Monthly Archives: January 2010

NAMM 2010: Way Huge Aqua-Puss MKII

Here’s something cool from the Dunlop blog: the official announcement of the Way Huge Aqua-Puss MKII analog delay pedal. This one caused a bit of a frenzy on Twitter a few weeks ago when John Mayer tweeted about it – he’s long been a fan of the original Aqua-Puss – and I got to hear it in person at NAMM last week. It sounds more subtle and soft to my ears compared to the excellent MXR Carbon Copy analog delay (which has a very proud place on my pedalboard). It’s really a gorgeous sounding delay and although I’m still in the US at the moment and my guitars are half a world away back home in Australia, I can already hear in my head just how awesome this pedal would be in combination with my Ibanez Talman.

Here’s some info from the Dunlop blog:

The Aqua-Puss MkII is making its triumphant return, ready to bathe a tone thirsty world in gorgeously smooth delay. One twist of the Delay knob takes you from a tight 20ms delay to a cavernous 300ms. The Feedback control regulates delay duration and intensity. But watch out. Extreme settings can send the Aqua-Puss MkII into self-oscillating psycho-freak-out mode! Meanwhile the Blend knob lets you set a balance between dry and delayed signal—from mild to wild. The Aqua-Puss MkII delivers all the spooky mystery of vintage analog delay and tape-based echo, with none of the hassle of creaky, ancient gear.


NAMM 2010: Jerry Cantrell’s G&L Rampages

I took these shots at the G&L booth at NAMM. You’ll see the Tribute series Jerry Cantrell Rampage, along with some other tasty Rampage models, including the forthcoming Blue Dress reissue and, sweet lord, is that Jerry’s own actual Rampage on display? Y’know, the one that recorded dozens of classic Alice In Chains tracks? Or is it a replica? The whole relicing thing has become so well-honed these days that it’s kinda hard to tell! And check out the other models on display too. Can’t seem to dig up any info on if all of these will be available, or if they’re Jerry’s stage guitars on display, but they’re nice to look at, aren’t they?

Check out this G&L Rampage tour at NAMM by Premier Guitar. To be honest I haven’t even watched this myself yet cos I just found it and right now I’m trying to be mega quiet cos my son is trying to sleep a few feet away (I’m at a hotel in San Francisco right now) and I can’t get to my headphones without waking him up, but Premier Guitar always do awesome videos, and hey, maybe they answer the questions I asked earlier in the post! Bring on morning so I can find out for myself!

NEWS: Ibanez launches 12-string RG!

Huge thanks to Daniel for emailing me about this!

Hoshino has given in after many years of requests from German Ibanez distributor Meinl to build a 12-string Ibanez RG! Now, I suppose this will only be available in Germany for now, but who knows, if it’s popular enough and if word spreads far enough online, maybe it’ll prove to be profitable enough for Ibanez to make it into worldwide distribution.

Structurally the guitar appears to be based on the RG570 (albeit with a fixed bridge), with a humbucker/single/humbucker (Ibanez V7, S1, V8) configuration, 5-way switching, volume and tone controls, 24 frets and no pickguard. If the body wood is anything other than basswood I’ll eat my hat.

More info here.

NAMM 2010: Suhr booth photo special

I had an awesome time strolling around the Suhr booth at NAMM, and since I got so many killer pics of the display I thought this might best be presented as a photo special. As always, you can order your Suhr with pretty much any appointments you desire, so check out their site for more info, after you’ve wiped the drool from your keyboard.

NAMM 2010: Peavey PXD Vicious Devin Townsend signature 7-string

I certainly make no secret about my Devin Townsend geekiness, and as you may remember I’ve been excited about the forthcoming Peavey Devin Townsend signature model for some time. The extreme awesomeness of Devin’s current album Addicted has only increased my gearlust, and I finally got my hands on the new model at NAMM. Here’s a photo I took at NAMM – note that the version on display has a different bridge and a neck pickup that aren’t present on Devin’s original one as seen on the display behind the guitar.

Let’s zoom in to the guitar itself, shall we? Note the cool DTP (Devin Townsend Project) logo at the 12th fret.

And here’s the press release:


‘V’ is for Vicious: Peavey Launches Latest PXD™ Guitar Design with Devin Townsend Signature Model
January 18, 2010

Peavey proudly introduces the new PXD™ Vicious™ Series and the PXD Vicious Devin Townsend Signature Model, a 7-string baritone metal guitar designed to his demanding specifications.

