NEWS: SansAmp 20th anniversary relic

As if the news of the Tech 21 Private Stock division wasn't noteworthy enough for devotees of fine analog amp modelling, the company is releasing a 20th anniversary version of the SansAmp, the revolutionary stompbox/direct recording device which changed the face of recording for many guitarists, including Mike Keneally who used one all over his album 'hat.'

Now, just last week I saw a pair of SansAmp units at a secondhand store that looked pretty much like this, except it was achieved with good old-fashioned irresponsible mistreatment, not precise relicing. I know some I Heart Guitar readers are dead against the idea of relicing, so what do you think of this?

Here's the press release:

In celebration of their 20th anniversary, Tech 21 is releasing a special relic-style version of their SansAmp Classic. The exterior design is taken from an actual "vintage"SansAmp pedal used on a world tour by a renowned artist. The main heart of the circuitry and inner workings remain virtually unchanged.

The SansAmp Classic pedal is B. Andrew Barta's innovative invention which debuted in 1989. It's a little known fact that Barta never intended on becoming a manufacturer. He initially tried selling his technology to some of the major manufacturers, but was turned down. Unable to abandon his idea, Barta formed Tech 21 and set out on his own. In spite of the fact this kind of product had never before existed, it took a surprisingly short amount of time to gain acceptance. Players simply had to hear it. Players like Mick Jones of Foreigner, who, early on, helped Barta get the word out. The rest, as they say, is history.

Tech 21 pioneered the direct recording movement and was responsible for creating an entirely new category of signal processing. Barta's proprietary, 100% analog technology captures the warm, rich, natural tones of the most sought-after tube amplifiers. SansAmp can be used with almost any instrument, for any music style, and for multiple applications in the studio as well as live performances. Currently, the SansAmp is available in 15 different models, including 5 in their SansAmp Character Series released in 2008.

Barta's technology stands alone in the analog domain, a domain to which he remains loyal for several reasons. According to Barta, "Overall, I think analog is much warmer, more organic and more responsive. There's also the issue of clarity. At extreme settings, digital tends to produce more "artifacts"(garbles) and unnatural noise in the background. So, in turn, this needs to be reduced by artificial means such as a noise gate, which I am not fond of. I also prefer analog because there's no latency. No matter how minor it is, even with the improvements in digital technology, latency can still be felt and I find it distracting while I'm playing."

Of the pedal formats, SansAmp Classic is the most sophisticated. There is a bank of eight Character switches to adjust tonality, harmonics and dynamics; a 3-position input switch offers a choice of pre-amp styles; and four knob controls to shape pre-amp contours, power amp contours, volume and final tone.

Manufactured in the U.S.A. MSRP: $375.00. Contact Tech 21 USA, Inc., 790 Bloomfield Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07012. Tel:973-777-6996. Fax:973-777-9899. E-mail:info@tech21nyc.com.

CLICK HERE to buy the standard, non-relic Tech 21 SansAmp GT2 Tube Amp Emulator from Musician's Friend.

CLICK HERE to buy Mike Keneally's 'hat.' (Expanded and Remastered) from Amazon.com

NEWS: MXR and Bradshaw wah

I've been using a Bob Bradshaw-designed MXR/Custom Audio Electronics Boost/Overdrive for about six months now with my Marshall JCM2000 DSL50. I set the amp's gain levels relatively conservatively, then hit the preamp with increased output from the boost when required, so I have 4 levels of gain across 2 channels. Then I stomp on the overdrive section if I need even more gain.

The latest from the CAE/MXR collaboration is the MC-404 CAR Wah. I can't wait to try this one, and maybe add more sweet CAE/MXR gear to my pedalboard.

Here's the press release.

The MC-404 CAE Wah was developed by Bob Bradshaw of Custom Audio Electronics and the Crybaby design team with the goal of creating a highly versatile wah-wah of top-grade components. It features dual Fasel inductors with two distinct voices (high-end emphasis or low to mid resonance), and a built-in MXR MC-401 Boost/LineDriver adds even more flexibility. Choose between inductors and turn the boost on or off with the side-mounted kickswitches; bright LEDs on each side of the wah indicate operation status. The MC-404 boasts true hardwire bypass, a long-life CTS potentiometer, and internal pots for "Q" and gain adjustments - high performance and quality that you can only expect from Dunlop, the world leader in wah-wah technology.

List price: $298.68 Street Price: $169.99

For more information, visit their web site at www.jimdunlop.com.

CLICK HERE to buy the MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-402 Boost/Overdrive Pedal from Musician's Friend.

