Krank Revolution (REV+) Amplifier
August 31, 2008 by NAMM · Leave a Comment
OK, I’ve been finding a ton of user reviews for this amp on the net, and it seems that half of you think that the Krank Revolution+ amplifier is dark, crunchy, and ‘not worthy’.
This is a message to that half: if Dimebag heard you say that, he’d probably kick you in the stomach.
For the other half, rest assured that this amp is 100% pure metal. Don’t let the emo kids tell you otherwise.
Now, let’s get back to what we came here for: information. The Krank Revolution+ (from Krank Amplifiers) is an upgraded version of the first-generation Revolution head. The Plus features better transformers, 6550 tubes (power section), and a serious 120-watts of power, making this amp a thing of beauty. Dark, evil beauty.
The Revolution+ has two channels, ‘Kleen’ and ‘Krank’. The ‘Kleen’ side has a ‘boost’ feature, which helps you get a brighter, more sparkling tone (great for those melodic intros), a 3-band EQ, volume, and an active effects loop.
Of course, the only thing that all of you metalheads want to know about is the ‘Krank’ side, right? How about a 3-band EQ, volume control, a PAIR of footswitchable master level controls, gain, presence and parametric sweep controls. What will all of these knobs do for your sound? My guess is that it will turn your guitar into a lethal weapon…and Dimebag Darrell would have it no other way.
The Revolution+ is built to survive another blitzkrieg. Heavy-duty wood chassis and a metal grille make it solid as a rock. A testimony to the construction would be the 2008 Rocklahoma festival. During the festival, a severe storm broke out causing the side stages to collapse and the lighting trusses to fall on the stacks of Krank amps. After being pummeled by the trusses and enduring three to four inches of rain, the Krank amps were fully functional, and continued to rock through the end of the festival. How’s that for bulletproof?
If you are in the market for a killer guitar amp with amazing metal tone, get a Krank Revolution+. They just rule.
And Dimebag won’t have to come back to kick your butt.
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Electric Guitar – Rickenbacker’s 1932 invention of the Frying Pan
August 31, 2008 by NAMM · 4 Comments
Make it louder!, said George Beauchamp to John Dopyera. These three little words led to the birth of the electric guitar, and instrument that would go on to rock the world and become one of the signature sounds of the 20th century. Read more
Dean B Zelinsky Announces DBZ Guitars LLC -Thank you Dean!
August 29, 2008 by NAMM · 6 Comments
Dean Zelinsky, founder of Dean Guitars, announced this past Tuesday that he is launching a new line of guitars, called DBZ Guitars LLC (http://www.DBZGuitars.com). Zelinsky recently removed his name and endorsement from Dean Guitars, noting that he did not want his name on them any longer, due to their ‘declining’ quality.
DBZ Guitars was launched in order to give Mr. Zelinsky ‘personal control over design, direction and quality’. The company website also features a forum, where Zelinsky can chat with fans of his guitars. Sign up to DBZGuitars Message Forum.
Dean Guitars was founded in 1976, when Dean Zelinsky was only 18 years old, and helped to bring about some new concepts in guitar design. The new line of DBZ Guitars will continue with that legacy of inventiveness, using laser technology, proprietary graphics applications, and exotic woods. The new DBZ Guitars are scheduled to debut in January 2009.
Dean Zelinsky has also partnered up with Jeff Diamant (Diamond Amplification) and Terry Martin.
“Jeff and I share a vision for DBZ, and see eye-to-eye on how this industry should be serviced”, said Zelinsky.
DBZ Guitars plans to put more of the modern technology to use to bring about the next generation of guitars. They also plan to produce not only high-end guitars, but models that will fit everyone’s budget.
Zelinsky plans to exceed the expectations of Dean Guitar’s fan base of over 30 years.
