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Acoustic Guitar Body Shapes

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:21:42 +0000

How does the shape of an acoustic guitar affect it's sound?

A question that people ask me a lot is ...

'How does the size and shape of an Acoustic Guitar affect the tone of the instrument?'

A lot of guitar buyers are blissfully unaware how different guitar shapes give you different tonal 'colors'. A lot of acoustic guitar shoppers aren’t even aware there are different sizes to choose from, as “a guitar is just a guitar, isn’t it?” Well … yes and no.

A guitar is, indeed, just a guitar but there is however, a huge difference in tone depending on what size and body-shape the guitar happens to be. This also determines the style(s) of music a particular instrument is suitable for. These days there are a huge number of guitar shapes available and it can all be quite baffling to the potential buyer, so I’ll try and give a general outline of the history of the most commonly used guitar shapes and what they’re suitable for.

It all comes down to four shapes!!

Yes, all guitars on the market today are a direct descendant from one of four shapes, the Parlor Guitar, the Orchestra Model Guitar, the Dreadnought Guitar and the Jumbo (or Super Jumbo) Guitar. So let’s start with the smallest shape in the guitar family.

Parlor Guitar

The Parlor Guitar is the earliest (oldest) shape of acoustic guitars on the market today. Generally pioneered by the C.F. Martin Co, it's design goes back to the 1800’s. They all have the following features in common: a small, relatively shallow body, a slightly wider finger-board (1 ¾ inches or wider) and a slotted headstock.
I believe the Parlor Guitar is the most misunderstood guitar on the market today. It is generally assumed that a small bodied guitar, like this, will put out a 'small' sound.

Not necessarily so!

A good Parlor will have a strong mid-range focus and round, singing trebles and still enough bass to please most listeners. They tend to have amazing “cut through” power, because of their enhanced mid-range frequencies. I’ve played Parlor Guitars in a room full of Dreadnought players and the little Parlor would cut through the mix like a bell! They are also a favorite choice amongst finger-style players, they have great string to string tonal balance, each note rings clearly and the wider fingerboard makes them ideal for finger-style playing or single note runs.

Mark Knopfler, John Mellencamp, Linda Ronstadt, Steve Miller play Parlour Guitars

They also tend to make great recording guitars as they don’t suffer from over-powering bass and other unwieldy frequencies that can so annoy sound engineers. Their only downside is the fact there’s only 12 frets to the body, which may be a stumbling block to a potential buyer, however, most people who play acoustic guitar don’t often venture beyond the 12th fret anyway so it would be a shame to not buy one for this reason. Owning a 12 fret Parlor Guitar can be a very rewarding experience, I’ve owned several and they have been amongst the best sounding guitars I’ve had my hands on. Every reputable guitar manufacturer today will have a couple of Parlor Guitars in their line up, try one of the Taylor parlors, they’re stunning!

Parlour Guitar

Orchestra Model Guitar

Another C.F. Martin design, the Orchestra Model, or OM, as it’s generally called, was really the first 'modern' guitar on the market. Its origins date back to the 1930’s as players called out for guitars with bigger bodies, more volume and guitars with 14 frets to the body. The body size of an Orchestra model is noticeably bigger than a Parlor, however, it’s still got a fairly shallow body depth. This makes it very comfortable to sit down with. Like Parlors, OMs have a well balanced, clear tone with beautiful mids and trebles and strong but not over-bearing bass frequencies. They tend to have incredible 'projection' so they can be clearly heard in the mix.

John Mayer and Eric Clapton play Orchestra Models

An OM has 14 frets to the body so it feels more like a 'modern' guitar. They also have a slightly wider fingerboard, 1 ¾ inches, which makes them a great choice for finger-style playing. This is another guitar that makes a great recording instrument, all frequencies are beautifully balanced and they are generally a joy to play! I have to admit, this is my favorite guitar shape! Various guitar makers manufacture OM shapes, however, they are not always called OM, some manufacturers use the term “Grand Concert”, however, these are all variations on the OM design and have a lot in common with the original OM shape. For example, modern guitars like the Taylor 312, 412, 512 etc…and the Takamine TAN76 and TAN77 owe a lot of their design features to the OM’s of old.

Orchestra Model

Dreadnought Guitar

The Dreadnought is the guitar shape that most people think of when describing an acoustic guitar. It is the most popular shape on the planet, the majority of buyers will claim this to be the shape an acoustic guitar should be! Also dating back to the 1930’s this is the shape that has taken the guitar world by storm. When it was released it was the loudest, biggest thing out there and changed the acoustic guitar market almost overnight. The word “dreadnought” itself is a reference to the biggest, baddest warship in the US navy at the time so they were clearly trying to make an impression with this design.

The Dreadnought has everything a good acoustic should have, it’s loud, it’s got a big voice with whopping bass, and warm, melodic trebles. Some Dreads can lack a bit in the mid-range but that generally comes down to what timbers are used and who the manufacturer is. My guess would be that 75% of acoustic guitar sales in the world are dreadnoughts. It is the shape that appeals most to people. Dreadnoughts have been used by a variety of artists, ranging from the Beatles and the Stones to Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Elvis. In fact, anybody who is anybody in the history of rock and pop music would have played a dreadnought at some stage. It is also the essential guitar for anybody playing bluegrass. It excels at loud single note runs and unlike some small bodied guitars, it handles vigorous strumming extremely well. Which is the reason it’s always been a popular choice amongst rockers. Dreadnoughts generally also have a slightly narrower fingerboard, 1 11/16 inches, which is closer to the size of an electric guitar neck.

