Enthusiasm for Hendrix' technical ability - Those under (edit: 80)...who's your guitar hero?

norfolkngood wrote:Gary Moore. Followed his career from Skid Row through Thin Lizzy and then his solo years, saw him a few years back at Birmingham NEC when he was support for BB King's last UK dates. He still seems to want to move on musically, his work has alternated between blues & rock and back again, I've got all the albums and DVDs and will probably be buried with them!

No doubt!

He bought Peter Greene's Les Paul.

In the '60s in England, everyone (including Page, Clapton, and Beck) wanted to play and sound like Peter Greene.

Gary Moore is there!

If you have never heard Peter Greene, then you need to!

There's a sound in my head and Peter Greene is it.

anaerobe wrote:Grogg - The Squeeze were a very, very strong pop band. Chris Difford's solo in Another Nail in my Heart is another almost-but-not-quite-forgotten piece of terrific work, far beyond the average blues box. I've got a couple of their CD's in the basement, which I am now dusting off.

Difford is very talented (an underrated) as a writer and a player. In the U.S. they didn't make a huge impact in my opinion, but up here we heard a lot of them - cool for cats, pulling mussels from a shell, annie get your gun, etc.

More trivia - I think Difford's guitar in the original vid of Another Nail in my Heart is a Yamaha SG 2000 - which I have a soft spot for. Santana used em for a short while.

I saw Squeeze in about '83 or '84 at the Vanderbilt gym in Nashville. Difford was playing a pair of Washburn Telecaster copies with 2 humbuckers and either Floyd Roses or the Washburn Wonderbar tremolo - through a Boogie Mark II combo - that was pointed right at my head in the 2nd row.

He is a fabulous singer and songwriter but it would be hard to know what a great guitarist he is based on the recordings. He was HOT live!!!

Great licks, feel, and tone, and that golden voice.

colt933 wrote:There's a sound in my head and Peter Greene is it.

So, you still have the blues?

Earl Slick. Capable of so many styles and doing 'em all so-o-o well; listening to "Phantom, Rocker and Slick" atm - 2/3s of the Stray Cats - and it's just damn good rock'n'roll!!

Barry wrote:

colt933 wrote:There's a sound in my head and Peter Greene is it.

So, you still have the blues?

Yes, but I believe Trevor Rabin is my favorite.

colt933 wrote:

Barry wrote:

colt933 wrote:There's a sound in my head and Peter Greene is it.

So, you still have the blues?

Yes, but I believe Trevor Rabin is my favorite.

Thanks for that, forgotten all about Peter Greene, great stuff.

Whats in this? https://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=OM25s5Cn1Vg&feature=related

Couldn't see that Grogg.

Peter Green - what exactly did he do to the neck pup in that LP? He didn't simply flip it around, did he?

I like the first album he put out with Fleetwood Mac, essentially had nothing to do musically with the pop that they are famous for.

I've been listening to a lot of Mike McCready lately (famous as the lead guy for Pearl Jam). That guy can shape a lick, but I'm sure he's not everyone's cup of tea. I like that he openly goes after Hendrix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kZsvHl_0ls&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9ot2iDM6xg&feature=related

And the much overplayed, ubiquitous "Even Flow".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1bxH4O0g4Q

Hi anaerobe.

About Greeny's Les Paul, I've seen an article in a mag ages ago about that pickup! The way I understand it is that the neck pickup itself has obviously turned around 180 degrees, but less obvious is that the bar magnet inside was removed and also turned 180 degrees before been replaced between the coils.

Basically if correct this means that the magnetic polarity between the neck and bridge pickup coils remains the same as before, but both pickups are now electronically out of phase with each other. You only hear the effect with both pickups on together and at equal volume to each other, rolling off the volume from one pickup weakens the effect and apparently with the volumes set to 10 it cancels a lot of the signal and actually makes it more quiet!

Thing is, Peter Green swears he never did anything to the neck pickup itself other than accidentally putting in back to front after cleaning it, but that on it's own couldn't produce the sound!?! It's one of those great myths that never seems completely solved. Google it, there's loads of info that can explain it better than me!

DAN.

Thanks Dan,

That makes sense - much appreciated!!
Ian (anaerobe)

I may have mentioned this before somewhere, but Trevor Wilkinson and the JHS organization have issued a Lemon Drop replica under the Vintage label as part of their Icon series: LINK (Scroll down towards the bottom of the page)

In one YouTube demo I saw it was mentioned that the neck pup was indeed reversed, but no mention was made of changing either the mags or the wiring. As I understand it, flipping the pup reverses the direction of current flow around the mags and throws it out of phase with the bridge when both are on.

