It’s been a few years since “Gear” reported on the new crop of commercial vans that could haul your gear and your bandmates. Since that time, Nissan and Chrysler got in the game. Here’s our wrap-up of this year’s models:

Nissan NV SERIES

Thumbing its nose at the iconic Ford E-Series and the Chevy Express, Nissan joined the commercial van business last year in the U.S.A. with its NV cargo model, built from the skivvies of Nissan’s Titan pick-up truck.

The rear-drive NV, with its body-on-frame traditional truck design, lists at a competitive $25,000. The NV1500 comes with a robust V-6 engine, while the larger NV2500 HD comes with a V-6 or V-8, and the NV3500 HD offers a V-8 and a raised roofline.

Unlike their gas-saving Asian and European counterparts and though gas prices are well north of $4 as this writing, Nissan is attempting to get in on Ford and Chevy’ market share with a big horsepower van, that churns out a meager 18 MPG around town. If you’re dragging all the band’s gear, including P.A., the Nissan may be the chariot for you. Details at nissanusa.com.

DODGE RAM C/V

Chrysler’s Ram truck division has tweaked an idea that it brought back in 2005: a fuel-saving cargo van, now called the Ram C/V, as a generic looking Dodge Caravan on steroids with solid window panels in the place of the rear glass and a reinforced low-level load area in the rear.

Though some critics have called this van an unimaginative and warmed-over family-mover, we think it makes complete sense considering pricey petrol and Dodge’ heritage as a heavy-duty truck maker.

Powered with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine transformed into 283 horsepower and 260 lb/ft of peak torque, the V-6 is matched with a six-speed automatic transmission and offers about 22 overall city and highway MPG.

The Ram division added a commercial-tuned ride and load-leveling suspension along with a heavy-duty radiator and transmission oil cooler as part of the package. With 144.4 cubic feet of interior storage, and a 1,800 pound cargo payload plus a towing capability of up to 3,600 pounds, this soccer-mom van with its HGH innards, lowest-in-class $22K MSRP, and gas-sipping fuel usage may make the most sense in the age of conservation. Details are at dodgeram.com.

Ford Transit Connect

Ford’s Transit Connect is the most Euro-styled of all the new vans and its design, like the Dodge Ram C/V, stresses fuel-saving ability verses a heavy-duty payload and towing abilities.

The downside of its four-cylinder engine — though more fuel-efficient than its competitors’ (23 mpg overall in city and highway hauling) — means its payload of 1,600 pounds is the lowest in its class. It features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 136 horsepower and 128 lb/ft of torque. A four-speed automatic tranny sends that power to the front wheels.
Features include include 15-inch steel wheels, blind-spot mirror, rear privacy glass, and air-conditioning. Power Group option adds keyless entry and full power accessories. Like any vehicle, you can trick this Ford out with tons of options. The base price falls into a $24,000 range. And details can be found at ford.com.

News & Notes

It must be spring, because the 4 Amigos are back with their Chicago Guitar Show May 17th and 18th at the DuPage Expo Center in St. Charles. As in previous years, you can buy, sell, and trade at the show. Check their website for details: texasguitarshow.com.

That same weekend, Rebeats is hosting their Chicago Drum Show just down the street at the Kane County Fairgrounds. It’s a drum circle you can be proud of. Details can be found at rebeats.com.

– David Gedge

If Joe Strummer, Thurston Moore, and Kurt Cobain can have their have their own signature guitars, why not Jeff Tweedy?

After its disastrous choice of awarding the mostly deceased Mama’s And The Papa’s with their own model, C. F. Martin & Co. has redeemed itself in our eyes by introducing a Custom Artist Edition, 00-DB Jeff Tweedy designed guitar in collaboration with Wilco’s Grammy Award-winning Chicagoan/frontman. The piece was unveiled at Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany in March. The limited-edition Martin will be built for only two years and will be available from participating, officially sanctioned Martin dealerships (including Tobias Music, Naperville Music, Guitar Center, and Guitar Works).

The 00-DB Jeff Tweedy Edition was inspired by one of the guitarist’s many Martins. It’s a traditional 14-fret “00 size” with a deeper body for fuller tone and a modified V-shape neck with long scale (25.4 inches). The top, back, and sides are all constructed from 100-percent environmentally friendly, FSC-certified mahogany and it features a unique mahogany sunburst top vintage style that Tweedy has long admired. The interior label of each instrument is personally signed and numbered in sequence. The guitar is Martin’s first Custom Artist model that is completely FSC Certified (with wood harvested from licensed, managed forests), an important distinction for both Tweedy and Martin.

Tweedy acquired his first Martin in 1998 while tracking (the recently reissued) Mermaid Avenue sessions, a collaboration with with Billy Bragg that supplied original music to song lyrics and unfinished songs by folk icon Woody Guthrie. For those recording sessions, Tweedy wanted an instrument that captured the dustbowl and WWII-era sound in which Guthrie was writing and recording music — hence he purchased a 1930s Martin 018. Since then, Tweedy’s collection has grown to include dozens of Martins, including his own 00-DB Jeff Tweedy.

“It has been such a privilege to work with Martin to design this guitar,” said Tweedy. “The shape and the aesthetic are based largely on my favorite go-to Martins that I have been using for years to write and record music. It is a huge honor to have my name associated with an instrument of this caliber.”

As you can imagine, the folks at Martin are as equally thrilled with his participation. “Jeff Tweedy has carried the torch of acoustic songwriting to an exciting place in contemporary music. He is a remarkable ambassador for Martin and has bridged generations of fans,” said Chris Martin, Chairman and CEO. “It is a pleasure to work with such a talented artist and to see this partnership reach a new level with the 00-DB Jeff Tweedy model.”

The fact that Tweedy got involved with this guitar project adds a little more collectability of the guitar, because you rarely see him involved with any commercial endorsements. MSRP is $2,999, a relatively reasonable price for a custom Martin. More info and interviews with Tweedy are at martinguitar.com.

While Jeff Tweedy has his endorsement deals near zero, Richie Sambora has no such filter. Let’s just say he’s given more than a few endorsements over the years .

This week, I mean . . . this year, five-year-old German-based Blackstar Amplification has announced that the Bon Jovi guitarist is now using its Series One 1046L6 and Artisan 100 amplifiers. Sambora states it short and sweet in his press materials: “From studios to stadiums, these are the amps I use.”

The folks at Blackstar — through their interpreters — have praised Sambora for his blessing. “We’re extremely proud to have such a high-caliber artist as Richie joining the Blackstar family. With 2012 marking our fifth anniversary, it’s great to see such a diverse range of guitarists choosing Blackstar. It shows how Blackstar amps cater for up-and-coming bands all the way through to legends such as Richie.” For information about the Series One 1046L6 and matching 4×12 cabinet, visit blackstaramps.co.uk. List prices for the amps start at $319. Blackstar is also offering 18 months zero-percent financing through retailers on their amps.

News & Notes

Our friends at Niles based Shure, Inc are doing a test run of Shure-sponsored Open Mic Nights across the country, and are holding two Chicago-based Open Mics on April 23rd and 24th at Lincoln Tap Room and Uncommon Ground. Because we have limited information at press time about this event we’ll direct you to its ad on page 5 of the digital issue. If this event is sucessful, Shure will add more dates to their Open Mic Nights later at a later date, so bring your instrument and be sure to participate. For more info visit www.shure.com/openmic

Speaking of Shure, Hix Music in Aurora is holding a In-Ear Earphone Monitor clinic on Tuesday, April 17th at their Aurora location.

Warwick Bass is holding a bass-guitar clinic with acclaimed bassist (and Jake Peavy look-alike) Andy Irvine at Naperville Music on Monday, May 7th.

– David Gedge

Rumors that San Diego-based Taylor Guitars was gonna dip its big toe in the deep end of the amp business had us excited us to no end. Unfortunately, Taylor has made its ES Guitar Amplifier part of their limited-edition Builder’s Reserve series as a guitar/amp package (limited to 30 amps) called the Expression System. The news is a little disappointing, because it limits availability of a Taylor amp to the little guys. Hopefully the success of this amp this will encourage Bob Taylor and his comrades to make a guitar amplifier for the rest of us.

Designed by Taylor’s product development team over a period of several years, the ES marks a first for the company, matching Taylor’s ES series guitar to an amplifier of the same name.

The debutant is a 40-watt bi-amped speaker arrangement that offers an 8-inch custom Eminence poly-cone woofer for dynamic low end and a 1-inch textile dome tweeter to offer the exceptional highs. The bi-amp design enables the amp to reproduce the full, natural sounding bass of an acoustic guitar while maintaining crystal-clear highs. Working in conjunction with the volume, bass, and treble control knobs on the Expression System-equipped Taylor guitar, the amp features a simple volume control, reflecting Taylor’s philosophy behind the ES: “Your guitar, only louder.”

As mentioned earlier, this Builder’s Reserve edition of ES amps is designed to rival a beautifully crafted piece of art. Each is housed in a flamed-maple cabinet, with inset side panels of flamed-mahogany laminate that feature an elegant Pasadena Torch inlay crafted from maple and bubinga wood. The result is a extremely limited-edition collector’s piece.

As part of the special Builder’s Reserve set, the amp is accompanied by a matching Grand Symphony guitar (GSce) with a flamed-mahogany back and sides, capped with European spruce. Designed to showcase the impressive flamed mahogany, the guitar features a matching maple armrest and binding, fretboard, and peghead inlay of Taylor’s Pasadena Torch. The GSce also comes in a a cutaway body with Expression System acoustic electronics. Expect pricing to be in the upper bracket with only 30 amps in circulation. Details can be found at taylorguitars.com.

Yamaha
GL1 Guitalele

Available for the first time in the U.S,. Yamaha’s Guitalele is a miniature nylon guitar that looks and sounds like a ukulele, but features six strings and is set like a standard guitar tuned to A/D/G/C/E/A.

Chord fingering is the same for any normal axe, but now you lazy guitar-types can pretend you’re playing uke without the fuss of learning to play a uke. Yikes.

“The GL1 plays well and gives guitarists a fun alternative to their usual nylon-string guitar,” says Dennis Webster, marketing manager, for Yamaha Guitars. The GL1 retails for $140 and details can be found at yamaha.com.

Seymour Duncan
Fully Loaded Pickguards

Seymour Duncan is letting Fender Strat players hot-rod their tone and upgrade their electronics in minutes with a new series of Fully Loaded Pickguards. The Triple Rails Pickguard is tuned for those who play rock or metal using the high energy Hot Rails for Strat pickups, while the Classic Pickguard features a Custom Stack pickguard in the bridge, a Classic Stack in the middle and a Vintage Hot in the neck, giving you the sound of a traditional Strat aimed at classic rockers. The Bring Your Own Pickups Pickguard allows you to choose your pickup combination so that you can create the tone you desire. Install any combination of pickups in minutes thanks to the Liberator, which is installed in the Triple Rails, Classic, and Bring Your Own Pickups Pickguard and will allow you to change your hardware in minutes using only a screwdriver. The Antiquity Pickguard features an artfully aged look with true vintage tone and each is personally signed by Seymour W. Duncan. MSRP starts at $199 for your new hot-rod. More details can be found at seymourduncan.com.

