For the daring few, standard tuning may have just become a thing of the past.

Recently, Louisville, KY-based Gregory James felt inspired to break conventions and explore some alternately tuned territories. Sparked by his recent math rock deep dive, he quickly diverted his OZ JRM’s tuning into an oddly comprised collection of notes. On paper, it seemed a bit mad, but with the assurance of fellow Vola artist Graham Dupont, he took the leap that soon landed him in a creative space he did not anticipate. Lodged in his home studio, Gregory immersed himself for days in the alternate tuning, composing a modest collection of ideas to explore its range of possibilities. This exploration led to a specific conclusion: each pickup selection on the OZ JRM lent itself to a different flavor for these various riffs. Upon this realization, James then began scheming up a way to demonstrate each and every one. His priority was to showcase the diversity and tonal interplay of both the guitar and its alternately tuned setup. Seeking inspiration from the likes of Yvette Young (Covet), TTNG, Delta Sleep, and Jakub Zytecki, he embarked on his quest to discover the perfect symmetry between the unorthodox and the unknown.

One of the unique draws to this instrument is its expansive electronics package. On the surface, the JRM’s appearance is tidy and unassuming. However, upon further inspection, the range of tonal character is both extensive and unique. Throughout the video, this is on clear display. In the bridge position, the gold-plated Vola Fire-Ice Humbucker is situated near its color-coordinated hardware. It is paired with a three-way mini switch, allowing players to cycle between Series, Coil-Tap, and Parallel wirings. Each offers a definitive voice that contrasts the others in its own capacity. In both the middle and neck positions is fashioned a Vola VS-I single-coil pickup. All controlled by a five-way blade switch, each combination presents an individuality. On top of that, a comfortably placed neck pickup button is available near the base of the neck to further extend the guitar’s expansive sonic nature.

One by one, Gregory demonstrated each of these positions with a short etude, quickly pinpointing the stark contrast between the current and previous expressions. To further test that range, he included both a clean (edge of breakup) tone as well as a heavier overdriven tone, which came on behalf of the esteemed Neural DSP Quad Cortex. In both contexts, the instrument showed its respectable flexibility, effortlessly complementing the tuning arrangement. After completing the video, Gregory developed such an attachment to the melodies that he has decided to expand on them and hopefully develop them into a cohesive series of compositions.

You can watch the entirety of his tone demonstration HERE.