Some 14 years after blasting out of AM radios with hits like “Long Tall Sally,” “Tutti-Fruiti,” and “Slippin’ And Slidin’,” the wildest of rock and roll’s architects enjoyed a resurgence in visibility, when his spangled outfits, over-the-top vanity, and trademark “Shut up!” made him a staple of latenight talk shows.
But he was more than just a nostalgic novelty. In 1970, he moved his music forward. With ears open to more contemporary sounds, he traveled to Muscle Shoals to cut The Rill Thing, in a newly inked deal with Reprise Records.
The funky “Freedom Blues” earned a respectable spot on the charts, while “Greenwood, Mississippi” featured a searing guitar solo from co-composer Travis Wammack (sort of a more crazed version of Lonnie Mack, best known for his instrumental “Scratchy”).
In addition to hip covers of “Lovesick Blues” and “I Saw Her Standing There,” the album includes 10 minutes of the fatback title jam, giving Wammack plenty of room to stretch.
When it failed to launch Richard back to the top, he followed with 1971’s audacious King Of Rock And Roll – actually a safer course, with covers of Three Dog Night, the Temptations, and CCR. If the retreads hadn’t been ganged onto one LP, some could have better distinguished themselves – particularly the romping “Brown Sugar.” Unfortunately, there are no sideman credits on the original or reissue, but there’s fine playing, and Richard is, as ever, in awesome voice.
Ironically, The Second Coming, his last outing for Reprise succeeded best at melding his trademark sound to current trends. Produced by Bumps Blackwell, who helmed Richard’s ’50s Specialty sides, it pairs saxophonist Lee Allen and drummer Earl Palmer (from those classics) with such session stalwarts as bassist Chuck Rainey, guitarists Mike Deasey, Adolph Jacobs, and David T. Walker. Sneaky Pete Kleinow even lends pedal steel to “It Ain’t What You Do,” which he co-penned. An ambitious undertaking worth checking out.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s Oct. ’09 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
Marshall’s famed 1960s “plexi” and early-’70s 50-/100-watt amps gained notoriety for their fantastic tones. Of course, the downside was that they had to be driven hard to sound their best, which to the player (and anyone else in a mile-wide radius) meant volume – a lot of volume. And that sometimes meant turning speaker cabinets toward walls or employing an impromptu blanket muffler, sacrificing tone for the sake of band harmony and/or the mix. Then there was the consistency factor from one amp to the next, which meant hunting down the best-sounding Marshalls became an expensive game.
In short, when it comes to plexi tone, maybe those weren’t the “good old days.” Perhaps now, in our world of reissues, reproduction, and boutique guitars and amplifiers, guitarists are indeed in the midst of a golden age. If you doubt that’s the case, let us introduce the Voodoo Amplification V-Plex.
Voodoo Amps was founded in 1998 when hardcore tone lover Trace Allen Davis, a professional guitarist and proficient guitar/amp/pedal fixer, began modifying amplifiers. Largely dissatisfied with the offerings of the day, his idea of good tone caught on, and he quickly earned a reputation as a capable, comprehensive amp repair/modification shop.
The V-Plex was “cloned” from an early-1968 Marshall that was serviced by Voodoo and later was purchased by Davis. It was then reverse-engineered, including having its transformers sent to Mercury Magnets for duplication. Upon completion, the V-Plex was A/B tested next to the original. Davis says it sounded identical.
We were offered a listen to the 50-watt V-Plex with Voodoo’s propriety-design 4×12″ slant cabinet. The hand-wired V-Plex is a four-input/two-channel amp with three 12AX7 tubes in the preamp and two EL34s in the power section. It has a single set of controls for Presence, Bass, Middle, Treble, Master and Volume – a layout identical to that of a vintage non-master-volume Marshall. The V-Plex’s Master volume is placed between the phase-inverter tube and the power tubes, which gives the player the ability to dial in plexi-like distortion starting at a very reasonable volume. On/off and standby switches, along with a red indicator, also occupy the front panel.
A look inside reveals flawless workmanship and top-quality components. Davis is, as we said, very much about the look and feel of guitar tone, and the research he put into this head is glaringly obvious. The cabinet uses four Celestion G12M “greenback” speakers, which are seen in amps all over the place. But Voodoo’s cab is a little tricked out; aside from its propritary internal design, it is also capable of operating at either 4 ohms or 16 ohms in mono, as well as 8 ohms in stereo.
Voodoo Amplification V-Plex controlls
No doubt about it – the V-Plex talks the talk. But to see whether it walked the walk, we recruited a Schecter 006 solidbody with two high-output humbuckers, and a Fender Stratocaster with three Duncan Alnico single-coils. We plugged in the Schecter and started with the V-Plex’s controls set in a familiar plexi manner; Bass at 10, Presence at 4, Mids at 6, Treble at 2, Master between 8 and 9, and Volume pushed to 8.
Flashback
If you’re a fan of the original Marshall JTM 45/50/100 models (if you’re a fan of real rock guitar tones, that’s you!), plugging in the V-Plex could well be the ultimate experience, especially if you’re not hip to coughing up the money to obtain (and hassle to care for) a vintage Marshal. Tone – gain-rich harmonics, with that clear, articulate crunch we’ve come to lust after – spews from the V-Plex by the truckload.
To test the effectiveness of the Master volume circuit, we rolled off the Master and brought the Volume control up a touch, and heard fistfuls of rich gain at reasonable SPLs. Yes, Virginia, you can get great plexi tone at comfortable levels.
