Guitar Friday: The Bend

by M A N @roquesdoodle

You've heard it. And chances are you've seen it as well. It's a technique known as bending and it is (as far as I'm aware, anyway) unique to the guitar (and similar fretted instruments).*

The bend is quite simple; fret a note and then bend the string by either pulling or pushing the string across the neck, thus raising the pitch. Unlike sliding your finger up the fret board, bending gradually raises the pitch of the note, allowing you to control how quickly or slowly you reach your target note.

It takes a bit of practice to master, but once you have it down, you can accurately bend a half-step, whole-step, pre-bend (bend a note before plucking the string, then release the bend, lowering the pitch), bend double-stops, play unison bends (the most famous unison bends probably being the final solo notes of Stairway to Heaven), and on and on.

It's usually one of the first techniques a player learns and is often a staple in every player's toolbox (hell, I can't play anything without bending). You won't find much bending in jazz or classical, but bends abound in rock, country, and especially blues. It's a simple technique, but it adds so much flavor to the music. If you play, find a favorite lick that has bends in it and then try and play it without the bends. Chances are it will sound anemic. The inverse also applies as well. If there's a lick you're playing that sounds a little sterile, bend some of the notes. You'd be surprised how much a simple thing like a bend can spice up your playing.

Because the technique is so common, there really isn't any point in linking or embedding any videos since just about any video will show a player bending. But if it's something you've never paid attention to, go back and watch some of your favorite players and see how often they bend. You might be surprised how often they do.

* I'm aware that many other instruments are able to "bend" notes: saxophones, harmonicas, trumpets, etc. But I'm referring to the physical act of bending a string.

On a separate note, I recently noticed the fleet of guitar talent that American Idol has had gracing its backup bands. Within the span of a few weeks they had Jeff Beck, Orianthi, Steve Vai, and Nuno Bettencourt throwing down in the band. This is the only season of AI I've ever watched, so were there others that I may have missed?

Guitar Friday: It Goes to 11

by M A N @roquesdoodle

I have to catch a plane to Calgary in a few hours. And after having just returned from C2E2 in Chicago a few days ago, I'm feeling a little bit like Spinal Tap backstage in Cleveland. So on that note, I give you the greatest guitar solo in the history of the world: Nigel Tufnel from the movie This is Spinal Tap.

For the three of you out there that haven't seen the film, do so this weekend. Yes, the music and fashion are dated, but its humor is timeless. Plus, for all my fellow ax-grinders out there, you'll enjoy seeing Nigel's army of guitars in the background. Les Pauls, Strats, guitars with infinite sustain, and, of course, the guitar that can neither be played, touched, nor even looked at.

And if you don't agree with me that the above solo is the best ever (seriously, he tunes the violin), then let us know in comments which solo turns your world upside down.

Guitar Friday: The Parker Fly

Image via Wikipedia

by M A N @roquesdoodle

The first time I saw a Parker Fly, I didn't know what to think. It doesn't have quite the conservative look of a strat or Les Paul, nor does it have the severe stylings of a B.C. Rich. Its traditional shape is modified with futuristic contours and has a minimalistic flair. It truly looks like a guitar of the future. And its appearance isn't the only thing next-gen about this guitar.

The Fly Classic model has a Mahogany body and a basswood neck. Pretty typical, right? Well, this is where the wonders of science come in. The back of the body and neck are coated with a composite material made from carbon fiber, glass, and epoxy. The composite used for this exoskeleton is also the material used for the fretboard. No rosewood or maple or ebony. JustParker's futuristic science-y goo molded into a sleek, high performance fretboard designed to make your fingers happy. It's also designed in a way to keep intonation throughout the entire fretboard. A C# on the 21st fret is just as pitch-perfect as a C# on the 4th fret. That in and of itself is pretty damn amazing.

What's also interesting is that the Fly's minimalist design is not an aesthetic choice. All extraneous wood was carved away and its shape configured to allow the guitar the greatest amount of resonance and tone possible. This is also the reason why the Fly clocks in at a mere 5 pounds, making it perfect for long sets on stage. But how does it sound?

In a word? Epic.

The Fly has a Fishman piezo pickup in the bridge and two DiMarzio humbuckers. This set-up allows you to get great acoustic sounds without having to switch guitars in the middle of a song. It can go from a mellow coffee house acoustic to full-on buffalo hunting stadium shredder in the time it takes you to flip the toggle switch. And the Sperzel locking tuners keep the guitar in tune no matter how hard you abuse the custom vibrato system. The Fly is versatile with a great look and an even greater sound.

The Parker Fly came out in 1992, but Parker has been pushing the envelope ever since. They have several models based on the classic Fly design, each as technically and audibly marvelous as the first (I'm rather fond of the Dragonfly). The Adrian Belew model even has the Line 6 Variax modeling built in for even more amazing sounds.

The only downside to Parker guitars is that they are not cheap. They range from just over two grand at the low end to $9,000 at the top end. Not exactly chump change. But if you can swing it, the Parker Fly will not disappoint.

Guitar Friday: Unconventional

by M A N @roquesdoodle

(NOTE: Mike, I embedded the tagged videos. Thanks for keeping the blog going! See you when I get back from Portland - JR)

There are as many styles of playing guitar as there are players. But there are some who use the instrument in ways that leave the rest of us players just sort of scratching out heads and saying to ourselves, "How did you even THINK of that?"

I'm not talking about the kind of pyrotechnics that we've all heard before, but ways of playing that most guitar players wouldn't even consider. Guitar as a drum? Playing melodies with the tuning keys? Fretting notes by rolling your hand knuckle over palm? Never would have occurred to me. And yet there are players out there who reinvent the instrument just by the way they play it.

This is Ronnie from Botswana. I forget how I stumbled onto this video, but I just love how she uses every part of her hand to fret the guitar.

