Dive into the complete episode list for Ask Zac. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
Zac talks about Steuart Smith's long and fruitful career as a session man and touring guitarist. His beginnings with Rodney Crowell through his current work with the Eagles is covered along with his session highlights and what gear he has used through the years.
On the anniversary of Reggie Young's passing, January 17, 2019, Zac Childs pays tribute to him in this episode of Ask Zac. Reggie was more than a great guitarist, he was a great person. Through personal anecdotes, and sharing those of others that Zac has collected, we get a look at Reggie the man. Also in this episode, Zac dissects the intro, verse, and chorus guitar parts of "Drift Away." He also covers Young's gear through the years, and how at heart, Reggie was a bit of a gear minimalist, relying on a 1957 Strat, 1969 Telecaster, BF Deluxe Reverb, and a small pedalboard for much of his career.
Zac's gear for this video 1967 Telecaster - D'Addario XL120+ 95-44 strings https://amzn.to/3a5qxVi
1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker Reggie inspired Board: Vintage MXR Script logo Dyna Comp Boss Volume Pedal Boss DD-2 Delay 1980 TC Electronic Chorus pedal, modified by XTS to use 18v DC Boss TU-12H Truetone CS6 for power https://amzn.to/38S9rZK Also on board, but not used: Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive Demeter Tremulator
I have a deep love of Telecasters and Telecaster-style guitars. In late 2019, I received my special ordered Danocaster Blackguard with a Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and a Julian Lage (Neck) pickup. I demonstrate the Danocaster and also share my long friendships with both Dan Strain and Ron Ellis, and share what makes them both such in-demand creators of fantastic musical tools.
If you are interested in a Danocaster guitar, follow him on Instagram. There he lists instruments that he builds. He is not currently doing custom builds, only what he posts on Instagram is available for sale.
Tips & Tricks for Soundhole Pickups - ASK ZAC EP 4
00:12:15
To Support the Channel: Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at - www.askzac.com
In the Daniel Lanois autobiography, Soul Mining, Lanois tells of using Bill Lawrence soundhole pickups, a trick he learned from U2's The Edge. After reading, I was reminded of an interview I did with John Leventhal for Vintage Guitar Magazine back in 2017. When interviewing John, he spoke of his live electric setup, and that of his acoustic, that was a bit more complex than most as he used both an internal transducer going to a DI box, and a soundhole pickup through effects into a guitar amp. In this episode of Ask Zac, I talk about how to use the "Leventhal" dual-pickup setup, and what it has to offer.
In our first Viewer Mailbag episode, I answer some questions from viewers. First up, I was asked to compare the APC Adder Tele neck pickup in the Crook Paisley with the Ron Ellis "Julian Lage" neck pickup in the Danocaster Blackguard. For completeness' sake, I also bring out my original 1967 Telecaster and demonstrate its original neck pickup sound. Next, I cover some practice tips, and what I wished I had practiced when I was younger. I then get a bit preachy about bringing new, untested gear to rehearsals.
Gear Used: Guitars: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/ 2014 Crook Custom Vintage Paisley APC Adder (Neck) Peter Florance TE-60 (Bridge) http://www.crookcustomguitars.com/ 1967 Fender Telecaster - stock pickups
James Burton is one of the most important, and influential guitarists of all time, and in this episode of Ask Zac, I answer "why." To do this, I demonstrate some of his playing techniques, talk of his very early use of light gauge strings, and the exposure he had due to his appearing on the Ozzie and Harriet Show, Shindig, and many filmed concerts with Elvis and others.
Note: I relate a story Burton told me of Forrest White visiting an Elvis show in 1969 representing Fender. Forrest left Fender in 1966. It was probably someone else high up with Fender, not Forrest. I mention Rock-n-Roll Circus, and I meant Carnival Rock as the movie that Burton appears in with Bob Luman. Also special thanks to Steve Fishell for writing the June 1984 Guitar Player magazine feature on James Burton that made me a fan of James years ago.
Bobby Womack was an underrated master of R&B Guitar, who influenced many, wrote the book, and/or popularized much of what is considered the R&B guitar vernacular. From his use of sixths, sliding fifths, and double-stops, he helped stamp out a much-copied style of guitar. I walk through his time with the Valentinos, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and his own two first solo records cut in Memphis at American Studios. He was also one of the cats that helped make the Telecaster the de facto R&B guitar.
Zac's gear for this video 1967 Telecaster - D'Addario XL120+ 95-44 strings https://amzn.to/3a5qxVi 1967 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker Pedalboard: Vintage MXR Script logo Dyna Comp Boss TR-2 Tremolo Boss Volume Pedal Boss DD-2 Delay Boss TU-12H Tuner Truetone CS6 for power https://amzn.to/38S9rZK George L's cables #askzac#guitartech#telecaster
Tom's correction is in the video here. YT won't let you edit videos that are already published. • In response to Za...
The Nobels ODR-1 has been around for a while, but it was not always seen as a "cool" overdrive pedal. Looking back, there is one man that really spearheaded its popularity, and his name is Tom Bukovac. In this episode, I show how Tom evangelized the Nobels to players all over Nashville and beyond and made it one of the most prized overdrive pedals to own.
Gear Used: Guitars: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
In the latest Ask Zac, we answer some viewer questions concerning who played lead guitar on Conway Twitty's "Tight Fittn' Jeans" and what a typical day as Brad Paisley's guitar tech looked like. While reminiscing about my Paisley days, I also share a funny story about a t-shirt fiasco.
Note: Lew Houston was the pedal steel player with Conway Twitty doing the chickn' pickin' on the "Workin' Girl" clip I mention. Thanks to Jeff McLeod for catching that.
Everyone needs a crazy thrown-together parts guitar. Why? Because you never have to stop modifying them! In this episode, I give the story behind my Tele that I have toured all over the world with and changed everything on it except the body's finish. My Frankenstein even has a Joe Glaser B-Bender that I had installed back in 1997. I show a few bender licks, and also share how the large brass 6-saddle bridge changed the tone of it.
Gear Used: 1982 Kubicki Tele body with Danocaster soft V maple neck APC Adder (Neck) Ron Ellis 60T (Bridge)
Strings: D'Addario 9.5-44 strings EXL120+
Amp: 1967 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion V30 speaker Cables: George L's. Effects: Mirage Compressor Boss DM-3 Delay Power: Truetone CS6 #askzac#guitartech#telecaster
The Ibanez Mostortion is one of my all-time favorite dirt boxes. Besides giving some history, I also demo it with my Ron Ellis pickup-equipped Danocaster Blackguard and even share some great ways to use the powerful EQ section of the Mostortion circuit to get some killer tones.
GEAR USED: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker effects used: Mirage compressor pedal Ibanez Mostortion Line 6 Echo Park 9v power via Truetone CS6 https://amzn.to/38S9rZK
Clips from the Truetone Lounge with guests using Mostortion pedals
The Boss VB-2 Vibrato - One Of The Greatest Boss Pedals EVER - ASK ZAC - EP 12
00:12:00
To Support the Channel: Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at - www.askzac.com
I focus on the Boss VB-2 Vibrato in the continuing "favorite pedals" series. It is a killer pedal, that Boss improved upon with their more recent VB-2W "Waza Craft" version. Where the old one had noise/hiss issues when bypassed, the Waza Craft version has a special bypass mode that addresses the original"s weak point. The original pedal has been used to great effect by John Jorgenson with the Desert Rose Band, Neil Finn with Crowded House, Prince, and Buddy Miller.
