The Johnny Beane Podcast

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we’re talking about one of the most unusual guitar moments in Nirvana history — the original guitar solo on “Heart-Shaped Box.”

Kurt Cobain’s “Heart-Shaped Box” guitar solo has a wild history. 🎸 On the original recording sessions, Steve Albini used a one-off handmade “Pedal X” effect—a bizarre ring-modulator/overdrive-style pedal—to create the song’s strange, warped guitar sound. The original Pedal X version was ultimately replaced on the standard album mix, making the effect a fascinating piece of In Utero recording history.

Krist Novoselic recently opened up about why he hated Kurt Cobain’s original guitar solo, even calling it something that was sabotaging an otherwise beautiful song.

🎸 What happened with “Heart-Shaped Box”?
Nirvana recorded In Utero with producer Steve Albini, intentionally going for a rawer, more abrasive sound after Nevermind.
Kurt Cobain and Albini apparently experimented with a bizarre guitar effect for the original “Heart-Shaped Box” solo.
Krist Novoselic strongly disliked the effect and questioned why Kurt was intentionally making the song sound less commercial.
Novoselic recalled asking Cobain: “Why are you sabotaging this beautiful song?”
Cobain reportedly responded that he thought the effect sounded cool.
Novoselic believes the approach may have been a statement against the polished, mainstream sound associated with Nevermind.
Nirvana eventually brought in Scott Litt to remix “Heart-Shaped Box” and “All Apologies.”
The version most fans know today features a substantially different treatment of the guitar and overall mix.
🔥 Why did Kurt want it that way?

That’s one of the fascinating things about In Utero. Nirvana wasn't simply trying to make another Nevermind. The band wanted something raw, strange, uncomfortable and less concerned with commercial expectations.

And Novoselic's comments give us another look at just how far that philosophy went — even when the band's own members disagreed about what belonged in the songs.

🎸 Krist Novoselic still loves In Utero

Despite his criticism of the original “Heart-Shaped Box” solo, Novoselic says In Utero is his favorite Nirvana album.

He has described the recording sessions as a period when the band was focused, creative and working extremely well together. For Novoselic, that chemistry is part of what makes the album so special.

So what do you think?

Was Kurt Cobain’s original “Heart-Shaped Box” guitar solo a brilliant artistic decision — or did Krist Novoselic have a point?

Let me know in the comments!

Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV — Rock. Riffs. Real Talk.

#Nirvana #KurtCobain #HeartShapedBox #InUtero

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we take a look at the new Jackson Pro Series Signature Phil Collen PC1-E, a Mexican-made version of Phil Collen’s legendary Superstrat-style signature guitar.

The Def Leppard guitarist has been working with Jackson for nearly 40 years, and the PC1-E brings his unique combination of Strat-style design, high-powered pickups, Floyd Rose tremolo, and onboard sustainer technology to the Jackson Pro Series.

Phil says the PC1-E has “all the bells and whistles” and that you can get the sounds of a Strat, Les Paul, and more from a single guitar.

🎸 Jackson Pro Series Phil Collen PC1-E Highlights:
Phil Collen signature guitar from Def Leppard
Made in Ensenada, Mexico
Strat-style body with reverse headstock
Mahogany body
Caramelized maple neck
24-fret 12"-16" compound-radius ebony fingerboard
Luminlay side dots
Dual-action truss rod adjustment wheel
Gold Floyd Rose 1000 Series tremolo
Jackson die-cast tuners and locking nut
DiMarzio X2N DP102 humbucker in the bridge
DiMarzio Sugar Chakra DP427BK middle pickup
PC1 Sustainer Driver neck pickup
5-way pickup selector
Push-pull coil-split volume control
Sustainer Intensity control
Active Sustainer on/off switch
Fundamental/Harmonic/Blend switch
Pre-relic’d finish designed to reflect Collen’s well-used guitars

The PC1-E also includes design and tonal influences connected to two of Phil Collen’s biggest guitar heroes: Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen.

With its combination of high-output humbucker tones, single-coil sounds, Floyd Rose tremolo and built-in sustainer, Jackson and Collen are aiming to put a huge range of sounds into one instrument.

The Jackson Pro Series Signature Phil Collen PC1-E is priced at $2,199.99.

Would you actually need another guitar if you had a PC1-E?

#JacksonGuitars #PhilCollen #DefLeppard #ElectricGuitar

Seymour Duncan Distortion 50th Anniversary Set: A Classic Rock Pickup Gets the Custom Shop Treatment!

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we take a look at the new Seymour Duncan Duncan Distortion Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Custom Shop Set — a special release celebrating one of Seymour Duncan’s most iconic high-output humbucker designs.

Limited to just 500 sets worldwide, this anniversary edition brings back early-production details while preserving the aggressive Duncan Distortion sound that rock and metal guitarists have relied on for decades.

🔥 What Makes This 50th Anniversary Set Special?
Limited to only 500 sets worldwide
Hand-built by Seymour Duncan’s Custom Shop team
Led by legendary pickup builder Maricela “MJ” Juarez
Bridge pickup: Original high-output ceramic Duncan Distortion
Neck pickup: Seymourizer II, later renamed the Duncan Distortion Neck
Built to early original specifications
Features butyrate bobbins
Long-leg baseplates
Maple spacers
Lightly aged for a vintage character
Includes replica “Seymourized” and model-name stickers
Bottom plates are hand-signed by Seymour W. Duncan and MJ
Comes in exclusive 50th Anniversary packaging
Available in Black or Zebra finish
🎸 The Duncan Distortion Sound

The Duncan Distortion bridge pickup uses a large ceramic magnet and hot coil windings to deliver tight, percussive lows, searing highs and a powerful upper-midrange bite.

It's designed to retain clarity while pushing an amplifier harder, making it a longtime favorite for aggressive rock and metal tones.

The Duncan Distortion's sound has been associated with players including Randy Rhoads, George Lynch and Adam Jones.

🕰️ Back to the Original Specs

While the core Duncan Distortion design has remained consistent since production began in the late 1970s, Seymour Duncan made some changes over the years to improve consistency and manufacturing.

For this 50th Anniversary Custom Shop edition, the company went back to early details including butyrate bobbins, long-leg baseplates and maple spacers.

💰 Price

The Duncan Distortion Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Custom Shop Set has a street price of $375.

Only 500 sets are being produced worldwide, making this a particularly interesting release for Duncan Distortion fans, rock guitarists and pickup collectors.

What do you think — is the Duncan Distortion one of the greatest high-output rock pickups ever made?

#SeymourDuncan #DuncanDistortion #GuitarPickups #TalkingGuitars

On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we take a closer look at the EVH Limited-Edition Wolfgang Special 2015 in Distressed Ivory — the guitar inspired by Eddie Van Halen’s legendary Wolfgang used during the 2015 Different Kind of Truth world tour.

With its road-worn Distressed Ivory finish, lightweight basswood body, graphite-reinforced quarter-sawn maple neck, ebony fingerboard, and EVH Wolfgang AL2 and AL3 humbuckers, this Wolfgang Special was built to deliver Eddie’s signature combination of power, sustain, clarity, and playability.

The guitar also features an EVH-branded Floyd Rose 1000 Series tremolo, EVH D-Tuna, kill switch, and EVH Bourns controls, giving players plenty of tools for dive bombs, squeals, Drop D tuning, and classic Van Halen-style effects.

We’re taking a look at what makes this limited-edition Wolfgang Special so special, how it connects to Eddie’s 2015 touring era, and why it remains such a sought-after EVH Van Halen guitar for collectors and players.

🎸 EVH Wolfgang Special 2015
🎸 Distressed Ivory finish
🎸 Different Kind of Truth era
🎸 EVH Wolfgang AL2 & AL3 pickups
🎸 Floyd Rose 1000 Series + D-Tuna
🎸 22-fret ebony fingerboard

What do you think of Eddie Van Halen’s 2015 Wolfgang Special?

#VanHalen #EddieVanHalen #EVHGuitars #WolfgangSpecial

On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we’re talking about a major new development from Fender that could change the way guitarists experience single-coil pickups. 🎸

Did Fender finally solve the single-coil hum problem — without changing your pickups or your tone?

🔇 Fender’s new Silent System is designed to eliminate unwanted single-coil hum.
⚡ It’s a passive, battery-free system built directly into the guitar.
🎸 Unlike traditional noiseless pickups, Fender says the system can work with almost any pickup, including aftermarket pickups.
🛠️ The technology is hidden underneath the pickguard, so the guitars look completely traditional from the outside.
🔬 Fender is debuting the technology in Limited Edition American Professional Classic Stratocaster and Telecaster models.
🎵 The Strat features three vintage-inspired Coastline ’57 single-coil pickups, while the Tele uses two Coastline ’63 pickups.
💰 Both guitars are priced at $1,599.99 in the U.S.
🤔 Fender has been making Noiseless pickups for years, so what makes this new approach different?
🔥 With Fender, Gibson and other major manufacturers investing heavily in new pickup technology, is the next big evolution in guitar tone already here?

This could be one of the most interesting guitar technology developments Fender has introduced in years. Could this finally give single-coil players the classic tone they love without the unwanted hum?

What do you think — would you want this technology in your next Strat or Tele?

#Fender #Stratocaster #GuitarTech #SingleCoil