Conquistador | Spearfish

Luis Villarreal called to inform me his daughters had just been signed to Lava Records and would be recording their — as yet untitled — third studio album: autumn of 2020, in New Jersey, with producer David Bendeth.

“I’ll meet you and prep Dany’s personal Spearfishes for recording.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, Rick.”

After some thought, I decided to build two additional Spearfish™ guitars for her to use. Moria: a 24-fret ‘fish set up for drop D tuning. And Conquistador, this 22-fret Bare Knuckle pickups-driven light weight axe…which she fell in love with for soloing.

I made four trips to visit the band at their hotel and in the various studios, including one memorable day when Chris Buono joined us. Chris was also kind enough to lend Dany his personal Goshawk™ 6-string.

Ms. Villarreal was now equipped with four of my guitars for recording.

In addition, she used guitars from David Bendeth’s vintage collection. He has decades of experience with his specific instruments, knows their frequency mix slots well, and often pushes artists to use them extensively on albums he produces.

It is not an insignificant victory this album is exclusively a recording of Rick Toone builds plus select classic instruments from the 1950’s and 1960’s. I am deeply grateful to Daniela for insisting on using my guitars (and giving David a glimpse into my world).

A few months after recording I received a phone call from The Warning’s manager, Rudy Joffroy: “Rick, this is a courtesy call to let you know Dany will be pursuing endorsement deals with major guitar companies.”

As a solo builder, one thing I cannot provide artists is tour financing and major media exposure. Dedicating time and instruments I’ve built is…as much as I can gift. Sometimes, more than I can afford to give.

I love music, and I love to help artists develop.

I wish Dany the best of luck on her next steps. A beautiful afternoon she and I had together in her hotel conference room, listening to her playing and singing as I worked on the guitars, is a memory I treasure. Her voice in private, in person, is much more delicate and beautiful than anything I’ve yet heard recorded with the band. I do hope someday her more intimate playing is recorded for posterity. She is a major talent.

I also hope The Warning’s management team and Paul Reed Smith honorably attribute credit where it is due for the sound of the pending new album.

PHOTOS: After its time in the studio, I decided to reimagine Dany’s recording Spearfish 22-fret as a work of art. I felt a vision of a Conquistador — oft-used armor & sword — stepping onto the sands and transforming a new continent.
PHOTO: David Bendeth, Dany Villarreal, Rick Toone. Spearfish™ 22-fret guitar. Sound On Sound Studios, Montclair, New Jersey.

VIDEO: Gabriel Levi explores the newly rebuilt Spearfish™ Conquistador.

Moria | Spearfish 24

PHOTOS: Spearfish 24-fret “Moria” featuring patent-pending Element™ neck machined from single billet aircraft grade aluminum. Swamp Ash, carbon fiber. Moria was set up and used on drop D tuning songs throughout the album, due to be released in spring of 2021.
PHOTOS: Daniela Villarreal played Spearfish “Moria” extensively during the recording of The Warning band’s third studio album. Produced by David Bendeth and recorded primarily in Sound On Sound studio, Montclair, New Jersey, September-November, 2020. (photos: Rudy Joffroy, The Warning Manager)
PHOTOS: Bare Knuckle Silo neck pickup with Ragnarok bridge pickup. 10-position switching. Patented Intonation Cantilever™ solo string bridges machined from stainless steel.
PHOTO & VIDEO: Signal chain used in the video Noble Bass DI > Strymon Iridium > Logic Audio. No channel switching was used to achieve the overdrive tones.

The Warning | Mercury Lounge (NYC)

“Pound for pound…the baddest power trio on the planet.” (Monster)

rick toone the warning band
PHOTOS: Pau and Rick banter amid luckless pedestrians. (photos: Luis Villarreal)
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PHOTO: Luis and Daniela Villarreal (with Scribbles guitar). Father and daughter. Moments before The Warning steps onstage. Mercury Lounge, NYC, December 3, 2019.
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PHOTO: Pau’s post-gig drumsticks.

The Warning | Second Spearfish

The Warning recently band purchased a second Spearfish™ 6-string guitar, the mighty Moby Dick. Daniela Villareal has put the guitar to immediate use, in the studio and live. The Warning will be touring the US once visa issues are squared away. PS: The answer is YES.

She LOVES it!

Dany always wants another of your guitars, if it where up to her she would have 10 by now!

In the studio and live, I am sending you pictures…

We arrived home last Wednesday at noon after a red eye flight and went directly to interviews and promotions of our 2 weekend shows (which went great both of them) then Sunday we received at our little studio fans that came from Brazil, Canada, Sweden, Germany, England and the USA, so now we are finally having some time to rest a little before we go to Colombia to the Rock al Parque Fest June 29.

I have a request for you, it would really mean the world to us if you can make a trip to watch them play live, I would really love to have you there, so you can watch them, hear them, be with us, know us better.

What do you say my friend? (Luis Villarreal, Manager)

the warning band
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