Jackson, AZ (January 21, 2016) -- Jackson proudly announces new signature models with Def Leppard’s Phil Collen, Gus G. of Firewind/Ozzy Osbourne, Marty Friedman, and Periphery’s Misha Mansoor.
As the lead guitarist for one of the world’s biggest-selling rock bands, Def Leppard’s Phil Collen has deftly wrung numerous classic riffs from Jackson guitars. It’s impossible to imagine the ‘80s and ‘90s rock charts—or Jackson history—without him, as he’s been a Jackson endorser since 1986.
Collen’s PC1 Dinky was one of the original Jackson signature instruments, and continues to stand out in modern times with its staple exotic woods and a Jackson Sustainer/Driver. New for 2017, Collen’s revered USA signature models have been refreshed to match his latest tastes and specifications with the new USA Signature Phil Collen PC1 Matte and USA Signature Phil Collen PC1 Satin Stain models.
Both models have a caramelized mahogany body, bolt-on two-piece quartersawn caramelized flame-maple neck with handrubbed urethane gel on the back and graphite reinforcement, 12”-16" compound radius caramelized flame-maple fretboard with 24 jumbo frets, convenient thumbwheel truss-rod butt adjust, and licensed Fender Stratocaster headstock.
These guitars also keep Collen’s favored HSS configuration, with DiMarzio DP-152-F (bridge) and HS-2 DP116 (middle) pickups, and a PC1 Sustainer Driver neck pickup. Other features include the “dome” master volume control, master tone and intensity controls, 5-way blade switch, Floyd Rose Original tremolo, and die-cast tuners.
The PC1 Matte comes in satin gray or matte blue frost with black hardware, while the PC1 Satin Stain is available in transparent amber, transparent blue, au natural, transparent black, transparent red or transparent green with satin gold hardware.
Gus G. has spent the past decade affirming his status as one of metal’s reigning guitar virtuosos. He has recorded more than a dozen studio albums, has established himself as an acclaimed solo artist, and has also managed to find time to perform worldwide with acts as diverse as Arch Enemy, Dream Evil, and his own band, Firewind. He’s also been Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist since being personally handpicked by the heavy metal legend in August 2009, thus continuing a long-cherished tradition of Jackson-wielding Ozzy Osbourne guitarists dating all the way back to Randy Rhoads and the company’s 1980 founding.
Jackson pays homage to the Greek Metal God with three new signature models that offer a new take on one of Jackson’s original avant-garde body shapes.
USA Signature Gus G. Star
A stylish and heavy-sounding axe, the USA Signature Gus G. Star offers premium features such as an alder Star body, one-piece through-body quartersawn maple neck with satin urethane back finish, graphite reinforcement rods and scarf joint, 12” radius fully bound rosewood fretboard with 24 custom jumbo frets, Jackson’s pointed 6-in-line headstock and the option of a Gus G. logo in mother of pearl at the 12th fret.
A pair of active humbucking Seymour Duncan Gus G. Signature Blackouts power this pointed machine with thick, meaty, and towering tone that can be controlled by a master volume dial and 3-way toggle pickup selector switch. Its TonePros adjustable Tune-o-matic style bridge with Gotoh stop tailpiece, bone nut, and Sperzel locking tuners work in tandem to provide outstanding tuning stability and durability.
Available in satin white with black pinstripes or satin black with white pinstripes, the USA Gus G. Star bears brooding black hardware and comes in a hardshell case.
X Series Signature Gus G. Star
The X Series Signature Gus G. Star features a mahogany body with a one-piece through-body maple neck stabilized by a pair of graphite reinforcement rods and scarf joint, and a 12” radius rosewood-bound fretboard with 24 jumbo frets and pearloid sharkin inlays.
A pair of Seymour Duncan Gus G. Signature Blackouts power this pointed machine, with a single master volume control and 3-way toggle switch to shape and refine tone. Also equipped with a Jackson compensated and adjustable bridge with anchored tailpiece, black hardware, and Jackson pointed 6-in-line headstock.
Available in satin black with white pinstripes and satin white with black pinstripes.
