For those of you that like to follow along, you've probably noticed the lack of posts in recent months. I've been extremely busy with my last year of high school, so writing for this blog has taken a backseat to more pressing matters. Once I get more time on my hands, I'll be sure to fill in the gaps. I already have a ton of concert reviews lined up, as well as some more gear reviews.
I did, however, find time to get my new recording gear up and running. You can listen to a recent clip I recorded with my Splawn Quick Rod and Les Paul on my MySpace page. I used Reaper as my recording software and added a tiny amount of delay with it.
10/2/09
7/29/09
I won Guitarnoize's "Name That Riff" Contest!
Well, time for a little self-bragging. If you're into guitar blogs, you've probably run across Jon Bloomer's Guitarnoize. This blog is a great source for guitar-related news and reviews, and it's fast become one of the most popular guitar blogs on the net. Anyways, Jon recently held Guitarnoize's first "Name That Riff" contest. The premise is pretty simple. Jon recorded a short clip of him playing a distinctive guitar riff each week. After 8 weeks, whoever had guessed the most riffs correctly received a prize pack. And that person was I, guessing a total of 7 out of 8 riffs correctly. Here's a list of each riff played:Riff 1: Iron Maiden - "Two Minutes To Midnight"
Riff 2: Whitesnake - "Still Of The Night"
Riff 3: Alice Cooper - "Poison"
Riff 4: David Lee Roth - "It’s Showtime"
Riff 5: John Petrucci - "Curve"
Riff 6: Audioslave - "Sound Of A Gun"
Riff 7: Andy Timmons - "Deliver Us"
Riff 8: Def Leppard - "Excitable"
Not surprisingly, the one riff I didn't get was the last one. I've never been a big Def Leppard fan, and it obviously showed. However, my perfect score with the previous seven riffs still placed me ahead of everyone. Finally, all this listening payed off! Jon was kind enough to send a very generous prize pack worth almost $200. Here's what I received:
Lick Library "Quick Licks": Brian May DVD
Lick Library "Learn to Play...": Kiss DVD
The Rock House Method: Modes Demystified (with John McCarthy) DVD
The Rock House Method: Metal Guitar Level One (with Alexi Laiho) DVD
The Rock House Method: Metal Guitar Level Two (with Alexi Laiho) DVD
The Rock House Method: Metal Guitar Level Two (with Dan Jacobs) DVD
Guitar Masters Vol. 1 CD (featuring tons of great players, like Satriani, Morse, Beck, etc...)
Alex Ehrsam - "Djaz_Dtox" CD (AWESOME fusion player)
Steffen Schackinger - "ElectriGuitartistry" CD (another incredible player)
Thanks again to Jon at Guitarnoize! Be sure to give his blog a visit.
Queensryche Show Review (5/27/09, AMP, Fayetteville, AR)
My dad and I traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas (of all places) to catch the Queensryche show on the 27th of May. I had already been a pretty big Queensryche fan, but considering my age, I had never had a chance to see them live, much less when Chris DeGarmo was still in the band. Regardless, I think the band has written some incredible albums, and Geoff Tate was (and still is, for that matter) one of the greatest hard rock/metal vocalists out there.
However, the show in Fayetteville was a total disappointment. I could tell from the first song that the night probably wouldn't be memorable. I knew that Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren (Geoff Tate's son-in-law) were using that Digitech modeling gear instead of tube amps. Despite my opinion on modeling gear for live performances, I decided to remain open-minded and let my ears decide. Well, I did, and their tones were horrendous. I've been to three shows here in the past few months where the guitarists use modeling gear for their main rigs, and each one has sounded completely lifeless, sterile, and empty. Why do touring guitarists insist on using this garbage over and over? I can understand if you're a workingman playing bars, but these are professional acts with roadies and endorsement deals. There's no excuse.
Furthermore, the volume of the show was too low. I'm not saying that splitting ears is a necessity, but this show sounded just a tad louder than a run-of-the-mill bar gig.
