2025

CUSTOM SHOP
Dual Mag II Strat
Heavy Relic

Featuring

HISTORIC
CUSTOM FENDERS
MASTER BUILDERS
ON TONE & MODS
NEW CS GUITARS
FOR 2025
& More

J E F F ‘S K U N K’ BA X T E R AFTER EURY THMICS

S TEELY DA N SES SI O N L EG EN D TA L KS G U ITA RS DAVE STEWART ON HIS TRIBUTE TO BOB DYL AN
 Future Publishing Limited, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA
Telephone 01225 442244 Email guitarist@[Link] Online [Link]

Have It Your Way

This month’s cover feature on customisation brought to
mind all of the wonderful things – but also the potential
pitfalls – of having everything your way when it comes
to guitar design. Neville Marten correctly points out
that one of the problems can be that, presented with the
chance to do anything you want, you end up designing
a guitar that’s decked out like a Christmas tree with a
motley of disparate pickups, off-the-wall finish, bonkers
wiring options and all the rest – and yet somehow it ends up being less
than the sum of its parts.
But if you approach customisation less like a buffet and more like
making a favourite dish exactly to your taste, things can work out
beautifully. I think that’s because the harder we try to meet all our
potential needs, both now and in the future, by slathering on options,
the further we move away from the simple ingredients of an inspiring
playing experience and the more we risk paying for redundant
capabilities we never, in the end, come around to using.
I had this feeling when gigging and recording with amp by a famous
brand known for offering all the buzzers and bells: voicing switches,
extensive EQ options, multiple channels. I had fun playing around
with it all for a day, then hit upon a combination of settings that I liked
and… I never touched the dials and switches again! I might as well have
found an amp that just did what I personally liked and done away with
the cost and complexity of all that ‘choice’.
So what would I choose if I were spec’ing out a Custom Shop guitar?
Here goes: double-bound ’59-spec Tele Custom with the nitro version
of Fender’s Texas Tea finish, which looks black but comes up goldish in
certain lights, Twisted Tele pickups with switchable choice of serial or
parallel wiring when the selector is in the middle position, light ageing,
9.5-inch radius and a bridge that lets you either top-load or go through
body. Now all I’ve got to do is work out how to pay for it! Enjoy the issue.

Jamie Dickson Editor-in-chief

Editor’s Highlights
Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter Oxblood Test Molly Tuttle
Session legend, pragmatist Jeff’s original was a mongrel Like so many great talents to
and no snob, Jeff’s playing that became an icon – can emerge from the Americana
has graced some of the Epiphone’s new replica of scene, Molly’s crossover
finest records ever made. He that famous Lester really appeal is only just getting
talks about guitars on p112 do it justice? p92 started over on p48

COVER IMAGE BY PHIL BARKER; ABOVE: JEFF ‘SKUNK’ BAXTER IMAGE COURTESY OF ROLAND; EPIPHONE IMAGE BY PHIL BARKER; MOLLY TUTTLE IMAGE BY PHIL BARKER

AUGUST 2025 GUITARIST 3

 Future Publishing Limited, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA
Telephone 01225 442244 Email guitarist@[Link] Online [Link]

EDITORIAL
Editor-In-Chief
Jamie Dickson
Art Editor [Link]@[Link]
Reviews Editor
Darren Phillips Dave Burrluck
[Link]@[Link] Deputy Editor dave@[Link]

David Mead
Managing Editor [Link]@[Link]
Senior Music Editor
Lucy Rice Jason Sidwell
[Link]@[Link] Content Director, Music [Link]@[Link]

Scott Rowley
[Link]@[Link]

Contributors
Tony Bacon, Richard Barrett, Alex Bishop, Milford Coppock, Trevor Curwen, Andrew Daly, Richard Hood, Glenn Kimpton, Neville Marten,
Huw Price, Davina Rungasamy, Amit Sharma, Martin Smith, Gary Stuckey, Stuart Williams, Charlie Wilkins, Henry Yates

In-House Photography
Phil Barker, Neil Godwin, Matt Lincoln

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 Contents
REGULARS
54 028
030
032
Gas Supply
Fretbuzz
New Music
034 Tones Behind The Tracks
036 Opinion
040 Substitute
042 Feedback
104 Subscribe
112 Bought & Sold
116 The Mod Squad
120 Nitty Gritty
124 Vintage Icons
130 Next Month

FEATURES
044 Obituary: Mick Ralphs
COVER FEATURE

046 Obituary: Rick Derringer

048 Molly Tuttle
054 Fender Custom Shop
076 Dave Stewart
106 Blueprint: Dr Z Amplification
PHOTO BY PHIL BARKER

NEW GEAR
008 Ivison Dakota Standard
014 Two Notes Torpedo Reload II
018 Taylor Builder’s Edition

76
514ce Kona Burst
022 ThorpyFX Hanami
Germanium Fuzz
024 Walrus Audio Canvas Rehearsal
026 Martin OM-28E Standard
082 PRS Special Semi-Hollow,
S2 Special Semi-Hollow &
SE Special Semi-Hollow
092 Epiphone Jeff Beck Oxblood
1954 Les Paul
FEATURE

100 Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss

PHOTO BY KRISTIN BURNS

TECHNIQUES
126 Blues Headlines with
Richard Barrett

92 VIDEO & AUDIO

To enjoy all of the video and audio content
in this issue, type the following link into
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in the post entitled ‘Guitarist video and
audio’: [Link]
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See p104 for details THE LATEST
GUITAR NEWS

6 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 F I R S T PL AY

IVISON DAKOTA
STANDARD
£4,495

WHAT IS IT? Superb retro-aimed,

professional-level solidbody that
recalls 60s-era Gibson

High Flyer
Used by big names such as Richard Fortus
and Audley Freed, and made here in the
UK, Ivison guitars recall the lost art of the
‘golden era’ but in very original dress
Words Dave Burrluck Photography Phil Barker

I
t might look like another very cool
vintage guitar, but, no – this new-for-
2025 Dakota Standard is the work
of Worcestershire-based illusionist Neil
Ivison. Arriving in its very practical logo’d
cream Hiscox case (like many quality UK
builds do), it just doesn’t prepare you for the
time-warp vibe of the guitar itself.
The Dakota came from a desire to create
a more usable version of Gibson’s classic
Firebird: “There must be a way I can make
this more ergonomic but still keep the
sound...” Neil mused when we spoke to him,
back in issue 508 in 2023, about the origins
of the design. Since that time, the Dakota
has more than earned its place in the Ivison
line-up alongside the Hurricane, and it now
comes in single-pickup One format and also
with korina replacing the all-mahogany
build of the model we have here. In fact, for
2025, the Dakota Standard gets in-house
Ivison pickups (originally the model
used Sunbears), plus an optional bound,
coloured top with natural-back style, which
means new colours can be added, and our
review piece shows that off with Neil’s take
on Cadillac Green. Finally, you can now
order your Dakota with either the Faber
wraparound you see here, a vintage-style
ABR-1 tune-o-matic and tailpiece, or with
a short Maestro vibrato.
Based around a short scale length taken
from a 50s Gibson Les Paul Junior, it’s a
simple guitar, though more like a Junior

8 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

FIRST PLAY IVISON DAKOTA STANDARD

1. The heel looks like or Special than that oversized Firebird. Junior in colour. The African mahogany 2. This classy back-angled
classic Gibson, The single-cut shape really isn’t a million body (which appears to be one piece) has a headstock holds the
although the body is lightly aged Gotoh
lightly chamfered, and
miles from our 50s Junior in outline, with very striped, straight grain, and there’s some tuners and a superbly
reflects the old-school the exception of the rounded and more light chamfering to reduce the body bulk cut and highly polished
long-tenon neck joint. stylised treble horn. It’s slab-bodied, where the neck meets the body. We have buffalo bone nut
The neck is ‘old stock’ albeit with that nod to the Firebird with a standard depth of 45mm at that centre
Honduran mahogany,
too, quarter-sawn its slightly raised centre section, which section, slightly thinner at 42.5mm for the
and one-piece with a adds subtle form to the otherwise flat front body flanks.
vintage-spec single- and is a platform for the twin pickups and The neck is classed as quarter-sawn
action truss rod
wraparound bridge to be mounted on. It ‘old growth’ Honduran mahogany and fits
also provides a straight line to which the original Les Paul style with a long tenon
reverse pickguard can be lined up. extending under the neck pickup, while
This isn’t a unique-to-Ivison idea, of the truss rod is old-school single action.
course. Most recently Eastman’s Juliet The clever design of the three-side, lightly
design from 2022 featured a similar raised back-angled headstock means it looks
centre motif and was a nod to a more familiar, classic even, without being a

This Dakota does not feel

remotely like a brand-new
guitar. But it doesn’t feel
overused or abused, either
playable Firebird. This is particularly
evident on the more recent Henry James
signature model, which uses a pair of
Firebird-style mini-humbuckers.
The single-ply edge binding might be
optional, but to our eyes it just seems to
elevate the design above a Junior or Special.
The back, sides and neck-back all take on
that dark chocolate hue, which is virtually
identical to our reference 1957 Gibson Les

10 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 IVISON DAKOTA STANDARD FIRST PLAY

knock-off. The heel, like the majority of the

build, is very old Gibson-like, too.
Overall, the Dakota really does come
across as a Special-meets-Firebird circa
1963. Surely, the teams at Gibson built one of
these, didn’t they? The illusion is enhanced
when it comes to the hardware, which is all
very authentically aged – from the Faber
bridge, and the mini-humbucking covers
and mounting rings, to the Gotoh tuners,
three-ply pickguard, screws and small
Gibson-like strap buttons. And while there’s
no obvious ageing to the control knobs, hey,
is there a cooler knob out there?

Feel & Sounds

This light ageing of the finish and hardware
shouldn’t affect the playing feel, but it really
does: this Dakota does not feel remotely
like a brand-new guitar. But it doesn’t feel
overused or abused, either; if you like classic
instruments, the neck and fretwork might
well sway you before you’ve even plugged
in. This is lovely, unfussy craft with a very Like many top-end makers,
good choice of wire gauge, which is spec’d Faber is the choice for the bridge
here. This wrapover looks like
by Jescar at 2.54mm wide by 1.14mm high.
it was made in the 50s, apart
In practice, it’s slightly lower but feels far from that more contemporary
from modern yet perfectly playable. The compensated ridge
fret ends are nicely domed, the binding edge
slightly rounded but not overdone. In terms
of depth, the neck is slightly slimmer than
previous Ivison Hurricanes we’ve played
– 21.3mm at the 1st fret, 23.2mm at the 12th
UNDER THE HOOD
with a pretty standard nut width at just a Remove the backplate and go back in time…
shade under 43mm, which gives the neck

I
that classic ‘C’. Not too thick, not too thin. t’s little surprise that, with such a by Gibson from 1952 to ’56. They’re valued
Weight-wise, the word ‘perfect’ springs high attention to detail in the build, at .022µF, but the neat thing is that they
to mind. Playing seated or strapped on, the actual hidden electronics should have a Ivison logo.
the Dakota just disappears. It doesn’t slip be as tidy and detailed as everything else. As to the pickups, these are the Ivison
off your lap and it doesn’t drag on your Like an old Gibson from the 50s, there’s no Freedbird set that were designed and
shoulder, and after a few unplugged strums screening in the cavity or on the back of the wound for endorsee Audley Freed, who
you know it’s game-on. It’s quite loud for control cover. But the wiring is immaculate basically wanted the look of a Firebird’s
starters, with a big ring. It’s interesting to and stylised in its layout using 500k CTS mini-humbuckers but with the “extra grunt”
compare the Dakota, unplugged, with that pots, with perfectly placed bare ground wire of a proper P-90 in bridge position. Both use
’57 Junior reference, which has more of a and a pair of old-looking capacitors that Alnico II magnets with DCRs of 6.2kohms
midrange push; the Dakota sounds a little emulate the blue ink Grey Tiger types used (neck) and 8.1k (bridge).
brighter and lighter.
Previous Ivison builds we’ve played have
featured Sunbear pickups, and this is the
first time we’ve heard the in-house designs.
These follow the Firebird style but with a
few changes (see Under The Hood, right).
It’s certainly quite the sonic stew with the
bridge pickup, by design, aping the girth and
slight compression of an overwound P-90,
although here it’s a little milder in output
(certainly compared with our ’57 Les Paul Just as tidy inside as
Junior), which balances rather nicely with out. The Ivison-logo’d
that ‘big Tele’-like neck pickup. There’s a capacitors might
give the game away,
lot of ring and chime to the guitar, though
but this – like so
it’s subtly rounded and fuller than our own much of the design –
Tele reference, plus we’re feeling ‘Gibson’ references 50s Gibson
even if what we’re hearing is a little more
California. As we’ve discussed on plenty

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 11

FIRST PLAY IVISON DAKOTA STANDARD

TAKING OFF
With new staff, in-house pickups and the continuing success of the Dakota,
there’s plenty to discuss. We grab Neil Ivison for a quick chat

W
e last caught up with Neil just over bridge can be really spiky – famously Allen Collins
18 months ago and quite a lot has put a dog-ear P-90 in the bridge [position] on
changed and evolved since then. his Firebird. We told Audley we were developing a
Fundamentally, Ivison is now making its own P-90 that fits into a Firebird case, so you still get
pickups in-house, quite an undertaking for such the look, but it’s actually a P-90 and it takes away
a small operation. Neil explains: “Basically, I took that harshness and there’s a bit more middy grunt
on Paul Cross to help me build the guitars and he of a P-90. Audley was keen to hear them, so we
wound his own pickups, so it made sense – if we wound him a set and, although it was our first go,
now had someone on staff who can wind pickups he was over the moon. I think I delivered him a set
– to make our own. on a Wednesday and the following night he was
“For most guitar makers, if you buy in a pickup using them with Sheryl Crow.”
set, they cost so they’ll go on the guitar. But now What about selling the Ivison pickups
we have this little rehearsal room right next to the aftermarket? “At the moment, it’s a no,” Neil tells
workshop where we have my touring gear all set
up, so we can take a guitar in there and put some
pickups in, and if we feel for that piece of wood
“The Dakota is
the pickup needs a bit more zing or maybe the our biggest-selling
opposite, this one’s a little top heavy, we can swap
them for another set. Paul can literally go and wind guitar and it’s a
a new set to more suit the guitar. It does make it a
bit more long-winded, but we just feel the guitars
great platform for
are going out sounding their optimum, really.”
One fan, of course, is Audley Freed, who now
different styles” Neil Ivison has now brought pickup-making
in-house, handled by Paul Cross
has his own pickup set. “It’s a bit mad, really,” says Neil Ivison
Neil. “I’ve been an Audley Freed fan for years, in
The Black Crowes and even Cry Of Love before us. “But never say never! It’s just the two of us – because at least half of the build time goes on
that. Then you get these emails saying basically building the guitars, so it’s über-boutique, really, finishing. I seem to spend most of my time in the
they’d like to try a guitar and meet up and you and we’re both flat out five or six days a week. spray booth right now. I’d rather get back to the
think, ‘Well, it’s not going to be that Audley Freed, “I tend to handle all the woodwork and sawdust and muck,” he laughs.
is it? There must be umpteen Audley Freeds in finishing,” continues Neil, “and then Paul does the A big part of the demand comes from the
America!’ Then the penny drops that it is that pickup stuff. We’re making around 40 instruments Dakota itself. “It’s our biggest-selling guitar,
Audley Freed. But you just find with all of these a year, so it’s still very small numbers. Moving about three times more than anything else we
people, they’re just guitar geeks like us. We were forward, we’re looking at the finishing process – do. It really is its own thing now. I’m still waiting
talking about Firebird pickups and how that we could really do with someone [to help] on that for someone to say, ‘Oh, that was my design,’ but
I sort of think it was there for the taking – surely
someone has done this before? This can’t be
mine,” he laughs. “To be honest, I’ve seen a few
that have come after the Dakota, but instead of
getting angry I’m actually quite flattered.
“There are a few more iterations on the Dakota
platform we’re planning to do. We’ve had a few
requests for a reverse-headstock version and
we’re doing one of those for Richard Fortus at
the moment – a sort of scaled-back version
of a Firebird headstock that’s completely our
own. Obviously, with the ’25-spec Standard
you have there, we’ve done the bound top edge,
which I think really works, so we’re looking at
different colours and perhaps sparkle tops with
Filter’Trons, that sort of thing.
All the hardware, including “It’s nice that the Dakota outline shape has
these pickup covers been so accepted as it’s a great platform for
and mounting rings, is different styles. We might try a Jazzmaster
beautifully aged. These
vibrato, but it’s doing so well at the moment
are Ivison’s Freedbird set,
designed and wound for that I’m loath to change it too much. There are
endorsee Audley Freed definitely things we can try, for sure, but if it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it!” [DB]

12 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 IVISON DAKOTA STANDARD FIRST PLAY

This style of black ‘top-hat’

silver reflector knob was
used by Gibson from late
1960, and it’s no surprise
to find a very classic
50s-style circuit inside

IVISON DAKOTA
STANDARD
PRICE: £4,495 (inc hard case)
ORIGIN: UK
TYPE: Single-cutaway, solidbody electric
BODY: African mahogany with raised centre and
bound edge (optional)
NECK: Quarter-sawn Honduran mahogany
’59 profile, glued-in
SCALE LENGTH: 625.5mm (24.625”)
NUT/WIDTH: Polished buffalo bone/43mm
FINGERBOARD: Cream bound AAA
rosewood, vintage pattern celluloid dot inlays,
305mm (12”) radius
of occasions, the 50s- or vintage-style mix. Needless to say, it’s stupidly good – a FRETS: 22, medium (Jescar 45100)
wiring just seems to increase the colours: little soul and funk in there, but add some HARDWARE: Faber TPWC-’59 compensated
pulling back the tones thins the voice, slapback and you’re in Memphis. wraparound bridge/tailpiece; Gotoh SD90
while the top-end of the volumes morph After initially tuning up and just Kluson-style tuners – aged nickel plating
intuitively from ‘rhythm’ to ‘lead’. stretching the strings in, did we tune the STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52mm
Overall, it’s a rather beguiling sound, guitar again during our lengthy sound test? ELECTRICS: Ivison Freedbird set (Firebird-style
seemingly not quite one thing nor another Not that we can remember. Everything humbucker at neck; P-90 in Firebird-style cover
yet the quality and musicality is hugely about the build oozes quality and classic at bridge), 3-way toggle pickup selector switch,
evident. On the one hand, that bridge craft, topped off with a wonderful feel and volume and tone for each pickup
pickup wants to sound like a P-90, but it sits sounds to match. Another level. WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.47/7.63
so well as a lower-powered, not over-bright OPTIONS: Vintage pattern trapezoid inlays;
humbucker that sounds like instant Mike Verdict Ivison pickups (P90Bird, PAFBird, P90 soapbars
Campbell to this writer – an illusion not While Ivison might not be the only maker, and ’59-spec Patent Applied For style)
helped when you play some of his classic large or small, that has considered a RANGE OPTIONS: Single-pickup Dakota One
slide motifs (oh yes, the Dakota is a superb more ergonomic Firebird, the Dakota is (£3,495, available with mahogany or korina body)
slide guitar!). It sits very well in a simple a real class act: very easy on the eye, not and Korina (£4,495, with korina body)
guitar-band mix. It’s jangly whenever you to mention in the hand or on the ear. The LEFT-HANDERS: No
want, but it loves a little dirt, and then that vintage-informed craft is exceptional, but FINISHES: Cadillac Green (as reviewed), Tobacco
neck pickup is super soulful – pull back this is also a very clever original design, Sunburst, Pelham Blue, other colours on request
the volume and it almost does ‘acoustic’ albeit one that could easily have come out – lightly aged nitrocellulose gloss
jazz. We haven’t mentioned the pickup of the Gibson factory in the early 60s. That’s
not easy to do as convincingly as this. Ivison Guitars
It’s this originality – rather than just
Everything about [Link]

the build oozes

being another replica or clone – that is so
attractive. The Dakota has already engaged
with some big players, as has the Hurricane,
10
quality and classic so clearly we’re far from the only ones to PROS Everything! Seriously good vintage-
enjoy the ride. And that demand is very
craft, with a evident: it took us some time to get this
informed craft, immaculately presented in
a used but not abused fashion; superb ‘old
wonderful feel and Dakota and no sooner than we did it was
needed back as a pretty major artist was
Gibson’ feel and far-reaching hot pot of vintage
sounds; a modern classic in the making
sounds to match interested. Frankly, we’re not surprised.
CONS Er, no!

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 13

 F I R S T PL AY

The smart, heavy duty steel

chassis has wooden end-
cheeks that can be swapped
with the supplied rack ears
TWO NOTES
TORPEDO RELOAD II
£849

WHAT IS IT? Reactive loadbox

with dual-mono 215 watts
(per channel), stereo effects loop
and expanded connectivity

Lock
& Load
French loadbox leader, Two
Notes, releases the Swiss Army
knife of amplifier attenuation and
connectivity – we witness the results
Words Martin Smith Photography Matt Lincoln

T
hose of us who revel in the glorious
saturation of a valve amp running
full-clip will be all too familiar
with the eardrum-splitting consequences.
Certainly, many of the higher-wattage amp
behemoths only reach their overdriven
best at volumes considered unusable in
non-stadium environments.
Way back in the 70s, load resistors could
be found in the toolboxes of amplifier
technicians, allowing them to work on
valve amps without speakers connected,
and occasionally bespoke designs would
be found in the rigs of touring musicians.
In 1980, Boston guitarist and technical
wunderkind Tom Scholz, inventor of the
Rockman line of portable amp-related
products, released a pioneering loadbox
in the form of the Power Soak. Various
companies have subsequently produced
such devices; however, the potential for
catastrophic amp damage is always a simple
mismatch away, and loadbox designs have
a chequered history for safety.
Thankfully, the concept of loadboxes has
evolved over the decades, and the current
generation of reactive devices –where a
dynamic response curve more accurately

14 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

TWO NOTES TORPEDO RELOAD II FIRST PLAY

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 15

 FIRST PLAY TWO NOTES TORPEDO RELOAD II

1. The Genome software is 2. The rear-panel of 3. For optimum response 4. Tone-shaping

an ecosystem of virtual the Torpedo Reload II from the Celestion- controls include
rigs, with a huge range houses the control approved response Depth and Presence,
of amps, pedals, cab IRs section for the effects curves, an input bringing modern high
and studio effects, plus loop, mix pots, dual- calibration section shows performance to any amp.
AI in the form of Codex mono switchability signal level via three The Mojo control adds a
to reimagine and adapt and assignable bypass stages of LEDs adjustable ‘loudness’ boost similar
existing sounds footswitch jack input via an input trim pot to hi-fi systems

replicates the speaker’s behaviour – are While the Captor X has a diminutive fully intact while attenuating all the way
SOFTWARE IMAGE: TWO NOTES

now considered industry standard. During stature, the Reload II’s attractive down to just whisper quiet.
the pandemic when us noisy guitarists wooden-end cheeks that frame the The tone controls – Depth and Presence
were forced to play at neighbour-friendly brushed metal chassis evoke the look – impart the type of low-end resonance and
levels, Two Notes released the Captor X. of high-end bespoke recording studio top-end sparkle found on modern high-
This reactive loadbox with a variety of equipment. When taking your rig to the performance amplifiers, bringing a modern
selectable IR speaker simulations in a small stage, rack-ears can replace the wooden aggressive edge to the Marshall’s classic
desktop form-factor was greeted with panels for a professional touring solution. sound. Similarly, the Mojo button punches
great enthusiasm and led to the Two Notes The Reload II packs quite a feature set, the guitar sound forward in a similar way
team setting its design-sights on creating a including inputs switchable for either to a hi-fi’s loudness button.
Swiss Army knife of amplifier connectivity, amplifiers or line-level devices such as The fabled wet-dry-wet configuration,
culminating in this Reload II. modellers and preamps, a Celestion- made famous by legends including Eddie
approved reactive load, two 215-watt Van Halen and Steve Lukather, where
channels of ‘dual mono’ power, stereo stereo effects feed two outside cabinets
effects loop, tone-shaping controls leaving the original dry signal in the centre
and recording outputs. Included in cab, is possible by connecting stereo
the offering is a licence for Two Notes’ cabinets to the Reload II and a further
Genome amp modelling and speaker mono cabinet to the ‘mother’ amp. A truly
IR software application. huge three-dimensional tone is created
that flatters and impresses in equal
In Use measure. Perhaps overkill for a pub jam
Beginning our tests with the basic but highly worth the effort for the right
application of valve amp attenuation, the opportunity and setting.
output of a hand-wired Marshall 1959 was More than pleased by the tonal neutrality
plugged into the amplifier input and a 4x12 of the attenuation, we progressed to the
cabinet with Celestion Greenbacks was effects loop, which has level matching,
plugged into Channel A’s speaker output. stereo ability and a mix control. Using
With the rear-panel impedance selector either an analogue Roland RE-301 Space
matched to our amp, we dialled in the Echo or a digital delay, there was seamless
very useful amplifier input calibration, integration with no degradation of tone.
consisting of three level-indicating LEDs The direct signal from the amp, in its raw
and a trim pot that enables fine-tuning state, is sent to the stereo pair of recording
for maximum performance from those outputs in the form of balanced jacks and
Celestion-approved reactive loads. The XLRs. Since the unit itself has no in-built
cranked Marshall character came through cabinet impulse responses, we needed to

16 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 TWO NOTES TORPEDO RELOAD II FIRST PLAY

TWO NOTES
TORPEDO RELOAD II
PRICE: £849
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: Reactive load with dual
mono power amp
OUTPUT: 215W per channel
DIMENSIONS: 365 (w) x 220 (d) x
89mm (h)
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 6.9/15.2
CHANNELS: 2
CONTROLS: Amp in Level, Cab
Volume, Output Level, Depth,
Presence, Dry/Wet
FOOTSWITCH: Assignable loop
bypass (footswitch not included)
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Includes
Two Notes Genome software suite
OPTIONS: None

Two Notes
support@[Link]
[Link]

boot up the included Genome software

and select from the range of 24 cabinet
Delving into the software,
simulations to complete the rig. We found the range of modelled
the realistic nature of these captures
quite the joy to behold, with plenty of amps, effects and
microphone and position options to perfect
your virtual speaker.
speakers impressed with
Delving deeper into the software, the definition and realism
wide range of modelled amps, effects and
speakers impressed us with definition for a computer. This is less of an issue for
and realism, making this a first-choice for the home recordist using a DAW with
our software amp and speaker emulation the included Genome software, but for
needs. The bass SVT rig sound was the many bands that send guitar signals
particularly lifelike. Very inspiring! direct from modeller/amp to the PA, an
additional IR-loading device will be needed
Verdict to complete the virtual rig.
While this is a complex and critical In contrast to other attenuators that use
product due to the potential for amplifier the loaded amplifier’s reduced output to
damage resulting from improper loading, drive the speakers, this unit reamps the
Two Notes has a best-in-class reputation input signal through its onboard power
for reliability and safety and the Reload
II’s plethora of attributes are excellently
engineered. Nevertheless, it would be
amplifier at all volumes. Happily, this is a
great-sounding amplifier, handling guitar
signals in a very sympathetic and familiar
9
remiss not to mention a couple of minor way. The nearest competitive unit, the PROS Safe impedance-loading for
quibbles here. Boss Waza Craft Tube Amp Expander amps with power ratings up to 200
First, the position of the effects loop’s (£1,123), has a 100-watt limit, making watts; transparent, continuous
mix knob on the rear panel makes setup it unsafe for 100-watt heads, such as attenuation and stereo power
tricky, and it’s likely that rack-mounting the Marshall examples, which can output in amplification; feature set enables
unit would further decrease accessibility. excess of 150 watts at full clip. The Waza live/recording integration for amps
Also, it seems an unusual decision on Craft is also mono throughout, without the and line-level preamps/modellers
the part of Two Notes to omit onboard stereo effects loop or dual mono amplifier
cabinet IRs, which were included on the capabilities of the Reload II. CONS The mix knob is difficult to
cheaper, less fully featured Captor X. Had Still, as long as onboard IRs aren’t access and set from its rear-panel
these been included, we would have the needed, this Swiss Army knife for amp position; lack of onboard cab IRs
complete one-stop shop, without any need connectivity is simply the best in its class. slightly reduces its potential to
be a ‘does everything’ box

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 17

 F I R S T PL AY

TAYLOR BUILDER’S
EDITION 514CE
KONA BURST
£4,019

WHAT IS IT? Cutaway electro-

acoustic with numerous whistles
and bells as befits Taylor’s
Builder’s Edition designation

Grand
Parade
As the 514ce is retired from Taylor’s catalogue
in Europe, we take a look at the new Builder’s
Edition of the same model to examine the
upgrades and refinements it brings to the table.
A worthy alternative? Let’s take a look

Words David Mead Photography Phil Barker

O
riginally, we were going to take
a close-up look at two Grand
Auditorium Taylors and compare
the upgraded Builder’s Edition to its rank
and file sibling. But then we heard the
news that the 514ce is being retired in
Europe and so our review has changed
tack accordingly. Taylor never stands
still for long and the company’s ongoing
mission to review, upgrade and remodel
its inventory is typical of a brand that is
intent on remaining at the cutting edge of
acoustic guitar design and manufacture.
According to our records, the last time the
500 Series enjoyed a refresh was in 2022.
Three years later and there’s movement
within the line once again.
The 500 Series has proved to be a popular
one among players internationally and so
it’s really no surprise that change is afoot
in this quarter. Furthermore, the Builder’s
Edition we see here is a rather splendid-
looking beast with considerable visual
impact from the moment it’s drawn from
its hard case. We’ve seen plenty of Builder’s
Edition instruments from Taylor pass
through these pages before, celebrating
models from the catalogue with upgraded

18 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

The upgraded and refined
514ce Builder’s Edition
succeeds the recently
retired rank and file
514 model in Europe
FIRST PLAY TAYLOR BUILDER’S EDITION 514CE KONA BURST

1. One of the upgrades 2. Back and sides on

for the Builder’s Edition the latest release
model is a set of Gotoh are Shamel ash, a
510 Antique Chrome comparatively new
tuners, which gives tonewood taken from
the guitar a classy, urban trees that line the
vintage vibe streets of California

features and constructional fillips such as

bevelled arm rests and refreshed tonewood
Shamel ash does guitar a sort of Gibson J-45 kerb appeal,
although the sunburst here is perhaps a
partnerships. Of this particular 514ce, indeed seem to little more reddish-brown than on a J-45.
Taylor says: “The Builder’s Edition 514ce It’s a good look, but if a sunburst finish is
Kona Burst embodies Taylor’s commitment inhabit the same a total dealbreaker for you, then there is a
to innovative craftsmanship, player-
friendly guitar designs and sustainable
sonic space as a natural finish Builder’s Edition on offer, too.
The top is, as with its sibling, Sitka
sourcing.” Interest piqued? So is ours. good mahogany spruce, but the spec we have available
First of all, though, and in order to doesn’t disclose if it has been subjected to
appreciate the embellishments present in hands. Its sound has warmth but with the the torrification process – and it’s darned
its slightly more lavish companion, we’ll necessary balance and brightness to cut hard to tell from just the appearance of the
just take a look at what the standard 514ce through in a stage environment, a situation wood itself. For the back and sides, Taylor
comprised in terms of its sum of parts, as it that is further enhanced by its Expression has gone for Shamel ash, another urban
will then provide a context for the changes System 2 internal pickup and preamp. timber from trees that are needing removal
Taylor has made to the model’s spec. In truth, the Builder’s Edition is going to owing to age or safety concerns. This
Taylor has always held conservation have to take some long strides, sonically particular timber is sourced from West
close to its heart and painstakingly sought speaking, to beat what we’ve heard so far. Coast Arborists, a company that specialises
out woods from sustainable sources, It’s a very easy guitar to play, too. We’ve in tree maintenance in cities across
and the outgoing 514ce’s back and sides often waxed lyrical about how Taylor’s California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas.
tonewood is a great example of this. Here, it neck profiles make a player – who is Taylor tells us that Shamel ash “produces
was red ironbark, sourced from urban trees perhaps more used to playing electric midrange power and balance comparable
in California that were reaching the end of guitar then they are acoustic – feel to Honduran mahogany”, a bold claim,
their city life. It’s a wood that, according immediately at home and such is the case seeing that Honduran mahogany is hailed
to Taylor, has “the warmth and clarity of here. Good looks, good sounds and an easy as a prince among tonewoods. If it can live
Indian rosewood”, and that “strummers ride. We really couldn’t ask for much more. up to the claim, this is timber recycling at
will appreciate the volume and projection, So let’s see what’s cooking with the its finest hour. Under close inspection, the
while fingerpickers will enjoy the Builder’s Edition. Obviously, the actual timber has a lively grain pattern similar to
definition and dynamic range”. Paired with Grand Auditorium body profile is that of figured maple, but it’s all but hidden
torrified Sitka spruce for the top and master consistent between the two models, but by the dark finish, which, to be honest, is
builder and company CEO Andy Powers’ otherwise the changes come thick and fast. really a bit of a shame.
revolutionary V-Class internal bracing, For starters, there’s the warm look to the The Builder’s Edition appointments are
we found a real musical chameleon in our Tobacco Kona Sunburst, which gives the more pronounced at the guitar’s body end