Trev's usually a stickler for details so if there was more to it I'm sure that it would be part of the marketing description, just as he did for his Tele clone and the references to Leo Fender's specs for the bridge and saddle design.

I've played a couple of Lemon Drops and they're full of tone. If you haven't checked out this line, do yourself a favour, they really do it well. I'm a big fan...I now have 2 Vintage guitars. Both are well made and terrific players. Good value.

Rory Gallagher - Bad Penny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSzsDWTc4mY

His performance in Montreux is as passionate as any. I realize that this guy has been mentioned somewhere above.. but as a result of this forum, I've been listening much more to his stuff.

Gary Moore, owner of Peter Greene's LP:

I try not to have too many guitar heroes it just frustrates me how naff I actually am on guitar! I personally prefer non guitar heroes like Bjorn from Abba, David Rotheray from the Beautiful South or Robert Smith from The Cure

Yeah; I'm with you, bowen... Paul Hewson from Dragon for me, or Don Walker from Cold Chisel....

Jeff Healey does a fine 'Red House' at Montreux, too...

Technical ability does nothing for me - I couldn't care less if someone can play a million notes a minute if they don't move me at all. Classic example - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rutyA12z3Ok

Incredible technique, but to my mind musically worthless. (Almost as bad as his solo on a guitar with four necks. )

I prefer more economical guitarists - ones who can evoke a mood, (favourite has to be Steve Hackett) or who play simpler solos, but where you can tell the player feels every note - like David Gilmour.

Sometimes it's not about the guitrist though - they can be better (In a band situation) if they don't stand out too much. Check out the Concrete Blonde cover of Hendrix' Little Wing - it's the combination of understated guitar and vocals that makes it work so well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwE1zNDhh0I

Thorn wrote:Technical ability does nothing for me - I couldn't care less if someone can play a million notes a minute if they don't move me at all. Classic example - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rutyA12z3Ok

That is not guitar playing it's masturbation

Exactly. Technically flawless, but it doesn't make him a good guitarist.

Spinal Tap springs to my mind.. I just can't take that sort of stuff serious at all.

Ah, to take it seriously you need to see Anvil - the Story of Anvil. Seriously.

Completely agree with you guys.

While I respect people like Vai and Satriani for their abilities, but I couldn't bear to listen to a whole album of that stuff, It's too cold and sterile. It's got no soul, it just sounds like one long exercise to me.

I read somewhere that it's the space between the notes that was more important than the tune itself, it lets the music "breathe". B.B. King does this so well on THIS track. No sweep picking or fretboard fireworks, just an amazing touch.

DAN.

Exactly right Dan and Thorn.
"Michael Angelo" might be better off playing piano. But I somehow doubt it.
I've never been a lead player so I tend to get a bit intimidated around those guys whose fingers fly everywhere. But my playing has always set the pace and rhythm of song and backs up my vocals, and that's whole 'nuther thang!
When I do get daring enough to note it out, it's more in the B B King school of playing. Punctuation rather than verbiage.

Thorn wrote:Ah, to take it seriously you need to see Anvil - the Story of Anvil. Seriously.

Still trying to decide whether that's a straight up doco, or a "mockumentary"... I laughed my nuts off all the way through it!! Fast playing has a place, though, fellas - but no; entire albums worth?? I bought "Surfing..... " when it first came out and occasionally still listen to it; but that's the only one I have - no solo Yngwie, Vai, Petrucci et al, but I do sometimes listen to Mr Big; Paul Gilbert I quite like, and I will admit to having an Alcatrazz album!! ( I like Graham Bonnet, OK!!!)

That Michael Angelo was in NZ just before we left and held a number of 'Masterclasses" to one of which which I was invited; the amount of otherwise good players who attended and sat there transfixed by the sheer speed of this guy was sobering - these were players who lacked nothing in feel, technical ability or musicality....

I suspect a lot of the "Fast is bad" thing is from people - like me! - who simply cannot play that quickly; ie envy...

Wow, kewl topic, no need to throw away my two pennies when you've covered them already (admittedly, I didn't read ALL the posts).

I did want to mention the Frank Zappa Ceremony/Dedication/Concert in Baltimore, MD this Sunday, Sep't. 19,2010. Here's a link for some press:

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/midnight_sun/blog/2010/08/frank_zappa_celebration_consol.html

His son Dweezil tours lately with "Zappa plays Zappa" and they're doing a FREE concert, Sculpture Bust of FZ donated by Vilnius, Lithuania (who knew!) and renaming a street Zappa Way. Drop by if your in the Baltimore area on Sun.

