Guthrie Govan demos his new Charvel prototype for Guitarist magazine
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- In this age of production-line rock stars, there's something really great about meeting a guitarist who defies easy classification. One thing Guthrie Govan isn't, though, for all his frankly astonishing fretboard skills, is a shredder.
Watching Guthrie idly noodle on the guitar is the musical equivalent of watching someone channel-surfing on TV. One moment he's playing face-melting metal; a heartbeat later he's playing warped country licks - then rounding things off with a bar or two of straight jazz - all played with great feel and not a little wry humour.
It's no surprise then that his new Charvel prototype (it's not currently a production model, sadly) is a deceptively versatile design that departs from his first koa Charvel in some important respects. Firstly, it's got a maple-capped basswood body -- moving the game on even further from mahogany guitars Guthrie has favoured in the past.
"Mahogany is great for the barking rock, but it doesn't clean up quite as well as you want it to sometimes," he says.
Meanwhile, the new prototype has custom pickups in an H/S/H configuration made by Michael Frank-Braun, who designed the pickups on the Eric Johnson signature Stratocaster. They're designed for flexibility not out-and-out mayhem, Guthrie explains.
"I just told him I want a certain kind of honesty in the pickups. I want them to reflect all the different ways you can hit a note, which is the opposite of the flattering pickup. I want the pickup to hear every subtlety, even if it's a mistake, and also transmit the natural sound of the wood. They're not ultra-high output."
For the complete lowdown on Guthrie's latest Charvel prototype and an in-depth look at the rest of the gear he relies on - plus insider insights into his forthcoming Aristocrats album - check out our interview in issue 367 of Guitarist on sale 5 April.
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change the title and put "charvel demos his new cyborg british guitar player prototype"
Hahah, ten points
Even his guitar seems like cool guy to have a beer with.
No doubt! Cheers!
"the unfortunately named 'nut sauce'" HAHAH that cracked me up.
You’re everywhere
@@clarencebeaks1315 cuz I'm Santa Clause.
TruthSurge 😮😮🤗🤗🤗
I was here and there too. I'm now here and there. Looking for more Guthrie Govan stuff.
"Unfortunately named nut sauce"
Elegant even for the nasty jokes.
Nut sores* his accent makes it sound like sauce.
@@Stmfetty2013 No dickhead, he said Nut Sauce, because it's named Nut Sauce.
I could watch Guthrie describe the food on his plate and I'd be entranced. The guy is a guitar wizard and a master wordsmith.
Sometimes I scratch my head when I see some of the guitar players out there that have their own models and/or endorsements. Guthrie, on the other hand, deserves it all... what an amazing player.
I just realized why I watch Guthrie Govan's vids: his personality is just as appealing as his playing. He's got sprezzatura. From wiki:
"Sprezzatura is an Italian word originating from Baldassare Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier, where it is defined by the author as a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it. It is the ability of the courtier to display an easy facility in accomplishing difficult actions which hides the conscious effort that went into them."
Nice word! Though I think that definition is captured adequately in english by the colloquial use of the word 'cool'. That being somewhat diluted though, sprezzatura can bring back the emphasis. Thanks for that.
He's also got "Cazzimma" (unfortunately it can't be translated XD)
Iove that world now, also I studied it at school but was just useless until I watched Guthrie videos
Very good observation
Sprezzatura it is then.
"The unfortunately named 'nut sauce'." Bahahahhaa!
I love how Guthrie says "people of the internet", after all, he is an otherworldly guitarist!
Is it ok to produce your own "Nut Sauce" to lube the bone nut? :D
Pencil lead and petroleum jelly/Vaseline. Might as well stick to Chapstick; it works just fine.
isnowyazn I know man, it was a "subtle" joke ;)
I see what you did there.
What if one needs lube to get their nut sauce production commence?
@@philipdjoshi7525 It's nut sauce all the way down
Damn, how can you have such precision when you play with a nickel ! Great sounding, great playing !
Ahaha alors comme on se retrouve :)
he's got such class
4:36 whutttt? :O
I know that gave me chills lol. He's doing like an arpeggiated glissando or something. He's fretting an A6/9(add7?)