20 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 TAYLOR BUILDER’S EDITION 514CE KONA BURST FIRST PLAY

TAYLOR BUILDER’S
EDITION 514CE
KONA BURST
PRICE: £4,019 (inc case)
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: Grand Auditorium
TOP: Sitka spruce
BACK/SIDES: Shamel ash
MAX RIM DEPTH: 112mm
MAX BODY WIDTH: 402mm
NECK: Tropical mahogany
Rolled edges with armrest SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
and cutaway bevels both
TUNERS: Gotoh 510 Antique
seek to enhance player
comfort on the upgraded Chrome with antique chrome
514ce Builder’s Edition buttons
NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech Tusq/
44mm
with chamfered edges, plus mahogany well balanced with no evident peaks or FINGERBOARD: West African
forearm and cutaway bevels, and so troughs detected during our play test. Crelicam ebony
playing comfort has been optimised. The The Expression System 2 proves its worth FRETS: 20, medium
mahogany neck and West African Crelicam once again when we plugged the guitar into BRIDGE/SPACING: Ebony/56mm
ebony fingerboard and bridge are common our trusty AER Compact 60 amp. Despite ELECTRICS: Expression System 2
to this model and its 514ce sidekick, but what might appear to be only scant control WEIGHT (kg/lb): 2.13/4.7
tuners here have been upscaled to Gotoh over the sound with volume, treble and bass OPTIONS: Builder’s Edition 514ce
510 Antique Chrome, which offers a little rotaries, everything we needed was there. in Natural costs £3,899
vintage chic to the overall picture. With only a very slight amount of tweaking, RANGE OPTIONS: The Legacy
Onstage duties are managed by Taylor’s we were able to conjure up everything from 514ce (£3,899) combines Western
proven Expression System 2, but first good ol’ rock ’n’ roll to sensitive fingerstyle red cedar with neo-tropical
things first: it’s time to listen to what the with no trouble at all. mahogany, X-bracing and LR Baggs
upgraded 514ce has to offer acoustically. Element VTC electronics
Verdict LEFT-HANDERS: No
Feel & Sounds Okay, so at a price tag that clocks in at just FINISH: Tobacco Kona Burst gloss
Once again, Taylor’s super-friendly neck over £4k, this isn’t a purchase that you’d
profile offers us a warm welcome on enter into without giving it a lot of thought Taylor Guitars
freeing the guitar from its case, the matt and a long audition beforehand. But real 00800 23750011
finish to the back of the neck aiding smooth quality of this nature rarely comes cheap, [Link]
sailing up and down the fretboard. Initial and when you consider that you’re getting
strums reveal a surprise in that Shamel something that runs the gamut of acoustic
ash does indeed seem to inhabit the same styles as well as a strum ’n’ go no-fuss
sonic space as a good mahogany; there’s pickup system, it’s definitely worth some
that distinctive dry, woody flavour to open serious thought.
chords. There’s plenty of midrange punch,
too, with volume to spare. Everything
from gentle fingerpicking to abandoned
Meanwhile, the red ironbark variation
is still out there for as long as stock lasts
in retailers in Europe, and if the frills
9
chordal strumming is ably catered for, like a bevelled armrest and chamfered PROS Expertly crafted acoustic
with a bass response that sits in between a edges don’t bother you, there are probably from a quality brand with a wide
dreadnought’s bloom and an OM’s slightly bargains to be had. It might be a slightly palette of sounds
more compressed output. Generally different hue, sonically speaking, but the
speaking, the Builder’s Edition is extremely build and sound quality is all there. CONS Price, as always, is a
major consideration

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 21

 F I R S T PL AY

2
THORPYFX HANAMI
GERMANIUM FUZZ
£329

WHAT IS IT? Four-knob fuzz

with germanium transistors

22 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 THORPYFX HANAMI GERMANIUM FUZZ FIRST PLAY

In Bloom
ThorpyFX’s latest stacks up the germanium transistors
for full-fat vintage tone in a functional modern setting
Words Trevor Curwen Photography Phil Barker

T
1. There’s none of the usual here’s something delightfully different about ThorpyFX’s latest pedal: THORPYFX
ThorpyFX military visuals instead of the usual military-derived theme, this one is decorated HANAMI
here – it’s cherry blossom
all the way with this with a floral graphic. The pedal takes its name from the Japanese GERMANIUM FUZZ
pedal’s graphics, which are custom of ‘Hanami’, where people gather to enjoy the transient beauty of
inspired by the Japanese cherry blossom season. But plug it in and you’re more likely to be enjoying the PRICE: £329
tradition of ‘Hanami’
transient beauty of a ripping guitar solo – this is one powerful fuzz pedal! ORIGIN: UK
2. This Boost control New fuzz pedals don’t appear in a vacuum, they are usually an evolution of TYPE: Fuzz pedal
turns up the fuzz quota a previous design, and Thorpy describes the Hanami as “a natural successor FEATURES: True bypass
for sure, but it also sonically from where the Boneyard left off… [sitting] perfectly between the CONTROLS: Level, Boost,
changes its character,
adding presence and Boneyard and the Fallout Cloud”. Now, the fact that the Boneyard was based Treble, Bass, footswitch
getting progressively on Tone Bender sound and the Fallout Cloud channelled the vibe of the very CONNECTIONS: Standard input,
more aggressive first (Triangle) Big Muff makes the Hanami a very interesting sonic prospect. standard output
3. The treble and bass
The circuitry here features four NOS military-specification germanium POWER: 9V DC adaptor
knobs are neutral at transistors and a NOS germanium diode, plus there’s a transformer isolated (not supplied) 35mA
their midday point, but input, which means you can place the pedal where you want in the signal DIMENSIONS: 65 (w) x 125 (d) x
they provide boost when chain, rather than directly after your guitar like many fuzzes. Unity gain is 53mm (h)
turned clockwise or
reduce those frequencies around 10 o’clock, leaving plenty for a boost should you want it.
anti-clockwise This is a pedal that sounds smooth with loads of girth in the midrange and ThorpyFX
it has a really low noise floor compared with most fuzz pedals. The Boost [Link]
knob doesn’t just increase the fuzz, it also changes the tonal content, bringing
in more presence and saturation until beyond three o’clock. And while still
retaining the thickness, it transitions into a sizzly, more aggressive rasp,
with great note definition all the way.
In an A/B test, Tone Bender and Big Muff characteristics were in evidence,
but the Hanami is its own thing and had an advantage over our vintage
examples in interactive treble and bass knobs, which are not only ideal for
carefully tailoring your fuzz experience to suit your guitar and amp but also
capable of shaping the midrange profile for more radical transformations –
9
without ever getting anywhere near an unusable sound. The circuitry doesn’t PROS Compact size; solid build
allow totally smooth clean-up with guitar volume, but you can drop the quality; flexible placement
volume down to get more of a glitchy gated-fuzz sound. opportunities; practical EQ;
great fuzz sound; low noise
Verdict
With low noise and real-world tonal flexibility via the treble and bass knobs, CONS The quality is worth paying
ThorpyFx’s Hanami is a class act, delivering fat, smooth and richly textured for, but unfortunately it won’t be
fuzz that can attain a fierce edge. affordable for all players

THE RIVALS

ThorpyFX has other fuzz pedals in its roster: the Field Marshall Fuzz
MKII (£219) is a revamped version of the Lovetone Big Cheese, while the
Fallout Cloud (£199) is based on Electro-Harmonix’s Triangle Big Muff.
For more Big Muff sounds, EHX has many variants of Big Muff available,
such as the Triangle version (£99). Browne Amplification’s T4 Fuzz
(£169) is also worth a look. For a fuzz with plenty of sonic versatility, the
Walrus Audio Eons Five-State Fuzz (£235) puts five different flavours
of it in a single pedal, and for reimagined Tone Bender pedals check out T4 Fuzz: Browne Amplification’s
3 Warm Audio’s Warm Bender (£149) and the Keeley Fuzz Bender (£149). take on a four-transistor fuzz

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 23

 F I R S T PL AY

WALRUS AUDIO
CANVAS REHEARSAL
£249

1 WHAT IS IT? Headphone amp

with metronome and music input
2

24 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 WALRUS AUDIO CANVAS REHEARSAL FIRST PLAY

Best Practice
Walrus Audio’s new utility pedal is designed to sit at the end
of your pedalboard and deliver silent practice options
Words Trevor Curwen Photography Phil Barker

T
1. The screen displays the he latest of Walrus Audio’s rapidly expanding Canvas range of utility WALRUS AUDIO
beats per minute and items is the Canvas Rehearsal, which the company is promoting as CANVAS
time signature for the
metronome by default, an all-in-one rehearsal tool. Its basic remit is that it allows you to plug REHEARSAL
but it can also show the in and listen to your instrument through headphones or a connected sound
other two metronome system, playing along to its built-in metronome and/or any tracks you care PRICE: £249
parameters and items
in the Settings menu
to send into it through a mini-jack stereo input or wirelessly via Bluetooth. ORIGIN: USA
While you can plug a guitar straight in, the natural place for the unit is TYPE: Stereo practice tool
2. Turning the Screen at the end of a chain of effects pedals to give you a more inspiring sound, FEATURES: Metronome with tap
Control encoder will particularly so if there’s an amp-in-a-box pedal involved. Walrus Audio tempo, tempo range 40-250bpm,
modify the value of the
selected parameter. sees the Canvas Rehearsal as the ideal companion for the guitarist with Bluetooth, MIDI
Pressing down on the a pedalboard who wants to practise or work up new material. CONTROLS: HP output, Screen
encoder will cycle to the The footswitch stops and starts the metronome, and you can set its tempo Control encoder, Guitar volume,
next modifiable parameter.
A press-and-hold of two
via the rotary encoder by using the Tap button that flashes at the set tempo or Click volume, Aux volume,
seconds takes you to the via the footswitch in tap tempo mode. The encoder can also deliver a choice Tap button, footswitch
Settings menu of four time signatures, a range of divisions for the tap tempo, and turn on CONNECTIONS: Standard inputs
an accent at the beginning of each measure. There’s also control via MIDI. (Left/Mono, Right), standard
3. The footswitch basically
stops and starts the Getting external music into the unit is as simple as pairing it with your outputs (Left/Mono, Right),
metronome, but if you streaming device via Bluetooth or running a mini-jack stereo cable in for a TRS Stereo 3.5mm Aux input,
press and hold for two physical connection. Three small knobs mix the guitar/metronome/music TRS Stereo 3.5mm headphone
seconds you will enter
tap tempo mode
blend that you hear in your headphones – just set a mix that works for you output, MIDI IN, MIDI THRU, USB
and turn up the large HP knob to set the overall volume, which, incidentally, POWER: 9V DC adaptor
4. While your guitar signal we needed to set quite high to get a reasonable vibe going through our (not supplied) 300mA
is always present at these particular ’phones. DIMENSIONS: 70 (w) x 122 (d) x
outputs, you can choose
whether to send the Playing along to streamed music works a treat and, while a straight dry 57mm (h)
metronome or Aux signals click would not necessarily be everyone’s favoured rhythmic practice choice,
(or both) to them it’s a useful facility. And with various options available as to what you send FACE bvba
out of the main outputs, it could be sent to a rehearsal room PA as an aid to +32 3 844 67 97
band practice. [Link]

Verdict
There are various ways to take care of private practice needs, and Walrus
Audio’s Canvas Rehearsal expands that range of options. As a practical
widget with a specific feature set that will have definite appeal to some
players, it could be a useful adjunct to your pedalboard.

THE RIVALS

8
While the Canvas Rehearsal has its own unique feature
set that can be an adjunct to your familiar effects
signal chain, there are other tools that can fulfil a
portable practice role, not least a looper with built-in
drum rhythms such as the Boss RC-5 (£175). For a lot PROS Compact size; metronome
less outlay if you don’t need a metronome or rhythms, tap tempo; wireless and physical
there’s the type of headphone amp that you just plug music streaming; headphone and
into your guitar – the Fender Mustang Micro (£85) is standard jack output options
one such option with onboard amp and effects sounds
that supports Bluetooth audio streaming, and the CONS A bit pricey for what it
4 Boss Katana:Go (£109) is of a similar ilk. is; we’d have liked to have more
headphone volume

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 25

WISHLIST Martin OM-28E Standard

theWishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...

Martin OM-28E Standard

with LR Baggs Anthem £4,099
CONTACT Westside Distribution PHONE +44 (0)141 212 0087 WEB [Link] WORDS Neville Marten PHOTOGRAPHY Phil Barker

M
artin has recently upgraded its Standard abalone ‘diamonds and squares’ inlays, ebony bridge, 1. The OM’s long diamond
Series. Gone is the ‘Reimagined’ moniker herringbone purfling, rosewood headstock overlay, and headstock transition is
a throwback to when
but retained are all of that range’s upgrades, gold transfer decal. Tuners are Waverley-style open gear. the headstock was a
plus many more that are significant for looks, playability LR Baggs’ renowned Anthem system combines a separate lump of wood
and tone. ”One of the key updates,” says Martin, “is the studio-quality condenser mic with Baggs’ Element glued onto the neck via
this pointed V joint. Note
use of Sitka spruce Golden Era [GE] top bracing, as pickup to provide a transparent tone that’s good
the classy Waverley-
featured on the Modern Deluxe Series. It offers a more enough to plug directly into a recording desk or to style open-gear tuners
vintage, ‘breathy’ tone with enhanced sustain.” supply a brilliantly balanced out-front sound.
Along with this comes a GE modified low oval neck While Martin’s 000 and OM models share the same 2. This small plate houses
the guitar’s output jack,
profile, “optimised for vintage appeal with minimal body shape and size, the OM’s scale length is 645.2mm separate end-pin and
increase in total mass”. Other playability enhancements (25.4 inches) compared with the 000’s 632.5mm (24.9 simple flip-top battery
include a thinner fingerboard with comfort bevelled inches). That extra half an inch provides a slightly tauter compartment
edge, and more smoothly contoured belly bridge with feel, for a snappier tone with strong lows and mids but
3. The Anthem from
bone (or sometimes ebony) pins. Aesthetic updates plenty of top to cut through. Fingerstylists love OMs for LR Baggs is one of the
include a long diamond volute, angled bone nut and a their clarity and projection, plus the wide 44.45mm nut. most revered acoustic
sleeker-looking heel. A big usability hike is that the jack But they remain great strummers, too. guitar pickups of all.
On the control plate are
socket, end-pin and flip-top battery compartment are The thinner, bevelled-edge ’board and lower action, a mix control for the
mounted on a plate at the base of the body. So no more plus all the other little tweaks that Martin has applied, mic and pickup, phase
scrabbling around trying to fish out that dead battery. leave the smallest ever quality gap between these inverter, battery level
check, master volume,
The OM-28’s staple ingredients remain, of course, instruments and Custom Shop models costing way and microphone level
such as Indian rosewood back and sides, Sitka spruce more. While four grand is no snip, this is everything one (adjusted using a flat-
top, ‘select hardwood’ neck, an ebony ’board with could want in a top-grade electro-acoustic guitar. head screwdriver)

26 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

4. A slightly thinner
ebony fingerboard, with
comfort bevelled edges
and considerably lower
action than before,
makes the new Standard
range a joy to play. Note
the lovely ‘long pattern’
diamonds and squares
inlays in abalone

5. Clearly visible are the

bold herringbone edge
purflings and multiple
soundhole rings. Hidden
is the Golden Era X-style
bracing in scalloped
Sitka spruce

6. Further upgrades
include the more finely
sculpted and finished
Golden Era belly bridge,
and the pins themselves,
which are either bone
(as here) or ebony
 THE
LINEUP

Gas Supply
Our pick of the month’s most delectable
and wallet-bothering new gear

Gibson Les Paul Music City Special £1,599

CONTACT Gibson PHONE 00800 44427661 WEB [Link]

JARGON That looks just like a Flying V headstock, for the most part but sometimes trapezoids. It featured
CRUNCHING what’s going on? Lawrence-designed pickups: a humbucker in the neck
B-Bender
The B-Bender was This is the Gibson Les Paul Music City Special, released and an angled, noiseless single coil in the bridge to lure in
designed to emulate to commemorate 50 years of Gibson guitar production in the twang fans. Just over 7,000 were made in total before
pedal-steel-type intervals Nashville. That headstock (as well as many other design Gibson ditched the design in 1979.
and works by mounting
points) come from the Gibson Marauder, which has been
hardware into the body
of the guitar. Joe Glaser’s mashed up with the Les Paul Music City Junior. So what’s going on with this new release?
design offers arguably the Well, this isn’t a Marauder by name, although it does
least intrusive and most Okay, what’s a Marauder? owe most of its design points to Bill Lawrence’s 70s
discreet implementation.
Using a guitar strap
The Gibson Maurauder was the Big G’s mid-70s attempt guitar. Gibson has unified and standardised the spec for
as leverage, applying to strike directly at the hearts of Telecaster players. Both a limited-edition run of 500 guitars. The body is made
downward pressure to big brands were in what are now viewed as slightly fallow of lightweight poplar, while the maple neck (crucially) is
the neck operates a lever, years, Fender under the ownership of CBS and Gibson glued in as per Les Paul tradition.
which pulls the pitch of
the B string up a tone in its Norlin era. Designer Bill Lawrence, who had already
for faux-pedal tones. delivered the Gibson L6-S, was tasked with coming up It doesn’t really scream ‘sell your Telecaster!’
with the Marauder, which took the Les Paul-derived No, and the quirky pickups have been replaced here for
outline into bolt-on territory. Construction-wise, it was a more traditional setup comprising a pair of 70s Tribute
something of a mixed bag, with body woods ranging from humbuckers. Sticking with the stripped-back vibe, they’re
alder to mahogany and maple, while the maple neck was wired to a three-way switch but with a simplified control
fitted with either rosewood or maple and inlaid with dots layout that has master volume and master tone controls.

PICKUPS WORKHORSE
Gone is the Tele-apeing FEATURES
angled single coil, No chunky inlays, a full-
replaced by a more face scratchplate and
familiar pair of 70s three meat-and-potatoes
Tribute humbuckers, finishes make the Music
a three-way switch City Special appear
and master volume/ like a workhorse guitar,
tone controls ready to throw boots in
a rowdy bar brawl

28 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 The Lineup

ALSO OUT NOW...

PRS SE NF 53 £979
For 2025, PRS is scheduling new releases every month.
The latest to lift its embargo is the SE NF 53, which, of
course, takes its inspiration from the US-made Core line
NF 53. PRS is often generous with its SE versions when it
Bill Lawrence’s original Marauder design took inspiration from comes to specs, and here we have a similar sheet. There’s a
the Flying V when it came to the headstock. Here, Gibson has spine-saving swamp ash body, paired with a bolt-on maple
revived this one-time vision of the future for the Music City Special
neck along with a maple ’board (set at a traditional T-style
648mm/25.5-inch scale length). The pickups follow suit,
too, with ‘S’ versions of the Narrowfield Deep Dish models
I’ve heard the Music City Junior had some found in its US counterpart, wired to a three-way blade,
freaky string-bending hardware… and master tone and volume controls. The PRS SE NF 53
It did! The B-Bender and G-Bender. But on the 50th comes in three finishes – Black Doghair, White Doghair
Anniversary Les Paul Music City Special, Gibson has (pictured) and Pearl White – and it’s available now.
strayed from these and from the Marauder’s ‘Harmonica’ [Link]
bridge in favour of the classic tune-o-matic (Nashville
profile, of course) and aluminum stopbar.

So I don’t need to play country to buy one

of these guitars?
Not at all, although we dare say that if you do happen to
play both country and Western, then you’ll be able to do
so and a lot more. The full-face scratchplate, dot inlays
and three finish options – Tobacco Burst (pictured),
Wine Red and Ebony – complete the all-rounder theme, BLACKSTAR ID:X FROM £292
and the pickup configuration is your classic Gibson
layout, also making this a potential workhorse for indie, Blackstar’s latest looks to span the trifecta of practice,
punk, classic rock, bluesers and beyond. It comes with recording and live use with the introduction of two 1x12
a hardshell case, but you’ll need to jump on it quick with combos: the ID:X 50 (£292) and ID:X100 (£379), which
the limited-edition numbers. [SW] are designed to pair the power of DSP with the familiarity
and intuitive nature of a traditional amplifier. Along with
an OLED display, the ID:X is loaded with six channels,
LIMITED over 35 effects, virtual valve responses and Blackstar’s
EDITION ISF control. What’s more, sounds can be edited further
Gibson has created
via Blackstar’s free Architect software, and the dedicated
this guitar to celebrate
50 years since it started CabRig output can be customised in software for tailored
building guitars in IRs, mic placement, ambience and more. There’s a USB
Nashville. As such, audio interface, effects loop and MIDI control (on the
the Music City Special
will be limited to ID:X 100). They’re available now.
500 pieces worldwide [Link]

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 29

 THE
LINEUP

Fretbuzz
A monthly look at must-hear artists from all corners of the guitar world,
from the roots of their sound to the tracks that matter most

Artist: Chris Brain

Album: New Light (Big Sun Records)

C
hris Brain is a folk singer from Leeds, whose Walking The Talk
latest album, New Light, and engaging live As with many players who learn through listening, Chris
shows have been causing ripples throughout felt his own style emerge over time. “It took me a long time
folk circles and beyond. Chris’s songs have a pastoral to realise that simplicity is key,” he admits. “Because you
warmth to them that his understated yet precise can do so much and the limits are endless, sometimes
fingerpicking accentuates. “Angi [by Davey Graham] you have to rein it in. That happened with my voice, too;
was the first major fingerstyle song that I learned,” he I used to sing in a completely different way, but when I
tells us. “My friend told me that if I go to a folk club I have started going to folk clubs, I realised that people sing in
Chris Brain’s third album
was recorded between his to know how to play Angi.” When I played it at a club, their accents. So I started singing in my accent and my
allotment shed and The they said they haven’t heard it in 10 years!” talking voice. I can belt out folk tunes and get up in those
Nave Studios in Leeds registers, but I listened to people like Dylan and John
[Link]
Style For Days Martyn and it’s their character that is within their voice.
Chris is a technically accomplished guitar player with a Their speaking voice and singing voice are all one thing
fairly unassuming approach that belies the depth found melded together. It feels really natural and they never
in his range of styles. “[After Angi] I learned Fire And Rain do too much. That really spoke to me.”
by James Taylor,” he continues. “He has this really open
and non-structured fingerstyle that I love. And then I Laying The Groundwork
learned songs like Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right by Bob Chris spent his formative years practising his chops on
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS BRAIN

Dylan, which is Travis picking. That felt like a culmination the streets. “I busked for about seven years, playing my
of a lot of things coming together, and I like the freedom favourite songs,” he says. “When Covid hit I couldn’t busk
Fingerstyle players from of playing in all different styles with my right hand. It just any more, so I recorded the songs; people listened and
James Taylor to Davey
started seeping in as I learned John Martyn, Nick Drake I got reviews and then it just shot off. I got on the [BBC
Graham and Nick Drake
have influenced Chris and Joni Mitchell songs, but I would say that Nick Drake Radio 2] Folk Show and played a gig where 40 people
over the years is the main influence on my guitar playing.” turned up. It was pretty crazy, but those years busking
– I did it full-time – made me feel really comfortable and
it just happened over a long period of time.”

Keeping The Songs

As much as Chris has come a long way since his days
busking and now has three albums to his name, he is still
careful to ensure that his sound is not too embellished.
“I always say when I’m recording that my voice and the
guitar are the focal point,” he says. “We’ll add things, but
nothing will take away from the melody. It’s all written
in this room on the guitar and I put words to it…
“But sometimes,” he says with a grin, “you add some
strings and think that sounds pretty naughty, maybe
I’ll put a few more on there… A couple of songs [on
New Light] have been built up a bit more, for radio and
new ears, but my favourite tracks are the ones that are
stripped back. I recorded some of this album in my shed
at the allotment, so it’s natural sounding and I really
wanted it to feel like that.” [GK]

Standout track: Sit And Wonder Why

For fans of: Nick Drake, John Martyn, Bert Jansch,
Anne Briggs

30 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 The Lineup

“When I’m recording, my

voice and the guitar are
the focal point. We’ll add
things, but nothing will take
away from the melody”

12 FRETS & THE TRUTH

Chris has found his toolkit in two Sigma models

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Chris’s choice of guitars is quite modest, with

him favouring sturdy but humble Sigma 12-fret models. “I think I was
drawn to [12-frets-to-the-body guitars] after seeing Bob Dylan playing
one,” he says. “My 000[R-28VS] is very warm sounding, but the 00[R-
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS BRAIN

28VS] feels very accurate. I’ve taken the 000 around the world and it’s
pretty beaten up. I think a guitar that’s played in is better sounding.
It needs to be a workhorse and like a tool, really.”
 THE
LINEUP

Albums
The month’s best guitar music – a hand-picked
selection of the finest fretwork on wax

Mac DeMarco
Molly takes her Guitar
virtuosic skills to new
Mac’s Record Label (available 22 August 2025)
heights – and genres –
on her latest release
Romance and regret, slacker style
We confess that Mac DeMarco has
been a recent gem of a find for us. The
Canadian songsmith – now a resident
of Los Angeles – has a trademark sound
that’s awash with warm, woozy Boss VB-2 vibrato and
tales of love, loss and regret that have the sleepy charm
of Brazilian bossa nova but the dry, urbane observational
style of American indie at its introspective, quirky best.
And while there are no face-melting solos here, the
album’s title is still apt. DeMarco’s playing style is a
mixture of easygoing slide and harmonically rich chord
PHOTO BY EBRU YILDIZ

changes that somehow reference everything from

Hawaiian traditional music to John Lennon’s solo work.
It’s completely distinctive and rather beguiling, especially
on standout tracks such as the somnolent Holy or the
dreamlike, romantic melancholy of Rooster. Taken as a
Molly Tuttle whole, Guitar, DeMarco’s sixth studio album, is rather
more serene and thoughtful than records such as his
So Long Little Miss Sunshine excellent 2012 debut, 2, but enchants throughout. [JD]
Nonesuch Records (available 17 August)
Standout track: Rooster
Boundary-stretching album from the bluegrass queen For fans of: Aldous Harding, John Lennon, Pavement
As you’ll have gathered from reading our interview on page
48, the element of surprise plays a key role in Molly Tuttle’s Bioscope
playbook. Indeed, her current mission is a self-proclaimed Gentō
“keep them guessing” when it comes to her recorded output earMUSIC (available 22 August)
– and a title like So Long Little Miss Sunshine is another clue that this
album might just represent a change of tack for the bluegrass star. Prog and ambient worlds collide
Following Grammy success for her two previous releases, 2022’s Bioscope is a meeting of musical styles
Crooked Tree and City Of Gold a year later, the new album swerves gently and sensibilities between Marillion’s
away from pure bluegrass and reroutes into a glorious array of different Steve Rothery and Tangerine Dream’s
genres while keeping that distinctive Americana flag flying. The singles Thorsten Quaeschning and, with the help
from the album that have already hit the airwaves have drawn practically of neo-prog band Elbow’s Alex Reeves on drums, they
unanimous praise from all quarters, including pop/rock superstar John have produced an album that sits astride progressive
Mayer who applauded Molly’s guitar chops on That’s Gonna Leave A Mark. rock and analogue synth-powered ambient territories.
The album comprises 12 tracks, including an unexpected cover of Icona Unashamedly retro in nature, with Thorsten’s layered
Pop and Charli XCX’s I Love It with some superb airy vocals and subtle synth landscaping predominant and Steve’s guitar
guitar. Country rock makes an appearance on Old Me (New Wig), which adding decor and the odd swooping guitar solo, the
is “about leaving all these things behind that don’t serve you any more”, purely instrumental album comprises five lavish outings.
while things become semi-autobiographical with Story Of My So-Called Opener, Vanishing Point, is inspired by the cult 70s movie
Life, which is peppered with some characteristic virtuoso-level guitar of the same name and clocks in at a Floydian opus-like
playing. But it’s the opening track where we hear Molly’s guitar chops 20 minutes, Kaleidoscope finds Steve with overdrive
to their fullest extent, with super-clean picking and the fluid phrasing engaged, and the sequencer-rich title track, Gentō,
on Everything Burns, guaranteeing another nomination to the realm of is apparently a translation of the English term ‘magic
Grammy-laden superstardom. [DM] lantern’, which is the perfect description for what is
on offer here. Music to chill and thrill by! [DM]
Standout track: Everything Burns
For fans of: Eagles, Emmylou Harris, Billy Strings Standout track: Bioscope
For fans of: Tangerine Dream, Marillion, Pink Floyd

32 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

PHOTO BY ROB BONURANT

The SoCal rockers

are back with album
number nine

Robert Jon & The Wreck

Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes
Journeyman Records (available 22 August)

Southern fried rockers hit the mark

There’s a decidedly old-school feeling to
Robert Jon & The Wreck’s latest album,
and it’s no surprise to find that the band
took themselves off to a residential studio
in Savannah to write, live and collaborate on the album
during its production. “This record really represents
who we are right now, both musically and personally,”
frontman Robert Jon Burrison tells us. “We stepped away
from our day-to-day and just focused on the songs, and
you can feel that in every track.” Guitar duties in the band
are handled by Robert Jon on rhythm and Henry James
on lead and they get to shine on rockers like Dark Angel.
But it’s not all ‘everything on 11’ by any means; Ashes In
The Snow finds the band in rock-ballad mode, complete
with a catchy singalong chorus. Good rockin’ stuff. [DM]

Standout track: Ashes In The Snow

For fans of: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers

Woody Guthrie
Woody At Home: Vol 1 + 2
Shamus Records (available 14 August)

Visions of a free and fair America

With his sleepy voice but iron resolve
to denounce injustice and invite the
listener to dream of a fairer future, Woody
Guthrie was the prototypical folk-poet
of working America. This intimate collection of home
recordings puts him into the room with us once again at,
arguably, a more relevant moment in history than any
since these songs were recorded 75 years ago. The track
Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos) tells the story of
undocumented labourers who died in a plane crash while
being deported – only to be buried in an unmarked grave
far from home. “Just call me one more deportee”, Guthrie
sings on behalf of people whose lives and deaths were
considered unworthy even of a name by the officialdom
of the time but whose backbreaking labour was accepted
to keep fruit farms profitable. There’s also illuminating
monologues by Guthrie, as in the song Jesus Christ, a
poignant reframing of the story of the crucifixion in an
American setting: “Jesus was a carpenter by hand / a
hard-working man and brave…” Guthrie sings, inviting us
to recognise the sanctity and sacrifice of honest labour.
An important collection, even seven decades on. [JD]

Standout track: Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)

For fans of: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Billy Bragg
 THE
LINEUP

Tones Behind The Tracks

On his second solo album, Mark Morton steps away from metal and
towards Southern rock with a host of guest stars joining him on the way

Artist: Mark Morton

Album: Without The Pain (Snakefarm Music)

W
ith Lamb Of God, Mark Morton has chugged Why dig into Southern rock with your new
and shredded away while running the solo album, Without The Pain?
thrash, groove and death-metal gamut. He “It’s a long time coming. This album reflects the kind of
dropped his first solo record, Anesthetic, in 2019, which music that I play at home. So, in that sense, it’s natural
was a little different in sound. But even then, influences for me – but it is new in the sense that I’m recording
outside of heavy metal weren’t so apparent… until and releasing this style of music. That part is fresh and
now. Morton tells Guitarist that the Southern rock and new. But, stylistically, it feels like coming home.”
blues vibes inherent in his latest solo record, Without
Mark Morton’s second The Pain, have always “kind of been there” for him, Did listening to Southern rock growing up
album, Without The
Pain, was produced
adding: “I was probably tuned into this kind of music shape you as a player?
by Lamb Of God even before heavy metal. Lamb Of God is a big band. “If you grew up where I grew up [Williamsburg, Virginia],
collaborator Josh Wilbur It’s well known. I’m certainly most known for that work, this music was all around you, you know? I mean,
and that’s awesome. I’m grateful for that and I still love the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet,
doing it, but this stuff has always been there for me.” 38 Special, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and all that kind of
Without The Pain features an all-star cast of Morton’s stuff was my early musical foundation.”
friends, including Jason Isbell, Grace Bowers, Charlie
Starr and Cody Jinks. But beyond the guest stars, What makes now the right time to reveal
Morton’s bluesy chops and soulful solos make it stick. this side of yourself?
In fact, he enjoyed the process so much that when he’s “I put out Anesthetic a few years back, and it was
not doing his thing with Lamb Of God, he plans to lean closer to what we do with Lamb Of God. But there were
into his roots even harder – but that doesn’t mean parts of that record that flirted with and pointed in this
he doesn’t still love playing heavy metal. “For me, it’s direction. Knowing I could record on my own, without
both,” he says. “I have so much experience touring and the banner of Lamb Of God, and do something outside
writing and recording with Lamb Of God, and that stuff of that, and have it exist authentically and find an
Morton brings a flavour
certainly comes naturally, but this stuff is really how I audience for it, I gained confidence and independence.
of the South to the album:
“Stylistically, it feels like play on my own time. That’s equally as valuable to me. It allowed me to stretch out even further and that’s
coming home,” he says I just love playing guitar, man.” what you see in Without The Pain.”

What sort of rig did you put together for

Without The Pain?
“We recorded the basic tracks for this record at Studio
606, the Foo Fighters’ studio out in the Valley in LA. But
I live in Virginia, so I flew with a Les Paul and that one
guitar is on a bunch of songs. When I got into the studio
and started digging through what they had, we landed
on an earlier mid-70s Marshall with a Friedman mod.
“I borrowed an ES-335 from Gibson, and I had the
Les Paul, so that was the main rig. It was the Les Paul
straight into a Marshall, and for a few songs I used
the 335 through a mid-60s Fender Bassman with an
EarthQuaker [Devices] Acapulco Gold [distortion]
pedal. The signal path was simple and straightforward.”

What’s the story behind Hell & Back?

PHOTO BY TRAVIS SHINN

“That’s one of the songs I did at my house. We had

the basic tracks recorded and I still had some leads
left to do. It’s a stretch to call it a ‘studio’, but I have
a workstation at my house and can do guitars.”

34 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 The Lineup

“Knowing I could record on

my own without the banner of
Lamb Of God, and have it exist
authentically, I gained confidence”

“That solo is my 1963 ES-335 plugged into some

modeller. I don’t even remember which – and, honestly,
I don’t even think it’s a model, I think we just plugged in
direct – but that guitar sounds so good. For solos, I tend
not to work stuff out; I jam until I start to feel something
is happening. And that one came off pretty quick.”

After writing and recording heavy metal

solos with Lamb Of God for so long, how
does shifting gears in the studio feel?

