JEFF BECK LIVE AT RONNIE SCOTT’S 2007.11

Jeff’s guitar tech Steve Prior gives an in depth interview about Jeff’s guitars and beyond. Stay TUNED for more.

Jeff shows off some of his favourite guitars: his Gibson L5, 1954 Stratocaster, 1954 Telecaster, Gretch Rancher and a Maccaferri given to him by Led Zeppelins Jimmy Page. Jeff Beck clearly has great affection for his guitars, and talks about the other players that influenced his sound – mostly rock and roll guitarists like Cliff Gallup and Scotty Moore, but also the likes of Django Reinhardt.

And he treats us to a few choice licks in a different style for each guitar – even when not plugged in the tonal differences are really apparent. From twanging teles to soulful strats – check this clip out!

JEFF BECK 1998 FENDER STRATOCASTER GUITARS CREATES LEGENDS AD 8X11 ADVERTISEMENT

US $3.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday May-19-2012 13:25:15 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

Video Rating: 4 / 5

Jeff’s guitar tech Steve Prior gives an in depth interview about Jeff’s guitars and beyond. A lot more interesting stories for all us gear heads. Steve talks pickups, strings and broken bodies!

Video Rating: 5 / 5

US $809.99 End Date: Saturday May-19-2012 15:44:35 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $809.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Figure 1 - Agate Stone Plectrum

To many guitarists, the answer is a resounding yes! Not only are they longer-lasting, easy gripping, and better sounding; they are also very appealing items to own.

Those who have used stone picks often prefer the crisp tone  – more defined even than even metal picks. Common materials used are Agate, Jasper, Jade and Turquioise; all highly polished.

Agate guitar pick, fine natural gemstone, 3.0mm,#ppbb1

US $5.95 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 21:54:31 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $5.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list

While the picks are indeed much more durable- they won’t harm guitar strings. Thanks to finely smoothed edges, stone picks should be just as safe as plastic picks to use- given you bought them from a store, and haven’t decided to use your rock collection as picks. Needless to say, you might not get any use out of using your wedding ring either- sorry, guys.

Essentially, stone picks give a unique tone because of a few characteristics such as density, flexibility, and durability. Imagine striking a large bell with a plastic hammer- it will be much different than striking the same bell with a rock. From this example, many different specialty stores have started to sell such picks as a new way to control precise tones. Interestingly, plastic will absorb part of the tone when struck against a string- while stone will not.

Figure 2 - Black Brasilian Stone Pick

Gemstone picks will last a very long time, and offer good grip control- even more so than Tortex picks. The only problem with a gemstone pick is losing it. If you are like most guitar enthusiasts, losing picks around the room or house- even in pockets- can be a common nuisance. With single picks costing upwards of around $30 each, there is obviously a need to reform old habits. In fact, some companies will try and tell you that a stone guitar pick is the last one you will ever need to buy. While this is indeed possible, it is much more likely it will be lost long before it breaks.

If you are indeed looking to acquire a stone pick, you will most likely have to go on-line, or visit a rather large music retail shop. They are much harder to find than the dozens of boxes of plastic, nylon, and metal picks littering musician shops. While $30 may seem a little high, the “cool” factor gained through bragging to friends and fellow musicians is sometimes well worth the money, and extra tonal clarity can be priceless. Different shapes, gems, translucencies, and sizes can all be crafted from many types of stones – as well as customizations and extra gripping features. If you are looking for extra tonal clarity, this could be a good upgrade to your collection.

US $8.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday May-19-2012 22:01:23 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

• Guitar Pick History and Information
• Tortex Picks
• Weird Guitar Picks 

Gibson SG Special Electric Guitar,Worn Brown Satin

Gibsons are expensive. We all know. So how about this? A fantastic SG, at a great price – the satin finish is not as shiny as a regular finish. But that’s it. it’s still a fantastic sounding SG, with it’s trademark bite. With the full pickguard it’s very much late sixties style. Think Pete Townsend on Live at Leeds, or Carlos Santana at Woodstock.

