Month: January 2014

Bob Dylan

What to make of a box set compiling the half-century career of the most towering figure in American popular music? After all, Bob Dylan’s stature ensures that the target market already owns a goodly number (and in many cases, all) of the 41 live and studio albums contained here – and probably many in glorious 12″ analog.

Flipping through the 272-page hardcover booklet that reproduces each album’s liner notes, here’s what guitar geeks will make of it: Michael Bloomfield, T-Bone Burnett, Mike Campbell, Eric Clapton, “Duck” Dunn, Jerry Garcia, George Harrison, Steve Jones, Mark Knopf ler, Danny Kortchmar, David Lindley, Roger McGuinn, Robbie Robertson, Duke Robillard, Mick Ronson, Mason Ruffner, Charlie Sexton, Slash, Mick Taylor, the Brothers Vaughn, Bob Weir, Ronnie Wood…

Even without considering this murderer’s row (which doesn’t begin to account for the keyboardists and drummers), the package is beautiful and the music is stunning, especially amassed in such a fashion. But at $200-plus ($365 for a USB drive containing MP3 and lossless files), and with just 14 of the discs remastered and no previously unreleased bonus material included, Vol. One ultimately has to be a personal decision, especially with more Bootleg Series releases presumably coming down the pike.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

January 27, 2014
ZT Amplifiers Club and Lunchbox Acoustic

In two short years of existence, ZT Amplifiers has found a unique place for itself in the world of boutique amplification. ZT engineering guru Ken Kantor’s flagship amp is called The Lunchbox, so named because of its compact physical size. But the moniker utterly belies the fact the amp can pump out 200 watts of power.

ZT recently launched two new models – the still-tiny Lunchbox Acoustic, and the slightly larger (but muscular) The Club. Expanding on the compact design of the flagship, the Lunchbox Acoustic is ZT’s first two-channel amp, with one channel dedicated to vocals, making it a suitable all-in-one rig for small- and mid-sized venues; imagine, all you singer/songwriters, having a 200-watt Class A/B amplifier that weighs 12 pounds and is able to easily fill even the most discriminating coffeehouse through its 6.5″ speaker.

The feature-packed Lunchbox Acoustic has a number of options players need to effectively do their jobs. The Mic (vocal) channel can be used with any microphone or other devices, like a drum machine, keyboard, etc. This gem also has dedicated controls for Mic Gain and Instrument Gain, as well as a plate-style reverb with independent channel controls. You also have individual Bass and Treble controls to tailor the sound of each channel. There’s an effects loop, phantom power, three-position Anti-Feedback Control with bypass, Anti-Clip limiting circuit, phantom power, variable headphone/DI output, and even external speaker outputs. There is even an 1/8″ auxiliary input jack for plugging in external devices like an iPod or other portable music player.

Weighing in at only an additional 10 pounds, The Club is designed for players looking for a more-traditional sound, but who still want a lightweight rig with plenty of headroom. The basic controls and features are similar, and it adds a vintage-voiced tone stack to make for a compact rig with lots of might.

Starting with the tiniest of the two, the Lunchbox Acoustic is a very cool addition to the ZT line. For entirely too long, manufacturers have missed the boat in supporting the singer/songwriter to its full potential. This is where the Lunchbox Acoustic is absolutely brilliant. With a number of different instruments plugged into it the LB Acoustic had a nice, warm tone that was very usable. It will not replace a PA and a good DI, mind you, but this little dude will especially shine in the “house concert” and coffeehouse realms. And it’s difficult to overstate the convenience of a complete rig that can be carried in one hand!

The amp’s plate reverb is conceived for acoustic guitar and for vocals, again making it convenient for players on the go. And the anti-feedback is a godsend – it’s easy to adjust to the room, for both instrument and vocals. It could use a little more top-end on vocals and a Midrange control would be helpful on both channels, but when you consider what this is and what you’re getting, it’s hard to complain.

Equally as cool and a bit more diverse, sonically, The Club sounds good with a number of instruments. It excels at cleaner tones, but hitting it with a good overdrive pedal also reveals a number of usable tones. Its shining moment happens when it’s asked to serve as a high-output jazz amp. Sonically reminiscent of an old Polytone, with lots of headroom, its overall voicing is very pleasant, and hollowbody instruments sound wonderful through it; there’s a nice, natural articulation and attack with tube-like tendencies. In our tests, it responded particularly well to a ’56 Guild archtop, and also worked well for upright bass (the Lunchbox Acoustic did likewise, which was a pleasant surprise).

