Gettin’ Handsy
“Gear†will run as a web-only column this month, but will return to print next month.
SOURCE AUDIO
Hot Hand
Source Audio‘s wireless guitar-effect system is a unique ring-controlled unit that communicates with a floor pedal to create weirdness previously only heard in a recording studio setting. Hot Hand wah filters and the phaser/flanger were created by the company so “guitarists can manipulate effects tailored to their particular playing style and also create new sounds without being limited by traditional floor-mounted pedal effects.” Hot Hand’s user interface allows players to easily control the frequency of the wah and the sensitivity of the effects by using different hand and body motions, allowing them to create signature sounds all their own. At press time no pricing was available. For information visit www.sourceaudio.net.
HEIL
Pink Pearl PR20
Heil Sound‘s Pink Pearl Spotlight Series Mic is a limited-edition version of its best selling PR20 vocal microphone, made for a good cause. With its pink ribbon logo on a pink pearlescent finish, 10 percent of the retail price and a minimum guaranteed donation of $6,800 will go to the The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. “Our own family has been affected by this terrible disease, and this is our way of helping raise the awareness of breast cancer,” says Sarah Heil, vice president of Heil Sound. Company Founder Bob Heil revolutionized live sound applications in the 1970s by creating a 4-channel quad sound system for The Who’s Quadrophenia tour and other rockers of that era. Heil claims the PR 20’s “wide frequency range outperforms old industry technology.” For more information, visit their Web site at www.heilsound.com.
ROCKTRON
V50D Velocity Guitar Amp
Rocktron‘s new Velocity guitar amp (V50D model) is a 50-watt amp powering a high impact 8-inch speaker. Guitarists will instantly recognize Rocktron’s famous screaming distortion and clean tones (as heard on many a Boston album) through two distinct channels. Chorus features both rate and depth controls while the digital delay provides controls for delay time, delay regeneration, and delay mix. Effects can be controlled by the front panel or an optional footswitch. The V50D model includes the new Rocktron lighted logo for a special stage look, a headphone jack on the front panel for private practice, and 1/4-inch line out jacks for connecting directly into a recording device or PA system. As a bonus, two speaker-output jacks (left and right) can be used to connect additional speaker cabinets. The Velocity carries a retail price tag of $309. Visit www.rocktron.com for all the details.
LAVA CABLE
Sommer Stratos Guitar Cable
Lava Cable, an acclaimed high-end custom audio cable shop in North Carolina, has teamed up with German cable manufacturer Sommer Cable to offer guitarists a super-quiet low-strand-count cable that’s targeted to jazz and country players. Neutrik straight and G&H right angle plugs are used and each cable is assembled using German-made WBT silver solder. The suggest price is a whopping $109.95 for a 15-foot cable, but it comes with a lifetime warranty and the best German engineering. Want more information? Try www.lavacable.com.
NEWS & NOTES
•The Winter NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) was held in January in Anaheim, CA. We’ll be offering our yearly highlights in the March edition of “Gear.”
•Last fall we told you Guitar Center‘s South Side store was about to open right around Halloween. Well . . . due to flooding and construction delays on Cicero Avenue, several weeks passed before they could turn the key at 7250 S. Cicero in Bedford Park.
•A group of local musical instrument dealers have formed MIMM – the Midwest Indie Music Merchants – to offer their customers better service and deals on music gear. An ad campaign is currently running here in IE and a MIMM Web site is coming soon.
– By David Gedge
