New Guitar: Gibson Les Paul Standard '50s Neck

For more than a year, especially after having heard Steve Ingle's monstrous Les Paul tone at the 2007 Southern Creed Reunion, I've been on the hunt for the perfect Les Paul. Although some might like to argue, I believe that a Les Paul is a necessity for every player's stable, as there are just some tones you can't achieve without one. However, considering the overwhelming lack of Les Pauls in the Memphis area, both used and new, the search hasn't been easy.

I decided that I wanted to get as close to the tone of a real 1959 Les Paul (who doesn't?), without paying an arm and a leg. In this case, my budget was restricted to around $2000. Of course, this limit almost certainly eliminated the prospect of buying a Gibson Historic model (except, perhaps, a used R7). This fact didn't really bother me though, since many of the Historics I've played have left me somewhat unmoved, especially considering the price. Granted, the Historics remain more true to actual late 50s Les Pauls (long neck tenon, ABR-1 bridge, etc...), but I believe you can get a great sounding Les Paul for a lot less money if you just search for the right one. I also did not want a Les Paul Standard made after 2006. Preferably, I wanted one made between 2002 and 2006. In 2002, Gibson revamped the Standard with certain, more vintage features compared to Standards of recent years past. These changes included the use of nickle hardware (vs. chrome), push-in bushing Kluson tuners (vs. lock-in bushings), thin binding (vs. thick binding), correct vintage-era gold top hat knobs (vs. speed knobs), and Burstbucker Pro Alnico V pickups (vs. 490R/498T pickups). Additionally, the Standard also received a AA maple top, as opposed to a plain top. In 2006, however, Gibson started fully chambering their Les Pauls (not Historics), unlike the simple "Swiss cheese" weight-relieving method of the past. I've played a few of the chambered Standards, and although some of them didn't sound bad, per se, they certainly didn't sound like a true Les Paul to my ears. A lot of that signature mid-range growl is lost when all that wood is removed. Thus, these are the primary reasons I desired a Les Paul made between 2002 and 2006.

After looking far and wide, both here in Memphis and in Nashville, I did happen to stumble across a few prospective Les Pauls. Yet at the time, I didn't have the funds to purchase the guitar. And as expected, by the time I had the funds, they had already been sold. So I looked to eBay. I'm normally against buying a guitar before you play it, but in some cases, it's unavoidable. Plus, you can always resell the guitar later if you don't like it and consider any money lost as "rental" time. I took the risk. But the risk was well worth it.

I found a very nice looking 2002 Les Paul Standard '50s Neck model with a Heritage Cherry sunburst finish in very good condition for $1650 on eBay. After checking out the seller's reputation and making sure there were no hidden flaws with the guitar, I sealed the deal with the "Buy It Now" button. The Heritage Cherry sunburst finish was what really caught my eye, and the seller captured the essence of this 'burst with his photos (I usually take my own pictures, but his photos were so good that I decided to use them for this write-up). To me, the perfect 'burst is one that has some amount of visible flame or quilted maple present, yet remains subtle and not too exaggerated. Some of those extremely wavy and/or perfectly matched maple tops (à la Paul Reed Smith) just look too contrived and gaudy to me. This Les Paul's 'burst, however, looked perfect. In fact, the 'burst has a little bit of both quilt and flame present. When you put it to the sunlight at certain angles, different portions of the flame and maple can be see. In fact, a fellow Gear Page member has wittily deemed it a "peekaboo" flame top.

The guitar has all the stock hardware, including the Nashville bridge, vintage-style Kluson tuners (with push-in bushings), gold knobs, and cream plastic parts (pickup rings, switch tip, etc.). However, the previous owner replaced the saddles on the bridge with GraphTech ones. These are supposed to enhance harmonic overtones and prevent string-breakage and slippage. As far as electronics go, it has the stock Burstbucker Pro Alnico V humbuckers, as well as stock pots and capacitors.

I didn't realize just how beautiful this guitar is until I finally got the guitar and opened the case (the seller shipped it in a nice SKB case). It's simply stunning! There's actually a 'burst going for $350K on Gruhn Guitar's website (see here) that looks extremely similar to mine. I also noticed that the rosewood fretboard is very dark and smooth, almost as if it were Brazilian rosewood and not Indian rosewood. Anyways, I took it upstairs and played it for hours through my Splawn Quick Rod. This guitar really makes the Splawn sound amazing. Not to sound too sensational, but it's as if the amp and guitar were made for each other. I was getting really great, late 60s, Plexi tones out of the amp with this guitar (ZZ Top's First Album comes to mind).

