Watch the show LIVE at http://johnnybeane.TV Tuesdays & Fridays at 8PM ET Guitars & Rock Music Talk.
On this episode of Straturday Night Live, we're finally building that mystery guitar LIVE!
We kick off this episode of Talking Guitars on JohnnyBeaneTV with an amazing story: Paul Reed Smith once revealed that Jeff Beck secretly played — and loved — a PRS guitar backstage. A hidden piece of guitar-legend lore! PRS says Beck used it to record, but the model is still a mystery, and the guitar didn't appear in this year's big Beck auction. Did he sell it? Is it still in the family vault? No one knows—but the hunt is on. Then we jump into some killer EVH news, breaking down the new EVH 5150III Hypersonic 606 1x12 and why it's getting so much buzz. On the workbench, I restring my 1996 MIJ Fender Custom '72 Reissue Telecaster, talk a bit about its history, and then run through a few more classics: my early '80s USA Hamer Phantom A-5, the Seville Les Paul copy for some unplugged vibes, the Squier Standard Strat, and of course—the Hello Kitty Squier, since we're rockin' the Hello Kitty tee. Thanks for watching! If you're into guitars, stories, mods, and all the craziness we do here, smash that thumbs up and hit subscribe!
On this episode of Talking Guitars on JohnnyBeaneTV, we opened with a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Steve Cropper, whose family announced his passing today. I share the story of meeting him nearly 30 years ago at the guitar shop I worked at—an unforgettable moment with a true icon. Legendary guitarist Steve Cropper — the soulful force behind Booker T. & the MG's, Otis Redding, and the Blues Brothers — has passed away at the age of 84. His son Cameron confirmed the news to Variety on Wednesday. Cropper's influence on Memphis soul is immeasurable. As a guitarist, producer, songwriter, and engineer at Stax Records, he shaped the sound of an era. His tight, tasteful, unmistakable guitar work powered Booker T. & the MG's, while also elevating recordings by Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, and more. In 1996, Mojo magazine ranked him the second-greatest guitarist of all time, just behind Jimi Hendrix, praising his metronomic timing, razor-sharp riffs, and perfectly placed licks — always serving the song, never overstaying their welcome. As a songwriter, Cropper co-wrote classics like “Green Onions,” “Time Is Tight,” and “Soul-Limbo,” along with timeless R&B hits including Otis Redding's “(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay”, Wilson Pickett's “In the Midnight Hour” and “634-5789,” and Eddie Floyd's “Knock On Wood.” After leaving Stax in 1970, he continued making history. Booker T. & the MG's reunited into the '90s, backing icons like Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Neil Young, and Levon Helm. Cropper also became widely known to new generations as the guitarist for The Blues Brothers, appearing on their platinum records and in both films. In 1992, Steve Cropper was rightfully inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Booker T. & the MG's. Then it's off to the workbench! I swap out the strap pins on my TEASE Telecaster, tighten up some screws on a Squier Tele, and Ron jumps in to show off some killer 3D-printed guitar goodies he's been crafting. And somehow… we wrap the night talking about MASSIVE burgers—PermanI Brothers, local burger joints, and the monster creations Ron hunts down. Guess we were starving! Rock, mods, memories, and monster burgers—classic JohnnyBeaneTV energy.
On this episode of Talking Guitars on JohnnyBeaneTV, we crack open a mystery guitar unboxing—and HUGE shout-out to Bay Area Rich for making it happen! Inside the case? An RJ Guitars Telecaster-style Broadcaster from the GigLine series, decked out in white and gold and loaded with killer specs: vintage Kluson-style tuners, bone nut, D'Addario strings, stainless steel frets, a roasted maple neck, alder body, full shielding, and a Wilkinson bridge. This thing is an absolute tone machine, and I'll be dropping a dedicated deep-dive video soon—so stay tuned, smash that like, and keep rocking with us on JohnnyBeaneTV. Huge thanks again to Bay Area Rich for the amazing support! If you dig this kind of hands-on guitar work, drop a comment below and let us know!
