Original Fuzz Peruvian guitar straps are hand-woven in Peru using traditional weaving techniques and in accord with fair-trade guidelines. Made using wool, cotton, and top-grain leather with antique-brass hardware, they are available in 11 patterns. Each has a lifetime guarantee against breaks or wear from normal use. Learn more at www.originalfuzz.com.
Month: November 2013
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Original Fuzz Offers Peruvian Strap
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Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Model
Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass
Price: $699 (street)
Info: www.epiphone.com.Rock-and-roll bassists of the ’60s like Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, John Entwistle, and Duck Dunn brought something to the game that succeeding generations continue to chase. On the West Coast, Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna bassist Jack Casady was known for melodic flights thumped out on his Guild Starfire. Forty-five years later, Casady is still taken with thinner f-hole bodies, but has partnered with Epiphone to create the Jack Casady Signature Bass.
The Casady has a maple body and top and Vintage White binding, set mahogany neck with a 12″ radius and a 1.65″ nut by an unbound 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with Les Paul-style crown inlays. Nickel fittings include easy-to-grab 19:1 tuners and a three-point adjustable bridge, while electronics comprise a single JCB-1 low-impedance house-brand Electar humbucker, master Volume and Tone knobs, and a three-way VariGain tone switch. It comes in black, Silverburst, and swank goldtop, and the Volume and Tone controls are mid-’70s Gibson-style speed knobs with a chickenhead on the tone switch. A black pickguard bears a Epiphone “E” logo.
The thought that has gone into the Jack Casady Signature Bass is admirable – it blends a vintage body style and tone with modern playability and construction. This instrument is reasonably light and slender with a thin, comfortable neck perfect for guitarists who occasionally double on the four-string. The workmanship is flawless, reflecting the rigorous quality control at Epiphone’s Chinese factory.
Plugged in, the Jack Casady’s 34″-scale neck is custom-made for melodic phrases and exploratory lines. The double-cutaway body allows room to go south of the 12th fret, and the harmonics are dead-on for Jaco-esque touches. This Epi works equally well fingerstyle or with a pick – subtle, warm, interesting, and with a range of tonal possibilities (the JCB-1 pickup sports an Alnico VII magnet and has 23K ohm induction at 1KHz). The VariGain knob offers detents at 50/250/500, for a thinner, more acoustic tone on 50 and a fat, bottomy sound on 500 (or split the difference at 250). Add in the passive master tone, and there’s a bevy of textures from which to choose.
Who’s going to want the Jack Casady bass? Veteran players will admire the vintage vibe and playability, while younger players will dig the funky attitude and hipster sensibilities. Either way, the Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass hits home runs in looks, feel, and tone, not to mention its very attractive street price.
This article originally appeared in VG July 2013 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
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Styx, REO Speedwagon Help Storm Victims
Styx and REO Speedwagon are teaming up to raise funds for those affected by recent storms that brought tornadoes and highly damaging winds to the Midwest. Members of the bands will appear at a fundraising event, Rock to the Rescue Extends a Hand to Those in Need, slated for December 4 in Bloomington, Illinois. Funds will be earmarked for affected families in central-Illinois communities devastated by the storms. Rock to the Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to build communities through the support of grassroots organizations across the country. It was started in 2001 by Styx’s Tommy Shaw and REO’s Kevin Cronin following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. To learn more about the event, or to donate, go to www.rocktotherescue.net. -
Reverend Offers Tricky Gomez Model in Limited-Edition Colors
Reverend Guitars is offering its Tricky Gomez model, a tribute to off-brand, semi-hollowbodies from the ’60s, in limited-edition metalflake colors. The guitar’s body is made of routed Korina with a solid maple top and Reverend’s Revtron humbuckers. It has a 24¾”-scale Korina neck, Bigsby vibrato with a roller bridge. All of the company’s guitars have a Bass Contour control, which adjusts low frequencies like a Tone control adjusts highs. Visit reverendguitars.com. -
Randolph to Play Notes for Notes Benefit Jam
Robert Randolph (VG, September ’13) will perform at the upcoming annual fundraiser for Notes for Notes, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that provides young people with free access to musical instruments, instruction, and recording studios.Slated for December 6 at the Libero Theater, Santa Barbara, the event will include a jam performance with Randolph, guitarist Slash, along with Jimmy Vivino and The Basic Cable Band along and surprise guests.
