Our good friend The Tone King met up with Paul Gilbert and Ted McCann at NAMM 2012. Paul talks about his passion for his new Fireman guitar and his Coily cable. Full Interview on The Tone King on YouTube

“…This [guitar] has been my best friend since I was 9 years old. I have spent more time with this instrument than any human being.”
Paul Gilbert

Found to be a connection last week, Juan tweeted about the Premier Guitar video, “Paul Gilbert gave me that (bullet) cable years ago. Never have used another”.

The Mars Volta has just finished a tour with Soundgarden. Visit their site to view upcoming shows.

We have heard from professionals on the road, who have used George L’s and like systems, that solderless connectors tend to loosen up, therefore making them undependable for professional use. One artist told us that the connectors loosen up just from jiggling around in the van between shows. In Guitar Player Magazine, “Chairmen of the Boards”, By Barry Cleveland (May 2008), Bob Bradshaw (Custom Audio Electronics) and Dave Friedman (Rack System, Ltd.) gave the following expert reviews about solderless cables:

“I hate solderless cables,” exclaims Bradshaw. “I’m sorry, but if you want something done right, and you want the thing to last, then you have to solder your connections. If musicians don’t want to get into soldering, that’s fine, but they do so at their own peril.”

“For some people, I use George L’s cable,” says Friedman, “but I use soldered-on ends rather than George L’s solderless connectors. The cable sounds really good, but there is serious potential for failure using non-soldered ends—largely because the majority of people who use George L’s cable for their boards don’t cut the cable exactly right, and the ends don’t connect properly. Personally, I would say buy some short angle- to-angle soldered cables at a store, and save yourself a lot of trouble.”

Okay, so let’s say we put the pedal board through a strenuous test and prove once and for-all that solder-less isn’t the problem, that the wrong solderless cable technology is the problem. Our test included stage set up, take down, automobile and plane travel, and the very action of using pedals during live performances. To make it even more of a shake down over outdated beliefs (or at least prove they can be outdated, even in 3 short years): We put ours on tour for 38 shows in 20 countries in 2 months.

The Mr. Big Tour has just completed 38 shows in 20 countries.

As you may know, we helped Paul set up his pedal board the day before the start of the tour with Bullet Cable DIY Solderless Connectors. We have been making a lot of promises about the dependability of our system vs soldered cables: 1.) They will not loosen up, and 2.) You will get a perfect connection, and 3.) You will get the full benefit of your pedal board set up by using our cables.

So we wrote Paul on the tour.
“How are the cables doing?” He responded back, “The Bullet patch cables are working great! Lots of rock!” Good enough.
After the tour we wrote him again.
“Did you have any problems?” He responded back, “All is well with the cables. Thanks for checking in!”

Does this confirm our promises and dispute the anti-sentiments (including above all else, the strong word, “Hate”)? Can we get Bob Bradshaw and Dave Friedman to retract (if they still feel the same way)?

Can you imagine a world with no burned finger tips? It is a good world indeed.

Paul Gilbert Making His Own Pedal Board Cables using Bullet Cable DIY Solderless Connectors

Bullet Cable Solderless will continue on tour beginning in July. We will keep you updated.

Mr. Big 2011 North American Tour Dates:

July 30, 2011: San Diego, CA – 4th & B
July 31, 2011: Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon Club
August 2, 2011: Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
August 4, 2011: Santa Ana, CA – Galaxy Theatre
August 5, 2011: San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
August 6, 2011: Modesto, CA – Xclamation Festival
August 8, 2011: Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
August 9, 2011: Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
August 12, 2011: Chicago, IL – House Of Blues
August 13, 2011: Columbus, OH – Al Rosa Villa
August 16, 2011: Pittsburgh, PA – Trib Total Media Amphitheater
August 17, 2011: Cleveland, OH – House Of Blues
August 19, 2011: Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
August 20, 2011: Detroit, MI – Harpo’s
August 23, 2011: New York, NY – BB King’s
August 24, 2011: Foxborough, MA – Showcase Live
August 26, 2011: N. Myrtle Beach, SC – House Of Blues
August 27, 2011: Lake Buena Vista, FL – House Of Blues
August 30, 2011: Houston, TX – House Of Blues
August 31, 2011: Dallas, TX – House Of Blues

Paul Gilbert is a hands on artist, and like other serious musicians, is consistently adapting his gear to meet the challenges of his music.