Although the guitar sounds great as is, there's always the question of "how much better can it get?" I'd still like to make it a little more like a real '59. Of course, there are some things that just can't be changed (the short neck tenon, for instance), but there are many that can. I'm already planning to replace the zinc tailpiece with an aluminum, as well as upgrade the electronics (possibly with a kit from RS Guitarworks, a company that specializes in Gibson repro parts and vintage electronics upgrades). Until then, though, I'm completely happy with my purchase.

Here is a full body and rear shot of the guitar:



You can view more photos of the guitar here.

For more info on vintage and current Les Pauls, other Gibson guitars, as well as gear in general, make sure to visit the Les Paul Forum! The guys over there are extremely knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to Les Pauls. You can visit the site here.

Southern Creed Reunion Show Review (12/13/08, The New Daisy, Memphis)

Southern Creed (also called Creed, not to be confused with the popular 90s post-grunge band) held their fourth annual reunion show this past weekend at the New Daisy in downtown Memphis. Creed was a very popular classic/southern/hard rock band from Memphis during the late 70s and early 80s. The band comprised Hal Butler (keys, synth, vocals), Steve Ingle (guitar, vocals), Jimmy Rusidoff (guitar), James "The Reverend" Flynn (bass), Chip Thomas (drums), and Luther Maben (guitar, replaced by Rusidoff).


Until last December, I really didn't know much about Southern Creed. However, my dad, who saw the band a lot back in the 70s (and bought/traded some gear with Hal Butler), convinced me to go to last year's reunion show. Suffice to say, I was completely taken aback by the awesome performance these guys put on. The whole band played with incredible emotion and energy. The show this past weekend was no different. In fact, it might have even been a little better.

Last year's show ultimately sold out, so we made sure to get tickets in advance this time. This year, it didn't seem as crowded, but there were still many people present. After the opening act performed their set, Creed finally came on. I might be incorrect, but I think they opened up with "You Never See It That Way," a driving tune with a boogie feel from their self-titled 1978 album, Creed. From the start, the band sounded extremely tight and together. It's amazing that they only play once a year, yet still sound as if they are playing shows every night.

Obviously, since I'm a guitarist, my eyes were trained on Steve Ingle and Jimmy Rusidoff for much of the time. Both of their tones sounded incredible, and they played at a really nice, cranked volume. Ingle played his worn Strings-N-Things '59 Les Paul "Preissue" (and occasionally his Strat) for most of the night of the night through what looked to be some sort of Laney combo hooked up to a Randall 4x12 cabinet. Rusidoff played his Strat through what I'm pretty sure was a Super Reverb. Both of them thoroughly demonstrated their monster playing abilities, both technically and melodically.

But that's not to say the rest of the band are slouches. Hal Butler has a great voice and really knows how to play keyboards and his vintage ARP synth tastefully in a rock setting. On the bass and drums, respectively, James Flynn and Chip Thomas make up a rock-solid rhythm section. In my opinion, they're the ideal type of bassist and drummer to play with. They know when to lay back and when to add their own parts, all without without losing focus of the song.

The band played most of the material from both their first album and their 1984 EP, Believe It!, including their most popular hit, "Firecracker." However, they also threw in a few covers, such as Trapeze's "Coast to Coast" and Captain Beyond's "Raging River of Fear." It's really great to hear a band paying tribute to such relatively obscure, yet undeniably incredible music.

From start to finish, Creed played for almost three hours, which is more than anyone could ask for. This fact really proves just how much these guys enjoy playing. The only downside is that they only play once a year now! And there is also word that this show might have been their last. For now, let's hope that that's just a rumor and nothing too serious. If you ever have a chance to see these guys, by all means, please do so!


You can view more photos I took at this show here.

Visit Southern Creed's MySpace page here.

