But I havent been able to find one. To read about how he and Tom felt like going to music college while working with Jeff was something that made me smile. Campbell, who died on Tuesday, aged 81, of Alzheimer's disease, was a guitar prodigy at age 10.He spent his childhood on an Arkansas farm with no electricity, where he was the seventh son in a . We think somebody wanted it to look like John Lennons, so they had somebody carve that top horn. 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Ive done several things with Rick, including the last Johnny Cash albums that are all acoustic-based. Yeah, its been insane. duplicated, some of them were edited or compiled together. The solo records are more about a collection of songs, not about a band performance. So we pooled our money and drove to Tulsa on our way to L.A., where we met up with Denny and signed to Shelter. Highway Companion I think I wrote entirely on guitar. Benmont played a lot of keyboards on it. It used to be people didnt really want much for them because they were old. Custom Guitar Picks. So every lead on those first two records is probably that Broadcaster? After Torpedoes, we started to make a little profit, and started buying guitars basically as we saw them. And I was so happy because he took the heat off me, you know? Plus, I was also below the weight limit, so I got a temporary deferment and never got called back. It's the epitome of picking a niche theme, going all in, and nailing it. But there was no specific discussion when we came to make Hypnotic Eye that were going to draw from a specific part of the well, because each song just comes in from wherever it comes. As we begin our nearly two-hour conversation, Mike Campbell admits that even after more than 40 years as the lead guitarist in the venerable Heartbreakers band, the pressure is still on him. Which contemporary guitarists grab your attention? 1990: Del Shannon, a close friend of Petty, commits suicide at age of 56. As the setlist starts to take shape, though, I try to minimise the number of guitar changes as much as I can. And I asked him, Are you high? Of course, I didnt have an acoustic, and was dying to get one. Then I got a 64 Strat, which I still have, and weve played on almost every record weve done. I think the first thing I learned to play was Wooly Bully.. Its a really nice, warm, woody-sounding room. That was a real exciting time. "On I Wont Back Down, I have the Gretsch Clipper tuned to an open tuning that I use for that slide part. The well that Petty, Campbell and company draw from certainly is deep. We were out of control!Over the years, Campbell has picked up a laundry list of dream instruments. Mike was pretty happy with the dot-neck Gibson ES-335 he picked up, Yeah, I have one, too I think I have the only black one ever made. This is 'Free Falling.' Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers begin a World tour on April 18 in Broomfield, CO. Campbell's guitar tech, Steve Winstead, walks us through every guitar, amp, and pedal and lets us in on Campbell's time-tested formula for great tone. Then, of course, that turned around years later, where the old ones became much more expensive than new ones. Your parents bought your first guitar, a Stella acoustic. Find album credit information for Voodoo by D'Angelo on AllMusic "That was my guitar for several years until Tom sat on it and broke the neck off of it". We think whoever had it filed the horn down to make it look like Johns and painted it black. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers guitarist and Petty songwriting partner Mike Campbell was recently on tour in Australasia with the new version of Fleetwood Mac, proving to the doubters that the Neil Finn/Mike Campbell combination works a treat as Lindsey Buckingham's replacement. It also inspired him to write Good Enough from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' 2010 album Mojo. He was a huge inspiration to me, and fortunately, I got to be a bit of a friend with him. "They said it was the next guitar off the assembly line after George Harrisons", Thats my original 12-string, he explains. Blair resumed the role soon afterward.). H eartbreakers' guitarist Mike Campbell vividly remembers the first time his star bandmate Tom Petty heard a recording of him singing. I think they would be a really good Telecaster, and definitely the semi-hollow Rick 12, and gee, I dont know Id probably take a Strat and a good Gretsch. I remember when I was in the studio with Dylan one day, I had this down there and he went crazy and he had his manager go find one. Mike Campbell is selling a trove of vintage gear on Reverb, including a number of electric guitars and amps he has used through the years with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Don Henley and Fleetwood Mac. That guitar