PHOTO BY TRAVIS SHINN

“For people who might be familiar with my work with
Lamb Of God, I tend to play pretty bluesy, particularly
when it comes to lead stuff. Sometimes, I’ll go outside
of that – I’m not the shreddiest player. But it’s metal,
so sometimes I’ll work stuff up that’s shreddy. But
80 per cent of the time, even in Lamb, I just come in Grace Bowers plays on Dust. How did the The album features
and jam, so it’s not all that different.” slide and non-slide parts work out there? special guests including
Jason Isbell, Mastodon’s
“She’s phenomenal. She came in and we cut that Troy Sanders, and
What was it like working with Jason Isbell together, but the slide stuff is me and the non-slide is Grace Bowers, of
on Come December? her. We were on stools next to each other, going back whom Mark says: “I’m
“What a thrill it was to have him on that track! Jason and forth on the parts in front of the board. That was so thrilled to have her
energy on this record”
and I had met once, and corresponded more than a few the first time we’d met, but we’d followed each other on
times, but I wasn’t in the room with him when he did Instagram, liking each other’s posts and saying, ‘Hey,’
it. I hit him up to see if he would play on the track, and that kind of thing.
was really grateful – and a little bit surprised, as busy “She was in town and I had a spot on the session,
as he is – when he said he’d do it. He recorded the solo and we were filling out leads, so I was like, ‘Do you want
remotely and sent it to me. It’s just… obviously Jason is, to jam on this thing with me?’ She was like, ‘Hell, yeah,
well… I had no notes [laughs]. It was perfect.” I’ll be there!’ She showed up and just ripped, man.
She brought that cool early 60s SG she was playing
You had Tyler Bryant playing on Forever for a while. I think she leaves it at home now, probably
In The Light, too. smartly, because she’s touring so much. But watching
“We wrote that song on the spot. I showed up at Tyler’s Grace just blow up in front of the world and become a
house and he handed me that famous pink Strat. He sat superstar has been super fun. I’m so thrilled to have her
at his mixing board, I sat on a stool, and he plugged me energy on this record.”
in. I hit the guitar and the riff you hear in that song is the
first thing I played. So he turned around, and was like, Without The Pain is home for you, but it’s a
‘What’s that?’ I said, ‘I don’t know… but it’s pretty cool different world from Lamb Of God. Is this a
huh?’ He’s like, ‘Let’s get that,’ and I started building the direction you plan to continue on?
song right away. It was literally the first thing I played “I think so. It’s definitely reflective of the kind of music
when I sat down, so I think his pink guitar had that riff that I like to pursue when I’m not doing metal. I don’t
in it. I’m lucky to be the guy it came out for.” feel like I’ve exercised it completely, you know what I
mean? I feel like I enjoyed the process and would love to
How was it trading solos with Tyler Bryant? do some more, and probably will at some point.” [AD]
“The solo section was fun but was quite an experience.
I was definitely intimidated to cut heads with Tyler – Mark Morton’s latest album, Without The Pain,
but I will say that I’m thrilled with the result. Tyler cut is available now on Snakefarm Music
his solo section on that song in about 20 minutes and
I spent about two hours [laughs].” [Link]

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 35

 NEVILLE’S
ADVOCATE
...

Shop Talk
Neville Marten talks about a couple of recent in-store guitar purchases
and laments the demise of several much-loved music shops

O
ver the past couple of years I’ve regretted the me’. I then picked up the OM and it was instant. I
sale of a couple of guitars. One was a Martin loved everything about it. Paul went through all the
D-28 and the other a ’52-style Telecaster. Standard range’s upgrades and I was sold.
The Martin, constructed with hide glue, struggled A few weeks later I made an appointment with
with my flat’s underfloor heating so had to go, while Peach Guitars to check out the red Tele. Glen was
I simply didn’t play the Tele for a year. Anyway, I got there to ably assist me, plugging my Tele into a
online and narrowed down my choices to a Standard Friedman amp and leaving me to my devices for half
series Martin D-28 at Andertons in Guildford, and an hour. I liked the guitar, but, again, was not instantly
a Fiesta Red ’59 Light Relic Tele from Peach Guitars smitten. In the rack I spotted a three-tone sunburst
in Colchester. version of the same model; Glen unfastened its
security lock and plugged me in. It looked better, felt
“In various shops I met Alvin Lee, Tony Hicks, better and sounded better (for me), and within five
minutes the deal was done.
Seymour Duncan, and a Beatle paid £10 towards I tell you this not to show off, but to explain how
a friend’s bass when he didn’t have enough cash” important it is, for me anyway, to try before I buy.
I knew what I wanted in the case of both these
Calling in to Andertons one Sunday afternoon, instruments, but walked out with completely
the place was heaving. The shop’s acoustic expert different guitars. I also like to interact with the
Paul came over and – once the acoustic room was guys in the shop, to avail myself of their product
vacated by another eager Martin fan – sorted out the knowledge and advice. Within a week I’d used the
two I fancied trying. One was the aforementioned Martin in the studio and the Telecaster on a gig.
D-28, and the other the OM-28E from this issue’s
Wishlist (see page 26). I quickly realised that, while Open All Hours
the dread was nice, it wasn’t exactly ’speaking to Recently and not so recently some pretty big musical
instrument dealers have gone to the wall. The once-
omnipotent PMT closed all 11 stores, while GAK,
NEV’S GAS OF THE MONTH that bastion of Brighton’s music scene, also shut
All That Jazz its doors for the last time. Manson’s in Exeter went
some time back, too. In the Netherlands, the great
Bax-Shop has gone, and in New York the legendary
What? Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazz Bass LRL, 3-Tone Sunburst Sam Ash is no more.
Where seen? [Link] Price? £389 Of course, the internet has changed things beyond
recognition. It’s so easy to buy with the click of the
My mate was in a London music shop in the early 80s to buy a 1974 Fender Jazz Bass. mouse or the tap of a screen. But if you haven’t
But the price was £10 more than he had, even after a haggle. Another guy had been visited a bricks-and-mortar guitar store for a while,
perusing the store and heard my pal’s distress. All of a sudden he came up to the why not nip into your local emporium and have a look
counter and handed over £10 to make up the difference. It was a Beatle. I won’t say around. Or jump on the train to London, Liverpool,
which one because I can’t verify the story. But what a lovely gesture. The Classic Vibe Cardiff, Glasgow or wherever for a guitar expedition.
Jazz from Squier is plenty good enough for most bass-playing guitarists. Three-tone That’s what I did when I was young, pre-internet. It
sunburst with a dot-inlaid laurel neck (not bound and block inlaid rosewood like my was thrilling. In various shops I met Ten Years After
mate’s), twin Jazz single coils, two volumes and Blend control, ‘elephant ear’ tuners guitarist Alvin Lee, Tony Hicks of The Hollies, a young
and tortoise-style pickguard – it’s a ‘fab’-looking thing. Seymour Duncan, and a Beatle actually paid £10
towards a friend’s Fender Jazz Bass when he didn’t
have quite enough cash (see left).
Like everyone, I buy bits and bobs online, and
good friends have had great experiences making
serious guitar purchases without ever touching the
instrument. But in my case every time I’ve tried doing
PHOTO COURTESY OF FENDER

so it’s been disappointing.

There are still some fantastic independent music
shops across the UK, and while buying online is great
(it’s often their bread and butter, too), you can’t beat
sitting down in a proper guitar shop, plugging in a great
guitar and playing. Anyone know the Stairway chords?

36 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 CONFESSIONS OF
A LUTHIER
...

Fret Or A Promise
This month Alex Bishop unravels the intricate
fretwork of a century-old concert mandolin

I
f there’s one thing I’ve been reminded of this week, ‘1900’ – has 24 such frets, all original but now worn out Alex made 24 replacement
it’s that the frets on your instrument are not to be and in desperate need of replacement. Along with some frets by hand using
thin sheet brass for
underestimated. Most players understand that serious inlay work and structural body work, getting it this antique Neapolitan
those little strips of metal spanning the fingerboard playable again was going to be no mean feat. concert mandolin
are important when it comes to pinpointing tuning and The first task was working out how to remove the
shaping the playability of an instrument, but what is existing frets. Normally, I would apply some heat to
less obvious are the different skills the experienced soften the wood and any glue, getting under the head
luthier must develop in order to repair and replace the of each fret with my nippers and walking them carefully
frets on the multitude of instruments out there. out of the slot. I soon learned this approach would
With the history of fretted instruments stretching damage the delicate fingerboard, which, at only 2mm
back at least as far as 1500BC, there have been as thick, was unlikely to survive the usual abuse. Instead,
many ways to fret an instrument as you can imagine. I sharpened a bradawl to a narrow point and gently
Wood, metal and animal intestines have all been used hammered the ends of the frets, tapping them out
to create stopping points along the strings, initially tied of the neck sideways and avoiding any splintering of
onto the neck (as with lutes, allowing adjustability for precious hardwood in the process.
different tunings) but also inlaid into the fingerboard For replacement frets, however, I would need to make
at fixed positions. Technological innovations in the my own from scratch. I rustled about in my offcuts
20th century paved the way for the widespread use drawer and pulled out some 1mm sheet brass. Cutting
of hardened metal frets – which we are more familiar 24 individual strips with a jeweller’s saw was fairly
with today – extruded from nickel silver with a barbed gruelling, but they were a very close fit to the open
tang to grip the fingerboard and a wide rounded top for slots on the neck.
accurate intonation. Older instruments with bar frets tend to have been
These ‘T’ shaped frets have remained largely made before the conception of truss rods, and it was
unchanged for the last 100 years. However, before the compression effect of tight-fitting frets that created
the 1920s most guitars were fretted with bar frets. the back bow in the neck to counteract the pull of the
Unlike their modern counterparts, these ‘I’ shaped strings. The result is a straight neck, but it required
bar frets are made from flat stock and rely solely on a great skill from the maker to ensure the perfect setup.
compression fit to hold the fret in place. My big project Luckily for me, short-necked mandolins don’t tend to
this month – a Neapolitan concert mandolin dated suffer from the unpredictable stability issues that arise

“This beautiful instrument came from Naples.

Even in something as simple as replacing frets
we can feel a connection to the past”
in longer-necked guitars, so I opted for loose-fitting
frets by sanding them down a tad and applied a little
superglue to seat them. Et voilà, one straight neck, a
happy mandolin and a relieved luthier.
With the frets in, all that was left was to level
everything off to get the action as low as possible.
A flat file did most of the work, with crowning files and
sandpaper as usual to finish them off.
The intricate label inside tells me that this beautiful
instrument came from the workshop of Giovanni
Minieri in Naples, about whom we know very little.
However, even in something as simple as replacing
the frets we can build a story and feel a connection to
PHOTOS BY ALEX BISHOP

the past. I hope he would have appreciated my efforts

to reconstruct his work, and maybe one day my own
instruments will get the same treatment. I certainly
hope so – I can’t think of a greater compliment.
Head to [Link]/alexbishopguitars to see more
of Alex’s work on the Giovanni Minieri mandolin

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 37

 RAISING
THE TONE

The Art of Holding On

Charlie Wilkins explores why guitarists crave sustain, how
to get it and why some guitars sustain better than others

O
ne of the first things I do when picking up a So why do some guitars seem to sustain and resonate
guitar is play it unplugged. Before I even think better than others? The short answer is: it’s complicated.
about plugging into an amp, I want to feel how Sustain is the result of many interwoven factors including
the wood responds, hear how long a note rings out and wood type, construction quality, hardware, setup and
sense whether the guitar has that certain spark, like it’s even the strings themselves. But when you strip it down
alive in my hands. In my experience, natural sustain and to the essentials, I believe it mostly comes down to the
resonance begins with the guitar itself, not the gear it’s wood and the strings.
plugged into. If a guitar doesn’t speak to me acoustically, Each type of wood influences tone, sustain and resonance
I’ll probably move on to something else. in its own distinctive way. Mahogany, for example, is dense
‘Sinker’ is a term used to Sustain and resonance are some of the most sought- and warm with excellent sustain. Ash is brighter, with
describe a prized timber after qualities in a guitar, giving the player more expressive good snap and moderate sustain. Rosewood is lush and
that has been submerged control, dynamics and tonal richness. Simply put, harmonically rich, with deep bass and long note decay.
for an extended period.
Taylor describes the sustain is how long a string vibrates after being plucked. But wood choice alone doesn’t tell the whole story. How
sinker redwood of its Resonance refers to how freely that vibration travels a guitar is designed and assembled matters just as much.
50th Anniversary 814ce through the body and neck. Together, they shape the A guitar’s body plays a major role in how it sustains.
Builder’s Edition as “cedar
instrument’s voice. While many players chase sustain Acoustic guitars, with their hollow bodies, are built for
on steroids”, and its
V-Class bracing further through pickups, amps and pedals, most of the magic (or projection and resonance. They’re often louder than
enhances tone and sustain lack thereof) happens before your signal ever hits a cable. electrics, but because their tops vibrate so freely, much
of the string’s energy is transferred into the air – so
great for volume and projection but not for sustain.
Solidbody guitars preserve string energy; their dense,
rigid construction minimises energy loss and allows
notes to ring out longer. Semi-hollowbody guitars strike
a middle ground, blending acoustic resonance with the
sustain of a solid core.

Sustainability
There’s a common misconception that acoustic guitars
have better sustain than solidbodies because they are
typically louder. Volume and sustain are often mistaken
for each other, but they’re very different things. I’ve
played cheap acoustics that were loud and projected
well, but natural sustain was short and notes died quickly.
Meanwhile, a well-constructed solidbody, even unplugged,
lets a note bloom and hang in the air. When a string is
plucked on an acoustic guitar, much of its vibrational
energy is quickly transferred to the top (soundboard),
which moves the air inside the body and pushes sound
through the soundhole. Much of the string’s energy is lost
in the process, resulting in shorter sustain.
Digging deeper into the topic of sustain, I spoke with
Matt Hughes, founder of Banker Guitars, and PK Pandy,
founder of SonoTone Strings. Both know a thing or two
about chasing great tone at its source. Hughes told me
about building a D-18-style acoustic from sinker mahogany
(wood that has been submerged, usually at the bottom
of rivers or lakes for decades or even centuries): “I didn’t
expect much at first, but when I strung it up, man, that
guitar just sang. The minerals it absorbed changed the
way it vibrates. It’s got warmth, clarity and sustain that it
shouldn’t have, but it does.” Environmental factors such
as exposure to water, soil and years of natural ageing can
dramatically alter a wood’s density, ultimately affecting
resonance and how it sustains.

38 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 Opinion

THREE TO GET READY

If your notes can’t hang, look no further

PHOTO BY FENDER
Fender Fatfinger Guitar Sustain Enhancer £33
This compact clamp-on accessory boosts sustain and
resonance by adding mass to your guitar’s headstock, which
improves vibration transfer, enhances harmonic richness and
helps each note bloom with clarity and depth. You’ll notice
Good wood lays the foundation, but construction Materials and winding fuller tone, longer note decay and better overall response.
and attention to detail are just as critical. For example, techniques used in the It instals in seconds, requires no wiring or modifications,
creation of guitar strings
Hughes swears by constructing guitars with hide glue can all affect the overall
and it works with most guitars, electric or acoustic.
for tight neck pockets. “Hide glue actually shrinks as it sustain of your guitar
dries, pulling the pieces tighter together,” he tells me.
“That’s part of the magic.” He also emphasised how setup
details can make or break sustain. “Nuts and saddles
should act almost like knife edges with minimal contact.
A well-cut nut with the right break angle helps preserve
string vibration. A well-built guitar lets the string vibrate

PHOTO: [Link]
unimpeded for as long as possible.”
Strings are the unsung heroes of sustain. SonoTone’s
PK Pandy spent over three years refining materials and
winding techniques to create strings that increase sustain

“While many players chase sustain through Stringjoy Signatures Nickel Wound Strings £10.99
If your tone feels flat or uninspired, it might be time to
pickups, amps and pedals, most of the magic upgrade your strings. Stringjoy’s nickel-wound Signatures
happens before your signal ever hits a cable” are crafted with premium materials and advanced winding
techniques for maximum clarity, sustain, resonance and feel.
and feel better under the fingers. Pandy adds: “It’s all Whether you like your strings light, heavy or somewhere in
about purity of the metal and the tightness of the winding. between, Stringjoy offers a set that’s perfect for your guitar.
We use a special grade of stainless steel for our string String ’em up. Strum unplugged. Make your guitar come alive.
cores and a proprietary process to make them. Most
companies won’t do this because it’s too expensive, but
we do it because it works.”
He adds that a string’s core shape matters, too: “Round-
core and hex-core strings produce different sine waves
so they yield different fundamental tones, which also
PHOTO: [Link]

influences resonance and sustain depending on the guitar.”

Although we’ve only scratched the surface, you should
now have a better sense of what really shapes a guitar’s
fundamental ability to sustain. Natural sustain varies due to
wood density, construction quality, materials and strings.
Guitars with well-seasoned tonewoods, solid neck joints
and minimal energy loss allow strings to vibrate longer. TC Electronic HyperGravity Mini Compressor £69.99
A well-built guitar lets sound resonate freely, while poor Not getting enough natural sustain from your guitar? Well,
materials or sloppy construction absorb vibration and kill there are other ways to get it. This ultra-compact compressor
sustain prematurely. In the end, a truly resonant guitar with offers exceptional clarity, sustain and dynamics control. With
good sustain feels alive. It breathes with you and inspires TC’s powerful TonePrint technology, you can dial in presets
you. The next time you’re checking out a guitar, play it via mobile device for instant access to artist-designed sounds
unplugged and listen. If notes hang in the air and come alive or create your own. If your sustain won’t stick around, a good
under your fingers, chances are you found a good one. compressor may be able to squeeze out a little more.

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 39

 AUDIO [Link]

SUBSTITUTE
...

Open D Tuning
This month, Richard Barrett grabs his acoustic and shows
you another way to expand your chord vocabulary

O
pen tunings are very popular with slide players
as they offer the facility of playing triads with
one finger (or slide), giving convenient groups
of notes with which to build licks and patterns. In
this way, open tunings differ from ‘alternate’ tunings,
which don’t give us an open chord. Either way, open or
alternative tunings provide the opportunity to create
wide-ranging, piano-style chord voicings that aren’t
available to us in regular tuning.
Though they have frequently been used on electric
guitar (think Keith Richards and Jimmy Page), open

PHOTO BY ROBERT KNIGHT ARCHIVE/REDFERNS

tunings are particularly effective on acoustic guitar
(look to Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Nick Harper, Jimmy
Page and so on). For this reason, the examples here
Joni Mitchell exemplifies
effective use of open have been recorded on acoustic. They’re designed to
tunings on acoustic guitar give a useful vocabulary of major and minor chords,
and has ventured into mostly featuring a mix of open and fretted strings.
open D for some of her
However, there are many more chord shapes hidden
most memorable songs,
including Big Yellow Taxi away in this open D tuning – and don’t forget you can
and Both Sides Now move shapes around for some nice surprises.

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Example 5

This Dadd9 is simplicity Apart from the open low D, Here’s a nice Joni Mitchell This Gadd9 doubles up on D, This is the same as Example 4
itself – the only way to get this Dm7 chord is movable style Gadd9/D, using the with the 5th fret of the fifth but with a b 3 (B b ) on the 4th
simpler is to play all the open to any key; it just seemed to shape that would give us string and the open fourth fret of the third string. Having
strings for a D major chord. make sense to use that open E7 in standard tuning. This string sounding in unison, this string tuned down to F#
As with all the examples here, root note as it was there. is a great example of the for a touch of chorusing. can take some getting used
do experiment with moving Having said that, you might complex-sounding voicings This is another shape that to, but it’s also a really good
shapes/notes around. want to try keeping the low that can be created with a can be used elsewhere way of avoiding unconscious
Random is fine, that’s how D and moving the rest of minimum of effort using – though, of course, the patterns and approaching
the happy accidents happen, the chord around for some open/alternative tunings. Try changing relationships/ shapes with an open mind.
as well as learning what’s interesting slash chords. moving this around for some intervals between the fretted Once again, don’t forget
available to you in this tuning. nice variations on the theme. and open strings will give a to check if this can work
variety of names! in other positions.

Dadd9 Dm7 Gadd9/D Gadd9 Gadd9

D A D F# A D D A D F# A D D A D F# A D D A D F# A D D A D F# A D

40 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 FEEDBACK
...

Feedback
Your letters to the Guitarist editor.
Drop us a line at guitarist@[Link]

SIMPLY RED

STAR LETTER As an amateur luthier OAP who doesn’t possess a

spray booth and is rubbish with a rattle can, I like
CLOSING DOWN to finish my guitars in wood stain, Danish oil and
carnauba wax. Simples! But where have all the vibrant
Driving in Salford recently I saw that wood stains gone?
PMT (Play Music Today) was closed, In issue 516 you kindly published my five-string
I later discovered that they had gone Keefkaster guitar, which I finished in a glowing fire
into administration. I bought all five engine red that I got from Liberon… but they don’t
of my guitars from them, plus my make that colour now. Similarly, I finished several
amp, straps, capos, tuners, strings guitars in a fabulous peacock turquoise that I got
and other bits and bobs. I also had from Wizart in the Eastern Mediterranean, but they
my guitars maintained at the tech are no longer contactable. So for my lefty Frenchy
shop next to their store. These larger Jazzmeister I was recently making from a pitch pine
stores may not be to everyone’s taste, body, where could I look for an exciting fire engine or
but they provide a service to many. I post box red? Couldn’t find one anywhere, whether
spent hours picking my instruments, from luthier supply companies or DIY outlets. In the
and the staff were patient and end I settled on Northwest Guitars’ Empire Red. As
knowledgeable. Sadly, this is a sign of you can see from the attached pics [below], the guitar
the times; too many use high street looks sort of all right, but it’s more like oxblood or dirty
shops to try out guitars and other ruby than ‘here comes Fireman Sam’.
Brick-and-mortar stores instruments, then after having their In these worrying times we need some bright, jolly
are an important part of fill, they go and buy online just to save colours to cheer us up. Come on, industry – surely
the purchasing experience a few quid. Now what will happen you can do better?!
when the last music shop closes? Rod French (aka Jon Chaplin, The One-Armed Luthier)
I love reading reviews, especially non-biassed ones like those Guitarist does, but
they are only a person’s opinion. Who in their right mind would buy a guitar without Thanks for your thoughts, Rod. Have we entered a drab age in
playing it? Written reviews only give an indication and what to expect, watching which vibrant guitar colours are no longer in vogue? Strange
a YouTube video is not much better. You don’t get the feel or usability and most to say, Fender Custom Colors such as Shell Pink are far more
certainly not anywhere near an accurate representation of the sound; you just get popular today than they were back in the 60s when many
the views of the person at the other end. You wouldn’t go out and buy a car purely male players found them too feminine for their tastes in that
on a magazine review or the word of a salesperson, you would drive it. With PMT’s more socially conservative era. So why are the wood stain
demise another valuable resource has gone. Unless people support their music makers of the world holding back? If anyone can suggest
shops, large or small, others will follow and where will you go then? colourful alternatives for Rod to try, send them in and we’ll
Nigel Greensitt print the best.

Thanks for your perspectives on a sad subject, Nigel. Firstly, we’d like to say our
sincere sympathies go out to all who have been affected by PMT’s closure. As
Neville Marten rightly observes in his column on page 36, there’s a good chance
of being disappointed when you buy a guitar online – or, more likely, you might
get a guitar that is enjoyable to play but unknowingly denied yourself a moment
of joyous connection with a guitar that seems tailor-made for you, which you
might have discovered in person at a guitar shop.

Reader Rod
French looks
to wood stains
when finishing
[Link] his guitars

42 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 Feedback

The JVM label on Alan’s

birthday treat is the
icing on this marvellous
Marshall cake!

ROCK ON, TOMMY! PIECE OF CAKE Check out Matthew’s

vibrant tribute to the
Peanuts comic strip,
On the 19 May this year I shared an 80th birthday with Wondered if you guys wanted to see the epic Marshall which covers the entire
Pete Townshend and my twin sister, Carol. Like most cake my lovely wife got me for my 55th birthday. Even guitar. Bravo!
of us, those 80 years have been peppered with highs managed to get my white Custom in on the act. Tasty!
and lows. But one truly lasting joy has been my total Alan Burdon
obsession with guitars.
It all started with a trip to my grandmother’s in 1956. Thanks Alan, what a lovely birthday surprise! Marshall cakes
She owned a small black and white television. That seem to be a bit of a thing as other readers have shared pics
night we were watching a programme hosted by Jack of similar confections in the not-to-distant past. But we have
Payne called Off The Record, in which a young Tommy to say yours has raised the bar as it is a specific model (JVM)
Steele made his first TV appearance. His song Rock and has lightning bolts on the top. I think we have a winner!
With The Caveman didn’t really inspire me, but the
guitar he was playing, which I later found out was a WORKING FOR PEANUTS?
Höfner, made a huge impact.
With some 80th birthday money recently I thought As a recent subscriber to Guitarist, after a break of
a good idea would be to find a book about Höfner 25-plus years, I was interested to see the readers’
guitars and I found a really nice one called German guitar builds that come up occasionally in the letters
Jazz Guitars by Cameron Brown, and there on page pages. I thought I’d share a photo of my guitar
110 was a picture of Tommy playing that very guitar. completed in June this year [above]. My first guitar
As soon as I saw it the image hit me; it was so powerful was a Gordon Smith and I’ve owned an Epiphone
even after almost 70 years. All I can honestly now Broadway since 1998. An interest in Stratocasters led
say at this point in my life is, ‘Thank you, Tommy.’ to the purchase of a Starcaster at my local auction,
This whole guitar passion has been fabulous and has with the intention of a customisation using signwriting
generated some fantastic times with so many friends enamels. I love Peanuts (Charlie Brown and the gang)
as well as getting to play in some really great bands. and thought the two US icons would be a good fit.
Colin Howell The Fender on the headstock is more prominent, and
the Starcaster label hasn’t been seen since February!
Thanks so much for that memory, Colin – it’s surprising Not quite in the same league as Crispian Mills’ Peacock
how far a single, inspiring image can carry us. In your case Strat (Kula Shaker, a personal favourite), but it was
it launched a lifelong passion for guitar. You don’t mention fun to do, sounds good with all new electrics and
which Höfner Tommy was playing when you had your I’m enjoying playing it.
epiphany. 1956 would have been too early for a 335-style Matthew Stevens
Verithin, which debuted in 1960, but could it have been the
popular President, which was highly popular around that Bravo, Matthew – what a professional job you’ve done of the
time and appeared in twin-pickup format in 1955? Do let us artwork and you’ve really carried it through to every area of
know, we’d love to find out. The editor of this tome has owned the guitar’s finish, so kudos for the effort made to create a
two vintage Höfners over the years – an acoustic archtop unique tribute to this classic comic strip. What other comics
Congress and an early Verithin – and enjoyed both, though (outside of the well-worn Marvel universe) would look good
they were not without their quirks by modern standards, to on a guitar, we wonder? We’d quite fancy a Gary Larson one
be sure. Anyway, we’re glad your Höfner experience is still themed around The Far Side, but perhaps readers have some
inspiring you today! even better suggestions or even completed projects to share?

Send Your letters to the Guitarist editor. Drop us a line at guitarist@[Link]

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 43

 MICK RALPHS
1944-2025
We bid farewell to Mick Ralphs, the highly innovative founding
guitarist of Mott The Hoople and Bad Company

Words Amit Sharma

PHOTO BY TOM HILL/GETTY IMAGES

 Obituary

MICK RALPHS
March 1944 – June 2025

O
n 23 June, it was announced
that English guitarist Mick Mick Ralphs,
Ralphs, famous for his work photographed for
Guitarist in 2013
with Mott The Hoople and
Bad Company, had passed away at a care
facility in Henley-On-Thames, aged 81.
He will be remembered as one of the most
influential rock guitarists to emerge in
the late 60s and 70s, though he continued
writing and recording with Bad Company
through the 80s and 90s, and even
released a pair of albums with his own
blues band in times more recent.
Born in 1944 in Stoke Lacy,
Herefordshire, Ralphs picked up the
guitar as a teenager and began his career
playing in bands like The Buddies and

PHOTO BY WILL IRELAND

Mod Doc Thomas Group, the latter of
whom would go on to rename themselves
Mott The Hoople in 1969. Their self-titled
debut album of that year opened with an

around a simple D chord strummed on an

acoustic guitar during the verses with a
“He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. major triad shifted around the 7th, 10th
He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an and 5th frets during the choruses. It was
famously covered by Joe Bonamassa on
amazing and versatile guitarist” PAU L RO D GERS 2007 fan-favourite Sloe Gin, showing
how the music had remained relevant
and influential several decades on
instrumental version of You Really Got Me would you consider doing this song?’ And from release.
by The Kinks, Ralphs using a 1961 Gibson he sent a little reel-to-reel tape with All Later on in his career in the mid-80s,
SG/Les Paul with a sideways vibrola – The Young Dudes on.” Ralphs was recruited by David Gilmour
acquired during his time backing reggae Similar high praise could be afforded to to perform in his solo band on the About
pioneer Jimmy Cliff – through a wah pedal the group’s sixth album, Mott, on which Face tour, which spoke volumes about his
to replicate the vocal melodies heard on the guitarist played keyboard and organ, stature within the guitar community. In
the original. following Verden Allen’s exit a year prior. the years that followed, he kept busy with
“We were quite outrageous in the Mott The release included one of the group’s his own solo music as well as reunions
The Hoople days, but it was more like a biggest hits All The Way From Memphis, with both of the bands he was best
punk band than a glam-rock band,” he partly inspired by one of Ralphs’ guitars known for.
told Guitarist in 2013. “It was just full- getting stolen in Long Island before a gig Following the announcement of Ralphs’
tilt rock because I remember people like in Memphis. death, less than five months before
Mick Jones of The Clash used to come and That same year, he left Mott The Bad Company are due to be inducted
watch us play a lot in the old days.” Hoople and formed Peter Grant- into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in
The band became household names in managed supergroup Bad Company with November, tributes came in thick and fast
1972 when David Bowie produced their ex-members of Free and King Crimson. to celebrate the life of a man who changed
fifth album, All The Young Dudes, and Their debut self-titled full-length of 1974 the world with his guitar. “He has left us
even went as far as writing its title track, remains one of the most important hard with exceptional songs and memories,”
underlined by some phenomenal fretwork rock albums of the mid-70s, perfectly wrote Paul Rodgers, describing his Bad
from Ralphs. “[Bowie] basically saved the encapsulating the jaw-dropping Company colleague as “my friend, my
band,” he once told Guitarist. “We didn’t versatility in Ralphs’ comprehensive songwriting partner, an amazing and
really know him at all, and we were at a range of talents. Hit tracks like Can’t Get versatile guitarist who had the greatest
low ebb and felt that we weren’t getting Enough and Movin’ On, both penned by sense of humour.” Joe Bonamassa
anywhere. We always had a good live the guitarist, saw him using an open C remembered Ralphs as “one of the greatest
following, but we weren’t very good at tuning (CCGCEC) to get the right kind to ever do it”, praising him as a “wonderful
making hit records. And then Bowie heard of response and ring. It’s a high tuning kind man with the greatest rock and roll
about the fact that we were thinking of that makes the strings feel very tight, he Les Paul tone”. And KISS guitarist Tommy
packing it in and he wrote a very nice letter once admitted, while explaining how Thayer mourned the loss of “one of the
saying, ‘I really love your band and hope those songs never sounded quite right in all-time greats”, noting how “one of my
you won’t break up: but if you’re going to, standard. Closing track, Seagull, is based biggest influences has left the stage”.

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 45

RICK DERRINGER
1947-2025
While never a household name, the Ohio guitarist was
PHOTO BY ED PERLSTEIN/REDFERNS/GETTY IMAGES

one of rock’s most adaptable talents and the catalyst

for albums by Johnny Winter, Steely Dan and more

Words Henry Yates

 Obituary

RICK DERRINGER
August 1947 – May 2025

I
f the old joke has it that Hollywood
journeyman Kevin Bacon can be Rick Derringer lent his
linked to anyone in the film industry talents to myriad big
names throughout his
within six moves, the same was career – here he is on
surely true of Rick Derringer’s thumbprint stage as part of the
on the rock ’n’ roll scene of the 70s and Ringo Starr & His All-
Starr Band in 2011
80s. The Ohio-born guitarist – who died
in May aged 77 – was never a household
name (although he came close with 1965’s
Hang On Sloopy and 1973’s Rock And
Roll, Hoochie Koo). But as a songwriter,
producer, sideman, gun-for-hire or guitar
designer, Derringer was never far from the
A-list, making vital contributions to the
work of such notables as Johnny Winter,
Steely Dan, Ringo Starr, Alice Cooper,
Meat Loaf and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic.
Inspired by Buddy Holly and Elvis
Presley, and declaring himself “a natural”

PHOTO BY MAURICIO SANTANA/GETTY IMAGES

on his first Harmony electric guitar,
Derringer was just 17 when his band, The
McCoys, topped the Billboard chart with
1965’s Hang On Sloopy (a song that had
sunk a year earlier when released by R&B
vocal group The Vibrations). “That was one
take,” he reflected of the song’s precocious
lead break. “They said, ‘Now it’s time to play
the solo.’ I just came up with it on the spot.”

he could handle high-brow muso gigs,

too, popping up on various Steely Dan
“Rick produced my first six albums and played guitar albums – and nailing his parts so well that
on my earliest recordings. He had an enormous impact the notoriously demanding Donald Fagen
and Walter Becker never asked him to
on my life and will be missed greatly” ‘ WEI RD AL’ YAN KOVIC revisit them.
His talents even extended to guitar
design, Derringer hoping the BC Rich
Subsequent covers of Peggy Lee’s Fever such heights again (at least, not with his Stealth he conceived in the early 80s
and Ritchie Valens’ Come On, Let’s Go also own name on the marquee). would make a Les Paul-style impact on
flew – while David Bowie would later put Instead, Derringer settled into his the industry (it didn’t, but it’s still sold
his spin on the group’s own Sorrow – but enduring role as catalyst to the stars, by the company to this day). “People
The McCoys’ attempts to rebrand as a from producing Johnny’s brother Edgar have become infatuated with heavy
serious psychedelic act fell flat and the (on hits like Frankenstein and Free solidbody guitars for no real reason,” he
guitarist (along with brother Randy) found Ride) to bringing Yankovic to the MTV told Guitar World of the svelte starfish-
refuge as Johnny Winter’s backing band. generation. “Rick produced my first six esque design. “This is a lightweight,
“It was a contest every night to see who albums and played guitar on my earliest modern-looking guitar. It’s sleek, and the
could play the best,” reflected Derringer recordings, including the solo on Eat It,” girls tell me it’s sexy-looking. I’m one of
in one of his final interviews. “Suddenly I wrote the parody-rocker in one of the the few guitarists who has designed an
was playing with a legit guy. That opened first eulogies to appear online. “He had instrument from inception.”
the doors for me. Johnny asked me to an enormous impact on my life and will In the end, though, Derringer’s legacy
produce his records.” be missed greatly.” is a thousand flashes of brilliance, rather
As well as manning the desk, the new Derringer’s varied commissions than one defining statement. It means
boy also wrote Rock And Roll, Hoochie also included penning wrestler Hulk his passing will be more quietly mourned
Koo, and loaned it to the Texas bluesman Hogan’s flag-waving ring anthem, Real than his more visible peers, but his DNA
for 1970’s Johnny Winter And album. The American, touring with Cyndi Lauper swirls in some of the best rock music
song raced to US No 23 when Derringer and punching up material as eclectic as out there, and it would have sounded
did it his way three years later, on solo Alice Cooper’s Killer and Bonnie Tyler’s different without him. “Rest in peace my
debut All American Boy, but while this Total Eclipse Of The Heart. He cited his friend,” wrote Joe Bonamassa. “It was
breakthrough should have put the own favourite guitar solo as Air Supply’s an honour to know you, work with you
guitarist in the fast lane, he’d never hit Making Love Out Of Nothing At All, but and call you a friend.”

