GREG'S GUITAR MUSIC GEAR
Here are Real Audio files of me playing my old Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket:
Real Audio files of me playing my old Flextone I can be found in the Flextone section below. I haven't uploaded audios of the Flextone III yet.
You will need the latest version of Real Player G2 to listen to these files. Click on the graphic below to download it. It's free!
The following is the current list (as of 01/07/01) of my music gear.
Click on the images for more info.
Since I'm giving my opinions on guitar gear, it would benefit you to know what guitar tones that I like so that you could better judge the validity of my opinions since everyone has different tastes. After all, one man's junk is another man's treasure. The same is true for tone.
As for guitar tones that I like, Eric Johnson, Richie Kotzen, Nuno Bettencourt (when he was with Extreme), John Petrucci, Allan Holdsworth, SRV, Hendrix, and Van Halen's early Marshall tone (circa 1984), among others.
Tones that I don't like include, most grunge tones, Kirk Hamet, Paul Gilbert (at least when he was with Mr. Big, his tone on his solo albums sounds good), Joe Satriani (except for his rhythm tone on the "Extremist") and Lynard Skynard. This is not a slight against these artists' music or abilities, I just don't care for their tones. Satch used too many effects on "Surfin with the Alien" and generally has too trebly of a tone for my tastes. Gilbert's tone is also trebly. Hamet over uses the wah wah and I can't stand twangy rock so Skynard is out.
In my opinion, most players confuse tone with playing and therefore incorrectly conclude that tone is primarily in the fingers. While it is true that the fingers play a role in tone, I believe the major contribution to tone is in gear. Yes, it's true that Eddie Van Halen would still sound like himself even through a cheap solid-state amp lined direct to a junk PA but his tone would sound different. He would sound like himself because of his *playing*. If Eddie played an open D chord through his gear, and then I played an open D chord through the same gear no one could tell a difference in a blind fold test. VH's tone changed from the Roth era to the Post-Roth era because he changed amps and started using Chorus, not because his fingers changed. His playing still sounds the same, for the most part. Eddie Van Halen is just one example that proves my point. There is a difference between tone and playing. Tone is primarily in the gear, fingers play a smaller role. Playing is primarily in the fingers, gear plays a smaller role. Perhaps this is just a matter of semantics and guitarist who argue differently have a different definition of tone than I do. To me, tone is what comes out of the guitar amp when anything is played on the guitar.
Ibanez
SZ520
I bought this guitar new in May of 2003. This is the third S-series Ibanez that I have owned. I've loved all of my S-series guitars, but this one's the bomb! It's finish is beautiful. I ordered it online having never seen one in person. In most light, the finish is a little darker than Ibanez's picture (above) but it varies greatly depending upon the lighting. It has a mahoghany body, maple flame top, three on three headstock, dual humbuckers with a three way switch, separate volume controls for each pickups, one tone control, a set-thru neck and a string thru bridge.
This guitar makes the most dramatic difference between any other Ibanez S-series guitar that I've owned or played. For one thing, it's body is thicker than previous S-series guitars. It's also therefore considerably heavier (around 13 lbs). The maple top also contributes to this guitar's weight. I also notice that this guitar's headstock has a steeper angle than my previous SC420.
The pickup switch built very ruggedly (more rugged than 5-way selectors on my previous Ibanezes) but I I would have preferred this guitar to have been design with a 5-way selector for more tonal variation and ease of use. Perhaps I'll get used to it, but whem I'm playing, I sometimes have trouble visually determining which setting the switch is on. The middle position of the switch splits both humbuckers into single-coils.
I have performed some significant modifications to this guitar. First, I dropped in my Air Norton and Tone Zone pickups. This is not because the stock pickups sounded bad. In fact, they sounded very good, but I had become attached to my Dimarzios. They best define *my* sound.
Secondly, I have absolutely no use for two volume knobs. I had the control knob closest to the bridge rewired as a master volume for both pickups. I modified the remaining two knobs to be separate tone knobs for each pickup.
