Hey Gearheads: This month we want to look back on the tunes that got us through 2010 and give you
a quick look at what’s currently stuck in our players. Also, blues-guitar titan Duke Robillard chimes in
with his choices. Feel free to add yours in the comments section.
Joe Coffey - Editorial Director
What am I listening to?
Kenny Chesney’s Hemmingway’s
Whiskey. The
variety of stuff on this
album may surprise you.
What was my favorite album of 2010?
Jimmie Vaughan Plays Blues, Ballads and Favorites.
This isn’t a blues album as much as it is
a celebration of that cool intersection of blues
and R&B that was all over AM radio several
decades ago. Jimmie is retro hip—no wonder
he brings it back with such authenticity.
Rebecca Dirks - Web Content Editor
What am I listening to?
Damien Rice, O. The
2002 debut from the
Irish singer-songwriter
has ten tracks of haunting,
melancholy vocals and acoustic guitar.
Songs like “Delicate,” “Cold Water,” and
“Cannonball” have kept this album in regular
rotation for me for years.
What was my favorite album of 2010?
Frightened Rabbit, Winter of Mixed Drinks.
Of the new albums I’ve really loved this year,
this is the one that keeps ending up back in
my CD player.
Andy Ellis - Senior Editor
What am I listening to?
Grateful Dead, Fillmore
West 1969. I just love
the squawky tones Jerry
Garcia coaxed from his
red SG. For humbuckers in heat, does it get
better than “St. Stephen”?
What was my favorite album of 2010?
My favorite album of the decade is the self-titled
debut by Black Dub. But for 2010, it’s
Southern Filibuster: A Tribute to Tut Taylor.
Dobro wizard Jerry Douglas gathered 13 of his
tonebar-wielding cohorts to produce the finest
collection of reso-guitar music I’ve ever heard.
Shawn Hammond - Editor in Chief
What am I listening to?
Killswitch Engage, As
Daylight Dies. This
2006 metal masterpiece
accomplishes a
rare feat: Clockwork blastbeats, intricately
intertwined dual guitars, and vocals that are
the perfect dichotomy between aggressive
and beautiful all impress on their own, yet
they all serve the songs first.
What was my favorite album of 2010?
Bill Kirchen, Word to the Wise. The Titan of
the Tele proves he’s still twang-tastic, and
the songs are downright infectious (see our interview with Kirchen).
Chris Kies - Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Social Distortion,
Hard Times & Nursery
Rhymes. The Sick Boycrew’s
new album rides
strong on Ness’ storytelling prowess. Some
new wrinkles include background gospel
singers à la the Stones and a full-throttle cover
of Hank Williams’ “Alone and Forsaken.”
What was my favorite album of 2010?
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Mojo.
Petty and the Heartbreakers have been
bringing it consistently for 30+ years, but
Mojo is like 1979 all over again with its raw
energy, catchy hooks, and rockin’ guitars.
Adam Moore - Senior Editor
What am I listening to?
Muse, The Resistance.
Full of big vocals,
big hooks, and even
bigger guitars, The
Resistance finds frontman Matthew Bellamy
channeling Freddie Mercury and Brian May.
Not many bands can pull that off, but Muse
does it effortlessly.
What was my favorite album of 2010?
Deftones, Diamond Eyes. The Deftones
returned after a four-year hiatus and some
substantial trauma, and proved that they’re
still one of the best.
Duke Robillard - Guest Picker
What am I listening to?
Besides the classic
blues and jazz I’ve
been listening to for
most of my life, I am
enjoying Los Lobos’
Tin Can Trust.
What was my favorite album of 2010?
That’s easy. Tom Jones’ Praise and Blame.
Charles Saufley - Gear Editor
What am I listening to?
Groundhogs Who’ll
Save The World?
The production on
this ‘72 LP from Brit
blues-rock chameleon Tony McPhee and
his Groundhogs is mired in a beautifully
disorienting post-psychedelic haze that’s
punctuated by the ‘Hogs twisted-funk, tipsy
melodies, odd-meter stops and starts and
McPhee’s lightning Strat picking.
What was my favorite album of 2010?
Tough. Maybe Grinderman II. This gloriously
sleazy slab from Nick Cave and his latest
band of miscreants and scalawags is a loose,
slashing, hacking, thriller of an LP.
Jason Shadrick - Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Trey Anastasio Band,
TAB at the TAB.
Combining a freeform
approach to songwriting
with a skin-tight horn section, Anastasio
captures some of his solo band magic
(finally) on an album.
What was my favorite album of 2010?
Widespread Panic, Dirty Side Down. Panic
is hitting a stride in their career that few jam
bands attain. Now that Jimmy Herring is
comfortably filling the lead guitar chair, the
group has put out their most diverse and
interesting album to date.
