleeps.
When you were a lad you didn’t visit the parkPlayed your guitar till it was darkLike a young Fast Eddie Clarke And you kept your first guitar.
You can afford a big amp on an accountant’s wage At the golf club they call you Jimmy Page
And you’ve got a girlfriend half your ageBut you’re in love with your guitar.Nigel Loyd, via email
Bravo, Nigel! We crown you the Poet Laureate of the Les Paul…
MAKING IT
Dear Guitarist , thanks for
two super articles in issue
386, the Brian May special
and the Dave Burrluck
piece on building a guitar
with his father. Though
hard to credit now, back
in the 60s and early-70s
the items needed for
guitar building were
extremely hard to find.
As a 14-year-old in 1960, my
first effort at a Strat copy taught
me a lot: mainly what not to do!
Two years later, I tried again and
this time I found an electric guitar
circuit in a book called Electronic
Music And Musique Concrete by
FC Judd. Circuits were still a
mystery to me, so I took the
drawing to my uncle, who in the
1950s had made his own
television. This time, it was a
success, but I actually found that
the building process was more
satisfying than playing. In 1972,
after fixing a friend’s Strat, I took
all the measurements and built
my own. I went to the Sydney
Evans violin shop in Birmingham,
and purchased a rough-cut,
Fender-style neck, and built the
body from a tabletop and some
block-wood. As the neck was
mahogany, I wanted a
contrasting fingerboard, but
where was one to find maple?
Instead, I used a piece of
Japanese oak, finished with a
two-pack epoxy lacquer. Job
done, and it still works today.
I have gone on to build quite a
few guitars, and I am currently
working on a Tele-style guitar for
someone in South Korea. Coals
to Newcastle anyone? Keep up
the good work.
John Ibbotson, via email
WEARING THIN
Does Dominic Mason [see
Feedback, issue 385] think the
guitars of Rory Gallagher or
Stevie Ray Vaughan got that way
because those instruments were
‘abused’ – or because they were
loved and enjoyed for every
second their owners had them?
It’s odd he mentions he has a
Rickenbacker 381. So do I, the
John Kay model. When I got it, it
was second-hand – and now it’s
a very ‘heavy relic’. Abuse? Or
constant use and lots of love? My
belief is a guitar is a tool, nothing
more. With someone like Rory,
the guitar was the tool, he was
the instrument, and the art was
in the music he created and the
concerts he performed. This
‘playable work of art’ idea is a sop
to the worst sort of wannabe,
who never took a chance.
Victoria Sutton, via email
Hi Victoria, we heartily agree
that guitars which acquire
heavy wear through playing
symbolise sincere devotion to
making music, not abuse of
the instrument. But does that
make Dominic and others like
him a ‘wannabe’ because they
prefer to take care of their
instruments? We’re not sure
that follows. For example,
one of our favourite players,
Adam Goldsmith, guitarist on
The Voice, plays thousands of
gigs a year but keeps his
instruments in immaculate
fettle. All the same, we salute
your love of performing live –
it’s the soul of guitar music
and everyone should try it.
Star letter
Each issue’s Star Letter wins
a Korg Pandora Stomp – an
ingenious compact multi-effects
with a wealth of options that’s
worth £119!www.korg.co.uk
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36 Guitarist November 2014
Gibson CustomBilly F Gibbons Goldtop £4,099
Here’s something rather
special. Keen-eyed
readers will recognise this
guitar as one of a limited run of
300 modified Les Paul Goldtops
made to ZZ Top guitarist Billy F
Gibbons’ personal specification.
Unusually, there’s no pickup
selector – meaning the bridge/
neck pickup balance must be
dialled in using the volume
controls alone, while a single,
master tone control governs both
pickups. It’s also very lightweight
for a Les Paul, thanks to extensive
chambering of the single-piece
mahogany body.
This particular guitar differs
in one important detail from
the other goldtops in the run –
the striking, chrome-finish
humbuckers. Wound by Thomas
Nilsen of Cream T Pickups, these
Tele-inspired units were originally
designed for Keith Richards.