I also installed a coil-split pot into the master volume knob. This gives me 6 different pickup configurations. With the push-pull pot disengaged, position one is the neck pickup, position two is both pickups, and position three is the bridge. With the push-pull pot engaged, position one is the split neck, position two is both pickups split and position three is the bridge pickup split. I'm also thinking about installing a drop d extender into the 6th string tuner.
I have replaced the stock neck pickup with a Dimarzio
Air Norton and the stock bridge pickup with a Dimarzio Tone
Zone. These are the same pickups that I had in my previous Ibanez.
I receive lots of inquiries on how I like the Dimarzio replacement pickups so here are my comments.
Air Norton - Neck Position
The Air Norton gives me a very smooth lead tone. It turns the crunch of the distortion into pure sustain which is exactly what I wanted. It has a fairly low output due to Dimarzio's patented "Air buckers" technology which allows for a more powerful pickup without having to have a stronger magnet. This pickup also seems to be very good at picking up details in picking and dynamics, thus making it more musical. And unlike many neck pickups, this pickup does not get muddy.
Tone Zone - Bridge Position
This pickup has great mids and harmonics. It's a great bridge pickup.
For some great reviews on the Ibanez S420C, check out Harmony-Central's guitar database.
As for guitar tones that I like, Eric Johnson, Richie Kotzen, Nuno Bettencourt (when he was with Extreme), John Petrucci, Allan Holdsworth, SRV, Hendrix, and Van Halen's early Marshall tone (circa 1984), among others.
Tones that I don't like include, most grunge tones, Kirk Hamet, Paul Gilbert (at least when he was with Mr. Big, his tone on his solo albums sounds good), Joe Satriani (except for his rhythm tone on the "Extremist") and Lynard Skynard. This is not a slight against these artists' music or abilities, I just don't care for their tones. Satch used too many effects on "Surfin with the Alien" and generally has too trebly of a tone for my tastes. Gilbert's tone is also trebly. Hamet over uses the wah wah and I can't stand twangy rock so Skynard is out.
In my opinion, most players confuse tone with playing and therefore incorrectly conclude that tone is primarily in the fingers. While it is true that the fingers play a role in tone, I believe the major contribution to tone is in gear. Yes, it's true that Eddie Van Halen would still sound like himself even through a cheap solid-state amp lined direct to a junk PA but his tone would sound different. He would sound like himself because of his *playing*. If Eddie played an open D chord through his gear, and then I played an open D chord through the same gear no one could tell a difference in a blind fold test. VH's tone changed from the Roth era to the Post-Roth era because he changed amps and started using Chorus, not because his fingers changed. His playing still sounds the same, for the most part. Eddie Van Halen is just one example that proves my point. There is a difference between tone and playing. Tone is primarily in the gear, fingers play a smaller role. Playing is primarily in the fingers, gear plays a smaller role. Perhaps this is just a matter of semantics and guitarist who argue differently have a different definition of tone than I do. To me, tone is what comes out of the guitar amp when anything is played on the guitar.
Ibanez SZ520
I bought this guitar new in May of 2003. This is the third S-series Ibanez that I have owned. I've loved all of my S-series guitars, but this one's the bomb! It's finish is beautiful. I ordered it online having never seen one in person. In most light, the finish is a little darker than Ibanez's picture (above) but it varies greatly depending upon the lighting. It has a mahoghany body, maple flame top, three on three headstock, dual humbuckers with a three way switch, separate volume controls for each pickups, one tone control, a set-thru neck and a string thru bridge.
This guitar makes the most dramatic difference between any other Ibanez S-series guitar that I've owned or played. For one thing, it's body is thicker than previous S-series guitars. It's also therefore considerably heavier (around 13 lbs). The maple top also contributes to this guitar's weight. I also notice that this guitar's headstock has a steeper angle than my previous SC420.