On this episode, we hit the workbench full throttle! I swapped out the nut on a vintage 1979 Ibanez Roadster RS100 Strat, brought it back to life, and took it for a killer test run.
On this episode of Talking Guitars on JohnnyBeane TV, we're diving deep into some serious Workbench action!
On this episode of Talking Guitars, it's Workbench Wednesday on Johnny Beane TV — and we're getting our hands dirty!
On this epic FOUR-HOUR episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we went full throttle from start to finish! ⚡
On this episode of Straturday Night Live, we're kicking things off with a brand new intro — and this one's been four years in the making!
We kicked things off by showing our freshly repainted Samick Avion / Greg Bennett mini guitar — HUGE shout-out to Ron! This little beast started life as a black eBay car guitar, but now it's a champagne flip-flop copper ripper loaded with an Epiphone humbucker, Pure Tone jack, and Grover tuners. We played it, loved it, ROCKED it.
We kick things off with a brand-new show intro, powered by my original 2010 track “Rockin'” — now streaming on Spotify & Apple Music.
On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, we kick things off with some major music-news
We're kicking things off with exclusive footage I filmed this morning at Sylvan Music in Santa Cruz, California — then diving into an incredible story that'll hit every guitarist right in the feels. “I started crying. I never thought in these 42 years I'd see my work on the stage. I'm going, ‘Damn it, Joe!'”
On tonight's episode, we dive into Steve Vai's powerful message to the music world — a heartfelt call to support legendary guitar tech Thomas Nordegg. Thomas, who's worked with Steve Vai, Frank Zappa, Duran Duran, and so many more, was recently involved in a serious scooter accident in Los Angeles near Laurel Canyon and Ventura Blvd. He's now facing a long road to recovery and, as a self-employed tech, a total loss of income. Steve Vai and friends have launched a fundraiser with a goal of $46,000 to help cover medical bills, transportation, and living expenses while Thomas heals. Let's show some love and rally behind the guy who's kept the world's greatest guitars in tune for decades. ❤️
On this episode of Talking Guitars on Johnny Beane TV, it's a killer Workbench Wednesday packed with tone, tech, and builds! We kick things off with the new Ernie Ball USB-C Rechargeable Batteries — power your performance sustainably with rock-solid 9-volt and AA options that charge directly via USB-C! No more disposable batteries or wasted power — just plug in, charge up, and keep your pedals, wireless units, and active pickups running strong. Then we hit the benches!
On this exciting episode of Talking Guitars, we dive into some seriously cool new gear shaking up the guitar world!
We're diving into a brand-new feature where Wolfgang Van Halen opens up about the art of soloing — and the timeless advice he learned from his dad, Eddie Van Halen. “My dad would say the best solos are the ones you can hum and sing. It's fun to have shreddiness, but at the end of the day the melody has to come first.” – Wolfgang Van Halen With three Mammoth WVH albums now under his belt — the latest being The End — Wolfgang has truly proven himself as a formidable guitarist, songwriter, and producer. We'll break down highlights from his new MusicRadar interview, including:
On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen on Johnny Beane TV, we're diving into all things Mammoth WVH!
On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen, our good friend Rob Johnson returns — and we're diving deep into his EPIC Van Halen guitar collection!
On this episode of Talking Guitars, we remember the legendary Ace Frehley — the original Spaceman of KISS
On this episode of Exclusively Van Halen, we dive into HUGE news for fans of one of America's greatest rock bands — Genesis Publications has just announced the official VAN HALEN Anthology by Alex Van Halen!