Paul Gilbert's Intense Rock, Volumes 1 and 2

A few weekends ago, I had a Guitar Center 20% off coupon for one of their often-occurring "mega" sales. Granted, I didn't have the money to make a big purchase, but I decided to see if they had any interesting trinkets I could buy. What better to get than a new instructional DVD?

I had always seen parts of Paul Gilbert's instructional videos on YouTube, but they used to be available only on VHS. Recently though, Alfred Publishing re-released a DVD that inlcudes Paul's Intense Rock 1 (1988) and Intense Rock 2 (1992) REH videos on one disc. Guitar Center had a copy in stock, so I decided to purchase it.


So far, these videos seem to be perfect for the aspiring speed player. Paul explains in-depth the various scalar runs, sequences, and arpeggios that are most prevalent in his playing. But the videos are not just about boring, monotonous "shredding." Paul's easy-t0-grasp examples and explanations make applying the lesson's material to your playing very easy. And there's even a bit of typical Paul Gilbert humor thrown in. As a bonus, the DVD also includes a snippet from both John Petrucci's and Steve Morse's instructional DVDs, as well as a performance clip from Yngwie's "Trial by Fire: Live in Leningrad" video.

Overall, this DVD is a must-have for any guitarist interested in improving his technique and accuracy. It's priced around $30, but a few places online have it for less.

Here's a clip from the video:

Kramer Focus 1000 Project

Sometimes, Guitar Center can have some screaming deals. A little over a year ago, I walked into my local Guitar Center without the intent of actually buying anything. However, as I perused past the used section, I noticed an interesting, iridescent blue Kramer on the wall, priced at a mere $175. With such a low price, I naturally thought that it was just some poorly-built, budget model at first. I pulled it off the wall to get a closer look.

After a few moments of glancing over the guitar and test driving it in the amp room, I realized that it was no junk guitar. This Kramer had a nice sounding alder body, a rosewood fretboard, a three humbucker configuration (with three mini toggle switches), and a real Floyd Rose (not one of the often-inferior licensed ones). In fact, a new Floyd Rose would have cost more than the price of the guitar itself. This fact alone made it worth buying the guitar. I had to have it.

When I brought it home, I logged onto the Vintage Kramer website to learn more about my new guitar. The site is home to some very informative articles, as well as a catalog database for several years. Anyways, the guitar's truss rod cover said "F1000," which I learned stood for Focus 1000. The Focus series were the Japanese-made equivalents of the USA Kramers. Specifically, the Focus 1000 is supposed to be the Japanese Kramer Baretta (like Eddie Van Halen used to play in the mid-80s). Anyone who has played Japanese instruments knows that their quality often equals that of American-made instruments. The F1000 is no exception.

However, after looking through several catalogs in the catalog database, I couldn't find an F1000 model with three humbuckers and three mini toggle switches. They all had just one humbucker with no switch. So I signed up on the Kramer Forum to ask the experts for help. It turns out that the previous owner had routed the F1000 for two extra humbuckers and had installed three mini toggle switches to control them. With that info, I dated this guitar to be a 1988 model with the "Flip Flop Blue" finish.

For a while, I played the guitar in this configuration. The bridge pickup was an old PJ Marx rail model (similar to the one used by Vivan Campbell), and the neck pickup was a really old DiMarzio Super Distortion. I went ahead and removed the middle "Duncan Designed" pickup (which I never used), leaving a rather large cavity in the center. At the time, I thought this was somewhat cool, as it has that unfinished EVH "Frankenstrat" vibe going on. After a while though, my bridge pickup died, so I bought a Seymour Duncan JB as a replacement. After installing the JB, I noticed that the guitar was buzzing/humming very badly when plugged in. I finally pinned the problem to the lack of shielding within the guitar's electronics cavity. So I ordered a shielding kit from Guitar Electronics, which contains a sheet of adhesive-backed copper tape and some shielded wire. Installation was a breeze: you simply stick the foil around the cavity and solder it to ground (in this case, the back of the volume potentiometer). Problem solved.

I continued to play with this setup for months, but eventually, I grew tired of the cumbersome switching system, as well as the gaping hole in the middle of my guitar. Furthermore, the Super Distortion (normally a bridge pickup) was a tad too hot for the neck position. The guitar was back on the workbench again.

