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Joe Bonamassa is one of the best guitarists in the world and also one of the nicest, most humble guys out there and I’m proud to be his friend. If you don’t know, Joe has had seven consecutive albums debut at #1 on the Blues charts and his latest album, Dust Bowl, debuted at #37 overall in any genre! That was his highest overall debut and the fifth in a row to be higher than the last. Put simply, Joe’s popularity is increasing exponentially and this is your chance to own the guitar that started it all for him…a true piece of music and guitar history.

Joe used this 1968 Gibson Les Paul Standard as his main axe from 1998-2000 and featured it prominently on his first solo album, A New Day Yesterday. It’s an incredible guitar. Small headstock. Round, beefy neck. Sustain for days. See Joe’s letter of authenticity.

Joe Bonamassa's Les Paul Gold Top on eBay

Joe is notorious for not trading or selling any of his gear…mainly because he uses it all. He told me this ’68 LP was the first significant guitar he’s ever let go…and one of the most expensive in his collection no less.

So how did I get it? Well, I had to do my fair share of begging and then give up two of my best vintage guitars…a flawless 1953 Gibson ES-295 and a 1968 Gibson ES-355. Scotty Moore and Freddy King models. It was a good trade for us both…Joe knows I am selling this to fund more inventory for my shop and is very understanding…if I could afford to keep this and keep my shop going, I would. I’m starting this at just 99 cents with NO RESERVE to give everyone an opportunity to bid! It will be a fun one for sure.

This guitar will probably have more collector appeal, but this really is one of the best Les Paul’s I’ve played…and I’ve played one of everything. The P-90s are very strong (8.75k bridge, 8.41K neck) and they sustain more like humbuckers with fat, meaty notes that cut through. This one is nice because unlike most late 60s goldtops, it isn’t a boat anchor…just over 9 lbs on my digital scale. The neck is absolutely heavenly…round C shape without the big shoulders and measures 0.936″ at the nut, 0.861 at the 1st fret, and 1.001″ at the 12th fret. As you can see, the guitar is evenly weather-checked — and interestingly this very goldtop is what gave Joe the idea to have all his Gibson Les Paul signature models aged at the factory. It has the expected buckle rash on the back but no structural issues at all. The guitar is all original save for the metal saddles, a scratched-on social security number under the serial stamp (from the first owner, not Joe…it has been blurred out in the photo), and three tiny screw holes on the butt from a trapeze tailpiece (not a Bigsby)…that obviously didn’t stay on long. It also had a really nice pro refret that you can barely notice. All the pots date to early ’68 and the wiring and soldering is all original save for a removed back shroud, 50s style.

Here is a link to the actual eBay listing.

I didn’t say I could PLAY like Jeff Beck, but after reading some of his comments in a recent interview with the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph, I realized that I sure do THINK like Jeff Beck.

Jeff Beck (Getty Images)

“I don’t like over-the-top heavy metal. Can’t stand it. Too many amps, too much volume. It’s just flat-out ear assault. I’m sure there’s a lot of deaf people out there. Speedy guitars leave me not feeling detached but physically upset. When you think of all the subtleties that were built into the guitar and amps for you to discover, they completely cover the whole lot with a rack of effects. The guitar doesn’t need that.” — Jeff Beck

Right on, Brother Jeff!

I know this post will alienate a few of my metal friends, but as far as I am concerned God only made one thing on this earth more beautiful than the pure tonal sound of a guitar in the hands of a masterful musician.

Any guesses?

I watch a lot of YouTube videos — especially those of bands and artists that I have not had the opportunity to see perform live.  As a result, I have a much better understanding and appreciation of their true ability and talent.  I have also honed in to the styles and genres of music that resonate the most with my personal taste.  And while I love Rock-n-Roll, Smooth Jazz, Blues, Latin and New Age…I do not care for loud, screeching, shredding Metal at all.

I recognize the talent, but I do not enjoy the music.

Guitar music should be sensual, spiritual, uplifting and exciting — not “ear assault”.

So in that light, I admit that I am a lot like Jeff Beck and Jeff Beck is a lot like me!

I am declaring this to be “Jeff Beck Week” on the GuitarBUZZ!

Since Jeff will be a guest musician on American Idol this week – it seems appropriate.

I am pretty stoked about what he might do – just knowing that he will be backing the Top 9 finalists gives reason to assume some wild guitar playing is in store for everyone.

Premier Guitar Magazine wrote about Jeff this month in an story titled: Signal Chain: Going Au Natural where they highlighted Jeff’s finger style (sans pick) playing.

If you watch and listen closely to Beck, you’ll notice how he can shift the timbre of each note or phrase . . . He uses his fingertips as an equalizer by striking the string at different points to create a range of tones.

The tone variance is dramatic at times. When he mixes his finger attack with a masterful use of a trem bar, the results are what make Jeff Beck…Jeff Beck. Check out this version of People Get Ready, performed at the UDO MUSIC FESTIVAL live in 2006:

USA Today reports: Jeff Beck will play with the contestants on American Idol Wednesday.

Then they go on to say: “If you don’t know why that’s a big deal, check out this clip….”

That’s the biggest understatement of the year!

Last Sunday, I woke up to the news of Gary Moore’s sudden passing.