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Frank Zappa Unsentimental Guitarist
Frank Zappa never had much use for sentimentality. As a lyricist, he could be sly, silly or bitingly sarcastic, addressing anything from groupie sex to the perils of yellow snow. Read more
Guitar String Breakage
August 29, 2008 by NAMM · 2 Comments
I’m the happy owner of an Epiphone Les Paul Custom, with one exception: my high E string breaks about once every two days, the B string breaks about every five days, and today my A and D string broke after being on the guitar just nine days. What can I do to make my strings to last longer? Should I use a specific type of string? In addition, I play the Paul through a solid-state Laney 30-watt combo.Joe
xxxx@gmail.com
It’s difficult to accurately diagnose your problem without seeing your guitar for myself. From what you describe, and assuming that your strings are breaking at the bridge, it sounds as though tiny burrs (i.e., sharp edges) have developed in the slots of the intonation saddles that the strings pass through. This happens over time and over many string changes. When you restring your guitar, be sure that you place the new strings exactly in the groove of the saddle. If you place the string even a little outside the groove, you’ll cut burrs into the medal when you wind up the string and increase tension on it. These burrs, in turn, can be sharp enough to break your strings prematurely.
It’s also possible that the intonation saddles on your bridge were cut improperly at the factory, which would result in the same fat for your strings. A qualified repairman can tell you if your saddle slots are smooth and give them a light filing to remove any sharp edges. If burs aren’t the problem, it could just be that you’re a heavy-handed player. Try switching to the next-heaviest string gauge available, if the tension of the string isn’t too stiff for you. And remember: all strings are not created equal. Poor-quality strings may also be the culprit. Always use strings manufactured with strict quality control standards (ask your dealer for assistance).
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Marshall 2203KK JCM800 Kerry King Guitar Amplifier Head
August 28, 2008 by NAMM · Leave a Comment
When you take the amp that has been the source of pure rock and roll crunch for decades and mix it with one of the most powerful metal guitarists ever to unleash havoc on this planet, what do you get? Read more
Crash Course in Guitar Tone
August 28, 2008 by NAMM · Leave a Comment
I own a custom-made Ibanez S540R guitar that I bought secondhand. I purchased the guitar because I liked its tone, which was warmer and had more character than other Ibanez guitars. Read more
Godsmack Smack Attack
August 27, 2008 by NAMM · Leave a Comment
Who says you need a big budget, a hotshot producer or a fancy, gazillion-track studio to make a hit record? Not Godsmack, a Boston-based band that sounds more like Seattle (their name actually comes from an Alice in Chains song). Godsmack’s selft-titled major label debut originated as a self-produced demo recorded back in 1996 for just $2,500—which the band had to borrow from a friend. Read more
VYPYR – Peavey VYPYR Earns Respect in the Guitar World!
Since 1965, Peavey has built a reputation for making awesome guitar amplifiers, and they continue to evolve under the guidance of the company’s founder, Hartley Peavey. Their reputation has been solidified with a series of amazing amps, such as the 6505, JSX Joe Satriani signature amp, the Valve Kings, Triple XXX, the Classic series, the Windsor, and others. In the non-tube amp category, their patented TransTube technology is almost indistinguishable from real tube-driven amps, setting the standard for performance, tone, and affordability. And now, with their VYPYR series of amps, Peavey finds themselves at the forefront of the modeling amp race as well.
THE LINEUP
The VYPYR series is made up of six different combo amps, ranging from 15, 30, 75 to 100-watt models that make use of a digital front end with TransTube paired with a TransTube solid state power section. They also have both 60- and 120-watt models that pair digital front ends with tube driven power sections. All of the VYPYR series draw on Peavey’s years of amp-building skill by utilizing the most advanced processing of any digital amp, even including real analog distortion generated by their amazing TransTube circuitry, which is the only solid state amp that can re-create all of the eight events that create distortion in a tube amp. The result is awesome tone and great response from both versions of the VYPYR. The rich, digital effects are complemented by the analog distortion, which frees up processing power, creating a more organic sound experience.
Every VYPYR amp comes loaded with a 266MHz Dual Core SHARC processor that gives the series the most processing power of any modeling amp on the market. What does that mean to you? More realistic sound, a greater range of diversity, the ability to handle more effects at one time (up to five at once) and a greater range of control over the effects parameters.
FIREPOWER
The VYPYR has 24 different amp models, including both clean and distortion channels for 12 classic amplifiers, including British and American amps, and a few of Peavey’s most popular tube driven amps. One of the cool features of the VYPYR is that some of the original amps were single-channel amps (without distortion), and for the first time ever, the VYPYR gives you the option for distortion or, in some cases, a ‘boost’ channel, to give you that ‘up to 11′ option.
