PG's Rebecca Dirks is On Location in Anaheim, CA, for the 2012 NAMM Show where she visits the Viktorian Guitars booth. In this segment, we get to see and hear a demo of Viktorian's Ruth guitar model.
PG's Rebecca Dirks is On Location in Anaheim, CA, for the 2012 NAMM Show where she visits the Viktorian Guitars booth. In this segment, we get to see and hear a demo of Viktorian's Ruth guitar model.
The Austin-based guitarist sticks with a tried-and-true combo of American guitars and British amps.
If youāve been on the path of this springās Rhett Schull/Zach Person tour, youāve been treated to one of the coolest rock ānā roll double bills criss-crossing North America this year. Person, who is based in Austin, put out his second full-length record, Letās Get Loud, in March 2024, and it was packed with alt-, blues-, and psychedelic-rock anthems built around his take-no-prisoners playing.
This year, Person is road-dogginā it around the United States as a two-piece unit with just a drummer, and PGās Chris Kies caught up with him before he and Shull played the Eastside Bowl in Madison, Tennessee, to see what goods Person is bringing for this springās shows.
Brought to you by DāAddario
Customized Custom
This Gibson Jimi Hendrix 1967 Custom SG came from Gibsonās custom shop, and for Person, an SG with humbuckers is a hard combination to beat. He removed the Maestro trem system and had a tailpiece installed for tuning stability on the road, and he subjected the neck humbucker to a āJimmy Page mod,ā which entails removing the pole pieces to get closer to single-coil tones. This SG stays in standard tuning, with Ernie Ball or DāAddario strings (usually .010ā.046s). Person digs Dunlop Flow Grip .88 mm picks.
Brown Sound
Person brought this 1967 Gibson SG Special back to life with a list of modifications and upgrades, including new pickups and a refinish, but its wood, neck shape, and original frets all made it worth it to him. The neck shape is narrow but chunky in Personās hands, landing somewhere near the feel of Tyler Bryantās 1962 Stratocaster. The pickups now are OX4 P-90s, and like the Custom, this oneās had its Maestro system amputated.
Jeannie Comes Alive
One Thanksgiving at his in-lawsā home in Dallas, Person mentioned how badly he wanted a Gibson LG-2 acoustic. As it happened, his father-in-law suspected his mother had one, which had been relegated to storage in a shed. Person and his wifeās father ventured through rain to dig it out, and sure enough, a very beat up LG-1 was withering away in its case. No local techs in Austin thought it was worth saving, except for Elaine Filion, who was used to taking on bigger restoration projects. Filion succeeded, taking the top off and installing an X-bracing system to turn the LG-1 into an LG-2-style guitar. Now, itās got an L.R. Baggs pickup and bears the nameplate āJeannieā on its headstock to commemorate his wifeās grandma, the original owner. Jeannie usually stays home, but Person brought her out specially for the Rundown.
Marshall Muscle
This Marshall JTM45 MkII is Personās usual go-to. It runs just at breakup volume and gets pushed with some variation of a Pro Co RAT, his favorite dirt box.
Supro Signature
This Super Black Magick Reverb, Tyler Bryantās signature, is along for the ride as a backup to the Marshall.
Zach Personās Pedalboard
Person has done tours with just an overdrive pedal and nothing else, so by comparison, this two-tiered Vertex board is luxurious. Still, itās compact and carries all he needs at the moment. The JHS Pack Rat is the core sound, set fairly heavy and dirty. The rest includes a Boss TU-3, EarthQuaker Devices Double Hoof, Vox Clyde McCoy wah, Boss BF-2, DigiTech Drop, Strymon El Capistan, and an Interstellar Audio Machines Marsling Octafuzzdrive. A TC Helicon Mic Mechanic rides along as a vocal effect so Person can keep control over his voice from night to night.
This is perhaps the most rare Iwase guitar: one volume, one tone, and a quality adjustable bridge, plus a raised pickguard and some beautiful shading on the burst.
A 6-string found in the workshop of the late luthier Yukichi Iwase may be the only one of these small, nearly full-scale guitars. Our columnist tells the story.
