Step On It
DIGITECH
Red Special Artist Series Pedal
DigiTech‘s Brian May Red Special Pedal comes with a bit of hype, but it promises to “rock you.” Created by a team of company all-stars and longtime guitar builder Eddie Kramer, the Red Special (inspired by May’s one-of-a-kind guitar of the same name) “captures 14 of the most memorable tones I’ve achieved for Queen over the years,” according to May. As you’d expect, you’ll be able to recreate the guitar tones from Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” to the sports-arena anthem “We Will Rock You.” To reprise these sounds, the pedal features an adjustable analog treble booster and a proprietary guitar knob designed to re-voice single coil and humbucker pickup guitars – that’ll quickly get your guitar in a zone from May’s prime Queen years. Of course, many guitarists will want to add their own voice to many of these sounds, and the Red Special is ready and willing to tweak. The pedal has a vintage wood-grain finish and comes complete with custom embroidered gig bag, power supply, and a British sixpence plectrum. Kudos to Digitech for not adding a limited-edition price to this custom pedal; retail price is a quite reasonable $199.95. An optional FS3X footswitch is also available. For more information, visit their Web site at www.digitech.com.
WASHBURN
Damen Idol Guitar
Though the sniveling music snobs at IE (Steve? Trevor?) could come up with some better streets to name a guitar after (Paulina? Lunt?), Washburn‘s Damen Idol is dedicated to a part of Chicago that supports originality and diversity. “Damen Avenue in Chicago’s Wicker Park is notoriously known for its individuality. It’s the hot spot for the finest alternative, pop, and punk musicians; and a breeding ground for indie record labels’ best talent,” Kevin Lello, vice president of marketing at Washburn, said in a press release. Perhaps that’s a bit of marketing hype, but there’s no denying the features Washburn packs into the the Damen Idol: a mahogany body, flame maple top, mahogany neck, Seymour Duncan Custom pickups in the bridge and a Seymour Duncan ’59 in the neck, and a Buzz Feiten tuning system. Color options include tobacco sunburst, cognac, and transparent cherry. The Damen includes a deluxe hardshell case and has a retail price of $2,249.90. Not bad considering guitars with these features usually come in at twice the price. Joe Trohman from Fall Out Boy is currently using the Damen on tour, proving a kid who cut his teeth on Damen Avenue is using his hometown guitar. For more info visit www.washburn.com.
C.F. MARTIN & CO.
D-35 Johnny Cash
Now here’s a live one. #Martin Guitars is reissuing Johnny’s Cash’s 1997 #D-35 guitar with its gloss black finish, an engelmann spruce top, and Indian rosewood back and sides. Its mahogany neck features Cash’s signature in pearl between the 19th and 20th frets. There is also a special interior label (numbered in sequence) in tribute to the Man In Black, each personally signed by Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, and current Martin Chairman, C.F. Martin IV. For the complete run down, visit www.martinguitar.com.
– David Gedge
