Gear: February 2010
Gibson
Keb’ Mo’ Blues Master Guitar
It’s really profitable, so Gibson continues to add to its limited-edition guitar roster with the acoustic Keb’ Mo’ Blues Master model, honoring the multiple Grammy winner. Taking its cues from vintage Gibsons from the 1920s and ’30s, the guitar is a flat-top acoustic made in the tradition of the sought-after, small-bodied Gibson blues boxes from the pre-war era, yet it adds the modern touch of a built-in L.R. Baggs Element pick up with soundhole-mounted volume control. Gibson’s L Series acoustic guitars were there at the very birth of blues played by Robert Johnson, among other bluesmen of that era. The Keb’ Mo’ model offers the vintage tone you’d expect in a high-end, handcrafted acoustic guitar. Throwback specs include a 12th-fret neck/body joint that positions the bridge right in the body’s sweet spot for optimal resonance. Finishes include Antique Natural or Vintage Sunburst with double antiquing. The guitar has a cream top, back, and fingerboard binding, herringbone trim, mother-of-pearl inlays, and double-ring soundhole. Gibson includes a hardshell case, a signed interior label by Keb’ Mo’ himself, an owner’s manual, and Gibson Acoustic’s Gold Warranty. This Blues Master model is available in a low-scale production of only 300. Officially, the tag is $3,868. However, we’ve seen street prices in the mere $3,000 range.
Warwick
Adam Clayton Reverso Bass
Most guitar manufacturers go looking for rock stars to endorse and put their names on guitars and basses. The fact that Adam Clayton of U2 sought out Warwick two years ago to put his name on its bass says alot about the 30-year-old manufacturer. Brimming with pride, a recent press release boasted “an intensive collaboration with the Warwick team under the guidance of Marcus Spangler created an unmatched bass that shines with its own voice and design.” Like the owners of Jurrasic Park, Warwick and Clayton spared no expense building his new bass. It not only stands out because of its exotic design, which includes a 5A quilted maple top for the body and headstock, a Khaya mahogany body, 3A flamed maple neck and a tiger-stripe ebony fingerboard. An active MEC P split-coil pickup and a new passive MEC pick-up co-developed with Clayton will allow a separate reduction of high and low frequencies, and produce a tone he prefers to mix the older and newer sounds of U2 on stage. The Clayton Reverso Bass also includes red LEDs on the fingerboard’s edge providing the best orientation on dark stages. Warwick states it’s an “all-around professional bass for one of the most demanding bassists in the world.” A price was not available at press time, but you can expect it will be priced on the high-end. See Warwick.com for details.
Shure Fights For Wireless Bandwith.
It’s interesting to watch the heavyweights of the musical manufacturing business battle against the 800-pound gorillas of the communication business and the Federal Communications Commission. Shure microphones’ Sandy LaMantia is fighting against Verizon and AT&T for white space (VHF Channels 2-13) that was recently abandoned by analog TV stations during the digital TV switchover. Shure is teaming up with Representative Bobby Rush (D-IL) on a proposal to protect 13 different classes of microphone users from interference that could result from the operation of new wireless phones and other devices that the FCC has approved for frequencies currently occupied by wireless microphone users.
At presstime, the FCC has already told wireless mic manufacturers to abandon the 700 Mhz wireless spectrum, but the battle will continue for other frequencies in coming months.
— David Gedge
