Crash Course in Guitar Tone
August 28, 2008 by unknown~ · 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 moreJohn Lennon Revolution Casino Electric Guitar Review
August 26, 2008 by unknown~ · 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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John Lennon Epiphone EJ-160E Guitar Review
August 25, 2008 by unknown~ · Leave a Comment
John Lennon’s songwriting was so visionary, his cultural impact so deep, that his guitar playing is often overlooked. But lest we forget, it was with six-string in hand that Lennon changed the face of rock and roll. While he wasn’t the world’s flashiest guitarist, he was one of its most tasteful, tuneful and sometimes even terrifying practitioners.
Two of the instruments immortalized by Lennon in his work with the Beatles and his subsequent solo career were his Gibson J-160E acoustic electric and his stripped Epiphone Casino. With the full cooperation of Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, Epiphone issued a series of limited-edition John Lennon Signature models based on these two guitars. While these instruments may be collector’s items aimed primarily at the Lennon enthusiast, they are also reasonably priced, functional instruments, perfect for any working-class hero.
JOHN LENNON EJ-160E
Patterned after the Gibson J-160E acoustic-electric that were perennial Beatles workhorses, the signature model EJ-160E features an advanced Jumbo, sloped-shoulder body shape, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a chunky solid mahogany neck and solid rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The impeccable fretboard is adorned with handsome “split parallelogram” inlays that are common on many Gibsons and Epiphones. The EJ-160E’s neck has the fat, rounded feel of many late-Fifties era Gibson electrics. A mini humbucking pickup is seated discreetly between the end of the guitar’s fretboard and the sound hole, while volume and tone controls are located on the guitar’s lower bout, as they would be on a standard electric guitar.Played acoustically, the EJ-160E has a meaty, midrangey tone that’s perfect for bold rock strumming and bluesy fingerpicking. Players who enjoy the crystalline high-end ping controlled low end of many “boutique” acoustics may find this guitar lacking subtlety or definition, but if you’re looking for that meaty, woody acoustic tone that gives so many Fab Four tracks their characteristic punch and warmth, this guitar is an ideal choice. Perhaps because of the hefty girth of the neck, which is big enough to have it own very lively resonance, this guitar has a responsive rumble that lets the player feel the energy of every not, and playing it rivals the satisfying, bone-tickling experience of getting it on with a high-ticket Gibson J-200.
Plugged through a blackface Fender Super Reverb, this instrument delivers a full yet clear sound that is only enhanced by the tone-fattening proximity of the pickup to the neck. And while the tone and volume controls don’t have that versatility of the graphic equalizer and feedback-notch-filter layouts found on many more “modern” electric acoustics, the controls are intuitive, effective and easy to grab on the fly.
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Jenson P10R Speaker Review
If one of your guitar-playing buddies walks up to you and says, “I’ve got the blues,” it could mean one of three things: he just found out his girlfriend’s nick-name is “Back Door Bertha,” he’s a drug pusher or he just had some Jensen P10R speakers installed in his amp. Known as the “blue cap,” “blue bell” or “blue frame,” the original Jensen P10R is considered the ultimate guitar speaker by many tone connoisseurs, and with good reason.
Paul Reed Smith McCARTY Rosewood Review
August 22, 2008 by unknown~ · Leave a Comment
Old Les Pauls never die—they’re just reincarnated as brand-new Paul Reed Smith McCartys. The PRS McCarty was designed with—and christened in honor of—Ted McCarty, the former Gibson president and electric guitar innovator responsible for such timeless and ubiquitous designs as the Les Paul, the Flying V and Explorer, Gibson’s family of semi-hollowbodies and pretty much everything the company introduced during the Fifties and Sixties.
In a nod to its namesake, the PRS McCarty derives its features and performance characteristics from the earliest solid-body Gibsons and updates them with contemporary touches. Like the Les Paul, the McCarty has a mahogany body with maple top and a glued-on mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard. The tuners are identical to those of a Les Paul Standard, and, like the earliest Gibson solidbodies, the McCarty employs and aluminum stoptail bridge with compensated grooves for better intonation. The McCarty’s vintage-style electronics center on two PAF-like humbuckers, with volume and tone controls, a three-way toggle switch and—a coil-tap circuit activated by the tone pot.
The McCarty Rosewood has all the above features, but with one very important distinction: its set-neck design uses a single slap of solid rosewood instead of mahogany. According to PRS, rosewood’s tonal character maintains mahogany’s midrange whomp, while enhancing lows and highs and adding a rich sustain. Carved in a comfortably wide, fat and club like profile similar to many McCarty-era Gibson solidbodies, the rosewood neck is oil finished and features a large heal that extends to the 16th fret, adding rigidity and resonance. Its 22-fret fretboard is a separate slap of rosewood with a subtly curved 10-inch radius, jumbo fretwire with appreciably steep bevels, a graphite nut and PRS’s signature abalone bird inlays. The neck’s scale is a common 25 inches, with longer fret spacing than a vintage Gibson, which allows for better intonation. The McCarty’s classic Goldtop finish is beautiful and speaks for the guitar’s distinguished pedigree.
