|
The increased ubiquity of Jazzmasters is not a new phenomenon, but it's certainly one that's still going strong. Fender has expanded their catalog of Jazzmaster options in the past couple years with a number of new models. The popularity of the body shape and style is clear, but the question still remains: how has this once overlooked model earned its station as the go-to axe for countless up-and-coming bands from an expanding range of genres? Here are some of my theories based on close observations of the market and first-hand accounts from . . .
|
|
IN THE BASSMENT
According to the Wikipedia artcile on the instrument, the Gibson Les Paul bass "is a bass guitar first manufactured by Gibson in 1969, just after the relaunch of the Les Paul guitar in 1968." That bass didn't sell well, and was replaced two years later with a redesigned and renamed bass, the Les Paul Triumph. Here's his story behind the instrument . . .
|
|
WATCH THIS
Let's check out the making of a luxurious custom archtop, from the raw wood to the gleaming, finished instrument. Erich Solomon, makes fewer than 10 archtops per year in his small shop for a select group of players including Steely Dan's Walter Becker. The majority of his guitars are 16-inchers and the smaller body really works well for his placing the bridge in a more central portion of the lower bout. Due to the amount of handwork that goes into his creations, it takes Solomon about 200 hours to make a guitar, and this doesn't include . . .
|
Here is a recent video from Andre Antunes, one of our favorite video-making guitarists. His videos are always a treat, thanks to his creative approach to the material and, of course, his excellent guitar playing. As anyone familiar with his work knows, Andre is not only fluent in a diverse range of techniques but also quite adept at mimicking the styles and tones of many players. In this video, Andre presents choice excerpts from 10 songs together in one solo. Among the tunes included are . . .
|
|
GREAT GEAR
Here is a list of delay pedals. Whether you are looking for the inspiring warmth of analog delays or you need the precision and versatility of digital delays, you can find what you want in this list. As expected, there are delay pedals that blur the lines between the two, utilizing genuine analog circuits while employing digital controls. They offer the best of both worlds, albeit with some minor compromises like loosing the straightforward plug and play capability of analog pedals to achieve digital flexibility. Have fun, Have fun, Have fun, Hav . . .
|
|
ARTIST AWARENESS
The Funk Brothers, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Booker T and The MGs - most of us have heard of these incredible studio groups. James Jamerson and Bob Babbit at Motown Studios, David Hood at Fame and Muscle Shoals Sound, and Duck Dunn at Stax... these session players (and their respective studio affiliations) have defined what we know to be Motown, Soul, and R&B. While most of us associate Memphis soul music with Stax, another studio began churning out hit records with an equally funky group of players: Royal Studios and the Hi Rhythm Section. Bringing a sophisticated and syncopated groove to Al Green and Ann Peebles records, Leroy Hodges is a bass player to know!
|
