The Players
News and happenings from the world of your favourite guitarists
Slash hasn’t just launched a new signature model with Gibson but a whole collection. It includes his first acoustic in the form of a signature J-45 (£2,999; see more on p76) with two finish options, and four Les Paul Standards in four finish options. Each Slash Collection Les Paul Standard (£2,599) features a AAA maple top, solid mahogany body, as you’d expect, and Slash’s personal requests: a C-shape neck profile, his signature Gibson SlashBucker pickups, hand-wired electronics with orange drop capacitors, and a vintage-style brown hardshell case. The Slash Collection J-45 nods to the past with a few modern additions. Again, there’s Slash’s requested rounded C-neck profile, plus a fatter, more modern 16-inch fingerboard radius. Electronics are the LR Baggs VTC pickup – one of the best around for organic character. Look for the review in Guitarist soon.
Paul Gilbert has released a signature distortion pedal with JHS Pedals. The PG-14 (£195) is a FET-based distortion that seeks to emulate the response and touch of a valve amp being pushed but at lower volume levels. While that doesn’t sound unusual for a distortion on paper, the active mid-circuitry preamp is added to offer a wider tonal range for players that could make it a go-to distortion for all kind of guitarists – especially with Mr Gilbert’s years of experience behind it alongside JHS founder Josh Scott.
John Frusciante has returned to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, 10 years after his second departure. Josh Klinghoffer will now step away from the Californian band after recording two studio albums as guitarist. “Josh is a beautiful musician who we respect and love,” said the band in a statement on Instagram. “We are deeply grateful for our time with him, and the countless gifts he shared with us. We also announce, with great excitement and full hearts, that John Frusciante is rejoining our group.” Drummer Chad Smith confirmed the band’s plans in an interview with Rolling Stone last month. “The festivals are the only shows booked,” he revealed. “For now, we’ll mostly be concentrating on new songs and writing a new record. We’re all real excited to make new music.”
Former Guns N’ Roses/current Nine Inch Nails touring guitarist Robin Finck has released his first signature model with Reverend. It’s based on the company’s Sensei double-cut design and features Reverend’s Bass Contour control along with Railhammer Chisel humbuckers. The pickups use two types of magnet for the wound and plain strings to respectively tighten the low-end and produce more open frequencies in the higher end.
As we write this, the Guitarist team is at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. So while we feverishly prepare our in-depth show report for the next issue, let’s take a peek at some of the gear that’s tickling our collective fancy so far this year.
Winter NAMM always throws up a mountain of killer new gear. This year there’s talk of a Fender Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa ’51 Nocaster, Slash-endorsed Gibsons, and female-artist signature guitars. Until we nail down the details on what we saw, take a look at this little lot… [EM]