Beat's Guide to the 2019 Melbourne Guitar Show

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

Welcome to the 2019 Melbourne Guitar Show

BY LEXI HERBERT

Melbourne is a city with a lot of signature things: the Nylex sign, Merri Creek, the AFL grand final and the Lilydale train line. If you’re a six-string enthusiast, however, chances are the Melbourne Guitar Show is close to the top of your fave Melbourne institutions. This year’s MGS program is better than ever, offering a timetable of events drowning in so much talent that you should probably BYO life jacket. It can be intimidating when everything on the two-day calendar is a winner, so we’ve done you a solid and narrowed down Beat’s top eight picks for this year’s Melbourne Guitar Show. Check them out below.

James Norbert Ivanyi

SARAH MCLEOD

ELLA BELFANTI

ASH GRUNWALD

TONE DESIGN FOR PROG METAL GUITAR

McLeod is arguably best known for fronting the ARIA Award-winning Aussie rock group The Superjesus. Following the band’s initial split in 2004, McLeod embarked on a solo career for the history books. McLeod’s solo career has continued her shredding legacy, joining groove with soul and pop with hard rock techniques. Her latest album, Rocky’s Diner, came out in 2017, so be sure to catch a mix of new and old, electric and acoustic, on the Marsh Whammy Bar stage on Saturday August 3.

Definitely one of the younger artists to pop up on this year’s MGS calendar, Belfanti is a 20-year-old vocalist and guitarist. She hails from the Gold Coast and takes inspiration from artists such as The Cat Empire, The Superjesus and Florence + The Machine. It’s hard to go wrong with those influences and Belfanti definitely hasn’t. Her percussive style of guitar playing has captured the eye of critics around the country and will definitely capture you too. So head down to the Exclusively Acoustic Stage on Saturday August 3 to watch this young gun in action.

Grunwald is a seasoned veteran of the Aussie music industry, having released eight studio albums over his 18-year career. A locally-raised legend, Grunwald’s music is constrained to no single subculture or genre. His aim is to simply represent the inhabitants of Earth, while asking for protection of its natural wonders. Most notably, his appreciation of the American soul and blues scene is palpable (his first recorded song was a cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Going Down Slow’). It’s all well and good to describe it in words, but this is one event you really should see with your own two eyes, so catch Grunwald on the Marsh Mezzanine Stage on Saturday August 3.

In this workshop, James Norbert Ivanyi will take you through the proper dial settings for prog metal textures, spanning all the way from a rhythm setting to a lead setting. Ivanyi is one of Sydney’s most treasured multiinstrumentalists, having self-released three instrumental albums since his solo debut in 2013. Of all the people to show you how to design your tone correctly, Ivanyi – with his modern metal meets 1970s prog rock style – is the man for the job. Check out this workshop in the Winners Circle Workshop Room at 11.30am on Sunday August 4.

Nick Charles

TRIPLE M JAM

MINNIE MARKS

THE WORLD OF ACOUSTIC GUITAR

KEITH MERROW CLINIC

Undeniably the crowning jewel of the Melbourne Guitar Show every year, the Triple M jam should not be missed. The biggest names on the roster meet with newcomers and something beautiful is born: a jam session for the ages. How many guitarists is too many on one stage? Trick question, the limit does not exist. This year’s jam is held on Sunday August 4 at the Marsh Whammy Bar stage.

Pop by because you never know who might end up on stage.

Minnie Marks has been described by the show’s organisers as “an insane talent”.

Playing two separate sets this year, Marks will churn through some out-of-control riffs that she titles, “dirty sweet rock’n’roll”. Marks is renowned internationally for her singersongwriter and multi-instrumentalist prowess, so it’s a real gift to have her showcasing her talents at the MGS in 2019. Be sure to catch her on the Exclusively Acoustic Stage at 1.30pm on Sunday August 4.

When you think of the quintessential guitar image, chances are something akin to a classic country-style acoustic comes to mind.

This show will take you on a journey through culture and time via the diverse stylings of Nick Charles, Lloyd Spiegel, Van Larkins and more. Join this exploration on the Marsh Mezzanine Stage at 1.40pm on Sunday August 4.

One of this year’s biggest international names, Keith Merrow is bringing his playing, songwriting, producing, engineering, demonstrating and teaching skills to the MGS, courtesy of Schecter Guitars. Having honed his six-string skills playing technical and modern heavy metal tunes, Merrow will be hosting a clinic in the Winners Circle Workshop Room, showing punters how to get the most out of their Schecters. Head over at 1.30pm on Saturday August 3 to see how it’s done.

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Dennis Jones Avid blues-rocker Dennis Jones has been on a tear lately, just completing a string of dates across Canada and the United States. With six albums and a live DVD under his belt, it seems like nothing can stand in his way.

BY EDDY LIM

Oddly enough, the electric guitar wasn’t Jones’ first instrument of choice. While growing up in the small country town of Monkton, Maryland, Jones always yearned to master the drum kit.

“Yeah, I always wanted to be a drummer, but my parents thought they were just too loud,” Jones says. “My second choice was the guitar, and about two years later I had a stack of Marshall amps in the living room. I think my parents started to reconsider the drums after that.”

Jones’ passion for the guitar intensified when he stumbled upon the music of Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones. It was the raucous sound of rock’n’roll that subsequently led him to discover the blues – a fascinating case of reverse engineering.

“The Stones, Hendrix, Zeppelin, it was all blues from the start, they just added their own vibe to it,” says Jones. “I always loved those guys because they were up in front – their

toes were practically at the edge of the stage.

A lot of guys who played R&B were always in the background behind a singer, and that’s never where I wanted to be.”

Shortly after finishing high school, Jones enlisted in the military to see the world for himself. He further broadened his sonic palette while overseas, including three years stationed in Germany.

