Wanted: Guitar Heroes

[Risto the Great]

When I heard this band I finally let out a sigh of relief. Music was not going to be dead in the 21st century:

Radiohead - Paranoid Android (on Jools Holland, 1997) - YouTube

RADIOHEAD (live, no less)

[Risto the Great]

I tried to get onto the whole digital wave in the late nineties and mucked around heaps with the simulators etc, found a Didgitech pedal board in 2003 which had this function of warping a range of heads and cabinets together, I was intrigued so I picked it up, lost plenty of hours fiddling about with it and in the end I realised that no matter what type of sound I created, it was just too dry and artificial for my liking, had no back end, no warmth, no fullness, regardless of what type of amp I actually tried it through, I still held on to it though and use it now only for home recording purposes, more practical than trying to mic an amp up these days.

I traded a wonderful JCM 800 back in the early 90's for a Gallien Kruger amp. It had a huge sound for a little amp. The problem was that it was not a huge sound for a huge amp ... which meant it sounded like a piece of bacon being cooked in too much oil when I was on stage. What on Earth was I thinking. Anyway, out it went ... a million amps later I really struggle to play anything that doesn't have glowing preamp & output valves in it! Such a snob.

[Risto the Great]

Great band. Faith no more ... the singer Mike Patton is a voice on many very well known video games nowadays. One the great rock singers:

Faith No More - Epic - [Official video] - YouTube

Always comforting to hear a BIG Marshall tone.

[Risto the Great]

Living Colour
This got me going when there was barely anything to celebrate musically back in the day:

Living Colour - Cult Of Personality - YouTube

[Risto the Great]

Rory Gallagher.
An Irish guy playing the blues!
So authentic no matter all his other influences.
Half dead Stratocaster (sometimes Telecaster) through a Vox AC30.
Exquisite.

Rory Gallagher : A Million Miles Away - YouTube

I gotta get me a spiral guitar cord. I'm feeling a little retro today!

[Risto the Great]

I always loved Free and still think they are under appreciated.

Free - Mr Big - YouTube

Listen to Kossof on the Les Paul through Marshall ... my goodness ... & Rodgers doing his thing on vocals. So many tried to copy his voice in the 80's.

The bass lines, wow ... the fist time I ever noticed the bass guitar was when listening to Free!

[Risto the Great]

Tomche, Dream Theater had me for a moment but this guy still inspires me on so many levels:

Little Wing - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - YouTube

It is the reason I will play guitar until I die I suspect. The soulful playing is dripping with emotion and even though I know he is a derived product of so many original thoughts from other musicians, I still have to say he did it the best and in a way that has never been done before.

Both my sons have an eclectic taste in music. But when this tune comes on, they hail the almighty SRV .... as we all must.

Well, this thread will now be officially hijacked from Phoenix ... lets make it a guitarists musical treat!

[Phoenix]

Phoenix
Whether you’re in to the instrument or production side of things or not, having a connection with, or an appreciation of music, even from purely a listeners perspective, regardless of what type of style you’re in to, is good medicine for the soul

Absolutely...I think music has such a profound seminal quality to ones development and can stand as a marker of many personal experiences throughout ones lifetime.

For me personally, there's something really special and exciting about hearing a song that absolutely gets your attention first time up or the joy of that song that just 'grows on you' with time...

[Tomche Makedonche]

Phoenix
Whether you’re in to the instrument or production side of things or not, having a connection with, or an appreciation of music, even from purely a listeners perspective, regardless of what type of style you’re in to, is good medicine for the soul

Riste
Surprised Satriani didn’t make an imprint before Vai (usually the normal stepping stone), Vai eventually got me to buy my first Ibanez, just like Rhoads did with Jackson before that, Hendrix with the Strat, Lynch had me buy my first ESP, Al Di Meola with PRS, Petrucci with Music Man, the list goes on (can probably see why I decided/needed to make some rules), curiosity has always been my vice in this department, it was never good enough to just try the thing, no for some reason I had to take it home with me and “experiment”...

“took about 10 years to work out I need to be back on Strats”

The early nineties did wonders for Fender, every grunge / alternate band in those days got everyone back to rocking the Strat’s, but I know where you’re coming from, it’s hard to leave your roots, somehow they make their way back into your life.