(fretted 544454), plays the 4th fret 3rd string, then he hits the 6th string harmonic (17th fret) by resting his right hand index finger on the string above the fret and plucking with his right thumb, then plucks the 4th string (no harmonic) with his right pinky, then does the harmonic for the 5th string (16th fret) the same way, then plucks the 5th string with his pinky again, and so on until he ends the lick by hitting the harmonic on the 4th string. Let me know if that makes sense for ya. Cheers!
Edit - Here's a tab version I just made:
e-----------------------------------------------------4-------------------
B------------------------------------5------------------------------------
G-------------------4--------------------------------------------- ----> sexy tone knob swell
D--4--------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------
Where notes in brackets < > are harmonics played with the right hand index and thumb
Nut sauce was produced in me trousers
@@pjg238 Dude, it's so awesome that you took the time to present this. I just saw this comment and skipped over to the time and watched him play that segment and thought "what a shame I won't know what he's doing there to attempt it" and then bam you left a lesson basically. Many thanks!
It's a technique called Harp Harmonics. It was pioneered by a guy called Lenny Breau. If you're interested in learning more about the technique I suggest giving Breau's music a listen, as well as Ted Greene or Eric Johnson.
@@ZrankFappaH lol you got it man! I'm really glad I could help! I probably wouldn't have known what he was doing either if it wasn't for my many years of watching Phil Keaggy play and playing his music. Listen to/watch him if you haven't already, cheers!
Is that the Captain at the right at 5:40?
+Vincent Steenstra Toussaint It's like "Where's Waldo"...nice job spotting that tidbit!
+Vincent Steenstra Toussaint According to his t-shirt it is him! nice job spotting him back there!
It is!
+Vincent Steenstra Toussaint How on earth did you see that?
haha well spotted!
4:36 What in the actual fuck?
+Jakob Strand (Lunaspice) I just yelled "WHAT" out loud when I saw that
+Josh Arthurs this dude is a raving lunatic wizard and everything he plays is just mind bogglingly brilliant
EJ shows you how to do that in his instructional vid
You'll see more fingerpicking guys doing this.. Doyle Dykes, Tommy Emmanuel, and the guys they learned it from.. Chet Atkins, Travis.. that whole group and older. Pick with your thumb while using your index to sound a harmonic.. you can practice at an open string but you can move the note wherever when fretted. Then use your ring finger to pick a regular note. Then just go back and forth..up and down a chord, put little pull-offs in or a tremolo. Look up Doyle Dykes' "The Visitation" or "Freebird" for more examples. The guys I mentioned use that technique frequently, though.
Check out Tommy emmanuels somewhere over the rainbow
I met Guthrie at NAMM this past year: he was an extremely humble and friendly man. His advice to everyone on how to be a virtuoso is: "Take it is that makes you, you; and exaggerate it." I would have loved to stay and talk with him, but he was on his way somewhere, so that is all we get. :)
"nutsauce, unfortunately named nutsauce"
Could you explain the joke for me please ?
Govan reminds me of a shrew like creature that only surfaces when there's a guitar around
Incredible instrument. His choices of words are amazing! :D
I've been playing for most my life and he puts me to shame when testing out pickup noises. Sigh...
He’s awfully good, isn’t he?
"Talent" is having a lot of interest in something. Even if two people practice the same amount daily and one of them sounds "better" is because they use their time accordingly or are genuinely more interested in ENJOYING what they're doing. We think Guthrie is this inhuman monster, but he started young and was encouraged to play. He enjoys it and plays non-stop. That's why he's good. Don't diminish yourself with the idea of natural talent. Do what you love to no end and you will see results.
The unfortunately named "nut sauce"
tone is sub standard. sounds good cuz guitarrist has mad skills
That bridge pickup screams in the rightest of ways!!
yeees :D I've never noticed that, but that's true!
Even his guitar seems like cool guy to have a beer with.
Amazing how this man takes a modest even odd sounding tone and does something useful with it in a note or less. First note -odd; second, third, fourth...perfect.
I hate him. Torture watching him play.
What a player..... amazing... and his personality gleeful... he's true blue... humorous and smart... a shining spirit.
I really like this man’s playing. In particular, his clean tone playing.
