PG Editors’ Top Solos of All Time
We could never really just pick one, but PG editors, along with Guest Picker
Robert Randolph, ponder some of the most pivotal guitar solos ever performed.
Rebecca Dirks -- Web Content Editor
What am I listening to?
Band of Horses, Cease
to Begin. I’ve only just
started listening to the
band via their second album, but bouncy,
twang-infused tracks like “The General
Specific” and “Ode to LRC” have me hooked.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and why?
Chuck Berry’s blazing solo in “Johnny B.
Goode” is a classic, but I have to admit it’s
one of my favorites due in part to Marty
McFly’s “rendition” in Back to the Future.
Andy Ellis -- Senior Editor
Matt Resnicoff,
The History of Now.
Resnicoff slices and
recombines guitar riffs, vocals, and ensemble
grooves to create kaleidoscopic compositions
that defy description.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and why?
Leslie West’s two solos in Mountain’s
“Theme for an Imaginary Western,” from
Climbing! Searing P-90 tone, incredible
sustain, stuttering attack, soaring bends,
and quick, quivering vibrato—a wailing,
melodic masterpiece.
Shawn Hammond -- Editor in Chief
What am I listening to?
The Glorious, Stories
from a Fractured Youth.
Christopher Wicks and
Michael Rossi channel the greatest bits of
early Brit rock—including Village Green
Preservation Society-era Kinks and Ziggy
Stardust Bowie vibes—and nail a bittersweet
version of “Help” that feels truer to the lyrics
than the Fab Four’s original.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and why?
EVH’s “Eruption” convinced me guitar was
in my future. More recently, Setzer’s “Hell
Bent” scalds my eardrums incomparably.
Tessa Jeffers -- Managing Editor
What am I listening to?
The ever-eclectic Wild
Beasts, Smother. Singer
Hayden Thorpe sounds
like an intoxicated opera singer from
outer space.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and
why?
Mike McCready’s solo in “Yellow
Ledbetter” has that one-in-a-million spark
where it truly elevates the song and captures
an essence—not to mention it’s hauntingly
slow and complex. The first time I heard it,
it hit me square in the gut and stayed there.
Chris Kies -- Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
The Black Keys’ El
Camino reinforces the
notion that bass players
are way overrated, thanks to the melodic,
raunchy power and gritty doo-wop grooves
the duo provides on 11 delicious, Danger
Mouse-approved cuts.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and why?
The Misfits’ “Some Kinda Hate,” because
it’s the first solo I ever mastered, and also
Pantera’s “Floods” is one of the most soulful,
evocative pieces of music recorded by
my favorite guitarist.
Rich Osweiler -- Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
The Dave Brubeck
Quartet, Their Last
Time Out. My folks
introduced me to jazz through Brubeck,
and I’m a sucker for “previously unreleased”
material. This live recording from 1967 is
particularly cool, because it captures the
last time Brubeck, Desmond, Morello, and
Wright played together live.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and why?
Ritchie Blackmore’s solo from “Highway
Star.” Why? It was the first thing
to come to mind, so I guess that
makes it a favorite!
Robert Randolph -- Guest Picker
What am I listening to?
The Red Hot Chili
Peppers’ I’m with You,
and secret, unreleased
demos of Jimi Hendrix.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and why?
The best solo of all time is Eddie Van
Halen’s in Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”—
it revolutionized pop and rock! And he
totally nailed it. I’m still blown away
every time I hear it.
Charles Saufley -- Gear Editor
What am I listening to?
Sic Alps new 7" single,
“Vedley,” is a basementgrim,
slasher-flick edit
nightmare—like a cross between the Beatles’
“Revolution No. 9” and “You Know My
Name (Look up the Number),” only performed
by Jandek and White Light/White
Heat-era Velvets.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and why?
Neil Young’s “Like a Hurricane” changed
my life. I don’t think I experienced lead guitar
as absolute freedom and pure, unfettered
emotional expression until I heard it.
Jason Shadrick -- Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Howlin’ Wolf, The
Rockin’ Chair Album.
The combination of
Wolf and the late Hubert Sumlin creates a
primal sound that establishes the true spirit
of Chicago blues.
What’s my favorite guitar solo and why?
The intro solo on Eric Clapton’s
“Someday After a While” on From
the Cradle. The first screaming bend
made me want to play blues guitar. Not
only is this Clapton’s best work since
Cream, it’s a modern blues masterpiece.
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.