While it was under repair, I decided to go ahead and give it my usual Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil and Gunstock Wax finish treatment for the back of the neck (see Ibanez RG550 Restoration Project post below). Next, I replaced the neck pickup with a Seymour Duncan '59 Neck model. Then, finding no use for them, I removed the three mini toggle switches. The top two I replaced with some anchored screws to fill the holes. The bottom hole I used to install a Switchcraft three-way toggle switch. I even added the Les Paul "poker" chip to indicate the treble and rhythm pickups. This was a unique touch that I thought would add to the personality of the guitar. Finally, to cover that big hole, I cut out a section of a black, plastic Office Depot trashcan (the material is almost identical to the guitar's backplate material) and screwed it into where the old pickup ring was. This added more of finished look to the guitar.

I then treated the dried out board to some Formby's lemon oil and polished the frets with my Micro Mesh pads. Finally, I strung the guitar up with some D'Addario 10s, tuned it to Eb (for the 80s metal), intonated it, and polished it. And it's ready to go!



And here's a video I did to demo the beast. Here, I'm running straight into my Splawn Quick Rod (on Gear 2, OD2) and into the Splawn 4x12 (Big Block speakers). Cable into the amp is a Lava ELC. Speaker cable is a Kimber 4VS.

Micro Mesh Polishing Pads

In the past, I always used #0000 grade steel wool to polish my frets. However, anyone who has ever used steel wool knows how messy it can be. Little fragments of steel break off and scatter all over the place. And since they're metal, they are magnetically attracted to your pickups. Simply put, steel wool makes fret polishing a hassle. And for someone with acidic hands like myself, frets need polishing quite frequently. I knew there had to be a better solution than steel wool.

A quick venture to Stewart-MacDonald's website solved the problem. It turns out that a certain company manufactures a product called Micro-Mesh, an abrasive material. Yet unlike sandpaper, this material is padded and doesn't wear down as quickly. Micro-Mesh is used to polish lenses, finishes, and even the windshields of jet aircraft. But most importantly to me, it can polish frets.

The kit from Stewart-MacDonald contains nine different grades of the material and costs around $10. So far, I've been extremely impressed. It polishes the frets just as well as (if not better than) steel wool without leaving the mess. However, I seem to be using only one of the pads, so next time, I'll see if I can just order one grade. Still though, I highly recommend Micro-Mesh for polishing frets.

New Splawn 2x12" Cabinet

A few months ago, after hauling my large Splawn 4x12" around, I realized that a 2x12" would probably be a good investment. So I placed an order through Lynn Burke at Blues City Music (excellent place to order from) for a 2x12 cabinet that would match my Splawn 4x12 and Quick Rod head, both of which have black tolex and gold piping. As far as speakers go, I chose an Eminence-made Splawn Big Block/Small Block 25 combo.

It took about a month for it to arrive, since these cabinets are hand-built to order. And it definitely shows in the superb quality and visible workmanship. The grille cloth seems very durable, and it comes with metal handles (or handle in the case of the 2x12"; see picture), unlike the plastic ones of your run-of-the-mill Marshall cab. The attention to detail is second-to-none.

After properly breaking the speakers in, I promptly gave the cabinet a thorough test drive. It sounds monstrous! The Big Block speaker, which is supposed to be similar to a Celestion G12H30, really brings out the highs and the lows, while the Small Block 25, comparable to a Celestion G12M Heritage, provides a nice, classic crunch. Together, they mix really well.

In all honesty, this cab sounds almost as big as my lumbering 4x12", yet it weighs much less. This has made jamming with other musicians a much easier task, as I no longer have to carry the overbearing 4x12" up flights of stairs just for an impromptu jam.

Overall, as usual, Scott Splawn and crew have certainly not disappointed with this cabinet. Anyone seeking a new cabinet should check them out. As I mentioned, each cab is built to order, so it takes about a month to arrive once the order is placed. But it's definitely worth the wait.

Stone Temple Pilots Show Review (10/30/08, Desoto Civic Center, Southaven)

In my relatively short lifetime, the Stone Temple Pilots have had a profound impact on me musically. They were one of the bands that my dad listened to constantly when I was just a toddler. As a result, most of STP's songs have become ingrained within me purely by osmosis. In fact, my first real concert was an STP show back in 2000 at the Mud Island Amphitheater that he took me to. However, being only 8, the show was, for lack of better words, quite an experience. The effluvia of marijuana and the sight of people reveling in their drunken stupor proved to be a tad too much for an 8 year old to handle. Needless to say, I begged to leave the show early, a decision that I have always regretted. Well, I reconciled this decision over a week ago when I finally saw STP for a second time.

