GALLERY HIGHLIGHTS
GUITAR MASH: A MOVEMENT
With footage from the Inaugural Guitar Mash Concert + Jam at City Winery NYC, November 11, 2012
AKS THE AXR:
G.E. SMITH
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
Charlie Christian – Electric guitar starts there.
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
The Big E. First finger covers both the A and D strings at the second fret. Pinky on the G string at the fourth fret. Low to high E B E B B E … Now that’s a power chord.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
A very tough question but I have an early thirties twelve fret Gibson L1 that I bought many years ago in a bar in NYC. I think that one will always be with me.
AKS THE AXR:
STEFAN GROSSMAN
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
Charley Patton.
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
C chord.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
Martin HJ-38 Signature Model.
AKS THE AXR:
NELS CLINE
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
Debashish Bhattacharya.
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
F# min 13.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
Electric? My main Fender Jazzmaster that I bought from Mike Watt in 1995. Acoustic? My Martin 00-17 that I have had since the late 70′s.
AKS THE AXR:
KAKI KING
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
Charlotte Hatherly.
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
CGDGAD.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
My signature Ovation Adamas. Such a sweet bass on that thing!
AKS THE AXR:
CHAD SMITH
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
Jimi Hendrix, of course.
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
D minor, which I find to be the saddest of all keys.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
I have an old Martin acoustic guitar. It’s from the 70′s and it just sounds perfect. It was a Christmas present from John Frusciante about 5 years ago. Best sounding acoustic guitar I own.
TOM COLICCHIO
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
David Bromberg.
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
E minor in 2nd position.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
My 1944 Martin 0018. It’s a small body guitar so it’s comfortable to hold, sounds great, and mine is definitely well broken in.
AKS THE AXR:
LEE RANALDO (SONIC YOUTH)
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
Jerry Garcia–someone whose playing I spent a lot of time listening to at one point in my life. What I took away from his playing was not so much stylistic bits but rather his intrepid spirit and openness — he could accomodate a vast variety of players, from acoustic bluegrass pickers to electric rockers. I loved his melodic sense as well as his willingness to go way out on a limb for the sake of sound…
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
As someone who plays mostly in open tunings, the voicing would be very important. Right now I’d choose the following chord, from Low string to High string, strummed unfretted: CGCCCG .056/.045/.035/.028/.014/.018. Note that 2nd string is C an octave above the two middle strings, which sound the same note and which are an octave above the 6th string. Also note that 2nd string is the highest note on the guitar, higher than 1st string.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
I have a beat up old Martin 0-18 from 1929, a ‘parlour’ guitar that I bought cheap many years ago because it didn’t look pretty. While pristine and beautiful it may not be, it plays like a dream and I’ve met no guitar, ever, that sounds better than this one. It’s light as a feather in the style of those old pre-war Martins, and has so much warmth and detail to the sound.
AKS THE AXR:
THE EDGE
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
Jimi Hendrix.
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
The big open E.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
My Gibson Explorer “76″ reissue – I’ve tried everything else but keep coming back to this guitar.
AKS THE AXR:
MARK STEWART
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
I deeply dig the garden but cannot choose a flower.
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
I deeply dig the garden but cannot choose a flower.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
I deeply dig the garden but cannot choose a flower.
AKS THE AXR:
DAVE STEWART (EURYTHMICS)
IF YOU COULD JAM WITH ANY GUITARIST…
R.L. Burnside (I did jam with him once before he died).
IF YOU HAD TO SUM YOURSELF UP IN ONE CHORD…
A minor 9 (no 7th). It’s the opening chord of “Here Comes the Rain Again”, a song I wrote with Annie Lennox, the B and E string left open along with the A string, thumb on the E string 5th fret , 4th string on 7th fret , 3rd string on 5th fret.
IF YOU HAD TO PLAY ONE GUITAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…
My Blackbird Duesenberg hollow body. I love the look feel and sound of it and I worked closely with Duesenberg to create this amazing guitar. Here’s a pic.