Iāve been thinking a lot about snowflakes lately. We are getting some snowy weather up my way, but thereās a few other items rattling around in my mind. Like, I just got a car for my daughter (thanks to those who bought guitars from me recently), and itās so freakinā cool. I bought her a Mini Cooper, and this thing is so rad! I was doing research on these models, and each one is sorta different as far as colors, racing stripes, wheels, etc. Her friends say she has a āmain characterā car, but youāll probably have to ask a teenager whatthat means.
And then my mind wandered to my college days, when I was an English major. I got to read and write every day, and I thought I was getting good at it until a professor raked me over the proverbial coals for using the word āuniqueā incorrectly when describing a local bandās sound. He really tore me up, because if I describe something as unique, it should be like none otherālike a snowflake.
So, what about guitars? Is a custom-shop model unique if it has the same pickups and same scale as many others? Even if the body is shaped differently? Seriously, that professor would hand you your butt because, in his mind, you didnāt just choose words unless you understood their real meaning. Consider the super-rare Teisco T-60 ⦠the model that Glen Campbell loved and played for much of his early career. I know of only four in existence. There are some Japanese collectors who own hundreds of guitars but donāt have a T-60. Does that make the T-60 unique, or simply rare? I mean, they were all hand-made and featured that original hole-in-the-body āmonkey gripā ⦠but unique? Talk amongst yourselves for a hot minute.
āIn my waning days of collecting, I just want to have Voice stuff, because I met Iwase and connected with him immediately.ā
I recently wrote about the passing of the great Japanese luthier Yukichi Iwase, whose small company (basically just him) produced some of the finest guitars and amps and carried the āVoiceā label. A friend in Japan, along with his daughters, were in the process of clearing out his old workshop, and Iāve been trying to acquire everything from it that I can. I used to collect just Teisco stuff, and then I had a passion for the old Intermark/Pleasant guitars. Then I wanted to get all the old Yamaha stuff I could find. But now, in my waning days of collecting, I just want to have Voice stuff, because I met Iwase and connected with him immediately. He was a peach, and, yes, he was unique. Aside from being one of the earliest employees of Tesico, he was a brilliant fellow who could make just about anything from scratch, including guitars and amps. Left in his workshop were a few unfinished T-60s, some pedal steels, some amps, a really cool bass, an unfinished double-neck guitar, and a tiny guitar that is also truly worthy of the term āunique.ā
āI know these pickups well enough to understand they are loud, crisp, and offer a full range of sounds,ā our columnist says.
The latter is a small powerhouse of a guitar. It has one of his amazing pickups that looks like a big block engine stuffed into an AMC Gremlin. He somehow squeezed out a 23" scale, but the rest of the guitar is like a childās 6-string or a travel guitar. I believe he only made one of these. The body design has an ocean-wave type of flow, and the guitar is very balanced and not hard on the eyes, even with the exaggerated features. One volume, one tone, and a quality adjustable bridge plus a raised pickguardāthe only time Iāve seen this design on his guitars. His finish work was really nice, too, and he was able to get some beautiful shading on the burst. The headstock has a figured overlay and the neck profile is so sweetācurved perfectly with some fine wood.
To me, it seems to have been built around 1966, based on the tuners he used. I donāt have the heart yet to plug this into an amp, but I know these pickups well enough to understand they are loud, crisp, and offer a full range of sounds. So, what do you think? Rare? Truly unique?
Matteo Mancuso's first headline national tour of North America includes stops in major cities such as Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, and Denver, showcasing his unique talent and original sound. Don't miss the opportunity to witness this rising guitar virtuoso live in concert.
Matteo Mancuso has announced his first headline national tour of North America. The itinerary brings Mancuso coast to coast in the US, and into Canada for several annual marquee events. The tour begins on May 20 at Bostonās City Winery and wraps on June 30 at Le Festival International de Jazz de Montreal. With the on-sale being staggered, please check local box offices for on-sale details market to market.
