HI Y’ALL GOOD FOLKS. HOW ARE YOU DOING OUT THERE? The CRAVEman bids you a warm welcome and hopes all is as well as it can be, wherever you are on our precious shared planet. It is kinda a rhetorical question intended to encourage one to consider, albeit very briefly, the importance of one’s own health and wellbeing. I am not expecting responses. Honest. Well, here we are, heading irretrievably towards winter in the northern hemisphere. Gracious greetings once again, it’s fab to have you along in the abstruse alliterative arena of CRAVE Vintage Guitar Gear. I thank you, sincerely, for your attendance – it is genuinely and humbly appreciated. I’m sure you probably have much better things to do than join me in my repetitively random rants and ramblings.
Just a short up‑front re‑statement in support of my on‑going cultural campaign to promote humanity’s desperate need to bring peace and harmony to our divided, embittered world. Amity is not only about stopping existing conflict but also about preventing future hostilities. True and lasting peace can only be achieved through unceasing efforts to stimulate genuine understanding, co‑operation and tolerance. Reconciliation and peaceful collaboration should be a collective imperative for everyone on our only world. War is ignorance. Peace is wisdom. Simple. Apologies but this is my only platform to disseminate that vital message.
“Authoritarian societies are inherently corrupt, and corrupt societies are inherently unstable” – William Gibson (1948‑)
Prelude
Last month’s article looked at ‘Vintage Guitar Gear Collections Within A Collection: Part I – CRAVE Guitars & CRAVE Basses’. This month, we have the sequel, based on CRAVE Effects, which delves into the weird, wonderful and occasionally wild dark side of vintage gear to explore what vintage effect pedals are, what they do and why they might be of interest. Vintage effects are a bit of a niche interest and can often be overlooked by the mainstream ‘collecterati’, so they are by default of interest to your humble host.
Upfront, I really love old analogue effect pedals. I’ve owned some of my favourite pedals since the late 1970s and they are still going strong. It is probably needless to say that modern digital effects provide pristine, crystal clear tones, low noise levels, consistent and reliable power supply, and feature seemingly limitless combinations of control. Call me old school but the excellent new models lack that grubby, grimy imperfectness that makes the oldies the goodies. Some manufacturers recognise this and, alongside their modern DSP (Digital Sound Processing) based ‘computers’, companies reissue and/or (try to) replicate the vintage classics. However, from my perspective, these modern effects can be considered ‘too good’ in comparison, lacking a bit of warmth, soul and charm. An analogy may be like comparing a clapped out old Citroën 2CV with a brand new Bentley Continental. I’d actually go for the cheaper and decidedly more eccentric Deux Chevaux.
As with last month, this article’s featured quotes bring a few carefully selected thoughts about human ‘perception’ to the proceedings. As usual, no AI was used in the writing of this article, just the tired and worn out brain cells of your mentally atrophied author. Apologies for intellectual standards falling short of real intelligence. I did, however, use AI image creation for The CRAVEman image towards the end of this article.
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see” – Henry David Thoreau (1817‑1862)
Previously… on Collections and Collections within a Collection
There is little point in reiterating the original idea on which this article is based. If you wish to view/review CRAVE Guitars articles on the compulsion of vintage gear collecting and guitar/bass collections within a collection, those blogs can be accessed by following the links below (each link opens a new browser tab).
Last month, guitars and basses were grouped by other criteria for an alternative perspective. Sadly, there aren’t enough CRAVE Amps to justify a similar treatment, so there won’t be a Part III. However, effect pedals just cry out for a different method for appreciating their vintage charm, hence this article.
“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is — infinite” – William Blake (1757‑1827)
Effect Brands
Since the 1990s and particularly since the beginning of the 21st Century, there has been an explosion of interest in, as well as supply of and demand for, effect pedals. The massive proliferation in effect pedals (way too many to mention here) is effectively excluded from this article on vintage pedals, as CRAVE Guitars has an arbitrary cut‑off of 1989. All the effect pedals featured herein all come under the heading of CRAVE Effects.
For the purpose of this article, a good starting point is to define the effect brands featured on the CRAVE Guitars’ web site. The ‘big four’ and ‘the rest’ are:
Electro‑Harmonix (EHX)
MXR
BOSS
Ibanez
Other – Colorsound, Dallas Arbiter, DOD, Dunlop, Jen, Marshall, Pro Co, Sola Sound, VOX
On the CRAVE Guitars’ web site (as CRAVE Effects), effect pedals are organised according to the de facto ‘standard’ way of cataloguing vintage gear brand. Like other vintage guitar gear, effects are usually referred to by brand, model and date. This is how effects are grouped on the web site features and galleries. It is also how I tend to keep track of the pedals in which I’m interested. Therefore, I am assuming that this standard methodology of curatorship is a given and I won’t expand on this further.
As mentioned on the web site, not all these brands are American. CRAVE Effects is the only part of the ‘collection’ where I extend the boundaries to include brands from across the globe. The reason is that these pedals were integral to the cultural zeitgeist of, particularly, American and British music from the 1960s onward, possibly more so than instruments. While I am usually pedantic about such things, I am flexible in this regard. ‘They’ say there is always an exception to a rule. ‘They’ also say that rules are there to be broken. ‘They’ should really make ‘their’ mind(s) up.
There are some notable effect brands missing from the above list, for instance Binson, Digitech, Maestro, Maxon (who made effects for Ibanez), Morley, Musitronics, Roland (who make BOSS), ROSS, Shin‑Ei, Thomas Organ, etc. The simple reason is that this article is focusing on CRAVE Effects and the ‘collection’ doesn’t have any of these effect brands (yet). As with instruments, the scope has to be limited, if only for my sanity. The point will, nevertheless, hopefully be made anyway.
For clarity, there are no rack effects featured here, even though some were common during the period covered (for instance from Roland and MXR). Also, there are no digital multi‑effect units or software effects, as these tended to appear more recently than vintage pedals.
“Everything hinges on how you look at things” – Henry Miller (1891‑1980)
Effect Types
The standard methodology, as you may have gleaned from last month’s article, isn’t the only way to look at things. Even more than instruments, effects fall relatively easily into an alternative, convenient set of groupings. It is this that I’ll be using for the rest of this article. This might prove interesting because it isn’t easy to view this perspective on the web site.
There are plenty of resources on the hinterwebby thingummy that suggest a variety of different effect types. I analysed these and I don’t necessarily agree with any of them. In the end, I went with my own intuition and came up with the following broad categories, noting that some pedals fall across or between these groups (for instance, compression and EQ often feature a clean boost and hybrid effects such as octave/fuzz, wah/fuzz and wah/volume pedals are commonplace). There are also some effects that could be classified entirely within a different category, for instance compression, which doesn’t easily fall within any category.
Gain Effects (e.g. clean/treble boost, overdrive, distortion, fuzz)
Breaking the above groups down, there are around 30 different sub‑types, which provide a seemingly obvious way of looking at effects differently, something that I have not previously done with CRAVE Effects.
You may well argue that pedals grouped under #7 above aren’t effects at all and you’d be right. However, they are more or less, integral to many musician’s pedalboards, so for this article, they are included as an additional category. There are also some effects often used by guitarists/bassists that don’t fall into any of the above categories, for instance drum machines and loopers.
CRAVE Effects currently doesn’t have some effect sub‑types, for instance analogue synth, ring modulator, tremolo, limiter, noise gate, pitch shifter, etc. That means that there are some gaps at the time of writing. My aspiration is for the collection to become more comprehensive over time.
Phew! That’s even before we get started for real. Fewer words from here on in, mainly images – ‘they’ (again) say an image speaks a thousand words, so that’s what I’m banking on. Enjoy the colourful world of diminutive floor‑based stomp boxes with the following 7 headlines and 15 mini‑collections, each with an introductory section explaining what the grouping means for the sounds we hear.
“One person’s craziness is another person’s reality” – Tim Burton (1958‑)
Mini Collections 1 – Gain Effects (16)
Gain effects work by boosting the signal to varying degrees in certain ways. At its simplest, a clean boost will simply amplify a signal, making it stronger (louder). Used carefully, it can be used to overload the input stage of subsequent effects or (valve) amplifiers, causing then to start ‘clipping’ the signal – effectively flattening off a normal sine wave signal. In itself, an average clean boost doesn’t clip a signal. Overdrives take the principle a bit further by intentionally overloading circuits to force them into ‘clipping’, intended to produce a warm saturated valve‑like sound. Distortion effects inherently create a definite ‘clipping’ as an integral part of their circuits and present these already distorted sounds to whatever follows them. A good distortion effect will retain the core signature of the signal it receives. Fuzz pedals take the effect to logical extremes by forcing a sine wave signal into a brutal square wave signal, creating a wall of heavily distorted sound that can, if pushed, even obscure the original signal altogether.
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1980 BOSS OD‑1 Over Drive, 1985 BOSS SD‑1 Super Over Drive, 1981 Ibanez TS‑808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro, 1981 Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
DistortionEffect Pedals (7)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1975 MXR Distortion +, 1981 BOSS DS‑1 Distortion, 1985 BOSS HM‑2 Heavy Metal, 1983 Ibanez SD9 Sonic Distortion, 1984 Ibanez SM9 Super Metal, 1989 Marshall The Guv’nor, 1988 Pro Co RAT
FuzzEffect Pedals (5)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1977 Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff Pi, 1978 Electro‑Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, 1975 Colorsound Supa Tone Bender, 1969 Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, 1976 Sola Sound Tone‑Bender Fuzz
“What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what sort of person you are” – C.S. Lewis (1898‑1963)
Mini Collections 2 – Modulation Effects (21)
Modulation relies, in theory, on a time‑based effect but they produce a distinctive sound. First of all, they retain the original signal. A phase effect will copy a signal and put it through an analogue delay circuit called a bucket brigade device (BBD). A BBD will store the original signal and delay it very slightly. Then it does the same again to the delayed signal and so on. This creates a delayed signal that is out of phase and mixed with the original signal – hence phasing. Controls usually feature rate and depth (strength). Flange takes the concept and extends it, producing a second audio signal and mixing it with the original, causing a swooshing or ‘airplane engine’ sweep across frequencies. Chorus works by layering multiple copies of the original signal and slightly detuning and delaying them, thereby creating what was intended to sound like multiple instruments. Chorus is often used to thicken and deepen the overall sound.
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are” – Anaïs Nin (1903‑1977)
Mini Collections 3 – Time‑Based Effects (8)
Delay effects fall broadly into two general types. The subtler of the two is reverb. It works by delaying the original signal very slightly so that the resulting sound creates a feeling of space, as if sound waves were reflecting of surfaces and gradually decaying. Reverb recreates sound wave reflections reaching the listener at slightly different times, for example in a large open space, such as a church, cathedral, cave, hall or empty venue. Echo effects basically do what they say on the tin. It copies the original signal and replays it one or more times with a delay that is sufficient for the brain to process it as a separate sound wave from the original. Originally tape loops were used to record, play back and then erase the signal. Solid state analogue BBD circuits superseded tape but are limited in clarity and the time between repeats. However digital delays can create very long delays with crystal clean echoes. The ultimate extreme of delays is used as the basis for modern looping effects.
Reverb & Delay/EchoEffect Pedals (8)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1987 BOSS RV‑2 Digital Reverb, 1977 Electro‑Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, 1978 MXR Analog Delay, 1986 BOSS DD‑2 Digital Delay, 1982 BOSS DM‑2 Delay, 1984 BOSS DM 3 Delay, 1982 Ibanez AD9 Analog Delay, 1980 DOD Analog Delay 680,
“Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty” – David Hume (1711‑1776)
Mini Collections 4 – Filter Effects (10)
Filter effects effectively add or remove certain frequencies within a signal thereby changing the tone of the signal. They generally do not affect the volume or pitch of a signal, just the amount of bass, middle or treble. The simplest of these is the equivalent of a passive tone pot on a guitar or bass being used to shape the sound. Putting a tone pot in a treadle and operating it with the foot creates a filtered tone sweep (the crying wah‑wah effect) when the signal is changed continuously or, if kept in a fixed position, create a sound with an emphasis either on bass or treble characteristics of the original signal. An envelope filter, derived from analogue synthesiser technology attempts to recreate the wah‑wah type sound electronically without the need for the player to control the signal manually. EQ (short for equalisation) can be a straightforward ‘graphic equalizer’ with different controls for different parts of the signal, meaning that the sound spectrum can be shaped very accurately. EQ can also be parametric, where one control selects a certain frequency and a second control varies the tone around that frequency (often found in recording studio desks). Counter‑intuitively, low cut filters preserve high frequencies and vice versa (also slightly more sensibly called high and low pass filters).
Wah‑WahEffect Pedals (3)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1977 Colorsound Supa Wah‑Swell, 1980s Dunlop Original Cry Baby GCB‑95, 1980 Jen Cry Baby Super
Envelope FollowerEffect Pedals (5)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1976 Electro‑Harmonix Doctor Q Envelope Follower, 1980 Electro‑Harmonix Zipper Envelope Follower, 1978 MXR Envelope Filter, 1985 BOSS TW‑1 T Wah, 1981 Ibanez AF 201 Auto Filter
EQEffect Pedals (2)
Left‑right: 1981 MXR Six Band Graphic Equalizer, 1981 Ibanez GE‑601 Graphic Equalizer
“Though we see the same world, we see it through different eyes” – Virginia Woolf (1882‑1941)
Mini Collections 5 – Amplitude Effects (7)
Put simply, amplitude effects change the volume of a signal. They generally do not affect the tone or pitch of signals. Amplitude and frequency affects are often confused, for instance, tremolo (affects the volume) and vibrato (affects the pitch). They are fundamentally very different things. At its simplest, a swell pedal puts a volume control in a treadle that can be foot operated, giving the same result as a volume control on a guitar or bass. A swell effect is actually very hard to replicate electronically. Tremolo provides a ‘throbbing’ or ‘pulsing’ sound by increasing and reducing volume in a predetermined cycle and was the first on‑board effects in vintage valve amps. Compression generally falls into this bracket and works by boosting low level signals and cutting (or limiting) high level signals thereby ‘compressing’ the dynamics of a signal that can vary from slight to significant. Compression can be used to smooth, warm, thicken and sustain a signal, often very useful for guitar signals that are usually dynamic with sharp attack, rapid decay and short sustain. Noise gates work in the opposite way, by eliminating low level signals including extraneous noise.
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1980 MXR Dyna Comp, 1980 BOSS CS‑1 Compression Sustainer, 1981 Ibanez CP‑835 Compressor II, 1982 Ibanez CP9 Compressor/Limiter
“There is no fixed physical reality, no single perception of the world, just numerous ways of interpreting world views” – Deepak Chopra (1946‑)
Mini Collections 6 – Pitch Effects (3)
Pitch effects do what they say, they affect the pitch of a signal without changing the tone, tempo or volume. Pitch effects can be used on their own, such as a simple octave generator which mixes the original signal with a tone that may be one or more octaves up or down. A harmonizer is more complex in being able to shift the pitch by degrees, e.g. thirds, or fifths up or down, creating a harmony that depends on the key of a piece of music. Some of the simpler pitch effects are often combined with other effects, particularly octave and fuzz being a popular option thanks to one James Marshall Hendrix. The MXR Blue Box below is an example of a combined fuzz/octave effect pedal.
OctaveEffect Pedals (3)
Left‑right, top‑bottom: 1976 Electro‑Harmonix Octave Multiplexer, 1975 MXR Blue Box, 1985 BOSS OC‑2 Octave
“Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic” – Edward de Bono (1933‑2021)
Mini Collections 7 – Speciality Pedals (2)
As mentioned above, speciality pedals may or may not affect the overall sound effect at all but can be vital for guitarists or bassists as an integral part of a pedalboard.
Channel SwitchPedals (2)
Left‑right: 1970s Electro‑Harmonix Switch Blade Channel Selector, 1986 BOSS PSM‑5 Power Supply & Master Switch
“It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view” – George Eliot (1819‑1880)
Yet Another Alternative Perspective
As always, there are different ways of looking at ‘collections within a collection’. To be exhaustive would be gruelling and extraordinarily dull, so I will use just one example, grouping by model series, rather than effect.
During the early days of Ibanez pedals, they released a series of effect pedals commonly known as the Ibanez ‘0’ series pedals – with the ‘0’ being the middle number of the model designation (puzzlingly except for the CP‑835 Compressor II). The most famous of the Ibanez ‘0’ Series pedals was the iconic TS‑808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro. The ‘0’ series pedals were distinguished by the unique square footswitch.
Ibanez ‘0’ Series Effect Pedals
In reality, the ‘0’ series did not last long and was really a transitional model. It was replaced by the completely restyled Ibanez ‘9’ series pedals, with the ‘9’ being the last number of the model designation. For instance, the TS‑808 became the TS9. The most obvious design change is that the ‘9’ series pedals replaced the square footswitch with a more traditional large (BOSS‑style) treadle‑operated footswitch.
Ibanez ‘9’ Series Effect Pedals
These two ‘mini collections’ clearly show the evolution of effect pedals during a short and very prolific period for stomp boxes. While there are many other permutations, this comparison makes the point quite clearly that other approaches can be taken. Say no more.
“Perception and reality are two different things” – Tom Cruise (1962‑)
The CRAVEman’s Pedalboard
Many people get confused about the general sequence in which effects should be placed in the signal chain. ‘The conventional wisdom’ (NB. Commonplace beliefs that are generally accepted to be true without critical questioning – a term often credited to Canadian/American economist John Kenneth Galbraith in ‘The Affluent Society’ (1958), even though it might originally date back to c.1838) suggests the following sequence:
This sequence is only a guide, not a diktat. Many guitarists change it up to create a different type of soundscape that suits them. No surprise, I prefer a different effect pedal order that I developed over several years playing in a band. Even so, it still doesn’t mean that it’s fixed in perpetuity. What I learned was, ‘do your own thing’ to suit you and create your own signature sound.
“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else” – Fred Rogers (1928‑2003)
The CRAVEman’s favourite effect pedals, regardless of brand, represent a back‑to‑basics approach and may provoke a debate based on opinion. For me, in order of favourites, it was/is #1 echo, #2 fuzz, #3 flangers, #4 envelope followers. The CRAVEman’s least favourite effect pedals #1 phasers (too common), #2 chorus (ditto), #3 overdrive (others do it better), #4 pitch shifters (inconsistent tracking). May I be cast into the abyss of Tartarus in the underworld to suffer eternal torment, such is the extent of my judgemental wickedness! However, I stand by my heresy and shall not repent.
Unlike many contemporary musicians, my preferred pedal line‑up is very simplistic. I do play around with it but I keep coming back to a core that suit my playing style and musical leanings. They are all classics in their own right and are all very analogue. The creative possibilities with this set can be quite ‘out there’. It also has the advantage that pedals from the same manufacturer are also more likely to work together than a mix‑and‑match approach. Are there better examples of each effect from other brands? Undoubtedly, but not for me. Here’s my go‑to line up…
Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Electro Harmonix Bad Stone
Electro‑Harmonix Electric Mistress
Electro‑Harmonix Zipper Envelope Follower
Electro‑Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man
I also use a combined wah/volume pedal but no specific model. You notice I have a soft spot for EHX effect pedals. There is no particular reason, it’s just that they sound and behave the way I like. Admittedly, they were also the first serious pedals I used, alongside Dallas Arbiter/Colorsound/Sola Sound pedals. Others come close, for instance the MXR 100 phaser, as well as the MXR and DOD analogue delays. There are plenty of newer exceptional effect units (e.g. Line6) but this article is about vintage pedals, so that’s where I’m focused. While undoubtedly excellent, most Japanese pedals (e.g. BOSS/Ibanez) just don’t do it for me, which is a bit weird.
“All our knowledge is the offspring of our perceptions” – Leonardo da Vinci (1452‑1519)
Final Thoughts on Effect Collections within a Collection
I hope you enjoyed the colourful selection of CRAVE Effects’ stomp boxes viewed from a slightly different perspective. In one sense, they all look alike, while on closer inspection, they are all very different aesthetically. Although ‘new’ acquisitions are currently in abeyance, I have become besotted with vintage effect pedals, for better or worse. Vintage effect pedals represent quite a convoluted playground, fostering much confusion, misunderstanding, debate and conjecture.
I have finally given up the fight and I now concede that I am a small‑scale, limited ‘collector’ of vintage guitar gear. I think that this and the previous articles tend to cement this unfortunate conclusion. Yup, I have become something I have tried hard to avoid becoming. Darn it! I refuse, as far as I am able, to go full ‘collecterati’ though.
Even though a single effect pedal doesn’t take up much space, collectively, they do. The CRAVEcap (the constraint of space and funds) currently in place means that any ‘new’ acquisitions to CRAVE Effects may be a while off yet. It may come as a surprise that some rare effects can cost more than vintage guitars, basses or amps, including several pedals featured herein and on the web site.
“Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other, and we need them all” – Arthur C. Clarke (1917‑2008)
One thing, though, does ‘bother’ me about the whole world of vintage effect pedals. One of the fundamental principles of vintage guitar tone is to keep the signal chain as short and as direct as possible. Vintage gear enthusiasts will often spend (many) thousands of pounds/dollars on expensive vintage guitars, basses and amps because of their undeniably unique and attractive tonal characteristics.
Then what do we go and do? Those same enthusiasts buy a cheap little box crammed full of transistors, resistors, capacitors, pots, ICs, switches, circuit boards and wiring, and then we put them directly in the signal path. A few older effects may be passive, while most others are battery driven (usually one or two 9V 6LR61/MN1604/PP3 blocks), which has proved to be an unreliable power source dependent on charge levels. The alternative is to use AC power transformed into DC, often with variable voltages and currents as well as polarities. In addition cable attenuation is also a problem – lots of pedals use lots of interconnects. Pedal circuit boards, components and cables usually comprise budget items originally ordered in bulk quantities for mere cents/pennies per unit. Older circuits were often also hand assembled using whatever was lying around and often constructed with variable soldering quality. All things considered, consistency and quality control certainly weren’t manufacturing strong points in the 1960s and 1970s.
Open up some older pedals and one can be amazed at the crude nature of the assembly. Open some of the newer pedals and there are massive amounts of components, often with multiple IC (Integrated Circuit) chips suddenly placed directly into the signal chain, seemingly intent on corrupting it. When analysed, many electronic circuits are inherently ‘noisy’, often with unintended audio effects, which we can hear. There can be profound issues with mixing and matching ‘true bypass’ effects with buffered effects, as well as issues combining analogue with digital effects. A complex pedalboard can also be very sensitive to the order in which effects are used. Many modern amps have an effect send/return loop between pre and power stages, rather than the traditional method of effects feeding directly into the pre‑amp’s input stage.
Bottom line, there has really been nothing fundamentally new in the last 65 years of effect pedal development since the early days of innovation. Many modern pedals are copies of classic pedals or just variations of tried and tested themes. The old ways of specialist analogue pedals have been superseded by an overwhelming multiplicity of layered digital complexity. However, the principal aims and core characteristics have remained largely unchanged.
“Perception is a mirror not a fact. And what I look on is my state of mind, reflected outward” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803‑1882)
Nowadays, inline effects and amps are not always needed and guitarists rely on DI (Direct Input) into studio/stage digital audio processors, weirdly set to mimic vintage analogue gear. Then we also add in wireless signal transmission. All of these factors can affect the tone of the rest of the signal chain, often very significantly. Problems are frequent and often hard to identify and eradicate.
Yet, we continue to adore and admire these miniature miracles of electronic bits and pieces for destroying the very things we so desire from the rest of our vintage equipment. Go figure! This dilemma completely blows my mind when I stop and try to rationalise it objectively. Am I alone in contemplating this peculiar incongruity or is it a widespread understanding? I have absolutely no idea; the whole gamut of convolutions is not straightforward to resolve.
When I rejuvenated my guitar playing in the 1990s, I tried a multi‑effect unit but found I was spending more time working out how to use the seemingly unlimited and not very intuitive controls, rather than to focus on what mattered, playing guitar. The multi‑effect was soon ditched and I reverted back to a mix‑and‑match approach of separate pedals. This soon changed again, by replacing new effect pedals with vintage ones and the rest, as ‘they’ say, is history.
Believe it or not, digital effects started appearing in the early 1980s, supplementing rather than superseding analogue ones. Some of these early vintage digital stomp boxes are included here (I’m not prejudiced!). Digital processing started appearing, mainly in delay/echo pedals and reverb effects (reverb can’t easily be replicated using analogue circuits).
Another question. Are some effect reputations worthwhile? In my opinion, sometimes but not always. Some highly regarded pedals are good but overrated, often hyped by artist association, rather than by their inherent characteristics. Others can really surprise because they ‘fit’ with a particular situation. Some will swear that a script logo MXR Phase 90 sounds better than a block logo one, even when the internals are identical and the change is purely cosmetic. Some models will sound different from pedal to pedal, even if the circuit design is the same. Some circuits behave differently from pedal to pedal, for instance anything with an environmentally sensitive germanium resistor. Some seemingly identical pedals used different components from one to the next due to component availability and/or price at the time. Some commentators will also swear that component ‘a’ sounds great while component ‘b’ sounds like total garbage, while to the average user, the differences are so slight as to make no audible difference, especially in a band setting. Does it really matter or does snobbery fit the bill (again)?
What I’m really trying to say is, go with your ears and instincts, rather than brand name, effect specification and hype. The best way to sound unique is not to go with the flow but to do your own thing. Be creative and experiment not only with the pedals you use but also in the order they are used. It is way more fun creating the unique way you want to sound, rather than trying to sound like someone else. Inspiration can be found in these marvellous and magical miniscule machines (Ed: alliteration still alive and well then).
The effects featured here aren’t the only effects owned by CRAVE Guitars/Effects. I have a number of newer (i.e. non‑vintage) pedals, as well as a number of studio rack effects. Hunting down vintage effects, though, has become my main focus. The non‑vintage effects are excluded from this article.
“People only see what they are prepared to see” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803‑1882)
Some vintage effect pedals are ubiquitous and can be picked up for very little money. Others however can cost astronomically silly amounts. This may be because they are highly regarded and much in demand, for instance, early Dallas/Colorsound/Sola Sound Tone Benders, Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Faces, and Ibanez Tube Screamers. Others are just very hard to come by, especially in good condition (remember these things are used on the floor and tend to get a lot of physical abuse). Some others are pricey because they were niche products only produced either for a short time or in very small numbers (or both), for instance the BOSS Slow Gear featured.
One of the reasons I got into vintage pedals in the first place was during a period of austerity lasting many years. During that time, I couldn’t afford or accommodate guitars, basses and amps but effects were relatively cheap and didn’t take up much space. Thus, they became a serious part of the CRAVE Guitars/Basses/Effects/Amps family. The fascination with these little bits of gear heritage suffer from the same GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) that affects most guitarists. This means that ‘collecting’ vintage effect pedals can be seriously addictive – be warned!
Will traditional single‑effect pedals be replaced by modern digital modelling ones? Probably, but not just yet. Studio DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software has already gone a long way down that path in many home and pro studios and there is plenty of scope for further improvement. In fact, one might wonder where AI will take effect pedals and digital plug ins in the future. For many, the AI‑influenced future will look very bright. Me? I’m defo old skool. Personally, I think the archaic noisy, temperamental, analogue effects have a certain allure and charm that no end of digital meddling will ever be able to replace (a bit like our enduring love for real valve amps and vinyl records).
As of 2025, the effect industry is largely alive and well and still thriving (within the overall operating environment of a declining music industry), especially in the rarefied realms of boutique pedals. It seems that guitarists and bassists can’t get enough of these tone mangling monstrosities. Love ‘em. When it comes to the crunch, these are serious toys with which a creative musician can extract great fun and satisfaction in our own inventive sound pits. Enjoy.
“Our senses enable us to perceive only a minute portion of the outside world” – Nikola Tesla (1856‑1943)
A Seasonal Message From The CRAVEman
This section has nothing to do with vintage guitars. However, it does take a brief look at a different aspect of western society’s cultural heritage. Apologies.
At the end of October each year, we tend to celebrate Halloween on the 31st of the month. The traditional roots of Halloween go back some 2,000 years ago (or more) with Irish and Scottish Celtic harvest festivals signifying the beginning of the dark half of the year and the onset of winter.
Celebrations around this time of the year and the origins of Halloween as a mystical event derive from the festival of Samhain (NB. translated as ‘summer’s end’ from Old Irish), with its roots in pagan custom for honouring dead ancestors. It was believed that the veil between the living and the dead of the Otherworld was at its weakest, allowing spirits to manifest and roam in the world of the living. Believers would set bonfires to ward off evil spirits and wear masks to avoid being recognised by ghosts.
In Christianity, All Hallows’ Eve (from where we get the word, ‘Halloween’) on 31 October is the holy day before All Hallows’ Day (All Saints’ Day) and All Souls’ Day on 1 and 2 November respectively (NB. The noun ‘hallow’ means a saint or holy person and the verb means to honour as holy). The relative timing of such festivities led to a blending of pagan, Roman and Christian traditions over the centuries.
In Mexico, ‘el dia de los muertos’ (literally, the day of the dead) festival coincides with the end of October/beginning of November every year, when families gather to remember and pay respect to those that have died. This suggests that paranormal revelries at this time of year have become widespread across many countries.
Incidentally, the film, ‘Halloween’ (1978) is one of the author’s favourite cinematic masterpieces, directed by the legendary John Carpenter and starring Jamie Lee Curtis. A great horror film for a Halloween party/film night. Great soundtrack too.
It therefore seems appropriate to conclude this seasonal message with a fittingly festive “Happy Halloween” from your favourite Stone Age guitarist and founder of CRAVE Guitars, The CRAVEman. Rock On!
