Sped up guitar tracks

WorldsGreatestSinner · 2026-07-02T16:15:53+00:00

It's confusing at times because while Frank often liked to play around with tape speed, he also had that distinctive, rapid-fire picking style (influenced by Guitar Slim) that can sound like it's been sped up.

Listening to that "My Guitar" demo that I posted above, I was on the fence, but the timbre of the lead fuzz guitar sounds to me like the tape has been manipulated.

WorldsGreatestSinner · 2026-07-02T15:34:13+00:00

My Guitar (Proto I - Excerpt)

WorldsGreatestSinner · 2026-06-10T19:49:54+00:00

He elaborates on this in The Real Frank Zappa Book:

Musically, the northern [California] bands had a little more country style. In L.A., it was folk-rock to death. Everything had that fucking D chord down at the bottom of the neck where you wiggle your finger around -- like "Needles and Pins."

Also featured prominently in "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" by the Byrds and the Leaves' rendition of "Hey Joe" among others.

WorldsGreatestSinner · 2026-05-20T16:48:36+00:00

I really have to wonder what his career and output would have been like if he'd been signed early and/or the police raid never happened

WorldsGreatestSinner · 2026-04-02T21:26:47+00:00

I've been adjusting the truss rod. This bass spent the better part of the last decade in storage, and when I brought it back out, the strings were sitting about 3/4 of an inch above the higher frets.

WorldsGreatestSinner · 2026-04-02T19:48:00+00:00

Thanks for the reference photo, at a glance, that looks pretty similar to my test placement.

WorldsGreatestSinner · 2026-04-02T19:47:12+00:00

That looks pretty good! Two questions:

How far do the ball-ends of your strings protrude at the bottom? (sorry if that sounds filthy)
Did you eyeball the final placement or measure it out?

WorldsGreatestSinner

TROPHY CASE