Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol. 110 i Australian Guitar

To celebrate the quintessential popular musical instrument, the guitar, the Australian Music Association (AMA) announce the return of the ultimate guitar experience, the esteemed Melbourne Guitar Show, which is set to enthrall music lovers, collectors, performers and industry folk at Caulfield Racecourse on August 8 and 9. Dedicated solely to the guitar (and other stringed varieties) and its associated technologies and published materials, the exhibition will showcase all the biggest brands in music, plus names and instruments you don’t see every day in your local music store. It will host an impressive range of electric and acoustic guitars, ukuleles and traditional instruments, as well as FX and amps. The show will feature the leaders of the game in homegrown manufacture and craftsmanship with boutique Australian designs from our talented luthiers…

In the nearly two years already since the acclaimed Cosmic Psychos documentary Blokes You Can Trust was released, the band has undergone something of a rebirth. Oh, it’s not that they’ve changed their sound, shifted their worldview and gone all hippy on us or anything like that. In fact, they’re still one of the most reliably consistent bands out there, instantly identifiable and refreshingly unpretentious. But the response to the film seemed to remind a lot of folks that whether they planned it that way or not, Cosmic Psychos music has been a part of their lives. Maybe blasting out of the car on the highway, maybe in the background at a party, maybe on Rage flickering on the TV in the corner of the bedroom while enjoying a particularly…

Tommy Emmanuel is one of the world’s greatest guitar treasures. He seems to pretty much live on the road these days, playing to packed houses in the US, Europe and Asia when he’s not zipping back home for a round of shows. Chet Atkins famously conferred upon him the title of CGP (Certified Guitar Player), and he’s generally regarded as the finest fingerpicker in the world. But his skills were developed from an early age as a child star playing all over Australia in the Emmanuel family band, and he proudly plays Melbourne-made Maton guitars. And he never forgets where he came from, returning home regularly to thrill audiences with his acoustic and electric brilliance. Emmanuel was something of an underground guitar hero in the 1980s but his star rose…

When Muse first set about promoting their new record Drones, the British three-piece consistently reiterated one point that’s made its way into almost every interview since – the album would be a stripped-back return to their rock roots. It was the kind of statement that could pique the interests of newcomers who may have discovered Muse during their recent explorations into bombastic, symphonic proggy electro, while leaving long-term fans salivating over the idea of roaring riffs gracing a Muse record once again. So did they make good on their promise? “The seven-string, which I used for ‘Citizen Erased’ on our second album Origin Of Symmetry, I also used it on the middle part of ‘The Globalist’,” says frontman Matt Bellamy, who speaks with an almost giddy excitement at the idea…

YOUR LIVE SHOW IN A BOX (AND ON YOUR PHONE) Anyone who has played a show knows what a headache live mixing and monitoring can be. It’s meant to be your time to shine but more often than not it’s a fight against time (and maybe a surly house engineer) to get the sound you need for your music. The Soundcraft Ui16 is an ingenious solution to this problem by cramming virtual amps, a virtual monitor setup and a virtual mixing desk into one compact device, which can be run from your tablet or phone. Despite being small and light enough to fit in a backpack, it provides just about everything a small-to-mid-sized act would want for a live show. All you need are your instruments and a PA to…

MATON GUITAR M-808 RRP: $2,499 URL: www.skymusic.com.au The good folks at Sky Music in Melbourne have acoustic fever this month and it’s all because of these amazing new M-808 guitars from Maton. The company has gone all out with their new M-series guitars, bringing a whole new sound to their range of Australian-made guitars. The Maton M-808 features a sapele top, backs and sides. Sapele is an African tonewood (sometimes known as African mahogany) which has become popular as a substitute for the now endangered Honduran mahogany. The two woods are nearly identical tonally and aesthetically. The neck is Fijian mahogany and the bridge and fingerboard are Indian rosewood. Sky Music is offering both right and left-handed configurations for you to get your hands on, so drop into their store…

SHOCK The reason we’re all here, on the electric guitar, the one and only: Slash! That’s right, people, there is no reason to deny it; you’re buying this DVD to check up on one of rock’n’roll’s most enduring, idiosyncratic and effortlessly charismatic guitarists – Saul Hudson, the axe-man in the hat, Slash. Considering the cohesive group dynamic that the guitarist’s collaborators – Alter Bridge frontman, Myles Kennedy and rhythm section, The Conspirators – provide (both on record and live), it is a testament to the character and expertise of Slash’s playing that his separate billing seems in no way to be contrived as a sales device or (possibly) worse, as part of the sex, drugs and egoism that tend to be tied to the world of glam rock. Indeed, there…