“I went to a ton of festivals and concerts while I was in Europe,” Jones says. “Rory Gallagher was one of the highlights for sure.

Van Halen, AC/DC, Eric Clapton, Thin Lizzy – I could go on and on. There were so many incredible artists I saw at that young age of 18 to 21. It was something I’ll never forget. Going to a real rock concert and seeing people jump around, that’s something I love – the energy of rock. I try to infuse some of that into my show and my blues, rather than just being a statue on stage with a guitar.”

Jones means it, too; the conviction is palpable in his muscular guitar playing

and searing hot solos. But it wasn’t until his eventual return to the United States and a fateful opportunity that Jones was able to pursue music professionally.

“Around eight years ago I was laid off from my day job, and I took it as a sign for me to start playing music full-time,” Jones says.

“I always knew I was going to do it full-time, there was never any doubt, I just didn’t know when. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a day job.

Even if I have to play on a street corner with a bucket out, I’ll do that instead of punching the clock again.”

The blues represents much more than a musical genre to Jones. It’s his form of therapy, articulated in a performance style that’s brimming with raw emotion. While the genre developed out of impoverishment and adversity, Jones cultivates an authentic take on blues-rock while evading excess melancholy.

“I just told my girl lately that we’re really happy. I need some sadness in my life,” he laughs. “I’ve never been an alcoholic or drug addict. I’ve never beat anybody, been beaten or abused, so I’m a horrible blues guy, because I don’t have any bad stories.”

Jones’ upcoming appearance at the Melbourne Guitar Show will be his first official performance Down Under, and the fiery bluesman is raring to give his best.

“I’ve got a really good feeling about the upcoming show, and I’d also love to come back and play some blues festivals here. We tour Europe every year, and I want to do the same with Australia.”

Though she doubts her reasons for being invited, evidently it’s McLeod’s output and appreciation of all areas of music-making that mean she will appear and perform at this year’s Melbourne Guitar Show.

“I thought, ‘I don’t know if I’m the kind of player that would be at something like that,’” she says. “I fancy myself as more of a singer. I play guitar to accompany myself singing. I’m not the kind of guitar player people would watch to shred something. So I thought, ‘What can I do to make the show special?’

That’s when I decided to do an electric show.

“A bit of acoustic, but most of it is electric guitar on one I’ve made. It’s a bit weird, a bit eclectic, but it works and it’s unique.”

For a versatile and colourful performer like McLeod, the Melbourne Guitar Show is an opportunity to showcase a melting pot of influences, ideas, and experiences.

“It will be very inspiring to see what everybody else is doing,” she says. “Because it’s like six strings, what are you going to do with them? Everybody looks at it differently.

“I’m always interested in what other things I can learn. The past six months I’ve taught myself piano. It’s been nothing but piano, then I was like, ‘Oh, right, better go back to the guitar, where even is it? Dust that down.’

And I’ve bought myself a [drum] kit, so I’m going to teach myself how to be a drummer.”

That consistent thirst for selfimprovement and self-discovery means McLeod’s musical projects will keep on coming. “And they’ll always be different,” she says. “Just prepare for anything.”

Dennis Jones comes to Caulfield Racecourse for the Melbourne Guitar Show, performing on Saturday August 3 on the Marsh Whammy Bar stage at 3.15pm.

Sarah McLeod Since launching a solo career in 2004, Sarah McLeod has amassed an impressive kaleidoscope of solo material. The best thing about the songwriter’s diverse output is her disinclination to get bogged down in any one genre. McLeod tells Beat that her interest in exploring so many different areas is just a natural part of her psyche.

BY ANNA ROSE

“I’ve always thought it was a negative about my career, but I can’t help it,” McLeod says.

“When it comes to me solo, I just throw the book out the window and I just don’t care. I just think, ‘what can I do now? What have I learnt in the past couple of years that I can now funnel into some new music? What instrument have I learnt? What new thing have I learnt to do with my voice?’”

What, indeed. McLeod’s extensive solo discography boasts a little taste of just about every subgenre of rock music. From altrock to pop, blues to 1960s folk, McLeod’s repertoire is a reflection of her evolving personal journey.

“I like things to be different, I get bored with the same stuff,” she says. “I always thought of [that diversity] as a negative. I confuse myself with it, so I must be confusing other people, but that’s how it works for me.

You’ve got to paint your rainbow with the colours you’ve been given.”

McLeod’s canvas has expanded to include country music, too. Her first-ever song in the genre arrived this month. It’s a style she was hesitant to be involved with, but she was coaxed into offering her vocal talents to the single, ‘Hands Of Time’, from Queensland duo Route 33.

“It didn’t sound twangy country to me,” she says. “I liked it, it was a pretty song. I really enjoyed the experience.”

McLeod had the freedom to add her own personal flavour, so she can now confidently add a country feather to her cap.

“I know it’s country genre, but it doesn’t sound like country to me because no one’s doing any twanging in the vocals. And I think that’s my main beef that I’ve always had with country – I don’t like that twang, I don’t understand why they do it.”

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

Sarah McLeod is performing on Saturday August 3 on the Marsh Whammy Bar stage at 12.45pm as part of the Melbourne Guitar Show.

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BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

FENDER

Tre-Verb, MTG Tube Distortion and Bubbler Chorus Pedals

BY WILL BREWSTER

It’s an undeniable truth that no manufacturer has had a greater impact on the development and discourse of popular music than Fender.

From the 1950s until now, the So-Cal entity has controlled the zeitgeist with its universally appealing product ethos and stranglehold on the electric guitar, bass and amplifier markets.

Despite this, there’s always been one sector where the company just can’t quite seem to wedge their products into the minds of the masses: effects pedals.