Also, there were quite a few ridiculously cheesy moments during the show. To begin the show, Tate graced the stage with a goofy hat and suit that made him look like a used car salesman (as another reviewer said). OK, no big deal. The band played three extended suites: Rage for Order, American Soldier, and Empire. The first suite was tolerable, as it contained many obscure yet rocking 'Ryche tunes. However, the show started to go downhill quickly at the beginning of the American Soldier suite. A man dressed in an soldier's uniform marched to the center stage (greeted with an abundance of overly-patriotic "USA! USA! USA!" chants), only to surprise the audience by breaking into a hip-hop routine. At this point, I was asking myself, "Is this really Queensryche?" The most cringe-worthy moment occurred when Tate brought out his daughter and his saxophone. Yes, his saxophone. Since when do saxophones and metal mix? And I know Tate loves his kids, but his daughter doesn't belong on stage at a progressive "metal" concert, especially dressed in what looked to be a beauty pagent dress.
Furthermore, the volume of the show was too low. I'm not saying that splitting ears is a necessity, but this show sounded just a tad louder than a run-of-the-mill bar gig.
Also, there were quite a few ridiculously cheesy moments during the show. To begin the show, Tate graced the stage with a goofy hat and suit that made him look like a used car salesman (as another reviewer said). OK, no big deal. The band played three extended suites: Rage for Order, American Soldier, and Empire. The first suite was tolerable, as it contained many obscure yet rocking 'Ryche tunes. However, the show started to go downhill quickly at the beginning of the American Soldier suite. A man dressed in an soldier's uniform marched to the center stage (greeted with an abundance of overly-patriotic "USA! USA! USA!" chants), only to surprise the audience by breaking into a hip-hop routine. At this point, I was asking myself, "Is this really Queensryche?" The most cringe-worthy moment occurred when Tate brought out his daughter and his saxophone. Yes, his saxophone. Since when do saxophones and metal mix? And I know Tate loves his kids, but his daughter doesn't belong on stage at a progressive "metal" concert, especially dressed in what looked to be a beauty pagent dress.
I will say though that, despite the sound and cheese factor, everyone in the band played rather well. Lundgren, the new guy, played his parts proficiently, as did guitarist Michael Wilton and the other veteran members. And Tate, when he could actually be heard, sounded dead-on, despite a more constricted vocal range due to years of singing. But the band did look overwhelmingly bored. I'd like to think the bleakness of Fayetteville was to blame.
Granted, it's disappointing that DeGarmo left and that Tate can't quite hit the same high notes as he used to, but those facts don't really bother me. Give a listen to Live Evolution. It's a great live album, and it was done without both DeGarmo and Geoff's old vocal range. Currently, I think the main issue with Queensryche is that too much of Tate's family is becoming involved with the band. First of all, his wife is now managing the band (she was actually working the sound booth, and I think this might have had something to do with why the mix didn't sound great...I don't mean to be sexist, but I would bet that it was her idea to have the daughter on stage too). You've also got his son-in-all law playing in the band. And now you've got his kids on stage, too. It just seems like a recipe for disaster to me. I can see why DeGarmo might have left the band if he knew it were headed in this direction.
Unfortunately, this show left me so uninspired that I stopped taking pictures after the first few songs, and even those didn't turn out too well.
7/4/09
Anvil Screening and Show (5/24/09, Malco Ridgeway Four, Memphis)
For most people, This is Spinal Tap is merely a funny mockumentary about the idiosyncrasies of the hard rock world. However, for the members of Canadian metal band Anvil, it mirrors the story of their lives.
If you keep up with film at all, or if you're a hard rock/heavy metal fan, you've probably already heard about the new documentary Anvil: The Story of Anvil. The movie, which has been highly praised by such acclaimed filmmakers as Michael Moore, focuses on Anvil's struggle to "make it big" in the metal world, even after some 30 years since the band's formation. Ever since the previews appeared on VH1 Classic, I had wanted to see the film. Yet, as usual, it didn't seem as if the film would be playing here anytime soon. However, a few weeks later, I learned from our local paper that not only would the movie be screening here but that the band would actually perform a live set afterward. You must be thinking, "What? A live set where? In a movie theater?" That's right.
When I arrived at the quaint Malco Ridgeway Four (which often screens obscure, independent films), it appeared as if no one was there. A part of me almost thought that the show had been canceled. Anyways, I walked into the theater's lobby, and lo and behold, there sits Anvil guitarist Steven "Lips" Kudlow on the couch, munching away at a bag of popcorn. After a second of awkward staring, I introduced myself as a fan and asked for a photo op. With a mouthful of popcorn, he muttered something that resembled, "Well, I'm sitting right here!" He's not a talkative guy, but still, it was a neat encounter.