News & Notes

Longtime friends of IE, Tobias Music in Downers Grove is showing off their all-new, expanded showroom featuring even more guitars with a “Happy Hour with Martin Guitars” on Friday, March 1st, and a second meet-and-greet and one-day sale with Taylor Guitars on Friday, March 30th. For details, visit tobiasmusic.com or call (630) 960-2455.

– David Gedge

Paul Stanley of Kiss has evidently put down his paintbrush long enough to partner with Washburn Guitars and release the cool-looking (and sounding?) PS21012 Starfire signature guitar.

The PS2012 features a carved, raised center solid mahogany body that recalls the glammy heyday of Kiss with chrome hardware, and has two Seymour-Duncan SM-3 Mini Humbuckers, controlled by two volume knobs, two tone knobs, and a three-way toggle switch. A custom Tone-Pros Tune-O-Matic bridge and Starchild tailpiece machined from solid aluminum completes the body. This U.S.-manufactured guitar is available in both black and white.

Like the body, the neck is also mahogany and has a bound ebony fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets and split block inlays (the top half being pearl, and the bottom being abalone). Hats off to Washburn and Stanley for making more American-made guitars. Homefront craftsmanship certainly costs more: the retail price is $5,332.

Blue Microphones
Spark Digital iPad Mic

Like last year’s NAMM show, this year’s exhibitors showed off lots of iPad applications, and Blue Microphones debuted Spark Digital, the first “studio-grade” iPad mic that offers both iPad and USB connectivity. The combination of Spark Digital’s direct connection to iPad, along with numerous available recording apps such as Garage-Band, provides the first mobile studio setup for Apple’s tablet platform, according to the company as well as USB connectivity, delivering studio-enhanced audio to any computer, laptop or tablet with USB.

Like Blue’s acclaimed analog Spark microphone, the digital version delivers the same detailed and uncolored tone, making it suited for sound sources from vocals to drums to podcasts. Spark Digital also features studio capabilities including zero-latency headphone monitoring, fully adjustable gain control, and mute. $199.99 is the MSRP Details are available at bluemic.com.

Peavey & Antares
AT-200 Self-Tuning Guitar

You can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna . . . wait. We’ve heard plenty of bands having trouble keeping in tune on stage, so Peavey and Antares Audios‘ announcement of the AT-200TM auto-tune guitar is a blessing for those who lack a good roadie.

With the simple push of a button on the Peavey AT-200, guitar players can now create music in “perfect tune and pitch,” according to Peavey.

In their NAMM press announcement, Peavey said theAT-200 utilizes Antares Auto-Tune for Guitar, a DSP technology that works behind the scenes to bring the clarity of perfect pitch to a quality instrument in an unobtrusive manner. No bulky, unattractive hardware weighs down the playing experience: the Peavey AT-200 looks, plays, and sounds just like a conventional guitar.”

Like many Peavey guitars, to us it ain’t the most attractive axe in the shop, with an ’80s hair-metal vibe to its design. (At least it doesn’t look like Cher.) But time will allow the company to bring some btter looking ladies to the ball.

Just as Auto-Tune changed how vocals are recorded (for good and bad), the AT-200 Auto-Tune Guitar should help bands sound better on stage – used judiciously. On paper, players won’t have to stop to retune during live performances. With the AT-200 guitar, perfect pitch is the new standard. The price is not known at press time. For details visit peavey.com.

News & Notes

Two of our favorite local independent guitar stores are showing their wares this month: R&B Guitars in Carepentersville is holding their annual Guitar Show in Alsip on Sunday, February 26th at the Alsip Double Tree, and Tobias Music in Downers Grove has expanded their showroom and put it all on display at an open house and sale with Taylor and Walden Guitarsin March. More details at www.tobiasmusic.com and in the next issue.

Of the dozens of musical gadgets we preview and review every year, a few stand out as “the best of best.” As we look back at 2011, we present Gear’s best of, uh . . . Gear!

EMG
JH Set Guitar Pickups
•June 2011

Metallica founder and frontman James Hetfield brought out his all-new heavy artillery (is there any other kind?) on the North American leg of the Big 4 tour by debuting his new EMG JH Set pickups.
The JH Set was designed with the sole input of Hetfield, which is a new experience for the company – as they usually share ideas with multiple designers. Hetfield wanted to craft a humbucker pickup that with a “stealth” design “that captures the clarity and punch of a passive pickup and still retains the legendary active tone that molded a generation,” according to EMG.

Korg
iElectribe Gorillaz Edition iPad App
•May 2011

Korg’s new Gorillaz iPad App is unique because it breaks down barriers in music making, by allowing bands to release music in two platforms: traditional CDs and through apps that allow fans to interact with the artist about potential future remixes and mashups. Blur founder Damon Albarn and fellow Gorilla Jamie Hewlett’s new album, The Fall, is notable for being recorded entirely on Albarn’s iPad. Fittingly, Korg and Gorillaz have teamed up to offer the special iElectribe Gorillaz Edition for a limited run of 10,000 units at $9.99 a pop. The program was designed for Gorillaz fans to choose an instrument and quickly build a groove in its 16-step sequencer. And freakout like the cartoons they want to be.

Nady Systems
AxeHead Portable Guitar Amp
•November 2011

Despite a flurry of portable guitar-amp apps aimed at iPhone and Android users, Nady Systems believes its new AxeHead portable amp has a place in your pocket.

The pocket-sized AxeHead plugs directly into your guitar or bass for instant, pro-sounding tone. It’s a practice tool that eliminates the need for a larger-sized amp or effects unit. Players can listen through headphones (not included) and crank it up like Mom and Dad ain’t never coming home.

AxeHead’s built-in amp simulation allows you to tailor your tone from ultra-clean to heavy distortion. With virtually no setup involved, you can sound like you’re onstage at Metro while jamming in your bedroom, office, or dorm. Early adopters have also said it’s also great for warming up discreetly for a gig.

Set up is easy: just plug and play. An 1/8-inch Aux input jack connects to your MP3 player, CD player, or any compatible audio source so you can hear accompanying music while playing.

Roland
GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer
•April 2011

Since its birth in the mid-’70s, the guitar synthesizer has taken the long road to respectability. Brave, early adapters were troubled by technical glitches and Moog-like novelty tones, more aligned to experimental music than mainstream sounds. In the last 10 years, Roland has been the leader in breaking barriers to make the guitar synth a more natural-sounding instrument. The GR-55 delivers exceptional tracking performance, aligning guitar tone, and synth tone while simultaneously powered by two independent synthesizer sound engines loaded with more than 900 of Roland’s onboard sounds, including pianos, organs, strings, vintage and modern synths, percussion, and many more. The GR-55 allows players to combine all three sound engines plus their guitar’s normal input to create any sound from the familiar to novelty tones.

Seagate
Goflex Satellite Portable Wireless Hard Drive
•December 2011

The Goflex Satellite is an idea that’s been years in the making. It’s a pocket-sized hard drive that can connect to any mobile device including cell phones, laptops, desktop computers, and tablets that are wi-fi connectable. Seagate has opened a way to store music and movies and also lets you stream your files when you get the urge. Most importantly to “Gear” readers, users can download music files (e.g., ProTools files) from the home-studio setup. On paper it’s a great idea, but as a first-generation model, Seagate has some gremlins.

If you’re somewhat obsessive about backing up your hard drive on your iPad or laptop, but have a problem constantly reconnecting cables while shuttling between work, home, or the recording studio, Seagate may have an answer with its wireless Goflex Satellite, a wi-fi version of its backup hard drive.

For about double the price of what you would pay of a regular 500GB USB drive, early indications are this hard drive will save you the hassle of corded backups or paying on online service to backup your files.

The Goflex Satellite hard drive is an idea that’s been years in the making. It’s a pocket-sized hard drive that can connect to any mobile device including mobile phones, laptops, desktop computers, and tablets that are wi-fi connectable. It opens a way to store music and movies and also lets you stream your files when you get the urge. Most importantly to “Gear” readers, users can download music files (e.g., ProTools files) from the home studio setup. On paper it’s a great idea, but as a first-generation model, Seagate has some gremlins.

Though firmware and software updates promise eventual solutions, the Goflex prevents adapters from using a simultaneous wi-fi connection while uploading files. In other words, it blocks you from surfing while you wait for other files to download via wi-fi. Laptop users also know that wi-fi connections are relatively slow compared to wired connections. That means large music and movie files can take up to 30 minutes to transfer from the Goflex to your other mobile device.

Despite those drawbacks, our demo model didn’t have any problem streaming a movie with a robust Internet connection. The key to the Goflex is to have a strong connection and a little extra patience. Suggested price is $249; visit www.seagate.com for details.

Martin
Mamas & The Papas D-28 Custom Artist Edition Guitar
This guitar is a peculiar one, a commemorative guitar for a band who are known almost exclusively for vocal prowess – and 75-percent of the members are dead.

Martin’s Mamas & The Papa’s D-28 guitar “pays tribute to the enduring musicianship, songwriting, and vocal harmony of The Mamas & The Papas and is inspired by a vintage Martin D-28 that provided much of the rhythmic underpinning for hits such as ‘Cali-fornia Dreamin” and ‘Monday, Monday,’” according to the folks at Martin. The edition will be limited to no more than 100 special instruments, according to a press release.

The model is finished with a polished gloss lacquer and a vintage-inspired, ’60s-style aging toner. Each guitar features a label signed by C. F. Martin IV and Michelle Phillips, the last surviving member of the band. For info visit www.martinguitars.com.

Alfred
Rolling Stones Songbook
In honor of the Some Girls album reissue for The Rolling Stones (previewed on page 24) Alfred is releasing its “The Rolling Stones: Lyric & Chord Songbook” as a timely reference guide to break down Glimmer Twins songs in lyric/chord format with all of Keith Richard’s key guitar riffs in TAB. (He walks you through before he makes you run.)

Heavy on dissection of their early hits like “19th Nervous Breakdown,” “Brown Sugar,” “Get Off My Cloud,” “Honky Tonk Women,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Paint It Black,” “Ruby Tuesday,” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” this lyric and chord songbook is a friendly reminder of a time when the band was considered a bunch dirty punks during the first British Invasion. And then they got dirtier. MSRP is $19.99. Visit www.alfred.com for details.