“When Peavey and I decided to collaborate on this project, I knew that I wanted an instrument that could crush everything while maintaining a high level of quality and elegance,” said Townsend, the renowned producer and mastermind of The Devin Townsend Project and Strapping Young Lad. “This quest has redefined how I view the guitar. To have a company that knows how to get things done behind me with a metal axe like this is a real sense of power.”

The PXD Vicious Devin Townsend Signature Model has a 28″ baritone scale, seven strings and a maple neck-through-body design that gives the instrument incredible sustain. A pair of EMG pickups—including a custom EMG 81 7-string humbucker in the bridge position and an EMG 7-string single coil at the neck—give Devin’s Vicious guitar menacing rhythm and lead tones, as well as striking clean tones in the neck position. This gun-metal gray guitar is appointed with locking Sperzel® tuners and an ebony fretboard with jumbo frets.

The Peavey PXD Vicious™ is available in two additional models with a range of feature options, including an adjustable bridge with a string-through design and Coffin Case® hard cases or gig bags. PXD guitars feature high-output Peavey VFL™ active pickups or EMG® 60 and 81 pickups with the EMG Afterburner™ tone circuit, which boosts input gain up to 20 dB for the highest levels of saturation anywhere. See below for full feature options in the Peavey PXD Vicious guitar line.

The Peavey PXD Series is a new breed of extreme electric guitars that captures the aggression and attitude of modern metal players. With supercharged active pickups coupled to menacing slabs of tone-sustaining mahogany, the Peavey PXD Series is the sound of aggression and the perfect complement to the legendary Peavey 6505® Series guitar amplifiers. True to the music that inspired them, PXD Series guitars are built for speed, slicing leads and razor-sharp riffs.

Devin Townsend’s illustrious body of work includes The Devin Townsend Project, Strapping Young Lad, Steve Vai and numerous other projects, as well as production credits for Lamb of God, Bleeding Through, Darkest Hour, A Life Once Lost, and Soilwork. His latest release is “The Devin Townsend Project’s Addicted,” the second in a four-part album series.

Peavey PXD Vicious Series guitars will be available in Q1 2010 from authorized Peavey retailers.

PXD Vicious Devin Townsend Signature Model

Designed with Devin Townsend
7-string baritone instrument with 28″ scale
Maple neck-through-body design for incredible sustain
Alder body wings
Locking Sperzel® tuners
Adjustable bridge with string-through design
EMG® 7-string active neck pickup
EMG® 81 7-string active humbucking bridge pickup
Volume control
Three-way pickup toggle switch
Ebony fretboard with 24 jumbo frets
Glow-in-the-dark side fret markers for dark stages
Gun metal gray finish with black accents
U.S. MSRP $1199.99

PXD Vicious II

6-string guitar with 24.75″ scale and 24 frets
Set mahogany neck and body
EMG® 60 and 81 pickups
Two Volume and one Afterburner controls with 3-way toggle switch
Adjustable bridge with string-through design
Rosewood fretboard
Available in Matte Black, Gloss black, Gloss red, or Gloss white
Matte black model features brushed aluminum finish pickguard
Specially designed Coffin Case® case included
U.S. MSRP $799.99

PXD Vicious I

6-string guitar with 24.75″ scale and 24 frets
Set mahogany neck and body
Two Peavey VFL™ active pickups
Two Volume and one tone controls with 3-way toggle switch
Adjustable bridge with string-through design
Rosewood fretboard
Available in Matte Black, Gloss black, Gloss red, or Gloss white
Matte Black model features brushed aluminum finish pickguard
Specially designed Coffin Case® gig bag included
U.S. MSRP $499.99

LINK: Peavey

NAMM 2010: Randall NB15 Nuno Bettencourt practice amp

Aside from the official release of the NB King 112 30 watt Nuno Bettencourt signature combo amp, Randall was also showcasing the forthcoming (release date TBA) NB15 combo amp.

Look at that dear little thing. Seeing them all stacked up like that reminds me of Brian May’s famous AC30 wall.

Oh and for some context, here’s the rest of the wall:

And here’s the press release about the NB King 112:

Following the release of the award-winning NBKing head and cab, Randall Amplifiers announces the new Nuno Bettencourt signature combo amplifier, the NBKing 112.

The NBKing 112 is an all tube 30 watt combo amplifier powered by 4 EL84 tubes. It utilizes the same 3 channel preamp found on the 100 watt Randall NBKing head. The top facing gold control panel contains 2 full featured channels, clean and overdrive. The third channel is a dedicated solo channel containing drive and volume controls.