Tom Petty, Jack Johnson, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Neil Young and Curt Kobain plays/played a Dreadnought Model

This smaller neck size is another reason this guitar is so popular, it fits most people’s hands!! Funnily enough dreads don’t always make for the best recording guitar, their huge bass response isn’t always conducive for getting a good recorded sound, however, they are the guitar of choice of most live performers and excel at most applications. Notable dreadnought manufacturers: Martin (of course), Taylor and my current favorite, Cole Clark, they make a dread called “Fat Lady”, excellent, affordable dreads with amazing electronics.

Dreadnought Guitar

Jumbo Guitar

The biggest of all acoustic guitars! When Gibson Guitars introduced this shape back in the 1940’s/50’s they labeled it “the King of the Flattops” and with good reason. The Jumbo (or Super Jumbo) is simply huge! Size wise this guitar dwarfs a standard Dreadnought guitar. Gibson set out to outdo Martin in the acoustic guitar market with an even bigger, bolder instrument and they succeeded, at least temporarily. This is the guitar that was made famous by Elvis as he used it on the black and white TV clip of Jailhouse Rock. As indicated by their size, Jumbo guitars sound big! They have huge bass, (and I mean, HUGE!), big mids and clear trebles. However, due to their physical size, they are not the most popular guitar around. For instance, people of smaller stature would have trouble playing this instrument, it’s big!

Emmylou Harris plays a Jumbo Model

Jumbos can sound incredible though, they are excellent for strumming and I’ve seen a few in the hands of serious finger-stylists too, however, their deep, thudding bass doesn’t always make them suitable for the finger-style guitarist. For this reason it wouldn’t be my first choice as a recording guitar either.
So, while they may not be the most all-round instrument of the acoustic guitar family they are seriously cool, have big sound and they look great. This particular size lends itself really well to 12 string options. The Guild company in the 1970’s made beautiful 12 string jumbos that are still sought after today. Today, Taylor make a range of 12 strings with this body-shape and they sound incredible.

Jumbo Guitar

To summarize

Yes, these four shapes pretty much started it all! Every guitar on the market today is a variation on one of these four shapes. A number of manufacturers now put cutaways on guitars to allow access to the upper frets and the above models are all available with cutaways and various electronics options. Modern guitar makers will also deviate from the above shapes by making minor adjustments to body-size, body-depth and overall dimensions. However, these four guitar shapes are the basis of all modern acoustic guitar manufacturing and looking at the assortment of guitars available today, it’s easy to spot where the inspiration has come from.

New Developments, Honorable mention. Grand Auditorium Guitar

One guitar shape that deserves a special mention is the Grand Auditorium (GA) shape. This is a shape pioneered by Taylor guitars. Taylor came up with this design in 1994 and it became an instant hit. In fact this is considered to be the essential Taylor shape. This guitar has the same width and depth as a traditional dreadnought but it’s much more tapered at the waist and looks way more “curvey”, (and more sexy IMO). Taylor set out to design a guitar that, in their words, is “the Swiss Army Knife” of guitars. A guitar that can handle aggressive strumming as well as gentle finger-picking. For those who want a guitar capable of virtually anything you throw at it, this guitar would be it. These instruments have exceptional balance, strong, but not boomy, bass, good mid-range projection and sparkling trebles.

The Grand Auditorium is currently competing with the Dreadnought as the most popular acoustic guitar shape available today. They are excellent recording guitars as well as excellent live performance guitars. The Grand Auditorium shape has been copied by various companies in the last 15 years, to the point where it has now become as standard a shape as the Parlor, OM, Dreadnought and Jumbo. Notable Grand Auditorium Manufacturers: Taylor (they designed it!) Models, 314, 414, 514 etc…, Takamine, they do a series called the Nex Series, all Grand Auditoriums with various timber/electronics options. Cole Clark make a GA called the “Angel”, a beautiful example of what a Grand Auditorium can be. If there ever was a guitar that can do just about anything and handle just about any style, look no further.

Line6 G30 Digital Wireless System - guest penned by Ben White (Dane Rumble / Sola Rosa)

Wed, 12 May 2010 16:21:42 +0000

:: Line6 Relay G30 Wireless Guitar System ::

This summer I have been lucky enough to trial the Line 6 Relay G30 wireless guitar system. After many years of playing guitar and experiencing wireless freedom very rarely, I was excited at the opportunity to perform with wireless full time.

The unit itself is very simple and consists of four pieces, TBP06 transmitter, cable, RXS06 receiver and power supply. Straight out of the box at the first rehearsal I had the unit setup and ready to rock in under five minutes. With both the transmitter and receiver set on channel one I noticed no interference whatsoever and found no need to darken the tone with the two cable tone options (see below Fig1). Tone wise I heard little difference between the wireless and cabled sound, if anything a touch brighter and louder. Further rehearsals proved the same and I was looking forward to taking it on the road.

