Rig O' The Month - June 2008

June's Rig O' The Months come to us from the Eastern Canadian province of Newfoundland. Over the past few years, I've had the pleasure of corresponding to Mike O'Reilly, an acquaintance whom I became associated with a couple years back via The Fret.Net. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe I was name-dropping some of my favorite Canadian musical artists in a post reply, and Kim Mitchell and the Tragically Hip happened to come into the dialogue. An avid Canadian rock fan himself, Mike took a shine to that, and we soon exchanged several e-mails - each time finding out we had more and more in common: music, muscle cars, hockey, and of course, the social arts. As far as guitar playing is concerned, Mike's passion rests firmly in the Fender Camp, though when we'd exchanged e-mails late last fall, he was actively pursuing a vintage Marshall via a U.K. connection.

Last week, I received an e-mail from Mike, along with pics of some very delectible Fender thoroughbreds. In his own words:

"Thought I'd send this along ... a pic of the rig I'm currently gigging and using in the studio .. a 1964 Fender Bassman AA864, 1966 Fender Bassman cab loaded with original Jensen C12-NS, 1966 Fender VibroChamp. I run these through a Boss ME-10 digital multiple effects board in stereo. When mic'd either through the PA in stereo or in the studio this combonation is nothing short of aural masturbation. The Boss lets me also run either of the amps alone like an a-b box or in the aforementioned stereo. The digital reverb is very good and the chorus is the standard Boss . . . killer. Anyway - - maybe a candidate for "Reader's Rig of the Month" on TONE FARM."

No matter how you slice it, sixties-era anything from Fender rates very highly, esp. steeds of the Blackface bloodline. And yes, perhaps even as highly as the art of auditory self-pleasure . . . ;~) Thanks for sharing, Mike - and congratulations on being the Tone Farm's Rig O' The Month!! J.

P.S. - Be sure and "double-click" the photo for the full-sized, Fender-licious version!

The hotter . . . the better!

Every once in awhile, something comes at you from out of nowhere. Unexpectedly; and without explanation. Kind of like a long throw from the outfield - only, in this particular instance, it lacked the typically arcing trajectory that makes up for gravity’s pull. It was a laser shot - on a rope and deadly accurate. Such was my introduction to the music of the late Rory Gallagher

My typical workday always involves music, and in most cases, it’s the sublime drone of an XM Radio station in the background. On this particular day, the dial was set to the "Deep Tracks" station, which pulls heavily from the late 60’s classic / early 70’s power rock / avant garde catalog. Seemingly, in the middle of a rather "typical" set list, I hear the sound of an edgy, overdriven Stratocaster. Not "edgy" in terms of the tone being overly bright - - but in the sense of it being on the "edge" of an emotion. A raw, jagged nerve. Kind of like that feeling you get when you’re watching a scary movie . . . that split-second before a super-scary part. Anxious. Unnerving. That kind of edgy. I rose from my chair to inspect the XM display dial, curious as to the origin of this fantastic Fender sound.

The salvo of Stratocaster power chords at the beginning of "Walk on Hot Coals" relays immediate notice as to what will immediately transpire. This is no-holds-barred, full-tilt blues rock, delivered by players who understand the meaning and purpose of doing it well.

Another thing that struck me immediately about the mood of "Walk on Hot Coals" is its fusion of energy – a singular, allied, contiguous flow of musical passion. Certainly, Gallagher’s masterful Stratocaster work is at the striking point of the formation, and his playing blends a style that's borderline hard rock - yet with a respectful nod to both ethnic and blues roots. The arsenal of amazing tones that accompany his music serve faithfully and obediently - benchmarks of a highly-skilled player. But like any great guitarist, the end effect is indeed dependent on the sum of its parts. The powerful, decisive guitar chords of this song contrast beautifully against the Doors’ish bounce of Lou Martin’s electric piano. Gerry McAvoy (bass) and Ron D’ath (drums) are beautifully efficient as the band’s rhythm foundation, fully understanding their roles in the context of the song.

As the number unfolds, the band soon finds itself feeding its guitar player ample leash from which to explore. A glorious extended solo soon unfolds, and I find myself entranced; held captive to each note. Using a variety of masterfully executed techniques (string bends, staccato picking, on-the-fly p'up position changes), Gallagher weaves and winds the listener through the song – never stopping at one point long enough for you to catch your breath. Through this extended improv, I am struck by how Rory "feels" his way into a run or passage. Not as if he’s playing it, but almost like he’s following a path - - provided by the music itself - - though never quite sure where it’s going to go. Some might think that this is something that can be learned or practiced; to be turned on and off on a whim. Not so. This is a gift, and an extraordinary one at that. In simple terms, this is a guitarist searching for . . . and then . . . finding the very soul of a song. What he finds he communicates with you through his guitar. You, the listener - are left to bask warmly in the glow of its omnipresent emotion.