The pickup switch built very ruggedly (more rugged than 5-way selectors on my previous Ibanezes) but I I would have preferred this guitar to have been design with a 5-way selector for more tonal variation and ease of use. Perhaps I'll get used to it, but whem I'm playing, I sometimes have trouble visually determining which setting the switch is on. The middle position of the switch splits both humbuckers into single-coils.
I have performed some significant modifications to this guitar. First, I dropped in my Air Norton and Tone Zone pickups. This is not because the stock pickups sounded bad. In fact, they sounded very good, but I had become attached to my Dimarzios. They best define *my* sound.
Secondly, I have absolutely no use for two volume knobs. I had the control knob closest to the bridge rewired as a master volume for both pickups. I modified the remaining two knobs to be separate tone knobs for each pickup.
I also installed a coil-split pot into the master volume knob. This gives me 6 different pickup configurations. With the push-pull pot disengaged, position one is the neck pickup, position two is both pickups, and position three is the bridge. With the push-pull pot engaged, position one is the split neck, position two is both pickups split and position three is the bridge pickup split. I'm also thinking about installing a drop d extender into the 6th string tuner.
I have replaced the stock neck pickup with a Dimarzio Air Norton and the stock bridge pickup with a Dimarzio Tone Zone. These are the same pickups that I had in my previous Ibanez.
I receive lots of inquiries on how I like the Dimarzio replacement pickups so here are my comments.
Air Norton - Neck Position
The Air Norton gives me a very smooth lead tone. It turns the crunch of the distortion into pure sustain which is exactly what I wanted. It has a fairly low output due to Dimarzio's patented "Air buckers" technology which allows for a more powerful pickup without having to have a stronger magnet. This pickup also seems to be very good at picking up details in picking and dynamics, thus making it more musical. And unlike many neck pickups, this pickup does not get muddy.
Tone Zone - Bridge Position
This pickup has great mids and harmonics. It's a great bridge pickup.
For some great reviews on the Ibanez S420C, check out Harmony-Central's guitar database.
Fender Strat
This is a special edition Fender Stratocaster.Special edition because this is an FMT (Flame Maple Top) with gold hardware. These pictures don't do the guitar justice because it really is a beauty. There were only 250 of these guitars made. Hard to believe that it was made in Mexico, not in a custom shop.
As for the sound of this guitar, it sounds great. I'm going to eventually swap out the pickups with Kinmans. Kinmans are supposed to replicate the vintage tones but be noiseless.
Line 6 Flextone III Plus amp.
Real Audio files of Flextone I (Flex III audio files have not yet been uploaded to this site)
Black Panel model
Matchless Chieftan model
Marshall JCM 800 model
Soldano model
Real Audio files of me playing the Flextone I's Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier model with my band can be found on the Greg Jones and the G-Men website.
Line 6 has taken a different approach to guitar amplifiers. They make digital modeling amps. Basically, this means that their amps are computers that emulate other amps. I never thought it would be possible. My attitude has always been, "why buy an emulation when you can have the real thing"? But after hearing these amps, I'm convinced that they sound just as good as the real thing or at least close enough (and I'm picky).
The Flextone III features 32 amp models, amps such as; Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifer, Fender Deluxe, Bogner Extasy, Marshall Plexi, Matchless Chieftan, Vox AC30, Soldano Slo 100, Roland JC120, O'Connor Cornford (one of my favorites) and many others. It also boasts a modest but ample effects section consisting primarily of a compressor, gate delays and modulation effects.
The Flextone III Plus is a 60 watt version that allows for an extension cab to be added which will give add 100 watts of sound in stereo.
The Flextone III also has 16 cabinet models that have been emulated. Cabinets from 1 x 12 combos's to 4 x 12's equipped with Celestions can be mixed and matched with any amp model giving a wider arrangement of tone offerings.