The tone knobs reacted almost exactly like those in the original plexi circuit in that they don’t alter the tone much, but produce different textures. Backing off the volume and increasing the Master yielded a cleaner crunch that never surrendered its true character. “Jumping” input channels (a favorite trick of four-input-Marshall owners) substantially fattened the tone.
We next plugged in the Stratocaster. To keep high-end response where we liked it required rolling back the Treble and Presence controls, but the Strat also proffered fat, meaty tone from every pickup and selector-switch position. Crossing channels again, we got more meat right up until we pushed it too hard, when (in true plexi form) the signal compressed beyond the point of being enjoyable.
If you’re after the ultimate vintage plexi tone, your search could very well end right here, as the Voodoo V-Plex delivers definitive plexi tone, and has the ability to play at comfortable levels. Davis and his crew nailed it.
Voodoo Amplification V-Plex Price Head; $2,295 (retail). 4×12″ cabinet; $1,295 (retail). Contact Voodoo Amplification, 210 West State Street, Suite A, Ithaca, NY 14850; phone (607)-256-0465; www.voodooamps.com.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s June 2006 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited. Voodoo Amplification V-Plex
For someone who first came into prominence after being nominated for Best New Artist at the 2000 Grammy awards, Susan Tedeschi has firmly established herself as one of the most electrifying talents to emerge on the blues scene since the heyday of Bonnie Raitt, an artist to whom she has drawn frequent comparisons.
“I’ve always considered that a high compliment,” says the 34-year-old, who has not only had the chance to perform with Raitt, but has also opened for a list of artists that includes Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Buddy Guy, and B.B. King.
Tedeschi manages to not only run a successful musical career, but she balances it all with being a mother of two young children and maintaining a four-year marriage with guitarist Derek Trucks, who leads his own ensemble and performs with the Allman Brothers.
Tedechi has good reason to be pleased with her musical career, and the release of her fourth album, Hope and Desire (Verve Forecast). While previous releases have stressed her admirable guitar and songwriting prowess, the new album places more emphasis on her vocal interpretations of songs by other artists she has long admired. She radiates confidence in putting her own unique take on material written or previously performed by the likes of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway, as well as Dylan and the Rolling Stones, eschewing the obvious cover songs in the process.
Her diversity can be traced to her father, who in addition to turning her on to artists like Lighnin’ Hopkins, Fred McDowell and Linda Ronstadt, gave his young daughter her first guitar, a 1970 Martin 00-18 that remains her personal favorite. “I still write a lot on it,” says Tedeschi, who, after learning to play moved on to Stratocasters and Gibson hollowbodies before settling on her primary guitar, a ’93 Fender Telecaster she strings with D’Addario .011s and plays through a Fender Super Reverb and a 100-watt Victoria.
While many Caucasian females have taken to the blues, not many have so effortlessly co-opted the idiom’s guitar styles.
“I took on guitar playing because I wanted more respect,” says the Berklee College alumnus. “I wanted people to take me seriously. I didn’t want to be known as just ‘That girl singer.’ Singers know how to sing, and they know it’s a gift. But there’s a specific language of music that only musicians understand. You can’t tell a singer, ‘Okay, let’s go from the 5’. I didn’t want to tell people in my band, ‘Play this like Freddie King would play it.’ You have to first know how to play all different styles of music yourself.”
While Tedeschi has incorporated many styles of music – rock, folk, and R&B – into her work, it’s her love of the blues that has attracted the most attention. But can a young, white, successful woman sing the blues with the same authenticity as, say, Bessie Smith or Billie Holiday, who lived such turbulent lives in a racially segregated society?
“I honesty don’t think so,” she says laughing. “What I do isn’t authentic, really. Everyone from the original field hollerers to the gospel choirs to Marvin Gaye – they all had this sort of tension. They meant – and believed – what they did. I try to do that. I don’t go out there and just BS.”
As to the inherent differences between blues and gospel, she offers her knowing explanation. “In terms of vocal intensity, they can both be very intense and emotional, but in gospel you’re not just singing as a human being. You want other people to know that you’re singing about God, and you want people to feel good. You’re just trying to tell people that you feel that enlightened feeling.”
However, Tedeschi is aware of the ironic elements shared between the secular and the religious elements of the music. “Just think of someone like Ray Charles,” she says of the late musical icon whose “Tired of My Tears,” she successfully covers on her new album. “He made ‘What’d I Say,’ that was basically taken from a gospel tune, and got a lot of people mad at him, because he was singing about partying, drugs and drinking. That is sacrilege to a religious person.”
Besides interpreting Ray Charles on the new album, she also pays homage to Keith Richards, putting her stamp on “You Got The Silver.” “I love Keith,” she remembers of her 2003 touring experience with him. “And this was such a beautiful song. All of the Stones still love what they do and still have fun. That’s what it’s all about.”
She gratefully acknowledges her debt to all of the veteran artists, besides the Stones, who have been supportive of her. “I’ve been really lucky. I’ve got to tour with B.B. (King) a bunch of times, and he and Willie Nelson are probably two of the sweetest people on the planet. Just down-to-earth, hard-working people who are addicted to music. They treat all of their people so good, and sign autographs for everyone. They’re really humble humans. It makes worthwhile what we do as performers.”
Tedeschi will be taking that philosophy on the road as she gives her fans a chance to experience her latest music first-hand, and witness the musical qualities that have already made her a star of the blues world. However, she takes stardom with the proverbial grain of salt. “I sometimes think ‘What am I doing up here with all these guys?’ Music is still almost a boys club, but if you just go up there and play for the song, you’ll ultimately get respect. One’s job as a musician is to just to play for the song.
“People can tell if you’re a badass,” she adds with a laugh. “By the way you’re playing and the way you make the notes sing.”