Before we get into this review, this particular guitar has a story. It came in to Sky Music under an order for a Cimarron Red model (a colour inspired by the interior of the Cimarron Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a venue where Fender’s Bill Carson played). The box and documentation all indicated that this was a Cimarron Red guitar. But when Sky’s Henry Dalkin opened the case, this beautiful two-tone sunburst model was inside. And it just happened to be, in Henry’s words, “the nicest Strat we’ve ever had” with an incredibly light body and incredible amounts of acoustic volume. So rather than swap the guitar for one in the correct colour, a Cimarron one was brought in as well. I tell this story because it reveals two things. One:…

It’s a testament to just how in demand the Orange Amplification OB1 bass amplifier is that distributors Australian Musical Imports had to do some serious shuffling to make sure there was one left to review: they’ve been snapped up so quickly that they’re heading to their new owners pretty much as soon as they arrive in the country. And the advance buzz on these amps has been huge. One of the big hits of the NAMM Show this year, the OB1 is available in 300 and 500 watt versions. So what is it that’s making bass players all frothy about these two-rackspace heads? Let’s take a look. NICE RACK Well for starters, this head is rack-mountable which of course means you can incorporate it into a more complex rig if…

Released in 1974, Music Man’s 212HD 130 was an immediate hit. It was Music Man’s version of Fender’s Twin Reverb (ironically, designed by the same guy) and, for quite a time, gave the Twin some serious competition. While the Twin was all-tube, the HD 130 was a hybrid design, with two solidstate preamps feeding a tube power amp. The control layout was pure Fender: a short channel with the basic volume and tone set that fed dry to the power amp, and a long channel that included reverb and tremolo. And whereas the Twin was driven by four 6L6 tubes, the Music Man had a quartet of 6CA7s (EL34s), thus grabbing a little of the Marshall vibe, too. Alnico speakers completed the package, making the HD 130 a loud and…

For Texan instrumental rockers This Will Destroy You, seeking balance in sound and songwriting is paramount. Their latest LP, 2014’s Another Language, shows the band striking a middle ground between lush soundscapes and the anthemic guitar melodies that first appeared on their debut, 2005’s Young Mountain. For example, on Another Language’s opener, “New Topia”, a melancholy guitar arpeggio languishes inside a womb of electronic ambience before the song concludes in a headcrushing, noisy climax. The band clearly feeds off these contrasts: loud and quiet, light and dark, electronic and analogue, texture and melody. “It’s a semi-conscious decision,” says guitarist Jeremy Galindo. “When we came back with the new record, we talked about bringing back upfront melodies and working on ways to make them sound new for us.” This role-splitting approach…

So we’ve fielded a few calls and emails on this one and taken your feedback into account in order to make this bonus video content and additional audio tracks easy to access and in a very familiar format. When using the CD component of the magazine in the past, you may have noticed most of the content is actually hosted online anyways (videos, tracks, PDFs), so we’ve streamlined this process and you can now get the same content, in exactly the same format, right here at www.australianguitarmag.com.au A VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH REG MOMBASSA In 1976 guitarist Chris O’Doherty, (AKA Reg Mombassa), formed rock band Mental As Anything with four other art students. Reg left the band 25 years later but not before they had produced 11 albums and 27…

USING A COMPRESSOR When you are recording and mixing music, understanding how to use a compressor is an important factor towards achieving a cohesive end product. Compression is a powerful tool, and is commonly used to control the dynamic range of a sound source. This means the difference in volume (dB) between the softest and loudest part of the recorded performance. For example, the human voice is an extremely dynamic instrument; it can go from a whisper to a scream in a very quick timeframe. By controlling the loudness peaks, you are then able to get a more balanced and consistent volume from the sound source, rather than something that continuously moves between louder and softer. A compressor has a range of settings to help deal with these issues, some…

The new album collaboration between You Am I’s Tim Rogers and Melbourne’s The Bamboos was one of those slow-burn things. They first musically flirted with each other in the form of a one-song collaboration on the band’s fifth studio album, Medicine Man, which also featured Aloe Blacc, Megan Washington and Daniel Merriweather, but there was some magic there with Rogers that demanded a follow-up. And here it is: The Rules Of Attraction by Tim Rogers & The Bamboos, a good-time collection of soul, funk and rock that prompts journalists to use words like ‘swagger’ and ‘slinky’ even when they don’t want to. Produced by Bamboos leader Lance Ferguson and John Castle (Vance Joy, Josh Pyke, The Drones) at The Shed and at Ferguson’s studio in Melbourne, the album is funky,…