All of these features make this amp very "flex-able" (pun intended). For bedroom practice and rehearsals, the combo is enough. For medium to larger gigs I can bring along the extension cabinet for extra wattage. When you factor in the fact that you can get Heavy Metal/Hard Rock, classic rock, blues and jazz sounds all out of one amp, you can only conclude that this is one of the most versatile amps on the market.
Needless to say, I'm very very impressed with the sound of this amp. I had A/B 'ed my original Flextone I along side of the Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket that I used to own and though that the Flextone's Mesa Boogie amp model sounded better than the Subway. Of course, the Subway has a 1 x 10 speaker and the Flextone was modelling it's big brother the Dual Rectifier, so that made a difference also. I also used to own a 5150 and have concluded that the Soldano model sounds very close as well.
The floorboard allows me to add additional user presets. It also has a wah, volume and tuner controls. Effects, like chorus, distortion, delay can be turned on and off as needed.
Comparing this amp to my previous Flextone I, the Flex III sounds much better. It's Celestion speaker and slightly larger cabinet does a much better job of handling low end. The cabinet modelling really makes a difference also. Line 6 also corrected the problem with the original design of the Flex I floorboard that caused it to instantly switch to a patch when the bank up or down button was pressed. That was always annoying.
Alvarez AJ60C acoustic guitar
MP3 file of Alvarez AJ60
Click here to listen to an MP3 sample of my Alvarez acoustic. This was recorded on my PC using Cubase VST/24.
I got the cutaway version of this guitar. Originally, I was intent on getting a solid-top acoustic, since solid-tops generally have a better tone and their tones improve with age. But solid-top acoustic/electrics feedback rather easily when plugged in. I A/B'ed this guitar against a very nice solid top Dean, and this guitar sounded just as good, I couldn't believe it! When plugged in, the Dean, even with it's antifeedback electronics, did feedback at higher volumes, especially when the lows and mids were boosted. The Alvarez, on the other hand, didn't feedback at all! Unplugged, the Alvarez sounded great! The only difference was that the Dean had more bottom end. Both guitars had the same sustain, which was surprising since laminated tops tend to have less sustain. The Alvarez seemed to have a crisper, clearer high end. This can probably be attributed to the maple. The jumbo size seems to make up for the brightness that maple can bring to the tone. This guitar has active electronics, complete with a 3-band graphic eq and parametric mids. My only complaints are that this guitar doesn't have fret markings on the fingerboard. It only has them on the top of the neck. This will take some getting used to. Secondly, you have to unscrew a couple of screws in order to get to the battery pack. This is the best accoustic that I've ever owned. For around $500, you can't beat this guitar.
The Alesis QS8 Synthesizer
Real Audio files of music sequenced on the Alesis QS8 synth can be found on the Greg Jones and the G-Men web site.
This synth is used with my current band Greg Jones and the G-Men. I use the QS8 to play the keyboard and parts in the band. It has excellent piano sounds. I have edited and further improved them. Alesis samples are a little bright and need tweaked. The strings are nice but I've heard better. The best sounds that I've ever heard in a synth came from a Roland JV1010 module (which I hope to purchase in the future). The brass is not real convincing, but may be usable in certain musical contexts. The QS8 doesn't feel exactly like an accoustic keyboard, but it's feel is great nonetheless. I like the feel better than any other weighted keyboard that I've ever tried. It came with software that allows me to use my computer for sequencing as well as other functions. On the downside, because the LCD display is fairly small, it's not as user friendly as I'd like because it's too easy to get lost in the menus. Incidentally, my sequencing software of choice is Cubase VST/24.
The QuadraSynth Pages is an excellent resource for this synth.
Also check out information about the QS8 on Alesis' official web site.
For some great reviews on this synth, check out Harmony-Central's synth database.
The Studio
I'm trying to come up with a cool/catchy name for my home studio. If you have a suggestion, please send it my way.
Lexicon Core 2 Soundcard
RNC Compressor
Line 6 Pod 2.0
Pentium III 1 Ghz, 256 MB, 20 Gig PC with cd burner
Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions about my gear, or about achieving certain tones.