My next example is Andy McKee performing "Hunter's Moon." I don't even know how to explain the mastery over the instrument he has, so you'll just have to go and watch. Just. Sick.

Lastly is a guy named Michael Kelsey (and a fellow Hoosier). I first heard about him in college (oh so long ago). At the time, I thought I was all cool with my pony tail and Dream Theater sweeps until a neighbor gave me one of Michael's CD. I pouted for a week after hearing him. This was before the days of Youtube so I had no idea how he was doing what he was doing. When I finally looked him up on the internet, I actually had a chance to see how he does what he does. I pouted again. Here's his winning performance at the 2004 Guitarmageddon showdown.

Guitar Fridays: I am a POD Person

Image via Wikipedia

by M A N @roquesdoodle

What looks like a Hill Giant's kidney and can sound like everything from whispering crystals to Zeus in an alcohol-induced rage? That would be this thing. The POD from Line 6.

To call this thing a simple effects unit would be a gross understatement (I believe they prefer the term 'amp modeler' anyway). Yes, it has some pretty stellar effects, from classic reverbs and modular effects to spot-on replications of vintage pedals. But what the POD is really known for is its amplifier simulation. Wish you were playing through a Marshall JCM-800? Done. How about an old '65 Fender Bassman? Easy peasey. Or what if you want to hear what a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier would sound like running into a single 8 inch Fender Tweed cabinet mic'ed with an off-axis Shure SM57 placed a foot away? Seriously.

Seriously.

The POD has dozens of amp models to choose from, a host of cabinets, and a healthy dose of effects thrown into the mix (and you can choose how to mic the cabinet!). They even offer a wide variety of DLC if the stock options aren't enough to sate your sound palette. If you're looking for more esoteric effects or some additional boutique amps, you can download their extra packages right to the POD and you're ready to go. Plus, Line 6 has a thriving online community where you can share and trade your own custom sound creations. There are thousands of user-generated tones to choose from, all ready to be downloaded directly to your POD through a simple USB interface. No crazy midi set-ups. Just point and click.

What I like most about the POD is that you can not only run it in front of your favorite amp, but that it's designed to be plugged directly into the sound system. No more lugging around a heavy amp or two, or making your roadies hump your full stack from gig to gig (or, even worse, doing it yourself). With the POD, you'll be ready for sound check in less time than it takes to make toast.

Now, many will say that there's nothing that can compare to the real thing. No matter how far along amp modeling has come, a simulated Fender Twin is never going to sound like a REAL Fender Twin. I agree. There's something about the sound of a tube amp pushing air that even a tech marvel like the POD can't quite duplicate exactly. That being said, it's damn close. Close enough that even sound engineers with golden ears may not be able to tell the difference in a side-by-side comparison.

And the POD is just one in a wide range of modeling products from Line 6. The POD itself comes in several flavors, with rack mounted and on-the-floor options, and there are several amp variations to choose from if you prefer. And that's not even getting into their line of pedals or their amazing Variax guitars (the Variax deserves a post of its own).

So if you're a purist who doesn't care about pissing off the neighbors or the back problems you'll have from hauling your favorite Peavey half-stack around, this might not be for you. But if you're looking for a unit that can provide just about any sound under the sun at a reasonable price in a spine-saving package, this is a must-have.

Now, it must be said that I'm endorsing the POD and Line 6 because I truly love their products, not because I have an endorsement deal with them (but if they want to give me one, I'm really easy to find). I really like what this unit can do. I run my guitar into a Damage Control Womanizer pedal for a little oomph, into my POD, into the PA/computer/recording device,etc. I've recorded with this set-up and used it live and it always sounds great. And the price compared to that of an amp makes it a no-brainer. I've been playing with a POD for ten years now and it still makes me happy.

Guitar Friday: Greetings from Seattle

by M A N @roquesdoodle

I'm in Seattle getting ready for the Emerald City Comicon at the moment, so no big post today. But I thought it'd be fun to mention two of Seattle's biggest contributions to the guitar world: Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain. One was the godfather of shred and represents the quintessential rock star while the other does...not. They had radically different approaches to the instrument from one another, yet both still have tremendous influence on players. And both changed popular music as we know it. Funny what you can do with six strings and a piece of wood.

Any other Seattle guitar players (or musicians in general) worth mentioning? Let's hear it in comments.

And if you happen to be in Seattle this weekend and will be attending the show, I'll be at BOOM! booth #402. Stop on by and say hi.

(All New!) Guitar Friday: Slide Guitar

by M A N @roquesdoodle

Down home Mississippi, smoky bars, southern comfort, and deals with the devil. These are just a few things that come to mind whenever I think of slide guitar. Born in the early 20th century, slide guitar playing became a cornerstone of American blues with lyrical stylings that can evoke a host of emotions, from heart-wrenching sadness to unrestrained joy.

The concept of slide guitar is quite simple, but to better understand it, we need to know a little about how a guitar works (a little basics for all the non-players out there). If you look at a guitar, you'll see lines running across the neck. Those lines are small metal bars known as "frets." Whenever a player plays a note, she does so by pressing a string against the neck, causing the string to hit a fret. When this happens, the "length" of the string is shortened and its pitch is raised (most guitars have frets spaced to allow for the standard 12 note chromatic scale).

This is where the power of the slide comes in. Instead of pressing down on the neck of a guitar with your fingers to fret the notes, you use a small tube of glass or metal to slide along the length of the strings.The slide acts as a moving fret and is able to sharpen or flatten the pitch of any note to any degree the player wishes. This allows the player slide into or away from a note (much like bending in regular playing). Done properly, this allows for some powerfully emotive playing.

The list of amazing and influential slide guitar players is pretty extensive, but here are a few I thought would be fun to share. Feel free to add your own suggestions in comments.