On the road the unit performed just as well, if not better. On the small stage, setup was simple, transmitter clipped to guitar strap (fastened with the help of trusty gaffer tape for safety) and receiver placed on top of my amp or with my pedal board. Although I wasn't utilizing the range of the system, on the small stage I had complete freedom to roam without any annoying twisted cables or tangles. I also had many comments from other bands regarding the units simple design and sound quality compared to other top of the range systems they had tried.

Line6 G30 Relay Digital Wireless

Cable tone simulation.

Using a cable and a wireless system? Now you can switch back and forth without having to adjust the tone settings on your amplifier. Relay digital wireless systems feature a Cable Tone Simulator, which lets you match the sound of your Relay to the sound of your cable.

The big stage was where the system really performed. Sound wise I had absolutely no problems. My sound was clear and articulate from anywhere on stage, in the crowd, running around the crowd and all the way to the mixing desk. I noticed some latency the further I roamed from the receiver, but this was to be expected. Again I received compliments from other musicians regarding the quality of my sound. The only problem I had was when the clip came loose of the transmitter and I had to play the rest of the gig with it in my back pocket. This however is easily remedied with some careful fastening of the transmitter before performing.

Overall, from the rehearsal room to the big stage the Line 6 Relay G30 wireless guitar system lived up to all my expectations and more. I would happily include it as part of my setup in the future.

Specifications - Line6 Relay G30 Wireless Guitar System
Transmission Format	Line 6 proprietary digital audio transmission
Frequency Response	10Hz - 20kHz
Dynamic Range	118 dB
RF Carrier Frequency	2.4GHz
Compatible Channels	6
Transmission Range	100 feet line-of-sight (may vary due to local conditions)
FCC Approval	Part 15 approved, no user-license required

TBP06 Transmitter
A/D Conversion	24-bit Delta Sigma, 128 times oversampling
Input Impedance	1.3 M-Ohm
Connectors	1/4-inch unbalanced input
Controls	Power On/Off, Channel Select
LEDs Display	Power, Audio Status
Battery Life	Approx. 8 hours (2x AA alkaline batteries)

RXS06 Receiver
D/A Conversion	24-bit Delta Sigma, 128 times oversampling
Connections	1/4-inch output
LEDs Display	Power On, Data Link, Audio Status
LCD Displays	n/a
Controls	Power On/Off, Channel Select, Cable Tone Simulator
Power Requirements	DC-1g power supply (9VDC)

The Revolution is here ...