After a 20-year search for a set of
pickups that combined the sweet
voice of a Telecaster’s neck
pickup with the tonal girth of a
PAF, Keef approached Thomas,
who made a prototype ’bucker
that had barely been wound
before Stones tech Pierre de
Beauport took it away to be fitted
to Keith’s ‘Gloria’ Tele. Keef knew
about Cream T’s work on Billy’s
innovative ‘Banger’ pickup, and so
jokingly suggested a matching
name for the new design: the
‘Mash’ humbucker.
Billy then returned the favour
by equipping this Les Paul, his
personal instrument, with a
gleaming set of Mashers. As for
the sounds, think vintage PAF
with a touch of funky hollowness
and brightness borrowed from a
Tele neck pickup.
There are only three sets of
these hybrid pups in existence,
although Cream T intends to put
them into production soon.
Deep-pocketed readers can
console themselves with the
‘stock’ Billy F Gibbons Goldtop,
fitted with Seymour Duncan
Pearly Gates humbuckers, at
£4,099 for the V.O.S. model, or
£6,599 for the aged version.
Cream T
07810 032715
www.creamtpickups.co.uk
Photography by Neil Godwin
http://bit.ly/guitarist387
VIDEO DEMO
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1. This instrument hasa subtly aged V.O.S.finish, although afully aged version
with the amusingaddition of belt-buckle
wear in the shape ofTexas is also available
2. The flowing pinstripemotif that adorns the
Goldtop was designedby Billy Gibbons andUS hotrod-stylingartist, Rick Harris
3. The Goldtop comesstrung, in authenticBilly Gibbons style,
with a set of super-light .008-gaugestrings, though theinstrumentGuitarist tested was restrungby Cream T with aheavier set, wrappedover the stopbar for a
less acute break-angleover the saddles
4. As fitted to KeithRichards’ ‘Gloria’Tele, Cream T’sMash humbucker iscoil-tapped, but theexamples on Gibbons’Goldtop are full-blownhumbuckers
5. The Goldtop’s fulsomeneck profile was basedon measurementstaken from an original50s Goldtop in Billy’sown collection
6. The guitar’sunorthodox controllayout features a singlemaster tone controlbut no pickup selector,
with twin volumecontrols used forpickup blend
5
2
3
6
4
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© H
A R R Y B O R D E N
November 2014 Guitarist 41
Music
Pink FloydThe Endless River
Parlophone
A new Pink Floyd
album? Well,
not quite…
Guitarist was
recently invited to
listen to Pink Floyd’s new album
The Endless River aboard David
Gilmour’s Astoria houseboat
studio. An amazing experience
for sure, but a challenging review
scenario – being as it was just
one play-through of an album
that comprises 17 ambient
instrumental tracks (plus one
with vocals), most with barely
discernible start or end points.
The tracklisting was also
unavailable during the
playback session.
Nevertheless, the
album is based on
“revisited tracks” from
1994’sThe Division
Bell sessions, with new
material recorded by Gilmour and
drummer Nick Mason this year.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Roger
Waters does not appear. Given
that The Division Bell met with
poor reviews in 1994, we were
unsure whether the Waters-less
The Endless River would be a
worthy offering or if Floyd’s
“revisited tracks” would be mere
scrapings from the bottom of a
rather dry barrel.
Happily, The Division Bell
sessions yielded a surfeit of
decent recorded
material that didn’t
make the album, with
the band jamming
around unfinished song
ideas. This is The
Endless River ’s trump
card, because you hear Floyd at
their best, experimenting,
stretching out and playing freely
without the confines of a verse/
chorus/verse format.
Peripheral they may be, but
gathered together, the result is
an album that recalls the
experimentalism of tracks such
asOne Of These Days and Echoes
from Meddle -era Floyd. Synth
pads, swells, electric pianos and
organs, courtesy of the late Rick
Wright, provide a backdrop for
Gilmour’s guitars, which range
from folksy acoustic picking and
heavily delayed electric grooves,
to dark, intense but typically
melodic solos.