– David Gedge

Nady Systems
AxeHead Portable Amp
Despite a flurry of portable guitar-amp apps aimed at iPhone and Android users, Nady Systems believes its new AxeHead portable amp has a place in your pocket.

The AxeHead is pocket-sized amp that plugs directly into your guitar or bass for instant, pro-sounding tone. It’s a practice tool that eliminates the need for a larger-sized amp or effects unit. Players can listen through headphones (not included) and crank it up like Mom and Dad ain’t never coming home.

AxeHead’s built-in amp simulation allows you to tailor your tone from ultra-clean to heavy distortion. With virtually no set-up involved, you can sound like you’re onstage at Metro while jamming in your bedroom, office, or dorm room. Early adopters have also said it’s also great for warming up discreetly for a gig.

Set up is easy: just plug and play. An 1/8-inch Aux input jack connects to your MP3 player, CD player, or any compatible audio source so you can hear accompanying music while playing.

The AxeHead’s internal rechargeable battery provides up to 15 hours playing time. To recharge, users can simply connect the supplied USB cable to your computer or an optional AC adapter.

AxeHead accessories include a headphone splitter (for 1/8-inch mini plugs) that allows two listeners at the same time; a 5-foot stereo audio cable (1/8 to 1/8) for connecting to an Aux music source; and a charging cable (USB to mini USB). Nady also offers an optional AC Adaptor for remote charging. No pricing was available at press time. Details can be found att www.nady.com.

Akai Professional
Analog Custom Shop Pedals

Best known for producing recording and DJ gear, Akai Professional is jumping into a higher-end of the pedal biz with its line of 10 Analog Custom Shop Guitar Pedals. Akai’s aim is to compete against boutique-style pedal makers.

The fleet of stompboxes that make up the Analog Custom Shop line are Phase Shifter, Analog Delay, Blues Overdrive, Chorus, Compressor, Drive3 Overdrive, Deluxe Distortion, Flanger, Drive3Fuzz, and Drive3Distortion. “With the Analog Custom Shop pedals we are looking to bring ’boutique company sound’ at a reasonable price,” writes Glen Darcey, Akai Professional Product Manager. “We used the highest quality components in this line of guitar pedals to create the best tone possible.” MSRP starts at $199. Visit www.akaipro.com for details.

Dr. Strings
Dr. Neon Acoustic Guitar Strings

As if guitar players don’t demand enough attention already, Dr. Neon Acoustic Guitar Strings are raising the bar for spotlight-starved musicians by offering super-bright, color-coated phosphor bronze strings that glow in the dark under UV black light.

The Doctor says these new strings are “bright in daylight and, under stage lighting, they look like they are on fire.”Besides their glowing effects, Dr. Strings‘ new K3 coating has been proven to last at least nine times longer than previous Dr. treatments. Only available at this time for acoustic guitars, they’re offered in Hi-Def Orange, Hi-Def Pink, and Hi-Def Green in standard .11-.50 and .12-.54 gauged sets. Drop $9.99 per set; details can be found at www.drstrings.com

News and Notes

Rebeats, which many “Gear” readers know hosts the Chicago Drum Show each spring, is now hosting the Chicago Musical Instrument Road Show November 19th and 20th at theKane County Fairgrounds’ Robinson Hall in St Charles. It’s your chance to buy, sell, and consign your gear and get some great deals with some of Illinois’ best instrument dealers and music-related vendors. Be sure to check out some live performances from various Chicagoland music talent, as well. Visit rebeats.com for info.

– David Gedge

When Nevermind was released by Nirvana 20 years ago, a North Side guitar-store owner told me Kurt Cobain’s Jaguar guitar was a piece of crap and Nirvana sucked.

Fast forward and the album is considered a groundbreaking signpost of the grunge era and Fender has introduced the Kurt Cobain Jaguar, “meticulously modeled on the battered and highly unusual 1965 Jaguar that Cobain wielded during the heady early-’90s era when Nirvana ruled rock and led a musically stunning and culturally subversive movement. ”

Guess that owner was wrong, huh?

According to the company, “Fender craftsmen have reproduced Cobain’s battle-hardened left-handed Jaguar down to the last unusual detail, including its worn finish, dual humbucking pickups, and unique electronics and controls (which were already in place when Kurt acquired the guitar in summer of 1991).”

New/old features include an alder body with an aged finish and hardware adjustments, bound fretboard with pearloid dot markers, Stratocaster headstock shape with 1950s-style Fender logo, DiMarzio humbuckers, triple knurled “chrome-dome” knob configuration (volume-volume-tone), three-position toggle switch, black chrome Adjusto-Matic bridge, and Gotoh sealed tuners. The guitar is also available in a right-handed version, but not with the reverse headstock that Jimi Hendrix wannabes cherish.

Accessories include a black textured vinyl hardshell case, and an exclusive Fender Kurt Cobain book with photos and commentary by Charles Peterson plus an insightful interview with Nirvana guitar tech Earnie Bailey.

Having a collector’s guitar costs a bit extra. Fender starts the bidding at $1,819.99. Vist www.fender.com for info.

Tascam
D-40 Recorder

Since the days of cassette-based Porta-studios, Tascam has been looking for an electronic version of a recorder with the same simple magic to capture demos, future hits, and market share.

The DR-40 is labeled as a 4-track recorder that features an adjustable condenser microphones, four track recording, XLR mic inputs, and extended battery life into a portable design.

Four tracks can record either from built-in adjustable condenser XLR microphones or line inputs. A pair of mic preamps offer the option of phantom power, recording at up to 96kHz/24-bit resolution, with either an XLR or 1/4-inch line inputs using locking Neutrik combo jacks.

The DR-40 records onto SD or SDHC cards up to 32GB, and a 2GB card is included. (Sorry. Even as it experiences a vinyl-like revival, no cassettes).

Once your demo is recorded, playback can be adjusted with an EQ and the optional “Level Align” feature to avoid volume surges with compression. A stereo reverb effect is also built-in, as well as a speaker and chromatic tuner. Demos can be transferred to a PC or Mac using a USB 2.0 jack.

Other features include overdub mode, variable speed playback, limiting and low-cut filter, an optional BP-6AA battery pack, which takes six AA batteries, increases the battery life of the DR-40 from 17.5 to over 50 hours. This battery pack is designed to attach itself to the DR-40 and a tripod allowing users to record for a long period without the use of an AC adapter or a computer. Suggested retail price is $200, and more details can be found at www.tascam.com.

News and Notes

IE, Tobias Music, and Taylor Guitars are hosting the Taylor Guitars Road Show again this year, on October 23rd at 1 p.m., at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. See Grammy-winner Wayne Johnson and Taylor factory clinicians show off some cool Taylor gear on a Sunday afternoon, plus some one-day sale pricing. Visit www.tobiasmusic.com for info.

– David Gedge

Last month we previewed a slew of new guitars from NAMM’s Nashville music trade show, where guitars seemed to be making a comeback as the instrument of choice. On the electronics side, accessories for the home-recording crowd – including iPad users – also took a majority of floor space. This month, “Gear takes a look.

In Nashville, Alesis announced its iO Dock, the “world’s first pro-audio dock for Apple’s iPad and iPad 2,” is now shipping to dealers in Chicagoland. The iO Dock is what Alesis claims is the “missing link between the iPad, its associated App Store’s catalog of audio and video apps, and the entire world of professional-audio equipment.”

Songwriters and home studio hobbyists are the target audience that Alesis hopes will combine its iO Dock and iPad into a home studio by utilizing the iPad’s processor, touch-screen interface, and library of apps, to their already-owned collection of microphones, MIDI controllers, and instruments.

Included in the Dock are mic and instrument inputs that combine XLR and 1/4-inch ins, each with its own gain control and switchable phantom power for condenser microphones. Guitarists will like the iO Dock’s guitar-direct switch, enabling them to play directly into amplifier and effects-modeling apps.

Bands can also connect outputs from their mixer to easily record their performances and rehearsals or use the iO Dock as a metronome or loop-playback device on stage. A pair of 1/4-inch stereo main outputs can also offer output to PA systems or studio monitors.

Home-studio bof-fins get a direct-monitor switch, which enables them to toggle between an incoming or a playback signal on their headphones. They can also connect the dock to their Mac or PC using the USB port to remotely control software with faders, transport controls, or any other MIDI-compliant control app. The iO Dock’s output section can also be used as composite video connector as a source for video projection behind bands on stage, or for connection to most televisions and computer monitors. “Since its release, the iPad has captured the interest of forward-looking musicians,” said Dan Radin, Product Manager for Alesis. “There are lots of music apps in the App Store, but before the iO Dock, there hasn’t been a professional way to interface your music gear with iPad.” The Alesis iO Dock’s projected list price is $399, but the company claims that the estimated out-the-door cost will be reduced by half, at $199. For more information about the iO Dock, visit www.alesis.com/iodock.

When Korg launched the Pandora line of battery-powered multi-effect processors in 1995, grunge was coming to a close as a musical force, the economy was rocking with Clinton in office, and the Internet was in dial-up mode. Since then, each generation of Pandora has added more features and a higher level of user friendliness and its arguably be-come a better value.

The latest addition to the family is the Pandora Mini, designed with both guitarists and bassists in mind. Powered by Korg’s REMS (Resonant structure and Electronic circuit Modeling System), the Pandora Mini offers 158 updated effects, divided into seven categories: Amp and Cabinets Models, Modulation and Filter Effects, Delay, Reverbs, and Noise Reduction. Up to seven effects can be used simultaneously in a single program. There are 400 programs available in the Pandora Mini, including 200 preset programs and 200 user program locations for storing new or customized sounds. It also offers 100 rhythm and metronome patterns that are good for tempo training, jamming, and composing. The Tap button makes it easy to set the rhythm or delay tempo, while the AUX input allows jamming along with an MP3 player or CD player. The AUX pitch function varies the pitch of the audio input by one octave, so it’s able to match the key of the song during play-along. An auto-tuner with muting is also built in. The Pandora Mini is battery powered or its juice can also be supplied via USB when connected to a computer (hard to find that in 1996!). Once connected, sound-editing software for the Mini can be downloaded at no charge from korg.com. Expect to drop about $225, adjusted for post-dot-com (and real-estate) bubble. So whether you’re still holding out for a grunge rebirth or you think Hillary would make a good president in 2012, Korg still has a Pandora’s box for you. And get rid of that dial-up service, won’t ya?

I have a hard time thinking of PRS as an amp company because amplification is such a new development in the company’s back story, but with the release of the SE Series, PRS is becoming firmly entrenched as an exceptional boutique producer.

PRS’ goal was to “expand the company’s two-channel amp offerings to include boutique attitude at a price every guitarist can afford.” With a construction that somewhat resembles the appearance of the 1990s Matchless Amp, PRS is “aiming to provide affordable musical instruments and equipment without sacrificing tone, usability, or quality,” according to a company press release.

