Greg Koch is a killer player and clinician for Fender. He talk gear and gigs.
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When and why did you start to play guitar?
I played piano by ear at an early age, because my mom plays very well, and she showed me a boogie-woogie pattern and some other things, and I can lay tracks down on drums, bass and keys with a minimum of embarrassment. Jimi Hendrix really affected me at a young age. I roomed with my brother, who was 14 years older than me, and he listened to a lot of Hendrix, Cream and Grand Funk Railroad. The idea of being a guitar player in a power trio was cooler than just about anything in comparison. Hendrix, in particular, epitomized guitar godhood in every way. I used to make cardboard guitars and pretend to play along with Hendrix using my sisterās sewing machine pedal as a wah-wah pedal. I did a report on Hendrix when I was in the third grade. The first record I ever bought was around that timeā¦ it was Jimi Hendrixās Smash Hits. I didnāt actually get my hands on a guitar until I was 12, but from then on it was all I cared about.
Do you remember your first gig ever?
I played my first gig nine months after I starting playing, in the cafeteria at Christ the King School, where we played an 8th-grade graduation party. It was a three-piece band, and I played a ā68 SG through a Peavey Backstage 30. The setlist consisted of instrumental versions of āPurple Haze,ā āFire,ā āCommunication Breakdown,ā āHey Joeā and āWild Thing.ā
Who are your most important influences in music?
I consider myself a blues-rock guitarist who learned a few country and jazz things along the way. My main influences musically range from Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Cream, Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin then back to Muddy Waters, Albert, B.B. and Freddy King, T-Bone Walker, Cornell Dupree, Earl Hooker, Howlinā Wolf, Elmore James to Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Jimmy Bryant, Roy Buchanan, Albert Lee, Danny Gatton, Brent Mason, Ray Flacke, The Hellecasters to Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, George Benson, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell to Frank Zappa, Little Feat, Allan Holdsworth, Sonny Landreth to the Sacred Steel slide dudes, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan.
Is there a certain situation, recording or session you will always remember?
I will always remember recording at Ocean Way out in L.A. with a big budget, staying at the Roosevelt, being wined and dined, recording amazing stuff, convinced that we were making historic music only to have the record company sit on it and never let it reach the light of dayā¦ a learning experience!
What was the funniest thing that ever happened to you while playing music?
A girl came on stage once wearing these shoes with springs on the bottom of them and she proceeded to bounce with such ferocity that she almost bludgeoned the bassist with her generous bosoms.
When did you discover that you had a special talent to teach and to demonstrate gear?
I just had to do it, so I did it. I had a young family and gigging in hellholes was not going to pay the bills, so I went the Fender route. I always try to do whatever I do in a way that is unique and hopefully interesting. I also donāt talk bullshit. I truly believe what Iām saying and playing, and I think that comes across.
How long do you practice every day and how do you practice?
I have four young kids, so practice time is something that I covet. I have less time, but I make more of the time by focusing on a specific thing that I wish to learn. I feel I keep getting better, but I am nowhere near where I wish to be. I try to have fun with the skills I possess.
You can change your playing style from country to death metal within one secondā what is the key to having all these styles ready to go?
Well, I donāt do the styles just to show that I can do them. I actually really love the different styles enough to learn them with some degree of authenticity. Iām pretty opinionated about who I like and have hyper-focused on those who have moved me the most in each genre. You will notice that I do little to no tapping, as I was never a disciple of Eddie Van Halen or any of the metal guys. I respected them for the amount of time it takes to master the technique of say, an Yngwie Malmsteen, but I have never worn spandex and I feel pretty good about that.
I have to say, I am extremely low maintenance. Therefore, the opportunities I have been presented have almost always worked out for me, because I get along with folks and Iām easy to work with. From a musical point of view, I think that my ability to play different styles convincingly and then be able to morph those styles into something different, all done with a sense of the bizarre, has had a positive impact on my career. I think I write a pretty good tune here and there and can entertain a crowd of diverse tastesā¦ I always try to keep something up my sleeve so that I can always surprise those who think theyāve seen it all.