• Powerful, intense, and affordable 6-string electric guitar with solid mahogany body and ’50s rounded neck profile
• 490T and 490R pickups–”T” for treble, and “R” for rhythm
• Swirl acrylic inlays for classic “pearl” look
• Gibson Tune-O-Matic bridge; 2 volume and 2 tone controls plus 3-way toggle
• Worn brown finish with chrome hardware; comes with Gibson Deluxe Gig Bag

The Gibson Faded SG Special is an electric guitar that maintains the tradition of looks, functionality, and value for which the SG guitar is known. Under its attractive faded finish, the Faded Special SG is still the traditional SG, with mahogany body and neck, Tune-O-Matic/stopbar bridge, and alnico 490 pickups. The guitar’s faded finish gives it the look of an electric that started its rockin’ days in the ’60s.

The Gibson SG range was first popular in the mid 1960s . Very influential guitarists such as George Harrison of the Beatles, Eric Clapton of Cream, and Robbie Kreiger of the Doors all played Gibson SGs. But this  model, the full-scratchplate Gibson SG Special is most associated with Pete Townsend of the Who around 1969-1970.  

US $605.00 (9 Bids) End Date: Friday May-18-2012 15:00:50 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

A Little SG History In 1961, the Les Paul was redesigned with a thinner body and 2 sharp cutaway horns that made the upper frets more accessible while lowering production costs. The new guitar was popular, but Les Paul the guitarist behind the original Les Paul did not like it and asked to have his name removed. Gibson renamed the model the “SG” which was short for “solid guitar”. Though Les Paul’s name was officially removed from the model in 1961, the plastic Les Paul nameplates (positioned between the rhythm pickup and fingerboard) were in abundance in the Gibson factory and SG models having these nameplates were built and sold by Gibson up to the end of 1963. SGs have been the choice of world-class artists such as Pete Townsend, Eric Clapton, Tony Iommi, and Angus Young.

Key Features

’50s Rounded Neck Profile

No guitar neck profiles are more distinguishable than the neck profiles employed on the Gibson models of today. The more traditional ’50s neck profile on the SG Special is the thicker, rounder profile, emulating the neck shapes found on the iconic 1958 and 1959 Les Paul Standards. The neck is machined in Gibson’s rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest–including the final sanding–is done by hand. That means there are no two necks with the exact same dimensions. So while it still has the basic characteristics of its respective profile, each neck will be slightly different, with a distinct but traditional feel.

Gibson’s 490 (R) Rhythm and (T) Treble Pickup

US $0.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday May-18-2012 11:26:18 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

The mid to late 1960s saw the emergence of a very different type of music coming from the clubs of England. It was an interpretation of the blues that hadn’t been heard before, and it was much harder, more rocking, and definitely louder than anything else before it. As such, this new genre’s players were demanding more powerful amplifiers with increased volume outputs to satisfy their sonic explorations. This led to a call for a more versatile pickup that could split coils through a push/pull knob, and prevent microphonic feedback from occurring when the volumes were turned up to maximum levels.

Gibson answered this call with the introduction of the revolutionary 490T and 490R pickups (“T” for treble, and “R” for rhythm). The 490R is a humbucker with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The 490T bridge pickup is calibrated to match the 490R, with pole pieces aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge, which is different than the spacing of the strings at the neck.

Solid Mahogany Body

Probably the most central of all the SG Special’s features is its solid mahogany body–lightweight, strong, with a thick, warm tone. The mahogany goes through the same rigorous selection process as all of Gibson’s woods, and is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled wood experts before it enters the Gibson factories.

Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees. This ensures all woods are dried to a level of “equilibrium,” where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, in addition to reducing the weight. It also helps with improving the woods’ machinability and finishing properties. Consistent moisture content means that a Gibson guitar will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.

Dot Inlays

Over the years, the classic dot inlay has been one of the more traditional features of many Gibson models, including the SG. A figured, swirl acrylic gives these inlays that classic “pearl” look. They are inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps and doesn’t require the use of fillers.

US $2,750.00 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 11:13:34 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $2,750.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Nitrocellulose Finish

This guitar features a nitrocellulose finish–one of the most labor-intensive elements of the guitar-making process–which dries to a much thinner coat than a polyurethane finish, meaning there is less interference with the natural vibration of the instrument, allowing for a purer tone.