GEAR USED: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Strings: Ernie Ball Regular Slinky 10-46
1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker effects used: Boss VB-2W https://amzn.to/39T5CVJ Power by battery #askzac #guitartech #telecaster
A good friend of mine gifted me a Squier Bass VI, and I have had so much fun learning about the instrument, and how to use it in both performance and recording environments. In this episode, I share both the Danelectro 6 string bass and the Fender Bass VI's history, and the players that put them both on the map. I also give some EQ, effect, and playing tricks for 6-string bass guitars.
Ask Zac Intro music breakdown and James Burton's "Ooh Las Vegas" lick - ASK ZAC EP - 14
00:19:03
To Support the Channel: Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at - www.askzac.com
In today's Ask Zac, I show James Burton's intro to the Gram Parsons tune "Ooh Las Vegas," and breakdown the Ask Zac intro music. I also cover some of my thoughts on setup and getting a good Telecaster tone.
Today we talk about B-Benders. I cover some of the untold stories of the B-Bender, showing some of the missing pieces of the story, including that of the Dean Porter bender, and the Dave Evans Pullstring. I also spend some time showing some fun B-Bender licks.
I first played through a mid 60's Deluxe Reverb amp as a 13-year-old in South Texas in 1986. It took me over 24 years of wandering, but I finally came back to the Deluxe Reverb in 2010, and have been happy ever since. In this Ask Zac, I take you on my wandering through the tonal amp desert, that finally got me back to the venerable Deluxe Reverb, and also give some nitty-gritty info on how I set my amps, which tubes I use, and what type of speaker I prefer.
I love maple cap neck Telecasters, and I give you the why, and the history of these guitars that were only made in large quantities from 1966-1968. The maple cap necks began to appear after Fender switched from maple necks to maple necks with a separate rosewood fretboard in 1959. Holdouts wanted a maple neck, so Leo began to quietly offer guitars that had a separate maple fretboard. These "maple cap" necked Telecasters lack a skunk stripe on the back of the neck, or the walnut plug on the headstock. The earliest versions are from around 1962 and 1963. By 1966 they are standard issue, and are being produced in large quantities. In early 1969, Fender reverts to 1 piece maple necks with the skunk stripe, and the maple cap neck era is over.
Gear for this video 1967 Telecaster - D'Addario XL120+ 9.5-44 strings 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker #askzac#guitartech#telecaster
At an early age, I fell under the spell of Steve Cropper watching the Blues Brothers movie. From there, I went back and became familiar with all of his incredible work with Atlantic, and Stax/Volt records with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Booker T and MG's and many others. Through reading guitar magazines in the 1980's I first heard of this strange amp called a Fender Harvard. Fast forward to 2016, when I finally found and purchased a 1959 Harvard, and it became part of my small stable of favorite amps. In this episode, I give some history on both Cropper and the Harvard and demonstrate the unique sound that makes it, in my opinion, the best small tweed amp Fender ever made.
For many years I had heard about Fender Rock-N-Roll strings, and how they were used by Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, Cornell Dupree, Roy Buchanan, Jimi Hendrix, and many, many others. They were pretty much the standard for light gauge strings until Ernie Ball and D'Addario started eating up Fender's market share in the 1980s. I found out that the set was a strange gauge by modern standards (10,13,15,26,32,38) and that they were of different construction, having pure nickel wound strings, with round cores. Most modern wound strings are nickel-plated steel and on a hexagonal core. Fender stopped regular production of the set years ago, but I found that Pyramid made a "Jimi Hendrix" inspired set, that is to the exact specs of the old Fender set, and decided to try them. In the video, I start off with my regular D'Addario 9.5-44 set with nickel-plated steel/hex core wound strings, and then change strings on my 1967 Telecaster, and let you hear the difference.
Gear for this video 1967 Telecaster - D'Addario XL120+ 9.5-44 strings https://amzn.to/3a5qxVi Then switch to the Pyramid set mentioned above 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker
Correction: There were 2 string factories in Battle Creek, MI. GHS, and VC Squier. Fender was supplied strings by VC, and then Fender bought them out in the early 1960s. The Fender String factory in Battle Creek was shuttered in 1981. Fender owned the Squier name and used this for a line of guitars starting in the early 1980s.
Ever since I heard "Rainy Night in Georgia," and I found out who the guitar player was, I have been a fan of Cornell Dupree. In this episode, I give a bit of history and show some of his playing techniques, such as sixth, 4th's, and double stops, and how his choice of strings probably influenced his bending and tone.
After my amp videos on the Deluxe Reverb and the Fender Harvard, I had a number of requests for a head-to-head comparison of them. I also answer questions about brass vs steel saddles on Telecasters, good Tele-type guitars at a reasonable price, under $3,000 option for a bender equipped guitar, and why Leo gave the Tele a square neck heel, and the Strat a rounded one.
GEAR USED: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Strings: Ernie Ball 10,13,16, 24, 32, 42. Made from singles I had. Nickel-Plated Steel. A non-pure nickel variation of the Rock-N-Roll set.
1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker 1959 Harvard with Jensen P10R
Axcess Electronics BS2 Buffer with isolation transformer (to deal with ground loop) Live Wire (Guitar Center In-House Brand) ABY Switch (Copy of the Morley ABY) https://amzn.to/3b4fZXi#askzac#guitartech#telecaster
It might seem subtle, but it isn't. Tremolo before overdrive produces a much more interesting tone because the tremolo is fluctuating the amount of signal going into the overdrive so the sound is getting dirtier and cleaner as the signal goes up and down. It is amazing how much we take for granted what order we think effects should be in, and how we should really experiment to find out what we like better, instead of just doing what everyone else does. Along the way, I talk a bit about Pops Staples, and I also compare my 1965 Deluxe Reverb amp's tremolo with the Analogman modified Boss TR-2 on my board.
GEAR USED: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Strings: Ernie Ball 10,13,16, 24, 32, 42. Made from singles I had. Nickel-Plated Steel. A non-pure nickel variation of the Rock-N-Roll set.
1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker effects used: Mirage compressor pedal Boss TR-2 Tremolo Ibanez Mostortion 9v power via Truetone CS6 https://amzn.to/38S9rZK
Like most of you, I have been listening to a lot of music lately while stuck at home. With all of the "Top 10" lists, I thought I would list off the 10 albums that influenced me the most, and why.
The Albums: Bob Wills - Tiffany Transcriptions Vol 5 Merle Travis - The Merle Travis Guitar Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant - 2 Guitars Country Style Elvis - The Sun Sessions Chet Atkins - Mister Guitar Buck Owens - I've Got A Tiger By The Tail Merle Haggard - I'm A Lonesome Fugitive Albert King - Born Under A Bad Sign Emmylou Harris - Luxury Liner Delbert McClinton - Live From Austin
Honorable additions Lester "The Road Hog" Moran - Alive at the Johnny Mack Brown High School Fabulous Thunderbirds - First Album JJ Cale - Naturally Willie Nelson - Stardust
I bought a mandolin after seeing two of my favorite guitarists, Albert Lee & John Jorgenson play mandolin on TV in the early 90s. I loved the sound, and the real change of color and tone they offered the bands they were playing in by putting down their electric guitars and picking up the mandolin. Wanting to be like my heroes, I bought a mandolin and began a long and fruitful journey that I hope you too will consider going on. In this Ask Zac, I cover a few essential techniques for the guitarist to know when they begin playing mandolin, and some mandolin features to look for that make a huge difference in their playability for guitar players.
