The Johnny Beane Podcast

🎸 On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we talk Steve Lukather!

The Toto guitarist looks back on an extraordinary career working with some of the biggest names in music — including Eddie Van Halen, Michael Jackson, George Benson, Ringo Starr, Joni Mitchell and Quincy Jones.

🔥 Some of the highlights:

• 🎸 Eddie Van Halen — Lukather recalls the first time he heard Eruption, meeting Eddie in 1978, their friendship, and how they supported each other throughout their careers.

• 🥁 Ringo Starr — Touring with Ringo and becoming close friends with one of his childhood heroes.

• 🎤 Michael Jackson & Quincy Jones — The story behind Lukather's guitar work on Beat It and Human Nature, including Quincy’s advice to turn down the distortion.

• 🎶 George Benson — How Lukather helped write Turn Your Love Around, which became a massive hit and earned him his first Grammy.

• 🎹 Joni Mitchell — Working on Wild Things Run Fast and Dog Eat Dog, and what it was like walking into a studio with one of his musical heroes.

• 🎼 1,500+ albums — Lukather reflects on his incredible career as one of the most prolific session guitarists in music history.

“I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’m one lucky guy.” — Steve Lukather

What a career. What a player. 🎸

#SteveLukather #EddieVanHalen #Toto #TalkingGuitars

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we’re checking out Gibson and Epiphone’s bold new Miami-inspired electric guitars! 🎸🌴

Gibson is bringing the Miami vibe to the Gibson Garage Miami with eye-catching Miami Blue and Miami Pink finishes on models like the Les Paul Special, Les Paul Junior Double Cut, and SG Standard ’61.

Epiphone is going even bigger with Vice City Pink, Vice City Blue, and Bumblebee Yellow, giving models like the Explorer, Flying V, SG Standard ’60s, and Les Paul Custom a serious ’80s-inspired look.

We’ll also take a look at the Gibson Custom SJ-200 Art Deco, exclusive MESA/Boogie gear, and other Miami Garage exclusives.

Which one would you want to play? 🎸🔥

#Gibson #Epiphone #ElectricGuitar #Guitar

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we take a look at a fascinating new guitar collaboration that brings together legendary guitar builder John Cruz, formerly of the Fender Custom Shop, and Chinese guitar brand Farida Guitars.

Cruz has unveiled his first guitar design with Farida — the JC-1, a vintage-inspired S-style guitar that combines classic looks and tones with some interesting modern features.

And there's a lot to talk about!

🎸 The Farida JC-1
🔥 Designed by former Fender Master Builder John Cruz
🇨🇳 Cruz's first guitar design with Farida Guitars
⏱️ 273 days of development went into the JC-1
🎸 Vintage-inspired S-style design
🌳 Two-piece alder body
🍁 Bolt-on Canadian maple neck
✋ John Cruz's custom "JC Comfy C" neck profile
🌹 Rosewood fingerboard
⚪ Olympic White finish
🐢 Tortoiseshell pickguard
🎨 Light relic finish inspired by how vintage guitars naturally wear
🎛️ Modern Features

The JC-1 isn't simply a vintage-style S guitar.

It features three custom-wound single-coil pickups, developed by Cruz and the Farida team, designed to deliver a '60s-inspired sound.

The control layout is particularly interesting:

🎚️ 5-way pickup selector
🔊 Master volume
🎛️ Master tone
🔀 Blend control for combining neck and bridge pickups

That blend control allows players to mix the bridge and neck pickups in positions 1 and 5, giving the guitar some tonal options you wouldn't normally get from a traditional S-style setup.

🛠️ John Cruz's Approach

Cruz says building a great guitar starts with the wood. He personally weighs body blanks and even taps on them to listen for their individual characteristics.

His philosophy is also heavily focused on the player.

"I am a guitar builder but I am also a guitar player."

For Cruz, playability is at the heart of the instrument — the guitar needs to be something a player wants to pick up and play every day.

💰 Only 60 Being Made

Farida reportedly plans to produce just 60 JC-1 guitars, making this a very limited run.

The guitar has been suggested at around $1,989, which is an interesting price point for a high-end, relic'd instrument designed by a former Fender Master Builder.

🤔 The Big Question

Could this be a sign of where the guitar industry is heading?

What happens when a world-class American guitar builder teams up with a Chinese guitar company and gets the resources to build the guitar he wants?

Would you buy a guitar like the Farida JC-1?

That's what we're talking about on this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV!
#JohnCruz #FaridaGuitars #GuitarBuilder #TalkingGuitars

🎸 GUITAR CENTER IS BUILDING ITS OWN GUITAR!

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we’re talking about Guitar Center’s new Guitar Labs project — and they’re now ready to put their first prototype into the hands of real guitar players!

🔹 Guitar Center has been developing its own guitar line for nearly a year
🔹 The project has been shaped by feedback from guitar players
🔹 The first prototypes are now ready for real-world testing
🔹 Testing will take place at Guitar Center’s Westlake Village, California office
🔹 Player testing is scheduled for late September and early October
🔹 Participants will have to leave their phones outside the testing area
🔹 Testers must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
🔹 Guitar Center says it wants genuine players and honest opinions
🔹 Influencers and brand representatives can still reach out, but may be involved at a later stage
🔹 Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto says the goal is not simply to make copycat products

So what is Guitar Center actually building? 🤔🎸

And what will this first prototype look and sound like?

We’ll be talking about it on Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV!

🎸 Rock. Riffs. Real Talk.

#GuitarCenter #ElectricGuitar #GuitarLabs #TalkingGuitars

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV 🎸

We’re talking about an incredible and emotional story involving Eddie Van Halen and Jason Becker.

Jason Becker recently looked back at his bittersweet first meeting with Eddie — and revealed just how much Eddie did to support him during one of the most difficult periods of his life.

🔥 On this episode:

🎸 Eddie Van Halen was asked to do a satellite linkup with Jason Becker — but Eddie refused unless he could meet Jason in person.
❤️ Jason recalls their emotional first meeting and Eddie’s affectionate reaction.
🎸 Eddie brought Jason a guitar — then became emotional after realizing Jason was no longer able to play it.
📀 Eddie loved Jason’s Perspective album and reportedly pushed Warner Bros. to release it.
💰 Jason says Eddie helped secure a much-needed advance — and also privately helped his family financially.
📺 Eddie and Jason appeared together in a PSA for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
❤️ Jason reflects on Eddie’s generosity and says he believes Eddie would be proud of the nonprofit he and Serrana co-founded to help people living with ALS.

And there’s more Van Halen news!

📖 Alex Van Halen has announced a limited-edition book simply titled Van Halen.

The release includes a 7-inch vinyl record featuring “Glitter,” a previously unreleased demo from 1974, along with a Collector Edition featuring a clamshell case and additional Van Halen memorabilia.

Was Eddie Van Halen one of the most generous and caring people in the guitar world? And what do you think about Alex’s new Van Halen book and the release of “Glitter”?

👇 Join the conversation in the comments — and make sure to subscribe to Johnny Beane TV for more Van Halen news, stories, history, guitars, and exclusive conversations!

🎸 Rock. Riffs. Real Talk.

#EddieVanHalen #JasonBecker #VanHalen #AlexVanHalen