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Innovative products are often conceived when seeking to improve upon an existing design. In the case of Thomas Wnorowski, he recognized that the tonal possibilities residing within his Strat copy fell far short of their potential, so he set out to do something about it. By replacing the standard pickup selector with a series of individual switches, he more than doubled his palette of sounds. Today Thomas boasts a number of mods for getting the most out of one’s axe, a patented Pickup Tone Multiplier™ (PTM) switching system, and a company that lives up to its name: AweSome Musical Instruments. We shared with Thomas a sad tale of a stock Telecaster that only offers three tones. Shaking his head with understanding, he sent over his Telecaster 2-pickup Hyper-Mod™ control plate to break us free from our tonal restrictions.
The entire mod is contained in a single unit. A black acrylic control plate serves as the base for a stacked master volume and tone pot, and three toggle switches. The genius behind the mod, the PTM switching system, is mounted to the bottom of the plate and sits within the control cavity. This unit installs as easily as one can imagine with a solderless connector block replacing the time and trouble of traditional methods requiring soldering tools, a steady hand, and a good dose of patience. I literally had the mod installed within ten minutes and that’s because I took extra time to desolder the leads from the stock plate rather than just clipping them.
A standard Tele offers three tonal pickup options: bridge, neck, and bridge/neck in normal phase wired in parallel. With the Hyper-Mod™, three more possibilities are opened up allowing for the maximum number of configurations from this two-pickup setup: bridge/neck in reverse phase wired in parallel, bridge/neck in normal phase wired in series, and bridge/neck in reverse phase wired in series. With the newly modded Tele running through a Blackheart Little Giant Half Stack and a touch of reverb, I recorded some short passages to give you an idea of the expanded spectrum of sounds.
1. Bridge (stock)
2. Neck (stock)
3. Bridge/Neck Normal Phase Wired in Parallel (stock)
4. Bridge/Neck Reverse Phase Wired in Parallel (mod)
5. Bridge/Neck Normal Phase Wired in Series (mod)
6. Bridge/Neck Reverse Phase Wired in Series (mod)
Be All That You Can Be is a slogan proudly promoted by the US Army. Were it not under their legal jurisdiction, AweSome Musical Instruments would have every right adopting it for their core business which turns the equivalent of guitar caterpillars into fully matured tonal butterflies (work with me here – I’m waxing poetic). I would really like to see the control plate offered in chrome, rather than the singular choice of black acrylic, as it’s more common to stock and I imagine there are others, such as myself, who simply prefer that look, but for the greatest tonal options from your Tele with the least amount of hassle, this is the way to go.
It should be noted that for those of you with 3-pickup Tex-Mex or Nashville Teles, AweSome offers a mod that septuples (7 times!!!) your choices for a total of 35 possible tones.
DIRECT PRICE – $127.97 + shipping
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There are many ways to take a simple riff and syncopate it in order to make it take on a whole new twist. Odd time signatures are not something that should scare off the average musician, after all we are just adding or subtracting beats to make the rhythm shift. The key is to feel the groove of the riff. Whether you are playing in 4, 5 or 7…. what’s going to give presence and power to the riff is getting in the groove. Any riff can be groovy no matter how technically involved it is, but to give it THAT groove, you have to really feel the pulse of the phrase and then give precedence to the 1 or the first note of the beat so that the vibe of the riff is distinguishable.
As guitarists we tend to count differently than drummers or even bassists because we do things like play a pick-up note, or come in half a bar later when dealing with odd times. Remember that music is a language all it’s own. As long as you emphasize the right notes in the segment, you will achieve the goal you are seeking and then afterward, everything will sync up.
Take for instance a simple 4/4 phrase and just chug any chord using quarter notes (CHUG chug chug chug, CHUG chug chug chug). Now lets put a twist on it and add a fifth quarter note then follow it with three quarter notes (so CHUG chug chug chug chug CHUG chug chug). We’ve now effectively played the same number of notes yet we have changed the emphasis of the starting beat. So you can see how (as Mike Myers so non- eloquently put it in the movie A View From The Top) It’s all about putting the right emPHASSIS on the right syLLABLE!
As you can see, shifting the tempo is really a matter of shifting your thinking to accentuate different notes. With this simple concept in mind, anyone can turn Metallica into Meshuggah. So bust a beat and shuffle your feet and once you do you’ll be having GOOD TIMES with ODD TIMES!!!