Pick and fingers is a fabulous "picking hand" technique. In the beginning, it can seem clumsy, and daunting, but it is very rewarding once mastered. In this episode I spell out my first experience seeing a guitarist using this technique in the mid-1980s, and how a Danny Gatton Instructional video from that era really helped me "get it" by separating out the picking hand and fretting hand parts to make for a more bite-sized lesson.
GEAR USED: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Strings: Ernie Ball 10,13,16, 24, 32, 42. Made from singles I had. Nickel-Plated Steel. A non-pure nickel variation of the Rock-N-Roll set.
Sometimes saying "yes" can change your trajectory in fantastic ways. I am so glad I said "yes" when I was offered a column with Vintage Guitar Magazine 16-years ago.
Like many, I started cleaning out and fixing things around the house during this crazy time of isolation. While looking at my overcrowded bookshelves, I decided to take the 16-years worth of Vintage Guitar Magazines, and cut out all of the columns, featured articles, and product reviews I had written. It was a wonderful process for me, both to look back and appreciate the wonderful opportunities that have come my way through working with VG Magazine, and the fact that I cleared out a bunch of space on my bookshelves. During this time, I also was asked, "How did you start writing for Vintage?" Well here is that story, and also how that eventually begat this Ask Zac Channel.
For years, I lugged around a huge pedalboard that weighed as much as a combo amp. After making multiple trips to my car for all my gear, I started getting weary of the big board. Through doing the Truetone Lounge interviews, I got to see quite a few large boards, but I was most intrigued by the players that got the most from small pedalboards. The two minimalistic cats that stuck out were Guthrie Trapp and John Leventhal. Both had small boards and both created a variety of wonderful tones with simple rigs. It was then that I decided to make my own, minimalistic grab & go board.
Gear used in Video: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Strings: Ernie Ball 10,13,15, 24, 32, 42. Nickel-Plated Steel. A non-pure nickel variation of the famous Rock-N-Roll set.
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
Effects used:
TC Polytune Mirage compressor pedal AnalogMan Boss TR-2 Tremolo Ibanez Mostortion Overdrive Boss DM-3 Delay Line 6 Echo Park Delay 9v power via Truetone CS6
As you can tell from my videos, I am a dyed-in-the-wool Telecaster guy. However, if I am playing electric, and the faithful Tele is not cutting it, I am going to first reach for a Strat. Besides the different sounds it offers, I also get more variation by setting the action higher on the Strat, and by floating the vibrato to keep me from steel guitar bends. In this video, I talk about what I think are essential mods, and what I use a Strat for.
Gear used in Video: 2018 Danocaster Double-Cut (1955 Stratocaster Style) with Ron Ellis 50/60 FAT pickups. Soft V neck, ash body, faded Inca Silver finish. Raw Vintage Trem Springs https://danocaster.com/
Strings: Ernie Ball 10,13,16, 24, 32, 42. Nickel-Plated Steel. A non-pure nickel variation of the famous Rock-N-Roll set.
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
Most guitar players make many gear purchases based on what their heroes use. This is fine in itself, but what is more difficult, is to know when their gear is not working for us. And to keep from getting too philosophical, I also dissect some of the licks and parts to "Quarantine Man Blues" that I play at the top of the show.
Here is the best playing advice I have ever received. Also, I had to share James Burton's outro on "Ooh Las Vegas" that Heitor Crespo at Ultimate Elvis Guitar was kind enough to show me how to play.
Please support the channel by going to my store at www.AskZac.com
After my past Mostortion episode, John Lomas, the designer contacted me. When preparing that episode, I had not been able to track him down. Recently, we spoke on the phone, and I was able to get "The Rest Of The Story" on this Nashville favorite. Also, I wanted to keep up the pick and finger exercises with a couple of Atkins/Travis licks I learned from my "Guitar Dad," Pat Grogan.
To Support the Channel, go to my store at - www.askzac.com
Gear used in Video: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Although I started on the guitar in 1985, by 1992 I was a full-fledged Telecaster guy. In the ensuing decades, I have not deviated an iota from my love of the senior solid-body guitar. Here I tell how I fell for the Telecaster, and how the simple, pure elegance of the Telecaster design gives it an edge over all of its many electric guitar brethren.
Gear for this video 1967 Telecaster - stock except for steel compensated saddles, and the tone control is wired to the bridge pickup only.
Pyramid "Jimi Hendrix" pure nickel round-core string set
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
In this episode, I spell out some philosophies and techniques that have helped my soloing improve.
1. Getting a Looper Pedal (I use an MXR Clone Looper) https://amzn.to/2AwoM7o 2. Singing a solo over the changes 3. Finding Rhythmic and Melodic Motifs 4. Limiting Myself - Play like a hero, or with a different sound 5. Become a guitar tinkerer. Make what I steal my own.
To Support the Channel, go to my store at - www.askzac.com
Gear used in Video: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10,12,16, 24, 34, 44.
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
Pete Anderson Telecaster Trendsetter - ASK ZAC EP 35
00:19:42
CORRECTION: Pete used 7 out of the 21 stockpiled Yoakam originals on each of the first 3 albums they released together.
Pete Anderson turned Nashville on its ear with his playing and production on Dwight Yoakam's 1986 release, Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. His use of a Tele and Fender Deluxe Reverb amp, instead of the Music City norm of a Strat going direct with heavy chorus, made Dwight's record stand-out, and radio and record buyers responded by quickly turning Yoakam into a bonafide star. In this AZ episode, I give some backstory on Anderson, show some of his licks, and how his work ethic and street smarts paid off for him.
To Support the Channel, go to my store at - www.askzac.com
All of us start playing guitar for various reasons. Here is my story, and please share yours below.
To support the show: go to www.askzac.com and visit the store
Gear used in Video: 2018 Danocaster Double-Cut (1955 Stratocaster Style) with Ron Ellis 50/60 FAT pickups. Soft V neck, ash body, faded Inca Silver finish. Raw Vintage Trem Springs https://danocaster.com/
The purpose of today's episode is to put forth the question, can we start using the chorus effect again without being subjected to ridicule? After the overuse of it in the 80s and '90s, it has become the pariah of effects. Should it be freed after its nearly 20-year quarantine, or does it deserve to continue to be an outcast?
To support the show: go to www.askzac.com and visit the store
Gear used in Video: 2018 Danocaster Double-Cut (1955 Stratocaster Style) with Ron Ellis 50/60 FAT pickups. Soft V neck, ash body, faded Inca Silver finish. Raw Vintage Trem Springs https://danocaster.com/
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
Effects used: Sonic Research Turbo Tuner Mirage compressor pedal Karma MTN-10 Mostortion Clone Arion SCH-1 Chorus Boss DD-2 Delay TC Chorus/Flanger SCF from the early 80s 9v power via Truetone CS6 https://amzn.to/38S9rZK#askzac#guitartech#telecaster
With my "Why The Deluxe Reverb is the Best Amp" video, many of you asked for a comparison between one of my 60's Deluxe Reverb amps, and the new Tone Master modeling amp. Well here it is, my unvarnished take on the amp, and I have to say that Fender did a great job on the Tone Master.