CLICK HERE to buy the MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-401 Boost Pedal from Musician's Friend.

NAMM 2009: Schecter 8-string

This just landed in my inbox... now THAT'S the stuff. Want!!!

The new Schecter Hellraiser C-8 has 8 strings (the lowest is tuned down to F#, but I figure that if you're going to go that low anyway, you might as well tune it down to E so you can play octave-down power chords, Drop-D-style.

By the way, check out that ad copy: "A custom designed Hip-Shot bridge that DOES intonate..." Who could they be taking a dig at there? The only other production 8 strings I know of are the
Ibanez RG2228, which has the genius FXEdge bridge, and the ESP/LTD Stephen Carpenter models. Hmmm...

Click the image for a closer look or go to Schecterguitars.com.

CLICK HERE to buy the Ibanez RG2228 Electric Guitar Galaxy Black from Musician's Friend.

CLICK HERE to buy the ESP LTD SC-308B Baritone Stephen Carpenter Electric Guitar Black from Musician's Friend.

NAMM 2009: Daisy Rock Bangles guitars

I'm not ashamed to say that when I was about 9, I thought the Bangles were great. I mean c'mon, look at Susannah Hoffs. The Bangles have teamed up with Daisy Rock Girl Guitars to offer a pair of new guitars (an acoustic and an electric). 

Press release:

Long time Daisy Rock supporters and one of the most legendary all-female groups The Bangles stopped by the Daisy Rock Girl Guitars Booth on Friday January 16th, 2009 to perform a few songs and debut Daisy Rock's latest high-end acoustic: the Wildwood Artist Deluxe Acoustic/Electric Guitar. Attendees of the event had the opportunity to see Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, and Vicki Peterson perform select songs such as "Manic Monday" and "Rain Song" at the Daisy Rock Girl Guitars product demo stage at the 2009 NAMM Show.

Daisy Rock endorsee Vicki Peterson took the time the showcase her band's own inspired guitar, The Bangles Signature Model, as well as debut the new sound of Daisy Rock's newest high-end acoustic, the Wildwood Artist Deluxe Acoustic/Electric, to a crowd of onlookers. Available in Royal Purple Burst, Atomic Pink, and Sunset Burst, the Wildwood Artist Deluxe has a solid spruce top for better tone, Fishman electronics, and is lightweight with a slim & narrow neck profile, designed with the female form in mind.

For more information on Daisy Rock Band The Bangles, visit: http://www.thebangles.com/

NAMM 2009: Sparrow Von Drat

Despite my well-known geekiness for pointy shred axes and stuff, I'm not shy about admitting I love old-school axes with that Made In Japan, pawnshop-prize charm, and this is one of the charmiest I've seen in recent times. Sometimes you've just gotta put down that sleek Ibanez RG and pick up something that looks like it was drawn for a cartoon. Especially if it's avocado green.

Man, now I want Mexican food.

Press release:

Sparrow Guitars is proud to have introduced the Von Drat surf guitar at the 2009 NAMM Show. The Von Drat is the newest addition to Sparrow's family of retro guitars which includes the Big Daddy, Primitive, Rat Rod and Twangmaster models. The Von Drat debuted at the 2009 NAMM Show Hall D Booth #3394 in Anaheim, California from January 15-18th 2009 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The Von Drat joins Sparrow's Rat Rod and Twangmaster as available in the premium "Continental" line. Made in Vancouver, BC Canada, the Von Drat surf guitar features Burns Tri-Sonic pickups, Grover tuners, bone nut and Wilkinson tremolo. With an alder body, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard, the Von Drat is a 21-fret, 12" radius, 25½" scale length guitar with the volume and tone top-hat knobs and three-way selector switch located at the lower bout for versatility and playability. The Von Drat is currently available in Tudor Black and Avocado Green, with custom pickguard.

The guitar is the namesake of Toronto, Canada-based surf outfit The Von Drats. The Von Drats were hired by Sparrow Guitars to play an event as part of the 2008 MIAC Show in Toronto, Canada and became instant favourites of Sparrow staff. From that meeting, Sparrow President Billy Bones began planning and designing what would become Sparrow's Von Drat guitar.

For more information, visit their web site at www.sparrowguitars.com.

NEWS: Tech 21 creates Private Stock division

Has anyone else noticed the growing trend for gear designers to become mini-celebrities? When I was a kid I remember being aware of only a few names: James Brown at Peavey, Ritchie Fliegler at Marshall (and later Fender); Steve Blucher at Dimarzio. Now it seems we’re so much more aware of the designers who make us sound great. Andrew Barta’s Tech 21 has been making guitarists sound awesome for years with his preamps and stompboxes, and now he’s offering a Private Stock division.