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“Some of us want to be the next great guitar god, some are happy just sitting at home jamming along with the radio”
Practicing is different things to different people. Some people progress faster than others. Some have as they say, a “natural gift,” while others labor away hour after hour, week after week, month by month and only progress a little at a time. But no matter what, if you want to improve and get better, you have to put the hours in and practice. Now again, this is going to be different for all of us, since some of us want to be the next great guitar god, and some of us are happy just sitting at home jamming along with the radio, creating our own melodies, or whatever. We are all on different levels due to the time we put into it. I recently asked several guitar players of various skill levels questions about their practice routines and the time they have committed sharpening their skills. Here’s what I learned….
For the most part, the professional guitar players I questioned had a few things in common. Each had put in countless hours practicing to develop their skills and style. Playing till their fingers bled (really!), playing 10+ hours a day, every day, were typical responses. Most had come up with their own unique way of practicing. Some had developed different techniques to create their own sound, while others used different tunings. Some had taken lessons early on while others did not. Most felt that they had learned much of what they knew on their own through the dedication and countless hours spent practicing. Most also started creating their own music not long after starting to play the guitar. And while these individuals no longer spend 10+ hours a day practicing, it is very typical that they spend at least a few hours daily playing/practicing. Comparing it to the need to breathe, or (something I feel myself), the days I don’t play, I feel like something was missing or out of place.
Still, others have different practice routines. Some are limited to how much time they put into practicing/playing due to, well let’s face it…. Life! We all have different priorities. Not everyone can devote 10+ hours a day into playing/practicing guitar. A couple of different players I asked told me that they practice whenever they get the chance. Which varied as much as a few times a week to maybe once a month. Weekly lessons are an avenue some take (myself included) to improve our skills. But, even with lessons, if you don’t practice what you learned, you don’t get anything out of it.
Something that nearly all of the guitar players I questioned had in common….most felt like they were never really practicing. They all had an inner passion that drove them. Some to create, some the need to express themselves. While others just wanted to be able to play their favorite songs, or maybe even just to impress the hot girl down the street! Another thing many had in common… no matter how much they practiced/learned or played, there was always going to be more to learn. Another cool riff to work out, another driving rhythm or beautiful melody to discover. Which is something you can probably say about any musical instrument. But we are guitar players. Whether or not you view it as practicing or just playing it is a labor of love…. it’s what we do!
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Getting down with the Epiphone Limited Edition Riviera Custom Royale P93!
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Music Company, who also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson’s main rival in the archtop market. Their professional archtops, including the Emperor, Deluxe, Broadway and Triumph, rivaled (and some contend surpassed) those of Gibson.
The Epiphone Riviera has a warm, vintage tone that is perfect for instrumentals or clean based styles. A double cutaway, semi-hollow body gives this guitar the classic style that many guitarists have long loved and continue to play. The three P-90 single-coil pickups produce the raw tone that many blues and rock stylists seek. The P90′s traditional combination of high output and brilliant tone is still considered a favorite among many top musicians. The Bigsby tailpiece delivers superb vibrato and has been guitarists favorite for decades. A pearl white finish and gold hardware add a touch of class to the vintage design. The neck is not the fastest, but let’s face it, it’s not meant to be. The smooth comfortable action is very grippy and fits the hand nicely. The Ltd Edition Riviera Custom Royale P93 would be a nice addition for any serious musician looking for a classic axe.
The Epiphone Riviera is an awesome, classic guitar that has powerful clean tone and perfect for blues, rock and country. With its smooth playability, you will get a lot out of this guitar. The three P-90 pickups will blow you away with all the clean tone combinations you can create. The Bigsby is always a great addition to any axe, delivering just the right amount of twang and vibrato. The semi hollow design makes this guitar light and comfortable. I found that the Ltd Edition Riviera Custom sounds best through VOX amplifiers. Test one of these babies out for yourself and discover the many brilliant tones you can create with this monster axe.
Pros: Bigsby tailpiece, P-90 pickups ,light weight, classic tone.
Cons: Thick neck.
Street price – $500 – $549
Till next week, thanks for reading and keep on shredding!
