60 Years on Fender keeps on keepin on!!!

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2014/11/18/fender-instrument-change-guitar-industry/19232923/

Adam P Hunt is a freelance writer who has previously written for The Library Journal and Premier Guitar Magazine. We are so happy to have him join us here at Guitar Radio Show.com.

500 Words by Adam Hunt Separating Art from Artist

Any student of popular music will tell you that there have been some out and out weirdoes that have been involved with pop music. Sexual deviants, alcoholics, drug addicts, child molesters, racists, murderers, thieves, plagiarists, philanderers, you name it pop music has had them all.

Chances are a lot of the popular acts you know probably aren’t very nice people and being a bad person and being a great musician aren’t mutually exclusive.

At what point, however, does a person’s behavior become so egregious to warrant you issuing a personal listening ban of their music?

I can’t draw that line for you and it’s up to listeners to make that distinction for themselves.

There are several artists I like that have engaged in some pretty questionable behavior. Not to name names but one artist immediately comes to mind. He’s struggled with a well-publicized drug addiction and he’s had multiple dalliances with a telephone book’s worth of super models but he’s a great musician and songwriter.

While I do think it would fun to hang out with him for an afternoon I’m not sure I’d trust him with the keys to my car.

“Cackle, cackle… Thanks for the keys mate… Cackle, cackle… Do you know anywhere I can get some more 1916 Helsleck champagne? Patti and I have run out of Pernod-Ricard Perrier-Jouet and we’re just looking to keep the buzz going.”

“Sorry about the cigarette burns on the steering wheel of your Celica. The last time I through a butt of my Davidoff cigarette out of the window there was a riot of people trying to pick it off the street. Cackle, cackle… “

Recently a favorite musician of mine just had an affidavit filed against him by his wife accusing him of child abuse. This guy has the reputation of being taciturn, combative, vindictive, and has habitually withheld royalties to people signed to his record label and former band members.

In other words, he’s just a peach.

A little while ago I was chatting with a buddy of mine about Mr. Peachy. My buddy got a tattoo of the band that Mr. Peachy had cofounded and he was feeling a lot of regret about that decision.

Being the helpful guy I am I suggested he should get some cover up work done and send Mr. Peachy the bill.
I know where I draw the line where it comes to what I define as unacceptable behavior and there are some artists whom I used to like I believe have crossed that line and as a result I no longer listen to them.

By some accounts composer Richard Wagner was a pretty nasty individual but he made great art. One contemporary critic said of Wagner, “Wagner isn’t a musician, he’s a disease”.

Sure, Mr. So-and-So may be a better musician than I ever will be, or sell more recordings, or whatever but I’m not going to support them if I feel uncomfortable with their behavior or if I find their opinions offensive.

For more info go to https://www.dogtiredguitars.com/

The great Brian May pays 10,000 pounds for his number one guitar to ride beside him on his international flight.

I know if I could afford the extra seat for my beloved Six String I would do it without thinking!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2825048/Queen-guitarist-Brian-paid-10-000-buy-class-seat-guitar-board-British-Airways-flight.html

Go to http://toronzocannon.com/ For more info!

Adam P Hunt is a freelance writer who has previously written for The Library Journal and Premier Guitar Magazine. We are so happy to have him join us here at Guitar Radio Show.com.

500 Words by Adam Hunt Fane Speakers

Stop for a moment. What’s the first name that comes to your mind when some one says the words, “British speaker maker”? Chances are Fane isn’t the first name you may think of but Fane was every bit as important as Celestion when it came to creating the unique dialect of British amplifiers.

Widely used in many British companies Fane found their way into Marshall, Vox, Laney, WEM, HiWatt, Selmer, Orange and Sound City amps and cabinets. Fane became famous for a gutsy sound and speakers that could handle a lot of power partly due to their use of fiberglass voice coils, alnico magnets and solid construction.

Starting in 1958 Fane has had its ups and downs throughout its nearly sixty-year history and by the early 1980s Fane was in trouble. Musical tastes had changed, ownership of the company had shifted, and the cost of doing business in Britain was on the rise. After much effort and delay former Fane managing director, Neil Barnes, rescued Fane from oblivion.

Barnes was originally hired by Fane in 1966 as a press shop foreman and eventually worked his way up the ranks. After Fane sunk under the waves in the early eighties the company quickly changed hands several times and in 2007 Barnes was to secure the company.

Today Fane is a family owned company, Neil and son Mark Barnes and is partnered with a sister company Precision Devices. While Precision Devices focuses on high-end British made audio speakers, Fane has a broader product line and takes advantage of low cost high quality Chinese subcontractors.

In a 2013 interview for Audi Pro International Neil Barnes states, “It’s always a challenge to set up a manufacturing facility off-shore, but fortunately we’ve had a very smooth ride without any significant difficulties,” Neil continues. “We have an exceptional team in China sharing the same attitude, mindset and ethos as the team back here in the UK; there’s no us and them. We’re operating together in a seamless way. That’s the key – if you think on the same lines and work on the same lines, with the same dedication to the end result, then you’re most of the way there.”

“We use the example of Apple – it’s designed and engineered in the US, but assembled in China. If you form the right structure with the correct quality control in place, then you’re OK.”

For guitar players Fane produces two distinct lines of guitar speakers, the Medusa and the AXA series. The Medusa series is geared towards players who favor more classic rock sounds while the AXA still has a vintage flavor to them they are set up to handle an extreme amount of power.

For audiophiles Fane also produces a full range of speakers for home audio, studio and live music venues.

Fane, it seems is making a comeback. If you’re looking for a way to stand out in the mix or want to capture that missing element in your Vox, HiWatt, Laney or Orange reissues Fane may be just the thing you need.

