The Soulive and Lettuce guitarist-producer turns singer-songwriter and goes for the soul—plus rock, blues, jazz, and funk—on his new album, Blood from a Stone.
Since his emergence with jam-oriented bands like Lettuce and Soulive in the 1990s, Eric Krasno has built one of the music industry’s most diverse careers. He’s earned popular and peer respect as a producer, songwriter, bandleader, label owner, and—thanks to a fluid style that knows no genre boundaries—guitarist. One title that hasn’t appeared on his CV is lead singer.
Until now. Technically, Blood from a Stone is the Connecticut native’s second solo album. But it’s the first to feature his talents as a singer-songwriter. His solo debut, 2010’s Reminisce, is mainly instrumental.
And fittingly for a guy who’s worked with Norah Jones, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Matisyahu, Aaron Neville, Talib Kweli, 50 Cent, John Scofield, Phil Lesh and Friends, Snoop Dogg, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, and many others, the music brings together influences from rock, R&B, hip-hop, and blues—all unified by soulful performances.
If Krasno—a producer for great singers—was hesitant to put his own voice in the spotlight, he needn’t have worried. The strong songwriting, tasteful playing, and deft production that have defined his career so far serve him well as a singer-songwriter. From the opening track, “Waiting on Your Love,” the music pulsates with strong hooks, shimmering sounds, and the kind of organic performances that hearken back to the classic rock and soul of decades past, without sounding retro.
The wah-driven start of “Torture” recalls Hendrix’s Cry of Love-era grooving, while the focused soul of “Jezebel” provides a platform for tastefully melodic blues guitar, leading into the Motown-esque pop of “Unconditional Love,” and beyond. The album’s one instrumental, “Curse Lifter,” is a simmering duet with Krasno’s longtime friend Derek Trucks.
As Krasno explained when we spoke on the phone this summer, the making of Blood from a Stone had its fits and starts, thanks largely to his incredibly busy producing and touring schedule. But the process did more than yield one strong album—it opened yet another creative direction he expects to explore in years to come.
Was it challenging to make the transition from band member and producer to solo artist? Having been a producer on a lot of projects that were different styles, it was hard for me at first to kind of zone in on what style I wanted to represent on my own album. I feel like we have elements of all of it in there. But that was an interesting thing with this record. The record covers a lot of different stuff, because I have really eclectic taste.
It was really cool to work with David Gutter, who wrote the entire album with me. He was the lead singer for Rustic Overtones, a popular band in the ’90s. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I’ve always loved his songwriting style, but he’d never really written for other people. When I started making this record, I had some lyrics written, but I mostly had grooves and ideas. I sent him a couple of my tracks, and he called me and was like, “Aw man, I have [a lyric] for that.” He hit the ground running.
How did the songs come together? I went up to where he lives in Portland, Maine, with the intention of getting some demos together. When we got in the room, it just totally caught fire. We didn’t really sleep for 10 days. We just went hard. And, last minute, we kinda pulled a band together. The London Souls’ drummer, Chris St. Hilaire, was off the road. I knew he would add the right touch to it, so he came up. And Stu Mahan, the bass player—he also played in the Souls at the time—lives in Maine, so he came. We got into the Rustic Overtones’ old rehearsal space and cobbled together gear to take into a studio. We took an old 8-track tape machine and hooked it up to a laptop with ProTools. Most of what you hear on the record was initially recorded that way. What we thought would be demos ended up being tracks on the record.
The musical styles are varied, but the album as a whole has a unified quality. How did you create that? That was the hardest part. We created a bunch of the tracks up in Maine and then I brought Dave down to New York. While this album was being made, I had a million projects that I had to do. I kind of put it on the back burner while I did Lettuce [2015’s Crush] and Soulive. And since the beginning of making this record and now, I’ve produced, like, five other albums for other people. But I picked up a lot of things from other people’s projects, which kind of bled into my project. Even though I was frustrated that I couldn’t finish it, it was good because: a) I added these other elements production-wise, and b) I worked on my vocals.