Here’s the press release.

Andrew Barta started Tech 21 with a product he originally designed for his own personal use, the highly-acclaimed SansAmp. Being a constant tinkerer, there are times he is inspired to build creations for his own enjoyment that are outside the realm of being mass produced and commercially viable.With the encouragement from a select few who have witnessed some of these products, Andrew has decid- ed to open the door to his Private Stock.

The Tech 21 Private Stock division will offer a diverse range of products, the first of which is the Vacuum Tube Bass Pre-Amp Head. Each product will be custom-designed by Andrew, hand-built, tested and tweaked at their factory in the United States, and available directly for purchase on a per order basis.

Interested parties for these unique and limited products should check the Tech 21 website periodically for updates.

For more information, visit their web site at www.tech21nyc.com.

FEATURE: Faked out

Picture it: You surf eBay for months looking for the Gibson Les Paul of your dreams. Finally one comes up in just the right colour, and it’s cheap – almost too cheap. You win the auction, and a little while later your guitar arrives. But it’s not quite right. It sounds a bit hollow. The pickups are thin and noisy. The tuning machines creak. The toggle switch feels loose. You’ve been stooged.

The problem of unauthorised copies of guitars has been around for decades, with many big companies sued by bigger companies for infringing on copyrights. In the 70s Ibanez copies of Gibson and Fender designs were so close to the real thing that the lawyers pounced, prompting Ibanez to change its designs and begin to focus on more original shapes and features. Today those copy guitars are nicknamed “lawsuit models” and are collectible in their own right.

But going after a company like Ibanez is easy compared to tackling the issue of counterfeit guitars. The rise of eBay seems to have triggered a flood of new copies which claim to be the real thing. Relaxed intellectual property laws in parts of Asia have long been credited for the illegal trade of bootleg DVDs, CDs, shoes, perfumes and sporting goods. As a result, it’s hard for companies to track down the manufacturers stamping out these poor quality imitations.

Recently I saw what purported to be a Gibson Custom Shop Zakk Wylde Les Paul signature model with Zakk’s distinctive camouflage bullseye graphic. It only took a passing familiarity with Gibson to know this guitar wasn’t right, even though it seemed to have an authentic serial number and Zakk’s signature. The tuners, which on the real model are supposed to be gold, had a kind of bubbly matte texture which certainly didn’t look or feel like the real thing. The pickup selector switch was flimsy, the binding was messy, and the pickups were labelled as passive EMG-HZs, not the active EMGs Zakk is so identified with. Popping open the electronics cavity I realised the EMGs were not only the wrong model, they were also fake. The owner didn’t pay anywhere near what a real Zakk axe would cost, and they had a sneaking suspicion they had been sold a forgery, but for the money they could have bought an official Epiphone version of the same guitar and it would have been much higher quality – with real pickups too.

Another example is the Ibanez Jem. This Steve Vai signature model has been in production for nearly 20 years now and there are collectors the world over who lust after particular rare variations, or just the standard white 7VWH model most identified with Vai. Asian Jem fakes are so prevalent on eBay they’ve begun to be referred to in the industry as “Chibanez” guitars. From a distance they may look authentic – they say Ibanez on the headstock, they have the characteristic handle cut into the body, and the creeping vine inlay on the fretboard, but on closer inspection these guitars never hold up. Some are more accurate than others in copying the design, but there are several giveaways. One is the handle – it’s usually just a little bit off in the copies. Spend some time at the picture galleries of Jemsite.com to see what the real deal should look like.

Another area is the bridge. Ibanez use their own brand of bridge in their guitars – an Edge model in early Jems, a Lo Pro Edge from the early 90s onward, then the Edge Pro from 2004 to the present, while the budget Jem Jr 555 model should have a Lo TRS II or, after 2004, an Edge Pro II. If you find a Jem that has a Floyd Rose brand tremolo, not only is the guitar a fake, but the trem probably is too. Once again, compare the bridge to the original, because it’s a hard part to fake.

Other areas to inspect for hints of a fake Jem are the pickups (they should be Dimarzios), the vine inlay, the cut of the neck pocket, and the body shape itself. Some fake guitar manufacturers can’t seem to 100% nail the outline of the Jem and its sister model, the RG. If you’re a serious buyer you owe it to yourself to do some serious research and know exactly what it is you’re shopping for, so a few quick clicks at Ibanez.com will help you figure out if you’re about to buy a premium guitar or a forgery. Ibanez even has all of their old catalogs online, so you can check a guitar's authenticity even if it's a discontinued model. If you have access to the guitar in person, take off the neck to see if the neck and the pocket it fits into on the body are stamped with the model name. Taking off the neck to check authenticity or to verify a model number is a reasonable request when looking to invest in a premium guitar.