“There are misfortunes in life that no one will accept; people would rather believe in the supernatural and the impossible” – Alexander Dumas (1802‑1870)
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
In keeping with the theme of this month’s article, I thought I’d delve into one of the landmark American bands that went to extreme lengths to introduce inventive soundscapes to their music. The band in question made extensive use of heavily modified guitars, alternative tunings and abused effect pedals to produce oodles of off‑the‑wall clamour. The band I’m talking about is Sonic Youth from New York who went out of their way to sound like no other band around at the time. They formed in 1980 and, sadly, after over 30 years, they disbanded in 2011. During those three decades, the main three audio terrorists of the band were Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo (both on guitar) and Kim Gordon (on bass). They had a string of highly regarded studio albums including ‘Evol’ (1986), ‘Sister’ (1987), ‘Daydream Nation’ (1988), ‘Goo’ (1990), ‘Dirty’ (1992) and ‘Washing Machine’ (1995). However, my choice is not one of these but it is a personal favourite…
Sonic Youth – Sonic Nurse (2004): Sonic Nurse was Sonic Youth’s 13th studio album released in June 2004 on Geffen Records, comprising 10 tracks over an hour’s running time. The cover was designed by renowned American conceptual artist Richard Prince (1949‑). Despite being a lot less well known that their peak period albums, Sonic Nurse is close to where the band would eventually end up. This album was the middle one of a later career resurgance including, ‘Murray Street’ (2002) and ‘Rather Ripped’ (2006). Track one (6:33) is clearly influenced, fittingly so, by acclaimed American‑Canadian author, William Gibson’s cyberpunk novel, ‘Pattern Recognition’ (2003).
Sonic Youth – Sonic Nurse (2004)
Basically, any of the albums mentioned here can provide a great insight into what the band could do and fans will all have their own favourite. It just so happens that Sonic Nurse is mine. Even their very early albums (not mentioned here) have a great deal going for them. Naturally, there are inconsistencies but, over their career, those lesser albums were also better than most others in the experimental alternative noise rock genre. Turn up the volume and listen to the aural mayhem on show at your peril.
Alas, Sonic Youth fell apart in October 2011 following the separation of Moore and Gordon, after 27 years of marriage. The band’s influence and legacy has been profound in modern rock music and they deserve to be admired and respected for ploughing their own unique furrow throughout their career, rather than capitulating to studio mundanity for the sake of commercial success. Despite the hopes of many loyal fans, the band has, to‑date, not reunited and its status is officially ‘in hiatus’.
BELIEVE IN MUSIC!
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses” – Abraham Lincoln (1809‑1865)
Tailpiece
As usual, I’m at a loss for what to do next month but I’m sure I’ll think of something. It is getting harder to come up with different material, so I hope you’ll bear with me. Once the quality starts dropping off, I’ll have to call it a day but I don’t think the time has come just yet. You may think otherwise, of course! I don’t want to outstay my welcome. That’s it. No more in the way of dreary diatribe for this month. The holidays are a‑comin’. Yay!
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. The CRAVEman, signing off for now. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Always have great first thoughts, then you’ll never need to have second thoughts”
ALL PRESENT AND CORRECT, SIR, YES SIR! Here we are once again dear friends, acquaintances and anyone else who wishes to explore the Any‑Zany world of vintage gear. Spring is here folks and time to enjoy the freshness of rejuvenated nature accompanied by a suitable musical backdrop. It is a wonderful time of the year, in the northern hemisphere at least. I’ll get my monthly plea for a civilised society in our far too uncivilised world out of the way now. Even the notion of armed (or economic or social) conflict of any kind is futile and archaic in the 21st Century. Harmony, not discord, is the key to a flourishing future and it is achievable should we care enough and value it enough. What’s wrong with a bit of peace & love? Goodness knows we need it.
After the last three articles referencing Far Eastern influences, you may be relieved to know that that is not the focus of this month’s masterpiece (Ed: conceited or what?). I started out on this article thinking that it would be fairly straightforward. By the end, I was in the ‘what on Earth was I thinking?’ frame of mind. If I want to make space and time for writing ‘The Distortion Diaries’, this really is NOT the way to go about it. When will I learn? Well, it’s done now and time to move onto the next ‘big’ thang.
A CRAVE Guitars A‑Z of Vintage Guitar Gear
Looking back over the 90‑odd monthly articles so far, I was quite surprised I haven’t tried this particular exercise or something like it before now. This month is definitely one for the list‑o‑philes out there. For all you list‑o‑phobes, you might want to sit this one out.
The following narrative is an A‑Z that covers guitar gear including guitars, basses, amps, effects, accessories, etc. In order to give enough credence to many notable names, the A‑Z comprises subjects now associated with the vintage market and the main focus is on names with a clear historical component. There could have been many more but a line had to be drawn somewhere and it ended up a conveniently rounded 150.
For the author’s fragile sanity, the exercise is specifically about guitar‑related stuff. If I had gone for a looser definition or a wider scope for musical industry, instruments, equipment and accessories, it would have proved to be unmanageably massive.
Some of these names will be familiar household names while others are going to be somewhat esoteric. Some are companies, while others are products – it’s a bit mix and match but the rationale will hopefully become clear. It is not intended to be exhaustively comprehensive and I will undoubtedly have missed some important names that readers will pick up on and no doubt berate me for not including them. However, it is MY list and I’m sticking to it, although I apologise to anyone I may have omitted or misrepresented (easy to do with such a large number of précis).
There are plenty of notable industry names not included below, such as Ashdown, Blackstar, Eastman, Eastwood, Faith, Fractal, Kemper, Line 6, Luna, Manson Guitarworks, Matamp and Suhr among many, many, many more. The focus here is primarily on producers and products. Distributors and retailers are generally not listed, including names like Chandler Music, Gruhn Guitars, Macari, Rose Morris, Sam Ash, Guitar Center, PMT, Sweetwater, Thomann, Gear4Music, etc. Some key people are included as contributors to guitar gear, rather than in their own right, such as Robert Moog and Larry Fishman. Also pro studio gear tends not make the cut here. Not everything can make the list!
The volume of available information means that the descriptions here have to be very (and sometimes overly) brief, resulting in a lot of detail being left out skewing balance. However, the A‑Z may provide an interesting launching pad for further exploration and/or investigation should you so desire. Hey, I’m not going to do everything for you!
One thing I discovered (or rather became increasingly aware of, having understood it intuitively beforehand) during the research for this article is that the global music industry has been markedly incestuous and inbred over the last 150 years or so. The industry’s relationship status could probably best be described as, ‘it’s complicated’. There has been a great deal of to‑ing and fro‑ing, buyouts, mergers, sell‑offs, liquidations, shake outs, bankruptcies, relaunches, revivals and complex interdependencies between the various players. Trying to make sense of the numerous combinations and permutations in a consistent and coherent way made my head hurt. A lot.
Due to the nature of the subject matter and the work involved, there aren’t any words‑of‑wisdom quotes/idioms or many illustrative images this month. Horses for courses and all that. I apologise that this isn’t a very ‘pretty’ blog article.
Wherever possible, I have relied on my own resources built up over many years. While I have not plagiarised content from online sources, I have relied on generalised sources such as Wikipedia, specific sources such as company/brand web sites, as well as details from various books and other publications to inform the A‑Z. I would not have been able to achieve the significant amount of information herein without seeking corroborative cross‑references as part of the research. My thanks go out to those sources, which have been of significant assistance. It probably goes without saying that there is no end of ‘information’ on all of this should you wish to delve into the endless rabbit warren that is the hinternet thingummyjig.
There was, however, a great deal of unreliable, conflicting and/or inaccurate information making collation challenging. There is, therefore, despite best endeavours, a risk that the lack of definitive facts, especially relating to dates and individuals, may have made its way into the narrative. If that is the case, I apologise pre‑emptively. For that reason alone, I do not recommend using this as a source of irrefutable factual information. It is, as always, only for entertainment and broad information. The following is pretty heavy going and may stray into nerdy nirvana. Are you sitting comfortably?
Without further ado, it’s time to get analytically and amazingly alphabetic. Following convention, we start with…
A – A Stands for…
AER
AER (Audio Electric Research) was founded in 1992 by Udo Rösner, Michael Eisenmann and Susanne Janz in the the Ruhr area of Germany. As a relative newcomer, AER has specialised in developing and manufacturing amplifiers for acoustic instruments, an under‑represented field at the time. Their slogan is, ‘the acoustic people’.
Airline
Airline Guitars was a brand used by American mail order company Montgomery Ward on a range of electric and acoustic guitars between 1958 and 1968. Like their competitor, Sears, Montgomery Ward sourced instruments from the likes of Valco, Kay and Harmony. The Airline name was also used on a range of amplifiers manufactured by Valco and Danelectro during the same period. Eastwood Guitars purchased rights to the Airline brand in the early 2000s and is still used for retro designed guitars as of 2025.
Akai
Akai Electric Company Ltd. was founded by Masukichi and Saburo Akai in Tokyo in 1946. Akai was a Japanese electronics manufacturer for many years. In the 1980s, Akai Professional focused on studio production and recording equipment and stage audio gear. The original Akai business ceased production in 2000, although Akai Professional continued manufacturing a wide range of equipment, including synthesisers.
Alembic
Alembic was founded in 1969 by Owsley Stanley (1935‑2011) in Novato, California. Alembic was, and still is, an American manufacturer of high‑end basses and guitars, Alembic was an innovator in premium bass instruments including 5‑string and graphite necks. Alembic basses have been favoured by artists such as Jack Casady, Stanley Clarke and Mark King.
Alvarez
The American Alvarez guitar brand was created in 1965 by retailer Gene Kornblum and luthier Kazuo Yairi, based in St. Louis, Missouri. The firm focused on steel‑string acoustic guitars manufactured in Japan and imported into the US. Alvarez is a private company under the ownership of St. Louis Music as of 2025.
Ampeg
The American company that became Ampeg was founded in 1946 by Everett Hull and Stanley Michaels in Linden, New Jersey. Ampeg is an abbreviation of ‘AMlified PEG’, a transducer pickup for upright acoustic basses. Ampeg’s main focus over decades has been to specialise in bass amplifiers, although it has diversified into guitar amps as well. Like many other American manufacturers, it was sold in the mid‑1960s in order to survive. Ampeg is now a brand owned by Japanese giant, Yamaha.
Aria
Aria Guitars Co. was founded in 1956 by Shiro Arai (1930‑2019) in Nagoya, Japan. Initially, Aria was a musical instrument retailer. In 1964, Aria started manufacturing acoustic guitars and, from 1966, electric guitars and basses. Aria made its name during the 1970s and changed its name to Aria Pro II in 1975. Aria currently also owns Pignose amps (see below).
Audiovox
The original Audiovox Manufacturing Co. was founded by musician and inventor, Paul Tutmarc (1896‑1972). Tutmarc was famous for the introduction of the Audiovox Model 736 Bass Fiddle – the precursor to the fretted bass guitar – in 1936. Not to be confused with another consumer electronics company bearing the same name, founded in 1960, based in Orlando, Florida.
B – B Stands for…
B.C. Rich
B.C. Rich was founded by Bernardo Chavez Rico (1941‑1999) in 1974 in LA, California. The American company is famous for manufacturing acoustic and electric guitars, and basses. B.C. Rich guitars became known for radical guitar designs that became popular with heavy metal bands, particularly during the 1980s. Budget B.C. Rich guitars are made in Asia, while high‑end boutique instruments are made in small numbers in the US. After the founder’s death in 1999, the brand changed ownership several times before returning to private ownership in 2019.
Bigsby
Bigsby was the brainchild of innovator Paul Bigsby (1899‑1968) who started building bespoke guitars for professional artists like Merle Travis and Chet Atkins in Scottsdale, Arizona from 1946. Bigsby is best known for its worldwide industry standard vibrato tailpieces used by many other brands often under licensing agreements. Bigsby sold the company to Gibson president, Ted McCarty in 1966 and it was sold again to Fender in 2019.
Binson
The Binson Amplifier HiFi Company was founded by engineer, Bonfiglio Bini in Milan in the mid‑1940s. The company is best known for its legendary portable echo and reverberation effect, the Binson Echorec introduced in 1953/1954. Uniquely, the Echorec used a magnetic disc, rather than tape loop, to record and replay the original signal. The company ceased production in 1986. The Binson Echorec name has since been revived by guitar effect company T‑Rex.
Bogner
Bogner Amplification was founded in 1989 by Reinhold Bogner in LA, California. Bogner is an American manufacturer of guitar amps, speaker cabinets and effect pedals. The company started out making boutique amps based on modified Fender and Marshall amps before moving into mainstream production with three discrete amp lines.
BOSS
BOSS is a division of the Roland Corporation that was formed in 1972 in Osaka, Japan. BOSS focuses mainly on the manufacture of compact guitar and bass effect pedals, as well as modern multi‑effect units and amplifiers. The company started making its familiar compact BOSS effect pedals in 1977, first in Japan until c.1990 and then in Taiwan and latterly Malaysia. BOSS has become one of the biggest names in guitar and bass effects.
Burns
Burns Guitars London is a manufacturer of electric guitars and basses, founded in 1959 by Alice Farrell and Jim Burns (1925‑1998) in London, England. After a period of success during the 1960s, the Baldwin Piano Company acquired the business and the original Burns guitar line ceased production in 1970, although Jim Burns continued to make guitars independently. A range of Burns‑branded guitars re‑appeared in 1992 with guitars made in the Far East.
Buzz Feiten
Howard ‘Buzz’ Feiten II (1948‑) is a musician and luthier notable for patenting a unique tuning system for guitars in 1992. The Buzz Feiten Tuning System (BFTS) for fretted instruments is intended to correct inherent intonation issues by replacing a guitar’s standard fingerboard nut with a specialised compensated version. In 2012, Buzz Feiten Guitars was formed, renamed Buzz Feiten Guitar Research in 2018.
C – C Stands for…
Carlsboro
Carlsbro is a guitar amplifier company, founded in 1959 by Stuart and Sheila Mercer in Nottingham, England. It is one of the oldest British guitar amp makers. In 2002, production was shifted overseas and in 2010 the company was acquired by the Chinese Soundking Group.
Carvin (Kiesel)
The American Carvin Corporation was founded in 1946 by Lowell Kiesel (1915‑2009) based in San Diego, California. Carvin guitars and basses were popular with rock and metal guitarists during the 1970s and 1980s. After Kiesel’s death, the company was split into Kiesel Guitars and Carvin Corporation, the latter mainly covering audio equipment.
Charvel
Charvel is an American guitar company founded in 1974 by Wayne Charvel in Azusa, California. Charvel sold the company to Grover Jackson (of Jackson Guitars) in 1978. Charvel guitars were popular with rock and metal guitarists during the 1980s. After several changes, both Charvel and Jackson brands were acquired by Fender in 2002.
Collings
The American Collings Guitars company was founded in 1973 by Bill Collings (1948‑2017) in Austin, Texas. Collings manufacture a wide range of high quality acoustic, arch top and electric guitars, as well as other fretted instruments including production of quality mandolins and ukuleles.
Colorsound
Guitar effect brand Colorsound was formed in 1967 by brothers Larry and Joe Macari in London, England. Colorsound pedals were manufactured by another Macari‑owned company, Sola Sound. Colorsound is probably best known for the iconic Tone Bender fuzz pedal, made famous by rock guitarists in the 1960s and 1970s.
Columbus
Columbus was a brand name used by the American importer Elger Guitars on entry level copies of Gibson, Fender and Rickenbacker guitars. The flagrant copies were made in the Far East by the Japanese manufacturer, Hoshino Gakki Gen. Elger used the Ibanez name in the US and Columbus in the UK.
Coral
In 1967, the giant MCA company acquired guitar manufacturer Danelectro (see below) and introduced the short‑lived Coral brand with instruments produced in Danelectro’s Neptune City, New Jersey facility between 1967 and 1969. The brand is best remembered for its distinctive instruments like the Coral Bellzouki and the Coral Sitar.
CSL
The CSL brand name was used by Charles Summerfield Limited, based in Gateshead, England. During the 1970s, CSL distributed guitars in the UK that were manufactured by FujiGen Gakki in Matsumoto, Japan. At the time, FujiGen was known for supplying guitars for other brands including Ibanez, Fender, Yamaha and Greco. CSL guitars were mainly blatant ‘lawsuit era’ copies of Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker models. CSL ceased trading in 1993.
D – D Stands for…
D’Angelico
D’Angelico was founded by master luthier John D’Angelico (1905‑1964) in 1932, in Manhattan, New York. D’Angelico built a strong reputation for hand built archtop guitars created in small numbers during the 1930s. Original instruments are now highly sought after. After D’Angelico’s death, the business (but not the name) was bought by former apprentice Jimmy D’Aquisto (see below). The D’Angelico brand was re‑launched in 1999 and continues as of 2025 with a range of American and Far Eastern models.
D’Aquisto
James L. D’Aquisto (1935‑1995) was an American luthier who served as an apprentice to John D’Angelico from 1952 until the latter’s death in 1964. D’Aquisto concentrated on building and repairing archtop guitars under his own name. As he predicted, he died at the same age as his mentor (59). Fender currently manufactures a range of guitars using the D’Aquisto name.
Dallas Arbiter
John E. Dallas & Sons was formed in 1875 in London, England making and selling musical instruments. Dallas imported musical instruments from Europe and the USA, including brands such as Kay, Harmony and Vega. Separately, Sound City was formed in London by Ivor Arbiter, another industry bigwig, which specialised in guitars and amplifiers. Around 1965, Dallas Music acquired the Arbiter‑Western company thereby creating Dallas Arbiter, which produced drums, guitars and basses under the Hayman brand. Dallas Arbiter is, though, best known for the iconic Fuzz Face effect pedal, manufactured from c.1966 to 1975 (and which has been reissued many times since). Dallas Arbiter went out of business in 1975.
Dan Armstrong
Dan Kent Armstrong (1934‑2004) was an American guitarist and luthier born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After opening his own business in 1965, Armstrong designed an innovative range of guitars for Ampeg in 1968 using bodies made from clear Plexiglas (a.k.a. Lucite), a synthetic polymer. The instruments also used interchangeable pickups designed by colleague Bill Lawrence. In the 1970s, Armstrong moved to England and designed a new range of traditional guitars, basses, effects and amps. In 1998, a Plexiglas Dan Armstrong guitar was reissued, made in Japan.
Danelectro
American company Danelectro was founded in 1947 by Nathan Daniel (1912‑1994) in Neptune City, New Jersey. ‘Dano’ made distinctive semi‑hollow guitar and bass bodies made from poplar or plywood frames faced with Masonite front and back and with vinyl tape binding. The instruments also used characteristic ‘lipstick’ single coil pickups and ‘coke bottle’ headstocks. MCA bought Danelectro in 1966 and ceased guitar production in 1969. The brand was revived in the 1990s focusing intermittently on guitars/basses, effect pedals and amps. Danelectro is currently owned by Evets Corporation.
DeArmond
Harold DeArmond (1906‑1999) was an American electrical designer who founded DeArmond Research in Toledo, Ohio to develop a magnetic guitar pickup in 1935, working with Bud Rowe, owner of Fox Electrical and Manufacturing. The first acoustic guitar pickups were manufactured in 1939. In 1940, production was consolidated as Rowe Industries. Although best known for guitar pickups, Rowe introduced a tremolo effect pedal in 1941, the first of its kind. By the time Harry DeArmond retired in 1976, his company had made over 170 different types of pickup, as well as many amplifiers and effect pedals. In c.1998, Fender acquired the rights to use the DeArmond name.
Dean
Dean Guitars was founded in 1976 by Dean Zelinsky in Chicago, Illinois. Dean originally made a variety of guitars for many famous artists. Zelinsky sold Dean in 1986, which continued in business but with little connection to the original company. Professional musician Elliott Rubinson of Armadillo Enterprises bought the business in 1997 and successfully rejuvenated the Dean Guitars brand with a range of products from Far Eastern budget models to US‑built custom shop instruments. The late guitarist Dimebag Darrell was a key endorsee.
DiMarzio
Larry DiMarzio started making guitar pickups in Staten Island, New York in the 1960s. DiMarzio became famous for manufacturing after‑market guitar pickups and stock pickups for a number of brands. DiMarzio also produces a range of accessories and merchandise. DiMarzio Inc. continues to make a wide range of products including around 200 types of guitar and bass pickups.
Dobro
Dobro Manufacturing Company was originally founded in 1928 by four Dopyera Brothers (Dobro is a conflation of DOpyera and BROthers). Dobro produced single cone acoustic resonator guitars to compete with National’s tricone resonator guitars. In 1932 Dobro merged with National to form the National‑Dobro Company. In the 1940s the business was sold to Valco (see below). In 1964, the Dopyera Brothers re‑introduced the Dobro name, which was eventually acquired by Gibson 1993 with guitars manufactured by Gibson subsidiary, Epiphone from 2012.
DOD (DigiTech)
DOD Electronics, deriving from the initials of founder David Oreste DiFrancesco, was formed in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1973. DOD, and its brand DigiTech, manufactures a wide range of popular guitar effect pedals. DOD/DigiTech was sold to Harman International around 1991 and then sold again to South Korean giant Cortek (owner of Cort Guitars) in 2018.
Dumble
Dumble Amplifiers was a one‑man‑band enterprise founded by reclusive Alexander Dumble (1944‑2022) to build no‑compromise hand‑made guitar amplifiers in very small numbers, often for wealthy celebrity artists. Dumble amplifiers have acquired legendary status amongst guitarists, particularly for his Dumble Overdrive Special. Commercially, the brand died along with its founder in 2022.
Dunlop
Dunlop Manufacturing was founded in 1965 by Scottish immigrant to the USA, entrepreneur Jim Dunlop (1936‑2019) in Benicia, California. Dunlop built the business from a humble start in his living room and garage to become one of the largest manufacturers of musical accessories and guitar effect pedals. Dunlop remains a private company as of 2025.
E – E Stands for…
EBow
The EBow is an innovative guitar accessory manufactured by Heet Sound Products in LA, California. The battery‑powered EBow (short for ‘electronic bow’) uses battery‑powered electromagnetism to vibrate a guitar string producing a sustained sound like a bowed violin or cello string. The sound contrasts with the rapid attack and decay of a plucked guitar string. Greg Heet invented the EBow in 1969, launched it commercially in 1976 and patented it in 1978. The EBow remains in production as of 2025.
Echoplex
Engineer Mike Battle designed the Echoplex tape delay effect unit in 1959, based on an earlier design by Ray Butts from the 1950s. The Echoplex was sold through Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) and then Maestro, a distributor owned by Norlin (which also owned Gibson). The effect rapidly became an industry standard. In 1970, a solid‑state Echoplex superseded the valve‑driven unit, developed by Maestro. The Echoplex brand was purchased by Gibson in the 1990s and the Echoplex name was used on a line of digital looping delays. In 2019, Echoplex became a trademark of Dunlop Manufacturing.
EKO
EKO Guitars was founded in 1959 by Oliviero Pigini in Recanati, Italy. EKO manufactures classical guitars, 12‑string guitars, archtop guitars, electric guitars and acoustic bass guitars. During the 1960s, EKO became the largest guitar exporter in Europe and made guitars and effect pedals for other brands such as VOX. EKO remains a private company that continues to manufacture guitars as of 2025.
Electro-Harmonix
Electro-Harmonix (a.k.a. EHX) was founded in 1968 by musician Mike Matthews in New York City. EHX makes effect pedals and sells rebranded amplifier valves. During the 1970s, EHX manufactured a wide range of innovative affordable state-of-the art guitar effect pedals for guitarists and bass players. In the 1980s EHX stopped making effect pedals and focused on valves in the 1990s. At that time, EHX started producing a few effect pedals in Russia before returning to its roots from 2002 and continues to excel in the manufacture of guitar effect pedals.
Epiphone
What would become Epiphone in 1928 was founded by the family of Greek/Turkish immigrant luthier Anastasios Stathopoulo (1863‑1915) in 1873 in the Ottoman Empire. Initially a fiddle and lute maker, Epiphone became a major competitor to Gibson during the 1930s, especially in the manufacture of high quality archtop guitars. A struggling Epiphone was finally acquired by Gibson in 1957. Epiphone is best known for the Casino hollow body electric guitar because of an association with The Beatles. From the 1970s, Epiphone became a low cost offshore manufacturer of Epiphone‑branded copies of Gibson models.
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball Inc. was founded in 1962 by American musician and entrepreneur Roland Sherwood Ball (1930‑2004) in San Luis Obispo, California. Ernie Ball is an instrument and accessory company, particularly known for its guitar strings. In 1972, Ernie Ball also started producing guitars. Guitars and basses are also manufactured by Music Man, which Ernie Ball bought in 1984 and now called Ernie Ball Music Man (EBMM). Ernie Ball’s son, Sterling Ball (1955‑) is the current CEO of the company, keeping it a private family business.
ESP/LTD
ESP Company Ltd was founded in 1975 by Hisatake Shibuya (1937‑2024) in Tokyo, Japan. ESP’s main business is manufacturing electric guitars and basses, as well as an OEM supplier of parts for other companies. ESP is also parent to subsidiary brand LTD amongst others. ESP and LTD guitars have been favoured by heavy metal guitarists in particular. ESP also has had an American headquarters based in LA, California since 1993. ESP’s primary competitor is rival Japanese brand, Ibanez.
Eventide
The American Eventide Inc. was founded in 1971 by recording engineer Stephen Katz, inventor Richard Factor, and businessman Orville Greene in New York City. Eventide is best known for its extensive range of premium quality studio and guitar effect pedals using digital effect processors and Digital Signal Processor (DSP) software. Eventide is now based in Little Ferry, New Jersey.
F – F Stands for…
Fender
Fender, one of the world’s most famous and important names in guitars, basses and amplifiers was founded in 1946 by Clarence Leonidas ‘Leo’ Fender (1909‑1991) in Fullerton, California. Leo Fender sold his business to CBS in 1965. Following a management buyout in 1985, Fender Musical Instrument Company (FMIC) once again became a private company. Fender is home to iconic instruments like the Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision, Jazz Bass, Jaguar, Jazzmaster and amplifiers like the Twin, Deluxe, Bassman and Princeton. Fender also produces accessories and merchandise.
Fernandes
Fernandes Guitars was formed in 1972 from its predecessor, Saito Musical Instruments, founded in 1969 in Niizo, Japan. Fernandes is a Japanese company that produces electric and bass guitars, amplifiers and accessories. Fernandes has become one of the biggest guitar producers in Japan. Fernandes, though, is possibly best known for its Sustainer pickups that use electromagnetism to vibrate the guitar’s strings in a similar way to the eBow (see above). Fernandes also owns the Burny brand, known for making copies of Gibson guitars.
Floyd Rose
The Floyd Rose locking vibrato system (erroneously called a tremolo) was designed by Floyd D. Rose in 1976 and patented in 1979. The vibrato was intended to return the strings to accurate tuning despite extreme ‘dive bombing’ of a guitar bridge to change the pitch of strings. The system relies on firmly clamping the strings at both the nut and bridge. Floyd Rose vibratos became phenomenally popular, particularly with rock and heavy metal guitarists and the approach has been widely imitated and officially licensed.
Framus
Framus was founded in 1946 by Fred Wilfer in Luby, Czechoslovakia to make stringed instruments and to resettle German Bohemians expelled from Bohemia after WWII. Framus is a conflation of FRAnconian MUSical instruments. Framus became the largest guitar producer in Europe during the 1950s. Despite success, Framus went bankrupt in 1975. The brand was re‑introduced in 1995 by founder Fred Wilfer’s son as part of the German bass guitar manufacturer Warwick (see below).
G – G Stands for…
G&L
G&L Musical Instruments was founded in 1980 by George Fullerton (1923‑2009)(G), Leo Fender (L) and Dale Hyatt in Fullerton, California. G&L was the venture Leo Fender pursued after he left Music Man in 1979 and before Music Man was sold to Ernie Ball in 1984. G&L focused on continuing to innovate and evolve Leo Fender’s guitar and bass designs in a way that Fender (the company) couldn’t. After Leo Fender died in 1991, BBE Sound, Inc. took over the business.
Gibson
Gibson, one of the oldest, most famous and most important names in guitars was founded in 1894 by Orville Gibson (1856‑1918), in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Orville started off making labour‑intensive carved top guitars and mandolins. Lloyd Loar (1886‑1943) designed key jazz archtops like the L5 for Gibson in the 1920s. The ES‑150 was the first production ‘electric’ guitar in 1936. Collaborating with professional musician Les Paul (1915‑2009), Gibson introduced the Les Paul Model guitar in 1952. Company president Ted McCarty (1909‑2001), followed the Les Paul with the Explorer, Flying V, ES‑335, SG and many others. Gibson was sold by parent company CMI to Norlin in 1974 and was subsequently subject to a management buy‑out in 1986. Despite financial difficulties, Gibson remains a private company as of 2025.
Godin
Godin Guitars was founded by Robert Godin in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1972. Godin currently manufactures electric and acoustic guitars and basses under its own name, built in Canada, as well as other subsidiary brands like Seagull. Godin is Canada’s largest guitar business.
Gordon Smith
Gordon Smith Guitars was founded in 1974, named after its founders, Gordon Whitham and John Smith in Greater Manchester, England. Gordon Smith is a manufacturer of hand‑crafted electric guitars. The company is also Britain’s longest‑running electric guitar manufacturer. In April 2015 Gordon Smith Guitars was acquired by British firm, Auden Guitars, based in Northamptonshire, England.
Goya
Goya guitars (named after the Spanish artist) were manufactured by Levin, a company founded in 1900 by Herman Carlson Levin in Gothenburg, Sweden. In 1952, Goya introduced nylon‑strung acoustic guitars followed by steel‑string acoustic guitars in the 1960s. In 1976, the Goya brand was sold to CF Martin (see below). Production of Goya guitars suffered and Martin stopped selling Goya‑branded guitars during the 1990s.
Greco
Greco is a brand name used by the wholesaler Kanda Shokai Corporation, formed in 1948 in Japan. The company started selling Greco guitars in the mid‑1960s. In the 1970s, although not specifically targeted by Gibson, Greco became embroiled in the ‘lawsuit-era’ copy scandal. In 1982, Kanda Shokai was part of a joint venture with Fender Japan, making acoustic and electric guitars for the Japanese market. Various guitar models have used the Greco name on and off since the 1990s.