What inspired you to step out as a lead vocalist on this record? I didn’t go in thinking, “Oh, I’m going to be a singer.” It just kind of happened. Originally, I wasn’t sure I was going to sing lead on the album. I wanted to sing some, but I felt like, “Oh, maybe some other singers will come in. I’ll feature some guests.” I’ve always sung on my demos, and as it evolved, it was like, “These songs are done!The demos are good.” I just needed to nail it a little better in certain cases—but also really develop a [singing] style I can perform live.
Did most of the material grow from that initial Maine session? We recorded about 15 tracks, but I kept recording other ideas, so I had about 30 songs. The songs that didn’t seem right for me were used on other people’s albums. A couple for Tedeschi Trucks, a couple for Aaron Neville, and a couple I’m holding onto for other people. So we have a stack of songs that didn’t make this record for one reason or another.
Now, fast-forward to six months ago or so, and I was hanging out with Jeremy Most, who’s one of my favorite young producers. He produces an artist named Emily King. I listen to her albums religiously and I really wanted some of those elements on the record. Jeremy and I did “On the Rise,” which was one of the last songs I did for the record. And you can hear how that one is very different, approach wise. We did that all pretty much in my apartment, starting with a percussion loop. He added a lot of cool samples and different textures. And when that track was done, I was like, “Oh man, I want to make an album that sounds like this!” But then I also loved all the other songs we had. I played him those and he was like, “Why don’t you just add some of this vibe to the other songs?”
Some of it was just mix stuff and some of it adding new sonic elements. So even though he wasn’t there for 80 percent of the recording, Jeremy helped me finish—take the last lap with it. He sat in on the mix sessions and added background vocals on a bunch of tracks. And, to be honest, I needed someone else to push me to finish. I had everyone pushing me to finish other projects, but no one really pushing me to finish my project. I was doing a billion things and at the time playing gigs a lot with people—so it was good to kind of have someone to push me to bring it home.
Did you find you had to turn off your critical ear while you were recording your own vocals? Well, that was impossible, which is why I had other people around me. I thought my vocals sucked all the time, even to the very, very end, and I was lucky to have friends around just being like, “Dude, it sounds cool.” Now that more people are hearing it, I’m feeling a little better about it. And the other thing is, I’m around these acrobatic singers. Nigel Hall—I also produced his record—can sing anything he thinks of. And I have to be aware of range and where it’s going to feel good. And that’s something I didn’t think about going into writing songs. A lot of songs, I would record them in whatever key, ’cause I was kinda murmuring while playing guitar. And then when I went in to actually sing, I was like, “Aw man, I wish I had done that in Bb instead of D.” But that was actually a good thing for me because it made me stretch out and try different things. And now I’m a little more aware of that when writing for myself. Challenge is good.
Krasno’s live performance schedule and studio work for others slowed down the creation of his new album, but has kept him in the public’s eye since the ’90s, when he co-formed the funk band Lettuce in Boston. Photo by Jay Sansone
Aside from all the singers you’ve worked with, who influenced your vocal style? Have you ever heard of a guy named Lewis Taylor? A long time ago, I heard his album called Stoned Pt. 1. He’s a producer and guitar player, and he sings his ass off and writes great songs.
Stevie Wonder is the pinnacle, but I would say my guitar playing is more influenced by him because I can’t do that with my singing. Donny Hathaway is incredible. I’ve been listening to Tame Impala’s Lonerism. I love the melodies and inflections. I’m a big Beatles fan and love when people bring that into their own work. I love melodies.
Your guitar approach on the album is also less funk based than what we’d expect to hear on, say, a Soulive project. What influenced your approach? I was drawing from my own thing. The guys I’ve been around, and I can’t escape their influence, are Derek Trucks and John Scofield. And from being around the Grateful Dead camp and doing their music … I would not have said this two years ago, but Jerry Garcia was an amazing guitar player. The lyricism of his playing and the way he played over song form, playing for the song and not for the solo, influenced me. I was a huge Zeppelin and Hendrix fan as a kid, so Jimmy Page and Hendrix will always be in there, and, in this album, I kind of go back to those roots more than in any of my other projects.
