Guitar Noize - guitar news, crazy guitar designs and cool guitar videos

I recently discovered a great YouTube channel called Living Legends Music (see their main website http://livinglegendsmusic.com) which has a serious of interviews with legendary musicians. This is their policy for choosing people who to interview:

At LLM, we celebrate artists that have been in the music business for more than 18 years with a NEW studio release within the past 5 years

Recent interviews include the video to the left, a 9 part interview with Joe Satriani as well an interview with Satriani’s recent support act and rock legend Mountain front man and guitarist Leslie West. Also featured are Edgar Winter and Poison guitarist C.C. Deville, yeah ok not exactly a guitar legend as such but you can’t deny Poison were massive in the 80’s. Coming up soon is an interview with Yngwie Malmsteen.

Thank you to Prashant for taking the time to do this interview for Guitar Noize.

You recently did some clinics here in Australia, was that to promote the new Xtone guitars?

PA:  Not just the X-Tones but the LTD and ESP lines as well.

How do the X-Tones compare with your regular ESP models? Have you used them on
the new album?

PA:  The X-Tones are a semi-hollow body guitar.  It has a very warm tone and sustains beautifully.  I do use these guitars for recording cleans as well as for melodies and leads.  I have been enjoying the tone.  The neck is like so modern and it makes playability effortless.

Do you modify your guitars at all or are they stock?

PA:  I use several different models that ESP makes. I typically don’t modify the standard models. ESP’s line is so diverse that I don’t have to make any mods.  However, I get them set up the way I like and plug in and play.  I do swap out the pickups for Dimarzio.  PAF Pro in the bridge and Humbucker from Hell in the neck. 

Do you have a signature model?

PA:  Yes.  I do have custom models that play.  My current model is a custom shop design.  The neck is designed to my specs.  It is very easy to play.  I have a new prototype being made that I will be using next year.  The shape is between a strat and an ESP M-2 model.  Body wood is made of Alder and Floyd Rose Bridge.  The neck will remain the same.  I am very excited about this new guitar!

Are you still teaching at GIT? How long have you been/were you an instructor there?

PA:  I left GIT last year.  It was a great experience.  I am now producing some of my students demos.  Look for Evan Allis’s EP to be out next year.

Are there any particular exercises that you turn to when you’ve had a break and need to get your chops back up to speed?

PA:  I don’t play any specific exercises to build up my chops.  I do have a practice routine that I follow which consists of playing over backing tracks.  The tempos are varied and so are the chord changes.  This sort of practice helps me get new ideas and my technique naturally develops from there.

I read that you are producing the new album “Time” yourself or is Greg Howe still involved?

PA:  Yes, I am producing a new album now.  I have to finish tracking guitars and bass so I can get it mixed.  I have some great players recorded and I am very enthusiastic about finishing up. 

What can we expect from the new album?

PA:  The new album has tabla and drums together.  The Indian influence is heavy combined with my grooves.  I am always going for something different and I think got it this time around.

Has your gear setup changed much from the first 2 albums?

PA:  Yes.  I am always changing my set up and rig.  As I write different types f music I change my tones to get the correlating vibe.  The most important constant is my guitar and my amp. 

Are there any collaborations or special guests on “Time”?

PA:  Yes there are.  For now I would like to keep it a surprise.

When is “Time” due to be released?

PA:  Early 2009.

Do you own any crazy design guitars? If so what is the weirdest?

PA:  My ESP custom guitars are the craziest guitars I have.  Anything designed to my specs always blows me away.

When are you coming back to Australia!? Next time you have to come to Sydney!

PA:  Not sure when I will be back.  Hope to after th release of my new CD.  And yes playing in Sydney would be my honour!

Prashant Aswani - official site
Prashant Aswani - MySpace

Back in June I reviewed an excellent online video guitar lesson site called Infinite Guitar. I was really impressed with the line up of guitar tutors and in particular the lessons by Rick Graham, so much so that I looked him up on YouTube and discovered his YouTube Channel to which I instantly subscribed. Well Rick recently took time out from playing and teaching to do a quick interview with me.

What age did you start playing?
I was 17 when I started.

You seem to be proficient in just about every style imaginable, did you study music at college?
Yes, I decided to take the steps to study music after I began playing classical around 1995. I wasn’t able to read music at that time and after getting some books from the library and teaching myself I decided to enrol in a music theory night class which really helped. Following that I studied music A level and then headed off to London to study Classical guitar. I primarily played Rock before picking up the classical guitar and after I did that the floodgates opened and I realised how beneficial it was to be open minded about learning.