I'll be the guy in the Yankees cap, they're in town that weekend (baseball team for you Futbol fans).

D

p.s. pm me if you plan on attending, we'll can get together for a seltzer w/fruit! :joker:

Danagos,

Great contribution. Here's something that a buddy sent me today that deals with Neil Young's new stuff - and half the news is that its produced by Daniel Lanois with a guitar that he has been working on for years. Kind of cool.

EDIT: Even better, you can listen to the whole new album "Le Noise" FOR FREE. Free, that is. Just click on the appropriate box in the site below.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129955938

Ian

Although I have no best guitarist there are just too many..I must say Allan Holdworth, but I must disagree with the Steve Vai is sterile sounding... he had more soul that EVH.
As for guitarists who made me wanna take up guitar in the very first place.... John McLaughlin & Larry Coryell, my very first jazz-fusion concert in late 70's...then Lee Ritenour came along...then Allan blew my mind.

Don't forget Randy California ( a name he got from his buddy Jimi) and then Robin Trower, Frank Marino, Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, John Sykes, Joe Perry, Scott Gorham, Rory Gallagher!!! Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce both from Alice Coopers earlier works, Gary Moore, Wayne Kramer!!! Who isn't still loving Jeff Becks "Shapes of things"?? all 3 versions? Mick Ronson, he does a killer version of this on Bowies "Pin Ups"...remember Ariel Bender(Luther Grovsner III) from Spooky Tooth and Mott The Hoople. ever check out the awsome leads on Bowies "Live at the Towers Philidelphia" album with Earl Slick!?!?!?! simply awsome. Got to see "Junior Brown" in concert he was good with his 2 necked guitar/slide. I could go on and on, not enough room!....

anaerobe wrote:...Neil Young's new stuff...you can listen to the whole new album "Le Noise" FOR FREE...

Hey Ian, they've removed the audio portion of that article. But the good news is that you can watch 'ole Neil perform Le Noise-The Film for free on the Neil Young YouTube Channel HERE

It runs about 40 minutes and features some bitchin' guitars including a thumping great Gretsch and a sweet sounding Guild plus some bitchin' guitar playing to go with it! Ya gotta love this 'ole rocker, still goin' strong and always a bit surprising. I'm not sure I like everything on this album but there certainly are some gems. I think Neil found a few left over peyote buttons in the bottom of his guitar case and was chewin' on 'em while listening to the Sgt. Pepper album. Some very weird vibes going on at times.

Billy Gibbons - "Dont be afraid to use your fingers, dont be afraid to use your pick..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHtPYZRVeGI

Grogg - Oh yeah...That is one of the best "instructional" vids around. I like the tone he gets - hard to get any more relaxed before a camera, eh. Wisht I knew what he was pushing the signal through (rubbing my eyes a bit - is that a Traynor Amp he's got there?). "Don't be afraid to....."...WTH.. he does use his fingers and pick at the same bloody time. Lead and backing rhythm in one shot.

Barry - You know, the more I listen to N.Y.'s new stuff the more I like it. I enjoy its total weirdness, Young's aging falsetto, and that typically echo-laden production by Lanois is pretty close to sublime in spots... some fine music. Young played in our little town a couple of months ago and it was awesome.

Nasticanasta - Dang, that's a pile..of good guitarists! Robin Trower was completely underrated IMHO. I'll try to dig up some vids of those dudes.

Well, you put me on a roll for that Tejas blues stuff. Here's more classic Gibbons, and it always surprises me as to how much music three guys can generate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_EFdod4YDo&feature=related

Waiting for the Bus/Jesus just left Chicago (and he's bound for New Orleans) - sort of a crummy vid wrt quality, but you can sort of see why its cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kxlKcq4VqU&feature=related

And then a TOP quality vid of La Grange:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5MteZqXl20&feature=related

As an anonymous poster on youtube (is there any other kind?) said, "Makes me want to buy a motorcycle and go drink some Jack Daniels".

These guys are just too kewl for the peoples! I have the DVD that the "Sharp Dressed Man" clip came from and the whole concert is just remarkable.
"Same 3 guys.
Same 3 chords.
For 30 years"
-Billy Gibbons

..and that was 10 years ago.

anaerobe wrote: and it always surprises me as to how much music three guys can generate:

Good God, man - have you never heard of Cream... or Rush... or Thin Lizzy.... or The Police.... et al et al et al

I heard Seasick Steve on Jools Holland - (I think?!) - the other night - there's a man who can make some pretty cool noises!!