An oversized volume control and analog VU metre contribute to a vintage and boutique vibe. Two top mounted carrying handles make transport effortless. An effects loop and MIDI in/thru footswitch connections add versatility.

The front two-tone grill cloth contains Nuno’s logo and is both surrounded and divided by classy white piping. The cabinet houses a Celestion® Greenback speaker.

NAMM 2010: Taylor Baritone 8-string acoustic

I spent quite a bit of time geeking out over Taylor at NAMM (look for a photo special soon, and I’m taking the factory tour tomorrow!), and one of the coolest products I saw was this incredible Baritone 8-string acoustic. Tuned B to B, the middle two strings are doubled an octave higher for subtle 12-string effects. I spent a bit of time playing it and I found it quite intuitive: because only two strings are doubled, you don’t get that same ‘I’m playing on a cheese grater … I prolly shouldn’t be doing this’ feel you get from a full 12-string. Now, as someone who plays a lot of 7-string, I can really see this guitar fitting quite nicely indeed into my recordings, adding some punch to the low end and some zing to the top at the same time.

Another awesome thing about this guitar is that while I was playing it, John Petrucci strolled in to the Taylor booth. He remembered me from our recent interview (at least he said he did – maybe he was just being polite. Man that dude’s nice), and I showed him the guitar and told him how freaking awesome it is. Who knows, maybe he’ll pick one up and work it into some future music?

Anyway, here’s the press release:

Taylor Guitars Introduces the Baritone 8-String Guitar

ANAHEIM, Calif. – January 14, 2010 – Born from a love of tone and a passion for innovation, Taylor Guitars has expanded the possibilities of guitar voicing in its new model, the Baritone 8-String. With a bold, fresh sound, the Baritone 8-String broadens the tonal spectrum, giving players a rich musical palette that promises to uncork new inspiration of musical harmony.


Featuring a Grand Symphony body with a richly hued back and sides of Indian rosewood topped with Sitka spruce, the Baritone 8-String embodies the spirit of a traditional baritone guitar paired with Taylor’s quality craftsmanship and product innovation. The model features a longer-scaled 27-inch neck and Taylor-designed baritone bracing. The guitar is tuned from B to B and features additional octave strings paired along with the third and fourth (D and A) strings. This feature gives players an extended range of sounds, without compromising tonal integrity or playability.


The Baritone 8-String came to be as Taylor’s product development team was deep in the throes of designing several series of 35th Anniversary guitars, including a 6-string baritone (XXXV-B) and a 9-string guitar (XXXV-9). The team decided to experiment by creating a hybrid of the two, as Bob Taylor explains. “We loved the traditional baritone, but missed having some of that upper register. We thought, what if we turned it into a 9-string baritone? So, we made one. But after deciding it was a little too jangly, we pulled off the [doubled second] string, leaving the third and fourth octave strings. It sounded awesome.”


Adding the two octave strings, Taylor says, transformed the baritone. “It’s a whole new ballgame. It’s really, really cool because you can either accentuate those octaves or stay away from them. The beauty of this guitar is that it goes low and those two strings brighten it up, but they don’t sound too ‘octave-y’. It doesn’t give you that 12-string effect as much as it really just extends the range because, as a baritone, the octaves aren’t really high. It fills the guitar out and gives it a nice (tonal) spread.”


The Baritone 8-String is tuned a fourth below standard guitar tuning, allowing the player to play songs in a lower register. In terms of the playing experience, Taylor’s David Hosler, a member of the product development team, compares the tonal properties of the 8-string baritone to a blend of three different instruments. “When I hear it, I feel like I’m hearing a 6-string, a bass, and a bit of 12-string all in one guitar,” he says. “In giving it a good listen, it sounds like standard and alternate tuning at the same time.”


The product development team at Taylor isn’t the only group excited about the new model. Taylor-strumming dealers, from metal players to singer-songwriters, are lining up to play and share the experience with their customers. Matt Clancy, from Craig’s Music in Weatherford, Texas sampled the 8-string during a fall Taylor Road Show event. As a heavy metal musician, he was blown away with the “bigness of the tone.” In fact, he says his favorite thing about the guitar is the tonal fullness he gets from a single strum. “When you’re playing regular chords on the 8-string, there’s so much more body, especially with octave strings,” he elaborates. “It opens up the way minor chords sound, and they sound huge on it. It’s a great guitar for guys who do metal and some acoustic rock, as it’s perfect for power chords, and for some jazz too, especially if they like playing in low B. It’s a guitar that’s filled with big, tonal goodness. It adds a depth that you can’t get from any other guitar on the market right now.”