This article originally appeared in VG‘s December 2005 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
1982 Kawai MS-700 MoonSault. Photo: Michael Wright/The Different Strummer.
Most of us tend to think of guitars made in Japan as dating to the 1960s, when Japanese manufacturers began supplying instruments to meet the seemingly inexhaustible demand created by teenaged babyboomers.
Fuelled by trends like the “folk revival” and the “British Invasion,” Japanese guitarmaking took off during the Swinging ’60s. But, in fact, Japan has a much longer relationship to the guitar and its ancestors, and in many ways guitars like the Kawai MoonSault were the culmination of that tradition.
Indeed, lutes – the progenitor of the guitar – developed somewhere in south-central Asia about 4,000 years ago, traveling both southwesterly into Mesopotamia and eastward toward the Pacific. By the second century A.D., lutes were known at the Chinese court as the instrument of “barbarian horsemen.” By the fifth century, at least, lutes had arrived in Japan. Over time, Japan evolved both short-(biwa) and long-necked lutes (shamisen), so stringed instruments were established when western guitars arrived. It should come as no surprise that, whenever guitars arrived, the instrument was well-received!
Just when European-style guitars came to Japan is uncertain. The island empire was “opened” by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853-’54. Prior to that, the only ships allowed to dock at port were Chinese and Dutch, and the Dutch traders were confined to a small offshore island. It’s even possible that Perry’s sailors themselves brought the first guitars, as certainly by this time they were traveling on various whaling and merchant marine vessels plying the Pacific. Certainly, by the late 19th century, guitars had a toe-hold, and by 1921 Japan had its first European-trained classical guitarist and composer in Morishige Takai, who specialized in wonderful adaptations of Japanese folk melodies. Segovia toured Japan in 1929, the year Hoshino began importing Salvador Ibanez guitars from Spain. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, guitarmaking took hold in Japan to meet growing demand for diversion, but World War II pretty much wiped that out. Still, building guitars was one of the industries that thrived during reconstruction. This eventually led to the Japanese guitar explosion that supplied the babyboomers of the ’60s with beginner guitars, and the successful “copy” strategy of the early 1970s. Which brings us back to this MoonSault!
By the early ’70s, the Japanese had established themselves as cracker-jack guitarmakers. Some of the top guitar people in Japan, including Joe Hoshino (Ibanez), Fritz Katoh (Fuji Gen Gakki), and others, wanted to flex their muscles and create uniquely Japanese guitar designs that weren’t beholden to American Les Pauls and Strats for their appeal. In the close world of Japanese guitarmaking, the idea caught on. In ’75, a bunch of guitar designs were introduced, including what would become the Ibanez (and Greco) Iceman. Another was a “Lucky Cat” guitar, a popular “good luck” icon shaped like a chubby cat, almost never seen in the U.S. Several other candidates were put forward; the Iceman made it here and became the most successful export of this exercise in Japanese pride. The MoonSault became one of the most popular models in Japan, marketed by Kawai. As far as is known, no significant attempt was ever made to market MoonSaults in the U.S.
Just how the celestial lunar iconography fits with Japanese culture remains to be illuminated, but the obvious success of this model means it struck a chord. Whatever the associated meaning, it’s one of the more unique guitar shapes ever created!
Many MoonSault models were produced after ’75. The MS-700 was produced from December of ’82 through April, ’83. The tell-tale blue/silver burst finish clearly dates it to that time – precisely the era when Gibson and other companies were producing similar metallic “sunbursts,” proving the old saw that there’s no accounting for taste!
This is a great-playing, comfortable guitar, extremely well-made, with premium materials. Standing, it gives you a great image, and if you like to play sitting down, the moon shape cradles nicely in your lap. The body and set-in neck are made of mahogany. The ebony fingerboard is bound, and has abalone inlays that track the phases of the moon. The tuners and pickups appear to be Gotohs, which by this time were pretty fine. Gotoh humbuckers tend to be hot and crisp, as are these, very reminiscent of DiMarzios. Like many other Japanese guitars of this time, the electronics are designed to give you a great deal of tonal flexibility. The guitar has a master volume with individual tone controls for each pickup. Each tone pot is push/pull, yielding coil tapping on one and phase reversal on the other. The wide fine-tune bridge was very popular in the early ’80s, and provides easy, stable intonation.
The rage for silverburst guitars was pretty short-lived, lasting only a few years at best, and this MS-700 was soon replaced by other MoonSault models. Sales of MoonSaults, however, were brisk enough to keep the model in production through the 1990s. At the end of the run there was even a clear plexiglass tribute model. Alas, the global economy took its toll on Japanese guitarmakers. By the late ’80s, the dollar/yen conversion rate was so unfavorable that Japanese companies could not afford to export to the U.S., and the age of Korean guitars began. High-end guitarmakers continue to produce guitars in Japan, but for the most part they are for domestic consumption only while budget guitars hail from Korea, China, or elsewhere. The dream of a global Japanese identity, as reflected in Icemen and MoonSaults, pretty much became a victim to the practicalities of doing business. In some ways it’s a shame, but we move on!
How many MoonSaults were made is unknown. Because they weren’t marketed in the U.S., export numbers would be small to nil. And to say the design was popular in Japan is only a relative judgment. It’s not like every band had to play MoonSaults – even in Japan, it’s an acquired taste. If the few that show up on the market are any guide, they’re rare. But they do reflect an interesting time in guitarmaking history, and certainly are quintessentially “Japanese!”