Listening to late era Hollies atm, and liking "The day Curly Billy shot down Crazy Sam Magee"..... "Roads to Moscow" - Al Stewart live with Laurence Juber on 2nd guitar; christ, that man can play.... Glen Buxton on "Billion Dollar Babies"..... Raspberries with Wally Bryson on guitar; mmmmmm, yummy!!

I wondered when Seasick Steve would be mentioned? And using guitars that most us would put the trash ! I agree John, excellent

Did you also see the Steve Miller band? My mate and his wife attend 3 or 4 concerts per month and travelled to the Albert Hall last week to see him. Verdict? Best concert ever!

Steve777 wrote:I wondered when Seasick Steve would be mentioned? And using guitars that most us would put the trash ! I agree John, excellent

Did you also see the Steve Miller band? My mate and his wife attend 3 or 4 concerts per month and travelled to the Albert Hall last week to see him. Verdict? Best concert ever!

I saw Seasick Steve on Top Gear (my favorite show) a while back - I wasn't familiar with him before.

A band I used to tour with opened for Steve Miller in the early 1990s a few times at big sheds and arenas. I was really surprised at what a killer show he put on. His stage was the first one I had ever seen that was completely void of speaker cabinets (no guitar amps or monitors visible) and microphone cables. There were monitors under the stage pointing up through grills. Everyone on the stage had wireless ear monitors and microphones. This is not uncommon now but was revolutionary 20 years ago.

He had a Clair Brothers system at the time and was using these little bitty trapezoids for a center fill cluster flown up high, and 3-4 of them laying on their sides pointing forward at downstage center. Their baffles are only 8-10" wide, so they were hard to see on the stage laying on their sides from the crowd's point of view. I got to go out front for part of his show, right at the stage in the center. This is normally a place where the sound isn't all that good. But it was the most in-your-face vocal mix I have ever heard. He sounded like a million bucks. Truly spectacular sound and performance. One of the Wooten brothers (I forget which) was playing keyboards for him which was cool because I knew Victor at the time.

Thanks Colt, very cool...Top Gear is entertaining - the best ever is episode is their 4x4 junket through a jungle and then over the South American Cordillera de los Andes.

+++++++++++

This thread is beggin' for Seasick Steve, so to accomodate I found a clip, thanks to Jools' Hootenanny:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNoPNC3ebYQ

Here he is again playing a custom axe. Very custom (and brilliant!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMf-em-56Mc

He mentions of his early transient life "Hobos are people who move around looking for work, tramps are people who move around but don't look for work, and bums are people who don't move and don't work. I've been all three."

Finally, "Hobo low":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlV5kNen1l4&feature=related

Space Cowboy and Abracadabra have always been "signature" numbers for him, probably overshadowing all his other material. His current show is very much more bluesy and certainly well appreciated by my friends. Mind you they also like Leonard Cohen ... so, mmmm .... where's my razor blades.

So you saw Seasick on Top gear. We also have a TV programme called Top Gear, but its for petrol heads. I take it your TG is entirely different.

By the way Hoax, whats the story behind the Rammstein avatar? Another dimension to your musical talents? Just love Feuer Frei and Amerika ! How they avoid setting fire to all and sundry is beyond me. Might catch them when they're over next. As I remember. Satriani playing Birmingham soon.

Steve

Steve777 wrote:Space Cowboy and Abracadabra have always been "signature" numbers for him, probably overshadowing all his other material. His current show is very much more bluesy and certainly well appreciated by my friends. Mind you they also like Leonard Cohen ... so, mmmm .... where's my razor blades.

Being Les Paul's godson didn't do Steve Miller any harm, eh!!? And remeber, Cohen wrote Hallelujah, probably THE panty wetting song of all time, and one of my all time favourites to perform....

So you saw Seasick on Top gear. We also have a TV programme called Top Gear, but its for petrol heads. I take it your TG is entirely different.

Nope; same show. I saw that episode as well as the Seasick Steve one. I don't actually care for their "challenges"; I prefer it when they test supercars and trash them publicy - I've been a fan of JC since he was a snotty-nosed journalist and like his style.

I didn't know TG was exported but I'm not surprised. Considering JC derides most things American, I'd love know what our cousins across the pond think of their own, home built, automobiles. Didn't the TG team nearly come a cropper in New Orleans?

Anyway, back to music....

