And also

And Finally

Substitute Tired of using the same old chord shapes? These substitutions will freshen up your playing in seconds.

Picks Highlights from last issue

32 Guitarist May 2015

Frontend

ElectricsFender Classic Series 60s Jaguar Lacquer1,054

We said: A beautiful-sounding, looking and playing Jag

AmpsMatchless Nighthawk 1x122,350

We said: A stunning small combo built by one of the ultimate boutique makers

AcousticsLTD TL-6N469

We said: A nylon-string stage electro that offers great value and has immense crossover appeal

EffectsDigiTech Mosaic109

We said: A great pedal for adding 12-string flavour with no faffing

MiscNoiise FLUX:FX$19.99

We said: Audio-sculpting iPad app for experimental players and recordists

This Issue: Altered reality

Hendrix KnigHtsAfter years of legal skirmishing over contracts Hendrix

signed in his pre-Experience days, Experience Hendrix has acquired the rights to his recordings with Curtis Knight, and has just released 14 of them on You Cant Use My Name: Curtis Knight & The Squires (Featuring Jimi Hendrix). See www.jimihendrix.com for more details.

riP Brian Carman Chantays guitarist Brian Carman passed away in March, aged 69. The surf-rock pioneer co-wrote the genre-defining hit Pipeline, and continued to play in the band until recently. He also worked in the guitar industry, at Rickenbacker and Music Man.

servoBenderThe ServoBender is an ingenious new creation that attempts to meld the worlds of pedal-steel and regular six-string guitar. It does so via four servos on a metal plate, sustain pedals and 3D-printed parts, and its ingenious. See how it was done at imgur.com/a/a0ZlW.

The recent sale of the Les Paul prototype shows that the gear of famous guitar players still makes for a reliable auction favourite. The latest intriguing slices of history up for grabs are, firstly, George Harrisons 1963 Maton Mastersound electric, played onstage at various UK venues by the Beatle while his trusty Gretsch was in for repair; and a circa-1962 Gibson SG/Les Paul Standard owned by Eric Clapton. The George guitar has an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000, and the EC specimen is expected to go for $30,000 to $40,000. Both will be sold at Hard Rock Cafe New York on 16 May, and further info can be found at www.juliensauctions.com.

To start with, lets take an innocent little D7 chord and twist it into the much scarier D7#5#9. That means weve taken the basic chord (D F# A C), added a #9 (E#) and also sharpened the 5th (A to A#).

Or we could do the opposite, flattening the 5th and 9th. Its a totally different sound, but like the previous chord, it creates tension, yearning to be resolved to a G or G minor. And they both work well with the popular Super Locrian mode (D Eb F Gb Ab Bb C).

Moving to the E-shape chords (ie, with a 6th-string root), here are two for the price of one. Start with the A7#5b9 (barring the top strings with your 3rd finger) and then try adding the top note for A7#5#9. Both versions work with A Super Locrian (A Bb C Db Eb F G).

This is tricky, but it sounds lovely. Try using your thumb for the bottom note, or barring the top three strings with your third finger. Unlike the others, it fits the half/whole diminished scale (A Bb C C# D# E F# G, alternating semitones and whole tones).