I like to take challenges that adapt accessories so that others will succeed.

What I find in Paul is a kindred spirit when it comes to sound signal exploration. It is nice to spend a few hours getting totally geeked out over gear which is what we did the day before the current Mr. Big Tour.

I was invited to his practice studio where Paul and Billy Sheehan were making final preparations for the tour. Paul and I were meeting to clean up his board with the solderless cable system that Bullet Cable has been working on over the last five years.

BEFORE: Paul Gilbert’s pedal board
“..used to be a big mass of electronic spaghetti..”

So here was the challenge: I promised that Bullet Cable DIY Connectors and DIY Bulk Cable will work perfectly, and I promised that we can do the whole board within 1/3 of the time that it would otherwise take to do a board of this size using custom cables.

Paul making a perfect connection.
(Scissors in picture were used for velcro–not used on cable)

Paul and I basically got together to test whether this was true. However, as I said, this was final session prep for the tour, and you usually don’t start messing around with your current set up unless there is a major payoff. In this case, I also promised amazing tone enhancement and signal integrity which probably was a very attractive proposition to Paul. Having a history now of a few years, of delivering on our promises, he was all in.

Paul’s Pedal Board for Mr. Big Tour
Cleaned up with Bullet Cable
Tone Enhancement HUGE!

Paul’s Pedal board:
Velcro covered plywood
Fuzz Universe (Paul Gilbert Signature)
AF2 Airplane Flanger (Paul Gilbert Signature)
MXR Phase 90
DeTox EQ (Paul Gilbert Signature)
HBE CPR Compressor Retro Pedal
Lehle Splitter
The line that runs between: Bullet Cable

Set Up:
Tuner –> Airplane Flanger –> MXR Phase 90 –> Fuzz Universe –> Lehle Splitter.
Splitter–> Detox EQ (which goes out to distorted amp),
Splitter also –> HBE CPR Compressor (which is always on), –> Fulltone Choral Flanger (which goes to clean amp).

How to connect them and maximize the set up: DIY Cable, DIY Connectors (.44 chrome solderless plugs), and SLUG angle and straight connectors.

What you will need:
(8) BC-CBA .44 Chrome Connectors (ang) – 4 pkgs
(4) BC-SLA SLUG Connectors (ang) *
(3) BC-SLS SLUG Connectors (strt) *
6 feet/ 1.83 meters DIY Bulk Cable *

*Ask your dealer to get Bullet Cable SLUGS and DIY Cable in the store near you (substitutions are not good enough!)

So how do you shred like the master? a few articles about Paul’s style have been shared around the internet. Guitarist, Mike Philippov deconstructs Paul’s playing and gives some advice in his article: How to Shred Like Paul Gilbert

Mr. Big Tour Japan dates here.
There will be more Paul Gilbert gear vids coming this week check back y’all.

& Vimeo Here

Paul in a performance, covering, “It’s All Too Much” by George Harrison.

Happy Birthday George

3 Stops Schedule:

Friday Feb 25th – Long Beach, CA – Art Theater of Long Beach, CA – SOLD OUT!!!

Sun Feb 27th – Chicago, IL – Durty Nellie’s
Tix Available exclusively at The Drum Pad – Call: 888-523-1158

Mon Feb 28th – New York City – BB King’s

Word: Mike Portnoy was nominated for 2011 Golden God Award. Good Luck Mike!

Paul-Gilbert-2011-Bullet-Cable-NAMM-2011

“American guitar wizard (and Bullet Cable endorser) Paul Gilbert will bring his ‘Fuzz Universe’ to life, during his return to Europe in late autumn and early winter of 2010. His most recent album, Fuzz Universe, contains 12 guitar-driven songs, and demonstrates Paul’s love of rock, blues, classical, pop, and jazz – all with an intensity that keeps his shred-guitar fans satisfied.”

Crazy Fuzz Universe Tour Trailer Video By Paul: Click To View

In addition to presenting his new songs for the first time live, Paul will be performing favorites from Racer X, Mr. Big, his solo career, and other surprises as well.”

Paul says “This is LIVE. This is REAL. I’ll see you ONSTAGE with my GUITAR plugged into some big AMPS.”