As far as mastering various techniques I think Goven is probably one of the best in the world, it's simply incredible to watch.
He's is so far past trying to play the instrument, he plays what ever pops in his head. The connection mind, body and soul is priceless..... Much more success to the giver........I am inspired.
$3,700???? That's a brand new, used car!!!
***** just thought the same. lmao! :D
New brand?
Aspire7 haha..so look for a 59 LP or a 63 Strat..that would be a brandnew new car..or better 2-3 brandnew new cars
Slears Yeah I think the old Strat's are a bit over rated. I had a 62 SB. It was my older brothers. I paid him $125.00 when he went into the service. Pretty much made off like a bandit on that one. Played it for a couple of years & unloaded it. Sold it for a clean $150.00. True story. Had some since then & some were better & some not. That said, to my memory my newer American strat looks, plays & sounds about the same to me. Had a 68 jag too & the new one I have now is almost identical sound & quality wise. Of course back when I had them they were nearly new & my current ones are nearly new as well. So there is the argument of aged wood but, the newer ones are fine by me.
Unfortunately any signature USA made guitar is going to cost 3 to 4 thousand dollars. Unless you are making money playing music or touring just stick with the imports...they sound just as good set up right. Most of the tone is from your fingers and musical choices that translate to the fretboard.
Very cool guitar! sounds great too :D
what a nicely spoken young man; I'd let him carry my shopping home for me. His mother must be very proud of him...
How does it stay in tune without being a double locking system???
Sal Lucido amazing springs in the back, nut (with the unfortunately names "nut sauce") and the locking machine heads!
God, this guy is funny as fuck! Love him!
I had the finished model arrive yesterday and it's far from a disappointment. The guitar really does play like no other that I possess and he's certainly done a fantastic job at ensuring the buyer gets what they pay for unlike other signature models.
Plays like a dream. Thank you, sir.
This is true. I bought Stevie Vai's signature guitar and got sent a plate of spaghetti and meatballs so I returned it and bought the Tony Iommi signature SG and received a 12v truck battery. Not what I'd paid for.
I'm glad he went with a non fine tuner floyd on the final model.
Why is the God playing the guitar?
It looks a bit like the Ibanez TQM1, isn't it ? Sounds great anyway... but how could a guitar sounds poor in Guthrie's hands...
5:13 did he just start playing "start me up" by the rolling stones lol
When Guthrie explains things, the words just sound musical.
why can't i slow down the speed of this video so i can figure out the lick at 4:16?!?!?!?!
its just an old worn out swing lick, listen to anything from that era and youll hear versions of it
Give Guthrie a 100$ Squire! :) I double that,also give him a Frontman15 to play it on. I've attended once both Guthries clinic and concert. It is always the guitarist,and not the gear. I'm not saying that there is no difference between the Suhr he used, or the Charvel, or the Fender,Gibson,PRS, etc.
Go and see a video from Andertons, that Chappers and Lee did. Soundwise,they couldn't distinguise (BY EAR) was it a classic vibe, standard,american,custom shop ;) Hope I've proved my point :) Cheers
I love Guthrie and mean no disrespect to anyone but.. his Suhr sounded a lot better.
+DaemoniumCC I wonder how much of it though was the Cornford it was plugged into...his rig now is so darn...crispy
Rob A Well the Cornford's are basically the same as the Victory amps he uses - the same guy makes them. I just think his Suhr sounded better.
Yea, well I can believe that with the Charvel having a maple cap and a maple neck, there's where the icepick is coming from :) My favorite tone ever from him is that Larry Carlton style track where he's using a Root Beer colored Suhr...it could be mics and preamps creating the magic but I've always attributed all the mojo to being a Cornford..see how the marketing deludes me!
Even this prototype is clearly more thought out in comparison to the suhr. Soundwise, I really dont want to judge via utube. There needs to be the same basis in equipment to do that.
***** That is definitely true, but considering we're hearing both with the same RUclips compression and whatnot, means that they both got the same treatment. I still prefer the Suhr for it's clean sound, it just sounded amazing in his hands.
Guthrie is one of few that can do whatever he pleases on the guitar. He is an icon. And so ever humble.... Which puts him in my top 10 of all time favorite guitarist Simply ,awesome.