Gear used in Video: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10,12,16, 24, 34, 44.
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp: 1967 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker Tone Master Deluxe Reverb https://amzn.to/2ZppSLG
Even though I am a Tele-Guy, there are times when you just need a Les Paul. In today's AZ, I tell how I finagled my way into the Gibson Custom Shop and was able to go through 35 R9 (1959 Reissues) to find the one that checked all the boxes, lightweight, gorgeous top, and acoustically loud. Also, I explain what mods I have done, and what pickups I landed with after a long search.
Gear used in Video: 2008 Gibson R9 1959 Reissue - Underwound Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups
Strings: D'Addario XL120+ 9.5-44
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp: 1967 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
This episode of AZ was inspired by finding a 1983 JV bound 62 reissue Telecaster recently, and from a past Truetone Lounge interview with John Jorgenson in 2017. In the interview, Jorgenson mentioned that he used a "JV Telecaster" on the first two Desert Rose Band albums, including the iconic solo to "Hello Trouble." In addition to that, he later told me that he used the same guitar for the Hellecaster's first album, The Return of the Hellecasters, on "Highlander Boogie" and "Back On Terra Firma." After John piqued my interest, I was surprised how hard it was to find info on the JV Telecasters, especially the TL62 models like he used. The best information I could find was from the website 21Frets, older sales listings, and original Japanese catalogs from the early 80s. Here I lay out the beginnings of Fender Japan, the short-lived JV series (1982-1984), John's use of the guitar, and the story of finding my own 1983 TL62 JV Fender Telecaster.
People often ask me what it takes to be a guitar tech, and how to find a job as one. Here I lay out some important considerations for anyone wanting to pursue a position as a guitar tech.
The decision to do a Klon focused episode was made easy by a good buddy loaning me his gold horsie Klon, and by the fact that I also had access to a silver horsie version. For this AZ, I wanted to set the context for the birth of this storied pedal by explaining what trends were occurring in music retail, and how that and the new collectible pedal market set the stage for both Bill Finnegan's Klon and the other boutique builders.
In this episode, we take a trip in the Wayback Machine and take a look at my 1992 era pedalboard.
After last week's Klon, and the birth of boutique episode, I thought about what was my rig was back in the early 90s. Besides the original TS808, that is long gone, I still had all of the pedals I used, and even the plastic Boss BCB6 pedalboard that I used back then. I go through the board, giving a demo, and a bit of history including what they cost new, and what that would be adjusted for inflation now. You won't believe how much a Boss DD-2 would cost in today's dollars new!
Gear Used: 1982 Kubicki Tele body with Danocaster soft V maple neck Glaser B-Bender circa 1996 APC Adder (Neck) Ron Ellis 60T (Bridge)
Amp: 1967 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
Effects used: Boss PSM-5 Master Switch Boss TU-12H Tuner Boss CS-2 Compressor Ibanez reissue TS808 Demeter Tremulator "Early Red Knob" Tremolo Boss DM-2 delay Boss DD-2 digital delay Boss BCB-6 pedalboard with original daisy chain and Mogami patch cables Power via 1990's Boss PSA 120 - 9v dc old style transformer 120v #askzac#guitartech#telecaster
How do changing bridges, saddles, and perhaps even tuners affect your guitar's tone? Today I take that on, looking at vintage style 3-saddle bridges vs heavy brass 6-saddle bridges, what to expect going from steel to brass saddles, and what happens when you install die-cast tuners. I close the show with a nod to one of the great Telecaster players in Nashville, Bill Hullett. I was reminded of him recently after watching Fender's release video for the Brent Mason Telecaster, where Joe Glaser refers to Hullett as "Mr. Telecaster." I also begin the show by playing Bill's fantastic intro to Radney Foster's "Just Call Me Lonesome."
Back in 1996, I got a call on a Saturday night from a drummer friend asking me to go on a 30-day run of dates in Wyoming and New Mexico. And by the way, we leave Monday. We were playing clubs 6-nights a week, 5 hours a night, with Sundays off to travel to the next show. I experienced some of the craziest gigs of my life, and probably learned more than I did in a year of lessons. I also tip the hat to the great Jim Weider. He played in The Band after Robertson, and made a video that influenced me a ton, "Get That Classic Fender Sound."
I love relics when they are done well, but must say that there are few things uglier than when aging is done badly. In today's AZ, I retell the story of seeing Joe Glaser age a pickup cover in a restoration project, long before the beginning of the Fender relics. I also dispel the often-told story that the Relic series happened after Fender sent some guitars to Keith Richards, and he indicated "Go beat them up, they look too new." It never happened according to the former head of the Fender Custom Shop, John Page, Master Builder J. Black, and Vince Cunetto. I end the episode showing an old-school hot lick, that is guaranteed to turn heads.
Gear used in Video: 2019 Danocaster Blackguard (1953 Telecaster Style) with Ron Ellis 52T (Bridge) and Julian Lage (Neck) https://danocaster.com/
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10,12,16, 24, 34, 44.
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp: 1967 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
I remember vividly seeing this "new" guitarist play on TV in the early 90s. He had this crazy-looking gray Tele, with a mini in the neck, a Strat in the middle, and boy howdy could he play! Of course, that guitarist was Brent Mason, and he has gone on to be one of the most recorded, and influential players to ever set foot in Nashville, TN. Today we take a look at the new Fender Brent Mason Telecaster, walk through some of its cool features, and talk a bit about Brent too.
In the continuing series, of how the various components affect tone, today's chapter is on wood. As to not spread too wide of a net, I stick to old-school Fender used woods ash, alder, pine, and basswood, when covering bodies, and solid maple, maple cap, and rosewood board necks. #askzac#guitartech#telecaster
Today I take a look at our obsession with vintage guitars. It all started with a good friend calling me and informing me that he was going to sell a high-end boutique amp and guitar, so he could afford a vintage guitar. Although I supported him in doing it, I also had to look at what drives me and so many others to become obsessed about owning instruments that were made before many of us were born. Being that I also own, and feature in my show, guitars built by current builders, I look at what amazing instruments we have to choose from in modern built instruments. Without getting too edgy, I try to expose how the vintage guitar market is firmly in the "collectibles" category, and how volatile values can be, and how pricing is actively manipulated so the values of them will continue to rise. As a bonus to those that make it to the end, I am ending each episode by showing a lick or playing concept.
Gear for this video 1967 Telecaster - stock except for steel compensated saddles, and the tone control is wired to the bridge pickup only.
Strings: Ernie Ball 10,13,15,24,32,42
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp: 1967 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
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For my 50th episode, I take a look at the guitar reference books that have influenced me the most. I also continue my lick of the week showing some of Joe Walsh's faux steel licks he used in a recent concert with the Eagles on "Peaceful Easy Feeling." Some of the licks Joe used are variations of Bernie Leadon's guitar parts on the original recording.
1. The Guitar Book, by Tom Wheeler
2. The Fender Telecaster by A.R. Duchossoir
3. Fender: The Sound Heard Round The World by Richard Smith
4. The Beauty of the Burst
5. The Blackguard Book: Nacho still has a few copies, but the prices are even higher than I stated in the video. Since my purchase of one a couple years ago, they have risen to $250. You can reach Nacho here: info(at)nachoguitars.com
Honorary mention: Arlen Roth's Complete Electric Guitar
Today I spotlight a multi-instrumentalist, and a criminally underrated Telecaster player, Ricky Skaggs. Besides his remarkable guitar work, I also looked at the unique way that he ended up as his own Telecaster player after Ray Flacke left his band. Also, I show some great Skaggs-influenced B-bender and non-bender licks.
