Sterling Service

John Petrucci gives us a unique insight into his new signature model and his ongoing relationship with Music Man and DiMarzio

By Simon Bradley

It’s been a stimulating few months for Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci. Not only does the band have a new album in the works but they’ve also been breaking in new drummer Mike Mangini after Mike Portnoy upped sticks last year. However, of more interest to us is the release of JP’s new Music Man signature model and, after some reassurance that we’d not be mentioning any subject remotely related to drums, he was ready and willing to answer any questions we could throw at him regarding the JPXI.

Simon Bradley: You must be proud to be celebrating over 10 years with Music Man.

John Petrucci: Yeah, it’s really incredible and I value it so much. From the moment I met Sterling [Ball] and all the guys there, I knew that it was the right place to be. They’re so dedicated not only to making the best instruments in the world but also to pushing the envelope with new ideas, new inventions. The move to Music Man has turned out to really be the best professional decision I’ve made.

SB: You were with Ibanez – what led you to consider the switch to Music Man?

JP: Well, there were a few reasons. There were things I wanted to do that I wasn’t able to do with Ibanez. I wanted to do a seven-string signature model, and I wanted the freedom to make more changes and variations. The Baritone and BFR [Ball Family Reserve] models we’re doing now, I could never have done with Ibanez.

SB: What was the first Music Man guitar you played once the relationship was in place?

JP: I was aware of the Axis, but we started making the signature model right from the beginning. I was offered the opportunity to play different models, which was helpful, but we had a definite goal. Sterling said that they were going to create the ultimate guitar for me and wouldn’t stop until it was right, and he’s stuck to his word.

SB: Why do the various JP models have different body woods?

JP: Part of it is to create a line, so if you go into the studio you might want to use a certain kind of guitar for one thing and another guitar for another sound. I thought it would be great to have those tonal options, different spices in the spice closet so to speak, but they’re all my own model so they feel comfortable. Another part is just finding things out that you want to tweak along the way. Maybe into a tour you think, if this little thing was different... it’s like tweaking your music or your tone.

SB: Why no body chambering?

JP: Well, I felt the chambering was definitely a great addition to the 10th anniversary model, but again it’s that different spice. I love the sound of it for certain songs, whereas the solid construction is something that I would use most of the time. It’s kinda cool because it’s specific to that guitar – like, if you need a little oregano, you grab that one!

SB: What’s the origin of the ‘Petrucci shield’ fingerboard inlays on the JP guitars?

JP: That came from the great graphics team at Music Man and they came up with that for the first model. It signifies that it’s my model, and I love it.

SB: Let’s talk about your work with DiMarzio. Have you always used those pickups?

JP: As soon as I started with Ibanez, those were the pickups that were in the guitars. I immediately began a relationship with Larry [DiMarzio] and Steve Blucher, and never looked back. It’s been great – another company that’s so great to work with. Larry has done so many photo shoots with me, [DiMarzio is also a pro photographer – Ed] which is another part of that relationship. And Steve will call me with things that he’s come up with, which ultimately led to my having signature pickups, something I’d never had before.

SB: How do you go about developing a new pickup?

JP: It started with putting the pickups in (to the JPXI) that we thought would work, or Steve would put something in based on what he knows I would go for with the amps I use and music I play. Then he started to make adjustments and we’d put those pickups in, and so on.

He has a great way of focussing on what I would like and even in the midst of that process I’ll go and test them in battle on stage, and I can tell right away that I’d maybe like more clarity in the mids, or whatever. So ultimately we came up with these and they’re really the perfect balance of all those things I’ve wanted throughout the years.

SB: How do you use the guitar’s piezo system live?

JP: I use the piezo all the time. I go out of the stereo jack with a stereo cable into an A/B box that splits the signal so the piezo goes to the PA system and the magnetics go to my rig. It’s really simple and the piezo sounds amazing straight out of the guitar; you don’t even have to do anything.

SB: So what sort of player do you think would buy the guitar? Is it aimed at virtuosos?

JP: The cool thing is, and I’ve said this for a long time, that I think that my requirements as a guitar player, and what I like, are pretty standard. if you want a great guitar that’s versatile and easy to play – you should play my guitar. It’s the kind of thing that if you put it in your hands, you’ll fall in love with it. That’s been the mentality from the beginning.