A question for Jimmy Johnson

[jazzyvee]

I'm not sure if this question has been asked of you before on the forum, ( apologies if it has). I just wondered if you know what Allan Holdsworth's views are on Alembic guitars and has he ever been a user of them?
 
 
Jazzyvee

[JimmyJ]

Jazzyvee,
 
The question has never been asked and I don't know if he has ever tried one.  He has always been a modifier and is extremely specific about what he likes in an instrument these days.  His main axe over the last few years had among other features a hollow resonant body in which the top was floating above the internal structure...  He likes a flat fingerboard radius, one pickup in a very specific location, etc., etc...  That said, I have heard him pick up and play a generic instrument and make it sound amazing so some day I will drag him to by the factory and make him sit in the front room for a minute.  Ha!
 
Jimmy J

[jazzyvee]

Thanks for your response Jimmy. It would be an interesting experience if you managed to get him in there, to find out what he feels about Alembics.  
 
Jazzyvee

[terryc]

I think je used a Steinberger with Level 42 when he recorded 'Guaranteed' prior Jako joining.
Didn't he use that SynthAxe, the one with the neck set at a weird angle as the 'strings' were just triggers??

[mario_farufyno]

Yes, the SynthAxe is in the Atavachron album cover. But he also used a signature Carvin and a Fender Strato in early days. He seems to be always changing...

[jacko]

This is from last year's Glasgow gig. No idea what the guitar is...

[jacko]

oops - wrong button..

 
Graeme

[chrisalembic]

oh yes Allan Holdsworth playing Alembic, together with Jimmy Johnson!! That is something my hears want to hear so badly!! :-)

[JimmyJ]

Don't forget about his SG days with Tony Williams.  The guy gets an amazing tone out of whatever he picks up.
 
The guitar in the picture is the one I was talking about above.  It was built for him by a luthier in central California, Steinberger hardware but otherwise a fully custom one-off. He has used it a lot over the past few years but may have recently moved on again.  He is one of those guys on the constant gear quest.  But with his results what can we do but encourage him to continue!
 
The most fun for me would be just to introduce Allan to Ron Wickersham and then stand back and see what a couple creative geniuses might end up chatting about...  Someday.
 
Jimmy J

[David Houck]

Hah!  Now that would be cool!

[bluplirst]

According to Tony Levin's website:
 
Dates are soon to be confirmed for a January tour of the group Bozzio Holdsworth Mastelotto Levin. (Terry Bozzio, Alan Holdsworth, Pat Mastelotto - who likes to refer to the band as 'HoBoLeMa and me.) It'll be on the West Coast of the U.S, and possibly we'll do some Europe dates in April. The lineup played in Japan last year, and we had great fun doing sets of completely improvised music.
 
So, you lucky dogs on the west coast are in for a treat!

[mario_farufyno]

Oh, it is hard to live so far...

[afrobeat_fool]

Hey Mario, I'll try to tape it for ya. I for one will be there, if I'm not on the road.

[white_cloud]

Allan has used many guitars over the years from Gibson to Fender to Ibanez to Carvin, Steinberger etc etc.
 
There is a really excellent Carvin promo video on youtube at the moment where Allan demonstrates/explains what he looks for in an axe - well worth viewing!
 
Oh and Jimmy pass on  my regards to Allan pls!
 
John.

[dfung60]

The custom guitar in the picture was built by Bill DeLap.  I believe he's been doing technical work for Holdsworth on other guitars as well as on his own customs for many years now.  
 
There were some pictures from the last European tour where he was using a DeLap modified Steinberger ZT-3, the most recent model under that name (designed by Ned Steinberger, but factory built in Korea).
 
David Fung