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 47

 THE

INT ERVIEW

With her diverse new

album full of amazing
playing, there are changes
afoot for the Grammy
Award-winning acoustic-
guitar virtuoso as she
takes a few steps away
from her bluegrass roots

Words David Mead

Photography Phil Barker
 Molly Tuttle INTERVIEW

W
e first interviewed Molly Tuttle
in issue 449 back in 2019 when VIDEO
she was playing a tiny venue in EXCLUSIVE!
Bristol. In those days, she was Watch Molly’s exclusive
beginning to gain recognition through YouTube Guitarist video lesson on
videos that displayed her stunning acoustic-guitar basic bluegrass technique
technique, but she still wasn’t very well known on [Link]/guitaristextra
this side of the Atlantic. Since then she’s become a
regular at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry as well as the
annual Grammy Awards, having won Best Bluegrass
Album for two consecutive records, Crooked Tree
and City Of Gold.
When we met up with her in London in May, she was
about to play at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the
Highways Festival and was eager to talk about her new
record, So Long Little Miss Sunshine. It’s an album that
signals a stylistic gear shift, funnelling pop, rock and
country genres into her own unique Americana-rich
style. It’s a somewhat interesting tactic for an artist who
has so far forged an amazing career on the bluegrass
circuit, but as she tells us, these days her maxim is
“keep people guessing and keep it full of surprises!”

With an album title like So Long Little Miss Sunshine,

are we about to see a new side of Molly Tuttle?
“It’s a line from one of my songs called Old Me (New
Wig), and that song also has the line in it, ‘Breaking up
with the old me…’ So I think it’s, in a way, a little bit of a
wink to the fact that the new album is really different
musically from my last two records, which were pretty
straight-ahead bluegrass. My first album [When You’re
Ready, 2019] was a little more in the Americana or pop
vein, and then I did a covers album […But I’d Rather Be
With You, 2020] that was all over the map, genre-wise.
“I really like to be a chameleon and change my sound.
The last few years have been so fun playing bluegrass, 1
and that’s the music I grew up with. It’s a huge part
of who I am, but it’s not the only thing I do or the only
way to express myself. So I feel like this new album to record them. That’s just the door that opened up to
incorporates bluegrass elements, and there’s even one me creatively at the time.
or two songs that could have been on a bluegrass record. “And then fast forward five years, I’d still been
I’m playing banjo, and there’s still fiddle and mandolin writing constantly and I finally felt like I had this other
and all that stuff. But it’s also pushing into new batch of songs that I wanted to record with Jay, and his
territories with the songwriting and the production.” production ideas were amazing. He was so fun to work
with. But we’ve literally been talking about doing this
“Bluegrass is a huge part of who I am, for five years, and so I’d say maybe, like, four or five of
the songs are from that original batch that I had been
but it’s not the only thing I do or the working on during the pandemic. I’ve been writing
songs all along the way since then, and probably the
only way to express myself” bulk of them I’ve written in the past year or two, but
there are still those ones that I really loved from back
You’ve said that some of these songs were written then that I ended up recording.”
five years ago.
“This record was a long time in the making. During What’s the songwriting experience like for you?
the pandemic I was writing non-stop, and I felt like Can you sit down to write on automatic or do ideas
I had two paths I could go down: I had this bluegrass just come to you out of the blue?
album I’d written that became Crooked Tree, and then “I fall somewhere in between. There are certain songs
I had this other record that was more unknown – I that I write from a little idea that maybe I wrote down
didn’t know what it was going to turn into. I started in my phone or in a notebook somewhere, and I’ll just
talking to a producer, Jay Joyce, in Nashville, about collect these little song nuggets as I go throughout my
making a record, and this was five years ago. I sent 1. When we met up life. I don’t always have time to sit down and write an
him some songs, but ultimately I felt like I didn’t have with Molly in May this entire song, so that’s really helpful to just have a running
year she was poised
the material that stood alone as a record. I had this list of ideas. Some of them are total garbage and I look
to play at the Royal
other batch of songs that ended up on Crooked Tree Albert Hall as part of back and go, ‘What was I thinking?’ But if I don’t write
that I felt really strongly about, and I knew I wanted the Highways Festival them down, I’m never gonna remember the good ones.

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 49

INTERVIEW Molly Tuttle

Molly’s main stage

guitar is this Pre-
War dreadnought,
which has recently
been fitted with
an internal mic
 Molly Tuttle INTERVIEW

“So I told all that to [the woman I met in Nashville]

and she set me up with the Martin folks. I talked to
them about building this guitar, which is a custom: it’s
Madagascar rosewood on the back and sides. They sent
me a bunch of pictures of different wood and I liked this
cool stripe that this one had down the middle. And it
has my logo. When I made Crooked Tree, the guy who
designed it made this cool ‘MT’ logo out of branches, so
I sent that to [Martin], because we were going back and
forth about inlays, and then they had the idea to make
these branches that get more and more crooked. That
goes with my song, Crooked Tree, and I went with this
sunburst, which is kind of unusual to see on a Martin.
It’s sort of like a J-45 sunburst.”

Did you ask Martin for any particular specifications?

“For the neck size, I went with sort of a V-shaped
neck and a 1 11/16-inch size [nut width], which is what
I usually use. I got it last summer. I was playing in
Pennsylvania, near where the Martin factory is, and
I remember I went there as a teenager with my dad.
I think we were visiting relatives in the Midwest, and
we took a little side trip to go see the Martin factory and
2 it was so cool. So they came down to the show that we
played in Pennsylvania last summer and brought me my

“Other times I just sit down and write something

from scratch, and that always takes a long time. I’ll work
“I started out [on Martin guitars] when
on it over multiple days, but it’s always really satisfying I was 12. I coveted Martins because that’s
when it’s finally finished. Once I start a song, I don’t
like to halfway finish it and then come back to it later. what all my favourite guitar players had”
There are songs on the new record that were just kind
of sitting there, and I came back and rewrote entire 2. The Pre-War has guitar and I got to play it there at the show for the first
sections of them. So sometimes songs will go through, a spruce top with time, which was really exciting.”
Brazilian rosewood for
like, five different iterations.” the back and sides
Have you had a pickup installed in it?
You have a beautiful new custom Martin acoustic with 3. Molly wrote an “Right now, this one has an LR Baggs HiFi pickup. I
excerpt from a
you. What’s the story there? Grateful Dead lyric think it’s just the HiFi – they have a HiFi and a HiFi
“Well, I actually met a woman in Nashville who works inside her Pre-War Duet. I’ve been playing this on stage for when I go to
with Martin and she reached out and said, ‘Do you ever guitar: “A lovely view clawhammer guitar, which is kind of a percussive style
of heaven… but I’d
play Martin guitars?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I started out when rather be with you” of guitar playing. And this pickup and guitar combo
I was 12.’ I’d saved up $2,000 just from busking and sounds pretty good for that.”
playing gigs and asking my grandparents for money at
Christmas and stuff. I went into the music store where
my dad used to teach and they had this Martin HD-28V 3
that [had] an Adirondack spruce top. I was coveting this
guitar; I always really wanted a Martin. I started out
on a Baby Taylor, and then I graduated up to Blueridge
guitars. But I coveted Martins because that’s what all
my favourite guitar players had. So that was my first
nice guitar that I ever bought as a kid. Then I bought a
vintage Martin when I went to college – a ’48 D-18. That
was another Martin I loved, but I sold both of them. I
sold my first ever Martin to my aunt and now it’s in the
Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.”

Did you tour with Martins earlier on in your career?

“The old vintage Martin I had, I toured with it for a
while and it was really hard to tour with. I felt like I was
damaging it because of all the travel and the wear and
tear. You go to different climates and those old guitars
don’t have an easy way to adjust the action because
they don’t have truss rods. So eventually it just wasn’t
practical, and I kind of needed the money, so I sold it and
ever since then I’ve been playing different guitars.

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 51

INTERVIEW Molly Tuttle

Molly’s custom Martin

features in her stage
set during the more
percussive clawhammer-
style songs, and you can
hear it in our exclusive
video lesson!
 Molly Tuttle INTERVIEW

PHOTO BY CHELSEA ROCHELLE

Do you use a mic for the guitar as well as on stage? resonance of a rosewood guitar,
“Yeah. In my other guitar that I play on the flatpicking and I’m debating if I want to
stuff, I actually just got a microphone put inside the take it out on tour. I bought it to
guitar and it was kind of a complicated process. So now be my studio guitar for when I
I have a pickup in that guitar, under the saddle, and record albums or go play on other
a mic in the soundhole. I have the pickup jack [in the people’s records.”
end-pin] and then there’s actually another hole drilled
inside where the mic comes out, so I can run two lines Along with the new record,
from that guitar. The pickup is really helpful because you have a new band, too.
it doesn’t feed back; you can get it really loud. So no “Yeah, it’s gonna be super fun. One
matter where we’re playing, if we’re playing in a small 6 of the musicians is Mair [Mary
club where the audience is really noisy, or if we’re in a Meyer]; she’s gonna be playing
fiddle and she might play some
“We had no intention of making an all- banjo. We had our first rehearsals about a week ago,
and she was playing fiddle, mandolin and keys. It’s fun
female band. It was literally just the best because she’ll be switching instruments mid-song.
Ellen Angelico is playing with me, and she plays electric
people for each position in the band” guitar, but she also plays dobro and banjo and pedal
steel. So there’s a ton of options there. Megan Jane is
big arena, I can still get the guitar at the right volume 4. After being shown playing drums and percussion; she’s really great. She
and I don’t have to worry about feedback or it sounding pictures of timber can strip down to a washboard for the more rootsy
for her new guitar,
washy. But then the mic helps make it sound like a Molly was drawn to
stuff, or play full kit. She has made a little kick drum
natural-sounding guitar. I’m still kind of figuring out this stunning set of out of an old suitcase with just one hi-hat on it. So we’re
if I want to put it in this [guitar], or start putting one in Madagascar rosewood experimenting with different ways to break down and
all my guitars. It’s a little bit of a commitment because play a little bluegrass set in the middle of the show. And
5. The new all-female
you’re literally drilling a new hole into the wood of band line-up (left to then, finally, Vanessa McGowan is an amazing bass
your guitar.” right): Ellen Angelico, player. She’s going to be playing upright and electric,
Mary ‘Mair’ Meyer, depending on what the song wants.
Molly Tuttle, Vanessa
Do you have preferences for woods, for the backs and McGowan and “We had no intention of making an all-female band.
sides of your guitars? Megan Jane It was literally just the best people for each possible
“It really just depends on the guitar itself. This is the position in the band and the instrumentation that I
6. The twisted branch
only one I have with Madagascar rosewood. I think ‘MT’ on Molly’s Martin
needed. And then all of a sudden we’re like, ‘Wow,
it sounds really cool, but I didn’t really know what was inspired by a logo we got an all-female band. That’s pretty cool.’ It’s like
to expect because all my other guitars are either specially designed for an added perk.”
mahogany or Indian rosewood. Rosewood is more her Grammy-winning
Crooked Tree album
piano-like to me because you have all these other Molly Tuttle’s new album, So Long Little Miss Sunshine,
reverberant notes around it. I actually just bought is released on 15 August via Nonesuch Records
a 1943 D-18 that’s mahogany and I love it. It’s like
it’s a mahogany guitar, but it sort of has some of that [Link]

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 53

FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

54 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 A B OV E
AND
BEYON D
Fender’s Custom Shop may have opened its doors
in the late 80s, but, in some ways, it was an
extension of the company’s ethos since the
beginning – developing bold new designs in
response to the needs of musicians. We take
a journey into the colour, craft and sonic
soul of Fender’s most revered workshop

Words Tony Bacon, Jamie Dickson & Neville Marten

Photography Phil Barker
FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

A N Y WAY YO U
WA N T I T
Fender’s Custom Shop had a precarious start in the mid-1980s,
but the story of its formative years is full of big ideas, some
bizarre instruments, and a queue of famous guitarists

Words Tony Bacon

A
customer walks into a the advent of the Stratocaster,
shop. Nothing unusual were awarded splendid red-finish
about that, did you say? Strats for their trouble, while
Well, the customer talks Eldon Shamblin of the famous
to the man behind the counter. Western swing band led by
And that man is Leo Fender. The Bob Wills landed an even more
customer has an acoustic guitar impressive gold-finish model.
but wants to be able to plug it into As the 50s rolled on, Fender
an amp. He’s heard Leo might be began to hint publicly yet
the guy to make it happen. discreetly in its catalogues and
This apparently unimportant price lists at the availability of
event happened around the start colour options, at first at “an
of the 1940s at Leo’s Fender additional five per cent cost”. You
Radio Service store in Fullerton, may want to sit down for the next
Los Angeles. But this walk-in piece of information. That small
would result in a guitar with price uplift meant a gorgeous
a retrofitted pickup – in other brand-new Custom Color Strat
words a customised guitar. could have been yours in 1957 for
And all this happened many, a few cents short of $288.
many decades before the Fender There was more. First seen
company opened an official on an early ’57 price list was a
Custom Shop, and indeed a “Stratocaster (with tremolo) in
number of years before the Blonde with 14 Carat Gold-Plated
Fender company even existed.
Of course, Leo himself wouldn’t CUSTOMARILY A small price uplift meant a
have described that instrument COLOURFUL
as a ‘custom guitar’, not least As Fender began to grow into the gorgeous brand-new Custom
because the term hadn’t been
invented yet. However, he did
early 50s, and with the addition
of the Tele, P-Bass and Strat
Color Strat could have been
create a special piece for a specific expanding beyond the firm’s yours in 1957 for about $288
customer, which is where the term original steels and small amps,
‘custom’ originates from. the emphasis remained firmly on Hardware” and a price of $330.
What makes a guitar a custom production of a set line of distinct This was the model that became
guitar? It has to be individual, set models. Each of those models was known as the Mary Kaye, thanks
apart from regular production offered in a standard finish, either to the Detroit-born singer and
models. There’s an emphasis blonde or sunburst. 1. Before the Fender
guitarist who appeared with
on the handmade aspects of Any notion of customising at company was even just such a blonde-body/gold-
guitar making, and sometimes Fender in the 50s was largely founded – or indeed hardware Strat in a series of
personal attention from a named confined to non-standard colour the term ‘custom photos that ran in Fender promo
guitar’ became a
builder. Sadly, there will also be finishes. This happened on a material. Kaye appeared in the
PHOTO COURTESY OF FENDER

‘thing’ – Leo Fender

a difference when you come to casual basis, and sometimes it was fulfilling specific movie Cha-Cha-Cha Boom!,
pay the bill. But let’s get back to was for local musicians who requests for his released late in 1956 and with
customers during
Fender, a company now under way deserved something special. three featured performances
the 1940s at his
and gradually picking up business For example, Bill Carson and Radio Service store where she played that now-
as the 50s loomed ahead. Rex Gallion, who helped with in California famous Strat – a guitar she never

56 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 “We were going to start a This unique 1959
Stratocaster in an
Custom Shop at Corona to early guise of Fiesta
Red (complete with
build special projects for matching headstock
before those were
artists to make certain that available as an official
finish option) was
the prestige was still there presented by Fender
to Western swing
for the company” guitarist Bill Carson,
prefiguring the work
DAN SMITH of the Custom Shop
by many decades.
It was shot at David
Davidson’s Well Strung
Guitars on Long Island
for a Guitarist feature
in back in 2022
PHOTO BY OLLY CURTIS
FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

possessed for longer than a few

hours at a time.
Beyond these rare early
sightings, Fender eventually came
up with a defined list of officially
available Custom Colors, and
in the 60s, when the firm was
making many more coloured
guitars, it issued colour-chart
pamphlets to publicise and help
select the various shades, from
Dakota Red to Shoreline Gold
Metallic, Daphne Blue to Teal
Green Metallic. It was an early
sign that custom choices could
be made to work for a mass-
production maker.

CUSTOM PRELUDES
Long before Fender had its
own official Custom Shop,
some guitars were nothing like
production Strats, Teles, Jags
or Jazzmasters, and therefore
qualify as early examples of
Fenders that might deserve the
custom name. One such was a
Jaguar specially built by Fender
for a ludicrous 1963 movie called
Bye Bye Birdie. In it, a rock ’n’
roll star briefly strums a luscious
black-finish Jag that sparkles
with gold fittings and has a body
decorated to incorporate his
(fictional) name – Conrad Birdie. although both kept the customary 2. This 1951 Fender Fender’s UK distributor

PHOTO BY JOBY SESSIONS

60 years and more later, however, bolt-on neck. Rare and unusual – ‘Nocaster’ was built CBS/Arbiter opened the Fender
as a special order
we are still awaiting a Conrad so certainly candidates for early for Nat King Cole’s
Soundhouse superstore in
Birdie signature Jag. custom models. guitarist Oscar Moore London in 1973, and the boss,
Later in the decade, Fender’s CBS had been Fender’s new and is clad in what the Ivor Arbiter, invited a sculptor
maverick designer Roger owner since 1965, and evidence of Songbirds Museum in friend Jon Douglas to come up
Chattanooga believed
Rossmeisl was let loose on the the new overseer wringing every was the first custom with something unusual. He made
short-lived Montego and LTD, drop of potential income from the colour to be used on a replacement Strat body from
introduced in 1968. They were factory came with the Swinger a Fender electric cold-cast bronze, with a metallic
archtop electrics, quite the and the Custom. That’s right: one 3. Bill Schultz, the
layer over a fibreglass shell. A
antithesis of Fender’s regular fare, of them was called the Custom, man who led Fender’s small batch of these Rhinestone
the first time Fender had used 80s renaissance Stratocasters was offered for sale
that word as a model name since and headed up the at the Soundhouse in ’75, but a
management buyout
the double-bound Custom Tele that saw the company fire destroyed the premises soon
and Esquire of 1959. pass out of CBS afterward. Apparently, two had
Following pressure from CBS ownership into an era already sold, but the rest probably
of strong resurgence
to stop wasting spare parts, perished in the flames. Douglas
Fender’s product manager created would make fresh moulds for a
the Swinger by teaming unused further small run in the early 90s,
Musicmaster or Bass V bodies with but the originals were arguably
unpopular short-scale Mustang- the first of Fender’s “art guitars”,
style necks, and the Custom (aka a category that would later find a
Maverick) by converting disused suitable home at the Custom Shop.
Electric XII necks, bodies and
pickups. Both were shortlived, WHAT WE NEED
but the idea that it’s possible to IS A CUSTOM SHOP
PHOTO COURTESY OF FENDER

rearrange existing materials and At the start of the 1980s, CBS

styles into something new and management needed fresh blood
potentially successful would to energise Fender. The brand’s
become central to at least one income had climbed spectacularly
strand of custom building. – in 1980, it tripled 1971’s figure

58 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

PHOTOS BY OLLY CURTIS
Fender Custom Shop FEATURE

of $20 million – but reinvestment Rearranging existing materials (about 20 miles east of the
in the company had wavered and defunct Fullerton site).
Fender’s reputation for quality and styles into something new Meanwhile, the revived Fender
was in poor shape.
In 1981, CBS headhunted an
would become central to at least operation’s primary source of
production guitars was from the
experienced team from the one strand of custom building Japanese Fuji-Gen Gakki factory
American musical-instruments via the Fender Japan deal. “So we
division of Yamaha – Bill Schultz, almost exactly 20 years since the were going to start a Custom Shop
Dan Smith, John McLaren and corporation had acquired it, CBS at Corona to build special projects
Roger Balmer – who joined Bill 4. Perhaps confirmed it would sell Fender to for artists,” Smith explained, “to
Mendello from the existing setup, surprisingly, the “an investor group led by William make certain that the prestige
now-ubiquitous black
all charged with guiding the firm was not originally Schultz, president of Fender was still there for the company.”
to better things. a standard finish Musical Instruments”.
The following year, the new but one of Fender’s It was during the months and ARTIST SPECIALS
Custom Colors, for
team created Fender Japan, a which there was an
years of upheaval and uncertainty George Blanda was the guitar
joint venture with two Japanese upcharge, seen here following the management builder hired by Fender in
distributors. Fender USA licensed on a 1966 Jaguar with buyout that Fender’s official 1985 to make special guitars
Fender Japan the right to have matching headstock, Custom Shop was born. The for artists, effectively starting
like Bill Carson’s Strat
Fender guitars built in Japan created six years prior. intention at first was for a facility the idea of a Custom Shop. An
– initially only for sale on the This guitar was shot that would build one-offs and early job led to one of Fender’s
Japanese market – which led at ATB Guitars special orders for players with first signature guitars, the Eric
to the first Japanese Fender 5. Though not a
the money and the inclination. Clapton Stratocaster. Clapton had
vintage reissues and the Squier custom order as Dan Smith said that in the discovered that his faithful old
line of guitars. such, the Telecaster absence of the Fullerton factory, ‘bitsa’ Strat, Blackie, was coming
However, the improvements Custom debuted in which was sold separately from to the end of its useful life, and he
1959, offering double
were not enough for CBS, and binding and other the Fender name and business, began discussions with Fender
in 1984 it put the Fender name upgrades that set it the buyout team reckoned about a modern replacement.
and business up for sale. There apart from standard their limited resources would “The big thing was the neck
Teles. This example,
were several bidders, but the stretch perhaps to making just shape that Clapton wanted,”
shot at ATB Guitars,
Mendello/Schultz/Smith/Balmer is one of the earliest 10 vintage reissues a day at their Blanda recalled. “Dan Smith
team won, and in January ’85, surviving examples small new premises in Corona and I made about a dozen neck

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 59

 FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

samples for him to play. He when it joined other Custom Shop a limited edition of 50 in 1996
ended up liking two and couldn’t signatures such as the Albert to celebrate the 50th birthday
quite decide between them: one Collins Tele and the Ritchie of the Fender company. The set
was like a pre-war Martin he Blackmore Strat.) recreated the original solidbody
had, with a very deep V shape; prototype, with its steel-like
the other was a kind of soft AT LAST: A CUSTOM SHOP! headstock shape and angled
‘rounded V’ like Blackie, whose George Blanda moved to R&D control plate, alongside a replica
neck had become pretty thin and that left the idea of a Custom of an early Model 26 amp.
through so many refrets.” Shop up in the air. Fender had More guitar builders were added
Fender had given Clapton one discussions with guitar maker to the Shop’s growing staff. Fred
of its Elite Strats a few years Michael Stevens and with Stuart’s Egyptian Telecaster, made
before, and he liked the sound Fender’s former R&D man John in 1994, was the first Custom Shop
of the guitar’s active circuit. He Page, who had left the company art guitar. Stephen Stern took
wanted something similar but a year earlier to concentrate on responsibility for the D’Aquisto
with more boost, which he called his music. The result was that hollowbodies when they moved
compression. With all this in in January 1987 Stevens and that same year from Japanese
mind, Blanda and Smith delivered Page joined up to properly start production to the Custom Shop.
prototypes to Clapton in 1986. Fender’s Custom Shop, gaining And around the same time, Larry
“Then he was on the road for space later that year in an area Brooks helped Kurt Cobain create
some time, over a year, and we within the Corona factory and
didn’t hear much back,” Blanda later moving to various separate “The big thing was the neck
said. “At some point, he had a Corona buildings nearby.
problem with the prototype he One of the Shop’s first official shape that Clapton wanted. We
had been playing most, the one
with the neck like the Martin
orders was to make two left-
handed guitars for Elliot Easton
made about a dozen neck samples
with the deep V, and he sent it of The Cars, a Thinline Tele in for him to play” GEORGE BLANDA
back to us to be fixed. We had Foam Green and a ’57 Mary Kaye
done all our drawings and tooling Strat. The order was placed at the Jag-Stang from cut-ups of
and were ready to make this the end of February 1987 and 6. A chimerical beast his fave Jag and Mustang.
made of surplus
deep-V guitar for him, but then completed by John Page later that spare parts, 1965’s
The expansion of the Custom
he started playing the other one, year. Other guitarists who lined Custom model electric Shop’s business prompted various
like Blackie – and said, ‘Yes, I up for the Shop’s work in its early nonetheless set a moves, notably in ’93 to new
like this a lot better.’ So we ended months included Robert Cray, precedent for off-piste buildings still close to the Corona
reinterpretations of
up changing back to that for the Steve Cropper, Jerry Donahue, Fender DNA
factory, providing extra space and
signature model! It was a very Robben Ford, Eric Johnson, a shift to better efficiency. When
long process because he was on Yngwie Malmsteen, Cesar Rosas, 7. Aged guitars are Fender’s new plant on Cessna
the road so much – his career was Arlen Roth and Keith Scott, now one of the Circle in Corona was unveiled
main products of
having a renaissance.” along with a slew of switched-on the Custom Shop, five years later, the Custom Shop
The final design eventually Fender dealers. but when they were moved there.
went on sale to the public in 1988 The Shop turned out its first first conceived in

PHOTO BY LUCIANO VITI/GETTY IMAGES

as a regular Fender factory model, numbered limited edition, the the late 80s, they
were thought of as
AGEING GRACEFULLY
the Eric Clapton Stratocaster. 40th Anniversary Telecaster, in a sideline project JW Black had started at the
Clapton retired Blackie around 1988 (a few years early – vintage Custom Shop in 1989, and one
this time and soon began playing lore knew no better at the 8. The concept of a day he saw a Strat that a friend
Custom Shop evolved
his new signature models. (An time). Another historic moment of his, Vince Cunetto, had
from making special
actual Custom Shop Clapton Strat marked by the Shop was the Pine guitars for top artists, made with an aged finish. He
would have to wait until 2004, Telecaster & Amp set, issued in notably Clapton showed it to John Page and they
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TONY BACON COLLECTION

60 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

agreed it was interesting. Black Lightly aged vintage
reissues such as this
At the start of the
suggested offering aged replicas,
called Relics, as a regular line
1956-spec Strat, which
belongs to former
90s, the Shop built
in the Custom Shop catalogue.
“It started almost as a tongue-
Guitarist editor Neville
Marten, have become
about 2,500 guitars
in-cheek thing,” Page said, “like
the bread and butter
of the Custom Shop
a year; by ’96 that
worn-in Levi’s or something.
It would look cool – and in the
in recent times
had risen to 7,000
first three rows, it would look
like you’re playing a valuable
Nocaster. But only you know
that it’s not really. That was
how it started.”
Black and Cunetto set about
making a couple of aged 50s-style
guitars as samples. One was
a Nocaster, the transitional
Broadcaster/Telecaster with
removed model logo, the other
a Mary Kaye blonde-and-gold-
metalwork Strat. Fender took
them to the winter ’95 NAMM
Show and displayed them like
works of art. Page said: “Visitors
would come along and say, ‘Oh,
that’s really cool: you brought
original ones as a tribute.’ And
we were saying, ‘Er, yeah – how
many do you want?’ People went
nuts! It was amazing.”
Back at the Custom Shop, plans
were quickly under way to offer
an initial line of a Relic Nocaster
and a few 50s and 60s Relic
Strats, and this soon expanded
to include a 60s Jazz Bass and
options of various sunbursts
and colours. Cunetto and a
small team started work in the
summer of ’95 at his workshop
in Missouri, receiving bodies,
necks and parts from Fender,
shooting nitrocellulose lacquer
and then setting about the ageing
processes. The pieces would then
be returned to the Custom Shop
for final assembly and setup.
FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

Fender moved everything in-

house and introduced the Time
Machine series in 1999: the Relic
(heavily worn); the Closet Classic
(as if played a few times and then
forgotten in a cupboard); and
the NOS (New Old Stock, as if
bought in the 50s or 60s and then
magically transported to today).
By now, the Shop had a growing
catalogue of regular items, aside
from the one-off work, and in
1996, as well as four Relics,
it comprised 12 Namesake
(signature) guitars, six Set Neck
and Contemporary models, and
no fewer than 28 vintage-style
Custom Classics, plus six amps.
At the start of the 90s, the Shop
built about 2,500 guitars a year;
by ’96 that had risen to 7,000.

WHAT’S THE
DIFFERENCE?
Custom shop boss John Page
talked to this author in the early
90s about the types of instruments
his team were producing at the
time. “There are the absolute
vintage reproductions,” Page said,
“and we’ve found that people want
everything just so. Obsessive,
almost. But great, you know? One
example: Elliot Easton had a ’62
or ’63 left-handed Burgundy Mist
Strat that was, like, priceless. He

PHOTO BY JOBBY SESSIONS

wanted to play it, but he didn’t
want to play it – you know what I
mean? So we duped the guitar for
him and he liked it so much better
that he sold the original.”

“[Relicing] started almost as Telecaster, an electric banjo with difference when they pick up
pedal-steel tuners on the floor, and play the guitar, then they
a tongue-in-cheek thing, like eight-string Strats, quilted-maple should buy the cheaper one,”
worn-in Levi’s or something. Jazzmasters with Floyd Roses,
bizarre headstock inlays, and
Page said, smiling.
But he knew that for people
It would look cool” JOHN PAGE many, many more examples in who could tell the difference, it
out-there territory. “Oh, and did was like night and day. “I had
Next up in our 90s chat about I mention the Rocketcaster? That a couple of gentlemen here
Custom Shop categories were was a three-tone Jazzmaster that yesterday that I was showing
what Page called quasi-exact looked like an old 50s Oldsmobile, an instrument to,” Page said in
reproductions. “Anything where all the brass handmade, lots of that ’92 interview. “They were
the guy doesn’t necessarily want chrome strips, and the knobs off asking what we were doing on
to be exact – he wants it to be a Rocket 88 cigarette lighter.” a particular model – they were
9. Heavy Relics such
close and he wants that vibe. He as this Dale Wilson
Page left the Custom Shop in businessmen, not players. They
wants to stand on stage and make Master Built Strat, 1997, and Mike Eldred took over took a look at the guitar, and I can
it look like it’s a 50s Esquire, but shot at World Guitars, the running of the place. But tell in their eyes it’s like, ‘Well,
he wants a fatter neck, hotter represent the fullest one of the questions Page had to this looks like everything else.’
extension of the
pickups … so that’s another vein.” Custom Shop ageing answer regularly when he was And yet two days before that,
As for the Shop’s one-offs, Page process. Today, Wilson there concerned the difference I had a couple of players in here,
reckoned the sky was the limit. is among the most between a factory Fender and a and they asked the same question.
sought after of the
He recalled leather-tooled body (much more expensive) Custom I handed them the guitar and they
master builders for
covers, checkerboard binding, orders specifying Shop Fender. “Normally, I tell just about creamed themselves.
B-Benders, a 30-inch-scale heavily worn finishes people if they can’t tell the They couldn’t quit playing it.”

62 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

CUT TING-EDGE
C U S TO M S
Nearly 40 years on from the Custom Shop’s inception, its creations are
more ambitious than ever. Find out how the team walks the tightrope
between ‘canon’ and ‘cannot’, and where its guitars are heading next

Words Jamie Dickson

F
or almost four decades, come up with things that make
the guitars that live guys like Paul or Dennis [Galuszka,
closest to the edge of fellow master builder] be like,
dreams at Fender are ‘Yeah, let’s try that.’ Those are guys
those built by the Custom Shop. who’ve been building guitars here
What began as a means to give for 20 years or more. I think it’s
players the highest-quality classic always been – and hopefully will
electrics money could buy has always be – the absolute
become a place where Fender aspirational peak of what Fender
heritage is studied and venerated instruments are. But I think [its
but also combined with the role as a] playground for the
bleeding edge of tone-making builders to perfect guitars that they
tricks and mash-up aesthetics. dream up, or that customers have
And the hill of innovation keeps come up with… Hopefully that
getting steeper as players become never changes.”
ever-more savvy to the options
they could order for their dream Do customers want different
guitar. Let’s find out what the state things from CS Fenders than they
of the Custom Shop’s art is in 2025. did a decade ago?
Paul: “Yes and no. I mean, in some
How has the Custom Shop cases, we follow trends just like
evolved over the past 20 years? fashion. One of the bullet points
Paul Waller Chase Paul 1. Master builder Paul to that is colour. We’ll see specific
(master builder): (director of product Waller at work in the vintage colours come in and out
Custom Shop. He says
“I would say that development): of fashion, Shell Pink being one
everything made here
when I started, we “For me, the Shop has is guided by Fender of the statement [custom colour
didn’t have the always been the heritage, even the finishes]. It’s really popular for
amount of limited-edition replica pinnacle of Fender instruments. more out-there builds a couple of years, then we won’t
guitars that we’re making now. So we can build a perfect replica
Back then, they were just starting of either an artist model like a “We want to be as respectful as
to come into their own, with the signature guitar, or something
Jaco [Pastorius] bass and stuff. historic – whether it’s an early 50s we can to the past, but move it
But then we really started doing a
lot more of that as artists were
Blackguard or a mid-50s Strat…
Those things have always been the
forward so it’s a better playing
coming into the fold and seeing touchstone for the golden era of experience” CHASE PAUL
what the potential was. So I think Fender in a lot of ways because the
it just elevated our status [and guitars have always been built the build one for a while, and then
showed] how good we’ve gotten at old-fashioned way. So, for me, it’s it’ll get so popular that Chase will
doing relic guitars and emulating kind of been this peak of what inevitably have to spec one out at
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FENDER

old guitars. It’s really a statement, Fender instruments should be. a Team Built level just to keep up
like planting a flag on the hill And then over the past 10 or 15 with the demand. And then it just
saying, ‘We are really good at it.’ years it’s really taken on this ‘if you falls off again. The same thing
That evolution has really helped dream it, we’ll build it’ kind of with sparkle finishes and some
to boost the status of the Fender mentality. Where customers can others – usually the greens and
Custom Shop, in my opinion.” come up with things, dealers can some of the blues.