You have a very efficient left and right hand technique, you’re fingers barely seem to move. Is this something you have focussed on?
Not really, although in the past few years I have tried to make myself more aware of how much energy I am exerting whilst playing. I can assure you that it doesn’t feel effortless from my perspective!

How and when did you become involved with InfiniteGuitar.com?
Actually, one of my students sent me a link to the original IG website and mentioned how good Sean’s videos were. I was very impressed with what I saw and when I discovered Sean was looking for instructors I knew it was something I would like to be involved with.

Do you record your lessons at home? What is your setup?
Yeah, I record all my stuff at home. I have a sony camera which I use to record the vids with the essential lighting setup to increase the quality. Actually, I have just bought another camera so that should open up a new world of possibilities for the new lessons. I do a mix of spoken lessons which use the mic from the camera to record the audio but for the other lessons I record via the line in on the pc and sync’ up the audio with the video. Gearwise I am using a Flaxwood liekki guitar into a pod xt live and then direct to Sonar. Sometimes I use my Yamaha AW16G as a mixer depending on what I want. Amp wise I have a switchblade 100 bead into a marshall 1960a 4x12 which is what I use for gigs.

How do you get your ideas for lessons, have you had teaching experience?
It varies really depending on what kind of lesson I do. A lot of ideas come when I’m doing something totally unrelated to music. Some of the guys on the IG forums give great ideas to the instructors and that kills two birds with one stone so to speak. My latest tutorial in the style of Andy Mckee for instance was requested by a number of people so I went with it. I really enjoyed doing that one as I love that particular style of playing and I really like the music of Andy Mckee. I began teaching around 2 years after I started playing which does seem a bit crazy to me now! However, it really forced me to understand myself and what it was that I was actually doing and because of that, I have learned so much over the years which has helped me grow as a musician and teacher.

Your transcription skills are amazing, Andromeda (by Mark Sfogli) for instance! Have you worked as a transcriber for guitar mags?
Thanks! No I have never done any work for magazines but it is definitely something I would love to do. I love transcribing; I find it a wonderful way improving one’s overall musicianship and it is something that I always do. Just as a mechanic tends to learn by taking things apart and putting them back together the musician does with music. The important thing though is what happens inside the mind and ears of the musician during the transcribing process. I feel it is the best way to develop you overall musicianship and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.

Edit: Here is the link to Rick playing the Andromeda solo on YouTube

In your IG videos you have a champagne coloured Ibanez JS Series, what made you switch to Flaxwood guitars?
Yeah, it’s an Ibanez JS2000CG  (Satch champagne gold model) and is a great guitar. I particularly love the fact that it is as light as a feather and the shape of the body is so comfortable for me. I got involved with Flaxwood through Richard Lundmark, a Flaxwood endorsee who is a phenomenal guitar player and an instructor at IG. I had seen some footage of Richard on YouTube and had always loved the tones he was coaxing from the guitars, so we spoke at length and an endorsement deal was arranged. I received my endorsement guitar at the London Guitar Show in June of this year and have been blown away by the versatility and tones. It’s a fantastic guitar!

Is it a standard model or a signature model?
It’s Flaxwood’s flagship model the ‘liekki’. Hopefully a signature model will be a possibility in the not too distant future!

They look kind of similar to my old Patrick Eggle, how do they compare to your old Ibanez JS?
I have owned a Patrick Eggle actually but I feel that the Flaxwood is an entirely different beast. The JS 2000 is a great guitar but I think the fact that I have rarely played the JS since I got the Flaxwood speaks volumes!

I have yet to hear your EP but do you have any future releases planned? Surely record companies must be knocking at your door by now!
Haha, maybe I was out that day then! I have been working on a full length solo album for some time but what with other commitments it has been put on the back burner.  I am hoping to complete the recording by next year with a view to releasing it at the end of that year.

Are you a gear head? If so what are your favourite guitars, amps and effects that you own?
I’m not a gear head at all really when it comes to guitars and amps. I am much more interested in synths and drums. My favourite piece of gear has to be my Roland XV5050 sound module. I spend far too much time editing sounds on that thing!

I’d like to thank Rick for taking the time out to answer my questions, check out Rick’s site for details including personal tuition: Rick Graham’s Website
Also check out Rick’s MySpace page.
Infinite Guitar Online guitar lessons with Rick Graham
For more information on Flaxwood Guitars as endorsed by Rick.