"I have this old valve PA from Klemt Echolette (M40) that is basically a Vox AC30 topology. I think I paid about $20 for it 15 years ago."

If it can pull a tone anywhere close to May’s “News of the World” tone, sounds like a top find for that kind of money, like I said I tried to get onto the whole digital wave in the late nineties and mucked around heaps with the simulators etc, found a Didgitech pedal board in 2003 which had this function of warping a range of heads and cabinets together, I was intrigued so I picked it up, lost plenty of hours fiddling about with it and in the end I realised that no matter what type of sound I created, it was just too dry and artificial for my liking, had no back end, no warmth, no fullness, regardless of what type of amp I actually tried it through, I still held on to it though and use it now only for home recording purposes, more practical than trying to mic an amp up these days.

"You know how it goes ... I am an idiot"
Not at all mate, we've just got a passion, it’s a good thing, don’t let anyone tell you different
.

"I did that yesterday. I came flying downstairs screaming "Thank you goodnight" my sons think I am mental .. but all their mates reckon I rock ... good for the street cred!"

Haha, funny enough the neighbours have come to expect it these days, they get worried when too much time passes between sessions


"Interestingly though, I am now imagining him making all his posts in spandex pants and make up and it just isn't having quite the same impact any more."

Bate, you’re forgetting the torn fishnet bodystocking, come to think of it though Riste, the image of an Angus like figure in that iconic rebellious private school boy uniform is starting to make some sense in a weird way hehe

Seeing as though music has led us to these perceptions, I think it only fitting that we try and use music to clarify them (however hard that may be now hehe). If I had to give an example of where this never ending life endeavour of a musical rollercoaster has led me to after all these years (although in no means limited to it) it would probably be best defined by the following example:

Dream Theater Instrumedley Full HD version multi display - "The Dance of Instrumentals" - YouTube

Having said that, an automatic chemical reaction, equivalent to that of having your red blood cells instantaneously ignite, to date for some reason still occurs whenever I hear something along the lines of the following...

Angele Dimovski - Zelenikovka - YouTube

[Risto the Great]

Hard to hide it ay, yes the 80’s virtuoso’s have left a pretty solid foot print, as much as Eddie blew me away I think Rhoads made the biggest impression (sort of why I was stuck on the JCM 800 with an MXR Distortion + and EQ pedal), he made me realise that true tone is really found in the fingers and technique, although admittedly the right gear helps for amateur hopefuls like myself . Jimi may have initially opened my mind, but Rhoads gave it focus.

Back then it was SRV and straight on to Steve Vai for me. Nothing in between really. But listening to Rhoads nowadays is still very enjoyable. I traded this beautiful Fernandes Strat copy for a some crap Kramer Floyd Rose thingo and took about 10 years to work out I need to be back on Strats.

Yes, EMG's and Rectifiers, can't get any more 90's cliché than that hehe but as cheesy as it may be, being honest with myself, it's the sound that I keep going back to

Nothing wrong with that sound whatsoever! My mate raves about his Dual Rectifier for good reason (which is #4 off the production line). It sounds great.

The JTM45 is one of those all time greats that’s for sure, if I ever managed to pick up an original, I would most likely frame it and have an inscription to the effect of “In an emergency, break glass”. It's been Angus’ true live rig for a long time, everything you see on stage is just for show, what your actually hearing live is simply an original JTM45 kept hidden away underneath the stage.

A Strat through one of these is a revelation. Of course the Angus sound is nothing the be sneezed at. I would hate to have just one amp. The amp gives me far more tonal diversity than a guitar does.

I have this old valve PA from Klemt Echolette (M40) that is basically a Vox AC30 topology. I think I paid about $20 for it 15 years ago. This thing screams at full blast. Brian May mixed in with God knows what else.

In regards to selling gear, I know where your coming from bate, naturally I'm a collector too but there comes a point where it just becomes storage and I'd rather it be enjoyed and played like they were designed to, even if that has to be by someone else, thats why I made the decision to cap quantity, it was a hard one, but I think it was the right one

I find it a motivator. I keep a couple of guitars at the office. I am building a holiday house at the moment so I will need a couple there. You know how it goes ... I am an idiot.

I really regretted trading my first Fernandes and a Gibson SG I used to own. This is why I hate selling anything now.

Music is the language of the Soul, I think the Komshija are going to have to brace themselves this afternoon...