Robert Johnson: Crossroad

Sylvester Weaver (the first blues man ever recorded): Guitar Rag
Ry Cooder (Ry was the genius behind the music for the movie Crossroads--no, not the one with Brittany Spears): Feelin' Bad Blues

Derek Trucks: Desdemona (slide kicks in around 2:10)

Eric Sardinas: Live (I'm not sure who said it, but my favorite quote about Eric is, "If Satan had a blues band, this would be it.")

RERUN: Guitar Fridays: The Fender Blues Jr.

by M A N @roquesdoodle


Hands down, this is my favorite amp. Which, of course, begs the question: why is a guy like me who cut his teeth with 80s shred in love with a little 15 watt peanut butter sandwich of an amp? Because. It. Sounds. Amazing.

The Blues Jr. has a single 12" speaker, 3 12AX7 tubes in the pre-amp, 2 EL84 tubes in the output section and is rated at 15 watts. 15 watts? That's it? Yep. Don't let the little size fool you. Those 15 watts pack a punch. I've annoyed more than a few neighbors when I used to have one. Naturally, this isn't going to be the amp you'd use on a large stage without any PA system, but it's perfect for studios and smaller stages.

As for the tone, you won't find anything that sounds better in its price range. It has that rich, warm tube sound that most players crave. It's great for getting SRV's tone without dropping 3 grand on a vintage Bassman amp or a tweaked out Twin. And this is where the 15 watts comes in handy. Unlike 100 watt Marshalls or Mesa Boogies , you can push the tubes into their "sweet spot" without having to turn it up so loud that it disrupts the migratory patterns of the local bird population. The Blues Jr. has a both a Volume and a Master control. The Volume controls the pre-amp and the saturation of the 3 12AX& tubes, allowing you to dial in everything from a smooth, crisp, clean sound to a fat and dirty cruch. The Master controls the overall volume of the amp, letting you crank the saturation while still keeping the neighbors happy.

Another great thing about this amp is that it is easily modified. There are several enclaves of people devoted to the tweaking and modding of these little titans, from switching out the speaker for a 12" Celestian Greenback to tweaking the bias and hotrodding the pre-amp section, turning the amp into a full-on Boogie clone.

Although the amp is versatile, it's more geared toward blues, classic rock, and country players. You can throw a Metal Zone in front of it and get all the thrash goodness you want, but the amp really shines when it's left to its own devices (though I like to throw a dyncomp and a blues driver in front). As for price, they're more expensive now than they were ten years ago, but still worth every penny. If you're looking for a stage amp that doubles as a monitor, you'll want something bigger. But if you're looking for an amp that just drips buttery tone, the Blues Jr. is for you.

RERUN: Guitar Fridays: Two-Handed Tapping

by M A N @roquesdoodle


For most of us, the first thing that probably comes to mind when someone mentions two-handed tapping are the words "soulless wanking." Tapping was the technique du jour during the heady days of 80s shred and came to represent the pyrotechnic vapidity of guitar playing. Fortunately, the technique can be used in some very creative and musically poignant ways.

Before we go any further, let's talk about what finger tapping actually is. It's basically a variation of the hammer/pull-off technique, a techinque used by every guitar player on the planet (except, maybe, Al DiMeola who picks every. single. note.). Hammering is simply fretting a note with your finger without plucking it with your pick hand. For example, if I have the index finger of my left hand on the third fret of the high E string, I use my ring finger of my left hand to "hammer" the fifth fret on the high E string. As you can easily guess, the pull-off then is just pulling off the finger from the fifth fret to play the note on the third fret.

If you still can't quite visualize what I mean, a fun example of hammers and pulls used to the extreme is the opening to AC/Dc's "Thunderstruck." Though, to me, it sounds like he picked the non-drone notes when he recorded the song, he clearly uses nothing but hammers and pulls in the video.

So, two-handed tapping is the same thing, except now the player is using her pick hand to fret notes as well. This allows for a far wider range of notes to be played in succession than with only one hand.

No one is quite sure who the first player was to use this technique. I've read before that there's footage of Jimi Hendrix using his pick hand to tap a note or two and there's a rumor that Django Reinhardt did so as well (how awesome was Django? Cat could play circles around anyone and he did it with just two fingers on his fret hand). But the player that brought the technique to prominance and doomed an entire decade to devoting itself to fingerstyle gymnastics was Eddie Van Halen.

When Van Halen was still playing smaller clubs, Eddie used to keep his back to the audience when he would tap so that no one would steal his technique. It was really quite revolutionary. His song "Eruption" had turned the guitar-playing world on its ear (hell, that whole album did--from Eddie's playing to his signature "Brown" sound, Van Halen was a seminal piece of work) and everyone wanted to sound just like him. Even to this day there are young players who insist that the first thing they learn how to play is "Eruption."

Sadly, that technique became bastardized and so overused that it became the punchline for 80s guitar excess. But it isn't the technique that deserved the scorn, rather the players who abused it. There are some fine examples of players using tapping in interesting and innovative ways beyond solos that scream, "Look at me!" Here are some of my favorites:

Eddie Van Halen -- "Eruption" What started it all.
Joe Satriani -- "Midnight" This is from his Grammy winning album Surfing with the Alien (Which has the Silver Surfer on the cover. W00T!)
Zack Kim -- "Simpsons Theme " Mark sent this along to me and I was simply blown away.
Stanley Jordan -- "Stairway to Heaven - Live" Stanley is one of my favorite players. He never got the fame or name recognition as a lot of the wankers of the 80s did, but his playing put them all to shame.

RERUN: Guitar Fridays: Gibson ES-335

by M A N @roquesdoodle

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of guitar designs in the world. But of all of them, from your run of the mill Strat copies to Prince's rare and unusual "Sign" guitar, the Gibson ES-335 is my favorite.