This is a walkthrough of Broadcaster/Esquire/Nocaster/Telecaster bridge pickups from 1950-1969. Thanks to Ron Ellis for his invaluable help in making this video. 2-weeks ago, I released an episode on pickups, and I found I had included some erroneous information on Broadcaster pickups. I immediately pulled the video from YouTube, and have now re-shot it with the correct information.
Gear for this video 1967 Telecaster - stock except for steel compensated saddles, and the tone control is wired to the bridge pickup only.
Albert Lee - The Father of Modern Tele Players - Ask Zac 53
00:23:38
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Albert Lee's playing floored me when I heard it on Eric Clapton's "Just One Night" album. I soon began racing down the rabbit hole learning as much as I could about his playing style, gear, and buying every album I could find that listed him on the credits. This episode is a tribute to Albert, and the huge influence he has had on electric guitar players in Country & all roots-based music styles.
CORRECTION - The "Stars On The Water" rhythm part was both Albert Lee and Hank DeVito. They played the same part but were panned hard left and right. Hank indicated he used his Esquire and a Vox AC30 on the track. DeVito is an esteemed steel player, guitarist, songwriter, and photographer. As a musician, he was an original member of Emmylou's Hot Band, Rodney Crowell's Cherry Bombs, and later performed with the Everly Brothers. As a songwriter, Hank wrote or co-wrote many well-known tunes including "Queen of Hearts," "Sweet Little Lisa," and "Small Town Saturday Night." His photography graces the cover of a number of albums, including Rosanne Cash's King's Record Shop.
Also, "You're Still On My Mind" was written by Luke/Jeff Daniels in 1959
You asked for it, so here is my look at a smattering of electric country rhythm guitar styles. Here I cover some fun rhythm techniques I stole from James Burton, Albert Lee, Ray Flacke, Brad Paisley, and Pete Anderson.
This was another topic that I have been asked many times about over the last 10 months. These are my setup tips for Telecasters. I call them hacks, as I tend to not use measurements, and go more by feel and sound. I cover looking at the nut, neck relief, action, and pickup height.
Gear for this video 1967 Telecaster - stock except for steel compensated saddles, and the tone control is wired to the bridge pickup only.
Strings: Ernie Ball 10,13,15,24,32,42
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb amp with Celestion V30 speaker
Effects used: Mirage compressor pedal Boss TR-2 Trem with AM mod Boss DM-3 9v power via Truetone CS6 #askzac#guitartech#telecaster
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Danny Gatton was and is a huge influence on me, especially his "Strictly Rhythm Guitar" video from Hot Licks. In my tribute to Danny, I take a walk through some of his history, gear, and also cover some of his playing concepts that have stuck with me.
The story of the restoration process, and the wonderful participants who helped out. Much thanks to Dan "Danocaster" Strain, Ron Ellis, Nick at Glaser's, and the lovely Val "Valocaster" Strain. I had no idea the joy that would come from the restoration of a vintage, Pre-CBS, Fender guitar
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A Very Special "Ask Zac" Christmas - Brad Paisley, Dr. Z, and Me - Ask Zac 59
00:12:52
The story of Brad Paisley's Christmas present to me, the ensuing effort on my part to reciprocate, how it led to a new Dr. Z amp, and a further push for Celestion to make a higher wattage alnico speaker. #askzac#guitartech#telecaster
Jesse Edwin Davis made a huge impact on the guitar during his relatively short career. He influenced Duane Allman to learn slide, was an earlier user of the Leslie/Vibratone on guitar, and was a session man for Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, and so many more. Today we pay tribute to Jesse by taking a look at his history, gear, and a key part of his solo on Jackson Browne's "Doctor My Eyes."
Sometimes when I am practicing, I just end up playing the same things over and over again. Recently, I started trying to find a good method for busting myself out of my practice rut. I found it by transposing licks & patterns to other areas of the guitar. It's an incredibly simple and effective way to open up all sorts of other musical possibilities using what I already know.
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Link to the digital version of A.R. Duchossoir's amazing Telecaster book https://amzn.to/3nuemr0
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with added Ron Ellis "New Tall" neck pickup. Refin by Danocaster.
Strings: D'Addario 10-46
Pick: Danocaster Medium
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and bright cap clipped on the vibrato channel.
Effects: Amp tremolo and reverb #askzac #guitartech #telecaster
Ray Flacke - Brit Telecaster Strangler - Ask Zac 62
00:27:36
Ray Flacke is another Tele-favorite of mine. I became aware of him through his work with Ricky Skaggs and soon started scouring the record bins for anything he had played on. I found that I had a great affinity for his singular style, which utilized low-string bends, an aggressive attack, and a sense that at any moment he might fly off the tracks. In this episode, I lay out his history, gear, and some licks that are very "Flacke" sounding.
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To Support the Channel: Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at - www.askzac.com
Rhythm guitar techniques in the styles of Ry Cooder, Keith Richards, Jimmie Vaughan, and Jesse Ed Davis. I had so many comments on how players had both enjoyed and incorporated concepts from my "Country Electric Rhythm Guitar," that I decided to do a companion piece covering more roots/rock styles.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with added Ron Ellis "New Tall" neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain.
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46
Pick: Danocaster Medium
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and bright cap clipped on the vibrato channel.
I have always had a jaundiced view of the Fender Jazzmaster. I thought it was only for surf, punk, or players with extremely large pedalboards. I learned I was horribly wrong after spending time with Dan Strain's 1965 Jazzmaster. They are beautiful sounding instruments that have their own very identifiable sleek & sinewy sound. As a known Tele-Guy, I take a look at the Jazzmaster, and spotlight what I see as its strengths, and how I was quite uninformed when it came to my former opinion on them. As a bonus, I take a quick look at a 1967 Guild Starfire V that was modified with a Lollar Firebird pickup in the neck.
Gear for this video 1965 Fender Jazzmaster with Mastery Bridge. Restoration and aging on the body and neck by Dan "Danocaster" Strain.
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46
Pick: Danocaster Medium
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and bright cap clipped on the vibrato channel.
Effects used:
TC Polytune Mirage compressor pedal AnalogMan Boss TR-2 Tremolo Ibanez Mostortion Overdrive Boss DM-3 Delay Line 6 Echo Park Delay 9v power via Truetone CS6 (Amazon Aff link) https://amzn.to/38S9rZK #askzac#guitartech#jazzmaster
When Vince stops singing, his Telecaster takes over. Gill was a big part of keeping the Telecaster front and center during the 90s, Country Music's most popular era. Besides covering some of his history and gear, I also showcase some Vince-isms that are an indelible part of his playing style.
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Boss DM-2, DD-2, & DM-3 - Boss Delays of the 1980s - Ask Zac 66
00:24:40
Today I take a look at the Big-3 delay pedals that Boss released in the 1980s, the DM-2, DD-2, and the DM-3. They were all revolutionary when released, and are now considered important delay classics. They are all favorites of mine for different reasons as all three have strengths and weaknesses.
