Summer NAMM Highlights

With Summer NAMM behind us, I figured I would go through and pick out some highlights I thought were worth sharing. A lot of these images and information is from Jon Chappel's Summer NAMM picture recap thread on Harmony Central Musician Forum.

Hagstrom

H500

Ultra Swede

Hagstrom is an awesome company based out of Sweden (although most of their gear is Korean-made). They make a fantastic LP copy with their Swede line, I highly recommend checking one out. High quality instruments for very reasonable prices, and these two new selections look to be upping the bar on Hagstrom's standards. The H500 has a gorgeous tailpiece on it, very reminiscent of the "good 'ol days" with that nice touch of class.

Morpheus DropTune

This handy little gizmo acts like digital guitar tuning pegs. It allows you to adjust and drop the pitch of your guitar without fumbling with floppy strings or trems going out of tune.

3rd Power Amps

I'm not really sure how these sound... but come on, look how bad-ass they look!

Electro-Harmonix

I've always been a fan of EH pedals, and there are a few that really caught my eye this NAMM

1. The POG 2 (polyphonic octave generator)

Anyone who has ever tried the POG before knows what cool sounds you can get out of it. It can make your guitar sound like an organ if you want! But what's new about the POG2?

From Electro-Harminx:

The POG2 will take you even higher. Use the new attack control to fade in lush, smooth swells. Tune in the new second sub-octave to reach deeper than ever before. The 2-pole resonant low-pass filter now includes two additional Q modes. Slide in the newly enhanced detune to further refine your sound.

2. Cathedral Stereo Reverb

A "programable" stereo reverb. If this is half as good as the Holy Grail, then WOW. From the controls, it looks like a Holy Grail on steroids. With 8 presets, and a space for your own, this looks like one hell of a reverb pedal.

BreezSong Jam Hub

Now THIS looks cool. This little doohickey allows up to 6 musicians to jam and play together without using amps! Just plug into the Jam Hub, plug in some headphones, and rock on! Heres a nice big review from Sound on Sound.

Spinstigator no-tangle cables

You heard me...a guitar cable that WON'T TANGLE! Guitar gods be praised! Thanks to a small, rotating ball-bearing-like adaptor, you can walk all over the stage and never get tangled up!

Check out their youtube demo, courtesy of Spinstigator!

Guilford Guitars

Is that a Wolfgang? No, no... its a PRS. Wait, no... its a Guilford! Look quickly and you might

mistake these for something they're not. Based out of Illinois, Guilford really turned heads this summer NAMM

with the Ty Tabor model. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try one of these beauties out.

There are a TON more products from this summer's NAMM, so check out the Harmony Central thread

for a lot more information.

Another new Gibson SG

Everyone's all abuzz right now over this new Gibson SG, so I figured I would give it my .02. Dubbed the "Zoot Suit," it looks like a glorified Clapton Cream-era SG to me. However, after I looked more at the different finish options, it seems to remind me of an SG lollipop, or maybe one of those sand art things you make at the fair.

Turn this bad boy over, and look at the neck you've got!

This neck looks beautiful! I wasn't sure about the rainbow-esque feel to it, but I think it works really well with the design of the guitar. I especially like the split-design headstock and the fact that there are no fret markers.

You may ask yourself, "How is that unique finish achieved?" Well, lets let Gibson.com tell you:

The body of the Zoot Suit features a brand new body built with multiple birch wood laminate pieces (each one approximately .075” thick), each dyed with a different color then compressed and bonded together to form one solid block of wood. No paint is used. Each body is given two coats of satin nitrocellulose lacquer.

Hmm... birch wood laminate? Birch, to me, doesn't seem like it belongs on an electric guitar. I'd have to try that out before I can really formulate an opinion, but I do like the fact that all the wood is dyed, and no paint is used. It should let the wood "breathe" better, as the Lennon said.

I'll leave you with a few more pictures to drool over. If you want to see more, check out the full specs and more photos on the Gibson page.

Black and Red

Black and White

Natural and Black

Red and Blue

Road Worn Fender Review

Fender Road Worn Stratocaster

I wrote this this past semester for my school paper, but I figured people here would be interested in it too:

Have you noticed the trend of making new things look old? “Distressed” jeans and vintage clothing, furniture with purposefully places scratches and dings, buildings with old brick and cultivated ivy; for some reason, old is new.