Their amp lineup, scheduled to start shipping this fall, includes the SE 20 (featuring 6V6 tubes), SE 30 (featuring 5881 speakers), and SE 50 (featuring EL34’s – all of which are offered as closed-back 1×12 combos or as heads). An SE 2×12 cabinet is available as well. All of the amps in the series feature two channels with separate EQ, an effects loop, and reverb. Each amp also boasts custom- wound transformers, 0.090 aluminum chassis, high-end “on-on-on” selector switches, high-end NNS tubes, custom-voiced speakers, and custom knobs.

PRS Amp designer Doug Sewell worked with the shop’s amp team to design and build a hand-wired prototype with high-end components. Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago endorsed the SE 30, “Great two-channel amp. The clean channel is nice and clear. The high end is very pleasant. The overdrive channel has a great crunch and punch.” If you don’t care what in the world Santiago has to say, learn more for yourself about the PRS amplifier line at www.prsguitars.com/amplifiers. A price list was not available at press time.

When your band’s guitarist is blasting his amp in your ears, it’s time to recommend some new direction, and Nashville-based Atlas Stands are here to help.

Altlas Stands are easy to carry, sturdy, and will improve the overall tone and sound of your amp both onstage and in the studio, according to the company. Unlike plastic or aluminum stands, Atlas uses ash, cherry, and walnut hardwoods, that its makers prefer to label as “a work of art that will protect and enhance your prized amplifier gear.” Beyond the cosmetic, the company knows the guitar stand can have an effect on the tone of your amp. “A fine guitar amp isn’t just a speaker in a box,” says Josh Childers, founder of Atlas Stands, “the whole unit is a resonating extension of your guitar. When sitting on the floor, your amp can acoustically couple with its foundation, drastically increasing the bass response. By lifting the amp off the ground and allowing it to function independently of the floor, your amp will sound like it was truly meant to.” Childers points out that the Atlas Stand places your amp at the proper angle, making it not only easier to hear onstage, but easier to mic there as well. A wide variety of customization and features are also available, including a built-in rack space, cooling fans, and open or closed backs to vary the tone of your speaker cabinet. Once the gig is over, the stand also folds flat and locks into place. And unlike Asian-made stands, these Tennessee-made holders are produced from sustainably grown, Southern-milled hardwoods. Pricing starts at $250. For more information, vist www.atlas-stands.com.

– David Gedge

NAMM’s Nashville music trade show seemed to get back to a “guitars are king” theme not seen in 10 years at the summer event, leaving the button pushers and their iPhones and iPads to last year’s devices. Gear happily takes a look at some of the convention’s new introductions.

Vox
AC15C2 Twin Guitar Amp

The crowds were thick and fiesty at Vox Amplification’s NAMM booth as they introduced the AC15C2 Twin combo to their arsenal of AC Custom Series tube amps. This upgraded version of the AC15C adds a second speaker providing two 12-inch Celestion Greenback speakers plus a larger spring reverb tank found in the AC30C2. The AC15C2 offers both Normal and Top Boost channels, tremolo, spring reverb, an effects loop, and footswitching capabilities. The tube amp design uses three 12AX7 dual triode vacuum tubes in the pre-amp section, and two EL84 pentode tubes in the power stage. Each channel is equipped with its own volume control, and the top boost channel offers highly interactive treble and bass tone controls. Both channels rely on the tone cut and volume controls in the master section. The tone cut control operates in the power stage rather than the preamp stage, allowing an additional degree of sound-shaping. The master volume control works in conjunction with the individual volumes of each channel to create just the right degree of gain-staging. By balancing the individual and master volumes, the AC15C2 can deliver the acclaimed clean Vox chimey sound (made famous by The Beatles and The Byrds), or a powerful overdriven tone ala T. Rex and a range of vintage and modern tones. A classic Vox tremolo effect is equipped with adjustable controls for both the speed and the depth. Spring reverb is also included. An optional footswitch provides a hands-free method for turning the reverb and tremolo effects on and off while performing. MSRP is $1,100. More details can be found at www.voxamps.com.

Gretsch
George Harrison Signature Duo Jet Guitar

Not to be outdone by Gibson’s recent John Lennon reissues, Gretsch celebrated “the legacy of George Harrison” at NAMM with the G6128T-GH George Harrison Signature Duo Jet guitar, modeled on the instrument that the quiet Beatle referred to as his “first real decent guitar.”

Loaded with accurate details from Harrison’s post Hamburg-era guitar setup, it features distinctive appointments and modifications found on and inspired by Harrison’s original 1957 Gretsch Duo Jet, which he purchased secondhand in the early 1960s. These include a lightweight mid-’50s style chambered body, all-black color scheme (arched maple top, mahogany back and sides, and back of the one-piece mahogany neck), Bigsby B3C tailpiece with a black Phillips head tremolo arm pivot bolt, and an offset strap button on the lower bout.

Gretsch also includes three-ply body binding (white-black-white), white single-ply neck and headstock binding, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with a 12-inch radius and its hump-block pearloid inlays, two single-coil DynaSonic pickups, vintage-style “rocking bar” bridge with rosewood base, silver plexi pickguard, chrome-plated Grover tuners, Gretsch “G” arrow control knobs, chrome-plated hardware, Harrison’s signature on the truss rod cover, and a premium tweed case.

Gretsch’s intent was to make the reissue “evoke the vibe of Harrison’s original Duo Jet,” which he held dear in the Beatles’ early period and used to record the group’s debut album, Please Please Me (1963). A quarter-century later, Harrison was pictured with the guitar on the cover of his “comeback” 1987 album, Cloud Nine.

An upgraded GH George Harrison Tribute Duo Jet, a limited-edition relic model that meticulously mirrored the original guitar down to the tiniest detail, was released earlier this year. MSRP of the Signature Duo Jet is $4,999. Details can be found at www.gretsch.com.

Fender
American Vintage Telecasters

Any NAMM show wouldn’t be complete without a slew of new guitars from Fender, and this year’s show continued that tradition.

The newest Telecaster models in Fender’s USA-made American Vintage series are loaded with new features where new technology meets old design to recreate vintage tone.

First of the lot from Nashville, the American Vintage ‘69 Telecaster Thinline is equipped with a semi-hollow mahogany body with f-hole and gloss lacquer finish, C-shape maple neck with gloss lacquer finish, maple fingerboard, American Vintage Telecaster single-coil neck and bridge pickups with three-position switching, vintage-style three-saddle strings-through-body Telecaster bridge, top hat pickup switch tip, and vintage-style F tuners.

Next up, the American Vintage ‘72 Telecaster Thinline authentically evokes a historic tone characteristic to its time. It includes accurate Nixon-era details such as a semi-hollow ash body with f-hole, maple fingerboard, Fender wide-range humbucking neck and bridge pickups, vintage-style Stratocaster string-through-body hardtail bridge, a three-bolt neck plate with Micro-Tilt adjustment, bullet truss rod nut, and vintage-style F tuners.

This is how it sounded during Watergate folks: Tastefully crafted with distinctive features, the American Vintage ‘72 Telecaster Custom includes a solid ash body with gloss lacquer finish, C-shaped maple neck with gloss lacquer finish, maple fingerboard, American Vintage single-coil telecaster bridge pickup, three-position switch with aged white tip, and a vintage-style three-saddle string-through-body Telecaster bridge.

Fender did not release pricing of their Fender American Vintage reissues, but information and dealers near you can be found at www.fender.com.

AXL USA
USA 1216 Artist Guitar

No it’s not a guitar designed by Axl Rose, but the nationally assembled AXL USA 1216 Artist features Seymour Duncan/Seth Lover pickups , “one of the most authentic sounding PAF-style humbuckers made today,” according to the company. It was co-designed by Seymour Duncan and the inventor of the humbucker, Seth Lover. Internally, CTS pots are connected by cloth-covered wire, just like the famed original guitars that inspired this version.

AXL uses Orange Drop capacitors and features a unique volume kit that keeps the treble frequencies at the same level the player desires even when the volume pot itself is rolled off. TonePros’ tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece are used to get the most tone and sustain possible, as well as the added convenience of its locking mechanisms. The company presses every fret with some of the highest quality fret-wire available, leveling and dressing them for enhanced playability in every register. Added features like a solid mahogany body and set neck, Grover Rotomatic tuners, and a Graph Tech Tusq XL nut, and this guitar is 100-percent stage ready right out of the box at an usually affordable price for a guitar built in America.

The entry level 1216 Classic model features all of the above but substitutes AXL Alnico pickups and is offered at a lower cost with factory bridge/tailpiece and no volume kit.

The AXL USA 1216 starts at a street price of $329.99 with, both unprecedented prices for U.S.-assembled instruments. AXL Guitars is also the builder of the Badwater, Wavepoint, Jacknife and Marquee Series electric guitars and basses. For more information on AXL guitars, visit axlguitars.com.

– David Gedge

With the explosion of home-studio creations being churned out by would-be recording artists and ProTools boffins, Cerwin-Vega saw the need to marry an above-average studio monitor with an affordable computer speaker that delivers clarity, accurate imaging, and over-the-top bass. Cerwin-Vega claims the XD3 “fulfills this monitoring mandate by transforming any desktop work area into a capable listening environment for music lovers, gamers, those enjoying online videos, and musicians.” It’s not just a speaker, it’s a mandate.

The XD3 features self-powered cabinets in a master/slave configuration with a low-noise, 15-watt stereo amplifier that integrates a 3-inch woofer and half-inch tweeter, fed to passive crossovers that offer a smooth transition from mid range to high frequency that studio types would apprecaite. Sized at 8x 5.5×6.5, the XD3 is made to fit the most cluttered desktop. Each cabinet is made from wood for a natural sound, and the cabinets are magnetically shielded to maximize speaker-placement options near computer monitors.

In order to appeal to a wider audience, the XD3 was also designed to be a “flexible desktop media device” by offering convenient external inputs. In other words, it will also connect to your iPod, iPad, or Android phone. An 1/8-inch stereo auxiliary input provides the source. A headphone jack is also provided. Weighing about 6.5 pounds, the XD3 is light enough to transport to your guitarist’s house, while you finish tracking your masterpiece. Suggested price is $299. For more info, visit cerwin-vega.com.

Eastwood
Airline Bighorn Guitar

Seemingly inspired by the Nuggets-era garage bands who made some of the first punk-rock singles (during those confusing times following the British Invasion), Eastwood’s Airline Bighorn guitar blueprints the original Montgomery Ward student guitars of the 1960s, but is delivered in in its current incarnation as a professional-grade axe. With its squatty design stance it could be mistaken as a short-scale guitar, however it is a full Fender-size length of 25″. The stripped-down Bighorn features Eastwood’s popular Airline Argyle Diamond pickups, three-way switching, dual volume/ tone controls, and a “fixed” adjustable bridge.

