Brent Mason has picked for the biggest and best names in country music: Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, Shania Twain, Brooks & Dunn, Blake Shelton, and George Strait are just a few of the country stars on whose records you can hear Mason’s Fender-on-Fender fretwork. But his solo on “Southbound Train,” the closing track on Travis Tritt’s 2000 record Down the Road I Go, might be his hottest work of all.
As Mason explains, the song scoots along at his favorite country tempo—a Cajun two-step, Mason says—which provides the rhythmic framework for his face-melter lead. Mason says the melodic and structural components came in part from his familiarity with jazz, and the mixing of jazz and blues with his usual twangy conventions. In fact, Mason’s furious note barrages occasionally earned him some raised eyebrows (and some choice words from Conway Twitty) in the more traditionalist Nashville studio system.
This might be the toughest solo our host has taken on so far on Shred With Shifty. The key to wrestling it? “You gotta keep playing [it] til you wanna pull out all your teeth and hair,” says Mason. Which Nashville producers and stars would let Mason off-leash in the studio? How does a session ace deal with hand injuries? Listen on, shredders. And if you’re brave enough, send in your take on Mason’s solo.
Credits
Producer: Jason Shadrick
Executive Producers: Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan for Double Elvis
Engineering Support by Matt Tahaney and Matt Beaudion
Video Editors: Dan Destefano and Addison Sauvan
Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.
One of the most-recorded guitarists gets the spitting-image signature treatment on his heavily-modified 1967 solidbody.
Hollywood, CA (August 11, 2020) -- Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) today announced the Stories Collection Brent Mason Telecaster® and Stories Collection Fender Custom Shop® Limited-Edition Brent Mason Telecaster®, marking Fender’s first-ever collaboration with the Grammy® Award-winning artist and one of the most recorded guitarists in music history. Boasting top-of-the-line specs and a classic Telecaster® design, the Stories Collection Brent Mason Telecaster® (available September 15, 2020) provides players the special features and unique range of tones they need to draw on Brent’s platinum Nashville session sound. The Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Brent Mason Telecaster® (available today) takes this iconic guitar design a step further with a range of custom appointments and a build painstakingly recreated in exacting detail by Master Builder Kyle McMillin.
“Fender coming together with Brent Mason to create something special feels long overdue,” said Justin Norvell, EVP Fender Product. “We are extremely proud of what we have created side-by-side with the master of the Telecaster. The Stories Collection Brent Mason Telecaster® guitars are modeled after one of the most recorded guitars of all time and feel well worth the wait. Brent Mason is known for his versatility, his precision and recognizable tone, and fans will find all three of those things right here in this guitar.”
Brent Mason’s accomplishments as a guitarist are matched by few. As well as boasting a Grammy® Award for Best Country Instrumental (2009), he is a twelve-time winner of the Academy of Country Music® (ACM) Guitarist of the Year Award, and a two-time winner of the CMA® Award Musician of the Year Award. Brent has played on over a thousand albums – making him one of the world’s most recorded guitarists of all time – and in 2019 was inducted into Musician’s Hall of Fame and Museum™. Now, Mason is recognized with his very own artist signature model.
“My main – and most loved – guitar for over 35 years has been my 1967 Fender Telecaster®, so it feels great to see the Fender Stories Collection Brent Mason Telecaster® come to life,” Mason said. “I have lost count of the number of hit songs the guitar has featured on over the years, alongside the likes of Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, Toby Keith…there are hundreds. It has some brilliant features – my favorite of which is the middle pickup with an extra volume control knob – and I can’t wait to see what the guitar can do in the hands of other players around the world.”
The Brent Mason Telecaster® – a Fender production line model – is a faithful recreation of the trusty Telecaster® Mason discovered in a Nashville guitar shop in the early 1980s – a ‘67/’68 model that had been stripped of its original finish and re-sprayed in gray auto primer. Mason went on to outfit the guitar with new pickups and controls and a Glaser™ Bender system, transforming it into the versatile all-in-one session guitar that we know and love today. Special features carefully selected by the Mason include a Joe Glaser B-Bender system, a Seymour Duncan® mini-humbucker in the neck position, locking Sperzel® tuners and Dunlop® locking strap buttons.
Meanwhile, the very special Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Brent Mason Telecaster® was painstakingly built by Master Builder Kyle McMillin and boasts a range of the finest possible features. These include a 2-Piece Offset Seam Ash body, a Quartersewn Maple neck, custom 6-saddle Tele bridge with a modified plate and saddles for the Joe Glaser B-Bender system and much more – all beautifully captured in a custom Heavy Relic® finish.
“The Limited Edition Brent Mason Telecaster® captures everything we hold dear at the Fender Custom Shop,” added Mike Lewis, Vice President Product Development, Fender Custom Shop. “Immaculate attention to detail, the finest custom features and unrivalled playability. We are immensely pleased with the results and feel the guitar is a true testament to one of the best guitar players of our times.”