A nitro finish is also a softer finish, which makes it easily repairable. You can touch up a scratch or ding on a nitro finish, but you can’t do the same on a poly finish. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous in nature, and actually gets thinner over time. It does not “seal” wood in an airtight shell–as a poly finish does–and allows the wood to breathe and age properly.

What’s in the Box

Gibson SG Special electric guitar, Gibson Deluxe Gig Bag, and owner’s manual.

List Price: $ 1,164.00

Price:

A guitar pick, or plectrum is used to pluck, or strum guitar strings; to improve sound, allow faster strumming, and reduce injury on fingers. You can just use your fingers, especially for picking, but a pick gives far more bite to notes, and hurts a lot less. There are many types of guitar picks to choose from: different materials, shapes, as well as sizes and colors. Some guitar picks are even used for special purposes, such as a double-sided pick for “double plucking.” This article explores some of the diffent types.

Different types of Guitar Pick

Guitar picks are commonly made out of plastic, but also bone, amber, rubber, felt, tortoiseshell, wood, stone, metals, and even gemstones. Each of the materials has it’s own unique sound, but also properties such as ease of grip, and durability. For instance, metal has a very distinct bright sound when plucked against a guitar string- but offers little grip. Tortoiseshell is one of the best for gripping, and sounds great, although an international ban on tortoise shell led to the creation of Tortex picks.

Choosing your favourite material is a matter of trying them all out, and deciding on which sound and grip works for your playing style- whether it be metal, bues, or jazz. If all else fails, weird guitar picks aren’t unheard of- from bone, to an Allen wrench- just about anything can become a useable plectrum!

Figure 1 - Traditional picks, a thumb pick, and a triangle pick example

Different gauges of guitar pick

The thickness of a guitar pick is very important. For instance, a thicker pick will give a harder sound, with more attack, and more control in tone, while a thinner pick will give more of a random and uncontrollable sound, but allows faster picking. Hard rock or metal players usually prefer thin picks – especially if they like to play fast riffs. These guitarists usually favour thinner strings, but players who use thicker gauges will often need thicker picks. Likewise, bass guitarists usually use thick picks. Thinner picks give less power, and have less durability- especially with complex techniques such as tremolo picking.

US $49.95 End Date: Sunday May-27-2012 12:17:56 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $49.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list

There are a few shapes and sizes to picks, as well. A shark’s fin pick will allow the use of pick scraping to be much easier. A sharp edged pick will give an edgier sound to one’s playing style. The equilateral pick is perfect for beginners- as it has no special qualities to master, and each corner can be used to play the guitar with. Some picks even wrap around an entire finger- such as the thumb pick that is available.

D’Andrea picks were the first to actually offer things such as custom imprinting, and developed many of the shapes and materials of picks that are still in use today. D’Andrea picks are still available today, since 1922. From the customization D’Andrea picks started, other companies have followed suit. Today, there are hundreds of styles, shapes, colors, and sizes of picks. In fact, picks made of precious gems are available toda. Of course, these picks don’t flex or bend- but they offer a unique sound and are very durable.

US $11.00 (17 Bids) End Date: Friday May-18-2012 18:40:30 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

Guitar picks are plentiful, and usually only cost a few dollars for a dozen of them. Some of the most mainstream picks are offered by Fender, and some less mainstream picks such as the Joe Satriani line of picks are available- although they cost more money. Choosing the guitar pick is the first step in mastering the guitar, and the next step would be to master picking techniques. It should be noted that if a more extravagant pick is desired, such as the gemstone picks, that you should make sure you don’t lose them- consider it a piece of good advice, picks are usually lost before they are broken.