has the tone. Pick up an astonishing new guitar with this Duesenberg Signature Series Starplayer TV Mike Campbell Guitar at Andertons! "[Out of] all these guitars, [the 'Burst] is the only one I put back in the case when I'm done with it.". The Official Mike Campbell Reverb Store is online from Wednesday, July 21. I bought and used it on the early records and I still use it on some records. Do you consider yourself a guitar collector? Well you only need one, dont ya (laughs)? Most of the record is acoustic-guitar based. I used it on Fooled Again [(I Dont Like It)], Strangered In The Night, even the solo on Listen To Her Heart is doubled on a 12-string with this underneath to make it thick. #9. So I have to give Tom credit for talking me down the other path. But he had this great room in a separate building right next to the studio, with ceilings that are 30 feet high, and wood. "It doesn't have the buckle wear and tear like the other ones do, but I love it anyway," Campbell says. On days off, wed go to pawn shops and guitar stores, and buy anything good. Many of the axes he has are used have a one specific purpose, so we'll only be looking at his main guitar, which is the Duesenberg Mike Campbell signature. The first nice guitar I got was a Gibson Firebird at a pawn shop when we were on tour in Alabama, says Campbell of his earliest days as a professional musician. In your view, what makes a good bass player? But I also wont sacrifice [tonal] colour for convenience.. A pair of 50s Teles follows those as well as a Gretsch 6186 Clipper tuned to open-G for "I Won't Back Down." Ill do it. And I loved it. Just doing a Heartbreakers album can put you in a home (laughs)! So the non-Tom Petty model specs out the same. If you were looking for something that little bit different with a stunning iconic tone then this is the guitar for you. We started out playing those big Super Beatle amps made by Vox. Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars and guitar culture since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. At Gil Southworths shop. Were you paying attention to guitar tones, or more focused on sounding good as a group? It was his concept, and he came to each of us. And again, we have a lot of songs to record. How much does the guitar influence the way you write songs? It was a wonderful time, and that was a very good band. ROLLING STONES GLASGOW SCOTLAND 2003 TOUR SHIRT LARGE NWOT. I try not to (chuckles) because thatll wear you out. I love playing with them theyre the best rock and roll band there is, I think. "Occasionally, I hear something that I think I can add to, but for me to bring that artist out the way I think will do them justice is going to take some time out of my life and my career. And youve since obtained every last one of them? Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? I was walking around in Hartford, Connecticut and saw they had an SG Junior and the Gretsch Clipper. Its one of those. There was a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of laughs. Well, they all became my dear friends, you know? In your early days, did you buy guitars more out of necessity rather than an Oh, Ive gotta have that! mentality? Thank you for reading 5 articles this month*, US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year, UK pricing 2.99 per month or 29.00 per year, Europe pricing 3.49 per month or 34.00 per year, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. Mike Campbell Roles Guitarist Genres Rock Pop Groups Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Fleetwood Mac show all ALL 84 Guitars 32 Amplifiers 12 Effects Pedals 22 Studio Equipment 8 World Instruments 2 Cables 1 Microphones 3 Strings 1 Bass Guitars 1 Studio Monitors 2 Sort by: Most Relevant Hide incorrect submissions I got it in Florida for $200, which I did not have at the time, but a friend of a friend had been in an automobile accident and got a settlement, so she had some extra money. And Tom pretty much made you join, as opposed to asking you. CAMPBELL! We used to call it the mystery guitar. Campbell reveals to Agnesi that he had been offered a 'Burst for $50,000 in the '80s, but declined, due to the guitar's darker tone conflicting with the trademark jangly and bright sound of the Heartbreakers. For more information on Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and the Mike Campbell guitar series, please visit TomPetty.com. Its so good. I have a couple Vox teardrops I use on the road; ones a white three-pickup that makes a nice rhythm guitar. 