The pace of The Endless River
ebbs and flows throughout, and
Gilmour’s solos, all recorded this
year, find him in fine form. With
only one vocal track, this is not an
album for fairweather fans, but
Floyd devotees hungry for ‘new’
material may even regard the
jigsaw puzzle of component parts
that forms The Endless River to
be something close to a
masterpiece. [CB]
Standout track:Louder
Than Words
For fans of: Radiohead,
Frank Zappa
Music
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Music
44 Guitarist November 2014
Martin Barre Order of Play EdifyingRecords
Tull hero takes classics on the volley
Martin’s band revisit milestone Tull tracks in an
impromptu small-hours session after an ecstatic festival
gig last year. Barre’s tone is full of muscular Marshall grunt and his
blend of blues and folk phrasing is broadsword-sharp. It’s gutsy, but
we can’t help missing some of Tull’s olde-world charm.[JD]
For fans of: Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention
Download: Thick As A Brick
Djessou Mory KanteRiver Strings Maninka Guitar Sternsmusic
Want to expand your horizons? Start here…
To listen to the agile, virtuosic performances on this
album is to glimpse an alternative vision of what the
guitar can do. Rooted in the rich traditions of Malian music, like Ali
Farka Touré before him, Kante pulls off dazzling flourishes of single-
note melody that dart and weave with quicksilver grace. [JD]
For fans of: Ali Farka Touré, Fela Kuti
Download: Laban
Johnny Marr Playland NewVoodoo
Former Smith follows up his 2013 solo debut
Playland buzzes with the energy of the city and is the
taut product of a band who have clocked up thousands
of road miles. Marr’s playing is, of course, a masterclass in post-
punk, pop and indie-rock, ranging from artful rhythm work to biting
lead, all performed with intelligence and effortless precision. [CV]
For fans of: The Smiths, Electronic, Noel Gallagher
Download: Easy Money
U2 Songs Of Innocence Island
You’ve got it, whether you like it or not!
U2’s 13th studio album is surprisingly light on Edge-isms,
but there’s at least a consistency that was lacking on
2009’sNo Line On The Horizon. Iris (Hold Me Close) shimmers
with measured delay, and there are angular flourishes elsewhere,
but these are mainly songs of restraint.[DH]
For fans of: The Killers, Coldplay, U2(!)
Download: Every Breaking Wave
Ryan Adams Ryan Adams PAXAM
14th studio album in as many years
Though his unbelievable work-rate sometimes
compromises quality control, when Ryan Adams is good,
he’s very good indeed. Here, inspired by the rock music of his youth,
a focused Adams hits on an anthemic, mainstream radio groove
driven by moody Princeton Reverb tones.[CV]
For fans of: Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty
Download: Gimme Something Good
Ben Howard I Forget Where We Were Island
Nu-folk troubadour goes electric
Howard’s second LP could only have come from a
songwriter who trusts both his instincts and the
chemistry he’s honed with the musicians around him. The result is
a denser yet wider sound, mixing layers of electric delay with a less
folky acoustic fingerstyle, confirming him as one of the most
talented British solo artists to emerge in years.[RL]
For fans of: John Martyn, Portishead, Jeff Buckley
Download: She Treats Me Well
Keys Ring The Changes See Monkey Do Monkey
Love letter to American music from psych-poppers
The Welsh music scene’s best-kept secrets return with a
third album proper. In their most direct incarnation yet,
10 reverb and fuzz-drenched cuts channel Spector, The Velvets,
60s psych and American lo-fi. Great songs, killer musicians and an
eight-track tape machine; sometimes it really is that easy… [CV]
For fans of: The Velvet Underground, Jonathan Richman
Download: Bad Girls
Status Quo Aquostic (Stripped Bare) Rhino
Quo in the buff have nothing to be ashamed of
It’s easy to knock Quo – yet they’re as comfortingly
familiar as beans on toast, and this acoustic romp
through their back catalogue has unexpected charm. The famous
three-chord boogies sound sweetly bluesy, while Rossi and Parfitt’s
close-harmony singing is spot on. [JD]
For fans of: Andy Fairweather Low, Eric Clapton
Download: And It’s Better Now
Virgil &The Accelerators Army of Three Mystic Records
Blues-rock firebrand gets nasty
Virgil’s no stranger to these pages and, as the title
suggests, the talented young South African guitarist has
embarked on darker, grungier flights of power-trio rock. Nuanced
blues is set aside for full-tilt contemporary riffage, but Virgil’s fluent,
ballsy style of soloing is still much in evidence.[JD]
For fans of: Airbourne, Tracer, Philip Sayce
Download: Stand Up
Our pick of the finest fretworkcommitted to wax this month…
Albums
Virgil And TheAccelerators
get revved up forArmy Of Three
© W I L L I R E L A N D
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November 2014 Guitarist 49
InterviewJ Mascis
Warm& FuzzyThe prolific, louder-than-hell alt-rock guitar legend that is J Mascis
puts down his Jazzmaster and makes his finest acoustic album yet.