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:21:42 +0000

:: The Revolution is here….low price, low wattage tube amps (and why you need to have one) ::
One of the most interesting things about working in this industry is watching the way the market changes as new products come to light. Technology changes and generally keeps on making a guitarist’s life better, whether it be through advances in the way guitars are built, whole new sounds that can be created with pedals and digital effects, or whetever. It all keeps the game fresh and interesting. However, the developments that always hold the MOST interest for me, are the changes that occur in the realm of guitar amplifiers. Although I love all guitar gear - whether it be guitars pedals, cables or whatever, I am actually (in my heart of hearts) really an amplifier guy. After all, an amplifier is , in my opinion, THE most important part about your electric guitar tone. Consider this ... a $200 cheapo guitar through a $5,000 MESA amp sounds pretty darn good and a competent guitarist could certainly play a gig with this rig. However, a $5,000 Gibson guitar through a $200 practice amp sounds like ... well ... a $200 practice amp. As I’ve often said (to anybody who'll bother listening) – your amplifier is what defines your overall tone, and as such – it’s important to get the right amp to suit your style. So over the years, there have been a number of changes in guitar amplifier technology that have given guitarists many MANY options towards tonal nirvana. From tube amps, to the onset of solid state amps (late 1970's), hybrid designs (ealry 1990's) and into the recent realm of digital “modelling” amps (2000's) - technology has twisted and turned to provide a variety of amplification options to today's guitarists. Right now though, at the turn of the decade we are at the cusp of another big change, the onset of low price, low wattage valve amplification which is not only affordable, but also addresses the growing market demand for low power (5W to 30W) guitar amplifiers…
Why do I need a tube amp? Isn’t that really old technology?
Yes, it IS old technology but there is a good reason why tube amps (or valve amps as the Brits prefer to call them) are still around and in high demand. They just sound and feel better to play to most guitarists. Solid-State amps for years were the “cheap”option. They were priced much lower than tube amps to make amps accessible to beginner/intermediate players. Aside from a few notable exceptions (such as the almighty Roland JC120) they had a reputation for sounding “thin” and “brittle” as opposed to the big, warm tones that tube amps produce. Also solid-state amps, when driven to distortion, tend to sound harsh, cutting and not at all pleasant. So for many years, the market made a natural diversion, expensive tube amps for pro players, cheap solid state amps for beginner / home players. Large advances were made in the late 1990’s with the advent of Line 6’s “digital modelling” technology (soon copied by everyone else on the market). Digital technology was used to accurately “model” the tone produced by much larger and more expensive amplifiers gave a quantum leap to the quality of sound that could be produced from cheap amplifiers and processors. This technology has been so successful in fact that it has been incorporated into everything from the cheapest of small practice amps, up into processing units used by the world’s top recording studios– many of your favourite songs may have been recorded completely using digital modelling techology. However, as good as digital modelling sounds it still cannot replicate the feel of playing through a tube amp. It is something that is very difficult to describe, but the visceral, immediate feel of hitting the strings with your pick and feeling the response and sound that emanates from a tube amplifier is truly addictive and has an amazing, 3-dimensional quality. Little wonder that despite the prevalence of digital modelling technology in the world’s leading studios, the vast majority of professional guitarists will still be playing tube amps at every gig they do!
What’s the deal with “low-wattage”? Will a 5w or 20w amp be enough for me?
Yes, probably! 50w – 100w tube amps are great for some players – especially Hard Rock/Metal players who require amps with a lot of headroom to accurately amplify their preamp-distortion based tone. (not to mention to cope with the low frequencies produced by down-tuned guitars). Also Jazz and Country players will often still favour high-wattage amps so they can keep a pristine clean at any volume. For the majority of today’s rock/blues/indie guitarists who are looking for an involving, responsive and organic guitar tone – then a low-wattage amp is just the ticket!! Most people have never driven a 100w, 50w or even 30w amp into overdrive and don’t realise just how loud it is! Bear in mind that The Beatles used 100W guitar amps to fill a stadium – before the days of miking guitar amps through a PA system!!! Individual scenarios can vary, but here is a bit of a guide… *5w tube amp* Perfect for at home or in the studio. Still much louder than you might think, but perfect for dialing up some juicy overdriven tones at tolerable levels. 15w – 20w tube amp Can deliver “edgy” clean tones and organic/aggressive distorted tones at gig volumes suitable to be heard over the drummer. 30w tube amp Suitable if you want your clean tones a little cleaner, or if you play with a particularly heavy-handed drummer
The Good news ...
Guitarists have been asking for lower-priced, low wattage tube amps for a while and I think the dam has been on the verge of breaking for a while – but in 2009 it actually happened and we have now seen a veritable flood of new low wattage tube amps hit the market at VERY affordable prices. It’s been amost like from famine to feast - so to help you make sense of it - here is a roundup of my favourite low-wattage beasts out right now!!!
Blackstar HT-5 - 5w amp ($899 combo, $799 head, $1,299 mini-stack) Blackstar are a fledgeling company, formed in 2007 from some ex-Marshall employees. They were not only one of the first companies to market with an affordable 5w tube amp – but the first to deliver a high gain, channel switching little beast that can go from clean to scream at the touch of a button. This little amp has been a worldwide phenomenon and brings a smile to the face of everybody who plugs into it. This amp is definitely tilted towards the Hard Rock genre and delivers some surprisingly tight high-gain tones. Awesome!!!! The Bottom Line: For the “at-home” rocker. Hi-Gain saturated tones at palatable (but still raucous) volumes.
	Marshall Class 5 – 5w Combo ($899) One of the most jaw-dropping little amps I’ve played in some time. There is a reason that people worship the tones of vintage Marshalls – because the experience of playing through an old Marshall “Plexi” amp is a sublime one. Nothing on the planet feels like a Marshall and the aggressive yet silky, enveloping sound of an old Marshall running hard is truly breathtaking. It is also rip-your-face-off loud – so it is a welcome relief to have Marshall create a 5w amp that truly delivers the vibe and tone of it’s granddaddy. It really sounds that good….and it’s still loud enough to scare the cat! Every Marshall fan needs one of these amps. The Bottom Line: Vintage “Plexi” tone in a bedroom-friendly package.
Epiphone Valve Junior – 5w amp ($279 head, $369 combo) Surely no amp on the planet has the “bang for buck factor” of the Epiphone Valve Junior. 5 watts and one knob of awesomely fun, rip-snorting Class A fun. No other controls required – just a volume knob – the more you turn it up, the more the amp overdrives and the bigger your smile gets. The combo is my personal fave, but you can get a massive dose of fun by plugging the head version into your nearest Marshall 4x12 cabinet and watch the jaws drop around you! The Bottom Line: Absolutely immense fun – and a good sounding little amp.
	Orange Tiny Terror – 15w amp ($999 head, $1,599 combo) The amp that kicked off the low cost low wattage tube revolution. Now in it’s 3rd year on the market the Tiny Terror continues to impress with it’s edgy, organic tone in a compact form factor. At 15W it is well-suited for gigging and has turned up on stage with a number of touring artists including NZ’s own Elemeno P. With 3 tube gain stages, this little bad boy has reasonable hi-gain capabilities – although it can tend to start sounding a little loose at high gain levels. It’s core competency is in it’s mid-gain rock tones where it delivers a great staple sound. The head version is the “must have” - paired with a good cab it will produce surprisingly large sounds as opposed to the combo which can sound a little impeded. The Bottom Line: A giggable amp that gives a solid foundation of tone to work with.
Jet City Amplification (JCA20H 20w head $799, JCA2112RC 20w combo $1,099) My absolute favourite amplifiers of the moment right now are the brand new, hot off the line, and righteously good JET CITY AMPS. These amps have just hit the world market this month and my prediction is that they are going to see some stellar success in 2010. JET CITY have managed to create some excellent sounding, cool looking, giggable amps at super affordable prices. The excellent tone comes courtesy of Mike Soldano who designed these amps. Soldano became one of the most revered names in amp design in the late 1980’s after building amps for Eddie Van Halen, Eric Clapton and many others. This lineage is clear in the JET CITY amps which produce Soldano’s trademark high gain sounds with awesome clarity. Whether you set them clean, dirty, or anywhere in between – the tone is addictive and very responsive. High class tone at cheapskate prices. The Bottom Line: Try one. Now!!!!