Gretsch
Gretsch was originally founded by German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch (c.1856‑1895) in 1883, located in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Gretsch focused primarily on guitars as a core business in the 1930s and the company hit their peak era from the mid‑1950s to mid‑1960s during the rock & roll boom. Gretsch was sold to Baldwin Pianos in 1967 and the family business has worked in partnership with Fender since 2002. Gretsch is probably best known for the iconic 6120 Chet Atkins hollow body guitar.
Guild
The Guild Guitar Company was founded in 1952 by professional guitarist and music retailer Avram ‘Al’ Dronge (1911‑1972) in Manhattan, New York. Guild intended to compete primarily with rivals Epiphone and Gretsch. Following expansion, Guild was sold to the Avnet Corporation in 1966, which moved production to Westerly, Rhode Island. Guild was sold again to Fender Musical Instrument Corporation (FMIC) in 1995. In 2014, Guild was acquired by Cordoba Music Group and moved yet again to Oxnard, California.
Guyatone
Guyatone was founded in 1933 by Mitsuo Matsuki in Yamanashi, Japan. Matsuki Manufacturing produced guitars under the Guya brand until 1940. In 1951 the Guyatone name was established for electric guitars and, in 1955, the first Guyatone solid-body electric guitar was introduced. In Japan, Guyatone guitars were sold using the Ibanez name. In the UK, Matsuki used the Antoria name and in the US, they used the Kent name. The Guyatone name is now owned by DeMont Guitars LLC.
H – H Stands for…
Hagström
Hagström was founded in 1925 by Albin Hagström in Älvdalen, Dalecarlia, Sweden. Hagström’s main business was accordions before they started making electric guitars in 1958 and subsequently amps. Hagström pioneered with the innovative H8 8‑string bass and also began to experiment with guitar synths. Hagström ceased production in 1983 in the face of stiff competition. The brand was revived in 2004 and now produces guitars in both Europe and the Far East.
Hamer
Hamer Guitars was founded in 1973 by Paul Hamer and Jol Dantzig in Wilmette, Illinois. Hamer became well‑known for building guitars and basses based on Gibson’s designs. In 1988, Hamer was acquired by Kaman Music Corporation (KMC), which owned Ovation guitars. In 2008, Fender bought KMC including the Ovation and Hamer brands. Fender closed down Hamer production in 2012. In 2015, Fender sold KMC again. In 2017, KMC revived the Hamer name with products imported into the US.
Harmony
The Harmony Company was founded in 1892 by Wilhelm Schultz. Sears, Roebuck & Co. purchased Harmony in 1916 for the latter’s ukulele business. By the 1950s, Harmony produced a wide range of instruments, peaking in the mid‑1960s. In 1975, the production of Harmony guitars ceased and the brand name was sold. In 2018, BandLab Technologies of Singapore revived the Harmony brand, producing guitars and amps made by Heritage (see below).
Heritage
Heritage Guitar Inc. was founded in 1985 by three former Gibson employees in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Heritage set up business in the old Gibson factory after Gibson had moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1974. As of 2025, Heritage is a small‑scale manufacturer of guitars heavily based on Gibson’s traditional designs.
HH Electronics
HH Electronics was founded in 1968 by Mike Harrison, Malcolm Green and Graham Lowes in Harston near Cambridge, England. It was a manufacturer of distinctive solid state guitar, bass and PA amps, as well as speaker cabinets. In the 1990s, HH was acquired by Laney Amplification (see below).
Hiwatt
Hylight Electronics, better known as Hiwatt, was founded in 1966 by Dave Reeves in Surrey, England. Hiwatt are best known for their guitar and bass amps. As part of the 1960s and 1970s boom in high powered amps, Hiwatt (including Sound City, see below) along with its main competitors Marshall, Orange and VOX helped to cement the ‘British sound’ of rock music, contrasting with the ‘American sound’ of Fender (and its derivatives) amps.
Höfner
Karl Höfner GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1887 by German luthier Karl Höfner (1864‑1955) in Schönbach, Austria-Hungary (now Luby in the Czech Republic). One part of the company manufactured classical string instruments while another produced guitars and basses. After WWII, Höfner moved to West Germany, where the company thrived. Höfner became closely associated with The Beatles who were seen to use Höfner guitars and basses. In 1994, Höfner was sold to British music publisher, Boosey & Hawkes. After financial difficulties, the Höfner brand was sold to a former Höfner employee in 2004.
Hohner
Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1857 by clock maker Matthias Hohner (1833‑1902) in Trossingen, Baden‑Württemberg, Germany. While Hohner is best known for its harmonicas, the company manufactured a wide range of musical instruments, including guitars from the 1950s until c.2015. Hohner has since returned to its roots and currently produces harmonicas, melodicas, accordions and recorder flutes.
Hondo
The Hondo guitar company was founded in 1969 by Jerry Freed and Tommy Moore. Hondo was a joint venture with the Samick Company of South Korea to manufacture entry‑level acoustic and electric guitars and basses, importing them into the USA using the Hondo name. Many of Hondo’s guitars were based on, or copies of, classic American guitar designs. The Hondo name had largely disappeared by 1989 but was revived by what is now Musicorp in 1995.
Hughes & Kettner
Hughes & Kettner was founded in 1984 by brothers Hans and Lothar Stamer in in Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany. The company focuses on manufacturing premium level amps and innovative effect pedals. H&K as built a strong reputation with a particular focus on high‑gain amplifier technology for heavy metal and hard rock.
I – I Stands for…
Ibanez
Ibanez is a guitar brand created in 1957 in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. Ibanez is owned by Hoshino Gakki a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1908. Ibanez began production of guitars in 1957 and were known for copies of American guitars during the 1960s. Ibanez in particular was the target for litigation by Gibson because of trademark infringements during the 1970s. Ibanez (and other) brand guitars of the period became known as ‘lawsuit‑era’ instruments. Also in the 1970s, Hoshino Gakki licensed Maxon effect pedals for sale under the Ibanez brand.
J – J Stands for…
Jackson
Jackson Guitars was founded in 1980 by American luthier Grover Jackson in Glendora, California to manufacture electric guitars and basses. Grover Jackson had worked closely with Wayne Charvel until the latter sold the Charvel name to Jackson in 1978. During the 1980s, Jackson manufactured high-quality, US‑made, custom instruments, primarily for heavy metal guitarists including Randy Rhoads. Fender acquired both Jackson Guitars and Charvel in 2002. Low budget Jackson guitars are manufactured in the Far East. Grover Jackson is now co‑owner of independent GJ2 Guitars, based in Orange County, California.
Jen
JEN Elettronica was founded in c.1969 in Pescara, Italy. Jen’s focus was to become Europe’s biggest music OEM manufacturer including guitar effect pedals. Jen was notable for manufacturing products for VOX and Gretsch among others, as well as a line of guitar effect pedals under the JEN name. Jen is best known for making the iconic wah‑wah pedal, the ‘Cry Baby’ in the 1960s. Jen failed to trademark the Cry Baby name, so any manufacturer could use it at the time.
John Hornby Skewes (JHS)
John Hornby Skewes (JHS for short) was founded in 1965 by John & Madge Hornby Skewes in Garforth near Leeds, England. Over the years, JHS has become an international company offering thousands of products including a number of JHS proprietary brands including Fret‑King, Vintage, Encore and JHS‑branded guitar effect pedals.
K – K Stands for…
Kahler
Kahler Systems International was formed in the late 1970s by Gary Kahler. The company started out making parts for other companies such as Fender and DiMarzio. The cam‑operated Kahler vibrato (not tremolo!) was introduced in 1981, just in time for the rock and metal boom of the 1980s with its associated ‘shredding’ and ‘dive‑bombing’ guitar playing styles. Kahler’s main competitor was Floyd Rose (see above). Like Floyd Rose, the focus was on maintaining tuning stability. Unusually, Kahler also produces a bass vibrato version. When demand for vibrato systems declined in the 1990s, Kahler switched to making golf clubs but returned to manufacturing guitar hardware including the classic Kahler vibrato in 2005.
Kalamazoo
Gibson was based in Kalamazoo, Michigan until 1974. Kalamazoo was also a brand name used by Gibson for archtop and flattop acoustic guitars, lap steels, banjos, and mandolins. Kalamazoo was a low cost option that many musicians needed during the Great Depression (1929‑1939). The original short‑lived Kalamazoo brand was used between 1933 and 1942. During the 1960s, Gibson temporarily resurrected the Kalamazoo name for low-cost, beginner guitars until Gibson positioned Epiphone into that market to compete with Far Eastern competition.
Kawai
Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co Ltd was founded in 1927 by Koichi Kawai (1886‑1955) in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. The company is best known for its pianos, electronic keyboards and synthesisers. Kawai worked for Nippon Gakki (Yamaha) before setting up his own business. Koichi’s son, Shigeru took over control of Kawai until his death in 2006. Shigeru’s son, Hirotaka Kawai now runs the family business. Kawaii also bought the Teisco brand, which manufactured a range of distinctive guitars and basses.
Kay
Kay Musical Instrument Company was founded in 1931 by Henry ‘Kay’ Kuhrmeyer in Chicago, Illinois, although previous incarnations date back to 1890. Kay produced budget and pro‑level guitars, mandolins, banjos and ukuleles from 1936. Kay migrated to electric guitars and basses from c.1955. Kay was sold in 1965 and again in 1967, this time to Valco (see below) who went bust in 1968, and then sold again in 1969. The Kay name has been used intermittently over the years, often attached to instruments imported from China.
Korg
Korg Inc. (previously Keio Electronic Laboratories) was founded in 1962 by Tsutomu Kato (1926‑2011) and Tadashi Osanai in Tokyo, Japan. Korg was and is best known for their keyboards and synthesisers from the late 1960s to the 1980s. In 1987, Yamaha took temporary control of Korg until 1992. In 1992, Korg acquired British amp maker VOX (see below).
Kramer
Kramer Guitars was founded in 1976 by Gary Kramer in Neptune, New Jersey. Gary Kramer and Travis Bean had formed the Travis Bean guitar company in 1974 shortly before Kramer formed his own company. Initially, Kramer continued to use aluminium necks on guitars and basses, improving on Travis Bean’s designs. Kramer reverted to traditional wood necks from 1981. Kramer guitars and basses became associated with the rock and metal boom of the 1980s. Kramer filed for bankruptcy in 1989. Eventually, Gibson acquired the rights to Kramer in 1997 and guitars are now manufactured by Epiphone using the Kramer name. In 2005, Gary Kramer founded the independent Gary Kramer Guitars (GKG).
Kustom
Kustom Amplification was founded in 1964 by Charles ‘Bud’ Ross in Chanute, Kansas. Kustom is a manufacturer of guitar and bass amplifiers, PA systems and accessories. Uniquely, speaker cabinets were wrapped in a sparkling car upholstery material called Naugahyde, giving them a particularly standout image. Baldwin Pianos bought Kustom in 1972 and is now owned by Hanser Music Group who keep the style and spirit of the original Kustom designs going. Founder Charles Ross went on to form effect pedal company Ross Musical (see below) in c.1972.
L – L Stands for…
Laney
Laney Amplification was founded in 1967 by musician Lyndon Laney in Birmingham, England. The British Laney brand manufactured guitar and bass amplifiers, speaker cabinets and PA systems. Laney developed from its humble beginnings in Laney’s father’s garage into a major player in the global amp market. Laney remains in business as a private company, as of 2025.
Larrivée
Jean Larrivée Guitars Inc. was founded in 1967 by Jean Larrivée in Toronto, Canada. The company moved to Vancouver in 1982 then to California in 2001. Since 1977, Larrivée has manufactured a range of premium acoustic guitars, often featuring ornate inlays. Larrivée Guitars is still in production as a family business as of 2025.
Leslie
The Leslie speaker was the invention of electronic engineer Donald Leslie. Development began in the 1930s as a means for a Hammond organ to emulate the sound of a pipe organ. Production began in 1941. The speaker comprises a variable speed rotating baffle in front of the loudspeaker(s) which modulates the sound exploiting the Doppler Effect. Leslie speakers have been used by guitarists keen to obtain the signature Leslie sound. In contemporary times, many attempts have been made to imitate the sound effect, first through analogue circuits and then by Digital Signal Processing (DSP). In 1965, Leslie sold his business to CBS who, in turn sold it to Hammond in 1980. In 1992, the Japanese Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation bought both the Hammond and Leslie brands.
Lowden
George Lowden (1952‑) is an Irish luthier based in Bangor, County Down. He founded the eponymous company, George Lowden Guitars in 1974. Lowden’s main output comprises premium nylon and steel‑string acoustic guitars although he has also dabbled in making electric solid body guitars. In an unusual move, Lowden licenses other luthiers to build guitars using the Lowden name, especially in Japan. In 2002, Lowden introduced a more affordable range of guitars, called Avalon.
M – M Stands for…
Maccaferri
Henri Selmer Paris was a company founded in 1885 in Mantes‑la‑Ville near Paris. In 1932, Selmer worked with Italian luthier Mario Maccaferri (1900‑1995) to design what are known as ‘gypsy jazz’ acoustic guitars, famously used by virtuoso Belgian/French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Maccaferri guitars have a large body with thin ladder‑braced top and squared off bouts. Early sound holes were D‑shaped while later ones were oval, with a rounded cutaway on the upper treble bout. Selmer made less than 1,000 of these guitars until production ceased in 1952.
Maestro
Gibson’s parent company, Chicago Musical Exchange (CMI) had used the Maestro name on products like the legendary Echoplex tape loop echo effect (see above). From 1962, CMI was one of the first companies to move into effect pedals using the Maestro name. They launched a number of effect pedals starting with the FZ‑1 Fuzz Tone. In 1974, Norlin acquired Gibson from CMI and the company put synthesiser pioneer, Robert Moog in charge of Maestro effects. By 1979, Norlin was struggling and ceased production of all Maestro products. In 2022, Gibson revived the Maestro name and re‑launched a new range of effect pedals.
Magnatone
The origins of Magnatone date back to the late 1930s and a company called Dickerson Musical Instrument Company in California. The business was bought by Art Duhamell in c.1946, when the name was changed to Magna Electronics Company, using the brand name Magnatone. Magna manufactured a range of electric guitars and vibrato (actually tremolo!) amplifiers produced between 1937 and the mid‑1970s. In 2013, Ted Kornblum reintroduced the Magnatone brand on a range of reissued amps.
Marshall
Marshall Amplification was founded in 1962 by drummer and retailer Jim Marshall (1923‑2012) in London, England. The British company built its formidable reputation manufacturing Marshall guitar and bass amps, and speaker cabinets, starting with the classic JTM45 amp head in 1963. The Marhsall ‘stack’ became a familiar icon of rock music from the 1970s onward. Other guitarists preferred combo amps like the Bluesbreaker. In 1965, Marshall launched a sister brand, Park which made amps until 1982. Facing stiff competition from American companies like Mesa and Soldano, Marshall explored the use of solid state, rather than valve‑based amp circuits, including hybrid versions. In 2007, some former employees of Marshall left and founded Blackstar Amplification. In 2023, Marshall was sold to Swedish company Zound Industries, majority owned by the Chinese HongShan Capital Group. Marshall was nicknamed, ‘The Father of Loud’.
Martin
C.F. Martin & Company was founded in 1833 by German immigrant Christian Frederick Martin in New York City before relocating to Nazareth, Pennsylvania in 1838. C.F. Martin was an apprentice for Johann Georg Stauffer, a famous luthier from Vienna, Austria. Following consumer demand, Martin refocused its manufacturing toward steel‑strung acoustic guitars around 1921 using many key innovations to improve the company’s already strong reputation. In 1931, Martin launched its dreadnought acoustic guitar with X‑bracing, which became a best seller and industry standard, particularly the D‑18 and D‑28 models. Pre‑WWII Martin guitars are highly sought after today. Martin has also dipped its toes into solid body electric guitars and basses, as well as strings. Martin continued to innovate including the use of composite materials from the 1990s onward. The company has been family‑owned and run throughout its entire history with the great‑great‑great‑grandson of the founder, C.F. ‘Chris’ Martin IV as current president as of 2025.
Maxon
The Japanese company, Nisshin Onpa was formed in 1965 in Tokyo Japan. Maxon was a brand name used by the company for its range of guitar effect pedals from 1969. Maxon became an OEM provider for Ibanez, producing stomp boxes using the Ibanez name, including the iconic TS‑808 Tube Screamer Pro. Nisshin Onpa also marketed pedals under its own Maxon name. Maxon stopped working with Ibanez in 2002 and Maxon continues to manufacture and market its own effect pedals.
Mesa/Boogie
Mesa Engineering was founded in 1969 by Randall Smith (1946‑) in Petaluma, California. Randall started out by hot‑rodding Fender amps in his home workshop. The Mesa/Boogie nickname derived from a comment made by Carlos Santana when demoing a Mesa‑modified Fender Princeton. The Boogie amps went through a number of generations (Marks) and in the 1990s the Boogie was supplemented by high‑gain Rectifier models. Gibson acquired Mesa Engineering from Smith in 2021.
Morley
Morley Pedals was founded in 1969 by American brothers Raymond and Marvin Lubow in LA, California superseding their previous enterprise, Tel‑Ray Electronics. The distinctively rugged Morley guitar effect pedals, particularly their wah‑wah and volume pedals using electro-optical circuitry, grew in popularity during the 1970s. Chicago‑based firm, Sound Enhancements, Inc. acquired Morley in 1989.
Mosrite
Mosrite guitars was founded in 1956 as Mosrite of California by Semie and Andy Moseley in LA, California. Semie Moseley (1935‑1992) had been an apprentice at Rickenbacker and Bigsby where he learnt his craft. Mosrite guitars were known for their radical designs and innovative features, as well as the brand’s association with surf pop/rock band The Ventures. The original Mosrite company went bankrupt in 1968. Several attempts were made to resurrect the brand over intervening decades, although without much success. Semie’s daughter, Dana Moseley is keeping the name alive.
Mu‑Tron
Musitronics Corporation (a.k.a. Mu‑Tron) was founded in 1972 by former Guild employees, Mike Beigel and Aaron Newman in Rosemont, New Jersey. Musitronics was known for manufacturing a number of high-quality guitar effect pedals including their most famous effect unit, the Mu‑Tron III envelope filter in 1972, which produced an electronic wah‑wah type sound beloved by funk guitarists. Musitronics ran into financial trouble in the late 1970s and production wasn’t resumed until 2014 when Mike Beigel founded Mu‑FX.
MXR
MXR Innovations was founded in 1972 by Keith Barr and Terry Sherwood in Rochester, New York. MXR is famous for its range of guitar effect pedals, starting with the iconic Phase 90, followed by the Distortion +, Dyna Comp and Blue Box. MXR was acquired by Dunlop Manufacturing in 1987 and continues to manufacture effect pedals using the MXR name as of 2025.
Music Man
Music Man (a.k.a. MM) was the company formed in 1974 by Leo Fender and partners 10 years after Leo sold the firm that bore his name to CBS in 1965. MM made its name with the Stingray Bass introduced in 1976. Leo Fender left Music Man in 1979 and went on to found G&L in 1980 (see above). Music Man was sold to Ernie Ball Inc. in 1984.
N – N Stands for…
National
The National String Instrument Corporation was an American guitar company founded in 1927 by entertainer George Beauchamp and luthier John Dopyera in LA, California. The company started by manufacturing banjos and then acoustic resonator guitars, an innovative instrument intended to be loud enough to be heard in a big band environment. In 1932, National merged with Dobro (see above) to form the National Dobro Company. It later came under the control of Valco (see below) until the latter went bankrupt in 1968. The spirit of National resonator guitars was rejuvenated by independent company, National Reso‑Phonic Guitars founded in 1989 in San Luis Obispo, California.
O – O Stands for…
Orange
Orange Amps was founded in 1968 by musician, electronics designer and retailer Clifford Cooper in London, England. The bright orange covering on their amp heads and speaker cabinets was a distinctive aesthetic, making them instantly recognisable. It helped that the sounds were also what many guitarists and bass players were listening out for at the time. Orange partnered with Radiocraft owned by Mat Mathias, which led to the Orange Matamp amps. After a 4‑year period in which Gibson reissued amps using the Orange name, Cooper regained the brand in 1997 and production was resumed in 1998. Orange is still flourishing as of 2025.
Orville
Orville by Gibson guitars and basses were part of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, destined for the Japanese market from 1988. Japanese distributor Yamano Gakki and Gibson decided not to use the Epiphone brand name and chose Orville – after Gibson founder Orville Gibson – despite the fact that Gibson was selling both Gibson and Epiphone in Japan. Production of Orville by Gibson guitars ceased in 1998 with Gibson’s focus on promoting Epiphone Japan models.
Ovation
Ovation was founded in 1965 by aeronautical engineer Charles Kaman (1919‑2011), in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Kaman Music Corporation (KMC) used the founder’s technical background to manufacture guitars employing composite materials, predominantly bowl‑back acoustic guitars using a synthetic material called Lyracord. Fender briefly owned Ovation from 2008 to 2014 and the business is now owned by German company GEWA Music as of 2025.
P – P Stands for…
Parker
Parker Guitars was founded in 1993 by American luthier Ken Parker with input from pickup pioneer Larry Fishman in Chicago, Illinois. Parker guitars, particularly the Fly model, used innovative composite construction including a wood core covered with a carbon fibre/resin exoskeleton to reduce weight and increase rigidity. Pickups were traditional magnetic coil split humbuckers supplemented by piezo pickups to provide acoustic‑like tones. Fingerboards comprised composite materials with stainless steel frets. The US Music Corporation acquired Parker in 2003, moving production overseas before selling the brand again to Jam Industries. Parker Guitars has been defunct since 2016, despite several efforts to revive the brand.
Patrick James Eggle
Patrick Eggle Guitars was founded in the 1990s by British luthier Patrick James Eggle in Coventry, England. He left his own company in 1994 and, after several side projects in the US and UK, he formed Patrick James Eggle Guitars producing high‑end acoustic guitars. Eggle also helped to design Faith Guitars. In 2016, Eggle switched production from acoustic to electric guitars and in 2017. Eggle has also designed guitars for the revived Shergold Guitars brand (see below).
Paul Reed Smith (PRS)
PRS, a relatively new kid on the block, was founded in 1985 by American luthier Paul Reed Smith (1956‑) in Annapolis, Maryland. PRS guitars were cleverly positioned strategically between Fender and Gibson often using flamboyant designs and highly figured tone woods, often selling for premium prices. In 2003, PRS created the highly successful SE (Student Edition) range manufactured in the Far East. PRS remains a private company as of 2025.
Peavey
American innovator, Hartley Peavey (1941‑) founded Peavey Electronics in 1965, based in Meridian, Mississippi. Peavey has grown to become one of the largest music audio equipment manufacturers in the world. Peavey is mainly known for its amps and speaker cabinets, Peavey has also manufactured acoustic and electric guitars as well as basses. As of 2025, Peavey remains a privately owned company.
Pignose
Pignose was founded in 1969 by Richard Edlund and Wayne Kimbell in Chicago, Illinois. The company focuses on the manufacture of battery‑powered guitar amps, mains‑powered practice amps and innovative travel guitars incorporating an integrated amp and speaker. The iconic Pignose 7‑100 was considered to be the first portable electric guitar amp. Since 2023, Pignose has been under the ownership of Japanese company Aria (see above).
Pro Co
Pro Co Sound is based in Kalamazoo, Michigan and is best known for a single product, the Pro Co Rat distortion effect pedal (and multiple variations thereof). The Rat – allegedly named after the rodent‑infested basement in which the pedal was designed – was the brainchild of Pro Co engineer Scott Burnham in 1974, entering full production in 1979. The Rat has become one of best‑selling distortion stomp boxes of all time.
Q – Q Stands for…
I got nothin’
R – R Stands for…
Ramírez
Ramírez Guitars was founded in 1882 by José Ramírez in Madrid, Spain. The company has been manufacturing hand‑built professional, concert‑grade classical and flamenco acoustic guitars. Ramírez has been in business for over 140 years and has remained a private family business for five generations (to‑date).
Randall
Randall Amplifier Company was founded in 1970 by Don Randall in Irvine, California. Before setting up his own business focusing on guitar amps, Randall was vice president and general manager of Fender and then the Fender Sales divisions of CBS. After Randall sold his business in 1987, it was acquired by US Music Corporation, a subsidiary of Canadian corporate group Exertis.
Regal
What would become the Regal Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company from 1901 was founded in 1896 by Emil Wulschner in Indianapolis, Indiana. Regal started out making ukuleles and tenor guitars. Regal later made resonator guitar components for National and Dobro as well as making instruments under their own brand. Regal ceased production of guitars in 1941 and closed business in 1954, Fender owned the brand for a while before it was sold again to Saga Musical Instruments in 1987, who reintroduced a range of resonator instruments using the Regal name.
Rickenbacker
Swiss immigrant Adolph Rickenbacher (1886‑1976) founded Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company in 1925 to make metal bodies for National Guitars before setting up the Ro‑Pat‑In Corporation in 1931 along with performer and inventor George Beauchamp in LA, California. In 1932, Rickenbacker became the first company to make a production solid bodied electric guitar and by 1934, the company was using the Rickenbacker name. Rickenbacker really hit its stride in the 1950s after Rickenbacker sold his company to businessman F.C. Hall. Rickenbacker International Corporation (RIC) is famous for its 300 series guitars and 4000 series basses. Rickenbacker remains a private company, with its headquarters in Santa Ana, California.
Roger Mayer
Electrical engineer Roger Mayer is a name closely associated with Jimi Hendrix among others in the 1960s. In particular, Mayer’s fame resulted from the Octavia guitar effect pedal that integrated an octave (up) generator with a fuzz distortion effect. The classic Octavia remains in production still using the Mayer name. Mayer was also involved with modifying Maestro Fuzz Tone pedals and influencing the Sola Sound/Coloursound Tone Bender fuzz pedals.
Roland
The Roland Corporation was founded in 1972 by Ikutaro Kakehashi (1930‑2017) in Osaka, Japan. Roland is a multinational company manufacturing electronic organs, synthesisers, drum machines, amps and effect pedals with many iconic models, too many to mention here. Roland was also a key player in the development, introduction and promotion of the MIDI communication protocol for electronic music equipment. Roland also owns famous subsidiaries, including BOSS, Drum Workshop, Edirol and Rhodes.
Ross
Kustom Amps was founded in 1964 by Charles ‘Bud’ Ross in Chanute Kansas. After Kustom achieved considerable success, Ross sold his company to Baldwin Pianos in 1972. At that point, Ross launched Ross Musical and released the first Ross guitar effect pedals in c.1974. While Ross manufactured a wide range of effects, three Ross pedals are noteworthy, the tan‑hued Distortion, the orange Phaser and the now legendary grey Compressor. Ross pedals were revived in c.2020 by JHS Pedals (see above under John Hornby Skewes) with reissues of the classic Ross stomp boxes from the 1970s.
S – S Stands for…
Sadowsky
Sadowsky Guitars Limited was founded in 1979 by American luthier Roger Sadowsky in Long Island, New York. Roger Sadowsky has a strong reputation for building high‑end boutique guitars and basses. From 2019, Sadowsky has remained a private company while instruments are produced by German bass manufacturer Warwick (see below).
Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz Guitar Company was founded in 1976 by American luthier Richard Hoover in Santa Cruz, California. Santa Cruz manufactures a limited number of high‑end steel‑string acoustic and acoustic bass guitars along with baritone guitars and ukuleles. Santa Cruz remains a private company as of 2025.
Schaller
Schaller GmBH was founded in in 1945 by Helmut Schaller (1923‑1999) near Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany. Schaller manufactures a wide range of guitar parts and accessories. Initially, Schaller focused on the development of amps and speakers before moving into manufacturing metal guitar aftermarket and OEM components used by a wide variety of companies. Schaller tuners and bridges have achieved recognition for build quality. After the deaths of founding family members by 2006, Schaller was restructured as a limited liability company (GmbH).
Schecter
Schecter Guitar Research was founded in 1976 by David Schecter in Van Nuys, California. Initially, Schecter manufactured a wide range of replacement guitar parts and accessories. In 1979, Schecter started producing its own custom made guitars based on Fender designs. By 1983, Schecter was bought out by investors and, after legal action from Fender, the company was bought again by Japanese businessman Shibuya Hisatake, owner of ESP Guitars (see above), to make high‑end custom guitars. In addition to American manufacturing, Schecter imported South Korean‑built guitars from the late 1990s. In 2012, Schecter resumed American custom shop production.
Selmer
Henri Selmer Paris was founded in 1885 by Henri Selmer in Mantes la Ville near Paris, France. Selmer started off by manufacturing professional woodwind and brass instruments. In 1928, a UK branch of Selmer was formed under the leadership of brothers, Ben and Lew Davis. In the 1930s, Selmer partnered with luthier Mario Maccaferri to produce gypsy jazz guitars (see above). They also moved into PA systems during the 1930s. In the 1950s, Selmer also went into manufacturing organs as well as importing guitars from Europe. Selmer began producing a range of guitar and bass amps prompted by the rise of rock & roll. In the 1970s, Gibson owner CMI acquired Selmer UK. From 1976, CMI’s successor Norlin started running down Selmer UK until it was shut down in the early 1980s. In 2018, the family‑owned Henri Selmer Paris was sold to European equity group, Argos Wityu.
Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan was founded in 1976 by Seymour Duncan (1951‑) and his wife Cathy Carter in Santa Barbara, California. Seymour Duncan is best known for manufacturing a wide range of aftermarket guitar and bass pickups, as well as effect pedals. Most pickups are American‑made although the low‑cost OEM ‘Duncan‑designed’ pickups are manufactured in South Korea. Seymour Duncan’s main competitor is DiMarzio (see above).
Shergold
Shergold Guitars was founded in 1967 by former Burns London employees Jack Golder and Norman Houlder in London, England. After producing products for other companies, Shergold started making and selling guitars under the Shergold name in 1975. Shergold ceased manufacturing guitars in 1982 and there were several subsequent failed attempts to revive the brand. Barnes & Mullins acquired Shergold in 2015 and, in 2016, British luthier Patrick James Eggle (see above) became a shareholder and helped to design a range of new Shergold models.
