Eric Johnson Seven Worlds Review

For my first "record" review I have chosen Eric Johnson's Seven Worlds (1978), not because it's his best effort but rather because I just got the damn thing. I know, blasphemy. On first listen I can't help but think if this album was released (a real release) when it was supposed to be, Eric Johnson may be a household name right now. It's not that the record is as technically proficient as Van Halen's album from the same year, but it is a "guitarists" album, there is no denying that. The opening track Zap (which was re-recorded for release on Tones in 1986) tells one all they really need to know. It's a blistering piece of rock guitar that for the time would have turned many listeners on their collective "ear". It is also interesting to note that the basis for what would become Johnson's legendary tone is there in spades. His tone isn't as refined as it would later become on Tones or Ah Via Musicom but it's certainly present. 

The recording itself (as far as sound is concerned) isn't the greatest, but I kind of knew that going in. It's not bad but you can tell is was more about the music than putting the music to tape. It's not the type of recording I would pick apart sound wise because it simply wasn't meant to be that type of record in the first place. I wasn't in the room when this was recorded so I can't say it for sure, but from what I know about Johnson's other releases I think it's a safe bet.  The recording process is something that would change radically in Johnson's approach to making albums after Seven Worlds. He later adopted an almost OCD approach which led to some perhaps apocryphal stories about the lengths he would go to improve his tone. (For example taking the back plate of his strats, being able to hear the difference in battery brands and putting all the pickguard / pickup screws back in the same place when any work was done on the guitar).

If your an EJ  fan Seven Worlds is a must, though it's still highly recommended if you just want something with some good guitar playing on it thats not over the top shred.

MIJ Telecaster Review

A blog? Seriously? Like I have nothing else better to do right...guess not. Like the name of the blog suggests, I will be posting all sorts of crap. This "crap" will include CD reviews, musical instrument reviews, Japanese knife reviews (yes you read that correctly) and various tidbits of other inane subject matter. For now here's a picture and a short review of my recently acquired Japanese 62 Reissue Fender Telecaster.

Coming from the world of playing mainly Stratocasters (Suhr Anderson, Fender) this guitar was a pleasant surprise. Not only does it look great (subjective of course) but the damn thing sets up and plays just as well as guitars costing 3 -4 times as much, and in some instances better. It is a 2004-2005 model (dating these things is not an exact science, one can only hope to get in the "ballpark") but no matter the year it is well put together with great attention paid to the fit an finish of this particular guitar. I say this particular guitar because with instruments, guitars specifically, they seem to be hit or miss. Even the more expensive American counterparts can have issues regarding cosmetics, and less frequently the instruments playability. Basically sometimes you get a winner, sometimes not so much. It sounds like a tele should, it can get sparkling cleans and gritty leads as well as the "twang" they are famous for. These results of course can vary depending upon the amp used and other factors but you get the gist. The pickups are single coils so there is that annoying (to some) 60 cycle hum. Hey you could always tune to 426.7 instead of 440 so your b string will be in tune with the 60 cycle hum and therefore not be so obtrusive in your play, but whose going that far? Right?

The specs on this guitar are as follows:

Body - Alder with a nice 3tsb finish. Body is also double bound.

Neck - Nice "C" shape, not too chunky and plays smooth. 7 1/4 Radius (vintage just like the old ones) Frets feel like 6230's small and narrow.

Bridge - Vintage tele style (though I changed it to a more modern Gotoh bridge, I don't like the vintage bridges for some reason).

Pickups - Texas Specials.

Tuners - Vintage style gotoh's...I think.