A crescendo of crunchy power chords soon alerts me to my work-bound reality, and it seemed to me as if I had been lost in a swirling array of Strat-o-luscious-ness for hours. I grin slyly, fully aware of the experience that just transpired. My only thought at that point: "Where do I get more of this?"

My collection of Rory Gallagher CD's has expanded considerably in the short period of two years, and includes the following releases: Rory Gallagher (1971); Deuce (1971); Live In Europe (1972); Irish Tour (1974); Against The Grain (1975); Calling Card (1976); and BBC Sessions (1999). I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any to guitarists and music fans alike, though I am a bit partial to the (2) 1971 studio releases from the standpoint of variety and performance. It goes without saying that both of Rory's live albums are essential listening - esp. for the guitar set.

VITAL STATS:
GUITARIST: Rory Gallagher (all guitars, vocals)
BAND: Lou Martin (piano); Ron D'ath (drums); Gerry McAvoy (bass)
SONG: "Walk on Hot Coals"
ALBUM: Irish Tour

HIGHLIGHTS: Gallagher presents the listener with a stunning array of guitar techniques and tones – from roaring, overdriven Stratocaster; to beautiful acoustic balladry; to stinging steel guitar slide. Raw, gritty vocals narrate mile-deep, soulful renditions of original songs, blues standards, and an amazing cover of Tony Joe White’s "As A Crow Flies".

Tube be . . . or not tube be?

You may or may not know who Andrew Barta is . . . but as a guitar player, you probably should. Long before Line 6 entered the world of modeled, solid-state amplification - (7) years to be exact, Tech 21, Barta's NY-based company, introduced the SansAmp, which literally set the music and recording worlds on their collective ear.

Back in 1989, amp-modeling was pretty much undiscovered country. Yes, there were many companies designing / manufacturing effects - but none that could emulate the tonal characteristis of (3) highly sought-after tube amplifiers - - all packed snugly into a foot pedal! As if this wasn't a feat in and of itself, the SansAmp also pioneered the idea of line-direct recording - i.e. electronically facilitating the "effect" of microphone proximity in relation to the sound of the amplifier. In 1989, these were incredibly broad and defined strokes on a very large, but completely blank canvas. And the only artist holding a brush - Andrew Barta.

Nearly (20) years later, it's hard to name a major player in the burgeoning guitar retail market that doesn't have some type of modeling offering. The surprising thing here is that amongst all the Flash Gordon, whiz-bang techno candy currently out there - the Tech 21 SansAmp (*now marketed as that SansAmp GT-2) is still one of the best and the most reasonably priced.

While browsing the Sound OnS ound website, I came across an interesting 1996 interview with the Tech 21 founder. In the article, Mr. Barta spoke about some of the intricacies of the solid-state tube-emulating concept, as well as the physical and technical theories that came into play during the design process. One thing I found particularly interesting was that many of of the key tonal elements were rooted in very basic sound & electronic principles - things such as decay, clipping, phase inversion, and reverb.

So how does an article like this equate to the everyday player? Very simply - when applied to your own tone, having a basic understanding of key sound and electronic principles can lead to some pretty big things. Whether it be live sound, recorded sound, gear choices - whatever; knowing how things work, and how sound behaves has benefits all across the board.

If one were to judge by recent trends, it would appear that vintage tube technology has made a prolific return to prominence. In fact, so much so, that many high-profile players have all but written the epitaph for the solid-state amplifier. But the bell tolls not for ye', o' venerable purveyor of guitar tone. Solid state amplification is alive and well, and sounding better than ever. As a matter of fact, Andrew Barta & Tech 21 have a few new tricks up their sleeve. More on that one later. J.

Finishing School

I've always had an interest in the science of vintage guitars and gear, as many of those things often transcend themselves to other areas that can be vitally useful to my own playing, or gear.

I'd recently read an article in which Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) was trying to explain why his # 1 Les Paul (which he dubiously dubbed "Pearly Gates" ) has that sound. One of the things he'd mentioned in that particular article was the finish - which was something I hadn't heard mentioned before. Sure, I've heard / read other stories about some of the other things that vintage gear afficianados have claimed as the "magical element", including: the wood (old stand vs. new growth); vintage hardware (metallurgy anyone?); and some old-school wiring / electrical (different types of bobbins, cloth-insulated wiring, certain waxes, vintage pots / capacitors, etc.) Yes indeed - the pursuit of the "grail tone" leaves no stone unturned.