The democratisation of recording has been happening ever since consumer reel-to-reels hit the market, continued on through the rise of the four-track cassette studio (and – gasp! – eight-track) and through the mini disc/hard-drive era of a whopping 16 tracks. Now we have a few good decades of reliable, great-sounding computer recording software under our collective belts. Hell, you can even record an entire album on the smartphone in your pocket if you’re determined enough. And the problem with all that flexibility is that it turns any location into a recording studio. And not every location is practical as a recording studio. Never mind issues like creating a neutral sonic space for accurate mixes; it’s hard enough to find somewhere that’s suitable for cranking an amp up to the point…

To paraphrase the great philosopher Homer J. Simpson, “The popularisation of the ukulele continues unabated”. While it seems like the humble uke has always been there, over the last decade or so it’s really enjoyed a resurgence in the public eye, with everyone from serious musicians all the way down to curious kids picking the instrument up and enjoying its democratic suitability to everyone. I’ve met ukulele players in business suits, hippy ponchos, ‘50s vintage dresses – it’s a great starter instrument because it’s so unassuming. People who might be intimidated by the guitar see the ukulele and think, ”Oh it’s just a ukulele. It’s not a real, serious instrument”. As Amanda Palmer told me once, “That’s the beauty of it! It’s a deceptive little beast. And that’s why I…

Like most guitar players, I’m a traditionalist. But the thing is, the original Fender and Gibson instruments are as relevant today as they were in the ‘50s – maybe even more so. Those early “radical” designs have become industry standards, and stepping beyond them has most often been met with scepticism and poor sales (as both Fender and Gibson discovered). A “softer” approach has been to blend elements of one classic into another and even the Big Two have, with varied results, had their shot at this idea. So, road testing a hybrid design is always… er… interesting. Well, the Maverick SM is a real surprise: a little bit Les Paul, a little bit Firebird and a big chunk of Telecaster. It has a spalted maple (“SM”) top on a…

Every now and then, someone comes along with one of those “why didn’t anyone think of that before” ideas. So, with the resurgence of overdrive pedals as the principle drive source, it makes perfect sense to fit one into an amp. Actually, the DV Mark folks aren’t the first people to have a go at this. Ibanez, marketer of the most famous overdrive pedal, produced the aptly-named Tube Screamer Tube Amp, a single channel 6V6-powered amp with a built-in TS-9. It worked fine but the TS circuit was overly compressed and gave every guitar a fairly generic treatment. DV Mark has taken a more professional approach to this idea, producing an amplifier that is simple to understand and operate, and one that is gig-ready in every way. The Little 40…

There’s a difference between the nylon-string guitars everyone’s parents bought them for Christmas, or the ones you find missing a few strings in the corner of a class room, and a real classical guitar. It’s in the craftsmanship, the attention to wood selection, the focus on tone. Almansa’s Model 401 is their entry-level classical guitar, designed to give new classical guitarists a quality instrument that stands far above the “look what they’ve got at K-Mart” market segment. CLASSICAL GAS The Model 401 uses the same materials as the 402 and 403 models, which you’ll find on distributor Kosmic’s website. But there are differences designed to make the 401 more affordable without reigning in the factors that make the tone what it is. For instance, the Model 401 has the least…

Stuart Monk’s Fican Guitars is a new Australian brand driven by a unique vision. Monk’s guitars are purposely following their own path, rather than being based on the ‘50s-derived legends we all know and love. It’s almost like he goes out of his way to specifically not conjure up comparisons to the past, and that can make his designs seem a little jarring at first. But like any guitar you really need to pick it up and have a play before you can pass judgement. The Stratocaster looked pretty out-there in its day too. Now, Monk began building guitars after an injury to his finger made it difficult to play C-shaped necks; he built a D-shaped neck that felt more ergonomic, and his buddies agreed that it felt pretty damn…

WHEN: SATURDAY 13TH JUNE WHERE: FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY REVIEW: PAUL SOUTHWELL PHOTOS: PETE COATES Wrapping up an Australia-wide trek for a postponed tour, Swedish guitar maestro Yngwie Malmsteen wasted no time in delivering a best of shred guitar set list. He last toured here in full band mode in late 2006 but did sneak in guitar clinics in late 2013. For this tour, he utilised his band from his most recent live recording releases and they must be tolerant since the stage setup consisted primarily of an amplification backline of over 20, high wattage Marshall amplifier heads and around a dozen cabinets, not to mention the other pieces of gear stacked side of stage. Given Yngwie’s notable musicianship, adopting the aesthetics of rock theatre seems absurd since half the crowd…