However, that all looks set to change with the introduction of Fender’s newest effects range: a collection of boutique style, polished chrome pedals meticulously designed by the head honchos in the US. The series features a range of gain, modulation, compression and time-based effects pedals, including the Bubbler Chorus, the Tre-Verb Tremolo/ Reverb and the MTG Tube Distortion. From the designs and descriptions alone, one can assume that Fender is aiming for the big leagues, with each of the above bearing similarities to other heavy-hitting brands in the effects market. While aesthetic and sonic semblance to a competitor’s product isn’t always a bad thing, it does go to show that Fender isn’t exactly aiming to reinvent the wheel (or the chorus pedal for that matter) here: rather, it’s just making really good quality effects units to their pre-existing target market.

For example, take the Fender Tre-Verb.

It’s blatantly obvious that Fender is choosing to go head-to-head with Strymon’s Flint, an incredibly similar Tremolo/Reverb combination which has won the hearts of many a guitarist in recent years. This unit features three

tremolo types – Opto, Bias and Hum – and three reverbs – ’63, ’65 and Plate – as well as standard level/tone/rate/depth/dwell/blend controls. The tremolo circuit of the Tre-Verb also boasts a tap-tempo feature which can be found by holding down the bypass switch, giving you hands-free control over the rate of the effect when you’re performing.

Fender has a rich history of wiring incredible sounding reverb and tremolo circuits into its amplifiers, and the Tre-Verb acts as a testament to this, offering guitarists a wide array of sonic possibilities to alter their signal with. The Plate reverb setting offers a lush modulated texture that pairs impeccably with the Bias tremolo, while the combination of ‘63 reverb and Opto tremolo is practically surf-rock in a box. The Tre-Verb’s true stereo outputs ensure that you get a huge-sounding binaural spread if you please, while a handy flick-switch at the back allows you to switch the signal path of the tremolo and reverb circuits to suit your own preferences. If you dig cavernous chords, ambient plucking and washy, modulated sound effects, the Tre-Verb’s definitely got a place on your pedalboard.

There are very few things in life that sound as warm and gooey as a good analogue chorus, and Fender is tapping into this phenom with the Bubbler Chorus. Combining vintage-sounding modulation with thoughtful modern touches, such as the ability to switch between Triangle and Sine waveforms and a dynamic Sensitivity control that interacts with your picking response, the Bubbler is by far one of the most feature packed chorus pedals I’ve come across.

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

Like many guitarists, I’ve definitely got a bit of a love/hate relationship with chorus effects. I firmly stand by the belief that there’s a lot more awful chorus pedals in the world than there are great ones, mainly due to its prevalence within the realms of cringey radio-rock from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Luckily, the Bubbler leans a lot further towards being grouped into the latter category, due in part to its beautiful sounding Bucket Brigade circuitry and intuitive controls. The dedicated Slow/Fast footswitch is an absolute Godsend, allowing for you to bounce between warbling faux-Leslie tones and a lush ‘80s shimmer with a simple boot stomp. If you’re chasing that classic Andy Summers JC-120 analogue chorus sound or a wonky, warbling Mac DeMarco-esque vibrato, the Bubbler can pull off both with absolute ease, and having the option to easily flick between the two is a very, very welcome touch.

Finally, we’ve got the Fender MTG Tube Distortion, designed in conjunction with esteemed amplifier guru Bruce Egnater.

As its name suggests, the MTG utilises an actual new-old stock US-made militarygrade 6205 preamp tube, so instead of emulating the glorious sound of valve breakup, you’re getting the real deal. With a three band EQ, Level, Gain and Tight controls and a switchable Boost feature with independent Level and Gain knobs, you’re spoilt for choice in the tone department here. I also really dug the fact that Fender has used an actual Fender amp Jewel LED to indicate the engagement of the effect – sometimes, it’s the little things that mean the most.

Possibly due to Bruce Egnater’s brain being present throughout the design process, the MTG is one tough sounding, supertransparent distortion pedal. As expected from anything with the Fender name badge, it offers a trustworthy tone for wailing blues and crunchy funk-rock stylings, while boosting the mids and gain knobs sends you soaring into ballsy hard-rock and metal territory. However, I was a little underwhelmed by the Boost function, which functions more or less like a cascading amp due its second master volume control. I would have also liked to have been able to use the Boost function independently without engaging the Distortion circuit, but hey, you can’t win them all.

Despite its historical tendencies to disappoint with previous entries into the effects pedal market, Fender has done a pretty solid job with this selection from their newest range. With looks to kill and tones to match, the Tre-Verb, Bubbler and MTG are all incredibly well-designed and great sounding effects units that will definitely demand the attention of tone-hounds. However, with their boutique price point and stiff competition from pre-established and popular names within the pedal sector, it’ll be interesting to see just how these new units are received by the masses – I guess time will tell.

Fender Music Australia fender.com.au RRP: Tre-Verb - $469, MTG - $399, Bubbler - $299

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

MERIS

Hedra 3-Voice Pitch Shifter

BY WILL BREWSTER

Some companies build stompboxes; and then there’s Meris. Despite debuting a mere two years ago, the Californian cohort have already made quite the splash in the pedal pond, with early products such as the Polymoon, Mercury 7 and last year’s Enzo multi-voice guitar synthesiser establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the industry.

Meris are undeniably revolutionising the way players consider exactly what constitutes a guitar pedal.

The Hedra, a powerful and dynamic triple-voiced rhythmic pitch shifter, aims to bend this perception of ‘pedal’ even further.

Named after the fearsome many-headed serpent from the Herculean Greek myth, the Hedra essentially replicates esteemed studio rack units like the Eventide Ultra-Harmonizer, delivering three voices of mind-melting, pitch-shifted tones as well as incredible MIDI functionality and external control via an expression pedal. It’s a serious pedal (with a serious pricetag to match) that should almost be considered more as a studio tool than a mainstay in your gig rig, but it’s portable and rugged enough to sit pretty on your pedalboard should you wish. On top of all this,

the Hedra even has four built-in delay settings with a tap-tempo footswitch to control the rate of the effect. Honestly, it’s probably as overwhelming as a pedal can get; but with Meris, that’s almost the point.