If you had to go to a deserted island and were only allowed to take one guitar, one amp and one stompbox with you, what would it be?
My blue Custom Shop Strat, a Super Reverb and my Gristle King pedal.
Do you have some general things, tricks, etc., you would like to share with our readers when it comes to practicing and developing their own style and unique tone?
Never stop listening and expanding your horizons. Never stop practicing. If you think youāre pretty good, think again!
Is there anyone you would like to have the chance to play, record or jam with?
Iāve always wanted to jam with the Allman Brothers, but I would love to jam with Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Paul McCartneyā¦ [John] Scofield, Mike Sternā¦ too many to mention.
Do you have any endorsements running?
I am a Fender guy: Fender guitars, amps, strings, cords, picks, underwear, etc. I have some pedals that I have championed for years that my friend Tim Jauernig makes: the Gristle King and the DGTM [Diabolical Gristle Tone Manipulator]. I love my BSM pedals; I have some excellent pickups in my Tele that are German-made by a guy named Ray Gerold. Thatās all Iāve been using lately. But I am a Fender guy first and foremost.
Do you have a favorite guitar, amp and effect? WhyĀ are theyĀ your favorites?
I have been using a couple of Teles for the last year, a Fender American Deluxe Ash Tele and a Fender Baja Tele. My two favorite Fender Custom Shop guitarsāwhich I have been seen with the mostāmay be made into a limited edition signature model through a local dealer here in Milwaukee via the Fender Custom Shop. They both are a weird greenish blue. The Tele has a B-bender and the Strat has been my main guitar for over 15 years. Itās pretty much a hot-rodded ā56 Strat.
Amp-wise, I go between a Fender Super- Sonic Combo with a 2x12 extension cab, a Super Reverb and a Custom Vibrolux, but lately I have been plugging straight into a ā57 Tweed Deluxe reissueā¦ I may do the next record entirely with itā¦ itās pure!
What is the secret of your signature Telecaster tone, gear-wise?
I use my Gristle King pedal for some gain, but most of the sounds are a result of continually refining my playingā¦ it never ends. The amps may change but the sound remains.
What do you think about vintage equipment?
Itās great, but itās getting way too expensive, so itās not practical to use liveā¦ the studio is another matter. I usually borrow what I need in the studio!
Is there a general setup for your instruments (string gauge, action, pickups...)?
I play a Fender Stainless Steel .011 set with the action pretty low. My pickups vary from guitar to guitar.
Are there private friendships with other players or artists you played with?
Iām pretty good buddies with Paul Barrere, Fred Tackett and the rest of the Little Feat gang. T Lavitz from the [Dixie] Dregs has been a long-standing buddy of mine. I like to hang out with Joe Bonamassa when he comes to townā¦ I recently met and hung out with Robben Ford, Guthrie Govan and David Grissom, and I enjoyed their company quite a bitā¦ not to mention their playing!
What are your plans for the future?
Finishing a record with Malford Milligan to come out Spring of ā09, then a tour of Europe from April to May of ā09. Iām going to do a record with Reggie Hamilton and Tom Brechtlein this year and some gigs with them. Iām doing some tracks on T Lavitzās new record, and weāre going to do some gigs with Tom Brechtlein and Jeff Berlin.
Greg's Gear Box
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Fuzz, octave, and odd intervals co-mingle and clash with bizarre, mangled, musical, pretty, and often shockingly unpredictable results.
Scores of tones that span the musical and the ridiculous. Fun and ferocious fuzz. Octave can be used independently. Often intuitive in spite of its complexity. Tracks pitch shifts without glitches
Easy to get lost in the weeds if you donāt do your homework.
$249
Keeley Octa Psi
robertkeeley.com
Iād venture that most guitarists instinctively regard fuzz as a brutish, brainless effect (which is funny given how much energy in our community is dedicated to dissecting the nuances and merits of different fuzz types). Keeleyās Octa Psi, however, transcends mere troglodyte status by combining a fundamentally nasty fuzz voice in three switchable variations, and a web of octave and interval tones that transform the Octa Psi into a synthesizer capable of textures ranging from soaring to demented to downright evil.