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The Gibson Guitar Corporation is an American manufacturer of guitars. Gibson also builds: Epiphone, Kramer, Valley Arts, Tobias, Steinberger, and Kalamazoo guitars.
Company founder Orville Gibson made mandolins in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in the late 1890s. He invented arch top guitars by using the same type of carved, arched tops found on violins. By the 1930s, the company was also making flattop acoustic guitars, as well as one of the first commercially available hollow-body electric guitars. In the early 1950s, Gibson introduced its first solid-body electric guitar and its most popular guitar to date—the Les Paul. After being purchased by the Norlin corporation in the late 1960s Gibson’s quality and fortunes took a steep decline until early 1986, when the company was rescued by its present owners.
Inspired by The hilarious Adult Swim Cartoon Metalocalypse. This axe is played by lead guitarist Skwisgaar Skwigelf. The Dethklok “Thunderhorse” Explorer is equipped with two Gibson BurstBucker humbuckers that are both powerful and articulate. These Heavy Metal masterpieces will have you chugging away till your fingers bleed! The thick sustain is long lasting and makes your tone as versatile as any guitar out there. The set mahogany and rosewood neck is both fast and comfortable. This is definitely a great metal axe with all the trimmings, for less then you would expect to pay.
The Dethklok Explorer is a phenomenal axe that you will enjoy for the rest of your days. This axe might not be for everyone but for those who can handle the larger size of a Gibson Explorer, you will be in Metal bliss. It seems to be a bit lighter than the classic Gibson Explorers, but not by much. If you are into Explorers, do yourself a favor and check one out ASAP! Who knows how many of these bad boys Gibson will produce. So go out and get you some Skwisgaar magic…. and shred the night away like the master himself!
Pros: Mahogany body, fast neck, awesome sustain, powerful tone, great feel.
Cons: N/A
Street Price – $1600 – $1950
Till next time, thanks for reading and keep on shredding!
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Check out the Peter Frampton Signature Series Mega-Wah by gig-fx!
gig-fx was founded by CEO, Jeff Purchon. Jeff’s relationship with guitar started at age 11 and just two years later he was playing small venues all over northern England. He regularly played with school friend Mick Ronson (who went on to play with Bowie) and neighbor Robert Palmer. At 17 he was opening for bands including Black Sabbath, Free, Deep Purple, and Genesis and continues to play with some of the biggest names in music today.
Along the way, Jeff had a desire for pedal designs that were not readily available. Teaming up with an experienced core of analog electronic design engineers, he started his own pedal company in 2004: gig-fx. His initial product, the Chopper, became an instant classic, finding its way at the feet of guitarists including Mark Tremonti, Adam Jones, and Adrian Belew. In designing his initial wah pedal, Jeff sought to combine an auto-wah, envelope filter, and volume pedal into a single unit – such was the birth of the Mega-Wah. Peter Frampton called one day raving about the pedal and requesting specific design tweaks. This led to the signature Peter Frampton Mega-Wah.
The first thing catching my attention was the dogbone shaped foot pedal. This design allows for easily accessed controls on either side of the base. Intentional or not, it also serves as a carrying handle and sheds weight from what would otherwise make it bulkier and chunkier. That being said, the aircraft aluminum construction provides ruggedness in a lightweight package. The foot pedal offers plenty of surface area which is topped with soft, yet durable and grippy rubber tread. Controls include Mode (Cry, Mega, Trig, and Auto), Rate, Gain, Resonance, and Sensitivity. A blue LED indicates when the pedal is active and a red LED blinks in time to where Rate is set in Auto mode. Instrument IN and OUT jacks are found on either side in addition to a standard 9V DC input jack. A battery compartment, held in place by four Philips screws, houses a 9V battery underneath. No signature pedal would be complete without an actual signature and Peter Frampton’s appropriately graces the side of the medium navy blue chassis.
CRY: This is the classic wah mode. Gain controls the overall level of the effect, providing a thinner more subtle wah at minimum setting and a fatter more intense wah at max. Resonance adjusts frequency boost. This translates to more quacky wahs as sounds open up to a broader range. For you mixing fanatics, this can be thought of as adjusting the ‘Q’ – the width of a particular frequency.
MEGA: This mode is similar to CRY, but by boosting the low end it makes for a fatter, fuller sound. The high end is mostly unaffected and Gain and Resonance controls behave similarly.