With three independent pitch controls, a key knob, microtuning capabilities and a mix knob, utilising the Hedra on its surface level is relatively straightforward. The pitch controls allow you to select the intervals of each voice, allowing you to stack three pitchshifted layers atop of your dry signal. For those looking to dial in an orchestral, wailing lead tone reminiscent of Queen’s Brian May or even Ratatat, this is where the money is, while dialing the microtune knob will add in a touch of detuned, warbling modulation. The Hedra also serves up drop-tuned -/+2 octave Whammy style tones with ease, offering a suitable platform to lay down beefy detuned riffs or wild Tom Morello inspired octave leaps for more experimental players.

Exploring the alt-function of each knob and button also unlocks seven scale setting presets, letting you leap up and down the Lydian with ease if you so please. However, it’s worth noting that the Hedra is not a layman’s

pedal – without apt theoretic knowledge and understanding of harmony, the Hedra might simply have you scratching your head wondering why you’ve just blown your pay cheque on this fancy piece of kit.After you wrap your head around the harmoniser element of Meris’ new pride and joy, you’ve then got to tackle the rhythmic element of the Hedra.

Engaging the delay mode and experimenting with the tap tempo and different modes makes these sounds all the more wacky, woolly and at times unpredictable, but never uninteresting. Alt-pressing and turning each pitch knob also gives you control over the independent delay time of each pitch voicing, stacking up the crazy factor even further. This function delivers astonishing sonic results when you deep dive into it, and after some knob tweaking, you’ll be creating cascading delay runs and jagged synth-like sequences in no time. Once you discover the glide function – yep, that’s a thing – you’ll begin to stop looking at the Hedra as a pitch-shifter, and

almost more akin to a powerful synth engine you control with a guitar. Pair it with your own reverb, modulation or volume pedal, and the Hedra absolutely sings; even the simplest of volume swells will blossom into cascading symphonies that will almost certainly leave a tear rolling down your cheek.

As well as offering even more nuanced tweakability by plugging in an expression pedal, the Hedra can also be used to control MIDI keyboards in real time and, for those who care, the Hedra sounds absolutely fat when paired with a synthesiser for mono-synth lines that really matter. I’ve honestly never been so flummoxed by an effects pedal, and while I can’t picture it on many pedalboards in the gigging circuit anytime soon, it’s certainly worth spending some time with.

way too heavy for a standard scale guitar and I am so damn tired of buying a seven-string set only to remove the high E (I have so many loose 10’ gauge strings in my house). The Mammoth Slinky is a 12-62 set with a wound G, making it perfect for those wanting to tune down to C Standard, B Standard or Drop A with optimal tension. I popped the set on my trusty Music Man StingRay and tuned it to Drop A for my favourite Thrice impression and it was absolutely spot on. The 62-gauge low E is perfect for heavy handed players like me who often hear string warble when riffing away or recording. Those days are gone now and if you listen closely, you can actually hear the sound of low tuned riff lords celebrating around the world.

You might have noticed by now that I haven’t mentioned how they sound, and to be honest I don’t really need to because they’re Slinkys and you know exactly how they sound.

The age-old nickel-plated steel wire wrapped around steel core wire hasn’t changed and that’s just fine. The classic bright, punchy and clear Slinky tone you know and love is there; it’s just now available in in a wider variety of gauges for players of all styles and tastes.

Studio Connections studioconnections.com.au Expect to pay: $475

ERNIE BALL

Primo, Mega and Mammoth Slinky Strings

BY NICHOLAS SIMONSEN

Since the 1960s, Ernie Ball has been producing some of the world’s finest guitar strings, which have been used by almost every legendary player to ever hit the stage.

Legends like Eric Clapton, Slash, Keith Richards, Kirk Hammett, Jimmy Page, John Mayer and John Petrucci, amongst countless others, all choose Ernie Ball Slinkys when it comes to stringing up their guitar of choice.

After decades of the staple Slinky gauges being sold worldwide, Ernie Ball has recently made a huge effort in expanding its string range to accommodate players with weirder taste when it comes to particular string gauges. After the introduction of the Ultra and Burly Slinkys earlier in the year, the brand has expanded the line even further with the Primo, Mega and Mammoth Slinkys, ensuring every corner of the string market is covered and then some. Let’s dive in!

I know what you’re thinking: Do we really need more variety when it comes to string

gauges? Of course, we do! In my 20+ years of playing, I have met so many players who have pieced together their own weird and wonderful sets together to suit their style of playing. With the introduction of these new gauges, those days will soon be forgotten.

The Primo and Mega sets are the perfect middle ground for players who are used to playing a standard 9-42 or 10-46 set but want slightly more tension without having to step up an entire gauge or go to a weird hybrid set.

Both sets sit comfortably in standard tuning and provide incredibly balanced tension along all strings. While not too dissimilar from the Regular and Super Slinky sets, I’m sure some players will enjoy having another option to their regular set with a bit more beef in the strings.

I’ve been dying for Ernie Ball to do a set like the Mammoth Slinky for years and I was over the moon when they finally announced it. The Baritone Slinky set has always been

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

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NCAT Instrument Making

Tanglewood

What is NCAT? The Northern College of the Arts & Technology offers specialist, hands-on education in all areas of arts and technology. The college’s Musical Instrument Making and Repair curriculum is the only qualification of its kind in Australia, covering both traditional and emerging digital technologies. Opportunities are available in the guitar industry, practicing repair or instrument set up, manufacture and design. Programs offer both traditional woodcraft and high-volume manufacture techniques.

Do prospective students need prior skills or certificates?