• Tortex Picks
• Gem Stone Picks
• Weird Guitar Picks

A very good looking bass for sure; black on black is the classic rock look, and they simply sound just as good as they look. Perfect for rock, punk, metal…

Epiphone Les Paul Special Electric Bass Guitar, Black Satin

• Les Paul bass guitar in satin black. Serious Les Paul sustain
• Mahogany body with set (glued in) mahogany neck
• Rosewood fretboard with dot inlays; long scale (34″)
• Specially designed Alnico bass Humbucker pickups
• Width at nut: 1.65 inches
• All black hardware

List Price: $ 499.00

An amazing sounding bass that is amazingly affordable too. The Les Paul Special Bass from Epiphone takes it’s styling from the original Gibson Les Paul guitars of the 1950s. All-Mahogany construction, including the set, mahogany neck gives great sustain; every note is warm and lasting. Great bass tone comes from a pair of 442R Alnico bass humbucker pickups. The Pitch Black finish and blacked-out hardware complete the attitude.

Price:

Pickguard b/w/b/w/b fits Gibson Epiphone EB-3 SG Bass

US $35.95 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 16:43:12 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $35.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Epiphone Thunderbird IV Limited edition Custom Shop Bass

US $369.95 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 16:59:23 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $369.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list

More Epiphone Bass Products

I’ve known young guitarists change out tuning keys, and even buy new guitars because their old guitar would never stay in tune. In many instances it was just a matter of a poor setup, with nothing wrong with the guitar or any of it’s components.

But don’t worry, adjusting intonation is really very easy. All you need is a guitar tuner and a screwdriver. This article tells you how.

Plug your guitar into an electric guitar tuner, and tune the first string. Once it is perfectly in tune, play the same string at the octave (12th fret). What does the tuner say? Sharp? Flat? If it is not in tune, your guitar needs an intonation adjustment.

This is done by moving the relevant saddle by a very small amount. If the note was sharp, it needs to travel away from the bridge; if flat, towards the bridge. This is usually accomplished by turning a bridge screw.

This process of tuning the open string, testing at the twelfth fret, and adjusting where necessary should be repeated until each string is perfectly in tune up and down the fretboard.

In some instances, no matter how hard you try to intonate a string, it will never keep tune adequately. Old or damaged strings can cause such problems, as can incorrect strings, and silk windings extending too far onto the string, and onto the saddle.

Many older electric guitars from the 1950s and early 1960s have no means of intonation adjustment. Some have a one-piece bridge that  is not attached to the guitar top, and must be moved in entirety to make adjustments.

In short: learn how to intonate your guitar, it’s incredibly easy. Spend 10 minutes, and make sure you sound at your very best!

Well, with a Gibson Les Paul 60s tribute, you get 60s styling, Gibson quality, and a price point that us non-bankers can afford. A fine looker for sure, based on their 1960s Kalamazoo-built classics. And incredible value for money.

Gibson Les Paul Studio 60s Tribute Electric Guitar, Worn Cherry Sunburst

• Slim Taper Neck
• Dual P-90 soap bar single coil pickups
• Limited Edition
• gigbag included
• Comes with adjustment literature, and documentation for the guitar’s Limited Lifetime Warranty, along with Gibson’s 24/7/365 Customer Service.
• Dual P-90 soap bar single coil pickups and slim taper neck.
• Limited Edition and gigbag included.

The 1960s Tribute electric guitar consists of a basic Gibson Les Paul chassis with all the essential elements needed to rock including a Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece and Kluson-style tuners keep it all rock-solid and resonant and its gnarly P-90 tone stays true to the Les Paul style.

A solid, carved maple top and chambered mahogany body give the Les Paul Studio ’60s Tribute the same tonewood combination that has been helping Les Pauls rock for nearly 60 years. Authentic vintage-style finishes present a guitar with the look of a well played original, while the instrument’s unbound body and neck keep it in line with the popular Les Paul Studio line. The headstock of the Gibson Les Paul Studio 1960s Tribute is equipped with Grover Kluson style green keys. With a gear ratio of 14:1, these tuners deliver precision tuning in a durable housing that provides maximum protection for the gear and string post. The Gibson Les Paul’s Tune-O-Matic bridge, sets a standard for simplicity and functionality that has never been bettered. The Tune-O-Matic provides a firm seating for the strings, allowing the player to adjust and fine-tune the intonation and string height in a matter of minutes. Both the neck and bridge position pickups are equipped with cream-colored screaming single-coil P-90 pickups. The P-90 was the standard pickup on all Gibson guitars in the late 1940s and into the 1950s and because of its crisp, bright tone it has experienced resurgence in popularity with many of today’s modern rockers. These classic Gibson guitar pickups deliver sizzling, slightly gritty midrange roar. You’ll find that the P-90s’ high output and biting treble has more nuanced harmonic coloring than the typical single-coil pickup.