Guthrie’s left hand has a college degree.
That's why it is better to buy a cheap guitar to hear the "little mistakes" and stuff (although I disagree with you on that, but who cares) and learn to PLAY, 'cause then when you get a semi-pro/ pro guitar you'll be even more badass ;)
A true Jedi guitar master! Impressed with that Charvel!
He makes me want to burn all my guitars and start playing bass
wtf is @ 4:37 ...
You read into my comment too much. I wasn't saying those guys are fusion; I simply mentioned fusion along with shred.
If I could, I'd take a prestige over a gio, and an esp over a ltd. BUT, I'd make the Gio & the Ltd sound good too. :)
"It pleases me greatly"
I love watching this guy play. Not just the shreddy stuff, but his whole vibe/personality. It all comes out in his playing. I found my self smiling because of this video.
When Guthrie plays it, no guitar sounds like shit.. ever. It's never the guitar, it's the guitar player.
03:32 - Guthrie referencing Mozart.
1:00 Guthrie says tone wood is a thing, end of debate....
I love that man! So humble and a total genious on guitar!
That sounds awesome. A guitar like that could be so useful. Most guitars like that I have seen are made with it being a steel string in mind. I'd like to see more electro acoustic guitars, of a smaller variety, being made for nylon.
Basswood with a maple top is a great combination. Amazing tone at 5:35.
What distortion is he using here? It's very accurate and crisp but still muddy and slimey that it isn't too dry
Pedro Asfora I think he was using the Suhr Riot pedal. Not 100% sure.
Hands down one of the MOST creative guitar players and musicians on the face of this planet! Thanks for sharing yourself with the rest of us, I was really getting bored with all the crappy music we were starting to see out there - now I look forward to new music again!
I think it sounds way better! I love the "hillbilly rock" sound anyway! :-)
Kinda pleased with It already. Such an English of saying I love this fucking awesome guitar!
Tho-ro-ugh-ly En-joy-able listening. Thanks Guthrie😊
I don't even care about the guitar, I just love listening to his voice.
Crikey this man knows his scales!! Awesome technical player!
I'm a Strat man through and through but when I see a video saying "Guthrie" I click on it even if it says "Guthrie plays an out of tune Harmony..."
Great stuff...had his one made with Hawaiian Koa to have the proper tone....then advertises one with the crapiest wood on the market so Charvel can rip off all the newbies just like Ibanez used to and still does for over 30 years...this guitar sounds like a kid's toy while the Koa one kicks ass...to top things up' they painted the ugly basswood brown and put a gorgeous thin slice of birdseye to cover up the shit. Well done Charvel!!!!! And well done Guthrie for contributing to the Rip-off!!!
I think the decision to change guitars comes from just the freedom to do so and boredom. Making the new instrument close to the old one makes sense because there were reasons behind the Suhr purchase as there are behind the Charvel. Adding Guthrie's name to this guitar would 2x the price and I have noticed a "working mans" guitar friendly pricing environment as of late.
Wish I could have one. My first guitar was a Charvelle that I bought at a pawn shop in Florida. I didn't know what it was (neither did they I guess) and most likely I sold it for gas/ass/grass money. Youth is wasted on the young, right?
I try to have three tones on hand: clean fender, slightly dirty vox-style, and lastly a pedal that gives me my marshall sound. Pedeals arent the same thing as these bad boys, but hey.
I work for myself primarily and I suppose would call myself an innovative woodworker and am pretty small time as innovation is not really encouraged in the UK but I have the freedom to experiment (also because I don't have a nagging wife!) I have to say I have only made 20 guitars but each one pushes the enveloppe in some way and I'm currently working on a prototype travel electro acoustic guitar with built in amp (dual soundbox) when time allows.
Him and justin hawkins are so much alike haha
Although I build custom guitars I have to put hand on heart and agree with you in so far as a good carpenter can make a work of art with the most basic tools but the most expensive tools in the world won't necessarily make a carpenter good! A lot of people disagree with that! But Guthrie deserves a great guitar and its fantastic he shares his passion. He and Alex Hutchings are my favourite inspirers!
That would be a good demonstration. And make sure you do it doubleblind so your preconceptions don't affect the results. Also, using more than one guitar with each wood would help to cancel out setup variations.