And all without leaving the house...
Words Matt Parker Portraits Joby Sessions
Dinosaur Jr’s enigmaticguitarist/vocalist, J Mascis, is aman who doesn’t know themeaning of ‘downtime’. Sincereleasing debut album
Dinosaur in 1985, there have been some 21albums and a wide variety of bands,‘projects’ and musical styles; from hissignature fuzz-powered stoner-pop todoom metal drumming and whisperedacoustic paeans. Mascis’s latest record, TiedTo A Star bears more relation to the latterform of melody-making and works as athematic follow-up to 2011’s tender soloalbum, Several Shades Of Why.
“It’s the same label and concept,”confirms J when Guitarist meets him at hisLondon hotel. “Megan at Sub Pop wantedme to do an acoustic record. That’s what I’dsigned on for, so it’s an extension of that.”
The album certainly shares the bareintimacy that its predecessor possessed inspades, a sense no doubt aided by the factthat both records were made at J’s homestudio in Amherst, Massachusetts– nicknamed Bob’s Place, after a beloved bulldog.
“It’s on the third floor of the house. Theattic, I guess,” explains J. “There’s a skylight,it’s an old house. The bedrooms up there…there’s one that I played the guitar in, thenin the other room, I put the drums in there,and that’s also the room that I sing in. Thenthere’s a big control room – the big room,with the skylight. I knew that was thecontrol room, because that’s where youhang out the most.”
He speaks modestly about the space, but itturns out that, much like its namesake,Bob’s Place has quite the pedigree.
“All of the new Dino ones [were recordedthere],” says J. “Then my last solo one, sothose five. Then Thurston Moore did onerecord there and Kurt Vile’s recorded there.I’ve done some Witch records in there.Sonic Youth recorded one there…”
As with all of his productions, this newrecord has J’s DIY imprint all over it, and itsounds incredibly warm. It’s a world awayfrom the twanging ‘snap’ and crispness ofmost acoustic recordings.
“I usually use two Coles ribbon mics ondifferent parts of the guitar,” says J, whenwe ask about his technique. “Sometimes,I put some condenser in there also, but Iusually don’t like it. It’s always too trebly.That’s my main problem: trying to get theacoustic not trebly. The anti-Ovationsound!” Although there are few more iconicJazzmaster players than J in the world,
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50 Guitarist November 2014
Interview J Mascis
Z.Vex Fuzz Factory 7 – and into a ’59 Vox AC15, before being mixed underneath theoriginal sound. The effect on the listener isone of a background transistor fuzz, likeradio static. It’s unusual, but it works
brilliantly, which is in essence J’swhole schtick.
Richard’s Gear
“I’ve also got this weird Epiphone acousticthat I used a little, too,” adds the guitarist.“Someone told me it was some kind ofelectric. It’s like a D’Angelico archtop, butsomebody put a flat top on it. Supposedly, itused to be owned by Richard Gere. It’s a
bizarre guitar, but something about it spoketo me when I picked it up...”
Guitarist wonders whether the Dino-manhas managed to cultivate a similar loyalty toa particular acoustic model?
“I have been playing a Gibson CF-100 orCF-100E a lot of the time live,” explains J.“I had started doing fuzz and leads on anacoustic, so I was looking for a cutaway thatdidn’t look really stupid. That one was builtso early on, so it somehow looks better thana newer cutaway to me.”
Also used on the record are a bevy ofMartins, including a 000-18, and some rarecustom slot-headed Brazilianrosewood models.
“One’s like an experimental model,” hesays. “I was told Martin would let the
builders build a few guitars however theywanted and market it as an experiment.That was the first Martin I got. It’s smalland it looks like a classical, but it’s not. It’sgot X-bracing.”