TRIG: Pick dynamics replace the foot pedal in this mode. Softer attacks are similar to having the pedal down in the lower registers, while sharper, more aggressive picking brings out high end wah. This is a really fun mode as the feeling is very interactive and you can get downright punchy and FUNKY! Gain and Resonance perform similarly as the previous two modes, but Sensitivity adds an additional control. With this turned down, lower frequencies are prominent and it takes massive attacks (no reference to the band) to get the pedal to open up to the higher end, which is very brief. At the opposite end, higher frequencies are promoted as it takes the softest of touches to coax the low end.
AUTO: Lazy foot? No problem. Click over to this mode and the pedal will take over, rocking back and forth through the sweep as if you were tapping in time yourself [Author’s request: Can you actually get the pedal to physically rock back and forth? That would be wicked cool! Anyway…]. Again, Gain and Resonance works the same, with the added Rate control which sets the speed of the effect. Think of a vibrato or tremolo effect, though it’s not quite the same. My only complaint is I would have liked a way to set the width of the wah as it’s hard-wired to maximum sweep. Perhaps a future version could allow the position of the pedal to determine this.
The Peter Frampton Mega-Wah is mega fun! Each mode is useful – no gratuitous effects. Performance and sound quality get high marks and physical operation is clean, making my Crybaby feel clunky in comparison. The pedal is activated optically by kicking into action when it senses the pedal is pushed forward about 1/4″ from fully back. This takes some getting used to as rocking all the way back disengages the effect after a period of time set by a control recessed in the bottom of the unit. I think it’s a slick feature that eases ON/OFF, but there’s something about that physical click you get from leaning on a switch that I missed. But who knows? Maybe after a bit more time spent with it, I wouldn’t miss it at all. Finally, gig-fx designs the wah with what they call “better-than-true-bypass” by using a circuit that optimizes the signal between the guitar and amp input. All in all, a very useful, fun wah that offers a lot of bang for the buck and has me considering replacing my beloved Crybaby, even if I have to give up the footswitch.
Street Price – $149
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Sensational guitarist and real life Guitar God – Steve Vai rockin’ out on his ‘Heart’ guitar!
Many of us have been influenced by our friends, a particular song on the radio, or a new song by our favorite group. Maybe a family member, or even a particular life experience impacted and shaped your influences. All kinds of things have led us to play this wonderful instrument….THE GUITAR!
We all have our reasons for playing guitar. On top of that, we have our reasons for what we play and how we play it. It’s easy for some to identify their influences. Others not so easy. Or maybe not what one would consider a standard answer. Some need to search for something much deeper than a song or artist. And influences can change with time, I can attest to this from personal experience.
I originally wanted to play guitar because I thought it was cool. My dad played guitar, but he played country music and I wasn’t into it at all and had no appreciation for it at the time. I was just a dumb kid, although I loved to listen and watch him play. He was amazingly talented and I was extremely impressed by his level of skill on the old 6-string. But at the time, I was more influenced by the great ‘GUITAR GODS’ of the day. In those days it seemed like every good band had an amazing guitarist.
We had Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Tommy Iommi, Billy Gibbons, Robin Trower, Ted Nugent, Gary Moore and this list could go on and on. In the early 80′s it was Rhoads, and the Metallica wave, ending with SRV and Healey in the late 80′s. But that’s about the time I hung up my guitar. Oh the things we do in life for others! But the music never stops. Once it’s in your heart, it’s always there. In my most recent return to playing guitar, I have discovered some new influences. My dad who passed away right before I got my guitar, is definitely a big influence on me now. I hope someday to be as good and as accomplished as he was. Not that he was some big star or anything, but he gigged for the better part of 20 years and did some recording too.
These days my biggest influence is…..my own heart! I have a new love for guitar that I never had before. And I have an incredible desire to get better. I am dedicating more and more time to practicing guitar….and the more I practice, the more I want to play!
I am still influenced to play certain songs because of a cool rhythm or riff, but my real influence to play these days comes straight from the heart. I just love it! It is the best fix for a bad or gloomy day. Stressed? Grab your guitar! Want to put a smile on your face or the face of someone else? You know what to do…..! Look deep….why do you play…what influenced you?
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