![]() ![]() It was the kind of moment Cantrell can’t stop talking about, and in the course of several interviews, over progressive days, the guitarist goes back again and again to an image of…well, a piano. Earlier this year Cantrell had what he calls “a thunderbolt moment” in a Vegas recording studio, and one that he now looks on as perhaps the highwater mark of his long career. With the right kind of compression and EQ treatment, these tones could also work as a faux piezo through a clean channel, which is handy if you’re combining electric and acoustic guitar layers like Cantrell and his cohorts have done over the years.Not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and for Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, that’s a good thing these days. There are three voicings per pickup – hot, vintage and single-coil – making this one of the most sonically diverse Les Pauls ever to go into production, and while the single-coil tones can’t quite compare to, say, plugging in an old Strat, they certainly carry enough bite to get you close enough for live performances. There are three voicings per pickup – hot, vintage and single-coil – making this one of the most sonically diverse Les Pauls ever to go into production Which, by the way, react faster with more compression and snap than the medium-output humbuckers found on its companion, as to be expected from an active set. Other interesting features include the all-new Circle In Diamond custom inlays, which add to its aesthetic allure, as well as two extra frets and the inclusion of Fishman Fluence pickups. The Custom Prophecy is a considerably lighter instrument, with an ultra modern weight relief in place of the Wino’s nine-hole drilling. ![]() ![]() Arriving already tuned half a step down, it’s a guitar that comfortably nails the tones all the way from Alice In Chains’ 1990 Facelift debut right through to latest release Rainier Fog, as well as any of Cantrell’s solo endeavors. JERRY CANTRELL GUITAR RIG PROOn the distorted channel, the 98T PRO bridge humbucker sounds cutting and articulate, packing a little extra snarl thanks to its exposed coils. When plugged into our British tube amp’s clean channel, the neck Alnico Classic PRO humbucker sounds rich and full-bodied, with bell-like chimes that can be accentuated further by flicking onto the middle position of the pickup selector. The Dark Wine Red finish and gold hardware marry gracefully with Cantrell’s name along the truss rod cover and his JJ logo, which some may recognize from his signature Friedman heads, on the back of the headstock. Going head-to-head with our own 2004 Gibson Custom, there’s very little difference tonally (as much as it pains us to admit, barely any, in fact!). ![]() It’s a guitar that comfortably nails the tones all the way from Alice In Chains’ 1990 Facelift debut right through to latest release Rainier Fog The neck profile is slightly thicker than your typical Epiphone Les Paul, though it’s still very user-friendly and every bit a ‘fretless wonder’, as these guitars were lovingly nicknamed early on. Straight out of the (man in the) box, the new Wino model looks and feels like the closest the budget brand have come to a ‘real’ Les Paul Custom in quite some time. However, with two voicings for each humbucker as well as split coil modes, it’s clearly going to be able to cover a lot of tonal ground, as well as two whole octaves across the neck. Less predictable, however, is the arrival of its companion 24-fret Custom Prophecy fitted with Fishman Fluence pickups, given that the Alice In Chains guitarist isn’t known for using Fishmans and has generally stuck with 22-fret instruments through his career, including the G&L Rampages he’s used extensively alongside his Les Pauls. The most notable difference is the lack of a Fishman piezo pickup-equipped bridge – a fair compromise given that this instrument retails for over ten times less, and ultimately a concession few would be surprised by. The new ‘Wino’ comes in a slightly darker variant of Wine Red, with Epiphone parts offering a more cost-effective take on those found on its American Custom Shop sibling. With two voicings for each humbucker as well as split coil modes, the Prophecy clearly going to be able to cover a lot of tonal ground, The collaborative partnership continues this year with two new entries under the Chinese-made Epiphone banner, sitting at a much more affordable price point than anything we’ve seen thus far. The debut models were based on one of the four Les Pauls he acquired in the early 90s and stuck with him through his career. ![]()
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