64 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 “The Custom Shop is The Custom Shop
Limited Edition Dual
the pinnacle of Fender Mag II Stratocaster
Super Heavy Relic on
instruments… There this month’s cover
features pickups
are no limits. If you with a blend of Alnico
V magnets on the

dream it, it will be” low E through G and

hand-bevelled Alnico
II poles on the B and
CHASE PAUL high E to promote
balanced tone
FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

“The ones that always get built Fender’s online Mod Shop tool case of ]: here’s the platform, here
are the blonde Teles, the black now makes production-line are the things you can spec out.
Strats, sunbursts… We make those guitars customisable. Have you It’s a really cool tool to access and
in the same quantities no matter repositioned what the Custom see how you can build a guitar
what is in fashion. It’s interesting Shop offers because of that? that’s personal for you.
to see all that stuff happen, but Chase: “Interesting question “But within the Custom Shop,
the thing that has evolved is because [Mod Shop offers] there are no limits. It’s basically:
the players. They have a more personalisation to a much more how long will it take and how
discerning taste and can hear a accessible price point. But Custom much is it going to cost? Those are
lot more of what we’re throwing Shop is the upper echelon of the two things we have to figure
[into the design of the guitars] in guitar making at Fender – so what out. But we’ve had people literally
terms of pickups and tonewoods, we do in the Shop is rely on our send us lumber from a tree taken
specifically [through the use of ] creativity to push the boundaries down on their own property, and
the roasted maple and alder and asked us to build a guitar body
ash bodies. Those that are in the “Players today have a more with it. We will absolutely do that
know and seeking out that tone – we’ve just got to figure out how.
can find it through some of those discerning taste and can hear a For us, if you dream it, it will be.”
avenues. And, again, it can be
a trend that might fall off or it
lot more of what we’re throwing Over the years, the Custom
might stay in – but we’re a made- [into the designs]” PAUL WALLER Shop has forensically examined
to-order shop, so we just make hundreds of vintage Fenders in
what people are ordering. of what Paul was talking about 2. This electric was order to make its own reissues
“So the trends are a big part of – [making guitars with] new spec’d in Fender’s more accurate. But does that
Mod Shop. The
what we do – and staying in front pickups, new tonewoods, things visualisation above
process uncover any surprises
of them and making sure that we like that. We continue to explore was created by Neville about the way Fender made
have good communication with [all the possibilities] every time Marten using the guitars back in the day?
our dealers. I always tell people we’re in a room together and you online tool set Paul: “You know, Leo was a frugal
I’m kind of living two years in the get three, four or five of us talking 3. And here is the person and so he didn’t throw
past because a lot of my orders about stuff: ‘What if we tried actual guitar in anything away. There’s a lot of
are two years old. So it’s nice to this or this?’ Within Mod Shop, finished form. Though misconceptions around this –
beautiful, such Mod
have events where I can talk to however, there’s a finite number today, when a new car comes out,
Shop builds aren’t
dealers and see what’s currently of options, right? There are things aged and have limited that new model is the new model
the hot trend.” that rotate in and out, so it’s [a customisation options [with fixed, uniform features for

CUSTOM OR BUST?
JAMIE DICKSON WEIGHS THE OPTIONS IF YOU WANT A FENDER THAT’S A LITTLE DIFFERENT

“There’s an undeniable allure to owning one high-level craft and accurate replication to the
of Fender’s top-tier guitars, but the cost isn’t build. In both cases, you’ll also need to specify
trivial, to say the least. Even fairly ‘vanilla’ CS the degree of ageing you want to be applied to
guitars that have been spec’d out by Fender the guitar, which also affects the final price,
for off-the-peg sale in retail stores typically with heavier Relics costing substantially more.
top the four-grand mark these days. “If those options and a variable wait for
“If you’re determined to take the plunge and the guitar put you off, you can always try the
custom-order a guitar that meets your exact secondhand market; in-store prices for used
spec, you need to download the current year’s CS Strats start around £2.5k and average
Design Guide from [Link] nearer £3k, though you may be able to find
then choose between Custom Built or Master cheaper private sales. But then, of course, you
Built. The latter is a markedly more expensive lose the ‘custom’ part of the equation as you’re
option, but it ensures your guitar is built from buying someone else’s dream-guitar spec.
headstock to end-pin by one of Fender’s top “If aged finishes aren’t essential, you could
luthiers, many of whom – such as Todd Krause try spec’ing out a brand-new production line
– will also be building guitars for major artists. guitar in Fender’s online Mod Shop, which
The downside is that Master Built guitars start offers the chance to choose your preferred
around £7k with the more heavily hand-aged finish, hardware, pickups and so on from a
versions costing nearer 10 grand, which is not limited but decent range of options for a few
chump change, for sure. hundred quid more (depending on options
“Custom Built guitars, by contrast, are made chosen) than an equivalent American Pro II
by multiple members of the wider Custom series guitar – the online configurator is fun
Shop team of luthiers – but still bringing the to play with, too; try it at [Link]
Custom Shop’s long experience of ageing, com/pages/fender-mod-shop.”

66 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

“Leo was a frugal person This stunning Bigsby-
equipped ’76 Tele
and so he didn’t throw Deluxe Closet Classic
features the so-called
anything away… When RSD (Research Special
Division) J-bridge,
they had parts left over, devised to look classic
but offer the player
they used them up” modern functionality

PAUL WALLER
This Custom Shop
Limited CuNiFe
“Specific vintage colours come in
Telecaster Custom
Journeyman Relic
and out of fashion – such as with
is finished in ‘Pink
And Purple Stardust’,
Shell Pink and sparkle finishes”
showing the breadth of
design tweaks possible
PAUL WALLER
with custom orders
 Fender Custom Shop FEATURE

that year]. But in the past, when

they had parts left over, they used
them up. So ’58 decals would get
used on ’59 guitars. 1959 was an
example of what we call transition
years, where there’s a little bit
of both. And actually ’59 is an
interesting year because a lot
changed in that year with overlaps
of specs. So you’ll see different
variations of scratchplate – from
single-ply to three-ply, different
screw-hole patterns. Rosewood
was introduced in 1959, too, but
some of them were still made with
maple necks. It’s just [the product
of ] what they had left over
when they were putting guitars
together, to move them out.
“Those are the interesting
anomalies that we see because
as they begin to move through
the production years [the specs
associated with a given iteration 4. The RSD J-bridge a modern instrument for players literally in there with calipers,
of a model] stayed pretty tight incorporates thick that are looking for something a measuring the dots, like, ‘There’s
brass saddles and
for a couple years at least after Fender claims it offers little bit more refreshed.” no way those are the quarter-inch
that. Sometimes, it’s fun to enhanced intonation Chase: “What’s fun, too, is there dots!’ And we’re like, ‘Holy shit.
mess around with some of those and sustain. It’s are two ways that we get to I’ve never seen this guitar before.’
primarily used on
transition years. As a builder, I Jazzmasters but here
see these [unusual or one-off ] So even on a daily basis, we’re
might say to myself, ‘I’m going appears on a Bigsby- guitars. One is through these exposed to things that can inform
to call this a ’59, but it’s going to equipped Telecaster artist replicas, where we’ll have our ability to be the stewards of
have a maple neck and a single-ply 5. Headstock finishes
artists bring in their instruments the Fender past. We can release
pickguard or a different decal,’ or that match the body and we’ll do what we refer to something and confidently say,
something like that. So there’s a paint first appeared on as an ‘autopsy’, where it’s a full ‘This existed like this.’
little bit of room to work in. 50s-era Fenders and inspection of the instrument. You “To Paul’s point, there were no
they still announce
“But for the most part, a lot of a guitar’s custom get to see pencilled neck-dates on real, clear lines in the sand where
what we do is vintage – so we’re credentials today instruments, where you’re like, they said, ‘We stopped using this
‘Wow. I thought for a long time this material or this spec on this date,
“Pickups have always been a big was a ’59, it’s actually a 1960,’ – and and everything after that was a
so there are all these things that new material or a new spec,’ or
thing for me because I think the you get to see hands on, through whatever it is. These transitions
heart and soul of a Fender is artist models.
“And then, being in Southern
lasted a long time. I’m sure that
that guitar existed because they
the pickup itself” PAUL WALLER California, we’re so close to where just found a stash of old black
a lot of these guitars basically dots before they transitioned to
kind of in a box. But, to go back to stayed once they were originally the larger dots and decided to
my other point about doing a lot sold in the 50s and 60s. There are use them up.”
of replica guitars, modifications all these great independent guitar
were frequently made [to famous stores nearby, and something Custom Shop hardware such as
guitars used by famous artists], so that we saw recently was a 1968 the RSD Stratocaster vibrato and
now modifications are becoming custom Tele, right? Double- RSD Tele bridge – to name but
the norm. For instance, a bound, three-colour sunburst… two designs – add cool aesthetic
humbucker in a Strat in the bridge Traditionally, in the mid-to- and functional twists to familiar
position is now widely accepted late 60s, those would have had designs. Who comes up with
and almost demanded in a modern rosewood fingerboards. Or if they those bits of hardware?
Strat. Same thing with a different had maple fingerboards, they’d Paul: “A lot of that stuff that
neck pickup in a Telecaster. have the big 7mm dot inlays. This you’re referring to is designed
Some of those vintage drifts have one was a maple-cap neck, so it and built by Scott Buell. He’s kind
become standard practice in the was like a standard ’68 Tele, but of a mad genius in the Shop and
factory, and even some of the it had quarter-inch dots instead he’s also like the godfather of the
models that are being spec’d out of 7mm dots. And it was at a store Shop . He’s been here since the
currently in the Custom Shop. So that we trust, where we knew beginning days of the Custom
[it’s about] following the trends in that this was original and that Shop. And that’s exactly what it
customer demands, while staying they’ve done the full inspection is – trying to make it look vintage
true to the vintage but providing on it. A friend of mine and I were but have a more modern spec and

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 69

FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

a more beautiful feel to it as well. like the RSD Strat tremolo are the “On a daily basis, we’re exposed
That’s the kind of stuff that we perfect example of this.
love to do when we have free time “If you see it on a guitar hanging to things that can inform our
and we’re not too terribly busy.
I mean, the demand for J-bridges
on a wall in a shop, it looks like
a vintage Strat bridge, but it
ability to be the stewards of
right now… I almost feel like it has slightly more narrow string the Fender past” CHASE PAUL
sells more guitars because of the spacing, so it’s a little bit more
bridge alone. That’s how good it is. comfortable for people who are The Custom Shop has developed
And then, if customers are leaning doing fast picking or have more some pretty amazing pickups,
towards a modern spec, I’ll say, intricate picking patterns – things many of which can be bought as
‘Why not try the RSD bridge?’” that modern music is calling for. standalone parts. What’s in the
Chase: “An important thing for us But it still has the steel plate, it pipeline on that front?
is trying to elegantly push things still has the bent steel saddles, it Paul: “Pickups have always
forward, and Scott has been such still has a cold-rolled steel block. been a big thing for me because
a huge part of being able to look The arm is a pop-in arm and you I think the heart and soul of
at a vintage design and approach can adjust the tension on it so a Fender is the pickup itself.
it using the design language of, it’ll sit right where you want it I think everyone’s aware that
‘How would this have been done to, instead of having to hope that we’re the biggest electric guitar
if this was originally implemented when you screw it in it’s gonna manufacturer on the planet.
in late 50s or early 60s? What’s the hang where you need it to hang And I say, ‘Well, that also
problem we’re trying to solve, and when you’re not playing it. makes us the biggest pickup
how do we fix it in a way where “It’s about making really manufacturer on the planet,
it feels authentic to the design of thoughtful improvements on the and we make a pretty good one.’
the instrument?’ Because one of original design while retaining We’ve been doing it a long time,
the biggest things for us is, it’s the original character. That’s the and there’s generations of people
not just one spec that makes a lens we try to use as we’re looking 6. Neville Marten’s that have been working in the
guitar – it’s, how does the entire at new product – whether it’s treasured Custom factory since the 50s and 60s that
guitar come together? And what pickups, hardware… We want to Shop Strat was are still doing it. To me, that’s
designed around
is the full picture of what that try to be as respectful as we can classic features that super important; that’s the quality
instrument is supposed to be? to the things in the past and still have stood the test of ingredient that goes into it. I
So using new hardware is a way honour the legacy of what it is that time (and changing draw a lot of inspiration from the
fashion), ensuring it’s
of informing that whole broader we’re doing, but move it forward hot-rod world, where you want to
a lifelong keeper, not
point of what that instrument is incrementally so it’s a better an oddball design that make it look like it’s an old part,
supposed to become – and things playing experience for the artist.” quickly loses appeal or make it look like it existed back

JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN…

NEVILLE MARTEN’S THOUGHTS ON ORDERING A CUSTOM SHOP GUITAR TO BE PROUD OF

“As well as owning many Custom Shop guitars never meant to cohabit. Plus, you’ll hate it
over the years, including Teles, Strats, an within six months then have trouble selling it
Esquire and even a Jazzmaster, I did actually because no-one will want such a monstrosity.
order one to my own spec. In reality, it was “Colour-wise, go for a classic like two- or
based on the first Stratocaster I ever played. three-tone Sunburst, Arctic White, Sonic
I’ve said many times that if you give someone Blue, Fiesta or Dakota Red, Black or perhaps a
some coloured pencils and ask them to draw metallic like Lake Placid Blue or Candy Apple
an electric guitar, it would be Strat shaped and Red. Play lots of guitars to see what neck profile
it would be red. So that’s what I ordered. My suits you best, but I’d warn against extremes.
list was simple: lightly reliced, faded Fiesta You could bling up the neck with flamed or
Red finish, 9.5-inch radius, dark rosewood birdseye maple, which can look lovely.
fingerboard with large frets, Fat ’60s Custom “Then there’s the thorny issue of ageing.
Shop pickups, and quarter-sawn neck on a Remember, Fender does a wide variety of
medium-weight alder body. I also stipulated finish styles, from no ageing at all, to light
no ugly volute. Journeyman, all the way to full Rory if you
“For anyone embarking on the same journey: want. Again, I’d urge caution. Also consider
don’t go silly! Don’t order a Burgundy Mist the weight. Light guitars aren’t all great and
Starcaster body with P-90, humbucker and heavy ones aren’t all bad. Fender tends to
Tele pickups, gold Jazzmaster vibrato, and prefer its CS instruments somewhere in the
mother-of-pearl tuner buttons on a hockey middle, as did I with my red one. Fender told
stick headstock. First of all, it will be a terrible me it would arrive in six months. It took three.
guitar. It won’t work as a cohesive whole as it’s It was exactly what I ordered. I love it and
a mish-mash of different designs that were will never sell it.”

70 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

This beautiful Custom
Shop Vintage Custom
“It’s about making really
1965 Jazzmaster
in Lake Placid Blue
thoughtful improvements on the
shows how Fender’s
Custom Shop can
original design while retaining
subtly tweak its own
heritage, as well as do
the original character”
brave new designs
CHASE PAUL
While Fender dreams
up quite radical
“Balancing the monotonous
guitars in the Custom
Shop, some – like this
work and being creative is
Vintage Custom ’57
Stratocaster NOS in
probably the hardest part”
Aged White Blonde –
are timeless designs
PAUL WALLER
with minimal ageing
 Fender Custom Shop FEATURE

in the day but modernise it. And

PHOTO BY MARK KERALY COURTESY OF FENDER

I employ that kind of same idea to

the pickup.
“Currently, I’m working on a
humbucker that’s a more Fender-
ish sounding humbucker that
would work well in both the neck
position in a Telecaster and the
bridge position in a Strat, and
doesn’t have that high volume
when switched between the two,
and then in the middle position,
it makes it a lot sweeter and
more balanced as well. So that’s

“Generations of people have

been [winding pickups] since the
50s and 60s. To me, that’s the
quality ingredient” PAUL WALLER
what I’m really focusing on right 7. The Custom Shop

PHOTO BY RYAN PIORKOWSKI COURTESY OF FENDER

now, in terms of pickups. It’s a embodies decades of
collective experience
Josefina [Campos] hand-wound in how to hand-build
humbucker that I’ve been putting Fender guitars
in a lot of builds for my customers.
I would hope that we could 8. Neck profiles are
one of the key ways
develop some other platforms to in which Fender
get it out there in wider use – just designs can be
because of the high price point individually tailored
to the player who
of a Master Built guitar – so the has ordered the
average guitar player can pick guitar according to
one up and try it for themselves. their preferences
That’s maybe in the works in the My thing is, that’s the music that was choosing materials that were
9. The Custom Shop’s
future, wink, wink…” creative approach to we’re all emulating – the day that inexpensive, readily available
pickup design means we start emulating something and painted well. Ash was one of
In recent times we’ve seen the guitars can look that is not [performed on a guitar those materials that was plentiful,
classic but pack a
Custom Shop work with an with] an ash body or an alder but it didn’t paint very well, so I
unique sonic punch
increasing range of non-canonical body, and that’s when the trend believe that that was a big part
tonewoods such as okoume, will heavily shift, but that’s the of the push to move to alder – it
redwood and pine. What’s the music we’re emulating. I’m now just painted way easier. There
scope for further evolution in seeing this new generation kind was no need for grain-fill and
that area, do you think? of ripping off 60s and 70s music the shrinkage wasn’t as bad, so
Paul: “Personally, I don’t get too and 90s music. And so I’m happy the guitars looked better longer.
far away from the vintage stuff. to hear that because that means I also believe that if Leo knew
there’s going to be another future about urethane, or had access
generation of rock ’n’ roll guitar to urethane in the 50s and 60s,
players coming out because that’s he probably would have used it
what’s cool. As long as that stays because it would have made a
true, then I will always have a gig nicer finish.
at least as long as I’m alive! For “But we get stuck in this vintage
me, being a traditionalist, those thing of ‘it has to be lacquer’. The
few tonewoods that we mostly use reality is we can actually spray
are still tried and true. urethane to half the thickness of
“I will say that redwood makes lacquer and achieve a beautiful
PHOTO BY MARK KERALY COURTESY OF FENDER

for an excellent-sounding guitar finish that’ll last longer. And it’s

and so does pine, but pine can be more durable – it’s just a better
a bit unstable and cause cupping material for what it is we’re doing.
and some issues with that, and But we can’t get away from lacquer
then there’s consistency in weight because of the vintage thing that
and grain and all that. I think that’s we’re doing. So we need both.
why we use the woods that we “When it comes to [progressive]
use, and that’s why Leo used the tonewoods, I do like roasted
woods. From his standpoint, he [wood] as it gets it more into a

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 73

FEATURE Fender Custom Shop

vintage sound, and I like redwood.

But I’m not a big fan of quilt-top
guitars, personally. I think it
adds too much brightness. But it’s
amazing how much the pickup
does – arguably most of the work
– but it is flavoured by the wood
that surrounds it, for sure.”
Chase: “We’re trying to emulate
the sound of these instruments
that have been revered for decades,
right? So you can’t step too far

PHOTO BY RYAN PIORKOWSKI COURTESY OF FENDER

outside of [that] when you start
using different materials. I think
we end up experimenting here
and there, with roasted woods or
figured tops on some things – or
combinations of woods – to try to
emulate the sound that you would
get from [traditional Fenders] but
have it look a little different.
“At the end of the day, that’s the
key: how does it sound? The reality
is that the recipe of Fender style – 10. Whether a period- be very careful about not steering On the one hand you’re trying
single-coil pickups with a bolt-on correct reissue or a somebody towards my [preferred] to accurately and consistently
one-off reimagining
neck that’s mostly maple or all of a Telecaster, the direction. I’ve got to make sure recreate classic Strats, Teles and
maple… there’s a finite number big challenge for I’m building their guitar because other Fenders, day in day out, to
of things you can ‘drift’ before it Custom Shop luthiers I pride myself on building exacting standards and with a big
is keeping the quality
starts to not sound like that any consistent while
somebody their No 1 guitar: I don’t reputation and a lot of heritage
more. And that’s okay, but it has keeping the spark of want to give them my guitar; to uphold. But you also have to be
to be an intentional choice to make creativity alive, too I want to give them their guitar. imaginative and take risks. How
it sound different.” But if I get an order for one of do you square that circle?
those, man, I get excited because Paul: “Interesting you say that
The archetypal Fender tobacco I love that ‘day-glo’ ’burst.” because it is probably the hardest
sunburst has to be the most part. Balancing between getting
iconic finish of all time. What’s Tell us something we don’t know the sometimes monotonous work
your favourite version of it, Paul? about the Custom Shop. done and being creative… it’s
Paul: “Oh, boy, I kind of like the Paul: “Bunch of clowns [laughs]. almost like you have to bank the
‘day-glo’ 60s-style ’bursts where We have a lot of fun in the Shop, creative [ideas when they occur]
the yellow is really bright [in the but we also work really, really because you can’t go looking for
centre]. I think it’s because, when hard and put in a lot of hours. it; it just comes out of the sand.
I was a kid, print ads in the 80s It’s very stressful. Unlike the Then, once you have a moment
production line, we don’t have where you can say, ‘Okay, I’ve
“Trends are a big part of what the option of just pulling another finished my ‘have to dos’, now
body or neck to facilitate a quota. I can do some of my ‘wanna dos’,
we do – and making sure that We only have one chance to make you can take another look at what
we have good communication that guitar because almost every
guitar is completely different,
you banked and say, ‘What do I
have time for?’
with our dealers” PAUL WALLER unless we’re doing batching. “Sometimes [those stored-up
“With all that, plus the fact creative ideas] stay there for a
and the 90s weren’t as good as [we’re essentially] a group of while before they get made into
they are now and there were no artists, we have our moments something, but sometimes it’ll
digital platforms. But that’s how of just being silly and I think it’s be a brand-new thing and I just
you would see guitars if you didn’t a necessary part of the creative execute it straight away. It is
actually go to the store, and the environment that we all work in.” difficult, but that’s the part that
print ads would always make those Chase: “You took the words comes with experience. What
sunbursts look really vibrant. I right out of my mouth. It truly we try to impress upon the next
know that most people don’t like has the dynamic of a family generation of master builders that
the ‘day-glo’ style of sunburst, but atmosphere, where you might are in the Shop currently is [that
to me that’s a 60s guitar – with the have the crazy uncle, you might you need to be] able to spin all
bright yellow and the real contrast have the siblings who have a those plates simultaneously while
with the red and everything. rivalry… But everybody knows riding a unicycle over a shark pit,
“Of course, I’m not building how to have fun with each other juggling chainsaws on fire! Just
what I want. I’m building what at the right time and place. It’s don’t forget to be creative…”
somebody else wants, so I have to an inspiring atmosphere.” [Link]

74 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

“It’s not just one spec that makes This Limited Edition
’59 Journeyman
a guitar – it’s, how does the Stratocaster belongs
to deputy editor David
entire guitar come together?” Mead and was ordered
to mark a special
CHASE PAUL occasion – after years
of playing Strats he
opted for this more
traditional spec
 Stewart
Returning with an album of man-and-guitar
Dylan covers, the Eurythmics legend’s
playing has never been laid so bare. He tells
us about gigging folk clubs underage, the
blues in his palette, and a memorable
night on the tiles with Robert
Zimmerman himself
Words Henry Yates
 ‘U
nderrated’ seems a
strange word to use about
a musician who has sold
75 million records. And
yet there’s a case that Dave Stewart
has never quite received his due as
a guitarist. Perhaps this oversight
is understandable. Partnering the
androgynous, octave-straddling
Scottish vocalist Annie Lennox on
Eurythmics’ chart-topping dash
through the 80s would put anyone
in the shade. Nor did the multi-
instrumentalist Stewart feel the
need to constantly flex his guitar

“It feels very natural

for me to [sit with
an acoustic and play
blues]. I never went
away from that, even
all through the 80s
synthesiser period”
chops, driving many of the duo’s
biggest hits – like 1983’s icy Sweet
Dreams (Are Made Of This) – on
synth and programmed drums.
And while Stewart has been
hugely prolific as a producer,
songwriter and music-industry
Swiss Army knife since
Eurythmics’ dissolution in the
90s, he’s never attached himself
to another full-time project in
quite the same way. As such, the
72-year-old’s new release – a
fantastic collection of Bob Dylan
covers snappily titled Dave Does
Dylan – is a welcome reminder of
Stewart’s generational guitar skills,
showcasing his supple fingerstyle
and lived-in vocal on songs that
take him right back to the start.
PHOTO BY KRISTIN BURNS

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 77

 INTERVIEW Dave Stewart

How do you feel about Dave Does by this kid on the football field.
1. Gibson LG-2

PHOTO BY KIM MANCUSO

Dylan? Are you pleased with it? That was the same month my
“Well, yeah, considering I wasn’t mum left my dad, so he was totally “This 50s parlour-sized guitar was used
even making an album at first. What depressed. I just remember looking on a few of the Dave Does Dylan songs.
happened was, whenever I was in a out of the window at these slate- It has a high-voiced register that sits well
hotel room or whatever – you know, grey Northern skies and thinking, with Dave’s voice on the record. Incredibly
that ‘hurry-up-and-wait’ thing ‘I’m fucked…’ comfortable to play.”
when you’re doing shows – I’d just “Then the postman came with
sing one of the Dylan songs that I this box that my older cousin had Tools Of 2. Martin Custom
used to play in the folk clubs when I sent me from Memphis. Inside was The Trade Shop Style 18
was 15. There were no amps – every a pair of Levi’s and under that were Guitar tech Jesse “This uses something called sinker
song was just one live take filmed two blues albums. So now I had my Samler curates mahogany. This wood is from the 17th and
on an iPhone with a couple of mics two Dylan albums and these US Dave Stewart’s 18th centuries from the lumber operations
going into a laptop. All the videos blues records – I think one of them collection... in Central America. Wood was floated
are on Instagram and the album was Robert Johnson. And when downstream and the heaviest logs sunk
is those actual recordings. I didn’t I switched on the radio that day, underneath the water. This wood has been
change anything. So that’s how the it was The Kinks with You Really recovered and has been used on a select few
album came out sounding stripped Got Me, followed by The Stones, of the Martin Custom Shop guitars. Sounds
bare. It was about a quarter of the The Who, The Beatles. I was like, incredible, absolutely incredible.”
way through posting these things ‘Holy shit!’
that people started saying, ‘I want “So I tried to learn it all. I 3. Takamine EF391MB
to get this as an album.’” remembered that my brother had “This is the guitar that Dave bought in
a guitar with about five strings on Nashville in the late 80s. It has a beautifully
How did you discover Dylan’s music it in his wardrobe, so I hobbled to voiced active pickup system that really
in the first place? his room and got it. I didn’t have a represents Dave’s articulate playing. It stays
“My brother left me a couple of tuner, but I learnt some two-note in tune like it’s not from Earth, and it never
Dylan albums when he went to blues riffs. But when my brother feeds back – it’s a tour warhorse.”
college, so that’s what I learnt came back from college, his mate
guitar from. Before that, I wasn’t said, ‘It’s not tuned right.’ So he 4. Fender Custom
interested in music. I just wanted tuned it all normal. And I went, Shop Stratocaster
to play football for Sunderland. ‘Oh, fucking hell’ because I couldn’t “This is an Art Nouveau Stratocaster
But instead, I had my knee broken play the thing again!” masterbuilt by JW Black in 1993 (Fender
Custom Shop). The entire body is chrome-
plated aluminum and is quite heavy. It has a
Dave Does Dylan was birdseye maple neck and a rosewood fretboard
born out of Instagram with mother-of-pearl inlays. The entire guitar
videos: “People started
saying, ‘I want to get is engraved by Ron Chacey, who also made the
this as an album” artistic inlays on the fretboard. There are only
four guitars from this series on Earth. One
of the other three were made to the personal
specifications of Bob Dylan and his then-
guitar tech, César Díaz.”

5. Duesenberg Alliance
Series Starplayer
TV Mike Campbell
30th Anniversary
“Mike Campbell personally gave this guitar
to Dave. Dave brings it with him on every
tour, along with the Silver Strat. It’s got a
beautiful tone and has held up incredibly
well to the road. Dave makes it sing with
its Diamond Deluxe vibrato system.”

6. Rickenbacker 370/12
electric 12-string
“Dave has three of these. One of them was
personally gifted to him by Roger McGuinn
– this one has the prototype compressor
circuit underneath the pickguard that’s
PHOTO BY TYLER AUBREY

responsible for that famous jangly tone.

It also has stereo outputs that are quite fun
to record and create with. Incredible guitars
with an incredible history.”

78 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

Dave Stewart INTERVIEW

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 79

INTERVIEW Dave Stewart

Could you tell us about when I just wanted to play, so I got up and went out and I was sat in the control
you were playing Dylan on the this sweet guy was clapping on his room when our receptionist rang
Sunderland folk circuit? own. But as I was singing the second through and said, ‘Bob Dylan’s
“They wouldn’t let me in for ages. song, I had my eyes closed and I felt on the phone for Dave Stewart.’ I
I was about 12, so I’d stand out on this tapping on my hand. It was the thought it was just Feargal larking
the street playing until the really guy. He goes, ‘I’m sorry, son, but I’ve about. Anyway, when I picked up the
lovely guy who ran this folk club got to catch me bus.’ He probably phone, it was one of those voices that
– called The George And Dragon – didn’t know what to do because I nobody could imitate. That night,
eventually let me in. I had to stand at was probably singing a Dylan song we met up, had a meal, drank sake.
the back until he says, ‘This kid has with 30 verses.” Later, when he came to England,
been standing outside in the cold we’d be sitting around my kitchen
every week, let’s give him a chance.’ Dylan is sometimes accused of table. It just slowly became normal.
“The first two songs I sang were just being a campfire strummer. “I’ve been on stage with him a few
To Ramona and Don’t Think Twice, Do you rate him as a player? times. I’ve got this great film of us in
It’s All Right. My voice had broken, “You listen to any of the early Tokyo. I’ve got this tiny video camera
but I looked like a tiny kid. The songs albums, most guitarists, no matter and I’m about 12 inches away from
who they are, if you say to them, his face as he’s singing Like A Rolling
“Our receptionist rang through and ‘Well, go on then, fingerpick that Stone. When it gets to the chorus, I
Dylan song and sing at the same swing it round to the audience and
said, ‘Bob Dylan’s on the phone for time’ – it’s not easy. We both all these Japanese people scream:
Dave Stewart.’ I thought it was just love Mississippi John Hurt and
older blues guys like that. When
‘How does it feel?’ Amazing.”

Feargal Sharkey larking about…” he’s playing electric, he likes How did you decide which acoustic
things to be kind of raggedy on guitar to use?
they were singing in that club were purpose. But if you see him play “It depended on where I was. I think
things like Shipbuilding, y’know, Like A Rolling Stone, his guitar there were about seven guitars on
old English folk accompanied with playing is great; it’s just that he’s the album [see previous pages].
the hand over the ear. So they didn’t unpredictable. I was great friends I used a tiny 12-string miniature
really know these Dylan songs and with the Heartbreakers. They were called a Maton on Shelter From The
they were a bit taken aback. But the on tour with him, and they said Storm. I used this Martin Custom
guy allowed me to come back. The Duesenberg he’d suddenly play the song in a Shop, which is made using wood
“All the pubs realised that folk Blackbird Dave Stewart different key, or he decides to miss from the bottom of a ship that
music brought people in to drink. Signature: “Only 52 out a verse.” sank in the 1800s. There was a tiny
of these guitars were
I remember one club just outside made,” says tech Jesse Gibson LG-2 parlour guitar. And
Sunderland. I went along with Samler. “Only one of You became friends with Dylan then I used my blue Takamine that
my guitar and there was just one these guitars has a too, didn’t you? I bought in the 80s. I played that on
vibrato system built
guy drinking his pint in front of “The story is nuts because, having just about every Eurythmics tour.
into it – and that is
these four crates that had been put Dave’s personal guitar. been such a fan, in 1985 I was in the It’s almost got a hole through it now,
together for a stage. I didn’t care, It has a beautiful tone” studio with Feargal Sharkey. He like Willie Nelson’s Trigger.”

PHOTO BY JOSEPH BRANSTON

80 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 Dave Stewart INTERVIEW

Do you play more acoustic guitar

than people realise?
“Yeah, at the end of the day, I always
just sit with an acoustic guitar,
noodling about, and often with a
slide, playing some blues. It feels
very natural for me to do that. And
I never went away from that, even
all through the 80s synthesiser
period. People would say, ‘Oh yeah,
Eurythmics, they’re a synth-pop
duo.’ But, actually, I would write on
whatever the song required.
“A lot of those songs started with
me playing electric guitar and
making a riff, like Would I Lie To
You?, Missionary Man or Thorn
In My Side. Even Sweet Dreams
is a blues song, really. It just stays
on this groove, it hardly changes.
That’s why the label didn’t put it
out until the fourth single. They
said, ‘We don’t understand, where’s
the chorus?’ I’ve played it before
with electric guitar and slide and
somebody singing it like a blues
song. And then, obviously, Marilyn
Manson really changed it.”