Adam P Hunt is a freelance writer who has previously written for The Library Journal and Premier Guitar Magazine. We are so happy to have him join us here at Guitar Radio Show.com.

500 Words about Jack Bruce by Adam P Hunt

By now you may have already heard about the passing of former Cream member Jack Bruce. There’s also a good chance you may have already read several tributes to him by former band mates and people who are famous fans.
Even though John Symon Asher Bruce is best known for his short tenure with (arguably) the first “super group”, Cream, Bruce was somewhat of a musical prodigy prior to joining Cream having won a scholarship to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama due to his early mastery of the cello.
Bruce later would fall afoul with the school administrators due to his love of jazz. As a contemporary music listener it’s hard to appreciate how radical and challenging jazz was to the stayed and regimented world of classical music academies.
Like a lot of young English jazz musicians during the early sixties, Bruce found himself being increasingly pulled into the burgeoning R&B scene. Bruce would filter through a number of outfits including Blues Incorporated, led by “the founding father of British blues”Alexis Korner, and the Graham Bond Organization, both of which included Ginger Baker.
Although largely forgotten by contemporary audiences Blues Incorporated was an incredibly important figure in the British blues scene and at one point or another Blues Incorporate would include Charlie Watts, and Graham Bond. Blues Incorporate also attracted and occasional stage jumpers such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Rod Stewart, John Mayall and Jimmy Page.
In 1965 “God” (Eric Clapton) got tired of his of the pop direction the Yardbirds were going with their psychedelic hit “For Your Love” he decided to ventured out on his own. After a brief tenure with John Mayall Clapton again was looking for another gig.
On the behest of Ginger Baker invited Clapton to join a new group Baker was forming, the Cream. Clapton asked Bruce join as bassist but unbeknownst to Clapton Baker and Bruce were engaged in a long simmering feud that would lead to often volatile stage performances and a short life for Cream.
If airplay were any indication, Jack Bruce’s career started and stopped with Cream, but Bruce would record fourteen studio albums including the instrumental jazz “The Things We Like” with John McLaughlin, “Harmony Row” (Bruce’s favorite), and several albums with another short lived power trio West, Bruce and Laing.
Even though it did not chart well “The Things We Like” should be required listening for any fan of Miles Davis era John McLaughlin. Bruce had the ability not only to reign in but to play off of McLaughlin too. “The Things We Like” compositions ranged from bebop to free jazz proving that Bruce was every bit as good of a jazz player has he was a rock player.
Throughout his career Bruce would also play with Rory Gallagher, Gary Moore and Robin Trower.
Bruce also found a place in Ringo Starr’s touring and recording band and would eventually form one more super group with Vernon Reid, Cindy Blackman and John Medeski.
Bruce lived an excessive life. Eventually that excess would lead to a liver transplant shortly before Cream’s final reunion shows at Albert Hall and Madison Square Garden in 2005.

Are you ready for this? One of the most talented bass guitarists since Jaco sits down with us to discuss his unique approach to the instrument and the music he makes. don’t miss this one!

Download his latest release free here-

http://www.grantstinnett.com/#!free-download–support/cfu3

Adam P Hunt is a freelance writer who has previously written for The Library Journal and Premier Guitar Magazine. We are so happy to have him join us here at Guitar Radio Show.com.

500 Words by Adam Hunt In Defense of Relic Guitars

Contrary to popular belief the whole “relic” guitar thing didn’t start off as a request by Keith Richards. The story has been repeated enough times that it’s taken on a life of it’s own but again, the story isn’t true.

The truth of the matter is that artificially aging an instrument predates Antonio Stradivari and was done for the same reason why people like a “lived in” looking guitar, it has mojo.

I’ve owned or have played many vintage guitars throughout the years but nearly every one of them had issues. Issued that ranged from miss matched parts, like my ’59 ES 125 some one unceremoniously replaced the P90 with a ’72 “Gibson” humbucker, to structural issues like the pre War Martin that was constantly needing to go under the knife every couple of months in order to keep it in working order.

Don’t get me wrong when the pre War was working it was magic but it was also a money sink.

It seems to me that people get hung up on the six “pres” when it comes to vintage guitars:

•Pre WWII CF Martins
•Pre CBS Fenders
•Pre 1964 Gretsches
•Pre Norlin Gibsons
•Pre factory PRS
•Pre Kaman Hamer

There are plenty of fine examples of vintage guitars out there… for a price. Just recently I swung over to Ghrun Guitars to see what an early Fender Esquire would set you back, $28,000.

According to CNN Money the average household income for 2013 was $56,000.

That ’52 Esquire isn’t looking so good now is it?

For a 1/10th of what the ’52 would set you back there’s plenty of people who make vintage replicas.

Including Fender.

What I think gets up in the nose of vintage snobs is they fear that a modern reproduction will somehow affect the price of vintage originals. Historically that hasn’t proven to be the case so don’t loose any sleep over that particular issue.

The other criticism is that somehow a relic reproduction is cheating. If a relic guitar plays great, sounds great, and you don’t have to worry every moment you’re playing it because you are afraid you are diminishing its value, perhaps a relic may be viable alternative.

Sure, there are a good number of musicians who made vintage guitars the objet de desir they have become. The fact of the matter is many of them don’t tour with their vintage guitars and often times they have relic reproductions made just to use on stage.

Or, as in the case of Eric Clapton or Jeff Beck, they use modern guitars.

But even with a top dollar relic guitar it will never sound like a vintage original unless and until you play it through an all-original vintage amp with a vintage chord.

Period.

For me as a player the things I look for are playability, tone and reliability and if I can get those things through a relic guitar, awesome.