J’s acoustic recordings were often thenredirected through one or more fuzzes– usually either a D*A*M* Dopefiend or
It’s clear that it’s found the right home,not least because Tied To A Star representsJ’s finest acoustic work to date. The cleanfingerpicking on Wide Awake is particularlyaccomplished. Not that you’ll get him toadmit it… “I really like Richard Thompson,Nick Drake, Bert Jansch and that sort ofstuff,” says J. “So I try to develop it. It’s reallyhard, I find, because I don’t practise thatmuch. On this album, I seldom would pickup a pick to play the guitar, but then whenI start playing electric again it feels weird!”
Let’s hope that he gets it nailed before thenext project inevitably comes a knocking.
Tied To A Star is out now on SubPop Records.
“I really like Richard Thompson, Nick Drake, BertJansch… On this album, I seldom would pick up apick, but when I start playing electric it feels weird”
J is in fine form on Tied To A Star , an album that showcases impressive fingerpicking
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ROYALBLOODLINEFour decades after Jakko Jakszyk first saw King Crimson live, he was invited to join. Being tasked with fronting your favourite band would daunt most players, but Jakko has really put in the hours...
WORDS MATT PARKER PHOTOGRAPHYADAM GASSO N
It is rare that you’re given the chance to join not just an established band, but theone you hold dearest. Guitarist JakkoJakszyk first witnessed King Crimson ata concert when he was just 13 and spent
the following years forging a career as asongwriter, session maestro and a front-rank prog guitarist. Both by accident anddesign, he found himself working with asizeable chunk of the ever-changing band’s21-member alumni, before getting draftedin by lynchpin and leader Robert Fripp in2013. Now, as Jakko prepares for his livedebut in the US, he talks to Guitarist abouthis lifelong audition, the playing challengesand working with the ‘venal leader’.
How did you come to join King Crimson? “When Robert Fripp asked if I wanted to bein the new King Crimson line-up, one of thefirst people I called was the bass player,Nick Beggs. Nick’s response was: ‘That’s thelongest audition in rock history!’ Because I
was a King Crimson fanboy. I saw them inWatford Town Hall in 1971 and it blew myhead off. I had a romanticised idea that thisone event had changed my life on someenormous level.
“Then, in the 80s, I met and worked with[original lyricist] Pete Sinfield, and when[in 2002] he picked up the idea of playingthe early stuff with ex-Crimson members,he asked me if I’d be the guitarist/vocalist, because he knew what a fan I was. Thatculminated in the 21st Century SchizoidBand, where everyone in the band, apartfrom me, had been in King Crimson.
“Then Ian Wallace [former King Crimsondrummer and Schizoid member] tragicallydied, and after his funeral Robert Frippinvited me for lunch and asked me toimprovise with him. We recorded all thisstuff and [eventually] created the record A Scarcity Of Miracles, which came outas a King Crimson ProjeKCt [a ‘Crimson-endorsed side-project].
52 Guitarist November 2014
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“My first thought [when choosing gear] was ‘Let’skeep this simple’, because frankly I’ve got enoughto concentrate on just playing the sodding notes”
54 Guitarist November 2014
Interview Jakko Jakszyk
“So there was this whole background, buteven when Robert eventually phoned andasked would I like to be in the new KingCrimson, I was surprised because he hadannounced his retirement from the musicindustry. It came out of the blue.”
How did you find taking on that mantle?
Presumably, you’re not handling any of
Robert’s duties this time...“I am actually! Because Robert reappraisedhow he was playing the guitar in the 1980sand developed his Guitar Craft approachand what he calls ‘New Standard Tuning’,which is C G D A E G and significantlydifferent to normal tuning. So when it cameto older material, Robert said to me, ‘You’replaying in the old tuning, why don’t you playit?’ There was a moment’s silence where Iwas looking at him, thinking, ‘Is this a joke?’So I then had to learn how to play thesefiendishly difficult cross-picked parts!”
Has the band’s long history of reinvention
made it easier for you?
“I think so. One of the questions I’ve beenasked is, ‘How does it feel to replace AdrianBelew?’ And I think, ‘Well... I’m not!’ In thesame way that Adrian Belew didn’t feel likehe was replacing [vocalist/bassist, 1972-74]John Wetton. You don’t feel, ‘I’m steppinginto this bloke’s shoes’. I don’t know if itmakes it easier, but it allows you to go into itwith a different mindset. Also, the band’s been going since 1969, so while there’s arecognisable harmonic and rhythmic centrethat makes it King Crimson, a lot of themusic sounds very different.”
