It was a mild Friday that I took a drive down to the Triangle area in North Carolina.  I was driving to visit with some customers as well as to attend a clinic with Andy Timmons at the Raleigh Music Academy, www.raleighmusicacademy.com.  I’ll elaborate on RMA later.

Andy and I had spoken on the cell a couple of times and swapped a few emails.  He’s a fan of the Xotic BB Pre Amp and a user.  I’ve seen it; it’s on his pedal board!  So I was really excite to be able to finally put a name with a face, and it didn’t hurt to that I was going to see some blistering guitar.

A year or two earlier, I had met with a very well know guitar player.  I thought this meeting was pre-established, because I had spoken to his guitar tech, gotten passes, knew his previous tech very well and worked with his former signature guitar manufacture.  However, the meeting was very uncomfortable to say the least.  My expectations were perhaps set to high and I was thoroughly disappointed.  I would never make this mistake again.

So with a very casual approach I introduced myself to Andy, and with no expectations, I received a very warm reception.  Andy’s just a great character.  He needed to finish setting up and it was cool just to step back and what things happen.

The first clinic of the night was about tone.  When I think about tone, mainly, I’m considering the amp, guitar and perhaps an effect or two.  But Andy went into a lot of detail that admittedly I have taken for granted.  The room was filled with most young inspiring guitarist.  When I say young inspiring guitarist, I mean kids who haven’t been playing that long and were just getting into guitar.  There are several signs, but I’ll leave that to your imagination.  But please don’t take offense to that, because afterwards, I was in the same category.

Andy just didn’t talk tone from the point of view of just amps and guitars, but he compared different picks, from the audience, to his personal pick he’s used for many years.  The point was to show them all the different tones and textures various materials produce.  This was just a great approach teaching elements of tone.  We went into strings, set up, pick attack, cables, effects loop, on and on.  We spent a great deal of time on dissecting what tone really is.   I thought it was just an excellent example and exercise.

During the break we all sat and had dinner.  Thanks to Paul at RMA for bringing in a great buffet.  Got to chat a bit and cool down.  While we were finishing, Paul (RMA Director) was preparing for the second set, Songwriting.  Paul and some of his students played a composition and then afterwards broke the song down and how they came up with the certain pieces, chorus, etc.  I was sitting next to Andy, when a funny thing happened.  Paul was explaining how you could substitute chords here and there.  There were a couple of chords he played and Andy and I looked at each other and said, “That’s sounds like one of Jim Croce’s old tunes”.  I found that a little uncanny to have that type of connection.  But it’s true, we both like Jim Croce.

It was time for Andy to begin his final set of the night.  He started out with a couple of ballads off of the Resolution and That was then, This is now CD.  Just blazing!  When I hear someone sing or play guitar, I want to hear it as it was played on the CD.  And it was just that.  All the emotion and nuances were tucked in there.  And man, the BB sounded great!!

One of the last exercises was, the kids had to write down a chord; major or minor nothing fancy, and put it into a hat.  Andy randomly pulled out a few chords and with the help of another guitarist, wrote a song right in front of our ears and eyes.  Later I would compare this to seeing something being manufacture out of nothing, totally creating something from a blank slate.  What was really interesting was how challenging the chords where.  Totally unrelated.  When the body of the song was done, a few more chords where chosen for the chorus.  As each chord was read, the audience laughed and giggled.  Andy turned a little red probably thinking, “How am I going to make this work?”  He puts the chords in the song, made sure he had the 3rd and they were off.  He had written a pretty interesting song in about 30 minutes, along with a lead line.  I just thought this was amazing and intimidating, to be able to run circles around me with not just playing, but songwriting and tone.  Can you feel inspired and beat down all at the same time?  To quote Spinal Tap, I threw it out, use my guitar as a coffee table.

If you have an opportunity to go see one of Andy’s clinics, you should take the time to do so.  Beginner or advanced, it as well worth it.  Andy has a cool website to, www.andytimmons.com.  Do yourself a favor and get both CD’s: Resolution and That was then, This is now.  There’s some exciting guitar work that’s fresh, not to far out of the box and overall nicely written.  A remarkable talent Andy has being able to weave complex style effortlessly.  A true world class player.  You know, I didn’t get into this business to meet all my hero’s.  It’s all about the free lessons, baby!!  Some of us need all the help we can get.  Mainly me.

About a year prior to our meeting, I had spoken to Andy about his pickups.

Around July or August of 2006, I had Hiro (Xotic Guitars) build me another Xotic Strat type guitar.  Prior to ordering this guitar, I did a little research on some of the things I wanted.  However, there were several fixations I was sold on that I didn’t want to change.  Things such as left handed tremolo, big frets, brass nut and pickup configurations.  For this guitar I went with 6000 stainless steel fretwire.  Honestly I was a little disappointed.  They didn’t feel that much different than the 6100’s I have on the other Xotic.  I guess I’ll be searching for something bigger, if that’s possible?

As I said, there were some things I wanted and they included a big “fat back” neck, Dimarzio Cruiser pickups and Budz Purebreed pickups.

You know sometimes you ask and you shall receive.  This neck is the biggest neck I’ve ever held in my hands.  In fact, Louisville Slugger called and they wanted their neck back!  And then Barry Bonds called and ask to borrow it so he could continue he quest for 751 homers.  With no more “juice”, he said he needed some big lumber.  I mean this is a big neck.  Do you get it?

Regardless of it’s size, it already has a nice broken in feel.  Your hand easily slides into place providing a warm & fuzzy feel.  Warm & fuzzy just meaning comfortable.  Didn’t want you to think I actually had fuzz on the neck!  Saved that for the amp.

