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Perry’s and Whitford’s Toys-Era Gear

Perry’s and Whitford’s Toys-Era Gear

With Aerosmith touring and all the pre-tour talk about playing the Toys in the Attic album live, I wanted to try to nail down what gear Joe Perry and Brad Whitford were using on Toys. Well, good luck: This one has been tough to track down.

August 5, 2009 | By | 2 Replies More
The Final Word on EVH’s VHI Setup?

The Final Word on EVH’s VHI Setup?

There’s been a lot of stuff written about, said about and speculated about regarding Edward Van Halen’s mind-blowing, world-altering Van Halen I setup. Was he running “slaved” amps (one amp into another), was he using some sort of boost and/or distortion pedal, etc. If you read hard and don’t fall prey to speculation (which is […]

August 3, 2009 | By | 1 Reply More
Is the Pinky the Least-Toneful Finger?

Is the Pinky the Least-Toneful Finger?

Do Some Players Think So? I’ve always used my left-hand pinky while at the same time being acutely aware that many of the great players don’t – or not much. I’m talking riffing and soloing, not chording, obviously.

July 31, 2009 | By | 1 Reply More
Mick Mars Uses Vintage Gear: Who Knew?

Mick Mars Uses Vintage Gear: Who Knew?

The September 2009 issue of Vintage Guitars magazine has Mick Mars of Motley Crue on the cover. My first thought was: Another guy who makes a lot of dough and buys a bunch of vintage stuff. But after reading the interview, I was surprised to find out that Mick actually uses this stuff, in the […]

July 29, 2009 | By | 1 Reply More
Review: Joe Bonamassa’s The Ballad of John Henry

Review: Joe Bonamassa’s The Ballad of John Henry

Before getting into this track-by-track review, I’d like to make three things clear just so you know where I’m coming from. 1.  I’m a new-ish Joe Bonamssa fan, so I don’t have in-depth familiarity with his prior six CDs. 2.  I’m a classic rock guy, not really a blues guy – although Joe is sort […]

July 27, 2009 | By | Reply More
Alex Lifeson’s Permanent Waves Gear

Alex Lifeson’s Permanent Waves Gear

Vid: ‘The Spirit of Radio Lesson’ from Alex Even though I played in bands that copped multiple tunes off Rush’s Moving Pictures album, my favorite Rush album is Permanent Waves. The band was just on fire for that recording. Lots of energy, great parts, great arrangements that are complex yet understandable. Did I say great?

July 23, 2009 | By | 7 Replies More
Jimmy Page’s Heartbreaker Tone Details

Jimmy Page’s Heartbreaker Tone Details

Solid-State Amp; Heartbreaker Guitar Audio Below! Jimmy Page: Les Paul and Marshall plexi. Live, yes – mostly. Studio, no. And for Heartbreaker? Heck no, apparently.

July 21, 2009 | By | 5 Replies More
Specs on, Pics of the Pearly Gates Replica

Specs on, Pics of the Pearly Gates Replica

Lots of websites have been jumping on the recently issued, and “lovingly crafted,” Gibson Pearly Gates replica, but haven’t mentioned the most important stuff: specs and pics! So here they are. But first, the MSRPs of the three versions of this bad-boy:

July 20, 2009 | By | Reply More
Satch Running Guitars/Amps Differently Now

Satch Running Guitars/Amps Differently Now

Still Using Peaveys, No Talk of Marshalls GuitarCenter.com just put up a good interview with Chickenfoot, which, while documenting yet again the great chemistry these four guys have, also gets into the gear they use, notably Satch and Michael Anthony. As you will read, Satch only talks about his Peavey JSX signature amps. There’s no […]

July 17, 2009 | By | 2 Replies More
Mr. Scary Building One-Off Scary Axes

Mr. Scary Building One-Off Scary Axes

He’s Also Winding the Pickups Himself George Lynch, aka Mr. Scary, is now creating scary-artistic versions of his signature ESP Super V guitar, as noted by the good folks at PremierGuitar.com. On George’s website, the guitars are billed as being “100% tricked out” by George, and for sure they are. They look cool and probably […]

July 15, 2009 | By | 1 Reply More
Kenny Wayne, Live: Still the SRV Feel

Kenny Wayne, Live: Still the SRV Feel

Good Show…but Sorta Strange I remember when the Kenny Wayne Shepherd buzz first started, this kid who idolized SRV and apparently wanted to sound just like him too. Even his name was similar (Kenny Wayne – Stevie Ray). Then we lost SRV (we still miss you down here, man!), and we, or at least I, […]

July 14, 2009 | By | Reply More
Tapping: Don’t Forget Ace!

Tapping: Don’t Forget Ace!

(Note: Check out Ace’s redone website! Sweet!) Just like every other guitar player playing covers in the 1970s, Eddie Van Halen was familiar with the KISS catalog and thus Ace Frehley’s stuff. So whenever the topic of “did Ed right-hand tap first?” comes up – in my opinion a pointless debate (Ed took all previous […]

July 13, 2009 | By | 2 Replies More
More Confirmation: Gibbons First Famous Guy To ‘Tap’

More Confirmation: Gibbons First Famous Guy To ‘Tap’

If you’re a regular, or semi-regular, reader of WoodyTone.com, you will have seen the post (here) that postulates that Edward Van Halen may have learned “tapping” (right-handed hammer-ons) from Brian May, who said he learned it from someone who saw Billy Gibbons do it. However, Eddie has said he got it from watching Jimmy Page […]

July 9, 2009 | By | 2 Replies More
Mystery: What Amp Did EVH Use on ‘Beat It’?

Mystery: What Amp Did EVH Use on ‘Beat It’?

Isolated Solo Track Below! I really didn’t want to do a Michael Jackson-related post because I hate being around a herd, but here I am doing it. Why? Because it encapsulates all the reasons why a) it’s nearly impossible to know for sure what Eddie Van Halen used on any song on any album and […]

July 8, 2009 | By | 1 Reply More
Gibbons: New Details on Pesos, 7s and…Amps?

Gibbons: New Details on Pesos, 7s and…Amps?

Uses Marshall Valvestates on Tour?! Yes, that’s right, Marshall Valvestates – if you can believe it. That’s what the Rev. BFG said (sort of…more below), among other things, in a recent audio interview on MusicRadar.com. Highlights of that interview are below. Hats off to Joe Bosso, who conducted the interview, for asking a few gear-related […]

July 6, 2009 | By | 4 Replies More