Tip o’ the Hat to Tozzoli
I’m an avid, long-time subscriber to
PG—my favorite
music mag by far. Love the honest, no-nonsense, no-gossip
approach. Sensationalism, misinformation, and the soap-opera
files are the bane of so many other trade magazines.
I read every issue cover to cover and just wanted you to
know I have truly enriched not only my guitar knowledge
and technique by subscribing, but have also gone to school
on a lot of tone tweaks, repairs, and recording techniques.
On the latter subject, I just wanted to give you my personal
two cents’ worth in favor of retaining Rich Tozzoli’s
monthly column as long as possible. I find his approach
very relevant, which is more than I can say for a lot of the drivel put out by other
sources, particularly on the web. Rich tackles complex problems and techniques in a
language that everyday guys like myself can understand. I am an aspiring producer
and have recorded, engineered, and produced several projects of my own. Basically,
I’m a one-man show, but I’ve learned enough to consider myself an independent
recording artist. The tips and tricks I’ve learned through reading Rich’s articles closely
and employing his techniques have greatly improved my final products. Plus, he
answers emails to everyday Joe’s like myself—unheard of in this day and age.
This is not meant to denigrate all the other columnists. I greatly appreciate all the
writers. Mitch Gallagher’s columns are spot-on, and I just about lost my mind when
you guys brought the illustrious Mr. Paul Gilbert onboard. (Interesting that his initials
are “PG.” Coincidence? Hmm. . . .) Paul’s articles are rife with great guitar tricks and
they are highly entertaining, as well.
Rock on PG! We love you in San Jose!
—Johnny Mau
via email
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Johnny! Many guitarists know instruments,
amps, and pedals pretty well, but we’re not nearly as conversant when it comes to recording
gear and techniques. We’re stoked to have Tozzoli’s expertise at our collective disposal. His
September column even inspired some of us here in the PG
office to explore compressor pedals
after decades without one.
Those Freakin’ Flags . . .
Hi Shawn.
I am a long-time subscriber to your magazine
and a big fan of the videos online. I
just wanted to say you were right on the
money with your comments about the
Tesla Prodigy [“Fly Your Freak Flag High,”
Tuning Up September 2011]. If you can’t
be out-there with electric guitar design,
what is the point? There are only so many
ways to invent the Stratocaster the first
time. Many thanks.
—James Bower
via email
Spot-on with your September article. No,
this guitar is not for me, but your last
paragraph is exactly right: It is this kind
of forward, out-of-the-box thinking that
built the USA. Thanks to you and Jamie
[Gale, North American distributor for
Teuffel Guitars] for leaving the video up
on YouTube. Damn the torpedoes and full
speed ahead—flying the freak flag, of course!
—Sam Turner
via email
PG
editor in chief Shawn Hammond responds:
Thanks so much for your letters, James and Sam.
Keep flying those flags high!
PG Down Under
I am a total guitar nut and have bought
and read virtually every guitar publication
in the English language since my first
GP
back in about 1972. There have been some
great ones and some awful ones, but I have
to say that
Premier Guitar is fantastic! I
first started with the online version, then
got the
PG app for my iPhone, and then
I spotted the May 2011 issue on the shelf
at my local news-agent’s shop and said,
“You’re getting
Premier Guitar in?! I didn’t
even know the print version was coming to
Australia!” They said, “We thought you’d
like it!” They know me so well! I now have
it on monthly order from them and just
got my latest issue.
What really impresses me is the sheer
volume and quality of the content. There’s
LOTS to read on all aspects of guitar, and
for a knowledge-sponge like me, that’s
a great thing! Some mags you can whip
through in five minutes. Not
PG. There’s a
wealth of interesting and relevant information
in every issue—you’ve won me!
—David Hinds
Port Macquarie NSW, Australia
Wow—you’ve got some pretty awesome sales
guys looking out for you at your local shop,
David! Thank you for your kind letter. All our
best to you!
Let Your Fingers Do the Walking
Remember in the ’80s when your mom
would get
Vogue magazine and it was like a
friggin’ phone book? You guys are the Vogue
of guitar magazines. Just thick with content
and perty [sic] pictures! xoxo
—Dick Veacon
via Facebook
Corrections
In our September review of Tony
MacAlpine’s new album, we mistakenly
said his 1987 album
Maximum Security
came out in 1994. In the same issue, our
Richmond Guitars Empire Mahogany
review listed the street price as $499. The
correct price is $595. We apologize for
the confusion.