Crush of the Space Invader
Itās no mistake that the little figure adorning the face of the Octa Psi looks like a sinister cross between a Space Invader and a Cylon. The Octa Psi often evokes the 8-bit, synthy sounds of ā80s arcade games. But the fact that the Octa Psiās sounds range to cartoonish extremes shouldnāt suggest to a potential user that the Octa Psi is anything less than musical. And the smart, if complex, control layout ensures you can span both extremes with ease.
The Octa Psi is effectively made up of an analog fuzz and a digital octave section. The knobs on the fuzz side are no-brainer stuff: fuzz, master level, and tone. The 3-position toggle, however, expands the potential of those three knobs exponentially. In each mode the fuzz has a cool, snorkel-y, almost filtered essence, with hints of cocked-wah snarl. The punch voice features a bass-heavy profile thatās cloaked in pea-soup fog at the extreme treble-cut/bass-boost ends of the tone controlās range, but crushes like a Tony Iommi-operated wrecking ball in the middle section. The psi mode is even thicker and doomier, though not just heavier in the bass. Thereās also more midrange presence that lends extra definition and makes the fuzz feel more explosive under the fingers. The scoop setting, in very relative terms, sounds almost thin compared to the other two. But no voice is exactly short on power here, so perhaps itās best to call it focused. Each of these modes, which already have heaps of tonal range thanks to the versatile tone knob, can be altered dramatically by the octave section.
Getting a feel for the octave options definitely takes practice. And though intuitive exploration of the possible combinations is rewarding, itās essential that you do your homework if you want to maximize the pedalās potential and avoid musical muddles. The Octa Psiās complexity is largely down to the fact that it gives you much more than just a few octaves up or a few octaves down to work with. First, you can blend in the amount of octave signal. Then there are eight pitch modes available via the rotary switch. Each of these modes shifts in character, depending on whether you select the octave up, octave down, or dual octave setting with the toggle switch. But you can also reshape the tone by pressing and rotating the blend switch, which, depending on where youāve set the other octave controls, will add octave intervals, like sharp ninths, stacked fourths, and major and minor voicings. Additionally, each of the preset modes will save your settings in dual modeāeven after you unplug.
Ā Controlled Chaos
There is another reason the video game correlation implicit in the Octa Psi logo is appropriate: At times, using it can feel like the sky above your moon base is raining laser bombs and youāre being menaced by alien aircraft from all sides. It can be really chaotic, particularly if youāre finding your way by ear rather than consulting the extensive pitch matrix in the manual. Chords are sometimes rendered into atonal glop, and, like any octave fuzz, itās often easiest to stick with single-note lines.
But for all the mayhem Octa Psi can unleash, finding a clear musical path can be easy and feel like striking gold. Plus, the pedal is, in its way, quite forgiving. It tracks pitch changes well, and rarely collapses on itselfāeven when executing whole step bends colored by dissonant intervals. You can also use the octave without the fuzz, which yields conventional sounds like pretty faux-12-string, watery chorus tones, and subtle harmonies for clean leads.
The Verdict
The Octa Psiās power and tonal vocabulary is impressive. Youāll have to be brave or have a very good memory to move between radically different settings on a dimly lit stage. And we didnāt even mention the wealth of āadvancedā settings that include volume tilt, pitch ramping, effect order shifts, and more. But the bounty of smooth-to-sick sounds here means the Octa Psi could be a difference-maker in a studio or recording environment when youāre reaching for tone colors and moods that break norms. And though the Octa-Psi could, on the surface, seem nichey, itās fun to think about the many musical styles and applications where its sounds could find a homeāfrom doomy Sabbathoid chug, to film scores, to glitchy hip-hop hooks, to video-game sound design.
On this episode of the 100 Guitarists podcast, weāre talking about our favorite Lukather tracks, from his best rhythm parts to his most rippinā solos. And even though he spends most of his playing time with the biggest names, weāve managed to call up a few deep cuts.