9 #5, published March 2008, Mike Campbell states the following about the Super Beatle: 8 Best Looper Pedals for Guitar: 2021 Gear Guide, 11 Best Distortion Pedals for Guitar: Metal, Classic Rock, and Beyond, 7 Best Chorus Pedals: 2021Top Picks and Reviews. He was in the Air Force, and hed come home from work, take off his uniform, and put on an Elvis record. His favorite 12-string is the Tom Petty solidbody, which we did use on the record quite a bit. Therell be a certain sound that we want, and cant get with a Stratocaster, but a Gretsch makes that sound. Each instrument includes a small number of guitar picks used by Mike Campbell on the last Heartbreakers tour. We were band members again. As for guitars, perhaps the most noteworthy items are a Gibson Les Paul Custom Lite that has an onboard compressor a far-out choice that he used while rehearsing with Fleetwood Mac and a B-Bender-equipped 1970s Gibson Les Paul Standard. The songs mostly came from acoustic rhythm standpoint. Hes been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player (opens in new tab). Featured in this page from the Elite Guitars website. In the history of the band, what are the most important guitars? I (used) a Martin 12-string from the 70s a little bit. It has two Gibson humbucking pickups and a normal Telecaster pickup in the bridge.". Those are our main ones. Like Neo., See Eric Clapton make a surprise guest appearance with Jerry Douglas to pay tribute to Jeff Beck and play While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Larry Carlton demos his $641 Sire signature guitar, Nuno Bettencourt explains his secret to playing difficult guitar solos it involves getting his leg up, Music meets gaming in the Beat Machine, the world's first music-making arcade machine. $24.99. Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs have unveiled a new track from their forthcoming album External Combustion. But the truth is, ours a working collection. But there were others. Tom played it on a couple of tours in the 80s, and if you look at it closely, even though its been painted black you can see where it used to be red underneath. Its kinda out of control (laughs). I just would never part with it.. He seems really keen on getting good songs, I said, And, hes got a really cool vibe. So thats how we started working together. "This is one of my favorites. The following photos are from the companion book to one of the best music documentaries that I have ever seen named "Runnin' Down a Dream." It had a weird kind of Formica finish when I got it, but I put a pale blue finish on it.. Hes an amazing, talented fellow, and I probably learned something from everybody there, just because everybody has a different method and way of working. That soon changed, though. It looked good and I liked the way it felt and I didnt have a white one.. But back then, $200 was a fortune, but that Strat became my main guitar. Well, I get to do a solo record about every 12 years (laughs). Guitars What are you waiting for. He knows when I come in that its going to be hard for me to walk out without buying something. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Weve found more of them, but none quite have the same sound and this feel. So it has the same wiring and sound as Georges. I bought this Rickenbacker six-string bass from the 60s. Rockpalast Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (Live) 1999, Andrew Hendryx on a 64 Fender Mandocaster, George Bowen Guitar Summit to Benefit ALS Research, Guitarist/Producer Yates McKendree Shines on Wise, Vinnie Moores Pandemic Musical Inspiration, Seymour Duncan Sails Into VG Hall of Fame. Campbell and Petty connected, and he became a member of Mudcrutch, Pettys band at the time who were part of the burgeoning Southern rock scene (and who reunited for an album in 2008). Campbell has been at Pettys side throughout. Not only did Campbell go on to use the guitar for the rest of the Fleetwood Mac tour, it's also become his guitar of choice when playing with his band, the Dirty Knobs. But I really concentrated on being I guess, because Id been a bass player, I wanted to play rhythm in a real solid way. You should pick up a set of Virtuoso Cleaner and Polisher. Mike Campbell is a personal hero of mine. Ours was the first solidbody one. Or do you just typically react to the emotions and events of a given day? But I did my best, and I didnt really think it was very good. I think the record company gave us some money when we first got together, and we bought 10 of these big Vox amps. Mike had some really weird little guitar that he played slide on. Guitar lesson on playing with dynamics and using a motif to build interest into your melodies and improvisations Guitar lesson exploring voice leading, alternate picking and a TrueFire jam track Guitar lesson on using sequences to gain the 'wow' factor and beyond the Pentatonic box I think its the last one for a while, simply because theres a lot of recording projects I want to finish, and they dont get finished when we put half of each year into touring. Yeah, I do it all the time. It saw plenty action, too, before