The McCarty Rosewood was almost perfectly in tune right out of its case, rigged with a set of .009s and factory-set, middle-of-the-road action, somewhere between low and medium string high. I prefer action somewhere between low and downright buzzing, not unlike Jimmy Page (coincidentally, a McCarty owner himself), and with a slight tweak of the tailpiece studs, the McCarty was ready for business.
A Marshall reissue Bluesbreaker and an early Seventies 50-watt half-stack were used for the “blast” test. The tonal difference between rosewood and mahogany necks (as compared to a reference ’93 Les Paul Standard) are subtle; nonetheless, the McCarty presented the guitar’s frequency range quite evenly. With its bridge pickup selected, the McCarty yielded chords of warmth and clarity, with a hint of the top-end and midrange wallop familiar to a Gibson solidbody. With its front pickup selected, the McCarty Rosewood delivered a lingering Santana-like sustain, while an expectedly jangly rhythm tone was summoned by using both pickups.
Engaging the coil-tap circuit made the humbuckers respond like single-coil pickups. In this mode, the McCarty revealed a brighter, twangier tone: plenty of bite on the bridge pickup setting and a plucky, out-of-phase tone with both pickups engaged. Diversity is definitely the McCarty’s strong suit, a terrific combination of mahogany mids and Fullerton-esque toppiness in a guitar that could be a workhorse for any player comfortable with a fixed-bridge design.
The End Line
The McCarty Rosewood, like all PRS guitars, is a high-end guitar worth skipping some meals for. In fact, if I could own any PRS, this would be it. The McCarty Rosewood offers a superb combination of contemporary features and the classic craftsmanship for which PRS is known.
**(Pictured is a PRS Rosewod Limited)
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Zakk Wylde Zakkology – Call of the Wylde
August 21, 2008 by unknown~ · Leave a Comment
Digging through some old-old achieves, I found some interesting tid-bits on the 1990’s Zakk Wylde. He talks about his first bulls-eye Gibson, Lee Jackson amplifier and where it took his music back in the 90’s. Read more
Epiphone Futura EX Electric Guitar
August 19, 2008 by unknown~ · Leave a Comment
Gibson is a huge name in the guitar world, with millions of guitarists who proudly play Gibson guitars. However, Gibson guitars are also quite pricey—with some of the mid-range models going for well over $1000. Which makes sense why many guitarists select Gibson’s little brother, an Epiphone. The Epiphone Futura EX guitar is an example of paying the Epiphone price for virtually a Gibson-quality guitar.
Main Product Features
The first thing that you’ll notice about the Futura EX is that it comes with a patent LockTone bridge. The FX, a slightly more expensive Futura model, comes with the Floyd Rose. The advantage that the fixed bridge is quick tuning on the fly, great for onstage downtuning, whereas the Floyd Rose is locked and set, which means you’ll need some time, skill and plenty of tools to change the tuning up or down a couple of steps.
The EX comes with EMG-81 and EMG-85 pick-ups. The EMG-81 will give you a very deep, powerful sound combined with awesome sustain and bite, while the EMG-85 humbucker pickup is ideal for rhythm guitarists. In addition, you will find that rich Gibson rhythm guitar sound out of the Futura EX.
Hardware is another area where the EX shines. The Futura EX has a sharp, black cherry quilted top and body-style of the Gibson Explorer. The color of the guitar sets off the pearl control knobs, black pick-ups, bridge and pickguard, as well as a black headstock topped with black Grover tuning heads. This may seem like a lot of black and red, but put together, the guitar is remarkably stunning.
Gibson guitars are known for having a very persuasive and playable neck, the Futura EX is no exception. The Hard Maple SpeedTaper D Profile, satin finish set neck plays as smooth as silk, while the rosewood fretboard has very precise fret work and stylish with blade inlays. With the cut-away design, hitting notes on the 23rd and 24th fret is a breeze. So if you’re a metal guitarist or a maniac shredder, you’ll definitely find this guitar a charming fit for your hands.
The Futura EX is a very solid guitar, especially for its set price of $549. While it’s certainly no $2000 Gibson, it does a pretty good job of excelling in this price range, making it a worthy guitar no matter the style of music you play.