The 335 was designed to help reduce the feedback that was common in Gibson's larger hollow body guitars. Though it still maintains that delicious womanly hour glass shape of the hollow body models, the depth of the 335 is much shallower (known as a semi-hollow body). As you you can see in the image, there are two F holes (much like a violin) that show the hollow inside of the guitar body. This helps shape its distinctive sound.

It has a maple body with a set* mahongany neck and rosewood fingerboard. Most 335s have a fixed bridge though it isn't uncommon to see one with a Bigsby tremolo system. The Bigsby trem is the spongy predecessor to the "whammy bar" and is used to add vibrato (personally, I'm not a big fan of the Bigsby but there are many players who love it). The two humbucker pickups help give it the range it needs to go from thick, weeping solos to crunchy rhythm instantly.

What I love so much about this guitar is it's versatility. The 335 is just as comfortable on stage with smooth jazz players like Larry Carlton to throw down rockers like Dave Grohl. This guitar can do it all. Just take a look.

Going Home -- Ten Years After with Alvin Lee, live at Woodstock

All My Life -- Foo Fighters Dave Grohl is using his own custom 335 (the DG-335) in this clip. Just listen to how BIG that axe sounds! You can hunt buffalo with this guitar!

Room 335 -- Larry Carlton (Mr. 335 himself) and Steve Lukather I can't recommend their album "No Substitutions: Live in Osaka " enough.

Sweet Sixteen -- B.B. King playing the most famous 335 of all, Lucille. This particular performance has a lot of cultural significance as it was part of the concert that took place in Africa celebrating the "Rumble in the Jungle" fight between Ali and Foreman. B.B. at his best, indeed.

As a little bonus, here's B.B. live at Sing Sing prison in 1972. Yeah, that's the blues.


* There are a few ways of attaching the guitar neck to the body. A "Set" neck means it's attached to the body via a dovetail joint and adhesive. "Bolt on" means it attached with heavy screws. "Neck thru" means the single piece of wood that makes the neck extends thru the body of the guitar.

RERUN: Guitar Fridays: The Power Chord!

by M A N

You've all heard it before. The kraaaang, the crunch, the chug-a-chug. It's the two (sometimes three*) note chord that has laid the foundation of music from Chuck Berry to Kelly Clarkson to Disturbed. And if any of you have ever tried to play the guitar, it is also one of the first things you ever learn.

***Beware. Miniscule amounts of music theory ahead.***

So what is a power chord? At it's most basic, it is simply two notes: the Root note and the Fifth. That's it. That's all it takes to rock out. If you're unfamiliar with those terms, don't panic. It really is easy to figure out. Let's say you want to play a C power chord. Well then, your root note is C. Pretty easy, huh? But a single note does not make a chord (there are those who would argue that neither do two notes, but we'll ignore them for now). So what do we do? We add the Fifth (so named by being the fifth note in the scale--see how easy this is?). In this case, it's a G. Together, the two notes make a power chord.

But let's face it. Being able to recite the circle of fifths won't get you the groupies. So let's put the theory aside and focus on the physical aspect of playing the chord so that we can get down to it. All you need are two fingers, one for each note. Then just place them on the fretboard like so:



Notice something? That's right. The shape your fingers make stays the same. All you need to do is just move them to the position you want. In five minutes, you can be playing complete songs, even if you've never played before. I've known players who never even bothered to learn anything else because of the vast library of music power chords allow you to play. They're easy, versatile, and sound great.

Now, the reason it's called a "power" chord is because it sounds best when the guitar is distorted in some way. There are country, blues, and even the very rare jazz song that use power chords, but they are most common in rock because, well, they ROCK!

For some nice examples of power chords in action, take a look/listen at these videos.

Smells Like Teen Spirit -- This is an example of how power chords can change the world.

No Sleep Til Brooklyn -- Obviously dated, this is still a great example of how power chords and fist pumping go hand in hand.

Killing Me -- There's a lot more than just power chords going on here, but I wanted to include it because I just LOVE this band.

Start All Over -- Mock all you want, but pop music is always better with power chords.


*Quite often, the power chord is played by adding the higher octave of the root note, thus giving it three notes and full "chord" status.

RERUN: Guitar Fridays: The 1921 Martin 00-28

by M A N @roquesdoodle


The 1921 Martin 00-28* is a 12 fret guitar produced by C.F. Martin and Company (so known because the body meets the neck at the 12th fret, whereas most acoustic guitars made today meet at the 14th). It is made of Brazilian Rosewood with a spruce top and a mahogany neck so thick it could stand in as a cricket bat (more on that later). The body, what is often referred to as parlor size, is smaller than most contemporary acoustic guitars.** In addition to the smaller body size, the lower bout (the hips, if you will) is only slightly larger than the upper bout (the chest), whereas most contemporary acoustics follow the Dreadnought design of larger and deeper bodies with a lower bout that is noticeably larger than the upper bout (the "Dreadnought" style, designed by Martin & Co. in the late 20s, early 30s, was named after the HMS Dreadnought , one of the largest battleships of its day).

There are a slough of vintage guitars out there that deserve attention, but I picked this specific model because I've played one before. It isn't very often I get a chance to play vintage instruments, let alone ones that sound and feel as good as this little beauty. So I was very pleasantly surprised to discover several years ago (2001, 2002?) that a family friend had found one in perfect condition.

Perfect. Condition.

When I was back in Indiana visiting family for Christmas, he told me he had just picked up the "21." It was that old cliche that's every guitar player's dream. The guitar had been hiding in some old lady's house for decades until it was discovered during a centennial attic cleaning (what was so fascinating about the find was that the guitar had been set up for slide so there was absolutely no fret wear). Since my friend was more of a collector and less of a player, he asked me and my brother (who also plays guitar and can run circles around me) to go over and put the instrument through its paces.