Some builders of fake guitars drop little hints that you’re not getting the real deal. A lot of Ibanez Jem rip offs are labelled “Jem Jr,” a name stamped on the real 555 model but definitely not on the 7VWH. I’ve seen fake Gibson guitars where the opening at the top of the “O” in the brand name was widened just enough to read “Gibsun” from close up while still looking like Gibson from across the room.

Musical instrument building is a fine art, reflecting passion, research and craftsmanship. The old adage “You get what you pay for” is definitely true when it comes to guitar buying. If it sounds too cheap, it probably is. Nobody’s really going to sell you a guitar for $300 if it retails for $4,899. Don’t let the thrill of a bargain blind you to the sting of the rip off - you owe it to yourself and the companies whose designs you love to buy the real thing, not an imitation that may look the part but feel and sound nothing like the actual instrument.

NEWS: Steve Vai auctions Jem, pickups, necks. I sell a kidney.

Anyone wanna buy a kidney? Cos I need to raise funds quickly to participate in some auctions coming up on eBay courtesy of one Mr Steve Vai.

A Vai.com mailout today included the following tantalising tidbit: 

Vai.com Winter Ebay Extravaganza

Steve has been clearing out the garage and it's time for a winter sale.

Among the goodies up for grabs is a Jem777VDY - used both live and in the studio, this yellow Jem was given to an assistant of Steve's a few years back. In recent times this guitar came back into Steve's possession, and we now make it available for you. We are open to serious offers on this guitar ahead of it appearing on Ebay. Email us at talk2us[at]vai.com with offers or inquiries.

Also up for grabs are a set of DiMarzio prototype pickups, Jem necks, used pedals, straps, amps and more!

Check back in the coming days for a list of gear and photos.

CLICK HERE for Vai.com

Image used with permission.

REVIEW: Roger Mayer Vision Wah Special

Legendary pedal designer Roger Mayer says the Vision Wah Special comes from the same bloodline as a pedal he built 40 years ago for Jimi Hendrix. That may be so, but to think of this as just a foot-operated portal to Jimi’s patchouli-scented spirit is to sell it way short.

Visually, the Vision Wah Special borrows a little bit of the science fiction vibe of Mayer’s famed spaceship-shaped pedals. There are two side mounted knobs, but the sleek design dispenses with any writing whatsoever on the visible part of the pedal. Instead you have to flip it over to see “Roger Mayer Vision Wah Special – Handbuilt in the UK” and that the knobs are labelled Wah Sweep and Wah Blend. Closer inspection of the pedal base also reveals a tiny hole leading through to a trimpot inside the pedal, which allows you to set a minimum volume for when the pedal is in bypass mode: when you’re not using the wah effect, the unit functions as a volume pedal. However if you don’t need the volume pedal option, you can simply turn it off by moving a jumper on the PC card.

The wah effect itself is engaged via a switch at the full ‘toe down’ end of the wah treadle, and if you’re worried that your Chuck Taylors will stomp the effect on when you’re using the volume mode, you can remove the base plate to find a small control on the PC card labelled SW Adjust, which sets the required bypass switch pressure. The treadle itself is smooth and comfortable, and relies on a clever vari friction nylon bearing, combined with a fully balanced top plate which allows the user to customise the tension from light to firm. The treadle will always remain exactly where you leave it, for those Michael Schenker fixed wah tones.

As you’d expect from a pedal associated with Jimi, the Vision Wah can sound funky and earthy. I found that at the most extreme end of the Wah Sweep control, the pedal cut through in a very sharp, bright manner especially suited to wild psycho soloing or clucky clean funk, while lower, more bass-heavy settings introduced a supportive, thick quality similar to Jimi’s soulful wah work, or the sounds of Alice In Chains’ ‘Dirt’ album. Somewhere around the upper middle of the Wah Sweep trajectory I was able to dial in a cool nasal Zappa ‘honk.’ Depending on the setting and how you play the pedal, it can go from a ‘wah wah’ to a ‘quoll quoll,’ ‘loop loop’ and ‘qua qua’ pedal. The Wah Blend control allows you to introduce the dry guitar into the sound, which is a great way of maintaining pitch clarity and the quality of your phrasing without having them be overwhelmed by the wah effect.