What were the core guitars you

used with Eurythmics?
“That blue Takamine was very
important because Annie and I
would often do an acoustic set,
although I used a Guild F412 from
1974 on Thorn In My Side. I’d also
use Fender Strats. But there were
different periods of Eurythmics.
It depended how much money we
had. Because when you get a record
deal, you don’t instantly get money
– you wait ages. And when you play
live, you’re losing money at first.
But what’s really nuts about when
you become a famous artist is that
you’ve been broke and living in a
squat – and now you’ve got money
and people are giving you things.
It’s like, ‘I wish you could have given
me that before.’ My Silver Strat
is what I use now for Eurythmics
songs. I also have an amazing
Duesenberg signature guitar called
the Blackbird – it’s beautiful.”

Do guitars still excite you? What

PHOTO BY KI PRICE/WIREIMAGE/GETTY IMAGES

would happen if we were to walk

down Denmark…
“[Interrupting] Don’t let me walk
down Denmark Street!”
This silver Strat was made
by the Fender Custom
Dave Does Dylan is available Shop in the early 90s and
is still Dave’s go-to for
now on Surfdog Records
Eurythmics songs today

[Link]

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 81

REVIEW PRS SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW MODELS
 Triple Treat
Along with its specific 40th Anniversary models, PRS is cranking out the new releases
this year, not least with two new three-pickup Special Semi-Hollow models in the
S2 and SE line. We compare those with the longer-running Core version

Words Dave Burrluck Photography Phil Barker

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 83

REVIEW PRS SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW MODELS

PRS SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW, S2 SPECIAL

SEMI-HOLLOW & SE SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW
£5,169, £2,899 & £1,180
CONTACT PRS Europe PHONE 01223 874301 WEB [Link]

N
ot too long back, the majority Standard), while the S2 and SE range also as the start-up SE models. These SEs are
of new guitars and gear were get a Special Semi-Hollow, which has been primarily made in Indonesia by Cor-Tek
launched around the USA a USA Core model since 2021. and are the entry-level models, starting
NAMM Winter and Summer Shows. If you’re not au fait with these different currently with the bolt-on SE CE 24
Now it seems they’re coming thick and PRS levels, the USA Core range is the Standard Satin at £520.
fast every month or so! We’ve already lost top tier before you go into the exclusive So, with a three-pickup Special Semi-
count of the new models PRS has released Private Stock custom shop. The S2 models Hollow in all three ranges, a comparison
in this significant anniversary year, but its are also made in the USA, in the same was too good to miss – not least that,
latest five-strong wave adds the original- factory alongside the Core models, but use as you can see, our three guitars range
style PRS HSS Studio to the S2 and SE a simplified production path and, up until from £1k to £5k. Good, better, best?
lines (along with an SE bolt-on Studio recently, the same hardware and pickups Let’s find out…

Special Semi-Hollow
The Core level PRS Although a PRS Special first appeared in
is all about the fine 1987 (a twin-humbucking Standard with
details. Here, we have
a rosewood-faced
a vibrato up-rout and some natty colours)
headstock with inlaid and ‘Special’ has been used over the years
signature and Phase to denote three-pickup models such as
III locking tuners the Swamp Ash Special, the Special Semi-
with wing buttons
Hollow has its roots in the Private Stock
Super Eagle (2016) and Super Eagle II
(2017) limited runs, a design created for
John Mayer’s tours with Dead & Co. These
led to a simplified limited-edition version
between 2018 and ’19 and a full production
version that joined the Core line in 2021.
As befits its price tag, pulling this from
its smart moulded case, not only is the
guitar light in weight, it’s just a beautiful
example of why we’re still writing about
PRS after all these years. While all our trio
use the same original PRS scale length
and 22 frets, really, that’s about all each

84 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

VIDEO DEMO [Link] PRS SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW MODELS REVIEW

1. The Gen III is the latest 2. PRS calls these ‘coil-tap’

version of the vibrato that switches, but they use the
Paul Reed Smith has used company’s long-running
since 1985. The all-brass partial split, which voices
design is well tested and primarily the slug coil
very in tune. The bridge of each humbucker with
McCarty III pickup is a a little of the screw coil
new addition for this year still in circuit

of the models has in common. Perhaps the back edge is more rounded, and we also While the Gen III vibrato has been in
surprisingly bearing in mind its Semi- get a light ribcage cut-out, of course. place for some time, the locking Phase III
Hollow status, the body is the original Each of our models uses a different tuners were upgraded last year with the
depth (49mm overall), not the deeper 22-fret glued-in neck construction. Here, wing buttons, and virtually every visible
McCarty spec. The back is one piece and the Core neck is one-piece, quarter- part is proprietarily designed. It might not
seems mainly hollowed out on the bass side sawn mahogany, with its unbound dark be a cheap date, but the design, craft and
and behind the vibrato, while the figured rosewood fingerboard and the fanciest execution remain faultless.
maple top is machined away under the bird inlays with vintage ivory acrylic Typical of the ever-evolving
f-hole area and has the classic ‘violin’ top outlines and green abalone centres. Each specification, for this year the Special
carve with indents for the volume and tone. neck profile is different, too; the Core features the new McCarty III humbuckers
There’s very little radius to the top edge, model here has the Pattern profile. (the neck is reversed so the screw poles
face the bridge), which are also now
standard on the other McCarty models
and in the bridge position of the Studio.
Visually quite different, but still a
humbucker, is the Narrowfield in the
middle position with its flush slug poles
and a downsized mounting ring.
Control-wise, all three of our models
share more similarity and here the
five-way pickup selector voices bridge,
bridge and middle, bridge and neck,
middle and neck, and neck pickup only,
while those ‘coil-tap’ switches move
between full humbucker and single coil
(voicing the slug coil, hence the reason for
The neck-position reversing the neck pickup so that coil sits
McCarty III is reversed closest to the neck).
so the slug coil faces
the fingerboard. Like the
original Super Eagle, the
S2 Special Semi-Hollow
middle pickup here is The mid-tier Special arrives in a pretty
the PRS Narrowfield rugged ‘premium’ gigbag, as opposed to
that new moulded case of the Core model,

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 85

REVIEW PRS SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW MODELS

3. All the Special models 4. Again, the neck pickup 5. The S2’s headstock is
use a five-way pickup on the S2 model is unfaced and colour-
selector switch that, reversed, and the matched with the back
with the mini-toggle Narrowfield here is colour. A raised signature
switches, provides the same pickup that logo is used, but the
you with a total of is also used on the tuners and nut are the
12 sound options higher-level Core model same as the Core guitar

and from the off comes across as a little

less posh. Through the translucent colour
you can easily see that the back remains
one piece, but here we have a mainly flat
top with the edge chambering – or, in PRS-
speak, ‘asymmetric bevel’. Overall depth
is 45mm, the rim depth slightly more
than the Core model at 38mm. There are
no indents for the controls, and while we
have a similar rear ribcage cut, the back
coverplates aren’t recessed like the Core’s. the brushed nickel-covered humbuckers finish is faultless, as is the natural edge
The gloss nitro finish goes over the here are the 58/15 LT units – one of our ‘binding’, and while the inside edges of the
headstock face, and like the Core model favourite vintage-inspired PRS designs. f-hole look less neat, it’s far from shoddy.
there’s no rosewood veneer facing. Again, that neck pickup is reversed, and It’s marginally heavier than the USA
Here, the rosewood fingerboard has a the control selections are the same as on models, with an overall depth of just over
decidedly reddish hue, quite different the Core model. 45mm. It’s taller at the rim because the
from the almost black fingerboard of the maple top is primarily flat with just a little
Core model. The birds are solid (vintage SE Special Semi-Hollow fall away at the edges: this ‘shallow violin’
ivory acrylic) and more utilitarian Shaving £1.7k off the price of the S2 carve is aptly named, much less dished
looking, and the signature headstock guitar, the SE looks far from cheap, a real than the Core model and less stylised
logo is a raised gold-coloured motif; the testament to the increasing quality and than the chamfering to the S2. That’s
Core’s signature is inlaid. Cosmetics clever specification of the SE models. That observation not criticism. Some might
aside, the headstock is spliced here, plus impression is enhanced by the proprietary simply prefer the SE’s style.
there’s a heel stack, but through the dark pickup rings here (like those used with The Wide-Thin profile neck here swaps
translucent body and neck back you can the smaller 408/TCI-style pickup on the to maple, though you can’t see that or
barely see those details. The Pattern Core Custom 24-08, for example) and the the body back under the opaque deep
Regular profile is different, too. amber lampshade knobs, even though the brown finish. PRS calls it a ‘multi-ply’
The tuners, however, are now the same rugby ball-shaped output jack and the non- construction, which we understand means
as the Core model. The cast vibrato is the locking tuners look more generic. The top a three-piece longitudinal laminate.
same as used on the USA bolt-on guitars is a figured maple veneer over a solid maple Another difference is that the rosewood
and the SEs; it’s all-steel and a very fit- cap, and compared to the USA models, the fingerboard is actually bound with a thin
for-purpose piece. We get the same USA figuring – while striking and attractive – strip of matching rosewood, the fret tangs
Narrowfield in the middle position, while doesn’t move in the light. The high-gloss are hidden (unlike the USA models), while

86 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

VIDEO DEMO [Link] PRS SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW MODELS REVIEW

UNDER THE HOOD All three Specials have very similar circuits
A
s we discussed with Paul Reed Smith
earlier this year, one recent improvement There’s a lot going
to the Core models is that the cavity, on in the Core cavity:
you can just see
under the top, is now screened with a nickel-based the resistors used
screening paint, which connects to the copper on the mini-toggle
foil-backed plastic control coverplate. The pots switches for the
appear to be CTS 450 series with a nominal value of partial coil-splits
500k, while both ‘coil-taps’, as PRS refers to them,
are actually the long-running partial coil-splits,
voicing primarily the slug coil but leaving a little
of the dumped screw coil in play. This is achieved
by passing each pickup signal through a simple
resistor: the treble pickup uses a 2.2k resistor and
the neck is 1.1k. As ever, there’s a small 180pF treble
bleed cap on the volume with an IC .033µF 630-volt
polyester film tone cap.
The 2025-build S2 circuit and components look
identical to the Core model, with the exception of
the large Orange Drop .033µF and, unusually, we
have the same value 2.2k resistor on both the mini-
toggle partial-split switches.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the SE’s cavity doesn’t
The S2’s circuit is
look quite as tidy as the USA guitars and uses Alpha the same with the
‘Made in Korea’ 500k pots and a more generic exception of that large
four-pole pickup selector switch. The partial tone cap, which, as of
2025, is used across
coil-split resistors are the same value as the Core the USA guitars
model, however; likewise, the small ceramic disc
treble bleed and the tone cap, which is hidden
under the pickup wires. The shielding is a little less

The 2025-build
S2 circuit and
components look
almost identical to
the Core model
sophisticated here, too, but as all three pickups are
humbuckers you’re never stuck with just single coils
if you run into a hum problem on those difficult gigs.
One thing you can easily see with the rear plates Slightly less tidy,
removed on all three guitars is that the body the SE’s cavity
chambering isn’t just on the bass side of the body uses the same
circuit just with
but extends up towards the treble horn, too. slightly different
PRS never gives much away regarding its components
pickups, but the new McCarty III humbuckers –
which PRS says “are vintage-inspired humbuckers
that bring a vocal clarity to their full, warm tone”
– use American Alnico II magnets in both bridge
and neck position. At output, they have measured
DCRs (hum/split) of 7.71/5.25kohms at the bridge
and 7.84/4.78k at the neck. The S2’s 58/15 LTs
are a lower-output version of the original 58/15s,
which have clear vintage inspiration. At output,
ours measured 7.26/4.99k at the bridge and
7.24/4.56k at the neck. The Indonesian ‘S’ versions
of the same bridge and neck humbuckers are used
on the SE: the bridge measures 7.51/5.16k and the
neck 7.43/5.1k.

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REVIEW PRS SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW MODELS VIDEO DEMO [Link]

6. This all-steel vibrato the fret ends sit over the binding. It’s very hint of a V that tapers the shoulders and 8. This vibrato – pictured
– pictured on the S2 neatly done, although the fingerboard reduces the apparent bulk in your hand. on the SE – is the same
model – is also used on design that’s used
the USA Bolt-On CE 24
edges don’t quite have the same in-curve The S2’s Pattern Regular is marginally throughout the SE range
models as well as the SE as the USA guitars or as much rolling to narrower in width and feels slightly more and on the S2 models.
guitars. It’s a more basic the top edge. rounded, while front-to-back it’s slightly While the bridge pickup
version of the Gen III here is the ‘S’ version
Another primary difference is that thinner in depth. The SE’s Wide-Thin of the USA 58/15 LT,
vibrato but functionally
excellent. As of last year, the SE uses PRS-designed, made-in- actually feels a little bigger as it’s quite the middle pickup is
the S2 line uses USA Indonesia ‘S’ pickups. At the bridge and full shouldered – as we’ve said in recent the Indonesian-made
pickups such as the neck are these versions of the 58/15 LTs, reviews, it does feel a bit bigger in the hand Narrowfield DD ‘S’ that
vintage-y 58/15 LT’s we first saw on the SE
shown here
and the middle pickup is the humbucking than the older Wide-Thin. NF 3 – it’s now used on
Narrowfield DD (‘Deep Dish’) ‘S’. This ‘S’ Don’t forget we have the same scale an increasing number
7. Onto the SE model version of the pickup was developed for length and fingerboard radius on all three, of SE models
and the tuners here the USA NF 53 and was first used on the the same frets on the USA models (which
are more generic and
non-locking (and can three-pickup NF3 released last year. It also are marginally wider and lower on the
be upgraded), but the features in the middle and neck positions SE), the bridge string spacing is the same
overall in-tuneness on the brand-new SE Studio, Studio on all three, and both USA guitars have
and tuning stability
is typically good
Standard and SE NF 53. Another minor the same string spacing at the nut, the SE
point is that the neck pickup here isn’t just a millimetre wider from E to E string.
reversed, so, when split, the voiced slug Close cousins? Yes.
coil faces the bridge, not the neck as it does Unplugged, the Core model exhibits
on the USA models. typical balance and depth without a
particularly ‘hollow’ character. The S2 is
Feel & Sounds very similar, perhaps with a little more
By the nature of the partially hollow push and attack, while the SE actually
design, all of our trio sit under 3.5kg (7.5lb) sits closer to the Core model with very
in weight; the Core model is the lightest marginally less clarity.
and feels almost delicate. Despite the
three different neck profiles, there’s a The new S2’s streamlined
lot of similarity here and, dimensionally,
they’re pretty close, too. The Core’s construction produces a more
Pattern profile is definitive PRS and based
on the previous Wide-Fat. Although
cost-effective guitar that feels a
dimensionally the deepest, it also has that little less precious – in a good way

88 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 But plugged in, the Core Special is just certainly heads towards Strat territory
one of those guitars you get lost in. If with its percussive chop; the neck-and-
there’s a bad sound here, we didn’t find it. middle and middle-and-bridge reinforce THE RIVALS
The McCarty IIIs, in combination with the illusion, while in the middle position
the build, pull back the mid-focus of PRS you can play with humbucker/single-coil While the obvious competition to the
guitars of old and, played clean, the bridge mixes for more subtle blends. Perhaps Special recipe are the numerous HSH
has a well-behaved honk that sounds, oddly, you can’t voice the Narrowfield on models from the likes of Ibanez and
to our ears, like a well-behaved Patent its own, but then again with the expansive Charvel, they typically feature a middle
Applied For as you up the gain. The neck voicings as is that might be overkill. single coil, virtually all are bolt-ons
is very well matched in output: perfectly Of course, the S2 and the SE have (not set-necks), and semi-hollows are
plummy with the volume full up, and nice the same selections but with different virtually non-existent. PRS itself provides
and snappy with it rolled back. Here, too, pickups – and the S2 doesn’t disgrace considerable three-pickup options,
the dual-pickup mix in the centre position itself in the least, the 58/15 LTs displaying such as the Core Modern Eagle V (albeit
of the five-way has clarity and edge that a slightly less-refined voice with a little with a mid-placed single coil) and the
nods towards a classic Gibson thinline more grit and attack. If you’re working Studio with McCarty III standard-sized
when played cleaner. with lower light-crunch gains, this might humbucker at the bridge and Narrowfields
That trio of sounds – especially the be home. And the SE? It doesn’t have in middle and neck positions. In the USA
clear voicing with the volume pulled back quite the clarity of the S2 or perhaps Bolt-On range is the Swamp Ash Special,
– would get you through a huge range of the refinement, but that slightly thicker with 58/15 LTs in bridge and neck, and
styles, but pull those mini-switches up voicing does add a bit of ‘dirt’, and running a Narrowfield in between. The SE range
towards you and these positions don’t in the split-coil modes perfectly captures has even more three-humbucking-pickup
sound like afterthoughts as the character the two-guitars-in-one vibe. choice: set-neck Studio, bolt-on NF 3
shifts to a much more Fender-y clarity with PRS’s vibrato needs no introduction and Studio Standard, and HSH Swamp
bite and a detailed high-end that is clear but and all three here worked effortlessly. Ash Special with a single coil in middle
not oversharp, typical for post-TCI PRS. It’s worth also mentioning that the position (from £999).
Pulling the volume slightly back rounds overall in-tuneness and tuning stability Wildcards? Vintage’s REVO range offers
the response, too, and we’re certainly not are typically superb straight out of their some retro flavour with guitars like the set-
reaching for the tone control as we kick in gigbags or case. While that should be neck Custom Supreme (£749). At the other
a level boost for a bit more hair. expected on guitars that cost as much as end of the market, the three-humbucking
Tracking the same position, just with the USA models here, it’s not always the Gibson Les Paul Classic Supreme (£3,999
the mini-toggles switched, is a great case with guitars around the £1k mark, online exclusive) comes with Ultra-Modern
recording trick, creating a perfect texture which often need a little after-purchase weight relief and coil-tap switching.
of thickness and clarity. The neck split work. Worth bearing in mind.

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REVIEW PRS SPECIAL SEMI-HOLLOW MODELS VIDEO DEMO [Link]

PRS SPECIAL PRS S2 SPECIAL PRS SE SPECIAL

SEMI-HOLLOW SEMI-HOLLOW SEMI-HOLLOW
PRICE: £5,169 (inc case) PRICE: £2,899 (inc gigbag) PRICE: £1,180 (inc gigbag)
ORIGIN: USA ORIGIN: USA ORIGIN: Indonesia
TYPE: Double-cut semi-hollow TYPE: Double-cut semi-hollow TYPE: Double-cut semi-hollow
BODY: 1-piece mahogany back BODY: 1-piece mahogany back BODY: Mahogany back w/
w/ ‘violin’ carve figured maple w/ ‘asymmetric bevel’ carve ‘shallow violin’ carve maple top,
top w/ f-hole figured maple top w/ f-hole figured maple veneer w/ f-hole
NECK: 1-piece mahogany, NECK: 3-piece mahogany NECK: Maple, Wide-Thin profile,
Good to see proprietary
‘lampshade’ knobs on Pattern profile, glued-in (scarf construction), Pattern glued-in
the SE models, as well SCALE LENGTH: 635mm (25”) Regular profile, glued-in SCALE LENGTH: 635mm (25”)
as the unique pickup NUT/WIDTH: Friction reducing/ SCALE LENGTH: 635mm (25”) NUT/WIDTH: Friction reducing/
rings that are similar
43.8mm NUT/WIDTH: Friction reducing/ 42.9mm
to those used on the
current Core Custom FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, 42.6mm FINGERBOARD: Rosewood,
24-08, for example outline bird inlays, 254mm (10”) FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, pearloid ‘old-school’ bird inlays,
radius acrylic ‘old-school’ bird inlays, 254mm (10”) radius
FRETS: 22, medium 254mm (10”) radius FRETS: 22, medium
Verdict HARDWARE: PRS patented FRETS: 22, medium HARDWARE: PRS patented
Three guitars with pretty much the same vibrato Gen III, PRS Phase III HARDWARE: PRS patented vibrato (cast), PRS designed non-
sonic range: which is best? Well, that could locking tuners with wing ‘buttons’ vibrato (cast), PRS Phase III locking tuners – nickel-plated
lead to quite a discussion. Assuming we – nickel-plated locking tuners with wing ‘buttons’ STRING SPACING, BRIDGE:
all have £5k to drop on a new guitar, the STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: – nickel-plated 52.5mm
Core model is a stunning, detailed build, 52.5mm STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: ELECTRICS: PRS 58/15 ‘S’ Treble
hugely refined, and very in tune, stable and ELECTRICS: PRS McCarty 52.5mm and Bass covered humbuckers,
musical. It’s a top-line PRS and deliciously III Treble and Bass covered ELECTRICS: PRS 58/15 Treble Narrowfield DD ‘S’ humbucker
light in weight. The new S2’s streamlined humbuckers, Narrowfield and Bass covered humbuckers, (middle), 5-way lever pickup
construction produces a more cost- humbucker (middle), 5-way lever Narrowfield humbucker (middle), selector switch, master volume
effective guitar that, while far from entry- pickup selector switch, master 5-way lever pickup selector and tone w/ 2x mini-toggle
level, feels a little less precious – in a good volume and tone w/ 2x mini- switch, master volume and ‘coil-tap’ switches
way – and it’s the one we spent the most toggle ‘coil-tap’ switches tone w/ 2x mini-toggle ‘coil-tap’ WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.4/7.48
time playing. The neck feels very ‘classic WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.1/6.75 switches OPTIONS: Colour only
PRS’, not least if you’ve played ’em from OPTIONS: 10 Top with hybrid WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.21/7.1 RANGE OPTIONS: Other
day one. And, as big fans of the 58/15 LTs, hardware (£5,975) OPTIONS: Colour only 3-pickup SE models: bolt-on NF 3
we can say that its sounds are just as valid. RANGE OPTIONS: Studio (from RANGE OPTIONS: There’s only (£1,039), Swamp Ash Special
The SE has a lot to live up to, and while it’s £4,939); Modern Eagle V (from one other 3-pickup S2, the new (£1,020), Silver Sky (£1,039)
slightly less refined in terms of its sounds £5,169). Bolt-On series: Swamp Studio w/ 58/15 LT at the bridge and Studio Standard (£999);
and build, we’d take this on a gig any day – Ash Special (£3,160); JM Silver and 2x Narrowfields (£2,749) SE Studio set-neck (£1,125)
it’s a heck of a lot of guitar for the money. Sky (£3,300); Fiore (£2,779) LEFT-HANDERS: No LEFT-HANDERS: No
However, the hot-rod modded LEFT-HANDERS: No FINISHES: Faded Gray Black FINISHES: Orange Tiger
appearance of the mismatched pickups FINISHES: Carroll Blue Purple Burst (as reviewed) Smokeburst (as reviewed),
won’t be to everyone’s taste and, add in (as reviewed) from 14 solid from 6 translucent colours – Lake Blue, Charcoal Burst –
those extra switches, not to mention the and translucent colours – high-gloss nitro high-gloss polyester/acrylic
f-hole and indeed the figured tops, and high-gloss nitro
these are very busy-looking guitars. And
for those of us with more classic tastes, the
only Special that has solid colour options
is the Core model, which is offered with
an opaque Antique White or Black top. PROS Superb craft; light PROS Same level craft as PROS Detailed craft; quite light
These aren’t the only three-pickup weight; neck feel and Core model; light weight; USA weight; classy appointments;
models across the ranges, or the only playability; expansive pickups and equally expansive similarly expansive sounds –
Semi-Hollows, but – for 40 years and humbucker/single-coil tones; sounds – the player’s Special? a lot of guitar for the money
counting – PRS is still providing a dizzying tuning stability – faultless
choice of multi-toned instruments. CONS Shame there are no solid CONS Limited colours; no solid
We doubt these will be the last! CONS Big investment colour options available finishes; non-locking tuners

90 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 The Thick Of It
We’ve had ‘Greeny’, now it’s the ‘Oxblood’ – the most expensive Les
Paul ever sold at auction. After the recent wave of reissues, Epiphone
is on a roll and this unshowy historic repro might be the best yet

Words Dave Burrluck Photography Phil Barker

VIDEO DEMO [Link] EPIPHONE JEFF BECK OXBLOOD 1954 LES PAUL REVIEW

EPIPHONE JEFF BECK OXBLOOD

1954 LES PAUL £1,199
CONTACT Epiphone PHONE 00800 4442 7661 WEB [Link]

F
ans of the late, great guitar wizard proper Gibson USA Custombuckers, 50s
What You Need To Know Jeff Beck will know all about the wiring, excellent-quality components, a
Oxblood, a modded ’54 Les Paul return to rosewood, and a low-gloss ‘used’
Another Epiphone? that he bought in 1972 and which saw finish – all packaged in a good case, and it
1 Well, yes. The Epiphone division has heavy live use until the mid-70s and, of even comes with a period-correct strap.
certainly been busy. Not long after course, was pictured and used on the You can’t criticise Epiphone for trying.
a raft of eight new ‘reissue’ vintage all-time classic and hugely influential Despite the magic made on the original,
repros we saw earlier in the year, masterpiece Blow By Blow. After last the opaque very dark chocolate brown
this replica of Jeff Beck’s fabled year’s £8k replica of the Les Paul known finish is really far from a show-off and
guitar was released at the end of as the Jeff Beck Yardburst by the Gibson more like the classic black of the Les Paul
June. It’s not officially limited, but Custom Shop, this altogether more Custom with (fingerboard excepted) not
we’re told once they’ve gone, they’re everyman replica – a collaboration with a sliver of wood on show. In keeping with
gone. What’s next? The Epiphone Gibson Custom – is a fraction of that price. its original manufacturing date, Gibson
Jeff Beck Yardburst? Here’s hoping! However, like the recently introduced hadn’t quite got to the tune-o-matic yet,
Reissue Les Pauls, it boasts a high spec that so Beck’s guitar always featured the
Didn’t Epiphone do one of these includes the correct Gibson headstock, wrapover (or wraparound) one-piece
2 Jeff Beck Oxblood editions a
few years ago?
Yes, in around 2010 we believe, a
pretty limited model by all accounts.
That guitar would have had the then
standard Epiphone headstock, too.

Hasn’t Gibson done one, too?

3 There was the limited-edition
2009 Gibson Custom ‘Inspired By’
1954 Jeff Beck VOS Les Paul. Only
100 guitars with the VOS finish
were made. Then there have been
various limited runs that don’t
mention the great man’s name
but have similar specs.

1. As per its pre-tune-o-

matic style, the Oxblood
uses a lightweight
aluminium wrapover
bridge. Like the original,
the bridge pickup is placed
very close to the bridge
and, of course, replaces
the original P-90 soapbar

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REVIEW EPIPHONE JEFF BECK OXBLOOD 1954 LES PAUL VIDEO DEMO [Link]

2. As with the recent bridge. It’s the only Epiphone model to do

Epiphones, we have the so, and if you want a carved-top Gibson
Gibson-style headstock,
and there’s only the Les Paul with one you’ll have to go over
brand logo in place as to the Custom division.
on the original Oxblood One of the pre-Beck mods were the
humbuckers, which replaced the original
3. A very common mod
back in the day on hard- P-90s and – typically for Beck – the pickup
working Les Pauls was covers didn’t last long. Apparently, the
to replace the plastic pickup conversion was crudely done and
output jackplate with
an aluminium plate.
one result is that the bridge pickup sits very
The Oxblood follows close to the bridge with barely room for the
that with this chromed mounting ring. That move south leaves a
metal plate gap in the pickguard that’s replicated here:
hardly high-class lutherie.

More than a handful, the neck

is huge; dimensionally, it’s the
biggest neck of any production
guitar we’ve ever played
But pre- and post-purchase tweakery
aside, this repro might well be one, if not
the best Epiphone we’ve ever played.
How so? Well, the first thing you notice
is the weight. Compared with the heavy-
for-the-style ’57 Goldtop we wrestled with
back in issue 525, our Oxblood is relatively
lightweight for a non-weight relieved or
chambered Les Paul. It’s a big difference.
And speaking of big, so is the neck. More
than a handful, it’s huge; dimensionally, it’s
the biggest neck of any production guitar
we’ve ever played.

94 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 While those two fundamental elements 4. Along with the other

UNDER THE HOOD have quite an impact on your initial new Epiphone reissue
models, the Oxblood
engagement with the guitar, the rest of the uses Gibson USA
build seems virtually identical to the spec
Are the secrets of Jeff Beck’s tone and standard of those recent Reissues.
Custombuckers (see
Under The Hood, left)
hidden in the control cavity? Placement aside, the pickups are the
same, as is the clean and dark rosewood
Just like the recent reissue ’57 Goldtop, the control cavity fingerboard with relatively small
apes a 50s Les Paul in that there’s no shielding and the wiring medium-gauge frets. The Graph Tech nut
follows 50s style. Once again, we get decent CTS 500k short- looks too modern in its shaping, but tuning
shaft pots, a Switchcraft toggle switch, and instead of the proves very stable, especially considering
vintage-style ‘bumblebee’ replicas we get a pair of .022µF the mass and rigidity of that neck.
Mallory 150 series 400-volt polyester capacitors. Beck’s original was modded with
Exactly what pickups are in that mucked-about-with original Schaller M6 tuners and that’s what we’re
Oxblood isn’t documented, but these USA A3 Custombuckers supposed to have here, according to the
(the humbuckers used across all of the new Epiphone reissues) pre-launch spec. Checking in with Gibson,
are a wise all-round choice. They’re not hot, just in the pretty they’re actually Grover Rotomatics,
classic Patent Applied For range, and don’t appear overly albeit with Schaller-style buttons, not the
wax-potted, if at all. Measured at output, the DCRs here are usual kidney beans. We also get a proper
identical for the two: 7.92kohms. Just like old days! chromed metal jackplate.

Clearly hand-wired,
Feel & Sounds
the Oxblood uses So, just how big is this neck? Well, Gibson
50s-style wiring USA’s 50s profile, which is a pretty big
of its CTS pots rounded handful, comes in at around
22.7mm deep at the 1st fret and 25.5mm by
the 12th, pretty similar to that Epiphone
’57 Goldtop Reissue. The Oxblood doesn’t
change the width, but at the 1st fret it
measures 23.4mm and by the 12th it’s
27.6mm! There’s no attempt to shave the
shoulders, either; it really is big. And if
that’s your taste, well, you’ll love it.
The fretwork is very similar to that
previous Reissue, too. The wire feels

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 95

5. Oddly, our guitar has vintage-y and relatively small, and you can Suspecting slightly domed string grooves, 6. The gold ‘speed’ control
Grover Rotomatic tuners, knobs are another detail
certainly feel the fingerboard as you bend. we ran a fret file through the slots making
not the Schaller M6s that has been recreated
that should feature on But not only is everything nicely level, sure the grooves fell away to the tuners to match Jeff’s original
the guitar according the tops are a little smoother compared correctly, and after a few minutes’ work, Oxblood model
to both the spec and with that ’57 Goldtop we had, too. Only that sharpening problem was cured.
Gibson itself
the fret ends remain a little sharp when There’s little doubt that this Oxblood
you run your finger over them, but they is really working as it should. Despite
certainly don’t protrude and they’re barely the bulk of the design, it’s surprisingly
noticeable when you’re playing. The setup resonant and alive. Strum a 1st position E
is very mainstream, but a slight tweak of chord and touch the body base and the tip
the truss rod to get it virtually straight and of the headstock and you can certainly feel

The combination of the excellent

weight, that big neck and those THE RIVALS
USA Custombuckers elevates Another Epiphone that really impressed us was the recent Joe
this guitar into the big league Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard Copper Iridescent (£799),
which you may still be able to find in-store or online. The unique
just raising the string height a fraction has colour comes from a small run that Gibson apparently made
quite a positive effect, rounding the attack. for the 1955 NAMM Show. A sleeper.
Now, without individual string Gibson has a few carved-top Les Paul options – though none
adjustment at the bridge you can’t with the wrapover bridge. For example, the online exclusive
precisely intonate the guitar. As supplied, Les Paul Standard 60s Plain Top Dark Walnut (£2,599) or the
though, it was close when we checked it regular Les Paul Standard 50s (from £2,799), which is available
through on our Peterson Strobe tuner. in Translucent Oxblood.
This revealed that the G and wound Gibson Custom does make a 1954 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue with
strings were coming back a little sharp wrapover bridge and dual P-90s at a cool £4,499, which will give
at the 1st fret, although the strings do you an idea of where this story started. You could even mod it…!
sit close over the 1st fret, as they should.