In June, when I heard that STP were surprisingly coming to the Memphis area, I immediately procured second row seats at the Desoto Civic Center in Southaven, MS, just across the state line. Apparently, Memphis has an extremely high performance tax, making it more economical for bands to play just a few miles south in Mississippi.

After waiting for about an hour, without having to endure a lame opening act, the lights dimmed. The crowd rose to their feet. Scores of avid fans eagerly anticipated the return of the Stone Temple Pilots. Out walked bassist Rob DeLeo, guitarist Dean DeLeo, drummer Eric Kretz, and vocalist Scott Weiland. The show had begun.

“Time to take her home/Her dizzy head is conscience laden/Time to take a ride/It leaves today no conversation,” sang Weiland to the sold out crowd at the Desoto Civic Center.

Even a year ago, this event would have been considered unimaginable by fans of the recently reunited Stone Temple Pilots, including myself. Throughout the early and mid-nineties, the Grammy Award-winning band enjoyed remarkable success, producing several hit records. Although sometimes considered a grunge act, STP developed a truly unique sound amidst the other flannel-clad bands of the era. However, five years ago, the band split after internal strife, primarily the result of Weiland’s habitual substance abuse problems. Weiland proceeded to form Velvet Revolver with several former members of Guns N’ Roses, while the DeLeo brothers created the short-lived Army of Anyone with Filter frontman, Richard Patrick. The two bands remained largely unsuccessful. For a band of such high potential, Velvet Revolver fell extremely short. As a classic instance of the whole being greater than the parts, the disunity of the members of STP proved that no offshoot band would ever be as memorable as the original Pilots. But after a long hiatus, the group reunited to perform more than sixty-five shows across the United States, all of which have largely received stellar reviews. The show in Southaven was no exception.

After easing into their set with “Big Empty,” it was clear the STP were on their A-game. Weiland’s vocals were dead on throughout the night. Having seen Weiland’s mediocre performances with Velvet Revolver twice in the past, I was pleasantly surprised by this welcome contrast. Weiland also appeared to be in much better health, compared to his rather gaunt disposition of years past. Dean DeLeo filled the arena with his luscious guitar tone, pounding riffs, and tasteful, atmospheric playing. It became evident why so many consider him a modern incarnation of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. Throughout the night, Dean played an assortment of guitars, including a few Les Pauls, an old Telecaster, and a Paul Reed Smith. For dirty sounds, he was plugged into his classic Demeter preamp/VHT poweramp setup into two Marshall 4x12 cabs. For cleans, he appeared to be using his Vox AC30s. Rob DeLeo’s thundering bass lines and Eric Kretz’s skillful drumming provided a rhythm section that didn’t miss a beat, quite literally. During the show, the band entered a few instrumental jam sessions, where the DeLeo brothers and Kretz further exercised their creative prowess. When I witnessed Velvet Revolver perform at this same venue over four years ago, the sound was extremely muddy and inaudible. This certainly wasn’t the case with STP’s performance. Granted, the band played at a loud volume, but it was enjoyable type of loud, with every nuance of the band capable of being heard. Then again, sitting on the second row certainly didn’t hurt matters.


As predicted, the set list primarily comprised most of the band’s hit tracks from past albums. Performances of such classics as “Plush,” “Vasoline,” “Wicked Garden,” "Sex Type Thing," and “Creep” sounded faithful to the album versions. However, the band also treated the audience to a few more obscure songs, including one of my personal favorites, “Sin.” Surprisingly, almost everyone in the crowd knew all the lyrics to each song by heart. Witnessing a concert among other die-hard fans certainly added to the intimacy of the show, and it definitely showed on the faces of the band members. They truly appeared to enjoy performing for us, unlike many other bands that merely go through the motions. The set ended with an encore performance of “Dead and Bloated” and “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart.”

