Ask Zac

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Today's episode features two legends of the Nashville music scene, Joe Glaser and Steve Wariner. Glaser's innovations include a neck plate mounted bender system, 3-pickup Tele-style builds, Plek fret leveling and nut cutting technology, Music City Bridge hardware and tool supply, and running the world-respected Glaser Instruments repair shop in Nashville. Steve Wariner is one of the most acclaimed singer/songwriters & guitarists to ever hit Music City. The 4-time Grammy Winner formed a guitar style using two Glaser Bender-equipped guitars, a Strat-style with beautiful neck inlays, and a red 3-pickup Tele. Both instruments became closely associated with Wariner via the many public appearances, videos, and photos featuring them. Today Joe and Steve discuss the inspiration and creation of these instruments, and how their collaboration helped shape their careers. We also look at Jeff Senn's painstakingly made copy of Steve's red 3-pickup Tele that was made for Wariner to fly with when he wants to leave the original at home. Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ If you play gigs with an electric guitar, you have most likely been told to "turn it down" multiple times in your performing career. To help you address this common problem, we look at a variety of methods for dealing with electric guitar volume, including the pros and cons of each. These include turning the amp around, having the amp behind the stage, using plexiglass shields that reflect sound, and the use of sound-absorbing baffles. Speight Baffles https://www.speightbaffle.com/ Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Albert Lee shares the background and process of recording Emmylou's seminal Luxury Liner album released in December 1976. From the gear he used, to how the musicians were presented with the tunes before recording. This was taken from an informal discussion backstage with Albert at London's O2 arena. #askzac #albertlee #emmylouharris Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Nacho Banos, the patron saint of the Telecaster, compares a 1950 Broadcaster and a 1953 Telecaster backstage at a Brad Paisley concert in Zurich, Switzerland. He takes us fully down the rabbit hole comparing electronics, finish, screws, neck shape, and everything else you can think of. To dive deeper on this subject, check out Nacho's amazing Pinecaster Book. https://pinecasterbook.com/ Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ My first memory of seeing a guitar in person was seeing a Buck Owens “American” guitar leaning against a couch at a neighbor’s house while visiting my grandmother in the mid-1970s. Soon after seeing it, I understood its significance by seeing Buck play an identical one on the Hee Haw television show. Later, via the influence of Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, and the Desert Rose Band in the 1980s, I would dig back and start listening to all of the great albums that Owens made through the 50s and 60s that in turn influenced my heroes. Through the years, I kept looking for one, but one was never up for sale nearby, as I really wanted to see what this Harmony-made mail-order guitar was like. It wasn’t until recently that I was able to test out and acquire one of these red, white, and blue beauties from one of the fine chaps at Glaser Instruments, and I was able to finally join the “Buck Club.” This of course threw me down the rabbit hole of finding out everything that I could online from sites like SilvertoneWorld.Net and even calling up Buckaroo Jim Shaw, who continues to run Buck’s Crystal Palace club in Bakersfield, CA to get the full low-down on the story behind it. And though Owens is certainly the star here, I have to give Pat Smear of Nirvana, and the great Ryan Adams credit for their role in raising the “cool” factor on these crazy 70s creations. To close the episode, I share the story that Jim Shaw shared with me that they sold hundreds of warehoused versions of the Buck models to cover their expenses during the pandemic. It was hard for me not to see this as Owens working things out from beyond the grave. Special thanks to Buckaroo Jim Shaw, and Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. www.BuckOwens.com Also for the wonderful information gathered from Silvertone World. https://www.silvertoneworld.net/acoustic/1219buckowens/1219_Buck_Owens_American.html #askzac #buckowens #buckowensamerican Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ One of my Patreon members offered to send me his PRS NF-53 to check out, as he was curious as to my take on Paul Smith's version of a Tele-Style guitar. Being both a Telecaster fan, and having a great appreciation for Paul's high level of fit and finish, I said yes to his proposition. The NF-53 is quite a well-built, and well-thought-out instrument, and while not truly traditional, it does offer features that would make it incredibly useful for those who are adverse to the vintage-style Telecaster family. Thank you to Jesse. 