Solid Like A . . . Cable
Solid Cables
Dynamic Arc Ultra
Looking for a guitar cable that doesn’t fall apart after a few months? Solid Cables say they have an answer. They bill their Dynamic Arc Ultra as the world’s toughest guitar cord, designed to be “extremely rugged, gig friendly, abuse proof” and offer “exceptional tone.” Solid Cables also say the Ultra can pull an object weighing up to 10,000 pounds without breaking! This baby ain’t made in China; it’s hand-assembled in California with all metal ends, without any plastic and includes a lifetime warranty – perhaps the last guitar cable you’ll own. The Dynamic Arc Ultra is available in stock lengths from 12 to 21 feet and two color choices: dusk cherry or carbon black. Retail price starts at $91, but hey, you can tow your car with it! Visit www.solidcables.com for full details.
Korg
Pitchblack Tuner
Rack-mounted guitar tuners were all the rage in Korgland for awhile, but now Korg are going back to basics by bringing the love back to the tuner board. Korg’s Pitchblack tuner is the size of a traditional effects unit but uses a large, easy-to-read LED display. With 100-percent true bypass, the Pitchblack aims to make guitarists’ tones true and pure, whether the tuner is used independently or in a pedalboard as part of a chain of effects. The tuner’s 9-volt DC output jack makes it possible to cascade the power supply to other pedals. The Pitchblack offers four different tuning options: meter, full strobe, half strobe, and mirror. It’s priced at $150 and comes with an extended three-year warranty. Check out www.korg.com for more information.
Vox
Satchurator Guitar Pedal
British amp and pedal company Vox and Joe Satriani recently unveiled the Satchurator, their first pedal in a series. Designed to the virtuoso’s exact specifications, this analog distortion pedal was a year in the making with Vox’s aim to make a hybrid of vintage guitar-pedal tone with modern-day specs. The Satchurator can achieve high gain levels but still operates more quietly than other modern distortion pedals. It mirrors Satriani’s own dynamic style and enhances blues tones, classic rock, and shred. Price was not available at press time, but visit www.voxamps.co.uk to take a closer look.
News and Notes
Manteno’s very own Loudspeakers Plus, one of the nation’s most impressive specialty distributors of pro-audio and musical-instrument loudspeakers, announced the grand opening of their Tone Chamber, a test-drive room where guitar players can try out every Eminence guitar speaker currently offered. Axe slingers are even encouraged to bring their personal amps and guitars to compare as many as 27 different speakers and explore options for tone customization. Loudspe-akers Plus will offer a free Tone Clinic May 17th to highlight the mysteries of guitar speaker specifications and how they impact tone. Visit www.thetonechamber.com for all the details.
– David Gedge