The Roger Mayer Vision Wah Special is more than just ‘like the one Jimi used.’ It’s a modern update on the wah concept in general, and while its ability to recreate classic Hendrix tones is a great selling point, it’s just one of the things it does very, very well.

If you're in Australia, you can buy Roger Mayer pedals online from Guitar Toyz. 

If you're not in Australia, CLICK HERE to buy the Vision Wah from Tunnel Vision Music.

NEWS: Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein humbucker available for preorder

Whoa! I just spotted this over at the Van Halen News Desk. Released on March 1 is the EVH Frankenstein humbucker. Recommended retail price is $199.99. There's also a relic'ed, Eddie Van Halen-autographed version (see below) for $399 which, while expensive, is pretty freakin' cool!

CLICK HERE to buy the EVH Frankenstein Relic Humbucker LTD (Signed) Standard for $399 from Music123.

CLICK HERE to buy the EVH Frankenstein Humbucker Standard for $149 from Music123.

Or if you're feeling particularly saucy, why not CLICK HERE to splash out $25,000 for the EVH Frankenstein guitar?

A page on the Van Halen Store says:

The legendary humbucking pickup from the guitar that changed everything.

Think of it as a brand-new version of the original Frankenstein's battle-worn pickup, wound to the exact original specs and built to fit in any humbucking-pickup-equipped guitar. One of the most famous humbuckers of all time is now available at a competitive price and serves as a great upgrade and alternative to the popular crop of cliché replacement humbuckers.

This is awesome news. Who hasn't wished they could leach some of that famous Van Halen I tonal magic? I think I might just have to get one of these and chuck it into the Ibanez RG370 I wrote about in my guest blog on Jemsite.

New releases 27/01/2009

Well, the Christmas/New Year period is well and truly over, so it’s time for new CD releases, after about 2 months of reissues and best-ofs. So let’s peer into the crystal ball and see what will be rocking your socks this week. Links to buy each title are at the bottom of this post.

The Empyrean by John Frusciante
The eleventh solo album from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist. The Empyrean is a concept record featuring Flea, Sonus Quartet, Johnny Marr (woo!!!), and The New Dimension Singers.

A-LEX by Sepultura
Graar!!! Brazil’s most metallic export cranks it up with this concept album based on A Clockwork Orange. One for fans of brutal metal, citrus fruit, and/or watchmaking.

396 by Chris Duarte
Duarte has always been a monster player with chops out the wazoo. His new album is a collaboration with Japan’s premier blues-rock band, Bluestone Company.

Old Money by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
This new conceptual solo album about exploitative industrialists from the Mars Volta guitarist is said to fit comfortably between his work with The Mars Volta and his prior rock-based solo releases. Sweet.

REVIEW: Jeff Beck at the Palais, Melbourne

Last night (January 26, Australia Day, woohoo), I saw Jeff Beck at the Palais in Melbourne. I’ll write a full review for the next issue of Mixdown magazine, but in the meantime here are a few thoughts and observances for anyone who’s interested. Beck’s playing again at the Palais tonight, so CLICK HERE to see if there are still tickets available.

Okay, thoughts in dot-point form cos they’re fun.

· Beck appeared to have a pair of Marshall Plexis on stage, (although only one of them was turned on – I guess the other was a spare) and a Fender combo. My vision sucks at the best of times (but at least I have cool glasses), so I couldn’t quite tell what models they were.

· He played one of his signature Fender Stratocasters for the whole show, and only needed to retune once, about an hour into the gig, despite his frequent and mind-destroying whammy bar use.

· On drums, Mr Vinnie Colaiuta. Frank Zappa’s favourite improvisation buddy, and an important part of why Megadeth’s ‘The System Has Failed’ album is so friggin’ cool. Vinnie threw in lots of double-kick work, and stole the show several times.

· On bass, Tal Wilkenfeld. She’s only 22 and her playing is frighteningly good, especially her solo during ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers.’

· Beck long ago chucked away guitar picks, and it’s inspiring if not a little intimidating to hear what he can do with just his fingers and a whammy bar. Surprisingly, most of his vibrato comes from rapidly pushing and releasing the guitar’s tremolo bridge with the side of his picking hand, instead of from his fretting hand.

I won’t spoil the setlist for those who are yet to see this tour, but Beck’s playing is as good as ever, and his band is amazing. If you’re in Melbourne and you haven’t already got a ticket for tonight, GO GO GO GO GO!!!