This article originally appeared in VG‘s June 2007 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
Whether you’re a fan of the flat-top or simply appreciate a good archtop, chances are you’re familiar with Collings Guitars. The Texas-based builder is one of the most recognized and respected names amongst aficionados of modern acoustic instruments.
Bill Collings and his crew – renowned for their flat-tops, archtops, mandolins, and even cowboy guitars – recently turned their attention to the electric-guitar market with a line of instruments named after roads in and around Austin, including the solidbody carved-top City Limits (CL), hollowbody CL Jazz series, slab solidbody 290 (their shop is located on Highway 290), semi-hollow double-cutaway I-35, and our subject, the new semi-hollow single-cutaway SoCo (named after South Congress Avenue).
The SoCo’s spec sheet includes a long list of high-end features, like a carved flame-maple top, semi-hollow mahogany body with a carved back, set mahogany neck with bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard, optional dual-parallelogram mother-of-pearl inlays (dots are standard), Tone Pros tune-o-matic-style bridge/stop tailpiece, Jason Lollar humbuckers, high-gloss nitrocellulose-lacquer finish, and grained ivoroid touches on the binding, pickup ring, knobs, truss rod cover, and tuner buttons.
The SoCo makes a brilliant first impression with its gorgeous carved flame-maple top and perfectly executed soft amber-sunburst finish. Once you can gaze beyond the intoxicating flame top, though, you start to appreciate the many fine touches here; the nicely cut and finished bone nut, polished frets. And while the top might be the star of the show, the rest of the tone woods do not take a back seat. The one-piece carved mahogany back, the Brazilian fretboard, and the headstock overlay are also gorgeous, with a beautiful contrasting grain pattern and deep, rich color.
The grained ivoroid binding and parts give the SoCo a cohesive look and vintage vibe. And while the list of standard features is long, Collings does offer a few upgrades including gold hardware, deluxe flared headstock, black/white top purfling, as well as a quilted maple top (instead of flame).
From a playability standpoint, the slim-taper neck profile, polished frets, soft lacquer finish, and pro setup make the SoCo more than comfortable – it’s simply hard to put down! The contoured neck heel allows good access to the upper frets, while a longer (247/8″) scale length gives the guitar perfect tension and resistance. The pickup selector is mounted on the upper bout, while individual pickup volume and tone controls are positioned in the traditional position on the lower treble bout.
Plugged into a VVT Lindy Fralin signature combo (12AX7/6V6), the SoCo produced great tones; the bridge pickup offered a bright, articulate sound that was still full and round, with punchy low-end and no harsh high-midrange overtones. Used in combination, the bridge and neck pickups produced the guitar’s most complex tone, with thick, lush midran ge and slightly jangly highs. The neck pickup performed very well solo; with its well-tapered and voiced Tone control rolled back a bit, it mellowed out offering a dark, thick, expressive sound with the round midrange “pop” you expect from a hollowbody. The combination of the Brazilian rosewood fretboard, maple top, and the Lollar pickups give the SoCo a lively, complex tone.
Through a 65Amps SoHo (EF86/12AX7/EL84) with a single 15″ Alnico speaker, the SoCo continues its lively, dynamic performance. The amplifier’s preamp teamed with the SoCo to make a variety of rich tones, from crunchy overdrive to smooth jazz. Even when driven to higher gain, feedback was never an issue, and low-end stayed surprisingly firm for a semi-hollow guitar.
The Collings SoCo is an impressive instrument that literally left us with absolutely no nits to pick; it’s a top-notch piece that serves as a worthy end-product of fine tone woods, electronics, and workmanship.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s April 2008 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
Collings Electric Guitar Demo (290/I-35/Soco Deluxe) – by Tonedr
Describing Kim Lenz as a “female Elvis” is narrow-sighted, as there are few musical similarities between the two, particularly in the fact Lenz writes a good chunk of her own material and, more significantly, she’s a much better guitar player.
Like Elvis, she is a dynamic live performer, with stylistic similarities to Chris Issak and the great Wanda Jackson. And if Lenz is anything, she’s a true-gone rocker – a fact made clear in (among other places) “He’s All Mine,” her duet with fellow rockabilly singer Big Sandy.
“I Break A Heart Every Night” is a rockabilly waltz that’s part swagger, part lament, while in “Zombie For Your Love” and “That’s The Breaks” (co-written by Lenz and Big Sandy,) Lenz shows – by word and delivery – that she knows what’s what on a Saturday night in the Dairy Queen parking lot.
Per the photos in the CD liner notes, Lenz is also comfortable putting to work what God gave her, and more power to her. But with her fine voice and clever songwriting combined with her work on guitar, she can more than hold her own with the band. And in lead guitarist Nick Curran, Lenz has a stylistic picker who can stay neck and neck with her (“Shined Up And Ready To Shout”) down the rockingest road.
Forget the “female Elvis” business. Rather than speculate whether or not she represents what a female Elvis would sound like instead, let’s say that if Chris Issak had a sister, she might sound like Kim Lenz. And if that was the case, people would likely be calling him “Kim Lenz’ brother.”
This article originally appeared in VG‘s Oct. ’09 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
It’s been said that musicians often “follow their muse” at certain points in their careers, but Steve Hackett, who is entering his fourth decade as a professional musician, is taking the term almost literally.
His latest album, Metamorpheus (InsideOut), is a mythology-based work, and one of the central characters in its storyline is Calliope, a Muse who was the mother of Orpheus, the greatest human musician. His classical music associates on the work went by the collective name of the Underworld Orchestra, and the aggregation, which included Hackett’s brother, John, on flute, was assembled specifically for the project.