Mancuso hails from Sicily, nestled in the Mediterranean Sea to the South of Italy. The island has always had a rich cultural heritage, from poets, writers, philosophers, and architects to painters and musicians. Born in 1996 and raised just outside the capital Palermo, the pedigree runs deep in the veins of those from the region. Had his family relocated to the US, he might be the best-kept secret in the lineage of great Italian-American players like Zappa, Vai, Satriani, Di Meola, Petrucci, and Gambale.
During the 1970s, his father, Vincenzo Mancuso, made a name for himself as a gifted session player on the domestic scene, and the young Matteo looked up to him as a primary source of inspiration. While still in high school (music), he picked up classical guitar and transverse flute. It didn't take long for everyone to understand that a child prodigy was blooming.
At the age of 12, Matteo took his first steps onto the stage at a local jazz festival. Since then, his acquaintance with live performances has seen him blossom and develop through various line-ups and collaborations with the finest local musicians, including a duo with his father, where they explore the complexities of Django Reinhart's repertoire and contemporary jazz classics.
As a multi-faceted player, either classical or electric, what is astounding is his one-of-a-kind technique and use of his fingers instead of regular picking. With an impressive tone, original sound, and humble demeanor, you have the guitarist no one has ever seen and whose talent puts him in a different league. Many of the world's most iconic, ground-breaking, and legendary players are declaring Matteo as a force to be reckoned with, from Joe Bonamassa and Steve Vaito Al Di Meola.
In 2019, Yamaha Guitars became the official endorser of his appearance at the NAMM show in Los Angeles. He was invited as a judge on the panel for the "Young Guitar Festival" in Bangkok and a masterclass tour in Russia ā calling through Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Perm. In 2020, Matteo put together a new trio and began developing his solo work, pushing his compositional boundaries and original material. When the pandemic brought the world to a standstill like many, Matteo experienced difficulties as it took a significant toll on the music industry, like many others. In 2021, as soon as live gigs became possible, he hit the road as part of the new trio, culminating in two exhilarating sold-out nights at the Blue Note in Milano. The name Matteo Mancuso was beginning to reach the ears of the most prominent people in the industry and those in the know. Offers came up from the north to the deep south.
In 2022 he played at the Bremen International Festival at the Auditorium Parco Della Musica in Rome. After a short break in June last year to graduate in jazz guitar from the PalermoConservatory of Music with honors and honorable mention, he resumed touring. He shared the stage with Al Di Meola on classical guitar on the closing night of the Eddie Lang Jazz Festival and played at the Lugano Jazz Festival in Switzerland, as a guest with prog-rockers PFM and an incredible performance at the New Ross Guitar Festival in Ireland. He appeared in a major prime-time slot on Italy's national Rai TV, at the Uppsala Jazz Festival in Sweden. Finally, he rounded off the year at the Spoleto Jazz Festival back in Italy.
His debut titled The Journey features nine original songs which were recorded at Fico d'IndiaStudios Casteldaccia, Sicily, by his father, Vincenzo Mancuso ā a gifted player who also played on the record and co-wrote two songs, "Polifemo" and "Blues For John." The album also features Stefano India (Bass) and Guiseppe Bruno (Drums), with additional musicians Riccardo Oliva(Bass), Gianluca Pellerito (drums,) and Guiseppe Vasapolli (Piano/Organ).
Mancuso began writing songs for the album around 2020. "I didn't really have a specific concept behind the album, but I wanted to do something that wasn't associated with only one genre, so there are some rock-oriented songs like Drop D and some modern Jazz tunes like Polifemo," he says."Drop D" was one of the first songs written for the album, which pays tribute to his teens' hard rock and prog influences such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and Dream Theater. "It is a mix of typical rock and prog elements and one of the most fun songs to play live," he says.
In front of the albumās release, he shared, "I just want people to hear it," he enthuses. "Music has always been my favorite form of communication, and the thing I love about instrumental music is that there isn't a language barrier. I'm sure that people who don't usually listen to instrumental music can find something interesting from this album."
