NAMM: Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs + Earl Slick & Orianthi
It was one of the coolest damn things ever: Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs with special surprise guests Earl Slick and Orianthi rocking the Duesenberg Guitars and 65 Amps party at the Imperial Ballroom in Fullerton, California as part of NAMM 2013. I had the stupidly good luck to be there with a few friends so I got to see this killer performance in person.
Check it out!
NAMM 2012: PRS SE Orianthi, Navarro, Fredrik Åkesson models
PRS continues to go from strength to strength with their SE line. The quality of these babies just keeps going up and up, and the variety and creativity of the sig models is pretty impressive too.
Opeth’s Fredrik Åkesson joins bandmade Mikael Akerfelt as an SE artist with this classy little number (Pics below). Single extra-deep cutaway for better upper fret access, maple top with quilted maple veneer and thick mahogany back, 24.5” scale length, 22 fret wide fat mahogany neck with ebony fretboard and PRS bird inlays, and TonePros adjustable stoptail bridge. As per Åkesson’s request the controls are flipped around with the treble pickup controls in front of the bass pickup controls. Makes sense to me, dude.
NEWS: Phil Collen, Jethro Tull, Orianthi, Sebastian Bach
Gibson Les Paul Custom Pro – click the pic for more info
Def Leppard Guitarist Has Silver Screen Dreams
Ian Anderson to Take Thick as a Brick on Tour
Orianthi Joins Alice Cooper’s Band
Sebastian Bach Loses Archive in Flood
Orianthi joins Alice Cooper’s band
Wow, rumour is that Damon Johnson has left to focus on Brother Cane, and as Orianthi confirmed on Twitter about an hour ago, she’s in! This’ll be cool! (Follow Orianthi on Twitter)
Check out Orianthi playing “School’s Out” with Alice on American Idol!
NEWS: Is this Vai’s new floral Jem?
Remember back in September when I interviewed Steve Vai and he mentioned a new floral-pattern Ibanez Jem on the horizon? Well that Jem wasn’t released at the NAMM Show, so where was it? Well, it may not have been at NAMM but it seems Steve did lug it along for a recording session with Mary J Blige the other day to lay down a cover of ‘Stairway to Heaven.’
Check out the photo below from the LA Times (click the pic for a close-up) – and check out the line-up for the session! Mary J. Blige on vocals, Steve Vai and Orianthi on guitar, Travis Barker on drums and Randy Jackson on bass. The producer is Ron Fair.
In September Steve said There’s always little innovations. We’re working on a new material pattern – remember the floral pattern? Oh my gosh, we’re doing something like that again but ah, the pattern is so gorgeous. When you see it you’re going to die. And also there’s one innovation, I can’t really tell you what it is, but it’s revolutionary. It’s one of those very simple, practical things that no-one ever did, and it’s just like, ‘Well duh!’
So what do you think? Is that the new floral Jem which is expected to make it into production soon (perhaps it’ll be premiered at Musikmesse or Summer NAMM)? Or is it one of Steve’s many one-offs? One hint that it may indeed be the real thing can be found here.
Photo: Andrew McLeod
VIDEO: Orianthi & Steve Vai – Highly Strung (plus making-of)
. Check out the video below, then the making-of video. And check out the album too – Orianthi’s guitar playing kicks ass.
NAMM 2010: PRS SE sigs: Opeth, Orianthi, Cradle of Filth, Shinedown, Black Label Society
PRS Announces Signature Artist SE Models at Winter NAMM 2010
January 14, 2010
A classic PRS sound with white pearloid birds and red sparkle finish, the Orianthi SE model is the very first signature model instrument bearing the guitar goddess’ name. It comes standard with a Korina back and maple top, 24 fret wide-thin maple neck with 25″ scale length and an ebony fretboard featuring white pearloid birds and an “O” at the 12th fret. The model also features PRS designed Tremolo and PRS designed tuners with nickel hardware and two humbucking pickups to give new and seasoned players alike a shiny new ax to grind.
“When I was approached about doing a signature model with PRS, I knew that in my career I had reached every goal I had wanted to reach. This model is based off of my two favorite PRS guitars, one being the first PRS I ever owned. This SE model holds up to both of those guitars as a players guitar that can take a beating….I have put everything I am into this guitar and can’t wait for you to hear it.” Zach Myers
Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth
As the lead vocalist and guitarist for the acclaimed death metal band Opeth, Mikael traverses the musical terrain with sounds that are “subject to savage punctuations of death metal fury at any given moment.” Akerfeldt once commented on the diversity of Opeth’s music. His new model follows suit with a singlecut mahogany body, maple top and flame maple veneer, maple neck with ebony fretboard, 24 jumbo frets, original PRS bird inlays, PRS designed tremolo bridge, gold hardware, HFS and Vintage Bass pickups, volume, tone, 3-way toggle. A Tortoise Shell finish with a Opeth “O” logo on body give this guitar a unique look to compliment a unique voice.
“I’m a writer, a rhythm, lead and acoustic player. I try to be as versatile as possible, that’s why I needed a guitar that can match those ambitions both live and in the studio. On top of things, it is proper eye candy too.” Mike Akerfeldt
SE Nick Catanese of Black Label Society
Nick Catanese and PRS have created a signature model SE worthy of Nick’s “Evil Twin” moniker. Starting with an extra-thick Singlecut mahogany body, the guitar tops off with a Gloss Black finish with red binding on body, neck and headstock, and and “Evil Twin” logo on body. The model also features a mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, 22 jumbo frets, no inlays, TonePros adjustable stoptail bridge, and EMG 81 and 85 pickups with red pickup rings. Other appointments include volume, tone and 3-way toggle on upper bout.
“I have a home that knows how to make an elegant weapon. PRS is a guitar players home.” Nick Catanese
Paul Allender of Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth guitarist’s ever popular model is updated with new pickups and new colors for a filthy new take on Paul Allender’s namesake ax. Now available in available in Emerald Green Burst or Scarlet Red Burst, the double-cutaway mahogany body still has a flame maple veneer and a special arm carve. Additional features include rounded edges on the body, maple neck with ebony fretboard, 24 jumbo frets and the bats in flight inlay. New EMG 89 and 81-TW pickups with coil tapping give the guitar an updated sound, and a tremolo bridge, nickel hardware, push-pull volume, push-pull tone and 3-way toggle switch are also featured.
“More metal than your gran’s left hip.” Paul Allender
LINK: http://www.prsguitars.com/.
Hi! I'm Peter Hodgson. I write for Gibson.com, Australian Guitar, Australian Musician, Mixdown Magazine (including my instructional column, 'Unleash Your Inner Rock God,' which has been running since 2007), Blunt, Beat (including their weekly hard rock/metal column Crunch) and The Brag. And I'm Assistant Social Coordinator with Seymour Duncan.
I've been playing guitar since I was 8 years old, and I've been writing for magazines since I was 18. I've also worked as a guitar teacher (up to 50 students a week), a setup tech, a newspaper editor, and I've also dabbled in radio a little bit. I live in Melbourne, Australia, and my hobbies include drinking way too much coffee, and eating way too much Mexican food.
You can check out my guitar playing at Bandcamp or on YouTube, and feel free to email me at iheartguitarblog@gmail.com