Date – Venue – City – Country

11.01.10 – House Of Blues – Los Angeles, CA, USA (Yay! It’s a warm-up show for us Americans. )
&
11.05.10 –Koko — London, United Kingdom
11.06.10 –Moho Live — Manchester, United Kingdom
11.07.10 –Spring & Airbrake — Belfast, United Kingdom
11.08.10 –Whelan’s — Dublin, Ireland
11.09.10 –The Brook — Southampton, United Kingdom
11.11.10 – Atak — Enschede, The Netherlands
11.12.10 –De Boerderij — Zoetermeer, The Netherlands
11.13.10 –Kulturfabrik — Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
11.15.10 –Batschkapp — Frankfurt, Germany
11.16.10 –NCO Club — Schwabisch Hall, Germany
11.17.10 –Luxor — Koln, Germany
11.18.10 –Matrix — Bochum, Germany
11.19.10 –Rust — Copenhagen, Denmark
11.20.10 –Göta Källare — Stockholm, Sweden
11.22.10 –Tavastia — Helsinki, Finland
11.23.10 –Tapper — Tallinn, Estonia
11.24.10 –Club New York — Vilnius, Lithuania
11.25.10 –Progresja — Warsaw, Poland
11.27.10 –Winter Masters Of Rock Festival — Zlin, Czech Republic
11.28.10 –Szene — Vienna, Austria
11.29.10 –Diesel Club (Volt e-Klub) — Budapest, Hungary
11.30.10 –Cvetlicarna — Ljubljana, Slovenia
12.02.10 –Boogaloo — Zagreb, Croatia
12.03.10 –Oldies Pub — Sibiu, Romania
12.04.10 –Silver Church Club — Bucharest, Romania
12.05.10 –Sofia Live Club — Sofia, Bulgaria
12.06.10 –Romeo Juliet — Istanbul, Turkey
12.07.10 –Mylos Club — Thessaloniki, Greece
12.08.10 –An Club — Athens, Greece
12.10.10 –Alpheus — Rome, Italy
12.11.10 –Magazzini Generali — Milan, Italy
12.12.10 –La Laiterie — Strasbourg, France
12.13.10 –Z7 — Pratteln, Switzerland
12.14.10 –Marché Gare — Lyon, France
12.15.10 –Razzmatazz 2 — Barcelona, Spain
12.16.10 –Sala Live! — Madrid, Spain
12.17.10 –Sala Q — Sevilla, Spain
12.18.10 –Sala Modus (Antiguo Sarao) — Logrono, Spain
12.19.10 –Le Trabendo — Paris, France

+ VIP Tickets are available in strictly limited quantity (6 per city) for this tour. “These tickets allow the purchaser to come to the show early to attend a VIP Clinic. This will include a 90-minute guitar lesson with Paul, access to watch Paul’s sound check with the band, time for autographs and pictures with Paul, a special ‘goody bag’ with a T-shirt, CD, and custom guitar picks, and of course, a ticket to see the show!” If you are interested in taking advantage of this exclusive and rare opportunity, please check with Elite VIP Ticket to reserve your spot with TJ as soon as possible.

The band’s lineup for this tour is: Paul Gilbert (g, v), Tony Spinner (v, g), Craig Martini (b), Jeff Bowders (dr).

+ Please check Paul’s official website for late-breaking details, VIP ticketing information, etc. Have fun at the shows and please take lots of pictures!

Some highlights of the interview include:

The Gear Box – bottom of page 3, where Bullet Cable gets a mention!

and

Q: “What’s your favorite guitar part on the new album – and why?

A: I really like “Fuzz Universe.” It’s very representative of the metal side of my guitar playing, but I think the song and playing are my best yet in that style. I love so many parts in “Olympic,” too: It has arpeggio ideas that I’ve never done before over a chord progression I’ve never done before. I think “Mantra the Lawn” has some of my best phrasing and vibrato, and “Will My Screen Door Stop Neptune” has a super-fast solo over chord changes where I nailed it in the first take. It’s actually the solo from the demo. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to play it that well again. I haven’t tried because I never did a second take!”

Will we get to see these cool coily cables in action? It sure looks like it: Paul will be on tour this autumn/winter in Europe. Please bring us back some souvenir pictures if you go to any of the shows!