What is it like working with Robert Fripp?
“I can only speak of this version of the band,and this version of Robert Fripp. I’ve readall the books, I’ve read all the reports of his‘daunting personality’, and he often refers tohimself self-deprecatingly as the ‘venalleader’, but I haven’t seen that. I hate tosmash a perception that I know he’s quitekeen on perpetuating, but he’s beenincredibly supportive and he’s veryencouraging of you ‘being you’. He will tell you what he doesn’t like, but he’s notdictatorial, or like I imagine Frank Zappawas, whom he’s often compared to.”
Has it changed your perspective on any of
the material?
“It’s interesting, because sometimes when you dismantle something, you think,‘Blimey! Is that it?’ But there is something
about this music that, even when youcompletely pull it apart, there is stillsomething magical about it.”
What were your thoughts when choosing
the gear to use in this role?
“My first thought was, ‘Let’s keep thissimple, because quite frankly I’ve gotenough to concentrate on just playing thesodding notes.’ There were other concerns,too. Robert has decided to have threedrummers on the floor, while we’re onrisers above them, so I can’t have a 50-watt valve head turned up full, because the firstthing that’s going to hit will be three sets ofoverhead mics.
“At the second lot of rehearsals, TonyLevin was using a Kemper Profiling Amp
because he could profile his bass rig and getthe sound on top of these risers. He knowsChristoph Kemper, so they very kindly sentme one. Right now, I’m using that with aLine 6 POD HD500 as a controller on thefloor. Then I’m putting the Kemper througha PRS 2x12 cab, just to get a bit of air.”
And we hear you’ve also got a custom PRS
on the way?
“Yeah, it’s based on a P22 Custom, but we’vemade a version of the screaming face fromthe first King Crimson album [ In The CourtOf The Crimson King ]. It’s an extraordinary-looking thing. The piezo helps with moreacoustic-sounding things. It gives you anattack, which is great on arpeggiated stuff.”
How much consideration have you given to
emulating tones from the band’s past?
“There are certain tunes where I’m tryingto emulate them as authentically as possibleand times where I’m not. For instance, Sailor’s Tale, the original has two guitars,
Jakko Jakszyk says Robert Fripp has really encouraged him to be his own player
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Interview Jakko Jakszyk
F E R N A N D E S C U S T O M G O L D
“Robert seems to favour this Fernandes
Goldtop Custom, which was built for him in
Japan in about 1995. Most of his guitars have
generally got the same system: a built-in MIDI
pickup, a humbucker and a sustainer. The
toggle switches mean they’re totally flexible,
so he can switch everything in and out.”
R O L A N D U S 2 0 S P L I T T E R / G R 1
G U I T A R S Y N T H
“A 13-pin cable comes out of the guitar and
goes into this [AB/Y] splitter, which goes to
the Roland GR-1 Guitar Synth and to the
Axon AX100 [rack-mounted guitar-to-MIDI
controller]. A standard jack then runs out
of the back of the GR-1 to the Axe-FX II XLs at
the top of the rack.”
A X E F X I I X L
“Generally, we’re setting it up with a Hiwatt-
style ‘Hi-Power’ head, through a 4x12 cab
setting and a Master Fuzz [based on the
Maestro FZ-1 Fuzztone], which seems to be
one of the favourites as a basic signal chain.
The top one is the backup.”
S O U N D S C U L P T U R E S W I T C H B L A D E
“All of the outputs from the Axe-Fx, the Axon
and the GR-1 go into this Switchblade, which
is essentially like a patch bay. You’ve got
two stereo signals running from here into the
Eventide H8000 and H3500 effects units
and then a third stereo signal going to the
Eventide Eclipse, all of which are then sent
back into the Switchblade [and then out to
the final mix].”
E V E N T I D E H 8 0 0 0 & H 3 0 0 0 / 3 5 0 0
“The 8000s [only one pictured, due to
repairs] are generally what Robert uses to
create those massive loops that go on for
days. He’ll play things and 40 seconds later
they’ll appear in the surround speakers.
The 3000s are used for other effects, such
as the