Shin-ei
Little known outside of Japan, Shin‑ei was a major manufacturer of guitar effect pedals from the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. In 1968, Shin‑ei created the legendary Uni‑Vibe modulation effect made famous by Jimi Hendrix. The Uni‑Vibe’s unique tones have been much imitated since. Shin‑ei manufactured products for different companies as well as under its own name. The rejuvenated company is Honey Shin-ei LLC, based in Austin, Texas.
Silvertone
Silvertone was a brand name used by the American Sears, Roebuck & Company mail order and department store for its line of consumer electronics and musical instruments from 1916. Silvertone instruments and amplifiers were manufactured by a wide variety of companies including Danelectro, Harmony, Kay, National, Supro, Teisco and Valco. Sears stopped using the Silvertone brand in 1972. In 2001, South Korean company, Samick Music acquired the rights to Silvertone and reissued a number of instruments under the revived Silvertone brand. Samick sold Silvertone to current owners, RBI Music in 2021.
Sola Sound
Sola Sound was a British guitar effect pedal brand best known for making the iconic Tone Bender fuzz pedals. The Tone Bender first appeared in 1965, designed and built in London by electronic technician Gary Hurst. The Tone Bender derived from Maestro’s Fuzz Tone and inspired Dallas Arbiter’s Fuzz face. From 1970, Sola Sound produced Colorsound‑branded pedals. Sola Sound also made pedals for other companies, such as VOX, Marshall, Carlsboro, Rotosound, CSL and many others. Both Sola Sound and Colorsound were owned by brothers Larry and Joe Macari of London, England, known for their eponymous London retail store.
Soldano
Soldano Custom Amplification was founded in 1986 by American Michael Soldano in LA, Calirfornia. Soldano designed and manufactured high‑gain guitar amps after modifying Fender and Mesa/Boogie amps. Michael Soldano, latterly based in Seattle, Washington, sold his company to Boutique Amps Distribution in 2019.
Sound City
British amp manufacturer Hiwatt (see above) was formed in 1966. Hiwatt’s founder Dave Reeves contacted Ivor Arbiter to produce guitar amplifiers re‑badged using Arbiter’s Sound City music store name. Sound City amps became associated particularly with The Who and Jimi Hendrix.
Steinberger
Steinberger was founded in 1979 by Ned Steinberger (1948‑) in Brooklyn, New York. The company manufactured a range of electric guitars and basses designed by the founder. Steinberger was eventually sold to Gibson in 1987, which stopped selling Steinberger guitars in the mid‑1990s. The most distinctive Steinberger instruments have downsized synthetic construction bodies and necks devoid of a traditional headstock, giving the instruments a minimalistic look. Steinberger (under Gibson) licensed the design to other companies including Hohner and Cort, accounting for new models.
Stick
Stick Enterprises is the company behind the innovative Chapman Stick, an unorthodox electric musical instrument devised by jazz musician Emmett Chapman (1936‑2021), which started production in 1974. The Chapman Stick commonly comprises 8, 10 or 12 strings on an enlarged fretboard and is usually played by a ‘two handed tapping’ technique, rather than by plucking the strings. While based on a guitar, it is classified as a composite chordophone.
Stromberg
Stromberg Guitars was founded in 1906 by Swedish immigrant Charles Stromberg in Boston, Massachusetts. Stromberg started out by making banjos and mandolins until 1927 when they produced their first archtop jazz guitar. Stromberg only made around 640 guitars during the big band era, during which their guitars’ large size gave them sufficient volume to compete with loud horn sections. Production stopped in in 1955 with the death of the founder.
Supro
Supro guitars date back to 1935, made as a low‑cost brand by the National Dobro Corporation (see above). From the 1950s, Supro produced electric guitars, basses, amps and effects. National Dobro was acquired by Valco, which went out of business in 1968, at which time the Supro name was discontinued. The Supro name was revived in 2013 making guitars, amps and effects. In 2020, Supro was bought by Bond Audio.
T – T Stands for…
Takamine
Takamine Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd. was founded in 1959 by Ozhone in Sakashita, Gifu, Japan. In 1962, the company was named after Mount Takamine in Japan. Takamine focuses on manufacturing steel‑string acoustic guitars and it has become one of the leading companies of its kind. In 1978, Takamine was one of the first firms to make acoustic/electric guitars using innovative transducers, particularly suited to live performance, as they reduced feedback. For a short period, Takamine also produced solid body electric guitars and basses. Takamine remains a private company as of 2025.
Taylor
Taylor Guitars was founded in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug in El Cajon, California. Taylor manufactures premium acoustic, classical and semi‑hollow electric guitars in the USA and Mexico. Taylor has become famous for its innovative manufacturing technologies, use of exotic tone woods and sustainable production processes. In 2021, Taylor Guitars became owned by its employees and in 2022, Luthier and guitarist Andy Powers became Taylor’s Chief Executive, President, and Chief Guitar Designer.
TC Electronic
TC Electronic was founded in 1976 by brothers Kim and John Rishøj in Denmark. The company specialises in a wide range of innovative music audio products and is most famous for its guitar effect products. TC Electronic is only one of several companies under the ownership of TC Group holding company. In 2015, TC Electronic was purchased by Music Group (now Music Tribe).
Teisco
Teisco was founded in 1946 by guitarist Atswo Kaneko and electrical engineer Doryo Matsuda in Tokyo, Japan. The company produced a range of esoterically designed guitars, basses and baritone guitars as well as other musical equipment including amps, synthesisers and drums. In the US, guitars were re‑badged Teisco Del Rey. In 1967, the Teisco name was acquired by Japanese company Kawai Gakki Seisakusho which ceased using the Teisco name outside Japan in 1969. In 2018, the Teisco name, along with Harmony Guitars (see above), was relaunched by BandLab Technologies of Singapore.
Thomas Organ
The Thomas Organ Company was founded in 1875 by Edward Thomas in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. The company’s early focus was on pipe and pump organs. In the 1950s, the company invented the Thomas electronic organ. Thomas became US importer of VOX products, exemplified by the Thomas Organ Cry Baby (the Cry Baby name wasn’t trademarked). Thomas also acquired rights to make Moog synthesisers. In 1979, Thomas Organ ceased business, although the name was revived 1996 to manufacture electronic organs once again.
Tobias
Tobias Bass Guitars was founded in 1977 by Michael Tobias in Orlando, Florida. The majority of Tobias basses were cost‑effective neck‑through models. Tobias was acquired by Gibson in 1990 and production was moved to Nashville, Tennessee. In 1992, Michael Tobias left Gibson to found Michael Tobias Design making boutique bass guitars. Tobias bass guitars are manufactured by Gibson’s Epiphone division and the brand has been rejuvenated in 2025.
Tokai
Tōkai Gakki was founded in 1947 by Tadayouki Adachi in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. Initially, Tokai focused on harmonicas and pianos as well as other instruments. In 1968, Tokai started manufacturing electric guitars alongside acoustics and, later, basses and amps. In 1972, Tokai worked with C.F. Martin to build Martin’s Sigma electric guitars. In the early 1980s, Tokai got caught up in the ‘lawsuit era’, a period during which American brands threatened Japanese businesses over design copyright infringements. Tokai was a family business until it was sold in 2021 to Grace Company Ltd.
Tom Anderson
Tom Anderson Guitarworks was founded in 1984 by American luthier Tom Anderson in Newbury Park, California. Anderson started out working for Schecter before branching out on his own making limited numbers of highly‑regarded premium boutique and custom guitars. By 1990, Anderson moved from manufacturing parts to building whole guitars. Tom Anderson remains in business as of 2025.
Trace Elliot
Trace Elliot was founded in 1979 by retailer Fred Friedlein in Romford, Essex, England. The company specialised in bass amps and speaker cabinets, and from 1989, acoustic guitar amps. In 1992, KMC (who owned Ovation) acquired Trace Elliott to focus on the US market. In 1998, the company was sold again to Gibson. Then, in 2005, Peavey acquired Trace Elliott.
Travis Bean
Travis Bean Guitars was founded in 1974 by American luthier Travis Bean (1947‑2011) and business partner Gary Kramer in California to manufacture high‑end guitars using necks made from machined aluminium. Kramer left the company in 1975 to found Kramer Guitars (see above). Bean once again toyed with guitar manufacture in the late 1990s but the potential from his innovative construction techniques was largely unrealised.
Traynor
Traynor Amplifiers was a brand founded in 1963 by electronics designer Peter Traynor in Toronto, Canada under parent company Yorkville Sound. Traynor focused on manufacturing bass and guitar amps. In 1976, Peter Traynor left due to poor health and the brand diminished over a period of years until it was revived by Yorkville in 2000, still manufacturing bass, guitar, acoustic and keyboard amps.
U – U Stands for…
Univox
Univox was a musical instrument brand founded in 1960 by Thomas Walter Jennings in Westbury New York. The company marketed Univox guitar amplifiers, guitars, keyboards and drum machines. Univox’s main claims to fame were the legendary Uni‑Vibe and Uni‑Fuzz pedals. They also distributed Matsumoku guitars, Shin‑Ei effect pedals and Korg synthesisers. In 1985, the parent company Unicord was sold to Japanese company Korg, after which the Univox brand was phased out.
V – V Stands for…
Valco
Valco was formed in 1940 by a stakeholder restructuring of the National Dobro Company. Valco manufactured a range of guitars, basses and amplifiers using a variety of brand names including National, Airline and Supro, as well as making guitars for other companies such as Sears and Montgomery Ward. However, they didn’t retail any products using the Valco name. Valco merged with Kay in 1967 before going bankrupt in 1968.
Vega
The American Vega Company was formed in 1881 by Julius and Carl Nelson in Boston, Massachusetts. At the start of the 20th Century, the firm concentrated on banjos, mandolins and brass instruments. Vega started building guitars in the 1930s and was later acquired by C.F. Martin in 1970, primarily for its banjo expertise. In 1989 the Vega name was sold to the Deering Banjo Company who continue to make banjos using the Vega brand.
Vigier
Vigier Guitars was founded in 1980 by luthier Patrice Vigier in Grigny, Essonne, France. Vigier manufactures premium grade electric guitars, basses and strings. Vigier guitars has introduced many innovations and became particularly noteworthy for its Surfreter fretless variation on the Excalibur 6‑string guitar model.
VOX
VOX was founded in 1957 by Thomas Walter Jennings in Dartford, Kent, England. The company is mostly associated with guitar amplifiers such as the iconic AC30. From 1962, VOX also manufactured a range of electric guitars and effect pedals, often using Italian production facilities. VOX was sold to Rose Morris in 1978 and then again to the giant Japanese corporation Korg in 1992. Korg still own the VOX name as of 2025.
W – W Stands for…
Wal
Wal is a British brand of bass guitars founded in 1974 by electronic innovator Ian Waller and luthier Pete Stevens in London, England. Starting out making custom‑made bass guitars for professional players, the first production Pro Series basses started appearing in 1978 and the Custom Series in 1983. After Ian Waller died in 1988, Pete Stevens kept the business going at a low level. The company was revived under the leadership of luthier and former Wal employee Paul Herman in 2008.
Wandre
Wandre Guitars was founded in c.1957 by Antonio Vandrè Pioli in in Cavriago, Italy. Wandre manufactured a very small number of electric guitars and basses using some esoteric radical design elements until production ceased in 1968. To‑date, the Wandre brand has not been revived. Examples of Wandre instruments are highly sought after on the vintage guitar market.
Warwick
Warwick was founded in 1982 by Hans‑Peter Wilfer in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany. Hans‑Peter was the son of Fred Wilfer, who had founded Framus (see above) back in 1946. Warwick is famous for manufacturing premium bass guitars, as well as more affordable bass models, amps and bass strings.
Washburn
Washburn Guitars was originally founded in 1883 by American businessman George W. Lyon and Patrick J. Healy in Chicago, Illinois. Washburn initially focused on guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles and zithers. Washburn’s early years were particularly volatile and hard to document accurately. After bankruptcy, Regal (see above) tried to rejuvenate the brand without success. After many further changes, Washburn International was formed in 1987. Washburn bought the US Music Corporation in 2002 and was then sold on to Jam Industries in 2009. Washburn‑branded instruments are currently sourced from Indonesia and China.
Watkins (WEM)
Watkins Electric Music (WEM) was founded in 1949 by Charlie and Reg Watkins in London, England. WEM was one of the first British makers of guitar and PA amplifiers from 1954. In 1958, WEM introduced one of the first portable tape loop echo effects, the iconic Copicat. WEM amps and speaker cabinets were adopted by a wide range of British rock bands in the 1960s and early 1970s. Watkins sill manufactures small numbers of Copicat tape echo units.
Westone
The official Westone brand was formed in 1975 when Japanese company Matsumoku purchased the rights to the Westone name. Westone began by producing affordable acoustic and electric guitars, and basses. St. Louis Music registered the Westone brand in the US to import Japanese Westone guitars. The Westone name was superseded by Alvarez (see above) in 1991. Since then, a number of firms have used (or tried to use) the Westone name.
X
I got nothin’
Y – Y Stands for…
Yamaha
The massive Japanese Yamaha Corporation is the world’s largest manufacturer of music and audio equipment. Yamaha was founded as the Nippon Gakki Co. in 1887 by Torakusu Yamaha (1851‑1916) in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. The company began as a reed organ manufacturer. In 1987, Nippon Gakki was renamed Yamaha Corporation in honour of its founder, still based in Hamamatsu. Yamaha also owns some other famous brands such as Ampeg and Line 6.
Z – Z Stands for…
Zemaitis
Zemaitis was founded in 1955 by luthier Tony Zemaitis (1935‑2002) in London, England. He hand built guitars, renowned for their engraved metal tops (created by Danny O’Brien) and later pearl inlaid tops. Zemaitis gained an enviable reputation among many famous artists. After his death, the tradition was continued by Zemaitis Guitars of Tokyo, Japan, led by the founder’s son, Tony Zemaitis Jr. and still using the metal engraving skills of O’Brien. Original Zemaitis guitars are now highly sought after.
Links to CRAVE Guitars’ Brand Features
The CRAVE Guitars’ web site currently has feature pages on 14 guitar brands. These provide a bit more detail than the above, should you wish to explore further (each link opens in a new browser tab):
Final Thoughts on ‘An Alternative A‑Z of Vintage Guitar Gear’
Well, that was a bit of a slog (at least for me). For once, there is not a great deal to add, so this will be very brief. That’s it. There you go. No point in wasting words on waffle. So, let’s move on with aplomb.
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album(s) of the Month’
It seems appropriate this month to applaud the accomplishments of not one but two bands and their classic studio albums, both with an alphabetic emphasis from A(BC) to Z(Z Top). See what I did there? These two albums should prove beyond doubt that there was some great music – and MTV‑friendly pop music videos to boot – to be had in the 1980s. Without further ado, let’s dig in for some upbeat joyful musical exuberance…
ABC – The Lexicon of Love (1982): ‘The Lexicon of Love’ was the chart‑topping debut studio album by English new wave/new romantic/pop band ABC. It was released in June 1982 on Neutron Records. The astounding popularity and commercial success of the album led it to be ranked as ‘one of the greatest albums of the 1980s’. It sounds both of its time and also timeless, if you get my drift. ABC were not able to capitalise on their success and the slick 10 tracks (38 minutes) of ‘The Lexicon of Love’ remains the pinnacle of their career (to‑date).
ZZ Top – Eliminator (1983): ‘Eliminator’ was the 8th studio album by American blues/rock band ZZ Top. It was released in March 1983 on Warner Brothers Records. Despite only reaching #3 in the UK album chart and #9 in the US Billboard 200, it proved phenomenally popular and commercially successful. Whether you remember the iconic pop music videos, the customised 1933 Ford Coupe hot rod or the spinning sheepskin‑covered guitars, the striking images and fresh sounds of the 11 tracks (45 mins) on ‘Eliminator’ couldn’t be ignored. It may not be their best but it is certainly their biggest. There is no doubt that ‘Eliminator’ launched the power trio into superstardom.
There you have it – from ABC-ZZ Top. Love or loathe these albums epitomising the excesses of the 1980s, they have both become landmarks in music history and represent the cultural zeitgeist at the time. Perhaps it is now time for a re‑appraisal of their merit within the broader historical context. Are they ‘essential listening’? I think so but, when it comes down to it, it’s up to everyone to make up their own minds. All I can do is put it out there for consideration.
BELIEVE IN MUSIC!
Tailpiece
Well, that was a lot, and I mean A LOT, of work and, for what I ask? Was it worth it? Well, for the author’s own sanity and personal development, yes. For everyone out there, that’s for you to judge. I hope it has been both informative and entertaining. Given the huge amount of work involved in compiling this A‑Z article, I intend to use a lot of it in modified form as a permanent part of the ‘Resources’ section of the CRAVE Guitars web site.
Next month, the author will face a conundrum, a dilemma, a challenge, a quandary, a predicament, a pickle and, most of all, an enigma, a paradox and a bit of a mystery (at least for now). Typically trailing trendy tantalising tantra. Intrigued? Be sure to check in, same time, same place, next month. Bye for now, y’all.
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “A picture can tell a thousand lies”
BIENVENUE, WILLKOMMEN, BIENVENIDO, Velkommen, yokoso, huānyíng, welcome and a warm summer howdy one and all, as long as you come in the spirit of truth, peace, love and music. With escalating military tensions, political turmoil, economic volatility and social unrest rampant pretty much everywhere you look, this is one safe place where you can come as a sanctuary from the world’s ills and an oasis of positive karma.
It’s been a while since CRAVE Guitars has delved deeply into a specific modern musical genre, so I thought I’d have another go at one that interests me. This time, the focus is on Heavy Metal, or just Metal, as it is now known to cover all its various facets. Love or loathe the deep dark dungeons and ominous oubliettes of moody Metal mania, you can’t ignore it or its massive global appeal.
“Still heavy man!” Yup. Who would have thought that a casual throwaway remark from the beatnik and hippie counter‑cultures of the 1950s and 1960s would end up defining something so powerfully aggressive in the 1970s, eh? Although it may not seem like it, Heavy Metal is still a relatively new genre with only 50 or so years of history. Compare that with Classical, Blues, Jazz or Country and Metal really does seem like a new kid on the block.
Metal has generated many convoluted factions and divisions of opinion over time, which leads to some fascinating dynamics in this fledgling genre. Metal has also faced its fair share of controversy, criticism, and censorship over the years and has survived all the turbulence. While most of us thankfully live in the ‘free world’, spare a thought for those less fortunate. Metal music is either illegal or driven underground by state oppression in several countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, North Korea and China. Probably not surprisingly, these countries tend to be autocracies that reject any sort of assumed deviant subversion. Metal is seen as sacrilegious blasphemy to conservative religions and as insurrectionary, seditious propaganda to paranoid dictators. No real revelations there. To quote the Rolling Stones, “It’s only rock & roll but I like it” (1974).
Many readers will think that I’ve drawn the boundaries too broad (NB. it is to provide relevant context) while others will think the boundaries are too confining (NB. there is already way, way too much material to fit into a full‑blown encyclopaedia). Writing articles like this just proves you can’t please any of the people any of the time. The scope of the subject matter established c.1970 is extensive, so apologies upfront for another long but ultimately superficial article. Bear with me, though, it’s worth the effort.
“Heavy metal is a universal energy; it’s the sound of a volcano. It’s rock, it’s earth‑shattering. Somewhere in our primal being, we understand” – Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins, 1967‑)
At least Metal in its widest sense is mainly a guitar‑centric genre. CRAVE Guitars’ last two genre articles (Dub Reggae [August 2023] and Ambient Electronica [September 2023]) were less associated with guitar music. Guitars are great. Guitar music is more greaterer.
Although one may not consciously think too much about it, electric guitar (including bass) is really the only contemporary musical instrument that sounds spectacular when heavily distorted. Metal would certainly not be the same without it. Thankfully.
Judging by Kirk Hammett of Metallica’s purchase of Peter Green’s/Gary Moore’s vintage 1959 sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard, ‘Greeny’ in 2014, Metal also involves some serious vintage guitar tone. Let’s not forget why we’re here, after all.
After the three previous articles exploring Artificial Intelligence, I can state quite categorically that no AI was used in the research and writing of this piece of amateur, entirely biological indulgence. Enjoy.
“I associate heavy metal with fantasy because of the tremendous power that the music delivers” – Christopher Lee (actor, 1922‑2016)
It is Metal time
Yup, it is time to get down and dirty folks. Pile on the distortion and then pile on some more and, just for good measure, a sprinkling of yet more filthy fuzz on top. Actually, good recording engineers will tell guitarists to dial down the dirt and they will assert that it is surprising how little distortion you need to sound heavy. Studio producers stress that too much distortion makes the sound all mushy, loses definition and increases compression, resulting in the guitar’s sound getting lost in the mix. That’s all very well but just look at the sheer number of high gain guitar pickups, effect pedals and muscle amps out there. People love oodles of distorted guitar. Distortion isn’t just amorphous noise. Distortion adds texture, enhances sustain, and provides harmonic overtones that seem to resonate with primal human senses. Guitarists use distortion that cuts through the mix to express their power, passion and raw emotion.
Sadly, long gone are the days of multiple cooking 100W valve amps and stacks of 4×12” cabinets as a stage backline but perhaps that’s just me being old school. It’s now mostly digital processing and direct input (DI) into mixing desks, front‑of‑house PAs and in‑ear monitors. One might wonder what a modern ‘silent stage’ at a metal gig feels like. Mind you, there are many different types of distortion and many different ways to achieve the desired sound, anywhere from mild clean boost, through overdrive, to distortion and, finally, fuzz. I love fuzz! When you start to ‘stack’ (i.e. daisy chain) these demonic devices, things can get very interesting.
As a listener, Metal music really needs to be played LOUD to get the most out of the visceral impact – both aural and physical. Time to turn the volume up to 11. Some people might think all Metal music sounds the same; an auditory onslaught of cacophonous clatter and tumultuous pandemonium. However, Metal subverts expectation and is actually a highly nuanced and multi‑faceted genre, and far from any semblance of sameness.
“It’s a very empowering kind of music, heavy metal is” – Rob Halford (Judas Priest, 1951)
Metal is vast, and I mean VAST. It seems to me that Metal is unique in its proliferation of sub/micro‑genres and artists that makes it both confusing and intriguing. By its nature, Metal is inclusive, however, the complexity of its family tree and the social subculture, may make it seem to neophytes as intimidating and hard to access. So perhaps we need to try and understand what Metal is and where it came from.
“When life gets tough, I just turn up the volume and let the music take me away. I don’t believe in luck, I believe in hard work and determination. If it’s too loud, you’re too old” – Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead, 1945‑2015)
Some people take Metal far too seriously. There is a lighter side as well. While metalheads are protective, they generally don’t mind mocking their own lifestyle. Apart from the rock mockumentary antics of the film, ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ (1984), there is the phenomenon of Air Guitar. Air guitar is defined as, “a form of dance and movement in which the performer pretends to play an imaginary rock or heavy metal‑style electric guitar, including riffs and solos” (courtesy of Wikipedia). Performing air guitar is a fun diversion for many non‑guitarists, even fostering fiercely contested competition events. The technical pyrotechnics of real Metal music feeds quite well into excessive air guitar parody. Perhaps the less said about that the better.
CRAVE Guitars Vintage Air Guitar
Hee, hee!
Metal roots
First things first. Question. What exactly is Heavy Metal? Well, excluding scientific metallurgy, one definition among many that I came across was, “Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that is intense, virtuosic, and powerful, characterised by the aggressive sounds of the distorted electric guitar”.
Well that is not very helpful is it? Neither are more lengthy descriptions about what Metal is (or isn’t). Perhaps this inability to nail it down concisely is what creates the illusion of Metal mystery. Maybe you have to live Metal in order to understand Metal fully.
“It is just that heavy metal musicians write in minor keys, and when you do that, you frighten people” – Ronnie James Dio (1942‑2010)
There are many theories as to where the title Heavy Metal came from. Chemists have referred to the heavy metal elements of the periodic table for centuries. For information, the heavy metals include chromium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel and bismuth. American author, William S. Burroughs used the term ‘heavy metal’ in his novels, ‘The Soft Machine’ (1961) and ‘Nova Express’ (1964). A rather obscure album, ‘Featuring the Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids’ (1968) by an equally obscure British underground band, Hapshash and the Coloured Coat introduced the term to music. ‘Heavy metal’ was also used in the lyrics of Steppenwolf’s hit single, ‘Born To Be Wild’ (1968). Band names also referenced heavy metals including, Iron (Butterfly, Maiden), Le(a)d (Zeppelin), Steel (Panther) and, tangentially, Metallica. Over the years, the term ‘heavy metal’ has become so deeply embedded in the English language that we rarely stop to think about ‘why?’
For many metalheads, Metal is much more than mere music; it represents a prominent counter‑culture movement or at least a subcultural lifestyle choice. Symbols of the Metal subculture include identifiable fashion including jewellery, hairstyles and makeup, tattoos, gestures (the characteristic symbol hand sign of the ‘devil horns’), language, alcohol/drugs, behaviour, fiction, journalism (e.g. Kerrang! and Metal Hammer) and a somewhat high‑handed disregard for other musical genres. Metal wouldn’t be Metal without headbanging (typically, shaking one’s head up and down in rhythm with music – normally around the 145BPM mark. Origin 1969/1970) and mosh pits (areas close to the stage where participants ‘dance’, push or ‘slam’ into each other. Origin: late 1970s). For the uninitiated, both can prove harmful. Take care. You could end up like Beavis and Butt‑Head.
Metal Hand Gesture [courtesy inksyndromeartwork]
Personally, I like metal in many (but not all) of its various incarnations, especially having been a keen music‑mad pre‑teen when the revelatory and awesome ‘Black Sabbath’ by Black Sabbath was released in 1970 to an unprepared public. It may seem tame now but there was simply nothing else like it at the time. I firmly believe that the release of this classic studio album was the moment that the Heavy Metal maelstrom was born in all its gory, gothic splendour. There may be a lot of debate about who was ‘first’, although that really doesn’t actually matter here, as Black Sabbath provided the seminal moment for Metal’s ‘Big Bang’, from which today’s entire Metal landscape has been propagated. A bold but justifiable claim.
Scratching the Metal surface
No angle grinders here folks. The core of Heavy Metal music comprises guitar, bass, drums and vocals, often accompanied with keyboards and even orchestral backing. Guitar has been an essential element, in the front and centre of most Metal for over five decades. So, that makes it worth taking an in‑depth look, at least as far as I’m concerned.
“The same sensations that you get in heavy metal are in horror movies. Heavy metal sounds evil and horror movies are evil, ha ha!” – Kirk Hammett (Metallica, 1962‑)
While many perceive Metal as the music of choice for rebellious, alienated working‑class males, it is actually most popular in the advanced, tolerant, and technologically equipped countries in the world, often endowed with a significant degree of wealth, as well as personal and political freedoms. This suggests a degree of gentrification and intellectualisation of the genre over time. Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway and Sweden, are often cited as the happiest places to live (and also have relatively low suicide rates – Sweden had 14.7 suicides per 100,000 population in 2019). These countries also have the highest proportion of heavy metal bands per capita population. Some analysts have been led to suggest that there is a correlation between a country’s prevalence of Metal music and the happiness of its citizens. The cultural and social implications of Metal have therefore become of interest to sociologists and psychologists worldwide. On a wider scale, there are more metal bands per capita in Europe and North America than in other regions. Nowadays, Metal is a global phenomenon and unequivocally part of the mainstream music industry (even if bands and metalheads reject that suggestion on principle).
“Strange as it may seem, heavy metal springs not from the poisoned slag of alienation and despair but the loamy soil of post‑industrial prosperity” – Florida & Mellander 2014
Some may think that Metal music is violent, aggressive, nihilistic and confrontational. While some is undoubtedly challenging, intentionally so, many metalheads think otherwise (perhaps predictably). Psychologists, however, suggest that people who listen to Heavy Metal are actually pretty well balanced in the mental health stakes. Dr Nicole Andreoli PhD, a New York‑based clinical psychologist and therapist states that, “Heavy metal has been found to lessen negative emotions by reducing cortisol levels, which helps to lessen stress. Research has found that people who listen to heavy metal tend to think more logically and in more complex terms than those who don’t listen to heavy metal. Heavy metal has been found to help the most with focus.” And, “Now, lyrics in heavy metal do tend to focus on rage. But there is no research linking listening to heavy metal with a desensitisation to violence… Listening to heavy metal has been found to be a positive way to process anger safely.” So, there you have it, science says that the music behind head banging and mosh pits may be good for you.
“Why would heavy metal ever go away?” – Scott Ian (Anthrax, 1963‑)
Not only is Metal in its widest sense insanely popular, it is also commercially very successful. Studies have gone so far as to demonstrate that the number of heavy metal bands per capita is also an indicator of a country’s economic success. Metal certainly contributes to the global economy. Music distribution group TuneCore stated that Metal was the fastest growing music genre globally in 2019. According to Pollstar Boxoffice, Thrash Metal pioneers Metallica sold almost 22.1 million concert tickets and grossed around $1.4bn between 1982 and 2019. Not only that, Metallica’s 5th studio album, ‘Metallica’ (a.k.a. ‘The Black Album’, 1991) currently ranks as the highest selling Metal album of all time with over 31 million copies sold (not including streaming). It entered the Billboard 200 at number one, selling 598,000 copies in the first week and was certified platinum in two weeks. Not bad going.
“If heavy metal bands ruled the world, we’d be a lot better off” – Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden, 1958‑)
Digging deeper into Metal
Probably more than any other genre, Metal is an intricately complex web of influences, legacies, interactions, interdependencies, fusions and sub‑genre proliferation. However, in 2024, the multiplicity of Metal styles, sub‑genres and micro‑genres can be massively perplexing. So… I thought… perhaps foolishly, that I would try to make some sense of the Metal scene from its origins to the present day. This ‘rationalisation’ of the genre is intended to be informative, entertaining and accessible, such that newbies are able to learn about the subject while not totally alienating those already deeply inculcated in the genre. As usual, this is not an academic paper, it is intended purely as an enjoyable excursion. Experts on the subject are far more knowledgeable than I can ever be. Trying to achieve a fine balance is probably impossible but I’ve never been one to shy away from such a challenge. After all, impossible is only the possible that hasn’t been done yet. I recognise that by trying to simplify and reveal Metal’s charisma is potentially laying my proverbial sacrificial head on the chopping block (very metal, don’t you think?) and open to ridicule, criticism and rebuttal. So be it. Also, I admit that I did have another agenda in attempting to decipher Metal and that was to learn something more about it myself.