I recently had the opportunity to interview legendary rock guitarist George Lynch, George has just put together a new band ‘Souls Of We’ so I had a listen and fired over some questions. Thank you once again to George Lynch for taking the time to answer them.

Guitar Noize: I noticed on your site that Lynch Mob are booked up until the end of August, does the Souls of We album mark an end to Lynch Mob?
George Lynch: Actually, Lynch Mob never died, just went through many transformations and now we’ve ended up back where we started Oni and i are working with Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Ted Nugent, Cranberries) and Scott Coogan (Violets Demise and Ace Freeheley). Were doing a few festivals in the states and some assorted gigs and writting for the new record that we hope to have out late next spring.

GN: How do you feel you “Souls of We” differs to the Lynch Mob?
GL: Completely differant animal. Oni is a hard rock/blues singer with a trippy psychidelic side to him…very retro. He’s really genuinly into the 70’s music culture which i love as well. London is a crazy hollywood poet freak… but the sweetest guy in the world. Lynch Mob music is organic and blues based, Souls is indescribable.

GN: How did Souls Of We come about, were you looking to start a new project for a while?
GL: I spent about 3 1/2 years writing and putting together various projects that never got off the ground, i built studios, found mucisians, engineers, created bodys of work and kept moving on till it clicked. London and i were working together on a project called =microdot when he got the call to join with Nikki Sixx and Brides of Destruction, when that dissolved we got back together and finished what we had started. I always believed in London as a person and a talent, he is a fucking star if there ever was one.

GL: The ‘Let the Truth Be Known’ Album has classic George Lynch rock songs like ‘Ghandi’s Got A Gun’ and ‘Everything I Want’ but also has a dark side with tracks ‘Skeleton Key’ and ‘Crawling’ who do you think this album will appeal to most?
GL: There are some indications that the Souls record will do very well in japan due to the bands look/image and London and my history and previous exposure in japan. The music has tested very well over there as well, we’re going there in october.

GN: It sounds like you used some drop tunings on a few tracks such as ‘Sorry To Say’?
GL: Most of the record is dropped, much of it to B, some C#, a little half step down. I dont think anything is in A440! nork 13 might even be A#! I get impatient when I record and I get lazy and dont use a tuner a lot of the time…which makes our lives miserable afterwords when im forced to calibrate the tuner to the track and retune every guitar to an out of tune track…yuk.

GN: Was that an AdrenaLinn effect on the intro to ‘Ghandi’s Got A Gun’ and throughout ‘Under The Dead Tree’?
GL: The ‘Ghandi…’ effect was a seekwha and probably a fast chorus, ‘Under The Dead Tree’ has a machine gun effect that I accomplish by running the track through a gate that’s timed to open and close according to the BPM of the track. You can also accomoplish this in Protools by isolating a piece of the waveform, cutting it up and duplicating it across the track where you want it.

GN: ‘Under The Dead Tree’ will go down well with shred lovers, some great melodic playing, whammy pedal effects (or was it just an octave pedal) and your effortless speed picking. Did you want to show everyone that you still have the chops?
GL: The first quarter of that song has some atrocious soloing, the main solo i like…i should have gone back and done that again. A lot of times when im soloing, I’ll defer to the engineer or whoevers in the room while I’m laying it down, if everyones digging it i usually let it go and then live to regret it I really wish i had insisted on re-doing that bitch.

George is a perfectionist, there is no way I would ever be able to play like that!

GN: I started playing in the late 80’s when shredding was at its peak and guitar solos were almost mandatory, do you think young guitarists have the same passion for technical ability these days?
GL: More so…depending on where you hangout of course! hah, there’s definitely very deep pockets of serious virtousity out there, doesnt do a thing for me. It doesnt get me off like it used to unless of course its me playing it!! (hah!) just kidding.

GN: I read that Souls Of We is a dream band for you because you got to pick and choose players, how long did it to find the right people?
GL: 5 fucking years and who wants to bet that i aint done looking? seriously, its very difficult to find and keep a band together out of love /passion and commitment these days…its all about the cheese.

GN: Will you be touring with this band soon?
GL: Going to japan in October, considering a black label/7 dust tour next march.

GN: How long have you been with ESP now?
GL: 23 years i think…longer than i care to remeber (ha!) no, but im very proud of my asociation with ESP and the things we’ve accomplished, they actually named their company after an aspect of my anatomy…“extra special phallus”!(hah!)