CLICK HERE to buy Jeff Beck's 'Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scotts' from Amazon.com

CLICK HERE to buy the Fender Jeff Beck signature Stratocaster from Music123.

Remaining Jeff Beck Australian tour dates:

27 Jan Palais Theatre, VIC

29 Jan Brisbane Convention Centre, QLD

30 Jan Enmore Theatre, NSW

31 Jan Enmore Theatre, NSW

NEWS: DVD release - Girls Rock: The Movie

Out today on DVD is Girls Rock: The Movie, a documentary chronicling an all-girls rock 'n' roll camp in Portland, Oregon. The film centers around girls ranging from ages 8 to 18 who have one week to form a band, select an instrument they may have never played, and write a song.

The film features appearances from female rockers Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney and The Gossip's Beth Ditto.

You can download the track "Global Warming" by one of the bands, Blubird, for free by CLICKING HERE.

I'll review the documentary soon, but in the meantime, the trailer is below, and you can see the official site HERE.

Guest blog on Jemsite

This week I've written a guest post for the Jemsite community blog. The post is about my early days as an Ibanez geek, and how my first good electric guitar sparked my interest in rare or uncommon Ibanez variations.

CLICK HERE to read the post, and CLICK HERE for the Jemsite blog main page.

CLICK HERE to see rare Ibanez guitars on eBay.

NEWS: More Sterling By Music Man details

Thanks to Dan for alerting me to the new website for the new Sterling By Music Man brand, which will be priced somewhere around the same level as the now discontinued Ernie Ball Music Man SUB series.

The site will be fully operational from March 2, but there's already a downloadable catalog there to check out.

Pictured is the John Petrucci model. I really really wish they'd accepted the extra cost and installed Dimarzio pickups in this. I imagine a lot of players will swap the pickups as soon as they get the guitar, which is exactly what many have done with the budget-priced OLP Petrucci model.

I like that there are two Axis models, and I'm sure that if this first run is successful, they'll add some colour options and other models. Perhaps a Petrucci 7-string, or a Steve Morse model?

I'm looking forward to trying these, and if I get my hands on one I'll be sure to post my thoughts here.

CLICK HERE to see Ernie Ball Music Man guitars on eBay, including the awesome rosewood-top Axis pictured to the left. This is totally my dream guitar. Well, one of them, anyway...

NEWS: Glen Drover auctions 'Peace Sells' ESP

Former Megadeth guitarist Glen Drover is auctioning his famed 'Peace Sells' ESP. I saw Glen with Megadeth four times and this axe always got a strong reaction from the crowd (although I liked his 'Countdown To Extinction' model even more).

CLICK HERE to see the guitar or place a bid.

The listing reads:

This guitar was made for Glen Drover in 2005 and given to him by ESP guitars at the 2005 NAMM convention in California, for the ESP anniversary party. It was also used by Glen for all touring for 2005 and 2006 with Megadeth.

This is an "ESP" version of the LTD Deluxe M1000 and designed to Glen's specs.

Easily the most popular guitar from Glen Drover's collection used while in Megadeth.

Specs:

Set-Thru neck

25.5” Scale

Alder Body

Maple Neck

Rosewood Fingerboard

Locking Nut

43mm Neck Width

24 XJ Frets

Grover Tuners

Floyd Rose Bridge

Front cover "air brush" of the Megadeth album cover "Peace Sells, But Who's Buying" on front body and head stock. purple transparent finish on back of guitar.

Seymour Duncan pickups (distortion in bridge, 59 in neck position)

3 way toggle switch

1 volume control, 1 tone control pot.

If Vs are more your style, Dean offers a few graphic Dave Mustaine models, including the low-cost VMNTX with the 'United Abominations' album cover, and the new 'Rust In Peace' VMNT.

CLICK HERE to buy the Dean Dave Mustaine VMNTX United Abomination Electric Guitar Graphic from Music 123.

SPARKLY GUITAR WEEK: Day 7 - Fender J Mascis Jazzmaster

The final entry in Sparkly Guitar Week is the Fender J Mascis signature Jazzmaster. Mascis rose to prominence as the leader of Dinosaur Jr, and can always be relied upon for fuzzed out freakage. 

Fun fact: This one time, I was wearing my Dinosaur Jr shirt, which has a picture of Mascis's bulldog on it. I was strolling along Acland St in St Kilda and I saw this dude walking towards me, staring at my shirt. I thought "That dude looks like J Mascis." Then I got to work and read the paper. In the entertainment section was a photo of the same dude from Acland St. It was J Mascis, in town to do a solo gig. A-doy. 