“The guitar influence that affected my songwriting came from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal” – Dave Mustaine (Megadeth, 1961‑)
The first step was to position the various Metal components into hypothetical chronological Metal Eras. These are largely of my own invention and are arbitrary, although fairly logical in my view. The next step was to position the various high‑level Metal genres into each of the Metal Eras under widely accepted genre/sub‑genre (and micro‑genre) titles. Finally, there was the monumental task of allocating artists into each genre/sub‑genre to complete the picture. None of this is easy, accurate or definitive and there are SO many exceptions to the Metal ‘rule book’ that various compromises have had to be made for the sake of ‘clarity’ and ‘simplicity’. At first this seemed undo‑able, like trying to film an un‑filmable novel. Forgive me, for I have sinned (also very metal) in doing so.
“Without metal, I don’t think I would be alive… Metal gave me a reason to live” – Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, 1948‑)
There are also many credible writings on the subject of Metal already out there that it would be easy simply to piggy back on those and to plagiarise the ‘facts’ with little additional effort. However, hopefully readers will know that I don’t take the easy route and simply copy what others have already done. In doing the research for this article, there seemed to be a huge number of sources but when I realised that many of them were simply clumsy regurgitations of someone else’s work (inexcusable in my view), I decided that I HAD to bring something new to the table, rather than just restate existing information. In doing so, I trust that readers will cut me some slack in attempting to provide a different slant on the subject matter that is both enlightening and engaging as well semi‑original (recognising that nothing in this world is entirely new).
“All that stuff about heavy metal and hard rock, I don’t subscribe to any of that. It’s all just music. I mean, the heavy metal from the Seventies sounds nothing like the stuff from the Eighties, and that sounds nothing like the stuff from the Nineties. Who’s to say what is and isn’t a certain type of music?” – Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, 1948‑)
Some care has to be taken with genre classification, which can be misleading. There are some inevitable generalisations. For instance, Extreme Metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a cluster of harder, more abrasive, less commercial sub‑genres including Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Speed Metal and Thrash Metal, rather than a discrete genre in itself. Therefore, at least for this article, the terms Metal and Extreme Metal are generally descriptive, rather than genres per se.
Another problem with Metal multiplicity is that any analysis can fall into the trap of meaningless long lists in a vain attempt to be comprehensive. Another impossibility therefore presents itself. Ultimately, this means that a great deal has had to be left out of this article. Even so, there is an annoying element of repetitiveness that cannot be avoided (sorry, it annoys me as much as I expect it will annoy you). Apologies to artists and readers for any unintentional but inevitable major omissions. I did my best. Honest.
“Heavy metal is immortal, but we’re not” – Rob Halford (Judas Priest, 1951)
Author’s note: Throughout this article, I have capitalised genres for consistency and to make it clear when I’m referring to a genre, sub‑genre or micro‑genre as opposed to more general musical terms.
Metal Eras
The result of my thought processes is a ‘Metal Framework’ (or Heavy Metal Periodic Table, as I like to think of it), resulting in five broad ‘Metal Eras’ along with the genres/sub‑genres that kinda fit into them as a sort of hierarchy. This, I think, provides a common sense structure for the rest of this article.
Pre History of Metal: 1960‑1969 a. Pre‑Metal Rock b. Psychedelic Rock c. Hard Rock d. Shock Rock
The Golden Era of Metal: 1970‑1979 a. Heavy Metal b. Progressive Rock c. Glam Metal d. Punk Rock e. Hardcore Punk f. Power Metal g. Pop Metal h. Gothic Rock
The Diversification of Metal: 1980‑1989 a. New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) b. Speed Metal c. Neo‑Classical Metal d. Stoner Metal e. Noise Rock f. Progressive Metal g. Alternative Rock h. Alternative Metal i. Thrash Metal j. Black Metal k. Death Metal l. Emo m. Funk Metal n. Grindcore o. Grunge p. Industrial Metal q. Sludge Metal r. Doom Metal
The Nu Nineties: 1990‑1999 a. Metalcore b. Gothic Metal c. Post Grunge d. Rap Metal e. Nu Metal f. Groove Metal g. Dark Ambient h. Folk Metal i. Symphonic Metal
Millennium Metal: 2000‑ a. New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM) b. Blackgaze c. Djent
There, that amounts to 42 (NB. ‘The answer to life, the universe and everything’, from the novel, ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ [1979] by author Douglas Adams) ‘top level’ Metal sub‑genres, more than enough to be getting on with. Then there are is the constantly changing elaborate rabbit warren of manifold micro‑genres (hundreds if not thousands of them).
Part of the difficulty with any formal categorised structure is that it is inherently a flawed and imperfect model. Genres don’t just have a clearly defined beginning and end or precise boundaries. One of the problems is genre fluidity. Once a (sub‑)genre has been established, sometimes it will fade away quickly, sometimes it will grow and endure, sometimes it will come and go repeatedly over time, and sometimes it will morph into something else altogether.
Another problem is slotting artists into either a period of time or a particular (sub‑)genre. Many artists are difficult to pin down to a discrete genre, as they may change style, crossover or fuse genres over time such that they may appear in multiple genres dependent on their stage of evolution. Genres are also not all the same; some (sub‑)genres are narrow (e.g. Kawaii Metal, a.k.a. Cute Metal or J‑Pop Metal), while others are very broad, (e.g. Alternative Rock/Alternative Metal); some are clearly delineated while others are more amorphous. I will do my level best to make some sense of it all as we go through it.
Right. Ready to dive in? Let’s rock…
Metal Era #1 – Pre‑History of Metal: 1960‑1970
Pre‑Metal Rock (‑1966)
In CRAVE Guitars’ 14‑part series of articles, ‘The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts’ (March 2019 to May 2020), I postulated in a very general sense that, after classical music, the vast majority of modern music originated from just the three founding pillars of Blues, Jazz and Country. A blending of these styles over several decades led to the emergence of Rock & Roll in the mid‑1950s and pretty much everything thereafter sprouted from that specific paradigm shift in popular music. From the 1950s onwards, modern popular music evolved and diversified at a tremendous rate. Moving forward a decade or so from rock & roll, the origins of Metal’s direct ancestors rose from vibrant sub‑genres such as Blues Rock, Garage Rock, Surf Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Jam Band and Pop.
Many commentators point to the Dave Davies’ distorted guitar riff on The Kinks, ‘You Really Got Me’ (1964) as the catalyst for guitar‑driven distorted rock music. Britain’s former colony, the United States of America (sorry dudes) might point to the king of Surf Rock, Dick Dale’s, ‘Misirlou’ (1963) as another fertile seed germinating in the growth of rock. Other notable claims might include Link Wray, ‘Rumble’ (1958), The Animals, ‘The House of the Rising Sun’ (1964), The Troggs, ‘Wild Thing’ (1966) and Steppenwolf, ‘Born to be Wild’ (1969).
Related Genres: Rock & Roll, Blues Rock, Garage Rock, Surf Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Jam Band, Pop, Pop‑Rock
Examples: Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Link Wray, The Animals, The Troggs, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Who, Cream, Groundhogs, MC5, The Stooges, Man, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Dick Dale, Rolling Stones, and many, many more.
Psychedelic Rock (1966‑1978)
Psychedelic Rock – or just Psych – is a style of Rock music that emerged in the mid‑1960s that often attempts to emulate or enhance the way music sounds to people while under the influence of psychedelic drugs such as LSD (a.k.a. acid) and ‘shrooms’ (a.k.a. psilocybin ‘magic’ mushrooms). Songs typically include heavily distorted, phased and reverb‑drenched electric guitars, extended guitar solos, effected vocals, and drug‑influenced lyrics. Other common characteristics include the use of keyboards and elaborate studio effects like backwards recording, echo, flanging and phasing. It is also not uncommon for Psychedelic Rock groups to incorporate prominent elements of other genres including Folk, Blues, Jazz, and South Asian/Far Eastern music.
The beginning of Psychedelic Rock is generally considered to be c.1966, with the release of The Byrds’ ‘Fifth Dimension’, notably their hit single, ‘Eight Miles High’, and ‘The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators’ (1966) by, erm, 13th Floor Elevators. NB. The 13th Floor Elevators were the first band to use the word, ‘psychedelic’ in relation to music.
Psychedelic Rock emerged alongside Psychedelic Pop and Pop Rock, especially in the UK. Many albums from the mid‑1960s incorporated elements of psychedelia, notably The Beatles’ 7th studio album, ‘Revolver’ (1966).
From 1967, the popularity of Psychedelic Rock expanded significantly and it became clearly differentiated from Psychedelic Pop by moving away from Pop‑oriented song structures. Psychedelic Rock incorporated elements of Garage Rock and Blues Rock, as well as the drug‑infused Acid Rock sub‑genre. The genre hit a peak in 1969 with the Woodstock Festival. However, it experienced a substantial decline in popularity by the start of the 1970s with the demise of the hippie counter‑culture. Psychedelic Rock played a big part in influencing many other genres, including Progressive Rock.
Related Genres: Acid Rock, Psychedelic Pop, Space Rock, Progressive Rock, Hard Rock, Jam Band, Pop, Pop Rock, Krautrock, Garage Rock, Blues, Blues Rock, Jazz, Folk, South Asian Music, Progressive Rock, Fractal Rock
Examples: The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Captain Beefheart, The Byrds, The 13th Floor Elevators, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Pink Fairies, Can, Love, Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Eternal Tapestry, Loop
Hard Rock (1966‑)
Hard Rock is a sub‑genre of Rock music rooted in 1960s Blues Rock, Garage Rock and Psychedelic Rock (especially Acid Rock). Hard Rock features distorted guitars and power chords, and frequently includes Blues Rock‑inspired song structures and chord progressions. Flashy guitar solos were common and vocals are typically sung in a forward, forceful manner.
Hard Rock was pioneered in the late 1960s by British artists, who were connected to the British Blues scene. The fanatical popularity of The Beatles and the so‑called ‘British Invasion’ of the US opened up opportunities for experimentation and cross‑fertilisation. Early Blues‑influenced British Hard Rock bands cranked their amplifiers, using distorted guitar to provide the signature sounds of Hard Rock from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Cream. Many might suggest that these bands belong to Heavy Metal, although history will probably (properly) regard them as Hard Rock that influenced the development of Heavy Metal.
Hard Rock saw considerable commercial success during the 1970s, when American artists infused their songs with a more melodic style and radio‑friendly sound. The late 1970s saw the appearance of AOR (Adult‑Oriented Rock), a softer derivative of Hard Rock that proved both popular and commercial. AOR was characterised by slick studio production, prolific use of ballads, and a keen awareness of Pop as a vehicle for success.
Hard Rock focused on familiar Blues Rock composition. While Hard Rock’s original creative peak was in the 1970s, it continued to be popular, experiencing commercial success in the 1980s. Hard Rock has been reinvented and rejuvenated many times over the intervening decades, proving to be enduringly popular with consumers. The early 1990s saw many fans desert traditional Hard Rock music in favour of the edgier sounds of Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, Grunge and their associated sub‑genres, only for it to experience another Renaissance in the 21st Century. Hard Rock remains in vogue today and doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.
Related Genres: British Blues, Classic Rock, Heavy Rock, AOR, Heavy Metal, Grunge, Alternative Rock, Post‑Grunge, Glam Metal, Southern Metal
Examples: The Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Steppenwolf, Pink Fairies, Blue Cheer, Grand Funk Railroad, Budgie, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Cream, UFO, Blue Oyster Cult, Mountain, Iron Butterfly, Free, Bad Company, Wishbone Ash, Thin Lizzy, KISS, AC/DC, Joe Satriani, Van Halen, Ted Nugent, The Darkness, Queens of the Stone Age, Audioslave, Shinedown, Alter Bridge, Aerosmith, Nazareth, Boston, Foreigner, Styx, Airbourne, Black Stone Cherry, Michael Schenker Group, Thunder, Wolfmother, Eagles of Death Metal
Shock Rock (1968‑1983)
Unlike any other genre, Shock Rock is defined by its extravagant visuals, gaudy showmanship and controversial public image, rather than by its musicianship and sound. The key thing is that it was intended to… well… shock and to stimulate a reaction. Shock Rock has its roots firmly in the edgier side of the 1960s expressive freedom, youthful rebellion, sexual liberation and a rejection of the west coast ‘love & peace’ hippie counter‑culture movement. Shock Rock was fuelled by pushing the boundaries of the genre through the use of disturbing, horrifying and sexual themes. Shock Rock was largely rejected by the conservative majority of Americans, which unwittingly fed its popularity, especially with alienated youths who didn’t buy into the previous generation’s conventional societal norms and values. Shock Rock influenced Glam Rock in the 1970s, Black Metal in the 1980s and to Industrial Rock and Industrial Metal in the 1990s. The ability of music to shock has significantly diminished in contemporary times. Desensitisation strikes again.
Shock rock is a combination of Hard Rock and/or Heavy Metal, often featuring highly stylised theatrical live performances emphasising over‑the‑top symbolism for effect. Shock Rock live performances included staged violence and provocative behaviour, the use of attention‑grabbing techniques such as costumes, masks, face paint and live animals, or special effects such as pyrotechnics and fake blood. Shock Rock also included lyrical references to literature, cinematic horror and pornography.
Related Genres: Glam Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Black Metal, Industrial Rock, Industrial Metal
Examples: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Arthur Brown, Alice Cooper, New York Dolls, Kiss, Ozzy Osbourne, Venom, W.A.S.P., Gwar
Metal Era #2 – The Golden Era of Metal: 1970‑1980
Heavy Metal (1970‑1979)
Here we are at last. THE milestone moment in Metal. Also now known as ‘Classic’ Heavy Metal or Traditional Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal was a pivotal point in modern music that emerged first in the UK and then America. Today, the term Heavy Metal has become a generic retrospective term referring to a specific musical genre style from a specific time period.
Heavy metal is a direct descendant of Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock and Acid Rock of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Black Sabbath is widely considered to be the first and foremost band to establish Heavy Metal as a ‘thing’. However, Black Sabbath’s sound didn’t appear fully formed; the band was influenced by British Blues Rock and Garage Rock in its early days. Black Sabbath were responsible for the foundations of what would become an entire music genre. At first, many Heavy Metal bands didn’t identify themselves with the title, preferring to play it safe unless Heavy Metal failed. The prominent use of lead guitar and vocals over a solid bass and drum foundation was used to create an imposing, epic sound. The darker and more sinister aesthetic of Heavy Metal was influenced by Shock Rock artists including the use of satanic and occult imagery.
Heavy Metal is constructed around key components of Hard Rock such as power chords (NB. a dyad comprising the root note and the fifth note of a major or minor scale) and riffs (NB. a repeated chord progression). Heavy Metal tends to be played with greater intensity than Hard Rock and commonly uses heavy distortion (NB. intentional clipping and production of higher order harmonics created by overdriving the valves in an amplifier’s pre and/or power amp stages). Heavy Metal also tends to reject the Blues elements of its predecessors, giving it a distinct harder edged sound. Heavy Metal lyrics are generally darker than those of Hard Rock, featuring themes of war, death, loss, the supernatural, the occult and Gothic fantasy.
Another key feature of Heavy Metal is the widespread use of what is known as the dangerous ‘devil’s interval’, also called a tritone because it is a music interval of three whole tones. The Latin term ‘diabolus in musica’ (literally, the Devil in music) originated in the Middle Ages where the sinister dissonant use of the tritone was considered an offence against God and therefore must have come from hell. Just listen to the eponymous track, ‘Black Sabbath’ (1970) or Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ (1991) amongst many others and you’ll recognise it instantly. Unsettling, dark, powerful and scary? Absolutely.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Heavy Metal would take a back seat to rise of other forms of Metal. However, it remained influential, particularly with its influence on Doom Metal and Melodic Death Metal. Heavy Metal would also see a resurgence in popularity during the mid‑2000s with the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal (NWOTHM) harking back to its original sound.
Related Genres: Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Blues Rock, Garage Rock, Acid Rock, Heavy Psych, NWOBHM, Doom Metal, Speed Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Glam Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Alternative Metal, Groove Metal, NWOTHM, Christian Metal, Latin Metal, Southern Metal
Examples: Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, Budgie, Coven, Nazareth, Thin Lizzy, early Queen, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Iron Maiden, Vanilla Fudge, Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, MC5, The Stooges, Alice Cooper, KISS, ZZ Top, Blue Öyster Cult, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Van Halen, Black Label Society, King Diamond, Rob Zombie, Venom, Mercyful Fate
Progressive Rock (1970‑1976)
Traditional Progressive Rock – or simply just ‘Prog’ to its many admirers – is a genre associated with complex harmonies and technical virtuosity inspired by Classical Music and contemporary Jazz. Generally, song structures consist of multiple sections and typically feature shifts in intensity, mood, tempo, key and time signature. Prog also embraced broader instrumentation compared to other Rock genres, including keyboards, wind instruments, percussion and strings. Progressive Rock also tended to lessen the prominence of the guitar as the principal lead instrument. Progressive Rock bands are often known for releasing concept albums (often double albums), relating a story through cohesive connected song themes, and with longer track times than other genres. Songs often reflected subjects like history, science fiction, and fantasy, with lyrics drawing inspiration from poetry, literature, and cinema.
The roots of Progressive Rock date back to the innovations introduced by Psychedelic Rock and Baroque Pop sounds of the mid‑1960s, with groups using new recording techniques, lush orchestral arrangements, integrating broader more esoteric musical influences, and focusing on complex compositions. The earliest Progressive Rock bands emerged in the UK during the late 1960s, seeking to innovate and to push existing musical boundaries. Progressive Rock saw a massive rise in popularity during the early 1970s gaining considerable commercial success and critical acclaim.
Progressive Rock went on to achieve global interest and became particularly influential on other technical music genres. Many modern Metal bands continue to reference original Progressive Rock tropes. Some Jazz‑Rock fusion‑style musical developments such as the so‑called Canterbury Scene in the UK and the Paisley Underground in the US exhibited similarities to Progressive Rock from the 1970s onwards. Even in the late 1990s, Alternative Rock and Post‑Hardcore bands also adopted progressive characteristics, ultimately leading to Progressive Metal.
On reflection, many commentators use pejorative hyperbole like pretentious, pompous, self‑important, haughty, arrogant and conceited to describe the ‘highbrow attitude’ of Progressive Rock artists. Progressive Rock saw a rapid decline in the mid‑late 1970s when Punk Rock revolutionised popular music. Punk, in particular, was the antithesis of Progressive Rock, rejecting the corporate nature of the mainstream and, explicitly, the bloated, grandiose ostentatiousness of Prog.
Related Genres: Classical Music, Jazz, Jazz‑Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Canterbury Scene, Paisley Underground, Baroque Pop, Progressive Pop, Progressive Metal, Alternative Rock, Post‑Hardcore, Krautrock, Math Rock
Examples: The Nice, Soft Machine, Caravan, Procol Harum, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Moody Blues, Frank Zappa, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Van Der Graaf Generator, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Journey, Styx, Kansas, Rush, Gong, Goblin, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, The Mars Volta, The Aristocrats
Glam Metal (1973‑1990)
Glam Metal is a form of Hard Rock that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s, originating mainly from the fashionable club scene of the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Glam Metal was characterised by arena anthems and flamboyant stage antics, along with the androgynous aesthetics of 1970s Glam Rock, Glam Pop and Hard Rock bands. The music placed an emphasis on catchy hooks and memorable guitar riffs, sing‑along choruses, and lyrics often glamorising the excesses of the ‘sex, drugs and rock & roll’ lifestyle. Power ballads also became very common to the genre. Glam Metal shares a lot of similarities with its direct predecessor Shock Rock.
Glam Metal hit the mainstream when the studio album, ‘Metal Health’ (1983) by Quiet Riot rose to number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Glam Metal coincided with the massive popularity of MTV (Music TeleVision) and rock radio at the time. The glossy visuals and showmanship of high‑budget music videos gave bands heavy rotation on MTV and the sound gradually became more polished and less Heavy Metal. The genre’s global popularity grew even further with established Rock artists adopting elements of the style. Exploiting the reputation of Shock Rock and Glam Metal, a basic raw, grubby sub‑genre known as Sleaze Rock also developed.
Rightly or wrongly, Glam Metal may well be remembered for artists’ rampant and unapologetic excesses more than the music. Many journalists criticised Glam Metal for reducing Metal to a caricature because of its combination of tired pop cliché, overtly immature misogyny and blatant sexual overtones.
By the early 1990s, the bubble had burst and the popularity of Glam Metal rapidly declined as the more ‘authentic’ genres of Grunge and Alternative Rock came to the fore. ‘Hair metal’ and ‘Cock Rock’ became common, often derogatory, terms to describe 1980s showmanship of Glam Metal bands. Nevertheless these genres have proved hard to kill off and fond reminiscence has led to continued popularity and rejuvenation of the music over time.
Related Genres: Hard Rock, Glam Rock, Shock Rock, Glam Pop, Sleaze Rock, Grunge, Alternative Rock
Punk Rock is a very important, although short‑lived genre originating from America and the UK in the mid‑1970s. Punk was a fierce rejection of progressive, commercial and sentimental mainstream rock music. In addition, the anger of Punk was fuelled by severe economic disadvantage and social change of the time. While Punk had its roots in America during the 1960s with Proto‑Punk and Garage Rock, it didn’t fully take off as Punk Rock until the mid‑1970s. Punk Rock’s initial success attracted a huge global underground and cult following before it erupted on the mainstream.
Punk rock is characterised by fast tempos, loud and distorted power chord guitar riffs, simple focused song structure, angry lyrics, and shouted vocals. Punk Rock is typically very antagonistic and confrontational, often dealing with topics considered forbidden in mainstream music. Anti‑establishment rants, anarchic behaviour and heated political protests feature strongly as an integral part of the Punk Rock scene.
Punk wasn’t just about the music, it generated a subculture that felt alienated, powerless and let down by ‘the system’. Punk attitude was also reflected in distinctive fashion, hairstyle, makeup, journalism, art and controversial attitudes. While Punk Rock didn’t outlive the 1970s and, while isn’t really Metal, it has been massively influential across many musical genres over the years particularly in Hardcore Punk and Post‑Hardcore.
“I always said punk was an attitude. It was never about having a Mohican haircut or wearing a ripped T‑shirt. It was all about destruction, and the creative potential within that” – Malcolm Mclaren (1946‑2010)
Related Genres: Proto‑Punk, Garage Rock, Hardcore Punk, Post‑Hardcore, Pop Punk, Post‑Punk, Anarcho‑Punk, Goth Rock, Goth Metal, New Wave
Examples: Ramones, The Stooges, Patti Smith, Blondie, New York Dolls, MC5, Monks, Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned, The Ruts, The Vibrators, UK Subs, Sham 69, The Stranglers, Generation X, Buzzcocks, The Jam, X‑Ray Spex, The Adverts, Television, The Slits, Rancid, T.S.O.L., NOFX
Hardcore Punk (1976‑1979)
Often just called ‘Hardcore’, Hardcore Punk initially borrowed much from Punk Rock’s original approach and has been associated with the releases of independently‑run record labels. As Punk Rock became moderated by the mainstream, Hardcore Punk took on the mantle and heaped on the frenetic energy, made it faster, heavier and more aggressive, while retaining Punk’s anti‑establishment attitude and lifestyle. Other common characteristics include an extensive use of shouted vocals, paired‑down production and the tendency towards short, gutsy, gritty songs. Hardcore Punk eventually dissipated into other sub‑genres and derivative forms in a similar way that Punk Rock fragmented and evolved into Post‑Punk and New Wave. Although not as influential as Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk contributed to the development of many other sub‑genres.
Related Genres: Punk Rock, Garage Rock, Melodic Hardcore, Grunge, Pop Punk, Sludge Metal, Riot Grrrl, Alternative Metal, Thrash Metal, Beatdown Hardcore
Examples: D.O.A., Dead Kennedys, Discharge, Black Flag, Napalm Death, Circle Jerks, The Exploited, Minor Threat, GBH, Misfits, Bad Brains, Cancer Bats, Agnostic Front, Fugazi, early Teddybears, Gallows, Girls In Synthesis
Power Metal (1976‑)
Power Metal is a sub‑genre of Heavy Metal, originated in the early 1980s in both Europe and America, as a response to NWOBHM. Basically, it adds more ‘power’ (duh!) to conventional Heavy Metal, aided by slick studio production. As it evolved, Power Metal combined elements of traditional Heavy Metal with Speed Metal, Glam Metal and Thrash Metal. Power Metal played down its Blues Rock roots and made distorted guitar riffs more aggressive and complex and the vocals were more forceful. Power Metal is distinguished by ‘more’ – more speed, more commercial appeal, more epic, more ‘powerful’ and a more uplifting sound, compared to its slower heavier counterparts. Over time, Power Metal adopted some of the distinctive dissonance of more extreme forms of Metal to give the music an edge, as well as Pop appeal to sell product in greater quantity. US Power Metal (USPM) uses the American prefix to differentiate it from its European Power Metal counterpart.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Blues Rock, US Power Metal (USPM), European Power Metal, Pirate Metal, Kawaii Metal, Pop
Pop Metal is a very close relation to Glam Metal and Power Metal and tends to be used as an umbrella term for the commercial combination of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock that feature prominent Pop music elements such as catchy hooks and arena‑friendly anthemic choruses, which became hugely popular in the 1980s. The genre is also applied to some mainstream bands and artists that have formed since the 1990s that blend the lighter, radio‑friendly aspects of Pop with the grittiness of Heavy Metal into their sound. Some of the Pop Metal artists are regarded by Metal purists and music critics alike as ‘sell outs’, putting fame, fortune and financial reward before Metal musical integrity.
Related Genres: Glam Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Power Metal, Pop, Pop Punk
Examples: Quiet Riot, Van Halen, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Europe, Lita Ford, Guns N’ Roses, The Darkness, Bon Jovi, Architects, Bring Me the Horizon, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Halestorm, Ghost, In Flames, In This Moment, Lacuna Coil, Shinedown, The Pretty Reckless, We Are The Fallen, Weezer
Gothic Rock (1979‑1990)
Emerging from the smouldering ashes of Punk Rock, the British Post‑Punk movement took on the role of genre innovation, taking it in many different directions. While Gothic Rock was an offshoot of the broader Post‑Punk scene, it quickly became defined as a separate genre in the early 1980s. Gothic Rock is differentiated from other genres by dark and atmospheric songs, a heavily stylised Goth aesthetic and inspirations from Gothic art, literature and cinema. Gothic‑style lyrics reflected sadness, nihilism, dark romantic idealism, loss, tragedy, melancholy, mortality and the supernatural.
Gothic Rock heavily influenced the distinctive and popular Goth subculture and lifestyle that included Goth clubs, stylised fashion and publications. While it may not be considered as true Metal, it is a key stepping stone along the yew‑lined cemetery path to Gothic Metal.
Metal Trivia: Historically, the Goths were a Germanic tribe of barbarians that led the sack of Rome in 410CE. The roots of the modern Gothic aesthetic go to back to the European Middle Ages of the 12th‑16th Centuries with its distinctive ‘barbaric’ Gothic architecture, which was revived again in the 18th‑20th Centuries. The Medieval architectural style became the backdrop to popular atmospheric Gothic romantic, horror and fantasy literature of the 18th‑19th Centuries. The first Gothic novel was ‘The Castle of Otranto’ (1764) by Horace Walpole (1717‑1797).
Related Genres: Post‑Punk, Gothic Metal, Gothic Pop, Emo, Dark Wave, Ethereal Wave, Death Rock
Examples: Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, The Damned, The Cult, The Mission, Killing Joke, Sisters Of Mercy, Adam and the Ants, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, The Fall, Evanescence, All About Eve, The Twilight Sad, Alien Sex Fiend, Rome Burns, Southern Death Cult, This Mortal Coil, Pixies, Fields of the Nephilim
Metal Era #3 – The Diversification of Metal: 1980‑1989
New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) (1979‑1983)
NWOBHM is a clumsy acronym for ‘New Wave Of British Heavy Metal’. NWOBHM started off as an injection of fresh new ideas to slow and then reverse the decline of early British Traditional Heavy Metal as well as to adapt to the emergence of high‑energy Punk Rock. NWOBHM bands took some of the elements of Punk and merged it with Heavy Metal. Like Punk Rock, many NWOBHM bands funded and released their own records in the early days. While many Metal fans rejected Punk, it continued to influence Metal in a significant underground Metal scene that began to grow and gain momentum. Eventually, the media, record labels and consumers could no longer dismiss NWOBHM as a passing underground fad and it rapidly became a major force in modern Metal music. The primary band associated with the emergence of NWOBHM was Iron Maiden.
NWOBHM is very diverse and it didn’t tend have a signature ‘sound’ of its own. Instead, the genre is more focused on location and period (the UK in the 1980s). At its peak, it didn’t last long but it has had a lasting impact over the decades. By the early‑mid 1980s, NWOBHM came to define the global mainstream success of Heavy Metal. While predominantly British in origin, NWOBHM had a major global influence on later forms of Metal, including the inevitable American version (NWOAHM).
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk, Doom Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, New Wave Of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM)
Examples: Motörhead, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Quartz, Saxon, Iron Maiden, Tygers of Pan Tang, Diamond Head, Angel Witch, Girlschool, Raven, Holocaust, Tank, Elixir, Praying Mantis, Blitzkrieg, Samson, Grim Reaper, Witchfinder General, Dragonslayer
Speed Metal (1981‑1993)
Speed metal is a bit of a minor but important transitional sub‑genre of Metal originating from NWOBHM and influenced by Hard Rock and Heavy Metal bands, as well as influencing early Thrash Metal.