JS Series Signature Gus G. Star JS32
The most affordable option for Gus G.’s new signature series, the Gus G. Star JS32 features a poplar body, one-piece bolt-on maple neck with graphite reinforcement and scarf joint, and a 12”-16” compound radius bound rosewood fretboard with 24 jumbo frets and pearloid sharkfin inlays.
It’s fueled by Jackson high-output humbucking pickups, with a single volume control and 3-way toggle switch to shape tone. Also features a Jackson radius compensated TOM-style bridge with anchored tailpiece, black hardware, and a Jackson pointed 6-in-line headstock.
Available in satin black with white pinstripes and satin white with black pinstripes.
One of the most influential and respected players in the world, Marty Friedman’s impactful and game-changing contributions to heavy metal and guitar in general continue to inspire generations of musicians and music fans to this day. He defined modern guitar playing with Jason Becker in Cacophony, was a key element in the wildly successful rise of thrash pioneers Megadeth, and with his “Marty-esque” improvisations and exotic fusion of Eastern and Western music, has achieved global success with his 12 solo albums.
Jackson is incredibly proud and honored to continue a longstanding relationship with Friedman by collaborating with the virtuoso on the all-new USA Signature Marty Friedman MF-1 and X Series Marty Friedman MF-1 signature models.
USA Signature Marty Friedman MF-1
This 24.75”-scale signature guitar is loaded with premium features to match the demanding needs of an elite and intricate player like Friedman, including a mahogany body with 3/4” plain maple top, one-piece mahogany set-neck with graphite reinforcement and scarf joint, and a bound 12” radius rosewood fretboard with 22 wide medium jumbo frets and mother of pearl block inlays.
Dual Marty Friedman EMG MF signature humbucking pickups power this single-cutaway guitar, delivering a sound that sings as well as screams. The guitar is equipped with white speed-knob controls as well as a 3-way toggle switch to wrangle all of the subtle nuances out of the guitar's tone, while a TonePros adjustable Tune-o-matic style bridge with Gotoh stop tailpiece and Schaller locking tuners provide state-of-the-art tuning stability and sustain.
Available in gloss black with white bevels, black hardware, and Jackson’s reverse 3x3 (3 over, 3 under) AT-1 headstock. Hardshell case included.
X Series Signature Marty Friedman MF-1
This 24.75”-scale X Series signature model is also loaded with great features, but at a more affordable price.
Features include a mahogany body with 3/4” plain maple top, one-piece mahogany set-thru neck with graphite reinforcement and scarf joint, bound 12” radius rosewood fretboard with 22 jumbo frets and pearloid block inlays.
Marty Friedman dual EMG MF signature humbucking pickups deliver a sound that sings and screams. Equipped with two volume and two tone dome-style controls as well as a 3-way toggle switch to wrangle all of the subtle nuances out of the guitar's tone. The model also features a Jackson compensated and adjustable bridge and die-cast locking tuners for increased sustain and tuning stability.
Available in gloss black with white bevels, black hardware, and a reverse Jackson 3x3 (3 over, 3 under) AT-1 headstock.
Djent forefather and speed demon Misha Mansoor has gained widespread acclaim as the mastermind behind the axe-centric progressive metal band Periphery. He’s known to impress the most discerning of metal fans with his steadfast, fleet-fingered technique, and his personally designed collection of Jackson signature Juggernaut instruments is sure to set any shredder’s tone ablaze.
For 2017, Jackson adds new Pro Series versions of his Juggernaut models, offering many similar features as his USA model with a price tag that is easier on the wallet.
Pro Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT6
The Pro Juggernaut HT6 features a basswood body, one-piece bolt-on maple speed neck with graphite reinforcement and wrap-around heel for comfort, 16” flat radius ebony fretboard with 24 jumbo frets, offset inlay dots, Luminlay side dots, and convenient thumb wheel truss-rod butt adjust.
Not willing to sacrifice tone, Mansoor spent considerable time working with Jackson to develop new, killer-sounding Jackson MM1 pickups, which can be shaped with a master volume and master tone control with push/pull select and 5-way blade switch. The guitar also features a Jackson HT6 string-through-body hardtail bridge, Jackson die-cast locking tuners, black hardware, and reverse Jackson 3x3 (3 over, 3 under) AT-1 headstock.