If you keep up with film at all, or if you're a hard rock/heavy metal fan, you've probably already heard about the new documentary Anvil: The Story of Anvil. The movie, which has been highly praised by such acclaimed filmmakers as Michael Moore, focuses on Anvil's struggle to "make it big" in the metal world, even after some 30 years since the band's formation. Ever since the previews appeared on VH1 Classic, I had wanted to see the film. Yet, as usual, it didn't seem as if the film would be playing here anytime soon. However, a few weeks later, I learned from our local paper that not only would the movie be screening here but that the band would actually perform a live set afterward. You must be thinking, "What? A live set where? In a movie theater?" That's right.
When I arrived at the quaint Malco Ridgeway Four (which often screens obscure, independent films), it appeared as if no one was there. A part of me almost thought that the show had been canceled. Anyways, I walked into the theater's lobby, and lo and behold, there sits Anvil guitarist Steven "Lips" Kudlow on the couch, munching away at a bag of popcorn. After a second of awkward staring, I introduced myself as a fan and asked for a photo op. With a mouthful of popcorn, he muttered something that resembled, "Well, I'm sitting right here!" He's not a talkative guy, but still, it was a neat encounter.
Then, I noticed a merch booth on the other side of the lobby, where drummer Robb Reiner (coincidentally the name of This is Spinal Tap's director) stood talking with a manager. He was a little more conversational. At this point, more people began arriving, and I saw some familiar faces within the Memphis guitar community. As usual, before any show, I spent the time chatting with fellow gearheads. By the time the Malco staff allowed us to enter the theater, an extremely long line had formed.
Seeing that this was a movie about metal, I opted for front row seats (not normal for me). In front of the screen was Anvil's gear, all set up and ready to be played after the show. Finally, the overhead lights dimmed, and the movie began, free of trailers and ads. At once, Anvil's most well known track, "Metal on Metal," began playing at a volume much louder than any other movie I've been to. At that point, I knew I was in for a treat.
Even for non-metal fans, the film is a well produced, riveting documentary that will surely capture some more awards in the future. We learn that Anvil, despite their lack of commercial success, remains well respected within the hard rock/metal community, as evidenced by the film's interviews with Slash and Lars Ulrich, both of whom cite Anvil as huge influences. The movie really reminded me of Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. In both films, you have has-beens who desire to hit it big again, simultaneously risking livelihoods and relationships in the process. When all is said and done, director Sacha Gervasi leaves us with a powerful film about success and failure in the modern world, as well as the often difficult pursuit of the American (err, Canadian in this case) dream.
The real magic of the night came with the short set the band played after the screening. They actually sounded extremely good. My front row seats placed me directly in front of "Lips," who was playing his trustworthy Flying V through his silverface Fender Twin Reverbs. It wasn't a special set up or anything. They didn't have big lights or a fancy stage backdrop. They weren't even mic'ed. But that fact didn't matter. They came out and played with such extreme emotion and passion. You could really tell that these guys really do love what they do, and it made me respect them that much more. I didn't really know any of their songs beforehand, but their little show was probably one of the most unforgettable ones I've been to. If you have a chance to see Anvil: The Story of Anvil or the band themselves, by all means, do so. You won't regret it.
Apparently, the movie has helped Anvil towards reaching their dreams. has now been selected by AC/DC to open at two huge stadium gigs later this summer.
Click here to view the rest of my pictures taken at this show.
Learn more about Anvil: The Story of Anvil.
Seeing that this was a movie about metal, I opted for front row seats (not normal for me). In front of the screen was Anvil's gear, all set up and ready to be played after the show. Finally, the overhead lights dimmed, and the movie began, free of trailers and ads. At once, Anvil's most well known track, "Metal on Metal," began playing at a volume much louder than any other movie I've been to. At that point, I knew I was in for a treat.
Even for non-metal fans, the film is a well produced, riveting documentary that will surely capture some more awards in the future. We learn that Anvil, despite their lack of commercial success, remains well respected within the hard rock/metal community, as evidenced by the film's interviews with Slash and Lars Ulrich, both of whom cite Anvil as huge influences. The movie really reminded me of Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. In both films, you have has-beens who desire to hit it big again, simultaneously risking livelihoods and relationships in the process. When all is said and done, director Sacha Gervasi leaves us with a powerful film about success and failure in the modern world, as well as the often difficult pursuit of the American (err, Canadian in this case) dream.