The Fender Stories Collection pays tribute to legendary musicians, their beloved modified Fender electric guitars and the extraordinary music they created together. Learn more about the Brent Mason Telecaster® in this Fender Demos video here. Fender Demos is an educational video series focused on providing a deep dive into Fender’s newest products. The series focuses on showcasing not only the key features and benefits, but also the sonic quality of Fender’s instruments, amplifiers and pedals.
ABOUT THE BRENT MASON TELECASTER® – $2,499.99
The Stories Collection Brent Mason Telecaster® recreates the prized Telecaster® he discovered in a Nashville guitar shop in the early eighties: a ‘67/68 model that had been stripped of its original finish and re-sprayed in gray auto primer. Brent outfitted it with new pickups and controls, as well as a Glaser™ Bender system – transforming it into a versatile all-in-one session guitar. Boasting a Joe Glaser B-Bender system, Seymour Duncan mini-hum in the neck position, Hot Stack in the middle and Vintage Stack in the bridge, locking Sperzel tuners and Dunlop locking strap buttons – the Brent Mason Telecaster® provides the special features, smooth playability and diverse range of tones to nail Mason’s platinum Nashville session sound.
ABOUT THE FENDER CUSTOM SHOP LIMITED EDITION BRENT MASON TELECASTER® – $12,500
The Limited Edition Brent Mason Telecaster®, masterbuilt by Kyle McMillin, is inspired by the distinctive Tele® Mason has used for countless recordings and performances with a one-of-a-kind-tone that has made him one of Nashville’s most sought-after session aces. A trio of Seymour Duncan® pickups includes a mini humbucking neck pickup, ’80s-style hot-stack middle pickup and vintage-stack Telecaster bridge pickup, all wired to a custom control assembly with individual volume for the middle pickup, a push/pull tone knob that deactivates the middle pickup when pulled, and three-way blade switching. Other custom appointments include an off-center-seam ash body, 1967 “C” neck profile, 7.25”-radius round-laminated quartersawn maple fingerboard with 21 vintage frets and black pearloid face dots, and a Joe Glaser B-Bender system for extra Nashville twang. Deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity included.
Watch the company's video demo:
For more information:
Fender
A three-day retreat that will feature Joe Bonamassa, Andy Timmons, Brent Mason, Mark Lettieri, Greg Koch, and more.
Nashville, TN (July 15, 2020) -- With more than 150 acres on the serene Cumberland plateau for safe social distancing, The Woodshed Guitar Experience will host a 3-day retreat August 27-30 in Crossville, Tenn. with one-on-one socially distanced instruction from some of the best guitarists in the world, including Joe Bonamassa, Brent Mason, Andy Wood, Andy Timmons, Mark Lettieri and Greg Koch.
The exclusive experience is designed to inspire and educate musicians by offering hands-on opportunities with some of the most talented artists in the industry.
The health and safety of all guests is a top priority, and while Lake Frances has the space to host well over 1,000 people for an event, only a limited number of registrants will be accepted. With smaller numbers for this exclusive event, The Woodshed Guitar Experience has the space to create a very positive and safe environment.
The host location, Lake Frances Retreats, is a 150 acre private property, including a private lake, and amenities nestled in East Tennessee. All events and classes will take place outside, weather permitting. If there are weather issues, The Woodshed Guitar Experience has 30,000 sq feet of well-ventilated indoor space which will allow classes to continue.
Below is a summary of the guidelines implemented this summer:
Cleaning and Disinfecting
- We are working in conjunction with a local Servpro professional to create a responsible cleaning plan.
- We will be disinfecting using CDC recommended and EPA approved products.
- All facilities will be cleaned and disinfected daily. This will include a wiping down of frequently touched areas and surfaces, as well as a complete disinfectant fogging of each facility.
- Attendees will be required to wash or sanitize hands specifically when exiting/entering buildings and prior to meals.
- Each attendee will be encouraged to bring his/her own small bottle or spray bottle of hand sanitizer (minimum 60% alcohol). They will be able to refill it here at Lake Frances as many times as needed for free.
30,000 sq ft Indoor Facility
- The size of this facility allows for significant social distancing for all participants.
- Our eleven large garage doors will remain open throughout the summer which will maintain a very open and ventilated environment, as recommended by the CDC.
- This facility will be utilized only when needed because of weather. Otherwise, all events and classes will take place outdoors on our 150 acre facility.
Dining
- Attendees will be staggered at meal times to ensure plenty of space for guests.
- Most seating during meal times will be outside.
- We will be eliminating all self-serve food stations and buffet style service (e.g. the salad bar). All food will be prepared and served by our dining staff.
- Dining staff will be health screened daily.
- State restaurant guidelines will be followed including frequent handwashing, disinfecting of surfaces, and use of gloves and required use of masks while serving.
Check-in & Check-out
- Our contact free check-in plan will allow attendees to check-in without close direct contact with any of our staff and without getting out of their vehicles.
- Each attendee will receive a short health and exposure questionnaire prior to their departure to come to the event, as well as have their temperature taken upon arrival, to help reduce the likelihood of bringing Covid-19 onto facility grounds.
- Should an attendee have a temperature of 100.4 or above, he/she will not be allowed to attend the event and will receive a full refund.
Watch the video preview below:
For more information:
Woodshed Guitar Experience