Available in satin gun metal gray and satin white.
The Pro Series Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7FM shares the same specs as his Juggernaut HT6 but with a few modifications. A 7-string guitar, the HT7FM features a 26.5”-scale length, a striking flame-maple top, a Jackson HT7 string-through-body hardtail bridge, and reverse Jackson 4x3 (4 over, 3 under) AT-1 headstock.
Available in oceanburst and charcoal burst.
For more information:
Jackson Guitars
Duane Denison of the Jesus Lizard, EGC Chessie in hands, coaxing some nasty tones from his Hiwatt.
The Jesus Lizard’s sixth album, Blue, served as the band’s final statement from the frontlines of noisy rock for the next 26 years. By the time of their dissolution in 1999, they’d earned a reputation for extreme performances chock full of hard-hitting, machine-like grooves delivered by bassist David Wm. Sims and, at their conclusion, drummer Mac McNeilly, at times aided and at other times punctured by the frontline of guitarist Duane Denison’s incisive, dissonant riffing, and presided over by the cantankerous howl of vocalist David Yow. In the years since, performative, thrilling bands such as Pissed Jeans, METZ, and Idles have built upon the Lizard’s musical foundation.
Denison has kept himself plenty busy over the last couple decades, forming the avant-rock supergroup Tomahawk—with vocalist Mike Patton, bassist Trevor Dunn (both from Mr. Bungle), and drummer John Stanier of Helmet—and alongside various other projects including Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers and Hank Williams III. The Jesus Lizard eventually reunited, but until now have only celebrated their catalog, never releasing new jams.
The Jesus Lizard, from left: bassist David Wm. Sims, singer David Yow, drummer Mac McNeilly, and guitarist Duane Denison.
Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins
Back in 2018, Denison, hanging in a hotel room with Yow, played a riff on his unplugged electric guitar that caught the singer’s ear. That song, called “West Side,” will remain unreleased for now, but Denison explains: “He said, ‘Wow, that’s really good. What is that?’ And I said, ‘It’s just some new thing. Why don’t we do an album?’” From those unassuming beginnings, the Jesus Lizard’s creative juices started flowing.
So, how does a band—especially one who so indelibly captured the ineffable energy of live rock performance—prepare to get a new record together 26 years after their last? Back in their earlier days, the members all lived together in a band house, collectively tending to the creative fire when inspiration struck. All these years later, they reside in different cities, so their process requires sending files back and forth and only meeting up for occasional demo sessions over the course of “three or four years.”
“When the time comes to get more in performance mode, I have a practice space. I go there by myself and crank it up. I turn that amp up and turn the metronome up and play loud.” —Duane Denison
the Jesus Lizard "Alexis Feels Sick"
Distance creates an obstacle to striking while the proverbial iron is hot, but Denison has a method to keep things energized: “Practice loud.” The guitarist professes the importance of practice, in general, and especially with a metronome. “We keep very detailed records of what the beats per minute of these songs are,” he explains. “To me, the way to do it is to run it to a Bluetooth speaker and crank it, and then crank your amp. I play a little at home, but when the time comes to get more in performance mode, I have a practice space. I go there by myself and crank it up. I turn that amp up and turn the metronome up and play loud.”
It’s a proven solution. On Rack—recorded at Patrick Carney’s Audio Eagle studio with producer Paul Allen—the band sound as vigorous as ever, proving they’ve not only remained in step with their younger selves, but they may have surpassed it with faders cranked. “Duane’s approach, both as a guitarist and writer, has an angular and menacing fingerprint that is his own unique style,” explains Allen. “The conviction in his playing that he is known for from his recordings in the ’80s and ’90s is still 100-percent intact and still driving full throttle today.”
“I try to be really, really precise,” he says. “I think we all do when it comes to the basic tracks, especially the rhythm parts. The band has always been this machine-like thing.” Together, they build a tension with Yow’s careening voice. “The vocals tend to be all over the place—in and out of tune, in and out of time,” he points out. “You’ve got this very free thing moving around in the foreground, and then you’ve got this very precise, detailed band playing behind it. That’s why it works.”
Before Rack, the Jesus Lizard hadn’t released a new record since 1998’s Blue.