As for effects, the VYPYR offers 11 rack and 11 pedal effects (with the exception of the VYPYR 15, which leaves out the pedal section), all of which can be stored as presets and are fully editable. The amps give you 12 preset slots, which are arranged in 3 banks of four presets. With the addition of the Sanpera II footswitch, the number is increased from 12 to 400 storable presets (again with the exception of the VYPYR 15), which lets you use up to five effects at once and also includes a looping function, which would be a worthwhile investment for any effects-prone rocker needing a ready-for-stage solution to the boring amp problem.
GREAT! HOW DO THEY PERFORM?
During a test run, the VYPYR 30 (the next to smallest in the series) had plenty of bite. It seemed to be suitable for most gigs. When the amp is switched on the control panel lights up, making it suitable for low-light situations. When you plug in, the LED lights switch over to ‘operation’ mode. The multifunction knobs are labeled, making it fairly easy to get the hang of without having to read the manual (who does that, anyway?). The lights are arranged to tell you which amp models and effects are active, which channel is being used on the models, green indicating a clean channel and red is for rocking hard.
The amp delivered a realistic sound and feel, thanks to the models and their algorithms in conjunction with the TransTube technology. The 75 and 100 VYPYR series also feature a Power Sponge attenuator built-in, so you can get massive tone at lower volume (so you won’t bother your parents – much). The analog distortion also allows you to dial in pre- and post-gain, just like the other amps on the market.
The TransTube technology captures the sag effect of a tube power section wonderfully, as it responds to your picking style. For those of you who are tube purists, the VYPYR Tube 60 and the Tube 120 will help feed your ego with their real 6L6 tubes.
MORE DETAILS, PLEASE!
You want features? How about this: studio-quality USB interface (to get those tracks directly into your computer) on everything but the 15 and 30 models, MIDI in/out, a built-in chromatic tuner, MP3/CD/Aux input, pro-quality headphone out, tap tempo button, a master know that goes beyond 11 (untested…use with caution).
Peavey knows what you expect: a quality amplifier that can wake the dead. And with the VYPYR Series, Peavey delivers, building on their traditional strengths with high-octane processing power and an excellent interface. The Peavey VYPYR Series rocks. Hard. http://peavey.com - Discuss the Peavey VYPYR at GEAR-MONKEY.COM
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John Lennon Revolution Casino Electric Guitar Review
August 26, 2008 by NAMM · Leave a Comment
Used in the latter part of his career with the Beatles (most notably on the Revolver sessions) and for much of his solo work, Lennon’s Casino was a highly personalized instrument that reflected much his maverick spirit. Purchased by Lennon in 1965, the hollowbody originally had a sunburst finish and a pickguard. By 1968, however, in the search for a more resonant sound, Lennon had stripped the finish and removed the pickguard, leaving only the natural, instantly recognizable guitar that he is so often associated with. In order to reproduce the instrument as perfectly as possible, representatives form the Epiphone company paid a visit to the legendary instrument a the late Beatle’s New York apartment, where it had been stored, virtually untouched, since his death. Precise measurements of the guitar were taken and tests performed on it, and the findings returned to Epiphone’s Nashville factory.
The results of all this research is the “Revolution” Casino, and eerily “alive” guitar that features a hollow, laminated maple body and top, mahogany neck, two Alnico V P-90 single-coil pickups and a no-nonsense control layout featuring a three-way pickup selector and two volume and two tone pots. As on Lennon’s guitar, the top-mounted screw and spacer for the pickguard are still in place, and there is even an unfilled
screw hole on the bottom side of the guitar where the pickguard would have anchored. The natural satin finish feels refreshingly woody, and the 22-fret neck plays like butter. However, guitarists who like to engage in upper-register wailing should be warned that, like all Casinos and Gibson ES-330s, this guitar’s neck joint is at the 14th fret, making it difficult to play comfortably anywhere about the 17th fret.The combination of P-90s and hollowbody construction has always yielded great results, and this guitar is no exception. The Casino has an organic, almost spongy tone that imparts clean chords with a bell-like roundness, while distorted tones are throaty and rude. The guitar’s rich harmonic content makes virtually any amp sound like it’s running in some sort of Vox-like Class A configuration, and through and old Vox the “Revolution” Casino would certainly sound, well—one can only imagine.
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