Tuning / Guitar Mechanics / Other Good Stuff

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:21:42 +0000

:: Tuning / Guitar Mechanics / Other good stuff ::

One of the most common problems for any guitarist are the challenges associated with keeping an instrument in tune. There are a huge number of issues that can contribute to a guitar’s tuning stability, ranging from the simple to the complex. If you have or ever have had tuning issues with any of your guitars, then read on and just maybe I might be able to help you solve a problem….

Click to enlarge

1. STRINGS
Probably the easiest way to dramatically help tuning stability is to ensure that you stretch your strings properly when you first put them on your guitar. New strings have a certain amount of “give” which needs to be worked out of them when you first install them on your guitar. When the string is up to pitch, just lift it up above the fretboard and apply a gentle “bouncing” action 5-6 times to stretch it out. Play the string again and it will be much lower in pitch. Tune back up to pitch and repeat.

Nylon strings stretch a LOT more than steel strings do and may require you to repeat this action 4 or 5 times before they are fully stretched in. Eventually though the strings will reach a level of stability and your tuning stability will be greatly improved.

Click to enlarge

2. MACHINE HEADS
Usually the prime suspect for tuning problems, there are a number of issues that can occur with your guitar’s machine heads.

Some cheap machine heads are of a poor design that can actually begin to slip over time – affecting your guitar’s tuning. A change to a quality brand of machine heads such as Wilkinson or Gotoh can help out a lot here.

It is also important when restringing to take note of how many times you wrap the string around the machine head post. A good rough guide is 2-3 times for wound strings and 5-6 times for plain strings Too few winds and the string will not be secure on the post and may slip out a little – changing your tuning. Too MANY winds and the string will be winding around itself and can shift around during playing - especially if you use a tremolo/whammy bar.

Both of these issues can be resolved by installing “locking” machine heads which clamp the string in place and then do not require any winds around the post. However, with some careful restringing techniques, you can achieve excellent stability from any good quality machine heads.

Check out this excellent guide from D’Addario showing how to restring an acoustic guitar (more links on this site for electric/bass/classical guitars). http://www.tothestage.com/MediaDetail.Page?MediaId=33

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3. NUT
OK so the nut is the silent terrorist when it comes to tuning problems. This little part of your guitar is the source of MANY MANY tuning problems, though it often flies beneath the radar and is often not thought of.

It’s the grooves on the nut (where the strings pass over) that cause so much grief. If the grooves have been cut too small, the string windings will actually snag in the grooves and hamper your ability to tune. This problem often manifests itself when you are tuning and the string stops going up in pitch, then you hear a little “ping” as the string unsnags itself. This “snagging” is one of the main things which causes tuning problems with whammy-bar-equipped guitars.

If the nut grooves are cut too wide, then the string will literally move around within the groove, which slightly alters the length of your string and hence the tuning. This is disasterous as the tuning will be constantly changing.

These problems used to be extremely prevalent in cheap guitars and although the problem is not as pronounced as it used to be – it is still one to watch out for. There are a couple of solutions to this:

-Get a new nut PROPERLY cut by a professional guitar repairperson/luthier. A good luthier will know how to properly slot a nut to minimise or eliminate these issues.

-Install some sort of low-friction nut. There are a number of products on the market such as GRAPH TECH nuts. These nuts are made from graphite impregnated with Teflon and provide an extremely lubricated surface which stops the strings from snagging. Some Fender guitars use the LSR Roller Nut which achieves similar results through a ball-bearing system.

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4. TREMOLO BRIDGE (VINTAGE STYLE)
The Fender Stratocaster is the most imitated guitar on the planet, and as such there are millions of guitars in existence with a vintage-style fulcrum tremolo. Whilst having a whammy bar on your guitar is great fun and a wonderful creative tool, it can also cause serious tuning issues once you start going for the big “dive bombs”. Even the best of the best Custom Shop vintage bridges are an imperfect design and are more or less impossible to keep in tune completely if you use the tremolo extensively.

However, light to moderate use of the tremolo on a well set-up, quality vintage-style bridge should not give you problems.

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5. FLOYD ROSE BRIDGES
Once upon a time there was a young guitarist named Floyd Rose who got so completely frustrated by the limitations of his vintage-style tremolo (as above) that he decided to design a completely new system. He designed a “double-locking” system that worked so well that it soon took the world by storm and became an industry-standard item as it is today.

The Floyd Rose tremolo bridge quite literally “locks” down the strings at both ends.

When this system is set up correctly it is absolutely the most stable tuning system available and will ensure your guitar stays in tune through ANY amount of abuse.

The key phrase here though is “set up correctly” as there are few things that can cause quite so much frustration as a Floyd Rose system that is not set up correctly. Be sure to get your Floyd Rose system set up by a professional – then once it is set up:

-Don’t change your string gauge (this changes the tension on the system and will screw up your guitar’s setup)

-Don’t alter the tuning of the guitar (i.e. alternate tunings). Floyd Rose systems can work in ONE TUNING only. If you like to play around with a bunch of different tunings, then a Floyd Rose system is NOT going to work for you.