Now , your starter for 10. I have seen Santana play an SG, a L6S, a les Paul, and a PRS and yet he still has the same signature tone! Blindfold me and I couldn't tell you which guitar he was playing. So why change guitar?

That's easy, companies will be giving him one and possibly paying him as well for the prestige (same as they do with other top end players). (you forgot to mention that he played a Yamaha SG2000 at one point during the 70's as well)

Steve777 wrote:...I have seen Santana play an SG, a L6S, a les Paul, and a PRS and yet he still has the same signature tone! Blindfold me and I couldn't tell you which guitar he was playing.

It's true isn't it? I have always believed that a certain guitar "dictates" to me what to play. I may even play the same music but it will have a different feel to it depending on whether I have a solid body, semi-acoustic, long scale/short scale etc. What I play on the VS600 sounds dramatically different on the Danelectro or the TA60!

I think a strong individual player such as Santana to some extent reverses that dynamic, and he finds the sweet spot in the guitar he plays. However, I think even though the brand might change, you may find that he's playing the same basic configuration, therefore not a huge leap out of his comfort zone.

Barry wrote:

Steve777 wrote:...I have seen Santana play an SG, a L6S, a les Paul, and a PRS and yet he still has the same signature tone! Blindfold me and I couldn't tell you which guitar he was playing.

It's true isn't it? I have always believed that a certain guitar "dictates" to me what to play. I may even play the same music but it will have a different feel to it depending on whether I have a solid body, semi-acoustic, long scale/short scale etc. What I play on the VS600 sounds dramatically different on the Danelectro or the TA60!

I think a strong individual player such as Santana to some extent reverses that dynamic, and he finds the sweet spot in the guitar he plays. However, I think even though the brand might change, you may find that he's playing the same basic configuration, therefore not a huge leap out of his comfort zone.

i always find that, while each guitar design has it's own personality........after a few minutes playing ANY guitar......it will eventually sound like ME, and that pronounced difference between, say, a strat and a paul will, mostly, be lost..........unless, THAT DIFF is what you're listening for................same for pedals and amps......4 moi! .................of course, all that there that i mentioned, is tempered by the limitations of the equipment available................and re: santana, don't forget that Yamaha (yomama?) SG he used to burn on

Right about the SG2000!

Frank Marino - essentially a jazz guy, but would rock and feel blue when needed.

Below he does a number on our concept of a traditional blues solo, check it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQBVbonhvog&feature=related

caucajun wrote:

Barry wrote:

Steve777 wrote:...I have seen Santana play an SG, a L6S, a les Paul, and a PRS and yet he still has the same signature tone! Blindfold me and I couldn't tell you which guitar he was playing.

It's true isn't it? I have always believed that a certain guitar "dictates" to me what to play. I may even play the same music but it will have a different feel to it depending on whether I have a solid body, semi-acoustic, long scale/short scale etc. What I play on the VS600 sounds dramatically different on the Danelectro or the TA60!

I think a strong individual player such as Santana to some extent reverses that dynamic, and he finds the sweet spot in the guitar he plays. However, I think even though the brand might change, you may find that he's playing the same basic configuration, therefore not a huge leap out of his comfort zone.

i always find that, while each guitar design has it's own personality........after a few minutes playing ANY guitar......it will eventually sound like ME, and that pronounced difference between, say, a strat and a paul will, mostly, be lost..........unless, THAT DIFF is what you're listening for................same for pedals and amps......4 moi! .................of course, all that there that i mentioned, is tempered by the limitations of the equipment available................and re: santana, don't forget that Yamaha (yomama?) SG he used to burn on

This isn't so hard really... I have been able to maintain my "sound" regardless of what guitar I'm playing for over 25 years...and I would have to add that the only differences would be sustain (neck through as opposed to bolt on and type of wood), and whether it's a tremolo or hardtail, it shouldn't matter what guitar you are playing, though some are faster due to the necks, but all the rest can be remedied especially now a days with all the options electronicly.

anaerobe wrote:
Frank Marino - essentially a jazz guy, but would rock and feel blue when needed.

Below he does a number on our concept of a traditional blues solo, check it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQBVbonhvog&feature=related

I met a guy in Cleveland Ohio at the House of Blues, turned out his father is best freinds with Franks father, so I have had the privledge to hang with Frank several times, and I can't tell you how many times I have heard him reply with the line "blues, I love the blues, it's all blues". He hotrods all his gear himself super nice guy and a great guitarist...here's a pic of me and Frank last time at HOB's:

Now that's pretty damned cool.