Ask Zac

The story of the restoration process, and the wonderful participants who helped out. Much thanks to Dan "Danocaster" Strain, Ron Ellis, Nick at Glaser's, and the lovely Val "Valocaster" Strain. I had no idea the joy that would come from the restoration of a vintage, Pre-CBS, Fender guitar To Support the Channel: Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at ...

To Support the Channel: Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at  - www.askzac.com The story behind my guitar safari to Guitar Gallery in Tuscaloosa on Haloween, and picking up this gem of a 50's Fender for the first time. The "before" shots, so you can see how far we had to go. https://www.askzac.com/post/my-1957-f... Gear for this video 1957 Fender Esquire Strin...

To Support the Channel: Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at  - www.askzac.com Danny Gatton was and is a huge influence on me, especially his "Strictly Rhythm Guitar" video from Hot Licks. In my tribute to Danny, I take a walk through some of his history, gear, and also cover some of his playing concepts that have stuck with me. Link for Danny's Rhythm Guitar...

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  - www.askzac.com This was another topic that I have been asked many times about over the last 10 months. These are my setup tips for Telecasters. I call them hacks, as I tend to not use measurements, and go more by feel and sound. I cover looking at the...

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  - www.askzac.com CORRECTION - The "Stars On The Water" rhythm part was both Albert Lee and Hank DeVito. They played the same part but were panned hard left and right. Hank indicated he used his Esquire and a Vox AC30 on the track. DeVito is an...

To Support the Channel: Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at  - www.askzac.com Albert Lee's playing floored me when I heard it on Eric Clapton's "Just One Night" album. I soon began racing down the rabbit hole learning as much as I could about his playing style, gear, and buying every album I could find that listed him on the credits. This episode is a tr...

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  - www.askzac.com This is a walkthrough of Broadcaster/Esquire/Nocaster/Telecaster bridge pickups from 1950-1969. Thanks to Ron Ellis for his invaluable help in making this video. 2-weeks ago, I released an episode on pickups, and I found I had included...

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  - www.askzac.com Today I spotlight a multi-instrumentalist, and a criminally underrated Telecaster player, Ricky Skaggs. Besides his remarkable guitar work, I also looked at the unique way that he ended up as his own Telecaster player after Ray Flacke l...

To Support the Channel: Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac Or check out my store at  - www.askzac.com For my 50th episode, I take a look at the guitar reference books that have influenced me the most. I also continue my lick of the week showing some of Joe Walsh's faux steel licks he used in a recent concert with the Eagles on "Peaceful Easy Feeling." Some of the licks Joe used are...

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  - www.askzac.com Today I take a look at our obsession with vintage guitars. It all started with a good friend calling me and informing me that he was going to sell a high-end boutique amp and guitar, so he could afford a vintage guitar. Although I suppo...

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  - www.askzac.com In the continuing series, of how the various components affect tone, today's chapter is on wood. As to not spread too wide of a net, I stick to old-school Fender used woods ash, alder, pine, and basswood, when covering bodies, and...

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  - www.askzac.com I remember vividly seeing this "new" guitarist play on TV in the early 90s. He had this crazy-looking gray Tele, with a mini in the neck, a Strat in the middle, and boy howdy could he play! Of course, that guitarist was Brent...

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  - www.askzac.com I love relics when they are done well, but must say that there are few things uglier than when aging is done badly. In today's AZ, I retell the story of seeing Joe Glaser age a pickup cover in a restoration project, long before the...

Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac Back in 1996, I got a call on a Saturday night from a drummer friend asking me to go on a 30-day run of dates in Wyoming and New Mexico. And by the way, we leave Monday. We were playing clubs 6-nights a week, 5 hours a night, with Sundays off to travel to the next show. I experienced some of the craziest gigs of my life, and probably learned more than I did in a...

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  - www.askzac.com How do changing bridges, saddles, and perhaps even tuners affect your guitar's tone? Today I take that on, looking at vintage style 3-saddle bridges vs heavy brass 6-saddle bridges, what to expect going from steel to brass saddles,...

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  - www.askzac.com In this episode, we take a trip in the Wayback Machine and take a look at my 1992 era pedalboard. After last week's Klon, and the birth of boutique episode, I thought about what was my rig was back in the early 90s. Besides the ori...

Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac The decision to do a Klon focused episode was made easy by a good buddy loaning me his gold horsie Klon, and by the fact that I also had access to a silver horsie version. For this AZ, I wanted to set the context for the birth of this storied pedal by explaining what trends were occurring in music retail, and how that and the new collectible pedal market set the...

Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac People often ask me what it takes to be a guitar tech, and how to find a job as one. Here I lay out some important considerations for anyone wanting to pursue a position as a guitar tech. Gear Used: 2014 Crook Custom Vintage Paisley with Adder Neck, and underwound Florance TE60 http://www.crookcustomguitars.com/ Pick: Blue Chip TPR 35 RB Strings: Ernie Ball 10,13...

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  - www.askzac.com This episode of AZ was inspired by finding a 1983 JV bound 62 reissue Telecaster recently, and from a past Truetone Lounge interview with John Jorgenson in 2017. In the interview, Jorgenson mentioned that he used a "JV Telecaster&q...

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  - www.askzac.com Even though I am a Tele-Guy, there are times when you just need a Les Paul. In today's AZ, I tell how I finagled my way into the Gibson Custom Shop and was able to go through 35 R9 (1959 Reissues) to find the one that checked all t...

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  - www.askzac.com With my "Why The Deluxe Reverb is the Best Amp" video, many of you asked for a comparison between one of my 60's Deluxe Reverb amps, and the new Tone Master modeling amp. Well here it is, my unvarnished take on the amp, a...

Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac The purpose of today's episode is to put forth the question, can we start using the chorus effect again without being subjected to ridicule? After the overuse of it in the 80s and '90s, it has become the pariah of effects. Should it be freed after its nearly 20-year quarantine, or does it deserve to continue to be an outcast?  To support the show: go to...

Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac All of us start playing guitar for various reasons. Here is my story, and please share yours below. To support the show: go to www.askzac.com and visit the store Gear used in Video: 2018 Danocaster Double-Cut (1955 Stratocaster Style) with Ron Ellis 50/60 FAT pickups. Soft V neck, ash body, faded Inca Silver finish. Raw Vintage Trem Springs https://danocaster.com...

CORRECTION: Pete used 7 out of the 21 stockpiled Yoakam originals on each of the first 3 albums they released together. Pete Anderson turned Nashville on its ear with his playing and production on Dwight Yoakam's 1986 release, Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. His use of a Tele and Fender Deluxe Reverb amp, instead of the Music City norm of a Strat going direct with heavy chorus, made Dwight&apo...

Tip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZac In this episode, I spell out some philosophies and techniques that have helped my soloing improve. 1. Getting a Looper Pedal (I use an MXR Clone Looper) https://amzn.to/2AwoM7o 2. Singing a solo over the changes 3. Finding Rhythmic and Melodic Motifs 4. Limiting Myself - Play like a hero, or with a different sound 5. Become a guitar tinkerer. Make what I steal my...