What equipment did you use? I used the Ibanez AS100 that I’ve had forever. I’m so comfortable on it. I put Lollartron pickups in it and they just scream. I used my new Ibanez signature models toward the end of this record, but the AS100, which was the basis for my models, is what I used on pretty much everything—maybe with a Strat here and there. Right now, my main amp is a Supro Jupiter. I really dig it. It has that naturally overdriven sound. I have a ’65 Super Reverb that I’ll use with the Supro at times. I’ve been trying out a bunch of different pedals. I just refit my whole pedalboard.
Eric Krasno’s Gear
Guitars
• Ibanez AS100
• 2015 Ibanez EKM100
• 2015 Ibanez EKM10T (with Bigsby)
• Fender Stratocaster
Amps
• 2015 Supro Jupiter with Eminence HP12 speaker
• ’65 Fender Super Reverb
Effects
• Eventide H9 Harmonizer
• MXR Phase 100
• MXR M300 Reverb
• Dunlop CBM95 Cry Baby Mini Wah
• Supro Fuzz
• Analog Man Block Logo Envelope Filter
• Analog Man King of Tone
• Xotic RC Booster
• Two Dunlop DVP4 volume pedals (one to control expression for the H9; the other for volume)
Strings and Picks
• LaBella HRS-BL Nickel Rounds (.011–.050)
• Dunlop Tortex 1 mm
How did being the frontman influence your guitar playing on the record? When I’m playing on other people’s records, I’m like: “Okay, this is the vibe.” I have some parameters to work with. With this record, it was completely “blow the door open,” which gave me too many options at times [laughs], but most of the time was really fun. That was my favorite part, just trying weird crap. When we were in Maine, we borrowed a few amps and we had a Vibrolux in the corner of a garage cranked, and we had another amp with a bunch of pedals we were swapping in an out. That was really fun. The palette was massive. But the cool thing is, we made all the decisions on the spot. We didn’t say, “Let’s see how this sounds in the mix.” It was more like, “Plug me into three fuzz pedals and a Space Echo and let’s just record it!” The guitar was mostly recorded live with the band. I’m stomping on pedals in the middle of a song and you can hear clicks and weird shit going on—in certain cases buzzing from things. It was messy but fun.
Because you were also singing, did you find playing the guitar—your familiar territory—more liberating? For sure, especially playing solos and lead stuff. Now that I’m putting a band together, getting ready to tour, I actually have a rhythm guitarist [Danny Mayer], which is one of the first times I’ve ever had that. I’m used to doing it all, but I didn’t want to put that pressure on myself while delivering vocals. It’s an interesting thing, actually—figuring out what to play when I’m singing lead. But when I get to just rip, play guitar—yeah, that’s a big relief.
Singing changes how I play, too. I feel like I’m giving it more space, which is a good thing. That’s always my big critique when I hear myself back on a live recording: I play too much. So I feel like having to sing makes me make better choices as a guitar player, give it more space, and be a little more melodic.
Let’s dig into a few songs. What’s the story behind “Waiting on Your Love”? That’s one of the songs I did here in New York. I had a lot of loops of Adam Deitch playing drums, because he’s my favorite drummer. I took a loop of the drums and added Wurlitzer, bass line, synth, and added guitar last. I originally had that [sings] “waiting on your love” hook over a shuffle, but when I started playing that riff over this groove I thought it fit so much better. And the next time Dave came down here, he wrote the verses. Originally, we were going to take that to Aaron, and then I was like, “Man, no. I’ve got to do this.” I put on the guitar and made it grittier.
You’ve mentioned that you wanted a hip-hop feel to “Waiting,” but then “Torture” seems an homage to classic blues-rock. That has a Hendrix vibe. We did that one up in Maine. It goes back to psychedelic blues, too. I’ve always dug when people sing and play the melody together. That was a first-take situation. Dave had written some lyrics, but we hadn’t worked out the phrasing or melody yet. I was in a room with a guitar, and he heard me working it out. He said, “Record that! Record you singing with the guitar playing.” To me, that was the best first take because I was just following the guitar, which is very natural for me. So that’s one of my favorite vocal things. And I realized that was a thing I could do—like cheating a little bit—just following the guitar line with my voice. We wanted that gutbucket four-on-the floor kick drum, Muddy Waters style. I remember listening to [Waters’ 1968 album] Electric Mud when we were thinking about sonic references. It was one of the go-to things, and it’s definitely apparent on this song.