This trend doesn’t only apply to the aforementioned products, but it can also be found in the guitar world. Recently, there has been a trend among “do-it-yourself” guitar luthiers to “relic” their guitars. Brand new guitars are taken right to the belt sander and distressed in certain areas, mostly the body and neck. They sand the paint off right down to the wooden core and complete it with scratches and dings, oxidized hardware and even faux cigarette burns on the headstock.

Playing off this DIY trend, Fender guitars has just released its “Road-Worn” series of guitars and basses. The line consists of a telecaster and Stratocaster guitar model and a precision and jazz bass models. While I am pretty skeptical about this “relic” trend, I needed to give it a try before I could fully form any opinions.

I walked into my local shop to find a huge display of Road-Worn Fenders staring right at me as soon as I walked in the door. I had to physically step around the display to even enter the store.

I picked up the relic’d black Stratocaster with a worn maple fret board that caught my eye. I was instantly surprised when I picked it up, but not in a good way. The price tag read “$995.00.” Then I looked at the headstock, near the serial number to see where it was manufactured. Fender has three versions of its instruments: ones manufactured in America, ones in Japan and ones in Mexico. The American-made Fenders are considered the best quality and run at a price tag of around $1,000. Japanese Fenders come in second, and Mexicans in last. Mexican Fenders have the reputation for being the economical option for someone who wants to buy a real Fender, and usually are priced no more than $450-$600.

This guitar was Mexican made. There was an additional $600-$400 just for them making my guitar look like it had been played for 30 years before I buy it.

Price aside, playability is what really matters in a guitar.

I sat down with the black strat and plugged it into a Twin Reverb re-issue; a classic Fender amp. When I began to play it, I was surprised again, but this time rather pleasantly.

Instantly. The neck felt like butter. Since all the lacquer was worn off, the bare wood provided for smooth, seamless movements up and down the fret board. A perfect balance between a thin telecaster-like neck and a chunky, 50s style neck, I am surprised to say that it was one of the best necks I have ever played. The worn down neck truly did make it seem like the guitar was “broken in.”

The electronics weren’t lacking either. Come to find out, the Road-Worn series comes loaded with American electronics and Fender’s Tex-Mex pickups, which provide a nice, quacky Stevie Ray Vaughn sound. This strat truly did feel and sound like it was from the 50s, like a real strat should.

The body itself was fine. Nothing really stood out. It had a fairly resonant body not the best I have played. It seemed to be a three or more piece body, which can kill the resonance and sustain a bit, but it wasn’t terrible. The worn paint at the armrest was nice. It didn’t feel sticky like many guitars can, but it also wasn’t really noticeable unless I thought about it. The pick guard and rest of the white plastic was yellowed to look older, and the hardware all had faux rust on it. It was a little weird to look at, but it didn’t affect the playability at all.

After a while of playing, I realized that Fender had just about sold me on their new series. While I still don’t like this new trend of old, no one can argue that the guitars don’t play well. If Fender would lower their price to the range of $700-$750, they would sell many more of these. I feel like the only thing holding these back right now is the price. So, check one out, and if you have a grand you want to spend, this isn’t a bad place to drop it... although there are better places.

Dave Grolh, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones Supergroup

You read that right, Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones are right now, as I type this, recording a new album in LA. There have been rumors of this union since about 2005 when Grolh said that his next side project would include him working on drums, and you guessed it: thats what he's doing.

Josh Homme's wife, Brody Dalle, has provided the only real insight to the new band:

"I'm not at liberty to talk about it but I think the project is pretty f**king amazing. Just beats and sounds like you've never heard before."

This new 'supergroup' may be riding slightly on the heels of Chickenfoot (Satriani, Haggar, Smith, Anthony) but I think they will have a different sound. Granted, I have no idea what that sound will be, but with three legendary rockers such as themselves, I can only imagine some sort of fusion of Foo Fighters energetic pop-rock mixed with the awesome, smooth vocals of Homme.

I'll look forward to hearing this. I have always really loved Dave Grohl on drums, and I think he and JPJ will create a great foundation for Homme to build on top of. Look for something to show up late this summer or early fall.

Randy Rhoads Movie Trailer

Randy Rhoads Documentary Trailer
Uploaded by romeorose1974. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

I'll probably watch it.

Top 5 tips for buying a new guitar

A lot of my friends always ask me to come with them when they make any sort of guitar purchase because they think that I can somehow miraculously select the one needle in a haystack of crappy Gibson QC (yea, that was a stab at Gibson's quality control of late).

