Often referred to as “one of the best rock
guitarists ever,” Jason Becker continues to
inspire guitarists and shape their tone even
though hasn’t played a note in years. Becker
shot to fame quickly as a shred wunderkind
and was recording with David Lee Roth by the
age of 20. That’s when he was diagnosed with
ALS and told he had just a few years to live.
Nearly 20 years later, Becker is still releasing albums and designing signature gear. His motor skills are long gone, including his ability to speak, but his mind is sharp. He continues composing and advising gear designers through the aid of a computer. Recently, three new projects have been unveiled: a new album, signature guitar and signature pedal.
Jason’s new album, Collection, features recordings from his time with David Lee Roth, Shrapnel and Warner Brothers as well as three new songs that fellow guitar heavyweights helped him turn into a reality. None other than Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins, Marty Friedman, Steve Hunter and Greg Howe helped lay down the tracks that Jason was hearing in his head.
Paradise Guitars USA also recently released Jason’s signature model guitar. It has a Tung Oil finished Alder body and a maple neck with a 2-way truss rod. The maple fingerboard has a 16” radius and jumbo-thin frets. The guitar has a Floyd Rose Pro Style floating trem and Sperzel Red Satin Tuners. It is loaded with DiMarzio pickups, a 500K volume pot and a 5-way blade. Starting at $2499 for the Standard Package, the Jason Becker Signature Model is available for order now.
Finally, Jason is helping guitarists shape their tone through his Pro Tone Distortion pedal (List: $289), which was designed to help recreate his sound from his solo debut album, Perpetual Burn. The JB Distortion is an analog emulation of his British amp with added gain and a boost channel. It features Preamp Volume, Gain, Master Volume and Burn (boost) controls as well as a three band tone stack. The original artwork for the pedal was painted by Jason’s father, Gary Becker.
A recent development of note: Pro Tone Pedals is planning a limited edition run of a special JB Distortion pedal (Direct: $319) that will maximize the company’s ability to distribute a share of the profits to Becker. It features different artwork, a poster and a few picks. It will be sold exclusively on Pro Tone’s website, enabling the manufacturer to pass along a greater share of the proceeds to Becker with his medical bills.
For more information:
shrapnelrecords.com
paradiseguitarsusa.com
protonepedals.com
Nearly 20 years later, Becker is still releasing albums and designing signature gear. His motor skills are long gone, including his ability to speak, but his mind is sharp. He continues composing and advising gear designers through the aid of a computer. Recently, three new projects have been unveiled: a new album, signature guitar and signature pedal.
Jason’s new album, Collection, features recordings from his time with David Lee Roth, Shrapnel and Warner Brothers as well as three new songs that fellow guitar heavyweights helped him turn into a reality. None other than Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins, Marty Friedman, Steve Hunter and Greg Howe helped lay down the tracks that Jason was hearing in his head.
Paradise Guitars USA also recently released Jason’s signature model guitar. It has a Tung Oil finished Alder body and a maple neck with a 2-way truss rod. The maple fingerboard has a 16” radius and jumbo-thin frets. The guitar has a Floyd Rose Pro Style floating trem and Sperzel Red Satin Tuners. It is loaded with DiMarzio pickups, a 500K volume pot and a 5-way blade. Starting at $2499 for the Standard Package, the Jason Becker Signature Model is available for order now.
Finally, Jason is helping guitarists shape their tone through his Pro Tone Distortion pedal (List: $289), which was designed to help recreate his sound from his solo debut album, Perpetual Burn. The JB Distortion is an analog emulation of his British amp with added gain and a boost channel. It features Preamp Volume, Gain, Master Volume and Burn (boost) controls as well as a three band tone stack. The original artwork for the pedal was painted by Jason’s father, Gary Becker.
 |  |
| The Limited Edition JB Distortion (left), Standard JB Distortion (right) | |
A recent development of note: Pro Tone Pedals is planning a limited edition run of a special JB Distortion pedal (Direct: $319) that will maximize the company’s ability to distribute a share of the profits to Becker. It features different artwork, a poster and a few picks. It will be sold exclusively on Pro Tone’s website, enabling the manufacturer to pass along a greater share of the proceeds to Becker with his medical bills.
For more information:
shrapnelrecords.com
paradiseguitarsusa.com
protonepedals.com