2023 Paul Reed Smith NF-53 1965 Deluxe Reverb with a WGS ET65 speaker #askzac #prsnf53 Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Ever wondered how Leo Fender came around to making the G&L Broadcaster after a decade of Music Man guitars, and the early G&L designs with active electronics and too many knobs and switches? The truth is better than fiction here, and you're going to love to hear what motivated Leo to return to his roots, with a twist to save his pride. I also share the story of the early G&L ASAT I use in the video that was formerly owned by John Jorgenson and is now in the possession of Brad Paisley. Gear used: 1987 G&L ASAT formerly owned by John Jorgenson, now owned by Brad Paisley Strings: EB 10-46 Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm Effects: Boss DM-3 Amp: 1964 Vox AC10. #askzac #gandlguitars #telecaster Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ We kick the episode off with a direct comparison using my 2023 Danocaster guitar which is equipped with a bridge that handles both top loading and string thru. We then take a look at the history of Fender's top loader Telecasters, and the possible reasons for changing the construction of them during that era. To reveal Fender's pattern, we analyze the models that featured toploading bridges beforehand, the Musicmaster, Duo Sonic, and the revamped 1957 Precision Bass. Gear used: 2023 Danocaster Single-Cut with Budz 58 pickups. 6.4 pound, ash body, .91 maple V neck. Strings: D'Addario NYXL 95-44 https://amzn.to/41rnl0V Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm Effects: Amp reverb 2023 Headstrong Lil King amp with a 12" Alessandro 64 Speaker #askzac #danocaster #toploader Support the show

John Leventhal returns to go in-depth on his first solo album, Rumble Strip. We discuss his process of composing, recording, and the gear he used to create the 16 poignant tracks on the album. Leventhal also discusses his signature acoustic guitar tones that utilize both the natural "acoustic" sound, plus an "electric" sound hole pickup run-through effects and a tube amplifier. He also weighs in on the 30th-anniversary re-release of The Wheel, his first collaboration with his wife, noted singer-songwriter, Rosanne Cash. John is a multi-Grammy Award-winning producer and musician. A short list of Leventhal's collaborators includes Marc Cohn, Shawn Colvin, Rosanne Cash, William Bell, and Sarah Jarosz. Rumble Strip - Release Date January 26th, 2024 https://music.apple.com/us/album/rumble-strip/1713810040 To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ #askzac #johnleventhal #rosannecash Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ After rebuilding my board numerous times depending on if the gig was an amp or direct situation, I decided to have a pedalboard built that could easily do one or the other, or both if needed. I started off with my favorite pedals, then added the UA Dream 65 amp modeler, and a Walrus Audio Canvas Line Driver. This would allow me to go direct. To be amp-friendly, we needed a junction box that would bypass the Dream 65 and Canvas. Since we were adding the junction box, and there was space available, we also included insert jacks (before delays, and after overdrives) to allow me to use a volume pedal or other effects in the right position in the signal chain. Gear used: Turbo Tuner, Mirage Compressor, Analogman Boss TR-2, Ibanez Mostortion, Boss DM-3 analog delay, Line 6 Echo Park. UA Dream 65, Walrus Audio Canvas Line Driver, Metro 24 board, and a Truetone CS6 power supply. #askzac #pedalboard #Xacttonesolutions Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Eldon Shamblin was Leo Fender's favorite guitarist, playing in his favorite band, Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys. Fender supplied the Playboys with amps and steel guitars but he wanted badly to get his new Spanish guitar, the Broadcaster, in their guitarist's hands. Unfortunately, Eldon had no interest in the plank with strings and politely passed on the offer. A few short years later, Leo was still bent on converting Shamblin, so he had his crew build a one-of-a-kind gold Stratocaster in the summer of 1954, and gifted it to the Playboy guitarist during one of their regular visits to the Fender factory. Eldon at first refused the golden solid body, but Leo convinced him to take it with him and try it on the bandstand. Shamblin soon dropped his hollow-body Gibson and became a lifelong Stratocaster player, using them until his passing on August 4th, 1998. Today we take a look at Eldon Shamblin's importance as a guitarist and arranger for Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys, and the fantastically rare and beautiful golden 1954 Stratocaster that Leo Fender gave him. Photos and video on my site www.askzac.com/post/eldon-shamblins-1954-gold-stratocaster Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1efYMv1CjoK8jpJp7sqS55?si=77fd65af7a7b4568 Gear used: 2023 Headstrong Lil' King