“Jezebel” has a live, almost lounge, feel. This was also a first take with the band. I’m sure I did the vocals later. The band just started playing and the melody set it off. Dave put the lyrics over that. He’d just broken up with his girl from a long time and he had a lot of lyrical content raring to go. I think two hours later we had pretty much what you hear on the record.
Nigel Hall played organ on it. We used this organ that was broken. There was one sound you could get on it, and this was it: this awesome reverby tone. Unfortunately, we couldn’t use that organ on anything else [laughs].
How about “Please Ya”? That was also done in Maine, the same or next day as “Jezebel”—another one where Dave had the lyrics. I definitely did not think I was going to sing that one. I remember doing the demo and thinking I was going to get Gary Clark or someone to sing it. I was thinking about an Otis Redding style. Then, as it progressed, I thought it needed someone with a softer voice. So I did the demo. I ended up redoing the vocals. The solo was live with the band. The original version was, like, 12 minutes and we just went on at the end forever. I had to cut it down. That whole end part was totally spontaneous, actually. I was in the control room playing and they were in the live room, and I just yelled to them, “Do the one to the four!” And that really worked. I added the backgrounds, strings, organ, and stuff later. In the second verse of that song, I basically play a vocal melody on the guitar—kind of a solo, but kind of a guitar verse. In the end, for the solo, just taking my time was important. Even though I kind of freak out in the end, I was trying to leave room for the “breath.”
Did the lyrics influence what you played? I won’t say I literally sat down and thought about the lyrics, but they were there while we were doing it. It helped that most of the songs had the lyrical vibe happening either before I did the guitar solo or during it. Whereas, on other sessions, I’ll just play and not know what the song is about, we were very sensitive to what the song was about on this record.
There’s one instrumental on the album, and it’s probably especially interesting to our readers: “Curse Lifter,” which you played as a duet with Derek Trucks. That one I wrote a while ago. I’ve played in the Tedeschi Trucks band, and at one point I approached the idea of doing that song in that band, but in the end it just made sense for my record. And I always wanted Derek to play on it. I originally recorded that in Maine and did placeholder guitar parts. I was thinking about Santana and the Allman Brothers—that guitar harmony vibe. So when I was down in Florida hanging out in Derek’s studio—we were actually working on stuff for their most recent album, Let Me Get By—I pulled up that track. I erased the guitars that I originally put on there, set up two amps in the live room, and just took a few passes at it, took it home, and mixed it.
Now that the album is done and you’ve stepped out, what’s next? I’m really excited to perform my stuff. There’s so much room to grow as an artist and as a singer now. I’m excited to explore a lot of different stuff. Since making this record, I’ve been singing in other situations. I’ve been doing the Phil and Friends tour and he’s having me sing a bunch of the Dead songs. It’s a challenge to sing in front of thousands of people who know these songs inside and out. You have to deliver it in the right way. They’re also in keys that are a stretch for me, but that’s good training. One of the cool things about my own band is that there’s one dedicated singer and three other singers, so the harmonies will be really thick. So I’m excited about playing this material and writing new material. I think the next album will be a lot of fun to make— and hopefully will take less time to do! [Laughs.]
YouTube It
Eric Krasno displays another side of his creativity—jazz-funk—in this live performance from 2014. With an Ibanez AS100 outfitted with a Bigsby, he spirals out a lead melody that’s packed with highlights, from the chicken-scratch rhythms and lyrical staccato licks that start two minutes in to the wailing bends and slurs he uses to bring the song to its apex.
This legendary vintage rack unit will inspire you to think about effects with a new perspective.
When guitarists think of effects, we usually jump straight to stompboxes—they’re part of the culture! And besides, footswitches have real benefits when your hands are otherwise occupied. But real-time toggling isn’t always important. In the recording studio, where we’re often crafting sounds for each section of a song individually, there’s little reason to avoid rack gear and its possibilities. Enter the iconic Eventide H3000 (and its massive creative potential).