We cover all the necessary skills from the starting point. This not only happens in woodcraft, but also in instrument repair, setup, business, drawing, design and 3D modelling skills. As with all hands on skills, the more prior ability students have, the easier they’ll find it.

What skills can students hope to acquire?

Students begin by completing an extensive OH&S program. Across the year, students learn to make a bolt-on electric guitar, a dreadnought-style acoustic guitar, and design a custommade instrument of their choice. Students also learn to complete perspective drawings, isometric and concept drawings and use their skills to develop a product range. They also learn to generate computer-aided drawings and create custom templates and jigs, and develop custom logos and inlays for their instruments. In the repair and setup class, all of the classic models are investigated, and tips given on improving the playability and sound quality of their instruments. We look at timber repair methods, sanding techniques, paint and finishing methods, acoustics and sound transfer. The course also covers the development of a business plan.

Tell us a bit about Tanglewood’s history.

Tanglewood Guitar Company was established in England in the latter part of the 20th century. Charged with an ambition to create a portfolio of instruments offering exceptional value and playability, Tanglewood utilised innovative design and both traditional and contemporary manufacturing procedures in order to achieve this goal.

What makes Tanglewood stand out in the acoustic guitar world?

Tanglewood has an excellent range of different types of timber resulting in some beautiful guitars. They have gloss and satin finishes in cedar, koa, spruce, mahogany, mango, spalt maple and many others.

What model would you suggest to someone who hasn’t played the brand before and why?

The entry level Crossroads is an amazing guitar at an extremely reasonable price. It has a vintage 1930s look with a sound that belies its price at $249 for an acoustic and $349 for an acoustic/electric.

What makes the perfect acoustic guitar, in your opinion?

Tanglewood’s strength lies in its range of guitars from $249 to $1500. The perfect guitar has all the goodies like solid top, solid back and sides, Grover machine heads, Elixir strings, bone saddles, etc.

What can we expect to see at the Melbourne Guitar Show?

Tanglewood will display a full range of guitars from $249 to $1499. We will have dreadnoughts, superfolks, travellers, orchestras and banjos showcasing the wide variety of exotic woods that Tanglewood has on offer. We will also be showcasing the USA-made Franklin Straps, an elite selection of our new Kremona classical guitar range, and of course the best guitar strings in the world, Elixir.

NCAT is exhibiting on the mezzanine level at Melbourne Guitar Show.

Visit ncat.vic.edu.au for more details.

Tanglewood is exhibiting on the mezzanine level throughout the Melbourne Guitar Show.

Visit tanglewoodguitars.com.au for more details.

The Rock Academy

FREE!

The Rock Academy began in 2015 with 15 aspiring teenage musos. What was the initial idea behind the academy?

Rock Academy was developed to help a network of like-minded teenage musicians understand what it takes to collaborate in a band and develop their songwriting and performance skills, all under the guidance of professional touring musicians led by Phil Ceberano.

For a teenager who’s interested in playing music but doesn’t know where to start, what advice would you give them?

Sign up and participate in Rock Academy. Play music with other people, listen to lots of different styles of music, go to live shows – there are plenty of all age/underage shows on around Melbourne presented by the Push or at venues like Wrangler Studios.

What skills can musicians hope to acquire from the academy?

The mentors pass on things they’ve learnt through years, if not decades, of touring, recording, songwriting and performing that aren’t included in any curriculum. They’ll get insights into professional musicianship, tone, and technical skills, and the key being the ability to collaborate with other musicians.

What’s the next step for the emerging musicians who thoroughly enjoy their time in the academy?

It’s up to the individual and how they see music as part of their future. Many of the Rock Academy alumni are currently studying music performance, songwriting and music business courses. Others are studying different subjects while maintaining their passion for music through performance and songwriting. Rock Academy has also been a great creative hub and meeting ground for participants who have gone on to form bands.

The Rock Academy is exhibiting on Electric Floor-Ground Level during the Melbourne Guitar Show. See therockacademy.com.au for more details.

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

#303 – JULY 2019

MADE BY MUSICIANS FOR MUSICIANS

PAGE HEADER

Giveaway!

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INTERVIEWS — August Burns Red, Sarah McLeod, Tropical Fuck Storm + more

REVIEWED — EarthQuaker Plumes, Framus Panthera II, NUX MG-20, TC Electronic June 60 Pedal,

Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty, Meris Hedra, Voodoo Lab Dingbat, Anasounds Element Reverb + many more

Plumes

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©2018 FMIC. FENDER®; STRATOCASTER®; STRAT® AND THE DISTINCTIVE HEAD STOCK SHAPE OF THE STRATOCASTER® ARE THE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OFFENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD [ABN 34 613 081 191]. ONLY FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA CAN AUTHORISE THESE TRADE MARKS FOR AUSTRALIA.

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TC ELECTRONIC

Brainwaves Pitch Shifter

BY EDDY LIM

Like all of its TC Electronic counterparts, the Brainwaves Pitch Shifter is solidly built. The controls onboard consist of an FX selector, a wet/dry mix control, and two knobs that separately govern each voicing. A pair of metal toggle switches allow the user to select which direction the steps are shifted: up or down. Pop the back cover off and you even have dipswitch options for switching between true/buffered bypass and kill-dry activation. Furthermore, the Brainwaves allows both mono/stereo input and output, making it an incredibly versatile option in any player’s rig.

This pedal’s core functionality allows dual voiced pitch shifting in a variety of steps, which can be operated independently if desired. These steps range from unison, two semitones, to an impressive two octaves.Apart from clear-cut pitch shifting, the Brainwaves dips its toes into a variety of other soundsplicing categories: detune, wham(my), a switchable voice one/voice two mode, and three modifiable custom TonePrints. Different parameters of each mode can then be further altered with the pedal’s innovative MASH pressure-sensitive footswitch, which lights

up a dynamic LED depending on how much force is applied.