GN: How did the Super V SE come about, it seems quite a departure in style for you?
GL: I wanted to build something very warm and woody sounding. My first real guitar was 1960 Les Paul Special, all mohogany, Translucent Cherry Red finish, wide flat neck, stud tailpiece. That’s essentially what the Super V is only it looks cooler. I redesigned the body slightly for the second year.

GN: Did you use this new guitar on your new record?
GL: I used it for 2 solos and some bit parts… the Esp model (vs. ltd model) sounds rediculous.

GN: What guitars and amps did you use to record this album?
GL: Randall Lynch Box, 68 Marshall Plexi, old Hiwatt cab and Lynch Box cabs, Eminance Super V speakers. Rhythms done mostly with Ltd Baritone Viper, solos were Tiger, Super V, GL 56 among others… I used my 59 Fender Esquire on a few things as well… ESP 12 string…all kinds of different guitars which I can’t remember right off the bat.

GN: Is it true you produced this album yourself?
GL: I did… although I sought opinions and advice from just about every musician and engineer I worked with on this record.

GN: You have quite a discography under your belt with 6 solo albums, 5 Lynch Mob studio albums, 7 Dokken studio albums (apologies if I have miscounted), you must be pretty proud of yourself?
GL: No… whats to be proud of? Not to disrespect the question but I dont think making records affords me pride. My heroes are the unsung people around the globe who ask for nothing, slave for their families until they die and are forgotten… relative to thier existance I’m like Paris Hilton without the money or looks.

GN: I recently came across this limited edition Rock Iconz figure of you and wondered how you had seen it? (http://www.knucklebonz.com/georgelynch.htm)
GL: Of course… my home is filled with them. We actually have an alter built in the entranceway of the castle, its sort of like a temple… you take off your shoes, throw some money in a jar and spend a few moments of silence in repose… the kids hate it.

GN: I noticed the Skulls & Snakes guitar on the cover of “Wicked Sensation” is now available as one of your ESP signature models, but no Skull and Crossbones guitar?!
GL: We’re not able to build that one anymore. My friend John Frog made a questionable judgement call and sold the rights to the design for eternity to some scum bag in vegas who in turn sued ESP and myself…some friend.

GN: I loved that guitar when I was a teenager back in the 80’s, do you still have it?
GL: I do… I’m looking at it right now.

GN: I hear you’ve been working with Prashant Aswani on a couple of DVD’s, Wicked Riffs and Scary Licks when will these be released?
GL: Yes, Prashant and I flew to Milwaukee for a week and banged out these 2 videos for Hal Leonard. Prashants a great player, very inspirational, awsome hands and phrasing. He likes my playing too for some strange reason…anyway, our trip was very very eventful to say the least (hah!). But we got it done, Hal Leonard was very happy and the first rythm related DVD “wicked riffs” should be coming out this later summer.

GN: Did Prashant produce them? If so, he’s a talented man!
GL: Prashant was indispensable during the process of filming and recording the DVD. There were teleprompters that needed to be scripted, tab to be writen, time code, protools, tone questing… Plus we worked at night in the hotel scripting the following days work…he has a tremendous work ethic which i admire.

GN: Do you enjoy recording Instructional Videos?
GL: I used to watch em and Ii should start again, great way to learn just buy being exposed to different styles finding new ways to deal with old problems.

GN: Having played guitar for 20 years it is a real honour to be able to interview one of the biggest names in rock guitar history. Hopefully you will return to Australia either with the ‘Souls of We’ or for some guitar clinics soon!
GL: Hook that up and give me a call! hah! Thank you.

Souls Of We - Official Site
Souls Of We - MySpace
George Lynch’s Official Site

Back in November I posted about the new Joe Trohman Washburn Idol, well I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to ask Joe Trohman a few questions about his new signature model after Fall Out Boy finished their recent tour.

Let’s start at the beginning, when did you start playing and what was your first guitar?
I started playing at 10. I was playing trombone, hated it, always wanted to play guitar and finally my parents caved in. My dad bought me a Barclay (I believe a Bobkat 2) and a Barclay amp for $100. Really really shitty, but I loved it.

Funny I had a similar situation with a clarinet… only it was my parents that made me cave in and play guitar instead of drums! So what were your main influences growing up?
For guitar, lots of Metallica, Black Flag, Iron Maiden, Sabbath and NOFX. In reality, I listened to everything from MC Hammer to Queen to Tribe Called Quest.