Seeing this show directly following the Yngwie show really highlighted a contrast of styles that has greatly affected me as a guitar player within the past week or so. Granted, Dean DeLeo isn’t a guitarist who can sweep arpeggios at 200bpm or pick scales at lightning speeds, but the guy can write some extremely memorable riffs and tasteful solos. Don’t get me wrong, I love Yngwie and all the “shredders,” but such amazing technical playing isn’t everything. Dean’s playing really reminded me of the importance of putting musicality first and foremost.

Overall, the Stone Temple Pilots put on an incredible show. Apparently, my opinion was in accordance with everyone else, as indicated by the unified chants of “S-T-P” at the end. Perhaps the reunion will eventually evolve into some new material from the band. We can only hope so. But until then, it’s great to know that one of modern rock’s greatest bands is back in action.

You can view the rest of the pictures I took at this show here.

Yngwie Malmsteen Show Review (10/29/08, The Cannery, Nashville)

Compared to other cities, Memphis draws a relatively weak number of hard rock acts. As a result, I find myself having to travel to other cities to see my favorites perform. Two days ago, I made the trek up to Nashville to see neoclassical shred-maestro Yngwie Malmsteen at the Cannery Ballroom/Mercy Lounge. Three years ago, I saw Yngwie at this very same place on his 2005 Unleash the Fury tour. I also lost a few decibels of top-end hearing as a result of standing directly in front of Yngwie's wall of 50w Marshall JMP stacks. Fortunately, I didn't make that mistake again.

Anyways, the Nashville performance was part of Yngwie's tour in support of his new album, Perpetual Flame. For the new album, Yngwie hired ex-Judas Priest frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens for vocals. But as with most Yngwie albums, everything else (including guitars, bass, lyrics, production, etc...) is all done by the Swede himself. It's also worth mentioning that the album cover is quite comical. I'll let the cover speak for itself:


Anyways, the show kicked off with an interesting (to say the least) Russian metal band, fronted by a rather strange singer dressed like the Joker who couldn't speak English well. Then, about forty-five minutes later, Yngwie's crew came on. Normally, Yngwie kicks off his show with the lights turned off while he plays a speedy, classically-based arpeggio theme behind his amps before coming on stage. He began to do this as usual, but apparently the light operator wasn't paying attention, or he simply wanted to anger the testy Malmsteen. Well, he successfully accomplished the latter: as soon as the lights came on again, the surprised Yngwie abruptly stopped playing, yanked the mic from Ripper Owens' hand, and shouted in his heavily-accented voice, "Turn the fuckin' lights off." Classic Yngwie episode right there...

The mishap was just a harbinger of the rest to come. Yngwie's tech, who appeared to be only sixteen, seemed to have trouble handing Yngwie the right guitar each song. As a result, he was the victim of many angry sneers from Malmsteen, who would violently toss his guitars to the poor tech. I felt sorry for him, honestly.

The band started off with the opening track of the new album, "Death Dealer." The setlist included many more from the album, but Yngwie and crew also churned out several classics, including "Far Beyond the Sun," "I Am a Viking," and an encore presentation of "I'll See the Light Tonight." Fans of Rainbow will appreciate the well-executed cover of "Gates of Babylon." Malmsteen also played a shortened version of "Trilogy Suite, Op. 5," but it actually turned out rather disappointing. Arguably the most impressive performance though was "Red Devil," a straight-up, hard riffing track from the new CD. The song is about Yngwie's love of Ferraris, and he even played a special red Strat just for the song. Regarding the rest of the band, I was extremely impressed by Tim "Ripper" Owens' vocals and his ability to interact with the crowd. Longtime drummer Patrick Johannson performed solidly on the drums as well.

Yngwie's tone was extremely good throughout the night. He appeared to be using his newer Fender signature model Strats through his trusty Marshall JMP MkII 50w full stacks, roaring at full volume. However, his acoustic tone was rather shrill and nasally. As usual, fans scrambled to grab the many picks Yngwie tossed out throughout the show, often resulting in rather aggressive altercations. Luckily, I acquired three back in 2005, so I was already set.

Overall, compared to the previous time I saw him, Yngwie seemed a little more tired and temperamental this time around, and it definitely showed. Regardless, it was an enjoyable performance, and if Yngwie rolls around your area, I would try to see him. He truly is often overlooked for his role in revolutionizing guitar playing in the 1980s. Be aware though that Yngwie prohibits the use of cameras and camcorders, hence my lack of many pictures. I had to quickly sneak in the few that I did take, and their quality suffered as a result.