The real magic of the night came with the short set the band played after the screening. They actually sounded extremely good. My front row seats placed me directly in front of "Lips," who was playing his trustworthy Flying V through his silverface Fender Twin Reverbs. It wasn't a special set up or anything. They didn't have big lights or a fancy stage backdrop. They weren't even mic'ed. But that fact didn't matter. They came out and played with such extreme emotion and passion. You could really tell that these guys really do love what they do, and it made me respect them that much more. I didn't really know any of their songs beforehand, but their little show was probably one of the most unforgettable ones I've been to. If you have a chance to see Anvil: The Story of Anvil or the band themselves, by all means, do so. You won't regret it.Apparently, the movie has helped Anvil towards reaching their dreams. has now been selected by AC/DC to open at two huge stadium gigs later this summer.
Click here to view the rest of my pictures taken at this show.
Learn more about Anvil: The Story of Anvil.
3/31/09
Making My Les Paul Sound "More Vintage," Part 2: Electronics
After I tackled the hardware aspect of upgrading my Les Paul, I moved on to the electronics. Although the tone of a guitar is a sum of its parts (body wood, hardware, construction quality, etc.), some argue that the most defining aspect of a guitar's sound are the electronics. To a large extent, this belief is true. Everything from the quality of the potentiometers to the value of capacitors can significantly alter how a guitar sounds when plugged in. And unsurprisingly, the electronics used on modern guitars usually aren't exactly the same as the ones used on cherished vintage guitars.
Because I wanted to make my Les Paul sound as "vintage" as possible, I tried to use electronic parts similar to the ones used in the prized 'bursts built between 1958-1960. Granted, I could have gone to eBay to buy thousands of dollars worth of old PAFs, pots, wire, and capacitors and been done. With that much money though, I could have just gotten a Murphy-aged R9. Instead, I sought the most vintage sounding parts for the most reasonable prices. If you've been on any guitar enthusiast forums, you've probably heard a lot about RS Guitarwork's popular vintage electronic replacement kit (see picture on right), which some consider a mandatory upgrade for any Les Paul. I opted to go with an "RS Vintage Pre-Wired" kit. As its name suggests, this kit supposedly makes your guitar sound more like a vintage one. To accomplish this task, the kit includes several high quality parts, including RS's acclaimed "Superpots." These "Superpots, designed by RS in conjunction with CTS, offer much tighter tolerances and better tapers than the average pot manufactured today. As a result, they yield more clarity and harmonic complexity. Furthermore, the kit includes two Jensen paper-in-oil capacitors for both the bridge and neck tone controls (.022mFd and .015mFd, respectively). Unlike the mylar capacitors predominately used today, these capacitors are made very similarly to the sought-after Sprague Bumblebee caps used in 1958-1960 Les Pauls. Combined with the Superpots, these capacitors allow you to turn your volume knob almost all the way down without loosing clarity and definition. And finally, the kit contains vintage cloth wire and two CTS Audio taper pots for the tone controls.
The kit came nicely wired and ready for installation. However, after the kit came, I noticed a pair of original 1957 Sprague Bumbleebees on eBay that hadn't drifted much from their original value of .022mfd. See, these paper-in-oil caps sometimes "leak" and drift away from their intended values after many years. These caps, however had stayed relatively true to their values, as evidenced by the multimeter reading in the left picture. I clicked the "But It Now" button for $120. Pricey? Yes, but these capacitors play a huge part in getting that "vintage tone" (some even think that they are the most critical component) moreson than the other vintage Les Paul parts out there that often fetch much more money.
When I took off the electronics cover of the guitar, I discovered that it came with a pre-installed metal plate to which all the components were attached. Also, it was rather messy, and trying to assemble the RS kit on it would have been a pain. So I simply removed the plate and installed the new pots to the bare wood, just like in the old Les Pauls. Then I wired up everything according to vintage specifications. Take a look at the two pictures below. The top picture shows the wiring in an actual 1959 'burst. The bottom shows my wiring. Pretty similar, aren't they?