Like guitars made in the ’60s, its simple design has a solid basswood body and a maple bolt-on neck with a raised metal Airline logo on the headstock. It’s available in green, red, and sunburst finishes, and an airline hardshell case is also available.

“The original 1960s Airline Bighorn has been an indie-band favorite for many years,” said Mike Robinson, President and founder of Eastwood Guitars, “but they are becoming very hard to find. That is when we like to step in and offer an alternative to the original that plays and sounds better at an affordable price. At a street price of only $399, we’ve more that hit the mark with the Bighorn.” Like he said. For more info, visit eastwoodguitars.com.

Martin Guitars
Headstock Trademark

After years of dealing with knock-off Asian and Ameri-can-made look alike guitars that caused confusion in the marketplace, C.F. Martin & Co., one of the largest and oldest manufacturers of acoustic guitars in the world, has announced the trademark of the distinctive headstock configuration it has been using on its guitars for more than 161 years.

“The clean, simple, iconic shape of the Martin guitar headstock has long been recognized by consumers as one of the primary identifying brand and design elements of our guitars,” said C. F. Martin Vice President, Gregory Paul.

Now comes the hard (and expensive) part for Martin: enforcing their trademark.

– David Gedge

DigiTech’s new Whammy DT guitar pedal does the original model one better by adding capabilities including drop tuning, capo tuning, and true bypass coupled with original features like pitchshifting effects. With updated technology, the new pedal’s claim to fame is an expanded selection of pitch bending, including nine modes from two octaves up and down, to nine harmony-bending modes, two detune modes, and the sometimes over-used dive bomb/six octaves down effect.

The Whammy DT also lets guitarists and bassists capo up or down seven half-steps to save players the hassle of manual capos or drop tuning. To add some real guitar mayhem to a performance, Whammy DT features a momentary footswitch for real-time stepped pitchshifting to create hammer-on and pull-off type effects. Players can instantly get a drop or raise in the pitch of the notes they are playing by stepping on and holding the footswitch and releasing it to return to pitch for a dramatic effect during solos and riffs.

Various other effects can be selected via the pedal’s two selector knobs and dual set of LEDs indicators. As with most higher-end pedals, Whammy DT includes a 1/4-inch guitar input and output, a MIDI input that allows control of the pedal from an external MIDI device, and an external 9-volt DC power adapter. With an all-metal chassis, pedal, and footswitch, it’s designed to last longer than plastic pedals, especially for those type of players who’ve got a heavy foot

DigiTech sells an optional FS3X three-button footswitch controller for added expressive capabilities with the Whammy DT, at an added cost (about $50).

“It was no easy task to improve upon a product that has been as successful as the legendary Whammy,” said Rob Urry, Vice President and General Manager of Harman Professional Signal Processing Group. “But we feel that we have exceeded this goal by expanding the feature set of the original Whammy with drop tuning and capo tuning capabilities, as well as true bypass operation now available in the Whammy DT.” With its $449.95 price tag, this whammy isn’t cheap. But it’s not a throwaway pedal, it’ll last you awhile, leadfoot. Visit Digitech online.

EMG
JH Set Guitar Pickups
Metallica founder and frontman James Hetfield brought out his all-new heavy artillery (is there any other kind?) on the North American leg of the Big 4 tour by debuting his new EMG JH Set pickups.

The JH Set was designed with the sole input of Hetfield, which is a new experience for the company, as they usually share ideas with multiple designers. Hetfield wanted to design a humbucker pickup that had a “stealth” looking design “that captures the clarity and punch of a passive pickup and still retains the legendary active tone that molded a generation,” according to EMG.

It features metallic-based black nickel-plated caps and EMG’s Solderless Installation System, which consists of the JH-N (neck) and the JH-B (bridge). Both pickups were patterned after the pickups Hetfield has used for 30 years in Metallica, but the end result was substantially different based on changes in technology and a larger pickup size. The JH-N has individual ceramic poles and bobbins that feature a larger core that produces more attack, higher output, and fuller low end in the neck position.

The JH-B uses the same type of core as the JH-N, but has steel pole pieces, that produces the familiar tight attack “with less inductance for a cleaner low end,” according EMG.

Suggested retail for the JH Set is $299.99, and we recommend your local guitar store install them because you don’t want to blow $300 by screwing it up. We’ve been there! EMG is offering more info at www.emgpickups.com.

– David Gedge

ChicBuds
RockBoom Keychain Speaker
ChicBuds made its name selling earbuds for girls in 2006, and though the female demographic is their target audience, they’ve finally found a speaker with the ball(s) to appeal to their male audience.

The RockBoom Keychain Speaker fits nicely on your keyring with a USB-rechargeable speaker that connects to any PC or Mac. With its mini stereo jack and 2-watt amplification, it offers some of the best distortion-free sound we’ve heard in a speaker this size, compared to competing speakers we’ve used from Maxell and iHome. We connected our speaker to both our Mac at the office and an iPod while traveling on our IE commute on I-290, and the RockBoom was able to cut through highway road noise without any difficulty, offering clean sound without connecting bulky power cables and speaker wires. Just be reminded that speakers this size don’t offer any noticeable bass reproduction. As with any mini speaker, low frequencies are not its strong suit. RockBoom comes in two manly colors: “Blue Water” which is a rich cobalt blue that is textured to look wet with water droplets, and “Grey Crackle” that looks weathered and cracked, “just like a sweet pair of jeans,” according to the company. RockBoom’s big advantage is you don’t need to keep feeding it AAA batteries week after week; it comes with a built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery, that offered about three-and-a-half hours of music play on a single charge. That’s a little less speaker time than the four hours claimed by ChicBuds, but we were driving the speaker pretty hard with the new Beady Eye album and an hour of sports talk on The Score .

If you’re looking for a portable powered speaker for the beach this summer, or a quick listen while playing back your new demo, ChicBuds has come up with an effective and inexpensive ($29.99) solution with their RockBoom Keychain Speaker. For more info, visit www.chicbuds.com.

KORG
iElectribe Gorillaz Edition
IPad App

Korg’s new Gorillaz iPad App is unique because it breaks down barriers in music making, buy allowing bands to release music in two platforms: traditional CDs and through Apps that allow fans to interact with the artist about potential future remixes and mash-ups.

Blur founder Damon Albarn and fellow Gorilla Jamie Hewlett’s new album, The Fall, is notable for being recorded entirely on Albarn’s Apple iPad. Fittingly, Korg and Gorillaz have teamed up to offer the special iElectribe Gorillaz Edition for a limited run of 10,000 units at $9.99 a pop. The program was designed for Gorillaz fans to choose an instrument and quickly build a groove in its 16 step sequencer.

“The aggressive sound, unique functionality, and intuitive beat-building style of the Korg Electribe series made it a favorite of Gorillaz for The Fall,” according to Korg, “while retaining the intuitive beat-making features of the iElectribe, the special Gorillaz Edition has been customized to generate samples from the The Fall, allowing the user to create music in a wide variety of musical styles.” With its interactive capability, the tool will enable 10,000 fans to offer their own take on Gorillaz’s new album. The iElectribe Gorillaz Edition features a unique design and synthesizer engine including 128 new sounds created by Gorillaz, and 64 ready-to-use pre-programmed patterns by the team of Gorillaz, producer Stephen Sedgwick, and Korg. Vist www.korg.com for details

News And Notes

If it’s May, it must mean it’s time for the Texas Guitar Show (May 14th and 15th) and the Rebeats Drum Show (May 21st and 22nd). Both shows will return to their normal locations in the western suburbs. The Guitar Show arrives at the DuPage Expo Center in St. Charles and the Drum Show at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles.

– David Gedge

Since its birth in the mid-’70s, the guitar synthesizer has taken the long road to respectability. Brave, early adapters were troubled by technical glitches and Moog-like novelty tones, more aligned to experimental music than mainstream sounds.

In the last 10 years, Roland has been the leader in breaking barriers to make the guitar synth a more natural-sounding instrument. The GR-55 delivers exceptional tracking performance, aligning guitar tone and synth tone simultaneously while being powered by two independent synthesizer sound engines loaded with more than 900 of Roland’s onboard sounds, including pianos, organs, strings, vintage and modern synths, percussion, and many more. The GR-55 allows players to combine all three sound engines plus their guitar’s normal input to create any sound from the familiar to novelty tones.

Two independent multi-effects processors are available for hundreds of tone-adjustable options, plus reverb, chorus, delay effects, and EQ to add final tweaking to any sound. The GR-55 puts guitarists instantly in touch with a huge library of sounds, with no editing required. The onboard lineup of ready-to-use presets, from pop/rock and dozens of other genres, makes picking sounds easier. Creating and editing sounds is a simple process as well, with a large LCD display on the pedal board, user-friendly front panel, and intuitive editing features. Also onboard is a phrase looper that lets users capture on-the-fly recordings with unlimited sound-on-sound overdubs. The GR-55 is equipped with a 13-pin GK interface, and includes a Roland GK-3 divide pickup. The GK-3 can be easily installed on most steel-string guitars with no modification to the instrument. In addition, dozens of GK-ready instruments are commercially available from various top guitar manufacturers including Fender and Taylor. The GR-55 carries a suggested price of $979, or $1,199 with a GK-3 Divided Pickup included. Visit www.rolandus.com for details.

Danche Ivanovic
Custom Danche Guitars

From his storefront guitar shop in Oak Park, Danche Ivanovic builds and repairs guitars as a labor of love. Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, he spent 20 years as an acclaimed musician who was also learning the craft repairing and building guitars, violins, and other stringed instruments in Munich, Germany, under the tutelage of master luthier Tomas Keller. By 1993, he emigrated to the U.S., continuing his career with the restoration of violins. Disassembling and restoring old archtop guitars, violins, and violas taught Ivanovic additional instrument-building secrets. “Archtop tradition, and violin making tradition is important to Danche’s distinctive approach to his art,” according to his biography. His guitars are often used on recordings and concerts by Evanstonian and Blue Note recording artist Fareed Haque and Proteus recording artist Goran Ivanovic.

Since 2008, Danche has set up shop in Oak Park repairing instruments for the locals. He also specializes in Archtop guitars for those looking for a lovingly assembled custom guitar made from 20-year-old tonewoods for onstage use or for their collection; Danche and his wife Miki also offer guitar-building classes and guitar lessons from the Madison St. location. For more info visit www.dancheguitars.com, or call (708) 386-6666.

