James Donald "Jim" Root is the rhythm/lead guitarist of American rock band Stone Sour and lead guitarist for the metal band Slipknot.

In 2010 Jim, also known by his number #4, collaborated with Fender on what would be his second signature model released, a huge-sounding Stratocaster that compliments his heavily down-tuned playing style.

The Jim Root Strat has very similar features to that of his Signature Telecaster, which was released in 2007. Features include a modern "C" shape compound radius neck (12"-14") that has a Satin Urethane finish without fretboard dot markers, active EMG® pickups, all black hardware, 22 jumbo frets and satin nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Though this guitar was released in 2010, he was seen using it on live shows during 2009.

Jim Root's musical career with Stone Sour kicked off when he joined the band in 1995, three years after they formed and recorded their first two demo tapes. However, it was only a couple of years later in 1997, Stone Sour dispanded when singer Corey Taylor joined Slipknot to replace their original singer. Two years later, the bands original guitarist Josh Brainard left and Taylor invited Root to join Slipknot as lead guitarist, based on Taylor's past experiences working with him in Stone Sour. The band continued to tour and record but in 2002, the future of Slipknot was unclear and there was speculation over whether the band had split after a Stone Sour revival and other members went off to focus on musical side projects. Despite this hiatus, and several more along the way, both bands have continued to tour and record records to this day.

The people at Squier have been working hard along side of Mikey Way from alternative rock group My Chemical Romance, to bring to you one of it's most striking bass guitar models in the Mustang range. They've taken their original Mustang Bass and given it a dazzling silver sparkle makeover with added black racing stripes that neatly tie in with the black pickup cover, black volume and tone control knobs, black 3-ply pickguard and black headstock (with Mr Way's signature on the back), giving this guitar it's uniqueness on first impression.

Though the scale length is very much the same as the original Mustang, which makes it a popular choice for comfort, the Mikey Way model features Medium Jumbo frets with parchment dot inlays and a slighter larger fretboard radius. Other features include a maple neck, basswood body, a single seismic humbucking pickup, string-through-body bridge with four individually adjustable saddles and vintage-style chrome tuners.

My Chemical Romance

 

My Chemical Romance formed in 2001, after the September 11th attacks which had influenced Gerard Way's life to the extent that he decided to start a band. Despite not actually being a member of the band at the time, tt was Mikey, Gerards younger brother that came up with the name after he was inspired by the title of a book in the shop he was working in. After hearing their first demo, Mikey dropped out of college and took the place of their new bassist went on to record and release their first album 'I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love' in 2002. In 2003 the band signed with major label, Reprise Records and released their second studio album 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge' in 2004. Following the recording and release of their third album 'The Black Parade' in 2006, Mikey took a short break from the band to spend time with his new wife, but rejoined approximately 7 months later.


Click HERE to see Mikey playing his Mustang Signature in the new video from My Chemical Romance, for the song Kids From Yesterday.

This year, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's groundbreaking album, Nevermind, Fender are releasing a special signature Jaguar, which has been modelled (down to a T) after Kurt Cobain's famously distinctive 1965 road worn Jag he prominently used during the early 90's, when Nirvana led the musically stunning and culturally subversive movement.

Nevermind is the second studio album by Nirvana, produced by Butch Vig, released on September 24, 1991. Despite worries and low expectations by the band and the label DGC Records, of which it was their first release under their management, Nevermind surprised all and became and a success later that year. This unexpected success was largely due to the popularity of it's first single and opening track "Smells Like Teen Spirit", released two weeks before the album. The song uses a simple verse-chorus form where the distinctive four-chord riff is used during the intro and chorus to create an alternating loud and quiet dynamic, something that was used by bands such as the Pixies, who greatly influenced Cobain.

Come January 1992, it had replaced Michael Jackson's album Dangerous and was number one on the Billboard Charts. The album has been certified as Diamond, with over 10 million copies shipped, has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. Nevermind was responsible for bringing alternative rock to a large mainstream audience, and is subsequently regarded it as one of the best rock albums of all time.

"Kurt Cobain's guitar sound on Nirvana's Nevermind set the tone for nineties rock music." - Guitar World

Fender craftsmen have reproduced Cobain's unique alder body Jag with the aged Road Worn finish and hardware treatment, stratocaster headstock with a 1950's style "spaghetti" logo, bound fretboard with pearloid markers, the red-swirl mother-of-bowling-ball pickguard, three position toggle switch, black chrome Adjusto-Matic™ Bridge and Gotoh® sealed tuners. And more importantly the dual humbucking pickups and unusual electronics and controls. DiMarzio® humbucking DP103 PAF 36th Anniversary neck pickup and DP100 Super Distortion bridge pickup and 'triple knurled chrome-dome' knob configuration (volume - volume - tone), which were already in place when Kurt acquired the guitar in the summer of 1991.

The guitar comes in a black textured vinyl hard-shell case and with an exclusive Fender Kurt Cobain book with photos and commentary by Charles Peterson and an insightful interview with Nirvana guitar tech Earnie Bailey.

According to Earnie Bailey, Kurt never polished it "He neverpolished the thing! It was disgusting. [In the] "Lithium" video it hits the stage hard. In Rio it gets soaked in cantaloupe juice and seeds, then dropped onto the camera rails when Kurt is spitting on the camera".
It was also played by Eric Erlandson in Hole's "Doll Parts" music video.

www.fender.com

Click HERE to view Kurt playing 'Aneurysm' on his '65 Jag, Rome, 1991.

Hello!

From time to time we will be giving you an in-depth look at some of our newest, most beautiful instruments.

Today we introduce to you Chet Atkins Signature Hollow Body Gretsch 6120BS.

 

Chet Atkins, born Chester Burton Atkins, was an American guitarist taking inspiration from the likes of Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt, George Barnes and Les Paul. Along with Owen Bradley, he created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound.

Atkins was one of the pioneering guitarists of his day, and his endorsement, the first ever Gretsch endorsee, gave Gretsch greater visibility in competition with Gibson and Fender. The most notable signature guitar Gretsch sold was the 6120 Chet Atkins model. When it was introduced in 1955, the 6120 sported a host of western decorations, including cow's heads, cactus etchings and a big G brand on the top. It was the first in the "Chet Atkins" line of signature Gretsch guitars.

The last of the classic single-cutaway 6120's was produced in 1961, just before the body was narrowed from three inches to around two.

The proper name of the 6120 was changed in the mid-60s from "6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body" to "6120 Nashville". But in 2008, Gretsch, upon agreement with the Atkins family, regained the rights to use the Chet Atkins name. The Nashville name was dropped and most 6120's became known as the Chet Atkins Hollowbody once again.

This is the modern version of the classic 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body guitar which features a 16"wide, 2 ½"deep single-cutaway Nashville hollow body, 22 fret maple neck, ebony fretboard with Neo-Classic™ thumbnail inlays, Grover® Rotomatic® tuners, dual High Sensitive Filter’Tron™ pickups, Bigsby® B6G vibrato tailpiece with Bigsby® Flat Trem Handle and an Adjusto-Matic™ bridge.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR FAVOURITE VIDEO CLIP OF CHET PLAYING 'MR. SANDMAN' ON A 6120.

 

Welcome to our brand new blog!  We plan on using our blog to keep you all updated with everything going on at Peterborough Music with information on our latest news, products, special offers and general ramblings.

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