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To Support the Channel: Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at - www.askzac.com
In today's lesson, we look at a fun technique for helping you learn inversions up and down the neck to help both your rhythm and solo work. In the lesson, I cycle between G major and A minor inversions on the D-B strings, G-E strings, and A-G strings. I also run G6-G9 up and down the fretboard.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with added Ron Ellis "New Tall" neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain.
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46
Pick: Danocaster Medium
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and bright cap clipped on the vibrato channel.
All-About the Vintage MXR Script Logo Dyna Comp - Ask Zac 68
00:21:54
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The first pedal compressor, and somewhat of a misunderstood effect. Today we will look at its history, including the changes in the pedal throughout the 70s, users, and how compressor pedals have gone from a "sometimes" effect to an "always-on" box for many.
I have tried to be a Vox guy for years; buying and selling them over and over and never finding the right one. I had to come to the point of giving up when a friend let me borrow his 1964 Vox AC10, and I finally found the tone I had always been looking for. In this episode, I discuss probably the least known of the JMI era amps, going through its specs and tube layout, and why in many ways it is the perfect Vox design.
The making of the Vox cab video by Kyle Bollendorf of Vintage Wood Workshop. • Building a Custom...
In 2020, I checked out the original Black Tolex Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb and thought it was pretty good, but not great. In my video, I mentioned the virtual bright cap, the verb, and the speaker as being in need of upgrades. Well, Fender did just that with the new Blonde Tone Master Deluxe Reverb, hence "revenge" in the title. In this Deluxe fan's opinion, this is a much better amp, and much more fun to play through than the former model. I showcase the verb and tremolo and take the amp through some clean and overdriven sounds using the power attenuation that is built into the amp.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with added Ron Ellis "New Tall" neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain.
Buck Owens & Don Rich set the world on its ear with their bright, twangy guitars, and their incredibly tight vocals. In today's episode, I take a look at the Bakersfield Dynamic Duo that influenced everyone, including the Beatles. I also look at their gear, and elements of their playing styles.
With the blessing of Redd Volkaert, who has an album by the same name, this Roy Nichols episode is titled "No Stranger To A Tele." Roy of course was the guitarist in Merle Haggard's band, The Strangers, from 1965-1987, but there is so much more to his story than just his time with Merle. Today we look at his story that takes flight during the depression, going through his time with The Maddox Brothers and Rose, Lefty Frizzell, Wynn Stewart, Johnny Cash, and his seminal work with the Hag. Of course, we take a look at his gear, and specifically what he used on the Merle live records that are to many the "Nichols Bible" of licks and tone.
Roy Buchanan took the Telecaster, and guitar playing in general to a new level with his groundbreaking use of volume swells, tone control "wah" simulations, pinch harmonics, and feedback. Although influenced by Buck Owens and Roy Nichols initially, while living near Bakersfield, he would go on to take in a host of diverse musical styles and influences. In today's episode, we look at his history, playing style, gear, and how he has in one way or another influenced legions of players. Also, we look at motifs of his tune "Cajun," including how to play the snaky intro lick.
The 3 pickup Tele is commonplace now and is often referred to as the "Nashville" Tele setup. Joe Glaser pioneered it in the early 80s with the help of test pilots, Brent Mason, Ricky Skaggs, and Steve Wariner. For Mason, it was hot-rodding his 1967 Tele, for Skaggs and Wariner, Joe made the equivalent of formula one racers from the ground up with eye-catching finishes, flame maple necks, the aforementioned middle pickup, and his patented string benders. These were the very first Super Tele's, made to cover a wide variety of tones and get you noticed. Today, we have the rare opportunity to look at a pair of these extremely rare Glaser-built birds and see and hear what makes them so special that they almost never come up for sale.
Special thanks to Joe Glaser for his valuable input, and to John Thompson and John Stokes for the use of their Glaser guitars.
Gear for this video: 1986 Glaser Bender guitar. Fiesta red. Duncan vintage neck, hot strat stack, and Lollar 52 bridge 1986 Glaser Bender guitar. Purple. Duncan vintage neck, hot strat stack, and Duncan Alnico II bridge.
Pick: Fender Medium
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and bright cap clipped on the vibrato channel.
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Since I first heard John Jorgenson with the Desert Rose Band, I have been a huge fan. I first saw John play in 1994 with the Hellecasters in Nashville, with Brad Paisley in tow. Brad was 21, and I was 20 with a fake I.D. Paisley told me as we got to the door, "If you don't get in, I'm going in without you." Many years later, I had the chance to interview Jorgenson for the Truetone Lounge, and then he kept being mentioned in my "Ask Zac" show, so I finally decided to dedicate a show to his huge influence in making Vox amps, 6-string basses, electric 12-string guitars, and bold effects popular in Country Music. He is also is a huge reason that Matchless amps ever got off the ground.
Special thanks to Willem van der Wagen, who runs the Desert Rose Band fan website, and YouTube page.
My Tales from the 2010 Nashville Flood - Ask Zac 76
00:26:19
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The Nashville Flood of 2010 was devastating. Lives, homes, businesses, and a huge amount of guitars were lost. The day the rain started, I took my pregnant wife and 1-year old son to a guitar festival in Leiper's Fork, TN, just south of Nashville. While there, I saw Larry Carlton, Reggie Young, Jack Pearson, and Robben Ford perform and had the chance to view some of the finest and rarest vintage guitars at an exhibit curated by Joe Glaser. But what started as a fun musical diversion for me and my "cabin fever" afflicted wife, ended with us being thankful to make it home unscathed after hours of being trapped in Leiper's Fork, and then a very long and scary trip home.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with added Ron Ellis "New Tall" neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain.
Fred Newell, Nashville Now, and the TNN Telecaster - Ask Zac 77
00:25:07
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Fred Newell is best known for his decade-long position as the lead guitarist on Nashville Now, the hugely popular flagship show of TNN, The Nashville Network. Few are aware of all the sessions he played on that were huge hits for Alabama, George Strait, Jerry Reed, and The Kendalls. In this episode, I cover his early days, move to Nashville, session career, a decade on Nashville Now, and his switch to pedal steel guitar and tours with Waylon Jennings. I also take a look at his iconic red-neck Tele that was silkscreened with the TNN logo and heavily featured during the run of the show from 1983-1993.
Fender recently surprised me with a new '68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb amp. I was honored, yet a little concerned as I had never really enjoyed single-ended (1 output tube) amps because they tended to sound small, boxy, and to have not-so-great clean sounds. I thought about contacting them to send it back, but decided I might as well plug it in. Surprise, Surprise, I was blown away by its big clean tones, fantastic tube tremolo, and sweet reverb. Fender got rid of that "little amp" sound by installing a well-voiced 10" Celestion, and further enhanced it by adding a digital reverb circuit that makes this Champ a killer grab-and-go amp.
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I set up an AB switch with my 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb, and 1964 Vox AC10, and I had so much fun switching in-between the 2 amps, that I decided to do a video to show the tonal differences between these two great amps. Fender and Vox have created two of the most iconic amp tones, that besides having different sounds, they also make you play differently because of the way they interact with your guitar.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with added Ron Ellis "New Tall" neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain.
Amp: 1964 Vox JMI AC10 with 12" Celestion Blue Alnico Speaker in a custom cab built by Kyle Bollendorf.
1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and bright cap clipped on the vibrato channel.