EVH Guitars
Wolfgang Stealth Guitar

Despite Sammy Hagar’s new book that portrays him as a Howard Hughes-like figure, Edward Van Halen and EVH Guitars are carrying on and proudly introduce the Wolfgang Stealth. It’s a distinctive variation on the hugely successful model on which it’s based: the U.S.-made EVH Wolfgang guitar designed by Van Halen during the Peavey years. The Stealth is Van Halen’s first-ever guitar with an ebony fingerboard. For details, visit www.evhgear.com.

– David Gedge

In the past several years, the competition in the hand-held digital-recording business has become extremely cluttered with dozens of contraptions to capture your music in a portable format. www.roland.usMost major manufacturers (Tascam, Korg, Boss) have released multitudes of cellphone-sized recording devices that recorded HD-quality sound onto an SD card or onboard flash drive. The common features between these machines were built-in stereo mics with MP3 and WAV recording formats into 24-bit and 96-kHz sonic recording ranges. Beyond the hardware devices on the market, Apple introduced apps and software for recording music on iPod Nanos, iPhones, and iPod Shuffles.

Most folks reading this column for the past few years know our feelings about artists releasing music recorded on these devices. With the abundance of world-class recording studios in Chicagoland, there’s no excuse for tracking your album on portable recorders and punishing your audience like that. However, as a digital tape sketchpad for demos and rehearsals, you can’t go wrong with something so portable.

Roland’s R-05 digital recorder aims to make it the easiest handheld to operate among the new wave of WAV/MP3-capable gadgets released in the last year. It features 24-bit/96kHz recording with a built-in stereo mic that records directly to an SD card. It offers extended battery life for recording and playback (30 hours playback/16 hours recording), and utilizes 16-bit WAV and MP3 files with built-in reverb, the ability to change tempo without changing pitch, loop playback, auto record start, auto song split, and auto level adjust.

All of it is wrapped up in a iPhone-sized package that retails for $250. We can’t wait to see what Korg and Tascam will come up in response to the R-05. For info, visit www.roland.us.

Rocktron
Texas Recoiler Stomp Box

For those minimalist guitar players who use single-coil pickups to power their tone, Rocktron is offering a little sonic Viagra to improve their sound. The Texas Recoiler, part of Rocktron’s Boutique Series of stompboxes, is a more traditional looking and sounding series of pedals than we’re used to seeing and hearing from the manufacturer. In recent press releases, the company claims, “Now you can take control of your single-coil pickups without having to physically alter your guitar, or purchase various sets of custom pickups. The Texas Recoiler is actually a ’single-coil tone shifter.’” Using special FET inputs, along with unique filtering techniques, the Texas Recoiler produces a cleaner quality tone and response, similar to that of high-end custom shop-type pickups. As an example, players can dial in the Stevie Ray Vaughan mid-tone setting, while adding more kick to the sound. Sound and adjustment knobs include Output, which adjusts the final output gain; Frequency, which adjusts the center frequency; Windings, which adjusts the amount of gain produced at the frequency center; and HP Filter, which controls the amount of lows that are present. Rocktron has also included an internal rear PCB Pot that can be used to adjust the bandwidth of the Windings filter. This will adjust how narrow or wide the dip effect becomes. The Texas Recoiler is powered by a 9V battery, or by an optional Rocktron DC power supply. List Price is $169. For info visit www.rocktron.com.

– David Gedge

In the “netherworld” of music recording, a wave of hobbyists record their song ideas to iPhones, iPods, and iPads and IK Multimedia is there to help them with its new iRig Microphone. IK claims it’s “the first handheld-quality condenser microphone for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad – designed for all vocal and mobile-sound needs.” iRig Mic is made for the singer, vocalist, and songwriter who tracks “song sketches” on the go, but also geared for recording speeches, instruments, and performances. The iRig Mic features a unidirectional electret-condenser microphone capsule that offers entry-level recording in both close-mic and long-throw conditions, and real-time monitoring with its dual mini-jack connector. A three-level gain switch makes it versatile for many recording conditions, from acoustic to concert-level playing. Resembling a Shure Beta 57 mic in design (but not quite in quality), its form is perfect for handheld performance, plus it can be mounted on any mic stand leaving the iOS device free for “app operation.” iRig Mic also includes Voca-Live, IK’s new real-time effects processor app suite for the vocalist; iRig Recorder, the its free audio recording app; and AmpliTube Free, the best-selling app for guitarists and songwriters. iRig Mic also works with a multitude of other vocal and audio recording or processing apps for the iOS platform. MSRP is $99; info can be found at www.ikmultimedia.com.

Mapex
Back Support Drum Throne
Oh, your aching back! Mapex Drums is giving drummers a choice of a different kind of support: an affordable new throne with an adjustable backrest for a little more comfort behind the kit. Like competitors Ludwig and Gibralter, Mapex has fitted it with four legs instead of the traditional three for additional strength and durability. “For longer gigs, the back support becomes indispensible,” said Mapex’s Joe Hibbs in a statement. “But even if you are playing for 20 minutes at a time, this new throne goes a long way toward helping drummers use better posture when they are playing.” Mapex has made it easier to adjust the correct settings, using a threaded height adjustment for the seat and a height/depth control for the backrest. For those wanting the classic look, the backrest can be removed completely in one step. And drummers looking for a premium throne will not have to pay a premium price. “You won’t find another quality back-supported drum throne at this price,” said Hibbs. Street price is rumored to be in the $100 range, about half the price of some currently available alternates. Two models are available, the T775 saddle seat and T770 round, thick-cushion. Go to mapex.com for more.

Sandberg Bass Returns to the U.S Market
You thought Ryne Sandberg left the Cubs to coach in Philly’s minor-league system? Celebrating their 25th Anniversary, Sandberg Bass returns to the States with a range of basses in four-, five-, and six-string versions (guitars too) designed and handcrafted in Braunschweig, Germany. One of Europe’s leading manufacturers of pro-quality basses, Sandberg offers models that start from $1,495. See www.sandberg-guitars.de. We were just just kidding about the Ryno part.

– David Gedge

If you constantly worry about your guitar getting stolen from the stage, then entrepreneur Chris Goulet thinks a lot like you. While in college, he had a pretty good idea when he sketched out a drawing for a way to lock up his guitar after his roommate “borrowed” it without his permission, again. It was during an entrepreneurial class in business school when he figured out that this idea might actually make business sense. With the official release of The Rock Lock, guitarists everywhere can keep their instruments relatively safe in just three simple steps: loop, load, and lock. “It really seemed simple to me,” said Goulet, owner and founder of The Rock Lock Company. “Guitar theft is typically a crime of opportunity, and happens at bar and club gigs, in band rooms, dorms, and even at home. I was surprised there was nothing out there to prevent this, so I sketched out an idea, developed the business plan in school, and here we are today.” The Rock Lock allows you to secure your guitar to anything convenient to where you are, for example an amplifier, drum kit, speaker, or whatever else is handy. List price is about $50. Visit www.therocklockcompany.com.

Kemper GmbH
Profiling Amplifier

Those crazy Germans at Kemper have developed an entirely new concept for guitar amplification in the modern world. Following the radical idea that every guitar player should be able to bring his personal sound of the tube amp setup he owns into a compact and reproducible format, the Profiling Amplifier learns the sonic behavior of any guitar amplifier and offers exactly the tone and feel the player knows from his real amp. Of course, not every guitarist owns a perfect studio environment or stocks a number of classic tube amps. That is why the Profiling Amplifier comes preloaded with profiles of classic tube amps: the British blues sound, the California sound, electric Chicago blues, and more, including the classic speaker cabinets that are incorporated into the memory of this modeling amp. Kemper is introducing this quirky little lunchbox-sized amp at the upcoming NAMM show. Price is unknown at presstime, and Kemper doesn’t have an English-reading version of their Web site yet. But a nice intro video is available on You Tube if you search for Kemper Profiling Amplifier. Schnell!

Gibson
Custom Shop Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul Reissue

Eric Clapton’s legendary “Beano Burst” Les Paul – which was stolen in 1966 during Cream’s early rehearsals – has been reborn aas the Gibson Custom Shop Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul, and has been created with the close, personal cooperation of the man himself. Every component in the build, including grain pattern and finish color, neck profile and feel, pickups, and more has been personally approved by Clapton. Fifty-five guitars will be hand-aged by renowned finishing expert Tom Murphy, and hand-signed by Clapton himself (who gets to keep the first five guitars for his private collection – a dubious reward for someone who lost the original). A further 95 axes will be Murphy-aged, and 350 guitars will be finished with Gibson’s not-quite-so-expensive Vintage Original Spec (VOS) treatment. All 500 replicas will display striking characteristics of the artist’s original 1960 Les Paul Standard, including the subtly figured maple top with an Antiquity Burst finish, period-correct hardware (including Clapton’s own upgrade to Grover tuners), and two of Gibson’s finest reproduction PAF-style humbucking pickups. If you still believe “Clapton is God,” you’ll be able to handle the list price of $8,500 for the “cheaper” VOS model. Visit www.gibson.com for details.

– David Gedge

Since, according to a Gallup poll, the Apple iPad is the most requested gift this holiday season, Korg and other manufacturers have come up with some great full-size apps for musicians who like to push buttons and tinker. Following the April release of the iElectribe virtual analog beatbox for iPad (which continues to be a top seller at the iTunes store), Korg has unveiled a new app based on classic Korg synth instruments. The new, intuitive iMS-20 Synth Application transforms users’ iPads into complete analog synth studios with a detailed recreation of the vintage Korg MS-20 semi-modular analog synth, along with a built-in 16-step analog sequencer, based on the Korg SQ-10. A variety of additional new features, including an analog drum machine, mixer, dual Kaoss pads and direct access to the SoundCloud audio platform, makes this application ideal for electronic musicians and those who like music programming. In addition to being an electronic-music production studio, the iMS-20 can function as a versatile performance instrument as well. It is equipped with dual Kaoss pad control surfaces, one for note creation as made famous by Korg’s series of effects processors. Users can share their music via Sound-Cloud, which provides a way to publish songs or to collaborate on new music with friends anywhere in the world. Audio data exported by the iMS-20 app can be quickly published and shared, and users can access the SoundCloud server directly from within iMS-20. Think of what it can do for band longevity if musicians don’t have to deal with each other in person! It’s available for download purchase at Apple’s App Store for an introductory $15.99 until January 31st, 2011, when the price will increase to $32.99. For more information, including a full list of iMS-20 specifications, visit www.korg.com/ims20.