Because I wanted to make my Les Paul sound as "vintage" as possible, I tried to use electronic parts similar to the ones used in the prized 'bursts built between 1958-1960. Granted, I could have gone to eBay to buy thousands of dollars worth of old PAFs, pots, wire, and capacitors and been done. With that much money though, I could have just gotten a Murphy-aged R9. Instead, I sought the most vintage sounding parts for the most reasonable prices. If you've been on any guitar enthusiast forums, you've probably heard a lot about RS Guitarwork's popular vintage electronic replacement kit (see picture on right), which some consider a mandatory upgrade for any Les Paul. I opted to go with an "RS Vintage Pre-Wired" kit. As its name suggests, this kit supposedly makes your guitar sound more like a vintage one. To accomplish this task, the kit includes several high quality parts, including RS's acclaimed "Superpots." These "Superpots, designed by RS in conjunction with CTS, offer much tighter tolerances and better tapers than the average pot manufactured today. As a result, they yield more clarity and harmonic complexity. Furthermore, the kit includes two Jensen paper-in-oil capacitors for both the bridge and neck tone controls (.022mFd and .015mFd, respectively). Unlike the mylar capacitors predominately used today, these capacitors are made very similarly to the sought-after Sprague Bumblebee caps used in 1958-1960 Les Pauls. Combined with the Superpots, these capacitors allow you to turn your volume knob almost all the way down without loosing clarity and definition. And finally, the kit contains vintage cloth wire and two CTS Audio taper pots for the tone controls.
The kit came nicely wired and ready for installation. However, after the kit came, I noticed a pair of original 1957 Sprague Bumbleebees on eBay that hadn't drifted much from their original value of .022mfd. See, these paper-in-oil caps sometimes "leak" and drift away from their intended values after many years. These caps, however had stayed relatively true to their values, as evidenced by the multimeter reading in the left picture. I clicked the "But It Now" button for $120. Pricey? Yes, but these capacitors play a huge part in getting that "vintage tone" (some even think that they are the most critical component) moreson than the other vintage Les Paul parts out there that often fetch much more money.When I took off the electronics cover of the guitar, I discovered that it came with a pre-installed metal plate to which all the components were attached. Also, it was rather messy, and trying to assemble the RS kit on it would have been a pain. So I simply removed the plate and installed the new pots to the bare wood, just like in the old Les Pauls. Then I wired up everything according to vintage specifications. Take a look at the two pictures below. The top picture shows the wiring in an actual 1959 'burst. The bottom shows my wiring. Pretty similar, aren't they?
Original 1959 Les Paul Wiring:
My 2002 Les Paul Standard Wiring (Modified)
I don't want to sound like a sensationalist yet again, but the difference upon plugging in my Splawn Quick Rod was profound, to say the lest. The new electronics yield a clearer, richer tone. And the best benefit is that I can now actually use my volume control without muddying up my sound. Of course, I left the Burstbucker Pro pickups installed, as they sound great to my ears. However, that doesn't leave out the possibility of a pickup change in the future. For now though, the guitar sounds great!
Stay tuned for part three of this segment. It'll pertain to the various aesthetic changes I made to the guitar.
Stay tuned for part three of this segment. It'll pertain to the various aesthetic changes I made to the guitar.
3/9/09
Making My Les Paul Sound "More Vintage," Part 1: Tailpiece and Studs
It's been longer than usual since my last post, but since then, I've had quite a bit of time to sit down and really assess my new Les Paul Standard (see this post). As stated in my initial review, my main goal was to acquire a Les Paul with that distinct, vintage growl without breaking the bank. Obviously, there are a few things on a Standard that simply cannot be altered to make it more like a true 1959 Les Paul (i.e., the Standard's short neck tenon). However, some aspects of the guitar, such as the electronics, hardware, and even plastic components, can easily be changed to yield a more vintage-sounding guitar. In this segment, I'll be discussing the various changes/mods I've made to the guitar to make it sound as close to a '59 as possible. Keep in mind, though, that I'm primarily seeking vintage tone and not necessarily vintage looks, so form follows function in this project.