“I must’ve done every kind of music in my time,” Hackett recently told VG. “And I’ve made a point of doing that, so not everything I do is exactly like any other thing. I love all kinds of music, and I want to keep changing styles; I don’t think you should have to spend your whole life as a jazz musician or a pop/rock musician, or whatever.”
Hackett first came to notice in the early years of British progressive rock band Genesis, and has since recorded 17 albums, five of which are full-blown classical works. And he still has a collection of classic instruments, including a ’57 Gibson Les Paul goldtop and a late-’50s Les Paul Standard. Other electrics include Fernandes instruments with Sustainer pickups, which is “…like having an onboard E-Bow; you can sustain infinitely.
“I’m fond of 12-strings, as well,” he continued. “I’ve got a Tony Zemaitis 12-string; he made some wonderful guitars for all sorts of people. I just bought a Coral Sitar again; I had one in the old days, but it was stolen. It’s got a great sound. So I do still have a collection, but maybe not as many as you might think.”
Hackett has been cited as one of the relatively few guitarists who first garnered acclaim within the rock music field, and successfully went on to similar acclaim in the classical music genre. He wasn’t originally interested in such music, including classical nylon-string guitar, but gradually began to train himself to use his right hand to play more than one note at a time, he recounted. He counts on a Yairi nylon-string acoustic as his primary instrument, and noted how he uses it in composing such works as well as performing such music.
“The guitar part comes first of all, and I kind of sketch out what the orchestra’s going to do, as best I can with the guitar,” he explained. “But it’s painfully inadequate to be able to map out music that way. So you’re going to need a keyboard. I take it as far as I can on a guitar, then I usually have to work with a keyboard – and a keyboard player. We work with samples, so we can get an idea of what it’s going to sound like when the real thing is played, but all of it is written on guitar. I’m proud of the fact that maybe I’m one of the few who uses a guitar to compose orchestral stuff.”
Metamorpheus contains solo guitar segments, orchestral segments, and sections where both the guitar and orchestra are playing together. We asked Hackett how the album was recorded.
“I tried to record it in sequence,” he said. “I started with guitar, then we did the ensuing chords on a sequencer so I could have an idea when the guitar was going to come in each time. Mainly, I would record the guitar first, which was done in free time – usually not to a click (track). With this type of music, you’re allowed to bend rhythm; you’re not starting with a drum kick and it doesn’t have to ‘rock solid.’ With this particular work, when we recorded the orchestra, they had ‘clicks’ to work with. We did the soloists separately, and each member separately. We built it up layer by layer, and it took a phenomenal amount of time. But I couldn’t afford to hire a symphony orchestra, although on the last classical album, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I’d worked with the Royal Philharmonic, and we’d recorded in the time-honored way… but they still had a click track and a conductor.
“This time, I worked with a few individuals, and I worked them to death; we recorded them individually, but they were pleased with how it turned out. They’re still talking to me, and they might work with me again!” Hackett chuckled.
Some passages on Metamorpheus are quiet and reflective, while other portions are dense and “booming.” When we cited portions that might remind non-classic-music fans of certain passages in Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony or Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite,” Hackett noted, “I listen to a lot of orchestral stuff, including those, and it’s hard not to be influenced by them, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Borodin, Mussorgsky – it’s wonderful music, wonderful orchestrations. Bach is wonderful, but so is Prokofiev. Russians seemed to have kind of an understanding of what it takes to make an orchestra lift off. But I’m getting acquainted with other composers all the time, like Grieg, who did a lot of folk music.”
Hackett doesn’t plan on touring with an orchestra to promote Metamorpheus, but his acoustic trio was planning on performing in Europe during the Summer of 2005, and in the U.S. in the Fall. He’s planning on doing only a couple of segments from the album, “because I don’t want to attempt to do live what is best done with an orchestra. Fortunately, I’ve done a lot of acoustic albums, so I pick and choose (material) from a lot of stuff.”
A meticulously-crafted and ambitious effort, Metamorpheus is a work any musician could be proud, but it’s only one fascinating facet of Steve Hackett’s remarkable career, which has continuously surprised and delighted guitar enthusiasts around the world.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s October 2005 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
San Francisco’s Jinx Jones teams with two terrific Finnish musicians for the making of this fine live record. Henry Valanne (drums) and Ari Sjöblom (bass) are both adept at the various forms of Jones’ music, and they are many.
Primarily a rockabilly guitarist, he stays true to form here on tracks like “Double Talk Baby,” “Honey Hush,” and “Either Way I Lose.” But he mixes elements of other music, as well, with solos that delve deep into R&B and country. “I Need a Good Girl Bad” shows his jazz chops with a nice chord solo followed by octaves. “Honky Tonk Playgirl” jumps into country with chicken pickin’ that bounces out of the speakers. And then there’s surf-style instrumentals that prove the twang of rockabilly and country isn’t far removed from that form.
And in a gutsy move, the CD ends with a dazzling cover of Roy Buchanan’s masterpiece “The Messiah Will Come Again.” But Jones pulls it off with ease – and soul.
While his playing is beyond reproach, Jones has also developed into a top-flight vocalist, with loads of the attitude needed for the songs he does. He hiccups where he should, and sometimes where he shouldn’t, but it always fits. Doing R&B more, he growls with the same ferocity Brian Setzer developed over the years.
Recorded during several shows in Finland, the music gets appreciative yelps and howls of glee from the audience. After Jones’ last studio record, Rumble and Twang, this is a perfect showcase.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s Mar. ’09 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
1972 Gretsch Chet Atkins Nashville 7660. Photo: Michael Wright.
In many ways, the storied past of Gretsch guitars is a microcosmic reflection of the many twists and turns of the American guitar industry, from early immigrant success story to classic American guitars to big corporate buy-out to looking for cheaper labor to foreign imports, with some of the great names in guitar playing thrown in for extra spice. And while this 1972 Gretsch Chet Atkins Nashville 7660 doesn’t have every element on that list, it has its share!