The smaller body size threw me for a bit of a loop. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was definitely something larger. But when I stared playing it, I noticed a couple things. The first was its density. It had a sense of substance that was surprising for such a small guitar. Not that it was heavy, just that it didn't have that feeling of fragility I was expecting from a smaller guitar. The other thing I noticed was how impossibly thick the neck was. The neck to body size ratio was such that it felt like the body should have been the size of a Volkswagen. Yet, somehow, the neck was terribly easy to navigate. Even the twisty Joe Chord*** was easy to throw down.

But the most amazing thing about this guitar was the way it sounded. It had a rich, full-bodied tone that sounded meaty without any obtrusive low end. It sounded so good that playing it was a nearly religious experience. My brother and I spent several hours passing it back and forth until my friend eventually had to kick us out of his house.

Fortunately, my brother had along his little Boss BR-8 so I have a recording of it.^† Obviously, the quality isn't top-notch, but you can still get an idea of the sounds this guitar produces. So if you can ever get your hands on one, even for just a few hours, do it. You won't be sorry. (The guitar in the youtube image isn't the Martin but a Gibson L-5--it was the only image of me playing a guitar that didn't involve embarrassing O faces.)





* I must confess that I'm not 100% sure about the model number. All I know for certain is that it was made in 1921 and, going from memory, I'd have to say it was a 00-21, 00-28, or 00-42. If I can ever get a hold of my friend, I'll find out for sure.

**If any musician monkeys out there can clarify if "parlor" is a specific style or just a general term used to describe small-bodied guitars, please let us know in comments.

*** It took me six years to get my fingers to play that first Badd11 chord that opens Joe Satriani's Always With Me, Always With You . Hence, it will always be known to me as the "Joe Chord."

^† For my fellow audio engineering geeks out there, my brother held an Audio Technica Dual Reference cardioid mic directly at the sound hole on an X axis. I dumped the mono track into Audacity where I fabricated a stereo effect by duplicating the track then offsetting the two by 3 millisconds and panning them hard left and right. Afterward I gave it some slight compression, a few minor EQ tweaks, and then finished it off with a splash of reverb.

RERUN: Guitar Fridays: The Ibanez JEM Series

by M A N @roquesdoodle


This guitar is a little different from the previous ones I've posted about in that it's artist specific. Or at least originated that way. But before we get to that, let's look at the guitar itself.

This guitar sports an alder body, 24 frets with a rosewood fingerboard, an Edge Pro locking bridge system, DiMarzio pickups in a HSH configuration (humbucker, single coil, humbucker), and a look that beckons to be touched.

This sleek and sexy guitar is incredibly versatile. The transparency of sound from the pickups and their 5 different sonic configurations really allow for a wide range of tones, from blues to metal, to even jazz. But it's mostly known for one thing: pyrotechnics. This thing is not only designed for sonic variety, but for speed, accuracy, and whammy extravaganzas.

The JEM was born in the shred-heady days of the late 80s and came to prominence with the help of co-creator Steve Vai. It now has several iterations, including the infamous Universe seven string guitar (which single-handedly ushered in the uber-low nu-metal of the late 90s, early 00s--so if you're a fan, thank Steve). If you're looking for a versatile axe that screams sex appeal even when silent, the JEM is choice for you.

For examples of the JEM in action, I highly recommend Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare.* It is simply one of the greatest guitar albums ever made. Even though it's a shred-tastic wankfest, there are wonderful moments of soulful and emotive playing that few shredders are able to pull off. It's a virtuoso performance by one of the best players alive.

For a quick video of Steve putting the JEM through its paces, here is Tender Surrender from Alien Love Secrets. One of my personal favorites.

Tender Surrender


* The song Alien Water Kiss was purely an improvised piece used with heavy effects. So for the album's official sheet music, Steve had an artist create a beautiful representation of what the sheet music would look like, including strange notations, notes that trailed off the page, and even a puckering fish (yes, strangely enough, it worked).

RERUN: Guitar Fridays: The Gibson Les Paul

by M A N @roquesdoodle

Image: The Holy Grail of Les Pauls, the '57 Goldtop.



From the iconic opening riff of "Sweet Child o' Mine" and the driving staccato rhythm of Led Zepplin's "Immigrant Song," to the weeping wail of Gary Moore's "Still Got the Blues," this behemoth is one of the most coveted instruments on the planet. If the Fender Stratocaster is the precision sniper rifle of the guitar world, then the Les Paul is a veritable Howitzer of sound. It's meaty tone can go from raunchy clack to the smooth and buttery lament of angels with just the flick of a switch.

The guitar was designed in the early 50s with the help of jazz guitarist Les Paul to compete with the Fender Telecaster (Les Paul is also the man responsible for multi-track recording). In everything from Jazz to Speed Metal, it has been a staple of the music industry ever since.

The Les Paul is made from the heavier maple and mahogany woods (heavier woods give a the guitar a brighter sound) with a maple neck and a choice of either maple, ebony, or rosewood for the fretboard. It has a set neck, PAF humbuckers (although custom pickups are always available--Seymor Duncan P 90 Soapbars are my personal favorite) and comes in a variety of flavors (Standard, Custom, Studio, etc.). And it's heavy. I mean heavy. If you're going on a lengthy tour and planning to use a Les Paul on stage, make sure you have a masseuse on call. But even with the weight, the Les Paul just feels right in your hands.

I had a '73 sunburst Les Paul for a few years and it was one of those instruments that just screamed tone. It weighed a metric ton and its finish was terribly worn from years of being played, but it was still simply gorgeous (Nothing frustrates me more than seeing people with amazing guitars who never play them for fear of devaluing the instrument. It's a guitar. It's meant to be played!). You could even feel the years of barroom smoke in the wood (which I am thouroughly convinced added to its tone).

Aside from its weight, there's another little downside to the Les Paul. Though Gibson has their economy line (Epiphone), a new Les Paul will set you back a hefty chunk of change (and a classic Les Paul will set you back your first born). It's not an entry level instrument. This is a machine for professionals. Its quality is a testament to that.

