Starting this week, we''ve kicked Premier Collector up a notch. You''ll learn a bit more about the collectors through a series of questions we''ll be asking, including stories from gigs and personal tone philosophy. Of course, if you have your own gear and stories you''d like to share, drop us a line at rebecca@premierguitar.com.
Without further ado, introducing Roger Jackson and his collection, in his own words:
Name: Roger Jackson, aka “The Phantom Man”
Years played: 42
Home turf: Southern Arizona
Current/former bands: Various, currently doing consulting work for several local luthiers
First guitar: ’66 Fender Stratocaster
Favorite guitar: (tie) Fender Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul
Favorite amp: any Fender with vacuum tubes
Favorite effect: Compression
Favorite strings: GHS Regular Boomers
From L to R: ''62 Gibson Les Paul SG (Historic Shop re-issue), Fender MIM ''50 Classic Stratocaster re-issue, ''59 Gibson Les Paul flame-top (Historic Shop re-issue), 2001 Fender American Standard Telecaster, 1977 Gibson Les Paul Standard (my "touring guitar").
From L to R: Custom-built ''63 hardtail Strat, Custom-built ''65 hardtail Strat, CIJ ''65 Strat re-issue (modded), MIM Classic ''50s re-issue Strat (modded), Custom-built Jeff Beck Strat clone.
"After years of dissatisfaction with off-the-rack Stratocasters I decided to assemble my own, using parts combinations not generally seen with regular Fender production guitars. Some pieces came from Mexico while others hail from Japan. Stage situations dictated a change to noiseless pickups, thus all are equipped with either DiMarzio Virtual Vintage or Fender SCNs with S-1 switching. The trem-equipped guitars all feature steel blocks for maximum sustain and tuning stability while the hardware is of the vintage-style variety. Ash bodies with the traditional S/S/S routing were selected for their sonic properties, mated to vintage-spec necks. I liken the Fender Strat to the ’69 Chevy Camaro – easy to build, easy to hot-rod, and a joy to drive."
Custom-modded Fender Deluxe Reverb re-issue: hot-rodded chassis, larger blonde/wheatstraw furniture, 15-inch JBL D-130F speaker. Custom cabinetry by John Hinsdale, aka "The Cab Guy." I call this amp my "Spankmaster Reverb."
"A late ''67 Fender ''drip edge'' Bandmaster: dead-stock, matched set, one-owner (I''m the second)."
Who needs a singer, anyways?
"Some years back on the eve of an important audition for a house band gig, our lead singer found himself jailed on a drunk and disorderly charge. The night before his arrest our mixing board had crashed and burned during rehearsal. What to do – pay the bail or buy a new PA? We opted for the new board, re-arranged our demo set that afternoon and – to our collective surprise – got the job. Our front man never forgave us and went on to a lucrative solo career in the food service industry."
"My ''Fillmore'' rig: a 1978 vintage Fender Twin Reverb with factory ''orange basket'' JBL D-120F speakers, with a ''65 re-issue version (also equipped with JBLs). Both amps poised on a pair of vintage Fender Bandmaster cabs for the ultimate in festival/outdoor stage projection."
"The porch weasel from hell: Fender Stage 100 DSP with matching DT112 extension cab. Not quite as toneful as a Fender with vacuum tubes, but this little critter is capable of causing seismic events and eats Crate half-stacks for lunch!"
Other gear in my stash: Fender Stratocaster 12-string, 1957 Gibson Les Paul Junior, Ibanez PF-120 acoustic
Roger''s Tone Philosophy
The best gear in the world is only a small part of the equation; the lion’s share of what emanates from your amp comes from your fingers. The nuance of your picking style, a credible vibrato, an articulated hammer on/off technique, and a symbiotic relationship between the vibrations of your strings and that of your speaker(s) is a more significant factor to your overall sound than your choice of guitar, amp, cabinet, or stomp-box effect. There’s a world of difference between a “Mastercard Maestro” who runs a monthly tab at the local music merchant in a rush to buy the latest and greatest “widget du jour” and someone who practices his craft four or five hours a day (beyond normal band rehearsals and/or play dates). Money only buys you gear – but practice yields your tone.
| To join Roger as a Premier Collector, send an e-mail with photos and a description of your gear to rebecca@premierguitar.com |
Premier Collector #5: The Vintage Room
Premier Collector #4: Oddballs
Premier Collector #3: Vintage Fender Amps and Guitars
Premier Collector #2: Gibson Customs and Modded Marshalls
Premier Collector #1: Kramers, Coronados and More
Billy Gibbons is an undisputable guitar force whose feel, tone, and all-around vibe make him the highest level of hero. But that’s not to say he hasn’t made some odd choices in his career, like when ZZ Top re-recorded parts of their classic albums for CD release. And fans will argue which era of the band’s career is best. Some of us love drum machines and synths and others don’t, but we all love Billy.
This episode is sponsored by Magnatone
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
Released in 1983, the Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay was a staple for pro players of the era and remains revered for its rich analog/digital hybrid sound and distinctive modulation. BOSS reimagined this retro classic in 2023 with the acclaimed SDE-3000D and SDE-3000EVH, two wide-format pedals with stereo sound, advanced features, and expanded connectivity. The SDE-3 brings the authentic SDE-3000 vibe to a streamlined BOSS compact, enhanced with innovative creative tools for every musical style. The SDE-3 delivers evocative delay sounds that drip with warmth and musicality. The efficient panel provides the primary controls of its vintage benchmark—including delay time, feedback, and independent rate and depth knobs for the modulation—plus additional knobs for expanded sonic potential.
A wide range of tones are available, from basic mono delays and ’80s-style mod/delay combos to moody textures for ambient, chill, and lo-fi music. Along with reproducing the SDE-3000's original mono sound, the SDE-3 includes a powerful Offset knob to create interesting tones with two simultaneous delays. With one simple control, the user can instantly add a second delay to the primary delay. This provides a wealth of mono and stereo colors not available with other delay pedals, including unique doubled sounds and timed dual delays with tap tempo control. The versatile SDE-3 provides output configurations to suit any stage or studio scenario.
Two stereo modes include discrete left/right delays and a panning option for ultra-wide sounds that move across the stereo field. Dry and effect-only signals can be sent to two amps for wet/dry setups, and the direct sound can be muted for studio mixing and parallel effect rigs. The SDE-3 offers numerous control options to enhance live and studio performances. Tap tempo mode is available with a press and hold of the pedal switch, while the TRS MIDI input can be used to sync the delay time with clock signals from DAWs, pedals, and drum machines. Optional external footswitches provide on-demand access to tap tempo and a hold function for on-the-fly looping. Alternately, an expression pedal can be used to control the Level, Feedback, and Time knobs for delay mix adjustment, wild pitch effects, and dramatic self-oscillation.
The new BOSS SDE-3 Dual Delay Pedal will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. BOSS retailers in October for $219.99. To learn more, visit www.boss.info.