Andy Timmons on the features and design of his signature Ibanez AT10P


Ibanez catches up with Andy Timmons in Texas to discuss the features and design of his new AT10P signature model.



The instrument features a 1pc Maple neck with KTS Titanium Rods, an Alder body, Jumbo frets with Premium fret edge treatment, a Wilkinson WV6-SB bridge and DiMarzio Cruiser and AT-1 pickups.

Justin Stone, who conceived his eight-neck Rocktopus guitar while absent-mindedly scribbling on a scrap of paper.


“I drew a cross and thought to myself that a guitar with four necks would be pretty cool,”

Stone says. “Then I drew an X over the cross and thought that an instrument with eight necks that were each different kinds of stringed instruments would be even more incredible. Right away, I thought of an octopus wrapping its tentacles around it, and the ideas kept snowballing.”

The Rocktopus, which Stone describes as “a functional piece of art,” consists of three electric guitars (tuned to E, D and F), an electric 12-string, bass, cello, five-string banjo and acoustic guitar attached to a central body. “Connecting eight 45-degree-angled wedges — two of which are hollow — to fit perfectly together as a single body was the biggest challenge,”

 
Stone says. “The octopus is carved out of wood and encrusted with rainbow abalone shell and steel suction cups.”

Because the Rocktopus weighs 40 pounds and is six feet in diameter, Stone waits for special occasions to assemble it.

“Playing it isn’t difficult,” he explains, “and so is the setup... It takes about three hours to affix the necks, put on strings and stretch them.”

Perhaps someday Stone can hire the Octomom’s brood to tend to the Rocktopus!

Andrew Wasson of Creative Guitar Studio answers questions from off of his Guitar Blog website...



Q). I was wondering if you could show some licks that are using the, "Banjo-Style," roll technique. I like the sound of them in Country and Rockabilly music. I only know two simple banjo-roll licks, but what I'm really interested in from you Andrew, are a collection of different kinds so that I can practice this. Thanks in advance.
Lloyd -- Louisville, KY. USA

A). These guitar licks sound really cool when you get them up to speed. Their name comes from the way they can make a standard electric guitar come across sounding in a similar kind of way as a banjo, or a steel guitar might sound. When first trying them, it might take awhile before you're really going to nail-down their sound. But, after you start getting them up to speed, they'll take on a new life all of their own. In the video I zoom-in on the guitar fret-board, and demonstrate some examples I put together for the video for you to practice at home.

As always, Thanks for writing in!

Jody Payne, a guitarist who toured with Willie Nelson for more than three decades, has died. He was 77 years old...


Baldwin County Coroner Stan Zinson says Payne died at 5:12 a.m. Saturday at a hospital from cardiac problems. He says Payne got up early in his house in Stapleton, Ala., feeling ill, and his wife called an ambulance.

Payne had a long history of cardiac problems. Payne retired to Stapleton, Ala., with his wife Vicki. There he continued playing music, teaching the guitar at a local music store.


According to a 2011 profile in The Mobile Press-Register, Payne toured with Nelson from 1973 to 2008. He retired to Stapleton, with his wife Vicki. There he continued playing music, teaching the guitar at a local music store.

A post on Willie's Nelson's Facebook page about Payne's death said, "Our friend will be missed."

VIDEO: Fender explains RSD Telecaster bridge ...
See the Custom Shop team in action!


Fender has offered another peek inside its Corona, California Custom Shop facility with a new video detailing the production process behind the RSD Telecaster bridge, which is available on 2013 Custom Shop Pro, and Custom Shop Deluxe Teles.


It's quite amazing... the level of labour and machining that goes into each component, not to mention the amount of fingers placed perilously close to drill bits and lathes!


Read More...

Iconic axeman Zakk Wylde officially confirmed that Black Label Society are set to enter the studio on September 1st to start working on a new album, a follow-up to 2010's "Order of the Black."

As the guitarist told Zoiks Online, something's always cooking up among the BLS ranks. "The minute this tour ends I get home, more writing [and] then we start doing the new Black Label album starting September 1," he said.

"Then that's when [upcoming live DVD] 'Unblackened' gets released and I'll be doing press for that," the guitarist continued. "After we did 'Unblackened' it was just mixing that thing, every day. We had to mix that get the artwork done. Everyday there's something going on in Black Label."

Wylde also discussed the subject of music piracy, calling the days of purchasing records long gone, also diminishing any chances of the music industry ever returning to "normal."

"It cost money to make the records," he stated. "A baby band, they still have to pay a studio fee, they have to pay an engineer and all these people. It's the trickle down effect. That's the whole thing. As far as it ever being normal again - forget about it. It's extinct, it's exterminated, it's vaporized. If people can download it and get it for free then why would they pay for it? It is what it is."

Black Label Society are currently busy wrapping up this year's Gigantour with Megadeth, as the concert trek's final show is set to take place this Sunday (August 11) in Toronto, Canada.

 Today, one of the world’s most popular guitarists and blues-rock stars Joe Bonamassa and co-host Matt Abramovitz (formerly of Sirius Satellite Radio’s blues channel) debut their brand new weekly radio show The Pickup, an entirely unique and highly entertaining show blending music history, carefully curated songs, an encyclopedic knowledge of guitar facts, and illuminating insights into the world of a musician. Whether it’s unusual knowledge of a vintage Les Paul played on an obscure record from the 70s, or a friendly debate on how to name your guitar, each episode weaves together witty banter, fun facts, and amazing stories from the road and the life of a working musician. The show will be streamed every Friday at www.thepickupradio.com and episodes will be available to stream anytime. Listen to the debut episode now.

Each week, listeners will brought behind the scenes with delicious tidbits on all things music and guitar, with stories and history, discussions of select artists and their best work; specific instruments, and the music those artists play on their instruments. Every episode will be different, and theme shows for major holidays will be peppered in with general topics and regular segments, like Matt’s favorite called “Name That Guitar.” Matt explains: “I’ll bring in three tracks and ask Joe to identify the guitars used on the recordings. Joe will rattle off not only the guitar used, but also the amps, the pedals, the recording engineer and the street address of the studio. It’s what separates the fan from the fanatic!”

After Bonamassa’s weekly radio shows were canceled, first on Sirius Satellite Radio (Daily Cup of Joe) during the merger with XM, and more recently on UK’s Planet Rock, J&R Adventures, the label Bonamassa founded with longtime manager Roy Weisman, looked to other radio networks for a replacement. With over half a million direct fans, they discovered the size of Bonamassa’s social and fan network exceeded the outreach terrestrial radio could provide for them and decided instead to do the show in-house and release it independently.