Evan Carmen, a Taylor dealer from Morgan Music in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, had the chance to play an 8-string prototype during a recent visit to the Taylor factory. As an acoustic singer-songwriter, Carmen is sure this guitar will be an addition to his collection. “There is practical application in nearly every style and genre I can think of,” he says. “It’s only a matter of time before it starts changing music forever. I can’t wait to see how people react to it right out of the gate. No doubt, we’ll be hearing it used frequently after people catch wind of what it’s capable of. I can’t wait to have one of my own.”


As enchanting as the guitar is to play and listen to, it’s equally attractive visually. The model’s appointments include a mother-of-pearl peghead inlay and delicate diamond-shaped fretboard inlays, a three-ring abalone rosette, and abalone-dotted bridge pins. Premium features include Indian rosewood binding, a bone nut and saddle, and an all-gloss finish. Amplified with the Taylor Expression System® pickup and strung with ELIXIR® Baritone strings, the model is also offered in a standard 6-string version.


Available at authorized domestic and international Taylor dealers in mid-winter, the Baritone 8-String will be offered at a suggested retail price of $3,998 and the Baritone 6-String at $3,798. Players looking to keep their baritone guitar equipped with ELIXIR strings® can purchase them through TaylorWare, the company’s online store of Taylor-branded clothing, accessories and gear.


To experience the company’s new guitars, artist performances, or to learn more about Taylor Guitars, please visit the Taylor Guitars booth on the second floor of the Anaheim Convention Center, Room 213.


For additional information about the Baritone guitars, please visit
www.taylorguitars.com


For Taylor Guitars news, please visit
www.taylorguitars.com/news


NAMM 2010: Lady Gaga Heartbeats in-ear headphones

Ok, I know Lady Gaga’s not particularly guitar oriented, but dude, her vibe is totally metal. She dresses weird, she covers herself in blood, she freaks out the establishment – face it, she’s just Blackie Lawless. Anyway, one of the more interesting items on show at NAMM was this: The Monster Lady Gaga Heartbeats™ High Performance In-Ear Headphones.

Monster’s website says:

Sound and Fashion, All in One Incredible Headphone

Heartbeats are not only authentically and stylistically Lady Gaga, but sonically Dr. Dre. With club caliber bass, crystal clarity and power that lets you hear every essential note, no other headphone looks or sounds like Heartbeats.

Gots to agree with that – though I think I’d look pretty funny trying to look cool walking down Brunswick St in Fitzroy wearing these, or jogging along the Yarra in my trackies. Still, anything that promotes actually buying a good set of earphones for authentic sound reproduction is a good, good thing.

NAMM 2010: Holiday snaps from NAMM

I’m sorting through all my NAMM stuff (now that I’ve found free WiFi, since our hotel’s archaic ethernet is down – seriously, ethernet? What is this, the dark ages?), and while there’s a lot of cool gear news to come, here are a few pics I took with some nice chaps I met while I was there. That’s Nuno Bettencourt, Alex Skolnick (who recognised me from Twitter – hi Alex!) and I Heart Guitar guest writer Paul Gilbert.

NAMM 2010: Guessing game: Whose guitar is this?

Here’s something ultra mega cool that I saw at NAMM the other day. It was rotating in a display case for added dramatic effect and so its Ultra Awesome could radiate from all sides. It’s the actual, real, totally legit, very instrument a certain megastar played. But which megastar? Let’s play a little guessing game. If you get it in 1, you’re a Metal Ninja. Get it in 2 and you’re an esteemed Rock Corporal. If it takes you to 3 you’re just plain run-of-the-mill Rad, and if you don’t know what it is by the time you see the final photo then you just plain suck. Sorry.

Ibanez Guitar Centre

A95QpJWCEAA6AUk-2.jpg-large Hi! I'm Peter Hodgson. I write for Gibson.com, Australian Guitar, Australian Musician, Mixdown Magazine (including my instructional column, 'Unleash Your Inner Rock God,' which has been running since 2007), BluntBeat (including their weekly hard rock/metal column Crunch) and The Brag. And I'm Assistant Social Coordinator with Seymour Duncan. I've been playing guitar since I was 8 years old, and I've been writing for magazines since I was 18. I've also worked as a guitar teacher (up to 50 students a week), a setup tech, a newspaper editor, and I've also dabbled in radio a little bit. I live in Melbourne, Australia, and my hobbies include drinking way too much coffee, and eating way too much Mexican food. You can check out my guitar playing at Bandcamp or on YouTube, and feel free to email me at iheartguitarblog@gmail.com