Compared to the original Lunchbox, it’s fun to see how ZT’s line had progressed. Most notable are the improvements in tone, especially how low-end has improved in both models. Both of these amps are also significantly quieter at higher volumes.

Neither of these will replace a high-end boutique amp or small PA. But if you’re looking for better-than-average tone in a tiny package, they’re worth checking out. The sounds are warm and full. And while The Club is obviously the better choice for electric players, the Lunchbox Acoustic is perfect for traveling songwriters.

ZT Amplifiers’ Lunchbox Acoustic and Club
Price: $549 (Lunchbox Acoustic [Below], list), $599 (The Club, list).
Contact: ztamplifiers.com.

This article originally appeared in VG January 2011 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

January 24, 2014
Sean Weaver

Weaver’s album of solo guitar features instrumental treatments that range from “La Alborada (Little Music Box),” a heart-tugging classical piece by Francisco Tarrega, to Rodgers and Hart’s “Little Girl Blue,” to a beautiful working of Don McLean’s “Vincent.”

The reflective mood of the album runs through high-stepping versions of Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” W.C. Handy’s fundamental blues classic, “St. Louis Blues,” and an inspired medley that has Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” segueing neatly into George Harrison’s “I Need You,” which may provide the disc’s best moments.

Those songs are among each writer’s best and even without lyrics, in Weaver’s hands, “I Need You” retains all the quality of youthful yearning that makes it one of Harrison’s most passionate.

Paul McCartney’s “For No One” follows. It’s a fresh, respectfully faithful interpretation that shows the strength of McCartney’s melody and Weaver’s clean, precise yet emotionally compelling playing.

There are strains of rag-influenced Piedmont and swing here, among multiple other elements. But Weaver’s most obvious inspiration is probably Chet Atkins, and it isn’t hard to imagine Atkins smiling with approval at this album.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

January 24, 2014
The MXR Custom Badass ’78 Distortion

Dunlop Custom Badass ’78 Distortion
Price: $79
Info: jimdunlop.com

Custom Badass is a new division of MXR that offers the company’s engineers’ hot-rodded takes on popular designs.

Packaged in MXR’s classic small housing, the ’78 Distortion is a bit lighter and has a more squared look compared to most MXR units. It has 1/4″ in/out jacks, a true-bypass stomp switch, and a 9-volt DC jack. Controls are for Output, Tone, and Distortion, and there’s a mini-switch labeled Crunch. This additional switch opens up the harmonic content of the pedal via switching the type of clipping used in the gain stages.

Using a reissue Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Telecaster plugged into a ’65 Fender Deluxe Reverb and Dr. Z Carmen Ghia, chords played at low drive levels offered impressive clarity, with a nice bit of crunchy sizzle on top. Dialing up amp volume, sounds went from jangly grit to nice power-chord tones and cutting lead tones that were pleasing to the ear.

Combining the Deluxe with the Les Paul, the character of the pedal becomes more evident, and it’s easy to dial in various crunch tones, and wail on oft-played classic-rock tunes. No matter the guitar or setting, the pedal is a well-reasoned machine.

Engaging the Crunch control adds openness and presence to the tone. MXR says the button changes the LED- and diode-clipping stages, causing the tone to be more open/less compressed. All of the controls on this box are well-conceived. Tone is a useable treble cut/boost that allows for dialing in dark or clear tones, no matter the guitar. The Output can more than adequately compensate for low drive settings, while the Distortion knob can take it from a light crunch to heavy full-on saturation.

Being mass-produced, the ’78 Distortion does forsake boutique touches in favor of board-mounted jacks, pots, and switches. But that doesn’t change the fact it’s a sweet-sounding pedal.

This article originally appeared in VG December 2012 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

January 24, 2014
The Fender Bullet Deluxe/JP-90

(LEFT) An early-’80s Fender Bullet Deluxe. (RIGHT) 1990 Fender JP-90.

Fender has tried more than once to market basses with a low-budget vibe. And while the idea is laudable, most of the offerings never really caught on.

In the early ’80s, Fender – then owned by CBS – was on a downward slide thanks in part to quality-control issues and uninspired products. And while the Bullet guitars and basses introduced in 1982 seemed like a solid idea, the masses weren’t buying it. So, domestic production of the model was discontinued the following year and production shifted overseas.

The Bullet Bass was offered in two versions; the B-34 had a standard-sized body and 34″ scale, while the B-30 had a 30″ scale with a slightly smaller body. Both had a classic silhouette and were made of alder.