When it debuted in 1987, the H3000 was marketed as an “intelligent pitch-changer” that could generate stereo harmonies in a user-specified key. This was heady stuff in the ’80s! But while diatonic harmonizing grabbed the headlines, subtler uses of this pitch-shifter cemented its legacy. Patch 231 MICROPITCHSHIFT, for example, is a big reason the H3000 persists in racks everywhere. It’s essentially a pair of very short, single-repeat delays: The left side is pitched slightly up while the right side is pitched slightly down (default is ±9 cents). The resulting tripling/thickening effect has long been a mix-engineer staple for pop vocals, and it’s also my first call when I want a stereo chorus for guitar.
The second-gen H3000S, introduced the following year, cemented the device’s guitar bona fides. Early-adopter Steve Vai was such a proponent of the first edition that Eventide asked him to contribute 48 signature sounds for the new model (patches 700-747). Still-later revisions like the H3000B and H3000D/SE added even more functionality, but these days it’s not too important which model you have. Comprehensive EPROM chips containing every patch from all generations of H3000 (plus the later H3500) are readily available for a modest cost, and are a fairly straightforward install.
In addition to pitch-shifting, there are excellent modulation effects and reverbs (like patch 211 CANYON), plus presets inspired by other classic Eventide boxes, like the patch 513 INSTANT PHASER. A comprehensive accounting of the H3000’s capabilities would be tedious, but suffice to say that even the stock presets get deliciously far afield. There are pitch-shifting reverbs that sound like fever-dream ancestors of Strymon’s “shimmer” effect. There are backwards-guitar simulators, multiple extraterrestrial voices, peculiar foreshadows of the EarthQuaker Devices Arpanoid and Rainbow Machine (check out patch 208 BIZARRMONIZER), and even button-triggered Foley effects that require no input signal (including a siren, helicopter, tank, submarine, ocean waves, thunder, and wind). If you’re ever without your deck of Oblique Strategies cards, the H3000’s singular knob makes a pretty good substitute. (Spin the big wheel and find out what you’ve won!)
“If you’re ever without your deck of Oblique Strategies cards, the H3000’s singular knob makes a pretty good substitute.”
But there’s another, more pedestrian reason I tend to reach for the H3000 and its rackmount relatives in the studio: I like to do certain types of processing after the mic. It’s easy to overlook, but guitar speakers are signal processors in their own right. They roll off high and low end, they distort when pushed, and the cabinets in which they’re mounted introduce resonances. While this type of de facto processing often flatters the guitar itself, it isn’t always advantageous for effects.
Effects loops allow time-based effects to be placed after preamp distortion, but I like to go one further. By miking the amp first and then sending signal to effects in parallel, I can get full bandwidth from the airy reverbs and radical pitched-up effects the H3000 can offer—and I can get it in stereo, printed to its own track, allowing the wet/dry balance to be revisited later, if needed. If a sound needs to be reproduced live, that’s a problem for later. (Something evocative enough can usually be extracted from a pedal-form descendant like the Eventide H90.)
Like most vintage gear, the H3000 has some endearing quirks. Even as it knowingly preserves glitches from earlier Eventide harmonizers (patch 217 DUAL H910s), it betrays its age with a few idiosyncrasies of its own. Extreme pitch-shifting exhibits a lot of aliasing (think: bit-crusher sounds), and the analog Murata filter modules impart a hint of warmth that many plug-in versions don’t quite capture. (They also have a habit of leaking black goo all over the motherboard!) It’s all part of the charm of the unit, beloved by its adherents. (Well, maybe not the leaking goo!)
In 2025, many guitarists won’t be eager to care for what is essentially an expensive, cranky, decades-old computer. Even the excitement of occasional tantalum capacitor explosions is unlikely to win them over! Fortunately, some great software emulations exist—Eventide’s own plugin even models the behavior of the Murata filters. But hardware offers the full hands-on experience, so next time you spot an old H3000 in a rack somewhere—and you’ve got the time—fire it up, wait for the distinctive “click” of its relays, spin the knob, and start digging.
A live editor and browser for customizing Tone Models and presets.