Anyway, here's what the Fender website has to say about the J Mascis Jazzmaster.

To honor the sonic legacy of alt/indie rock founding father J Mascis, Fender is supremely psyched to unveil the sparkling-new J Mascis Jazzmaster guitar.

Mascis took the instrument to a new place with his feedback-drenched, distortion-laden band, Dinosaur Jr. This new signature model pays affectionately ear-splitting homage to Mascis, giving the instrument a modern makeover for fans who’ve been clamoring for such a model for years.

With its stunning and unusual Purple Sparkle polyester finish, matching headcap and gold anodized pickguard, the guitar features mods requested by Mascis himself—including an Adjusto-Matic bridge, reinforced tremolo arm housing and a satin-finished neck. The Dinosaur roar comes from dual vintage reissue pickups and the barrage of controls the Jazzmaster has always been known for—a three-position toggle switch with volume and tone knobs and, for this model, a two-position slide switch with volume and tone controls configured as a “lead tone circuit” (up) and a “rhythm tone circuit” (down).

Available beginning in July 2007, the J Mascis Jazzmaster is literally a sparkling new addition to the Fender lineup, in celebration of the adventurous and continuing sonic contributions of the man who has been the model’s constant champion for nearly 25 years now.

HERE'S one on eBay or you can see more HERE. Or you can get one HERE at Music123.

NAMM 2009: EMG gold and silver pickup covers

This year at NAMM EMG introduced gold and silver covers for their pickups. Previously the only time I've seen EMG pickups in anything other than black was on Kirk Hammett's Les Paul. Other new goodies include a new line of pickups called the X Series, and an Alexi Laiho set which includes his favoured passive humbucker and a gain boost.

Here's part of EMG's review of NAMM: 

Team EMG is back from the 2009 NAMM Show and without a doubt we had a blast. The reaction to our new products was a resounding success. If you haven't heard we are now offering high quality Chrome and Gold cover caps for our 81, 85 and 60 models which generated considerable excitement.

In addition to this new option, we also have a new line of pickups called the X series which has been highly anticipated and that we are betting will blow players minds with its increased headroom paired with the traditional EMG tone that has become iconic to musicians the world over.

The final new release is Alexi Laiho's shredding new signature set, the ALX w/ABQ gain boost, which is composed of a signature passive HZ humbucker paired with a 3-band EQ/gain boost mounted on a push pull pot. This new set is incredibly versatile and was developed in conjunction with Alexi himself. You want his tone? This will get you that much closer!

Besides featuring EMG's new and existing product lineup, we had some very exciting artist appearances, scheduled and unscheduled, that were just icing on the cake and made our booth THE place to be. Some of the artists hanging out included Kerry King, Alexi Laiho, Steve Lukather, Sergio Vallin, Marcus Henderson and many many others.

Read more here.

LESSON: Writing for two guitars

There comes a time in the life of every axe slinger when he/she must venture out of the bedroom/garage/New York sewer and interact with other musicians. Maybe even – gasp! – other guitarists. And sooner or later, said guitarist might get bored with the sound of two guitars playing the exact same thing. So what do to? You don’t necessarily have to arrange all your riffs like Def Leppard (“not that that’s a bad thing,” 10-year-old me mumbles), but there are many interesting things you can do to get the most out of a two-guitar band.

First off, CLICK HERE to see the tab/music for this lesson. 

Figure 1 is a simple 8th note strum on a Gm chord. Yawn. Figure 2 makes it slightly more interesting by delegating the bottom two notes to one guitar (which chugs them out with some palm muting), and the top 3 notes to the other, played more freely and maybe with some delay and reverb to add a nice reverberous chime.

In Figure 3, guitar 1 picks out a few notes from the Gm chord while guitar 2 chugs out the same 8th note figure as before. Figure 4 is a further evolution of this idea, but more melodic, perhaps used as a main riff between chorus and verse in a vocal song, or as part of the main theme in an instrumental.

Figure 5 steps outside of the Gm framework a little. Guitar 2 (who seems to get all the easier parts in this lesson… poor guitar 2) just strums whole note G5 power chords while guitar 1 gets all Queensryche, playing a higher version of G5 in the first bar then dropping the fifth down for a deliciously evil tritone.

Finally, in Figure 6 we have something Metallica would be proud of, where guitar 2 plays the same G5 power chord while guitar 1 alternates between an open G string (oo-er) and fretted notes. Try playing a different chord for each of 4 bars in this style, and keep the rhythm of guitar 1’s part but change the notes to match (or build upon) the new chords.