Speed Metal is usually considered less abrasive and more melodic than Hardcore Punk before it or Thrash Metal after it. However, Speed Metal is usually faster (duh!) and more aggressive than traditional Heavy Metal. It also tends to feature incendiary virtuoso guitar solos and short instrumental passages between conventional verse and chorus song writing structure. While sounding relatively straightforward now, the studio album, ‘Welcome to Hell’ (1981) by British band Venom has been suggested as the first Extreme Metal release.
Related Genres: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Hardcore Punk, Doom Metal, Thrash Metal
Examples: Venom, Slayer, Motörhead, Exciter, DragonForce, Annihilator, Anvil, Heathen, Helloween, Piledriver, Racer X, Whiplash, Bewitched, Midnight, Annihilator, Children of Bodom
Neo‑Classical Metal (1983‑)
Neo‑Classical Metal is a niche, largely Instrumental Rock sub‑genre with its roots firmly in Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Speed Metal, while taking considerable inspiration from traditional acoustic instrumental Classical Music. The main characteristic of Neo‑Classical Metal is its highly technical virtuoso guitar playing and particularly the fast and complex ‘shredding’ techniques that became widely popular during the 1980s. Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore was probably the pioneer of this particular style of guitar playing before that role was passed on to Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. The genre took its cues mainly from the Romantic and Baroque periods of 17th and 18th Century Classical Music. In turn, Neo‑Classical Metal influenced many genres including Progressive Metal.
Related Genres: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Classical Music, Instrumental Rock, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal
Examples: Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads, Jason Becker, Uli Jon Roth, Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert
Stoner Metal (1982‑)
Stoner Metal is a sub‑genre of Metal that combines key components of Doom Metal with elements of Psychedelic Rock and Blues Rock to create a melodic yet heavy sound. Like Stoner Metal’s close genre relative Stoner Rock, heavily distorted guitar riffs feature strong grooves and psychedelic effect‑driven atmospheric sounds, while the tempo is generally slower than many other Metal genres. Guitars and basses are frequently down‑tuned with a particular emphasis on a solid, bass‑heavy sound.
Several Stoner Metal bands and fans shared a common use of marijuana, hence the genre name. The focus on weed can be found within the lyrics of many Stoner Metal tracks, combined with the heavy and psychedelic sound of the music. Due to the similarities in styles, some Stoner Metal bands also adopted and incorporated certain aspects of Sludge Metal and Heavy Psych.
Related Genres: Stoner Rock, Sludge Metal, Heavy Psych, Instrumental Rock, Doom Metal
Examples: Sleep, Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Cathedral, Down, Electric Wizard, Black Mountain, Corrosion of Conformity, Clutch, Karma to Burn, Saint Vitus, Orange Goblin, Pulled Apart by Horses, Royal Blood, Om, Madmess, My Sleeping Karma, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Melvins, High on Fire, Eternal Tapestry
Noise Rock (1983‑2010)
Noise Rock is a broad genre that arose from Punk Rock and Post‑Punk. Noise Rock artists incorporate a high degree of experimental sound manipulation, heavy distortion, guitar feedback, prominent use of effects, dissonant musical intervals and lo‑fi production. The most commonly used instruments are guitars, bass and drums, as well as extensive use of drum machines, guitar effects, studio electronics, tape‑manipulated soundscapes, and random industrial noises added to supplement the already‑abrasive core sound. Song structures defied convention and often rely on dirge, drone or discordant tonal textures. German Krautrock (a.k.a. Kosmiche Musik or Cosmic Music) also heavily influenced Noise Rock.
The first Noise Rock artists predated the genre, emerging in New York in the 1960s and the first Noise Rock studio album was arguably, ‘White Light/White Heat’ (1968) by The Velvet Underground. The tracks made extensive use of guitar feedback, distortion effects, simple recording, and unstructured Jam Band sessions. Noise Rock reached its peak in the 1990s with bands like Sonic Youth leading the evolution of the genre before they disbanded in 2011. Despite it seeming to be a musical dead end, Noise Rock influenced many future Metal sub‑genres, such as Industrial Metal.
Related Genres: Punk Rock, Post‑Punk, Jam Band, Sludge Rock, Drone Metal, Industrial Rock, Industrial Metal, Krautrock, Experimental Rock
Examples: The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, The Stooges, Sonic Youth, Big Black, Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Membranes, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Black Midi, Deerhoof, Tropical Fuck Storm, Boris, SUNN O))), Melt‑Banana, Merzbow
Progressive Metal (1984‑)
Heavy Metal was influenced by Progressive Rock and, in turn contributed towards Progressive Metal. Today’s Progressive Metal continues to use the layered, textured sounds and intricate arrangements of Prog and combines it with heavier, more distorted sounds of Metal. The 1990s saw a rejuvenation of Progressive Rock and the emergence of Progressive Metal through a new generation of artists using innovative sounds and recording techniques.
Progressive metal is a genre that features Metal’s electric guitar‑driven sound and fuses it with technical proficiency and Progressive Rock‑inspired virtuosity. It uses unorthodox song writing featuring complex harmonies, long track times, multiple passages, shifts in mood, texture, tempo, key changes and uncommon time signatures. Like Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal frequently uses additional instrumentation such as keyboards, percussion, wind instruments and strings. Lyrics are often poetic, elegiac, melancholic, and introspective, and it tackles themes such as philosophy, science fiction, fantasy and politics. Progressive Metal is known for its high‑gain guitars and heavy guitar riffs. It is fair to say that Progressive Metal has heavily influenced many other forms of late 20th Century and early 21st Century Metal.
Related Genres: Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal, US Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Technical Death Metal, Black Metal, Metalcore, Djent, Avant‑Garde Metal, Experimental Metal, Post‑Metal
Examples: Rush, Savatage, Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, Voivod, Dream Theater, Meshuggah, Porcupine Tree, Tool, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Opeth, Gojira, Mastodon, Coheed and Cambria, Steve Vai, King’s X, Devin Townsend, Between the Buried and Me,
Alternative Rock (1985‑2010)
Alternative Rock (a.k.a. Alt‑Rock) is a massively diverse range of styles and has become regarded as a bit of an all‑encompassing umbrella term for a wide range of music that doesn’t easily fit elsewhere, almost to the point of not being a cohesive genre. Alternative Rock developed in the independent record label music scenes of the 1980s, being heavily influenced by Punk Rock, Post‑Punk and Hardcore. Common characteristics typically include a blend of melodic, traditional song writing with more eccentric sounds drawing from Punk, using idiosyncratic lyrics, as well as plentiful amounts of distortion.
In America, Alternative Rock bands combined Punk Rock and Post‑Hardcore with Folk Rock and Power Pop. Later groups took on a more raucous, jarring approach, influenced by Noise Rock and Experimental Rock.
Alternative Rock wasn’t met with a great deal of commercial success compared to some other forms of Metal and Rock because of its diversity. The term ‘College Rock’ was coined to describe many of the early Alternative Rock bands because they were popular on American college radio channels and, perhaps predictably, MTV.
By the start of the 1990s, several previously independent artists signed to major labels and the success of Grunge bands launched Alternative Rock along with Alternative Metal into mainstream popularity. Multiple other commercial offshoots and derivatives of Alternative Rock began to appear as either revivals of past genres or breakthroughs in new areas. A number of artists during this period exploited the creativity and experimentation of Alternative Rock to push the genre’s already nebulous boundaries. While Alternative Rock isn’t very Metal, Alternative Metal would not have evolved in the way it did without its direct forebear.
In the 2010s, Alternative Rock largely faded from the mainstream and returned to the underground. Indie Rock tended to take over from Alternative Rock and continued to enjoy moderate success until Indie also experienced a major decline by the 2020s.
Related Genres: Hard Alternative Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Garage Rock Punk Rock, Proto‑Punk, Post‑Punk, Pop Punk, Psychedelic Rock, Post‑Rock, Alternative Dance, Neo‑Psychedelia, Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Slacker Rock, Post‑Hardcore, Folk Rock, Power Pop, Experimental Rock, Britpop, Art Rock, Slacker Rock, Emo, Emo Rap, Electronica, Funk Rock, Ska Revival, Hip Hop, Pop Rap
Examples: R.E.M., Dinosaur Jr., My Bloody Valentine, Violent Femmes, Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, Pixies, The Smashing Pumpkins, Faith No More, Jane’s Addiction, Living Colour, Sonic Youth, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Flaming Lips, Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Wooden Shjips, Guided by Voices, Weezer, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, TV on the Radio, Car Seat Headrest, Mitski, Courtney Barnett, Kid Cudi, Six By Seven, Stabbing Westward
Alternative Metal (1985‑)
Alternative Metal is another catch‑all sub‑genre of Metal music and a close relative of Alternative Rock that also emerged in the late‑1980s. Alternative Metal pushed the borders of Alt‑Rock, with a medium‑tempo similar to Groove Metal. Unlike other, more traditional Metal genres, Alternative Metal adopted a straight‑forward sound. Vocal styles vary hugely, depending on the band. Alternative Metal lyrics also focus on more prosaic, down‑to‑earth themes than many other Metal genres. Like its Rock counterpart, Alternative Metal is noted for its variety and a willingness to experiment with unconventional musical styles beyond the confines of straightforward Metal music.
Alternative Metal actually increased in popularity when Grunge took alternative music into the mainstream in the first half of the 1990s. The genre took another step forward with the emergence of Rap Metal, Nu Metal and Post‑Grunge in the mid‑1990s.
Alternative Metal’s popularity continued undiminished into the 21st Century and continued to evolve into the New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAMH), which harked back to preceding Metal genres and built on them. The influence of Alternative Metal can clearly be heard in other Metal genres, such as Metalcore.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Alternative Rock, Groove Metal, Funk Metal, Grunge, Nu Metal, Post‑Grunge, NWOAMH, Metalcore
Examples: Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Prong, Living Colour, The Smashing Pumpkins, Primus, Rage Against the Machine, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Five Finger Death Punch, Architects, Bring Me the Horizon, Enter Shikari, John 5, Hundred Reasons
Thrash Metal (1983‑1995)
Thrash metal was, arguably, one of the first Extreme Metal genres characterised by fast tempos and an aggressive tonel. A new generation of American Metal bands emerged, headed up by ‘the big four’ Thrash Metal bands, Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth. These four bands combined influences from classic Heavy Metal, NWOBHM and Speed Metal, developing them further to great success. Thrash Metal’s popularity peaked in the early 1990s before beginning to decline.
Thrash Metal frequently features tight rhythms, down‑tuned and palm‑muted heavily distorted guitar riffs. Talented Thrash Metal lead guitarists ably demonstrated highly technical ‘shred’ solos using two‑hand ‘tapping’, sweep picking and fast legato licks, along with unusual scales. Thrash drumming frequently uses rapid double‑bass drum patterns. Vocals range widely from melodic singing to angry shouting. Themes tackled by Thrash Metal include politics, war, socio‑political commentary, Satanism, science fiction, introspection and hedonistic lifestyles.
In America, two main Thrash Metal scenes developed; Bay Area Thrash and East Coast Thrash, eventually evolving into what is known as Crossover Thrash. In Germany, Teutonic Thrash Metal emerged in parallel. Thrash Metal heavily influenced Alternative Metal and Grunge, as well as Groove Metal. In the 2000s and 2010s, Thrash Metal saw a resurgence, with 1980s bands reuniting or returning to their original sound, alongside emerging new bands.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Bay Area Thrash, East Coast Thrash, Crossover Thrash, Teutonic Thrash Metal, Alternative Metal, Grunge, Groove Metal
Examples: Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Pantera, Anvil, Exodus, Overkill, Kreator, Destruction, Sodom, Sepultura, Testament, Death Angel, Municipal Waste, Marty Friedman, Legion of the Damned
Black Metal (1984‑)
Black metal is a style of Extreme Metal typified by penetrating, distorted, trebly electric guitar riffs, screamed vocals, and double‑bass drum‑driven rhythms with a distinctively intense style called ‘blast beat’ (NB. a term coined by British Grindcore band, Napalm Death). Tempos can reach a potent 300bpm, roughly double the ‘norm’. Studio production features a raw, lo‑fi approach to mixing. Conventional song structures generally include strong ideological themes such as opposition to organised religion, devil worship, the occult, paganism, Satanism and neo‑Nazism. Lyrics were delivered by gruff, guttural vocals. Black Metal’s origins date back to 1980s Speed Metal with Venom’s 2nd studio album, ‘Black Metal’ (1982), which gave the genre its name. Black Metal aesthetics strongly reflect its overtly ominous lyrics and darkly deviant ideology, lashings of corpse paint included as standard.
Black Metal is widely regarded as comprising two distinct ‘waves’. The first wave established the genre’s prototypical roots, derived from a wide range of early Extreme Metal styles, particularly Thrash Metal and Germany’s Teutonic Thrash Metal scene. Support for the first wave declined by the end of the 1980s due to the rising popularity of other genres such as Death Metal.
The second wave of Black Metal arose during the 1990s, epitomised by Norwegian Black Metal and originating from the major cities of Oslo and Bergen. This wave was characterised by a more progressive, repetitive, riff‑driven style, less structured compositions and powerful instrumental passages. As its popularity increased, Black Metal spread out from Scandinavia and became an international phenomenon. Rather than pushing existing boundaries, Black Metal asserted that there were no boundaries, leading to an ever increasing spiral of destructive, aberrant excess.
By the 1990s, Black Metal had become dangerous and notorious, associated with very real events such as arson attacks on Christian churches, brutality, self‑harm, suicide and murders, rather than the music. Such was the controversy, the Hollywood film, ‘Lords Of Chaos’ was released in 2018. The film was a historical biographical horror/drama portrayal of the Norwegian Black Metal scene of the early 1990s and specifically focussing on the band Mayhem. The film was based on the book, ‘Lords Of Chaos: The Bloody Rise Of The Satanic Metal Underground’ (1998) by Michael J. Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind.
Metal Trivia: The notoriety surrounding the Black Metal band Mayhem was immense. Swedish vocalist ‘Dead’ (Per Ohlin) committed suicide in 1991, aged 22 (his corpse was pictued on an unofficially released Mayhem album cover). Norwegian guitarist ‘Euronymous’ (Øystein Aarseth) was murdered at the age of 25 in 1993 by former bandmate and rival ‘Varg’ (Kristian Vikernes), who was sentenced to 21 years in prison in 1994 for murder and arson (released after 15 years in 2009). Varg continues to make music under the name Burzum.
Metal Trivia: The term Kvlt (an alternative spelling of cult), referring to Nordic or pagan culture, is used by Black Metal fans to prove their knowledge of the obscure and to mock others’ ignorance. Ironically, the term has been turned around by followers of other Metal genres to provoke fans of Black Metal. Now you know.
Related Genres: Satanic Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Black Ambient, Norwegian Black Metal, Industrial Black Metal, Black Doom, Post‑Black Metal, Blackgaze, Pagan Metal
Along with Black Metal, Death metal is another style of Extreme Metal whose influences derive from the raw sound and inflammatory style of early 1980’s Speed Metal and Thrash Metal. Death Metal features heavily distorted, commonly down‑tuned guitars playing fast, palm‑muted riffs and double‑bass drum ‘blast beat’ rhythms. Chromatic chord progressions and abrupt changes in volume, tempo and time signature are also common. Vocalists adopt stressed, guttural vocal styles such as growling, squealing and grunting, with lyrics that emphasise aggression, violence, anti‑religion, politics, philosophy, science fiction, environmentalism and (unsurprisingly) mortality and death.
The first Death Metal bands emerged in America during the mid‑1980s, closely followed by the UK. This period is often now referred to as Old School Death Metal (OSDM). The guitarist with the band Death, Chuck Schuldiner, became known as ‘The Godfather of Death Metal’. A specific offshoot of Death Metal based around the Tampa Bay area formed the discrete Florida Death Metal scene.
During the early 1990s, Swedish Death Metal came to the fore, based around the country’s major cities of Gothenburg and Stockholm. The Swedish Death Metal band Entombed released their debut studio album, ‘Left Hand Path’ (1990), which established Death Metal’s signature ‘buzzsaw’ guitar tone by using the BOSS HM‑2 Heavy Metal effect pedal (see CRAVE Guitars’ feature). Rarely has a music genre been defined by a single guitar stomp box. Another offshoot, Melodic Death Metal, employs a highly melodic (duh!) style relying on guitar harmonies and vocals, often overlapping in style with Doom Metal. Another Scandinavian country also jumped on the bandwagon with the Finnish Death Metal sub‑genre, which flourished by using off‑kilter rhythms, guttural vocals and doom‑laden lyrics.
Further offshoot sub‑genres also emerged throughout the 2000s and 2010s, including Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore. By the late 2010s, Death Metal bands went back to their roots and revived elements OSDM, including lo‑fi production, riff‑centric song writing, and resonant vocals.
Related Genres: Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Old School Death Metal, Swedish Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Deathcore, Industrial Death Metal, Finnish Death Metal, Florida Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal, Death ‘n’ Roll, Goregrind, Slam Death Metal, War Metal, Dissonant Death Metal, Death Doom Metal
Examples: Possessed, Tiamat, Death, Autopsy, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Immolation, Vader, Six Feet Under, Kataklysm, Dying Fetus, Nile, Amon Amarth, At the Gates, In Flames, Hypocrisy, Dark Tranquillity, Entombed, Grave, Unleashed, Dismember, Demigod, Amorphis, Arch Enemy, Soilwork, The Haunted, Carcass, Bolt Thrower, Carnifex, All Shall Perish, Necrophagist, Origin, Blood Incantation, Legion of the Damned, Children of Bodom, The Black Dahlia Murder
Emo (1987‑)
On first impression, one might think that Emo is an abbreviation for ‘emotional’. In fact, it stands for ‘Emotive Hardcore’, which originated in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1985 from the city’s Hardcore Punk scene, incorporating more melodic song writing, acoustic instrumentation, poetic lyrics, and highly expressive, passionate vocals. Since its inception, the genre has evolved substantially with a wide range of styles. The tortured soul of Emo is its heartfelt outpouring of emotion and sentiment. Emo artists attempt to build a strong emotional connection with their followers. Often seen as a subculture as well as a musical genre, Emo’s lifestyle influence extends to fashion, culture, and deeply felt introspective mind‑set. While the uninitiated may perceive Emo and Gothic as interchangeable, they are separate genres and subcultures, each vehemently defending their own territory and identity. Emo did however influence Gothic Rock/Metal and vice versa.
For a while in the early days, Emo was also known as Emocore, as a way of differentiating it from Hardcore Punk. Emo uses slower tempos with melodic lyrics that were more personal, thoughtful, allegorical and elegiac than its counterparts. Over time, the ‘core’ was dropped and there became a distinct split between old school Emo/Screamo and ‘modern’ Emo‑Pop.
Related Genres: Hardcore Punk, Screamo, Emo‑Pop, Emo‑Rap, Gothic Rock, Pop Punk, Alternative Rock
Examples: My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte, Alkaline Trio, All Time Low, Black Veil Brides, Bring Me the Horizon, Cute Is What we Aim For, Dashboard Confessional, Death Cab for Cutie, Embrace, Fall Out Boy, Funeral for a Friend, From Autumn to Ashes, HelloGoodbye, Jimmy Eat World, Lostprophets, Panic! At the Disco, Paramore, Pierce the Veil, The Promise Ring, Sum 41, Taking Back Sunday, Thursday, The Used
Funk Metal (1987‑2006)
Funk metal is a heavier take on Funk Rock born in the mid‑late‑1980s rising out of the Alternative Rock and Alternative Metal genre. It takes the complex dance rhythms of Funk and fuses it with a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal style. With heavy guitar riffs and strident guitar solos, the genre focuses on prominent funky slap‑style basslines and groovy drum rhythms. While Funk Metal blends Funk and Metal (duh!), it also includes other influences that were very un‑metal, such as Hip Hop, Punk and even Ska Revival. The focus of Funk Metal lyrics is diverse, ranging from decadent hedonistic celebrations to barbed political criticism.
The popularity of Funk Metal grew significantly in popularity by the turn of the 1990s, attracting a great deal of exposure on MTV playlists. A lot of artists from other genres experimented, crossed over or dabbled with Funk Metal, seeing it as the ‘in thing’. However, all good things come to an end and Funk metal saw a decline in popularity as Grunge, Alternative Rock and Pop Rock took firm hold of consumers’ precious lucre. It wasn’t all bad news, Funk Metal would go on to adapt and influence the emergence and development of Nu Metal and Rap Metal.
Related Genres: Funk, Alternative Metal, Rap Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Hip Hop, Punk, Ska Revival, Grunge, Nu Metal, Alternative Metal
Examples: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bad Brains, Living Colour, Jane’s Addiction, Primus, Rage Against the Machine, Faith No More, Incubus, Extreme, Mordred
Grindcore (1987‑)
Grindcore was a sub‑genre of Extreme Metal and Hardcore Punk that emerged in the mid‑1980s. Grindcore features a highly aggressive and chaotic sound, such as intense sixteenth‑note ‘blast beat’ and ‘skank’ drum patterns, down‑tuned guitars alternating between tremolo‑picked power chords and groovier down‑picked techniques. Vocal styles ranged from shouts, barks and growls to grating screams and howled shrieks. Grindcore is known for its brutally short song structures, dubbed ‘microsongs’, where tracks regularly last for less than a minute.
Metal Trivia: English Grindcore band, Napalm Death holds the world record for the shortest song ever recorded with their track ‘You Suffer’ from their debut album, Scum (1987). The song is precisely just 1.316 seconds long.
Grindcore lyrics feature defiant and coarse language delivered with attitude and themes including anti‑establishment, anti‑religion, slasher‑inspired horror films and gratuitous sexual behaviour. While being fairly niche in Metal terms, Grindcore has influenced many related sub‑genres (often incorporating the word ‘grind’).
Related Genres: Hardcore Punk, Coregrind, Noisegrind, Deathgrind, Electrogrind, Goregrind, Pornogrind
Grunge, a.k.a. ‘the Seattle Sound’ arose from Washington State in the American Pacific North West. Grunge emerged primarily in the city of Seattle during the mid‑1980s and was closely associated with Alternative Rock. Grunge is generally characterised by moderate tempos, combining the anarchic energy of Punk Rock with the heavier guitar sounds of Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Classic Rock. Grunge’s mixture of many different styles and influences makes its status as a discrete genre in its own right subject to some debate. However, a shared dingy, dirty, messy sound and lifestyle aesthetic generally unites bands and fans under the ‘Grunge’ umbrella… at least to begin with. Grunge lyrics are noted for their anxiety‑induced themes, including troubled relationships, mental health struggles, drug addiction and social (in)justice. Lyrics were often delivered with a distinctively brash, angry, ‘raspy’ vocal style.
While Grunge was an underground genre from the outset, with music released on small, independent labels like Sub‑Pop Records, it wouldn’t stay that way for long, as it gradually rose in popularity towards the end of the 1980s. Grunge would burst into the mainstream, with the landmark commercial success of two studio albums, ‘Nevermind’ by Nirvana and ‘Ten’ by Pearl Jam (both 1991). Grunge symbolised a major cultural shift and reflected the melancholic, angst, isolation and alienation felt by many young people at the time. However, pure Grunge didn’t last long and it declined rapidly after the death of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain on 5th April 1994 at the age of 27 – forever immortalised as a member of the infamous ’27 Club’.
“I was looking for something a lot heavier, yet melodic at the same time. Something different from heavy metal, a different attitude” – Kurt Cobain (Nirvana, 1967‑1994)
Related Genres: Alternative Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Classic Rock, Post‑Grunge
Examples: Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Tad, Screaming Trees, Melvins, Green River, Skin Yard, Alice in Chains, Mother Love Bone, Stone Temple Pilots, Foo Fighters
Industrial Metal (1988‑)
Industrial Metal is a niche genre that fuses Heavy Metal and Noise Rock with elements from Industrial Rock and Post‑Industrial music. In addition to traditional Metal instrumentation, Industrial Metal adds electronic instruments such as synthesizers, samplers and sometimes drum machines. The distorted down‑tuned repetitive guitar riffs and dissonant noises give the genre a highly mechanical sounding quality. Other common characteristics include distorted vocals and a heavier, discordant abrasive sound.
The prominent influence of Industrial Metal generated popular sub‑genres through the 1990s such as Cyber Metal and Neue Deutsche Härte (New German Hardness) which, in turn, influenced many other Extreme Metal artists.
Related Genres: Industrial Rock, Post‑Industrial, Cyber Metal, Neue Deutsche Härte, Teutonic Thrash Metal, Industrial Black Metal, Industrial Death Metal, Electro‑Industrial, Dungeon Synth, Dark Wave
Examples: Ministry, White Zombie, Godflesh, Nine Inch Nails, Fear Factory, Throbbing Gristle, Strapping Young Lad, Orgy, Static‑X, Rammstein, Blut Aus Nord, The Kovenant, Stabbing Westward, ohGr, Skinny Puppy, Mortiis
Sludge Metal (1989‑)
Sludge Metal is a genre of Metal that emerged in the early‑mid 1990s combining the slow, dark instrumentals and atmosphere of Doom Metal with the aggressive, harsh vocals reminiscent of Hardcore Punk. The word ‘sludge’ gives a sense of the sluggish, grubby atmosphere of the genre. Sludge Metal makes extensive use of guitar feedback, slow groovy distorted guitar riffs, and angry pained vocals. It is also common for Sludge Metal tracks to engage in occasional fast passages and technicality normally attributed to Hardcore. Lyrics borrow both from the angry social and political commentary of Punk and from the sad and melancholic themes of Doom Metal. This merging of styles results in frustrated and embittered messages, often directed either at society or, in a quirk of ironic self‑awareness, at itself.
Many Sludge Metal artists have attempted to experiment with a fusion of Doom Metal and Punk Rock. This includes Progressive Metal, Grindcore, and Crust Punk, among many others. A large number of bands combined the severe qualities of Sludge Metal with the psychedelic aspects and repetitive riffs of Stoner Metal and Heavy Psych.
Many artists have also fused elements of Sludge Metal with textures and stylings of other atmospheric genres like Post‑Rock, giving rise to Post‑Metal and Atmospheric Sludge Metal, so there are extensive genre crossovers muddying (sic!) the waters. Sludge Metal is also considered to be a major influence on other modern Extreme Metal genres.
Related Genres: Punk Rock, Hardcore Punk, Stoner Metal, Stoner Sludge, Atmospheric Sludge Metal, Progressive Metal, Grindcore, Crust Punk, Doom Metal, Powerviolence, Heavy Psych, Stoner Metal
Examples: Melvins, Black Flag, Sleep, Flipper, Neurosis, Acid Bath, Grief, early Mastodon, Dystopia, Godflesh, Cult of Luna, Bongzilla, Boris, Crowbar, Eyehategod, ISIS, Amenra, Rosetta
Doom Metal (1989‑)
The roots of Doom Metal are considered to have been planted in the early 1970s Traditional Heavy Metal and particularly early Black Sabbath. During the 1970s and most of the 1980s Doom wasn’t fully developed, although many observers now refer to this transitional period as ‘Traditional Doom Metal’. By the late 1980s, European artists had adopted the ‘Doom’ sound as a discrete genre. Doom Metal remained the standard until the early 1990s, when newcomers began to experiment in combining Doom Metal with several other Metal sub‑genres. Doom Metal has proven to be one of the most enduring and recognisable Metal genres, maintaining a relatively small but devoted fan base in many countries.
Wallowing in tension, despair and dread, Doom Metal emphasises an overbearing atmosphere more than many of Metal’s other primary sub‑genres. Doom Metal uses ponderous tempos, repeated chords, and dense, down‑tuned distorted guitars and basses intended to immerse the listener in a wash of desperate foreboding on tracks that commonly exceed the ten minute mark. Instruments generally retain the standard guitar, bass, and drums format, although it is not unusual to add keyboards to help create an ominous layer of atmosphere. Doom Metal stage decoration is usually dark, making good use of occult and Gothic aesthetics.
Doom Metal vocals can be in any of the predominant Metal styles, but all share a determined attempt to evoke a sense of emotional hopeless desperation, sadness and mental anguish. This is further augmented by lyrical themes of grief, depression, fear, resentment, and suffering that are all hallmarks of the genre.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Traditional Doom, Epic Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, Melodic Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal
Examples: Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Trouble, Candlemass, Cathedral, Witchfinder General, Solitude Aeturnus, Sleep, Kyuss, My Dying Bride, Electric Wizard, Paradise Lost, Katatonia, Type O Negative, Chelsea Wolfe, Goblin Cock, Esoteric, Shape of Despair, Bell Witch, Ahab, Evoken, Pallbearer
Metal Era #4 – The Nu Nineties: 1990‑1999
Metalcore (1990‑)
Metalcore is a relatively niche sub‑genre that combines elements of Hardcore Punk and Heavy Metal that began to take shape during the early 1990s. It features distorted, down‑tuned guitars, intense drumming using double bass drum techniques and varying tempos. Vocals are often delivered in a harsh screaming and shouting style. Later bands have incorporated clean sonorous vocals to contrast with the heavier elements of the songs. A distinctive feature of Metalcore is the use of breakdown passages, which emphasise a tight, percussive style rather than a focus on harmony and melody. The breakdown sections often feature half‑time tempos, with cymbal patterns and the snare drum on the third beat of the bar (reminiscent of reggae’s ‘one drop’ technique). Guitarists play slow ‘chugs’ in rhythm with the bass drum beats. Metalcore led to offshoot sub‑genres such as Melodic Metalcore.
Related Genres: Heavy Metal, Hardcore Punk, Melodic Metalcore, Electronicore, Nu Metalcore, Progressive Metalcore
Examples: Corrosion of Conformity, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, Suicidal Tendencies, Stormtroopers of Death, Cro‑Mags, Biohazard, Machine Head, Earth Crisis, Hatebreed, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Atreyu, Eighteen Visions, Converge, Architects, Bring Me The Horizon, Caliban
Gothic Metal (1990‑)
Gothic Metal is a genre derived directly from Gothic Rock in the UK in the early 1990s, retaining much of its predecessor’s Goth aesthetic and lifestyle subculture, and complementing them with heavier, more intense Metal sensibilities. Typical characteristics of the Gothic Metal sound include synthesisers and substantial use of guitar chorus, reverb and echo effects. Gothic Metal steers clear of some of Gothic Rock’s lighter, more commercial elements and tends to be heavier and slower than Goth Rock, featuring sombre, gloomy atmospherics with layered synth soundscapes and drone/dirge sequences. Vocals cover a wide range of styles, often plaintive, melodic or even spoken. Gothic Metal, like Gothic Rock, has remained popular with a dedicated core following.