My first order of business involved replacing the stock nickel tailpiece with a vintage-spec aluminum tailpiece. In contrast to the heavy nickel tailpiece, its featherweight aluminum counterpart provides a much more resonant, airy tone. Some prefer one over the other, but in this case, since I'm trying to capture that vintage vibe, it was a no-brainer to choose the aluminum tailpiece. I also opted to find some steel bridge studs to replace the inferior zinc inserts used by the Nashville bridge. The heavier steel allows for better transfer of vibrations to the body, thus resulting in a fuller tone. Furthermore, they are designed to be in contact with the actual body wood, as opposed to the stock, tone-robbing metal inserts.
After some research, I discovered a German company called Faber that specializes in manufacturing vintage-spec aftermarket parts for Les Pauls and other Gibson guitars. Several enthusiasts on both the Gear Page and the Les Paul Forum seemed very impressed with the quality of these parts, especially when compared to similar products from companies like TonePros. In particular, they loved the unique Tone-Lock bridge system (more on that later). So I headed to the website of CV Guitars (run by Larry Corsa), the official U.S. distributor of Faber parts, and placed an order for a Tone-Lock kit in aged nickel finish. This kit includes an aluminum tailpiece, as well as the patented studs that lock it into place. I also ordered the Faber "BSWKIT" Pro Sustainer System, which includes the replacement steel bridge studs. These studs allow the use of the Nashville bridge on vintage-style ABR-1 posts, which lie in direct contact with the body wood, as opposed to the normal zinc inserts. Because you still have to use the Nashville stud spacing, installing an ABR-1 bridge without modification is impossible, unless you use Faber's ABR-1 bridge (which is designed to fit on Nashville-spaced studs).
Installation for the Tone-Lock kit was a breeze. It comes with two studs and three sets of different-sized spacers (2.5mm, 4mm, and 5.5mm heights), which provide the locking aspect of the kit. On traditional Les Pauls, many players often prefer to screw the tailpiece flush to the body in order to provide more coupling. However, doing so can alter the tension on the strings, which some players perceive as a negative. With the Tone-Lock kit, however, this trick is unnecessary, as the spacers essentially extend the studs to the tailpiece, allowing it to be locked against the stud at normal heights. Essentially, you receive the benefits of a screwed-down tailpiece without the potential drawbacks. These two pictures provide a clear illustration of how the system works:
Installing the steel bridge studs proved to be a more difficult task, as it required the removal of the original zinc inserts.
Before removing them, though, I made sure to use an X-Acto knife to score around the edges, preventing any chance of removing excess lacquer. With the inserts having been removed, I then used an 8mm x 1.25 tap to thread the pre-existing holes for the new steel studs. After they were in place, I put the bridge back onto the posts to seat them into the proper position. Installation complete! See here for a more thorough description of the instructions.
To say the least, the results of these modifications were strikingly noticeable. Before plugging in, I could immediately perceive that the guitar was livelier and much more resonant. Through my Splawn, I noticed the abundance of several more harmonics that had previously been missing. All in all, the guitar produced a richer, more complex tone.
In the next part of this segment, I'll be discussing the various electronic changes I did to the guitar. Stay tuned!
My first order of business involved replacing the stock nickel tailpiece with a vintage-spec aluminum tailpiece. In contrast to the heavy nickel tailpiece, its featherweight aluminum counterpart provides a much more resonant, airy tone. Some prefer one over the other, but in this case, since I'm trying to capture that vintage vibe, it was a no-brainer to choose the aluminum tailpiece. I also opted to find some steel bridge studs to replace the inferior zinc inserts used by the Nashville bridge. The heavier steel allows for better transfer of vibrations to the body, thus resulting in a fuller tone. Furthermore, they are designed to be in contact with the actual body wood, as opposed to the stock, tone-robbing metal inserts.After some research, I discovered a German company called Faber that specializes in manufacturing vintage-spec aftermarket parts for Les Pauls and other Gibson guitars. Several enthusiasts on both the Gear Page and the Les Paul Forum seemed very impressed with the quality of these parts, especially when compared to similar products from companies like TonePros. In particular, they loved the unique Tone-Lock bridge system (more on that later). So I headed to the website of CV Guitars (run by Larry Corsa), the official U.S. distributor of Faber parts, and placed an order for a Tone-Lock kit in aged nickel finish. This kit includes an aluminum tailpiece, as well as the patented studs that lock it into place. I also ordered the Faber "BSWKIT" Pro Sustainer System, which includes the replacement steel bridge studs. These studs allow the use of the Nashville bridge on vintage-style ABR-1 posts, which lie in direct contact with the body wood, as opposed to the normal zinc inserts. Because you still have to use the Nashville stud spacing, installing an ABR-1 bridge without modification is impossible, unless you use Faber's ABR-1 bridge (which is designed to fit on Nashville-spaced studs).