“I’ve spent years trying to put the resources in place for kids to express themselves through arts and music so that they could experience the opportunities that I’ve had,” said Randolph. “By tying it in with Notes for Notes, I can have a bigger impact, going far beyond the places where I grew up and learned to play.”
The fundraiser is one of several collaborative performances on Randolph’s schedule. On November 26, 27, 29, and 30, he will headline at The Brooklyn Bowl, welcoming guests including country singer Charlie Worsham. He will also take part in an all-star New Year’s Eve Bash with Hank Williams, Jr., in Nashville, sail on the Jam Cruise with Bootsy Collins, Warren Haynes, and Les Claypool, and take part in the Greg Allman Tribute Concert at Atlanta’s Fox Theater on January 10 along with Trace Adkins, Eric Church, and John Hiatt.
“Real musicians love to collaborate,” said Randolph. “I’ve been lucky enough to play with family and friends onstage for a lifetime, but when I get the chance to play with guys like Slash or John Hiatt, especially if it is for a good cause, I’ll always want to be involved.”
He is also nearing completion of the Robert Randolph Music and Arts Resource Center in Newark, New Jersey.
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Earl Klugh
Thirty-seven years between his debut album and today, HandPicked, Klugh’s first new album since 2008’s The Spice Of Life, appears on his own label (distributed by Concord). Like his past few albums, Klugh offers a blend of standards and originals in a solo setting with guests on three tracks, starting with an elegant rendering of Burt Bacharach’s “Alfie.” A restrained “Blue Moon” becomes collaboration, with Bill Frisell playing amplified. Playing solo on “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing” and “But Beautiful,” Klugh delves into rich, almost Bill Evans-style harmonic explorations.“Hotel California,” features him in tandem with Jake Shimabukuro’s ukulele. “Goin’ Out Of My Head” straddles its roots in pop (Little Anthony and the Imperials) and jazz (Wes Montgomery), Klugh again offering brief, thoughtful improvisational passages.
He offers a stately take on the Beatles’ “If I Fell.” Vince Gill joins in on guitar on the Everly Brothers’ “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” offering a brief vocal reprise. Klugh waxes mellow throughout, but the four minute “In Six” offers some lively, swinging moments.
Klugh’s approach has always tended to the smoother, albeit with a high level of consistency. HandPicked maintains that vision.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s December. ’13 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
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Experience Hendrix Tour ’14 Sets Dates
The eighth edition of the celebrated Experience Hendrix Tour is set to launch in March. The ongoing tribute is a month-long event that brings together a diverse group of musicians paying homage to Hendrix.The lineup ranges from metal legend Zakk Wylde to blues icon Buddy Guy and includes Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Dweezil Zappa, Los Lobos’ Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo, rocker Eric Gales, Texas’ own Doyle Bramhall II and Eric Johnson, funk legend Bootsy Collins, Mato Nanji, and, Ana Popovic. The rhythm section includes bassist Billy Cox, who was part of Band of Gypsys and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Chris Layton, the drummer who, along with the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, was a founder of Double Trouble.
“Jimi often spoke of his concept of ‘Electric Church’ and using music to connect directly with people,” said Janie Hendrix, President of Experience Hendrix L.L.C. “Everyday, we see how Jimi’s musical legacy continues to transcend generational and cultural boundaries. It’s our continuing mission to do all we can to celebrate what he’s given us and to keep his music in the forefront: the Experience Hendrix tour does that with brilliant musicians who love Jimi, electrifying the stage with his music and sound.