Ultimate Ears
In-Ear Reference Monitor
Ultimate Ears, a popular choice among top touring musicians, has teamed up with EMI Music’s Capitol Studios to design the first custom In-Ear Reference Monitors for use by professional producers and audio engineers. These new earphones are perfect for those looking for pure sound without interference while working in-studio. They provide reference-quality, flat-frequency response for ultimate accuracy when recording, mixing, mastering, or discerning music listening. Ultimate Ears’ monitors also feature -32 dB of noise isolation, which eliminates acoustic interference that often exists in studios. Since only high-fidelity audio is delivered directly into the ears, engineers are always positioned in the “sweet spot,” ensuring that they are hearing the tracks as they were produced, mixed, or mastered – authentic and precise. Additionally, these earphones are exceedingly portable, making it easy to play back and mix music in a variety of settings, including recording studios, with portable laptops and in live venues and rehearsal studios. Unfortunately, they require a hefty $999. It costs you to be an early adaptor. Visit ultimateears.com for all the details.

V-Picks
Pearly Gates Series Guitar Pick
The new Pearly Gates Series is made of V-Picks‘ newest, most unique blend of acrylic material yet. Its textured grip sticks to your fingers, wear is minimal, and it still gives guitarists the fat, thick sound that V-Picks has made its priority. Plus, the pearl pattern makes them easier to find on a dark stage or crowded studio. One of the pearls will cost you around $4, a fraction of the anguish from finishing a song with the edge of your thumb. Visit v-picks.com for details.

– David Gedge

They refuse to call it a “netbook,” but Apple’s new MacBook Air is a close to a netbook as you can get with a Mac.

Some Apple watchers have called the new 11.6-inch MacBook a cross between the iPad and a MacBook Pro, and the list price falls between the two for the base model. Like the iPad, the Air stores its data on flash memory, sans a hard drive. “MacBook Air is the first of a new generation of notebooks that leaves behind mechanical rotating storage in favor of solid-state flash storage,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve taken what we have learned with the iPad – solid-state storage, instant-on, amazing battery standby time, miniaturization, and lightweight construction – to create the new MacBook Air. With its amazing responsiveness and mobility, it will change the way we think about notebooks.” As much as we admire Mr. Jobs, we’re not completely sold on flash memory to run the sometimes quirky (Quarky?) graphics programs we use at IE, and most of our recording-studio clients would be reluctant to run Pro Tools on a flash hard drive. Maybe some day, Steve.

MacBook Air features a full-sized keyboard as well as Apple’s glass Multi-Touch trackpad found on Apple’s MacBook Pro, so you can scroll through Web sites, flip through photos, and resize or rotate images all from the trackpad. Its built-in FaceTime camera, mic, and stereo speakers are perfect for video calls with iPhone 4, iPod Touch, and other Macs.

Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, Apple’s aim was to provide the most mobility, battery life, and performance in a compact notebook. Also included is Display Port to connect to a flat-screen display, projector, or HDTV, a 802.11n Wi-Fi network connection, Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR for wireless peripherals, and two USB ports making it easy to sync and charge an iPad, iPhone, or iPod while using another device. Upgrading to the 13-inch model gets you an SD card slot. The 1.4 GHz 11-inch MacBook Air with 2GB of memory and 64GB of flash storage starts at a suggested retail price of $999 while the 128GB model lists for $1,199. This fresh Air comes with Mac OSX Snow Leopard, and iLife ‘11, Apple’s creative suite that includes a new GarageBand for making demos and song sketches. The 13″ inch Air model comes with more bells and whistles, but we’re most impressed by this new “entry-level” model. Just remember to back up your flash drive. Visit www.apple.com for info.

Sennheiser
SKM2000 Wireless Microphone

Fifteen years ago, they did it for the Nookie – now they’re doing it for the money. The original lineup of Limp Bizkit is reunited, and the band has played a range of festivals in advance of their new studio album, Gold Cobra. With a new endorsement deal, the band now relies on Sennheiser microphones to cut through its tremendous stage volume. “These guys are all on wedges and side-fills. It is no-joke loud up there,” said George Squiers, their monitor engineer in a statement. Frontman Fred Durst sings and raps into a Sennheiser SKM 2000 wireless transmitter with an MMD 935-1 cardioid capsule, which successfully cuts through Limp Bizkit’s often thick sound to put Durst out in front. “As a monitor engineer, I have three requirements of a vocal mic,” said Squiers. “I have to be able to make it loud, clean, and stable. It was apparent the very first time I pulled the 935 up that it would perform flawlessly on all three counts with only minimal EQ. There were no problems then and there haven’t been problems since.” Nookie, Nookie. List price for the SKM2000/MMD combo wireless is $1,200, though you’ll probably find them street in the $900 range. Visit www.sennheiserusa.com for info.

– David Gedge

In honor of John Lennon’s 70th birthday in December, Gibson Acoustic announced three limited-edition 70th Anniversary John Lennon J-160E acoustic guitars to celebrate the legacy of the legendary Beatles songwriter/guitarist.

Recreated by the luthiers at Gibson’s Montana acoustic guitar facility in ’60s-era detail, the septuagenarian John Lennon models will be available in three distinct versions to represent the instrument at three periods in Lennon’s life and career. The first, finished in vintage sunburst and limited to 500 guitars, represents the guitar as it was when Lennon first acquired it and used it on several early Beatles recordings from 1963 to ‘64. The highline finish includes a laminated sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and Lennon’s classic vintage sunburst lacquer finish from the Hard Days Night sessions. Also included are P-90 pickups, as well as various Lennon commemorative signatures that justify the asking price of $4,728. The second guitar is an Imagine model in a soft white finish personally requested by Yoko Ono to reflect the sentiment of her husband’s life and music during the recording of Imagine, circa 1970-’71. The third model is a recreation of the instrument on display at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, with a thin, natural finish and Lennon’s famous “John And Yoko” caricature sketches, representing the appearance of the guitar during the famous Lennon/Ono “Bed-In” peace protests of 1969. The custom shop’s second and third renditions are limited to 70 guitars each, and both include a special 70th Anniversary Certificate personally signed by Ono and sent to the final purchaser by certified mail. Retail price on the Imagine model is “collector-priced” at $10,748 while the Museum model clocks in at $15,048. “To say how proud I am of these new John Lennon Anniversary guitars is a huge understatement,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “The legacy that John Lennon has given music fans around the world is unprecedented and the friendship Gibson continues with Yoko Ono is demonstrated in these remarkable instruments that are in tribute to arguably one of the world’s greatest musicians.” To ogle, visit www.gib son.com.

TASCAM
DR-03 Portable Recorder

The $100 price barrier for portable recorders for musicians has been broken! The new DR-03 makes Tascam-quality handheld recording available for the first time for less than a C-note. The device features 24-bit recording in a package smaller than a candy bar. (And unless you’re really a warm person, it shouldn’t melt as easily.) The DR-03 records to MicroSD media and a 2GB card is included to start capturing audio right away. The built-in high-quality condenser microphones are recorded as either WAV or MP3 files, up to 48kHz/24-bit; like many of Tascam’s best-selling portable recorders, the DR-03 features playback functions like looping and Variable Speed Audition to slow down music without changing the pitch. It’s designed for low-handling noise when recording handheld during concerts or interviews. Included low-cut filter, analog limiter, and manual and auto gain settings help to prevent distortion when recording. In addition to the built-in microphones, an 1/8-inch mic/line input allows recording from mixers, external microphones and other sources.

Tascam’s DR-03 is available now from select retailers for a street price under $100. Visit www.tascam.com for details.

– David Gedge

Boss continues to battle competitors with more portable and relatively affordable multi-track recorders with its new BR-800 Digital Recorder, a battery-powered studio “to go” using newly designed touch-sensor switches and SD-card recording media. Up to four tracks can be recorded or eight tracks played back simultaneously, plus an additional stereo track dedicated to the built-in rhythm generator. Whether you’re creating intricate, multi-layered songs or on-the-spot live recordings, the BR-800 makes the recording process much easier, according to the Boss man. Newbies will love the new “EZ Recording” mode that interactively guides users through the recording process. Other helpful features include the “mulligan” Retry function, which re-cues automatically to fix recording mistakes, and a Song Sketch option for recording with an instant, one-touch capture. Included is a built-in stereo condenser microphone, plus a DR-880-quality drum generator for adding drum and percussion tracks to your songs. Effects can be added with the acclaimed BR-800 effect generator. Many of the effects are derived from Boss’ flagship processors, including VE-20 vocal effects, GT-10 guitar/bass tones, and modeled acoustic-guitar body effects from the AP-1 preamp. The BR-800 gets power from an included AC adapter, or, for ultimate mobility, it can be powered from six AA batteries. A USB jack connects to a PC, and lets the unit function as an USB audio interface for recordings that utilize the internal effects. The BR-800 can also function as a control device for DAW software sound like Pro Tools. No matter where you roam, Boss is counting on the notion that you’ll use the BR-800 instead of your laptop to capture your next brilliant rock opera. MSRP is $524. Visit www.bossus .com/Gear/BR-800.

Jonesing on all things retro, British Amplifiers has announced that a limited-edition, golden-anniversary reissue of the legendary Watkins Dominator V used by Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton before Vox and Marshall took over the ’60s British amp scene. To celebrate 50 years, only 100 of these iconic amplifiers are going to be available. Reissue Dominators are identical to the original with the only exceptions being U.L. safety-standard compliances. Small cosmetic details have not been overlooked, including control knobs and custom transformers cloned from originals that ensure both the look and sound have been faithfully recreated. The original Watkins 17-Watt “Push Pull” circuit remains as well as its unique V-front cabinet design. To complement the ’60s vintage valve tube sound, Celes-tion G10 Vintage speakers are inclu-ded. The “you must be crazy” list price? $1,900. Visit www.britamps.co.uk.

Now’s the time to put away your tangerine Speedo and break out the ol’ guitar. And if you decided that it’s time for a new axe, September is a perfect month for some new gear. Tobias Music is hosting their version of the Taylor Guitar Roadshow Thursday, September 23rd at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. This year’s show features both Grammy-winner Wayne Johnson showing some of Taylor’s newest hardware, and company founder Bob Taylor answering questions and showing his newest wares. Details can be found on this month’s ad as well as www.tobiasmusic.com. If vintage axes are your thing, The Elgin Vintage Guitar Show is also back on Sunday, September 26th at the Holiday Inn in Elgin at Rt 31 & I-90.

– David Gedge

Chicago’s Fullerton Avenue wasn’t named after him. But Leo Fender would not have succeeded without him. In the mid-1940s, as a seasoned artist and working musician with a budding interest in electronics, George Fullerton became friends with Fender. The two men eventually became business associates after Fender enlisted Fullerton to sign on with the fledgling guitar and amplifier company. With his artistic sense and natural ability to translate ideas into practical processes and machinery on the shop floor, Fullerton contributed to the creation of several of the most important musical instruments of the last 60 years, including the Telecaster, Stratocaster, and the Precision Bass. Fullerton first reported to work at Fender in February 1948, after performing several years of freelance work for its founder. He became vice president in charge of production in 1959, and from that early era through the 1960s, he remained a rocksteady figure. Along with Leo Fender he retired from the company in 1970.