Detune (or chorus) is the most familiar out of the selections. The effect simply alters the incoming pitch by a few cents, adding a pseudo double tracked sound to your instrument. Lush, haunting notes and ghostly lines are easily attained simply by adding a splash of reverb and/or delay.

The MASH footswitch couples superbly with the wham setting. Notes gradually bend to your pitch selection relative to the pressure you place on the footswitch. The ceiling for creativity is infinitely high here, especially when setting one voice to shift upwards, and the other down. Dextrous footwork is absolutely required when operating the MASH footswitch, but it’s difficult to protest when the learning process is so incredibly entertaining.

The interchangeable voice one/voice two and pitch shifter modes are fairly selfexplanatory. After setting voice one and two, depressing the MASH footswitch allows players to instantly swap between the two selections – super handy if the voices are set to different octaves entirely.

Last but not least is the pitch shifter mode. What impressed me the most about the Brainwaves was its note-tracking.

TC Electronic are to be commended for their studio-quality algorithms, resulting in effortless pitch shifting with incredible tonal accuracy. A large number of pitch shifters tend to stumble or muddy up when playing chords or adding gain, but the Brainwaves handled whatever situation I threw at it admirably.

While some garble was understandably produced on the +/- 2 octave extremities, the note transpositions for the remaining step options were absolutely phenomenal.

As with most of TC Electronic’s latest pedals, the included micro USB cable allows you to connect the Brainwaves to your computer to set up custom TonePrints.

Using the free TonePrint app, users are able to push famous players’ custom parameters

to their pedal, or even design their own from scratch. Can’t be bothered connecting to a computer? No worries; download the app on your smartphone, select a custom TonePrint, then – and I kid you not – you can beam it through your guitar’s pickups via phone speaker to one of the three available slots on the Brainwaves. Is it magic, science, or sheer innovation? I’m leaning towards magic.

With the Brainwaves, you’re getting a gobsmacking amount of versatility in a cute little pink footprint. It’s ludicrously easy to lose yourself in the process of tweaking this pedal’s controls, let alone designing your own TonePrint. Add a looper into the mix and you’re in for endless hours of entertainment.

winter. Broadly, it’s a highly transparent sound with plenty of chime and bite across its range. A lot of this clarity is attained through the internal split of the 9v power supply into +/- 9v. It’s a surprisingly diverse tonal range, spanning British Invasion style crunch to a doom metal fuzz.

The three way switch is the conduit to the three different distortion parameters.

Mode 1 is going to give you a delightfully choppy Telecaster crunch, particularly if you’re belting it out of a sizable clean amp.

Turning the tone anti-clockwise, I was able to dial it back for a muted, muddier sound that works for something like fusion. Turning it back and pumping up the gain gave me a post-punk spike. Behind the specs, this is the work of symmetrical clipping with a pair of light emitting diodes. Mode 2 is an undulating clean boost, which is great for any nasty, overdriven solos you have. In the circuitry, the two diodes are switched off so you’re just getting the core OpAmp drive and its searing clarity. Mode 3 is what most teenage noodlers will gravitate toward; it’s a screamer. This is

definitely the Plumes’ pièce de résistance, with a beautiful saturated tone. Leave the tone on high to rip out the best rendition of ‘Maggot Brain’ you’ve ever done; pump up the gain and mute the tone and you’ve got a bonafide Melvins fuzz. I think the latter was the most surprising, with the Plumes able to produce a lot of body. This is enabled by, similar to EQD’s screamer, an asymmetrical silicon diode arrangement.

What makes the Plumes an extra nifty tool is its price point. For younger players, it could be the bridge to a monstrous distortion that a cheaper valve amp won’t be able to achieve all on its own. The all-analogue pedal tramples any digital alternative for sound. It’s the sound of Akron, Ohio packed into a pretty little unit that any guitarist should consider adding to their arsenal. Try and make distortion dangerous again.

Amber Technology ambertechnology.com.au Expect to pay: $229

EARTHQUAKER DEVICES

Plumes Small Signal Shredder

BY JOSHUA MARTIN

Ever since Link Wray’s ‘Rumble’ was banned from several US radio stations, we’ve known the power of distortion. Puritan radio censors in the 1950s thought the harsh sound “glorified juvenile delinquency.” Over 40 years later, rock is no longer popular music and guitarists are drowning in an endless tide of overdrive, distortion and fuzz pedals.

To move a guitarist out of their slump with an overdrive pedal is to force them to rediscover the visceral power of a filthy rock tone just like Link Wray once did. EarthQuaker Device’s Plumes Small Signal Shredder could be the pedal to do that. EQD hail from the small town of Akron, Ohio in the US and in case you’re wondering why it sounds familiar, it’s because it’s also the home of 2000s blues-rock duo The Black Keys. The band and the company are inextricably linked, as their first fuzz pedal was developed in 2006 by the band’s then-tour manager and sometimestech, Jamie Stillman; the Hoof Fuzz. It fit guitarist Dan Auerbach’s raunchy grit tone perfectly, and rolled into the successful international company it is today. The Plumes Small Signal Shredder still derives most of its

spirit from the Hoof, and manages to evoke the nasty tones Auerbach relished all those years ago.

Inside the box, the pedal is kept in the kind of drawstring bag you might normally expect to receive deer milk skincare in, but don’t be fooled; this is a brawny little unit.

Aesthetically, it’s got a nice balance between the affectations of a family company and mass-produced workhorse units like the Big Muff. A lime green finish is broken up by yellow targets and “Plumes” in the brand’s goofy font.

It’s as light (approx. 400 grams) and compact (120mm x 63.5mm x 57.15mm) as you’d want for a staple pedal that will presumably occupy a vital functional position on your pedalboard.