I did that yesterday. I came flying downstairs screaming "Thank you goodnight" my sons think I am mental .. but all their mates reckon I rock ... good for the street cred!

just remember though, if you come to a point when you willingly pay $800 for a light globe, you may need to have a sit down and rethink your life hehe

Paid more for less. The thrill of the chase!

[Risto the Great]

Phoenix, I've enjoyed the chat with Tomche too.
In fact, I've enjoyed his posts for quite a while.
Interestingly though, I am now imagining him making all his posts in spandex pants and make up and it just isn't having quite the same impact any more.

[George S.]

Phoenix how about those jokers that play everything drums etc at the same time.They are versatile at parties They play like a one man band.So don't forget what tom told you the gajda & surley & you could play them on certain occasions & not all the time.
I hope you don't give it up after all that.If you go to a decent person who teaches guitar it may not be thyat expensive.You only got to pick up the basics & practice will make you perfect.

[Phoenix]

Risto and Tomche, great exchange of conversation guys.
I have loved reading your posts, although the technical jargon hasn't meant too much, the passion has been wonderfully contagious...

[George S.]

Also if you could sing you could go for the euro song contest eventually.If you're good enough.

[Tomche Makedonche]

Carlito's way indeed.
Go on ... you know you want to.

Tomche, I fear this is the pot calling the kettle Eddie van Halen.
EMG's and Mesa Dual Rectifiers .... so 1990's
But I am sure you could pull some tones. I still love that tone.

I like the JTM45 tone because it can go from a full glassy clean tone to roar just by using the volume control on the guitar. Extra drive comes from a Fulltone Fulldrive.

Digital recording is the go definitely. My gear is mostly microphones including old valve Neumanns dating all the way back to the 1940's. Also a comprehensive collection of mic preamps, EQ's and compressors from Telefunken and others. Even Lenny Kravitz would be impressed.

I don't really think I could sell anything though I would be more inclined to follow the LIFO (last in first out) inventory methodology.

Ahhh, its all good fun and kept me off the streets when I was young. I still get a buzz out of playing. I find that playing for 15 minutes totally rewires my brain and allows me to find a calm that is otherwise elusive. Haven't played for a few weeks though! Grrrrrrr

Phoenix, as you can see ... it is all downhill from your first purchase mate.

Haha, already did, just seen they have released a cheap and nasty replica of an RR1 I had custom built not too long ago, trying to get my hands on a used model to check it out, could be perfect to have lying around the house for a quick shred, but right now none available (ebati stopankata), so e-mail negotiations have commenced...

Hard to hide it ay, yes the 80’s virtuoso’s have left a pretty solid foot print, as much as Eddie blew me away I think Rhoads made the biggest impression (sort of why I was stuck on the JCM 800 with an MXR Distortion + and EQ pedal), he made me realise that true tone is really found in the fingers and technique, although admittedly the right gear helps for amateur hopefuls like myself . Jimi may have initially opened my mind, but Rhoads gave it focus.

Yes, EMG's and Rectifiers, can't get any more 90's cliché than that hehe but as cheesy as it may be, being honest with myself, it's the sound that I keep going back to, I still muck around with other gear and sounds, just depends what mood I'm in.

The JTM45 is one of those all time greats that’s for sure, if I ever managed to pick up an original, I would most likely frame it and have an inscription to the effect of “In an emergency, break glass”. It's been Angus’ true live rig for a long time, everything you see on stage is just for show, what your actually hearing live is simply an original JTM45 kept hidden away underneath the stage.

In regards to selling gear, I know where your coming from bate, naturally I'm a collector too but there comes a point where it just becomes storage and I'd rather it be enjoyed and played like they were designed to, even if that has to be by someone else, thats why I made the decision to cap quantity, it was a hard one, but I think it was the right one



"I find that playing for 15 minutes totally rewires my brain and allows me to find a calm that is otherwise elusive"

You and me, we speak the same language, and I say Amen to that bate, Amen to that…I’ve said it before, while Maths maybe the language of the Universe, Music is the language of the Soul, I think the Komshija are going to have to brace themselves this afternoon...


Phoenix, as you can see ... it is all downhill from your first purchase mate.

But it's all good batska, just remember though, if you come to a point when you willingly pay $800 for a light globe, you may need to have a sit down and rethink your life hehe