The truth is, there are definitely things to look for when buying a new guitar, but sometimes there can be unforeseen complications like wiring problems, a bum pickup or whatever...Not everything is perfect.

I attempted to group together the top 5 things I look for when buying a guitar, so I hope it helps you make a good decision.

1. Body resonance

For me, this is really important. When I try out a new guitar in the store, I try and play it unplugged first to see what it sounds like acoustically. If it sounds flat and dead, then odds are it will sound just the same through an amp. If I pick it up and can clearly hear the note definition as well as feel the body of the guitar resonate with the notes, then I know I have a well put together guitar in my hands.

2. Attention to detail

Now I know this can be a selective criteria, but you can still tell if the makers of a guitar have really taken pride in what they have created. Try to look at everything that makes up the guitar. Look at how the frets are installed: Are they even? Is the neck-pocket a nice, tight fit? Is the finish smooth and even? If these things are taken care of, chances are the manufacturer used the same attention to detail on the inside as well.

3. Playability

PLAY THE GUITAR!! This is purely selective. How does the guitar feel in your hands? I've gone into a guitar store before and gone straight to whatever guitar catches my eye, only to find out it plays like a 2x4 with spaghetti strings. Never, EVER buy a guitar based on looks. You will be much, much happier with a great playing guitar down the road. Remember guitars are for playin', not displayin'!

4. How long has the guitar been on display?

This may seem like a dumb question, but always think to ask the salesman how old the guitar on the shelf is. Sometimes guitars sit on the walls of music shops for months and months, maybe even a year or two. Throughout all that time they're on the walls, people come in and out and play them. After a while, that adds up to almost being like a used guitar. Sometimes, if the guitar has been on the floor long enough, you can negotiate a better pice with the store. Try it out, it works!

5. Don't look at the headstock!

I can't stress this enough: DON'T LOOK AT THE HEADSTOCK! What I mean is; don't get caught up on a guitar because of the manufacturer. Yes, it is nice to say "I own a Gibson," but you could very well own some sort of Les Paul copy, like a Japanese-made Edwards, for a fraction of the price, but sacrificing little to no quality. Don't just buy a guitar to impress your friends. Try out new brands you have never heard of: sometimes you may surprise yourself.

I hope these tips help you guys pick out the perfect guitar for you. Try and keep these in mind and Happy Shopping!

Tone is in the.... concrete?!

The eternal debate: 'What contributes most to your guitar's tone?'

Some say its the wood. Mahogany will give you a warmer, deeper sound; ash is a little brighter, etc..

Then you have your pickup fanboys, who say a great pickup will make any cheap parts-o-caster sound great. Then there's amp techies who drool over schematics like it was a centerfold, and the down-home old schoolers who insist that good tone comes directly from player's fingers and their ability to caress those wound nickel strands.

Debate aside (I'm a "in the fingers" kinda guy), Larry Lashbrook, of Lashbrook Guitars, has pushed the argument for pickups to a new level. Recently, Lashbrook has developed a new piezo system that he believes is so good, it can make any guitar sound good, no matter how bad it is.

To put it to the test, Larry actually took a concrete block, bolted a neck to it and stuck his piezo in it. Now, I know what you're thinking, "WTF?!" Yea, that was my reaction too... but after hearing it, I'm really impressed. (But not nearly enough to want to buy a concrete guitar)

It does sound a bit processed, but come on, its a freaking block of concrete: one of the least resonant materials out there. Props to Larry and the guys for breaking the mold and demo-ing their product in a really cool way.

Check it out, tell me what you think:

Learn something new every day

How many of you are familiar with the classic 50s Gibson color, "TV yellow?" Well, it looks like this:

That is a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Jr., and THAT is what guitars are all about. See how the yellow color is somewhat greenish? That is a result of the yellow dye chemically reacting with the mahogany body of the guitar. If the same yellow dye were to be up on a guitar of, say, alder, it would come out as a flat, plain yellow.

Moral of the story: you learn something new every day!

From Wiki:

Later, in 1955, Gibson launched the Les Paul TV model^[10], which was essentially a Junior with what Gibson called a natural finish. This finish was actually more of a translucent mustard yellow through which the wood grain could be seen, and was not unlike the finish that competitor Fender called butterscotch yellow. The idea behind this TV Yellow was that white guitars would glare too much on early black and white television broadcasts, whereas TV Yellow guitars would not cast a glare.^[11]

I miss my guit-box

Since I've been in Minneapolis since Wednesday, I haven't been able to play at all. So instead, I'm just watching youtube videos of other people playing!