Mancuso has become one of the hottest guitarists on the planet following the release of his debut album in 2023, The Journey, which featured the singles "Samba Party," which channels the excitement and jubilation of Rio de Janeiro during carnival ā but the song itself is anything but samba. Also, "Silk Road, which was dedicated to his hometown Palermo and his Arab-Norman roots and was the follow-up to the album's lead single "Drop D,"
The YouTube sensation has already adorned the front cover of magazines such as GuitarTechniques, which called him "The Hottest Guitarist on the Planet ", and Total Guitar, which hailed him as the "World's Hottest Virtuoso." He has picked up plaudits from some of the world's most iconic, ground-breaking players who are declaring Matteo as a force to be reckoned with, from Joe Bonamassa and Steve Vai to Al Di Meola. They share:
"The evolution of guitar is firmly secure in the hands of these kind of players... it's just a new level, the tone, the touch, the notes!" - Steve Vai
"An absolute talent; his improvisational ability is light years ahead. It would take two or three lifetimes. It was like when Jacko (Pastorius) came on the scene...how did he get so good and so fast?" - Al Di Meola
"All the kids are talking about it, and I blanked when answering who my new favorite guitarist is... here he is, Matteo Mancuso. I have not seen anyone reinvent like this since Stanley Jordan" - Joe Bonamassa
For more information, please visit matteomancuso.net.
Confirmed Appearances Include:
- 5/20 Boston, MA City Winery Boston
- 5/21 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl
- 5/22 Ardmore, PA The Ardmore Music Hall
- 5/23 Red Bank, NJ The Vogel
- 5/24 Washington, DC The Hamilton Live
- 5/25 Cumberland, MD Allegany County Fairgrounds
- 5/27 Pittsburgh, PA City Winery Pittsburgh
- 5/28 Lansing, MI Grewal Hall at 224
- 5/29 Ferndale, MI The Magic Bag
- 5/31 Cincinnati, OH The Ludlow Garage
- 6/01 Kent, OH The Kent Stage
- 6/02 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
- 6/04 Minneapolis, MN The Dakota
- 6/05 Milwaukee, WI Vivarium
- 6/06 Chicago, IL Garciaās
- 6/07 Chicago, IL Garciaās
- 6/10 Denver, CO Cervantesā Other Side
- 6/13 Sante Fe, NM The Bridge at Sante Fe Brewing
- 6/14 Phoenix, AZ MIM
- 6/15 Tucson, AZ The Rialto Theatre
- 6/16 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
- 6/17 Highland Park, CA Lodge Room
- 6/18 San Juan Capistrano, CA The Coach House
- 6/20 Berkeley, CA The UC Theatre
- 6/22 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
- 6/23 Seattle, WA Neptune Theatre
- 6/24 Vancouver, BC Rickshaw
- 6/25 Victoria, BC Wicket Hall
- 6/28 Syracuse, NY Syracuse Jazz Fest
- 6/29 Buffalo, NY Electric City
- 6/30 Montreal, QC Le Festival International de Jazz de Montreal
In this episode of 100 Guitarists, weāre talking all things surf rock, from reverb to tremolo picking and much more. And while āMisirlouā is undisputedly his most influential work, maybe Daleās best records didnāt come until a few decades later.
āAll the kids in all L.A. / Come to hear Dick Dale play,ā or so goes the title track from Dick Daleās Wrecking Crew-heavy 1963 album, King of the Surf Guitar. Immodest though it might seem to proclaim such a status, he was indeed at the top of the heap.
For many, Daleās legend precedes him. His sound, first heard in a So Cal beach ballroom, created the surf guitar vocabulary and transformed the guitar universe, starting with the 1962 release of his take on the traditional song āMisirlou.ā Ever the showman, he worked closely with Leo Fender developing the right gear for the gig as he played his ripping instrumentals to larger and larger audiences. He also inspired a Hendrix lyric and had a late-career renaissance thanks to Quentin Tarantino.
In this episode of 100 Guitarists, weāre talking all things surf rock, from reverb to tremolo picking and much more. And while āMisirlouā is undisputedly his most influential work, maybe Daleās best records didnāt come until a few decades later.
This episode is sponsored byTraveler Guitar.