As I was exploring this very topic on the internet, I came actoss the following article, in which the author determined that the lacquer used on vintage guitars (i.e. non-synthetic, non-polyurethane) was a key element of its sound / tone. To further bolster his claim, he actually stripped down, and refinished a new guitar with an older type of lacquer finish. You can check this story out for yourself at the BYOB (Bring Your Own Battery) Website: The Effect Of Lacquer

This is but one of the tons of cool topics about vintage guitars / amps. If anyone else has links or resources to other vintage gear-related topics - let me know. J.

*NOTE: If you double-click on the photo of Billy G., it will enlarge. Then you can get a good look at the Rev's custom Rio Grande stack in the background! ;~)

Skin Deep

Fact: The world is filled with some incredibly UGLY guitars. Along with some incredibly lame, horribly designed, and and fantastically hilarious ones, too. Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you:

The Guitar Site's Ugliest Guitars II

(*scroll down to the post, and click on the individual headers)

The Name Game

I used to think that my friend Darren had the market cornered on great band names. For the record, he has now been "officially" de-throned. Check out the links and see why:

Random Band Name Generator #1
Random Band Name Generator #2

To all the guys in "Orphan Clown Train" - maybe you should have waited for this post . . . ??!!! J.

Small change . . . BIG tone

Everyone is probably familiar with the saying, "you get what you pay for" (*and in the case of REO Speedwagon, "you get what you play for.") While that statement may hold true for a lot of things, budget-minded tone connoisseurs can still find a lot of great, incredibly affordable gear goodies & tweaks. Using $30 as a spending cap (*which if you think about it, isn't really all that much) - I came up with (6) items that will provide any player with immediate, tone-worthy benefits:

1.) Picks - Yeah, the good ol' plectrum. Ranging in cost from *free* to several dollars (fancy ones are probably more) - a pick can offer a player a number of different benefits. For example - softer picks can be used for a percussive strumming effect; harder picks help notes / chords ring true. Some picks even have special gripping material on them. Whatever and however you play - there's a pick made just for you. Try a bunch out, and see what you like - and still have plenty left-over for wings and beer.

2.) Strings - Like picks, they're a necessity. Most players stick with the same brands all the time - - you know, for "consistency" sake - rarely venturing outside the box. Earth to Mr. / Ms. Guitar Player - at $5 or less a pop, why not try out some different gauges & brands out. I recently picked up a set of Fender Pure Nickel 150L strings for my cream Strat, and was literally floored with their fat, juicy sound. The cost for that huge improvement in tone - $3.99 + tax.

3.) Set-up / intonation - For the gifted, do-it-yourself player - which most of us are not, a fresh set-up will provide an immediately noticeable tonal improvement, not to mention that your guitar will play like "buttah". Think of a set-up / intonation as the guitar equivalent of a trip to the chiropractor. Damage - $10 - $15; more if your axe is severely out of whack.

4.) Dont' get "floored" - While there's nothing wrong with setting your amp on the floor, getting it up off of the floor can do a number of things. Using a stand, with your amp properly angled, the "window" of sound can be directed at an optimum angle to your ear - thus enhancing what you're hearing from your amp (*not to mention your audience and / or band-mates.) It's certainly not rocket science by any means. Musician's Friend has a nice, combo-sized floor stand for right around $20 + shipping. A larger, more elaborate unit will, of course, run you a bit (or a LOT) more - depending on the bells and whistles.

5.) Plug-n-play - Take it from someone who has spent the better part of my playing career using cheap, crappy cables - a good cord makes a HUGE difference. Let me repeat that - a HUGE difference. A cleaner signal going to your amp = less hum / distortion. And that, my friends, equates to better tone. Cables come in all price ranges, with all kinds of features - and $25 - $30 should get you a pretty decent one.

6.) Tube into tone - Got yourself a tube amp, do ya'? Well, if you can plug in a blender to make a margarita, then you can swap out a vacuum tube. Easy as pie. Depending on what the tonal endeavors are for your amp, individual tubes can run you as little as $12 - $15 apiece. Although you might have to stretch your $30 budget out over a few months to get a full set (*some amps require (7) or (8) tubes), you can score a couple tubes here and there, and drop 'em all in when your collection is complete. After your swap is done, plug in, and savor all of the delicious, analog, fire-spitting* goodness.

So there you have it - (6) easy, cost-effective ways to tastier tone. Bon apetit'! J.

( * ) "Of Mice & Modelers" post - 1/11/08.