Installation for the Tone-Lock kit was a breeze. It comes with two studs and three sets of different-sized spacers (2.5mm, 4mm, and 5.5mm heights), which provide the locking aspect of the kit. On traditional Les Pauls, many players often prefer to screw the tailpiece flush to the body in order to provide more coupling. However, doing so can alter the tension on the strings, which some players perceive as a negative. With the Tone-Lock kit, however, this trick is unnecessary, as the spacers essentially extend the studs to the tailpiece, allowing it to be locked against the stud at normal heights. Essentially, you receive the benefits of a screwed-down tailpiece without the potential drawbacks. These two pictures provide a clear illustration of how the system works:
Installing the steel bridge studs proved to be a more difficult task, as it required the removal of the original zinc inserts.
Before removing them, though, I made sure to use an X-Acto knife to score around the edges, preventing any chance of removing excess lacquer. With the inserts having been removed, I then used an 8mm x 1.25 tap to thread the pre-existing holes for the new steel studs. After they were in place, I put the bridge back onto the posts to seat them into the proper position. Installation complete! See here for a more thorough description of the instructions.To say the least, the results of these modifications were strikingly noticeable. Before plugging in, I could immediately perceive that the guitar was livelier and much more resonant. Through my Splawn, I noticed the abundance of several more harmonics that had previously been missing. All in all, the guitar produced a richer, more complex tone.
In the next part of this segment, I'll be discussing the various electronic changes I did to the guitar. Stay tuned!
1/11/09
Fretworld is now on Twitter!
I've decided to create a Twitter account for Fretworld. Call me behind the times, but I've never actually delved into the world of micro-blogging. However, I do know that it's an extremely popular social networking tool, so I plan on using it to extend Fretworld's fanbase. By all means, if you have a Twitter account, please follow the new Fretworld page! I'll be sure to follow you in return.
1/10/09
Gorgomyte Fret Polishing and Fretboard Cleaning Cloths
A few weeks ago, I posted about my discovery of Micro Mesh fret polishing pads. Since then, however, I think I may have found an even better solution. While browsing the Gear Page forums (my virtual home away from home), I noticed that several members had highly recommended a strangely-named product called Gorgomyte for polishing frets and conditioning fretboards. With my curiosity having been piqued, I ventured to the product's website to learn more.After reading the product description on the site, I learned that Gorgomyte is essentially a chemically-treated cloth that removes oxidation from the frets and loosens dirt and oil build up on the fretboard. All you have to do is rub the frets and fretboard with the material and then buff them with a clean, cotton cloth. And voila, the frets are polished and the fretboard is dirt-free, all within a matter of seconds.
Of course, I remained rather skeptical towards such an incredible-sounding product. However, the site proudly displayed a plethora of renowned professional artists who currently use Gorgomyte cloths. In fact, I learned that Gorgomyte was invented by Jimmy Johnson, a renowned tech for several prominent guitarists and bassists (Tommy Shaw, James Young, Alex Lifeson, and Geddy Lee, just to name a few). There had to be some legitimacy to this stuff. And at price of $18.95 shipped (the bag contains enough for twenty treatments), I decided that it'd be worth a try.
The product arrived in resealable plastic storage bag with instructions and additional information (see left picture). Suffice to say, Gorgomyte has certainly lived up to its promise and hype, now that I've had the chance to use it extensively in the past few weeks. Granted, the Micro Mesh pads made fret polishing much easier than steel wool, but Gorgomyte really makes the process that much simpler. You literally just rub the cloth on the frets and then wipe them off, leaving an amazing luster. The added bonus of a clean, conditioned fretboard makes it even more worthwile (I believe the cloths have lemon oil in them). Apparently, the Fender Custom Shop uses Gorgomye too. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.Here's a before shot of the frets on my Les Paul. Notice the dullness of the frets due to excessive oxidation and grime:
Here is a shot of the frets after the application of the Gorgomyte cloth. A much needed improvement!:
You can learn more about Gorgomyte at the official website here.
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