96 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

VIDEO DEMO [Link] EPIPHONE JEFF BECK OXBLOOD 1954 LES PAUL REVIEW

EPIPHONE JEFF BECK

OXBLOOD 1954 LES PAUL
PRICE: £1,199 (inc hard case)
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: Single-cutaway, solidbody electric
BODY: Mahogany with bound carved maple top
NECK: Mahogany, Jeff Beck Custom large ‘C’
profile, glued-in
SCALE LENGTH: 629mm (24.75”)
NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech/42.82mm
FINGERBOARD: Cream bound rosewood,
mother-of-pearl trapezoid inlays, 305mm (12”)
radius
FRETS: 22, medium
HARDWARE: Historic aluminium wraparound
bridge/tailpiece, Grover Rotomatic tuners
w/ chrome buttons – nickel plated
the vibrations. The unplugged response neck itself. Add in that exceptional tuning STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 51.5mm
is very balanced, too, a little less honky stability and this is not only a timely ELECTRICS: Gibson USA Custombuckers
than our Les Paul Classic but with similar homage to Jeff Beck, it’s a cracking and (neck and bridge), 3-way toggle pickup selector
depth and a treble response that’s not very classic-sounding Les Paul that easily switch, volume and tone for each pickup
oversharp. Played seated, the good weight holds its own against our double-the-price WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.89/8.56
means it doesn’t immediately drop off USA Classic in terms of its core sound. OPTIONS: None
your right leg like that 10lb ’57 Goldtop, RANGE OPTIONS: There’s plenty of Epiphone
which really needed a strap at all times. Verdict Les Paul choice, from the Kirk Hammett
Plugged in and listening clean with the Rather like Epiphone’s ‘Greeny’, the ‘Greeny’ (£1,499) to the new ‘Inspired By Gibson
volumes pulled back a little, that balance Oxblood might have a significant history Custom’ Reissues such as the ’59 and ’60 Les
is very evident. It’s a beautiful jazz tone to Jeff Beck devotees, but none of that Paul Standards and 1957 Les Paul Goldtop –
at the neck, and nicely touch-sensitive matters when you’re considering whether all £1,199. The Gibson USA Les Paul Standard
with snap aplenty in the mixed pickup a Les Paul like this is ‘the one.’ It’s 50s, in some 9 colours including Translucent
position. The bridge pickup played like certainly less posh-looking than the new Oxblood, costs from £2,799
this is bright and there’s a little Telecaster ’59 Reissue and less classic than a Goldtop. LEFT-HANDERS: No
in here but smoother, and for ringing The all over black/brown low-gloss FINISHES: Oxblood (as reviewed) –
cleans, well, the word ‘exceptional’ finish gives it a used-looking utilitarian vintage gloss
comes to mind. workingman vibe that many prefer, as
Setting your amp up so that you have with a Custom. But here, the combination
slightly crunchy lead tones with both
volumes full up, you really have the keys
to the kingdom. Not least with the 50s
of the excellent weight, that big neck with
its superb tuning stability, and the sounds
we hear from those USA Custombuckers
9
wiring, as you pull back the volume and and the 50s wiring elevates this one PROS Great weight for the style; big neck;
tone it all cleans up beautifully, and riding into the big league. Some might baulk excellent tuning stability; vintage-feeling
the controls just adds more colours. at the price – ‘I’m not paying that for rosewood fingerboard; Gibson USA
But you don’t have to do that. Plug into an Epiphone!’ – while others, and that Custombuckers and vintage-style wiring
a ‘Plexi’-type amp voice and it’s classic would include us, might simply conclude
rock all day. That bridge pickup is easily it’s knocking on the door of the USA 50s CONS Not everyone will enjoy such a big neck
tamed by rolling back the tone a smidge, Standard that, at list price, is well over and the wraparound bridge is not 100 per cent
while the neck pickup sounds as big as the twice as much money. in tune, but, hey, it was good enough for Jeff!

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 97

 FEATURE EPIPHONE JEFF BECK OXBLOOD 1954 LES PAUL

Goin’ Down To Memphis

Will we ever know the true story of this fabled guitar? For some it’s iconic,
for others it was simply a cobbled together working tool for a master…
Words Dave Burrluck

I
t’s far from easy to tell the definitive around the origin of the guitar, who did the image exists of Robert Johnson with Marc
tale of any guitar that was used by conversion/repair work, and what pickups Bolan and an oxblood-coloured Les Paul
a famous artist back in the day. The were in the guitar on purchase. There’s with P-90s still in place. Two Oxbloods?]
Oxblood is no exception, not least that even some dispute over when Jeff bought it. I loved the neck on mine, but did not like
it’s pretty much 50 years ago that Jeff What can be classed as hard evidence the noisy standard pickups. I traded it to
Beck retired it. What we do know for a is the much better documented use that Chris and Charlie. Then they had a man
fact is that the guitar was auctioned at Beck put it to. From the original outings named Teddy Paige, who worked for them,
Christies on 22 January 2025 and sold for with Beck, Bogert and Appice – the reason customise it. The customer who it was
£1,068,500, making it the most expensive he needed another Les Paul – to guesting customised for backed out.”
Gibson Les Paul ever sold at an auction. on the encores of Ziggy’s last gig in July The aforementioned Robert Johnson –
Of course, that huge sale price has little, 1973, the Oxblood was played with Stevie now CEO of Florida’s Regent Sound studio
if anything, to do with the instrument Wonder, Billy Preston, The Rolling Stones and who has a more than enviable CV as
itself. Imagine rocking up at a well- and many more. And let’s not forget its use a player and producer – is the subject of
regarded vintage guitar dealer with a on and appearance on the cover of seminal a story provided by Regent Sound that
similar piece and asking for a valuation. album Blow By Blow. That’s not in dispute. appeared on PR Newswire on 30 January
The devaluation of what was once, How he got the guitar – and even when 2025 (after the Christie’s auction sale),
purportedly, a 1954 Gibson Les Paul – still is, some would argue. A young which states that Johnson bought a ’53
Goldtop would be colossal, wouldn’t it? Memphis guitar fanatic, Buddy Davis, had Les Paul Goldtop from a Memphis music
There’s the overall brown/black refinish befriended Jeff when he was still in The teacher in June 1972 and that “Johnson
for starters. The P-90-to-humbucker Yardbirds: “I had met him at about 13, he had John Evans, the former Boxtops
conversion for another. Non-original was 20, and playing with The Yardbirds keyboardist, modify the pickups and
pots, caps and wiring, Schaller tuners… at a skating rink in Memphis,” he states in bridge, and Tom Keckler spray-painted
If it hadn’t already had a headstock break The Jeff Beck Bulletin #15. “In 1972, Charlie the guitar at Strings & Things Music Store
before you’d purchased it, not to mention and Chris at Strings & Things were stuck using auto-paint to match Johnson’s 1960
a slimmed down neck, it had definitely had with the ’54 Oxblood when the person they Oxblood shoes.” The resulting colour was
one at the end of its working life – not just built it for decided he didn’t want it. That not to Johnson’s liking, apparently, and
a head repair but a totally new neck. And guitar was mine, I bought it from Robert the guitar was put on consignment.
its overall condition was, at best, shoddy. Johnson … who auditioned with Jeff and The story continues on 7 November 1972:
“Basically, what you’ve got there is the Rory Gallagher and Wayne Perkins for “Johnson drove to Little Rock to see his
body and perhaps the fingerboard of a ’54 The Stones. He had two of them he got friend Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top open a
Les Paul,” says our hypothetical dealer. from George Gruhn in Nashville. One went show for Beck, Bogart [sic] and Appice, all
Yes, our tongue is in our cheek, but that’s to me, one went to Marc Bolan of [Link]. acquaintances of Johnson. Johnson sold
the reality, isn’t it? There are still questions I have a picture of Marc with his. [NB: an Beck a 1967 Fender guitar in 1971 and had
PHOTO BY WIKTOR SZYMANOWICZ/ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES

PHOTO BY KOH HASEBE/SHINKO MUSIC/GETTY IMAGES

98 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

1. A staff member of 2. Jeff Beck pictured on
Christie’s London holds stage in Tokyo in August
the 1954 Oxblood Gibson 1975 with the Oxblood
Les Paul in mid-January Les Paul, which featured
2025, prior to the on Blow By Blow,
Jeff Beck: The Guitar released that same year
Collection auction. On
22 January the historic 3. Another oddity is how
instrument would sell the pickups are set in
for a record-breaking the original with reverse
£1,068,500, making it the tilts and very raised
most expensive Les Paul screw polepieces on
ever sold at auction the bridge pickup

played a studio session with Beck previously

in NYC. Beck asked Gibbons and Johnson
about any good guitars for sale. Johnson
replied that he had 17, including the
Oxblood Les Paul at Strings & Things. Beck
had a friend take him to Strings & Things
the next day. Beck loved the Oxblood Les
Paul and his manager bought it.”
Buddy Davis was at the same Little
Rock gig, so perhaps he was the “friend”
the Regent Sound story refers to, and
the way Davis tells it is that Jeff called
him the following day. They did a tour of

PHOTO BY BEN BENTLEY

Memphis music (and car part) stores, but
Jeff reportedly had his eye on Buddy’s
Oxblood, which his manager bought.
But what about the customisation?
Aside from the pickup-modding keyboard
player mentioned by Johnson, he also town recording the ‘Orange Album’ [which It would be a good two decades before the
namechecks Tom ‘TK’ Keckler, a well- began in January ’72 and was released in Oxblood was “dusted off by Gibson’s master
known figure who started customising May/June of the same year].” TK’s video craftsmen in 2008 in order to recreate the
guitars in the late 60s, then worked host, Richard Wilson, explains that Jeff iconic instrument for their limited-edition
for Mike Ladd’s Guitar City before came to Strings & Things to check out the [2009] Jeff Beck Oxblood Les Paul signature
joining up with Strings & Things in, guitar, liked it and bought it. “[I’d put in] model”, concludes the Christie’s essay.
full-size humbuckers,” says TK. “I’m sure The 2009 Gibson Custom Shop ‘Inspired
Imagine rocking up they were Patent Applied Fors or something,
back then they were a dime a dozen. The
By’ 1954 Jeff Beck VOS Les Paul was a
limited run of 50 aged pieces, signed and
at a vintage guitar headstock was broken; it was trashed.” played by Jeff Beck, and a further 100
If the origins of the guitar are still unsigned pieces in a more standard VOS
dealer with a similar open to conjecture, there was at least one finish. The PR for that release goes some
piece and asking more serious repair noted in the essay by
Christie’s for the auction catalogue (a very
way to supporting some of TK’s story:
“While recording in Memphis, Beck paid
for a valuation… good read!): “At some point between the a visit to a popular music store called
three North American legs of the [BBA] Strings & Things to check out the stock.
we believe, 1972. He then worked with tour [in 1975], the headstock of the Les The guitar that caught his attention was
Schecter and founded the St Blues guitar Paul was broken on a PanAm flight back a ’54 Gibson Les Paul.”
company. TK posted an image of Beck to London. Whilst with Gordon Wells For this 2025 release, we’re told that
on Facebook in 2019 with the following at Knight Guitars for repair, Jeff took “Epiphone collaborated with the Custom
caption: “The famous Jeff Beck Oxblood the opportunity to return the neck to its Shop to develop the Epiphone version,
1954 Gibson Les Paul – restored by me original size, retaining the guitar’s original using the 2009 Custom Shop model as
in 1971. The instrument had suffered fingerboard and faceplate.” the reference point. The neck profile was
a broken headstock, was completely “Yes, my dad Gordon Wells did the work,” derived from the specifications listed on the
refinished, refretted and P-90s replaced confirms Rob Wells today. “The headstock 2009 CS spec sheet and is loosely based on
with humbuckers. Jeff was in Memphis had been broken and Jeff said he didn’t the 1954 shape”. The new model’s launch PR
to record the self-titled LP the Jeff Beck really like the neck, so my dad actually side-stepped any mention of its history, aside
Group [aka the ‘Orange Album’] – tried made a new neck for the guitar – bigger!” from referring to it as “the heavily modified
the guitar and loved it!” As far as we know, that was the last of the 1954 Les Paul that was immortalised on the
In a video interview (TKs Guitar History- Oxblood’s repairs and modifications. cover of his groundbreaking 1975 album,
Episode 2 on Tom Keckler’s YouTube “After the tour, Jeff largely retired the Blow By Blow”. And so it goes…
channel), TK says: “It was a trashed Les Les Paul in favour of the Strat,” continues We can only hope you can weave your
Paul… We rebuilt it. When it came to the Christie’s, “and although it was taken out own tales wielding this new Epiphone.
paint job, I was striving for a kind of a on subsequent tours during the later 1970s, And if a crumb of Jeff Beck’s magic rubs
brown tint… About that time, Jeff was in it appears not to have been played live.” off on you, that can’t be bad, can it?

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 99

REVIEW ELECTRO-HARMONIX OCEANS ABYSS

The Deep End

Electro-Harmonix releases its most ambitious reverb
pedal to date – and it goes way beyond ’verb to offer
myriad sound-sculpting opportunities

Words Trevor Curwen Photography Phil Barker

 ELECTRO-HARMONIX OCEANS ABYSS REVIEW

ELECTRO-HARMONIX OCEANS ABYSS £475

CONTACT Electro-Harmonix WEB [Link]

W
hile some players are totally In Use
What You Need To Know sorted by having a spring The Oceans Abyss has a clearly laid out
reverb integral to their amp, user interface: the essential hands-on
Another Oceans reverb pedal? there are plenty of others who embrace controls for Reverb A are on the left;
1 Well, Oceans is the family name reverb as a creative effect and many those for Reverb B are on the right.
for EHX reverbs, but this does companies out there are ready to cater Between the two, there’s a display
more than its closest sibling, the to those desires with a range of pedals showing signal path and adjustable
Oceans 12. Naming it Abyss is about that can supply all manner of ambiences. parameters, and a NavCoder knob with
right as this thing goes deep! To date, Electro-Harmonix has been rotate, push and tilt actions that does
scratching that itch with its Oceans 12 all the hard graft of addressing what’s
Deep? Does that mean it has a lot pedal, and that dual stereo reverb now has shown in the display and setting up
2 of adjustable parameters? a sibling in the form of the Oceans Abyss, your sound.
Yes, but there’s more to it than which, as the name implies, takes a deeper Any sounds you create can be saved to
that: as well as two reverb engines, dive into the world of ambience. 128 preset locations, and the unit comes
it has additional effects blocks – This triple-footswitch pedal features with 100 of those already loaded with
such as delay, modulation, gain two full-stereo reverb engines that can be factory-programmed sounds.
and EQ – that can be placed into combined into a signal path comprising
up to eight blocks and encompassing
the signal path.
several other effects including delay and
There’s enormous
So, it’s more multi-effects unit modulation, all with a range of routing potential to sculpt
3 than a reverb pedal… options. Add a stereo send/return loop
esoteric sounds, but
In a way. It offers composite effects to incorporate other pedals to that signal
that combine a number of types
in a chain, but it will also do single
path and EHX’s description of the pedal
as an “advanced reverb laboratory”
it’s also a flexible
effects other than reverb. makes perfect sense. single-box solution
The full architecture of the signal path
is that of two rows of four effects blocks
– the top row associated with Reverb A,
the bottom with Reverb B – with loads of
different serial and parallel connections
available between them, although you
can also have just a single linear chain
with both Reverb A and Reverb B blocks
in it. Furthermore, a preset doesn’t have
to be centred around reverb. In fact, you
The A and B footswitches bypass/
engage all effects blocks in group don’t have to have a reverb effect block at
A or B respectively; a press-and- all. While there’s an overall effect bypass
hold will trigger infinite sustain footswitch, the A and B footswitches bring
for the corresponding reverb. They
can also be used in conjunction
the A and B associated blocks in and out.
with the Effect footswitch to scroll The reverb algorithms on offer are your
through and load presets standard Room, Hall, Spring and Plate,
while Reverse, Dynamic, Auto-Infinite,

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 101

REVIEW ELECTRO-HARMONIX OCEANS ABYSS

THE RIVALS
Perhaps a recognised multi-effects pedal
capable of building composite effects
might be a valid alternative for some
pedalboards, but we’ll just concentrate
here on dedicated multi-reverb pedals.
Strymon seems to be the industry
standard for the genre, and for two
simultaneous stereo reverbs like the
Oceans Abyss, there’s the BigSky MX
(£699). Elsewhere, the Meris Mercury X
(£599) combines eight custom Meris
reverb algorithms and incorporates those
into a modular system, and while Source
Audio’s Ventris (£399) may be lacking the
extra effects and routing flexibility of the
Abyss, it does offer dual stereo reverbs
and 14 reverb types in a compact package.

1. The brightness Shimmer, Polyphonic and Resonant make There’s plenty to take in: from basic 3. The send and return
of an illuminated up the more esoteric contingent. Other meat-and-potatoes reverbs utilising jacks are TRS so you can
slider represents its have a full stereo effects
parameter’s value. If a
blocks in the chain can deliver delay a single effects block, through simple loop if required. The USB
slider is moved after (Basic, Analog and Tape), modulation combinations such as a delay block feeding connection is a conduit to
loading a preset, its LED (Tremolo, Chorus, Flanger and Phaser) a reverb block, to esoteric ambiences the EHXport editor app,
will blink, indicating or utility effects (Graphic EQ, Saturation, taking full advantage of routing the signal which will also facilitate
that its value no longer firmware upgrades (but
matches the value in the
Bit Crusher, Volume and the send/return through numerous blocks. it was not available at
preset but is now based effects loop). The standard reverbs all deliver the the time of writing)
on its physical position Besides the hands-on dedicated knobs sense of space that you’d expect and are
and sliders for the two reverbs, there easily tweaked to get them how you need 4. The OLED display offers
2. The NavCoder knob five main views that can
navigates menus,
are other adjustable reverb parameters them. The Spring reverb can get the be scrolled through with
parameters and available in the menu, plus parameters for ‘drip’ that surf guitarists seek out, while the buttons below. The
presets, and adjusts all the other effects blocks. To set up and the other reverbs have plenty of creative default view is the Signal
settings. It has three edit your sounds you’ll need to get the hang potential with liberal amounts of fairy Path (always returned to
basic actions: rotation with the Home button),
(for scrolling through
of getting around the screens, menus and dust in the likes of the Shimmers’s octave- which shows all of the
values, presets and lists), parameters with the NavCoder, but there’s shifted wash and the dual bidirectional preset’s effects blocks
press (for choosing a useful Home button to take you back to pitch shifts of the Symphonic reverb. and their connections
menu options) and tilt the main screen at any point.
(four-way directional pad
for navigation around
The complexity here would, of course,
menus and screens) benefit from a computer-based editor/
librarian, and hopefully EHX will have its
forthcoming USB-connected EHXport
app up and running to take care of all that
by the time you read this.

Sounds
As usual with a pedal like this, trying out
all the factory presets is the best way to
get the measure of what it can do, as well
as giving you some useful starting points
for creating your own sonic preferences.

102 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 ELECTRO-HARMONIX OCEANS ABYSS REVIEW

ELECTRO-
HARMONIX
OCEANS ABYSS
PRICE: £475
ORIGIN: USA
TYPE: Reverb pedal
FEATURES: Buffered bypass,
128 presets, tap tempo
REVERB TYPES: Room, Hall,
Spring, Plate, Reverse, Dynamic,
Auto-Infinite, Shimmer,
Polyphonic, Resonant
CONTROLS: NavCoder, Preset
button, Home button, Settings
button, Reverb A controls (Pan,
Pre-Delay, Time, Blend, Low, High,
Edit button, Moment button,
Tails button) Reverb B controls
(Pan, Pre-Delay, Time, Blend,
Low, High, Edit button, Moment
button, Tails button), Effect
footswitch (bypass), Footswitch A,
Footswitch B
CONNECTIONS: Standard inputs
The delays and modulations amply cover From the simplest reverb (L & R), standard outputs (L & R),
familiar territory and – while modulation, Standard TRS Send, Standard
delay and reverb combinations may be to complex shifting TRS Return, EXP, Footswitch,
standard fare in some quarters – you also
have the saturation and bitcrusher blocks
ambiences, there’s MIDI IN, MIDI OUT, USB
POWER: 9V DC adaptor (supplied)
here to grunge things up. Two saturation something for everyone 500 mA
blocks in series make a convincing Big DIMENSIONS: 180 (w) x 150 (d) x
Muff, especially coupled with a Graphic loading presets, tap tempo and even 65mm (h)
EQ block to really focus the frequencies. sending an impulse, which simulates
Referencing other EHX pedals, you get kicking a spring tank! You could also
Small Stone and Memory Man presets add an expression pedal for control over
here, and there’s some creative use of just parameters in any effects block, and
delay in two presets that utilise all eight there’s comprehensive MIDI capability
blocks to construct some really interesting for recalling presets, control over nearly
reverb effects – one stacking up eight every available parameter, and clock sync.
blocks of the Analog delay type all feeding
into each other, the other similarly using Verdict
blocks of Tape delay. The big-box reverb has become a thing
For onstage use you can swiftly move in recent years and this latest Electro-
from preset to preset with presses on the Harmonix entry into the area doesn’t
A or B footswitch simultaneously with the disappoint: from the simplest reverb
effect footswitch, or, to make things really
simple, if you just want to use two different
sounds during a gig, you could set them up
to complex shifting ambiences, there’s
something here for everyone. As much
a sound designer’s playground as a
9
as parallel A and B chains in a single preset guitarist’s onstage resource, the Oceans PROS Not too massive in size;
and engage them as needed. There’s also a Abyss offers enormous potential to sculpt customisable signal path; effects
press-and-hold function to trigger infinite some really esoteric sounds if you want loop; varied reverb types; range of
sustain for the associated reverb. to get into that, but it’s also a flexible effects other than reverb; presets
There’s provision to incorporate up to single-box solution for providing a bunch
three external footswitches and assign of switchable reverbs, delays, modulations CONS Learning curve to get
them to a number of functions such as and more to get you through any gig. around the menus

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 103

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SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 105

 BLUEPRINT: Dr Z Amplification

BLUEPRINT

DOCTOR’S ORDERS
Mike Zaite explains how a background in electronics
and a front-row seat to the British Invasion of the 1960s
led to the formation of Dr Z Amplification – and why
the sonics always lead the schematics

Words Charlie Wilkins Photography Peach Guitars

I
n a world full of digital corporation operates. I learned how to
modelling and mass- manage people, how to source and buy
produced amplifiers, Dr Z parts and components, how to interact
has built a reputation the with suppliers and all that stuff. My job
old-fashioned way: by was to source and find parts for guys in the
building hand-wired valve amplifiers that field that repaired and maintained X-ray
players fall in love with and never let go. machines. Everything that I learned at GE
Before he was building amps for Joe Walsh was very helpful when I started my own
and Brad Paisley, Mike Zaite – better business and I had good connections for
known as Dr Z – was just a Cleveland guy parts and electronics.
chasing better tone… “I’ve always loved music and electronics
and I’ve been able to make a life by
What inspired you to start Dr Z amps and incorporating both. I’m really grateful for
what was your vision in the beginning? that. I’m 73 years old now, and I still come
“My dad was a TV repairman, so the in to work every day. I still enjoy designing
basement of my house kind of looked like new amplifiers and playing that first
what my shop looks like now, with tubes chord. I try to make the best amps that
and chassis and things spread out and I would start messing around with their I can and offer the best customer support.
all over. I was fortunate enough to have guitar amps. If they only knew some of the If the phone rings and I’m at my desk, I’ll
a father who was very generous with his things I did [laughs]. So that’s what kind pick it up and freak people out [laughs].
knowledge and loved to share it with of got me interested in amplifiers. They don’t expect me to answer.”
me. Before he started his business, he “Later on, I went to college and got a
was in the Navy where he worked with degree in Electrical Engineering. After How do you approach designing a new
communications information for naval graduating, I started working for GE in amp? Does it start with a sound that
ships. So early on, I kind of fooled around their Medical Systems division. Back you have in your head or is it more of
with different things and learned the then, in the early 70s, they weren’t really a technical concept?
MIKE ZAITE PHOTO COURTESY OF DR Z AMPLIFICATION

basics of electronics. teaching you about tubes any more. “There are a lot of things that I think
“This was in the mid-60s when the They taught you about chips, transistors about. You know, there are a lot of guys
British Invasion exploded in the United and modern electronics. Tubes were that will take a Fender or a Marshall
States. After watching The Beatles on antiquated and they didn’t spend much schematic and try to recreate the sound
The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, time talking about them. I was fortunate as closely as possible to the original. Some
everyone wanted to be in a band and I was because I already had a background in guys do this very well, but that’s not me;
no different. I started playing in basement tubes that I got from my dad. I won’t just copy something. Those guys
bands and we would practice at my house. “During my 15 years at GE, not only will always have to deal with someone that
Whenever guests or the guys that I played did I get to work in electronics everyday, has an original, trying to tell you what your
with would leave their equipment behind, but I also learned how a large, successful version should really sound like.

106 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 BLUEPRINT: Dr Z Amplification

The Octal Six is typical

of Dr Z’s refreshingly
different approach to
design, with a unique
preamp stage
BLUEPRINT: Dr Z Amplification

1. The Octal Six uses an unusual

complement of valves but sounds
like “tweed on steroids”

2. Simple I/O at the back of the

head shows this is a no-messing
amp for valve fans

4. Mike Zaite hand-wiring one of

his creations in the workshop.
His amps are easy to service

MIKE ZAITE PHOTO COURTESY OF DR Z AMPLIFICATION

“I try to listen to bands or music with You’ve collaborated with some great “I’ve always
a sound that’s really cool or unique and artists on some of your amps such as
then start wondering what amp they used. Brad Paisley and Joe Walsh. What was loved music and
I’ll take an amp apart to understand how
it works, but I’m more interested in the
that process like?
“In the late 80s or early 90s, there was
electronics and
sonic characteristics as opposed to the a music store called Mike E’s outside of I’ve been able to
schematic. Because I have a pretty deep
knowledge of electronic design, I can kind
Nashville. Mike travelled around and
would find esoteric guitars and amps for
make a life by
of create similar tones and sounds that his store. They had a reputation as the incorporating both”
make up the amp using my own design place to go if you’re looking for something
criteria. I’ll take bits and pieces of other unique. Dr Z amps were the only new [laughs]. So Joe and I go way back. He was
designs, throw them in the pot and stir it gear that Mike E’s carried. So one day the nicest guy. He was always very humble
up. A perfect example is the Maz 18. It’s Mike called and said, ‘You’re not going and very kind. In 1995, I was able to get
kind of the Holy Trinity where you can to believe this, but Brad Paisley was just a head and cabinet to Joe. I knew some
get Vox, Fender and Marshall tones if you here and he bought one of your amps, a of the guys in his crew and they helped
adjust it correctly. It has its own unique Maz 18.’ I had no idea who Brad Paisley me get the amp to him. The next thing I
Dr Z sound as well.” was [laughs]. They knew him in Nashville, know, I get a call saying that I need to build
but in Cleveland, I had no idea. From there, another head and cab because Joe is going
What would you say is the ‘Dr Z sound’? Brad and I connected and became friends. to use it on the Eagles Hell Freezes Over
“My amps have to have great clean sounds We’ve collaborated on several amps over tour and he needs a backup.
and they have to be pedal-friendly. From the years including the Prescription Extra “Since 1995, Joe has always had some
there, I’ll make adjustments down the line Strength, Stang Ray, Z Wreck and the sort of Z amp on stage with him. We
to dial in more of their unique tone. Most DB4. Brad is a unique person and he’s very collaborated on the Dr Z Z-Master amp,
players today use a wide variety of tones loyal. He played a DB4 2x12 combo at the which was inspired by a 1959 Bandmaster
and everyone has a pedalboard. There last Grammy Awards show, which is his 3x10 that Pete Townshend gifted to Joe
are plenty of distortion and overdrive favourite Z amp, by the way. but with some added tweaks and modern
pedals, but there’s no pedal that says, ‘Plug “Joe Walsh and the James Gang got enhancements to fit Joe’s style. Most
into this and you’re going to get the most their start here in the Cleveland area. recently, we collaborated on the Octal
amazing clean tone.’ All my amp designs Back around 1968, there was a battle of the Six amp. Joe needed something to play at
overdrive nicely, too, but I always start bands and my band was in it along with the Sphere in Las Vegas and it had to be
with a great clean sound.” the James Gang and, of course, they won unique because there aren’t any amps on

108 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

The Z-40 is a cathode-
biased, EL34-based amp
that is keenly priced and
is a scaled-down version
of the powerful Z-80
BLUEPRINT: Dr Z Amplification

Zed Head John Priest of Peach Guitars on why he’s long loved Dr Z amps

You were instrumental in getting basically! These amps can hang with the best ‘tweed on steroids’ kind of tone. It’s a
Dr Z amps over to the UK years of them. They’re so, so good.” phenomenal amp.”
ago. What attracted you?
“What always drew me to them was Tell us about the distinctive Octal Six. What are the best-selling Dr Z amps, based
the tone and the value for money “The Octal Six is not your traditional [valve amp on your years of experience stocking them
because Z [Mike Zaite] designs design]. So it’s got a pair of octal preamp tubes, at Peach Guitars?
everything with readily available the 6SL7 and 6SN7, and it’s got the 7591 power “The Carmen Ghia and Maz 18, without a
parts that are easy to service and tube. Until this amp came along, I didn’t have a doubt. Out of every 10 Dr Z amps we sell,
thoughtfully laid out on the board. And they’re clue what they were! We all know guitar amps to probably eight of them are a combination
just really, really great workhorses and always have EL84s, EL34s, 6L6s… and you just think of Carmen Ghias and Maz 18s. The Maz 18 is
sound so amazing.” everybody’s going to go round the houses on great as a pedal platform, but it’s also great if
those ones for forever and a day. But Z will always you wanted to take it to a blues jam with just
Dr Z has brought out such a diversity of try to do something a little bit different. a boost pedal – you can get so many different
designs. What, for you, is its all-time best? “So the Octal Six is really an unsung hero tones out of the one amp, and it’s the right
“For me, the ‘Hall of Fame’ amp that he makes is in the range that hasn’t had the attention it volume level for pretty much any application.
the Maz 18. When I go back to that amp, after all deserves – perhaps because everybody that’s “But one of my favourite amps they used
the other things that I’ve tried over the years, it’s played through it has been blown away by it. It’s to make was the EZG-50, a pokey black-panel-
still up there with the best tones for any country, an easy amp to play, and it’s a really fun amp Fender inspired amp designed for SRV tones.”
jazz, blues, roots… anything aside from metal, to play, too. It’s just got a classic, you know, [Link]

stage. The amps are backstage and they

Classic ingredients with
are using in-ears to monitor. Joe called a twist of originality
me up and said, ‘Z, for 60 years, I’ve never and useful extras define
played without an amp behind me.’ So we the Dr Z amp brand
talked and he wanted something with
octal tubes. It’s a unique design and there’s
a whole story to it, but basically it has a
harmonic complexity and a thickness
that really catches your ear and feels great
under your fingers.”

What are your thoughts on digital

modelling amps versus valve amps?
“I have some thoughts on this. I go to
shows and go backstage and I see these
amp modellers. I understand that it’s so
much easier to take a Kemper or whatever
to a show or on the road. They’re reliable
and no tubes to go bad. You can dial in the
sound that you want and it goes right to for their sound and feel. A Stradivarius mountain yet in my mind. You know,
front of house. It’s not the same as playing violin will always be coveted. A ’59 Les I want to be humble and not sound like
through a tube amp. It’s not the same feel Paul will always be coveted. I see that I’m blowing smoke, but I do remember
or playing experience, but to the audience, samplers and modellers are getting better sitting there watching the Eagles on
what they hear sounds great. Modellers and better, so to do my part I’ve taken on their Hell Freezes Over tour, hearing Joe
are easy, practical and they work. There building modelling patches of Dr Z amps. Walsh play the Hotel California solo on
are a lot of sophisticated electronics in I sell them and they do well. All I have to an SRZ-65 through a Z Best cabinet.
these units, so I gotta tip my hat to that. do is send a file. There’s no packing, no That made the hair on the back of my
“Do modellers have a place? Yes. Are shipping, no testing. I’m not opposed to neck stand up.
they going to put me out of business? I don’t modelling. I see it as an advancement to “It was the same kind of feeling seeing
think so. Tube amps will always be coveted amp products and I’m working on some Brad Paisley at all the awards shows, and
things that integrate that technology.” even playing the national anthem at the
“I’ll take an amp World Series with a Dr Z amp right there
Dr Z amps have built up sort of a cult behind him. The whole world is seeing
apart to understand following over the years. Was there a this. It was like, ‘Holy shit, look at that.’
how it works, but moment when you realised your amps
had made it – that you had made it?
“Whenever I hear that a record was
recorded with a Z amp or hear that an
I’m more interested “Yeah, there have been some memorable artist is playing one on tour, it’s satisfying.
in the sonic moments, but, honestly, I feel like I’m
still fighting to be more accomplished
It makes it feel like every day, even with my
24/7 work schedule, is worthwhile.”
characteristics” and recognised. I’m not at the top of the [Link]

110 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 BOUGHT

JEFF ‘SKUNK’ BAXTER

The ever-active session legend on his love for cheap guitars,
Roland gear, and modding his pickups

What was the first serious guitar that you installed for rhythm. It’s a great guitar. I bought it just for
bought with your own money? the hell of it. I saw it and thought, ‘Wow, a Jazzmaster
“That would probably be a Fender Jazzmaster. Because pickup,’ and it was put in at the factory. I played it and
number one, when you grow up in Mexico, American really loved it, so I told the guy at Guitar Center, ‘Pull down
guitars were so expensive. But I’d always wanted a that ’58 Telecaster you have up there,’ which cost about a
Jazzmaster because Bob Bogle from The Ventures bazillion dollars, and I spent about an hour setting up the
had one. I’d sent him a fan letter and he told me to buy [Squier] guitar.
one, but they were just too expensive. So when I went “They had a guitar repair guy there and I asked if I could
to the United States to go to school when I was around use his tools and set up the guitar myself. And very quickly,
13, I went to Manny’s [Music in New York City] with all I compared the two, and the $140 Squier Telecaster, to me,
the money I’d saved up and bought a Jazzmaster. And sounded better, so I bought it. I said, ‘Yep, gonna have one
I still have it today. I love that guitar; I think it’s one of of these,’ so I think that’s the last guitar I bought.”
the coolest guitars ever.”
What’s the most incredible find or bargain
What was the last guitar that you bought, you’ve ever had when buying guitars?
and why? “In terms of value for money, that would be a Burns Baby
This recent acquisition is a “The last guitar I bought… for myself? Because I buy Bison guitar that I bought for 35 bucks. I ended up using
sub-$200 Squier Tele with
a lot of guitars for veterans’ charities and stuff like that. it on the Donna Summer album [Bad Girls on ]
a factory-fitted Jazzmaster
pickup, which Skunk set But let’s see… the last guitar I bought for myself, I think, and also started playing it in the studio as well as playing
up himself in-store was a Squier Telecaster that has a Jazzmaster pickup it live. It was a hell of a deal.”

“The $140 Squier

Telecaster sounded better
than the bazillion dollar
’58 Tele, so I bought it”

What’s the strongest case of buyer’s remorse

you’ve ever had after buying gear?
“I don’t think I’ve ever had buyer’s remorse. Because if
I bought something that I wasn’t happy with, I would just
rip it apart and put it back together [laughs].”