Phat Machine
The Phat Machine
The Phat Machine is designed to deliver the tone and responsiveness of a vintage germanium fuzz with improved temperature stability with no weird powering issues. Loaded with both a germanium and a silicon transistor, the Phat Machine offers the warmth and cleanup of a germanium fuzz but with the bite of a silicon pedal. It utilizes classic Volume and Fuzz control knobs, as well as a four-position Thickness control to dial-in any guitar and amp combo. Also included is a Bias trim pot and a Kill switch that allows battery lovers to shut off the battery without pulling the input cord.
Silk Worm Deluxe Overdrive
The Silk Worm Deluxe -- along with its standard Volume/Gain/Tone controls -- has a Bottom trim pot to dial in "just the right amount of thud with no mud at all: it’s felt more than heard." It also offers a Studio/Stage diode switch that allows you to select three levels of compression.
Both pedals offer the following features:
- 9-volt operation via standard DC external supply or internal battery compartment
- True bypass switching with LED indicator
- Pedalboard-friendly top mount jacks
- Rugged, tour-ready construction and super durable powder coated finish
- Made in the USA
Static Effectors’ Street Series pedals carry a street price of $149 each. They are available at select retailers and can also be purchased directly from the Static Effectors online store at www.staticeffectors.com.
Galloup’s Plek tech Adam Winarski preps a Yamaha acoustic for the machine.
Presently, many certified guitar-repair specialists possess the expertise required to deliver an instrument that both sounds and plays wonderfully. The standards set by manufacturers and distributors have significantly risen, safeguarded by rigorous quality protocols to guarantee the best possible acoustic experience for customers. Additionally, lutherie training has raised the bar for critical processes, and one of the most tricky is fretwork.
Traditional fretwork once involved manual labor, with technicians utilizing sandbags or similar supports to steady the neck as they straightened it with a truss rod during the filing process. A notable advancement in this field came in the mid 1970s when Don Teeter, an author and repair expert, imposed a new method: fixing the guitar body to the bench and using blocks to maintain the neck in a playing position. This refinement was one of many in the continued quest to produce superior instruments by standardized methods.
An example of the Plek’s readings from an acoustic guitar.
Photo courtesy of Galloup Guitars
In the late 1970s, another pivotal innovation was introduced by Dan Erlewine. He created an advanced fret jig with a specialized body-holding system and neck supports, adding another layer of precision to the repair process. During my collaboration with Dan in 1985, we developed a rotating neck jig that counterbalanced the forces of gravity, keeping the instrument in its playing orientation while adjusting the neck supports. This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry. By 1986, our approach had evolved into a freestanding workstation coupled with a sophisticated hold-down mechanism and enhanced neck supports, culminating in increased accuracy, efficiency, and consistency. Over the decades, the Erlewine/Galloup rotating neck jig has become a benchmark in numerous shops, enhancing fretwork performance.
"This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry."
By the 1990s, automated and computerized technologies permeated the guitar manufacturing and repair sectors. Initially applied by import companies in the mass production of guitars, the technology, although expediting processes, did not immediately achieve high execution standards. However, the tech dramatically improved over time, with computer-driven systems eventually transforming the industry. Contemporary automated production utilizing such advancements meets exceedingly high standards of precision. Some bespoke guitar manufacturers, such as Steve Andersen, were pioneers in adopting these methods, but it was companies like Taylor that established them in the modern era.
Inevitably, the progression of technology extended beyond the mere production of parts. Around 1995, German engineer Gerd Anke envisioned the integration of computer-assisted technology into enhancing instrument playability, giving rise to Plek technology, which uses computers to precisely measure and analyze the various components of a guitar, like neck relief, fret height, nut and bridge specs, and more. Nashville guitar-repair tech Joe Glaser was among the first to recognize the machine’s value, followed by San Francisco luthier Gary Brawer. When Heritage Guitar Inc. invested in a Plek machine, the guitar industry could no longer disregard the significance of this innovation.
“The machine’s scanning data confirmed that there was one nature of an ideal fret plane, done by hand or machine, and unsurprisingly, it conformed exactly to what physics predicts, not personal mojo.”
In the spring of 2022, Galloup Guitars obtained its first Plek machine. Promptly, our technician Adam Winarski paved the way for the Plek’s integration in our shop. Now, it’s a rarity for an instrument to leave our shop without having undergone Plek analysis and machining. Impressed by the results of our integration, we created “Intro to Plek” as a course for all students enrolled at the Galloup School of Lutherie, offering our students a practical introduction to this technology. We furthered this educational initiative with a comprehensive one-week intensive “Plek Certification Training Course” for both students and the public. This advanced Plek course serves those seeking to boost their knowledge base and employability in this high-precision field.
Plek is rapidly becoming an industry standard for major manufacturers and smaller shops alike. However, this does not mean that those without access to this technology cannot execute proficient fretwork. Personally, I continue to use my Erlewine/Galloup neck jig—not only out of nostalgia, but also because it remains an excellent method for delivering accurate and reliable guitars. Still, it’s undeniable that the process of fretting, fret dressing, and analytics of fretted instruments has undergone significant transformation, resulting in better sounding—and playing—guitars. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.