List Price: $ 1,399.00

Price:

Check out these great vintage guitar resources

• Gibson Les Paul – vintage Les Paul guitar information

Finger picking is a simple skill that can greatly improve your playing, and it isn’t just for folk and country players! If you are usually a pick player, you may just be surprised about the different textures that become open to you.

From pop and rock songs by the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, to the most obscure country blues guitarists, you may be surprised what songs were recorded fingerstyle.

Fingerstyle playing is very different tonally from pick playing; being softer, warmer and less aggressive, but also allowing a greater deal of harmonic complexity than straight chords and riffs. In a band situation it can really work wonders, creating extra space between rhythm and lead guitars.

This video is for the novice fingerpicker – but why not start at the beginning?

Go on, put the plectrum down and try something new. You might find a bit of fingerstyle is what your guitar playing needs.

The Thunderbird bass is a staple of rock and heavy metal bands everywhere. Gibson Thunderbirds cost an arm and a leg (well, Gibson’s always do…) but Epiphone Tbirds are very very affordable, and they just happen to sound great! Really great!

A fine looking bass, no mistake, and one that simply screams rock

• Four string electric bass guitar in vintage sunburst with classic shape and a classic sound
• Alder body with bolt-on maple neck
• Rosewood fretboard with dot inlays; 34-inch scale
• Dual TB Plus Humbucker pickups
• Black hardware, volume and tone controls

Featuring both a classic shape and a classic sound, the 4-string Epiphone Thunderbird IV bass guitar in vintage sunburst finish has a reverse body styling, carved top and the Thunderbird insignia on the pickguard. The alder wood body and generous bolted maple neck work together to deliver warm bass tone with plenty of attack from the dual TB Plus Humbucker pickups. Other features include a 34-inch scale, rosewood fingerboard with dotted inlay, 1.73-inch nut width, volume and tone controls, and black hardware.

List Price: $ 499.00

Price:

So why are the Epiphones so much cheaper than the Gibsons? Well they are not made in America, but is that it? Some friends of mine over at Fly Guitars suggested the following (they know everything you need to know about old Gibson basses there):

The primary difference between a Gibson Thunderbird  and an Epiphone Thunderbird is the construction method. The Gibson has a mahogany/walnut through-neck design, with mahogany wings – the Epiphone maple neck is bolted to the alder body, more akin to a Fender. The Epiphone is considerably easier to make.

Nothing says rock like a Thunderbird, and both the Gibson and Epiphone versions sound terrific. When you consider the price too, the Epiphone is the real winner. Rock!

EPIPHONE BASS BLACK GUITAR KOREA _4 30362

US $71.00 (10 Bids) End Date: Friday May-18-2012 10:39:42 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

2000 Epiphone Viola Electric Bass PERF, Flame Top & Back WITH TKL Hardshell Case

US $315.00 End Date: Friday May-18-2012 13:14:48 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $315.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

Find More Epiphone Bass Products

Check out these great vintage guitar resources

• Gibson Thunderbird – vintage Thunderbird information at FlyGuitars.com

For this months GuitarFact bass guitar review we’re going to have a closer look at this Ibanez bass

Quite a good looking Ibanez bass for sure; black on black underlying it’s rock credentials, but how does it play?

• PHAT II active bass boost offers additional
• low-end power on all GSR200 models
• GSR offers famous Soundgear pro comfort and playability at “entry level” prices
• The GSR series includes the most affordable 5- and 6-string basses of any major brand
• Phat II active bass boost adds additional low-end power to the affordable GSR200 models.
• GSR200′s powerful Powersound pickups deliver full tones and strong low-end.

GSRs offer famous Soundgear sleekness, comfort, tone, and playability. GSR Mikro basses are perfect for anyone who needs a compact axe or the comfort of a smaller neck.

Great for rock, superb for metal, this Ibanez has to be played to be believed!

List Price: $ 285.70

Price:

Find More Ibanez Bass Products