Last summer, I decided I wanted an 80s-style superstrat. But nobody seemed to be making my perfect guitar. All I wanted was an HSS setup, a Floyd Rose, a thin neck, big frets, a 5-way switch and a bright colour. But all the guitars I found had one or more of these attributes missing. This went on for months until I gave up and decided to build my own. I got a custom body and neck from Warmoth, and scoured eBay for the bridge, tuners and electrical parts. And you probably already have some idea where I went for pickups.

Continue reading “Optimising HSS for Distortion”

In this installment of the Kramer Chronicles, since we’ve already explored the low and mid-gain territories with the 59s and Pearly Gates, let’s try something that errs more to the brootals, something able to make this thing sound as aggressive as it looks – by installing a TB-15 Alternative 8 in the bridge position. Continue reading “The Kramer Chronicles, Volume III: The Alternative 8”

In our quest for tonal freedom from our amp (whether it’s by choice or because your gig suddenly involves a DI and headphones), we’ve explored the tonal possibilities that are already available with simple balancing of the volume knobs, or by not keeping the blend knob on the center indent. We’ve also looked into the color/hue options that you can get once you start using the passive tone control as well. But there are many of us that want more options, more control over our tone that the passive knob just can’t handle (or, this option just came standard on the bass when you bought it). For those, we are looking at the major options that the active preamp has, and things to keep in mind. Continue reading “Your Bass Tonal Palette III – The Active Pre”

In the first installment, we talked about using your volume knobs (or your blend) to create tonal variety in the event that you walk into a gig and are told that your amp (read: main source of tonal sound) will not be used and that a DI and set of headphones are now your best friend. But as we all know, it’s rare that a bass will have JUST a volume knob. Today we’re going to talk about the passive tone knob, or for you lucky guys with more, passive tone knobs. Continue reading “Your Bass Tonal Palette II – Passive Tone”

At some point, a working musician will walk into a gig, amp in hand, and be stopped. They’ll be handed a DI and a set of iffy headphones, and be told that “this is your rig.” No questions, or arguments. Please take your amp back to your car. And believe it or not, this is starting to become a regular occurrence, to the point where I bring my own headphones and preamp/DI of choice. But enough about that. Continue reading “Your Bass Tonal Palette I – Know your Volume”

Much like a gallon of paint brightens up a room, installing an active preamp into a bass will open up the onboard capabilities that are available to the user. At the top end of tonal options sits the Seymour Duncan STC-3 Active Tone Circuit. A combination of tonal controls and customization options make this active tone circuit an ideal replacement for your existing setup, or for a new build.

Continue reading “The STC-3 Active Tone Circuit”

It has been said that the electric guitar is a young instrument that’s still evolving. I have to agree with that it is evolving, but being young isn’t necessarily true. There are more instruments that are relatively young; the piano didn’t get it’s current design in the early 20th century, the saxophone was developed in the early 20th century as well, and the oboe got it’s final shape also in the early 20th century. The electric guitar came a couple of decades later, but never stopped evolving. After all, the electric guitar changed hand in hand with the ever-changing taste of popular music, while the other instruments relied less on popular music.
Continue reading “Slingerland Songster Model 401: The First Electric Guitar?”

The Lydian mode is one of the most expressive modes of the major scale, and through this article, I hope to explain its exotic, yet familiar sound, and how we can use it in our modern compositions. We’ll talk about F Lydian, which is based on the C major scale.
Continue reading “Breaking Down the Barriers: The Lydian Mode”

No, it isn’t this complicated.

Recently, I wrote a piece about the Ionian and Dorian modes, the first 2 modes of the major scale. Please check out that article as the theory in this article builds on what was explained there.
Let’s dive right in by explaining the next mode: the exotic–sounding Phrygian. Remember, modes are the same scale, just starting on a progressively higher note. Why they sound different is in their setting, and the harmony behind the mode or solo using the mode. We will start with the first mode (Ionian) again. We know these notes as the white keys on the piano. Below are the notes of the first mode, with the order of whole and half steps between the notes: Continue reading “Breaking Down the Barriers: The Phrygian Mode”

Photo by Phillip Jarrell

Monte Pittman is one of those guitarists that you can rely on to cover any musical situation you throw at them. Just look at his resume: from Prong to Madonna and Adam Lambert, Pittman has the chops, tone and professionalism to slip into a song with the right balance of musical authenticity and individual personality. In November 2012 he released M.P.3: The Power Of Three, Part 1. Recorded with famed Metallica producer/engineer Flemming Rasmussen, it’s a four-song acoustic-based set which recalls elements of Alice In Chains’ acoustic work filtered through an almost psychedelic 60s ambience. But the metal chops that made Pittman a perfect fit for Prong will be in ample employ on the second disc. We caught up with Monte at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California recently to talk about his new music, working with the man who helped create the thrash sound, and his signature Jarrell guitar line.
Continue reading “Talking Tone & Thrash Royalty With Monte Pittman”