It also doesn't help that I'm GASing for his Gibson 339 too...

Ever wanted to know what a Les Paul looks like cut in half?

Harmony Central thread

New 5 lb, 50 watt amp from Milbert

Thats right, you read that title right.

This little devil of an amp was just released as a prototype at this summer's NAMM show. (For those of you who don't know, the "National Association of Music Merchants" (NAMM) is the E3 of musical instruments. Its a biannual guitar, amp, effects ect. trade show.)

Basically, I near shat myself when I read this thing's specs.

For starters, its 5 lbs people. How can you beat that? Easily lighter than most guitars. It can run ANY TUBE! Yes, any type of power or preamp tube, and any combination you like. It also comes standard with a cool new Phantom Power for pedals, which lets you run all your pedals with no wall warts. All the power comes through your amp.

Check out the Milbert site for more info. Prices around 2k, available late '09. This will be something I definitely have to try out.

Phish Announces Halloween Festival

Anyone who is familiar with the quirky quartet from Vermont knows that they have a long standing tradition of halloween shows. In the past, Phish have played all covers on halloween, a tradition fans love. Since their hindus in in the early 2000's, fans have missed the ever popular cover shows.

Acording to RollingStone.com, Phish has just announced a three-day festival called Festival 8 in Indio, California.

Rolling Stone.com:

"Phish will celebrate Halloween this year with a three-day fest called Festival 8 in Indio, California, the band revealed on their official website last night. The concerts will run from October 30th to November 1st, with the band’s October 31st night show reviving a Halloween tradition for the first time since 1998: As in years past, Phish will perform another band’s album in its entirety. Festival 8, named because it’s the band’s eighth festival since 1996, marks Phish’s first festival since 2004’s Coventry in Vermont, and the band’s first-ever festival anchored on the West Coast."

Now, I don't know about you, but personally, if I'm going to spend all that money and see Phish, I want to see Phish play Phish songs. I mean, throw me a raging Divides Sky or You Enjoy Myself any day over a few covers. Yea, it can be cool to see them do covers, but I haven't heard them play their own music in years!

For some reason, Phish have started this trend of halloween shows, but I kind of wish they would end it.

The NEW KuzTunes

Blogging is the way of the future, no?

(hint, the answer is yes)

So I decided to take this blog in a new direction. Instead of just being music recommendations, I'm going to start posting about music and guitars in general. Hopefully I'll be able to update it more often, and I'll be able to give more fascinating information to all of you.

Don't worry, you will still get music recommendations and whatnot, but now its going to be scattered in between my ramblings.

So, until then, enjoy this track by British R&B artist, Estelle.

More Than Friends - Estelle

KuzTunes pick 7: Portugal. The Man

Alright Darsch, heres you're second band....

This is another indie band originally from Alaska, but now based out of Oregon. They have their roots planted in the "indie" scene but they also have elements of soul, folk and a little blues and even touching on experimental.

This track with a little bit of that experimental edge, using a lot of envelope filters and reverb on just about every instrument. It throws in some pretty nice, but subtle guitar work in there.

So, here is Portugal.The Man with the song "Lay Me Back Down" off the album 'Censored Colors.'

(sorry the YouTube video's embedding is disabled)

Lay Me Back Down - Portugal Th...

KuzTunes pick 6: Ojos de Brujo

Ok, ok, I know, I haven't kept my promise and updated this every Wednesday, BUT I'm gonna throw Somethign new at you guys right now, then probably again tonight or tomorrow morning.

So, today, I'm coming at you guys with a modern Spanish Flamenco band. They're a nine-piece band from Barcelona, and they consider themselves to be "jip-jop flamenco." (remember, the 'j' makes an 'h' sound!) The name means "Eyes of the Sorcerer" in English, which is pretty damn bad-ass.

These tunes really do melt a little big of classic Spanish flamenco with a cool hip hop vibe: interweaving traditional flamenco guitar, polished vocals, maracas and turn tables.

This track has a little bit of hip-hop influince and a lot of flamenco guitar. Might not be for everyone, but I figured I would class up this blog a bit with some world music.

So here's "Calé Barí" by Ojos de Brujo off the album 'Barí'

Calé Barí - Ojos De Brujo