With it’s large back side and jumbo frets, they dwarf the string gauge.  Normally I use 11’s but they just felt like wet noodles.  So on with the 12 gauge I went.  Haven’t graduated to the Josh Smith 13’s yet, but perhaps one day I’ll be there.

Did I mention how big the neck is?

Steve Blutcher is a master pickup artist.  He’s had women from all over the world.  You should see this guy at NAMM.  In reality, Steve is a master pickup artist making some of the best pickups in the world.  Based on Andy Timmon’s recommendation, I called Steve and filled him in on what I was trying to accomplish and that Andy suggested I try the Dimarzio Cruiser pickups.  These are single coil pickup without the pole pieces, but with twin blades.  What really turned me on to these was a video Andy did for us several months ago.  The tone he was achieving through the BB into his Mesa’s was extremely close to what I hear while running the BB through the Fuchs.  The Cruiser’s were a little meatier and throatier, just want I was after.  So the order was placed and soon they were delivered.  Just today, I played a modded Traynor through the Cruisers.  The Traynor, which was modded by a local musician, is another story, but the Cruisers definitely love high gain amps.

Sean at Lovepedal is a friend of mine.  We share the same back aliment.  He told me about a guy named Budz making some of the best pickups he’s ever heard.  If you ever do a web search you’ll know there are a million and one guys hand winding, building, relic-ing some guitar, amp or pickup.  Usually, all claiming to have the secret sauce for true vintage tone.  What makes this guy any different?  Sean is another genius in the field of pedal making.  He has creditability with me and a ton of other guys out there.  So I took his word for it and call Budz.

Budz sent me a Purebred to install in the bridge position.  Upon getting the guitar, I immediately tuned up and plugged in.  I went through each position, using the clean channel, just to listen how each chord rang out.  After I did this, I went back through the selections I liked the best.  The Cruisers sounded really good from neck, middle and bridge.  Big, warm and beefy.  Each had pleasing characteristics.  However, I kept going back to the Purebred.

Can a pickup be touch sensitive?  We talk about amps having this feature all the time, but I can’t recall anyone ever saying this about a pickup.  Well, this one does.  You really have to pay close attention when you play.  It will pick up every nuance.  The Purebred is extremely well balanced and articulate.  Each chord rings sweetly creating deep string separation.

Through the dirty channel each pickup sounded great.  However, this wasn’t a live situation.  That’s a different story altogether.  “That’s a different story”.  Sorry I just had to put that in there.  Loved Airplane the movie.

At a local blues jam, I finally got a chance to play the new Xotic in a live situation.  I had heard the Cruisers before and my expectations were met.  But not having experience the Budz pickups, I just kept it on the Purebred for the entire set.  My signal was very simple, BB in to the amp and that’s was it.  Let me tell you; 12 gauge strings, BB pedal into a Fender Deluxe with a Purebred, and doing that Stevie Ray lick where you hammer on and pull off on the A sharp, A string 1st fret, hit the G (6th string) and resolution on the E (D string 2nd fret), you would have thought Stevie’s guitar and amp’s were right there.  I was truly amazed.  I was finally getting that big, throaty sound I’ve been looking for.  Now I just image what a whole set of Purebreds would do!

Budz also produces Purebred’s in a tele format and make some very interesting tele barrels.  I highly recommend checking these out.  Give Budz a call tell him I sent you and get the pickups.  You’ll be glad you did.  Budz can be reach at www.budzguitars.homestead.com or at 734-475-2355.

Hiro just does an amazing job with these guitars.  We don’t have a tremendous amount of circulation, typical problem with small luithers, but look at all the bigger name builders today.  They started out small, no one knew who they were, and now their guitars are increasing in value everyday.  Take my good friend Gene Baker.  Ever tried to purchase an original Baker Robben Ford?  Those guitars retailed for $3,950, now you can’t buy one for under $5,000! Most Xotic strat type guitar will retail between $2,500 and $2,700.  Compare to other builder, these guitars are very competitively priced.  Contact a Xotic dealer near you for details.

Earlier I mentioned the Raleigh Music Academy.  The academy is located on the outer rim of Raleigh, NC.  They provide lessons on just about every instrument.  However, it not just about lessons.  There is a focus on band performance, working with a group.  With a full-blown stage, PA and lighting, it gives it’s student real stage experience.  This is an awesome outlet for kids wanting to experience live situations.  There are several similar facilities around the country that help young musicians grow. The Raleigh Music Academy is a professional teaching facility with a great staff.  Keep your eyes on the web site as they have many clinics through out the year.  For Andy Timmons’s clinic, they had people flying in from Chicago and NYC.  That ought to tell you something.  Please feel free to contact Paul at, http://www.raleighmusicacademy.com/.

I hope everyone is having a great summer.  Please feel free to drop me a line or two.

By the way, I’m not sure if Andy loves porkchops or not.  There’s an inside joke there.  One thing I regret not asking Andy at the clinic was, I wanted him to show me how to play Physical by Olivia Newton John!  I actually purchased that album way back when and I think I still have it somewhere.  Perhaps I’ll pull it out and comp some licks off of it.  Licks being guitar riffs.  Get your mind out of the gutter.  Ha, Ha!!  Andy is Olivia’s musical director.  Great job!

For Andy’s two CD’s, he definitely gets a 10 on the Playloud scale.  But as for Olivia, well she’s definitely an 11!!!!

Ben Leck

“With High Gain many things can be accomplished”