meeting an untimely end. It kinda moved us up to headlining status. Finally, theres a mid-60s Gibson SG that Campbells been favoring for this tour after recently digging it out of storage. In 1970, Campbell was two years out of high school and living in. So when I got back to town, I called him and said, Ive got some tracks that Tom doesnt want to use, and said he could listen to those if he liked. But thats how I hooked up with Rick, and the good thing about working with him is that wed just done a couple of records with Jeff, which is a really fun process, but is a lot of building tracks as opposed to playing rock. We just discovered things as we went along. But I didnt know any better! Whose idea was it? This is for everything else for 12-strings," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Rickenbacker 1967 375 Electric Guitar. Mike Campbell is also in my opinion one of THE most tasteful guitar player ever alongside George Harrison. Mike found it years ago through an ad and bought it for a couple hundred bucks. I think I gave it to a friend when I got a Stratocaster. Wed love to stay in touch, sign up for The Pick team to contact you with great news, content and offers. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Well thats a lot. It's what he plays on 'Free Falling," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech while talking about the Rickenbacker 360 Electric Guitar. Sporting just one pickup and a pair of control knobs, it's the guitar Campbell used for his solo on Petty's classic 1989 tune, Runnin Down a Dream. I just try to write a good song, which requires enough effort. And because it was a friendly situation, it didnt feel intimidating at all? He the one. Well, I kinda instigated getting Rick into the fold because one time on tour I got a message that he wanted to know if I had any songs that I would want to give to Mick Jagger, who was working on a solo record at the time. $4.99 shipping. $199.97. But I also like Michael Bloomfield, Jimi Hendrix, theres those guys who just play the s*** out of the guitar, but with a different kind of approach. That one is actually owned by Mike. He was real good at that, so it was kind of a fresh direction. So Id like the opportunity to live a somewhat normal life for a while; our life has really been either on the road or in the studio, and very little else. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Agnesi begins the proceedings by asking Campbell about his 1959 'Burst Les Paul Standard. Loves the long road and on through the set," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech ab "That's a custom tweed. Vintage Guitar: How were you first exposed to music? I was going to ask how big that number might be. He said, No, Ive got it in my trunk and I cant really play it. Well, I finished the semester, but then we started getting gigs and I never went back to school. Product Description To commemorate over 30 years of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Duesenberg have along with Mike Campbell created a beautiful signature guitar brings you classic Doozy tones in a hot rodded semi hollow design. From the left side we have "Little Ricky," which is a Rickenbacker-style mandolin with a whammy bar. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now. There was a whole different viewpoint for me. Its a more deliberate way of working, I sort of know exactly what I want to do. Lisa asked: How old were you when you started playing the guitar and what kind of guitar was it? My dad was stationed in Okinawa, he was in the Air Force, and he picked up a $60 Goya electric and gave it to me. Heres how it works. For a while, however, Campbells collection grew out of control, and he duly sold off a whole trove of vintage gear on Reverb. But that broke up, and then I saw an ad that said Mudcrutch was looking for a drummer. Well, I would get together in the garage with buddies, but I never really joined a band until I met up with Tom in Gainesville, after Id gone to college. So he brought it back, and sure enough it was a mid-60s J-45, which I still use a lot. Rickenbacker 360 12. Guitars, amps, it's all about tone. "Then there were certain songs that were done on a 12-string, so you kind of need the 12-string to make those songs sound special. Two other Rickenbacker guitars in his arsenal, however, are never far from reach. Heres how it works. So I feel pressure to be at my best. As for the infamous Rickenbacker that accompanies Petty on the cover of 1979s Damn The Torpedoes, Campbell says its as important to him as it is to every guitar lover whos stared at it over the years. As artists, they have to go on with their career and live with it, while I can produce it and move on to something else. What do you remember about opening it up on that Christmas Day? Its been our mainstay for many years. Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. Used on a slew of recordings, Campbell himself mentions the guitar in this September 1999 "Spotlight on a Heartbreaker" interview from the official Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers website. Those were the only acoustics we used, and they sound beautiful. It was an f-hole model and it wasnt a good one. Also of note is Campbell's '62 Les Paul SG Junior, which he bought at a video store, of all places for just $120. I was telling somebody the other day, the only place I feel pressure when we tour is the Garden. Its been a while since Ive done that, because I realised its really a lot of work, Campbell says with a laugh, though hes clearly serious about his work ethic. The part about production Im a little apprehensive with is that when people come to you to produce their record, youve taken responsibility for their career. And then we came across another sunburst one. Its my main Gibson. And on a lot of his solo work its more piecemeal, like bringing a song in and building it. Key Features Fender Custom Shop Mike Campbell Limited Edition "Heartbreaker" Nocaster Body Ash Finish Nitrocellulose Lacquer Neck Rift Sawn Flame Maple With a Custom Back Shape and 7.25 Radius Frets Vintage Hardware Nickel [The Monza] is a nice guitar to have if you don't have an amp handy, said Campbell. It sounds better than any of your other guitars! I told him I leave it at home but I use it in the studio. Its a little-body one. "The Garden has always been one of my favourite places. So I started playing it, and youre right, I played it for years. Its just too valuable now, and Im afraid itll get damaged. This article originally appeared in VGs November 2006 issue. It makes a beautiful sound. You pushed it and it just got this great overdrive buzz. Pinterest. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). I could play the whole show with a Tele or a Les Paul or an SG. Theyve cloned it for me and are going to reissue that soon. Yamaha SG1000 13. 'Cept it's not a Rickenbacker. And almost all the rhythm Tom played the parts for were on that 64 Strat. I might have bought a Mel Bay book at some point, but the book I most remember was a Carl Wilson chord book. Tom had just gotten some new signature-model Martins, and we used those on quite a few things. In fact, some of the band members werent cutting it in the studio, and the deal fell apart. She got the sugar, oh yes she does. This is the bypass switch for the Whammy. Its got so much history. I use that on American Girl because its got the right tone, and we lowered the key on that song a half step over the years. Blair has a different kind of tone very clear. Nov 3, 2020. I kind of keyed on the last big tour thing. $3.39 to $5.99. Well, I thought it was kind of a strange call, but interesting. In this photo, Campbell is seen playing the mapleglo Rickenbacker 330. I want to get back and finish those things. Well a lot. We've been notified and are looking into it. The sound and the feel of those records. We just werent ready to make a record. One day, I think Tom was banging on it, and it broke It never worked again (laughs)! But throughout the whole tour I felt the band played really well, and I was very proud of everybody.. My guitar tech has been bugging me to go and actually take pictures of them and make a computer file. He is quoted as saying "I have a Fender Telecaster I call Red Dog. Yeah, it does. Mike got us a green one and then we brought it in "The Princeton is probably a '63 or '64. It was really interesting. As we begin our nearly two-hour conversation, Mike Campbell admits that even after more than 40 years as the lead guitarist in the venerable Heartbreakers band, the pressure is still on him. Paul Gray - Slipknot. Yeah, because Id been a bass player before the Heartbreakers, I didnt really have an electric guitar. The hits keep coming. I like really narrow necks, and its a very thin neck really nice. Free shipping. I just dont like the way they look never really wanted one. And theyre all there and Jeff was the kinda urging me, Go ahead play. So I played a little, but I was really scared, you know, cause heres George Harrison(pauses) I just felt very intimidated. No, were not good trackers (laughs)! 1989: Petty releases his first official solo album, "Full Moon Fever," co-produced by Jeff Lynne and Mike Campbell. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. And all of those Beatles records always have beautiful solos, with good tone and not much noodling; every note serves a purpose to the song, not to the players. "Madison Square Garden is a big deal," he begins, ticking off the most memorable shows of their recent 30-date US tour with an almost childlike enthusiasm. 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