The inspiration behind this young reader’s build came from getting hooked on 7-strings, and an admiration for John Petrucci.
The story behind this guitar is pretty funny. Since Dream Theater caught my ear and I heard the thick tone of a 7-string guitar on “The Dark Eternal Night,” I wanted, needed, a 7-string. However, there was one small problem: getting this new piece of gear approved by my mom. She’d always say, “Stick with your 6-strings,” and, “You don’t need another, you already have three.” (GAS—or “gear acquisition syndrome”—has made this difficult.) But whenever I’d walk into a guitar store and pick up a 7-string, I wouldn’t want to put it back.
Then, one day in chemistry class, I decided to check Reverb and see what the prices are like on Ibanez JPM100s these days. Not surprisingly, they’re reaching $10,000. I kept scrolling until I saw a set of bare guitar bodies with the Picasso faces engraved in the wood with a CNC machine. The gears started turning. I sent a link to my dad and said, “Thoughts?” Later, at dinner, my mom OK’d the idea. The journey began.
I ordered the basswood body from Perle Guitars via Reverb with an Ibanez Lo-Pro Edge from a retailer in Germany. I got the pickups from DiMarzio with the goal to get it to sound as similar to John Petrucci’s as possible, by using his signature Crunch Lab and LiquiFire set. I even got the toggle switch from DiMarzio, which allowed me to have a split-coil sound in the middle position. I put 500k CTS pots and a .022 µF cap on the tone knob. I ordered locking tuners from Gotoh.
The biggest issue was sourcing the neck. I couldn’t find a single builder who builds custom Ibanez AANJ necks, which left me with buying a used neck from a parted guitar. The wait for the right neck lasted around three months. I bought a 2000 Ibanez RG7620 neck in practically mint condition from Uplander Guitars in Canada. I used black, gray, and red stains I bought locally. The idea for it was to look almost robotic with red eyes and avoid too much of a copycat look, hence the color choice.
Knowing I was going to John Petrucci’s Guitar Universe 4.0, I decided I may as well show it off and get it signed. It was the right choice. This guitar was a head-turner and even brought in compliments from Tosin Abasi and Aaron Marshall. The signatures on the back include Al Pitrelli, Scott Weis, Zakk Wylde, Tim Henson, Scott LePage, Tosin Abasi, Guthrie Govan, Rena Petrucci, Mike Mangini, Dave LaRue, Lari Basilio, Jason Richardson, Plini, Fredrik Åkesson, Ola Englund, Captain Fawcett, Joscho Stephan, and, of course, John Petrucci. There are two steps left: filling in the engraved channels with resin mixed with blue glow-in-the-dark powder, and applying a clear coat to preserve the signatures for virtually forever.Submit your guitar story at premierguitar.com/reader-guitar-of-the-month
If your story is chosen, you’ll also receive a $100 virtual gift card from Allparts, the industry’s leading supplier of guitar and bass parts! All entrants will receive a 20-percent-off coupon to allparts.com.
Please note that the coupon cannot be combined with other promotions.
A versatile overdrive designed in conjunction with Brian Wampler.
Los Angeles, CA (November 20, 2018) -- The Abasi Pathos presents an impassioned appeal to the varied sonic needs of the modern guitarist. Designed to retain the feel of an American-style tube amp channel, its versatility is derived from the smooth and edge voicings that range from an emotive crunch all the way to scorching, yet controlled distortion and sustain. The two voicings can be sculpted with a set of musically-tuned EQ shelves and mid control, as well as potent gain and level controls.
It is these precision tools that allow Pathos to encompass the functionality of several dirt boxes in one; be it a push to a driven amp, a full-on distortion channel in front of a clean amp, or in front of a digital modeler. Crafted in the USA by Tosin Abasi in conjunction with Brian Wampler, Pathos is the choice for any discerning guitarist seeking an array of distortion flavors to emote their musical story.
Features:
- Crafted in the USA by Tosin Abasi in conjunction with Brian Wampler.
- Designed to retain the feel of an American-style tube amp channel.
- ‘Smooth’ and ‘edge’ voicings range from emotive crunch all the way to scorching, yet controlled distortion and sustain.
- Musically-tuned EQ shelves and mid control, as well as potent gain and level controls.
- Encompass the functionality of several dirt boxes in one; be it a push to a driven amp, a full-on distortion channel in front of a clean amp, or a boost in front of a digital modeler.
- High-grand components selected for their superior sound and response
- Top-mounted jacks make pedalboard placement effortless
- Relay true-bypass switching doesn’t affect your tone when disengaged
- Soft-touch footswitch will last for years.
- Includes limited 5-year warranty.
- Battery connection and 9v power jack.
- Power draw: 30mA @ 9)
- 2.50" x 4.5: x 1.5" (63.5mm x 114.3mm x 38.1mm) – height excludes
Watch the company's video demo:
For more information:
Abasi Guitars
Add ethereal layers to your chord progressions by inserting a few carefully selected open strings.
