Biz Prof

That is a great idea that would help to bring the price down on this end. When I was actually a working guitarist in the late 80s/early 90s, a P90 Hamer Special was the only USA-made new guitar I could afford. The reason I wanted a Hamer so badly is that of all the ones I'd test driven, I'd not come across a single dog. The neck joints were rock solid, the woodwork true, and the fretwork flawless. That was much more important to me than bling, although I'd have taken a Standard at the same price in a heartbeat. A real WMG needs to be what I've just described: solid construction, attention to functional details, good components, and little/no bling. Although they look a little odd, I do think that the SD P-Rails offer serious versatility for the "working man". If you wanted to stretch the concept within the boundaries of reason, one might copy Reverend's model of a set neck vs. bolt-on versions of the same basic design. Set neck versions could use the Gibson scale, while the bolt-on versions could employ the 25.5" scale. Just a thought.

Every MM I've ever played was on par with top-shelf, low-production brands like Anderson, Suhr, Hamer, etc. Excellent attention to detail. As far as a Silhouette goes, I like this one: And the guitar looks nice, as well.

Sounds like Mike's Bassmans are modded. My old Bassman head cannot get that sound, even with a P90-equipped guitar up front and pushing a Marshall 4x12. Nice sound, but not exactly "just add water". Wonder if this mod has been published for DIYers.

.......... Point is, you're right. He relied on the amp for the dirt. And what a tone it was. I got caught up in the medal pedal wars in the day. I have been using computer amp sims, and they can replicate most FX pedals well, just not the overdrive of a cranked amp, not even close. I now use the overdrive of a real amp and the effects of the computer to get a good sound you can easily record. Yep. If any of the uninitiated wish to hear the full potential of a cranked four-holer or a nice JMP should listen to "Back in Black" followed by Def Leppard's "High 'n Dry". Mutt produced both albums and one can easily hear his penchant for the JMP tone during that era. I lust for that medium-gain, honky, boingy sound. Righteous....and it really only comes from a cranked EL 34 power section with a goosed preamp.

Lately, I have been using this into a '75 MusicMan HD 130, so....I guess that would be a tally mark for FX.

Lately, it would be this, so....I guess that would be a tally mark for FX. Sorry...see below.

Yes, but then there are a variety of Angus tones across the AC-DC anthology. His early tone, to me, was a little too boxy and thin sounding (TNT). The Mutt Lange albums have a decidedly richer, thicker, honkier JMP tone. The later 80s and 90s albums sounded more like a straight, cranked plexi....thinner and cleaner than a JMP, but powerful. Point is, you're right. He relied on the amp for the dirt.

My God, Maiden was incredibly tight back then. It says a lot about the impact of high-dollar studio production that Maiden's early live sound was nearly identical to their frugally-produced studio recordings. They have always been the consummate live band and their chops are solid on this vid from '82. Thanks for posting it.

MusicMan HD130 212, set at half-power and fronted by a Chandler Tube Driver rack mount.

Standard headstock is a brilliant idea. Kind of like that powder blue one-off Kramer that Billy Squier played for a short while back in the 80s.

Standard headstock is a brilliant idea. Kind of like that powder blue one-off Kramer that Billy Squier played for a short while back in the 80s.

Like others here, I think a relatively spartan flattop Special would do the trick. Models could be based on different pickup configurations: 2 HB 1 HB (perhaps with a Floyd for guys like Diablo) 2 p90 Tele SC/neck HB Simple finishes, good fretwork, and solid neck joints as the top priorities, and you'd have a winner. Still cannot believe I scored my USA P90 Special for $550 NIB back in the early-mid 90s. Hell, that guitar is nearly legal to buy beer now!

Not necessarily top-shelf, legend-making material, but I really like it compared to nearly all of the contemporary hard rock stuff being released now. Jake sounds laid back on this track, and I think that fits Robin's vocal style. I actually found the guitar and vocal elements far superior to everything else in the mix (seems to be a common convention of ProTools users). Gotta say, Ozzy did well in choosing Jake, even though their partnership only lasted two albums. The guy has great blues metal chops, a blistering tone, and was almost refreshing in the wake of Randy's death. Hell, who else had the stones to rely solely on a 70s hardtail Strat and an SG junior during the height of hair metal? Zakk and Gus, on the other hand, while technically strong, have (IMHO) added little worth remembering to the Ozzy pantheon. Look forward to hearing more of this release.