Paul Gilbert unscripted!

A glimpse into the mind of Paul Gilbert when there’s just a guitar and no script! He starts with the title track to his new album, “Werewolves of London,” then goes off the rails with “Crazy Train,” a dab of BFG, some “You Shook Me,” and a whole lotta other stuff using his modded ’81 Ibanez Blazer to his needs through his Marshall JTM 45 and JTM1C; while he also loves the Bluesbreaker 2x12s, this time they’re decorations. “My video room is so small the guitar picks up hum being so close to the amp, so I plugged into some that are out of the frame,” he said. His effects are an MXR Stereo Chorus along with a TC Electronic Alter Ego Vintage Echo and a TCE Arena Reverb. We interview Paul and review “Werewolves” in the August issue: cloud.3dissue....

[@alkyhauler8185]

What a generational talent, so glad I've been there from the Shrapnel days. Simply incredible....

[@scottlalexander510]

I wish my “warm-up” sounded like that!

[@vince1229]

Finally, someone notices that the volume knob is in the way and has it moved.

[@kipponi]

Yeah, Fender Stratocaster can't play it with palm on bridge. My knuckles bleed blood. I made custom JEM and volume pot is faraway but still I could do volume swells with pinky.

[@kevinkiley6503]

Love listening to Paul play- what an inspiration!

[@joshhill5932]

Paul is slowly turning into a tall Elvis Costello. Next video he will break out the 3 piece suit.

[@YesuAiNimen]

Paul Gilbert has sudden become the reason why you can't buy older Ibanez guitars without paying out the nose.

[@batmandeltaforce]

I wish I could have sold you mine, it sucked to high heaven:)

[@MichaelORourkeProd]

As a 14 year old kid in the mid 90s I bought a blue Ibanez Blazer from a buddy for $50. Treated it like hell and eventually it was destroyed/lost in college. Wish I would have taken better care of it. 😢

[@parsivulldielectric8177]

Thank you Paul, Wasn’t having a really good day. But instantly, as soon as he started to play and tell your stories, it just made my day.

[@KingGrio]

It's my vintage guitar. It's really good. I changed almost everything in it. By those standards, my squier strat of 120 bucks is great too, after I've replaced all the electronics, the entire neck (including frets and tuners), and only left the guitar body !

[@livekaos]

I have a BL500 model from 1981 😀 I also loaded mine with dimarzio’s pickups and a new pick guard. I still have the original parts but it sounds amazing no matter what pickups you install

[@russellzauner]

Area 67 is the same pickup that Henrik put in his signature neck position, and he also made his body out of ash, so there are specs in this that even modern instruments are being produced with today. It's a great combination; every guitar I've heard set up like that sounds amazing. I have a 1980 BL200, with the original Arai/Aria type, non-lawsuit headstock. It's got a couple of old zebra pickups in it; there was heavy patina on the backplates of them even when I got it back in...uh...late 80's-mid 90's it's all kind of a blur now. Good guitar though, I love the hell out of it (It's getting rebuilt at the moment, I'm strongly considering moving the jack so it stops breaking pickguard/faceplates).

[@stevie..d..charvelman4543]

My favorite Guitar Shredder. Your still the man Paul Gilbert. Much respect coming from Massachusetts...

[@djw8133]

He sure is!

[@nipulkradmsinatagras8293]

*Singing while shredding effortlessly on stage?* It's like reciting a poem while solving a complex math problem on the board. Only *Paul Gilbert.*

[@Fishplants]

Rocking that Ibanez blazer 😎

[@DBroce]

I want to capture Paul’s bass drum foot. I’ve been looking for that sound a while.

[@robbiedaug]

I have the very same guitar - but mine is the Ibanez BL-350 with a whammy bar. I bought mine new in 1981. i had it modified to be like a Strat as soon as i got it. And i had it remodified just last month and it cost a bundle to have it all re-done with super high-quality parts. The only thing that is still original is the neck, truss rod, and body. It was recently refretted, too. I will change the strap pins soon. I asked the luthier to rewire the original pups on the original pickguard (still in a Strat mode). I gave the brass volume and tone knobs away, though, in 1981.

[@marjeziorny924]

i have Ibanez RS 500,1980, RoadSter,no Star! ,ist realy Strat Killer.

[@antonstefanov2146]

I too have one in mahogany BL70 but I don't have the pickguard and I'm looking for tracing or a scan so if someone can help would be great!

[@robbiedaug]

@@antonstefanov2146 I still have my original pickguard. When i had my Blazer re-modified in 2022, i had the luthier make me a new PG because the other luthier from years ago damaged the body a bit so the original pickguard didn't cover what the idiot did to the wood. The original pickguard was modified in 1982 to function like a Strat having 2 tone knobs and 1 volume. The original brass knobs are long gone The pickguard has been cut for a S-H-S configuration since 1982. I asked the 1st luthier in 1982 to move my original Blazer bridge pup beside the middle pup so i could have an HB in the middle position. But the first luthier cut the bridge pup wires too CLOSE to the pup, so that bridge pup is STILL in the middle position on the pickguard but it's been deactivated. It looks like an S-H-S but in fact, it functions like an S-S-S. The original Blazer "phase switch" was removed from the pickguard. I have the original middle and neck black Blazer pups installed but there's a white 1980s Fender Strat pup in the bridge. The not-functioning original black bridge pup is beside the middle pup in the middle position. The original pickguard was restored, shielded and re-wired by the luthier at Montreal Guitar in 2022 to work like an S-S-S- Strat but with a tone knob for the bridge. It's wrapped up in protective plastic in a safe place. No idea what to do with it but i paid about $200 (i have the bill) to make that pickguard work like new again - just to put it in a drawer and never look at it again. I am 63 years old now.