Steve Lukather is one of the most documented guitarists in the hit-making biz. He grew up as an L.A. teen with a crew of fellow musicians who would go on to make their livings at the top of the session scene. By the time Lukather and his pals formed Toto, they were already experienced chart-toppers. The band went on to success with hits including the rockinā āHold the Line,ā breezy, bouncing āRosanna,ā and the timeless āAfrica.ā
As a session player, Lukatherās reign in the ā70s and ā80s extended from Olivia Newton-John to Herbie Hancock to Michael Jackson. And alongside Michael McDonaldāwhose āI Keep Forgettinā (Every Time Youāre Near)ā included Lukatherās distinctive rhythm riffageāDaryl Hall and John Oates, Kenny Loggins, Peter Cetera, and Christopher Cross (among many others) he may have earned the title of yacht rockās number one guitar player.
On this episode of the 100 Guitarists podcast, weāre talking about our favorite Lukather tracks, from his best rhythm parts to his most rippinā solos. And even though he spends most of his playing time with the biggest names, weāve managed to call up a few deep cuts.
This episode is sponsored by EMG Pickups.
Use code EMG100 for 15% off at checkout!
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Nashville session and stage MVPs craft an aural wonderland with their genre-defying instrumental album, In Stereo.
Working from a shared language of elegance and grit, Nashville guitar domos Tom Bukovac and Guthrie Trapp have crafted In Stereo, an album that celebrates the transcendent power of instrumental musicāits ability to transport listeners and to convey complex emotions without words.
In Stereo also honors Trapp and Bukovacās friendship, which ignited when Trapp and Bukovac met over a decade ago at Nashvilleās 12 South Taproom eatery and clubāan after-hours musicianās hangout at the time. They also sometimes played casually at Bukovacās now-gone used instrument shop, but when theyāre onstage todayāsay at Trappās Monday night residency at Nashvilleās Underdog, or at a special event like Billy Gibbonsā BMI Troubadour Award ceremony last yearātheir chemistry is obvious and combustible.
āGuthrie is very unpredictable, but for some reason our two styles seem to mix well.āāTom Bukovac
āItās like dancing with somebody,ā Bukovac says about their creative partnership. āIt is very easy and complementary. Guthrie is very unpredictable, but for some reason our two styles seem to mix well, although we play very differently.ā
As PepĆ© Le Pew probably said, āVive la diffĆ©rence.ā While theyāre both important figures in Nashvilleās guitar culture as badass, in-demand session and live players, Trapp also points out that the foundation of their respective careers is on opposite swings of that pendulum. Bukovacās reputation was built on his studio work. Besides his touring history, heās played on over 1,200 albums including recordings by the Black Keys, Glen Campbell, Keith Urban, Stevie Nicks, Bob Seger, and Hermanos GutiĆ©rrez. And Trapp considers himself mostly a stage guitarist. He emerged as a member of the Don Kelly Band, which has been a Lower Broadway proving ground for a host of Nashville 6-string hotshots, including Brent Mason, Johnny Hiland, and Redd Volkaert. In recent years, you may have seen him on the road with John Oates. Itās also possible youāve heard Trapp on recordings by Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, and Roseanne Cash, among others.But back to In Stereo. āThis record is truly for the love of music and not giving a shit what anybody else is going to think about it,ā relates Trapp, as he, Bukovac, and I sit and talk, and they noodle unplugged on a Danocaster and an ES-355, respectively, in the warm, instrument-filled surroundings of the Cabin Studio in East Nashville. The album was recorded there and at another studio, simply called the Studio, with Brandon Bell engineering.