Denison’s guitar also serves as the foreground foil to Yow’s unhinged raving, as on “Alexis Feels Sick,” where they form a demented harmony, or on the midnight creep of “What If,” where his vibrato-laden melodies bolster the singer’s unsettled, maniacal display. As precise as his riffs might be, his playing doesn’t stay strictly on the grid. On the slow, skulking “Armistice Day,” his percussive chording goes off the rails, giving way to a solo that slices that groove like a chef’s knife through warm butter as he reorganizes rock ’n’ roll histrionics into his own cut-up vocabulary.
“During recording sessions, his first solo takes are usually what we decide to keep,” explains Allen. “Listen to Duane’s guitar solos on Jack White’s ‘Morning, Noon, and Night,’ Tomahawk’s ‘Fatback,’ and ‘Grind’ off Rack. There’s a common ‘contained chaos’ thread among them that sounds like a harmonic Rubik’s cube that could only be solved by Duane.”
“Duane’s approach, both as a guitarist and writer, has an angular and menacing fingerprint that is his own unique style.” —Rack producer Paul Allen
To encapsulate just the right amount of intensity, “I don’t over practice everything,” the guitarist says. Instead, once he’s created a part, “I set it aside and don’t wear it out.” On Rack, it’s obvious not a single kilowatt of musical energy was lost in the rehearsal process.
Denison issues his noisy masterclass with assertive, overdriven tones supporting his dissonant voicings like barbed wire on top of an electric fence. The occasional application of slapback delay adds a threatening aura to his exacting riffage. His tones were just as carefully crafted as the parts he plays, and he relied mostly on his signature Electrical Guitar Company Chessie for the sessions, though a Fender Uptown Strat also appears, as well as a Taylor T5Z, which he chose for its “cleaner, hyper-articulated sound” on “Swan the Dog.” Though he’s been spotted at recent Jesus Lizard shows with a brand-new Powers Electric—he points out he played a demo model and says, “I just couldn’t let go of it,” so he ordered his own—that wasn’t until tracking was complete.
Duane Denison's Gear
Denison wields his Powers Electric at the Blue Room in Nashville last June.
Photo by Doug Coombe
Guitars
- Electrical Guitar Company Chessie
- Fender Uptown Strat
- Taylor T5Z
- Gibson ES-135
- Powers Electric
Amps
- Hiwatt Little J
- Hiwatt 2x12 cab with Fane F75 speakers
- Fender Super-Sonic combo
- Early ’60s Fender Bassman
- Marshall 1987X Plexi Reissue
- Victory Super Sheriff head
- Blackstar HT Stage 60—2 combos in stereo with Celestion Neo Creamback speakers and Mullard tubes
Effects
- Line 6 Helix
- Mantic Flex Pro
- TC Electronic G-Force
- Menatone Red Snapper
Strings and Picks
- Stringjoy Orbiters .0105 and .011 sets
- Dunlop celluloid white medium
- Sun Studios yellow picks
He ran through various amps—Marshalls, a Fender Bassman, two Fender Super-Sonic combos, and a Hiwatt Little J—at Audio Eagle. Live, if he’s not on backline gear, you’ll catch him mostly using 60-watt Blackstar HT Stage 60s loaded with Celestion Neo Creambacks. And while some boxes were stomped, he got most of his effects from a Line 6 Helix. “All of those sounds [in the Helix] are modeled on analog sounds, and you can tweak them endlessly,” he explains. “It’s just so practical and easy.”
The tools have only changed slightly since the band’s earlier days, when he favored Travis Beans and Hiwatts. Though he’s started to prefer higher gain sounds, Allen points out that “his guitar sound has always had teeth with a slightly bright sheen, and still does.”
“Honestly, I don’t think my tone has changed much over the past 30-something years,” Denison says. “I tend to favor a brighter, sharper sound with articulation. Someone sent me a video I had never seen of myself playing in the ’80s. I had a band called Cargo Cult in Austin, Texas. What struck me about it is it didn’t sound terribly different than what I sound like right now as far as the guitar sound and the approach. I don’t know what that tells you—I’m consistent?”
YouTube It
The Jesus Lizard take off at Nashville’s Blue Room this past June with “Hide & Seek” from Rack.
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.