Company founder Friedrich Gretsch was 16 years old when he immigrated from Mannheim, Germany, to Brooklyn, New York, in 1872. Son of a grocer, he took a job with Albert Houdlett & Son, a drum and banjo manufacturer. In 1883, he struck out on his own and started the Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Company to make drums, banjos, tambourines, and other instruments, mainly as a contractor. By the early 1920s, the company had added guitars to its repertoire, in ’33 it began marketing instruments under its own name, and in ’39 it began making electric guitars.
Following World War II, the brand moved forward on its own merit, and within a few years the golden age of Gretsch began: ’50s rockabilly guitars, two-handed tapping demos by Jimmy Webster and his White Falcon, endorsements by legendary fingerpicker, Chet Atkins, the introduction of highly regarded pickups designed by inventor (and tapper himself) Harry DeArmond (indeed, the DeArmond family claims Webster learned the technique from Harry; since they were both from Ohio, this could be true).
The association with Atkins began circa 1954. He was playing at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and on a network radio show – he was a star clearly on the rise. It was Webster who spent considerable effort to convince Gretsch to pay a guitar player to use its guitars. Eventually, Atkins and Gretsch reached an accord, and the following year the single-cutaway Gretsch Chet Atkins Hollow Body debuted. The first Chet Atkins models had single-coil DeArmond pickups, replaced by humbucking Filter ‘Trons in 1958. Other Gretsch Chet Atkins models joined the line, including the Country Gentleman (1957) and the Tennessean (1958). The original Chet Atkins Hollow Body lasted until ’61.
Gretsch’s investment in Atkins essentially made the company’s fortune. The signature models bearing his name solidified its reputation – even influential guitarists such as Duane Eddy played Gretsch Chet Atkins guitars!
Guitars were big business in the 1960s, of course, with maturing post-war babyboomers eating up folk music, then the British Invasion and everything in its wake (not to mention a lot of illegal substances!). This seemingly endless demand for guitars inspired a corporate feeding frenzy as companies as diverse as network television and merchandise trading stamps stumbled over themselves to get a piece of the action. CBS purchased Fender in 1965. Seeburg (maker of juke boxes) bought Kay. King Korn (stamps) bought Westheimer (Teisco). Norlin (international conglomerate) bought Gibson.
Cincinnati-based Baldwin Pianos and Organs had competed with CBS for Fender, and settled on the English guitar company Burns. Baldwin had already moved its manufacturing facilities from Ohio to Arkansas in order to get cheaper, non-union labor, and imported Burns guitars were shipped to Baldwin’s Arkansas electronics factory where they were labeled with the new logo and distributed. The Baldwin Burns guitars met with limited success in the American market, so Baldwin looked around again and finally struck a deal for Gretsch in 1967.
The discontinued Chet Atkins Hollow Body was redesigned and brought back to life in 1967 as a double-cutaway guitar. In 1970, playing yet another labor card, Baldwin began to shift guitar production from Brooklyn to a new plant in Booneville, Arkansas, a process completed by the summer of 1972. With the move, Gretsch began to incorporate a number of Burns features, most notably the Burns heel “gear box” truss rod adjustment.
One of the guitars that got this makeover was the Atkins Hollow Body, which in ’67 was renamed the Chet Atkins Nashville 6120. In ’72, its model number became 7660. The one shown here has serial number 122058, dating it to December of ’72. The number is stamped into the back of the head, a practice that ended not long after, in favor of decals. Except for the use of the Burns gear box, this model is very similar to its predecessor. It was probably built in Booneville, although some or all of its components could have been made in Brooklyn and finished in Arkansas.
With a 21/2″ depth, this guitar is a medium-body hollowbody. The pickups are Filter ‘Trons, though they have HiLo ‘Tron covers. The electronics are typically Gretsch byzantine. One knob is a master Volume, while the other two are volume controls for each pickup. One mini-toggle is a standby offering on/off/on (go figure!?), while the other is a three-way tone toggle engaging three different capacitors. Like most Gretsch hollowbodies, this has the internal “sound post” joining the top and back under the pickups to decrease feedback. The tuners on this one are replacement Schallers. As long as you’re happy with the switching system, this is a swell rockabilly guitar.
In ’73, there were two bad fires at the Booneville factory, and Gretsch really never fully recovered. From 1973 to ’78, Gretsch jobbed out production to former manager Bill Hagner, pinning much of its hope on a series of bolt-neck flops. In ’78, Baldwin took over again and the following year bought Kustom from Bud Ross, moving Gretsch offices to Kansas. By 1980, the decision was made to end Gretsch guitar production and leftover stock was sold into ’81. In ’85. Fred Gretsch III purchased the company back and, after some false starts, introduced some reissue Gretsch classics made in Japan circa 1990. Imported Gretsch guitars continue to be available. This particular Nashville represents one of the last of the great American-made Gretsch guitars.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s October 2008 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
For most pro musicians, this is what it’s all about.
While a collection of classic guitars can be respected or admired by lovers of the instrument, most musicians earn their living using road instruments. They may indeed be vintage, but often they’re modified for the sake of sound.
Veteran guitarist/vocalist Frank Marino sprang into prominence fronting the Canadian band Mahogany Rush in the early ’70s. The band’s music evoked comparisons to Jimi Hendrix, but the guitarist had numerous other influences, and in the ensuing decades, he forged a career that gained the respect of players and fans worldwide.