IK Multimedia is pleased to release the TONEX Editor, a free update for TONEX Pedal and TONEX ONE users, available today through the IK Product Manager. This standalone application organizes the hardware library and enables real-time edits to Tone Models and presets with a connected TONEX pedal.
You can access your complete TONEX library, including Tone Models, presets and ToneNET, quickly load favorites to audition, and save to a designated hardware slot on IK hardware pedals. This easy-to-use application simplifies workflow, providing a streamlined experience for preparing TONEX pedals for the stage.
Fine-tune and organize your pedal presets in real time for playing live. Fully compatible with all your previous TONEX library settings and presets. Complete control over all pedal preset parameters, including Global setups. Access all Tone Models/IRs in the hardware memory, computer library, and ToneNET Export/Import entire libraries at once to back up and prepare for gigs Redesigned GUI with adaptive resize saves time and screen space Instantly audition any computer Tone Model or preset through the pedal.
Studio to Stage
Edit any onboard Tone Model or preset while hearing changes instantly through the pedal. Save new settings directly to the pedal, including global setup and performance modes (TONEX ONE), making it easy to fine-tune and customize your sound. The updated editor features a new floating window design for better screen organization and seamless browsing of Tone Models, amps, cabs, custom IRs and VIR. You can directly access Tone Models and IRs stored in the hardware memory and computer library, streamlining workflow.
A straightforward drop-down menu provides quick access to hardware-stored Tone Models conveniently sorted by type and character. Additionally, the editor offers complete control over all key parameters, including FX, Tone Model Amps, Tone Model Cabs/IR/VIR, and tempo and global setup options, delivering comprehensive, real-time control over all settings.
A Seamless Ecosystem of Tones
TONEX Editor automatically syncs with the entire TONEX user library within the Librarian tab. It provides quick access to all Tone Models, presets and ToneNET, with advanced filtering and folder organization for easy navigation. At the same time, a dedicated auto-load button lets you preview any Tone Model or preset in a designated hardware slot before committing changes.This streamlined workflow ensures quick edits, precise adjustments and the ultimate flexibility in sculpting your tone.
Get Started Today
TONEX Editor is included with TONEX 1.9.0, which was released today. Download or update the TONEX Mac/PC software from the IK Product Manager to install it. Then, launch TONEX Editor from your applications folder or Explorer.
For more information and videos about TONEX Editor, TONEX Pedal, TONEX ONE, and TONEX Cab, visit:
www.ikmultimedia.com/tonexeditor
The luthier’s stash.
There is more to a guitar than just the details.
A guitar is not simply a collection of wood, wire, and metal—it is an act of faith. Faith that a slab of lumber can be coaxed to sing, and that magnets and copper wire can capture something as expansive as human emotion. While it’s comforting to think that tone can be calculated like a tax return, the truth is far messier. A guitar is a living argument between its components—an uneasy alliance of materials and craftsmanship. When it works, it’s glorious.
The Uncooperative Nature of Wood
For me it all starts with the wood. Not just the species, but the piece. Despite what spec sheets and tonewood debates would have you believe, no two boards are the same. One piece of ash might have a bright, airy ring, while another from the same tree might sound like it spent a hard winter in a muddy ditch.
Builders know this, which is why you’ll occasionally catch one tapping on a rough blank, head cocked like a bird listening. They’re not crazy. They’re hunting for a lively, responsive quality that makes the wood feel awake in your hands. But wood is less than half the battle. So many guitarists make the mistake of buying the lumber instead of the luthier.
Pickups: Magnetic Hopes and Dreams
The engine of the guitar, pickups are the part that allegedly defines the electric guitar’s voice. Sure, swapping pickups will alter the tonality, to use a color metaphor, but they can only translate what’s already there, and there’s little percentage in trying to wake the dead. Yet, pickups do matter. A PAF-style might offer more harmonic complexity, or an overwound single-coil may bring some extra snarl, but here’s the thing: Two pickups made to the same specs can still sound different. The wire tension, the winding pattern, or even the temperature on the assembly line that day all add tiny variables that the spec sheet doesn’t mention. Don’t even get me started about the unrepeatability of “hand-scatter winding,” unless you’re a compulsive gambler.