Effects used: Boss RV-2 Reverb on the "Plate" setting with Vox only. Live Wire passive ABY box Axcess electronics Buffer with isolation transformer - with Deluxe only 9v power via Truetone CS6 https://amzn.to/3gnJQPW#askzac#guitartech#telecaster
Glaser's New Convertible B/G-Bender and Updated Nashville 3-pickup wiring - Ask Zac 80
00:21:14
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Joe Glaser is the guru that has kept Nashville guitarists up and running since the early 80s. With help from Brent Mason, Steve Wariner, and Ricky Skaggs, his string benders and 3-pickup Telecaster setups became "must-haves" for anyone wanting to be seen as a serious guitarist in Music City. Today, we look at Joe's recently revamped string bender mechanism, which is now convertible between the B or G string, and his updated middle pickup blend control for 3-pickup Telecasters.
Will Barton's Birthday Caster Brian Poe 1-piece swamp ash body, MJT finish, Marc Rutter's saddles, bridge, and hardware. Ron Ellis 50B, Tall Neck, and Duncan 80s Hot Strat Stack. Clive Brown neck re-shaped by Redd Volkaert.
After the last video, I was hooked and wanted to have a new style Glaser B-Bender installed in one of my guitars. The Bill Crook-built Paisley seemed like the appropriate candidate, so I set up a time for an install, and Joe agreed to the entire process being filmed. Besides me removing the strings, and Joe removing the neck, this is the entire installation process from beginning to end. I hope through watching this you can see what would be involved in having one installed in your guitar, but more than that, I hope you can see both the brilliance of Glaser's design and how ingenious his installation procedure is. The reason for the new bender mechanism being so streamlined was that Joe had to develop a bender mechanism and installation procedures that could be used by large guitar manufacturers. This is the same mechanism that is installed by Fender USA into the Brent Mason Signature model, and by Fender's Custom Shop into some of their high-end models.
Joe also shows how he strings vintage-style tuners and locks the plain strings for greater tuning stability.
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Spotlight on Frank Reckard, Emmylou's Hot Band lead guitarist from 1978-1990. A great player, who is sometimes overlooked as he left the music business after his tenure in the Hot Band to go to law school. Taking the position once held by both James Burton & Albert Lee was a task that Reckard took on ably with talent, hard work, and a fat Les Paul TV P90 tone. In today's episode, we spotlight his history as a player, gear used through the years, and have a mini-lesson covering the wonderful intro to his signature tune with Emmylou, "Restless."
Thank you to Dan Forte for his GP article on Frank from 1984.
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After getting numerous emails about doing a B-Bender lesson, here it finally is. In this AZ, I show some of my favorite chord voicings and licks for the B-Bender that you can add to your string bender vocabulary.
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My son told me, "Dad, you ought to do a video on your favorite Telecaster licks." So here are my 10 favorite Telecaster licks of all time.
1. Cornell Dupree "Rainy Night in Georgia." 2. Reggie Young "Memphis Soul Stew." 3. James Burton "Suzy Q." 4. Jesse Ed Davis "Six Days On The Road." 5. Pete Anderson "Guitars Cadillacs." 6. Bobby Womack "I'm In Love." 7. Clarence White "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere." 8. John Jorgenson "Highlander Boogie." 9. Luther Perkins "Folsom Prison Blues." 10. James Honeyman-Scott "Kid." Bonus lick 11. Jimmy Olander "Meet In The Middle."
An old friend texted me on a Saturday morning to see if I was available to play at one of the big clubs in downtown Nashville from 2-6 pm that day. I absolutely said "yes," as I had not played in the downtown area since 2003. It was loads of fun, but also quite the eye-opener to how much Nashville had changed in the last 18 years. Besides the fun story, I also go into the gear I used, including my Waterloo WL-14 acoustic guitar, and the things I did right, and how I should have brought a better tuner pedal.
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John Leventhal is a favorite, and his work in the early 90s acted as a musical roadmap for a young Texas Honky Tonk guitarist trying to stay afloat in the world of pop/folk/singer-songwriter music. In this episode, I look at 7 concepts that I have stolen from Leventhal, that are very worthy of checking out for yourself.
Learning To Love Fuzz & Electric Guitar Capo Tips - Ask Zac 87
00:19:36
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Learning to play guitar in the 80s, my only reference to fuzz was articles about Jimi Hendrix, SRV, and Eric Johnson in either Guitar World or Guitar Player magazines. When I finally got to play the fuzz pedals that became available in the 90s, like those made by Fulltone, they were just not to my liking. They seemed way over the top, and not useable in the music that I was playing. I lost interest in fuzz until my good buddy Austin showed me his Analog Man Sun Face Fuzz, and I immediately ordered one from Mike. Besides fuzz, I also hit on some pointers on using capos with electric guitar after pushing them in my John Leventhal episode.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain.
Strings: Gabriel Tenorio NíquelPuro Pure Nickel Strings 10-46
Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and bright cap clipped on the vibrato channel.
Fender has made the Telecaster for longer than many of us have been alive. The elegant, yet simple instrument has evolved and had many variations over the past 70 years. Today, I take a 1957 and 1967 Telecaster and show how the instrument changed from the heart of the Leo years, to firmly in the CBS era. From headstock to pickups, the comparison is quite enlightening, and I finish the video with head-to-head tone examples. To finish the video, I give a quick lesson on the playing examples I used for both instruments.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with added vintage neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Rewind of bridge pickup by Ron Ellis.
1967 Telecaster - stock except for steel compensated saddles, and the tone control is wired to the bridge pickup only.
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10,12,16,24,34,44
Pick: Danocaster Medium
Amp: 1965 Deluxe Reverb with Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, and bright cap clipped on the vibrato channel.
How Grady Martin's 1961 Fuzz Solo birthed Keith Richard's "Satisfaction" in 1965 - Ask Zac 89
00:14:36
Check out the opening Squier Bass VI lick played with Fuzz!
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Did you know that the fuzz pedal was born because a Danelectro Bass 6 was recorded using a faulty channel on a studio mixing console? The part, played by the great Grady Martin, was a hit for Marty Robbins in 1961, and the requests to replicate the sound led the studio engineer, Glenn Snoddy, to design the Maestro Fuzz-Tone for Gibson in 1962. Unfortunately for Gibson, the pedal was not a hit right away. They had to wait till Keith Richards used one on "Satisfaction" in 1965, which led to them quickly reissuing the product. To boot, Keith had used the device only to mimic a horn, as he thought his fuzz guitar part was just a guide for the horn part to be overdubbed later. The horns were never added, the fuzz part was kept, and the fuzz craze was born.
1960 Deluxe VS 1959 Harvard - A Fender Tweed Comparison - Ask Zac 90
00:18:26
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Fender tweeds are some of the most desirable vintage amps, especially the late 50s designs, which are considered by many as the pinnacle of Leo Fender's work. Today, I look at 2 of the most revered of the smaller tweeds, the 1959 Harvard, and the 1960 Deluxe. The 2 amps are similar in many ways, sharing even some of the same iron, yet different in their cabinet size, speaker size, and perhaps most importantly the Deluxe having cathode versus the fixed power tube bias of the Harvard. From clean to cranked, you hear it all paired with my 1957 Esquire.
