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The Dark (But Not Really) Bonamassa Interview

The Dark (But Not Really) Bonamassa Interview

Part 1 of 2 I was fortunate to grab some time with Joe Bonamassa today, and got to ask him a few questions about Black Rock, Black Country and black Les Pauls, among other toney things. Sounds very dark, but Joe called that coincidental. I asked about things I hadn’t already read about, about half […]

March 10, 2010 | By | 4 Replies More
Alex Lifeson’s Snakes and Arrows Gear

Alex Lifeson’s Snakes and Arrows Gear

I’m a Rush fan, particularly since I came of guitar age during the Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures era, still two of my favorite albums. I did fall away from Rush a bit over the years as they got more into synths and Alex Lifeson got more into washy, ultra-chorused, ambient sounds instead of riffs. […]

March 8, 2010 | By | 3 Replies More
What Do You Call An Amp With 10 Tubes, 5 Trannies…

What Do You Call An Amp With 10 Tubes, 5 Trannies…

Plaid Blues, 4xEL84s, Know Anyone Who Owns a Hiwatt? I’m surfing around, minding my own bidness, when I come across this line: “What do you call an amp that has 10 tubes, five transformers, user-controlled variable feedback, variable bias and a built-in Variac?” I’m thinking, I don’t know…a science experiment? The last act of a […]

March 5, 2010 | By | 8 Replies More
How to Make Your Own EVH Wolfgang…

How to Make Your Own EVH Wolfgang…

…and Save a Bundle This cool post was submitted by WoodyTone reader and avid EVH tone-chaser Trev Morson. More about him and his band is at wolfscrossing.net. How many of you want to own a new EVH Wolfgang but can’t afford the $3K asking price?

March 3, 2010 | By | 15 Replies More
The Real Story Behind the Black Marshall Stack

The Real Story Behind the Black Marshall Stack

Pete vs. John, Hecklers, Feedback You probably know that Pete Townshend had an important role in Marshall Amplification becoming what it is today. You probably have heard that Pete is responsible for the Marshall stack. That’s all true, but you may not know the details (I didn’t). So here goes.

March 1, 2010 | By | 1 Reply More
Believe It Or Not: Joe Walsh Loves Roland Cubes

Believe It Or Not: Joe Walsh Loves Roland Cubes

A Dang Solid-State Amp! Joe Walsh isn’t a tone king, he’s a tone emperor. A couple examples: He insisted that Jimmy Page take (buy, whatever) the Les Paul that became Jimmy’s No. 1. And he hooked Pete Townshend up with what to this day is one of Pete’s favorite rigs. (More details on both of […]

February 26, 2010 | By | 2 Replies More
Line 6 Guy: Warmer, Fuller = Good Tone

Line 6 Guy: Warmer, Fuller = Good Tone

Human Voice-Emulating… PremierGuitar.com had an article on its website titled “The Science of Tone.” Caught my eye, read it, turned out to be only semi-interesting. The bottom line of the article is that there really isn’t much of a science because it’s all in the ears of the beholder, and everyone’s ears are different. Duh. […]

February 24, 2010 | By | Reply More
Perry: Page Wouldn’t Dish Tone Secrets, Chord

Perry: Page Wouldn’t Dish Tone Secrets, Chord

Guitar magazines are strange. Honestly, every month I prepare to be disappointed and once in a while I’m surprised – in a good way. That was the case with this month’s (April 2010) Guitar Player magazine, with Joe Perry on the cover. Good interviews with Joe and also Frank Gambali and Pete Anderson. I mention […]

February 22, 2010 | By | Reply More
Ace’s New Instructional DVD Very Cool

Ace’s New Instructional DVD Very Cool

Some people might think an Ace Frehley instructional DVD is an oxymoron. I can understand that. Ace is not a technician and his style isn’t complex in 32nd-note, finger-gymnastical, “hyperlodian” ways. But that is precisely what makes Ace’s style unique, and the fact that it’s relatively easy to cop is one big reason he’s influenced […]

February 19, 2010 | By | 1 Reply More
Ronnie Montrose’s ‘Rock Candy’ Tone…

Ronnie Montrose’s ‘Rock Candy’ Tone…

…and Three Van Halen Connections Montrose, the 1973 self-titled debut album by the band of the same name, is one of those tone-pillar albums – “a pillar of tone that holds up the house of rock” (or pick a different metaphor). It likewise stands on its own as a monument of great tunes and great […]

February 17, 2010 | By | 8 Replies More
EVH’s New Sound: Have We Heard It Before?

EVH’s New Sound: Have We Heard It Before?

Edward Van Halen has a new guitar and a new amp – new in the sense that they haven’t been recorded yet. Not sure if it’s a rumor, but conventional wisdom is that Van Halen will at least record a new album this year. Hopefully civil behavior and sobriety will win the day, and they […]

February 12, 2010 | By | 1 Reply More
Bonamassa’s ‘Black Rock’ Better Than ‘John Henry’

Bonamassa’s ‘Black Rock’ Better Than ‘John Henry’

I’ll come right out and say it: Joe Bonamassa’s new Black Rock album is better than The Ballad of John Henry. My opinion, of course, and to some extent it’s apples/oranges, or at least apples/pears. Still, that’s a pretty big statement because I believe John Henry debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues chart, […]

February 10, 2010 | By | 3 Replies More
Jerry Garcia on Playing Stoned

Jerry Garcia on Playing Stoned

Since the recent Jerry Garcia post raised a few eyebrows and a few good points, I thought I’d follow it up with an amusing (my opinion) segment from the same Guitar Player interview. The title of the post says it all, so heeeeeeeeeeeere’s Jerry:

February 9, 2010 | By | 3 Replies More
Jake E. Lee’s Badlands Tone: Woody or Not?

Jake E. Lee’s Badlands Tone: Woody or Not?

As a kid in high school in the ’80s (early ’80s!), Jake E. Lee was on my list of favorite guitarists – another one of the seemingly endless supply of amazing, cool-looking axemen coming out of LA. I wondered how Ozzy found these guys: Were they lined up on street corners? Hanging out under palm […]

February 5, 2010 | By | 3 Replies More
EVH, ‘Somebody Get Me a…Tape Recorder,’1974

EVH, ‘Somebody Get Me a…Tape Recorder,’1974

In 1974, Edward Van Halen was 19 years old, a year out of high school. By that time he was already a monster – in fact, well before that according to people who were around in his high school years. In September, we took a look at some of his – really Van Halen’s – […]

February 3, 2010 | By | Reply More