I'm pretty sure you won't be able to reliably tell the difference, regardless of how good your ears are, but musicians are superstitious as hell. As for the nut material, if the nut is affecting your tone, something is wrong with your nut, period.
Some nice guitar playing, but I'm always skeptical about claims that things like the body wood and nut material affect the tone of an electric guitar in any perceptible way.
Magnetic pickups pick up the vibration of the STRINGS, not the neck or the body, and while you might get some resonance back into the strings, the most that will affect is sustain, not overall tone. Under-saddle piezo pickups are another animal, of course.
I wouldn't think that at all, I used to think it was practice was the key wired on speed was excellent way to become good over night but know I realize God gives talent and talent from God determines how far you can go consistently or be stuck on something for 20 years only able to play it on a ''good day'' or eruption note for note is not easy without faking improvised licks just because van halen never plays same way twice, dosent mean you should cover mistakes improvise spikeslappedharmonic
Wow this guy never ceases to amaze me totally laid back and just kicks ass, going from heavy rock to smooth jazz as seamlessly and effortlessly as anyone I have heard since Tommy Bolin. True virtuosity... a real pleasure to both watch and listen to him
you are kidding, there will always be someone better than you. Be yourself and you are okay, I would not trade my chops for anyone else's. Not because I am that great, this guys blows smoke on me, but each of us plays an expression of emotion that is our own uniqueness. Don't ever let a great player intimidate you, it should inspire you instead.
Who else loves his fancy British sauce when he talks? :)
I didn't know Robert Plant could play the shit out of the guitar!
if you hold a note with your left hand and lightly tap that string one octave higher it makes a kooky harmonic. he did it by tapping all the notes of the chord he was holding in succession using his first and fourth fingers. plus hes an alien.
What horrendous tone. He needs to listen to the likes of EVH, Lukather and Michael Schenker for how a guitar should sound.
He reminds me of the young Iain Anderson of Jethro Tull from about 1970.
Great player but err... what was wrong with the Suhr? Or was it 'hey Guthrie, here's a wad of cash, now play one of our guitars'. Steve Morse played his sig model for 20 years before he swapped... to another Musicman!
As a guitarist who loves all the guitarists you named and far more (Mattias Eklundh, Ron Thal, Fabrizio Leo, Scott Mishoe, Dominic Cifarelli, etc.), I understand the "obsession" with Misha and Tosin. I absolutely love them, personally. They champion a new style of virtuosity that touches on points none of the classic fusion/shred players do -- especially Tosin. He's like a mix of Victor Wooten, Stanley Jordan, and Fredrik Thordendal. And he's a hard-working musician and excellent composer, too.
I'm loving his look at 6:11 where you can see him think "I've killed enough dreams theese last 5 minutes, let's finish with something easy" (>.
How does he do that at 4:38! I have never heard anything so awesome. What chord is that and on which strings do you do the harmonics? Sounds like a harp.
My wife told me to stop watching Govan videos because I loudly yell "Oh, f**k off" at the TV every five seconds. This man makes me miserable with every lick.
Why don't Charvel cut the pickup slots to match the pickups instead of leaving those ghastly gaps, you could lose your pick in. Other than that it's a fine guitar played beautifully by Guthrie the English Wizard.
His fingers are very unorthodox never really payed attention but hey it works that's all that matters wr all have different styles and finger techniques
Charvel must have given him a really sweet deal cuz he defended Suhr with his life... I bet he still uses the koko boost and probably the Badger though...
Saw a clip of him and Gilbert trading, but instead of speed,( which they both possess) it was slow tempo phrasing.... inspiring to say the least.
Let's be honest, we're only here to see Guthrie work his magic, he could be playing that on a Yamaha Pacifica and we'd all want to buy one!!
This guitar is not revolutionary, but it's a fine instrument. It costs a kidney, however... seriously, the price is really high.
This man is just not human. His fret board is probably scared and excited of him at the same time!
"So I'll just go through the various noises that this guitar makes."
I could listen to guthrie talk about guitars for just as long as i could listen to him play
Guthrie should have a radio show. This guy's voice is gold. That was totally unexpected.