In the fall of 2006, Marino and the current incarnation of Mahogany Rush (Dave Goode on drums, Remi-Jean Leblanc on bass, and Avi Ludmer on guitar and violin) embarked on a 35th Anniversary tour. At one stop, we sat with Marino to visit about his road gear, as well as his perspective on instruments and tone.
Marino’s arsenal consists of two 1960s SG Specials, two early-’60s Gibson SG/Les Paul Standards, and two custom-made Glynn guitars, which are also shaped like SGs.
“All of my SGs have lacquered necks,” he noted. “And they’ve been modified to be even thinner and smaller than the standard (neck).” All four Gibsons have a Vibrola tailpiece, and Marino’s manipulation of it, along with the tone he gets from the instruments, can make it sound like he’s playing slide.
“I’m always compensating,” he stated. “I’m used to Vibrolas, but they’re getting harder to find. We bought some aftermarket ones a couple of months ago, and stuck ’em on some guitars, but the angle was completely different.”
To say that Marino’s primary concert guitar is “highly modified” would be an understatement. It began life as a ’65 SG Special (serial number 329660), and now has three DiMarzio Virtual Vintage pickups in a semi-Stratocaster configuration. The neck-position pickup is mounted almost flush against the end of the neck – right where Marino’s pick usually strikes the strings.
“Ninety percent of what I do is on the neck pickup,” he said. “I’ve always liked that tone. I go to the treble pickup once in a while, but I’ve found that on that one, it’s a lot harder to hear the notes. It just sounds like a sizzle, especially if I play fast. I like to pick near the neck because you get more of a full-bodied tone – warm, but bright, from the pick, as well.”
Frank Marino’s touring 1960s Gibson SG Special. Photos: Willie G. Moseley.
Frank Marino’s touring 1960s Gibson SG Special.
Frank Marino’s touring 1960s Gibson SG/Les Paul Standard.
Frank Marino’s touring 1960s Gibson SG/Les Paul Standard.
As for the pickups in the frontline SG Special, Marino noted, “We’re not crazy about fancy pickups; I like pickups that imitate originals.” And there’s a reason the bridge pickup sits at a funky angle.
“When I play a Stratocaster, to me the treble pickup is too trebly, which I hate. I realized that when Hendrix was playing a Stratocaster left-handed, his bridge pickup was a lot less trebly because the strings were backward. So I moved the pickup. I hardly ever use it, anyway, and I’m thinking about putting a DiMarzio version of a Gibson in the bridge position. The closer the pickup is to the bridge, the more treble you get, and it can sound more out of tune.”
Marino also has a similarly modified instrument he doesn’t take on tour because of stability problems with the neck. Because of the thin body on the SG and the routing that had to be done for the three single-coil layout, the instruments have been filled with epoxy, he said, and while the SG he uses on tour has held up, he described the one he leaves in Montreal as “a lost cause.”
The serial number on the other touring SG Special, (serial number 126669), indicates it was made in 1963, and it now sports two P.A.F. humbucking pickups that Marino removed from an SG Standard.
One of the two early-’60s SG/Les Pauls Marino takes on tour (SN 80431) doesn’t get played much, but it is what he termed his “historical” SG/Les Paul.
“That’s ‘Old Faithful’,” he explained. “It’s been with me since Maxoom (Mahogany Rush’s early-’70s debut album). I’ve done 90 percent of my career with it. I never even changed guitars in the old days – it was this one guitar, all the time, every album, every show. I played it at (the 1978 rock festival) California Jam 2. It’s been beaten, bashed, and fixed, and it’s pretty much been put to bed. But I still bring it along. It still has its original P.A.F.s. Some people have offered me a lot of money for that guitar.
“Later, the other one (SN 20961) came along,” he continued. “And you don’t often see these for a reasonable price, so I bought that one. It was a twin, and is actually older than the one I’ve had all along. When I played it, I liked the sound of it better than Old Faithful, but by then it was the ’80s, so it became my main guitar until I built these guitars with the different pickups.”
The two custom-made guitars were made by luthier Jim Glynn, and Marino noted that because they’re hollow, they weigh even less than his Gibsons, but are very balanced and resonant.
Avi Ludmer’s ’82 Fender Stratocaster reissue with Gibson humbucker in the bridge. Photos: Willie G. Moseley.
Ludmer’s early-’70s Ibanez Artist.
Bassist Remi-Jean Leblanc’s main axe is this de-fretted Music Man Sting Ray 5.
The template for the body of Glynn number one was drawn from Marino’s “historical” SG/Les Paul Standard, but Marino noted that the Glynn’s body is slightly smaller, has a single f-hole, and a mahogany body with a maple cap that gives the guitar a unique sound. It’s powered by two DiMarzio humbuckers. The 24-fret neck, which has an ebony fretboard, has sometimes caused a bit of minor disorientation for the guitarist.
“I do play it in the show,” Marino said. “But I have to think a little more when I’m playing up high because of the extra two frets. I usually know where I am by my hand touching the horn on the guitar. I’ve been playing 22 frets all my life, so I guess it’s like a trombone player – you just get used to putting your hands in certain places.”
Glynn number one can be heard opening up the second CD on RealLIVE! on “Let There Be…” and its tone is noticeably different from that on the first CD.