Vintage Amp comparison - Tweed Shootout
Gear used: 1959 Fender Harvard with stock Jensen P10R 1960 Fender Deluxe with Jensen P12Q
1957 Fender Esquire with added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge re-wind by Ron Ellis
Q & A - Princetons, Tele Body Thickness, and Guthrie Trapp's influence - Ask Zac 91
00:19:28
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Today I take a long-overdue look at questions that have arisen over the last couple of months. I cover the common questions I get about Princeton Reverb amps, the Tele body thickness question that was repeatedly asked concerning my 57 vs 67 Tele video, and I cover how Guthrie Trapp has influenced my playing, and how one of his exercises influenced the "Ask Zac" theme.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46
Pick: Fender Medium
Amp: 1964 Vox JMI AC10 with 12" Celestion Blue Alnico Speaker in a custom cab built by Kyle Bollendorf.
How & Why I started my Guitar Related "Ask Zac" Channel using 2 iPhones and a lapel mic - Ask Zac 92
00:17:47
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I started my channel in January of 2020 with 70 subscribers, and a year and a half later have over 20,000 subs. I have gotten many questions about how I create my show, including people wanting to know the specifics of how I capture my guitar sounds. Well here it is, and even a bit of the "why" I started doing my show. And to everyone that has subscribed and supported me, THANK YOU!!
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46
Pick: Fender Medium
Amp: 1964 Vox JMI AC10 with 12" Celestion Blue Alnico Speaker in a custom cab built by Kyle Bollendorf.
When Leo Fender released the Broadcaster, he was laughed at by his competitors. His detractors claimed that no serious guitarist would be seen playing Fender's "boat paddle" with strings. But old Leo knew just the guitarist that could give his new plank some respect, Jimmy Bryant. What many are not aware of is that after working all day at the factory, Leo Fender would moonlight as the sound man for the popular Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree show. On a break, Leo anxiously handed his new Broadcaster to Hometown guitarist, Jimmy Bryant, who was by all accounts the hottest picker in L.A. at the time. To his great delight, Bryant loved the fast action, clear tone, lack of unwanted feedback, and the comfort of Leo's new guitar. Soon Jimmy and his sparring partner, Speedy West, had their own recording contract with Capitol Records, and their first LP, with Jimmy proudly holding his Broadcaster, acted as a huge Fender ad in record stores across the United States. The new Fender guitar now was seen as the one to have.
Jimmy was one of the finest guitarists in the history of American Music, and although he is not forgotten, he is often underappreciated. With this episode, I will do my best to rectify that with a healthy dose of his story, and a look at the gear he used to create his decidedly "Fender" tone.
In the video, I spotlight how his use of the Broadcaster, 12-52 pure nickel strings, jazz picks, and an early "woody" Fender Pro influenced his sound. Also, I discuss the blend control, and how Broadcaster wiring was different than what was later used on the Telecaster.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
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How you prepare for a gig dictates whether you will be asked to work with that client/artist again in the future. In this episode, I show how I prepare musically, what questions I ask the client, how I choose what gear to take, and the importance of having backups for everything. A very practical AZ episode.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
Strings: D'Addario Pure Nickel 10-45
Pick: D'Andrea MH 351
Amp: 1964 Vox JMI AC10 with 12" Celestion Blue Alnico Speaker in a custom cab built by Kyle Bollendorf.
In 2010, Jerry Jones auctioned the entire contents of his Nashville factory. Drill presses, unused custom fabricated parts, prototype instruments, and everything that was not part of the building itself were sold to the highest bidder. For a handful of years, his website was kept up, but finally, it too came down. Now the only information that can be found is from the descriptions on completed sales of used instruments. A recent email asked me for info on Jones, as the viewer had just bought one of his guitars and there was next to nothing about the guitars on the web. My own search ended up with the same results. So I reached out to Jerry Jones through a friend of his, and I was politely told "Jerry does not want to be interviewed, as he is retired, and to talk about this would be to come out of retirement, and he has no interest in doing so." With that dead-end, I pieced together my own past interactions with Jerry and tracked down some of his friends and two of his former employees to put together this story. I also had the help of friends that let me borrow a bevy of wonderful Jones guitars, including the original factory prototype that was used to test pickups. So to the best of my ability, here is the history of Jerry Jones Guitars.
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Here is the tale of my trip to Tulsa, to play some shows with my good friend, Paul Bogart. Besides the road story, I also talk about the gear I took with me, and how I used my 1964 Vox AC10 and the new Fender Tone Master Blonde Deluxe amp in a stereo setup. To do this, and to do it quietly, I used a buffered splitter box with a phase reversal switch and an isolation transformer. This allowed me to have my amps in phase, and to be a quiet as possible, and to not use a 3-to-2 prong adaptor, which is frankly dangerous.
Amps in the video: Fender Tone Master Deluxe https://amzn.to/3eDEEX0. 1964 Vox JMI AC10 with 12" Celestion Blue Alnico Speaker in a custom cab built by Kyle Bollendorf.
Pedalboard Turbo Tuner Mirage Compressor Analog Man Boss TR-2 XTS rehoused Mostortion Boss FV30H Volume pedal Boss DD-2 Delay Line 6 Echo Park 9v power via Truetone CS6 https://amzn.to/3gnJQPW#askzac#guitartech#telecaster
The 1959 Fender Super Amp - Top Of The Heap Of The Mid-Sized Tweeds - Ask Zac 98
00:16:16
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The Fender tweeds from1947 thru 1960 are some of the finest guitar amps ever made. They are simple and raw sounding, and their job was mainly to make the guitar louder, not to do much tone sculpting. My favorites are the narrow panel 1955-1960 models, and today we are going to take a look at the best of the mid-sized (30-40 watt) tweeds, the 5F4 (2-10) Super amp. Besides its lineage, we will also look at how to get the most out of these amps by knowing how to use the Bass control, and jumpering the instrument and mic channels.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
Al Anderson - NRBQ's Big Man of the Telecaster - Ask Zac 99
00:28:12
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NRBQ was one of the most talented, versatile, and wacky groups to ever play together. From 1971-1994, Big Al Anderson held the guitar seat, usually with a Telecaster in hand. Al's singing, writing, and playing helped define the group during his 23-year stay, yet he was to go on to even greater heights as a hit songwriter in Nashville, TN. In today's spotlight, we cover his story, some bits of his playing, and the gear he has used through the years.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46
Pick: D'Andrea MH 351
Amp: Fender '62 Princeton Amp - Chris Stapleton Edition
Owning and loving both a 1965 Deluxe Reverb and a 1959 Harvard has caused me to become more and more curious about revisiting the brownface amps of 1960-1963. The last time I owned a brown amp, I was in High School. I looked around and realized that Fender had recently released a hand-wired 62 Princeton. Kindly, they sent me one to check out. In this video, I take a look at the history of the Princeton from the tweeds through the BF model, and of course, put Fender's new Chris Stapleton Edition amp through its paces.
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46
Pick: D'Andrea MH 351
Amp: Fender '62 Princeton Amp - Chris Stapleton Edition
To Support the Channel: Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - www.askzac.com
I couldn't help myself, I had to mess with the amp that really did not to be messed with. In this video, I tell how using different tubes and speakers in the Chris Stapleton Princeton changed the sound. Just to be clear, I thought it was great out of the box, I just wanted to hear how the amp could be steered differently both in its gain, and tone.
An Eminence GB128 speaker is in the amp for the entire video
Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire with an added neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Bridge pickup re-wind by Ron Ellis
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