āWhen we started working on the album, it was very loose,ā explains Bukovac. āI never wanted to bring in anything that was complete because the key is collaboration. So, I knew better than to come in with a complete song. And Guthrie didnāt do that either. We would just come in with a riff for an idea and then let the other guy finish itāand thatās the best way to do it.ā
āItās got enough humanityāreal playingāmixed with the cinematic side of it.āāTom BukovacAll of which helped make In Stereoās 11 compositions seamless and diverse. The album opens with a minute-long ambient piece called āWhereās the Bluegrass Band,ā which blends acoustic and electric guitars, feedback, and keyboards with generous delay and reverbātelegraphing that listeners should expect the unexpected. Of course, if youāve been following their careers, including their estimable YouTube presence, youāre already expecting that, too. So, a soulful composition like āThe Black Cloud,ā which builds from a Beatles-esque melody to a muscular and emotive power ballad of sorts, comes as no surprise. āDesert Manā is more of a mindblower, with its dark-shaded tones and haunting melodies. āCascade Parkā is an unpredictable journey that begins with delay-drenched piano and leads to Trappās acoustic guitar, which evolves from contemplative melody to feral soloing. And āBad Cat Serenadeā and āTransition Logo Bluesā balance the worlds of country and jazz fusion. Overall, the music is timeless, emotional, and exploratory, creating its own world, much as Ennio Morricone did with his classic film soundtracks.
Tom Bukovac's Gear for In Stereo
Tom Bukovac and his ā58 Les Paul sunburstāone of just a handful of guitars he used to record In Stereo.
Guitars
- 1958 GibsonĀ Les Paul āBurst
- 1962 Stratocaster
- Harmony acoustic rebuilt by James Burkette
- Jeff Senn Strat
Synth
- Roland XP-30
Amp
- Black-panel Fender Princeton
Effects
- Nobels ODR-1
- Strymon Brigadier dBucket Delay
Strings & Picks
- DāAddario NYXLās (.010ā.046)
- Fender Mediums
āItās a lot to ask somebody to sit and listen to an instrumental record,ā Bukovac offers, āso I was just trying to make sureāand I know Guthrie did the sameāit doesnāt get boring. When I finally sat and listened to this thing in its entirety, which was many months after we actually recorded, I had forgotten what weād even done. I was overwhelmed. I love that I never got bored. It moves along and has moments where it gets into sort of a trance, in a good way, but it never stays there too long. Itās got enough humanityāreal playingāmixed with the cinematic side of it.ā
Trapp picks up the thread: āIf youāre in Nashville for a long time and youāre paying attention at all, you understand this is a song town. No matter how you slice it, itās all about the vocal and the lyric and the song. So, it doesnāt matter if youāre making an avant-garde instrumental guitar record. That influence is pounded in your braināhow important it is to trim the fat and get down to the song. A song is a song. It doesn't matter if itās instrumental or not. Itās a āDonāt get bogged down and get to the chorusā kind of thing.ā
āA song is a song. It doesnāt matter if itās instrumental or not. Itās a āDonāt get bogged down and get to the chorusā kind of thing.āāGuthrie Trapp
Which alludes to the sense of movement in all these compositions. āItās very important that every section of a song delivers every transition,ā Bukovac adds. āWhen you go into a new room, when you open that door, itās got to be right. Thatās what I think about records. And thereās a lot of shifting on this record. We go from one field to another, and were very concerned about making sure that each transition delivers.ā
Guthrie Trapp's Gear for In Stereo
Guthrie Trapp recording with his Danocaster Single Cut, made by Nashvilleās Dan Strain.
Guitar
- Dan Strain Danocaster Single Cut
Amps
- Kendrick The Rig 1x12 combo
- Black-panel Fender Princeton
Effects
- Strymon Brigadier dBucket Delay
- Strymon Lex
- Nobels ODR-1
- Xotic RC Booster
- T-Rex Tremster
- Boss TU Tuner
Strings & Picks
- DāAddario NYXLās (.010ā.046)
- Medium celluloid
That kind of thoughtful developmentāthe set up and delivery of various compositional sections in songsāisnāt exactly a lost art, but itās certainly rarer than in earlier decades. Listen to Elton Johnās Goodbye Yellow Brick Road to hear how Davey Johnstone sets up verses, choruses, and bridgesāor anything by David Gilmourāfor reference. Itās also a goal best accomplished with a team of exceptional players, and, of course, Trapp and Bukovac enlisted some of Music Cityās finest. The cast includes steel-guitar legend Paul Franklin, keyboardist Tim Lauer, bassists Steve Mackey and Jacob Lowery, and drummers Jordan Perlson and Lester Estelle.