As for Glynn number two, Marino recalled, “We built number two because number one was close to what I wanted, but not exactly. Number one is a 24-fret guitar; number two is a 22-fret guitar. I told Jim that number one was great, and I used it on a specific song all the time, but I wanted one with 22 frets, like my SGs. This time, he used the template from the other Glynn, so number two is even smaller, and I’m just now getting used to it. One big difference is a plate in the middle, which lets me change pickup setups. I can try Virtual Vintages, Gibsons… just plug ’em in. I designed a wiring system for it; when I pop the plate, the guitar is automatically re-wired; I don’t have to get in there and start soldering.”
When we photographed Glynn number two, the pickup layout on it included a Bill Lawrence installed in the neck position as an experiment. The guitar was built with korina and figured maple, and is hollow inside like number one, but does not have an f-hole. Marino noted that he hasn’t noticed any basic sonic differences in the two instruments.
The fretboard on number two is rosewood. Sharp-eyed observers will notice a Gibson ebony-and-pearl tailblock decoration, which was usually found on SG/Les Paul Standards and Customs. Marino admitted that he’s moved such items to other guitars over the years.
Guitarist/violinist Avi Ludmer has two guitars onstage. His Fender Stratocaster is a ’60s reissue made in ’82, and the pickup in the bridge is “…an old Gibson humbucker.”
Speaker cabs include two 2×15″, while a modded Marshall and 4×12″ serve a backup. Photos: Willie G. Moseley
Attached to a relay, it engages if Marino’s main amp goes down.
Marino’s pedalboard plays host to his home-made delay boxes, a Geoff Teese wah, and an old DeArmond volume pedal. The black box has a fuzz, booster, octave divider, and delays, all home-made.
Ludmer’s other guitar is an Ibanez Artist from the early ’70s with star-inlay fret markers. He also plays a Zeta electric violin, which on occasion he runs through a wah. In concert, he and Marino trade violin and guitar licks, or play harmony or note-for-note riffs.
“It’s been done before,” Marino detailed. “With people like John McLaughlin and Jerry Goodman in the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Avi hadn’t played violin in many years; he wanted to be a rock guitarist or bass player. But when I found out he’d played violin, I got him to pick it up again, and what we’ve worked up is very cool. The audiences love it. Where my other guitarist would normally have played lead-guitar solos, he plays violin solos. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between his violin and my guitar!”
Bassist Remi-Jean Leblanc relies on a modern Music Man Sting Ray 5 to hold down the low-end. Leblanc had the frets removed.
“I plucked him out of a jazz scene,” Marino said of Leblanc. “He usually plays upright, but he loves the rock and blues stuff we’re doing. He’s a monster player, and nobody in my band is told to sit back; everyone gets to work hard, and it’s almost like a fusion band at times.”
As for amplification, Marino uses a rack system that includes a preamp he built, a wireless receiver, another preamp, a Crown power amp with an Ashley backup, and a preamp/power amp/speaker-selector system.
“It’s a very large box, but everything in it is doubled,” Marino detailed.
On stage left, a Marshall amplifier modified by Tommy Folkesson sits atop a 4×12″ cabinet.
“Tommy has re-done three Marshalls for me. I like to say it’s the last Marshall you’ll ever need,” the guitarist chuckled. “And I do use it for recording.” But as much as Marino likes the amp, onstage it serves only as a backup; attached to a relay, kicks in if his main amp goes kaput.
On stage right, a cabinet with two 15″ speakers is powered by Marino’s primary amp, and a 4 x12″ cab (formerly owned by Aerosmith’s Joe Perry) works with his Marshall. The speakers have Fane baskets, and the voice coils and cones are built for Marino by a shop in Montreal.
Marino’s rack includes several preamps, a Crown power amp with an Ashley backup, and a switching system. Photo: Willie G. Moseley
Marino’s pedalboard is “…a miniaturized version of the one I was using in the days of California Jam 2. That one was six feet long, three feet wide, and it had two tiers on it – 22 pedals total. It took four crew guys to handle it, and it had a case the size of a coffin.
“Over the years, I’ve found ways to miniaturize things. Unfortunately, one of the things I couldn’t was my Echo-Plex. They’re the best, but they’re too much trouble. When I built this board, I had to settle for different delays, which I had to build myself. I wanted them to sound like Echo-Plexes, and I haven’t really succeeded. This board has a special Geoff Teese wah, an old DeArmond volume pedal. The black box has a fuzz, booster, octave divider, and delays, all homemade and based on Electro-Harmonix devices, all changed and modified by me.
“I always shoot for a clean sound,” Marino added. “Even if I’m playing distortion, it’s a clean distortion, and I’ve spent a long time trying to build a system that meets my needs. And I’m just about there! I have this thing about how music is for the ears – it’s about tone. If it doesn’t have good tone, it doesn’t matter how fast you can play, or what notes you can do. Even you have good ideas, if you don’t have good tone, it’s gonna sound awful.
“There are a few guitar players out there who are phenomenally talented,” he concluded. “And they’re amazing musicians, but they have lousy tone. You ask ’em about their all-time favorite guitar players, and they’re gonna say ‘Jimi Hendrix’. Why? He couldn’t play one-tenth as good as they can, they can do anything he did. So why do they all like him so much? It’s because the guy had incredible tone.”
Borrowing heavily from RealLIVE! and dropping in chestnuts like “Dragonfly,” Mahogany Rush’s 35th Anniversary tour enthralled listeners – and the guitar vs. violin segments did indeed delight.
Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush may no longer be playing Cal Jam 2, but they’re a very competent aggregation with a professional attitude, led by a guitarist who, after decades of experience, is still intensely dedicated to his craft, and is still constructing his sound.
Special thanks to Denyse Marino. This article originally appeared in VG‘s July 2007 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited. Fank Marino Mahogany Rush, Ottawa Bluesfest, Canada Day 1998