with 12" Eminence GA-SC64 speaker https://headstrongamps.com/lil-king-amp 1955 Stratocaster built by my old college buddy, B. Paisley, using a mix of old and new parts. Ron Ellis 50/60 middle and neck, Duncan Twang banger in the bridge. https://www.ronellispickups.com/ Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46 Affiliate link https://amzn.to/494qQ1y Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm Effects: Amp reverb #askzac #eldonshamblin #stratocaster Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ What started as a walk-thru, became Dan Strain sharing a gold mine worth of tone-tips for Telecaster fans. We talk about tuners, string trees, saddles, bridges, pickups, neck pockets, swapping necks, and the Duco red color that was chosen for this guitar. #askzac #telecaster #danocaster Support the show

Duke Levine's resume is filled with a catalog of stellar solo albums, high-profile sideman gigs, and essential session work. We have Tom Bukovac to thank for making this interview happen, as he had requested Duke on a recent session here in Nashville, that gave us a chance to catch up in person with the Boston-area great. To kick off, we begin with a discussion of his latest gig, touring with Bonnie Raitt. Via the new gig, he has had his first experience with using in-ear monitors and having amps off-stage. We also cover his early gigs with Jonatha Brooke & The Story, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and how he got a record deal in the early 90s. Levine also talks about the eternal tone hunt, covering his move away from using compressor pedals to replacing them with low-gain overdrive pedals. We also cover his pedal board where he uses a Radial switcher to keep his tone as pure as possible by removing unused items from his chain. #askzac #dukelevine #telecaster Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ For years I have had pedalboard envy. Not for a huge board with tons of effects, but for the super clean and buttoned-up look of the pro-built boards. Xact Tone Solutions has built my favorites, so I finally decided to have a larger board built around a UA Dream 65 amp modeler, yet that could also go to an amp, or both. I also decided to get the XTS treatment on my tried and true grab-go board. This is a walk-through of my board with Barry and Eric, who have no issues with adding their valuable input or giving me a hard time. Gear used: Turbo Tuner, Mirage Compressor, Analogman Boss TR-2, Ibanez Mostortion rehoused by XTS, Boss DM-3 analog delay, Line 6 Echo Park. Mono board. Truetone CS6 power supply #askzac #pedalboard #Xacttonesolutions Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ The Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive is one of the best overdrive pedals of all time due to its groundbreaking clean mix control. Released in December of 2000, it could cover the standard TS-type tones, yet also be the finest transparent overdrive due to its ability to mix one's dry signal back in. The ability to mix one's clean signal along with a Tube Screamer circuit allows for in James Santiago's words, "jangly highs, tight lows, and the overdriven midrange from the TS circuit." Today we revisit this classic effect and also get the full story of its creation from the guys who birthed it, Josh Fiden, Voodoo Lab Founder & CEO, and former Voodoo Lab VP, now UA Senior Product Designer, James Santiago. I also reveal a great setting for using the Sparkle Drive to warm up your tone. Gear used: 2023 Headstrong Lil' King with 12" Eminence GA-SC64 speaker https://headstrongamps.com/lil-king-amp 1955 Stratocaster crafted by my old college buddy, B. Paisley, using a mix of old and new parts. Ron Ellis 50/60 middle and neck, Duncan Twang banger in the bridge. https://www.ronellispickups.com/ Affiliate link Seymour Duncan Twang Banger https://amzn.to/3QG4vze Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46 Affiliate link https://amzn.to/494qQ1y Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm Effects: Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive, Amp reverb, and Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay #askzac #voodoolab #sparkledrive Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ The story of how JD Simo played the Ryman with Chris Isaak using my Stratocaster built by Brad Paisley. I also go in-depth on the Stratocaster that my old college buddy crafted for me. Gear used: 2023 Headstrong Lil' King with 12" Eminence GA-SC64 speaker https://headstrongamps.com/lil-king-amp 1955 Stratocaster built by my old college buddy, B. Paisley, using a mix of old and new parts. Ron Ellis 50/60 middle and neck, Duncan Twang banger in the bridge. https://www.ronellispickups.com/ Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46 Affiliate link https://amzn.to/494qQ1y Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm Effects: Amp reverb and Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay #askzac #jdsimo #chrisisaak Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Introduced in 1954, the Fender Stratocaster could have died a quick death if it had not caught on with key players on the music scene of the day. The guitarists who put it on the map, Ike Turner, Otis Rush, Pee Wee Crayton, Buddy Guy, Buddy Holly, Johnny Meeks, Eldon Shamblin, Buddy Merrill, and Neil LeVang, deserve credit for their important role in the success story of the Strat. Bill Carson & Rex Gallion also get special mention as the guys who pushed Leo Fender to create the Stratocaster because of their desire for an instrument with a built-in vibrato, a 6-piece bridge, 3 pickups, and a contoured body. Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4XGaErkuMmb0aa1tYu9jaE?si=cceae943364246dc Doye O'Dell with Bill Carson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtuBYo3e9lQ Deke's article on Rex Gallion and Strat 001 https://dekedickerson.com/musings/rex-gallion-and-stratocaster-serial-no-001/ Gear used: 2023 Headstrong Lil' King with 12" Eminence GA-SC64 speaker https://headstrongamps.com/lil-king-amp 1955 Stratocaster built by my old college buddy, B. Paisley, using a mix of old and new parts. Ron Ellis 50/60 middle and neck, Duncan Twang banger in the bridge. https://www.ronellispickups.com/ Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46 Affiliate link https://amzn.to/494qQ1y Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm Effects: Amp reverb #askzac #zacchilds #stratocaster Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Today I look at my 2 favorite options for Strat tremolo setup, fully floating, or deck it and removing the bar. Also, we look at some handy tips for helping you stay in tune when floating the bridge, adjusting the string break angle at the headstock, using low-tension Raw Vintage springs, recommended string gauges, and lubing the nut slots and string tree. Affiliate link, Raw Vintage Springs https://amzn.to/46VaG8Y Gear used: 2023 Headstrong Lil' King with 12" Eminence GA-SC64 speaker https://headstrongamps.com/lil-king-amp 1955 Stratocaster built by my old college buddy, B. Paisley, using a mix of old and new parts. Ron Ellis 50/60 middle and neck, Duncan Twang banger in the bridge. https://www.ronellispickups.com/ Strings: D'Addario NYXL 10-46 Affiliate link https://amzn.to/494qQ1y Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm Effects: Amp reverb #askzac #zacchilds #stratocaster Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ Today, my old buddy Austin Skinner takes the helm of the show. While we were in Las Vegas doing a 7-night residency, Skinner filmed on the street, on the stage, and backstage during our time there. I hope you enjoy it as we talk about everything from parts guitars, parts coupling, neck pockets, using the UA Dream 65 modeler, pre-gig warm-up, and my recently acquired 53 Tele-style guitar. Gear used: Mirage comp, XTS re-housed Mostortion, XTS modified GE-7, Mad Prof Deep Blue Delay, UA Dream 65, and Walrus Audio Canvas interface. 1953 Telecaster built by my old college buddy, B. Paisley, using a mix of old and new parts. Ron Ellis 52T and Standard Plus pickups https://www.ronellispickups.com/ Strings: D'Addario NYXL 95-44 https://amzn.to/41rnl0V Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm #askzac #zacchilds #telecaster Support the show

To Support the Channel: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/AskZac Tip jar: https://paypal.me/AskZac Venmo @AskZac Or check out my store for merch - https://my-store-be0243.creator-spring.com/ In 1986, Warner/Reprise took an indie-released EP, added 4 newly recorded tunes, and launched Dwight Yoakam into the stratosphere with the revamped version of Guitars Cadillacs Etc, Etc. The album's first single, a cover of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man," was a clear message that this was a roots-influenced album, yet the energy and production made it also contemporary. Producer/Guitarist Pete Anderson took Dwight's tunes and added a modern take on the Bakersfield sound, that was the perfect nod to the past, but without becoming a pastiche of California Country styles of the 1960s. Although Yoakam had 21 great original tunes in the bag, he and Pete agreed to mix 7 of the backlog of original tunes, along with 3 revved-up covers to fill out the album. This winning formula would also serve as the template for his next two releases, Hillbilly Deluxe, and Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room. Besides a history of the album, we will also look at some of Pete's parts, and the gear he used for the album. Gear used: 2023 Headstrong Lil' King with 12" Eminence GA-SC64 speaker https://headstrongamps.com/lil-king-amp 1953 Telecaster built by my old college buddy, B. Paisley, using a mix of old and new parts. Ron Ellis 52T and Standard Plus pickups https://www.ronellispickups.com/ Strings: D'Addario NYXL 95-44 https://amzn.to/41rnl0V Pick: Pick Boy Small Jazz, Tortoise Shell, 1.00mm Effects: Amp reverb #askzac #peteanderson #dwightyoakam Support the show