YOUR DIMENSIONS: To be honest, I don’t know the exact dimensions, but our live room has 3.6 metre ceilings and is roughly 80 sqare metres. GEAR LIST: Guitar-wise we have an original ‘65 Fender Blackface Deluxe, a ‘64 Princeton, a ‘69 Gibson J50, ‘73 Martin D28, a ‘64 Hofner Beatle Bass, a ‘70s Ampeg B15 Portaflex, a ‘70s Ampeg VT22 and a bunch of old Australian amps (Goldentone Bassmaster, Vadis 40W head and cab amongst many others). In terms of recording gear, we have a 40-channel 80 series Neve console, a 40-channel Quadeight console, an Ampex MM1200 16 track two-inch tape machine, a Studer A800 24-track tape machine, vintage compressors like LA-2As, Gates, AWA G58, four distressors, 1176s dvx 160VUs etc. CLIENT LIST: We’ve done Passenger’s last three albums, but…

Drones WARNER Don’t worry, everyone: Muse play guitars again, and everything is right with the world. After the questionably synth-dependent and occasionally dubstepinfused offerings of The 2nd Law, which met their share of criticism from fans, there was some worry there that the Muse we knew and loved might have been gone for good. Drones signifies something of a return to their roots, with the Brits playing to their strengths and writing like a bunch of guys in a room with their instruments. Don’t be deterred by slower opener/lead single “Dead Inside” – though it’s a catchy, cruisy little number that sets a great mood for the record, it’s not representative of the whole album from an instrumental point of view. The pub rock shuffle of “Psycho” reintroduces noisy guitar…

Orange Amplification’s Crush series of amplifiers were an immediate hit upon release, combining classic Orange styling and tone with solid state tone generation. But like any great idea there’s no reason to stop there, and so the new 2015 Crush series offers four models designed to introduce players to the Orange sound (these are pitched at more of an entry-level) while giving guitarists a tube-free analogue alternative to digital modelling. I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU There are four models in the new series: Crush 12, Crush 20, Crush 20RT and Crush 35RT. Apart from the Crush 12 they each feature the same high-gain four-stage preamp design as the original Crush amps, capturing the dirty channel of the Rockerverb in a solid state form, and all models offer Orange’s CabSim…

Radial Engineering produce very high quality audio products that are used by studios and professional musicians worldwide. Their well-deserved reputation has come from all of their products reliability and exceptional sound quality. The Radial Headload V8 is no exception, this is Radial Engineering’s first venture into the amplifier attenuator market. The Radial Headload V8 is by no means just an attenuator; they have packed enough features into one little box to make this unit equally useful in a studio or live environment. The Radial Headload V8 can handle up to 130 watts with a peak of 180 watts, which pretty much covers most guitar tube amplifiers. If you own a loud amplifier and volume is an issue, then you have more than likely toyed with the idea of an attenuator,…

Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine is well-known for using V-shaped guitars; his iconic Jackson King V signature model and his ESP DV8 models were huge hits with fans. But while both of those guitars were based on existing models from the respective companies (with Dave-specific refinements), his Dean VMNT line was designed from the ground up, giving them a slightly more unique outline and giving Dave much more of a free reign to design different variations at different price points. There are VMNTs everywhere from the entry level to USA Custom Shop and pretty much everywhere in between as well as Dave’s ‘Zero’ model, shaped a little like an Explorer but with aggressive points that are consistent with the style established with the VMNT. It’s also important to point out that…

Crafter was founded in 1972 by Korean luthier HyunKwon Park, who began with a staff of four building guitars out of the basement in his home under the name Sungeum (Korean for ‘accomplishing the sound’). By 1978 the company had outgrown the basement and moved to bigger premises in Yangju-gun, just outside Seoul, in order to fulfill increased demand for the guitars. InJae Park joined his father in 1986 and the decision was made to bring the guitars to the world market, now under the name of Crafter. By 2009 the company needed to expand again, building a new state-of-the art guitar factory featuring modern facilities including leisure rooms, a spacious restaurant, gym, and a chapel for all the staff. And although modern technology is now used to produce the…

The Atomic Amplifiers Amplifire found its way to the top of quite a few ‘Cool Stuff At NAMM’ lists recently, and now it’s here. It’s simply summed up by the company as “an amp tone and multi-effects pedal years in the making”. There have been devices making similar claims for decades now, so what does the Amplifire do to stand apart from them? Let’s take a look. YOU LITTLE DEVIL The idea of the Amplifire is to take software company Studio Devil’s highly acclaimed and patented technology and pop it into a pedal you can throw in a gig bag and head off to a show, whether you need it as your main sound source for fly dates or open mics, or even simply as a fully functional backup in…