“One piece of ash might have a bright, airy ring, while another from the same tree might sound like it spent a hard winter in a muddy ditch.”
Wires, Caps, and Wishful Thinking
Inside the control cavity, the pots and capacitors await, quietly shaping your tone whether you notice them or not. A potentiometer swap can make your volume taper feel like an on/off switch or smooth as an aged Tennessee whiskey. A capacitor change can make or break the tone control’s usefulness. It’s subtle, but noticeable. The kind of detail that sends people down the rabbit hole of swapping $3 capacitors for $50 “vintage-spec” caps, just to see if they can “feel” the mojo of the 1950s.
Hardware: The Unsung Saboteur
Bridges, nuts, tuners, and tailpieces are occasionally credited for their sonic contributions, but they’re quietly running the show. A steel block reflects and resonates differently than a die-cast zinc or aluminum bridge. Sloppy threads on bridge studs can weigh in, just as plate-style bridges can couple firmly to the body. Tuning machines can influence not just tuning stability, but their weight can alter the way the headstock itself vibrates.
It’s All Connected
Then there’s the neck joint—the place where sustain goes to die. A tight neck pocket allows the energy to transfer efficiently. A sloppy fit? Some credit it for creating the infamous cluck and twang of Fender guitars, so pick your poison. One of the most important specs is scale length. A longer scale not only creates more string tension, it also requires the frets to be further apart. This changes the feel and the sound. A shorter scale seems to diminish bright overtones, accentuating the lows and mids. Scale length has a definite effect on where the neck joins the body and the position of the bridge, where compromises must be made in a guitar’s overall design. There are so many choices, and just as many opportunities to miss the mark. It’s like driving without a map unless you’ve been there before.
Alchemy, Not Arithmetic
At the end of the day, a guitar’s greatness doesn’t come from its spec sheet. It’s not about the wood species or the coil-wire gauge. It’s about how it all conspires to either soar or sink. Two guitars, built to identical specs, can feel like long-lost soulmates or total strangers. All of these factors are why mix-and-match mods are a long game that can eventually pay off. But that’s the mystery of it. You can’t build magic from a parts list. You can’t buy mojo by the pound. A guitar is more than the sum of its parts—it’s a sometimes unpredictable collaboration of materials, choices, and human touch. And sometimes, whether in the hands of an experienced builder or a dedicated tinkerer, it just works.
Two Iconic Titans of Rock & Metal Join Forces for a Can’t-Miss North American Trek
Tickets Available Starting Wednesday, April 16 with Artist Presales
General On Sale Begins Friday, April 18 at 10AM Local on LiveNation.com
This fall, shock rock legend Alice Cooper and heavy metal trailblazers Judas Priest will share the stage for an epic co-headlining tour across North America. Produced by Live Nation, the 22-city run kicks off September 16 at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, MS, and stops in Toronto, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping October 26 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX.
Coming off the second leg of their Invincible Shield Tour and the release of their celebrated 19th studio album, Judas Priest remains a dominant force in metal. Meanwhile, Alice Cooper, the godfather of theatrical rock, wraps up his "Too Close For Comfort" tour this summer, promoting his most recent "Road" album, and will have an as-yet-unnamed all-new show for this tour. Corrosion of Conformity will join as support on select dates.
Tickets will be available starting Wednesday, April 16 at 10AM local time with Artist Presales. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, April 18 at 10AM local time at LiveNation.comTOUR DATES:
Tue Sep 16 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Thu Sep 18 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*
Sat Sep 20 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Sun Sep 21 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
Wed Sep 24 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Fri Sep 26 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
Sat Sep 27 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC
Mon Sep 29 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Wed Oct 01 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
Thu Oct 02 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
Sat Oct 04 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Sun Oct 05 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Fri Oct 10 – Colorado Springs, CO – Broadmoor World Arena
Sun Oct 12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tue Oct 14 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Wed Oct 15 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
Sat Oct 18 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sun Oct 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Wed Oct 22 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Thu Oct 23 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Sat Oct 25 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Sun Oct 26 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
*Without support from Corrosion of Conformity