The B-34 had a vintage-inspired headstock on a maple neck with 20 frets. Its split-oval pickups resembled those on a Mustang Bass (which had been discontinued the previous year), and it had a Precision-style bridge/tailpiece and Strat-like Volume and Tone knobs – nothin’ fancy.

In 1985, Fender changed ownership for the third time, and by the end of the decade had re-established its place in the market. The JP-90 debuted in 1990 (the number making obvious reference to the decade) and was one of the earliest collaborations between Fender’s factory in Corona, California, and its then-new factory in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico; bodies and necks were made in Ensenada, then shipped to Corona for assembly.

The JP designation intimates at its connection to the Fender Jazz and Precision basses (J was listed first because its appearance owed more to the Jazz). The headstock was slightly smaller than its namesakes’, and topped a slim maple neck (like the Jazz) with a 34″ scale and a rosewood fretboard with 20 frets. The poplar body had a Jazz-inspired silhouette distinguished by two subtle incongruities Fender used to give it modern flair; the cutaway horns are slightly more pointed than those on the Jazz and Precision, and the beveling on its edges wasn’t quite as rounded. It did, however, retain the forearm bevel on front and “belly cut” bevel on back, and was offered in three colors – Arctic White, Black, and Torino Red.

The JP-90’s no-frills concept carried over to its electronics, which consisted of two pickups in the “P/J” configuration; one offset, as on the Precision, one straight, as on the Jazz. Controls included simple Volume and Tone knobs and a three-way mini-toggle for pickup selection. The array was set in a black-plastic pickguard.

The JP-90 initially caused excitement among the Fender sales force because it was American-made and listed for $499 retail. But sales were slow despite its pricing, and it was discontinued by ’94.

Apparently, Fender bass players were (and are) traditionalists, favoring the Precision and Jazz and their numerous variants. But the good news for the Bullet and JP-90 is that in the used-instrument market they are today appreciated for what they are – simple, easy-to-play, American-made Fender basses, available at a decent price.

Fender Bullett Deluxe/JP-90

Price: $500-$700

Contact: http://www.fender.com

This article originally appeared in VG August 2011 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

January 23, 2014
Buck Owens

Buck Owens never minced words. I know. I interviewed him and others in his inner circle in 1992, while annotating Rhino’s Buck Owens Collection box set. Detailing his scorn for Nashville’s music industry, he held nothing back – although he did note that time had mellowed his views. Given Music Row politics, some involved with the project feared his barbs might undermine manager Jack McFadden’s campaign to get him into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Owens, who had approval on my notes, made the ﬁnal call: his remarks stayed. Four years later, he entered the Hall of Fame.

Owens talked of writing his autobiography for years; by 2000, he amassed 100 hours of taped reminiscences. With his health failing, he never selected a coauthor prior to his death in 2006. The Owens estate chose Duane Allman biographer Randy Poe.

Owens was often in hyperdrive in our conversations, his memories always sharp and incisive. In retaining that clear voice and wit, Poe adds immediacy to a narrative that starts with Owens’ youthful Dust Bowl days, farm labor, picking guitar in Bakersﬁeld, and buying his ﬁrst Telecaster. Detailing his peak years, Buck recounts stories from the road, recalling recording sessions and songs right down to chart position (the companion two-CD set contains the highpoints). The origins of both his famous red, white, and blue guitars and the Crystal Palace, his Bakersﬁeld restaurant-museum, get ample space.

While paying homage to all the Buckaroos, it’s no surprise he delves deeply into his friendship and intuitive musical relationship with Tele picker and ﬁddler Don Rich, as well as his own breakdown after Rich died in a 1974 motorcycle accident.

At times, Owens is tough on himself, expressing regrets about his mediocre ’70s Warner Bros. recordings and remaining on “Hee Haw” so long that many knew him as a comic, not a singer. There are glimpses into the business savvy that made him one of country music’s wealthiest entertainers.

Along with candid, acerbic comments about Capitol Records bureaucracy, Owens heaps praise on longtime producer Ken Nelson while criticizing Nelson’s blatant conﬂict of interest, forcing songs on Capitol acts published by a company the producer secretly co-owned. His disgust is palpable recalling the crackpot clergyman who claimed Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was a drug song, undercutting the success of his own 1971 country version.

Autobiographies are selective by nature, and Buck ’Em is no different. Only occasionally does he touch on his messy marital history. There’s only one signiﬁcant typo, where Nashville session bassist Bob Moore’s name is confused with Buck’s regular session bassist Bob Morris. The overall chronology is clear and accurate. The narrative never bogs down up to the year it ends, 2000.