Movie Review: "Crazy"

Steve Vai's record label, Favored Nations, has now delved into the movie business. Last weekend (October 17th), their first major production, titled Crazy, released exclusively in Nashville and Memphis at select theaters. Lucky for me, considering one of those select theaters is minutes from my house! The film has actually been showing in various independent film festivals and has won several awards.

Produced by Vai himself, Crazy chronicles the life of Hank Garland (played by Waylon Payne from Walk the Line and CSI), a highly-revered Nashville session guitar player. Throughout his career, Garland worked with countless names in the music industry, including such greats as Elvis, Dave Brubeck, Wes Montgomery, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, Charlie Parker, and many, many more. In fact, Vai makes a cameo as Hank Williams, and Vai's guitar hero sidekick Tony MacAlpine has the brief role of Wes Montgomery. The movie also highlights some of Garland's darker moments, including troubles with his salacious wife (played by Ali Garter from Heroes) and contractual issues with record labels. These problems ultimately result in Garland's mental breakdown, hence the title of the movie.

The movie is prone to issues most common with these types of low-budget films though. Some of the acting by the minor characters remains shoddy throughout. However, considering the funds that Vai and crew had to work with, Crazy certainly does not disappoint. If you're a guitar fan in the Memphis or Nashville area, go see it now! For Vai fans, the following scene is worth the cost of admission alone:


Here's a neat trailer for the movie:

TRAILER (Qucktime Large)

Visit the website:

Crazy Official Website

Video Clip from UFO Show

I finally got around to uploading a little video clip I shot at the UFO show I reviewed. It's a nice shot of Vinnie Moore playing the solo from "Pushed to the Limit." Here it is from Youtube (sorry for the audio quality!):



Enjoy!

UFO Show Review (4/16/08, Wildhorse Saloon, Nashville)

Although this UFO show occurred over five months ago, it fits in with the theme of my new blog. I thought I'd share a review I posted earlier over at the Jemsite forums:

"I had the chance to go up to Nashville yesterday to see UFO play the Wildhorse Saloon downtown. Although Michael Schenker (original guitarist, great player) isn't with UFO right now, Vinnie Moore is now the main guitarist in the band, and he's been a big influence on me in my relatively short playing-span. As a result, I was thrilled at the opportunity to see him, not to mention Phil Mogg and the rest of the band. We got to sit/stand right in front of the stage. However, we were unable to get the meet and greet tickets, as they were already sold out. Anyways, we had to endure two warm-up bands, the first of which was a decent pop-country band. The other band, however, wasn't too good, and IMO, wasn't suitable for opening UFO (they were a cheesy cover-band). I guess it made UFO sound that much better when they came on. When they hit the stage, it was much louder than the warm-ups, but it was loud in a good, beat-your-chest kind of way (not in the Yngwie, split-your-eardrums-type loud). They opened up with "Mother Mary," an all time favorite of mine. Vinnie's tone through his ENGL heads (SE and Classic Tube 50) and two 4x12" cabs (Celestion V30s) was extremely thick, smooth and, crunchy. I could hear every note he was playing with ease. His pedalboard was fairly simple too (see picture below). Vinnie also played his new Dean signature, as well as a Dean Z and a Dean acoustic of some type. I must say, as simple as it looks, his signature model left me wanting one of my own. Before the show, I knew that Vinnie was a good player. But wow, after seeing his playing live, I didn't realize he was THAT good! The guy can flat out play, and his phrasing was really tasteful! Forget the shredding, he can hybrid-pick like a beast! Vinnie handed me his pick too, so that was really cool. I can't remember the exact set list, but they played all the classic UFO songs, like "Too Hot to Handle," "Lights Out," and "Rock Bottom." Phil Mogg's vocals were dead on, especially for someone of his age. I strongly recommend that any fan of hard rock (not just UFO or Vinnie Moore) to see this band when they roll around. They put on an incredible show, and I doubt you'll be disappointed."

