A question for Jimmy Johnson

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Author Message jazzyvee Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1588 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Monday, July 27, 2009 - 2:01 am:    I'm not sure if this question has been asked of you before on the forum, ( apologies if it has). I just wondered if you know what Allan Holdsworth's views are on Alembic guitars and has he ever been a user of them? Jazzyvee jimmyj Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 89 Registered: 8-2008 Posted on Monday, July 27, 2009 - 6:23 am:    Jazzyvee, The question has never been asked and I don't know if he has ever tried one. He has always been a modifier and is extremely specific about what he likes in an instrument these days. His main axe over the last few years had among other features a hollow resonant body in which the top was "floating" above the internal structure... He likes a flat fingerboard radius, one pickup in a very specific location, etc., etc... That said, I have heard him pick up and play a generic instrument and make it sound amazing so some day I will drag him to by the factory and make him sit in the front room for a minute. Ha! Jimmy J jazzyvee Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1589 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Monday, July 27, 2009 - 7:35 am:    Thanks for your response Jimmy. It would be an interesting experience if you managed to get him in there, to find out what he feels about Alembics. Jazzyvee terryc Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 957 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 3:06 am:    I think je used a Steinberger with Level 42 when he recorded 'Guaranteed' prior Jako joining. Didn't he use that SynthAxe, the one with the neck set at a weird angle as the 'strings' were just triggers?? mario_farufyno Intermediate Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 166 Registered: 9-2008 Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 4:18 am:    Yes, the SynthAxe is in the Atavachron album cover. But he also used a signature Carvin and a Fender Strato in early days. He seems to be always changing... jacko Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2351 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 4:25 am:    This is from last year's Glasgow gig. No idea what the guitar is... jacko Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2352 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 4:27 am:    oops - wrong button.. Graeme chrisalembic Junior Username: chrisalembic Post Number: 48 Registered: 3-2009 Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 7:49 am:    oh yes Allan Holdsworth playing Alembic, together with Jimmy Johnson!! That is something my hears want to hear so badly!! :-) jimmyj Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 90 Registered: 8-2008 Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 3:59 pm:    Don't forget about his SG days with Tony Williams. The guy gets an amazing tone out of whatever he picks up. The guitar in the picture is the one I was talking about above. It was built for him by a luthier in central California, Steinberger hardware but otherwise a fully custom one-off. He has used it a lot over the past few years but may have recently moved on again. He is one of those guys on the constant gear quest. But with his results what can we do but encourage him to continue! The most fun for me would be just to introduce Allan to Ron Wickersham and then stand back and see what a couple creative geniuses might end up chatting about... Someday. Jimmy J davehouck Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8468 Registered: 5-2002 Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 4:17 pm:    Hah! Now that would be cool! bluplirst Member Username: bluplirst Post Number: 63 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 9:02 pm:    According to Tony Levin's website: "Dates are soon to be confirmed for a January tour of the group Bozzio Holdsworth Mastelotto Levin. (Terry Bozzio, Alan Holdsworth, Pat Mastelotto - who likes to refer to the band as 'HoBoLeMa" and me.) It'll be on the West Coast of the U.S, and possibly we'll do some Europe dates in April. The lineup played in Japan last year, and we had great fun doing sets of completely improvised music." So, you lucky dogs on the west coast are in for a treat! mario_farufyno Intermediate Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 176 Registered: 9-2008 Posted on Friday, July 31, 2009 - 6:26 am:    Oh, it is hard to live so far... afrobeat_fool Junior Username: afrobeat_fool Post Number: 30 Registered: 7-2009 Posted on Friday, July 31, 2009 - 3:42 pm:    Hey Mario, I'll try to tape it for ya. I for one will be there, if I'm not on the road. white_cloud Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 723 Registered: 11-2007 Posted on Saturday, August 01, 2009 - 1:53 am:    Allan has used many guitars over the years from Gibson to Fender to Ibanez to Carvin, Steinberger etc etc. There is a really excellent Carvin promo video on youtube at the moment where Allan demonstrates/explains what he looks for in an axe - well worth viewing! Oh and Jimmy pass on my regards to Allan pls! John. dfung60 Advanced Member Username: dfung60 Post Number: 390 Registered: 5-2002 Posted on Saturday, August 01, 2009 - 5:46 pm:    The custom guitar in the picture was built by Bill DeLap. I believe he's been doing technical work for Holdsworth on other guitars as well as on his own customs for many years now. There were some pictures from the last European tour where he was using a DeLap modified Steinberger ZT-3, the most recent model under that name (designed by Ned Steinberger, but factory built in Korea). David Fung jimmyj Member Username: jimmyj Post Number: 91 Registered: 8-2008 Posted on Sunday, August 02, 2009 - 2:00 am:    David, Bill Delap was indeed the builder and has done a lot of setup for Allan over the past few years. But the two have recently "separated" for some strange reason... I don't believe the ZT-3 Allan had with him in the EU had been modified but Gibson / Steinberger may be preparing a new instrument for him as we speak... Ned's latest trans-trem hardware is quite amazing. Jimmy J mario_farufyno Intermediate Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 179 Registered: 9-2008 Posted on Sunday, August 02, 2009 - 5:54 am:    Thanks Nick! This is what I've found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miOmVHyxpuc mario_farufyno Intermediate Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 180 Registered: 9-2008 Posted on Sunday, August 02, 2009 - 6:04 am:    What is that Bozzio's Kit?????? There are people living in smaller spaces... This guy loves a big kit indeed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxe-SWxDEcw&feature=fvw And uses each corner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcJpD6n-TnY&feature=related afrobeat_fool Junior Username: afrobeat_fool Post Number: 32 Registered: 7-2009 Posted on Sunday, August 02, 2009 - 5:08 pm:    Yeah, they have a Bozzio kit set up like that at Guitar center PDX. Something like 14 roto toms and at least that many cymbals. Good find Mario!!! terryc Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 963 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Tuesday, August 04, 2009 - 3:46 am:    Sounds very King Crimson to me, well it would with Levin and Mastelotto in there. It could be Adrian Belew if you closed you eyes for a moment. Holdsworth and Fripp with that line up..that would be a treat.