Sex, Lies, And Cassette Tapes
TASCAM
CC-222SLmkII
Last month we took a look at the the latest crop of turntables to hit the market for vinyl junkies, but we’re also happy to report longtime professional-audio manufacturer Tascam is keeping the cassette alive in its pro-audio and Portastudio lines. Tascam’s updated CD-and-cassette recorder, the CC-222SLmkII, includes a pitch control for both the CD and cassette, MP3 CD playback, pitch and key control, and a sample rate converter for 48k input. It can dub cassette to CD, and if you’re really retro – copy CD to cassette. Options included are two sets of unbalanced RCA outputs that can be configured for both CD and cassette to play through the same set of outputs, Recording Industry Association Of America-approved phono/turntable inputs, and a heavy-duty, standard-size 3U rack-mount design. List price is $949; visit www.tascam.com for more information.
SCRATCH PAD USA
Scratch Pad
Musicians/soldiers in Iraq and Afghan-istan as well as a couple of veterans at Schaumburg-based Scratch Pad USA developed an inspirational God Bless The U.S.A. model Scratch Pad. Scratch Pads are a guitar-finish protector that are easily applied, removed, and re-applied in seconds to any guitar and bass. Scratch Pad’s micro-pore copolymer shields any full-sized guitar (including body styles from the classic Les Pauls, Strats, Telecasters and SGs to the more distinctive shape of Flying Vs or Warlocks) from scratches, dings, and impact-divots caused by belt buckles, buttons, and pocket rivets. Scratch Pad’s “Soft-Cling” technology can be renewed after long use by simply washing it. It can also be trimmed to accommodate custom-body designs. Most Scratch Pads are $26.95. Check out www.scratchpadusa. com for additional information and to see all the designs.
Hohner
Bob Dylan Signature Series
Hohner company and Bob Dylan announced the Bob Dylan Collection of hand-signed, limited-edition harmonicas celebrating the dual legacies of both the musician and the company. These very-limited sets are true collectors’ items that none of us reading (or writing) this column will ever own, but it’s still fun to pretend. The first series consists of a complete set of seven Marine Band harmonicas in the natural keys of C, G, D, F, A, B, and E that have been played and signed by Dylan. The harmonicas are displayed in a Dylan-approved, inlaid ebony box that includes a letter of authenticity from Hohner, Inc. President, Clayman Edwards. This set is limited to 25 worldwide. The second series is similar to the first with all the bells and whistles, except it is a single Marine Band harmonica in the key of C, also autographed by Dylan – 100 of these babies will be available. All limited-edition sets will be available for sale in the United States exclusively through Sam Ash Music, and a special “viewing preview” takes place at Sam Ash Music in Hollywood through October 8th. A New York viewing will follow at Sam Ash’s Manhattan location from October 15th through the 29th. The actual sale will take place online (www.samashmusic.com) at midnight, October 29th. Suggested prices for the seven-harmonica set start at $25,000. It’s kind of ironic a guy like Dylan, who stood up for the common man and the civil-rights movement in the early ’60s, would go along with an exclusionary, elitist, cake-eating auction like this, but that is a discussion for another day; I have to go check how much my net worth is right now. Don’t feel too bad, Hohner is also offering a new array of regular-old, mass-produced, “next generation” Dylan harmonicas for the little people. They’ll be sold in sets of the seven natural keys of A, B, C, D, E, F, and G for $700 and individually in the key of C for $99. Get all the details at www.hohnerusa.com/bobdylan.html.
– David Gedge