Have you ever sold a guitar that you now

intensely regret letting go of?
“That’s an interesting question. I don’t think so because,
luckily, I never had to sell a guitar. But I remember John
Entwistle and I were at the Rainbow – which is a restaurant
and bar right next to The Roxy in Los Angeles, in Hollywood
– and we were talking about all the guitars we had. John
had like 400 or 500 and I had about 200. We just looked
at each other and said, ‘You know… we’re idiots. We have
all these beautiful instruments sitting in a warehouse, and
that’s probably a sin that we should probably go to hell for.
It’s a terrible thing.’ We said, ‘There’s all these instruments
that want to be played – and should be played by other
PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF ‘SKUNK’ BAXTER

people.’ So he ended up getting rid of 80 or 90 per cent of

his guitars, and I got rid of most of mine as well. But I didn’t
regret selling any of them.
“A lot of it was, you know, when you’re a kid, and you don’t
have a lot of money, you dream about how many guitars
you can have. And then when you get to that point, I think
it starts to get obsessive. I used to push my face up against
the plate-glass window at Casa Veerkamp, the main guitar

112 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 Bought & Sold

Jeff’s do-it-all Roland

G-5 is a Fender Strat with
modelling capabilities
that gives him all the
sounds he needs
PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF ‘SKUNK’ BAXTER

Co-designed by Jeff, the

Sparkle Clean Tone Capsule
onboard Roland’s Blues
Cube (below) unlocks a
range of clean tones

JEFF’S
GO-TO RIG
“My main guitar is a Roland G-5, which is a Fender
Stratocaster that has modelling electronics in it. It’s a
project we did some years ago at Roland because I got tired of
carrying different guitars with me. I can have an electric 12-string,
drop it down to a baritone, be able to have a nylon-string guitar, be
able to just hit the switch and go to an open G, to be able to play slide,
to have humbucking pickups, a Telecaster or a Stratocaster.
“Having a number of different guitars and instruments in one guitar
makes life delightful, especially when playing live. Sometimes you just want
to get that nylon-string feel and sound, or you want to be able to go to an
electric 12-string or an acoustic 12-string, you know? So that’s my go-to
instrument as far as the guitars are concerned.
“For amplifiers, it’s the Roland Blues Cube Artist because,
again, I spent a lot of time working on that design with Roland and
customising it – especially with the specific Tone Capsule and to be
able to reconfigure the electronics of it, so it’s exactly what I want.
“And as far as pedals are concerned, many, many years ago,
one of my first projects with Roland was to develop the
GP-10 [Guitar Processor] multi-effects pedal.
And to this day, I still use it.
So I love it.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROLAND

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 113

 Bought & Sold

store in Mexico City that had American guitars, and look

in. I’d think, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to do this, but one
of these days, I have to get one. I have to do this.’ And so,
I guess, it was one of those obsessive things. But I don’t
regret that at all. As a matter of fact, it took a huge burden
off me to get all that stuff out the door.”

What’s your best tip for anyone looking to buy

their ultimate guitar?
“The first thing I would say for sure is that, if you can,
ignore everything and just play it. And if it plays great,
then it is great. Whether it’s a Squier as opposed to, like,
an expensive Fender special, custom – whatever. This
is not to say that you shouldn’t buy quality instruments,
that’s not the point. The point is that whatever guitar
feels good to you is the right guitar. Don’t buy it for any
other reason.”

When was the last time you stopped and looked

in a guitar shop window or browsed online, and
what were you looking at?
“Well, it’s a lot of amplifiers. The first amplifier I bought
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROLAND

brand-new was a Fender Vibroverb, and it was a wonderful

amplifier. It was the first amplifier that Fender had
designed and built with built-in reverb, and it was, and
still is, a wonderful amp and great for steel guitar. They
have a nice big 15-inch speaker, and as soon as I bought
it, I replaced the speaker with a JBL speaker. They’re just
wonderful amps.”

Above: Pedal steel Left: Jeff’s Burns Baby

features on numerous
sessions performed by
Bison was produced after
the company was acquired “Whatever guitar feels
Jeff over the years, notably
with Steely Dan and
by Baldwin in 1965 (note
the plate on the top horn). good to you is the right
The Doobie Brothers It was an absolute steal
at $35 and would feature guitar. Don’t buy it for
on Donna Summers’
Hot Stuff album any other reason”

If forced to make a choice, would you rather

buy a really good guitar and a cheap amp,
or a cheap guitar and a top-notch amp?
“Well, it depends. If the cheap guitar is a good enough
platform that I can customise in the way I want, then I’d
buy the cheap guitar and a great amp. But when you say
‘great’, do you mean great-sounding, or expensive? [For
example,] I’ve been working for Roland for 50 years, so
I have a place in my heart for them [as an example of an
affordable amp maker]. As a matter of fact, when I play
live, I use a pair of Roland Blues Cube Artists because I
had a lot to do with designing those amps. So, absolutely,
if I had to choose [between a Roland amp and a Fender
Princeton, for example], it would be the Katana.”

If you could only use humbuckers or single

coils for the rest of your career, which would
it be, and why?
PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF ‘SKUNK’ BAXTER

“Oh, I would absolutely take the humbuckers, take them

apart, rewind the bobbins, coil-split them and then have
the best of both worlds [laughs].” [AD]

Speed Of Heat (Storytellers Edition) is

available now on Skunk Hollow R&D, Inc

[Link]

114 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 PERFECT DAY
If guitars are actually getting better by the day, us modders will have nothing to improve.
Is it the end of the line, wonders Dave Burrluck, when he gets a new guitar on the bench

‘M
ade in Hurry’ is a whimsical before a certain John Mayer came along. we cover a trio of those elsewhere this
put-down we often use to At review, we were given a price of £979 issue (see page 80), we’d barely filed our
refer to a guitar that’s less with the caveat, “It’ll be £799 in-store.” copy before another one launched at the
than perfect. The good old ‘guitar-shaped That proved true at the time of writing, but start of July: the SE NF 53.
object’ is another. But while those far- a year after the guitar launched you can
from-complimentary terms see occasional now pick one up at Andertons or Peach for On The Bench
mention in our review pages, we have £499! Guitar Techniques alumnus Jason This new SE, like the USA model it’s based
to admit both are getting rarer. I can Sidwell bought one after reading our on, is a bit of a departure for PRS, based as
certainly remember, in the not-too-distant review; he knows his guitars. Our Neville it is on the classic Fender Telecaster. But
past, having to ‘sort out’ a guitar or three Marten, another guitar long-termer, was just as the world doesn’t need another one
before I could actually attempt a review. equally impressed, as was his bandmate of those, the NF 53 (like the previous Silver
Recently, well, it’s the exception. and original Guitarist scribe Eddie Allen. Sky) is a retooling of that ancient design,
Now, we are talking about lower end Since then, PRS has been on a roll. Along a cover version of a great song. Yes, the
guitars, but even that’s changing. Guitars with specific 40th Anniversary models, body shape is in the ballpark, the obvious
are not getting cheaper. Have the price in June this year PRS dropped five new differences being the forearm and ribcage
rises coincided with a better quality Special Semi-Hollow and Studio models in contours, plus that scoop to the treble
instrument? In some cases, yes, but even its USA S2 and ‘offshore’ SE ranges. While cutaway and the outline is lightly offset.
that’s not straightforward as, increasingly, Under the perfectly glossed opaque finish
the prices we’re given for new large-
production guitars can sometimes bear
“The NF 53 is a is a swamp ash body: we obviously have
no idea if that’s two or more pieces, and all
little resemblance to what you might retooling of the we really know is that it’s a perfectly good
actually pay in-store or online. solidbody bolt-on weight at 3.33kg (7.33lb).
One of our stand-out guitars of 2024 in Fender Telecaster, A quick tune-up and you’ll soon work
this area was PRS’s SE NF3, which I was
told (unofficially) was the three ‘single coil’
a cover version out that it holds its tuning well, plays very
cleanly and – rather importantly – plays
guitar the company was planning to make of a great song” very well in tune, too.

There’s no truck with fancy

facings – the headstock is left
au naturel, with just that ‘SE’
logo giving the game away. The
nut is left typically high with
deep string grooves, but it’s
otherwise perfectly cut
PHOTOS BY DAVE BURRLUCK

116 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

PRS’s NF 53 model, now
in SE guise as here, was
inspired by one of Paul
Reed Smith’s vintage
guitars from the early 50s
 TheMOD SQUAD

The lightweight tuners now

have the wing-style buttons of
many of the USA models

With its full Fender scale, rather than and slightly more edge rolling wouldn’t Speaking of frets, the size measures
PRS’s shorter 635mm (25 inches), it feels go amiss, but, as is, the overall feel has to slightly wider and a fraction lower than
very familiar, while the relatively narrow be commended. the USA standard wire, but these are very
width and full depth feels comfortably As to the supplied setup with 0.010s, cleanly installed, and the ends of the slots
big in your hand (41.65mm wide at the nut there’s minimal relief to the neck. are filled to match the maple. The ends
with 35mm string spacing; 22.7mm deep at String height is bang on ¹/16 th of an inch are rounded, too, and the tops are smooth.
the 1st fret filling out to 25mm by the 12th). (1.59mm) on the treble side at the 12th Checking over the ’board with a Fret
The finish feels very thin, almost raw- fret, very slightly more on the bass side. Rocker shows they’re near-perfect flat.
wood unfinished, and although we have a The strings are very low over the 1st fret, Not quite Plek level, but with such clean
headstock scarf joint, it’s well done – you and bending behind the nut each string playability, I had zero issues.
have to look to see it [pics 1 and 2]. A little comes back in tune; the string grooves Part of the in-tune-ness we often
more in-curve to the fingerboard edges are perfectly cut. mention about PRS guitars is that

This appears to be the same

“The way these
bridge that’s used on the USA S2
Vela and NF 53. A little funky?
Narrowfield pickups
No, it intonates perfectly. Note
the buried height-adjustment sit between both
screws in the brass saddles
classic camps is
part of the appeal”
they always, and still do, use a slightly
compensated nut placement: the nut is
moved a gnat’s closer to the 1st fret, which
helps stop the lower-position notes from
playing sharp.
But what about the bridge [pic3]?
This plate-style construct, which sort
PHOTOS BY DAVE BURRLUCK

of nods back to Paul Reed Smith’s pre-

production designs, first featured on
the S2 Vela. It was then used on the 2023
USA NF 53. The strings technically top-

118 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 TheMOD SQUAD

MOD SPEC
PRODUCT: PRS SE NF 53
PRICE: £979 (inc gigbag)
ORIGIN: Indonesia
BODY: Swamp ash
NECK: Maple (scarf construction),
NF 53 profile, bolt-on
FINGERBOARD: Maple, abalone bird inlays,
254mm radius
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Friction reducing/41.65mm
Based on the USA Narrowfield DDs, these FRETS: 22, medium
Indonesian ‘S’ versions, with their additional HARDWARE: PRS ‘plate style’ bridge w/
steel slugs between the flush magnetic poles,
brass saddles, PRS-design vintage-style
really capture a fat ‘single-coil’ voicing, despite
being narrow-aperture humbuckers. DCRs tuners with wing buttons
measure 9.1k at the bridge and 8.15k at the neck ELECTRICS: 2x PRS Narrowfield DD ‘S’
humbuckers, 3-way lever pickup selector
switch, master volume and tone controls
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 3.33/7.33)
Under the hood are the typical SE Alpha FINISHES: Pearl White (as reviewed),
pots measuring 507k (volume) and 1,020k
Black Doghair, White Doghair
(tone). There’s just a simple .022µF tone
capacitor with no treble bleed WEB: [Link]

PROS & CONS

PROS Clean build; good weight; big neck;
excellent setup; Narrowfield DD ‘S’
humbuckers; wide-range voicing

CONS Nothing for The Mod Squad to do here!

10
load (they don’t pass through the body weight, they do the job and, really, you’ll Unplugged, there’s an encouraging ring
like a Telecaster) and are held in small barely use them. As I said, this is a very and vibrancy to the guitar, and amp’d up
keyhole cut-outs in the nickel-plated stable guitar. you hear a Tele-like spank at the bridge if
steel baseplate. Then, unlike a Telecaster, Buying any guitar with non-standard you pull the volume back and pick close
we have two (not three) brass saddles, pickups means you can’t change them to that bridge. There’s quite a big depth
each with two screws to set the intonation without some often irreversible alteration. at the neck that nods towards a more
and two height-adjustment screws per The Narrowfield DD ‘S’ humbuckers here muscular standard neck humbucker,
saddle, which are buried in the saddles [pics 4 and 5] are a case in point, not least and the mix is clear and spanky. But
and don’t protrude. that they’re mounted on the scratchplate, overall, it’s the way these Narrowfields
Now, rather like a Telecaster bridge, not through a mounting ring. sit between both classic camps that is
this can’t possibly intonate as accurately For many modders, then, a guitar like part of the immense appeal.
as a six-saddle bridge, for example, can this isn’t going to satisfy our endless
it? Checking the guitar’s intonation with pickup-swapping fantasies, and obviously Verdict
a Peterson Strobe tuner, well, it’s near- if you’re chasing the tones of a ’53 With a quoted list price of £979, we’ll
perfect. I didn’t touch a thing. You might ‘Blackguard’ then this isn’t the guitar wager this SE NF 53 will be less in-store
think those two straight-topped saddles for you. But how often have many of us by the time you read this. We only get the
wouldn’t give you the correct radius, but tried to actually use a ‘vintage’ Telecaster Pearl White of our sample, plus the more
the string arch sits between 10 and 12 on those tricky function/cover-band gigs USA-like Black and White Doghair gloss
inches and, personally, as I said, I didn’t where you’re leaping from clean jazz/ colours, but I’d rock any of those.
change a thing. blues to gained modern rock with the With a rehearsal and gig already under
Technically, the vintage-style tuners one guitar, while the venue’s flashing its belt, we’re beginning to wonder if
here with the wing buttons don’t feel as Christmas lights mean you’re constantly so-called lower-end guitars are getting too
smooth as the Phase IIIs we’ve had on battling hum? The SE NF3 is as quiet as good. It’s a 10 from The Mod Squad and
the USA guitar. Aside from being light in a mouse. we’re officially out of business!

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 119

 Huw Price’s

Can this early 60s Gibson Southern Jumbo be saved or has it gone belly up?

1961 Southern Jumbo Restoration Pt 1

V
intage dealers often place guitars
With a strong aroma of into broad categories that
cigarettes and some correspond to their condition,
dubious ‘tan lines’, this
‘player-grade’ Jumbo is rarity and originality, as well as the
ready to be restored customers they attract. At the top end of
the market, museum or collector-grade
guitars may include highly original
examples in outstanding condition or
those that are exceptionally rare due to low
production numbers or unique finishes.
There are also those associated with
famous players that command huge prices
irrespective of modifications or refinishes.
At the other end of the market, we
encounter vintage guitars euphemistically
described as ‘player grade’. These might
include Stratocasters that once had
locking vibratos, Telecasters with added
pickups, and Juniors with tune-o-matic
bridge conversions. With every pickup,
bridge and parts replacement the value
drops accordingly, and as a rule of thumb
a refinish will be worth about half as much
as an equivalent guitar with a factory finish.
So how can we categorise this 1961
Gibson Southern Jumbo? It’s obviously
not ‘collector grade’, and some might even
say it barely qualifies as ‘player grade’, but
looks can deceive. Vintage guitars in this
sort of condition are a bit like houses that
need updating. Not everybody is willing
or able to see the potential, but if you can,
there’s joy to be had in turning a basket
case into a thing of beauty.

Making The Grade

Any restoration project should begin with
a detailed appraisal of the instrument.
Gibson made the last of the slope-
shouldered Southern Jumbos in 1962,
after which the company introduced the
square-shouldered body and, for a short
time, the infamous plastic bridge.
By 1961, the Southern Jumbo was
essentially a fancier version of the J-45/
J-50. The upgrades were largely cosmetic,
with multi-ply body binding, split
parallelogram fretboard markers, inlaid
headstock logos and individual Kluson
tuners, rather than the three-on-a-plate
version. It has also been suggested that
PHOTOS BY HUW PRICE

Gibson reserved superior spruce tops

for its prestige models.
This guitar’s case is festooned with
vintage stickers showing all the countries
it has visited, and Holmesian powers of

120 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 Nitty

A set of chrome
deduction aren’t required to determine Schaller tuners
has been fitted
that it has lived a life. At first glance, the
and the fretboard
condition might be described as awful. binding is peeling
The top has a dirty orangey brown away by the nut
appearance, and ‘tan lines’ reveal that it
has had at least two pickguards since the
original was replaced. None now remain.
The only trace of the Kluson tuners is
their outlines imprinted into the lacquer
on the rear of the headstock, and the guitar
currently sports a set of Schallers. I’m
fine with Grovers, but for some reason
chrome Schallers on vintage Gibsons turn
my stomach. There’s a missing section of
fretboard binding on the bass side, and,

“Not everybody will

to see the potential,
The outline of the
but there’s joy in original Kluson tuners
can be seen and the
turning a basket headstock has never
needed repair
case into a beauty”
although it’s split into two parts, all the
Methylated spirits
binding remains present on the treble wipes away the dirty
side. But it’s peeling away on both sides brown layer over the
of the fretboard. binding to reveal
yellowed lacquer
Although faded, the back of the neck
retains its cherry brown finish, and
the neck joint appears to be rock solid.
The bizarre orange colouration on the
rear body binding matches the top. This
suggests a refinish, but it looks so much
better than the top that I’m not so sure.
Wiping a small area using methylated
spirits on a cotton bud, I discover the
surface layer comes off to reveal a
yellowed layer of (presumably) nitro
over the binding.
I suspect that the top was stripped and
refinished with shellac, and whoever
did it may have given the lacquer on the
back and sides a once over to even out the Bound For Glory away down to the split just beyond the neck
colour. I definitely want to get the shellac Before bringing the strings up to pitch join. There is a gap at the split, another
off the binding, but it gets very gummy and and assessing the guitar’s structural one adjacent to the nut, and I can see that
sticky when it’s wiped with meths. integrity and tone, I decide that reattaching the surviving binding nibs don’t quite
I’m planning to try to ‘polish’ off the the fretboard binding will prevent any line up with the frets. Rather than signs
shellac using 0000 grade wire wool and unfortunate accidents. Only the very of a previous repair, this is more likely
compound, and hopefully that will reveal end of the strips are coming away, but evidence of the shrinkage that caused the
nitrocellulose lacquer underneath. I can experience has taught me that even areas split in the first place.
report that it stinks of cigarette smoke that seem intact are probably barely Gibson used animal protein glue to attach
and there are strips of tape residue on the hanging on. binding, and all the factory workers would
back and sides. Maybe this was a previous I begin on the treble side, and very little probably have had a pot of hot hide glue
owner’s way of attaching setlists. coaxing is needed for the binding to peel close by. It dries very hard and it’s very easy

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 121

 Gritty

to scrape away as it flakes off and turns to

powder. I use a sharp blade to clean up the
binding channel and then scrape off any
glue residue from the binding.
Mixing up and heating a batch of hide
glue for such a small job would be a bit of
a palaver, so I use fish glue instead. Many
of the jobs that are traditionally done with
hide glue can also be done with fish glue.
It may not be quite as strong, but it’s more

“Persevering with
a broken bridge
plate is like keeping
A sizeable section of leaky capacitors
binding is missing
from the bass side
of the fretboard
in a vintage
valve amplifier”
or less the same stuff and you can apply it
cold from the bottle. Best of all, it doesn’t
smell of fish.
After a dry run, I prep some strips of
low-tack masking tape and brush the glue
along the binding channel. Fish glue grabs
nicely but still gives you plenty of open
time, and once the binding is in position
I use the tape strips to hold it down before
wrapping the whole length using surgical
tubing. After an hour or so, I remove the
tubing and tape before flaking off any
squeeze out.

Strings Attached
The guitar had arrived strung up but
detuned by a couple of tones. It’s often
After peeling off the
recommended that acoustic guitars should
binding, a fresh scraper
blade is used to clean the be detuned when they’re put away in
slot prior to re-glueing storage, but it can also be a sign that a guitar
has issues. It’s time to find out which way
this project is headed next.
I gradually bring the strings up to
A combination of
clamps, masking tape concert pitch without hearing any creaks,
and surgical tubing is cracks or any other warning sounds. My
used to fix the binding initial assessment proves encouraging
as the glue sets
because the neck joint is clearly solid,
the action is on the acceptable side of
medium-high and, even with a fairly dead
set of strings, I can hear the unmistakable
tones of a vintage Gibson acoustic. The
lows have a rounded woody punch, the
trebles are sweet and slightly attenuated,
and the midrange is full. It sounds
impressively loud, too.
A quick check establishes that the truss
rod is functioning correctly, and when a
long steel ruler is placed over the frets, it
lands up about 1/16-inch above the top of
the bridge. I decide to put the guitar back
into its case and recheck it after a few days.
My concerns that it might belly up are
confirmed by a bulge behind the bridge,

122 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 Nitty

The bone saddle may be

original, and with such ample
height there’s plenty of scope
for lowering the action

which is noticeably tipping forward. The indicates a point of separation. So far as impact a vintage acoustic guitar’s value,
action has come up slightly, but that’s I can tell all the braces are solid, although but persevering with a broken plate and
less of a concern because the saddle is I do notice white glue residue plastered a deformed top is comparable to the
quite high and there’s plenty of room for around some areas, particularly beneath foolhardiness of keeping leaky capacitors
adjustment. Even so, the top is bellying the one and only split in the top near in a vintage valve amplifier.
up more than I would like, so it’s time to the soundhole. A set of vintage or repro Kluson tuners
remove the strings and take a look inside. Then my phone camera reveals the more will be consigning the Schallers to Reverb,
concerning issue of a damaged bridge plate. and I’ll need to decide whether the original
Brace Yourself This plate is a fairly thin piece of wood frets have one last levelling left in them or
Figuring out what’s going on inside an that’s glued in between the X-braces in the if they should be replaced along with the
acoustic guitar isn’t the easiest of tasks, but area under the bridge. It looks like Gibson nut. The top will be stripped and treated
flat-tops with round soundholes are a lot used a small strip of maple, and the rear to a sunburst refinish, and I’m hoping the
easier than f-hole archtops. You can use edge is cut so close to the pin holes that pickguard shadows will disappear in the
an inspection mirror on a telescopic arm, the back of the plate has splintered off. process. I can also see that the top was
a smartphone camera, or you can get an heavily sanded with the bridge in situ, so
arm inside to feel your way around. Planning Ahead I’ll most likely be removing the bridge to try
The idea is to try to find any loose or The most pressing concern is the to improve that before glueing it back on.
cracked braces. A thin feeler gauge can be bridge plate, and replacing it will be the It will need a repro pickguard, too, so it’s
run along the braces where they’re glued luthier’s equivalent of keyhole surgery. going to be an adventure.
to the top, and anywhere it slides under A replaced bridge plate can negatively [Link]

Although all the braces

seem solid, the bridge
plate is badly split and
will have to be replaced

Under full string

tension the bridge tips
forward and there’s a
bit of a belly behind it

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 123

 David Davidson’s

Streamliners have been ever-present in Gretsch’s catalogue, but this could be a one-off

1955 Gretsch Streamliner

Western motif fretboard

inlays give this immaculate
Jaguar Tan over Copper
Mist 1955 Streamliner
its unique selling point

“T
his is a virtually immaculate Jaguar “No other guitar looks say about Gretsches. It comes with the
Tan over Copper Mist Gretsch original snowflake case and there are some
Streamliner. There is absolutely no or sounds like them… nice tags and the original cable in there.
colour fading, and the best part is that it has “I think Gretsch was operating on a tight
Western motif inlays on the fretboard. That Every pro player budget and competing against companies
makes it such a cool and unique piece, and it
may have been a custom order because I’ve
should have a Gretsch that could make much finer instruments,
but they managed to find a niche. They
never seen another one. Then again, it might in their toolbox” may not have been the best guitars, but
have been a 6120 fretboard that was just they left a giant mark and have influenced
laying around and they slapped it on there. spacer that’s under the bridge pickup. This more than one generation of player.
After all, we are talking about Gretsch. is very common on Gretsches from this “It’s hard to say if vintage Gretsch
“Streamliners were not premium guitars era, and although it’s holding together, it guitars will ever become really popular
in the Gretsch catalogue, but even so, you might need replacing in a couple of years. again. I can report that they’re hard to
have to appreciate the attention to detail. “The guitar has the aluminium nut, sell, particularly when they have issues.
Sometimes the cheaper Gretches were arrow inlaid knobs and, besides the The only models that fetch a premium
only some f-hole or fretboard binding strings, it’s basically ‘new old stock’. There are the White Falcon and Penguin, and
away from being identical to the high-end are no nicks or dents, no buckle rash, and the 6120. All the other models tend to sit
models, and this Streamliner is essentially the back of the neck has no playwear. The around the shop for a very long time and
the same as a 1955 6120. The matching neck profile is basically a medium C and a the longer they’re out in the air, the worse
Copper Mist pickguard has almost no little flat up near the 1st fret, but it rounds it is for them. So we have to try to sell them
pick marks on it and is like brand-new, so I out by the 3rd fret. It plays extremely well, on quickly because it’s like musical chairs.
don’t think this guitar has ever really been and while you might think that’s only to If you’re unlucky, a Gretsch will decide to
played. The binding has no cracks or rot. be expected with a guitar that’s almost fall apart while you own it, so you’re stuck
“The neck angle is perfect, which is a untouched, I would say that 90 per cent with the expense. But if you can move it on,
real bonus. Whenever we have to reset a of the Gretsches from the vintage era that it becomes someone else’s problem.
Gretsch neck, we never know what we’re have passed through my hands have had “The old slogan they used was ‘The
going to find when the neck comes off. some sort of problem. Great Gretsch Sound’, and there is no
We’ve had sawdust fall out, pieces of cork “The neck pickup is very mellow and other guitar that looks or sounds like
and even glue-impregnated cardboard. bluesy, and it’s a really beautiful sound. them; they’re easy to identify on records.
It was like the joints were routed with a I find that when I roll back the volume To my eye, a black Duo Jet with a Bigsby
spoon and they used whatever they could controls both pickups sound even sweeter. is a cooler-looking guitar than a Goldtop,
find just to fill the gaps. Fred Gretsch Jr There are master volume and tone controls, and although a Gretsch would never be my
once told me they would go out for three- too, plus a three-way pickup selector go-to guitar, every pro player should have
Martini lunches and come back later in switch. Most Gretsch fans tend to go for one in their toolbox.” [HP]
the afternoon to build guitars. Filter’Tron pickups, but there is a crowd
“Here, we have the Melita bridge with that prefers these DeArmond Dynasonics. Vintage guitar veteran David Davidson owns Well
plastic feet and individual intonation “I bought it from the original owner in Strung Guitars in Farmingdale, New York
adjustment for the strings. The only negative 2002 and I’m very happy with this one, [Link] / info@
I can find is a bit of off-gassing on the pickup which is something that’s rare for me to [Link] / 001 (516) 221-0563

124 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 VintageIcons

“Sometimes cheaper
Gretches were only
some f-hole or fretboard
binding away from
being identical to the
high-end models”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAIGE DAVIDSON / WELL STRUNG GUITARS

Greening on the bridge pickup’s

chrome plating is a telltale sign
of the celluloid spacer starting
to deteriorate – and it will
eventually need to be replaced

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 125

Techniques

Blues Headlines
Richard Barrett is on a mission to make you a better blues
player – with full audio examples and backing tracks

Open C Tuning
Tutor Richard Barrett | Gear used Atkin J45T
Difficulty | 30 mins per example

NON-STANDARD OPEN OR ALTERED the low E detuned by three whole tones

tunings crop up frequently in blues, folk and (extra-light strings may not be the best Justin Hayward
country music. One reason for this is that choice for this) and the high E staying at its used open C
on The Moody
they can greatly facilitate slide playing. But usual pitch. Jimmy Page uses a similar (C6) Blues’ Question to
another is that unusual chord voicings and tuning for the tracks Bron-Yr-Aur and Friends, remarkable effect
inversions, which would be impossible in the difference being that he leaves the fifth
regular tuning, can be played relatively easily string at standard pitch, giving (low to high)
– depending on the tuning, of course. This CACGCE.
does come at the expense of regular chords I’ve tried to incorporate lots of useful chord
and scale patterns, but the whole point here shapes in the example piece to give you
is to get into some fresh territory. a good ‘vocabulary’ to have a play around
I’ve chosen open C (low to high: CGCGCE) with. Finally, don’t forget that you’re free to
for the example piece, inspired by Jimmy experiment by raising or lowering the pitch of
Page, who uses this tuning on the Zeppelin individual strings to create your own custom
track Poor Tom. Honourable mention tunings as Nick Drake would do. Just be
should also go to Justin Hayward, who used aware that you’ll get through more strings
this tuning on a 12-string acoustic for The and you may need to carry a few more
Moody Blues’ Question where he gives Pete guitars around with you on tour…

PHOTO BY WILL IRELAND

Townshend a run for his money concerning
rhythm guitar chops! Richard Barrett’s album, Colours,
Compared with some of the more widely (complete with backing tracks),
used alternative tunings such as DADGAD is available now from iTunes
and open G, open C gives a wide range, with and Amazon

Example 1
WE BEGIN WITH A RAKE across the open strings, then add in a series of hammer-ons and pull-offs, leaving as many strings ringing
as possible. Leaving notes to ring wherever possible (particularly open strings) is a theme throughout the piece, helping to smooth
transitions between melody and chords. Bars 1 to 2 and 5 to 6 are a good example of letting the ringing open strings ‘fill in’ behind the
melody notes. The strumming rhythms can be varied at will. In fact, it’s better to approach them this way. Attempting to duplicate the
same parts every time could end up sounding a bit too regimented.
Open strings mixed with high fretted notes are a feature much of the time, leading to some quite unusual and complex-sounding chord
names. Try not to let these put you off, though – these are simply names for sounds after all. Elsewhere, bars 9 to 10 are treated as a
harmonised melody, rather than a chord progression. The final four bars momentarily venture away from open strings. And don’t forget
to slow down (marked ‘ral ’) at bars 19 to 20. Remember that this isn’t a classical piece, so feel free to take liberties and vary the themes!

©»¡ºº
'
(approx) C

#
3

E
C
'
g
0
Open C tuning ( C - G - C - G - C - E )

2
0
2 0 1
0
0
G 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 0
C 0 4 4 2 0 2 4 4 4 2 0 0

g
G 0 2 0 0 2
C 0
1

126 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

VIDEO & AUDIO [Link] Techniques

b
B add9 F C

b
b
E 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
G 3 3 3 3 3 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
G 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C 0
3

b n # n

E 3 5 5 3 0
C 0 0 1 0 2 4 4 4 2 0 1 0 0
G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
C 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 5 4 2 0 2 4 0
G 0 7
C
5

b
b
E 6 F C

b
b

E 6 6 6 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
G 8 8 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C 7 7 7 7 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
G 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
C 0
7

Cmaj7 ( no 3rd ) Caddmaj7

E 10 12 12 12 10 7 8 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
G 10 12 12 12 10 7 9 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C 0
9

B badd9 G m11 C

b
b
E 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 4 2 2 0
G 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 4 4 2 2 0
G 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C 0
11

SUMMER 2025 GUITARIST 127

Techniques VIDEO & AUDIO [Link]

Fmaj9 ( no 3rd ) E madd b 6

..

E
C . 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
G
C
G
. 5
5
0 0
5
5
0
5
5
0
5
5
0
5
5
0
5
5
0
5
5
0
5
5
0
5
5
0
5
5
0
5
5
4
4
0 0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
0
4
4
C 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
13, 17

E b6 / 9
1
Dm7

..
b
b
E
C 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 .
G
C
G
5
3
5
5
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
5
3
5
2
5
5
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
5
5
2
.
C 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
15

E b6 / 9
' '
2
D m7 C
U
ww
b b g
E
C
rall

5 5
' 5 5
'
gw
0
0
G 5 5 5 5 0

g
C 5 5 5 5 0
G 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 0
C
19
3 3 2 2
g 0

Hear It Here
LED ZEPPELIN THE MOODY BLUES NICK DRAKE
LED ZEPPELIN III THIS IS THE MOODY BLUES PINK MOON

Zeppelin often featured The frequently underestimated Though he used many open/
acoustic guitars, but never Justin Hayward provides altered tunings through
more so than on their third some memorable acoustic his career, Nick frequently
album from 1970, considered and electric playing on this returned to a version of
rather a departure for them at the time. compilation, taken from The Moody Blues’ open C but with the third string tuned down
A couple of alternative tunings are in first seven albums. Question features the a tone to F, giving (low to high) CGCFCE.
evidence: the altered open C (or C6 tuning, open C tuning used for the example piece Combined with occasional use of a capo,
low to high: CACGCE) on Friends, and open but is played on a 12-string acoustic, and you’ll hear this tuning in action on the title
G (low to high: DGDGBD) on That’s The Never Comes The Day uses open G. Finally, track, plus Parasite (which surely influenced
Way. Two of the previously cited pieces, check out the playing on The Story In Your Radiohead’s Subterranean Homesick
Bron-Yr-Aur and Poor Tom, don’t feature Eyes – this is standard tuning, but it’s a real Alien…) and Which Will. Strictly speaking,
on this album, but they were recorded eye-opener for those unaware of Justin the latter appears a semitone lower, but
during the same sessions in 1970. Hayward’s guitar talents. the relative intervals are the same.

128 GUITARIST SUMMER 2025

 ‹ MIRADOR
Jake Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet
joins forces with British
guitarist Chris Turpin for this
epic new roots-rock band

BLACKSTAR
ID: X
Can Blackstar’s next-
generation modelling amp
range deliver on tone?

AL JARDINE
Talking about the Beach Boys’
legendary career and Brian
Wilson’s songwriting genius
PHOTO BY DEAN CHALKLEY

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