The stunner is an afterword covering Owens’ ﬁnal six years. While many heard of cardiac problems, few were aware of the root causes: clinical depression and chronic knee pain that led him to self-medicate with various prescription drugs. It seems a tragic ending, but for one thing. Hours before he died, he met Oregon tourists at the Palace who drove hours in the hope of seeing him perform. Unwell, not planning to play, he sang for an hour and a half, went home – and didn’t wake up.

For Buck Owens, it was, in its own way, a fairy-tale ending.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

January 23, 2014
Rock ‘N Roll Relics, Bruce Kulick Team on BK Guitar

Bruce Kulick, former Kiss guitarist and current axe man for Grand Funk Railroad, will be showing a prototype of his forthcoming BK guitar at Winter NAMM. Inspired by the vintage Les Paul Junior Kulick used on many well-known recordings, the BK, which will be produced by Rock N’ Roll Relics, has a mahogany body and a humbucking pickup. A limited edition, all will be signed by Kulick. For more, visit Rebel Guitars.

January 22, 2014
Jim Walsh and Dennis Pernu

Of all the cool ’80s alternative rock bands, the loveable ramshackle jag-offs in the Replacements were the least likely to give a toss about, oh, anything much at all. That attitude permeated everything about the Minneapolis quartet, and it was always a big reason for the band’s appeal. It was also intrinsic to a creative process responsible for some of the most enduringly smart-yetstoopid pop rock of the last
30 years.

Think about it: This really wasn’t a band you imagined collecting its own memorabilia. Hell, you got the feeling the members could barely collect enough cash for the month’s rent. (I dunno, maybe Paul Westerberg has a issues old issues of Spin stuffed in a drawer somewhere.)

So if this new photo history were a Replacements album, they’d probably have titled it “Someone really saved all this crap?” But thankfully some fans did, and they’ve managed to cull everything together for this very worthy photo history that will have you chuggin’ brews and cranking classics such as “I Will Dare” and “Bastards Of Young” until ungodly hours of the night.

Waxed-Up Hair and Painted Shoes is a gold mine of Replacements ephemera, made all the more special by the fact that a majority of the stuff included here was produced in those halcyon days of the early 1980s, that pre-internet world when everything in alternative music was basically done by word of mouth, word of zine, and word of ﬂier.

Fliers, in particular, played an important part in the life of the bands of the ’80s such as the Mats, and there are some great ones in this collection. Also special are the numerous live photos, most unseen by any fans and rounded up by co-author (and VG gear editor) Dennis Pernu. If you always heard about original guitarist Bob Stinson’s penchant for wearing tutus and dresses at shows, but never got to experience it live, well, there are plenty of pictures here to satisfy your sartorial curiosity.

Overall, it’s big fun to take a spin down memory lane with these boys. The band has aged well, particularly its songs, and the recent spat of attention cast its way is certainly warranted and welcome.

To sum up Waxed-Up Hair and Painted Shoes, one of the Replacements’ song titles comes to mind: Color me impressed.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

January 22, 2014
Colby Introduces Mod Machine Amp

Colby Amplification’s Mod Machine is a hand-wired EL34 amp inspired by British amplifiers but capable of multiple sounds and power-amp configurations. It offers a range from clean JTM to “Plexi” to a metal-panel “Master Volume” to higher-gain sounds. The power section includes four modes (Pentode/Triode/Cathode/Fixed) and has corresponding power ratings from 12 to 50 watts or 22 to 100 watts. The all-tube effects loop has send and return level controls, the Master section includes Pre and Post volume controls as well as Presence and Hi Trim. Stage 2 reconfigures the preamp for a tonal shift to a more-modern sound and has its own Gain control. Read more at colbyamps.com.

January 21, 2014
Godin Expands Montreal Premiere Line

Godin Guitars has added four models to its thinline semi-hollow Montreal Premiere line. The Sunburst P90 HB uses Godin Kingpin P90 pickups and a custom tailpiece; a Bigsby-equipped version is also available, with a roller saddle bridge. The Sunburst TriplePlay has an integrated Fishman system with hexaphonic saddle pickups, while the Lightburst HG DLX has a figured maple top/back/sides, set neck, bound headstock, Richlite fingerboard, and two custom Seymour Duncan pickups. All are made using the company’s spruce “breathe-through” carved core, a three-way toggle, and have a 24¾” scale. Learn more at godinguitars.com.

January 21, 2014