Gibson introduced a new Les Paul last year called the Dark Fire. I've never played one so I can't attest to its tone or playability, but on paper it appears to be an incredible machine. At it's core, it's a Les Paul with a computer inside that allows you to change the tone beyond the simple tone knob controls. And it's self tuning. Self tuning. Damn, I love the future.

Click links below to hear the Les Paul in action.

Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) -- solo live
Gary Moore -- "Still Got the Blues"
Zakk Wylde -- "Farewell Ballad"
Nigel Tufnel -- Sustain
Les Paul -- a nice mini-documentary with the man himself

RERUN: Guitar Fridays: The Stratocaster

by M A N (@roquesdoodle)

(For those who found KFM after I went on hiatus, I'm John's guest blogger Michael Alan Nelson. I'll post a more proper re-introduction next week, but for now, I want to get back to the weekly episodes of Guitar Fridays. I'll rerun the older posts over the next several weeks until we get into new material.)



This is my guitar. There are many like it, but this one is mine (you can tell by the Cthuloid Cephalapod sticker).

The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most recognizable guitars on the planet. Even on the off chance that its double cutaway shape and signature headstock don't look familiar to you, you no doubt have the sounds of this versatile instrument lurking somewhere in your music collection. From the bell-like chimes in blues, twang of country, clackety-clack of funk, full-on shred of metal, to the warm and smooth tones of jazz, you've heard this guitar.

The Stratocaster hasn't changed much in the 50 plus years it's been in production. I guess when you get it right the first time, there's no need to. The body is usually made out of ash, alder, or basswood, though some more exotic woods are used from time to time. It has a maple neck with either a maple or rosewood fingerboard (mine is rosewood) then ends with the most recognizable headstock in history (as you can see, mine has the cool fat 70s style).

Wood, hardware (bridge and tuning pegs) and electronics (pickups, volume and tone pots) can vary in quality. American made Strats are considered a higher quality guitar than those made in Mexico or Taiwan and always fetch a higher price. As a general rule, the more the price goes up, the higher the quality of the components used to make the instrument and, usually, the better the sound. But this is not always true (this goes for any guitar, not just Strats).

I used to work at a music store in Buffalo and one of my duties was maintaining the hundreds of guitars we had hanging on the walls. I got to know those guitars rather intimately and knew which ones felt and sounded the best. And it was never the most expensive ones. Though the pricey guitars sounded and played wonderfully, they weren't necessarily the best in the store (though certainly worth the money). It's also how I was able to tell which customers were the serious players and which ones were just wannabes. The real players would always ask me, if I had a choice, which guitar I would buy. Wannabes (and the occasional collector) always went for the price tag. *

One of the most amazing things about the Stratocaster is how it helps define the musicians who play them. These guitars have become physical extensions of the players themselves to the point where seeing them without a Stratocaster makes them appear naked. The instrument has become such a significant part of their personas that seeing them with another instrument feels like you are staring into a bizzarro world where everything is somehow wrong. Don't believe me? Look here and tell me what you think. Doesn't seem quite right, does it?

I readily admit that my taste in music is not only poor, but also dated. The examples below of Strat players and their Strats in action are pretty one dimensional, so if you know of any others that should be recognized, let's hear about them in comments. Have a great weekend everyone.

Jimi Hendrix ex: "Machine Gun"
Buddy Guy ex: "Sweet Home Chicago"
David Gilmour ** ex: "Marooned"
Eric Clapton ex: "Hoochi coochie Man"
Stevie Ray Vaughn ex: "Little Wing"
Eric Johnson ex: "Cliffs of Dover"
Dick Dale ex: "Miserlou"
Yngwie Malmsteen ex: "Icarus Dream Fanfare with Orchestra" Wanktastic!


Next week: the Gibson Les Paul.



* My favorite story regarding the sound quality of a Stratocaster involves Steve Vai. While recording the song "The Boy From Seattle" ( a tribute to Jimi Hendrix) for his Alien Love Secrets album, he scoured the land for the perfect Stratocaster. After play-testing hundreds of Strats, he finally settled on a cheap Mexican made model he found in a pawn shop because it simply had the best "Strat" sound.

** David Gilmour is the proud owner of the Fender Stratocaster with the serial number 001 (which, incidentally was NOT the first Strat ever made).

Guitar Friday: The Fender Blues Jr.

by M A N


Hands down, this is my favorite amp. Which, of course, begs the question: why is a guy like me who cut his teeth with 80s shred in love with a little 15 watt peanut butter sandwich of an amp? Because. It. Sounds. Amazing.

The Blues Jr. has a single 12" speaker, 3 12AX7 tubes in the pre-amp, 2 EL84 tubes in the output section and is rated at 15 watts. 15 watts? That's it? Yep. Don't let the little size fool you. Those 15 watts pack a punch. I've annoyed more than a few neighbors when I used to have one. Naturally, this isn't going to be the amp you'd use on a large stage without any PA system, but it's perfect for studios and smaller stages.

As for the tone, you won't find anything that sounds better in its price range. It has that rich, warm tube sound that most players crave. It's great for getting SRV's tone without dropping 3 grand on a vintage Bassman amp or a tweaked out Twin. And this is where the 15 watts comes in handy. Unlike 100 watt Marshalls or Mesa Boogies , you can push the tubes into their "sweet spot" without having to turn it up so loud that it disrupts the migratory patterns of the local bird population. The Blues Jr. has a both a Volume and a Master control. The Volume controls the pre-amp and the saturation of the 3 12AX& tubes, allowing you to dial in everything from a smooth, crisp, clean sound to a fat and dirty cruch. The Master controls the overall volume of the amp, letting you crank the saturation while still keeping the neighbors happy.