Do you have any favourite guitar players?
I love Brian May and Tony Iommi a lot. Scott Ian is a sick rythym player, just super tight and riff heavy. I marvel more at tight rythym players than I do at guys who can solo their asses off (though I love those guys too). I always thought Billy Joe Armstrong had a really intense picking hand and a great sense of rythym. I can’t forget EVH either.

Ok lets talk about your association with Washburn, when you did you first play a Washburn and which model was it?
I first played an Idol 2 years ago when I was about to sign on with Washburn. Once I played it, I fell in love with the feel and the tone. I’ve been playing them ever since.

So it seemed like a logical choice to partner with Washburn for your signature model?
I think what attracted me before I signed, or even played a Washburn was their actual interest in me as a player. They cared a lot about me then and still do now. Once I fell in love with an Idol, that made me want to make my own. But even just getting the chance to make your own signature guitar can be once in a lifetime for some people.

Yeah I’m still waiting for them to ask me about mine…
So your signature model looks like it is stripped back to essentials for rock, do you think it might limit you in terms of not having a neck position pickup?
It is quite stripped. It actually does have a neck pick-up, it originally was not going to have one, because at the time I never used it. But since then I decided it was worth keeping it because it keeps that classic look alive and I may started using it once in a while. Plus, for those who might want one of their own, they might want to play around with the neck pick-up a little. I always have had what I needed through the bridge pick-up though.

Did you make any other changes to the guitar?
I selected the hardware as well as the pick-ups to match my sound and to keep me from having to replace bad parts. I hate tuning systems so I put simple Grovers on them. I also made sure the body was thinner and lighter without compromising tone. I also added the VCC^* controls, which are awesome for achieving the sounds I want when I A/B my different amps. As far as visually, I wanted the black version to have a cream binding, and the white to have a black binding to give it a classic look that would look even cooler as the guitar ages and the paint cracks and discolors. I also added keyhole inlays, which are symbols that represent myself and the band.

^*Voice Contour Control is a unique coil splitting system that allows players to incrementally blend humbucking and single-coil pickup sounds without the hum normally associated with single-coils.

Will you use your signature guitar in the studio?
If it helps us with a tone we need then yes. This guitar may prove to be perfect only for live use. It’s very hard to predict what guitars and amps we will use for a new record until we start pre-production. I did use an Idol on our last record though.

And what about on tour did you use the signature models much?
I only play my models. The neck is perfect, and the body is light enough for me to run around without back problems getting in the way. The sound is awesome as well.

So they stood up to touring? How many gigs was that?
I’ve done a 2 month US tour along with strings of radio shows and international spots with my guitar. They are the best and most reliable guitars I’ve ever taken on tour, bar none.

Are there any changes you would make now to the guitar apart from the addition of the neck pickup now that you have road tested it?
Nope. The guitar went through tons of changes along the way, and I played prototypes live until the right one stuck. We went through it having one pick-up and one set of volume and tone knobs with a heaving body and a baseball bat neck to what we have now. I was also considering make it baby blue at one point in time.

Were you given much guidance during development or did you have complete freedom with the specification?
I had all the freedom I wanted. That’s what makes working with Washburn amazing. I can make what I want to make. I had a little guidance from David Karin over there, but mostly as a creative consultant. We’re great friends and I asked for his opinion often.

Did you try different wood combinations for the body and neck?
The older prototypes were mahogany. I ended up going with basswood for the body. I stuck with a trusty maple neck, one piece.

Did you try out different pickups? Which did you decide on?
I originally had Duncan Distortion pickups, but switched out to the WB630, so I can get a rock tone and a really thick and heavy, almost metallic, tone.

Are you a techy guitar player? Do you like guitar fx gadgets?
I love playing around with different pedals and amps at home. I have lost of cool combos and custom pedals. But live I like to stick with my Idol, and A/B switch an Orange Rock-O-Verb 30 combo with a Bogner Uberschall. I don’t use any pedals or effects. Between the two amps and the VCC tone control, I can get the tones I need to make FOB sound big live and still match what happens on the recordings. We also liked to keep everything stripped down live. No frills.

I’d like to thank Joe Trohman for taking the time to talk to Guitar Noize and to Washburn for helping me get in touch with Joe.

Check out the official signature model site to see more Joe Trohman model details or order one for yourself!

For more Fall Out Boy info check out the Official Fall Out Boy site.