The Johnny Beane Podcast

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we kick things off by A/B-ing two nearly identical Squier Strat-style guitars — one loaded with a Seymour Duncan Fat Cat P90 in the bridge, and the other with a Seymour Duncan humbucker. Same guitars, different pickups… and WOW, they each bring their own unique vibe and tone. We then continue the project from yesterday, diving deeper into the Squier Strat with the Seymour Duncan Fat Cat P90. All the wiring and installation were handled off-camera before the show, so we jump straight into playing, tone talk, and real-world impressions. I did notice the volume pot was a little touchy, so I worked around it using a volume pedal during the session. Along the way, we swap between a few other guitars — including a couple more Squiers and the Kramer equipped with a Vega Trem and the killer Holoflash finish. Huge thanks once again to Ron for the incredible paint job — it looks absolutely amazing! If you love pickup comparisons, guitar mods, real tone talk, and live gear switching, this episode is for you. Jump into the comments and let me know which pickup YOU prefer! 🤘 🔧 Squier Fender Strat Mod Time • Pickguard swap • Pickup changes • More mods coming on Workbench Wednesday — don’t miss it! 👉 Like, subscribe, and jump into the live chat! 🎸 TALKING GUITARS: Music & Guitar News LIVE! 🤘 Join us LIVE for another epic Workbench LIVE Stream — we’re talking guitars, gear, tone & mods, plus the latest music and guitar news from around the world! 🎶 👇 Tune in LIVE, jump in the chat, and let’s talk guitars! If you’re into guitars, gear, and music news, you’re in the right place — smash that LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hang with us because Talking Guitars is where the party’s at! 🎉 🔥 Every Week on Johnny Beane TV — Your Ultimate Guitar Hangout! ⚡ Epic Guitar & Gear Unboxings 🔧 Mod Tips, Pro Tricks & DIY Hacks 🎤 Live Q&As with Players Worldwide 🚨 Breaking Gear News, Leaks & First Looks 🎸 Guitar Stories, Artist Access & Backstage Vibes 🎁 Surprise Giveaways You Don’t Want to Miss 👍 Smash that LIKE 🔔 Hit SUBSCRIBE 💬 Drop a comment — You’re part of the crew! 🎥 Want Your Stream to Look Pro? 👉 StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/4906555367489536 #TalkingGuitars #JohnnyBeaneTV #SquierGuitars #SeymourDuncan #FatCatP90 #GuitarMods #PickupComparison #StratStyle #GuitarTone #VegaTrem #KramerGuitars #GuitarYouTube #LiveGuitar

This episode kicks off on a personal note as I pay tribute to Adam the Woo — sharing with Ron and the chat how his videos inspired my own journey into content creation and what his work still means to me today. We dive into some powerful moments from Adam’s travels, including his visits to Randy Rhoads’ grave and the Randy Rhoads plane crash site — must-see spots for any rock fan. From there, it’s music news, breaking down a story about KISS, Kiss may be finished with touring, but guitarist Tommy Thayer says the band’s story isn’t over yet. Following their recent appearances at the Kiss Kruise event in Las Vegas, Thayer told MusicRadar that the shows were a success and hinted at more to come. “Fan events like this are great, and we’ll probably do more,” Thayer said, adding that it felt natural playing together again after nearly two years. While full tours are off the table, he teased that “there’s a lot in the works” behind the scenes. Thayer also didn’t rule out new music, saying the band still has “a lot of great ideas and a desire to keep creating.” He pointed to Kiss’s avatar project as an example of how the band is embracing new technology and future possibilities. Thayer joined Kiss full-time in 2002 after Ace Frehley’s departure and remained with the band through their final tour, which ended at Madison Square Garden in 2023. Although Frehley and drummer Peter Criss were originally expected to appear at the farewell show, those plans ultimately fell through. Then straight to the workbench 🤘 🔧 Squier Fender Strat Mod Time • Pickguard swap • Pickup changes • More mods coming on Workbench Wednesday — don’t miss it! 👉 Like, subscribe, and jump into the live chat! 🎸 TALKING GUITARS: Music & Guitar News LIVE! 🤘 Join us LIVE for another epic Workbench LIVE Stream — we’re talking guitars, gear, tone & mods, plus the latest music and guitar news from around the world! 🎶 👇 Tune in LIVE, jump in the chat, and let’s talk guitars! If you’re into guitars, gear, and music news, you’re in the right place — smash that LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hang with us because Talking Guitars is where the party’s at! 🎉 🔥 Every Week on Johnny Beane TV — Your Ultimate Guitar Hangout! ⚡ Epic Guitar & Gear Unboxings 🔧 Mod Tips, Pro Tricks & DIY Hacks 🎤 Live Q&As with Players Worldwide 🚨 Breaking Gear News, Leaks & First Looks 🎸 Guitar Stories, Artist Access & Backstage Vibes 🎁 Surprise Giveaways You Don’t Want to Miss 👍 Smash that LIKE 🔔 Hit SUBSCRIBE 💬 Drop a comment — You’re part of the crew! 🎥 Want Your Stream to Look Pro? 👉 StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/4906555367489536 #TalkingGuitars #JohnnyBeaneTV #GuitarMods #WorkbenchWednesday #SquierStrat #FenderStrat #GuitarWorkbench #GuitarYouTube #GuitarCommunity #RandyRhoads #AdamTheWoo #KISSBand #RockGuitar #GuitarLife

Adam the Woo was a massive influence on my YouTube journey and on creators all over the world. His genuine approach to storytelling, exploration, and daily vlogging inspired so many of us to hit record and share our lives. This is shocking and heartbreaking news, and I wanted to take a moment here on Johnny Beane TV to honor Adam’s legacy and the impact he had on me and the YouTube community. Rest in peace. #AdamTheWoo #RIPAdamTheWoo #YouTubeCreator #DailyVlogger #YouTubeCommunity #CreatorCommunity #Inspiration #JohnnyBeaneTV

On this episode of Straturday Night, we kicked things off by diving deep into the music business, sharing real-world experiences from playing in bands, touring, and working inside the recording studio. From there, we took it straight to the workbenches. Ron got hands-on with his Charvel, installing a Lollar Pickup in the neck position—after already dropping one into the bridge on a previous show. Meanwhile, I gave one of my Stratocasters a subtle but classy upgrade, swapping the white single-coil pickup covers for parchment. And yeah… I’m officially hooked on the parchment look. Once the mods were done, it was time to plug in and play. I demoed a handful of pedals, starting with the ZVEX Instant Lo-Fi Junky, delivering those beautifully warbly, lo-fi textures—almost chorus-like, but with its own quirky vibe. Next up was my favorite fuzz of all time, the ZVEX Fuzz Factory, bringing the chaos, sustain, and raw attitude. I also spent some time getting weird—in the best way—with my BOSS PC-2 Percussion Synthesizer, and wow, this pedal is a trip. It’s a seriously interesting early ’80s unit that delivers a wide range of highly adjustable, synth-like percussion sounds that instantly bring to mind classic Atari video games and old-school arcade vibes. Super retro, super quirky, and unlike just about anything else on a pedalboard today. It added a totally unexpected, nostalgic twist to the jams and showed just how far ahead of its time this pedal really was. 🎮🎸🔥 From there, I fired up the Lekato Looper & Drum Pedal, and that’s where things really took off. Layer by layer, I built a groove and ended up writing a brand-new piece of music live on the show, jamming it out and letting it evolve right up to the final moments. Gear, tone, stories, and a fresh riff born in real time—Straturday Night at its best. 🎸🔥 Join us LIVE tonight for the ultimate interactive guitar project. It’s gonna be a blast—so smash that thumbs up and hit subscribe for more killer guitar content right here on Johnny Beane TV! 🔥 On this episode of Straturday Night Live — the ultimate interactive guitar show — we head straight to the workbenches! 🔧🎸 #StraturdayNightLive #JohnnyBeaneTV #GuitarBuild #CustomGuitar #LiveGuitarShow #GuitarCommunity #GuitarMods #GuitarLivestream #ElectricGuitar #StarvingMusician #GuitarProject #GuitarPlayers #RockGuitar #GuitarParts #BuildAGuitarLive

🎸 On this episode of Talking Guitars, we kick things off with some major guitar-world news — Höfner, the legendary instrument maker behind Paul McCartney’s iconic violin bass, has reportedly filed for bankruptcy. What does this mean for the brand and its legacy? We break it down. According to No Treble, which cites court documents from the Fürth District Court in Bavaria, Höfner has filed for bankruptcy. The documents state that preliminary insolvency proceedings were ordered on December 10, 2025, at 5:05 PM, a move intended to protect the company’s assets from further financial deterioration. The report also notes that, according to a longtime former employee, Höfner has been dealing with financial challenges for quite some time. Dr. Hubert Ampferl has been appointed as the insolvency administrator and is now responsible for addressing the company’s debts and seeking potential investors. This isn’t the first time Höfner has faced restructuring. In 1994, the company became part of the Boosey & Hawkes Group, was later sold to The Music Group in 2003, and then acquired by Klaus Schöller in 2004. Höfner was founded by Karl Höfner, originally as a violin-making workshop, before expanding into guitar production in the 1930s. The company went on to develop the Violin Bass in the 1950s, cementing its place in music history. Höfner celebrated its 135th anniversary in 2022, marking well over a century of influence on musicians around the world. We also dive into a great rock ’n’ roll story that one of our viewers tipped us off to — the tale of Jimmy Page losing a Les Paul, only to be reunited with it years later. Then it’s straight to the workbench 🔧 🔥 Ron installs a Lollar Pickup in one of his Jackson guitars, and 🔥 I drop in a set of sealed tuners Ron recently sent me onto my Squier 50th Anniversary 1996 Stratocaster. 🎥 Want Your Stream to Look Pro? 👉 StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/4906555367489536