Wolfgang Van Halen on A Different Kind of Truth: “The Fact That It Happened at All Is a Miracle” In a recent interview with Paul Cashmere of Noise11.com, Wolfgang Van Halen reflected on his role in creating A Different Kind of Truth — the final Van Halen album and the band's first full-length studio release since 1998. Wolfgang, who joined Van Halen at just 15 years old, played alongside his father Eddie Van Halen from 2006 until the band's final tour in 2015. He recalled how the 2012 album came together from the ground up: “It just felt like the right time for Van Halen to release new music,” Wolfgang said. “We'd toured, and the next logical step was to record something. Some of the demos started as early as 2009 — it took years. The fact that the record even happened is kind of a miracle.” According to Wolfgang, many of the songs were based on unfinished demos from the 1970s, which he discovered and helped bring to life. “A lot of those ideas were from the band's early days,” he explained. “It was a great way to get everyone back into that old creative mindset. It was fun — a lot of work, but I'm really proud of what we did.” Streaming Drama and Band Tensions The album made headlines again in June 2024 when it finally returned to streaming platforms after nearly two years of being unavailable. In a 2023 interview with Eddie Trunk, Wolfgang revealed the delay stemmed from internal disagreements: “Some people involved with the record don't like it,” Wolfgang admitted. “We've been trying to get it back up, but it's not easy. Let's just say those people were part of the record.” When Trunk asked if the person “with three initials” — a clear reference to David Lee Roth — was the issue, Wolfgang simply replied, “Probably.” Shortly after, Roth responded with a tongue-in-cheek YouTube video titled “Family Therapy.” In the skit, he mocked Wolfgang's frustrations about the album's streaming issues, even comparing A Different Kind of Truth to Muhammad Ali's late-career fights, suggesting it wasn't one of the band's finer moments. Wolfgang on Roth, the Band, and His Father's Legacy Over the years, Wolfgang has spoken candidly about his limited relationship with Roth: “We were cordial, but it was very business-related,” he told Rolling Stone. “We were always cool, but we only really saw each other onstage.” In later interviews, Wolfgang also hinted that Roth's difficult personality was a major reason why a proposed Eddie Van Halen tribute concert never materialized: “Some people made it really hard to get anything done when it came to Van Halen,” he said. “The fact that we managed to do three tours, release an album of new material, and a live record — that's a miracle in itself.” Wolfgang also set the record straight on how Van Halen operated behind the scenes: “People love to pin everything on Dad, but Al [Alex Van Halen] was the brain,” he explained. “Dad just wanted to play guitar. The Van Halen philosophy was always: if nothing's happening, there's nothing to talk about.” Eddie Van Halen passed away in October 2020 at age 65, surrounded by family and friends. With the band inactive since its 2015 U.S. tour, A Different Kind of Truth remains a rare and powerful final chapter in Van Halen's legendary story — and, as Wolfgang says, “a miracle that it even happened at all.” #ExclusivelyVanHalen #VanHalen #WolfgangVanHalen #EddieVanHalen #DavidLeeRoth #ADifferentKindOfTruth #VanHalenFans #VanHalenFamily #RockHistory #RockLegends #ClassicRock #GuitarGod #5150time #VanHalenNation #RockInterview #MusicNews #HardRock #VanHalenLive #SammyHagar #JohnnyBeaneTV
On tonight's epic episode of Straturday Night, we kick things off with a brand-new show intro — and it's killer!
Tonight's episode kicks off with some breaking rock news — KISS legend Gene Simmons is recovering after a scary car crash in Malibu, California. Reports say he briefly lost consciousness before hitting a parked car. Thankfully, Gene's expected to make a full recovery — sending our best to him and his family. In more KISS news, the Spaceman himself, Ace Frehley, has made the tough call to cancel the rest of his 2025 tour dates due to medical issues. Wishing Ace all the best on his recovery journey.
On this wild episode, we kick things off with HUGE news — Rush is officially returning to the stage!
In this special tribute episode, we honor the legacy of the greatest guitarist of all time — Edward Van Halen.
On this episode of Talking Guitars, I remind everyone that tomorrow night's show is going to be something special—we're building a guitar live from parts that YOU pick right here from the workbench! Don't miss it, because the chat decides what goes on this build.
On this episode, we kick things off with one of the BIGGEST questions in the EVH world — EVH Wolfgang Pickup vs. EVH Frankenstein Pickup… which one is better?
On this epic episode of Talking Guitars we dive straight into the HUGE news — Nuno Bettencourt has officially launched his own guitar company: Nuno Guitars!
Nuno Bettencourt has officially announced his own brand of guitars — Nuno Guitars!
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
