
Name: Rog and Ed Rowan
Hometown: Belfast, Ireland
Guitar: Woodie
Uncle Ed makes a meaningful guitar for his nephew, Rog, incorporating special woods from local trees and buildings in their Irish community.
Woodie was born during lockdown when my Uncle Ed combined a number of very special woods into one guitar. I’d never thought about how a guitar was made before, so it was a real combination of my “guitarist ideas,” and Ed’s ingenuity and patience. That, combined with a worldwide pandemic and time to try something new.
Ed gave me free rein to choose any design I wanted. This is a daunting proposition, so I did my research and decided on the “tone” that Ed kept talking about. All my other electric guitars have a whammy bar, so I thought it might be interesting to not have one. I knew I’d miss the dive bends and the portamento, but I’d been reading about Vivian Campbell’s vibrato, and I’d tried a Malmsteen Strat in a guitar shop. So, I asked Ed if he would go down the thicker tone route and scallop all the frets so I could still get lots of bend out of any note. I asked for a kill switch so I could try out some rhythmic things.
The woods used in this build are a mixture of reclaimed tropical and locally sourced hardwoods. The most personal wood is from a chestnut tree that my father planted when I was born (it is full-size now). The neck is made from a holly tree from where I grew up in Ireland. Irish guitarist Pat McManus was an early inspiration as he lived close by. Ed made the body from a piece of mahogany that a friend gave him about 10 years ago. He knew it was from a significant building in Belfast but couldn’t remember where. Turns out, the mahogany came from the old reception desk in Belfast City Hospital ... this was the hospital I was born in! There is also a little bit of rowan wood on the back: Rowan is Ed’s surname. Obviously, I named this guitar “Woodie.”
The scalloped frets took a little time to get used to, especially when keeping barre chords in tune—you’ve got to keep a light touch. I’ve settled on Ernie Ball .010s and use thick picks made of wood or bone. My other guitars are D- and C-shaped necks, but Woodie could be described as a U-shaped neck—it’s seriously thick. It took some time, but my fingers became much stronger and there is so much tone.
Rog Rowan's uncle, Ed, contemplates the task at hand.
The hardware switches and electrical components were procured from various U.K. and Irish suppliers:
• Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece
• Kluson machine heads
• Japanese nickel alloy fret wire
• Double humbucker pickups
• Logarithmic potentiometers (500k log pots)
• Orange drop capacitors (.022 µF)
• Tesi gold kill switch
• 3-way pickup selector switch
• Jack plug socket and cover
• Double-action truss rod
• Oversized brass strap buttons
• Australian abalone shell fretboard side markers
• Vintage braided cloth 22awg wiring
To thank him for his beautiful work, I bought Uncle Ed an Appalachian dulcimer and posh whiskey! PG
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Handcrafted by a small team, Solstice prides itself on perfect setup and playing action, stability, and longevity.
Solstice Guitars just introduced a reimagined update to its custom-T design, previously called the Transit. Now known as the Tellurion, this guitar includes a thoughtful set of new attributes. Designed to be customized, the new Tellurion features include:
- New 3D Neck Joint
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The new neck joint & cutaway redesign make for an easy reach. 24 frets are now standard on all - Neck Reinforcement
Twin carbon fiber rods and a modern double-action truss rod produce incredibly stable necks. Rod access is now up at the headstock. - Hardware & Electronics
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Fender honors the indie-legend with signature pickups and accessories.
Fender announces the J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster Pickups, an ode to one of alternative music’s most prolific shredders. Throughout Dinosaur Jr’s twelve album discography and his rich solo career, Mascis has established himself as one of guitar playing’s most tone-savvy and ferocious players.
At the heart of his genre-defining, nearly four decades-long legacy is the Fender Jazzmaster. Not only does the bold and angular design of the Jazzmaster lend itself to a player as subversive as Mascis, but there is no instrument that sounds quite like it. That is, until now.
Compared to the tones on the Fender J Mascis Signature Telecaster and the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster, Mascis notes,“The new pickups have a sweeter more vintage sound,” and as his hopes for what people might feel when they test out the new pickups, J Mascis adds, “I hope they feel like playing their guitar, ideally they could make a song that could be my new favorite record!”
Key Features Include:
- Neck Pickup: 7.27K and Bridge Pickup: 7.31K DC Resistance
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- Installation hardware include
Exploring the J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster Pickup Set | Artist Signature Series | Fender
The pickups are being released as part of a larger collection of signature J Mascis Accessories which include J Mascis Magenta Flower Strap, J Mascis Yellow Burst Strap, J Mascis Coiled Instrument Cable and J Mascis Dinosaur Jr. Pick Tin.
For more information, please visit fender.com.
Charvel unveils its new collab with guitarist Marco Sfogli.
Charvel unveils its new collaboration with PFM and Icefish guitarist Marco Sfogli. To pay homage to a guitarist whose sonic capabilities seem to know no bounds, Charvel has sought out to create a signature instrument as limitless as the player who inspired it. A pair of active EMG SA single-coils in the middle and neck positions effortlessly evoke classic Stratocaster bell tones, while an EMG ‘89 bridge humbucker provides a powerful bite. The signature model’s bolt-on maple neck has received a unique “caramelized” heat and drying treatment that imbues the wood with a warmth and comfort that is usually unique to expensive vintage instruments.
Key Features:
- Alder body with quilted maple top
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Marco Sfogli Presents His Signature Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HSS FR QM
Charvel Marco Sfogli Signature Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HSS FR - Transparent Purple Burst
- Signature S1-style guitar designed in collaboration with Marco Sfogli
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- For more information, please visit charvel.com.