Another great thing about this amp is that it is easily modified. There are several enclaves of people devoted to the tweaking and modding of these little titans, from switching out the speaker for a 12" Celestian Greenback to tweaking the bias and hotrodding the pre-amp section, turning the amp into a full-on Boogie clone.

Although the amp is versatile, it's more geared toward blues, classic rock, and country players. You can throw a Metal Zone in front of it and get all the thrash goodness you want, but the amp really shines when it's left to its own devices (though I like to throw a dyncomp and a blues driver in front). As for price, they're more expensive now than they were ten years ago, but still worth every penny. If you're looking for a stage amp that doubles as a monitor, you'll want something bigger. But if you're looking for an amp that just drips buttery tone, the Blues Jr. is for you.

Guitar Fridays: Two-Handed Tapping

by M A N

For most of us, the first thing that probably comes to mind when someone mentions two-handed tapping are the words "soulless wanking." Tapping was the technique du jour during the heady days of 80s shred and came to represent the pyrotechnic vapidity of guitar playing. Fortunately, the technique can be used in some very creative and musically poignant ways.

Before we go any further, let's talk about what finger tapping actually is. It's basically a variation of the hammer/pull-off technique, a techinque used by every guitar player on the planet (except, maybe, Al DiMeola who picks every. single. note.). Hammering is simply fretting a note with your finger without plucking it with your pick hand. For example, if I have the index finger of my left hand on the third fret of the high E string, I use my ring finger of my left hand to "hammer" the fifth fret on the high E string. As you can easily guess, the pull-off then is just pulling off the finger from the fifth fret to play the note on the third fret.

If you still can't quite visualize what I mean, a fun example of hammers and pulls used to the extreme is the opening to AC/Dc's "Thunderstruck." Though, to me, it sounds like he picked the non-drone notes when he recorded the song, he clearly uses nothing but hammers and pulls in the video.

So, two-handed tapping is the same thing, except now the player is using her pick hand to fret notes as well. This allows for a far wider range of notes to be played in succession than with only one hand.

No one is quite sure who the first player was to use this technique. I've read before that there's footage of Jimi Hendrix using his pick hand to tap a note or two and there's a rumor that Django Reinhardt did so as well (how awesome was Django? Cat could play circles around anyone and he did it with just two fingers on his fret hand). But the player that brought the technique to prominance and doomed an entire decade to devoting itself to fingerstyle gymnastics was Eddie Van Halen.

When Van Halen was still playing smaller clubs, Eddie used to keep his back to the audience when he would tap so that no one would steal his technique. It was really quite revolutionary. His song "Eruption" had turned the guitar-playing world on its ear (hell, that whole album did--from Eddie's playing to his signature "Brown" sound, Van Halen was a seminal piece of work) and everyone wanted to sound just like him. Even to this day there are young players who insist that the first thing they learn how to play is "Eruption."

Sadly, that technique became bastardized and so overused that it became the punchline for 80s guitar excess. But it isn't the technique that deserved the scorn, rather the players who abused it. There are some fine examples of players using tapping in interesting and innovative ways beyond solos that scream, "Look at me!" Here are some of my favorites:

Eddie Van Halen -- "Eruption" What started it all.
Joe Satriani -- "Midnight" This is from his Grammy winning album Surfing with the Alien (Which has the Silver Surfer on the cover. W00T!)
Zack Kim -- "Simpsons Theme " Mark sent this along to me and I was simply blown away.
Stanley Jordan -- "Stairway to Heaven - Live" Stanley is one of my favorite players. He never got the fame or name recognition as a lot of the wankers of the 80s did, but his playing put them all to shame.

Guitar Fridays: Gibson ES-335

by M A N

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of guitar designs in the world. But of all of them, from your run of the mill Strat copies to Prince's rare and unusual "Sign" guitar, the Gibson ES-335 is my favorite.

The 335 was designed to help reduce the feedback that was common in Gibson's larger hollow body guitars. Though it still maintains that delicious womanly hour glass shape of the hollow body models, the depth of the 335 is much shallower (known as a semi-hollow body). As you you can see in the image, there are two F holes (much like a violin) that show the hollow inside of the guitar body. This helps shape its distinctive sound.

It has a maple body with a set* mahongany neck and rosewood fingerboard. Most 335s have a fixed bridge though it isn't uncommon to see one with a Bigsby tremolo system. The Bigsby trem is the spongy predecessor to the "whammy bar" and is used to add vibrato (personally, I'm not a big fan of the Bigsby but there are many players who love it). The two humbucker pickups help give it the range it needs to go from thick, weeping solos to crunchy rhythm instantly.

What I love so much about this guitar is it's versatility. The 335 is just as comfortable on stage with smooth jazz players like Larry Carlton to throw down rockers like Dave Grohl. This guitar can do it all. Just take a look.

Going Home -- Ten Years After with Alvin Lee, live at Woodstock

All My Life -- Foo Fighters Dave Grohl is using his own custom 335 (the DG-335) in this clip. Just listen to how BIG that axe sounds! You can hunt buffalo with this guitar!

Room 335 -- Larry Carlton (Mr. 335 himself) and Steve Lukather I can't recommend their album "No Substitutions: Live in Osaka " enough.

Sweet Sixteen -- B.B. King playing the most famous 335 of all, Lucille. This particular performance has a lot of cultural significance as it was part of the concert that took place in Africa celebrating the "Rumble in the Jungle" fight between Ali and Foreman. B.B. at his best, indeed.

As a little bonus, here's B.B. live at Sing Sing prison in 1972. Yeah, that's the blues.


* There are a few ways of attaching the guitar neck to the body. A "Set" neck means it's attached to the body via a dovetail joint and adhesive. "Bolt on" means it attached with heavy screws. "Neck thru" means the single piece of wood that makes the neck extends thru the body of the guitar.

