
Vola Guitars collaborates with guitarists Pierre Danel and Quentin Godet to announce the all new J3 series to their line of signature guitars.
With both Pierre Danel and Quentin Godet rising to the forefront of the heavy music scene, they have caught fire with distinct approaches and undying tenacity. Furthermore, their involvement with Vola Guitars has led to brand growth as a direct result of their endeavors. Equipped with Bare Knuckle pickups, 27ā scale length, Gotoh hardware, and crafted with precision. "These two unmistakable designs are meant to be extensions of their handlers, catalysts for creative expression."
Features include:
ā¢ Country of Origin: Handmade in Japan
ā¢ Scale Length: 27" Extended Scale length
ā¢ Construction: Bolt-on neck with new contour heel
ā¢ Body: Alder
ā¢ Fingerboard: Roasted Maple
ā¢ Neck: Roasted Maple neck with 3x3 Vola headstock
ā¢ Nut: 48mm * 3.4T Graphtech nut
ā¢ Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Frets
ā¢ Inlay: Custom Luminlay Kadinja with Luminlay side dots
ā¢ Radius: 16" Radius
ā¢ Pickups: Bare Knuckleā¢ Bootcamp Brute Force HSS
ā¢ Electronics: 1 Volume (Push/pull : Add neck Pickup switch) 1 tone 5 way switch 1 mini switch (On-On-On: series/parallel/ coil tap)
ā¢ Bridge: Gotoh NS510TS-FE7 tremolo
ā¢ Tuners: Gotoh SG381-07 MG-T locking tuners
ā¢ Strings: Daddario XTE1059 10-59
ā¢ Case: Vola Custom Series Gig Bag (included)
The Vola Oz and Vasti J3 Series are the culmination of Volaās dedication to designing top quality instruments for demanding players, without sacrificing the beauty that invites a closer look. Street price $1,749 USD. Vola Guitars now sells direct! For more information on this model and more, visit www.volaguitars.com- Vola Guitars Releases the KJM J1 Signature Vasti āŗ
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Octave magic awaits! Enter the I Love Pedals giveaway to win the Electro-Harmonix (EHX) POG3. Return every day to increase your chances!
Electro-Harmonix POG3 Polyphonic Octave Generator Pedal
The worldās best octave effect just got better! The POG3 is the most powerful pedal in Electro-Harmonixās revered line of polyphonic octave generators that continues to inspire and captivate musicians of all styles. At its core, the POG3 delivers lightning-fast tracking and perfect polyphony over 4 octaves with smoother tone and performance than ever before. From 12-string jangle to 6-voice drawbar organ sounds, the POG3 delivers an endless possibility of tone creation. The pedal has received many updates that further expand its tone shaping possibilities to enhance your performance on stage and in the studio.
Thereās no disputing the influence B.B. King has had on the history of electric guitar music. Weāre talking about his sound, his best records, his guitars, his showmanship, and his collabs, from an all-star jam at the 2010 Crossroads festival to, yes, even his 1988 U2 collab, āWhen Love Comes to Town.ā
Thereās no disputing the influence B.B. King has had on the history of electric guitar music.
With Lucille in handāas well as other guitarsāhe carved out his sound by developing a signature one-of-a-kind vibrato and pick attack. His note choice, phrasing, and feel have basically become the fundamental vocabulary of electric blues. Even more than any other of his blues peers, his playing shaped blues and rock guitar. And thatās not to mention his singing.
So, on this episode of 100 Guitarists, weāre celebrating the King. Weāre talking about his sound, his best records, his guitars, his showmanship, and his collabs, from an all-star jam at the 2010 Crossroads festival to, yes, even his 1988 U2 collab, āWhen Love Comes to Town.ā
In our current listening segment, weāre talking about Brian John McBreartyās recent meditation-jazz release Remembering Repeating and Julian Lageās latest, Apple Music Nashville Sessions.
This episode is sponsored by Gibson.
A terrific twosome or a terrible twinning? It all depends on how you tame your treble.
Rein in those icy high frequencies with these handy tips.