Chops: Intermediate
Theory: Intermediate
Lesson Overview:
• Create introspective and dark phrases that include open strings.
• Imply extended harmonies by moving basic shapes up the neck.
• Learn how to cop some of Tosin Abasi's 8-string mojo. Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson's notation.
One of the more exciting aspects of fretboard geometry is that it's possible to include wide intervallic leaps in licks and chords by using open strings. Open-string chords are extremely common in the progressive realm, as it makes it easier to add color to ordinary chords. You'll hear this regularly in the guitar playing of everyone from Alex Lifeson and John Petrucci to Misha Mansoor and Tosin Abasi.
If you're working in standard tuning, you have the notes E, A, D, G, and B that can be added to chord voicings. For example, play an A major triad at the 2nd fret on strings 3–1 (A–C#–E). Now replace the C# with the open 2nd string (B). Whoa—you've just created a jangly Asus2 (A–B–E), which sounds much more intriguing than a plain ol' A chord.
One of the quickest ways to get these chords under your belt is to take a simple chord voicing like an open E and move it up and down the neck while letting the top two strings (B and E, respectively) ring out. In Ex. 1,I take a simple grip on the lowest four strings and move it up and down the neck to create some interesting—and otherwise unplayable—sounds. Now, these chords aren't diatonic since they come from many different keys, but the open strings help to tie the progression together.
Click here for Ex. 1
We explore a similar principle in Ex. 2, starting with a B5 chord. We're still keeping the top two open strings while moving the bass note around. This example works so well because it's not just the open strings tying the chords together, but also the F# and B on the 4th and 3rd strings, respectively. The tension takes on a new flavor with the F#11 chord when the 3rd-string B shifts down a half-step to A#, the 3 of the chord. But we still have that open ringing B on the 2nd string, which yields a tangy minor second interval against the A#.
Click here for Ex. 2
Ex. 3 exploits a classic chord movement that takes an open C major shape and slides it up the neck two frets to create a Dadd11 chord. This is pleasing because the fretted notes change while the open notes remain static, resulting in sounds that are more complex than a regular D chord. The second two measures take fretted notes on the 4th, 3rd, and 1st strings and keeps the 2nd string open. Against an E bass note, these voicings create some colorful E minor flavors.
Click here for Ex. 3
We move over to the djent side of things with Ex. 4. This one takes influence from Periphery's Mark Holcomb. (If you're into this style, be sure to check out my Periphery lesson.) Here, we're using a series of chords with multiple open strings. I find chords like this easier to approach when I focus on the fretted notes and consider the open strings just a bit of harmonious “noise." Which, in technical prog music, isn't a bad thing at all.
Let's break down these voicings a bit. In the first measure we have a Dm11, which is simply a D minor dyad with the open 3rd and 1st strings (G and E) acting as the 11 and 9, respectively. Our next chord is basically a vanilla C major triad on strings 5–4–3, but with a pair of E notes ringing on the top strings. The Am11 voicing adds a nice cluster on top of an open 5th string. The final two chords are essentially the same voicing, just slid up the neck. Once we shift up to the 8th fret, the function of the open 4th and 1st strings shift from a 3 and #11 to a 13 and a 7. It's essential to have your guitar properly intonated to make sure the chords ring true.
Click here for Ex. 4
The basic chord progression for Ex. 5 comes from a layered section in my tune, “Fly Away." I wanted to create a nice texture over a chord progression while using open strings.
Click here for Ex. 5
The second guitar part from this piece is shown in Ex. 6. Located roughly at the 6th position, the passage maintains the pattern on the top three strings while moving the bass line around on the 4th string. Presenting these two parts as though they're one creates a rich harmonic backdrop to solo over.
Click here for Ex. 6
Ex. 7 expands on this idea and gives you a serious picking workout: Here we're playing a series of chords on strings 4–3–2 while leaving the open 1st string to ring out. As with previous examples, this common tone (or pedal) helps to connect chords that otherwise wouldn't work together.
Click here for Ex. 7
Our final riff, Ex. 8, is inspired by Animals as Leaders' Tosin Abasi. (Although, yes—we are two strings short of his 8-string electric.) There are some big chords that are based around E Lydian (E–F#–G#–A#–B–C#–D#) and use the 6th and 2nd strings for color. In essence, the chords played are essentially maj13 shapes with an open 2nd string, but because of the huge range, they sound extremely fresh. Tosin is a master of wide-range voicings, so it's well worth checking him out further for more exciting ideas.
Click here for Ex. 8
Obviously, we're merely scratching the surface of the possibilities here, and really the best thing to do is go out and learn as many prog songs as possible. When you find chords like these that appeal to you, make a note of them and then try weaving them into your own riffs and ideas.
Good luck, and I'll see you next month!