If you stick to the above rules however, then you will get flawless performance from your Floyd Rose bridge and realise why it has been the tremolo of choice for so many amazing players over the years.

6. QUALITY OF HARDWARE
What I am about to write in this section actually addresses one of the most major, but also one of the most insidious issues that can cause tuning problems in guitar – the quality of your hardware.

I often talk about quality hardware being the “invisible factor” in keeping a guitar in tune, and getting great tone too!

As the world market keeps demanding lower-priced guitars that still look and play great, guitar manufacturers are forced to find ways to cut costs on guitars. HARDWARE (i.e. bridges and machine heads) is a great way for them to cut costs as you can still make a cheap bridge look fantastic with a layer of chrome plating – in fact it is often very difficult to tell a cheap bridge from an expensive one – but there are indeed differences….

Most hardware on cheap to midrange guitars is manufactured through a process known as die-casting. Die-casting is an extremely cost-effective process that involves “casting” parts from molten metal poured into moulds. It is a lot easier to make parts in this manner, than in the traditional fashion of stamping and machining parts.

For some parts of the guitar, the die-casting process produces excellent results – most good machine heads for example (from companies such as Grover, Schaller, Gotoh etc) are die-cast and are of very high quality.

For other parts of the guitar however, die cast hardware can be disasterous – such as on tremolo bridges. Traditional “machined” parts are made from very strong metals such as steel or brass. Die cast parts are made from alloys (usually zinc/magnesium alloys) which are not as strong as Steel and brass. Often these die-cast parts can actually start wearing away – particularly in high-tension areas such as the tremolo bridge. As the bridge starts wearing away, it can start developing some “give” which will quickly start giving you tuning problems.

This oft-overlooked factor is a major contributor to tuning difficulties, and remains one of the most compelling reasons to purchase quality instruments with good, strong hardware.

CONCLUSION
So there you go – just a glimpse at the multitude of variables that can contribute to tuning difficulties in your guitar. Remember that in any instance, it’s always recommendable, if you have any difficulties, to get your guitar looked at by a professional repair-person.

If in doubt, bring it into your nearest Rockshop and the staff will be glad to help you out.

Till next time….

Distortion and Overdrive and Boost .... oh my !!!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:21:42 +0000

:: “Distortion” and “Overdrive” and “Boost”…..oh my!!! ::

I’m quite excited about this post – I reckon 30% of people reading it will be like “yeah, I knew that” but the other 70% will (hopefully) have a real lightbulb moment. In my years in this industry I have seen SO much misunderstanding regarding the subject of Overdrive and Boost pedals that I am very much looking forward to setting the record somewhat straight…. Terminology: Overdrive vs Distortion– what’s the difference? The two terms “overdrive” and “distortion” can get quite confusing. They are sometimes used interchangeably, and sometimes used for separate meanings. The reality is that they both refer to pretty much exactly the same thing (the sound of an overloaded audio device) – however in guitar terms, we tend to use “Overdrive” to describe lightly distorted sounds, and “Distortion” to describe harder-edged high-gain sounds. Really, it’s all the same thing though… Using OD/Distortion pedals in front of a clean amp. This is how most of us are very familiar with using OD/Dist pedals. It’s pretty simple – you plug a pedal into a amp set “clean”, turn on the pedal and you get an overdriven effect. Simple huh? You select a pedal based on the sort of tone you are after and the amount of distortion that you want: Some examples ... click image for larger picture.

	BOSS DS-1 – The biggest selling pedal on the planet. Still sounds good after all these years – can provide medium to semi-high gain tones and gives a good solid classic-rock tone.
	VISUAL SOUND Open Road Overdrive – A wonderful sounding pedal that does low-gain sounds with zero tone coloration. Just sounds like YOUR guitar into YOUR amp – but overdriven. Awesome stuff.
	CROWTHER Hot Cake – A NZ-made pedal that has become a worldwide classic. If you have never experienced the wonderful gritty yet smooth grind that this pedal conjures up, then you really need to hear one soon. The better the amp you plug it into, the better it sounds!
	BOSS ML-2 Metal Core – From the people that brought you the insane MT-2 Metal Zone comes the ML-2 Metal Core. Has the same ridiculous levels of gain – for the dedicated Metal player, but has a much more natural, amp like response than the razor-sharp MT-2. METAL LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive/ IBANEZ TubeScreamer – These are the pedals which cause much MUCH misunderstanding and lead me to write this article. I will talk about the Tube Screamer (TS) and the SD-1 together because they are both classic pedals with similar uses and in fact share an almost identical circuit.
These 2 pedals are probably the most legendary pedals of all time. Almost every pro guitarist on the planet either owns or has owned one of these pedals. We’ve all heard stories about how indispensable these pedals are to such influential and diverse players as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Zakk Wylde, George Lynch, Kirk Hammett and countless others. I can’t tell you though, just how often I have seen people buy one of these pedals after hearing that their idol uses one, plug it into a clean amp and be utterly disappointed by the mid-rangey, low-gain tone that comes out of them. What most people are not realising though is that the players above did not use their Overdrive pedals in the way you might expect….. Using OD/Dist pedals into an already overdriven amp. So you like the way your amp sounds, but can’t get enough gain from it? Well it’s simple really – you just need to give it a good old kick in the front end with an Overdrive pedal…….but perhaps a little differently than you might think. So here is a pic showing how most people would normally use on Overdrive pedal – as in the earlier scenarios - running it into a clean amp:

FIG 1		In Fig 1 The DRIVE knob has been set to sound like an overdriving amp, and the LEVEL knob has been set to taste – usually to around the same volume, or slightly louder than the clean sound. However, if you’re going to use your Overdrive pedal to boost your already-distorting amp into sonic meltdown – then you want to set it like below in Fig 2:

FIG 2		In Fig 2 the DRIVE knob is nearly all the way down so the impact it is having on your guitar’s tone is only slight – but the LEVEL knob is all the way up!! What you are doing with this setting is slamming the front end of your amp with a LOT more signal – which causes the amp to distort more heavily – whilst the pedal gives your tone only slight colouration. In other words – it’s just your amp sound with more GAIN.

This is where SD-1’s and TS-type pedals really made their mark on the world – as players like Zakk Wylde, Warren Dimartini, Stevie Ray Vaughan and a thousand other players in the early 80’s discovered – using an Overdrive pedal to “boost” the front end of your amp could deliver previously unheard of levels of distortion and led to the high-gain revolution we’re still in today….

Here are some Overdrive pedals that work great as boosts:

	Visual Sound Route 808 Although Ibanez have recently reissued their TubeScreamer pedals, it is fairly well accepted that they “don’t make ‘em like they used to” – hence the proliferation of boutique pedal builders who will build (or convert) a pedal to the “original” Tube Screamer specs. Most of these pedals will cost you a small fortune, but one company – VISUAL SOUND has delivered a TS-clone which stays true to the original Tube Screamer circuit, but with high quality componentry and the added feature of a BASS BOOST switch to restore the bass that is lost in the TubeScreamer circuit ... all at a very reasonable price.
	BOSS SD-1 Super Overdrive As mentioned before – this pedal shares an almost identical circuit to the TubeScreamer, but with a slight change in the circuit to include Boss’s patented “assymetrical clipping”. The overall effect is a tone that is very similar to a TubeScreamer, but with noticeably more attack and bite to create a slightly more aggressive sound and enhance harmonics. This is the pedal favoured by Zakk Wylde for boosting his Marshall JCM800’s since his career started.
	BOSS OD-3 Overdrive Boss’s newest Overdrive pedal has been making waves as a pedal that puts many boutique pedals to shame with it’s complex overtones and natural feel. Currently sitting on my own pedalboard – this is an EXCELLENT pedal.
	DIGITECH Bad Monkey Few “new” pedals have created as many waves in the guitar community in the last 5-10 years as this one. This puppy delivers tone that is equally as good as the reissue TubeScreamers, with MUCH more versatility (from the 2-band EQ) and a meagre price tag.
Other types of Boost pedals. Since the key factor to boosting the front end of an amp is to overload the amp’s input, you can pretty much use ANYTHING that pumps out a hot output……and many people do. Here are some more pedals commonly used for boosting amps….
	BOSS GE-7 A 7-Band Graphic EQ pedal that can not only boost individual frequencies (to tailor your tone) but has a master volume boost as well that can really slam the front end of an amp hard. U2’s THE EDGE makes good use of a GE-7 to boost his Vox AC30’s into overdrive.
	MXR 10-Band EQ Same deal as the Boss GE-7 – but with more frequencies and more boost. Kerry King of Slayer famously uses this pedal to slam his Marshall amps with.
	Blackstar HT-BOOST For those who like to keep their signal path pure, the Blackstar HT-BOOST is the newcomer on the scene which is getting rave reviews worldwide. It uses a 12AX7 tube running at almost 300volts to produce some exquisite sounding clean boost. Absolutely sublime for creating more “modern” boosted tones…

Can I use some of the “Distortion” pedals mentioned earlier as boosts? Yup sure can! Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have both been users of Boss DS-1’s for creating their boosted tones for years. There’s something about a Crowther Hot Cake boosting an already overdriven Vox amp that is just spine-tingling and must be experienced… Just remember – DRIVE down, LEVEL up!!!! Can I boost any amp? Yes of course! Any amp that is already overdriving (whether by being turned up loud or on it’s “OVERDRIVE” channel) can benefit from being boosted by a pedal. I do have a few pointers however…. - The whole “boosting” phenomena started with Marshall amps in the late 70’s and has continued ever since. For some reason, Marshall amps LOVE to be boosted and are a great place to start experimenting with. While many amps (such as Fender or MESA) can be tricky to find the right boost for, Marshall amps will happily take pretty much anything you throw at it and deliver a great tone… - Watch out for the BASS control on your amp. When boosting your amp – the bass can easily get out of control, creating not-too-pleasant farty, flubby noises. You may have to start experimenting with your BASS control on your amplifier set much lower than you are used to. …….and that’s it. Can I boost an OD/Dist pedal with another OD/Dist pedal? Yes indeed you can – and this is where things can get REALLY fun. This is known as “stacking pedals” and is a great way to create a variety of fantastic tones from an amp that only has a clean sound. If you have one pedal set for a nice mild overdrive sound (as in the earlier Fig 1), you can boost it with another pedal placed before it in the signal chain, set up as in Fig 2 to boost the original pedal into high-gain heaven. Some pedals (such as the Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde) actually have 2 separate OD/Dist pedals in one box and are set up so that you can boost one with the other… If you haven’t already discovered the joys of “boosting” your amp, then you owe it to yourself to blow a few bucks on a inexpensive Overdrive pedal and spark some new life into your rig. Coolness ... There’s so much fun to be had, and so much that I haven’t covered. If you have any questions, then you are welcome to contact us on the email address above. Hopefully that has enlightened you a little and gives you some inspiration to go down to your local Rockshop and try some of this stuff out. You may find your own “signature tone” just hiding away waiting to be discovered. Most importantly though – have fun with it and remember that although the suggestions I have made above are all tried and tested to sound great – the key to finding your tone is experimentation. The rules are: there are no rules. Go nuts!!!! Till next time…… Gear Boss DS-1 Distortion = $99 Visual Sound Open Road = $279 Crowther Hot Cake = $269 Boss ML-2 Metal Core = $189 Boss SD1 Super Overdrive = $109 Visual Sound Route 808 = $239 Boss OD-3 Overdrive = $149 Digitech Bad Monkey = $139 Boss GE-7 = $149 MXR 10-Band EQ = $399 Blackstar HT-Boost = $329 Visual Sound V2 Jekyll & Hyde - $379