It’s powered by a bog standard 9v power supply with, reasonably enough, no battery option. The Plumes has the three-pronged dial setup you, a pedal monster, know is par for the course; level, tone and gain.

The Plumes Signal Shredder is designed to be paired with a valve amplifier; frankly, if you don’t have one, keep fiddling with digital FX. If you do though, you’re in luck because the Plumes ingenious circuitry produces a tone warm enough to wear this accursed

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

Yamaha Music Australia au.yamaha.com Expect to pay: $189

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

LINE 6

HX Stomp

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

It’s time to admit something to ourselves: amplifier modeling is the new reality. This new wave began in 1998 with Line 6’s kidney-shaped POD. While, realistically, the tones weren’t especially close to what they claimed to imitate, the convenience of being able to switch between ‘amps’ and patches, either effected or not, was groundbreaking.

This was superseded by the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx in the mid-2000s, which then released the Axe-Fx II in 2011, which became the industry standard. In the same year, Kemper released its profiling amplifier, which allowed users to model their own amplifiers with startling accuracy. Fractal and Kemper have been neck and neck ever since, while Line 6 has slowly released updates of the POD, such as the POD HD and HD X series.

Unfortunately, Line 6 has remained associated with the tones and sounds and effects on the original POD, despite consistently releasing top-quality products. This all changed in 2015 when it released the Helix and re-entered the big league. Enter stage left (or left and right; there’s a stereo output): the HX Stomp.

The HX Stomp is a professional grade guitar effect and amp processor crammed into a glossy, sparkled housing about the size of a small HSP (depending where you go). Packed inside is the same DSP and HX modeling technology as found in the larger, pricier Helix itself. There are three pedal switching pots for toggling between effects, and five little pots for scrolling through presets and tweaking parameters. There are mono/stereo inputs and outputs, an expression pedal input, MIDI in/out and a stereo send with a mono/stereo return. The HX features over 300 amplifier and cabinet emulations and effects from the Helix range, as well as ‘legacy’ effects from their M-Series and stompboxes such as DL4, FM4 etc. The HX Stomp can double as a USB audio interface for recording, but only features

a headphone out for this purpose. The HX includes an admittedly clunky power supply, but the website suggests the unit can be alternately powered via pedal power options.

The unit also features a handy master output, to ensure wherever your output is heading, it’s receiving a healthy signal regardless of whatever monstrous crunch and distortion you’ve crammed into the presets.

Opening the box reveals a pedal that feels solid and weighty, and looks simple enough to use. I connected the unit using the mono output to my recording interface and powered it up. Alternatively, the HX can be connected via USB and used as the input device for your DAW. When powered on, the HX’s LCD screen is nicely backlit and quickly opens up to a very user-friendly interface for tweaking the existing patches or creating your own. Scrolling through the ‘FX’, I was hooked, but a little underwhelmed at the amp tones before I remembered that, as the name suggests, the HX Stomp is designed to be used as a stompbox before an amp, so the FX presets mostly don’t contain amp simulations.

Regardless, the delays are spacious and inspiring, and the modulation presets are fun and aptly named. Because of the HX’s ability to send and return auxiliary effects, you can create patches with mix blends, sends to delays that retain tails of reverbs or delays before they’re modulated, or vice versa.

This can be especially helpful when you’re recording, because you can get a polished, finished sound while you record. The mix is

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

easier because the sounds are finished, and the performance is better because the sounds are inspiring.

Finally reaching the ‘DIR’ (direct) tones, I was floored. Every amp model preset is usable, true to their namesake and honest in the sense that they’re not inherently treated and ‘perfect’ tones. The amp’s hum, sizzle and squeaks are modeled too. It’s also important to remember that, like competitors Kemper and Fractal Audio, these units will never sound like a real amp in a room (though maybe the HX Stomp could take the cake through a powered cabinet or amp). Instead, they’re designed to produce tones identical to a mic’d up amp. In addition to tweaking on the unit itself, Line 6 has specially designed HX Edit software that, when linked via USB, can be used to tweak settings on your computer (editing is mirrored on the HX itself; you don’t need to tweak and then download your tones). Not only can you tweak your own tones and scroll through the library of effects and amps, but you can download other users’ tones on the Custom Tone exchange, all for free.

I reviewed another Line 6 product in July’s issue and had the same problems navigating the Line 6 websites for drivers and software. Eventually I located the HX Edit download, but not without watching tutorials on external sites from people who have faced the same issues. After a few YouTube tutorials, Line 6 forums, Line 6 support etc., I located some instructional videos and

managed to download my patches and upload them to the Customer Tone forum, so I can use them again when I inevitably buy a HX Stomp of my own. Because the pots on the Stomp are very sensitive, I found myself toggling tap tempo and switching presets while scrolling through settings. The HX Edit solves this. The HX Edit software is a much friendlier interface than the LCD screen on the HX Stomp itself, and I could see myself using the software a lot to tweak tones while recording, jamming, or re-amping.

The HX Stomp is a great all-round introduction to amplifier modeling at a great price. Don’t be fooled by its size and appearance – the Stomp is every bit as powerful as its larger counterparts, and Line 6 hasn’t skipped out on the quality of the effects and amplifier modeling either. It’s a professional grade piece of gear that can hold its own, but is portable enough to fit in your backpack. The HX can be used to add effects to an already great-sounding amplifier sound, or it can replace your entire rig of pedals, amps, cabinets and effects, all the while doing it with more routing options than most pedals and amps. From seasoned software tweakers to bedroom guitarists and bass players, the HX Stomp would be a great addition to anyone’s collection of gear.

Yamaha Music Australia au.yamaha.com Expect to Pay: $999

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

XOTIC GUITARS

XSC Series Guitar

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

Xotic is well-known for its pedals, namely the EP Booster, seen on pedal boards everywhere. Not so well-known are its master-built, heavily relic’d and completely customisable electric guitars.