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Epiphone EM-2 Prophecy EX Guitar
August 16, 2008 by unknown~ · Leave a Comment
Much like Squire and Fender, Epiphone and Gibson are considered by some to be worlds apart in terms of quality. While this could usually be the case when comparing a lower end Epiphone and a higher end Gibson, it’s not always the case when you compare a $300 Epiphone and a $1000 Gibson. The EM-2 Prophecy EX guitar falls into this $300 range, but how does it compare to guitars in the same price range and even Gibson guitars that cost more?
Main Product Features
Epiphone now makes two different EM-2 Prophecy guitars: the Prophecy FX and EX. While the FX comes standard with a Floyd Rose tremolo, the EX comes with LockTone Tune-O-Matic stopbar. The LockTone bridge provides stable tuning much like the original Floyd Rose stays in tune, so it’s a great choice for guitarists who rock their guitar hard.
Appearance: the EX is comparable to the FX. It features the same Swept-C cut-away body shape, the same hard maple neck, the same blade inlays, the same white binding, and Grover tuning pegs. Where it differs is the color and bridge of the guitar. The EX features a sapphire blue design with black EpiActive pickups and pearl control knobs.
The guitar features 24-frets with a design that allows access to every single fret. While higher fret soloing on a Les Paul is difficult, it is ridiculously easy with the EX prophecy. It’s for this reason that the EX is an ideal guitar for fans of both metal and modern rock—two styles of music that use quite a bit of 24-fret soloing.
Like the FX, the EX comes with EpiActive pick-ups which, combined with the bound basswood body, give the guitar a very nice, rich, yet flexible sound.
While the EX is by no means an flawless guitar—and doesn’t provide the sound and playability as guitars priced a 3 – 4 the price—it does hold up well when compared to guitars in the $300 price range and, perhaps, beyond.
Go to your local guitar shop and take one for a spin.
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The life of Leo Fender
August 15, 2008 by unknown~ · Leave a Comment
Before Leo Fender came along, the solidbody electric guitar was little more than a gimmick. No other person did as much to develop this “gimmick” into one of the most important musical instrument of the 20th century. Read more
Epiphone Futura Prophecy FX Electric Guitar
August 14, 2008 by unknown~ · Leave a Comment
Over the past few years, Epiphone has reinforced its image by taking on the role of a rebellious fresh upstart, challenging even its own status quo by establishing the upscale Elitist line and Slash and Zakk Wylde signature guitars. The Prophecy models seriously upped the ante in terms of materials and features, but they remained reasonably priced, a blend that fits right in with Epiphone’s philosophy of offering extraordinary value for your hard-earned buck.
Main Features
When you look at the Futura Prophecy FX guitar, you’ll first notice its sleek design. The guitar comes in the shape of an Explorer with a deep quilted see-thru black finish. Combined with a black headstock, silver control knobs and a black Floyd Rose tremolo, not to mention the solid black covered pick-ups and pickguard, this is a very dark goth looking, yet stunning guitar.
For being an Explorer-themed guitar, the Futura FX does have tremendous sustain, due to the EMG-81 pick-up at the bridge of the guitar and a hard maple set neck. The sustain is particularly noticed when playing solos or attacking chords on the guitar, producing thick metal sounds.
The Futura FX also features an EMG-85 humbucker in the neck, which is useful for rhythm guitarists. Both pick-ups make the guitar very tight, bound with resonance, which is why many types of guitarists—besides metal guitarists and hard rockers—will find something to love with this guitar.
The Futura FX features a solid mahogany body and maple neck. Like the pick-ups, the wood also has an affect on the sustain and tones of the guitar. The FX’s high-quality sound and playability can definitely be attributed to the hardware.
Other common features include highly figured quilted maple top, 24 fret Speed-Taper satin necks, jumbo frets (neck structure), unique blade inlays, Epiphone’s new Strap-locks, hand-stained colors and eye popping Pearl knobs. All Prophecy Guitars have bound bodies and necks. Plenty of research, design and testing went into this beautiful guitar during the two year process of making it both very affordable and playable. Priced at $649, this guitar is one solid and high-quality instrument.
Epiphone Futura Prophecy FX Electric Guitar with Floyd Rose Tremolo Features:
Highly Figured Quilt Maple Top
Bound mahogany body
24 Jumbo Frets
Hard Maple SpeedTaper D Profile, satin finish set neck
Bound Fingerboard
Eye Catching Pearl Knobs
Strap-Locks
Floyd Rose Tremolo
Grover machine heads
“Made in USA” Pickups
EMG-81/85
2 volume, 1 tone, 3-way pickup selector
Deep, Rich Midnight Ebony Finish
Unique Blade Inlay PatternGear-Vault Classifieds is an eBay alternative. Come sell your used guitars and amps with us, for FREE!