NAMM 2009: Schecter Solo Classic

Now this, I like.

CLICK HERE to see more 2009 Schecters, or visit their website at www.schecterguitars.com

NEWS: Doug Aldrich European clinic tour

Whitesnake guitarist and Marshall endorser Doug Aldrich is doing a European clinic tour next month. Here are the dates:

Saturday, February 14 + Sunday, February 15
Nemesis Guitar School
15 Kadmou
65302 Kavala
Greece
Tel +30 69 447 68068

Monday, February 16
Future Music School
Hanauer Strasse 15
63739 Aschaffenburg
Germany
Tel +49 6021 25575

Tuesday, February 17
MAI Music Academy International
12 Avenue du XXe Corps
54010 Nancy-Cedex
France
Tel +33 3 8339 7070

Thursday, February 19
Lucky Music Store
Viale Cassala 7/2
20143 Milano
Italy
Tel +39 02 839 5060

Saturday, February 21
Jolly Music Store
Via Roma 14
46010 Montanara Di Curtatone (MN)
Italy
Tel +39 0376 49836

Wednesday, February 25
ACM The Academy of Contemporary Music
Bridge Street
Guilford, Surrey
UK
Tel +44 1483 500 800

Friday, February 27
The Works Music Store
Rue Jacques-Dalphin 51
1227 Carouge/Geneva
Switzerland
Tel +41 22 300 1393

Click the poster below or check dougaldrich.com for more details.

SPARKLY GUITAR WEEK: Day 6 - Les Paul Custom Shop Blue Sparkle

I have a love/hate relationship with Les Pauls. They sound cool, they look cool, but sometimes the neck pitch throws me off a bit and my left wrist gets a little sore. Having said that, I've got to meet a lot of great Les Pauls over the years and the wrist thing is certainly something I'll work through if I ever get totally rich and buy a stable of Les Pauls. And most of them will probably be sparkly.

There are a few Custom Shop Blue Sparkles out there. The one pictured here is being sold on eBay by Vintage Vault. 

I've been browsing on eBay just now, daydreaming about sparkly Les Pauls. There's a gorgeous multi-colour sparkle Les Paul here, a blue/silver sparkle here, and a sparkle cherryburst here that has to be seen to be believed.

Epiphone also gets in on the sparkle action with this limited edition purple sparkle, and this gold sparkle.

Or if you're not into the Gibson thang, there's a Burny silver sparkle with three pickups here.

CLICK HERE to see more guitars at Vintage Vault's eBay store, or click here to search for sparkly Les Pauls in general.

Stuff I bought on my lunch break

I just nipped out for a break and decided to hit up a nearby guitar store for some goodies, since I’m about to record a bunch of stuff and I haven’t changed strings in what seems like an eternity. Here’s what I got:

D’Addario EXL120



Yep, 9-42 strings. However, It was a 3 pack, not the 6 pack with bonus ‘I Heart My Strings’ pint glass pictured here. I used to use 10-52 gauge strings, but I just don’t get to play for hours and hours a day any more, and I found that my fingers were suffering a bit with thicker strings. So I’ve shifted down to 9-42s. They sound wimpier and less manly than 10-52s, but what can you do?

GHS Fast Fret



I’ve never used this stuff before, but I’ve heard good things about it. It smells like clean, and it’s supposed to prolong string life, condition your fretboard and make ya play faster. I think it also takes out the rubbish on bin night, finds your missing cat, and tells you whether to hold 'em or fold 'em in poker. We’ll see.

Dunlop Jazz III picks



These things are the bane of my life: I love ‘em to death but they seem to be gradually taking over my house. Despite having a trillion of them, I can never find one when I need it, so I’m going to stash these in the little pick box that came free with a recent issue of Total Guitar, and keep it next to the computer.

Dunlop Big Stubby 3mm

I have one of these picks still kicking around which I got for Christmas in 1993. I remember using that pick when I first sat down to learn Joe Satriani’s ‘Summer Song,’ so I forever associate this pick with that song. There’s a bit of a Satch ‘The Extremist’ feel on some of the stuff I’m working on at the moment, so I thought I’d pick up some more of these picks, probably just for the sake of vibe. They’re freaking huge and unwieldy.

If you wanna buy any of this stuff, here are some links:

D'Addario EXL120 6-Pack of Electric Guitar Strings with D Addario Pint Glass

GHS Fast-Fret String Cleaner

Dunlop Jazz III XL Guitar Picks 6-Pack

Dunlop 475 Big Stubby Guitar Picks 3.0MM 6-Pack