His son continues to work there; sadly, Fullerton passed away in 2009, but his legend lives on in every American-made Fender that has the Tele or Strat name on the headstock.

Alfred
Music
R.E.M. Guitar
Songbook

One of the most prolific songbook publishers in the world, Alfred Music Publishing has finally released its R.E.M.: Guitar TAB Anthology, the authentic guitar fakebook features what the company says are the “band’s greatest hits of alternative rock.” R.E.M.: Guitar TAB Anthology brings you 25 career-spanning songs from the ground breaking Athens, Georgia band, including their biggest modern-rock hits such as “Losing My Religion,” “The One I Love,” and “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).” This band- approved collection is presented in full notation and TAB, with chords and vocal lines included. Many of the titles come from R.E.M.’s later years, which begs the question – will there be a companion book from the Murmur/Reckoning era? Other titles include “All The Right Friends,” “At My Most Beautiful,” “Daysleeper,” “The Great Beyond,” “Supernatural Superser-ious,” and “Until The Day Is Done.” Guitar TAB Anthology songbooks are widely available for $24.99. Fans can pick up a copy at their local music retail store, or purchase online at Alfred.com.

Hottie Inc.
5th Anniversary Hottie Amplifier

The amp that’s made from a toaster has hit its 5th birthday. To celebrate their nickel anniversary, American manufacturer Hottie Inc., makers of Hottie Amps, has introduced its latest guitar speaker, the 5th Anniversary Hottie Custom Amp. Hottiess are solid-state units fitted in vintage American toasters and powered by 9-volt batteries. They use a 6-inch Jensen MOD speaker and have an output jack to drive an external speaker cab. Hottie Amps will power any 4, 8, or 16-ohm speaker cabinet. The 5th Anniversary Hottie Custom Amp is now available for $379. The cost of a toaster and the medical costs you’d incur on your own are higher.

– David Gedge

It seems like an odd way to portably power your electric guitar via headphones, but Italian-based IK Multimedia announced that its AmpliTube for iPhone, its premier mobile guitar amp and effects system for iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad, is now available for download from the iTunes App Store. Together with the iRig interface adapter, IK claims AmpliTube “represents the first complete solution for guitar and bass players to play, practice, and have fun anytime and everywhere rocking through their iPhone.” The AmpliTube app relies heavily on IK’s iRig accessory adapter, an adaptable port-able guitar and bass multi-effects designed to get the most accurate tone from your iPhone, offering three simultaneous stompbox effects, an amp-head plus cabinet, and a microphone, designed to offer more power than traditional pocket-size guitar-effect processors. AmpliTube gives the user five amp models (clean, crunch, lead, metal, bass) with full tone and drive controls, 11 stompbox effects (delay, flanger, phaser, overdrive, distortion, filter, wah, fuzz, octaver, chorus, noise filter), five speaker cabinets (1×12-inch, 2×12, 4×12 A & B, 1×15) and two microphones (dynamic and condenser). Like other portable amp processors, it features a chromatic digital tuner and a metronome. You can also import and play along with songs or backing tracks, and create, save, and recall up to 36 presets on the fly. The complete Amplitube and iRig unit come in at $50. Visit www.ikmultimedia.com for more details.

Sonoma Wire Works
Guitar Jack For iPhone

There are several iPhone-based recording systems available on the market, but Sonoma Wire Works’ FourTrack recording system coupled with its GuitarJack audio device makes recording with good tone and the best audio results the most feasible. GuitarJack connects a wide range of instruments, microphones, and other audio hardware to an iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPhone 3Gs via 1/4-inch instrument and 1/8-inch stereo mic/line inputs. Addressing requests from musicians who use their FourTrack app software, GuitarJack makes both level control and input monitoring possible when using a newly released, enhanced app at the iTunes store. Sonoma Wire Works is also developing a Taylor EQ app for the GuitarJack. The free Taylor EQ app will allow players to hear and adjust the tone of their guitars playing through the GuitarJack using EQ settings custom designed by Taylor Guitars. Your skin for GuitarJack is $199.

Wave Band Audio
Voice Band

What appears to be the most user-friendly and enoyable music app at the iTunes app store, Voice Band is offering a fun and addictive way to make music with your voice by simply singing into your phone. Voice Band transforms your voice into ten different sampled instruments in real time and lets you play along with your iPod library as well. (Please be considerate of others when in public.) Voice Band features a recorder that lets you build a song, one instrument at a time. Auto pitch mode helps you stay on key, and if you’re a musician, you’ll appreciate the adjustable scale and metronome. Voice Band also includes a built-in effects processor with distortion, reverb, and delay. MSRP? $3 bucks. Visit the Apple App Store for details or wavemachinelabs.com.

– David Gedge

As a longtime Taylor Guitars devotee, Dave Matthews used his 914ce to write music that would shape a new generation of jam bands that still inspires new converts today. With an eye on the future, Taylor has collaborated with Matthews and released the Dave Matthews Signature Model guitar that also honors his fallen bandmate. The DMSM is based on Matthews’ trusty 914ce, a model he says “has a really genuine, wonderful acoustic sound” and “is consistent . . . and on top of that, the guitar itself is really beautiful. I’ll just go to it no matter what.” Both back and sides are crafted from Indian rosewood combined with Sitka spruce; the DMSM is highlighted by abalone inlays, derived from Matthews’ own hand-sketched designs that honor late saxophonist LeRoi Moore. On the ebony fretboard at the 12th fret, a crown with one of its tips partially missing notes Moore’s absence from the band. In another of Matthews’ touches, the word “Grux” – a nickname of Moore’s that is also honored in the album title Big Whiskey And The Groo Grux King – is inlaid between the 13th and 18th frets. Matthews also contributed a twisting, vine-like design to the ebony peghead. The signature edition also features Taylor’s exclusive CV bracing with a tone-enhancing relief rout and comes stage-ready with the company’s own Expression System. As a high-end guitar, premium attributes include Ivoroid binding on the body, fretboard, and peghead, a bone nut and saddle, Gotoh 510 antique tuners, as well as an interior label and certificate of authenticity personally signed by Matthews. The Dave Matthews Signature Model joins many of the Taylor guitars already in the frontman’s collection, including the 914ce, 856ce, 714ce, and W65. It’s now available at authorized domestic and international Taylor dealers for a suggested $5,428. For more details visit www.taylorguitars.com.

Korg
SOS Multitrack Recorder
Korg is taking its penchant for handy portable recorders to another level with the release of the Sound On Sound (SOS) multitrack recorder, which provides onboard rhythms, effects, and an infinite number of overdubs for making creative recordings. Its built-in speaker and an internal stereo mic tlet the user capture and review recordings instantly, without the need for any additional amps or speakers. SOS features include unlimited undo/ redo, loop recording, Sound Stretch (which adjusts the playback speed without changing the pitch), plus 100 hardwired effects that enhance user recordings with a wide range of selectable instruments. Getting started is easy: Users can track new songs with 50 preset rhythm patterns covering a broad variety of styles, and save up to 200 songs in Wav format. What Korg calls “high-performance guitar, bass, and chromatic tuners” are also built in. SOS can record up to 10 hours on a pair of AA batteries, using 44.1 kHz/16-bit resolution; recordings are saved onto microSD or microSDHC cards. Please check out www.korg.com for demos and more.

News & Notes
Congrats to our friends Tobias Music in Downers Grove on a big honor: They’ve been recognized as the largest Taylor Guitar dealer in Illinois, and the sixth-largest independent Taylor dealer in the world. Cheers to Paul, Ken, and family . . . The Texas Guitar Show is back in May at the DuPage Expo Center on the 15th and 16th, while the Rebeats Drum Show is also held the same weekend at the Kane County Fairgrounds. Check www.illinoisentertainer.com for details and updates.

– David Gedge

Just in time for Guitar Month, Fernandes Guitars has introduced the Ravelle Elite and Monterey Elite models with a new locking tremolo. Elite Tremolo models will feature same specs as regular Elites, only with a full locking-tremolo system instead of the Tune-O-Matic bridge and a trem nut. These Stratocaster-influenced models feature a 5-A Canadian quilted-maple top coupled with solid mahogany body and neck with a 22-fret rosewood ebony fingerboard, abalone inlays and binding, and pimpin’ gold hardware. Also included is a Seymour Duncan JB in bridge position, Fernandes Sustainer in neck to bring new possibilities to your tone, especially those addicted to their trem bar. Available colors include See-Thru Black and Cherry Sunburst. Pricing begins in the $1,500 range. Visit www.fernandesguitars.com for more information.

Gibson
iPhone/iTouch App

Gibson Guitar’s new free Gibson Guitar App comes with a lot of hype and a bunch of special features, such as a traditional chromatic tuner, which allows guitar novices to tune to standard tuning (open G, D, etc.) by touching the key. For iPhone users, the Gibson headstock inlay will automatically change color indicating if the string is sharp, flat, or in tune. iPod Touch us-ers can enable the “Play Notes” option to they can hear the appropriate tuning since they do not have a microphone facility.

The Gibson app also features a standard metronome that allows users to choose a specific BPM or tap the screen three times to automatically set the tempo. Other key features include more than 30 chord charts with finger markings to help the user with mastering the chord. For those looking to learn new guitar riffs or chord sequences via video, new clips will be updated frequently so novices to experts can improve their chops while hanging in their hotel rooms or dressing rooms.

The Gibson Guitar propaganda machine will also offer lots of news, including product news, artist activity reports, interesting and factual features, exclusive contests, and special events. Download now via the “Free” link at www.gibson.com.

Hardwired Effects
VRR-1 Vintage Tremelo Pedal

U.K.-based Handwired Effects is proud to announce its VTR-1 Vintage Tremolo Pedal so you can sound just like Bo Diddley by recreating the buttery smooth swing of the tremolo-equipped tube amps from the ’50s and ’60s. The VTR-1 features a Depth knob for setting the intensity of the effect, and two Speed knobs that work independently to offer different speed settings. The foot-switch lets you switch back and forth between settings, which gives the user two different trem-olo tones at any time. Thanks to its completely handwired analog signal path, the VTR-1 works great with both clean and dirty channels, and the tone is smooth and responsive. Like all the other Handwired Effects pedals, the VTR-1 features mechanical true bypass switching for direct and unchanged signal in bypass mode and can be run on a 9V battery or optional power supply. Handwire Effects goal was to create clearest, warmest, and most natural-sounding classic tremolo/vibrato effect without compromising your guitar tone – looks like those Brit-dudes hit their mark. Shelf price is rumored to be in the $300 range, though no concrete figure came available at presstime. Visit www.hardwired-effects.com for details.

– David Gedge