EMG Goes Vintage

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:21:42 +0000

:: EMG goes Vintage ::

So for my first article, I wanted to tell you about a recent epiphany (Epiphone? – sorry music retailer joke) I have had regarding EMG pickups…

I’ve always thought the EMG Humbuckers such as the 81 and 85 are great for particular styles of music (mostly heavier styles which require TIGHT guitar sounds at high gain), but I’d always personally given their single-coil pickups a wide berth – mostly because I’m a Stratocaster nut and have never been one to let a bit of 50-Hz hum* get in the way of great tone (dammit a good Strat should hum). OK OK, I’m an unreasonable purist and I don’t trust those shifty flat pickup covers..

So anyway – in my office I have an amp in the corner and always have a couple of guitars kicking around for trying out various equipment as it passes through the warehouse (they actually pay me to do this – I have a GREAT job.) It’s a revolving cast of guitars, but my constant go-to guitar in the office is a Squier Classic Vibe 50’s Strat. (http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0303000503) I happen to think that these guitars are one of the best value guitars in the market today – outstanding fit and finish and they play GREAT. The only problem is that my office has a particularly high level of magnetic interference and anything I ever try out is permeated by a loud BUZZ due to the single-coil pickups in this guitar.

Not fun.

Obviously the solution is noiseless pickups, although this is not a prospect I am thrilled about. I am WELL familiar with almost all noiseless Strat pickups on the market, and although many of them sound very good indeed, I’ve never played any that delivered the same single-coil feel when your pick hits the strings. Then I had a moment of inspiration to try out a set of EMG SAV pickups.

http://www.emgpickups.com/products/index/49/7/1

Now I have been well familiar with the EMG S pickups for years – they are the standard “bright” EMG Strat pickup. They have a bright, cutting tone which is very distinctive and is what comes to most people’s minds when they think of EMG Strat pickups. You know the sound – it cuts through the mix like a knife and sounds sort of overly Strat-y – much like Lace Sensors. I’d been a much bigger fan of the EMG SA pickup which is the “warm” Strat pickup – made famous by David Gilmour. As mentioned earlier however, I shuddered at the thought of flat pickup covers on my guitars….

So EMG have now made the SV and SAV pickups for those people like me who still think that 6 magnets sticking out of a Strat pickup looks hot. They are loaded with Alnico V magnets (my favourite for Strats) and voiced to sound like early vintage Strat pickups. Throwing these things into my Classic Vibe Strat was a cinch thanks to EMG’s fantastic “Quik-Connect” wiring. No soldering required!!!! So I got them installed quick smart and fired up the Marshall Jubilee combo in the corner….

WOW these things sound good.

I mean really good. All the Strat-ty ness is there, without being overly cutting. These pickups sound both warm yet articulate and I even get a great “growl” from the bridge position. Dare I say it, these pickups are damn good competition for my very expensive hand-wound pickups in my gigging Strat.

And they’re quiet…..

And my Strat still looks “Vintage”….

Colour me surprised, these things sound great and (I would have to say) they have elevated them selves to my favourite-sounding Noiseless Strat pickups on the market. My office guitar has had a ton of vintage-voiced life breathed into it and it may even end up turning up to a gig one of these days. So if (like me) it’s been a while since you gave EMG pickups a think…..perhaps it’s time to think about them again.

Catch you next time….

Gear:
EMG SAV pickup set (includes new pots, 5-way switch, output jack and all cabling) - $529
Squier Classic Vibe 50’s Strat - $899
Marshall 2558 25th Jubilee 2x12 Combo – It’s mine and you can’t have it.

Footnote:
* You’ll mostly hear people refer to “60-cycle hum” on the internet – that’s because the USA power grid supplies power at an Alternating Frequency of 60-Hz – ours runs at 50-Hz – hence the hum we hear from our Strats and Teles is at 50Hz and sounds slightly different to the hum that the Americans hear.