Guitar Friday: The Power Chord!

by M A N

You've all heard it before. The kraaaang, the crunch, the chug-a-chug. It's the two (sometimes three*) note chord that has laid the foundation of music from Chuck Berry to Kelly Clarkson to Disturbed. And if any of you have ever tried to play the guitar, it is also one of the first things you ever learn.

***Beware. Miniscule amounts of music theory ahead.***

So what is a power chord? At it's most basic, it is simply two notes: the Root note and the Fifth. That's it. That's all it takes to rock out. If you're unfamiliar with those terms, don't panic. It really is easy to figure out. Let's say you want to play a C power chord. Well then, your root note is C. Pretty easy, huh? But a single note does not make a chord (there are those who would argue that neither do two notes, but we'll ignore them for now). So what do we do? We add the Fifth (so named by being the fifth note in the scale--see how easy this is?). In this case, it's a G. Together, the two notes make a power chord.

But let's face it. Being able to recite the circle of fifths won't get you the groupies. So let's put the theory aside and focus on the physical aspect of playing the chord so that we can get down to it. All you need are two fingers, one for each note. Then just place them on the fretboard like so:



Notice something? That's right. The shape your fingers make stays the same. All you need to do is just move them to the position you want. In five minutes, you can be playing complete songs, even if you've never played before. I've known players who never even bothered to learn anything else because of the vast library of music power chords allow you to play. They're easy, versatile, and sound great.

Now, the reason it's called a "power" chord is because it sounds best when the guitar is distorted in some way. There are country, blues, and even the very rare jazz song that use power chords, but they are most common in rock because, well, they ROCK!

For some nice examples of power chords in action, take a look/listen at these videos.

Smells Like Teen Spirit -- This is an example of how power chords can change the world.

No Sleep Til Brooklyn -- Obviously dated, this is still a great example of how power chords and fist pumping go hand in hand.

Killing Me -- There's a lot more than just power chords going on here, but I wanted to include it because I just LOVE this band.

Start All Over -- Mock all you want, but pop music is always better with power chords.


*Quite often, the power chord is played by adding the higher octave of the root note, thus giving it three notes and full "chord" status.

Guitar Fridays: 1921 Martin 00-28

The 1921 Martin 00-28* is a 12 fret guitar produced by C.F. Martin and Company (so known because the body meets the neck at the 12th fret, whereas most acoustic guitars made today meet at the 14th). It is made of Brazilian Rosewood with a spruce top and a mahogany neck so thick it could stand in as a cricket bat (more on that later). The body, what is often referred to as parlor size, is smaller than most contemporary acoustic guitars.** In addition to the smaller body size, the lower bout (the hips, if you will) is only slightly larger than the upper bout (the chest), whereas most contemporary acoustics follow the Dreadnought design of larger and deeper bodies with a lower bout that is noticeably larger than the upper bout (the "Dreadnought" style, designed by Martin & Co. in the late 20s, early 30s, was named after the HMS Dreadnought , one of the largest battleships of its day).

There are a slough of vintage guitars out there that deserve attention, but I picked this specific model because I've played one before. It isn't very often I get a chance to play vintage instruments, let alone ones that sound and feel as good as this little beauty. So I was very pleasantly surprised to discover several years ago (2001, 2002?) that a family friend had found one in perfect condition.

Perfect. Condition.

When I was back in Indiana visiting family for Christmas, he told me he had just picked up the "21." It was that old cliche that's every guitar player's dream. The guitar had been hiding in some old lady's house for decades until it was discovered during a centennial attic cleaning (what was so fascinating about the find was that the guitar had been set up for slide so there was absolutely no fret wear). Since my friend was more of a collector and less of a player, he asked me and my brother (who also plays guitar and can run circles around me) to go over and put the instrument through its paces.

The smaller body size threw me for a bit of a loop. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was definitely something larger. But when I stared playing it, I noticed a couple things. The first was its density. It had a sense of substance that was surprising for such a small guitar. Not that it was heavy, just that it didn't have that feeling of fragility I was expecting from a smaller guitar. The other thing I noticed was how impossibly thick the neck was. The neck to body size ratio was such that it felt like the body should have been the size of a Volkswagen. Yet, somehow, the neck was terribly easy to navigate. Even the twisty Joe Chord*** was easy to throw down.

But the most amazing thing about this guitar was the way it sounded. It had a rich, full-bodied tone that sounded meaty without any obtrusive low end. It sounded so good that playing it was a nearly religious experience. My brother and I spent several hours passing it back and forth until my friend eventually had to kick us out of his house.

Fortunately, my brother had along his little Boss BR-8 so I have a recording of it.^† Obviously, the quality isn't top-notch, but you can still get an idea of the sounds this guitar produces. So if you can ever get your hands on one, even for just a few hours, do it. You won't be sorry. (The guitar in the youtube image isn't the Martin but a Gibson L-5--it was the only image of me playing a guitar that didn't involve embarrassing O faces.)





* I must confess that I'm not 100% sure about the model number. All I know for certain is that it was made in 1921 and, going from memory, I'd have to say it was a 00-21, 00-28, or 00-42. If I can ever get a hold of my friend, I'll find out for sure.

**If any musician monkeys out there can clarify if "parlor" is a specific style or just a general term used to describe small-bodied guitars, please let us know in comments.

*** It took me six years to get my fingers to play that first Badd11 chord that opens Joe Satriani's Always With Me, Always With You . Hence, it will always be known to me as the "Joe Chord."

^† For my fellow audio engineering geeks out there, my brother held an Audio Technica Dual Reference cardioid mic directly at the sound hole on an X axis. I dumped the mono track into Audacity where I fabricated a stereo effect by duplicating the track then offsetting the two by 3 millisconds and panning them hard left and right. Afterward I gave it some slight compression, a few minor EQ tweaks, and then finished it off with a splash of reverb.