Billy Corgan Strat+Interview

[Pirate]

http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?di ... rticle=259

I'm surprised that it took so long for him to get a signature guitar.They seem really nice,not too flashy and they don't scream Billy Corgan.

[Antero]

Hm.

I'm not sure how I feel about it... I guess the pickups are kinda confusing me.

[Pirate]

What do you mean?They're just dual rail dimarzio single coils.

[darryl2113]

I read that the other day at work...I still don't like pickups quite that hot, but I did agree with the humbucker thing.When you have someone dropping emg's in and putting these locking rolling nuts and a khaler(sp?) bridge and it just turns into something unrecognizable...it gets to the point where maybe you don't want a strat! Maybe check out this Satriani sig or something. But on the same note, I do currently have noiseless pups in my strat right now, so, if I am gonna go "purist" on everyone, I'd have to lay the smack down on myself first.

One thing that seems weird to me though, I know the guitar is supposed be more about his "current" sound, but I think the strat should have had lace sensors all the way, since that is what was used on just about everything they did that involved a strat. I dunno, something to think about........

[Ghost Hip]

I got the impression from the interview that its not really made to sound like Billy Corgan, its made to sound like you. Granted I'm a Smashing Pumpkins geek and usually somewhat agree with whatever Billy says (note) but i like the idea of making a signature guitar that anyone could play and be at least satisfied. However if you hear "Billy Corgan Stratocaster" you're naturally going to think Lace sensors, tortured pick-guards and random stickers and/or designs. Which is disappointing.

As for me, I want the Stratocaster he played in the Rocket music video.


Note: except when he thought he was exploring the only 'island' left of rock music, and that there was nothing left to explore.

[Pirate]

I got the impression from the interview that its not really made to sound like Billy Corgan, its made to sound like you. Granted I'm a Smashing Pumpkins geek and usually somewhat agree with whatever Billy says (note) but i like the idea of making a signature guitar that anyone could play and be at least satisfied. However if you hear "Billy Corgan Stratocaster" you're naturally going to think Lace sensors, tortured pick-guards and random stickers and/or designs. Which is disappointing.

As for me, I want the Stratocaster he played in the Rocket music video.


Note: except when he thought he was exploring the only 'island' left of rock music, and that there was nothing left to explore.

Thats exactly what I was thinking,maybe Fender will make a relic version for SP geeks to drool over.

[ohsojayadeva]

it is interesting that after all these years the guitars (and pickups) he played on SD and MCIS are still considered by many to be the only guitars worth thinking about. i may be in the minority but some of my favorite BC tones are the solo on the title track to "mary star of the sea" which i believe used duncan quarter pounders, as well as the harsh, heavily processed tones from the solo album, "mina loy" specifically, which used god knows what.

[Ghost Hip]

Well seeing as he was first known for the Smashing Pumpkins and those were there most successful albums (not to say everyone thinks they're the best albums) its not too surprising/interesting to me.

However what I find interesting is that people want heavy sounds from a Billy signature guitar. He's made just as much soft music as heavy music, which now that I think about it, I see where you're coming from. My favorite tones are from songs like "By Starlight" and "To Forgive." It seems anyone could replicate the heavy sounds with the right amp and effects, but when it comes to clean tones the guitar has more say in how you sound.

I'm kind of over-whelming myself with the thought of so many possibilities in guitar gear and tones....so I'm going to stop.

[ohsojayadeva]

which DE effect is best for the wicked harsh TFE tones?

[Pirate]

He should have gotten together with a pedal to company to release a signature fuzz pedal instead.

Just relabel the rocket?Or you could make a modified limited edition rocket with a new graphic and billy's signature.That would be sweet it that happened.

[Pirate]

Aw that seriously sucks.Hopefully its gotten to billy and he just hasnt had time for it yet or something.

[darryl2113]

I guess your write about the "blank canvas guitar".....But I am still a faithful believer that whatever it is they actually play and record with, artitsts rarely rely on their sig models "stock". Like how Dave Navaro(sp?) was endorsing Marshall, but behind those cabs where Bogners that were mic'ed.

I used to think Corgan was pretty fucking smart....and he is.....very well spoken and educated.....but its this "wisdom" that he tries to exude that tends to be the shovel for the hole he digs for him self. The more he talks the less he knows.Knowledge and wisdom are not synonymous to me.


I get the feeling that he thinks he has his hands on the "pulse of the future" and that he couldn't be further from the truth.

[Ghost Hip]

I used to think Corgan was pretty fucking smart....and he is.....very well spoken and educated.....but its this "wisdom" that he tries to exude that tends to be the shovel for the hole he digs for him self. The more he talks the less he knows.Knowledge and wisdom are not synonymous to me.


I get the feeling that he thinks he has his hands on the "pulse of the future" and that he couldn't be further from the truth.

I was reading a Chuck Klosterman article about the smashing pumpkins/Billy Corgan and how he's egocentric sometimes. he said this:

"But, you know what? I actually like that. It's normal to evolve and become more reasonable and quit embracing the egocentric qualities that allowed you to become somebody who wasn't like everybody else. Normal humans change; Billy Corgan never did. And while that isn't necessarily admirable, it's certainly noteworthy."

[glitch]

I was reading a Chuck Klosterman article about the smashing pumpkins/Billy Corgan and how he's egocentric sometimes. he said this:

..."Normal humans change; Billy Corgan never did. And while that isn't necessarily admirable, it's certainly noteworthy."

Bwaahahahah! Oh yeah, Corgan's never changed at all: he's still fronting that hair-metal band out in the Western 'Burbs -- Hexen, or something like that, I think it was called.

Sorry, but I always thought of the Pumpkins merely as a local bar band that made it good. More power to 'em for that, but I certainly don't think of Billy as any sort of visionary. I walked in and out on the SP's at Avalon a half-dozen times during the last decade, and I've even got photos in storage someplace from a couple of their gigs they opened at the Metro (I was one of the house photographers). And yeah, they were definitely enjoyable, so no foul there.

But Siamese Dream doesn't sound anything like the Pumpkins I remember seeing in those cheesy bars, and nothing since then has sounded like Siamese Dream. And certainly none of it has sounded like that bad hair band Billy started out with. So Corgan and company have definitely changed over time. Whether that change is a natural evolution, or a deliberate manipulation is for you to decide.

I can't help it, but anytime I hear people putting the Pumpkins up on a pedestal like that, I just have to chuckle and roll my eyes. It's kinda like, years after grade school, hearing something of that sort about your best pal's warty little brother. But such is life....

-- glitch.@#$%!

[Ghost Hip]

He was talking about Billy not changing as far as being honest egocentric. My bad...I should've quoted more of the article. It's obvious the music's changed, I was just trying to expand on darryl's comment on Billy being smart but that intelligence is different than wisdom.