[@antonstefanov2146]

@@robbiedaug Sometimes, actually a lot of times I buy stuff that stays in drawers and I ask myself why do I do this.. but it's the passion to these old classics that moves me.

[@kenminerva]

Always love watching and listening to you, PG!! Rock nr oll!! 🤘🤘

[@frankiedonofrio5438]

Half the time he inspires me, and the other times , just makes me want to give up !

[@JaseBDaley]

"werewolves of london" was a great movie, but his new album is called 'werewolves of Portland', so i think you should edit your vid description a bit.

[@briankornelsen569]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen you playing a telecaster. Can you try a telecaster?

[@austinfailz]

Odd, his warmup had Halloween's theme in it.

[@t.c.494]

The original super six pickups sound incredible. I thought Paul didn't do drugs...

[@robertolacioppa9876]

I have got the Blazer 450 from 81 with super 6 pickups. There are so good 4 high gain. I have allso Hambuckers in my Les Paul, Tele, 90s Blazer and 85s RS 140Roadstar, but the voice that come from these super 6 pickups is the best I heard 4 high gain. So much definition...

[@janattaaya]

I still have my 1982 BL350 and never understood why back in the day everyone changed t he pickups. The super 6's are hot and fat!

[@VincentVader]

Just warming up. Wait until he's warm.

[@itriedmany]

Damn Paul, this may be my fave vid yet of yours! You're amazing and real, and... geez, a lovable guy!

[@pulidomi]

I want this tone

[@legionofbarry]

That was my first electric guitar.

[@thekatflea]

Fender Stratocaster likely sounded like of that 80's Ibanez ,unlikey, it does sound quite the same.

[@joevid1992]

Remember when he didn't look like part of the Revenge of the Nerds cast? Lol. Poindexter wailing with that hum cancelling pickup guitar

[@garywhitt98]

I guess your proposal won't be forthcoming then...

[@buck7477]

Dangit! Now everybody’s going start buying Blazers and It’ll cost me more to find one!

[@easter_sunday]

Werewolves of Portland!

[@stevemyers2092]

paul - i am the same I have a strat but don't like playing it due to my palm placement and that damn volume control so close.

[@richardupyurass2379]

How many light years away is the planet from which he came? He is not from earth

[@Salmonoff]

Imagine selling your guitar and Paul Gilbert buys it

[@slimsantilli4476]

Miss my 83 blazer

[@marcpanther8515]

Actually, what's happening to his speech?

[@marcpanther8515]

It reminds me of Matthew Perry's speech changing during one of this interviews kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJ27Ypaqg7aebqs Curious to know what condition this is, but hope Paul is doing fine.

[@fatthor2476]

might be due to his hearing loss

[@CarlGonzalesGuitar]

Maybe because he lives in Altanta now? Kinda noticed it too

[@frederickkrug5420]

He always had a slight lisp And now the hearing loss

[@ridehead8771]

The amazing Paul Gilbert

[@madotz9888]

I have that guitar....

[@mechanicjamz]

Pat traverse style

[@friedrudibega6384]

Nice guitar!

[@jeddak]

famtabulondo!

[@CarlGonzalesGuitar]

Has anybody noticed Paul's kinda slurred speech? I hope he's okay

[@theharvardyard2356]

It's probably because he lost his hearing, he can't hear his own "s" sounds and other higher frequencies so that can make you talk differently.

[@Dingus_Guitars]

Respond to my email paul haha

[@Dingus_Guitars]

Sent 3 or so over the past few months, still hoping for a reply when you get time :)

[@MisterWade74]

Stalker

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

So there is almost nothing vintage left in that guitar. You love it so much that you removed knobs , potentiometers pickups pickguard ad a magnet. I hate when people make all their guitars the same. Use what they all have different man! In fact all they care is how they look. And 80’s should not be vintage anyway!

[@noghosts7769]

you didn't understand the video content

[@ChicagoJ351]

I had my mid 80s Marshall jcm800 repaired recently and the tech told me to not repair the knobs that were a little squeaky. His view was that it’s a classic amp and it’s better to accept some flaws and keep its original parts in place. I did the tubes but left the rest.

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

@@ChicagoJ351 exactly. If you put all the parts that you like in every guitar/amp thay will all sound the same. So why bother to buy more than one. They should be embraced and used for their uniqueness. He and usually SRV fans make all their guitars the same. Just different shapes. You did the right thing!

[@permanentwaves4621]

Have you ever seen his hands in real life? Ive met, talked at length with and shook his hand once, it almost covered mine up. ALL of his guitars have the volume knob way down at the bottom, its a necessity for him. Just like jumping into a car and having to scoot the seat back if you've got long legs. Nothing wrong with that. This guitar is still a far cry from his typical RG based models. He barely even touched this guitar as far as "mods" go. What, frets and pickups? Come on guy.

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

@@permanentwaves4621 did you see Hendrix hands ? Did you see how he change the world of music playing an upside down guitar with everything totally in the wrong places? Come on guy !! You keep find excuses for this snow flakes. Come on dude!

[@MonkeyButt5000]

Man, Ibanez really has his nuts in a vice.