āDonāt tell my mom, because of course we all want to make a living, but playing music that has integrity is at the top for me.āāGuthrie Trapp
āWe recorded the basicsāreally, most of the tracksālive on the floor,ā says Trapp.
āWe kept a lot of the original throw-down/go-down solos,ā Bukovac adds. āThere were very few fixes and overdubs. One of the best moves we made was letting an outside person objectively sequence it, because you can get a little bit too inside your own thing. Itās like ā¦ if youāve ever done a photo shoot, if you let somebody else choose the photo, itās never going to be the one youād choose, and itās probably a better choice.ā That task fell to Nick Govrik, another friend and engineer.
The terrain Bukovac and Trapp cover on their first album together is expansive and transportingāand packed with impressive melodies and guitar sounds.
The shipment of In Stereoās vinyl arrived shortly before Trapp, Bukovac, and I talked, and while Bukovac released his first solo album, Plexi Soul, in 2021, and Trapp put out his releases Pick Peace and Life After Dark in 2012 and 2018, respectively, they seemed as excited to listen to it as teenagers in a garage band unveiling their debut single. Thatās because, despite their standing and successes, playing guitar and making music is truly in their blood. What they play is a genuine expression of who they are, ripped from their DNA and presented to the world.
āDonāt tell my mom this, because of course we all want to make a living, but playing music that has integrity is at the top for me,ā says Trapp. āThese days, with AI and people worried or insecure about where the music business is going, and all these Instagram players who just are fixing everything with Pro Tools so they sound like theyāre in a studio, I donāt worry because weāre not selling bullshit. We have 35 years of real experience between us, and when we do social media, weāre just reaching for a cell phone and posting it. Itās organic. That, to me, is a big difference. At the end of the day, I can sleep well knowing that I have earned the respect of the people that I respect the most. Itās just authentic music made for the very reason we got into this in the first place. We love it.ā
YouTube It
Guthrie Trapp and Tom Bukovac practice their live chemistry together at Trappās standing Monday night gig at Nashvilleās guitar-centric Underdog.
With built-in effects, headphone output, and AUX connectivity, these compact devices are designed to provide ultimate versatility for practice sessions at home or on stage.
Aguilar is introducing the amPlug3 Tone Hammer, a portable headphone amplifier inspired by the iconic Tone Hammer sound. Ideal for practicing anywhere, this compact device packs dual channel Clean and Drive modes for ultimate versatility. To help keep practice sessions inspiring, the unit includes reverb, chorus, and compression as built-in, onboard effects and a built-in rhythm feature to keep any players favorite basslines in time. Lastly, the amPlug3 features AUX connectivity to allow players to play along with tracks, or via a TRRS cable, record straight to a phone or laptop with ease. Whether at home, in the studio, or on the road, the amPlug3 Tone Hammer offers a convenient practice solution without compromising tone.
In addition to the amPlug 3 Tone Hammer, Aguilar has revamped their iconic Tone Hammer Preamp pedal. Built upon the original design that has become an essential tool for bass players seeking tone and flexibility. Incorporating customer feedback and refining key features, the new Tone Hammer Preamp offers enhanced drive functionality featuring an expanded gain range with a separate "drive" control for greater tonal precision, allowing users to refine their overdriven and clean tones independently. New Practice-friendly features include the addition of a headphone output and auxiliary input, allowing the pedal to double as the perfect practice companion at home or on the road. The updated, compact enclosure has a modern aesthetic, complementing the Tone Hammer series of amplifiers.
āWe are thrilled to expand the Tone Hammer family with these new products,ā said Jordan Cortese of Aguilar Amplification. āThe reimagined Preamp/DI pedal and the all-new amPlug3 Tone Hammer provide bassists with even more options to achieve their perfect sound, whether theyāre on stage or practicing on the move.ā
Street Prices:
- Tone Hammer Preamp Pedal $299.99
- amPlug3 Tone hammer $59.99