Classic vintage Fender amps are renowned for their clean, shimmering tones. However, dialing in the āsweet spotā isnāt always straightforward, especially when you're playing on a new or borrowed amp. Pair these amps with Fender guitarsāalso known for their brightnessāand the combination can sometimes result in ear-piercing treble and overwhelming volume. An amp thatās too powerful or an unsuitable guitar pairing can easily derail the musical moment youāre trying to create. So, controlling treble is crucial, particularly with louder amps.
In this article, Iāll share my experiences with Fender amps and how Iāve tamed treble issues through guitar tweaks, speaker swaps, amp modifications, and pedals. My goal is to help you achieve those glorious vintage Fender tones without losing your earsāor your audienceāin the process.
Backline Bargaining
Iām extra cautious about bringing my brightest Strats or Teles to gigs with rented backline amps. Newer Deluxe Reverbs, for example, can be particularly tricky with dialing in a smooth tone. These amps often feature bright ceramic speakers and the EQ options are limitedāthereās no bright switch to dampen the top end and no mid knob to add warmth.
Hereās what I do: I start by turning down the tone knob on my Okko Twinsonic overdrive pedal, which is very transparent. My old Ibanez Tube Screamers naturally rolled off much of the high end, making them easier to pair with brighter amps.
I also adjust the microphone placement set up by the sound crew. The tone gets brighter the closer the mic is to the center of the speaker cone. I angle the SM57 slightly and aim it closer to the outer edge of the cone, leaving a 3ā4 cm gap from the grill cloth. Larger 12" or 15" speakers are more forgiving in this process, while smaller 10" speakers are less so. Iāve encountered challenging amps, like a Super Reverb loaded with 10" JBL speakers featuring aluminum dust caps. These amps sounded much harsher through the PA than they did on stage, making mic placement even more critical.
Dimming the Bright Caps
Bright caps are key components in shaping an ampās treble response. On the Deluxe Reverb, the bright cap is always enabled, which can make brighter guitars sound harsh, especially at low volumes or when using fuzz pedals. Cranking the amp helps by adding more upper mids to the mix.
For my own Deluxe Reverbs, I sometimes disable the 47 pF bright cap or, more often, install a 25k mid pot on the back panel to add warmth. It depends on the tones Iām chasing.
Smaller amps like the Fender Champ and Princeton donāt have bright caps, which naturally gives them smoother tones. But if they sound too dark or muddy, you can add a bright cap. I installed a 100 pF bright cap on my 1966 Princeton Reverb (which has a Jensen C10N speaker from the same year, though not original to the amp). After experimenting, I settled on a 47 pF cap for just the right amount of clarity.
If youāre up for a bit of DIY, experimenting with bright cap values can significantly shape your tone. Black-panel and silver-panel Fenders typically use 120 pF bright caps, with exceptions like the Deluxe (47 pF) and the Princeton and Champ (none).
Guitar Tweaks for Warmer Tones
Your guitarās setup can also make a big difference. Thin strings combined with pickups set too close to the strings can result in a thin, overly bright tone. Hereās how I address this:
ā Lower the pickups slightly. I start with a 2ā2.4 mm gap on the high E string and 2.4ā3.3 mm gap on the low E, measured between the pickup pole and the string when fretted at the highest fret. Then, I fine-tune by ear to balance output across pickup positions.
ā Use thicker strings for a warmer, fuller tone. I tune my guitars down to Eb to deepen the sound and increase sustain. Keep in mind, though, that this can create a looser, flabbier bass response on smaller amps.
ā Hotter pickups add mids and bass, naturally reducing treble dominance. Alternatively, lowering the resistance of the volume pot can smooth out the tone by filtering high frequencies. However, changing pot or cap values will alter how your guitar responds when rolling down the tone or volume knobs.
Speaker Swapsā
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, speakers play a huge role in shaping your tone. Swapping speakers or experimenting with extension cabinets is one of the most effective ways to adjust treble, mids, or bass. Iāve written extensively about this in previous articles, but itās worth emphasizing here: The right speaker pairing can make or break your tone.
I hope these insights help you conquer any treble troubles and coax balanced tones from your Fender amps. Happy tinkering!
Tighten up your rhythm playing by focusing on how to get a great sound, balancing your wrist and elbow, and understanding how to subdivide rhythms.