“I’ve always been a great admirer of Jimi Hendrix,” said Dweezil Zappa. “My dad told me some great stories about playing with him. Jimi’s ability to express himself so completely with an electric guitar is very inspiring to me. There was an authentic expression of his personality in the music. And that rings true to every generation. He wasn’t following trends. His playing was soulful and exciting and surprising.”“Jimi Hendrix’s music has really inspired me to push
the limits of my own music,” said Kenny Wayne Shepherd, a veteran of many Experience Hendrix tours. “He didn’t observe any boundaries, musically.He was an amazing player and a tremendous showman so I incorporated some of his showmanship in what I do.”Confirmed dates:
Mar-11 Tue Dallas, TX – Verizon Theater
Mar-13 Thu St Louis, MO – Fox Theater
Mar-14 Fri Chicago, IL – Chicago Theater
Mar-15 Sat Ames, IA – Stephens Auditorium
Mar-16 Sun Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater – tickets on sale now
Mar-18 Tue Louisville, KY – Whitney PAC
Mar-19 Wed Charleston, WV – Clay Center
Mar-20 Thu Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Theater
Mar-21 Fri Glenside, PA – Keswick Theater
Mar-22 Sat Atlantic City, NJ – Harrahs
Mar-23 Sun Wilkes Barre, PA – Kirby PAC
Mar-25 Tue Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Theater
Mar-28 Fri Albany, NY – Palace Theater
Mar-29 Sat Waterbury, CT – Palace Theater
Mar-30 Sun Washington DC – Lincoln Theater
Apr-01 Tue Buffalo, NY – Center For Arts
Apr-02 Northfield, OH – Hard Rocks
Apr-03 Detroit, MI –The Fox Theatre
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Sea Level
By today’s standards, Sea Level was a “jam band,” but 35 years ago, they were an eclectic group variously labeled as Southern rock, jazz-fusion, or West Coast funkpop. An offshoot of the Allman Brothers Band and led by keyboardist Chuck Leavell, Sea Level played a bit of all those genres, freely mixing ideas and always emphasizing the band’s crisp musicianship. This is a nice repackaging of their two best-known albums, 1977’s Cats on the Coast and the following year’s On the Edge, all on one CD.As you listen to “That’s Your Secret” and “It Hurts To Want It So Bad,” you can hear the group’s strengths and weaknesses. On the plus side, they were fine musicians who mixed melody with strong solos and funky, danceable beats. They also ably mined that funk/pop/jazz sound of the era – think Boz Scaggs or Steely Dan. Sea Level also possessed solid guitarists in Jimmy Nalls and Davis Causey, both of whom could lay out understated blues-rock leads, placing the right notes in the right places.
Conversely, the group didn’t have a strong lead vocalist or a dominant instrument, which would have helped since much of its music was instrumental. In a perfect world, you could hear a Jimmy Hall on vocals or, if pushing the jazz-rock style, more of Chuck Leavell’s keyboards or Randall Bramblett’s strong sax work. Instead, Sea Level had a few too many ideas going on and, after
1980, folded up its tent, though not for lack of touring.Still, this CD more than ably shows off their laidback ’70s sound and smart chops. If nothing else, it serves to remind us of a time when musicianship was still held in high regard and fans were more than happy to listen to a band who boasted more talent than marketing.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s December. ’13 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
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Tom Walsh and John King
C.F. Martin’s ukuleles have long been the standard by which all others were judged. Though bookcases brim with books about Martin guitars, the merest mention of the company’s extraordinary ukes has been largely absent – or at best treated as comic relief. The recent surge in ukulele popularity is helping pique new curiosity, and Tom Walsh and John King’s new book arrives in the nick of time.
Martin’s initial approach to building ukes was cautious: the firm first offered three mahogany styles, available only in soprano size. But the line developed, blossoming to a complicated matrix of offerings that grew to dwarf the company’s guitar and mandolin models. By the 1930s, you could buy a Martin-made uke in any of three different sizes, in two body shapes, in mahogany or koa, in four or eight strings (and 10 if you count tiples), and in five levels of ornamentation.
Until now, trying to identify and date one of these ukes (which, except for the first hundred or so, bore
no serial numbers) was an imperfect science at best. For its utility at identification alone, this volume puts all previous reference guides to shame.But it gets even better, as this thoroughly researched and lavishly illustrated softcover volume is a beaut. Given full access to company records, the authors undertook the daunting task of compiling complete shipping totals from 1915 to the present, and this section alone is worth the price.
Equally apropos gracing your swanky coffeetable or in your glovebox on the way to a guitar show, this book is a must-have for any vintage instrument fan.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s January ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
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Perri Ink Offers Capistrano, Mojave Guitar Models
Perri Ink Custom Guitars has introduced two new guitar models. The Capistrano has a black-stained and contoured alder body, Bare Knuckle Nantucket P90 pickup, Rutter’s half bridge with brass saddles, single Volume and Tone knobs, and a one-piece maple neck with black block inlays. The Mojave has an alder body with a gold finish, Bare Knuckle Nantucket pickup, Tonepros wraparound bridge, single Volume knob, maple neck with rosewood board, and a painted headstock with gold logos. For more, visit perriinkguitars.com.