This Strat-inspired XSC is loaded with triple-threat single coil Raw Vintage pickups, a flame roasted maple neck and an asymmetrical neck profile for maximum comfort. The XSC series of guitars are flawlessly designed, expertly built and endlessly inspiring.

Head to toe, this Xotic XSC really is its own instrument. With an obvious nod to one of the most famous body shapes in guitar history, it retains its own character, bells and whistles and relic’d look. The neck’s profile is asymmetrical for maximum comfort. It’s not something you’ll notice immediately, but the profile, starting from a D-shape on the bass side and curving around to a C on the treble, inconspicuously makes this guitar comfortable and helps grab hold of solos and licks. Initially the neck felt big and round, but without getting in the way of your playing. It feels like a machine ready to take on whatever you’ve got for it, and the flame-roasted finish is a very welcome addition. The flame roasting maple process allows for minimum finish on the neck itself to seal it, so this is as close to an unfinished neck as you can get. There’s no

sticky gloss to hold you back, and it holds up better than a matte finish when playing for hours (which you will). The neck is bolted to the body just above the three Raw Vintage single coil pickups and the five-way pickup selector. Raw Vintage pickups are hand wound in the Los Angeles Xotic shop, and really deliver their own flavour. There’s something inherently Strat-like about them, but with an edge. Maybe it’s the roasted maple fingerboard, maybe it’s the design of the guitar or the Xotic tremolo bridge holding it all in place, but there’s a character, attack and spank the Raw Vintage pickups deliver that I’ve never heard. Every setting of the pickups is very usable, something not all that common with triple single coil guitars. There’s usually a throwaway phase affected tone, but not here.

Playing the XSC is an absolute pleasure.

Thanks to the neck profile you can really grab hold of notes and take them for a walk.

There’s snarky response that feels fresh, clean and solid (it’s difficult to articulate any other way) something the XSC has no trouble doing even with delicate notes.

The guitar makes you want to play, but doesn’t bog you down in a specific style.

It responds phenomenally well to your playing, so it can work for really any style while retaining its own character.

This Xotic XSC has all the bells and whistles that you’ll never notice. The features and playability are integrated so masterfully that they just do their job while you focus on the playing. I didn’t notice the asymmetrical neck profile until I read the specs, but I knew the neck felt great.

I noted the Raw Vintage pickups sound like nothing else before reading about them on the Xotic California website. The guitar resonates and responds excellently, pointing to a perfectly balanced, cut and

assembled guitar. Even while writing this review the XSC distracted me. Anything from the XSC series of Xotic Guitars are your new ol’ faithful, and will never leave your side as long as you’re playing. Bury me with this one.

What places the G10S firmly ahead of its Boss WL series competition is its range, beating Boss’ claimed 15 metres by nearly three times at 40 metres. Unless you really are The Edge, this is obscenely good for all stage settings. The G10S even holds signal walking around the house, where I did not have line of sight and was occasionally playing through multiple walls – not that this is particularly useful.

What Line 6 is doing with wireless guitar is the democratisation of technology

at its best: taking the allure of a liberating, if ephemeral accessory once impossibly expensive and putting it within the reach of a teenage birthday present. The G10S is a high performing system with a staggering range that doesn’t require any radiowave know-how, complicated setup or pedalboard real estate.

Guitar Brothers guitar brothers.com.au Enquire for pricing

LINE 6

Relay G10S Wireless

BY JOSHUA MARTIN

Growing up, wireless guitar seemed like the domain of lame arena rock – nothing was worse than seeing Slash or The Edge wander down their ego ramp into the fervent crowd.

For me, that changed seeing guitarists like Omar Rodriguez-López. Seeing the visceral, nu-punk abandon with which he whipped his guitar across the stage offered an appreciation of the true performative freedom it gave.

Most, still, are priced out of the market. Line 6 is trying to change this prohibitive cost to offer wireless guitar systems to the fledgling masses with the new Relay G10S. Most still envision wireless guitar systems as a bulky receiver, radio transducer clipped to the belt and an unsightly hunk of metal in your guitar input; the Relay G10S couldn’t be further from it. A rugged pedalboard mountable metal stompbox is your receiver, a simple gadget powered by a 9V power supply or USB. It sports a sleek and simple black paint job, offering to go mostly incognito amongst your other stomps. The back has your usual ¼” pedal/ amp out, cable capacitance switch and a convenient XLR DI output if you’re plugging straight into the desk. A light-up wireless

symbol and battery indicator symbol makes it easy to monitor the G10S. You can choose the wireless frequency manually or automatically; this feature makes far more sense in a larger concert hall, where dozens of wireless frequencies are competing against one another.

The tiny transmitter boasts eight hours playing time before docking easily back into the receiver. I did find this battery life varied a little, but it stuck to a six to eight-hour range approximately in between sessions. The transmitter goes to sleep after four minutes without any audio input, which is helpful when you’re noodling late at night and you forget to dock it back. The transmitter fits snugly in your guitar input, though it might take some jiggling.

Any wireless guitar system must address the perennial sledge of loss in sound quality. I expected less from the G10S considering the price point, but there was no significant loss, even walking tens of metres away. The digital sound quality is 24-bit lossless and was largely faultless; the only time it did get a little lossier is when I stood directly next to my wireless modem in the hall.

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

Yamaha Music Australia au.yamaha.com Expect To Pay: $499.99

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

Hand Made Effects Pedals | Akron, Ohio

Plumes

Small Signal Shredder Try it first at Melbourne Guitar Show. 3–4 August, booth #47.

Available worldwide 3 August. Pre-order yours today.

Yamaha Music Australia proudly distributes EarthQuaker Devices

earthquakerdevices.com

BEAT’S GUIDE TO THE 2019 MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW