Rig Rundown - Pat Benatar's Neil Giraldo
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- Опубліковано 28 кві 2014
- Article and photos: bit.ly/NeilGiraldoRR
On March 31, 2014, Premier Guitar's John Bohlinger met with guitar great Neil "Spyder" Giraldo before a gig with his wife, Pat Benatar. Giraldo walked us through his epic career odyssey and answered questions from fans on our Facebook page. Here, guitar tech Jason Stockwell dishes tech details on the rig.
Giraldo's current favorite axe is a '68 Guild Starfire dubbed "Pain." It sports two custom-wound Seymour Duncan pickups, and Giraldo stuffed foam through the F-holes to cut down on feedback. He also has newer, similarly appointed Starfires, including one he keeps tuned to D. When he wants a bit more flash, Giraldo grabs his custom GMP Roxy, which-like his other touring guitars-also features custom Duncans and a Bigsby.
To learn more about Giraldo's rig, click here: bit.ly/NeilGiraldoRR
His work with Pat Benetar, Rick Springfield, Derringer, Steve Perry & Kenny Loggins proved he was at the very top of rock guitarists of the 80's
@John Smith Wasn't That actually Tim Pierce from what i remember wasn't it, i saw a video on UA-cam of him playing it spot on and talking about it being his first studio work he was paid on, he also said Neal taught him many things in the studio in those days...
@@robvoyles Tim was eventually Rick Springfields full time guitar player but neil played everything on Rick's first album. Tim talks about having to get neils tone for Jessie's girl all the time
Very underrated guitarist in his time.
He did get a lot of respect from Circus Magazine, but mostly the guitar magazines ignored him.
I learned how to play electric from Neil's work.
he n rick both
uundarated 🤘
Good hooks....good rhythm playing but can't solo for shit, so the guitar mags/websites aren't too interested. Mick Mars is a monster rhythm player but only gets attention for being in the biggest party band. Love these UA-cam vids Bolinger does.
Paul Olsen maybe you’re right but his solo in hell is for children is great
True!! Neal's awesome!🤘
One of the most underrated and most tasteful guitarist's on the scene..He always made every note count. Awesome guitarist!
In my opinion, some of the best solos in rock from this man.. shredders take note!
Coolest guy ever. "the guitar's a tool and the song is the star and that's how I feel." Love that. It's not about the gear, it's all in the hands. No wonder this guy has had such a great career.
Absolutely, what a great attitude. Thing is, not every guitarist is a producer.....😉
Neil is a helluva guitar player, great musician. And he's got to be the one of the luckiest guys on the planet, too.
Neil has one of the best sounds of all time, great producer too. Loved his work with John Wait in the early days
Maybe it's because I'm italian too, but I think this is one of the most honest and enjoable rig rundowns ever. Thumbs up Spyder.
Ha, me too. Pro my fellow Sicilian. . . ( and he played with Derringer )
David Gennaro Great. I'm not Sicilian, I'm from Romagna, but we share the love for straight-to-the-point approach to things in life, and Giraldo oozes with this attitude. It's great when a legend is also a guy you could hang with at a bar.
I thought you said, “You’re alright, Spider”
“No you’re not alright Spider, now dance!”
Sorry, that scene immediately came to mind.
Love Spider and Pat.
I'm 64 and loved your songs from the get go.
You guys are the real deal from my era.
God bless you two forever.
Two down to earth people.
still together all these years , what a marriage
One the premier guitarists of the 1980s. If you were anywhere near a radio back then you were sure to hear his work sooner or later.
20 years old, my boyfriend took me to see them William Mary University of North Carolina. Had a blast. Am 57 now and still remember how great they were.
I saw them at (Wake Forest which actually is a university in NC. W&M is in Virginia). around that time. What a power duo ! I will never forget that show either
Massive congrats to Neil and Pat getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, definitely deserving
I appreciate Neil's simple approach to getting great sound.
What a wonderful interview! Neil is such a laid back, genuine guy and totally dedicated to his music. By the way .... Neil and Pat are made for each other. Long may they live.
Criminally underrated.
A lot of what i was playing (trying) when in my teenage bedroom was by Neil Geraldo/Pat Benatar. So happy to see him in a Rig Rundown. And to see that he seems like such a humble gentleman.
[Thank you, Neil - for the music and the inspiration.]
Hit Me With Your Best Shot solo is my favorite guitar solo of all time
Incredibly underrated. Seen him and Pat twice, and the guy is just a ripper...nice to see this.
I have to agree Neil Giraldo is one of them rare guitar stars who is extremely down to earth...love his catalogue of work as a producer, guitarist and band member of Pat Benatar. He's someone to emulate.
He's one of the best guitarist I've ever heard. And his wife is one of the best singers I've ever heard. Good interview.
I think this guy is the best interviewer/rig-rundowner... the interviews are full of info... Great Job
Such great tone with so little effects! He's still underrated! Great guitarists and perfect fit for Pat Benatar's voice. His solos always perfect.
HIs wife is the greatest female rocker of all time, and he is one of the great underrated guitarists in rock history. saw them in Honolulu years ago, great show.
Neil is very high on the list of under appreciated guitarists. He is fantastic.
Can't get enough of Neil.♡
Neil and Pat have aged very well. Still performing at a high level.🎤🎸🔥
Ditto
The man just wakes up cool. Effortless. I could listen to him tell stories forever.
What an enlightening interview, not just for the guitar, but for how band dynamics work. He's' not always saying it overtly, but what I got from watching this was "Keep it simple, keep it balanced, get the basics down" and apply that approach to the guitar you are playing, the song you are playing and who you are playing with, whether its your sister on the accordion, Rick Derringer or Pat Benatar.Geraldo seems very down to earth and gracious. No wonder Pat Benatar loves him so much.The interviewer did a good job, relaxed and informative with a good flow from subject to subject. This is a lot more than a rig rundown.
Well put !
I grew up in the 80s listening to this guy's solos and falling in love with the guitar but- by the time I got old enough to really get into music and all- things had moved on and as a result I just never looked into who he was or anything. Lukather was the same way- grew up listening to all his work and loving it but- I was too young to really get into it and even know the names of the bands- much less who played in them. But when I think about it these where the first solos I heard- riding in the car with my parents, and I loved them. I've been going back lately and rediscovering a lot of it now- at age 50- it's trip. But this band was a huge part of the soundtrack that was my childhood- along with bands like AC/DC, Kiss, Alice Cooper, Aldo Nova, Boston, The Commodores, Foreigner, Stevie Wonder, Kansas, man the list goes on and on and on. By the time I was old enough to really start buying my own stuff I had turned to a whole different style of music and this stuff wasn't on the radio any more. That's cool though- now I can go back and rediscover it and figure out who everyone was and blame all the right ppl for giving me this cursed obsession. Do you know how many hours of "bad to the bone" my poor family had to sit through? LOL- I played that riff over and over and over and over- on a 75-dollar harmony guitar run through a 30 dollar homemade radio shack amp. It had an on and off switch and a volume knob- that's it- it was basically like plugging directly into a speaker. But- if you cranked it- distortion- and you could bang out that three note run- and almost feel like you were playing.
I saw Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo in Lancaster, PA this year! They both sounded amazing!! And yes, I thought Neil was incredible as a guitarist!! :)
Probably one of the nicest humble human you will ever meet. Hell of a guitarist as well. Very underrated imo.
Great Guitar Player. Extremely Underrated. Listen to the Guitar Solo in Precious Time or Hell is for Children ( among many others ). Super Tasty. Always Loved this Guy. Very cool & down-to-earth. - Michael Caz - NYC -
He always worked very tastefully around and in between Pat’s vocal work. Short signature work that has endured throughout the decades.
Well said
One of my earliest influences, and a most Underrated guitarist...
Class act. Just a very underrated guitar player and cool guy.
He produced John Waite's first and excellent solo album Ignition in 1982.
Thanks again, PG. I can watch these insider gear interviews all day.
Great interview. Geraldo is such a pro
Loved this, just like all his work, he's such a wonderful guy. Especially loved his very true comment about "digging in" and "being there". His perfect tone, for Pat's incredible voice, is an inspiration and testament of incredible artistic collaboration and a wonderful marriage. Charmed.
Great interview - I saw Neil 1.5 yrs ago in Hamilton Ontario with Pat Benetar and he was great, he came across the same way onstage.
Love hearing Neil talk shop! Thank u
I've been playing for 30 years and listening to and enjoying this guy all along, but just now learned who he is after investigating the "Jessie's Girl" solo while learning it for a cover band. I really like all his well crafted parts and solos, he reminds me of Elliot Easton in that everything he plays is interesting and cool but still always fits the song perfectly. And those Starfires DAMN!
check out the solo on Precious Time
Spyder, Cleveland ROCKS ! after all these years you still sound awesome!
Just a monster player and seems like a real laid back nice guy, awesome interview
he definitely seems soooooo cooool !!!!!
Just AWESOME! Neil is so frick'n original... his style of playing unique...everything. Would love to hang out with him for one day! I still listen to their songs almost every day and try to catch all his nuances in his playing. I have a massive appreciation for Neil and his material. Vastly underrated. What a humble and great man... Thanks Neil!
I was maybe 16 and been playing for 2 years at their peak. It was those blistering solos that I really wanted to hear. Very clean,precise and did not hide behind effects. Heartbreaker , Hit me wth your best shot are two of the best solos of that era and even now stand the test of time.
What an iconic guitarist. Always wonderful tone!
Still Awesome after all these years!
He was definitely the sound of the early 80s. Good memories 👍👍👍👍
Great interview! Well done!
Spyder is a true American Treasure!!!
🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
Neil Giraldo is a truly great player.One of my all time favorites.
I've always been a fan of Neil's playing. This is the first interview I've watched and he seems like a great guy.
At some point, I thought I remembered him using AC-30's live, but I may have mistook the 100w Marshal combos as Vox's. Neil is a true force in the world of rock. One would do well to heed the insights he so freely shared. Rock on and long life to you Spyder!
Neil one of my all time favorites. Awesome interview, it's great when the interviewer is also a fan. It's like he's asking all the questions I would ask. Chitarrista Eccezionale
Gotta love Spyder and his love for what he does. Such a kind a man. John, you are equally awesome and I absolutely loved your infectious smile and genuine joy throughout this free flowing chat. Well done!
Absolutely one of my all time favorite guitar players, such a creative rhythm players and definitely one of THE best soloist's to play guitar! Great video!
Loved this guys guitar style since 1980. His solos have such good melody.
That was an awesome interview with Neil. Thanks man!!
HUGELY under rated guitar player!
Man! I've always love Spyder and his tone, but I love him even more after watching this video! Great stuff man! Great stuff! Thanks!
Amazing interview!
Love these rig rundowns
I really like his sound, always have.
Underappreciated player. Guitar, amp, fingers. That's the way it should be.
Neil's solos are always awesome. I mean the solo in Precious Time....come on!!!!
Phenominal player. GREAT feel and tone
Pat Benatar una de mis artistas favoritas con hermosa voz y excelente ritmo y su esposo gran músico. Soy mexicana y desde 1980 los escucho tengo todos sus discos.
YESSSS, SOMEONE ELSE FINALLY MENTIONED THAT SOLO!!!!!!! The Shadows of the Night solo is one of my favorite solos ever, I always wanted to hear him talk about that!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!!
Love his guitar playing. His work on hell is for children is just plain eerie, I just love it!
learned a lot from Neil as a kid...his solo's were so good and well thought out...
Neil is such an inspiration. He is a success in music and in life as well. Plus, anyone who is good friends with Tim Pierce has to be a down-to-earth great guy!
That was a great Rig Rundown, I love Neil!!!!!!! Thanks so much!!!!!!!
The man is such a legend,his playing is phenomenal.
Great chops, and his solos are very tasteful and memorable in my opinion.
One of the best!
Love your work, John Bolinger. Keep it up. Great interview.
He had the sound. Pat had the sound too ❤
1 of my fav guitarists of all time
Great interview Neil is an absolute identifiable guitarist. Love his playing and tone
Absolutely Amazing. Thank You So Much for all your Music Neil & John for another Great Interview Cheers 🍻
Great player great live thanks for your music
We opened for Pat in the late 70’s….Neil and Pat are the nicest people on earth!
Neil, what is your secret to your precision guitar timing??? It's insane!! Neil's got rhythm!!
Neils the coolest ! Watch the Pat Benatar / Neil Geraldo 35th anniversary concert. Just awesome!
Used to play Heartbreaker in a cover band I was in... And that solo was always my favorite to play every night
THIS GUY IS ONE OF THE BEST OUT THERE
This was amazing. Thank you.
John Bohlinger...nice job with the interview and the product demos.
Have a rare CD collection of 70's progressive rock from Italy. Man, are they fabulous musician's. Can't get enough of that collection.
Met Neil and Pat in 1996,,,,got my pic with the both of them...sweetest people you will ever meet. Love them both.
PAT BENATAR FOR THE ROCK HALL OF FAME. ALREADY@!@
Neil has some of the best guitar solos I have ever heard he's an amazing player!!
Seems like a pretty cool guy. I've always been a fan of his work
Great guitarist sems like a nice guy too no super inflated ego
wow great interview with a humble awesome guy
I saw Him and PAT BENATAR in 1985. They were both awesome. Great Concert
love this guy great songs great tone sick vibrato and cool guitars
Niel G is masterful. And excellent musician, and showman.
What a great guy .. Well done ..Great player too.. i will have to listen to `Jessie`s girl again .. too enjoy Neil`s playing ... Love all Pat Benatar stuff .. too..
I’m mildly interested in most of these reviewed, with this guy Neil I was really engaged. He is very interesting and genuine guy.
Neil you are an awesome musician
I always thought I heard a slight flange/chorus characteristic to the guitars in ‘Jessie’s Girl’. Now we know it was the detune setting on a harmonized. Neil’s a gem to rock n roll.