The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

[Diego]

A shot from Chick Corea's superband, Elektric.

Dave Weckl on drums, John Patitucci on bass, Gambale on guitar and guess who on the Rhoads and Piano.

Frank Gambale is just one of a kind.



Also, I think Patitucci has the worst stage presence ever.

[JOLLY]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Interesting frets.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

He's such a hard guy to fault, because he's a monster player, and I never like to fault gear choices, but in this case I feel compelled to.

His entire career, he's chosen the crappiest guitars, the crappiest amps, and has crap for tone. And his mathematical style compounded by all that crap gear results in a mojo black hole.

That sounds terrible, especially since I know he'd wipe the floor with most of us on a technical jazz fusion level, but there's such a lack of soul and mojo, that it's all I can think of when I see or hear him.

He has great musicians surrounding him, and he plays great, but I feel like I'm hearing an Ibanez/Carvin/Roland clinician, and not an artist with taste for tone, style, or interesting music. Sorry, that's what I think.

[Mincer]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Brilliant technique and choice of notes is well beyond most guitar players. I always hated, I mean HATED his tone. From his first solo albums to this clip, it is a timeline of bad bad tone. He needs some Duncans and some tone advice.

[Chickenwings]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Thats fusion for you. but i dont think he really cares what we think...hes exploring on his own trip. Nothing wrong with that.

[Mincer]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Yeah, but I love Holdsworth's, McLaughlin's, and Di Meola's tone. Gambale obviously thinks he sounds just fine. I love his phrasing and economy, even when he lets loose with a ton of notes. I just can't stand the sound. I will say, this clip is the best tone from him I have heard.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Thats fusion for you. but i dont think he really cares what we think...hes exploring on his own trip. Nothing wrong with that.

And that's why I feel guilty faulting him in any way. He really is a great player. Give him an ES-335 and Two Rock amp, get him stoned, give him a couple beers, let him go, and I'd probably have a totally different opinion.

[tone4days]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

He needs some Duncans

his signature yamaha had stock JB in the bridge and hot rails in the middle and neck - he use to be on the duncan homepage as a featured endorsee/endorser

i thought his tone was brilliant when he played the boogie triaxis through a pair of bag end 1x12" cabs loaded with EVs - i cant recall off the top of my head what power amp he played through then ... i wanna say it was an OLD peavey ...

to me, he is like mike stern .. i overlook less than appealing tone because the note choice and execution are just so 'beyond' ... he talks about using solid state gear because he needs world wide flexibility (120/240., 50/60) because he plays in asia and europe a lot more than he plays in the states) and world class consistency and reliability - he needs to travel cheap, so no full time amp tech to rebias his gear and keep it all tip top ...

and he's a helluva nice guy and frikkin funny as all get out

been a fan since 86

t4d

[Gearjoneser]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Mike Stern is another great example of what I'm talking about. Amazing player with bad tone and the mojo black hole. I hate saying it, but IMO it's what separates those 2 from the same type of players that blow us away in every way.....like Mike Landau, Jimmy Herring, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, and Scott Henderson.

[MetalManiac]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Wow guys I'm impressed. This is some deep analysis! Way over my head!

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Hehe he still sounds like he is playing a clarinet on guitar!
That man is a friggin' monster.....
Mad music....but ever since the middle 80's from when I heard him the first time.....bad bad bad tone!

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

He seems to cross that line between his note choice and phrasing sounding musical to my ears, to just being way over my head, all within one song.
So it's definitely not something I can listen to all day, but the occasional clip here and there, always good.
His economy picking is just ABSURDLY good.

[Will S-T]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Cheeck out these boys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s25vlXWZCtw&feature=PlayList&p=42CC2F1F5D04EC5E&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=13

And just because!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cadbYIzhqQ&feature=related

Por mi Patria.....OLE!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYkz30RL_GU&feature=related

[mule]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

He's a great technician but the music bores me to tears. For fusion, I likes me some Al DiMeola.

[Red_Label]

Re: The insane talent and chops of Frank Gambale.

Sometimes when I want to hear INSANE guitar playing that's so over-the-top that it turns my brain to mush...

I listen to Gambale and Holdsworth doing "Centrifugal Funk". Not a good tune to get your girl in the mood with, or listen for holy grail tone... but for PURE CHOPS it's a jaw dropper...

BTW... Frank's tone in this video is a bit thinner, but very similar to the tones Holdsworth has generated over the years.