Related Genres: Gothic Rock, Post‑Punk, Death Rock, Ethereal Wave, Progressive Gothic Metal, Dark Wave
Examples: Type O Negative, My Dying Bride, Fields of the Nephilim, Therion, The Gathering, Anathema, Katatonia, Theatre of Tragedy, Within Temptation, HIM, Lacuna Coil, Leaves’ Eyes, Danzig, Draconian, Paradise Lost, Witchbreed, Tristania, Moonspell
Post‑Grunge (1994‑2009)
Post‑Grunge is a direct derivative of Grunge (duh!) that takes the latter’s distorted guitar and grimy aesthetic fused with a more streamlined, groove‑based approach, often adopting a more refined sound compared to the harsh underground characteristics that shaped early Grunge. Post‑Grunge features a mellower, more melodic sound and more conventional song structures and arrangements when compared with its predecessor, though Grunge’s slow‑medium tempo remained. Both Grunge and Post‑Grunge (and much of Indie Rock) genres are known for the ‘yarling’ vocal style (NB. ‘yarling’ is a melodramatic deep, guttural vocal style with precise pronunciation). The combination of acoustic and electric guitars is particularly common in Post‑Grunge ballads. Post‑Grunge lyrics frequently dealt with mental health issues and included featured themes of fear, anxiety, melancholy and insecurity.
Emerging in conjunction with the decline of Grunge, Post‑Grunge’s early style rapidly became an indispensable feature of American commercial rock radio. Post Grunge attracted the disparaging name, ‘Butt Rock’ (NB. meaning lyrically devoid of artistic merit and reduced melodic complexity). A second wave of Post‑Grunge bands continued the genre’s popularity, though some well‑known bands began to attract a great deal of negative criticism, as bands veered more towards Hard Rock and further away from Metal. Post‑Grunge experienced a steep decline during the 2010s, as Rock generally became less popular and Indie Rock rose to prominence.
Related Genres: Grunge, Pop Rock, Arena Rock, Hard Rock
Examples: Stone Temple Pilots, Candlebox, Bush, Silverchair, Nickelback, Creed, Godsmack, Pearl Jam, Live, Foo Fighters, Staind, Candlebox, Everclear, Puddle of Mudd
Rap Metal (1992‑2006)
Rap metal is a form of Alternative Metal that features rapped Hip Hop‑style vocals. As a heavier and more aggressive offshoot of Rap Rock, Rap Metal tended to feature a greater proportion of aggressive Hip Hop electronic percussive beats incorporating Turntablism and ‘scratching’, and lesser emphasis on the highly technical shred guitar playing of other Metal genres. Lyrics also tended to draw themes from Hip Hop music, focusing on social consciousness, misanthropy, crime, gang culture, hedonism, sedition, anti‑authoritarianism and politics.
Rap Metal’s roots date back to the late 1980s when Hardcore Hip Hop groups ironically sampled Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, and Hip Hop artists collaborated with established Metal bands (e.g. Run‑DMC and Aerosmith). Rap Metal became highly popular with MTV audiences. Rap metal’s success closely paralleled that of Alternative Rock with key bands mixing Metal with Hip Hop rising to significance.
Rap metal experienced its peak in the late 1990s heavily influencing Nu Metal’s use of down‑tuned distorted guitar riffs and percussive syncopation. Along with Alternative Metal and Nu Metal, Rap Metal fell out of popularity by the 2000s, though it continued to inspire future crossovers and cross‑fertilisations between Metal and Hip Hop.
Related Genres: Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop, Rap Rock, Funk Metal, Nu Metal, Turntablism, Trap Metal
Examples: Rage Against the Machine, Skindred, Senser, Biohazard, Die Antwoord, Crazy Town, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Ice‑T, Run‑DMC, Public Enemy
Nu Metal (1994‑2000)
Nu Metal seemed to appear from nowhere in the late 1990s. Many of the elements that made Rap Metal popular where piled on in spades by Nu Metal artists, drawing a degree of satirical criticism in the process. Nu Metal arrangements included keyboards, turntable ‘scratching’ and Hip Hop‑style rapping. Early Nu Metal came from Metal bands collaborating with established Hip Hop artists. Nu Metal also influenced Groove Metal and Hard Rock.
The calamitous Woodstock ‘99 outdoor music festival held at Griffiss Air Force Base in New York State was tainted by difficult conditions, extortionate food prices, insufficient water supply, poor sanitation, substance abuse, sexual harassment, sexual violence, rape, rioting, looting, vandalism, arson and several deaths. This notoriety – far from the 1969 Festival’s air of peace & love 30 years earlier – directly impacted the careers of many of the Thrash Metal, Post‑Grunge, Hip Hop, Rap Metal and Nu Metal artists that appeared on the festival line up. In particular, Nu Metal’s popularity declined significantly overnight.
Related Genres: Thrash Metal, Rap Metal, Hip Hop, Groove Metal, Big Beat, Electropunk
Examples: Korn, Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Papa Roach, System of a Down, Kittie, Disturbed, Biohazard, Slipknot, Godsmack, Public Enemy, Faith No More, Otep
Groove Metal (1992‑)
Groove metal, a.k.a. Post‑Thrash, is a genre heavily influenced by Thrash Metal and Hardcore Punk that dates back to the early 1990s. The style is similar to Thrash Metal, but with distorted down‑tuned guitars and a tendency to focus more on syncopated rhythms and heaviness instead of speed. The focus on creating an infectious ‘groove’ gave the genre its descriptive name. Vocals typically consist of screaming, growling or guttural singing.
Groove Metal emerged in the early 1990s with key albums like Pantera’s 5th and 6th studio albums, ‘Cowboys From Hell’ (1990) and, ‘Vulgar Display of Power’ (1992), both of which helped to raise the band’s profile and cement their Groove Metal status. As a direct result of Pantera’s popularity, many Groove Metal bands quickly appeared on the scene hoping to imitate success. Some Thrash Metal bands also experimented with, and crossed over into, Groove Metal during the 1990s to give them an edge. With the start of the new millennium, a new wave of Groove Metal bands emerged, intending to keep the genre fresh and relevant.
Related Genres: Thrash Metal, Hardcore Punk, Nu Metal
Examples: Pantera, Anthrax, Lamb of God, Machine Head, Sepultura, Fear Factory, Skinlab, Prong, White Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Hellyeah, Demolition Hammer, Exodus, Exhorder, DevilDriver
Dark Ambient (1993‑)
Another seemingly unlikely fusing of contrasting genres. Dark ambient springs from an earlier form called Ambient Industrial in the 1980s until it was established as a separate sub‑genre in 1993. Dark Ambient’s evolution paralleled the popularity of Ambient Electronica and Ambient Dub genres. While Metal and Ambient seem to make for unlikely bedfellows, the post‑industrial drone and gloomy soundscapes were shaped by Ambient’s (lack of) structural composition, allied to Metal’s ominous and melodramatic overtones. The resulting slow, dark and menacing ambient soundscapes were intended to alienate and isolate the listener with disturbing dissonant tones and textures. While clearly not mainstream Metal, Dark Ambient has proved influential in some areas of the genre including, particularly, the emergence of Blackgaze.
Related Genres: Ambient, Industrial Metal, Ambient Industrial, Industrial Rock, Post‑Industrial, Noise Rock, Blackgaze
Examples: Deafheaven, Agalloch, Aphex Twin, Daniel Avery, Coil, William Basinski, Blut Aus Nord, Cabaret Voltaire, Ben Chatwin, Deathprod, Esoteric, Robert Fripp, Tim Hecker, David Lynch, Mortiis, Phil Niblock, Nine Inch Nails/Trent Reznor, NON, Burzum
Folk Metal (1994‑)
Folk Metal is a sub‑genre of Metal music that developed primarily in Europe throughout the early‑mid 1990s. As the name suggests, the music itself is a fusion of Traditional Folk Music with Metal, usually with prominent use of acoustic folk instruments such as the flute, acoustic guitar, violin, accordion, and various others. However, while retaining Folk’s musical inclinations, some bands excluded instruments usually associated with folk music, replacing traditional sounds with synthesisers. Lyrics are commonly related to Folk‑related themes such as nature, legends and mythology, paganism, new age philosophy, heroism, quests, community traditions and fantasy.
The first Folk Metal artists began to appear around 1990 and began to gain popularity throughout the decade. Since the genre’s origination, several regional styles of Folk Metal have arisen, including Celtic Metal, Viking Metal and Pirate Metal. In addition to geographical variations, Folk Metal is often integrated with other, more notable Metal genres.
Related Genres: Traditional Folk Music, Folk Rock, Viking Metal, Celtic Metal, Pirate Metal, Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, Power Metal
Examples: Primordial, Moonsorrow, Finntroll, Skyclad, Blackmore’s Night, Nokturnal Mortum, Turisas, Elvenking, Cruachan, Mägo de Oz, In Extremo, Subway to Sally, Agalloch, Korpiklaani, Amon Amarth, Alestorm
Symphonic Metal (1995‑)
Symphonic Metal is a sub‑genre of Metal that features elements of symphonic and classical orchestral music. In a similar vein to more conventional Symphonic Rock bands, Symphonic Metal artists frequently make use of choirs, orchestras, chamber music, strings or synthesisers to reproduce neo‑classical elements within a deliberate Metal setting. Symphonic Metal often employs female operatic‑style singing, as well as male growling vocals.
In the mid‑1990s, Swedish Death Metal band Therion (formerly Blitzkrieg) became one of the first Metal artists to switch to the Symphonic Metal sound by extensively incorporating orchestral and classical compositional techniques. European Symphonic Metal artists soon attained relative commercial success. A Black Metal version of the genre, known as Symphonic Black Metal, also developed simultaneously in the mid‑1990s.
Related Genres: Symphonic Black Metal, Symphonic Rock, Symphonic Death Metal, Gothic Metal, Neo‑Classical Metal, Power Metal
Examples: Celtic Frost, Therion, Nightwish, Epica, Dark Sarah, Within Temptation, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Avantasia, Rhapsody of Fire, Septicflesh, Apocalyptica
Metal Era #5 – Millennium Metal: 2000‑
New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM) (2000‑)
The New Wave of American Heavy Metal also known as New Wave of American Metal, is a Heavy Metal genre that originated in the United States (duh!) during the early‑mid 1990s and expanded rapidly in the early to mid‑2000s. Some of the bands considered to be part of the movement had formed as early as the late 1980s but did not become influential or reach commercial popularity until the following decades. The term itself borrows from NWOBHM, also focusing on location and time period, rather than a distinctive sound. The term NWOAHM was reportedly coined in 2001 by Mark Hunter, vocalist of the American band Chimaira.
Related Genres: NWOBHM, Alternative Metal, Groove Metal, Industrial Metal, Nu Metal, Metalcore
Examples: Shadows Fall, Lamb of God, God Forbid, Darkest Hour, Killswitch Engage, Unearth, Chimaira, As I Lay Dying, Trivium, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
Blackgaze (2005‑)
Blackgaze is one of the more recent Metal trends emerging since the start of the new millennium. Blackgaze seemingly represents another incongruous fusion between the harsh and aggressive sound of Norwegian Black Metal and the more introspective, atmospheric and melodic nature of British Shoegaze and Post‑Rock. Arguably, it might have resulted from Black Metal wanting to migrate from the exile of Extreme Metal into a more commercially acceptable mainstream. Alternatively, it has been suggested that it is a deliberate move to create something different by retaining the pagan and occult foundations of Black Metal while rejecting the offensive Neo‑Nazi leanings. Whether Blackgaze, as an engineered musical crossover, is a temporary niche fad or a serious attempt for discrete genre longevity has yet to be determined, although it has already been around for nearly two decades. Perhaps Blackgaze represents a quest to refresh and rejuvenate existing styles in a new and exciting way to attract a broader audience.
Related Genres: Black Metal, Shoegaze, Post‑Rock, Atmospheric Black Metal, Post Hardcore, Ambient Metal, Dark Ambient
Examples: Alcest, Møl, Agalloch, Deafheaven, Silvayne, Wolves in the Throne Room, Amesoeurs, Harakiri for the Sky, An Autumn for Crippled Children, Exclaim!
Djent (2008‑)
Djent (pronounced ‘jent’) is possibly the most recent primary sub‑genre of Metal at the time of writing, emerging from Sweden, the UK and America in the late 2000s. Djent is sometimes referred to as Math Metal, suggesting its roots lay in Mathcore and Metalcore. Djent is a style of Progressive Metal with syncopated rhythmic structures, angular melodies, and dissonant chords. The distinctive Djent guitar sound is often colloquially referred to as ‘chugga chugga’ and makes use of the same ‘buzzsaw’ BOSS HM‑2 Heavy Metal effect pedal so beloved by Death Metal bands. Typical traits of Djent include groovy polyrhythms (often 4/3 time signature), cycling patterns of varying length with more unusual and complex time signatures, a sporadic and relatively sparse use of snare drum, crash cymbals, and repetitive heavily distorted psychedelic‑style guitar riffs, to create a frenzied, chaotic atmosphere.
Related Genres: Progressive Metal, Alternative Metal, Death Metal, Math Rock, Mathcore, Metalcore
Examples: Meshuggah, Periphery, TesseracT, Animals as Leaders, Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, After The Burial, Vildhjara, A Life Once Lost, Monuments
Final thoughts on Metal
Right, that’s it, in a pretty large nutshell. This has been a long article but it still only scratches the tip of the iceberg (regular readers will know that I like mixing metaphors!). It feels like I’ve done justice to what’s here while recognising that there is no way I could do justice to Metal as a whole. That would take an encyclopaedic tome and it is way beyond my area of expertise to accomplish.
Strangely for such a diverse and relatively youthful top‑tier genre, there hasn’t been much in the way of Metal genre innovation, development and evolution since c.2010. Most of the advancement has been around consolidating, reviving, rejuvenating, extending and expanding existing genres. That can’t be said for the bands or the music, only for the categories within which the bands and music ‘fit’. It will be interesting to see what direction(s) Metal might take for its next genetic mutation, whenever that may happen.
“The Force is strong with this one” – Darth Vader (from Star Wars IV: A New Hope, 1977)
A quick shout out to some independent Metal record labels that work hard outside the major studio system to bring Metal to consumers. Some of these labels include Nuclear Blast, Earache Records, Napalm Records, Noise Records, Sub Pop Records and Roadrunner Records, among many others. A large number of successful independent labels have routinely been swallowed up by the big corporate music businesses wanting to capture popular niches without having to build credibility and start from scratch.
Whether we like it or not, social diversity in Metal remains an issue. Inequality lies not necessarily with the audience or consumers but with the artists, which tend to remain stubbornly in the province of straight white males. Other than bands like Halestorm, Vixen, Burning Witches, Otep, Epica, Babymetal, Lovebites, Dark Sarah, Leaves’ Eyes, Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Draconian and Evanescence, females are woefully underrepresented. Non‑white ethnicity of Metal artists also remain resolutely few and far between, bar bands like Living Colour, Sepultura, Alice in Chains, System of a Down, DragonForce and Skindred. Rob Halford, vocalist of Judas Priest became one of the first and most prominent openly gay Metal artist, helping to pave the way for greater openness regarding sexual orientation. There is, however, clearly still more to be done to level the playing field.
While writing this article, I was quite surprised at the number of artists listed that are part of my CD collection/iTunes library, with only a few omissions around the margins. There is also a surprisingly large number of Metal artists that I have on CD/iTunes that haven’t been mentioned here (e.g. Last House on the Left, 36 Crazyfists, The City Burns, Within the Ruins, Burning Skies, Iommi, Damageplan and Cave In). Writing the article has given me a very good reason to revisit many of the great Metal albums out there, as well as to check out new (to me) Metal artists. This venture has also spurred me onto new discoveries to add to my diverse, and sometimes guilty, listening pleasures.
Albums are one thing. Experiencing live music is another. There really is no substitute for seeing Metal played live, whether it’s in a local pub, a live music venue, a stadium arena, or a fully‑fledged open‑air festival. In the UK, annual Metal festivals include Download (which superseded the now‑defunct Monsters of Rock) and Bloodstock. In Germany, there is Wacken, while in France, there is Hellfest. Last but not least, there are Aftershock, Louder Than Life and Rockville in the US. These are just a few; there are numerous Metal Festivals in most countries around the globe if one is motivated to look for them. Keep Music Live.
Some of the most impressive and entertaining concerts the author has attended over the years have been Metal gigs, including German Industrial Metal band, Rammstein in 2022. Another great experience was seeing Black Sabbath’s penultimate gig of their ‘The End’ tour in 2017, concluding their long career (41 years after I first saw them play live). I also saw Metallica in 2009 and again headlining at Glastonbury Festival in 2014 (NB. the first Metal band to do so).
Rammstein Live 30-6-2022Black Sabbath Live – The End 31-1-2017Metallica Live – Glastonbury 28-6-14
Demonstrating that times have indeed changed, there is a growing acceptance of the global cultural importance of Metal. The Mongolian Heavy Metal band The HU (NB. Hu is the root of the word ‘human being’ in the Mongolian language) was named as a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2022. The Hu’s music addresses the themes of gender equality, respect for difference and the importance of protecting nature.
A Metal gear plug
No, not the prongy thingy that you insert into a wall socket for electrical power. Rather a bit of shameless, flagrant self‑promotion. Why not take a browse around CRAVE (Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric) Guitars’ web site for some Metal‑minded matters?
Possibly my favourite vintage guitar is the Gibson Explorer, which is an ideal axe for heavier types of Rock, such as Metal. The Explorer’s ‘Dirty Fingers’ humbucking pickups featured on all CRAVE’s Explorers are absolutely superb. Explorers are great guitars to play and sound great. That’s probably why CRAVE Guitars has five of them, ranging from 1979 to 1983. The Gibson Flying V is another Metal favourite, although I find them unwieldy in comparison. Then there is the Gibson SG, complete with its own ‘devil horns’. Interestingly, while the Gibson Les Paul is commonly used for hard rock, it doesn’t seem to be as favoured by Metal guitarists.
1984 Gibson Explorer Designer Series ‘Union Jack’1984 Gibson Flying V Designer Series1968 Gibson SG Standard
Most Fender guitars aren’t really suited to Metal and don’t tend to appear often in the hands of Metal guitarists, bar a few notable exceptions such as Iron Maiden and John 5. Fender, however, did inspire the slinky ‘Super Strats’ favoured by a large number of shred Metal guitarists from the 1980s onward.
Guitar Brands such as Jackson, Charvel, Ibanez, ESP/LTD, EVH, Schecter, BC Rich, Dean and latterly PRS are more likely to be seen on TV and Metal stages in the 21st Century. PRS in particular were associated with Nu‑Metal guitarists in the 1990s. Many modern shred‑style guitars use the popular and specialised EMG active pickups and Floyd Rose vibrato systems.
Fender Precision bass guitars with their solid, percussive fundamentals are well suited to Metal, as are basses from the likes of Music Man, Ibanez, Warwick, Lakland, Schecter, Rickenbacker and ESP/LTD.
As far as CRAVE Effects goes, there are some interesting metal‑oriented stomp boxes including the aforementioned legendary 1980s BOSS HM‑2 Heavy Metal. There is an original 1960s Dallas‑Arbiter Fuzz Face (think, Hendrix) and vintage Tone Benders from Sola Sound and Colorsound, an early English Marshall The Guv’nor and a filthy ProCo Rat. Then, from Japan, there are also the OTT Ibanez SD9 Sonic Distortion and SM9 Super Metal effects to really push an amp’s front end as well as the obligatory Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer. Then there is my all‑time favourite, the Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff π fuzz pedal from 1977.
1985 BOSS HM-2 Heavy Metal
CRAVE Amps are generally clean American low gain affairs (but great as a platform for pedals). There are plenty of high gain amps out there ideally suited for creating Metal mayhem, including Marshall, Peavey, Orange, Mesa Engineering, Friedman, Diezel, EVH Gear, PRS, Engel, Hiwatt, Hughes & Kettner, Bogner, Randall, BOSS and Soldano.
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’
For this article, there really can only be one logical choice. I mentioned at the top of this article that there was an identifiable moment that the Antichrist of Heavy Metal was born. While the Devil’s spawn may have been conceived earlier, there was nothing like it before and rock music changed forever after.
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970) – Wow! What an entrance from four ordinary lads from Birmingham, England; Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drummer). From the now‑iconic, gothic and clearly occult‑ish cover to the dark and ominous musical content, this was one of those milestone studio albums that literally changed the musical zeitgeist. It isn’t the polished, glossily produced, technically proficient album of much 21st Century Metal but back in 1970 it hit hard and, more importantly, it brims with raw passion and emotion. Who knows what would have happened had it not been for Black Sabbath’s savage seven tracks spanning a mere 38 minutes. If it was released today, it probably wouldn’t make much of an impression. However, the ground‑breaking debut has stood the test of time over the last 54 years and will likely continue to impress open‑minded metalheads for the next 54.
So shocking to the conservative majority was this album’s release that it was received with hysterical claims of sinister satanic worship, panic‑stricken proclamations of occult practices and dire warnings of the adverse effect on disillusioned uneducated youths looking for an alternative way to express their suppressed inner angst. Media histrionics added fuel to the frantic fire and headlines’ disproportionate doom mongering perversely helped to cement Black Sabbath’s dark and broody reputation. That is irony. One wonders what those same critics would have made of today’s Extreme Metal. Thankfully, most of us now know much better. I think we can all agree that the real world dangers of today are far, far scarier.
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970)
[Image: Black Sabbath ‑ Black Sabbath (1970)]
While many fans might cite, ‘Paranoid’ (also 1970) as being the archetypal Sabbath studio album, particularly given the band’s signature title track, it remains a sophomore release that builds on and reinforces their stunning debut. Together, the two albums made 1970 a pivotal year for Rock and vital for the emergence and enduring popularity of Heavy Metal.
“As long as there are kids who are pissed off and have no real way in venting out that anger, heavy metal will live on” – Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath, 1948‑)
Tailpiece
That’s it for this Magnificent Metal Masterpiece (conceited gratuitous alliteration as usual). I trust that it has been an interesting excursion into the heavier and darker side of modern music. I hope that newcomers to Metal found something worth extra exploration (there is plenty of further reading on the hinterwebby thingummy) and I hope readers already familiar with Metal found something enjoyable hidden in the deep dark depths of the discourse.
As a guitarist, the author has dabbled with Metal on and off over the years, although my leanings were more towards Psychedelic/Space Rock/Stoner Rock/Metal. Unfortunately, my limited abilities, poor technical skill and a complete lack of playing speed mean that I never felt confident trying to master it.
Time for a worthy acknowledgement. My son is a long-time confirmed metalhead and I sought his input when writing this article. Many thanks to him for his valuable insights and suggestions. The outcome is much better for it.
A quick, unrelated postscript. Apologies to recent visitors to the CRAVE Guitars website. There is a technical issue with the site’s theme and it is causing problems with both downtime and poor presentation of images. Hopefully, things should be resolved soon. It annoys me as much as it does everyone else.
Next month, we’ll be looking at… erm… err… I have absolutely no idea. One thing is for sure, though, it will be different, again. Watch for this cavernous space to be suitably filled in due course.
Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “If only I could forget much of what I remember and remember some of what I forgot”
GREETINGS GREAT GUITAR people and welcome back to some ‘even more whazzup at CRAVE Guitars’, herein the third and final part of the triptych of guitar‑related ‘current affairs’ articles. You may be pleased to know that this one is a wee bit shorter than usual. You might well conclude that I pad out these monologues because I revel in writing voluble blurb for the sake of it. If there isn’t much to say, I won’t… or will I?
For the record, at the time of writing, current COVID‑19 statistics indicate that there are now over 25 million confirmed cases and 843,000 deaths recorded globally and still rising. These are scary and truly staggering statistics for a health pandemic during the modern era. Like every other responsible adult, CRAVE Guitars is not only weary of the enforced constraints of living through coronageddon but also aghast at the sheer arrogant stupidity of selfish covidiots who ignore the threat and risk prolonging the danger for the rest of us. GGggrrrr. Right, got that out of my system, now back to business.
While I cannot promise oodles of delightful entertainment, I can at least deliver on what I said that I would do two months ago which is to bring you all bang up‑to‑date with what else has been happening down here in the south west of the UK during 2020. As a rapid recap, the first slice of this recent 3-parter was to cover last year’s (2019) purchases in some detail, the second was to cover the on‑going vintage guitar repatriation project, and this third part is basically a ‘what’s new in at CRAVE Guitars’ in 2020 so far. So, getting right to the point, what shiny new old stuff has come CRAVE Guitars’ way?
New in at CRAVE Guitars in 2020, so far
Well, for starters, it has been a very quiet time for guitars recently. This is primarily because a) I’m trying futilely to save funds for the much‑vaunted but little‑actioned cellar conversion, and b) actually finding the 5 guitar Rs – the right instruments at the right time in the right place in the right condition at the right price. Then there is the COVID‑19 situation triggering the worst recession in living memory going on in the background, which is affecting the fundamental economics of supply and demand.
CRAVE Amps has been equally quiet but more eventful than last year. While there has been only one purchase, it is a doozy and one I’ve been after for a couple of years. Amps take up a lot of space and demand a lot of attention, as well as resources, so buying a whole bunch of them isn’t exactly a high‑priority large‑scale exercise.
It is CRAVE Effects where I’ve been most active this year; I’ve been a very busy boy (for me). Effect pedals have a number of advantages; they generally require less capital outlay per item (but not always!) and most take a lot less space to accommodate. There also seems to be a plethora of choice (unlike guitars at the moment). Under current circumstances, and with another deep economic downturn looming, effect pedals have proved less financially risky all round, which is a good thing as funds are very limited. Having said that, a couple of these pedals cost nearly as much (or more!) than an ‘affordable vintage’ guitar, so perhaps I need to have a rethink. Effect pedals also make a great complement to the guitars and amps and they can be great fun to amass. So… here is the shortlist of what has actually come this way in the last 8 months.
CRAVE Guitars (2)
1984 Gibson Flying V Designer Series
1979 Peavey T-60
CRAVE Amps (1)
1973 Fender Princeton Reverb
CRAVE Effects (11)
1986 BOSS DD‑2 Digital Delay
1984 BOSS DM‑3 Delay
1980 Electro‑Harmonix Bad Stone Phase Shifter
1981 Electro‑Harmonix EH4600 Small Clone Mini‑Chorus
1982 Ibanez CP9 Compressor/Limiter
1981 Ibanez PT‑909 Phase Tone
1978 MXR Analog Delay
1982 MXR Micro Flanger
1982 MXR Phase 100
1982 MXR Stereo Chorus
1976 Sola Sound Tone Bender Fuzz
Plus 3 replacements for existing pedals:
1982 BOSS DM-2 Delay
1975 MXR Phase 90
1980 MXR Dyna Comp (compressor)
The whys and wherefores
Just sharing a list of gear doesn’t give any sense about the rationale behind searching them out or how they fit into the overall CRAVE Guitars strategy. Although unforeseen opportunities cannot be ignored, there is generally some rhyme and reason to purchasing decisions. In order to give some insight to what the heck I’m doing, it’s worth a little bit of exposition in each case.
1984 Gibson Flying V Designer Series – Believe it or not, up to now I didn’t have a ‘normal’ Flying V. I was actually looking for a vintage Gibson Explorer E2 and got within a hair’s breadth of getting hold of a very nice example but sadly it proved ultimately unsuccessful. This was very disappointing, as it would have been a perfect partner for my groovy Flying V2. Anyway, I’d been holding off on a couple of other vintage guitars while looking into the E2, which were quite tempting. Then I came across this very nice example of a cool and rare all‑original Flying V Designer Series in pinstriped ivory. It was happily residing in restful retirement in sunny Florida, USA, so I took it upon myself to do a ‘Cocoon’ on it and transport it over to a chilly and soggy UK. Basically, I didn’t want to lose out on another guitar, so I bit the bullet and jumped in (darn that FOMO!). The exchange rate, customs duty, VAT and fees made it a highly unprofitable transaction but to heck with it. At least the relaxation in CITES regulations didn’t prevent the rosewood fingerboard from flying (sic!) my way. As it turned out, I think I was lucky to grab it when I did. Thankfully, I am not driven by monetary gain, as I’ll probably never get the full cost back, so I’ll just hang onto it and enjoy it, which is what CRAVE Guitars is all about. Original Flying Vs from the 1960s and now even the 1970s are getting incredibly expensive. I’m sure it won’t be long before the evil profit‑motivated collectorati get their heads around the up‑to‑now not very popular 1980s Flying Vs. Personally, I like them and that’s plenty good enough for me.
1984 Gibson Flying V Designer Series
1979 Peavey T-60 – I’d been interested in the Peavey T‑60 for a while, as it’s a bit of an underground underdog, which often piques my curiosity. The T‑60 was Peavey’s first venture into electric solid body guitars, so it really is the first of its kind. The people who have owned them tend to rave about them but they don’t tend to come anywhere near the top of the list for collectors (a good thing too, if you ask me). I thought I’d satisfy my inquisitiveness and try one out for myself. They are still relatively good value for a vintage guitar, especially when compared to the aforementioned Flying V for instance! The T‑60 is bit of a heavy beast at just under 10lbs (4.4kg), so that particular reputation is on the button but… remember that weight was seen as a ‘good thing’ at the time. It has very 1970s style with its slightly ungainly outline and natural ash finish. On close inspection, it is quite intriguing with its subtle carved top and now‑ever‑so‑trendy thin but tough satin finish. The T‑60’s electrics are unique in that the tone controls blend from single coil to humbucker, a feature that I think remains unique to this day. In addition, a small phase switch adds further flexibility when both pickups are in use, making the T‑60 a very versatile and underrated instrument. It may seem an odd choice for a CRAVE Guitar but, to me, it makes perfect sense – cool, rare, American, vintage and electric. Nuff said.