Seven days later, I am still in shock.

I find myself searching Google every day — looking for new stories and updates to the tragic story. One of the saddest stories I have read is “Heartbreak of the blonde beauty who was Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore’s last love“, which was posted today.

About 6 months ago, I purchased Gary’s CD Box Set titled: Essential Montreux. I never wrote a review about it – but I tweeted dozens of times about how I considered it to be a six-hour masterclass in the blues.

“See Gary Moore Play Live” was on my bucket-list. I scratched it off today.

R.I.P. Gary Moore, 1952-2011

Use to be so easy
To give my heart away
But I found that the haeartache
was the price you have to pay
I found that that love is no friend of mine
I should have know’n time after time
-Gary Moore, Still Got The Blues

I must admit… I really love this time of year.  In no particular order, here are five things I love about the Holiday season.

• Trimming the tree and decorating the house. Our tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving and stays up until New Years.
• Giving gifts. I believe in the old Biblical truth… It is better to GIVE than to RECEIVE.
• People’s generosity and acts of kindness. People seem to be nicer this time of year. Even this year… when the economy has challenged so many.
• Family time. The kids are out of school and the work schedule slows down. As a result… our family is together for more hours each and every day… and I love it.
• Turkey, Ham & Cookies. My wife loves to cook, and this is her season to show off her chops in the kitchen.

So in the spirit of the Holidays, I give you Gary Hoey… Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree!
Ahh… this is the way Christmas Music is supposed to sound!

Gary Hoey Rocks!
If you like what you just heard… his Complete Collection is available from Amazon.com:

Satch walks through his full live stage setup and demonstrates some of his unique sounds.

CREDIT: MusicRadar.com

Michael Landau

I was talking guitars with a buddy last week and I brought up the name of Michael Landau. He said “Michael who?” What followed was a long discussion about one of the greatest guitar players he had never heard of.

Musician and composer Michael Landau was born and raised in Los Angeles. He grew up with the music of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Cream and The Band.

In his early teens, Michael quickly became very interested in jazz and electric jazz music. Weather Report, Pat Martino and Jaco Pastorius were some of his early obsessions. From this diverse blend of influence, his sound and path began to take shape. His current group focuses on the improvisation and spontaneity of live shows. “I live for those live moments when the sound and emotion becomes this monstrous force bigger than the individual musicians, it becomes a unique creation and feel, exciting and calming at the same time, difficult to describe but I’m addicted to it.”

Michael starting playing guitar at age 11, at age 16 he began playing the L.A. club scene with an R&B band and shortly after he toured the west coast with Robben Ford which
included band members Jimmy Haslip and Russell Ferrante. At age 19 he joined Boz Scaggs for a world tour and by the age of 20 he started to do session work on the recommendation of long time friend Steve Lukather.

Some session highlights over the coming years would include Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, BB King, James Taylor, Ray Charles and Rod Stewart. There is a complete session discography at allmusic.com with over 700 records and soundtracks listed!

His most recent album, “The Michael Landau Group Live” was released in October ’06 on Tone Center Records. Here’s a quote from a review by John Kelman:

“The Real Question, when a studio ace comes out of hiding and releases two hours of visceral material, is this: who is Michael Landau when he’s in total control of the situation? While his stylistic breadth elsewhere would suggest that this is only one part of the answer, “Live” posits him, amongst other things, as a powerful torchbearer for Jimi Hendrix, While the late Stevie Ray Vaughan was most often saddled with that accolade, Landau’s broader language more accurately represents where Hendrix might be today, since the late guitar icon was clearly moving towards his own view of jazz in the final days before his tragic passing in 1970.”

Michael currently tours and performs with his own group and a new band with Robben Ford, Jimmy Haslip and Gary Novak called “Renegade Creation”.

Maybe you haven’t heard of Michael Landau by name…
…but you certainly have heard him play.

CREDIT: Michael Landau’s Official Site

Howard Duane Allman (November 20, 1946 – October 29, 1971) was an American lead guitarist, co-founder of the southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band, and respected session musician. He is best remembered for his brief but influential tenure in that band, expressive slide guitar playing, and formidable improvisational skills.

A sought-after session musician both before and during his tenure with the band, Allman performed with such established stars as King Curtis, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Herbie Mann.

His contributions to the 1970 album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos went on to become a part of Rock history.

In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Allman at #2 in their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time, second only to Jimi Hendrix.

His tone (achieved with a Gibson Les Paul and a 50-watt Marshall amplifier) was named one of the greatest guitar tones of all time by Guitar Player.

Happy Birthday Duane!

Stevie Ray Vaughan

On August 26, 1990, a sold out concert of 30,000 at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin, featured an encore jam with Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan and Robert Cray.

On August 27, shortly before 1 a.m., a helicopter carrying Vaughan en route to Chicago, Illinois crashed within seconds after takeoff.

Stevie Ray Vaughan died on August 27, 1990.

Four days later, funeral services were held at Laurel Land Memorial Park in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas, with over 1,500 people attending and 3,000 more outside the chapel.  Brother Jimmie, mother Martha, and girlfriend Janna were in attendance. Among the mourners were Stevie Wonder, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, ZZ Top, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and Nile Rodgers.

Rest in Peace S.R.V.

We miss you every day.