I managed to get a nice shot of Vinnie Moore's pedalboard before the show, for anyone who is interested in the effects he uses. From what I could tell, he was using an Analog Man-modded Ibanez Tube Screamer, an Arion Chorus, a T-Rex Replica, and one of the new MXR Carbon Copy delays:


Surprisingly, Vinnie Moore himself sent me a nice little message on his forum thanking me for my review and pictures. I was pretty stoked! If you want to view the rest of my pictures I took at the show, you can see them here.

Ibanez RG550 Restoration Project

Back in early 2006, I acquired my first Ibanez, a 1990 RG550 in Laser Blue. At the time, the original owner had put a custom S/S/S pickguard on it, but I swapped it back out for the original three-ply, black H/S/H pickguard. I also opted to put a DiMarzio X2N in the bridge and an Air Norton in the neck. I kept them in there for a while, until recently I realized that I needed a change to suit my style of play more. The Air Norton was all right, I suppose, but the X2N was just WAY too much gain for what I needed. As a result, I decided to go with the classic PAF Pro/PAF Pro combo in order to get that early Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert (etc.) sound.

However, the guitar also needed a bunch of other minor operations for me to get it exactly the way I wanted, so this ended up being a sizeable project.

My first order of business was the neck. The Ernie Ball necks have always felt great to me, and I learned that they use a special combination of Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil and Gun Stock Wax to achieve that superior, worn-in feel. After some research, I felt pretty comfortable with performing the operation. First, I sanded down the neck to its bare state using a variety of sandpaper grits (600, 400, 200). Following that, I used Murphy's Oil Soap (diluted 3:1) to give the neck a thorough cleaning from its built-up grime and sweat. The next night, I applied the the coat of Tru-Oil with a paper towel and old T-shirt, distributing it evenly down the neck. A lot of this stuff goes a long way, so I only used a small amount. It also becomes extremely gooey within a matter of minutes, so I let the oil sit on the neck for about thirty seconds, wiping the excess off immediately afterwards. Then, the neck was left to dry overnight. The next day, I buffed the neck with some fine 0000 steel wool and then applied a coat of the wax. With the wax, I simply poured a little on the neck and rubbed it across the neck until its surface was covered. I opted to apply one more coat, but this is merely a personal preference as to how "sticky" you want your neck. The result is the one of the best feeling necks I've ever played. If you've ever played an Ernie Ball guitar before, you'll know what I mean.

With the neck having been perfected, I moved on to the trem cavity. Most of these Ibanezes came with some sort of foam in the trem cavity, yet for some reason, mine was missing. I went to my local Hobby Lobby and picked up the perfect material to solve the problem: a $.79 sheet of adhesive-backed "Funky Foam." I traced the cavity area on a sheet of paper and used it as template to cut the foam. After cutting the appropriate shape out, I placed it in the cavity and glued it down with some Gorilla Glue for extra-security. Voila, instant trem cavity foam!

Next came the pickups. As mentioned, I went with the DiMarzio PAF Pro for the bridge, another PAF Pro for the neck, and the DiMarzio ISCV2 JEM singe coil for the middle. Using some handy schematics from DiMarzio's site, installation was a breeze. If you are a beginner, Magnus Olsson's pickup installation guide is very helpful and informative (not to mention the guy is an extremely gifted player!). Of note, I used CTS 500k potentiometers, a Sprague .022μf "Orange Drop" capacitor for the tone control, and a Switchcraft 5-way switch. The PAF Pros still retain that classic, humbucking vibe, yet they are just hot enough to handle heavier material. They have fast become my favorite pickup.



Finally, I installed one of those handy Gotoh allen wrench holders that you attach to the back of the headstock using my drill. This tool is invaluable whenever you forget or misplace your Allen wrenches, especially at a gig situation.

And finally, this guitar is one hundred percent complete (for now). I'll make a short demo video sometime soon to show what it sounds like.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog!

Granted, as much as I'm into technology and the like, I must admit that this is my first venture into the ever-growing realm of blogging.

Anyways, guitars and music are two things I absolutely cannot live without. As a result, I thought it would be neat show some of the various encounters/adventures I have with the two on a frequent basis. What better way to do so than by blogging? Whether it be an in-depth review of a new guitar, pictures from a recent concert/event, or just my thoughts on music in general, I hope you enjoy!

I'll be posting some more "stuff" here in the next few days, so check back soon!