1979 Peavey T-60
1973 Fender Princeton Reverb – I have been using American valve amps for years and the Fender Princeton Reverb has been top of the ‘wanted’ list for a quite a while. I was fortunate enough to find one in the same county, so off I trundled just before the coronavirus lockdown and brought her home with me. It was just what I was after, a 1973 ‘silverface’ Princeton Reverb in fantastic condition. I am not wealthy or pedantic enough to aspire to a ‘blackface’ or ‘tweed’ Princeton, so this will do very nicely thank you. It is still hand‑wired and true to its origins. My vintage Fender Champ and Vibro Champ have been reliable little home workhorse amps and my Music Man 210 ‘sixty five’ can deliver big noise when needed but I was pining for some valve driven spring reverb in a small package and this is just the ticket. I had been using a BOSS RV‑2 Digital Reverb with the Champs but this brings all the basics together in one neat solution. It has been modified to a 240V UK mains power supply, a very practical mod, which is fine by me. I have to say that it sounds awesome for its diminutive size. The valve tremolo is not as pronounced as other Fender amps but apparently that is quite normal and I can live with it. I am now looking for a vintage ‘silverface’ Fender Deluxe Reverb to compare the Princeton’s 10” speaker with the Deluxe’s 12”. Is that getting greedy?
1973 Fender Princeton Reverb
1986 BOSS DD‑2 Digital Delay – You may already know that I am a huge fan of analogue solid state echo pedals. However, the limited delay time usually tops out at c.300ms and the tails can get a bit mushy. Sometimes, longer delays and crisp clarity are called for. The DD‑2 was Boss’ first digital pedal and the first compact digital delay. It is one of the few digital effects worth having that appeared before my vintage cut‑off year of 1989. Last year, I got hold of a 1980s BOSS RV‑2 Digital Reverb and they go well together, so here they are, now part of the CRAVE Effects family. If nothing else, it shows that I’m not a complete digital‑phobe.
1986 BOSS DD 2 Digital Delay
1984 BOSS DM‑3 Delay – Going back to analogue delays after my digital excursion (see above), the DM‑3 fits that bill. It is remarkably similar to the outgoing DM‑2. The internal circuit was tweaked to improve fidelity and reduce noise but there really isn’t that much between them. The only visible difference is the screen printing and the unique knobs used on this model. Other than that, it is business as usual and it does sound very similar to its predecessor. So, an interesting variation on the classic DM‑2. The DM‑3 was the last analogue delay pedal made by BOSS until they released the DM‑2 Waza Craft in the 2010s.
1984 BOSS DM 3 Delay
[Image: 1984 BOSS DM 3 Delay]
1980 Electro‑Harmonix Bad Stone Phase Shifter – The EHX Bad Stone was another pedal that I had back in the 1970s, so I have a soft spot for it. I had retained a Small Stone but the Bad Stone obviously ran away with a better guitarist than me. So, it was a case of reuniting with an old friend and feeling that comfort that comes with rose‑tinted familiarity. It sounds great, just like it did back in the day. All’s well that ends well. Good EHX Bad Stones are getting surprisingly expensive on the vintage effect market. Welcome home, mate.
1980 Electro Harmonix Bad Stone Phase Shifter
1981 Electro‑Harmonix EH4600 Small Clone Mini‑Chorus – Now here is another big‑time elite (a.k.a. expensive) classic pedal. I was never really into chorus pedals when I was younger, so this was a new one for me. I preferred my faithful trio of EHX pedals, the Big Muff Pi (fuzz), Electric Mistress (flanger) and Deluxe Memory Man (echo). The Small Clone didn’t really achieve reverential status until Kurt Cobain used it to great effect (sic!) in Nirvana’s revolutionary grunge exploits. Yes it is good for what it is but is its hallowed status truly warranted? I guess so if you want to imitate the past but there are many other competent chorus pedals out there. Original vintage Small Clones seem to be very scarce and when they do come up they are pricey and/or in a bit of a state, so I think I was fortunate to grab this one.
1981 Electro Harmonix EH4600 Small Clone Mini Chorus
1982 Ibanez CP9 Compressor/Limiter – Compressor pedals are strange things. They aren’t in‑your‑face effects that will immediately blow you away. They add a glossy sheen to playing that is very effective but also quite subtle. They give a studio produced feel to playing dynamics when used properly. Compact pedals are very simple compared to their studio counterparts and a bit of experimentation is needed to hit the ‘sweet spot’. Good compressor pedals are probably best left on full‑time and it’s only when they are switched off that you realise what magic they have been weaving. The ‘9’ series Ibanez CP9 was made famous by David Gilmour, so everyone then jumped on the CP9 bandwagon in a vain attempt to sound like him. Probably a pedal for the guitarist who doesn’t have one and didn’t know they needed one. The CP9 is still very good value on the used vintage market despite the strong artist association.
1982 Ibanez CP9 Compressor/Limiter
1981 Ibanez PT‑909 Phase Tone – Alongside the iconic Ibanez TS‑808 Tube Screamer, there were a whole range of other ‘0’ series pedals sporting the familiar square footswitch. The PT‑909 is one of those ‘other ones’. Ibanez got through a huge number of phase pedal models in a short period of time and this is just one in that long line. It’s a phase pedal and it sounds like most other phase pedals, which pretty much says it all. Incidentally, I actually have more phase pedals than any other type of effect. I guess I’m a bit jaded or perhaps it’s just a phase (sic!) I’m going through. The PT‑909 does its job well but it doesn’t necessarily stand out from the crowd (more below). It is, though, better sounding, more ergonomic and sturdier than the previous ‘narrow box’ PT‑909. Another vintage stomp box that remains reasonably priced at the moment.
1981 Ibanez PT 909 Phase Tone
1978 MXR Analog Delay – Right, now we’re really talking. The 3rd echo pedal in this catch‑up and the 2nd analogue one. The now‑vintage Electro‑Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man is my all‑time favourite delay pedal and I’ve had mine since new, so there is a lofty pedestal with which to compare. The Japanese BOSS and Ibanez delay pedals are all very well but there is something about good American delay effects that sets them apart. The MXR Analog Delay is a large, unwieldy, mains powered box with just 3 controls and, boy, does it do a grand job? I really, really respect this analogue delay for its warm, lush repeats. OK, so the delay tops out at the typical c.300ms but when it sounds this good, does it really matter? Well, sometimes, to be honest. The enclosure paintwork is a little scuffed here and there but that’s nothing, as it is the sonic signature that excels. Does it beat the EHX? No, not quite but it really is a marvellous effect. The MXR Analog Delay is much heard on recordings but for some reason, it isn’t much talked about. They are quite scarce, so they tend to be quite pricey. However, in my humble view, they’re definitely worth it. Don’t delay… or, on second thoughts, do.
1978 MXR Analog Delay
1982 MXR Micro Flanger – Once again, I find the American pedals beat the Japanese, even though the latter make some very good effects and sold them very successfully. I can’t be objective as to why I feel that way, so perhaps it is just a subjective bias. This rather demure looking MXR Micro Flanger is one is one of the later ones with LED status light and DC power input, so it is immediately more convenient than the older ones. It also sounds great. It isn’t up there with my favourite flanger, the Electro‑Harmonix Electric Mistress but it is very creditable. I’m now on the lookout for a large box, mains powered MXR Flanger to see what it can do that the Micro Flanger can’t. I think it may improve on it by a small margin and perhaps challenge the EHX, let’s see. Watch this space.
1982 MXR Micro Flanger
1982 MXR Phase 100 – I’m already a lucky owner of a vintage ‘script’ MXR Phase 45 and the iconic Phase 90. One of those aforementioned unforeseen opportunities came up to get my grubby hands on a large box Phase 100, so here it is. This pedal is unique in the MXR Innovations canon in having this size/shape of enclosure, somewhere between the familiar ‘micro’ boxes and the larger mains powered big boxes. I haven’t had a Phase 100 before and it really was an epiphany for me; this thing sounds awesome. Given that I’m a bit blasé about phasers, using that adjective is saying something. It has a 4‑way preset switch and two rotary controls so, compared to its smaller single‑knob peers, it is very flexible. Perhaps it’s the 6‑stage phasing that raises it above its competition. Whatever fairy dust MXR sprinkled on its innards, it worked and I wasn’t really prepared for the engaging sounds it exudes. It is also in fantastic original condition, which is icing on a tasty cake. The Phase 100 has quickly become my favourite vintage phaser. Sorry Bad Stone, your post has been pipped.
1982 MXR Phase 100
1982 MXR Stereo Chorus – Around the same time that I came across the MXR Analog Delay, I had the opportunity to get this enhanced version of the MXR Micro Chorus (which, to be honest, was the one that I was actually looking for and still don’t have). Like the Analog Delay, the Stereo Chorus is a large, bulky, mains powered behemoth with three controls. Like phasers, I can’t put my hand on my heart and assert that the chorus effect is the bee’s knees but it is certainly very creditable. Comparing this to the Small Clone revealed the answer to my previous question about whether the EHX pedal deserves its post in chorus royalty. Spoiler warning: not really. This one is in exceptionally clean condition and actually quite a bargain as well. Result!
1982 MXR Stereo Chorus
1976 Sola Sound Tone Bender Fuzz – Okey dokey, now we’re getting serious again. Last year, I ventured out of safe territory and acquired two iconic (and very expensive) vintage effect pedals, a 1969 Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face and 1981 Ibanez TS‑808 Tube Screamer Pro. The Sola Sound Tone Bender Fuzz is another of those exclusive vintage pedals, which is a little surprising given its roots in cheap British effects of the 1970s. It also came under the banner of the British Colorsound brand. I had a Tone Bender back in the day and this was an interesting reintroduction, albeit just a bit (!!!) pricier nowadays. This version of the Tone Bender is based largely on the Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff Pi, so if you’re familiar with that, you know you’re in the right ballpark, tone wise. Plenty of fuzzy goodness. This one is in very good all‑original condition and fuzzes, fizzes and froths in all the right ways. I adore great vintage fuzz pedals. A classic, for sure, but why SO expensive? Really.Hhhhh’jdf
1976 Sola Sound Tone Bender Fuzz
I won’t go into the three replacement pedals here, suffice to say that they were all bought to improve marginally on the ones I had, which can now move on to good homes elsewhere. The image below is of the new replacements (from left to right), 1982 BOSS DM-2 Delay, 1975 MXR Phase 90 and 1980 MXR Dyna Comp (compressor). All very cool effects.
Other 2020 Pedals
One good question might be, how do these purchases all tie together? Well, believe it or not, there is an inherent coherency to the plan. “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t” (as said by Polonius in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’).
The two new old guitars integrate seamlessly into the other vintage guitars in the family. Similarly, the amp is very complementary to my other vintage amps and, although I don’t have many, that’s plenty enough… for now. The effects fall into three main camps, the Japanese BOSS and Ibanez range, the American Electro‑Harmonix and MXR lines, plus the odd one or two from Europe or other manufacturers. They generally all derive from the 1960s to the 1980s so, once again, job done.
Full features on both these guitars, amp and effects will appear on the CRAVE Guitars web site in due course (see more below).
Help Needed
Apologies, this is the 3rd article in a row where I’ve made this earnest plea. A few of the effect pedals above have minor electrical issues like extraneous noise, non‑working DC or battery input, LED faults, etc. If there is someone out there with the requisite skillset to help maintain these vintage effects as well as the guitars and amps, and who is local to SE Cornwall in the UK, I would be interested in exploring mutually beneficial opportunities. Is there anyone out there attracted to the proposition? If there is, please contact me at the e-mail address at the bottom of every page on the website. Talking of which…
CRAVE Guitars Web Site
I will probably cover this in more detail in coming articles but I thought that this might be a good place to mention it. For over 2½ years, the CRAVE Guitars’ web site remained largely static and unchanged. This was largely due to more pressing personal circumstances, as it takes a lot of time to do it properly. I have, at long last, finally started the desperately‑needed updates to the web site. Overall, it won’t look much different and its structure remains the same, it’s the content that matters.
CRAVE Guitars – Web Site
So far, the underlying technology has been brought right up‑to‑date and many behind‑the‑scenes components have been made current. It is actually quite a fundamental change to the mechanics, which aren’t immediately apparent when viewing the pages – it’s a bit like a car’s engine rebuild hidden away under the bonnet (a.k.a. hood for American readers).
I have also started the process of introducing a whole raft of new content. Again, at the moment, it isn’t immediately obvious because I’m starting off by replacing what is already there before moving onto adding brand new material.
To give you an idea, there are over 120 existing pages and more than 70 monthly articles. There are 60+ incumbent guitar feature pages to revamp and 15 new guitar feature pages to add. There are only 2 amps to add, then there are 30+ effect pages to overhaul and 26 new effect pages to add. Then there are all the galleries, new features on brands and model histories to add. The resources pages need to be completely re‑worked as they are completely out of date, often irrelevant and error‑prone. Even the main CRAVE Guitars logo has been very subtly refined.
Also, the bass guitars have gone from the site, as have the newer guitars that don’t (yet) qualify as vintage. This makes the material a bit more focused than it was. I hope to re‑introduce CRAVE Basses in the future but it’s not an immediate priority.
In coming weeks and months, I hope to make many fundamental changes. Well over 1,000 new photographs have been taken and many dozens of new features have been written. It is a colossal task and one that I’ve been actively prevaricating (?!) for way too long. Now that I’ve started, I will actually relish rejuvenating the site and making it a lot more relevant, and hopefully a respected resource for people to enjoy. There is so much to do that it will probably take until the end of the year before the project is completed (and then the on‑going updates and maintenance). By the time the main job is done, every single page and post will have been updated in some way or other. Some pages have already been finished and have gone live. I will work through the immense backlog as quickly as I can.
If anyone has any positive and constructive thoughts or ideas about what you’d like to see on the web site, let me know and I’ll give it serious consideration. Also, some typos and errors will undoubtedly creep in, so I would appreciate being informed of any corrections and clarifications to help improve the quality of the narrative.
Tailpiece
There isn’t a lot of time to go now until the end of a thoroughly miserable and depressing 2020. There also isn’t much time to take action to acquire some of those elusive items that were on last year’s ‘most wanted’ list. I think I’m going to fail big time on the guitars but I’m very content with how other things are going. I realise how fortunate I am to have all these great vintage guitars, amps and effects, so I’m not going to complain about my lot… much. Anyhow, the quest continues and it’s time to get back to the graft!
Who knows what I’ll be pontificating about for the next article but I’m sure I’ll come up with something. In the meantime, I will be in splendid misanthropic solitude and voluntary seclusion to work on the web site and play vintage guitars. Sounds good to me. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Why are so many people so determined to be so stupid?”
Welcome to the very end of December 2019 one and all. Due to the time of year, there is a short break in the ‘Story of Modern Music…’. After 9 straight months of factoid overload, I have taken the executive decision to take a rest and reflect on the here and now. There are other advantages of a temporary hiatus in that this article is MUCH shorter than the recent monthly detailed dissection of music history. Abnormal service will be resumed as soon as impossible.
So, that was 2019, the year that was. Not only do we end the year with this article, we also see the culmination of the ‘teenies’. Before anyone corrects me, yes, I know that technically the decades don’t change here but pretty much everyone accepts it that way, so just for once – shock, horror – I’m going with the flow. I don’t know about you but the last decade, and indeed the last 12 months, seems to have passed in a blur.
I am sure you’re fed up with the traditional lazy television programming that seems to dwell on retrospectives and lists as is usual for this time of year. You may be displeased that I’m about to do the same, although I doubt that this tangential view of existence will ever get broadcast nationally.
Personally, it’s been a really, really bad year again, with far too much pain, misery and torment, and little sign of light at the end of a (collapsed and blocked) tunnel. I genuinely cannot remember what joy or pleasure feels like. For self‑preservation, I must look to the future with some hope and positivity for a bit of much‑needed karma, justice, salvation and redemption. There, I’ve got it off my chest and I won’t bang on about it again (or maybe just a little!).
Departures in 2019
As ever, we have to say au revoir to some great guitarists who have climbed aboard that spiritual transit van to the infinite jam session with the angels (and possibly the occasional demon). In contrast to recent years, this year’s list is thankfully short, although I expect those who are on it would prefer not to be. They and their music will be missed…
Old in at CRAVE Guitars – vintage gear acquisitions in 2019
It seems to have been a better year for guitar‑related accumulation than I’d anticipated a mere 12 months ago. This is partly because of delayed house works (ggrrr!).
The trend of the last couple of years seems to be continuing, with a greater focus on the 1970s and 1980s. This is predominantly because 1960s artefacts are rapidly becoming well beyond my modest price range. Rather than pay nonsensical ‘silly money’ for older guitars just because they are old and expensive, I’m looking at what is currently a bit more reasonably priced from later decades, while also being selective about notable and interesting instruments. As you might expect, the purchases had to fit the CRAVE Guitars’ criteria (cool, rare, American, vintage electric) – the only exceptions being effect pedals from Japan and Europe. At least for the time being, some of this year’s purchases are just about ‘affordable’, while others were almost regrettably extravagantly decadent given my borderline financial disposition. Anyhoo, without further ado, time for some introductions…
CRAVE Guitars (9)
Before listing new ‘old’ arrivals, let’s just backtrack for a moment…
Example #1 – In 2016, I looked ahead and mentioned a couple of guitars on the ‘most wanted’ list. One was a 1970s Fender Starcaster and the other was a 1950s Gibson ES‑150. Perhaps not surprisingly, I failed dismally in 2017… and again in 2018.
Example #2 – In 2017 and again in 2018, I speculated about the possibility of getting a 1965 Gibson Melody Maker and… yup, failed again.
Example #3 – In 2018, I thought about finding a 1970s Fender Stratocaster and… guess what? Fail.
Remarkably, that has now changed and I managed to lay my grubby mitts on all four of the above during the last 12 months. I also went overboard just a little bit with some other spontaneous impulse buys.
So, 2019 actually saw 9 vintage guitars, covering 42 years from the 1940s to the 1980s, with at least one from each decade joining the CRAVE Guitars family. Herewith, the profligate plethora of pulchritude (apologies for the pompous alliteration)…
1982 Fender Bullet H2
1976 Fender Starcaster
1979 Fender Stratocaster Anniversary
1983 Fender Stratocaster Elite
1983 Fender Telecaster Elite
1947 Gibson ES-150
1965 Gibson Melody Maker
1989 PRS Classic Electric
1959 Silvertone 1304
CRAVE New Guitar Arrivals 2019
CRAVE Amps (0)
Despite intensive but unsuccessful searches, there were no amplifiers that joined the family during 2019. Like with guitars, in both 2017 and 2018, I set out to find a 1970s ‘silverface’ Fender Princeton. To‑date, that lustful ambition remains unrequited… for now, the search goes on.
CRAVE Effects (5)
As it turned out, 2019 was a funny year for effect purchases. It was a case of quality over quantity and I did manage to lay my hands on two highly sought after iconic (and therefore exorbitantly expensive) pedals. These weren’t just gap‑filling, they have been on the ‘to do’ list for some time but considered them to be way out of my price range. Consequently, fewer budget purchases made them just about possible. They were…
1987 BOSS RV-2 Digital Reverb
1969 Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face
1982 Ibanez PT9 Phaser
1981 Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro
1980 MXR Micro Amp
CRAVE New Effect Arrivals 2019
Once the full ‘Story of Modern Music…’ has been published, I may well return to 2019’s purchases and explain the rationale behind what is a relatively diverse range of acquisitions.
Repatriation update
In addition to the newcomers, it was way back in January 2019 that I was pleased to welcome home 42 guitars, 40 of them vintage, from an extended period of enforced storage (long story!). I set out on an ambitious mission to re‑home them with respect and to lavish upon them some much‑needed overdue TLC. The aim is that they can once again be used for their intended purpose, which is to be played regularly. I wasn’t going to rush the exercise, so it has been a bit of a long haul. I wanted to ensure that each one was given the sensitive treatment it deserved. For some, it was just a clean‑up and a tweak here and there to set them up before they were re‑strung – job done. For others, some more intensive care was necessary and I have worked on them as far as I can take them, due to my lack of ability in the practical side of things. There are a few, however, that need more expert skills than I have to sort them out properly. Thankfully, I know my limits and don’t pretend to be a proficient technician.
So far, 32 of the 42 returnees have been tended to, which means that there are still 10 repatriated guitars still to work on. Six of these are vintage guitars and are next on the to‑do list. Another two are vintage bass guitars which I suspect both need some neck work, so they will be near the back of the queue. The privilege (?) of going last will go to the only two non‑vintage guitars which I own. In theory, being the newest, they won’t need as much remedial work done on them. Fortunately, none so far have been ruined. Some have degraded a bit more than I would have liked but there is nothing serious to be concerned about. Phew!
Once the ‘conservation’ work has been completed and they are once again in good playing condition, they have been/will be photographed and documented. Feature articles have also been drafted on each one. The intention is to update the web site to exhibit them at their best. Then, it will be just a case of playing and enjoying them.
Building works
I cannot let the dastardly year dissolve into history without making a comment about the long overdue building works to convert the house’s dark, dank cellar into a safe, secure accommodation for the guitar members of the family. Due to egregious actions of spiteful and vindictive neighbours, it had to be deferred yet again. Basically, this means that no progress whatsoever was made during 2019.
Music albums released in 2019 (40-ish)
Surprisingly, after a (very) slow start it actually seems to have been a pretty good year for new music. I was quite sceptical up to about two thirds of the way through the year, despairing that the musical landscape was becoming ever more moribund. Then, out of nowhere, there seemed to be a veritable flood of interesting music to close the year out. I bought a shed load of old and new music in 2019 and the following are the diverse highlights of this year’s releases for me. One can hope that there may be some future ‘classics’ among them.
!!! – Wallop
Amon Amarth – Beserker
Beck – Hyperspace
Jade Bird – Jade Bird
The Black Keys – ‘Let’s Rock’
Blood Red Shoes – Get Tragic
Cage The Elephant – Social Cues
J.J. Cale – Stay Around
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
The Chemical Brothers – No Geography
The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery
Cigarettes After Sex – Cry
The Cinematic Orchestra – To Believe
Crumb – Jinx
The Cure – CURÆTION-25: From There To Here | From Here To There / Anniversary: 1978-2018 Live in Hyde Park
Dream Theater – Distance Over Time
Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1
Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 2
Rory Gallagher – Blues
Hawkwind – All Aboard The Skylark/Acoustic Daze
Hot Chip – A Bath Full Of Ecstasy
Khruangbin – Hasta El Cielo
Trini Lopez – The Very Best Of Trini Lopez (compilation)
Membranes – What Nature Gives… Nature Takes Away
The Murder Capital – When I Have Fears
New Model Army – From Here
Rammstein – Rammstein
Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Joanne Shaw Taylor – Reckless Heart
Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive
Sleater‑Kinney – The Center Won’t Hold
Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind
Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
Toro y Moi – Outer Peace
Robin Trower – Coming Closer To The Day
The Twilight Sad – It Won/t Be Like This All The Time
Underworld – Drift Series 1: Sampler Edition
Thom Yorke – ANIMA
Neil Young – Colorado
Plus (album-like) EP:
Black Stone Cherry – Black To Blues 2
Major concerts in 2019 (1):
Due to personal circumstances, there was just one major live music event in 2019:
Hyde Park – Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Laura Marling, Cat Power, Sam Fender
Unfortunately, even Cornwall’s local Looe Live music festival wasn’t attended, despite it being right on the doorstep.
Social Media Quotes from 2019:
Over the year, I’ve been posting thousands of snippets on Twitter and Facebook. The following are actual comments from some very nice people about CRAVE Guitars that came this way during 2019. I don’t usually get much in the way of acclaim, and neither do I seek external validation for what I do, so these kind words of feedback felt extra special to me. They are truly appreciated and, frankly, I am humbled and overwhelmed by them.
“I love the variety of artistry you tweet about. Keep it up!”
“Thanks for the history lessons every day from @CRAVE_Guitars”
“Hey you bring it every day, man! You’ve turned me on to things I’d likely not see otherwise! Keep on rocking it!”
“Great people, knowledge, posts and positive vibes to all!5 star”
“Thank you for expanding my guitar horizons!”
“Once again, I have been enlightened by CRAVE Guitars. They don’t teach this history in college.”
“I finally went to your website and understand you so much better now… Nice collection!!! Very eclectic and impressive! Great website, Crave!”
“You post such cool guitars. Ones that I’ve never seen before. Some truly unique ones too. Keep up the great work friend, you run a great account”
“Thank you! Hats off to crave guitars!”
“Love your photos! Thank you so much!!”
“Thank you for all your fabulous postings”
“…like always Awesome posts and great follow ups I really appreciate it, Respectfully from the USA!!!”
“Crave Guitars is one classy company”
“Thx Crave this is most excellent.”
“… thank you for sharing the great guitars and posts of Rock N Roll truly enjoy checking out your page daily.”
“Love guitars. Love music. Love Crave. <3”
“… I have to give you a separate kudos for the photography. What a picture…”
“I really enjoy these trivia posts as much as the guitar pictures. Thank you”
“That’s wonderful and thank you. Awesome page”
“You should have “A Potted History of the Guitar” as a pinned tweet. I know that you’re modest, but that thing is epic.”
“You have a great Twitter page my friend and always something to learn about with your topics.”
“Congratulations with Continued Success Great Crave Guitars!!!”
“Great stuff on your Twitter page! Love it! Keep it coming!”
“Great Twitter page! Love it. Keep it up. Always great informative and interesting.”
“You have a great Twitter Page. Love it. Great stuff. Keep it up.”
“I really like your collection. it’s very impressive and interesting.
Have a great day, Crave.”
“I totally dig your archives guitars & their players! So great! 100% fan”
Also, during November 2019, Twitter followers exceeded 6,000 for the first time. A huge “thank you” is extended to everyone who has shown interest and support.
CRAVE 6,000 Twitter Followers
So… looking forward… here is what might be coming up in 2020:
There, that’s the obligatory retrospective done, so it is now time to look forward to the coming year and the start of a brand new decade.
Vintage gear for 2020
I have been very cautious over the past few years about ‘most wanted’ gear, believing that circumstances would be very different. So, this year, I’m going to be a touch more ambitious in stating what I’m searching for in 2020, although I guarantee that not everything on the list will be procured. If the building works go ahead, the list will have to be shortened. It won’t be easy but I am back on the quest for some ‘forgotten’ models, which are more difficult to source, especially in good condition in the UK. However, apart from one wild expensive aspiration, the rest should (?!?!) be a bit more ‘affordable’ than some of this year’s purchases. I am not greedy and I don’t expect to achieve the full list, so it is purely indicative and should be considered more of a direction of travel.
Guitars
1960s Danelectro (no specific model)
1970s Fender Bass VI
Any one (or more) of the ‘forgotten’ Gibsons from the 1970s or 1980s, e.g.:
Gibson Challenger
Gibson Firebrand
Gibson Marauder
Gibson S-1
Gibson US-1
Gibson Victory MVX
Gibson Les Paul DC XPL 400
1970s Guild (S-100 and/or S-300)
1970s Peavey T-60
Amps
1970s ‘silverface’ Fender Princeton Reverb
1970s ‘silverface’ Fender Deluxe Reverb
Effects
1980s BOSS DD-2 Digital Delay
1970s Colorsound/Sola Sound Tonebender (fuzz)
1970s Electro‑Harmonix Bad Stone (phaser)
1970s Electro‑Harmonix Small Clone (chorus)
1970s MXR Micro Chorus
Help needed (x3)
I know my limitations on several fronts. It therefore makes sense to seek outside assistance with a number of up‑and‑coming key tasks. These are NOT New Year resolutions but they are effectively my self‑imposed targets for 2020. All three, however, rely on other people’s expertise.
Task #1 – I would dearly like to make progress with the long‑deferred cellar works. The first step is to understand what may be involved. If that looks promising, I may well finally proceed. I need someone who knows how to ‘tank’ a 90‑year old cellar effectively and to ensure it stays dry, warm and well‑ventilated enough for safe and secure guitar storage.
Task #2 – Routine completion of the repatriation programme should be reasonably straightforward and achievable. In terms of more involved remedial work on a number of instruments, I am looking for a competent luthier/guitar tech, experienced in working on vintage electric guitars, based local to me in south east Cornwall UK, and who would like to work with me on this extra degree of ‘restoration’.
Task #3 – In addition, I would really like to improve my guitar playing. I’m not starting from scratch but I have limited competence and confidence. I am sure I also have a number of bad habits. This means taking up guitar lessons on a one‑to‑one basis, principally for the interaction, as I’ve never got on well with self‑learning books or videos. I have never been formally trained and feel that I could do much better. I would benefit from an additional level of inspiration, technique and knowledge that a tutor could bring.
If there is anyone out there who could either help or knows someone who could help with one, two or all three of the above, please contact me. I shall report back on degree of achievement, if any, during and at the end of 2020.
Major gigs
There will be very few opportunities to see live music in 2020. However, one major concert has been lined up, which I’m really looking forward to:
Rammstein (Cardiff in June 2020)
Hopefully, I might get to participate in the local Looe Live festival in September.
Web Site
Another thing that I really, really must get to grips with is a long overdue major overhaul of the CRAVE Guitars’ web site. The material is there, so it will be a case of expunging the procrastination and get on with it.
Proceed to check out
I really don’t think that there is much more that I can add at this juncture, so it is time to wrap things up for 2019 and the ‘teenies’. Roll on the New Year and hope that the (roaring or whimpering) twenties are an improvement on the last 2 challenging decades.
On a broader front, one has to remain optimistic that humankind will come to its senses and live in sustainable peace, equitable prosperity and cordial harmony. One can dream.
On a practical level, ceteris paribus, I will hopefully get back to the ‘Story of Modern Music…’ next month. In the meantime, it’s back to refurbishing and playing some vintage guitars. Result!
Happy New Year/Decade everyone. Until next time…
CRAVE Guitars ‘Quote of the Month’: “The idea of peace, love and music may not have the power to change the world in the way we might hope but just think about what the world would be like without it.”
